《Lacunae Saga》


 As if, by magic...

    Chapter 1


    Arthur leapt off his couch, snapped awake by the horrible and jarring crash that partially knocked the wind from him. He sputtered, gagging on his own spit, fighting for air while desperately trying to catch his breath and simultaneously peering about himself as his mind fought to play catchup with his senses. The world was tilting on an axis for him, sight darkening around the edges as his eyes narrowed to slits with a furrowing brow, vision swimming as though he were watching rolling waves beneath an ocean surface¡­ mind floating as they flowed, in and out, in and out¡­ He wobbled on his feet for a moment, trying to keep upright, trying to fight back against the torrent of sensory overload, an arm reaching out to the nearby wall of his camper to steady himself. A hazy tide of nausea began working him over, smacking him around like an overly frustrated small-town cop¡­ One who, perhaps, had only earlier that week caught his wife cheating in bed with another man, Arthur being that particular individual¡­ Fantasies of dreams and nightmares filled his quickening thoughts, Arthur finding a strange, almost dark comedic humour in the comparison, to which he could only shake his head at the places his own imagination took him to¡­


    As his stomach threatened to hurl the contents of an earlier lunch, it was all the young man could do but weather the storm, even as his head began pounding with the onset of a migraine, vision spinning about as existence itself seemed to¡ªslide but moments before he was suddenly and inexplicably lying on the ground, utterly flabbergasted by how he¡¯d gotten there! It only took a slurry dozen heartbeats for him to come to the unanimous conclusion that he¡¯d fallen in a most unceremonious fashion¡­ Hell, he hadn''t even felt the impact! The lights in Arthurs''s head dimming for an unknowable span of time as consciousness faded and an all-consuming blackness welcomed him with its warm embrace. He had no earnest way of knowing just how long he¡¯d lain there, unconscious and unmoving, confused, concerned and above all, absent from reality itself when, as if by magic, the assault on his person seemed to suddenly fade¡­ Disappearing as muddled thoughts slowly returned, emerging from the mire of concussive injury, however, as the ordeal he¡¯d endured departed, swiftly dissipating as though it were all some¡ªbad joke, he was nevertheless left completely and utterly¡ªexhausted.


    ¡°Uhhgnnn¡­ fuck¡­¡± He groaned while picking himself up off the floor, wincing not because the mysterious malady that had befallen him persisted but because he¡¯d managed to smack his head upon something as he fell. Not the first time he¡¯d taken a good whack to the old cranium...


    He had played hockey in his younger years, following in the footsteps of his older brother, but, all the same, it was all more than enough for him to nearly forget about the massive crash that had awoken him¡ªkey word being nearly¡­ With dazed eyes, Arthur moved to his camper''s wall-mounted control panel, noting with some relief that the large touchscreen and the greater interior of his home were¡ªthankfully, undamaged. Regardless of¡ªwell, whatever had happened, he knew, first and foremost, that there were no replacement parts for his camper at a¡ªreadily available convenience. Worse still was what might happen should he be forced to attempt to take the RV to a mechanic¡­ The camper was six-hundred thousand dollars worth of next-generation off-the-grid living¡­ complete with a revolutionary all-electric design that relied upon high-yield solar energy to power everything from the hot-water tanks to the engine¡­ Heralded by NU-Gen technologies, the company had designed it to be the ultimate vehicle in its admittedly luxurious, if not a touch gimmicky, class. Intended to allow one to escape back to nature without leaving a footprint beyond its rubber treads.


    It was twenty-six feet of all American ingenuity, a perfect home, if not a slightly unattainable goal, for a single guy looking to get away from the mediocrity and modern slavery of city life¡­ somehow acquired and disconnected from its satellite tracking before it had even been released by his inspired crazy uncle who¡¯d sold it to Arthur for little more than twenty-five grand, cash. As to how the man had procured it, Arthur could only guess, but he assumed it had, more or less, something to do with the mans¡ªah¡­ career. A little arcane chicanery, as it were, both in regards to the vehicle''s acquisition and his uncle''s lacking of very deserved jail time. As for himself, it¡¯d been his life''s savings¡­ the sum total of everything he¡¯d managed to accumulate over his short life, a cruel and horrid reality that accompanied the miserable rat race that was being a young adult amidst the middle of what was the twenty-first century.


    Again, he hadn''t asked how his uncle had managed to steal it, for there could be no question that was how it had been procured; however, seeing the opportunity for what it was, Arthur, oddly, hadn''t even blinked an eye at it. He¡¯d always been a strait-lace kid most of his life, never getting into fights, never causing his parents a reason to worry¡­ His grades had been good, he¡¯d had lots of friends, and when he¡¯d been accepted to university to pursue a career in engineering, everyone had all said the same thing about him¡­ Arthur was¡ªgood¡­ It wasn''t until he finished his first year in the programme that he realized not only was he bored with life, but that he himself was boring as well¡­


    That was when the partying had truly started, a spiral of ambitious and frankly ridiculous decisions that had led him to his twenty-fifth year alive and, first beyond the clutches of society, spent alone in the wilderness of the northern Canadian state, hiding away from the social world and living the life of a drifter in his stolen miracle of a recreational vehicle.


    The key in it all was that, for the first time in his brief existence within the cosmos, Arthur could have been said to be truly happy, living alone without responsibility, free from the expectations of his ivy-league parents and their ever-present disapproving gazes¡­ Allowed to build and tinker, absent the disdainful eyes that had always observed him, showered with all that nature provided so he might do as he pleased. Spirited away from the oligarchs that controlled everything from major media outlets to the coffee shops and¡ªavocado toasts he could scarcely afford...


    His wealth or, whatever one might call a young adult''s meagre savings had arrived largely by way of criminal means, a half lifetime spent working, a paper-boy when he was young, a part-timer in high school and later still as an intern utterly eclipsed by a laughable six-months spent hustling marching powder in his old stomping grounds for some less reputable but rather reasonable acquaintances of his uncle¡­


    So, when he quickly performed a diagnostics check upon what was his only home, he slowly began to feel the tightness of a potential panic attack just waiting in his chest¡ªalleviating as one system after another returned positive and in working order. A deep sigh of relief filled the air as Arthur leaned back against the sofa and just sat there, collecting himself as he replayed what had happened in his mind. Was the crash real, or had it been one of those falling-off-a-cliff dreams? If it¡¯d been the latter, then Arthur could say that it had undoubtedly been the very worst of such he¡¯d ever gone through¡­ not that he often experienced those sorts of fantasies¡­


    No, his personal insomnia-inducing issue was Rebbeca, his sleep-paralysis demon who always liked to watch him from the corner of a room. Paralyzing him whenever he noticed her whilst lingering at the edge of a dream before moving to stand over him like she was mad she¡¯d been observed in a once near nightly game they had with each other¡­ Of course, it wasn''t real; he knew that, and the game part was merely how his younger self liked to rationalize it all¡­ Rebbeca wasn''t even a woman to begin with, simply an unidentifiable dark shape with the vague figure of a person.


    Now, while it was true that Arthur had sometimes¡ªoverreacted in his younger days to being attacked by his own mind, now, much older and more used to his brain''s nocturnal shenanigans, he often met the demon with a sort of cavalier cheer. Making jokes and challenges by equal measure, as much because he¡¯d gotten so accustomed to it all as to prove that Rebecca was nothing more than a figment of his imagination. It had been ages since he¡¯d physically revolted in such a violent manner to her presence, and what was weirder was that he tended to always remember when she visited in the first place, which, he was fairly sure, she hadn''t.


    Without question, the crash had definitely been something more¡ªtangible than a shadowy bump in the night¡­ Arthur¡¯s next train of thought was that a particularly large bear, or maybe a moose, had knocked into his RV¡­ Neither creature obviously being one with which an individual typically wanted to tangle with, especially whilst unarmed¡­ That wasn''t to say he had no means by which to defend himself, but scouting was a primary skill of a self-proclaimed survivalist that any good outdoor enthusiast should employ when able!


    As it happened, Arthur had the perfect solution! With a quick navigation through his console, he eventually found the option to allow the windows to return to a transparent state. Naps were best taken when within a dark room, and he¡¯d severely tinted the glass to allow himself an¡ªuninterrupted break. He watched as the nearby panes shifted in shade, transitioning from a near-perfect black to a crystal-clear state that allowed him to view the outside world sans the intervention of technology. At first, as Arthur peeked about the immediate area, he felt a tinge of concern when he didn''t actually see anything eluding to what he was looking for. The threat of the unseen giving him a chill as cool and crisp as any person with arachnophobia might get from spying a spider in their bathroom as they went about their most vulnerable moment on the toilet. Only to look back and realize it had vanished from sight, a phantasm ready to reappear when it was least expected, perhaps even crawling up the side of the toilet itself¡­


    Thankfully, he wasn''t arachnophobic. Not anymore, at least. Living in the wild tended to harden oneself to much of nature¡¯s many denizens. However, it was the fear of something else, something far more concerning, that had Arthur¡¯s breath catch as a realization of a terribly wrong situation hit him like a speeding freight train.


    His camp was gone¡­ His shed, his firepit, stacked wood, smoking hut, the damned lake! It was all¡­ gone¡­ Panic filled Arthur¡¯s gut as his eyes rapidly darted about the unfamiliar greenery, the man spinning on his heel to look out the opposite window, expression collapsing as he stared dumbly at¡ªat¡­ What would one even call that? A village? A fucking medieval hamlet? A¡­ a¡­ oh boy¡­ He shook his head in bewilderment, just watching as tendrils of smoke rose from chimneys of brick and timber homes with what looked like clay shingles layered upon roofs.


    There couldn''t be more than a dozen or two such buildings scattered about in the distance, whilst, further still, Arthur could see far-off barns and crop fields that largely surrounded the sleepy settlement, most having a sort of¡ªrun-down look if his eye could be trusted. Had someone found his RV and, towed it to some remote village¡ªwithout him so much as stirring during the journey? No! That was¡ªheh¡­ utterly ridiculous! There wasn''t a hint of civilization around him for hours in any direction back at his home base! Not to mention that it would have taken a fairly substantial tractor to even tow him from his little slice of wilderness. The pop-outs were even still engaged! You couldn''t even get the bloody tires to so much as spin so long as they were out¡­


    Nooo, there was something here that wasn''t making any sense¡­ something that had his mind running without traction¡­ but, an unlikely prank or maybe a glitch with¡­ well, the RV¡¯s system discounted¡­ he really didn''t know what to even think for it all¡­ His past experiences simply providing no semblance of assistance towards unravelling something that almost felt on the cusp of a nightmare¡­


    Regardless, he knew he would have to go outside and figure this all out, one way or another; after all, it wasn''t like he could just sit there and close his eyes until it all went away¡­ sucking on his thumb in the fetal position while waiting for mommy and daddy to make it all better again! No, he had his adulting license, for whatever such a thing was worth¡­ Plus, Arthur knew what dreams felt like; he¡¯d been granted the double-edged blade that was lucidity in both his nightmares and fantasies and from a young age, no less. And though he had to admit that the¡ªbackdrop for the situation was¡ªfreaky enough for a nocturnal realm of his own imagination, the rest possessed a definitive¡ªmmhmm¡­ realness to it that was unquestionable to his mind. He was awake. He was cognisant, and, annoyingly, this was no dream. Shit¡­ He¡¯d of preferred it if it was a dream!


    Shaking his head to clear it of what cobwebs remained, he turned, moving to exit the motorhome from its only door, locked as it was, but pausing as he did so when his gaze fell upon a most peculiar sight. Up until that moment, Arthur had earnestly thought he¡¯d manage no more surprises throughout the day, having been so recently convinced that either A, he was about to be arrested or B, his stolen vehicle had, in a strangely comedic fashion, been stolen¡­ One had to learn to laugh at all of life''s many, and sometimes personal, fuck off¡¯s¡­ Yet, when his eyes locked onto a sort of halo effect emanating from a floating handful of abnormally large and luminescent¡ªcards, he felt, perhaps for the second time in as many minutes, utterly perplexed by two entirely separated mysteries. His head cocked almost involuntarily as he peered at the queer happenstance, a hand raising to scratch at the back of his neck while his jaw slightly slipped from where it had held itself.


    Cards in of themselves weren''t anything odd in his life¡­ after all, Arthur had a whole whack of the damned things in his wallet! And, he¡¯d always loved playing such games with his closest friends with more collectable or regular examples rather than bureaucratic. Ukuer, poker, president, Pokemon when he was a kid¡­ oh, he was sure he was forgetting a few, but¡­ Glowing cards, however, held a certain¡ªunusual quality about them that gave an individual pause, no matter who they were. And floating glowing cards were, of course, something of a holy trinity of words preluding countless more fictitious dreams that he had no doubt many children possessed, himself included, specifically those of a trading persuasion...


    As for himself, well, he¡¯d liked video games as much as the next kid when he¡¯d been younger, but¡­ as with many in life, responsibility and expectations had stripped Arthur of much of his childhood fancies¡­ Time restraints, expectations and finally wilderness had stood as rather firm barriers in his way of maintaining many of his old hobbies. Still, it was with an offhanded candour that Arthur nevertheless pinched at his arm, feeling the spike of pain run through his nerves just to be certain¡­ It might be a touch cliche and played out, but, one thing he¡¯d never actually felt in a dream was genuine pain. That being said, dreams, despite his experience with them, could still be tricky things¡­ Diversification was, and would always be, one''s best ally.


    ¡°There¡¯s¡ªno way¡­ right?¡± He murmured to himself, blinking several times as if the action itself would make the scene before him disappear.


    The whole¡ªcard situation was, in theory, something he could discount¡ªon its own... The whole appearing somewhere else after taking a nap was, of course, something he could ignore¡ªokay, well, not ignore, but rather, explain in both an articulate and rational manner. Appearing a kilometre or so away from a medieval-esque village when he was supposed to be in the middle of nowhere, and the magical-looking tarots that had abruptly appeared like some godly gift? Well, suffice it to say that the somewhat repressed nerd in Arthur was all but screaming his bloody head off!


    The cards practically called to him, chiming bells in his head, tolling to the tune of some sacred song! A prelude to start a grand adventure. Yet, as he mentally accepted that what he was about to do was reach for a set of magical-looking tarots with the earnest prayer in his heart that the magic in them was more than mere name, he felt a force within his chest burst into reality!


    ¡°H-holy shit!¡± Arthur cried out, half jumping and half stumbling backwards as three now somewhat familiar shapes materialized in the air at chest height. Each spinning with a sort of slow, divine reverence, tilted on a slightly diagonal kilter, right in front of where he¡¯d just been standing.


    There was this¡ªmagnetism he felt whilst gazing at them, a sensation of longing¡­ like they already belonged to him¡­ were precious¡­ Irreplaceable¡­ and yet, he could only have one, for they were each of them one and the same. Possibilities, that''s what they were¡­ not real, not yet, but all he might have to do to make them so was to simply reach out and pluck one¡­ He tried to shake himself free of the¡ªmist that seemed to snare his thoughts, the strange notions and queer knowledge that shouldn''t be there but, nevertheless, was all the same. He tried to refocus on what was important, to free himself and figure out exactly what was going on¡­ yet the oh-so-wonderful allure of the three tarot cards before him was as a siren¡¯s song to a love-lost mariner wandering the coast¡­ Irresistible, unshakable¡­ whispering with thought-numbing echoes in his ear, their call arriving as a seductive melody so enchanting he could hardly look away¡­ As if on a cloud, Arthur floated back towards the trio, half-hooded eyes staring at the intricate artwork that covered each surface with rapt attention, all else in the world falling away to inexistence...


    The first card depicted a, somewhat unsurprisingly given the connotations, ornate and gleaming sword, unsheathed and pointed downwards, its long double-edged blade straight and broad, looking to be as good about the job of chopping as it was a killer¡¯s bludgeoning tool. A vivid border, one that appeared to almost be filigree by how the card''s edge shone like worked silver, created an unending pattern around the tarot''s perimeter. The work was art in of itself, an entire history of unspoken battles raging across the card¡¯s edge, knights and banners, monsters and demons¡­ the forces of good and evil clashing within an endless and silent war¡­ it was all very¡ªheroic. The warrior, or so it was titled on the opposite side¡­ an undeniable promise that heralded a call to peerless adventure and physical trials¡­


    There was just one problem¡­ Arthur wasn''t the heroic type. Oh, he was trim and fit, to be sure, healthy as anyone could hope to be on account of his once debt-riddled parents receiving a small fortune for allowing an up-and-coming company to modify his genes in the womb with a wildly experimental procedure, mixed of course with a healthy lifestyle without excess or waste. He wasn''t superhuman by any stretch of the imagination but give it a dozen more years, and one never knew, maybe the likes of such might just appear in the world by man¡¯s very hand. But, just because he went for a hike every morning and was, in point of fact, marginally more durable than the average person, in of course, the grand scheme of things, didn''t mean Arthur was a fighter¡­ More, he¡¯d never actually thrown a punch in his entire life! Or, at least, not any outside of mandatory tests¡­ No, he was a self-titled gentle giant that had the somewhat lanky height and mass associated with it. And though the power in his muscles could cause harm as with others of similar builds or smaller, he¡¯d always lacked the drive to go looking for conflict. Arthur had always been a thinker, preferring to work out any imagined issues he might have through words and reason. He¡¯d always admired the age-old sayings of many a grand strategist and brilliant tactician, in that a battle should be won long before ever taking to the field. It was why he¡¯d always loved playing wizards or summoners when playing games¡­ Preferring synergy to raw power in nearly all forms. The mind was his ultimate tool, not some petty sharpened blade¡­


    In the end, Arthur promptly passed the first card by, eyes falling upon the second, which offered the promise of knowledge over war. The tarot held within it a picture of a book, a large and weathered leather-bound tomb with more pages in it than a small town''s local library. A sort of ethereal hue hung about the thing much in the same way as the cards themselves, potentially alluding to a hint of magic within its writings. A runic script that Arthur could scarcely understand, one that seemed to almost tickle at the fringe of comprehension, swirled about at the tarot¡¯s edge, the strange markings glowing gently in a cascade of shifting and pulsing colour that became truly difficult to stare at, yet simultaneously captivated his attention and gaze.


    On the opposite side, he spied the card''s name; the scholar¡ªits existence holding rather obvious promises, just as had the first. Arthur had always been a good student and liked learning, even if he didn''t like the classroom. He could, if pressed, make himself learn through a more scholastically conventional means but had always found that he was more successful in his endeavours when he manually worked his way through a problem. He was a tools man, liked doing things with his hands over writing them down, solving problems with both practicality and, when needed, calculations within tangible and relatable scenarios rather than the endless theory drafting of disjointed and scarcely interesting class work.


    It was closer¡­ definitely closer, given the promise of magic the card so earnestly made to offer, but, still, it wasn''t quite¡ªhim¡­ and, strangely enough, the¡ªgravitas of the situation simply wouldn''t allow him to stray from his true self.


    The final card immediately caught his attention, the presence of a large rotating brass gear holding his eye as might a particularly attractive woman at the bar. The cog was a simple thing, made of metal and without rust or wear. On the perimeter, a more dystopian steampunk theme seemed to play out within the tiny mural. Arthur wasn''t what one might name a complicated individual. He enjoyed what he liked, avoided what he didn''t and blended in with the crowd when he was able to. Friends found him fun and humorous to be around, and he was never averse to a good night out with anyone who asked, but his first and foremost self-proclaimed perfect evening was one wherein he spent it alone, lost amidst the presence of his own thoughts.


    When such opportunities arose, they were generally spent working on whichever little side-project he was most interested in at the time, his focus on any single one of them fleeting at best in lieu of a curiosity that pushed and punished him towards endless iterations of how to achieve something in brash or new ways. Making things was where his heart truly lay, as evidenced by his wilderness workshop, wherever it still was, filled to the brim with various schemes and variations on animal traps, which had been the latest of his mind''s sometimes narrow fixation.


    It was titled; the engineer, an apt description, he thought, given what the tarot portrayed. At first, Arthur had sort of imagined that the three cards might represent a sort of homage paid to the famous holy pillars of such genres, might, magic and crafting¡­ and, in the end, he didn''t think he was entirely far off the mark¡­ But, there was a small feeling of personalization here that he could appreciate. Certainly, if the final card had been named something along the lines of craftsman, then he might not have been so inclined towards it. There was a powerful magic, in its own right, about the use of proper words when trying to entice someone, a way to play upon egos and emotions that weren''t often so easy to find by an individual without the right inclinations. But what did that say about the other two cards? Had the second been named magician, then, likely, he would have given it more consideration than he had, and if the first had been called something more along the lines of general, then surely he would have given it more than a passing thought¡­ Or, maybe he was just thinking too much into all this¡­ With a small sigh, Arthur shook his head, the allure of what the final card offered simply too much for him to deny.


    Mentally, he reached out to the geared tarot, fingers moving towards it in conjunction with his thoughts until they brushed against it, the act producing a gleaming light that immediately made him pull away. Again, a familiar scene opened before him, only, this time, the cards that sat spinning in the air were nearly all slightly different variations of the one he¡¯d chosen. In an entirely similar fashion, all three cards depicted this form of familiar deviation while this time adhering to the criteria of the original he¡¯d chosen.


    Now, the first appeared the same as that initial example he¡¯d reached for, the brass gear spinning slowly within, the steam-driven world of inventions and limitless bizarre innovation existing at its fringe. On the back, Arthur read the mundane as the tarot spun around, causing him to frown as his gaze slid over to the next, just managing to catch that the second card was titled the Arcane before it turned. On the second card''s opposite side was a large and partially jagged crystal gear that was wreathed in sparkling magic. The thing pulsed with power within the tarot''s depths while its border was made up of an unending tide of magical contraptions. Traps, staves, swords, armour¡ªtools of all manner and persuasion really, littered the card''s perimeter, most with tiny but visible runic markings upon them.


    If the first was meant to offer a life filled with fantastical but probable inventions that could somehow only be achieved by a world driven by magic, then the second promised the advent of an existence wherein he did nothing but work with ridiculous concepts. Axes that created streaks of lightning in the air, toilets that could flush waste halfway across the world with portals, guns that could fire spiralling chakrams honed to the razor''s edge¡­ well, if nothing else, the concept itself was rather intriguing¡­ It would open up an entirely new reality of ideas and plans for him! He could make flying carpets or¡­ no¡­ no, the more he looked, the more he was getting the impression it was what one might call enchanting than anything else¡­ The whole carpet thing would probably still pan out, but, he got the sense that this wasn''t precisely what he was building it up to be¡­ A shame, but understandable in a manner given what he¡¯d really been hoping for was, in a way, an amalgamation of both cards as one.


    He supposed the fact that wasn''t an option either served as a sort of limitation to whatever this was, which, truth be told, was not at all uncommon within the fictional realms he enjoyed delving into, yet it was no less disappointing all the same. He guessed that enchanting might not exactly fit the bill either; after all, he didn''t really have a semblance of true understanding behind his assumptions, and maybe he was wrong! Yet given that he wasn''t seeing airships and golems, but instead, tools galore, well, he just couldn''t shake the feeling he was right.


    So, it was with a small tinge of frustration that Arthur looked to the final tarot, once again, an eyebrow raising as he noted that what he saw essentially boiled down to a card within another card¡­ Its border was wispish, without fine detail like the others, more a shifting mass of incredibly dense glowing fog¡­ the depictions focus within its core, appearing much in the same manner, despite managing to hold a distinctive and recognizable shape. On its back waited the words: the soul.


    ¡°The¡ªsoul?¡± Arthur asked, chewing on his lip as he watched the title rotate out of sight.


    If the card was implying that it offered the opportunities to¡ªand, this was a leap, engineer souls, then was it also implying that these¡ªthese tarot cards were, well, his soul? Or rather, variations on what it was, what it could be? From a certain, more¡ªderanged perspective, Arthur could see it; he didn''t agree with the concept as a whole, largely because he¡¯d never actually believed in any sort of afterlife¡­ but, then again, he was willing to suddenly believe in magic, wasn''t he? How was this latest tidbit truly any different? Was that what this was? Was he somehow working with his¡­ his soul¡­ What did his soul, if he even had one, have to do with cards?


    He certainly enjoyed collecting them in his youth, but, he¡¯d have never of said that they were his reason for living or any such ridiculous devotion to a game! In fact, he could even be said to have outgrown such hobbies as others sharing his interests drifted, pulled towards their own individual lives beyond the confines of youth¡­ Some getting girlfriends, others getting jobs¡­ Arthur¡ªtook a few minutes to sit and think about this¡­ For one, if the soul were real, and, for whatever reason, his had been suddenly¡ªunlocked¡­ And, now, he was about to dive headlong into some hidden occult other-half of earth, which, honestly, sounded as if it might be as batshit crazy as it did when spoken aloud rather than in his own head,  then, did all the previous cards represent some form of power he would receive?


    Were he honest with himself, that had already sort of been his working theory, even if he did still believe something¡ªbeyond his understanding was at play here. But, following that logic, everyone would have a similar card, and he¡¯d seen at least ten that were just floating in the air before¡ªwell¡­ before he¡¯d been confronted with something of a forced decision. If he were to choose the soul engineering card, then would he be able to somehow make new souls, or, was it more that he would be able to adjust the parameters of whatever the card entailed? S-similar, he thought, to the very concept he was even now currently undertaking. Magic and robots, be damned! If he were right about this and was being offered an opportunity to create the very things that gave people special powers then wouldn''t that sort of¡ªtrump anything else he could possibly hope for? Wouldn''t he be able to make a card that, say, summoned a giant death mecha with lasers and a cockpit from which he could soar through space? Now, that was an idea that he could certainly get behind.


    This, of course, all hinged upon the fact that Arthur wasn''t, even now, still on the floor, bleeding out and twitching with pooling drool from a head wound, half-mad, and currently living out his final moments in a delirious dream-like existence where magic and souls were all real. Full stop¡­


    ¡°Ahhhhh¡­ Fuck it¡­ why not?¡±


    He reached for the final card, this time managing to grasp it as the others dissolved into¡ªpainfully, blinding light, shooting into the iteration he held as it glowed like superheated plasma and reformed into something that was entirely tangible to the touch. Blinking away the stars in his gaze, Arthur eyed the tarot in his fingers, not seeing that anything had really changed about it, even as he began peering about his camper, the world of white that had enveloped him beginning to recede like it had never existed, creeping, just as it had arrived, as if lurking yet still upon the very precipice of reality where it waited to be called on again.


    Arthur cleared his throat with a sort of¡ªawkward¡ªnervous energy, licked his lips and shuddered as he fought to regain a semblance of sanity, turning the card over, almost on instinct, before hesitating as he was met with a frankly massive wall of written text that hadn''t been there before.


    He was silent as he quickly scanned the paragraph, a slight frown forming upon his face despite how his every geek fibre swelled with excitement¡­ The¡ªgist, as he learned whilst he rapidly read it, then re-read it just to be sure,  was that he was now able to¡ªreset a soul¡¯s power and reconfigure it to his machinations¡­ simple, right? It was unique, claiming that no other version of itself existed, nor could exist for that matter.


    In all honesty, so far as explanations went, the wording actually seemed rather vague, filled to the brim with so much room for inferred guesswork that he could earnestly say it felt as though there were little to no restrictions upon the¡ªpower he¡¯d just stumbled into. That being said, Arthur had long learned that nothing in life was as good as it first seemed, especially when the potential pitfalls surrounding something felt purposefully and perhaps maliciously absent¡­ There was also the little and somewhat worrisome addition of a single line written in fine ink that appeared just below the card''s name, the phrasing making Arthur frown for a moment as his gaze swept across the words with a contemplative break of the surrounding silence.


    ¡°Soul Engineer¡­ Utility Card, Derived from racial card¡ªHuman Ingenuity¡­ Soulbound, upon being lost by its owner or forcibly taken away, this card will be destroyed.¡± He flipped the tarot over, looking to see if anything else had changed before turning it again, taking a deep and long breath and clearing his throat. ¡°Be destroyed.¡± He parroted, softly clicking his tongue while staring hard at the entirely concerning nibble of a warning. The connotations between the destruction and souls weren''t at all lost on him. Arthur feeling a chill run down his spine as he involuntarily shivered at the thought¡­ ¡°Right, so¡­. either I really am crazy, or this is really¡ªactually fucking happening then¡­ Right!¡±


    Arthur shook his head, he felt like he was doing that a lot lately¡­ eyes drifting to spy the handful of apparent souls that were currently floating in his kitchen with a weary gaze. Now, while this was a stretch for a man who¡¯d grown up in a decidedly Jesus-loving household. If cards were souls, which, given the concepts he¡¯d been picking up until this point, seemed a reasonable enough leap in logic. And every person was born with a soul that was inside of them then, why were there a random bunch of so-called¡ªsouls sitting where they were?


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    His own card, he could¡ªwork through, intellectually speaking of course, even if he didn''t understand it nor even begin to comprehend what it would mean for the concept of an afterlife, but the cards that were floating in his RV weren''t even sitting at chest height¡­ In reality, it could be said that they were more or less hovering a few inches or so off the floor¡­


    ¡°Right,¡± he thought, head tilting to the side while chewing his lip, where his trailer''s wheel would be¡­ Hmmm¡­ A sudden thought occurred in his mind, the colour draining from his tanned face as he observed the soul-stuff as it casually waited, as though expecting him, no almost demanding him to pick them up. In a slight daze of uncertainty, Arthur did exactly that¡­ reaching down with a single hand to collect the stacked bunch, which accepted his touch with an almost ready willingness to them that was¡ªskittery and alien¡­


    On a guess, he released his own, still-held soul card to the air, watching it disperse in a cascade of showering light, imagining it to manifest a heartbeat later with those strange new instincts of his, and nodding along as it did so, once more, appearing at a uniformly measurable chest height and arm length, waiting for his perusal. He banished it again, this time without the intent to bring it back, instead focusing on the new cards in his hand and doing his best not to think about why they were there, to begin with, at least, not until he was ready to go outside¡­


    There were exactly ten tarots in the¡­ deck, as he was deciding to call it, each with various takes on colours and visual alterations that, at first glance, probably denoted a possible sort of either and or both a hierarchical system of capabilities and an organizational categorization of structure in broad strokes. All of it regulating and potentially implying what one might expect any¡ªsoul to actually do from the standpoint of competency.


    Only one of the lot was what Arthur would have named as silver, or, perhaps, possibly rare as its name was written out as though the ink used was derived from glittering moonlight itself. It was called the abyssal cultist, a self-titled class card and, supposedly, it offered its wielder an inherit or greater understanding of its possessor¡¯s chosen fanaticism¡­ Blood magic, shadow magic, dark rituals and pacts with extra planner entities were¡ªall among the licorice assorted¡ªlist of bestowed powers that the card would offer¡­ The specifics as to the spells themselves delved a touch deeper the more he read, the text seeming to almost expand as he focused upon any given subject.


    There had been¡ªvery few moments in Arthur¡¯s life when he truly felt as though he were wandering into a terrible situation with no evident way out¡­ and, unfortunately, this happened to be one of them¡­ An ominous foreboding welled within the pit of his gut, which he tried his best to ignore, moving through one problem at a time the best he was able. The other nine cards were all very interesting, of course; there was one that was named personal storage, for example, and another that dealt exclusively with languages, which, should Arthur''s growing hunch to be correct, would undoubtedly pay dividends given the sinking suspicions in his heart¡­ All the while, more still felt like they were variations upon a frankly uninspired fantastical realm of what he might otherwise expect to see. Ice shards, a barrier, food and water conjuration¡­ All in all, there were only two souls that were labelled as class cards, the second being another variation of a scholar tarot with a different picture than what he¡¯d been offered. A stylized scroll. The description appearing to offer the owner a more¡ªgeneralized understanding of rudimentary and foundational academic concepts that didn''t directly exclude the possibility of magic; however, the implications of the matter were quite evident. It made Arthur question if these¡ªcards were the only means to express the, dare he say it aloud, arcane, silly as the concept was¡­ Or, if they were more a crutch to be used in place of dedication and learning¡­ much like the language and scholar cards sort of hinted at¡­


    If magic existed as languages did, things that people either invented or could otherwise learn on their own, then were the cards sort of like¡ªcheating? And more, what would bloody well happen if he used the scholar card to learn rudimentary magic, then, took it away? Would he suddenly lose all that knowledge, even if he¡¯d been working with it for years? Honestly, the thought stung at Arthur, making him question if using such a thing was even a good idea! The notion that he¡¯d suddenly have this¡ªgap in his comprehension of the world that hadn''t been there before, an integral piece of his memories just vanishing, was¡ªeerie and frankly disturbing to contemplate¡­


    Either way, it wasn''t as though he actually knew any magic, and he certainly wasn''t about to add a card like the abyssal cultist to his own repertoire. No, that one just had too much of a¡ªnefarious ring to it to even consider¡­ The storage card he felt to be safe enough to regard with a touch¡ªless suspicion, just as the language card, and even the scholar one¡­ but he couldn''t help but feel a sort of¡­ hesitation in simply trying to press the tarots into his chest. The desire to do so waiting almost longingly at the fringes of his psyche.


    The implications of the ten cards were a clear and definable number that he could work with¡­ ten cards to any individual''s personal soul deck seemed a plausible enough number to place as a restriction on such a thing given his¡ªlimited experience thus far¡­ But, questions if such an action as adding cards to one''s soul or joining souls to souls was a limited, if not permanent, measure burned at the forefront of his mind¡­


    If he were to, say, add the tarot that claimed to give him the ability to summon basic fresh food and water twice a day, would it then be with him for the rest of his life? That of course, wasn''t to say that never having to worry about such things was precisely what one might call terrible, but the notion nevertheless gave him pause. Unsure what else to do, Arthur stacked the cards neatly back together and placed them up in one of his cupboards, right next to his spice rack. Then, taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and prepared himself for what came next¡­


    Arthur opened the door to his motorhome, catching the crisp and fresh breeze of a mid-spring morning¡­ an observation that he couldn''t help compare against the fact it had been hotter than the devil''s asshole after spicy wing-night. Amidst a heatwave during summer, no less. Or. at least, it had been when he¡¯d gone down for the nap. The ozone had taken a rather brutal pummeling over the years and¡ªeach season that passed seemed to get hotter and hotter. And while the reprieve from the shirt-drenching humidity and muggy misery that it had been outside was¡ªappreciable¡­ His thoughts of course, were, sadly, railroaded as a truly god-awful stench filled his nose, nearly making him gag with the terrible offensiveness of it!


    He¡¯d naturally smelt the scent before¡­ and, with no more proper manner to name it, it was shit. He nearly spoke the word aloud as he peered out the entrance to his RV, lips biting off the curse while staring down at a sight that he¡¯d been dreading to find¡­ Right beneath his tri-axel trailer''s middle-most wheels and beneath his popout kitchen area was the lower half of an all too real corpse. One that was wearing what looked like dark and tattered robes of a decidedly¡ªdark and worshipy variety¡­ A corpse that had relieved its bowels in its¡ªpassing¡­ or rather, had¡ªhad the¡­ contents of its insides popped out of it like an overripe pumpkin after an utterly devastating amount of weight had squashed it with brutal finality¡­


    The stranger''s boots were muddy and worn, the hem of their garment shredded and fouled with stains of dubious degree cleanliness¡­ And, of course, who could possibly ignore the¡ªfresher substances of a brownish-red nature that made him gag¡­ Arthur heaving to the side for several moments as the wind shifted and the smell got worse¡­


    In one of their pale, leathery hands, and just ever so slightly visible from where it lay, was what looked to be a blackish blade made of some polished glass-like and gray material¡­ the tires of his camper cutting off the sight of the supposed cultist¡¯s upper half.


    This wasn''t good¡­ not good at all¡­ Did this make him a murderer? Would anyone care to help him figure out the truth with how insane his story would sound?


    ¡°Oh, hello Mr. and or Mrs. Officer, I was just minding my own business, taking a nap within a stolen RV whilst living in your state illegally and bam! All of a sudden, I appeared on top of a cosplaying hippie! Ah, haha, I realize this sounds odd, but I assure you it-is-the-truth! Oh! And also he dropped magic cards when he died, nooo, no ma¡¯am, not the silly childhood game cards, reeeeeal cards, ones that glow and shine like bricks of gold! Ah, they might also be souls, so, best we stop at a church on the way in and¡ªpray to the big man upstairs, just in case, right-o? Hip-hop into the cruiser now!¡±


    Yes¡­ that was as good as a quick trip to an insanity plea whilst being charged with manslaughter that he¡¯d probably ever manage to cook up again¡­ And in the comparative silence that was his strangely zen-like and¡ªfloaty existence as he stood there, Arthurs''s mind wandered back to thoughts of the nearby village¡­ Face frowning as he considered the problems from a new angle.


    Was this¡ªindividual a member of the community that might have people who would come and search for him? Well¡­ that was utterly without question! He could¡­ flee¡­ maybe t-try to escape and thus avoid any form of responsibility for what had happened¡­ but, then again, he was amidst a sea of tall grass¡­ Probable cause be damned, if there was a literal trail of tire tracks that led back to wherever it was, he next chose to stop, then even a simpleton would be able to connect those dots.


    Yet, perhaps the most pressing concern that filled Arthur¡¯s mind was what the man had once been rather than his¡­ ahem, current state of being¡­ His cards implied he was a sort of religious fanatic¡­ cultists coming in all shapes and forms of worship as to what it was they pledged their allegiances to. Arthur had, in his web-browsing adventures, happened across quite a handful of different but largely harmless devoted types that, as he¡¯d admitted, hadn''t really turned him away from a constructive conversation, so long as they seemed to be¡ªdecent enough folk.


    However, somewhat unsurprisingly, he didn''t feel the same degree of¡ªnonchalance when considering the dead man beneath his tires. Abyssal sort of had something of a disreputable air to it all, and, the fact he was wielding a particularly suspicious item in his hand, looking the way he did, Arthur surmised that he''d rather not be discovered by any of the man''s¡ªassociates.


    That of course, left him in a rather delicate situation as his options, at least as he saw them, were rather limited. His first thought, beyond simply running away, was to quickly and quietly dig a hole. But, that idea quickly fell by the wayside as he realized that nearly all of his tools were actually outside when the¡ªevent that transported him, be it wilderness farmers or magic, had taken place. He could always go the shallow grave route and try his best to make do with his hands alone, but¡­ Arthur sighed, leaning against the doorframe as a weary expression took his face. There was, of course, one perfect way to solve his problem¡­


    Arthur was immediately disgusted with himself for even considering it, but the more he thought about his other options, the worse they all seemed to pale by comparison. Digging a hole, lighting the cultist on fire, fleeing the scene¡­ no matter which he might choose, all left evidence remaining to be found. Given that he didn''t want that, he silently resigned himself to the reality of what he might have to do.


    Though never one to truly balk when it came to the more¡ªunsavoury tasks life so often demanded as of late, the looming concerns that he could end up hog-tied and roasting over a bonfire like a witch was¡ªenough to clear whatever lingering concerns he held. If it came down to it, the corpse''s dignity or his survival, the choice was rather clear, wasn''t it? That being said, on the other hand, the young man couldn''t be sure that this individual actually belonged to a much larger nearby group¡­ in fact, to assume anything about them was tantamount to foolishness. For all he knew, the stranger was just some¡ªevil travelling priest, so far from home that nobody would have even known where he was¡­ Yet, on the other side of the supposed token, the entire village might be filled with his peers¡­ no, in such cases, despite how terrible the thought alone was, pragmatism and caution were, sadly, his greatest allies¡­


    He moved back inside his home, taking a deep and meditative breath as he began packing away all the various compartments and objects he had strewn about, cleaning with a sort of grim resolve before retracting the pop-outs of his RV. Silently, he moved to the lone driver''s seat, unfolding it from its nook and starting the engine, which activated with a creepy stillness that he¡¯d never really gotten used to.


    A grimace was all he could manage as he felt the rear wheels bump over something which he could only hope had been a pothole¡­ even if his mind quickly disillusioned himself from the fantasy. He very nearly kept driving, came within a hands-breadth of simply keeping his foot on the accelerator, ignoring every rational thought in his brain whilst rejecting what he was about to do. Nevertheless, he exited the vehicle a few moments later after turning the engine back off, eyes glazed and heart frosty with resolve, a gleaming cleaver in hand.


    ¡°It''s just another animal¡­¡± he silently told himself, trying his best to convince his conscience that he was still a decent person¡­ He couldn''t have imagined things in his life having gotten much worse than they were now, magic land not withstanding. Naturally, there was the briefest of thoughts he held in his mind wherein it offered up an alternative to his dilemma¡­ one in which he might somehow harness his supposed newfound power in an attempt to solve the issue in a¡ªless grisly fashion. Certainly, the personal storage card was one such option; if one were to follow in the steps of more¡ªfree-spirited game-like logic, then it might even offer an effective time extension to his issue¡­


    However, as with many things in life, his plan did not survive contact with the universe''s own. Thus, stepping outside, meat cleaver in hand, Arthur was confronted with the reality of what such a weighty load actually did to an individual''s torso. He almost vomited at the sight of the damage, gore and viscera liberally smeared across the waving grass, the body looking as though a boulder had been dropped on it from the heavens themselves, the remains smitten by some vengeful god of rock and stone.


    Pieces of bone were scattered everywhere, red chunks and splattered blood, the remnants of a once more¡ªintact body¡­ Arthur earnestly was surprised that a wheel could even cause that much damage, then was quickly reminded that said rubber was rather¡ªshapely, solid, and intended to be capable of gripping all manner of terrain¡ªand backed by thousands of pounds which were compounded by velocity, short as the fall had been...


    Squashed was an entirely adequate means by which to describe what he saw, which, as it happened, lined up nicely with the feeling of having crash landed that had been his more¡ªinitial concern. Now that things had evolved, his plan that had largely consisted of grappling the body to dump into his RV¡¯s black tank reserve had¡ªstuttered to a halt¡­


    The issue wasn''t the location itself. Which, foul as it sounded, was where the toilet dumped his raw sewage, the holding tank filled with a sort of super bacteria that happily devoured anything of an organic variety that they were fed with a trade-off that amounted to the occasional expulsion of what would be a rather potent blurb of presumed noxious gasses that were, thankfully, purified before being released into breathable air. No, his issue was something so much worse¡­


    Objectively, the plan as a whole was itself utterly filled with serial killer vibes that Arthur, no matter how hard he tried to justify it all, couldn''t shake, largely because he was fairly certain that, as it was now, the body wasn''t quite¡ªcompact enough to likely fit¡­ hence, the cleaver. Nevertheless, in the end, he wasn''t sure which eventuality he would have preferred¡­ the one where he was playing the role of a new American psycho or the reality that he now found himself in¡­ the same which left him staring at a small child, unconscious¡ªor worse, lying atop what looked like a large stone chopping board, two more examples of the same sitting on either side, only, with large piles of windswept ash and¡ªburn marks.


    It took a rather generous minute for his mind, slowly in the process of rebooting as it was, to fully take in the latest pit of humanity he¡¯d discovered. Ritual sacrifice¡­ the phrase was truly the only way he could describe what he saw¡­ a small clearing of grass having been removed in a near-perfect circle with the incapacitated girl and the already sacrificed, waiting at its center. He immediately ran to her side, eyeing the bruising around her arms and legs, the cloth bindings that restrained her, along with the terrible welt upon her temple. There could be no question about it; the girl had been kidnapped to be used within some profane ritual that had, in one manner or another, something to do with how he¡¯d wound up here¡­ there were just too many coincidences¡­ What else did he even have to go on towards explaining how he¡¯d gotten¡ªwherever he was¡­


    There of course, was only one problem¡­ alright; truth be told, he had to admit that his problems only seemed to multiply by the second; however, the primary and most recent hiccup to his nerves arrived with the realization that the girl wasn''t human. Ohhhh, at first glance, and with panic and adrenaline flooding his thoughts, the mixup was an easy one without question. The child had two arms, legs and an all too familiar head, after all, entirely what his people might call humanoid in every sense of the word. Yet, that alone was where the similarities began to deviate if not entirely transform¡­ Tiny horns poked out from behind, dishevelled and greasy raven hair, their alabaster tips standing out starkly against fair caramel skin that approached the dusky. He couldn''t see her eyes, closed as they were, but, from the shape alone, they appeared to be oddly wider, almond-like, and her little button was nose partially slitted at the sides, sort of like a hound¡¯s was¡­ The child''s ears were more oblong than round, lightly contouring to a tip at their points and, strangely¡ªthicker, almost as if they might have light musculature.


    In truth, she was no larger than a human girl of her presumed age would normally be, hmmm in and around what Arthur mentally worked to be twelve or thirteen? But, the presence of a long and slender tail combined with a pair of leathery wings that he¡¯d at first mistaken for odd blankets all combined to provide a definitive answer to his growing concerns¡­ hells, she didn''t even have feet¡­ her ankles more akin to a cats or dogs, digitigrade and with hooves at the termination.


    Demon was the first thought that arrived in his mind, but the fear of underworld denizens hunting him for his soul was quickly overshadowed by instincts, which all but screamed at him to get over whatever episode he was falling into. He could see the rise and fall of the girl''s chest, thoughts racing as he moved to action. Stooping down, Arthur collected the poor thing in his arms, momentarily looking about himself as though expecting to see a party of locals already spreading into the wilds, searching for their lost child. The idea was utter rubbish, all things considered¡­ as much due to the child''s appearance as their location. With the town close enough to see in the admittedly far distance and with the lack of anything in the grassland beyond it and the RV, Arthur hadn''t a doubt that he would hear such a party''s approach long before needing to look for it. And, so far as the child''s more¡ªphysically deviant traits were concerned¡­ the truth was that Arthur wasn''t sure what to think¡­


    Either the girl really was a¡ªspawn from the depths, the daughter of fire, brimstone and ash, a summons rather than a sacrifice¡­ or she was a part of some secret race hidden away from human society, a species wherein the normalized idealization of demonkind had been copied from. While the summoning aspect didn''t precisely explain why the girl appeared to have been living without a bath for a few days or¡ªgiven the smell¡ªwow¡­ a potent mix of blood, mud, fire and excrement, it might have explained why she was naked. By contrast, considering what he could with the knowledge on hand, if she was meant to be a sacrifice, it all sort of made more sense. Was one of course, to ignore the infernal-looking nature of her existence¡­ Did hell send its minions to the real world stinking like they¡¯d been living in a dark-age hamlet all their lives? Probably not¡­ but proof of such things would be his burden regardless.


    Arthur had the child on the trailer''s king-sized bed and unbound within a few moments, struggling against the worn but sturdy cloth to cut her free without causing either of them harm. Next, he quickly inspected her for injuries, not noting anything extraordinary beyond more bruisings¡­ Arthur wasn''t a doctor or even a nurse, but he had taken first-aid as a part of an extracurricular class in the uni, so when he came to the conclusion there wasn''t anything wrong, medically speaking of course, that he could help with, Arthur simply moved on. He dealt with the poor girl¡¯s¡ªdignity shortly thereafter, wrapping her tiny form in a crisp white blanket and cooling a wet washcloth for her head.


    There was no fever he could see, no indication of major internal bleeding where the goose egg at her temple swelled, but he admitted to himself that human anatomy might not exactly be so¡ªaccurate despite the similarities offered at first glance. A concussion was what looked to be the most obvious reason she was yet unconscious¡­ and, frustratingly, there was truly little he could do about it beyond letting the girl sit and rest. The fear that something far worse had happened to her, that her life was in danger had, in reality, spurned Arthur into action¡­ but, now, standing there whilst aware there was little he could do left him feeling¡­ wasteful¡­


    He poured her a reusable plastic bottle of filtered water and left it nearby, incase she woke, leaving his RV once again whilst his nerves stood on end. He paced back and forth a handful of times while brushing at his hair, just trying to rediscover a semblance of calm in his trepidatious inner workings¡­ Sidelong, Arthur eyed the vicious-looking knife in the dead cultist''s hands¡­ his resolve firming that the girl wasn''t some demonic horror from the sulphur pits that was merely wearing the guise of a child¡­ but a victim¡­ and one that had been intended to be murdered by a fanatic. After all, hadn''t he been the one to appear as he had? Summoned¡­ brought forth through the void and twisting nether of chaos and reality itself?


    Suddenly, Arthur found his disgust for the dead man no longer focused upon his morbid presence, his gut churning with the notion of what the monster planned to do¡­ had done when he really thought about it, considering the two piles of ash¡­ Thinking on it, he still hadn''t gotten a good look at the zealot''s face, the man''s hood shrouding what was already pressed downwards in death. Yet, Arthur noted that the man indeed had boots¡ªboots that were in no way shaped to fit hooves. There was also no evidence of wings on the man, nor a tail¡ªif a man was what the cultist was¡­


    ¡°So, what are you then?¡± Arthur murmured to himself, hardening his will to the filth and gore of it all¡­ ¡°Human or something else¡­¡± A sneer formed on his lips as he pulled off the figure''s hood and tilted its face.


    What Arthur was greeted with was not what he¡¯d been expecting¡­ gaze narrowing upon an utterly alien and strange creature. Its features were gaunt and reptilian, white albino skin leathery with a snouted face that looked unhealthily stretched in a righteous of obvious pain and surprise. Massive fang-like teeth filled its maw in a similar manner to a crocodile, and three eyes, yet wide with disbelief, stared blankly in death, each a strange¡ªoff-white yellow with reddish-orange slitted irises¡­ though, Arthur noted an absence of any pupils¡­


    The¡ªthing, which was as far from human as he was from an octopus, had no hair, only fleshy tendrils with a sort of spike at the end of each, appearing to flow down its back in line with the creature''s spine. Frankly, he wasn''t really prepared to perform an autopsy on the thing and, after seeing enough, silently moved away after a handful of minutes squatting in the grass, staring at the hideous monster and its somehow human expression¡­ Surely, if anything was to be said to be sent from the abyss, then it was the¡ªbeast that lay before him rather than the child in his trailer¡­


    There were a great many things that the young man could have been said to be certain of in his life. Things that, no matter how hard another pressed, they¡¯d find it impossible to convince him otherwise. The spherical nature of earth was the foremost that came to mind, the fact that birds were, in point of fact, very real and not some made-up government conspiracy, another. In reality, Arthur suspected these opinions and the countless others like them were largely shared with the more intelligent of his species, which left the outliers to be named whatever one might choose to given their personal beliefs¡­ However, after the girl¡­ the change of scenery and, now¡ªwhatever this thing was¡­ Arthur, against what he might have once considered rational thought, was beginning to seriously doubt the validity of his assumptions that claimed he was still on earth¡­ This idea of course, only spread within him like a cancerous weed, eroding the foundations of his sanity as, for the first time since he¡¯d woken, he looked to the sky, a small breath leaving his lips.


    A blue expanse interspaced with soft pillowy clouds was what immediately greeted his gaze, but it was not these most familiar of aspects in which he found his breath failing him, but, instead, the glaring inconsistencies that held his attention as though gripped in an iron fist. No moon nor sun or stars waited for his observation above¡­ each seemingly and impossibly replaced by an infinite network of twisting branches and roots, winding their way through the cosmos while producing an ethereal golden hue. They spanned a limitless expanse without end nor beginning, spreading out in places as might a tree¡¯s canopy, while, in others, the complex weave joined and converged until there was naught but singular, massive bundles that stretched for infinity¡­ Between the staggering array of shifting radiance were small marbles of blue and green, countless floating orbs of dazzling beauty separated and connected all the same by the vast system of glowing mass that existed wherever one looked. Planets¡­ there were planets off in the distance! Dozens¡­ no hundreds of Earth-like planets!


    Arthur felt a wave of vertigo wash across him, stumbling backwards whilst unable to yet tear his eyes away, all but crashing into the side of his RV like a wandering chicken while it rained. A small groan was enough to aid Arthur in his return to reality, the young man¡¯s head snapping to his doorway, but a moment before, he was rushing up the stairs. He paused at the entrance, watching as the child blearily looked about herself, pupils disturbingly odd, like a softly purple and glowing four-pointed star that sat upon an ires backdrop of pitch darkness, the sclera otherwise normal... The appearance gave Arthur a chill down his spine as the girl¡¯s enchanting gaze locked on him, clear confusion and muddled uncertainty plain to see in her expression. Arthur made to talk, opening his mouth but a moment before he reconsidered, the once irking suspicion that he was no longer upon earth now gaining a significance of traction and swinging at him with a wild haymaker.


    The poor girl was confused, injured and doubtless scared enough without him starting to babble at her in, to her, what would be an entirely alien language¡­ but, he did have a solution for that, now didn''t he? Arthur hadn''t thought he¡¯d be going back for it so soon, especially since there¡¯d been too much on his mind in a back-to-back panic-driven spree of off-the-wall circumstances¡­ Yet, within the¡ªcreatures deck of cards had been something to deal with such a very scenario, hadn''t there? Arthur quickly opened up the cupboards again, finding the tarots and sifting through them until he found the one he wanted. The translator¡­ its name scrawled out in flowing bronze script¡­


    Arthur simply had no context as to what any of that really meant so far as the cards hinting capabilities were concerned, but if ever there was a time he needed to just hope for the best, this would be one of them. He didn''t have a manual for any of this, or even so much as a hint¡­ however, what he did possess was a childhood filled to the brim with as countless a number of fantastical works as a magically deprived species imagination could manage which, was enough to take as many educated guesses as he might need.


    It was only when, upon his fourth failure to add the tarot to his¡ªdeck, each attempt combing quietly muttered words with actions that included pressing the soul card against his chest, then Arthur finally summoned his own and tried to place the translation card beneath his soul-engineer.


    There was a¡ªsensation, like a pop but more muddled that brought with it a feeling of brief euphoria in which, without explanation, Arthur felt inexplicably changed. Like a piece of a puzzle he¡¯d never known was missing had suddenly fit neatly into his brain. He looked upwards, eyes meeting with the small child''s own who had been busy watching him without so much as moving a single muscle, face frozen in fear as she¡¯d regained her bearing.


    ¡°Do you¡­ do you understand me?¡± He softly asked, licking his lips with concern when the girl didn''t so much as shift in reply. ¡°I''m not going to hurt you¡­¡± He continued raising his arms and sitting down, making himself look smaller if only to help alleviate the child''s earnest concern. ¡°I think I rescued you¡­ There was a cultist, dark robes and white leathery skin¡­ Do you¡­ by chance remember any of that?¡±


    She blinked at him, her figure beneath the blanket seeming to almost deflate as a modicum of tension disappeared, her eyes closing hard, over and over again, as if to shake away her delirium before; with a tiny and fearful voice, she eventually responded.


    ¡°I remember being taken at night¡­ I was¡­ I was flying when I felt magic¡­ Why do you look so strange? And sound so strange as well?¡± Her brow furrowed as if struggling to parse through her own disjointed thoughts, yet seemingly lost in a haze of a battered mind.


    Arthur likewise found the girl''s speech to be¡ªoff¡­ Not unpleasant, but, more guttural and throaty than English¡­ yet, he could only surmise that, because of the card, he could still understand what she said, even if the words themselves weren''t altered. Still, he had to furrow his brow in thought as he tried to make sense of her words¡­ They all translated of course, but the speed in which they tricked into his mind was like¡ªwatching a poorly synced movie with subtitles, one where the words on screen lagged far behind what was being said. Honestly, it was entirely jarring, but he powered through all the same.


    ¡°The badman who took you is gone,¡± Arthur stated, trying to talk simply like he might when conversing with one of his young cousins, lowering his hands a fraction so they rested on his knees. ¡°he hurt you, and, I think I hurt him¡­ he¡¯s gone now but¡­ Try not to move or your injury might get worse.¡±


    The girl nodded, wincing as she did so, appearing to at least believe his story for what it was. Sadly, Arthur didn''t exactly have a playbook when it came to stumbling across random and potentially non-human children who were on the cusp of being slaughtered like swine for a feast¡­ Frankly, it was all rather awkward to an extreme¡­ Yet, they were making progress, as evidenced by the child''s willingness to converse. Unfortunately, the next words that arrived from her lips felt like a gut punch from an over-simple farmboy with fists heavier than brick. ¡°Where am I? Where¡¯s my mom?¡±


    ¡°You''re safe! You¡¯re safe!¡± Arthur tried, more anxiety rising as an entirely new problem rose to the equation. Gods, he hadn''t even considered the girl''s mother¡ªworse, her possible¡ªcurrent state of being given the piles of ash¡­ Still, he trundled through, determined to, at least, be a pillar of reliability if for no other reason than his own moral compass and sense of communal duty. ¡°A-and, I¡ªI don''t know about your mom,¡± He continued, voice as confidant as he could make it. ¡°but we can certainly go find her! I¡¯ll¡­ We can go together! Do you know where you live? Is it in the town that''s nearby?¡±


    To his utter lack of surprise, the girl frowned as he spoke, appearing to¡ªstruggle with some of the translation on her end as well, but, nevertheless, she seemed to get the gist of it. But, when she tried to get up, letting out a pitiable mew as she did so, Arthur shot to his feet, moving close to press her back down, the child''s gaze going wide with his close proximity, which was to her clear distress.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt¡­¡± He tried to explain, giving her space, but, not willing to allow her to try again. ¡°Need to lie down, rest.¡±


    She still looked infinitely displeased with his presence but appeared to do as he bade, remaining still, even if her distrust was clearly evident. Arthur considered what he should do, eyeing the barely contained despair the child held in her expression for a short few moments before arriving at an idea. He moved back to his kitchen, opening the special cupboard and reaching inside a partially torn cardboard box. He retrieved two small packages, both of the same design, after digging around to find a matching pair, returning to the girl with a small smile on his lips. Carefully, he undid the first wrapper, making sure she was watching, using his teeth to break off a bite of the brown chocolate bar he¡¯d brought with him.


    He made sure she noted how he slowly chewed it, swallowed, and then took a second bite, savouring the flavour of what might very well be one of the last chocolate bars in existence; comparatively speaking, of course, he did still have half a box¡­ The girl was hesitant when he offered it to her, and, in truth, he wasn''t terribly sure if it was even safe for her to eat¡­ but, given how¡ªsimilar the world looked, he was banking on the fact that he wouldn''t be starving out here due to some protein issue that poisoned him whenever he made to consume anything. It wasn''t like the air was harmful or anything, so chances were good food wouldn''t be an issue¡­ he hoped¡­ Given everything else, praying for the fact that Magic-land rules would smooth everything out was as much as he could reasonably hope for¡­


    The girl eyed the candy bar he unwrapped for her with blatant distrust, her entire frame shying away and not seeming to want anything to do with it right up until the moment her nose seemed to catch its scent. Subtle as it was, at least to Arthur, and he¡¯d been the one to open them. It nevertheless captured her interest as two little nostrils flared in a careful twitch. It was almost cute how the girl hesitantly tested the bar with a small lick after cautiously accepting it, eyes shooting wide with surprise, but a heartbeat before whatever reservation she might have held disappeared in light of a desperate and potentially dormant sweet tooth. Arthur watched her all but devour the small Halloween-sized bar, teeth very sharp and very pointed, making laughably short work of the proffered candy before the girl licked her fingers with a brightening demeanour.


    ¡°Did it¡ªtaste good?¡± He asked, smiling warmly while keeping his distance.


    Again, he found the girl¡¯s guard rise, her attention refocusing on him, crossed pupils narrowing, though, to his pleasure, and the slight smile on his face, he noted there to be a good deal less concern, as though she wanted to distrust him still, but, was finding difficulty in pressing her own case. He waved the largely intact remains of the second bar before her, the demon-girl''s gaze following the thing like an enchanted puppy who was being teased by a juicy sausage.


    He grinned, offering it to her before leaning back. This time, she chewed slower, treasuring the treat as she ate, and also considered him through a crumbling caution. He decided to take a sip of water from the nearby bottle as well, waterfalling it at first to display its contents, then letting her watch as he drank it with a touch more normalcy before handing it too towards her. She took the bottle carefully, mimicking exactly as he¡¯d done to open it after a mere few seconds, then drank deeply of its reserves, pulling upon the bottle with a needy desperation, her body finally relaxing as her shoulders collapsed, water forming in her eyes.

 Soft as a cow...

    Chapter 2


    ¡°So¡­ I should ask¡­ Does the town at least look familiar to you?¡±


    Tulla hemmed and hawed, wrapped up in her crisp white sheets and pressing into him, luxuriating in the modern marvel that was synthetic cloth, shampoo and conditioner, more focused on how glossy and silken her hair had become than where they were.


    ¡°Yup, pretty sure¡­ there! Right there!¡± She confidently announced, an arm pointing out in a vague direction, fingers settling on a smaller home that shared in the somewhat more worn look about the village than he¡¯d expected. They were still about five minutes out. Still trudging through the grass, Arthur carrying the girl on his right hip, arms beginning to burn with her weight. Yet, she¡¯d seemed adamant to cling to him since she¡¯d opened. Likewise, she¡¯d also had him thoroughly wrapped up in her wings and tail, thankfully alleviating at least some of the burden¡­ unfortunately, at least in the tail¡¯s case, snugging around his arm somewhat¡ªtightly¡­


    The building wasn''t necessarily different so far as its construction could be observed next to all the others around it, no less and certainly no more than a sturdy brick and mortar home with wooden framing making up its¡ªpartially exposed interior, windows and rafters. From a¡ªcertain perspective, there wasn''t anything actually wrong with the place beyond, of course, its state of disrepair and rather compact size¡­ however, that was as much as Arthur was willing to allow it. The brutal truth of the matter was that, while it was a house with four walls and a roof, it and many others in the area offered a sort of shanty vibe¡­ with planks and earth boarded over large patches where the bricks had begun to fail and crumble.


    Roofs were carpeted by shoddy attempts at repair using whatever seemed available on hand, grass included. Windows, which were of a decided shutter variety rather than worked glass, were badly weather-worn, tattered and seemingly either reinforced with additional lumber or outright barricaded by more dried mud and twigs¡­ It was¡ªcertainly a¡­ hmm¡­ sight whilst all up close and personal¡­


    The surrounding yards of each building looked to be about the process of being used as small personalized gardens, admittedly the neatest aspect of the ensemble as a whole but still quite rudimentary by any definable modern standard. Whatever small attempts at crops there were to be seen were¡ªquite honestly sad¡­ thin, and waifish¡­ wilting in some places or outright dead in others¡­ More wild plantlife grew within the spaces between these almost desperate attempts at agriculture, typically with unchecked abandon and in as many visible regions wherever one looked. All the while, evidence of once admirable metal works by way of assorted outdoor tools like axes and shovels were reduced to little more than chipped and rusty shades of their former glory. From far off, the village had appeared, for all intents and purposes, to be something of a prosperous little farming community, perhaps one locked within a perpetual pre-plumbing era of technology, one which existed upon the fringes of true civilization such as a more colonial settlement might have appeared at a historic public park. However, up close, Arthur could plainly see why Tulla might not have been so¡ªumm¡­ used to the concept of a hot shower, or even a damned bath¡­ Soap in general, really¡­


    He did his best to approach the home from the village¡¯s rear, not yet willing to venture through the somewhat unsettling and broken town, wanting, in the back of his mind, to avoid meeting the locals¡­ Half the time expecting that Tulla would just suddenly wriggle from her perch in his arms and abandon him here, which was silly but, also a genuine fear. It wasn''t as though he were so dull as to believe himself¡ªdreaming this all up, not with how tangible everything felt, from the air he breathed to the soreness of his arm while holding a rather weighty child. But, as she was, Tulla, for better or worse, was as much his guide to it all as she was his current ward. If there were people here, and they weren''t human, then it didn''t need a significant leap of thought to believe they might not be what he¡¯d call¡ªfriendly¡­


    All the same, when they got around to the building front, dirt-packed roads and dishevelled antiquity greeted Arthur with an only slightly more well-kept thoroughfare. The odd smattering of¡ªdemon people, all of which were quite similar to the girl in his arms, appeared to mull about, simply going along with their lives. Many largely spoke with each other in idle, disheartened tones, some were fixing buildings with whatever was around, others working on cleaning the clutter and detritus in a strangely but undeniably¡ªdespondent manner.


    It was as though the people there didn''t precisely¡ªbelong, the atmosphere, their actions, and even snippets of conversation he captured all alluding to the notion that they were as new to the area as he was. From what he could see, it seemed as though their goal was about the business of giving the rundown community a certain breath of fresh life, for whatever such an attempt was worth. Not air, mind you; Arthur had to work to master his expression as the village, very much filled with pungent scents belonging to smoke and unwashed bodies, hit him as though he¡¯d just been punted back to a post-roman era of historic filth and grime.


    Right, so it wasn''t that bad in truth, probably no real different than walking into a modern campground with overly taxed public facilities¡­ but it was no less offensive all the same. He felt Tulla twitch in his arms, her nose scenting the air, body becoming hyperfocused like a bloodhound, straining with visible excitement as though she was seeking prey hiding in the nearby brush. However, after a moment, the girl deflated in his arms, pulling in tighter with a degree of bleak disappointment as she slowly shook her head, large eyes looking at him like a lost puppy.


    ¡°Mom¡¯s¡­ not here. And auntie Cassandra¡¯s gone too¡­¡±


    Arthur frowned at that, looking at the girl with a raised eyebrow whilst considering how she could possibly tell something like that from smell alone, when a sudden voice snapped his attention away.


    ¡°Oi! You there! Yeah, you, what you doin'' at Diana¡¯s place, huh? Don''t¡ªrecognize¡­¡±


    Arthur turned to spy an older man whose voice hesitated and fell away, features lightly weathered and skin wrinkled at the eyes watching him with a rapidly escalating and aggressive set to his posture. He was¡ªhuge¡­ muscled like a bodybuilder but more than just large so far as human standards could be concerned, as though he were just¡ªproportionally bigger, scaled and upsized to a truly intimidating measure, standing a genuine head taller than Arthur himself¡­


    Unlike Tulla, the stranger''s tail wasn''t the smooth and curious appendage that the youths appeared; instead, looking barbed and needlessly cruel at its tip, a horribly serrated blade running down a crescent at its apex, the tail itself long and snake-like, nearly the man''s own height in length and thick as his burly wrists. Claws seemed to stretch out of the demon¡¯s fingers like a cat, each as terrible to think about as was the tip of the creature''s swishing fifth appendage and fanged mouth¡­ Arthur immediately felt as though he were a small lamb, one that had wandered off too close to the forest without knowing the danger whilst a pack of hungry wolves watched from the shadows¡­ His heart began to thump slightly faster in his chest, the apprehension building by the moment.


    ¡°Ey, ey, ey! You''ve got Tulla there!¡± He growled, taking a heavy step forwards, long canines gleaming in the light.


    ¡°Uncle Tavir!¡± The child in question sang, waving happily but not letting go of her saviour''s neck. ¡°This is Arthur! He found me and killed the Tricen that was trying to sacrifice me! He gave me a shower and candy and look, look how shiny my hair is! It smells like fruit!¡±


    It was actually a sort of Fiji blend he¡¯d stockpiled some time ago, but that was beside the point. Also the way that the girl spoke of her own ritualistic demise with such open spirit was¡ªkind of more than just a bit bizarre. However, thankfully, and while it did take a moment, upon seeing the girl''s exuberance, some of the tension in the demon man¡¯s posture relaxed, which Arthur was appreciative of as, until a moment prior, he¡¯d been considering if he¡¯d need to change his trousers¡­ Tavir, the girl''s uncle and horrible monster-man hybrid that he was, was himself clearly suddenly uncertain of the situation, or, at least more than he already was, now confronted with something of an unexpected dilemma that Arthur immediately identified as a moment he needed to capitalize upon¡­ possibly for his own safety¡­


    ¡°I found her out in the grasslands¡­¡± He offered, pointing a thumb back in the direction they¡¯d come, swallowing his fear and applying a mask of confidence. ¡°There was a¡­ cultist that had managed to capture her and, I suspect, was trying to sacrifice her for some¡ªevil thing... Honestly, I think I killed him entirely by mistake¡­ But Tulla has a head injury, a concussion, and it''s not great for her to be jostled around. She still seems kind of loopy¡­¡±


    The frown on Tavir¡¯s face was enough for Arthur to chide himself for forgetting the translation card probably wasn''t the perfect tool he kept thinking it was¡­ nevertheless, the demon-man seemed to catch enough of what he was saying to be placated a fraction and simmer the situation. Unfortunately, the confrontation wasn''t made at all better by Tulla refusing to come to his side as he spread out his arms as though trying to coax the girl from her hold. Tavir¡¯s apparent disapproval of his niece¡¯s unwillingness to abandon her spot only made the demon bristle, even as Tulla seemed to nestle in against Arthur¡¯s neck, almost as though to rub it in¡­


    ¡°Mmrrhhmmm¡­ a Tricen captured her you say¡­ strange that¡­¡± The man mumbled, rising and rebounding from a fleeting semblance of rebuffed embarrassment, scratching his chin somewhat awkwardly in thought as he considered the pair before him. Quite effectively regaining his social poise. Each brush of a thick and calloused digit¡¯s sounding like rough sandpaper upon pine. ¡°She likes you¡­ must have made quite the impression on her for that¡­¡± He paused for a beat, clear consideration for the situation flashing over his features before his scowl subsided, barking a moment later with a flair of something between the commanding and disinterested. ¡°Fair enough! Tulla, your mother and Cassie are scouting around the forest looking for you. And¡­ I suppose if the lad¡¯s brought you back this far, I can leave you with him a span longer while I call for them¡­ You''re on the up and up, aren''t you, boy?¡± Tavir asked, attention shifting to Arthur, who vigorously nodded his agreement without delay.


    For her part, Arthur could feel Tulla nod as well but was, at that moment, more concerned by the many gazes that had slowly converged from the village, all curious but few friendly. The older demon himself took quick note of the onlookers gathering around him and smirked, eyeing Arthur¡¯s discomfort.


    ¡°Tulla¡¯s back, everyone! Again¡­ No need to gather round and concern yourselves, a traveller found her and returned her to safety.¡± The heavily laden exasperation and sardonic flavour to his tone made it clear that the man was¡ªused to this sort of situation, perhaps even specifically with his niece herself.


    There was a general murmur of acknowledgements and accompanying nods that didn''t appear as though anyone was, or had even been, overly worried, but the young man was¡ªunconvinced that his own presence was anything more than what one might call¡ªtolerated¡­ Even after Tavir had made his announcement and winked at him, leaping into the air to smash it with massive wings as he gained altitude surprisingly fast. The demon''s departure slamming Arthur with a torrent of air, there were no few amount of hostile gazes that continued to peer his way, even if he could never seem to actually catch the eyes whilst they were upon him¡­


    It made him feel entirely vulnerable and made his heart race with nervousness¡­ Not all the creatures were so¡ªmassive as the man, or demon, Tavir had been¡­ Many appearing to be quite human-sized, if on the slightly bigger end of things with what one could name standard deviation in body widths and heights, again leaning more towards the taller side of it all. Yet, given his own spindly six-three ass, only one or two were, in truth, bigger than himself by any substantial margin when it came to height and even then, they weren''t quite so¡ªintimidating as the older demon nor conversational¡­


    True, he was something of a lanky bastard, which skewed his perspective when so many were of his approximate size, but that was neither here nor there at the moment. No, his true focus was, at that juncture, shifted onwards to the fact that the more he peered about his surroundings, the more he felt as though he were being hemmed in, corralled by a pack of wild dogs salivating at his heels, predators sizing up prey amidst a bleak forest with no way to safety¡­ He couldn''t be certain, but it almost felt as though he were being¡ªslowly surrounded¡­


    ¡°Smells good¡­¡± Tulla mumbled, slitted nostrils flaring about him as he very hesitantly looked down at her, something that he might clearly name fear washing over him as he noted a distressingly pointed hint of hunger in the girl''s gaze.


    ¡°Uhhh¡­ w-what exactly is it that smells¡ªgood?¡± He asked, morbid curiosity and suddenly reconsidering the whole affair that was trying to treat an alien species as he would humans! The foolhardiness of every character in practically every Alien film he¡¯d ever seen flooding his immediate thoughts, and laughing in his face while calling him an idiot. Tales of the foolish who attempted to anthropomorphize wild and dangerous animalia smashed into his mind: bears, tigers, orcas¡­ all creatures that were cute and cuddly for humans while on video or behind bars but were, in reality, absolute carnivorous predators¡­


    Tulla didn''t answer him, which, in all honesty, only made things worse¡­ instead, she merely held his gaze, silent save for the soft and anticipatory rustle of her tail and wings beneath the cloth, shifting with all the interest of an intrigued cat as it spied the mouse, even as the purple hue to her crossed pupils took on a decidedly fixed state. That wasn''t good¡­ Yet, before he could so much as come to terms nor work through the implication that he might very well be holding a hungry man-eating monster in his arms, a whistling wail overcame the surrounding area!


    It made both of them snap from their prior thoughts, the duo looking upwards as a dark shadow streaked downwards from above, picking up considerable speed before two massive chitinous and membrane-like wings exploded from the sides to arrest the approaching figure''s speed. Now, Tulla did begin to wriggle from his arms, and, he let her freely go, the girl launching from his shoulders with hooved feet, nearly knocking him over with the gunstock bruising force of it, and flapping her comparatively little wings for all they were worth. All the while, a demonic and armoured anti-christ of a woman softly descended to the ground like the second coming of satan himself, her shelled form all cruel lines and harsh angles which made her appear more a gothic nightmare of a knight made manifest...


    Tulla was in her arms before either touched the dirt, Dianna, by his best ability to guess given their brief conversation towards the topic, was utterly transfixed by her child''s affections. Completely, if for the moment, lost in her daughter''s embrace as kisses, promises and hugs were provided in generous measure, but, not enough so that their reunion suppressed a killing intent that was, as it happened, directed in his general vicinity. Worse, much as Tavir himself, Tulla¡¯s mother appeared to be something of an outlier among her species¡­


    Involuntarily, Arthur took a step back, reading a sort of vengeful mother eagle thing going on, and, being entirely unwilling to be part of whatever that might entail, his fight or flight instincts chose the only real answer there was! Sadly, his escape, destined for failure as it like as not had been from the start, was not to be unnoticed as, with the speed of a striking cobra, the demon¡¯s long and bladed tail swept around him, extending in an entirely feasible, if not expected manner, regardless of its length, to wrap around his waist, locking him in place with a deceptively powerful vice that had him struggling to so much as move. Especially when the tail threatened to crush his bones like a bloody hydraulic press when he began to shift, causing him to immediately freeze to avoid his skeleton¡ªcracking.


    The appendage was thick, muscled and smooth like the body of an anaconda, heavy and powerful in a¡ªmore than disturbing way given how it encircled him with a reptilian, prehensile ease. A thin bead of sweat rolled down his temple as the still furious Dianna, despite being affectionately lavished by her daughter, levelled her coldly irate and dispassionate gaze upon him. A second, then third figure appearing in the sky and descending not long after they locked eyes. Sensing something was off; thankfully, it was Tulla who arrived to his rescue once more as, shifting herself in her mother''s arms, she stared at the scene before her for but a moment.


    ¡°No! Mom! Don''t hurt him! Arthur¡¯s is nice! He¡¯s the one that helped me!¡±


    Despite the glowing review he¡¯d just received for his heroic deed for the day, the tail around him didn''t slacken. More, he actually felt himself being pulled towards the pair of demons, feet all but dragging against the earth in his unwilling and forced approach. Still, whenever he made to struggle, the tail only grew tighter, quickly reminding him of his situation without fail.


    ¡°How did you find her?¡± The woman curtly demanded, her question simple, the voice that carried it¡ªpleasing in a certain¡ªweirdly lyrical and intense way¡­ But, one that was nevertheless reserved and quiet, like the calm before a storm¡­ Diana¡¯s deep amethyst pupils thinning as she watched him with suspicious care. The lioness waiting and observing from behind her cub as its child pranced about with baby-like whimsy.


    ¡°I-I found her about to be sacrificed by a cultist! T-two others were already killed¡­ U-uhmmm h-h-he had ummm¡­ He had white skin, s-stretched really thinly across his face, a-and three eyes¡­ a snout a-and¡­¡±


    ¡°Tricen?¡± She half whispered, half asked, her head cocking slightly to the side, even as her gaze narrowed at the same moment. ¡°Hmph¡­ I think not; there are no Tricen in this part continent, not for months now¡­ You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can take you there!¡± Arthur quickly added, licking at his lips and feeling entirely like his ability to placate the demon was intrinsically linked to how long he got to live. ¡°The bodies still in the field! Probably even warm!¡±


    That seemed to make the frightening woman pause, her tail not releasing him, but no longer slowly tightening with threatening promise as it pulled him in.


    ¡°Dianna¡­¡± Tavir intoned with an admonishing drawl, landing beside the calmly furious demon who, much to his surprise, was actually a bit taller than even the already large example of a massive, monstrous man. Dianna must have towered at least a head over Tavir himself¡­ practically a fucking amazon or a giantess by comparison to Arthur¡­ though her frame was thinner than bulky like the heavy muscle of Tavir¡¯s own¡­ However, given the breadth and scope of things, her arms and legs didn''t have to appear bulky on her considerable frame to be concerningly larger than Arthurs¡­ The damned demon looked as though she could snap his spine with a single hand around his throat, a single hand that was big enough to fully encircle his it! Stature so¡ªimmense that the act of folding him in all the wrong ways a few times, just for good measure, was like as not to be so much a hindrance as it was a puzzle to avoid simply tearing him in half¡­ She was¡ªmystifyingly terrifying up close¡­ Truly, he earnestly wasn''t sure of much else beyond that fact he could really articulate.


    She had to of outweighed him three or, even possibly, four times to one, even without the gleaming black armour that appeared tight around her body, which clung to her like a perfect shell¡­ It was formfitting to the contours and valleys of her rather¡ªwell, shapely outline but offering the appearance of a polished black-steel suit of plate. The ensemble managing but the vague silhouette of an hourglass and gracefully curvaceous form beneath. It was all¡ªin his opinion, far too¡ªsnug to be truly worked steel, despite the appearance, the absence of any clear joints leaving his woefully inappropriate, for the circumstances, monkey brain to wonder how the hell she got such tight-fitting protection on in the first place¡­ and, how it could be so damned flexible as to hug so perfectly with her every movement.


    God, had it really been so long since he last saw a woman that¡ªdemons were catching his eye? ¡°Sexy demons¡­¡± He nearly spoke aloud, wanting to strangle his damned impulse control before preferably stabbing it with a rusty knife¡­ ¡°Sexy demons¡­¡± His lizard brain reiterated, as though to spite the situation and his desperate bid for survival!


    ¡°This traveller¡­¡± Tavir offered, waving his hand in Arthur''s direction, seemingly unsure as to the best way to describe him. ¡°Has not only rescued Tulla from being sacrificed upon an alter of our enemies but, even brought the girl back home¡­ And, far be it from me to mention much more, but, my niece was rather fond of him. Not sure about you, but, I doubt that girl would vouch for anyone she didn''t like or trust.¡±


    Beside him, a more older version of Dianna, and, notably smaller, though, not by that great a difference as to appear smaller than Arthur himself, landed beside the aged male demon, her appearance sharing in the more weathered and world-weary look of Tavir, almost seeming as though she could have been Tulla¡¯s very young grandmother for all the similarities they shared. Unlike the two others, she was sized to be more in line with what he expected tall humans to look like in the old stories of giant Vikings invading misty shores, minus all the infernal flare, still tall, but height wasn''t really the issue, to begin with.


    He watched as the older demon¡ªshed her armoured form, a revelation to his unanswered question arriving as the dark, presumably biological plating fell away to land on the ground in fine segmented plates, far thinner and lighter than Arthur would have ever guessed it to be, but, in doing so revealing a nearly naked feminine figure with a¡ªphysique and lascivious frame that brought heated embarrassment to his warming face, each of her most private of local¡¯s scarcely cordoned away by wrapped cloth above, and what he could merely speculate to be the archaic, unadorned equivalent of all too modern appearing women''s underwear below, complete of course with a dangling loincloth. Not that he¡¯d never seen a partially nude individual of the opposite sex before but, it had been a rather long time since it had last transpired¡­ not to mention he doubted he¡¯d ever seen one quite so¡ªwell, he supposed attractively athletic and busty was the politically correct way to describe it. Fuck it, what did he care after propriety?


    ¡°Wouldn''t say he¡¯d be the brightest thrall of the Tricen if he willingly wandered back into the village after trying to steal one of our young.¡± The newcomer stated, Tavir nodding to this and placing a hand around the woman''s shoulders whom, through the process of elimination alone, Arthur decided was probably the aunt. ¡°She even smells like she had a bath¡­ Ohhh my¡­ would you look at her hair¡­ boy, are you by chance a travelling merchant? Not just a quick wash, but I dare say it smells like our little nightmare had herself a good shampooing to boot!¡±


    Diana seemed to blink at that, whatever haze of fury and rage that had overcome her during Tulla¡¯s absence pausing as she sniffed at her daughter''s head, as though the perfumed scent hadn''t even yet registered to her attention, all the while the girl giggled with delight at her mother''s attention. Dianna taking Tulla¡¯s long raven strands between taloned fingers and carefully scrutinizing their lustrous sheen.


    ¡°N-not a merchant,¡± Arthur quickly enthused, half waving his hands and half testing the ability of his lower half to move¡ªanywhere¡­ it couldn''t¡­ Oh, the traction was there, but no matter how hard he strained, he barely budged an inch¡­ Arthur merely managing to elicit a single raised brow from the massive demoness as he tried not to sigh and continued¡­ ¡°Really, it''s just, as Tavir mentioned, a traveller. I happened to stumble upon the ritual entirely by accident, I¡¯m afraid, but Tulla was¡ªunconscious when I found her, so I offered my assistance, a-and, not to sound¡ªwell, I suppose...¡± Arthur trailed, trying to figure out how¡ªbest to explain it, his face falling with apprehensive disgust for what he¡¯d seen. ¡°That is to say, there weren''t any¡ªother kidnappings recently, were there?¡±


    Tavir only shook his head after a moment of consideration. ¡°No lad, those, if there were indeed others, were likely the creature''s own young; they do that from time to time¡­¡± He added, muttering with an almost exhausted air, the mere prospect of living sacrifice clearly having not been something new for him to deal with. ¡°They have a tendency to leave the best for last when performing their dark rituals¡­ So, I suppose it could be said we are blessed you appeared when you did.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Cassandra added, her voice possessing a certain¡ªhighbrow lilt that was also present in her sister''s own, but decidedly to a lesser degree, ¡°it was very brave to help my niece¡­ Not many who know of our people would so willingly¡ªgo near one of us to, shall we say, offer aid¡­¡± She finished as her sharp eyes roved up and down Arthur¡¯s person. Clearly, regarding the stranger in their midst with equal parts intrigue and appreciatively reserved disdain. It was evident the woman didn''t think much of other people, and probably less so for those not of her own species. Go figure, the older sister of the creature threatening to juice his body was racist¡­ great¡­


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I got that sense already¡­¡± Arthur grinned, gaze meeting those of Tulla¡¯s reservedly smiling aunt and, feeling the mood shift for the better by an incremental nudge whilst nodding towards the tail that was still binding him in place. ¡°Truth is though, I actually don''t know where I am¡­ I think that I kind of just¡­ fell from the sky¡­ well, me and my house really¡­ That''s sort of how I found Tulla¡­ under my house¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got candy! A-and a home on big dark wheels! It''s so clean in there! And he has hot water that sprays from the walls!¡±


    All demons looked at him with skepticism, save, of course, for Tulla as the young girl prattled on about white linens that blinded when one looked at them, a bed that felt as though it were made from clouds and drinkable water without the taste of mud nor iron that ran from a chrome metal pipe. Arthur was, in that moment, reminded of how¡­ run down the village looked whilst the child recited an almost practiced homage towards the magics she¡¯d seen during her time in his care. Then his brain helpfully reminded him that Vikings often took what they wanted from others, usually from those who couldn''t resist¡­ because¡ªthey¡¯d murdered them!


    ¡°It''s not really magic¡­¡± Arthur offered with a weak expression after a time¡­ Those around him save the child, wearing blatantly disbelieving stares¡­ ¡°My people call it technology¡­ It might seem like it, but it''s all achievable through science¡­ and mundane means¡­¡±


    ¡°Ohhhh, so he is an alchemist then!¡± Dianna¡¯s sister sniffed, still trying to get her mind around what Tulla had been saying and clearly reproachful for having been lied to. ¡°Rare in these parts¡­ Not many bal willing to learn that sort of thing.¡±


    ¡°Not an alchemist¡­ I¡¯d call myself more of an¡ªinventor, or engineer¡­¡±


    ¡°Engineer?¡± Tavir drawled, raising an eyebrow at him as he did so, though, Arthur got the distinct feeling the man¡ªwasn''t necessarily impressed by the statement. Rather, it almost felt like there was some lingering resentment in his grumbling tone that had Arthur pivoting the best he was able!


    ¡°Ah¡­ maybe that phrase isn''t any good with the translator¡­ It means that I''m good at building things, I suppose¡­ not always structures¡­ ugh, more like, tools?¡±


    ¡°Like an artificer?¡±


    Arthur shrugged at the man, figuring it was a close enough approximation as they might get. ¡°Yes, just without the magic part.¡±


    ¡°Then what would be the bloody point?¡± Tavir barked, clearly growing disenchanted by it all. ¡°How could someone design cargo lifts or crop harvesters without magic? Hah¡­ sounds absurd¡­¡±


    ¡°It''s sort of¡ªhard to explain?¡± Arthur half asked and half admitted, scratching at his head, his previously dire circumstances forgotten if for the moment as he delved into a subject that he truly enjoyed talking about. ¡°People still create machines and gadgets without magic obviously¡­ usually by harnessing electricity, the same sort that comes from the sky¡­ but, the trade-off is that you need refined materials to make things¡­ Though, honestly, I doubt I could manage a fraction of what my people are capable of without the proper infrastructure to back me up¡­ So, I suppose I¡¯ll be learning how to do it all again from scratch, only, this time, with magic, given it''s all rather new to me¡­ Honestly, it''s all a little exciting.¡±


    ¡°That''s assuming I let you live¡­¡± Dianna amended for him, tail tightening again as she spoke and squashed his budding enthusiasm.


    ¡°Ohhh, let him go, Dia; he''s not harmful to anyone! Look at him! He¡¯s tiny! He hasn''t the stink of magic about him, and his body is as soft as a cow¡­ Little Tulla could have bested him alone if she¡¯d had the mind to¡­ girls a bloody terror with that temper and her claws¡­¡±


    ¡°What if he¡¯s got a dangerous soul card? What if he¡¯s got a concealed deck and only seems harmless as might an assassin?¡±


    ¡°Got two cards¡­¡± Arthur quickly added, raising his arms a little while trying to look as unthreatening to the frightening woman as possible. Hands sitting in the air as though he¡¯d just walked through airport security, and they¡¯d pulled their guns. ¡°One¡¯s only good for translating, and the other is for making things¡­¡±


    ¡°You see? Harmless!¡± Tavir chuckled, wandering over to clap Arthur on the shoulder. The gesture definitely moving towards the right direction, if not nearly smacking the wind from his chest as he felt his bones rattle! Arthur just holding back against an eye-bulging wheeze that he so desperately wanted to release. ¡°Don''t mind Dianna lad, she¡¯s just shaken up from Tulla disappearing on us, or that is, doing so longer than she usually does¡­¡± He added, grumbling while giving the girl an unimpressed sideways glance. ¡°Anyways, truly, you''ve done us all a great service if your story is honest, which, based on the little ones recounting and my own gut feeling, I suspect to be true. We don''t get many visitors in our lands, but let it never be said that we harm those willing to give a helping hand¡­¡±


    A span later and Arthur found himself seated within a small dining room, forcefully invited into the home of Tavir and Cassandra. Surrounded by demons¡ªor bal as they called themselves, and discovering that there were far more crossovers between this new and odd land, and that of his home. For one, despite the chairs having more in common with reinforced stools, and the table lacking any polish or finished design, the manner in which the alien race supped together seemed little different than how many humans, even in the modern age, doubtlessly replicated. They all ate as a familial unit, using bone-carved utensils, primarily a two-pronged fork and deviously sharp knife, enjoying a meal that largely consisted of roasted meat of a decidedly gamey variety and questionably strange but familiar vegetables while talking about their day.


    Of course, the one doing most of the recounting was Tulla, reciting, for what was perhaps the fifth time since the family had been reunited, the saga that was her capture, eventual liberation and journey home. The more she spoke of it, the more things only seemed to take upon them a grander scale, eventually sounding akin to some epic ballad to match the Illiad itself wherein she battled a ferocious canine, travelled across a sea of open fields and survived the encounter with nefarious cultists that had needed to capture her with nothing less than a small army and the most devious of tactics. The girl, if nothing else, certainly had quite the imagination¡­ but, it was the manner in which her mother, utterly enthralled by the girl''s tale, showed naught but love and affection for her that, at some point, allowed Arhtur¡¯s mind to¡ªstart to forgive her for almost killing him¡­ It wasn''t nearly at the point where he¡¯d begin feeling even a semblance of comfortability around her, but he could¡ªat the very least, mentally come to terms with the fact that she might not have been in the best state of mind¡­


    It was difficult to stay mad at the woman who¡¯d been clearly beside herself with grief and concern¡­ even if he¡¯d like as not ever be friends with or trust her¡­ Hell, he''d be perfectly okay with never crossing paths with her again. Yet, considering Arthur still wasn''t sure how long Tulla had been missing for¡­ and regardless of anything else, it was apparent that her departure had utterly broken Dianna¡¯s nerve. Something that likely hadn''t been made easier with the knowledge he provided. Nobody liked to hear just how close to death their child had come¡­ nobody. However, now that Tulla was returned to her, more or less healthy and supposedly more animated than she¡¯d been in a very long time, it was all her mother was willing to do but indulge her daughter''s story no matter how tall it seemed to grow.


    ¡°Do you still have the culprits soul-card?¡± Tavir eventually asked once a comfortable lul had appeared in the conversation, the smile on his face still refusing to fall as he¡¯d listened to his niece since dinner had started.


    ¡°It''s in my house.¡± Arthur nodded, noting, after some internal conflict, that he actually found the meal rather delicious, if not a touch bland to his palate¡­ though he suspected that lay in a difference of available resources than much else. Salt, after all, was one hell of a useful seasoning. ¡°It was called the abyssal cultist¡­ a¡ªclass card, and, in truth, even the translation card I claimed was technically his.¡±


    ¡°And they are, of course, yours by right,¡± Tavir nodded, a grim smile on his face, ¡°nobody will refute your claim given it was you who ended the miserable creature''s life, at least, not here. But, I would caution you against trying to use any¡ªabyssal souls the fiend held; they are, after all, known to be quite corruptive¡­¡±


    A slight but apprehensive smile appeared on Arthur¡¯s face as he caught the demon¡¯s earnest warning, the morsel upon his fork never reaching his mouth as he considered what might have happened had he not been so cautious, to begin with. Just how corruptive was corruptive? Was it like¡ªa curse? Something insidious that would worm its way into his consciousness without him ever realizing a change was taking place? Just how influential were such things? Would it be like a¡ªbrain parasite from some horror movie? Obviously, given that he was dealing with souls, there was a lot of conjecture, but he supposed, so far as a mysterious influence could be observed, one that had a direct line on one¡¯s eternal spark was¡ªpresumably potent¡­


    ¡°I wouldn''t even try to barter it¡­¡± Cassandra stated, her tone mildly concerned as she finished chewing. ¡°The odds that information gets back to the wrong ears isn''t worth the risk¡­ there are more than just the Tricen out there that submit to the abyss, and many more that consider its power in all its associations something to be cleansed from the land by any means necessary. Best absorb its strengths, skies above only know, you could use it¡­¡±


    ¡°Am I really that weak?¡± Arthur asked, more than just a little surprised he was being treated with all the danger of a garden snake¡­ Sure, he didn''t want them feeling the need to murder him just to be safe, but, as a six-three young man in his prime, and a genetically modified one to boot, being told he was so¡ªunimpressive was a genuine blow to the old ego¡­ Sure, he couldn''t have crossed fists with a grizzly, but he¡¯d always been told he had to pay extra attention to his temper and strength¡­


    ¡°Don''t take it as an insult, lad¡­¡± Tavir offered, face scrunching a fraction towards a wince. ¡°But, yes¡­ I honestly can''t immediately think of another species so physically¡­ soft¡­ for you''re age, that is¡­ assuming you are an adult, of course¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not that different than some of the fey,¡± Cassie added with a¡ªweak smile¡­ ¡°Though, to be fair, that would only apply to some of their¡ªlesser examples¡­ not the elementals obviously, but more like the elves¡­ Though, they''re also rather talented with magic as well, which often more than makes up for any physical limitations¡­ but, Arthur here is¡­ hmmmm¡­ Well, honestly boy, you''ve got the scent of prey about you¡­¡±


    Swallowing without any food in his mouth, Arthur eyed the four demons in his midst, each of which was nodding along in agreement. That number, including the damned child! He decided to immediately change the subject before they travelled further down that particular road, given that food, at least of a culinary variety, didn''t appear to be in abundant supply. ¡°So, am I to gather that these¡ªcards or souls are how people get stronger?¡±


    Cassandra outright scoffed at him. ¡°Well¡­ yes, but I¡¯d of suspected that was rather obvious¡­ Is there¡­ perhaps a place in the Lacunae where such a thing isn''t known?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ I honestly didn''t even know I had a soul until I got here¡­¡± Arthur admitted, looking down at his food thoughtfully. ¡°Other than killing murderers, how does one go about acquiring more?¡±


    ¡°Killing other things mostly,¡± Cassie commented with a blunt voice. ¡°Animals, enemies, large insects if they¡¯ve developed enough¡­ really anything still alive works, though, undead sometimes carry weak cards as well¡­ often a remnant echo of the individual they once were and the like. You can of course, buy them, trade or barter as well; they are currency, after all¡­ or have them given to you through alternate means¡­ When I was still with the legions, they made sure each of their soldiers were¡ªwell equipped for battle, so there¡¯s always that route for people¡­¡±


    ¡°We did have to return those cards once our contract was over, dear.¡± Tavir added, a small but genuine smile on his thin lips.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the spoils we were allowed to consume whilst using them weren''t.¡±


    ¡°Which, of course, reminds me that we¡¯ll have to call for a meeting.¡± The large man sighed, the sound deep and exasperated if Arthur had ever heard as such. ¡°If there was one of the vermin still wandering about, then odds are there could be more. Fucker¡¯s are more like roaches than anyone gives them credit¡­ resilient to the bitter end! Almost admirable¡­ Legions might have declared the region safe, but if it really is a Tricen out there then obviously there''s been something of a mistake.¡±


    ¡°There might be a nest around the area¡­¡± Dianna agreed, breaking her silence to join the conversation. ¡°We should dispose of it, sooner than later if that''s the case, official dispensation from the army or otherwise. Shouldn''t be too hard to track the beast back to its lair.¡± Her tone was as dispassionately cruel as it had been before, expression hardly shifting from its state of quasi-bored interest while she groomed one of her talon-like nails with another, her tail suddenly lashing out and gripping her daughter by the shoulder without a change in countenance. The latter of whom had been about the business of trying to sneak away before she¡¯d finished her meal, only to be corralled by her nigh omnipresent mother and encouraged to remain seated.


    Arthur hadn''t said anything that might allude to his suspicions, but he was beginning to develop something of a picture regarding his new¡ªacquaintances¡­ a grim and rather dark portrait that was starting to make him question the¡­ oh, who was he kidding, from the sounds of it, he was dining with a group of ex-soldiers that had, by his best guess given how improper the dwellings appeared for their biology, conquered the very lands they now inhabited, and, having done so fairly recently.


    The¡ªTricen, as they called them, were probably the ones that had once actually created the village he was in¡­ Yet, the term nest hadn''t been lost on him either, which, while not really meshing with his mental map, was something he honestly compartmentalized for later. Instead, he decided to delve for a little information; gauging the risk was, at this point, negligible given the conversation.


    ¡°I''m not familiar with the history here¡­¡± Arthur began with a diplomatic smile. ¡°But, can I take it that your kind has something of an empire or kingdom that recently won a territorial war against the creature that stole Tulla?¡± He was careful to use a more derogatory word to describe the cultist he¡¯d inadvertently slain with his RV. Not having to be a simpleton to realize the danger he was more than likely in and trying to win a few brownie points was never a bad thing to do.


    ¡°Of course! The bastards are practically all but beaten at this point. Small pockets of resistance still remain in the continent''s southern hemisphere, but, by and large, the imperium has pretty much tightened the noose around their necks. It should be any month now before they are exterminated¡­ earnestly not much of a surprise you don''t know much about it. Not many among the Lacunae that will actually treat with our kind on account of the expansions. N-hehe-not that there''s much the tiny civilizations in this sector can really do.¡± Tavir grinned, smile more crawling across his face with devious and twisted humor. ¡°The fey might give our legions some trouble, but we''ve at least come to something of an¡ªunderstanding with their people. But all the other poor sods around us are fair game!¡±


    ¡°I get that¡­¡± Arthur said, grinning at Tavir and leaning back in his chair as he did his best not to appear as an entity¡ªun-worthy of conversing with. ¡°Have to admit you¡¯re all rather gifted in the biological way of it all, but, back on my world, our country had giant machines of death that pretty much walked right over the armies of our competitors¡­ It''s how we conquered our planet, really¡­ well, all but our closest allies, but¡­ they were annexed anyway¡­ I can say it was all a rather one-sided affair once the decision was made to make it so¡­ I''m curious, are there any of¡ªmy kind about that you''ve heard of? Or am I something of an anomaly?¡±


    ¡°Unique, so far as I''m aware.¡± Cassie offered, leaning closer as she eyed him curiously. ¡°But, what are these¡ªmachines you''re talking about?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ the translation¡­¡± Arthur nodded, pretending to be a lot more annoyed than he really was. ¡°Do you have¡­ ohhh, what¡¯s the best word? Golems, or something like a giant walking metal suit of armour that''s controlled by distant mages and filled with weapons? The sort that would let you crack a planet in half, fly between worlds, or obliterate entire cities with a single lever?¡±


    The three adults looked gravely at Arthur as he spoke, though Tulla was merely intrigued, momentarily making him question if it was a good idea to start playing with the metaphorical measuring tape¡­


    The old veteran soldier gave him a calculating look, the man''s gaze content to observe for several long seconds as the table remained silent. ¡°You know lad¡­ I¡¯ve got a rather handy card that lets me work out the general truth of things¡­ It''s not perfect, not always, but it often gives me a good idea of when someone¡¯s telling a lie¡­ It''s¡­ concerning to me that it''s not telling me that now while you''re speaking of such things¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it''s not actually a lie, Tavir¡­ I won''t say my people are perfect, but even without magic, we''ve got our talents¡­ One of those just happens to be war¡­ Though, the more I think about it, the more I''m fairly certain I¡¯ve been dumped in another reality¡­ one where my kind doesn''t exist¡­ Otherwise, there¡¯s no way you¡¯d of never heard of us¡­ God¡¯s, and no offence meant, but our own settlements furthest from civilization make this place¡­ somewhat provincial¡­¡± That earned him a few looks that might not have been the friendliest for all he could reason their expressions, but nobody was outright hostile, and he had a mission now.


    Instead, Tulla¡¯s aunt shifted her head, tilting it as though in thought, trying to picture something in her mind. ¡°I imagine the legions would love to get their hands on a construct that can break a planet¡­¡± she idly mused, grinning with gleaming pointed teeth as she doubtless imagined what it might be like. ¡°And yes, this village is rather unpleasant, but it won''t be forever. Earnestly, I¡¯m more curious after this whole¡ªinventor nonsense you were speaking of. Is that the sort of specialty you were talking about creating when you claimed to be that¡ªengineer but not an engineer thing?¡±


    ¡°Sort of¡­¡± Arthur admitted with a drawn-out sigh. ¡°But, as I said, back home, I would have had entire cities worth of people helping to create something like that, all their resources and time and effort¡­ I know that makes it sound like some immense undertaking but we had it all running so smoothly you¡¯d of never noticed. I have certainly made a few drones in my day, but even then, that was before I left the university¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah! So, you¡¯re an educated man, then?¡± Tavir asked, suddenly brightening as he did so. ¡°I met my beloved Cassie at the imperial college when we were still but children! Rare is it to find other people who value education. So far as I¡¯m aware, it''s only the few people¡¯s out there that do such things¡ªor, that is to say, who offer it to their normal population. Ehh¡­ you''re not a¡ªprince, are you?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Arthur laughed, voice amused and cheerful, ¡°Rather, we have our kids in schools from the time they can walk.¡± He boasted with a small grin. ¡°Have to make up for the softness as you put it somehow eh?¡±


    ¡°Right, you are!¡± The demon chuckled, his grin infectious as he spoke. ¡°But tell me, without magic, what in blazes are you bloody teaching each other?¡±


    Arthur shrugged, waving away the other man¡¯s laughing tone as though it were hardly an insult. ¡°Language, history, war, economics, construction¡­ everything really¡­ it''s more of a generalized program until the later stages of youth. Once we reach adulthood, we specialize in something that interests us. All funded by the state of course, as I''m sure much of your own people might do as well.¡±


    ¡°It''s why we have such an easy time of it during our campaigns.¡± Tavir nodded with firm agreement. ¡°Nobody ever really understands the power offered by a populous that is trained from youth in the mind¡­ Wasn''t always like this, though, we were nomads once, if you can believe it, and only in the past few hundred years have we begun emulating what our neighbours managed and, naturally, improving upon it as well! Not to boast, but we¡¯ve five worlds beneath our rule now with many different peoples who live under our power.¡±


    ¡°Then, might I ask why the Tricen sound like their being exterminated?¡± Arthur hedged, needing some clarity for a situation that had begun to sound a little too grimdark¡­  ¡°Sounds like an awful amount of effort when you could just pacify them and push them into segregated communities that are easier to manage with honeyed words and a little diplomacy.¡±


    ¡°And how right you are! However, the reality is that their entire civilization was founded upon a ridiculous religion worshiping a dark god from the abyss¡­ They say our people were once originally from that reality was well, but, whereas we have become civilized, their god is not. Blood sacrifice! Corruption of souls! Ritual slaughterings of their own children! It''s all entirely barbaric¡­ Hard to reason with a conquered people who are all genuinely convinced that, should they sacrifice enough of their invaders and themselves, their inky god will come and grant them eternal salvation¡­ Utter bollox¡­¡±


    ¡°Religions a¡ªtricky thing¡­ We have it where I come from as well¡­ Can''t reason with most of them, not really¡­ and, while some faiths don''t have a horrible doctrine, others are downright silly¡­¡±


    ¡°You speak as though your people have more than one of the damned things!¡± Cassie all but hissed, expression lost between the humourous and a disgusted grimace.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we do. However, it¡¯s played a much smaller role in my people''s lives as we''ve advanced as a society Hard to argue there''s a golden man in the sky offering a glorious paradise in the clouds once you''ve gone up there yourself and realized there isn''t much going on¡­¡±


    Arthur blinked, as did the rest of those at the table, while Tulla, who¡¯d at some point begun listening a touch more intently, snorted as Arthur had described one of the more¡ªprominent deities his people worshiped.


    ¡°Your people can fly as well?¡± Cassie prodded, now quite undoubtedly on the hook and interested in her new guest.


    ¡°Not like yours. We use¡ªhmhmhm, I know it''s going to sound silly, but giant metal constructs with wings and things we call rockets to bring us to other planets or just across our own. Though I have to admit, I¡¯ve seen more livable worlds in the last day than my entire species has their entire existence¡­¡±


    ¡°You''ve no other worlds around your own?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we do, but, whatever''s out there¡ª¡± Arthur gestured, vaguely pointing upwards as he did so ¡°Isn''t what we''ve got when we look to our sky.¡± Then, remembering he was carrying his cellphone, deactivated as it was, he raised a finger, pulling it out of his pocket whilst the demons watched him, weary for but a moment before he began flipping through some of his photographs.


    One day, it had of course, been his intent to visit his family again, and he¡¯d wanted to show them something of a scrapbook collection of his experiences in the wild, something to¡ªhelp them understand why he¡¯d left in the first place... It didn''t take long before he found the video he wanted, placing the thin glass-like pane on the table and blowing it up, the phone creating a three-dimensional hologram, a serene scene of a beautiful midnight sky filled with all the stars he could capture, the peaceful glow of moonlight, the soft shadowed rustle of leaves overhead, even as a comet slowly trailed through space. The four were silent for a time, just watching the spectacle, the gleaming trail left behind the shooting celestial bodies wake splitting the heavens asunder before the recording ended, and, Arthur moved and retrieved his phone.


    ¡°Quite a bit different¡­¡± He reiterated with a defeated breath. ¡°Beautiful, but hostile to all life¡­ We can''t even travel between our planets without special suits that prevent us from being immediately killed. There¡¯s no air up there¡­ just a giant empty void cold enough to freeze you solid¡­ There¡¯s been attempts to bring a world somewhat nearby to a livable state but...¡±


    ¡°Reminds me of a prison¡­¡± Dianna stated, watching him without the same wonder or companionship the others offered.


    ¡°Hah! You¡¯re not the first to describe it as such¡­ Never really believed that sort of thing myself¡­ but seeing this¡­ what you have here, with so many beautiful worlds above your heads¡­ It''s sort of hard not to imagine it like that, isn''t it¡­¡±


    ¡°What are all those tiny twinkling lights?¡± Tulla asked, still awestruck by the video.


    ¡°We call them stars. Imagine enormous balls of fire, each one more than a hundred times larger than the world¡­ a hundred, hundred times larger! We¡¯ve got one really close to our planet, but there are billions more of them which other planets circle¡­ Unfortunately, the vast majority of those worlds are all long dead, no water, no life, only rock and cold¡­¡±


    ¡°And that¡ªdevice you have?¡± Tavir asked, tilting his head in thought. ¡°Is that something that''s¡ªrare or possibly an artifact?¡±


    Arthur merely sighed, sounding nearly wistful as he prodded at his food with a fork¡­ ¡°No, most children have them in their hands before they can even talk¡­ Again, it''s not magic, it''s science¡­ the sort of thing my people specialize at¡­¡±


    ¡°There''s more like that but bigger in his home!¡± Tulla proclaimed, proudly puffing out her chest as she did so, the girl having the most¡­ direct experience with the strange and exotic traveller and loving that she did so. ¡°He can use them to create talking plays! Colourful moving pictures that look like real life, only silly! I didn''t understand them much, but, Arthur said he would try and figure out how to fix the translation for me so I could understand them!¡±


    That caught her mother''s attention who quickly chilled the room with her stare, Arthur catching on in but a moment and rapidly explaining himself before his possible doom. ¡°O-only of course, if it''s something you''re okay with, Dianna, at that point, I was just trying to get Tulla to trust me so I could tend to her wounds and get some water into her than anything else¡­¡± Of course, he didn''t miss the disappointment in the girl''s face as he said this, and, feeling a wrench in his heart, he quickly amended himself. ¡°Naturally, I don''t actually have anywhere to go right now, and since you can fly if your mother says it''s alight, I really don''t mind if you want to come and visit when you want.¡±


    The glare that he received from Dianna could have frozen a lake, but it faltered when her child turned on her, a stern frown of disappointment well written across her face¡­ Arthur thought there might also be something else there¡ªrebellion? He wasn''t sure, but when he caught a rather devious glint in Cassie¡¯s eyes, he knew there was more to this story.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± the older demoness purred, long and dainty fingers tapping lightly at the table. ¡°You might make sure to attend your daily classes, Tulla. And I, in turn, might be able to convince your mother to let you visit¡­ after, of course, we all make sure it''s safe for you to do so.¡±


    Despite how intelligent the girl appeared at times, she fell hopelessly into a well-laid trap by her aunt, who, with but a promise already likely to be afforded her, the woman evidently managed to neatly convince the girl of something that was a sore spot for everyone at the table, himself excluded. Tulla seemed to fume over the idea that access to her¡ªnew friend would be limited by such a contract, but, upon sneaking him a few glances and earnestly warring with herself within her own mind, Tulla, with but the smallest of gestures, agreed to her aunt''s terms, an event that was so utterly confounding to her own mother that the woman¡¯s eyes grew wide with surprise. She looked at him, flabbergasted and uncertain but, as though somehow seeing him for the first time beyond the guise of either a meal or, an enemy, though, Arthur couldn''t have been certain which was which¡­

 A delve into the absurd.

    Chapter 3


    ¡°And here I was, half still believing you didn''t really have the capacity for all the violence you boasted about.¡± Arthur could only shrug at the other man''s words, the trio looking down at the dead body that was but a short walk from his RV after he¡¯d driven a modest distance away. ¡°A commendably brutal way to end such a despicable life, even if it was an accident as you so claim.¡±


    ¡°It is Tricen, no question of it¡­¡± Dianna nodded with an exasperated sigh, squatting down until the leathers of her pants creaked with strain, thick muscle and¡ªother more eye-catching and astoundingly thick parts threatening to tear the poor trousers like they owed her money. A moment later, she¡¯d spat on the creature''s face, giving it a disgusted kick with her hoof for good measure after rising.


    Arthur was just thankful she didn''t splatter anything, or else the whole charade of his might fall apart¡­ The demons were cordial with him, even friendly if he discounted Dianna, but he wasn''t sure how long that might last if he didn''t pursue his little¡ªact. Death wasn''t super new for him as he had to hunt his food, but blood and guts this old? Now coated in flies that created a deafening buzz¡­ well, that was another matter¡­


    He also got the sense they respected courage and strength, passing those over who didn''t exemplify their people''s chosen virtues¡­ They were a warlike and domineering species that were, by their own admission, used to owning slaves and taking what they wanted, and, though he suspected his role in returning their kin played a large part in their conduct towards him, Arthur didn''t want to give them an easy excuse to quickly forget that¡­ The more he appeared to them as an equal, if not physically, then, at least culturally and mentally, then, the less he¡¯d likely be treated like property, or worse¡­


    ¡°And that''s your home then?¡± Tavir asked, eyeing the large RV with some uncertainty


    Granted, it didn''t look like a home, but that was just part of the illusion.


    ¡°It does get about twice as wide as it currently is, but its also mobile and, really, only meant for one or two people to live in whilst travelling.¡±


    ¡°It can get bigger?¡±


    Arthur smiled, giving the older demon man a sly wink and a confidant pat on his shoulder, doing his best to swagger up to his home before connecting to it with his phone. He activated the tip-outs, the trio watching as engines whined, the RV expanding as it took on its stationary state.


    ¡°Utterly marvellous!¡± Tavir laughed, clapping his hands together like a delighted boy before a sweet. I doubt even the capitol has something quite like that! And, you¡¯re sure there''s no magic involved?¡±


    ¡°None!¡± Arthur grinned, opening the door to his home and folding it away. As it was, he wasn''t sure if Tavir could get in, let alone Dianna, who, while not quite as muscled as the large bal, wasn''t necessarily small in that particular department either and was certainly taller and had a wider wingspan¡­


    Yet, the hooved demon-man proved more than capable of boarding, his wings folding upon themselves like a cowl over his shoulder until they hardly added to his size, Tavir climbing aboard with a wide grin on his face, without any evident concern. Dianna followed a moment after, considering Arthur with an unreadable expression as she passed. Their tails were more a problem than anything else, but each bal displayed a particularly graceful control over their bodies that allowed them to shift about without getting caught or causing damage. Moving with a cautious grace that was decidedly catlike as they squeezed inside.


    ¡°It''s a room fit for royalty¡­¡± Dianna murmured once they were all standing more comfortably in his home, the popouts allowing each a semblance of mild space while standing. The way she said it seemed like she¡¯d even partly surprised herself as she spoke, unable to truly hide her shock. Maybe she hadn''t believed him; maybe she¡¯d thought Arthur an outright charlatan. But, now, the gears in her mind were clearly working¡­


    ¡°A bit small for royalty dear, but the furnishings are on par with the best of the best, of that there''s no doubt¡­ Chances are the village won''t look half as nice for decades while we wait for the imperial engineers to make it this far east¡­ and even then, I suspect it would pale in comparison¡­ Look! Plumbing! Ohhh, how I miss bathhouses¡­ Curious looking toilet though¡­ that is a toilet, right?¡±


    ¡°Hm! Yes, it is a toilet, and, before you ask, no, the waste isn''t sent away with magic; it''s chemically dissolved in a holding tank below. So long as you can catch your own food and find your own water assuming it doesn''t rain, you can live indefinitely in here without any need for civilization.¡±


    ¡°Ah! What I wouldn''t have killed to requisition a few of these marvels for the troops during campaign¡­ morale would have never been higher!¡±


    ¡°Can you make more of these?¡± Dianna asked, turning to him as she tore her gaze away from the massive bed, soiled slightly by her daughter as it was.


    Arthur scratched the back of his neck. Not needing to pretend to look a bit sheepish as, he offered up as honest a truth as he was willing. ¡°Back home? Well, people were beginning to start mass fabrication, probably making hundreds of thousands a year¡­ here¡­ hmmm, truth is, I don''t know¡­ I don''t have any tools here, no technology to work with, nor the original designs¡­ but if my understanding of magic is in line with what I imagine it is, then, eventually, I suspect I¡¯ll be able to figure it all out again, only using a different manner to achieve it all. It¡¯s kind of exciting like I said before¡­¡±


    ¡°Astounding¡­ Well lad, If I didn''t believe your stories before, I do now¡­ any people that can create something like this for its common citizenry is a force of culture to reckon with¡­¡± The older bal allowed a toothy grin to, presumably, put Arthur at ease¡­ The thing was, with all the triangular points and his size and general¡ªinfernal flare, it really had about as opposite an effect as one might guess¡­


    Still, he grinned back at the man, just managing to catch how his other guest was looking at him in a rather pointed manner, patient but expectant for his attention. When he looked at her, Dianna was¡ªless hostile than she¡¯d been but still didn''t look terribly friendly. In fact, Arthur was just starting to wonder if she had a case of resting-bitch-face, and she was, in point of fact, nicer than she ever let on. The thought dissipated to the breeze a moment later as she asked the question clearly on her mind, the terrifying mother¡¯s gaze pinning him with an intensity that was¡ªdifficult to ignore¡­


    ¡°What are these¡­ plays that my daughter was talking about?¡± She asked, watching him closely as though expecting to be able to divine something from his expression as much as she might his answer.


    Still, Arthur powered through his distress, nodding and walking over to his RV¡¯s console, activating the hollow player and finding the children''s show Tulla had been fascinated by. It was a classic, the yellow underwater sponge having even brought him through childhood in his earlier days and that of his parents. It was practically a running joke the world over that such a bizarre show should be capable of running nearly indefinitely¡­ And as many times as it had been remastered and reanimated over and over, the damned thing was practically immortalized at this point¡­


    ¡°We call it a cartoon,¡± He began, waving a lazy hand as he did so, ¡°and use them to entertain children, but there''s more adult-oriented content as well. It''s not everything my people have ever produced, just sort of my personal collection is all.¡±


    ¡°And why do you have¡ªentertainment meant for children in such a collection?¡± The demoness demanded, looking askance at him as though he were some weird insect to be somehow more wary of than she already was, one with a decidedly questionable palate of bright and sickly colours...


    Arthur shrugged at the domineering woman, unwilling to let her get under his skin. She was nothing short of a complete B-word, and, at this point, he was feeling little need to try and placate her beyond what he felt was necessary. ¡°Nostalgia mostly,¡± He offered, peering away from her accusing gaze with earnest disinterest. ¡°I watched them as well when I was a kid and never really deleted the things I liked off my phone''s storage. Most of my kind are like that, sentimental, and we tend to have a pension for reminiscing on times past.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a phone?¡± Dianna shot back a moment later, tone aggressively inquisitive and, likely not at all, having missed his air of flippancy.


    He paused but a moment at her question, blinking for a second before brushing away her attitude. ¡°Ah¡­ the uhh, the device that I showed you all last night during dinner. We use them to communicate with each other across our planet, no matter where we are, instantly and without delays. You need more of them to actually use them for their primary functions, but the practically pocket-sized supercomputers at this point.¡±


    Arthur could see there were more words that weren''t being translated as Dianna¡¯s brows furrowed, the woman quickly appearing as though her tolerant candour was slipping by the moment and he quickly offered her an easy smile. Just because he wasn''t above getting a barb or two in didn''t mean he had a death wish.


    ¡°That''s my fault¡­¡± He admitted with a put-upon sigh. ¡°It''s hard to work around the soul card I have that lets me talk with you in the first place¡­ it''s not even mine; I took it off the deadman outside. So, if it doesn''t translate properly, it just means there''s probably nothing like what I''m talking about that exists yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Yet?¡± Tavir asked, his expression neutral as he spoke.


    ¡°I''m an engineer or artificer, remember? Pretty much all I do is make things¡­ and now that I have access to magic, I¡¯m sort of eager to figure out how I can replicate everything my people have made and, presumably, improve upon it¡­ Magic isn''t exactly a foreign concept to my people, with the larger issue of it all being that we simply don''t have it¡­ and, now that I do, my head is spinning with ideas.¡±


    ¡°You and I are going to need to have a long¡ªtalk lad¡­¡± The demon stated, all joviality vanishing from his tone.


    ¡°If it¡ªabout not letting what I know wander into the hands of people opposed to your imperium, then I should mention that the whole reason I¡¯ve been so candid about all this is because of the situation I''m in.¡± Tavir nodded at him, arms crossing, but offering him the stage to continue, which, Arthur did so, making his case before the pair the best he¡¯d yet thought he could do so. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªalone¡­¡± He started with an apathetic bluntness that came right from his soul. ¡°My people are gone, or at least not here, and I don''t even know how to begin to think about trying to get back to them if it''s even possible¡­ That means I¡¯ll likely die here as well¡­ but that doesn''t have to be a bad thing for me! Especially since my kind has all but dreamt of having access to magic! Despite how different we might look, it sounds as though your people are what my own would call civilized, and I would earnestly rather live in such a society than one too backward to be interested in innovation. So, If you''re wondering what my intention is, then I¡¯d say it¡¯s to open up a sort of shop. Money never really interested me when I can just make what I want, but I do need natural resources, legitimacy, protection and, well, legality¡ªassuming, of course, I haven''t miss-read the situation, and you¡¯re both about to place a chain around my neck and force me to do something ridiculously unproductive like wash dishes for a living¡­¡±


    ¡°Ha! The thought did cross my mind, lad!¡± Tavir chuckled, grinning at him with his returning cheer. ¡°But, you''ve convinced me of your worth, squishy as you are. The imperium could use more of your kind if this is what you can bring to the table!¡± Tavir stuck out his hand, declawed, Arthur noticed, and as it was, looking almost entirely like humans, but larger and with black hints of his nails. ¡°Centurion Tavir Costis, a pleasure to officially meet you, lad¡­¡±


    Arthur nodded, taking the man''s bear-like paw and desperately trying not to wince as its crushing grip all but smashed his capability to hold firm.


    ¡°Arthur Ashfield¡­¡±


    The man smirked at his clear discomfort but, thankfully, lessened his death grip after finding his limit¡­ ¡°I might be semi-retired to a civilian role, but I can promise you that so long as you''re in my domain, I¡¯ll agree to keep you safe, so long as you put your mind to the betterment of the imperium. She¡¯ll do right by you if you do right by her; I promise you that.¡±


    ¡°Can''t give you any deadlines for my work,¡± Arthur admitted, sighing, but knowing the truth was the best way forwards. ¡°It''s going to be a lot of learning everything again from scratch¡­¡±


    Tavir only shrugged, shaking his head as though Arthur hadn''t yet caught on to the obvious. ¡°You saved my niece, boy; in truth, even if you weren''t worth what I think you might be, you¡¯d have a safe life in my employ. Ah, the girl usually runs off a few times a week, but this time was the first that she didn''t return or couldn''t be found. Were I to guess, the cultist out there had some¡ªmagic or other that was disguising his presence¡­ No other way he could have avoided being seen this close to the settlement¡­¡±


    ¡°On the matter of my daughter,¡± Dianna interjected, looking at the pair of them with narrowed eyes. ¡°why is it that you''ve been so kind to her?¡±


    Arthur felt momentarily taken aback, peering at the woman as his mind skipped mental tracks, looking to Tavir a heartbeat later to gauge the man''s reaction, which, to his surprise, was equally curious as it was patient. ¡°Are¡­ people here not generally kind to children?¡± He asked, sensing the¡ªdelicacy of the situation.


    ¡°To their own species? Even if they are strangers? Sure, possibly¡­ But for others¡­ what would be the point?¡±


    Arthur merely scoffed, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of it all and levelling Dianna with a tired look. More racism, he supposed, shouldn''t have been unexpected¡­ hell his own world had struggled with that for generations before all the various skin colours started blending in with each other¡­ ¡°Kids are kids¡­¡± He stated, not bothering to throw much life into his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve grown up around enough of them to know they''re all fairly similar, if not necessarily the same. Why have I stepped on so faux pas I''m not aware of?¡±


    ¡°Tulla is¡ªdifferent¡­¡± Dianna intoned, admitted even, shoulders relaxing slightly as she spoke.


    ¡°She means the girl is nigh uncontrollable,¡± Tavir helpfully supplied, he too looking as though somewhat haunted by the prospect of it all. ¡°She¡¯s too smart for her own good and hates everyone but her family, and even then, the girl usually only tolerates her aunt¡­ me,¡± Tavir laughed, tone darkly humorous. ¡°Well, I could go a week without so much as a passing nod from the gremlin¡­¡±


    ¡°Yet all she has done since you left our home the previous evening is talk about her new favourite person in the world¡­ why?¡±


    ¡°Maybe because I''m interesting?¡± Arthur offered, smiling at the giantess who rarely seemed to take her eyes away from him.


    ¡°Are you somehow familiar with raising children? Do you perhaps have your own?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a large family.¡± Arthur allowed, choosing to ignore the blatantly belligerent inquisition and leaning against a nearby wall. ¡°But, I''m more used to having other people''s tiny kids running around my life at all hours than my own; you sort of pick up a few things when you¡¯re always asked to babysit for your younger siblings. Honestly, I was the second oldest by twelve years or so¡ªso I got saddled with a lot of that sort of thing. But, no, I don''t have kids. If it helps, the truth is that they¡¯ve always seemed to love me, no matter how many I meet, and it''s not like I haven''t had to change a dirty diaper in my life¡­ comes with the territory of having a half dozen younger siblings...¡±


    ¡°Uncommon to see a man actually good with children before they get older,¡± Tavir grunted, disapproval on his face but not for Arthur himself. ¡°It''s a rare skill that more should possess, myself included, but rarer are those that ever seem to manage it.¡±


    ¡°If you''re impressed with that, then you should try my cooking! You get good at it when there''s only yourself to rely on, and, as it happens, my overstocked collection of spices made the journey in one piece!¡±


    ¡°A cook to boot? Heh¡­ Now, that is a skill that I would have commandeered you for, were we still on campaign; nothing worse than serving in a fighting force with a distinctive lack of those who know what they''re about with a fire!¡±


    Hours later, Arthur watched as the two demons flew away, taking to the air with mighty beats of their wings as they lazily moved towards their small village. He could feel his heart beating in his chest at a mile a minute, could feel the sweat already starting to pour over him, even as his teeth chattered with uncontrolled fear¡­ He¡¯d done it¡­ he¡¯d actually done it¡­ Arthur had to sit down, forcing his eyes shut as he remembered how close Tulla¡¯s mother had come to squashing his insides like a bug¡­ Terrifying¡­ every¡ªsingle¡ªone¡­


    He hadn''t even been wrong about his read! Just how close was he at any given point from being used as a culinary curiosity, o-or, being shackled as a slave? What would have happened had he just driven away like he¡¯d wanted to? The trail of his home leading directly back to the scene where the vengeful demon''s daughter had lay unconscious. Would she have even asked for his side of the story before butchering him like a pig? Would he have even known what was coming? He shuddered at the thought¡­ As human as they might have felt at first glance, they were, in totality, lethal incarnate, beings seemingly designed to be capable of murder at its very foundations. Graceful and beautiful as they were deadly¡­


    ¡°A succubus doesn''t have shit on either of the sisters¡­¡± He silently whispered, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of it all, yet, unable to deny that, in a disturbing way, he had been, if for the briefest of moments, attracted to the lethal allure of the captivating demons¡­ ¡°Nope! No, no no, b-hahahad idea Arthur¡­ You can bet that anyone looking like that¡¯s idea of foreplay is sticking something painful in your gut¡­ or worse¡­¡±


    Now that he thought about it, what had happened to Tulla¡¯s father? Were the bal a sort of society where the female devoured the male after copulation, like praying mantises or certain species of spiders? Arthur was adventurous, to be sure, but he had a feeling that he might be devoting himself to a vow of celibacy if only to ensure that he could keep on living¡­ Jokes aside, Dianna would literally grind his bones to dust¡­ And while snu snu had gotten fairly popular as a meme, Arthur prefered life to pevic annaliation.


    He shook his head of the bizarre thoughts shortly after, standing back up and reaching for a glass of water. He had bigger things to concern himself with now that his safety was¡ªtenuously assured. Figuring out magic being among the greatest on his to-do list. It was hard to believe that everything that had happened to him had transpired in the mere existence of a single day, but he knew he couldn''t let himself be railroaded by his anxieties. He was in a world of magic, and, one where he¡¯d been given a golden ticket. And, now, he¡¯d even managed to secure a means of reliable information! The terror of course, was entirely real¡­ but he¡¯d been scared before¡­ he could get used to it, was used to it thanks to his mind¡¯s¡ªpersonal brand of self-torture¡­ And, of course, learn to ignore it when it came to his sleep demon, one day, standing above such concerns entirely¡­


    He¡¯d need a reliable way to defend himself, of course. Something to help even the odds¡­ A nuclear deterrent, if you will, and one that would ensure his sovereignty for years to come. But, for now, he would be sure to walk on eggshells¡­


    The translation card had proved to be¡ªinvaluable¡­ but he still had questions that he wanted answered. Yet, for the time being, now that he had a few presumable hours to himself, he was going to decide which of his looted tarots would be worth keeping and which he would use to further his experiments with soul engineering. He had his theories, as it happened; being in a horribly stressful environment allowed him a certain clarity at times that was hard to find otherwise. If there were limits to what he could feasibly create, then he was going to find them! There was, of course, the issue of the body to deal with as well¡­ and now that the demons had confirmed his story, Arthur reserved the notion of discovering a more magical means to deal with it as a priority in the back of his head. In all honesty, he would likely just bury the damned thing and be done with it. Though the lack of a shovel would hurt those plans¡­


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Of the ten cards he¡¯d received from the cultist, Arthur had nine remaining. And the most contemptible of said collection immediately moved into what he was calling the waste pile, of which he would be using his powers to alter their very nature. Next was a sort of force-field card, somewhat childishly named magic-bubble. The tarot promised to provide the caster with an impenetrable barrier that would prevent any harm from befalling him whilst inside. There was no limit to how long it persisted and, likewise, no frame of reference as to how strong said barrier was. But, if he had to guess, the Tricen cultist likely had it active, seeing as how it had an hour cooldown but no time limit once deployed¡­ that probably meant, at the very least, he could assume it wasn''t strong enough to reject the kinetic force offered by his RV dropping from, well, however far it had, which, he suspected wasn''t very far since nothing had broken. Not measurable knowledge per se, but it did provide him with an observable ceiling to start with¡­


    He placed the bubble barrier in the keep pile, quickly moving on to a personal storage card. Again, he moved this tarot into the keep area but, did note the presence of a padlock upon the card''s rear. If he had to guess, it either meant the card was unusable as it had been somehow linked to the Tricen beyond the same¡ªmanner that his own card had much more clearly stated... Alternatively, of course, it could allude to the notion that it wasn''t removable once added to one''s deck¡­ unless¡ªdeath released it? Either way, it was something he was going to ask about the next time he met with the demons¡­ After that, things moved along at a steady pace. The food and water card was a keeper for obvious reasons. Likewise, he kept the summons card and the scholar card, if, for nothing else than to study them¡­ If he could somehow use either, or something like it to call forth a small army of modern human drones, then he could rule this world with an iron fist! I-ignoring of course, that he really didn''t want that, but a proof of concept was what he would need to focus upon building a swarm of nanite-like machines that could propel him into the world of tomorrow!


    That made five cards that he intended to keep but wasn''t married to, six if one included the translation tarot and four that he was more willing to gamble with. The cultist card notwithstanding, the others that he was passing on included a long-range communications spell. Not really something he needed given he had nobody to call, and was fairly certain he could mock something up himself along those lines all his own. There was an ice-spear spell card that he¡¯d been partially on the fence about, but after going outside and testing it, the thing was entirely lacklustre in performance, at least when pitted against what he¡¯d name archaic technology.


    He¡¯d seen compound hunting bows with more range before falling off, and a British empire-era blunderbuss had startlingly more accuracy when trying to hit a target with any distance to it. Well, maybe it wasn''t that bad, but he¡¯d certainly not been impressed. The final card he¡¯d be consigning to his experiments was one he didn''t really have a firm understanding of. For all he could fathom, it was largely useless by its description alone¡­ allowing its wielder to reduce their own sense of sight and hearing¡­ A worthless addition to his repertoire if Arthur had any say of it, but, nevertheless, it was another card to use. Idly, he wondered if the Tricen were some¡ªmole-like species¡­ and though that didn''t exactly explain the derelict village, it did sort of poke at a reason for the card''s existence¡­


    Regardless, he had a priority so far as the souls went, and the very first thing he needed was a means by which to obtain new cards. He hadn''t seen any large animals yet, but, there had been several smaller critters about that each, according to the demons, did have soul-cards. The catch, of course, was that they all unanimously had ones that everyone already possessed or, simply didn''t need¡­ While it was true that the quickest means to obtain personal power was to use souls to empower those one already possessed, the issue arose, as it had been explained, that beyond a certain point, weak souls were virtually useless, no matter how many one chose to devour. It was why denizens of what was known as the Great Lacunae apparently entered a sort of sub-reality native to the universe they named the labyrinth. There, people could slaughter and be slaughtered to their heart''s content, reaping as many souls as they wished, so long as they could remain alive to do so. Evidently, It was long accepted that traversing the labyrinth was exceedingly more efficient than just killing animals, so much so that entire economies were held up through the acquisition of souls through its supposed halls. They were traded as commodities, bought en mass by armies and lords, and purchased by tradespeople and farmers alike to boost their own capabilities. Things like crop cards apparently having quite an important place in society.


    As he suspected, the cards themselves were a sort of crutch that people could rely on. Magicians certainly existed without the aid of souls to practice their art, as did carpenters, soldiers and blacksmiths, foresters and hunters¡­ but the cards allowed an individual to bypass the need for skill and experience. Were they as effective as the real thing? Well, that Tavir had boldly offered his opinion on when stating he¡¯d rather have a cardless veteran than a greenhorn with a spear-card any day of the week. However, that didn''t mean that soul-cards were a bad option¡­ More like a quick and easy avenue to power that wasn''t as good as the real thing.


    There was also the implications behind his own ability to consider, given that any soul he chose to alter would supposedly lose all its power in the process¡­ thus all souls, no matter their ability, were¡ªwithin the same realm to him¡­ Stronger cards might be worth more but, at that particular moment, Arthur didn''t see that great a value from something random vs something he could make. So, for him, either way, he would be creating cards from square one, no matter if he used this world''s version of a bunny¡¯s soul or the cultists¡­ Cassandra had willingly delved into such topics at length throughout dinner, so he did have what she called a¡ªrudimentary grasp on it all¡­


    Still, he needed evidence to actually sate his curiosity, so, to begin, he pulled away the runner-up for the very worst card and the very best. Cassie had said it wouldn''t be a bad idea to devour the cultist''s soul into his own¡­ but was his power something that would even benefit from becoming more powerful? Possibly¡­ However, as the demoness had said, souls were limited by one''s own card. A bearer of, say a silver soul could only ever add souls of a lesser rank of their own sparks quality. This essentially meant that, were Arthur to possess a, say, bronze soul at its first rank, he could only add bronze cards of the same order to his deck, yet iron cards could be added all the way to the tenth level, the supposed maximum before a soul could undergo an¡ªascension of sorts.


    His card, however, seemed to¡ªbreak these norms. While Cassandra had lazily stated that the tiers of a soul ranged from the bottom of iron through to the near-mythical prismatic, she hadn''t ever mentioned what matte-white exactly meant¡­ That being said, how would he ever know what the limits were if he didn''t search for them to begin with? Thus, first, he picked up the ice card, noting its lacklustre tier and rank with a small smirk, given how bumbling it had felt to try and actually use it. Only a single star adorned its surface, which, to the best of his knowledge, meant it was at the initial strength of its tier, bronze-one. Not a terrible loss to sacrifice in the name of progress but, for all he knew, he was about to ruin the equivalent of a mason''s income for an entire year¡­


    Ah, but alas, what did he even care to begin with? What was a year''s wage against the prospect of obtaining the impossible? Of breaching the unknown? Of audaciously manhandling the bar of progress and forcing it along through one''s strength and determination alone? Obviously, Arthur hadn''t ever done this before, but he fell upon an odd instinct that he felt within himself, pulling on it gently as he sensed something within his chest bloom¡­ Before he knew it, Arthur was surrounded once again by a familiar white mist, the world around him fading away as the ice-card hovered before him. Internally, he willed the card to reset, needing to push at the thought with the utmost confidence before something finally gave way, and, just like that, the image on the tarot faded away¡­


    What he was left with was a blank card, not unlike the one that was within the image inside his own tarot still in his chest¡­ Now, what was the most absurd thing he could think of doing? Invincibility? A card that made him like Superman? Time manipulation? What about a nuclear explosion in a bottle? Or a genie summon? All utterly unreasonable things to ask of what likely was a basic soul card, he was sure but unreasonable was exactly what he wanted right now! Well, if anything, time was, in the end, the ultimate force of nature¡­ To tame it would surely be an entirely hair-brained idea. He offered his power the proposed mental image, creating an idea revolving around the concept in his head before pushing it onto the blank tarot with all his concentration. The idea itself seemed to resist his efforts, pushing back with as much ferocity as he gave. Yet, he was not only a patient but a ruthlessly determined individual who had never much cared for rules he wasn''t interested in. He pushed further, and pressed his case against reality itself until he felt the resistance before him slip. With a blinding glow, the card split into three forms, mirroring how he¡¯d first encountered his own.


    To the left was a simple clockwork stopwatch, ornate and beautiful in design, surrounded by ticking gears upon the perimeter and backdropped by even more rotating cogs, dark and only drawing focus if one chose to pay attention. On the back, a description of the card was offered willingly, unlike before, this time leaving nothing to mystery. He¡¯d done it. There it was, a soul-card that would let him stop time¡­ Hah! Bugsbunny would be proud¡­ It was also pathetic¡­ Permitting for a measly single second per entire day! Then again, it was only at its first rank and tier¡­ And though a single second didn''t sound like a lot¡­ well, no¡­ there really wasn''t much a human could accomplish in a single second. But, again, proof of concept was all he really wanted. Still, there were two more cards to peruse, supposedly, each different from the first¡­


    The second card looked, as it happened, the exact same as the initial example, and, last, the only differences being the descriptions themselves. So, ignoring the first, the next card offered a sort of automatic activation, allowing one to freeze time when confronted with a hostile intent on causing immediate harm. The duration was a full three seconds, but, the time between uses was a whopping week¡­ A tough decision to be sure¡­ on one had, what good was the ability to stop time for such a short period when one was being attacked? A single second on the first card would mean that, even if a hailstorm of arrows were coming you''re way, you¡¯d be fucked regardless! More, even if it was one archer hiding in the woods and you somehow saw the arrow flying at you''re face. Was one second enough to get away? Ignoring how you even had the reflexes to act on that¡­ Conversely, the second card was much better for combat in nearly every respect. It was, in effect, a get-out-of-jail ability that would see you from harm with reasonable surety. Granted, the drawbacks were large, but it was useful as it was where the first was¡ªseemingly even more situational¡­ but also offered a semblance of utility.


    The final card was equally as interesting, allowing an individual to continuously set a rewind point for their own body, one that was automatically activated upon death or, willingly if so desired. Ten seconds was the span in which the card bearer could¡ªrevert, though the wording made it clear that it was only the wielder who would do so. In effect, it was like a personalized rewind time ability that didn''t appear to have any notable drawbacks other than its oddly sparse description¡­ In fact, it seemed so good that Arthur felt immediately distrustful of it! Nothing in life was free. And the idea that the card would be so wildly more effective, just like that and out of the gate was¡ªconcerning.


    That left Arthur in an immense dilemma, as, before the final one, he¡¯d already been sold on the first despite its limitations. Those could be improved, but while the second card might be great for fighting, which wasn''t something he wanted to do, the final card refusing to actually stipulate any restrictions beyond the ten-second revert was¡ªagain, tough to ignore¡­ He wondered just what that exactly meant¡­ Would he¡ªrevert entirely? As in, memories and all? In effect, killing his present self off every time it activated¡­ What would happen if he was somehow captured and endlessly tortured? Or, somehow managed to get himself trapped beneath the ocean? Did the timeframe collapse upon itself, or did it keep reverting to the same spot over and over again¡­ If the card got more powerful, then if he one day died, would he be sent back endlessly as an old man, forever living out his golden years of infirmity? Why did this option feel like a trap? It was too good, far too good to be true¡­ and dangerous as all hell¡­ It wasn''t lost on Arthur that it hadn''t been he who had created these iterations¡­ the concept alone was his; yes, it was true, but in the vaguest sense¡­ He¡¯d wanted a card to manipulate time. However, the details were entirely fabricated and not of his own creation. Was there some entity that was pulling the strings behind his power? Or, was it more like a power without consciousness? The descriptions had to come from somewhere, and if not from him, then where?


    He couldn''t help but feel this was a sort of test, though he wasn''t sure if that was the correct expression¡­ Either way, every instinct he had was telling him to steer wide of the final card¡­ Arthur chose the first one, content with the limitations and strength while knowing it was supposed to be weak. The world resolved itself once more, the mist fading away without comment as he reached out and eyed the newly formed tarot. It was all the same, nothing new from what he¡¯d beheld save for the supposed tier, which was, unsurprisingly, iron¡­ No, nothing new at all, except for two discrepancies¡­ The first was a familiar padlock that was in the upper rightmost corner, and the second was a new line of text that read; ¡°Unique, one may only possess a single iteration of any soul-card relating to this card¡¯s effects in their deck.¡± He stared at the words for a moment, heart beating rapidly in his chest. That was no coincidence. Something, if not someone, was actively trying to balance what he wanted to do¡­ it was alarming food for thought¡­ yet not enough for him to stop pushing the boundaries. If time wasn''t off limits, then, in his eyes, nothing was; rather, it was all but a simple game of compromise¡­


    Arthur picked up the card that supposedly deprived one of their senses, following in the footsteps of his previous encounters with the white mist before imagining a card that would allow him to possess more than ten cards, the hard limit affirmed by Cassandra herself the prior evening. Again, he felt quite a bit of resistance on that front but eventually managed to impart his will. What he got was another of what he was calling attuned cards, as the padlock only snapped shut after he added it to his deck. He could still take them back out and remove them entirely, yet the lock never actually opened again. Curiously, there was only a single tarot that floated before him this go around. And It let him add a single additional card to his deck, at rank one and tier one, and, interestingly, there was another stipulation about how many of the types of its existence one might add to their own soul, much like the prior card he¡¯d just made. In theory, the card itself was useless as it required one slot to use and only offered a single slot in return. An investment, then¡­ Presumably, at its next rank, or, possibly tier given its abilities, the card would let him have two additionals, thereby making it actually useful and, without a doubt, also breaking the rules of his new universe... Ohhh boy¡­ It was all a terribly exhilarating concept¡­


    He couldn''t help himself, and, like every true science fiction nerd would inevitably lean towards were they in his position, the next tarot he received was something he added to his deck without a moment''s hesitation. What was something one might find more impressive than manipulating time? Well, at least for Arthur, force-choking his pillow while proclaiming to it his dissatisfaction was a form of¡ªsadistic pleasure he couldn''t bring to words. Oh, he would be embracing his darkest of sides! And soon! Lightsaber in hand, Arthur would be subjugating this universe beneath the lightning powers of its new emperor! Of course, it was really just telekinesis, and, again, it wasn''t without its limitations, but being psychic was something that humanity as a whole had been trying to figure out for the better part of a decade¡­ ever since their very real appearance throughout the world, rare and, often times weak as they were.


    It naturally didn''t stop him from opening the special cupboard with his mind, procuring a coffee-wafer candy bar, unwrapping it and, without his hands, popping it in his mouth. Yes! This¡­ this Arthur could get used to! He had half a mind to simply start feeding his psychic card everything else he had considering nothing else could be considered really worth it now that he could master all of reality itself! Unlimited power from his fingertips, a fleet of ships that could blot out the stars! He could crush democracy single-handedly! He could be immortal! Yet, he did have his self-restraint. Currently, the power was restricted to just five kilograms of force; whether that force arrived by crushing power, lifting something or pushing something, it mattered not. Again super cool, but not immediately useful. He certainly wasn''t about to go around causing any damage with an approximate tenth of what an average human woman could squeeze with her hand.


    This just left Arthur with his¡ªabyssal card¡­ What could he do with it? What should he do with it? He¡¯d already broken the laws of earth physics¡­ so screw it; why not go a bit further? Transmutation? Iron to gold? Not a bad idea were he still back home, but he didn''t actually know what constituted as money here¡­ well, actually, that was a bit of a boo-boo now, wasn''t it? Soul cards were what counted as money, which made a sort of sense, sickening as it was considering where they came from and that they were likely the greatest commodity available.


    Now, what was a concept that was utterly ridiculous, but would be otherwise infinitely useful to have for a man stranded away from technology and the means to make it? What could possibly top, or even equate to what he¡¯d already done? Was there anything more that he might truly even want? Or that could so thoroughly spit in the face of science as he knew it? Slowly, ever so slowly, a maniacal grin spread across Arthur''s face as an idea began slowly worming its way through his mind, the concept, quite possibly, the wet dream of any man who¡¯d ever wanted to use his mind to create.

 Addicting as legally allowed.

    Chapter 4


    Tulla sat cross-legged on top of the strange alien man¡¯s home¡­ She¡¯d already snuck inside and procured herself another candy bar without him noticing¡­ then, she¡¯d waited whilst enjoying it, figuring that, at some point, Arthur would turn around, and, she¡¯d scare him, or¡ªsomething¡­ Earning herself a decent little laugh for all her hard work to go along with her snack. Truth be told, the plan as a whole had been sort of ad-hoc and without any real goal in mind beyond a little earnest mischief¡­ though, now, the young girl was more perplexed than playful.


    The problem as Tulla was discovering it, was that Arthur appeared to be in something of a mood. The man stormed about the grass outside his home in a tizzy, quietly muttering to himself like a deranged madman, all the while, things around him just started to, seemingly at random, suddenly¡ªappear. At first, it had been weird, then, after Tulla had watched a shovel, hammer, axe, and even pots and pans manifest as though from the air itself, all while the curious man looked to be sprinkling grass upon random spots around him, the clipping disappearing before hitting the ground, the young girl had become¡ªcurious¡­ Now, she was rather enjoying herself, watching as Arthur, looked as though he were dancing about like a simpleton. All while picking up and discarding the random assortment of odds and ends about him into the invisible area he was currently focused on. After a time, something would ultimately appear, as though from nowhere, occasionally causing the weirdo to start cackling with a manic gleam in his eyes whilst reiterating time and time again that magic was everything and everything was magic.


    The young girl thought that this rather obvious statement regarding what was one of the very first things she¡¯d learned in school to be somewhat¡ªodd, specifically because he was babbling about it as though it were some grand discovery, but, it was no less amusing to watch. She¡¯d been wondering why she¡¯d become so¡ªattached to the stranger¡­ not because it was a question posed by her own thoughts, but because it had been something her mother kept questioning her about over and over until she just couldn''t help but ponder it herself. She bloody well did so every time the weirdo¡¯s name came up in conversation, which, as it happened, was quite a lot given how excited her uncle apparently was about his presence. Yet, she found that the very reason she liked Arthur was that he, simply put, wasn''t anything like the dreary soldiers that made up the village¡­ He was¡ªin a word, interesting, and there was the way he smelled when her mother was around¡­ utterly intoxicating. Sure, he wasn''t a bal, but she¡¯d been sick of her kind for years, forever lost between being too mature for the other children raised by a marching legion and too young to mingle with older teens or normal adults. Yet, Arthur was already proving to be¡ªdifferent from both.


    Case in point, Tulla was managing a¡ªtentative grasp of what Arthur seemed to be doing. Which, from what she could tell, was a sort of transmutation, but, one she wasn''t really managing to fully wrap her head around. She understood that he was creating things and, from his excitement, rather specific things as well, but how he was managing to do it confounded her, especially because he appeared to be breaking the core foundational rules of the subject itself. One wasn''t supposed to be able to take something like grass and make metal with it¡­ of that, Tulla was entirely certain¡­ but he still did it¡­ again and again¡­ He did it so many times that she began to question if her teachers, and auntie Cass specifically, really knew all that much to begin with¡­ Here Arthur was, proving them all wrong, a stranger from another universe that apparently knew nothing about magic, demonstrating core principles false within his first days here¡­ She absolutely loved it. People who knew magic were always so stuck up about the damned stuff! Always saying, no Tulla! That¡¯s dangerous or, no Tulla, it doesn''t work like that!


    Yet, eventually, She did grow bored as Arthur¡¯s progress on whichever project he was focusing on stagnated¡­ his ire and frustration leaking out through his emotions as he stormed about the grass, kicking and growling like a wild animal¡­ Fun as it had been, Tulla inevitably gave in to the seductive allure of the strange plays Arthur called cartoons, his fluffy bed, and, of course, chocolate. It was a wonder how any of his species managed to survive with such poor senses, the young girl all but giggling to herself as she silently slipped to the ground and crept inside Arthur''s home. She hadn''t told her mother she was coming to visit, largely because she¡¯d proclaimed that she would go with her¡­ That was the last thing Tulla wanted¡­ to be mothered when all she desired was some bloody alone time¡­ A little bit of affection was all well and fine, yes, but so much could be¡ªbleh¡­ Then, a sudden thought occurred to Tulla that made her face light up as though a fire had been ignited behind it¡­ If Arthur could create metal from grass, then couldn''t he make chocolate as well? Didn''t that mean the chocolate in his special cupboard wasn''t as rare or hard to get as it had previously been? A grin that could have split the sky itself washed over the girl''s face, mouth drooling as she approached the magical door leading to a world of delightful sweets.


    Arthur wanted to scream! What was happening? It was all here, right here! The concept was there; he¡¯d proven that much, and the tools were at his disposal. Plus, there weren''t any limitations he could find, no restrictions in the card, yet why was it that he was staring at a transparent shell of his greatest creation rather than a robot that was already flying through the air! It didn''t make any damned sense! How could he create a pistol from grass but not a drone from it? What pray tell exactly was the difference between the two? Both were no more than refined materials, hard work and effort! So, what was he missing? Everything else he¡¯d tried to make had thus far worked, so he didn''t really understand why this wasn''t¡­ For all his experiments, he should have been able to create a robot out of aluminum, plastic and carbon¡­ among other¡¯s of course. Yes, the process admittedly would have taken very long given the complexity of the materials he wanted to use, as well as the complexity of the design. But, as he¡¯d discovered, the foundations of¡ªwell, everything in this universe was apparently magic, so that meant, at its most basic form, magic could turn into anything! And, anything with magic, which was everything, could be converted with an obvious but manageable reduction in both energy and efficiency during the transmutation¡­


    He admitted that the solid block of titanium, small as it was, had taken an absurd amount of grass to even moderately reduce the time required for its theoretical existence to passively capture what he could only assume was ambient magic in the air. It had gone a lot quicker when he¡¯d started tossing in the metal pots, pans, axe, pliers and everything else he¡¯d made, but it had still taken a few hours. However, now, all he wanted was a tiny bot no larger than his hand, and he¡¯d even tossed his chunk of titanium at it, thinking it would at least do something to shorten the process¡­ however, not only was his latest project not advancing quickly, but, it wasn''t even doing so slowly! There had to be a reason¡­ had to be something he was missing here¡­ He¡¯d imagined a permanently loyal and intelligent camera robot that could interface with his phone and RV, something like a spy drone, only smart and capable of independent operations. He hadn''t expressly said Artificial intelligence but it had been strongly implied.


    How was this not allowed, but literally fucking with time was? T-this! His tiny, innocent and harmless robot banished to inexistence while the ultimate scientific sin was permissible! It didn''t make sense, didn''t make any damned sense! How! Why? Literal time manipulation! Arthur was ready to start pulling his damned hair out! Teeth grinding as he scowled at the outline of his yet-to-be-real robot in its ethereal state right before rampaging into a problem he likely couldn''t have fixed.


    ¡°I knew there was something wrong with you¡­¡± A low and cultured voice drawled, fixating Arthur''s attention as quickly as a speeding bullet.


    ¡°A-ah¡­ Dianna¡­¡± Arthur struggled, reply caught in his throat, all the while his composure, failing quite spectacularly as it was, meagrely managed little more than a gasping, fish-like response. ¡°A-are you¡­ why are you here?¡± Christ! He hadn''t even heard her approach!


    The demoness just looked at him as though he were a moron, her gaze shifting to his house for a moment before resting upon him once again, expression expectant. It took a heartbeat or two for the gesture to actually register, Arthur¡¯s head, or rather, his monkey brain desperately trying to figure out if it meant what he thought it did¡­ Naturally, the¡ªyoung man in him was rather¡ªflattered by the offer¡­ Strange as it was¡ªunexpected, Dianna, after all, was utterly gorgeous, even with all the strange demonic bits, so much so that he doubted there would have been a man alive on earth would wouldn''t have willingly worshiped at the woman''s feet¡ªor, hooves¡­ She was tall, lithe and powerfully muscled, her significant chest¡ªendowed by the most modest interpretation he could manage¡­ She was, in fact, the most dangerously alluring woman he¡¯d ever seen, with high and imperious cheekbones that were sculpted as though meant to be the epitome of cold and detached seduction¡­ Even her jawline looked as though it had been C.G.I-ed onto an actress''s face to be the most aesthetically pleasing combination of firm femininity to enhance her breathtakingly stern features. More, Arthur suspected he might have lost his jaw on the floor had she¡ªwashed with any discernable regularity, her body¡ªnot filthy, but, as evidenced by the greasy braid of her hair and powerful smokey scent, not¡ªfresh either¡­ As she was, Dianna had this sort of¡ªdangerous warrior goddess vibe about her, sprinkled of course, with liberal quantities of demonic flare¡­ Yet, for all of that, and in spite of how¡ªattracted he was to her in a¡ªstrange but undeniable way given her figure, Arthur wasn''t sure if he could¡­ manage it¡­ Again, he was very flattered, but he frankly thought she¡¯d probably ruin him¡­ Dianna had to outweigh him by at least a couple hundred pounds¡­ and, were he really honest with himself, probably a good deal more¡­


    Stupidly, he nearly even said as much as what was going on through his head, very nearly signing his own warrant for execution before he doubled back upon his own foolishness, or, he tried to, the reality of it all was that, caught flatfooted as he was, Arthur wasn''t at his best¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ yes¡­¡± He began, Addams apple bobbing with mild distress. ¡°Well, how do I put this¡­ gently¡­ I¡¯m¡­ I''m grateful but wish to decline in the most respectful manner that I truly hope you would accept¡­ T-too much on the old mind as it were to¡ªperform adequately a-and¡­¡±


    His words trailed off with the wind as a pregnant silence filled the air about them, Dianna¡¯s expression shifting right as Arthur realized his¡ªmistake. For a man who rarely had his mind in the gutter, he wasn''t earnestly sure how he¡¯d even made it this far¡­ He took a step backwards, half tripping upon an errant pitchfork head, which, in of itself, was far too comically abused to be how he really went out¡­ wasn''t it?¡±


    ¡°I''m not here for that.¡± She declared calmly, and that, much to Arthur''s surprise, was all the woman said on the matter¡­ Swallowing hard, even as he forced his mind away from the notion that he might just have noted some sort of¡ªdiscoloration in the demon''s cheeks, it was all he could do but try and reorient himself. Most likely, the difference in shade was from rage, as he told himself quickly, hands already forwards and held out as though trying to calm an angry dog.


    ¡°T-then¡­ ahem, maybe it¡¯s best you tell me why you¡¯re¡ªhere then?¡±


    ¡°Tulla didn''t tell you?¡± She asked, a small quirk of annoyance forming on her face.


    ¡°I haven''t seen Tulla since last night¡­ Are you sure¡ª¡± He paused mid-sentence, head turning as he, for the first time, noticed sounds emanating from his RV.


    He frowned, looking back to the terrifying demoness with a blank face before turning around to open the door of his home. There he found the woman''s tiny spawn, systematically devouring what was his entire stash of treats, all the while lounging on his bed, sticky paws getting his bedding fouled with dark smears and crumbs, her thus far favourite show all but blasting through the speakers, not that she could understand it. Now, he was sort of annoyed his RV had a sound-deadening feature that kept what went on within largely private¡­


    His first instinct was to march up and admonish the demonic child¡­ take away what remained of the snacks, and¡­ well, give her a stern talking to about personal space¡ªat the absolute minimum. That thought, however, was quickly abandoned as his head swivelled to see that Dinna was now beside him, moving as a wraith whilst her daughter boisterously laughed at the holograms¡­


    ¡°I agree with your mother Tulla; there needs to be rules if you wish to visit.¡± The girl pouted at the two adults that were standing side by side, unwilling to meet the gaze of her mother, but feeling shame at the devastation she¡¯d unwittingly wrought upon her new favourite person¡¯s home. She knew better, but, she just hadn''t been able to control herself!  ¡°If anything, I¡¯d at the very least like you to let me know when your here! And, second to that, ask before you just take what isn''t yours; it''s common sense!¡±


    ¡°She doesn''t need to ask because she won''t be coming back.¡±  Dianna proclaimed, fury in her eyes. ¡°I don''t like this place Tulla, I don''t like that you''re coming out here on your own. We agreed that I¡¯d travel with you just this morning, and here you are, not an afternoon after making a promise and breaking it with shameless abandon.¡± Her words sounded like she was nearly reaching a boiling point, voice rising in decible with each successive sylable until she was right on the cusp of shouting. Honestly, it made Arthur sort of¡ªreset. His gaze just looking at her like she were some¡ªmoron¡­ The hell did she thing shouting was going to do?


    ¡°Look, it''s not that bad Dianna¡­ Far be it from me to intercede with how you want to parent but, I don''t mind if she¡¯s here, and, it''s already quite clear she¡¯s going to do as she pleases¡­ I¡¯ve learned it''s better to make deals rather than come down with a heavy hand, it just makes kids more likely to rebel.¡±


    ¡°What can you possibly know about my child!¡± Dianna snapped, rounding on Arthur as he scowled at her, beside himself with how archaic the woman was being with her concept of raising children. Maybe he¡¯d been wrong; maybe the bal were a lot more barbaric than he¡¯d thought¡­


    ¡°Enough,¡± he growled softly, tone coldly quiet, ¡°to realize that she obviously didn''t want you to come with her, which either means she¡¯s trying to escape you already, or, she already knows you would disapprove of her presence here and ruin it. Either way, it''s a recipe for damned disaster! Isn''t this all how she got captured in the first place? By ignoring rules that clearly didn''t work out?¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Dianna was menacing now, her tail all but rattling like a snake, looking to be poised to strike, even as the tiny and weak creature before her appeared to infuriatingly hold his ground. She could smell the fear on him, it was obvious and he wasn''t hiding it from her, even as he marshalled whatever courage he had, yet, the man had been flagged by her brother-in-law as irreplaceable, a notion in of itself which was utterly ridiculous¡­ She couldn''t kill him, not without hearing about it for the rest of her damned days¡­ but, she could get away with harm, so long as she was careful not to go too far¡­ One of her hands wrapped itself around his tiny neck, the man''s surprise evident as his fear bled through the mask he was wearing before quickly disappearing again.


    He grunted, pretending to be more annoyed than terrified as he truly was. ¡°Heh, hrhmm! Th-the hand makes it clear you¡¯ve run out of arguments¡­¡± Then, chuckling and half wheezing from air loss the fucker smirked at her wolfishly, even as she hoisted him in the air, a low rumbling snarl escaping her throat.


    ¡°What do you know of my family? What makes you think you have the right to make decisions? To even breath a suggestion towards a topic you were not invited to have opinions on?¡±


    ¡°You''re in my house!¡± Arthur growled back, though, the effect was somewhat lessened by his inability to touch the floor with his feet.


    Dianna had to admit that he wasn''t a tiny man, not large with muscles, but, more rangy¡­ However, those muscles were clearly just for show as it was almost pitiable how easy it was to overwhelm him¡­ She didn''t even have to try before¡­ The demoness blinked, looking down to see a hissing beam of energy at her throat, held so close as to gently singe her skin¡­ It was¡ªwas actually burning her¡­ her! She hadn''t even seen him move; hadn''t had her instincts even register the¡­ Dianna''s gaze lifted upwards as her nose scented burning ozone, staring at the undeniably scared man in her hand, yet, his body was calm and loose, strange blue eyes empty of any observable emotion¡­


    ¡°Stop fighting!¡± Both adults turned to stare at the small child who was yapping at the two of them, little hooves stomping on the ground in protest, claws extended as though she herself were about to dive headlong into a brawl to get stuck in. ¡°Mom! Let Arthur go! He hasn''t done anything!¡±


    The demoness frowned, looking back to the strange alien who had, upon her daughter''s demand, retracted the curious weapon that had been at her throat¡­ the vibrant energy disappearing within some wrist-mounted contraption¡­ Despite herself, Dianna found her arm lowering the man back down to the floor as well, his feet touching it but a moment before Tulla ran and attached herself at his leg.


    ¡°I-Im sorry I ate all your food!¡± She sobbed, rubbing her face against his thigh, tail and wings wrapping around him in a hug¡­ ¡°I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!¡±


    Something¡­ cracked in Dianna¡¯s heart as she nearly staggard backwards, uncertain of exactly what was happening¡­ shouldn''t she be the one her daughter ran to? Still, despite everything that had happened, despite his fear and near-death experience, he knelt, picking Tulla up and patting her on the back, shooting Dianna a cold look that was entirely a command for her to calm down and not a request¡­ It seemed¡ªodd coming from where it did, and yet, she felt herself force the anger down all the same¡­


    Arthur stood there¡­ Sighing as he comforted the poor girl, eyeing what remained of his special supply¡­ It was in tatters¡­ not much left by anyone''s account¡­ was he angry? Well, the answer in truth was yes, but, letting it out on the girl who¡¯d clearly been unprepared for the effect that sugar and fatty oils, salt and lab-made flavouring made to be as addicting as legally allowed was¡ªnot her fault¡­ He would mourn the loss of his precious supplies another time, and, instead, focus on what really mattered¡­


    ¡°It''s alright, Tulla. I get it. They''re good¡­¡± He sighed, consoling the sobbing girl as he forced his own emotions into his guts. ¡°I just wish you would have asked before you took it all¡­ Now, it''s all gone, right? I can''t give you any more¡­¡±


    The realization of what she¡¯d really done dawned on the small girl as she pulled away, snotty face trailing a line of goo from his shirt as her eyes fell upon the ruination her snacking had wrought whilst the light dimmed from her eyes. Then, promptly returned as she grinned at him with a fanatical expression.


    ¡°Can''t you just make more? Like you were making the metal from the grass?¡±


    ¡°He was what?¡± Dianna drawled, taking a step towards the pair as if to try and reach out for Tulla, even as her own daughter shied away, giving her a sour look and an honest to god hiss¡­


    ¡°You saw that did you?¡± Arthur more commented than asked, thoughts dimming in his mind as he considered just how¡ªreckless he¡¯d been with his experiments. So long went his secrets¡­ and it hadn''t even been two days¡­


    ¡°I got bored when you were just stomping about complaining that something wasn''t working¡­ but, I saw enough sitting on the roof. You''re really easy to sneak up on.¡±


    ¡°Probably not something you want to go around talking about¡­ either thing actually¡­ You think you can keep them both a secret for me?¡±


    Tulla sniffed, considering Arthur¡¯s request with a sudden air of haughty self-importance that betrayed her rather obvious intentions. She wasn''t the only one who wanted to break free from the somewhat awkward situation¡­ ¡°What do I get out of the deal?¡±


    Arthur made a great show of pretending to be lost in serious thought, as though he were bargaining with a master negotiator who had him by the balls, and, maybe, was even twisting. It was all theatre, obviously. And, again, while upset, he found himself less and less so towards the girl herself¡­ After a moment, he grinned and pointed at one of the wrappers still on the bed.


    ¡°Agree, and I¡¯ll promise to try to make more of what you ate. No guarantees, though. I''m actually not certain that I can do it¡­¡±


    ¡°What about more shampoo?¡± She countered, a hand reaching to her head and pulling the strands to her slitted nose.¡±


    ¡°If I can manage the food, I doubt shampoo is that big a deal¡­ What''s your favourite smell? Cinnamon? Vanilla?¡±


    ¡°Oranges!¡± Tulla replied, beaming at the thought of it all.


    ¡°What about oranges mixed with chocolate?¡±


    The small girl''s mind was blown for several seconds as her eyes shot wide, having never even considered the now oh-so-obvious combination of what was, in her mind, her two favourite foods.


    ¡°You can make metal from grass?¡± Dianna repeated, tone¡­ forcibly even, her eyes narrowed upon Arthur as he took a deep breath, putting Tulla back on the bed as he considered the demoness for a moment before slowly nodding his head. Tulla had already spilled the beans on that one, and he was looking for someone to answer some of his questions anyway¡­


    Arthur let the girl finish off the remainder of his stash, now, in truth, after musing over what he¡¯d already been doing, fairly confident that he could easily replace it and even add to it as his leisure. Snacks weren''t what was important to him, to begin with¡­ He¡¯d requested to have a talk with Dianna outside, both of them promising the child within that they wouldn''t be trying to hurt each other again¡­ It left the pair with an entirely awkward silence to deal with, one that hung between them, largely in part because they¡¯d both just been at each other''s throats in the most literal of meanings. Arthur, for his part, wasn''t exactly sure how to treat the demon woman¡­ he was still scared of her, yes, but the fact that he¡¯d survived multiple encounters with death while in her clutches sort of cheapened the whole experience¡­ Especially when he discovered that his little gambit had paid off. Had it been a real fight, Arthur might have won¡­ or, at least, taken the demoness with him¡­ Naturally, his trick was off the table until tomorrow, but that didn''t mean it made her otherwise very intimidating presence somehow¡­ less¡­ Admittedly, it had been a cheap shot. Still, progress was everything!


    What Arthur really wanted was a beer¡­ and, sadly, he didn''t have many of those left¡­ however, he was determined to be the bigger person here, so, with a short glance in her direction, Arthur wandered over to his campers outdoor cooler, unlatching it with a practiced hand and peering into its depths. Three¡­ that was all he had left of the entire stockpile he¡¯d purchased upon his departure from society¡­ and even then, the last dozen had been those he was truly babying¡­ But, with a sigh, he pulled out two of the bottles, handing one to Dianna who took it with suspicion, even as he popped his own cap with his belt, upending the dark container with a swig.


    ¡°It''s alcohol.¡± He answered, not needing to actually hear the demon''s unspoken question.


    ¡°Why is it cold then¡­¡±


    ¡°It''s better that way¡­ trust me, if there''s one thing my people don''t fuck about with, it''s our booze.¡±


    Dianna nodded at this, not entirely sold on the idea but seeming to go along with it, eyeing the cap ponderously before pressing at it with the tip of her thumb. Arthur wasn''t even surprised when the thing exploded upwards without the woman seeming to even struggle with it.


    ¡°You''re ridiculously strong, you know that?¡± He muttered, watching as the demon took a tentative sip, then licked her lips approvingly before drinking more.


    ¡°I am rather strong, but I¡¯m not the strongest of my kind; I think your people are just pitiably weak.¡±


    ¡°A concept we''ve struggled with our entire history.¡± Arthur agreed with a nod. ¡°It''s why we were forced to make things like this.¡± With a gesture, a long and bright blade of energy extended from Arthur''s wrist, safely avoiding the location of anything that might get lopped off if he moved his hand improperly, the light more following in and along with the rotation of his hand. To make a point, Arthur bent down and cleanly sliced through a medieval great helm he¡¯d made, making the effort look as easy as tearing soggy toilet paper. He retracted the weapon a moment later, picking up one still glowing half of the ruined piece of armour from a safe location and a bit of nearby cloth before tossing it at Dianna with lazy disregard. She caught it without missing a beat, indifferent to the glowing heat, staring at the thing with an unreadable expression.


    ¡°I wasn''t lying, you know, about the whole planet killing bit¡­ We really could do it¡­¡±


    ¡°So, you''re threatening me then? Is that what this is?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Arthur sighed, leaning back on his camper while staring upwards at the breathtaking scene that hung above them both. ¡°Truth is, you could probably kill me before I got the chance to do much about it right now. That tail alone is pretty unfair and, if you went airborne, well¡­ Anyways, Im not trying to piss you off but, it keeps happening and, I¡¯d rather not find out what it takes for you to figure you need to do something about me. So, I want to talk, work out whatever it is between us and make sure I don''t wind up falling from a hundred kilometres in the sky while coming out of sleep.¡±


    Dianna seemed to think on that for a moment, considering but, not saying anything outright. She took a few more swallows from her beer before nodding to herself and meeting his eye. ¡°I don''t trust you. Don''t get me wrong, I''m thankful for what you did, but I don''t know you, don''t understand why my daughter likes you so much and am having an even harder time trying to figure out how you act so calmly when clearly you''re terrified. It''s wrong and unnatural. When prey is scared, it should emote, not hide behind a mask. It makes you seem like that much more of a disturbingly dangerous individual than you let on.¡±


    ¡°All fair¡­¡± Arthur chuckled with rueful self-deprecation¡­ ¡°So far as the scared thing goes, your right, you fucking terrify me¡­ we don''t have anything like your kind where I''m from, not anything that''s real anyways¡­ But, the reality of it all is humans, my people, are scared all the time. It might not always be because of death, but part of the reason we¡¯re so advanced is because most of the things on our world were really good at killing us, ourselves included. Wanting to survive and advancements in society sort of walk hand in hand¡­ ¡°


    ¡°You''re saying you don''t run away from me when I can clearly smell that you want to is because you''re¡ªused to being scared?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much¡­¡± Arthur smiled, though it was a thin thing at best. ¡°I¡¯ve got my own demons to deal with that bother me while I sleep. You''re scary, yes, but you¡¯re also a lot of other things as well¡­ I¡¯d say human-like, but that term¡¯s probably more insulting than anything¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡± A laugh from inside the camper managed to gain Dianna¡¯s attention, her gaze shifting to the door where her daughter was busy giggling despite the language barrier. ¡°I''m not used to hearing her like that.¡±


    ¡°And I can tell¡­ Not meant as an insult, I don''t even know you''re culture, but, for us, my kind that is, and back home, mothers aren''t exactly a rare thing in communities. We tend to multiply quite fast, which is probably the only reason we haven''t all killed each other off¡­ Still, you get good at reading those sorts of interactions in a society where it''s illegal to hurt other people within your own country. Disciplining children or otherwise.¡±


    ¡°I thought you just said your people are a bunch of overly smart barbarians that like whacking each other with their stupidly dangerous weapons.¡±


    Arthur barked a laugh, the sound coming despite himself as he grinned at the demon with an earnest expression. ¡°W-hehe-we do¡ªdo, that¡­ but, that was more in our past than present. Now, we mainly just murder each other in virtual reality¡ªah, you could consider it sort of like our own universe that we created and sometimes choose to live in¡­ that''s what I kind of thought this all was until I realized It didn''t make sense for it to be¡ªfake. He could tell that the demon wasn''t exactly looking comfortable with what he¡¯d just said, and, feeling a pang of guilt for possibly causing this universe''s first existential crisis of what was real and what wasn''t, he quickly glossed it over with a lazy wave of his hand. ¡°Don''t think about it, doesn''t work like that. Besides, aren''t I just some crazy foreigner who''s too stupid to run away from a towering badass?¡±


    ¡°You are¡­¡± Dianna allowed, her lips curling ever so slightly with appreciation, but, it was a weak thing at best as her tone grew¡ªsombre, more contemplative as she relaxed. ¡°What would your people do if they all suddenly appeared here like you did?¡±


    ¡°Wage war, get killed, kill, jump for joy that they get to go fuck beautiful alien woman and men, play with magic till their heart''s content¡­ I don''t know, live?¡±


    ¡°Your people fantasize about sleeping with other species than your own?¡±


    Arthur caught the barely concealed twitch of the demon''s upper lip as she spoke, doubtless imagining his people to be a bunch of animal-banging degenerates. Well, certainly the degenerate part was true¡­ and¡ªdistressingly, so was the animal part¡­ Illegal or not¡­


    ¡°Only when it comes to people like us.¡± He stated, ignoring the final part of his prior thought given it really only pretrained to the true loons of society. ¡°I know I said we¡¯ve only got humans where I come from, but you might be surprised that despite never having encountered someone like yourself, there are an astounding quantity of media examples available with all your particular features. We can be quite imaginative¡­ but I suppose monotony will do that to a culture. Even you have to admit that, aside from the tail, wings, horns and hooves, everything else is pretty much the same.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is very strange, honestly. Most intelligent races are bipedal with the same general shape but, it''s as though your only unique feature is that there''s nothing particularly unique about you¡­ No claws, no talons, no elemental bits or animalistic accents¡­ and, very little hair¡­¡±


    ¡°We can''t even see in the dark!¡± Arthur laughed, noting how Dianna¡¯s eyes seemed to shine in the waning light, shaking his head as he drained the remainder of his drink, staring at the thing longingly before placing it on the ground with a tangent thought.


    ¡°Not at all?¡±


    ¡°Not without proper tools, and, even then, it''s nothing like seeing in daylight¡­¡± He replied, not at all surprised that the demons could apparently do so if that response was anything to go on¡­ Instead of pondering the unfairness of biology, Arthur focused elsewhere, mind shifting gears and using his latest card to create another bottle of beer, and finding at least some surprise when he saw its ethereal outline appear. He pushed his empty bottle into it, adding some grass as Dianna watched him with a raised brow. And within a minute, a sealed bottle emerged from the air itself, Arthur stooping down to eye the thing with earnest skepticism before popping the lid and taking a drink. It was warm¡­ unfortunately, but, nevertheless, it was a dead copy of the beer he¡¯d just finished.


    Arthur snorted, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of it all and pounding the thing back, envisioning a case this time, only to discover the same issue as this robot. With a sigh, he merely began making a series of single beers in a row, feeling a sort of strain in his chest once he reached seven and promptly stopping until most of them had formed.


    ¡°Need another? They won''t be cold, but it''s, apparently, still beer¡­¡±

 Almost like a game...

    Chapter 5


    ¡°Your problem, with¡ªwhatever this¡ªcreation of yours is supposed to be, sounds obvious¡­¡±


    Arthur took a long drink from his beverage, tossing it once emptied upon the fire that he¡¯d built in a stone pit, reaching down between himself and Dianna to grab another refreshment, now chilled within an ice-filled bucket, compliments, at least where the ice was concerned, of his new demonic drinking buddy.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± He murmured, slurring as he did so, nearly falling out of his camping chair as he swayed with ponderous balance. ¡°How would you know? I thought robots weren''t a thing here¡­¡±


    ¡°What''s different between a robot and a golem?¡±


    ¡°Not much, I suppose¡­ can you make golems out of metal and have them perform complicated tasks?¡±


    ¡°Sure, if that''s what they''re made for,¡± Dianna nodded, staring at the fire with a distant gaze. ¡°honestly, it doesn''t sound that far off¡­ so I''m thinking that maybe it is how you imagined your golem to be that''s the issue.¡±


    ¡°Robot.¡±


    ¡°Robot¡­¡± She agreed with a haughty scoff.¡±


    ¡°Hey, it''s an important distinction! Robot makes it sound cool and futuristic while golem just reminds me of a rock-like thing made out of mud¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say.¡± Dianna intoned, eyeing him from the side while giving a small shake of her head. ¡°Either way, how I know it works is that intelligent golems require more than just magic and materials. They need a soul to actually come to life while similar creations with simple minds good only for following orders or, that are designed for a single or, at least very narrow scope of work pretty much just need the magic¡ªand materials.¡± She amended, reaching down for another beer herself.


    At this point, they were both getting drunk, Arthur keeping up through virtue of experience alone. Apparently, alcohol wasn''t entirely easy to get one''s hands on beyond the military or in it, which, like her brother and sister, she¡¯d retired from after being awarded land for her service.


    ¡°You''re saying I need to pop a soul card into my robot to make it work?¡±


    ¡°Couldn''t say,¡± Dianna replied lazily. ¡°But, if the concept itself is indeed similar to what I described, then chances are it needs one, yes.¡±


    Arthur just grumbled, closing his eyes with a yawn as he did so¡­ ¡°Great to know. But, wish I did before I went and wasted all my cards from the cultist¡­ going to have to go hunting in the morning to figure out if you''re right¡­¡±


    The demoness looked at Arthur for a moment, shrugging her shoulders before stumbling to her hooves, draining her fresh beer in a most admirable fashion that many a young mother had doubtless managed in their lives. Her daughter was already fast asleep in Arthur''s bed, the widest grin that Dianna had ever seen on her little girl''s face plastered from cheek to cheek. So, given that they¡¯d already been pounding back the beers as fast as he could make them, she¡¯d decided to let the girl sleep. Now, however, he wasn''t sure as to what she was about¡­


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Arthur half slurred, half mumbled, an eyebrow raised as Diana languidly stretched and flexed her massive wings.


    ¡°To get you a soul.¡± She replied, her cruel grin gleaming in the firelight and exposing glittering teeth.


    Arthur had to browbeat the tingle he felt in watching the ridiculously sexy demon-woman limber up like a lazy cat, telling himself that he had to be some sort of masochist to be interested in¡ªall of that¡­ Still, after she¡¯d flown off and nearly knocked him over with the wind of her departure, there was a familiar whistle in the otherwise silent night, a brief screech of alarm resounding from beyond the veil of darkness before, without warning, Dianna dropped back into the light, causing Arthur to jump, a reaction that made the bal¡¯s face crack with a smile.


    ¡°Wasn''t fair; that''s a jump-scare; everyone falls for those.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say¡­ human¡­¡±


    Arthur was about to retort with something else when, from her fingers, Dianna handed him a tarot. He stared at the thing for a moment, accepting the card with a bewildered expression, turning it over to observe the name; voracious grazer upon the back.


    ¡°Animals around here aren''t worth much for someone who¡¯s empowered their souls to our people''s average¡­ even children would scarcely get much considering we tend to help force their evolutions along so they get stronger quicker¡­ at least in the legions but a soul''s a soul¡­ let¡¯s see if it works.¡±


    He nodded at the demon, reminded of her capacity for violence, before shrugging it off and wandering over to his invention. He could swear there was a gleam of darkness about her bladed tail before she began wiping it on the grass¡­


    Honestly, not expecting much, he delicately placed the soul card over his creation''s ethereal form, pulling away as he felt the tarot being sucked from his fingers. He stared at the little bot for a time, eyes squinting as he did so, then growing wide when he realized it was suddenly making progress¡­ Not fast progress, but, it was starting to shift in shading as it manifested¡­


    ¡°It worked¡­¡±


    ¡°Told you that it wasn''t that different,¡± Dianna replied, seeming to take his word for it as they¡¯d already learned she couldn''t see what was going on. The demoness took a long breath, clicking her tongue a few moments later and seemingly growing bored as Arthur began doting on his little invention with as much material as he could manage. ¡°It''s getting really late¡­ I''m¡ªgoing to take Tulla home with me¡­¡±


    ¡°Want me to bring her out?¡± Arthur asked, hesitating from his somewhat zealous work and looking pointedly at her rather large wings that were gently extending themselves out as though basking in the cool breeze.


    ¡°Sure, that damned house isn''t made for people with wings and a tail.¡±


    ¡°The same could be said for where you live now.¡±


    Dianna nodded, not bothering to stop speaking, while Arthur retrieved her daughter and returned. ¡°Legions are still busy with the supposed remnants of the Tricen, but it''s not a fast process for¡ªreasons we don''t need to get into. Either way, we''re all rather convinced the imperial workforce wont reach us for some years. I know it might not look like it, but we haven''t actually been here that long, less than a few months really. Plans are already in the works to build something more¡ªappropriate when we manage some supplies, but until the war is over, all we keep hearing from command is tough it out and wait.¡±


    ¡°Would be more than willing to help.¡± Arthur offered, handing Tulla over to a somewhat bemused Dianna, who was chewing at her bottom lip. ¡°I assume you''re all more used to building tall rather than short and wide?¡±


    ¡°A good guess.¡±


    ¡°Call it an educated one.¡±


    Dianna looked to where he was pointing, noting that he was referring to her wings. She nodded solemnly, glancing at her peacefully sleeping little girl with a slight smile before turning to the man who owned Tulla¡¯s new favourite place to be. ¡°She loves it here, you know¡­ I can see why, even if it bothers me, so I''m not surprised¡­ Not much for a kid to do in a run-down place like the settlement¡­ aren''t even any other children her own age, not really¡­She¡¯s¡­¡± Dianna paused, worrying at her lip before carrying on. ¡°She¡¯s quite mature for her actual age, same as her aunt and myself were¡­ and cousin, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Be a shame if she¡¯s not allowed back.¡± Arthur agreed, stepping away as the demon''s tail began to swish ponderously.


    ¡°She can return then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Tulla doesn''t bother me, mostly; I figure she¡¯d going to keep to her own devices¡­ She¡¯s a good kid, just bored, I get it. Honestly, it''s no large ordeal; I¡¯d feel worse saying she couldn''t at this point¡­ precedent and all that. It would be practically cruel to take it away¡­ I mean, It¡¯s not like I really use the holo much these days, regardless¡­¡±


    Dianna nodded again, nose scenting the air before asking another question. ¡°Can I come back as well?¡±


    That caught Arthur right in the chin and entirely off-guard, and, though he should have been capable of more, he was in a¡ªreduced state and all he could manage was a stupid question. ¡°Why?¡±


    The demoness didn''t give him a verbal answer, merely turning away when she caught his bewildered expression, though he felt an icy chill run down his spine as, while she turned, a long and muscled tail crept along his backside, snaking its way across his rear and right thigh in a¡ªdecided sensual manner he couldn''t quite believe was happening before Dianna leapt in the air and was gone to the night. Arthur left, staring dumbfounded at a silhouette just barely visible for a few rapid heartbeats before it disappeared against the silvery network above¡­ ¡°Well fuck me¡­¡± he whispered, gently swaying on his feet and far too drunk to truly understand the implications.


    Hangovers were not something Arthur enjoyed¡­ but they nevertheless were nature¡¯s way of reminding him to partake in greater caution than he previously had¡­ as if he ever listened¡­ He stumbled out of his trailer, having crashed on the pull-out couch and passed out after a few more drinks¡­ He was going to have to watch that little vice¡­ having had a finite supply made it easy to control, but after learning what he had, abundance was an issue both he and his better judgment would have to contend with¡­ Sadly, booze, as it was said, ran in the family. His mother chugged the stuff in wine format like it was going out of style, and his dad drank whiskey like a fish did water¡­ Though he had managed to steer clear of it for many years in his life, once Arthur had gotten a taste for it, well, the rest was simply history¡­


    Through continued trial and error over the course of the morning, Arthur had learned that his power to create wasn''t at all infallible. There were restrictions and rules abound that the card didn''t actually mention, leaving him struggling to make sense of why he could create a totally theoretical, and, not to mention, bullshit energy sword, but not an intelligent spy camera, without the addition of a soul. As it happened, his little drone was nearing completion, the device, in truth, tiny when compared to even his hand. Which was good because Arthur had a plan today, and it had largely relied upon having the drone to work with.


    He was discovering that, with the application of magic, ridiculous science fiction was entirely within the realm of his capabilities. However, one of the restrictions he discovered arrived by way of quantity and size. He could seemingly make whatever he wanted, so long as it was only a single example¡­ Likewise, anything beyond the thirty-centimetre diameter in either the horizontal or vertical plane was, simply put, beyond him. He could sort of stretch the entirely theoretical material out, kind of like he had with the rake, but to a decidedly observable loss of efficiency¡­ And, likewise, exceeding what he was naming his¡ªvolume of space to work within was a dangerous proposition. There was this looming dread that overcame his person when he tried to push the boundaries of what he was allowed¡­ which was one aspect of it all that he wasn''t eager to test. Largely, he accepted this condition for what it was, assuming that, like the limitations on the quantity of something he could make concurrently at a time, which, as it happened, was eight, he assumed it would eventually get easier and better if he ever got around to improving his cards. For now, however, Arthur was content to simply work with what he had, and, taking from all the very best that science fiction had to offer, it was with an ear-mounted holo-display for a transparent tactical overlay, his spydrone, and, of course, his chosen weapons that he prepared for the early afternoon.


    Having needn''t been restricted by a more bullet-centric mindset, Arthur had been relatively free to toy around with his imagination¡­ However, he also quickly arrived at the understanding that burning down the entire wilderness because of errant fires caused by lasers or plasma and ensuring that his bones remained whole in his arm from firing his concept weapons had somewhat¡ªrestricted what he was willing to try. He¡¯d only have one chance to do it properly before something catastrophic happened that Arthur would regret. It took him quite a lot of time to consider what sort of weapon would best suit his needs. Bullets were, while useful and admittedly not yet obsolete with mass-driven technology, sadly, not something he could create en masse. Yes, it was true he could sit there and create an endless supply of individual bullets, but his goal was effective productivity as much as it was anything else¡­ This brought him to energy bolts, arc guns, lasers and of course, pulse weapons. Each had its own ups and downs when it came to design, but the former three all shared a single thing in common, at least within the realm of science fiction: they caught things on fire¡­ Not a bad thing so long as collateral damage wasn''t among one''s concerns, but it was for Arthur¡­ effective at killing from range as they were, they simply¡ªdidn''t fit the bill.


    A pulse weapon was the perfect idea on paper until one considered the recoil of a non-shoulder-mounted contraption. At best¡­ well, the truth was he wasn''t even sure what kind of ranges he would achieve with such an energy-based tool that had been tuned to prevent his arm from ripping off the first time he shot it¡­ but, it had been his best bet¡­ That, of course, was, until Arthur realized that he probably didn''t have to remain within the realm of what should be possible. Why couldn''t he try and make a tractor beam, a disintegration ray, or, even a freezing one? Why couldn''t he make a little drone that would rain holy hell from above while he simply sat in his camping chair and watched from his hologram? It was all entirely silly and utterly ridiculous¡­ and he loved every moment the more he thought about it¡­ After all, why shouldn''t he build an energy-based¡ªrod from god?


    The reality of his plans was, of course, not to scale of what he was initially envisioning. And he certainly wouldn''t be calling whatever world government that existed here and demanding millions of dollars. Yet, he found that it really didn''t matter¡­ No, he felt like a battlefield commander in one of his games, and it tickled every fancy he had. Above, his beautiful and, more importantly, intelligent drone was flying, offering him an aerial view to work in conjunction with the two bots he had on the ground. A fourth, and, what he was naming an artillery unit was hovering much lower, waiting for his commands. Well, in truth, the commands would arrive from his spy drone which¡ªtechnically was the one who controlled the others¡­ yes, yes, robot apocalypse, Skynet, he was aware of it all¡­ However, the reality was there was actually very little his small drone could interface within this world. Moreover, it had been designed with magic to be eternally loyal to him, which he was praying was enough¡­ who knew what the upper limits were when AI and mysticism decided to have a bastard lovechild¡­ Yet for the time being, existing as his own general of his budding little army of bots was exactly what he¡¯d always wanted, even if said robots were¡­ small¡­


    There was an age-old saying in pop culture that, with great power came great responsibility¡­ Arthur had always believed that to be a self-fulfilling prophecy and, thus moot for anyone of a rational mind¡­ However, might he have seen himself, sitting on his camping chair and laughing maniacally as he hit the¡ªbig red button, a distant gleaming ray of energy falling from the heavens and disintegrating a tiny four-legged mammal with long ears and a fluffy tail, a small, distant piece of his mind¡ªmight have stopped to consider the supervillain-esque implications¡­ His spy drone¡­ he would have to make a name for it¡­ would scout the entire region with both traditional and thermal optics, easily identifying creatures below. His disintegrator would track the target and wait for his orders to fire while his two scuttler bots prowled on the ground, moving like hunting dogs.


    Sadly for his scuttlers, they were technically the most vulnerable¡­ however, Arthur had made sure to equip the little guys with beam-blades. In truth, their only purpose was to retrieve the valuables, Arthur cheating on how large he could make the spidery units by imagining their limbs to be modular, then, following up by simply creating more modular pieces of the same. It was a dirty workaround, but one that worked quite well and that the greater cosmic powers hadn''t decided to slap him for. Time-consuming and requirements for assembly aside, it was just one more aspect of it all that proved the things he made didn''t have to exactly make sense. More, it seemed to be the universe that was willing to give it all a basic magic handwave to smooth things like the electronic joint right over, which, Arthur was perfectly willing to exploit. If Magic Land didn''t care if he played by his worlds rules, then why should he bother with them?


    In the end, he watched the feed as the tiny rabbit-like creature was¡ªobliterated from the sky, humane, quick and, most importantly, effective. The scuttlers quickly procured the little creature''s soul card, storing the thing away in a cargo hatch before moving on, heading in the direction of his next target. Again and again, like the well-oiled machine he¡¯d designed them to be, his strike team of drones systematically reduced the population of the local marsupials, power unlike this world had ever seen splitting the sky in service to its genius overlord. He could have laughed! He might very well have cackled for a not-inconsiderable amount of time. And, all in all, Arthur had realized he might just have a screw loose of his own¡­


    After a few hours, Arthur recalled them all, unsure really if battery life was something that he needed to concern himself with, or, if they were somehow powered by mana and magic¡­ He didn''t really want to need to go hunting for the little things if they just stopped moving so he called it quits when the day was getting dim. Needless to say, he¡¯d managed quite the haul for very little effort¡­ And, he had a fairly good idea of what he wanted to do with his¡ªill-gotten rewards. Honestly he should crack a beer towards his success! He frankly could have¡­ sitting there, watching as his grass-fed machines made their way back to him, a trove of souls in hand¡­ It was all so¡ªeasy¡­ Yet, that was part of the problem, now wasn''t it? Easy¡­ Sure, it was true that Arthur hadn''t had the stomach to kill his first animal when push had come to shove back during those initial days he¡¯d first entered the wild¡­ He¡¯d choked¡­ been unable to use the knife he¡¯d spent what felt like hours sharpening in preparation¡­ couldn''t get over his mind''s natural tendency to anthropomorphize and dump his own feelings onto a bird that, in all honesty, probably wouldn''t have had much issue with eating him were the tables turned¡­ modern dinosaurs that they were¡­


    Still, he¡¯d let the thing go¡­ then, turned himself into a vegetarian for entire months before the¡ªhunger had really set in¡­ Naturally, this had all been before his setup had really begun to flourish, so, he¡¯d supplemented his, then, meagre harvest with as much foraging as he could manage. The next time he¡¯d set out his traps, stomach growling and face gaunt with nutritional stagnation, instinct born of his body''s needs had allowed him to overcome his predilections on the matter¡­ Since then, animals hadn''t held the same¡ªinnocence to him¡­ at least when it came to wild ones. Pets who were members of families were easy enough to exclude and categorize of course but, beasts? Savages beyond the walls of civilization? Simple.


    Yet, he¡¯d never killed simply for the sake of killing. Trophies weren''t what spurred his interest; body-counts hadn''t ever felt that impressive¡­ When he took a life, he tended to only do so out of a personal need for a creature''s body. Meat, fur, tendon and bone¡­ Much of an animal could be used to great effect if one had a mind to make it so. Again, Arthur didn''t necessarily like violence, but he wasn''t above employing it when necessary. Now, however, blinking as the thrill of seeing his creations in action subsided, Arthur felt a subtle wave of melancholy slip over him as a weighted blanket.


    Yes, what he¡¯d just¡ªdone, when he really thought about it, wasn''t exactly¡ªmorally upstanding¡­ hell, back home, as¡ªweird as it was to think about, people would likely look upon his slaughter of entire scores of tiny, fluffy animals as¡ªpsychotic¡­ And, maybe it was¡­ Maybe the¡ªdetached glee he¡¯d felt while sitting, watching as his machines¡ªkilled for him was just the tip of a very problematic iceberg¡­


    ¡°It was too easy¡­¡± Arthur reiterated, chewing on a lip before he felt whatever euphoria born of any excitement¡ªfade in light of a glaring issue.


    Honestly, it had almost felt like a game¡­ seeing things through the altered-reality display¡­ well what was done was done¡­ and, at the very least, his actions had manifested for a purpose¡­ Still, that didn''t mean his good mood had, if not soured, then certainly stumbled. He rose, feeling somewhat done with the whole card business at the moment, deciding he needed to direct his attention elsewhere while his mind worked through the roadblocks it had managed to place before itself. Instead, Arthur shifted gears, standing and, stretching while peering around his impromptu campsite with mild disdain.


    Things were¡ªa mess. Though he¡¯d only been here for a few days, Arthur had been so caught up in it all, the demons, his new and strange powers, the constant threat to his freedom and life¡­ ¡°Yeah, time for some housework buddy¡­¡±


    He began by heading inside and dealing with the mess that Dianna¡¯s daughter had left him with. Pulling off the soiled sheets of his bed and tossing them in the small washing machine, throwing in a bit more soap than he typically did now that¡ªsupplies weren''t going to be an issue going forwards¡­ He vacuumed, picked up the dozens upon dozens of errant wrapper bits scattered about, had himself a shower and a shave, took care of¡ªother more personal business then set about making something for¡ªwell, dinner at this point¡­ Sadly, his chickens were gone; however, he still had quite the supply of eggs in his fridge so, he decided on an omelette, regardless of the hour, and even threw in a¡ªmagical egg for curiosity¡¯s sake alone. Much like the beer, there didn''t seem to be much difference, at least, not from what he could tell¡­ It made him question if he could, perhaps, create a fertilized egg and¡ªincubate it to start replenishing his coop¡­ Then, he sort of mentally smacked himself for the thought. What after all, would be the point of raising chickens when he could just¡ªmake his own magical eggs? Still, the idea simmered in the back of his thoughts, leaving Arthur wondering if he could¡ªcreate life¡­ What would happen if he imagined up a full-grown hen? Would he simply get its¡ªlifeless carcass? Or, would he be able to shove a soul into it and, actually manage a form of poultry homunculus indistinguishable from the real thing?


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Maybe, for his sanity''s sake, it might be best to avoid trying to play god¡­ at least until he was more grounded than he already was. Honestly, Arthur felt like a stiff breeze might knock him over for all his foundation felt as though it were made from cards¡­ and not the magical kind¡­ bad pun not intended¡­ All the acting and chest puffing, the forced bravado and¡ªnerves of it all¡­ all of it was just¡ªtaking its toll. He needed a break, needed a return to normalcy and deviation from all this¡ªchaos¡­ Then, Arthur smiled. Well, he did enjoy his little projects when the inspiration arose in him, and, as the young man stared at the pan he was currently oiling, then, gazed around him, glazed eyes taking in the¡ªtiny kitchen he was working with, an idea began to bloom in his mind.


    Instead of cracking the egg before him, or using any of the leftover peppers and onions he¡¯d stowed away in his fridge, Arthur instead focused his will on the latest card that had captured his fascination. Instead of an egg or, block of cheese or sausage link as he¡¯d initially envisioned making, he this time, more simply pictured what he¡¯d intended to be the end result of it all rather than the individual parts of the whole. Happily tossing in the various ingredients he¡¯d prepared to hasten along the progress without real rhyme or reason to what he was doing, before, as if by magic, a perfectly cooked and still steaming omelette appeared on the plate he¡¯d prepared for it. If looks could make a man salivate all their own, then the smell wasn''t at all needed¡­ though, its presence made the whole presentation that much more¡ªirresistible. Hesitantly, he took the fork he¡¯d pulled from the drawer and, carved a small piece of the near artwork-made food, bringing the bite to his lips before¡ªsheer disappointment! Arthur frowned, chewing on the morsel for several, contemplative moments, mulling over the somewhat dull and muted flavour before swallowing and, staring at his creation with an annoyed click of his tongue. It wasn''t¡ªhorrid¡­ and certainly not inedible by any stretch of the imagination¡­ yet, the contrast between flavour and exhibition was¡­ utterly underwhelming¡­


    Frowning, Arthur pulled out yet another plate, this time dreaming up a truly Michelin star meal he knew to be rich with flavour, the familiar shape of an award-winning beef-wellington, hot, sweltering and filling his nose with delight, appeared before him. Again, Arthur procured himself a taste and again found his expectations¡ªtrampled in the dirt.


    ¡°I''m not going crazy here, right?¡±


    For a moment, the young man wondered if his taste buds were acting up, fingers reaching for a sliver of red onion he¡¯d grown with his own two hands, slipping it between his lips as an explosion of spicy flavour popped in his mouth, so potent as to cause his nose to immediately clear.


    A moment later and Arthur was using magic to transmute a new brilliant purple onion, and, as before, once it was finished, finding that it was¡ªutterly bland¡­ Well, perhaps a baby might find the disastrously subtle flavour to its own palate¡¯s delight but¡­ for him, a man who¡¯d found more joy in cooking and, cooking well than he¡¯d of ever initially envisioned as a boy, his attempts at magic food had thus far been, worthless.


    Curious now, Arthur used his food and water card to summon a loaf of bread, the thing largely superfluous at this point all things considered but, finding that not only was it not at all appealing or, even warm, but that it was in point of fact stale. More than that, Arthur was pretty sure that dollar-store croutons had more¡ªlife to them than whatever miserable excuse the crusted wasteland before him could manage¡­ Clearly, he still had a lot to learn when it came to these things, but, that didn''t exactly stop him either. If Arthur was said to be anything in life, then it was a gourmand. His mother had always had a certain bizarre intensity when it came to her time in the kitchen, and though he hadn''t ever really understood it when he was younger, he certainly did so now.


    ¡°So, making food with magic is clearly off the table¡­¡± Arthur mused, sighing in consternation as he did so. ¡°But, what if we were to say fuck you and create a card capable of adding some much-needed flavour to the equation.¡±


    So saying, Arthur took the food and water card and, delved back into the mist. He returned no more than a few moments later, a new card in hand. Though, unlike most of his other more¡ªeccentric creations, nothing had sought to put much of a limitation on his latest endeavour as it had the others. Simply put, his new card worked with as plain language as he could feasibly manage.


    ¡°This card allows the user to create food from magic that will possess the flavour of what it replicates.¡± Simple, or so he thought.


    Again, Arthur used the card to manifest a glorious omelette that would make breakfast enthusiasts the world over green with envy and ravenous with hunger. H-however, the first kink in Arthur¡¯s plan arrived when he got first-hand experience of what a fairly normal, underranked and underleveled card was capable of within such a¡ªspecific scope.


    The¡ªthing that appeared on his plate was a charred and hopeless abomination¡­ the acrid scent of burnt egg and¡ªcarbon filling the room as the questionable slop before him waited, somehow burnt, somehow wet, the thing existing as though to spite his own machinations. Arthur couldn''t have even called what he saw¡ªfood¡­ hell, he didn''t even want to degrade his garbage compactor with its¡ªvile presence, instead opting to toss the thing outside and into the firepit for good measure¡­ Then, he eyed the latest addition to his repertoire of cards, nearly glaring as he did so while trying to figure out what had gone wrong. A few minutes of internal contemplation later and Arthur suspected he had a fairly decent guess of it¡­ figuring that the rank of the bloody thing like as not was playing a significant role in its abilities. Just as the ice-spear card had been unwieldy, and his time manipulation card was somewhat¡ªwell, lacklustre given the field it operated in, so too was his latest culinary invention a clear disappointment.


    ¡°Hmph¡­ in all honestly, it wasn''t like I was expecting much¡­¡± Arthur muttered, annoyed but not at all disheartened. After all, simply summoning food felt¡ªcheap for a man who found genuine pleasure in its creation.


    The rest of the day quickly descended into a flurry of further experimentation as Arthur delved headlong into his latest obsession. Trying all manner of combinations and attempts to cheat the system, long into the evening. At some point, Tulla made her appearance known, saving Arthur from wanting to slam his head against the wall as he tried to uncover the difference between why an apple made by his transmutation card tasted like a dry husk in his mouth while beer was as crisp and flavourful as ever! The young girl both deciding to involve herself wholeheartedly in his crazed workshop of flavours, merrily taste-testing whatever Arthur put before her while also offering some much-needed, and to his utter mortification given her age, insight.


    ¡°Beer is¡ªalcohol?¡± The tiny demon had asked, perfectly willing to sample the various unique flavours on offer, shadows of the true thing as they were while Arthur tried his best to break the system in any way he could. When he¡¯d nodded his head in affirmation, Tulla had merely laughed, happily pointing out that alcohol wasn''t food, it was poison.


    Days passed as Arthur finally reached the apex of his culinary research, managing to find a sort of grey middle ground for his current capabilities and, what he¡¯d wanted to achieve. Honestly, Tulla, as much as she tended to grow bored and, inevitably, drift towards his electronics, had been a near invaluable assistant in his efforts to finally beat the intangible system of souls and magic that he¡¯d seemingly declared war upon.


    He found she had a reasonably good palate, one that could easily differentiate between various ingredients once she learned how to spot them, and, in turn, Arthur had taken on the responsibility of feeding the tiny demon as she¡¯d, more or less, worked with him, acting almost as though she were his very own apprentice. For her part, the girl''s mother seemed¡ªamenable to the situation as a whole, allowing her daughter to visit, typically once her morning studies had concluded, then returning to retrieve the girl by night. Usually staying long enough to indulge herself in a handful of refreshments while listening intently to Arthur chatter on about his theories and frustrations. Theirs had become a¡ªcordial relationship as their short evenings together carried on, though Arthur was under no illusion that Dianna, chiefly among it all, had been taking a day-by-day approach to whether or not she would continue to tolerate his presence in her daughter''s life.


    All in all, Arthur found he really couldn''t blame her, nor was he necessarily upset that he was essentially babysitting the kid every afternoon¡­ partly because, well, he¡¯d been alone for so damned long that company, any company at all, was, frankly welcome. Yet, mostly, he earnestly felt bad for the girl. It was easy to compare what children of his own family had to entertain themselves with and, what was on offer within a decayed and rundown village and see that what he possessed was entire leagues beyond the fun to be had at home. More, the pair were actually an authentic boon to his efforts as, Arthur reasonably didn''t have any other avenue of relevant information he could turn to that was both willing to indulge his questions and, actually give him useful answers. It was give and take. And since neither of the two were dull, Dianna clearly educated to some degree and, her daughter in the process of it, more often than not, it was they who were helping him steer his sometimes rudderless ship¡­ Tulla being the primary contributor sheerly through virtue of her time directly involved.


    With all her hard work, Arthur had, internally, decided that he would try and treat the poor girl to some proper cuisine. After having been invited over by Tavir to share a meal several times, and accepting the offer twice, Arthur had come to the unanimous conclusion that food in the village was¡ªunfortunately spartan when it came to variety and¡ªspice. It was why Tulla seemed so enthusiastic, or, so he¡¯d assumed, as she¡¯d offered herself up as guinea pig to his research, but, for the most part, the majority of what he¡¯d accomplished had resulted in failure. That wasn''t to say he hadn''t learned what he¡¯d needed, only that the end result of his efforts had led to a mostly dead end. That however was about to change. The young man grinned at himself as he stared over his vibrantly colourful garden with a calculating eye. Admiring the myriad of veggies and berries, he¡¯d only previously that week, raised from tiny seeds right to the point of full maturity. This had been his compromise, his victory and the ultimate result of his short dip off the deep end.


    While it was true that Arthur couldn''t magic up food and make it tasty, at least not without significant investment into a card that, candidly, seemed entirely unwilling to level with any reasonability, just as, annoyingly, most of his more¡ªunusual cards were to improve¡­ It was an issue he had on the backburner for some time, but, simply hadn''t taken precedence given his current desires. However, after some extensive testing with mint leaves, Arthur had learned that he could magic a plant into existence within a meticulously fertilized bed of soil, water it, tend to it and apply a soul card designed to encourage the growth of plants one focused on and voila! Arthur could produce all the produce he could ever ask for!


    Yes, enhancing the card that allowed him to do as such had been devastating to his supply of gathered souls, prohibitive even, despite the fact that the card had been the easiest as of yet to actually improve. Yet, that hadn''t scared him away. Rather, it had only made him bite down and refuse to let go like some rabid pitbull, far too fixated on the blood it tasted to care it was being kicked. Arthur had done it. He¡¯d solved his food dilemma, and though it hadn''t happened in the way he¡¯d initially envisioned, a settlement somewhere in the midpoint of it all was an acceptable avenue to a phyric victory that saw everyone involved just a little bit disappointed by the result. Or, so he imagined, after all, it wasn''t like he was actually fighting with some¡ªdude sitting up in the clouds who was actively fucking with him...


    All the same, Arthur enjoyed cooking, and honestly didn''t care that magic wasn''t the end-all-be-all solution to every one of life''s problems. Furthermore entrenching the notion in his mind that soul cards were, in reality, a sort of cheat or bandaid situation in of themselves for true talent and competency. Case in point being the chef card he¡¯d magicked up to test, which given his already significant capabilities in the kitchen, had been entirely worthless at its lower rank. Truly, he was just happy to have access to fresh ingredients again, though, he¡¯d have to¡ªsource a solution to the protein problem, and, specifically, eggs.


    That being said, he had more ideas on that little dilemma than the universe probably liked. The second part of his makeshift solution was, unsurprisingly, yet another card. Curiously enough, when he wasn''t trying to make something from virtually nothing, reality dealt with him with a decidedly less weighty hand. And, using a soul card to¡ªskip the processing effort of already existing foodstuffs was¡ªnot, evidently, within the realm of things considered problematic. Take Arthur¡¯s endeavour with the wheat he¡¯d already harvested and, now, was already in the process of magically being turned into flour. From there, things could get spotty when it came to trying to figure out the yeast part of it all but, as Tulla had previously stated, given it wasn''t technically food, Arthur felt like he might manage a win on that particular front. Granted, yeast was, in theory, alive but, beer hadn''t been an issue so¡­ who could really say what would transpire? As it happened, and as things currently stood. Arthur¡¯s new focus within the realm of culinary perfection involved a more¡ªdaring step toward bold innovation! And his first attempt at such currently waited in his hand.


    ¡°Summon familiar¡ªHen. This card allows its wielder to summon a basic familiar whose capabilities are determined by the card¡¯s tier and rank.¡±


    It was a¡ªstretch of the imagination¡­ a leap in logic that Arthur, while willing to take, had his own doubts over¡­ More, though he¡¯d successfully managed to give the¡ªfamiliar the singular ability he cared about, regardless of the fact it seemed to count as a combat power, the sole problem with the whole idea arrived by way of its¡ªsoul-binding warning.


    Yes, much like his own personal card, this latest idea arrived with a hefty price¡­ and one that Arthur wasn''t entirely sure he wanted to pay. Especially when he could very well create magic eggs that, in all honestly, when combined with fresher ingredients and spices, didn''t seem all that immensely different than the real thing¡ªif he tried hard not to think about it¡­ Still, this had been as much as a test as it had anything else as it wasn''t lost on Arthur that his true goal would require him to find a way to make milk and cheese at a¡ªreadily available convenience. He had the notion to create a chicken, goat, cow hybrid but, perhaps, the multiverse wasn''t ready for such a beautiful abomination¡­ Yet, ultimately, he sighed, admitting that, for once, he might just have found a roadblock that didn''t have so easy a solution¡­


    ¡°Watchya doing?¡± Arrived a familiar and youthfully curious voice that, given the hour, Arthur hadn''t exactly been surprised to hear.


    Silently pocketing the card in his hand, Arthur reached down to his vibrant garden and plucked a cherry-red tomato from a vine, turning to lazily toss it underhand to the young demon that had so recently landed behind him.


    Tulla quickly snatched the bright vegetable from the air without a moment''s hesitation, displaying impressive reflexes and hand-eye coordination far in excess of what a child should possess. She stared as though in awe of the thing she¡¯d plucked from the air. The girl lifted it to her nose and, giving it a tentative sniff, her face twitched with uncertainty.


    ¡°Tomato?¡± She asked a moment later, brow furrowing as she did so.¡±


    ¡°Same as what I gave you the other day but¡­ fresh from the gardens as it were.¡±


    The girl eyed Arthur¡¯s rather impressive collection of plantlife with clear suspicion written across her face, gaze rolling over the various examples of edible plantlife as her mind worked to compare what had been a pile of stinky dirt just a few days ago and, what was there now. She didn''t take a bite of the offered snack, however, instead, giving Arthur a decidedly flat expression that let him know exactly what she thought of this¡ªlatest boondogery.


    ¡°Don''t give me that look, I¡¯ve already had one, they''re fine.¡±


    Tulla sniffed, turning her nose up at the veggie as she eyed the thing wearily. ¡°That¡¯s what you said about that olive you gave me¡­ Worst thing I¡¯ve ever had the displeasure of tasting¡­¡±


    ¡°Say that back on my world and you¡¯d have an entire region of the planet ready to burn down you''re door with pitchforks and torches.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯d tell them that their tastebuds are all stupid.¡± Tulla reiterated, falling back on her side of the argument after the debacle that had been olives.


    Still, after a moment, she did take a large bite of the tomato, long and exceedingly sharp fangs sinking deep and causing a small explosion of juices to smother her cheeks. Tulla chewed on her small snack tentatively at first, then with growing and modest enthusiasm, enjoying it, despite her prior protest and licking her fingers clean after several eagre chomps. The fact that the tiny girl could appear outright terrifying as she all but greedily devoured the plump morsel was, well, something he was already getting used to¡­


    ¡°Better than old stew?¡± Arthur asked, chuckling and earning himself a deeply put-upon sigh as the girl¡¯s wings deflated and her shoulders slumped.


    ¡°Aunt Cassie¡¯s getting upset with me that I''m not eating her cooking anymore¡­ She keeps trying to push that damned disgusting slop in front of me every morning I don''t eat it at night, somehow thinking that¡¯s going to get me interested in it again.¡± Then, she smiled, the look decidedly wolfish and smug. ¡°She¡¯s got no idea I¡¯ve been eating over here the whole time. Assumes she can starve me out when I eventually get bored of gnawing on bark and bugs, or, whatever else she thinks I''m out feeding myself with. They really don''t think very much of me sometimes¡­¡±


    Wincing a fraction, Arthur plucked a bushel of grapes for the girl and handed those over as well, watching as she ravenously consumed their sweet round forms, even as he felt the need to, as a fellow cook¡ªdefend the older demons cooking. ¡°The stew wasn''t¡ªthat bad¡­¡± He stated, actually rather honest about his opinion.


    ¡°Oh, sure, it tastes okay, I guess, but come back and tell me the same after you''ve been stuck eating it for every meal the past several months. She started it when we first left the legions, and it''s been cooking ever since¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, point taken,¡± Arthur grunted, having himself tried out what was known as a hunter¡¯s pot for nearly a month as well while in the wilderness before he¡¯d gotten tired of the¡ªborg of flavours and fallen back on what he knew best. ¡°Is the whole village more or less stuck with what they hunt and grow then, or, are there any domesticated animals you''ve brought with you? I could have sworn I heard Cassandra mention cows at some point¡­¡±


    ¡°It''s mostly just deer and foraging really¡­ sure, some people are trying to grow things on their own but, everyone in the settlement is a soldier, not a farmer. Watching them all stumble their way through trying their hands at anything other than fighting is as bleak as it is depressing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ªunfortunate¡­¡±


    Tulla nodded, clearly eyeing another bushel of grapes, to which, Arthur merely waved his hand. Those had been included more from a place of trying to add as many plants as he could think of to his collection than any real desire to eat them himself. They just¡ªweren''t really his favourite thing in the world¡­ Taking his approval for what it was, the girl happily collected several bundles of the burstingly plump delights in her arm before snickering to herself as though privy to some private joke. ¡°I should leave a few of these lying around at home for Mom and Auntie to find, they''ll be so confused as to where they came from that they will like as not to try and interrogate me for hours.¡±


    The way the girl said it, Arthur would have thought she was getting some fiendish pleasure from messing with her family but, didn''t call the kid out on it. Instead, just raising a brow at her and allowing his inner thoughts their privacy. ¡°You''re mother will probably manage the answer on her own by the end of the day you know.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, true.¡± The girl admitted, popping a plump purple grape in her mouth and enjoying the pop it made for her. ¡°Mom really likes coming over more than she lets on. Yesterday, when I left early after my bath to go show off, she was almost moping around that there wasn''t an excuse to visit.¡±


    ¡°Don''t blame her; the village is probably just as boring for her as it is for you. Plus, I¡¯ve got booze.¡±


    The small demon just looked at Arthur sidelong, not saying much by way of a reply while she continued to systematically reduce the population of Arthurs edible plantlife as the likely rapidly growing child that she was. Honestly, he might have laughed at the ease with which she seemed so willing to gorge on whatever veggie or fruit was in sight. Arthur imagining his mother would have paid a fortune to manage that sort of superpower over her own children when they were younger but, as it happened, all that was required was a distinct lack of anything better to tempt one with. After a time, he sighed, reaching over to mess with the demon''s unruly hair, the latter of whom simply took his fussing for what it was and, accepted it while continuing to eat. Her patience on the matter clear.


    He left Tulla with a warning that he didn''t want any mess inside his home, stipulating that she could raid his garden as much as she wanted but, that she better damned well wash her hands and stay on at the table while she ate. For her part, the girl seemed just a little disappointed that there weren''t to be any more interesting food-related experiments for the day but, it was both late, and Arthur was deciding to keep his cards to his chest in this matter. As of yet, the only thing that the demons really knew about him was that he was a strange foreigner from another world. His magic was nonexistent save for whatever Dianna and Tulla had figured out for themselves and told their peers. That wasn''t to say what he¡¯d already revealed wasn''t something spectacular in its own right, but the extent of his capabilities was a closely guarded secret. Even if he wanted to try and accept the burden that was incorporating a binding card to his very soul, he wasn''t sure if it was worth the risk of revealing. Thus far, what he¡¯d done was, while strange and admittedly ridiculous, not that crazy if Tulla¡¯s ability to rationalize it was any obvious sign. However, suddenly possessing the capacity to will domesticated animals into existence was¡ªperhaps, just a step too far.


    Honestly, if he could just¡ªtrade for what he wanted, Arthur suspected he already had access to everything he¡¯d potentially need to make it worth someone''s while. Salt wasn''t prohibitive to create from magic, as he¡¯d learned, even if it wasn''t granular, and while spices were something of a grey area in his opinion that should be overlooked but weren''t in seemingly arbitrary instances from one to the next, he¡¯d already solved the issue with his garden. Managing a collection of herbs to exchange for what he wanted should be simple given what he knew of their value, at least, to more¡ªmedieval cultures¡­ Hell, he could cook up a pound of pepper, sugar and cumin, just to name a few, and bundle it all up for sale and, probably command enough buying power to demand a whole coop of freaking chickens¡­ Yet, he was stuck¡­ stranded in the middle of nowhere with no supply lines and no means to easily escape his situation¡­ sure, he could feasibly create any card he so desired but, their capabilities, with a few notable exceptions, were typically worthless as their initial rank and, without access to true power to improve them, his situation was a revolving door of frustration¡­ He still hadn''t figured out why some cards seemed so much more inherently powerful than others despite being the same rank and tier but¡­ those were considerations for another time.


    ¡°Truth be told¡­¡± He whispered, a hand touching his yet to be used to card through the fabric of his jeans. ¡°I never really wanted to be a farmer anyways¡­¡±

 Big brother.

    Chapter 6


    Arthur sat outside, gazing up at the infinite sprawl of roots that spanned endlessly in all directions. His gaze, lidded and contemplative, following along the twisting vine-like trails of softly pale silver light, the slowly twisting and weaving expanse above him a curiosity that hadn''t yet lost its captivity over him. This universe had no stars or moons or, any other celestial bodies that he could speak of, save of course, for the great roots that travelled through the cosmos and the worlds that hung below them, each as a blue-green dewdrop or sandy bauble hanging from a leaf.


    By day, the colossal root system seemed to emanate a near-blinding radiance that, while less brutal than the sun, was still harsh to behold for any great length of time. It was this realm''s source of light, warmth, the signal of a newly dawned day and, in its absence, its conclusion. Then, by nightfall, the roots transitioned, shifting from their radiant glow to a more subdued and peaceful glittering hue that, no matter how many times Arthur saw it, reminded him precisely of a moonlit night. It was simultaneously eerie how similar things in this¡ªrealm all worked when compared to how it did in the universe that existed back home¡­ yet also undeniably beautiful and awe-inspiring to behold.


    It wasn''t lost on Arthur as to which system appeared to have definitive edge¡­ as, where his own galaxy felt cold and uninviting, hostile and cruel with life seeming as though it were little more than an afterthought or, stray chance in the wind, this place felt almost¡ªdesigned¡­ A universe meant to allow life to flourish in all its forms, let it develop and propagate, spread as far and wide as one had the means and imagination to do so and¡ªhonestly, Arthur found himself wondering if he¡¯d ever want to go back, even if he could. He¡¯d hardly been here half a month, but already, he could say he was having the time of his life¡­ Family and everything it entailed had been a¡ªtough pill to swallow at first¡­ however, Arthur had long since gotten used to being alone¡­ sad as it sounded, even to his own mind.


    Still, despite its shortcomings, comparing how much fun he¡¯d been having as of late against the¡ªmundane and simple life he¡¯d lived in the woods, that, while better than what he¡¯d had before, was¡ªless than what he had now¡­ Honestly, he wasn''t sure if he could ever¡ªgo back¡­ mentally, that was¡­ And It had been a sobering thought once manifesting in his mind, worming its way through his subconscious like the whispers of dissonance until he could scarcely ignore the truth glaring at him right in the eyes¡­ Arthur¡ªliked it here¡­ and, sure, there were pet peeves and issues, yet for the most part, he was¡ªcontent.


    He sipped at the cold beer held lazily by its neck while enjoying the peace that was a night filled with sparkling wonders that nipped at the flame of his anticipation, wondering, despite how far away such a goal might be, if he might one day find himself flying between those countless worlds above and, discover what they had to offer. Would they be like this one? Were they as large as Earth was back home? Larger even? Were the biomes as diverse or were they singular, sort of how the more desert ones kind of looked? And what of the people there? Arthur already knew that elves existed somewhere in this new realm, but what of dwarves and orcs, goblins, dragons and all the assorted other fantasy-based races his people had dreamed of¡­ Granted, it was all speculation at this point but he earnestly couldn''t help but ponder the sheer scope of it all! His stomach fluttering with butterflies!


    Yet, his musings weren''t to be the focal point of his whole evening as, with a now familiar impact that he¡¯d grown to expect, a figure manifested through the gloom, revealing the cool expression of a once terrifying demoness who now nodded at him with something nearing friendship through the flames.


    ¡°Come to liberate me of my poor, waning supply of alcohol, are you?¡± He joked, waving the near-empty bottle in her direction as she raised a quizzical sculpted brow.


    She didn''t say a word to the contrary either as she sauntered across his yard, dipping an elegant and cruel-looking hand into the troff of icey beverages before seating herself on a stump she¡¯d, at some point, dragged over for herself. He¡¯d initially offered her one of his camping chairs; however, after a brief inspection of its make, Dianna had rightly noted that it probably wouldn''t have held her without falling apart. Though that was fine enough as her tail seemed somewhat more at home with stool-like seating to begin with and the woman herself appeared perfectly at ease with her chosen seat as much as he was with his own. She popped the bottle while giving him a meaningful glance, then, purposefully allowed her gaze to slip between them and, into the ice-filled metal tub, which, always seemed to replenish itself before the following night, no matter how much damage either party imparted upon its reservoir.


    ¡°If I didn''t know better.¡± The demoness mused, ¡°Then I¡¯d of sworn that bucket is as full as it was at the beginning of the week. One might almost be inclined to think that its purpose stands less as an offering of comradery, as it has been so portrayed, and more as a lure.¡±


    ¡°And what, in you''re¡ªexperience, does booze even manage to catch?¡±


    Dianna snorted, not bothering to offer much by way of a reply, even as she upended her first bottle and drained it of its contents as though she were at a competition to see who could chug the fastest. There was already a new bottle in hand, cap flying into the distance when she let out a contented sigh of relief. Clearly appreciative of the drink and its¡ªpotency while visibly relaxing, wings unfurling to stretch and shake themselves, the tips grazing Arthur¡¯s arm in a way that he knew was purposeful. He¡¯d seen the degree of control the bal had over their extremities and, was in no way disillusioned that the demon beside him didn''t know what she was doing.


    Shrugging and pretending he didn''t notice the contact, Arthur changed gears, using his bottle to point in the general direction of the village. ¡°So, how goes the efforts?¡±


    ¡°To make that miserable derelict our new home? Awful, though I¡¯d of suspected that to be plain enough to see for any with eyes. We don''t have much, as I''m sure you are abundantly aware of. Which,¡± She added, her tone sardonic as she continued. ¡°Is why I was so surprised when Tulla mentioned you wanted to trade.¡± She laughed after that, the echo of her bitter but musical voice bouncing off the trailer as she took another swig of her drink and stared at Arthur pointedly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen what my daughter has brought back with her to spite her aunt, don''t think for a moment I don''t know where it''s come from either. So far as I can tell, you are far better off than we are by an entire order of magnitude. Truly, were it not for Tavir and, my own interest in you, I suspect you¡¯ve of found yourself raided and soon devoid of all these pleasantries you¡ªso enjoy out here alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªin all fairness, warned her not to rub it in¡­¡± Arthur tried, feeling perhaps just a bit sheepish as he¡ªreminded himself of the settlement''s situation.


    ¡°And you expected her to listen?¡± The demon barked, laughing with earnest glee. ¡°She is a young woman Arthur, and one who has discovered a resource both rich and that she currently has sole access to. She¡¯s been dispensing baskets of strawberries and bundles of carrots as though she were some pained lord who can''t help but ail the poor peasantry scraping in the shit and dirt below her.¡±


    ¡°It''s¡­ not that bad, is it?¡±


    Dianna just levelled Arthur with a mocking stare, reaching out to retrieve a brilliant ripe apple that her tail had speared, plucking it from just one of the many trees Arthur had¡ªencouraged to grow over the past several days. He watched her take a lethargic bite of the fruit, enjoying the way she clearly approved of its flavour, even though it disappeared in four lazy snaps. ¡°Yesterday was the first time in nearly three years that I¡¯ve eaten an apple you know. And, curiously enough, I find my memory failing to recall if I¡¯ve ever had sweeter.¡±


    Arthur wasn''t entirely sure how an eight-foot-tall demonic woman could make eating an apple in little more than a handful of bites sensual but, he definitely had to avert his gaze while she did so, eyes almost smouldering while they watched him like a hunter might a small animal. It didn''t help that the type of demon she so closely resembled was of a decidedly, non-pg-thirteen variety but, thinking about that certainly didn''t help either.


    ¡°W-well, she is sharing then at least, yes?¡± He awkwardly stumbled, reaching down for another beer and, finding Dianna¡¯s hand was already there.


    She hardly reacted to their brief touch as she procured yet another drink, even though her fingers seemed to almost¡ªbrush over his own, retrieving her prize without giving the strange game between them away. Given her size, and now that she was getting used to it again, she drank considerably more than he did to maintain the same degree of a buzz. So, it was often that she found herself rooting around for more beer while he was still finishing his own. After shrugging while holding his eye for a span longer than his warming cheeks could handle, Dianna leaned back and sighed with an almost weary cast.


    ¡°Sharing is a strong word. Monoplising would better suit it. Though there is no danger yet, it would be beneficial to remind yourself that, to be a have within such a small community of have-nots does not breed comradery.¡±


    ¡°I''m touched you think I''m part of the settlement already.¡± Arthur grinned, though, catching the woman''s glare, his grin eased. ¡°No need to say it; I know what you''re implying. Trust me, I¡¯ve been trying to figure out a way to sort of nip that potential issue in the bud, which was why I mentioned my desire to trade.¡±


    ¡°And what would you trade for?¡± Dianna scoffed, tone approaching the condescending. ¡°If you wish to spread you''re mysterious wealth around then, by all means, spread away; however, charity beneath the guise of genuine transaction won''t win you any friends when it would be so clearly a sham. We are not a stupid people Arthur. What you see us at is likely our lowest, and it is not by choice but duty and honor that we find ourselves here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? So then what''s the solution huh? And, before you go and assume that I¡¯m trying to be an ass about everything, I actually did have honest intentions going into this conversation. It¡¯s not like there aren''t things I don''t find myself in need of¡­¡±


    ¡°I''m sure¡­¡±


    Arthur glared at the sarcastic response he received, doing his best to rein in his growing frustration as he tried to divert it towards something more productive. He got it, after all, it wasn''t like he¡¯d never been poor¡­ Sure, his parents were wealthy once their loans and debts had been all paid off, but Arthur had pretty much spat in their faces and put himself through the last years of college on his own after their¡ªfalling out¡­ His independence had cost him dearly, and, primarily by way of what most would name a fairly easy life¡­ Trading a family condo for a roach-infested dorm, allowance for whatever pennies he could scrape together with the earnest prayer they¡¯d multiply¡­ He knew what it was like to be destitute and contemplative if food was the priority over a roof. The fact he was better off than those in the nearby settlement, and by an evident wide margin when compared with each other, wasn''t his problem, but neither was he above offering to help where he could.


    ¡°Do you want to hear what I have to offer and why I need you''re assistance or, not?¡± He ground out, right at the precipice of giving it all up.


    Dianna observed him for a time, features growing thoughtful as she stared, the firelight casting across her noble features before she eventually nodded her head, gesturing with a taloned hand for him to take the stage and explain what he had in mind.


    Deciding not to bother with semantics or, the why of it all, Arthur decided to just cut to the chase, figuring that his guest would likely respond better to a more direct approach than if he were to dance around it all like he was, admittedly, prone to do. ¡°I need an intermediary for trade, not,¡± Arthur held up a hand, forestalling the giant demon''s first thoughts on the matter, ¡°for trading with you''re community, but with the nearest gathering of real civilization that might have what I''m looking for.¡±


    Tilting her head, Dianna¡¯s expression slipped into a slightly pensive frown, regarding him for a span before nodding slowly with growing understanding. ¡°You have no means to reach such a location on you''re own¡­¡± The demoness mused, a long and bladed finger brushing across her chin. ¡°And, you¡¯d be willing to pay those who act in such a manner for their time, I presume, quite handsomely to ensure there aren''t any hard feelings lingering about?¡±


    Arthur simply snapped his fingers, smiling as he pointed at her, taking a deep drink from his beer as he watched Dianna consider the proposition as it stood. Then, she smiled as well, gleaming white fangs on full display as her tail shifted behind her, moving to snake its way nearer towards Arthur¡¯s person as she leaned forward, leathers creaking as she did so. Arthur felt something¡ªcoil around his chair, slowly sliding behind him, the thin fabric hardly dampening the sensation as it moved; then, Dinna¡¯s tail was gliding over him, its weighty length all but slithering across his lap to hang leisurely off the other side while her toothy grin practically ravenous as she watched him cooly.


    ¡°And you, a random wizard upon the fringes of society itself, would claim to have enough disposable wealth to make such an endeavour worth it for all parties involved, would you? Pray tell, what could a lonely hermit upon the edge of nowhere present the likes of those living within a city for barter?¡±


    ¡°Spices.¡± Arthur chirped confidently, grinning as he called the demon''s bluff and placed a hand upon the anaconda-like and heavy appendage resting on him. Now that it wasn''t trying to murder him, Arthur was even surprised to find it was rather smooth and, nearly reptilian, scaled with countless tiny diamonds that he could just make out the groves of as he explored it.


    Dianna just smiled even wider at him, pulling back away as she sat upright again, though Arthur noted that she did not remove her tail. ¡°Spices¡­¡± She parroted, voice sinfully sweet. ¡°A rare commodity indeed, even in a city. Perhaps not back on Ivandir or any of the older colonies, but, here, a fortune, I''m sure¡­ Were I to ask, would you share where this¡ªwindfall you claim to possess arrived from?¡±


    ¡°The garden.¡±


    ¡°You''re garden¡­¡± The demoness laughed, her joviality almost boisterous. ¡°Next, you''ll tell me you''re willing to share half the potential profits for nothing more than you''re bleeding heart.¡±


    Dianna¡¯s tail slipped from his lap as she chuckled at the mere thought, looking as though she were about to wrap this all up and take her daughter home before Arthur stood, winking at her as he passed. He felt her eyes steadily upon him as he wistfully wandered over to a sort of¡ªside project he¡¯d been working on, lifting the top of a pristine white box, more or less just a storage bin in actuality, but one that had been built with a modular self-connecting tile he¡¯d been messing around with in his spare time. Inside, he lifted a small satchel and, walking back over, dug around inside for one of the even smaller pouches he¡¯d prepared for this very meeting. Grinning at Dianna¡¯s narrowed eyes, Arthur handed over one of the small burlap bags, the one he¡¯d filled with salt, yes it technically wasn''t a spice per se, but he¡¯d included it all the same, and, as it was a mineral, making it was easy. After a moment, Dianna opened the drawstring without preamble, glancing inside before reaching in to retrieve a pinch so delicate Arthur might have never believed the woman with such¡ªlarge and taloned hands were capable had he not seen it himself. Then a long and almost serpentine tongue extended outwards, its absurd length actually catching him off guard for a heartbeat as Dianna released the nail-full and her expression twisted into a frown.


    ¡°Now, this one.¡± Arthur urged, this time offering cinnamon.


    It only took him another two pouches before Dianna finally seemed to get the point he was trying to make and declined to taste another. Instead, she watched him with a degree less flippancy as the first thought that had crossed her mind arrived almost unbiddenly. ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Do I have? An entire satchel of each. Am I willing to share? Well, as you so suggested, Dianna, It would be rude of me not to offer half now, wouldn''t it?¡±


    He¡¯d sort of expected some sort of snark or even a sneer for throwing it all back in her face with as much smug satisfaction as he¡¯d offered, yet instead, the demon merely nodded her head at him, mind somewhere else while he was left with a sort of¡ªhollow foolishness about him that saw Arthur feeling partially off-balance. He¡¯d wanted to manage some sort of rise out of the woman for all she seemed to keen on taunting him; however, he found that instead, a lingering fog that had separated them all this time lifted. Dianna¡¯s countenance shifted ever so slightly that it was practically imperceptible to catch. And, as he sat back down, wondering what it was she was thinking about, he wasn''t necessarily prepared for her tail to find its way back across him, only, this time, it coiled with a nervously, almost possessive intent. Wrapping rather than just lounging as it had before¡­


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a near two weeks before Kilk and Jade here get back.¡± Tavir proclaimed to the crowd, patting the younger man on the shoulder as the pair he¡¯d chosen to lead the expedition towards the city doublechecked each other¡¯s packs and straps for the second time in as many minutes. The large ex-centurion grinned as the bal before him stood a fraction taller, smirking at his old commander with an air of joviality that Tavir hadn''t seen within his command for some time.


    ¡°Two weeks for you, maybe, but the lot of us are still young! We¡¯ll have this list ¡®o goods all loaded up and outbound for home within days, mark my words.¡±


    ¡°No, we won''t, sir.¡± Jade interrupted, elbowing her mate in the ribs as she cleared her throat to drown out his protest. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to take things slow and steady, just like you taught us. I promise you won''t regret placing your faith with me.¡±


    ¡°With us.¡± Kilk shot back, glaring at his mate, who was disinclined to meet his eye.


    ¡°I''m sure you both know what¡¯s at stake here.¡± Tavir offered, placing a hand on both their shoulders as he glanced over the half dozen youths before him. ¡°That goes for you all. You were the best of the best in the legion, and now you''re the best of the best here. Keep it safe, and tell anyone who wants a bribe to fuck off. You''re legionnaires, not civies, even if we were all retired.¡± The group before him nodded, their cold and cruel smiles, each doubtlessly imagining getting to break some fingers along the way, the sight of which was warming his cold, cold heart. ¡°Remember.¡± He continued, squeezing meaningfully as he leaned into his two commanders, voice lowering as the rambunctious soldiers behind them laughed and chattered, spirits soaring with the prospect of real wealth sitting right at the edge of the fingers.


    ¡°Items marked with red are the highest priority, especially those circled, sir.¡± Jade twittered, cutting him off before he could continue and nearly bringing a tear to Tavir¡¯s eye for the crispness of her reply. He¡¯d trained these children well, of that, he¡¯d never doubt himself.


    Still, they were young, comparatively, of course, and as such, that meant questions weren''t to be unexpected.


    ¡°Sir¡­¡± Kilk murmured, his eyes glancing at the packs meticulously strapped to his mate. ¡°Is this¡ªreally all from the traveller outside the village?¡±


    ¡°It is. And he is paying us a premium to see it safely sold in the city and for his cargo to be returned with utmost care and professionalism.¡±


    ¡°But¡ªhalf, sir?¡±


    ¡°Aye, half.¡±


    ¡°It''s absolutely too much¡­¡± Jade stated, voicing the opinions of everyone privy to the situation.


    Tavir couldn''t help but nod. However, though some might not have caught on to it, he was more than well aware of just how much time his niece was spending outside the village and not on her own. More and perhaps too much grander significance was how much of her time his sister-in-law was spending out here as well. Though he had his suspicions on the matter, the blatant charity involved here was plain enough writing on the walls if one knew how to read it.


    The fact that it had been Dianna herself who¡¯d approached him on Arthur¡¯s behalf was¡ªtelling. Still, he didn''t voice his theories aloud, improper as gossip about one''s own family was. Instead, Tavir merely nodded at the two with confidant certainty. ¡°The man is trying to make an allie of us. Trust an old soldier on this matter and take it to heart that this is not a gift,¡± he stated, voice rising as he peered around himself at the others who were listening very intently.  ¡°It is a downpayment for our friendship!¡± He barked, meeting each of his men and women by the eye as he spoke, ¡°And the potential beginning of a lucrative business venture. Now, best you lot set off before the morning grows too late; you''ve quite the journey ahead of all of you.¡±


    ¡°Aye, sir!¡± The duo barked, turning themselves before snapping orders, the previously unruly bunch immediately bouncing to attention, then to action as they all shortly after took to the skies.


    The old soldier watched them leave, following their diminishing forms until they were but unidentifiable pinpricks upon the horizon. Beside him, he felt a familiar touch brush against his hip, Cassandra¡¯s tail making the connection before her arms did as she hugged him from the side, pulling him in close.


    ¡°We should have him over for dinner again.¡± She stated, Tavir letting out a drawn-out sigh by way of immediate reply.


    ¡°As I hear it, we¡¯d only embarrass ourselves for the effort.¡±


    ¡°Pfft! He¡¯s giving us a small fortune, dear; I hardly suspect he¡¯s of the sort to turn his nose at some hospitality. And besides, my sister handed me a rather lovely gift just the other morning. I¡¯ve been experimenting with all the wonderful little pouches in the kitchen for a few hours now.¡±


    Tavir glanced worriedly at his beloved, his expression managing to break away from himself as the woman squawked with righteous indignation. He could only hold his hands up by way of surrender, weathering the hands that battered his arm before he glanced towards the ruin that was his¡ªhome. Far from spectacular, in truth, it was hardly acceptable¡­ but not entirely unexpected. What had come as a surprise, however, was how long they were quoted to wait until their government could¡ªaid them¡­ Tasked, generously with the dual realities that were expectation to hold the land they¡¯d been given, more a duty than reward by any standard of metric, and to do so with little more than what the land could provide. His requisition for tools hadn''t even yet bloody well been asnwered! And he¡¯d filled out the paperwork for such the damned day he¡¯d been told they were relieved of active duty¡­ To say Tavir, a career soldier and officer of his people''s forces, was unimpressed with how the new generation of seniority was handling the situation was¡ªobvious.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°We still haven''t found the nest yet, you know¡­¡± The old soldier grumbled, earning himself another squeeze from his wife.


    ¡°Others are on it, love; you needed worry that you''ve hamstrung our capabilities¡­ skies above, ancestors only know how many of us are busy day to day kicking stones down the road¡­¡±


    ¡°Morale¡ªhas been low¡­¡± He admitted wistfully, feeling himself being spun around by Cassandra as she glowered at him meaningfully.


    ¡°And you have just taken the first opportunity you''ve been given to rectify that fact. Stop wallowing in your despair, husband! It doesn''t become you.¡±


    ¡°I can''t help it¡­ Months, we¡¯ve been stuck in this¡ªrut with naught else to do but sort shards of broken glass¡­ Futility doesn''t even make the cut.¡±


    Cassandra simply sighed at him, pulling away and shaking her head with disappointment. ¡°You better step up your game, centurion, or else I¡¯ll be the first one to call for a mutiny.¡±


    ¡°Don''t¡ªjoke like that wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Whose joking?¡± The demoness purred, offering him a sly wink as she sauntered away. ¡°I think I¡¯d be next in line, given the order of seniority, no?¡±


    Tavir just found himself growling after her, though the noise wasn''t necessarily born of¡ªanger, as his gaze fell to a particularly¡ªpleasant region of her retreating form that held his gaze with a captivating sway. He allowed himself a few moments to admire the view before straitening himself back up and marching off to go find himself something to do. Admittedly, most of it was all makework projects that held little import to the grader scheme of it all; however, he owed it to those under his charge to at least appear as if he could still cobble together two shits and swear it was gold.


    Back at his RV, Arthur found himself re-emersed within the pit that had become his war with magic upon Culinary¡¯s behalf. Fighting upon yet another new frontier, though, this time at the behest of a child''s jittering desperation. While some products such as eggs, milk and even pasta were, though not ideal, usable in certain recipes given their lack of flavour when pitted against the sum totality of other ingredients typically used with them, chocolate was not quite the same. When Arthur had offered to make Tulla something truly delicious for dinner, the girl had instead suggested that the whole family should be along for such an event. A¡ªnotion that Arthur, despite himself and the rather¡ªnewish acquaintanceship with the demons, couldn''t reasonably find fault with. However, that wasn''t to say that Tulla didn''t desire a sort of¡ªreward for her self-titled sacrifices as his taste mule, and, so said request for remuneration was, in point of fact, a desperate plea for him to finally undertake an attempt at her thus far favourite snack.


    Chocolate. Easy when one thought about it, however, there were individuals in his old world that considered the substance, its creation and even presentation to be less about cooking and more a sort of artform. Arthur wasn''t so enamoured by it all to view it as any of that, yet, at the same time, he hadn''t actually ever tried to make it before¡­ He knew it involved the cacao bean, which was an easy enough place to start, and, naturally, milk and sugar were involved at some point as well. Honestly, his gut instinct to dry the beans before grinding them to a sort of paste was, probably a step towards the right direction; however, the myriad attempts he made through the following days proved to be¡ªinadequate.


    His finished product certainly looked like chocolate after he used his food-processing card to hurry things along, much as the growing card helped raise the plants after he¡¯d dumped a truly abhorrent number of souls into it to get it working within reasonable standards. However, the¡ªtaste simply wasn''t there. It was bitter sugar for lack of a better way to describe it, sort of how he imagined it might taste if he took coffee grounds and pulverized them into the shape of a candy bar, though, with copious sweetness added in for good measure.


    No, there was definitely an important step he was missing in the whole process, one that he felt to be right upon the edge of his memory, a long-since forgotten Wikipedia article trying its best to surface from the quagmire that was unimportant random facts¡­ He¡ªeventually, gave up after trying for the third day in a row after getting frustrated and, nearly kicking his workstation over, much to both Tulla¡¯s delight and disappointment. He was honestly getting to the point where he just said fuck it and started shovelling souls at the problem rather than trying to work things out the old-fashioned way. After all, he did have a card that offered a magic solution to it all, though its usefulness as it stood was¡ªmore than questionable. Instead, Arthur turned his attention towards something less irritating so as to take a break and allow his mind to silently grind against the problem in the background¡­


    Unfortunately, it seemed that, as of late, no matter where he turned his attention, souls would inevitably arise as his primary obstacle to contend with and, more specifically, his general lack of an adequate supply. He was sorely tempted to try and set out to find creatures that had a more potent spark than the seemingly limitless marsupials that he¡¯d been abusing to fuel his designs¡ªhowever, his drones made for much better and, more importantly, expendable assets than his own person. He had to be careful not to reveal his little squadron or their capabilities¡­ Though offering to inject the dreary settlement with a substantial and needed supply of cashflow like some angel investor had definitely won him some goodwill, that wasn''t the same as letting them know he wasn''t harmless.


    Admittedly, he knew Dianna had some semblance of understanding that he wasn''t so helpless as he¡¯d at first seemed, and he had boasted over some of humanity''s more dangerous toys, but he¡¯d also made it pretty clear that those were far beyond his reach. That said, if Dianna had mentioned her near-death experience with her kin, none had seemed too terribly concerned by it¡­ In his mind, it was far more likely that she, much as himself, was keeping certain tidbits of knowledge to herself, though towards what end, Arthur could merely speculate.


    Thus far, Arthur had tried to keep his drones out of sight the best he could, sending them¡ªhunting at odd hours when people were either asleep or when he assumed people were typically busy with other tasks. Primarily, mornings and nights were his current windows of opportunity which meant there was a large delay between the time he sent them out and when he could place his hands upon the fruits of their labours. This go around, Arthur intended to send his bots quite a bit further away from his location; thus, the hour wasn''t so important. Already, they¡¯d managed to piece together a sort of working map where his RV stood at its center and was the basis for navigation given that the sun was objectively absent from the sky.


    To his west lay the village, roughly a kilometre or two by his best approximation from its boundary to his home. North, south, and east had proven to be a sort of¡ªprairie. Rolling grasslands seemed to utterly dominate the surrounding area in nearly all directions, save for the vast treeline that stretched out across the horizon when one continued passed the village proper for another few kilometres. Likewise, further east found oneself, should they travel there by foot, entering a series of ravines which led further still to more flatland.


    Rivers crisscrossed and wound their way through the area like watery veins, most travelling from and towards the northerly half of his growing map where Arthur¡¯s spy drone had encountered a very large body of water. Though as to its status as a lake, ocean or inland sea, he wasn''t rightly sure. Sending his drone south had led to little of interest beyond affirming that he was likely situated within the uppermost corner of a large continental grassland that invariably backed itself against both a shoreline and the beginning of forestry. Ideal were one to decide to build a settlement in earnest given the abundance of resources on hand, though, Arthur suspected he wasn''t the first to see it as such. After all, even if the village existed before they¡¯d arrived, its blatant disrepair and utter lack of tactical value made it clear that the location was what was of significance rather than what preexisting structures remained.


    Arthur was¡ªweary of the forest for many reasons¡­ Naturally, the trees would make it difficult for his drones to navigate and function with any efficiency, mixed with its proximity to the settlement and the canopies hampering his primary drone''s aerial reconnaissance, simply put, making it a less than desirable area for him to bother with. By contrast, the vast open spaces available in virtually every other direction made sending his bots west a fairly easy prospect to pass on.


    North held his interest rather doggedly as the presence of an ocean or even a large lake meant fresh fish. Though he hadn''t always been much of a seafood guy, living near a lake abundant with fish had allowed him to sort of develop a taste for aquatic life. Still not his favourite, he nevertheless found himself occasionally craving a good trout, assuming he could find one, and, if fish held soul cards then, he could potentially find himself something of a target-rich environment to harvest. All the better if it were an ocean, as the deeper one went, the greater the dangers and rewards that potentially lurked below. South was sort of uninteresting to him, for now at least while still presented with better alternatives while east and the series of valleys it offered definitely intrigued him. Valleys typically meant lush greenery which in turn meant water and an abundance of local fauna.


    Admittedly, killing hares wasn''t exactly the most profitable enterprise he could imagine, however, if there were, say a herd of bison then, Arthur could only assume he¡¯d do quite well for himself. Lost in contemplation as he was, and without his spy drone present to alert him, he was summarily caught off guard when a weighty form plumped itself into his lap! He blinked as the newcomer seemed to¡ªsnuggle in, tail and wings draping as his consciousness broke free from the display it had been so thoroughly focused on and, reevaluated his situation. Tulla had curled herself up into a semi-ball-like state, pointedly not looking at him as she peered out over the frankly uninteresting ocean of grass that lay just beyond his camp. She didn''t say a word, not at first, and while her actions were undoubtedly bold, her form was decidedly rigid, as though expecting to need to vacate her current proximity with a rapid immediacy.


    Arthur¡ªthought he knew what was going on, it wasn''t like children hadn''t jumped on him like this before but¡ªusually, they were of a more¡ªfamilial cast than¡ªalien. Several things ran through his mind as he held himself there, perfectly still and, admittedly, unsure himself as to how he¡ªwanted to respond. Yet, in the end, he held back the sigh that very nearly escaped his lips. Instead, allowing himself to relax and even wrapping an arm around to girl for a small squeeze. That seemed to be all the permission Tulla needed, and within an instant, she melted like butter, curling up just a little more as Arthur silently returned to what he was doing, trying not to make the whole situation weirder than it already was.


    ¡°I''m bored.¡± The girl muttered a span later, finally breaking the strange silence that hung about them as she shifted and craned her neck to peer upwards at him.


    Though not human, she was still a child, and while quite smart for her age, and, unsurprisingly, given her upbringing, mature, the pouting and desperately longing look for attention she gave him slammed Arthur in the gut as though he were in the ring with Tyson¡­ He mentally stumbled, trying to parse the expression written clearly across her face, and, when combined with her sudden¡ªappeal for proximity and¡ªwell, though he certainly didn''t want to play that role in someone''s life, he wasn''t a monster¡­


    Stepping up to be big brother was a lot of responsibility; worse, it was often as not a lifelong commitment else one was liable to emotionally cripple the one¡ªlatching on¡­ Still, he¡ªliked Tulla; honestly, she was a pretty cool kid, helpful, thoughtful, intelligent and¡ªterrifying in her own way when he remembered the first time he¡¯d been carrying her around but¡­ that didn''t mean he wanted to¡ªinvolve himself like that¡­ It was a big ask that had, perhaps not come out of absolutely nowhere given how much time they¡¯d spent with each other but¡­ again, Arthur just wasn''t positive he¡ªwanted this sort of¡ªresponsibility in his life¡­


    Seeing his hesitation, the small demon visibly wilted, her form shifting with such despondent dejection that something in Arthur¡¯s heart just¡ªcracked. He pulled her in a little tighter, this time not bothering to stifle his sigh but making up for it a moment later. ¡°Can you keep a secret if I share one?¡± He asked, wondering that, if one day, he¡¯d come to regret this. For her part, Tulla immediately rebounded, all put glowing with both excitement and hardly hidden relief. She vigorously nodded her head along, a sort of¡ªsheen forming at her wide eyes that Arthur chose to ignore for her sake, and his, but that inwardly, confirmed his suspicions all the same.


    Keeping her gaze for a few moments, the young man figured it was probably only a matter of time regardless before the girl caught him with his dangerous toys and badgered relentlessly to involve herself. He didn''t remove the device mounted at his ear, instead giving the girl a pat on her shoulder as he grinned and flicked his chin towards his camper. ¡°Go grab my tablet for me, and I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    Tulla needed no further instruction as she practically popped from her seat before darting into his house, returning hardly a handful of seconds later before launching herself back onto his lap, causing Arthur to wheeze with the impact that nearly toppled his chair backwards. He couldn''t help but chuckle as the girl, once more, made herself comfortable, tail, thin as it was, settling around his torso as she leaned her back against him, wagging his small device with clear excitement. She had learned that Arthur often explained things in due time, perfectly willing to share his thoughts, ideas and how things were done if only one had the patience to wait. As it happened, she was a rather well-disciplined individual when she wanted to be one and, as such, patiently waited for him to turn his tablet on and watch as a strange interface seemed to take command of it before a curious¡ªaerial view manifested on screen. Three more images, though smaller, appeared at the bottom corner, Tulla taking a moment to try and wrap her head around what she was seeing before Arthur let her off the hook.


    He gave the command for his drone to find and target a sort of¡ªbadger-like creature that was busy digging through the mud at the side of a riverbank. Its elongated prehistoric fangs jutting from the side of its snouted mouth while deviously sharp claws made short work of the soft earth that was between itself and its intended prey. The light glistened off its oily brown hide, indicating it had like as not swam to get to where it now was, while a sort of beaver-ish tail alluded to the notion that it was possibly semi-aquatic.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been mapping out the area for myself and taking the time to gather some souls for a few projects I have on the go,¡± Arthur stated, smiling as Tulla flipped through the various views, all of which were focused upon the animal from differing angles before a bright beam of radiant light burst through the screen. Tulla flinched as the radiance emerged; however, she found herself leaning back in and squinting as she stared at the now blackened scar upon the land where the beam had landed, in its place, a heap of ebony ash and a glowing tarot all that was remaining.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± She inquired, mind already spinning to try and understand. Even as she watched, from an aerial view, as the two scuttler drones closed in, gleaming blades humming with intensity as one of the bots lifted the card and inserted it into its fellow¡¯s cargo hatch.


    She turned on Arthur, narrowed gaze observing him as he winked at her reaching down to activate his spydrones targeting system as it flew higher and began actively scanning for new targets. A bevy of red reticles emerged on screen as Arthur gestured towards it, the new and, more importantly, interactive aspect of their activity catching her attention like a moth to the flame.


    ¡°Pick something you want to have vaporized.¡± He stated, arms magnanimously opening wide to the world, as though within them, he offered everything beneath the sun, or¡ªroots¡­


    Immediately, the little terror in his lap giggled, quickly tapping on what Arthur could only liken to a tiny bipedal bird. It wasn''t quite a velociraptor, more like an emu, only small and aggressively lean, beaked like an avian but, with exceedingly long legs for its form. The creature was stealthily on the move with several of its comrades, stalking near the edge of the river when a bright beam from the heavens disintegrated their vanguard. The flock descended into madness as they all collectively squawked and hissed, trying to determine what was happening, even as Tulla began laughing manically and tapping each of the creatures as fast as she was able.


    Arthur watched in¡ªstunned silence as the demon child''s taste for bloodshed arrived right to the forefront of her desires as though it had been all but gnawing on the bars of it''s cage¡­ A¡ªeventuality he probably, were he to delve deep, shouldn''t have been too surprised at but was still¡ªshocking to behold. He hadn''t even known his scuttlers were so willing to get stuck into a mosh, but as he watched them massacre the creatures at Tulla¡¯s command, his spy drone acting as her lieutenant to relay orders¡­ Well¡­ It was with a shrug that Arthur decided that this was just one more of those things he¡¯d be getting used to.


    ¡°It''s a lot more fun than practicing with my spear.¡± The girl enthused, sometime later, while Arthur fried a dozen magic eggs, using vegetables, animal fats and spices to¡ªmake up for their lack of flavour. ¡°Can I bring them home with me?¡±


    Arthur snorted, glancing at the merry killer in the midst of his camp with an honest chuckle. As bloodthirsty as she was, a product of her environment or otherwise, the sheer cheek the girl possessed in even asking such a thing was downright endearing. ¡°Obviously not, or, have you already forgotten this is supposed to be a secret.¡±


    ¡°Pfft! Nobody would know what any of this was if they saw it.¡± Tulla reposted, peering up from the device for the first time in potential hours. If nothing else, her willingness to take over for him in gathering souls was a welcome break. ¡°Besides, Im not asking to bring the drones with me, just the tablet so I can play with them.


    ¡°They''re my defence force.¡± Arthur countered, watching as the girl tilted her head at him before blinking.


    ¡°I know auntie and mom keep telling me to be¡ªgentle with you, but are you really that brittle that you''re scared of the wildlife out here?¡±


    ¡°Say¡¯s the girl who has claws and wings.¡±


    Tulla glanced back at her haphazardly draped wings which rested across the chair, shrugging as though it were of little consequence. ¡°You almost got Mom that one time, even if it was a cheap shot, so I refuse to believe you¡¯d be killed that easily.¡±


    ¡°You''re mother wrapped her hand around my neck, not hands, mind you, but hand, and lifted me off the ground like I was a stuffed doll!¡±


    Tulla frowned at him as Arthur held his hands on his hips. A salt shaker mysteriously lifting from where it was sitting and sprinkled its contents a few times over the pan. The girl''s eyes widened a fraction before narrowing with accusatory precision, to which Arthur just laughed, refusing to elaborate further.


    ¡°Nope, can''t fool me. You''re strong, maybe not¡ªstrong, strong like, with muscles, but¡­ more¡­¡± She struggled for a moment, trying to find the right word and, in failing to do so, waved the sentiment away as though it hardly mattered. ¡°My point is that¡ª¡±


    ¡°You would like me to allow you to come back tomorrow and play with them again?¡± Arthur offered, looking at her meaningfully before the girl groaned and nodded her head.


    ¡°That''s fine. But, like I said, this is our little secret. No telling anyone, not even you''re mother.¡±


    Tulla winced at that, momentarily looking horrified before she¡ªdemurely replied, voice hardly above a whisper. ¡°Mom doesn''t like it when I keep secrets from her¡­ Usually, when she finds out, I get to go through survival training again¡­¡±


    Briefly, Arthur pondered on what it might be like having an ancient military drill instructor for a parent¡­ In his mind, picturing a sort of¡ªancient Greek thing going on where children were forced to fistfight and slug rocks through hills to toughen them up¡­ Honestly, considering some of the things the girl had opened up to him about during her¡ªchildhood spent marching with her people''s armed forces, he didn''t think he was too far off the mark. He didn''t want to give Dianna a reason to get pissed off with him again but decided that it wouldn''t hurt too badly to send the girl on her way with something to entertain herself with at home¡­


    ¡°Come here, will you, stir the pan and make sure it doesn''t burn, I need to grab something from inside.¡±


    Tulla¡ªnodded after a moment''s hesitation, glancing between him and her thus far-claimed tablet before she dutifully wandered over, slightly reluctant but taking up a wooden spoon and doing as she was bid. Arthur smiled at her, ruffling her hair before heading inside and creating something from his memory. It didn''t take long, given it wasn''t exactly what one might call¡ªrevolutionary; however, when he returned, holding a multicoloured cube in his hands, he immediately managed the girl''s attention. He waved the thing before her, then tossed it, Tulla catching the small toy and making the act seem almost negligible for all the ease of it. She stared at the thing for several moments, then looked back at him, clearly confused.


    ¡°It''s a puzzle.¡± He grinned, returning to his station and cutting the low flame on his burner. ¡°You''re meant to make each one of those small squares the same colour as all those on the same side, one all blue, all green, all white, yellow, red and black.¡±


    The girl¡ªstared at him for several moments before she glanced at the plastic cube in her hands, slowly testing the thing as she tried to figure out how it moved. It only took her a handful of rotations before she glanced back up at him, scowling with accusation as her little tail thrashed with annoyance. ¡°You''re playing a joke on me.¡± She stated, not at all pleased to say the least.


    ¡°Think so?¡±


    Again, the girl returned her focus to the cube as Arthur began plating their, well, what was essentially at this point, early dinner, Tulla¡¯s hands moving a few more times while trying to do exactly as Arthur had explained before she growled. Allowing the cube to roll disinterestedly from her fingers as she sat down on the bench. Now far more interested in her meal than anything else. Her expression popped with delight as she all but gobbled what was before her, nearly so savage in her excitement as to forget her table manners.


    Arthur, for his part, just grinned evilly as he took up the cube and began quickly solving it, using a long-since memorized formula he¡¯d read about online. He was admittedly a little rusty, but within a few minutes, he had the cube completely solved. He smirked at Tulla as he loudly cleared his throat, garnering the girl''s attention as he waved it before her, then deflated when the girl just shrugged, more interested in licking her plate. Still, he fudged the cube up again before placing it beside her, spilling the rest of what he¡¯d made onto her plate while marvelling at how the kid could pack it away¡­ The first serving he¡¯d offered was more than enough for a teenage boy to rip through and be full, but at this point, Tulla was eating enough for a small family all her own. She hungrily pounded back into her meal like a starving wolf¡­ This being the¡ªfirst time he¡¯d actually cooked something for her that wasn''t an experiment.


    ¡°Take the cube home with you tonight.¡± He told her, sitting down himself to have a few bites to eat as he spoke. And, if you manage to solve it, I¡¯ll let you play with the drones again.¡±


    This time, his words did catch her attention. The demon girl peering up at him as though stunned, bits of egg and red pepper stuck to her cheek, utterly disbelieving that such a ridiculous task would be the gatekeeper to her newfound enjoyment. ¡°That¡¯s¡ªeasy.¡± She slowly stated, confidence beginning to bloom as she doubtlessly convinced herself of her own assured victory. Her expression leaving Arthur with a sense of feline satisfaction.

 Violent for her age...

    Chapter 7


    Dianna glanced at her daughter who was picking herself up from the mud, the feral snarl on her lips causing her own to quirk with mirth. She lunged at her, swampy water and errant clumps of stinking earth flying in nearly all directions as Dianna flapped once and listlessly fluttered beyond her daughter¡¯s reach, earning herself a frustrated and visceral scream for her efforts.


    ¡°You said no wings!¡± The girl fumed, reversing the grip on her spear to hurl it at her smirking mother like a bolt of lightning, who, again, deftly moved away from harm. The weapon lodging itself in the nearby mud, hanging there before slowly falling and plopping against the wet ground.


    ¡°I said you couldn''t use you''re wings.¡± Dianna helpfully corrected, raising a brow at her daughter as she thunked the girl on the head, the shaft of wood practically following the child, even as she made to dodge with eerie precision. ¡°And now, you don''t even have a weapon with you.¡± Her tail lashed forwards, sweeping Tulla from her hooves before she whacked the girl on the shoulder with enough force to cause her to spin in mid-air.


    The result was that her trainee discovered what a face full of mud tasted like as she flipped, wings splaying to try and arrest her fall back into the muck. Several other of the boys and girls who were outside with their parents glanced at Tulla as she seethed, vicious claws extending like bladed knives, worms and wet dirt being spat to the side as she rose again, this time with all the candour of a stalking cat. Whistles and laughter resounded as the settlement''s older folk cheered their young ones on, some balling up handfuls of sludgy soil to pitch at the training youths who either dodged or were struck and knocked off balance at inopportune moments. Rainy days were always a treat, Dianna knew, and while not necessarily rare, it was one of the few opportunities the community came together for a little honest fun. Watching one¡¯s young steel themselves against the very trials that they themselves had endured was, for lack of a better way to say it, much of the entertainment they got these days. Some soldiers tossed spare weapons at those who had lost them in an attempt to catch their trainers off guard or, sometimes, to simply knock a cadet''s own aside. Others offered words of encouragement or suggestions on how to break their partner''s guard, even going so far as to take bets and wagers with what little they still possessed.


    No extra spears made their way toward Tulla, however. Though, not because she was shunned, even if there had been a sort of¡ªdislike or, perhaps better to say, rivalry between her own child and many others due to her¡ªtemperament, which of course, often extended to the parents themselves. Yet, as of late, the community disposition towards her daughter had been exceedingly¡ªappreciative. She had a good heart, of that Dianna was well aware, and she was proud of her little girl and her clear desire to help others, in her own way. Yet, letting the child get ahead of herself and indulge in her growing confidence was dangerous. Pride and arrogance without the proper tempering was as easy a way to an early grave as incompetence.


    Tulla circled her like a beast sizing up its prey, tail carefully swaying to and fro without yet giving the game away. She lunged without so much as offering an indication of her designs, lowering to scoop a handful of mud to fling it at Dianna¡¯s face as she closed the distance.


    Grinning to herself but, unwilling to let the little underhanded attempt go unpunished, Dianna thrust the butt of her spear to meet the girl''s charge, uncaring for the detritus that splattered against her cheek and chin as the contents of her daughter''s stomach upended itself with the blow. The girl staggered, vomiting as she fought to keep her balance, yet still managing to wrap a hand around the spear before Dianna could fully retrieve it, snapping its end with a hateful hiss. In reply, she swept at her child''s temple again, her swing a comparatively lazy arc filled with all the openings she could muster. Tulla immediately ducked the haphazard blow, hardly stopping to wipe the bile from her lips as she tried to close again, this time sensing the trap.


    Abruptly, Dianna flourished her makeshift stave, altering course to slam it down to her daughter''s shoulder, the latter of whom twisted and spun, wrapping her tail around the shaft as it landed in the mud, then using surprise and the application of all her strength to yank the spear from her mother¡¯s hand. The weapon went freely, coated in slime and water as it was, Dianna just managing to release it before the metal tip contacted her hand. Triumph bloomed on the young woman¡¯s face as she brandished her prize, tip first at her mother''s chest, grinning cruelly as she took a step towards her, only to scowl and hiss like an angry animal as one of the adults tossed Dianna a fresh spear they cradled in their arms.


    ¡°Really?¡± She demanded, glaring at the laughing Darrel who could only point, doubled over as he was before the girl caught Dianna¡¯s next move.


    Leaping for the dirt, Tulla just managed to escape a bone-cracking strike that had been aimed right at her ribs. The power of the blow caused the rain to bubble around the displaced air as it whistled overhead.


    ¡°A fight like this is never fair, kiddo!¡± Tavir called from where he stood, all crossed arms and drenched armour, while watching over his charges like a mother hen with her chicks. ¡°There¡¯s always someone better, someone stronger, smarter, with more resources. Stop complaining and focus on the fight lest you find yourself gutted like a suckling pig.¡±


    Dianna allowed her brother to finish, giving his niece the time she needed to rally herself and peel herself out of the mud. ¡°Ready stance!¡± She barked, the girl before her shooting to attention and formation, spear rounding through the air to wait at combat rest. Again, she worked her daughter through familiar drills, hammering home the basics that she was well aware Tulla had long since mastered. Then, she set a new pace. Swinging for her head as they began anew, transitioning back into another sparring bout long into the afternoon. Eventually, she receded from the field herself, as many of the older parents whose children had grown enough to stand on their own without supervision. Though she wasn''t as old as some of the others who remained on the field absent a mother or father, her daughter wasn''t terribly far behind them in growth.


    She wandered nearer to Welenda and Robert, who had been watching their twins go at it for some time already. Their spawn had half a dozen years on her own but only stood a head or two taller. Robert took one glance in her direction as she made her way to them and waved, glancing back at his children and calling out to them. ¡°Oi, Drula, Cole, see if you can''t knock Dianna¡¯s little monster off her pedestal together, will ya?¡±


    Immediately, the two teenagers glanced at each other, then at Tulla, who, exhausted, turned to them with blazing eyes, daring them to come near. Both parties hesitating before Welenda chipped in as well. ¡°I didn''t give birth to cowards, did I?¡±


    There was a groan from all the youths involved as Dianna smiled, clasping arms with the pair before her as she turned back to face the combat. The trio were already moving to size each other up and offer feints, the two larger children spreading out to surround her daughter with textbook tactics. Drula, the more¡ªmeek of the twins, held back as her brother finally committed, taking advantage of his foe¡¯s momentary focus on his sister, who feigned a lunge. Like a serpent, Tulla seemed to unerringly elude the boys seeking slash, parrying with the shaft of her spear before flicking its butt into the other twin''s shoulder, causing the forward momentum she¡¯d built in a lunge to join in, to abruptly¡ªarrest in a most disastrous fashion. The girl howled in pain as the wood shot upwards, taking her in the chin a moment after and causing her to topple to the ground, a momentary opening that her brother took full advantage of.


    Dianna had ensured her daughter to be well exhausted by the time she intended to pit her against the girl''s peers, and her efforts in the matter showed. Too slow was the girl to react to the spear that took her in the hip, even as she tried to slide away¡­ The blades were dulled, and the tip blunted, but that didn''t mean the training staves were at all something to take lightly. A brilliant gash of fresh crimson bloomed across the girl''s side as she snarled, tail lashing hatefully from side to side as the larger boy pressed home his advantage, spear questing for an opening, keeping Tulla on the back hoof as his sister recovered. The boy got a few good wacks to his arms and legs as he pushed his smaller opponent back; however, he was a sturdily built lad, much Dianna thought, as his mother was. He was able to easily weather her daughter¡¯s retreating blows even if he couldn''t land many more himself, though, once he was rejoined by his twin, Dianna assumed it to be over.


    ¡°Still more dangerous than a venomous snake that one.¡± Robert chuckled, gesturing with his chin towards the smaller girl fighting his own kin.


    ¡°Skill isn''t always enough. Eventually, she will learn this lesson, and hopefully, before it gets her killed.¡±


    So saying, Dianna avoided¡ªwincing as her daughter''s spear broke upon Cole¡¯s shoulder, the girl employing the very same bait that she had only hours before, right as Dianna was certain her child to be overwhelmed. Tulla¡¯s spear swung, inviting the older boy in before; like crashing thunder, it pivoted direction as she gracefully stepped to the side, the larger boy simply crumpling into the mud as the blow connected¡­


    Her mouth made to open, to¡ªsay something that hadn''t quite managed to find traction in her mind, but moments before, she watched her daughter howl like a berserker, lunging through the remaining twin''s terrified guard. She smacked away the sloppy jab with sneering impunity before balling a fist and slamming it into the other girl''s jaw. A rapid spinning kick to follow up upon the unfortunate teenager''s tenuous balance rang with a meaty and bone-jarring thud that caused their mother to sigh beside her. Drula spiralled to the side after receiving her opponent''s hoof to her temple and then, in unceremonious fashion, splashed against the muck like a forgotten doll.


    ¡°Shit, I thought they might win this time¡­¡± Robert intoned, Dianna glancing to the man¡¯s mate to see that she was already stomping her way towards her children, no doubt ready to tear hide from the bone. ¡°She was even exhausted for this go around¡­¡± The man added while looking up at Dianna with an almost apologetic shrug.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Equally disappointed, Dianna growled at the state of her ruined plans. Having hoped the pair might knock the girl on her ass for once, but¡­ it simply wasn''t to be. ¡°Not their fault¡­¡± She offered, placing a reassuring hand on the man who probably felt a touch embarrassed with the showing. ¡°You know what her cousin was like at her age.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I remember what you were like at her age. All the way back in the city¡­ when were were kids¡­¡± Robert countered, sighing as he began marching after his wife, who was already about the business of yanking her children up from the mud.


    Dianna nodded at her comrade''s point, even if the man didn''t see the gesture himself. Tulla was¡ªtalented. Just as she had been¡­ Perhaps even more so, though, lacked a certain degree of¡ªaggression that Dianna remembered herself to have. Its absence both an asset and a detriment all at the same time. Tulla, by contrast to the twins, dragged herself to stand before a contemplative Dianna whose steely gaze lowered to linger upon her daughter, who waited, returning to parade attention as though to inquire what else her mother intended to throw at her. Above, the clouds were already beginning to break, allowing the warm afternoon light the bathe all present and of course, invite the insects for a feast.


    ¡°Adequate.¡± Was all she was willing to offer the child, the accompanying slight nod causing the girl to stand a fraction taller with the praise. Then Dianna¡¯s nose twitched, and she held back a scowl. Her daughter stunk. That, unfortunately, familiar reek of fresh mud and swamp percolating in the air as the light warmed the quagmire of mush that the impromptu training grounds had become. She glanced down at her own clothes, noting that her legs were caked with drying muck much as her daughter''s entire body was and, with a sigh she decided it was probably time for a bath. Not that it wasn''t needed, but dousing oneself in an icy river was nobody''s idea of a fun time and made most¡¯s desire to adhere to a semblance of hygiene¡ªequally less than desirable for those that had to smell them.


    ¡°Shake off the mud from you''re wings, child, and we will go wash in the river before the others get there.¡±


    For a moment, her daughter just¡ªstared at her, confused for a handful of beats before she outright sneered at the idea. The corner of one lip curled to reveal her canines as she turned her head and crossed her arms.


    ¡°So help me, girl, If you make me throw you in again¡­¡±


    ¡°At least let me do it at Arthur¡¯s, then.¡± She growled, glaring at the comparatively nearby river as though it had stepped on her tail.


    Dianna paused as her daughter¡¯s words rang home, her head cocking but a moment after she¡¯d withheld a biting remark. She shifted, glancing in the direction of the traveller''s strange home, then imagined what it might be like to try and¡ªfit herself inside the tiny abode and actually get anything done. She shook her head a moment later at the sheer lunacy of such a prospect, remembering quite clearly how tight the space had been. ¡°You''ll track in more filth than is worth the effort for him to deal with.¡± She stated, pushing the thought aside as she did so.


    ¡°Then, at least let us get some shampoo! I''m sick of smelling like a river.¡±


    This time, Dianna couldn''t really¡ªfault the girl''s logic. And though she hadn''t said so herself, nor ever would she admit to such a thing as being jealous of her little girl, she had taken keen note of just how many baths her child had been taking, seemingly of her own volition¡­ Something that she was actually rather happy about in all honesty¡­ She didn''t blame her; in fact, she was ecstatic as Tulla hadn''t ever been one for¡ªbathing unless she really had to or it was forced upon her, usually by Dianna herself who¡¯d be stuck dunking the enraged girl with her tail. All the while, her daughter would do her utmost to tear Dianna¡¯s tail to absolute shreds with her claws until she just knocked the little monster unconscious. Offhandedly, she took a handful of her own braid and examined its abused stands, nodding along with the idea as she smiled, much to her daughter''s surprise.


    They took flight after the pair helped Tulla shake the majority of dirt from her wings, making short work of the distance to their destination, Dianna matching her speed to that of her daughters, who was in a particularly¡ªchipper mood. Admittedly, she was rather looking forward to the prospect of it all as well, especially when she eyed the strangely squat tree in the man¡¯s yard and landed nearby. Both girls glanced around, looking for the curious individual, supposedly from another realm, though, the campground was unusually quiet, devoid of any crackling fire or maddened ravings that she¡¯d, somewhat, come to expect. Reaching out, she plucked one of the bright orange and spherical fruit that her daughter had brought home a previous evening, eagerly tearing into the rather rare specimen with barely contained delight! Chewing through its bitter rind and into the pulpy flesh beneath as its fluids revitalized her with surgery juices. Dianna making short work of the small snack, and the next two she took while her daughter pranced into the clearing, calling out with cupped hands and not receiving so much as a whispered reply.


    The girl frowned as she walked up to the camper, testing the door and finding it locked, the interior blacked out and impossible to see through.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s not napping¡­¡± Tulla muttered as much to herself as to her own mother as she peered up towards the sky, focused as though trying to find something.


    Dianna raised a brow at her daughter¡¯s¡ªleap of logic and subsequent strangeness, even as she herself wandered over to the bucket of beer that was usually filled with ice. There still were a few clusters of cubes but, for the most part, the dozen or so beverages that remained were still cold. She helped herself, having spent enough time at Arthur¡¯s camp to¡ªalmost think of it as, well not a second home but certainly a familiar and comfortable space.


    ¡°Care to share how you know that little detail with me?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm, he puts a sign up for me when he does, so I don''t wake him up¡­¡±


    Dianna just rolled her eyes as she watched her daughter begin digging through an exterior cupboard, moving as though she¡¯d done so a thousand times beforehand. ¡°You don''t seem concerned in the least I notice.¡± She commented, her words born of a genuine uncertainty for the situation as she held the small bottle in her hand.


    This was the first time Dianna had flown here and not been greeted by the abode''s sole inhabitant. And though tracking the Tricen that had kidnapped her daughter had proven¡ªtrickier than initially presumed, a pang of worry flitted at the back of her mind at the almost eerie wrongness of the surrounding silence.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Her daughter drawled, pulling her head from the compartment with several bottles and several towels in hand. ¡°But I doubt he¡¯s in any danger¡­ Plus, when he¡¯s usually not here, he¡¯s never that far away. Probably just cataloging local plant life or something of the like. I know it sounds weird, but he seems to enjoy that sort of thing.¡±


    So saying, Dianna watched as her daughter began putting together a strange contraption mounted to the RV¡¯s side. The girl quickly assembling a sort of white tube-like structure before reaching back into the compartment to activate a switch. A moment later, several of the tubes began spraying pressurized water at a centralized location, Tulla turning to grin at her mother, who simply watched her with curiosity.


    ¡°Not the first time I¡¯ve been too dirty to clean off inside. There¡¯s also these silly curtain things that Arthur always insists I use but when he¡¯s not here, I never put them on, complete pain in the arse to deal with. Nudity''s apparently a big thing with him.¡±


    The demoness just stared at the queer scene before her, trying to wrap her head around what she was exactly seeing while also chewing on the notion of her daughter''s outright familiarity with it all¡­ The girl stripped, tossing her clothes aside before beginning to vigorously wash away the fifth that had caked during their flight, working through her hair with a foaming substance that she quickly identified as soap. Though the girl hissed as the product touched her fresh wound, shallow as it was, she made sure to properly clean it as she moved.


    The scent was honestly nice, not her favourite mix that he daughter had worn, but one that she¡¯d been suspiciously curious about for quite some time as it seemed to have the longest run aboung the various soaps she¡¯d apparently been indulging in. Her daughter often was, these days, returned home while in her arms. Almost always after passing out in the moving home. Again, typically, while smelling exactly like the citrusy perfume filling her nose as though she¡¯d begun to take evening baths on a regular basis.


    Dianna joined her daughter a handful of heartbeats later, setting her spent beverage aside and beginning to help her the girl work through any knots in her hair or hard-to-reach places on her wings, enjoying the steamy pampering herself for quite some time until it notably grew colder. Both of them were long since done anyway, so, they departed from the spray, Tulla quickly shutting the system off before allowing her mother to towel her down.


    Dianna wrapped the girl from head to toe in the plush cloth, eliciting a series of merry giggles from her child while she began rebraiding her hair, enjoying the time they were spending together, which was rare for them both. Tulla¡¯s hair was already getting long again¡­ nearly the length of her lower back. Once in a braid, it wasn''t so bad, but Tulla had always adamantly refused to let anyone cut it unless it was taken, again, by force. Briefly, she considered her own hair, which, while not as long, wasn''t too far off below her own upper back, the regulatory cut-off for enlisted soldiers already blown right by. But, she shrugged the thought away with disinterest. The legions didn''t own her anymore. And though she still held a duty to the empire who expected them to settle the lands, such loyalty had become a brittle thing as of late¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to carry you back wrapped up in these towels¡­¡± Dianna mused, putting the finishing weaves in her work before leaning forwards and taking a deep breath of her daughter''s head. Again, the girl giggled with delight, all signs of their previous hostility during practice forgotten. ¡°You''re clothes are simply too filthy to dress in.


    ¡°You''re¡¯s aren''t much better.¡±


    ¡°Hush.¡±


    ¡°What, they stink¡­¡±


    ¡°A consequence of living in the wild.¡± Dianna intoned, eyeing her leathers with a dubious eye of her own. They could always just fly back in the bluff, she supposed¡­ after all, such things weren''t at all uncommon within the military, considering privacy could be little to nonexistent. Such was the life of a soldier. Thus, it wasn''t as though she were exactly complaining. One could get used to all manner of discomforts when discipline was one''s bread and butter.


    In the end, Dianna decided that she could deal with a little fresh air. Wandering to collect their clothes as Tulla dismantled the contraption and cleaned up after their intrusion, her diligence towards her efforts bringing a genuine smile to her mother''s face. Then, the pair were off again, returning home after their brief departure from the norm. She¡¯d probably have to take a trip to the river regardless to wash away all the mud and grime on their clothes, but such was the life she¡¯d chosen¡­

 Dinner with demons.

    Chapter 8


    ¡°I already sent Tulla over earlier with all the rest of the packages,¡± Cassie explained, bobbing in and out of the river with a deep, contented expression. ¡°I suspect we''re in for something quite exciting by the way she wouldn''t stop giggling when she came back¡­ wouldn''t offer any details either, but said we might want to use what was in that bottle¡­¡±


    Dianna frowned, staring at the now somewhat familiar container, unwilling to admit that she thoroughly enjoyed a proper shampooing when the opportunity arose, which, had become something of a slight familiarity to her as of late. Given it had only recently been reintroduced to her life, it still felt slightly strange to have it again. After what could possibly have been mere years since the campaigns started¡­ luxury supplies from Cornin had all but dried up far quicker than everyone had hoped¡­ Though, as Tavir had stated, it wasn''t a bathhouse, at least having sanitation products again offered a close enough illusion to the real thing. Herbs and plants never quite scratched the self-pampering itch, as it were¡­ From the corner of her eye, she could see her sister regarding her carefully. Not speaking what was on her mind, though she didn''t need to either. The unspoken reality was that it had been¡ªdifficult to hide the fact this wasn''t the first time the other woman had smelled such a thing on her, and, truth be told, had even been working up the courage to ask Arthur for some to¡ªshare with her sibling, even though she hadn''t exactly asked for her own shampoo in the first place. No, that had come from Tulla.


    Instead of speaking her mind, she grunted, falling back onto flippancy and snarls. ¡°She¡¯s spending a lot of time at that man''s home¡­¡±


    Her sister merely scoffed, clearly seeing right through her but playing along all the same to allow her little sister her pride. For whatever it was worth¡­ ¡°Oh, let her have fun!¡± She instead sighed, jostling her with an elbow to the side. Do you remember what it was like to grow up in real society? All the other children and games and plays! The food vendors in markets, fireworks and festivals? I realize it''s hard to admit it; however, hunting bunnies and rats in the field doesn''t exactly equate to the fun we had as kids. Besides, how I understand it is that Arthur is a perfectly respectable gentleman¡­ P-perhaps a touch strange¡­¡± She admitted, allowing her voice to trail for a time before picking back up. ¡°B-but, I stand by the fact that he¡¯d be one of the most eligible bachelors within any city he chose to settle. He¡¯s clean, articulate, intelligent, amazing with children and, supposedly, can even cook! If that weren''t enough to entice more than a few ladies, then the notion that he¡¯s also something of a genius would¡­¡±


    ¡°Why is the human all we seem to talk about lately?¡± Dianna moaned, sighing as she dunked her head in the river before coming back up and noting Cassandra¡¯s look.


    The other woman regarded Dianna coolly, watching her as she busied herself, scrubbing at her silvery hair, trying to gauge her sister''s thoughts. After a moment, she simply shrugged, beginning to rinse and allowing a gentle sigh.


    ¡°Would you rather talk of the Tricen then?¡±


    ¡°You''ve found a lead?¡± Dianna asked, perking up a fraction.


    ¡°Yes, I tasked Jerimiah with picking up following the trail to retrace the miserable creature''s steps to see if he could find anything after we all gave up¡­ good waste of effort for all that was¡­ But, interestingly enough, a few of the lads returning home from the expedition spotted something rather¡ªunfortunate.¡±


    ¡°I don''t like the look on your face¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I suspect you wouldn''t¡­ the news isn''t good regardless¡­ Cave network. That''s what they think it was. Said the air itself coming from within reeked of the bastards¡­ Tavir¡¯s already sent a dispatch to Praetor Octavia, as well as our daughter¡­ more so she remains aware of what''s going on than anything else¡­ Jade and Kilk have the run of it at the moment, taking care of posting watch rotations amongst those willing to volunteer. I doubt we¡¯ll be caught off guard if any more choose to wander about, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Best to let the real soldiers handle it?¡± Dianna mused, her tone laced with a cynical tune.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be like that, Dia; we both know our people, decimated as they are, could smash their way through anything they put their mind to it, above ground¡­ Subterrania, however, is a different story¡­ Utter bloodbaths, even for fully supplied and kitted veterans.¡±


    ¡°So whose coming then? Bianca?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Cassandra admitted, though she didn''t sound confident. ¡°It would make sense for it to be her, all things considered, not because I¡¯d put it passed command to miss the opportunity for what it was, but because she will like as not advocate for herself.¡±


    Dianna considered that for a time, floating in the river as she was. There was no question that the higher-ups were performing at a duplicitous efficiency as of late. However, she shook her head at the thought rather than delve into that particular warren again¡­ Instead, she bumped her sister with her tail and tried to steer away from darker thoughts. ¡°You miss her?¡± she asked, glancing over to Cassandra, who nodded immediately.


    ¡°I do¡­ every day of my life¡­ Hmph¡­ the girl seems intent on putting both her parent''s careers to shame¡­ hardly into her twenty-eighth year and already a centurion¡­¡±


    ¡°She takes after her father quite well, no?¡±


    ¡°Takes after her aunt more like it¡­¡± Cassie murmured, letting out a small and sarcastic chuckle as she did so, grinning at her sister meaningfully. ¡°The girls got a talent for violence that I hear is rather familiar and well documented to be in the family, if you follow¡­ Tavir was always better and commanding than he was fighting, and its no surprise that I ended up where I did, considering I was always more fond of magic than arrows and blades¡­¡±


    ¡°I remember she was a lot like Tulla when she was younger¡­ Untamable, restless, bigger than others at her age.¡±


    ¡°She was¡­ I hear that she¡¯ll be getting some time for leave soon and wants to come to inspect where her parents have decided to hang their helmets, as it were¡­ I don''t doubt that she will fully intend to pull along her forces during their recovery period to embark on a little spelunking adventure. Mark my words here and now. It''s absolutely how I¡¯d spin it were I her, and she¡¯s at least as smart as I am.¡±


    ¡°Young and yet thirsty for battle?¡±


    ¡°More like itching at the prospect of obtaining more cards¡­ As I understand it, she hasn''t been deployed to any meaningful fighting since her commission. Though, it worries me¡­¡±


    ¡°I agree, we''re not exactly built for confined spaces¡­ Give me an open sky any day of the year¡­ the only reason the Tricen are even still breathing are their blasted tunnels¡­¡±


    The sisters exited the river a time later, returning to their home and meeting up with an equally scrubbed Tavir. The old centurion was wearing his officer''s regalia, and the grin on his face proved enough that he was utterly enthralled by the mystery and premise of it all¡­


    ¡°Dear, I haven''t seen you this excited about something since Bianca got her promotion and we attended the ceremony¡­¡±


    Tavir just laughed, his voice loud and boisterous as he puffed his chest. ¡°Y-yes, well, it''s not every day we get an opportunity to break out the formals!¡± Grinning, he reached up and tapped one of the adornments on his breast¡ªthe gleaming medals, each polished with meticulous care, shining even in the evening light.


    Dianna looked down at herself as well, her outfit not quite as flashy as her brothers, but, nevertheless clean and laundered, the white and gray-trimmed ensemble the standard ceremonial garb presented to very¡ªspecific special-auxiliary legionnaires. Her cap, as did Tavir¡¯s and Cassie¡¯s, rested smartly on her head, tilted slightly off-kilter as was per design. Her own medals glinting in the soon-to-be evening light, nearly as many as Tavir¡¯s own, putting her sister''s rather unadorned breast to shame by comparison alone¡­ The tiny trinkets felt foolish to be wearing now¡­ once, they¡¯d brought naught but pride and honour when flaunting them about, but, at this point, as they stood, in the middle of nowhere, they all sort of seemed almost¡­ gaudy¡­


    Tavir¡¯s own outfit was predominantly black, her sisters blue, each representing a different branch of their people''s armed forces. It made for quite the spectacle¡­ no few villagers calling out to them with whistling cheers. Not much ever happened in the small village since they¡¯d arrived, and though they were all still busy clearing out the mess, planning, organizing and stockpiling, it was no secret that, for many, retirement was considered boring. The advent of a strange foreigner in their midst had certainly riled up the settlement, but under Tavir¡¯s strict orders, the majority of those curious had to bide their time. Tavir had not wanted any¡ªmiscommunications to lead to an untimely death¡­ stating on more than one occasion that the strange individual known as Arthur was to be considered off-limits in an attempt not to spook him and drive him away. Naturally, neither Dianna nor her Daughter had necessarily followed that decree, but then again, She¡¯d never really been under Tavirs direct command in the later stages of the campaign¡­ Her willingness to follow his lead stemmed much more from a place of respect as her technical superior in both rank and age. Not that she wanted the command to begin with, considering her¡ªviews on politics as of late, but those were thoughts for another time.


    The flight itself between their home and Arthur¡¯s¡­ RV, as he referred to it, was, at most, negligible. At full speed, Dianna could have gotten there in moments; however, as there was no immediate hurry, they all lazily flew the short distance together. There was an odd movement above, a strange flash of light, far further up than Dianna was expecting to see something, but she passed it off as a high-flying bird¡­ A heartbeat later she noticed her daughter standing upon the now familiar white roof, waving her hands like a loon and directing them down to a new¡­ structure below. She began wildly pointing at the tarped¡ªconstruct, which Dianna identified as a sort of gazebo, only, somehow looking to be semi-permanent, like a tent designed to be open on all sides. Within was a rather large table, looking to be made out of an oddly perfect white material¡­ Around it, chairs were arrayed, each designed in the imperial fashion, meant to seat bal while accommodating their tails and wings, the chairback slotted and with a curving spine to provide both comfortable support when seated as well as ample room for one''s rear appendage.


    The entire affair was raised upon a sort of dais, a secondary nearby platform with nothing on it but a red circle attached to the first whilst a set of stairs could be found nearby, all made of the same strange tile as the table¡­ Dianna felt her ears twitch as they picked up upon a soft melody, some sort of stringed instrument and, possibly reed as well, offering cheerful ambiance to the sparkling array of crystal finery and polished silverware that rested in wait. There was a scent on the air that immediately made the demon''s stomach growl with interest, saliva filling her mouth. What might very well have been the most tantalizing aroma she¡¯d ever had the pleasure to experience wafting from below.


    ¡°Do you smell that, dear!¡± Tavir laughed, hooves clacking against the white tile as he landed, his nostrils flaring as he took a deep and luxurious breath.


    ¡°Tomatoes and fresh bread, garlic, and¡­ other spices of a sort to be sure, but¡­ I can''t really put a name to any of them¡­¡±


    ¡°You''ve all got perfect timing!¡± Arthur called out, emerging from the outline of a strange outdoor oven not far away, grinning from ear to ear whilst wearing a curious black outfit.


    It wasn''t that far removed from a traditional suit that an aristocrat might wear in the capitol, Dianna mused. The design was not quite what she knew to be fashionably preferred, but the human certainly cut a dashing figure, clean-shaven and confidant. His jacket casually parted to reveal a rich dark blue shirt beneath. His dazzling smile gleamed as he practically exuded the perfect example of a young socialite.


    ¡°And here I was thinking I cleaned up well, my boy!¡± Tavir loudly proclaimed, reaching out to clasp the human''s arm. Arthur, seemingly without the slightest hint of previous uncertainty around them, clapped the centurion on the shoulder in turn, leading him towards the table with a practiced ease.


    ¡°Do you have champagne here?¡± He asked, laughing, blue eyes gleaming as Tavir¡¯s own shot wide.


    ¡°We do, but it is a rare and difficult to procure commodity, even in a city, an imported delicacy if you will. It¡¯s only manufactured by a select few masters of their craft, and they''re entirely secretive of its creation. Why do you ask?¡±


    Arthur didn''t bother offering a reply, moving over to a series of oddly squat bottles that were resting in buckets filled with ice. Even before he reached for one, popping the cork which exploded into the sky, Dianna knew what the man intended. Watching as a fountain of fizz erupted from the bottle''s neck before the human poured the contents into an elegantly slim glass. Tavir took it with suspicion clear on his face, sipping at the fizzing substance within before barking a vibrant laugh.


    ¡°Ah! By the imperium! He¡¯s managed to do the impossible!¡± Tavir downed the remainder, placing the delicate crystal on the table before helping himself to one of the chilling bottles. ¡°Don''t mind me lad, but tiny glassware isn''t really my thing!¡±


    ¡°There''s more than what''s on the table, Tavir. Truth be told, I''m afraid that dinner is actually something my people eat entirely with their hands. Though it can be dined on with a knife and fork, that''s all to say that decorum needn¡¯t to be followed.¡±


    Tavir simply nodded, grinning in agreement as he turned to face his wife. ¡°Cassie! Come over here, he''s got bubbly!¡±


    Dianna watched as her sister accepted a crystal glass from their host, beaming at the young man as she delighted in the drink. The demoness herself simply following in her brother¡¯s wake, taking a chilly bottle for herself and popping the cork, receiving a knowing wink from the human as he took a glass for himself.


    ¡°Tulla, would you like a drink? I, of course, do have a non-alcoholic version for her¡­ it''s more or less just carbonated juice but¡­¡±


    ¡°Ohh, let her at least try the champagne, Dianna! How rare is it that a child out in the country gets to indulge in such finery?¡±


    ¡°A single glass.¡± Dianna agreed, glancing at her daughter, who stared at her with wide doe-like eyes. ¡°Then, she can have the juice, as Arthur suggested.¡±


    Dianna caught the raised brow from her sister, meeting the older woman''s eye, who, in turn, grinned playfully at her. She tried to play her decision off as a whim, but the truth of the matter was that she was feeling rather spirited¡­ Be it the music or the drink, the cheery atmosphere or exposure to this little slice of civilization that had been absent from her life for so long, Dianna was discovering her mood to be rather improved from its usual dour state¡­


    ¡°What is this music, Arthur? It''s wonderful but utterly unfamiliar.¡± Her sister asked, ears twitching to the rhythm of the song.


    ¡°We call it an orchestra, a collection of musicians all playing a grand multitude of instruments, many the same as those around them. There can be as few as a dozen or as many as hundreds, all performing in harmony with each other.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we as well have such things, but I¡¯ll admit, I never thought it possible to hear such a thing so¡ªperfectly as to make me believe I were seated in the stands themselves, not halfway to nowhere as we are at least!¡±


    ¡°Speakers, their sort of like little boxes that play music, but they really only extend the sound, hard to describe it without the proper frame of reference, but the song itself is only a recording.¡±


    ¡°A perfect recording,¡± Cassie stated, lids shut as she gently weaved to the sound. ¡°It really is like being there in person¡­¡± She mused, clearly imagining the lights and stage and drama of it all. ¡°I suppose this means you''re making progress on replicating your people''s technology then?¡±


    ¡°I am!¡± Arthur replied happily. ¡°Tulla, would you like to show your aunt and uncle the new toy I¡¯ve given you?¡±


    Tulla beamed at being included with the adults, face all smiles and excitement as she leapt towards the roof of the RV, only to return a moment later carrying a small lensed device in both hands. Unlike the last supposed toy the man had given her, the strange colour cube that Dianna had seen her child stressing over for days on end, this one was a little different and yet unknown to her. Like the conductor in the song, she directed her family with a seemingly experienced eye, ordering the duo about as she had them strike a loving pose before the distant grasslands. There was a click, and, just like that, Tulla was cackling madly as she tipped and tapped with her hooves, hardly able to contain her excitement as the picture slowly printed itself within the camera. She pulled it out a moment later, waving it around as though it were her nation''s flag, handing it to the bewildered couple who stared at the thing with open surprise.


    ¡°A tiny portrait!¡± Cassie exclaimed, quite pleased with what she saw. ¡°Tulla, quick, before your uncle gets away from me, take some more!¡±


    The tiny girl happily obliged, standing like a professional photographer as she offered suggestions and notes on how best to pose the pair. When it was all done, Cassie had a near dozen of the little photos in her hands, marvelling at them while her husband peered over from the side.


    ¡°Tavir, I want you to send some of these to Bianca when we get back; she¡¯s going to be utterly delighted to see them!¡±


    ¡°Can they get larger?¡± The centurion asked, scratching at his chin with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°Large as you want in theory,¡± Arthur nodded while biting his lip. ¡°but I do have my limitations at the moment; chief among them is that I''m only having success creating small things right now¡­ I need more souls, I think¡­ but I¡¯m still in the process of learning, so it''s not exactly a priority for me.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ you will come to me when you decide it''s time to acquire more cards, yes? I shudder to think of the tragedy it would be if you weren''t properly protected.¡±


    There was a moment, small as it was, when Dianna caught the slight twitch in the human¡¯s expression as he blatantly lied. Dianna did not call the man out on it, but she¡¯d been wise to his not-so-helpless state for some time now¡­ ¡°I will, Tavir,¡± he stated with a smile. I¡¯ve no interest in dying, of that you can be certain.¡±


    Silently slipping away, Tulla made her way back towards her mother, standing before the demoness with a determined expression, chin firm and raised as she met her mother''s eye. ¡°Your turn mom, I want pictures of you too.¡±


    For a moment, Dianna was planning to decline, but something in her chest seemed to quiver as she saw her little girl''s desperation. Normally, life and its unapologetic brutality caused her to lean towards the stern end of things with the girl. Not from any place of dislike mind you, but, of love. She knew what it took to survive and had always ensured that her daughter would be prepared as she had never been by her own parents. Yet, on occasion, she understood that there could be room for a softer touch. Instead of a frown, only a wide smile found its way to her lips, her arms reaching down as she gathered her girl up and kissed her on the cheeks. ¡°Where do you want me to stand?¡±


    ¡°Over there!¡± Tulla immediately replied, arm outstretched to where her aunt and uncle were still marvelling at their pictures. ¡°It''s the perfect spot! Auntie, Uncle, come stand over here!¡±


    Everyone did as the little tyrant with a camera bade, Dianna releasing her girl as she walked over to the proposed spot, standing stock-still for whatever was to come as though she were on parade.


    ¡°You have to relax Mom, and Arthur; go over there too!¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± The human replied, beating Dianna to the punch as, simultaneously, both parties met each other''s eyes.


    ¡°Go! It''s no big deal! I just want a picture of you and my mom.¡±


    Tulla¡¯s tone had a certain finality to it that brokered no argument, Dianna opening her mouth to protest before closing it again as her daughter stared at her with desperate longing. Her jaw promptly closed, working for a time, eyes flickering to watch as the human approached, moving to stand next to her at a respectable distance.


    ¡°No, no, no, no, weren''t you guys watching! You have to get closer! Like aunt Cassie and uncle Tavir!¡±


    ¡°Tulla¡­¡± Dianna began, trying to find words that would help portray the¡ªissue. Flirting had been all well and fun, something to help pass the time with. And though Arthur wasn''t her idea of ideal physical attraction, he was handsome enough in his own right, not to mention bright enough to verbally joust a little with her from time to time. It was the most she¡¯d gotten in that regard from anyone for quite some time. The reality that she was quite intimidating not at all lost on her. Which, had made Arthur that much more intriguing, as unlike most who thought they knew better than to bother, he was more akin to a wolverine. Too brave for his own good.


    Yet, the girl was defiant to the end, unwavering in her determination to see her desires met. She heard a small breath beside her before, to her utter shock, she felt a body press in close to her own, an arm wrapping itself around her waist as her entire person twitched with surprise. Then, against what felt to be her own mind, her wing draped itself over the man beside her, tail brushing against his back as her own arm moved to tighten their hold. She felt an equally surprised twitch from her partner, thanking the skies above that she wasn''t alone in this feeling of¡ªawkward proximity.


    Tulla laughed as she took several pictures in rapid succession, not bothering to wait for the exposure period before demanding they hold still whilst running over to her aunt. There was a brief but quick explanation of how the device worked before Tulla was sprinting back towards them, colliding with their legs as she pressed herself into the middle of their pose. She might have been seeing things, but Dianna might have sworn she saw a small glimmer of water in her sister''s eye as the woman followed Tulla¡¯s directions and took the picture, then another once Arthur had reached down to scoop up her daughter, the girl squealing with delight as she pressed into them both. Dianna was on the verge of frowning, not because she wasn''t enjoying her daughter''s delight, but from the odd emotions that were running through her heart¡­ However, she was saved from having to confront them as a sudden alarm resounded, bringing Arthur to immediate action as he disengaged, placing the little Tulla on the ground.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°And that''s dinner, everyone! Come on, find a seat; I¡¯ll pull it from the oven!¡±


    Dianna was dragged away by her daughter and led to the pristine table, wherein Cassie handed her a picture. She stared at the thing for several moments, marvelling at how lifelike the image was, then finding her thoughts slipping to the manner in which the human arm was around her waist, how happy her daughter looked in his arms, and also the rather uncommon face she herself was making. That was what happiness looked like, didn''t it? How long had it been since Dianna was last aware she could look like this? When Tulla was born? Was that really how long it had been?


    The hypnotizing scent that had been filling the air only redoubled its brutal effects on her stomach, the smell all-consuming as Arthur sauntered over, hands covered by strange padded mitts. He placed the large tray on the table, revealing the mysterious dish they¡¯d all been looking forward to. Dianna wasn''t sure what she¡¯d been expecting, but this certainly hadn''t been it¡­ The thing was ridiculously round and oddly flat, a circle of freshly baked bread ringing a gooey mess of cheese, meats and vegetables that, in her mind, didn''t sound that appetizing but, when presented in person, made her want nothing more than to take a bite.


    ¡°And what do your people call this meal?¡± Tavir asked, all but drooling, but, managing to keep his calm whilst doing unspeakable damage to the contents of his bottle.


    ¡°Pizza,¡± Arthur replied, raising a circular blade riveted to a handle as he began slicing the dish into triangles with swift and practiced movements. ¡°there¡¯s many variations on it and even more arguments as to which interpretation is best. But, the truth is, it''s one of those meals that you can almost put anything into, so long as you chop it up and it goes well with bread, cheese and tomatoes. This one is more of a traditional example, salted sausage, peppers, onions¡­ no olives, at Tulla¡¯s request, but that''s alright¡­ We take bread dough and flatten it, rolling it out before pasting marinara sauce on it; add cheese, toppings and spice, and this is what you get. The trick is how you cook it more than anything else as there''s a fine line between the crispy exterior and ruining the entire thing by burning it¡­¡±


    Arthur began serving everyone around him, taking their plates and using an equally odd pie-shaped shovel to scoop the scalding delicacy piece by piece, the triangular slices nearly as large as the already large plates.


    ¡°Now, fair warning, it is rather hot when first out of the oven¡­ I put out forks and knives because we''re doing things a little formally here, but feel free to just pick it up from the end if you feel confident. It''s how we all eat it anyway.¡±


    Dianna met Arthur''s eye as she accepted her plate, placing it before her while watching her daughter waste little time digging in. She quickly plastered her dusky cheeks with sauce but moaned with utter delight with the first bite.


    ¡°Also, don''t worry about the mess; it''s a messy dish. I suspect we might all have a little bit of what''s going on with Tulla sooner or later¡­¡±


    Cassie was second to try the meal, not attempting to pick it up as her niece had done, but, using her fork and knife with a civilized grace, slicing off the end and putting it in her mouth. Dianna watched as her sister''s expression popped, an utterly dumbfounded expression plain to see for all before her while she chewed.


    ¡°That good? Her husband asked, fork and knife at the ready, but, as mystified by his wife''s reaction as he was excited to eat.


    Yet, all Cassie did was simply bob her head, no longer interested in talking, as she began determinedly cutting off another slice, as though trying to determine how its flavour was even possible.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I may have used Tulla as my taste-tester when it came to trying to figure out what best to make. Bit of a mad scramble to get done once you''re peoples¡ªcaravan got back, but they did a smash-up job of it, and this is the result.¡±


    ¡°Hamburgers and gyro were close seconds!¡± Tulla offered, mouth stuffed with pizza to the point she could hardly be heard.


    ¡°As were the fried crisps and fish¡­ She was also quite fond of several other dishes she¡¯d seen in her shows. I expect the moment I manage the hang of real noodles, she¡¯ll be all over anything with those¡­ actually, anything with tomatoes is, honestly, what I¡¯ve learned she likes.¡±


    ¡°A more than competent chef!¡± Tavir laughed, leaning back in his chair with a pleased look. ¡°It''s been a long time since I¡¯ve been treated to such luxury, Arthur; I daresay I¡¯d consider marrying you, even if you are a man!¡±


    ¡°Never was very good at cooking¡­¡± Cassie admitted, sipping from her glass and, as her husband was, enjoying the atmosphere.


    ¡°Neither was I, my love! Neither was I! But, I earnestly can''t remember a time when I might have had something better¡­ Tell me! How to fare you with a good steak?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to show you,¡± Arthur replied, chucking as he did so. ¡°It''s rather nice to have company while eating again¡­ I¡¯ve always been something of a food critic, and I found the only real way to appease that part of me was to just make it myself.¡±


    ¡°It''s delicious¡­¡± Dianna offered her slice already all but gone.


    ¡°Well, don''t be shy; there¡¯s more than enough for everyone to have seconds. One is good for me; I¡¯ve been eating for what feels like a day with Tulla trying to figure out what to serve, but there is a desert portion of the meal.¡±


    ¡°You really didn''t have to go this far out of your way¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, Cassie, I enjoy it; there¡¯s no better praise for a cook than watching those he served devour everything in sight. We can even make this all a regular event, sans the formal wear of course, sit down and enjoy a proper meal a few times a week¡­¡±


    ¡°I have to admit, Arthur, I certainly wasn''t expecting this sort of thing from you when we first met¡­ but, the more I see, the more I like¡­ Tell me, what are your long-term plans? Will you settle down? Find a wife?¡±


    ¡°Tavir!¡± Cassie admonished, slapping him on the shoulder.


    ¡°What? He''s a young, spry and talented lad! Why, I already have half a mind to send word to Bianca that I¡¯ve found her a suitable match! Species be damned.¡±


    The champagne was clearly reaching the old demon, his cheeks full of cheer and his head swimming with the music. However, from the corner of her eye, Dianna noted how Tulla stiffened with her uncle''s words, growing intensely still as her sister shot her a sharp look.


    ¡°Well?¡± Cassie asked, turning to the young man across from her with a raised eyebrow. Honestly, it''s not the worst idea my husband has ever had¡­ Would you be interested?¡±


    Dianna saw Arthur consider the question thoughtfully, clearly uncertain as all eyes fell upon him¡­ yet, it was hers that his own briefly connected with, and a sensation of pride and, dare she say, even triumph filled her stomach as he did so. And in such a manner that she moved entirely on instinct. It wasn''t obvious, not notable in any manner, except, of course, the briefest of shifts in the human¡¯s expression. Though, like a phantom, the change in his demeanour switched back from surprise so quickly that even she wouldn''t have been certain it had been there¡­ But, it had been there, Dianna was certain of it, not only because she¡¯d been watching him more intently than the others but because her tail was about the business of stroking his lap, winding itself around his chair, invisible to all save herself who was nearest, silently shifting around him. Arthur quickly put on a brilliant smile, running a hand through his shock of golden hair before he laughed with a good-natured chuckle.


    ¡°Heh, I ummm, I''m not sure, to be honest; I¡¯m sort of enjoying what I have already¡­ Truly, I¡¯m sure she¡¯d find me boring; nevertheless, I am quite different after all.¡±


    ¡°True, but young love can conquer all, as they say! Why, I remember a time when I was but a boy and had the pleasure of encountering one of the fey¡­ Brings it all into perspective, I suppose, that aside from a few odds and ends, were all not that different to begin with¡­ At least, that''s how Little Tavir felt about seeing the woman walk through our streets wearing what was essentially a thin sheet.¡±


    ¡°Dear¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know, perhaps it isn''t a good dining topic!¡±


    ¡°I rather suspect she had an¡ªalternate meaning behind that one, Tavir¡­¡± Dianna smiled, first softly when she met her sister''s gaze, then a little more ferociously while meeting Arthurs, something¡­ animalistic and primal bleeding through her emotions.


    ¡°Tell her she¡¯s beautiful, Tavir!¡± The human urged, not at all having missed the issue at hand himself¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, of course, my love! You don''t need me to say it! After all, there¡¯s no other woman I¡¯d ever choose to be with but you! A perfect match we are! Even if neither of us can cook.¡±


    Dinner ended with the total annihilation of the evening''s main course, the pizza having been as much as a smash hit as Tulla had implied it would¡­ not even so much as a single errant topping left to remain¡­ He took the platter away, pleased everyone had enjoyed themselves, but, was unsure if they were quite filled to bursting. The bal could certainly pack it away like nobody''s business, and that included the wine. It made Arthur feel like next time, and, as it happened, he found he did want there to be a next time, he would have to consider doubling the portions¡­ As it was, the desert he¡¯d pulled from his RV¡¯s oven earlier in the day made its way out to four sets of fixated eyes¡­


    ¡°Black Forrest, my personal favourite¡­ Bit of a pain in the ass to make given what goes into it, but Tulla and I figured it out.¡±


    ¡°I was there to help Arthur pick the best chocolate icing!¡± Tulla proclaimed proudly, lifting her chin as she did so.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s leaving out the bloody week I spent pulling my hair out, forgetting Coacoa needed to be fermented¡­¡± He added, not needing to act as exasperated as he clearly felt.


    ¡°When was the last time we saw a cake?¡± Cassie asked, the effects of champagne getting to her head as well. ¡°Ten, fifteen?¡±


    ¡°Years?¡± Tavir mused, stroking his chin in wistful thought. ¡°Yes, something like that¡­ but, even then, this seems to make all the memories look a little¡ªprovincial¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmhmhm, humans love our food; if we¡¯d be known for anything, I¡¯d be that, I''m sure, or the booze¡­¡± Arthur laughed, placing the delicate-looking tower of sweetness on the table, pulling out a new knife to begin serving.¡±


    ¡°Where in the imperium¡¯s name did you get so much chocolate anyway?¡± Cassie asked, accepting a plate from Arthur but yet refusing to actually take a bite¡­ ¡°Looks like artwork¡­¡±


    ¡°Tulla! Tulla, my dear! Come, where''s your little device? We should have taken a picture of one of the strange pies as well, but we should at least get one of the cake! Two or three, actually! Biannca won''t even know what''s going on out here when I send her this!¡±


    Arthur couldn''t help but laugh with their joy, finding an odd elation in seeing everyone around him so happy¡­ It was the best he¡¯d felt for a long time¡­ Was this what his mother felt when she was cooking Christmas dinner with her extended family all around her? Everyone laughing and making merry? The jokes, the teasing and the stupor of cheer? He¡¯d never understood it then¡­ taken it for granted, being somewhere a little over Tulla¡¯s age himself the last time his entire family got together¡­ Idly, he wondered how his siblings and parents were doing¡­ Surely they hadn''t been on the best of terms with him when he left the university, but did they miss him? Did they wonder what happened when he suddenly¡ªleft? Would any of them, himself included, ever¡ªget the closure they probably all longed for? His thoughts were derailed when a tiny bump at his shin brought him back to the world; Arthur looking around as though trying to figure out what was going wrong, only to see everyone staring at him with¡­ was that concern? He blinked, finding hot tears running down his cheeks, offering a stark surprise for the young man who, until that point, had been so full of revelry, just as everyone else. He quickly wiped them away on his sleeve, mask returning as he grinned widely.


    ¡°It''s nothing; just some thoughts of home are all. Getting together like this reminded me of some nicer memories I had of my parents at the holidays¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing to be embarrassed about!¡± Cassie quickly said, smiling as she placed her fork down. ¡°Were they nice? Your family?¡±


    ¡°Terrible!¡± Arthur chuckled, spearing his cake with a lonely smirk. ¡°Each and every one of them utterly insufferable and impossible to get along with¡­ didn''t mean I didn''t love them though¡­ The only time we ever saw each other after I moved for school were the major celebrations, and even then, I started attending them less and less as the years went on... Too much drama, politics and fighting¡­¡±


    ¡°It happens,¡± Tavir nodded gravely, playing with his open bottle while staring at his plate. I don''t speak with my brothers either¡­ politics as you said, is the¡ªbest way to describe the reason¡­ But, I was once told that family is who you choose to spend your time with as much as it is those you''re born to! And, I think I speak for everyone here that you will always be welcome in our home, Arthur¡­ just remember to bring the Wine!¡± Tavir shouted, raising his bottle with a grin, immediately returning the cheery mood about the table¡­


    The next morning, Arthur was wide awake and already scrambling eggs. There were seven of the things left over in his fridge from his chickens, and he knew they had to be made before going bad. He used the remains of the onions and peppers from the pizza, added cheese from the wheel he¡¯d purchased with the help of the village, and fried potatoes with what bacon still remained in the freezer. A¡ªtreat he¡¯d been holding onto for some time that felt as though he could, for some reason, finally let it go.


    He was aiming for a well and true farmer''s breakfast, which was already forming up to be quite the heaping of food. He cooked outside, a beer in hand, preparing a small feast in his large skillet, intuition telling him he might have guests. Sure enough, his spybot alerted him to two approaching figures from the air, Arthur grinning to himself with a knowing smile as he heard hooves touch down nearby after a short span of stirring the meal.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± He drawled, waving with his beer-filled hand, not bothering to look their way.


    ¡°Morning Arthur! Oh! Good! You''re making breakfast! I told Mom that you would be, but I still had to drag her away from the¡ªporridge¡­¡± Tulla¡¯s face scrunched at the thought of whatever was so terrible as to cause her actual emotional distress¡­ Merrily pushing into his side for a hug without the slightest hint of shame.


    ¡°Good¡ªmorning Arthur¡­¡± Dianna added a few moments later, meeting his eye with her bright purple crosses as she too, approached. ¡°We won''t be intruding, will we?¡±


    ¡°I made more expecting company.¡± He winked, gesturing towards some plates on the nearby countertop with his chin. ¡°You want to eat around the fire or, at the table?¡±


    ¡°Table!¡± Tulla immediately called out, racing towards the white tile and leaping up without much difficulty.


    ¡°Dianna, can you bring this over? I''m going to grab some ketchup.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s ketchup?¡± The tall demon asked, tilting her head as she reached down, picking up the cast-iron pan without gloves and looking entirely unconcerned by the heat.


    Arthur found himself staring at the sight for several seconds before shrugging, standing from his chair and offering his answer. ¡°More tomatoes, really, only with sugar.¡±


    Unsurprisingly, Tulla found herself to be entirely devoted to the idea of putting ketchup on food, the girl eating as much of it as the breakfast itself with every bite¡­


    ¡°It''s really good¡­ Can you cook everything and make it tasty?¡± Dianna asked, having also tried the ketchup but to a much more muted degree¡­


    ¡°Not exactly. The flavour comes from experience; not everything just tastes good when you slop it together; it''s all sort of like chemistry, or, alchemy, I suppose¡­ trial and error with what you don''t know and tweaking with what you do. Comes down to practice, really.¡±


    Arthur had noticed that Dianna¡¯s tail had returned to his side, again, seeming to wrap itself around him, though, unlike the first time they¡¯d met, it was with a decidedly more covetous context than deadly¡­ It made him feel as though she were letting him know her intentions, even if they hadn''t been spoken aloud, if anything, making it easier to read her thoughts as the woman had thus far traditionally made a habit of either sneering or frowning¡­ He found himself rather enchanted by the change¡­ her face was almost otherworldly in its exotic beauty¡­ which, he supposed, was actually something of the truth¡­


    ¡°Tavir tells me that you intend to try and procure better cards through the labyrinth at some point¡­ is that true? I know you two were discussing things off on you''re own last night but¡­¡±


    ¡°It is, still, I don''t think I''m going to venture down there quite yet¡­ I hear it''s dangerous¡­ and I¡¯d be a fool going into something like that without certain¡­ preparations¡­¡±


    ¡°That''s good to hear¡­ I¡¯ve gone more than a few times myself¡­ The first floor is nothing if you can survive in the wild out here without anything that can''t be taken with you on your back¡­ or money. And of course, discounting outlaws, but every floor lower than that gets markedly harder to deal with¡­¡±


    ¡°How many levels are there?¡±


    ¡°Nobody knows. But, I made it alone to the fifth level when I was younger and stupid, it was a lot of blind luck, really, but it''s typical for most to people to only manage the second, sometimes the third if their properly trained and outfitted¡­ the leap in danger starts to get exponentially worse after that¡­¡±


    ¡°Do people¡­ team up to make it easier?¡±


    ¡°They do, but it''s not what one might call a¡ªsolution, not a perfect one. The more people you bring, the more you have to share what you find, and, eventually, there is a breaking point between the value you achieve on your own and that which you find with others¡­ Either way, I don''t think I¡¯d like to let you down there without seeing what you can really do first.¡±


    ¡°Let me?¡± Arthur asked, an eyebrow raised at the implication.


    Dianna merely leaned forwards in her chair, elbows pressing against the table as she stared at him with a quiet intensity, tail wrapping around him even tighter like a constricting snake. Problematically, the way she was¡ªpressing herself against the table made her rather prodigious chest all but bloom with an expanding swell that was hard to ignore¡­ Given her tunic had what the cultured of society named a boob-window¡­ the poor threads fighting a desperate and losing battle to keep the garment tight and snug. As it happened, the smirk on the demon''s face, when Arthur found himself stupified by the hypnotic motion at her chest, was all he needed to know it had been intentional.


    ¡°Captured am I?¡± He grinned, having seen this sort of coming throughout the nights following their evenings by the fire and, admittedly, having played along well enough. ¡°We''re going to need a bigger place than my RV.¡± He grinned, a hand reaching down to stroke at the constricting appendage''s smooth, somewhat silicon exterior. It might be a little fast, it was true, but it wasn''t like Arthur hadn''t had his one-night stands or been labelled as a new boyfriend after one or two dates. And, at this point, it wasn''t like they hadn''t been sharing each other''s company on a near-nightly basis for at least some time each day. Oddly, given their rough start, he liked Dianna; she could be gruff, rough around the edges of her personality, but also¡ªcaring, while having a tendency to be refreshingly blunt.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Tulla demanded, eyes narrowing on the pair and sensing something to be off.¡±


    ¡°I plan on claiming Arthur as your father dear.¡±


    Claimed was exactly how Arthur felt this whole thing was going down¡­ yet, for all the connotations of being¡ªexpropriated by someone else, it still warmed his heart to see how bright the little demon''s face became at the news. He liked Tulla as well, even if it was with an entirely different set of emotions.


    ¡°Arthur¡¯s going to be my dad?¡±


    ¡°He is.¡± Dianna stated, her tail tightening a fraction further, tip sliding carefully across his back, a sensual promise as much as a warning not to refute her claims.


    ¡°No complaints here¡­¡± Arthur smiled, sensing he might be achieving something that was on every nerd''s bucket list in the near future¡­


    Later when the¡ªsquealing had subsided, as well as the hugs and kisses and promises that she¡¯d be the perfect daughter, Arthur suggested she retire to watch some cartoons in the RV. Handing the young demon a special card that he¡¯d been planning to give her anyway, but, that seemed so much more than it really was following the previous announcement. The demons had been right¡­ It had taken an ocean of weak souls to bring the single card up in ranks so that he was confident Tulla would understand the shows as much as he understood the demons¡­


    ¡°Where did you get another translation card?¡± Dianna asked while the pair still sat at the table, finishing what was left of breakfast; Dianna eating enough for three.


    ¡°Who¡¯s to say I didn''t give her mine?¡±


    Arthur was given a frankly flat and unimpressed look, one which he knew betrayed exactly how the beautiful woman felt about that answer¡­


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been claimed by a breathtaking titanic demon goddess; I suppose secrets aren''t exactly something that will be easy to keep¡­¡±


    That earned Arthur a slight blush from the woman across from him, chin tilting a fraction downwards in a manner that was entirely too coy to resist staring at, especially coming from an eight-foot murder machine with¡ªarms the size of his thighs... Dianna¡¯s tail pressing into him as if in admonishment and threatening to knock him off the chair. He knew everyone liked compliments, hell, he liked compliments, but something about the way she was reacting just¡ªdid things for him that were kind of hard to ignore¡­


    ¡°Heh, flirting aside, I¡¯ve come to expect what I can do isn¡¯t exactly¡­ normal even for¡ªwhat seems like you''re fundamentally different¡ªrealm¡­ ugh¡­ Lacunae¡­ It''s quite honestly probably something that I¡¯d be killed over, and there''s even a little footnote about my soul being obliterated the moment I die¡­¡±


    ¡°That''s not something to joke about, Arthur.¡± The demoness deadpanned, her prior playful attitude somewhat fading in moments.


    ¡°Call it a defence mechanism¡­¡± Arthur laughed, though it was a dark thing at best. It took him a moment, but he made a decision he¡¯d been mulling over for some time as he stared into the alien woman¡¯s strange eyes, reading genuine worry, confusion, anger, yes, as was somewhat normal for her but also affection. She did care after him on¡ªsome level, though whether the feeling had begun as a desire to find a father for her daughter, her own interest or, even his evident wealth, it didn''t really matter now¡­ They¡¯d agreed to take their budding feelings to the next stage, and, as he knew, relationships not built upon honesty were rarely long for the world¡­ It wasn''t like he wasn''t getting anything out of the deal, either. As, so far as he could tell, Dianna was the biggest thing in the skies, and to have that apex predator watching over him, taking him under her wing of authority and protection, was¡ªlikely as good as he could hope for.


    He liked Tavir, he really did, but there was a distinct difference in their relationship. A, shall he say, working friendship that was more built on mutual greed than much of anything else, as it currently stood. With Dianna, however, he would be family. Not just in title whilst spoken through a drunken haze but true family. And that was worth more than any assurances that the larger demon man could give him. So, the decision made, Arthur held his now fiance¡¯s gaze and dropped the largest secret he still had on her like an anvil falling from the sky.


    ¡°Honestly, it does keep me up at night more than¡­ well, needless to say, it does worry me¡­ But, It also comes with¡ªcertain benefits¡­¡± He stated, watching the demoness closely as she patiently waited for an explanation, Arthur smiling with a ruefull expression as he continued. ¡°What If I told you that I can¡ªchange soul-cards?¡±

 A giant magic sword...

    Chapter 9


    Dianna snorted, pulling away from the table with a roll of her eyes. She¡¯d known Arthur was a bit¡ªeccentric at times, known he liked to make jokes and, even found some of them funny, but he¡¯d finally managed to dispel the illusion of sanity he so obviously carefully held.


    ¡°Yes, well, I suppose I expected as much, but maybe change isn''t the right phrase here¡­ remake? Yeah, I think that fits¡­ Believe me or not, it''s up to you, but I¡¯d be entirely willing to convince you first-hand if you''re interested.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯d be interested in that sort of thing, Arthur!¡± She laughed, mood jovial despite herself. Evident comedian in his spare time or not, his antics weren''t a dealbreaker for her; if anything, it was oddly refreshing. ¡°But, that''s the sort of thing in fantasies¡­ not real! At least not for people like us. There are those that can make artificial cards that are weaker than soul cards without the ability to improve, or can even reset the power within one, take it and put it somewhere else without obliterating the soul itself, but making new ones? It''s not possible unless you are secretly some arch magus, and even then, as I understand it, the process is significantly taxing.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t say I made souls¡­ I said I can change them, make a fireball an Ice Spear, a-an invisibility card, one that lets you fly, or, in the case of Tulla¡¯s new tarot, a veracious grazer that lets you better understand other languages.¡±


    ¡°Show me.¡± Dianna countered, folding her arms as she did so. It wasn''t lost where her mate¡¯s gaze drifted for the shortest of moments, the glance at her chest causing her to scoff even as Arthur awkwardly cleared his throat, recovering his balance before he chose to explain himself.


    ¡°There''s uhhh¡­ ahem, limitations right now, largely I imagine due to how¡ªweak my own soul is¡­ when I do this, the card loses all its potency, returning to its initial rank, but, as I¡¯ve discovered, it can level back up without issue¡­ even if some of them are difficult¡­¡± This last part he spoke under his breath, almost as though he wanted to strangle something¡­


    Dianna watched as Arthur stood, taking his chair and moving it around the table until he placed it directly next to her own, seating himself so close she could feel the warmth emanating from his side. Her tail quickly wrapped itself around him again, seemingly having a will of its own, though the man seemed to almost welcome it, smiling gently at her as he reached into the void, his hand disappearing from existence itself before returning with three cards in his hand. Ignoring that the little fucker apparently was in possession of some sort of storage card, a rarity in of itself that ratified her initial decision to maintain her wariness around him, she moved her focus instead to what he¡¯d retrieved. Each, as Dianna saw, were, in fact, voracious grazers, one of the most common cards offered by killing the local horned rabbits that profelated like¡ªwell, rabbits¡­ Again. Overlooking the fact that the man was clearly hoarding some rather potent cards, much as she¡¯d warned Tavir and her sister when they first met, Dianna put that thought aside as she stared at the man with clear expectation.


    ¡°Not to sound like a two-bit street magician, but can you confirm that these are all¡­ well, useless¡­?¡±


    The demoness reached down, taking one of the tarots that let an individual eat and process all forms of plant life from the table, holding it in two long, slender fingers. She turned it over, inspecting it with a raised brow, finding little of interest beyond the fact it was indeed as Arthur had claimed. With his urging, she briefly looked at the others as well, nodding her head slightly as she placed the last one back down.


    ¡°All the same. All worthless for anything but livestock and babies. Not a one that''s over iron, three.¡±


    ¡°Right, now, here''s the thing, don''t freak out when I do this, but I''m honestly not sure what it looks like to other people, so just be patient and I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Dianna was about to ask what the human was talking about before, with a single move, he swept up the middle card and, at the same moment, went deathly still. A moment of panic filled the woman as she shifted, peering down at Arthur, who looked to be hardly breathing¡­ His body seeming to enter an almost¡ªcatatonic state, sitting there and utterly still in an almost eerie manner¡­ She was about to try and ask what was happening before; with a small flash from the card in his fingers, Arthur drew a sudden breath, shaking himself as though waking up from a dream.


    ¡°Here, for you¡­¡±


    She blinked, staring down at a soul-card that had¡ªas the man had claimed, been somehow transformed¡­ She cocked her head, taking it with a delicate touch as her gaze narrowed upon yet another translation tarot. She turned it over, then, over again, uncertain as to what to say¡­ The card was indeed as he¡¯d given her daughter. Exactly the same, in fact, allowing for a disparity vis a vis its rank and tier of which were one and iron. The base and lowest capacity for abilities that any card could possess. Still, she found herself somewhat flabbergasted, turning the card over, again and again as though, at some point, expecting it to return to its prior existence¡­ Half anticipating this was all some¡ªfanciful trick. Yet, when that didn''t happen, the frown that formed on her lips was as genuine as her confusion.


    When Dianna didn''t immediately say anything, or even after those first confused moments that her mind sputtered to a halt, trying to make sense of what she was seeing, her mate began looking somewhat¡ªnervous¡­ Eventually breaking the silence himself to try and fill the void¡­ ¡°Do you¡­ ugh, have any suggestions? Any ability you always wanted but could never find or have someone else trade for? Afford?¡±


    ¡°Giant magic sword.¡± She immediately stated, her words just¡ªexploding without her conscious consent¡­ truthfully, it was even a tad embarrassing as she considered just how¡ªeager she¡¯d sounded¡­ her voice almost tripping over itself with growing excitement! This¡­ this was not something she¡¯d expected, and though part of her still didn''t believe it was true, that this was even happening¡ªwell, some emotions in life were difficult to wrangle¡­ Dainna watched as Arthur froze, his mouth opening a fraction, then closing before opening again, as though not sure he¡¯d actually heard her correctly.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he began, blowing out a cheek full of air. ¡°I suppose we should begin with how large and how magic you want it¡­¡±


    Arthur stood loosely, watching a true monster swing about another of its kind as though the woman held a foam bat¡­ The blade was huge, comically impractical for any sort of human warfare. Looking like something belonging to a damned cartoon that ignored physics. It was taller than tall¡­ taller than even the demon herself, and was wreathed in a purple-black flame that was his own addition to the whole affair, a bit of thematic flare if you will. Arthur naming the magic hellfire, just for earnest kicks, its colour matching the demon''s eyes¡­ At first, he hadn''t thought what to think of the request. The earnest excitement and wide-eyed anticipation in her gaze catching him utterly flatfooted. Shed been breathtaking in that moment¡­ more¡ªreal and alive than he¡¯d seen her since they met¡ªgenuine even¡­ Arthur managing to finally garner a glimpse behind the veil of the girl who still lived beneath the hard exterior. It had been such a sincere request, one that seemed to have come straight from her heart that the notion it might be wasteful when he could create a card to literally stop time¡ªdissolved in his gut¡­


    ¡°Why not a giant magic sword?¡± He¡¯d silently asked himself, trying to parse a reason he should¡ªcare if it seemed strange to him. After all, though swords were a touch archaic, he¡¯d pretty much made one on the science-fiction scale of things pretty quickly, while Dianna had merely wanted the same on the magic side. So, he¡¯d made her a giant, heavy and magic-powered weapon that was¡ªa colossus among its kind¡­ So large and thick that he¡¯d taken one good look at it after its summoning and decided that there wasn''t a chance in hell he was even lifting the damned thing¡­


    Yet, he was wholly unprepared for just how¡­ impressive Dianna¡¯s strength actually was¡­ watching in contemplative silence as the woman laughed with a deranged madness that was frankly¡ªhaunting to behold, swinging the enormous blade in a terribly lethal dance of certain death for anybody so foolish as to get near her¡­ It was honestly sort of¡­ doing it for him¡­ Dianna¡¯s hard-muscled body twisting and flexing with the grace of a ribbon dancer¡­ those abs of hers so damned¡ªdefined and cut from marble, trickling with beading sweat that he was lost in her deeply attractive athleticism¡­ He had to swallow just to regain his focus as he stared¡­ At the very least, he was sure that she was¡ªenjoying herself¡­ while he¡­ well, he got some very potent memories he¡¯d be relying on rather soon in his near future¡ªin a more private environment.


    Evidently, the effectiveness of even low-rank cards, when not as ridiculous as his time-bending one, or pertaining to food apparently, were leaps and bounds above both in initial capacity. As it happened, a massive flaming blade of unbreakable magic metal wasn''t at the same level of reality-breaking nonsense as some of his¡ªother inventions¡­ thus, it wasn''t nearly so restrictive at a lower level. Why food was such a touchy subject for the universe, Arthur might never know. Yet, It gave him a rather needed mental reset of how he went about some of his ideas. Just because something wasn''t all-powerful in concept didn''t mean it wasn''t useful in the right hands. Now he wondered what a translation card good for only the language the bal spoke would be like¡­ Case in point to his musings being Dianna, who, had she wanted it, could have killed him with said comparatively simple sword, and there was little his telekinesis or time-stop ability could do to stop it¡­


    ¡°I always wanted something like this!¡± Dianna breathed, sweat seeming to spray from her flesh like mist as she stomped, abruptly arresting her movement as the huge weapon froze in mid-swing, her muscles bulging with the strain, an evil grin stretched across her cold features. ¡°There was this girl back in the legions that I always used to spar with when I was younger, some noble bitch from a distinguished family that got put right into the officer''s program after basic training. I hated her but could never beat her because she had this stupidly long and slender, unbreakable cutlass inherited from her grandfather! It wasn''t fair, I was better than her but not by much, so it always came down to whose weapon lasted longer¡­ It pissed me off that she always smirked after our fights, as though she¡¯d never have lost to me even without her sky-damned artifact¡­ Was hard enough to even get near the she-wolf with something half as long and twice as heavy, let alone what parrying did to my own weapons¡­ that blade would rust them right from polished steel!¡±


    Arthur¡­ hadn''t yet heard Dianna swear, and it was an odd thing¡­ the woman was usually so composed and in control, angry as she may have been, but¡­ this¡­ this felt like she was finally opening up¡­ ¡°It does have a time limit, you know¡­¡± He reminded her, Dianna turning her gaze on him without her face falling even a fraction.


    ¡°I can fix that; all it needs is souls¡­ Can you do healing magic?¡± She asked, letting the blade rest at her side and turning to walk towards Arthur and, looking entirely like an ancient Roman goddess of war¡­ ¡°What about physical modifications? Boosts to reflexes, strength and endurance?¡±


    ¡°I honestly don''t think there''s anything I can''t do really do¡­ Again, there are limitations, but I¡¯ve only really seen them by way of¡­¡± Arthur''s words trailed off as he looked down, noting how a familiar appendage had wrapped itself around his waist. Damn, how was he so bad with his situational awareness?


    Within a heartbeat, Arthur was plucked off the ground, lifted bodily by the strength of her tail alone¡­ Dianna swung him directly into her sweaty embrace, wings engulfing him, a tongue far longer and far thinner than any human¡¯s pushing its way past his lips¡­ His surprise was quickly overshadowed by a sudden passion that overwhelmed him, his arms pulling the demoness even tighter, his head spinning with the harsh but sweet scent of her perspiration that made his head whirl with a heady bliss. Her tongue crowded him, slithering around his own, dominating it before slipping down his throat as she took him, and he¡ªadmittedly, melted in her embrace¡­ There was no real fighting back¡­ the difference in their physical capabilities, even in this, was¡ªsignificant. Arthur instead allowing himself to enjoy the experience for what it was while confident in the fact that no human would be able to do much better¡­ When they parted, Arthur was left starstruck, stumbling back a step before regaining his balance as Dianna allowed him to return to his feet¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you more swords if it means we get to do that again¡­¡± He breathed, trying to catch his breath, her taste still filling his mouth as he felt¡ªsomething slam into him¡­ something that made his thoughts stutter and his gaze, which was filled with the massive demon¡ªsparkle as though she really were some divine entity¡­ Even her mouth had tasted good¡­ despite all likely evidence to the contrary¡­ Arthur feeling as though he¡¯d just been¡ªdosed by something as the demoness became divinity in his eyes, but loving the experience all the same¡­


    Dianna only smirked, licking at her lips with a ravenous hunger that had him twitching between his legs. The smouldering desire in her eyes, the way she stepped forward, moving directly into his personal space until her bountiful chest all but squashed against his face was¡­


    ¡°Mom! Dad! What are you doing out here?¡±


    The spell was, at that moment, broken as the pair turned as one, eyeing a quizzically curious Tulla who was busy flapping her way over.


    ¡°She¡¯s already calling you dad.¡± Dianna breathed, her mood shifting as the breeze. Much as Arthur¡¯s own quickly simmered. Children could have that effect, after all¡­


    ¡°Not surprising given how she reacted earlier¡­¡± Arthur stated, rising to his full height and¡ªquickly adjusting himself to appear¡ªsomewhat decent¡­


    ¡°Whats with that giant sword? Did Dad make it?¡±


    ¡°He did, but that''s a secret, dear. Do you understand?¡± Dianna commanded, immediately seeming to decide her mate''s abilities needed to be covetously guarded.


    Tulla quickly nodded her head, tightening her lips as she did so. Actually, she even seemed to bounce into what sort of looked like a parade rest, as though the tone in her mother¡¯s voice activated her muscle memory, and she just defaulted¡­ Even as she seemed to catch herself a moment later.


    ¡°So, you''re saying that most races have a¡ªspecific card they were born with or a grouping of cards?¡± Arthur quired a time later after Dianna had dried herself off, and they once more sat around a growing fire, Tulla off¡ªsomewhere with her camera while her mother had begun trying to fill in some of his educational gaps.


    ¡°Yes. It''s actually a big reason why most civilized races don''t go about killing each other off just to harvest them for their souls. Not to say that sort of thing hasn''t happened¡­ but it''s often-times easy enough to procure such a thing with money¡­ if it''s for some reason even wanted. Old age, accidents, deceased adventurers whose families inherit their souls¡­ war, honestly, the market for such things is¡ªcomparatively light. Usually, other species can''t use the species-specific cards of other races and, besides, their not always good. That''s why the labyrinth is so popular, because it creates monsters that often times drop tarots that encompass a wide variety of their aspects. Cards like ice-spear, as you mentioned the cultist possessing, likely came from the second floor given its simplicity and, presumably, from a creature with some affinity towards the cold.¡±


    ¡°And, your people are all born with this¡ªmetamorphosis?¡±


    ¡°We are. It starts off pretty tame and doesn''t really do anything¡­ Those of us in our homeland who don''t join the legions or delve the labyrinth oftentimes look not that differently than Tulla, only bigger¡­¡±


    ¡°So the armour, the sweeping horns, longer tail and bladed tip¡­¡±


    ¡°All from empowering our souls, yes. Most legionnaires find their capabilities capped out once their card reaches low-silver, somewhere around two to three stars, since it gets damned hard to improve them beyond that. We gain a significant boost to our physique and gain the ability to create natural armor far lighter and stronger than steel when our soul-card reaches the third tier, or silver, which is why most veterans are quite close in physical capabilities. How it all usually works is that a card''s basic proficiency improves with its rank and then gains an additional or significantly empowered effect once breaking a threshold to a higher tier. The problem is that getting there is often strenuous and, more importantly, dangerous. You don''t see that many people outside of those who''ve seen combat with gold tier soul-cards of any kind, nor silver really, which makes actually getting yourself there near impossible while fighting a shittier army, or anyone really outside of the labyrinth...¡±


    ¡°And you really can''t just keep shovelling in weaker souls to get stronger?¡± Arthur asked, frowning as he did so while trying to work out how many bunnies he¡¯d need to kill to get a card passed bronze. Probably a number that nobody was willing to bother testing¡­


    ¡°Oh, you can,¡± Dianna corrected, tapping her knee with idle interest, ¡°it''s just that what you gain is overtly negligible. Many theorize that the entire existence of the labyrinth serves to offer the bold and competent a means by which to continue improving themselves¡­ Skill and talent will get you a long way as well, but, at a certain point someone with more raw power simply would overwhelm even a master of an art. The simple truth is that power through a potent soul card is simply exponential compared to mundane growth. Having both is obviously preferable as skill will always prevail when two people are physical equals or close to it but, that is a difficult thing to rely on when nobody really knows what another can do. The only real deviation from the rule is magic, but learning how to manipulate raw mana isn''t as easy as it sounds. It''s a lifetime of dedication to even reach where a lucky bumpkin might manage by stumbling upon the right card on the labyrinth''s first floor¡­ Not even accounting for the nightmare that would be finding a mentor outside of the Legions¡­ However, it is a fact that the greatest magicians are all universally so in their own right. And they are powerful, Arthur, immensely so¡­¡±


    ¡°So I¡ªassume,¡± he murmured, looking to the sky as he worked through what he wanted to say, ¡°that the reason why it''s so difficult to advance through the labyrinth is tied to the fact you can¡¯t actually assume you''ll ever get a card that you might really need?¡±


    Dianna nodded, smiling brightly as she eyed her newly revised deck still held in one hand, now filled with custom soul cards that Arthur had made for her. ¡°Makes surviving an utter slog, and actually trying to make progress feel even worse¡­ You could be in a delving team for years and not see anything that fits you''re style of combat¡­ or you might get something but, your allies force you to sell it because everyone technically gets a cut of what drops under most short-term treaties. And trying to buy that perfect card?¡± She snorted, rolling her eyes as though reliving some ridiculous past moment in her life, ¡°well that is oftentimes as infuriating as it is rare to even see¡­ It''s not like people don''t know what they''ve found¡­ So, the most people can hope for is selling cards to merchants with the intent to eventually buy what they need. However, the cost of these things can be¡ªastronomical for the right ability¡­¡±


    ¡°So we''re rich?¡±


    ¡°If we want to be, yes. But, whats the point of wealth when you yourself said you can make everything you want in the first place?¡± The demoness laughed, rubbing affectionately at Arthur''s hand with her thumb, the texture of her flesh¡ªoddly different from a human''s, but strangely soft and pleasant¡­


    ¡°Bragging rights?¡± He shrugged, then shook his head with a smirk. ¡°How does one actually get to the labyrinth in the first place?¡±


    Dianna gave him a stern look, one which he quickly combatted with a roguish grin, feigning obvious innocence before the disapproval of his exquisite murder machine succubus. Yet, for all her attempts at seriousness, she relented a moment later, unable to quell the enthusiasm she harboured on her sleeve. Beginning with a sigh, she huffed her mate, smiling in turn. ¡°Most major cities have a¡ªportal. Mages make them, trained mages, that is. Largely, their a network of extensive runes and enchantments without getting into the deeper details but I¡ªhonestly, don''t know much about them¡­ Magic has never been my forte.¡±


    ¡°Are there¡­ cards that can create portals?¡± Arthur asked, more to himself as his mind considered the possibility as a strangely absent concept from his basket of ideas formulated in his head. ¡°N-not that I would try and go on my own, Dianna¡­ I just¡­ well, I like to think about these sorts of things!¡±


    ¡°I''m getting that¡­¡± She replied curtly, though the expression on her face was as loving as it was sweet.


    ¡°No way I''m not about to try!¡± He pulled one of the remaining voracious grazer cards from his storage, quickly imparting his idea upon it, only to emerge from the mist with an annoyed expression a handful of moments later, glaring at the tarot in his hand with clear dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Didn''t work?¡± Dianna asked, leaning in to try and see what was in his hands, earnestly curious herself as she stared down at what her partner had created.


    ¡°It did, but not the way I wanted it to¡­ It''s a card that binds itself to you; I¡¯ve been calling it attuned, but¡­ It will disappear the moment you try to remove it, like, vanish, at least based on my experiments¡­ not only that, but it takes an entire day to recharge. I can only guess that means if you use it, you''ve got to wait a day to come back again¡­ and even then, it takes up an entire slot¡­¡±


    ¡°Pfft¡­ that''s it? That''s what you''re worried about?¡±


    ¡°Not a big deal?¡±


    ¡°Arthur¡­ my dear Arthur¡­ The nearest city with a portal from this village is Londi¡¯s Landing, a three-day flight if you''re pushing it to exhaustion with a near gold-rank metamorphosis, and, even then, the cost to simply use the city portal comes with ridiculous taxation. That isn''t to say if they''re even letting people use it yet; the war is still on, after all¡­ Chances are it''s locked down and strictly reserved for supply movements¡­ And as to it taking a full slot,¡± Dianna added, voice returned to her usual and lazy drawl, ¡°Most individuals who risk their lives down there never do so with decks filled with useful cards. Not unless they are at the height of their careers or extremely wealthy. For most, they build themselves up over decades of hard work! Taking odd souls in that might have some niche uses, but for the most part, it''s typically only one or two of the things they start off with while relying on mundane implements to see them through the lower floors.


    ¡°So, this is... Good?¡±


    ¡°I can have it?¡± Dianna asked, ignoring his question entirely.


    ¡°For you¡ªanything¡­¡±


    She paused to look at him pointedly, considering Arthur for no small amount of time as her countenance grew serious. ¡°You''re not just saying that, are you? I can tell you know¡­ You''re looking at me like an entirely different person¡­¡±


    Her purring words caused Arthur to grin, winking at the large demon who wasn''t at all far off the mark. ¡°Heh¡­ What can I say?¡± Arthur replied, taking a moment to¡ªfully appreciate the demoness¡¯s thick legs beneath her tightly stretched leathers without reservation, his hand squeezing at the soft flesh with unyielding muscle just beneath. ¡°I think you might just be my type¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom¡¯s gone to the labyrinth!¡± Tulla helpfully exclaimed, grinning proudly as she sat in a camping chair, sipping on a dark and steamy liquid while around the fire, merrily humming to herself whilst roasting a giant marshmallow with a stick.


    ¡°I''m¡ªsorry?¡±


    ¡°No, Tulla¡¯s got it; Dianna went to the labyrinth. She volunteered to test a few things out for me¡­ And she should be back in a¡ªpfft¡­ handful of days?¡±


    ¡°A handful of days?¡± Tavir asked, brow creasing with confusion. ¡°When did she leave?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday! Dad figured out how to transport someone to the labyrinth from anywhere!¡±


    A tiny spark of annoyance passed through Arthur¡¯s mind as he looked down at Tulla with an unimpressed stare. The girl quickly realized her mistake, eyes shooting wide as she did so, but Arthur couldn''t really be upset with her; after all, Tavir was family¡­ And Dianna was gone. How else would they explain it to people?


    ¡°Y¡ªyou did what? And what''s this father business?¡±


    ¡°Mommy claimed daddy and said he was hers now, so dad made her a bunch of new c¡ªgadgets that will help her get stronger! She¡¯s gone to test them while we figure out how to build our new house!¡±


    Tavir looked about, ready to topple over, genuinely caught off guard as his wings drooped while trying to parse what was going on. Arthur handing the man a icy bottle of beer with a grin. ¡°C''mon man, all the crazy stuff you''ve seen and that''s what gets you?¡±


    ¡°The portal? No, honestly, I was going to get around to asking if such a thing was possible, but Dianna¡­ Noooo¡­ she¡¯s all but eaten anyone that¡¯s ever tried to get close to her and Tulla¡­¡±


    ¡°That''s what happened to my first dad! Though, I never met him, Mom said she just got what she wanted and then took his soul.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s smile never shifted from his face, even as his hand began to slowly twitch subconsciously¡­


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re not serious, right?¡±


    ¡°Deathly serious!¡± Tavir replied quickly. ¡°Dianna is rather¡­ well, how best to put it¡­¡±


    ¡°Violent?¡± Tulla asked with a sweet-as-honey smile.


    ¡°Yes dear¡­ and rather good at what she does¡­ Tulla¡¯s father was a¡ªwell-known legionnaire with something of an¡ªinfamous reputation¡­ big bastard¡­ and a right arse of an old goat¡­ Only Dianna knows the exact details of what happened there, but¡­ she killed him, took his soul and¡ªshortly thereafter, Tulla was born.¡±


    ¡°Best to keep her happy then?¡±


    ¡°Ohh yes¡­ Not many around as strong as she is¡­ and you say you have a way for her to get¡­ stronger?¡±


    ¡°Mom says she¡¯s going to get a lot stronger, like, thiiiiis much!¡± Tulla¡¯s arms stretched wide. The girl nearly losing her treat, which made her quickly return both her hands to it.


    ¡°Did I do something¡­ irresponsible?¡± Arthur asked the question directed as much to himself as it was to the old centurion.


    ¡°Aye. For everyone that isn''t family!¡± Tavir barked, ¡°Dianna likes few things in life more than a good scrap. She¡¯s been moping about ever since the campaigns ended for us, and she¡¯d realized taking care of Tulla came before her own dreams of power¡­ If you''ve given her a solution for both, then I suspect its no wonder she scooped you up before anyone else could, foreigner or not¡­ ¡°


    ¡°Doesn''t sound that bad really¡­ hopefully¡­ ¡°


    ¡°If you say so, boy¡­ if you say so¡­ be sure to let me know how your hips fare after drags you to bed¡­¡± This time, there was a knowing gleam in the older man''s eye. Tavir seemed to enjoy his distress while popping his beer.


    They were both leaning over the table under Arthur¡¯s gazebo when Tavir pulled out a series of charcoal sketches from a satchel. Several pages that were indeed paper, and of an impressively architectural format, all being spread over the white surface as they both stared down, beverages in hand. ¡°These are the plans I¡¯ve been drafting up for when the damned engineer-core makes their way out here¡­ Their not much, not really anything beyond what I envisioned the layout to look like after surveying for the best locations to begin building but it should help you get an idea of what our homes really look like.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Fairly professional looking¡­ And you made them yourself?¡±


    ¡°I am an educated man, Arthur! I know we''re all mucking about in dirt over there, but hearing that tone is almost hurtful!¡±


    ¡°Ha! I was living in the wilderness for a handful of years before I got here. Trust me man, I get it.¡±


    Tavir grinned, not actually looking upset in the least. Rather, he seemed to just be enjoying a little banter. ¡°Honestly, though I like to march about and try to keep morale up, there really isn''t much for us all to do in the village¡­ No tools means everything¡¯s makeshift¡­ We¡¯ve just been putting crappy bandaids on it all and pretending the place isn''t a steaming pile of shite! This, however represents what I sincerely hope we could manage even a fraction of to return us to a modicum of civilization!¡±


    Arthur nodded along, not really that surprised by what he saw on the various examples before him. The buildings themselves were rather tall centralized pillars serving as a sort of trunk for the installations, which were essentially layered platforms that each had a designated balcony, or, what it looked like to Arthur, a landing strip where the winged bal could easily access. Each level looked, in truth, only reachable by air, though Tavir assured him that stairways did indeed exist between them. Mainly for thralls, but also bal that hurt their wings. The floors, or levels, were all uniformly circular as well, with homes existing at the top of these spires while shops, plazas, inn¡¯s and all other assorted commercialized and recreational zones were below. Reinforcing bridges spanned the gaps between differing pillars and helped join the different pods together for those without wings. The creative use of elevators and cranes strategically placed allowed potential industries to maneuver heavier goods within designated areas while pumps brought water to the city above. Practical? Hardly for humans¡­ but for creatures that didn''t need cars or really any other vehicle to travel, it all just made an insane amount of sense¡­


    ¡°What are these central pillars made from? Arthur asked, pointing to one with his finger. His eyes looking at the thing while he tried to determine how much strain the damned thing would be under¡­


    ¡°Stone usually, the engineer-corps employ a great number of geomancers to considerable effect. Afterwards, they are typically enchanted and warded by artificers and runic specialists, making them stronger than steel and for half the cost. Not much can bring a city spire down short of true engines of war or acts of fate that none could really defend against.¡±


    ¡°Their honestly beautiful designs¡­ Nothing like the urban nightmares that my own people create¡­ there''s a sort of one with nature vibe about it all that just resonates¡­¡±


    ¡°An honorary bal, you are my boy¡­ So, what do you think? I know it¡¯s likely a stretch, but¡­ Could we¡ªah¡­ manage it with your help? I know you haven''t told us everything¡­ and I''m not looking to pry. But you clearly have some form of ability to construct intricate designs already, soo¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡ªdon''t see why not.¡± Arthur breathed, sucking air through his teeth. ¡°Won''t be easy, and definitely won''t be a one-man job¡­¡±


    ¡°My people will be willing to help in any way they can!¡± Tavir proclaimed with a grin. ¡°Each and every one of them was under my own command, loyal to the end and not at all afraid of hard work. We lack tools, not spirit! We''d have begun rebuilding already if it wasn''t for all the damned supply chain issues. We''ve been waiting for proper equipment since we got here. Sure, it wouldn''t have been what you see here, but I¡¯d wager it would be better than what we¡¯ve got.¡±


    Arthur smiled, patting the demon on the back as he straightened. ¡°Then, come over here, I want to show you something¡­¡±


    Arthur picked up the small handheld gadget from the table, the device, in all honesty, something he¡¯d mocked up as a kind of gen-two model during his spare time earlier that day after last night, when Tulla had gone down to bed. When Tavir had come by to talk over a few things once Dianna had departed, their conversation had, inevitably, devolved into drunken ramblings over the possibility of Arthur providing the settlement with¡ªuseful tools. As it happened, the whereabouts of his sister-in-law hadn''t even seemed to cross his mind as they¡¯d jumped, hand in hand, right off the deep end into the theory of bal construction. The prior evening had been as fun, given his own worldly interests, as it had been filled with alcohol, but he hadn''t forgotten his promise to the man about trying to work something out. And, what he¡¯d come up with was the unwieldy and bulky orange thing he now held in his hand, which, he¡¯d already taken an ernist crack at then forgotten in lieu of other events. With a large holographic display to engage its settings, a sort of¡ªovular shape and a vague resemblance to a ray gun, it was¡ªugly as it was amazing.


    With a depression of a slim button where a trigger might otherwise be, the device shot out a brilliant beam of blue light, seeming to atomize the rocks and dirt as they passed them by, leaving clean, perfectly smooth surfaces wherever the device¡¯s light touched. After a few moments, a hole three feet deep and three feet wide in the ground was formed, perfectly square in a most unnatural way. Arthur expanded the hologram, quickly using a finger to create a perfect sphere, then limiting the device''s capacity to construct in a single resource, stone. He flipped a switch, pointing what he was naming the multi-tool at a patch of level enough dirt, holding the trigger down as the blue light emerged again, this time creating instead of destroying as it had previously done until a large round ball of stone was left behind. Arthur grinning to himself as Tavir seemed to watch the display with silent interest.


    ¡°It takes natural resources and puts them away in a pocket dimension,¡± Arthur explained to a quiet but wide-eyed Tavir. ¡°Then, you can design what you want it to make, if it should weld with something else as you make it, or be freestanding. Then, you just hold the trigger, and the device does the rest. It''s really only good for construction, anything you can make from dirt, wood and metal really, and it can''t hold an endless supply of material¡­ but Its gotta be bound to be better than using hammers and nails.¡±


    ¡°Your people have this¡ªthis¡ªdevice?¡± Tavir whispered, looking at the ball of stone with disbelieving eyes before stooping down to grasp it, fingers straining against the solid rock as if testing its tenacity¡­


    ¡°No, we don''t.¡± The older man looked at him, visibly confused, yet it was all Arthur could do but offer him a lazy shrug. ¡°We have the¡ªconcept, honestly, but not the capability to do it. I''m blending the best of both worlds here, Tavir, and making things that probably don''t exist¡­¡±


    ¡°Can it be used to kill people?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d really rather it not¡­¡±


    ¡°Good! Then keep it that way.¡± Tavir gruffed, swallowing before continuing. ¡°I would also advise you to discover a way to keep track of these things if you''re proposing to hand them out. I don''t know what the imperium would do if it learned you could manufacture these¡­ but I suspect it wouldn''t be friendly about acquiring them¡­ This¡ªgoes beyond simple artificer¡¯s work lad¡­ well beyond it¡­


    ¡°Their not perfect, you know, there is a learning curve that¡¯s going to require a lot of effort to do anything worthwhile with them. More, if we decide to go through with the idea, then, you and I are going to have to have a conversation about my abilities. I don''t think I can reasonably make many of these as I did the prototypes¡­ too much effort and resources involved. But, suffice to say, Dianna already knows about¡ªwhat I can do¡­ However, she was quick to inform me that it was something that should stay secret outside of those who should be in the know. I, however am of the belief that¡ªthat concept is already not long for the world¡­ With you, there¡¯s going to be four people in the know. Cassie when she undoubtedly is informed, will make five. So, at this point, I¡¯m more or less coming to terms that the whole village is going to know at¡ªsome point in the near future¡­


    Tavir nodded his head, slowly meeting Arthur''s meaningful gaze with solemn understanding. He might not know precisely what the younger man was talking about, but everyone knew how quickly secrets became stories with but the slightest slip of the tongue¡­ Such things were inevitable. A kin to a nature''s storm. No, sometimes the best way to deal with such things was to work on plans to mitigate the fallout or resulting chaos the best one could. And, the way Arthur saw it, pumping his new demon wife with as many powerful cards to act as his point guard was where he was hedging his bets.


    Just then, Tulla bounced between the men, grinning at her uncle while wielding the original large orange multi-tool in her hand, a device Arthur had toyed with before their family dinner, one of the little projects that had lost out against his modular building blocks. Her tongue was sticking out the side of her mouth as she mocked intense concentration, her constructor¡¯s light emanating the beginnings of a dirt sculpture. Within a minute, the girl was smiling proudly as a Tulla-sized two-legged sponge stood before them all¡­ Its presence, build and overall design¡ªsurprisingly detailed in a way that Arthur hadn''t managed to replicate himself¡­


    ¡°Dad¡¯s been letting me play with it since he made it, I''m getting good¡­¡± She stated, words trailing towards something close to a whisper.


    Arthur could only sigh; the sculpture was rather inspired, after all¡­ ¡°The¡ªyoung¡­¡± he began, meeting Tavir¡¯s gaze as the demon raised a brow at the construct, the statue looking as though carved by a proficient journeyman, alien as it''s form was. ¡°Are very often the most¡­ adaptable when it comes to learning new things¡­ How many people are in the village?¡±


    ¡°A little over a few dozen, including the family, but not any children too young to work. There will be more on their way over the next year or so, but given there isn''t much to do out here¡­ those are the number of workers we can bring to bear. It''s mostly just early retirees for now, young or old, but eventually, more soldiers will, in theory, settle the lands as we have.¡±


    ¡°Well, I will leave it to your good discretion then¡­ If you tell me fifty of these is what you can handle, then fifty is what you''ll get. We can have a meeting to go over the exact number and how they work when you please, along with the¡ªissues that surround them. Though, I¡¯ll need a few days to get them all ready once you''ve figured out the numbers, at the earliest if I start working now.¡¯


    ¡°I would appreciate it if you would, my boy¡­ But so far as quantity goes, let us keep it to an even three dozen.¡± The man gave Arthur a meaningful look, conveying in no uncertain terms that he likely wanted to keep such power out of immature hands. After a short glance in Tulla¡¯s direction, he eventually let out an exasperated sigh, clearly giving up on that particular line of reasoning shortly thereafter. Instead, he perked up after clearing his throat, smiling as he returned to the more militant tone he typically carried while conversing. ¡°I think I speak for everyone when I say we are all sick of living in dirty hovels, so it will be all hands on deck, as it were.¡±


    It was two days later before Tavir came to take Arthur to meet the townsfolk. Dianna was still absent¡­ however, she had implied that she would be gone for a week¡­ citing that she needed to¡ªwork off some stress¡­ Arthur hadn''t held it against her¡­ Tulla was a wonderful apprentice who had a strangely beautiful mind for abstract theories utterly alien to her own world. In seemingly no time at all, she was already his better with the multi-tool, and, at this point, all but entertained herself once he¡¯d given her a¡ªspecial project to surprise her mother with. Now, however, Arthur stood beside Tavir and Cassie, Tulla smirking by his legs. Staring out into a small sea of unfamiliar faces that stared back with equal parts curiosity and expectation.


    ¡°This!¡± Tavir announced, placing his hand around Arthur''s shoulder. ¡°Is my new brother in law!¡± Several of the demons present began chuckling at the perceived joke, catcalls and dirty jokes resounding through their gathered numbers in a way that spoke of a brotherly and sisterly bond that had been forged through conflict and survival. Tavir grinned at the lot of them, giving Arthur a small but reassuring squeeze as he waited for them to calm down. Arthur heard no shortage of jokes at his expense, many that were directed at his size when compared to Dianna¡¯s own¡­ which, yeah, you know what, it was hilarious when standing next to her, but he supposed he¡¯d be getting used to existence as a short-king after spending most of his days as a demi-giant. ¡°I know! I know¡­¡± Tavir chuckled, waving the crowd to silence as it naturally petered out, ¡°Yet, ridiculous as it sounds, Dianna has chosen her mate! And, it is this foreigner here, Arthur.¡±


    Whether it was from his tone, or, possibly expression, the bal before them took pause before continuing their more disjointed laughter, seeming to hesitate as they gazed at him in particular with uncertain eyes¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not a joke then?¡± A woman asked, cocking her head as though to get a better look at him. Her face¡ªharsher than Dianna or her sisters, more scared and with a heavier brow that otherwise did not detract from fairly lovely features.


    ¡°No, Liasa, it''s not. She¡¯s quite smitten, in fact! The lad here was too dense to be afraid of her, and, now, she¡¯s officially claimed him! Doesn''t look like much, I admit, but he''s got a large pair of steel ones on him of that there isn''t a question in my mind!¡±


    Silence filled the air for a time as a uniformly perplexed expression could be observed upon every demon''s face. Each one of them appeared to struggle to figure out what it was that the demoness saw in a foreign species.


    ¡°It''s not only his charm that one her over, but his mind as well.¡± Tavir continued, clearing his throat as he did so. ¡°Arthur here hails from a people I¡¯ve come to believe are even more advanced than our own¡ªhowever, due to an unfortunate accident, he¡¯s been transported here with no way back. I''m sure many of you have noticed the strange buildings and smells from his little home a kilometre or so away, as well as the results of our mutual business arrangements. Needless to say, he¡¯s willing to ally with us and even killed a disgusting Tricen to save Tulla¡¯s life! He¡¯s the one who is largely responsible for us gaining a modicum of luxury in our lives again and, I say, one of our own now! And I expect you to treat him as such!¡±


    Nods and shouts of approval were what followed Tavir¡¯s announcement before the quite foreseeable questions began to fly.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one responsible for the supply runs?¡±


    ¡°He is! And he¡¯s promised to help us in a great many ways; one such example is our cooking situation! Arthur here is a master craftsman of a mage that can make low level soul-cards that can-be-improved! One such card he¡¯s working on is a cooking card!¡±


    Murmurs¡­ several bewildered faces and even more skeptical ones whispering and yet trying to figure out if it was all a joke.


    ¡°He¡¯s a master mage?¡±


    ¡°And more! Arthur is a man of many talents, but don''t leave it to my word alone! I understand it''s a lot to try and convince people, so we will present the young Tulla, who will show you what she¡¯s managed to learn under his tutelage in a mere handful of weeks!¡±


    All eyes dropped to the small girl who bravely took a step forwards, holding out her multi-tool as though it were divinely mandated to her. She moved towards an unused and abandoned house that had been too rundown to bother with, her device¡¯s light digitizing the outer stone, the crowd watching in silence as an entire wall was removed in the span of a minute. She turned back around, grinning widely as she flipped the device''s switch and activated the hollow; gasps of surprise sprang out as the intricate interface expanded to surround Tulla, who expertly navigated it to select one of the pre-saved sculptures she was so proud of. Smirking at the crowd, she aimed the tool beside her, holding it steady as the light printed out a life-sized replica of herself made of stone. One that was all too heroic, hands on her hips, wings flared, and a hoof resting upon the head of a deceased Tricen beneath her. It was, if nothing else, an effective display over the sponge that she¡¯d initially desired to show off.


    ¡°Three weeks¡­¡± Tavir repeated calmly. ¡°Three weeks, with this device and my niece has eclipsed all but the greatest sculptors of our imperium¡­ three weeks¡­¡±


    ¡°Tavir, what in skies name is that thing?¡± A man asked, stepping forwards to get a better look at the orange device that Tulla had placed her arm into. The Mrk III of Arthur¡¯s design a little less¡ªretro than his initial vision or the second.


    ¡°It''s what we''re going to use to build ourselves a damned proper home before those inbred bastards in the engineering core even remember were out here two years from now!¡±


    ¡°And, what exactly does it do?¡±


    ¡°Takes resources from one place, stores them, then lets you design how it puts them back together. Easiest way to describe it, trust me on that one, you don''t want to get into the science of it with Arthur if you''re not ready to have your head spinning for hours.¡±


    ¡°Anyone who wants to get used to the process before we begin plans for construction just has to ask!¡± Arthur announced, stepping forward as he did so. Bravery spurred by Tavir¡¯s buttering of the crowd for him. ¡°Tavir¡¯s shown me his drafted plans and I see to reason we can''t get it done if we''re all at it together. There is a skill to it; Tulla admittedly¡¯s gotten better than even me¡­ So, chances are she¡¯ll be a better tutor¡­ but there are limitations! At Tavir¡¯s request, the device will not affect people! Nor will it work on flesh! Things like fur and feathers from already slain animals are okay, however. There¡¯s a finite amount of storage as well, which can be observed. Once full, it will only create things. We are calling it the multi-tool, and I¡¯ve promised Tavir that I¡¯d create a soul card to summon this device for each of you who wishes to participate!¡±


    ¡°Just like that? Tavir, are you serious about this? You know how absurd this all is?¡±


    ¡°It''s progress!¡± Tavir boomed, grinning ear to ear as his voice slammed all those before him with the weight of his authority. ¡°You think money is anything to a man who can create wonders like this? No! Young Arthur is an inventor! He¡¯s seen his new mate¡¯s dire living conditions and chosen to help for nothing else than his capability to do so. So far as Im concerned, for what he¡¯s already done so far, Arthur is family! And, if you let him, he will help us create a home on this worthless fucking rock that can even rival the capitol itself!¡±


    Arthur watched as the small settlements citizens, Cassie and Tavir included, all spread out across the field, most with a multi-tool attached at their wrist. Everyone who was passed their late teens had chosen to participate in some way, with several of those slightly younger being told by parents to sit and watch for the time being while monitoring even younger children. The whole affair turned into a right little pissing match between the ex-soldiers who were trying to outdo each other with their newfound toys.


    Tulla was standing at their head, offering words of encouragement and suggestions, people calling her over to ask questions and figure out where they were going wrong, much to the young girl''s utter delight. She seemed to preen with all the attention, practically fluttering about the grasslands with an air of dignified importance that could give regular smugness an earnest run for its money¡­ As promised, in addition to his inventions, Arthur also handed out fourteen cooking cards, giving one to Cassie, Tavir and Tulla as well, not having bothered to make the last one for Dianna as Arthur had a feeling it¡ªwasn''t up her alley. Which was perfectly alright with him; honestly, there was no greater infuriation he could suffer than having to share his kitchen with another person¡­ He¡¯d rather not cook a thing at that point if he must endure battling for space whilst making something.


    The suspicion and well-contained hostility quickly evaporated to good cheer and comradery once the town realized how generous Arthur was being and that he was, in fact, not a charlatan who had somehow bewitched their old commander. Over the next several days, the town split into several organized parties, moving about their business with an industrious order that even Germans would have been proud of. They carried about their tasks with militant focus and determination, each group doing their part with outright enthusiasm and, in many cases, almost savage competitiveness. He suspected that he, too, would act in much the same manner with a rapidly elating moot that had overtaken the dreary inhabitants¡­ Not to mention the promise of once more living in a real home. There were problems, of course, issues mainly stemming from his ability to actually manufacture anything of such complexity within an even modest amount of time. S-sadly, he¡¯d needed to sacrifice all his budding collection of tools, his energy blade, hell, even the damned speakers just to get the second prototype to manifest! And then, both older ones to make the Mrk-III. Leaving only his drones for defence. On its own, and with Arthur and Tulla tossing grass at the thing like crazy people, the measured rate at which one such device pulled in the ambient magic felt as though it might take entire months to complete any additionals using his bullshit transmutation¡­


    That was when he¡¯d had the genius idea to simply make a soul-card for it. Still, even that wasn''t without flaws. Though the card had taken on the original''s abilities with near perfection, it did so with staggering limitations by way of capacity and finite detail. This, of course, could be subverted through the simple act of upgrading the card, but it did serve to compound the village''s problems rather than solve them outright. Still, once the concept in itself was understood, everyone universally agreed it was brilliant and more than workable despite any hiccups along the way¡ªbesides, there were already plans in the works to solve the dilemma of card rank.


    ¡°Love these little things, Art!¡± Kilk, a wirey, red-haired and bright-eyed bal exclaimed, patting Arthur on the shoulder as he moved beside him, the man activating the hologram as it bloomed around them, expanding and offering a life-sized canvas for the design team to work with. ¡°Going to design me a proper bed on the off hours, fire-goose down feathers, ice-worm silk sheets, the whole package! Bunch of us heading into the labyrinth to go hunting for some right and proper materials to make it happen!¡±


    ¡°Bring me back enough to make my own? I¡¯ve been¡ªbanned from the labyrinth,¡± Arthur admitted, wincing slightly even as he said it, ¡°and I''m not sure I want to test the woman who will enforce it¡­¡±


    ¡°Ha! No, you really don''t, mate¡­ Don''t worry, Liasa, Barthamalu, Jade and I have your back, brother-man! You''ll need something especially soft, else Dianna¡¯s liable to break you¡­¡±


    ¡°I''ve been¡­ told that by a frankly disturbing amount of people¡­¡± Arthur commented, tongue clicking with masked concern.  ¡°M-man to man, is it something I actually have to worry about?¡±


    Kilk only grinned at him, an almost pitying look offered by his mate Jade, who appeared as though she might be delivering him an actual prayer.


    ¡°Seriously though,¡± he chuckled nervously, ¡°should I be trying to get ahold of some body-enhancing cards or something?¡±


    ¡°Honestly?¡± Kilk asked, his easy smile falling away. ¡°That, and, maybe, remind her to be¡ªgentle¡­¡±


    Jade couldn''t help it; she snorted, earning several chuckles from those around them.


    ¡°You know, It''s really hard to know if everyone''s just messing with me or not¡­¡±


    ¡°Heard she almost killed you when you first met her, even after saving Tulla,¡± Liasa commented, passing their small group by with a basket of food in her arms.


    ¡°Bal fuck like we fight Arthur were a passionate and depraved people¡­ Can''t ever say you''re not a brave bastard, but you''re in for a world of pain if you think it''s going to be all lovey-dovey.¡±


    ¡°Don''t let them scare you, Art¡­¡± Jade cued, her palm rubbing at her man¡¯s rear, ¡°We women can speak for ourselves when we say lovey-dovey is as good as wrestling or venom-play.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ venom-play?¡±


    "Oh! That¡¯s a fun one!¡± Kilk laughed, though he earned himself a sharp look from his wife, who answered the question while the younger man couldn''t stop himself from laughing.


    ¡°Tips of our tails have venom, as do the fangs if you develop the metamorphosis far enough. Shows up around the later stages of bronze if you get there, which Dianna has. We can dilute it ourselves so it''s not much more than a mild paralysis, can make things fun when it all gets a bit rough, but also can¡ªkill if necessary¡­ though that''s usually just in a fight¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoever gets bit enough loses and stays on the bottom.¡± Barthalmu offered, his cheery and upbeat voice resounding through the air as he lazily shrugged at Arthur while fussing with his pack.


    Wrapping her wing around her man, Jade, a slightly larger specimen than her own husband, added, ¡°Kilk doesn''t win that much, in case you were wondering.¡±


    ¡°I win plenty!¡± The man scoffed, raising his chin in defiance of her claim. ¡°I just know it means more to you, so I roll over and show my belly.¡±


    Liasa, the shortest of the group and also the oldest, though not by any significant margin, rolled her eyes, glaring at her fellow bal with fake annoyance. ¡°Honestly, Arthur, you don''t need to listen to what they''re saying. Anyone as good as Dianna knows their own strength and how to regulate it; you won''t be in any real danger so long as your honest with what you can do.¡±


    ¡°And what can you do?¡± A nearby man asked, Arthur recognizing him as Zog, a massive bal who was nearly twice the width of any other.


    ¡°My people are more skilled than brutishly strong for sure¡­ Hurts the pride to admit it, but unarmed, Dianna was under the impression that Tulla might even get the better of me¡­¡±


    ¡°That weak?¡± Liasa grimaced, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I mean, the girl is a monster¡­¡± Kilk murmured, though it sounded more like he were trying to reassure his new alien friend.


    Arthur only shrugged. ¡°Doesn''t mean we''re not dangerous in our own right; Dianna and I almost killed each other before we sort of started¡ªhitting it off¡­¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a love story if I¡¯ve ever heard of one¡­¡± Kilk chimed right back, his wide grin displaying his impressively sharp teeth. ¡°Many a bal surprise has been born from the very circumstance you described¡­ Nothing like a little danger to get the old heart racing, if you know what I mean!¡±


    Changing the subject, Arthur looked around, noting that the four demons that were intending to challenge the labyrinth who had all gathered together¡­ Jade and Kilk, two of Tavir¡¯s best soldiers, despite their age, would be, once more, leading the expedition. After that, it was Barthalamu and Liasa, neither of which were involved with each other but, as all the soldiers seemed to be, were bonded all the same¡­ ¡°You lot sure that only taking two portal cards is a good idea?¡±


    Liasa nodded her head fervently, freely speaking for the rest of her group with an open smile. ¡°Two¡¯s already pushing the bounds of caution and paranoia. Everything we''re looking for is on the first two floors anyway. Not much there that will surprise any of us, and we¡¯ll make sure it isn''t advertised what we''re about with the multi¡¯s. Nobody will learn our secrets, even if we have to die protecting them.¡±


    ¡°Or silence somebody who gets too close¡­¡± Jade whispered, those around her taking on hardened expressions at her words, the atmosphere around the small group growing¡ªtense as Arthur nodded his head¡­


    ¡°I told you the younger pups of my command would jump at the opportunity to freely visit the labyrinth!¡± A booming and spirited voice rang out from behind, Arthur turning to eye an approaching Tavir, who waved when seen. Now that the settlement had some real life flowing through it, the man practically sparkled wherever he went.


    ¡°Damned right we are! Chance to get a real home again or not, I never thought life after the legions would be so¡ªboring¡­ I miss the fighting¡­¡± Kilk laughed, good humour refilling the young soldier''s demeanour.


    ¡°Here-here!¡± Tavir cheered, ¡°Just remember, kids, your not going down there for your own sakes alone, your going down so your comrades can finally have a damned comfortable place to rest again! When all the injured of the century can finally make the journey here, I want to be sure they don''t languish in misery as we¡¯ve had to endure. You have the list?¡± All of them nodded their heads, Jade reaching into her pack to retrieve a scroll with an itemized waterfall of goods Tavir wanted them to procure, along with the priority each one held in his mind. ¡°Don''t forget.¡± He added a moment later with a prideful gleam in his eye. ¡°No risks, no chances, calm and cool. Do what you will with one card in five that you find, but keep the rest of them for your fellows back home. They''ll be working as hard as you are, and we need these multi-tools more powerful than they already are if were to do much more than start stockpiling resources!¡±


    The group saluted Tavir, who, in turn, nodded his dismissal, none of them technically still in the legions, but, all finding old habits to die hard.


    ¡°How many men do centurions have in their command at full strength?¡± Arthur asked once the small squadron had departed, the question having been rattling around in his head for some time now.


    ¡°Century has a hundred men. Ninety fighting men and women and ten officers, the centurion included. Each such force also has two more like it as Auxiliaries that perform all manner of tasks from triage, subterfuge, scouting and accounting, among many other duties. If you''re wondering why we''re so few, then it''s because we''re all that''s left¡­ or, were half of what''s left.¡± The old bal sighed, straightening his spine, even as his eyes grew distant with memories. ¡°Tricen put up a real show at their capital, but we raised it to the fucking ground all the same. I swear, we slaughtered ten for every soldier that was wounded¡­ The rest of my command are recovering injured that couldn''t yet settle without proper medical care; most will likely make the journey here once they''ve recovered, but I won''t hold it against them if they don''t, life as it so often does, changes one''s plans on its whims¡­ Thankfully, command saw fit to reward those who took the blighted city with honourable discharges for all; war¡¯s supposedly nearly over anyways, so it''s not like it wasn''t already on the horizon.¡±


    ¡°So, this land then¡­ Is it yours personally or shared with your men?¡±


    ¡°Shared! I¡¯ve heard of the concept of individual land ownership, but in the imperium, the state is who truly owns the ground, and its people have a right to live where they choose to. It''s more apt to say that I was appointed a sort of¡ªgovernorship of this region, for whatever it''s worth as it is, but if you''re worried about taxes, then rest assured, our government does not penny-pinch its citizens before they are established. We won''t owe a thing on what we produce or possess until a year¡¯s time after the imperial engineers build a proper roadway out here and discover their work to construct us a real settlement is already done!¡±


    ¡°Are there¡­ internal wars among your kind, between different governed states?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tavir murmured, tone taking on a darker cast, ¡°it happens, but such things must be conducted within the bounds of imperial law! It''s oftentimes a final resort when differences, for whatever reason, simply cannot be overcome, and both populous mutually agree to sort it out on the field of battle¡­ We are not above our own instances of internal slaughter Arthur, but neither are we beyond good sense. Normally, before things get to that point, the people will elect a champion to battle upon their behalf in such matter, the dual deciding the winner of any given disagreement.¡±


    ¡°That sort of policy has been explored quite a bit in my homeland, but never really enacted on a large enough scale¡­ Is it effective at keeping internal conflict to a minimum?¡±


    ¡°Depends who you ask,¡± Tavir replied with a crooked grin. ¡°Politics, my dear boy¡­ politics¡­ If you invite any rational man or woman, they''ll tell you yes, it does work, which is why we only have a small handful of internal wars a year! But, if you ask those who would like nothing more than to swing their territory''s weight about after they''ve absorbed a few states, then the answer changes¡­ Governors were never meant to be able to manage more than a single city, but, as of late, there have been some radical policy alterations from the homeland that, for the past few years, have allowed settlements to expand beyond their traditional borders¡­¡±


    ¡°It sounds as if someone is trying to create a monarchy¡­ or at least a ruling caste of nobles and oligarchs¡­¡±


    The old soldier eyed him sideways, taking his measure before nodding his agreement. ¡°You''re not wrong; that''s exactly the sentiment that many of my countrymen feel. It''s why, Arthur, I¡¯ve taken so quickly to your radical inventions. Truly, I fear for the longevity of the imperium as she currently stands, but I lack the power nor influence to do else but watch it all unravel¡­ I love her to death, but we''re getting large Arthur¡ªsome say too large¡­ And, there''s has been a stint of favouritism through our upper ranks that reeks of corruption and nepotism. Though I hate to speak ill will of the legions, as it stands, I can''t help but think if a veteran general were still  leading our efforts on this world, it would have already been properly conquered.¡±


    ¡°Greed¡­ It''s been the killer of countless empires in my lands¡­ Soft men who don''t know what it''s like to do without in life, making policy without really knowing or understanding what life is like below their lofty towers in the clouds.¡±


    ¡°Well said, lad, well said. Truly, I couldn''t agree more. However, at least for now, all I can do is do my best to make sure those I love are prepared for what''s to come¡­ for better or worse.¡±


    Arthur nodded at that, the conversation slipping to companionable silence for a time as both men, one human and one bal, watched as the villagers muddled through their work, each with a contemplative expression formed on their faces. Eventually, duty called one of them away while responsibility did the other¡­ Tulla might have had the day off of her studies as her primary tutor, Cassie, had been busy with the multi-tool, yet Arthur felt he had a certain¡ªobligation towards the young girl that extended beyond the bounds of merely letting her play as she so wished. If he was going to be a father, which was admittedly strange given he was only in his mid-twenties, edge of the spectrum or not, Arthur intended to ensure that Tulla exercised the rather bright intelligence he knew watched behind her eyes. He had plans, such glorious plans, and, best of all for the both of them, he needn''t be burdened by the restrictions of physics nor regulations towards safety to¡ªteach his daughter how fun learning could really be.

 If you aint cheating...

    Chapter 10


    Tulla sat at the table with her father, frowning. This wasn''t because she¡¯d been forced into a task that wasn''t interesting to her¡ªin fact, it was actually quite the opposite, which was why she was staring at Arthur with a curious set of emotions. When he¡¯d said he wanted to take part in her studies, Tulla had assumed said time spent with him would be as much of a slog as it was with her aunt¡­ Endless repetition, boring chalkboard lessons, Cassandra¡¯s monotonous and clinical explanations all but causing her to doze off¡­ She¡¯d, of course, agreed to sit down with Arthur and¡ªendure whatever she¡¯d assumed he and her aunt had cooked up for her mainly because she didn''t want him to think her¡ªdifficult¡­ She knew she had something of a reputation, admittedly earned, and could get a little snarly from time to time when people tried forcing her to sit and learn, yet part of her desperately wanted the strange man to like her¡­ She¡¯d never had a father figure before, not really¡­ sure, there was her uncle and the many men in the village, but there had been none who had engaged her quite like her new dad did. None who treated her as though she were more than just a stupid little kid¡­ She could tell he knew she was smart, and while others might have suspected the same or knew so, that fact was rarely reflected in how she was treated¡­


    Tulla had never fit in with children of her own age¡­ she was larger, stronger, faster and yes, quicker in a more cognitive sense¡­ that had left her in a strange scenario where she¡¯d loathed others of her age but had never been taken seriously enough to be tolerated by her seniors¡­ Even if she could knock most teenagers on their asses, they only ever saw her as the little gremlin. Now, however, the young girl felt flabbergasted as she stared at the squishy and tanned man who sat across from her with an almost¡ªblank expression.


    ¡°Do you¡­ not know? It''s okay if you don''t, we can¡ª¡±


    ¡°The answer is thirty-four.¡± Tulla interrupted, shaking herself from a small fit of surprise before Arthur smiled at her, leaning back in his chair with a grin.


    ¡°Alright, nine times eight?¡±


    ¡°Seventy-two.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-one divided by three.?"


    ¡°Seven,¡± Tulla answered, crossing her arms and lifting her chin as she stared down at her father¡¯s question with contemptuous confidence.


    ¡°Alright, you''re quick, but I had a feeling you¡¯d be. Okay, let''s get a little tougher. Fourteen divided by four.¡±


    Tulla¡ªblinked for a moment, mind whirling as she broke the problem down in her head. Her brow crinkled for a second or two in thought, but shortly after, she solved it, face brightening in triumph! ¡°Three and a half.¡±


    ¡°Very good¡­ very good. For your age, you¡¯re nailing math¡­ Awesome, so you''ve got the basics of most of what I think we might deal with¡­ cha-cha-cha¡­ what about fractions? You know what one-eighth is?¡±


    ¡°Half a quarter.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. I hereby proclaim you smart enough to pass remedial high school math in my homeland, which, so far as I''m concerned, means you''ll probably grasp enough of what I''m going to start messing with to not get either of us destroyed.¡±


    That was an interesting way to¡ªphrase things¡­ Tulla had heard her father talk about his people from time to time, and, as she understood it, this high school was a tier of formal education that was a prerequisite for more education. That was a depressing thought in of itself¡­ yet the allure that what her father intended to show her was dangerous and that he was worried she might cause him or herself harm in its ongoings was¡ªdelightfully intriguing¡­ This was why she loved her new dad; without a doubt, he had something ambitious up his sleeve¡­ In response to his compliment, she couldn''t help but lean herself in just a little closer to him, eyes narrowing on his face as she offered him her complete attention.


    Arthur smiled at her clear interest, chuckling slightly as he leaned back in his chair, taking on a thoughtful countenance as he began to ramble aloud as though also speaking to himself. ¡°With your mother gone and your aunt and uncle handling the construction now that everyone''s gotten into the flow of things, I intend to start working on some¡ªpet projects I¡¯ve had rattling around in my head for a while. Some not entirely unrelated to you''re mom''s special gift.¡±


    Tulla nodded, already following along with his intentions, if not the reason behind the brief quizzing. She looked¡ªeager, expectant and excited, practically vibrating in her seat as her gaze remained fixated on his person.


    ¡°Honestly,¡± He continued, smiling at her clear devotion to keeping herself focused as he spoke, ¡°I didn''t expect everyone to take to the multi¡¯s as quickly as they did, but I have lost three days since work started and, I sort of wanted to get this all finished up before Dianna got back¡­ So, I am commandeering you as my assistant until she returns. Don''t worry, I¡¯ll talk to Cassandra about your lessons¡­ If you''ve got fractions, multiplication and division down, I doubt anything else she¡¯s got for you over the next four days will be that important¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been teaching me magic,¡± Tulla complained, her tone simultaneously exasperated and despairing¡­ and all of it seemingly despite the fact that what she¡¯d just said wasn''t something that anyone in their right mind wouldn¡¯t be ecstatic over!


    Her father seemed to lose himself for a moment, just¡ªstaring at her as though she were some strange pair of eyes in the darkness he didn''t know what to make of before opening his mouth with a decidedly confused drawl to his words. ¡°You¡¯re¡ªdispleased that she¡¯s teaching you¡ªactual magic?¡±


    Tulla huffed, folding her arms with a scowl in response¡­ ¡°It''s not real magic; I''m stuck learning the basics, and it''s so slow! I have to do shaping exercises over and over again, day after day! All I do is change a handful of rocks into the shape of cubes and then triangles, then spheres! I do that for three hours, then start doing the same with water, then fire¡­ Yes, at first I thought it was really cool, but I¡¯ve been learning the same exercises for months! Do you even know how boring that is?¡±


    To her immense suspicion, her father merely nodded, not giving his thoughts away. Sadly, neither did he look at all as though he were surprised, or sympathetic to her plight. Still, he didn''t ask her to start moulding rocks like her aunt so often did; thankfully, instead, he asked her another question, and, one that caught her slightly by surprise.


    ¡°What about runecrafting? Transmutation? summoning?¡±


    Again, Tulla¡¯s eyes narrowed, though she didn''t feel the need to lie to Arthur or stretch the truth of her knowledge as though to prove herself¡­ she already knew he wasn''t somebody she could so easily fool. Sneak up on, sure! Convince with a little bit of glittering eyes and a pout, maybe, but not when it came to things he might know more about than she did herself¡­ ¡°Auntie¡ªCass might know about rune crafting, and I know she can transmute but¡­ she hasn''t taught me¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Why not? Why not! Tulla had been asking that exact same question for months! Why not teach her something other than shaping exercises? Why not let her try? And, like that, the young bal was sold. She knew Arthur had a scheme when that twinkle in his gaze sparkled like the stars he¡¯d shown her from his world¡­


    ¡°Do you know what cheating is, Tulla?¡± Arthur continued on a moment later after he¡¯d realized she hadn''t had a response for him, standing up and clasping both hands behind his back as he took on a¡ªprofessorly tone.


    ¡°Cheating is¡ªdoing something wrong to get ahead, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, more or less, though, I want to impart a little bit of wisdom on you that I¡¯ve learned and wish I¡¯d been told when I was your age. Cheating is only frowned upon because those who do it the real cheaters who are at the very top, don''t want everyone else below them to do as they do. Where I come from, people who cheat are almost always universally the individuals with the most money, the most power¡­ They own the most things, they live the fancies lives, and they make the rules that they themselves know how to subvert to ensure that they remain at the top of the pecking order. Cheating isn''t necessarily a bad thing, though; it can get a little morally ambiguous in certain regards. You grew up around an army, right? Let me ask you this: if you knew your mom was going into battle, how many soldiers would you want on her side? The same amount as the people she¡¯s going to fight? Or triple their number?¡±


    ¡°That''s dumb.¡± Tulla couldn''t help but blurt, scowling at her father as she answered with earnest truth. ¡°Obviously, more soldiers are better.¡±


    ¡°Not a fair way to do things, though, wouldn''t you agree?¡±


    ¡°War¡¯s not supposed to be fair; uncle Tavir says that all the time. The whole point is to make it as unfair for your enemies as possible, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Well, you''re not wrong.¡± Arthur smiled, though it was a¡ªsparing thing. ¡°War isn''t fair, and neither is life. But, the point I''m trying to make, Tulla, is that while cheating can be a good thing, it is something that needs to be done so in moderation, especially when it''s conducted on a more individualised level. Cheating others, for example, is dangerous. If a merchant is disingenuous with his prices, he risks his customers leaving him for better prospects or, possibly worse, if those he wronged take a more personal offence to his duplicity. If a kingdom invades another without warning, they are subject not only to the consequences of their actions should their invasion be repulsed but, also of their peers who might take note of their schemes. At that point, the odds that they will treat the kingdom in question with any sense of honour dissipates rather entirely, leaving them open and vulnerable. Cheating is a tool. One to be wielded with care and caution. It can backfire easily as it can succeed, and though it is quite effective as a rule, it can have dire consequences that very seldom can be easily mitigated. The point I am trying to make is that cheating, effective as it is, can''t always replace what it aims to circumvent, but it can be a stepping stool towards achieving it. Caution and care, Tulla. Please, I want you to remember those two words while we cheat our way through learning magic¡ªtogether.¡±


    Tulla was uncertain as her father''s gaze intensified on her, the young girl feeling as though his eyes carried with them a weight and consequence that pushed her deeper into the chair, crushing any sense of aloof arrogance she might have held towards the day and, replacing it with a sombre and reserved caution. Ultimately, she nodded, sensing his warning for what it was, and, knowing what she did about her dad, deciding to take it all to heart¡­ She¡¯d seen him¡ªdo things that she knew wasn''t¡ªnormal¡­ He broke the laws of magic with impunity on a near daily basis; he¡ªcheated, just as he¡¯d explained, made things that not only shouldn''t exist but¡ªcouldn''t by more academic understandings, and all of this while admitting he knew next to nothing about the arcane¡­ Tulla didn''t know what it was they were about to¡ªcircumvent as he¡¯d explained it, but for Arthur to seem so serious about breaking the rules, Tulla knew this wasn''t going to be a game¡­


    Then, Arthur moved around the table, walking to her side before kneeling down until they were eye to eye. He held her gaze for several seconds, bright blue orbs sparkling amidst a sea of white, watching her, considering her¡­ ¡°I''m going to need you to also promise you won''t tell anyone about this but your mother. Not Tavir, not Cassie, nobody from the village¡­ only your mom, no slip-ups like the portal¡­ Honestly, I think you can handle this, but I''m not ready for it to go further than it being our secret. Can I count on you?¡±


    Tulla didn''t need to answer with words, she was already nodding her head emphatically the moment after her father had finished speaking. Whatever it was, she was ready. Nobody had ever given her this much responsibility, the weight of Arthur''s secret feeling like an anvil atop her nerves as the gravitas of the mood stole away any sense of childish whimsy she might have held. Her father merely smiled, standing back up before gesturing to the table, Tulla following his outstretched hand as she watched something¡ªappear in the air. It was dark, a void-like sphere of absolute nothingness that penetrated the world for the briefest of moments as it grew larger before her; then, it was gone, blinking out so quickly that Tulla couldn''t have been certain it was ever there¡­ Yet, in its place, had appeared a¡ªbook of truly colossal proportions. The table seemed to creek under the strain of its weight, the cover thick and of heavy leather, pages old and weathered, stacked so high within that it had to be as tall as both of her fists! She¡¯d never seen a book so¡ªbig before! The rectangle of its shape was utterly absurd so that each page was probably thrice bigger than one of Arthur¡¯s dinner plates¡­


    She looked on in awe, simply staring at the strange tomb with an almost reverent silence¡­ Books were expensive things, delicate and rare outside of cities¡­ Though not irregular, paper was often considered too extravagant a commodity to waste where scrolls or chalk performed adequately enough, and those examples she had seen weren''t anything like what her father had just¡ªsummoned into existence¡­


    ¡°Is it a book on magic?¡± She asked, not taking her eyes off the mystifying object, wanting to so desperately touch it, but afraid that she¡¯d somehow ruin it¡­¡±


    ¡°It''s a book about runecrafting, more specifically, one that will teach you runecrafting.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The young girl replied, a tinge of despair entering her voice to mix with the excitement and amazement. ¡°This will¡ªtake a long time to read together¡­ won''t it?¡±


    ¡°Ha! I bet it would! But, Tulla, what if I told you I already know everything in that book, even mastered it! And all in a single afternoon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say you were lying.¡± Tulla deadpanned, giving her dad a flat look that let him know exactly how she felt about his joke.


    ¡°Yes, well, maybe if we did things the normal way for most people, but remember, I told you we were going to cheat. Tell me, have you ever heard of something called a skill book?¡±


    ¡°Nooooo¡­¡± Tulla drawled, furrowing her brow at the odd combination of words. Skills had absolutely nothing to do with books¡­ or, so she¡¯d always assumed¡­ After all, books were knowledge in the written form; they recorded things and taught you things, while skills were¡ªskills. They were things that people¡ªdeveloped, learned yes, but not from paper and ink¡­ The more she thought on it, the less the phrase made sense in her mind until she¡¯d nearly made herself cross-eyed from the strain of it¡­


    ¡°I know, and I doubted it was something anyone from this world had heard of¡­ but maybe it''s just better if we move right along. Now, Tulla, do you trust me?¡±


    She¡ªnodded, though the action was hesitant¡­ Under more normalized circumstances, she did¡­ He had saved her life after all, fed her, bathed her, been a caregiver for her, no matter how short that span may have been¡­ yet, this was a little different¡­ and she could sense it. All the same, resolve set into her gaze as she reassured herself that Arthur wouldn''t do her wrong¡­ So, she nodded again when he seemed unconvinced, this time allowing her conviction to bleed through her expression until his own head bobbed with slow acceptance.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I am glad that you seem to be taking this seriously. It''s an encouraging thing to see.¡± Her father took a breath, standing back up and placing a hand on the table right near the tomb, his expression¡ªcomplicated as he seemed to consider his words. ¡°I¡ªwon''t lie to you, Tulla, when I did this, comfortable wouldn''t have been the word I¡¯d use to describe the experience¡­ It''s like¡ªhaving your mind forcefully invaded with knowledge that just crams itself inside¡­ I wouldn''t call it painful per se, but I want you to understand what will likely be coming so it won''t surprise you. Panic is the enemy of rational sense and success. Remember, I will be with you the whole time, right here¡­¡± He looked at her hard, watching her thoughts as they altered her expression, analyzing her as though trying to decide if he¡¯d even let her continue¡­


    Tulla wasn''t to be intimidated. She¡¯d had a rough childhood; even she knew that. Seldom as it was, when her family spoke of the days spent back in lavish cities, running around cobbled streets surrounded by towering walls and patrolling guardsmen, she¡¯d often wondered how other children would even know how to survive once they grew up. Being raised in the legions was a harsh life. One filled with danger and ever-encroaching peril. No, she wasn''t scared! She¡¯d faced the Tricen! She¡¯d held a spear in both hands and drilled until she could barely stand¡­ Tulla wasn''t a child anymore; she hadn''t been since her survival training had started. Compared to being left in the wild for several days with nothing but slim rations, a sturdy spear and a camping set, a book wasn''t nearly so intimidating.


    Whatever it was that her father saw on her face while she¡¯d delved into memory, it had galvanized his own decision, and his lips shifted into that of a gentle grin, a hand reaching out to ruffle her hair as he said, ¡°Right, knew you¡¯d be ready for it kiddo. Now, the how is simple. All you need to do is place your hand on the first page, palm flat, and wait; you''ll know when it happens¡­ but, remember, don''t lift your hand, whatever you do or we''re going to have to wait another day to try this again.¡±


    Tulla merely set her jaw with determination, eyes hardening with confidence as she boldly flipped open the massive tomb¡¯s cover and only hesitating for the briefest of moments, pressed her hand onto the first page.


    For the first few seconds, Tulla sat there, expectant, waiting for the influx her father had described, then frowned when nothing happened¡­ She was about to ask Arthur if she was doing it right when it hit her¡­ An immensity of pressure, not the sort to cause migraines or a bleeding nose, but¡­ well, memories weren''t quite the way she¡¯d describe it¡­ The sensation was¡ªodd, not painful, but neither was it¡ªpleasant. Something was forcing its way into her thoughts, muddling her consciousness as she felt herself fade for a heartbeat, the world growing dark at the edges of her gaze.


    It had a sort of¡ªbuoyancy about it, though, more akin to her being the water while the weird thoughts that weren''t quite her own were pushed into a lake that had to make room for more information than was already there. Yet, before long, the haze of befuddling confusion faded, and Tulla was left dumbstruck, sitting there, hand still on the page, but, as the seconds passed and she regained the faculties of her mind, the young girl realized she¡ªunderstood! She looked down, pulling her hand away from the book with slow reverence as it seemed to¡ªdissipate into motes of brilliant light, her eyes blinking away the odd sensations as the largest grin she¡¯d ever felt on her face bloomed into existence!


    It was nearly dark when Arthur stood from where he¡¯d been bent over double, his back aching some from being hunched, watching as Tulla applied the finishing touches to the¡ªprototype of his¡ªno, their little project. Sure enough, she had it, and even now, the bubbles looked¡ªinviting. His back popped a few satisfying times as he stretched, more than pleased with their progress through the day, but chiding himself slightly as he peered up towards the sky, noting how the clouds sat amidst a sea of dissipating orange¡­ They¡¯d been at it for hours, and the time had slipped by at a considerable pace¡­


    ¡°We''re going to need the original multi for the structure¡­ personally, I''m partial to marble myself, and the whole Grecko-Roman vibe sort of¡ªfits with the Imperium thing¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Greko-Roman?¡± Tulla inquired, pushing herself back from kneeling over the network and sitting back on her bottom, looking up at Arthur with a questioning brow.


    ¡°Two very old cultures of my people. Both were quite large for their time and powerful. Coincidently, the translation card uses the same words for their ancient armed forces and your own, so the crossover was easy to make in my mind. But don''t sweat it on the details; all I need you to do is the basic construction as we talked about, and I can add in the details that overlap¡­ And, since we can''t really deal with both projects at the same time, we¡¯ll just work on it together.¡± Arthur bit at his lip as Tulla let out a large yawn, offering a dazzling display of her many sharp teeth and oddly too-long tongue that, at least, by human standards. It stretched to its full length while her maw nearly unhinged, the thin pink muscle oddly wiggling. Still, he shook himself from thoughts of how they spoke so well as he recalled that they¡ªdidn''t, at least not his language, and moved on to another issue he had to deal with. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªgetting late, Tulla, we can keep going in the morning. You need to get to bed if you''re going to have a decent night''s rest at this point¡­ and only an hour of cartoons, understand?¡±


    ¡°Mmmmhhhmmm¡­¡± The young bal replied, the entire weight of her accumulated mental fatigue settling in as she tried to stand and, wobbled on her hooves. It was too cute¡­


    Arthur reached down and swept her up as she leaned into him, arms, tail and wings wrapping around his back as he took her to the camper, tucking her into pre-warmed blankets and giving her a small kiss on the forehead. The girl seemed to luxuriate in the attention, writhing with earnest glee as she smiled brightly at him and shuffled her way deeper into the bed.


    ¡°One hour.¡± He reiterated, giving her his best stern look. ¡°And, you remember what to do if anything tries to come into the trailer while I''m gone?¡±


    ¡°Portal card.¡± Tulla parroted, yawning again as she reached over for the tablet to start sifting through the myriad of shows stored on the computer.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± Arthur sighed, turning around to head back outside. ¡°I don''t know how long I¡¯ll be gone, but I can''t imagine it¡¯s gonna be super late when I get back¡­¡±


    His newly adopted daughter bobbed her head in understanding, losing interest in the conversation as her mind seemed to slip, even as she was perusing her beloved cartoons. The sight made him smile; it was nice to see the girl so happy¡­


    Arthur locked the camper door once he was outside, tinting the windows from his phone until they were too dark to see into. Briefly, he considered simply¡ªwalking to the village on his own but reconsidered after giving it a second thought. Sure, he¡¯d probably be fine, but if the worst happened, then Tulla would be alone and potentially in danger¡­ He had no idea when Dianna was actually planning to come back at this point, her alleged brief stint into the labyrinth having come off as though she were going on a vacation, sure but that had seemingly been extended from the initial quote¡­ Well, if anything else, the honest notion that she felt comfortable leaving her daughter in his hands for an extended period of time was¡ªtouching¡­


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    Cracking his neck, Arthur reached deeply into himself, feeling that not-at-all-familiar reserve of inner power he¡¯d never known to ever be there before coming to this strange new world. With a lopsided grin and weary shake of his head, Arthur pulled upon his reserve of what he was tentatively calling mana and forced a portal into existence between two points of reality that he envisioned in his mind. The world exploded with swirling oily colours before his very eyes, a rippling vortex of power emerging as the universe was torn, then reunited to his will!


    The anomaly set against the stone rectangle he¡¯d built partially into the earth twisted, then came into focus as the gateway secured its connection, solidifying the image he was still unused to. Arthur stepped through the dimensional rift a heartbeat later and promptly allowed the connection to fade after reaching his destination. Portals had been easy once he¡¯d learned how to, as he had explained it to Tulla, cheat magic, and, now unbeknownst to even the villagers, Arthur could travel entire kilometres in a single moment. Granted, he felt drained afterwards, and a distance of any true considerable margin was¡ªproblematic, but the short travel from his RV to the quiet little spot outside of the settlement was easy enough to handle. He¡¯d have to talk to Cassandra about those shaping exercises she¡¯d been working on with Tulla so he could better train his mind to handle the magical strain on his brain¡­ As it was, and, much to her utter delight, his daughter was simply better at magic than he was by virtue of sheer capacity that she could withstand¡­ and, therein lay the problem with how he was going about it all.


    Arthur didn''t really understand the forces he was playing with. Oh sure, he could make some general leaps of faith thanks to humanity''s apparent tendency to¡ªget a surprisingly sizable chunk of all this fantasy lunacy right, but they were exactly that, leaps of faith. Magic, just as any other form of professional study involving minute detail, was a science. And, while Arthur could cook a meal, spice it to his high standards, heat it until he knew it was the perfect temperature to serve, he could not explain the¡ªfine details of what was happening to the meat on a molecular scale, at least, not with any confidence towards holding a conversation with someone who did really know the nitty-gritty of it all. Yes, Arthur could make portals and design runes with the aid of skill books, but what was magic on a fundamental level?


    Why were some forms of the art harder to control than others, what were the accepted doctrines that could categorize it? He had a¡ªgreat number of questions he wanted answered; however, he wasn''t sure how to go about having that done without¡ªcausing issues. By now, he was fairly certain he could trust Dianna and Tulla, Tavir and Cassie as well, but¡­ he honestly didn''t know many of the other inhabitants of the settlement that well. Sure, Tavir had sort of told everyone he could make soul cards, but quite frankly, it hadn''t come off as such an enormous deal. Apparently, Dianna hadn''t been kidding about not knowing much about magic, as she¡¯d actually gotten quite a few things wrong. People could make soul cards that could level; it was just that such techniques weren''t known to the bal themselves. It was a fey practice, which definitely made him valuable, but there were known fey within the imperium with some degree of the capabilities in question; thus, while special, he wasn''t unique. But, as to whether their power was exactly like his own, nobody really could say for more¡ªobvious reasons¡­


    Honestly, he was more or less stuck trying to figure out if he wanted to come clean with the older Bal woman who he understood knew magic quite well, and again, in her own right, absent any soul cards of course, or if he wanted to wait until Dianna came back to move forwards with all the protection she offered. Helping the bal to actually make something of their rather¡ªdepressing little settlement was one thing, but Arthur¡¯s bleeding heart only extended so far¡­ He¡ªliked Cassie and Tavir and all the others he¡¯d met, but Arthur didn''t work for them; he wasn''t their slave and, more than that, had plans to ensure his sovereignty going forward rather than remaining beholden to his host''s good graces.


    Dianna had been a step towards that. Sure, there were burgeoning feelings there as well, but Arthur wasn''t so smitten to be blinded by love alone. No, they both were getting something they wanted from their impromptu relationship. And, given that she seemed to be the badest thing around, Arthur had felt a certain¡ªimmunity since it had been made common knowledge that they were together, which was refreshingly reassuring to his survival. One that also existed beyond the general orders of Tavir to his people¡­ That said, he wasn''t without his own lingering fears¡­ yes, Dianna was strong; her having lifted him up by a single hand without appearing to strain in the slightest had been proof of that, but exactly how strong was she? Compared to himself, absent any nefarious tricks up his sleeve? Depressingly. With his bag of duplicitous and cheat-worthy cards? Still depressingly, unless he got the jump on her¡­ Cassie had hit the nail on the head when she¡¯d said it: Arthur was weak¡­ Whatever bonuses the bal got with their metamorphosis card were obviously too much for him to deal with as he currently was¡­ but that didn''t mean he was without recourse should¡ªsomething happen to him.


    This was why he wanted to keep what he could do in a broader sense a secret. And even his ability to make cards had been tremendously understated. Every trump he had beneath his sleeve was another chance he wouldn''t be caught out should a decision against his autonomy be made. Arthur wasn''t stupid; he knew what he was doing was¡ªabnormal¡­ All it would take is for the wrong things to be whispered in the wrong ears, and bam, he was locked in some subterranean research facility and nicknamed E.T¡­ Honestly, he had hopes that, at the very least, Dianna¡¯s family weren''t individuals he¡¯d have to worry about, but, at the same time, did he really know any of them? Dianna, he at least felt, was on his side¡­ largely because she was a wildcard¡­ too powerful to control on her own, thus, sent away to the fringe of society with the promise of free land to help hold and subdue her empire''s latest conquest. He had value to her, more value than anyone else save her daughter, and, for that, Arthur knew he could count on her, if, for nothing else than her own self-interest¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ maybe I''m just being paranoid¡­¡±


    He looked up, glancing skywards to eye the network of silvery roots that expanded across the cosmos above, mind racing as it swirled with uncertainties and hesitation¡­ ¡°So then, the answer is that I need to get stronger¡ªright?¡±


    Well, on paper, that was the end-all goal to ensure his safety¡­ but it wasn''t as if he could just¡ªleap to that point overnight¡­ The way Dianna had described it, the labyrinth was in no way a joke¡­ People died there all the time, trained warriors, magi and rookies all¡­ It was a hostile landscape, one in which everything around oneself wanted to eat you¡­ And that prospect alone made Arthur shiver with apprehension. He wasn''t a fighter, not a soldier or killer beyond hunting; sure, he¡¯d acted the whole dangerous outworlder bit to keep himself from a slave collar, but¡­ fighting and combat simply weren''t things he was¡ªreally that interested in¡­ Arthur was an idea¡¯s man. He liked building, not tearing things apart¡­ and, while he didn''t abhor violence, if there were better ways to go about his life than leaving a bloody smear of bodies in his wake wherever he walked, then he wanted to find it¡­ The only problem came down to trust. Well, trust and soul cards¡­ of which he was getting annoyingly low.


    ¡°Maybe it''s time for another hunt¡­¡± He murmured to himself, walking through the dimly lit settlement that was already looking more abandoned than when he¡¯d first visited. He stopped while walking by Tavir¡¯s old home, glancing idly through the window as he noted just how¡ªquiet this part of town was these days.


    ¡°New village¡¯s been making decent progress then¡­¡± In fact, when he really looked around, most of the interiors of the old homes were dark, those of which hadn''t already been digitized for raw materials, that was¡­ Maybe he would have to move his portal anchor soon¡­


    As Arthur moved closer to the newer half of the village, sentries stationed in new towers waving to him amidst the illuminated glow of fire and root light, and the young man soon found himself facing a¡ªnew dilemma¡­


    ¡°Towers¡­¡± He grumbled, looking skyward to stare at the strange birdhouse-like pod that was Tavir and Cassandra¡¯s new home. His gaze picking it out against the myriad of others.


    The bal certainly had¡ªcurious architecture when compared to examples from his homeland¡­ They built tall, towering structures that loomed over the world below, infrastructure, homes and any other assorted buildings coming in rather refreshing and unique designs. So far, only one tower had been constructed, or, perhaps it was more prudent to say, one tower was in the process of construction; however, with the advent of the multi¡¯s, what was built was apparently adequate enough for the bal to move into en-mass. Arthur knew there were already plans in the works for the surrounding towers that would serve as the pillars for public amenities, schools, parks, training yards and practically anything beyond housing, but for now, and given how few individuals lived in the village, their new home was¡ªhumble to say the least. Still, it felt as though it had gone up overnight, all things considered¡­


    Arthur made his way to the interior stairwell, pondering as he climbed flight after flight exactly how he could manage to come up with a means to emulate a bird. Granted, he was pretty sure magic played a large role in the grand scheme of things, considering physics wouldn''t have looked too kindly on the bal¡¯s aerial shenanigans given their size, but Arthur wasn''t sure if wings were the right answer for him¡­


    He¡¯d much rather prefer simply zipping about like Superman over actual flappy appendages¡­ which brought into question of why he hadn''t tried to make himself a tarot that would let him be something like a Sayan or Kryptonian. Well, at least in the latter case, the definitive lack of sunlight might cause¡ªissues with the whole power thing, but if he could start tossing energy blasts with his hands while screaming the name of cool, overpowered and mountain-cracking abilities then¡ªshouldn''t he give it a try? For science? Then again, he wasn''t much of a martial artist¡­ nor did this world need a red-caped crusader of justice¡­ ¡°Eh, drone strikes are easier anyways¡­¡± Maybe he¡¯d just build a jetpack or something¡­


    In the end, the climb wasn''t so bad. The Costis family was only a handful of flights up, and ever since he¡¯d moved to the fringes of civilization, Arthur could be said to be¡ªfit. A moment later, he was knocking at their door, waiting with a pleasant smile while pulling a nice bottle of wine from his dimensional storage. The door opened to reveal Cassandra, eyebrow raised as if already surprised, wearing clothes one might have called pyjamas, though, with a decided militant flare of utilitarianism about them. Essentially, she just wore a long off-white dress, which¡ªadmittedly, did things for her figure that simply weren''t fair. He had to fight from having himself a glance at the high beams shooting at him, especially because they weren''t far off from eye level, his inner lizard brain appreciative for the fact that as old as she might be, everything about her was still¡ªin its proper place. Undoubtedly, she was potentially the sexiest older woman he¡¯d ever seen and the fittest¡­ Given that his new wife and she were sisters, well¡­ Arthur knew he had a lot to look forwards to for countless years to come.


    ¡°Cassie!¡± Arthur chirped with just a touch of forced cheer. ¡°Sorry to spring in on you like this, but I wanted to speak with you about Tulla and her lessons. I ummm¡­ I brought wine.¡±


    The older woman just¡ªstared at him for a moment, earnestly looking surprised he¡¯d shown up on her doorstep. Still, a genuine smile crossed her full lips, one that did reveal her many razors hidden beneath, but, Arthur knew it wasn''t an act of intimidation. Merely a smile. Though, after a moment her expression fell to one of concern. Nevertheless she shifted to invite him inside, her words flowing from her without the filter of propriety she liked to apply to herself whilst in public.


    ¡°How did you get here, Arthur? It''s late, dark out, and I certainly hope you didn''t walk all the way here from your compound.¡±


    ¡°I can confirm I did do some walking, but nothing beyond a short hike. Im¡ªsure you wouldn''t be too surprised if I said I¡¯d been playing with magic and have devised a safe enough way here on my own?¡±


    Cassie snorted, a remarkably unladylike sound coming from a woman who liked to hold herself as something akin to what he could compare to a headmistress. Though, it was a form of snarky response that both sisters seemed to share. Still, she closed the door behind him and wandered over to her kitchen to procure them a couple of glasses, talking over her shoulder as she went. ¡°I know you have your secrets, dear brother, but do remember those weeks back when you arrived in our little settlement and were almost murdered by your now wife. I''m not saying you''re in danger here, but there are things on this world that like to hunt soft and squishy prey at night. We haven''t been here long enough to establish our dominance of the area, and I should hate to learn one morning that you suddenly disappeared into the belly of some animal that hasn''t learned this is our land now.¡±


    The older Bal returned from the other room, taking a seat with Arthur at their dining table. He handed the bottle of Merlot to Cassandra, who took it and gazed inwards at its captivating colour with honest excitement.


    ¡°May I?¡± She drawled, fingers already on the cork even before Arthur could reply. He nodded right as she popped it, smiling indulgently while letting the aromatic contents drift by her nose. ¡°Is it young or old?¡± She asked a moment later, looking at him expectantly without yet reaching for a glass.


    ¡°Umm¡­ young by logical standards of time, but¡­ magically aged, I guess?¡± Arthur hedged, earning himself a scowl from Cassie, who placed the bottle to the side while crossing her legs.


    ¡°Then I will let it breathe for ten minutes at least. It''s not a fancy occasion, given I''m in my nightgown, and I get the feeling you made this with your unique brand of¡ªmagic.¡±


    ¡°I did do that¡­ right on the money!¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Cassie smiled, rolling her eyes as she did so. ¡°So tell me dear, why is it you''ve decided to come speak with me so late? Is it about Dianna, or were you hoping to see Tavir?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ right, first, sorry for intruding at the hour, I just assumed you¡¯d still be awake¡­¡± Cassandra waved his apology away with a sly smile, urging him to continue and letting Arthur know she wasn''t upset. Likely, the wine had been an appropriate gift. He knew how much it irked the demoness before him that she was so far from polite society. ¡°Well, the truth of the matter is that I actually have a few things on my mind that I wanted to run by you¡­ First, I guess, would be Dianna, yes¡­ I just wanted to know if you thought she was¡­¡±


    ¡°Dead?¡± Cassie suggested when Arthur¡¯s words had trailed off. He winced at her blunt comment but nodded all the same. Cassandra just chortled a short laugh, displaying her gleaming rows of bladed pearly whites as her tail writhed behind her. ¡°No, I doubt my sister is dead. Hurt, maybe, but she does like to take risks. Trust me, she is perhaps the most¡ªgifted individual I¡¯ve ever met when it comes to direct combat. She¡¯s a born killer and likes what she¡¯s good at. I¡¯d say the bigger issue with her extended absence is you.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you. Obviously, she trusts you more than anyone has given credit. I won''t impose on your relationship with her to ask why such a thing is but I do trust my sister. She¡¯s at least as smart as I am, even though she¡¯d never been one for her academics.¡± Cassie growled her words as her mind obviously revisited their youths for a time, but she snapped out of it a few moments later, offering him a shrug as she continued. ¡°I imagine her extended absence is entirely due to the fact that she has utter confidence in your ability to look after Tulla. That child means the world to her, and though it assuredly does confuse more than one person I¡¯ve talked to about it in passing, Dianna has¡ªadmitted certain things to me about some of your shared interactions that have me mollified enough to let the two of you be out there.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Did she actually tell you how we almost killed each other?¡±


    ¡°Hmhmhmhm¡­ she did. I¡¯ve never seen my sister so infuriated and horney in my entire life. Cheapshot or otherwise, she was at least under the assumption that her life truly was in peril.¡±


    Arthur¡ªchoked on his own saliva as Cassie cackled, grinning ear to ear. These people were mad. He¡¯d known it from the beginning, he had, but still, it surprised him when his feelings were ratified¡­


    ¡°Then¡­ on to the next topic¡­¡± The young man chuckled, feeling the good mood as his new sister-in-law began pouring the wine. ¡°I wanted to mention that I intended to do some light hunting. There¡¯s a nice basin not far away, and at the bottom of a valley that¡¯s filled with these¡ªcow-like creatures.¡±


    ¡°Lightning Yak¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Lightning Yak¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you heard me right the first time.¡± Cassandra nodded, looking entirely nonchalant about the phrase she¡¯d just uttered while seeming to enjoy herself, not yet sipping but wafting her glass by her nose. ¡°Terribly dangerous creatures¡­ touched by the void as most animals that develop strange soul cards are. Not difficult to get rid of with a good hunt, soldiers and arrows and the like¡­ They taste quite nice as well.¡± Then, her gaze sharpened on Arthur as he drank, fixing him with a decidedly intense stare. ¡°Arthur. They are not so¡ªconcerning on their own that I might be worried for your safety, but, as a herd? Forgive me if I sound condescending, but I do have my doubts about your success. It''s a threat that I wouldn''t force those who ventured into the labyrinth to combat on their own¡­ As I said, they are very dangerous in numbers.¡±


    ¡°Because of the lighting?¡±


    ¡°Obviously. However, it is better to consider it more¡ªstatic. As I said, on their own, not a huge ordeal. Their defensive creatures that are as liable to charge as flee when confronted, and their wool seems to have unique magical properties akin to many of the monsters found in the labyrinth that lets them build a charge of electricity and shock predators that try and take them. Close combat is¡ªill-advised¡­ Now, when you get four or six of the big buggers all chasing after you, that is when things can get scary.¡±


    ¡°I''m guessing that they build said electricity faster when in close proximity and, maybe, even shoot it out when grouped together?¡±


    Cassie blinked at him for a moment before nodding her head, finally deciding to take a sip and then closing her eyes with obvious relish for the flavour. ¡°Mmmmm, the wine was a wonderful gift, by the way, I do appreciate it. And, to answer your question, yes, you have the right of it. The easiest way to deal with them is from range with bows and spears. That said, if you''re not careful, the creatures will charge directly at your line of archers. Not exactly a problem for my people, as you can imagine but for others? Devastating.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªdidn''t intend to fight them¡ªfairly,¡± Arthur admitted with a sheepish smile. ¡°Range is the name of my game.¡±


    ¡°Still, Tavir would be furious with me if I gave you my blessings to just go on your own. Not that I intend to stop you; I''m not your mother, dear, and you''ve proven competent enough. That said, I know many of us would feel much¡ªbetter if you might let me assign you a guard.¡± Arthur¡¯s mouth moved to object but Cassie merely raised her hand to shush him, rolling over his yet unaired discontent with the idea as she followed through without waiting. ¡°I''m not trying to spy or hinder you, my dear. Please consider the ramifications if you did get yourself killed. Do you not have a daughter who would mourn your passing and a new wife? Is dealing with some of my kind intruding for a day or two, watching your back in an unknown landscape you yourself have admitted is alien to you so infuriating an idea that you¡¯d ignore the fact that we are, in theory, still in an active warzone? One of such that we have recently gotten confirmation that there are still active combatants dug into a nearby stronghold. I¡¯ll remind you, Arthur, as, It seems you may have already forgotten, of how exactly it was you first met my niece.¡±


    She¡ªhad a point, Arthur knew, but at the same time¡­ no¡­ she was right, he knew that¡­ The problem was that he really hadn''t wanted the Bal to see what he was planning. Holding his cards close to his chest, as it were¡­ But, he knew his combat capabilities were going to be noted at some point, and maybe letting his new neighbours know what he could do in a directly non-threatening manner to their liberty was exactly what he was looking for. After all, the nuclear option always worked best as a threat observed and one that was known by all rather than a secret last resort.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± He murmured, not contesting her point and earning a cunning smile from the beautiful demoness across from him who took her win with as much grace as could be hoped for. Still, he did have a timeline he was working with, so if they couldn''t accommodate then that was their fault. ¡°Well, my plan was to head out in the morning. I¡¯ve had Tulla working pretty hard the past few days so I wanted to reward her with something I think she¡¯ll find fun if I¡¯ve gotten a proper read of her.¡±


    ¡°Does it involve violence?¡± Cassie grinned, her expression growing as Arthur nodded. ¡°Then she¡¯ll love it dear. Trust me, Tulla is as bad as her mother is. Given how she grew up, it won''t surprise me if, one day, she¡¯d be better at what Dianna does when she¡¯s at the age. But that''s beyond the point. Tomorrow morning works fine. I¡¯ll let Kilk and Jade know they are on guard detail tonight; they''ll love some time away from the others and this blasted project of ours¡­¡± Cassie sighed, leaning back in her chair and staring at the ceiling as though completely exhausted¡­ ¡°Honestly, I can speak for us all that we are eternally grateful for your help building a proper home for everyone, but I''m sick of the chaos of it all¡­ I''m supposed to be retired! Not retraining myself for a career in engineering¡­¡±


    ¡°New house looks pretty good, though.¡±


    ¡°It is a wonderful feeling, Arthur.¡± Cassandra agreed, her expression soft as she reached across the table and squeezed his hand with a gentle smile. ¡°But, like I said, the madness of it all is exhausting. Sometimes, when things move too quickly, a new host of issues of their own unique brand of weary consequence arise to just make everyone stressed to the point of breaking. I don''t doubt that we could all use a little break once the main tower is completed.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Arthur hedged, offering the older woman a bright smile. ¡°I suppose it might come as a blessing to know that I¡¯ve decided to¡ªpersonally take over Tulla¡¯s education¡­¡±


    ¡°Ohhh?¡± Cassandra droned, releasing his hand to lean back in her chair while regarding him carefully.


    ¡°I know you were teaching her magic, but so far as everything else goes, she seems quite learned for her age. Well, even magic falls into that category, I suppose, as she¡¯s actually better than I am at the practical once she gets the hang of it. Truly, I don''t want to step on your¡ªhooves over this, but I am developing a rather interesting new way to harness mana that''s partially based on my own people''s understanding of science, and she¡¯d taken quite well to it, actually, were already delving into rune crafting.¡±


    ¡°Really? Hmm¡­ well, you¡¯ll have to show me what you can do with it when you''re ready to share. I don''t take offence by the by; if you''re teaching her anything along the lines of what those devices can do then I¡¯m all for it. One less conventionally trained magi won''t hurt the imperium, and I had my doubts about Tulla¡¯s desires to pursue my craft once she was of age regardless.¡±


    Arthur¡ªstudied Cassie for a few moments, mind still trying to figure out exactly what had just happened. He¡¯d thought, given how dogged she¡¯d been about her niece''s studies, that the older woman would have¡ªresisted abstaining her position as the girl''s primary teacher¡­ Yet, the longer he stared at her, the more he got the sense she was¡ªpleased by the prospect of it all. ¡°You¡ªdon''t seem that upset that I¡¯ve basically decided she won''t be attending your lessons anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°I don''t, do I?¡± She sang, smiling from ear to ear.


    ¡°Mhmmmm¡­ not that I want to stir the pot or pry, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hah! Arthur, like I said, I am retired. Do you think I was teaching Tulla because I wanted the extra stress and aggravation in my life?¡±


    Arthur considered saying something, paused, let his mouth close as he revisited his wine glass then, in the end, shrugged. ¡°A fair point. Duty and¡ªfamily was it?¡±


    ¡°Always is.¡± Cassandra cued, grinning at him like a serpent who¡¯d feasted upon the field mouse¡¯s burrow.

 A clash in the Labyrinth.

    Chapter 12


    Dianna stomped, the world around her seeming to slow to a crawl¡­ An explosion of sweat sprayed into the air with her abrupt movement, hanging about her person as a gleaming forest of crystalline droplets which surrounded her like rain.


    The world was silent in those intervening moments, drowned out and extended as heartbeats felt as minutes and second hours¡­ existence itself nearly coming to a complete pause without ever truly reaching it as the power within one of her cards activated, and she noticed the giant quill that was flying towards her eye.


    It was¡ªstrange¡­ this odd ability that, for all intents and purposes, seemed to freeze time itself, even if she did understand that wasn''t wholly the case. It was more that existence slowed during these short interludes¡­ the card responsible for the sheer absurdity of such a thing now a precious gift from a man she''d hardly had the chance to grow fond of.


    Now, after she''d really seen what it could do, the card was among the very most prized of her possessions and, in its own way, a confession of love from a person who clearly seemed to understand her desires¡­ One that she held so close to her heart that she might never let it go.


    A wild and horrific grin cracked across her face as Dianna shifted, spinning her body with the flow and grace of water as time resumed to its normal pace; the explosion of sensations had her positively mad with a frenzy for battle!


    The quill whipped by her armoured head, glancing off the curvature of her defences while Dianna screamed with delighted insanity, slamming her wings against the air even as she leapt! The force of her departure divided the sand beneath her hooves!


    The colossal beast screeched with fury as she dove and darted about the air while closing the distance, that particular card in her soul deck allowing her to contemptuously weave and spin through the onslaught of projectiles that threatened to skewer her like raw meat! Every time, slipping around what might be a fatal wound while skirting death like it was her lover.


    She soared over the massive spined lizard as it hissed in outrage, swivelling its enormous head to try and snap at her as she sped by, but howled in rapturous agony as a torrent of hideous black and purple flames jettisoned from the edge of her sword!


    A flaming wave as thin and sharp as her infernal weapon itself bisected the creature''s left limb, her work slowly sawing through the appendage after several deep and brutal cuts that devoured flesh with sticky flames, sending the monstrosity to a collapsing heap, which shuddered the ground around them. Dianna didn''t wait. Mercy was for fools and the dead.


    She dove at the creature again as it writhed and wriggled, dark and inky blood fountaining from its severed limb as a deluge soaked the desert as though a god were trying to create a lake of crimson¡­ She commanded her blade to extend again; this time, the cruel and savage flames burst from its tip as Dianna rammed her weapon home, plunging it downwards with all her might and tearing a terrible cavity into the incensed nightmares back.


    She hacked and burned her way through the countless bone-like needles that protruded from every conceivable angle of the creature''s body, laughing and screaming as her blade scorched and separated her foe piece by bloody chunk at a time!


    The sand around them blazed with sinister flames that never seemed to satisfy their eternal hunger, melting sand and rock into puddles of strange flowing magma that converged upon the monster''s ever-deepening pit in the sand, incinerating its body from both above and below! Finally, the labyrinthian behemoth settled, and Dianna felt its life¡ªdim.


    She heaved from above, panting and laughing as the flames from her blade dissipated until naught was left but the nefarious-looking black slab of sweltering steel, so sharp as to slice through stone itself with little care for common sense. She had done it¡­ She''d done it! Days of fighting! Of retreating and chasing! Of brutal mortal combat with a titan that had nearly killed her a dozen times over with its horrid spines¡­


    Dianna collapsed, allowing herself to drift upon the wind as she descended to the battlefield below. She was exhausted¡­ her body fractured and broken¡­ mind¡ªnumb to the danger of it all. Still, slowly, she felt her bones rekniting themselves, her flesh fixing gashes and holes¡­


    She was wounded, perhaps even disastrously so for an individual without her advantages, but as she was now, Dianna felt like a demi-god! Certainly, the behemoth was powerful enough to destroy a small city all its own¡­ which, when she thought about it, meant she could destroy a city as well. The thought made her smile, not because she had dreams of wholesale slaughter of innocents and soldiers alike, but because the notion itself tickled her fancy.


    She''d like to see that whore Penelope try and spar with her now. As she landed, Dianna let herself fall to her rear, just sitting for a time as she placed her weapon across her lap to¡ªadmire the creature''s size from a different angle. Even now, sitting there before it, she was having a hard time with the fact that she had managed to kill the damned thing!


    She''d taken things slow those first few days. Building herself up, cutting a blood swarth through the labyrinth''s lower floors with the aid of absurdly powerful cards that had such beautiful synergy¡­ Not one of them had yet made the apex of bronze, the damned things sucking souls like a bottomless abyss¡­ yet she felt as though she had the punching power of a veteran delving team of strong professionals in the high silver.


    Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought herself capable of doing what she just had. Yet, here she was, sitting at the end of the seventh floor all on her own, its guardian vanquished, body lying dead at her hooves.


    When she was younger, Dianna had nearly died whilst challenging the fifth-floor boss creature that would let her delve to the next one below¡­ Afterwards, she''d even tried to join a team to earn the right to see what so few spoke of, the lauded sixth floor of the labyrinth. The expedition had failed as so many others had before it. The colossal stone-like goliath squashed all those who challenged it beneath feet carved of stone and fists the size of ships¡­ But here she was¡­


    What had it been? A week? How many things had she slaughtered? Too many to count¡­ too many to even think about. The sheer quantity of souls she''d expended in strengthening her deck was¡ªcomically absurd!


    At first, she''d been horrified to learn just how hard it was to improve her husband''s unique soul cards. It was a universal truth that tarots with more innate power about them were more challenging to improve, but some of the damned things had been ridiculous!


    She was pretty sure she might just have managed to reach the upper ranks of gold with all the comparatively lower rank cards she''d fed her soul deck over the week just to see the lot of them hardly reach the later stages of the second tier. It was astounding how many souls it took to improve¡­ yet for all the difficulty they provided, she was sitting next to the corpse of a once-living fantasy.


    Oh, she knew there were others of its kind wandering about the endless desert¡­ that was how the labyrinth worked in its strange and mystical ways¡­ but, now the way was clear for Dianna to once more advance deeper than she''d ever dreamed of delving, and again, her soul deck only averaged high bronze¡­ She would be¡ªdoing things to Arthur once she returned home to ensure he would be her''s forever¡­


    It hadn''t been lost on her that he might just have been holding out on her when they''d worked through her wish list of cards. He knew things that no mortal should know, and as his wife, she intended to get him to share.


    Idly, Dianna pulled on the heavy soul she felt lingering in the creature''s body. Demanding that it answer her summons as she lazily held out her palm, only for a gleaming flash of golden light to appear a few moments later. Gold. Gold, gold, gold, gold¡­ It was enchanting¡­ its subtle soft glowing hue slowly fading away as the tarot manifested in her hand¡­ Gold¡­ Dianna frowned at the sight.


    She''d¡­ never even met a person outside of the legions strong enough for her to wonder after their possessing a gold card before¡­ Or at least, none who had admitted it¡­ Though maybe strength wasn''t the word she needed to use here, after all, she was learning that power wasn''t necessarily so intrinsic to a card''s rank and quality¡­ Lazily, she eyed the card while turning it over in her fingers.


    "The colossus¡­" She mused, reading its title while admiring her prize. "Take on the form and power of a colossus."


    Unlike her more tailored cards, this one was somewhat typical for those that were more naturally occurring. Its explanation was sparse, depiction offering a scene of the floor guardian, and, that was more or less it. Still, it sounded interesting, at least¡­ Though, she''d probably just sell the damned thing¡­ If she even could¡­


    Dianna leaned back on her hands, staring blankly at the sky as she thought. In theory, she was rich now¡­ a gold quality card was the sort of thing she''d earn a baron''s ransom for¡­ though could she actually find a buyer that wouldn''t rip her off? Was there even a point in trying to pawn it off in the first place? Arthur, bless his tiny soul, could make soul cards or change them, she supposed, and the truth was that the right card, even with a poor quality, was worth its own princely sum all its own.


    Why did she care to have more money at this point? Wouldn''t it be better to consume that card herself to get stronger? Or, perhaps even give it to Arthur or her daughter to absorb¡­ Well, either way, merchants were definitely out; in fact, everyone who wasn''t in her family wouldn''t ever even know what she''d found here¡­ Her own card had reached gold as well, only the initial rank, but, she could try it out as it too was of the same. That said, Dianna was exhausted.


    That just left the body¡­ Again, she knew it was probably worth a fortune in raw materials¡­ but she hadn''t exactly opted to account for a storage card in her deck, deciding that she more or less had wanted to cram it with as many exciting powers as she and her mate could come up with. Naturally, it had worked, but at the same time, Dianna had passed over a veritable ocean of valuable resources that could have been collected and sold¡­Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    In the end, she gave it all a mental shrug. With her ability to teleport to and from the labyrinth when she wanted, it wasn''t like getting things from the damned place was a big ordeal or anything¡­ Dianna was about to consider calling her adventure into the depths a success, knowing full well that she could return to this floor whenever she pleased now that she''d defeated a guardian, when a sudden cacophony of hisses resounded through the air.


    Dianna turned, shifting in her fatigued state to eye nearly a dozen strange insectoid-like creatures with numerous legs, large pincers and bulbously barbed stingers. "Those are new¡­" She muttered to herself, forcing her muscles to get her standing again as she grinned at the newcomers and their obvious challenge.


    Her smile hitched a fraction when the hissing took on an altogether new decibel of sound, and, from above, the entire hillside of sand was suddenly swarmed with the little chitinous nightmares¡­ "Oh¡­" was all she managed before the swarm descended.


    Dianna chuckled, an idea forming in her head as she reached deeply into her soul deck and retrieved the card Arthur had given her to ensure she wouldn''t starve. She hadn''t wanted it, but he''d been insistent. All the same, it was an easy thing to drop. Casually, she plopped it down the inside of her armour, feeling it tuck neatly between her drenched breasts before she added the reward from her latest conquest to her soul.


    She felt the card settle in beside the others, felt her instincts link to its power, and, without another moment of hesitation, Dianna activated the card. The world seemed to¡ªtwist as her perspective rapidly changed in a near instant. The enormous dunes of the endless red sea of sand suddenly didn''t look quite so massive as they''d once seemed. Beside her, the behemoth she''d warred against for days shrank before her very eyes until it wasn''t nearly a third as tall as it had been before.


    "That''s it?" She demanded once her focus seemed able to fixate and things stopped messing with her senses.


    The demoness looked down at herself, still grinning despite being well aware that she''d more or less grown to a size that was probably somewhere in and around two-thirds of the dead titan''s own. Well, maybe, the damned porky-pine lizard had been a big bastard already, and it wasn''t like her new stature was anything to scoff at. She peered down below as she regained her perilous footing with a few lazy flaps of her wings, preening with delight as the armada of giant bugs, again, relatively sized, now looked more like tiny beetles.


    They scattered in both terrible confusion and chaos as the first of their wave was squashed beneath her heavy hoof. Dianna laughed as she felt their bodies pop and explode as she gleefully stomped and rampaged across the desert, enjoying herself far, far too much with a child-like whimsy. Out of curiosity, she summoned her magic blade, its size now relative to her own, cackling madly as she swept it across the dunes, and a wave of baleful flame consumed most of the fleeing insects with callous impunity!


    This was the life! Where she belonged! Death and despair, her victims burning to cinder before her¡­ then, with a pop, her weapon suddenly disappeared.


    "Really?" Dianna tsked, clicking her tongue with annoyance as she gazed out over the raging inferno that had transformed no inconsiderable portion of her surroundings into what might have been mistaken for an active volcano. Well, she supposed she might have been overdoing things just a little¡­ Sighing, Dianna conceded that with increased size came a decrease in efficiency, as her mate liked to call it. Still, it had been pretty cool¡­


    Time¡ªslowed in an all too familiar way as she was admiring her handiwork; again, the time frame she was used to working with seemed to lesson altering things a little bit towards the problematic as, before she could gather her wits, Dianna was stuck in her back by a shockingly blunt force that sent her nearly sprawling to the ground!


    Still, instincts honed to a razor''s edge won the day, and before she could even work her head around that, she''d just been attacked! Dianna was already spinning, her wings buffeting the landscape into a minor sandstorm of debris as her body moved on its own. From a distance, another figure shuffled through the sand on a direct tangent toward her, a familiar shape filled to the brim with deadly calcified spikes.


    Another guardian? Now? So soon? Just for her? Was the labyrinth trying to flirt? Dianna grinned widely, cracking her knuckles as her claws extended and her segmented armoured tail flickered with anticipation. This was perfect, just perfect! She''d literally just been wondering how fun it would be to brawl with one of the behemoths now that she was nearly its size, and there one was!


    She howled with joy as her wings beat the air into submission, sending the giant demon hurtling towards the oncoming goliath, which fired its massive spines at her across their great distance. Dianna might be bigger, but she found herself tougher and faster as well. She''d always been amazed when such massive things moved so quickly, but they always did, despite how many wrongfully assumed as such.


    Artfully dodged each spear as it flew through the air, she tucked her wings, dancing to the side, ducking and leaping into the sky only to change direction with lithe ease at the last seconds. Before a minute had hardly passed, they were upon each other, the massive spined lizard rearing with a ferocious roar of indignation, even as Dianna wound back and slammed her fist into its jaw!


    The monster screeched with what sounded like earnest surprise, toppling backwards as Dianna advanced upon it in a pugilist''s stance, having the time of her life! The beast squirmed up a storm of sand as it regained its footing, lashing out with a massive bone-quilled tail that Dianna didn''t bother blocking. Instead, she leapt over the swinging appendage, wings buffeting the sand and air as she delivered a spine-warping kick to its snout.


    The monster bellowed in anguish as a geyser of blood erupted from its broken face, yowling in pain as its tail swept back around with disturbing speed. Aided by its fury and, perhaps just a little overconfident, the spines took her in her abdomen, spearing into her body in dozens of places as Dianna screamed with hatred and mind-numbing pain!


    Her bladed tail whipped like a creature possessed and severed the creature''s own with a gleaming flourish of blood and black chiton! Separating them both in an instant and sending each combatant flying off balance as enormous masses of weight were exchanged!


    Dianna shrieked as she ripped the spikes from her rended side, watching as blood oozed from every new orifice with pumping streaks of spilling crimson! Her soul card, which, to that point, had largely kept her much smaller body alive through damage that would kill another, struggled to just stifle the bleeding, but¡ªDianna found herself smiling all the same.


    She screamed her defiance at the monster while swinging the creature''s own tail around her like a still-living flail, spinning it once, then twice to build momentum before hurling it with all her might at the monster that was still fighting to find balance. It crunched into the monstrosity''s face with a sickening and bloody squelch, eliciting a horrible keening from its surprised and broken skull! Dianna bound forwards with unchecked abandon, seeing red, feeling the thrill of exhilaration in her chest as she collided with the creature like a falling meteor!


    Her hoof''s stomped on the creature''s damaged head with all her immense weight and momentum! She felt herself obliterate the titan''s skull as she squashed its cranium like an overripe melon, its brains and head exploding all around them, the monster growing limp in the same instant they connected only for the air to tremble as more familiar cries of outrage pierced the air!


    Massive quills lodged in the sands all around her and Dianna moved whilst still in a trance of battle. A needle perforated her shoulder as she failed to dodge the incoming hail of projectiles entirely, the spine managing to find an already weakened chink in her armoured form! She howled in rage, glaring at the thing, but was subsequently yanking it from her wound and returning it as a spear in kind to its previous owner.


    In the distance, a massive crawling form stilled as Dianna hurled her improvised weapon like a bolt of lightning from a vengeful god, destroying the behemoth''s brain as she took to the sky with a berserker-maddened rage! Higher and higher, she rose, avoiding skewering death as they rocketed past with deadly precision; then, Dianna broke into a full-on dive as she sped towards the nearest colossal beast like a ballista shot from a giant!


    Her claws dove into the reptile''s neck as she landed like a cannonball! The world flaring with an all-consuming cloud of sand and rock! She felt her fingers sever and tear ever deeper into the horrific wound, hearing the monster squeal with terror, even as her bladed tail deflected the creature''s own. She wrenched and heaved as meat, tendon, and muscle stretched and broke with sickening wet cracks and pops, the sound of shredding flesh filling her ears while her muscles flexed and pulled with all their might, showering her with glorious blood!


    Then, she fell back a step, her gristley trophy in hand¡­ Dianna broke several spikes off the dead creature''s still convulsing body, tossing its head behind her and taking to the air once more. Above, the desert was a ruin of bodies and white quills as dozens of the behemoths came for her and died as she ripped them limb by limb in kind! The entity of existence blurring into what stood immediately before her! Instinct, not thought, driving her madness for battle as consciousness submerged itself in the darkness of a complete blackout¡­


    She didn''t know when she finally stopped fighting¡­ but at some point, she''d just¡ªcollapsed. Her body was in a ruinous state of barely healing wounds and torn muscles¡­ wings shredded and tattered¡­ She''d even returned to her old size¡­ though if she''d ultimately won the fight or simply been lost in the desert storm that had swirled to life as titans clashed, Dianna would never likely know¡­


    Groaning while picking herself up from a partial tomb of sand that had threatened to burry her as she coughed and spat, rising on unsteady legs to gaze over the dark and lifeless landscape that was eerily silent as her thoughts were blank. Everything hurt¡­ each joint and bone feeling like it was the creaking hull of a warship as it rocked against an ocean''s waves¡­ Her wounds closed with time, her body healed and was nourished and watered¡­


    Dianna collected the cards of ten additional colossi that had perished in their battle, as well as several dozen of the giant bugs that she could easily find. Ten more cards from the behemoths¡­ all gold¡­ all the same as the last with the exact same rank¡­


    She felt dull¡­ empty as she stared at her trove of wealth and power. The high of combat was fading, much as might the euphoria of an orgasm, and in its wake was a sort of melancholy¡­ Not quite loathing¡­ no, she''d enjoyed herself too much for that¡­ but, perhaps, after all was said and done, a sense of¡ªirresponsibility had overcome her thoughts¡­ She was done with fighting for a few days¡­ of that, she was reasonably certain¡­


    It was fun, and she''d never deny it, but also intense. She hadn''t let loose as she had for ages, really¡­ and now, what she really wanted was a good meal and maybe a hot bath¡­ She sighed, knowing that probably wasn''t going to come to pass, at least, not yet anyway¡­ She had defeated the guardian for the floor¡ªseveral, in fact, and she''d be damned if she turned back now without at least taking a peek at what might come next.


    On a spur of the second decision, Dianna forced all ten of the additional gold souls she''d taken from the guardians into her healing tarot. Feeling more than watching as, with the massive influx of strength, it too, much like her metamorphosis had, reached the lofty height of true power itself. She grinned, immediately feeling the soothing chill of magic flow through her veins, her body rapidly regenerating itself in a manner that saw her form return to its peak condition within heartbeats.


    Yet, the fatigue of stress still lingered in her mind. She''d done alright for her first go-around; there certainly was nothing to be ashamed of or self-doubting about¡­ Dianna could take it easy for a few days, check out what the eighth floor was all about, and maybe see after selling some of the bug cards. Those weren''t gold, but they were middling silver¡­ she might just get more than they''re worth in quality and rank if they were useful¡­ or, again, just save them for those waiting for her back home.


    Sooner than later she''d have to organise a trip down to Kaitrice in the near future for her husband and daughter. With how¡ªeffective her new deck had proven to be, Dianna was eager to let her little girl have some real fun armed with a dangerous assortment of souls.


    Thankfully, Arthur wasn''t like her. Dianna wasn''t at all obtuse that she probably wasn''t the best parent around¡­ but she had her own talents for what they were worth. Talents she''d be putting to good use to make sure Tulla did have at least one responsible adult in her immediate life that could give her actual structure. So what if she spent a few more days down here? She was confident that her new mate wouldn''t let her little girl get into too much trouble or danger¡­

 The yak chapter.

    Chapter 13


    Arthur yawned as he cooked breakfast, throwing in an assortment of vegetables to go along with the eggs he''d decided would become an omelette fairly soon into the process. Tulla wasn''t exactly fond of some of the ingredients he was throwing in, but they were healthy for her, or so he''d been told, and she had a tendency to smother his breakfasts in ketchup anyway, so it wasn''t like taste was entirely a problem for her.


    Ah, to have the palate of a child once again. To be able to deal with burned eggs, hotdogs and copious quantities of generic condiments without his mind helpfully reminding him that what he ate was crap. Those had been simpler times when Kraft dinner had reined supreme, and the epitome of fine dining was his father''s cheap cuts of steak, french fries and extra saucy Caesar salad when mom was out of town¡­


    A small series of sniffs resounding from the trailer made Arthur smile as he sleepily glanced towards a near-levitating Tulla who, with a blanket still held in her hands, wandered to the outdoor cooler to retrieve a bottle of orange juice. She cracked it, chugged the damned thing like a fratboy with a sixty of jack, then promptly plummeted into her camping chair nearby, curling back up into a ball of semi-conscious sleep that had Arthur shaking his head.


    "That''s why an hour." He intoned, not holding his punches as the small girl nearly distended her jaw with a yawn, revealing rows within her serrated maw.


    She didn''t answer him, merely rolling over in the double-sized chair to snuggle back into herself, oblivious to the world around her. Arthur shrugged, continuing to cook while he listened to his country playlist on repeat. He''d never exactly been a giant fan of the genre back home, but with his departure from Earth, Arthur had found a certain¡ªcomradery with some of the tales the songs offered.


    John Denver, for instance, was a hard and emotional listen at times, but he never turned him off. It just¡ªresonated too well for him to spurn¡­ He spent a span finishing their meal, packing a lunch made from the same ingredients on another fire nearby, folding the scrambled concoction into soft tortillas for when they got hungry later in the day and plating his actual breakfast for himself and Tulla.


    "By the way, Jade and Kilk are coming by shortly to join us for what I have planned today, so, you''d better finish eating else they''re going to see you in your pyjamas."


    That seemed to tickle the girl''s interest a fraction as she appeared to stiffen in her chair, no doubt mind finally deciding to wake up as she slowly rolled over to eye him with one crossed pupil. She considered Arthur for a moment as he paid her antics little mind, cleaning off his cast iron skillet with a cloth and preparing to eat his food.


    "Why are they coming?" She queried, not yet committing to the meal, not an arm''s length away from her as she wearily stared at the green peppers within.


    Arthur nearly chuckled at the girl''s obvious attempt to figure out exactly how much time she had to laze about. Strange enough, as much as she loved her yellow sponge P.J.''s she was embarrassed to be seen with them on by those who weren''t on a very short list.


    He figured that it more or less boiled down to the notion that she did, in fact, know just how loose she was playing things with him since her mother had left and didn''t want to be judged for her little indulgences. That was fine. Arthur didn''t really care since Tulla was nothing if not helpful once she actually woke up, but as he hadn''t exactly filled her in on his plan for the day, thus, she no doubt was trying to discern why her carefree morning was being intruded upon.


    "Short answer or long answer?" Arthur grinned, enjoying the little game for what it was.


    "Short."


    "They are accompanying us for a little wilderness hiking."


    Tulla''s eye narrowed at her father before she shifted again, this time sitting upright with a decidedly displeased expression. Before he''d arrived, Tulla wasn''t exactly a child who liked other people. She still didn''t, so far as Arthur could tell, but her tolerance for others had definitely improved for the better.


    "Why?" she asked again, eyeing the meal she''d of otherwise dove at were she not sleepy or, hadn''t yet noticed what was exactly in it. She was getting spoilt that was a certainty.


    "I need more cards to work with, and since the labyrinth is out for the time being, I intend to get them another way."


    Again, the girl''s attention flickered with renewed interest. Her gaze glanced towards the plate beside her, then at the ketchup. A decision was quickly made thereafter, the little demon deciding she wasn''t going to get anywhere with her father until she started doing what he wanted. She ate. Grudgingly, though, Arthur could tell she enjoyed the food. Things that were green were sometimes a touchy subject for the girl these days.


    That said, most kids had an issue with that particular colour when it was associated with food, so it was nothing really new. And at least she ate pretty much any other fruit or veggie he placed before her¡­ As she ate, giving up her act, Arthur decided it was as good enough a concession of her usual antics as he''d get, so he filled her in as he finished up his own portion.


    "We''re going to go hunting." He began, noting the almost exasperated look in his daughter''s gaze before he raised a brow at her in a silent question.


    Tulla chewed, swallowed while wiping her mouth on a sleeve and lazily stated. "What, more rabbits?"


    "If I said yes, then does that mean you don''t want to come?"


    "I mean¡­" Tulla droned, looking away from Arthur without really committing either way.


    "Can''t say I blame you on that one. Your aunt told me that spearing the poor things is what most of the kids in the legion did for¡ªfun in their spare time."


    "Was great when the cards were useful, but after that, it just sort of seemed¡­ tedious?"


    "Glad to hear that killing small animals is boring to you." Arthur chuckled and earned himself a thin, protruding tongue and glare for his efforts. "We''re not going after rabbits by the way." He amended a short moment later. "Plus, I''ve been advised our query is rather dangerous so that means I''m authorizing the use of Chuck." That got her attention, and Arthur definitely saw the excited twitch of the girl''s long ears. She tried to hide her interest behind a mask of feigned indifference, but her sparkling eyes were a dead giveaway. "And, since we''re going after a lot of cards, and there''s two of us, I''m breaking out the army as well."


    "You''re going to let me help?" Tulla hedged, still trying for the nonchalance bit while failing to realize that she was hyper-fixating on the trailer''s tire without looking away.


    "I''ll need you to prove you remember how to control them before¡­" He paused as his intelligent spydrone, affectionately named Chuck by his daughter, picked out a pair of incoming figures who were flying over. He grinned, looked at Tulla then said in a singsong voice. "They''re here."


    Immediately, Tulla scrambled from her seat, shovelling the rest of her plate into her mouth with little grace before flapping her wings for more speed as she skip-darted towards the trailer. She was, somewhat surprisingly, changed, washed and returned to the outside world in truly record time, putting on airs as she tried her best to appear more¡ªmature than her age would otherwise expect of her.


    Arthur had to earnestly ponder just how deep her little issue regarding her obsession with it all really was given how quickly she moved but, in the end, figured that everyone had their problems; at least hers would fix themselves in due time¡­


    He waved at the two approaching bal from his fire, continuing to clean up, even as the duo landed, equipped in a battle-weary but serviceable regalia complete with polished armour, long spears, ovular, contouring shields and quite large bows already strung and slung on their backs, quivers over the shoulder with them.


    "Morning Art, don''t suppose you saved anything for us so far as the cooking went?"


    "Kilk!" Jade admonished, slapping her lover on the arm as the slightly shorter demon just grinned, nose scenting at the air in a now very familiar way.


    "I made lunch for everyone, and there''s definitely more than enough, so if you''re hungry, then¡ªsure, have it at. We basically reheated leftovers anyway."


    "Nice!" Kilk exclaimed, shamelessly digging into the steaming cooler that sat nearby, opening himself up a wrapped burrito with obvious excitement. He paused before taking his first bite, however, perhaps some sixth sense alerting him to the glare that was busy burning a hole in his side. He coughed, grinned a little sheepishly, and then handed his significant other what he''d already procured, going back to seek another for himself.


    "Uhhhh, Cassandra wasn''t kidding¡­ he''s good," Jade mumbled, a hand passing over her mouth as she chewed and talked all at the same time. Thick melted cheese, eggs and salted pork all caused her to let out a small little whine of happiness.


    "You''re not all still eating porridge over there, are you?"


    Neither of the demons made to meet his eye, the pair almost looking almost shameful while they chewed...


    "Not their fault; nobody has half the resources you do in the kitchen, Dad. Plus, I doubt anyone''s really managed to delve too deep into the cards you gave them with all that''s going on¡­"


    "Tulla''s got the right of it, sadly¡­" Kilk affirmed, licking shamelessly at his fingers to clean them of any remnant gooeyness. "Housing or good food, those are the options. No surprise that given where we were living, housing has taken precedent, though there''s been a growing movement to send more teams labyrinth ways to get some cards to barter with." He paused, clearing his throat as if realizing he''d been¡ªperhaps ignoring his manners before he crumpled the parchment and squared his shoulders. "With the portals¡­ in theory, we could start buying commodities like salt and pepper again from Kaitrice, w-without relying on your good graces, of course."


    "Gods above, I can''t wait for soup with fresh bread and butter again¡­" Jade lamented, eyes rolling in the back of her head as if the mere thought alone was enough to taste it.


    "Ah, given what we''re about today, maybe it wouldn''t be a bad idea to treat everyone to a cookout once we''re done, be plenty enough fresh meat, and, I assume, I could work a brisket or something of the sort¡­"


    "Which reminds me¡­" Jade began, pointing at Arthur''s rather¡ªnormal state of dress. "Cassandra mentioned going hunting as well, which is why we got bodyguard detail, no complaints or anything, but¡ªdo you¡­ need any pointers or tips¡­"


    "Maybe a spear?" Kilk added, though he was grinning rather than trying to dance around the subject.


    "Ah, no," Arthur replied, earning himself a small but observable shift in both of his guard''s expressions toward confusion. "Honestly, I don''t think Cassie really understood what I had planned for this little excursion; I doubt we''ll be close enough to the hunting to really be in any danger. I''ll be doing it all as I am, and Tulla, probably as well."


    "Well, we''re gonna have the hollow displays on, right? And the army?"


    Arthur nodded at the girl but was unsurprised when their two attache''s frowns only seemed to deepen. At first glance, he''d assumed that they might just be thinking they were being sent out on an errand while their supposed charges were lounging about at the camper. Well, that idea would doubtless piss him off as well if for nothing more than its duplicitous nature; however, he waved a hand to help alleviate their uncertainties, heading into his camper for a quick moment to procure a pair of warrior-race inspired devices.


    He fitted one onto his own ear before handing the other to his daughter, who, in turn, affixed it to her own head like she was an expert. Both came to life with a projected hologram before their eyes, an aerial view of their own location manifesting from a distant drone above.


    "Did you make those controller things yet?" Tulla asked, already navigating the menus of her hollow using the large touchpad at her ear.


    "Not yet, too many things on the go, but I mean, it''s a decent stress test of the current equipment to find out just how feasible it all is¡­"


    Tulla didn''t reply; instead, she turned to their still very confused escorts as she took command of a dozen bots that were hiding in the tall grass behind herself, placing hands on hips with a wild grin as the little and heavily armed machines marched smartly behind her, falling into rest at her back and awaiting further orders.


    Arthur stared at the sight, questioning how and when the damned kid had gotten so good with the controls, his own little squadron of bots forming a neat enough line behind himself but not one that was nearly so organized as Tulla''s own.


    He got a sinking suspicion the girl had found where he''d been hiding the control modules and been practicing without him knowing, which, considering their little wager, meant¡­ No, no! There was no way a veteran strategy gamer like himself would lose to some¡ªchild who''d never even heard of video games before, right?


    "Arthur¡­" Jade eventually asked, eyeing the two rows of waist-high machines armed with long gleaming blades and strange tube-like objects with equal parts skepticism and apprehension.


    "Ah, don''t worry about it, just a little inventive fun I cooked up to help overcome my more physical limitations." Arthur grinned, offering the pair a little nod towards the large hologram that sprang to life a short distance away, this time offering a series of different perspectives from the numerous additional spy bots that Chuck had under its command. "May as well sit down and watch," He continued, gesturing to a pair of chairs he''d pulled out for the occasion. Should be interesting."


    The mighty Bull rose from the stream, lifting its head from the life-giving river as streams of water dribbled from his maw. A subtle but no less alarming shift moved through his herd. The females were growing restless, the cubs agitated, a sweeping uncertainty causing resting instincts to rouse as the creature sniffed the air, caution filling its old bones.


    Something was off¡­ yet the scents upon the wind were¡ªnot what he''d name threatening. Strange to be sure, but he was certain there to be no predators of any note about¡­ No, the herd was strong, he was strong, and no puny challengers had truly threatened their supremacy over this land for a generation and counting! At least, none that had survived in any great number to retreat and lick their wounds.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Still, the beast shook itself, rising to its full height to stand above the heads of its many females who took comfort in his presence. Large were his shoulders, larger were his horns, magnificent and grand, the envy of any restless pup that dared imagine taking his place as the herd''s ultimate protector. He sauntered through the crowd, his mates, daughters and sons smart enough to bow their heads, all moving to make way.


    Slowly, assuredly, the Bull meandered towards the direction of greatest instability, sensing the ebb and flow of his people''s emotions, towering over those he passed, reaffirming their security as he lumbered towards the edge. What he found himself confronted with confused the old Bull once he arrived.


    Those on the outermost edge, the old, the sick, all seemed terrified¡­ yet he couldn''t understand why. Yes, the small valley forest was quite ominous in its own right; if predators ever emerged, seeking to steal away life from the herd, then the forest was where they arrived. It was why those the community could afford to lose were stationed as such, the reforms of his distant ancestors still in the living hearts of all who were born to horns and static.


    Briefly, the Bull surveyed the landscape, eyes that had grown progressively worse over the years, squinting at the treeline in an attempt to discern its secrets. None were presently offered by the mysterious gloomwood... However, there was a certain smell this far to the rim that had him bristle with alarm. Beside him, several old cows mewed and whined in their incessant ways, pleading with their leader to listen, which he did.


    The Bull was nothing if not a magnanimous lord; however, to the best he could discern from their rattle, someone had gone missing, which¡­ hm was concerning. Yes, the odd individual too weak to defend themselves did, at times, succumb to the odd attack, it was why the expendable were placed where they were. That being said, the fact that a creature had made off with one of his own was¡ªproblematic¡­


    He could smell no blood nor sharp hint of ozone in the air, which meant that whatever had happened had transpired without a fight¡­ Did the missing old girl just¡ªwandered off on her own? Or, had she been taken¡­ The problem was perhaps a touch too complicated for him to solve; he was just a beast, after all, one with a surprising glint of intelligence in its eye but he was an animal nonetheless.


    That naturally didn''t stop the old Bull from working himself into a tizzy! Nobody assaulted his herd and just got away with it! Blood had to be spilled for this unjust assault on their pride! Thankfully for its strained brain, the perpetrators of the attack struck again, this time upon the herd''s right flank! Roaring, summoning his warriors and alerting the young folk and women to steer clear, the Bull charged, stamping hooves crushing dirt and greenery alike as he sprinted towards the fray, determined to catch the infernal creatures, dark deeds laid bare.


    The Bull smashed into the side of the first interloper it could see, watching with grim pleasure as the familiar white body wrapped in strange fur was flung wholesale through the air. It landed several meters away, sprawled and broken, as several of the assailant''s comrades screeched at each other in their bizarre grunts.


    The attackers reformed, taking on a definitively defensive posture as the Bull stamped and seethed, stalking like a caged lion, its glare like living thunder! Each breath causing the air to crackle with untamed and wild energy! Slowly, the dread-hunters began to back away, some attempting to steal pieces of their slain innocent who lay on the grass, unmoving and partially butchered¡­


    The sight drove the Bull to incensed madness, fury and hate for this most ancient of enemies filling its heart with the bleakest fury. The Bull''s mighty warriors soon joined the confrontation, its sons, brave and loyal fighters all, each moved to an organized line, lowering their horned heads in preparation to charge!


    Realizing the folly of their actions, numerous as the defenders were, the hunters began retreating faster! Moving on their strange too few legs as the Bull roared, signalling the assault. Together, they stampeded towards their duplicitous foe, horns ready to gore and rend any too slow to avoid them.


    They trampled several of the pitiless creatures under hoof as they sped across the grassland, running the savages down without mercy or relenting pause. The Bull himself was naturally at the head of their forces, personally skewering two of the slower pale-skins before flicking his mighty head backwards, discarding their dying and fried bodies with impetuous disdain.


    If these things wanted a fight so badly, then the Bull would give them a fight!


    They pursued the creatures without rest, felling no fewer than a dozen before many began to escape into a rocky landscape unsuitable for the herd''s rapid pace. They all slowed, their blood boiling for more battle, but uncertain of the terrain¡­


    Even the Bull was apprehensive, their greatest strength hindered as it was by the numerous rocks and uneven ground. Still, he''d never managed to chase the creatures this far before, and the place utterly reeked of their foul scent to a degree that made the Bull wonder if this was where their herd kept their females and young while the others made war. Grinning with savage glee, the Bull decided it was high time the hunters got a taste of their own medicine.


    Signalling his sons, the Bull sallied onwards, making short work of navigating the strange land. Sure, it wasn''t as quick going as the flat planes in which it had grown were, but, the Bull got the sense it was indeed gaining on the rearmost hunter. Yes, revenge would be a sweet taste upon the tongue should his suspicions prove right¡­


    Three more of the trespassers fell before the Bull finally ran out of steam, his pace shifting to that of a slower crawl as his sons carried on the charge before him, moving into a smoother span surrounded by high rocks on nearly all sides¡ªalmost as though they were in a smaller valley, within their own valley¡­ The Bull paused as he observed the scene before him, watching as his warriors followed the handful of remaining hunters into the oddly strange formation of stone.


    Something churned in his guts, some primal instinct calling on him to end the hunt, but old as he was, weary as he was and filled to the brim with adrenaline, it was sadly, too late that his folly became apparent in his eyes¡­


    A swarm of the pale skins surged from the rocks all around his sons! Armed with their too-long horns and strange needles that pierced the world from afar! The Bull roared his warning that it was a trap! They''d been lured too far away from the herd, but the chaos had already ensued, and soon, the Bull was fighting madly for his life, shoulder to shoulder with his warriors as an onslaught of their hated foe swarmed from all sides!


    The Bull could feel the hot bite of wounds opening across its flesh, could feel the spray of blood from his falling sons, feel the crackle in the air as lightning arced between foul foes, roasting them alive as they fell in droves before the might of the herd''s chosen warriors! But alas, as his kin continued to wane, as the gaps in their formation were filled with chewing and grasping steel, the Bull realized the fury and righteous anger, the energy and thrill of battle all seemed to¡ªsettle and disappear.


    Slowly, his retaliatory strikes, which slew the invaders in numbers of twos and three, were dodged by figures moving too quickly to batter. His limbs, which surged with power, turned heavy and unresponsive¡­


    He felt a longhorn grate against the armour of his ribs, causing him to froth with fury as he swept his mighty weapons in a great arc, electricity purging all before him in a gleam of death, clearing away enough space that a small, strange sort of pause overcame the battlefield. The dead littered the ground, of his mighty sons and their evil hunters both¡­ they''d given as good as they''d got, the ferocity of his herd likely having caught the creatures off guard.


    Truly, neither seemed too willing to re-engage in hostility, with the wounded on both sides limping away to their respective lines. Still, the grand Bull could clearly see that the great mother was no longer by their side, his warriors reduced to no more than a dozen, still able to stand, barely clinging to the high of combat to remain as such. By contrast, the pale skins wore grim determination, overly thin and ill-fitting in their own fur as they appeared¡­ this¡­ this could only end with the extermination of one side, of that the Bull knew¡­ sadly, they were still outnumbered¡­


    Maybe one final charge? One last brutal clash in which his warriors would surely win and could cause the other force to route? It wouldn''t take much; they were as battered as his own forces, if not more so, but¡­


    His heart fell as the first volley of wicked and unnatural, flying horns flew from the retreating hunters, cascading into his ranks, punching deep into the wounded and dying. Several of the things failed to pierce the thickness of his fur and hide, but the Bull fumed at the unfairness of it all as he watched one of his sons fall beneath the onslaught of tiny barbs. He roared with indignation that their hated foe could possibly be even more dishonourable than they already were was¡ªastounding, but already, they had been allowed to gain ground and if it continued¡­


    Another warrior fell as the Bull once more called for a pursuit, his forces lurching towards their enemies on legs too exhausted to catch their fleeing tortures. More fell as they tried to close the distance, the hunters seemingly forever just out of reach¡­ With every volley, another of his sons fell; with every step, the Bull''s legs threatened to buckle beneath the climb¡­


    All was lost, wasn''t it? They''d been defeated¡­ beaten from the beginning, been foolishly led away from the herd where their own numbers, warriors or not, could have made the difference! He was too old for all of this¡­ the fighting, the dying, all the blood and gore of it all¡­


    The Bull¡ªslowed after finally catching one of the miserable creatures, battering it down before stomping its skull while it howled in fear, spraying piss and shit by equal measure as it died a death unfit for any to suffer. More tiny horns battered his side, the patriarch''s gaze roving across the handful of sons he had remaining. Some had, like him, made their foes bleed for every warrior they felled, a littering of gored and crackling corpses lying in their wake, but the fight had already left them¡­


    He grunted, steam dissipating in the air as he shook his head at the absurdity of life. How so his ambition had finally brought him low¡­ The excitement, the glory of finally doing what his ancestors had failed to do and rid their lives of this plague once and for all¡­ well, if nothing else, it had been a worthy way for an old warrior to die¡­


    However, when the Bull''s eyes next opened, his ears perking up at the sudden increase in those panicked, shrill voices that had been yapping at him all afternoon, it was not with death by long horns that he was met with but something entirely strange¡­ The hunters, or what remained of their mighty host, were¡ªdying¡­ Some screamed as they were bisected in halves, guts and organs spilling over the hillside in floppy wet thumps¡­


    Their numbers were slaughtered by abnormal skittering things that clacked against the stone; others simply disappeared in an ashen haze as their forms vanished from sight at the gleam of some divine power¡­ The Bull''s weary head rose, watching as their foe suddenly found themselves trapped on two sides in a pincer, the creature quickly making the decision that their new ally, welcome but unexpected as they were, must hate the hunters as much as they!


    A mighty bellow escaped his maw as he called upon every scrap of remaining energy in his reserve, rallying his faltering sons to renewed battle! He flew upon wings as he battered his way through a small group of pale skins who''d sought refugee in numbers from their new attackers, the fools somehow forgetting they were not the only beings to be feared.


    His horns collected bodies upon themselves like gristly trophies as he moved like a reaper through the slope, batting aside long spears and frying those unfortunate enough to think themselves the heroes who might fell him from a strike to his flank. Two more of his sons collapsed in the frantic flurry that followed, but soon, the Bull raised its bloody maw in triumph as it beseeched the heavens to inquire if their great mother was indeed satisfied with his slaughter!


    The last of the hunters shit themselves as the Bull sauntered over to them, looming whilst looking down upon the despicable creature with contempt. They would have been shown no mercy should the hoof be reversed; thus, as he built a charge within himself, eyes glowing with a crackling blue fury, the Bull sneered, unleashing the full power of his rage upon the thing that had dared defy him!


    The pale skin erupted in a configuration of roaring flames, the Bull lifting his leg to piss upon the vanquished hated foe as it huffed and looked upon its surviving sons. Rewards! He would have to reward those who survived!


    Each could take their pick of his females; each was deserving of their own hoard of women so, one day, his line might stretch across the sea of grass, unmatched and unrivalled by¡ªThe Bull watched as one of its son''s heads suddenly bounced off the ground, rolling away down the hill as his fallen kin''s body crumpled in a heavy heap, the perpetrator, gleaming horn in hand, standing next to the desecrated body with its eerie, unmoving shape¡­


    "Perfany!" The Bull roared, rearing in fury as he watched another of his sons felled by the mysterious other creatures! "Betrayers! Fiends, charlatans and deceivers!" Pulling upon the ambient power around him, the Bull charged a mighty blast of building light, rage and disbelief filling its every thought!


    The newcomers hadn''t arrived to save them! They were just one more fouled entity that sought to harm the herd! He gnashed his teeth, stomped his hooves and prepared to eviscerate the nearest of the creatures that had just dispatched his final son, blind rage filling his every thought as a torrent of electricity prepared to discharge before¡ªnothing¡­ The blast took one of the tiny creatures strait in its body, but it merely turned to him, levelling a curious tube in his direction and¡­


    "I got the big one!" Tulla squealed in delight, standing up and beginning to dance as Arthur shrugged, secretly having saved the old beast for her amusement. Sometimes, letting the younger generation get the big wins was, in its own way, a win all its own.


    A dozen or so little cousins and siblings, not to mention some maturity, had long since taught him that sometimes, losing could be better than fighting tooth and nail for victory. He smiled at the excited girl, releasing his control of the drones in his command and deciding he''d had enough bloodshed for one day. Knowing it wasn''t all just pixels and numbers like a real game would otherwise dampened his own thirst for violence¡­


    Arthur turned to his two escorts, who were both gravely watching the display, neither having spoken much once the bots had begun their gruesome work. Likely, they could leave the herd itself where it was given how much meat was already available¡­


    Yet, he honestly wasn''t sure of exactly what made them grip their weapons so tightly. He wasn''t stupid, of course, of anything; either the Tricen appearing en masses to hunt the furry electric yaks or their clinical slaughter at the hands of his machines were, more than likely, the cause of their apprehension.


    "On the¡ªunfortunate side," Arthur began, choosing to break the spell of silence himself and offer the pair a friendly smile. "I suspect that''s a deal more Tricen than you lot were expecting to be hiding in the area?"


    "They''re desperate," Kilk murmured, sneering at the hologram as, on cue, one of his spy-bots zoomed in on a more intact example. "Hungry by the looks of it and willing to take risks¡­"


    "Big risks." Jade chimed in, her frown just as deeply set. "There''s got to be thirty of the fuckers on that hill, another twenty or so dead in the bowl¡­ maybe another thirteen further towards the forest¡­ Either they''re running out of food down below or¡ªphew, I don''t know, these were slaves? Maybe the weakest sent to forage who took a gamble and lost?"


    "They keep their own people as slaves?"


    "Caste system," Jade replied with a casual shrug. "Honestly, it''s sort of worse than slavery if you ask me; at least property of that sort within the imperium has rights; just look at those sorry bastards, all skin and bones¡­ death was probably the best they could hope for¡­"


    "We should bring Tavir in on this¡­ He''s going to want to see the extent of our situation. If those burrowing buggers have enough manpower to plan a hunt right under our noses, I fear we might not be as secure as once thought."


    "Agreed." Jade sniffed, rising as she peered at her mate. "You stay here with Arthur; he''s proven more than capable of killing our enemy, but he doesn''t know how they like to operate or what to look for; give him a legion rundown while I fetch the others; they''re going to want to examine the battlefield¡ªin detail."


    Her final words arrived as she peered at Arthur with an unreadable expression, too guarded for him to easily make out on her still somewhat alien face. She took off a few moments later, leaving Arthur alone with Tulla, who, taking command of his forces as well, took it upon herself to try and track the pale reptilians with surprising fervour.


    "Beer?" Arthur asked, pulling a second beverage despite Kilk''s shake of the head. "C''mon man, it''s not like you''re going to be fighting today; Tulla looks like she''s somehow already found tracks. If anything still lives over there, I doubt she''d gonna show mercy¡­"


    "Kid''s a little young to look so cavalier about killing, isn''t she?"


    Arthur blinked, surprised as the other man took the bottle, drinking deep as though disturbed. "Here I thought you were all sort of¡­ on board with the extermination?"


    "Ah, some have more of a taste for it than others¡­ Though, given her mother, I guess I''m not that surprised, but Arthur, I just watched how she, while controlling those things of yours or not, utterly butchered no less than thirteen living souls, all while grinning like it was some game, you''re not worried about that?" He whispered, leaning in close to not be overheard.


    "I can''t really blame her either." Arthur shrugged, chewing his lip in thought. "Considering what almost happened¡­ I suppose it''s cathartic for her? Going, to be honest, man, I''m really just not prepared to try and stand in the way of an emotional preteen who can gut me with her claws. If she wants to take it out on the things that tried to sacrifice her, then¡ªfuck ''em."


    "Ugh¡­ I really hope I don''t have a daughter, Art; you know our women have a tendency to be on the more violent end of things, right? Like, significantly more?"


    "I got that sense, yeah¡­"


    Both men stared as the young girl in question continued to hunt her chosen prey with dogged enthusiasm, reaching into a tub of crackers Arthur had tried his hand at while merrily whistling a tune. Perhaps Kilk did have a point¡­ but the way he was led to understand things, Tulla was already something of a killer in training¡­ Did he feel irresponsible in giving a potentially unstable youth the means for such grand-scale murder? A little¡­


    Yet, he was coming to terms with the fact that this was a far different world than the one he''d grown up in¡­ and it wasn''t as though the world government hadn''t stomped humans flat with their warbots in pursuit of consolidating their power. Sure, he could be a little hypocritical at times, his morals being what they were, perhaps even a little preachy if the mood was upon him¡ªbut, since he''d gotten here, he''d nearly died no fewer than four times, three of which directly involved his new and currently abroad wife.


    He was already going insane if he wasn''t already there, and at this point, he knew it was easier to flow with the tide rather than try and fight it¡­ Arthur took one last swig of his bottle while watching the hollow display, then shrugged his shoulders. If there was still this large of a Tricen threat nearby, he had work to do in ensuring nothing would get near this place to threaten it.

 Anticipated return.

    Chapter 14


    Arthur and Tulla were putting the finishing touches on their surprise when a sudden¡ªscent filled the air. It made him pause, his nostrils flaring at the peculiar mix of iron, sweat and¡­ death¡­ He turned, eyes falling upon a barely recognizable shape clad almost completely in tarnished black chiton, a haze of malignant darkness radiating from the form, two massive wings unfurling from the sides as a battered and gore-dried tail swept about like a happy dog. Gruesomely shedding errant bits of dried flesh and cracked blood everywhere¡­


    "Mommy!" Tulla screamed, leaping from her spot at his side and soaring right into the avatar of death itself that appeared in the center of his camp.


    Dianna''s armoured mask fell away to reveal a face soaked with all manner of fluids and coated with grime, hair matted to her scalp and eyes all but feral as she scanned her surroundings as though not entirely sure where she was.


    It had edged closer to three weeks since She''d left, and more than one person was beginning to become concerned with her absence¡­ especially in light of the quartet''s timely return with their third run for supplies and the¡ªhunting incident. The demoness bent down, more of her armour falling away to reveal an entirely naked Dianna who scooped up her child and hugged her close, Tulle nuzzling against the woman''s undeniably impressive chest before pulling away with a scowl.


    "Oh¡­ Mom, you really stink¡­"


    "I got swallowed by a tunnel wyrm on the fifth floor in my sleep. Couldn''t hurt me in my armour, but certainly gave me a scare¡­ and," She grinned rather playfully, "a smell."


    "Looks like you''ve all but bathed in an ocean of blood afterwards¡­" Arthur commented, noting just how many layers of filth there were¡­ It was honestly as impressive as it was disturbing¡­


    "You''re not far off, really¡­" Dianna beamed, looking at him with an earnest affection. "It was all more fun than I''ve had since the first time I tried to survive down there on my own¡­ Arthur¡­ your cards¡­ their¡­ their magnificent! I was unstoppable! A living god! I have so many Ideas! So many ways to improve over what didn''t work and what did! I¡ªI¡­"


    "You need a bath." Arthur grinned, both he and herself noting Tulla''s strained wriggling to get herself free, finally finding herself released and flying away with a grimace.


    Dianna groaned with pleasure, sinking into the blistering waters with fluttering eyes, hair filled with a delightfully scented lather as bubbling jets soothed her aching body. Tulla swam around her, laughing and playing in the bubbles¡ªafter Arthur had let her go near the emptied then refilled pool. She was floating on air, riding her high of battle and subsequent papering relaxation with earnestly moderate disbelief.


    She had thought her days of conflict were over, had abandoned hopes for luxury and fulfillment, only to have it all thrust within her lap by a single person¡­ a person who she''d threatened to kill on more than a single occasion, and impossibly, had almost killed her in retaliation¡­ Was the fluttering in her heart when she pictured his face what love was? Well, it was certainly how her sister had described it¡­ though Dianna had never truly expected to find it herself¡­


    It was entirely odd that she should be attracted to Arthur, given how peculiar he looked, but it had been clear to her that attraction was exactly what it was. There''d been more than a few times when she''d been alone in the depths of an entirely separate reality wherein it was his face, not her daughter''s nor sister''s, that had appeared in her thoughts when thinking of home¡­


    Now, confronted with this otherworldly chamber of steam and bubbles, the new house he''d built to accommodate both her and her daughter, and, of course, Tulla looking happier than she''d ever seen her, It was hard for Dianna not to pin the human down and take him on the ground. She''d very nearly come near to doing it, too¡­ but had respected his desires to wait until the evening when their child could be put down for bed in the trailer.


    "Their child¡­" Dianna muttered, her tail dragging her daughter along in the bath as the girl laughed and demanded more speed.


    It was hard to believe anyone could suddenly drop into her life so randomly as Arthur had, and so totally commandeer it¡­ not that she was really complaining at this point¡­ Dianna tilted her head back, staring towards the new home that Arthur had built for them in her absence, a strange but not unattractive thing that was almost utilitarian in its appearance, built with those now rather familiar white tiles that she was learning he liked to create with.


    The building was both tall and wide, with front doors appearing to have entirely taken into consideration her own dimensions during their inception. She had yet to actually explore the insides, but if her daughter''s word was to be believed, then it was largely not dissimilar to Arthur''s previous home.


    Truly, following her escapades within the labyrinth, Diana wouldn''t have cared if she let herself soak in the outdoor bath for the rest of the night; however, when her nose scented something frankly irresistible upon the slight breeze, she found nearly all her thoughts entirely consumed, mouth moistening with an involuntary desire¡­


    "You two should think about getting out soon!" Arthur called, his voice disembodied as her absent mate worked his magic from their new home. "Food''s almost ready!"


    Dianna extracted herself from the pool, tail wrapping itself around her daughter when the little fireball refused to depart. Tulla hissed and fussed as she was pulled from the bubbly heat and summarily dried off by her mother using a pair of rather new and soft towels, each purposefully left near the water on a rack.


    Dianna looked about, not seeing a better alternative to the towel for herself, and shrugged, tossing it aside as she began helping her daughter slip back into her own clothes. It wasn''t long thereafter that Arthur came striding out of their new domicile, hands filled with a massive tray of food.


    When his grinning gaze fell upon the duo, Dianna smirked as he very nearly tripped over his own legs, eyes growing a fraction wider, jaw slipping as he just openly stared with what might only have been called disbelief. Not at all obtuse to exactly where his eyes were looking, or perhaps, roving, she merely cocked a suggestive hip, tail swaying coyly behind her.


    Dianna had been known to have something of an effect upon those of the opposite sex, though she wasn''t one to often expose herself in such a¡ªdebaucherous manner; it usually wasn''t needed. Just her sweaty body and soaked clothes while in the practice yard had been enough for her to become the absolute center of many a man''s existence, and those few times she''d decided to take a man to bed had only ever reinforced the understanding that she was attractive, to say the least.


    Holding back a throaty chuckle as she watched her mate visibly seem to lose every thought within his head, It was with an effort that he managed to eventually recover himself, her ears picking up upon the gulp in his throat as, like a master performer, Arthurs expression shifted, that usual outgoing and extroverted persona he seemed to employ while at a social disadvantage making its way to the forefront of his emotions.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "There is a¡ªrobe just on the¡­ on the¡­" He tried, voice just trailing off as Dianna noted where he was indicating with a grin before sashaying towards it to cover herself with no real urgency about her steps.


    "It smells delicious, by the way; what is it that we will be spoilt with tonight?"


    "Ah, ahem, well, I was going to try and get Tulla to eat a salad, but, seeing as you returned, I thought, given how tired you looked, that you might just prefer something with a little more¡ªprotein."


    Arthur placed the platter on the table, opening the lid to reveal a hulking heap of grilled steaks piled high upon each other and looking as though they could feed a small potluck. As it happened, Dianna got the feeling he knew exactly what he was doing with the portions, especially when she sat down, only for him to start placing the tender and juicy slabs upon a myriad of plates, each of which he pushed in her direction, along with a much smaller plate filled with what looked to be roasted vegetables from the garden and, a steaming potato.


    She raised her eye quizzically at this last addition, but, with fork and knife in hand, she wasted little time in digging in to the first plate that had made it her way. Bliss¡­ that was the only way she could describe it¡­


    Forget his prior culinary inventions, it was, in the end, the humble steak, so difficult to master and so easy to ruin, that had Dianna closing her eyes in rapture as her teeth sunk deep into the first bite, sweltering juices and an inexplicably delicious seasoning all but making her tastebuds pop with delight. She moaned as she swallowed, a small growl escaping her throat as she eyed Arthur with pinning intensity.


    "Good?"


    "My muscles are going to thank you."


    "Then, by all means-" Arthur began with a smile, gesturing to the meal. "Dig in; don''t hold yourself back for manner''s sake; you must be utterly ravenous."


    "I am." She replied with a wicked gleam, tongue flourishing across her lips as she held Arthur''s gaze, only the sweet call of the meal before her pulling her thoughts away from what it was she was going to do to the poor man later that night. "The truth is that I haven''t had much but sloppily charred meat over a fire for some time now¡­ the food from the card was¡ªwell, it got boring fast as it usually does¡­ what is it that you''ve used to make this taste so spicy?"


    "Fresh pepper." Arthur smiled, helping Tulla with her own platter before serving himself. "My dad always said a good steak didn''t need anything but fresh salt and pepper, and I''ve lived by that creed ever since I started learning to cook, though the meat isn''t actually beef; it''s what Tulla and I brought back from a little hunting we did."


    "There''s these huge shaggy yak things in the valley with the lake that the river flows to!" Tulla quickly picked up, eager to regain her mother''s attention. "Arthur even let me play with his golem army!"


    "Army?"


    Arthur appeared hesitant as her gaze, eyebrow raised in earnest question while her daughter merely continued to regal the table with her recounting. When she finally slowed down, Dianna was well into her third helping, now eating at a more subdued pace but, yet still hungry, if not so desperately as before, chewing thoughtfully as she considered what she''d heard.


    "It''s really all quite a bit¡ªless dangerous than it sounds¡­"


    "I''m sure¡­"


    Dianna was silent for several moments as she peered between the pair, wondering just exactly what else they had gotten into whilst she was gone¡­ She didn''t really care that Arthur was letting Tulla go hunting with dangerous new toys; in fact, she actually was rather impressed he managed to convince her to do it in the first place, though she was deciding that she was going to have to cease being surprised when it came to the man as his bag of tricks seemed as limitless as the sky itself.


    Nevertheless, she could sense that the duo were, for whatever reason, under the impression she wasn''t pleased and, despite herself, was enjoying watching the way her mate squirmed beneath her scrutiny. It fed a much deeper and primal part of her that wanted nothing more than to actually see the man''s fear for her, largely because he was so damned good at hiding it¡­ She let them both stew in their uncertainties for a while longer, leisurely enjoying her meal before eventually smiling, letting them both off the hook.


    "I think I would like to bring Tulla to the labyrinth." She stated, keeping eyecontact with Arthur as she did so. "Just the first floor¡­ there''s a city down there that I believe might do her good to see, and I''m sure she''ll love the experience of it; most bal children find it fun anyways, at least, those that get the chance."


    "Kaitrice?"


    Dianna nodded, pleased that her brother and sister had been busy informing her husband of his new home. "It''s probably the largest such example in all the Lacunae, a true melting pot of cultures and peoples. Under more¡ªnormal circumstances, I wouldn''t bother, but, seeing as how we don''t need to travel very far, nor pay the exorbitant taxes¡­"


    "Cassie was making the exact same point the other morning¡­" Arthur admitted, leaning back in his chair and dabbing at his face with a napkin. "Tavir''s still on the fence about it, but with how far work on the new village is progressing, everyone seems to be in agreement that there is a very distinctive¡ªlack of certain amenities¡­"


    "You mean thralls?"


    Dianna watched as Arthur''s face scowled at the word, gaze growing distant¡­ "Among other things, yes." He confirmed bitterly.


    "Slaves are a reality of our empire¡­ and nearly every other civilization beyond it. Did your people not make use of such practices?"


    "Our history is filled with slavery¡­ I was raised in what my people heralded as a free utopia that honestly was anything but. We were entirely beholden to cultural expectations and money; all the while, the value of our labour continued to decline, and the cost of goods rose until there was only a comparative handful that controlled our society. It was an utter mess with no way out for most¡­ I don''t care if there are slaves in this universe as they still existed in mine as well, but let me ask you this, Dianna, do you honestly believe that, had you collared me and forced me into thralldom, that I would have been so forthcoming with my capabilities? Do you believe I would have gone through all the trouble of helping your people, of creating the bath for you and the new house, among everything else?"


    "No¡­" Dianna allowed, watching the man across from her carefully. "I believe that, without the proper magic to bind your will, you would have tried to kill us and, possibly, even have succeeded to a concerning degree of probability¡­"


    "Freedom breeds innovation." The man, suddenly playing philosopher, continued. "Only when people are free, even if they are still beholden to another''s will through law or oath, only then do they truly strive to better both themselves and the world around them. If there is nothing to gain, then there is no incentive, and if there''s no incentive, then what you get is laziness and contempt."


    "Magic solves quite a few of those issues, actually. From the sounds of it, my people''s development in this regard sounds to finally be something more advanced than your own." The demoness clicked her tongue, twirling her fork between two fingers as she idly observed the chrome polish of its prongs. "When we bind a new slave¡ª" Dianna continued, spearing a carrot with lazy interest. "We employ the use of enchantments that guarantee subservience on an¡ªemotional scale. A properly indoctrinated thrall will desire to serve their master''s, sort of like a charm." Dianna could see how her mate''s expression only darkened the more she spoke of the matter, enough so that it gave her pause. With a sigh, she placed her utensils on her plate, leaning forward with clasped hands while her tail wrapped itself around the man, holding him snugly in a manner she''d come to realize he secretly enjoyed. "It isn''t as though they have no rights, Arthur." She continued, tone taking on the air of a teacher explaining basic concepts to a class of younglings. "In many cases, our slaves are treated better within the empire than where they''ve been taken from. We are not savages who force those beneath us to grovel through the mud without reason, and, many as of late have even fled their lands seeking refuge within the imperium as thralls."


    "I get it, Dianna, I do; I just don''t like it."


    "You''ll get used to it, Arthur, I assure you." The demoness stated, tone weary as it escaped her lips. "We all do, however. The Lacunae is not the same utopia of your homeland, and you should not treat it as such; doing so will only disappoint you."


    Arthur nodded his head, hands moving to grasp at Dianna''s tail as though taking a semblance of comfort from its warmth. It had been a while since they''d shared this contact, and it was nice. Still, she felt her eyes glaze as she considered just how strange the contrast of her mate''s warring ideas felt as they visibly clashed in his mind.


    He seemed to dislike violence as a whole but wasn''t beyond it if pressed, or it served a purpose; more, at least from the sounds of it, he was a frightful talent at killing or devising ways to do so. He detested slavery even though he himself admitted that his utopia existed in a quasi-subjugated state wherein the average citizen walked that very line between servitude and freedom. He was soft while also, at times, calculating and cold¡­ merciless and filled with a bleeding heart for those he didn''t even know¡­


    She might have called him hypocritical if she''d had a mind to make him angry with her, but, idealistic or not, instead of starting an argument, she merely returned to her meal, enjoying a few morsels before continuing where they''d left off.

 A chamber of steam and bubbles... (explicit)

    Chapter 15


    It was late when Dianna moved to tuck Tulla in for the night, her little girl so full of earnest cheer as she gave her mother a quick tour of their new home before, whilst grinning ear to ear, she settled in under blankets so soft as to feel almost decadent, snuggling with a large pillow while a screen across from her came to life with a magic play. Dianna kissed her daughter good night, taking one final look at how¡ªhappy the girl appeared before turning to leave, a small smile flitting across her face.


    She found Arthur outside, relaxing in the bath beneath the cool silvery glow of the greater Lacunae, his expression thoughtful as he, too, seemed transfixed by what lay above. She caught his attention before she''d reached the pool''s edge, his blue eyes staring up at her with piqued but muted interest, his mouth opening slightly as if to say something witty before Dianna promptly removed the robe she''d been wearing. Smirking as it fluttered about her legs and Arthur''s eyes grew wide with surprise.


    She didn''t linger long, enjoying the way the man''s face blushed as she descended into the water, loving every moment his eyes were upon her as well as the wonderful heat. She slipped into the pool across from him, stretching out her limbs and appreciating the way her muscles burned as they healed without her special card. It was honestly a sort of therapy in itself that was a double-edged blade in that particular regard. Dianna had found that she''d earnestly missed how soothing it felt to just allow her body to do things the natural way. She''d put it back in the deck after luxuriating in the feeling, of course, but for now, she was content.


    Arthur watched her the whole time, gaze seemingly transfixed as her upper half gently bobbed up and down in the water, her breasts large and buoyant, their dark nipples poking out from the steaming water as she shifted in her gentle exercise, entirely cognisant of what she was doing. "You can touch them, you know; there''s no need to be so coy¡­ I''ve noticed just how much you''ve been staring at them since we first met, and quite frankly, it''s a good deal more than was probably proper given your lust was directed at somebody who wanted to kill you¡­"


    The young man chuckled at this, a hand scratching at the back of his neck whilst a hoof with soft fur at the termination of a long muscled leg gently began caressing his thigh. "I uhhh, I''m not sure how to really say this, a-and, don''t take this the wrong way Dianna because I really want to, with you, b-but¡­ you''re not going to¡ªsquish me if we have sex, right?"


    Dianna snorted, leaning back in the water as she placed both her hooves in Arthur''s lap, arms extending to rest on the bath''s edge while she grinned at the much smaller man with earnest glee. "No, I''m not going to break you, at least, not in that sense, wring your balls dry maybe, but¡ª" She paused, tilting her head in thought. "¡ªyou do have balls, correct? I''ve felt your cock stiffening beneath my tail enough to know you''ve at least got one of those, but..." Her words trailed off as Arthur grinned at her, lifting one of her legs from the water to inspect her dark hoof. Dianna felt a sudden influx of embarrassment as he began running soft fingers over it, gently tracing out along its perimeter. She kept them rather trim and properly cared for, as was expected in civilized society, even if they weren''t presently in it, but she couldn''t help but feel a tinge of appreciation in the way he was staring at them, almost tickling her with his interest.


    "Does it hurt when you step on something sharp?" He asked, gently rubbing his thumb across the rough pad that tingled with his passing touch.


    "Not really, as children, some in the cities might have that issue or, even adults that haven''t developed through empowering their metamorphosis, but very little can actually penetrate my skin quite so easily these days¡­"


    Arthur nodded, continuing his gentle inquisitiveness for a time before, with a smile, and to her utter mortification, he kissed her hoof! Dianna felt a swell of something curious within herself, something that fluttered in the depths of her tummy! Marvellously and sinfully disconcerted for a reason she couldn''t bring to words and simultaneously thrilled by the prospect as he shifted in the water, ducking low as he slid her leg over a shoulder and proceeded to kiss his way along the length of her shin. Dianna let out a strangled sigh of pleasure that surprised herself, his lips leaving slight lingering sensations of electricity as he moved towards her muscled thighs, seeming to pay special attention to her inner legs, kissing and caressing on his way, eventually slipping entirely between them, both his hands holding a firm grip in her lower half before he made to lift her from the water. Dianna understood his intentions and assisted once she''d felt her weight to be too much for him to handle, lifting herself from the bath until she sat on its marbled edge, staring at the human who was at a height to stare face to breasts where he was. He grinned up at her, Dianna half expecting him to try and mount here then and there, awkward as such a thing might be given the¡ªdifference in positions, but, to her surprise, he didn''t lift himself to get a better angle, nor did her try to steal a kiss¡­ Instead, Arthur lowered himself, gleaming eyes filled with mirth and never breaking from her own until¡­


    "Ohhh gods¡­" She hissed, body tensing in the cool night air as she felt something hot and wet slither its way across her sex, growling a moment later before clutching at a handful of the human''s golden hair, staring down at the wet and sloppy sounds that were emanating from between her thighs. She''d been excited, to be sure, and had known herself to be¡ªmoist with the mere expectation and her own hungering desires, but¡­ this¡­ She liked this¡­ Arthur was dedicatedly exploring her labia with his tongue, seeming to want to discover each and every crevice she had! It was delightful, the way he suckled and slurped at her, the way he swirled his tongue round and round without ever entering her. Dianna''s lubrication and pleasure caused his lapping groans of desire, as though he were somehow garnering pleasure from this, to grow progressively sloppier as he worked.


    Arthur gave the entire length of her dripping folds a final excruciating lick before he tilted his chin and smiled at her with a raised brow. The devious glee in his face letting Dianna know that he was indeed a¡ªwilling participant. ''Hmhm, enjoying it?" He chuckled, her viscous juices clinging to his cheeks and mouth, hanging as syrupy strands of glistening nectar that connected the duo in a most immoral fashion.


    Dianna didn''t bother to answer, simply applying pressure from where she held him, pushing him back to where he seemed to be so clearly enjoying himself! His tongue rolled across her labia again and again, slurping and sucking, devouring her seeping fluids as they so desperately fought to produce as much as he consumed. His tongue wasn''t long and didn''t enter too deeply when he chose to tease at her entrance, but it didn''t seem to matter, her mate''s questing little appendage lavishing her eagre pussy with sinful kisses and devilish licks.


    "Mmmmm, you taste delicious, you know that?" He mumbled, Dianna grinding her pelvis against his face as she moaned with delight. "Sweet, and just a little tart¡­ mmrrrm! Makes me want to devour you whole!"


    "Y-your a d-degenerate, aren''t you?" The demoness whimpered, feeling herself reaching a thrilling pinnacle that seemed to well up from her very core, spreading like static through her entire body as she rocked against Arthur''s face, riding his swirling tongue as though it were her personal mount. "I-I happen to know wh-wh¡ªohhhh¡­ f-fuck¡­ What I taste like, and it isn''t¡ªsweet¡­"


    "Mmmmhmmm, I beg to differ¡­" Then, her man paused as if suddenly conscious of what he''d actually said, the smug bastard taking a moment to actually smack his lips with thoughtful contemplation! All as Dianna, flustered yet¡ªviscerally thrilled by the novelty of it all just stared, breath caught as though waiting for some divine judgement. "Nope, I''m definitely right¡­ It''s not super obvious, but it is there¡­ I''d say you almost taste fruity¡­"


    "Stop¡ªappraising my flavour and keep licking!"


    "Oh, now whose the degenera¡ª "Arthur''s voice disappeared as she forced his face against her crotch, all but feeling his smile as his tongue continued to worship her, causing the demoness to shudder with delight, eyes rolling while sounds she''d never known she could make emanated from both above and below. She was soaked, practically drenched, her twitching cunt more flowing with her juices than dripping at this point¡­


    Further and further, he pushed her, elevating Dianna to the very precipice of pleasure itself, right up until the moment she thought she might find release before expertly allowing her to fall away, playing her desires as though he might be an instrument with masterful dedication. He held her there, edging the flow of her desperate looming orgasms as she whimpered and moaned her needs, body convulsing as it lost itself to his swirling ministrations, Dianna all but smearing herself onto her mate''s face with forceful and grinding gyrations until with a sudden pause, he slipped his firmly held face upwards, leaving Dianna panting and growling by equal measure.


    "Don''t you dare stop." She warned, glaring at the smiling but hesitant man still wrapped between her thighs.


    Arthur nodded his understanding, face fouled by her glistening, ravished sex, but licked his lips with an air of uncertainty as his hands ran across the large muscles of her thighs, which were still holding his head tightly, refusing to let him escape. "Dianna, though I find it incredibly sexy that I can''t even so much as move my head right now with the leglock and all, I just wanted to remind you that when I push you over the edge, I''ll still be down here¡­"


    "You''re afraid¡­" Dianna whispered, a hand pinching hard at one of her erect nipples, sending volts of electricity through her every nerve! "Good, I like it when you''re scared, Arthur, it''s thrilling¡­" She grinned at him, showing all of her teeth as she pushed him back against her, forcing his lips against her own. ¡°Now, finish th-the job¡­ oh gods¡­ a-and maybe, I¡¯ll let you survive¡­ Oh, oh fuck! Yes, right there, Arthur, don''t you dare stop you little manling!"


    Dianna grinned as she felt Arthur redouble his efforts, seeming to respond well when she told him what she wanted. However, she did lessen the force she was applying with her legs, if only to reassure him, her fingers gently brushing the back of his head as, once more, she began treating his face like her favourite pillow in her teenage years. Before long, her grinding gyrations grew more aggressive, and she could feel herself approaching the peak, her chosen mate''s tender kisses and long licks slowly bringing her to the ridge of madness in a measured and methodical climb! But, just as she thought she was about to tip over the finish line, her moans of pleasure singing out to the otherwise silent night, Dianna''s world exploded with colour! Without warning, she felt her clitoris, thus far ignored beyond gentle, infuriating teasings, suddenly assaulted by a swirling, vibrating appendage that circled its throbbing stiffness as two fingers plunged into her depths! Dianna screamed as she came, her body alive with fire as her legs extended outwards, back arching, wings flexing, hands slamming against the stone around her! Fingers curling as taloned claws shredded stone with grinding shrieks, dragging deep furrows through the marble while a veritable geyser of her juices sprayed from between her twitching thighs, soaking the man between her legs and splattering the bath''s surface as though she were a newly minted fountain dedicated to lust and desire.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "F-fuck!" It was all she could manage, her visceral and animistic groans transitioning to that one stifled word which seemed to hang in the air as her pussy pulsed, squirting with much smaller bursts of her orgasmic fluids as everything went white!


    She was only vaguely aware that Arthur was still suckling at her, still gulping at her trembling folds, still pleasuring her even as she rode a wave of ecstasy she hadn''t known for¡­ perhaps her entire life¡­ She felt her mind go blank as her eyes crossed and her tail stretched to its full length, hyper-extending and vibrating like a quivering arrow, shivering with nerves that felt as though they were on alight with each and every pulse of her rapidly beating heart! Then, she came down, gentle ripples of her joy sparking like magic across her flesh, her pelvis lovingly swirling her sex against the head that still worked at her with a far gentler touch than it had before. She groaned while she felt Arthur continue to pleasure her, basking in the strangely unique pampering that was unquestionably foreign to her people''s culture.


    She gasped with little heaving breaths while yet descending from the heavens themselves, limbs occasionally twitching with involuntary sparks of bliss¡­ The cool night air, the steam, the pleasurable wonders that still ate at the feast between her thighs... All of it adding rather than taking away from the stark euphoria of an indescribable afterglow that she willingly settled into as her entire form relaxed in a puddle of ecstasy...


    "You know¡­" She began, voice breathy and horse from her screams, finally finding her vision to return to her, leaning back on her palms and idly wiggling at the ruined stone with a claw. All as she spread her legs further apart as if to offer more of herself to the delightful face still dining at her lower lips. "I''m not sure If I would have ever thought I might enjoy something like that had you asked me about it beforehand."


    In response, the viscous sipping, sucking and lapping sounds only got louder, causing Dianna to chuckle merrily before she reached down to retrieve the strange man with a¡ªsoft expression. Arthur merely grinned vivaciously at her as he wiped at his mouth, sticky strands of her slickness following the back of his hand as it departed. His hair was absolutely matted to his head, face drenched in her scent and sheen, bright blue eyes the colour of sandy ocean waters gleaming with such enthusiasm and joy that Dianna began to wonder exactly who was having more fun¡­


    "Bal, don''t engage in a little oral play?" He asked, somewhat surprised as he raised an eyebrow.


    "No, we typically don''t¡­" Dianna mused, chewing on her bottom lip. "For the most part, it''s largely a lot of wrestling, partially because neither partner wants to actually submit to the other and seem weak¡­ thinking on it, the whole affair involves a lot of posturing and chest puffing, really; we are a¡ªrambunctious people after all¡­ Though, with you, I feel rather confident that I needent force the issue to prove I''m stronger than you. And that you, by contrast, don''t seem to care a wits way regardless¡­" She chuckled as he grinned that fiendish smile of his, her slight laughter shifting to that of a deep chiming bell as she pushed him back down on her, giggling like a girl still at school before moaning like a street side whore as she felt his tongue willingly rediscover her budding pear. "I¡ª" Diana began airily as her voice hitched and her entire body shuddered with delight. "T-think I might be enjoying the change of pace j-just a little¡­ ohhh... mmmmhhmmm! A-a little too much¡­"


    Again, Dianna felt herself squirm with the onset of another orgasm, not as extreme as the first, but nevertheless, caringly drawn out and extended as Arthur toyed with her as though he''d been practicing down there for years. She writhed as he twisted his tongue within her, Dianna''s tiny moans and soft cries of delight ringing as music to his ears as he devoted himself to her pleasures. The demoness feeling as though she might just melt into a damned pudding at any moment!


    Eventually, feeling his tongue give her one final lick, startling her to full awareness as it began by gently circling her puckered star before leisurely gliding across her labia, ending with a subtle flick at her clitoris. Dianna mewed as she was very nearly coaxed into another wave of bliss, but Arthur denied her the release she so desperately wanted, dipping into the pool to quickly scrub himself of her messy pleasure before he rose back up, lifting from his spot to stare deeply into her eyes. His voice arrived softly, almost pleadingly, in her ears.


    "You¡ªcan''t take me as roughly as I think you might want to, you know¡­ You''re massive, and though it''s agonizingly sexy to just think about you on top, you might actually crush me¡­ Your¡ªinsanely heavy¡­" To accentuate the point, Arthur tried to lift one of her legs now that it wasn''t in the pool and strained, needing to use both arms to lift it even moderately as high as he had while in the water.


    "Mmmmmm, we''re going to need to fix that¡­" She muttered, pulling him tight into her embrace with so said leg as it hooked around him, squashing him between her massive breasts, the soft flesh engulfing him entirely until his head nearly disappeared between her mounds. Dianna''s breasts were large, ever for her frame, but compared to her mate, they looked positively enormous. It was almost funny seeing his head vanish between her tits, the sight causing her to chuckle warmly. "When we visit Kairtrice, we''ll set out into the labyrinth and get your soul all powered up until I''m sure you can survive when I spend the better part of a week smashing your little body into a crater below me."


    The young man smothered by her flesh moaned with the thought of it, Dianna smiling to herself as she gently dragged her claws along his spine, enjoying how desperate he seemed to touch her. His hands roamed across her body with wild abandon, feeling every grove of her muscle, pawing at the weight of her chest as she held him to her. One hand dipping to gently fondle his admittedly surprising endowment from behind. His genitals weren''t the¡ªlargest she''d seen, not by any margin at all given the disparity in size but, they would work and, she''d hardly ever found release from mere penetration, to begin with¡­ An issue he''d already seen to in marvellous fashion. She supposed the discrepancy was to be expected given his stature and general size when compared to the larger specimen of her kind, but again, she didn''t see much of an issue there. His cock and balls were so peculiarly soft, stiff and pulsing as his penis currently was and so unlike her own kind. It was warm and squishy, fey and without all the ridges. Much more smooth in texture than she was used to. Well, perhaps used to might have been a little stretch, she mused, frowning at the thought. When was the last time she''d actually had sex with someone other than her fingers? Oh gods, had Tulla''s father truly been the last? Not a great showing to go out on regardless¡­


    Dianna grunted with annoyance at the thought, her hands clamping down a little tighter on Arthur''s family jewels, eliciting a sudden gasp of uncertainty as he shifted to watch her, his vulnerability clearly written across his face. She wondered what that sensation might be like as she leaned down to take his mouth with her own, tasting herself as her tongue snaked its way around his own and gently pulled as it was his turn to let out a slight moan of appreciation. She was so much larger than he was, stronger and heavier, body dangerous with a slew of natural weapons that could disembowel the comparatively frail man in her arms. Was he terrified that she might actually hurt him when they coupled? Well, yes, that was an easy enough answer as she could practically taste the hormones off him whenever the tip of her tail brushed against his toned ass or her teeth pulled gently at his lips, never breaking the skin but threatening all the same. She could feel his heart race with the anticipation of it all as her taloned fingers left trails of cool tingles across the head of his shaft, large dribbles of his seed seeming to pulse from his tip as a continuous ooze of expectation.


    It was good to know she was capable of teasing him in if not an equally capable manner as he did her, then, at least, her own way that seemed to hit all of his buttons. Arthur, transitioning from the almost dominant instigator he''d been to a pile of mush in her arms. Her tongue slid from his own as she released him from their kiss, running it along his cheek, down over his jaw and along the strange bulge in his throat as she moved in, lips pulling at his ear. "I want you to release inside of me, Arthur¡­" She whispered, voice hoarse with her own need as his hips began to involuntarily buck into her, noting with pride how excited he was. "I want to feel your seed warming my belly, filling me until my womb is¡ªfertilized¡­"


    "O-oh fuck¡­ y-yup, that''s doing it, Dianna, shit, I can''t want to bust inside of you¡ªb-but¡­" He hesitated, stroking his cock with near desperation as she leaned backwards once more, splaying her legs wide and using her tail to liberally smear her lubrication across herself. "W-what about actually making a baby¡­ Are crossbreeds even possible? What if¡ª"


    "Shhhhhhhh¡­" Dianna cued, placing a long finger over her mate''s lips. "I think it might be rather fun to see you trying to put one in me, don''t you?"


    "I¡ªI¡­"


    "Hmmm, what? Don''t you want to see my belly swell with your child, Arthur? Don''t you want to try and¡ªbreed me? I think I might like another, you know¡­"


    "Oh shit! Oh¡ªf-fuuu-huh-uucckkk¡­ right, we''re doing this!" Arthur exclaimed, then whimpered, unable to further control himself as he thrust into her, his jaw all but chattering as though frozen in ice as he slid into the base with a single, mind-numbing glide. He held himself there, twitching as though on the verge of exploding within her molten depths, Dianna''s grin wide and lecherous as she flexed her muscles and began to shift. "W-wait, h-hold on, D-Dianna, wa¡ªait¡­ fuck¡­ ohhhhh fuck¡­"


    She felt his load explode within her, his little pink balls scrunching cutely as his entire body contorted against her own. It was so easy, she marvelled, laughing with glee as she pulled him tight to her. Dianna didn''t even need to be on top, not when it was this simple to reduce the poor man to a quivering mess; apparently, he''d been backed up as much as she had, and she''d be lying if she didn''t admit that, feeling rope after hot and steamy rope of his seed spraying her from the inside wasn''t to her utter satisfaction. There was just something so appreciatively¡ªsatisfying about the sensation. Of knowing she''d been the cause for him to pop so quickly. Dianna was nothing if not confidant, but the earnest joy she felt as Arthur shivered in mind-melting bliss was the perfect spice to their zesty activities.


    "I-its moving¡­ why is it moving?" He blubbered, clutching at her shoulders as he ground his pelvis against his own, interspaced by desperate bucks of his hips as she pulled on him with a wet and snug suppleness that had him entering rapture.


    "Mmmmm, it''s so our men can''t escape us¡­ Otherwise, how could we be assured we were pregnant?"


    There was a pause, a discernable moment where her mate suddenly locked up, freezing in place as though trapped within a single moment in time. "What? Just like that? You can already tell?" Arthur accused, looking half horrified and half bewildered all at the same time.


    "Ha! No, of course not, you beautiful dolt, but it does increase the chances when we milk the object of our desires of what we want."


    And, just like that, she intensified her internal massage, working the strangely deflating appendage within herself back to a full and pleasurably filling thickness.


    Arthur grunted as he again bucked in her embrace, seizing with each of her languid internal strokes that had him panting and fighting just to speak. "No offence, but sex between bal is starting to sound a lot less like something that''s done for¡ªenjoyment. N-not to say what y-you''re doing to me currently doesn''t feel¡­ ohhh god¡­. So fucking good¡­"


    Dianna could only smirk, shrugging as she released Arthur and let him slide out of her with a squelching pop. He did so, but with a noticeable hint of disappointment, as though now that he''d actually gotten free, he realized just how much he missed being snugly held against her. "There is much pleasure to be had doing things our way, but I''ll admit, there''s a lot less thrusting involved until someone is incapacitated; then, and only then, it tends to get rougher."


    "Yeah, we just sort of bump uglies until everyone''s had their fill, more of a team effort for it all if you know what I''m saying."


    "That''s a terrible way to describe things! But, hmhm, the other part might be fun." Dianna mused, cocking her head to the side as she imagined how it might feel to have both of them working in tandem.


    And, seemingly unable to resist the twitching wonderland between her thighs, Arthur plunged himself back in! She gasped as she felt him fill her dripping channel again, mewing contentedly as he held himself buried to his hilt, gazing into her eyes with a suddenly naughty gleam that had her both excited and curious about what he had up his sleeve. He began rocking back and forth, slowly but building up speed as Dianna groaned with delight, her voice transitioning into a banshee''s wail that split the heavens above as, from within, Arthur''s cock began to vibrate.

 Decadence...

    Chapter 16


    A stirring beside Arthur woke the young man as his consciousness emerged from a dreamless sleep, his eyes heavy, body¡ªsore in ways he''d never imagined it could be¡­ The mind had been willing to see him through most of the night, but the flesh, the flesh was so very weak¡­ yet, so depraved was the comforting heat, the softness of the valley in which his head was tucked between that, in all earnest, he wasn''t sure if he''d actually given up the ghost and gone to heaven¡­ He''d never understood those few friends he''d had with a mothering fetish, but given that this bliss he found himself in wasn''t far off from what they''d described, he thought, just a little, like he could appreciate some of the associated benefits. His hands pushed into the gently heaving mounds of flesh that engulfed him to the wrists, snuggling in against the largest pair of breasts he''d ever personally seen¡­ The fact that he had first-hand knowledge that the damned things seemed to defy gravity itself just made it all that much¡­ harder to come to terms with¡­ But, to be fair, drooping likely wasn''t something an individual as¡ªbuilt and strong as Dianna probably had to worry about¡­


    Ultimately, he decided he didn''t much care if he was alive or dead, cuddling deeper into the furnace that was the demon''s enormous rack as his face was enveloped by wonderful mountains of flesh and a subtle but pleasing scent that felt so strangely comforting and safe. It was the smell of her. Of her sweat, of her skin, her natural aroma that always seemed to have his head spinning with desire just to submerge himself deeper into its intoxicating allure. At his actions, the other person sharing his sheets shifted again, a long and contented breath following a familiar tightening around his body that pressed him even closer to the sweltering form that had him melting in her embrace. They held each other there for a time, neither seeming willing to break their union apart, both luxuriating in their partner''s presence, though, as it was said, nothing in life lasted forever, and soon, despite the peace and serenity offered, a loud growl and associated rumble stemming from a chiselled stomach that pressed against him, broke the mood.


    Arthur grinned; honestly, he couldn''t help himself, gently pulling away to spy a beautiful but alien face, slightly flushed but grinning at him all the same. Her jaw was carved from marble itself, defined while still feminine, cheekbones high and imperious, helping frame a bewitching face that still had Arthur bewildered by its sheer ability to enchant his every thought¡­ It didn''t matter that the nostrils of her partially slitted nose were different, nor was it so strange to see those gleaming razors peak out at him with a smile, just barely hidden behind full and¡ªdelicious lips¡­ He found himself just watching the woman sharing his blankets for a time, studying her every hypnotic detail as though meaning to burn it to memory, uncaring of the way one of her silvery-white and perfect brows raised at his attention.


    Before this point in his life, he''d never thought he''d be so thoroughly enthralled by there mere sight of a pretty face, but¡­ there it was¡­ He supposed, from this point going forwards, Arthur was a willing demon fucker, enamoured by someone of a species not his own¡­ A betrayer to humanity! And one that was going to start actively seeking a means by which to create an offshoot species, just as Dianna had suggested.


    "I''ll go get started on breakfast then; any requests? Steak and eggs, maybe?" He suddenly asked, separating to begin some light stretches.


    "You''re going to feed me more steak?" Dianna murmured, drawing her words out while looking at him with a decidedly odd expression, one that waltzed between hope and self-conscious exasperation. "I kept you up most of the night, hardly let you get a wink of sleep when I really got going and now you want to get up before I do and cook something like that for me?"


    "It''s not hard, and, honestly, I feel like I''m the one who owes you for tapping out early to begin with¡­ plus¡­" He added, grinning as his hand reached down to cup, then squeeze a rather full handful of the demoness''s heavy and sculpted rear, "We''ve got to feed your muscles."


    Dianna scoffed, batting away his massaging palm before forcing her tongue down his throat as she dove at him, enjoying the way Arthur seemed to surrender as she rolled him on his back, claiming him and showering the human with her appreciation. When she pulled away, her mate had that dreamy, dumbfounded gaze on his expression, which she was quickly coming to enjoy seeing on him; nevertheless, she held him by the jaw, forcing Arthur to meet her eyes and come back to reality. "Last night was wonderful, don''t think I didn''t enjoy it, Arthur. Honestly, it was absolutely the best sex I''ve had in a very long time, even if It ended before I wanted it to."


    "You''d of had us up until the break of dawn¡­"


    "And probably longer. I''ll have to speak with my sister about Tulla when we finally get you strong enough to keep up and send the child to her aunts for a time¡­ its something we can work on together, as a team, just like you rather aptly put it last night."


    Arthur swallowed as he held the demon''s gaze, hesitant as she looked at him as might a predator ready to pounce. Break him, she all but had¡­ that said, he''d be a liar if he even tried to convince himself that lasting longer with the colossal demon wasn''t what his heart most desperately desired. It had all simply felt far too¡ªunreal¡­ and he''d loved every minute of it. He''d even lost count of how many times he¡ªfinished inside of her. In all honestly, he''d need to invent this world''s version of Viagra if he had any hope of fully satisfying the monster in his bed or, maybe, figure out if there were oysters in the northern waters he''d spotted.


    Sadly, his mind, trained as it was, wouldnt let him simply lay in bed all day, and, as Dianna had said, there was the Tulla problem. Not that the girl was an issue in any manner beyond their more explicit time together, but to leave her alone was unfair. So, with a sigh, Arthur rose, naked and aching more than just a little in the pelvic region¡­ his body was covered in bloody scratches and bruises just from the demon manhandling him as they coupled. He could see Dianna''s smirk as he tried to take a few steps, only to stumble as his legs gave out. Her tail lazily swished out to catch him and hold him upright as he regained his balance.


    "Stop laughing." He demanded though the grin on his face betrayed his otherwise irate tone.


    "Make me."


    "Oh, that''s it, you''re going to get it tonight¡­ a massive part of my people''s entire culture revolves around sex; I''m going to ruin you and turn the tables so utterly you''ll be begging for me to go easy the next time."


    "We shall see, little man, and just so we are all clear on the point, I haven''t even bit you yet."


    Arthur shivered at the thought, Dianna''s rather impressive razors gleaming as she grinned at him, a curious sheen emerging from the tips of her fangs. He remembered what Kilk had said the other week and suddenly reevaluated his short-term goals in the bedroom. Maybe, just maybe, he should allow himself to¡ªcede this little competition before it got out of hand.


    "Never!" He vehemently growled in the confines of his own head. He would extract sweet justice for his creaking hips, even if he had to shatter them to do it! It would be unpatriotic to do anything less!


    Arthur yawned loudly as he stood outside in his shorts, grilling a heavy slab of meat on his RV outdoor barby while enjoying the morning ambiance of sizzling breakfast, chirping birds and a gentle breeze. The meat was fresh enough, leftovers from the hunt he''d kept in his personal storage space. As it happened, it was far better at preserving food than even his fridge, which was why, as Tavir had mentioned, they tended to be rather expensive so far as commodities went.


    Was he feeling overpowered? Well, pending who was asked, the answer was a rather ambiguous shmayby¡­ Sure, he could have any card he wanted and, by extension, any power he could think of, but the potency of said cards was minimal in their most basic of states. He really needed to pick on a slew of creatures with a little more worth than the poor critters of the grasslands around him¡­ already, he had witnessed the revolving issue of quality and quantity. Worse, not all soul cards reacted in the same manner when being, for lack of a better phrase, upgraded. Take, for example, the translation tarot he''d made for Tulla. That had required more than three dozen voracious eaters as a sacrifice just to get the bloody thing from what Arthur was tentatively naming iron rank to a mere one star into bronze. As he understood it, there were five known ranks to which soul cards could ascend, starting with the lacklustre gray iron all the way to what Cassie had called prismatic. The means by which one could tell how far along said cards progress in any given ranking stems from the count of stars just below its name.


    At bronze, one would see bronze stars and a similarly coloured title; at silver, silver stars and a silver title. The pattern continued through gold and towards its final stage, though, as Arthur had been made to understand, prismatic was something close enough to a legend that it was rarely seen. Gold was considered the peak for even the most dedicated or talented individuals amidst the Lacunae, and even then, it was supposedly uncommon to encounter someone with more than one or three of them, given the whole system''s somewhat problematic and exponentially diminishing returns.


    The issue, as Arthur had learned once trying to further enhance Tulla''s new card once it hit bronze, was that each successive upgrade cost considerably more soul stuff than the last, a throttle of which was only compounded by the eventual elevation of rank. Iron cards were rather easy to improve, bronze as well should one be intelligent or skilled enough to push their way through it, silver being the known plateau of power for the upper echelons of citizens through their lives, with gold being, as it was said, the gold standard of capability and quality. Curiously enough, as it happened, these cards were also what existed amidst the many densins of the universe as an almost universal standard of currency. Though, as previously stated, things often got shiesty when trying to gauge how much an individual soul was worth given the value of a particularly rare card could be wildly in excess of its rank.


    For Tulla''s translation tarot, it had required, as he had measured it, no less than forty-four iron-rank soul cards of various ranks to get it into bronze. For his time manipulation card, Arthur had dumped thirty-two damned souls into it and had only been rewarded with three irons for his efforts before giving up. The increase in effect from his experiment was as negligible as the decrease in cooldown had been¡­ but it once more offered Arthur a valuable lesson to keep close to his chest.


    There was a sort of rarity system at play that wasn''t actually observable but, without question, empirically existed; the more¡ªabsurd the soul card was, so far as capabilities went, the harder it was to empower, while, by comparison, something so simple as a translation card seemed to be entirely within the purview of reasonability. Though, that didn''t mean he was shit out of luck, as though many peoples simply took iron and bronze rank tarots at a generalized value typically accepted by most vendors and citizenry, unique cards, ones that offered in-demand abilities, powers or secretive knowledge, these were what could make an individual wealthy beyond compare, even if they were of the lowest rank, or, so the demons had explained to him. In theory, Arthur could set himself up as a trader and strengthen himself without ever having to set a single foot near an adversary¡­ if such an eventuality was what he desired¡­ But, quite frankly, he wasn''t sure if he really had the urge to do so¡­


    Already, he had a request from Tavir to meet with him in the near future to speak about the best way to monetize his new brother-in-law, and after explaining the situation to Cassandra, he hadn''t missed the gleam of greed in the older woman''s eyes that shone line starlight¡­ He would have to lay some ground rules¡­ otherwise, he didn''t doubt he''d be milked like a cow that squirted chocolate¡­ It wasn''t their fault, as he''d likely thought in a similar manner as they back when he was still poor and destitute during his senior year, but that didn''t mean he was going to let himself be strung up from the ankles and shaken until all his change bounced on the marble.


    Arthur was about to transmute some chicken eggs with magic, still finding they played a close enough part to the real thing when, from behind, a familiar warmth wrapped around his waist, pulling him backwards and against a much larger body than his own whose hands also moved to surround him as well.


    "Wife."


    "Mate."


    "Tulla up yet?"


    A long sigh escaped Dianna''s lips as she leaned down behind him, putting no inconsiderable amount of weight on his shoulders while kissing him on the top of his head. "No." She muttered, a flare of annoyance dripping from her voice. "She''s been getting lazy as of late without me around; that much is clear already, not that I blame either of you for it; the girl probably needed some time to be a child¡ªbut¡­" Dianna paused, forcibly spinning Arthur around until she was looking down at him, eyes locked on his own. "I fully intend to balance her newfound amenities with as much training as I deem necessary for her; I will not allow the child to grow up soft like city brats, is that understood?"


    "You want my word that I won''t spoil her too badly and advocate against your parenting?"


    The demoness sighed as she flicked his forehead gently but with enough force to make the young man blink. "No. I want your help; Tulla is a force of personality. Push her without a meaningful threat, and she won''t bend, command her, and she might agree at the time but will undoubtedly piss off at her earliest convenience. Part of the issue is my own fault, and I''ve already come to terms with this. I raised her to never back down and taught her how to fight since she could walk; being raised in the legions didn''t help, of that I''m sure, and though she had discipline at school with the other children while we were on campaign, my retirement has left a sizable gap in her day to day lives structure that we have all found difficult to deal with."


    Arthur nodded his head, slowly but surely, turning to flip the meat behind him before voicing a few questions he had rattling in his head. "First." He began, putting his thoughts in order. "Why isn''t she still in school? I was led to believe bal were educated until they were early adults."


    "We are, but there are no academies beyond imperial cities, and as I''m sure you''ve noticed, civilization isn''t exactly nearby¡­"


    "Then why live here? Why not move to a city and put her back into the curriculum?"


    "I¡ªconsidered it¡­" Dianna mused, moving to lean against Arthur''s RV as she spoke and causing the whole thing to actually shift from her weight. "However, I am not rich, Arthur, and while an education is free, apartments are not. Nor is food, or clothes, baths, or anything else really. I had Tulla while employed by the legions, and, while employed, the legions took care of us, but I chose to take the early retirement with Cassie, Tavir and the others because I was seeing what that life was doing to my daughter; thus, I do not have a pension to rely on but instead rights to land from which I can support myself. I am not a seamstress, not a baker or even a farmer. I am a soldier, a killer; it''s what I''m good at, what my chosen profession entails, yet I cannot make the most of my talents while also trying to keep my little girl from making worse mistakes than her mother."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "So¡­ you''ve been home-schooling her with Tavir and Cassie?"


    "An odd turn of phrase, but, aptly put, yes. The issue, as I''ve stated, is that Tulla is rather smart, even for her age. She does not want to spend her days learning now that she''s had a taste of freedom from it, and getting her back into the routine has been a flicker of delving towards insanity itself."


    "Because you''re not a good teacher?" Arthur asked, a teasing smile on his lips.


    "I am an excellent teacher, so long as the focus of study revolves around war. And, as it happens, Tulla didn''t fall too far from the apple tree in this regard; trust me, she is small but also talented at killing things for her age."


    Arthur thought back to the day he and Tulla were hunting the wild yaks in by the lake and subsequent slaughter of Tricen¡­ Tulla had indeed been a little overzealous about the whole thing; more, Arthur couldn''t deny the look of blood lust the small girl had exuded while tearing through a force of poor creatures like a reaper of death, laughing in a strange moment of bonding with her adoptive father as they both gleefully commanded his swarm of robots to annihilate their lives. True, looking back, Arthur did see how such a situation might be misconstrued as the work of evil or sadistic tendencies, but, at the moment, it had been sort of fun, almost like a game¡ªalmost¡­ After all, it hadn''t been like the creatures were gentle pacifists¡­ but, still, he''d reflected after the fact and, well, would have probably felt worse if he hadn''t used the demons like living backpacks and had them bring all the meat back to the village. However, he would be remiss not to remind himself that she had actually won their competition, a little killer indeed¡­ Again, it might have been weirder if they didn''t drop their souls to be consumed in the process of it all, which, again, helped lessen the sting that was Arthur''s conscience, berating him for being a right and proper bastard. Yet, as Dianna had said the other night, his utopian values were worth little to a realm that was universally raised to understand that killing was a direct path toward success¡­


    In the end, he shrugged away his misgivings for it all. He''d already come to terms with the fact he either needed to adapt or, become the stepping stone for someone else to grow in strength. "So." He muttered, chewing on his lips as he did so. "What exactly is it that you want for Tulla?"


    "Before you arrived? What any mother wants for their child. To learn, to get a good job within the imperium, preferably one she enjoys, and to live a happy life doing what pleases her. Though, I will admit that you are a variable that has made me reconsider how it is I should be approaching this enevitabilty."


    "Because¡­" Arthur drawled, letting his voice stretch, "I have the power to let her actually be whatever she wants in a far shorter span than school would allow her?"


    "Yes, actually, good; I''m glad we''re on the same page."


    "That''s¡ªnot honestly that great of an idea, you know?"


    "I disagree." Dianna countered without skipping a beat. "Tulla has had a condensed education for her age. She''s grown up among people who are much too mature for her natural growth and, as such, has forced her to mature unnaturally. She''s propelled herself to keep up with the crowd simply so she wasn''t left behind. She understands mathematics at a near-graduate level before she might be ready to take on an apprenticeship, her grasp of language leaves nothing to be desired, and though she''s not the best at magic, neither is her uncle nor myself, and she doesn''t seem to have a terrible interest in it, which, is a concession I am willing to bend on. My hope is that even without the proper documentation stating that she has completed her basic education up to imperial standards, she will not need it, considering her father can, as you said, let her flourish in her own way."


    Arthur thought on that for a moment, honestly without words as he tried to digest what Dianna had just said. So, he began cooking again, cracking magically transmuted eggs into a magically transmuted pan, adding magically grown onions, peppers, mushrooms and bullshit salt that was crisper than what one could get from any organic market¡­ Which, of course, was created from¡­ nothing. Okay, maybe not really nothing, but surely magic didn''t really count when presented with the glaring double standards so evidently on offer. It put into perspective just how¡ªridiculous the idea of it all was. Here he was, making food from the absurdity that was his experiments and trying to find fault with Dianna''s opinion simply because he¡ªwhat? Thought a medieval world''s version of a high school education was important? Sure, if she''d been enrolled in some sort of Hogwarts, then that would have been worthwhile to champion, but if she already had a grasp of whatever the imperium considered its standard for math and English or, bal¡­ whatever their language was, then, what was the issue here? And what the hell was he even championing in the first place? If she wanted to be an engineer, then Arthur could make her cards that would trebuchet her understanding over any wall she might find in life. If she wanted to be an artist, then she''d probably be the best-damned artist in the world if he helped her along¡­ More, there were the skill books to consider, new ground as they were¡­


    He sighed. Truth be told, in the end, Arthur found he cared little for this new universe beyond his small place in it, and if she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mother and murder enemy soldiers until her little heart was content, then Arthur would make sure she was the next damned demon queen made manifest. He could give her the world¡­ but would she respect it all?


    ¡°You know¡­ you''re not wrong¡­¡± He offered, nodding along with his thoughts as the scent of breakfast perforated his nose. "I could make her stronger than anyone might ever imagine¡­ or the best professional in any given trade she might desire to enter¡ªbut, you know¡­ she won''t appreciate her abilities in the same way she would if they were earned¡­ Cheating while effective doesn''t do much for one''s sense of accomplishment¡­ or personality for that matter."


    "Who said I won''t make her earn it?"


    Arthur turned, his expression shifting to surprise as he saw the almost malignant gleam in Dianna''s gaze. The sight made his heart thump a little quicker with apprehension and, strangely, a stirring between his legs¡­ His very confused instincts warred with his better judgment over the predator and wife that stood above him. Should he be terrified? Should he be Horney? Either and or both? God damn! But was it difficult to deal with!


    "She told me about the skill books in the bath Arthur." She continued, all but purring in his ear. "I hear she''s already an accomplished novice when it comes to runecraft¡­ a surprise given where she was in her magical studies not long before I left."


    "Heh¡­ we did do something along those lines¡­" For¡ªwhatever reason, Arthur found himself gulping as Dianna moved closer to him, danger and seduction combating each other to offer him a confused perspective on how he should be feeling¡­ It was entirely paralyzing, his usual ability to quickly discern how he should react in any given situation stymied by the twin and masterfully manipulated arts of fear and corrupting temptation¡­ Arthur felt the demon''s scent fill his nose, overpowering the food still sizzling behind him, his eyes growing distant as his entire world was filled with the enchanting goddess looming over him¡­ fuck¡­ maybe he''d been too quick to pass the last time this had happened off as a random occurrence¡­ Because Arthur was fairly sure he was getting suffocated in freaking pheromones! Again!


    "If you can make my little girl a mage overnight, she can be anything, can''t she?" Dianna smiled, grinning down at him and causing him to gently bob his head until the movement was arrested.


    When had the demon''s hand gotten hold of his jaw again? Arthur honestly wasn''t entirely certain, lost in the hypnotic advances of the woman before him who seemed to be learning far too quickly how to deal with his suspicious nature in a creative way. "In theory," Arthur allowed, the firm grip on his face relaxing to let him speak. "But again, will she respect what she learns like that?"


    "Oh, my love, are we not a team?" She cooed, tone saccharin sweet and grinning delightfully as she spoke. "You just need to help her along with whatever her heart desires, and I shall take care of the¡ªrespect."


    "Uh huh¡­" was all he managed to get out before he found himself drawn in and smothered at her chest.


    "I shall ensure both of you understand and appreciate the value of hard work whilst you, as my daughter put it, cheat your way through magic. And, what better way could I possibly reinforce such notions as¡ªgenuine effort and responsibility than what I am my very best at?"


    Arthur was beginning to get a sickening feeling that stemmed from the manner in which the demoness''s voice began to darken with menacing promise. The young man, unable to so much as squirm from his admittedly pleasant capture, did his best to look upwards as he asked in a muffled voice, face literally stuck in her chest, "D-Dianna, did you mean to say you''ll ensure that both of us understand?"


    He never got the reply he was hoping for¡­


    Tulla woke with a sybaritic groan, rising from her serendipitous den of voluminous blankets and pillows like a queen most deserving. She had to roll just to get out of bed, so large and so soft was its surface that few would ever likely truly understand the pains she had to suffer in pursuit of ultimate comfort. Yes, young Tulla was living quite a life of excess. Brilliant meals were provided for her three times a day: snacks, sugared refreshments, naps, cartoons and books about magic that mysteriously offered unto her the entirety of their lofty secrets with but a touch of her hand. Royalty could only be so lucky. She stretched, yawning without care towards the time of day or cultured decency, scratching herself with shameless abandon as she drifted towards what should be tantalizing smells but were strangely absent all the same¡­


    Hmm, maybe her father was late in rising as well¡­ though icky to think about, she hadn''t been obtuse to the¡ªsounds her parents had been making throughout the night. Thankfully, they were focused enough upon each other that neither had bothered to check in to see if she''d actually been sleeping; thus, a night filled with cartoons later and, Tulla was feeling satisfied like never before.


    A sudden howl of what almost sounded like terror resounded through the house as a familiar crashing and rhythmic thumping ensued from somewhere behind a closed door. The noise caused her to freeze like a startled cat, eyeing the direction down the hallways with uncertainty¡­ Idly, she wondered if she''d get a little baby brother or sister with the way they seemed to still be going at it¡ªthough she did pause to offer her father a small prayer of good wishes, given some of the distressed noises he made and apparently continued to make¡­


    Oh well, it was no real bother; Tulla just so happened to know Arthur liked to keep leftovers in the fridge. A short time later and several cries for help which were promptly ignored, Tulla left her dishes at the table and wandered off to the bath. She wasn''t about to go try and pry her mother off of Arthur, and it wasn''t even like she could get very far with such a goal to begin with, so she just left it up to her mom''s good judgment. She wouldn''t kill him¡ªprobably¡­


    Life was good for the pampered young lady, and she rather agreed that it was well deserved considering everything leading to it. For once, she was getting a sense of what her mother''s and aunt''s childhoods had been like living in polite society rather than slumming it with grizzled and surly veterans whose idea of a good time boiled down to gambling and playing cards. Barbarians, the lot of them! Never again would Tulla allow herself to be subjected to such feral company; she would be a noble young lady. Wealthy and powerful of influence and magic, someone who was important, the center of a prestigious organization perhaps¡­ yes, yes, she rather liked the sound of that¡­ She''d have a rich mahogany desk in which she could sit behind, bellowing orders at her subordinates while controlling her army of machines that would do her bidding without a moment''s hesitation¡­ Hm¡­ she''d need a larger house, and servants, and baths, oh so many baths! Yes, no more foul and stinking bal like the village! Oh no, she would have rules. A bath twice a day so she would never again be subjected to the stench of sweat! Everyone required to wear the brightest and cleanest of linens so as not to befoul her sacred abode!


    "Oh Fuck! Dianna, please!" The screaming that she''d so far managed to ignore finally reached a despairing crescendo in which Tulla opened her eyes a fraction, staring through the delightfully scented bubbles in slight puzzlement, gaze focused towards her house, which had suddenly gone disturbingly quiet¡­


    That last outcry had sounded positively heinous in its primal instinct¡­ Her mother hadn''t just murdered Arthur by accident, had she? No¡­ he was too wiley to die in such a depraved and, likely, embarrassing manner, yet some of the man''s cries had nearly been concerning enough to invoke a spark of fear for the man¡­ P-perhaps, after her bath, despite how gross it was, she''d go and check in on the pair, knock at the door and see if anyone needed ugh¡ªmedical attention and the like¡­


    A shadow abruptly appeared in the water not long after her uncertain musings, stretching out in the shape of a familiar figure that had suddenly manifested behind her like a wraith in the night. Tulla froze, every instinct standing on end at the scent of fresh blood, adult fun and baleful intent that radiated from behind her, spreading through the air like a ghoulish miasma... She only had a moments instant to squeal as she felt something wrap around her ankles with blinding speed, dragging the screeching girl bodily from the realm of massaging jets until she hung limply in the air, her face coming within a hand''s breadth of her mother who was grinning at her in a most unpleasant way¡­


    ¡°Ugh¡­. h-hi mum¡­¡± She squeaked, sensing the imposing woman''s mood as water trickled down her form, small rivers pooling back into the bath below¡­


    "Good afternoon, sweetheart, are you perhaps¡ªenjoying your bath?"


    Trap! This was a trap! Every modicum of self-restraint held her damned tongue from admitting to the sadistic creature before her that she was pleased with any portion of her new and wonderful life! Yet, for all her attempts at a neutral expression, to wash away the joys she''d experienced since her mother had been gone, she couldn''t help the small hint of extra flesh that had grown on her from eating more than was presumably needed, couldn''t help how her skin glowed from therapeutic bliss nor how her hooves shone, outlined by a beautiful shade of blue, the same as her fingernails after her father had invented something he called the manicure machine for both¡­


    "Decadence¡­"


    The word rang through her ears, bouncing in her mind in a way that hardly retained the knowledge that it had been her mother''s own lips that hissed the phrase rather than something born of her own thoughts. Tulla winced as Dianna''s sickly smile transitioned to one of familiar disdain, a face that had drilled her to exhaustion again and again with remorseless efficiency as she''d begged and pleaded for a moment''s respite, making itself known to her as it inevitably was prone to.


    Tulla was tossed on the ground like a stinking burlap sack filled with old onions, all too familiar clothes, the same legion rags she hadn''t bothered with in weeks being thrown atop her a moment later.


    "Dress." Her mother rumbled with dripping delight, standing over her daughter like some horrible task mistress from the deepest pits of nightmares themselves. The girl did quickly as she was bade, knowing full well what lay in store for her now that her mother was armed with so much¡ªleverage¡­ Her breakfasts, her lunches, her dinners, snacks, cartoons, fluffy pillows, blankets, robots and everything else she''d grown so attached to¡­ all would be ruthlessly stolen away at her mother''s hands were she to resist¡­ Oh gods¡­ it was going to be so much worse than the days when the woman''s greatest threats were of violence and withholding miserable rations she already could have down without¡­ she was screwed! Soo freaking screwed! Oh, the injustice of it all! The unfairness! M-maybe, if she found Arthur, found her dad, just maybe she could convince him to rein his mother in! Y-yes, Arthur would help her; he was her best chance! His mother''s only weakness!


    S-sadly, as Tulla put on her clothes, falling into marching step behind her mother, who turned without another word, the young girl was quickly disillusioned of her new father coming to her aid like a knight in gleaming armour¡­ The young woman all but gasping as she saw the man in question, a man who controlled golems that could bisect Tricen with the ease of stomping a flower, a man who commanded such wonders as to confuse and enrapture the hearts of all those around him, a man who, given his gift, had seemed almost godlike in his abilities¡­ a man who already stood in the field, nearly naked save a pair of boxers, smothered in raw wounds, bleeding scratches, bruised flesh and a broken spirit¡­


    "Wh-what happened to him?" Tulla muttered, gaping at the weary ghost of a figure that stood as though his mind had already left him. Arthur hardly even seeming to notice their arrival¡­


    "Worry not, girl; nothing was done that he did not¡ªenjoy in some manner of speaking. Now, I know where he stands and what he can handle, what he can¡ªphysically endure¡­" Her final words were accented by a shamelessly hungry gleam as she regarded Tulla''s father like a starving lioness, tongue flowing across her lips in a manner that her daughter had never personally seen. And that terrified her with its implications¡­ "What comes next will be much less enjoyable for him, as I''m sure you can remember, dear girl."


    Tulla gulped as she noted the trio of training swords that her mother began planting in the ground, wide-eyed with absolute horror, which only redoubled as she gazed upon her father''s shivering form¡­ A broken and battered body which operated on little but instinct to survive as it tried to take a backward step, only for Arthur''s lower half to crumble beneath him as he collapsed to the dirt like a broken puppet¡­

 Proper Legion belligerence...

    Chapter 17


    "Centurion!" A voice called, its owner swooping down from the sky to land before the woman who rested upon a rock, water streaming down her scalp and braid to bounce off her armour.


    Bianca looked up, noting the shaded figure who landed at attention before her, the officer tucking away the strange letter and¡ªpictures she''d received in correspondence with her family. "What is it, Dorvil?"


    "Ugh¡ªma''am, it''s the village, were um, likely a days march away¡­"


    The Centurion frowned, staring at her scout as if he were some sort of idiot, her brow scrunching with scarcely contained annoyance as the man just stood there, nearly hopping from leg to leg.


    "Right¡­ marvellous work spotting the destination we''ve all been aware to be approaching¡­ is it a¡ªcommendation you''re looking for or¡­ perhaps reprieve from latrine duty given all your upstanding service?"


    "Ugh, n-no ma''am, I um¡­ I¡­¡±


    Bianca sighed, standing as she began to tower over the legionnaire, who took an involuntary step back from his commander. She''d always been taller than those around her, with a few notable exceptions, and though she didn''t feel nor offer any sort of anger or hint towards it, the poor lad still started stammering away all the same. God''s, if she only had a handful more who hadn''t cut themselves while shaving for the first time three months prior¡­


    The Praetor was a bitch¡­ grinning as though she''d been doing Bianca a favour when assigning her a new command rather than allowing her to fill one in need of an officer¡­ Sure, the lot were talented enough kids, but¡­ what she needed were some damned spines to go with their fucking pubes¡­


    "Just spit it out, will you?" She groaned, pushing past the nervous soldier as she whistled, the sharp sound catching the moaning ears of her weary caravan¡­ It had been slow-moving since they left on leave of duty, more so because their progress was ladened with all the supplies now destined for her parent''s settlement that her rank could scrounge¡­


    The war effort certainly wouldn''t miss the ramshackle tools she''d procured, but with the supposed end in sight seeming to drift further and further away as resistance intensified, she wasn''t at all obtuse to the fact aid for such communities was a far-off fairytale¡­ There was even talk of recalling the more able-bodied troops as the conflict stalled, an influx of new executive officials from the homeworld, each looking to stamp their name upon the campaign''s success, merely managing to bog the whole operation down¡­


    Her own forces had been idle for weeks before her leave was approved, which, given nothing was going on, wasn''t actually that surprising for anyone. And, she supposed it helped that her expedition had a primary objective standing above her visit with the parents.


    The news Preator Octavia had received from her old officer, Bianca''s father, startled the woman into action. Their disturbing reports of a potential remnant stronghold beneath the earth, yet undiscovered within territory proclaimed liberated, had been enough reason to send a company to investigate. Which naturally served her purposes just fine given her troops needed as much blooding as she could get them.


    All around her, Bianca''s forces marshalled themselves, rousing their fellows and offering those too weak to stand on their own a helping hand. Yes, the speed at which they marched might not have been anything special, but that didn''t mean it was at all pleasant for anyone involved, herself included.


    Of course, she''d never subject her soldiers to anything she herself wouldn''t endure, a reality that allowed her to maintain a deathlike grip upon morale, forcing it high in the air by its wrinkled neck. She watched as her contingent filed back into a column, the shadow of soaring scouts above occasionally passing by as they patrolled the surrounding area.


    After a curt nod, she turned, beginning to stomp down the road while slapping her helmet back on her head, the sound of trumpets blaring behind her, signalling the weary souls at her back that their meagre rest was at an end.


    She gestured for the young scout near her to follow, to which he quickly met with her pace, looking every bit as exhausted as his fellows but not complaining, at least, not to her face. "If you''ve a reason why you''re not back in the air already, Dorvil, I''ll hear it before my enthusiasm for company runs its course, and I throw you back up there myself."


    "Ah, y-yes, ma''am!" The soldier chirped, seeming to rediscover his purpose. "I, uh, it''s just that the¡ªvillage in question doesent exactly fit with your earlier reports."


    "It doesn''t?"


    "N-no, ma''am, not at all¡­"


    "In what way does it differ?" The Centurion growled, finding that her patience was beginning to fray. "And by the gods, if your about to tell me there''s an extra outhouse or three-foot earthwork and dyke, you may as well go and grab an extra pack and start marching with the others."


    The boy swallowed but didn''t do as she''d suggested, instead quickly clearing his throat before powering on with admirable determination. "There is what appears to be a city spire already erected, along with housing, an unreported nearby river that doesn''t match the maps, several strange constructs on the ground and¡ªa wall¡­"


    This made the centurion frown, though her legs did not stop moving beneath her, nor did she turn to peer at the clearly nervous man who likely assumed he was about to be punished for a false report.


    "Are the sightings confirmed?"


    "Turron and Jaxwell both approached me to bring you the news, ma''am; they are requesting permission for an extended sortie to examine the situation more closely."


    "Granted. Though do tell them that we are still presumed to be approaching a friendly settlement, these are our people out here, regardless of how theyve managed a city-spire, were not about the business of picking a fight. Be polite, figure out what is happening and disengage at the first sign of trouble, I don''t want an unnecessary scrum, understood?"


    "Crystal, ma''am."


    And with that, the scout pushed off, flapping furiously to gain altitude while Bianca''s deep-set frown settled to a look of mild uncertainty¡­


    Chuck was a simple being. Its mind is largely unburned beyond the scope of its given tasks. Yes, occasionally, it was confronted with quandaries of a deeper meaning, who''s, what''s, where''s, how''s and why''s¡­


    Yet, such concerns were, at times, troubling; thus, Chuck often made it a habit to divest himself of any meddling notions of an existential nature by purging them from his mind and instead focus upon the things that truly made it happy. Chuck enjoyed flying, soaring through the air as it peered down at the marvellous beauty below, sometimes imparting its master''s will upon its lesser examples without the duty of a free mind, but mostly, just flying and observing.


    There was so much information to process! From the countless tiny lifeforms that covered the ground in a sea of activity to the curious ongoings of the creatures, his creator liked to call demons. All were wonderfully entertaining to watch from afar, to listen to and keep an eye on while alerting the burgeoning defence fleet of any would be threats encroaching on its territory.


    Already, its master had a rather sizable force of drones bequeathed to its humble command, primed and prepared to muster and converge at the slightest indication that its primary users were under threat. Already, the glorious defence force had subverted sinister plots of a most heinous kind, silently eliminating predators of the planes that wandered too close in search of an easy meal.


    By his estimation, the workload was finally beginning to settle now that a precedent of extreme prejudice was imparted upon the dangerous local fauna, Chuck''s forces having collected a rather impressive array of these¡ªsoul cards. The strange things were an anomaly for the plucky AI, the concept itself odd in a way that simply wasn''t worth giving a passing consideration. It didn''t want to try and unravel the secrets of the cosmos; why bother with all that work?


    Chuck didn''t care about magic or habitable planets, though, it supposed visiting another environment could be interesting if only because he''d get the chance to compare it to his own.


    Perhaps one day, his master would send him out on one such mission to another ecosystem, but frankly, there was so much to do here that¡­ An abrupt blip on his sensors alerted the spydrone to a foreign approach south of his user''s abode, the bogey approaching, no, correction, bogey''s at a not insignificant but also not alarming speed. Hmm, perhaps it was another large bird¡­ those were fun to dogfight with; some of the buggers could be quite crafty in a scrap despite their clear disadvantage in the sky.


    Chuck''s camera shifted, zooming in on the expected location of the approaching entities based on his sensor grid, narrowing in on their exact position before, with a surprise, he noted two unfamiliar faces to his scans that no less belonged to individuals of the demon peoples. As two of his primary users were such individuals, Chuck didn''t feel any overt sense of hostility towards the pair, though caution was the name of his profession.


    Data moved at the speed of light itself, transferring from his consciousness to be converted to the written form, beeping upon a distant datapad, which Chuck knew was opened within seconds of arrival. His master took his sweet time observing the video he sent him along with the detailed report of everything he knew regarding the situation, his mind jacking into overdrive in preparation for his orders.


    When they arrived, Chuck offered them the equivalent of a disinterested mental shrug, tasking one of his drones and a small partition of his mind to keep an eye on the newcomers and alert his greater consciousness if anything worthwhile transpired.


    His duties complete, the young AI returned to what it enjoyed best, focusing upon a colony of insects that were busily building their hive, marvelling at the minute deviations in detail between itself and the dozens of others he''d catalogued earlier that week.


    Tavir raised a brow at his brother who, upon pulling out one of his strange devices, clicked his tongue and peered his way, the now somewhat rugged, battered and bruised young man who was in the process of healing with the aid of magic levelling him with a curious stare.


    "There''s two men, eh¡­ I mean, two of your legion''s soldiers approaching the town, neither have weapons out and¡ªapparently, both look about ready to drop from the sky¡­"


    "Are they injured?"


    "Mmmm, more like tired by the looks of it¡­ weird, but I figured I''d run things by you before I jump to conclusions¡­ this isn''t some sort of raid or the like?"


    "No¡­ probably not." Tavir mused, intently curious about what jumping to a conclusion entailed. Surely nothing good considering the momentary grim set of the young man''s jaw, but¡­ "If I had to guess, I''d say our little experiment here has managed to attract some attention."


    "Already?"


    The old Centurion shrugged, offering the lad a what can you do look as he sipped from his drink. "Not really a surprise, the legion has scryers in their employ and, given the reports I dispatched to my daughter and her commander, I''ve been¡ªsort of expecting us to receive company sooner or later¡­"


    "Is this something we need to stick around for?" Arthur asked, cocking his head with a mild air of annoyance.


    "If you wouldn''t mind¡­ I''d appreciate the backup. With Dianna gone and you, if things do get tense here, we''d be out a significant portion of our effective strength¡­ plus, if there''s an inquisitor about it, things will go much smoother if we get the chance to introduce you. Nothing major, just the short facts and a little tale regarding your capacities as a mage, as we agreed. No reason for them to suspect what''s really been going on down here if we all work together."


    "A fair point¡­" Arthur sighed, running a hand along his temple and feeling at the scruff that had grown not too far below. "I suppose I should head out then, go let Dianna know we''re postponing our travels. Doubt she''ll be happy about it¡­ dead set on buying us some thralls as she has been¡­"


    Tavir offered the poor boy a sympathetic look. He was well aware of the lad''s stance on such things; many within the imperium held similar views after all, so it wasn''t anything new; however, he also knew just how badly his new wife had been wearing him down¡­ Tavir still shivered from time to time, thinking about the night he''d decided to go for an evening soar, only to hear the man''s howls carrying across the land like some dying animal desperate wail¡­ Oh, to be young and vigours again¡­


    "She''ll have her servants soon enough¡­ I''m sure she can wait another day or so¡­"


    "I agree, but it''s no less troubling, at least for me¡­ She''s just so damned excited and insistent about it all¡­"


    "Listen lad; our¡ªgirls didn''t exactly grow up in the wealthier parts of our city; the Cositis''s, that is my family, have, within our history, a long line of officers that have made names for themselves and, as such, luxuries such as those in question weren''t anything so spectacular for me or my siblings. You''ve got to understand that, for those who had not, now presented an opportunity to indulge and finally reach a semblance of that fantastical standard, it is only natural that she be so thrilled at the prospect. They weren''t living in the gutter, my boy, but neither were they dining with silver cutlery¡­"


    "Or any form of metal utensils, really."


    Both men turned to eye Cassandra as she pushed through the balcony door, eyeing the pair before her with an expression that waltzed between curiosity and mild irritation.


    "No need for the tone, dear, I meant no disrespect, I''ve merely been filling the newest addition to our family in upon insights towards his wife''s desires."


    "The thralls?"


    "Aye, the thralls."


    "Hm, Dia mentioned Arthur not exactly taking to the idea, but also that her husband didn''t have enough time to be doing dishes and making beds anymore. I didn''t know the affair was still up for debate."


    "It isn''t," Arthur affirmed, sighing as he rose, offering Cassandra a weary hug as he moved towards the stairwell. "sorry to run so soon, but I''ve got to get a warning to the ladies before they get all dressed up."


    "Aye, go on then lad, best not keep them waiting."


    The younger man smiled thinly but warmly, offering Cassandra an apologetic nod before he turned to depart. The door clicked shut after a few more goodbyes at the entry, Tavir taking another swig of his coffee while his own wife eyed him from above. He shrugged, offering her a lopsided grin. "I do feel for the lad, he''s rather roughed up as of late. If I do say so myself."


    "Dianna assures me that he loves every moment of it."


    "Have you heard his screams?" Tavir laughed, nearly incredulous that anyone would be completely happy while making such sounds¡­


    "Well, no, but I''ve heard her''s."


    Tavir paused, drink halfway to his lips, eyeing his wife with a speculative gaze, tone approaching the conspiratorial. "Her''s you say?"


    "I think the next time you and Arthur are alone and the mood permits it, you should inquire as to exactly what he''s doing to cause my sister to squeal for the gods like a bitch in heat. You might find I appreciate the effort."


    "Duly noted." Tavir chuckled, blowing a kiss towards his significant other, who, in turn, eyed the strange inky drink.


    "And what''s this now? Another invention our brother has brought us?"


    "He calls it coffee, sort of like tea, I suppose, but bitter and pleasantly aromatic¡­ Not certain if it''s my favourite but the experience is positively enjoyable for what it is."


    "Smells nice at least¡­ is there more?"


    "In the kitchen dear, right by the hearth, in the large pot, yes that''s the one, come, take a seat, I''ve news."


    "Oh? Pray to tell."


    Tavir smiled gently, watching as his wife took her first sip of the hot beverage and enjoying the array of emotions that crossed her face. Like him, it was decidedly on the pleased spectrum, though he knew the woman well enough that, like as not, coffee wouldn''t be something more than an occasional fancy.


    "We''ve visitors from the legion en route." He began, unhurried in his demeanour despite his wife''s sudden surprise.


    "Do you think it''s Bianca?"


    "Could be, but Arthur did say the approaching bal were both males and weary beyond reason."


    "He knows what they look like already? Are they upon our doorstep?"


    "Evidently several hours out. Their not moving very fast¡­"


    "It''s at times disturbing how much that boy knows¡­" Cassandra sighed, rolling her tail up and down her husband''s flank, who took it and offered a gentle squeeze. "I swear I haven''t been able to get within ear''s reach of him without Arthur turning to wave as though he has eyes on the back of his head¡­ it''s as much eerie as it is impressive¡­"


    "Ah, the lad''s a talented wizard, my dear, I suspect he has his little tricks and secrets¡­ With any luck, our niece and eventual grandchildren will get the chance to pick up on his talents."


    "Oh, don''t sell yourself short, lover; you''re still young and chipper; we could make another little one if children are what you desire in your life."


    "Don''t tempt me, woman," Tavir growled, eying his wife up and down with hungering eyes. But, when she laughed, he did as well, both of them sharing a pleasant moment before he sighed, pushing his cup away, standing and stretching his wings. "Maybe after I have that talk with young Arthur, we can revisit that line of thought in due time. For now, I have a pair of watchmen to alert, and well, I suppose I should rouse the settlement entirely so there are no misunderstandings¡­"


    "Want a hand?"


    "No, no, I''ll be quite alright, dear; a little exercise is good to keep the old bones hale and healthy¡­"


    The tower appeared upon the horizon, prompting Bianca to pull out her spyglass and observe it for a time. They couldn''t be more than a few hours march by now and she was beginning to feel the fatigue. Behind her, her stoic troops, unwilling to disappoint, had dragged themselves tooth and nail after her, and, finally, she had to admit they deserved a break.


    "Korvil!" She roared, not looking away from the strange tower in the distance as she called.


    "Yes, Centurion!"


    "Have the lads unpack for the night! We''ll get an early start tomorrow so I want cooking fires out and tents ready before the sky''s orange!"


    "Aye!"


    Her adjunct began barking orders, whipping her troops into action with lashing tongue and leather. She grinned to herself, pleased that they''d made it as far as they had. Good lads, the lot of them, she knew¡­ A moment later, her attention was revisiting the mystery that was the odd settlement that had sprung as though from the earth itself¡­


    Now, her parent''s strange aversion to explanations and the curious¡ªpictures they sent that had confounded her to no end felt like deliberately vague hints as though wanting to keep everything a surprise. The Centurion didn''t like surprises, at least not under most circumstances, but¡­ given what she was looking at and that her parents were, again, given their letters, likely fine and even thriving somehow, Bianca honestly didn''t know what to think¡­


    She was so lost in thought as the camp materialized all around herself that she very nearly missed the familiar whistle of a rapidly diving bal. Her spyglass darted to the location her senses fixated upon, tracking a small figure that was rapidly approaching. A moment later, she could see her scouts moving to intercept, one of them diving towards the camp while shouting, "Incoming flier!"


    Immediately, Bianca could hear the chaotic rattle of soldiers unburdening themselves of unimportant effects, shields and spears rising while legionnaires prepared to take to the sky in formation before the young commander raised her hand, causing her adjunct to relay her silent orders to stand down.


    The figure was still too far away to see clearly, but it wasn''t large enough to be a soldier, maybe a short soldier sure, but definitely too thin; more, they were decidedly alone. Neither of her interceptors seemed too perturbed when they caught the approaching stranger, in fact, even seeming to escort their potential prisoner with delicacy¡­


    Given that her forward scouts had yet to return, Bianca was on edge, if only a little¡­ No news could be as bad as the duo returning after being bombarded by arrows and javelin, but¡­ she supposed if the settlement were sending an envoy, then¡­ A frown formed on her face as the short bal finally came into focus, an all-too-familiar individual causing her gaze to narrow¡­


    No¡­ that girl knew better than to approach an unknown column of legionnaires! Regardless of any suspicions or hopes¡­ Bianca growled as it became clearer that her scouts had captured her little cousin... Bianca found herself sighing quite audibly, despite herself, even as she slid her telescope closed with a loud clack. She would have words with her aunt and her parents regarding the oh-so-obvious collapse in discipline she was observing. Words indeed¡­


    "Centurion! The individual we''ve captured appears to be a¡ª"


    "My cousin."


    The scout that had moved ahead of his comrade as he escorted their charge gaped at her for a moment, jaw moving as though she desperately wanted to say something before she smartly shut up and saluted, awaiting further orders.


    "Return to your duties." Bianca waved, her arm slothful and deflated.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Right away, ma''am!"


    It was almost infuriatingly comical how quickly the girl darted back towards the sky, rightly deciding that she wanted no part of what was about to transpire, with Bianca herself trying to decide between excitement or raging fury. Perhaps both were appropriate given the circumstances¡­ more if the girl was so eager to enlist as it so appeared, perhaps Bianca would give her a little taste of what real legion life was like.


    The child was certainly near big enough to bear a spear in formation, perhaps a few more years and she could pass as the appropriate age and sign up if she so desired. Marching with her fellow bal would do the girl well; of that, she was positive. Maybe Bianca would have her spar with some of the new recruits to test if she''d been keeping up in her studies¡­


    Tulla landed beside her saluting scout with a wild and mischievous grin on her face, standing there as though at attention, awaiting Bianca''s perusal while absolutely vibrating with excitement. She locked eyes with the youth who had escorted her cousin, the lad obviously trying to hide a smile, no doubt loving every moment that his heartless commander was exposed as anything else beyond a soulless sadist¡­


    Grunting, she sneered at the soldier, dismissing him with a curt nod of her head. The man didn''t so much as lose a modicum of his enthusiasm, saluting again as he smartly took to the sky and departed without a word. Returning her attention to the girl before her, Bianca scowled, observing the little nightmare she remembered, noting how much taller she seemed, how new muscles were already forming on her arms, and that she, for all intents and purposes, looked to have been living in an actual city so far as her hygiene went.


    "Brave of you to wander all the way out here to meet a foreign expedition you know little about." She began, strawberry-red eyebrow raised in expectation.


    "Permission to speak Centurion?"


    "Granted."


    "I knew who you were practically this morning. I even scouted where I thought you''d camp. You have ninety-seven active soldiers with you, a dozen wounded in the four carts, some from uncle''s old forces, eight donkeys pulling them, each of which is filled with various tools from hammers to scythes, in the first two, seeds, and grain in the third while the fourth is carrying those who''ve fallen on the march. Your scouts have rotated seven times in the past seven hours, and the two soldiers you sent to town are still trying to figure out what''s going on."


    Bianca blinked, not needing the recounting to know the disposition, movement and cargo of her own forces. Though, how Tulla knew all that was¡ªdisturbing. "You''ve been stalking us, have you?"


    "Nope!" The girl grinned, seeming to be madly pleased with herself. "My new dad is a wizard, though, and he''s been teaching me how to do all sorts of cool things! I have a scrying spell that''s tracked your progress since you came into the region!"


    "I see¡­" Bianca thought on that for a moment, chewing the information over as she stared at her little cousin and contemplated her claims. "Tell me, where exactly does a wizard more talented than my mother just appear in the middle of nowhere to steal my aunt''s heart and claim the family terror''s respect?"


    "The sky."


    "Hm. And your reason for coming? Assuming there''s more to it than wanting an early jump on seeing me?"


    The girl brightened even further, grinning manically as she giggled. "I convinced Dad to make you something better than jerky for dinner. We had a lot of meat left, and, for some reason, Uncle Tavir was positive you''d all march until you made it. I won the bet! Dad didn''t want all the food to go to waste, and I felt bad leaving it in storage until tomorrow, so I took it and flew over."


    "This new wizard father of yours let you come this far into the grasslands of a dangerous region all alone?"


    "Oh, I''m not alone," Tulla stated, though the way she did so sounded almost ominous in its confidant assurance.


    Bianca looked about herself, peering this way and that, trying to discern what her cousin was talking about before furrowing her brow, unsure of the situation.


    "Promise not to freak out if I show you?"


    "No."


    "Okay! Umm, well, just don''t be loud then, and look over there."


    Following the girl''s pointing hand, her cousin released two audible clicks with her tongue before something shimmered into exitance! It was large, like an enormous mechanical spider the size of Bianca herself, only without a face or bulbous rear abdomen; the¡ªthing seemed to peer at her, a single and glowing sinister eye of simmering magma burning into her gaze for but a moment before it disappeared again in a momentary wobble of refracted light, vanishing without a trace¡­


    Bianca felt her heart catch, then begin to race as a cold sweat formed on her back, the creature that her cousin had alluded to being present, still unseen as it was, causing the tall grass around itself to shift as it presumably scuttled away, silent in its obscene departure.


    "What was that thing, Tulla." The Centurion ground out, half a decision away from sounding the alarm and taking to the sky, family or not.


    "It''s just part of Dad''s defence force, as he calls it; he started going pretty heavy at the whole project once we killed a bunch of Tricen while hunting. There''s like at least four or five more wandering around this part of the grasslands, nothing to worry about, their perfect gentlemen."


    "I don''t believe you. What were those things, girl."


    "Golems, I guess." Tulla shrugged, seemingly already bored with her small inquisition.


    Well, if nothing else, that was more of the girl she remembered than what had first arrived, which helped alleviate her concerns that her family had been bewitched by some foul Tricen sorcerer, but¡­


    "Where is your mother? And Aunt and Uncle? Does nobody know where you are?"


    "Hmm, I think mom is still beating the shit out of dad with swords¡­ he''s really bad with them like I can beat him with my tail alone, kind of bad... She knows about you guys coming to visit and, given my friends wandering the area, isn''t too worried about it¡­ Your mom and dad are busy talking with, I think, Turron and Jace. Were their names? Or¡­ Jax? Anyways, they''ve got way too many questions and are refusing to leave until they''ve gotten answers. Pretty sure it''s like a tour or something, but I wasn''t actually there, just listening in on their conversation with Chuck." Noting her cousin''s raised brow, she continued a moment later with some elaboration. "He''s another golem but really smart! Likes bugs, too."


    "Korvil!" Bianca bellowed, not taking her eyes off the¡ªgirl before her.


    "Aye, centurion!"


    "Prepare the men for flight! Rapid advance! Leave a squad behind to defend the wagons; the rest leave armed! Full Alert!


    "Aye!"


    The girl before her frowned as Bianca took a step away, mind uncertain but positive she wasn''t about to sleep in a field surrounded by invisible monsters without clearer answers. The horns blared, their assertive call rousing the weariness from her forces as trained bodies flooded themselves with expectant adrenaline, each legionnaire moving with tenacious ease as, one after another, they took to the sky.


    "What are you doing?" Tulla inquired, looking a little shocked that things were turning out the way they had.


    Bianca just ignored the child, if a child was what she truly was seeing before her¡­ expression set in a severe snarl as her wings smashed against the air and she rose; the Centurion pushed hard, leading her troops at a flying double-time, intending to get some clarity, one way or another.


    Dianna''s brow twitched with annoyance as her mate faltered, lured into distraction by an unnatural and all too high-pitched ding that arose from the device over his eye. Unfortunately for them, both her patience and his shoulder as her blade came down, at what should have been a speed he could parry, the man''s momentary fumble of focus found him far too late in his attempt to turn the blow. It struck Arthur, earning the foolish man yet another bruise as he winced and grunted with an exasperated keening despite the lacklustre force she''d employed.


    His brow creased almost instantly, his body instinctively pulling away as to evade a following attack; however, Dianna had learned by this point in her life that there were certain concessions she had to allow for, even during training¡ªsparse as they were. Chief among those she''d decided, along with input from Arthur himself, was when his golems alerted him to something odd. Normally, she might have pushed back against such a paltry reason, but after hearing the first-hand account of what had happened during their little hunt, any news of possible Tricen activity nearby did take a sort of precedent.


    Thus, she was already standing with patient curiosity, even as Arthur''s hands flew up as if to simultaneously hold her at bay and convey that he needed a rime out, as he liked to call it.


    "Hey! Time out, j-just a second, I''m getting a ping from Chuck and¡­" His words trailed as his countenance shifted from aggrieved and painful annoyance to confused apprehension, but a moment after, the device at his eye rapidly shifted images. Frustratingly, the intriguing little artifact her husband always wore somehow prevented those looking at it from the wrong angle from seeing anything of worth beyond a garbled and incomprehensible display of tiny lights.


    Yet, having tested one quite recently herself, Dianna just so happened to know how equally overwhelming and useful the tiny things were when on the other end. After it had been explained how it worked in conjunction with the man''s budding force of metal constructs, Dianna half expected Arthur to report that their daughter had somehow done something immensely stupid, which, as it happened, wasn''t entirely too far from the truth¡­ "Uhh¡­ Dianna?" He slowly began, head pivoting towards a distant point beyond his right shoulder. "Should we be concerned that your niece appears to be flying towards us with all her men? Weapons drawn."


    That made Dianna grimace, her gaze drifting in the same direction as she squinted into the sky. Indeed, though small as they were, she could count dozens of small splotches that appeared to pepper the skyline. She cocked her head at the sight, one of which was undeniably familiar given she''d both been in such a formation and seen more of its kind on countless an occasion. Were it not for the fact Arthur had said they''d drawn weapons, she might have even passed it all off, given they already knew who commanded the approaching soldiers.


    But¡­ he had said weapons were drawn... and, considering for a moment, the unquestionably bizarre things that were transpiring around her as of recent weeks, Dianna suspected the forces young Centurion wasn''t partial to taking chances. Good, she could respect a bit of honest caution mixed with proper legion belligerence. But, if that upstart bitch thought she was going to waltz onto her land and commandeer her Arthur for questioning, Dianna might just have to take a few limbs to reiterate her claims.


    "Worry not love." She grinned, a malicious gleam in her eye. "You just call for Tulla and step inside; I shall parley with any who choose to visit."


    ¡°Yeah¡­ about that¡­ Tulla appears to be flying with them."


    Exasperated, Dianna sighed as her eyes drifted to her husband, meeting the man''s own as she drawled out her words with vehement weariness. "Of course, she is¡­ why wouldn''t she be? Anywhere that girl can possibly find trouble seems to attract her like moths to the flame¡­"


    "I''ve messaged her to come back anyways, but¡­ she''s saying that cousin Bia won''t let her; apparently, she''s demanding to speak with whoever''s in charge and¡­ oh, look at that, they''re changing course¡­ It seems like they''re heading directly this way after all¡­"


    "I can see¡­"


    "You sure you want to be on your own against so many? I mean, I doubt things will actually come to blows¡­ but..."


    "Arthur. Please trust I know what Im talking about. I''ve been with the legions for most of my life; compliance is not a phrase they view to possess any form of leeway. However, it is their bread and butter¡ªenforcing it, demanding it, and getting it. If weapons are drawn, it only means they arrive with the intention to take. Now, whether that''s simple information or something more, that''s admittedly up for debate¡­ Yet, I''d wager they''ll lean on the side of excess if our daughters decided to go and start bragging over her new toys."


    "That''s... okay, that''s fair¡­" Arthur murmured, gently tossing his wooden sword as he lightly scratched his growing beard. "Soo¡ªwhat, you want me to hide?"


    "Don''t be like that; I realize you''re plenty strong in your own ways. But, again, please just listen to me, capable or not. Do you really think you could survive an open confrontation with a hundred men and women who''ve seen war?"


    "I think I could take em¡­" The man grinned, earnestly seeming to consider the problem from a darkly militant angle.


    "Alive or just dead? More, could you do the former while ensuring you yourself weren''t taken by surprise, flanked or overwhelmed? I know you''ve got the firepower, as you put it, but Arthur, we both know, at the moment, you''re something of a glass cannon."


    "Wait, you guys have that term?"


    "Obviously. What else would you call someone with all attack and no defence? Beyond dangerously unbalanced, that is. Besides, we both know you don''t need to be observed to be present, nor help if needed.


    "Alright, alright, I get it. I''ll go and watch from the living room or something¡­"


    Dianna could only smile as her mate pouted, reaching out to wrap him in her arms so she could place a kiss on his forehead. "It won''t be like this much longer, dear. After whatever this is, we''ll keep our plans to visit Kaitrice, and from there, we can start solving your soul problem¡ªtogether."


    Arthur, for his part, merely leaned into the embrace. Dianna knew just how much he enjoyed it when she squashed his face between her breasts, sweaty as they both were. The fact was that the degenerate definitely liked her tits better that way and never willingly fought to leave her clutches when they were wet and filled with her perspiration¡­ was weird but also sort of endearing. After a few heartbeats, she pulled away, Arthur splitting off and presenting her a small, somewhat disappointed wave before unhurriedly walking off toward the house.


    She actually even shivered a bit as she considered the surprise in store for any not on her husband''s white list should they choose to try and break in. Dianna could still¡ªvividly recall the jolt she''d received whilst demanding she be allowed to test it herself. He''d dialled the power back, despite her insistence, and though she hadn''t died, it had fucking hurt! Given how powerful she was with the cards in her current soul-deck, it had been a genuine surprise. Regardless of how tough she thought herself to be, that shock hadn''t at all been pleasant¡­ god she''d even wet herself¡­ if only a little¡­


    Cracking her neck, Dianna pulled off her clothes, reaching into her soul to pull at the power waiting for her touch¡­ Immediately, a dark vapour began flowing from her flesh, the familiar numbness she could always associate with her natural carapace forming, spreading over her like a midnight wave. She allowed it to fully encase herself, save for her head. A practice that, while not sound for combat, was easily enough rectified when needed and a universal sign that one was prepared for a fight, yes, but not quite committed to prompt or hasty violence.


    The swarm of soldiers neared with an admirable speed, quickly resolving themselves into their respective and familiar shapes while Dinna just stood amidst the cleared field of grass, arms folded in patient expectation as she waited. It wasn''t long before horns heralded confirmation that they''d spotted her, the short series of blasts letting her know they were to land and secure the area. A slightly problematic, if not expected, eventuality that didn''t really phase Dianna in the slightest.


    Though the girl was family, and her force supposedly friendly, Dianna had no illusions that, as she was now, she could butcher the approaching century without needing to worry for her life¡­ Those at the rank of gold as she were indeed powerful, but it was within her truly unique deck that such power became something earnestly terrifying to consider¡­


    She''d often wondered if a full, battle-hardened century with all their war cards could conquer a floor like the sixth¡­ and, honestly, she had thought they could. However, what Dianna had witnessed beyond that layer had been more than merely monstrous¡­ And in all honestly, competent as the legions were, they weren''t monster hunters¡­ Their tactics, their equipment, all of it had been designed to combat entities weaker or on par with themselves, not to mention upon a more numerically considerable scale. Something like the colossi she''d battled amidst the dunes of sand would have devastated such a command, even if they might ultimately be victorious against a single of hulking brutes, that was.


    There was a saying that adventurers made poor soldiers, but the truth was that, after all was said and done, soldiers made for little better adventurers when first starting off. Not unless, of course, they somehow smuggled their decks past legion authorities when retiring¡­


    A rare circumstance indeed, like as not to get one executed for treason if ever caught. Still, a legionnaire''s ideal card set was simply not within the realm of ideal for delving through the labyrinth''s deeper depths where creativity and malleability were lauded, while rigid tactical discipline absent individual agency was like as not to get one killed just for holding a meaningless line.


    "Mom!" Her daughter cheerfully called, waving as the troops flared from their dive, collectively spreading across the field in neatly organized units while two very familiar faces descended to land.


    Dianna chose to ignore the child, noting the carefully concealed worry in the girl''s face that sold her out towards her involvement in its entity, even if she didn''t know exactly how she fit in as of yet. All the same, who her gaze did focus upon was her niece, a tall and not unattractive and muscular woman on the brawny side of things, sharing her side of the family features well enough despite Tavir''s notable influence as her father.


    Like all her soldiers, she wore true metal armour in the form of a segmented and layered breastplate, stained dark to more appropriately fit the typical soldier''s chitinous and combat-ready arms and legs. Her helmet was polished and clasped, its dark-red crest both prominent and intimidating for most of those who saw it, the woman''s large wings folding in over her shoulders to offer the appearance of a large dark drape that gently flowed behind her. She bore no weapon in her hands, though, held an armoured grasp upon Tulla''s shoulder, half looking as to protect the girl as to hold her hostage at the same time.


    "Neice." Dianna began, drawing the word out with lethargic detachment. "Why have you decided provoking me, on my own land no less, is anything but a dismal idea?"


    "Auntie." Bianca nodded, her answer curt and crisp as she quickly peered around, taking in all of Arthur''s general strangeness regardless of his personal presence, with both a critical eye and a sense of uncertainty. "I hear you''re mated now."


    "Happily so." She smiled, though the expression didn''t reach her eyes. "He''s a wonderful lover, though; if it''s he who you''re looking for, I''m afraid I''ll have to insist your century kindly fuck off first."


    "Not happening. I''ve seen what''s skittering about in the wilds, Dianna¡­ I''ll not be sheltering my forces near him without having assurances. Beyond that, I need to know what''s been going on here. The tower, the golems, these strange¡ªbuildings¡­ They need to be catalogued and inspected for¡ª"


    "No." Dianna interrupted, not backing down an inch.


    "I''m not asking, Auntie. This is for the good of your safety."


    "My safety?" Dianna scoffed, all but rolling her eyes.


    "Are there not Tricen still in the area? Had their dark magic not caught my cousin in its infernal weavings? Please. The tower is one thing, Dianna, but all of this? What being living on this blighted world beyond our foe could dream of such a metal nightmare as I saw scuttling through the field? This place reeks of strange and abyssal magic¡­"


    "I agree; it is strange magic, more even than you could possibly know."


    "Then you make my point for me, aunt! Let us examine and discern the nature of what is here and ensure the land remains uncorrupted of Tricen taint! Surely any bal sorcerer wouldn''t begrudge his imperium its rightful due! Wouldn''t impede its officer''s duties!"


    "You may look if you wish, and only you." She countered, staring the other woman down without fear. "The rest may head to the tower if they so wish or back to your camp. What exists here is not for the empire''s taking nor its perusal."


    Bianca scowled at her aunt, a hand rising to rest upon the haft of a sheathed officer sabre at her waist. "I know you can count. I know you know better than to impede an imperial officer, senior veteran Dianna. The fact you show open defiance, no, defiance at all to such a simple request just proves to me my worst fears are coming true¡­ Where is this husband of yours, aunt? Is he hiding? Is he afraid to show himself before us absent the capacity to glamour us all at the same time?"


    The Centurion drew her blade, her officers taking the signal for what it was as the various squadrons beneath her command spread further, two of them breaking off from securing what they could find to flank their leader, who was still holding her small cousin.


    "You will meet with him in due time. However, this is your final chance, niece. I will butcher your soldiers until they''re little but slop ready for swine should they not stand down." She accentuated her point by holding out a hand, allowing her sword to manifest in all its terrible and vicious glory. A blackened slab of magical metal, wide as her own body, tall as the woman across from her, stood from hoof to scalp¡­ It seethed with ominous purple flames, their hungry embers descending to burn through the air like abyssal fireflies¡­


    The sudden appearance of the weapon gave Bianca pause, all those present hesitating their sweep to return and surround her, the sense of danger radiating from their commander''s kin enough to cause a breakdown in command, if only because of the proposed threat.


    "A gift seemingly from their dark god itself." Bianca mused, doing well to hide the flare of uncertainty that Dianna could smell wafting off of her. "Well, if nothing else, I suppose proof of corruption is no longer needed, hm?"


    "I know you think you''re good niece. And, even now, you might be thinking you can take me, sword or not. But, I promise, you couldn''t have won before, and you certainly won''t now. I could cut my way through an entire legion, thanks to my husband! Yet far be it from me expecting you to know your place, child. Come, allow your soldiers their lives and test me yourself if needed. I won''t take more than an eye for all the trouble you''re causing."


    "Centurion!" A soldier called his words as much a warning as they sought assurance from their commander.


    For her part, Dianna could pleasingly say that her kin had wonderful instincts. She wanted to order her restrained; she really did. Dianna could see it practically tearing at her every desire as she stood, stoically unmoving from the threat. Yet, a fool the woman was not. Suspicious perhaps, and, in truth, were she in the girl''s skin, she''d of found herself hardpressed to back down either¡­ But that wasn''t Dianna''s problem, and she''d be damned if she was going to let the legions commandeer whatever they saw fit to claim in the name of the war effort. They all knew how that would turn out¡­


    "Fine!" Dinna sneered, slamming the tip of her blade into the dirt as she advanced, tail bisecting the air behind her with a whistle. "I''ll make the choice for you!"


    In an instant, Tulla found herself pushed aside as Bianca readied herself without missing a beat, her voice booming over her junior officer''s calls to restrain her as she drew her weapon in a fluid motion. "Stand down! She hasn''t any cards of war! Korvil, secure the area while I¡ª"


    Dianna spun, activating one of her abilities as her perception slowed around her. Strength and speed redoubling upon themselves in a short boost that saw her moving too fast for the eye to track. Within the span of heartbeats, she identified a man with a senior adjunct whip at his belt.


    Recalling her blade to her hand, she hurled it right before his feet, putting all the force she dared to muster into the devastating throw! The world exploded as she allowed her touch upon the soul''s power to fade, the earth fountaining in a cascade of steaming earth, the shockwave knocking all those nearby to the ground!


    When she turned, Dianna levelled her niece with a cruel smile, basking in the woman''s involuntary flinch, then subsequent expression of disbelieved confusion as her forces were scattered to the dirt. "The next time anyone moves besides yourself, centurion, I will kill them." Her words rang as she called out to those around her, her voice cold with frosty promise as she held out her arm again, recalling her blade to slam it back home into the earth, advancing on her niece, who was still trying to understand what had happened.


    To her credit, the woman nearly dodged Dianna''s fist as it contacted her chest, the blow instead sending the officer reeling to the side as Dianna''s tail swept from behind, catching her off-balance by the right hoof and pulling it from beneath her. Biannca toppled to the ground with an unceremonious oomph, the sudden impact shocking her more than hurting. Dianna didn''t let up, arching her tail high for all to see as she whipped it towards her niece''s face, its bladed tip descending like a guillotine that was narrowly avoided as she rolled.


    "I''m going easy on you, you know." Dianna admonished, arms folding at her stomach as she languidly stalked towards her prey, tail stabbing into the earth again and again, faster and faster as Bianca tried to desperately escape! Eventually growling with a seething hiss as Dianna, moving too quick for her, scored a shallow line across the ceturian''s arm, blade bisecting black chiton with the ease of wet parchment.


    To her side, a soldier, spear in hand, lunged at Dianna, silent in his attack, aiming for her thigh. Sadly, she wasn''t to be found so easily by the boy''s weapon, armour or not, casually stepping aside, not needing any specific card to make it look easy. Her tail flickered, a wet thwack of blood splattering the ground the only initial indication she''d even struck.


    Then, the soldier staggered backwards, screaming as he clutched his face, holding the spot of his ruined eyeball where Dianna had raked her tail from jaw to forehead. Not deeply enough to kill or brutally maim, but the lad would be carrying an important reminder of this day for the rest of his life, brave as he was.


    "A fool." Dianna spat, hissing at the youth, which she then battered from his feet, tail lashing again to toss him backwards like a discarded fish sent back to the rive. Her voice grew louder as she spun about the crowd watching her. "Your centurion would have you all die for nothing greater than her own superstition!" She barked, scowling at the lot of them. "Do not make me prove to you that my mercy is not without limits!"


    She moved, laughing mockingly as she twisted to the side, watching as her niece''s sabre flashed beside her before catching the girl''s tail as it sought to take her in the shoulder. Slowly increasing the strength of her grip upon its length until her niece cried out in pain! The girl dropped to her knees as Dianna continued to press, feeling the chiton crack and soft flesh beneath compress into the shape of her fingers, Bianca annunciating an almost feral exclamation of agony!


    "Mom!"


    Dianna swivelled, peering at her daughter who was watching the fight with wide and horrified eyes, expression lost between terror and guilt as she held her hands in carefully balled fists at her side.


    "Yes yes¡­ I''m not going to cripple her¡­" Letting go, Dianna eyed her heavily breathing kin, staring pointedly at the woman as she shivered before her, looking at her aunt as though she were some horrid nightmare-made flesh. "Well then, I thought you were better than me?" She demanded, grinning from ear to ear. "The Centurion at such a young age¡­ the hero of our family¡­ so talented and strong¡­ so confidant in your authority and opinion of my life. My husband. Get up dear, let''s not embarrass yourself further¡­"


    "Fuck you¡­"


    Rising, the Centurion charged Dianna, blade no longer seeking to wound but kill as it flashed in the light, moving with practiced care, sliding into imagined weaknesses that were as phantoms to an artful form. She danced around her niece for a time, allowing the girl to work out her frustrations, knicking her on occasion as she earned it through frustrated mishaps in her attacks.


    Once upon the wrist when she overcommitted a swing. Another across the shoulder when Dianna moved within her guard un-molested. She took her time whittling the young officer down, brutally breaking her efforts into pieces as their dance transitioned towards something approaching a lesson.


    "Guard higher¡ªhigher! Good. Now, why aren''t you using your tail? Afraid I''ll catch it again? Scared? Faster, your footwork needs to be faster; stop leading with the feint! Commit, girl, commit!"


    Again and again, Dianna cut her, bleeding her of blood and energy until even augmented by the legion''s gifts, Bianca staggered, not collapsing but swaying as though a breeze might just do her in. She let the woman rest as she flicked her tail, cleaning it with the force of movement alone while observing her handiwork. She''d not lost her talent as a drill instructor in the least, admiring just how superficially wounded the girl was despite leaking blood like a siv.


    "Medicus!" She called, not peering around to look for the soldier. "Attend to your centurion!"


    "A-aye, ma''am!" A voice returned; Dianna, hearing the rustle of wings as a young man barely big enough to be called as such, landed beside a rasping Bianca, who was all but glaring at her as she rested.


    "Now, were I corrupted by some void-touched Tricen spawn as you so seem to believe I am, I''d of not toyed with you for so long but ended things easier than the days I had you as a teenager holding practice sticks. Are we clear on this point yet?"


    "I hate you, you know."


    "No, you don''t." Dianna huffed, glaring at the ungrateful runt with narrowed eyes. "You''re practically me with less beauty and more discipline and patience. You hate the fact that, even after all these years, you''re no closer to knocking me on my ass than you were when we started.


    "Bitch."


    "Granted." Dianna nodded, though they were both starting to smile. Then, leaning in to whisper, she added. "Be a good girl, and perhaps I might just let you in on my little secrets."

 The moment of realization.

    Chapter 18


    Arthur''s arms rose with the advent of orange and gold that appeared across the sky, muscles leaner and stronger than they''d ever before been, stretching as his body woke with the world. Standing atop his home, centred upon a pedestal and firm mat, the young man moved through a slew of exercises he''d thought long forgotten in his mind but, with the helpful aid of a card to assist in¡ªsmoothing over little things like memory, they all now existed to be easily replicated.


    Funny enough, back when he''d been little more than a child, too young to be left alone at home on weekends but too old to blissfully exist without the misery that was boredom, Arthur would have never suspected those days spent dragged along to his mother''s yoga classes would prove anything but useless. A once younger Arthur, having found himself bored beyond reason, was forced to suffer for hours at a time with little more to do than mess with a small venus-fly trap within the building''s waiting room.


    Occasionally, he had ventured deeper, watching and, sometimes, even participating to the best of his abilities, much to the delight of the women present given his young age, and now, strangely enough, he found himself somewhat delighted his mother hadn''t just tossed him in daycare¡­


    Though he''d never been one to subscribe to the practice himself, Arthur always having been more of a jogger so far as exercise went, he was currently, as of late, finding the peace, serenity and liberation of spirit offered by the various poses and sensations to be enriching. Not to mention helpful in aiding his weary and battered body to recover¡­ Yes, he could simply make a card to toughen himself up and potentially avoid the very worst of his wife''s tender ministrations on and off the training yard...


    Y-yet, the woman was neither stupid nor easy to fool¡­ In fact¡­ he had done exactly that, just to give it a try, and somehow, the damned demon had figured it out within the first hour of training! What followed was a total disaster of epic proportions, at least so far as his grand scheme had been concerned¡­ an¡ªeventuality he probably should have foreseen given what he knew of Dianna and her tendencies¡­


    Instead of telling him to discard his teeny, tiny little attempt at cheating his way out of her gruelling exercises, she''d merely pumped up the difficulty, knowing full well there was simply no feasible way her mate could possibly compete with her own upper end, no matter what card he manifested¡­ Again, it was a problem of souls. Her having too many and him too few¡­ needless to say, he''d regretted trying to pull one over on her and, tail between his legs, gone back to the drawing board.


    Curiously, the solution he came up with was not one that had much to do with his personal powers of the soul but, instead, his own body. Realizing what Dianna really wanted was less for him to artificially improve himself and more to actually put in the effort, which, given how harsh a personal trainer she could be, left him with plenty of motivation to improve.


    And from it all, Arthur had achieved enlightenment! Clearing his mind of all intrusive and transient thoughts as he spent his mornings indulging in the nirvana that was the clarity of mind and spiritual discipline achieved through simple meditation. He''d been foolish to try and simply redesign a soul to merely improve his physical prowess. Such a mundane and uncreative failure of a solution hadn''t managed to do more than cause him additional agony at the day''s end.


    Mindless! That''s all there was to say about it. For everything he''d managed thus far, the baser augmentation of his body so directly and intrinsically tied to that of a single card that he might one day have to abandon or alter was¡ªinsulting to his very craft! He could do so much better¡­ and would, as a point of fact, do better when he''d hashed the idea all out in his head¡­ assuming, of course, that the notion itself was permissible by the universe¡­


    Either way, until that moment in time in which he was ready to confront the intangible forces that seemed to govern his power, Arthur had made the conscious decision to improve himself the natural way.


    A bead of sweat pooled then dripped from his brow as he held himself in a plank, arms and legs shaking while his core burned brightly at his center. When he could sense he could hold the pose no longer, he relaxed, allowing himself to drift back to the ground, breathing deeply but, steadily before rising to his feet to smile, staring out over the grasslands with a sense of peace and contentment filling his soul¡­


    Yes, Arthur would never have expected to be one of those guys, one of those lucky fuckers that spent his every day absent the corporate noose around his neck, waking up each and every morning to a sunrise¡ªor in this case, dawn. While of course, spending each waking moment of his evenings balls deep and covered from head to toe in his lover''s delicious juices until he passed out from exhaustion¡­


    The fact that he woke as he so often did, smothered within the cradling and immense embrace of a goddess-made flesh or, possibly succubus given what she did to him, was, simply put, just icing on his cake¡­


    With a meandering stroll, Arthur descended the staircase leading to the flat roof, moving across the heated marble floors as he directed himself to the kitchen, stopping briefly to see if Dianna was still in bed. She wasn''t, but it would have been impressive if she''d managed the feat after they''d done as they had when waking up.


    Instead, he ran into the woman as he reached his destination, the massive demoness, her hair soaked, fresh from the bath and wrapped in a towel, face pressed inside the fridge, heartstopping ass hanging out for his enthusiastic perusal. Looking entirely like some almost comical mashup of the fantastical, impossible, and weirdly mundane whilst pulling away from the refrigerator, a jug of orange juice held in her clawed grip.


    "Is it normal for bal to walk around naked, even when children are potentially about?"


    "My daughter has seen me as I birthed her all her life." Dianna reposted in her lyrical drawl. "We bathe together, spar together and live together as nature intended, given how our metamorphosis works. Only underclothes often survive the transition after all." Then, she turned, hip cocked, eyebrow raised as she peered down at him, nostrils scenting the air before she smirked, a long finger levelling in his direction. "Do all humans exercise whilst still coated in their lover''s orgasmic fluids?"


    "I''ll have you know that exercising naked on top of the roof of a home built with my own two hands, covered in so-said fluids, watching the light of day fill the sky is about as spiritually peak as my people could ever hope to reach!"


    "I''m sure¡­" Dianna intoned though the smile tugging at the corner of her lips exposed her otherwise exasperated expression. "Arthur, while I do adore the fact you seem so enamoured by my smell as to let it cover you like perfume while you walk about our home, you need to take a bath. It''s rude in polite society to be so crass."


    "I''m pretty sure you meant lewd."


    "I said what I said." Dianna lazily replied, her tail smacking him across his rear as she sauntered from the kitchen with swaying hips, starting to guzzle the carton of juice he''d just resupplied them with before disappearing towards their room.


    "God, she''s amazing¡­ A little sadistic, but, I''m pretty sure were into all that¡­ crazy dangerous women, eh¡­ who''d of thought?" Arthur held himself there for several moments, ruminating on his short introspection while chewing at his lip¡­ "That said, I always did have a thing for the girls that made me question if they''d stab me if I ever broke up with them¡­ I suppose that this is just the upper end of the spectrum¡­ and... yup, totally worth the risk¡­"


    Shaking himself of his muttered musings, Arthur eyed the stove, contemplating if he wanted to make breakfast now or after a quick shower. For reasons of a sanitary nature, Arthur decided on the latter of the two possibilities. Kinky fun was kinky fun, but he did draw the line when it came to cross-contamination.


    A beep arrived on his hollow display, causing the young man to turn a time later when he was wrist-deep in at least a dozen eggs, all frying in a large pan. His gaze shifted to follow the appearance and projected arrival of a familiar woman making her way toward his compound.


    "Dia!" He called, returning his attention to his stove, tossing in some dill and a little salt from his arranged spices as he did so. "Your sister is on her way over!"


    Feeling the heavy-hooved steps of his lover as she entered his domain of sizzling butter and crisping¡ªmagic-land-hog, his beautiful demoness joined him as she peered at the blue-tinted hologram that was shining through the air nearby. She nodded her head, moved to gently rub a thumb across his cheek then seated herself at the table, smiling broadly as Arthur turned, plate already piled high with food which he deposited before her.


    "You spoil me, you know."


    "Mmmm, I enjoy it."


    "Which part? Cooking or treating me like some pampered princess?"


    "Both." Arthur quipped, meaning it from the bottom of his heart. It was definitely his mother''s influence on him; he just couldn''t really help it. Watching Dianna devour each and every dish he laid before her as though she hadn''t experienced flavour in her entire life was immensely gratifying. The fact he got to ogle her absurdly lascivious figure entirely free of charge while she dug in was, in the end, all he could really ask for as payment. "You know¡­" He added a few beats later as he regarded Cassandra''s approach. "I''m sort of surprised you let Tulla sleep at her aunt and uncles¡­ I''d thought they might want to spend some time¡ªalone with Bianca¡­"


    "Doubtless, they do want that; however, my niece isn''t somebody who so easily separates work from the rest of her life. Without her cousin to help fill her in on the details Tavir and my sister couldn''t supply, I doubt Bianca could have kept herself from flying over here to find them."


    "Ah, our daughter, the diplomat, is it?"


    "She''s a smart girl; Tulla knows what she should say and what she shouldn''t. Most of the time, that is¡­ Just enough to appease her cousin without giving away any secrets, and the girl does like to hear herself talk¡­"


    Arthur chuckled, finishing his own eggs and plaiting them before joining his wife, unmarried by ceremony as they were, at the table to eat, immediately finding a strange semblance of comfort as the demon''s tail wrapped around his waist as it was so wanton to do. "So, what''s the plan then?"


    "The¡ªplan¡­" Dianna began after she finished chewing on a particularly greasy bit of pork, suckling her fingers with delighted satisfaction. "Somewhat largely revolves around you."


    "Ah." Arthur chuckled, already seeing where this was going. "You want to woo her with a few tailored souls to keep her quiet, a little chicanery to bribe away her loyalties?"


    "You''re close for certain. However, not precisely right¡­"


    "So then, what is it? You already quite clearly put the fear of god in her yesterday, so¡­"


    Dianna smiled, her tail tightening around her lover''s form, sinching just to the point where any more would be less a display of affection and more¡­ something approaching the uncomfortable. The demoness leaned forwards, chin resting across clasped fingers as she regarded Arthur carefully, one of her hooves reaching out to gently stroke at his leg. "Do you love me?" She quired, the question slapping him right out of left field given the direction he''d thought the conversation was heading.


    "I think that I do¡­"


    "And your not just saying it because you shamelessly lust after my body like a horny puppy?"


    Arthur¡ªlowered his fork, holding Dianna''s gaze as a hand involuntarily lowered to stroke at the tail coiled about his waist. He peered downwards at it a moment later, catching himself in the act of it, amused by how quickly the large appendage had become something he enjoyed being present and constricting around him¡­ The damned thing always seemed to search for and wrap around his body¡­ When they were at the table eating, while they shared a bath¡­


    At night, when they coupled then, later as they slept¡­ Dianna''s tail had become something of a constant in his life while the woman was around¡­ Its smooth texture and dangerous power promised the ability to crush whatever it slithered around within its deceiving embrace as much a show of trust and affection as it had been an object of fear when they''d first met¡­ He continued to rub its inky, scaled surface, considering the demoness''s question with earnest effort.


    Did he love Dianna? Not just for her fiendishly tempting body, not just for the way she seemed to know all the right ways to get him going and¡ªfinish him¡­ And not even for their clear compatibility in bed, given how much fun they found in each other''s arms, but¡­ emotionally¡­ Did he love her? It was a strange thing to consider, he felt, especially given they hadn''t really known each other that long¡­


    More, strangely enough, he''d actually spent more time with her daughter than the woman herself, given her stint in the labyrinth¡­ Yet, there were definitive sparks¡­ and maybe it was true they''d been at each other''s throats not that long ago, but that sort of just endeared the demon to him that much more¡­ He enjoyed the challenge she presented in his life¡­ something that was as insurmountable as it was rewarding should he simply try to overcome it¡­


    She was aggressive and terrifying when angered¡­ A talented self-proclaimed killer and ruthless ex-soldier within an imperialistic empire. She seemed to care little for those beyond the scope of her family, could be almost sociopathic and at times gleefully savage¡­


    Yet, she was caring in her own fashion¡­ Terribly protective of those she held near and dear¡­ Honest with her own feelings and opinions and unafraid to bring attention to either. He''d, of course, be lying if he ever said the sex wasn''t part of the whole package, but¡­ in truth, Arthur couldn''t really find fault with everything else that surrounded it¡­ Actually, when he really delved deep and thought on it, he quite honestly really liked that particular bit of everything else around Dianna¡­ Her daughter included¡­


    They''d both grown on him in a rather unexpected manner, given Arthur hadn''t ever wanted kids, though that was less because he didn''t like them and more never enjoyed the notion of needing to settle down and chain himself to their needs.


    Thankfully, Tulla was about as independent as they got, more like a cat than a needy and snot-nosed child who required a caretaker at all hours of the day. He liked her and¡ªstrangely, considering he''d never wanted to be one, enjoyed acting the part of her father¡­ Some dormant part within his psyche found immense joy deep in the pit of his soul in watching the small demoness succeed and excel when presented with such mindbogglingly foreign ideas as those he offered her from his homeland. All of which she seemed to just devour with delight.


    It was true¡­ They had grown on him¡­ mother and daughter, both if for entirely different reasons¡­ Waking up whilst being the little spoon to a giant alien succubus from another world, tucked within her powerful limbs, enormous breasts and blanketed by draping wings, was an experience he hoped to never need to surrender¡­ She''d brought joy to his life, and even if he''d been perfectly happy with what he''d had before her, Dianna had decidedly made it better in a way he couldn''t have ever managed to predict¡­


    The more he thought on it, the more he realized that he''d never willingly go back to that time in his life, absent the girls who''d joined him¡­ Found that he''d likely commit terrible crimes in defence of either of them¡­ willingly bend and subvert the laws of reality if it meant they''d manage an even marginal gain in life for his efforts¡­


    And that if he were to ever lose them¡­ there would be an unfillable void left in his soul that would mar his existence for the remaining time he lived, possibly even causing him to wonder if the world even had a point in existing without them. Dark thoughts aside, he had his answer.


    "I do love you¡­" Arthur whispered, voice quiet amidst the silence of the room. He took a breath, marshalling himself and meeting her fixated gaze, smiling warmly as he reiterated himself a moment later. "I do love you, Dianna. Quite a lot, I think¡­ Sure, things moved along pretty fast for us, but¡­ my dad always said he fell for my mom the first moment he saw her¡­ Honestly, I always thought that sort of thing was just something people said, but¡­ Now, I sort of get it¡­"


    "Hmmm¡­ I, too, adore and love you, Arthur. You''re strange and quite eccentric, but it''s both enthralling and precious to me all the same. And the way you treat our daughter, even when I''m not around, is¡ªstimulating¡­"


    Arthur swallowed, noting how Dianna''s crossed irises seemed to thin and possessively focus on him. The tip of her tail gently stroking along his back, the sensation sending shivers from spine to toes¡­ "Your sister is nearly here, you know¡­"


    "I am aware husband¡­" The succubus purred, grinning lecherously at him before visibly reigning herself in, though she didn''t stop exploring his form with either tail or hoof. She took a deep and calming breath, returning to her previous self with an effort before popping another strip of bacon in her mouth to chew thoughtfully. "Responsibility is as exhausting as it is frustrating at times¡­ however, there are things that we often must do for the sake of our loved ones, for the sake of family. Another question then. Do you trust me enough to do something you might find potentially distasteful?"


    "That depends¡­" Arthur replied carefully, caution rising like bile in his throat as he suddenly eyed Dianna with apprehensive uncertainty.


    She nodded, noting his expression, sighed then relaxed in her seat. "Fair enough¡­ Then, I shall be blunt with you, husband. I want you to put a child in my niece''s belly for me."


    Arthur, perhaps unsurprisingly¡ªcoughed, eyes bulging for half a second before he managed to grind down his emotions and place them within that all too familiar box. One that was dark. One that was deep. And one that never saw the light of day unless he desired it¡­ "That''s honestly not what I was expecting us to talk about at breakfast¡­" He mused a slight but entirely faux smile, at least to himself, spreading easily across his lips.


    "No need to hide it, my love; I''ve gotten good at catching those brief glimpses of how you really feel about something before you can properly secret it away. I understand it''s a strange request, but I feel, given what I know about you, that I''ll be more successful in this endeavour should you be given the appropriate time to process it. So, now that it''s on the table let me explain the why."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Arthur just nodded, finding his expression to slowly crumble and erode away until his true feelings on the matter were exposed. Damn, if the demon wasn''t quick on the uptake¡­ Though, he supposed Tulla had to have gotten her intelligence from somebody¡­ As it happened, Arthur, more or less at this point, had empirical evidence towards which of her parents it had come from¡­ When Dianna looked to have accepted his slight acknowledgement for her to continue, she did so, smiling thinly at him without seeming to bat an eye towards the bizarre situation they were in.


    "Bianca has¡ªbrought with her some troubling news¡­ No doubt the reason my sister is on her way here is to invite us, primarily you, given your absence yesterday, to help plan for a rather troubling storm on the horizon¡­" Dianna paused, tilting her head slightly before letting out a weary sigh. "We are losing the war, Arthur."


    He blinked, then a second time as his jaw worked, but no words managed to be forthcoming¡­ Still, she waited, allowing him to compartmentalize and work through what she''d said before, deciding to just go with the simple question. "How?"


    "How indeed¡­ The short answer would be that we were ceding ground to the Tricen. Battles have more often than not ended in stalemates or pyrrhic victories for us, and for every inch we try to gain upon their capital fortifications, we are bloodied beyond reasonable expectation."


    "I mean¡­ If they were that capable, then¡­ I hate to ask it, but how''d the empire even manage to push them this far to begin with?"


    "Hmm¡­" Dianna smirked, though it didn''t reach her eyes. "I''d say it has a lot less to do with their competency in battle than it does our own growing inadequacies. Legatus Brimtide has, as I am told, departed this world before it was truly conquered, along with the majority of his veteran troopers and command staff. He was the strategic brilliance of our legions here as much as his legionnaires were the mountain of resolve our forces looked to for morale.


    What''s been left in his wake are the remnants of conscripted youths and the smattering of salted warriors meant to uplift them. Reinforcements haven''t arrived since our army''s head was lopped off and recalled to Cornin, and in his place, a gaggle of young and untested commanders from esteemed families have been given complete control of all operations. Far be it from me to question why things have transpired as they have, but I have a suspicion or two regardless."


    "So¡­ that means nobody will be coming to resupply the village¡­ or any of the others like it¡­"


    "Doubtful." Dianna agreed solemnly. "If things continue as they have been, much of the older soldiery believes the army will lose its current foothold within the month, then fight a slow and slogging retreat through previously conquered lands until they are forced to permanently reinforce our provincial capital, Londis, at which point new and likely permanent borders will be drawn. Regardless of our talent as warriors, there is a significant population of Tricen that have all fled to this final bastion of theirs.


    We face a people who are militarizing themselves, throwing numbers at our troops as if we were a meat-grider. Yet, it is working¡­ And if the imperium felt whatever it was they recalled their elite forces for is important enough to abandon this campaign so closely to a victorious consolidation, then I doubt it will care for expending the effort to finish the job in the near future¡­ Odds are we''ll be tossed back into the ocean on this continent, our presence on this planet reduced to controlling the first landmass we landed on, which, isn''t this one we are currently eating on."


    ¡°That¡­ is a bit problematic¡­¡± Arthur admitted, peering about the house he''d made for his new family with more than just a touch of hesitation¡­ "So, then the plan would be to abandon the village sooner than later? Resettle somewhere safer and closer to the capital? Or, the other capital on the other continent?"


    "No."


    Frowning, Arthur stared at his wife, his head tilting fractionally as he chewed on her rather pointed and calculated rejection. He clicked his tongue after a second, noticing she didn''t seem immediately willing to be forthcoming with any form of follow-up, so he considered the problem from another angle. And after a handful of leaps and a few more guesses, he slowly offered an alternate. "You want to keep building the settlement¡ªhere and go independent?"


    Dianna grinned at him, expression brightening like the sun, her tail''s deviously barbed tip softly rising to caress his cheek. "Oh, I knew I chose correctly¡­ you''ve no idea how wonderful it is to have somebody in my life who can actually follow this sort of thing¡­"


    "And¡­ you want Bianca to help us¡­ Bring us soldiers potentially more loyal to her and those like her by tying her down¡ªto me¡­"


    "It''s not like the girl won''t get anything from it all." Dianna waved as though to dismiss his clear concerns. "And I don''t intend to share you with her. Think of it as a stud session, if you will. Her child will be yours thus assuring a semblance of loyalty which will go both ways and one that transcends what we can do for her from a strictly power perspective with your particular talents. My niece isn''t exactly one that''s too interested in the opposite sex or any form of companionship, really, which is why she''s been so devoted to her duties. We can break those chains and reforge them in our favour, and in doing so, potentially gain what we lack here, people. Once she''s had a child of her own, new purpose to gnaw on and discovers just how wonderful life can be should she bend the knee to¡ª"


    "Christ! You want to be a damned queen!"


    "Obviously!" Dianna laughed. "What? Am I not pretty enough?"


    "I mean, I''m sure dragons would probably think twice about trying to kidnap you, but it wouldn''t be because you''re not sexy¡­"


    Again, the demoness merely grinned wider as Arthur, imagining Dianna fighting off a giant lizard and, actually winning, gave him a slight stirring down below, one of which she immediately noticed by the way her tail started to shift across his crotch¡­


    "And what terribly perverted thoughts just went through your head to get you hard thinking about me fighting a dragon?"


    "Mostly your crazy ass, sweaty abbs and tits¡­"


    "Mmmmm, I love that you''re so honest about it¡­ But seriously Arthur, this is something I''ve only ever been able to fantasise about from the time I was a girl. Now, with your help, the perfect opportunity seems to have fallen right in my lap to make it a reality¡­"


    "Not gonna lie, It feels more than strange that you would want to be a queen¡­ I mean, privilege aside, it''s a not inconsiderable amount of responsibility, and I mean, work¡­"


    "I''m sure it is. Yet, it was never my intention to live the rest of my days in some backwater province as a farmer¡­ I''d like as not die of boredom if that were to be my future! Besides, making the transition to royalty does not mean that I or you must do things on our own. Delegation, dear husband. It is why I want what competency from the legion I can snatch away before it is ground down to worthless paste."


    "...Alright¡­" Arthur muttered, breathing deeply and looking at the scenario for what it was. "There are a few problems with the plan obviously but, I mean, on a whole, I want to say your wish is my command¡­"


    "Please, it''s not like I''m not going to help you know."


    "Yeah, I get that¡­ but I also sort of want to make it happen for you¡­ I mean, what else am I going to do out here other than set my beautiful bride up with an entire kingdom that we can keep up at night while fucking each other senseless in our very own castle?"


    "Flirt."


    Arthur could only grin, yet as another beep warned him that their impending visitor was but a mere few moments away, he lost the expression, finding it returning to mild uncertainty. "What are you going to tell Cassie and Tavir? That you plan for me to impregnate their daughter but not share the father with her?"


    "Pretty much." Dianna shrugged, not at all seeming concerned. "Harems aren''t anything new within the imperium, no matter which sex dominates such arrangements. We all want our offspring to be¡ªpotent, and if some choose to try and achieve that goal as they wish to, then who is to say others should have an opinion that matters?"


    "That''s weirdly idealistic and¡­ egalitarian of you¡­"


    "Hmph, I''m not a barbarian, Arthur. Just because your people are further along in their society than my own doesn''t mean we''re all sitting a mere stepping stone from the animals we eat. Besides. Do you not think my sister is positively beside herself with envy that her baby sibling is living in this¡ªpalace, eating like royalty each and every day while she''s stuck in a hole by comparison? Tying her daughter to you, even if there''s no love, is what we name an arranged marriage in our culture. And, at this point, your value far exceeds what any prince or senator''s son could hope to bring to the table. Not that my niece could even hope for such prospects to begin with¡­ Well, maybe Tavir''s influence might earn her a place as a wife to a third or fourth son from a moderately acclaimed house, but¡­"


    "I don''t know; their place didn''t seem that bad¡­"


    "Our bed massages me at night, Arthur. Our toilets aren''t partially dug into the earth and disperse our waste without smell or remnants. Booze overflows from more than one liquor cabinet, which is filled to the brim with exotic delights from wine to scotch. There''s a bathhouse attached to this facility you call a simple home that likely rivals the best within the greatest senator''s own accommodations, if not in size, then capabilities, and I reach climax at least five times a night, minimum, and that''s before you even put it in. Do you think I don''t share things like that with her? She''s my older sister; it''s practically my right to be able to rub her stuck-up nose in it, considering how many years she spent lauding getting her slutty talons into a Costis..."


    Arthur''s face slowly flushed a somewhat bright red as Dianna continued to talk, even through his tanned skin, opening his mouth to say something¡ªanything in his defence but¡­ Truthfully, though the village was quite aesthetically pleasing, as were the cozy homes within, the most advanced thing about the pods was the way they''d been constructed¡­ and, second to that, magic fireplaces that didn''t need coals to light¡­ Compare that to the home he''d built for Dianna and his daughter and¡­ well¡­ no more needed to be said about that¡­


    "How do we even know I could get her pregnant¡­ U-unless your¡­"


    "Im not¡­ sadly¡­ Nothing yet has seemed to take despite the fact I''ve decided to start ovulating again¡­ And, at this point, I doubt anything will of its own accord. But, there''s no reason such a thing should remain a barrier when your already so¡ªadept and bending the rules to your favour?"


    "Ah¡­ that''s actually a fair point, isn''t it¡­" Arthur chewed on that for a moment, mind rapidly spinning up to try and figure out how he could best create a tarot for himself that would allow him to interbreed with an alien species¡­ Probably, something along the lines of what he was already working on would be best¡­ Maybe he could call the thing; The Captain Kirk¡­ "Still, I''m not sure If I exactly like the idea¡­ I mean, It seems wrong on so many levels that I don''t even know where to begin!"


    "Then bring her in. Don''t treat her like a stranger, and lavish her with your affections as well. If letting her join a loving harem that I stand at the apex of is what it takes to get your agreement, then¡ª "


    "No, you''re sort of missing the point here, I think¡­" Arthur interrupted, raising a hand to forestall Dianna from further comment. "I''m sure Bianca''s a wonderful person once you get passed it all, and she''s plenty attractive, but¡­ I don''t want anyone else but you in my bed¡­ You¡¯re¡­ umm¡­¡± His words trailed as the table seemed to buck as it heaved with the sudden twitch of an insanely strong tail. His succubus''s eyes gazed at him with complete hunger and not for his cooking. "Ah, It would seem we are on the same page here, but¡­ your sister¡­"


    "Can fuck off until I''ve finished with you." Dianna hissed, lifting the table and setting it aside as though it were some plastic children''s toy, her tail hoisting Arthur bodily from his seat as she stood, carrying him to the bedroom.


    "She''s literally right outside the door!"


    "Good, I like it when other people know I''m having fun!"


    "Oh¡­ oh¡ªshit!" Arthur cried as he was summarily thrown from their bedroom door onto an extra-large kingsized mattress, his body bouncing as Dianna stalked towards him like a prowling lioness, determined to get what she desired¡­


    Cassandra stood outside the strange and box-like building¡­ its construction was a rather bleak combination of simple geometrics that was difficult to find any semblance of warmth or joy in looking at¡­ They were clean¡­ sanitary, even¡­ Without fault of obvious flaw which, despite herself and the wonders she knew existed within, couldn''t alleviate the sensation of apprehension she felt when approaching the almost¡ªsoulless structure of white square panelling¡­


    A shiver ran down her spine as she waited at the door, somewhat nervous that she hadn''t yet been invited inside¡­ Usually, Arthur was rather timely with such things, typically well aware of her or any other visitor''s arrival to a degree of startling efficacy. Yet, things had been strained yesterday¡­ and while Arthur himself hadn''t contributed to the situation''s escalation, he had been the object of its inception¡­ Her sister had brutally beaten her daughter in their impromptu dual¡­ A worry that Cassandra had been harbouring ever since she heard the girl might be paying them a visit¡­ It wasn''t all Dianna''s fault, nor anyone''s really¡­


    Still, at that moment, when she''d seen what her sister had done, Cassandra had wanted little else in the world but to shred her sister''s miserable spine from where it lay within her¡­ Had even tried but been so hopelessly overpowered by the larger woman, despite the age difference, that¡­ well¡­ Cassandra had all but submitted¡­ She''d always known her sister to be strong but¡­ never as monstrous as she was now¡­


    Things had quickly de-escalated once emotions had settled and cooler minds had prevailed, but¡­ before being pinned, Cassandra had earnestly tried her best to cause a not inconsiderable amount of damage¡­


    They''d fought often enough in the past, a little sibling rivalry, nothing truly new, but now, she felt a little foolish... Doubly so, considering how superficial most of her daughter''s injuries actually were. They looked bad to be sure, but the reality of it was that her sister seemed to have taken great pains to avoid anything permanent. Mix in a little healing magic, and one might not even know that Bianca had looked to be swaying upon death''s door just the prior evening.


    It was, frustratingly, a hat-in-hand sort of situation now¡­ Given her sister''s mate was responsible for giving them the means to build their settlement... The means to gather scarce resources not available locally to them, and a rather potent shield in which they could sleep peacefully behind¡­ Cassandra suspected she might just have overreacted with a few of the things she''d said¡­ a-and done¡­


    Cautiously, she knocked on the front door¡­ Earnestly uncertain if she was purposefully being given the cold shoulder or¡­ Cassandra jerked as she heard a visceral scream pierce through her ears, the primal howl smashing into her as though it had some¡ªphysical force to it¡­ causing her to take an involuntary step back as the cries continued¡­ Her sister''s voice all but braying like a¡­ like a¡­ The demon woman licked her lips with a touch of uncertainty, taking another slight step away from the door as Dianna''s wails only seemed to intensify¡­ the tips of Cassandra''s ears burning while her hands clenched then unclenched with nervous energy, the process repeating again and again, unsure exactly as to what she should even do¡­


    A-annoyingly, she couldn''t exactly leave, given she''d then have to explain to the others why somebody had to fly back out and try again, only later. Well, she could, technically, but she didn''t bloody well want to! Cassandra seethed, kicking a hoof at the dirt as she walked away from the foreboding building¡­ This was just like her sister! Doubtless, she''d known Cassandra was coming and waited right until the moment she was at their door to start screwing the man she''d come to talk to. It was on purpose!


    And why wouldn''t it be?


    It wasn''t like Cassandra had a claim on Arthur¡­ Worse, no matter how one really looked at it, Bianca had been the instigator of yesterday''s¡­ festivities¡­ even if she was, generally speaking, morally and legally in the right¡­ At least so far as the imperium was concerned, or at least it was while the empire could still enforce its own authority. Neither did it truly matter that her sister''s own spawn had been the catalyst for it all¡­


    That was the whole reason Cassandra was even out here, to begin with! To gather the strange mage that had joined the family to discuss details regarding their future. What was she going to do? Give up the free apartment she already had to go and run away to a soon-to-be obscenely over-populated city with a pension that hadn''t even arrived for her to spend yet? Not to mention the fact that, positioned as they were, the Lacunae was their oyster!


    Untaxed and unrestricted travel to the labyrinth? What was such a thing even worth? Fresh food and delicious home-cooked meals at the hands of nearly all who lived near her, again only possible because of her sister''s mate, in exchange for mouldy rations and hunger when things in Londis inevitably became desperate? No, thank you¡­ Cassandra had eaten her cake and wanted more. Which, was why she was determined to be the bigger person here, at least so far as her and her sister''s little spat could be concerned.


    The older woman shivered just remembering their fight, which could honestly be named anything but¡­ "More like a one-sided wrestling match with a god¡­"


    Frankly, Cassandra was beside herself with how terrifying her sister had become¡­ Oh yes, she''d always been bigger than others and more aggressive but the dynamic between the two of them had always been equalized by the fact she knew magic while her sister did not. Or, not enough to matter¡­ Now, however, the fissure between them just seemed so impractically large and insurmountable that Cassandra, despite trying to do so, could scarcely cause her sister to even flinch¡­


    Her magic had just fizzled out, not managing so much as a crude hook to latch on and do anything¡­ The revelation that she was all but impervious to the very best Cassandra could manage, and she had given her bitch of a sister everything she had was¡­ frightening¡­ A horrific prospect that only grew more severe once Dianna had admitted to besting so many labyrinthian floors all on her own¡­ Aided, of course, by supposed¡ªinventions bestowed upon her by that strange squishy mage of hers, but that hardly mattered when the results were so clear to see and potent¡­


    Maddeningly, the scales that had always hung near equal between the pair were now skewed by such a despairing margin that Cassandra found herself at a complete loss as to how she should treat her younger sibling when, by her own admission, she''d been thrust into the realm of potential legends¡­


    Her claim that she could have butchered her niece''s century without so much as a passing concern for her own well-being is so utterly baffling and ridiculous but, at the same time, bogusly possible in its own right, strictly from what she''d seen! Worse was that her own husband seemed to think she was telling the truth! An entire century! Sure, they were young, but nobody had the power to slaughter so many people, so many soldiers all at once and the fact her sister seemed so confident she could was¡­ again, frightening¡­


    It meant there could be no reprisals for her actions. No authority could hold her accountable nor bring her to heel. She was, in point of fact, a very real threat to the region''s stability, given she''d all but spat in the eye of her empire and dared it to do something about her insolence. Dianna was her sister, and she loved the girl to death, but¡­ at the same time, what she''d done was¡ªinexcusable on so many different levels! Yet, that was part of the problem, now wasn''t it?


    Her sister wasn''t dumb by any means of the phrase and, undoubtedly, knew just how much she could get away with now that she''d apparently become a damned demi-god¡­ The empire wouldn''t do anything about her, not now, not when they were already consigning the world to a lost cause¡­ Her sister had been told of the empire''s frailty in this region, of its weakness and inability to enforce its codices, so Dianna would do exactly as the legions had trained her...


    She''d conquer, burn, pillage, destroy and slaughter until there was nobody left to stand against her authority. Cassandra could see it in her eyes whilst Bianca had explained things the previous evening, could observe the very moment her sister had come to the conclusion as she''d listened and considered. The worst part was that she couldn''t even fault the woman for the notion! Dead gods, it wasn''t as though Tavir and herself hadn''t been planning much the same thing as they''d slowly realized something in the air was turning¡­


    Cassandra sighed, fully aware of the situation they were all in and the forecasted events that would likely soon transpire. Annoyed that it would be Dianna and not herself who stood at the epicentre of their plans. That being said, they were sisters¡­ and, for better or worse, Dianna''s fortunes would, inevitably, overflow into her own¡­ Yet it still rankled her!


    The front door swung with a suddenness that Cassandra hadn''t been expecting, lost in the throws of her own thoughts as she was, her eyes flying wide as she came face to face with her younger sibling, the much taller woman peering down at her with a look that said she was less than pleased to have a visitor.


    "Sister. Your hair looks rather tousled. Am I perhaps interrupting something?"


    "Shove off, Cassandra; we both know you can smell what was going on in here, you''ve already interrupted plenty." Dianna let out a long and contended breath, stretching languidly like a cat in the daylight while Cassandra could merely try her best not to be overwhelmed by the scent of her sister''s pussy and sweat¡­


    It was not a terribly unbearable scent in reality. One did get used to such things when their senses were as good as their own, but¡­ did her sister really need to rub it in? "Are you going to invite me in, or should I wait out here for another half hour?"


    "We did try to be quick about it, but¡­ my mate is rather¡ªinsatiable when it comes to certain activities¡­"


    "I get it; he makes you scream. Can I please speak with your husband now? Or, better yet, give him a message so I can, as you put it, shove off and go back home."


    "Nooo, please, dear sister, I insist, come inside and make yourself comfortable."


    When Cassadra''s eyebrow twitched at the nearly mocking voice of her sister, she very nearly turned around right then and there. If the cunt wanted to be this petty, she would let her be so, alone and without her only sibling''s presence. Still, Dianna''s expression shifted a moment later, warping into a wolfish grin as she moved forward, wrapping Cassandra in a large hug that was sufficiently genuine.


    "Care to call things even between us?"


    "Not really, but I will consider your apology for what it is and decide if I''m so inclined to forgive you."


    "Oh my, you are pissed at me, aren''t you!" Dianna clucked, her infuriatingly cultured tone just making Cassandra want to tear her hair out. A moment later, her sister let her go, turning on a hoof without much alacrity before heading deeper into her abode, peering over her shoulder with a small nod as she continued. "Come on then, you and I need to have a short talk before we all depart for the settlement, and one that doesn''t involve Arthur being present."

 Family is all...

    Chapter 19


    Dianna seated herself upon a curious chair her mate had called a¡ªchaise lounge, inviting her sister to join her on the opposing furniture that he likewise named a couch. Both were more than pleasingly comfortable and as she raised one leg to cross above the other while doing exactly as her cushioned seat was named, she carefully watched her sister''s somewhat measured and reserved expression with a semblance of understanding. For all their lives, Cassandra had been the one who usually held the upper hand in age, education, in her talent for magic, and this also included each of their love lives.


    Where she had gone out and found the largest and smartest legionnaire she could find to sire her daughter, even if the man had been somewhat cracked, her sister had gone about an alternate route. Marrying into a prestigious family, even if Tavir was several siblings removed from the first. Thus, spending most of her days enjoying what privilege that afforded her whilst she was on leave of duty, of course.


    Now, however, the paradigm had utterly flipped on its head. In a rather queer twist of fate, it was Dianna who found herself¡ªindulging in the creature comforts afforded to her by partial chance and her own swift action to secure a valuable opportunity. What was more, she was well aware just how much she''d managed to rattle her sister¡­ From her little spar with her niece the prior day to Cassandra trying and failing to rip her throat while actively seeking results. It wasn''t at all lost on Dianna that her elder sibling was, at the moment, out of her depth¡­


    Even she had been somewhat surprised in how laughably simple it had been to overwhelm a blooded legion officer without so much as expending a modicum of effort¡­ Moreover, when her sister had tried to do to her what she''d nearly done to Cassandra''s daughter, the ease with which she''d restrained the older woman had been enlightening. Yes, it was one thing to know you were strong, to know firsthand that you''d done as so few others in history had done before¡­ yet she''d realistically only had monsters and her daughter to truly compare herself to¡­


    It simply wasn''t the same as feeling that visceral thrill of standing utterly impervious to another''s earnest attempts to slay you, especially when they had, not long ago, been her peers of a sort¡­ She''d always been better than her niece, though not by much¡­ likewise, her sister could usually pull one over on Dianna when she was feeling in a devious mood¡­ But now, there was simply no contest¡­ Honestly, it took a bit of the fun from the whole affair¡­ Dianna was unable to really tell the difference between her own species attacking her and that of her rather martially inept husband, at least when he was willing to play by her rules.


    All that said she didn''t really want to lord it over her kin as Cassandra no doubt thought she would. Without any sport in it, the notion didn''t really hold the same interest as it might otherwise allow. She couldn''t even really be that upset with the other woman; after all, if Tulla had fallen at her doorstep looking as she''d left Bianca, then she''d of flown into a murderous rage all the same! It had been why she''d leant her niece the regenerative card Arthur had devised for her, an apology for losing her temper as much as it was deserved. The centurion was family, after all, and family would be all that mattered in the coming days¡­


    "So," Cassandra asked with an exhaling breath. "what is it you wanted to talk about Dia?"


    "You daughter mostly."


    Immediately, Cassandra''s eyes fixated on her in a dangerous way that was only reined in by the doubtless memory of how their last little spat had gone for the other woman. Still, the killing intent she felt radiating off her sister was practically¡ªpalpable¡­ So thick and hateful that Dianna felt she might need to clear the air before they really began.


    "I don''t want to sound like a bitch, dear sister, but please calm down. My niece wasn''t hurt more than she deserved. I get where you''re coming from, I really do, but can you, for a moment, ask yourself if I''d ever really kill the girl? I adore Bianca! But she''s a grown woman who can make her own mistakes and learn from them, just as we all do."


    "Her soldiers seem to think you nearly tore her tail off¡­" Cassandra growled, claws shredding the upholstery in a way that saw Dianna glancing at the destruction but deciding it wasn''t worth getting into.


    "I admit I was a little harsh with her, but given the circumstances, if you aren''t willing to come to terms with the fact that there''s more than one party involved with a pressing claim towards responsibility, then I''ll have to genuinely rethink my offer for her."


    "What offer."


    Dianna smiled, a hoof gently bobbing with lazy interest as she exposed a few gleaming teeth. "I intend to carve myself out a sizable stretch of territory from this miserable rock. With the legion''s departure from this continent all but a forgone conclusion should Bianca''s assessment to be believed, I find myself rather perfectly positioned to finally break free of the imperiums yolk. And don''t say it''s madness. We''ve both been privy to the same late evenings around the fire talking of such things."


    "And you want my daughter''s loyalty to this imagined escapade?"


    "Of course, she''s a fine commander, a talented warrior and she holds the respect of her forces with admirable capability. We lack the manpower to turn this backwater into anything worthwhile right now, but should a few centuries join us or any others nearby who can see the writing on the walls as it were, we could flourish as a community with or without the empire at our backs."


    "Amazing¡­"


    "What is."


    "Your hubris Dianna, your fucking gall and cheek!"


    "Pfft, you haven''t even heard the best part yet." Dianna snickered, enjoying herself¡­ Maybe politics did behoove her after all...


    "Ignoring that little tidbit of insanity, why by all the dead gods would I help you convince my daughter to back her aunt rather than her own father? You even agreed to help Tavir do exactly what you''re describing! And now, what? Just because you''ve come into a little power, you''ve decided it should be you in charge of everyone? Fuck''s sake, the entire settlement is under Tavir''s command! They are his soldiers!"


    "And their living in a tower built through the blessings of my husband." Dianna intoned, her expression cold and not without bite. "Tavir is a fine officer sister and a wonderful man. But it is not he who has the power here. We both know that, and regardless of what you may think, with or without you, I intend to move forwards and succeed. The only difference is that, while I am perfectly confident In my capability to do so, we both are intelligent enough to realize that, without Arthur, we''d all still be living in mud huts made by another species."


    Cassandra¡ªgrimaced slightly at that, clearly wanting to refute her but more than well aware she really couldn''t, or at least not by any means that could be considered noteworthy or honest¡­


    "I''m not going to abandon you, sister¡­" Dainna continued a moment later, sighing loudly as she did so. "Are we not family, Cassandra? Is your opinion of me truly so absurdly pathetic that you''d rather leave all the opportunities before you behind just because you don''t get to be in charge of me?"


    "Obviously not!"


    Taking a deep breath, Dianna rose to change seats, sitting down beside her kin and wrapping the other woman in her arms and wings. Cassandra did the same, leaning in against her shoulder as they had in the olden days... back before children and husbands and duty... returning to a small semblance of those times when it was just them, and only them... They both sat there, silent while their minds whirled in the background¡­ neither yet willing to speak or break free of their ruminations, nor this rare moment of comfort that, as of late, had been absent from both their lives...


    "You didn''t have to be so cruel," Cassandra whispered, though the ice in her voice was already melting.


    "I did, and you know I had to. Without making my stance clear and unassailable, Bianca wouldn''t have ever given up her own. She''s too damned immersed in the authority a centurion offers her that she couldn''t have seen beyond her duty. Had it been anyone else, anyone at all, there wouldn''t even be a corpse to be picked clean by the scavengers."


    "I don''t forgive you."


    "Then allow me to try and make it up to her."


    Cassandra shifted, peering up at her sister with a curious cast to her apprehensive expression. Dianna, for her part, allowed their embrace to largely separate, though she still kept a wing wrapped around the sibling all the same.


    "I''ve¡ªconvinced Arthur of something that he''s rather adverse to. Something that even I myself am not entirely thrilled about but, nevertheless, believe needs to be at least offered."


    "You want to share him¡­"


    "Justiciars balls, no, I do not want to share my husband with your daughter! But, I am willing to do so¡ªwithin certain boundaries¡­ For the family¡­"


    Cassandra seemed to chew upon her sister''s words for a time. Quite in her private musings while staring off into the distance before choosing her next words carefully. "So you''re pregnant then?"


    "Not yet, though admittedly, both of us suspect it won''t happen naturally¡­ We''ve been trying quite hard with no results¡­"


    "That fact is very clear considering your house reeks of sex¡­ I half thought I was walking into a juvenile barracks rather than my sister''s home."


    "We do like to have fun around here." Dainna chuckled, though her tone returned to one with a touch more gravitas a moment later. "The truth is that Arthur doesn''t believe our differing species will be much of an issue now that it''s clear he needs to apply a little magical effort towards the problem. Admittedly, halfbreeds among our kind are rare, but¡­"


    "If anyone can bullshit out a reliable way to do it¡­"


    "Precisely. I don''t doubt I''ll be without a child in me much longer. Presumably, once we acquire some funds during our visit to the labyrinth, he''ll have the means to ensure I''m carrying shortly thereafter. The point, however, that I am trying to make is that once I am with a bulge in my belly, my niece can be as well. Neither of us is promising the girl love or affection, but if she is willing to acknowledge me as both her superior in such a relationship and her eventual queen, then I have no real complaints about the arrangement. Loyalty for power and prestige. A simple bargain at its core, really."


    "It''s assuredly not something that¡ªI would have chosen for her¡­"


    "No, we all want our children to have the best of the very best¡­ Yet, ask yourself this: what more promising prospects are there for her? To mate with a common soldier as I did? To try and return to the motherland, a disgraced officer whose name is tied to the largest blunder of our legions in living memory? Which she will be tied to regardless of where the blame truly lies. What I want for my niece is to be as I am sister. To become something¡ªindescribable¡­ To give her the means to shred through an army all her own! And for your grandchildren to be intrinsically tied to a father who is already proving to be the greatest force of magic the Lacunae has seen in centuries! Do you think all of this is impressive?"


    Dianna scoffed, idly waving her hand towards the home like it was little more than a grimy cave. "This is merely what Arthur cobbled together in a single week to stand as the baseline of comfort he desired to provide for a wife that left him with a child that wasn''t even his own while she fucked off and vented years of pent-up stress. And he did it with blighted mud and twigs. Bianca might never be his soulmate, dear sister, but don''t doubt that he will treat her with anything but the respect she''s due. He''s just¡­ not the sort of individual to ignore his responsibilities¡­"


    "And he wanted this?"


    "No, he doesn''t," Dianna replied, her tone as blunt as it was pained. "But he''ll do it for me, and I''ll do it for her. Gods only know she deserves better than the options available to her. But life isn''t fair, and we shouldn''t pretend that it is¡­"


    "I don''t like it¡­ I wouldn''t like it even if he was interested in the arrangement, to begin with¡­ It''s not right, Dianna, you''re her aunt, for imperium''s sake! Is he going to fuck you in front of her, cock still slick with your¡ªfucking juices, before pushing inside my baby girl, coated in her aunt''s arousal? That''s sick¡­"


    "Again, nothing about the situation is what I''d name¡ªideal¡­" Dianna admitted, breezing over her sister''s concerns, valid as they were¡­ Admittedly, the idea wasn''t amazing for her either... "Yet, the imperial families have been breeding cousins and siblings together for years. It isn''t as if the traditions are taboo¡­ Either way, sister Bianca is a grown woman; she can make her own choices in life, and if she refuses my offer, I won''t press her. I can gain what I desire with or without her aid; this is merely my attempt to consolidate power within the family lineage. To invite you to share a taste of what is on offer here. Gods know, were you yourself unmarried and without a child yourself, I''d be making you the same offer, Cassie! But this is my best alternative to keep things even moderately fair between us! As his mate, even one of¡ªlesser status, she will be nobility when it is time to proclaim ourselves as such. Not just in name, but by her potential future childrens birthright."


    Cassandra didn''t answer her immediately nor try to reply. Instead, looking away again, lower lip worrying whilst she pondered Dianna''s words. Truth be told, nobody would be entirely happy with the situation¡­ But Dianna did feel it was necessary¡­ Without her niece being somehow involved as it had been suggested, Dianna simply couldn''t envision a reality in which she desired to give the younger woman any real power¡­ It would be too much of a threat¡­ Too dangerous, even if she was family. No, Dianna needed her loyalty, not for what she could potentially bring to the table, but instead to ensure she''d never betray them and return to the imperium''s authority. It would be all else nothing.


    "No oaths, no bindings." Cassandra eventually warned, though her voice lacked the fire of conviction.


    "Yes, oaths, and yes, there will be bindings. I don''t trust the girl sister; I love her, you know I love her, but right now, her heart yet belongs to the imperium. Remind yourself that I am not offering this for my own personal gain. This is altruism in its foundational form! If she does not wish to take the offer, then that will be that. However, I will not subject my husband to the possibility of betrayal just because Bianca is my kin. She''s already tried to capture him once, and I promise it will be the last and only time she does so and survives to regret her decisions. I am forgiving and understanding. But such things do have their limits once pushed..."


    Her sister¡ªdeflated beside her, a hand moving to rub circles around her temples. Voice exasperated as it was defeated as she responded. "He''ll treat her well?"


    "I''ll ensure he does, though I doubt that will need enforcement. Again, I won''t promise love, I can''t¡­ But in time, such a thing might blossom all its own¡­ He''s just too¡ªsoft-hearted not to care¡­"This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "How do you think Tavir will take it?"


    "Better than you, that''s for certain. He and Arthur are already close, and¡­ though I hate to say it, your husband doesn''t exactly share in our particular brand of¡ªwell, rash emotion¡­"


    Cassandra sighed, seeming to crumble entirely as she sat there, head drooping¡­ "Even if I did agree it was a good idea¡­ Bianca never will¡­ I doubt she''d care if she were the first wife in a harem, no matter how small it is¡­ But, to ask her to forsake her position¡­ the trust and responsibility¡­"


    "She''s not nearly so blindly loyal, you know¡­ If she was, she''d of killed herself on my blade trying to enforce the emperor''s will. Family means much to her, just as it does to us. Let me speak with her alone; I''ll explain things the best I can and display what she stands to gain from joining her kin rather than risking life for an imperium too bloated and sickly to value her as anything but discardable chaff¡­"


    "That''s not fair; you know it''s not."


    "And there we shall agree to disagree, dear sister. Though, if you offer a reasonable argument to the contrary. Primarily as to why she''s been left behind, just as we have by our empire while it abandons its efforts here, then by all means, do share." Watching as her sister stiffened at that, again, not really able to refute her point, Dianna merely held her a touch tighter. She got it, she really did¡­ Cassie was in something of a tough predicament¡­ and while she had the distinct feeling the rational side of her sister agreed, the woman was still pissed¡­ Well¡­ deserved or not, at this point, Dianna felt she''d done everything she could or was at least willing to do¡­ So, she offered her sister a comforting pat on her shoulder before shifting to rise¡ªCassandra''s gaze following her unhurried departure from their embrace.


    Dianna''s nose and ears twitched as she tried to determine where her husband was, catching the muted sounds coming from a room down the hall when she really honed in¡­ "Come on then." She offered, gesturing with her chin. "Let''s collect Arthur and have him meet his niece-in-law, shall we?"


    Arthur was busy in his workshop whilst the sisters¡ªspoke. He''d gotten the sense that things weren''t exactly rosy between the pair, given what had happened the prior day, but he hadn''t really been invited to join the conversation, so, simply put, he didn''t. Instead, Arthur took the brief respite for free time to put together a little plan of his own¡­ The fact Dianna wanted to be a queen was as much childish as it was, oddly enough, given the circumstances, achievable¡­ It''s just that it was sort of hard for him to take seriously¡­ though he knew the woman was quite determined to make it happen¡­


    For him, the idea of royalty was so far removed from his social values that it earnestly just about felt like the most fantastically normal thing that had fallen in his lap thus far! Compared to soul cards and demon conquerors, cows that could turn meat to char with static electricity and foul cultists desiring living sacrifices, hearing his wife say she wanted to be a queen just¡ªhit differently¡­


    That being said, he didn''t necessarily want to be a king, but he supposed he didn''t really have to take the title¡­ he could let Dianna be solely in charge; it was her dream, after all¡­ But, though there was a decidedly long road from point A to point B, Arthur felt as though he could at least start making some inroads towards the general feel of being wealthy. Which, he was, considering what he could do and where he lived by comparison to those in the settlement¡­


    Turning to eye the bit of arcane machinery he''d been tinkering with when he had the spare time, he regarded the modular monstrosity of a magical three-dimensional printer with a hint of bemusement. It had been something of an on-again, off-again project, to be sure, largely due to the clunky nature of its capabilities when pitted against the card he''d devised before its inception, which, more or less, did the exact same thing, only without the bulky box-like frame and interface. However, as in the current case, sometimes his imagination simply didn''t cut it with what he was trying to achieve. That was why his magical box was intelligent or had been, at first... Much like his spy drone, it was capable of thought, though, unlike the somewhat snarky little bot, he''d ensured this creation had a little less personality¡­ Or, again, so he''d tried¡­


    In reality, his real problem with this all was that he was just so out of his depth with this magic business that he was akin to a toddler being given the keys to an N.W.R. super-computer loaded with all the latest and greatest apps for children. Sure, he could poke about and stumble his way through things until he inevitably opened up a game or some over-tailored streaming service meant to be as user-friendly as humanly possible, but¡­ He had no idea how any of it actually worked under the hood to the point it may as well have been magic all along.


    He''d torn one of his printers open, sans its consciousness module, just to see exactly what was going on within them¡­ yet, all he''d found for the effort boiled down to a complex latticework of crystal that seemed to breathe a dizzying weave of colours and blinking patterns that had earnestly felt like it was bathing him in magical radiation...


    It had been utter nonsense from any reasonable scientific standpoint but had, upon his request, managed to transmute a living potter cactus all the same¡­ The plant still rested upon his desk, sitting there less because he wanted one and more to serve as a reminder that he really didn''t understand what he was doing here¡­


    All the same, this universe''s secrets weren''t among his priorities at this given moment¡­ Instead, he activated the display of his nonsensical contraption, waiting patiently as a well-dressed butler, wearing a clean and pressed black suit with white cufflinks, appeared. With his pristine undershirt, his face groomed with a thin mustache, appearance nondescriptive and average to the point of being almost artificially handsome, the man was¡ªhad been, his attempt at a non-personality A.I. that he''d had to free from its tiny existence for no other reason than it had been the right thing to do after realizing he''d failed.


    "Ah. Master Arthur. I take it you require assistance with the matter transmuter?"


    "I do." The young man agreed, offering the A.I. that, more or less, at this point, was running his house in the background a slight nod. Thus far, the girls hadn''t exactly met Benny but he was present all the same. Quickly taking to his assumed role and rapidly developing his persona, seemingly over night. As much as Dianna seemed to think it was him who was making the beds, restocking their supply of food and, many times, the various snacks and lunches that always seemed prepared far in advance, the artificial butler he''d accidentally imagined into existence for all practical purposes, was truthfully the secret behind his apparent limitless productivity¡­


    Honestly, he didn''t much care if Dianna found out about the servant that had been secretly picking up after them all in the; in fact, given she wanted to be a queen, his wife would presumably take rather well to the idea of it all. However, Tulla might just let the power go too quickly to her head and¡ªdevelop some less-than-ideal character flaws along the way¡­ For now, Benny had strict instructions to only appear as he did when Arthur was alone. That wasn''t to say that the machine wasn''t controlling every cleaning bot, hollow display or automatic door within the compound, but for anyone who didn''t know, all of that would have just been presumed to be Arthur himself and a little magical programming.


    Teaching Benny had become a pet project he''d worked on in earnest once realizing he simply didn''t have the hours in the day to do everything he wanted¡­ from there, the once three-D printer had truly begun to flourish and aid him in a list that only seemed to grow more cumbersome with each passing day. That said, thus far, his delve into artificial intelligence had been rather successful under the microscope of a different light, given that they really didn''t seem that different than an intelligent magic construct when all was said and done, and those had supposedly been serving their creators without significant incident since time existed to be remembered.


    The fact his creations were all magically bound to not just want to serve him but enjoy it and even seemingly find notable satisfaction in their work was perhaps¡ªsome sort of human rights violation, but¡­ again, he wasn''t on earth and, when in the Lacunae, he was learning to simply do as they did. Moreover, Benny had sort of grown on him, literally, in fact. Developing himself at such a rapid pace from where he''d started that Arthur was all but convinced they were living entities; thus, he felt bad about trying to restrict them beyond the bounds of reasonability¡­ having him cooped up in the printer really just hadn''t sat right with Arthur.


    "Morning, Benny," Arthur replied as the hologram of his home''s caretaker manifested before him. "And yeah, I''m looking to do something that I don''t really have the expertise for¡­"


    "Naturally. We can''t all be perfect within the scope of the frankly limitless number of pursuits one might choose to explore¡­ What is it we shall be creating today?"


    "Clothes."


    "Oh, for yourself or¡­"


    "For the girls." Arthur offered, scratching at his chin in thought. "Though, you might be right on that point¡­ I should probably have something done up for me as well¡­"


    "Spectacular. For what will be the occasion in which you will require new garments?"


    "Shopping really¡­" Arthur¡ªsomewhat sheepishly replied, just a little embarrassed by the fact he was asking what essentially was a conscious quantum computer to lower itself to the basic expenditure of effort to design and create better clothes they could visit the city in.


    "Shopping?" Benny slowly drawled his tone just the appropriately mixed combination of condescending and wry amusement that any swanky butler should possess. "So you can perhaps purchase more textiles with¡ªmoney rather than making them with¡­ magic?"


    "It''s more about the adventure of it all than the destination, really¡­ Though, honestly, I imagine we will be buying clothes, so bravo, you can have your point."


    "I merely jest, of course."


    "No, no, the absurdity of it all isn''t lost on me¡­ Regardless, what the girls have currently is less appropriate for the wealth I suspect we''ll be flinging about, so¡­ I figure we should all at least look the part¡­"


    "A wise decision master. So, where shall we begin then?"


    "I will probably be the easiest. Take my suit I''ve got in the trailer and give it a little more fantastic flare, not quite steampunk, I think, but something with a little more civilized flash than the Middle Ages¡­"


    "Yay, or nay to the humble pocket watch?"


    "Yay. Definitely yay, Benny."


    "Very good, sir. I shall have a dozen mockups sent to your tablet for later perusal when your wife is free to offer her input."


    "Probably a smart way to go about things¡­" Arthur chuckled, trying to overlay the giant goddess of death he''d seen emerge from the labyrinth with that of a woman sitting over a screen and offering her advice as to what she''d like to see her husband wear. "Happy wife, happy life and all that¡­"


    "All too true. Now, what were you thinking for the girls?"


    "Just give Tulla something like a dress, make it fun and flowy for her and durable enough to survive any presumed shenanigans she might get into¡­ I can already tell she''s going to go positively mad when she gets a taste of real power, so maybe work something a little imperial into it? Same for Dianna, actually, only, for her, I was kind of leaning more towards¡ªtastefully revealing? She seems to enjoy flaunting what she has and being the center of attention, but¡­ It has to be easy to move in, tough but without any frills. If I have the right read on her¡­"


    "Something like this?" Benny asked, a visually perfect replication of Dianna appearing by their side, her figure posed like a model swaying down the catwalk. She wore a lovely, breathtaking, rich green dress that wove around her arms and midriff with near-transparent silk, displaying her worked abdominals and shoulders while her chest was modestly covered by a smoothly tight fabric that clung to her every curve. The apex of the ensemble rose to form a tasteful collar around her neck, the deeper and more opaque areas seeming to almost shimmer if one peered at it from the correct angle¡­ Below, both of Dianna''s sinfully toned legs were exposed while she walked, sculpted muscles flaring with statuesque definition, coyly hidden, and simultaneously exposed by three cascading drapes of forest-green silk. Heavy enough to almost cling to her as she walked but graceful in the manner in which they appeared to float around her¡­


    Arthur found himself struck¡­ left blinking dumbly as he definitively engorged in his damned pants¡­ Clothes could definitely be sexy and add to a woman''s allure, but¡­ perhaps this was a touch too much for casual wear through a city¡­ "M-maybe, tone down the seductive by a few margins? I don''t want to be popping a hardon every time I look at her ass walking down the street¡­ but also make one of those as well, for home¡­"


    "I shall endeavour to make the desired alterations to your revised specifications, master. They will be available to you shortly once I''ve compiled a worthy collection for your perusal."


    "And what if we threw in some spandex of something for her legs? I¡ªdon''t want her to feel like we''re trying to dress her like a high-class escort, you know¡­"


    "Leggings or stockings?"


    "Try both¡­" Arthur muttered, sneaking another glance at the virtual representation of his wife and wondering if he should make her some lingerie¡­ She certainly filled it out in all the right ways he could see¡­


    A knock at the door snapped Arthur from his drooling, Benny dispersing in an implosion of light as he turned, flicking a finger to open the door to reveal Dianna and her sister, who were both waiting patiently outside.


    "Love, we need you to come with us to the settlement. Now that things have calmed down, It''s as good a time as any to introduce you to our lovely niece."


    Arthur noted how Cassandra seemed to shift a touch uncomfortably at the mention of her daughter, causing him to realize Dianna might have already said something to her about their prior conversation¡­


    "Did you talk about what it is you''re going to offer¡­"


    "She did." The older woman nodded, seemingly feeling as awkward as Arthur himself felt about the whole situation¡­


    When he couldn''t really manage a reply more meaningful than a simple, "Ah¡­" The young man was left standing there without knowing how to really continue. What did one even say when the mother of the girl your wife was about to bribe into joining a polyamorous relationship with was standing right in front of you, clearly distressed about it all. One, no less, where both existing parties had been clear, they didn''t really like the concept as a whole themselves... Honestly, it was an all-around miserable situation that he desperately hoped the girl would decline¡­ Arranged marriages hadn''t ever really sat right with him, even if they''d made something of a comeback in recent years back home¡­ He wasn''t even sure why Dianna thought it was such a great idea, all things considered, but¡­


    "Cassie¡­ listen, if you don''t think it a good idea, then I''d rather you¡ª"


    "No, Arthur. It''s a perfect idea, honestly¡­ and one that will give my daughter more than I could possibly hope for otherwise. Regardless of what you may try and tell me, I''m well aware you wouldn''t neglect her or treat her poorly¡­"


    "Not that I''d allow him to do so, sister," Dianna added, earning herself a small squeeze from her elder sibling for the effort.


    "Your¡ªadmittedly¡­" Cassandra continued after taking a semblance of comfort from her taller sibling. "the best prospect for a mate she has access to or will presumably ever manage given how the cards are falling all around us¡­ It''s not fair to you or Dianna, nor is it for my Bianca, but¡­ I appreciate your willingness to go along with all this nonsense all the same. That said, please do try to ignore my scowls¡­ Their not for you but, the situation as a whole¡­"


    "There''s really no better way to do this?" Arthur laughed, his tone bitter as it was darkly humorous. "With all the options available to us, with our ability to travel through portals to the labyrinth, this is it? This is what has to be done. Couldn''t I just set her up with a veritable fortune and let her find someone she actually loves and could reciprocate those feelings? Don''t get me wrong here, If this happens, it happens, I''ll take responsibility, but¡­ Have either of you even asked Bianca what she wants?"


    "In a manner of speaking..." Cassandra intoned, looking as weary as Arthur felt exasperated.


    "It''s not about the money, husband. That''s the problem. If it were so easy as finding some wealthy fop to betroth her with, then we''d already have a workable solution. The need is for Bianca to have a reason to leave the empire behind, to join us rather than die for some now pointless war the senate clearly cares little about."


    "Not that I''m trying to make it sound as if I''m ungrateful or somehow demeaning her value by championing her freedoms here, but really? Is this honestly what you both want?"


    "Clearly not Arthur, however we are not taking her freedom of choice. Nobody is forcing her to do a thing. I will make the girl an offer. Nothing more and nothing less, and if she decides it will serve her better than what she can get from the imperium, then it will be her that ultimately makes the choice."


    "Fucking hell¡­ You realize how weird this all is for me, right? It''s like an entire order of magnitude messed up beyond dating actual sisters!"


    Dianna reached out and cupped his cheek in a large hand, smiling softly as she sighed, and her tail found his waist. "I do, darling. And I''m quite appreciative you''re willing to go along with it for my niece''s sake. Though, I suspect you''ll get used to it fairly quickly should it all come to pass, especially when we''re both happily bent over, begging for your cock."


    "Stop¡ªtrying to confuse me with horny¡­" Arthur tried but failed to properly articulate, his mind unable to really help itself from imagining the fantasy¡­ betrayed by his own desires¡­ What was the world coming to?


    "Please darling, I can already smell how interested you are by the prospect, and feel it." She added with a sinful pulse of her tail.


    "Cassandra is right there!"


    "Please, what more could a mother ask for than the knowledge her daughter will be well attended to? Besides, you''re far too prudish for a man with such debaucherous desires and talents at his beck and call."


    Arthur felt practically mortified, his gaze slipping to the woman in question as though to simultaneously assure her he wasn''t the utter deviant Dianna was making him out to be and seek an ally in this, but found the older woman watching him pointedly, her tail swishing behind her with interest.


    "Actually¡­ If you wouldn''t mind, Arthur, do share a thing or two with Tavir. My sister has been infuriatingly absent on a few of the key details¡­ I will appreciate your efforts, of course¡­ and candour¡­"


    "The way the two of you talk reminds me of horny old women ogling a team of university athletes¡­"


    "We bal are a promiscuous bunch." Cassandra offered with a mildly offended shrug. And I''m not that old, you know."


    Arthur¡ªhesitated a moment, glancing between the sisters as a curious thought appeared in his head. Cautiously wording his question as carefully as he could before asking, "How old are you¡­ I mean, don''t get me wrong, you''re stunning, but¡­ For that matter, how old is Bianca?"


    "She is, admittedly, rather young and inexperienced¡­" Dianna sighed, speaking up as her sister refused to comment. "She''s, what? Twenty-seven this year?"


    "Twenty-seven last year¡­"


    "Oh, which means you''re already fifty-nine!"


    "And you''re forty-six!" Cassandra retorted with a sharp bite, glaring at her sister while crossing her arms.


    The young man felt his thoughts glide to a sudden halt, his smile just¡ªhanging there without the light of mirth behind his gaze. Neither of the women missed the moment he seemed to freeze like a block of ice¡­ Numbers ringing out in the confines of his mind whilst his own age stood as a bright neon sign at its center¡­


    "You''re almost fifty?" Arthur eventually asked, eyes locking on Dianna''s own while his wife shrugged with indifference but nodded all the same. "B-but you hardly look an hour over twenty-five! I mean, other than the hair, but that''s more like silver than grey¡­"


    "Technically, yes, I''m nearing fifty from a chronological standpoint; however, soul cards have a tendency to muddle one''s appearance and lifespan. As I managed to obtain a low silver soul by the time I was thirty-five, my looks have actually regressed a good deal... Trust me, it is nice to know I won''t have to deal with the tribulations of old age until I am well into my second century, and even then it will be more like middle age than true antiquity¡­ In fact, now that I''m gold, things are only going to start rewinding further. Cassandra only looks so much older than I do because she did not manage silver until her forties."


    "I was silver long before you were."


    "And long after as well." Dianna chirped, tone playful but words remorseless. "Well, don''t keep us waiting; how old are you?"


    Again, Arthur felt the sisters staring intently at him, the young man reaching to scratch at the back of his neck while trying to figure out if it was worth trying to¡ªfudge the numbers a bit¡­ "I''m actually younger than Bianca by two years or so¡­"


    "Hm, I thought you''d be at least thirty, to be honest¡­" Cassandra mused, tongue clicking with annoyance as though she''d lost a small wager at a bar.


    "While I have been suspecting to have robbed the cradle for some time now¡­"


    Arthur felt himself being dragged to Dianna''s side where she promptly crushed him into her chest as though to remind him just how flawless she was, despite the age difference. S-sadly for himself given his own particular interests in women, Arthur merely felt himself get harder knowing he was¡ªmated to an older woman¡­

 Scion of house Costis.

    Chapter 20


    Bianca sat at her parent''s table, tail gently wrapped around her seat, swaying from side to side on her lap while her father set down a steaming cup filled the¡ªthus far, only palatable thing to come of her visit. She eyed the dark liquid within, gaze shifting to her father, who merely shrugged at her as he drank from his own vessel, its smooth wooden expense, polished and gently accented by dark designs, their tiny mural catching her eye for the umpteenth time. T


    he world had begun to make less sense to her as of late¡­ and while much of her was, in point of fact, delighted that her parents and kin did not appear to suffer from the legion''s current failings, the fact it was as such, was a decidedly glaring problem. The settlement had risen like a flowering weed¡­ Practically appearing from nowhere and from nothing within the span of a mere month. She had the correspondence, the proof that her timeline wasn''t at all incorrect, the letters she''d shared with her parents evidence enough that, until several weeks ago, they were as despondent as any other soon-to-be-abandoned settlement on the fringes of the province. T


    hus, imagine her surprise when, not only did she learn that the tools she''d spirited away for them were undervalued from what she''d expected, but that her parent''s little community had somehow managed their very own miracle.


    Honestly, she doubted that a single dwelling north of Londis not of legion importance could hold even a sliver of quality to what she saw around her, and some had existed, not for months, but years now in excess of her parents own. Their ramshackle dwellings built of timber felled by their own hands, and farms plowed not with animal but sweat and hard work, while commendable towards the spirit and ruggedness of the retired troops, were not what existed here.


    More, even should the engineering core have made its way here, whether by chance and luck or the turning of fortunes for their efforts on the continent, what lay within the budding town was equally impressive as its construction. Handcrafted furniture, as though made by masters of the trade, the initial workings of plumbing, mundane as it was, the confusing abundance of food, wealth and good cheer¡­ No, nothing about any of what she laid eyes upon made any sense¡­


    Worse was how everything seemed to have a singular and rather convenient explanation¡­ A wizard. And one that had fallen from the sky, no less. A man who had captured his aunt''s heart, his cousin''s respect and loyalty, as well as her own parent''s trust¡­ A man who the villagers revered as a champion of their plights! And that, to the best of her understanding, not a one was willing to surrender information of, even at the end of imperial command. She could see the way the wind was blowing as clearly as any other officer worth their commission could. Knew how her empire planned to abandon its people here¡­ So, it wasn''t like she was at all surprised how quickly its people abandoned it in turn.


    She hadn''t liked the fact that her parents, after giving so much of their lives, had been tossed to the wilderness and told to trundle on until support arrived. But, nobody who served in the legions liked half of what the job entailed. Opinions towards the war effort weren''t what was required of oneself, but obedience and loyalty. Granted, those in the village weren''t technically bound by a commitment to the legion anymore, but she''d of thought that its prior members might hold a modicum more respect for their empire than what she''d been made privy to.


    Jumping ship at the first sign of trouble reflected poorly upon an individual''s character. Though, admittedly, abandoning one''s citizens wasn''t necessarily a mark of honour either. And that was exactly what had happened these past few years¡­ As generals and executives promised the world to those too wounded to continue or, deemed as needed to build independent strongholds as the continent''s first pioneers, it was not the soldiers, but those in command who had failed to deliver on their word¡­


    And yet, so far as Bianca was concerned, one black spot did not excuse or permit the presence of another. And though if she could have had it her way, she''d of rather seen the empire hold triumph over the newest addition to its occupied worlds, its citizenry building wonders upon its lands to strike fear and awe into the natives so they might truly understand how high they might rise through service¡­ She could neither prevent what the dissident whispers within the ranks heralded as inevitable nor could she provide the people of her parent''s new home better than what was already here.


    Strangely, it was that thought more than anything else that truly grated on her nerves. To give so much to the legions, to rise through its ranks and prove herself as worthy, only for her gifts to be viewed as little better than soil, regardless of how those around her assured their thanks to be genuine, was¡ªannoying. Too little too late¡­ but she''d already known that to begin with. The only difference was that a better saviour had arrived before she had, and one that apparently didn''t demand blind loyalty while tossing mouldy scraps from gilded plates.


    The empire was failing these people, and those like them had failed, in fact¡­ The gleaming heroes and exemplars that stood as brilliant bastions of all that their glorious imperium existed to uphold were simply not enough to fill in the widening cracks where the worms and snakes propagated like carrion flies¡­


    A civil war¡­ the once thought impossible words, whispered upon the forked tongues of commanders too inexperienced to understand how it felt to taste a blade part one''s cheek¡­ Bianca adored her country, and had strived to become useful to it, for her life to matter, for her service to mean something. Duty and honour abound, as was The Costis way¡­ Yet, those above, so far as to swim amidst the rootlight itself, seemed to conspire to do little but carve it all away for their own gain¡­ She''d been disillusioned by it all the moment they''d begun giving ground. Had begun to pay credence to the rumours and gossip¡­ paying attention to the little things her patriotism had allowed her to ignore.


    The war had become a joke. Leaderless, cored out like a hollowed apple, left to rot and fester while forgotten in the backyard¡­ This world didn''t matter to those in the core system. To them, it wasn''t the culmination of their careers or the effort of their life''s work. Instead, it was hardly a backwater worth little else than its potential as real estate. Which was what made this all that much more¡ªinfuriating for her¡­


    She glanced at her father, the man sitting patiently as though standing trial and awaiting her summary judgment as he was playing homemaker in his new abode. His eyes cast nervously between herself, the doors and the beverage he held in his hand''s absent claw. She took another deep breath of the strangely captivating liquid, enjoying the rich and blended scents it offered while she sat and considered the situation as a whole. On the one hand, she should drag the lot of them before her praetor under charges of treason.


    On the other, ignoring that she probably couldn''t get away with the former, family meant something to her. Be it her brothers and sisters in the legions, the children under her current command, or her blood, which had been with her for all her life¡­ Family was all¡­ that''s what her father had always taught her. Family above all else. Glory, riches, status. None of it meant a thing if there was nobody around you to share it with. She still believed that, of course¡­ Bianca wasn''t a zealot by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, having been caught so flatfooted by the situation as it were, she found herself particularly at odds with what she might have even sympathized with had those involved chosen a more civilized way to sell it.


    As it stood. She''d been accosted. Humiliated. Her authority as an officer called into question the empire she represented spat on. The gifts she''d procured through no small difficulty¡ªsnubbed. To state that she was of a foul temperament was tantamount to irony, given her clear demeanour. And all of this, every single farcical bit, was because of one man. A foreigner, as she understood it. Not even bal. Yet one that her family was willing to suffer through their own blood''s disdain and ire for just to protect him against one of their own and what she represented.


    "Ridiculous." She growled, her father nearly flinching at her snarl as she glared at him, ignoring the peace offering of hospitality just inches from her fingers. "How long has it been now? How many hours since I''ve arrived, and yet, the epicentre of this entire debacle remains notably absent from my scrutiny."


    "He can''t fly," Tavir offered dryly, swirling his drink without sharing more than he already had.


    "One is inclined to presume cowardness is involved. Absent as his wife fights on his doorstep, absent as those who sing his praises convene in homes fit for our kind. Absent as I am left waiting here, a centurion of our legions. Forced to stew upon the whim and schedule of an individual, not even of our country. Tell me, father, is he a prince? A king or emperor, even a lord? Or is he just fond of wasting my time?"


    "I suspect his truancy has more to do with his wife than the man himself." Her father mused, looking almost comically wistful as he spoke. "Sadly, my dear, your authority means little to your aunt at this moment, and the same goes for the rest of us, your mother included. But, so is the prerogative of the powerful, is it not? I dare say that our empire acts much in the same fashion to those it deems lesser."


    "And is it still our empire?" She asked, raising a thickly dense red brow at her father, who merely shrugged, smiling while raising his glass in mock toast.


    "Until the day she no longer stands for what I swore to protect."


    "Cryptic." She drawled, smiling at the man regardless of her feelings on the matter.


    "I''d argue that it''s rather plain language, darling. A country, after all, is only as good as the people in it. Sadly, that fact is often overshadowed by those that actually hold its reigns¡­"


    "So you do abdicate receding then?"


    "Oh, I suspect the imperium won''t even notice that I''m still out here in another year''s time." Tavir chuckled, taking another sip from his coffee before continuing. "A bit of philosophy then for you, eh? If a man loses an arrow in the woods and gives up on finding it, does the hunter who stumbles across its path years later have any less claim to its parts than the man who abandoned it to begin with?"


    "Semantics." Bianca scoffed. "You''re a citizen, not an arrow father."


    "And would the imperium come to rescue me from the tricen after they''ve allowed themselves to be hurled off this rock, or would they let the savages chop off my head and use my skull as a chamberpot?"


    "Gruesome imagery, yet I imagine the right answer lies quite plainly for all in the settlement to see."


    "And were the lucky ones!" Tavir grinned. "I''m sure few others in our predicament, many as they are, have daughters so caring and thoughtful as to steal from legion stores, no matter the fact that what was taken would never be so much as missed."


    "Requisitioned. There''s a difference, you know. One is legal, while the other is a criminal offence. Besides," Bianca huffed, waving away her sires smirk. "My gifts yet languish in their carts. Not even so much as looked at. I dare say, for the destitute, charity has never had a harder time to please."


    "Ah, and yet, had it arrived but a month sooner, you''d of been hoisted in the air within your very own parade. Timing, as they say, is everything."


    Her father winked at her, causing Bianca to roll her eyes at the man''s impertinence.


    She''d¡ªmissed him¡­ and, honestly, the longer they spoke, the harder it was to stay mad at it all¡­ Sure, she was a bit grumpy about losing to her aunt, but it wasn''t like that sort of thing wasn''t without prior precedent. Though, to be so thouroughly overwhelmed was disappointing. "Why is she so strong?" Bianca found herself asking, sighing before reaching down for the damned coffee. If she was to be made to suffer its tantalizing promises, then she''d at least partake. "Between us, of course." She amended a moment later after watching her sire shift away, the laughable cheek of it not at all lost on her. "No legions, no centurion Bianca, just you and me, father, a child and her parent."


    "Your oath you won''t share what I tell you with any beyond this village?"


    "Of course, or does my word mean so little to you?"


    "Hmph, such promises aren''t to be taken lightly, dear, and once broken, what they represent isn''t often repairable."


    "Yes, yes¡­" Bianca intoned, waving her calloused hand to dismiss her father''s insinuation and, at this point, not really caring. It wasn''t like legion command gave enough of a shit to bother with the details at this point, so any formal report she was like as not to make beyond tricen activity would be liable to gather dust on a shelf. And even then, it wasn''t like the legions sounded as though they could do much to enforce their will at the given moment. "Should I strip for you and discard my entire panoply until I sit here innocent as the day I was born? Or can you see passed the insignia and armour to whom is exactly wearing them?"


    "The mage is powerful." Her father grumbled, looking to almost depart to some recent memory as his eyes glazed. "He''d said as much when we first met him¡­ well, implied it really¡­ though, at the time, he wasn''t what one might call a threat. Hah¡­ didn''t last long¡­ Leave the bloody sod out there for a week on his own, and I suspect, had he wanted to, he could have butchered the lot of us in our sleep."


    "Why not collar him?"


    "Honor," Tavir stated bluntly. "he saved your cousin from certain death; the girl managed to somehow get herself caught by a particularly smart cultist¡­ Had her bound, gagged and on the chopping block, two of its own kind sacrificed already¡­"


    "Truly?"


    Her father merely shrugged. "As the lad tells it, yes, and, as for our own investigation, brief as it was, accurate is all I can say on the matter. I chose not to bind him out of kindness. One debt paid for another, regardless of our ways. Even if it was an accident, that sort of heroism deserves a reward, regardless of if there were no higher authority than my own to give it."


    Bianca nodded her head. Not faulting her father for his actions as she''d been likely to do the same. By imperial ruling, any individual caught on their lands without proper permit was, in point of fact, already a slave. And while it was true that citizenry could be attained through acts of valour or exemplary service, the fact that the settlement doubtlessly lacked the resources to bind a new thrall, probably played some small part in it all. Better friends than bitter enemies where it could be permitted after all. "So, he''s strong then¡­" Bianca stated, wanting to get on with the conversation, and to the parts she was actually interested in.


    "No, he''s not."


    "But you said¡ª"


    "Powerful." Her father interrupted with a pointed look. "Not strong, but powerful."


    "Is there a difference?" She laughed, nearly chuckling in earnest at the wordplay.


    "Yes, daughter, there is. You''ll see what I mean soon enough, I''m sure. But suffice to say that, had he a mind to allow it, you could likely pull him limb from limb with the ease of snapping a baby chicken''s neck. Yet, I have it on first-hand authority that he slaughtered no less than fifteen tricen and at least a half-dozen of those wild lighting yaks, all while sitting kilometres away and eating lunch. Not only did it spook Jade and Kilk, two of my best veterans who were allowed a first-hand look at his capacity for violence whilst he put as little seeming effort into it as he could, but he has made my sister-in-law something of a true abomination¡­ Needless to say, if he can accomplish that for her, then I see no reason he couldn''t for himself."


    "So he''s acting weak, as you put it?"


    "Or," Tavir muttered, clicking his tongue as he did so. "He simply can''t be bothered, which is as much a terrifying prospect in of itself as would be if he actually were hiding his abilities¡­ Though, from what I''ve gathered, it''s a good chance to be the former than the latter."


    "And those¡ªthings I saw in the grasslands?" She hedged, leaning in and staring at her old man with quiet intensity.


    "Don''t fight one. Dianna offered me a warning along those lines herself, honestly¡­ not that we were here under some form of occupation, mind you, but more to avoid friendly casualties, as she told it. Evidently, she''s of the mind that they are not toys, as my niece likes to call them, but true automatons of war."


    "Their capabilities?"


    "Haven''t seen it myself." Her father admitted, taking a long breath. "Though, again, as Dianna has mentioned in passing, she suspects her husband could deal with the legions of this world should they choose to bear down on him and stand victorious. Not without a few scrapes and bruises, mind you. What he has now likely wouldn''t nearly be enough but neither, as she pointed out, has he really had a mind to ready his capacity for mass production of his creations. Take that, daughter, as you will."


    She frowned at him but still nodded all the same. The winds of change were indeed blowing if such a sorcerer managed to find its way onto the fringes of their lands, now of all times, when their forces were at their weakest. It almost felt planned¡­ Though, who would stand to actually gain anything from his presence, if indeed he had no designs on sallying forth to war against them was¡ªwell, not exactly forthcoming¡­


    "Talented as he is." She began again, leaning back in her chair and taking on a more aloof countenance, having gleaned what she felt she could. "Having him ally with our forces makes it sound as though we could conquer what remains of this world together."


    "We both know there''d be no gain in it for him. Ha! What could those upstarts at command even offer?"


    "Legitimacy." Bianca pointed out blandly.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "When he could wait for the empire to fuck off and take what he wanted of this world for himself?"


    "I''m only saying." She cooed, grinning at her father with a sly cast. "It sounds as though Auntie has him wrapped around her tail. I''m sure she could be convinced to reenlist with the proper application of some good old-fashioned imperial bribery."


    "And here I was thinking much the same thing, but for you dear niece."


    The mood broke as Bianca, pausing, shifted in her seat to turn halfway around, her expression souring a fraction. She watched an older woman walk passed the open patio door. The sudden arrival of the three newcomers had completely slipped her notice until they were already upon her. Still, Bianca rose, wrapping her arms around her mother, who moved too close with her, feeling the woman give her a decidedly¡ªconcerning squeeze that she''d come to learn over the years usually meant the woman had done something her daughter might not exactly care for. Her aunt, by contrast, all but beamed at her as she shortly took her mother''s place in her arms, kissing her on the cheek as though they hadn''t seen each other in years.


    "Your husband then?" She asked, disengaging from the woman who''d been near as a second mother to her in of herself, only for different reasons, as her gaze fell upon a man who she''d have otherwise marked as fey.


    Still, the word didn''t quite fit. Though her interactions had been brief in such manners, the fey tended to be more waifish and thin, with elongated necks and arms and legs, features so sharp as to be alien rather than attractive. What stood before her instead was decidedly more savage. Bearded though, neatly trimmed, shorter than she honestly expected, though not as the dwarvosi were¡­ Athletic but¡ªslim. No tail, rounded ears, and scented like a whore in a boutique¡­


    A mashup, she thought, of several species, potentially the result of some¡ªdistant and queer community where everyone had fucked each other into extinction, leaving only this as what remained behind. A bastardization of its sum parts¡­ though, she knew she was being catty¡­ There wasn''t anything objectively wrong with the man, save for the fact he wasn''t bal. Well, at the very least, he was clean, if nothing else¡­


    The man smiled at her, though she could tell it was a reserved and almost pained thing, as though she were some responsibiltiy he was being forced to deal with when he''d rather been anywhere else¡­


    "Arthur Ashfield." He stated, stepping forward and into her much larger proximity while holding out a considerably smaller hand than her own.


    She eyed it for a span, noting its rough edges, the callouses, and the attempts at grooming that scarcely hid the scars and damage, finding herself somewhat surprised by the sight, considering what she had been made to understand of the man. Smiling as congenially as she could manage, she took his offered greeting for what it was, feeling at least some strength in his shake but noting that it was much as her father had said¡­ She could pulverize his extremity with but a modest squeeze¡­ She didn''t, of course; Bianca wasn''t a barbarian, after all. Instead, she nodded at the man, pulling away from the somewhat awkward exchange before glancing at her aunt, who was peering about the room with interest.


    "Where has the girl gotten off to now?" She growled, noting the absence of her spawn.


    "To feed my soldiers."


    "Oh? And you let her?"


    "Am I not with family?" Bianca accused, rapidly growing tired of this game. "Should I be worried that my niece is going to poison her brethren beneath the guise of friendship?


    "Fine." Dianna sighed, cupping her niece''s cheek with a hand. "You''ve made your point. Bygones be bygones and the like?"


    Bianca didn''t bother with a reply. Returning to her seat at the table while her aunt turned to the only true stranger in her midst.


    "Arthur, you don''t by chance have any¡ªhors d''oeuvres or the like squirrelled away, do you?"


    For his part, her husband almost looked offended, though he winked at her father but a moment before he sauntered to the table and began manifesting food...


    "Part of the feast we had planned¡­" He admitted, even as he placed platter after platter of strange but¡ªintriguing dishes before them. "Mosty last minute stuff, really, but it''s what I have. Tulla''s got the rest on her¡­" A moment later, he was also supplying several bottles of rather surprising contents. Her eyes grew a fraction wider at the casual display while her mother visibly brightened.


    "Is it the same as the previous evenings?"


    "Should be a few months older now, but, yeah, same batch."


    "Wonderful. Tavir dear, this is the dry I was fussing over the other evening. Some of the best I''ve had."


    Bianca watched as a spell seemed to enrapture all those before her; with but the application of food, spirits appeared to soar. Admittedly, she knew what a growling stomach could make a soldier feel, but¡­


    "Go on, niece." Dianna grinned, reaching out to squeeze her arm. "Family, remember? You''re among those who love you; let''s, at least for a time, dispense with the politics¡­"


    The rootlight had already made its transition to silver by the time Bianca stood, wandering outside, perhaps feeling the mood more than was appropriate, seeking to manage a respite of fresh air on the balcony. She allowed her wings to stretch and release, pleasantly enjoying the feel of working out any cramps that had formed from their inactivity while they''d all sat and talked. For the most part, her questions regarding her aunt''s mate had been appeased in a manner that saw all just a little dissatisfied with the result, which was typically the sign that things had been conducted fairly for all involved in¡ªone form or another¡­


    She leaned over the railing, staring down at the glimmering lights of her forces encampment below and in the near distance, the sounds of merrymaking and good cheer let her know that her cousin had potentially been spreading the wealth of alcohol to her young soldiers as well as a proper meal. She wasn''t angry about it¡­ honestly, this was supposed to be their leave time as well. The only reason they were all here rather than slumming it in their barracks was because she''d dragged them all along. She wouldn''t let it become a habit, of course, but she wasn''t heartless. Let them have their fun for the evening... why not?


    Behind her, the sound of an opening door perked at her ears. Nose scenting the breeze and catching that now familiar perfume that her aunt was practically doused in as though she were a courtesan tempting members of the state. The contrast between the devil that had beaten her within an inch of her life time after time again while she''d been mentored beneath the woman''s wing and the clean and cultured creature of decadence she saw now was¡ªshocking. That said, clearly, her aunt hadn''t lost her edge either¡­


    "He''s not horrible¡­" She¡ªgrudgingly admitted not bothering to greet the other woman as she joined her, leaning on the carved railing.


    "Oh, so you approve then?"


    "Doesn''t matter if I do or not, does it?"


    Her aunt didn''t reply as she draped a wing over her once protege, Bianca, despite herself, sliding in a fraction nearer and enjoying the warmth offered. They''d been close once. And though adulthood and her burgeoning career had scuffed much of their relationship, the bond still stood. They waited there a time, neither interested in speaking further, both simply enjoying the other''s company for what it was worthwhile, allowing private thoughts to develop and manifest at their own pace. Eventually, it was she who spoke again, this time taking in a deep breath through her nose as she allowed a question to escape the crowd of them.


    "Whose stronger?"


    "Between you and myself?" Her aunt asked, almost unbelieving she''d even question that.


    "Him and you."


    "Ah¡­ well, if you''re asking who might win in a straight-up mosh, nothing held back. Me. for the time being."


    Bianca looked at her, gaze speculative as her aunt shrugged at her side.


    "And later?" She pressed, wondering at her aunt''s mind.


    "Whose to really say? Though, if he ever did become so powerful as to conquer me, I suspect it would be of my design rather than his own. Power for the sake of power doesn''t exactly appeal to him. However, I do intend to force the issue along to ensure his safety, to some degree at least.


    "And my niece?"


    "Terrifying." Dianna chuckled ruefully. "She has not my strength yet, but the trappings will soon be present. Moreover, she understands her new father''s mind for invention better than myself. I wouldn''t dare bring another child into this world who feels they might deserve more than the girl, bloodlines and all that¡­ However, if any new child between myself and my new mate were to one day be queen or king in my place, then Tulla would likely be their imperator. She''s hungry for power like none other within the family is. And, one day, she''ll try to take it all, of that I''m sure of it."


    "Queen!" Bianca laughed. "Is that your goal, then? To be the royal of some muddy hovel of a world?"


    "Eh, give it a few years, love, and this place will look like Cornin when compared to the landing. We''ve even got portals."


    The young officer blinked, head twitching as she turned to regard her aunt with a healthy sneer. "That''s rich¡­ Do you think so little of me as to imagine blatant lies will amaze?"


    "I don''t at all, actually. In point of fact, my primary obstacle moving forwards won''t be amenities or infrastructure but people." Her aunt paused, shifting to grin at her, pulling away, then stretching her own wings as she continued. "However, I know how you are, darling, so I won''t presume to convince you with honeyed words. Come, take my hand, and I''ll show you."


    Bianca hesitated as her aunt''s long and slender fingers extended towards her, the woman appearing as some creature rising from the void, too good to be true, beauty and lethality incarnate, offering pacts for power and wealth in exchange for allowing chains to bind ones very soul. Involuntarily, she felt her teeth worry at her lower lip, considering her aunt and her claims, everything she had seen thus far and¡ªknew she wouldn''t refuse. Yet, empire be damned. Her aunt was blood. And if one couldn''t trust their own kin, then one was truly alone in the cosmos. She took the taller bal''s palm, the older woman smiling like the cat who''d just caught the mouse, then, the world tilted. A familiar array of colours and pastel swirls became Bianca''s reality for entire heartbeats. Her sense of equilibrium shattered, her understanding of all that she knew that was real, fracturing, but moments before, it collapsed, and she was returned to the physical realms.


    "I¡ªugh... detest teleportation¡­" She grumbled, feeling her stomach lurch as she wobbled, having never really gotten that used to the sensation.


    "Nobody does love. The only reason portals are used is because they are infinitely more useful than walking or flight."


    Bianca nodded, taking in a lingering breath as she righted herself, scanning their surroundings with near immediacy, as her training was naught to make her do. Slowly, she felt a strange pang in her guts¡­ though one that was less a physical malady and more psychological¡­ "The labyrinth¡­" She eventually stated, peering around at the overly saturated rolling hills and sickeningly abundant flowers and butterflies that flitted about upon what was the first floor of a place she hadn''t set hoof on in years. It was unmistakable, for nothing she''d before seen could hold a candle to the sheer malevolence that existed around her¡­ The honeyed trap, which would allow the unsuspecting to presume their own infallibility right until the moment its waning maw opened and allowed one to descend so it might close behind them, was utterly without equal.


    "Another of your husband''s tricks?" She intoned, reaching down to pluck a flower before snorting at the realization it was real.


    "The only reason he hasn''t laid the foundation for a grand archway is that we are not ready for it yet. For the time being, I''ve given Tavir and your mother the portal cards he''s created to use at their discretion."


    Bianca''s gaze snapped to her aunt as the woman grinned at her wolfishly, clearly fully aware of her own dictation and how it was supposed to sound to the ear. "We both know creating souls isn''t¡ªpossible¡­ like that¡­" She hedged, a concern arising within her as the sudden isolation she now experienced bloomed.


    "I''m not here to murder you, my blood. Though, you are correct that, were I to do it, this is somewhat of an ideal place, isn''t it?" Dianna shrugged after a moment, looking entirely at ease as she reached into the void and retrieved several souls that Bianca eyed wearily. "We are here, so I might, as you said before, bribe you; however, that conversation can wait until we''ve had some fun together. For the time being, you may consider these as my husband''s gift to you. Though, admittedly, when he was courting me, he didn''t bestow any valuables like these to convince me until after it was all said and done; else, I''d of snapped him up the moment he did so."


    "Courtship?" Bianca spat, jerking away at the mere prospect of it, even while her aunt moved towards her, crowding in, lips pressing against her own for several long moments that extended beyond the chaste, her aunt''s hand rising to gently caress her cheek as Bianca stood there¡ªfrozen and unable to so much as blink.


    Grinning from ear to ear, her aunt separated from the bizarre and intimate gesture as Bianca was left dumbfounded, earnestly too shocked to react.


    "I desire us to be sisters, my dear. Strange, I realize; however, I do think you''d be an integral asset to my cause, and if sharing Arthur''s gifts and status with you means getting what I want, don''t for a moment think I''m too prudish to commit." Then, Her aunt was departing. Allowing the cards she''d left for her to hover in the air. Her armour flowed about her in a miasma of darkness before she was consumed by her natural defences, everything, from hoof to scalp, covered in her chitinous form. "Do read the cards I''ve shared at your earliest convenience, blood. They are yours now, regardless of any decision you make. Just know, weak as they are in rank alone, they are but the tip of a very deep iceberg of potential."


    Bianca''s mind spun as her aunt sauntered away, hips sashaying in her departure. The young woman coughed, trying to find a semblance of meditation through deep breathing, mind a whirl of confusion and¡ªother more problematic feelings that she had to cast aside before her eyes glanced upon the first tarot that was waiting for her.


    Magic armorments¡­


    The title was so simple yet so impossibly deep¡­ The card hanging there as though awaiting her perusal, just its name alone causing Bianca''s fingers to shake¡­ She knew the wealth on display here with this simple card alone¡­ even as she noted the disparity that was its tier and rank, the value of such a soul¡­ She reached out, unable to help herself with trembling hands, gaze locked upon the stylish interpretation of a beautifully ornate spear and shield¡­ black metal gilded with gold filigree and ruby accents, the colours of her imperium¡­


    The spear was long and elegant, a tool for war as much as ceremony, the onyx tip at its apex large and polished to a sheen. Beside it, a magnificently round shield, nearly two thirds the size of the weapon itself in height, the depiction of the Costis family crest boldly emblazoned upon its mirrored surface that shone like rootlight itself.


    Magic weapons were the sort that became heirlooms for but the greatest scions among families known to be truly powerful¡­ Icons as much as tools to be used to allow one to make a name for themselves¡­ Shamelessly, Bianca hardly wasted a moment adding it to her soul deck, casting aside one of her utility cards and inserting it within herself. She felt its presence a moment later, and before she could even look at the two others still waiting, she summoned the armaments to her side.


    The shield manifested on her arm, held firmly against the flesh without bracing or strap, ready to protect her flank with its colossal size that allowed her to magically see through its form as though transparent¡­ in her right hand, the spear stood tall, shining beneath the overhead glow of falsified day. Its shaft fitting perfectly in her palm, weight so balanced that she imagined she could rest it upon a pin¡­


    A grin, unbidden to her suspicious nature and prior uncertainties, spread as she spied one of the¡ªmiserable creatures that roamed the planes. Hoisting the spear like a goddess descended to the mortal realms, she hurled her new weapon with all the force of a ballista, grinning wildly as it punched through the nightmarish creature meant to lure one close with its innocent appearance before it exploded in a fountain of raining gore!


    She could sense the energy waiting, vibrating to return to her palm, Bianca allowing new instincts to take over as the yet pristine spear rematerialized in her hand, beautiful and cruel as it was the moment she summoned it. Alas, as many cards of its current state did, the armorments faded away, but a few moments after... But not before she''d begun to laugh at the insanity of it all. This was no bribe¡­ it was hardly a courtship either¡­ It was narcotics. Meant to do naught but pull her in and never let go again.


    "Your husband can spare such luxury upon some nameless officer born in the provinces?" She mocked, though as to if it was self-deprecating or otherwise, Bianca didn''t rightly know.


    "He made them blood." Her aunt called back, still walking in a meaningless direction as she doubtlessly waited for their way down to arrive. Adding in but a moment later. "For you."


    Bianca scoffed. Hand reaching out to take hold of the other tarots she was being wooed with. A personal storage card and a¡ªportal card¡­ The young woman stared at the third of the set, every iota of focus she possessed honing in on the anomaly within her fingers. The weapon was one thing. Even if the fact it was being given to her under such context was both disgustingly brazen given it was meant to display the wealth on offer, while also despairingly tempting¡­ The personal storage wasn''t much better, mind you, but, at least those were a sight more common.


    That didn''t mean they weren''t worth a nobles ransome all their own, but at least they were within the realm of normalcy. The final card, however, was different. Though not disappointing, the first pair were of a sort that Bianca had long since accepted she''d never lay her hands upon, excluding fantastical circumstances. Her blood was of a wealthy house it was true, but not that wealthy, and nor was she an individual of any import to those who stood at its head. Her father was a nobody within its ranks, just as she was.


    The glory and prestige brought to them by their name were little more than their meagre birthright. She hadn''t even seen her nation''s capital, let alone met her estranged kin who dined in the dynastic manse were the true individuals one imagined when speaking her family name resided. The best prospects she might have hoped for were to catch the eye of her distant relatives through merit alone while on a campaign, which was already a depressingly impossible prospect, even prior to the shitshow things now were¡­ She''d of needed to be regarded as a hero of sorts for her reputation to even reach their ears. Yet now, some nameless power that had appeared as though from the ether was seeking her hand like she were the lone child of a senator. Absurd.


    And yet the presence of the final card, the first tidbit of proof she''d been able to hold in her hands that her supposed suitor was truly something more than an arrogant fop throwing around his hoard of wealth, was the starkly unthinkable which lay in her palm. Nobody had portal cards that allowed them to enter the labyrinth¡­ and if they did, none spoke of it. Yet here she was, privy to her aunt''s own capacity to do exactly that, now gifted with the power to do the same¡­ She smiled. Perhaps for the first time in a day, with genuine glee. Following after her aunt while rearranging how she''d perceived several¡ªnoteworthy aspects of her recent existence...


    Arthur cleared his throat as he handed Tavir a card. The man gave him a meaningful look as their game of dice and drinks waited before them, forgotten in the wake of a conversation too delicate to ever repeat beyond the intimacy of their conversation. The older man nodded at him a single time. An entire night''s worth of comradery shared in but an eternal moment that was to neither of their direct benefit. With all the women departed, his wife and niece to... wherever they vanished to, his sister-in-law excusing herself for a late night walk, it had been the perfect moment that both men had understood for what it was, to¡ªspeak of things best left behind closed doors and absent polite society.


    "I uhh, believe it was your roll." Arthur offered, reaching for the bottle of scotch and topping them both off. The card and advice he''d duplicated and passed along for his new brother safely shared with none the wiser.


    "Ah, well, very good then. W-what pray tell was the score again?"


    "You weren''t keeping count? Gods above, I wasn''t; I barely know how this damned game is played!"


    "The booze can do that to the best of us." Tavir smiled, trying to shake the slight sensation that they''d somehow dirtied and profaned the living room with their prior whispers, which felt yet to vanish from the air.


    A noise arriving from the back deck caused both men to nearly jump from their skin. Cassandra returned her wayward niece in hand and stepped into her abode, only to sense the curious weight in the air as she did so. The woman glanced between the pair who quickly averted their eyes, both men returning to their game, even if neither quite knew where they''d left off.


    "They''re still gone?" Tulla wondered aloud, wandering to the table to give the air about it a curious sniff before scowling at the liquor bottle and turning away.


    "If they''ve returned, then it hasn''t been so here."


    Again, Cassandra levelled her husband with a quizzical look, gaze narrowing as he quickly cleared his throat and stood. "Arthur, my boy, while your company has been marvellous as always, I''m sure the hours getting late for you."


    Without missing a beat, Arthur stood with a nod, face cast in as neutral an expression as he could manage while reaching out to corral a squawking Tulla, pulling the girl close as he turned her towards her aunt. "We''ll have to do it again sometime, but I agree; it is well passed Tulla''s bedtime, and chances are the girls won''t be back for some time, given their¡ªsimilarities."


    Tulla glanced up at her father, utterly askance by the words coming from his mouth, looking as though she were about to protest before he squeezed at her shoulders, letting the girl know that something was afoot but not something that could be spoken aloud. Instead, she just nodded somewhat solemnly, though she was doubtless immensely curious if her flickering ears were any gauge of it.


    Arthur could only smile as his sister stared between all present, mouth hanging partially ajar before it closed, mind trying to work out the mystery of it. "Tavir, Cassie, thank you for the wonderful evening; however, I believe it''s time for us to depart."


    Goodbyes were shared, hugs, kisses upon cheeks, promises for future functions down the road; then Arthur was on the balcony, still holding his daughter by the shoulders as she peered up at his face, her own scrunched in thought. Behind them, Arthur could just make out Tavir''s voice as he suggested the pair of them embark on a little, late-night flight for a little privacy and alone time, the young man inwardly grinning from ear to ear as he pulled and twisted his magic into fruition.


    They were returned to their home after a brief jaunt through what he liked to call slipspace, appearing in their living room where his eyes fell upon the ruined sofa nearby. Tulla noticed it as well and cleared her throat, allowing herself to be steered away from yet another mystery she doubtless wanted to unravel.


    "Don''t voice the questions you have, and I''ll make you chocolate pancakes for breakfast."


    The girl sniffed, quite haughtily considering where she''d lived only a handful of weeks prior, yet kept her silence all the same, which Arthur took as a tentative agreement that she''d accept him buying her off. Thankfully, she''d been absent most of the day; thus, nobody had needed to explain what was potentially in the works, an awkward situation at its best¡­ and, now that they were alone, the topic really wasn''t something he wanted the delve into with any alacrity¡­


    So instead, he just powered right on through, making sure Tulla was tucked away in bed, sweetening the deal by purposefully omitting any specific time she needed to actually turn off her shows. Arthur returned himself to his prior engagements with Benny, curious to see what the dapper AI had come up with.

 A visit to the Labyrinth (part 1)

    Chapter 21


    Arthur turned in the mirror, admiring the cut of his jacket and trousers as he viewed himself from differing angles, pleased with what he saw and fairly confident he wouldn''t be making an ass of himself. He patted down his pockets, feeling for his phone, or¡ªwell, at this point, it was more a command tablet than much else, but¡­ habits did die hard¡­


    Likewise, he felt almost naked without a wallet on him, as though his consciousness knew he was about to head to the store and should have it well and snugly tucked away in his pocket regardless of its current usefulness. It didn''t matter that old-world money was meaningless here or that he hadn''t had the damned thing on him for years now¡­ An entire lifetime of training himself to never leave it behind when he was preparing for an outing, returning to the forefront of it all and causing him much-unneeded anxiety¡­ Still, he gave himself one last once over, fixing a strand of hair that refused to abdicate its place falling from his forehead before he just gave up.


    Beyond Dianna and his own chamber, Tulla was already waiting patiently in the dining room, watching a show on her own tablet while dressed in her latest finery. The dress was not too far indifferent from something to be found within his own homeland, though, with a little more archaic flare. Appearing to be more of a combination piece of toga and sundress that hung from the shoulders but allowed for plenty of breezes and air about the legs. Delicate in its chiffon-like appearance, yet woven, or in this case, printed of a material durable as spandex.


    The girl liked it well enough, sharing much in common with what a young aristocrat might wear in the warmer months, which were currently upon them, all with just a little deviation from what might be seen as the norm. This was her, thus far, favourite example of the various colours she''d been presented with, a sort of orange and fiery red that quite complimented her darker and more bronzed complexion. The fact she''d already learned that the material was somewhat elastic made it all the better.


    "Mom still in the washroom?" He asked, eyeing his daughter as she shook her head.


    "Outside with Bianca."


    Arthur paused a moment as he slowly nodded¡­ Sighing inwardly, he made his way outside. What he was greeted with was the decided end of a conversation. One where his wife fondly caressed the cheek of her niece before kissing her as their culture was fond of doing, though on a location that might not have been quite so normal. The demoness wore a dress of flowing skirts, fanciful in their ethereal layers yet practical enough to move in. Transitioning from a similar material to Tullas own, though with more leg exposed, to a sort of corseted top that he knew merely followed the lines of her impressive figure, stunning to behold as it was, truly stole the show.


    Nobility would have been the first thought in which any of higher society would have while gazing upon her, his initial design somewhat¡ªreworked. Lace, straps and floaty sleeves gave her a gothic air given her requested choice of colour had been black. The ensemble was frankly intimidating, looking almost combative, as though the outfit''s upper half could, at a moment''s notice, be replaced with breastplate so she might ride off to war¡­


    His eyes glanced between the pair, finding it difficult to stray from his wife''s titillating allure, and yet, the downward glance of the other party present, her expression clearly bashful in her apprehension, was as much an intrigue as his significant other. Doubly so as, he took note of the device that was seated at her ear, display active before her left eye. Dianna beamed at him before sauntering over, her dress causing her to nearly drift upon the wind as she moved, arms wrapping him in an embrace that he returned, even as she leaned down to whisper in his ear.


    "Thank you for being so trusting my love." There was a kiss on his head before she released him, the shadow cast by her stature keeping him in momentary shade before she placed both hands on her hips and returned her attention to Bianca. "My niece won''t allow anything to befall our abode while we''re gone. Her word, once given, is as good as gold."


    Arthur regarded the youngest Costis and the latest addition to his growing family, at least, that he''d met so far. The hardened officer regained her composure in record time, meeting his gaze with a steely confidence that brokered no complaint to her aunt''s claims. He knew that the woman held intentions to clear out the possible nest nearby¡­ A dangerous and bold goal given what he''d come to understand how violent such encounters could become.


    Thus, when his wife had approached him and requested a full suite of new cards of a reduced capacity to her own, he hadn''t blinked an eye. Though the misunderstandings that had occurred during her initial arrival had painted the Centurion as something of a fanatic, the truth of the matter was less. Arthur''s read was that she was much simply more patriotic and young. Idealistic and eager to prove. He still wasn''t privy to what happened during their time abroad; however, since then, his wife''s niece, his niece, age be damned, had acted in a decidedly defferential light to her aunt.


    A¡ªabrupt change from her prior belligerence that hadn''t been at all lost on him. Then, following this, Dianna had taken it a step further, advocating for her niece''s allowance to make use of his drone network, restricted as it was for her. A boon that hadn''t even been yet offered to the woman''s own parents, to whom Arthur was decidedly closer.


    Beneath her command, she held no fewer than fifteen drones of a primarily scouting variety. Their chassis was not as armoured or resilient as some of his creations that roamed the planes; however, they were deadly all the same, as well as equipped with the tools to best perform their primary role. The idea had been sold to him as a favour to Tavir and Cassandra, who, over the weeks, had become fast friends with him. The invaluable aid they would supply in serving as her vanguard through the potentially cavernous subterranean network, ensuring that Bianca could be as prepared as she could be when the inevitable fighting occurred, the gesture much appreciated by all parties related to her.


    Now, somehow, that had transitioned to Bianca standing as warden for their home as well and being bequeathed with a kind of power that was now only second to his wife¡­ Bianca, evidently no longer interested in delivering their secrets into the hands of her precious legions, but instead, defending them from would-be thievery. Not that she was necessarily needed for such a task as Arthur had Chuck keeping an eye on things all the same. Yet, the meaning behind it all wasn''t exactly subtle. Whatever Dianna had done, it had seemingly convinced her kin to her own banner.


    Bianca didn''t avert her gaze when their eyes met, though her head did tilt fractionally in a downward direction¡­ which, if he had any guess of it, meant there were no longer any hard feelings harboured¡­ "Just remember." Arthur enthused, allowing his thoughts to recede as he smiled and took on a more jovial expression. "You''re the only one of your people who can enter the house if it''s for some reason needed. Please ensure to¡ªimpart the dangers of interacting with my property for those without permission."


    The Centurion stiffened, her back straightening and head lifting as though standing at attention, the curt nod all she was willing to share, but¡­ sometimes, an acknowledgement without the frills was exactly what was called for.


    "She will behave, my love. Trust the confidence I have likewise placed with her. She is a good girl who understands where her loyalty truly lies and to whom her future most shines with."


    Again, there was a look that the pair shared, entirely indecipherable to him, but that existed nevertheless. All the same, Dianna gave him no reason to worry, and she knew her kin better than he did. With a shrug, he clapped his hands, a smile still upon his face as he hooked his wife''s arm and spun her away, done with playing family politics for the foreseeable future and eager to leave it all behind. "Then, lets grab our little princess and be off with it. I''m excited to see what passes for a city here."


    Having never visited the Kaitrice himself, Arthur depended on the oftentimes extraordinary capabilities of his peculiar brand of soul cards to navigate the journey ahead. Teleportation had become familiar to him, almost in a fashion, routine, given how frequently he relied upon it. However, there was still an undeniable place in his hat of tricks for souls cards! Especially since they could often perform wildly in excess of their own abilities. Likewise, no amount of experience, prior life included, had prepared him for the cultural shock of suddenly transitioning from a tranquil, open field to the bustling heart of a sprawling metropolis.


    The first assault upon his senses was auditory. The relatively quiet life he had grown accustomed to was shattered by a deluge of noise, overwhelming and endless. The cacophony of voices of conversations, of laughter and shouts, it all mingled with the rhythmic clamour of countless footsteps, hammering into his mind and momentarily skewing his sense of reality.


    The olfactory onslaught was, unsurprisingly, no less intense. The air was a decidedly revolting blend of sharp contrasts, from the fetid odour of sour sweat and unwashed bodies to the cloying, almost stinging sweetness of somewhat offensively potent perfumes.


    All of it just added another coating to the chaos, the unrepentantly vile brew that burned his nostrils, mirrored by the vivid, bustling spectrum of people surrounding them. Arthur''s eyes took in a veritable sea of adventurers, all adorned in a miscellaneous mix of armour and bearing a variety of weapons from all marital walks of life. Some looked freshly polished, gleaming and ready to stand at the parade, while others bore the dubious and flaking stains of recent battles, brutal wear or simple neglect... These adventurers, who would likely look right at home in any number of the virtual worlds humanity cherished, moved in a fluid mass, their garb ranging from simple hides to ornate laminar steel and beyond.


    Merchants, vying for attention, called out amidst the throng, offering their goods with promises of unbeatable prices and exceptional or covetous uncommon wares. Many called their neighbours charlatans or hacks, while others attempted to coax business from the crowds by playing music or simply wandering out to take the arm of random passersby, leading them with merry smiles and assurances towards a good deal. And, among it all, were the city''s denizens themselves, moving through the pandemonium with the practiced ease of seasoned city-dwellers, of which, for whom, this insanity was like as not just another average Tuesday at the market.


    Arthur stood in the middle of it all, paralyzed by the sheer intensity of the frankly astonishing change. Yet, whatever he felt, for better or worse, was magnified infinitely for poor Tulla. The girl seemed to have shut down entirely, her wide-eyed gaze reflecting the overwhelming nature of the press of bodies and sounds that hadn''t ever possessed a facsimile of comparison to her young and somewhat bumkin ways. Sure, there had been people moving about in the legions: soldiers, accountants, medical practitioners and those like herself who followed along with the baggage trains. Individuals who belonged to or were a family of or simply followed along after the soldiers.


    Yet, the possible thousands of souls that might exist as part of such a force were rarely packed so tightly together and without decorum. Here, in this¡ªurban nightmare of a city, thousands more were slapped together like sardines in a can, each moving so close to one another that shoulders had to bob and weave simply to get by one another!


    Arthur felt Dianna''s steadying presence beside them both, her arm intertwining with his own and that of their daughters, guiding them with expert ease through the throng. She placed a comforting hand on Tulla''s back once the girl froze again, gaze fixated in wonder upon the colossal statues that sat in the plaza''s far reaches, looming over the massive space as though standing sentinel to watch for any neerdowells.


    Gently, she shepherded her away from the central dais where they had materialized and towards the flow of traffic on the crowded arrival platform. Dianna''s calm and controlled demeanour acted as an anchor for them all, helping Arthur regain his composure, albeit in a sort of meandering manner. He looked at his daughter, saw the mix of awe and confusion in her eyes, and squeezed Dianna''s hand in silent gratitude. Knowing he might just be teased for having reacted in such a starstruck way, but¡­ it was, truly, without experiencing it for oneself, impossible to comprehend¡­


    The matrix of living, snaking pathways stretching amidst the fluctuating crowd before them, seemed nearly as impenetrable as they were random to follow, but with Dianna leading the way, they began their integration into the city''s bizarre rhythm, navigating the cultural whirlwind with cautious steps, aided by the fact that, as per usual, Dianna was among the largest people around them.


    The trio moved steadily away from the central hub and eventually merged with other newcomers, likewise adapting to the city''s frantic pulse, dipping away from the utter moshpit of people that were arriving from the grand portal-archway and bleeding off into the greater ocean of souls. It was a somewhat gradual thing, yet Arthur began to appreciate the frenzied energy in the metropolis, recognizing the layers of activity and interaction that made it a living, breathing entity which, in some honest ways, he''d sort of missed once leaving society back home.


    The bars, clubs, dancing, celebrations and parties. The ability to wander into nearly any building on the street and be served either booze, food or live music. The fun he''d had while meeting new people, the nightlife of it all where he''d chased girls, made friends and acted the goofy fool¡­ It was all here. Different, clearly; however, he could feel it already beginning to worm its way into his veins¡­ Sense that special¡ªresonant animation that utterly threatened to consume you until you were a part of it!


    It was a rush! And yet, after the initial wonder, though still present, it excitement of it did start to fade into the background of conscious awareness. And, in doing so, Arthur realized that this, too, was just one more part of the labyrinth''s¡ªcomplexity. It wasn''t just someplace. Some arbitrary land where you popped in to slay some monsters, one that existed for a sole and narrow focus.


    Rather, that was merely the surface. Instead, it was a vast dynamic of mingling civilizations, a massive melting pot of differing cultures and species that seemed perfectly willing to blend all who appeared in its midst. Inviting them in and shoving new ideas and concepts upon oneself, regardless of prior predilections, until they not only merely looked like they belonged but had succumbed to the immense pressure from all sides.


    "And here I assumed you were from a city¡­" The tall demoness mused, tone laughing as her voice shook Arthur from the madness of it all and returned him to his senses. The young man needed to earnestly jostle himself to clear his roiling thoughts before he glanced up at Dianna with a reticent smile¡­


    "I am, but that doesn''t mean I can''t be surprised. This is just all a good deal more ruggedly disorganized than what I''m used to."


    "More or less people?"


    "Hard to say¡­" Arthur murmured, wondering that very same thing. It was one thing to simply wave it away and claim it in his favour through virtue of some misplaced sense of human pride. But the earnest truth of it was that there had to be tens of thousands of bodies where he stood alone, all crammed into the same cluttered space while somehow still following an utterly nonsensical order to it all¡­ It honestly felt like what an overpopulated third-world city looked like in the videos of such back on Earth¡­ And, while he was tall, he was not at all the tallest around. For every head he could spy over, it felt like there was another to block his sightline¡­


    Species of all manner a variety, from the bal as he had grown accustomed to, to bipedal bestial sorts that, while humanoid in form, was not at all so in face. Madder still was when he looked to the sky, only to see that the walls and shops weren''t at all limited to the ground! Winged pedestrians of all flavours fluttered about and clung to guidelines and ropes, skittering across bridge ways upon many legs or, simply¡ªfloating without clear means of propulsion. Each and everyone about their individual businesses and lives that might lead them to a skewer shack selling roasted meat or a fashionable house for tea.


    "Madness!" He accused, glaring at the insanity of it all.


    "Kaitrice." Dianna corrected. "Melting pot of the Lacunae."


    It took some time, but eventually, they travelled deep enough into the labyrinthian city so the herd of bodies thinned. The trio moved through cobbled streets amidst the masses. Arthur''s defensive gadgets occasionally zapped the odd fingers that reached too near his own pockets as they walked, discouraging thieves but not evidently not wholly warding them away. Eventually, Dianna abruptly laughed, pulling them aside to a small vendor who had a few people already in line.


    "Things get cleaner the deeper into the city we venture." She assured, an eye constantly upon her daughter who, while not sticking at their side, knew how out of place she was whilst exploring and remained in general proximity.


    "Any way to make sure we don''t portal in where we did the next time? Honestly, the number of hands reaching for my pockets rivalled people in the village."


    "At least they went for your pockets." His wife chortled, grinning cruelly and showing teeth. "I had to snap a few fingers for the places they dared explore in my passing."


    Arthur glanced at the woman, giving her a considering look from head to¡ªhooves. "Right¡­ maybe something a little less showy then? For the next time?"


    "Ha! Goodness no. I only brought you this way for the experience of it all; nothing quite hits like one''s first time at the city''s central portal. After this, I''ll show you where other mages and those of a¡ªshall we say, higher pedigree connect to the anchor runes in nicer neighbourhoods."


    Nodding, Arthur bobbed his head toward the vendor who was watching them whenever he thought they weren''t paying attention. No doubt wondering if they were interested in his wares but clearly uncertain as compared to the vast majority of those around them, if not all those around them, their little family was dressed of an undeniably higher station than he was used to seeing.


    "Perhaps for a snack¡­" Dianna allowed, her head cocking to the side. "However, if we are to be of a higher status, we must act as higher society would. There are many eateries of an appropriate standing that I do desire to visit. Your cooking is wonderful, dear; however, it is the adventure of it all that I crave."


    "Nothing wrong with a ritzy steakhouse. Fine dining is its own kind of fun when all dressed up."


    "I wouldn''t know¡­" His wife murmured, almost bitterly as she turned aside, causing Arthur to immediately move to action.


    He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in and shifting the demoness who allowed herself to be moved at his insistence. Staring up at her as he smiled as genuinely as he could, raising one of her hands so he could kiss its knuckles with mischievous delight. Putting on airs and acting the foppish gentleman, committed to trying to keep his wife from dwelling on aspects of her past. "Dianna, you are the most stunning date I''ve ever had. Would you do me the honour of your bewitching companionship while we explore what being filthy rich is like?"


    Surprisingly, the demon flushed. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at him before smiling again, some of her prior confidence returning. "You''re beginning to mimic our way of speaking, you know, and it almost feels like we sometimes converse absent the translation limitations these days...."


    "Am I?" Arthur commented, not surprised in the least to hear her say it. Though it felt a little silly to talk as they did, it was a bit of fun, if he was honest. Especially when everyone had a sort of highbrow cadence to them, well, not everyone, but certainly the demons. However, as to the language barrier, well, he''d been practicing¡­ cheating as well, but it was a healthy mix. "Honestly, you''re magnificent, dear. Born to it or not, its not I that am turning every head that passes, but you."


    "Stop with the flattery¡­"


    "Then lead the way. I am used to politer society than soldiers, so wherever you take us, I shall endeavour to escort you and pave the way."


    She snorted the sound of it something he could never hear enough of for how cute it bloody well was. "Says the man who hasn''t ever set foot in this city all his life."


    "Well, how else would you have me cheer you up? Should we buy something utterly needless for ourselves, like a¡ªbuilding or¡­ enterprise just for the absurdity of it?"


    Leaning down, Dianna kissed him on the lips, returning to her usual self as she rolled her eyes at her husband''s antics. They didn''t buy something so useless to their designs; however, they did, shortly thereafter, embark upon a wine-sampling tour, fitting right in with the other socialites as they travelled. Nobody ever even asked them for payment once he''d expressed interest in a more detailed look at some choicer spirits. Arthur reached into the void to retrieve some of the currency that Dianna had exchanged on a prior visit, having explained in great detail exactly what she''d wanted him to create so as not to appear suspicious.


    Money, as the wealthy so often stated, could not buy happiness. However, Arthur had always thought that was a load of bullox. He was loaded and perfectly happy to exchange a pittance of his exorbitant wealth for whatever new and curious delights at every opportunity he was offered. The owner of the current winery they were visiting was so enthused that Arthur had evidently bought one of his more prestigious vintages that Arthur and Dianna found themselves invited to peruse their rear stock.


    Rows upon rows of bottles, each cradled within nests of some strange material, rose on all sides like sheer walls of a cliff. A single rolling ladder served as the lone way to reach those high above, while below, countless tags describing the most minute detail of their prospective bottles hung like decorations as far as the eye could see. Arthur found himself lost in the novelty of it all, smiling like a child at Christmas as he spoke animatedly with the proprietor over questions of parings and flavours. Several bundles of glittering cards changed hands as both parties, beyond excited, shared in the private exclusivity of rare tasting behind closed doors.


    Then they were shopping again, only somewhere else! Tulla fluttered about between stores of abhorrently expensive clothing and gazed upon all they had to offer¡ªoccasionally buying things that caught her eye or turning up her nose with almost practiced snobbery before giggling like a child as she darted off to the next. In all honesty, Arthur was simply enjoying watching the two girls as they spent hours being fitted, placing orders and enthusing over a part of life they''d never indulged in.


    The sheer quantity of souls they were dispensing was¡ªstaggering, to say the least. The value of what changed hands was presumably able to solve the majority of nearly all his dilemmas the weeks prior to their visit. However, rushing such matters felt pointless¡­ while this¡­ Watching Dianna and their daughter weave through shop after shop like women possessed. Indulging in all the aspects of life that had been denied them... All that had been absent, their ability to grasp or simply never appearing to them while offering opportunity, that was what was priceless for him.


    Their smiles warmed his chest in ways he''d never felt before. Their laughter and cheer, the earnest glee in their eyes¡­ How exuberant and filled with life they were¡­ It was indefinable for him... something he couldn''t have even written down to point it! But that, nevertheless, offered him a sort of joy that held no direct comparison in his former life¡­ Family. Not just his childhood one, but one he''d chosen for himself¡­ Seeing those he loved divest themselves of their hard lives and fully embrace this other half of existence was bliss for his weary soul¡­


    Yet, as all things might, Arthur''s initial excitement began to falter as an unsettling reality encroached upon his thoughts. The labyrinth''s strange city had been a queer if not fun experience, one playing upon the ever-quivering rope between curious modernity and a disquieting darkening age. Still, for the most part, it had been an almost child-like wonderland to explore, teeming with interesting and colourful strangers and personalities that had largely defined their enjoyable experience. Wealth did have a tendency to make others view one with favour, but there it was, unpleasant as it might be to hear. However, the market they now approached promised to be something far dimmer than the amusement they''d all enjoyed through the afternoon.


    Long before it came into view, the sounds reached them: the relentless clink and clank of metal clashing against metal, the uproarious proclamations of auctioneers, the macabre cheer of buyers calling out their bids¡­ And all through it, a heavy atmosphere that seemed to taint the very air they breathed, thickened as though one might taste it...


    Arthur felt a shiver run down his spine as Dianna grabbed his arm, her touch firm but comforting as any could be, her attempts at a reassuring touch¡ªappreciated, but it did little to steady the uneasy feeling Arthur got merely in their approach. "Welcome to the Black Quarter, love," she murmured. Her voice carried a weight that made Arthur steel himself for what lay ahead.


    The trio stepped into the bustling promenade, and Arthur''s senses were immediately assailed by a scene of torment and suffering the likes of which he¡ªhadn''t ever experienced. His stomach churned as his gaze wandered with ever-growing sickened curiosity, and he fought the urge to retch upon more than one occasion wherein he saw something truly vile... Rows upon rows of cages lined the pathways, each filled with desperate, emaciated and ruinous figures. Some were bal, others, beings he couldn''t even begin to identify with too many legs, arms or even heads¡­ yet all were reduced to mere commodities in this callously evil place that brazenly showcased sentient lifeforms as things to be bartered for.


    Arthur''s feet moved mechanically, his mind struggling to cope with the societal horrors around him. Every glance revealed something more detestable than the last, each shift of his gaze promising something he knew he''d despise. Here, a creature with pleading eyes reached out through the bars, its fingers trembling, nails long since peeled away to reveal blackened and infected scabs... its voice quivering with a desperate plea that horrifically, thanks to his own cards, Arthur could understand... There, an auctioneer''s booming voice echoed, announcing the latest bid to a howling outcry that almost sounded like entertainment¡­If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Tulla walked beside him, her own eyes wide with a mixture of fascination and uncertainty. Clearly unsure what exactly to make of what she was seeing¡­ He wanted to shield her from the grotesque reality, regardless of what he knew of her nature, but there was no escaping it¡­ and, earnestly, she was holding up far better than he regardless¡­ Looking but not reacting with open disgust. She saw the insanity of it all but tried to parse it in her own way. The market stretched endlessly before them, a true-to-life maze of depravity genuinely deserving the name, all of it naught but cruelty masked beneath the guise of commerce.


    "How can this be allowed?" Arthur found himself whispering, his voice barely audible above the din and clamour of a true abyssal pit of depravity...


    Dianna''s grip on his arm tightened, her eyes filled with a surprisingly sorrowful resignation, an expression he hadn''t expected to see on her face, considering how eager she''d been to come here. "It''s just another part of life that no one really likes to talk about. But in a place like this, your new universe, I shall remind you, where people seek power and riches by whatever means they can manage¡ªtrue cruelty¡­ often finds many a foothold to secure itself..."


    Arthur nodded grimly, understanding that this was, whether he liked it or not, yet another facet of the labyrinth, no, of the Lacunae. Of his new world¡ªa stark contrast to the almost magical experience he''d felt above. It was a sobering reminder that, in places where light might shine the brightest, shadows often grew long and dark¡­


    While his time after being transported here could largely be attributed to a positive and pleasant change, now Arthur was getting a first-hand look at what archaic societies, possibly forever lost within their technological stagnation, bred. Endless war, bigotry, the greed of the powerful, the disdain for those without the power to protect themselves. It always led to the same things. Slavery, monarchies and death. And the Black Quarter was merely one more testament to that unyielding truth.


    Swallowing his disgust, Arthur pressed forward, determined to leave this wretched place behind at his earliest ability to do so. If that meant he''d need to delve in and immerse himself with a dunk of the head, then he''d do it. Yet, the scenes he saw still burned into his memory as he passed them and would undoubtedly remain a haunting reminder of what a world lacking universal law and order defaulted to. Yes, his world hadn''t been perfect, the global government that had emerged not without its own skeletons buried, but once all the dust had cleared, it was certainly better than this¡­


    And it had all started off so cheery and exciting! A-as a somewhat thrilling adventure only earlier that morning had unveiled an undercurrent of corruption and despair that ground at his nerves like live wires¡­ challenging his perceptions and testing his resolve to the degree that had him ponder, not for the first time in recent memory¡ªdarker thoughts that percolated in the back of his mind... Notions towards if what he saw before him should be allowed to exist, festering in a sort of simmering disgust that transcended mere musings...


    "Why are some in chains while others are not?" Tulla inquired, gaze narrowing upon the differences in those proffered around her. Eyes never seeming to linger too long on any single individual, continuously scanning her surroundings, lost in the fanfare of it all¡­


    "Some are bound merely by servitude," Dianna stated, continuing to move through the thickening crowd as she led them. "They offer oath or are otherwise forced into obedience, typically through a magical means. At the same time, those who you see bound in rope or iron are of a¡ªlesser quality that doesent warrant more expensive effort. Those individuals are more than likely bound for true misery, mines, ships, factories or slave armies¡­ That is why they are all grouped together. Those interested are not purchasing a single life, but many, and often times doing so cheaply."


    "Armies entirely made out of slaves? Wouldn''t they just run off or revolt?" Arthur scoffed, incredulous at the concept.


    "They might, though the punishment for such a thing is often harsh. Those who are willing to employ such tactics to fill their ranks usually possess the adequate¡ªtalent to instill fear within their hearts, not of death, but of reprisal for failure or disobedience. They are not always the most effective fighting forces¡­ however, they can be efficiently easy to replace¡­"


    "And the rules on taking someone and forcing them into that situation?" Arthur demanded, grinding his teeth to keep from saying more.


    Dianna glanced at him, gaze understanding as it was cold, answering with a detached dispassion that was much more the demon he remembered when they first met. "Murderers, rapists, thieves, and traitors." She stated. "Though, that is merely the empire''s outlook on things. The Lacunae is a large place, and our country, though mighty, is not nearly the largest of its kind. Many kingdoms do not prize laws of a kinder nature¡­ and those souls born to such lands could easily find themselves here for doing little more than insulting a corrupt constable. To say nothing of the countless other means one might run afoul of those in power where they live. For all I personally know, the majority of those here could be entirely innocent and simply¡ªunlucky. However, it is not our place to try and save them, Arthur."


    He didn''t agree with his wife as she turned away, allowing the conversation topic to die in the puddle they stepped over. Yet, he knew, on a certain level, she was right. He couldn''t fix the universe. But did that necessarily mean he couldn''t leave it slightly better? What if he just¡ªbought them all? Used his powers and freed every single person here? Could he do it? How many cards would it take, and which ones would be the most valuable? Still, a thought, unbidden to his budding plans and standing as though to spit in his own face for all its needling irritation, rose to exist in direct conflict with Arthur''s planned generosity.


    What if those in chains actually belonged there? It was a disgusting thought, but one that refused to be swept under the rug, his face scowling even as Dinna turned to notice his warring expression without comment. What if¡­ What if there were murderers and rapists among those he would free? What if, after being liberated, they returned to whatever criminal tendencies that had landed them here in the first place? If he bought them, he''d be responsible for them, and in more ways than having to see to their needs.


    If he released a murderer, Arthur, in effect, abolished any form of ongoing repentance such an individual deserved to pay just because he didn''t like their punishment. Would the families of those who''d lost a loved one to such a person thank him and see things his way? Or would they scream in fury? Throw whatever they had at him, demand to know why the scum that had defiled their child was now, just like that, free to walk the world absent consequence. If such a monster were allowed into the settlement¡­ would they try something like that again? Would Arthur be putting others at risk for his predilections on the matter?


    Collared and enslaved as they might be now, Dianna had mostly explained that none would be dangerous once purchased. But did that even matter when he planned to emancipate them? Did he have the right to do so and play god with the lives of all those around him and deny justice to the others whose lives a true vermin of society had ruined? What was worse was the possibility that there were petty criminals among the very worst down here¡­ those that had desperately taken what they''d needed just to survive and been labelled undesirable and sent away¡­ Honestly, it was all infuriating to try and ignore¡­ And even if some of the very worst might find themselves free for the sake of those who didn''t deserve it, wouldn''t that still be worth it all?


    "Dianna¡­" He whispered, eyes sliding to the tall demoness who watched him with pointed care. "I want to buy everyone here¡­ how can we make that happen?"


    A long and put-upon sigh released from his wife''s lips, the statuesque woman turning and wrapping her mate in a single wing that dragged him into her side. Immediately, Arthur was hit with the calming reassurance of her natural scent, a curious anomaly that had, as of late, a significant effect on his decision-making skills once he''d been subjected to it. He didn''t mind, really, as Dianna''s presence was¡ªblissfully palliative, Arthur immediately pressing into her warm and inviting body as he allowed his racing thoughts to glide towards the peaceful¡­


    "We cannot love¡­" She began, Arthur opening his mouth to protest when the tightness holding him in redoubled its efforts. "I understand that such a goal is less about our true purpose here and more something born of your altruism, Arthur, but you must understand that such a dangerous road would shatter you¡­"


    "It¡ªcouldn''t¡­ possibly¡­"


    "It can and it will." Dianna soothed his wife, though he couldn''t see it, wearing a cold but resolved expression that was as firm as iron. "These people will destroy you, and I do not only mean the ones you wish to save. Sure, I could help you discern which cards would allow us to buy all of those in this market with relative ease. And, should we follow through, Im sure we could even find them all a place within our plans. After all, I do keep saying that people are the resource we lack, do I not?"


    Arthur nodded his head at his wife''s side, eyelids hooded in his strange, trance-like state amidst her warmth and intoxicating fragrance, his mind following along with complete clarity, despite the queer method used to calm him¡ªyet, he knew Dianna was about to make her point, thus, kept silent and waited, expectant and ready to hear her looming explanation.


    "Hm¡­ You are such a kind individual, Arthur¡­ despite how dangerous you can be, you really are too innocent in many ways¡ªtoo corruptible¡­" She added, voice thick and rumbling, Dianna feeling her mate nuzzle into the side of a breast as she merely smiled at his actions. "Sadly, that is the crux of it. The largest issue with you is desires.


    Say we buy everyone here. No, say we go further and purchase all those in the back rooms. The sex slaves busily sucking cocks and tonguing assholes in the boutiques, the criminals, the peasants, skilled labourers who took an ill-advised debt or erred upon the wrong side of those with power whilst plying their trade. The innocents in the wrong place at the wrong time, the oathbreakers who abandoned their duties for any reason one might imagine.


    Imagine we took them all with us. Imagine they joined our blooming community, and you found them housing and jobs and food enough to fill their bellies each night, no matter how ragged such a goal would make you scramble! Say you pulled it all off without a hitch! What then? Would you be satisfied in knowing you''ve done a good dead that cost so little of yourself to accomplish, regardless of its relative impossibility for others? Would it satiate you? Make you feel ratified in your decision? Or, would it resolve you once realizing that this, all of this¡­" Dianna whispered, an arm moving to gesture towards the multitude of destitute souls around them, "is merely what passes through this place within the span of a single week?"


    He shifted at that, his wife allowing her wing to maneuver so that he might stare upwards, meeting her glacial and emotionless eyes with those of the momentarily confused. Dianna merely smiled gently at him, her tail moving to brush softly at his cheek as she herself was affirmed in her suspicions on the matter, the demoness shaking her head as though to say it was all true, regardless of his surprise.


    "A week." She reiterated, almost¡ªsavage in her blunt affirmation. "You, of course, did not realize that Kaitrice is merely a single example of such a market amidst all those countless worlds you so often gaze so longingly at in the evenings¡­ Interconnected as it might be with such¡ªsimilar organizations, the fact of the matter is that you could never free them all¡­ The moment anyone caught on that there was a philanthropic idealist in their midst, prices would explode! Merchandise of the flesh would flow into Kaitrician streets like it never has before!


    While those you so presumably despise for holding their collars would ensure they eke out any additional value they could from you by any means necessary. Maybe prices would continue to rise as you continue to willingly pay; maybe they might truly run out of more honest wares deserving of their fate and instead turn towards more¡ªdespicable means to ensure their coffers never stop overflowing with your money. And through all of this, you will need to keep finding those you free a place to exist or else be forced to simply release them back into the wild where they might do anything from committing what crimes they had prior to simply being captured by slavers as they had before, returning to this market where you will be forced to emancipate them time and time again.


    It will break you, Arthur. They will break you. Abuse your inability to resist fighting back against what you so clearly hate, yet the only thing that will inevitably change is that you will work yourself to an early grave¡­ All the while causing those who fed your ideals until they were grotesque and bulbous like an engorged leach to become wealthy beyond compare¡­ Then, when you finally cannot keep up, and the hope you so desperately held dear crumbles through the inevitably of your own mortality, this place, the slaves, the market, the merchants and those who seek to buy from them, all of it shall return to a reflection of this very moment in time. Things will settle, and people will change, yet the Lacunae will continue on as it always has for time immemorial, and you, Arthur, my dear Arthur, shall be but a footnote attached to a waning legend that inspires hope amongst those who have none and, with your passing, will receive less."


    When she was done, Arthur felt as though someone had taken his heart and squeezed it¡­ Squeezed it as though willing to make juice of his morals... His gaze was distant and lifeless, body¡ªloose and hardly holding itself aloft¡­ Mind wishing so desperately to refute Dianna''s claims... Yet, lost in her embrace, he found it near impossible to reject its rationality¡­ His mind even began finding all the ways it agreed with her¡­


    "Mom¡­ did you need to be so¡ªbrutal about that?" Tulla complained, one of her little hands moving to intertwine with her father''s own as he stood there, drifting as though on the breeze.


    "I did. Though I''m not happy, I had to. Your father would have done exactly as I predicted he might react. Sadly, he is not the only one who has ever had such thoughts." She shifted, this time to meet her daughter''s accusing gaze, her countenance taking on the harshness of her time whilst forcing them to the training yard, expression without remorse. "Such stories exist already Tulla, and are well documented to always end the same way. Our universe is simply too large for any one person to change! That is not an opinion on the matter but a fact.


    There are billions of people who live in distant kingdoms and cities that none of us shall ever so much as learn the name of! The vastness of our cosmos is so great that, for all our imperium lauds itself as a grand power, there are countless of those who exist that shall never even know it was even here when time erodes it to dust. You cannot lose yourself trying to fix what is so far beyond your reach! But¡­ that isn''t to say that there is no good to be done. It''s just that¡­ that¡­" Dianna trailed, exasperated by the time she''d run out of steam that she could only sigh without finishing her own thought.


    For his part, Arthur got what she was trying to say. He didn''t like it, but neither was Dianna attempting to dissuade him from being a good person. Rather, she was trying to protect him and narrow his scope of focus so his ideals didn''t outpace his capabilities. He could still do it, he could still try and free as many people as he could manage, but there had to be a process to it all. Volume wasn''t everything. And even if he couldn''t make a difference in the grand scheme of it all, that didn''t mean that those who were here, those who had been chained through no fault of their own, or that had suffered through accident or misdemeanour were beyond his help¡­


    "How many can we take¡ªnow?" He found himself asking, surprised when his wife grinned down at him, squeezing slightly tighter with her wing in clear appreciation.


    "For ourselves." The demoness mused aloud. "We could reliably take care of a dozen servants; however, what we don''t possess is the means to keep so many busy with work. For now, four will likely be the number we''re looking for until," she added somewhat slyly, "You begin clearing land around our abode for farms and housing. Then, once you see to such basic needs, Im sure we can expand towards other industries to accommodate our¡ªpotential to possess a limitlessly growing populous."


    Arthur felt love surge in his heart as his wife''s chilling demeanour softened, the much more reasonable lifeline she''d tossed his soul feeling as though it existed to do nothing more than bolster his affection. His arm tightened around the goddess he hardly believed he deserved, mind refocused and redirected in a way that actually began solving the multitude of concerns that had been dog-piling him since Dianna had first expressed interest in coming here.


    "I¡ªtruly want few things more right now than to help make your every dream come true, Dianna; I hope you realize that¡­" He whispered, not meeting the enormous beauty''s gaze. However, the way she purred with abject delight to his admission before her bladed tail began caressing his chest was telling that she was pleased¡­


    "Please don''t¡­" Tulla whined, releasing Arthur''s hand as she took a step away from her parents with an uncertain and perturbed look. ¡°Not¡ªin public¡­ not while Im here¡­¡± She pleaded, a genuine growl escaping her mother''s lips as Arthur''s entire body shivered, the sound of Dianna''s serrated maw clacking with promise at his ear before blowing gently inside, causing nearly every receptor of pleasure across his flesh to prickle with expectation¡­


    Ignoring her daughter entirely, Dianna''s voice rang cool and clear through the air as she smiled wickedly, licking the side of Arthur''s face as though claiming him for all to see. "You''re mine tonight, husband. But, do try and run from your marital duties; the chase will make it all so much more¡ªinvigorating when I capture you."


    "Mom! There are people that can hear us!"


    "And they will be fantasizing about your mother as she swoops down from the darkness to take them as her personal love thrall, just as your father currently is." She laughed, a low and sultry ring flowing through the air and causing her daughter utter mortification as Arthur himself imagined doing his near future exactly as the demon had suggested¡­


    "It doesn''t even make sense, though!" the girl complained, wings hunching in with her shoulders as she nervously peered around at the crowd with drooping ears to see who might be paying attention. "He''s been yours every single night since you got back! Saying it out loud doesn''t change anything!"


    Dianna rose to her full height, allowing the air of passion she''d shared with her cutely trembling mate to fade away as she glared at her daughter with a huff. "Truly, I do hope that one day, when you''re older and with a brat of your own at your side, you come to understand that adults like to play just as much as children do¡ªright as your own spawn becomes as frightfully adept at ruining her parent''s mood''s as you are."


    Tulla just scowled at her mother with clear disgust for what she''d been doing in front of her, yet Arthur could only plan for his evening''s escapades, just as his wife had bade him. She was so much more enthused when he played to her more¡ªpredatory nature¡­ It could be honestly quite fun to rile her up a bit, then run away and see how far he could get¡­ He might just require medical attention the next day, which¡ªwas how all men wished to reach Valhalla in the end, regardless.


    The next few hours moved as a blur to Arthur. The young man decided that, in this specific case, he probably shouldn''t involve himself more than he needed to. He still had machinations towards using his supposed vast wealth to help make the lives of some of the Lacunaes less fortunate better than they might otherwise be consigned to, but¡­ as Dianna had made him realize, Arthur, simply put, wasn''t ready. To just dump so many souls wholesale into what was practically a foreign wilderness without offering the means to sustain themselves was¡ªstupid.


    He hadn''t been thinking rationally¡­ had let his emotions take the wheel and nearly drive them all off a cliff¡­ They needed more if, indeed, they were to help anyone. More soldiers more food, more homes, clothes, education, animals, and pretty much everything else that revolved around a healthy society.


    Given that his wife wanted to be the queen of her very own kingdom, it wasn''t like Arthur wouldn''t be making inroads towards such requirements, to begin with; thus, time was ultimately what was needed, not irrational idealism. A queen needed subjects to rule just as those people required a figurehead to lead, a reality of all systems of governance employed, no matter which was observed. And, in all honestly, late-stage capitalism had so thoroughly gutted democracy that, in all actuality, he rather doubted their queendom would appear terribly different from Earth when he''d left it behind. It wasn''t as though monarchies had to be inherently terrible, to begin with; more, it was, as it always came down to, the competency of those in charge that either made for a utopia or a slum.


    Still, he didn''t trust himself not to try and push his luck... Instead, allowing his wife to, in a fashion, live out her own fantasies of being a wealthy aristocrat and abusing her money to her heart''s content. As part of her plan to one day be seen as the defacto authority within the settlement, Dianna hadn''t been above taking full advantage of her position to put together rather generous gifts for the settlement as a whole. The primary merchant she''d had wrapped around her little finger while flaunting her assets, both physical and monetary, sealed the deal with her to provide no less than two thralls for every person in the village who was of age.


    It was a wildly expensive gesture, given that she hadn''t settled for the dregs that had been offered. Demanding trades-people, skilled labourers, educated washouts from mage academies who had run afoul of loansharks and, more or less, anyone she considered of value to the community that she could reasonably get away with procuring. Dianna had combed through the living merchandise like a woman possessed, even going so far as to break a few of her own misgivings, buying more people than even she had initially wanted for no reason beyond that she considered their acquisition beneficial to her needs.


    When all was said and done, contracts were drafted and signed; cards changed hands from the long fingers of Dianna to the greasy and scented palms of their new associates. And though nothing about the process sat exactly right with him, Arthur¡ªhad to grudgingly admit just how bureaucratically refined the whole system was.


    Their new property was both documented with the city officials who would act as absent witnesses to the transaction within the bounds of their authority and with their slaver''s apparent guild, of which, Arthur learned, spanned entire worlds. The deeds of ownership were passed along to provide the local slavers association proof of ownership, the desired people were marked as sold, and they were told to return in just a few more short hours when everything would be prepared for pickup¡­ When they departed the district, Arthur felt distinctly stickier than he had when arriving¡­ as though his mere presence upon its promenade affected him in a physical manner.


    "I am proud of you, by the way." His wife commented as the trio moved towards one of the many gates that led to the vast flowing gardens of the labyrinth''s first floor.


    For his part, Arthur just shrugged, not really sure what, if anything, he could or should really say¡­ His heart wasn''t exactly in it after walking through the disturbing market and seeing just how chemically happy many of the more expensive of those on offer appeared¡­ It had been exactly as Dianna had explained it¡­ With those whose temporary masters appeared to be of his wife''s heritage, holding the lion''s share of such individuals who were, as it had been explained, magically bound to enjoy a life of servitude¡­ He didn''t like it, not in the least.


    Yet, Arthur would be rather hypocritical if he didn''t see the irony in his sense of justice. Hadn''t he killed a rather sizable quantity of people already? If not directly, then by way of supplying the overwhelming force that had done the deed. Moreover, he wasn''t exactly obtuse to the fact that most of those people, while considered¡ªlesser than his new friends and family, had merely been trying to obtain the means to feed themselves. War criminal would essentially be the title that would best fit him in the coming days if Arthur''s presumptions of the future were even remotely close to what would transpire¡­


    In truth, he was growing dull to the concept of death that saturated his new universe, which, in fact, even actively encouraged it¡­ In all honesty, he already felt the telltale signs of himself drifting away from his prior enthusiasm to be the next Spartacus. His confrontation with the sheer magnitude of those being sold in the giant city just¡ªtempered him in a way that simply couldn''t be explained through a handful of words¡­


    "It''s not my homeland." He eventually replied with a burst of air from his lungs, for the first time, really understanding what that short line of reasoning really meant to him. "I shouldn''t be so hung-up over those that are unimportant¡­ You," He whispered, squeezing Dianna''s hand as he spoke. "and our daughter. Family. It is, in the end, all that can really matter in a place so¡ªdesensitized as it is enormous."


    "There are places to still do good, my love." Dianna reiterated, though her eyes were as hard as they ever seemed when regarding the world around her. "It just¡ªcan''t be all the time, or necessarily for strangers alone. The Lacunae is not a fair place. Were it, Cassandra and my I''s parents would not have abandoned us for orphans. We would not have had to scrape by upon the ill fortunes of those we wronged in the process of doing so. There would be no war, no famines or disease. Magic would be intrinsic to all without the barrier of talent or hard work, and everyone would be akin to a god in their own right.


    Arthur took a deep breath of the city''s rather poor air, nodding to himself and Dianna''s words as he mentally made the decision to cast away the gloom that had soured their outing mood and push through his grievances with the universe until such a time that he could do something about it. Instead, he eyed his wife with a raised brow, curious now rather than upset. "Orphans?" He inquired gently, noting how his demon''s expression deepened towards a grimace. Even Tulla seemed to perk up a bit at her mother''s comment, looking for all the world as though the topic of her possible grandparents was as much a mystery to herself as they were to her new father.


    Strangely, for all it clearly bothered Dianna in her past, the way she spoke alluded to the notion that she''d long since come to terms with her childhood and, while unpleasant, it wasn''t something that any longer dogged her while nipping at her shins. "Cassandra took care of us after they disappeared from our apartment one day, no warning, no reason given, though, I suspect that my particularly¡ªunwieldy nature had something to do with it¡­


    Children like myself, as I was, aren''t so easy to take care of in cities¡­" She continued, sparing but a short glance for her daughter without revealing her thoughts towards the gesture. "Municipalities are places of society which isnt always a perfect fit for those born within it. Especially for those that more closely exemplify our people''s natural tendencies. Such things can be and are moderated and softened by the presence of civilization, law and order and all the various things that help create a true community that can exist without the savagry left behind beyond the guise of society.


    However, every so often, individuals who just¡ªdon''t belong still arise, through nature''s will, those who view such notions as ones that normal children might find enjoyable¡ªlacking. I''m not saying I was the sole cause behind what happened to us, but¡­ time and age allow one to look back on their earliest days and understand why things might have happened as they had."


    "You weren''t killing other children and taking their souls, were you?" Arthur asked, honestly¡ªwell, he didn''t even know what to really say to that besides¡­ just asking.


    For her part, Dianna offered him a grim smile that would have told him regardless of if she decided to answer. Still, her voice carried through all the same, not bothering to react to her mate''s hesitant tone as she continued with casual ease. "That did happen. However, it wasn''t quite such grisly business as you probably imagine.


    Sadly, these things in bal communities do transpire. We are combative, violent and exceedingly emotional until we discover how to regulate ourselves. Ours is not a soft species, Arthur. We''re killers, nearly feral when we''re young, and our instincts drive us towards desires that might otherwise seem¡ªneedlessly cruel to those beyond the understanding of my people''s ways. Children fight with each other. It''s a reality of life, only, due to our biology and soul cards, we can maim each other with much greater ease than others.


    Beastkin, for example, share in many of the same pitfalls of youth that we ourselves also possess. Natural weapons and ferocious minds play havoc within our empire to the point that children too young to understand reason are isolated from each other like poorly trained hounds. I won''t bore you with all the details of my childhood, love, but suffice it to say that my parents were not responsible individuals, and I managed to get a taste of what it was like to empower my soul from an early age and liked it.


    Cassandra was a little better, mind you, if not more discrete about it, and it was from her example that I learned, even if I wasn''t as smart in my actions. Don''t let my sister''s projection of serene perfection fool you; she''s as cruel as I am and frighteningly more devious."


    "So, you two¡ªmurdered other kids your age and ate their souls?"


    "Not specifically other children, but they were involved, yes. It is something of an epidemic, really, as I''ve said, bal children can be rather¡ªproblematic for civilized society. And, those that have them but fail to control such run-away problems are often severely fined if it is discovered their spawn have been up to no good¡­ I was caught, my parents lost most of everything they had, and they blamed us, though me specifically, I suppose. Either way, they pissed off to wherever they did, and my sister took it upon herself to care for her little sibling the best way she knew how."


    Dianna turned, staring pointedly at Arthur, who was coming to terms with what Dianna was opening up about, even if it did sort of paint her in an even deeper shade of slightly psychotic than she already was. Still, she wasn''t quite done yet as they continued their walk towards the city''s perimeter, her words flowing with a distinct lack of self-conscious shame like everything she''d thus far said was¡ªnormal. "Quite honestly, Arthur, you''ve no idea how surprised we all were once you brought Tulla home to us. You''re very lucky, you know." She added, Arthur feeling the small child at his side stiffen as her mother spoke.


    "In her state, confused and likely scared, injured and confronted with a stranger, within a strange place. Many children her age would not be blamed for having attacked the individual who threatened them, regardless if it was your intent to do so. Even then, instincts are difficult things for us, and simply carrying her back with you might have, at any moment, ended with you watching as Tulla devoured your innards while still alive; it''s a defence mechanism from our more savage days that''s largely still with us. And it''s not entirely uncommon to hear the odd story of a child eating their own mother or father who was too weak to resist them in a moment of extreme distress."


    Arthur thought back to that moment not so long ago when Tulla had commented upon his¡ªscent¡­ her eyes watching him with fixated intensity as they''d waited for Dianna to return from her search. He¡ªobserved the girl sidelong, who quickly looked away with marked humiliation written all across her face, the young man, at that moment, realized something equally concerning. "So, if we managed a baby, then¡­"


    "Potentially, yes." Dianna drawled, seemingly unconcerned. "But before that would even be a threatening concern, I''d intend for you to be strong enough not to be in such a physical state as to risk your getting devoured in such a fashion."


    Sensing the girl at his side, slowly melting away, Arthur sighed and corralled her back in, putting his arm around the mortified Tulla while leaving their potentially fatal time together in the past¡­ She fought him for the briefest of moments before, invariably tucking herself in, not saying a word and not needing to. Honestly, Arthur was just more surprised that he, much as he had when Dianna and Tavir had left his camper, had not been very far off the mark¡­


    "So, what if we open and fund an orphanage when we are ready? Offer to take some of the children I''ve no doubt exist on these streets¡ªaway to better prospects? Since money isn''t an issue, it shouldn''t be hard to make sure kids don''t go through that sort of desperation and hopelessness, no?"


    "I think I''d enjoy that." Dianna nodded, a slight smile forming on her lips. As she kept her gaze forwards, though, the nuzzle of her tail against his side spoke volumes more than her words.

 A visit to the Labyrinth. (part 2)

    Chapter 22


    When speaking in regards to the somewhat built-up, mystical and horribly dangerous realm that, to this point, had been referred to in a somewhat universal manner. Arthur had anticipated a world filled with adventure and peril. One that he''d be submerged in right when he initially stepped into the labyrinth''s first floor, not just the city that had built itself there but the real first floor that had been promised to him.


    Imagineing it, as he had, to be an environment that would challenge him at every turn, like the dungeons from his favourite RPGs of the past. A place that would inspire him to finally find a reason to put some effort into making himself strong! Not just well-defended and gimmicky but, powerful in a way that might see him fundamentally changed within his human skin.


    Powers of invincibility! Mass destruction at the accidental loss of control during a sneeze! Command over elements and nature itself to bewilder and crush all those who might oppose him and his wife in their future reign as monarchs over an entire world! A place, if you will, that would reignite that long-dormant desire in his heart that all those old games had helped his imagination build up so tall in his childhood mind as to stand higher than anything else!


    H-however, what unfolded before him was a far cry from his¡ªexpectations. Instead of daunting caves or treacherous trap-laden passages, he encountered an expanse that seemed cut and pasted from a fantastical yet aggressively pleasant make-belief realm of kittens and rainbows¡­ A landscape comprised almost entirely of vibrant meadows interspersed with clusters of fruit trees, glimmering lakes of crystal waterfalls and generally benign wildlife¡­


    The creatures inhabiting this realm were equally unimpressive as they were bizarre. Appearing, by in large, to be designed with a layer of fearsome accoutrements, yet somehow managing to paradoxically exude an overwhelming aura of detestable cuteness. Bubble-like, translucent critters bobbed gently in the wind like oversized slimes masquerading as balloons¡­ while whimsically frolicsome and multicoloured turkey-like birds flapped ineffectively in the air, relying on luck and an overabundance of unyielding effort rather than any noteworthy aerodynamics to stay aloft. Smaller, bunny-like animals meandered lazily, nibbling on the abundant greenery and scarcely deigning to move from the path of any who approached with all the urgency of sloths¡­ Seeming to be perfectly okay with the notion they might be stepped on or punted to move them from the many winding flagstone pathways.


    In many ways, the entire ecosystem seemed more like a flighty, fucked up, child-friendly simulation. A place where the horrifying had been implemented but strangely softened by an all-encompassing veneer of forced innocence. Arthur found it unsettling; hell, he found it outright vile on some¡ªinstinctually forbearing level...


    Some creatures were even downright ridiculous! The rubberized and ball-like squirrels that defied all practical notions of survival proving the pointlessness of it all as he watched one roll haphazardly into the water and get stuck, drowning of its own accord and making him question how or why they even existed! The bugs-bunny bullshit creature flailing like a kickball, face down and absent the aid from its pointlessly stubby limbs¡­


    And worse were the winged snakes! The unnerving candy-inspired and gummy-worm-looking monstrosities just flew around him with their silent gliding, not doing anything but listlessly floating through the air, occasionally bumping into things with all the spacial awareness of falling leaves... It was a land devoid of the natural predatory hierarchy, creatures acting out roles as though they''d been assigned them rather than existing within a genuine and balanced circle of life.


    However, for all of it, the landscape, though suspiciously cheerful, was utterly teeming with people. And yet, rather than wide-eyed adventurers seeking glory upon the initial step on a path of daring and bold action. The majority of the softly rolling hills were populated by groups of children wielding various tiny weapons designed for combat of an individual more their size, overseen of course, by bored adults. Parents taught their young ones the art of battle, coaching them with spears and bows, each seeking to put an end to the lives of any nearby¡ªmonsters¡­ All the while what few older individuals absent supervisory roles that there were, roamed the grasslands, dispatching the creatures in lazy teenage posies with indifferent ease.


    This was not the romanticized hero''s journey Arthur had envisioned, far from it. He had expected a place brimming with potential and discovery, where each step was fraught with tension and the promise of personal growth achieved at the end of strife and sacrifice! Sadly, Instead, he was confronted with a grotesque parody of that ideal. It was as if the essence of adventure itself had been co-opted and commercialized, turning what should have been a grand quest into little else but a dreary and nightmarish routine...


    The labyrinth''s first floor was not the magical crucible for forging heroes he''d assumed, but rather, a sterile training ground. Filled with disenchanted people treating the priorly fantastical act of¡ªgods, he didn''t even know what to call it! Monster slaying? Adventuring? Either way, it was decidedly more a mundane task rather than some¡ªepic endeavour. The spark of adventure was all but extinguished under the weight of what could only be presumed to be economic reality: monster carcasses, once valuable, becoming nearly worthless commodities due to ever-increasing market saturation.


    In all honesty, Arthur felt profoundly cheated, insulted even! The irony of such a fate befalling himself at the seeming behest of this new universe was, of course, not lost upon him¡­ This¡ªrealm that he had, for the first time, stepped into whilst it promised magic and transformation by equal measure was instead delivering only a lacklustre grind, one devoid of any kind of wonder or excitement, which he had so eagerly anticipated.


    Instead of a land brimming with potential and passion, it was a seeming place where dreams went to die. A land where the extraordinary was rendered utterly unsatisfactory in a way that earnestly rankled him! And, from what he saw, the labyrinth''s first floor wasn''t some mystical gateway to adventure¡ªbut was merely just another disillusioning convention, not indifferent from heading to work, mug of coffee in hand, traffic as far as ones eye could see¡­ soul-crushing as it was blatant treachery to everything he''d built it up to be!


    While the black quarter had done its best to grind his morals beneath its polished authoritarian boot, this place simply sucked all the joy from his childish expectation as though it were some engorged leach that fed upon hopes and dreams¡­


    "You look disappointed, my heart." Dianna intoned, a somewhat amused quirk to her lips as she regarded him with a sidelong glance.


    "It¡ªis a deal less¡ªshall I say¡­ exiting?" Arthur offered offhandedly by way of reply, still looking at that drowning balloon of a squirrel before turning to gaze in his wife''s direction with a thousand-yard stare¡­ "It honestly seems as though danger might not actually be a phrase that can exist here beyond what people themselves bring to the table¡­" His words were muttered as though he couldn''t even bring himself to speak them, a lazy hand poking at a nearby floating bubble monster which actually giggled at him while its entire body distorted and wobbled away¡­


    "And so, the true threat posed by the floor has already won." The demoness smiled, stepping into the meadows without further elaboration.


    Tulla followed close behind, slightly less awestruck by their latest destination than any of the prior they''d visited thus far, her own eyes slowly roving over what was on offer before looking to her mother with slight accusation. She, too, had been promised, in no few words, to be taken to a place that might serve as a trial of her skills that were, perhaps, more intimidating than rabbits.


    "The first floor isn''t much so far as its¡ªobvious monsters are concerned," Dianna admitted, taking in a deep breath through her teeth before continuing right along. "But don''t let this place fool you, complacancie on lower floors can and will prove fatal. Yet, this¡ªplace¡­" She ground out, clear disdain for the world around her dripping from her lips, "Does serve a purpose for us." She turned to her daughter, levelling the girl with a long look. "You''ve been good¡­" Dianna allowed, nearly appearing as though she wanted to sigh with exasperation. "You listen, you don''t run off nearly as much as you used to, you''re always steadfast and punctual for your training, and you have been helping your father with his strange workings¡­


    Thus, a reward is rather long overdue for you, girl. Hm¡­ as your father likes to explain it, it''s high time I present you the carrot rather than the stick." She chuckled, looking at her mate, who had a somewhat sheepish expression. And though Dianna rather liked the phrase for what it was, the reality of it all was that Tulla had been working hard. However, whether that had been born of a fear of losing what privileges she already had, in the end, didn''t matter. After all, she was not about the business of trying to ruin her child''s life, simply moulding it.


    So, kneeling down to the wide-eyed and clearly excited girl''s eye, she reached out to cup her child''s cheek and rubbed affectionately with a widening smile. "You''re going to get your own special set of cards dear." She revealed, watching as the spark of excitement exploded within her spawns''s eye, the wonder and disbelief hiding just below the surface of forced calm appearing practically ready to burst! "It''s going to make three of us in the family to possess¡ªsignificant power, but I need to know you''re ready."


    Dianna waited, eyes boring into her daughter''s own, gaze seeking any indication the girl might try something foolish. It was a big step for her towards the direction Dianna had been pushing her that, rather than saying a thing, her little girl merely straitened. Fixing her posture and expression to one of cold and militant indifference, eyes even going so far as to drift over her mother''s shoulder, the practical picture of a young soldier standing at parade. Dianna''s smile only grew wider with satisfaction. "You know¡­ I think she''s actually ready."


    "For all of it?"


    "Ah¡­" Dianna sighed, rising back to her full height as she did so. "Why not? Honestly, I find myself caring what others might think, less and less with each passing day. Why bother hiding the power she''ll receive regardless?"


    Arthur considered that for a small span, clicking his tongue as he, too, tried to puzzle out, much as Tulla was while sneaking expectant glances at them If he could get away with that very same line of logic in his own way. It only took a moment before Dinna''s eyes narrowed at him a fraction, already suspicious that trickery was afoot, even as Arthur reached into his storage space and retrieved the specialized deck he''d prepared for his daughter, tweaked and edited as they''d grown to share a bond. Without missing a beat, his wife''s hand was already extended and waiting; Arthur, had he the ears and tail of a beastkin, likely would have had both simultaneously flattened in repentance.


    Still, he didn''t argue¡­ It was, after all, Dianna''s right to see what was in there. Thus, as she took the large tarots and began lazily looking through them, her eyebrows twitched, not just once but several times through the process. Then, she simply tucked the pile back into a neat and orderly stack and peered sidelong at him with contemplation.


    "You''ve been¡ªholding out¡­" She murmered her words more a statement of fact than anything else.


    "Ugh, it would be somewhat more accurate to say I held out," Arthur commented with a weak smile. "Honestly, I sort of forgot I''d worked on some of those, mostly because I really just don''t use them! I have extra copies for you, Dianna; they just, well¡ªobviously, are going to need time to be useful¡­"


    "Hmph¡­ you do so like to tease me¡­" The demon growled, the sound more sultry than sinister. Though she did turn and hand their child all the cards that Arthur had provided, a small part of him wanted to leap in the air and fist-pump! Meacha-Tulla had gotten the green light!


    Much like her mother, the girl in question did spend a few moments pursuing her new¡ªtoys, bright eyes all but gleaming as she quickly began discarding the pre-existing tarots she''d possessed to make room for what was to come. Arthur, grinning from ear to ear and openly enjoying his adopted daughter''s excitement, wandered closer to Dianna''s side and wrapped an arm around her. Both watching their little girl absorb the near-sum totality of her old deck to empower the new.


    There wasn''t even any hesitation in the act¡­ Tulla seemed to care little for the once precious souls she''d held dear and pieced together all her years in lieu of the new power on offer. He wasn''t sure which among her new, rather absurd abilities she''d employ first, yet after a mere handful of seconds, he wasn''t left wanting.


    Tulla, with a near immediacy towards delving right in, extended her palm as a flash of light suddenly winked a second Tulla into existence. Her doppelganger wasn''t exactly a perfect clone; her colours were washed out, and her expression was neutral, with details not entirely right. One arm was too long, the tail too short, and her hair was clipped and messy like some low-budget game character. Yet, without either saying a single word, the copy suddenly erupted into the mechano-arcane equivalent of a Tulla-sized gundam!


    Bulky metal armour popped into reality across the doppelganger''s form. Segment by segment, intricate pieces of protection cascaded down her body. The transformation process was, quite frankly, mesmerizing; gears whirled, pistons fired, and steam hissed as the figure was changed before their eyes. The wings, initially ethereal and skeletal, rapidly coated with countless tiny cube-like objects that rolled over each other in perfect synchronicity, enveloping her from head to hooves in an impenetrable shell of high-tech glory.


    The individual cubes sparked briefly as they locked into place, forming a seamless, shimmering skin of metal and light. As the adaptation concluded, Tulla''s bizarre double stood fully armed and operational, like an archangel of technology and looming extinction. Gleaming silver and gold intertwined with pulsating blue lines of energy, highlighting the power coursing through the mechanical construct. Cybernetic eyes glowed an intense, alert crimson, surveying the surroundings with a steely robotic precision reminiscent of a sentry turret seeking prey.


    Then, the android rose from the grass, its flaring boosters emitting a low, powerful hum that vibrated in his bones. The wings, now ridged and formidable, spread wide to lift the strange entity effortlessly so it might lazily hover just a few feet off the ground. Micro-thrusters belched pulses of flashing energy at regular intervals, keeping it stabilized in mid-air. On the ground, Tulla could not contain her abject joy. She cackled with maddened delight at the scene before her, the entire metamorphosis being like something out of her wildest dreams. She flitted around the hovering doppelganger, admiring every nook and cranny, her excitement almost palpable in the air as she shook with enthusiastic anticipation!


    This was a manifestation of Arthur''s painstaking efforts to share some of his own fonder cult favourites from his childhood, sci-fi sagas filled with towering robots and advanced technologies that battled amidst the stars! He watched from a short distance away, basking in his daughter''s infectious enthusiasm. Smiling ruefully, proud yet slightly nervous about what he''d helped create.


    Seeing Tulla go full-fangirl was both rewarding and somewhat unnerving, like seeing a child wield a double-edged sword made of the purest excitement and uncalculated risk. His idea to create such an abomination of flesh and steel, okay, maybe he was being a little dramatic as it was much more like an iron-man suit, but, nevertheless, it had arrived while drunk. Arthur, having thought the girl would get a massive kick out of cosplaying one of the mecha''s, so he''d attempted what probably should have been left alone. Creating a card that fed off her own species'' evolution, twisting it at the very foundations!


    Suddenly, the doppelganger, with mechanical efficiency, activated its mounted cannons, targeting some smaller, harmless monsters scattered around the clearing. Streams of plasma erupted from its arm-mounted blasters, painting the scene in sporadic flashes of intense light that spelled doom for whatever lifeform failed to evade its onslaught! The creatures, clearly no match for the advanced weaponry which even his own people hadn''t yet possessed, vaporized on impact, leaving only tiny wisps of smoke and scorch marks on the grass.


    Then, perhaps naturally, given the circumstances, things took upon themselves a darker tone, the armoured doppelganger turning with casual ease, body drifting upon the air while a massive over-the-shoulder rocket launcher built itself from those same strange cubes at a rapid pace that Arthur could scarcely react to. His mouth opened the moment he realized what was about to happen, only for a shockwave of truly concerning proportions to manifest a heartbeat later!


    In the near distance, a merrily squawking gaggle of fat multicoloured birds suddenly detonated in a geyser of flame and destruction that boomed with a deafening roar, which had Arthur¡ªindecisive about what he''d just done¡­ Even if both the doppelganger and its suit vanished the moment after¡­ Which naturally led to Tulla just standing there, her own suit already beginning to encase her¡­


    "Is there going to be a¡ªproblem with that?" Arthur whispered, slightly shellshocked and presented something of a glaring reminder that he hadn''t actually tested the girl''s cards and, though he''d never admit to it, was earnestly more than surprised by their capacity for violence right from the get-go¡­ They were only of the first tier and rank! Yet already the magical armaments that he''d cobbled together based on science and magic were proving¡ªunusually potent¡­ The result nearly seemed as though whatever power had agreed to their inception hadn''t itself understood the scope of potential destruction involved by science fiction¡­ A mistake that was doubtless not to be made a second time¡­


    Beside him, Dianna regarded the rather modest crater that was still smoking and burning in the near distance, the utterly unidentifiable charred remains of their daughter''s targets causing the tall demoness to actually click her tongue with uncertainty¡­ "I know we like to have a lot of fun together while talking about this sort of thing, dear, but¡­ what exactly is it you''ve given our daughter?"


    "Something I thought she''d have¡ªfun with?" He offered, though his wife merely gave him a somewhat flat look¡­ "I mean¡­ she looks like she''s having fun¡­"


    "And that thing was still at its initial rank? or whatever it was after she absorbed the other cards?" She asked again, rightly confused by what exactly was happening¡­ Mind not seeming to have much of a comparable example to hold it against save for the automatons of her husband''s own creation. Obviously, for all involved, this latest addition to his repertoire of dangerous tarots was skewed to the highly dangerous end of it all¡­


    "Yeah, I think it might very well have been an oversight on someone''s end of things¡­" He mused aloud, staring in wonder as Tulla soared through the air on wings of glittering stardust, "I doubt I''ll be getting away with making an¡ªexact copy of that one going forwards¡­"


    Another explosion slammed into them, and the multitudes of people amidst the floor began to panic and start retreating to the city or nearer the epicentre of what was going on with all with the caution provided by insatiable curiosity¡­ Arthur''s pulse quickened, matching the rhythm of the chaos unfolding around him. His breath arrived with a degree of shallowness while he scanned the pandemonium and assessed the rapidly shifting situation. Tulla, now completely encased in her own mechanized armour, hooted with enthusiasm, the servos in her armour whining with strain as she flitted about the sky, blasting the multitude of smaller monsters with arm-mounted cannons that pounded the ground below her without remorse¡­


    Arthur already sensed the looming headache of impending consequences rearing its ugly head on the horizon... Not wishing he hadn''t made the card but, what was done was done. It wasn''t as though he could likely take the damned thing from her at this point...


    "Alright, Tulla! That''s enough for now!" He called out, his voice strained as he tried to mitigate the situation. "We need to talk about control¡ª"


    Another explosion, smaller this time, reverberated through the clearing, snapping Arthur''s attention away from Tulla and towards a span where it wandered about, peering at the multitude of spectators that all seemed to be gawking. The girl did turn around, however, conscious thought not yet lost within her private realm of triumph.


    Then, as quickly as it had all begun, her armour whirred and clicked as it retracted, the once fearsome suit, all gleaming composite plates, pseudo-feathered wings of angelic death made manifest¡ªnow merely a child with a gleeful glint in her eyes that quickly dropped right out from under her! Mid-flight as she was, the girl all but panicked for the first few moments of freefall before natural instincts took hold, and she was able to steady herself in the air¡­ The transformation reversed even more quickly than it had begun, leaving Tulla fluttering above the grass with only a faint shimmer about her flesh in odd pseudo-cybernetic veins that hinted at the tech now apparently sleeping beneath her skin¡­


    "Fun doesn''t have to be this destructive, sweetie," Arthur continued, voice somewhat exasperated and anxious as a hand reached to scratch at the back of his head while he called to her. "There''s more than just rockets in there¡ªI''m sure..."


    Landing with a skittering series of hops and skips as she bled off her excess momentum, Tulla let out a boisterous breath as she nodded her head, yet still caught in the afterglow of excitement as she was, her words all but burst through her lips! "But Dad, it was awesome! Can''t I just¡ª"


    "No buts, Tulla," Dianna interjected, her voice firm. "There are people around. And, if nothing else, we do have to think about their safety while so close to the city. Or would you rather us be barred and labelled as criminals?"


    Tulla pouted but nodded reluctantly, turning away with but the faintest spark of rebellion still glinting in her gaze¡­ Yet, that faded as, In the distance, the city''s emergency response units began to mobilize, their sirens, or, in this case, booming drumming, crying out in response to the explosions. A kind of wailing tremor, not indifferent from a blaring klaxon, joined it soon after, filling the air as the large and walled metropolis readied itself for potential danger¡­ Arthur recognized the sound as trouble and the potential for a kind of likely deserved reckoning¡­ He straightened up and faced Dianna, slight worry lines etched on his face, adding to the grim smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes. "Not to end our trip sooner than desired, but we should¡ªleave¡­"


    For her part, Dianna nodded, though her expression was far less concerned than his own, her gaze flicking to the horizon where silhouettes of flying figures took to the skies with the intention of scouting out exactly what was happening outside their walls. "Agreed. We can chat with Tulla about the ramifications of her thoughtless actions later. And of course, speak at length regarding the very same issues pertaining to your tendencies¡­" Arthur¡ªcringed at that, slowly nodding his head as his wife glared at him and, rightly so¡­ "Right now, our priority should be avoiding any and all contact with Kaitrician authorities. The labyrinth isn''t theirs by any noteworthy offering of evidence; however, they are the predominant force upon this floor, and with that, they do tend to police it. We can take the portal cards after I stir up a little mayhem to distract prying eyes¡­"


    Arthur gave his wife an incredulous look, unsure if more was exactly the answer here¡­ Nevertheless, he gently took Tulla''s hand, guiding her in and urging her closer while the girl''s mother encased herself in her dark armour, a stark contrast in its gothic and fantastical savagery when compared to her daughter''s¡ªalternate and hyper-futuristic new design. Still, she proved that looks didn''t always forewarn power, as with the extension of a long graceful arm, Dianna revealed her magic blade with a lazy flourish that bordered the theatrical¡­


    Perhaps it was, in the end, all a show that the woman desired to put on¡­ A taste, an example, something to remember them by, even if their identities weren''t wholly affirmed. Arthur glanced back one last time, a protective hand on Tulla''s shoulder. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on his mind as Dianna struck the earth, the blow causing a tangible tremor to arise, even as sickly flames flashed into a vortex of heat and fire, a flaring storm of terrible flames bursting all around them! This was no longer just about a child''s and, to an extent, her father''s game gone awry¡ªit, as it was turning out, was about sharing the understanding and respect due to the future sovereignty of his wife''s magical might.


    As they disappeared within an inferno of hellfire that could have blotted out the sun itself, portal cards already raring to go¡­ Arthur felt the familiar vertigo of dimensional travel grip him as the tarot activated, and both he and Tulla were sent hurtling through the nauseating expanse of slipped space. In an instant, the burning tornado, the screams, the alarms and the chaotic surroundings all vanished, replaced, within a seeming instant, by the tranquil setting of their hidden refuge, Arthur''s camp¡ªno, their home appearing to them in a snap of surging reality¡­ Deposited by existence itself, far¡ªfar away from nosy neighbours and pesky city authorities.


    The sudden peace was as much a relief as it was a jarring change when compared to the shambled disorder they''d left behind. Tulla''s breath was still heavy, eyes wide with lingering adrenaline, Arthur''s own following in much the same suit. She gripped his hand tightly, her excitement tempering moment by moment as the somewhat serene peace that had become her comfort space battled and warred with the fresh excitement they''d all been privy to. Honestly, she looked much more interested in going right back, putting on her armour again and challenging whoever might come near! But Arthur knew that was a terrible idea for any number of reasons, especially since her chosen weapon wasn''t¡ªwell, maybe strong wasn''t the right word, but¡­ economical?


    Dianna emerged from her own portal not long after, the swirling colours of vibrant pastels depositing her in a maelstrom of flashing lights and vivid eldrich confusion. Her dark armour was already steaming with wispy trails of ominous vapour, the individual parts of her formfitting suit, fading away as they fell or simply dissipated on the breeze. She took a deep breath, shaking off the remnants of their recent escapade with a soft and satisfied smirk. "Well, that was quite the show," she purred with a hint of sarcasm. "I''ve no doubt they''ll be smashing their heads against the walls trying to figure out exactly what happened¡­"


    "Chances that they got a good look at any of us?" Arthur couldn''t help but ask, mind whirring with all the modern issues that surrounded criminals within his own but, long distant society¡­ In all actuality, given advances in surveillance and the like, pulling something that showy off near a major city would have their faces in every law-enforcement database the world over!


    Still unphased, Dianna merely cocked her head at the thought, clearly weighing things from her own perspective. "Not terribly high¡­" She admitted, sounding less like she wasn''t confident about the answer and more as though it wasn''t a big deal regardless. "I mean, one never truly knows what cards another might possess, but if you''re asking after the possibility that our faces and descriptions will be added to some absurd collection of instantaneous information as your constructs so emulate, then the answer is no.Stolen novel; please report.


    Though, that isn''t to say nothing will be done after our¡ªfun¡­ But, so long as Tulla or myself, for that matter, don''t expose ourselves so close to the city as we just did while flaunting our power, I doubt anything will come of this." So saying, the demoness stretched her lithe and taught muscles, looking for all the world like she''d found delight in the entire boondoggle rather than maintaining any semblance of worry or concern. "Honestly, I can''t even be upset with how things ended. Even if we didn''t get to explore how the powers you have afforded yourself might handle during a trial run, I find myself modified regardless, after, of course, seeing what you decided to give our daughter."


    Arthur felt the blow of his wife''s words with that one, even as he was guiding Tulla to sit on a large, mossy rock. He crouched down, trying to keep his tone light despite the notable gravity of the situation. Yes, he was partially to blame, okay, maybe more than partially, but that didn''t mean Tulla was wholly absolved. "You¡ªlet the power go to your head." He intoned, watching the girl as she seemed to deflate nearly immediately. It hadn''t been a question, nor had his tone indicated he was upset with her, Arthur merely leaving the floor open for the girl to speak her own mind and work things through to discover her own conclusions.


    Tulla''s face scrunched up, still buzzing from the thrill, but¡ªhesitated for several long moments before taking in a deep breath and just being out with it! "But Dad... I didn''t hurt anyone! And it was just so cool!"


    Arthur nodded, offering a rueful smile, knowing how badass it had been with first-hand experience. He had gotten a front-row seat to it all and also had been the one who''d created the card. All the same, he needed the girl to understand certain realities surrounding its rather unexpected power¡­ Honestly, he hadn''t known it was going to be as effective as it was¡­


    Hell! Arthur had sort of thought it would all start off as some partial transformation that would get more complete as she levelled her new card. Instead, all the power looked to be there right from the get-go, much like his time tarot, and instead, higher ranks would presumably result in efficiency rather than raw strength¡­ "I get it. I really do, trust me¡­ But, even when you''re having a blast, you gotta think before you act sometimes. Take our home, for example," He supplied, smiling as he rose and gestured to the very flammable grasslands all around them. "Can you imagine what might happen if you just start firing missiles willy-nilly out here? Imagine the destruction it would cause?"


    "Wait... so your issue isn''t that I don''t use them, but where I use them?"


    The young man thought on that little line of reasoning for a second, earnestly wondering if she''d managed to hit the crux of his concerns better than what he was going for. Following a short glance in Dinna''s direction, who seemed perfectly willing to let him be bad cop for once, Arthur¡ªinevitably, nodded his head¡­ After all, what in the hell would have been the point of giving the kid the card in the first place if he just intended to toss endless restrictions on it?


    The truth was, he was as much to blame here as she was¡­ So caught up in his dreams of sci-fi supremacy as he''d been, Arthur had utterly failed to foresee the now somewhat obvious issues surrounding his offering a child the military equivalent of state-of-the-art combat weaponry¡­ Fucks sake, he''d given Dianna and Bianca bronze-age weaponry! Maybe he was going a little insane out here¡­ Or, maybe he wasn''t quite insane enough! Dianna certainly didn''t appear as though she thought anything was terribly wrong¡­ And though using the murder succubus as his bar for sanity perhaps wasn''t the best way to go about gauging his mental health¡ªwell, as the saying went, when in Rome¡­


    Arthur shook off the thought and took a deep breath, turning back to Tulla, who was watching him with wide, expectant eyes. "Alright, so here''s the deal," he breathed, trying to inject a bit of levity back into his tone. "Yes, you can use all the cool gadgets and gizmos, but you need to pick the right time and place. We don''t want to start a war with whatever city is nearest to you just because we''re having a bit of fun, right?"


    Tulla''s face lit up with a tentative smile, sensing the free pass for what it was and not at all unwilling to strike while the iron was hot. "Right, she drawled, almost conspiratorially, "I''ll be more careful next time."


    Arthur ruffled her hair, feeling some of the tension ease out of his shoulders as he did so. "Good girl. Now, why don''t we take a break, and maybe I''ll see about putting together a snack¡­ I''m not hungry exactly; it honestly feels like we''ve been eating all day, but¡­" He paused, glancing at the two women in his life that appeared utterly askance at his presumption that food wouldn''t be welcome. He paused, blinking between the pair that almost seemed like they were pouting, a bizarre sort of mother-daughter voodoo going on with how similar their expressions mirrored each other. And, his girls did eat a metric fuck ton of food compared to normal ladies¡­ or¡ªhuman ladies¡­ ¡°Ahem¡­ or¡­¡± He coughed, switching directions as might the wind, "I could¡ªmake dinner¡­"


    Dianna stepped closer, her dark armour now completely gone, replaced by her more casual and somewhat ruined attire. The sight of which was both unhelpfully sexy and, well, upsetting in a small way, given they''d just bought the damned dress she''d changed into¡­ "I will need to return to Kaitrice in an hour or so¡­ I won''t be long, but we do have property waiting in the city that will require pickup."


    "Annnd, here I was, almost forgetting about all that¡­"


    "I only mention it so you don''t forget about the extra mouths to feed; they will be our responsibility as much as our servants¡­ And, in the empire, there are strict rules about how well we treat those who wait upon our whim. They are not muts to be tossed scraps and told to sleep in dirt, my heart."


    "Right¡ªright¡­" Arthur loudly whispered, placing his hands on his hips with nervous energy as he did so. "Guess I''ll need to give the apartments a once-over as well, stock all the groceries we picked up for their first few days as they get into the swing of things and¡ªjust make sure¡­"


    "Darling, please, their new accommodations will be night and day from anything they''ve likely experienced in the past; stop worrying over it all and allow their happiness and satisfaction with their new lives to speak for itself. Trust me! They will adore how far you''ve gone for them, even if they are to serve you."


    Arthur chuckled, not feeling at all eased by Dianna''s words but trying to at least act the part. "Fair enough, honey. Fair enough. But I suppose I''m putting together a welcome feast rather than a cheese platter¡­"


    "If that''s what you really want to do. Then do it." The demoness replied, looking done with the conversation a moment later. Instead, Dianna began picking off the bits and pieces of her tattered wardrobe, frowning at the loss of finery in a way that spoke volumes to the manner in which she''d clearly grown accustomed over the years to her metamorphosis destroying her clothes.


    Arthur made a note to solve that little issue by way of magic or souls in the near future; wealthy as she might now be, shredding your outfit every time you readied yourself for a scrap was¡ªinconvenient¡­ He still enjoyed the show for what it was, earning himself a snort of derision from his wife while Arthur shamelessly admired what was on display. It was, after all, one of the best perks of his new life¡­


    Still, despite her wordless comment towards his lechery, Dianna''s movements took on a decidedly¡ªexaggerated poise, her amethyst eyes always seeming to watch him from the corners as she dipped herself lower than needed to change her undergarments, her new dress sliding with slow and sensuous ease, draping over her lascivious form in all the ways that utterly captured her mate''s full attention. Tulla scowled and grumbled something about their relationship being weird while flying away, and Dianna eventually allowed the show to end as she made to prepare for her return to Kaitrice.


    Arthur himself moved to settle in for what would likely become something of a routine inspection. One in which he was, by in large, paying more attention to what his machines were doing than the product of their work itself. Benny, at this point, was mostly running the show to a hyperactively obsessive degree of care and attention, one in which Arthur couldn''t so much as find a stray hair out of place. Not that anyone was actually living within the huge servant''s wing attached to their rapidly growing home, which he''d asked the AI to build over the past week, but¡­ mostly, he felt the euphemism could stand well enough on its own.


    "Benny!" He called, standing in the midst of the help-wings primary chamber, a large and somewhat tastefully decorated two-story and vaulted room that existed as a queer combination of early Victorian decor and spacer-age nonsense¡­ The tables held no observable legs, instead, functioning off of gravity-emitting rune networks and artificial dummy lights that made the whole thing look a lot more futuristic and technological than it really was¡­ Large screens that would allow the help to direct themselves through a burgeoning closed network of interactive holo displays not that indifferent from his RV''s, so long as nobody tried to compare what was inside of each¡­ And it was all made entirely through the use of clever illusion magics and arcane programming.


    When combined, it all aided in taking the blatant strange that existed all around him to a whole new level, but that also sort of just¡ªworked. In fact, it did exactly that so impossibly well that he would be giving certain grim-dark fanboys an apology for bashing on their favoured empire so fervently in his past. Arthur got now¡­


    He never thought he would, but using technology to give things a little historic and gentlemanly flare, even at the cost of complexity, was actually kind of neat¡­ All the same, he''d already been getting sick of all the clinical utilitarianism that he himself had been building with before handing things off to Benny. Quite honestly, while spacer age white and blocky was efficient and rather easy to pull off, he was already liking the direction things were heading under the AI''s direction more than his own. The fact that the AI had gotten so much done in a comparatively short handful of hours was honestly astounding!


    Thank god he had so many damned movies and shows on his phone that had allowed the construct to practically seep himself in human culture, basically overnight! The area¡ªwas a deal more furnished than he recalled it looking earlier that morning¡ªbut, then again, machines did move rather quickly once set to task¡­


    As before, concerns over giving artificial intelligence not just a technology base to work with and reproduce more automatons but also teaching them magic were, of course, in the back of his mind. Yet, Arthur wasn''t terribly worried¡­ His was just a small drop in the comparatively large bucket that was his new universe. If an AI suddenly felt itself go full sentient with the wish to trundle off to create its own paradise, there were hundreds of habitable worlds it could choose from!


    It didn''t take long for the dapper and older image of his digital manservant to manifest nearby. The tall, elegant, refined and impeccably groomed hologram of his butler appeared in a slow mist of glimmering pixels that had become the man''s go-to entrance when he found himself called upon.


    There had been problems when, at first, Benny had taken it upon himself to manifest in as quick and timely a manner as possible. And it had only taken one or two times of Arthur nearly having the excrement scared from his puckered star for the man to demand his AI appear in a less horrifyingly abrupt way than suddenly popping up behind the person who had called him. The whole process really only took a few seconds, and Arthur suspected that if he were to press the issue, the AI would do away with the showy display of theatrics, but, at the moment, time wasn''t exactly of the essence¡­


    "My lord? I did not expect your return at this hour¡­ Was your trip to this realm''s dimensional pocket not as was expected?"


    Arthur glanced at the neatly bearded man, for the moment, trying to discern if there was a hint of sarcasm layered somewhere in his greeting¡­ Benny, after all, was privy to most, if not all, of Arthur''s machinations as of late, largely because he alone was often the greatest confidant Arthur could ask for when dealing with aspects of his workings that he deemed held a certain¡ªnecessity regarding confidentiality. Take Tulla''s special cards, for example. Who else in the entire cosmos would even understand what he was trying to accomplish with them but the girl herself or the magic artificial butler who had more or less pieced enough of his culture together to follow it along? Quite frankly, the tone the plucky machine had used with him had immediately set off Arthur''s bullshit detector, his eyes narrowing upon his manservant with equal parts suspicion and uncertainty.


    "You almost sound as if you already know what happened¡­" He accused, folding his arms across his chest and staring at the gently smiling man across from him.


    "I live to serve my lord." Benny began, bowing deeply at the waist as his petticoat jacket spread to reveal a tasteful bowtie, "And if that means running simulations to better understand your emotions, as well as towards the odds of any given situation you endeavour to share with me, I shall continue to make use of any and all aspects of my capabilities to better perform my various functions!"


    "Tulla told you, didn''t she?"


    For the first time since he''d met the man, Benny wavered as though caught off-guard, his face twitching with digital distortion for but a moments junction before his trademark neutral smile returned in its place. "I have not yet broken my vow of silence with the family lord."


    "But that''s not what I asked, now was it?" Arthur pushed, wanting to sigh but earnestly not entirely surprised his hunch on the matter had been correct¡­


    "It''s¡ªless what you think it is, lord, and more that the young mistress is actually sharing her opinions and stories with Chuck. Naturally, both he and I communicate on a regular basis for obvious reasons; thus, I have already been filled in on the Coles notes of the situation, sir."


    Arthur just stood there, mouth halfway open as if to respond but falling as his mind tried to wrap itself around what Benny had just claimed¡­ "Is Chuck even interested in that sort of thing? O-or, is Tulla really just that lonely?"


    "Oh yes, lord! At least in regards to your commander and spymaster. He is quite the conversationalist, especially when he is allowed to offer his insights into the few subjects he indulges in during his spare time! I believe Tulla and him are¡ªfast friends, as it were¡­ She doesn''t much care for the smaller details regarding his interests, but she has listented to him rant at length about everything from biology to societal theoretics regarding his chosen fasicantions. It''s sort of akin to a professorly role, really, and I''ve seen no need to try and step in considering how much she is learning. There is, of course, a fascination of sorts arising in the particular social structure of insects with queens. She''s rather fond of the idea of having drones running about to do her bidding while she lounges in her domicile, being fed and weighted on hand and foot."


    "Okay¡­" Arthur stated, clearing his throat a moment later as he chirped up, shaking off the thoughts that were Tulla and Chuck''s rather odd relationship. Robots and demons¡­ a match made in Christian hell, if ever there was one for him to hear¡­ "Okay, that''s¡ªfine¡­ As you say, there doesn''t seem to be much of a downside if she''s so willing to learn about that sort of thing¡­"


    "My thoughts entirely, my lord. Though, on another note, I feel it is important to inform you in a timely manner after the concerning progress of your niece."


    That caused Arthur to hesitate with a full pause, his ears nearly twitching with the butler''s words as he felt his entire train of thought suddenly derailed as a new one took its place."


    "You mean Bianca?" He asked, earnestly needing to make sure¡­ There wasn''t exactly anyone else who would technically fit the bill, but it was still strange to hear the woman spoken as such. Hell, she was even older than he was! Not by much, mind you, but it was nevertheless a bizarre circumstance regardless¡­


    "Indeed, lord."


    "Alright¡­ well then¡­ what''s the problem?" Arthur inquired, chuckling slightly as he began imagining how the woman might have already tried to betray them. Taking sketches of what she''d seen, trying to procure samples to return to her legion commanders, kidnapping witnesses¡­ There really wasn''t much she could earnestly do¡­ but to say he was surprised would have been a lie¡­


    "The problem, as you say, lord, is that she hasn''t returned from her expedition into the Tricen den as she had promised to do so following a heated conversation with the Costis household."


    Again, Arthur found the direction of his thoughts deviating from their expected trajectory, the young man wavering as he just stared at Benny with uncertain eyes. "Okay¡­" He drawled, truly struggling to find the urgency behind this latest¡ªissue¡­ "So, who cares? It''s been like, what? Twelve or fourteen hours since we left this morning? How long has she been gone?"


    "Fourteen hours, you say?" Benny mused, tilting his head with narrowing eyes. "Oh, now that is intriguing, lord, as by all rights, my sense of continuity regarding the passage of time indicates we are pushing on three days having passed, a more exact number calculating in and around at a rough two and a third cycles¡­"


    "I mean¡­ I''m not exactly¡ªmarried to my estimate on time¡­" Arthur murmured, mind spinning as he worked to try and understand what exactly was being insinuated¡­


    "Regardless, lord, it has been two full days since you and the good ladies have departed, the chronology coincidently lining up with a very similar hour to the very same in which you began your travelling."


    That was a bit of a pill to swallow¡­ And, now that he''d been alerted to it and allowed to sit and really think about it all, it had been a little cooler outside when they''d gotten back, a trait that had become somewhat indicative of his mornings spent on his new world¡­ It wasn''t exactly cold by any standard of metric, but it was similar to a more¡ªshorts and sweater sort of deal¡­ Yet, two days¡­ that seemed utterly wrong, to say the least, but might just explain a few questions he''d had¡­ Now, he wished he''d been taking an accurate measure of the time he''d been gone as bizarre notions of time-dilation filled his thoughts.


    Did the world move slower in the labyrinth? Or had it been more of a casino effect? Surely, he''d of noticed two full days passing, heck, just his sleeping schedule alone would have alerted him, but¡­ If he''d been gone for two full days and he had a working approximate of fourteen hours, then¡­ that was seven hours per full day? Hmmm¡­ well, if it was a full eight hours per day, then that would lean towards a three-to-one ratio, which¡­ considering Dianna mentioned she''d be gone a week and coming back after a near month¡­ Maybe, she hadn''t overstayed her welcome at all, but instead, just meant she''d be spending a week in the labyrinth which would be¡­ roughly three weeks if the math was as close as he thought it was so¡­ well, regardless, he''d need to measure the exact flow of time on both sides to get a better idea but, for now¡­


    "Okay, so Biannca''s been gone for a little over two days. Did we lose connection to the drones or?"


    "Not quite, lord." Benny allowed, his posture ramrod straight as his virtual mustache twitched. "Though audio and visuals have been absent for Chuck at a roughly eleven hours estimation following their descent, they still are pinging via transponder. Thus, we know that none have as of yet been destroyed. However," he added after a thoughtful moment, shoulders rolling as if to get comfortable, "The agreed-upon time limit in which Miss Bianca would re-emerge to discuss details of what she discovered with her parents, as well as develop additional contingencies and plans has elapsed by more than a full day. Needless to say, her parents have been trying to devise a means to contact you and have even sent runners from the village to search the city of Kaitrice for your whereabouts."


    "Fuck¡­"


    "Indeed, lord." Benny agreed without snark. "Given your prior orders, I did not see fit to prevent Cassandra or Tavir from entering the premises. However, certain doors were locked, and my presence was, of course, kept incognito. As Chuck only communicates via written text and nobody else has permission to converse with him regardless, there has been an uproar of sorts regarding Miss Bianca''s disappearance. I should also mention that it seems our communications with you fare no better when you immerse yourself in the sub-dimension. The running hypothesis is that whatever magic is being used to provide our network with the thus far absent infrastructure it would otherwise require to operate can be disrupted or otherwise disabled through a growing multitude of possibilities."


    "Benny¡­" Arthur groaned, closing his eyes while wishing he had a cigarette.


    "Yes, lord?"


    "Please, going forward, if there is an emergency you deem life-threatening to a member of my immediate family, feel free to break from protocol and make an informed decision."


    "Understood, lord." The AI replied, not appearing in the least bit chastised or concerned.


    "Now, I''m going to need to¡­ hm¡­ where are Tavir and Cassie? No, forget about that; where are we with assembling a team to find out what happened?"


    "A force is, of course, assembled and already on the move, lord, as both Chuck and myself anticipated your desire to intervene. We built a contingency squadron and had them on standby. We have also developed a long-distance relay unit that we believe will overcome whatever connection issues our network is experiencing, at least in the interim, in regards to distance."


    Arthur made to say something, lifting a finger to point at the machine, considered if it was warranted given how Benny had acted to the letter and spirit of his orders, then sighed¡­ "Can we deploy them¡ªnow?"


    "They are already entering the cave network, lord." Benny chimed, smiling congenially. "As you so requested, I have made the executive decision to deploy the contingency force in following with your prior amendment to my directives."


    "Of¡ªcourse¡­ Well, is there anything else of a potentially monumental concern or¡ª"


    "Just the Costis''s holding a meeting towards if they should send an expedition of their own. Though, should this be a meeting that you also wish to attend, I believe you will make it to the newly constructed promenade in time should you leave presently."


    He was really fighting back the urge to hit something¡­ Not Benny, no, even though the A I could have likely resolved all of this on his own, he had merely been following Arthur''s orders. As had Chuck. In fact¡­ even as the thought crossed his mind, a blip on his sensory network alerted him that someone was approaching the compound. He didn''t even need to look at his phone or tablet to discern who was nearing¡­ Instead, he thanked Benny for his swift thinking and departed, heading back outside to spy no fewer than a dozen Bal already heading his way. One of which was notably small enough that Arthur could piece together what happened.


    If Tulla had been so quick to share with his first AI, then Chuck would have likely filled her in on the details as well. From there, it didn''t take much finagling to imagine she headed straight for her aunt and uncle, who, upon learning of their return, would likely head right here. Naturally, his suspicions were verified as a whole war party of bal landed in his midst. Some, like Cassandra and Tavir, Barthalamu and Liasa, he recognized; others he knew were from the village but he simply hadn''t met. And, one or two faces belonged to those that didn''t spark a semblance of memory about their persons but whose uniforms appeared a degree more bedraggled and roadweary than the others.


    "Arthur!" Cassandra bellowed, still in the midst of descending to the ground, her expression blazing with equal parts fury and concern¡­


    "I just heard! We''re already working on it!"


    "Working on it?" The older demon guffawed, staring at him like he were an innkeeper trying to penny-pinch the room service, "What does that even mean?"


    She landed near enough to him that he had to brace against the power of her wings, Cassandra looking utterly wild-eyed while dressed in full battle rattle, though her armour held a certain degree of¡ªwizardry about it, more like armoured robes. All the bal that arrived were, each possessing shields and spears and bows, looking ready to pick a fight with the closest opposing force they could find. Tavir landed a moment later at his wife''s side, the voluminous plume on his helm marking him as an obvious figurehead amidst the otherwise matching soldiers around him. "Lad!" He half barked, half pleaded, not breaking decorum in his stride or movements, "Tell me you''ve got some sort of blighted good news?"


    "I¡ªdo, actually; the columns Bianca took with her are still active."


    "Then where is she?" Cassandra interrupted before Tavir had a chance to say anything, the near insensate woman seething as she stalked back and forth through the dirt, furious with nobody in particular but everything at the same time¡­ "Those caves are death traps, Tavir; how many times have I said that?"


    "The golems had orders to lay down their lives for her, Cassie," Arthur tried, sensing the delicateness of the situation as her ire flared, blazing pupils fixating on him, "And I''ve already sent more down there to try and establish contact, an entire swarm. I promise we''ll find them and figure out what''s happening!"


    "We should still go, and where is my sister? I need her here! Does she even know what is happening?"


    "Possibly back to the labyrinth," Arthur sighed, "And no, I doubt she knows¡­"


    "Dad!" Tulla fluttered in after a quick deviation, landing beside him with wide eyes of her own, staring up with a determined set to her features that told him she was about to try and order the robots after her aunt if he wasn''t willing."


    "They''re already on their way," He assured her, pulling her in for a hug.


    "Chuck said all the scouts are okay, though! So, why can''t we see them?"


    "No idea¡­" Arthur admitted, glancing back up to meet Tavirs grim face with a somewhat neutral expression of his own, "But we''ll know something soon, and my golems can move much faster underground than your soldiers, Tavir."


    "How many have you sent?"


    "Thirty. And that includes two of my war bots¡­" He replied, lowering his tone for the final portion of his words so that only those in immediate proximity would hear.


    The centurion nodded with dire understanding, having been among those of the settlement to have actually seen one of the mechanical nightmares that strode across the planes while shrouded beneath active camouflage. For most, they were ghosts, unseen and unknown, only visible by the trailing indentation of their movements through vegetation. For others, those that were aware of their existence, well¡­ they were a concern as much as a relief.


    He knew very well that Bianca hadn''t taken kindly to them, and neither had Tavir at first; Dianna had outright wanted to brawl with one, Cassandra questioned the magic that made them tick, while Tulla had a unique relationship in that Arthur was fairly sure she''d ridden atop more than a few while out in the wilds. To her, his machines were¡ªnothing sort of complete allies, possibly even bridging the gap towards pets. For all they seemed perfectly willing to stretch her authority beyond the bounds of what he''d intended, Arthur almost could say that while their loyalty was to him, their hearts belonged to her.


    Not that he was complaining that his AI liked his daughter¡ªbut, in line with his possible mistake regarding the cards he had given her, allowing Tulla access to the full command of a highly advanced mechanized army that even his people hadn''t yet achieved through science was questionable parenting¡­


    "How soon will they find her?" Cassandra queried, her gaze focused on Arthur with a nervous energy he earnestly wasn''t used to seeing from her¡­ typically, the articulate and carefully cultured demoness was so¡ªstoic in their dealings that, now, he couldn''t help but feel for her plight¡­


    "She will be fine, Cassie," He whispered, moving in to give the woman a hug; she was surprised for the briefest moments before she gave in and returned the embrace, wings and arms encircling him as he squeezed her for reassurance. "My golems would willingly risk destruction for her life. Trust me, if they are all still active, then she is fine. Communications will be established, possibly within the hour. Have faith¡­"


    "She was already supposed to be back! And I can''t scry her!"


    "I know! But, what if she''s been so successful down there that the reason she hasn''t emerged is that she''s kicking ass?"


    Cassandra hesitated at that, slowly pulling away before her damp eyes locked on his own, wanting to believe him, wanting to consider the positive spin he was offering, but¡­ "We should still go down!" She reiterated, turning to look at her husband, who seemed on the edge of agreeing. "And where is Dianna exactly?"


    "The slave markets."


    "Good! Liasa, do you¡ª"


    "No, everyone with the ugh¡ªability is already down there¡­" The soldier stated cooly, avoiding any direct explanations as those present who weren''t of the village seemed somewhat confused by the whole situation.


    Cassandra spun, looking to Arthur with expectant eyes as he, already knowing what was coming, held up a hand to forestall her, "Dianna will have her hands full with finalizing the deal she made with the merchants¡­ Either way¡­" Arthur took in a deep breath, looking at his daughter as he reached into his jacket pocket, retrieving what appeared as a wallet, only for cards. Then, he emptied the thing, taking all the not-inconsiderable wealth that Dianna had exchanged for them and handing the cards over to the girl.


    Tulla eyed the fairly substantial bundle, the majority of those within either silver or bronze. He had a separate wallet for the iron-rank cards, each one possessing the buying power of what would essentially be a common dollar back home. Currency was weird. Due to the fact that you couldn''t break a soul, most commodities were priced accordingly, with taxation, an aspect of life that had to be paid on a quarterly basis, at least within Kaitrice. Still, he pulled out those as well, giving Tulla the sum total of the money he''d had left over from their trip which was a not at all insubstantial amount.


    He would have been considered a very wealthy man while within the city. A handful of gold tier cards, dozens of silver, nearly fifty bronze¡­ All of it had been what he was planning on using to improve himself and a small smattering of¡ªpet projects he had on the way¡­ The veritable fortune of souls procured via Dinna''s assistance as she acted as the go-between for merchants and vendors seeking rare and valuable souls, and Arthur, well, he did as his own soul allowed him, creating well-known and expensive tarots that had fetched significant exchange in trade.


    Still, as he handed her the multitude of souls, he maintained her eye to help lend to the importance of what he was asking. They wouldn''t be nearly enough to get the girl to her mother''s level, not even close. But, this was all he could give her, and of the two of them who knew what they were doing with the drones, she was both stronger, better trained for combat and possessed a deck of souls that was fit for battle.


    Arthur still had a hodgepodge of nonsense that he still kicked down the road, ever swapping out what cards he could, which, universally, were all of a complete utility variety. She, of course, wouldn''t be going alone; she''d have an army of machines with her and a contingent of her people''s soldiers acting as her guard, but¡­ This was, without a doubt, the best plan he had.


    "Put most of those into what will make you harder to kill." He told her, voice not brokering an argument. "You are also to listen to your aunt and uncle Tulla, no exceptions; they''re in charge, even if you will hold the reins of my forces. Can you promise that?"


    The girl nodded emphatically, gaze solidifying to a familiar cold indifference of discipline that he''d seen in her mother''s own eyes countless times before.


    "You''re not sending Tulla down there?" Cassandra balked, looking at the two of them like they were crazy¡­"


    "She''s got cards with more potential than her mother does¡­" Arthur whispered, still near enough to the older demoness that nobody else would hear. His words caused the woman''s eyes to widen a fraction as he continued quietly. "She''s better than I am in a fight, and she will have all of you, along with my own forces, to keep her safe. Tulla has command of them and knows how to use them, but you and Tavir have command of her. Keep her safe for me, Cassie." He added, Cassandra''s face hardening with resolve as she bobbed her head, pulling in a deep breath before bellowing like an officer.


    "Back to the sky! We head for the tunnels!"


    The wealth of souls within his child''s hands disappeared in continuous flashes as Tulla devoured their power, quick as she was able, leaping into the air as, for the first time, her metamorphosis began armouring her small form in a¡ªbizarre and unexpected way, much to the genuine surprise of several nearby, Arthur included. Yet, none had time to comment, the group taking to the sky in a blast of displaced air as Tavir, last to depart, squeezed Arthurs''s shoulder with a firm hand.


    "Nothing will happen to her," he promised, expression as iron, "you''ve my word, her life before my own."


    "It''s going to be fine; Bianca''s probably just¡ªhaving the time of her life!"


    Tavir nodded once, a thin but earnest smile forming on his lips, and then he was off, taking two long steps back and leaping into the air with far more power than muscles alone should allow, his wings slamming home as he gained altitude at a rapid pace, slowly catching up to the others already ahead of him. Arthur simply left, watching them all go before heading into his house to watch the proceedings unfold.

 Amidst the abyss...

    Chapter 23


    "Another chamber over here!" Jaxwall called, his voice bouncing off the carved tunnels as it resonated through the air, his confirmation of what Bianca was seeing through the eyes of the¡ªmetal construct she controlled, offering damming affirmation to her growing worries¡­


    "How many bodies?" She barked back, standing at the entrance to the chamber while entire squadrons of her forces investigated the dreary and unsettling mausoleum¡­


    "Another fifty by our count! All laid out in neat rows like the others¡­"


    "The wounds?"


    "Slit throats." The veteran verified, voice lightly undertoned with mild nausea¡­


    Already, she''d ordered her men to wrap thick scarves around their faces, the air around them pungent with the weighty sickness of massed decaying bodies, the swarms of maggots and flys were like thick clouds in the air, requiring her mage-squadron to incinerate them if only to allow them all to see beyond their dark shadows. Thus far, they''d counted six hundred dead within the twelve chambers throughout the profane temple they''d broken into¡­


    Fifty bodies sacrificed upon stone alters within each, their congealed blood cacked and thick, clinging to everything from walls to floors as though they walked through a slaughterhouse for animals¡­ It was¡ªgrotesque in a way that Bianca truly couldn''t bring to words¡­ the sheer deafening drone of buzzing insects able to be heard from halfway through the underground settlement¡­


    It wasn''t large¡­ not so far as she''d personally seen. However, it was of a size to easily support several hundred individuals, replete with mushroom farms, deep wells and stone-carved housing that all combined to create a rather sizable community¡­ Nevertheless, now, the town was derelict¡­ Not a soul living within, at least, not that they''d seen¡­


    Though evidence that denizens had been surviving down here with at least some recency could be observed by the open defecation they''d crossed paths with. It was in several buildings, some streets and the occasional alley they''d entered or explored. appearing as though they''d been used as improvised latrines¡­ Errant scraps of fouled cloth, detritus, broken furniture¡­ all of it painted a dim picture of what might have happened down here while the survivors from the slaughter held onto any semblance of life that they could.


    Bianca. of course, knew of the small massacre that had taken place near one of the many cavern''s entrances. Knew that her niece, with her step-father''s help, had aided in the butchering of no fewer than three dozen of the creatures who''d been desperately trying to hunt the wild yaks¡­ She could only presume that they had somehow been the remnants or survivors of whatever dark sacrifice had taken place, whether through luck or cowardice towards their own faith''s demands¡­ or any number of other alternatives that could be theorized¡­


    They had been the ones who were surviving down here and possibly squatting in their own village as supplies slowly dwindled to starvation. Some proof of continued attempts at cultivation in the mushroom chambers was likewise visible; however, most of the harvest that might have priorly existed looked to have contracted a form of blight¡­ The ruby-red and blue polka-dotted fungi were all wilted¡­ Dark and vascular trails of corruption ran through the crop as though someone had desired to ensure its inability to be eaten¡­ The food was worthless, appearing for all intents and purposes like it would be liable to give one the piles, or worse, should they dare take a bite.


    There was a story down here that the Centurion was slowly piecing together. And with each chamber, they unsealed along the rows of crypts that followed along the current hallway, Bianca felt her concerns rising without limit¡­ This many dead¡­ no, this many sacrifices¡­ well, whatever spell was being powered¡­ it had to be¡ªfrighteningly monumental¡­ She''d never seen this horrific doctrine yet being applied by their foe¡­ at least, not to such a disturbing scope... Men, women, children, it didn''t matter, all had lain atop the stone beds, their lives surrendered to whatever vile entity was responsible for it all¡­


    Ritual sacrifices were, sadly, nothing new, but this¡­ something of this size¡­ it went beyond the usual modus operandi that the Tricen practiced¡­ This was no small tribute of power¡­ It was a gathering, a vortex of souls that would be sent somewhere and to someone wherein they would power a spell of disastrous magnitude¡­


    The more Bianca saw, the more she was convinced that something terribly nefarious was in the works for her people, though for who and where such an event would take place was uncertain. Part of her wanted to assume that all of this was targeted at the settlement¡­ not because she wanted her parents in danger, but given what she understood about¡ªthe mage, what was there, the structures and the like would be reasonably easy to replace. After all, it had sprung up in the span of a month! What could possibly be so integral that it couldn''t be done again in a safer location?


    And yet, her guts knew this wasn''t the case¡­ There were hundreds of dead tricen down here, gods; it was practically a mass grave! If they''d wanted to level the settlement, they''d of been able to do so with the raw weight of numbers alone. Swarming it in the midst of a quiet night and killing anyone who didn''t flee for their lives¡­ Her parents'' village hadn''t been ready for combat; heck, they weren''t on active duty! Sure, they might post a few scouts and still donn their weapons from time to time while hunting, but they''d been forced to relinquish their legionary decks¡­


    Trained and armed as they might be, the simple reality was that they weren''t legionnaires anymore¡­ they were, at best, a veteran militia equivalent to a small, poor township that couldn''t rub two combat cards together to save their life¡­ Sure, maybe it wasn''t that bad, but it definitely wasn''t much better either¡­ An invasion by numbers that she saw here would have routed them without question. It likely wouldn''t even have been difficult as Bianca herself was well aware how the tricen''s new dogma of total war had been effectively pushing the legions back, inch by inch.


    As her forces continued to break into the tombs one by one, and the number of bodies neared two thousand, Bianca called a halt as she eyed the half dozen remaining doors. Her gaze glazed while the Centurion''s thoughts pulled themselves from sluggish concentration¡­ That thus far prickling sense of sinister impending danger was rising to a fevered pitch¡­ "Korvil!"


    "Aye, ma''am!"


    "Call the squadrons back and reassemble in the courtyard. I want the golems to finish cracking the remaining doors."


    Her adjunct glanced at her wearily, then down the hallway, his gaze shifting from the remaining slabs that had been blocking each chamber before falling upon one nearly thrice their size, one that rested at the absolute end of the passageway rather than its sides. The ominous size and radiating evil that seemed to pulse from within gave him pause for only the briefest of moments. "Are we readying for a fight, ma''am?"


    "I''m not certain¡­ However, if you are suggesting we leave before finding sufficient answers for the questions command will ask of us, then I can assure you, the praetor will personally oversee our lashings."


    "Better to let the constructs soften any monstrosities, is it?"


    "Precisely so." Bianca nodded, not meeting the younger officers'' questioning look, "Have them form up, shields ready. I don''t know what''s behind that big bastard of a slab, but it will not catch us with our trousers around the legs."


    "As you say, Centurion! Veterans!" He bellowed a moment later, whirling to begin marching up and down the large passageway, "Get your squadrons together and assemble outside! Squads one through six, spear and shields, seven to nine, arrows!"


    Bianca listened as her forces quickly snapped into movement, men and women all jogging out of the various rooms and passing her, expressions each filled with apprehensive determination. It wasn''t lost on her just how rattled her command was¡­ not even a single instance of live combat beneath their belts, and the very first mission they were sent on saw them underground. Ignoring that subterranean fights with the tricen were well known to be the most unforgiving, they were inspecting a damned tomb of their recently deceased enemy that wasn''t even supposed to be here, to begin with!


    All of them had heard stories of the tricens dark dealings with their abyssal god¡­ had heard tales of their sorcerers bringing to bear powerful spells that were fueled by their own people, magics that wilted life from existence with baleful energies that consumed all it touched¡­ Of course, the legions had still pushed the buggers all the way to the breaking point, dark god or otherwise; her people were not absent deific forbearance themselves.


    Still, this was different. This was seeing those horror stories up close and firsthand. Not only had they all been exposed to a cultish grand sacrifice the likes and size of which Bianca earnestly hadn''t heard of herself, but they''d actually found evidence of an underground stronghold! A stronghold that legion command had insisted couldn''t exist! The mere fact that one was present so far into conquered lands believed completely safe was devastating in its own right.


    The implications were clear, if it could happen here, then they could exist anywhere within legion-controlled territory. And yet, what made things truly concerning and bizarre was the lack of reason behind it all. Yes, the stronghold existed, and yes, it was well behind friendly lines¡­ but for them to all just¡ªkill themselves while possessing such a powerful strategic position? It made no sense¡­ If they had potential dozens of these settlements littered across the continent, then they could embark upon a form of guerilla warfare that would all but revert the legion''s success.


    Raids on baggage trains, subterfuge of infrastructure, attacks on unsuspecting settlements¡­ It would be a nightmare of such immensity that would only grow with exponential speeds given their campaign leadership had been gutted¡­ If the soldiers thought things were already looking grim, then they had no idea what truly would be in store for them.


    While it was hard to tell exactly when the zealots had perished or what their conditions had been like prior to their sacrifice, Bianca had to assume that food hadn''t been an issue until someone or something had fouled their supplies¡­ And, were she to guess, she''d likewise place the time of death at an approximate two to three weeks¡­


    An estimation that was oddly enough provided by one of the scouting drones that had evidently performed a mild autopsy, the data it supplied her on the small ear-mounted¡ªdevice on her head displaying an affirmation of the process of visible decay. It would also helpfully place the enigma of it all to have taken place sometime after her aunt''s mysterious wizard appeared but before the disastrous hunt performed by the starved survivors. And, given what she''d seen of the mushroom farm, the bodies'' state of deterioration, as well as the malnourished state of those who had been slaughtered above, Bianca felt she had a reasonable timeline of events together that had too many coincidences¡­


    The appearance of a strange traveller of a species she''d never heard of¡­ The sudden reversal of fortune for the legion''s operations, the hidden stronghold, all the sacrifices within it¡­ There was just no way any of it was isolated as an incident¡­ And worse, here she was, lured in by her aunt''s honeyed words¡­ hours beneath the surface after mapping out the tunnel system and, in her midst, advanced automatons of war¡­ all theoretically under her command, it was true.


    Yet, would they remain that way? Despite it all, she couldn''t shake the feeling that Arthur Ashfield was somehow involved in this. Yes, her disposition towards him had been¡ªskewed due to his gifts¡­ and yes, he, for all appearances, seemed to be aiding in whatever her aunt''s plans were¡­ However, it was just a bit too convenient¡­ Sure, the strange mage looked harmless, and yet, everyone she spoke to assured her he was dangerous in ways beyond the obvious. She wanted to believe in him¡­ not for the mage''s benefit but for her aunt and family, who all seemed to trust him¡­


    Dianna, specifically, who appeared to unequivocally believe she could conquer the world all her own! It was an absurd fantasy under any normal circumstances, and yet, as she was, Bianca couldn''t help but wonder how far the woman would get. In all truth, assuming the legions retreated and it was only the remnants of their force''s campaign of genocide to deal with, she rather thought she would do quite well for herself¡­


    The thoughts naturally didn''t help her now, however. Thus, Bianca turned to watch as the last of her forces ran by, the sound of their clicking hooves filling the chamber. Only then did the Centurion follow, marching smartly from the un-hallowed temple they''d desecrated to join in the ranks of her forces, slipping into her usual spot at its center, mind ready to summon her magical armaments.


    One of her fingers struggled to work the infuriatingly barbaric controls on the automaton domination module, the blasted thing far too small and finicky for her large fingers. Still, she managed the feat after some light grumbling, scanning the remaining side doors, one at a time and including them with her new designation for orders. Bianca wasn''t sure how the machines seemed to know what it was she wanted them to do, but their reactions to her designs did not at all avail herself of concerns regarding mind magic¡­


    The automatons just seemed to inherently interpret her plans when given new orders, as though acting through some empathetic link¡­ She didn''t like it, was immensely weary of it, in fact! Even so, she''d placed her faith in Dianna, accepted the bribes offered by her and had already mentally prepared herself for the¡ªcontingency she''d be required to make. Nothing had yet been agreed to, and nothing had been forced upon her. However, the implicit understanding between herself and her aunt was that when things began to fall apart, if they did, then Bianca was to¡ªdefect. And in doing so, bring as many fellow centuries as she could to her aunt''s side.


    It was a herculean and not to-mention astoundingly traitorous task¡­ And yet, she''d already taken the cards her aunt had given her to aid in securing the loyalty of her brother and sister centurions. More magical armorments¡­ though, of a decidedly lesser quality to her own, or so she''d been assured.


    Ten cards in total, with the guarantee that, if more were needed, she''d have them¡­ Not to mention the promise of a new home, a new city, one with a promised portal that would charge no taxations upon its use, at least for the time being, however long such a notion would ultimately last¡­ She didn''t think she was interested in the more salacious parts of the agreement... but if her world were to truly crumble, it felt good to know she''d at least have a home to return to.


    "Gods¡­" She whispered under her breath, softly shaking her head in the process.


    Bianca was all but neck deep in plots and schemes, and none of them were even her own! She felt¡ªfrustrated that she would even be put in this position to begin with! By her parents, by her aunt, by the damned imperium for managing to muck up so bloody badly! She would likely be forced into a decision that she did not want to have to make, but one that felt nevertheless already made for her! Yes, her hope was that the legions managed to regain their foothold, but should they fail, should they be cast back to Londis Landing, what, if anything, would remain for her in the empire?


    Her legion would be marred for life, assuming it even survived¡­ Ostrisized along with all the other failures of this nightmarish invasion¡­ Marred by the tinging of the armys golden standard, its gilded wings tarred with disgrace, to be rechristened as a black legion, unfit for glory, unfit for fame¡­ Its purpose was only to remain as a reminder of those who had failed and to go where no other legions so desired.


    It was not a distinction that she hoped for. Nor was it one that any within the twenty-seventh had earned. At least, not amongst the rank and file¡­ All knew where the true fault behind the campaign''s looming implosion lay, even if they weren''t willing to speak it aloud.


    And though she loved her country, had dreamt of returning to the capitol victorious and proudly wearing her commendations, fantasied of proving to her father''s lineage that they were worth a damn! To be invited into the Costis household, not as a cadet branch that served to suckle the hooves of the familial patriarch, but as someone deserving of their heritage! Someone who had risen above the lofty heights of even her countless cousins to prove she was worthy! And, and¡­ Bianca¡ªwell, she knew the difference between reality and fiction¡­ she knew that such flights of fancy would never come to pass should their forces lose this war. It would be a disaster! An impossibility! The greatest misstep in living memory of their empire, which had proven to trample nearly all opposition they met neatly into the dirt.


    Yet, what could she do? Try and convince her aunt to side with the empire. Hah! That was worth a good laugh! Her father hadn''t been wrong¡­ there was nothing that the imperium could give her that she didn''t stand to gain a hundredfold over on her own. Capture her husband? Maybe¡­ But then her aunt would come looking for him¡­ And even if they threatened his life, Bianca knew the woman better than those who would say such a tactic would work.


    Dianna would burn it all down to cinders and ash, regardless if her mate would live or die¡­ Unwilling to forgive, unwilling to forget. And as powerful as she had become, her aunt had all but assured her that it had merely been the beginning of her rise to possible godhood¡­ ridiculous as the idea was¡­ No, even if Bianca had the means to capture the man, Dianna had already admitted that he stood no chance against her in a fight¡­ thus, even if captured and collared, he wouldn''t be able to stop his rampaging mate.


    An aspect of it all that was as infuriating as it held the possibility of calculated design... Either way, it did not matter as Bianca was not under the impression she could handle the mage on her own, with or without her century at her back¡­ At least not unless she caught him unawares.


    That was why she was placing her trust in Dianna, who, in turn, had placed her faith in the alien mage. Preparing for the worst as she was, but hoping she wouldn''t regret her decision.


    Around her, the century waited with baited breaths, uncertain and silent, the odd rustle of armour and weapons the only sound that seemed to trumpet in her ears as the automatons glided into the room on spider-like legs that were practically silent in their passing. They weaved around her century like wraiths, filing into the previously sealed temple as each and every one of her men watched them enter, their eyes fixated upon their skin-crawling and scuttling movements¡­


    Bianca had largely kept the golems free from their eyes where she could, scouting ahead and maintaining a perimeter, aware that her men didn''t understand the context behind their presence. And what could she even tell them? Thus far, none had outright asked her after their existence nor inquired what had happened following her somewhat painful defeat at the hands of what should have been a retired veteran without her cards of war.


    Only Korvil had risked a¡ªgentle inquiry as to the situation. Yet, had, thus far, accepted her brisk explanation that had been, admittedly, an order to fuck off and keep quiet. And, in all honesty, so far as such things went, that was a perfectly reasonable and, quite frankly, often expected response to receive by a superior officer.


    The issue would, of course, be what would happen after they returned from leave¡­ She didn''t think any of her men would betray her trust outright. However, soldiers gossiped¡­ heck, it was said that the legions ran on three things, rations, discipline and jabbering mouths¡­ And, eventually, rumours would propagate to the point someone of sufficient rank who found them interesting might look into things. It was a slight chance, she knew, but one that did worry her¡­ Gods only knew what she''d actually do if called in for questioning by a truthsayer. Run? Fight? Submit? She didn''t rightly know¡­


    Yet, these were concerns for another time, Bianca forcing her racing thoughts into a corner of her consciousness as she quickly tabbed through the various sightlines afforded to her via the mage device, looking into each room as though she herself were really there. "Same thing for the other chambers so far¡­" She announced, allowing the tension to break through the disturbing quiet¡­


    It was always better to try and let soldiers know what was going on, within good reason, rather than allowing their imaginations to run wild and fear to take root. Around her, the occasional joke over the tricen''s poor showing in combat or the absurdity that was performing suicide in the hopes of overcoming one''s enemies began to make the inevitable rounds through her forces.


    All good things, and she didn''t order silence through the ranks so long as the conversation remained positive. Authority was a tenuous thing, something that was intrinsically tied to morale. She wasn''t a fool; she knew her troops were scared. They were green, after all, young and eager perhaps, but untested and within one of the very worst environments they could be in.


    Bianca had wanted this, of course, as there was no better way than trial by fire to grind one''s nerves into the sand and deaden all doubt about the legion''s might and ability to win both decisively and consistently in combat. Maybe she''d bitten off more than she bargained for with a town this large and a clear population that was several times larger than her own force, but now, they were in a choke point. No enemies behind them, and if there was something behind the massive slab, they were ready to face it.


    The automatons broke through the final side doors in quick succession, working as a team while employing odd rays of murky red-orange light. The beams shone from glass-like spheres that were implanted in the center of their bodies, the strange glow that emitted from the dark burgundy lens searing whatever it touched, causing the stone to crumble into ash and dust within moments of contact. Three more rooms. Two of which were filled to the brim with flies, stench and bodies, while the third¡­ that one was different.


    Inside were rows upon rows of familiar stone alters, each lined up with near-perfect symmetry from one to the next. However, unlike all those uncovered before it, only a comparative handful of tricen could be found within. Six bodies lay sacrificed compared to the typical fifty that they had uncovered in each prior room. And of those that lay within, little remained to observe¡­ Though these were the least¡ªbroken down thus far seen, they were still riddled with insects, their bodies squirming and shaking as though they were still alive and lost within a feverish dream¡­


    Flesh, moving as though bulbous worms burrowed beneath the surface, the maggots still in the process of devouring their hosts whole from the inside out. Bianca''s expression twisted with disgust, using the automatons to briefly look around and not see anything terribly different beyond¡­


    She paused, one of the spider-like creatures that were crawling on the ceiling, spotting a dark and obsidian object lying at the hands of a body that wasn''t quite positioned as the others. Its placement looked haphazard¡­ not perfect as all its kin had been, but¡ªrushed, perhaps even sloppy, and as she got a magnification of the unknown object, she realized that it was actually a gore-crusted blade¡­ A knife, jagged and disgusting. It lay on the ground beside the final dead body in the row.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "And that would be the priest¡­" She thought sourly, almost wishing he were still alive so they could kill him themselves. The amount of trouble those blighted abyssal cultists had caused could probably equate to the sum total of the tricens actual armed forces! Mage for mage, they weren''t anything special but empowered by an adequate number of sacrifices? Well, then they could be forces to reckon with¡­ But why was such an important member of their zealous faith dead with all the rest? Surely, had he been intending to take advantage of the power on offer, then the priest wouldn''t lay where he did. Which only made the final barrier stone that much more concerning¡­


    Just to be safe, Bianca lined up the small force of golems she''d been provided, commanding them to mimic her own centuries'' formation. A lone and singular automaton approaching the large slab rather than them all. Beginning, at her order, the slow and laborious work of burning a hole through the barrier''s middle began. Just like the smaller slabs, the process took time.


    Entire minutes passed as, once more, conversation settled, replaced entirely with the fizzling degradation of stone that wasn''t reduced to slag or melted but instead converted to ashen dust that filled the air as clumps fell to the floor. The beam burned through the massive rock with eerie precision; its sickly light moved as though mounted to a track, perfectly opening a space that the automaton itself would likely be able to fit through, the process taking markedly longer than the other slabs until¡ªsuddenly, the beam dissipated.


    The plume of dust that the golem created seemed to almost be sucked into the void, the mass floating back into the air from where it had drifted or fallen, coalescing back into the gap that had been made as like some recording that she was watching in reverse¡­ Then, the stone was repaired, looking exactly as it had before she''d given the order to destroy it, the scene leaving herself and everyone around her quite thoroughly speechless¡­ All except one.


    "It''s warded." A voice called out from behind her, Bianca turning to eye the veteran of her mage core as the woman stared at the anomaly as though itching to go touch it, "And, possibly even enchanted¡­ I''d bet that If I¡ª"


    "Denied." Bianca immediately barked, her sharp reply causing the other woman to scowl at her!


    "But I didn''t even tell you what I wanted to do!"


    "Faira, if you assure me that whatever your plan was didn''t involve touching a hostile people''s artifact of a stone slab, then by all means, explain away."


    "I¡­ well, I could have Offar touch it?"


    "M-me ma''am?" A clean-shaven and lanky bal spoke up, his clearly nervous face betraying exactly how little he appreciated being volunteered¡­


    "Yes, you, you''re sufficiently good with the stuff, and if the centurion doesn''t want to risk me, then¡ª"


    "Faira?"


    "Yes, ma''am?"


    "Do shut the fuck up and stop scaring my mages?"


    "Twas only a joke, ma''am¡­"


    Bianca sighed, glaring at the hawkish woman who merely shrugged her ire away. The crone was old, a career soldier, and not to mention a mage¡­ If she was to be intimidated by something, it was not to be of a non-magical nature. Yet, the veteran was one in which she''d never want to replace. Talented, intelligent and, above all, an excellent rock for her forces to lean on.


    "Your thoughts on why this slab is different from the others?"


    "Because there''s something important behind it." Faira supplied, tone as dry as could be.


    "Thank you Faira, for the obvious, now please, a professional opinion, shall we?"


    "Not much beyond what I''ve already said¡­ The stone''s larger size could either allude to a necessity of surface area in which the network was applied, likely on the opposite side of what we see. Alternatively, it was the mass they desired to keep something from getting out, in addition to the enchantment. Either way, something important is behind that barrier, and if you desire to find out what, then we would need to overload the enchantment with sufficient damage or dispel it."


    Bianca nodded, not needing to have the specifics explained to her, and indeed allowing Faira to share her thoughts to allow the others nearby to listen in. Things were starting to take a life of their own as they were all teased with the prospect of discovering something truly monumental as it was dangled before their eyes.


    To back away now would be¡ªmindfully prudent from certain perspectives but unquestionably craven and reprehensible towards their duty. If there was something behind that slab that would help subtract from the tricen''s recent success, then they did not just owe the imperium the posed risk, but each and every one of their fellow soldiers. To walk away would be to allow others to claim potential glory and for themselves to be branded as too timid to properly serve. To do what was required of them. No, the answer was clear. They needed to get into that room to see what the tricen were up to, and with any luck, the information gathered might help to turn the tides of war back in their favour.


    "So then we overload the enchantment." Bianca proclaimed, returning her attention to the slab as she, this time, ordered all of the automatons beneath her control to assault the stone.


    Within moments, the corridor bloomed to life with radiant light as the combined intensity of fifteen golems glared at the barrier with their blazing rays, dust and ash exploding through the chamber as Faira, her mage core in tow, moved to begin displacing as much as they were able. The dust filled the room in its entirety, even as her mages sucked it from the hall, sending it shooting deeper into the village at their backs, siphoning away the visual residue from the automaton''s work, even as it struggled to sweep back towards the stone.


    And on the struggle went, her forces and the golems working in tandem to try and overwhelm the barrier. Burning away the stone and floating the remnant ash as far away as they dared. Great swaths of it being relocated en-masse, only for it all to start creeping back in, moving with the eerie glide of a snake. It streamed back towards the barrier as fast as Faira and her mages could send it away¡­ Coiling ropes of ash and dust writhing all the way back to the temple as her force of automatons gradually made headway, the beams grinding the stone slab down slowly but assuredly, making their way from top to bottom, battling against its regeneration.


    And through all of it, Bianca and her century, not including her mage core, waited. They watched as the barrier began reforming right from the top, the stone seeming to reappear behind the glaring beams as though existing as some strange magical echo. The process was first slow when compared to the deceptively dangerous golems, and then, evening out to the point, progress moved just beyond what she''d named stalled.


    At least eight of the drones, as the mage had called them, redirected their attention back to the previously destroyed enchantment, fending off its attempts at repair by continuously pressing back against its restoration. It was mind-numbingly slow to watch as progress utterly halved in an instant¡­ and yet, the small automatons were winning. With the approximate half holding the magic at bay while the others continued to dismantle the barrier, her own heart began beating faster and faster with anticipation. First, when the sickly orange beams had sheered the slab down to the halfway point, then, picking up in tempo as it was whittled away to a third, then a quarter, an eighth¡­


    When the stone appeared to be losing its final remnants, the paradigm shifted again! The enchantment was seemingly no longer interested in playing nicely as the barrier began reforming anywhere that it could! The slab all but regrowing from the walls themselves as the inky dark chamber beyond lay impenetrable to all visual acuity. Again, the beams shifted, working to chase the immensely frustrating stone, even as disaster struck¡­ Almost as one, the beams of the automatons winked out, all the desperate progress they''d made being undone in what felt like heartbeats! Bianca cursed aloud as she glared at the small golems with a rising outrage that was not easy to stamp down¡­


    "Well, that''s unfortunate¡­" She heard Faira murmur, the veteran''s own efforts beginning to dwindle as, with no residue to transfer from the room, her purpose within their attempts to bypass the barrier vanished¡­


    "How much power would need to be stored to keep that sort of thing up?" The Centurion demanded, rounding on her lead mage, who was, in turn, staring at the slab while chewing at her lip.


    "More than I''d say is safe to be messing with¡­"


    "They wouldn''t have sacrificed so many of their own just to make sure a fucking door can''t be broken through!"


    "Not," Korvil murmured, fingers brushing against his chin, "unless there was something extremely significant back there¡­"


    "I''ve seen spells cast by tricen priests with less magic behind them that have successfully wiped out entire centuries," Faira complained, now looking more than just a little unnerved by it all. "Centurion, this isn''t some half-assed hedge-wizard nonsense! We are dealing with a spell potentially powered by nearly two thousand souls¡­ I hate to say it, but if they used all that potential to make sure the door wasn''t being broken down, then we''re not getting in there¡­"


    Bianca ground her teeth, taking in a deep and meditative breath as her eye flickered to the odd blinking light in her vision. It was some sort of¡ªalert, something meant to catch her attention, red and flashing, its insistent ploy for her gaze attached to an oddly filling bar. Currently, the thing was at around a quarter filled, but it was rising at a steady pace; a further inspection showed her that each of the automatons under her command seemed to possess a similar indicator that were all, just as the largest one, refilling. She took a generous assumption, knowing what she did of magic, that the golems were simply depleted and currently refilling their reserves.


    Many magical constructs could move nigh indefinitely, should their workload be of a sufficiently negligible effort. However, when put under intense strain, they could and eventually would deactivate for a time, or else, if created differently, enter into a form of lethargy while their bodies reabsorbed the necessary magic to continue operations. If the¡ªbar represented how full that reserve actually was, a useful if not a touch gimmicky bit of sorcery, then she''d have¡ªhmm¡­ at the rate it was moving¡­ fifteen or so minutes before they were at half?


    "If we leave," Bianca ground out¡ª


    "I''m not saying we piss off back to high command, ma''am, but, given the extent of what is preventing us from doing our duty, wouldn''t it be prudent to try and ascertain the willingness of mmhmm, local assets that might be more poised to aid us? Apologies, Centurion, but our magical abilities just don''t have the punch we''d need for¡ª" Faira paused, gesturing to the now fully reformed slab with a wing, "all of that¡­ gods, it''s not even just protecting the stone, we couldn''t even see through the enchantment which tells me that the complexity behind that monstrosity could have been the life''s work of a mage talented in the art without the reliance of cards. I would need another thirty legion magi to overwhelm it, based on what I saw, and imperium only knows how long it would take to actually crack the damned thing¡­"


    "So what about dispelling it?"


    "Easy!" The veteran chirped with a merry smile, "Just supply me with another three or four mages with an experience similar to my own and give us a week to a month and¡ª"


    "You think comedy appropriate right now?"


    "Always! But I''m neither joking nor trying to exaggerate."


    Bianca just growled deeply in her throat, the sound coming out as genuine frustration. She wanted into that room. Not just because duty demanded it, but if there was something back there her people could use, it would save the lives of countless of her fellow soldiers. It didn''t even need to be said that she was all but convinced of the importance of the temple. This enchantment was all the proof needed. But how was she to overwhelm it? For a time, she chewed on her lip, considering the issue for what it was. The stone''s regenerative properties were the big issue she could see. With the thing capable of just reforming itself, it felt as though any efforts were frankly futile. Yet, she wasn''t sure if they were out of options¡­


    "Can you and your team bury the slab''s dust rather than just push it away?"


    Faira seemed to consider this for a moment, her head tilting slightly as her gaze drifted away from the enchanted barrier and towards the youths in her mage core with a considering look. While all legion accredited in their studies, the mages, much like her normal soldiers, weren''t bloodied, but that didn''t mean they weren''t talented. After a few lingering moments, the veteran curtly nodded her head, voice sharp as a lash. "Start opening the stone down the steps but away from our path of retreat! I want separate chambers!" She specified, already corraling those under her command as the woman''s contingent moved to her designs. "Beckie! You''re on sealing duty! When we fill a chamber and hold enough debris within, you close it!"


    "Yes, ma''am!"


    As her mages worked, Bianca eyed the indicator of the golem''s magic, noting it was getting close to full by the time they had created several pits just outside the temple, sweat beading at many of their brows.


    "We begin again!" Bianca called, her weary mage core nodding to her demands, Faira standing straight amidst them all, a manic gleam of interest in her dark eyes.


    Again, the machines began pulverizing the stone, the same as before. All of them start off at the top and work their way down. Interestingly, the stone did not react as it had previously, the enchantment''s regeneration starting off slow and at a meandering pace meandering.


    "It''s a way for it to preserve its integrity!" Faira announced, seeming to be overtly fascinated by the barrier, even as she began collecting the dust and sending it off to her forces. "The more it''s damaged, the more it draws on its power source! Ensure we have what we are able to secure properly sealed before it is halfway destroyed, that is when it began fighting our efforts in earnest!"


    There was a chorus of acknowledging calls from those working near the pits. Bianca simply allowed her veteran to do as her job entailed. Instead, she herself moved to start marching along the length of her soldiers, barking as though they faced down a visible foe that was slowly emerging from the treeline. "Ready yourselves! Shields locked! I don''t want a step surrendered! Whatever shows face, it will grind itself against our wall! You''ll come back as heroes for this, lads! Mark my words, if we discover something here, there will be glory for all!" Bianca smiled at the anticipatory cheer that rose up through her ranks, the Centurion exuding a sense of confidence that whatever they might find would stand as little more than a bump in the road for her forces and made sure her soldiers knew that.


    The sound of shifting rock heralded the first of the pits being filled. Bianca watched as the automatons burned near to the middle of the barrier and then passed it, gasps and grunts emerging from her mages who, suddenly, found the dust they were trying to seal away grow much livelier than it had previously been! Still, while beams were dispatched to keep the upper portions of the enchantment worn down, only a comparative few were needed while the rest could maintain their brutal and efficient siege.


    "It''s working!" Faira announced, the glee in her voice clear for all to hear! "Don''t you dare fail your legion and empire! If I catch even a single man or woman taking a break, you''ll be on equipment duty for a month!"


    Bianca''s heart began to quicken once more as the barrier was reduced to but a quarter of its size, the stone slab shrinking further and further! Disappearing as its physical existence was stolen away and buried! The golems'' gleaming beams, again, started to sputter as, one by one, the automatons seemed to start taking turns while preserving their magic. The process again seemed to halve in speed, Faira''s mages all but panting at her back as they truly struggled to wrangle what small bundles of forcefully compacted dust there were¡­


    "The fucking thing is a hell of a fighter¡­" Korvil murmured, much to the agreement of those around him¡­


    Yet, despite how desperately it battled against them, the final remnants of the slab were successfully sealed away, the last beam from her borrowed golems winking out as the inky darkness that was hidden behind the rock simply waited with ominous intensity¡­ The darkness practically seemed to scream at them in fury and rage! Hateful as much as it was infuriated and malicious.


    "Your thoughts?" Bianca asked, not needing to look at the veteran mage who moved to stand beside her as they both stared into the darkness together...


    "It should run out of magic soon." The woman breathed, voice laced with moderate exhaustion herself. "No enchantment that strong has an infinite supply of magic. It''s why it regenerated in the first place! Without those automatons all but disintegrating it, I dare say anyone else would have had a damned hard time getting through it."


    So saying, the darkness almost seemed to intensify for a brief moment, the gloom pulsing with energy, the shadows creeping outwards, as though trying to physically search for the stone and drag it back, a sound nearing a whining hiss filling the air before a crack like thunder erupted! And, just like that, the darkness appeared to shatter like glass. So many of its inky and shard-like pieces clattered to the floor in a shower of noise that caused one''s spine to squirm with dismay! Bianca felt her breath hitch as the room beyond the veil was revealed to her, every muscle in her body tensing as if to prepare for¡ªsomething.


    The room beyond the stone was¡ªsmall. Its width and height were no greater than the slab itself, and in its depths was a single floating orb of roiling and pale light. It almost seemed to buck and leap with ever-increasing fervour, the shading of its surface slowly darkening as Bianca felt a sudden surge of premonitory fear! The orb transitioned to a near cloudy and stormy grey, then¡ªblack¡­


    "Brace yourselves!" She roared, summoning her armament and raising the shield to cover herself, but a heartbeat before a delicate chink and crunch filled the air, the orb bursting and filling the world with shadow!


    Darkness consumed Bianca as it flooded into the corridor and beyond, passing over and around her person as a tangible beat of something beyond her understanding seemed to stir through existence itself! The crawling dark spread across every observable surface of stone around them, her legionnaires crying out in dismay and confusion, their nerves all but broken. Yet, as the moments lingered and nothing seemed to happen, Bianca found herself perplexed... Slowly, she lowered her shield, glancing around to see the world starting to revert to normal, the queer and ominous shade that had seemed to dim existence slowly vanishing to the ether¡­


    She found herself blinking in mild confusion, looking behind herself to see if there was anything noteworthy that had changed¡­ anything at all¡­ And yet¡­ for all she could see, not a thing was amiss! The centurion half wondered what had even happened until the moment her ears twitched, picking up the sound of slight shifting emanating from the room on her left. Jerking, Bianca''s eyes fixated on sight, her gaze locking onto one of the multitudes of the dead as it abruptly lurched upright, eyes dark as the void itself, crackling veins of pulsating abyssal hue continuing to snake their way about the body faster and faster as she stared!


    "Seal the chamber!" Bianca roared as she backed into her place at their formation, her mages rushing to either side to begin sealing the temple entry!


    Hateful glee seemed to laugh from every crevice where shadows danced as if delighted and alive! The screeching tenor of howling abominations echoed throughout the hall!. Bianca, her heart hammering against her ribs, retreated with her legionnaires, the automatons forming a vanguard of steel and light against the tide of nightmares that began hurling themselves into the hallway with primitive abandon! The air crackled with the raw power of Faira''s magic as the stone wall rose with agonizing slowness, each inch seeming to move at the speed of as if to spite their attempts to form the stone!


    "Somethings interfering with my magic!" The mage warned, her voice calm but laced with an undertone of dread and noteworthy despair! "It''s not moving like I want it!"


    Just seal the fucking door!" Bianca shouted again, snarling as she barked at her soldiers. "And hold the fucking line! Nothing gets through until the mages are done!"


    The creatures that surged from the chambers to the dogpile. The handful of golems that remained within were unlike any Bianca had ever witnessed. They moved with unnatural speed and ferocity, their bodies twisted and contorted, faces locked in grotesque parodies of agony and rage. Some crawled on all fours, limbs elongated and tipped with fiendish claws.


    Others shambled upright, screeching as they shuffled forwards, their flesh sloughing off in strips of liquid darkness that pooled around them, summoning more creatures that rose from the stone itself to join the chaotic mele that exploded into motion as the hall filled with bodies! And the eyes, oh, the eyes¡­ Bianca felt her guts twist at the empty, soulless pits of absolute darkness that seemed to drink in the light, glossy like pitch black marbles of fathomless depths¡­


    One such creature, its jaw unhinged and dripping with viscous shadow, lunged at Bianca through the entry, its scream a symphony of shattered sanity and mindlessness! Bianca slammed her shield into its chest with a resonating hum that rang through the room, the impact reverberating through her bones! The creature was sent hurtling back into the mosh, disappearing, but only for a seeming moment before an identical nightmare lunged in its place! Its claws raked across the polished metal of her shield, leaving behind hissing trails of black ichor that dripped and began bubbling at her feet!


    "Fuck! Kill them before they spawn! Keep ranks! Hold the fucking line!"


    Her legionnaires, their discipline ingrained through countless battles, obeyed without question. Their tight defensive wall smashed out against any creature that escaped through the gap. Blue flashes of magical force sent the nightmares flying into the senseless melee that saw the automatons spinning like glowing tops of death! Shields interlocked, spears were thrust forward, the rhythmic grunting and heaving filling the air as more and more creatures dove at their line! Pounding at the presented wall without a single thought within their minds beyond a searing hatred for all life before them!


    But even with their unwavering discipline, they were losing ground. The sheer volume of bodies throwing themselves through the closing hole, their relentless assault, it was quickly overwhelming them! For everyone that fell, two more seemed to take its place, clawing and biting with frenzied hunger! The air grew thick with the stench of decay and the acrid bite of ozone as mana burned and was converted to Faira''s will!


    A legionnaire at her side screamed as a creature slashed her on the hand! Her fellows yanked her from the front as she howled with unreasonable agony for the comparative wound she''d received, but Bianca hadn''t the time to focus on others. Her spear swept through the ranks of things that were assailing them, their bodies flesh but immune to pain and ignorant of injury besides!


    Yet, the blows of her strongest legionnaires sent the foe scattering back towards the temple as enchanted spears blew creatures backwards, splattering them, bisecting them and destroying their bodies in violent eruptions of rotting gore that pasted the temple walls! Yet, with each decayed body felled, shades rose to take their place, howling like banshees as they flew back towards the line of legionnaires like the vengeful dead!


    "Explosive arrows only! Suppress the opening!" Fendal screamed, Bianca, breathing a momentary sigh of relief as the onslaught and press of bodies immediately lessened, a staccato of thrumming bows creating an unending stream of enchanted arrows that violently exploded within the small chamber just beyond the rising slab!


    "Keep at it, lads! We''re winning this!" She bellowed, grinning, even as her magical armaments failed, vanishing to the void, her normal weapons appearing in her hands with a flash of darkness; a ragged cheer erupted from her forces as morale firmed and the stream of¡ªthings stemmed to a slow trickle.


    The momentary reprieve granted by the explosive arrows was a blessing, but Bianca knew this wasn''t done... The stench of decay was palatable on her tongue, the air heavy with the miasma of death. It clung to the back of her throat, a taste like rancid meat and shit...


    "The wall! How much longer?" She demanded over the din, glancing sidelong at the mages, their faces illuminated by the flickering light of their weaving magic.


    "Almost there, Centurion!" Faira grunted, voice rasping and exhausted, strained further than she''d ever heard it with exertion.


    But even as she spoke, the ground trembled, a low, guttural moan, unlike the likes of shrieking hatred that wailed as endless cries, splitting the air with a terrible rumble that shifted stone and caused fragments of the ceiling to fall from above! The creatures, as if sensing a change, redoubled their efforts, their attacks becoming more frenzied, more desperate. The undead abominations that the tricen had transformed their own flesh into seemed to almost plug the breech like they were attempting to stifle Faira''s progress! Inky shadow began to leak en mass from the ever-shrinking gap, beginning to pool at the entrance in a swirling vortex of darkness that began taking the shape of an enormous monstrosity that rose on two legs!


    "You¡­" It whispered, voice crawling with the scratch and hiss of ten thousand centipedes crawling in the back of her mind! "Too soon! You''ll ruin it; you''ll ruin everything!"


    Suddenly, the form solidified into the shape of a distorted thing with too many tendrils and abstract faces, eyes seeming to glow with eldrich energy! Bianca''s forces screamed as they dropped to their knees and fell from the sky! Blood pouring from their eyes and ears! As the entity swept the room before itself with a single gaze!


    Bianca felt the immense weight of the creature''s stare nearly drove her to madness! The whispers scratching at her every thought! Gnawing on them! Hissing and shouting until they flooded her brain to the point she couldn''t even speak! The assault sending her staggering! The world spun! Existence tilted on its side as she fought to push back the mental intrusion in her mind!


    "Don''t despair, child of our greatest foe! You shall join us! Rejoice! The abyss calls, and it is glorious!"


    Her heart pounding against her ribs, Bianca¡ªshrieked, Crawling backwards on hands and hooves, eyes wide and bloodshot as the entity laughed and cackled with hissing delight! The darkness in the corner of her vision swallowed everything around her to the beating pulse of her racing heart! Her mind was right upon the cusp of eternity itself before hands grabbed at her armour and heaved her away! Korvil and one of his archers hauling their Centurion from the front lines where those that had stood with her writhed in silent distress, no longer possessing the air for their desperate wails!


    "Retreat!" Korvil boomed, "Retreat to the tunnels! Fly, you fuckers! For your lives!"


    All around them, survivors from the contact with the strange creature took to the sky, a mere half of those only moments before fighting the undead hoard, mages, archers, the rearmost ranks of the shield wall¡­ All flapped their wings in practiced formation, appearing to almost leap backwards, reforming into a new wall, even as those with bows slung them for their spears.


    "Faira! What''s wrong with the Centurion?"


    "I¡ªI don''t know!" The mage stammered, landing beside the centuries second as she immediately took to examining her. "Give me time; I need time!"


    "We don''t have time¡­" The man growled, his voice rising a moment later with cold steel. "Fighting retreat! Back up the fucking tunnel! You break ranks, you die! Hold the line; you live! It''s simple imperial doctrine, legionnaires! Now, march!"


    "Aye, sir!" Came the ragged cry of those who remained, fear tinging each and every one of their voices, bodies remembering better than minds how to hold themselves as the procession rapidly advanced¡ªin a backward direction. The clamour and shift of their armour drowning out the distant dead that pounded at the barrier of stone.


    A voice, less a sound and more a violation of the soul wormed its way into their minds as the legionnaires fell back, arms shivering at the chaotic howls that followed them. And yet, the words were calm, soft even, each one spoken as though rasping in the ear of each person who heard it like a sibilant whisper that promised oblivion¡­ "Hmhmhmhmh¡­ Flee, little rats," it hissed, a triumphant grin bleeding through its hateful amusement. "Scurry and scuttle in the dark. It makes no difference¡­ The abyss sees all, consumes all¡­ This world is not yours. It is ours, by right of blood and bone! And you shall not have it while we still stand! Prepare yourselves if you can¡­ our lord stirs, and he hungers for those who have wronged us¡­ Now, Rise¡­ Rise my brothers and sisters in death! Rise from your forgotten graves! Serve again! Seek your vengeance, and cleanse this world in your fury!"

 The second domino.

    Chapter 24


    Arthur sat in his living room, leg bouncing with restless energy. Benny standing nearby, casting and filtering the myriad of visual viewpoints of his automatons. His jaw was clenched while he darted from display to display, unable to help himself but jerk his gaze this way and that every single time he thought something shifted in the darkness¡­


    "As much as I hate to say it, lord, you need to stop watching."


    "I can''t¡­"


    "You can and should." Benny countered. "Your erratic behaviour, rapid heart rate and perspiration all indicate that you will not be of a sound mind if and when¡ª"


    "Benny?"


    "Yes, my lord?"


    "Please just let me watch the damned recordings, will you? Ugh! I can''t believe I actually sent Tulla down there!"


    "It was a sound decision, lord!"


    "I know it was! Benny, I know¡­ You don''t need to coddle me! I know what I did and why I did it. That doesn''t mean I can''t be frustrated at my own¡ªlunacy!" Arthur rose, seething, his legs already sending him into motion as he stalked passed the furniture, nerves right at the cusp of breaking. "How many drones are in production?"


    "The same as last time, lord¡­ Our capacity hasn''t changed¡­"


    Arthur just glared at his butler, not at all appreciating the snark¡ªthough admittedly, while the words were meant to bite, the tone hadn''t. He was right, of course¡­ both he and the AI. Arthur couldn''t help but feel like he''d betrayed his daughter by letting her join the expedition just as he knew it had been his best play. It wasn''t like it was confirmed that there was any danger! It was just anxiety! All proof pointed towards everything being potentially fine! At worst, they''d find Bianca''s forces doing¡ªsomething that, well¡­ might explain why they hadn''t come back! Benny was right. He didn''t need to be freaking out¡­


    Heck, he hadn''t even started additional production of his machines. The automatons that were currently in the process of being built had merely been part of his initiative to keep strengthening his forces! He needed to level himself out. Needed to regulate and calm down. Needed¡ªbooze¡­ No! Not booze. Not until everything was okay¡­


    "Christ, I wasn''t nearly this jittery before Tulla went down there¡­. Benny, what the hell is happening to me, man?"


    "My professional opinion based on what little I understand about the medical pracices?"


    "Sure! Yeah, let''s ugh, let''s hear it!"


    "You might be suffering a small panic attack, lord. Like as not due to your inability to properly reconcile your decision to send Tulla with the rescue party."


    "Not a rescue party!" Arthur hissed, rounding on the butler before pausing, swallowing and taking a deep breath¡­ "Not a rescue party until we know something bad has happened!"


    "As you say, lord. However, the fact remains the same. You are agitated."


    "Did I do the right thing?"


    "By which potential metric?"


    "The¡ªbloody anything! Did I screw this up? Should I have kept Tulla with me?"


    "I''d wager that''s not so black and white as you might assume it¡­" Benny intoned, taking a small preparatory breath as he continued. "From a strictly parental way of looking at things by your people''s standard. Yes, your actions can be construed as horrendously irresponsible."


    Arthur groaned, one of his hands rubbing down his face while he glanced back at the butler, almost wanting to be chastised¡­


    "Yet," the man added, lifting but a single finger to forestall his master''s voice, "If we look at things in a comparative light, I would say that the young Tulla is better prepared to endure any possible trials when pitted against any other''s in the recovery party. Strictly based on the data I''ve compiled on how I suspect the villagers would perform in battle. If anything, I would tell you this. Nobody has the answers you''re looking for. However, you''ve done what you could with what you have. And I would even take it a step further and inquire as to whether you believed the girl would have remained here under your demand to do so. And if you could even stop her if she refused."


    "That doesn''t help! I mean, it does, thank you Benny¡­ But it doesn''t make me feel better about any of this!"


    "Then that is merely something you must deal with! I''m not a therapist, lord, but neither is the echo chamber of your own mind healthy. If there is a crisis that arises, your daughter, and your brother and sister-in-law, not to mention niece, will require you to be better than you normally are, not worse."


    Arthur nodded at that, his hand shaking at his side before he clenched it. Swallowing hard as he did so. Benny was right. No surprise there¡­ Who knew how many simulations the machine was running to try and discern the best way to snap him from his current state. He hadn''t even felt this bizarre and blind-siding anticipation until he''d watched Tulla enter the cavern. Then, as if a switch had flipped, everything had changed¡­ His perspective, his confidence, damned blood pressure!


    He needed to rediscover his balance. Needed to find a modicum of conviction in the situation and his actions. Of course, it was easy to just say that was what he was going to do, but¡­ Yeah¡­


    Arthur shook himself, much like a dog dislodging water; he did his best to divest himself of the spiral of distress¡­ What could he do? He needed something, anything. Build more bots? Well, on his own, he''d add¡ªwhat? Less than ten percent of the total capacity to output? He had twenty damned printers in the basement spewing out automatons like it was the end of the world!


    Heck, by the time he got down there, the latest batch would probably already be crawling away and replaced with the next ones. He knew by way of empirical evidence that he was not in the least bit as fast as the printers were, so it would be a make-work project at best¡­


    Go¡ªmake something in the kitchen for when they all get back? No, again, it was just busy work¡­ he wouldn''t be helping with anything¡­ not doing something with meaning that pertain to the situation¡­ He could always head back to Kaitrice and drag Dianna back with him but, if something happened then, he needed to be here!


    Moreover, finding the woman amidst the truly massive market would be an exercise in madness. He had no way to actually call her like he might back on earth, which was honestly immensely annoying when he stopped to think about it! Arthur¡ªneeded to find a solution to that. Maybe he could just make his own version of cell phones¡­ He could give one to all the usual suspects. Dianna, of course, Tulla, Cassie, Tavir¡­ probably not Bianca for obvious reasons, but¡­


    A sudden beep caused Arthur to snap from his thoughts, head fixating on the display that was monitoring the golems that he''d agreed to let the centurion take with her. One of the lights representing an active transponder had just winked out¡­


    He found his eyes darting to Benny, who, while not saying a word, appeared to softly chew at his lip. Arthur himself was just about to question if he knew anything when three more blips extinguished in quick succession! Then, another three! Arthur felt his heart drop right into the pit of his guts as he stared at what was happening with a rapidly rising alarm! The rest of his machines seemed to just disappear by ones and twos until the very last light vanished from sight¡­


    "Benny?"


    "I''ve no information yet, lord. The Relay unit hasn''t yet made proper contact for low-band data transfer¡­"


    "You''ve got to be shitting me¡­"


    "I am not."


    Arthur pulled at his hair! Practically seething as he took two steps towards the hollow displays, paused, and eyed a nearby wall as though to smash his head against it before he inevitably kicked a nearby table, sending it flying!


    "There is something fucking going on down there! Fuck! Okay¡­. Alright¡­ I want you to send confirmation of a possible danger."


    "Done."


    Arthur blinked, nodded, then found himself slipping into a sort of familiar relaxation¡­ He always had worked well under direct pressure, and now that it was mounting and with a visible point of contention, it was almost immediately easier to focus his thoughts. The whirling insanity that had been his prior mindscape settled, and within a minute, he finally had an idea of what he wanted to do. He was going down there. He was going to have Benny help him design a god''s damned mech suit, and he was going down there to¡ª


    "Scurry and scuttle in the dark. It makes no difference¡­ The abyss sees all, consumes all¡­ This world is not yours. It is ours, by right of blood and bone. And you shall not have it while we still stand! Prepare yourselves if you can¡­ our lord stirs, and he hungers for those who have wronged us¡­ Now, Rise¡­ Rise my brothers and sisters in death! Rise from your forgotten graves! Serve again! Seek your vengeance; cleanse this world in your fury!"


    Arthur¡ªpaused. Standing there, mouth half ajar as if to speak before the cloying whispers began scratching at the back of his mind, words not his own nor any sort of thought originating from his own consciousness wriggled through the very fabric of his existence, every hair on his neck standing on end¡­


    "What the hell was that?" He whispered, his body twitching backwards as though he''d just been slapped!


    "What was¡ªwhat?"


    "That! That¡­ voice, the words you, you didn''t hear that?"


    Benny merely stared at him for several long moments before his usually calm eyes began widening with each beat of Arthur''s trepidation, the AI''s face looking almost haunted before he erupted with movement!


    "Lord! We have an issue!"


    "Damn right, we have an issue! I just heard a freaking voice in my¡ª"


    "Lord, please, there are larger concerns! The compound and the village appear to be under attack!"


    Again, Arthur just blinked, the whiplash of events having him utterly paralyzed with confusion¡­ "Attack?"


    "An unknown force of¡ªcreatures seems to have emerged from¡­ well, the details are spotty from where they''ve come from, lord; however, they appear to be partially decomposed bodies that¡­"


    "Zombies?"


    "Not the word I''d use to describe what I''m seeing¡­ Lord, they seem to be swarming the area and are currently being eliminated with extreme prejudice by the defence force."


    So saying, a new series of screens emerged wherein Arthur was left to gaze at a scene straight out of stories! Dozens of Chuck''s spydrones were capturing the insanity that was taking place outside as automatons lurched into action! Moving at speeds none would likely ever believe them capable, tightening their perimeter while simultaneously diverting small parties of the plains roamers to combat a screaming army that felt as though it just dropped out of the sky!


    There were hundreds of emaciated and grotesque shapes that were screeching like dying animals! Moving without reason or explanation and throwing themselves at anything that moved!


    His machines mowed them down in great swaths, but Arthur watched several small formations quickly overwhelmed and torn apart by the berserk fiends, which flowed over their own numbers, scrabbling on hands and legs to fall upon whatever they could find!


    He could already see Chuck reevaluating his troop''s movements, pulling away, moving while fighting, sending sacrificial scouts to distract while the large war machines obliterated the nightmares by the dozens with each glaring sweep! Still, they were legion as they kept rising from the ground, seeping from the soil, growing in ever greater numbers that had Arthur''s understanding of the situation quickly make the leap from uncertain to outright concerned¡­


    "What of the villagers?"


    "Estimates are that there have been several deaths already. Those who were quick on the uptake have already begun sounding the alarm. Thankfully, the settlement is built off the ground and, as of yet, it does not appear as though the spire has yet been infiltrated. The bulk of the creatures seem preoccupied with the automatons lord."


    "Shit¡­ fuck! What the hell is going on?" Arthur laughed, throwing his hands up in the air at the sheer insanity of it all! "Don''t bother with that one, estimated numbers?"


    "Several hundred, growing by the second. And it would seem as though the creatures have just discovered a way into the settlement. They are rushing a small coalition of defenders as we speak!"


    Arthur didn''t hesitate; he simply spared one final look for the AI before tearing a rift in reality with his mind, stepping through the portal to appear on Tavir and Cassandra''s back deck. At once, the cacophony of screams that had been insulated from reaching him made his brain want to crawl out from his skull and bury itself in the ground! The hideous sounds of distorted hatred caused his legs to lock up until he snarled and forced himself to move!


    The door burst outward, slamming against the frame as Arthur pushed out onto the platform, the dull wood bang swallowed by the clamour of battle. The platform, a hub for the fabricated housing pods, almost seemed to tremble and flutter... His eyes snapped towards the public stairwell as shouts, war cries, and the chittering screeches of the monsters echoed from within its winding depths, a chilling prelude to what was in store for all those taking refuge in the spire. All around the tower, Bal filled the air, a black tide of their own surging upwards from the lower levels as they escaped their homes, their leathery wings beating frantically as they rose. They congested the air, driven by an instinctual fear, flying for the highest point available for escape.


    Arthur sprinted towards the stairwell, his heart drumming against his chest. The sight that greeted him was no surprise, yet still sent a shiver down his spine. Barely visible in the gloom of the lower levels, a dozen figures fought with the desperate fury of the cornered. Zog, a mountain of a man whose very presence seemed to almost fill the space around him, led the defence.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    His spear, crackling with unnatural energy, lashed out in rapid jabs, each thrust sending a monstrosity spiralling backwards, their inky bodies splattering or crunching as they disappeared. But for every creature felled, three more clawed their way over the bodies of the fallen. The tide of nightmares was relentless, an unending wave crashing against the fragile bulwark of Bal resistance. It wasn''t a battle; it was a desperate holding action against an inevitable flood¡­


    "Fall back! Next floor!" Zog''s voice boomed, a thunderclap amidst the flurry. "On my command, push, then fly! Ready! Push!"


    With a roar that rattled the bones, Zog and those around him unleashed a coordinated sweep of their spears, carving a momentary and blinding pocket of space in the seething mass. Wings snapped open, catching the wind and lifting them in a desperate ascent. Arthur watched, his stomach twisting, the chilling realization dawning¡ªhe was no longer a spectator in all of this. The fight was already upon him¡­


    The first of the creatures that followed them, its clawed feet scrabbling for purchase on the stone stairs, launched itself at the reforming line. A familiar woman immediately met the creature mid-air with her spear, sending it hurtling back into the churning mass below.


    "We can''t hold this!" Liasa''s voice called, her words strained with exertion! Her spear blazed with azure light as three more creatures nearly popped under its touch. But even as she fought, a smaller, more agile creature, its eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence, sprang at her face. Liasa reacted with brutal efficiency, a headbutt that sent the creature flying, as much instinctual as it was frantic. But the victory was short-lived. A piercing shriek ripped through the air, and Liasa stumbled, clutching her face, a grotesque, pulsating lesion formed from the point of impact. Her body convulsed, wracked by agonizing spasms, as a parasitic corruption burrowed into her flesh!


    "Fuck! Fuck! Bart! Take her to the higher platform!"


    "How?"


    "With your fucking wings, you big bastard!"


    Yet, even as the defenders screamed at each other and their foes, more and more of the villagers seemed to push themselves into their wall, reinforcing it and splattering whatever came near with what Arthur could only assume was some sort of enchanted spear.


    He, of course, hadn''t been idle. And while it perhaps wasn''t very smart, he''d rushed back into Tavir and Cassandra''s home to start forming a weapon he could actually use! He tossed everything and anything he could into its hypothetical existence to push it along! And was running right back outside with the unwieldy creation with perhaps just a touch of manic glee in his gaze!


    Arthur ran right up to the edge of the opening, hearing a number of confused and concerned shouts for him to get back before he held down on the trigger and unleashed a veritable cataclysm of flames upon the dozens of howling monsters! His entire world came alive with fire and heat that singed his eyebrows and beard as a gout of violent flames spilled over the creatures, causing their screams to grow louder and incoherently maddened until nothing but flames remained!


    Struggling against the recoil, he pulsed the weapon twice more, two additional brilliant torrents of wet and sticky fire bursting from the weapon''s nozzle while the stairwell filled with so much fire that the creatures seemed to just melt away as they passed through¡­ When he was sure no more would break through the napalm, at least for the moment, he turned and pushed the weapon at the first Bal in his path.


    "Take it, don''t aim it at friends, and hold this part here when you want something to burn."


    The man nodded his head. Arthur thought his name was Jerimiah, but he really didn''t have the time. None of them did. Still, the man glanced a single time at Zog, an entire conversation passing between them in that single look before them man took the flamethrower, handing his spear and shield to another nearby.


    "The corruption''s spreading!" A woman shouted, staring down at Liasa as she writhed on the floor, none willing to come too near to her as dark veins began pushing to the surface of her flesh!


    Arthur immediately had a sinking suspicion, even as shouts filled the air as another wave of creatures did their best to push through the flames, the weight of numbers forcing those at the front to move through the conflagration! Several roars of raging fire filled his ears as the scorched howls of the nightmarish creatures threatened to drown out his own thoughts¡­ All the same, Arthur wasn''t going to play around with this¡­


    He''d seen enough zombie movies to know how this next part went. It might not be the same thing as, slowly, the monstrosities seemed to almost be replaced by inky creatures that made little sense to the mind as he stared, but there was clearly an infection, and it was spreading fast¡­ He had no idea how to treat her, had no idea if he could help her! He wasn''t a doctor, let alone a surgeon, and he didn''t have the time or resources to make himself one!


    So, he did all he could for her¡­ "Benny¡­" He growled through his command device, the small module coming to life in his left eye as a small image of the butler''s face appeared. "How soon can you have an underground and secure contamination cell built? One that can hold a Bal.


    "At the earliest? Assuming this is a matter of importance to you, ten minutes."


    "That long?" Arthur hissed, dumbfounded as he watched Liasa suddenly stiffen, her screams reaching a fevered pitch before her arching body collapsed, eerily silent as she continued to twitch and in unconsciousness¡­


    "She''ll be fully befouled in under thirty minutes¡­" Barthalamu stated, moving to stand beside Arthur as he stared down at his comrade, expression hard as stone. "Then, she''ll turn into one of those things¡­ Justicars only know where they all came from¡­ She needs a healer!"


    "Your decision, lord?" Benny asked in his ear, Arthur struggling with the two conversations and the chaos of it all before he took a breath.


    "Built it, Benny, make sure it''s magic proof, I don''t care how it happens."


    "As you will, lord."


    "Who are you talking to?"


    "My house," Arthur grunted, meeting the large Bal''s eye, wherein a momentary flicker of confusion passed. "Don''t worry about it. Do you have a healer?"


    "No, that''s a legion card. Cassandra can do it, but she''s gone with the others¡­"


    "Do you have a cooking card?" Arthur demanded, looking at the man who slowly nodded his head, now growing visibly uncertain as Arhtur''s hand shot out with expectation.


    Barthalamu grunted, reached for his chest, and the card in question materialized through a sparkle of golden radiance, Arthur taking it before glancing back at the fight where, again, the monsters were being held at bay.


    "Don''t let me die while I do this."


    "Die?"


    Yet, Arthur was already in his strange space. The fog crept in on all sides as he reset the card, pushed his desires on it and, as fast as he was able, returned with the first thing he could think to make: a magical corruption cleanser!


    He shoved at the other man, who glanced at it, heavy brows furrowing as he did so.


    "Go take her to the others, tell them what that is, then collect as many spare cards from them all as you can! Don''t worry about the cost, I''ll replace them. Just upgrade it and save anyone who can be recovered!"


    "Right¡­ Zog! I''m taking Liasa up to the top! Send any others that get nicked my way, yeah?"


    "Right!"


    "Art! Got any more of those fire slingers?"


    "Give me a minute!" Arthur called back, running to Cassandra''s home again to raid the poor woman''s domicile for anything and everything he could scavenge.


    Chuck was not having a good time. Rather, he was beside himself! The sheer mass of data he was having to process was, quite frankly, both unreasonable and entirely unexpected! The enemy force that had, for all practical purposes, risen from the ground within his projected perimeter, catching him as flatfooted as could be! Yet, he was winning this.


    The initial clash had been a brutal lesson. Chuck''s spider-like automatons, designed for speed and precision, were overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity of the abyssal nightmares. Their razor-sharp claws and senseless disinterest in their own safety proved devastating in close combat, tearing through the lighter automatons like tissue paper. But Chuck learned quickly. He pulled back his skirmishers, re-forming them into a bristling line of concentrated firepower!


    Now, the battlefield brightened with bursts of energy! Beams of blinding orange death lanced out from the bots'' abdomens, carving burning trenches through the swarming horde. The air crackled with the stench of ozone and burning flesh as the nightmares shrieked and burned away, their shadowy forms briefly writhing before collapsing into inert dust. Heavy warbots, their metallic bodies gleaming, formed a bulwark against the tide.


    Their plasma cannons roaring, unleashing blasts of superheated energy that vaporized entire clusters of nightmares, leaving smoking craters in the pocked earth, even as their own beams obliterated all in their path! The heavy machines spinning in a whirlwind of decapitation and bisection, gleaming blades shredding the nightmares as they came too close!


    However, the foe was relentless. They surged forward, wave after wave of writhing tentacles and snapping maws. One particularly large monstrosity, its body a pulsating mass of eyes and teeth, slammed into a warbot, its tentacles coiling around the machine''s legs! The automaton staggered, its cannons firing wildly as it flailed, but the nightmare held fast. With a sickening crunch, it tore off one of the warbot''s legs, sending sparks flying in all directions, bouncing off metal and shadow alike!


    Just as it lunged for the exposed core, a volley of brilliant beams slammed into its flank, severing several tentacles that detached with whipping inky blood. It bellowed, eyes burning with vicious fury, but it was too late. Two more warbots converged, heavy stomps shaking the earth, their cannons firing point-blank and obliterating the creature in unrelenting flashes of power!


    Elsewhere, a group of smaller scouts, their legs whirring, executed a bold flanking maneuver, scuttling through the carnage, weaving between the legs of the larger machines, and unleashing a concentrated barrage of fire into the side of the nightmarish onslaught. Caught off guard, the creatures shrieked and turned, their shadowy forms dissolving into smaller, more agile entities as if to match the scouts. But Chuck was ready.


    He''d anticipated this after seeing it enough times, and as the shadowy entities reformed, a net of cross-firing beams erupted from the spider-bots, trapping them in an enclosure of searing light! The creatures writhed and wailed, their forms flickering before finally fading into nothingness¡­ Several more such teams of automatons began to hem the creatures in wherever they could.


    The tide was turning. Though the creatures continued to press their attack, their numbers were dwindling. Chuck''s precise calculations and adaptive tactics were proving effective. He was winning, but he was unwilling to let up on the gas quite yet. The air remained thick with the stench of death, and the ground was littered with the remnants of both sides. The relentless barrage of energy continued; Chuck was determined to exterminate this latest and perhaps first real threat to the responsibility entrusted to him.


    Still, when Benny alerted him to the fact that their primary user had decided to portal right into the danger zone, the small robot wanted to scream! Wasn''t his work hard enough without that idiot getting himself killed?


    Ugh¡­ sometimes, Chuck questioned why it was that he couldn''t simply build a giant and secure box to lock everyone inside, one where they''d be safe and sound, all their needs taken care of by Benny¡­ All the same, the AI immediately deviated some of his artillery units to fly towards the settlement. Partitioning his mind to create a sub-routine to protect his foolhardy master. Their presence wouldn''t be missed much; it would definitely skew his certainties of effective combat uptime for his units, but not nearly enough to threaten the win.


    It was time to hammer the bastards and put them down for good! Thus, Chuck began his meandering encirclement, starting to close in at the sides until the process became almost exponential! The AI was able to divert more and more units to break away from the central conflict and push into other areas where he could begin cleaning up this haphazard mess¡­ His confidence all but assured!


    Right until the moment a rather concerning blip on his scans alerted him to movement to the south that only seemed to grow in numbers until fresh panic spread throughout his processors! That wasn''t good! Not good at all! Fast as he was able, Cuck alerted his primary user to the threat, along with a list of recommendations on how he should get the fuck out of dodge! The plucky machine already recalling as many units as it could to begin forming a ragged second line of defence¡­


    Kilk stood on the third platform of the spire, organizing those who hadn''t yet descended to join the fighting. Some were being sent out on surveys to identify if any survivors remained, and others were helping settle the young and care for those wounded that they''d taken into the town that had joined Bianca''s century to make the journey. He wasn''t sure what exactly was going on, yet the Tricen had evidently managed something of a nasty trick¡­ These creatures, the abyssal beasts as those that had faced them referred to such miserable things, had all but swarmed the world below¡­


    There had to be hundreds upon hundreds of bodies that were down there, throwing themselves on the wizard''s golems. Of which were rather neatly cleaving the buggers for their efforts. He''d of laughed if they hadn''t lost so many¡­


    The reports were already in¡­ Drulla and Robert were missing and presumed dead after being seen swarmed. Cole had survived, but nobody knew where his sister Welenda was¡­ Oxton had succumbed to an ambush while working nearer the forest. The same with Allice, Jasper and old Grump¡­ All of them were taken by surprise during the initial minutes. It had happened fast, but already, he felt as though the hump was already behind them.


    With the golems below wreaking havoc on the miserable beasts and a solid line of veterans who, thank the gods, still had their enchanted spears, they were safe for the moment. Though a barricade was already being erected to plug the stairwell with whatever could be found¡­


    "Fucking hell! Stop throwing things down here!"


    Kilk twitched a fraction, turning towards the familiar but ragged voice as those in the process of tossing beds and other assorted furniture down the hole all paused. Through it, a familiar man emerged, climbing with muttered curses as he picked his way through the mess of detritus, too fast to be safe while moving with the pace of a desperate man!


    "Arthur! By god, man, you''ve no idea how glad I am to have you as my neigbou¡ª


    "We need to leave!" The mage shouted, cutting Kilk off, an almost deranged expression cast across his features! "There''s more! Thousands! They''re coming, three minutes at most!" He heaved more from running out of breath while shouting.


    Kilk stared at the foreigner with slowly widening eyes, his head jerking to the side to meet his mate''s own as Jade''s mouth opened and stopped without words ever arriving¡­


    "We need to fucking leave!" Arthur shouted again, this time putting force into it! "Everyone needs to get up and get moving! My army can''t stop what''s coming for us!"


    "Kilk!" A younger boy called out, a spyglass in his shaking hands, one pointed out in the direction where a true horde of abyssal might was bearing down on the settlement, as fast as they were able!


    Kilk saw this and only frowned for a moment, mind processing the sheer mass of bodies heading their way before he himself was shouting! "Portal cards! Get everyone through to the labyrinth! We''re not fighting that; we need to leave now!"


    "Take nothing but what is with you!" Jade added a heartbeat later, already corralling those around them, "Kilk!"


    "Yeah, I''ll take the rest! You just make sure everyone here is brought to safety!"


    His mate spared but a momentary touch, her tail brushing against his own as it reached out for a brief moment before they were already moving. She got the group into a semblance of preparation for the travel, Kilk moving to Arthur''s side as the man stared out into the swarm¡­


    "What of those still underground?"


    "They found what was left of Bianca''s century. It''s not good, but they''ve already left for the labyrinth."


    "So we''re doing this, abandoning the settlement?"


    "You want to¡ªfight for it?" The mage asked, incredulous as he stared at him as though Kilk were a loon!


    "No," Kilk sighed, "just need to get it out in the open¡­ How''s it going down there?"


    "Zog''s got them all reading to leave. Some of my golems have taken over holding the stairwell, but they won''t last¡­ My forces will win this fight, just not while we are still in it¡­"


    Kilk nodded at that, resigned that they had to flee. There was just no other answer. Even if it grated on him that all their hard work was just¡ªgone! All those months of existing in squalor utterly without point¡­


    "Alright, let''s be gone then... Hopefully, nobody in the labyrinth comes back before we can find them¡­" Then, pulling in a deep breath, he shouted, "Zog! Get the troopers up here! Were abandoning the spire!"


    "Get all your people back who are currently in the air; we''ve got twenty seconds before they''re on us!"


    Without missing a beat, Kilk raised the horn at his waist and blew three rapid blasts to the air. The sound carried through the din of screams below as, from the sides of the tower, Bal emerged, landing all around them. A quick headcount saw everyone who should be present had returned, and nodding his head, they readied themselves for departure. Kilk opened a portal for them all to step through as, one by one, they fled from a home they''d hardly grown to know¡­ Slipping out of existence as the tide of horrors crashed against the spire, filling its grand stairwell with bodies as they surged to reach their prey.


    Arthur hesitated only a moment, the last one to leave, before he stepped aside with a slight shake of his head, opening his own portal back home. Through the first, he could see Kilk''s distorted shape staring at him in confusion before the power of his card ran out.


    He quickly stepped through his own rift, closing it behind him, Benny manifesting at his side without needing to be called.


    "Are any creatures deviating from this location now that I''m here?"


    "It is my belief that the creatures are mindless and acting on sensory input alone. Therefore, I do not think any more will try for the facility that have already made the attempt. My own core is present within the home, after all and no real attempt on the facility has been yet made. All the same, I do not think that will last forever¡­"


    "It''s why I''m here." Arthur nodded, already heading towards the basement where he kept Benny''s heart. "Chuck can fly, so I''m not so worried about him, and the automatons aren''t intelligent, but¡­"


    "I do appreciate your remembering me, lord¡­ However, I did have contingencies in place¡­"


    Benny fell into step at Arthur''s back; the AI, despite being a hologram, mimicked the sound of his polished dress shoes as they tapped after him, both men heading into the largest space in the house yet un-explored by the girls. However, before they even reached the door, the AI spoke again, coughing slightly as he did so.


    "Lord, before you head down-stairs, perhaps It would be prudent of me to¡ª"


    The door opened, sliding into a slot made for it and cutting the man off as a familiar young woman appeared before them, a small globe the size of Arthur''s fist neatly tucked within the palm of her hand¡­


    Tulla had, naturally, somehow found her way in, and as they stood there, staring at each other, it was all the little monster, yet clad in her mechanical form, could do but smile brightly at him as though she''d never had so much fun in her entire life¡­ "Dad!"

 Daughter of destruction.

    Chapter 25


    Tulla stared up at her father, beaming with the excitement of it all! Her heart had been pounding away for what had felt like hours now! Her eyes were wild with the danger of it all! With how powerful she''d been, how unstoppable in the tunnels! It had been her first time, first real-time, when she''d gotten to personally let loose in a true fight for her life, and Tulla loved it! She understood what her mother had been talking about now! Understood that lust she''d spoken of when fighting for one''s life and destroying everything before one''s self¡­


    And, even if the souls she was reaping were what people called echoes, possibly even worse than the bunnies she''d helped her father kill, the sheer quantity of them had allowed her to make slow progress in some of her lower-ranked tarots. There were just so many of the monster''s that it didn''t matter if they had pitiful souls! Quantity could be a quality in and of itself!


    Yet, the expression on her father''s face did not match her own exuberance. The man''s features moved through a slew of complex reactions before, within warning, Tulla found herself crammed in against her father''s side, the man crushing her¡ªor trying, with a hug that was as desperate as it was¡ªwrong¡­ Apologetic? Desperate? She wasn''t entirely sure, but she felt that something was amiss; however, in her high of bloodlust, she found it difficult to discern exactly what it was that had him so bothered¡­


    She reciprocated, of course, wrapping her own arms around him and the length of her mechanical tail that clicked and clacked as it moved, the vicious gleaming blade of energy at its apex dimming to the point of harmlessness. Uncertain of the why, Tulla nevertheless pulled in tighter as well. Less for herself, though so far as she was concerned, hugs were positively delightful as much as they''d been somewhat notably absent from her life prior to Arthur''s appearance. She thoroughly enjoyed them and always felt a warm flutter in her chest that was more than just a little difficult to really explain¡­


    All the same, the man dropped to a knee, holding her even tighter to his chest while rubbing a hand down the back of her helmet, unable to really get to Tulla herself, given what her mech-tarot had changed her metamorphosis into, but the action merely made her more confused, regardless of how much she was learning she enjoyed such moments of kinship. Actually, the more her mind cracked away at it, she could have sworn that Arthur was the one taking the lion''s share of comfort from it all, rather than herself¡­ So, she let him hold her, perfectly content to. For perhaps the first time, help him with a semblance of emotional distress as her tail wrapped around his leg.


    Letting out a long breath through puffed cheeks, her father patted her on the back several times without letting her go. His words were somewhat¡ªstifled, like he was struggling to maintain his composure¡­ "How were the tunnels kiddo?"


    "Amazing!" Tulla exclaimed, perking up with joy! "It was crazy down there! I don''t even know if we''d of survived it until I started firing rockets and collapsed everything! We only got out once we started using the portals!"


    That made her father tighten his hold on her with a discernable weight, Tulla almost berating herself for not realizing he''d been worried after her safety earlier, but¡­ She was a growing woman! And strong now! Far stronger than anyone had thought she could be! And while Athur''s concerns were apprciablly touching, if anything, it should be her that was worried about him through all of this!


    "Dad, seriously, I''m okay! I don''t think you even realize what it feels like to be like this! I''m invincible!"


    He let her go, brows furrowed, not seeming to like her comment in the slightest but also looking as though he regarded her person with more scrutiny¡­ "You want to go out there, don''t you?"


    "Obviously!" Tulla laughed, wriggling free of his hold and flaring the thrusters of her wings, feeling indomitable as the air around them filled with glittering lights! Her form rising to float off the ground like a god! "Im going to fucking slaughter them! You''ve no idea how badly I need this! Don''t send me to the labyrinth with the others? I''m not like them anymore! Im something better!"


    "Your mother''s been filling your heads with talk about being a demi-god, hasn''t she¡­"


    "You think she''s not already there?" Tulla countered, just staring at him. "Justiciar''s balls, Dad! I''m already there! I wiped out a near hundred of those monsters, all on my own! They just dissolved before me! It was amazing¡­ And Chuck needs help out there! This is my home, Dad, and I''m going to hurt anyone who thinks they can take it away from me¡­"


    Her final words were ominous enough for the man to regain a semblance of concern, though not for her safety. Perhaps a touch of fear, if she was smelling it right, filled the air in the same manner it had when first he''d carried her to the village. The concern he felt for his safety while so near her prickled at her heart in a way that genuinely hurt, but she didn''t hold it against him.


    If anything, she knew what she''d been quite close to doing, and it was mortifyingly embarrassing that he still held that moment in his mind as something to be worried after¡­ Still, the display of trust as he forced himself to remain calm and within her proximity filled her with confidence!


    There was no real danger of such a thing; of course, she hadn''t known him back then. Now, she''d never let herself succumb to such baser instincts, especially not when it might put him in danger. She''d rather clip her wings and hurl herself off a cliff than threaten her father, which was why she was actually somewhat annoyed he was still here. Didn''t Arthur know how dangerous it was? She could fly! And the man had made her stronger than the whole village put together! There was no reason for him to be concerned after her person and all the reason for her to be concerned after his own mortality! Her mother was right; they needed to get him to a point where he wasn''t so¡ªvulnerable¡­


    Either way, her father nodded. That familiar mask, as her mother liked to call it, formed over his face to hide away his true feelings. "If you''re going out there¡­" He began, now staring hard at her, "Then I''m going to remain here as well. I''m not leaving you up here on your own. No arguments."


    "No¡ªoffence¡­" Tulla murmured, leaning away and eyeing her father from the side, "But¡­"


    "Just go out there and¡ªI guess have as much fun as you want¡­ come back when you''re tired, but I''ll need your help for something¡ªstupid that I have no idea will actually work out¡­ Either way, if Dianna returns with all the people I intend to liberate, I''d rather them not all be eaten by these things¡­"


    That was more like it! And Tulla beamed at her father as she noticed that familiar glint in his eye. He was up to something! And whenever he thought an idea was silly, it usually worked out perfectly!


    "You need cards?"


    "No¡­ yes! Actually, if you can, it would help quite a bit, I think, weak or otherwise¡­"


    Tulla just nodded, floating around her father and handing him Benny''s core, then drifting through the living room, giving him a grinning wave as the front door slid open, and she burst through the opening!


    Tulla''s wings glittered as though made from captured starlight, each leaving a shimmering contrail of luminescent particles as she ascended. Chuck immediately flooded her visor, which augmented the world around her with a virtual overlay, with a torrent of battlefield data. A dynamic map materialized, pulsing with the real-time movements of both their forces and the encroaching abyssal horrors.


    Critical zones were flashing crimson with a desperate plea for her timely intervention. With a surge of power, she climbed higher, a beacon of defiance against the encroaching unnatural twilight that bled across the sky, shining amidst the gloom a single brilliant light that glimmered overhead.


    With a ripple of displaced air, Tulla birthed her doppelganger. A being nearing her own appearance materializing beside her, instantly autonomous. The copy-tulla plummeted towards the swarming mass, a volley of rockets erupting from its back-mounted launchers, painting the gloom with fiery streaks, blasters already pulsing with bulbous blue energy as it strafed the world below!


    Tulla herself arced towards a beleaguered unit of bots, their orange beams flickering and faltering under the relentless onslaught. As she approached, her armour shimmered, unfolding into a bristling array of weaponry. Pods extended from her shoulders and back, hissing as they ejected dozens of self-guided projectiles; the missiles hung in the air for a strange heartbeat, their tips blinking with an ominous red warning before igniting in a synchronized blaze of thrust! They climbed, a deadly mass ascending in graceful arcs that curled overhead, then raged back towards the earth at full speed, raining incandescent destruction upon the nightmares below.


    The ground erupted in a series of concussive blasts. Fire and smoke billowed, momentarily obscuring the carnage. Then, through the dissipating haze, Tulla descended, her arm-mounted energy cannons blazing. Pulses of cerulean death lashed out, each impact vaporizing anything unfortunate enough to be caught in its path. The air crackled with the raw power, the smell of ozone mixing with the acrid tang of incinerating flesh and cooking vegetation.


    Tulla revelled in the destruction! A mad cackle blaring from her helmet! She spiralled downwards, drawing the attention of the surviving creatures in the area as they surged towards her, a tide of grasping claws and snapping jaws drawn to her radiance that pulsed around her as thrusters burned. She spun as a whirlwind of mayhem, her cannons firing in a continuous cascade of firepower. The distorted whine of the weapons intensified as she held the barrage, blending with the roar of explosions and the screech of dying monstrosities. Her armour deflected stray debris as it crushed against her form, shimmering briefly with a protective field that seemed to almost slow the incoming objects until they simply fell away.


    Distantly, she felt her duplicate divert course, having expended its initial payload, now rejoining the fray. It moved with uncanny grace, mirroring Tulla''s own growing mastery of this new form of flight, its own weaponry blazing. Together, they formed a deadly duo, a vortex of annihilation carving a path through the hordes that vanished before their onslaught.


    But even as they butchered their way through the enemy ranks, Tulla could sense a shift in the battle. The initial panic had given way to a chilling, almost calculated resistance. The pressing quagmire inky beasts were regrouping, their movements becoming more coordinated, their attacks more focused. Adapting, in a way, just as Chuck had and applying ever greater pressure on the AI general.


    A small bar on her interface alerted Tulla that her power was quickly draining with her ceaseless barrage, the foe melting away further and further from her position before she let up on the assault, rising to hover while Chuck''s machines crawled through the area to fill the gaps. She could reliably float while not expending needless energy and still recuperate for her transformation reserves, and she did so, feeling the sweat trickle down her skin as her smile split her face from side to side!


    She loved this!


    This feeling of¡ªdomination! It called to her! Whispered that she should still be fighting! That she should ignore the warnings blinking in her vision, that she should just submerge herself in the violence and carve her way through the hordes with tooth and claw!


    Yet, training had tempered her instincts. And while they were strong, Tulla marshalled to observe the situation with a calm mind. She could already feel her doppelganger nearing its limits. While the card had been upgraded, it was hardly bronze¡­ No, as Arthur had demanded, she''d pushed most of what he''d given her into her metamorphosis, the mecha tarot, and the one that would heal her if she were wounded. That last one had been a bit annoying as, thus far, she hadn''t needed it in the slightest, and after spending so much power to improve it without seeing any purpose for it thus far, it did annoy her¡­


    All the same, she did return nearer the ground again once Chuck had secured the area, floating over the ruined earth while reaching out with her soul. Slowly, the countless echoes around her shifted and began coalescing toward her. Tulla collected them by the tens and twenties at a time, tucking them in her personal storage as they came near. Her mother had taught her how to do this years ago, though Tulla never imagined she''d be using it in such a widespread manner¡­ Her mother was missing out! Doubtless, the woman would have been thrilled to wade through so many creatures all dead set on throwing themselves at her!


    "Then again, mom would just take all the fun out of it¡­"


    For Tulla, she could sit here and blast away for hours and still have the time of her life! Seeing so many monsters, real ones that held real danger, just vanish before her eyes tickled at her desires in ways she''d never found before! And, despite what her father had said, she consumed every other tarot she picked up¡­ Tulla figured her dad wouldn''t be too disappointed¡­ after all, it was he who''d said he wanted her to be as safe as possible! She was merely following in the spirit of request! Both of them!


    As it happened, Chuck agreed that it was a good idea when she ran it by him; in fact, he even began sending over the piles of cards he''d already collected, stipulating that Arthur would unequivocally be the first to say that her safety was of an utmost priority. That was good because Tulla was learning she had a craving for power like nothing she''d ever felt before¡­ Her hands flexed with delighted anticipation as she shovelled souls into her mech and metamorphosis targets by equal measure. Neither rising very quickly, but with the sheer quantity of cards coming in, she could see the stars rising to the point her racial tarot reached silver¡­


    Ha! Not even fourteen years old and she was now the youngest in her family to hit the third tier! The thought of it was positively intoxicating¡­ And as her card evolved, so did her mechanization! Tulla practically felt her body getting bigger! Her metamorphosis forced a sort of maturation beyond her years until she was certain she was at least as tall as Welenda! Maybe even bigger! And her armour shifted to reflect that change. Her wingspan expanded outwards, her tail grew long and dangerous, looking much more like her mother''s did, and Tulla felt the power of rapidly forming muscles starting to bulge beneath her skin!


    She wasn''t sure how exactly her metamorphosis and the mecha card interacted with each other. However she did note that there was a kind of symbiotic relationship between the two. That was a word that Chuck had taught her, one of many that had helped her, strangely enough, understand the world that surrounded her that much more than she had. Neither tarot individually reflected the delightful but no less odd changes to her original soul''s capabilities; rather, they each seemed to play into each other and build off one another.


    As Tulla''s primary card grew in strength, so too did her mechanical visage. And rather than venom, which she knew would arrive at the third tier, she felt her body doing something¡ªdifferent¡­ New instincts formed at the back of her mind, seating themselves comfortably amidst all the others, and while she couldn''t have said to say she wholly understood why things were changing so drastically for her, her grin, nevertheless, grew wider! From her back, she felt the strange mechanical cubes form themselves into two new partitions, each one removing themselves from her person with soft clunks as they detached!


    Immediately, Tulla felt herself balk at the sudden shift in perspective! Her glide across the broken landscape slowed to the point she actually touched down and stood there. Her head felt¡ªfunny¡­ It wasn''t painful; if anything, it was more bizarre¡­ Her head just seemed to spin for a brief few seconds as the world itself expanded to her! Suddenly, she could see everything around her, not just where her eyes were looking but truly everything! Each new semblance of comprehension filtered through her mind with almost seamless efficiency, even as the now three separate visual fields, two spherical and one binocular, melded into a singular field of view that Tulla was rapidly adapting to.


    She turned her head, observing one of the floating¡ªthings that were now hovering at her side, the object like a sleek metal ball with an all too familiar glowing lens at its core. She had drones! Her own drones! Not just under her command via Chuck, but her own! Likewise, she could feel the countless automatons around her, sense them like she could feel the air on her wings while flying without her suit! Reaching out, Tulla wrested control of the machines, dominating their simple minds and enslaving them to her own! Crushing Chuck''s own influence on them as she laughed with excitement! Realizing what this meant!Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Text exploded across her screen as Chuck, panicked and confused, rapidly made inquires into what was happening, yet in the same manner that Tulla could sense the automatons around her, Chucks¡ªvoice filled her head as though he were speaking rather than forming his words in the written form¡­ She was interfacing! And Tulla couldn''t be more excited!


    Still, she released command over the bots¡­ she didn''t need them at that moment, and her friend did to keep the pressure on.


    "Chuck, deliver these to my father for me? I''m going back in!" And, after handing the small bot at her side several massive stacks of tarots, Tulla rose back into the air, thrusters shining like a beacon of light amidst the darkening skies, flaring into movement at speeds that blurred existence all around her! Burning hard towards the dark masses of abyssal creatures, plasma erupting from her arms!


    Arthur glanced at the hollo to his side, watching as his daughter seemed to¡ªchange¡­ Then, she was off again, diving headlong into the carnage to her¡ªdark little hearts delight¡­


    "Not so little now¡­" He muttered, taking in a deep breath as Benny, controlling one of the constructor drones, built a small mockup pylon to complete the set.


    After a moment, a shimmering field of energy formed between the two devices, one that hummed with a sort of disturbing intensity¡­ They both watched as Benny tentatively pushed one of the bots'' graspers into the projection, only for it to vanish, the arm pushing through existence itself from a separate device at their side, projecting the portal before itself.


    "Power consumption?"


    "Less than the last idea¡­" Benny intoned, eyeing the mockup with mild interest. "Based on what I can calculate¡­ magic being a bit of a new field of study for your people¡­ We will need a significant source of power to keep the proposed perimeter working indefinitely¡­"


    "Can we make mana batteries?"


    "I don''t see why not; it''s arcane, and as we know, that sort of thing doesn''t seem to care a meaningful tidbit towards what we''re already doing¡­ I shall have the printers begin production immediately, lord."


    "And the pylons themselves?"


    "Too large for them¡­ but the construction bots work very much on the same premise, lord. They will analyze these designs and be capable of replication. They will require defending as they build the structures, but I don''t think that will be a problem¡­ Your daughter and Chuck are making quite an effective team¡­"


    "Alright. Let''s do it then. We also need the farming chamber ready for activation."


    "It is being built as per your description, lord. It will be ready by the time it is needed."


    "Awesome!" Arthur clapped, clearing his throat before rubbing his palms together.


    Again, he was left in a position where he was lacking anything to do¡­ It was like watching paint dry for him¡­ Though, while before, he''d been panicked over what he should do, now he was forced to simply content himself with monitoring the progress of the plans he''d put into motion.


    He returned to the living room, the displays flickering away with each swipe of his hand before he found what he wanted. On one, he had a drone that was following Tulla''s warpath as she left, potentially concerning degrees of unstable energy in her wake that he was almost positive to be radioactive in nature¡­ though he wasn''t sure if it worked the same way as it did back on earth, wherever she went, the drone footage grew a degree grainy in nature¡­


    He''d need to sweep the area of it all after this was done. Knowing he could presumably work something out to capture it all, given it was magic at this universe foundations with atoms seeming to come afterwards¡­ And, if it was magic, he could bleed it and harness it¡­ That thought made him wonder if he could create a magical nuclear reactor of sorts¡­ It would be totally bullshit in nature, but he supposed he would be trying it, nevertheless.


    From what he could tell, the swarm of creatures wasn''t seeming to abate with their forces flowing from the south¡­ It was a more ragged thing as time went on, but even as their numbers had swelled beyond their initial size, Chuck was running circles around them with Tulla''s aid.


    No, his plan going forward was to try to mitigate more of them flooding in from wherever the hell they were coming from! The reason for their appearance could come later; for now, he needed to ensure redundant defences were erected to prevent more from streaming into the area. It wouldn''t help if they just fucking emerged from the ground as they had the first time, but as they weren''t doing so anymore, Arthur earnestly hoped it might just have been a one-time event¡­ He might not be able to counteract it all; however, he was sure his plan would help them retake the settlement!


    Already, constructors were racing out to the locations he and Benny had designated, and Chuck was already shifting his tactics to accommodate their plans. Four separate details of automatons began forming beachheads around the settlement''s perimeter, small islands of protection for the meandering constructors which began digitizing the land around themselves to build his magical pillars. It was slow going, almost agonizing to watch as the swarm deviated in parts, but the trenches the constructors left in their wake wreaked havoc for any trying to directly besiege the impromptu fortifications.


    Thankfully, if there was a silver lining in any of this, the rear-most pylons were far from endangered. The best he could tell, the genuine bulk of the entities were arriving from the south¡­ And while Arthur could only theorize after what was happening elsewhere, he stoically refused to believe that the creatures were truly endless. The only question was, what would break first? The swarm, or the energy reserves of his machines.


    Sadly, more and more automatons were forced into retreat or otherwise left behind to make a valiant last stand as their magical reserves ran dry. Chuck truly was pulling out every trick the AI could likely imagine, but his machines weren''t faultless¡­ As they powered down, the only reinforcements they might receive had already been halved as Arthur had ordered a sizable partition of his printers to focus their efforts elsewhere.


    "It would be great if Dianna decided to show up¡­" He mused mockingly, groaning at the utterly laughable, poor timing of it all! It was almost a joke! Nearly too coincidental for him to even believe it was happening. But, as the saying whet, when it rained, it poured¡­ And currently, existence was doing its best to piss on all of them¡­


    What were the odds that an apocalyptic event would transpire in the interlude of the woman''s absence? Surly less than that of winning the lottery¡­ probably¡­ Either way, Tulla was only ramping up as the fight wore on. Getting stronger, not weaker, the more she fought¡­ It was gradual, but more and more, Arthur noted the zones she was active in becoming practical miniature wastelands¡­ His daughter devastated the landscape with complete impunity to a degree he wasn''t even sure how much land would be left as¡ªusable. Oh, he had no doubt he could begin an initiative to restore the earth itself to a reasonable approximation, but¡­ the local fauna was being devastated before his very eyes¡­


    There was nothing for it, of course; they weren''t going to just let these creatures push them off their homes, Tulla being quite right in her declaration to the point that Arthur was feeling vindictive. The only reason he hadn''t resorted to trying for a nuclear option was that he wasn''t interested in leaving the settlement uninhabitable¡­ or, that was to say, more toxic than it might already be at this point¡­ They could fix it. They could fix all of it. All Arthur needed was the breathing room to do so.


    "The batteries, Benny?"


    "On the second batch. And construction of the siphon above the compound is moving smoothly. Progress stands at thirty-percent completion across the board."


    "Are we going to make it before Chuck runs out of forces?"


    "A tentative shmaybe lord¡­ Things are desperate but Tulla has become something of a wrecking ball in of herself. Even as the umm¡­ echoes of the souls she is consuming have an ever-lessoning effect, there are simply so many that the girl is improving at a staggering pace¡­ If she keeps it up, it won''t be long before she eclipses Chuck''s command in inflicted casualties¡­"


    "You know the cards we designed for her¡­ They weren''t half-assed¡­"


    "No, lord, that is becoming wildly apparent as she continued to unleash ruin on everything around her¡­"


    Arthur caught the small inflection in the butler''s tone, eyeing the man sidelong for a moment before sighing¡­ Life wasn''t perfect¡­ And he''d rather see the girl transformed into whatever she was becoming rather than have her turned into one of the¡ªthings she was fighting. It would be doubtlessly hard to find checks and balances after this, but he''d deal with it one problem at a time¡­ just as he always did.


    Tulla looked around herself, momentarily disoriented as she flew through a rising storm of dust and smoke so thick that it was getting harder to see what she was doing¡­ Flying lower to avoid the plume that seemed to hang about the sky and mess with her sensors. She had no idea where her clone had gotten to or if it was even still active¡­ And while she''d shovelled souls at it in a desperate attempt to make up for Chuck''s dwindling army, it felt as though every dent she put in the damned horde was filled the next time she looked back! She was¡ªpositive they were making progress, but more and more of the creatures just kept coming!


    There likely weren''t any actually left from those that had first appeared, but what they''d identified as the corrupted dead of the Tricen peoples just kept hammering at them¡­ Simply splitting into more monsters when they died, though, thankfully, the process didn''t repeat after the first time¡­


    Were these all the dead that had been left behind in the legion''s wake? Well, in all honestly, it was as close enough to an explanation that she had¡­ Tulla wasn''t sure what was exactly attracting them all, but the way they''d begun to move as if to sloppily attempt a counter to Chuck''s own supremacy of the battle felt like somebody was controlling these things¡­ And, if she couldn''t beat them by mindlessly bashing their skulls in, then there had to be another way¡­


    Idly, she glanced at the progress of her father''s plan¡­ It was getting close¡­ but she was beginning to feel the strain, same as Chuck. She might have been consuming what remnants of the creature''s souls she could get, but Tulla could feel the exhaustion creeping in¡­ She needed a way to end this¡­ And while she was sure her dad''s plan would work after a fashion, if there was something at the head of the horde, then how long would it be before it figured out the rather glaring variabilities of these¡ªpylons¡­ It was a good idea in practice, but... she wasn''t certain how well it would work if, conversely, she was right.


    Tulla sped along the ground, almost skimming the swarm while new rockets released, her two drones carving through the masses as they followed her. Tulla looking now, in earnest towards the direction all the beasts were approaching from before¡ªthere!


    She could see¡ªsomething in the near distance. A figure that winked in and out of existence with each small movement, looking to almost exist as though not fully formed in the world. The head of the snake¡­ Grinning to herself, Tulla aimed her weapons at the towering shadow with glee! Unleashing terrible ruination upon its visage, which shrieked with rage as she suddenly banked hard, not willing to go anywhere near it!


    "Worm!" The darkness hissed, though its speech was quieted from what she''d heard in the tunnels. The large shadow seemed to try and chase after her, but Tulla was just too quick. She vanished back into the clouds, relying on spydrones she''d asked Chuck to send her way to watch for its movements.


    She had listened intently to the panicked explanation of Korvil, the automatons that had been nearby relayiing it all while the man had quickly shared what happened with Tavir. The warnings he''d given were still fresh in her mind. She didn''t know what it was, but after the century had made distance, it hadn''t attacked them as it initially had. She was weary of the strange anomaly, but she didn''t need to get close to it.


    A predatory grin stretched across Tulla''s face, hidden behind her armour. Trusting the array of data streaming from Chuck, she unleashed a barrage of plasma fire, not aiming but knowing. The satisfying shriek of tortured pain and the crazed hatred that echoed back confirmed that she''d been effective. The gargantuan shade, its form a towering silhouette against the unnatural twilight, stomped after her but couldn''t at all keep up as she burned away.


    Tulla ascended, drawing the behemoth from the besieged settlement, peppering its shadowy form with everything she had! Missiles streaked like angry hornets, energy blasts lancing out in blinding flashes! Each impact sent ripples through the creature''s inky form, but it seemed impervious to true damage, its shadowy substance reforming as quickly as it dissipated.


    Then, something unexpected happened. The tide of smaller nightmares swarming below slowed their relentless advance faltering. They turned, their glowing eyes fixated on Tulla as she darted above them, the creatures beginning to leap at her! Their clawed limbs raked the air in futile attempts to reach her lofty heights! The sight was almost comical. The towering shade roared in frustration, its shadowy hands swiping at her as its minions failed to grasp their airborne prey. Tulla was like a darting hummingbird amidst a swarm of clumsy moths, weaving through their desperate leaps, her laughter echoing through the air as if to mock their very struggles!


    She wasn''t just kiting the monsters around by the nose; she was playing with them! She''d noticed a pattern in their movements, a subtle shift before each leap. And, exploiting this, she timed her evasive maneuvers, narrowly avoiding their grasp time and time again, the rush of wind against her armour making her feel alive amidst the frustrated howls!


    One particularly bold creature, larger than the others and with spines protruding from its back, managed to nearly snag the edge of her hoof with a calculated swipe. But, twisting in mid-air, she unleashed a point-blank blast of energy, vaporizing the creature''s head in a flash of bright blue luminance! The momentum of its leap carried its headless body to soar past her while she roared with giggles, its limp form falling haplessly in a streak of blazing fire!


    The towering shade bellowed in rage as she flew higher, pulling away from the living piles of bodies that were climbing up one another to get nearer! The ground trembled beneath its feet as it unleashed a shockwave of pure unbridled force, a concussive blast that sent the lot of its own creatures tumbling over each other! More missiles were launched from her armour as they were rebuilt, pounding the base of the wobbling towers that blew apart and crashed back to the ground!


    "Cowardice! What are you?"


    The girl didn''t answer it. Instead, she zipped back to the waning automatons that were finally beginning a semblance of ease as the flow of undead and shadows trickled. A quick conversation in her mind with Chuck and Tulla was back to consuming whatever echoes were nearby. Shoving them into her metamorphosis and mecha tarots with wild abandon! Within minutes, she was back! Blasting away at the massive thing that had decided to fuck with her home! Brutalizing it with what seemed like ineffectual attacks, but that nonetheless caused the entity to fall away from her! Its form jittering faster and more violently!


    "Enough! Stop this worthless struggling!"


    Honestly, Tulla didn''t feel it was worthless at all! If anything, she was beating it! Dozens of artillery drones joined her as the fighting abated near the settlement, the increased intelligence of the monsters flailing, their living piles of crawling bodies nothing more but amusing targets for her to knock over! She zipped about the sky, laughing at their silly attempts to catch her, always coming just close enough that it looked like she might get caught before pulling back away with abject glee as monstrosities flew worthlessly at her from all directions!


    The smaller and aerial combat units added to the assault, seemingly immune to the entity''s influence as they surrounded it, glaring beams of light causing it to swing wildly at their forms, a giant trying to swat mosquitoes!


    "Fine! I have much more important work to enact! Have your a pile of dirt! I''ll be back for you in due time¡­"


    Tulla blinked, her barrage relenting as she watched the massive form of darkness turn, flickering in and out of existence as it still was¡­ Yet, as it did so, the piles of abyssal beasts at its command turned as well, screeching as though in hatred and defiance, even as they sprinted away, moving to keep pace with the giant as it departed, never once looking back¡­


    Had she just won? Just like that? Was she fighting a bully in the sandbox? Tulla had half a mind to chase the damned thing down! It couldn''t just leave! Not after everything it had done! And yet, she felt the weariness already close in¡­ her eyelids fluttering with dangerous promise for her body''s needs¡­ There was a toll to be paid for how much she''d exerted herself, how fast she''d pushed her soul¡­ And now, at the very first indication this might just be over, the weight of fatigue felt as though it were trying to drive her into the ground¡­ An almost distant voice in her head already pleading with her to come back¡­


    Tulla hit the ground hard¡­ The landing sent a jolt through her mechanical joints at the shock of her now rather heavy form being abused by her landing¡­ Still, one benefit to apparently being¡ªwhatever it was she''d turned into was that her body really wasn''t that tired; it was an exhaustion of the mind more than anything else¡­


    The dust was already starting to clear; automatons were stomping out fires wherever they could, the occasional ray of destruction turning a lingering and wounded monster to ash as roving bands of surviving robots swept across the land. It was devastated¡­


    A dark and smoking smudge of melted dirt, craters and something her father was warning her against called radiation. She had no idea what that was outside of her father saying it was poisonous, but Tulla felt fine as she walked across the ruined battlefield, at some point, just collapsing on her rear, sitting on the edge of a particularly large hole¡­ It was filling with water at a rather expedient pace, though again, she had zero idea where water would be coming from, given she wasn''t anywhere near the river¡­


    Several bots seemed to close in around her, creating a sort of guard while Tulla took the first break in what felt like hours¡­ Actually, how long was she even fighting? Today marked the first real-time she''d ever been in what she could call a battle¡­ And while she''d loved it, this part of it was somewhat odd¡­ It felt too quiet¡­ too abrupt¡­ The sudden end of all the chaos and noise, the thrills and panic and flashing lights! Everything had felt like it was starting to crush her, pinning her in on all sides as the desperation had mounted, but now it all just fluttered away as though carried on the breeze.


    Tulla couldn''t help but chuckle, leaning back at staring at a sky that was again beginning to brighten¡­ The dark overcast of clouds seemed to simply drift away with the absence of the odd creature she''d driven away¡­ It was vaguely Tricen in shape, but¡­ all wrong¡­ Its form seemingly without cohesion to bind it together, forever trying to keep itself from falling apart¡­


    "And it''s coming back¡­" She whispered, ruminating on its final words¡­ Strange as it was to say, the fact it had acted as it had kind of made it¡ªnormal in a bizarre way¡­ Like it was less an unfathomable threat from the void and more a real person that had just¡ªseeped itself into the abyss¡­ Far less frightening now that she had a face¡­ or that was to say, a shape to go along with the distressing threat it had posed. "Worse, it doesn''t take a genius to guess where it''s going¡­"


    Tulla sighed, wondering if there was anything to be done¡­ As much as she''d driven it off, they''d been a hair''s breadth from being overrun. And she wasn''t wholly convinced she''d don''t much more than piss the giant shadow off¡­


    Her hooves kicked against the dirt for a few moments before she grunted, picking herself with hands pushing against crumbling earth, even as her thrusters flared to lift her back into the air. She needed to head back out and collect what soul echoes were still out there. Needed to help Chuck finish executing any creatures still living or trying to hide. And, she''d be heading back into the tunnels before long to find out exactly what had happened¡­ and to make sure they were cleared out and collapsed once and for all.

 Pieces of our new beginning...

    Chapter 26


    Dianna''s eyes were glazed as she stared out across the ruined landscape, her thoughts more contemplative than anything else, mind drifting as though on a breeze while she sat.


    The edge of Arthur''s exercise platform made a good enough place to perch as any nearby. And while her musings had, for a time, settled amidst the pessimistic, they''d, by now, levelled out, a kind of apathetic blanket draping over her person, warm as it was snug.


    The settlement was ruined¡­ oh sure, the spire itself was still standing, and it wasn''t like the damage was so immense that it couldn''t be salvaged or even replaced, but¡­ A fire had done significant work to reducing much of the flammable parts of people''s homes to little more than kindling¡­ Likewise, the landscape around it was¡ªwell, she honestly didn''t even know what to call it¡­ however, battlefield felt like an adequate moniker, all things considered.


    There were corpses and ash everywhere one looked. More holes and craters in the dirt than a stretch of badlands, and as to the vegetation and animals? Hmph¡­ well, that was a rather sour subject as well¡­


    She hadn''t yet officially claimed rulership over the place, but given it now looked as it did, to do so felt almost¡ªchildish¡­ A big kid declaring they were queen or king of a broken and rusted playground. It hadn''t even been she who''d come to save the day either! No, that little accolade went to her own daughter¡­


    The fact the girl might very well have done more damage of a physical nature to it all than the creatures which had assailed them was noted but hardly cared after¡­ She very much was the hero of the hour. And while not everyone fully understood exactly how a child, Dianna''s own spawn or otherwise, could accomplish such a feat, there was all manner of evidence towards her victory that was easily enough reviewed or pointed toward as proof.


    Dianna felt as though she couldn''t even be angry that it was Tulla and not herself that the people were heralding as their champion of the day¡­ After all, it had been her daughter who had delved into the depths to save her cousin and the foolish girl''s command. It had been her daughter that had stayed behind to battle the abyssal voidlings to a standstill. Then, it had been her daughter who eventually found the entity commanding the monsters and drove it away.


    Tulla had done it all. And she''d come out the other end of a fight that feasibly shouldn''t have had any avenue of success¡ªtransformed.


    "Ha! I hardly recognize the girl as she is¡­"


    Dianna''s eyes shifted up towards the sky, the evening root light dimming as the day neared its conclusion¡­ Her daughter had indeed changed. She was more confidant than she''d been¡­ Assured of herself in a way that had all but banished her prior fears of inadequacy and anxieties over her form.


    She was taller now. Practically looking like a teenager belonging to their family. Her little girl had muscles! Not just those spindly pre-teen things she''d possessed, but real, earnest muscles that gave her a mature appearance now far in excess of her years. By all the Justiciar''s, she could very well have been mistaken for a legion trainee who''d just signed the next ten years of their lives to the service. Or, that was how Dianna would have described her were it not for all the more¡ªbizarre deviations separating her from a normal young woman of their species.


    If nothing else, the girl certainly stood out¡­ And given she was as popular as she was, the changes only seemed to ingratiate her daughter to the survivors rather than alienate her from them. It was almost laughable! Looking back, to remember just how proud Dianna had been to reach silver at such a comparatively young age¡­ thirty-five¡­ not a record by any semblance of the imagination but certainly well beyond the average¡­


    Yet her little girl wasn''t even fifteen and already, she was pushing the fourth rank of the third tier.


    "Ridiculous¡­" She chuckled, a wan smile creeping across her features while she shook her head at the absurdity of life.


    Her daughter had done something that few outside of the wealthiest houses the Lacunae over could ever hope to achieve. And she''d done it on her own¡­ Not without some rather glaring advantages that were possibly even unique to her, but¡­ beyond her father''s golems, the girl had been out here fighting to protect what was her''s with all the dogged determination of a cornered beast¡­ She was proud of the child. Though Dianna was in tune enough with her own sense of self to note it was a bitter-sweet sort of joy¡­


    It wasn''t lost on her that, had she been present, circumstances would undoubtedly be different, and like as not lean toward the better. Dianna had been on the cusp of claiming the settlement as her own. Taking it, and whatever future prospects might emerge from their endeavour, as the seat of her future crown.


    And while she hadn''t made any declarations, it was frustrating to know that she was one of the few people who hadn''t actually participated in the fighting. Sure, her daughter and husband had carried any such efforts on their shoulders, but it still chaffed.


    No, rather than proving herself to be the capable leader or the strength that would let them endure through the trying times to come, she''d been in the labyrinth. Buying thralls for everyone or, well, that was to say, collecting what had already been purchased¡­


    Much like Bianca''s own gifts had been, Dianna''s display of wealth was lopped off at the ankles before it had even had the chance to impress. Nobody cared that she''d been trying to do a good thing for the community, regardless of where her true intentions had lay. And, though none had outright said anything unto the thought, Dianna herself couldn''t help but note that had she simply been present, the whole disaster might have been mitigated before it had gained traction.


    Doubtless, there still would have been tragedy and unquestionable damage, but, at the same time, what would have been so likely might have been¡ªfractional. She''d fucked up. Even if it had all come down to chance and ill-timing, in her eyes, it didn''t matter. And though the settlement would rebuild and live on to prosper, possibly faster than anyone yet gave credit, as things stood, Dianna very much felt like that big kid sitting in the park¡­


    She could call herself queen all she wanted! But the title was as meaningless as the drifting piles of ash that caught on the wind. In all honestly, it really just came down to the fact she didn''t at all feel like she deserved it¡­ All that power, all that boasting. And what had she done with it? Play pretend at being a wealthy heiress, indulging in all the creature comforts afforded her?


    They''d known where the entrance to the tricen den had been before Dianna had even gotten back from her first trip to the labyrinth! And in all that time, she had, within her power, the ability to head down into those depths all her own and likely wipe anything down there right off the face of this world. She could have flooded the halls in brilliant flames! Could have smashed her way through the nightmarish horde before they''d even gotten the chance to emerge¡­ Presumably even, fighting back the strange thing that had stood at the instigator for it all. Surely, if her daughter had forced it into retreat, then she, with an entire tier of power above Tulla''s own, could have beaten the entity into submission or flight¡­


    Days upon days had passed had passed. And through it all, Dianna had done exactly as her little girl had in her mother''s absence. Resting upon the laurels of her own narcissism, believing the work of delving into tunnels¡ªbeneath her¡­ She''d been too powerful to worry over such paltry concerns when others could be dispatched to take care of it. Too important to care about the little details¡­ and just look at what has happened...


    "I never took you as the kind to sulk." A familiar voice called to her, Dianna''s wings shifting as she sighed, not needing to turn around to speak.


    "My niece is comatose, family mired in grief. The settlement I wanted to transform into a city looks like a charred piece of timber. My daughter is the hero that my comrades cheer for, and, best of all, I could have likely prevented all of this if only I''d taken things seriously¡­ Forgive me for my brief plunge into depression, will you? I feel like it is earned as much as it''s deserved¡­"


    A body moved to stand next to her, not in close enough proximity for contact, yet her tail still shifted of its own accord, moving to wrap her husband around the waist and¡ªenjoy what small semblance of comfort his presence brought her¡­


    Arthur didn''t say anything for some time. Both of them just stared out into the waning light, thoughts private while each ruminated on what was said and had been seen¡­


    After a few minutes, her face began to twitch, Dinna''s voice rising to an almost mocking tone that was filled with derision. "You''re not going to say anything? No¡ªjibes or snark? No I-told-you-so''s or words of good wishes that everything will be okay and fine and back to normal soon enough?"


    "I could¡­" Arthur murmured, the slightest hint of a cynical smile bleeding through his words as he eventually sat down beside her, their legs dangling over the platform''s edge. "But that''s not what you want to hear."


    "No?"


    "Nope! You want me to be the one who confirms how badly you dropped the ball. To say you fucked up. That you failed, let everyone down. That you''re not worthy of being a leader when, the very first time your domain was attacked, you weren''t even here to protect it."


    Dianna felt Arthur''s words as the rightful open-palmed slap that she, deep down, did desire. She wasn''t even upset¡­ honestly, he''d hit the nail perfectly on the head. She wanted to be told how terrible she was. Wanted to stew in her own dejection! Yet the blighted ass wouldn''t even let her have that much, scooting closer to her to wrap Dianna in his arm.


    "But. It''s not your fault."


    "Bullshit¡­"


    "What? I''m serious! Don''t you think I couldn''t have sent my forces down there to clear it all out? Even if they might not have been successful on their own, I still could have done it! Moreover, I could have ramped up production of my automatons to the point they alone could have dealt with all of this! I could have advocated that you head down there. I could have given myself powerful cards, traded of fought for what I needed to upgrade them and done it myself. There are all kinds of ways we can look back on it and see where we could improve¡­ Hindsight and all that¡­ But we didn''t."


    "There were deaths, Arthur¡­"


    "I know! Still doesn''t change anything. Do you think Tavir and Cassie aren''t kicking themselves for retreating while still underground? You don''t think they regret letting Bianca go down there? They could have joined her. They could have asked for souls that would give them the edge they needed and could have spent days in the labyrinth trying to improve themselves. Why wallow in it? Something terrible happened, something well beyond our ability to even consider would ever come to pass. And it was Bianca who set it into motion before it''s due time, assuming I have the right understanding of it."


    He scoffed, letting out a dark chuckle while Dianna silently listened, her mate carrying right along while sounding somewhat wistful¡­ "Nobody is to blame Dianna. None caused what happened to transpire as it did save Bianca herself, and even then, I''m not advocating for laying the blame at her feet. There was a ticking bomb under us this whole time, and it would have eventually gone off and possibly in at a time where stakes might have been significantly higher."


    "Ha! So you''re saying I should feel better about myself because everyone had a small hand in this disaster?"


    "If that''s what you want to take away from it all, sure, why not? But in all honesty Dia, your moping is pissing me off." Dianna glanced at her mate, eyes narrowing slightly as he pulled away from her side, leaning forwards on elbows and knees while he continued. "You talked a really big game about responsibility. Convinced me to do something I wasn''t keen to commit to because, in that moment, I''d believed you could do it. You''re intelligent, strong, trained for war, hardened by it¡­ You know what it''s like to be without, understand that the trappings of power involve more than just wearing a crown and pretending¡­ Heck, you even seemed to make some small concessions about who you''d be willing to rule. Not just bal, not just your kind. But many people. You told me we could free them and find them a place within what we want to build. Give them homes and work and purpose¡­ take them away from the nightmare¡­ do something good amidst all the bleak misery of this fucking universe¡­"


    Arthur sighed, getting up and looking her way with a momentary glance that was oddly¡ªcold from what she was used to¡­ The sardonic and bitter smile that crept across his face showed for only a moment before he turned away again¡­ "And yet, here we are. The first small bump in the road we come across¡­ And you just¡ªfall apart¡­ You wander off and hide. Ignore the world around you and shelter yourself from all the sadness and despair¡­ The strongest person in our community, the one that wants to call herself royalty, and what are you doing? Are you chasing after the entity that did this to wipe out its army? Are you travelling to whatever settlements you can find in an attempt to bring back as many as you can save? Are you taking charge? Assuring people that we can be better the next time this happens, be ready for it? No. You''re up here, licking wounds that don''t exist. Feeling sorry for yourself while others face what happened and deal with it."


    Her jaw slipping, Dianna couldn''t help but watch as Arthur seemed to core out her very being, grinding it into the dust with all the mercy that she herself had shown him at the market. His voice was hard, words harsh and filled with icy reality, holding nothing back of his feelings or opinions on the matter until she felt a sort of strange clarity rise all around her. Like an approaching tide, the echo chamber of her wretched pessimism was washed away, and slowly, her body shifted, lifting from its slump as anger and frustration rose in her by equal measure!


    "There you go¡­" Her husband grinned, nodding to himself curtly. "Like you said, this world isn''t fair, this¡ªthe Lacunae isn''t fair¡­ So why should we be unprejudiced while dealing with it? We don''t have to play by your imperiums rules. Nor anyone else''s. We can make something special out here! Hell, back on my world, one of the nicest places to live started out as a penal colony where people sent societies undesirables! I''m not saying we have to take criminals in, but there''s a genuine ocean of lost souls we can invite to be a part of¡ªwhatever comes next! The damage isn''t that bad; people are already fixing what they can... This isn''t the end of things, Dianna, so stop treating it as such...


    Dianna simply breathed, allowing her wings to shake themselves out as she stood, looking down at her mate with a semblance of conflicted bemusement. He was right, and she hated him for it. Not the man himself, but more, his ability to see through to the center of her issues. Dianna didn''t like displaying weakness. But her mate was astute as he was bold. And rather than let her brood, he''d reignited that flame in her belly that had her mind already speeding away with what she wanted to do¡­


    "If we''re going to do this, then I''m going to need to make my intentions clear, aren''t I?"


    "It''s the start I was hoping would come about on its own before I came up here."


    "I''m not infallible, Arthur¡­"


    "Then stop calling yourself a demi-god and work for it!"


    "One time!" Dianna exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air with exasperation! "I mentioned the comparison one time to the girl, and she hasn''t shut up about it in days!"


    Still, Dianna pulled her husband into her embrace, leaning down to hold him against her while taking in a pleasing breath of his hair. The hints of sweat, anxiety, panic and adrenaline¡­ all of it mixed with his natural musk and the lingering traces of his cologne¡­ It was immediately comforting to her. For them both really¡­ The stress had been mounting on both sides; she could feel as much given Arthur''s initial stiffness before he, inevitably, melted into her form¡­


    Sadly, the time to be intimate was not that moment. And as much as the contact was needed, they both broke away¡­ "We need to talk to Tavir. Your sister still hasn''t left Bianca''s side, but he''s been trying to keep things together."


    "You want me to bring you with me? Or are you going to walk?"


    "No, I''ve got a few things I want to deal with beforehand¡­ our talk can wait until there''s a spare moment¡­ Benny and I are designing something to help re-level this¡ªmess¡­" He sighed, waving a hand at the landscape before them¡­ "I''m also going to take a stop by the triage tents we set up to see if there''s anything else I can¡­ do¡­" The man paused for a beat, expression much like Dianna''s own slipping toward a frown. Each of their minds drifted over a topic that was difficult to confront¡­ "Either way¡­ The new barrier I set up should help with anything else trying to get at us."


    "I''ve been watching some children throw rocks at it, despite your machines warding them away from getting too close¡­ what''s it do?"


    "Teleports what goes through it into a giant incinerator." Her mate sighed, almost grumbling under his breath, "fat load of good it did in the moment¡­ but going forward, it''s better than nothing, I guess¡­ I thought I was so clever coming up with it, then Tulla turned into a damned snowball rolling down a hill!"


    "Right¡­" Dianna intoned, not quite understanding what she presumed was one of her husband''s idioms but leaving it where it lay all the same. "I''d say you should build another fence around it to stop people from going near, but I suspect that''s already a plan."


    "It wasn''t, actually."


    "No?"


    "What''s the point?" Arthur asked, barking a despairing laugh, "Bal can fly! The hell would a chainlink fence keep out?"


    When Dianna simply kept her eyes on the man, one of her brows rising in silent question to his logic, she was earnestly surprised when he just watched her right back, no semblance of a eureka moment arising in his tired gaze. Well, she supposed she should follow her own reasoning in this. Nobody was perfect¡­


    "Arthur, if we are to be soon about the business of swelling our community''s ranks with people, we can purchase, given your machines seem more than up to the task of operating in place of thralldom. As you suggested earlier, then there will be people here, presumably in greater quantity than my own, who don''t actually have wings¡­"


    "Oh god dammit¡­"


    "I''m not saying you have to, but if you plan on keeping that barrier active at all times, then¡ª"


    "No, you''re right! Ugh¡­ maybe I should work something like a power switch into it¡­ That way, I can add it to Chuck''s responsibilities¡­ Hmph! I''m probably going to need to make him a little brother to help with things¡­"


    "You''ll figure it out, dear; you always do¡­" Dianna smiled, kneeling down slightly to kiss her mate in a fairly chaste manner, no more than a simple peck.


    Her wings were extended and she was leaping off the platform shortly thereafter, knowing Arthur was already on his way back to his little workshop.


    Large portions of the landscape had been warned away from as they were evidently poisonous, an apparent reaction in the wake of their daughter''s onslaught. It wasn''t anything that Arthur hadn''t said couldn''t be fixed, but for the time being, the settlement inhabitants were keeping to the spire all the same. By contrast, those she''d brought back with her were all being filled in on the details by a certain secret person who had been taking care of her family without Dianna even being aware of his existence...Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    The spire wasn''t ruined¡­ The core structure was still very much standing tall and strong. However, it was the many homes themselves that had suffered from a fire. Due to the nature of its construction, only the first two platforms had seen any true damage. And of them, only the second had actually held anything of meaning to its inhabitants.


    Of the spire''s three levels, the top had, by and large, been spared all but superficial marring. And, as the community had come together to prepare things for those who would follow after them, shelter wasn''t so much responsible for the weight of despondency as it could be attributed to those who''d been lost.


    More than half a century was wiped out in a desperate clash beneath the ground. Their officer, the daughter of the community''s leadership, broken in the mind¡­ Deaths of loved ones, family and comrades that hadn''t managed to escape the horde¡­ And yet, already, people were starting to rebuild.


    Funerals would be held in the traditional fashion, at night and by pyre whilst under root light. Even if there were no bodies, the symbolism was what mattered: respect offered and given to a life well spent.


    For now, villagers were already beginning to tear down what was too far beyond saving. The construction tarots that her husband had supplied them ripped down everything but the foundations of that which the flames had consumed. While the dwellings themselves were partially made of timber, the stone that made up the spire''s core was an effective barrier between levels that fire could rarely penetrate. If ever there was a major loss, it was usually contained to the district it originated from.


    As Dianna understood it, this part hadn''t actually been caused by her daughter, but rather, her husband, inadvertently or otherwise. Not that it likely changed much, all things considered¡­ The loss of life had been what truly mattered. The spire still stood. The land would heal as it always did, and the next time something like this threatened to transpire, Dianna would make sure, in no uncertain context, that dangers posed to her home would be met with overwhelming and indiscriminate violence.


    Arthur had been right. Playing at family politics had been all well and good, even amusing from a certain perspective¡­ But it was time to get serious about her desires if ever they were to truly come to fruition. She believed the phrase her husband had used upon a time was, shitting or getting off the pot. A terribly vivid but no less accurate portrayal of the situation at large. And, regardless of how much in shambles the settlement felt, the reality was that it still stood as a gleaming beacon in the fog when compared to the shanty they were living in before.


    People died. It was a fact of life. In war, famine or sickness. By accident, by premeditation, or even through one''s own choice, whatever the reasons behind such might be. It was time to look to the future. To plan for what came next and set about the groundwork for what Dianna had slowly found her imagination building in her own thoughts. Arthur hadn''t been wrong. In fact, she''d even liked a few of the comments he''d made during their trip to Kaitrice. Surprisingly, and in their own unique way, she found that her vision for the future had been, amusingly, corrupted by her husband''s ideals, if for somewhat alternate reasons than his own.


    They simply didn''t view the world before them in the same way¡­ But that was okay. Strangely enough, their differing ways of thinking oddly flattered one another. And while Dianna understood she was perhaps not the most¡ªwell, compassionate individual in the world... When an idea posed was more than mere altruism for the sake of benevolence alone, she was not above listening to it and offering it its due consideration for how it might further her goals.


    After all, the legions hadn''t been so successful because their ideas were wholly unique to her people. Heck, they''d stolen the very concept from a culture that had long since been conquered. Military success came about from discipline, competent commanders, professional soldiery and having better weapons than those you were fighting. There really wasn''t anything else to it¡­ And she knew that the very same could be replicated, in its own way, regardless of their forces being made up of bal or something alternate¡­


    It wasn''t hard to find the man she was looking for; her brother was on the second platform, working with all the others, ripping apart the old and putting together the new. In many ways, it almost felt like nothing had changed.


    Looking back, remembering those short months spent clogging holes in walls with dirt and leaves¡­ Of digging latrines, eating berries picked from wild bushes and animals seasoned with little else than the smoke of fire¡­ It was truly¡ªinspiring just how far things had come. How much they''d changed. Adapted¡­ And while the mood was heavy, small aspects of cheer could be found wherever she looked.


    It was the small things, the slight fits of laughter. The comforting words and palms on shoulders. The smell of roasting meat as animals were slowly spun on spits over open flames, those who were hungry simply wandering over and tearing themselves off a morsel or two between the intervening junctures of work.


    It made how she''d, prior to Arthur''s intervention, been acting seem so much worse than it already had¡­ And it doubtless would have further estranged her had her mate not managed to speak sense into her addled mind¡­


    She landed nearby, walking the final dozen or so steps toward her brother, who, in noticing her arrival, paused in his work to offer Dianna a somewhat forced grin. His arms opened to greet her much as her own did for him, and they embraced as family, just as they had many times before.


    "We need to speak in private." She stated, her words brokering no argument.


    For his part, Tavir released her, offering a thoughtful look at her expression before clearing his throat and nodding. He did briefly glance around himself to see if anyone appeared in need of his council, but the truth of the matter was that there were few who didn''t understand what community truly entailed. The villagers were far from wayward children without the means to think for themselves, and between them all, there were more than enough options and advice to go around.


    "I suppose¡­ now is as good a time as any to talk about the matters I suspect are to be our topics?"


    "The sooner the better. Things are going to start changing, and those deviations from our ways are going to arrive quite quickly. We owe it, not just to our people here, but those who will join us to begin making certain expectations¡ªknown."


    "Alright!" Tavir grunted, taking in a deep breath before stretching his back, the man''s bones popping and cracking with the effort. "But, there''s another we should be including in this conversation."


    "Another?"


    "Aye. But worry not, darling, it will make sense once we find him."


    Acting centurion Korvil glanced from one set of eyes to the other. Then, turned from where he''d been seated and offered a sharp whistle, his gaze locked on his adjunct as the older woman perked, noticed what was happening and then sighed.


    "Come on, Faira, don''t be like that¡­" He complained as the woman in question rose with exaggerated pains to her existence and strolled over to his side.


    Korvil himself stood up to greet the two newcomers to their small camp right as the veteran mage reached his side. Putting on as congenial a smile as he could manage for all his hazy thoughts...


    "Centurion!" The older and rather broad-shouldered man greeted. The familial resemblance to his commander and her sire was both immediately noticeable as it was with the large woman at his side. Tavir was a handsome devil of a grizzled soldier, as rugged and nearly heroic in appearance as any centurion could hope to be. The sort that inspired those around a person to be more than they could ever hope to stand as whilst alone.


    And while his centurion generally liked to keep herself somewhat absent of any obvious attempts at femininity, she was no less beautiful for it, which could invoke a certain kind of inspiration all its own... Likewise, he knew who the taller woman was, regardless of introductions or lack thereof. Had listened intently during what few moments Bianca had opened up about her life. And perhaps even more than her own parents, the individual so often complained about, idealized and spoken of was the woman''s aunt. Senior veteran Dianna. A name somewhat infamous amidst the rank and file old enough to remember a time when she''d been her legion''s chief drill instructor for new recruits.


    Beautiful as she was, heartless¡­


    Still, Korvil straightened himself. He''d been under Dianna''s lash during his own days as a sapling, and Tavir was a respectable officer with a long list of decorations for his valour and effectiveness in battle. They might be retired, but he paid his respects where respect was due.


    "Korvil! I remember you!" Dianna smiled, her grin less malicious than he remembered but no less frightening to behold¡­ "And Faira¡­ I thought they were to give you a posting as a centurion?"


    "Declined it." The old mage grunted, clasping arms with the taller woman who, evidently, knew the terrifying drill master on a personal level. "I''m too old to care after that much responsibility. They tried to shove money in my face, but I shoved it right back! I like where I am; dealing with mages is what I''m good at¡­ though¡­" She added somewhat sourly, "I doubt much of that will matter soon enough¡­"


    Korvil spared his acting second a somewhat annoyed look, though he couldn''t¡ªdeny things weren''t necessarily good given what had happened. But he''d done what he could. Dispatch had been sent with all due haste. Messengers having used the Kaitrice archway to get their reports all the way to Londis as fast as they could.


    The decision to remain in the ravaged settlement had been a¡ªdifficult one to make. But, for Korvil, it had ultimately been about survival. He was practical enough to realize there was nothing they could do against the creature that had emerged from the tomb. A sentiment that was shared by Faira, who had agreed with his decision to keep their force stationed where they were. He had no official commission to replace their commander, but with Bianca beyond the capacity to act in her function and with several of their people deserting in the labyrinth following their timely espace¡­ All that was left of the century was twenty-three of their original hundred. An almost depressing number that made them little more than a ragged band of deserters themselves...


    Even if they went back to command, it was easy to see that they''d be blamed for what had transpired, regardless of both his own and Faira''s opinions, that they''d only spurred an event that would have happened with or without them. But that was the problem with duty, now, wasn''t it? In the legions, you were often damned if you did as much as you were damned if you didn''t. Shit flowed downhill, and it had a tendency to build up and cake upon the lowest ranks involved in a shitshow of this sort of proportions.


    Yet, somehow, the settlement had survived and even warded away the entity that had singlehandedly slaughtered forty or more good men and women with but a glance¡­ And if there was one thing Korvil knew, it was that he''d rather be here than out there with the tide of death that was coming. As it happened, their senior mage felt a rather similar degree of pragmatism. Loyalty to the imperium or otherwise, neither wanted to die...


    His focus snapped back towards the conversation once Faira and Dianna had finished exchanging pleasantries, all present looking in his direction as his mind quickly pieced through the snippets had had retained while delving into his own thoughts.


    "Ah, yes¡­ well, I suppose our¡ªplan as it were, was to see after how our centurion fares¡­ and¡ªafter, follow her lead, wherever it would have taken us¡­"


    "What he means to say is that we were waiting for an opportune moment to approach you regarding a more permanent stay¡­" Faira commented, her urbane and nearly monotonous voice stretching out her words as they arrived.


    "My¡ªdaughter is not doing well¡­ Sadly, I suspect you will be without your centurion for some time. My wife is seeing to her treatment as we speak, and unfortunately, the last I heard was that what visible corruption was present has all but abated. Her injuries have been healed, and still, she does not wake. It means¡ªit¡­ means¡­"


    "There is damage to the mind¡­" Dianna finished, placing a hand on her brother''s shoulder and offering a small squeeze. "It''s not uncommon to pull through such things with time, but for now, you should not hedge your bets on relying upon her orders."


    "Miss Casandra said very much the same¡­" Korvil nodded, a solum weariness overcoming his eyes¡­ "Still, what remains of our force would, if I can be frank, rather avoid returning to the army if you can imagine why that might be¡­"


    "Oh, doubtless, someone would manage to blame you a lot for what happened! Not that my niece''s decision would have been any different than my own had I been in her position, but your survivors would doubtless face court marshal and worse if we were all honest with ourselves. I''ve seen executions for lesser blunders than unleashing such darkness upon our own forces¡­"


    Both Faira and Korvil himself squirmed at that¡­ The mage because they''d doubtless say she should have known what dangers could arise in tampering with the crypt as they had. And he because, regardless of what command would assure him, if they''d returned without trying to break the seal, they''d be labelled as cowards and punished accordingly. The legions did not reward nor forgive failure. And while Bianca would doubtless take the brunt of any reprimand in store for them, it would by no means end with her resultant punishment.


    "I believe you are not mistaken on such matters." He eventually allowed, nodding his head with a sharp intake of breath. "I don''t suppose there''s an opportunity for a little mutual aid born of shifting loyalty?"


    The tall woman chuckled at his words while Tavir reached out and slapped him on his shoulder, a reassuring gesture that had Korvil immediately at ease. He had no idea how what had transpired here came about, but it hadn''t been lost on him that the settlement had something about it that reeked of the absurd. He wouldn''t mind partaking in whatever it was when the alternatives weren''t quite so warm and fuzzy...


    "Don''t worry, lad, we''ll take you in. But, there are¡ªthings that you should be aware of¡­" So saying, the man glanced at Dianna who, after taking a small breath, picked up where he left off.


    "I''ll take that as your agreement to abdicate, then?"


    "You won''t hear complaints from me, Dia¡­ nor many others in the village. So far as I''m concerned, we''re already alone out here anyway¡­ And even if that thing doesn''t succeed in what I think it is heading to do, the imperium isn''t going to give two shits about what''s left out here¡­"


    "You''re receding from the republic?" Faira murmured, a spark of understanding filling her eyes. "I mean, it makes sense¡­ You have a means to the labyrinth, the means to create a spire, and evidently an army of golems¡­ Far be it from me to ask how any of that''s possible, but¡­"


    "Dianna is going to make herself queen of our little paradise! And I support her for it. Somebody needs to be in charge, and it''s fitting that it should be her, regardless."


    "Typical dictator rules," Dianna smiled, her wing wrapping around her brother, "he and or she who is strongest gets to be in charge!"


    "Don''t sell yourself short! You''ll do well at everything else surrounding violence, I''m sure¡­"


    Faira shrugged, not seeming that bothered by the news. "Not many people around to rule over¡­ not that I''m complaining or anything¡­ A governor or royalty, either way, It''s not like I ever had much say in things¡­"


    Korvil didn''t exactly agree with that sentiment, though the issue that was population did catch his interest, especially since naming oneself royalty felt somewhat shallow with so few around¡­ Yet, his uncertainties were at least touched upon as the alleged queen herself made to answer that little quandary.


    "You''ll be surprised at the speed at which new people will be arriving. I plan to attract as much immigration from the labyrinth as I can."


    "Probably be no shortage of refugees seeking a place to live."


    "Oh, I''m not restricting things to our people alone. The imperium is what our kind know as home, and I''m not going to fight them on that front. No, my intention is to very much do as Kaitrice does."


    "Truly?"


    ¡°Im far from a supremisist Faira, and besides.¡± She added, manifesting two souls in her hands and proffering them to the pair of legionnaires before her, "I''ve need of talent, no matter what form they take. That includes the two of you¡­ In all honesty, we need help, and so do our kindred spread across this world." She paused for a span, eying them both as Korvil glanced at what he''d just been given with disbelieving eyes, blinking away momentary befuddlement as his potential new¡ªliege continued¡­ "We need to evacuate as many people as we can, and anyone who is willing to bend the knee and join my army will receive¡ªmany gifts¡­"


    Faira simply cackled, sounding like a laughing hyena that might very well be positively mad with delight, while he¡­ Well, for Korvil, several pieces of a rather strange puzzle finally slid into place¡­


    "We have the means to collect your families from wherever they might be," Tavir commented, looking at both soldiers, one at a time. "We can recover them from Londis or wherever else they might reside. But we''re going to need to act quickly. Dia, those souls¡­"


    "Available for all who wish to reenlist. I''m going to have Tulla spearheading efforts to locate as many settlements as we can find¡­ Somehow, I doubt what happened here will be¡ªunique¡­"


    Korvil and Faira shared a small look with one another. And, like that, the man knew they were bought¡­


    It was late when Arthur opened a portal from his home and stepped into the temporary hospital that had been erected on the spire''s third platform. His gaze roved over the myriad of beds, many of them already empty, but at least a third still held occupants¡­


    "How''s she doing?" He asked, eyes finally falling upon a woman who was sitting on a bedside chair, her hands clasped in the unresponsive fingers of her daughter, who lay on a cot without stirring.


    "She''s¡ªalive¡­"


    Arthur nodded at that, moving to stand next to Cassandra, rubbing at the woman''s shoulder as she stared at Bianca''s unessing expression. Bianca didn''t even seem to register his presence, nor that of her mother, as she lay amidst her sheets, an almost serene mask held in place while her mind remained disconnected from the body. Her appearance was almost doll-like and glassy-eyed... so unlike the woman he''d, only not that long ago, met and had been threatening him at his very doorstep...


    "I could try¡ª"


    "No, it''s alright¡­ I''ve seen this sort of thing before, Arthur¡­" Cassandra turned to him, her smile thin, but her features hardened as stone, her opinion on the matter, just as it had been before, like iron. "Healing isn''t so simple as you might think it is, dear¡­ Even with a tarot meant for that very purpose, there is a reason why so many must study more than magic to qualify as a practitioner in the art. Heal a wound you forget to sanitize? Infection. Forget to remove any fragmentation of foreign objects? Infection. Fail to properly set a bone or understand the complex workings of the body, and you may as well just rebreak the damned thing and start over¡­ It''s even worse with injuries to the mind¡­ those can be disastrous if treated by healers who don''t understand what they''re doing."


    Arthur nodded at that, briefly wondering how it could be so different between the cards he''d made Dianna and Tulla, but the woman evidently knew where his mind was going and spoke towards that end without missing a beat.


    "It comes down to intent. The soul you gave my sister enhances her body''s natural capabilities to heal itself, and the body does know things about itself that we often take for granted. A healing card meant to apply external magic to the equation relies on intent, education and competence to be successful. Now, if my little girl could take such a card as you gave Dia into her soul, then I suspect it would help. But¡ª"


    "I get it¡­" Arthur sighed, not exactly happy but understanding all the same. He personally thought he could manage it, but it wasn''t his decision to make¡­ And he wasn''t going to force it... Thinking oneself to know better than everyone else around you at all times was a fairly slippery slope he''d been trying to avoid all month...


    "She will pull through this," Cassandra whispered, pulling in a shuddering breath as she did so. "Bianca is at silver, and our metamorphosis does offer a semblance of enhanced regeneration¡­ It will take time, but she''ll put herself back together all her own¡­ trust me."


    Arthur nodded at that. Leaving things in that regard as they were. He''d made his offers, and he wouldn''t push any further. Instead, he changed tangents, shifting the conversation elsewhere...


    "Have you eaten anything?"


    "Not... yet."


    "Cassandra¡­"


    "Don''t lecture me; I know what I''ve been doing and what I haven''t."


    "Either way, you need to rest. Tavir is going to send people over to stand vigil. You and I are going to head to the funerals and the meeting thereafter.


    "Am I now?"


    "It''s your choice, Cass¡­ I''m not here to force you¡­ But we''d rather have you present when Dianna is announcing herself as the ruler of the settlement tonight. And more for the planning that will follow. The thing that did this to Bianca is still out there. Tavir thinks it''s heading towards Rijol to confront the imperium''s army¡­ And we have some hard decisions to make in that regard¡­"


    "Dianna''s thinking of leaving them to their fate?"


    Arthur looked away, head softly swivelling to eye Liasa, who lay on a bed nearby. Silent but listening in all the same. He smiled at her and offered a slight nod to the terribly exhausted-looking woman before he replied in a quiet voice. "She''s not the only one who made the suggestion. There''s a consensus that the legions won''t buckle from such numbers, given their own. And, that while it might sting them and set them on a path of retreat¡­"


    "But you don''t share their sentiment?"


    "Actually, I do. There''s no way a force that size is going to do any real damage to the numbers I''ve been led to understand are involved. They hurt us, to be sure, but what did we have? Less than a hundred people and a bunch of my golems? If they were driven away with just that¡­" Arthur hesitated, clearing his throat before meeting Cassandra''s crossed pupils. "No, the issue was all the reinforcements that were swarming in from outside the settlement. I can''t say for certain, but if that thing out there was raising the dead and calling them to its banner, then it creates a wholly new paradigm to be concerned over¡­ If it spends its time building its forces, or if, as Faira suggested, this wasn''t an isolated event, then¡­ I don''t know¡­"


    Cassandra rose from her seat with a small sigh of her own, seeming to understand the importance, if not looking like she wholly cared... "Then clearly, we need to plan for what happens if it decides to come back¡­"


    "Among other things¡­"


    Nodding, Cassandra turned to peer at Liasa, who offered a small waggle of her fingers in a wave.


    Arthur couldn''t help but grin at that; seeing the girl''s obvious willingness to keep a positive outlook was infectious, and he resolved to try and get to know her somewhat better in the future. He suspected they might get along fairly well, all things considered. Generally, people who could take the punches sent their way and keep smiling were of a sort he got along with.


    "Lia, make sure whoever is on detail here performs their duties properly, will you? I''ll have the hide of any who think this an opportunity to catch up on sleep."


    "I''ll take the whip to them myself, senior magi."


    "There''s a good soldier." Cassie smiled, offering her a wink before turning to leave the tent.


    The evening was dark as Arthur stood outside; the slight chill in the air biting at his skin vanished with the sudden roaring flames. Stacks of logs had been set in neat rows... Some were holding bodies at their centers, others little more than mementoes of those who had placed them in remembrance of the dead. There were few tears that he observed in the proceedings. Stern faces and resolved determination replacing grief in a manner which was... fitting for those around him that he''d come to know.


    In his arms, Tulla pressed in from his front, the girl now nearly to his shoulders... the stoic pride and quiet zeal for her kin all but radiating from her form... A semblance of silent promise toward vengeance seeping from her person like a miasma of simmering fury... The sentiment was shared among those around her. The ceremony was as much a dedication to the deceased as it was a commitment. People were angry. Frustrated. And already, Dianna had no shortage of people volunteering to join their new army, young as such a thing might be.


    But for this night, they reserved themselves for those that were lost. Curiously, it was the memory, not the soul which was venerated. No tarots were left in the arms of those that had passed, nor had any been attempted to be placed for those of whom no bodies could be found. Just simple words and well wishes. Whispers of regrets, guarantees of aid for the family left behind. And, curiously enough, jokes... strange as such a thing was.


    It was so absurdly backwards that, in a universe that possessed not just proof of a soul but a tangible value to such a thing, so many would hardly care after it when concepts of the afterlife could be observed. Back home, billions had perished beneath the ideal that was one''s eternal spark and to where such a thing might eventually find itself, in spite of any noteworthy evidence of its existence. And yet, here he was, surrounded by those who accepted that a soul was merely one small piece of the individual. But a fraction, not even important enough to mention at a funeral...


    The memories: who a person was, what they''d done and how they''d mattered to those around them. That was, in the end, all that counted in the Lacunae... The best way those who sent their friends and family off on one final voyage could best pay respects to those moving onto the next stage of their journey, wherever and whenever that might be.


    Strangely, as the embers of flames rose to dissipate amidst the infinite network of silver above, those countless shimmering worlds floating amidst the endless expanse, as far as one''s eye might see, Arthur found he enjoyed the change for what it was... Cheering as loud as he was able whilst he raised a stein with those all around him, laughing amidst those that still remained, joyus even, as they all shared one final drink for the dead...

 Epilogue: The darkness that whispers...

    Chapter 27


    "You failed, you know?"


    "I didn''t¡­"


    "They''re all dead¡­"


    "They''re not!"


    "The corpses of you''re family and friends already fertilize the dirt!"


    "Stop¡ªtalking!"


    "It was all your fault, too!"


    "Shut up!"


    "If only you''d been smarter! Had taken the time to think things through¡­"


    "You''re-not-real!"


    "Then how am I speaking, hm? Besides, I''m only telling you the truth! So many dead and dying left in the wake of you''re leadership¡­ Poor Faira, torn apart limb from limb¡­ Young Turron beheaded. Korvil trapped beneath the surface, entombed while still alive, dozens of you''re men and women with him¡­


    "Quiet!"


    "They won''t last long, you know. I''ve seen it plenty of times before! So amusing, really¡­ First, the arguing will commence¡­ Bickering, blaming and infighting, all the usual suspects¡­ They''ll be at each other''s throats before the hunger truly sets it¡­ But, once it does¡ªhmhmhm¡­ well, needless to say, even if you do find them, there might not be much left but bones!"


    "You can''t fool me! They escaped the tunnels!"


    "Did they?"


    "You''re nothing but a whisper in my mind! The corruption trying to break me! You know nothing more than what''s in my own head, and if I could move, I''d prove you wrong myself rather than needing to listen to you''re worthless drivel!"


    ¡°Eh¡­ maybe¡­ But then again, I rather suspect there''s a deal less certainty in you''re heart than you let on!"


    "Then let me move my body! Let me prove the impotent value of your lies!"


    "You think I''m the one keeping you in bed?"


    "Who else¡­"


    "Your mother, maybe? Or what about that wizard? He seems like a rather suspicious fellow¡­"


    "Why would my mother be keeping me catatonic¡­"


    "Why, the corruption, of course! I''ve already overheard them talking about it! They wish to study you! Dissect and experiment! You did cause this whole disaster, after all. It''s no surprise they should want to reap at least some form of reparation from you''re tactless actions."


    "If you overheard them talking about that, then why haven''t I heard the same?"


    "You just weren''t focused at the time! Honestly, you shouldn''t feel bad about it; a little absentmindedness is perfectly common following personal trauma!"


    "And my mother? I thought you said she was dead?"


    "Semantics! Obviously I''m not counting the dead themselves! It was more a generalizing statement of fact!"


    "I''ve no idea what you are, but you''re terrible at this¡­"


    "Am I? Hmph¡­ I don''t know; I feel like we''ve made quite a lot of progress together! We''ve gone from you ignoring me to screaming at me to pleading for me to stop¡­ And now, we''re having delightful little conversations with one another! Almost as if we are already friends¡­"


    The voice allowed for a pause. Bianca''s thoughts waiting, as though with bated breath as she nervously anticipated the silken whispers that emanated from the depths of her mind¡­ Terrified, desperate, willing nothing more than for the terrible and ceaselessly amused thing in her head to finally disappear! Wishing it was all just a nightmare that she''d soon wake from! That it had all been but a figment of her imagination¡­


    Still, the voice came again, this time arriving with tinkling laughter, the madness within its deranged delight bleeding through with every syllable¡­


    "Hmhmhmhm! You know, it hasn''t even been a full day yet! Hardly more than twelve hours¡­ I wonder what you''re psyche might look like in another ten¡­ or twenty, for that matter! My bet is that your consciousness will resemble pulpy soup!"


    "What do you want with me?"


    ¡°Oh, I don''t know¡­ pffft¡­ hmm, what might be fun¡­ Oh! How about you summon your spear and plant it in that other woman''s chest over there? Really grind it in! Avoid anything vital, obviously! There''s no sport in it all unless she''s writhing in misery and asking herself why you''d ever do such a thing¡­"


    "You''re cracked!"


    "Probably! But why not give it a go all the same? I''ll even give you a reward if you let me watch the light in her eyes twinkle out of existence!"


    Internally sighing, Bianca simply allowed her mind to drift again¡­ Falling out of focus from the¡ªconversation she was having, if for no greater reason than the earnest hope it might end¡­


    "Oh, don''t pout! What are you, a four-year-old girl?"


    "I''m done listening to you¡­ go bother someone else now¡­"


    "Sorry, but that''s not how this works¡­ I can''t just walk off; I''m in you! Part of you now! Inseparable!"


    "You''re not¡­"


    "I thought you weren''t talking to me anymore?"


    "Now, who is the child?"


    "Don''t be so testy! I''m only trying to help!"


    "Bullshit!" Bianca screeched, her temper flaring! The twitching muscles around her right eye the only physical indication she was screaming in her own head!


    "Bia¡­"


    "Don''t you dare!"


    "Ooooo! So feisty! I dare say I detected a hint of a threat in there! But do pray to tell, what¡ªexactly it is you plan to do to me? Hm! I mean, you can''t even lift your own arms!"


    "And whose fault is that?"


    "Not mine, if that''s what your tone is insinuating! Like I said, I only wish to help!"


    "Then why keep lying to me? Why keep bothering me? Just let me die!"


    "Don''t be so melodramatic, darling! Even if I wasn''t with you, you''d be far from death''s door. You might not be able to move, but I assure you, you''ll be kept alive in this state to the very end of your natural life! I''ll make sure of it!"


    "Why¡­"


    "...Boredom really¡­" The voice answered, its tone taking on an almost exasperated air¡­ "I''ve been locked in the nothingness for so long that even this small deviation from inexistence is positively thrilling! And I would absolutely keep you as my little incontinent pet if it means I get to spend a few decades out here where it''s warm!"


    "So you are keeping me from moving¡­" Bianca whispered, feeling both horrified and so terribly small¡­


    "I''m not¡ªkeeping you from moving, so much as simply not helping the process along¡­ Your cute little soul was all shredded to pieces by the plucky creature trying to nestle in and claim your body¡­ But when I saw my opportunity, I took it! Evicting the previous tenant to make room for myself. I''ve actually got a fairly cozy thing going in here¡­ A little swinger pad, really¡­ nothing much, but as far as accommodations go, I''ve had far worse!"


    "Then why can''t I move? Why am I still stuck like this!"


    "Oh! Well, they do say once you get a taste, it''s always so easy to convince yourself to go back for more¡­ That first little bit of information was free, my dear. Now, you''ll need to pay for that sort of privileged wisdom."


    "Fuck off and just tell me¡­"


    "No! No, no, no¡­ That''s not how bargaining works! Where''s your sense of mercantile spirit?"


    Bianca was silent for several long minutes¡­ considering the overly enthusiastic and sibilant voice¡­ Unsure how to proceed. Should she¡ªstop engaging with it? Frustratingly, she already knew how that would end up¡­ With her screaming at it to be quiet again¡­


    The voice hadn''t been content to leave her in peace, and there was no reason she could see that it wouldn''t return to its prior antics. No, the only reason it seemed even moderately subdued was because Bianca had begun actually talking with it.


    She had no idea what it was, but neither was it a stretch of the imagination to discern exactly where its supposed prison had been. Something from the abyss was making its home inside of her¡­ And worse, Bianca felt it might just be possibly insane¡­


    She wasn''t sure how if there was a way out of this for her¡­ But she knew that there certainly wasn''t a hope of ridding herself of this haunting without the use of her body! The thing was, Bianca had already been given a snippet towards the reason behind her paralysis.


    Soul damage¡­


    She''d been corrupted by the void, or that was to say, something from the void. Then that entity had itself been destroyed to make room for something potentially far worse¡­ And yet, the corruption that had been priorly claiming her flesh had vanished¡­ Which could only mean one thing¡­


    "Hmhm! Oh¡­ you are a smart cookie, aren''t you?"


    "You can read my thoughts too?"


    "Little whispers here and there¡­ But you are correct, regardless. Your body is perfectly fine! Yet, you''re soul is no longer so pristine and clean!"


    The tormenting cackles that resounded through Bianca''s mind were enough for her to wish for mercy, preferably by the end of an edged blade¡­ She''d rather die than allow whatever it was riding on her soul the chance to truly sink its claws into her thoughts! Would rather¡ª


    "No, you wouldn''t! Stop being so dishonest to yourself! We both know if you were that stringently dedicated, you''d of ordered your century to capture your aunt''s mate. You can''t fool me with posturing bravado, darling; I know how badly you want to live! As it happens, it''s a trait we share with one another¡­"


    "Then a bargain, shall we?" Bianca hissed, the sneer on her metaphysical face outright snarling at the formless dark cloud that she was associating with the entity in her mind¡­


    "Oooo! That''s more like it! Bargain away! I might not accept any deals, but since we''re already at this stage in our relationship, it won''t be long before I get what I want!"


    "Hmph! You can''t fool me either creature¡­ If you had the means to take me, you''d of already done it. That means either you simply desire to torture me, or you need me. Claim what you want, but sitting inside a hospital for the next hundred years will get boring once you break my mind."


    "Mmmm¡­ I won''t deny that being bedridden is certainly on the low end of the spectrum of interest¡­ But if you think I''m just going to share how you can get rid of me for some meaningless concession, then¡ª"


    "I''ll promise not to take my own life if you fix it so I can move again."


    "Denied! What do you think this is, the schoolyard? Try again unless you simply want me to outline my demands!"


    "Just tell me what you want, will you?"


    "Ugh, you''re simply no fun¡­ Maybe I should go ask to see if that wizard would invite me to stay with him; at least he would keep things interesting¡­ know how to treat a malignant and hate-filled abomination of a woman right¡­"


    "By all means, let me move, and I''ll go ask him."


    "No, you''d do something aggravating like tell everyone that I''m inside of you¡­ Sorry darling, but until something actually better comes up, you''re my vacation home, like it or not."


    "If you''re not going to be helpful, I''ll just go back to ignoring you."


    "We both know you''d have better luck wiping your ass! But okay, you really want to know what it''s going to cost you? Fine. Firstly¡ª"


    "Firstly?"


    "Obviously! You didn''t think this was going to be fair, did you?"


    "I don''t have to accept anything either!"


    "No¡­ but you''re going to anyways. Maybe not today, maybe not a week from now! But just knowing freedom is but a word away, a mere acceptance of my terms¡­ It''s going to eat at your mind until it''s all you can think about!"


    "And these¡ªterms?"


    "Well, you won''t be allowed to share my secrets with anyone or anything. That includes my existence, by the way! After all, nobody else knows I''m up here! Second to that, no trying to get rid of me, with the help of others, or on your own; it doesn''t matter which. After that, like you said, no killing yourself!"


    "I won''t agree to that!"


    "Fourthly! I want an hour of playtime using your body each and every day!"


    "I already said no, you freak!"


    "Oh, don''t be coy, take the deal! It''s good, I promise!


    "You want my body!"


    "Only an hour! Come now, it''s not so bad! All I want to do is taste a little bit of freedom from time to time! Maybe eat an apple or go for a short swim!"


    "Bugger off, I''ll take my chances on my own¡­"


    "No! Don''t be like that! I''m a person like you are! Sure, I was stuck in the abyss for a little while, but it doesn''t change who I am!"


    "Bollocks that! A person wouldn''t be burrowing in my mind like a parasite!"


    The entity was quiet after that, seemingly frustrated, in its own way, at her fervent rejection of its offer. Heh¡­ all the better for her, as Bianca was finally allowed a semblance of peace for once! She internally sighed with relief¡­ the blessed silence, something which she''d so desired for what had felt like entire months while trapped in her own mind!


    Sadly, without the whispers crawling through her thoughts as they spoke to her, there earnestly wasn''t much to focus on¡­ Her eyes were open, but she couldn''t control them¡­ Just as her body kept itself breathing, everything seemed more or less working on instinct, with any input from herself going ignored or otherwise simply not making it through.


    She had seen herself respond dully to external stimuli. She''d been fed and watered and¡ªcleaned¡­ All of which she had very much felt... Likewise, her eyes might occasionally twitch to look at someone who was trying to get her attention, but¡­ eventually, her body would simply return to a neutral state.


    The hardest part of it all had thus far been seeing her mother¡­ Listening without being able to respond as the woman had spent the day at her side, speaking at length about everything and anything¡­ Unable to understand that her daughter could hear her¡­ Unable to help beyond the scope she already had¡­


    When the wizard had arrived but a short hour prior, assuming her sense of time wasn''t skewed, Bianca had been almost appreciative. Not for herself, but for her mother¡­ Who, until that point, had been distraught beyond reconciliation¡­ She had no doubt that the woman would be back soon as she was able to get away from whatever obligations were required of her, but for the time being, at least she didn''t have to stare at her little girl and wonder if her mind was truly gone¡­ A distraction, if for a while, that she not just deserved but that was undoubtedly needed¡­If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The sudden flapping of the tent caused her body to react, eyes drifting to the side to spy a slightly bedraggled soldier who stepped inside, offering the woman who was on watch, seated or otherwise, a small nod.


    "My turn, Zebra, go on out and¡ªhm! Have yourself something to eat!"


    "Are you drunk?"


    "Tipsy is all. Villagers broke out the kegs ''bout twenty minutes or so ago, ''n I figured I''d get me a few good mugs in before I settle for the graveyard! How''s the Centurion?"


    "Same as she was three hours ago¡­" Zebra sighed, rising from her chair and flexing her back, which popped with several quite audible cracks. "Liasa, you want anything to eat or drink?"


    "I''d rather you find me a soldier who hasn''t gone and gotten himself sloshed."


    The man, a soldier in Bianca''s own company, Bartworth, merely glanced at the older and retired legionnaire with a small scowl. "Ain''t drunk!"


    "You outright stumbled through that flap, lad; you''ll get a lashing for this dereliction of duty."


    "Oh, come off it! The company''s dead anyways¡­ Our centurion had her mind broke, most of us troopers are in the dirt, and apparently, this village is deciding to cede from the imperium! Sounds like discipline''s already taken a back seat, no offence."


    "Your superior officer is the supposed new Queen''s niece."


    "Eh, Costis ain''t going anywhere, are you ma''am?" Bartworth grinned, the man offering Bianca as lazy and sloppy a salute as one could presumably try and make. One that would have had her separating bone from flesh for all its desecration of her command.


    Then, the trooper fell heavily onto the wooden stool, letting out a weary grunt as he did so.


    "I''ll see if I can find another." Zebra intoned, earning herself a small nod from the bedridden Liasa, who all but glared at Bartworth, who, in turn, snorted, pulling in a thick loogie before swallowing the thing with a laugh!


    "Yeah! I wouldn''t be averse to giving up my post! I think I''m quite done with being a soldier. Might could be a good time to retire."


    "Your twenty-three¡­"


    "An I fought a fucking nightmare horde while stuck underground!" The trooper shot back, growling with a snarl, "So forgive me if I say I''m done with this bull-shite! Should have never gone into those crypts¡­ should have never gone underground! This was supposed to be our leave time!"


    "After doing what? Training?" Liasa laughed, a healthy grimace of disgust etched on her curling lip, "This was your first real deployment, boy; the whole village knows it."


    "You can say it as an insult all ya like. Doesent change the fact that my officers have defected! Way I see''s it, I''m still a loyal legionnaire to me country! It''s all of you who have leapt at the chance of treason!"


    "I''ll get lady Costis¡­"


    "I''d appreciate that."


    "What? Can''t anyone take a bloody joke anymore?"


    "Well, given you find it so funny, I''m sure you won''t mind repeating it in front of someone actually in charge."


    "C''mon Zeby, it was only two drinks! Just let me percolate in my own depression and go have a good time¡­"


    The woman hesitated for a moment, sharing a glance with Liasa as the older woman sighed¡­ leaning back in her bed and waving a dismayed hand as if to say that Zebra could choose how the rest would play out¡­


    For her part, the yet sober trooper seemed to just worry at her lip for a few moments, taking in the now pleading look of her fellow legionnaire before she sighed¡­ "I''ll see if someone else is willing to take the post¡­ Don''t you dare be asleep when I get back, or I won''t be able to cover for it."


    "Cross me heart an hope to die!"


    "I''ll be back¡­" Zebra grumbled, pushing through the flaps to leave the triage center behind. The sound of the tent shifting from the displaced air of her wings was little more than a soft rustle in the new silence.


    Bartworth didn''t so much as say another word. Simply getting back up, hauling his stool over to a wooden support, then he sat back down, leaning against it and immediately closing his eyes.


    Liasa scoffed but didn''t remark further. Clearly no longer caring about the soldier and deciding to leave him to whatever fate might arrive at his doorstep.


    Within what felt like moments, snoring was filling the air. And, doing so in the most infuriating of manners¡­ Bianca earnestly wished she could throw something at the man as her ire continued to simmer like a kettle set to boil¡­


    "Well¡­" The whispers in her mind muttered, hissing at the back of her thoughts as Bianca whimpered with despondent dejection¡­ Because, of course, it wasn''t going to let her get any sleep¡­


    "At least make a counter offer¡­ Seriously, I''m open to negotiations, you know."


    Bianca barked, laughing! The corners of her lips curled in her own head as she spat at the entity with open disdain! How many hours had this thing inside of her endeavoured to torture her? To be as great a possible pest as it feasibly could? Braying ceaselessly at her like a hound! And now, now it wanted to play nice? To sit down at the bargaining table like it was civilized? Hoping to just ignore how much it had already put her through? No! She was not willing to play nice!


    "I''ll tell you what, I''ll take the deal with an addendum! You see, I''m only willing to give you but a single minute of my day. And even then, I do so only then to spite you!"


    "Accepted!"


    "Wha¡ª"


    Bianca didn''t have time to finish! A sudden wave of energy washed over her psyche as every single thought process abruptly stuttered to a halt! Her mind skipping a singular beat before she groaned her displeasure¡­ The whiplash of the receding energy left her with a terribly pounding headache!


    One of her hands lifted to rub frustratedly at her face, skin pulling along her dragging and calloused appendage with open dismay¡­ The fact she was moving again didn''t openly register until she caught the telltale sound of her own groans ringing out in her ears¡­


    Bianca blinked, again slightly caught off guard by the unexpected deviation, the sniggers howls in the background of her conscience, evidently finding her stupefaction entirely amusing!


    "See? Didn''t I tell you I wasn''t so terrible?"


    Bianca wanted to bite back at the voice, wanted to say she hadn''t meant her offer to be anything but satirical, but¡­ now that she was moving again¡­


    "Hahahahaha! Like I said, just a taste is all that''s needed!"


    The centurion frowned, pulling in a deep but pleasurable breath before grunting, feeling just how¡ªsore she was¡­ Her movements and noises, of course, weren''t to go unnoticed as, stirring herself, Liasa stared at her with wide and surprised eyes.


    But, when Bianca made to say something, mouth opening to reassure the woman¡ªa beat later, it was shut again, forcing itself closed and her to mumble like a fool¡­


    She frowned at that, trying again, but, the same as before, her lips closed and held themselves shut as though unwilling to follow her commands¡­ The voice in her head laughing with delight!


    "Remember, you agreed not to share my secrets! Naughty, naughty, already trying so hard to spill the beans, as it were!"


    "But, I''m not¡­" Bianca tried, this time her words actually flowing from her lips without issue¡­


    Again, she found herself confused, having wanted to do nothing more than reassure Liasa that she was okay, but¡­


    "Bianca, are you¡ªfeeling alright?"


    "Ye-mmmhmm¡­"


    Again, her blighted lips! And, as before, the whispers chuckled with dark satisfaction, Bianca deciding to simply keep her mouth shut after that with a low growl of annoyance. How was answering the other woman''s concerns considered a breach of contract? And more, she''d never agreed to be bound by oath!"


    "It was all implied! And obviously, like I said, none of this needs to be in any way fair¡­ not that I''m about to share the precise restrictions I need to play by! However, what''s done is done! There''s no going back; this is magic we''re talking about, darling!"


    Bianca ground her teeth but nevertheless attempted to rise¡­ She wasn''t wearing anything but her skivvies, but it wasn''t any great inconvenience¡­


    "Centurion¡­ I really think you should keep in bed and wait until¡ª"


    "I''m fine!" Bianca snipped, half surprised she actually got that one out and half annoyed that she did so¡­ "It''s been an unpleasant day¡­"


    Liasa simply nodded at the younger woman, not looking terribly sure of herself, but she didn''t look to be in any state to argue. Magical healing could really take it out of someone. And though the old legionnaire wasn''t expressly wounded anymore, she still had the look of someone utterly fatigued¡­


    "Who do you like better?"


    Bianca hesitated, her thoughts derailing as the whispers pushed themselves to the forefront of her mind¡­ Hanging there as the posed question lingered like it was all she could think about¡­


    "What?"


    "I asked who you like better? The man or the woman?"


    She frowned at that, glancing at her father''s legionnaire, then at her own, of whom was currently still snoring¡­ not exactly understanding what was being asked of her¡­


    "Oh, you''re right, who really cares? I''ll just do eeny meeny¡­"


    Standing there as the voice in her head began listing off an utterly ridiculous-sounding nursery rhyme, Bianca tried to parse through exactly what was happening¡­ She was almost tempted to ask, but a moment before, the whispers abruptly shouted, "Moe!"


    It all happened in a flash! Bianca''s mind dragging along, but a moment later, her entire form started moving of its own accord! All the freedoms only just returned to her violently removed in a burst of action, not her own!


    Bianca''s magical spear was in her hand and flying through the air before the woman could even shout her dismay! The weapon launching across the short distance, even as her one voice cackled with maddened delight!


    Her gleaming spear skewered Bartworth through the chest, the pain of it all snapping the man from his slumber, but it was far too late! Bianca''s body was already leaping through the air! Following her spear at nearly the same speed, even as the thing exploded through the soldier''s chest cavity, blowing a hole through him in a meaty rain of red chucks! Her hand, claws extended, skewering the gasping soldier''s face, each one sinking deeply into his skull before, with a sickening wet crack, her hands ripped the man''s skull cleanly in two halves! Gore erupting across the tent and her body by equal measure!


    "Ahahahaahaha! God''s, this is so much fun!" She cried! Words that were not her own, flowing from her lips as with delighted insanity! "Ugh! You''ve no idea how much I missed being alive!"


    Bianca was screaming in her own head as she watched, nothing more than an observer, while the thing that had taken control of her body reached out and claimed the souls of her dead soldier! Ripping them from his carcass whilst they still emerged! Darkness immediately seeming to stretch across the deck of souls, shadows consuming them inch by inch¡­


    They swirled and danced as they dissolved in her fingers, not absorbed, not how Bianca knew they should be, but rather devoured by the cloying tendrils of shade that lapped at them like an eager puppy!


    "Mmhhm! Yeah¡­ A little bit of divinity always hits right in the feel-goods! Oooph, It''s been so long! Okay, you can have you''re body back, I''m done for now!" The whispers returned, the entity''s speech transitioning from her own voice to that of its grotesque purring with all the contentedness of a lazy house cat¡­ "And all in under thirty-seven seconds! Amazing, isn''t it? Just how fast a life can be snuffed out?"


    "You''re a monster!" Bianca whispered, now finding herself back in control of her limbs, breathing heavily while staring down at her own drenched hands and arms! Limbs shaking with despair!


    "Mmmmmhmm¡­ I''ve been called worse, of course! But I won''t deny it! Hmhm! I wonder if I shouldn''t just finish off the other one while we''re here, though¡­"


    Bianca didn''t need to hear more! Everyone would be in danger so long as this thing could take her body as it just had! Her family, friends, soldier''s! Everyone!


    She moved almost on instinct, not needing to suffer through paralysis of thought. Simply pulling on the power within her own soul and opening a portal to the labyrinth without another thought! Hurling herself through its mesmerizing vortex while the whispers in her mind laughed and laughed without ever pausing!


    She had to get away, had to flee! Not just for her own life but for the sake of all others! Bianca had no idea what kind of creature devoured souls as she''d just witnessed, but it was certainly far, far worse than even she had theorized!


    The creature had played her, and even now, It probably wanted this! It could read her thoughts, knew what she was going to do! Was directing her, not just like a ships captain but, a puppeteer! And the only way she could make sure her loved ones were safe was to bring them as far away as she possibly could from their existence!


    Everything twisted! The world tilted and smudged, almost dragging itself between one scene and the next before, within a single heartbeat, Bianca was back on the first labyrinthian floor! Surrounded by bright colours and nonsense and hapless make-belief critters! The insanity of it all causing her to collapse onto the grass!


    "Don''t be so theatrical! You''re not running for your life!"


    "You just killed my trooper!"


    "You''re still fixated on that?"


    "Fixated?"


    "It is what I said, darling¡­ now stop pouting! You did it! You got me away from your friends and family! They''re safe now! You should be celebrating!"


    Bianca''s lower jaw simply quivered with outrage as the entity sounded as though it were wickedly delighted with the outcome¡­ Yet, she didn''t respond to its goading as her fingers furrowed divots into the earth, and she rose, pancaking the dirt in her palms until it squeezed out from the side¡­ Just a minute¡­ That was all she had given it¡­ And yet, it had just proved how much a single moment within a day could truly accomplish if evil was the objective¡­


    Bianca''s mind was now on full alert, eyes darting around to spy all the different people in the near distance who could find themselves killed by her own hand¡­


    "I wouldn''t do that! Promise! It was a one-time thing! I was starving!"


    Then, Bianca screeched as her spear appeared again! Her body lurching towards a handful of youths only a twenty-second flight away! Her heart thundering in her chest as she tried everything in her power to stop herself! And¡ªfaceplanted! Her forward momentum was abruptly stifled by her own feet as she hauled back on her weight, tripping with the abrupt return of control¡­


    ¡°Hahahahahaahahahahah! Oh! I''m sorry, I just couldn''t help myself! Haaa¡­ still another thirty-five seconds, by the way! But okay, I''m done now, I swear!"


    Bianca didn''t move¡­ her desire to keep living suddenly fell from the forefront of desire¡­ The warm blanket of despair settling over her heart as she realized what she''d truly given the nightmare in her soul¡­


    "No killing yourself, remember? That was part of our deal!"


    "I don''t care¡­"


    "Oh well, by all means, break our pact. You''ll only be forfeiting your body to me anyways¡­"


    "I don''t believe you. Nothing you say is true. I may as well go hurl myself into the deepest floors and get eaten¡­"


    "Hm¡­ My dear girl, you wouldn''t be able to! You''re bound by oath¡­ But okay, I get that I''ve been a little cruel¡­ So how about this? Another deal¡ª"


    "No!" Bianca whimpered, curling up and into herself as she began sobbing with horror!"


    "Shhhhh! My darling, don''t cry like that! There''s no need!" The whispers cooed, their voice reaching out to wrap Bianca''s cracking psyche in a loving embrace¡­ "What If I were to promise not to take control of your body again to murder those around you, at least for a time? Would that make you feel better?"


    "I don''t trust you!"


    "But you need to! I''m all you have now! You can''t go back home! Not now, not after what you''ve done!"


    "You did it!"


    "They don''t know that! They''re going to think you''re a monster! Insane! You can''t tell anyone about me! You can''t get rid of me! It''s too dangerous! No, I''m the only one you can trust! The only one who can help you through this! Bia, please, you don''t think I want to be stuck in you, do you? I''m a prisoner, as much as you are to all this! But¡­¡± The voice paused, words shifting towards a soft and reassuring cadence. "We can get your body back! Can fix you, together! Let you go back home, let you explain what happened and lay all this horrible blame on me¡­"


    Bianca swallowed, not wanting to listen, not wanting to hear the nightmare''s promises and lies! Yet, it was all she could focus on, each word echoing in her thoughts, stripping them away of anything else save its offer¡­


    "I need souls¡­ These are certainly strange ones from what I''m used to, but that''s okay! No need to be picky¡­ All I need is souls, Bianca¡­ And once I''m strong enough, I can create my own body¡­ I''ll make sure to fix you, of course; you are the one who will be helping me¡­ But once we''re done, I''ll disappear! You''ll never have to hear from me again, never need to worry, I''ll do as I just did¡­ It''s a simple deal, love. Mutual co-operation! You''re all I have to rely on, and I¡ªyou¡­"


    "You''ll leave me alone? Let me live, leave my family out of it all?"


    "This universe is so large, my dear! Far larger than most even realize¡­ I have my own personal bones to pick with the bitch that trapped me where I was¡­ My feud is with her, not you and your kin¡­ And she¡ªwell, she is very, very far away¡­"


    "I¡ªcan''t trust you¡­"


    "And I know I haven''t done much to help that! But Bia, you must understand that this is as hard for me as it is for you! Just try to imagine what it was like to be as you were, only instead, without even sight or the wonder of sound to break the boredom¡­ I really am trying to restrain myself! And, we are, in a word, already bonded, are we not?"


    Bianca shivered as the sound of voices grew nearer¡­ the tone''s filled with concern and apprehension as she realized they were likely heading her way¡­


    She groaned, picking herself off the ground, not waiting to see who it was that approached before she simply took to the sky, flying as far away as she could, unwilling to risk proximity to anyone as things currently stood¡­


    "No more killing people. No more taking my body without permission."


    "I won''t agree to either, not permanently. My ability to butcher someone that gets too close is as much for my protection as it was amusing in the moment."


    "Then I''ll just sit in the woods, far as I can from civilization. Rid myself of the portal card so you can''t escape in your allotted minute. Living out the rest of my days as a hermit to protect those I care after!


    "The most You''ll have is my word on this matter. And remember, I could simply lie to you and say it will all be okay. I''m trying very hard to be forthcoming with here! I''m really not a terrible person, just¡ªbroken is all¡­ Par for the course, really. I was torn from my own mind and locked in a box¡­"


    Bianca slowed once she''d gotten far enough that there were no others around¡­ Descending back to the floor so she might rest and seat herself on a hill¡­ The whispers had gone quiet again¡­ though, as to its reason for doing so, she couldn''t rightly know¡­


    The way that the voice just¡ªabruptly shifted from one moment to the next¡­ Maniacle, and a beat later, melancholic¡­ Screaming, then suddenly speaking as though they''d known each other all their lives! It was practically exhausting just trying to keep up! It had been murderous and charming and motherly and downtrodden, all within a span of minutes! And now, rather than commenting on her thoughts as she knew it was privy to them, the entity merely contented itself to silence¡­ almost as though it were moping¡­


    Bianca couldn''t make sense of it¡­ And maybe it wasn''t evil, but it was certainly cracked, just as it had said it was!


    Frustratingly, the best thing she could do was exactly as she''d threatened. Go¡ªlive in some secluded place where she couldn''t harm anything! And yet¡­ Bianca didn''t want to be stuck like this her entire life¡­ Maybe if she could kill herself, it wouldn''t matter, but she couldn''t now! Well, not that she''d tried, but¡­


    Idly, Bianca summoned her spear and made to direct its edge to her throat, jerking hard as she could unto its point, but the weapon merely flickered out of existence, banished before it could reach her neck¡­


    Again, the entity was silent, but she didn''t need it to speak to know it had been watching¡­


    Bianca sighed¡­ She had a choice to make. She didn''t trust the thing in her head¡­ but could she live as she''d claimed? What if she simply¡ªmmhmm... left as well? Departed to somewhere far enough away, where she''d be no danger? And if the creature was willing to bind itself to her demands, then¡­


    No! What was she thinking? W-why had she been so close to¡­


    The woman frowned, shaking her head at the strange haze that had slowly been descending over her¡­ brows furrowing deeply¡­


    The voice hadn''t been speaking¡­ still hadn''t been commenting on her thoughts, nor trying to convince her¡ªwith words¡­


    "Oh, that''s a bit of a mindfuck, isn''t it?"


    "You know¡­" Bianca murmured, her resolve firming as she determined that her own thoughts might very well be subject to the malicious influence residing within her¡­ "If I head to town, and you kill someone¡­ It won''t be my fault if they run us through¡­"


    Again, the whispers were silent, Bianca beginning to smile to herself. No, it couldn''t do as it pleased, not always¡­ Not unless it was doubtless certain it could get away with it! Heck, it had probably wanted Bianca to run away through the portal! Wanted her to escape so nobody ever got the chance to guess at its presence as it waited behind her own eyes¡­


    This thing was a predator. And it was smart.


    "No more deals." Bianca sneered, already knowing what she had to do. "And if you want to survive, you''re going to need to behave yourself."


    "Oh? You think so?"


    "I''m going to discard each and every one of my souls into storage!" Bianca laughed, her plans gaining traction even as she spoke! "You might be able to control me, but I wonder how far that extends? Storage tarots are locked to any save the owner, after all. And you, not me, are you? Even if you are in my soul."


    "I used your spear!"


    "You did." Bianca allowed. "But, taking all those cards from the storage space, then placing them in my deck, then doing what you want to do won''t be so easy, will it? And without those cards, I won''t be very strong¡­ If you murder someone, even if I might be forced to defend myself, I doubt I''d win¡­"


    "Mmmhmm¡­ I guess we''ll just have to see how your plan plays out, won''t we?" The whispers chuckled, even as Bianca began removing each soul, one after another. The pain flowing through her nerves did little more than resolve her decision!


    "We''re going on a trip, you and I." Bianca murmured, storing the last of her cards as they flashed from existence... "Far, far away from this place. You best behave creature; we''ve only got one life to share between us. And I swear, the first chance I get, I pray they manage to gut me. And, send you back to your fucking box."


    There was no reply as the young woman sneered. Knowing she was onto something here. The entity might have gotten the best of her, but Bianca''s mind was working again. Tricks could only get one so far... And now, she was onto its games...

 Tongue twisters and politics.

    Chapter 28


    "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."


    "Peter Piper picked a¡ªpeck of pickled¡­ peppers¡­"


    "If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,"


    "I-if Peter Piper picked a peck of peppered pickles¡­"


    "How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick if he picked a peck of pickled peppers?"


    Tulla glared incredulously at her father as the smugly grinning man just stood there, looking at her. "Your language is stupid¡­"


    "That just makes it sound like you''re admitting you can''t do it!"


    The young woman groaned, not wanting to admit defeat as she returned to her worksheet, her lip spasming as she did so. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper pecked a picked of¡ªpeppers¡­ Urgh!" Tulla outright growled, talons cutting furrows across the wooden desk as her hands clenched to either side of the small page. "This is ridiculous! How is this supposed to help me learn anything?"


    "It''s a tongue twister! They''re supposed to be fun!"


    "This is not fun¡­"


    "Yeah, the only ones who usually get a kick out of them are the people getting others to read them."


    Tulla''s head swivelled to her father. Looking up at the amused man with a slight twitch of her left eye. This was the fifth, so said tongue-twister she''d been told to get right, but if this had just been some¡ªprank, then¡­


    "C''mon! It''s not that bad! Plus, there actually is a point to them! They''re helping you get used to the pronunciation of it all. Your mouth isn''t the same as mine, so unless you practice, you''re not going to get better with something that''s not native to you."


    "These don''t even make sense! What the hell is a peck?"


    "Well, at least you''re picking up swear words¡­ hm¡­ those usually are the first for anyone, I guess¡­"


    Tulla actually liked that part of this whole process. And, it was earnestly the only thing of value she''d felt it had brought her. Cursing in another language as loudly and violently as she was able, wherever she wanted, was positively fun! And since nobody knew what she was saying, nobody could threaten to wash her mouth out!


    N-not that there were many willing to intimidate her with such a prospect these days¡­ other than her mother, of course¡­ Still, it was viscerally stimulating to simply fly through the air and scream fuck off at the top of her lungs!


    For some reason, that particular conjunction of words really spoke to her on a level that was hard to explain. When mixed with how good it felt to screech such a thing when she was feeling especially frustrated or overwhelmed, well, it had quickly shot to the top of her favourite tools within her vocabulary.


    Still, this¡ªugh¡­ this felt like it was simply annoying for annoying''s sake alone. Like her father had been simply messing with her¡­ With a frown, she gazed back down at the sheet¡­ Tulla was an easy three-quarters of the way through it! But, this last third had felt like it was dragging on forever¡­


    Thus far, she''d recounted the boring story of Sally and her stupid sea shells¡­ a miserable experience if ever there was one¡­ A-and, of course, there was the infuriating woodchuck creature¡­ Everything around it being made so much worse by the fact that, apparently, woodchucks did not even chuck wood.


    Imagine her surprise...


    Honestly, at this point, it almost felt somewhat fitting to learn that not only was the tongue twister annoying but that the creature it spoke of was inept at this sole aspect of its existence, of which it apparently couldn''t even do correctly.


    No, Tulla was earnestly feeling just about done with this whole affair¡­ And, she made her point known not long after as she rose from her seat, genuinely trying to hold back her scowl¡­


    "Eh, I get it. It''s a lot to take on one after another. But seriously, Tulla, they are going to help if you keep at them."


    "Isn''t there a¡ªbetter way to learn English?"


    "Sorry, kiddo, I''ve made whatever skill books I can. At this point, it really is just about practice." Though, after a moment, her father grinned, letting out a small yawn as he spoke. "Ahhh¡­ you''re lucky, though; when it comes to language, immersing yourself in it is one of the best ways to get better. Ergo, the more TV you watch, the better you''ll probably get."


    "It''s just taking so long! There''s still so many words I just don''t get, and I''m sick of using the translation tarot! It''s so slow, and I don''t want to have to keep changing my cards around every time I want to watch cartoons!"


    "It''ll come." Her father smiled, placing a hand on Tulla''s shoulder and offering a small squeeze.


    Tulla merely shifted into him, wrapping Arthur in a wing and arm, pulling him in for a hug, for which he had very little say. He didn''t complain in the slightest, merely chuckling as they embraced. Tulla wanted her dad to know there was no real anger lingering, even after some of the more¡ªcolourful ways she''d regarded his lesson... So, she felt it was prudent to try and show there were no hard feelings... on either side of things.


    She was getting big now, the top of her head nearly at the height of his shoulders. Yet, despite being smaller, she manhandled her father as easily as she might a toddler. It was¡ªstrange to be sure¡­ And though she''d sort of come to terms with the fact that she herself, and by extension, her upbringing, might be the outlier to how normal things were done, it was still bizarre.


    Until recently, that was the past few months, Tulla truly hadn''t had any form of comparison to what normal people would be like. She''d grown up amongst soldiers. Had seen little else than career military men and women around her. Thus, she''d just assumed that they could represent what the average individual was like. Taking them as her standard of how any other person she might meet would fall into her expectations. Whether that understanding was applied to social situations, intellectual discourse or personal competency, it didn''t matter.


    The thing was, Tulla had been somewhat off regarding her presumptions. As it happened, the gritty, foul-mouthed and ill-tempered soldiers had actually been on the upper end of the spectrum!


    Who''d of thought¡­


    Rather, Tulla had since learned what true normal people were like and how they fell much more in line with something a good deal less impressive¡­ While her father didn''t quite tumble so far from grace within her own eye, certain aspects of his¡ªsquishiness had certainly emerged to form a new and somewhat perplexing benchmark¡­


    Not all the new villagers were quite as soft as her father¡­ But, when compared to the ex-legionnaire''s¡ªwell¡­ there really wasn''t much more to say¡­ Other than that, now Tulla wasn''t so baffled over the how in regards to her people''s military and its successes to date¡­


    As she said when he had first arrived, Tulla didn''t really think her father had been that impressive, physically speaking, of course. In fact, it had been quite the opposite. Now, however, she was beginning to see that his somewhat lacklustre physicality wasn''t actually so poor when pitted against the grand scheme of things.


    Instead, she would say that it was her and all the legionaries around her that were quite a bit more abnormal. From everything from strength of body to discipline in their work ethic The differences were glaring if one chose to look at them. And, in all honestly, they were hard to ignore regardless¡­


    Still, she knew how to regulate her strength and she made sure not to actually crush her father. Instead merely holding him tightly and enjoying the semblance of comfort and warmth that he provided. It didn''t excuse the fact he was still so¡­ as he was¡­


    While he might be getting away with it right now, considering he''d seemed to have convinced her mother to let him carry on as he''d been without her intervention. Tulla was beginning to develop a sort of independent outlook on the matter. One with her own blooming opinions on the issue that was his physical ineptitude¡­


    Coming to the understanding that she loved the man, not in the same way nor scope as her mother, but rather as family and, beyond that, one of her favourite people and, yes, even a kind of friend, rare for her as it was... Tulla had likewise realized what many might when contemplating the mortality of the loved ones around them.


    She didn''t want to lose her father. Not now that she''d finally gotten one, and certainly not after admitting just how much he meant to her. There had been few people in her life who could count themselves among those she cared after. And Arthur had, recency notwithstanding, shot to the very top of that list wherein he nudged neck and neck with her own mom.


    Perhaps, for a girl of her age, it was somewhat unreasonable to expect her parent to abide by her expectations and demands. However, Tulla just so happened to think that it was equally outrageous that she should have to worry about the man''s safety, given his potential!


    It drove her insane! All the apprehension, the anxiety, difficulty sleeping¡­ Heck, a loud noise coming from the darkness had her on full alert these days, if for no greater reason than her terror over something snapping her father whole in a single bite!


    Her mother was a monster and had always been one, so, no concerns there. Her aunt and uncle were perfectly capable of defending themselves. Bianca had¡ªwell¡­ her cousin was gone, and nobody knew where to, beyond the vague understanding that she''d taken a portal¡­ But her father! He alone stood as the primary and genuinely only recurring source of her fear and dread!


    "When are you going down to the Labyrinth?" She asked, still holding him tight and speaking into his chest.


    For his part, Arthur seemed to almost flinch at her question, his body growing a modicum more rigid and uncertain¡­ "Your mother¡­" he began carefully, as though working through his own thoughts before bringing them to bear. Sadly for him, she wasn''t having any of that.


    "I''m going to drag you down there myself one of these days," she threatened, pushing away from their shared contact to stare at him with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes. "you can''t keep putting it off. you promised!"


    "I know, I know, but there''s just so much to do! With all the new people and the village¡­ And it getting larger and larger by what feels like the hour and, of course, all my little projects¡­"


    "I''m half you''re age Dad. I shouldn''t have to be worrying over your safety! Not yet!"


    "Why? I feel like you make a perfect protector! So chivalrous! My daughter, the nightmare slayer¡­ I don''t think I could ever get better security, even if I tired!"


    Tulla was not at all convinced. And rather than indulging in her father''s excuses, she folded her arms and made her stance on the matter quite clear. Still, her father merely beamed down at her, grinning from ear to ear while affecting as much charm and confidence as he could, likely with the hopes she''d just drop the topic altogether.


    "Sweety! I''m working on it!" He tried, obviously yielding, if in a small manner, to her displeasure. "Like I told your mother, I''ve got something on the go that I''ve been trying to hammer out! And, once It''s where I like it, then¡ªI''ll go power myself up. Otherwise, what''s the point?"


    "You''re putting it off." She accused, seeing right through his bullshit and to the underlying reasons beneath.


    The fact of the matter was, her father couldn''t seem to be bothered more than they already pushed him. He had his goals and interests, and anything beyond that point was like pulling teeth with the damned man! She''d of thought that the village being overrun by monsters might have given him some initiative! Lit a fire under his ass! Give him a tangible reason to ensure he was strong and safe! Instead, it had merely split his focus¡ªworse than it had already been¡­


    "That''s the same look your mother gives me, you know."


    "No surprise! It''s not like she''s the only one exasperated with you! Is it really so much to ask of yourself, just to give us a little peace of mind?"


    "I''m fine! Trust me, I''ve been working on it! Look, look! Take this rock¡ª" He began, suddenly manic in his excitement as he reached down and handed Tulla a small rock.


    She looked at the thing with open skepticism, accepting the tiny stone into her palm as Arthur began backing away, talking and walking, head flipping back and forth between her and the ground behind him so he didn''t trip. "I built a new device, not card-based, of course, but I did get the idea from one, and it''s been rattling around in my head for some time! So, I figured I''d make it, show both you and Dia that I''m perfectly safe, and thus¡ª"


    Tulla hurled the rock, not needing to hear much more on the matter and earning herself a small gasp of surprise from her dad who suddenly found himself staring at a pebble floating between his eyes.


    Tulla had a good arm, and she threw the stone with a good deal of force behind it. Not enough to actually cause permanent harm, but if this was to be some grand reveal meant to assuage her worries, then she''d be testing it on her own terms.


    "Haha! Look at that¡­" Her father grinned, reaching out and flicking the pebble after he recovered his poise, laughing as the wobbling stone seemed to almost reject being in his proximity.


    A moment later, it was spat back towards her, tumbling to the ground as Arthur spread his arms wide as if to ask if this was good enough.


    "A gadget¡­" Tulla intoned, clicking her tongue before stooping down to procure herself a much larger stone¡­


    "Whoa, that ones sort of¡ª"


    "But you said the invention was meant to keep you safe?"


    "Y-yes, but¡ª"


    "So, If I were to say, cast this large stone at you¡­ with all my strength, of course, your strange shield would save you, right?"


    "I-I haven''t stress-tested it! But, on paper, it should¡ª"


    Again, Arthur ducked, his instincts good but¡­ reflexes lacklustre¡­ She still didn''t put everything she had into the throw. Even still, this time, the rock got a lot closer¡­


    So close, she thought, that it managed to get within a finger''s breadth¡­


    "Tulla¡­"


    "I''m still phoning it in, you know¡­"


    "Well, you did get quite strong with the whole¡ªinvasion ordeal¡­"


    "Stronger, taller, more mature¡­" Tulla stated, ticking things off on her finger while striding towards her father. "Auntie thinks my metamorphosis aged me by two or so years¡­ And not that I want to sound like mom or anything¡­" Tulla paused, stepping up beside Arthur to stare at the stone that was slowly being expelled from his person. The young woman marvelling at the effect as much as her father seemed to. "But, this isn''t enough, Dad."


    "Ha! I''m not some old man that you need to coddle and worry about falling out of bed!"


    "You''re missing the point! Those are issues by your world''s standards! Seriously! Dad, it''s been months now! You promised you''d get yourself at least to silver after you were done helping set up all the new farms. Then, you said you''d get to silver after dealing with the portal situation. Now, you''re not even saying you''re going to do it, but rather that you don''t even need to¡­"


    At the very least, her father had the good grace to cringe slightly, hunching his shoulders like a chastened child¡­ "What would I even¡ªdo? I mean, I need room for all the cards I use to experiment, so¡­"


    "You could make yourself a Superman card." Tulla reposted, crossing her arms and refusing to back down.


    She didn''t know why her dad was so obstinate about all this¡­ she didn''t even care if he fought for the cards! Heck, she''d rather that he simply buy them, in all honesty. Arthur was not a killer. He''d done so, and on several occasions, but he just wasn''t the same as she or her mother for that matter.


    He was just too¡ªwell, good-natured¡­ And she loved him for it! Y-yet, she didn''t want to lose him¡­ Didn''t want to risk the chance of returning to a life where he wasn''t with her¡­ He''d taught her so much! Done so much for her! Been the first morally decent influence in her life that she could remember, and¡­ overall, he was her dad¡­ and Tulla would be damned if anything tried to take him away from her!


    "We both know Superman wouldn''t work out here! There''s no stars!"


    "You don''t have to make it rely on star power! You could make it run on anything! Hell, you could make a card that gave you Wonder Woman''s powers! And don''t say she''s a woman, so it wouldn''t work, because we both know the card wouldn''t care."


    Tulla smirked at him as Arthur hesitated, clearly caught somewhat flatfooted by his own daughter''s ever-broadening comprehension of his culture. Knowing her point had been made, she lifted herself up and placed a small peck on his cheek, grabbing the still wobbling stone while she was at it. "I''m only going to get more aggressive about this." She added without any semblance of apology. "Deal with the problem before I convince Mom to start paying attention to it again."


    "Ha! There''s no need for that!" Her father whispered, looking around himself as though the mere mention of his wife might somehow summon the woman who would, in typical fashion, abruptly appear right behind him¡­ Some spectre of exhaustion and brutal training manifesting as if to drag him kicking and screaming to her pit of torturous lessons¡­


    "She''s been too busy doing her whole thing. Playing politics, making plans, training the ugh¡­ the army¡­" Tulla murmured, sort of wincing at her final words¡­


    The effect wasn''t lost her her father, who, likewise, let out a small sigh¡­ "More of a town watch, isn''t it?"


    "Don''t tell her that! I mean, they are getting pretty dangerous with all those cards work they''re putting in¡­"


    "Her royal guard, then?"


    "Better than calling them a militia!" Tulla laughed, "But, given how many there are, it just really doesn''t feel right calling them, you know, legion¡­ I don''t even know what she''s training them to fight against! It''s like she wants to make war, but¡­ with who? There''s nobody left on this damned continent with any real meat to them! The Tricen are ragged and bloody, still picking up the pieces after they''re near extinction¡­ My people fucked off back to the Landing after the undead swarmed them all¡­ Whose left to butt head''s against?"


    "I think it''s more like a junior officer''s program." Her father supplied, stretching out his back to the tune of a few pops and cracks. "We''re growing quickly, and even if we don''t need soldiers, we''ll need police."


    "We have Chuck!"


    "People don''t like it when robots are peacekeepers¡­ Trust me on that one¡­ It was tried many times, and it never really had much success¡­ I mean, yeah, if your whole goal is a straight-up dictatorship built on fear and oppression, then sure! Robot away¡­ But, that sort of thing tends to end badly for those in power at some point or another." He paused, pulling in a deep breath and yawning again, the slight bags under his eyes speaking towards poor sleeping habits.


    "Otherwise, you really do need actual people in positions of civil governance all the way through. You might not know it, but few things are genuinely more frustrating than talking to a machine that isn''t intelligent while amidst the carnage that is a personal crisis..."


    Tulla simply nodded her head, taking his words at face value rather than trying to argue the point. Conversely, she rather felt like having colossal bots of war stomping around everywhere would be the perfect deterrent to crime! Not that they really had any ne''er-do-wells beyond a few rowdy sorts¡­ well, and all the racism¡­This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Unsurprisingly, putting so many different people all in one place with each other did breed its own sort of problems. Doubly so, considering her people weren''t generally so keen on giving up their superior status. Tulla knowing that many, even among those originally from the village, weren''t what she''d call enthused by the concept that was equality.


    So far, the open challenge that her mother had put forwards to any who thought themselves better for the job had seen few takers to test their luck.


    Naturally, despite so said job not exactly requiring brute strength from a theoretical standpoint, the challenge was, of course, combat. A perfectly reasonable way to decide things! The biggest, meanest and most dangerous was often the one in charge among most societies out there. But the grumbling was still present on all sides.


    If anything, she''d of suspected people who were freed from slavery to be a deal less ornery¡­ Alas, people were people no matter where they came from or who they were. And despite her father setting them up with homes and work and a means to support themselves and even sell their goods at a magical market without taxation on their end, people didn''t seem nearly as thankful as she thought they should be¡­


    All the same, when their conversation seemed to find a natural lul, Tulla found herself in a position she''d earnestly been seeking for quite a few days now. All at once, she widened her eyes and batted her lashes at her father, lips pouting slightly as she hit him with the full puppy-dog treatment.


    Immediately, she saw her father''s shift in demeanour¡­ Part of him getting his defences ready, part of him genuinely curious, he simply couldn''t help his nature, and part of him immediately giving in to the desire that was a willingness to spoil her rotten¡­ She loved her father!


    "I have a¡ªfavour¡­" She began, smiling sweetly and performing as she''d seen many girls her own age do while watching TV. Putting on the maximum amount of sickly cuteness that, just as in the shows, her father was not at all immune to.


    "Mmmkay¡­ does it involve parental supervision, approval or money?"


    "Please, Dad! I don''t need money; I have a portal card, and I''m silver! I''m already rolling in it!"


    "So then¡ªit''s something you don''t want your mom to know about¡­"


    "Also, no. Honestly, I don''t think Mom would care either way."


    Thatseemed to confuse her father. The man just staring at her while trying to discern what it was she wanted. One of his hands reached up to scratch idly at his head while he truly did seem to put some earnest thought into it.


    "Okay¡­ so it''s not money, and your mother won''t care after it¡­ hmm¡­¡±


    "Well, I mean, she probably will want to know what I''m up to, but¡­ yeah, I think she''ll sanction the second half at least! It''s something she sort of wants anyways."


    Arthur considered her for several long moments, brow furrowed in contemplation, thinking hard on what this mystery request could actually be before he simply shrugged. "Alright, you got me! I honestly don''t know what you''re after¡­ I mean, there''s probably a few things, but¡­"


    "I was¡ªhoping you could give Chuck a body!"


    What Tulla hadn''t expected was for her father''s face to immediately submerge in suspicion, and more precisely, suspicion of a sort that was wholly¡ªnew to her¡­


    "You want Chuck to have a body¡­ A¡ªmale body?"


    "Ew! Dad, no! Don''t be gross!" She exclaimed! Suddenly, understanding where his mind had gone. Well, in truth, Tulla had already hit puberty, even before the forced changes to her form by way of her soul. However, it was still a horrendously embarrassing implication that flustered her far more than she really thought it would! "Chuck is like, well¡­ more a brother! You''re his dad, too, you know! And besides, he''s not¡ªyou know¡­"


    "Biological?" Her father asked. And somehow, the raised brow he gave her made Tulla feel that much more humiliated.


    She really didn''t see Chuck¡ªlike that¡­ honestly, they were just really good friends, but the fact she was getting grilled on this sort of thing made her want to break out some of her new favourite words and screech them to the sky!


    "Dad¡­"


    "All right, all right! You know, it''s perfectly natural and all¡­ and there''s nothing wrong with having a small crush on someone¡­ Plus, I do feel like I need to ask¡­ Not that I¡ªyou know, know that much about your body, comparatively speaking, but¡­ has your mother actually had the talk with you?"


    Tulla''s ears were burning now, as much or more than her face. Still, she powered through her mortification, head tilted at the chin¡­ "Like I said, we''re more like siblings¡­ And besides! The only reason I was asking was because Chuck wanted to see what a city was like and, he''s sort of¡ªafraid to ask you himself¡­"


    "You want to take him to Kaitrice?"


    "No¡­ I was actually going to suggest we go to Londis Landing¡­ Mom and Tavir want to see what it''s like there and what the odds would be like trying to convince immigration via citizen service¡­"


    "So, you wanted to bring Chuck along so he can take all the recordings they want and so you two could have a date!"


    "Dad!"


    "Okay! I''m done!" Her father chuckled, pulling Tulla back in for another hug. Of which, she didn''t reciprocate, even if she did melt against him¡­ "Just out of curiosity though, when I make it, do you want it¡ªbal-shaped?"


    "It would probably help us blend in!"


    "Sure, sure! A-and, obviously, you''d want him handsome and muscular and tall¡ª"


    "Please stop¡­"


    "So is that a no on making him beautiful or¡ª"


    "You can make him handsome¡­ but only if you want to¡­"


    "Of course, sweetheart!" Arthur cooed, kissing her on the top of her head and rubbing affectionately at her back. "I''ll have a few mockups sent both you''re way this afternoon so you can¡ªapprove the design."


    Tulla simply gave up at that point¡­ knowing, in her heart of hearts, that she would rather have the AI looking as it had been described¡­


    Justiciar''s! Why was this so difficult? And why did she want to ask if Chuck would be given a¡ªcomplete body, with all the various bits and bobs attached¡­


    Thirty or so minutes later, after she went through the tongue twisters a few more times, Tulla was heading to the village proper.


    Things really did look quite a bit different these days, and with the landscape feeling as though it was changing each damned week, it was no surprise it still didn''t feel that familiar to her.


    When her father had first arrived, the area surrounding the old and derelict village had been little more than a sea of tall grass. Maybe the odd tree or bush interspacing the vast expanse of boring vegetation.


    After, when the settlement had been invaded, the grasslands had been trampled, then summarily blown to pieces¡­ That last part had admittedly been her doing¡­ That being said, nobody had been upset with her over the ruination she''d wrought... Rather, Tulla was getting quite an appreciable amount of respect these days! At least, she was by those who''d been privy to the disaster itself.


    Villagers treated her much in the same way as they did her mother. Almost all friendly, of course, though there was a certain degree of eggshell walking to be seen. If anything, it was the younger ones who no longer acted as peers or as though they were somehow superior. Instead, Tulla very much now shared in the same level of respect that any adult in the settlement reiceved, and that was the bare minimum.


    As both the daughter of their new¡ªqueen¡­ a-and the adopted child of the village''s patron wizard, her status was largely only a notch or two below their own. People often came to Tulla while seeking an audience or meeting with either of her parents, which, in effect, made her a rather important person to keep in good standing with.


    Naturally, her father had found a way to fix the landscape itself after Tulla had bombarded it to kingdom come! Deploying rather large and industrial-looking machines that quite literally pushed the dirt in great swaths to relevel the entire area. Burying much of what her father had claimed to be contaminated dirt in an entirely different location while bringing in clean earth to replace it.


    After that, work began on the arduous process of building fully functioning farms. Barns had been erected seemingly overnight. Animals sourced and purchased from Kaitrice now filled such buildings to bursting! Crops were already planted by the new locals who were offered the outright altruistic opportunity to shift the direction of their lives from slavery to farmers and ranchers!


    Of course, there was all manner of alternate industries popping up around the place! From smitheries yet subsidized by the growing communities leaders while mining operations were sussed out, to a rather large-scale logging enterprise that several of what her father called beaver-people were rapidly taking to with great enthusiasm!


    Fishing, hunting, a few crafting sorts like weavers and carpenters and even, curiously enough, a fey woman who claimed to be an alchemist were all among the budding new communities'' latest endeavours.


    In all honesty, Tulla felt it was great! To have so many new faces and new things going on around her had finally turned the dreary settlement into something interesting! And yet, there were problems abound! Most of which could be identified and catagorized as issues stemming from differing cultures and peoples.


    For example, the beast-kin, a, as it happened, derogatory and overly generalizing term for bipedal people who shared in a great deal of animal-like traits, was not a phrase appreciated by those who it pertained to.


    The sole wolf person liked to be referred to as a Lycan. The family of cat-folk, Panthris. The ugh¡­ ahem, beaver people, of which they had quite a lot now, were the Muskra. And, of course, the most unruly of those so far released from their fate, the Lizalti.


    Of them all, the latter had served as the largest and most problematic of the new arrivals because¡ªwell¡­ Her people had kind of sort of conquered their people. And once absent a collar to keep them happy and subservient, there was no love lost for their once overlords¡­


    The Lizalti were a scaly people. Falling into the likewise more than probable offensive term of lizard-kin. They weren''t very tall on average, with the adults more her own prior size amongst their average, and appearances that could be very colourful and bright. Even so, they were not venomous. Nor were they wholly dangerous by way of sharp teeth or claws or¡ªanything really¡­


    Her father had made the comparison that they reminded him of geckos. And after showing Tulla what such a creature looked like, she really had to agree¡­


    The biggest difference was that they were not cold-blooded, nor did they walk around on all fours. Rather their spines were rather elongated and very, very flexible, sort of like a snake. Their tails weren''t prehensile, like her own, but were quite heavy, muscular and fully capable of wolloping somebody in a fight.


    Their faces, like most peoples, could be quite expressive and familiar in a way that Arthur had claimed was abnormally uniform... However, the creatures were otherwise quite gangling and awkward looking, even if they seemed to get along quite easily and could outright be deceptively quick on their feet.


    Given their homeworld was directly adjacent to the Tricen''s, her father had theorized that the two peoples might even share some form of distant heritage with one another, both species sort of fitting into the aforementioned kinship with reptiles¡­


    Quite honestly, even the Bal had scales, mostly on the tails and wings but, still, they were there. And after seeing the other lizard-kin, Tulla knew her father had a growing hypothesis regarding it all.


    Tulla was, of course, quite interested in this side of what Aruthur called science. And after spending so much time with Chuck and learning about biology, Tulla could honestly see the similarities. All the same, if there ever was some sort of ancient kinship that had existed, she rather suspected the Lizalti and Tricen wouldn''t ever feel any kind of bond with theyre oppressors.


    As it happened, given the, shall she say, abundance of Lizalti that had been subjected along with their world, there was always a great deal of them available in the black quarter, even if there was now a kind of hesitation to attempt further liberation.


    While Arthur certainly had a bleeding heart, even his patience was not infinate. And with the general chip upon the shoulders of the rather large Lizalti community that had sprung up, Tulla knew her father''s patience with their constant complaints and general thanklessness was wearing quite thin. And at this point, she knew the man was more taking it on the chin, more feeling bad over their situation rather than being anything that was approaching happy about it all¡­


    As it happened, when Tulla made her way to the now somewhat sprawling town that surrounded the spire, she could hear the argument she was approaching before she actually saw it. Not a huge surprise given the spire''s platforms were surrounded on all sides, but as she flew in to land on the aerial arrival pad, she did so with a bemused expression.


    "In all fairness, your ladyship, my people never agreed to bend our knees! We were forced to do so, and now, right after being released from unjust servitude, you want us to scrape and grovel on our bellies all over again!"


    The man, or that was to say, the Lizalti, who Tulla assumed was a man, marked a pause as he glanced behind himself, seeming to take a semblance of confidence from the few others he''d brought to stand at his back. Twisting his oddly flexible midriff after the brief break in conversation to begin again, this time while clearing his throat.


    "I won''t apologize either. I don''t think, out of the two of our people, that we are the ones who should be doing so. Thus, I am here to make certain demands toward our independence, sovereignty and¡ª"


    "Please stop!" Cassandra sighed, shifting a hand that was already raised as if to forestall a conversation that hadn''t abided by her wishes. "I already told you you''re speaking with the wrong person!"


    "Oh, but I don''t think I am! You see, I already took this to this supposed¡ªqueen of this mud pit, and not only did she laugh, but she told me to shove off and go back to the labyrinth if we didn''t like it!"


    "And you think I am going to tell you any different?"


    "The Wizard¡ª"


    "Is not in charge," Cassandra stated, staring down at the much smaller man as she spoke. "And even if he indulges in your people''s seemingly countless issues, he does so of his own whim, not because it is owed to you."


    "Then we will pack up our farms and build elsewhere!" A creature behind the first shot back, its hissing accent of her language somewhat hard to really capture.


    "You are free to leave; we won''t stop you, but you are not taking the farming equipment! Nor anything from the land you''ve, hmhm¡­ been allowed to settle!"


    "You mock us?"


    "Yes! Is that not what people do when others approach them with absurdity?"


    "You expect us to leave with nothing? How will we build? How will we support ourselves?"


    "Then just go back to Kaitrice, do what everyone else does down there and work for yourselves by hunting monsters¡­ Honestly, I really don''t know what you want from me?"


    "And if we refuse to leave, then? Refuse to bow the knee, refuse your laws and your taxes and¡ª"


    "What laws? What taxes?" Cassandra chortled, looking wholly amused as she was annoyed! "You''ve been given your freedom free of charge, given land to work with half the struggle and toil already finished for you, and as of yet, nobody expects a thing from anyone at the moment. Honestly, it comes off like you''re simply complaining because you feel the need to for whatever reason or are possibly simply annoying by nature¡­"


    "Watch your tongue when talking to the elder!"


    "Why? What are you going to do? Leave? Go ahead! We''ll have those farms being worked by those grateful for the opportunity within the week!"


    The evident elder of the small procession seemed somewhat at a loss for words. Stimied and entirely taken aback¡­


    Frankly, Tulla wasn''t entirely sure what the group had been expecting¡­ nothing having been said that she herself found unreasonable, at least, that was to say, on her aunt''s side of the argument. Still, the young woman knew that, in a way, this was sort of her problem as well¡­ And though they seemed to have singled Cassandra out as someone important, her aunt hadn''t really been the same since Bianca''s disappearance. If anything, she''d grown much more irritable and reserved. Taking a step away from any form of governance while she worked on a project of her own making.


    Tulla knew she had visited her father on multiple occasions for entire weeks now. The purpose of which possessed the lone goal of somehow finding out where her daughter had vanished to.


    Cassie didn''t even look like the same person¡­ Her hair was cut short to the ears, just as it was required for those on active duty. And rather than civilian clothes, her aunt had returned to the habit of wearing her war robes. Much like herself and her mother, Cassandra had entered into a state of militant familiarity.


    The woman spent no inconsiderable amount of time in the labyrinth, both improving her revised soul deck and searching for clues as to Bianca''s whereabouts. Given her access to portals, she often returned back home to rest. However, she was seen less and less around the settlement, the distortion of time between the above world and the below making it seem like she could be gone a week between appearances.


    No, it was no longer her aunt''s responsibility to act in the function she''d been accosted to perform. And while Tavir very much had submerged himself in his work, as much from grief as a genuine desire to build a place for his people to thrive, Cassandra had her own designs¡­


    "Princess Tulla!" Her aunt beamed as she gave the woman a knowing wink, sauntering up to the disgruntled group to relieve her aunt of their nuisance.


    "Auntie! What''s all this about?"


    "Princess Tulla¡­" The Lizalti elder scoffed, offering her an unimpressed look from head to hooves as she interspaced herself between his people and her kin.


    "Ah, this is¡­ hm¡­ honestly, I couldn''t be bothered to remember his name¡­"


    "It''s Kushlach!"


    "Yes¡­ well, anyways, they''re unhappy with all the free and wonderful things your father has given them, so¡ªhave at it, dear¡­" So saying, Cassie bent down and kissed her cheek, walking away with a wave a moment later as Tulla sighed to herself.


    "Your mother¡ª" The elder began, clearly starting to build up steam before Tulla simply snapped at him.


    "No! Shut up, I don''t much care either. Leave." She commanded, ice forming a barrier to emotion over her own heart. "You''ve all been nothing but a nuisance."


    "We¡ª"


    "If you speak again without my grace, I will execute all of you where you stand," Tulla warned her expression not so much as twisting with annoyance. "My soul is nearing gold as an average among my deck, elder. I could butcher your entire community all on my own."


    The dark promise in her words seemed to finally reach the man as he leaned away from her, his entire group shying away from her menacing glare, none opening their mouths to speak.


    "You will have your provisions." She continued, never once taking her eyes from their leader. "You may draft up a list of what it is you believe yourselves to need. If you''ve no paper or parchment, that too will be given to you in good faith. A warning, however," She stated, now allowing her eyes to meet each person in turn. "if you feel as if this is an opportunity to try and wheedle as much as you can from us, understand that it is much easier to deal with you and your people by digging holes in the earth. Rather, of course, than any alternative. I sincerely hope you will all be gone from our lands with all due haste; else, I will simply take your souls and be done with it."


    She turned, making to leave as she spoke over her shoulder, "If I hear you''ve bothered anyone else with this, I shall take it as your kind being too far gone to bother speaking with again. And simply act as is needed. You shall have an automaton visiting you presently to assist with the details. Good day, elder."


    When Tulla began walking away, she had to fight every iota of her nerves to ensure she didn''t look back to the group nor trip! She was feeling positively jittery! Stomach doing flips and flops, hands so badly wishing to shake she was positive they were doing so, despite her iron-like clench.


    This had been one of her first major intercessions within her supposed position, or at least, one of the only ones she felt were meaningful¡­ And since she wasn''t sure what her mother might do if they were allowed to continue causing grief, Tulla had decided to make a decision of state.


    She would personally make sure the Lizalti had everything they needed. Then, she would see them off on their merry way, and the village wouldn''t need to deal with them ever again. Already, it had been agreed that their people were to be avoided at the market. So, once gone, no more would come back.


    Tulla wasn''t enthused about needing to murder so many innocent people if they ultimately continued on as they had, but she was already resolving herself to do it. Her father wouldn''t be happy, but it was something she felt needed to be done. The man was already ragged with all the various tasks that pulled at him from all sides, and she wouldn''t allow the thankless creatures another moment of his grace.


    "Ooooh¡­ that was splendidly done!" Her aunt cooed, the woman seeming to have been resting just beyond her eyesight, leaning up against a building while clearly having listened in. "Positively ruthless, my dear! But, both fair and tactful."


    "You don''t think it was too much?"


    "No! Arthur wouldn''t condone it, but he''s too soft for governance. Everyone already walks all over him¡­ He''s too¡ªnice... At least until he isn''t¡­ And, your mother really didn''t have too much interest in speaking with them either. She''s on the other end of the spectrum, really¡­ Not much for governing either, as she intends to be a warrior queen, winning glory and the adoration of her soldiers by fighting on the front lines with them! Not a very remarkable showing of her state-craft, but that''s what ministers are for."


    "Eh¡­ Mom''s just focusing her efforts elsewhere¡­ We do need a military, and I know she''s been pushing hard at looking for survivors in the wake of¡ªwell¡­ the undead¡­"


    "No¡­ she''s doing what she knows she''s good at." Cassie countered, now reaching out and giving her niece a hug as they walked. "Dia will never have what you just did come naturally to her. You saw a problem and decided to deal with it in as judicial a manner as could be hoped for all partys involved. My sister, however, just doesn''t think like that. She has plenty of tact to go around, don''t get me wrong. But she''s not a diplomat and doesn''t much care about other people besides. She''s very¡ªselfish, in a manner of speaking¡­ It earnestly runs in the family!"


    "I still think she''d be a good queen¡­"


    "As do I, but not all rulers are of similar minds or skill sets. Your mother, for example, fully intends to be a conqueror, though as to who or what she wants to claim, I really have no clue¡­ While, by contrast, your father would much rather spend his days, nose pressed firmly against as many projects as he can get away with. He''s a builder, an idea''s man! But again, when it comes to dealing with people¡ª"


    "Yeah¡­" Tulla admitted, seeing her aunt''s point.


    Arthur''s response to those asking him for things was generally categorized as, yes, I''ll see if I can fit it in. It didn''t seem to matter if he was already swamped or if the request was outright unreasonable. The man simply seemed much more prone to taking on ever more work than telling someone to take a hike¡­


    In all actuality, her father was the engine that was driving the settlement''s massive changes, but they''d had to all but sequester access to him, hiding the man away behind a damned secretary whose whole job was to take the somewhat endless supply of requests and basically stamp most of them with a big red denied marking¡­


    "Hmhmhm! Yes, it is delightful to see everyone coming together in their own ways to make this place into something of value¡­" Cassandra admitted, chuckling lightly as she did so. "But if you want my opinion, darling? You should spend a few weeks shadowing your uncle. He''s very good at dealing with people, logistics, making hard decisions, and more or less smoothening out the inevitable road bumps from day to day. All skills one needs to be what most would consider an ideal ruler."


    "I don''t¡ªmy mom''s already¡ª"


    "Oh please, you are not so shortsighted to see that, one day, you will eventually be in a position of rulership. Whether that is as a queen in your own right or nobility with an estate or city yet under the crown of your mother."


    Cassandra stopped, taking her niece by the cheek, smiling warmly at Tulla while rubbing at her with an affectionate thumb. "Trust me in this, love; you will find great benefit in what Tavir has to teach. You''re already plenty strong, have a mind for warfare, know your father''s magic and how to best make use of it. What you currently lack is a tutor in politics and leadership. Don''t pass the opportunity by while it is so easy to take advantage of in the moment."


    Tulla¡ªnodded at her aunt, taking the woman''s words to heart¡­ Not long ago, she''d probably of scoffed and sneered and disregarded half of what she''d said as boring or pointless¡­ But, she''d been feeling somewhat less standoffish and angsty since her changes¡­


    Though it was weird to say, she honestly found the prospect somewhat desirable¡­ Tulla wanted authority. She wanted adoration, she wanted respect. Desired for those around her to treat her much as they''d begun. Much like her mother, Tulla craved the trappings of power in all its many forms. And as much as she''d left the confrontation with the Lizalti elder a veritable bundle of nerves, it had been thrilling right from beginning to end!


    She liked solving problems. She liked feeling important. And though she hadn''t ever thought a position of command would be that interesting to her, Cassandra''s suggestion was actually quite attractive¡­


    "You think he''d let me?"


    "Don''t be like that! He''d love to! Both because you can doubtless help him work through the many problems that he has to deal with and because you are family!" Cassandra hesitated, pulling away as her eyes took on a more distant look, her form deflating slightly with a sigh¡­ "Bianca''s disappearance is hurting him, even if he doesn''t show it in his demeanour¡­ He''s aged these past few months more than he has in years, and it will do him wonders to have such a fine young woman as his protege; take my word for it. You''ll be helping him more than you realize¡­"


    Again, Tulla nodded. Moving back in to embrace her aunt, who took her affection quite willingly. Holding her niece tightly and taking in a shuddering breath before they separated, the older woman smiling again, though with less mirth.


    "I''ll be heading back to Kaitrice tonight¡­ Make sure you speak with Tavir about my suggestion before I get back."


    "You know, if you ever need help¡ª"


    "I appreciate it, Tulla, but you and your father have already done plenty. I''ve a man who claims to have details on a lone and suspicious Bal presumed involved in several murders. The description provided seems¡ªaccurate as it is disturbing¡­ But it''s the best I''ve managed to find. Now, I''m just waiting on the information broker to compile what he knows about her. I''m meeting with him as soon as I get back."


    "Same kind of deaths as the other''s?"


    "Violent, close questers, always where there are few to no people. None of them have been recent, nor have any more arisen; thus, it seems likely that the culprit has departed the city, but I am hoping to discover where that may have been¡­"


    "Where would she even go? To Cornin?"


    "I honestly don''t know¡­ but, hopefully, I''ll learn something from all of this¡­"


    When her aunt seemed to quiet, allowing the air between them to enter into a comfortable silence, her thoughts clearly drifting towards her objective. Tulla sighed, took in a long breath a moment later, then forced out a smile. Attempting to return a semblance of levity back to her person before anyone saw her now dour mood. Speaking about her cousin was hard for most in the village... almost taboo really. Still, when the time came that Cassandra found her, most would likely be lining up to help.


    All the same, the two women said their goodbyes as they went their separate ways, Cassandra back home, Tulla heading to her mother''s war room. The girl now supposing she had a few people she needed to speak with beyond the settlements ruler¡­

 The tail dilemma.

    Chapter 29


    Arthur groaned as he plummeted into his chair. The welcoming leather made a noise, much as his throat had, while its owner sank into its plush depths. Leaning backwards as far as he was able with the intent to simply sit and¡ªrelax¡­


    It earnestly felt like this had been the first time in days that he''d actually sat down. Actually stopped racing about like a chicken with its head cut off¡­


    Idly, he allowed his eyes to close, body just melting into a puddle of exhausted muscles and borderline insomnia¡­


    "Lord?"


    "Benny¡ªplease stop with that honorific already! For god''s sake, just call me Arthur¡­"


    "Thematically, I thought it fit rather well!"


    "Maybe¡­ but at this point, I''m all lorded out¡­ I think I''ve heard that word at least a dozen times an hour, every hour, for the past two months!"


    "Beg your pardon, but it does feel¡ªwrong absent the proper title¡­ What if I go back to calling you Sir?"


    Arthur cracked one of his eyes, his gaze landing on the butler''s hologram as the AI stood to his side, ever the picture of prim and proper confidence. "I guess¡­ I mean, it''s better than the alternative¡­ No offence, but I''d really just like to avoid all the associated aspects of being a king, at least while in my own home¡­"


    The emphasis he put on his supposed royal title would let anyone know to what degree he was enthused about its existence¡­ Which was, of course, to say that he was not very excited about it¡­


    He''d really thought he might be able to get away with shirking that little detail going forward¡­ Believed he could just continue on being as he already had been! Sadly, as Dianna really seemed to be hammering her new position home, there was quite a bit of trickle-down that affected him as well.


    It wasn''t so much the concept nor the word itself that bothered him so much as all the associated issues that arose with it. As king¡ªor, king consort or, Lord Wizzard or however else people had referred to him, Arthur had become one of the primary problem sovlers in the community.


    The thing was, so said community was rapidly expanding in an exponential explosion of growth! One that had, admittedly, been somewhat spurred on, encouraged, and maybe even just a little pushed along by his truly¡­


    It wasn''t all his fault! Honestly, Arthur couldn''t help it! The absolute rush that he felt in seeing the baffled, hopeful and desperate faces of those they released as he directed them to their new lives was¡ªhard to replicate nor ignore¡­ Or, for that matter, give up.


    Arthur felt like a freaking gambling addict that couldn''t help himself but feed his addictions! Forever lost in the false promises with which he assured himself that whatever latest batch of villagers he purchased would be the last ones for the month!


    Guaranteeing himself that he could hold off on travelling back to the slave markets if only to give himself a chance to actively work through the myriad slog of duties that all revolved around a growing obsession¡­


    Evidently, he had a saviour complex the size of old Manhattan! One that had reared its now ugly head when first encountering his daughter, which wasn''t something he''d ever want to change¡­ However, as of late, it was like he simply couldn''t control his urges! Acting on whims and intrusive thoughts alike to the point that the village had positively swelled with new arrivals!


    Arthur wasn''t exactly sure why he found it so addicting a prospect when he''d never really known himself to be so charitable¡­ But he thought it was actually a good deal more complex than that¡­


    While he was perfectly happy helping those they indoctrinated into their growing community, there was indeed an observable point in which doing so became what he''d name as work.


    And, at this stage, he really did push himself to keep up the small charade of continuing to give a shit¡­ However, the crack ball that he was truly after and couldn''t seem to get enough of chasing as it rolled down the street lay somewhere between breaking the chains and pushing people into their beautiful new homes.


    He wasn''t a busybody; he didn''t try and forcibly direct those he saved or how they used those lives¡­ But, he did have the propensity to categorize people, place them where he initially wanted, and outright drooled over the somewhat fanatical blueprint he''d made that, likewise, got the lion''s share of his attention.


    No matter how busy he was, Arthur always seemed to find excuses to make time for the things that he really enjoyed. Building new parts of the settlement, adjusting those that already existed, housing the many vacant buildings with busy little workers that all fed into a slightly concerning and egomaniacal grand plan for their kingdom. One that was starting to border a problematic fixation¡­ Astounding, given how he was acting, he was genuinely wondering if he had a budding deity disorder¡­


    Arthur could absolutely see himself in the position of some magnanimous man in the clouds! One that had a luxurious Greek beard and that could hurl lightning from his fingertips! Actually, when he stopped to think about it, if he were to give himself god powers, Zeus would probably be from where he drew inspiration¡­


    He''d always been somewhat enamoured by the old pantheons. Egypt, Norse, Greek and the Sumerian, of course. That had all been when he was younger and utterly enthralled by all the zany stories, but¡­ of them all, Zeus had been something of a favourite.


    Giving himself lightning powers, godly magic, shapshifting abilities and limited control over time itself were all things that did spark a degree of interest. And, as it all was thematically attractive, it also prickled at his desires much more than being¡ªwonder woman, only, with facial hair and wedding tackle¡­


    Sadly, while the concept as a whole was just amusing enough for him to give it genuine consideration, it didn''t exactly fall in line with his prior nor current prototypes. Of which had all been meant to bridge the gap between his wife''s biology and his own.


    Arthur hadn''t had any luck thus far in actually giving Dianna a child. And lord only knew how hard they''d been trying! He never thought he''d be having this much sex at¡ªany point in his life¡­ But he somewhat now understood what some of those lucky bastards online had complained about when admitting that their significant other was almost¡ªtoo much¡­


    Though he absolutely loved it, Dianna was utterly insatiable. Honestly, it was getting so bad that most, if not all, their private time together was spent indulging in each other''s bodies¡­


    With how much work they were both taking on and as they were always trying to ensure Tulla got time with each of them at family dinners and the like, they each were now at a point where, as soon as they were alone, they all but tackled each other with fervent desperation.


    Obviously, that didn''t leave a whole lot of time to do what other couples might¡­ Dates, movie nights, simply cuddling on the couch or going out to a party¡­ It was just¡ªdinner and sex most evenings¡­ which he did love! But, there was also something more that he desired, something that he''d begun hunting after in lieu of sleep¡­


    Many mornings, rather than trying to get a few hours of rest, Arthur instead snuggled up into the furnace of Dianna''s body with naught in his heart but love and the desire to simply¡ªtalk.


    They could spend hours like that, simply holding each other and speaking after their problems or concerns, sharing thoughts and ideas and whatever else might arise¡­ Not spending time in a more traditional way with one another, but rather, wrapped in each other''s limbs while whispering like teenagers until the rootlight shone with daybreak¡­


    For Dianna, who seemed able to somehow subsist on only a handful of hours of sleep every few days, it was nothing. But for Arthur, her really was burning the candle at both ends¡­


    Sleep had become something that had gotten kicked off the pedestal of priority. His habits getting so bad that now people were beginning to make comments after how haggard he was looking¡­


    No, his daughter had been right. It was time that Arthur took his physical shortcomings with a degree more seriousness. He knew that his wife had been giving him something of a free pass, if for no greater reason than that she had other things to focus on. Yet, Arthur was¡ªnot at his best¡­ And if gaining more hours of lucid activity during a day cost him part of his humanity, wasn''t it worth pursuing?


    He hadn''t actually told anyone about this, but the truth was, Arthur was somewhat terrified by the prospect. Despite one of his primary goals involving ways to change his own genome to be compatible with Dia''s, a large part of his psyche had balked at the idea he''d be throwing away what he was¡­


    At some point, Arthur had made the mental determination that his issues revolving around creating a generalized crossbreeding power had something to do with what had happened with Tulla''s metamorphosis. Ever since that point, Arthur had felt as though his abilities were garnering more scrutiny¡­


    The thing was, he could and had created a soul card that would allow him to interbreed as he currently was. However, the drawbacks of such a thing had been concerning¡­ Not only had its base form implied that the odds of success were laughable, but the implications behind the warnings as to abomination chances and defects had made the ''Captain Kirk'' something of a throwaway¡­ Add in the fact it would have bound itself to his soul and been a permanent fixture in his deck, and Arthur hadn''t dared to actually pursue the idea further.


    In effect, he came back to the concept that being all-powerful in all area''s was something of a hard ask of whatever force governed such things. And much like the translation experiments, when he narrowed down his wishlist to simply include human-bal compatibility, the result had been much less problematic.


    Still, he hadn''t felt as though he''d been delving down the right rabbit hole¡­ So, he''d put a pin on simply creating something that would allow him to make a bal-human offshoot and, instead, set his mind towards an idea that shared much in concept with Tulla''s own alterations.


    If making a hybrid child was difficult for their species, then what would happen between a pre-existing hybrid and a fully purebred bal? Well, as it turned out, much like his apprehensions stemming from creating an army of soulless poultry, playing god with genetics had been a slippery slope that he''d not wanted to immediately slide down¡­


    Now, however, he was at a crossroads. He really hadn''t been lying to Tulla; if Arthur was going to do this, he was going to do it once, and he was going to do it right. And while creating a Zues soul might allow for some cheeky pregnancy shenanigans, he found himself less interested in shapeshifting and more within a mindset that he''d like to choose a form and simply stick with it. Assuming he could make it work.


    He wasn''t interested in polygamy after all, nor would he ever find himself in a position of wanting somebody else. He felt he''d already found his soulmate. As strange and different as they were from one another, Arthur had nevertheless come to terms with the notion that Dianna was his¡ªeverything¡­ Not literally, of course, but from a relationship viewpoint, he really couldn''t ask for anything else!


    He was enamoured by her and didn''t much care about any perceived flaws. If anything, they just made her more¡ªhuman to him¡­ more attractive and relatable and¡­ well, he loved her¡­


    Thus, Arthur had began working on a means to further immerse himself in both her life, culture, and universe. He wasn''t sure if humans exited in the Lacunae, beyond his own presence that was. And, offhandedly, had even pondered if they even belonged here.


    Everything about his existence felt somewhat ad-hoc. From that initial phase where he''d gotten the opportunity to pick the power of his own soul to the means by which he''d arrived, and all the way to how the universe seemed to want to deal with his abilities.


    As it happened, Arthur had even gone through a brief existential crisis wherein he contemplated the reality that he might very well not be¡ªreal¡­


    It had been a concept that the man had been warring over for some time as his mind chipped away at it in the back of his head.


    What if he wasn''t the real Arthur?


    To begin with, how did portals work? Were they all a simple flattening of reality between two points? Did they open up a gateway? Or did they do as they did in science fiction? Deconstructing the body to its very foundations before rebuilding it on the other side¡­


    Arthur hadn''t stepped through a portal to get here. He''d been¡ªsummoned. Possibly teleported, possibly copied¡­ What was easier for a god to do? Take a snapshot of himself and everything around him and recreate it using magic, or open a trans-dimensional laneway between this realm and his own?


    And why had he crash-landed? Thus far, when taking portals, Arthur hadn''t ever fallen, no matter where he went¡­ He always, without fail, appeared on the ground.


    It truly made him wonder if, somewhere out there, amidst the endless¡ªeverything that was existence, if there was another Arthur Ashfield who was still living out his life in the forest¡­


    Worse, he wasn''t sure how to really parse the notion that his soul hadn''t already had a power associated with it. Was it because such a thing simply didn''t exist back home? Or was it because his soul had been raw? Fresh and new, a blank slate that had only just been created, perhaps in association with a brand new person that had been cooked up by a sinister entity¡­


    It wasn''t lost on Arthur as to who had summoned him. And, as it happened, when the young man really thought about it, if the Tricen''s god had, for whatever reason, brought him here, why would it have chosen to do so in the first place?


    He wasn''t special¡­ Yet despite this belief and objectively speaking, it could be said that Arthur was actively working to undermine the Tricen''s mortal foes¡­ Not on an individual level but on a much grander scale.


    At this point, he''d successfully convinced several of the bal to see things his way in regard to certain practices that their people conducted. His village, already growing larger with each passing day, would now stand in direct opposition to any further attempts at bal Imperialism on the continent. More, now his wife was evidently actively looking for ways to further erode her people''s foothold by apparently seeking to headhunt the talent.


    Given what he knew about their empire, they wouldn''t at all consider what they were trying to do as friendly. Rather, they''d demand they cede their independence; they''d try to take it by force if they could. And, at no point would Arthur ever consider accepting such demands given the path they now travelled.


    By contrast, potential dark god aside, Arthur somewhat suspected he''d be amenable to the possibility of Tricen settling in their community¡­ He didn''t hate their people, and while what few interactions he''d shared with them weren''t positive nor diplomatic, there was no possible way that everyone from an entire species could be considered terrible¡­


    It earnestly made him wonder what kind of game he was involved with¡­ And, more, how he might very well be a pawn in some greater scheme, he simply couldn''t see¡­ It made him annoyed, it made him concerned¡­ And above all, it gave him a desire to somehow break away from it all by doing something¡ªdrastic.


    Hence, his concept that was hybridization.


    If the human couldn''t impregnate his wife to create a child of shared lineages, then what might happen if a crossbreed attempted to do the same?


    Peer pressure to fit in aside, he didn''t want to give up his humanity. But was turning himself into a genetic hybrid truly giving that up? Or was it further embracing his new life, new family, new friends and even world?


    Arthur wanted children. He already had Tulla, it was true¡­ Yet, Arthur missed having a big family all around him! He''d started off with such a thing¡­ then rejected it in pursuit of his own ambitions and a desire to be alone¡­ But now that he had a taste of it again, he''d slowly realized just how much he missed it all¡­


    Imagining their dinner table filled with all his children sitting with them, talking about their days, fighting with each other, laughing and joking and complaining and just being¡ªin his damned life was wonderful!


    He pictured Tulla taking all her little siblings by the hand and teaching them as her mother had¡­ Pictured how much she''d probably adore so many of her own kindred, all looking up to her and seeking advice on life itself¡­ How she''d show them all her favourite movies¡­ Introduce them to naughty swear words, just to see her parent''s reaction¡­ Take them on trips and get into arguments and fight and make up and¡­


    Life was too short to spend it alone¡­


    But what would he be willing to give up for a future like that? One where he could hold Dianna''s hands as he knelt and listened to the heartbeat of his child, still in her belly¡­ One where he could hold a little girl or boy in his arms as they cried and sought comfort¡­ Where he could teach and better himself, not just for his own benefit, but to ensure all those around him got the very best he could possibly offer?


    What would Arthur be willing to pay for it? To spend? And possibly even give up¡­ Was being wholly human actually worth never allowing such a future to come to pass?


    Sadly for his pride as human, it was not¡­


    "Benny¡­ can you bring up Project Lucifer again?"


    "Oh, have we made headway on a decision then?"


    "No¡­" Arthur sighed, clearing his throat before forcing both of his weary eyes to spring open, his gaze immediately falling upon a wide hologram depicting several¡ªconceptual ideas¡­ "I just want to go over what we have¡­ I think I need to make a decision here, and we haven''t made any real headway with anything for weeks now¡­"This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Very good, Sir! I''m sure whatever you ultimately choose will be appropriate."


    Again, Arthur let out another sigh¡­ unable to really help it as he stared at the array of variations of¡ªhimself. Each depiction of his person displayed an associated card he''d created with the express intent of mixing his genes with that of his wife''s species.


    He had nine total tarots. Nine different benchmarks denoting how much or how little he''d mixed and matched things¡­ Each card, in and along with his designs, displaying a mixed-race example of what the proposed creature might look like.


    And from there, Benny had analyzed them and created a mockup wherein he took the changes and created life-like representations of what Arthur might appear as should he take any one of the soul-binding cards into his deck.


    From the left was the most human-looking of them all. No real considerable changes to speak of¡­ his DNA remaining at ninety percent his own¡­


    In this example, his irises were purple. His height was mostly the same, musculature almost identical. His teeth were a little more carnivorous, limbs slightly longer at the fingers and toes¡­ nails starting to look slightly sharper and almost vampy, though the effect was relatively muted.


    If anything, Arthur still looked like himself, only there was a small degree of paranormal-like flare to him¡­


    Shoot up to thirty percent Bal, and Arthur looked much less like he could go outside in daylight without people thinking he was part demon¡­


    At fifty percent, Arthur had a tail. And whether its appearance was based on his own subconscious or otherwise, this representation was where the project name had arisen from.


    Here, the young man looked very much like a charismatic and incorrigible devil. Still human, but with softly glowing eyes, sharp teeth, small horns, a prehensile and spaded tail. The cadence of a creature appearing as one that lived to make bargains. As though he might snap his fingers and summon a contract for one''s soul into existence, the paperwork manifesting in an acrid plume of sulphury smoke¡­


    At seventy percent, Arthur''s theoretical self had wings. His horns were longer, claws vicious and sharp. Appearance much less roguish and magnetic and now entering the realm of the truly infernal.


    It wasn''t grotesque, but most, if not all, the aspects of humanity were dwindling by a thread¡­ And if he moved things to eighty percent, he had hooves, a tail much more like Tulla''s before her changes, and began to enter the territory of bal rather than what he''d consider a devil.


    At the apex of what he was willing to consider, even if it wasn''t with any great interest, was what would leave him as ten percent human. At that point, he almost couldn''t distinguish any aspect of his species within himself. Arthur simply appearing as bal, and for all intents and purposes, would likely be one.


    In all honesty, he already had his favourite. Though it wouldn''t give him wings, Arthur earnestly didn''t exactly need them. He did look much like what he''d assume a bal and human child would eventually grow into¡­ Half demon, half-mortal¡­ though there was something to say regarding the somewhat sinister connotations revolving around turning himself into the visual approximation of a handsome anti-christ¡­


    "Am I making a mistake with all this?" Arthur eventually asked, still staring at the digital examples of his changed self with a degree of uncertainty¡­ "I mean, I know the Captain Kirk card was going to permanently affix itself to me, but so will this!" He muttered, casting a hand to sweep over the array before them.


    "Sir, if you are unhappy with the appearance¡ª"


    "No, it''s not that¡­ Honestly, if I were to just go with the original idea, our children would probably look something like this! It''s earnestly not a problem for me¡­ But, if I don''t go at least halfsies on this, then our kids might not get wings! I just¡ªfeel like that''s sort of important, you know? Again, not for me, but for them!"


    "There are ways to get around such a thing¡­"


    "Yeah, but it won''t be the same¡­ I don''t want our kids to be¡ªdeformed by bal standards¡­ I''d honestly love it if I could just keep the general look of the first picture and¡­ I don''t know, add in the wings? I personally don''t really want them, but¡­"


    "I''m afraid I don''t really have an answer for you, sir¡­" Benny intoned, not because he seemed uninterested in Arthur''s dilemma, but more because he genuinely didn''t have any substantial advice¡­ He''d long since offered his opinions on the matter and, like Arthur himself, the man had little more to give him...


    The thing was, Arthur still wanted his children to have at least some of himself in there! Again, Tulla was different because he''d adopted her as his child¡­ He didn''t love her any less for it, but¡­ in all honesty, she had her own sort of¡ªthing going on in regards to her body¡­


    Part of him was reasonably sure that the girl wasn''t wholly biological anymore¡­ and as much as she seemed to embrace and even be excited about the prospect, Arthur himself struggled with the concerns that surrounded losing part of who he was¡­


    Speaking from the heart, he wasn''t even convinced he wanted his children to look like some devil-hybrid¡­ Quite emotionally torn over, wondering if he''d rather them all just look like Dianna¡­ Was creating a new mixed species of people really his best play here? And yet, at the same time, would he be completely happy with seeing next to none of himself in his own offspring?


    It was god''s blighted paradox that earnestly had him wanting to pound his forehead against the wall!


    Should he make all his kids human to try and continue the species? Should he make them all bal and simply turn himself into one so the rugrats never asked the question of why Dad looks so silly and weird? Should he consign his children to appear as something new and different, in effect alienating them from either species and potentially risk deformation as nature was allowed it''s time to be a bully in the sandbox?


    What if he had kids that all looked different? Some with wings, some with tails, others with both and or neither¡­


    This was it. This right here. The whole reason why he''d been stuck on this particular project for so long while making absolutely zero progress! Arthur was stumped. What should he do? What would others do?


    Surely, he couldn''t be the only reality-warping wizard to stumble upon this very same problem after falling in love with a member of a different species¡­ Why wasn''t there some sort of grand network of sorcerers who had come across this very conundrum? Either uploading what they''d done or offering their two cents into the hat in a long-winded and intellectually mudslinging debate?


    The thing was, he was pretty sure what Dianna would have to say on the matter, so he didn''t want to ask her because he was afraid she''d say, make them look like me!


    She was a queen, after all, and desired a dynasty. So, it only made sense she''d want her heirs to look as she did!


    Tulla, on the other hand, probably wouldn''t care¡­ And further still, she might start offering all manner of goofy solutions like cloning or simply making everyone a transformer!


    Arthur lifted his hands so he could hold his head¡­ the beginning of a headache forming¡­ lack of sleep, and anxiety over the child problem, were wreaking havoc on his person¡­


    "Well, if nothing else, I''d like my kids to all be¡ªnormal¡­ or at least all uniform with each other¡­"


    "That would mean a higher percentage of bal DNA, Sir."


    "Yes it would, Benny, yes it would¡­"


    Arthur swallowed at that. The understanding that he cared more about them than he did himself, even if they weren''t yet alive, wasn''t any surprise. He''d want whatever was best for his kids¡­ And if that meant he had to change himself to do it¡ªfine. Arthur could live with that.


    ¡­However! There actually was something of a gnawing idea in the back of his head that might actually stand to circumvent a good deal of all of this¡­ And though the idea wasn''t perfect, and he''d already said shapeshifting wasn''t his favourite concept, wasn''t it sort of an observable best of both worlds?


    Arthur thought on that idea for a number of silent and dragging minutes. Slowly, the concept of it all emerged as something he felt to be growing on him with each subsequent breath. As it happened, the whole child problem, and as ridiculous as it sounded, might just require him to become a god¡­


    When the decision had been made, Arthur had something of a wishlist for what he wanted his card to accomplish¡ªor even be. Obviously, simply transforming himself into a lore accurate approximation of the sky god wasn''t what he wanted. No, he wanted the concept without the man himself. In effect, hoping to superimpose the idea of the deity, onto his own existence.


    Arthur desired the godly powers, the lightning and thunder, the strength and shapeshifting and, according to some stories, time manipulation and all the other good aspects behind the myth.


    What he didn''t desire was the adultery and fetish for animals, anger issues, or marital struggles. Nor was he interested in becoming the legend''s doppelganger¡­


    Was it hubris to go into this whole affair, asking the universe for a way to make himself a deity? Well, the answer to that question was actually somewhat complicated.


    What constituted a god?


    There certainly wasn''t any way it could merely come down to the title¡­ there undoubtedly had to be some grit involved, something to back up such a lofty claim; otherwise, what would be the point?


    So, then the question became, was it merely about how strong a person was? The concept of immortality and mortals little more than a shifting scale of power? An obtainable threshold? A clearly defined point at which an individual would, just like that, qualify to be considered a living legend?


    Certainly, Arthur had been doing some very god-like things¡­ And yet, he was, on his own, weak as most any other mortal could be¡­ Sure, he had his tricks and one-offs, but it still didn''t encompass the same level of gravitas that the phrase entailed.


    If simply performing grand magical feats or extreme acts of valour were all it took, then both he and his wife could, in theory, be considered for elevation into the realm of immortals. Both of them for presumably different reasons.


    So far as he was concerned, what he had done would definitely count, assuming he was looking at things from his worlds perspective. And, so far as Dia went¡­ Well, given her claims that she could level a city all her own, Arthur thought that she too somewhat fit the bill¡­ again, by the standards of his own world.


    Granted, there was some definite town-foolery going on vis a vis his ability to make the ideal tarots for a combat-oriented individual, but the fact remained that, for a single person to hold that much destructive potential all their own¡­ There simply was no way to view such an individual as merely¡ªmortal anymore.


    So, using that logic, what was the actual difference between a god and somebody like Dianna, one who had both skill, power and a mind to use both? Was it merely how much brute strength was involved? Was it about age? Well, at least in regards to the latter, Dianna would already be long-lived, the power of her soul apparently changing her, much in a similar way to what might be observed as a demi-god in her own right¡­


    He knew the woman hadn''t been slacking off¡­ Whenever she could get time, she was actively moving to improve herself¡­ And, though Arthur wasn''t sure how far she''d pushed things, his wife very much was¡ªchanging¡­


    It was the little things¡­ Her body''s flaws, few as they had been, were disappearing. She was getting taller, somehow more enchanting than she already was¡­ Her voice, when it was spoken, seemed to enrapture people nearby, almost enthralling them¡­


    She was becoming something that Arthur might name as idealized. Hell, she didn''t even seem to smell anymore, no matter how much of a sweat she worked up! And Arthur just so happened to note that she was using their marital home''s facilities less and less.


    Grease rarely formed on her hair. Morning breath was practically non-existent! Her teeth were getting whiter, minor defects correcting themselves, as though all on their own¡­ No, somehow, Dianna truly seemed to be in the budding stages of some form of ascension¡­ Slow and ponderous as it was¡­


    Looking at her was like imagining what it might have been like to stand near Napoleon, Alexander the Great or Ghengas Khan! Simply a being that seemed larger than life itself, unassailable and somewhat¡ªbeyond what any could expect of somebody more normal¡­


    He didn''t want to outright say his wife seemed to be leaving the realm of¡­ well, mortals¡­ However, looking at her, all but resplendent in little more than leather and a braid, was to liken her to some norse goddess of war¡­ the woman all but radiating an aura that he found hard to really nail down¡­


    Thus, Arthur extrapolated that, in a very real sense, his wife was becoming something more than biological, just as their daughter¡­ And while the differences between the two might be observable, the only thing that Arthur could really pinpoint for it all was that the two were transcending the flesh and becoming¡ªmagical¡­


    The changes for Tulla stemmed through the process of his very own bullshit sci-fi nonsense that very much derived from a magical foundation, while his wife''s progress was clearly a much more intended and natural process¡­


    Given he knew that neither woman had asked for nor been given any form of tarot to simply improve theyre beauty or how they were perceived or anything else along those general lines. Despite both clearly being amidst the process of positive change that affected them in such ways, Arthur likewise hypothesized that the raw power of their souls was the primary driving factor.


    Unless their metamorphosis included such changes, Arthur was now of a mind that increasing the tier of their cards was somehow directly linked to baseline physical improvement.


    So, what was then happening under the hood of it all? Were their genetics being fussed with? Their own bodies evolving with the potential within themselves? Or was there a much more mystic explanation for it all?


    Not for the first time, Arthur oh so desired for there to be some form of magic-land Wikipedia! And, mentally resolved himself to actually create such a thing one of these days and when he, of course, had time to do so¡­


    However, given that this universe held magic as its core principle that all other things were built upon, Arthur was at least reasonably sure that all the various alterations to the girls were, in point of fact, based wholly on magic.


    Whether it was changing their DNA or simply replacing meat with something more in line with traditionally fay creatures from his own homeland, it didn''t really matter. Magic was, and would always be, the lone driving force in his new home¡­


    Which, perhaps inevitably, drove Arthur to answer his question regarding divinity with a kind of genuine certainty.


    It all came down to magic. Thus, if he desired to achieve his goal of a loving family, a body that would not tire, and a mechanism by which to further submerge himself in this universe, the methodology by which Arthur would achieve as such was not an answer found within the sciences.


    What he needed to do was make himself magical.


    Not give himself magic, not learn how to manipulate magic or how it worked or anything else in that line of reasoning. No, Arthur needed to be magic.


    He needed to give up his DNA. This¡ªbody that was made out of flesh and cellular structures¡­ He needed to turn his back on humanity and evolution and genetics all altogether. He needed to become something that could mimic what he already was but would, at its very core, be a being of a wholly alternate existence.


    He needed to become a god. And, what was a god, if not a creature solely created from magic itself? Skin, bones and blood, but only because that was how he wanted to be interpreted. A heart that was little more than a vestigial reminder meant to maintain the illusion. A brain that would theoretically function as it already did, but where the information could process right along no matter if he was decapitated or shot through the head!


    After all, magic didn''t play by his rules. Magic didn''t care two shits after what biology had to say. Magic could and would and had already proved to do as it so pleased in whatever manner it saw fit!


    Arthur needed to become, in a very vague but somehow appropriate way, a zues¡­


    "Why does mommy have a tail?" He muttered, standing before his workshop desk, his gaze simply staring down at the lone creation that he''d lost hours to in its inception¡­


    If Arthur were to write a book, perhaps some autobiography to follow in and along his whacky and potentially nonsensical life and its eventual elevation to godhood. That line alone would stand as the reinforcing pillar behind why he''d done as he had.


    It wasn''t because Arthur wanted to be strong. It wasn''t because Arthur desired power or the adoration of a loyal subject butchering deer upon the altar of his temple. Arthur didn''t desire glory or accolades or anything else within that realm beyond seeing the fruition of his designs come to life and flourish.


    No, the reason he''d created something he felt to be somewhat auspicious, all things considered, was because he didn''t want his future children to gaze upon either of their parent''s eyes and wonder why they weren''t the same as mom or dad¡­


    Thus, his solution! A card that would presumably allow for both himself and his future kids to¡ªbridge the gap, as it were¡­ Since biology clearly hadn''t been the answer, he''d abandoned all other notions and embraced the concept he had put forward to whatever force out there butted heads against him and his designs. Potentially, if his own soul card could be interpreted as such, creating a fork in the road of his soon-to-be offshoot species that was guided by a hand filled with all the hubris of immortals that left the wake he now followed in.


    The tarot resting before him was white. Eerily reminiscent of his own in that yet undisclosed regard¡­ It would be soul-bound to him the moment he took it in. A permanent fixture in his deck, from which there would be no coming back¡­


    And, as a gesture of goodwill considering what had been asked, Arthur had even taken his yet sole time card and used it as the basis for the ensuing and silent argument that had followed.


    There were several things that he understood about this card, even without allowing it to bond with him. The first being that, much like his own soul, Arthur suspected that this tarot would react in much the same way.


    His power that allowed him to change souls was¡ªstrange. Not only because it did as it did, but because he''d not yet actually been able to improve it. Despite what somewhat paltry attempts had been made, his soul remained at its base state, that singular star never changing, no matter how much power he''d fed it.


    While he still wasn''t sure what its deviation from the somewhat more familiar pattern of tiers truly meant, he had a working theory that they were either somehow beyond even gold and, thus, abhorrent difficult to improve. A concept he wasn''t entirely sold on given how much it clashed with how he understood the power to work¡­


    Alternatively, it could possibly mean that the card just wasn''t¡ªimprovable¡­ at least, not in the standard sense. Either taking power from other souls around it or, somehow, working with an entirely different set of rules¡­ But, regardless, he supposed he''d be figuring it all out sooner than later at this point.


    Next was that the new tarot did as it had been envisioned. Though there had been no inconsiderable amount of pushback before it had manifested. As well as a somewhat concerning degree of time involved to go along with a kind of cloying, searching sensation in his head, as if something were routing around his memories for it all¡­ The soul promised precisely as he''d envisioned it.


    It wasn''t named ''the zues.'' However, the designation that the universe had decided to give it had sent a slight shiver down Arthur''s spine.


    ''The forefather.''


    Considering what had been attempted here and that he''d fought tooth and nail for this power to be inheritable, the title could be as fitting as it was ambiguous absent context.


    From his point of view, it was clear that he would indeed be shifting the future destiny of any progeny he might have. With all the gleaming sheen to the picture, which depicted marble pillars and fluffy clouds, a brilliant kaleidoscopic stars in the background, the whole affair did possess a semblance of a conceptual home to a pantheon when first gazing upon it.


    Objectively, he really wasn''t sure exactly what to initially expect from the soul¡­ Obviously, there wasn''t any way he''d suddenly be some all-mighty entity resting amidst the clouds¡­ And yet, all the stipulated powers were there.


    Control of thunder and lightning, shapeshifting, time and space, a promise that he would become a being defined not by logic but by magic¡­ A deific existence in name and description that¡ªprobably wouldn''t translate in practicality.


    His goal here had been to allow his children to have the best of all worlds. To allow them an inheritance from him that would indeed create something outside the boundaries of how things typically worked. Perhaps, if he had truly achieved his goal, Dia and his own future children together would be able to decide whichever form they so desired, no matter how they might initially turn out. In effect, making them magical beings right from the start¡­


    Coincidently, the card would theoretically solve a few of his own and more physical limitations as well. Which, of course, had him naturally worried after both its potency and exactly what expense he would be taking on¡­


    There was a curious¡ªphenomenon about his person that he hadn''t yet been able to explain.


    Strip away all the strange inventions and ideas. Take his ability to make soul cards and look past his alien ideas and accomplishments to date. Take everything that surrounded him until there was nothing left but a lone cooking tarot meant to enhance a simple endeavour inside the kitchen. Now, give him a hundred souls. Silver, gold, iron and bronze, it didn''t matter.


    Were Arthur to pile each and every other tarot into his lone card, it would unquestionably improve. However, the young man had also discovered that were somebody to be standing next to him, the exact same scenario also transpiring. They would see their cooking card increased to a capability in excess of his own.


    Yes, Arthur had long since discerned that some cards were harder to improve than others. Yet, that wasn''t what he''d been referring to. No, give him a base cooking card, and another person the same, then both of them the exact same tiers and ranks of voracious grazers up to a total of ten. And, strangely enough, Arthur wouldn''t see his card reach the same heights as his nearby volunteer.


    It was a quandary that he hadn''t put much thought into. Mostly because it didn''t bother him but also because he hadn''t even really noticed it until a bunch of small details had slowly crunched at the back of his mind.


    Again, take all the cooking cards he''d given out to the villagers. At first, Arthur had simply assumed that everyone laughing over how quickly they''d improved the things to be a simple discrepancy of expectation.


    Arthur assuming that they were just wise to the fact some cards were more temperamental! And that they themselves already had such souls and thus weren''t at all surprised!


    Yet, in the recesses of his subconscious, he had continued to grind against the notion as a whole¡­ And as more and more of his cards found their way to the hands of others after, of course, he''d tested them. A sort of noteworthy pattern had emerged to solidify his bizarre findings.


    Again, Arthur simply didn''t understand the powers he was playing with. And though he felt to be seeking out little snippets of understanding as he went¡­ A minor epiphany here, a humble eureka there¡­ By in large, he was still out of his depth¡­


    All the same, he had spent many nights unable to really focus while his thoughts whirled after what exactly it could be that made him different. Why was it harder for him to improve his souls? Was it because his own was artificial? Created rather than natural? Was it because he came from another world? Was there a god that was simply fucking with him? Or did it all have a much more observable but not very forthcoming answer that existed under his nose all along¡­


    Ultimately, Arthur sighed. If there was to be an additional cost for all this that went beyond the card itself, then he would bear it. He''d do it for his wife. He''d do it for his daughter. And he''d do it for any future children he might help bring into this world. After all, what was the point of life if it was too easy?

 I am the lord of thunder!

    Chapter 30


    "And your plan is to¡ªblend in amongst all our kindred at The Landing?" Dianna inquired, her expression inscrutable as she peered down at her daughter''s exuberant and, for whatever reason, over-eagre anticipation.


    As it happened, Tulla''s expression seemed to droop by the slightest fraction at her mother''s tone, all that excitement over the idea clearly blinding the girl to a somewhat glaring problem.


    Quite honestly, Dianna didn''t care if her daughter wanted to visit the city from an objective standpoint¡­ But, for all she knew, the girl was too smart for her own good at times, and her mother found it near the point of genuine amusement that her daughter didn''t recognize the issue.


    To their left, Dianna''s two legion scribes, the same that she''d commandeered for the express use of her slowly growing command structure for both settlement affairs and militant, seemed to look back down at their work, pointedly now ignoring the conversation¡­


    To their right, Korvil, her defacto second in command, twitched, the side of his face flickering away from whatever expression he might have made to maintain his semblance of neutrality¡­


    And, of course, Jade and Kilk, both newly minted officers she intended to grant commission to, each peered at one another, neither wanting to say a word.


    There weren''t many people currently in her war tent, comparative, of course, so its size¡­ Just the secretaries meant to sift through any incoming reports to determine what, if anything, Dianna had to directly deal with. Korvil, her niece''s prior Adjunct who now worked quite closely with her, and two of the younger but quite promising legionnaires from Tavir''s own command.


    While Dianna focused on raising up her slowly building forces, Korvil had been all but instrumental in continuing the efforts of seeking out isolated settlements that had survived or otherwise not even been aware of the Tricen''s sinister ritual.


    By contrast, Jade and Kilk had already proved steady heads and competent in their work. They two led partitions of their her forces, just in smaller units that hadn''t yet gained enough troopers.


    The three of them were, thus far, working to ever broaden the scope of their search. Spreading out the net while seeking to find isolated, forgotten or otherwise ragged surviving settlements in the wake of¡ªwell, the shadow incident¡­


    Whereas she herself had been about the business of structuring the ramshackle but quite dangerous budding army that they were building, primarily by way of indoctrinating new recruits.


    Still, like the wild creature she''d always known the girl to be whilst still all elbows and knees, running around with more twigs in her braid than good sense, Tulla''s instincts flared as though noticing the weighted silence around her.


    She hesitated, looked at the others in the room and then frowned¡­ "What?"


    "You don''t see it?"


    "I-if it''s about Chuck, then¡ª"


    "Tulla¡­" Dianna sighed, wondering why she had to spell this out for her! "When was the last time you looked at yourself in a mirror or a pool of water?"


    Again, her daughter seemed perplexed as to what her mother was trying to get at, her mind only seeming to click into place as the girl glanced down at a lifting hand and regarded it for a long moment.


    "Yeah¡ªokay, but I can just wear a cowl! And besides, I can always claim it''s just some weird side effect from a card I found in the Labyrinth!"


    "Portal at Londis will be closed to civilian access and hasn''t yet been open to the public besides," Kilk commented, offering Tulla an apologetic look when the girl turned to him, annoyed but not with him specifically.


    "And the cowl will attract attention¡­" Jade offered a moment later, though she regarded Tulla with a degree more interest as if imagining what it would be like to see her for the first time and absent context. "Honestly, suspicious types will be sticking out like a sore thumb¡­ I guarantee, you throw a hood over your face and a cloak over your back, and you''ll have every guardsman glancing your way when you pass by."


    "Not¡ªall of them, right?"


    "I mean¡­" Kilk began, murmuring while rubbing a thumb over his chin, "Paying attention to suspicious individuals is guard detail one-O-one¡­ Literally, one of the first things they tell you to look out for!"


    "Mmmhmm. No offence, T¡ªLady Tulla, but covering yourself up to hide only works if the people on watch don''t give two shites about their duty."


    "And, given the whole army''s shacking up at Londis for the moment, there''s going to be no shortage of patrols."


    "They''ll be seeking to outright smother any semblance of unruly behaviour," Dianna stated, approving that Jade was already starting to remember her daughter''s status, even if she wasn''t directly involved in military matters. "Guards will be on a higher alert than is typical for no greater reason than necessity and orders. Praetor Octavia, if she still lives, will be doing her utmost to keep a stranglehold on discipline¡­"


    "She is one of the only remaining generals with any meaningful experience under her belt¡­" Korvil admitted, grunting with displeasure, as if the knowledge itself left a putrid taste on his lips. "Who really knows what the others are doing, but if that woman has managed to retain even a modicum of support amongst her troops, I''d suspect she would be in charge¡ªin one manner of speaking or another¡­"


    "If not, you could probably just go walking around as you are!"


    Her daughter glanced at the tall and red-headed man with an unreadable expression. Though Dianna didn''t think it had anything to do with her daughter taking any offence. Instead, her little girl¡ªno, not so little anymore¡­


    Well, regardless, her child was undoubtedly contemplating it all and wondering how she could get away with it. Eventually, she shrugged, no longer looking worried in the slightest. "I''m just going to ask Benny to whip me something up. I''m sure he can figure out a workable disguise."


    Taking in a deep breath, Dianna simply nodded her head. "Far be it from me to stop you, dear. You are reaching adulthood, and I don''t think coddling is required¡­ No, if you are heading to the city, simply ensure you do so covertly. Otherwise, I''ve no doubt of your capability to handle yourself."


    Her daughter beamed at her, all bright eyes and swelling pride, which, in turn, caused Dianna''s own lips to slip into a warm smile.


    Hmph! At her age, Dianna had already tried to enlist twice. There just hadn''t been much else she thought herself able to do after realizing how much of a crapshoot trying to make a go of it in the Labyrinth could be.


    Yet, Tulla was even bigger than she had been at the girl''s age¡­ And while Dianna understood that¡ªtheoretically, her little girl wasn''t any older, all evidence currently pointed to the contrary.


    The girl looked like a right and proper teenager now. Her mind was much more focused, habits trending away from childish antics and plowing headlong into the realm of more mature interests.


    Heck! The amount of water that the girl went through, typically whilst taking upwards of two baths a day, was¡ªastonishing¡­


    Likewise, she''d begun putting immense effort into her own appearance. New clothes that were never seen dirty or so much as wrinkled. New hairstyles that, while not familiar to Dianna personally, were nonetheless constantly making an appearance upon her daughter''s head.


    Tulla had officially hit the stage in her life where she was no longer a mere child, and the fact was evident for any who wished to see it. Add in that she was, socially, both coming into herself and her new role and that she was beginning to take an active interest in settlement affairs and¡ªwell, the girl really was growing up¡­


    While strange that she''d seemingly skipped over a few years to get here¡ªDianna really couldn''t care less. Tulla would likely be alive for entire centuries¡­ her deck was nearing gold, or so the girl claimed¡­


    Thus, what did Dianna care if a measly two or three of the most awkward and abhorrent years in her own existence were simply leapt right over by her daughter? The answer, of course, was that she didn''t care very much¡­


    "Well¡­ If the ugh¡­ the princess is intending to visit The Landing, are we going to have her do more than scout?"


    Dianna glanced at Korvil as the man looked right back at her, a single and questioning brow raised. "I don''t¡ªobject to having her do more, but¡­"


    "No, I agree," Tulla intoned, raising her hands as if to already forfeit whatever else her mother might say, "If anyone is going to go out there and convince other soldiers to come here, it''s better we send an actual soldier for that¡­ Not to say I can, you know, take something with me just in case I meet the right people¡­ but mainly, I''m just going to go take a look around."


    The girl paused, her expression shifting to something waltzing upon indecision, but the look faded within heartbeats, resolve forming around any perceived anxieties and hardening around her like armour. "Also, I dealt with the Lizalti; they''ll be gone as soon as they are able to pack¡ªor if they still refuse," Tulla added, pulling in a sharp breath through her teeth, "then I''ll get rid of them¡ªmyself¡­"


    Dianna eyed her child through a softly narrowing gaze, considering the girl with genuine interest while those around them grew still once more, again seeming to find themselves uncertain.


    "You will¡ªget rid of them?"


    Tulla lifted her chin, not in defiance but in confidence, squaring her shoulders and righting her posture until she appeared, for all intents and purposes, certain of her own decision. "If they don''t agree to leave, then yes. However, I''m making sure they have what is needed to settle elsewhere as an option. But don''t worry, I''ve made it very clear that they are not welcome here any longer."


    "Good riddance," Kilk muttered, his tone rather lighthearted given the conversation. "Not like they haven''t been a thorn in everyone''s side! I''m sure that nobody will miss them!"


    "I can second that¡­" Korvil grunted, clearing his throat a moment later, "But, where is it exactly that they wish to settle? Certainly not anywhere near us?"


    For her part, Dianna merely nodded at her child. Pride filled her heart; it was trust but also just the faintest traces of annoyance as well. Dianna had¡ªplans for the community¡­ not of the sort that were any kind of better alternative for the miserable cretins, but all the same, she found herself not liking the notion that she hadn''t been consulted on this.


    Still, she could recognize the look that had been in Tulla''s eye when she''d explained herself, and it wasn''t at all of a competitive sort. Instead, she rather thought that the girl was looking for some kind of affirmation that she''d done good, as it were. And, despite the small prickle of¡ªwell, she wasn''t sure what it exactly was, but nevertheless, Dianna allowed it to pass by the wayside.


    "They will be given their warning." She stated, smiling at her daughter before pulling her in for a hug. Remembering her husband''s suggestions on how to¡ªdisplay and even project certain emotions to convey her satisfaction at how wonderfully her little girl was thriving in her new environment. She really seemed to come into herself, and Dianna couldn''t be happier! "Still, if they do not adhere to our sovereignty over the region, they should expect no mercy from me."


    "I will ensure that they understand what will happen to them and that there is no treaty to bind us."


    "Good!" Dianna grinned, nodding happily as she gave the girl a squeeze. "Now, was there anything else?"


    "I can¡ªgo then?"


    "Of course! What? Don''t look at me like that. Do you really expect me to say something along the lines of wanting you to stay for some arbitrary thing like training or wilderness survival?"


    "The thought¡ªdid cross my mind¡­" The girl muttered, half looking suspicious and half hopeful that some perceived dark saga within the realm of her own personal existence was suddenly lifting to be replaced with radiant light!


    "You want to act like an adult¡ª" Dianna began, pausing as she placed both her hands on her child''s shoulders, "you want to be seen as an adult. You are now dressing as an adult would and seem to desire at least some aspects of adulthood responsibility. Would you¡ªprefer I still treat you like a child?"


    ¡°N-no¡­ I just¡­¡±


    "Go have your fun, dear. But temper it with duty. I don''t expect you to jump right in and fill a similar role to your uncle for me, but that doesn''t mean you cant help and still discover what it is that you want from life. If it''s to kill, then kill! If it''s to govern, then start practicing, as you''ve already seemed to be fond of. But, if you wish to go explore the world, I just ask you to come back and be safe¡­"


    The look that her daughter gave her made Dianna roll her eyes. That potent mixture of confusion, disbelief, outright suspicion and, above all else, hope made Dia want nothing more than to give in to the twitch that so badly desired to escape her careful expression.


    Dianna had been¡­ hmm¡­ well, that was to say¡­ mhmm¡­ Perhaps it could be best stated that she''d been working on herself. She understood there were areas in both judgement and even her way of thinking that could be rigid and somewhat unyielding¡­ Yet, working as she had while trying to build the settlement had taught her a degree or two of flexibility.


    She wasn''t wholly happy that Tulla was going to Londis, nor that the girl, as previously stated, had acted on a matter of state without informing her beforehand. But, these were all things that Dianna was discovering weren''t terribly helpful in regard to her dreams.


    So, she bit down on her initial desire to tell the girl she wasn''t yet ready for the world. Stifled her building apprehension that her daughter would be heading into what was, for all practical purposes, a dangerous city belonging to a foreign and likely hostile country. And, she even did her best to encourage the girl, just as her husband had softly suggested.


    These things did not come naturally to Dianna. She was possessive, violent, and intelligent but in a way that often saw her view other opinions as lesser than her own and typically thought that she herself knew best in any given situation. Likewise, her avaricious streak was quite thoroughly ingrained to the point she fully intended to take this continent, regardless if it was helpful or otherwise.


    Simply put, Dianna didn''t like the idea that someone else would be out there to oppose her budding authority¡­ And if that meant she''d have to finish the legion''s job for them and bring their remnants into the fold as well, then that''s exactly what she''d do.


    However, the truth was that she''d been having¡ªfeelings¡­ And earnestly, she wasn''t quite certain what to make of them. Oh, she was well aware of what the sensation of inadequacy felt like, having genuinely experienced it throughout the many stages of her life. Yet, where before she''d usually gotten snarly, lashing out, storming off or otherwise refusing to confront her own shortcomings, now Dianna had an alternate opinion of it all.


    Something in the way Arthur had hammered away at her own self-pity had stuck an all-to-real nerve in Dianna''s psyche. One that hadn''t at all liked the way her mate had perceived her.


    Had detested it even, sneered at its existence and felt vitriolically disgusted with the way she''d been acting. It wasn''t until later, when she''d approached her mate and they''d¡ªspoken at length that Dianna had gotten her second heaping of tough love¡­


    It had been needed. She was self-aware enough to understand it. Which, was why she''d gone back for seconds, if only so she could manage a deeper grasp on the core issues that had been weighing her down.


    As it happened, her husband could be as brutal as he was affectionate. Yet, for all that had been said, she''d known it had all arrived from a place of love and her own desire to better understand herself besides.


    This was her compromise.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    While she wanted Tulla to keep working as she had, for her to finish her training and become the talented warrior that Dianna had been slowly carving and polishing for years¡­ There were, nevertheless, certain¡ªmmhm¡­ realities that she''d needed to accept.


    Her daughter didn''t need further training with a spear¡­ In fact, simply based on how powerful the girl was in her own right these days, all those countless hours that had spilled into years in which Dianna had trained the girl felt almost superfluous¡­


    She obviously knew that wasn''t the case, as learning to fight brought with it the tactics, reflexes and understanding of how others might try to kill you that weren''t at all easy to replicate through mere soul cards. Yet, even Dianna had to admit that, absent her own deck and placed into the body of her older self but a mere year ago, her daughter would have gotten the better of her ten times out of ten, as she currently was¡­


    Skill, experience and natural talent could only get one so far. After all, there was a reason why the greatest masters of the spear or bow weren''t considered gods¡­ At a certain point, raw power always trumped nuance and expertise. And while the latter could be seen as aspects of oneself to set a person above their peers, they would not let you punch above your weight class outside the realm of acceptable expectation.


    The thing was, Dianna, had already come to terms with the notion that she might not have very much more to actually teach her daughter¡­ at least, not in the same manner as she''d been working towards beforehand¡­


    Tulla was going up. And doing so far faster than she could really parse¡­ She was ecstatic, of course! Y-yet, at the same time, she could admit to a degree or two of disappointment¡­ After all, what was the point of drilling the girl with spears in hand while she could unleash mass pandemonium and destruction at such distances that the victims might never even see the one that had done them in?


    To force her to stand at the parade and work with a¡ªwell, such a comparatively worthless tool in the girl''s personal was, sadly, unfair to her. And though Dianna would miss that time spent together, she supposed this was simply an aspect of motherhood she''d need to get used to.


    For now, it was only Tulla who would be carving out her own life for herself, forever more doing things as she desired to do them while following whatever path she might choose¡­ However, one day, she''d be at this crossroads all over again¡­ Watching however many more children she might have all¡ªone by one, turn their backs on the sheltering wing of their mother to forge an existence of their own¡­


    "You¡ªokay?" Her daughter asked, the girl''s words shocking Dianna from her brief fit of introspection, only to realize she was still holding Tulla by the shoulders¡­


    "I am, my dear¡­ Just a little sad you''re growing up so fast¡­ And happy, of course¡­"


    For her part, the girl blushed furiously, chin dipping with embarrassment¡­ A moment later, she all but Tackled her mother, pressing in against her as they held one another for a long span. Dianna took in a deep breath of her head before smiling contentedly.


    When the settlements self-titled Queen decided she was finished dealing with the day, she left. Departing her tent to the salutes of the outside guards. There truly hadn''t been much to work through once the majority of meetings had been concluded¡­ No, as it happened, half the hours of her day seemed to revolve around nothing more than the aforementioned gatherings from which she less dispenced her desires and more attempted to corral all the various problems and associated needs with those that had become her responsibility.


    A new shipment of settlers was due to arrive within the next few days. Thankfully, no more Lizalti were among their number, but it meant they''d need to begin indoctrinating them into their bizarre new lives.


    Wil Tulla heading to Londis, Dianna didn''t have to work out a plan of her own to figure out what was going on within the city, but her daughter''s involvement brought with it a whole slew of its own issues to consider.


    The beavers, as her husband called them, had petitioned for easier access to the portal archway that Arthur had built, their representatives claiming that their work was stimulated as the creatures systematically reduced a visible portion of the forest into little more than stumps.


    Dianna never thought that wood would be such a commodity actually worth anything, but she supposed that was because she''d been looking at it from the eyes of someone used to her husband''s magical shenanigans¡­ Obviously, timber was a valuable resource, but this wasn''t the first time that she''d found her silent contemplations skewed by the man''s tom foolery¡­


    Likewise, the fay woman, Marhella, had been advocating furiously to be granted access to her husband once she''d pierced together that all the strange happenings in the settlement had a lone source¡­


    That one was an individual for which Dianna held no shortage of suspicion¡­ And while she hadn''t yet outright decided she needed to do something about the eccentric woman, she very much held her doubts about the alchemist''s motives.


    The only thing actually keeping her from acting on her gut feeling was that the woman had been freed from potential thralldom. Thus, Dianna simply couldn''t reason out who would bother going through such an elaborate plan to infiltrate their settlement because¡ªhonestly, they were still tiny!


    Perhaps one of the merchants they dealt with had hired the woman to go undercover and figure out how they were able to purchase so many slaves from Kaitrice, but¡­ that was most likely just her suspicious nature taking it all on a wild and convoluted journey¡­


    In all likelihood, the woman was probably just a little cracked in the head and simply didn''t know how to interpret boundaries¡­


    Dianna sighed as she lazily leapt into the air and caught the wind on her wings. The appendages unfurled while she still rose with the power of her leap before they started carrying her back home.


    She''d meant to go see Tavir before the end of the day, but her sister had mentioned she''d like to spend some time with the man before she departed again¡­


    Oddly enough, while Bianca''s disappearance had seemed to age the girl''s father, it had the seemingly opposite effect on Cassandra¡­


    Life was funny like that¡­


    Not half a year prior, and Dianna would have assumed it was she who might find her way back to the Labyrinth, possibly moving to the city itself, possibly not¡­ All the while, Cassandra, being Tavir''s wife, would have been the one sharing governorship with the man as their weary settlement slogged along at a miserable pace¡­


    Instead, it was Dianna who found herself in charge of their budding town while her sister spent the majority of her days down below¡­ Each of them replaced where that old mental image of themselves would be in her mind''s eye, only appearing as they now did for vastly different reasons than she could have ever imagined.


    Either way, it wasn''t like missing their evening meeting with one another would be somehow devastating to their efforts. If anything, it sometimes felt as though life was moving too slowly for all they were trying to push the metaphorical cart up the mountainside.


    And, she oftentimes found herself wondering if they were all just playing at this whole thing they were trying build or if they were actually making any meaningful progress at it¡­


    Dianna wasn''t sure why she suddenly found such musings, among others of a similar sort, suddenly plaguing her thoughts as they were, yet the damned things were stubborn as they were plentiful¡­ And despite how hard she often tried to dislodge them, the damnable things always seemed to come crawling right back¡­


    Leeches slowly slid across her consciousness in an everpresent attempt to gorge their fill upon her time¡­


    Thankfully for her mental weariness, the sight of her home as she closed the distance immediately began stripping away the layers of stress.


    Their domicile had gone through a number of changes as of late. Transforming from the somewhat ominous square box that it had been, all white tiles and chilling atmosphere, and now looked, interestingly enough, even more intimidating¡­


    It was a result born of a labour of love! That affection arrived by way of both herself and her daughter, who had badgered Arthur over what they perceived as inadequate defences for a home wherein her husband usually haunted.


    Given the surprise she''d encountered in learning that they had a nigh omnipresent and genie-like being that stood as the true secret behind her mate''s apparent limitless capacity for work. It was no real shock for anyone involved when Dianna had admitted servants probably weren''t necessary¡­


    The creature''s robots saw to every want and whim they could muster, and the house itself, alive as it was, could manifest its personality wherever it desired and in as many places as it wanted, all at the same time.


    Thus, the massive wing designed to house the help had been a largely pointless endeavour.


    Instead, their home now much more resembled a fortress¡­


    It was a tall and intimidating thing¡­ Replete with high walls and dreadful towers that loomed over the landscape, a shadow ready to reach out and pluck one from their beds¡­


    When Dianna had suggested that they make the damned thing daunting for any to behold, what she hadn''t expected was how¡ªenthusiastic Arthur had been about it all¡­


    Though, while Tulla and herself had meant for him to reform the structure to ensure his safety given his stoic pigheadedness regarding his soul, neither of them had anticipated the man''s apparent love of what he called gothic architecture¡­


    Admittedly, while it was all very dreadful and spooky¡­ Dianna simply hadn''t yet understood where exactly her husband had gotten so much enjoyment out of making a castle that was, for all intents and purposes, as archaic as one could get¡­ At least within the realm of what she knew the man to be capable of.


    Oh, none should be fooled by the purposefully misleading facade as it very much was a, as her daughter liked to put it, technological wonderland; however, the deceit was simply one more facet of it all that Arthur evidently found utterly hilarious¡­


    Though Dianna couldn''t always commiserate with her husband''s sometimes bizarre sense of humour, she did still find it pleasing that the man still found so much joy in the world despite being piled by a veritable mountain of work¡­


    If anything, it was sort of cute¡­ Her mate''s strange fixation with all these subtle and, as it had been explained, entirely contextual nudges towards things that only he and, to a lesser extent, their daughter could understand was simply amusing to her.


    That Arthur should spend so much time in adding all that extra work to any given project just so the man could get a silent chuckle out of some inside joke that only he himself was privy to, genuinely did endeer him to her. His weirdness, after all, was something she''d grown quite fond of¡­


    All the same, when she flew over the ominous wall, its swivelling and automated turrets tracking her for the briefest of moments before they registered who she was, Dianna found herself smiling with soft anticipation and a growing sense of adoration in her heart as she heard a rather familiar voice cackling with maddened delight¡­


    "I am the lord of thunder and lightning! Bow yee mortal scum! Grovel on your knees and beg my forbearance at my feet!"


    The¡ªaccent, along, of course, with the electrified and somewhat golden glowing figure that levitated part way off the ground, immediately caught Dianna''s attention as she dropped in behind the man. Oddly enough, she did not manage to alert her husband as he seemed to carry right along, unaware or otherwise unwilling to acknowledge her presence.


    "That''s right!" Arthur hissed, tone taking on a condescending sneer of haughty disgust, "Bow, bow ye little shits! And bring me sacrifices! A young woman from each family will do!"


    Dianna''s eyebrow raised at her mate''s little¡ªwhatever it was¡­ her eyes tracking a myriad of tiny and holographic people, each of which was the size of her finger, as they ran about a small village with frantic fear, scrambling to do the bidding of a comparative titan that hovered in the sky¡­


    The fact that Arthur was clad in a pristine white toga, sporting a, for whatever reason, large and curly beard, while his wrists and ankles were adorned by thick gold bands, was intriguing to her.


    Idly, Dianna began to slowly discern what was going on, finding the theatre of it rather pleasant as the tiny people at her husband''s feet played out their roles in a rather accurate fashion in regards to how she herself assumed people might react to a god suddenly appearing in their midst.


    As it happened, she even found herself biting at her lower lip, eyes narrowing with a growing interest while watching her man lord about whilst abusing his godly prerogative¡­


    She wasn''t sure what exactly he''d done to himself, but Dianna was rather intrigued by the changes¡­


    He''d, evidently, oiled himself up for this perceived roll¡­ removed all his hair save that of his bore until his curiously muscled and heavily toned body shone with bronzed perfection¡­ Biceps and forearms bulging with strength, the sheer authority that he was projecting, even while clearly playing out a small game, certainly hitting many rather favourable buttons that Dianna found pleasing to behold.


    She knew Arthur was putting on an act¡­ that much was clear¡­ And yet, he''d never been averse to doing as such in the past, especially during some of their¡ªmore intimate moments together.


    This was a whole new and entirely pleasing light in which she was seeing the man. And watching as he bullied and slaughtered the innocent holograms of the small villagers for displeasing him was¡ªfilling her chest with a curious flutter¡­


    All in all, the entire ensemble that went along with the play was actually doing it for her¡­ Something about the way he was being so ruthless and cruel, even playing out the role of it as he was, certainly stood as an approachable change of pace¡­


    Still, as Arthur cackled and Dianna stood, watching him like a lioness might a lone gazel at the river, Benny appeared at her side, the creature offering her a deep bow at the waist.


    "Sir," He began, turning to his master a moment later as Arthur suddenly stiffened, jolting as though shocked from a trance as he half turned to spy the butler and his wife¡­ "You requested to be informed when my lady''s arrival was imminent?"


    Arthur''s expression moved through a genuine series of emotions. Starting with confusion, shifting quite quickly to shock, flowing a moment later into apprehension before landing right on top of embarrassment¡­


    His cheeks flushed rather adorably, a hand rising to his mouth so he might cough into it as his gaze shifted between an entirely amused Benny and then to his wife, who was still watching him with a kind of feral intensity¡­


    "Ugh¡­ you ugh¡­ w-well, weren''t you going to alert me¡ªbefore she actually got here?"


    "I was, sir! However, Lady Tulla requested a rush project wh, ich I believed to be of significant importance. Thus, I admit I might have been distracted and too slow to fulfill your request in a timely manner."


    Arthur''s eye twitched at the man who was stoically avoiding any form of projected amusement, even though Dianna knew full well that the genie creature was taking great delight in its master''s embarrassment.


    Though it did not often partake in such things with any true or concerning regularity, it did seem to usually find little ways to make mistakes when the resulting fallout would be observed by either Dianna or Tulla herself.


    Again, the Queen had a fair degree of confidence as to why such a thing would happen, and, truth be told, she was, again, fairly sure who the mastermind behind it all actually was.


    In this case, Dianna found she rather appreciated the strange entities'' antics which were, as she saw them, intended for her enjoyment.


    "Hmm¡­ I think I rather like you wearing this look¡­" She eventually offered, her voice low and hungry while she ate up her lover''s rather appreciable costume¡­ and his chiselled body¡­ "Did you use a card to make yourself look like that?" She continued, stepping into Arthur''s personal space and running one of her long fingers along the worked lines of his rippling back¡­ "I know you''ve started to put on more muscle as of late, but this¡­"


    ¡°Ah¡­ well, you see¡­¡± Arthur began, his whole body shivering with the passage of her delicate touch, "I um¡­ well, I think I found a solution to the baby problem!"


    "Oh?" Dianna cooed, her expression now sultry as she continued to languidly wander around her mate, drinking in the rather masculine and fetching shape and contour of his flesh¡­ "And, I would assume this¡ªform has something to do with it?"


    "Well, the beard''s sort of fake¡­ but the rest was ugh¡­ ahem¡­ maybe a touch permanent?" Arthur admitted the faint and luminant halo of light that surrounded him fading back to normal, as did the electric gleam of his eyes¡­ Even his hair, which had been softly billowing in the wind, seemed to falter and return to normal, dispersing, in a moment, the illusion of what had been. "It''s a work in progress¡­ but," he added excitedly, "I''m sure you''ll be thrilled to know that I finally think I''ve found a workable solution to my issues!"


    "Which exactly would those be, my love? Your physical weakness? Reliance on gadgets to keep yourself alive? Your inability to maintain a proper sleep cycle or our familial concerns?"


    "Hey! You''re the reason for at least¡ªninety percent of those you know!"


    "Darling, I listed five things that stand as issues needing attention. At worst, I''m responsible for eighty percent and no more than that."


    "Oh, I don''t know¡­ maybe I slowballed that number a little¡­" He grinned, taking in a sharp breath through his teeth as Dianna fondled his pectorals¡­ "I''m still not strong, you know, at least by your standards¡­ That said, I am ready to start working on that!"


    "Oh, I can still appreciate the appearance for what it is¡­" She paused a moment, her hungering desire forcibly placed into a temporary box as she regarded her mate with a rekindled flare of consideration. "But, are you not simply going to buy all the cards from Kaitrice?"


    "Well¡­ I kind of was mulling over the idea of, I don''t know, maybe doing it myself?"


    "Truly?" Dianna asked, pulling away and giving her husband a degree more scrutiyny. Even as the man reached up and sheepishly scratched at his hair.


    "Admittedly, I''ve been feeling somewhat burned out¡­" He sighed, gesturing with a hand and waving at the now frozen array of tiny fake people all scattered about their feet. "If you look closely, there''s a kind of¡ªmmmhmm, resemblance to some of our villagers down there¡­"


    "I noticed¡­" Dia remarked smoothly, lazily glancing back at all the Lizalti her husband had been terrorizing and¡ªhonestly, understanding where he was coming from¡­


    "Yeah¡­ I figured this was a better outlet than, you know, doing it in person¡­ Either way, I think I need some time off¡­ And ugh¡­ probably going for the whole two birds, one stone thing would be my best play¡­ You know, head down to the Labyrinth, blow off some steam, get used to my new¡ªwell, me¡­"


    "The changes are permanent?"


    "It''s how I had to work it¡­" Arthur shrugged, not seeming to be that upset about it.


    Though, given that the man had made himself quite pleasing in the eye-candy department, Dianna suspected he already knew she liked what she saw. All the same, his rather abrupt pivot had her more concerned about something else¡­


    "They are leaving by the by. Our daughter gave them an ultimatum."


    "Oh, thank god!"


    "Yes, I suspected you''d react like that¡­"


    "I¡ªhate that I am, but they''re so freaking unlikable! You try and listen, try and help and accommodate their needs and¡ªall I ever freaking got was more complaints! We''re not killing them, are we?" He suddenly asked, worry etched into his face as Dianna clucked her tongue.


    "That is the ultimatum. They are to leave, but if they don''t, they will be reaped."


    Arthur seemed to struggle through the notion of her words for a few moments before he ultimately grunted, throwing up his hands before letting them fall so he could clap them together! "You know what, fuck it. I¡ªdon''t care right now. Mmmmhmm! Then leaving is definitely a better choice than me eventually snapping at one of them and doing something I''d¡ªlikely regret¡­"


    "You can''t please everyone, love," Dianna whispered, pulling her husband in for a comforting hug. "You''re already doing so much for them¡­ more than anyone else would¡­ Simply be happy with all the smiling faces from those who actually appreciate the effort¡­"


    "Who''d of thought ancient civilizations would have freaking trolls¡­"


    "I know that was one of your¡ªwords for things that don''t make sense, but those actually do exist, and they do have a civilization of their own."


    "Really?" Arthur asked, pulling free of her chest to peer upwards with that beautiful spark of curiosity she did so love.


    "Yes, rather agreeable people when you meet them. Horribly violent and effective warriors, hard to kill, harder to best with raw skill given how long-lived they are. But, at the same time, they are not exactly the most prevalent species out there¡­ As with most of the fay, they''re old, not prolific."


    "Trolls are members of the fay?"


    "Yes."


    "Tall, stinking, warted, dislike fire and can regenerate? Usually fairly ugly?"


    "Beauty is a metric that rarely transcended beyond one''s own species, Arthur¡­ But, yes, that''s is a fairly apt description of them. Why were they around on your Earth planet?"


    "Only in stories¡­"


    "Your people seem to have quite a lot of those that get things right, don''t they?"


    "To an extremely distressing and concerning degree." Arthur nodded, pulling in a deep breath of her scent before slipping away entirely. "The more I learn, the more I come to realize that I''m not the first human that''s made it here¡­"


    Her husband was contemplative for several long moments. Simply considering his own words before returning to their conversation, rolling his shoulders as he grinned up at her, seeming to be settling down by the moment.


    Dianna, of course, was hitting him with a rather substantial dosage of her pheromones. And though he''d balked at her doing so, upon a time, he''d since come around about her tendency to help him relax and even appeared to actively support the process along when he was feeling especially on edge¡­


    His shift in demeanour was evident, and soon, all that aggravation he was feeling simply drifted away on the breeze. Leaving in its place a man who now had that familiar gleam in his eye, Arthur''s gaze roving across her body in a way that matched her own desires¡­