by Marcus Sloss
The other ladies who had not gotten kisses quickly rotated in front of me to get a kiss each.
“Now the white mages. Victoria is a widow of former King Narus. He ruled not too far from Livina. She was married young and since becoming a widow has focused on mastering her magic. She comes from a dynasty of northern kings herself that died out during the great war. Tammy also asked to add her to our family before she passed. Now she will be. Her students are Trish and Lucy. This will elevate Trish from concubine to Duchess.”
Victoria was young, I was surprised if she was even twenty. I bet she was married off when she started her moon flow. I would need to set some age laws on Vin. I measured Victoria aura and it was impressive. Lucy nearly as powerful and Trish, while weaker was not too far behind. This was good news. They all got a sweet kiss. I was about to make them all kneel when two portals appeared within moments of each other.
Yvette stepped onto the balcony first in her own set of black armor. It hugged the elvath figure and revealed all her curves while protecting her. Her face mask was off with her helmet under her arm. She gave a slight wave and motioned for me to continue. Then Addilyn and Roz entered the balcony from the other portal. I stuck a finger to my lips to ensure the stayed quiet.
“Kneel,” I ordered the three ladies to get down on one knee each. “Arise, Duchess Victoria of Fernlan. Arise, Duchess Lucy of Fernlan. Arise Duchess Trish of Fernlan. Wahoo!!! I remember all the names and I am thoroughly impressed Amber, you did a fantastic job. Do I need to sign anything?”
“No my lord, I am the supreme paper signer on Vin. Your task is complete. Listen up ladies that portal is still open for a reason. One of you from each team step through now…” Amber said and waited. Five of the students left. “And then there was ten. You... shaman on the bench. Your name and then into the portal you go. Get the location for Castle Riza from Virtue then tell him to come back here. Then get an armor set with the other five. When all six of you… Yes, including you, are in armor you will go to Castle Riza.”
“Tronsiliqua, mistress. I will obey as you command.”
“Hold up shaman. Pick Tro, Siliq, or Qua. We are giving you a Vin name. And from this day forward you will be assigned as the personal portal servant of my harem guard. That name sure does stick. No offense. Duchesses guard doesn’t roll off the same.” I said to the assembled ladies.
“Siliq master. That works. I will go get my black armor now. I would prefer to not have to cover my face?”
“Yea, Virtue, Roz, and Urshoe do not have to hide who they are. You will meet the others soon enough. We have Horde on our team and they serve well. As long as we work together expect rewards. Oh, Roz… get her a harem. Add it to the list.” I said and paused. Confusion was etched on Siliq’s face. “Roz has been fantastic to me. I rewarded her with fourteen… now thirteen males.”
Roz nodded at this. Siliq entered the portal and Addilyn raised her hand.
“My emperor here is your bag, shield, and new crossbows. Sorry it took so long. Glad we got here before you left.” Addilyn said as she waved at her new sister wives. “And the family grew. Bella must be ecstatic.”
“Exactly what I said. Hey Roz, from this day forward you answer to Amber. I will send another portal shaman here to assign to Earl Conway if I find a spare. See that it is done please.” I said and Roz nodded. Virtue stepped through his portal. “Perfect Virtue. Take us to Castle Riza. On top of the wall please.”
The shaman produced a two person wide portal and I almost stepped through first. That spunky Ruby knocked me off course before I could enter.
“Gryff, you are my husband now, so that Emperor and Lord shit is out the window. Sucker.” Ruby said defiantly. Amber gasped and Yvette covered her mouth in shock. I let her finish for now. “What? Look, you do not go first anymore. You enter in the middle. The air mage in the front with an earth mage. That is to stop incoming damage. Then a fire mage to suppress any potential threats. Then you go through. You are followed by water who can freeze anyone if we are overrun and then green to heal you.”
“You are in front of the family and friends so I will reduce your punishment,” I said and she went to say something. I poured aura into my body and in a blink had my knee in front of her. I folded her over it. It was so quick her eyes showed all their whites as her hair fought to catch up to her head. I wound up and gave her a resounding ass smack that split the air. Before her ass cheek stopped reverberating I returned her to standing. It was done in a few seconds and she screamed out in pain while rubbing her ass. Priscilla healed her quickly and she quieted. “In private setting Gryff is fine. In an open setting even with friends, it is Emperor. I consider Roz a friend. Keep the attitude and moxie. I love it, and it suits you. You will get my title right or seven hells you will feel my wrath.”
Yvette went over to her and told her of our fight. This got the point across as she nodded in understanding that she got it easy.
“Okay even with me giving Ruby’s ass a smack… She was absolutely right. Amber did a great job picking her our. Tell Pipi, Velia, and our little ones I love them. Earth and air go.” I said as they entered the portal. “Fire and I will be right behind those cute butts.”
True to my word I entered right behind them.
CHAPTER 8
I was not on a castle wall when I left the blackness of portal travel. Seven hells. Or in this case six. Six gods dressed in white lounged in large comfy chairs that rested on a cloud. The backdrop all around us was the infinite black. Well, this was a second and just as unexpected as the first time.
I bet Ruby was screaming mad that I had vanished. I walked over to the seated gods and placed my ass in an empty plump chair. There was no doubting I was here for a reason. I figured until I learned how to leave these situations, or avoid them, it was best to hear them out. We were all wearing the white so that was a plus.
“Thank you for making a deal with Raxrune. We got our next ten million years of elvath filled without having to pilfer from Glowvia’s stock.” Warg said. He sat up and tried to pat Glovia’s hand who dodged his attempt. “This, of course, would have raised some red flags with our parents. We had been telling them the elvath were on a carefully managed breeding routine. Instead, we are giving them only a few for now and they were overjoyed to hear that we found a tiny pocket of them eeking out a living. The reality is they bought that story. We are here for two reasons. Let me give introductions though.”
I watched as Warg rose from his chair and shifted to twenty feet tall. “You have to meet Rina. Don’t pout at me teasing you, Rina… that look is not suiting... Cheer up! This is Bucie the reactions god, pretty right. This is Glowvia the god of gravity. This is Marku, the god of time. This is Torn, the god of weather. Then there is me who you met. That leaves who missing.”
“Maurta who is probably tinkering with the universal portal. I could close it for him with a single look. Your magic is so basic to me. Ask Rina. She learned the hard way I can master the skills that make you mighty to the Horde.” I said and Rina’s face grew red with anger.
“Not mighty to us though. Raxrune said we should fear you and yours. I love that boy. He is wise, gifted, and a true warrior like his father. He killed his weaker twin in combat merely to please me. From that day forward I swore to never replace him. Nor will I. So we are missing Maurta. And you are correct. He is stuck on that damn portal. Maurta loves his daughter as much as I love Raxrune. That is part one. We will trade for her life. Maurta said he knew she was not dead. He could feel her link was strong and whole.” Warg said while taking his seat again.
“Aroxa is indeed healed and well. And the second request?” I said.
“I want to exchange more males,” Glowvia said. I was surprised at this open request and then thought about it. She was playing the hand dealt to her. “I can trade other species as slaves including your humans. Or supplies. We have tens of millions of planets at our disposal. Increasing our breeding stock for our parents' wishes would change so mu
ch for this universe. We may even stop expanding. Those elvath are cherished by the upper gods. If they don’t know we have the new influx of breeding males we can restore the elvath across many empty worlds and rebuild the population we reduced so thoroughly. I do not even need to convince my fellow gods of this proposal.”
“Indeed she does not,” Tron said. “I only set the weather. My god powers are weak in combat. When you realize how many worlds we are the masters of you begin to understand I am very powerful. Do you know what even I get offered nonstop? I can gift you boosts or even the illusive add on skill for a few more elvath. It is like a drug to them up there. The arena and planetary battles are all they live for besides procuration and power gains.”
I absorbed this and realized something. “None of you like your parents… Even Maurta.” I blurted out. I was hoping to use that later. Oh well.
There was only silence. “I can close the portal and we can live in peace. It would get boring… Who is to say boring is bad though?”
Again only silence. At least they were listening.
“For now we will deal with these two issues. Can you work with us?” Glowvia pleaded.
I needed to tread carefully here. “Aroxa is safe and alive. Even being treated well. I am not her slave owner. She challenged me and I summoned someone infinitely more powerful. Aroxa was toyed with and defeated soundly. Last I saw she was facing a corner in time out. My ally would be willing to trade her if the offer and conditions are right. What are they?” I said addressing the first request.
Rina had enough. “You petulant child, do you… I am calm… I am calm… Maurta is known as the god of portals and electrical thievery. We six know him as the god who we owe favors to. He grants favors while being solely focused on that universal portal. We all owe him more than any of us would like to acknowledge. Over the billions of years, he has never asked anything in return besides to be left alone… Surprise, we have to ask for favors to avoid his request. So his daughter. Mind you, his only daughter ever raced to your… Vin is it?” Rina asked Warg who nodded. “She raced to Vin. She never leaves a well controlled world or fights to the death like Raxrune. That girl is spoiled. She merely thought she could please her grandparents and secure some elvath. Are you getting the picture?”
I nodded and shrugged. Not my problem as others tended to say. “And the offer?”
“What is it you desire? We know from Raxrune you have somehow acquired dvaren. Do you want to dvaren? Do you need food? Do you need weapons? I hope you are getting why I want to rip your head off and shit down your expose throat you little maggot… I am calm… I am calm…”
“A hundred billion soul stones,” I said flatly.
Rina erupted out of her chair and was dragged back to it. Marku stared at me like we were playing poker. He watched me and I felt my inner thirst for blood cause the liquid in my veins to boil. If we weren’t in the white I knew I could defeat him. I sensed the power of Warg and felt it might be too much. Not for King Aves though. I could defeat these other gods.
I began to laugh. Then slapped my hand to my thigh so hard it shook the very foundation of whatever plane we were on. I stood on my one good leg and snapped my finger instantly healing my leg. I was very powerful here.
“Three seconds, agree or all deals are off the table… One… Two…”
“Done assuming we can gather souls and the slaveholder is willing to release her. Seven days. One hundred billion souls for Aroxa,” Bucie spoke for the first time. “I will not lie… I do not lie… I fear you. If Raxrune fears you, and you give Wargnextravexor fright then I outright fear you. Your power is beyond what a mere demigod should possess. Do you not sense it?”
Marku stepped forward from his chair. “I do not consider you an enemy young demigod. Many of us here do not wish to finally reap what we have sown. Death and discord were our mandates, not our desires. Help save the elvath race. Ten million years is a long time to stall before the next quota comes due. Time is awkward between our two planes. That is the easiest way for me to say it. Luckily for us, there are many universes connecting to the warring universe. That helps keep the demand from our corner somewhat manageable. I want to hear that you are willing to deal with Glowvia, she is a loving soul who cherishes her elvath. Visit Entria… It is her pet project and see for yourself where you would be sending male elvath to. It’s worth the visit and I wish I could see it more often. Warg, I will send half the stones myself and consider my debts to Maurta paid in full. I find wealth only brings more reasons for others to extort you. It was nice meeting you Gryff, good luck in calming this universe. It has seen enough bloodshed.” Marku said and then snapped his fingers.
Rina stood and snapped. Then Buicie and Torn. That left the three of us. I sent a silence contract out. The kind Gravin had taught me to make.
“This is interesting. Why send this to me?” Warg asked and Glowvia told him to accept. When he did I spoke.
“You toiled too much here. You poked the natural order too hard. You took gods that lived here and mutilated one and then left the rest to plan. The creator, if I were to guess, blessed them for your insolence. Just a guess though.”
“Listen Gryff… Demigod of Lily. I hate this fucking universe… So very much. I like Raxrune, battling the dvaren was a lot of fun. Fighting the elvath was not as much fun. You, humans, were an outright bore. I want to go home to where time slows and events matter. We are not at that point yet.”
As we talked I watched Glowvia patiently listen.
“I would run Warg. Not from me. I could probably fight you to a standstill on a plane like this. You would win on a planet. You would lose on both to King Aves. Your fellow gods no longer want the endless war. You can see the fear on their faces. They are not mighty warriors like you. I am starting to rationalize you seven… well, six were sent here for your lackluster skills. That you, Warg, were the warrior sent to ensure their success. If I had to reason, your warring alliance found out there were gods in this verse already and then added you to the mix.
“I will start to dismantle your empire with little resistance. The fact is you gods are bound by the white and your champions are ineffective… You cannot stop it unless you drag armies of gods from the warring universe. Your demigods are reduced and you cannot openly fight me. Do you understand what I am saying?” I asked Warg.
“You want me to retreat or to call reinforcements. Do you worst for now. I see why Rina gets so impatient with you. Maybe you beat me…” Warg paced in agitation. It looked like he was forming some sort of plan while he muttered and shuffled. “When the time comes I may even help you get to our universal portal and have you close it when I am making a report up top. Actually, I will probably do that. I would need to get about a billion things in order first, which will take time. You give me a lot to reflect on. I will maybe deliver your one billion stones in sacks in seven days. Seven hells that is going to piss Raxrune off at the amount of work I will have to task him with. Goodbye for now.”
Warg stood and snapped his fingers. And then it was just Glowvia and me.
“How many?” I asked.
“First, I doubt they will give you that much power in stones. As for elvath, I have thirty million on Entria, I even crammed some into an underground set of dwellings. I only have fifty thousand males. You do the math. My genetic pool is already crossbreeding regardless of how careful I am. I would love any and all.” Glowvia pleaded.
“I know where to find you. I will be in touch.” I stepped up and snapped my fingers.
“Gryff think of where you were supposed to go and then snap your fingers.”
I thought of Castle Riza and snapped…
∞∞∞
I landed on top of a crowd of people. The good thing was they softened my short fall. The bad was they were not expecting me to drop a few feet above their heads… so I fell like a rock to the top of the wall. There was a lot of commotion and I dusted myself off as everyone tried to talk to me at once. This including griffins
from everywhere exploding questions directly into my head. I went crazy angry when they pestered me this way.
“Enough!” This got the incessant noise to abate. “I will explain soon enough.”
“King Aves or Lord Nova where can I be briefed by everyone?”
Lord Nova was hovering not far and touched down a few dozen feet away. A new elvath rested on his back. “I am Hai, voice of Lord Nova. He wants to tell you to have your routine loaded up. We built a platform in the middle of the remaining enemy here. It is shielded but they do not attack. Order your troops to get in the saddle.”
I turned to see my harem routine, General Halsad, Virtue, and even Nate waiting for orders. A dozen griffins landed on the wall and I told them to mount up. When I scurried up Nova’s back, both Yvette and Ruby followed me. The moment we were situated we launched off the wall.
I surveyed the battlefield from last night. Directly in front of the castle was where our lines were ambushed by the ogres. There were birds feasting on the gore left over. The bodies were all moved to somewhere. Besides the disheveled dirt and red stained ground, it was hard to see there was a battle here. It was as if the entire time I was gone there had been a cleanup effort. All those ogre hearts were somewhere. As were the bodies. No way did they get burned to ash. It was something to ask about later. We turned right and soared to the west.
We flew over camps of orcs milling about fires. There were no battle formations. I looked to see all of the Horde doing the same thing. Patiently waiting. Goblins were running water to the large clusters of Horde. The only enemy I saw on alert were those watching over the wagons with prisoners in the distance. A few wagons had been pulled out of the caravan and rested under a watchtower platform right in the middle of the enemy.
As we went to land on the platform I got to see a few male elvaths of Vin for the first time. They looked exactly like the one I had won on Kikra. The main difference was they were thinner and less toned for war. King Aves was here with Barice on his back and he was resting in a nest asleep. The thud of Lord Nova touching down shook the platform enough to cause him to raise a large eye our way.