Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3)

by M Damon Baker

  “Líann’s excuse that she abdicated because she felt called to serve all of Arrika might fool most, but I know that she did it for you,” Tási commented when we were alone in our chambers and could finally talk freely. “Even so, that took a great deal of courage.”

  “Líann didn’t do it for me; she did it for us,” I corrected Tási’s statement. “Mostly she and I, to be sure, but we’ll all benefit from her sacrifice.”

  Tási nodded slowly in acknowledgement of what I’d said. She had no choice, really—it was the truth, and she recognized it as such.

  “Do you need to go to her?” Tási offered hesitantly. “This is no small thing. I’ll understand if she needs you with her once more.”

  I’d never expected it the first time Tási had conceded a night to Líann. Even though this one was almost more deserved in some ways, the offer Tási made surprised me. As much as I wanted to take Tási up on that offer, the timing for it was just not right. Líann would have definitely called on me to share my darkness with her, and I wasn’t comfortable wielding it that night, on the eve of such important negotiations. No, I needed something very different at the time, but I wasn’t about to let Tási’s offer go so easily either.

  “I do need to spend some time with Líann,” I admitted. “But not right now—this is not the night to bring out my darkness. We have a very important meeting in the morning, and I need you to bring me your calm. Tonight, more than anything else, I need you, Tási.”

  I gazed into Tási’s deep blue eyes the entire time I spoke to her, letting her not only know, but also feel just how intensely I meant every word I’d said. Tási understood with perfect clarity, and I shed my armor and laid down on my stomach so that she could send me the calming waters of her gentle touch.

  Tási’s powers were far weaker than mine, but she’d become the absolute master of them. The second her fingers slid across my skin, I felt the gentle currents of warm water ebbing and flowing through the muscles of my back and shoulders. The soothing nature of Tási’s touch, and the waves of pure calm she was able to send into me along with it, relaxed me like nothing else ever could. My anxiety over the coming negotiations melted away beneath those waves, like tiny sandcastles being swept away by the incoming tide, and I felt myself melting away with them as well into the deep, dark water of peaceful sleep.

  28

  I woke up in the same position I’d fallen asleep, having slept so soundly that I’d never even stirred. It was perhaps the most restful night’s sleep I’d had in many long months, and couldn’t have come at a better time. I certainly needed to be at my best; the fate of seven Realms weighed in the balance that morning.

  Tási was already gone when I woke, but I knew where she’d be waiting for me. My entire Cabinet—including my newly-installed Chief Advisor—were going to enter the negotiations together, and they’d be waiting for me in a room we’d commandeered close to the site of the meeting just for that purpose. So, after getting ready and having a quick breakfast, I left to join them there.

  I arrived ahead of time and was relieved to see that I wasn’t the last. Stel and Venna were still not there, but there was still plenty of time left before we needed to head over to the conference. They joined the rest of us shortly, and we waited together in silence for it to be time to make our entrance. We’d said all we needed to say—everyone knew their roles and the parts they had to play. For most, if everything went well, they would need to do nothing. Broda, as my Ambassador, and I would do most of the talking. Only if things went badly, would anyone else be called upon to speak.

  The envoys were already seated when my counsellors and I filed into the conference room. I’d been expecting to see seven representatives sitting across from us, but one of the chairs sat empty. The two dwarven Ambassadors were present, as was the representative from the lone elven Realm outside my domain, but only two of the expected three human Kingdoms were present. Based on my briefings, I had a good idea which one had decided not to attend.

  When the introductions were made, my suspicions were confirmed. The isolationist Realm of Laska had not bothered to attend. Their culture was barely above basic tribalism, with clans and other loose organizations dominating much of the region’s society. Still, they were ruled by a council of Thanes, the title they bestowed upon their nobles, and I’d hoped that those nobles might have seen reason.

  While the absence of Laska was disappointing, there were six other Realms to deal with, and after Broda spoke our half of the introductions, I proceeded with the demonstration we’d planned.

  “Each of your Realms were presented with a copy of the Imperial Charter,” I began as I rose from my seat. “No one can deny that its terms are just and fair, or that under its umbrella exists the best and only chance for peace for every Realm.”

  “You’ve seen the Army I’ve brought with me, the Army that I will lead against the Dark Lands once all of Arrika has been united. The choice before you is clear: join with us. That’s it—there simply is no other option.”

  “My quest, the quest the Gods themselves have chosen to bless, is for me to unite all of Arrika. There can be no exceptions. I will need all of your strength to challenge the might of the Dark Lands, and I will accept no less. What is left for you to decide is whether we will come together by way of friendship and acceptance, or with rage and fury.”

  As I spoke the last, I extended my arms forward towards the envoys seated across from me. In the palm of my right hand I held a ball of brilliant light, woven from my threads of love and respect, which I drew forth as I spoke the words ‘friendship and acceptance,’ and the rays of its luminous light illuminated the room. In contrast, my left hand held a seething ball of rage that I produced as I spoke my final words, and its roiling mass of pure darkness made good on the implications of my threat. I held the two orbs in my hands for only a moment before letting them dissipate, pulling their threads back inside me. From there, it was Broda’s turn to speak once more.

  “Who will be first to sign?”

  The Realms had plenty of time before the meeting to evaluate the Charter we offered and to verify our claims. The dwarven Realms of Bhamar and Braskan, along with the human Kingdom of Earmont had all come with the express intent of joining, and my display hadn’t been necessary to convince them. The representative from the human Realm of Ryland had been sent with one simple mandate: determine if my claims were true, and if they were, she was to sign on as well. It had taken her no more than a quick evaluation of our God-forged gear to make that determination, and just like that, four Realms had been added to my Empire.

  The elven representative from Sianna was also sent with one particular mandate: secure their border against attacks from Laska. Although the King of Sianna wished to become part of my Empire, their neighbor to the north had made threats against them, should they join me. Threats they couldn’t ignore if they wanted to remain safe from border raids and skirmishes. However, once their other neighbors had all signed on, the Siannans no longer faced any threat but on their border with Laska, and the troops freed up by joining the Empire and gaining our security provided them all the assurances they needed.

  Once the Siannans’ reservations had been addressed, only the Realms of the representative from the island nation of Ansa and the absent Laskans remained outside my jurisdiction.

  “We will not be bullied into joining your Empire,” the Ansan delegate snorted derisively. “The troubles of the mainland do not concern us, and we will not sacrifice our people in your wars.”

  “I would ask you to reconsider your position,” Broda replied calmly to the man’s belligerent comments. “Lest you find the troubles you speak of knocking on your own doorstep.”

  “Neither your army nor your threats worry us,” he dismissed her words. “Our islands have never been conquered. Just like our friends in Laska, we refuse to give in to your blatant attempts to subjugate us.”

  The two traded barbs back and forth for a while until it was obvious th
at the Ansan delegate was there for no purpose other than to cause trouble. Venna stepped in then and thanked the intolerable man for his time, and the meeting was adjourned. A separate session was then held with our new allies, where we welcomed them to the Empire and discussed both their needs and obligations with them.

  All agreed to supply the troops required of them, but none would be able to do so very quickly. Each needed to realign their forces with their new alliances in mind, especially the Siannans with the troublesome Laskans to their north. It was disappointing, but not unexpected. We’d actually discussed this exact scenario, among others, and had already made some of the necessary preparations for it. Even many of our best-case scenarios had anticipated the Laskans’ resistance, with the Ansans’ a close second. With that in mind, we’d already called in a number of favors, and everything we needed to take both Realms was already in motion.

  That was it—in the span of a single morning, far faster than anyone had anticipated, the conference was over. Five of the seven Realms had joined me. Most of them only needed the barest of prodding, if any, to do so. War and strife had ruled over the lands of Arrika for so long that only the most arrogant and foolhardy had refused my invitation once it became apparent that the peace I’d offered them was real.

  But the two Realms left for me to conquer each presented their own particular challenges—the Ansan representative’s boast had not been misplaced. His Realm, much like the halfling Realm on the other side of the continent, had the security of being an island nation, but while Ansa was safe from many of the troubles of the mainland nations, it was not immune to their consequences. The island Kingdom relied on trade for many of its needs and a great deal of its economy. When war or raids disrupted that trade, Ansa was frequently brought to its knees. That’s why, as the first order of business in the War Council we convened after the mornings’ meetings, word was sent out that all trade between Ansa and the Realms of my Empire was to be halted. It would take some time for my Army to reach the straights across from Ansa, and in that time I intended for the rulers of that Realm to begin to feel the consequences of their action.

  Laska, on the other hand, cared nothing for trade—they existed on what their own lands had to offer or went without. No external measures I could apply would have any effect on them. The conquest of Laska would have to be accomplished mile by bloody mile. It was the only strategy we had available, but it favored the Laskans. Heavily.

  The harsh climate of their region gave them a distinct advantage. The Laskans knew this and used that fact to their own benefit. Any force that invaded their lands suffered under their fierce cold and brutal winters far more than the natives did. The Laskans had defeated many such invasions without landing a single blow. They simply retreated before their adversaries, trading their land for time, until winter’s cold struck for them, freezing their invaders stiff and forcing their withdrawal. If the Laskans were feeling particularly generous, they might let their defeated foes slink away with their tail between their legs, but more often than not, the Laskans used the opportunity to strike hard and brutally crush their already beaten enemies. Over the years, those lessons had been learned, and no one had dared invade the Laskans’ territory for generations.

  Yet I was left with no other choice—without a united Arrika, I could not take on the Dark Lands. My mandate was clear: all or nothing. We’d have to take on the Laskans on their own ground and beat them at the game they’d been playing for hundreds of years. My Army had certain advantages over the others that had tried and failed before, most importantly in its sheer numbers, but we had other cards to play in that game as well. I was confident that we’d eventually win that contest, but the price we might have to pay for the privilege could be daunting. But before we could even begin our campaign in the north, Ansa would have to fall to us first.

  We had our strategies set, and all that remained was to begin our march north—first to Ansa, and then onwards after our conquest from there to Laska. The Ansan representative had hurried away as soon as we’d dismissed him, no doubt to relay all he’d seen of our Army to his superiors, but we were in no rush to follow that same day. The vast might of our forces would begin their trek northwards the next morning, giving just that much more time for our most important preparations to arrive before our invasion of the island Realm.

  While my Army prepared to depart with the sunrise, I set off to finish a different task, one that I’d started months before but had yet to complete. It was perhaps the most important bit of unfinished business I had remaining, and as I contemplated its completion, I was filled with both nervousness and anticipation. Those mixed emotions still swirled around inside me in a jumble as I entered Líann’s chambers.

  “I was not told to expect you, Empress,” Thelmé greeted me apologetically. “Shall I fetch a meal for the two of you to share?”

  “Thank you Thelmé, but no,” I replied. “I need to spend some time with Líann before we depart. Just see that we are not disturbed.”

  Thelmé had come to embrace her role as our co-conspirator, and with a simple nod, she communicated her understanding of my request to me before I entered Líann’s private chambers.

  Líann hadn’t been expecting me, so my sudden appearance in her room took her by surprise. Although we’d only just parted a short while ago at the conclusion of the War Council, Líann greeted me with a warm smile as if we hadn’t seen each other in many days.

  “Good afternoon, Empress,” she offered playfully. “To what do I owe the honor of your unexpected visit?”

  “I’m here to finish what we started, Táriel,” I replied to her far more seriously. “If you are up to the challenge.”

  Líann’s sense of mischief vanished with my words as she realized what I was offering her: the final V’Ríel she needed to truly become my Táriel. I’d warned her that this would be her most difficult challenge, the one that would be most foreign to her. Even though Líann’s nature cried out for domination, she needed to struggle and fight against it first. The challenge of submitting without a fight, especially while I filled her with threads of pleasure urging her to action, might very well prove beyond her ability to endure.

  But Líann knew all of this already. Even though I told her she’d have to wait for this moment, I’d tried to prepare her for it as best I could. So, when I told her that it was finally time for us to try, she took on a look of determination, and embraced the challenge.

  “Tell me what you need me to do.”

  Líann’s role was simple, as this V’Ríel was about acceptance more than anything. She had to submit to the gentle threads I would be sending her and allow them to run their course within her without fighting back or responding with her own passions. Inside those threads was a tangle of many other issues, including trust and even self-assurance; an entire web of emotions all revolving around one central theme: giving one’s self over utterly and entirely to another.

  None of these were familiar to Líann—even the dominance she sought was rife with her need to fight against it. Her ability to submit was predicated on the need to know that she’d been defeated first. Líann’s submission had to be earned; it was not something she’d simply give away freely, but that was the challenge she needed to overcome if Líann was ever to become Táriel. She knew that well enough. She only needed to face down her fears and let go of herself long enough to let it actually happen.

  And I wouldn’t cheat or make things easy on her. Líann needed to truly pass this test, and I intended to tempt her as much as possible while she endured my threads. So, after I had her strip down and lay atop her bed for me, I did the same before I sat down beside her.

  “You can look at me, if you want to,” I whispered to her softly. “But you cannot touch me. These threads are for you alone. You must accept them and let me do what I want with you.”

  I had my own brief moment of doubt as I had to stop to compose myself before I began. Líann’s body lay there before me in all its perfection, a
nd part of me wanted nothing more than to take her. Her soft skin and gentle curves beckoned to me as they always did, and I struggled against the deep desires she kindled in me. But with one final deep breath, I set those desires aside, at least for the moment, and focused solely on Líann instead. Which was, after all, my half of this V’Ríel.

  Líann shivered as I lay my hand gently on her chest, and when the first delicate threads of desire began to wind their way through her, I felt Líann’s reflexive barriers instantly respond to them. Her desire to reach out to me, to engage with my passions, to make war with them, fought within her against her competing desire to master this last V’Ríel. I trailed my fingers across her skin, sending the tendrils even deeper inside her as Líann fought with herself, and as her body reacted to the pleasures I sent her, writhing in their subtle ecstasy, I felt the heat of the intense battle being waged inside her.

  I caught a flicker of movement from her hands as Líann started reaching for me, and I thought for a moment that she’d lost her struggle. Determined, she reined herself in, and in that very moment, I felt her begin to absorb the tendrils I sent her for the first time.

  It started as a slow but definite trickle that soon grew into a torrent. In that instant, Líann hadn’t only learned to tolerate this last V’Ríel, she’d also embraced it fully. With her surrender, Líann’s body reacted powerfully as it finally welcomed the strange sensations of this newest emotion. Líann’s slow, almost reluctant movements in response to my threads surged into a desperate release as she accepted everything I was funneling into her with a willing abandon. Then, after a final series of shudders, Líann fell eerily still.

  Initially, I thought she’d just been a bit overwhelmed by the experience, as she had last time. Then I noticed the irises of her eyes were nearly solid black, as her pupils had dilated to fill them almost entirely. At first, I tried to gently wake her from whatever state she’d fallen into, but when I couldn’t rouse her, I panicked. It was as if Líann’s body was there, but Líann herself was absent. An overwhelming sense of fear took hold of me, and I and shook her in my desperation, begging Líann to return to me as I did.