Chimera King Box Set Books 1-3

by Atlas Kane

  Breathing out a cloud of purple smoke, Pablo answered. “It is I, the Pablo you all know and missed so very much.”

  “But how?” Ketzal pleaded, her voice cracking. Tears were already pouring down her face.

  The demon took pity on her, and sobering his victorious mood, explained. “I did die, my body and soul were filled with the corruption that was Abyss. It hurt more than I’d like to discuss. But a member of the council, one that has long been our Cade’s admirer, decided I deserved a promotion instead of being relegated to eternal non-existence. Few beings deserve such punishment after all. So, now I am a guardian to Antinium at large. No longer a helper demon, but more of a keeper of the realm.”

  Pablo’s explanation prompted a dozen more questions, which turned into stunned silence. Then Ketzal did what everyone else was thinking of. She darted forward and plucked the demon down from his perch and hugged him.

  That caused a few laughs.

  It had been a wonderful addition to the day, and Cade felt lighter in his soul knowing the demon hadn’t sacrificed everything to save them. In fact, after having another morning romp with Gemma, he thought it would be nice to have a long chat with Pablo.

  That brought his mind full circle to the demon’s first comment. Interrupting another round of interrogation, Cade barked out, “And what did you mean, Pablo? About ‘one time too many’?”

  Everyone fell silent, and the demon smiled suspiciously.

  Clearing his throat and holding up a hand, he replied with as much condescension as if Cade were a child. “Nature has many means of reproduction, chiefly among them, and shared throughout many worlds, is sex. When two partners of differing genders join tog—”

  “Shut up and spit it out!” Cade growled. “I thought that didn’t happen in Antinium.”

  “As you know, a rift in time and space has done much to change the land. The ether storms have ceased to come and go. Have you noticed? And considering the sheer scarcity of peoples on this lovely world, the gods have deemed it fitting to allow for proper reproduction.”

  Everyone gaped, more than a few embarrassed glances being exchanged.

  Latsi stood up, her face blushing wildly. “Well then how will we know who the father is?”

  The technician stormed off, brushing past two tall and handsome hunters who were eyeing one another suspiciously.

  Another blanket of tense silence fell until Tessra darted forward. “I am with child as well! Dan has been a most attentive lover, giving me his seed several times each day. Come, Dan, let’s celebrate by making love once more!”

  As he’d seen so often before, Dan ducked his head, as if to avoid a shame-shaped projectile. Then he shrugged and followed his enthusiastic lover back toward the Clothier’s Shop.

  Gemma stood, hand over her belly. Tears streaked down her dark skin, and when she looked up, Cade was arrested by her stark beauty. Gone was the playful attitude, the confidence, the hunter’s ego. In its place was fear and pure joy.

  Minda sat down beside her, and the two giggled together. Then they both regarded Cade once more, and he felt the most crushing weight of impending doom and responsibility he’d ever imagined.

  “Don’t worry, love,” Satemi said. “I’ll find an herb to prevent a third child. And I doubt Ketzal can bear your offspring. Demons and humans, ya know?”

  He laughed, soft at first, and then harder, his whole body shaking with it soon after.

  The five of them fell into a close knot, wrapping arms around each others’ shoulders. They moved to return to the privacy of their shelter, a place where such tear-filled celebrations felt more natural.

  Pablo cleared his throat, and they looked back to him once more. Cade apologized. “Sorry, Pablo. We are so happy you’ve returned, but this… we need to talk it over is all.”

  Seemingly unoffended, the demon showed them the glinting whites of his teeth. “Oh, I understand. But I just wanted you to know one more thing before I’m off to see to my many duties. The pollution that plagued Tanrial has been washed away. A deep source of Mana and Mana Shards waits to be dug up and utilized.”

  “That is excellent news!” Satemi said with all the pragmatism of a foreman.

  “A portal has been opened as well. No less than ten brand-new Antinians arrived just this morning. They are confused and in need of guidance. You might want to head over as soon as you are able.”

  With that, the demon burst in a shower of sparks and purple smoke, a great deal more dramatically than he used to. And though everyone was still reeling with the news of nearly half the village becoming pregnant at once, it had become all too apparent that another meeting would be set that afternoon.

  Over half of the villagers had been sent out to greet the newcomers, leaving shortly after noon. Gemma had been given one more shot at Cade’s most earnest attention, and then a meeting had been held. All agreed, the sooner the expedition left, the better.

  The boars were saddled, this time without the heavy burden of armor. Pablo humbled himself long enough to answer a summons before introducing his replacement.

  Noreen, a rather heavy-set demon, was their new helper demon, and all future requests were to be given to her. But Pablo did say that their path would be free of any mega monsters, so traveling quick and light was a safe bet.

  They’d arrived just before nightfall, and helped calm down and encourage the ten terrified newcomers. Having arrived in the middle of a blasted ruins hadn’t done much to make any of them happy about their circumstances. After Cade explained a few things, however, and all were given plenty of food, water, and a bit of wine, they’d begun to relax.

  Afterward, several large tents were set up, a fire pit dug, and roles assigned. Those who chose to come on the expedition had given up several luxuries that Camp Casmeer so readily supplied. But anyone who was resurrected into Cade’s world would be given a better welcome than Vormer had supplied.

  He wasn’t the only one who felt the sacrifice was of little concern.

  Two months later, and they’d dug out the last of the rubble choking off access to a brimming pool of ether. Empty Mana Shards were reloaded with their magical force, and thanks to Pablo and his divine benefactor, a new Town Interface was built for them on the spot.

  Cade selected a few basic buildings, all upgradable, and finalized his decision.

  He ran to the surface once more and stood to witness the rise of New Tanrial.

  A domed structure rose atop the hill where the previous portal had once stood. It wasn’t gold or nearly so brilliant, but its white stone design was a marvel to look upon. It took the place of the more modest Town Hall.

  The Forum, when it was finished appearing from thin air, had a forty-foot vaulted ceiling, and was wide enough abroad to allow three hundred Antinians to enter at once.

  The number seemed too vast to consider, but already, another forty travelers had arrived through the portal, and more were coming each day.

  A long row of small houses were built, a less efficient manner of providing shelter than an apartment complex or Long House, but more private, more sustainable long-term. A new Warehouse was erected as well as several workshops, a smithy, and a massive greenhouse.

  When the last structure had finished assembling, Cade stood and admired it with a crowd of others. Satemi, Gemma, Minda, and Ketzal had come to be with him to witness the rebirth of New Tanrial.

  “It’s beautiful,” Minda said, her eyes flashing bright in the evening sun.

  Cade reached down and ran a hand over her belly. “As are you.”

  Both Gemma and Minda had begun to show, their stomachs tight and round, though they still had long to go until Cade’s world would be split apart in a new way. Clutching her to him, he planted a kiss on the top of Minda’s braids, breathing in her smell.

  Ketzal wrapped her arms around Gemma’s waist and held the tigress. Cade threw her a wink, grateful once more for her help in making sure everyone’s needs were met.

  Satemi rested her el
bow on Cade’s shoulder and planted a kiss on his cheek. “We did good, yeah?”

  “Yeah, I think so. Just need to have a proper party to break in this shiny new city of ours,” he responded, looking to his women now, more gorgeous than any vast cathedral ever would be.

  “Well, this is just fantastic!” a deep voice rumbled from behind them.

  Every Antinian spun on their heels to see the source of such an epic voice.

  “Didn’t mean to startle you,” a man said, a single hand held up before him in a gesture of peace.

  He was huge, fifteen feet tall and glowing from within. His skin shifted between every color Cade could name. No hair grew from his head or face, and when he spoke again, the man’s lips didn’t move.

  “I came only to see what you’ve built. Well done, Antinians.” Focusing on Cade, he continued. “And well done, Caderick Shelby Clarke. I’ve been watching you for some time. You surpassed even my own generous optimism.”

  Stepping forward on numb legs, Cade answered. “Thank you. Do… do you have a name?”

  “Many. Call me Rhaelle if you’d like. I have come to thank you for restoring this world, and to offer you another.”

  Biting his lip, Cade almost felt too scared to ask. But he couldn’t leave a fucking god hanging, so he took a deep breath and asked the only question left to him. “You wanted to offer me another world. What do you mean, Rhaelle?”

  In a voice deeper than the roots of the Borman Mountains, the god replied. “Just that. When you came to this world, I gave you a little bit extra. Just 5 Attribute Points to increase your chance at survival. The world was falling apart, and yet now, less than a year later, you’ve restored it to good order. I am impressed to say the least, especially from an Earthling.”

  “You know about Earth?” Cade asked, unable to help himself.

  Rhaelle chuckled, the air around his body sparking with the sound, though again, the smooth features of his face did not move. “I know them all. And sadly, they’ve forgotten far too many lessons your people have clung on to, and will suffer the consequences. But enough, Cade, will you take my offer?”

  The god held out his hand, and a new portal opened beside him. “You’ve restored peace and balance to Antinium, but beyond this portal lies another world, one fraught with chaos and disorder. You’ll find dangers there, wild monsters, and forces of great evil. If you wish, I will allow you to travel through, bringing anyone you wish along with you, and you’ll be given great power to wield as you see fit. The choice is yours. What do you think, Cade?”

  Cade couldn’t help the laughter that took him. This is fucking absurd! I drag my sorry ass through a thousand dangers and on the first day it all settles down, I’m offered a chance to do it again?

  He turned and looked at the four women standing nearby. Two had bellies filled with his love, and the other two were no less dedicated. They too were laughing, feeling with him both the pull toward adventure and the need for stability and safety.

  Knowing his answer, Cade bowed at the waist before the shimmering god. “Thank you, Rhaelle, but I’m needed here. Thanks to you and yours, we’ve got kids on the way, and there’s plenty of work to be done. Thank you, but my answer is no.”

  Rhaelle closed his hand and the portal collapsed. Then reaching out, the god set down a gleaming black pearl the size of a hen’s egg. “A wise decision, Cade. But, if you ever change your mind, use this to summon the same portal. I thank you once more for all that you’ve done. Good bye.”

  As abruptly as he’d come, the god Rhaelle vanished.

  A ripple of wind tore out and across the grassy field beyond New Tanrial, and Cade watched it dissipate.

  Then, with a grin and more than a few mixed emotions, Cade returned to his girls and walked with them. A very fancy kitchen had been summoned after all, and already, Cade was getting hungry.

  Towers of Acalia: Sneak Peak

  Read on for a Sneak Peak of Towers of Acalia: The Reincarnated Core Volume 1

  Or, skip the line and read now: mybook.to/TowersOfAcalia

  Excerpt from Chapter 2:

  …Pure energy swam through my being.

  Light and heat were my life blood. And the spinning only served to pull in more and more.

  Then an explosion rocked me. The pool within had been filled to overflowing, and now the influx of energy cut off. Whatever transformation I’d undergone was finished.

  My new form was complete.

  A network of channels wove in and out from a dense core of immeasurable potential. Like the countless motes all around, I, too, had been made perfect.

  Hadn’t I?

  Then the spinning faltered, my trajectory rudely disturbed by some selfish will.

  The place that had been set aside for me on this vast plane passed by.

  Onward I sped, seeking someplace new.

  For a moment, I saw the world my mote was set to crash into. A planet spinning in the depths of space. All across its surface, black clouds or mist whirled constantly.

  It looked like a dead or dying world, like a dark planet from some nightmare.

  Then I noticed a patch of green and blue. A portion of this new world was alive and thriving. It was an island in a sea of shadows and shone all the brighter for it.

  I knew its name, though I hadn’t heard it spoken or seen its likeness before.

  Acalia.

  A moment later and my mote sped directly for the center of the green island. And as I approached, I could see it was a real island. An ocean surrounded the single continent, waves lapping at the shores endlessly.

  I dipped down on invisible wings, flying over fields and valleys. Green forest surrounding a gleaming city to the south.

  A vast expanse of wasteland and desert stretched to the east. Grassland, meadows, and countless rivers flooded the center of Acalia, rising up into a tall mountain range in the north.

  Towns and small cities dotted the landscape, all appearing cut straight from a history book of the medieval age.

  More striking, however, were the towers that sprouted up all around, each in its own terrain, each shimmering with raw power.

  Seven towers in all, scattered across the land.

  And then my exploration ceased above the wooden roofs of a town. Then a single house on a long strip of houses. Then a body, a humble form, already growing cold with disuse.

  My mote entered this foreign body, and immediately, ten thousand connections formed. A multitude more followed, each burning as my life force filled this discarded husk.

  Hands and a face, and feet below, toes wiggling.

  I lay in confused but enchanted bliss.

  My being thrummed with energy, warming it completely. The only discomfort I was subjected to was a mild pressure in my center. I ignored it.

  My… eyes blinked up at a ceiling made of old, gray wood. A layer of warmth gripped my body and limbs.

  A rushing wind made a crackling mess of my hearing, but soon a pop resounded. The chaotic white noise cleared up, and my ears began to pick up the gentle sounds of my new environment.

  I searched the ceiling, noting an iron chimney pipe jutting up from below, smoke issuing from a few scattered holes. I found a window, striations of vibrant gold pouring in.

  The sun, I realized. Has the sun always been so damn beautiful?

  I felt my arms and legs, fingers and toes. I had been given a new body, though for the life of me, I couldn’t recall how I’d lost the old one.

  Then in a flash, I remembered the undignified death.

  Annika’s gorgeous face twisted in disgust as she watched me fade away.

  Had she seen my intestines or something worse? Man! That has to be the best way to scare off a girl.

  The sensation of pressure in my abdomen had continued, and now pain replaced it.

  I gripped my stomach and groaned. “Damn! My core is… broken.”

  The words that had come from my mouth surprised me. It wasn’t a guess but long-held knowledge. How I knew
it was called a core didn’t concern me nearly as much as the intense pain slowly flooded my body.

  The strength that had been building in my limbs suddenly fled, and I felt myself slump against the wall.

  I tried to cry out but could barely move.

  Then a voice filled my mind, coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. Hello, Rin. I’m sure you have a great many questions. Don’t worry, I know speaking isn’t possible at the moment.

  I glanced around, searching for any sign as to who exactly was talking to me.

  Please, calm down. I’m not here to hurt you, in fact, I’m not here at all, officially. Not sure if you remember, Rin, but your body was destroyed. Your spirit, however, was not. We do apologize, by the way, for disrupting your rest. We have been seeking the right soul.

  The strange voice echoed inside of me.

  Each word felt so internal and intimate that I didn’t question that some being was contacting me through my thoughts. The only question remaining was who the owner of the voice was.

  Knowing my mouth would refuse my request, I tried to respond mentally. Who are you? I asked at last. And why were you looking for me?

  The voice changed its inflection slightly as it responded. Impressive. Most impressive, Rin. Now, please listen. I don’t have much time. The Towers of Acalia are meant to be challenged, the monsters that spawn there killed for their Spirit and gem hearts. No cultivator has cleared the Seventh Tower in many years, and the Spirit of this land is stagnating. That is why we brought you, Rin. You must gain the strength you need to conquer all seven towers.

  Strength? I managed, my stomach cramping as more of the delicious light bled out from the cracks in my borrowed core. I can’t even sit up. My… core is broken. I can’t stand up let alone climb a tower.

  Precisely, the voice responded. I am prepared to fix your core.

  Even as the spirit spoke calmly into my mind, I felt the breaks in my core advance. My body shook, and I clenched my fists, fighting to remain conscious.

  You can survive this day, but I am required to ask. Would you prefer peaceful oblivion or a second life? Acalia is beautiful but filled with dangers. Your new life may be nothing but struggle. I cannot guarantee you happiness, but you will have a fair opportunity to seek it, like all living beings.