Dungeon Master 7

by Eric Vall

  The Qianlong slid away from me and slithered towards the group of women as Carmedy showed off her engagement ring. All of my women oohed and awed over the band as they examined it in the light. Rana joined in with them, but her voice was quieter than the others, and I could hear the disappointment that dripped from every word.

  There was nothing I could do about it now as I stepped forward and looked out over all of my women and made sure that they had all of their belongings with them. Once I made sure that all of them were ready, I turned towards the petite alchemist.

  “Come, my bride, let’s take the next step closer to the rest of our lives together.”

  Chapter Three

  Ezra headed our group as he led us down toward the dock. My women walked all around me, and when I glanced over my shoulder, Heijing strode alongside with Morrigan. The two stoic women were exact opposites of each other in appearance, but their personalities were similar. It didn’t take me long to realize that the two women were communicating without words. Fea and Macha bobbed on the elf’s shoulders as their beady black eyes moved over the Qianlong’s face. The two ravens seemed just as intrigued by the creature just as their master was.

  Heijing’s bright blue hair reflected off Morrigan’s and painted the elven woman’s face in a subtle cerulean glow. Their eyes stayed on each other as they walked, but their mouths didn’t move as they communicated through their minds. I could hear the raven’s words distinctly as they chimed in a few times, and I wondered if this was the first time I’d ever heard their true voices.

  Heijing, alert and sharp, turned her head and stared at me for a moment, then she blinked, and the icy blue of her eyes softened on my face. I could already tell that the Qianlong enjoyed our company, and she’d found something inside of the elven woman akin to herself. Both the Qianlong and the elf were powerful beings, and in the future, they’d learn much from each other.

  I swung my head back forward toward the path, and the rest of my women loosely strolling around me. Carmedy and Annalise walked shoulder to shoulder behind the tall back of Ezra and Rana moped behind them. The redhead slumped her shoulders and swung her arms slowly by her side as she whispered softly to herself. I didn’t listen in but instead called out to her through the power I’d taken from Nergal.

  “Rana.” My voice boomed in her head, and the fox bolted upright, then hastily glanced over her shoulder at me.

  My eyes bore into hers, and she attempted to look away, but I held her there for a moment. The redhead was upset, I already knew that and would rectify it later, but there was no reason for her to be acting this way.

  “Come here,” I commanded through my mind speak, and reluctantly, she slowed her walk and came to stand beside me.

  “What?” the fox-girl hissed back, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

  I laid a firm hand down on her shoulder and gave it a warning squeeze. I rarely had to reprimand my women, but the way that Rana was acting was unacceptable. I hadn’t chosen Carmedy to hurt the redhead. I chose the feline for reasons that none of them knew. I didn’t do it to spite her or to get a rise out of her, and this attitude towards her sister was not something I was going to let go.

  “Do not take that tone with me,” I stated in a firm voice as I tightened my grip on her shoulder and the fox tensed under my hand.

  “Y-yes, Master,” Rana muttered as she lowered her eyes and bowed her head to me.

  “Once we reach Mauntenraion, you and I will have a talk, privately,” I told her in a softer voice, and the fox relaxed a bit as I let my hand drop from her shoulder. “Until then, be kind to your sisters, especially Carmedy. This is a joyous time…for all of us.”

  “But--” Rana started defiantly, but I lifted a hand into the air for silence, and the redhead went quiet.

  “Go on,” I commanded as I placed my hand into the middle of her back and pushed Rana forward towards her sisters.

  The redhead glanced back at me, and I saw the hurt in her baby-blue eyes, but I chose to ignore it for now. I didn’t have to explain myself to them but I would when we arrived on the smallest island. I knew how desperately Rana wanted to marry me, but there was one obstacle in my way that stopped me from taking the fox as my wife.

  Rana plastered on a grin and separated the high queen and the feline as she placed her arms around both of them. Both of them smiled at the fox and laughed off the interruption as they included the redhead in their conversation. I was glad to see that Rana was making an effort after I’d scolded her, and I hoped she would keep this attitude for the rest of the trip to the smallest island.

  Ezra led us to a small dock and the single boat tied off there. There weren’t many people bustling around the dock, and we climbed down the path toward it. The rowboat was big enough to fit all of us in it comfortably with a few remaining seats. I stood on the dock and helped my women down into it as Ezra steadied the side of the boat.

  I held out my hand to each of them, and they found their place along the wooden benches and then settled in for the journey. Heijing was the last, and she stood on the planks of the dock for a moment as her icy blue eyes stared down at the teetering rowboat.

  “Come on, Heijing!” Carmedy cried happily as she sat between Rana and Haruhi.

  “It’s not too scary, here, hold my hand too,” Annalise said as she started to stand, but the Qianlong shook her head and placed her tiny hand in mine.

  I helped her down into the boat, and despite her fears, the dragon moved elegantly into her place beside Morrigan. Fea cawed once loudly, and Macha joined in too as I slid into position in front.

  “Have a safe journey, Master, feel free to reach out to me if you need any help,” Ezra uttered respectfully as he bowed low to me.

  “Of course, thank you for everything you’ve done,” I said as I turned my attention ahead of us and summoned my Shadow Slaves.

  The unearthly creatures crowded in at the sides, not that any of my women noticed them except for Morrigan. The Shadow Slaves took up the oars in their skeletal hands, and the rowboat sped off. We glided over the water quickly, and in the distance, I could make out the shapes of the island through the thick mist that covered the surface of the ocean. The heat out here was worse than on Nekoka, and I wondered if it would be even hotter on Mauntenraion. I glanced over at Carmedy, but the feline was busy fanning herself and panting, so I assumed that the heat out here wasn’t native to her home.

  “Have you ever been to Mauntenraion?” Morrigan asked as she swiveled in her seat to look at Heijing.

  “Yes, but I don’t remember it, I was a hatchling at the time,” Heijing muttered as she shook her head then lifted her eyes toward the quickly approaching island. “Mauntenraion was the nesting ground of my people; only dragons that have reached sexual maturity were allowed to go there.”

  “Then this must be very exciting for you,” Morrigan stated in her usual cold voice as her dark eyes moved over Heijing’s face.

  “In a way, yes, but the island of Mauntenraion is also a painful place for me,” the Qianlong admitted, and we all turned to listen as she went on. “Mauntenraion is the place where my mother was stolen from, where the Akalong’s took her from her true tribe and switched out my father’s egg with hers. I am eager but also very apprehensive.”

  “Was there a specific place for the breeding grounds, or was it just the whole of the island?” Annalise asked as she turned in her seat, rested the heel of her boot against the side of the boat, and leaned an elbow on it.

  “Specific places,” both Carmedy and Heijing answered, and the two women smiled at each other over the rows between them.

  “In the beginning, when the wars weren’t rampant, the whole of the island was used as the breeding ground,” Heijing explained as her icy blue eyes moved over the island in the distance. “Once the Akalong began their constant attacks, the island was split into two divides. The Qianlong’s wanted the upper half of the island, but the Akalong fought them for it. So a ‘truce’ was drawn up, and they
split the island directly down the middle. During the time before my parents, there would’ve been two temples specifically made for each of the tribes.”

  From the way that Heijing spoke, I could tell that she was more sympathetic with the Qianlongs than the Akalongs, which she had every right to be. The red dragons had waged war against the Qianlongs for hundreds of years without stopping then they’d stolen the leader’s child in secret to destroy the Qianlong tribe from the inside out. The dragon loved both of her parents, but the Akalongs had done terrible things over the passage of time, and a lot of them couldn’t be forgiven.

  “Only one of the temples survived the passage of time,” Carmedy whispered, and I watched sadly as Heijing’s face fell.

  Most of the Qianlong’s sanctuary had survived almost as if time had stopped for the upper half of the island, but the dragon looked saddened to know that part of her heritage had crumbled away with time.

  “Which one?” Heijing whispered softly, and Carmedy’s ears twitched as she struggled to hear what the Qianlong said.

  “What?” the feline questioned.

  “Which one survived? The Qianlong temple or the Akalong temple?” Heijing asked as she lifted her head and looked directly into the cat-girl’s eyes.

  “I-I’m not sure; I only know where it is.” Carmedy stuttered, off-put by the blue-haired woman’s intense gaze.

  “Why don’t we look for it?” I inquired as I turned and leveled my gaze at Heijing. “You and I will go and find the last remaining temple there.”

  “Do you mean it?” the Qianlong asked as if she didn’t believe me, and I bowed my head to her.

  “Of course, I do, I promise to take you there,” I assured her, and Carmedy nodded along with my words.

  “And Master never breaks a promise!” the feline cried happily as she leaned forward and wrapped herself around one of my arms.

  Out of the corner of my eye, Rana bristled slightly, and her bushy red rail swished out behind her irritably, but she kept her mouth shut as her eyes met mine. I wanted nothing more than this to end and for the redhead to stop acting like this. Her attitude was cold and forced, and I knew that all of my other women had taken notice of it. This was a time that they should be congratulating Carmedy, not comforting Rana through her temper tantrum. Luckily, we were close to the shore, and my Shadow Slaves pulled us up to the small dock.

  My Shadow Slaves faded from view with their job done, and I climbed out of the rowboat first. I helped each of my women out, but this time, Rana was the last to scramble out. I held onto her hand tightly as I kept my eyes on the backs of my other minion’s. Carmedy headed the group, and she spoke excitedly to the rest of them, then the feline turned back when she noticed the two of us were lagging behind.

  “Master, are you coming?” the alchemist asked, and I waved her on nonchalantly with my free hand.

  “Go on ahead of us. I’ll find you,” I told them vaguely, and the group of women turned back without question.

  I waited until they were gone from sight then turned toward the redhead. I let my hand drop from hers, and I stared down at her as I set my jaw. Rana was silent as the grave but her baby-blue eyes burned into mine angrily. Tears watered in the corners of her eyes, and it showed how upset the fox really was underneath her hardened exterior. Rana rarely let things get to her, but this had struck a chord within her and set her emotions ablaze. I hadn’t intended to hurt or scorn her with my choice of my next bride, but apparently, it had.

  “Speak,” I growled, and Rana blinked in surprise at my tone. “If you have something you so desperately want to say then say it.”

  “Why’d you wait until we were alone, huh? Is this something you don’t want the others to hear?” the redhead yelled, and her cheeks bloomed red in anger.

  “This is a matter simply between you and me. None of your sisters need to be involved. What ails you so?” I demanded in my booming voice, and the redhead’s ears lay flat against her head.

  Rana’s cheeks hiccupped with sobs, but she suppressed them as she glared defiantly into my face.

  “Why Carmedy? Why now? Why wasn’t I chosen?” Rana blurted out all the questions at once, and I thought them over one by one.

  “I have multiple answers to all of those questions; would you care to calm yourself down before I tell you?” I stated in an emotionless voice.

  “No! Tell me!” the fox shouted as her paws curled into fists.

  “Answer me this, Rana,” I stated as I took a step towards her. “What type of people mainly take up these islands?”

  “C-cat-people…” Rana answered nervously, and I nodded emphatically.

  “Do you understand now?” I questioned in a softer voice as I came even closer and reached out my hands to her. “Do you see what I’ve done?”

  “Yes, Master…” the redhead whispered with embarrassment.

  “Carmedy is from these islands, like Tamarisch and Machstein, I cannot be the ruler of Canarta unless I’m married on its soil,” I reiterated, and Rana lowered her head even more. “It would be disrespectful to the people of Canarta to take a wife that is not from the islands.”

  “I-I understand now, Master, I’m really sorry,” Rana whispered and finally, tears slipped down her round cheeks.

  I reached out for her and wrapped an arm around her thin waist. I pulled the redhead to me and hooked my free hand under her chin and lifted her face to mine. I stared down into the depths of her baby-blue eyes as they glittered and shone with tears.

  “It’s more than that, Rana,” I murmured as I tucked a stray curl behind her ear and examined her face stained with tears. “I can’t marry you, at least not right now.”

  “W-what?” Rana asked in disbelief as she pushed me away, but I held onto her tightly and commanded her to stop in her mind.

  The redhead went limp as I held her, and I brought her in close to whisper in her ear.

  “A long time ago, you once told me that your mother is very proper and that’s why she disapproves of you stealing,” I murmured into her ear, and Rana’s brows furrowed.

  “And?” the redhead snarked as she looked at me, confused.

  “It would be inappropriate of me to marry her daughter without properly asking her permission first, correct?” I asked, and Rana pressed her lips into a firm line to stop herself from smiling. “That is why I can’t marry you yet. I have to get your mother and your family’s blessing first.”

  “Ugh,” Rana groaned. “Now I feel so dumb. I should have known those two reasons were why you wanted to marry Carmedy before me.”

  “Yes, I love you, Rana, and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or harm you,” I stated as I pulled her to my chest and wrapped my arms fully around her. “I require no one’s permission to do anything I wish, but propriety is a concept I value quite highly.”

  “I love you, Master, more than anything.” The redhead whispered into my ear, then when she pulled away, she wiped away her tears and smiled up at me. “I would do anything you wanted, anything you asked, and I’ll do it obediently.”

  “I ask nothing more than for you to stay by my side forever.” I gently smiled down at her and Rana smiled even wider.

  “I already plan to do that” the fox giggled, and I shook my head as I let my arms drop from around her.

  I slipped her paw into my hand and turned toward the end of the dock where my other minions went.

  Mauntenraion looked almost exactly like Nekoka, but instead of the signature blue doors, the smallest island had blood-red ones dotting up the side of the mountain. I held tightly onto Rana’s hand as I followed the beat of my other minions’ hearts. They were higher up than most of the houses, and we scurried up the steps together at a quick pace. The redhead didn’t complain like she usually would, and when I glanced back at her, her face was still blushing, and she gave me a sweet smile in return.

  Rana took up the path ahead of us even though she had no idea where she was going. I chuckled softly to myself and followed closely af
ter and guided her the right way towards the other minions.

  I’d been nothing but a god cast from the heavens when they found me but now, I was the conqueror of the earth and soon to be the king of the heavens.

  Everything that the light touched would be mine and under my rule. I would be the single god left standing, and all those who survived would be my slaves. I wanted nothing more than to taste the blood of my enemies and watch the life leave their eyes. My father, my mother, and my bastard of a brother. I wanted to rip their life forces from their bodies one by one; even Eris was an enemy to me. The goddess had helped me, but she had betrayed me in her own way too. I would kill all of them, one by one, and then I would rest.

  My kingdom would span over every continent, and every single living being on the earth would be under my control. There was no stopping me now, I was so close to the end of my journey that I could almost taste it on the tip of my tongue, and it only pushed me harder towards my ultimate goal. I would kill all that stood in my way, rip their souls from their carcasses before moving on. My women would stand by me through everything, and it would only make me a stronger leader.

  I was so close to having everything I wanted and more.

  Chapter Four

  I found my other women quickly by the steady beat of their hearts. I held tightly to Rana’s hand as we stood in front of the low whitewashed house with a red door like all the others. A wooden sign swung from a pole in the front yard with ‘Apothecary’ painted on both sides. I could just make out the silhouettes of my minions inside as I hurried up the cobblestone walkway to the door. I knocked three times with the redhead by my side and waited for those inside to answer.

  Carmedy’s voice squealed excitedly from inside, and when the door opened, the grinning feline came into view. Her hair was pulled back, and she wore a pristine white apron as she ushered both of us in.

  “Master! You’re finally here!” the feline cried happily as she grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.