Empire Builder 2

by Dante King

  The nymphs cheered as Ben arrived beside them.

  “Was that you as a hawk?” Lulu asked with a smile. “Something about the way it looked made me certain it was you.”

  “It was,” Ben said, nodding. “I’ll tell you all about it soon. Let’s finish this fight.”

  They tore into the guards. Vinata used her magic to pin the guards’ feet with vines that sprouted from the ground. Lulu summoned water out of a pail sitting on the ground nearby, strangling one of the guards.

  Imogen ripped a door from one of the huts and battered the faces of several guards. Sir Gallant the Elder fought with speed and precision, his powerful sword slicing off limbs and carving open bellies, while the younger stood on his shoulder yelling insults. The monster children dashed in and attacked wherever they could find an opening.

  On the other side, Melody cast lightning bolts and zapping guards. Electricity crackled, violent pops and the scent of burning flesh filling the air. A barrage of fireballs, gusts of wind, and deathly shouts battered the soldiers.

  Ben’s own mana dipped perilously low after using Transform and Drain so much. He attacked with his sword wherever he could, but mostly held back, looking for opportunities to jump in and help.

  The fight was nearly theirs, but one particularly tall and muscular guard strode toward Sybil. He was the same man who’d commanded the men to form up—the captain of the guard. His armor dripped with the blood of his men, his chest heaving. With the last of his strength, the captain charged, yelling as he brought his sword back for a big swing. He was aiming directly for Sybil, who was unprotected.

  There was no time for Ben to yell out a warning. The blade was coming directly down at the monsterkin woman’s head.

  Ben channeled all his mana into Drain and leaped forward, getting in range of the captain. He sucked the last of the man’s physical energy out, making him go limp and collapse to the ground.

  The spell had worked. Sybil noticed the fallen man and didn’t waste any time attacking, shoving the end of the short sword she wielded into the captain’s thick neck. Blood poured from the wound,, a puddle of red spreading over the already blood-soaked dirt.

  But the spell had come at a cost. Ben had used the last bit of his mana. Ben fell to a knee as his muscles went weak. His vision blurred.

  Everything started to go black. He stumbled, trying to regain his footing. His sword clattered to the ground. He was about to pass out, but the battle had been won. The last of the guards fell soon after their captain. They’d done it. They’d saved the monsterkin.

  Chapter 11

  Ben stood with the nymphs in front of the remains of the burnt courthouse and the marketplace. His body was still weak, but his mana was finally beginning to recover. He was glad the battle was over – using the last of his magical power had caused him to lose consciousness and pass out for a few minutes. It’d taken a good half-hour of rest before he could even think about getting onto his feet.

  But he was pleased at how his allies had handled the aftermath. Sir Gallant the Elder patrolled Brekmarth with Sir Gallant the Younger, assessing the requirements for repairs and fortifications. Melody and Lexi helped the monsterkin bring out the wounded and organize the survivors.

  “You won a great victory here today,” Vinata said, placing her hand on Ben’s shoulder.

  “We won a great victory,” Ben said, smiling proudly at the three monsterkin women. “With your help we were able to prevent any guards or slavers from getting away.”

  “Any?” Lulu repeated, a smile on her face.

  “That’s right,” Ben said. “I didn’t think we’d be able to manage that, but now we can be sure no word of this will get to the slavers.”

  Lulu grinned slyly. “So we might be able to trap more of them?”

  Ben was pleased that she was on his wavelength. With the outpost secured it was now the perfect trap. Any slavers nearby would simply march into the place, certain that all was normal. But once the doors were shut, they’d learn the truth—and Ben’s blade would be their teacher. They would be given the choice of surrender, or death.

  “Exactly what I was thinking,” Ben agreed. “I’m hoping we can trap a great deal more. It’s time to start rooting this filthy trade out of the north.”

  “Look,” Imogen said, pointing to the square. “The children are evolving.”

  They all turned to look at the marketplace, where Pearl, Nipper, Sap, Lily, and Mander were foraging amongst the ruins of the stalls and the corpses of slavers and guards. Pearl and Nipper were ravenously devouring corpses, visibly growing stronger as they ate, though not much larger as they’d already grown quite a bit since the end of the battle.

  Sap, the little walking tree, glided through the wreckage of stalls on her roots, which acted as a network of limbs. She was fussily searching through smashed crates of goods, finding herbs and other plant-based products and bringing them to her wide mouth with her twig like fingers.

  “My little Sap is a good vegetarian already,” Vinata said, beaming with pride.

  Before long, Sap’s face was covered in the powder of spices, much like a child’s face might get covered in chocolate. She munched on some husks, stooping to pick up fragments when they fell out of her fiercely chomping jaws.

  As she stuffed a handful of leaves into her mouth and chewed them up, her body began to creak and groan. She bent forward, her leafy hair waving. The bark around her waist burst open, and green splinters shot out, intertwining and growing. Liquid sap congealed in the latticework of her rapidly expanding wood.

  The creaking grew louder The other monster children paused and looked up at her. Sap looked down at her growing body curiously, and her mouth opened in a surprised O-shape.

  Her trunk shot up underneath her. She flapped her arms and giggled as her torso grew to almost six feet in height. Her body also widened, and her face and hair grew in proportion, though they retained her somewhat childlike features. She was now the size of a small tree.

  But that wasn’t all. Long, sharp thorns shot up along the underside of her arms. They were curled backward, forming graceful hooks. Ben didn’t want to imagine the kind of damage they could do if they were raked across an enemy’s flesh.

  “She’s beautiful,” Vinata whispered.

  “Yes, she is,” Lulu agreed, surprising Ben.

  All three women stared at the elegant tree in wonder. Sap gazed back at them and waved, the leaves on her hands fluttering. Her craggy but babyish face lit up in a warm smile. Vinata waved back.

  “Look.” Imogen pointed to the left of the marketplace. “Mander is changing too!”

  “Oh, so he is.” Lulu jumped up and down excitedly, making her enormous breasts bounce distractingly. Ben pulled his eyes off them and back to his child.

  The small blue lizard stopped tearing strips off the ogre carcass he had been eating and stood up on his hind legs. He gave a thin, high-pitched roar, then arched his back. His scales lifted like the flaps of a plane’s wing. They sparkled in the sun, turning a much more vibrant blue and growing.

  Mander’s body creaked,the sound like something rubbing against leather. He grew taller and wider until his body was almost the height of a man. Then his scales all folded back down over his flesh, forming a brilliant blue hide.

  His front arms were short, giving him the appearance of a T-Rex. Long talons extended in place of fingers on the ends of his arms. They were viciously pointed, and reminded Ben of the gloves worn by Freddy Krueger. The ends had such sharpness that they glistened in the fading light of day.

  With a roar, this time much louder, Mander bent back down over his meal and tore at the carcass, devouring large chunks.

  “Very handsome,” Vinata said, glancing at Lulu.

  “He gets his looks from me,” Lulu asserted, with no hint of embarrassment. “Now it should be Lily’s turn.”

  They turned to look at Lily, the hybrid child of Lulu and Vinata, who was foraging indiscriminately through the stalls and among the
corpses on the ground.

  Vinata gasped in horror. “She’s eating meat!”

  Lulu laughed maniacally. “Good little undine.”

  “Hey,” Vinata turned on her. “She’s a dryad too.”

  Ben chuckled. “I saw her eating some herbs before. Looks like she takes after her father and eats both.”

  “I’ll teach her to eat her vegetables,” Vinata grumbled.

  Lily stopped daintily putting morsels into her mouth and stood up. Her eyes crossed and a curious expression took hold on her face. A big bulge appeared on the top of her head. She made a faint squeaking noise.

  The bulge grew bigger, and finally burst. Vinata and Lulu both gasped.

  But the little water lily was unhurt. A wide yellow flower with broad petals had opened on the top of her head. It waved gently as she moved her head.

  “Well, that’s something you don’t see every day,” Ben said.

  “Lily,” Vinata called out, kneeling and beckoning to the child. “Come here.” Lulu knelt down beside her as well.

  Lily saw her two mothers, and her cheeks lit up with a smile. She waddled over on stumpy legs. The yellow flower on her head bobbed up and down, scattering a golden powder around her.

  “What does that powder do?” Imogen asked.

  “I was just wondering that myself,” Ben added.

  Lily stopped in front of Vinata and Lulu.

  Lulu reached out a hand and pinched Lily’s cheeks. “Aren’t you a pretty little girl?”

  Lily smiled shyly, clasping her hands in front of her. She shook her head from side to side, scattering the golden powder all around her.

  Ben took in a sharp breath as the powder touched him. He felt a strong sensation in his gut.

  “I think it’s… replenishing my mana,” he said. Strength flooded back into him, and there was no doubt that his mana level increased.

  He knelt down to face Lily too. “Can you do that again?”

  She gazed at him with big eyes, confused.

  Ben shook his head, showing her what he’d meant. Lily smiled, understanding. Then she shook her head in response, dispersing more of the powder.

  Lulu clapped. “Good girl! I can feel my mana level rising again too.”

  “It’s a bit like pollen,” Ben said. “The way it comes out when she shakes it.”

  “That’s true,” Vinata said. “Just like a flower. You’re a little flower girl.”

  “I should take care of the monsterkin,” Ben said. “Bring Lily along. She can replenish my mana while I use Healing Touch.”

  Ben stepped out into the crowded marketplace, where wounded and sick monsterkin were being laid out in rows. He almost felt like a prophet or healer as he saw the feeble creatures reaching out, desperate for his healing ability. The sight made him keenly aware of his power, giving him another reminder to never abuse it or take it for granted.

  Gradually, he used his mana to cast Healing Touch, with Lily replenishing it. More and more of the monsterkin returned to full health. Using Healing Touch was becoming instinctive to him now, so he was able to do it almost without thinking, talking and organizing while he worked.

  Melody approached Ben after helping carry in some more of the frail monsterkin. “We found half a dozen null locks in the ruins of the courthouse. I’ve entrusted them to Sir Gallant.”

  “Excellent,” Ben replied, as he administered Healing Touch to a crippled old man. The cripple got to his feet and thanked Ben profusely before running off to help the others.

  “We also discovered a portal stone,” Melody said.

  “A what?” Ben thought he could guess what the name meant, but he hadn’t expected that such a thing would exist in this world.

  “It’s a large pillar, in a chamber underneath the courthouse,” Melody explained. “And it comes with a smaller stone. If we take the smaller stone with us, we’ll be able to quickly travel back to this town.”

  “I didn’t know that kind of thing existed,” Ben said. “So I could instantly get back to Brekmarth from my tower?”

  “That’s right. It’s very quick, but you can only do it once a day.”

  “And how many people can make the journey?” Ben asked.

  “As many as are touching you,” Melody said.

  “That could be very useful,” Ben said. His thoughts of using Brekmarth as an outpost of his empire were becoming more realistic. Being able to quickly return and defend Brekmarth would be invaluable. And as he gained more followers, he could deploy them there to keep an eye on things.

  “Lexi has been a great help,” Melody commented, glancing over to where the hawkwoman was assisting beastkin out of some of the most dilapidated huts.

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Ben said.

  Melody gave Ben a sideways look. “And? Do you think you’ll give her powers back to her?”

  “You’ve been her advocate from the beginning,” Ben remarked. “I don’t know—being able to fly was a pretty amazing experience.”

  “I’m sure we can find another way for you to acquire that spell.” Melody crossed her arms, which only made her generous bosom even more prominent. The way she looked when she was angry was very distracting.

  “I’ll talk to the others when we get back to the tower,” Ben promised. “I like Lexi. I hope we can trust her. But we still have to be careful.”

  Melody’s tail twitched, but she relented. “I hope we can too.”

  “And what did you think of Sybil?” Ben asked, as he saw the curvy monsterkin woman bringing more of Brekmarth’s frailer inhabitants to the marketplace.

  “She fights well,” Melody said. “She is brave and a strong leader.”

  “That’s what I thought too,” Ben said. “I was thinking of showing her my tower once we finish up here.”

  Melody glanced at Ben, and her lips curled slyly. “Just your tower?”

  Ben laughed. “Maybe a few other things too. Do you think it’s a good idea?”

  “Do you need my permission?” Melody asked.

  “You’re my first wife,” Ben said. “Your opinion is important to me, especially since I still have so much to learn about this world.”

  Melody smiled. “I’m honored.” She paused and glanced over at Sybil. “I can see no reason to distrust her. We saved her people.”

  “That’s true,” Ben said. “I can’t see a reason not to either, but then again you usually don’t see it coming when someone is plotting against you. We have to be careful to avoid that kind of risk.”

  “If anything does go wrong, we are still more powerful than the monsterkin,” Melody said. “We can simply kill them.”

  Ben liked the fact that Melody was so pragmatic, though occasionally she could be so ruthless, it even disturbed him.

  “Well, if you think it’s safe, I will invite her to join us. We could benefit a lot from an alliance with monsterkin here in the north.”

  “I think it’s an important step to build your empire,” Melody said.

  “That settles it then,” Ben said. He called out. “Sybil, could you come here please?”

  The buxom aurochwoman sidled over with a smile on her face. “I can’t tell you enough how grateful we are for your help, Benzhameen. How can I serve you?”

  “The habit of serving doesn’t leave your people easily, does it?” Ben remarked. “I don’t need service from you, but I would happily discuss how our people could work together.”

  Sybil frowned. “You don’t want us to become your servants? You’re not going to send us to the slave markets, are you?”

  Ben spread his arms in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. “Your people are free to go. You aren’t slaves anymore.”

  “I don’t understand,” Sybil said. Tears welled in her large, round eyes. “Are you making fun of us? I thought you would take us to your tower as your slaves. Are we not worthy?”

  Melody stepped forward and put a hand on the aurochwoman’s shoulder. “Of course you are worthy. Ben just doesn’t want you
to work for him against your will.”

  Sybil looked up at Ben, quickly trying to regain her composure. “But you would still allow us to work for you?”

  Ben nodded. “If that’s what you want. You will have my protection, regardless.”

  Sybil wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m not normally like this, it’s just… you are being so kind, I don’t know what to say.”

  “Don’t be sorry,” Ben said. “Your people must have suffered a lot.”

  “We have,” Sybil said, looking at the sick and wounded around her. She gestured at the monsterkin lying nearby with her hoof. “This is all that is left of our people.”

  “What happened to you?” Melody asked.

  Sybil stood up straight and took a deep breath. “The ogres came to our homes several moons ago. They torched our villages, burned and slaughtered our people, and enslaved the few they left alive.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Ben said, anger bubbling inside of him at her words.

  “They herded us to this town here, planning on selling us to the slavers in the south,” Sybil said.

  “And you were not able to defend yourselves?” Melody asked.

  “The tribe of the aurochkin has always been peaceful,” Sybil explained. “We live on the plains to the west, and have never had to fight for our survival. I suppose we grew weak.”

  Ben looked at the healthy aurochkin who were up on their feet again. “Your people certainly don’t look weak. They look very strong, even if they are not warlike.”

  “You are kind to say so, Benzhameen,” Sybil said. “Our strength did not help us though.”

  “Why do you think you were attacked now?” Melody asked.

  “I can’t be certain,” Sybil said. “The slavers have never ventured so far west before. But I have heard rumors that they are hunting for slaves in greater numbers than they ever have.”

  Ben wondered what could be generating that increased demand. With a pang in his stomach, he remembered the nymphs. Could the tribes of his wives have been taken captive as well? He would have to increase the strength of his spells and his army so they could rescue their tribes.