Empire Builder 3: Breed, Populate, Conquer

by Dante King

  PLEASE REQUEST “MAP” FOR A CLOSER VIEW.

  “What is it?” Melody asked.

  “Map,” Ben said, “and make it visible to everyone.”

  He wasn’t sure whether it would actually work, so he was pleased when the tower complied, creating a 3D map of the tower and the surrounding area. The map pulled back, showing the forest and the mountain range, then zoomed out far enough to see the river region. It kept going back and back until his original tower was visible far to the south. Then the map pulled back further, coming to a stop with the known territory, a little patch surrounded by darkness. The area around both towers was surrounded by a deep blue.

  “Stop there,” Ben said.

  “That’s the whole continent,” Graven said, “but you can only see some of it.”

  “I wonder why that is?” Imogen asked. “People have scouted out the northern continent before, right?”

  Ben thought back to the strategy games he liked to play when he was in high school—Age of Empires, Starcraft 2. The way they worked was that you would have to explore the map yourself before you could uncover the territory.

  “The fog of war,” Ben said. “It’s only showing us what we’ve personally explored. We’re going to have to check out the continent ourselves.”

  “And the blue?” Lexi asked.

  “That’s got to be your territory,” Zito said, nodding at Ben. “The parts you’ve secured. See how it’s only a little blue around this tower? That’s because you’ve set up a perimeter. You’ll need to make sure the forest is clear before you can spread the blue around.”

  “And then there’s the river region,” Shrike said, gesturing to the river on the map. “It’s not claimed yet. You’re going to need to speak with the monsterkin there and make them agree to being under your control.”

  “That might be a tough sell,” Melody said. “After all, they’ve only just been freed from the control of The One.”

  “Maybe not,” Ben said. “The Black Army’s still around. There’s a good chance they haven’t gotten the news about what happened.”

  Imogen’s eyes lit up. “Maybe they’ll surrender!”

  “Or,” Graven said, “they’ll go rogue, turn into a leaderless, raiding army, one that decides to burn and pillage whatever towns they want. We ought to send some runners to the towns, spread the word among our people about what happened, let them know we’re going to defend them if need be.” Graven raised his eyebrows. “We are going to defend the river region, aren’t we?”

  “Of course,” Ben said. “Tomorrow morning we’ll see who among the former slaves is ready to fight. From there, we’ll assess our capabilities.”

  He shifted in his seat, giving the matter some thought. He found it a touch ironic that he’d just finished one of the hardest days he’d had since coming to this new world, but his victory had only led to even more difficult challenges down the road.

  But Ben was ready, and he could tell from the looks on the faces of his party that they were ready, too.

  “First we secure the region around the tower,” he said. “Then we reconnect with the river region. From there, we link up with the southern tower.”

  Ben kept his eyes on the map. Amid the darkness were three other spots.

  “Tower,” he said. “Zoom in on all of those locations.” Ben pointed to one and then the other and then the other, indicating what he meant.

  The map moved north, zooming in on the first location. It was a small town—barely that, really.

  “Oh!” Melody said, her eyes lighting up. “That’s the trading post we freed! It must be showing up because it’s still under our control. Well, your control, Ben.”

  “That’s a relief,” Ben said.

  The map pulled back and then moved north-east. Even through the shroud, Ben could see that it was mountainous terrain. The map stopped on another tower, one situated high in the mountains.

  “That’s going to be hard to get to,” Imogen said. “It’s so far north.”

  “But it might not be all that bad,” Zito said.

  He piqued Ben’s curiosity. “What do you mean?”

  “Here’s what I’m thinking, big boss—we’re going to need an army to take over the rest of the continent, right? Well, we’re going to have one with the monsterkin—one to start off with, anyway. But for that, we’re going to need some time. For that tower… it doesn’t matter if we have an army. No way we’d be able to march thousands of troops across the continent and up into the mountains.”

  “So, you’re saying it's impossible to reach?” Graven asked.

  “For an army,” Zito said, “but not for a small group—especially one where someone can fly.”

  “I get it,” Melody said with a nod. “You’re thinking we can infiltrate the tower with a party while we prepare our army and gather our resources.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m thinking,” Zito said with a grin. “Then, once that tower’s secured, we should be ready to begin an actual campaign across the continent.”

  Graven said nothing, his brow knitted in concern. Ben nodded to him to speak.

  “These are big moves,” he said. “Taking one tower, even two, is small-time, but once we start really claiming this continent, we’re going to start attracting attention.”

  “From the Xurian Realm,” Ben finished.

  “Right. They’re not what they once were, but there’s not a chance they’re going to sit back and let some upstart—no offense—calling himself the rebirth of the Forgotten Ruler claim an entire continent. Sooner or later, they’re going to strike. We need to be ready.”

  Ben nodded. “If we have three towers and an army, we’ll stand a chance against whatever they’re going to throw at us. And—”

  A knock sounded at the opened doors leading into the room. Ben and the rest of the group looked up to see Gelus—Ben’s advisor during the arena battles.

  “Ah, sorry to interrupt, your grace—er, whatever it is you want to be called.”

  “Ben is fine for now.”

  Graven smiled slightly, as if Ben’s words had put him at ease.

  “Ben. First of all, congratulations on your victory. I and all the rest of the kin are thrilled at what you managed to pull off.”

  “Happy to do it,” Ben said, “but I get the impression you didn’t come here just to tell me that.”

  “Oh, such an astute ruler,” Gelus said.

  Ben was already getting the impression that Gelus was going to be the obsequious type.

  “Get to it,” Ben said.

  He nodded. “Of course, of course. Well, it’s a bit of a touchy subject. Do you remember the audience in attendance while you were performing at the events?”

  “You mean the ones who were cheering to see me killed in the most gruesome ways possible?” he asked with a slight smile. “Yeah—I remember them.”

  “Well, to be fair, they only wanted gruesomeness in general. It didn’t need to be yours necessarily.” He cleared his throat and went on, “Anyway, many of them were killed in the revolt, some taking arms in the name of The One.”

  “Talk about a dumb move!” Zito said, reaching for another bottle of wine. “Fighting for a guy who’d already been killed!” He brought the bottle to his mouth and drank greedily.

  “Well, hindsight, I suppose,” Gelus said, “but that’s neither here nor there. The majority of The One’s inner circle took shelter in the arena, hiding out until the battle was over. They want to know what you have planned for them.”

  Graven raised an eyebrow. “And you were nice enough to come up here and ask on their behalf?”

  “I suppose they figured a kin would be a better representative of their group—and they’re paying me handsomely for the job. Hey, you can’t blame a kin for trying to position himself in this new order of yours, can you?”

  Ben let out an amused snort. “Why shouldn’t I pitch them all into the dungeon and deal with them when I’m good and ready?”

  “You
could do that,” Gelus said. “But there are many of them—over a hundred. That’s quite a pool of human capital to work with.”

  “All aristocrats,” Graven said. “They’ll cost you more in food than they’ll be worth.”

  “Maybe at first,” Gelus said, “but Ben, you’re putting together an empire! You might not like it, but you’re going to need administrators and accountants and people to manage the affairs that you won’t have time for. The aristocrats might seem useless, but they’re all trained in such finer affairs.”

  Ben gave the matter some thought. He knew Gelus was right—he’d need people to manage things.

  After another few moments, he was ready to give his first order as the official leader of his empire.

  “Alright. If they want to work for me, they’re going to have to prove their loyalty. Tell them that the kin in the tower are exhausted from the battle—I think they need at least a day off, maybe two. So, if they want to earn my trust, the aristocrats can start by getting their hands dirty with a little labor. Put them to work around the tower. Have them clean up the remains of the battle. When they’ve gotten the grounds looking nice, I’ll reconsider how I want them to be used around here further.”

  Gelus said nothing for a moment, and Ben knew he was unsure of how to tell the aristocrats that they were going to be doing that sort of work.

  “They… Well, they’ll be happy to hear you’re not going to feed them to the factory beasts outside. I’ll pass the news along.”

  Ben nodded, and Gelus hurried out of there as if he didn’t want to risk Ben changing his mind.

  When Gelus was gone, the fatigue of the day washed over Ben.

  “Unless there are any other pressing issues,” he said. “I think we all need some rest.” The nods around the table let him know everyone else was on the same page. “Open up the storerooms and let the kin have a proper meal. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my chambers. Dismissed.”

  Chapter 22

  Ten minutes later, Ben was back in The One’s private quarters. The place was a mess from the battle, but the moment he laid eyes on the bed, he realized how little energy he had. All he wanted was a good night’s sleep.

  Still, he couldn’t resist looking around. There were all sorts of weapons and artifacts, likely some of great value or power. Ben moved his eyes from one to the next as he made his way through the room, stepping out onto the balcony and looking down.

  The One was still there, his body covered in a black sheet. From what Ben could tell, The One had landed face-first onto the ground, which likely meant no one would be able to see he bore a striking resemblance to the former ruler of the tower.

  Still, he needed to tell his people soon. The revelation that Ben was only one of many potential Forgotten Rulers was too important to keep from his followers. As he looked out onto the landscape surrounding the tower, he found himself wondering just how many Bens were out there—if that was even what they called themselves.

  “Hey, Ben?”

  A familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Lexi standing at the entrance to his room. Part of him wanted to be alone, but another part was happy to see her—especially since she was still dressed in the short prisoner’s tunic she’d had on when he’d rescued her.

  “What’s up?” he asked. Ben stepped back into the room and looked around, trying to find some way to make her more comfortable. He spotted a small shelf backed with fancy-looking bottles of alcohol. “Something to drink?”

  “God, that’d be great. I feel like I’m dead on my feet.”

  “Let me get it. Have a seat.”

  He stepped over to the shelf and picked up a crystalline bottle of what looked to be brandy. He had no idea if there was such a thing in this world, but a quick smell of the amber liquid revealed it was close enough. He poured two glasses and brought one over to Lexi. She drank half of it in a single gulp, letting out a relaxed sigh as it went down.

  “That was exactly what I needed.”

  “Good. You want something to change into? You’ve, ah, got some orc blood here and there.”

  She glanced down at her tunic, letting out a scoff. Ben couldn’t help taking another look at her nearly bare thighs.

  Lexi smiled, shaking her head. “Sorry. Here I am, barging into the private quarters of the most powerful man on the continent, and I look like I’ve been working in a butchery.”

  “Well, we have, in a manner of speaking.”

  Lexi chuckled as Ben stepped over to one of the many wardrobes against the wall. He opened the nearest and flipped through it, the robes inside all soft to the touch. He took one out, the color brown and gold, and handed it over to Lexi.

  “I like this,” she said. “Nice colors.”

  “There’s a bathroom around the way if you want to ch—”

  She didn’t wait for him to finish. Instead, she turned around on her heels, then pulled the tunic off over her head.

  She wore nothing underneath. Ben’s first instinct was to give her privacy, but judging by the way she’d wasted no time in stripping off her clothes in front of him, and the heated glance she shot over her slender shoulder, Ben knew she wasn’t interested in privacy—she wanted him to look.

  So, he did. Lexi’s legs were long and toned, her hips wider than he’d expected, her waist narrow. Her upper body bowed out into a muscular upside-down triangle. Lexi’s body reminded him of an athlete’s, powerful but still soft and arousing.

  Lexi slipped her arms into the robe and pulled the sash tight around her waist, then turned back toward Ben. The robe plunged down to her belly button, her breasts almost fully on display. Ben did his best to stay leader-like, but with Lexi standing before him, a sexy smile playing on her lips, it was impossible.

  “It’s OK,” she said. “I can manage here.” Her eyes still on Ben, she sipped her drink once more.

  Ben gestured toward the edge of the bed. “What is it you wanted to speak to me about?”

  They sat. Lexi crossed her legs, the robe sliding back to reveal her thigh.

  Lexi pursed her lips, as if she didn’t know quite where to begin. “When you first came into my life, Ben, I was… skeptical about you.”

  He couldn’t help but laugh. “You were more than that—you wanted to kill me, remember?”

  “Well, sure—there was that little issue, but once we’d… moved past that, I wasn’t sure what to think of you. You didn’t kill me when you could’ve. In fact, you offered me more trust than you had any right to. You’ve kept me close, and we’ve fought together enough times that I know what you’re capable of.”

  She rubbed her fingertips together. Ben sensed that whatever she had on her mind, she wasn’t sure how to say it.

  “Then there was what we saw with the monsterkin in the river region. They were slaves, and the sad part is, that was to be expected. Kin are viewed as less than human instead of simply different from them. If one were to ask me what I might think would happen to the kin if some Forgotten Ruler were to return and take it over? I’d say they’d become slaves. That’s what The One had in mind.”

  She turned, her hair hanging down across her face.

  “But you’re different. You fought for the kin, freed them. Now you’re going to give them your protection and make sure no one else can ever put them in chains again. If you win, and I think you will, life for the kin is going to be different—forever.”

  “Just doing what needs to be done.”

  She smiled slightly. “I know you’re the modest type, and I like that about you, but if you won’t brag on your own behalf, then I will. I’m proud to be on your side, Ben. I’m proud to be able to go to the towns by the river tomorrow and tell them that, with a little more work, they’re going to be free. I have no doubt they’ll welcome you with open arms and fight by your side in the battles to come. After all, you’re the one who gave them their freedom.”

  “I hope they do fight by my side,” Ben said, “but I’m not expecting them to
just fight for me—they’re going to fight for themselves.”

  Her smile faded slightly. “You’re right. You may have given them their freedom, but it’s up to them to protect it.” She sat up, shaking her head. “But I didn’t come here to talk your ear off.”

  “Then tell me why you came.”

  Her smile returned. Lexi didn’t just smile—she placed her hand on Ben’s.

  “Because I know what kind of man you are now. You’re brave, kind, just. More than that, you’re the kind of man with whom I want to be with. I want you to make me one of your wives, to give you a child. That is, if you’ll let me.”

  Lexi cast her eyes down, redness forming on her tan cheeks. Ben sensed that, like everything else she’d said, the words didn’t come easily.

  “If you want to say ‘no,’ I won’t be offended. I’m sure you’ve got more than enough wives already, and—”

  He leaned over and shut Lexi up with a kiss. Ben didn’t need to hear another word—and the sight of Lexi in that flitty, open robe had been driving him wild.

  He tasted the lingering flavor of brandy on her lips. It was even more intense on her tongue. She opened her mouth to let him inside, and soon they were kissing with wild abandon. Ben’s heart raced, and he realized as they kissed that the remaining energy from the events of the day were running through him—he was desperate for some kind of release.

  Luckily, he’d found the perfect one.

  They kissed harder, Ben’s cock going stiff in his robes. He slid his hand underneath the opening of Lexis’ top, grabbing her left breast. It was soft and round, a perfect handful, her nipple solid against his touch. As soon as he touched her like that, he wanted more.

  His other hand opened her robe. He pulled the fabric off her shoulders and let the clothes drop down onto the bed. He lifted his lips from hers and took in the sight of her naked upper body. Her breasts were just as sexy as he’d guessed through touch, pert and soft. Her stomach was flat and toned, her shoulders square with just enough muscle to highlight her athletic form.

  “You… you like what you see?” she asked. “I know I’m not as… endowed as some of the other girls, but I’m sure I can make you feel good, if you give me the chance.”