Empire Builder 1: Breed, Populate, Conquer
Page 34
“I trust you to take care of us,” Lulu said, putting a hand on his arm.
Ben looked at her with a smile.
Vinata squared her shoulders and appeared to push down her fears as well. Imogen likewise put on a brave face.
With Ben’s intentions made clear, he escorted the two mages down to the dungeons. One of the dungeons had unlocked as they approached. The tower evidently sensed that Ben now had need of those rooms.
He locked both mages in separate cells and chained their hands and feet. The null locks required keys to open, and those he kept on his person and would do so at all times. Neither wanted to look at the other, and their animosity was unlikely to require much to be rekindled. Keeping them in separate cells would prevent them from killing each other before Ben had his chance to learn from them.
By the time Ben returned to the upper levels, the tower was already in the process of repairing the damage done to the dining hall and replacing the burnt and smashed furniture. The black marks disappeared from the wall, as though an unseen hand was scrubbing them away. The broken furniture pieced together, and that which could not be repaired was simply replaced by an identical object. The corpses of the soldiers, including the mauled remnants that Pearl had feasted upon, were absorbed through the floor; bodies, armor, weapons, and everything else.
Seeing this all take place before his eyes, Ben couldn’t help but wonder if his tower and the dungeons had an identical form of magic. Surely this magic would take a lot of power to function? It was a thought he put aside for the moment. He wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth, not right now. An auto-repair feature was a welcome feature in his tower; he hadn’t been looking forward to cleaning up the junk.
“Well, shall we check on your children?” Melody spoke up, her tail flicking excitedly behind her. She appeared to have recovered sooner from the battle than the others. Magical training obviously helped.
Vinata and Lulu perked up.
“The eggs,” Vinata whispered. “I’d almost forgotten.”
The nymphs glowed with joy at the memory that they were to become mothers.
Ben gave Melody a grateful smile. It was good to have her here to lift the others’ spirits.
They all went to examine the eggs again. The nymphs tried to guess what their children might end up looking like.
Ben stood back, focused more on the mothers than on the potential children inside the eggs. His weariness seemed to evaporate as he admired their firm asses and curved thighs. The women were all bent down over the eggs, as if they were deliberately trying to give him a better view.
Then he saw Lulu turn her head and wink at him. It was definitely deliberate.
“What about making some more children?” Ben proposed.
“You do need to increase the size of your army,” Melody agreed, as if it was the most logical discussion in the world.
“I too want to have a child with you, Ben,” Imogen shyly announced. “Maybe not just yet, but I will be sure to let you know as soon as I am ready.”
Sir Gallant the Elder cleared his throat and shuffled toward the door. When Sir Gallant the Younger didn’t move, his elder companion kicked him toward the doorway as well.
They had no chance to get to work growing Ben’s army, however. A sound like thunder interrupted them.
Ben groaned. What could it be now?
The sound was deafening and only growing louder, going on and on. They raced to the window and looked out. Dark clouds were forming on the horizon, and dark shapes appearing amidst the clouds.
“Let’s get to the rooftop,” Ben said. “We might get a better view from there.”
They all raced for the elevator and rode to the highest level. Ben felt worry in the pit of his stomach. How many dangers did he have to face already as a new emperor? Could he not be given a moment of peace to enjoy his newfound power?
No doubt this was the fastest way to expand his dominion, however. If this was what it took to grow his empire, he wouldn’t rest a moment keeping his new family safe.
They got to the rooftop, which was enclosed in transparent glass, protecting them from the frigid outside atmosphere. The edges of this floor extended into nothingness, providing an unobstructed view all the way to the ground. This was the very pinnacle of the tower’s crown.
They all moved to the south edge of the floor, looking out at the southern forest, stretching into the deserts to the south.
Dark storm clouds gathered on that horizon, almost entirely blocking out the sun. Above the storm clouds, however, four towers emerged.
Four great stone columns emerged from the clouds, rising higher and higher, until they reached the same height as the tower. Like the tower, when they reached their full height, they flashed, filling the sky with brilliance.
When the light faded, the new towers were all made of obsidian, but not black like this tower. One was red, another blue, a third was green, and the final tower was purple.
The towers were spaced far apart. Ben couldn’t be sure, but he suspected that the locations they occupied were positions of importance to the south. His own tower rested on the Northern Quadrant of his dungeons. Perhaps the others rested on parts of the dungeons too?
“What does this mean, Benzhameen?” Imogen asked.
“It means someone else has gained control of my greater relics,” Ben said. “And not just one person, but four other people.”
“What will you do?” Lulu said, a smile creeping across her lips.
“Take back what they have stolen from me," he replied.
“And if they refuse?” Vinata said, her smile now matching Lulu's.
Ben sensed their mirth and shared in it. It seemed that each of the women present in the crown of his tower felt the same thing. They were his wives now, and his ambitions were theirs.
He felt surer than ever that this was truly his home world. He gazed out at the other towers.
“There will be no refusing,” he answered. “No one will refuse the Forgotten Ruler ever again. I’ll see to it personally.”
End of Book 1
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About the Author
Dante King is an author of Men’s Adventure fiction in various flavors. His books involve strong male protagonists who know what they want and do what’s required to get it.
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