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Chapter 1

As we journeyed over the deep forest, I tried not to think too much about the strange mountain I had seen the previous day. I had been so sure that it was Half Dome, but it couldn’t be.

Half Dome was a mountain in Yosemite National park, California, and I was very much not in the States anymore. The world I was in now was full of fantasy creatures and magic. I had woken up as a god and been worshipped by my four beautiful priestesses and now a whole army of gnomes and elves.

Since I’d arrived here, I had witnessed fights against giant spiders, led a battle against gargoyles, and made love to the most stunning women in existence over and over again. Most of the time I wasn’t even in a physical body and viewed the world from my followers’ eyes. I had a digital interface I could mentally scroll through, including my God Vision that showed me nearby dangers and animals. On top of this, the interface would often pop up with a new quest for me to complete with the promise of a reward, and I had access to a devotional map that would tell me how many true believers I had on my side.

This couldn’t possibly be Earth.

In this crazy world, I had a whole convent that had been built up from ruins, and the grounds now had a thriving garden that had taken off thanks to the magical powers of my naiad lover. We’d built a food cellar to store our meats, along with four lookout towers complete with gnome-sized catapults to defend our keep.

There was no denying I was living an incredible life here, but it sure as hell couldn’t be an Earth life.

Still… I couldn’t ignore the mountain I had noticed the other day. It looked almost identical to Half Dome, and I had a serious sense of deja vu as I stared at the flat peak.

It must just be a coincidence that there was a landmark that looked eerily similar to one from my old life. I could barely even remember that old world anymore, or much about who I was in it. I knew my name was Jack, and that I’d worked in computers, had some close friends, and gamed more than I probably should have, but everything else from that time seemed unimportant now that I had my godly life.

Then there was the strange newspaper article we’d found that hinted at me being some kind of big shot CEO, but it wasn’t much to go off. The truth was, I had no idea how I ended up in my new world, or what happened to me in my last one when that happened, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Only in this strange, magical new world could I fly along with two of my priestesses while I scanned the area with my God Vision, but I wasn’t wholly convinced about the whole Half Dome mistake just yet. That’s why I had my two winged lovers on their way to scout the mountain area in question, just so I could be certain it wasn’t the same as the one I had seen as a kid.

Watching my two women soar above the world made it even harder to believe this place could be Earth.

Aleia was a strawberry-blonde fairy, with a beautiful, freckled face and lilac wings. She was the physically strongest person I had ever met despite her petite frame, and she was adorable in every way. Aleia sometimes seemed shy, but she was incredibly brave and outrageously good in bed, and recently, she had become pregnant with my child.

I couldn’t wait to meet that little half-fairy, half-god.

That was another serious perk of being a god. My priestesses worshipped me with their bodies as well as their minds, and lately, they’d been begging me to give them more and more of my holy seed.

Celeste was just as beautiful, but very different to the petite fairy. She was a harpy we had rescued from a group of gargoyles, with amber eyes and fiery red hair. Her lean frame flew through the air on scarlet and orange wings, and she was one of the toughest people I had ever met. Celeste was able to transform into a battle bird when she needed to, and she could shoot fire from her talons. She was a serious badass and had grown up training hard to become a warrior of her people, and I was so lucky to have her on the team.

Back at the convent I had Penelope waiting, who was also pregnant with my child. She was a blue-skinned naiad and had been devoted to me from the moment I’d woken up in my new god-like state. She was sweet and caring, and had endless talents with her gardening skills, and her water powers seemed to advance more every day.

Nicola was the only human among my lovers, but she had talents and skills that were definitely too magical to be found back in my old life. She could communicate with animals in a way I had never seen before, and she was also incredible with her weapons. She was still new to combat training, but she was more eager than any of my women to hone her skills, and every weapon she got her hands on seemed to make the deadly woman glow. The golden-skinned brunette was a sassy, straight talking badass, and I hoped she was going to fall pregnant soon, too.

She wasn’t usually the sentimental type, but even Nicola had taken to begging for me to impregnate her.

Together, my lovers had built up our convent with the help of our gnome friends, and we had really begun to make a proper community there. The gnomes who had moved in were both tough and knowledgeable. I had learned a lot about this new world from them, and I was proud to have them as my followers.

Especially after everything we’d been through together lately.

The recent arrival of a storm of Squall Sprites had threatened the land near the convent, and we had to battle it out with the orange beasts to save the nearby town of Evelhelm. We’d been victorious there, thanks to the bravery of my followers and the elven people, and we’d managed to do it with no lost lives and minimal damage.

After that, my follower count had tripled as the residents of Evelhelm left behind their old god Tobias. It had become clear that the god Tobias was not real, or if he was, then he didn’t give a shit about his people. Despite having a whole temple in his honor, he never once came to help the people of Evelhelm, and I had stepped in to save the locals when they needed it most.

But I knew the real fight wasn’t over.

The sprites had announced their devotion to a god named Ethan, and it seemed that their orange storm was still going strong over the distant mountains and beyond. Whether Ethan was a true god like myself, I couldn’t be sure, but I knew my followers had to be prepared for anything now.

Saving the elves had worked out in my favor in this way, because they had insisted on showering the convent with gifts and supplies from the town. They were extremely hard-working people, and they seemed eager to serve a god who took the time to show up for them.

The temple that had once been for Tobias had finally been opened up after decades, and the elves wanted to devote the place to me instead. I had to admit, I felt pretty smug taking a whole temple from another god. Not that I would ever meet Tobias, it didn’t seem that anyone ever would, and I wondered exactly how he had even made a name for himself in the first place. For the short time I had been a god, every moment had been about helping others with my powers.

What was the point of being a god if I didn’t put my skills to good use?

“How can there still be so many sprites?” Aleia asked as the winged women kept low over the trees.

My attention snapped back to the mountains, and the eerie storm that hung over them.

“We slaughtered so many of them,” Celeste said. “But that didn’t even make a dent!”

They stared out at the swirling mass of orange and black clouds, and we could see thousands of little orange bodies zooming around inside. The Squall Sprites had apparently always brought around bad weather, but never like this. They had amassed in the name of the god Ethan and created a deadly storm, and although they were only a couple of feet tall, they were lethal when they were in a big group.

“Fuckers,” I said, but my mind was still on Half Dome.

I studied the flat top of the mountain and wondered what it would even mean if this place did turn out to be California. Did that mean I had traveled in time? That somehow, I had woken up thousands of years in the future, and the world had at some point just become overrun with magic? I mean, the dinosaurs had all been wiped out, so maybe a similar thing had happened to humans. Maybe the world had started again from scratch, and somehow the creatures that evolved this time around were all from fantasy story books.

There was no explanation that didn’t sound insane.

I carefully scanned the nearby area and tried to remember the landmarks that would be close by if I really was in Yosemite. I had been a kid when I visited the place, but I knew that there would be a lake nearby. We’d gone there shortly after touring this area of the park. Maybe Saddlebag Lake? I wasn’t entirely sure if that was the name, but it was something like that, and I could vaguely remember its location. My mind started to ease as I glanced around and could only see trees. I must have just imagined the similarities, it was just--

“Oooh!” Aleia called. “Look at that lake! The water is so blue.”

Ah.

I switched my view to Aleia’s eyes and followed the fairy’s gaze, and there was a body of water right where I remembered. It could still be a coincidence, though, it really didn’t prove anything.

“Let’s go and have a quick splash!” Celeste said. “It’s really warm. Is that okay, Jack?”

“Of course,” I said. “I just wanted to scout the area to make sure I knew where the storm was exactly.”

I didn’t want the women to know the real reason for their scouting mission. They didn’t know about my old life, or the fact I had been so shocked to wake up as a god. I still had no idea how exactly I got into the whole god situation, but I wanted to keep my investigations quiet.

The women swooped down toward the glistening water, and it looked ridiculously blue and still. I was still getting used to the creatures of my new world, and half-expected to see a mermaid sitting on the side combing her hair.

The priestesses touched down in the grass beside the lake and looked out at the stunning scenery. The water was surrounded by tall oak trees, and other kinds of trees I didn’t recognize exactly. They were all huge and with dark green leaves, and they grew densely packed together to conceal whatever animals were lurking deep inside.

“Just a quick dip,” Aleia said as she slid her boots off. “I’ll just wet my feet.”

“Yeah,” Celeste agreed. “We won’t strip down fully right now. As much as Jack would like that.”

“You know I would,” I chuckled. “But you can do that back at the creek so the others don’t miss out. You know I love to watch when you all bathe together.”

“Always, Jack,” Aleia giggled, and she shot a flirty smile toward the sky.

Then the women placed their weapons down at the side of the water. Aleia had brought one of the crossbows, and Celeste had the sword she had bought from Evelhelm recently.

The harpy stepped into the lake, and the water lapped at her ivory calves. She scooped some water up and splashed her face and then smiled up at the sky. I switched my gaze to look through her own eyes, and down in the water, the sprite storm was hidden from view by the trees. It just looked like a peaceful pocket of the woods, and there was some gentle chirping of birds nearby.

“This is gorgeous,” the harpy sighed. “It’s so peaceful.”

“It’s beautiful,” Aleia agreed. “I could stay here all day.”

The fairy fluttered over the lake as I switched back to my God Vision, and I watched her skim her toes along the water as she moved further into the middle. Her freckled face broke out into a huge grin as she kicked water up and cooled herself off.

Then there was a sudden, deep groaning noise, and the two women looked around with wide eyes. I spotted the shadow in the lake before the women did, and I yelled out as soon as I saw it.

“Move!” I shouted. “There’s something in the water!”

Celeste shot up just as the shadow crashed through the surface, but Aleia wasn’t as quick. My phantom heart sank as an enormous, black creature erupted from the depths, and slimy tentacles flung up from the water. I knew exactly what the creature was the second I saw its inky-black eyes.

It was a giant squid.

The beast had eight long arms with suckers along the bottoms, and it caused a miniature tidal wave as it crashed through the surface of the lake. It made a low, deep rumbling noise and spun around with startling speed.

Aleia tried to move out of the way, but a long tentacle grabbed her by the legs before she had time to fly upward, and she cried out as the beast held on tight.

Rage filled my mind as the slimy bastard held onto my pregnant lover, and I knew I had to react in seconds before she was pulled down to the depths.

Celeste soared in a streak of red to grab her sword from the ground, and she didn’t waste a second before flying back over to the kraken.

“Jack!” she yelled. “What do I do?”

“Cut off its tentacle!” I shouted. “The one that’s got Aleia, quickly! Injure it as much as you can so it drops her.”

I felt sick as the fairy screamed and desperately clawed at the fleshy arm holding her captive. The huge squid-like animal writhed around, and the fairy was flung about from side to side.

“Go!” I shouted, and the kraken began to disappear down below the waves.

Celeste dove down with her blade held out and was met with a tentacle flying right at her. The harpy managed to duck, but she was a split second too slow, and the kraken’s limb knocked her sideways.

“Urrrgh!” Celeste roared as the wet flesh connected with her hip, and she only just managed to stay in the air as the tentacle splashed back into the water.

Aleia was being pulled down closer to the surface as the animal retreated, despite her efforts and kicking and clawing at the tentacle.

“Get it!” I yelled. “You can do it, Celeste, just stay focused and cut as much skin as you can.”

The harpy flew back toward Aleia with a fierce glower on her ivory face, and she managed to just dodge out of the way as another tentacle rose from the water. Then Celeste brought her blade up high as she hurtled toward the beast, and she screeched as she brought it down onto the inky-black skin of a long limb.

“Let go of her!” the harpy screamed. “Let go of my sister!”

The sword sliced into the kraken’s tentacle like warm butter, and the creature let out a horrific shriek as blue blood erupted from the wound. Celeste’s weapon kept on shredding through the black flesh as it writhed, and it made a wet, tearing sound as goop spilled out of the kraken. Then the harpy cut downward until her sword was buried halfway through the tentacle, and its grip loosened just enough for Aleia to wiggle free.

The fairy shot higher into the air and gasped as she flew out of reach of the beast, and Celeste brought her sword back up and dodged upward to join Aleia.

The injured tentacle was hanging on by a small stretch of skin, and the kraken roared as it swung the injured limb uselessly.

“Are you okay?” I asked, and Aleia nodded breathlessly.

She tucked her soaked hair behind her ears and wiped slime from her legs.

“I’m not hurt,” the fairy said. “Thank you so much for helping, Jack. Its grip was too tight to wiggle out of. I thought I was going to get pulled down.”

“I would never let that happen,” I said. “Now let’s finish this bastard so he doesn’t surprise anyone else trying to have an innocent swim.”

The kraken was wildly flailing around and trying to reach the women, and its blood had started to stain the lake a darker shade of blue. Its dark eyes darted from side to side and watched as Aleia swooped down to grab her crossbow.

Then the fairy quickly carried her weapon up over the creature’s head and aimed right at its left eye.

Celeste soared around the back of the kraken’s head as it watched Aleia, and the harpy wasted no time in flying right toward the slimy beast.

“Right into the fucker’s brain,” I hissed, and she flew straight up to the back of its huge head.

Celeste stabbed into the kraken’s head right as Aleia fired a bolt into its eye. The inky-skinned bastard screamed and whipped its tentacles around so quickly that the women had to soar upward to avoid getting hit.

I had expected that to be enough to kill it, but the creature kept lashing out toward the priestesses as more and more blood escaped from its wounds.

“This is one stubborn bastard,” I said. “Aleia, go for the other eye so it can’t see. The tentacles won’t be as useful if it’s blind!”

The fairy scrunched up her face with concentration and aimed as carefully as she could as the beast moved back and forth. Its good eye was only just above the water, and the kraken had started to sink as it lost even more blood.

Then Aleia took her shot, and the bolt soared directly into the remaining eyeball with a wet plop. The kraken screeched so loudly that the trees around the lake shook, and it started to make a high-pitched gurgling noise.

“It’s almost dead!” I cheered. “Celeste, give it one more stab right at the top of the head.”

Just as the harpy soared down to finish the fucker, the kraken seemed to get a last surge of energy. Two inky tentacles flew upward, and one of them knocked Celeste right in the chest. She was thrown down toward the water, and Aleia flew down to grab her.

The fairy raced toward her friend, but the Kraken was faster, and it seemed to know exactly where to aim. Aleia was grabbed again by one of the black tentacles, and Celeste crashed into the water.

My phantom heart stopped beating, and I knew I had to do something quickly. My women’s lives depended on it, and I even knew what I needed to do, but I had no idea if it was going to work.

I’d been wondering since my last level up how to use my newest ability so I could assist my followers for fifteen minutes. Usually, my visits were activated by completing a quest, but this new ability was different. It seemed like it was meant to be prompted by me, but so far, I hadn’t found time to work on figuring it out.

Now, I didn’t fucking care about the technicalities. I just needed to save my women.

I focused as hard as I could on my physical body and envisioned touching down onto the grass. I imagined myself diving into the water and saving my lovers, and suddenly, my entire being began to buzz with energy.

Then the grass was under my feet. I was standing at the side of the lake as the kraken thrashed around with Aleia in its grasp.

My newest ability had been activated, which meant I only had fifteen minutes to finish this bastard off.

Celeste was struggling to keep her head above water as the creature’s tentacles tried to grab her, and waves of water kept crashing over the harpy and her wealth of feathers.

I didn’t even have a weapon, but I just did what my instincts told me to. I raced to the edge of the water and dove into the lake.

My arms tore through the choppy waves as I propelled myself forward with all my strength, and I was stunned to find I was way better at swimming in this life than I had been in the last. Not that I was ever worried about drowning before, but even the force of the kraken’s tentacles shoving through the water didn’t seem to slow my pursuit.

I just forced my body to take me straight against the current and to my women, and when I was within reach of the bastard, I lurched forward and caught hold of a thrashing tentacle.

Then I was dragged upward into the air as the kraken tried to shake me loose.

“Jack!” Aleia cried and gaped at me. “Help us!”

“Working on it,” I grunted as I held tightly onto the slimy tentacle, and I was smashed downward against the water. I gritted my teeth and held on even tighter, and I felt a weird sensation all over me as I actually pulled the arm down further into the lake.

The kraken was fucking huge, but somehow I’d managed to tug it enough that it moved.

What the hell?

Did I have some kind of super god strength?

I clung onto the oily skin and gave another pull as I kicked my legs as hard as I could. The kraken made a deep wailing noise as it was dragged forward, and I managed to move it just enough for Celeste to escape its flailing limbs.

A huge grin spread across my face as I saw the harpy soar out of the water in a streak of scarlet feathers, and she flew upward with her sword still clasped in her hand. Then she flipped around, dove down to Aleia, and chopped the tentacle that was gripping her around the waist with a smooth slash.

Blood spurted from the beast as Aleia was thrown into the air, and the kraken shrieked in pain, but the fairy didn’t waste a second. She flew down to me with her hands reaching out, and a look of fierce determination blazed in her green eyes.

“Grab on, Jack!” she yelled, and I clutched her pale hand.

Then Aleia hoisted me out of the water, and I came face to face with the last remaining eye of the kraken as we jetted into the air.

“Drop me on its head!” I yelled.

“Are you sure?” she asked as she flew over the beast’s head.

“Do it!” I yelled.

I landed directly on the fucker’s slimy head with a nasty squelching sound, and I grimaced as cold goop covered my skin. What I was about to do seemed insane, but the super strength that coursed through my body was about to be put to good use. I gripped the kraken’s skin with both hands, and with one sudden movement, I wrenched apart its flesh.

The beast screamed and swung itself around frantically, but it was too late. I continued to rip a hole so big in its head that gross-smelling chunks had started to fall out into the water. It was like its brain was oozing out into the lake in pulpy masses, and the kraken began to rapidly lose its strength.

Aleia raced by and grabbed my hand, and she pulled me back into the air as the kraken made one last moan.

The stench coming from the head wound was unbearable, and I gagged as the fairy took us back to the edge of the lake. Celeste landed beside us at the very same moment, and from here, I got a slightly different view of how fucking gross the wound I had created was.

The skin of the kraken had split open so much that it was peeling down either side of its head. Dark blue blobs fell out from the gaping gash, and the creature was dead before its long tentacles sank slowly into the darkness of the lake.

Small bits of guts floated along the top of the water, and Aleia wrinkled her freckled nose as a bird flew down and ate a piece.

“Oh, Jack!” Aleia whimpered as she flung herself around me. “You’re here! You saved us!”

“That was amazing,” Celeste gasped as she grabbed my arm. “It was disgusting, but amazing!”

“You were both amazing,” I told my women, and the harpy’s cheeks burned as red as her hair at the praise.

“You’re incredible,” she breathed.

“He’s Jack,” Aleia giggled, and she pulled back from our hug just enough to send me a glittering smile. “Oh, Jack… you’re my hero, you know.”

“Hardly,” I chuckled. “That was a group effort, and you--”

“But you were soooo brave,” the fairy squeaked. “And sooo strong.”

“Yes, Aleia finally has some competition for strength,” Celeste laughed.

I shrugged as nonchalantly as possible, but I was secretly just as in awe of myself as they were. I knew I had a ton of endurance when I came down to make love to my women, but I had never really understood how strong I was. This god body was seriously badass, and I couldn’t believe I’d caught, wrestled, and torn open a massive kraken with my bare hands today.

All in under fifteen minutes.

Well, almost under fifteen. I already felt that familiar fading that meant I was leaving my body, and Aleia gasped with sadness as she realized I was drifting away from her.

“Already?” Aleia pouted when I’d vanished completely.

“I could only manage a short visit this time,” I vaguely explained. “It’s a… new ability I’m trying to work with.”

“Awww.” The fairy sadly twiddled her fingers together. “Not enough time left to celebrate with you, I guess.”

“I’m sorry, my love,” I said gently. “But I have you both safely on land, and that’s all that matters. That slimy bastard can rot down on the lake floor and become fish food.”

“That was scary,” Celeste admitted. “I’ve never seen a kraken before!”

“I can’t say I care for them,” Aleia huffed, and she bent down to rub her slim calves.

Her pale legs had the slightest bit of bruising, and it made me want to bring the kraken back to life just to kill it all over again. Or maybe I just wanted to take Aleia aside, wash her off, and kiss every inch of those long legs to make it all better.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked. “It really got a tight grip on you.”

“I’m fine,” the fairy assured me. “I promise, Jack. It’s just a little bruising, it will go away after a while.”

“We’ll keep an eye on it,” I said. “At least you don’t need to walk home.”

“The perks of being a fairy.” Aleia smiled, and she looked down at the lake.

The water was still once more, but it was still a slightly darker blue now that it was filled with kraken blood. I couldn’t see the shadow of the beast anymore, and I figured the lake must be really deep for it to have hidden in the first place. My mind raced as I wondered what other weird creatures lived down there, but for now, I was pretty happy just leaving that up to the imagination.

“So,” Celeste sighed. “Would you like to see anything else, Jack?”

I thought for a moment as I studied the shape of the lake. The kraken had distracted me from actually figuring out if it could be Saddlebag, and now I really wasn’t sure at all.

I tried to remember how the body of water looked back on that school trip, but it was hard to picture what I had seen as a ten year old kid. Besides, I had probably been more interested in finding some tree to climb, not memorizing the exact layout of a random lake.

Anyway, a fucking kraken had just come out of the water. That should be all the proof I needed that I was a hell of a long way from Earth. Sure, we had some crazy sea creatures back in that life, but nothing like the huge beast that had just attacked my fairy lover.

I decided it had been pretty ridiculous to even consider the possibility that we were in California. So what if a mountain in my new world resembled one from my past? I was a god and had just aided my fairy and harpy lovers in defeating a giant fucking squid-monster.

My life really couldn’t be any further from the old one, and I was happy with it.

I loved being a god, and I loved my women and followers.

“Let’s have one more look over at the storm,” I said. “Then we can head back to the convent.”

The women rose up over the trees, and we stared out to the land that was apparently ruled over by Ethan. I could see hundreds of yellow lightning bolts raining down from the storm, and the distant screeches of the sprites rang out and carried on the wind.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ve seen all that I need to, let’s get you both home.”

As the priestesses turned to fly back over the forest, I tried to put the whole Earth thing out of my mind for good. The call of the sprites was all I needed to confirm that I was in a new world, and I had godly duties to attend to.

My new life was the only one that mattered now.

Chapter 2

It was a beautiful journey back to the convent as the sun had almost fully risen. The sky was a mixture of pinks and light blues, and Aleia and Celeste chatted away as they soared over the trees.

I was so proud of them for kicking ass against the kraken with me, but I had to admit that even I was a little surprised at how fierce they’d been against the massive beast. I decided to check in on their stats, since I hadn’t gotten a chance to do so in the days since our battle at Evelhelm, and I opened my interface to look in on Aleia’s stats first.

Strength: 10

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 3

Perception: 5

Agility: 6

Special Ability: Crafting: Develops into Alchemy: Level 13

It seemed that her endurance and agility had both gone up thanks to the extra fighting experience, and I was proud of her for diving so willingly into such challenging circumstances lately.

Next, I checked Celeste’s stats, and I was equally pleased with her improvements.

Strength: 5

Endurance: 3

Intelligence: 4

Perception: 4

Agility: 4

Special ability: Flame combat: Develops into flame embodiment: Level 6

It looked like Celeste’s work in helping me lead and organize the elven troops had improved her perception stats, and seeing her strength go up as well made me hope her newly acquired wings would continue to make her even more of a force to be reckoned with.

Nicola had improved in her strength category as well, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye.

Strength: 7

Endurance: 5

Intelligence: 4

Perception: 3

Agility: 3

Special Ability: Hunting/Animal Husbandry: Develops into Animal Communication: Level 13

Damn, Nicola had improved in both endurance and intelligence, too, and I figured this had to do with both her leadership of the ground troops during the battle and also her epic swordsmanship.

Last, I checked Penelope’s numbers.

Strength: 5

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 4

Perception: 3

Agility: 3

Special Ability: Water Seeking/Fishing: Develops into Water Magic: Level 13

I chuckled to myself as I recalled the way Penelope had kicked ass with her new enchanted sword, especially after I’d gifted her with an extra two agility points in the battle. It looked like that extra oomph had brought her overall agility score up a point, and her strength had improved by just as much.

At this rate, my priestesses would be leading the charge in any battle we had ahead of us, and the notion of how much they’d advanced since I met them eased my thoughts away from Earth and California. It helped me focus on the here and now, and I enjoyed the view as my two winged women soared across the forest on this beautiful morning.

I kept checking my God Vision to make sure there weren’t any more giant creatures lurking nearby. There were a few animals I didn’t recognize moving amongst the trees, but nothing that seemed interested in the priestesses flying high over their heads.

Just when I thought I had met the most terrifying creature in this world, another one would always come along to top it. I felt a phantom shiver as I remembered the giant spider my women had fought a few weeks ago. I wasn’t even scared of the things back in my old life, but I would happily never run into one of those giant ones in the flesh, and hopefully never have to help my lovers fight one again.

The winged priestesses flew quickly back to the convent, and it didn’t take long for the storm behind us to fade from view.

“Jack,” Aleia said curiously as the limestone walls of the convent appeared beyond the trees. “What’s going on down there?”

There was a trail of elves marching into the convent, and they had brought horses loaded up with various bags. I recognized a couple of the elves as the ex-soldiers we had fought with in Evelhelm, and as we got closer, I could hear they were singing happily.

“They seem excited,” I said. “I wonder what they need.”

Aleia and Celeste flew over the elves’ heads and past the limestone walls to find Penelope and Nicola already waiting in the middle of the grounds. The brunette was cradling Thunder, the giant puppy, in her arms, and the naiad was stroking her pregnant belly as she waved.

“You’re back!” Penelope called excitedly as the winged women landed. “Jack, how was the trip?”

“We met a kraken,” I said wryly. “It grabbed Aleia, but these two kicked its ass back to the bottom of the lake.”

“A kraken!” Nicola gasped. “Shit, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Aleia nodded. “Jack actually saved us! He used his physical form, and he was so strong!”

“You came down to visit?” Penelope wailed. “And I missed it?”

“I’ll be back soon,” I chuckled. “Don’t worry. Besides, you didn’t miss any cuddling or anything, there sadly wasn’t enough time for anything other than kraken killing.”

“Still,” Penelope pouted.

“I can’t believe you slayed a beast, and I didn’t get to see it,” Nicola muttered a little stiffly. “I bet it was…”

“Glorious,” Celeste assured her with a stoic nod. “He was glorious, Nicola. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Nicola groaned and slumped her shoulders, and the harpy patted her back in solace.

“What’s going on with the elves?” I asked to change the subject.

“I’m not sure,” Penelope said. “Let’s go and find out.”

The priestesses headed off to meet the Evelhelm locals, and I saw that Grez was at the front of the march with a huge grin on his cheery face. The yellow-haired elf had been one of the first of the town to become a follower of mine. He was an ex-soldier and had been a huge help during the battle against the sprites. His pink-haired friend Nia walked just behind him, and she was also a force to be reckoned with and had been vital to the survival of her fellow elves during battle.

“Good morning!” Grez called as the troop of elves strode over to us with their horses in tow.

“Morning.” Penelope smiled. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is wonderful,” Grez laughed. “Is Jack around?”

He looked up at the sky as he rubbed his hands together, and I always found it amusing that he seemed to think I was permanently just chilling out in the clouds. I couldn’t really blame the guy, he had worshipped an absent god for so long that he hadn’t quite gotten used to me being around all the time.

“I’m here, Grez,” I chuckled. “It’s good to see you all.”

As the elves gathered around the priestesses, they began to unload the bulging bags from the horses.

“We brought you some supplies,” Nia said. “As a thank you to our new god.”

“You didn't have to do that!” I insisted. “You’ve already given us so much, but that is very much appreciated.”

“It’s the least we could do,” Nia replied. “We also wanted to offer our assistance in handling some of the work around the convent.”

“We have tools,” a green-haired elf said. “Food, clothing.”

“I thought I could bake for you,” a young girl elf piped up. “My parents own the Evelhelm bakery, and I know how to make all of their recipes!”

“Yes, please!” Penelope gasped. “Oh, my goodness, could you make some of those delicious pink cakes we tried from the market?”

“I can bake anything you like.” The elf grinned. “Wait until you try my lemon and apple bake. You will never want to eat anything else!”

“You said clothing?” Aleia asked shyly. “Is it clothes for us?”

A purple-haired elf man stepped forward and flicked his hair dramatically as he smiled at the fairy. He had tightly tailored, lilac pants and a black shirt with gold buttons. He was the most well-dressed elf I had ever seen, and I could only describe the guy as flamboyant.

He walked toward Aleia and looked her up and down before he hurried back over to one of the white horses.

“Miss,” he exclaimed as he pulled something from one of the bags. “This one is just calling your name!”

The elf strode back with a pale blue skirt held out, and he handed it over for Aleia to examine.

It was a gorgeous floaty material, and I could just picture how insanely hot the fairy would look in it. The cut would skim just past her ass, and the color really suited her freckled skin.

“Do you work with Windra?” I asked. “That skirt is beautiful.”

“I’m her brother.” The elf nodded and cast a reverent glance toward the sky. “My name is Ryal, and I’m simply honored to be here, Jack. I actually design most of the clothing we stock.”

“It’s great to meet you,” I said and laughed as I saw my women all peering over to see how many bags he had on his horse. “I have a feeling you’re going to be popular with my priestesses.”

“Let’s get to work!” Grez announced. “Jack, what’s the first thing you would like us to do? We’re happy to get started with whatever you like.”

“Jack?” Wilfrim asked as he shuffled over to join us.

My group of gnome followers had emerged with cups of tea in hand and gave cheery waves to the elves. Wilfrim and Elowise were elderly gnomes, but were some of the most badass fighters I had ever seen. Balabar and Nissa were the younger generation, and it looked like their kids were still asleep for now. Baby Roza was strapped to Nissa’s chest, but the little gnome was sound asleep, and gentle snores rang out from the tiny kid.

“Morning,” I said cheerily. “We have some kind visitors here who are hoping to help out with the next steps of the convent building. It’s a beautiful day to make some updates and improvements.”

“How wonderful.” Elowise smiled. “Well, we always have something to work on! Penelope dear, the garden could really use some taming. Perhaps you could help with the planning for it?”

“Of course,” the naiad said. “As long as I get something pretty from Ryal after!”

“I already have the perfect dress picked out for you,” the purple-haired elf said with a wave of his hand. “A golden piece to compliment your blue skin perfectly.”

“Great!” The naiad smiled. “I’ll get to work with anyone who wants to help with the garden!”

“I hope it’s a short dress,” I whispered to Penelope. “I miss running my hands all over your body, but you’ll need to try it on for me. Just so I can… make sure it fits properly.”

The naiad turned a darker shade of blue as she blushed at the words only she could hear. As her pregnancy progressed, it was hard to ignore how much fuller her breasts were, and I could barely take my eyes off her perfect curves.

“I’d like to work on the cellar a bit,” Nicola said with her hands on her hips. “It’s getting pretty crowded down there, we could do with extending it a little. The snare is working really well for the meat supply, and we still have loads of muckbeast meat left.”

“I can help with that,” Grez offered with a slight bow of his head. “I brought some shovels and picks, we can hack away at anything you need.”

“Yes,” Ryal said as he eyed Nicola up and down. “Then perhaps you can try on the emerald-green dress I brought. It will bring out the golden tones in your skin perfectly for that special someone.”

“I like the sound of that,” I growled in Nicola’s ear. “Let’s hope it’s nice and tight.”

“Jack,” Nicola hissed with a grin. “You know I’ll only wear it if it’s showing off every curve.”

The brunette shimmied her hips slightly, and I chuckled as Celeste shot her a knowing look.

“So,” I said to the group. “It’s wonderful to have you all here, and there’s a lot to do. We want to get the cellar extension underway and get the garden in good shape. There’s also work to be done on the carriage, since we want to build a waterproof covering for the driver’s seat.”

“And what about all the ruins of the old walls?” an older elf asked as he eyed the crumbled remains of the buildings. “We could really do this place up and get some proper structures in place.”

“You want to help build it?” I asked. “I mean, I don’t have any set in stone plans for that at the moment. We make do.”

“I can help,” the elf insisted. “I designed many of the buildings in Evelhelm, and we could create a big central space for eating and living. If you’d like, that is.”

“That sounds wonderful,” I said. “You would need supplies for that, right? Stone or brick?”

“We can take trips to the quarry with carts.” The elf nodded. “I just need to examine the space first and see the kind of space we would be working with.”

“Examine away,” I chuckled. “I don’t think anyone would complain about having more rooms here.”

“This is all so exciting!” Penelope gushed. “Well, anyone who wants to help with the garden can come with me.”

“I’ll get to work with the cellar,” Wilfrim said.

“Me, too.” Balabar nodded.

The elves started to divide themselves up, and as I watched, I realized that I really wanted to help out with the building. My followers had done so much already, and I was always there to assist them from my godly form, but I’d been eager to try assisting them in the flesh for once.

And I already knew that my new ability worked. I just hoped I would be able to appear twice in one day.

My interface had been surprisingly vague on this particular reward, so I didn’t know if I would get to use it only once a day, or if I could do it as many times as I wanted. That seemed unlikely, but I was excited to try it out again.

I decided that I would help out with the cellar, since it would feel good to actually get my hands dirty and get some manual labor done. As much as overseeing the tasks was important, I really wanted to get more hands-on alongside my followers.

There was another issue to consider, though, and that was the fact that I knew my priestesses would be desperate to use those fifteen minutes for some fun.

Aleia and Celeste had already seen me once, and I wasn’t sure they would let me get away with yet another appearance that didn’t result in amazing sex.

I watched my stunning women now, and I knew it would be hard to give up the chance to feel their bodies pressed up against mine, but I was god now, after all. Surely, I was strong enough to resist temptation.

“I’ll come and help with some of the cellar building,” I announced. “A real god gets his hands dirty with his followers.”

“Jack!” Penelope gasped as her face lit up. “You’re going to visit again? Already? For a cellar? But… perhaps since you’re coming all this way…”

The naiad trailed off and shuffled her feet, and I got the feeling she didn’t want to announce her argument in front of the whole crowd. By her flushed blue cheeks and slight pout I knew exactly what she wanted. It was adorable watching her blush, and I couldn’t help but chuckle as she looked down at her feet.

“Hey,” I said softly so that only she could hear me. “I want to spend time with you, too, but I need to show my new followers that I care for them as well. If I could spend every second of my time down there with you and your sisters, then I would. You know that.”

“Yes, my lord,” the naiad whispered. “I understand. I love how you take care of everyone. It truly shows what a perfect god you are.”

Her understanding made it even more difficult, and I wanted to just give her all the rewards and private time she wanted, but the elves had already gotten excited.

“You’re coming to help build?” Grez asked. “That’s fantastic! I can’t wait to work alongside you, Jack! It will be the greatest honor.”

“I can only spare fifteen minutes,” I explained. “But I’ll watch over the work and make sure to come down when I can truly be of the most use.”

“I’ll save you the good pick!” Grez laughed. “Not that it would matter. I bet you would make miracles with whichever tool you were given.”

I wanted it to sound like staying for fifteen minutes was a choice, and I hoped they wouldn’t ask too many questions about the details of it. The elves were so new to my allegiance, and I didn’t want to give any impression that there was anything outside of my control.

They all seemed satisfied with my little explanation, and I remembered they were used to a god that literally never said a word to them. No matter how little I said to them, I was already miles above their expectations.

Besides, I had to remember that I had literally performed a miracle. There was absolutely no denying that I was a worthy god, and it didn’t matter if I kept a few details from my followers. It seemed like a holy right, anyway.

“Right,” Penelope said as she rubbed her delicate hands together. “I will lead anyone who would like to help with the garden! We’ll need to do some de-weeding and rather a lot of digging to get everything in order. I have big plans for the space, and it’s vital to the whole running of the convent!”

I was so proud of how she pulled herself together after her disappointment, and I decided I would definitely use my next fifteen minutes to spend with her, whenever that might be.

The naiad led Elowise, Nissa, and a couple of elves off toward the back of the convent.

“If I could borrow one of the winged ladies,” the architect elf said. “That would be much appreciated. It would help with my measurements.”

“I’ll do it,” Celeste volunteered.

Aleia and Nicola joined the elves who were going to help with the cellar, and everyone started to head off in their various directions to get to work. The elves hummed happily as they handed out tools, and I admired everyone’s work ethic as they immediately got their sleeves rolled up.

The entire convent was bustling with energy and noise, and the horses happily laid down in the shade of the walls. The sun shone brightly over the grassy grounds, and it really was a picture perfect day.

I checked in with Penelope to make sure she wasn’t too upset about my visit but chuckled as I found her already making orders and organizing everyone.

I was shocked at how much the garden had blossomed since I had last seen it. The ivy had grown over the limestone wall so much that only a small bit of gray was visible through the green. There were flowers that seemed to be trying to compete to see how tall they could get, and the stones of the path were almost hidden with the nearby shrubs that had sprouted.

“Let’s get the weeds out of the way first,” Penelope called. “Once they’re done with, we can focus on the vegetable garden and cutting back the plants around the pathway.”

“Yes, Miss!” a blue-haired elf called, and the group got to work pulling up weeds and making a pile of dead plants to dispose of.

“Not too much bending over for you, dear!” Elowise said sternly to Penelope. “You don’t want to hurt your back while you have that precious little one!”

“I can manage.” The naiad smiled. “Thank you for caring, but pregnancy has given me even more strength lately. I want to work!”

“If you’re sure,” the elderly gnome said. “But you just let me know the second you feel an ache or a pain!”

I loved how protective Elowise was over the pregnant priestesses, and how our community had really blossomed into a family. Watching everyone work together and help each other made me realize how fiercely I would protect them all, and my mind started to wander back to the Squall Sprites.

I would need to do something about that distant storm. I just wasn’t entirely sure what yet.

If I did manage to defeat them, I could only imagine how crazy the reward would be. The fifteen minute gift had been the best yet, and surely if I defeated the entire storm, the next reward would be even better.

Penelope grabbed a pair of clippers from the pile of tools I’d been ordering for her this week and got to work trimming the nearby shrubs. She grunted as she hacked and trimmed, and she only occasionally sat back to push back her hair and rub her belly.

I left her to her work with a deep sense of pride for my dedicated woman, and I went to check on the cellar.

Wilfrim was explaining his plans for expansion, and the elves were examining the walls to work out which parts would be safe to knock down.

There were several thick lengths of timber propped against the wall, and the elves were carefully placing them to prevent any collapse from the ceiling. I was impressed with how prepared they were.

There were plenty of shovels and picks as well, and it wasn’t long until the group got to work with the back wall. They grunted as they began the slow work of creating a larger room, and I decided this was my time to get to work. It had been a while since I had done any real, physical labor, and I almost missed the feeling of getting hot and sweaty for a cause.

Well, a cause that didn’t involve pleasuring all four of my women at once.

I focused hard on the image of my physical body again, and within moments, the buzz of energy overtook me, and I felt the firm cellar floor under my feet. I stood in the middle of the cellar in my simple pants, with my bare chest exposed, and felt the pleasant cool air on my back.

“Jack!” Nicola gasped as her jaw unhinged, and she instantly hurried over to jump into my arms.

“You’re here!” Aleia squealed as she fluttered over to join the embrace.

It felt good to have them both pressed up against me, and I chuckled and closed my eyes for a moment to just enjoy the closeness.

Then I gave them both a quick kiss and stepped over to grab a pick from the pile of tools as the elves stared at me. It took literally all my self-control not to pull the two priestesses somewhere quiet for some time alone, but the presence of my new followers reminded me that I did have important work to attend to.

I gripped the handle of the elven tool and started to hack away at the firm dirt of the cellar wall along with Wilfrim and the elves. It wasn’t long until sweat began to pour down my forehead, and I growled with each swing of the pick.

“He really does look like a god,” an elf whispered behind me, and I smirked as his buddy agreed.

I glanced over at Nicole and Aleia as I dug and saw that they were both staring coyly at me and not even trying to look busy. Their lashes hooded their beautiful eyes while they bit lightly on their bottom lips, and I suddenly felt like a sweaty man cookie just waiting to be devoured by priestesses.

“You look so good when you’re working,” Nicola whimpered. “Your muscles just glow! Look at those arms…”

“He’s so strong,” Aleia sighed. “Oh, Jack, you look so handsome! Our god is the best-looking god that has ever existed.”

“Ever.” Nicola offered a stoic nod as she eyed my abs.

I chuckled as I continued to work, and I tried to keep track of how long I had roughly been down on the ground for. Without clocks it was impossible to say for sure, but I reckoned I had been working for about ten minutes. I wished I had a real countdown timer, so I could know exactly how many seconds I had left. It had been one of the only times in my new life when I missed having a smart phone in my pocket.

“You make fast work of all this,” Grez said as he stood back and admired the sizable dent I had created. “I suppose that comes with being a god! Wow, it really is still so amazing to have you here. I can’t wait to show you the improvements we’ve made to your temple back in Evelhelm.”

“I’m glad I could help.” I smiled as I wiped my brow. “And I look forward to seeing the temple. This place will look great when it’s finished, too. We should install some more hooks so we can cure more meat. After all, Nicola’s hunting skills are so good that we’ll need all the room we can get. Who knows how many more muckbeasts she’ll take down next time she goes out with her crossbow?”

I sent the brunette a wink, and I could have sworn her legs became a little weak under her.

“I’m glad you think so,” Nicola breathed. “Jack, can we have a private word, please?”

“Well, I’m--”

I didn’t get another word out.

The dark-haired woman hurried over and grabbed me by the arm, and I laughed as I let her pull me down one of the cellar tunnels with Aleia.

“I can’t stand it anymore!” Nicola hissed as she ran her hands over my biceps. “You look soooo good, Jack. Working with your hands like that… you can’t expect us to not get excited. You’re so…”

“Every muscle is glowing,” Aleia gushed and left little kisses on my sweaty chest. “Oh, Jack, can we please just worship you for a little while? Pleeease?”

The elves had continued with their work and were well out of earshot now, and my women grabbed me in the dim light of the tunnel as they whimpered softly with longing. Their warm bodies pressed up against me as my back pressed into the wall, and I gripped Aleia’s waist instinctively. Then Nicola leaned in hungrily for a kiss just as I started to feel that familiar sensation of drifting away.

“I’m sorry,” I growled gently. “I love you both, I’ll spend time with you soon.”

“Jaaack!” Aleia moaned. “Just a few more minutes!”

By the time the fairy had finished her pleading, I had already returned to my god form.

“Not fair,” Nicola sighed and clutched her hair. “Can you come back again now? Please? Jack, I’m all worked up, you can’t leave me like this!”

The women’s chests were both heaving desperately as their panting echoed in the dim tunnel, and my phantom loins burned as I watched them beg for me.

I focused hard on my physical body once more and put every ounce of mental strength I could into returning. It didn’t work, though, and it seemed that there was some kind of timing rule to be learned with this new reward.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I have to wait a while before I can come back.”

“Oooh,” Aleia pouted. “Okay, Jack. I suppose we can just… occupy ourselves with work for now.”

“And try not to think about those big god muscles,” Nicola groaned as the women walked back to the cellar.

The priestesses picked up some tools and got to work helping the others, although I did notice the adorable scowl on Aleia’s face as she worked. I couldn’t help feeling slightly smug that the women were still so hot and bothered over me after all this time, but I was admittedly just as crazy about them, too.

And I could still taste Nicola’s kiss on my nonexistent tongue.

At least this fifteen minute reward didn’t seem to be a once a day gift, and I was relieved to learn it would be more useful than that. After all, I had defeated a whole army of Squall Sprites, and surely the victory would be worth something substantial, like plenty of opportunities to visit my followers.

I would just have to test out the limits of this new ability myself, but for now, I was pleased that I had gotten to work a bit, and that I’d shown my new followers that I meant it when I said I would help them.

Back on the grounds of the convent, Celeste was working with the architect elf to measure out potential spots for new rooms. He had a device that was basically a measuring tape, but it could rise up into the air to measure vertically as if it was some kind of snake. Celeste was up in the air checking the measurements, and then she called down as the elf furiously scribbled in his notebook.

I left them to it and checked again on the garden.

Penelope and the others had managed to get a lot done in a short span of time, and the naiad glowed under the sun as she worked. She was on her knees replanting some flowers and making sure everything was in a neat line, and I watched silently for a while as she worked.

I couldn’t get over how stunning she looked under the golden afternoon light. Her golden-blonde hair glistened as it fell over her full breasts, and her back arched as she gently patted the earth in place. I would have happily just watched her for the whole afternoon, but I decided to check in and make sure everyone was happy with their work.

“How’s it going here?” I asked. “It looks really great!”

“I think it’s coming along nicely.” Elowise smiled. “We’ve extended the vegetable patch so there’s much more room for everything, and we’re getting the ivy under control so it doesn’t swallow up the whole wall.”

“Brilliant,” I said. “I’m really happy with everyone’s work.”

The elves grinned as they plucked and pruned, and Penelope smiled as she tucked her golden hair behind her ears.

“My lord.” She smiled. “I’m so pleased you like the way it’s all coming together. I really have worked hard with it.”

“I can tell,” I murmured only to her. “And getting to watch you bend over as you garden is just an added bonus.”

“Master!” she giggled as she covered her sweet mouth, and she lowered her voice to a whisper as she tucked herself deeper into the plants she was tending. “You shouldn’t say such things when you aren’t here to touch me! I get all worked up and sooo lonely for you. So… overheated.”

As if to tease me, she ran her hands slowly from her neck over her chest, and she made a show of dabbing sweat from her ample cleavage.

“Fuck, what a view,” I groaned. “How am I supposed to help everyone out when my gorgeous priestess looks like that?”

“Oh, master.” Penelope grinned mischievously. “I’m sorry to be so distracting. It’s only that I really miss you. This gift of having you come down and visit more often is so wonderful, and I was just being selfish wishing you could spend it with me.”

“Don’t apologize,” I firmly ordered. “I love that you want to spend time with me and have me all to yourself.”

The naiad smiled even more and continued to tidy up the paving of the garden. She was glowing after just this little bit of attention from me, and I couldn’t help but want to hang around her for longer.

I ended up watching over the naiad and her group of helpers for a while as the garden became bigger and tidier, and everyone ended up with mud-covered knees and dewy foreheads.

A few hours rolled by as I finally continued to make the rounds with my followers, but I couldn’t stop coming back to keep my eyes on Penelope. She was being much flirtier than normal, and it was a serious turn on for her to be so brazen and teasing. She was always the most seriously devoted priestess, but she was certainly in a playful mood today, and it was driving me wild.

Finally, the view of her tight little ass wagging amongst the plants did me in, and I desperately decided that I should give my fifteen minute gift another go. After all, it had been a good while since I last used it, and if I didn’t get to touch Penelope soon, my holy brain might explode. There wasn’t any harm in trying, at least, and it had been several hours since I’d visited the cellar.

I focused hard on my physical body, and I let out an almost ecstatic laugh as I felt grass under my feet a moment later. The gentle breeze swept through my hair, and I grinned as the beautiful naiad looked up with wide eyes.

“Jack!” Penelope gasped and leapt to her feet with impressive speed.

“Hello!” the elves called out cheerily, and I only had time to wave as the naiad rushed over and grabbed my arm.

“I need to talk to our lord!” Penelope called over her shoulder. “I have questions about the vision of the garden! Important queries about the vegetable patch!”

“Oh, do you?” I laughed as she hurried me away from the group and led me toward the sleeping quarters.

“How long do we have?” she whispered with a grin.

“About fifteen--”

“Then you have fifteen minutes to do whatever you wish with me,” Penelope panted. “I desperately need to feel your touch, master!”

It was an offer even a god couldn’t resist, and I tumbled down onto the bed with the beautiful naiad.

Chapter 3

Penelope giggled as she tore off my pants as quickly as she could.

“Woah,” I chuckled at her enthusiasm.

“We only have fifteen minutes!” she whispered. “Master, we need to use every second we can.”

“You’re right.” I grinned, and I grabbed her by the hips and pulled her in for a deep kiss.

We knelt on the velvet bedsheets as our tongues explored each other, and I was already rock hard as I ran my hands over her barely covered ass. I snaked my hands up to grab Penelope’s full breasts and groaned as she pulled off her priestess robes to reveal her pert nipples.

I wanted to make sure she was satisfied before our fifteen minutes were up, but she looked so incredible that I knew I wouldn’t have a problem enjoying myself in that amount of time.

“Master,” the naiad gasped as I licked one of her nipples. “Please, may I taste you? I want to feel you deep inside my mouth and properly worship you.”

“But I want to make sure you cum,” I whispered. “My devoted priestess deserves her reward for all that work today. You looked so sexy completing your duties, I want to thank you for everything.”

“My lord,” she whined. “Please! It gives me so much pleasure to worship you like that with my lips and mouth, and then you can fill me up with your seed. Pleeease?”

“How am I meant to say no to that?” I groaned, and the naiad began to lower herself down before me.

She got onto all fours, and I held her golden hair back as she gently began to lick the base of my shaft. I moaned at her warm breaths, and she began to run her tongue up and down my cock with little moans of happiness.

“What a good priestess,” I moaned as I watched her mouth work. “You’re earning that fuck. I’m going to fill you up so deep with my seed.”

Penelope whimpered in agreement and slowly began to take the head of my cock into her mouth, and I gasped as her full lips slid down. Pleasure soared through me as the naiad started to bob her head faster, and I held the back of her head as she slid down to the base of my cock.

I knew I would cum if she continued for much longer, but I was more interested in giving her a good fucking before time ran out.

“Penelope,” I gasped. “I need to fuck you right now.”

“Mmm,” the naiad hummed as she slowly slid her mouth off my cock. “Master, how would you like me? I need your cock so badly.”

She was still on all fours and looked up at me with wide eyes as I kept a grip on the back of her head.

It was so hot seeing her on her hands and knees for me. She was always such a well-behaved priestess, and it made her seem so much dirtier to be in that position and begging for my attention.

I responded to her question by quickly spinning her around so she had her perfect ass facing me.

“Master!” she giggled. “You’re being rough today… I like it.”

“You do?” I grinned, and I took time to admire the view from behind as I ran my hands over her ass. Then I decided to tease her a little and gently traced a finger over her slick pussy lips as she quivered. “Are you ready for me to fuck you?”

“Jack,” she moaned. “Yesss, please bless me with your holy cock. I need you deep inside me.”

I probed my finger inside and started to gently stroke her clit, and the naiad shuddered at my touch.

“You’re already so wet,” I murmured. “Are you a happy priestess? Did sucking my cock get you all excited?”

“Yes, my lord,” Penelope moaned, and she started to back up against my hand. “I need you now! Pleeease!”

It was hard to tell how quickly time was passing as our warm bodies enjoyed each other, but I knew I had to fuck the naiad before I vanished, or I’d lose my damn mind.

I slowly lined my cock up with her warm pussy and pushed inside her with a groan.

“Fuck,” I hissed as her tight walls clenched around me, and I grabbed her hips firmly as I began to fuck her.

“Ohhh, Jack,” she whimpered as I pushed my full length into her. “You feel amazing! Oh, master, fuck me harder!”

I started to thrust in and out of her faster and moaned as pleasure raced through me with every stroke.

“You’re so tight,” I moaned. “Fuck, Penelope.”

“I’m going to cum,” she gasped as my thrusts became faster. “Oh, master! Please fill me up with your seed!”

“Cum for me,” I hissed. “Penelope, I want you to cum for your god.”

I leaned down to grab her perfect tits, and I drove my cock in even deeper as I pinched her nipples. Then I gripped her even tighter as I fucked her with more force, and the gorgeous naiad let out little whimpers as I sped up my pace.

“Yes, master!” she cried out as she threw her head back. “Oh, Jack, you feel amazing!”

“You’re so tight,” I grunted as her tunnel spasmed and clenched around me. “Fuck, Penelope.”

“Ohhh… master…” she panted as her climax made her entire body shake.

I felt light-headed with pleasure, and I suddenly decided I wanted to look into her eyes as I came. Then I stopped thrusting and began to slide out of Penelope as she whimpered.

“My lord?” she asked in a frenzied voice, and I chuckled as I spun her around by the hips.

I leapt up to my feet and helped her up as she caught her breath. I knew there wouldn’t be much time left, and so I took her over to one of the gray walls and swiftly lifted her up so she wrapped her legs around me. Penelope gasped as she leaned her back against the wall, with her thighs clutched around me and her arms around my shoulders.

“You’re so strong!” she gasped, and I chuckled as I lined my cock up against her pussy and kissed her neck.

The naiad moaned softly as I slid inside her once more, and I gasped at how tight she felt all over again. It never ceased to amaze me how fucking fantastic my lovers were in absolutely every sense, and I let the feel of her silky tunnel overwhelm me while I pounded into her against the wall. I could barely feel her weight with my new super strength, and her perfect tits bounced with every thrust while I leaned down to gently bite one of her nipples.

“Yes, my lord,” she gasped. “Yes, your cock is so deep inside me. Please bless me with your holy seed!”

I sped my movements up, and she wailed as I fucked her hard and fast. Then Penelope’s eyes suddenly widened as her pussy clenched around me, and her second orgasm sent me over the edge.

It felt like my head erupted with bright colors and sounds as I came. I moaned as warmth and pleasure rushed through me, and I poured my seed deep inside the priestess. As I filled her up, Penelope shuddered and panted with ecstasy.

I kept thrusting until she finally began to come back down from the heights of her pleasure, and as I slowly slid out of her, I kissed her deeply.

She mumbled incoherently as I pressed my lips against hers, and I gently lowered her down to the floor with a smug smirk on my face. Then she stroked my chest just as I started to feel myself drifting away.

I pulled her in for a passionate kiss first and gripped her hips, and I stroked her face lovingly as I began to fade away.

“Thank you, Jack,” she whispered. “I love you, and you filled me up so well with your seed.”

“You are perfect,” I said, and she smiled as I left my physical body and became my godly form once more.

Penelope took a moment to sit down on the sheets and smile to herself, and I admired her perfect body as her cheeks glowed. My cum was dripping down her thighs, and I wished I could reappear right then and there for another round.

“So,” I said in a casual tone. “It turns out I’m… allowed to come down more than once a day to assist you all. I’m glad we tried out that little experiment. I need a few hours in between sessions, though.”

“That’s such wonderful news!” Penelope purred. “Master, does that mean you’ll get to visit us for worship every single day?”

I laughed at the naiad’s eagerness, but I had to admit, it was excellent news. Getting to fuck my women in person daily? I mean, the dream sex sessions were hot as hell, but nothing was as perfect as the real deal of feeling the air on my back as I made love to them.

There were voices outside, and the other priestesses walked in as they chatted away to each other.

Then they all froze at the sight of my naked naiad.

“I knew it!” Nicola gasped dramatically. “Penelope, you just got to fuck Jack, didn’t you? I knew that’s where you were when we couldn’t find you in the garden!”

“Sister!” Penelope giggled. “So vulgar! Yes, I had a moment to worship our lord.”

“Lucky!” Aleia wailed. “We were just telling Celeste how handsome and strong he looked working in the cellar!”

“Those muscles,” Nicola sighed. “Oh, Jack, when do we all get a turn? I might explode if I don’t get some worshipping done soon.”

“Good news,” I laughed. “It seems this new gift is one I can offer you more than once a day. I need to, uh… get the timings all figured out with my schedule, but I should be able to pay visits to all my beautiful priestesses. For about fifteen minutes at a time, that is.”

“All at once?” Celeste grinned. “Or is that a bit too much of a challenge for fifteen minutes?”

“A challenge I would gladly attempt,” I laughed. “But I will need to use some of the time slots for work, too. I do have other followers I need to keep happy.”

“Yes.” Nicola smirked. “But making us happy is muuuuch more fun.”

“I will not argue with that,” I replied as Penelope stood up and began to get dressed.

“How is the building going?” I asked.

“Really well.” Celeste nodded. “There’s probably a good few hours of sunlight left to work with.”

“I’ll make sure everyone’s doing okay,” I decided. “I don’t want them all wearing themselves out too much.”

“Elowise is making tea rounds,” Aleia said. “Nissa is making some snacks, too, but I think they’re going to go and start making a proper dinner soon. They’ll need to begin early in order to feed all these people!”

“The elves are just wonderful,” Penelope sighed. “It really is such a blessing to have them as your followers, Jack.”

“They’re very hard-working,” I agreed. “I’m pleased to have such skilled followers.”

“You’re the skilled one,” Penelope said coyly, and the other priestesses laughed.

“You’re cheeky today,” I chuckled. “I like that in you.”

“I think the beautiful weather is putting me in a great mood,” the naiad giggled. “After all, we spent such a long time staring at that horrible storm. Being under the hot sun is such a welcome change.”

“Yeah,” I said thoughtfully. “It would be good if we could get rid of that storm once and for all.”

“Do you have a plan?” Nicola asked as she smirked.

“Of course, he does!” Penelope piped up. “Jack always has a plan, he is our most holy god, Nicola. We just need to be patient as we wait for his instructions.”

“You already got a turn,” Nicola snickered. “No need to kiss his ass anymore.”

“I’ll let you know when I’ve decided on our next steps,” I gently cut in. “Let’s go and admire the work so far in the meantime.”

The priestesses walked back out into the sunny afternoon air, and I noticed three elves had started to build something with deep, reddish wood near the carriage.

“They’re making us a wardrobe,” Aleia said excitedly. “For all of our new clothes!”

“That’s amazing,” Penelope gasped. “Oh, my goodness, I’ll feel like a princess with one of those!”

The women wandered over to admire the structure, and I could tell that it was being crafted from high-quality wood.

“This looks great,” I said. “My women can move it into the bedroom once it’s finished.”

“We can help with that,” a green-haired elf said as he wiped his forehead. “It’s good-quality wood here, it will be heavy.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Nicola snorted. “Have you seen how much this little lady can lift?”

She patted Aleia on the shoulder, and the fairy blushed.

“I’m excited to see you all try on the outfits,” I said only to my women. “I already know you’ll look stunning in all of them.”

“I can’t believe how many items of clothing we’ll have!” Aleia squealed as she clapped her hands. “I just feel like the luckiest fairy in the world!”

“And now we have somewhere beautiful to store them,” Nicola agreed. “See? It was all worth it doing battle with a bloodthirsty bunch of Squall Sprites.”

“The perks of war,” Celeste laughed. “Maybe after the kraken battle we should have gotten new bed sheets.”

“You want new bed sheets?” a nearby elf asked. “We can get that sorted for you, miss. Would you like silk or velvet?”

“I could get used to this,” the harpy laughed. “Oh, that’s very kind of you but--”

“Silk, please,” Nicola interrupted. “We have velvet already, and sometimes they get a bit warm. The option of silk would be amazing.”

“Not a problem.” The elf nodded. “I’ll see what we can get sorted for you.”

“Don’t take advantage of them!” Penelope scolded the women. “Although, I can’t say I’ll be complaining too much about getting new sheets…”

“We really are getting this whole place upgraded,” Celeste laughed. “I won’t even be able to recognize the convent soon!”

“It’s going to look like The Ritz,” I chuckled and then remembered nobody would have a clue what that meant.

“Ritz?” Aleia asked with a tilted head. “Does that mean fancy?”

“Sort of,” I said. “It’s just a really fancy hotel, uh… tavern type place.”

“A castle!” Penelope said excitedly. “This whole place is going to be like a castle soon, but even better because it’s all for our master, Jack!”

Ryal was hurrying around organizing items of clothing inside the wardrobe as the wooden beam had been secured. There were fabrics of every color, and it didn’t look like my priestesses would be short of outfits any time soon.

“Oh, my goodness,” Penelope squealed. “Are those baby clothes?”

Ryal smiled and held up a tiny little green outfit that looked almost like a romper. I had to admit, even I felt a bit gooey looking at it, but Penelope had basically turned into a weeping mess.

The naiad hurried over and took the outfit, and she pouted like a little blue doll as she held it up to her belly.

“This will be for you soon, little one!” she said.

“The gnomes mentioned a couple of the ladies are expecting, so there are plenty of infant pieces.” Ryal pulled some more from his bag.

“These are adorable,” Aleia said as she picked up a little purple outfit. “Oh, my gosh, I can’t wait for the babies to get here!”

“They’re pretty cute,” Nicola said with a shrug. “I guess.”

“Ooooh,” Penelope giggled. “Is Nicola getting all soft and broody on us?”

“No!” The brunette objected. “They’re just really tiny and soft, okay? And it would be nice to dress up the little ones in fancy stuff.”

“Hmm,” the naiad hummed, and Nicola rolled her eyes and decided to admire the woodwork of the wardrobe instead.

Celeste was quiet during this exchange as she watched the others, but then I saw her fingers twitch just a tiny bit as she stared at the pile of baby clothes.

“Look!” Aleia cried as she held up a blue shirt with tiny holes on the back. “Some of them have wing holes!”

“Okay,” I laughed. “Now that is almost too adorable.”

“Perfect,” Penelope gushed. “All future baby fairies and harpies will have something to wear!”

“I like… babies…” Celeste’s ivory skin flushed a brilliant pink, and she shuffled her feet with a small smile.

My gaze zoomed in on the feathered beauty.

I didn’t want to pressure Celeste into anything, so I hadn’t even mentioned the baby subject to her before. I didn’t want her to feel like she needed to make any big choices just for me, but that smile, and her shy words were giving me all kinds of ideas.

And a half-harpy baby would be ridiculously cute.

But I still had Nicola, who was secretly pining for me to get her pregnant, and I knew I couldn’t leave her waiting for too long. She was definitely my next priority.

“This makes me think of the other things we’ll need,” Penelope said. “We’re going to need somewhere for the babies to sleep.”

“Like a crib?” Aleia asked. “Perhaps we can buy one from Evelhelm?”

One of the elves who was working on the wardrobe glanced up and gave the naiad a wave.

“We can arrange a crib for you,” he offered. “We could get started with that after we’re done with the wardrobe.”

“Oh, my!” Penelope said. “That is really so kind, but it’s too much to ask.”

“You have done so much for us already,” Aleia agreed. “We really can’t ask for any more.”

“Please,” the elf insisted. “After everything Jack’s done for us, we would be more than happy to help. The only reason my house is still standing is because he showed us how to fight off the Squall Sprites.”

“Well…” Penelope murmured. “Only if you are sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“Of course.” The elf nodded. “There’s more than one baby, yes?”

“Two of them!” Aleia smiled.

“For now,” Penelope added with a glance at Nicola.

“Would you like separate cribs?” the elf asked. “Or one big one?”

“A big one,” Penelope said quickly. “Oh, then they can become friends and have little baby conversations. It will be so cute.”

“Do you know very much about babies?” Nicola muttered.

“I’ll get it started later today.” The elf smiled. “And don’t worry, I’ve built many of them before, so I know all the safety measures. I only use the finest, strongest wood, too, so there will be nothing to worry about.”

“Thank you so much,” the naiad gushed. “Please, let us know if we can do anything to repay you!”

“Like I said.” The elf shrugged. “Jack already has. You owe no debt to us.”

“Wow,” I said. “This really is so kind, thank you.”

The elf smiled again and began to whistle to himself as he went back to attaching the doors on the wardrobe.

The women gave back the baby clothing items and started to make their way to the cellar. There was laughter and grunts coming from the dim room, and the priestesses headed down the steps to find the elves hacking away at the new walls. With my earlier help, they had already made a substantial difference, and I could envision how it would all look with the extra room.

“Great work!” I said. “This is coming along nicely!”

“We can fit several more muckbeasts in here.” Nicola nodded.

“Glad you like it!” Wilfrim grinned as he rubbed his brow. “I haven’t put my strength into something this much in a while. I believe Elowise and Nissa are going to have dinner ready soon.”

“You’ve definitely earned it,” I chuckled. “Don’t give yourself an injury now.”

“Of course not,” the old gnome laughed. “I’m still a young lad, I’ve got plenty more digging hours in me!”

“We should try and find some coolstone,” Celeste said, and I listened closer as my curiosity piqued. “I’ve never seen it myself, but I’ve heard of it.”

“Oh, yes!” Aleia agreed. “My family used to have some of that when I was little. It’s only found in water, right at the bottom of lakes or streams. It can be used to cool down anything, but it’s wonderful for storing food.”

“That sounds great,” I said. “I’m sure our resident water expert could locate some!”

“I can check the creek.” Penelope nodded. “It would be helpful for storing fruit, or anything else that goes bad quickly.”

“And fish,” Nicola added. “If we got enough of it, we could make a little, cold box and store supplies in it.”

I chuckled to myself as I watched Nicola invent the fridge, and I was glad there was something in this world to work in that way.

“If we put ice blocks inside,” I led, “would that work to keep things even colder?”

“Oh, yes!” Aleia said excitedly. “That could store food for even longer!”

“Where would we get ice?” Nicola frowned. “It’s not winter.”

Ah, I forgot we couldn’t exactly walk into a supermarket and pick up a bag.

“We could try and get enchanted ice,” Aleia said with an unconcerned shrug. “But it’s very expensive, and I don’t know where we would find it.”

“Enchanted ice?” Nicola asked as the same thought echoed in my mind. “What’s that?”

“Just what it sounds like, silly,” the fairy laughed. “Witches and sorcerers can make any amount of water into ice, and it just stays that way! Even when it’s hot out.”

“That sounds great,” I said. “Maybe the elves will know where we could get some. After all, their weapons’ shop sold us enchanted swords.”

“Oh, yes!” Aleia chirped. “Good plan, Jack. Thank you for always thinking ahead!”

“My pleasure,” I chuckled. “How about we see if Elowise needs any help? I’m not sure we have enough bowls for this many people.”

The priestesses headed back up to the convent grounds and made their way to the kitchen. Elowise and Nissa were hurrying around near the lit fire and stirring a massive pot of some kind of soup.

There was also a young elf girl nearby who had a stack of wooden bowls, and she was pulling wooden spoons from a roll of fabric.

“Ah,” I said. “Of course, the elves brought kitchen supplies. You really do think of everything.”

The young girl smiled with pride, but she looked too nervous to speak to me directly, so she just bowed her head a little while her fingers trembled.

“Can you go and round everyone up?” Elowise asked the young elf. “I reckon this will be ready soon enough. They can come and get themselves served and then have a seat wherever they like in the grounds.”

The elf girl nodded and scuttled out to tell everyone that dinner was ready.

“You girls get in line first,” Elowise said. “Get yourselves a nice helping before the madness starts!”

The priestesses grabbed bowls and spoons and helped themselves to some of the thick soup. It looked crammed full of chunky vegetables, and it was clear that Penelope’s garden was already paying off.

“This smells amazing,” Celeste sighed. “Make sure you both get some, too.”

“We will.” Nissa smiled. “And we can always make up more if we run low, now that we have so many supplies.”

Penelope looked very pleased with herself as they made their way out of the kitchen, and the elves hurried by sniffing the air excitedly.

The women walked over to a patch of grass near the carriage where there was the most sunshine left and sat down with their bowls of food. They tucked in close together and made happy noises as they lapped up the homemade meal.

“Good old Elowise.” Penelope smiled. “She really can do wonderful things even with only a few simple ingredients.”

Elves started to sit down around the convent as everyone happily dug into their food, and it made me proud to see the whole place filled up with my loyal followers. They were smiling and enjoying the day after a shit-load of work, and they were all here because of me.

I took some time to just appreciate the moment and watch my new army enjoy themselves in the late afternoon sun.

Eventually, Elowise, Nissa, and Wilfrim headed over with their bowls of food and took a seat with the priestesses to make a little circle.

“That was fast,” I said. “Is everyone fed?”

“Almost,” Elowise replied as she made herself comfy. “Balabar and the children took over, bless them.”

“The soup might not be as neatly handed out,” Nissa laughed. “But they were all so keen to help, my little angels.”

“Does he have baby Roza, too?” Aleia asked.

“For now,” the blonde gnome said. “She’s fast asleep, so she’s not causing too much chaos at the moment. I think the sunshine made her all dozy.”

“It’s done the same to me,” Elowise laughed. “It’s been a while since we had such beautiful weather.”

“Everything is coming along so nicely,” Penelope said as she placed her bowl down on the ground. “Oh, Jack, I hope you are pleased with it all!”

“Are you kidding?” I laughed. “It’s all incredible, and I’m so happy to see all my followers getting along with each other.”

“Maybe we could make another mosaic,” Aleia piped up. “Or even a painting for your temple in town. I’m sure there are elves who are good artists.”

“Don’t feel like you need to order that,” I said. “But… I wouldn’t say no if anyone wanted to paint me. Although, it would be much more beneficial for everyone if my gorgeous priestesses were painted instead.”

“We don’t deserve paintings!” Aleia giggled.

“Speak for yourself,” Nicola said as she flicked her hair. “I think I would look great in oils.”

“Uh-oh,” Celeste snorted. “I think all these new gifts are going to her head.”

The priestesses laughed, and I admired their glowing smiles as their happiness filled me with warmth.

Then something suddenly flashed on my interface.

New Town Quest: Gain gnome fortress as a base

Fortress? I looked out at the convent that the gnomes and elves had helped build up from scratch. Surely, this message wasn’t referring to the convent? This space was very much already acquired.

I guessed that meant there were more gnomes out there somewhere, and that we needed to get to them.

The only question was how and where to do this, but since I needed to figure out a plan for the sprites anyway, it looked like we had another reason to set out and explore a bit.

Chapter 4

I looked through my interface to check what my reward would be for securing the fortress.

Reward Upon Quest Completion: Break bread with the gnomes for four hours

I wasn’t quite sure what this reward meant exactly, but I could only assume this meant I’d be able to visit the owners of the fortress if I was successful in my quest. That would mean I’d probably instantly gain them as devout followers, which made me buzz with a sense of accomplishment already.

But first, I had to work out how to find the gnomes’ location without just straight-up asking. It would sound weird if I suddenly knew about this random fortress, but I could suggest we find somewhere with a sturdy defense system for when we took on the distant sprites.

“I was thinking,” I said in my most casual tone. “We’re getting such a strong base here at the convent, but I feel like we need another base to work with, too.”

“Another base?” Celeste asked. “We have Evelhelm?”

“That’s true,” I agreed. “But we’re going to need to journey to the mountains at some point, and we’ll need somewhere closer to Ethan’s lair.”

“The forest is a dangerous place,” Elowise warned. “I know you followed along with Celeste and Aleia in the air last time you ventured that way, but if we travel as a group next time, we will need to be ready with our weapons.”

“Do you know much about the forest near the northern mountains?” I asked. “Maybe you would know somewhere with a strong defense that we could use?”

Elowise glanced at Wilfrim, and I could see that she was hesitant to tell me what she knew.

“We actually have family up that way,” Elowise sighed. “I don’t want to bore anyone with the details of it all, but we don’t exactly always see eye to eye.”

“Oh?” I asked as I mentally pumped my fist in victory. “I would love to hear about them, if it’s not too upsetting.”

“It’s not upsetting,” Wilfrim snorted. “Just irritating. They honestly do my head in.”

“But you have such a lovely family!” Penelope said. “I haven’t met a gnome I didn’t like.”

“You haven’t met this lot,” Elowise said with a weak smile. “A few of my cousins are in their group, and my goodness, are they paranoid!”

“Paranoid?” Nicola cocked an eyebrow. “About what?”

“Everything,” Elowise said. “They really think the entire world is trying to attack them.”

“I reckon they drink a bit too much nettle wine,” Wilfrim grumbled, and Aleia giggled.

“They sound fun.” Nicola grinned. “I want to hear more.”

“They really are very clever,” Elowise said as if she was trying to convince herself. “They honestly make some of the best weaponry I have ever seen.”

“I’ll give them that.” Wilfrim nodded. “They can make you the deadliest weapons you’ll ever lay eyes on.”

“Wow,” Celeste breathed, and her amber eyes lit up. “What kind of weapons?”

“Anything and everything.” Elowise shrugged. “And I mean that. They really do have some things that are a little disturbing, even for my tastes. I dread to think how they dream up these things.”

“I want to see,” Celeste said, and I snorted at how excited the harpy was about the killing machines.

“Where exactly are they?” I asked. “Are they near the mountains?”

“They’re in that direction.” Wilfrim nodded. “Our northern family, we call them.”

“I call them something else,” Elowise muttered. “They are really nice when you get to know them, but they just think everything in the forest is trying to kill them.”

“They told me they think the entire world is going to explode one day,” Nissa said. “That was my only interaction with them. I can’t say I stayed to chat for long.”

“Explode?” Nicola snorted. “What does that even mean?”

“They think there’s some giant volcano somewhere,” Wilfrim sighed and shook his head. “Honestly, dear, I can’t remember half of the things they think are going to kill them. Bloody nutters.”

I was slightly amused at the idea of these super paranoid gnomes who had locked themselves up in a fortress. The fact that they were expert weapon makers did make them more appealing, and I figured their fortress would be pretty solid if they thought some volcano was going to swallow them up.

I didn’t want to laugh too much at them, either. They might have been slightly weird, but they were still Elowise’s family, and I didn’t want to disrespect her in any way.

“Do you think they would speak with us?” I asked. “Is there a god that they worship?”

“I’m not sure,” Elowise answered. “I do think they would be very good followers to have, Jack. They might have some… unusual ideas, but they’re hard-working and loyal. I’ll give them that.”

“And insane,” Wilfrim muttered. “But yes, they are a good bunch deep, deep down.”

“Well,” I said. “I want to strengthen our forces, in case Ethan makes another move. After we defeated his little army, I don’t think it will be long until he strikes again.”

“Do you think he’ll send more sprites?” Aleia asked.

“I think he will,” I admitted. “He has an entire army of them still hovering around the mountains. He would be able to send more whenever he wanted.”

“What a despicable god,” Penelope huffed. “I hope those other gnomes don’t worship him.”

“I don’t think they do,” Elowise said. “I’ve never heard his name mentioned, anyway.”

It sounded like it would take some hard work to win over the fortress, but I knew we would be able to do it. We had a big advantage having Elowise and the others, and surely the gnomes would let us in with their own family among us.

“I want to plan a trip,” I decided. “To leave as soon as possible and travel to meet these gnomes. It’s important for us to secure the fortress as a base for whenever Ethan strikes again.”

“We could leave tomorrow.” Elowise nodded. “We’ve got enough supplies and people here right now. It’s the perfect time to organize a group.”

“Who shall we bring?” Nicola asked. “Will we take the carriage?”

“No,” I said. “I don’t think the carriage will be the best option for moving quickly through the forest. We can take the horses, though, there’s plenty of them now that the elves are here.”

“How many people should we go with?” Wilfrim asked as he looked out at the elves eating their food.

Better bring the ex-soldiers,” I said. “Grez, Nia, and a couple of the other strong elves. Obviously the priestesses, and then whichever members of your family can volunteer themselves.”

“I’ll go,” Elowise offered. “I think it will be good for the northern family to hear a voice they recognize.”

“Me, too.” Wilfrim nodded. “And I know Balabar is always up for a new challenge.”

“Then I should stay with the children,” Nissa said. “If that’s alright, Jack?”

“Of course,” I agreed. “The little ones should be kept as safe as possible, and they need their tough mother here to protect them.”

“I’ll go and tell Balabar.” Nissa smiled and stood up with her empty bowl. “Would you like me to send over the elves you wanted?”

“Yes, please,” I replied. “You’ll all need to organize the provisions.”

“I’ll get the food packed,” Elowise said.

“I’ll help you.” Penelope got to her feet.

“I’ll get weapons ready,” Celeste offered. “We’ll need to make sure we’re ready for anything.”

“That’s true,” I agreed. “Nicola, why don’t you help Celeste gather up some gear?”

“On it.” Nicola nodded as she headed over to the harpy. “Let’s get ready for a fight!”

They headed off and left Aleia and Wilfrim with me.

“Jack!” Grez called as he hurried over to join the fairy and gnome. “Are you over here?”

“He’s funny,” Aleia giggled as the yellow-haired elf stared at the sky.

“Right here, Grez,” I chuckled. “I’m anywhere you need me, in fact. But I have something to ask you.”

“Of course.” Grez nodded seriously. “Whatever you need, my lord.”

“How would you feel about joining us on a trip?” I asked. “Some of my followers are heading north into the deep forest, and I’ll be following along with their journey to look after them. The mission is to find a group of gnomes who live there.”

“Absolutely,” the yellow-haired elf said without hesitation. “How many men do you need?”

“I think four elves,” I said. “Nia, and two others that you think are strong enough.”

“Not a problem,” Grez assured me. “I know just the ones to pick. It’s an honor to come along with you! Can I ask why we need to go to these gnomes? Are they in danger?”

“They think they are,” Wilfrim mumbled.

“Not yet,” I chuckled. “But I have a feeling Ethan will attack again soon. I want to build another base closer to his mountains, so the gnome fortress is perfect.”

“Understood,” Grez said with a salute. “I’ll tell the others. Are we leaving first thing in the morning?”

“We’ll head off early,” I said. “After a good breakfast. Make sure your other elves are okay to keep working here while I’m gone. They’re welcome to sleep here and use anything they like, and if they ever need me, they only need to call my name, but tell everyone to make themselves at home, and thank them for all their hard work.”

“Yes, my lord.” Grez smiled, and he turned on his heels to hurry off and find his fellow soldiers.

“I’ll go and check on Elowise,” Wilfrim said. “I’m sure she’ll have something for me to help with.”

“I imagine she will,” I chuckled. “Thanks, Wilfrim, I can’t wait to meet this distant family of yours.”

“Hmmm,” the old gnome grumbled. “You might change your mind once you actually meet them.”

He shuffled off toward the kitchen and left Aleia fluttering her wings as she rubbed her belly.

“What shall I do Jack?” the fairy asked. “I’ll do any tasks you need before bed.”

“Are you okay?” I asked. “You seem a little down.”

“I’m fine.” She smiled. “I’m just being silly. I was really sad I didn’t get to spend some time with you today when you came down to visit.”

“I’m sorry,” I said gently, and her sweet frown almost broke my heart. “How about you head off to bed now and get a good night of rest.”

“I don’t mind helping out,” she insisted. “Is there anything else that needs to be done?”

“I want you to rest,” I said firmly. “Because the faster you fall asleep, the faster I can make it up to you.”

“Oh!” Aleia squealed. “I didn’t mean to complain!”

“Not at all,” I chuckled. “I missed you today, too, and I really want to spend some dream time with you. I have plans on how to cheer you up.”

“I feel better already,” the fairy giggled. “Oh, Jack, are you really sure?”

“Bed,” I growled. “Now.”

Aleia grinned as she fluttered into the air and made her way to the sleeping quarters. The sky was growing dark around the convent, and everyone was bustling around preparing for the following day. Aleia hummed to herself as she climbed under the velvet sheets, and she gave the most adorable yawn as she got comfortable. I could tell it wouldn’t take long for her to fall asleep, and I enjoyed watching the beautiful fairy’s eyes flutter.

The stars began to appear outside, and soon Aleia was making gentle little snoring sounds. I saw a white flash, and then I was with the fairy inside her dream.

I was delighted to find her already naked, and she was lying back on the velvet sheets so I had a view of her perfect body. Her lilac wings fluttered against the fabric, and she smiled shyly up at me as she bit her bottom lip.

“Wow,” I breathed. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she giggled. “Where do you want me, my lord?”

I moaned at her words, and I would have fucked her literally anywhere on any planet.

“You can choose,” I decided. “I want you to think of where you would like me to fuck you.”

The fairy grinned and blushed as she sat up.

“There are lots of stars out tonight, in this dream world,” she said. “Maybe we can go outside?”

“Of course,” I said, and I reached my hand out to help her up.

She gripped me tightly, and I admired every little curve of her petite body as she jumped to her feet. It was all I could do not to just ravage her right there and then, but if she wanted stars, then she would get them.

We walked out into the open air, and the black sky was brightened by the full moon.

“It’s so beautiful,” Aleia sighed as she gripped my hand tightly.

“Not as beautiful as you are,” I murmured. “How about we go a little outside the convent? Down near the creek?”

The fairy nodded, and I led her out of the limestone walls. I wanted to find the perfect spot to make her happy, and I didn’t exactly mind the view of her naked body strolling alongside me.

As the creek came into view, I spotted the perfect little clearing near the edge that had some bright pink flowers all around it. I led Aleia over to the spot and pulled her in for a deep kiss. The sound of the water beside us was relaxing, and I groaned as I roamed my hands over the fairy’s body. My cock was rock hard as I pinched her pert nipples just a couple times, and I took a step back to admire her.

“Master,” she said shyly. “How can I serve you?”

I stroked her soft cheek and then guided her onto the soft grass. Aleia sat down near the bank, and I gently pushed both her knees to open her legs.

“Jack?” she giggled.

“My beautiful priestess,” I said. “Let me show you how much I love you.”

I lowered myself down so my face was between her legs, and I could see her pussy was already glistening with arousal. Aleia moaned as I kissed her thighs and slowly worked my way up to her mound.

“I want to make you cum,” I breathed. “Like a good little priestess.”

The fairy gasped as I began to softly lick her slit and probe past her labia with my tongue. She tasted sweeter than anything I’d ever tasted, and her little cries drove me wild. I gripped her thighs as she began to rock gently against my touch, and my tongue focused on her clit.

“My lord!” she moaned. “Oh! That feels amazing!”

I sped up my pace and lapped at her sweet spot as she began to pant. It only took a few more movements of my tongue, and the fairy wailed as her whole body suddenly shook.

After her orgasm had subsided, I sat back with a grin as I watched her flushed face.

“Thank you!” she gasped. “Oh, Jack, please let me worship you with my mouth next.”

She seemed like she was in a frenzy as she pushed up onto her knees, and her green eyes were wide as I pushed her hair behind her ear.

“My lord, I want to taste your seed,” Aleia whispered like it was a dirty secret. “I want you to cum all over me!”

“Oh, my,” I chuckled. “Someone’s feeling filthy. You want your lord’s cum on your pretty face?”

“Yes, please?” Aleia whimpered.

I got to my feet and stood over the fairy as she shuffled closer. She looked ridiculously hot as she knelt in front of me with her little wings fluttering eagerly, and I moaned as her soft hand reached out for my hard cock. Then she gripped the base of my erection and began to lick right up the length of my shaft.

“Oh, fuck,” I moaned, and I gripped her hair as she worked.

Her breath was warm against my skin, and I gasped as she slid her soft lips over the head of my cock. The fairy began to eagerly take more and more of my shaft into her small mouth, and her warm tongue felt fucking incredible.

“That’s right,” I groaned. “Good girl. Take my whole cock inside your mouth for me.”

Aleia moaned as she sucked and licked me, and it looked like she was getting just as much pleasure from it as I was. She looked up at me with wide green eyes, and I nearly came from the sight alone.

I started to feel light-headed as the fairy’s mouth worked with more urgency, and I knew I was going to cum soon.

“Fuck yesss, just like that,” I breathed as Aleia sped up, and her soft lips went right down to the base of my shaft.

I pulled her back by her hair as warmth overcame me, and she slid off my cock and sat back on her heels with an obedient glint in her eyes.

“Good girl,” I growled as I finally released, and I came hard as a firehouse while I looked down at the sexy fairy.

I sprayed my seed all over her tits first, but then she gasped with delight as some hit her face, so I gave her a bit to lap up as well.

She looked so hot sitting there and dripping with my cum, and I was suddenly very grateful that my god-dick never went slack on me because I wasn’t nearly done with the pretty little fairy.

“Thank you!” Aleia moaned. “Oh, my lord, your warm seed is all over me!”

“Such a dirty priestess,” I growled. “I think you might need to be purified.”

“Yes, master,” the fairy gasped. “I need you to do whatever you want with me!”

Her words made my cock throb painfully, and I lowered myself to the ground beside her. Aleia looked perfect with my seed glistening all over her, and I just needed to be deep inside her at that moment.

“Come here,” I ordered. “I want you to straddle me so I can look at your dirty little body.”

The fairy hurried over as she giggled, and she swung her legs around me so she was hovering above my erection.

I grabbed at her tits roughly and played with her nipples as she lined her pussy up over my cock.

“Please,” she whimpered. “My lord, I need it.”

“What do you need?” I grinned. “I want you to say it for me.”

“Oh,” she gasped. “I want my lord to fuck me! Please, master, I need it so much.”

“You do, don’t you?” I murmured as I pinched both of her nipples. “My dirty fairy needs my cum deep inside her as well as all over her body. You just can’t get enough.”

“Yessss.” The fairy nodded vigorously. “I need to be holy by having your seed everywhere! Purify me, please!”

I gripped her hips as I began to guide her down, and I shuddered with pleasure as my rock-hard cock slid inside her sopping wet pussy.

She felt so tight and slick, and I held her in place for a second as she moaned.

“You feel amazing,” I whispered. “If you’re really good, then I’ll touch those sensitive wings of yours, too.”

Aleia moaned and began to slide up and down on my cock. My hands roamed all over her body as she bounced, and I kept pinching her nipples once in a while to make her cry out.

I thrusted up to meet her movements and watched her gorgeous face glow in the moonlight as I fucked her, and I could hardly wrap my brain around the fact that this flawless and adorable fairy was carrying my child in her womb.

Aleia let out the cutest squeak as she suddenly gripped my shoulders tightly, and she started whimpering with every movement as she moved up and down along my cock.

“You’re so deep and hard inside of me,” she breathed. “Oh, Jack, I love it when you love me like this.”

“Your pussy is so tight, I can hardly fit,” I groaned. “You feel so good.”

“Am I a good priestess now?” Aleia asked with wide eyes.

I chuckled as I watched her perfect body writhe on top of mine, and it was so hot to hear her desperation to please me.

“You are,” I whispered, and I reached out to gently stroke the corner of her lilac wings. “Such a good priestess.”

As I touched her, Aleia let out a long whine, and she dug her nails into my shoulders as her whole body shuddered. I felt her pussy clench even tighter around me, and I moaned as I grabbed her hips again.

Touching her sensitive wings seemed to give her a whole new burst of energy, and she began to move up and down on my cock so quickly that I gasped.

I carefully moved Aleia as I gripped her waist and pushed her back so she was leaning on her elbows. Then I stepped forward to kiss her, and I thrusted as deep as I could as I put my lips on hers.

Nothing in the universe mattered except her in that moment, and I started to fuck her deeply as she closed her eyes and moaned.

“Jack,” she whispered against my lips. “I’m going to cum again.”

“Good,” I breathed as I thrust even deeper into her tight body. “Cum for me, Aleia.”

The fairy’s breathing began to speed up, and I felt electricity race through my veins as I neared my own climax. Aleia suddenly whimpered as her tunnel walls tightened, and my orgasm washed over me like a tidal wave. I groaned as pleasure and warmth raced through my body all at once, and I felt my cream coursing into the fairy’s quivering tunnel.

Our warm bodies stayed pressed against each other while we both rode out our orgasms, and I kissed Aleia’s glowing forehead as I slowly slid out of her at last.

“Wow,” I gasped as I sat back. “You feel incredible.”

“So do you!” The fairy giggled with wide eyes. “Oh, my goodness, Jack, I don’t think I have ever felt that sensitive before. Did you enjoy the way I worshipped you?”

“You know I did.” I smiled. “I hope you liked being under the stars tonight.”

Aleia crawled over to me, and I put my arm around her as we both looked up at the twinkling sky.

“I love you,” I whispered and kissed the top of her strawberry-blonde head.

“I love you, too.” She smiled. “Thank you for making sure I was okay after missing you today.”

“Of course,” I said. “I can’t have my lovely priestess feeling down. Especially with our baby growing inside of you.”

Aleia let out a blissful sigh as I placed my hand on her small, slim tummy, and I could practically feel her happiness radiating from her whole body.

“I feel so special whenever I’m with you,” the fairy said barely above a whisper.

“You are special,” I murmured. “You’re mine.”

Aleia giggled and left the cutest kiss on my cheek.

“Now, let’s get you some rest before the big journey tomorrow,” I chuckled.

We got to our feet, and I held Aleia’s hand as we made our way back to the convent. As much as I loved sex with her, I was just as happy strolling hand in hand under the stars beside the pretty fairy. I could barely peel my eyes away from her freckled face and cum-slicked tits, and I couldn’t wait to see her as a mother when that time came.

She was easily the cutest woman I’d ever known, but she was also so strong and brave, and feisty as hell when she wanted to be.

Once we were back in the priestesses’ sleeping quarters, Aleia gave me a quick kiss before she crawled under the covers. I felt myself drifting away a moment later, and I was once more back in my godly form.

The convent was quiet, and as my followers rested, I thought about the upcoming trip to the deep forest.

I had no idea what Ethan’s next move would be, but I had a feeling it would be worse than a town’s worth of sprites. If he had thousands of those orange creatures under his control, then who knew what other dangerous beasts he lorded over?

And if my interface wanted me to gain the gnome base, that must mean that Ethan would be attacking soon.

I knew I had the best bunch of followers I could have hoped for, but I couldn’t help wondering if Ethan had way, way more. Then again, I had the toughest, smartest, and most loyal people imaginable, and they had already proven their worth to me. All of us were in this fight together, and with them on my side, I had a good feeling my numbers would only grow more once we reached the gnome base.

I figured it would still take a bit of persuasion to get these fortress gnomes to open up, but surely they would be happy to let their own family inside.

Once we had that extra base, our plan of attack would be much more solid. Especially if they had all of these insane weapons at their disposal. That was definitely something I was eager to get my hands on.

My actual, physical hands.

Because whatever Ethan’s next move was, I knew without a doubt that it would result in battle. If I could figure out the exact rules of my fifteen minute gift, then I would be able to plan how much I could fight beside my loyal followers in my physical form.

I also knew now how crazily strong I was in those visits now, so I felt it was my duty to put that to good use against this asshole god if I could.

The notion made me think that maybe I should start timing the breaks between visits in order to get the specifics straight for my battle strategies, but that was difficult without any kind of stopwatch.

For now, all that mattered was keeping my followers safe, and as the night sped by, I thought of nothing else but destroying the fucker named Ethan.

Chapter 5

The sun had barely started to rise in the sky when the convent sprang to life. Maybe it was the excitement of the journey, but everyone seemed to wake up much earlier than usual. The sky was a dusty pink as the morning crept in, and Nicola was the first of the priestesses to stir.

She mumbled as she sat up with a yawn and stretched out her golden limbs.

“Good morning,” I said. “Ready for an adventure?”

“Yes.” She grinned. “I’m actually really excited to see these deep northern parts of the forest. Also, the gnomes sound hilarious.”

“They sound interesting,” I chuckled. “I’m going to see how everyone is getting on outside. Can you wake the others up?”

“I am only one woman,” Nicola sighed, and she prodded Penelope.

I joined the elves outside and found Grez standing in the middle of the convent with Nia and two others. I could tell immediately they were his picks for the journey as they were all much more muscular than their fellow townsfolk.

“Morning,” I said. “Is this our crew for the journey today?”

The yellow-haired elf grinned and sent a cheery wave toward the sky.

“Good morning, my lord,” Grez said. “Yes! These are the fine folk who are a force to be reckoned with. You already know Nia, and this is Azza and Myra.”

The two elves nodded in turn, and I was pleased to see they were already armed with swords on their hips.

Azza was slightly shorter than Grez, and he had spiky green hair that was the closest thing I had seen to a buzzcut since I woke up in this world. He had a stern, chiseled face, and I got the feeling he was a no-nonsense type of guy.

Myra was the smallest of the group, but she still had a well-sculpted body with muscles she’d clearly worked hard for. She had a mass of lilac hair tied tightly in a ponytail, and a very pretty face with soft, round features.

“Excellent,” I said. “I’m really grateful for you all coming along. We want to have as much protection as possible as we travel through the forest.”

“I’m excited,” Myra said. “You saved my family home during that sprite attack, Jack. This is my chance to repay you.”

“You don’t have any debt to me,” I assured her. “But I’m happy you’re here. Grez picked you all out personally, so I have complete faith in your abilities.”

The elves grinned as they puffed out their chests, and then they turned to see Elowise hurrying over with a platter of fruit.

“Eat up!” the gnome instructed as she passed the plate to Myra. “I know how long and dangerous this road is, and I want you all fueled up properly before we set off.”

“You’re a wise woman,” I chuckled. “I hope you’ve had something to eat, too.”

“Of course.” The gnome smiled. “I’ve been up for ages! I wanted to make sure Nissa was really okay with staying behind.”

“And is she?” I asked.

“Oh, yes.” Elowise nodded. “She’s very interested in all the carpentry, so she’s more than happy to help out with that as she looks after the little ones.”

“Glad to hear it,” I said. “Now, we’ll need to get our horses all ready for the trip.”

“We have everything packed,” Elowise told me. “Penelope helped me fill the bags with food last night. We just need to get them all loaded up on the horses.”

“We’ll bring four of ours,” Grez offered. “They can carry a surprising amount while we ride them.”

“They’re specially bred.” Nia nodded.

“They were bred by a witch!” Myra said excitedly, and the other elves stared at her.

“We don’t know that,” Nia said with a raised eyebrow. “But they are stronger than any other horses we’ve owned. We’ll go and get them ready. We have some spare bag saddles if you want some for your horses.”

“Bag saddles?” I asked. “I’m not sure what that means.”

“They’re made for carrying heavy loads,” the pink-haired elf explained.

“They have attachments on the sides for bags and weapons. Very handy for traveling market owners.”

“Brilliant,” I said as I realized she was describing saddle bags. “We’ll take what you can spare.”

The elves nodded and strode off to get their horses ready as they finished munching on their fruit.

The priestesses emerged into the convent grounds, and I was excited to see they had brand-new outfits on. Ryal hurried out behind them, and I figured the elf had brought them some of the new clothes for the trip.

Every single one of the women looked devastatingly gorgeous this morning. Aleia had on the pale blue skirt she had admired earlier, paired with a black bodice that clung to her petite frame.

Celeste had tight black pants that showed off her long legs, and a scarlet top that matched her wings. The red material was floaty, but it still showed off her impressive cleavage.

Nicola wore a dark green dress that looked incredible against her golden-toned skin, and it only just skimmed her knees to show off her sculpted calves.

Penelope looked ethereal in a floaty, short white skirt. The material sparkled, and she had a little top made of the same material that barely covered her full breasts.

I joined the women as they walked across the grounds and gave them a little whistle of approval.

“You all look amazing,” I murmured.

“We thought you would like them.” Nicola grinned, and she did a little spin so that the emerald material twirled above her knees.

“They’re made with amazing fabric,” Penelope admired. “It’s really lightweight, I don’t even feel like I’m wearing anything.”

“That would be the next best thing,” I chuckled. “I’m glad you all love your outfits, though, they all suit you so well.”

“Watch this!” Celeste said, and she raised her leg high into an impressive kick as the black fabric of her pants stretched with no problem.

“How often are you going to need to do that?” Nicola snorted.

“You never know.” The harpy shrugged. “It’s just good to be flexible.”

The women walked over to Elowise, and the gnome smiled as she admired their outfits.

“You all look wonderful!” she said. “I hope you’re well rested.”

“Ready for an adventure.” Aleia smiled. “What should we help with, Jack?”

I looked around the grounds and was pleased to see the elves leading their horses over from the back. There were two brown, one white, and one chestnut-colored animal, and I suddenly noticed that they did look strangely muscular for horses.

Each animal had a dark brown saddle with a couple of sacks attached to each side so there was room for the rider, too.

“Go and get our horses,” I said. “Smokey and Ember maybe aren’t quite as big as those guys, but they’ll be able to carry a few bags as well as riders.”

“I’ll get them,” Nicola said, and she hurried off to the back of the convent with her emerald dress shining under the morning sun.

The gnomes had brought out everything that had been packed the previous night, and they placed all the bags and weapons in a pile waiting for the horses.

Balabar was giving all his kids goodbye hugs, and Morrick was arguing that he was old enough to go on the adventure.

The architect elf who had been taking measurements was standing nearby with a cup of tea, and he hummed to himself while he admired the sunshine.

“Hello,” I said softly so I didn’t startle him. “I just wanted to check to see if you have everything you need? I’m not sure how long we’ll be gone, but don’t feel pressured to have to build anything.”

“Oh, hello!” The elf smiled. “Yes, now that I have my measurements, I’m going to get started drawing up plans this morning. My two sons work in the quarry, so I have access to whatever materials I need.”

“Great!” I said. “You seem like you have it all under control. I trust you to make the changes you think will work.”

“It’s nice to have a god who trusts me.” The elf smiled even wider. “I’m Erris, by the way.”

“Well, Erris,” I said. “It’s nice to have an expert around here that can make the convent even better. I’ll leave you to your tea.”

As I made my way around the elves, it was clear there was a general feeling of excitement and happiness. They seemed thrilled to all have new projects to work on, and to be trusted enough by their god to just be left to it. I made sure they all knew how grateful I was for their work, and that they were welcome to any supplies or food they wanted during their stay.

It seemed like we were really leaving the convent in the best hands possible, and I was so grateful to have my new elven army.

Ember and Smokey got saddled up, and the priestess carefully loaded up their supplies onto the leather saddles.

“Right,” Wilfrim said as he rubbed his hands together. “Food, weapons, blankets, water, horse treats. Is that everything?”

“I think so,” Elowise said thoughtfully. “The map is right up here in our heads, so I think we’re ready to go whenever, Jack!”

“Fantastic,” I said. “Okay, everyone, let’s get going while it’s still bright and early! We’re leaving the convent in very capable hands.”

“Bye!” Morrick shouted as he gave his dad one final hug. “Be careful of any forest monsters.”

“We will,” Balabar said as he patted his son’s head. “You make sure to help out your mother with the little ones, okay?”

The gnome boy nodded and ran back over to Nissa.

The elves who were staying all gathered around and called out goodbyes with cheerful waves, and we started to make our way out of the convent.

Elowise and Wilfrim rode on Smokey, and Balabar had taken Ember. The priestesses had insisted they were fine to walk, but the elves had said they could jump on their horses whenever they needed to.

“How long will it take to get there?” Celeste asked as the gnomes led the group along the road.

“It depends,” Elowise called back. “If we don’t meet anything along the way, we should get there before nightfall. If we need to make any stops, it could be a full day,”

“If we don’t meet anything?” Nicola asked with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Don’t worry,” Celeste said. “We’ve got all the weapons we need.”

“And you can kick so high,” Nicola teased. “We’re untouchable.”

The harpy shoved the brunette with a giggle, and I felt a phantom smile as I watched my women joke around.

The gnomes led the way along the road as if we were going to Evelhelm, but instead of continuing along it to the road signs, they made a sharp turn into what looked like dense woodland.

“This way!” Elowise called, and she led Smokey through a narrow gap between trees.

The elves’ horses had more of a tight squeeze following the gnomes, but once they got through the thin opening, there was a wide path laid out ahead. It was dusty and overgrown, and it didn’t look like there were any fresh footprints in the mud.

“I take it this isn’t a road that’s traveled very much?” I asked, and Elowise nodded.

“Oh, yes,” she said. “It’s a bit of a hidden one. Of course, if you know the way, then it’s easy, but not many folks have reason to leave the comfort of their own homes to travel to the deep forest.”

The priestesses walked in the middle of the group, with the gnomes in front and the elves on either side. It was a gorgeous day, and the sun peeked through the treetops enough to make the women’s new clothes glisten. I tried to focus on the task at hand, but it was difficult with the priestesses all looking so invitingly tasty.

As the group walked, I kept thinking I could hear a strange bird nearby. It was like a soft ticking noise, but muted.

“Can anyone hear a noise?” I asked. “It’s like a dull tick?”

The elves drew their swords as they stared into the surrounding trees, and the gnomes narrowed their eyes as they glanced up at the sunny sky.

“I can hear it.” Penelope nodded. “I think it might just be the bags hitting against the horses’ sides.”

“Um,” Aleia said as she flushed pink. “Don’t worry, everyone, it’s just something in my coin pouch.”

“What is it?” Nicola asked. “That’s not money clinking together.”

The fairy looked very sheepish as she reached into the satin bag and pulled out what looked like a pocket watch. It was silver metal with swirling, turquoise patterns, and there were two little dots moving around the face. One was going faster than the other, so I guessed they were like second and minute hands. There were six symbols around the circle, and a thin chain that was attached to the top.

“A clock?” Celeste asked. “Why do you have one of those?”

The fairy looked around, and she seemed to be making sure that nobody other than her fellow priestesses could hear her.

“Well,” Aleia hummed. “I said to Ryal that I really wanted one, and he said I could take his. I gave him some money for it so he could buy another.”

“And why do you want it?” Nicola asked.

“I… I thought it could help Jack,” Aleia said, and her voice shook just a tiny bit with nerves. “I thought… maybe it could help work out how much time he has between coming down to see us.”

The fairy was now a deep shade of red, and I wanted to scoop her up into a hug from how adorably embarrassed she looked. It was a great idea, but I hadn’t even realized this world had clocks, or I would have suggested it ages ago. I had a suspicion that she was embarrassed because she had her own reasons for wanting to time me, though. After our dream session the night before, maybe she wanted to know when she could get the real thing.

I could tease her a little later on about it, but for now, I decided to help her out of her embarrassment.

“Great plan!” I praised the fairy. “Next time I come down, make sure to take note of the time. Then I can keep trying again, and we’ll be able to figure it out.”

“Yes,” Aleia squeaked. “That’s exactly what I thought. It was all for the cause of the quest.”

The other priestesses smirked at each other, but they didn’t say anything as the fairy shoved the pocket watch back into her coin purse.

The elves still had their eyes on the surrounding woodlands, and I was confident they hadn’t heard any of the clock discussion. I still wanted to keep my own confusion about the fifteen minute gift from them. There were some things that were only for my women to know.

The gnomes led the way through the trees as the sun rose above the forest. There wasn’t even a breeze in the air, and the women chatted away happily about the new changes being made to the convent.

“I wonder how different it will look when we get back!” Penelope said excitedly. “I can’t wait to see the new rooms they build. Oh! And the little crib as well!”

“It’s going to be perfect,” Aleia sighed. “Especially when the little ones come along.”

I noticed that the gnomes were oddly quiet, and I watched as their eyes darted between the gaps in the trees around them.

“Everything okay?” I asked. “Is there something you’re looking out for?”

“We’re just being vigilant,” Wilfrim said. “The deeper north we get into the forest, the stranger the animals up here become.”

“What kinds of animals?” Nicola asked. “Anything we should be seriously worried about?”

“Where to begin?” Wilfrim chuckled. “The centaurs are a pretty hostile bunch, especially if you trespass on their hunting grounds.”

“Then there’s the ogres.” Elowise nodded. “They’re not very bright, but they’re huge and well built. I’ve never met one myself, but I believe we lost a distant cousin to one once.”

“Imps are said to live deep in the forest, too,” Wilfrim said. “Those are clever creatures, and they usually travel in little groups.”

Even though I was traveling with gnomes and elves, it felt bizarre to hear these creatures being listed as potential threats. I was curious to know what all the animals looked like, and if the people of Earth had been close on their descriptions of any of them.

“Of course, not all the creatures around have any interest in causing harm,” Elowise said. “But it’s always good to be ready.”

“That’s very true,” I agreed. “I’m glad you’re so knowledgeable about these things.”

The group quieted down slightly after the mention of so many monsters, and everyone kept a firm grip on their weapons as they went. It felt like an hour or two had passed when the road started to open up, and the trees dispersed to show off a small lake on the right-hand side.

The water was a stunning, bright blue, and I was grateful to see it didn’t look wide enough to be hiding a kraken down in the depths.

“Wow,” Penelope gasped. “Oh, it’s so pretty!”

“I’m not sure I trust lakes again quite yet,” Celeste said as she eyed the surface. “But it does look beautiful.”

“There are some stunning sights on this trip.” Elowise nodded. “Does anyone need to splash their faces or dip their feet?”

“I could do with a quick step in,” Nia said. “The sun’s been hitting my neck for a while, and I’m a bit warm.”

Everyone slowed down their horses and headed over to the edge of the lake. I was wary about it after the kraken incident, but I didn’t want to become paranoid, so I just kept my gaze on the water, ready to call out if I spotted the slightest hint of a shadow.

The priestesses bent down to splash water over their faces, and the elves pulled off their boots and stepped into the lake.

“I wonder how long it will be until we can see the storm,” Penelope said as she glanced up at the bright sky.

“I could check if I flew up,” Celeste pointed out. “I don’t really want to, though. It’s kind of nice just enjoying the scenery and forgetting the whole murderous god thing for a while.”

“We need to keep our guards up,” I said. “Ethan’s territory is closer than you think.”

“It’s so creepy,” Aleia shivered. “Having him and his Squall Sprites so close by.”

“Not for much longer,” I promised. “We’re going to work out how to defeat him, once and for all.”

“Do you think he’s strong?” Nicola asked as she ran her fingertips through the water. “You’re such a powerful god, Jack. Do you think he could be, too?”

“He can’t be,” Penelope scoffed. “Jack is clearly the best god. His devoted followers prove how wonderful he is. Ethan just has some sprites!”

“That’s very kind,” I said. “But honestly, I think we need to prepare for this asshole being just as powerful as I am.”

The group fell silent, and Penelope looked devastated as she pulled on her blonde hair.

“That doesn’t mean we won’t win,” I said firmly. “We will. He might have powers and strength, but his whole thing seems to be terrifying people into following him. He’s not going to keep his army loyal if they’re just scared of him. We have trust and love on our side, and I know that sounds super cheesy, but it’s true.”

“Cheese?” Grez asked. “What cheese?”

“It’s a godly expression,” Penelope whispered. “It means silly.”

“Oh.” Grez nodded, but he still looked confused.

“Let’s get going,” I chuckled. “Grab some water from the jugs and a snack, and we’ll start off again.”

Everyone got out from the edge of the lake, and the elves passed around water and dried strips of meat jerky. Nicola made sure all the horses had a treat, and then the gnomes led the way back onto the overgrown road.

The walk continued to become more and more beautiful, and I lost track of time as we passed huge caves and sparkling streams. There were a few brightly-colored birds that soared overhead as the group traveled, and the priestesses took it in turns to swap with the elves on the horses.

“Why don’t you come and join us, Jack?” Nicola asked as she rode on the chestnut elven horse. “I miss your handsome face.”

“Me, too,” Aleia said. “Oh, we could try and time it!”

“I would love to,” I said. “But I want to save my energy in case something happens that I need to help with. I don’t want to be needed on the ground right after I’ve used a visit up for fun.”

“Fine,” Nicola huffed. “But I miss you!”

“Let’s focus on the quest,” I chuckled. “What’s the plan for winning over these gnomes?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Wilfrim said.

“We should pretend to know about the exploding volcano, too,” Aleia giggled. “Maybe they’ll let us in.”

“I doubt it.” Elowise smiled. “They’ll probably think you’re a volcano monster being sent to trick them.”

“Volcano monster?” Penelope cried. “What is that?”

“They’re not real, dear,” Elowise chuckled. “Well, I don’t think they are anyway.”

“I think honesty is our best bet,” I laughed. “And we’ve packed plenty of food, maybe they’ll accept some of it as payment.”

“We packed loads of baked treats,” Myra said. “If they say no to the lemon bread, then nothing will work.”

“And we have weapons,” Azza added as he nodded his green-haired head. “Those usually do the trick.”

The stony-faced elf kept one hand on his sword hilt as he spoke, and Myra wrinkled her nose at him.

“Getting into the fortress is just the start of the battle,” I told the group. “Even after we win the gnomes’ trust, we’ve still got a long fight ahead of us. We need to stay alert because Ethan could launch an attack at any moment. He could have creatures watching us right now.”

“Ew,” Aleia shivered. “That’s scary.”

“I’m going to fly up,” Celeste decided. “Aleia, do you want to come?”

The fairy nodded, and the two winged priestesses soared up past the treetops. Celeste sighed as she spread her scarlet wings out fully, and the two women stared out into the distance. The mountains were just visible from their spot, and the orange hue of the storm made my stomach crawl.

“There it is,” Celeste sighed. “At least it hasn’t spread any more. Although, it’s hard to tell from this distance.”

I noticed something odd as we looked out over the forest, and I couldn’t work out if it was just a trick of the light or not.

The leaves on the trees were a much deeper green than earlier in the forest, and they looked like there was an iridescent shine to them. It was like they were glowing.

“Do the treetops look odd to you?” I asked, and the women looked down.

“Oh, yes.” Aleia nodded. “They’re shiny?”

“It looks like they’re covered in dew,” Celeste said. “But it’s sunny and dry. That’s so weird, but it’s beautiful!”

“Well,” Aleia said. “At least we know we’re going in the right direction. I can’t see the fortress from here, but Elowise said it’s between the convent and the northern mountains.”

The women flew back down to rejoin the group, and Penelope had taken a turn on one of the horses.

“Let me know if it’s comfortable enough,” Grez said. “I know you have a little one riding with you! I can put a blanket down to soften it a bit?”

“I’m fine.” Penelope smiled. “Thank you, though, that’s very sweet. You’ll make a very good father one day!”

Grez glanced at Myra and then hurriedly looked away with flushed cheeks.

Penelope and Nicola caught the look and smirked at each other, but then a noise suddenly rang out over the road.

It sounded like something heavy had fallen down, and everyone stopped their horses as we listened out for another sound.

“Where did that even come from?” Penelope muttered as she stared ahead.

Her question was answered when Myra was thrown from her horse as a huge, gray hand punched into her shoulder.

Everyone spun around to see an eight-foot-tall, humanoid creature staring out from the trees.

“Ogre!” Elowise shouted, and everyone drew their weapons.

Chapter 6

“Myra!” I shouted as I looked down at the lilac-haired elf, but Grez leapt off his own horse to grab her before the ogre stomped down on the spot where she’d landed.

Then the group jumped into action as the ogre let out a deep cry.

The beast was wide as well as tall, and its skin looked like it had bits of moss growing in the joints. It appeared to be male, and had a filthy rag covering its groin area. The eyes were a dull blue color, and the overgrown fingernails on its club-like hands were yellow and chipped.

Celeste and Aleia flew into the air immediately, and that seemed to distract the ogre for a second. The harpy was armed with her sword, and the fairy gripped her mace in her delicate but strong hands.

“Bastard!” Elowise was the first to attack, and she launched a small dagger right at the ogre’s head.

The blade whacked off the beast’s temple with a dull thud and fell to the ground without even breaking an inch of skin.

“This thing has a strong hide!” I yelled. “Aim for weak spots like the throat, eyes, and ankles!”

The ogre took another step from the trees, and the ground shook as it slammed a foot down onto the road.

Azza was still on his horse, and as he raised his sword, the ogre swiped at the animal’s face. The horse whinnied as it was struck in the head with a massive hand, and the poor creature tumbled to the ground with its rider. Azza managed to leap to his feet before the horse crushed him, and he quickly guided his frazzled steed back up onto its feet.

“Get the horses out of the way,” I said. “They’ll just get themselves killed!”

Azza and Nicola hurriedly grabbed the reins of all the animals, and they led them away from the group to a spot further up the road.

“Space out,” I ordered. “You’re all too close together. The ogre will be able to knock you over easier as a group.”

The gnomes, elves, and priestesses all jumped apart in their groups, and the ogre growled as it swung its head around to look at each of them.

Then Penelope charged just as the gray beast turned, and she brought her sword down against its upper arm. The enchanted sword did manage to cut the skin, but the ogre swung back around before the naiad could bring the blade down any deeper.

Penelope leapt back as the ogre swiped an arm toward her, and Nicola pulled the naiad away before the massive hand could reach her.

The gnomes had loaded up their crossbows, and Balabar aimed and fired a bolt right into the ogre’s neck. I groaned as the impact did little damage, and the ogre reached up and plucked the bolt out like it was an annoying bug.

There was a very small patch of broken skin, but the dark blood was barely even visible.

I quickly studied my interface and made the decision to transfer two speed points to Aleia along with two agility points to Celeste. I figured the women in the sky would make the most use out of them, and every little bit of help was needed.

As soon as the points were distributed, the fairy flew so quickly past the ogre that I could barely see her. She slammed her mace onto the ogre’s shoulder at full force, and the gray beast cried out as the skin broke.

The ogre suddenly roared in fury and lunged at the elves, and Celeste plummeted down with her sword held out. She tried to swipe at the creature’s skull right as it looked up at her, but the harpy had to twirl to the side at the last second to avoid the ogre’s flailing hand. Celeste wasted no time before flying back again, and she managed to scrape her blade right over the top of the ogre’s skull.

That cut was the first to draw a decent amount of blood, and drops of red began to ooze down the ogre’s head.

The gray beast screamed and showed off crooked, broken teeth as it glared up at the harpy.

“Nice!” I yelled. “It’s got its eyes on Celeste now, so Aleia, can you fly in behind it?”

The fairy sped around so she was facing the ogre’s spine, and she swung her mace around to make contact with the base of the back. The impact of her weapon made a dull crunch, and it sounded like she had definitely done some damage.

Then Aleia quickly flew back up as the ogre spun around, and the elves charged forward as a group.

Grez and Nia managed to get their blades into the beast’s belly, but the ogre swung around again before they could cut very deep. His massive, gray arm hit Grez square in the chest next, and the yellow-haired elf grunted heavily as he was flung backward onto the road.

Azza and Myra grabbed each of Grez’s arms, and they managed to haul their friend out of the way before the ogre’s giant foot came down onto the ground again.

The ogre’s size and thick skin were protecting it well, and it was difficult for anyone to get near enough to properly do any debilitating damage.

Celeste dove down once more as the ogre focused on the elves. Then she swung her leg around so her foot connected with the beast’s eye, and the ogre howled and stopped in its tracks as it clutched its face.

“Nice kick!” I shouted. “Quickly, use this time to attack!”

The entire group hurried forward with various weapons held up, and the ogre screamed as blades and bolts connected with its dull skin.

A few wounds were deep enough to draw blood, but the attack mainly just made the ogre really fucking mad.

Because its arms were so heavy, it was hard for anyone to get close enough to do any lasting damage. The few wounds the ogre had weren’t bleeding out as much as I hoped they would, and the beast showed no signs of giving up.

Celeste and Aleia had managed to get a good few blows in from above, and they were able to distract the ogre whenever it got too close to the others, but as I watched the fight and instructed my followers, I debated coming down to help.

There were so many skilled fighters, and I didn’t want to waste my chance on something they could probably kill alone anyway. What if they turned the corner and ten more ogres appeared? There was always the possibility something bigger would come along, and I wanted to be able to save them when it was really necessary.

“Jack,” Celeste grunted as she wiped her brow. “It’s not getting any weaker!”

“Yes, it is,” I insisted. “It might not be showing it just yet, but every blow and cut will weaken it. You’ve got this. You all do. Celeste and Aleia, I want you to fly around its head and distract it. Gnomes, while they do that, I want you to go for its ankles.”

The group nodded, and the winged women swooped down toward the gray creature’s face.

The flurry of brightly-colored wings seemed to alarm the ogre, and it made a dull roar as it tried to bat the priestesses away. The women were just a few inches out of reach, though, and they made taunting noises as the beast desperately swung for them.

The gnomes moved fast with small blades outstretched, and they scuttled toward the trunk-like legs. Elowise and Wilfrim dove at the right foot, and Balabar took the left. They stabbed their blades into the ogre’s flesh right above the feet, and then the gnomes hurried away as the beast kicked and screamed.

I had been right, the ankles were a weak enough spot for blood to pour out of the gray skin. Dark red blobs fell onto the muddy ground, and the ogre made a new noise. It was a much more guttural and feral howl than before, and its dark eyes studied the group as it stood still.

“Be careful,” I warned as the group waited for the ogre’s next move.

Normally, I would have told everyone to jump while the beast was still, but something told me it was too dangerous.

We needed to keep going with the attacks while keeping it distracted. I remembered how Penelope’s enchanted sword had glowed during our battle with the sprites. Both her and Celeste had similar blades, and it seemed that they could create a kind of high-pitched noise that hurt the ears of the sprites. I had no idea how the enchantment worked, though, or if the same thing would even work on the ogre.

“Penelope,” I shouted. “Do you remember what you did to make your blade glow before?”

“No!” she cried desperately. “I just sort of thought about it? And wished whatever enchantment it had would work?”

“Try that, then,” I said. “Both of you. Just think about the swords’ spells, and don’t focus on anything else.”

Both priestesses nodded and gripped their hilts as they closed their eyes. There was a moment of silence, and then the ogre moved.

It leapt toward Grez and Nia, but that’s when the light came: a blast of deep blue from Penelope and a dark red from Celeste. Both swords lit up with a luminous glow, and the ogre screamed as it covered its ears.

“Fuck yeah!” I cheered. “I knew you could do it!”

The sound was clearly troubling the ogre as it stumbled backward, but it didn’t knock it to the ground like it had done with some of the sprites.

Still, it was the opening my followers needed to be able to attack in earnest, and the whole group charged toward the beast with a newfound anger. They all cried out as they ran, and the elves, along with Penelope and Nicola, managed to get their swords to pierce both sides of the rib cage before they had to jump back from flailing arms.

The gnomes got a couple more swipes to the ankles, and the winged women brought their weapons down onto the shoulders.

“You’re doing it!” I yelled. “Keep working together as a team. This bastard doesn’t stand a chance!”

The ogre had become manic and distressed as blood oozed down its thick, gray hide. Large globs of drool dribbled from its mouth, and its eyes darted back and forth between my followers. It was clearly hurt, but it seemed to have become more reckless with its movements. It wasn’t being as careful to dodge the weapons as before, and that meant it wasn’t afraid to charge right into the group.

“Look out!” I shouted as it ran toward the gnomes, and Elowise had to shove Balabar out of the way before a massive foot came down to where he had been standing.

Then Nicola grabbed her flail and raced toward the back of the beast. The brunette swung her spiked weapon around, and she smacked it square into the ogre’s back.

“Nice one,” I said as the ogre let out a pained cry.

Nicola wasted no time in getting another hit in right to the ogre’s side, and then she leapt to the side as it spun around.

Grez and Penelope took the sudden change of direction as a chance to attack from behind. They both jumped forward and drove their swords into the creature’s back. They used the wound Nicola had created as a starting spot, too, so their blades sliced through the skin much more effectively than before. For the first time, a massive strip of skin was slashed open, and the gray flesh flapped down the ogre’s back as blood seeped out of the gaping hole.

“Move!” I yelled, and the ogre howled as it tried to grab its attackers from behind at the same time as reaching for Nicola.

Everyone was able to get out of the way since the ogre wasn’t focused on any one person enough to succeed in its attack.

“I think we’re almost there!” Grez shouted. “Be careful of the blood, it’s slippery!”

“Good point,” I agreed. “Watch your feet, but that back wound is going to cause some real damage. If you can get it even deeper, then it could be all we need for the fucker to bleed out!”

“My flail worked really well against the skin,” Nicola shouted. “Whatever these spikes are made of, they’re really fucking good at cracking ogre flesh.”

“Everyone, work together to distract it,” I instructed. “Make sure Nicola can sneak up on it.”

The ogre was making so much noise that I didn’t imagine that being much of a problem. It kept slipping on its own blood splatters, and it looked disorientated as its eyes flickered back in its head.

Celeste and Aleia began to cry out above to distract it, and the people on the ground brought the attention away from Nicola as they howled and made swipes at the beast with their blades.

The gray creature screamed as it flailed and swiped at the group, and it desperately tried to grab at the winged women every time they swooped down and taunted its ugly face.

“Go!” I hissed, and Nicola crept up behind the ogre with her flail poised and ready.

She was inches away from the beast when she stepped on a branch, and there was a loud cracking noise.

My phantom heart stopped, and the ogre swung around with a roar that could have woken the dead. As it moved, its thick hand hit the brunette’s flail, and the weapon flew away into a nearby bush.

Suddenly, Nicola was alone in front of the huge beast without a weapon. Her normally confident expression was wide-eyed and pale, and I acted without even thinking.

I pictured myself down on the ground protecting her, and the next second, I was standing on the blood-soaked road behind the ogre. The foul stench of the creature hit me at once, and it smelled like fish and shit as the hot sun beating down just amplified the scent.

I had fifteen minutes to finish this shit.

I grabbed a sword from Azza without a second glance, and without thinking, I leapt onto the ogre’s back.

That seemed to catch the fucker by surprise, but honestly, it took me by surprise as well. I had come down to my physical form, grabbed a weapon, and leapt onto an eight-foot-tall beast within the span of a couple of seconds.

There was no going back now.

I gripped my thighs onto the ogre’s back and grabbed it by the thick neck to get it away from Nicola. The pissed off ogre immediately threw its head back and tried to shake me off, and it gave Nicola enough time to race out of the way and dive into the bush to get her flail back.

As the ogre tried to buck me off like some monster rodeo ride, I raised my sword with one hand as I kept the other one locked around the beast’s neck.

Then I brought the elven blade down into the ogre’s shoulder, and it sliced right through the gray skin.

I wasn’t sure if I had found another weak spot, or if it was just my super godly strength at work. Either way, I pressed down to deepen the cut, and I held on tightly as the ogre roared in pain and tried to reach me.

Before it could grab me, I pulled the sword up and hacked right into the fucker’s neck.

That cut was a deep one.

The ogre made a horrific, wet, gurgling sound that made me gag slightly, and it was difficult to grip onto the skin as blood oozed everywhere. I barely managed to hold on as the ogre stumbled over a rock, but I didn’t let his lumbering throw me off. I just grunted as I yanked the sword from its neck and slammed the blade back into the same spot, and as my weapon rammed through the open gash, it sliced even further into the ogre’s neck.

Then it hit something solid.

There was an eruption of blood that splattered my face, and the beast stopped stumbling around. It made a sound like it was underwater and began to slowly sway on the spot.

I pulled the sword back out of its neck with all my strength right as the ogre fell forward to the ground, and I leapt off just in time.

The massive gray beast hit the road face-first with a series of cracking noises. The entire ground shook violently under its weight, and there was a thud so loud that the horses whinnied and reared up a few times in fright.

But it was over.

I stood panting, covered in blood, and looking down at the dead ogre at my feet. The forest was silent for a moment, but then my followers erupted into a flurry of cheers and screams.

“Jack!” Nicola yelled, and she raced over and jumped into my arms.

I dropped my sword to the ground as I gripped onto her, and she buried her face into my neck as I kissed her hair. Her warm body was shaking slightly as I held her, and the other priestesses quickly appeared beside me as they showered my arms and neck with kisses.

“You saved me,” Nicola breathed as she pulled back and stared up at me.

“Of course, I did,” I said gently and tucked her brown hair behind her ear. “I’ll always save you. I love you.”

“That was amazing!” Celeste half-screamed. “Jack, you just jumped on an ogre’s back!”

“And basically sliced its head off,” Aleia added.

“Our god is wonderful,” Penelope swooned. “Oh, Jack, I don’t want to think about what would have happened without you.”

I took a moment to embrace my women and enjoyed holding them in my arms as they smiled and wiped happy tears from their pretty faces.

They eventually stood back, and I could see the awe etched onto the rest of my followers’ faces.

The elves had their mouths slightly open, and for once, Grez didn’t seem to have anything to say. The group of four were all shaking their heads in disbelief, but I didn’t blame them. They were my newest followers, after all. We had fought the sprites together, but they hadn’t seen my physical form as often as the others had, so they remained momentarily stunned by the sight of me.

The gnomes just grinned from ear to ear, and Balabar ran a hand through his hair as he slowly shook his head.

“Jack,” the gruff gnome sighed. “That was hands down the most impressive thing I have ever seen.”

“You’re too kind,” I chuckled as I gripped Nicola’s hand.

“No!” Balabar scoffed. “I mean it, you just took down an ogre by jumping on its back and stabbing the hell out of it? I’ve never seen anything like that in battle!”

“You really are our savior.” Elowise smiled. “Thank you, Jack.”

“Just in time,” Wilfrim agreed.

“You’re amazing,” Grez breathed and blinked rapidly. “I don’t even know what to say. I can’t believe I wasted so much time not following a warrior god.”

I smirked as the women nuzzled into me again. A warrior god? I had to admit, I was pretty happy with that title.

Then a breeze carried the ogre’s smell over to me.

“That thing fucking stinks,” I groaned.

“It really does.” Celeste grinned. “We should have saved our dip in the lake for after we got covered in ogre smell.”

“Oh,” Penelope said as she glanced down at her body. “Look at my clothes!”

The naiad had blood splattered over her cerulean skin, and droplets covered her exposed belly. But weirdly enough, her glistening white clothing was completely unstained.

“That’s a nice feature,” I laughed, and as I looked around the other priestesses, I saw that all their outfits were blood-free.

“This is amazing,” Aleia laughed. “The perfect outfits to fight evil creatures in!”

I handed Azza back his sword, and I saw the stern-faced elf smile for the first time.

“Hopefully you’ll find some more water.” I smiled as I started to feel myself fade. “Aleia, get that watch out and make a note of the time.”

“Are you leaving?” the fairy asked, and she quickly snuggled in close.

The priestesses all gripped onto me tightly in a final hug, and I smiled as I felt their warm bodies against me right before I went back to my godly form.

“Oooh,” Penelope said sadly.

Aleia hurriedly pulled her pocket watch from the coin purse and scrunched her nose as she carefully examined the time. “Okay… I know for next time. Maybe try again in fifteen minutes, Jack?”

“I think that’s too soon,” I chuckled. “I tried that before, but I’ll try again later on.”

The fairy nodded and slipped the watch away again before she wiped blood from her cheek.

“Right,” I said. “Is everyone feeling okay after that? Nobody’s hurt?”

“We’re all fine.” Wilfrim nodded as he looked around the group. “Thanks to you, Jack.”

“I suppose we better get back to it!” Grez said happily. “Wow. What a day! I got to see my warrior god in action. He stabbed an ogre in the neck! I really am so grateful I got to come on this trip.”

“It was impressive,” Azza agreed with a thin smile, and the two female elves grinned at each other.

“The horses seem okay,” Nicola said as she hurried over to the animals. “Poor things. That must have been so scary for you all.”

The brunette rummaged around in one of her bags and pulled out a handful of sugar cubes. She made sure each of the horses got one and gave them all a little pep talk as she rubbed their noses. Her attention really seemed to perk the animals up, and they wagged their tails as they nuzzled into the brunette.

“You’re very good with them,” Nia said as she climbed up onto the chestnut horse. “Do you have many pets?”

“Thunder the puppy.” Nicola smiled. “He’s a little cutie.”

“Little?” Celeste muttered.

“Then there’s Luna,” Nicola continued. “And Ember and Smokey, of course. Although, they really belong to everyone, and they work for their keep! We also have some chickens.”

“You should get a whole farm,” Nia said. “I bet the animals would give you the most amazing supplies. You could get sheep. We have different colors of them in Evelhelm. They’re really good for winter clothes.”

“Oooh.” Nicola smiled. “That sounds like a great idea! Jack, can we get sheep?”

“You can have whatever you want,” I chuckled. “Let’s get going, before something smells that dead ogre and comes to investigate.”

The group began to mount the horses once more, and everyone wiped their blades and weapons clean with a rag that Myra passed around.

I took one last look at the ogre and felt a bit baffled that I had actually taken it down. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in my powers, I had been a god for long enough to accept my abilities. But the super strength was still new, and I still couldn’t recall any memories of fighting from my old life.

Had I learned those skills when I was on Earth? Or had I just somehow picked up those moves by watching my followers in battle? There really wasn’t any explanation that made perfect sense, but I was just pleased that I could protect my priestesses.

The image of Nicola standing in front of that ogre filled me with rage and nausea, and I knew that I would do anything to protect her, so I was glad that my instincts were so strong. It made me confident that I would be an excellent father, too. I had a feeling I would slice the heads off anything that even looked at my kids the wrong way.

My followers left the ogre lying face-down in a pool of its own rancid blood, and they started off again down the overgrown road.

Wilfrim whistled gently as the horses trotted along, and the group couldn’t seem to stop talking about how impressive I had been during the battle.

“It was just the speed of it all!” Balabar said with wild hand gestures. “He just moved the blade so quickly, and on the back of a pissed off, stumbling ogre!”

“There was so much blood.” Myra grinned. “He really got that sword wedged in there.”

“I’d never seen an ogre before today,” Grez admitted. “I can’t say I really want to again, to be honest. But getting to watch Jack fight like that? It was worth it!”

“Speak for yourself,” Nicola laughed. “I almost got squashed by the fucker.”

“You must have been so scared,” Aleia shuddered. “But I wouldn’t have let it hurt you!”

“We’ll always help each other.” Celeste nodded. “Sisters always do.”

As the horses got further away from the ogre’s corpse, the breeze started to pick up a bit and rustle the leaves around us. I was still convinced that the trees had a strange glow to them, but I had more important things to worry about at the moment.

I was hyper-alert after the ogre attack, and I was worried that had only been the beginning of the threats we would face in the forest. Maybe the northern gnomes weren’t so crazy for locking themselves up. After all, we’d only been traveling for less than a day and already had to fight for our lives. I couldn’t really blame them for getting kind of paranoid if this was their daily lives.

Elowise spotted a small creek after a couple of hours, and everyone hurriedly washed the blood and filth from their skin. Nobody wanted to hang around too long, and I kept a careful watch on the trees as everybody scrubbed off.

Then Grez pulled some cakes from one of his bags and passed them out amongst the group. The treats were a pale blue color, and they had some kind of sticky icing swirl on top.

“Oh, my goodness,” Penelope moaned as she nibbled the cake. “This is delicious! I can’t believe how long I went without experiencing the magic of elven baking.”

The naiad licked the icing from her slim fingers, and I chuckled as she made a happy groan.

“Don’t make too many of those noises,” I whispered to her. “You’re going to get me turned on.”

“Oooh,” Penelope giggled quietly. “Maybe you’ll use your next fifteen minutes with me, then!”

“I would love to,” I breathed, and the naiad grinned as she slowly licked the palm of her hand.

After another couple of hours of trekking northward, the sun began to sink in the dimming sky. I knew that the ogre fight would have added some time onto our journey, but I hoped it wouldn’t be too much longer until we reached the fortress. Winning the gnomes over might be a quick process, but there was also a chance it would take hours. I didn’t want my followers to be trapped outside their fortress in the deep forest when night fell.

It was hard enough fighting creatures in daylight, and I wasn’t risking my pregnant women being out in the open at night.

Everyone had gotten quiet as the horses continued to trot along, and I could tell that the women were getting sleepy as their chatter died down, and they stretched as they walked. Penelope and Aleia had been given two of the elven horses for this leg of the trip, and even the animals seemed to be moving slower.

I shifted my God Vision to look up over the treetops, and I noticed something that looked like a distant plume of dark gray smoke.

“What’s that?” I asked. “Celeste, can you fly up ahead and check?”

“Of course.” The harpy nodded, and she spread her scarlet feathers as she soared upward from the group.

As she sailed past the treetops, I felt a wave of relief as I saw the top of a very closed-off building. It seemed to be made entirely of some kind of steel, and it looked like there was even a watchtower at the edge.

It was clear that we had almost reached the fortress, and it was time to win over a whole new army.

Hopefully.

Chapter 7

“We’re close!” Celeste said as she swooped back down to the ground. “The fortress is just a little way ahead!”

“I knew my directions were right.” Elowise smiled. “Oh, dear, I’m not sure I’m ready to speak to this side of the family again.”

“Prepare yourselves.” Wilfrim nodded. “This is going to be even more tiresome than fighting the ogre.”

“I’m so excited.” Nicola grinned. “They sound crazy.”

“They are,” Balabar said wearily. “But not in a fun way. I promise you’ll be tearing your hair out by the end of this.”

“Make sure they know you’re doing your god’s work,” I said. “Maybe they’ll be interested to hear about someone other than Ethan. If they’re all locked up in there, they probably don’t care much about going out and doing his work.”

“I can’t wait to meet them!” Grez said with an enthusiastic smile. “All the gnomes I’ve met so far are delightful!”

“Am I allowed to be annoyed at how happy he is all the time?” Wilfrim muttered so quietly that only I could hear him.

I chuckled as the horses turned a corner in the muddy road, and the group came to a halt as everyone took in the sight before them.

There were four steel outer walls that helped create a large box around the fortress, as if a tiny town had a container placed over it for protection. A metal roof covered the whole place, and it also had some glass panels to let sunlight in. Enormous metal spikes were surrounding each pane of glass, and I figured it was to stop those weaker areas being targeted.

There was a tall watchtower made of stone at the front of the fortress, but most of it had also been covered by sheets of the same steel. It was almost impossible to see the entrance into the fortress at all, but the shape of a small doorway was just visible in their front-facing wall not far from the tower. There was a small handle, and it was clear they were trying to make the entrance into the fortress as unnoticeable as possible.

“Wow,” Aleia said. “That is a lot of metal.”

“This is so weird,” Nicola muttered. “I didn’t think it would be this closed-off. What are the spikes meant to do?”

“I don’t know,” Elowise sighed. “Maybe protect them from flying attackers? Dragons? Who knows.”

The grass around the fortress was overgrown and wild. It was clear the gnomes didn’t care for trying to impress visitors, and even the horses seemed unsure about going any further forward.

“Sooo,” Nicola said. “Now what? Do we just go and knock?”

“I wonder if there’s anyone in the tower,” Celeste said. “Maybe I could go and fly up to see?”

“No,” I said quickly. “They might try and shoot you down. I want you all to slowly and calmly make your way to the front. Gnomes at the front, and everyone practice your cheeriest, friendliest faces.”

Grez had his normal happy grin plastered on his face, but everyone else just looked warily at the watch tower.

There was only one thin window in the watchtower, and it was too dark to see inside. I had a feeling there would be a gnome in there, though. If they were as paranoid as they seemed, then they would probably have a lookout at all times.

The gnomes led the way slowly toward the fortress, and I kept my eyes on the tower in case they tried to shoot down bolts or arrows.

I tried to look inside the tower with my God Vision, but I could only see darkness through the thin window, and it appeared that I couldn’t gain access to such a closed-off space without my followers accessing it first.

The horses stopped a few inches away from the steel wall, and I could see the door much clearer as I switched to Elowise’s vision. The handle looked worn and dull, and the hinges were the same metal as the rest of the building. I wondered if there was actually stone behind it all, or if they really had constructed the whole thing out of steel.

I tapped into my God Vision to scope it out and took a look through the glass panels on the massive roof of the fortress.

Inside, there was what looked like a little mini-village. Several houses sat around an open square area, and there were gnomes mingling about with cups of tea and various tools.

It didn’t seem that anyone had heard us yet, and I was interested to see how the gnomes would react when they realized there was a group outside. Elowise had said they were experts with weapons, so I would have to make sure they didn’t bring any of their deadly creations out to play.

“Right,” I said after a moment of silence. “Maybe knock?”

It was slightly amusing that I had less of an idea of what to do with the paranoid gnomes than I had with the violent ogre.

Wilfrim leaned over on his horse and gave a quick knock on the doorway. Then he sat back and waited, and everyone peered up at the tower above.

There was no reply or even any sound of movement that I could hear.

Another scan of my God Vision showed me seven gnomes all frozen in place around the square as they stared at the doorway of the fortress. It didn’t look like they would be rushing to let us in any time soon.

“Maybe they’re not home?” Penelope suggested. “They could be out hunting? Or somewhere else?”

“They’re in there,” I sighed. “They’re just not coming to the door. I guess that makes sense considering how paranoid they are.”

Wilfrim leaned back and knocked much harder on the steel, and then sighed as he drummed his fingers on his leg.

“I don’t think there’s anyone up in the tower,” Celeste said as she squinted up at the window. “It will probably be fine if I just--”

“We are armed!” a rough, deep voice cried out from somewhere, and everyone looked around for who it belonged to.

I checked back inside the fortress to see the gnomes were still staring blankly at the entranceway, and none of them were speaking. I figured the voice must be coming from the watchtower, but it was still too dark to see inside with my God Vision.

A dark red arrow suddenly flew down from the tower window and landed right in front of Azza’s horse. The elf raised an eyebrow as he calmly backed up his animal, and everyone took a few steps so that they weren’t in the direct line of sight of the window.

Then another arrow flew down and sailed right into a nearby bush. There was a frustrated sigh from inside the tower, and the priestesses glanced at each other with raised eyebrows.

“Hello!” Elowise called. “My name is Elowise, and I--”

“We will smite you down!” the same voice screamed from the watchtower. “All the fury of the gnomes will rain down on you if you do not leave this place! We are protected by an ancient curse, and we will unleash its power if you do not comply!”

“Um,” Nicola said with a raised eyebrow. “What kind of curse?”

“Just a curse,” the voice shouted, but it sounded less confident. “Aren’t you scared of curses?”

“Not really,” the brunette called out. “We’ve got magic swords, so we have curses, too, I guess.”

“Magic swords?” the voice asked, and there was a beat of hesitation. “Um, you must throw them down at the door and leave them with us! Otherwise… you will be set on fire!”

“No,” Nicola chuckled. “I don’t want to do that.”

“Nicola,” I hissed with a snort. “Stop winding them up!”

“But it’s so easy.” The brunette grinned.

“Why don’t you come down here?” Elowise called. “So we can talk properly, and you can see that we’re not a threat.”

“Watch out,” I said. “He’s armed up there.”

“What do you want?” the voice demanded. “This is not a place for visitors.”

“Oh, hush!” Elowise called. “We’re family! Family can always visit!”

“You don’t look like a family,” the voice said suspiciously. “You’re all different sizes.”

“Well,” Elowise sighed. “We’re not all related, obviously, but we’re a group. What I meant is that me, my husband, and our son are all related to you. By blood!”

“Prove it!” the voice cried indignantly.

I had to sigh as I looked down on the situation, and I tried my best not to snicker too loudly through it all.

“How are we meant to do that?” Wilfrim grumbled.

“Listen,” Elowise said as she rubbed her head. “You must know my auntie Dora, she’s married to Angus? Then they have a son named Harril. Then he has three little ones… oh, I forget their names. I think one is called Molly?”

The group stared up at the tower, and the voice inside was silent.

“I think it’s working,” I hissed. “Keep going.”

“Then there’s my second cousins,” Elowise said. “Nimby, Brocus, and Lyal. You must know them!”

“Do you remember any names of the gnomes who live here?” I asked the old gnome.

“Not really,” Elowise whispered. “Honestly, I tried to forget about them.”

“You know Brocus?” the voice asked hesitantly.

“Oh, yes!” Elowise called as she perked up. “Of course! He’s got that lovely red hair and a bit of a stutter.”

The gnome in the tower took nearly a full minute to decide how to respond to this. Celeste tapped the ground with her foot impatiently, and Aleia bit her lip as she twirled her hair, but the rest of our group seemed to hold their breath while they craned their necks to stare at the watchtower.

“You could just be saying that,” the voice finally shouted. “Maybe you’re all shapeshifters. Just waiting to get inside so you can eat us all!”

“How would shapeshifters know the names of all those gnomes?” Penelope asked diplomatically. “If you really think about it, that’s just a silly idea.”

“I am not silly!” the voice screeched.

“Oh,” Penelope said as she blushed. “Yes, um, of course not.”

Nicola covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, and Celeste had to turn away so that she didn’t break out into giggles as well.

“Can we maybe speak to someone else?” Elowise asked with an exasperated huff. “Maybe someone who would recognize me? I have met a few of your lovely group before. Years back at a family event…”

“Before they moved into the woods like maniacs?” Wilfrim huffed under his breath.

“Before you built this lovely house,” Elowise shouted as she whacked her husband on the arm.

“It’s not a house,” the voice scoffed. “It is a mighty fortress to keep out the dangers of the forest. None can enter, and those who do will perish!”

“This is giving me a headache,” Balabar muttered.

“Look,” Elowise sighed. “This is really important. Our god brought us here--”

“Your god?” the voice asked, and suddenly a face appeared at the window opening. “Gnomes don’t have gods!”

It was a male gnome who looked about the same age as Balabar. He had wild, dark hair, and a beard that curled down to his chest.

“Yes, well… we do.” Elowise nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, I’m Elowise. What’s your name?”

“Davin,” he said. “Are you really here because of your god?”

“Yes,” Penelope piped up. “He is the most wonderful god, and he protects us against all things! He fought an ogre for us on our way here, in fact!”

“He did what?” Davin squeaked. “He… he fought an ogre? How is that possible?”

“He’s a great god,” Grez said with obvious pride. “Do you have any experience with gods?”

Davin’s face crumpled, and I really hoped he wasn’t about to tell us that he worked for Ethan. But he seemed more upset than filled with wild fury like the sprites were, and I had a feeling that he wasn’t a soldier of the vengeful god.

“We don’t want any more trouble with gods,” Davin informed the group. “The one around here is such a prick.”

“Ask what his name is,” I urged.

“Who is that, then?” Wilfrim asked. “Which god is giving you problems?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Davin huffed, but he stayed posted at the window like he had a lot to get off his chest. “He rules this part of the forest, all the parts between Ethan’s land and the road to Evelhelm.”

My interest piqued. So, it wasn’t Ethan who ruled this part of the forest. That meant there was another god here. But why hadn’t Ethan battled him with sprites?

Or did he battle this other god and lose?

“What does this god do exactly?” Celeste asked as she crossed her arms.

“His followers are always causing problems,” Davin replied. “He’s got all sorts of creatures on his side, and they try to steal our stuff and hurt us.”

“That sounds terrible,” Elowise tutted. “But I can assure you that Jack is nothing like that.”

“Who the hell is Jack?” Davin scoffed, and he glared down at the group near the wall.

“He is our glorious god!” Aleia shot back, and I was surprised at how huffy she looked as she propped her hands on her little hips. “And he is listening, so show some respect!”

“Easy, girl,” I chuckled in her ear. “I’m not offended in the slightest.”

“Well… okay.” The fairy relaxed her shoulders by just a sliver, and she tried to force another friendly face.

I briefly wondered if pregnant fairies were known to have mood swings, but I knew better than to ask.

“Jack saved the town of Evelhelm against a whole army of Squall Sprites,” Elowise continued. “Maybe you heard about the battle?”

Davin was quiet, and I couldn’t tell if we were any closer to winning him over or not.

“Offer him supplies,” I said. “Get some of those cakes out, and any spare tools we have. They make weapons, don’t they? Maybe we have something that would be useful for that.”

The elves opened up their bags, and Nia pulled out some lavender bread and one of the blue buns. Even though they had been in her pack for hours, the smell still wafted through the air as if they were freshly baked.

I saw Davin’s nose twitch, and he leaned further out of the small window as he stared down at the group.

“What are those?” he asked gruffly.

“Some elven treats!” Grez called with a charming grin. “We have plenty to go around. We brought far too many actually, so we really could do with sharing some of them. I’m not sure if you like sweet things, but if not, we have some seasoned meats and breads, too.”

The yellow-haired elf pulled out some cured meat that had been tied up in a bundle with twine, and he waved it above his head to show the gnome on the watchtower.

“What’s that smell?” a female voice shouted from behind the doorway.

“It’s elf food,” Davin shouted back. “There’s a group outside. They said their god sent them, and they’ve got loads of food.”

There was a shuffling of more feet on the other side of the fortress, and it was clear that the enticing smells were our best bet for getting inside.

I scanned my God Vision and saw that several gnomes had scurried over to the doorway. A couple ran inside their houses before they returned with weapons, and it looked like they were considering opening up.

“Their god?” the same lady gnome called out, and her tone was hostile now. “It’s not Him, is it?”

“No,” Davin said. “One named Jack. Apparently, he fought an ogre on his way here.”

“Tell them I can protect them, too,” I said to my followers. “If they’re this paranoid, that will be a good way to get their trust.”

“He can keep you safe!” Penelope screamed toward the top of the wall. “Jack is a very loving and caring god, and he makes sure no harm comes to any of his followers!”

“There’s a whole town of us,” Grez added in a more normal tone. “During the Squall Sprite attack, he made sure that not a single one of the townspeople got killed. I know he wants to protect you as well, from anything in this forest that might cause you harm.”

“Anything?” a different male voice asked. “Even the other gods?”

“Yes,” Aleia answered. “It was the god Ethan that sent the sprites to Evelhelm. Jack is the only reason that everyone survived.”

“So…” Nicola chimed in. “If you let us in, you get a protective god and free food. I can’t really think of another opportunity as good as this one, and I doubt they come along often in this part of the forest.”

“We’ll even throw in some carving tools,” Celeste said. “And you can study my magical, enchanted sword to try and copy the make of it.”

The harpy had always been good at bartering deals, and I felt a phantom smirk as she skillfully added that little touch.

“We’re family,” Elowise said with a tired sigh. “If we can’t trust our family, then there’s no hope left.”

“You’re sure you’re not shapeshifters?” Davin asked again.

“I promise.” Elowise smiled.

“And we can all have some of that food?” the female voice called from behind the wall.

“Of course,” Grez agreed. “Even if we run out, we know how to make more with whatever ingredients you have. Myra is an expert baker as well as a soldier.”

There was a hushed conversation on the other side of the doorway, and I could see Davin peering down to examine the cakes in Grez’s hand.

“Stand back!” the female voice shouted, and everyone backed up their horses.

I thought the door was going to swing open for us like in so many movies, but there was a slight creak, and the steel entrance was pushed open by only the tiniest crack.

Two gnomes hurried out, and they slammed the steel shut behind them.

The female gnome looked somewhere between Balabar and Elowise’s age, and the other male gnome was much younger.

The woman had a mop of curly, blonde hair and wore something that looked like armor. She had a shiny metal breastplate and knee pads to match, and she clenched a short weapon in her hand that I had never seen before.

It looked like a bronze dagger, but it had little sharp ridges around the edge of the blade. The strangest part was the handle. It curled around her fingers and made a knuckle duster with long spikes. It was a seriously badass weapon, and I was instantly excited to see what other deadly shit these gnomes had cooked up within the fortress.

The younger, male gnome had shorter, neater dark hair. He also had armor on, and he wielded a long, curved sword with various-colored gems in the hilt.

“Nice to meet you,” Elowise said as she slid off her horse. “I must say, those weapons are spectacular.”

“Thank you.” The female gnome nodded, but she took a step backward as Elowise dismounted.

“I’m Allam,” the young man said. “This is Jemmy. We want to see your god.”

“You said he fought an ogre.” Jemmy nodded. “That must mean he’s here in the flesh.”

“He can be,” Nicola hedged. “But he’s not here right now. He chooses when to show himself, and it’s usually when we need help with something. Not as some sideshow attraction.”

Penelope clicked her tongue in disapproval, and she tilted her nose slightly in the air like even the idea was an insult.

“What does he look like?” Jemmy asked.

“Handsome!” Aleia piped up, and the priestesses laughed.

“How can we be sure you don’t work for the other gods?” Allam frowned. “His pesky followers are always trying to trick us.”

“They’re awful,” Jemmy said sadly. “There’s nothing we can do to stop them, even with all of our weapons. We just don’t have enough gnomes to fight off the likes of them.”

“Tell them I’ll help them with that,” I said. “If they agree to help shelter us for the time being, then they will have access to all of our help and manpower.”

“Jack says that he’s going to help you.” Penelope smiled. “We need some shelter, and we promise to help defend you all against this god and his people in return.”

“I didn’t hear him say that,” Allam said and narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure?”

There was a gust of wind, and I figured it gave the gnomes another waft of the treats the elves were holding. Both gnomes turned their heads to Grez, and he smiled as he slid off his horse.

“Here,” the yellow-haired elf offered. “Why don’t you try some before you make your decision? I’m telling you, it’s delicious!”

Jemmy looked suspiciously at offerings, but Allam reached out and grabbed a stick of jerky along with a blue cake.

The gnome bit into the meat first, but his eyes lit up as he immediately took a bite of the cake next.

“That’s delicious,” he mumbled through his full mouth. “Jemmy, you need to try these.”

The blonde gnome cautiously accepted a chunk of cake from her friend and sniffed it before taking a light nibble.

They stood for a moment munching on the food, and I looked up to see Davin almost falling out of the window as he leaned down to watch every little thing taking place below.

“How is it?” he called from his post. “Is it good? Maybe someone could bring a piece up to me? Been up here for hours!”

“Of course.” Aleia smiled, and she took another cake from the bags.

“Be careful,” I said. “We still don’t know if this is going to work, and they clearly don’t mess around with their weapons.”

The fairy nodded and slowly began to flutter upward to the tower window. As she flew, Davin jumped back into the window, and I was worried he was getting a weapon.

I swiftly shifted my vision to match the fairy’s.

“I’m here,” Aleia said gently. “Look, I just brought you some cake. Nothing to worry about.”

She reached the level of the window and peered inside the tower to see Davin standing further back looking uneasy. The gnome came forward slowly and looked the fairy up and down, but he didn’t have a weapon in hand, and I knew my fairy lover could pummel his ass with even her bare hands if she wanted to.

“You can come inside,” he said. “If you want to see?”

“Thank you.” Aleia smiled again, and she was petite enough to fit through the thin window and land on the floor.

It was a small, circular room made of dark stone. There was a worn-out armchair next to the window, and there was a spiral staircase that led down to the ground level.

As Aleia handed over the cake, I shifted my vision back toward the walls that were lined with shit-loads of awesome weapons.

There were crossbows of different sizes, blades of every length, and a whole bunch of spiked, deadly-looking items that I was suddenly dying to try out.

“Woah,” I laughed. “He’s got quite the setup in here.”

“This place is brilliant!” the fairy chirped. “Jack says he’s really impressed.”

“Oh,” Davin said with a raised eyebrow. “Um, thank you.”

The gnome’s eyes shifted around him in a paranoid way like he expected me to jump out of the shadows. Then he gave the cake a sniff and took a huge bite as he made a happy noise.

“Delicious,” he mumbled. “Thank you for bringing it up to me. I’m fucking starving.”

“No problem.” The fairy smiled. “Is it always your job to be up here?”

“We take turns,” the gnome replied. “I like it up here, though. It’s quiet, and it feels safe. Of course, it means I’ll be the first one to see if the volcano ever erupts. So, it’s a big responsibility.”

The fairy glanced out of the window and scanned the treetops for anything that resembled a volcano, and she resorted to just giving the gnome a quick smile.

“I’m glad you like the cake,” Aleia said. “I’m going to head back down now.”

Davin gave her a wave as he took another bite, and Aleia flew out of the tower and back down to the rest of the group.

“So,” Elowise said. “Can we come inside?”

“Well,” Jemmy muttered and shifted her weight. “Your food is delicious, and I suppose if you were going to attack, then you would have done it already.”

“True.” Celeste nodded.

“I think I remember your name from the old family tree,” Allam admitted. “It rings a bell, at least. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to show you around a bit.”

The two fortress dwelling gnomes looked at each other for a moment, and then they nodded as they silently reached their decision.

Jemmy reached for the door handle and slowly began to pull it open.

“Good work, everyone,” I praised. “Let’s go and make a new base for ourselves!”

The door swung open to reveal the bustling little square, and I got a better view of the gnomes’ base from my follower’s eyes than I did with my God Vision. Jemmy gestured for everyone to come in, and my followers headed inside.

There were excited murmurs everywhere, and I felt a wave of pride that we had managed to win some trust from the paranoid gnomes.

It was the first step in a much bigger battle, but it was a victory, nonetheless.

We were finally on our way to completing the quest.

Chapter 8

The group led the horses inside, and the door was quickly closed behind us. From inside, I could see that the fortress was indeed an entire village that had a steel box built around it. The gnomes had clearly built the roofing and walls around their brick houses whenever the paranoia had truly set in.

There were a few small buildings inside the fortress walls that were made of dark brick. The large square in the center had a fire pit in the middle, and there was a thin chimney structure that ran right up to the ceiling and poked out of the top to let the smoke out.

Fifteen gnomes had gathered around to peer at the new arrivals, and Jemmy hurried to the front to speak to them. I looked over at the windows of the nearby houses and saw more curious faces peeking out.

“Don’t worry!” Jemmy called. “These are distant family members, and some other members of their group. They’ve come here to share their goods with us.”

“Why?” a young gnome asked suspiciously as he eyed the horses.

“Their god told them to,” Jemmy replied, and there was an eruption of noisy protests.

“It’s not that god!” Allam said with a wave of his hands. “It’s a god named Jack, he even saved his followers from an ogre and an army of sprites.”

“Like the ones in the storm over the mountains?” someone asked.

“That’s the ones.” Elowise nodded. “Now, we have traveled quite far, and I don’t know about everyone else, but I would love to get some of our food set up.”

“We have plenty to share,” Penelope said. “If anyone would like something hot? Then we can have some yummy cake afterwards if you want a sweet treat.”

There was a mumbling amongst the gnomes, and they seemed to all agree that a good meal was payment enough to stay. They shuffled over to the fire and began to light it as others brought over wooden logs to sit on.

“Where shall we leave the horses?” Nicola asked.

“They’re fine anywhere.” Jemmy shrugged. “We don’t have any of our own, so there’s no stables I’m afraid.”

“That’s fine.” Nicola nodded. “I’ll just take these heavy loads off.”

Grez and Azza helped her unload the bags and saddles, and the food supplies were brought over to the fire pit.

Nicola pulled out some hay for the animals and laid it down on the ground as evenly as she could in front of them all, along with a few sneaky sugar cubes.

“Don’t give them all of your supplies,” I said to my followers. “But anything we have enough of is fine.”

“We have plenty to make a nice stew.” Elowise nodded as she rummaged through the bags. “Could I maybe use a large pot?”

Jemmy brought over a large, tin cooking pot, along with a roughly cut chopping board and knife.

Elowise sat on the ground and began to chop up vegetables as Penelope helped with the meat.

“Let’s get some food in their bellies before we ask questions,” I said. “I want to know as much as possible about this other god, but let’s make sure we win them over a bit more first.”

As the pot of stew was cooking, I noticed that most of the gnomes were still holding onto their weapons. If this god had been harassing them for years, maybe it wasn’t so crazy that they were paranoid. If he was anything like Ethan, then they had every right to be terrified of going outside.

It wasn’t long until Penelope began to scoop steaming food into bowls, and they were quickly handed out until everyone had their meal. There weren’t enough logs for the whole group to sit on, so Penelope and Aleia were offered seats as the rest of my followers sat cross-legged on the ground.

“Sorry,” Jemmy said. “We don’t exactly get many visitors.”

“It’s not a problem,” Grez said. “Thank you for letting us in at all.”

The group began to eat their food, and the gnomes’ eyes lit up as they tasted Elowise’s cooking.

“I think it’s a hit,” I chuckled.

“A what?” Elowise asked with a wrinkled brow.

“A hit,” I said. “It means success.”

“Oh.” The gnome smiled. “Jack, you are funny with your godly phrases and words.”

“You’re talking to Jack?” Allam asked as he slurped his stew. “He can hear you?”

“Of course, he can,” Aleia said. “He talks to us all the time. It’s how we know what to do and where to go.”

“He’s an old god, isn’t he?” Jemmy asked, and I was surprised to hear it. “Jack, yes, I have definitely heard of him. Something about ones or twos, right?”

“God of Ones and Zeroes,” Penelope gently corrected. “That’s our Jack!”

“Hmm,” Jemmy said thoughtfully.

“That’s good they’ve at least heard of me,” I said. “Let’s get some information about this other guy now.”

“Tell us about the god around here,” Celeste prompted. “What’s his name?”

“He’s a young god,” Allam said with a sour expression. “He’s Luke, Reaper of Skulzzz.”

I snorted. That was not the answer I was expecting.

“Skulzzz?” Penelope repeated, and she elongated the “Z” sound in the most over the top way. “Do you mean skulls?”

“No,” Jemmy sighed. “That’s how it’s written. The words are left all over the forest. Usually smeared with blood onto trees, or even on the ground written with stones.”

“What the fuck?” I muttered.

My mind reeled at all this information. This guy had his title smeared all over the damn place in actual blood? Not only that, but “Reaper of Skulzzz” sounded like something a kid would call himself when he was coming up with a screen name playing Call of Duty.

I didn’t know if I was more entertained or confused, but regardless of the stupid name, he had clearly scared the gnomes.

I noticed that they had called him a young god and wondered exactly what that meant. Had he woken up after me? Although, if I thought about it, I really hadn’t been awake for all that long, so I couldn’t be sure what qualified me as an old god, either.

I had hoped this guy was going to be similar to Tobias, in that he never actually did anything, but I didn’t know what to expect now. Someone had to have been writing his title in blood around here. The best-case scenario would have been him being another absent god with a smattering of followers, who people only feared because of his name.

“So, this Luke,” Celeste said. “He rules over this whole area?”

“That’s right,” Jemmy said. “Ethan is up over the northern mountains, and Luke claimed the area just below. He terrorizes us. This used to be our peaceful home, and now we’re scared to go outside and hunt properly.”

“I guess that’s why they’re so happy about the food,” I sighed. “I feel sorry for them. They should be free to roam around this whole forest.”

“It’s just not fair,” Penelope said as she shook her head. “You must know everything about the forest.”

“Oh, yes.” Allam nodded. “It’s not what it used to be, though.”

All the gnomes looked down into their bowls with deep sighs, and it was clear to me that this Luke was more of a threat than he initially sounded.

“What changed?” Aleia asked. “Is it just because you’re scared to go outside?”

“That’s a big part of it,” Jemmy said. “But the forest itself has changed. You see, the trees are all enchanted.”

“They are?” Aleia asked excitedly. “I knew I saw something shiny on the leaves! What exactly does the enchantment do?”

“It has healing properties,” Jemmy explained. “Really potent ones at that. The leaves can be used for all sorts of things. Creams, ointments, you can even crush them up into tea for a sore throat.”

“They can heal almost anything,” Allam said. “If you take a pot of leaf cream with you on a hunt, you’re as safe as can be. You still need to not get killed or have a limb bitten off, but any wounds can be patched up.”

“We only have a tiny amount left,” Jemmy said sadly. “We try to use it sparingly, but there seem to be so many thorns growing now, it’s very easy to catch an infection from them if you’re not careful.”

“That’s horrible.” Penelope frowned. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Why doesn’t the magic work anymore?”

“Luke,” Jemmy growled, and her face turned pink. “He put a curse on the forest so the leaves’ magical properties wouldn’t work.”

“Why?” Nicola asked. “What’s the point in that?”

“He wants anyone who doesn’t follow him to die,” Allam said bluntly. “That’s it, really. If there are folks left in the forest that don’t fall to their knees for him, then he wants us all to rot.”

“He’s all about his followers getting to their knees!” a young girl gnome said, and I gulped as I wondered in what way she was referring to. “That’s what gods do, isn’t it? They don’t care about anything except power and fear.”

Ah. Probably not in the same way I got my priestesses on their knees, then.

“Not Jack,” Nicola said defensively. “He’s kind. The kindest man… er, god, you’ll ever know.”

“I don’t believe you,” the girl huffed as she stabbed a carrot in her bowl.

“It’s true,” Penelope insisted. “I know it must be hard to believe if all you know is, um, the man of skulls?”

“The Reaper of Skulzzz,” Jemmy sighed.

“Yes.” The naiad nodded. “That. But Jack’s title is mysterious and interesting. The God of Ones and Zeros! Not some stupid collection of words that are just meant to scare people!”

“Jack works in mysterious but wonderful ways,” Celeste added. “He gave me my wings back. After gargoyles captured and tortured me, they destroyed my old ones. Jack performed a miracle so I could have these. He didn’t ask for anything in return, and I had only been a believer for a very short time when he blessed me.”

“Jack is a real god.” Aleia nodded fervently. “A good one. He cares about people of all kinds.”

“He saved us when we needed it most,” Wilfrim grunted. “Saved our little granddaughter from the goblins. Saved us all from the shadow dogs, too.”

“Led us to victory against the gargoyles.” Elowise nodded proudly.

“He led us here to meet all of you fine gnomes,” Nicola said, and she offered the gnomes a respectful bow of her head. “He appreciates your kind quite a lot and hoped we would find shelter here. He must have already felt we could trust you to be people of honor.”

The gnomes had a mixture of shock and suspicion on their faces, and a few of them were looking at Celeste’s wings with narrowed eyes, but I could tell my followers’ praise was working. I was a little impressed that they weren’t even milking the situation in any way. The gnomes and my priestesses all spoke truthfully about my deeds, and the way they sat tall and proud as they did warmed me all over.

“Have any of you heard of Luke before?” I asked, and my followers shook their heads.

“He sounds odd,” Aleia muttered.

“Who does?” Jemmy asked as she glanced nervously toward the sky.

“Luke,” the fairy clarified.

“He sounds like a bastard,” Nicola snorted.

“The name doesn’t ring a bell,” Wilfrim sighed. “But neither does his stupid title. No, he clearly hasn’t managed to spread his reign of terror too far.”

I decided to check my devotional map, and I was pleased to see flickers of yellow amongst the gnomes, and even two dots of orange. I hadn’t expected to earn their trust so quickly, but I figured they were desperate to have someone to believe in who wasn’t this asshole with a stupid fucking name.

Skulzzz?

What a dick.

“Well,” Jemmy sighed. “I don’t know how much use it is to you, but you are all welcome to use our fortress for whatever you need. We have enough room to spare, and we do appreciate all this food.”

There was a murmur of agreement amongst the gnomes, and I felt a rush of excitement as I sensed what was about to happen.

Level up!

Suddenly, I was standing next to the fire in the middle of the square.

The priestesses jumped up to hug me, and I heard a few spoons fall to the ground as the local gnomes stared up at me with gaping mouths.

“Jack!” Penelope cried. “You’re here! Is it just for fifteen minutes?”

“I’ll be staying a little longer.” I grinned. “Of course, that is if our lovely hosts don’t mind me sticking around.”

The women stood back to let everyone see me properly, and Jemmy got to her feet slowly.

“Nice to meet you.” I smiled. “I’m Jack. I wanted to thank you for letting my followers stay among you.”

“You’re… here,” the gnome breathed. “You’re really here?”

“Seems that way,” I laughed lightly. “Sorry, I probably should have warned you before I appeared right in the middle of your fortress.”

“This is amazing!” a young girl gnome shouted, and she jumped to her feet and did a little dance.

Suddenly, the gnomes all jumped up and hurried over to surround me in a sea of curious glances.

“Have you always done this?” someone cried out.

“Why do you come down into a human body?”

“Can you taste things?”

“You look so strong!”

“Can you beat up Luke?”

I laughed as the questions kept coming, and Jemmy held her hands up to silence everyone.

“We are honored to have you here, Holy Jack,” she announced. “I say we have a breaking bread ceremony!”

The gnomes all started to cheer, and two of them ran off into a nearby house.

“Breaking bread?” I smiled as I recalled the reward I’d been promised for this quest.

“It’s a sacred, gnomish tradition.” Jemmy nodded. “One we haven’t had the chance to perform in many, many years. It celebrates a new allyship.”

“This calls for drinks!” Allam cheered. “We finally have a reason to get out the nettle wine!”

“And the ale!” another gnome called.

“And the berry juice!”

Gnomes rushed away in every direction, and I grinned at my followers as everyone got to their feet.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Nicola purred as she gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I suppose we have to share you with everyone tonight.”

“I’m afraid so,” I murmured. “But I want you all by my side for every second of it, okay?”

“Anything you say, Jack,” Aleia giggled, and her wings buzzed with excitement.

The gnomes all returned, and Jemmy carefully took a long loaf of bread from the young girl. Then all of the local gnomes gathered around one side and squeezed into place with their hands on one end of the bread.

“Jack.” Jemmy smiled. “You take the other side.”

“Of course.” I grabbed the crusty loaf with one hand and smiled even wider as the gnomes began to hum.

It was a beautiful, deep tune that sounded almost dream-like, and I closed my eyes for a second to let the sound wash over me.

“Now, we break it,” Jemmy said, and I snapped the loaf in half.

The gnomes cheered, and there was a popping sound as one of them opened a bottle of something.

“Looks like we’re having a party,” I laughed.

That was one thing I hadn’t gotten to partake in as a god yet.

One of the older gnomes brought out a strange-looking instrument that was sort of like an eight string banjo. He started playing an upbeat song, and suddenly there were cups being pressed into everyone’s hands as drinks began to flow.

“We’re pregnant.” Penelope smiled wistfully and gestured between her and Aleia. “So just tea for us, please.”

“I will also have tea.” Nicola nodded casually. “I’m not pregnant yet, but, umm…”

“But you want to be.” Aleia grinned.

“Desperately,” Penelope sighed, and she patted Nicola on the back.

Nicola pursed her lips, but I was impressed that she didn’t give in to the goading. She just curled her arm in mine and raised her chin a little, and I chuckled as I pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“Well, I’ll have the wine,” Celeste said with a shrug, and she held out her cup as it was filled with a dark liquid.

Allam gave me a wooden goblet that was full to the brim with wine, and I sipped it to discover it was incredibly sweet.

I wasn’t usually a sweet wine guy, but there was something almost spicey about this drink that made it delicious. I could also smell the alcohol from the smallest whiff, and it was clear that the gnomes liked the strong stuff.

“We have so many questions,” Jemmy said. “Do you enjoy being down with your followers?”

“I do,” I answered. “I love being with my people, and of course, I need to make sure my mothers-to-be are doing well.”

Aleia giggled as she rubbed her belly, and Penelope smiled up at me as she twirled her hair.

“Oh!” Jemmy said with wide eyes as she looked at the women’s stomachs. “Wait… they’re your babies?”

“They are,” I chuckled. “I know it’s not a very traditional arrangement, but I love my priestesses, and I am honored to be the father to their children.”

“You’re going to have god babies?” the young girl gnome asked. “What will they look like? Will they be able to be invisible, too?”

“I don’t think so.” Penelope smiled. “At least, I hope not. That would make changing them rather tricky.”

Some of the gnomes began to dance as the music played, and I took it in turns to twirl my women around as they giggled. The joy of the party seemed to buzz around us all while the drinks kept flowing, but I couldn’t take my eyes off how beautiful my priestesses looked. Their new outfits just amplified how perfect their figures were, and I lost track of how many times I danced with each of them while they all blushed and flirted shamelessly with me every time it was their turn.

The sky had darkened above us, and the gnomes got to work lighting lanterns all around the fortress.

“It’s really lovely in here.” Aleia smiled as the glow of a lantern lit up her face. “I’m so glad we got to come here and meet these gnomes.”

“Me, too.” I grinned. “And they don’t seem as crazy or paranoid once you get to know them.”

“Exactly,” Penelope giggled. “I would be paranoid, too, if there was a horrible god running around leaving messages in blood.”

“Reaper of Skulzzz,” Nicola snickered. “How did that name even happen? Who is he trying to impress?”

“Maybe I should have a more cryptic title,” I chuckled. “What do you think? Jack, Master of Bonezzz.”

“Oh, perfect,” Celeste laughed. “Just make sure you spell it that way. You’ll have everyone on their knees in front of you.”

“There’s only four people I want on their knees,” I whispered as I grabbed the harpy by the waist. “My little priestesses look so pretty when they worship me like that.”

“Jaaaack.” Celeste grinned as I kissed her neck. “Don’t get us all worked up! Otherwise we will drag you out into the dark forest for a worship session. I don’t even care about the dangers.”

The priestesses laughed as they continued to dance, and even the elves had started to break out some moves.

I watched with a grin as Nia spun herself around with a cup of wine, and Grez twirled Myra about with a huge smile on his face. Even Azza was nodding his head and swaying gently to the music, and his stony face was softer as he sipped more and more of his drink.

Elowise and Wilfrim were waltzing, and Penelope almost cried at how cute they were.

Balabar was in deep discussion with some other gnomes over weapons, and he was excitedly asking about the mechanics of their crossbows.

I kept getting my cup refilled, and a happy, light-headed feeling washed over me as I danced with my women. It was a different feeling from being drunk in my old life. The light, merry buzz was the same, but I felt completely in control of my movements and actions, way more than if I had drunk this much back on Earth.

Celeste’s lips had turned dark red from the wine, and the harpy stumbled slightly as she tried to twirl.

“Oops,” I laughed as I grabbed her arm to steady her. “How is that wine going down?”

“Yummy,” she whispered. “It tastes like wine.”

“Lovely,” Nicola snorted. “I didn’t know I needed a drunk Celeste in my life, but this is now my favorite form of entertainment.”

“I am not drunk!” the harpy gasped. “I can fly and prove it!”

“Noooo,” I laughed. “You are not flying this evening. Unless you want to crash into those glass panels.”

“We should go and find Luke,” Celeste hissed with sudden determination. “I feel like I could fight him.”

“Oh, yeah?” Nicola snickered.

“Yeah.” The harpy nodded and scowled even more. “I could totally fight him.”

The other women buckled over laughing, and I ran a hand through the tipsy harpy’s thick red hair.

“You’re perfect,” I murmured in her ear. “But you are not fighting a god tonight. You’re staying with me.”

“Okay!” Celeste agreed as her face lit up.

I chuckled and led her over to one of the logs, and then I sat down beside her as I sipped my wine. Jemmy and Allam came over to join us, and we raised our goblets to each other.

“So,” I said. “There must be thousands of creatures that live inside this forest, and I’m sure they can’t all be followers of Luke?”

“Not yet,” Allam sighed. “Give it time, though, and I’m sure he’ll find a way to win them all over.”

“There are some he will definitely have his sights on,” Jemmy agreed. “Rumor has it that he’s begun to take over the orcs.”

“We don’t know that,” Allam said with a shake of his head. “But I can only pray that it’s not the case. If the orcs turn against us, then we’re done for. No fortress could hold them back.”

“Orcs,” I said thoughtfully. “Are there many of them?”

“Oh, yes.” Jemmy nodded solemnly. “I’m not sure how many exactly, but enough to form a powerful army, that’s for sure. Not that you need many for them to be a threat. I wouldn’t even fancy meeting one of them.”

“And they haven’t always been Luke’s followers?” I asked.

“No,” Allam said. “Keep to themselves most of the time, which was fine by us. The only problems you run into with the orcs is if you cross their path or cause them any difficulties. Then they’ll slaughter you where you stand.”

“That’s why we don’t want Luke to get them.” Jemmy nodded. “If they become loyal to him, then that’s the end of any kind of peaceful life for us.”

“I’ll figure this out,” I decided, and the gnomes stared at me in bewilderment.

“He will,” Celeste slurred. “Jack figures everything out. Look at my wings! He figured those out.”

“You mentioned,” Allam chuckled, and Jemmy giggled over the drunken harpy.

“Don’t worry about any orcs tonight,” I chuckled. “Just enjoy the music and food.”

The gnomes smiled, and we spent some time just swaying on the logs as we listened to the tunes.

The moon crept up above the middle glass panel, and the stars were incredible as they sparkled above us.

Celeste began to yawn after a couple of hours, and I carefully took the cup from her hand as her head flopped onto my shoulder.

“Maybe it’s time for bed.” I smiled. “Shall we set up camp here?”

“Oh, no!” Jemmy objected. “A god can’t sleep out on the ground!”

“I won’t be here for much longer,” I said. “But anywhere comfortable for my pregnant ladies would be really appreciated.”

“And your drunk lady,” Celeste yawned and raised a lazy arm.

“Yes, you, too,” I laughed.

“Of course, Jack.” Jemmy nodded. “Whenever they’re ready for bed, just head into that last house on the right there. That used to be a guest house for when people weren’t terrified to travel here. There are beds and blankets all set up. Everyone should be able to fit in there for the night.”

“That’s very kind,” I replied with a smile, and I got to my feet as Celeste groaned.

I gently pulled the harpy up with me and headed over to the rest of the priestesses who were still dancing.

“I’m going to be leaving soon,” I said, and the women all crowded around me at once.

“Nooo,” Aleia pouted. “We didn’t get to go to bed together. I wanted to cuddle up beside you.”

“Sure.” Nicola grinned. “That’s all you wanted.”

“Well…” the fairy blushed. “I wouldn’t have minded a little worshipping, either.”

“Oh, master,” Penelope sighed. “I love you so much, thank you for having so much fun with us tonight.”

“You are the most handsome,” Celeste slurred as she stroked my face. “Well… good, god. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I chuckled, and Nicola put her arm around the harpy’s waist. “Make sure she gets into bed.”

“We will.” The brunette grinned. “I’m ready to sleep as well, actually. This has been a long journey.”

“Sleep well,” I murmured to my women. “I love you all so much.”

The priestesses all echoed their goodbyes as I began to fade, and I once again returned to my godly state. It had been wonderful to experience a true celebration in my physical body, and I was pleased to see that alcohol was still fun in this new world.

My god body absorbed all the perks of liquor without a single one of the drawbacks.

What could be more blessed than that?

Everyone started to yawn and put down their cups after a while, and my followers began to head to the guest house. It was two stories high, but the ceilings were relatively low. The elves and gnomes decided to take the rooms downstairs, and the priestesses made their way up the wooden steps to find a large bed in a nice, cozy room. There were emerald-green blankets and several fluffy pillows laid out and waiting.

Nicola helped Celeste climb under the covers, and she only got smacked in the face with a wing a couple times in the effort. The rest of my women stripped down before they got underneath the emerald sheets.

“I think we should look for these orcs,” I said as the women got comfy together. “We should try and find out if Luke has got to them yet or not.”

“Good plan,” Nicola yawned. “We can head off in the morning.”

“Someone might need a few cups of water first,” Aleia giggled as she prodded Celeste’s side.

The harpy mumbled something and began to softly snore.

“Goodnight Jack,” Penelope sighed as she closed her eyes. “I wish you were down here with us.”

“So do I,” I said softly. “I will be soon.”

The priestesses drifted off quickly, and I watched them for a while as their breathing became slow and peaceful. They looked so sweet all cuddled up close together, and I decided to check downstairs to make sure everyone else was okay.

Wilfrim and Elowise were climbing into a bed as Balabar set up with pillows on the ground.

“Goodnight,” I called.

“Night, Jack,” Elowise yawned. “We’ll talk to you in the morning.”

I joined the elves out in the communal room that had two large armchairs and found Azza and Nia setting up blankets on the seats.

“Goodnight,” I said. “Why are you here? Isn’t there another bedroom?”

“Yes.” Nia smirked. “But I think Grez and Myra are using it.”

Ah. I thought I had noticed the yellow-haired elf looking adoringly at the pretty soldier. Good for him.

“Well, I’ll just skip saying goodnight to them, then,” I muttered. “Sleep well!”

The elves smiled as they closed their eyes, and I chuckled to myself as I went back to admire the priestesses’ sleeping forms.

Suddenly, a new message appeared on my interface.

New Town Quest: Defeat the bear

Reward Upon Quest Completion: Gain the Wrath of Jack

I studied the words for ages. A bear? The Wrath of Jack?

What the hell was I about to get myself into?

Chapter 9

I spent the entire night preparing for a bear attack. The only bear I’d ever seen in this world was a fucking behemoth that must have been at least twelve feet tall and attacked my convent, so needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to meeting another one.

Every time I heard a noise, I expected it to be a bear, and I started to realize how easy it was to become paranoid about the dangers of the forest.

I also couldn’t work out what the hell the Wrath of Jack was. It sounded cool but didn’t give me much of a clue what to expect. It was a reward, so obviously it was going to be something awesome. Maybe it was a new power? Something similar to my super strength that appeared during my fifteen minute sessions?

Holy shit, maybe I’d be gaining smiting abilities.

The sun began to rise over the fortress, and it seemed that we had gotten through the night without any bear attacks. I wanted to ask if that was a common problem in the forest, but I didn’t want to cause panic by mentioning it. These gnomes were jumpy enough.

Penelope was the first of my women to wake up, and she smiled as she stretched out her blue limbs under the sheets.

“Good morning, beautiful,” I said as she slowly sat up.

“Good morning, my lord,” she yawed. “Oh, that was a wonderful sleep. I think I needed it after that long journey.”

The naiad got to her feet, and I enjoyed the view of her stunning curves as she began to get dressed.

Nicola and Aleia stirred next, and they pushed the blanket down to reveal their naked bodies.

“What a view,” I sighed. “You might need to give our lovely harpy a wake-up call.”

Celeste was sleeping on her stomach, so her butt and wings were presented to the world. Aleia gently shook her, and the redhead mumbled as she pushed herself up.

“Morning,” I chuckled. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay.” The harpy rubbed her eyes. “That wine was really smooth, it hasn’t even given me a headache.”

“Well, that’s good,” I said. “We can get out nice and early for our scouting mission.”

“The orcs.” Nicola nodded. “Should we bring any of the others?”

“Not just yet,” I replied. “I want to minimize your chances of being seen. We’ll go and scope out the place and see if we can work out if the orcs have picked a side.”

The women got dressed into their new outfits and headed down to the ground floor of the house.

Azza and Nia had already left, and I was slightly afraid to go and check on the Grez and Myra. There were only four of my followers who I wanted to see naked, and none of them were elves.

The gnomes yawned as they came out of their own bedroom, and they greeted the priestesses as everyone headed out to the square.

All four elves were sipping on cups of tea together, and they smiled cheerily as the others approached. The gnomes of the fortress seemed to be in good spirits, and they had a large rectangular frying pan set up over the fire that was full of eggs and meat. It didn’t have a handle like the pans of Earth, but it had four legs like a table as it perched over the fire.

“Breakfast time!” Jemmy said happily as the priestesses took a seat on a nearby log. “I hope you’re all feeling well rested.”

“It was a very comfy bed.” Penelope smiled. “Thank you very much.”

“What’s your plan for today?” Allam asked as he scooped food onto plates and began to hand them out.

“We’re going on a scouting mission,” Aleia said. “Jack is coming with us to find the orcs.”

“The orcs?” Jemmy gasped. “Oh, my goodness, is that safe?”

“I’ll take care of them,” I said, and all of the gnomes jumped.

“Jack?” Allam shouted as she spun around. “Where are you?”

“I’m in my god form,” I chuckled. “Sorry, I should have warned you that you would be able to hear me. Now that you are true believers, we can have conversations even when I’m not physically with you.”

“That’s incredible,” Jemmy breathed. “So you can always see us?”

I glanced at Grez and Myra as the color drained from their faces and felt a phantom smirk.

“No, no,” I said. “Only when I want to talk with you, and I will always announce myself so you know I’m there. No spying or anything. I’m not that type of god.”

“Of course not!” Grez laughed, but his voice cracked just a bit.

The gnomes chatted excitedly as everyone ate their breakfast, and I went over the plan with the whole group.

“We’ll need directions,” I said. “How far is it to where the orcs live?”

“Nobody is exactly sure,” Allam said. “We know they live in the caves, but I’ve never bothered to go in and try to work out which one.”

“That’s fair enough,” I laughed. “How long will it take to get there?”

“Maybe a morning’s walk?” Allam shrugged. “Not long, really. If you follow the creek, then that will lead you toward their lair. The water runs right by the fortress outside, so you just need to follow it over the bridge.”

“Excellent,” I said. “The priestesses are going to be going on this trip, and hopefully we can find out what exactly is going on with their group. There’s still a chance that Luke hasn’t claimed them as followers yet.”

“I hope so,” Jemmy said warily.

The priestesses finished up their breakfast and collected their weapons from the horses. Then the women waved goodbye to the group, and Jemmy led them out of the steel doorway.

“The creek is right over there,” she said as she pointed down the road. “It’s just past that big oak tree with the thorns. Then you take a left and just follow the riverbank right along. That will take you to the caves.”

“Got it.” Nicola nodded. “Thank you.”

“You all be careful,” the gnome said grimly. “I know Jack will protect you, and you’re all tough women, but there are things out there that you do not want to be messing with.”

“We will be careful,” Aleia promised. “We’ll be back soon to let you know what we find out.”

The blonde gnome nodded and glanced up at the sky before she hurried back inside.

The women started off down the road and kept quiet as they hurried past the thorn-covered tree.

“Remember to be on guard,” I said quietly. “We don’t know what kind of creatures are out there in the forest. There could be things far worse than orcs.”

“Worse than orcs?” Celeste snorted. “I doubt that.”

“Well, just keep an eye out,” I muttered, and now that I was only with my women again, I filled them in on my concerns about the bear.

“Are you saying some mystery bear could appear at any moment?” Aleia squeaked.

“I have a… godly feeling, yes,” I confirmed. “Just stay alert.”

“Nicola, stand in front of me,” Penelope insisted. “The bear will love you!”

“Oh, right,” the brunette snorted. “Because that mountain lion was oh, so respectful that one time.”

“Mountain lion?” Celeste gulped.

“Ladies, focus,” I ordered.

I kept glancing in every direction and made sure to keep an eye out for the slightest movement of shadow. Surely we would be able to spot a fucking bear before it attacked? Unless it had some kind of crazy power in this world, like being invisible or flying.

I tried not to dwell on the bear too much since my women were staying alert, and I focused on our plan of action for when we got to the caves.

“You need to make sure you’re silent,” I said as the women walked along the creek. “If these guys are as bad as everyone says, then you don’t want to be caught sneaking around their land.”

“We’ll be really careful.” Celeste nodded. “If we can find a good spot to listen in, then we should be able to work out what they’re up to by observing their behavior for a little while.”

The women walked quietly and kept their weapons close as they scanned the dense forest around them. The gentle trickle of the creek was calming, and the only other sounds were birds chirping and whistling happily. The water was crystal clear, and I could see small yellow fish swimming lazily by over the rocks.

It really was a stunning part of the world, and I hated the fact that some asshole god was ruining it for everyone.

My mind kept going back to the stupid new god’s name. The fact it was idiotic was bad enough, but the misspelling just made it offensively lame.

I didn’t know how intelligent orcs were, but I hoped they had enough sense to not trust this idiot god. Maybe we wouldn’t win them over to our side, but as long as they didn’t join with Luke, that was good enough for me.

“How many do you think there are?” Aleia whispered after an hour had passed.

“Probably enough to be worried about,” Nicola muttered. “The gnomes seem pretty nervous about them, anyway.”

“I don’t blame them,” Celeste said under her breath. “From what I’ve heard of orcs, they’re very violent when they want to be. I think they’re pretty good at forging weapons, too, so they’ll be armed.”

“It's so sad the magic of the forest has gone,” Penelope sighed. “I can’t understand why any god would try and make his people suffer.”

“And leaving messages in blood?” Aleia shivered, and her wings buzzed in response. “What does that even achieve? How does that help anything?”

“Just another scare tactic,” I said. “It’s the same as taking away the enchantment from the trees. Clearly, this guy terrifies people into following him. He’s showing just how miserable and dangerous he can make their lives if they don’t worship him.”

“At least he hasn’t gotten to the gnomes,” Celeste whispered. “They had enough sense to stay away. It seems like we got to the fortress just in time.”

“But they live in fear,” Nicola said in a low and disapproving tone. “Their lives are miserable because of Luke. What’s the point in having this whole forest to explore when you’re petrified that some evil god is going to strike you down at any moment? No one should be forced to live like that.”

Nicola’s voice harshened at the end of her speech, and I was suddenly reminded that she’d been made an outcast on account of a vengeful and young god. Her own stepmother had belittled her constantly in the name of her god, and the notion made me realize something interesting.

The god that plagued Nicola’s upbringing was the only other “young god” I’d ever heard of. And his name was almost as dumb as this Skulzzz character: Xomes the Immaculate.

I decided not to voice this realization to the women just now, mostly because I didn’t want to upset Nicola by bringing it up, but it was worth noting, to say the least.

The priestesses were glancing around nervously now as if they expected Luke to jump out of any shadow, and I started to wonder if I would even be able to tell when we were close to this other god.

Would my interface pop up with any kind of warning when he was near? An alarm would be handy, or some kind of visual clue. Or was this asshole silently following us as we explored the part of the forest he had claimed?

I had no idea how any interaction with another god would work, or if it would happen at all. All I could do was take care of my followers and hope that our skills were more deadly than his numbers. As long as he didn’t have any control over the storm of Squall Sprites, we should be okay.

The walk along the creek was relaxing, despite the urgency of the situation. We didn’t encounter any animals other than small woodland creatures, and the sun shone down through the overhead branches and made the river sparkle. The grass was a deep, emerald-green, and various bright flowers lined the riverbed.

“It’s beautiful,” Penelope sighed. “I can’t really picture a bunch of angry orcs living here. Aren’t they creatures that live in dark, damp holes?”

“The gnomes said they live in the caves,” Nicola said. “We’ve been walking for a while, we must be getting close.”

The priestesses carried on for another thirty minutes or so, and eventually they reached an opening in the trees. There was a grassy hill up ahead, and along the side of it were several cave entrances. Some were tiny, and others stretched halfway up the mound, but all of them were dark. There was a distant flicker of light inside the closest one, and a tangle of thorn bushes sat just outside.

I tried to look deeper inside the tunnels, but it seemed that my God Vision couldn’t see much further than the entrance. I figured that my followers would need to venture inside before I had a proper map laid out.

“I guess that’s it, then,” I said. “Make sure you have your weapons ready. We have no idea how this is going to play out. Even if they aren’t on Luke’s team, they might not be pleased to have unexpected visitors.”

“Will you come down and walk with us, Jack?” Aleia squeaked.

“I’m going to hold back on joining you down there,” I told her, and I used my most reassuring tone to help calm her nerves. “I’m still right here with you always, Aleia, but if anything dangerous were to happen, I’ll need as much time as possible in my physical form to help you out.”

“Good idea,” Nicola agreed. “Don’t waste it just walking along with us, Jack.”

“But which tunnel do we pick?” Aleia asked as the women slowly approached the hill. “Do you think they all lead to the same place?”

“It’s hard to say,” I replied. “We should make sure there’s enough daylight getting in to see properly first. It looks like there’s some kind of torch inside, if you can stay hidden in the darkness, then that would be ideal.”

The women crouched over as they raced to the nearest cave entrance. It was about ten feet in height and had moss covering the gray stone opening.

“It stinks,” Aleia whispered as she wrinkled her nose.

“I don’t think orcs are known for their hygiene,” Penelope hissed. “Let’s go.”

Aleia went in first and stood as still as a statue for a moment as she peered into the gloom. The sunlight illuminated enough of the cave to see that there was a bend up ahead, and the distant flicker of light was coming from around the corner.

Small droplets of water dripped down from the ceiling and made tiny little echoes as they landed into puddles.

“They must have lanterns inside,” I murmured. “I guess this must be the way to their lair.”

I used my God Vision to check that there wasn’t anyone crouched in the dim shadows of the entrance, but there still wasn’t much I could see beyond that. The women would need to get closer for me to scope it out properly, so I would need to make sure they moved carefully.

“Should we just go in?” Penelope asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “The light means we’ll be able to see any shadows if there’s anyone up ahead.”

“What if someone comes behind us?” Nicola hissed.

“Then you’ll beat the hell out of them,” I said.

The priestesses nodded and carefully piled into the entrance of the cave. The tunnel was just wide enough to walk in pairs with Aleia and Nicola in front, and Penelope and Celeste were at the back.

Nobody spoke as they slowly crept further into the dimly-lit cave, and they made sure to scan the ground before putting their feet down to minimize noise.

As they neared the corner, the women braced themselves with their weapons held high. The wall showed that there were no shadowy figures there, but it was still possible there could be some kind of trap. Aleia and Nicola turned around the corner and breathed out with relief as they were met with another empty tunnel.

It was dimly-lit with sporadically placed flame torches attached to the walls with steel brackets. For some reason, I hadn’t expected the orcs to have anything remotely civilized in their lair. I guess my only knowledge of the creatures was from old fantasy books I read when I was a kid.

The women hurried down the cave as quietly as they could, and I could see there was a fork in the path up ahead. Both directions seemed to be lit, and I wondered how long it would be until we ran into one of the cave’s residents.

Just before the women reached the fork, there was a sound of footsteps echoing around the walls.

The priestesses froze, and I tried to work out which direction the noise was coming from.

The echo on the stone made it very disorientating, and the women desperately spun around as I tried to look for a shadow. I spotted a dark shape behind them coming from the entranceway, and I knew I needed to get them out of there before they were spotted.

“Behind you!” I hissed. “Quickly, take one of the tunnels.”

The women ran toward the junction and peered down the left and right as the footsteps grew louder.

“Which one?” Penelope breathed. “They look the same!”

I looked down at the ground and noticed the left-hand route had much more scuffing on the ground as if it had been walked on more often. That surely meant they were more likely to take that path, so I did not want my women going there.

“To the right!” I hissed, and the women raced down the tunnel without asking any questions.

Thankfully, it was only a short distance to the next corner, and the priestesses dove around the wall before they stopped and listened.

I could now hear it was at least three sets of footsteps, and there was a murmur of grunts and heavy breathing along with it.

“Get against the wall,” I hissed. “So your shadows aren’t noticeable,”

The women pressed their backs against the gray stone and barely breathed as the footsteps turned the nearby corner.

I could have used my God Vision to scan the tunnels we had already passed through, but I wanted to keep my attention on the women’s immediate surroundings. There were dark tunnels around them that hadn’t yet been explored, and I didn’t want to miss anything lurking deep inside those areas. I would be able to see who was approaching through the priestesses’ vision anyway.

Aleia carefully peeked around the corner just enough to get a glimpse of the orcs, and sure enough, they had chosen the left-hand side tunnel. There were four of them altogether, and they were all incredibly broad-shouldered and about seven feet tall. I could only see the back of them, and they had bald heads that were a dark gray color similar to the cave walls. They all wore shabby, black shorts, and I could see their ears were pointed and curled out like horns. The four of them were carrying a large dead animal between them that looked a bit like a stag, and they grunted heavily as they shuffled down the cave with their kill.

The women stayed silent until the orcs had plodded out of view, and they waited until the last footstep died away before they moved.

“That was close,” Nicola breathed as she slumped against the wall. “Thanks, Jack.”

“Of course,” I said. “Looks like that’s the path you need to take if you want to do some eavesdropping.”

“Let’s go.” Nicola nodded. “Before any more of them appear.”

The priestesses hurried out of their hiding spot and trotted down toward the path the orcs had taken.

As they followed after the creatures, I quickly found out that there were a hell of a lot of pathways in the caves. It was like a giant maze full of dimly-lit twists and turns, and the women ended up having to quicken their pace just to be able to hear which way the orcs were moving.

They ran so they were just able to track the creatures, but they still made sure to stay far enough back that they wouldn’t be noticed.

It took a good few minutes before the orcs’ footsteps began to slow down, and there was an eruption of noise as the women turned the next corner.

The tunnel led out into a large open cavern, and it was crawling with orcs. It was clearly a central space in their lair, and some of them were sitting down chewing bits of meat as they talked.

I was surprised to see furniture placed around the cavern, and there was a huge wooden table in the center where most of the orcs were tearing into their food.

I got to see their faces more clearly, and it wasn’t exactly a pretty sight. They all had misshapen noses and crooked teeth that stuck out at odd angles. Their eyes were narrow, and a few of them had wispy dark hairs coming out of their chins.

The women dove behind a cluster of large boulders nearby and managed to hide themselves between the rocks and the wall. There were several clumps of stone around the cavern, and it seemed like all the attention was on the center of the room.

It wasn’t a great hiding spot, but it would have to do for now.

“Shit,” Nicola breathed. “I guess we found them.”

“Don’t worry,” I said. “Stay hidden, and they won’t notice you. I’ll keep a close watch on you in case anyone comes too close, but just keep low. They have no reason to be looking around the dark corners of the room.”

The women all had their faces scrunched up, and I imagined the smell had only worsened now that they were so close to the cave beasts. They stayed hunched over with their weapons gripped tightly, and I listened in on the nearby orcs while I kept watch on the area surrounding my women.

“That’s the third time today I got stung,” a voice grunted. “We got no ointment left. I checked everywhere. It’s all gone.”

“Those thorns are fucking everywhere,” another agreed. “Don’t see why he had to go and make all of them.”

“Same reason he got rid of the enchantment,” a deeper voice said. “He wants us all to suffer until he’s got the whole forest on his side.”

“I don’t even see why we need him,” the first voice growled. “We were doing fine until he showed up. Now we have no healing potions and all of these thorny things growing nearby. Half the animals bleed to death by scraping past them, and they’re all rotten and eaten by bugs by the time we find them.”

It sounded like the orcs did not like what Luke had done with the forest.

Good. That meant we had a chance of converting them.

“Do you think they follow him already?” Nicola whispered.

“It’s hard to say,” I replied. “Either way, they’re clearly not happy with the guy.”

“Good,” Penelope mumbled. “If orcs don’t like him, then who would!”

There was a sudden banging noise in the cavern, and the priestesses jumped with wide eyes before they froze in place. The noise came again, and then there was a wet slopping sound like flesh being thrown onto rock.

I examined the shadows on the wall, and saw an arm raising an axe-like object up before it swung down with another thump.

“I think they’re butchering their kill,” I said. “Don’t worry.”

“The food supply is getting low,” one orc grunted. “The animals are moving out of the north. I reckon it’s because they used the enchantment, too.”

“Probably,” another said. “They ate the leaves, so they must have noticed that their health isn’t as good. No point sticking around here when they could just up and leave south.”

“We’re going to starve soon,” the deep-voiced orc grumbled. “That kill today was the biggest in days. Most likely we won’t have another catch of that size again.”

“We’re already rationing it all,” one orc grunted. “It’s not fair. We’ve hunted in these parts forever. Our ancestors lived here, it’s our right to live off this land.”

“Why can’t we have a god who’s actually useful?” an orc sighed under his breath. “Someone really fucking tough, with a mind for battle?”

“Shh,” another hissed, but the orc continued.

“A god with a huge fucking weapon,” he mused. “One that’ll lead us in battle and fight for our benefit! Not just his.”

“Shit, do you think we could get one like that?” a quieter orc whispered.

“Not around here,” the deep voice replied gruffly. “But I would follow a god that actually offered us real guidance. Someone with real power. That’s what we need around here. A leader.”

“I’m tellin’ you, you better quiet down,” another orc hissed, and I realized it was the same one who had shushed the group before. He seemed anxious, and the conversation died down as more meat was chopped.

The rest of the orcs’ voices drifted around the cavern now. Most of them were grumbling about the state of the forest, and a few were discussing the best hunting spots since the animals seemed to be moving. There were slobbering noises as they ate their meat, and it didn’t seem like they were cooking it at all.

I didn’t bother checking. I didn’t really want to see orcs devouring meat, and keeping a close watch on my women’s surroundings was more important right now.

Suddenly, there was a nearby voice that sounded slightly higher-pitched than the others, almost like the accent people used to feign politeness to their boss.

“Oh, yes!” the orc said a little too loudly, and several orcs quieted down immediately. “Good to hear you. Yes, a good kill today. Although, the food supply does seem to be getting lower. Maybe… oh. Right.”

There was no reply, and I waited wondering if another whispered conversation was going on out there.

“Of course,” the deep-voiced ogre suddenly replied. “The sun has been good for the animals grazing. Although, the thorns are causing some issues. We were talking and-- right. Yes.”

“They’re talking to him,” Celeste breathed as she peered around the boulder for just a split second, and the other women turned to look at her.

“What?” Nicola mouthed. “Who?”

“Luke,” Celeste whispered. “That’s what you all sounded like when I couldn’t hear Jack.”

“I beg your pardon!” Penelope scoffed, but then Aleia elbowed her so she’d lower her voice. “We did not sound like a bunch of snorting orcs.”

“No,” the harpy agreed. “But you did sound a bit, uhh… loopy.”

“Loopy?” Penelope asked.

“I’m just saying,” Celeste hissed. “They’re clearly talking to someone who isn’t there. It’s not just one of them doing it, and it must be Luke.”

“Shit, she’s right,” I realized. “That means you need to get out of here. I have no idea what his powers are, but he might be able to see you as easily as I can if decides to scan this entire cave.”

The women glanced at the entryway, and it seemed to be much further away than when they had come in. It was only a couple of feet in distance, but I decided they needed a distraction, just in case. After all, it would just take one orc to look over for the women to be noticed. I felt uneasy at the thought of another god being nearby, and I didn’t like the idea of starting our meeting with a battle against an orc army deep in a cave.

“Throw something,” I said. “Grab a little pebble and throw it away from the entrance. Then run when the noise distracts them.”

Celeste picked up a jagged stone at her feet and carefully aimed toward the far wall. She released the rock, and the women raced over to the tunnel doorway just as the sound of stone against stone echoed around the walls.

“What was that?” an orc growled, and I shifted my view to see the crowd of gray creatures peer at the back of the chamber.

The priestesses managed to get back out into the dim tunnel without anyone spotting them, and the dull hum of conversation carried on as the orcs got back to their work.

The women stayed quiet as they retraced their steps, and I was relieved to see the daylight as they turned the final corner.

“Made it,” Nicola breathed as they hurried toward the exit. “That was close.”

“Let’s get out of here,” I said. “Now that we have some information, we know where they stand with Luke, the asshole. It doesn’t seem that anyone in this forest wants him around. I figure the orcs would switch allegiances in a heartbeat.”

“They want a strong leader,” Aleia said. “Jack, I think they would happily switch to following you!”

“I agree.” Nicola nodded. “They’re smart enough to know that skull man is an idiot, and having the orcs on our side could be the start of reclaiming the forest for the greater good.”

“Everyone is scared of them,” Celeste agreed as they reached the stream. “That would be a good team to have on our side.”

“Maybe we could bring them some offerings,” Penelope piped up. “Like we did with the gnomes?”

“Possibly,” I said. “But I think showing them what we have to offer, and our abilities in combat, will be more likely to sway them. We could--”

I stopped as a strange, deafening sound rang out through the trees, but the women carried on walking along the water’s edge as if they couldn’t hear it.

It was a static, almost metallic-sounding ring, and then there came a voice.

“Who dares enter my forest?”

The priestesses continued onward while they talked about the orcs in low voices, and none of them even glanced around as the booming demand rang out.

Then I realized I was the only one who could hear it.

It had to be the young god, Luke.

The motherfucker was actually talking to me.

Chapter 10

“It’s Luke,” I said, and the women stopped walking. “He’s talking to me.”

“What?” Nicola gasped. “Really? You can hear him?”

The women all looked around and raised their weapons as they studied the trees.

“Hello?” I called. “Is that the god Luke? I want to speak with you.”

The voice didn’t return, but suddenly there was the sound of an untuned guitar playing fast, harsh chords.

It was clear that the priestesses could hear that noise, too, as they spun around and looked curiously through the dense trees as the music got closer.

It wasn’t much of a tune, but whoever was playing it was really giving it their all, and the sound reminded me of amateur metal music, and the absolute shittiest kind.

“What the fuck is happening?” I muttered.

“What did he say?” Celeste asked.

“He asked ‘who dares enter his forest,’” I scoffed. “Now I can’t hear him.”

The priestesses held their weapons high and at the ready, but Penelope wrinkled her nose, and Aleia shuddered as the music got louder.

“What is that noise?” the fairy asked. “It’s awful!”

“I think it’s music?” Celeste frowned. “But not like any I’ve heard before.”

“It’s terrible,” Penelope scoffed. “What a horrible sound!”

I had to admit, it wasn’t a great introduction to any of Earth’s musical genres.

Then there was a shuffling sound behind a nearby bush before five small humanoid creatures appeared.

They were about four feet tall and were a deep-red color with scaly skin. Their eyes were all white except for the pupils, and they wore brown tunics with grass stains.

“Imps?” Aleia said, and she tilted her head as the creatures blinked at her.

Despite their sudden appearance, and slightly demon-like look, they didn’t seem angry or as if they were about to attack. In fact, the imps looked absolutely fucking bored with their entire existence. One of them was strumming a busted-up acoustic guitar, and the others scratched their chins as they silently stared at the women.

They were slouched over, and I could have sworn they had purple bags under their white eyes.

“Um,” Penelope said awkwardly. “Hello?”

“Do the thing,” Luke’s voice hissed. “How many fucking times do I need to tell you?”

The imp playing the guitar began to strum more violently, and he stomped his foot to the music like a drum. The other four creatures glanced at each other wearily before one of them opened its mouth.

“All hail the great one!” the imp shouted in a gravelly, death-metal voice. “Luke, destroyer of skulls. Ah, I mean reaper of skulls. Sorry, I mean skulzzz!”

I couldn’t help snorting with laughter, and the priestesses’ mouths twitched as they watched the imps.

“Luke is the great god of the forest!” the imp continued as if he was reading from a script. “He is to be feared and respected.”

The guitar got even louder and shittier, and two of the imps covered their ears as they glared at the player.

“What is happening?” Nicola hissed. “This is the weirdest thing I have ever seen.”

“Silence!” Luke screamed, but of course, only I could hear him.

His voice sounded deep, but it was as if he was putting it on. Like a teenager trying to get served at a bar, and I held my tongue while I waited to see how the hell this was going to play out.

“Are you all okay?” Penelope finally asked the imps. “I’m not sure that the guitar is tuned properly. Perhaps we could stop the music for now?”

“I said silence!” Luke yelled.

“They can’t hear you,” I sighed. “You know only your followers can hear your voice, right? That’s one of the basics of being a god.”

There was silence from Luke, and I couldn’t tell if he had heard me or not.

His imps continued their odd display as if they were announcing a rockstar to a packed stadium. But it was like the entire crew wanted the rockstar to die. Every word out of their mouths was so rehearsed and stale that I immediately knew they were not Luke’s biggest fans.

I had to admit, it was fucking funny to watch, and the complete confusion and slight disgust of my women’s faces only made it more hilarious.

“Luke is the master of all things!” the speaking imp continued “He is to be feared by all men and adored by all women! Uh, mostly red-haired women… apparently. He says that’s important. And that he likes the two over there with the wings.”

Aleia and Celeste glanced at each other, and they wrinkled their noses in disgust.

“He also says,” the imp continued as his strumming faltered lazily. “That he likes blondes and brunettes, too, so don’t worry if you all want him.”

“Gross,” Penelope huffed.

The imp grimaced at her and then spoke with no enthusiasm. “Prepare to be amazed.”

“By what?” Nicola snorted. “He’s not doing anything. He’s just making you say things you clearly don’t want to say.”

The imps didn’t seem to have any scripted response to that, and the guy with the guitar finally stopped attempting to play. He slumped with annoyance, and the others glared at him in silence.

I was intrigued that I was able to hear this other god earlier, but I was seriously confused by now, and the whole bizarre experience of the guitar and the weird speech was distracting me from anything else.

“Right,” I finally muttered. “Now that we’ve got all that out of the way--”

“This is my land!” Luke suddenly bellowed. “I am the god of the south woods!”

“This is the north,” I shot back, and there was a pause.

“I am the god of the north woods!” Luke shouted, and I decided he could actually hear me. “But I just meant that soon I will also be god of the south. I am all-powerful, and you should not have come here.”

My amusement at the whole stupid situation was starting to turn into anger as I remembered how scared the gnomes were.

It was clear his imp followers were just mortified by the whole situation, and the orcs wanted another god, too. Nobody liked this idiot, and he wasn’t fit to be a god.

Plus his clumsy remarks about my women pissed me off, so I decided to go full-god on his ass.

“You do not rule this forest well,” I said in a strong and deep tone, and I was pleased to hear a heavy echo behind the words. “You had no right to block the enchantments of the forest. You’re hurting the people you are supposed to care for, and--”

“Care for?” Luke sneered. “What kind of weak ass god are you?”

His voice had gotten higher and more nasally the more he spoke, as if he had forgotten to put on his fake tone.

As exciting as it was that I could talk with another god, I quickly realized this was not the kind of guy I could stomach for more than a few minutes at a time. There wasn’t much I wanted to chat to Luke about, anyway, so I decided to keep the conversation going just long enough to see how much I could learn about him.

But I didn’t even know where to start. This guy sounded like such a jackass.

“You have women with you,” Luke said out of nowhere. “Where did you get them?”

“Get them?” I repeated. “I didn’t buy them from a market stall. They chose to worship me and have been devoted to me ever since they arrived at my convent.”

The priestesses kept glancing at each other as they stood facing the imps, and they kept their weapons ready for action. It must have been strange to not be able to hear half of the conversation, but they didn’t complain as they awaited their next instructions.

Penelope and Nicola kept glancing to the sky as if they expected an attack from there, and Celeste had her wings unfolded and ready to fly if needed. Aleia had an adorable scowl as she glared at the imps, and I had a feeling the red creatures weren’t even going to dream of trying to attack.

“Where is your convent?” Luke demanded. “I rule everything here right to the mountains, that’s where the great Ethan takes over.”

I ignored his question for now, but I felt uneasy hearing him refer to Ethan as “great.” It gave me the sense that these two pricks might actually be buddies.

Which made me wonder if asshole gods got together and laughed about how terribly they treated their followers.

Either way, it wasn’t a good sign that he had any kind of respect for Ethan, and I wondered if he knew about the Squall Sprite battle.

Then I eyed his small band of imps, who didn’t even begin to compare to the unsettling sprites we’d met before. They still stood around looking at the women as they shuffled their feet, and it didn’t look like it would be a fair fight if they had to engage.

The imps were not only small, but appeared to be unarmed, and each of my women were clutching onto a deadly weapon they had used multiple times in battle.

I had a feeling Celeste was tall enough to step on an imp if she wanted to.

Aleia was strong enough to crush their skulls with her bare and dainty hands.

As I considered the strange standoff, I began to wonder about the logistics of this entire situation. I wanted to know if I could talk to the women without Luke hearing, and I decided to try out having a private conversation. Whatever Luke’s reaction was to my attempt would help me figure out how this all worked.

I focused on the priestesses and tried to tune out the idea of Luke and his followers.

“Hey,” I said quietly, and my women almost imperceptibly turned their heads. “This guy is such an asshole.”

“My lord,” Penelope gasped.

I paused for a beat, and there was no noise from Luke.

“He can’t hear me,” I chuckled. “I just wanted to check in and make sure you were all doing okay.”

“We’re fine,” Aleia said. “We’re just waiting for you to tell us what to do next!”

“Just hang tight,” I told the women. “Hopefully, Luke the Asshole doesn’t have any more little songs he wants to perform, and we can get out of here.”

The women all giggled, and I was relieved that I was able to talk with them alone, even with another god lurking around the area.

“What did you say?” Luke barked. “Why are they laughing? This is fucking serious!”

“Don’t worry, it wasn’t anything that’s not true,” I chuckled as I focused on his presence again.

“Where did you come from?” Luke shouted. “Tell me which part of the forest you crawled out of, or I’ll have my followers destroy yours!”

I’d had just about enough of this shit talker, and his nasally voice was starting to grate on my nerves.

“I am god of more land than you could dream of,” I boomed in my godliest voice, and the same echo reverberated behind the words. “The south woods and far beyond them belong to me.”

Luke didn’t respond at first, but when he spoke again, his voice was laced with forced confidence.

“Your women will die if you stay here,” Luke hissed. “Is that what you want? Leave now, and I might spare one or two of them.”

I couldn’t help laughing as I looked at the imps.

“I don’t think that’s how the fight would go,” I muttered. “My priestesses have won many battles and have skills and training your followers are clearly lacking.”

“Do not threaten me,” Luke growled in a low voice. “My creatures will not rest until your people are torn limb from limb.”

“Listen,” I sighed as I realized this was going nowhere. “How about we start again? Maybe we could even help each other out or something.”

“Help you?” Luke scoffed. “I am loyal only to the great Ethan. I am his loyal ally, and he respects me and my land.”

“Right,” I snorted.

“You have to get out!” Luke shouted, and he sounded like a teenage boy yelling at his mom for coming into his room.

I once again wondered what the hell was going on, but I tried to stay present in the moment rather than get caught up in how fucking weird this first god encounter was turning out to be.

“No,” I said flatly. “I have already built connections here in the forest, it is not yours to claim. Your own followers don’t even want you here, they want someone respectable who will protect them and listen to their wishes. They want a real god.”

“That’s not true,” he snarled. “My followers fear me, and they cower at my greatness! I am as real as it gets!”

“You’re pathetic,” I informed him outright. “Your people will turn against you at the first chance they get.”

“Jack,” Nicola said cautiously. “What should we be doing? What’s going on?”

The women and imps were still facing each other in silence, and I heard a sharp inhale of breath from Luke at the mention of my name.

I waited for him to speak again, but he didn’t.

Did this guy know who I was?

“Jack?” Luke eventually asked in a low voice. “Is that what she called you?”

“Yes,” I said. “I am Jack, and I find that the name alone is impressive enough without any kind of stupid title at the end to sound terrifying.”

“Attaaaaack!” Luke suddenly screamed.

“He’s ordering them to attack,” I warned the women, and they scowled as they raised their weapons.

The imps didn’t move. They glanced at each other with their pale eyes and then took a step back from the women.

“Master,” one of them said. “Why don’t we just--”

“Attaaaaack!” Luke shouted in a blistering voice. “Show them the wrath of Luke!”

What happened next was slightly tragic to watch. Two of the imps rushed forward with their fists raised, and one of them was immediately kicked in the head by Celeste. The other one was picked up by Aleia and thrown into a nearby bush by the strong fairy, and both women winced apologetically at their miniature opponents like they really didn’t want to hurt them.

The other three imps groaned as they watched their buddies get beaten, and they scurried backward toward the bushes.

“Do not flee!” Luke screamed. “You can’t be afraid of a bunch of women!”

“This is sad,” Nicola murmured as the imp in the bush scurried back with a bleeding nose and rushed back to his group.

“I feel sorry for them,” Penelope whispered, and then she raised her voice to the imps. “Why don’t you all come with us instead? Jack won’t make you fight without any weapons or training. That’s just mean.”

“And you’re honestly just embarrassing yourselves,” Nicola admitted. “You’re better off with us. We’ll show you how to do this all much more effectively. Leave Luke, he’s not doing anything to help you.”

“Luke is our god,” one of the imps said in a small voice. “We follow him anywhere.”

“Why?” Celeste asked. “What has he ever done to earn your loyalty?”

“Done?” The imp said nervously. “Well, he’s the god of these parts.”

“So… you feel like you have to follow him,” Nicola said. “Because he’s scared you into it, and he’s cut off all the magic of the forest.”

“Contain your women!” Luke demanded. “They’re blasphemous, and they don’t know what they’re talking about.”

I sighed as I considered the situation.

He had clearly set his imps on the priestesses when he heard my name. That was a point in my favor, because for whatever reason, this guy was scared of me.

I still didn’t really understand how he could know who I was. Maybe the news of the Sprite battle of Evelhelm had traveled, but it was just strange that he knew who I was, and yet I had only heard of him a few hours ago.

It must have something to do with me being an old god, but I still couldn’t figure out exactly what that meant.

“I’ll make you a deal,” I said to the young god. “If you leave this forest, restore its magic, and free your followers, then I won’t harm you. Final offer.”

“Harm me?” Luke laughed. “I’m a god, you idiot. How exactly do you think we can be harmed?”

I didn’t like him using the term “we,” like we were in any way on the same team. He wasn’t on my level in any sense of the word, and I sure as hell didn’t want him sniffing around my women like a hungry dog.

Suddenly, the imps jumped and started to scurry away back into the bushes they had come from. I figured that Luke had said something only they could hear, and it seemed they were free from their pathetic attempt at a fight.

“You will regret ever coming here,” Luke hissed. “Those pretty girls will be face down in their own blood, and you will only have yourself to blame. I will kill everyone who pledges faith to you, and you will become a shadow of a god. I will end you.”

“Whatever, dude,” I sighed. “I’m not going anywhere, and neither are my warriors. You are the one who needs to fear for his people’s lives if you try to step foot into a battle with us.”

“You have no idea what powers I have,” Luke snarled. “I am an almighty god. You will regret crossing me.”

There was a faint rustling sound, and the women spun around to see an orc emerge from the trees with an axe grasped in its large hand. The creature towered above the priestesses, but it only scratched its chin as it stared at the group. It didn’t seem like it was about to attack, but the priestesses stood poised and ready anyway.

“What are you doing here?” the orc grunted. “This is where the orcs live.”

“Don’t mention that you know where their cave is,” I said. “You’re leaving soon. Don’t get it worked up for any reason.”

“We were just passing through,” Celeste said firmly. “We’re leaving soon.”

The orc grunted in response, and then its eyes fell on the imps behind the priestesses.

“You!” the gray beast said. “We told you to stay away from these parts.”

“Orc!” Luke boomed. “These imps are my right-hand men, they come and go as they please through the forest!”

The orc somehow managed to twist its face to look even more unpleasant as the god spoke. Its nostrils flared, and it swung its axe up to rest on its shoulder as if getting ready to chop up the invisible deity.

“Show some respect,” Luke said. “Take to your knees for your god, Luke the Reaper of Skulzzz!”

There was a loaded silence, and the orc let out a long, tired sigh as it scowled at the imps.

“What’s happening?” Nicola hissed.

“Keep quiet for now,” I replied. “Luke is trying to get the orc to bow down, and I have a feeling that’s not going to work out for him.”

“Oh, shit,” Nicola said.

“Take a step to the side,” I said slowly. “All of you. So you’re not between the orc and the imps. This guy might attack if Luke asks it to kneel again, so don’t get in the middle of it.”

The priestesses managed to take such small steps to the side that nobody seemed to notice their movements, and the orc continued to stare down the little red creatures.

“I told you to kneel,” Luke growled. “Would you dare to disrespect your god?”

“The trees,” the orc growled and ignored the question. “Why did you take away the magic? My leg’s all fucked up from a bite, and I can’t fix it.”

There was a hesitation, and I got a feeling that Luke hadn’t expected the orc to talk back or ignore his demands. I couldn’t help feeling smug as I watched the asshole god’s own followers straight-up ignore his orders.

“Your god’s plans do not concern you,” Luke hissed. “Now, bow down to show respect to your leader.”

“Leader?” the orc snorted. “You’ve done nothing but rob us. Bring the magic back, or we’re leaving to another part of the forest.”

“You can’t leave,” Luke spat. “I am your god, and you will stay in the north forest to serve me!”

“We’ll do whatever we fucking want,” the orc snarled, and it sounded much more hostile.

The imps were shaking as they watched the cave beast take a step forward. My women didn’t take their eyes off the orc, and I was ready to react if the gray beast made a move on them. It was clear to me it didn’t care about the priestesses, though. It barely seemed to notice they were there, and its only business was clearly with Luke.

I made sure to take in everything the orc said. I could use it later when we would try and win them over to joining my followers. Everything Luke said, I would use against him, not that I needed sly tactics anyway.

Luke was a disaster of a god all on his own.

“Get the magic back,” the orcs snarled. “Or I’ll take the heads off all your little red friends.”

The imps almost fell over as they scrambled backward and tried to hide behind each other.

“Stay where you are!” Luke bellowed. “This disrespect will not be tolerated! Orc, what is your name?”

“I won’t be telling you,” the beast replied. “You don’t need to know.”

The orc wiped its nose on its arm and then started to stride past the women and back toward the cave.

“No further!” Luke yelled. “I am your leader! Your master! Your entire clan will regret the day you disrespected me if you continue one step further!”

The orc rolled its eyes and strode straight through the imps in the direction of the cave.

It was all the proof I needed that Luke wouldn’t last long around here. He had no power, no charisma, and certainly no respect from his people. Everyone was silent as the orc strode into the trees, and the heavy footsteps disappeared into the cave.

“I’ve got a feeling he’s going to be really fucking angry,” I whispered to the women. “Brace yourselves for some kind of attack.”

The women nodded and hurried into a line formation facing the imps. The red creatures glanced at each other nervously, but then they slowly began to shuffle off into the bushes behind them. Their footsteps faded quickly after that, and the women kept their weapons raised as they looked around the deserted clearing.

I waited for a beat, but Luke didn’t talk. The orc leaving must have enraged him past the point of arguing. He had been humiliated in front of another god, and I had a feeling he would want to take it out on someone.

I felt bad for whichever of his followers he was bothering now.

“I think he left,” I said after a full minute passed. “Wow. He was even more of an asshole than I expected. I’m pretty ready to bring this fucker down.”

“That orc did not give a shit,” Nicola snorted. “I only got one side of the conversation, but it was pretty easy to tell that it wasn’t going well for Luke.”

“The orc basically told him to go fuck himself,” I agreed. “I have a feeling winning the orcs over won’t be too tricky.”

“I felt kind of bad for the imps,” Celeste sighed as she lowered her sword. “They really did not seem to be excited to be a part of that.”

“They’ll be free soon enough,” I said firmly.

I felt high with adrenaline as I thought about Luke’s words. I didn’t care if he was allied with Ethan, I wasn’t scared of a god who made his followers play music for his entrance.

He wasn’t going to terrorize the people of the forest any longer, I would make sure of it.

“Should we follow them?” Aleia asked. “Try and track down their base?”

“Not now,” I said. “He might be expecting that, we should come back with more numbers. Who knows what other reluctant creatures he’s bullied into following him?”

“So, we should go?” Penelope said, and I hesitated.

Something told me that Luke wasn’t done yet. I couldn’t explain it, but it was an instinctual feeling that something bad was about to happen.

“Yes, but keep your weapons at the ready,” I said. “I have a feeling he’s going to try something else, so move quickly.”

The priestesses nodded and glanced around them as they began to hurry back to the creek.

As the women jogged along, I scanned the side of the trees that the imps had disappeared into.

Then I felt something I never had before as a god: an overwhelming sense of dread, and a certainty that something was coming.

The bushes moved just as the feeling washed over me, and I heard something snarl.

“To your right!” I shouted, and the women spun around just as the five imps jumped back into the clearing.

They all had a thick, silver chain clutched in their hands and were wide-eyed and sweating as they led a huge creature through the bushes.

Tied up in the chain was an enormous, black bear.

With three heads.

Each head had wild, yellow eyes and an open jaw dripping with blood and drool. Razor-sharp teeth snapped together as all three sets of eyes spotted the women at once.

The imps were barely holding on to the chains that wrapped around the bear’s necks, and the creature let out a roar with each mouth that shook the leaves around it.

Even though I was in god form, I felt an icy coldness shoot through my being as the imps nodded at each other.

“Run,” I bellowed, but the women seemed frozen with fear as they stared at the beast. “Run!”

The priestesses began to move, and the imps dropped the chains.

Then the three-headed bear tore after the priestesses, and all hell broke loose.

Chapter 11

The women raced along the side of the river as the sound of the bear’s footsteps rang out behind them. I could hear every snarl and roar as the beast tore across the forest floor, and the chains that were hanging from its neck rattled with every step.

“Jack!” Nicola panted. “I think we found the bear!”

“Aleia!” I shouted. “Fly up and shoot it!”

The fairy was pale as she nodded silently, and she shot up into the sky as her sisters carried on running. She fumbled with her crossbow, and her hands were shaking as she took aim.

“You can do this,” I said, and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

The strawberry-blonde shot at the bear just as it raced under her, and the bolt was poised to strike right between the shoulder blades. Then it bounced right off the creature’s back and fell onto the ground before it was crushed by a powerful paw.

“Shit,” I hissed.

The bear was fast, and it was starting to catch up with the other women. It was a huge force of fur, muscles, and teeth, and it seemed to have some sort of impenetrable skin under that coat.

It towered over the priestesses and probably would have been as tall as if Aleia sat on Celeste’s shoulders.

“Why don’t we climb a tree?” Penelope yelled.

“Bears can climb trees!” Nicola shouted. “That would just trap us!”

I knew I needed to help out the two priestesses who had no wings to rely on, and I quickly tuned into my interface to transport some points over to them.

I gave Penelope two extra agility points, and Nicola received two extra strength points. The second the points were added, the two women seemed to become lighter on their feet. Both of their paces sped up, and they leapt over obstacles like fallen branches with no issues. They had been pretty fast runners beforehand, but the extra points were the boost they needed to put some extra space between themselves and the bear.

“What do we do?” Aleia cried as she flew over the priestesses. “If we can’t escape it in a tree, then how do we stop it?”

“Stay in the air,” I ordered. “Celeste, you need to help her try and distract it away from Nicola and Penelope. It’s too fast to outrun, and you’re going to lead it right back to the fortress.”

The harpy didn’t need telling twice, and she spread her scarlet feathers and shot up to join Aleia.

Celeste began to scream, and she flew over the creek as she waved her arms and made as much noise as possible. Aleia copied her, and the bear’s three heads turned to look up at the winged women.

“Keep running,” I told Nicola and Penelope. “Just follow the creek, you can do this.”

The two priestesses had wide eyes as they raced beside the river, and sweat was pouring down their faces as they fled from the huge animal.

The distraction had sort of worked, the left head of the bear was solely focused on the flying women, but the other two were still locked in on Nicola and Penelope. As the bear continued to run, Aleia took aim with her crossbow again.

“Try one of the heads this time!” I called. “It must have a weak spot.”

The fairy shot a bolt right toward the closest head, but the bear reached up a paw and hit the projectile away before it could reach the target.

“Fuck,” I growled.

Celeste took her sword in hand and closed her eyes as she held it high. She was trying to summon the enchantment, and I watched as the blade began to glow a dark red.

The harpy opened her eyes and flew over the animal as her blade shone, but nothing happened.

“It’s not working!” Celeste cried.

The bear seemed unfazed by the noise, and as it ran, one of the loose chains whacked against its own back side. It cried out as the metal struck its fur, and I looked carefully at the tight chains that gripped around its neck.

The metal had an odd green tint to it, and there seemed to be tiny golden sparks that flew out from them whenever the bear moved too violently.

“What the fuck?” I muttered.

I didn’t know what kind of metal it was, but I had a feeling it had been enchanted like the priestesses’ swords. Probably more of a curse than an enchantment, but whatever it was, it was distressing the bear. The beast’s ears twitched as the chains moved, and it seemed to wince from the sound when the links hit against each other.

“I don’t think it can hear properly,” I said. “I think the chains are fucking up its senses, it sounds like it can’t breathe very well, either.”

I thought about my quest and wished the interface had come with even the slightest hint of how to kill the bear.

Defeat the bear.

That was all it said. But how the fuck could we bring down an animal that size with three giant heads full of razor-sharp teeth?

Then a thought hit me that sounded crazy, but it just might work.

The quest had told me to defeat the bear. Not kill it.

I looked down at the howling animal and wondered how much of its fury was linked to the pain it was clearly in from its tight chains.

What if we didn’t need to kill it? I had a priestess who had the power to communicate meaningfully with animals, and maybe Nicola was the key to stopping the wild rampage of the three-headed bear.

“I have an idea,” I said. “But you’re not going to like it.”

“It can’t be any worse than this,” Nicola shouted as sweat poured down her forehead.

“I want you to talk the bear down,” I said.

“What?” the brunette screamed. “Jack! I can’t do that! It’s got three heads, and it’s trying to kill us! It’s not exactly Thunder the puppy.”

“Trust me,” I urged. “Aleia, Celeste, you need to help the others get up high. Look, that tree over there by the creek.”

There was a thick oak tree ahead, and it had chunky branches high up that the women would be able to sit on comfortably.

“But it can climb trees!” Celeste said.

“I know,” I said. “But Nicola will stop it. I know she will, and that will give her time.”

“That’s a lot of pressure,” the brunette yelled. “Jack, I don’t know if I can do this.”

“I know you can,” I insisted. “You believe in me so strongly, but right now I need you to believe in yourself.”

“Okay.” Nicola nodded.

“I’ll carry Nicola,” Aleia shouted. “Celeste, take one of Penelope’s hands, and I’ll take the other.”

The two women swooped down to their fellow priestesses and grabbed their hands.

Aleia hoisted Nicola off the ground with ease, and then she lifted Penelope with the help of the harpy.

The bear roared as the women flew off the ground, and it slowed down to watch where they would go.

“I really don’t know about this,” Aleia whimpered nervously as she took the women up to the oak tree. “Why don’t we just fly them back to the fortress?”

“It will follow you,” I said. “We can’t leave it out here like this, it’s going to hurt someone, even if it’s not you.”

Nicola and Penelope grabbed onto one of the thickest branches halfway up the tree and carefully positioned themselves so they were sitting close to the trunk. They clutched on tightly to the dark wood, and they took care to sit still enough to not move the branch.

Aleia and Celeste hovered next to them, and they all looked down as the bear raced over to the tree.

The animal began to claw at the trunk with its thick claws, and luckily, the weight of it combined with the chains seemed too much for it to try climbing. It snarled and roared up at the women, and all six yellow eyes were focused on their branch.

“Jack,” Penelope squeaked. “How exactly is this plan supposed to work?”

“Okay,” I said in my calmest tone. “I know this thing is fucking scary, but you’re safe right now, so I want everyone to take a deep breath and remember how badass and powerful you all are.”

The priestesses nodded and looked down at the snarling animal as they steadied their breathing.

“Nicola,” I said. “I know you can do this.”

“I really don’t think I can,” the brunette replied as the bear let out a gut-wrenching roar.

I could see inside its three mouths as it cried out, and each one was stained with blood.

“It’s not a question,” I told her. “You’ve proven you have the ability, and I know you’ll do the right thing.”

“I don’t have any idea what to do!” Nicola cried. “Look at it! It wants to rip our heads off and eat the remains!”

“It’s so big,” Aleia murmured. “Oh, Jack, I hate this thing.”

“I know,” I said. “Nicola, remember when you calmed the horses during the sprite storm?”

“Yes.” Nicola nodded. “But they didn’t want to eat me!”

“Use that same power,” I ordered. “You have it within you to soothe animals. Trust yourself.”

The brunette opened her mouth as if she was going to argue more, and I honestly couldn’t blame her.

The creature below was as terrifying as it was hideous, and it was clawing at the trunk so fiercely that strips of bark fell to the ground below.

Nicola watched the animal and shook her head as she ran a hand through her dark hair. The other women watched her silently, and I waited for her to believe in herself as much as I did. Her beautiful, dark eyes were filled with fear, but she nodded with determination before she spoke.

“H-Hey, now,” Nicola said with a shaking voice. “Let’s quiet down?”

The bear ignored her and continued to wildly claw at the wood, and all three heads snarled and drooled as it stared up at the priestesses.

“Stop that!” Nicola said in a much firmer voice, and the bear slowed down its clawing as it tilted up all three heads.

“Keep going,” I hissed. “You’ve got its attention.”

“I know you’re hurting,” Nicola continued. “I’m sorry they put chains on you, you poor thing.”

Her voice had changed into a soft, dreamy tone, and the bear’s paws kept slowing down until it was just resting its front legs against the tree as it looked up.

“I can help you,” Nicola murmured. “We can get those horrible chains off and fix you up. I bet you’re hungry, too? We have plenty of meat and fruit you can have if you like.”

I didn’t know if I had imagined it, but I swear the bear smacked its lips as it watched the brunette carefully.

“I wonder if you have a name,” Nicola continued in a gentle tone. “My name is Nicola, and I’m your friend. These are my sisters, and we would never hurt you like those imps did.”

“I did try and shoot it,” Aleia whispered, and Nicola shushed her with a scowl.

The bear continued to drool, but it had stopped baring its teeth in a snarl.

Holy shit, it was working.

I was in awe of the brunette, and I felt like I was about to explode with pride.

Nicola’s anxiety seemed to have eased up as she saw the change in the bear’s attitude. She leaned down so she could look into its eyes properly, and Aleia hovered behind her in case she slipped.

“Listen now,” Nicola cooed. “Why don’t we take those awful chains off your neck?”

“Is that a good idea?” Celeste asked.

“Give me your sword,” Nicola instructed, and the harpy hesitated.

“Do it,” I said gently, and Celeste reluctantly handed the brunette her weapon.

“You can’t go down there!” Penelope hissed as she grabbed Nicola’s arm. “You’ll get torn apart in seconds!”

“I won’t,” Nicola insisted. “Look at it, it’s not angry anymore.”

The bear had placed its front paws back on the ground and made a soft moaning noise as it hung its three heads. It pawed sadly at the chains and winced as the metal pulled on its necks.

“Aleia,” I said. “I want you to hover right next to Nicola when she gets down, in case you need to pull her out of the way.”

“Of course.” The fairy nodded.

I trusted Nicola’s abilities completely, but I couldn’t ignore the fact that the three-headed bear could kill someone with one swipe of its paw.

“Okay.” The brunette nodded firmly. “Carry me down.”

“You’re really sure?” the fairy asked.

“Yes,” Nicola said. “He won’t hurt me.”

Penelope had turned a paler shade of blue as she reluctantly let go of Nicola’s arm. Celeste was clutching her hair as she hovered with her scarlet wings, and I could tell the priestesses were scared for their sister.

Aleia didn’t say another word. She gently slid her hands under Nicola’s armpits and scooped her up off the branch.

The two priestesses began to slowly fly down toward the ground, and I didn’t take my gaze away from the bear. One wrong move, and I would get them out of there. But I knew Nicola could do it.

The animal kept all six eyes on the brunette as she was softly placed on the ground, and Aleia stayed right behind her friend.

“Hello,” Nicola said softly. “I’m here to help you, I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

The bear was breathing heavily as it watched her and then flinched as she took a step forward.

“It’s okay,” Nicola said. “Can I pet you?”

She slowly held out her hand, and I could feel everyone hold their breath as she reached out for the middle head. Nicola’s arm shook slightly, but she placed her palm firmly on one of the beast’s ears and gave it a gentle scratch.

The bear suddenly closed all of its eyes and nuzzled its middle head into her hand.

I almost choked with relief as I watched a smile creep onto Nicola’s face.

“There.” She grinned. “That’s better isn’t it? Oh, no, you poor thing!”

She pulled her hand away, and her golden skin was stained red with blood. The black fur made it hard to see, but as Nicola leaned in closer, I could see the bear’s hair was matted with bloody scabs.

“Those bastards,” she muttered. “Let’s see if we can get these chains off you.”

The bear opened its eyes and winced slightly as Nicola held the sword up.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m just going to try and cut these.”

The brunette held one of the thick chains up and brought the blade down onto it. There was an eardrum-piercing scrape of metal on metal, but the chains didn’t break. The bear took a step back and made a sad roar.

“Oh, no.” Nicola frowned. “I thought these enchanted blades would be able to cut anything.”

“Maybe they can,” I said. “Remember when Elowise told us the swords knew who their rightful masters were? Maybe they only unlock their powers when used by those people.”

“Oh, no,” Celeste groaned. “Do I have to go near the bear? It has three heads! That’s not okay!”

“I think you both need to come down,” I said. “Penelope’s blade along with yours can get the creature out of its chains.”

“My lord,” Penelope said in a small voice as she clung to the branch. “I always respect your plans and wishes, and I would follow your leadership anywhere. But I really don’t want to.”

“I know,” I said softly. “But that’s why doing it will make you so brave.”

“He won’t hurt you,” Nicola promised. “Look.”

She reached out her hand again, and the bear took a step forward to nuzzle into her palm adoringly. Each head seemed to want a turn, and the brunette giggled as the animal gave her a small lick on the arm with its left tongue.

“Oh,” Penelope wailed. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

Aleia flew back up to help the naiad, and all the priestesses touched down behind Nicola.

“Here,” the brunette said as she handed the sword to Celeste. “Let’s try and get this done quickly. I’ll stay and comfort him, you cut the chains.”

The priestesses stepped forward slowly, but the bear didn’t seem very interested in them anymore.

Aleia reached out to take the right-side chain, and she held it up as Celeste raised her blade. The harpy brought the sword down with a swift movement, and the blade cut through the metal like it was butter.

The chain fell from the bear’s neck onto the ground, and Nicola gently stroked the head on the right.

“Oh, you poor thing,” she muttered as she examined the newly exposed fur. “You’re all bloody and sore.”

Celeste and Penelope cut the other two chains, and the bear was free.

It stood towering above them and made a soft roaring sound as it moved its necks around.

Then the bear leaned down to Nicola and used all three heads to nuzzle into the brunette. She laughed and stroked its black fur, and the bear made a sound that was almost like a purr.

“Nicola,” I breathed. “You did it. That was amazing.”

“I did,” the brunette laughed. “I can’t believe this!”

She smiled as the bear licked her face, and the other women watched from a few steps back.

“Come on!” Nicola said as she turned to them. “Give him a stroke!”

The priestesses hesitated and then cautiously stepped forward with their arms outreached.

The bear took a step forward and licked Penelope’s palm with a soft and happy roar.

“Oh!” the naiad gasped. “Um, yes. Hello. Nice to meet you, I’m Penelope.”

“Thanks for not eating us,” Celeste said. “Sorry that the imps were mean to you.”

“Yes.” Aleia nodded. “Luke was very cruel to you. Um, also I am very sorry I shot at you, but you were trying to murder us.”

“I think he forgives you,” Nicola laughed. “Oh, wait.”

The brunette leaned down and peered underneath the giant animal before she straightened back up.

“Actually,” she said. “I think this is a lady. Are you a good girl?”

The bear licked Nicola’s face and scratched its belly lazily.

“Okay,” the brunette laughed. “Good girl. Well, you’re free to go, I suppose. I wish I could take you home and cuddle you!”

“That is too far,” Celeste muttered.

I watched how besotted with Nicola the animal was. It couldn’t take its six eyes off her as she scratched each one of its ears in turn. The beast was clearly in love with her rescuer, and I had a sudden vision of how we could make the gnomes’ fortress even more secure.

A three-headed bear on guard patrol? Now that would be a badass power move.

“I have an idea,” I announced. “Why don’t we show up to our new base with a gift? A guard bear.”

“No!” Penelope spluttered. “I mean, she’s very nice, but I don't think she belongs in the fortress! What will the gnomes say!”

“I think they’ll come around,” I said. “When they realize how safe they’ll be with a three-headed bear on their team.”

“Oooh!” Nicola cooed. “Do you want to come back with us? Do you want to come and meet all your new friends? Good girl!”

The bear nudged Nicola playfully, and the brunette giggled.

“I guess we have a three-headed bear now,” Celeste sighed. “That was unexpected.”

“Let’s get going,” I chuckled. “You all did amazingly today, I’m so proud of you.”

The women began to walk back along the creek, and the bear bounded after Nicola.

“Aww,” the brunette cooed. “You’re such a cutie! What shall we name you?”

“The gnome in the tower is going to have a fit,” Penelope sighed as she looked at the bear. “But I suppose it does seem to be friendly now. It is sort of cute. In an odd way.”

“She’s not an it!” Nicola scoffed. “I think her name should be Layla. It’s just as pretty as she is.”

“Layla,” I laughed. “Sounds good.”

Nicola fussed over her new pet as the women walked back to the gnome base, and I was overcome with pride. The brunette kept one hand on Layla’s side the whole way, and the sky grew dark as the women walked through the forest.

When the watch tower and fortress came into view, there was a loud cry from whoever was on guard duty.

“Beeeeaaaaar!” the gnome screamed. “Three-headed bear! We’re doomed!”

“Don’t shoot!” Nicola shouted. “She’s with us!”

“What?” the gnome shrieked. “It’s got three heads! Get it away!”

An arrow flew out of the tower window, but Layla swatted it away like a fly and roared as if she thought the women were under attack.

“Let them in,” I said. “This bear is going to be part of the fortress as a guard. She’ll protect you.”

There was a creak as the fortress door was opened, and Jemmy and Allam shuffled out.

“Jack?” Jemmy asked. “What is going on?”

“We got a bear,” I said simply. “She was Luke’s, but Nicola tamed her, and now she’s going to live here to protect you.”

“Oh,” the blonde gnome said in a small voice. “Is that… a good idea?”

“It has three heads,” Allam said weakly. “Is it supposed to have three heads?”

“Her name is Layla.” Nicola smiled. “Can we come in and clean her up a bit? She’s probably really hungry.”

“Oh, good,” Jemmy said. “A hungry three-headed bear.”

“Trust me,” I said, and the gnomes nodded silently.

Then Allam pushed the door wide open, and the priestesses led Layla inside.

There were several shrieks and gasps as the bear wandered into the fortress, and gnomes began to gather around to look at the massive creature.

“What is it doing here?”

“Is this safe?”

“Why is it so calm?”

The elves and my gnome followers emerged from the guest house, and their mouths fell open as they watched the animal sit down in the square. Layla began to lick her paws and seemed happy to be out of the forest.

“This is Layla,” I announced. “She has been saved from Luke’s cruelty, and she will live here as your guard bear.”

“You mean the skull man is real?” Balabar grunted.

“You took her from Luke?” Elowise asked as she hurried over. “Jack, this is extraordinary.”

“I’ve never seen one of these,” Wilfrim breathed. “I’ve heard of them, of course, but I never thought I would lay eyes on one.”

“Is it safe?” Myra asked. “She’s very… big.”

“She’s safe.” Nicola smiled. “Can we get some water to clean her up? And maybe some food?”

“I made soup!” Elowise said as her face lit up. “Maybe she would like a bowl.”

The gnome hurried off to prepare the food, and Grez came forward with a jug of water.

“We collected fresh water this morning,” he said. “Maybe we should take her to the creek to bathe her?”

“I will.” Nicola nodded. “But I want her to settle here first. I’ll just wash the worst parts around her neck for now.”

The yellow-haired elf nodded and handed Nicola the container.

The brunette gently poured some water onto the bear’s fur and began to wash the matted hair with her hands. Everyone stood and watched silently for a moment, and Layla sat patiently as she was cleaned.

When Elowise came back with a large bowl of food, she gently set it down in front of the animal. The bear’s middle head leaned down and happily slurped up the soup as the other two heads licked their lips.

“Does each head need to eat?” Aleia asked.

“I don’t think so,” Nicola said. “The throats will all lead down into the same stomach so I don't think it matters which one eats.”

The bear licked the bowl clean and then sat back on her hind legs and stared adoringly at Nicola.

“Jack,” Jemmy said. “This is amazing. You really are an incredible god.”

“I can’t believe it,” Allam laughed. “What else happened on your journey? Did you find the orcs?”

“We did,” I said. “It turns out they aren’t happy with Luke’s reign. I reckon we will be able to sway them. They want real guidance, and we can give them that.”

“We should go back tomorrow.” Wilfrim stepped forward with a determined nod. “Maybe we can talk them around. After all, I doubt Luke is capable of anything more impressive than taming a beast like this.”

“I agree,” I chuckled. “We’ll take some more people tomorrow and get an early start. For now, I want everyone to get as much rest as possible. Who knows what other creatures are lurking in this forest?”

“We’ve already eaten,” Elowise said. “But I’ll fetch you all some bowls. Balabar, come and help me.”

The young gnome had been staring silently at the bear with an open mouth ever since Nicola started cleaning her up, and he had to drag his gaze away to follow his mother.

“I am ready for bed,” Aleia yawned. “This day was a bit too exciting.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Celeste laughed as she sat down on a wooden log. “At least we know that the orcs aren’t loyal to Luke.”

The gnomes hurried back with food for the priestesses, and the women hungrily wolfed down their meals. The sky was black as they scraped up the last of their soup, and the gnomes carefully lit the lanterns around the fortress.

As the fortress was illuminated with a soft glow, a message popped up on my interface.

Level up!

The Wrath of Jack acquired!

I stared at the message, but nothing happened. Whatever the hell the Wrath of Jack was, it didn’t seem to change anything.

“Hmmm,” I muttered to myself, and I decided I’d have to do some digging on my interface later to try and work this one out.

“I’m going to head to bed,” Nicola yawned as she stood up.

The priestesses started to say their goodnights as I wondered what my new reward meant. They waved at the gnomes as they headed off to the guest house, and Nicola scratched Layla’s ears on the way.

Whatever the Wrath of Jack was, it sounded cool as hell. I felt a phantom smirk as I knew Luke would never experience anything as awesome. At least, I hoped not.

I followed along with the priestesses as they headed up the stairs and began to climb into bed. Then I watched as the tired women crawled under the sheets, and their heads had barely hit the pillows when they began to drift off.

Nicola drew my eye as her breathing became heavier, and I knew that she deserved a reward after her impressive performance today. The gnomes had gained a three-headed bear, and it was all thanks to her.

I decided to visit her in her dreams and make sure she knew how proud of her I was.

There was a flash of bright light a moment later, and I was standing beside the bed as Nicola sat up.

Then I felt something odd on my hip.

I looked down to see that I had a new addition to my outfit. There was a huge, golden sheath on a new belt around my waist. I reached down to the shining hilt and pulled out an enormous, golden sword.

A grin spread over my face as the blade glistened in my hand, and a heady surge of power seemed to vibrate from the hilt.

There was no doubt in my mind. This weapon definitely felt worthy of delivering the Wrath of Jack.

Chapter 12

Nicola’s mouth fell open as she stared at the sword. I examined it carefully, and noticed the blade was covered in a faint, intricate pattern in fine, dark gold lines.

The hilt was weighty, and the blade itself looked sharp enough to cut through steel. I felt a whole new sense of power surge through me as I stood holding the weapon, and I wished there was some bad guy around to try it out on. I had a feeling the ogre we met before would have died just from looking at how powerful this new golden blade was.

“Jack,” Nicola breathed. “What is this?”

“My new toy.” I grinned. “I call it the Wrath of Jack.”

I held the hilt up to show off the weapon’s full glory, and Nicola actually moaned against her will as she watched. The brunette stood up slowly, and my eyes were pulled away from the sword as I took in her naked body. She strode over to me and gasped as she stared at the blade.

“It’s amazing,” Nicola whispered. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s so shiny, and every detail is so exquisite. A true weapon of the gods!”

I reached out and stroked the curve of her hip with one hand while I gripped my new sword in the other.

I had never felt so much like a god as I did in that moment, and I smiled as my lover fawned over the weapon. Then my eyes met hers as she stroked my bicep.

“You look so sexy holding it,” Nicola said. “Jack, you’re such a powerful god.”

“That’s right.” I grinned a bit more. “Would my priestess like me to use some of my powers on her tonight?”

“Please,” she purred. “I need to worship this handsome, almighty god.”

She pressed herself against me and softly kissed my chest as her hands roamed over my arms.

The sword was clearly a turn on for her, and I felt my cock harden instantly as she touched me.

“Jack,” Nicola mumbled. “I can’t handle how good you look with that weapon, I need you to tell me what you want from me. I’ll do anything for you.”

“Anything?” I stroked her chin and raised her head to look at me, and when she nodded fervently, I hungrily kissed her soft lips for a moment. “I want you on your knees. I command you to worship me with your beautiful mouth.”

The brunette wordlessly fell into a kneeling position, and I chuckled as she urgently pulled at my linen pants. I helped out by undoing my new weapon belt, and I carefully sheathed the sword before I placed it down on the ground.

Nicola seemed to be driven wild by the whole thing, and she gripped my legs tightly as she released my erection and licked her lips.

“Good girl.” I smiled as I looked down at her. “Now worship me like the dirty priestess you are. Open those lips.”

Nicola moaned with excitement from my dirty talk and brought her pretty face right up to my rock-hard cock. She grabbed the base of my erection and ran her wet tongue over the head as I let out a deep groan. Then the brunette beauty ran her tongue over every inch of my cock, and she planted kisses up and down my shaft.

“Open your mouth,” I growled, and I grabbed a fistful of her hair to guide her.

Nicola obediently placed her lips at the head of my dick and began to slowly take me into her wet mouth. I moaned as her hot tongue pulsed lightly against my cock, and a shudder of pleasure washed over me. The brunette looked so hot on her knees like this, and she fluttered her eyes up at me as she began to bob her head up and down.

I kept a tight grip of her hair and groaned as she worked her mouth and tongue on my erection.

“That’s it,” I purred. “Take it all down your throat.”

Nicola whimpered as she slid right down to the base of my cock, and I felt light-headed as the priestess sucked me off. I looked down at her perfect, golden tits while she worked, and I knew I needed to watch her cum immediately.

“My dirty priestess is so good with her mouth,” I breathed. “Now lie back on the bed, I want to make your legs shake.”

Nicola slowly slid her mouth off my erection, and she licked her lips as she stared up at me.

“Fuck,” I said. “You’re so hot. Get on the bed.”

The brunette made a show of getting to her feet and running her hands down over her perfect figure. She turned around and walked to the bed slowly so I could have a full view of her firm ass.

“Are you teasing me?” I chuckled. “Priestesses who tease their god get punished, you know.”

“Oh?” Nicola pouted over her shoulder. “I didn’t mean to…”

Nicola climbed onto the bed like a sexy cat, and she laid down on her back as I got onto the sheets with her. Then I leaned down to kiss her passionately, and I roughly grabbed her full breasts.

She moaned, and I gave her nipples a quick pinch until she gasped.

“Jack!” Nicola whimpered.

“No,” I growled. “I am your master.”

“Yes,” she breathed. “Master. My god.”

I hungrily kissed her once more and then began to work my way down her golden body.

“Open your legs,” I commanded, and she slid her thighs open for me.

Then I positioned myself so I was facing her glistening pussy, and I smirked as I saw how wet she already was.

“Good girl,” I growled. “You’re so wet for your master. I’m going to make you cum like the dirty priestess you are. Then I’ll have to punish you.”

“Yes, master!” Nicola gasped. “Please, I need your touch!”

I gripped her soft thighs and planted little kisses on each of her legs as I worked my way closer and closer to her pussy. Once I got there, I gently ran my tongue over her labia and then probed into her wetness.

“Oh!” she gasped. “Oh, master!”

I began to lick her beautiful pussy, and she shivered every time I touched her clit. Then I gripped her thighs as she began to writhe, and the brunette moaned as she closed her eyes.

As I gently licked her clit again, she suddenly let out a cry of ecstasy, and her whole body shuddered as she came. I grinned and listened to her moans while she quivered through her first orgasm, and then I sat up to look at her beautiful body sprawled out before me.

“Did you like that?” I asked as I stroked her sculpted legs.

“Yes, my lord,” she breathed. “Oh, your mouth is amazing, thank you for blessing me with an orgasm.”

“Of course.” I smiled. “You earned it, but now I’m going to have to punish you for teasing me.”

“Oh.” Nicola smirked as she propped herself up on her elbows. “And what would my lord like to do to me? To purify me?”

“I think I need to fuck you until you cum again.” I grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her up to me.

We knelt facing each other as I pulled her in for a deep kiss, and my hands roamed over her firm ass. When we broke apart, I grabbed her waist and spun her around onto all fours, and Nicola smiled at me over her shoulder.

The sight of her on her knees again was driving me wild, and I ground my teeth together as I tried to decide what to do with her. Then I brought my hand back before I planted my palm firmly down onto her ass.

The golden-skinned beauty moaned as I spanked her again and again, and I made sure her ass cheek was bright red before I lined my cock up to her glistening pussy.

“Oh, master,” she breathed. “Please give me your cock! I need you deep inside me!”

I decided it was my turn to tease her, and I slowly ran the head of my cock along her slick and warm pussy lips. She whimpered as she tried to back onto my erection, and I chuckled as I gave her ass another firm spank.

“Please?” she begged.

“How badly do you want it?” I asked as I watched my tip slide up and down along her pink pussy.

“I need it so badly,” Nicola moaned. “I need to be fucked right now, master! Your priestess needs to be purified with your cum! Pleeease!”

“You’re so cute when you beg,” I growled, and I gripped onto her waist as I finally began to ease my cock into her tight pussy.

Then we both moaned together as I slid my full length into her eager tunnel.

“You feel incredible,” I breathed as her tight walls clenched around me.

Pleasure washed over me as I began to fuck her at a torturously slow pace, but as I gripped her hips tightly, I couldn’t help speeding up my thrusts.

“Ohhh,” Nicola moaned. “Master! Yes! Fuck me so deeply!”

Her pussy felt so tight and warm, I was light-headed within minutes as I fucked the gorgeous brunette deeper and deeper. My hunger for her only increased with every breathy moan she let out, and I finally couldn’t keep my hands from roaming. I leaned forward and reached around to grab her full breasts, and she gasped as I roughly played with her nipples.

Then I squeezed her tits in each hand as I kept pounding into her from behind. Every thrust made her pussy quiver around my shaft, and her moans got louder and louder as I sped up my pace. But I decided I wanted to watch her face when I came inside her.

“Get up,” I said as I abruptly slid out of her. “I want to watch my priestess bounce on top of me.”

I laid back on the bed while my breaths grated in my throat, and Nicola eagerly swung her golden legs over me so she was straddling me. She was dewy with sweat, her brown hair was a mess from my rough treatment, and her eyes burned with lust as she looked down at me.

“You look incredible,” I moaned as I reached up and ran my hands over her waist.

“Thank you, my lord.” She grinned. “I’m going to worship your cock now. You deserve anything you want, and I need to take you deeeeep inside me.”

“Yes, you do,” I growled as the brunette guided her pussy over my erection.

Then Nicola began to lower herself down with a soft moan. I watched as the beautiful priestess slid down my shaft at a tantalizing pace, and I held her waist as she began to slowly move up and down.

Warmth and pleasure coursed through me, and Nicola threw her head back as she started to bounce up and down on my cock faster and faster.

I slapped her tits and watched as they moved with every thrust.

“My lord!” she gasped. “Your cock is filling me up so much! You’re so deep inside me.”

“You’re so tight,” I groaned. “I love watching your body bounce on top of me. Fuck me faster.”

“I’m going to cum soon,” Nicola breathed as she obeyed my order. “Oh, master, I’m going to cum all over your thick, holy cock.”

“Good,” I moaned as her golden figure jolted on top of me. “I want my priestess to purify herself by cumming with me. Do you want my seed deep inside you, Nicola?”

“Yes!” she cried out. “Please, master, bless me with your holy seed! I want to be dripping with your cum!”

I held Nicola’s waist tighter and thrust up to meet her movements. She groaned as I fucked her deeply, and I could feel that I would climax soon. Her pussy was so tight and wet, and I could tell she was close to her own orgasm as her body started shivering with desire.

“Master!” Nicola panted. “I’m going to… ooooh!”

She cut herself off as she shook with her orgasm, and I felt her pussy walls clench even tighter around me. That was enough to send me over the edge, and warmth shot through my cock as I came deep inside the priestess. My whole body was on fire with pleasure, and I groaned as our orgasms washed over us, but Nicola never stopped bouncing.

The golden-skinned beauty shrieked with ecstasy as she threw her head back and rode my cock with wild abandon, and the sight of her kept my cock spraying more and more cum into her desperate womb.

“Masterrrr,” Nicola whimpered as she finally slowed her thrusts.

“I know,” I panted and guided her through the last of her pleasure. “That was amazing.”

“I love you,” she moaned.

“I love you, too,” I whispered.

Her brown eyes met mine, and I brought my lips to hers as her pussy quivered with residual ecstasy. It took several minutes for the brunette to finally come down from her climax, and by then, both of us were sticky with sweat and our combined juices.

Then Nicola slowly slid off my cock, and her thighs were gleaming with cum as she laid down beside me.

“You are so beautiful,” I murmured as I stroked her glowing cheek. “I could stare at your body all day.”

“I’m glad you like it,” she giggled. “Your cock makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. You were so deep inside me, Jack. I love when you let me fuck you like that.”

I kissed her gently and had another feel of her perfect breasts. Her breaths were still ragged and uneven, and her body instinctively rolled close to me the more I touched her.

“Get some rest,” I said softly.

“If I have to,” she grumbled.

“Your god commands it,” I chuckled, and I looked into her eyes. “I’m so proud of what you achieved today, Nicola. You were incredible. We’ve got a big mission tomorrow, though, and I want you ready for anything.”

“Yes, Jack,” the brunette whispered.

“Now get that pretty head down on the pillows, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I kissed her forehead as she laid down, and I slowly faded back into my god form.

The priestesses were sound asleep, and the whole fortress was quiet. I scanned the area just to check there were none of Luke’s followers sneaking around, but the area seemed secure.

Layla the bear was snoring loudly, and all three heads drooled slightly. I was still amazed my idea with Nicola had worked, and I felt pretty smug that I now had a three-headed animal on my team.

As the night went on, I kept thinking about my encounter with Luke. It had been so ridiculous, but I had learned a lot from that brief conversation. He clearly had enough followers to be a threat, but he seemed rash and idiotic. His need to be feared and respected overshadowed any logical thinking, and I knew we would be able to outsmart him. The only issue would be if he had enough brute force behind him to rival our fighters.

I thought about who to take on our upcoming orc mission. I didn’t want so many people that it looked like an attack, but I didn’t want the priestesses to go alone again.

The gnomes were always a solid choice. The three from my convent at least were strong fighters, and their height gave them an advantage with being harder to spot.

I decided to take a couple of elves, too. Grez and Nia were good soldiers, and that would be enough people to take on any other surprise threats from Luke.

As the sun started to rise, a bleary-eyed gnome appeared from one of the houses with a cup of tea and hurried out to the watchtower. He was clearly starting his shift as a lookout, and another tired-looking gnome came back out.

The noise of the steel entrance being opened woke Layla, and she stretched her thick legs as she got to her feet. The bear sniffed the air and then hurried over to sit outside the guest house.

The rest of the fortress inhabitants began to wake up, and I joined the priestesses as Penelope stirred.

“Good morning,” I said. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, my lord.” The naiad smiled as she sat up. “The little one was moving about all night, I think she’s excited about our trip today.”

“Isn’t it a bit early to be feeling that?” I laughed as I looked at the naiad’s slim stomach.

“Maybe.” Penelope shrugged. “But even if it was a dream, it felt like she was talking to me. Even if she’s still the size of an orange, she’s excited, I just know it!”

“Good,” I chuckled. “She must be brave like her mother.”

The other women slowly rose, and I enjoyed the sleepy parade of naked beauties as they got ready for the day. The priestesses got dressed and headed downstairs to find the elves about to step out, too.

“Morning!” Grez said cheerily. The yellow-haired elf pulled the door open and jumped slightly as Layla the bear growled a greeting with all three heads.

“Aww,” Nicola chuckled. “Good morning, Layla!”

The brunette stepped outside, and the bear happily nuzzled into her before she turned and bounded over to the square.

“I think she was just waiting for you,” I said. “You’ve got a fan.”

“I’ll need to take her down to the creek at some point.” Nicola smiled. “She needs a proper cleanup.”

A group of gnomes headed toward the entrance with various weapons clutched in their hands, along with a large net and brown sack.

“Off hunting?” I asked, and the gnomes nodded.

“We’re running low on meat,” Allam explained. “The animals are starting to leave this part of the forest since the enchantment is gone, and Luke’s presence is stifling.”

“The orcs said the same thing,” I sighed. “Why don’t you take Layla with you? She would keep you safe, and she might even be able to catch something.”

“I’m not sure,” Allam said as he eyed the bear. “What if she turns against us?”

“She won’t,” I replied. “She’s in love with Nicola, and you’re part of her pack as far as she’s concerned.”

“We’ll give it a go.” Allam nodded. “I suppose we’ll be more protected with that thing plodding along beside us!”

The gnomes hurried over to the bear, and Allam cautiously tried giving her a quick stroke. Layla seemed excited at a new friend giving her attention, and she stuck her three tongues out like a panting dog.

“You’re taking her hunting?” Nicola asked. “Maybe you could run her down to the creek afterwards so she can clean up her fur. It’s all matted with blood, and I want her to be as comfortable as possible.”

“Sure,” Allam said. “I’ll try my best. Come on, girl. Let’s go and find something for us to eat.”

The bear glanced at Nicola and then began to stroll alongside the gnomes as they headed out for their hunting trip.

“Be good!” Nicola called.

Elowise and Wilfrim came over with steaming hot cups of tea and handed them to the priestesses.

“Thank you.” Penelope smiled. “That’s very kind.”

“You need to stay hydrated,” Elowise said. “Especially if you’re going out to the orcs again.”

“Do you want us to come along, Jack?” Wilfrim asked.

“I do,” I said. “Balabar, too, and a couple of the elves would be helpful. We don’t want to seem like we’re storming the place, but I want to bring enough fighters for if things get ugly.”

“I’ll go and fetch him.” Elowise nodded, and she hurried off to find her son.

While everyone gathered and got ready for breakfast, I couldn’t stop thinking of my new weapon. The Wrath of Jack had looked incredibly powerful last night, and I hadn’t been able to try it out yet.

If I used one of my fifteen minute gifts, then I could have some training time before I ever had to really use it. From my fight with the kraken, I had learned I was somehow an expert fighter already, but for all I knew, my new sword could make me fucking unstoppable.

The priestesses made their way to the wooden logs to sit with their tea, and I decided I would use my gift as soon as Balabar appeared.

“I think I’m going to come down for some training,” I said. “I have a new weapon I want to try out.”

“Oooh, yes!” Nicola accidentally moaned, but she didn’t seem at all embarrassed by the sound. “You all are not ready for how good he looks with it. I saw it last night when Jack visited me.”

“Oh!” Aleia said. “What is it?”

“A sword,” I replied. “But not like any you’ve seen before.”

“I can’t wait,” Penelope chirped. “Oh, my lord. It will be hard not to drag you up to the bedroom, though, I always get so worked up just from seeing you in your body.”

“You’ll have to control yourself for now,” I chuckled. “Not that I ever mind having your attention.”

“Does the sword have powers?” Celeste asked. “Maybe it’s like mine? I can’t even imagine how much stronger a god’s sword would be!”

“We’ll find out soon,” I said as Balabar and Elowise appeared from the guest house.

The younger gnome had a sword strapped onto his belt, and I decided it would be the perfect test for my own weapon. Balabar was a skilled fighter with his blade, and I could get an idea of any special abilities the Wrath of Jack had.

“Balabar,” I said. “I’m going to come down to test out my new sword, would you be able to train with me?”

“Of course!” The gnome nodded enthusiastically. “It would be an honor, Jack!”

“That’s exciting,” Elowise said. “A new sword, eh?”

“It’s pretty impressive,” I chuckled, and then I focused on leaving my godly form.

I opened my eyes to find myself in my physical body, with the Wrath of Jack sheathed on my belt. The priestesses all jumped up and hurriedly planted kisses on my cheeks before they stood back and let me grab my weapon.

Then I gripped the sturdy handle and pulled the golden sword from its sheath.

“Wow,” Celeste breathed. “That’s beautiful!”

I could see the blade even more clearly in the daylight, and I took a moment to just admire the glory of it.

Every inch of it glittered under the sun, and it felt so right in my hand, like I had always held it.

“That is something special,” Elowise gasped. “Oh, Jack, it’s simply stunning!”

“Let’s try it out.” I grinned. “Balabar? Ready for a duel?”

“I’ll try my best,” the gnome said as he pulled out his own sword.

Balabar’s weapon was well made, but it just looked inferior as I held my golden weapon high.

The gnome took a step toward me and swung his blade around with a quick, fluid motion that showed his years of experience. I hurriedly moved my arm, and the golden sword made contact with Balabar’s blade.

Then the gnome’s weapon was cut in half as if it was made of paper.

The top of the blade was sliced clean off as my golden sword cut through it, and Balabar was left holding half of a sword.

“What the fuck?” I breathed, and everyone stared down at the broken bit of metal.

I looked at the weapon in my hand, and I felt a rush of adrenaline as I began to realize the power of my new blade. It was almost as if nothing could withstand my wrath. Not even solid steel.

“Th-That’s impossible,” Balabar said with a pale face. “It just… it just… cut through metal. Like it was nothing.”

“I can’t believe this.” Nicola grinned. “Jack, that was amazing! No weapon stands a chance against you!”

“Balabar, I’m so sorry about your sword,” I apologized. “I didn’t realize it would be so… powerful.”

“Oh, I can get another.” Balabar shrugged in a harried way. “Although, normal swords seem a bit pathetic now, to tell you the truth.”

“What else can it cut through?” Aleia asked with an eager squeak.

“Jack!” Jemmy called as she hurried over. “I was watching, and I just saw what your weapon can do! That was amazing!”

“Thanks,” I laughed. “I’m pretty excited about it. Is there anything else in here I could try it out on?”

“Hmm,” the gnome said as she looked around. “Oh, there’s a wall around the back of the guest house that was never finished. We were going to build another house, but then we decided to put the steel walls up, so there wasn’t room.”

“Let’s go!” I said, and I strode off toward the back of the fortress.

The women hurried after me and raced to walk beside me.

“You look so handsome,” Penelope pouted. “Oh, my goodness, the way you swung that sword.”

“Your muscles flexed so much,” Celeste sighed. “Without even trying. This really isn’t fair, I want a worship session.”

“He needs to practice,” Penelope sighed. “But I share your frustration, sisters. Our god looks incredible. I’m inclined to lick every inch of him.”

“Mmm, I want to lick his shoulders,” Aleia whined. “Look how broad they are.”

“They look perfect for biting,” Nicola snickered.

“Yes,” Celeste solemnly agreed.

I chuckled as we made our way around the back of the guest house, and I spotted the stone wall that had only just been started. It was about five feet tall, and maybe seven feet wide.

I held my sword up as I walked over to the dark stone structure, and then I brought my blade down with as much force as possible.

The bricks flew in every direction as my sword sliced right down the middle of the wall. It was as if a bomb had just exploded inside the bricks, and I had to dodge to the side to avoid a chunk of stone hitting my face.

“Oh!” my women all gasped in shock.

I stared down at the broken wall and felt a smile creep across my mouth.

This was fucking awesome. I held up the blade to check for any damage, but it didn’t even have a scrap of dust. The sword looked brand new, and it was clearly even more powerful than I had hoped.

“How?” Balabar demanded, and I turned to see my followers staring at the wall with wide eyes.

“I think I like this thing,” I laughed. “What do you think?”

“I think we’re going to win any war we wage,” Nicola purred. “You are literally unstoppable, Jack. So… powerful…”

“You look so dreamy,” Aleia sighed and bit her plump bottom lip. “Our god is soooo handsome and strong.”

“Delicious,” Penelope murmured as if she didn’t even realize she was speaking out loud.

Celeste just whimpered longingly, and the stoic harpy actually swayed on her feet a bit.

“I don’t know when I’ll need to break a wall,” I said. “But I guess it’s good to have the option.”

“I think we’re ready to fight Luke.” Nicola grinned. “I don’t even know how you would fight a god, but this sword has to be able to do it.”

“Let’s focus on the orcs today,” I chuckled. “Now that we know I can come down and pretty much fuck up anything that stands in our way, we can proceed without much worry, I think.”

I had only just gotten a feel for the serious damage that the sword could do, but I wanted to get the group to the orcs as soon as possible. I didn’t want Luke to have a single extra second to plan any more wild animal attacks, although I doubted he was capable of plotting anything too clever.

Chucking a bear at my women was definitely a bold move, but not a very coordinated one.

“Okay,” I said. “I think we should head off as soon as possible. Elowise, Wilfrim, and Balabar are going to come along. I want Grez and Nia with us, too.”

“I’ll get everyone,” Balabar said, and he took one last look at the collapsed wall.

“That was so impressive,” Nicola said as she strode over to me and stroked my arm. “I take it you’ll be leaving soon?”

“I’m afraid so,” I said quietly. “But I’ll be with you all every step of the way with the orcs.”

“Goodbye, my lord,” Penelope whispered as the other priestesses hurried over. “I can’t wait to see you use your sword in combat.”

“Me, neither,” I chuckled, and the women crowded around me to cover me in kisses.

I could have sworn I felt a couple licks on my biceps, though, and Celeste definitely bit into my shoulder just as I began to fade.

“It never gets easier,” Aleia pouted as I returned to god form.

“Jack!” Grez called, and the women turned to see our orc mission crew assembled.

“Ready for a dangerous mission?” I asked.

“Always.” The yellow-haired elf nodded. “Should we take the horses?”

“No,” I said thoughtfully. “I think you’ll be able to move more slyly without them. Besides, the orcs are desperate for meat to hunt, I don’t like the horses’ chances if we leave them outside the caves alone.”

“Understood,” Nia said. “We’ll just bring plenty of weapons, then.”

“That’s the spirit,” I agreed. “I want you to bring along some supplies we’re able to spare, too. Don’t take anything we need, but I want to have some kind of offering for them. Something that shows what I can provide.”

“I have some food,” Elowise said as she lifted up a brown sack.

“And I’ve got some bandages here,” Nia said as she tapped a pouch on her belt. “That could work?”

“Sounds good,” I agreed. “Okay, let’s get going while it’s still early in the day.”

The group made sure they had their weapons and then began to head out over to the steel exit. They waved goodbye to the local gnomes and strode out of the fortress and into the morning air.

It was a gorgeous day, and the wispy white clouds drifted past the sun over the dark green treetops. There was a mild breeze that rustled the bushes, and the women led the way over to the creek.

I formed my plan as the group followed the river, and I knew it was going to be risky to appear in front of the orcs. They had seemed bright enough, and clearly had skills with hunting and weapons. The orc that had defied Luke showed no signs of fear, and I hoped the offerings and promise of competent leadership would be enough.

“Are we just going to walk right in?” Celeste asked. “Or should we knock or something?”

“I think we should go inside,” I said. “It might seem scarier, but we’re less likely to run into more of Luke’s random followers in there. I don’t want you all getting ambushed in the woods like last time. The orcs will feel more at ease, too, and they’ll be less likely to attack when they know every exit and hiding spot. It’ll look like they have the upper-hand, but I’ll be watching over you all every step of the way.”

“What exactly are we going to say?” Penelope asked nervously. “They were so large and brutish.”

“And mad,” Celeste muttered.

“Understandably so,” Nicola countered. “Their needs seemed reasonable. We’ll approach them in a reasonable way.”

“Yes, I’ll guide you through it,” I said reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they understand how much better things would be if they follow me.”

“What if they attack?” Aleia asked.

“I don’t think they will,” I said. “If we make sure to show them we come in peace, that will give them enough pause for you all to get a word in, but keep your weapons ready for action, just in case.”

The group stayed relatively quiet as they moved through the forest, and I made sure to scan the area for any threats lurking amongst the trees. Luckily, my followers didn’t seem to have attracted any attention, and the walk was a sunny and quiet one.

Which made me think Luke wasn’t nearly as on top of his God Vision game as I was.

A dose of smugness washed through me at the thought.

As the priestesses neared the caves, they slowed down slightly and gestured to the dark opening ahead.

“That’s them,” Celeste muttered. “Should we just take the same route as last time?”

“I reckon so,” I said.

I used my God Vision to scan the entranceways now that I had a clear view of the interior, and it seemed the orcs were all in the central area we had heard them in yesterday.

“The tunnels are clear for now,” I announced. “I want you to make your way in, and you need to announce yourselves before you’re spotted or heard. That way it won’t seem like a surprise attack.”

“Okay,” Aleia said as she bit her lip. “What should we say?”

“Say you’re here to speak for me,” I said. “Tell them you want to talk with them, and mention that you have spare supplies, too.”

“Alright.” Nicola nodded. “We can do this, sisters. If I can get a three-headed bear on our side, we can do the same with a bunch of orcs.”

“Love the confidence,” I chuckled. “Let’s do this.”

The group gripped their various weapons as they headed for the large cave. Nicola and Celeste led the way, and everyone else fell into pairs behind them so they could fit through the tunnels.

As the first two women stepped into the cave, there was a small echo as drops of water trickled down into puddles at their feet. The faint glow of the torches lit up the women’s faces, and my followers began to head into the dark maze of tunnels.

I kept scanning my God Vision, and it seemed that the orcs weren’t a bunch to be up bright and early. The tunnels were still, and my followers moved through them without incident as they got closer to the large cavern.

“Okay,” I said as they approached the final corner. “You’re coming up to the group, is everyone ready?”

“I think so,” Elowise said. “We can do this.”

“You can,” I agreed. “Nicola, Celeste, be careful. One of you should make an announcement.”

The women stopped just before the final turn, and the sound of orcs echoed around the gray walls. They were grunting and talking, and there was the occasional scraping sound of metal on metal as they sharpened tools and weapons.

“Here we go,” Celeste breathed, and then she cleared her throat. “We come here to spread the word of the great god, Jack!”

Silence fell over the orcs’ cavern, and the priestesses walked around the corner to find the sea of cave-dwellers facing them. The orcs clutched various axes and swords, and my followers came to a halt.

“Hello,” Celeste said calmly. “We’re here to talk peacefully if you agree to that?”

A particularly large orc at the front of the group studied the harpy for a moment, and then made a grunting noise.

“Very well,” he said. “Come in.”

Chapter 13

I had to admit, I felt slightly uneasy as my followers slowly stepped into the orcs’ cavern.

There were about twenty of them in there, and they had all crowded around the doorway with weapons in their hands. The weapons weren’t as well made or as sharp as the gnomes’ were, but they would still do a hell of a lot of damage if they were swung quickly.

Most of them had large axes with thick wooden handles and blood-stained blades. A couple of the orcs had swords that didn’t seem to match the craftsmanship of the axes. The swords were all much more elegantly built and had varying designs along the blades and hilts. I figured they had been stolen from travelers in the forest or found on the bodies of potential victims.

Regardless of weapons, the orcs looked like they could tear a human apart with their bare hands. They themselves towered over the women, and their gray nostrils flared as they studied the new arrivals.

Aleia wrinkled her nose the tiniest bit, and I knew it was taking everything in her power not to complain about the smell.

“Easy does it,” I said. “Make sure nobody gets behind you and blocks the exit. We need to keep our escape route open. No sudden movements.”

Grez nodded, and he hung back with Nia at the rear of the group at the doorway. The priestesses and gnomes stood in front of the elves, and I could see Nicola’s fingers twitch next to her flail. Even without being in my physical body, I could feel how tense the atmosphere was.

I had to play this just right and show these cave-dwellers exactly how much their lives could improve if they left behind their asshole god.

“Okay,” I said. “Let’s give them the offerings first, that should loosen them up a bit. Show them the food.”

“We brought some goods,” Celeste said. “It’s not much, but we have some food and--”

“Food?” one of the orcs grunted. “What food?”

“Elven bread and cakes,” Elowise said, and she slowly offered the brown sack full of baked treats.

A nearby orc grabbed the bag and then pulled it open to sniff the contents.

“It smells good,” the creature grunted. “We’ll divide it up later.”

It was clear we weren’t about to get a thank you, but the orcs all peered over at the sack and looked more curious than on edge.

“That helped a little,” I decided. “Okay, ask if they are still followers of Luke. I have a feeling they might want to complain a bit about him.”

“So,” Nicola said casually. “Like Celeste said, we’re the priestesses of Jack. He’s a mighty and powerful god who has been kind to us and guided us through battles. Do you follow the young god Luke? I refuse to say his title.”

There was an exchange of glances amongst the orcs, and a couple of them rolled their eyes as they lowered their weapons.

“Luke is the god of these parts,” the largest orcs said. “But he doesn’t provide for us. In fact, he does the exact opposite.”

“He won’t shut up about your god, either,” a shorter orc sighed. “Ever since you ran into him. Is it true you tamed the bear?”

“The three-headed one?” Nicola smirked. “Yeah, that’s right. Jack guided us on what to do, and she’s our guardian now… without any need for chains.”

The orcs seemed impressed by this news, and more and more of them lowered their weapons as they nodded slowly.

“We were already questioning Luke,” the largest orc said. “But now that we have heard of Jack’s greatness, we’re wondering if he is even more powerful than our god.”

Penelope snorted, and everyone turned to face her as she covered her mouth with a hand.

“Oh,” she spluttered. “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to make light of your struggle. It’s just not even a question if Jack is more powerful. We could make a list of the things Jack’s done, and they would outshine anything that foolish young god has achieved.”

“I’m listening,” the large orc said.

“Well,” Penelope sighed. “Where to even begin? He fought an ogre, killed a kraken with his bare hands, and stopped an entire army of Squall Sprites from attacking Evelhelm.”

“Sprites?” the large orc asked. “Do you mean like the ones Ethan has over the mountains? The ones in the orange storm?”

“Those are the ones.” Nicola nodded. “Jack stopped Ethan’s attack, and not a single person got killed. He saved the whole town and made sure we won the battle.”

The talk of a victorious battle seemed to make the orcs excited, and they muttered to each other as they rubbed their hands together. I wanted to ask what exactly Luke had said about me after our encounter, but it would probably not do much other than stroke my ego.

I had pissed him off, and that was all I needed to know.

“You want to sit?” the large orc grunted, and he gestured behind him to some roughly carved chairs that were beside the large, wooden table.

There was a pile of pink meat cut up on the tabletop, and it looked like they had been in the middle of skinning the fur from it. I couldn’t tell what animal it used to be, but it definitely didn’t look like enough food to supply a meal for all of the orcs.

“Oh,” Penelope said. “That’s very kind, but I think we’re okay standing. It’s good to stretch our legs and all that.”

The orc shrugged and swung his axe over his shoulder as he took a seat at the table. The rest of the orcs seemed to take that as a signal to stand down, and I figured this guy must be the one in charge.

“I’m Lurk,” the large orc said. “Luke came to me first when he took over these parts.”

“Nice to meet you.” The naiad smiled. “I’m Penelope. So how have things been for you all since Luke became your god? I hear he’s been awful with taking the enchantments away from the trees.”

“It’s ruining our way of life,” Lurk grumbled. “The animals are leaving, and we can’t make any ointment to heal our wounds.”

“Tell me about it,” a slightly scrawnier orc snorted. “My leg’s turning a funny color. I think it might fall off if I don’t get it healed soon.”

“You’re hurt?” Penelope asked. “Oh, no! What happened?”

“It was those fucking thorns,” he spat. “They’re everywhere, and now that we don’t have any healing ointment, they’re a nuisance.”

The orc rolled up his ragged pant leg, and everyone winced as he showed off a seeping, bloody gash in his calf. The thorns must have really ripped into the flesh, and Aleia covered her mouth as she looked at the injury.

“Oh, my,” Elowise gasped. “That looks horribly painful.”

“It is,” the orc grumbled. “Keeps bleeding through all my clothes. Makes it hard to hunt, too, the animals can smell me a mile off.”

Nicola raised an eyebrow, and I knew she was dying to ask how the animals normally didn’t smell them. She stayed silent, though, and made do with a small smile playing on her lips.

“Let me help,” Penelope offered. “That leg can’t just stay like that!”

“Penelope,” I warned. “You need to be careful. They’re listening to you, but they could still turn nasty at any time.”

“But he needs help,” the naiad whispered. “We have bandages that we can spare.”

“Stay on your guard,” I ordered again.

“I will, I promise,” Penelope agreed.

“Are you talking to him?” Lurk asked all of a sudden. “To Jack?”

“Yes.” The naiad nodded. “He’s here with us. Would it be okay if I helped out your friend?”

Lurk glanced over at the injured orc and nodded slowly.

“Yes,” he replied. “Having a covering on that wound won’t heal it, but it will be better than nothing.”

“Be careful,” I said. “Everyone else, make sure to watch for any hint of movement toward Penelope.”

The group nodded in acknowledgement, and Nia handed Penelope a bundle of bandages from her pouch. The naiad took the cloth and carefully moved toward the hurt orc.

I was ready to try to come down into my physical body if needed, and I was pleased to see my followers hover their hands next to their weapons.

Penelope walked slowly to the orc and gestured for him to take a seat so she could examine the wound.

The orc sat down, and his eyes flickered down to the naiad’s belly.

“You’re pregnant,” he said, and his voice sounded suddenly softer. “Maybe you shouldn’t be out in the woods. Luke won’t care about the baby.”

“How did you know that?” Penelope asked. “I don’t think I’m really showing yet, am I?”

“We can sense it,” the orc replied. “It’s a certain smell. It’s very flowery, and only pregnant women have it.”

“Oh,” Penelope said as she sniffed her hair. “How interesting.”

“We need to pay attention to things like this when we hunt.” The orc shrugged. “To make sure we don’t kill animals bearing children. That way the natural cycle of life can continue. But like I said, you shouldn’t be out in the open.”

“I appreciate the concern.” Penelope smiled. “But Jack takes care of me.”

She knelt down before the orc and winced as she rolled up his pants.

The wound was even more gruesome up close, and it seemed to be half-scabbing and half-bleeding. There was a slight yellow tinge to the leg, and I could only imagine how painful it was to walk around on.

“Do you have any water?” the naiad asked. “I think we should clean it a bit before I put the bandages on. It already looks a bit infected.”

A tall orc hurried over with a jug full of water and handed it to Penelope.

“Careful of her belly,” Lurk growled, and my followers raised their eyebrows as the orc fussed over the naiad.

“I guess they like babies?” I muttered.

“That’s sweet,” Aleia whispered. “Maybe they’re big softies at heart.”

“Maybe,” I said. “But that won’t stop them turning on you all in a heartbeat if you do something wrong. Stay vigilant.”

I held my phantom breath as Penelope began to gently pour water over the wound, and the orc winced.

As the water hit the orc’s skin, there was a sudden silvery glow to it as it seeped into the wound.

“What is that?” The orc frowned. “The water feels really warm.”

“I just added a little something to it,” Penelope said. “I’m a naiad, so I have powers with water. It won’t do much, but it should help with any spots that have started to get infected.”

“Really?” the orc asked. “That’s a valuable skill.”

Penelope smiled modestly and picked up the length of material beside her. Then she carefully wrapped the length of bandage around the orc’s leg and tied it firmly so it covered the whole wound.

“There,” she said. “It’s not perfect, but it should stop the bleeding properly so it can start to heal up.”

“Thank you,” the orc said. “That feels a bit better.”

The naiad smiled, and she stood up before heading back over to join her fellow priestesses.

“Tell them I’m going to do everything I can to get the magic back,” I said. “I want the powers restored to this place. It’s not the purpose of a god to deny natural resources like that.”

“Jack wants to take the forest’s magic back from Luke,” Aleia said. “He says that it should not be a god’s place to play with such things, and that you should all have the freedom to use what is naturally available here.”

“Why does he care?” the injured orc asked suspiciously. “What’s any of that got to do with him?”

“Yeah,” another voice called out. “As far as we know, this could just be a load of made up shit to get us on his side. That’s sure as hell what Luke would do.”

“I don’t think we can deny that he’s powerful,” Lurk said as he scratched his chin. “The bear proves that, and we did hear talk of the sprite storm being stopped as it spread toward southern towns.”

“This Jack guy might be powerful,” another orc agreed. “But that should be more reason to not trust him. This could be a trap, and they’ve all been sent here to kill us!”

“I assure you we haven’t,” Elowise said calmly. “Do you think Jack would have sent a couple of old gnomes along if that was the plan? There are two more able-bodied elves back at the fortress, and we didn’t bring them along.”

“I know gnomes can fight,” Lurk said with narrowed eyes. “Don’t try and act like you can’t. Although, if you were going to attack, I guess you wouldn’t have announced yourselves.”

“I’m glad he’s got some sense,” I said. “Tell him that my followers’ happiness is important to me.”

“Jack really cares about us,” Aleia said gently. “He’s a powerful leader, but he cares just as much about us being happy as he does gaining followers.”

“That doesn’t sound like a god,” a short orc snorted. “Why would he care about us when we’re not his followers?”

“That’s just what he does,” Celeste said. “He cares for beings because it’s the right thing to do. He rescued me before I ever even knew he existed, and he looked after me while I stubbornly wouldn’t believe in him. Then he performed a miracle to bless me, and he gave me these wings when the gargoyles had destroyed my old ones. He is the most gracious lord you will ever know, and he asks for so little in return.”

That seemed to get the cave-dwellers attention, and the orcs leaned in to look at the harpy’s scarlet feathers.

“He gave you those?” Lurk asked. “Really?”

“He did.” Celeste nodded. “I told you, he really cares. You should see our convent back home! He even came down himself to help build it.”

The orcs all scoffed at once, and Lurk raised an eyebrow.

“He came down?” the massive orc asked. “You’re saying he came down to our world from the god realm? To help build something?”

“That’s right!” Penelope piped up. “Because he cares and wants us to know how hard he will work to keep us safe and happy.”

Lurk sighed, and he rubbed his lumpy face as he closed his eyes for a moment.

“I can’t deny Jack is powerful,” he said. “To hear the way Luke talks about him… it can’t be denied that he’s made an impression. I just don’t know if we can leave the god we have followed so far. Even if he is a cowardly deity.”

“What’s the point of following him?” Nicola pressed. “You just said it yourself that he’s a coward. There’s no reason to worship someone who does nothing but belittle you.”

“I know that!” Lurk snarled, and the priestesses took a step back and placed their hands on their weapons.

The gnomes already had a firm grip of their blades, and the two elves looked like they were about to spring forward on their long legs.

“Steady,” I said. “Give him a moment to calm down.”

Sure enough, the large orc sighed and didn’t reach for his axe. It seemed to me like he was a leader on edge, and after witnessing Luke for myself, I couldn’t really blame him.

The orcs relied on hunting to survive, and they needed their ointment to stay safe. If they didn’t have a food supply or medicine, then they would just become starved, wounded creatures in the darkness of their caves.

I could tell their pride must be hurting, to know they chose to follow such a shithead of a god. But if I could get them to feel capable and worthy, then I figured they wouldn’t need too much more convincing to join me.

“Tell them that we can upgrade their weapons,” I said. “The gnomes at the fortress are so skilled, and we could make sure they were supplied with better tools to hunt.”

“Jack offers you new weapons,” Penelope said. “Our lord understands that your hunting is important to your lives, and we have many tools that we could supply to you if you became part of our convent.”

“We do need more weapons,” Lurk said as he looked down at his dirty axe. “I think we have an important choice to make.”

“I won’t go!” a nearby orc said, and he suddenly swung his axe up over his shoulder.

My followers held their weapons up, too, but they didn’t need to attack because a bunch of orcs got there first. They grabbed their friend’s arms and roughly pulled his weapon from him with scowls and grunts.

“They have babies inside,” Lurk snarled. “We cannot attack them. They are like our women.”

“Your women?” Nicola asked as she kept her eyes on the agitated orc. “Where are they?”

“They’re in one of the underground chambers,” Lurk sighed. “There are many of them with babies as it is the season for new offspring. We cannot keep them safe for much longer if the forest continues to be barren and evil. And we don’t like Luke looking at them when he comes around to talk to us. He can’t… appreciate the glory of an orc woman.”

His furious tone made me realize Luke had actually ripped on these guys’ women, and I couldn’t help scoffing. Not that I imagined an orc woman to be anything like my priestesses, but to each their own, and these guys seemed like decent beings who cared for their families well.

I could respect the hell out of that.

“Tell him we can offer protection for their women,” I said eagerly. “They could even borrow Layla for guard duty until they give birth.”

“We can help you,” Celeste said. “I mean, we do have a three-headed bear and an entire army of gnomes and elves. We all look out for each other.”

“We’re a family,” Penelope agreed. “That’s what we do, protect one another. We helped to save the elven town with Jack’s guidance, and we would do the same with your caves and babies.”

“We love babies,” Aleia added with an adorably determined nod.

“All babies,” Nicola agreed a little more enthusiastically than I expected.

“I still don’t trust them,” a very toothy orc snarled.

He leered at Nicola as he spoke and kept his grip firm on his sword.

“We’ve just met them,” another said in agreement. “This Jack sounds too good to be true. I reckon they’re just taking advantage of us ‘cause they know how much we’re struggling with Luke.”

“But they’ve got the bear,” someone else said. “And he did all that stuff with the wings and sprites and stuff.”

Then an argument began to break out within the cavern, and deep voices echoed throughout the chamber.

“Jack?” Grez said out of the corner of his mouth. “What do we do?”

“Just stay calm,” I said. “It’s understandable that they won’t agree right away. After all, it makes them seem kind of stupid to have followed Luke in the first place. They’re probably feeling a bit on edge.”

“Remember how vicious they can be,” Wilfrim mumbled. “This could get ugly.”

There was the faintest sound of footsteps coming from the tunnel, and I shifted my God Vision ever so slightly to see what I could only assume was a female orc.

“Woah,” the elves both muttered under their breaths.

She was just as big as the males, but her hair was longer and fuller as it fell over her shoulders. She had a very raggedy brown top that sat over her round belly, and a pair of scruffy shorts to match. Her eyes were narrow as she stepped into the cavern, and she kept one hand on her very pregnant stomach.

To be honest, she was kind of cute in a rugged way, and I decided once again that Luke was a fucking prick. This pregnant orc looked like a hell of a woman who probably had very sore feet right now, and the immature god should have been doing a better job watching over his flock.

I just wanted to tell her to sit down and eat something delicious and nutritious.

“Rola!” Lurk said as he hurried over to her. “What are you doing here? Is everything alright? The baby?”

“We’re fine,” Rola replied, and her voice was much softer than I had expected. “I had a feeling there was something going on up here. I felt a presence.”

“Rola’s very in tune with that sort of thing.” Lurk nodded. “She could sense Luke before he even made himself known to us.”

“You must be sensing Jack!” Aleia gasped. “He’s our god, and we’ve come to try and explain how much better he would treat you. We know you’ve been having horrible issues with Luke.”

“Jack,” Rola said softly. “Yes. He’s an old god, isn’t he?”

“That’s right,” Penelope said excitedly. “He led us here from our convent to speak to the people of the forest. He wants to help!”

“Hmm.” The female orc nodded. “I can feel a great power here. Much, much more intensely than whenever Luke is near. And yet… it’s somehow a gentle presence, despite how powerful it is.”

“That’s our Jack,” Penelope sighed with obvious adoration.

I couldn’t help feeling slightly smug at the orc woman’s comment, but I was a little shocked at how gentle and wise this woman seemed to be. Her male counterparts were so rough and lumbering, she was almost like a different species, and I was struck once again with the need to make her rest and take care of herself.

Lurk was clearly the father of Rola’s kid as he kept a gentle hand on her belly. A few of the orcs were still arguing amongst themselves, and I figured we should maybe give them some time to discuss things alone.

“I know Jack would make you all feel safe,” Penelope said. “He holds such power, but he is kind with it to those who follow him. We’ve been with him for a long time now, and he has done nothing but protect us and bring us joy.”

“We know how important our little ones are,” Aleia added as she rubbed her cute but completely flat belly. “We promise he would do so much more for you than Luke ever would. All Luke cares about is power and fear. There is nothing worth following there.”

The cavern was quiet for a moment, and some of the orcs looked incredibly tired.

“Will you leave us to think?” Lurk asked. “I am not happy with our current god, but we cannot simply leave his leadership without agreement amongst the whole group, and we must discuss all this thoroughly before Luke returns to badger us some more.”

“Of course,” Elowise said. “Do you know where the gnome fortress is?”

“We do.” Lurk nodded. “We do not engage with others in the forest usually, but we will know where to find you if we choose to accept Jack.”

“I know you’ll make the right choice,” Penelope said. “For your future, and for your little ones. They deserve a god who cares.”

“Nice addition,” I said with a light chuckle. “Okay, let’s not overstay our welcome. Say your goodbyes and get out of here before the idiot himself shows up.”

“Goodbye.” Aleia smiled. “I hope you enjoy the cakes.”

The rest of my followers gave quick waves and nods before they started to hurry back out into the dim tunnels, but Penelope paused to squeeze the pregnant orc’s arm. Then she smiled sweetly at her rounded belly, and her eyes actually welled with happy tears.

“Congratulations,” the naiad whispered.

“Goodbye,” Rola said softly as Penelope left. “Thank you for coming.”

She sounded so sincere that I decided to check my devotional map, just on the off-chance that she might be close to being swayed. I pulled it up on my interface and was shocked at what I saw.

The orcs were already all showing up on the screen. Half were the pale yellow of not quite believing, and the other half were already a vibrant orange. That meant half of them were close to being true followers of mine.

I felt a rush of pride as my women hurried along the caves. They had done so well with my guidance, and as they made their way through the tunnel system, I wished I could hear Luke’s reaction when he realized his followers were questioning him.

He would be really fucking angry, especially when he found out it was all my doing.

The priestesses sighed as they stepped back into the sunny morning air, and I was suddenly confident that we would soon have a whole new army behind us.

And lots of little orc babies to look after.

Chapter 14

“How do you think that went?” Elowise asked as the group began to walk toward the creek.

“I think it went great,” I said. “There was no way we were going to get them all on board right there and then. We did as much as we could without pressuring them too much.”

“That orc woman seemed to be keen,” Nicola said. “She was much more, uh, human-like than they were?”

“Orcs are a strange group.” Elowise nodded. “Some of them are very wise, so hopefully she manages to sway the others.”

“Well,” Penelope sighed. “That was slightly stressful, I would love to have a little dip in the water before we return? Oh! We could find that waterfall you mentioned, Jack!”

“I think you all earned it,” I chuckled. “What do you think? A quick swim before we go back to the fortress?”

The group all echoed their enthusiasm, and Penelope pouted slightly.

“My lord,” she whispered. “I was rather hoping that it would just be me and my sisters with you.”

“Sorry,” I said gently. “They deserve a little treat as well, but I promise my complete attention will be on you beauties.”

“I have an idea!” Grez said. “One of the gnomes was telling me about a whole series of waterfalls nearby, apparently they’re just over the creek.”

“How far?” I asked. “I don’t want to travel too far when we already know the location of one.”

“He told me that this water still has…” He glanced around and then lowered his voice. “Magic.”

“Really?” I asked. “How come?”

“The gnomes said Luke knows very little about the forest.” Grez shrugged. “There is still some magic left here, and they said it makes the water gloriously clear and warm.”

“That sounds great!” Aleia said. “The creek is narrow enough to jump over right here.”

“Okay,” I chuckled. “Let’s go and find these magic waterfalls.”

The winged women flew over the creek, and the elves helped the gnomes jump across much to Balabar’s annoyance.

“I could have made that,” he grumbled as Grez half-threw him across.

Nicola helped Penelope get over safely, and then Grez stood with his head tilted as he muttered directions to himself.

“Right.” He nodded. “It was this way!”

The yellow-haired elf strode away from the creek and confidently made his way west of the fortress.

“How sure are you that this is the way?” Nia asked as she looked up at the sky.

“Very sure!” The elf smiled. “And if it’s wrong, then at least we got to see some more of the forest!”

Grez led the group for a few minutes, and he kept glancing up at the sky as if the sun was somehow helping him with his bearings.

Nicola raised an eyebrow as she watched him, and I wondered how long it would be until she made a snide remark about his sense of direction.

The brunette had just opened her mouth when there was a sudden sound of running water. It got louder as the group hurried forward, but there still seemed to be only dense woodland surrounding them.

“I can hear it!” Grez said excitedly. “It must be right around here somewhere.”

The yellow-haired elf used his blade to cut through a large bush, and then he laughed and cheered.

The rest of the group followed him as he disappeared, and there were several gasps as they took in the sight behind the bush.

As soon as they stepped past the thick twigs, they were standing in a large clearing at the edge of a large, clear lake. The water was so clean that I could see right down to the rocky bottom, and the only life in there was some fish and plants.

But the most amazing thing about the water was the seven waterfalls that lined the edge of a grassy-topped hill. It was like the hill made a half-circle around the water, and the waterfalls of varying sizes flowed into the lake which continued on and became the river.

“It’s beautiful,” Penelope gasped. “Oh, my goodness!”

Everyone hurried over to the edge of the water and stared out at the tumbling waves. The group all slipped their boots off, and they rolled up their pant legs.

“Guess what Ryal told me,” Aleia said.

“What?” Nicola asked.

The fairy responded by diving headfirst into the water, and then she soared back up with a huge, adorable grin. Her skirt and top looked perfectly dry, and I was once again amazed at the craftsmanship of the elven clothes.

“That’s amazing!” I chuckled. “Although, I do like watching when your clothes get all soaked and see-through.”

The women giggled and began to wade into the water with their waterproof outfits.

The water was shallow enough to walk in for a few steps, and then the women began to swim out into the open lake toward the waterfalls. I enjoyed watching them as they moved through the clear water, and I laughed as Penelope floated on her back.

“It feels so warm,” Celeste said as she floated on her back. “Very cooling on the wings.”

“I didn’t know your wings could float,” Nicola grinned. “That’s brilliant.”

“Watch this!” Celeste said, and she spread her wings out and began using them to propel her through the water. She looked like a beautiful, feathered sea creature, and I chuckled as I admired her long, ivory legs as they moved elegantly.

The priestesses laughed and began to splash each other with the crystal clear water.

“Is there anything nicer on a warm day?” Penelope sighed as she ran her hands through her blonde hair. “Oh, I feel like I could stay here forever.”

The gnomes sat at the edge of the land with their feet dangling into the lake, and the elves waded in the shallow end and splashed their faces. They all looked fully content, and Wilfrim hummed to himself as he basked in the sun.

The bright rays of sunshine hit the clearing perfectly, and I watched my followers take a moment to close their eyes and enjoy the stunning weather. It looked like a scene from a painting, and I tried to remember if I had ever seen anything like it in my old life.

Then a thought came to me.

I had.

In fact, I was sure there was a spot on my school trip when I was a kid where we had all stopped to admire waterfalls. But I tried to put that thought out of my mind, since I had more important things to focus on than my crazy Earth idea.

Because it was crazy. I was sure of it.

I snapped back to the present and took in the stunning scene as my women floated and swam.

“Let’s go and see the waterfalls!” Penelope said. “How about the big one on the right? I bet it’s so soothing to stand underneath that!”

“Race you!” Nicola yelled at once, and she began to swim toward the tumbling water.

The priestesses tore through the lake, and I wasn’t surprised that Penelope was the fastest without question. Her cerulean limbs cut through the water with so much grace that it was mesmerizing to look at. Then she stopped next to the cascading waterfall and smiled as she looked up at the hilltop.

“Nice swimming,” I chuckled. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re amazing at it. Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Jack,” Penelope giggled. “You’re making me blush.”

When the other women had all caught up, they bobbed underneath the falling water and closed their eyes as it crashed onto their heads. They reached out their hands and let the clear water cascade down their arms. Even in a world of fantasy creatures and curses, there was still something magical about a waterfall.

“It’s so warm!” Aleia sighed with a smile. “But still really refreshing at the same time. I suppose that’s the magic?”

She looked down and giggled as a swarm of tiny silver fish rushed past her toes.

“This forest is stunning,” Penelope decided. “Oh, Jack, I can’t wait until you can free it from Luke’s hold. I hate to think of the poor creatures that live here in terror.”

“Me, too,” I replied. “But for now, don’t worry about any of that. Enjoy your dip in the water, and I’ll enjoy the view.”

“Look,” Nicola said as she squinted at the waterfall. “I think there’s a little cave behind there!”

“Let’s go in!” Celeste said.

“What if there’s orcs inside?” Aleia asked. “Or something worse?”

“I doubt it,” Penelope said. “But why don’t we have a quick peek just to make sure?”

The naiad closed her eyes and dove under the water and through the tumbling waterfall. I joined her as she swam, and she crashed back to the surface at the other side. When Penelope opened her eyes, she gasped.

She was floating in a large cave, with two ledges on either side. There was a glistening lilac stone that shone out from the walls, and it was as if the whole place was made of some kind of crystal from inside the hill. I stared up at the high ceiling and wondered how many people knew this little hideaway existed.

Back in my old life, people would have paid thousands to see a place like that, and we had it all to ourselves.

The cavern was self-contained and didn’t have tunnels going anywhere, which made it the perfect little quiet spot for some alone time with my women.

“Sisters!” Penelope called. “Come on! It’s beautiful through here!”

“It really is,” I agreed.

The other women crashed up from the water and gasped as they took in the beauty of the cave.

“Wow,” Celeste breathed. “Look at the walls! What kind of stone is that?”

“I’m not sure,” Aleia said. “But it’s so pretty! Can we get some of it back at the convent?”

“I’ll do my best,” I chuckled. “I’m sure the elves at the quarry will know what it is.”

“Oooh!” Penelope cooed. “Yes, we could have the nursery room all lined with it! So the babies can enjoy the sparkles!”

“You’re adorable,” I said. “And our baby can have whatever kind of room your heart desires.”

As I watched my women smile and admire the view, I decided I would come and reward them for their bravery and hard work over the past couple of days. The journey through the forest was long, and they hadn’t complained once about the trek or dangers.

If I used one of my fifteen minute gifts in the cave, we could enjoy ourselves before the others got curious and came to find us. I really wanted to engage in a bit of naked worship, but I knew I would have to use my time wisely. The priestesses could choose what we did, and I was just happy that I was going to be spending time with them.

I decided it would be fun to just appear without warning, and I focused on the left-hand side ledge next to the water. It had a long length of grayish stone sticking out from the lilac wall that looked perfect for sitting on, and I concentrated on my physical form.

Suddenly, I felt the cold stone under my feet, and the sound of fresh water lapped around me. I took a deep breath, and my lungs filled with the freshest air I had ever experienced.

The Wrath of Jack sat sheathed on my hip, and I quickly undid my belt and laid the weapon on the stone bench before any chaos began.

“Jack!” Aleia screeched, and the other women spun around with wide eyes.

It was adorable watching them all scramble out of the water, and they climbed up onto the ledge to join me.

“You’re here!” Penelope squealed as they hurtled toward me, and I laughed as my women pounced with kisses and smiles.

“About time!” Nicola said. “I was going crazy not getting to see you again!”

“We have you for the whole fifteen minutes?” Celeste asked.

“I’m all yours,” I chuckled.

The women’s wet bodies pressed up against me, and I gave each of them a deep kiss as I ran a hand over their curved hips and firm asses.

“We missed you,” Aleia purred as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek.

“I missed you, too.” I smiled. “I’m just so proud of all of you, and I wanted to come down and show you that I love you.”

“Why don’t you come in the water, my lord?” Penelope asked. “It’s so fresh and relaxing!”

“That sounds good.” I grinned. “But now that we have some privacy, I think I should see those beautiful bodies.”

The priestesses smiled and wasted no time in pulling off their various items of clothing to reveal their perfect figures. They spun around and put on a show of stripping down as they wiggled their hips.

“I didn’t think this place could get any more stunning,” I groaned as Aleia hurriedly pulled at my pants.

She helped me step out of them and smiled up at me as she ran her fingers over my thighs, and my cock twitched.

When we were all fully nude, the women took a moment to feel and admire my body before they hurried over to the edge of the stone.

Then Penelope and Celeste gripped my hands, and they screeched as we all jumped into the water.

Warmth covered my body as my head ducked under the surface, and I laughed as I crashed back up.

The priestesses floated around me and began to stroke my body under the water. Their hands roamed over my thighs and chest, and I was fully aware of how hard my cock was becoming as they touched me.

I knew I only had fifteen minutes, and I wanted to make sure I spent every second of that touching my women’s beautiful figures, too. Penelope and Celeste floated on either side of me, and I grabbed their full breasts that bobbed right at the surface.

“Doesn’t the water feel amazing?” Celeste grinned. “It’s almost like it gives you a tingly feeling on your legs.”

As much as I was distracted by my women, I had to admit that the water did feel unique. The warmth of it was comforting, and there did seem to be an unusual shine to the surface.

I leaned back and enjoyed the sensation of floating on my back as the priestesses showered me with kisses. As my body floated in the cavern, the women giggled and began to kiss down my stomach toward my erection.

I closed my eyes to take in the feelings, and I truly wished I could stay for longer than fifteen minutes. But I had to enjoy what I did have, and I gasped as I felt a soft kiss being planted on the head of my cock.

My eyes shot open to see Celeste smiling up at me, and the other priestesses were stroking my legs.

“We know you don’t have long,” the harpy purred. “But we wanted to give you just a little bit of worship while you’re here.”

Before I could say another word, she began to gently lick the length of my shaft as the other girls pressed their bodies against me. The feeling of floating in the enchanted water while the women worshipped me was fucking amazing, and every inch of my body felt overcome with pleasure and comfort.

Then Aleia shimmied over to join Celeste, and they both began to work their tongues up and down my cock.

“Fuck,” I groaned. “That feels so good, but I want to make you all feel good, too.”

“You do that all the time.” Nicola smiled. “Just lie back and enjoy it, master.”

Aleia’s lips moved to the head of my cock, and I moaned as the fairy slowly slid me into her mouth. Her warm lips began to move quickly up and down, and Celeste gently played with my balls.

Nicola and Penelope floated up to my head, and I grabbed handfuls of their breasts. The sensation was overwhelming, and I knew I was going to cum very soon.

Aleia fluttered her eyes up at me as she sucked me off, and I groaned as I pinched Penelope’s nipple.

“Our lord is going to bless us soon.” Celeste smiled. “I can tell. Come back here, sisters.”

Nicola and Penelope glided back down to their fellow priestesses, and they kissed my thighs as I watched them.

Aleia’s tongue and lips were still filling me with pleasure, and she let out a soft little moan that was enough to send me over the edge. The fairy must have felt that I was close, and she slipped her mouth off my cock right as my orgasm hit. Then the priestesses all leaned in, and their pretty faces were hit with a copious shower of my warm, creamy cum. It covered all of them in equal amounts, and I groaned as I watched the beauties lick their lips and giggle while they licked my cock clean.

“That was ridiculously hot,” I moaned as I maneuvered myself back upright.

“Look how easily we can get clean!” Aleia giggled, and she dove under the water for a moment before she resurfaced.

The other priestesses did the same, and then they huddled beside me.

We swam gently over to the edge of the pool so our backs rested against the wall of the cave. I sat with both Penelope and Aleia snuggled into my right arm, and Celeste and Nicola were under my left.

We all knew it wouldn’t be long until I left again, and we enjoyed the peace of the glistening water around our naked bodies. The lilac walls shone as the sun poked in through the flow of the waterfall, and even the crash of the waterfall felt relaxing.

“What a perfect fifteen minutes,” I sighed as I kissed Penelope’s shoulder.

The women smiled at me, and I began to feel myself fade away.

It only took a moment for me to return to god form, and the women didn’t seem upset like the last time. I was pleased that spending that time with them had made them feel so happy and peaceful, and I enjoyed watching them all snuggle close with wide grins.

“We should probably head back,” Celeste said, and she reached up to the ledge and grabbed everyone’s clothes before handing them out.

The women laughed as they maneuvered getting dressed underwater, and then they began to swim back to the waterfall.

“I’m glad we found this place.” Aleia smiled as she glanced back at the cave. “Our special little spot.”

“Maybe Jack can bring us here again,” Nicola said. “There’s a whole bunch of things we can get done in fifteen minutes.”

“I like your thinking,” I said, and the brunette flicked her wet hair.

Then the priestesses dove under the surface and swam back to the other side of the falling water. They swam over to meet the others, and everyone began to climb back onto shore.

“That was just what my feet needed,” Nia said as she pulled her boots back on. “I think I could have stayed there all day.”

“Me, too,” Elowise agreed. “Those fortress gnomes are so lucky to have this place so close!”

There was suddenly a dark cloud overhead, and everyone looked up as it rolled across the sun and cast a shadow over the water.

“Oh, dear,” Wilfrim said. “Looks like we’re in for a bit of rain.”

“It’s just one cloud.” Grez frowned. “That’s odd. I wonder if that usually happens around here.”

I studied the sky, and it was strange that there seemed to be a singular dark cloud floating over the lake. I quickly scanned my God Vision to see if there was something lurking nearby, but there didn’t seem to be any sign of a threat or unusual creatures.

Then I heard something that made my phantom skin crawl. A slow, eerie bubbling sound that carried on the wind.

Everyone turned to the lake, and there were several gasps as the water began to turn gray. It started with a small spot in the center, and then it quickly spread right over to the grass. It was like watching something being poured into the lake, but there was nobody there.

I knew immediately what was happening. Luke was taking away the magic of the water. The only part of the forest that had been untouched by him had been found.

Everyone stared as the crystal clear waterfall began to darken, and the water was almost black for several seconds before it flashed back to being the original clear hue. It was perfectly transparent once more, but I noticed a few silver fish floating on the surface, and the magical glisten had gone.

“What was that?” Celeste asked as she stared down at the lake.

“Luke,” I said grimly. “I have a feeling the water won’t have that calming tingle to it anymore.”

It was just a hunch, but my godly instincts had gotten good at that sort of thing.

“But that runs into the creek!” Aleia gasped. “That’s the drinking water for the whole forest!”

“I don’t think he’ll have poisoned it,” I said. “That’s not going to get him any more followers if they all get ill. It’s just a guess, but I bet he’s blocked the enchantment.”

“That horrible idiot!” Penelope scowled, and she knelt down to run her fingers through the water.

“Does it feel different?” Nicola asked, and the naiad nodded sadly.

“What did the enchantment do exactly?” Celeste asked. “I mean, I know it felt great, but did it do much?”

“It had calming properties,” Penelope said as she straightened up. “From what I could tell just by touch. Don’t you all feel more relaxed?”

“I do.” Elowise nodded. “Well, I did before Luke took it away for no reason. Oh, dear, do you think he found it because of us?”

“I have a feeling he knew about it already,” I sighed. “I was doubtful before that he wouldn’t have known. I have a suspicion he wanted to make us see exactly what he could take away. Like the power-hungry asshole he is.”

“Did you hear that?” Nicola yelled toward the sky. “We know it was you, you jackass, and we’re not scared of you!”

“Come on,” I said. “Let’s get back to the fortress. We don’t need to give this performative god any more of our time right now.”

The group began to make their way back to the fortress and followed the creek as I scanned everywhere for more potential danger from Luke. I was filled with fury that he had blocked the last remaining enchantment in the forest. What the hell was this guy thinking? I knew he used scare tactics, but there was no way this wasn’t going to piss off any forest residents.

He really was a piece of shit, and not worthy of the title of God. I wished I could meet the fucker in physical form, and I could show him how well my new sword worked. I didn’t know what he looked like, but I could picture it being satisfying as hell bringing my new blade down on his skull.

I hoped that the orcs would make the right choice and come over to our side of the fight. Now that I knew they were smart enough, I didn’t have much doubt that they would pick the god who had actually won battles. If I took the orcs, then how many more followers would be left on Luke’s team?

The imps didn’t seem like much of a threat, but who knew what other creatures he had cooped up in chains?

“I’m tired,” Balabar yawned as we neared the fortress. “What’s the next step in our plan, Jack?”

“I think we need to crank things up,” I said. “I was thinking that--”

I stopped talking as my eyes fell on something at the fortress. The huge, metal wall next to the watchtower had a mark on it. Something glistening and red.

As my followers raced over, I could see that it was writing.

Someone had sprawled a message across the entrance of the gnomes’ home, and it looked like it had been written in blood.

My phantom stomach churned as I read the words, and every ounce of me was set on fire with fury.

Ethan’s alliance will kill you all.

That was it. I was ready for war.

Chapter 15

“That fucker,” I hissed.

My followers stood staring at the wall, and the priestesses all looked like they were ready to fight. Aleia curled her hands up into fists, and Celeste was scowling so hard that her eyebrows knitted together.

The blood glistened on the steel walls, and it had smeared and dripped down onto the ground below.

“How dare he,” Penelope breathed. “How dare he!”

“Ethan’s alliance,” Nicola said. “So did Ethan write this?”

“No,” I said. “One of Luke’s followers will have. Let’s ask whoever is in the watchtower.”

I shifted to look inside the circular room but found it empty.

That was weird, and also worrying.

“There’s nobody there,” I reported. “Quickly, get inside. I’m going to check if everyone’s alright.”

Grez pulled open the handle, and I went ahead and shifted my focus inside the fortress with Jemmy and Allam.

They were in the central square and surrounded by worried gnomes.

There was one young woman in particular who seemed very distressed. She was sitting on one of the wooden logs with wide eyes, and she rocked back and forth as Jemmy stroked her hair. She kept sniffing and made little gasps as she breathed heavily between sobs.

I had a suspicion I had just worked out who was on guard duty when the message was written.

Azza and Myra were trying to calm everyone down, but it didn’t seem to be working. The two elves were waving their hands and looking around at the sea of panicked gnomes. I was pleased to see the two ex-soldiers trying to take charge, but the chaotic buzz in the fortress didn’t look like it would calm down any time soon.

“We’re not going to let anyone hurt you!” Myra shouted desperately. “I promise!”

The pretty elf put a comforting hand on a nearby gnome, but nobody seemed to be paying attention to her words.

“I will slaughter anyone who steps foot inside,” Azza said with a stony face. “Now please, lower your voices so you don’t bring too much attention to yourselves.”

The stoic elf had slightly more luck with his command as his deep voice carried a lot better than Myra’s did. A few gnomes stopped chattering and resorted to shaking angry fists or biting their nails.

“What happened here?” I asked, and the gnomes quieted down properly.

“He came here,” Jemmy said. “Luke brought his imps, and they used a bucket of blood to write the message with their hands. Alsa was there, she saw it all.”

I looked at the young gnome on the log bench and gave her a second to steady her breathing before I asked questions.

“Alsa,” I said. “Can you tell me what you saw? How many imps were there?”

“Only about six,” she replied. “Normally, I would be able to take them down no problem. I promise I’m really good with my bow and arrow! I’m a good fighter, Jack, I swear!”

“I believe you,” I said gently, and I felt sorry for the girl.

She had probably only been given guard duty recently judging by her age, and I got the feeling she was desperate to prove her worth in a fortress full of badass fighters.

“What happened next?” I asked. “Did you try to warn them off?”

“I did.” Alsa nodded. “I called out to tell them to leave, but they ignored me. So I leaned out to fire a warning bolt, and I saw their eyes.”

“Their eyes?” Nicola asked. “What was wrong with them?”

“They were so…” Alsa shook her head. “So… empty. Like there were no thoughts or souls behind them. I know imps can be pests, but I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like they were dead, but still walking.”

The priestesses looked at each other, and Alsa continued to rock on her seat.

In a weird flash of clarity, I suddenly guessed what was going on, and it was like someone had just dropped the thought into my mind.

“He was possessing them,” I said, and there were several gasps around the square.

I couldn’t tell how I had that knowledge, but I felt so certain of it that I would have bet my new sword on it. It made sense. Ethan was the head puppet master, and Luke was his underling with an inflated sense of importance. I figured that Luke would think controlling his followers was a show of ultimate power.

“Possessing them?” Aleia whispered with wide eyes. “That’s awful! But if he can do that, then why doesn’t he do it to everyone, all the time?”

“I’ve heard of this,” Elowise sighed as she took a seat beside Alsa. “It’s not that simple. Possession is a dark, dark magic. Some powerful wizards spend their entire existences trying to accomplish it, and very few do. Even for a God, it has to be quite a feat.”

“Go on,” I said. “I knew I could count on you for this kind of knowledge.”

Elowise gave a weak smile and rubbed her forehead before she spoke again.

“Possession is only possible for a few moments at best,” the old gnome explained. “The longest known case was perhaps two minutes at most. It’s also only possible if the subject is very weak-minded.”

“That works for the imps,” Celeste said. “They didn’t have a single backbone between them.”

“So it wouldn’t work on us?” Nicola asked. “Luke couldn’t possess us to do anything?”

“Absolutely not,” Elowise said. “Nobody inside this fortress could be taken over. Even Layla the bear has too much strength for that.”

“Could Jack do it?” Celeste asked. “I mean, I know he never would, but is it possible?”

“Perhaps,” Elowise said. “Of course, I don’t pretend to know everything about the powers of the gods. But the one who orchestrates the possession must have a dark desire inside them, so I’m not sure it would work for a god as good as Jack.”

“It’s true.” Wilfrim nodded. “I wasn’t sure if I even believed it, but all the stories I’ve heard about possession have been about someone trying to do harm.”

“That makes sense,” I said. “There’s no moral reason for wanting to take over someone’s body and mind. A real god should be able to ask his followers to complete tasks, not force them into it.”

“It’s concerning that he has that power.” Elowise nodded. “But it requires so much strength and concentration that it probably couldn’t be used in battle or any high intensity situation.”

I wondered how exactly Luke had developed this power, since I had never seen any hint of it on my interface. Not that I would ever want to do that dark shit, but I was curious to know where the ability came from. Did asshole gods naturally get given these darker abilities? Or did he learn it from someone else? Someone like Ethan?

It made me slightly worried about the powers Ethan might have. If Luke was a young god who could control minds, what kind of awful things was Ethan really capable of?

“Okay,” I said as I tried to stop my mind from racing a million miles an hour. “I’m really fucking angry, and I know you all are, too. Maybe someone should take Alsa inside and settle her with a cup of tea? Or maybe something stronger?

Alsa nodded, and a nearby gnome helped her up and hurried her off to one of the houses.

“So,” Celeste said with a determined set to her jaw. “What are we going to do next?”

“Fight,” I replied without thinking. “This bastard has tortured the forest for long enough. He thinks he can write a threatening message on our wall and get away with it? Fuck no.”

“It’s time for a battle,” Balabar agreed. “It’s a good thing we have a strong group of fighters here.”

“With so many weapons.” Elowise nodded. “Maybe we could all get some of those armor plates?”

“We have some to spare,” Jemmy assured her. “Perhaps we could make something that would fit the priestesses and elves, too.”

“That would be great,” Nicola said. “I just know Luke will fight dirty.”

“We’ll need some training time,” I said. “Let’s spend tomorrow working on maneuvers and form, then the next day we can find out exactly how many of Luke’s followers are willing to join us.”

“I really think the orcs will,” Penelope said. “If we get them, then surely Luke doesn’t stand a chance!”

“Should we send someone else to lookout duty?” Allam asked. “Maybe he’ll come back with more imps.”

“No,” I said. “I don’t want anyone on their own out there. I can keep watch tonight, and I’ll make sure nobody comes near the fortress. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

“I know you will.” Penelope smiled. “So no lookout in the tower tonight, then.”

The gnomes sighed with relief, and Layla the bear gave a small snore as she turned over on her back.

As I watched the beast, an idea started to form in my head. Surely we should use our new three-headed friend in battle? I chuckled at how badass it would be to ride the massive animal into war. If she would agree to being ridden, that would be the perfect shock tactic, too.

Luke would lose his mind at seeing his old prisoner being used against him, and he deserved every ounce of humiliation he got.

“How was Layla today?” I asked. “When you went hunting, was she okay?”

“She was brilliant actually.” Allam nodded. “We ended up with a bigger kill than we’ve had in days, and she got her fur cleaned up at the creek, too.”

“Interesting,” I said. “Nicola, how do you think she would deal with a rider?”

“A rider?” the brunette asked. “Jack, are you planning to take her into battle? She’s clearly happy here after we rescued her, but you want to use her as a steed?”

“That’s right,” I replied. “She’s on our team now, and I just know a three-headed bear would fuck things up during battle. Whoever rode her would be untouchable.”

Everyone looked over at the sleeping bear, and all three tongues were hanging out as she snored.

“Let’s give it a try.” Nicola shrugged. “There’s only one way to find out how she is with someone on her back.”

“Be careful,” Penelope said with a fretting frown. “I know she loves you, Nicola, but she might find it insulting if you try to ride her.”

“Yes.” Aleia nodded. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’ll be careful,” Nicola promised. “She won’t harm me.”

The priestesses walked over to the bear, and Nicola stepped up to the giant beast. The bear continued to make deep, growling snores, and she scratched her belly with a sharp claw.

“Layla,” Nicola said softly. “Hey there, can we talk for a moment?”

Nicola reached out and gently stroked the bear’s belly, and Penelope shuffled nervously.

Layla made a happy purring noise and blearily opened her three sets of eyes. When she spotted Nicola, she rolled over and sat up. Then the bear reached out and softly licked the brunette’s cheek with her middle head.

“Hi, there.” Nicola smiled. “Sorry to wake you, I was just wondering if you would be able to help us out with something.”

The bear tilted her heads to the side, and she looked like someone trying to understand their second language. She towered over the priestesses, but she had a sense of calm to her that I hadn’t noticed before. I wondered if she truly felt at home now, and if cleaning off her matted fur had cheered her up.

It was incredible to watch Nicola interact with the creature, and I was bursting with pride as the brunette stroked the dark fur of the bear.

Then Nicola reached behind Layla and tapped her back.

“I was wondering if I could sit here?” the brunette asked. “We have an important battle coming up, and it would be amazing if we were able to ride such an impressive creature.”

The bear continued to stare at Nicola and made a soft roaring sound that somehow sounded like a question.

“Maybe we should demonstrate on a horse,” Aleia said. “Just to show her what we mean?”

“Good idea,” I agreed. “Go and grab one of ours.”

The fairy hurried over to where the horses were lazily eating hay, and she led Ember back over to the bear. The horses hadn’t seemed too fazed by Layla’s arrival so far, and they appeared to be perfectly happy to ignore each other.

I had been slightly concerned that Layla would have seen them as a free breakfast buffet, but the bear hadn’t gone near them.

“Okay,” Nicola said. “Watch this, Layla. This is what we want.”

Aleia fluttered up onto the ginger horse and softly tapped its sides with her legs. Ember began to trot around the square and did a lap before stopping next to the priestesses again.

Layla watched the horse and made a soft grunting noise.

“Thank you.” Aleia smiled, and she gave Ember a pat before flying back down to the ground.

Layla gave a soft growl and then crouched down in front of Nicola like she was bowing.

“I think it worked!” I said. “She’s letting you climb on.”

Nicola didn’t hesitate, and she jumped up as she swung a leg over the bear’s wide back. She gripped onto the dark fur tightly, and then Layla slowly rose up on all fours. Nicola looked insanely hot sitting on top of her three-headed pet, and her golden legs stood out against the dark fur.

“It’s working!” the brunette laughed. “Wow, this is a lot higher up than riding a horse.”

Layla began to slowly plod around the fortress, and she gave small growling noises occasionally as if she was having a casual conversation with her rider.

“Good girl!” Nicola grinned. “This is amazing!”

The priestesses cheered and laughed as Layla strode around, and the bear held her heads up as if she was proud of her work.

“I can’t believe this,” Celeste chuckled. “Who would have thought we would end up with a rideable bear?”

“With three heads,” Penelope added. “I know life with Jack is always an adventure, but I didn’t really see this one coming.”

“Nicola looks so natural up there,” Aleia admired. “It’s like she was always meant to ride a giant bear.”

Layla seemed perfectly content to have a rider on her back, and I imagined she could probably carry another couple of people if needed. That would be good for battle since we only had so many horses, and there might be a time when we needed a quick getaway.

“Thanks, girl,” Nicola said as she stroked the bear’s back. “I just wanted to make sure it was okay to ride you, you can put me down now.”

Layla immediately stopped and crouched down so the brunette could jump off.

“Okay,” Celeste said. “She can definitely understand you. That’s amazing!”

“Impressive,” I agreed. “Well, that just made our own army even stronger. Now we have an unstoppable army complete with a three-headed monster.”

“She’s not a monster,” Nicola pouted. “Well, not a scary one. Well, not to me anyway.”

The brunette gave each of Layla’s ears a final scratch, and the animal yawned as she laid down once more. The priestesses walked back over to the crowd, and everyone else had started to yawn. One of the gnomes began to walk around and blow out some of the torches, but they left two lit.

“So, we train tomorrow,” Wilfrim said. “Then the next day, we go and find Luke’s followers?”

“That’s right,” I agreed. “We’re going to make sure we’re ready for whatever the hell they have waiting for us. We’re going to win this.”

“I’m so glad you came here, Jack,” Jemmy sighed with obvious relief. “I don’t know what we would have done otherwise. We would probably be the last folks in the forest not under Luke’s control.”

“Jack always knows what to do.” Penelope smiled proudly. “Our lord brought us here just in time.”

“I know it’s scary to come up against another god,” I told my followers. “But we fought off those sprites, and we can fight just as hard against Luke.”

There was a murmur around the crowd, and it seemed that everyone’s spirits were getting charged up. The determination to defend the fortress really fueled the gnomes, and I knew they would come to battle with everything they had.

“I think I’m going to head off to bed,” Elowise said. “It sounds like we have a long few days ahead of us.”

“Good idea,” I agreed. “I think you should all try and get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll get up early and practice fighting. Maybe we could have a look at some of your own weapon creations that are made here?”

“Of course.” Jemmy nodded. “We will happily provide all the supplies we can. You’re welcome to use anything here. There are some weapons that might surprise you, we have a lot of creative minds here.”

“I can’t wait!” Celeste said as her amber eyes widened. “I love learning about new weapons.”

“Then you’re in for a treat,” Allam chuckled.

“I appreciate everything you’re doing for us,” I said. “Now, go and get that rest. We need our fighters ready for action first thing tomorrow.”

The gnomes and elves began to head off to their various houses, and the square fell quiet as just the priestesses were left. The moon shone down through the glass panels in the roof, and the women stifled yawns as they stared up at the stars.

“I can’t believe he left a message,” Aleia shivered. “Written in blood, too!”

“What a creep,” Nicola muttered. “I wonder whose blood it was in the bucket.”

“Probably just an animal,” I said. “Although, it could have been one of his followers that stepped out of line.”

Luke’s stupid title and childish attitude sometimes made me forget how evil he was. It was easy to laugh at him, but I had to keep vigilant and remember that he had no compassion for others. I didn’t doubt he would slaughter one of the imps purely to leave that bloody message.

“That possession talk was really scary,” Penelope said. “We need to get the forest back, but I’m just not sure how to even defeat a god?”

The women fell silent as they thought about this, and I didn’t really have an answer for them, either. I was ready to battle all of Luke’s followers to the death, but what did that mean for Luke himself? Would he fade away from memory if none of his worshippers were alive?

Was there any way to actually permanently kill off a fellow god?

I didn’t have any answers, but I did know that I would figure it out as we went. I had the best fighters, and expertly crafted weapons on my side.

We had everything we needed to be victorious, and I could figure out the details as I went.

“We should probably go to bed, too,” Penelope yawned. “My lord, will you be visiting any of us tonight?”

The naiad’s eager eyes were almost impossible to say no to, but I had to stay vigilant throughout the night.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I would love to, but I need to keep watch. Who knows if Luke is going to try something stupid after his little note.”

“I understand.” Penelope nodded. “It probably won’t take long for me to fall asleep anyway, I’m exhausted.”

“And we did get to spend time with Jack today.” Aleia smiled. “Let’s get to bed, sisters.”

“I’ll see you all in the morning,” I said. “Goodnight.”

The women echoed their goodnights and then headed off sleepily to the guest house. I watched them leave, and then I decided to check my God Vision. The fortress was still, and Layla’s snores were the only noise in the square. The horses had laid down to sleep, and all the lamps inside the houses were turned off.

Outside the metal walls, there was a gentle wind that rustled the leaves. I spotted a family of spikehogs hurrying along the ground and keeping mostly to densest foliage, and an owl sat tucked away on a nearby branch. There were no signs of imps or orcs, and I studied the trees carefully to make sure nothing unsavory was hiding. It seemed peaceful for now, and I hoped that my followers all got a good rest before their training the next day. I had no doubt that each of them were already prepared for battle, but I wanted to make sure everyone was familiar with the gnomes’ weapons.

Suddenly a new message flashed up on my interface, and I studied the words carefully.

New God Quest: Destroy Luke

Reward Upon Quest Completion: Restore enchantments to the deep forest

Holy shit. This was the answer I had been hoping for. It was confirmation that I could restore the magic back into the forest and the lives of everyone in it.

All I had to do was destroy Luke, and I was ready to do just that.

I was going to show this bastard what happened to anyone who threatened my people.

I was ready to make him pay.

Chapter 16

I spent the night scanning with my God Vision and making sure nothing bigger than a rabbit came close to the fortress walls. It was a peaceful night, and thousands of stars shone down on the gleaming metal structure. I checked in on the priestesses a few times, and I was pleased to find them sleeping soundly.

Penelope and Aleia held their stomachs in their sleep, and I was once again reminded of exactly what I was fighting for.

When the sun eventually began to creep up from the hills, there was a stunning pink and blue sky with fluffy white clouds. It would have been a perfect day to sit by the waterfalls, but we had work to do.

Elowise and Wilfrim were the first to rise, and they shuffled out into the square with yawns and stretches.

“Morning!” I said. “Of course, I can count on you two to be up and ready for the day first.”

“What can I say?” Wilfrim chuckled. “This old man still gets excited to play with weapons.”

“I thought we could get some breakfast going.” Elowise smiled. “We’re all going to need our strength for today.”

“Sounds good,” I said as the gnomes began to rummage around in their supply bags.

A few more gnomes rose and began to help with setting up a fire to cook on. They fetched bowls and cutlery, and Elowise carefully placed strips of muckbeast meat in the pot along with some eggs.

The door of the guest house opened, and Balabar appeared still pulling his shirt on.

“I thought the smell might wake you,” Wilfrim chuckled. “Nothing gets you out of bed faster than cooking meat!”

“I think that’s working for everyone,” I laughed as Grez and Myra hurried out behind the gnome.

I went to check on the priestesses and found Nicola and Aleia already up and pulling on clothes. Celeste was pushing herself up slowly, but Penelope was still asleep.

“Good morning,” I said. “Ready for a day of training?”

“I’m so excited.” Celeste grinned as she got to her feet. “A full day of new weapons!”

“Penelope looks ready for action,” Nicola snorted, and she strode over to the sleeping naiad.

“Moooorning,” Nicola said as she stroked Penelope’s blonde hair. “Time to practice murdering imps.”

The naiad’s eyes opened slowly, and she sat up with a yawn.

“Good morning, sisters,” she said. “Oh, sorry, I think the baby must have needed a few extra minutes of rest!”

“Take all the time you need,” I chuckled. “I want that baby to come out big and strong.”

“Good morning, my lord,” Penelope said as she got up. “Oh my, what a delicious smell!”

“The gnomes are setting up breakfast,” I said. “You need to have some food in you before swinging around heavy swords.”

The women pulled their clothes on and hurried down the stairs to head out and join the others. In the square, Elowise had started to dish out food to eager gnomes, and the priestesses hurried over to join the line.

“Here you go!” Grez said cheerily as he handed them all plates. “Excited for today? I know I am. I can’t wait to see what kinds of weapons the gnomes have made here!”

“Me, too.” Celeste grinned. “I want something deadly and covered in spikes.”

“I think you should lead some demonstrations,” I said to the harpy. “You’re such a skilled fighter, and I’m not sure there’s a weapon you don’t know how to use.”

“Really?” Celeste asked. “Jack, I’m honored you would ask!”

“Of course,” I said. “You’re our resident battle bird. If everyone was as good of a fighter as you, then Luke’s followers would be dead in seconds!”

The priestesses reached the front of the queue, and Elowise scooped meat and eggs onto their plates.

“This smells delicious,” Aleia said. “Thank you, Elowise.”

“No problem, dear.” She smiled. “Make sure you eat it all up, that little one will need some nutrients, too!”

The women took their plates over to one of the wooden logs and sat down to eat. They made happy noises as they scooped the food into their mouths, and I chuckled as I saw Layla wander up behind the women. The bear had all three noses sniffing the air, and she hurried over behind Nicola.

The brunette turned around as the heavy footsteps approached, and she laughed as Layla sat down.

“Good morning,” Nicola said. “Does this smell good to you, too?”

She picked off a fatty part of her meat and threw it at the bear’s middle head. Layla chomped down the food and then licked Nicola’s cheek.

“We actually have a special dish for Layla!” Allam called over as he held up a cooked rabbit. “She helped us catch so much on the hunt, I thought she should keep at least one whole animal for herself.”

The gnome strode over with the rabbit in hand, and Layla hurried forward with alarming speed.

Allam stopped in his tracks as the beast raced toward him, and he smiled nervously as she sat down beside him. Her tongues smacked her lips, and large blobs of drool fell down onto the ground.

“I know she’s friendly,” Allam said. “She’s still a bit terrifying, though.”

“Understandable,” I chuckled. “It looks like she’s ready for breakfast.”

Allam nodded and then threw the rabbit down in front of her. Layla’s right head snapped up the food and happily chomped down as bits of meat fell to the ground. The other heads grabbed the fallen scraps, and it only took a few seconds for the rabbit to disappear without a trace.

Layla gave a grateful growl and then laid down to lick her paws clean.

Everyone was handed a cup of tea by Jemmy and another young gnome, and it wasn’t long until the bowls were empty.

“So,” Grez said as he put down his teacup. “What’s the plan, Jack? Where should we begin? Are we practicing in pairs or groups?”

“We’ll do groups,” I announced to everyone. “We can focus on different weapons and techniques. Celeste and the gnomes will be leading the groups, along with anyone else who thinks they have a particular skill that should be passed on.”

“Shall we get the weapons out?” Jemmy asked. “There are rather a lot of them to show you all, and you may not have seen some of them before.”

“Yes, please,” I said. “Bring out everything we have to work with, and we can have a look over our options.”

Jemmy nodded and hurried off with two other gnomes to collect their weapons.

“We’ll look at the goods first,” I said. “Then we can divide up into smaller groups and alternate throughout the day.”

“Should we do it all here?” Nicola asked. “Or should some of us go outside?”

“We’ll stay here,” I said firmly. “You’re all going to be focusing on your skills, and I don’t want anyone to have an opportunity to catch you off-guard. That reminds me, we should get some shifts going in the watchtower, too. I won’t be able to keep guard at all times when I’m helping here, so we’ll need a lookout.”

“We should do short shifts.” Allam nodded. “This way, the lookouts still get plenty of practice time.”

“Good thinking,” I agreed. “I want you to take the shifts in pairs as well. Nobody goes out there alone, okay?”

“Got it.” Allam nodded again, and he started to allocate time slots to the gnomes around him.

Jemmy and the other gnomes arrived back with bulging sacks in each arm, and the elves hurried over to help them.

“Are these filled with weapons?” Nia asked.

“Oh, they certainly are,” Jemmy chuckled. “Like I said, we’ve been making them for years. Used to sell them to travelers of all races way back when. Some of them we’re a bit rusty on using, and some are too large for our set of folks, but we take great pride in the craftsmanship.”

The elves and gnomes brought the bags into the middle of the square, and they began to take out the items inside and laid them out for everyone to see.

There was a huge variety of weapons, and it was hard to know where to look as more and more of them were placed down on the ground. The swords and daggers were all made of gleaming bronze, and each one had its own unique pattern carved into the hilt. The blades were varying sizes, and some of them even had small gems encrusted into the metal.

Crossbows with razor-sharp arrows gleamed in the sunlight, and there were a couple of small axes with sturdy, wooden handles.

Everything looked awesome, but my main excitement was the things I had never seen before.

There were several versions of something that looked like a sword, but they had a strange black outline across the blade.

“What are those?” Penelope asked as her gaze fell on the same thing.

“Heat swords,” Jemmy said. “The rim of the blade is flammable and will burn for a good few hours once you light it.”

“Wow,” Celeste breathed. “Fire and a blade combined? I like the sound of that!”

“And these?” Nicola asked as she picked up something that was shaped like a wide U.

It was carved from a dark wood and had tiny little silver spikes covering most of the surface. The only smooth area was the right hand edge that Nicola was clutching, and there was a thick, leather glove to pair with the weapon.

I decided it was basically a deadly boomerang, and if I had a heart in my god form, it would have skipped a beat at the beautiful sight.

“Let me guess,” I said. “You throw that at someone, and it comes back covered in their blood?”

“Exactly!” Allam said. “But you need to be very skilled with it, even with the glove. If you don’t aim properly, then it could fly back at your face, and the glove won’t save you then!”

“Nice.” Nicola grinned as she carefully placed it back down.

“Let’s make sure we get plenty of practice with that one,” I said. “And nobody with bad aim should touch it.”

Penelope picked up something that looked like a scythe next. It was a long, metal pole with a curved blade, and it clearly had some weight to it, judging by the way she struggled to hold it.

“That one’s good if you have a strong hand,” Jemmy said. “Hitting someone with that handle could do just as much damage as the blade.”

“It is heavy!” the naiad agreed as she gripped it with both hands. “But it feels so sturdy and powerful! Aleia, you could use this easily!”

She handed the weapon to the fairy, and Aleia easily swung the blade up over her head. She looked so badass holding it, and she scrunched up her adorable face as she swung the blade around.

The deadly weapon contrasted against her cutesy blue outfit, and I was distracted for a moment by how good she looked.

“You look so sexy with that,” I whispered to her, and the fairy giggled.

Then she spun around in the air and made quick movements with the scythe, and I could tell she had fallen in love with it.

The gnomes also had a variety of shields, although most of them were fairly small. Aleia did have her shield, too, and I was sure the gnomes could fashion a few larger ones if the elves or priestesses needed some.

“Okay,” I said. “This is an awesome collection you’ve got here. It all looks so sturdy and well made.”

“They feel incredible, too,” Celeste added. “I can tell how skilled you are at this.”

“Thank you.” Allam grinned and bounced on his toes a bit. “We do take pride in our work. Like I said, we’re a little rusty with some of them, but they’re damn good weapons.”

“Let’s organize the groups,” I said. “Celeste, I want you to lead the practice with swords and daggers.”

The harpy nodded and unsheathed her own enchanted blade.

“Balabar,” I continued. “That hand-to-hand combat you taught back at the convent was great. Can you do the same for those who weren’t there?”

“Of course,” the gnome said as he puffed out his chest. “It’s my pleasure!”

“Great,” I said. “Then Jemmy, if we can get your three most skilled fighters to demonstrate the weapons we’ve not used before, that would be perfect.”

“Will do!” Jemmy said, and she carefully studied the crowd.

“Divide into groups of five or six,” I instructed. “Doesn’t need to be exact numbers, but just make sure you all have a chance to try out each weapon, okay?”

The crowd nodded and excitedly got to work with distributing the weapons and organizing groups. They spread out through the fortress to make sure each group had enough room and made sure there was a mixture of races in each set.

I felt a rush of pride as I watched my followers get to work, and everyone wore determined looks on their faces as the demonstrations began.

“Everyone here has something to contribute,” I said. “Make sure you volunteer any knowledge that might be helpful. Aleia, you know all about using your small size to your advantage. Penelope, you’ll know what to do if someone falls into water during a fight.”

“And I can help if any more three-headed animals appear.” Nicola grinned.

“Exactly,” I laughed. “Now, let’s get those weapons moving!”

As the group began to practice, the fortress was filled with determined grunts and cheers of encouragement. The whole place was buzzing with energy, and I knew there was no way Luke would ever create an atmosphere like this.

I didn’t need to possess my followers to get them to work. They were strong individuals already, they just needed a little guidance and help.

My mind wandered back to my new quest, and the incredible reward that came with it. Even though I had so far dominated all of my quests, I could never get too comfortable or lazy with them. This reward was my biggest one yet. Restoring all the magic to the deep forest? That was fucking huge. It would save countless animals, plants, and communities. I would finally rid the woods of the foul, cowardly god that had taken over everyone’s lives.

And even gain the magic of the forest to help my followers live better lives.

It was a lot to fight for, and I couldn’t help feeling a pang of nerves about how high-risk it was. But I had to shake that feeling off and remember who the fuck I was, and everything I had achieved so far. I was Jack. The old god who’d saved a whole town, countless lives, and earned more followers than Luke ever could.

The fact that a god could be destroyed was huge news, though. Apparently, I had the power to get rid of Luke for good, but I still wasn’t exactly sure how.

If I went into battle with my army of trained, skilled followers, then I had no doubt we would figure it out. Luke didn’t have that bond with his people, which meant he could never work as a real team with them.

I wondered if I should order some new metal parts for the gnomes to help with any last minute building. Maybe I could get some handles for shields so they could quickly build some for the taller people?

That made me think about my powers, and how Luke’s were clearly different to mine. I did have the ability to order things, and to visit my followers in their dreams. Would Luke have those abilities, too?

Something told me that he wouldn’t, and that an evil god would have darker powers.

That would mean that Ethan could have some seriously fucked up abilities, but I didn’t want to think too hard on that right now. I hadn’t forgotten the threat of Ethan, but I had to take down Luke first. Once the little puppet god was out of the way, I could worry about the one in the mountains and his army of Squall Sprites.

I took time to watch each group practice, and it suddenly became clear just how skilled my followers were. Despite their different heights and sizes, they fought well together, and I couldn’t spot anyone who was particularly weak.

Celeste was showing off different moves to use with a sword on someone behind you, and the gnomes and elves in her group carefully mirrored her movements. The harpy was patient as she corrected some postures, and she cheered when the group perfected the moves.

“You’re doing great!” I said. “Keep it up!”

Celeste nodded with a grin and began to show her team how to hit the perfect spot of someone’s ankles.

I moved on to the next group and found Balabar demonstrating how to take someone down if they’re taller than you. Grez and Aleia were the only non-gnomes of the group, so the fairy practiced on the elf.

There were three more groups led by gnomes, who were showing off the different weapons. One middle-aged gnome woman had the spiked boomerang in her hand, and she was demonstrating how to hold it without the wielder impaling themselves.

“I really want to try that,” Nicola said to the gnome. “I’m a good shot with my bolts!”

“Prove it,” the gnome said suspiciously and handed her a few arrows along with a longbow.

The brunette grinned and began to easily hit whatever spot of the fortress the gnome pointed to.

“It’s a very dangerous tool!” the gnome warned. “You need to be ready for how fast it’s going to return to you!”

“Can you show us?” Myra asked, and the gnome nodded.

She carefully adjusted her leather glove and then gestured for everyone to move back.

“Alright,” she muttered. “I’m aiming for that spot in the post.”

She pointed to a mark on a wooden post that held up one of the torches.

“Won’t it get stuck in the wood?” Nicola frowned.

“Just you wait,” the gnome chuckled, and then she hurtled the weapon forward with a powerful swing.

The group jumped backward and watched as the spiked tool flew through the air. It moved so quickly that it was just a blur of gray, and it smacked right into the middle of the wooden post.

Instead of sticking into it, it bounced off like it was made of rubber and started flying back toward the gnome.

She held up her hand unflinchingly and kept a stony face as she grabbed the smooth edge of it in her fingers.

The whole group erupted into a cheer and raced over to see the damage of the pole. It was covered in small, deep punctures, and I imagined it would be absolutely lethal if that had been thrown into flesh.

“Wow,” Nicola breathed. “That was incredible.”

I left them to admire the new weapon and checked that the other groups were making good progress.

Everyone was busy, and there were weapons being skillfully thrown in every direction.

As I watched my followers practice, I decided I wanted to try out my own godly weapon again. If we were heading into battle soon, I wanted to have at least one more practice with my new sword. It had already sliced clean through a sword and crushed an entire wall, but maybe there was some kind of weapon that could be a worthy rival for it.

I studied the groups to determine which one would be best, and I chose Celeste’s, since they were all working with blades. Then I focused on my physical body, and I appeared right next to the harpy as she watched her team practice.

“Jack!” she said, and her beautiful face lit up as she leaned over for a kiss.

“Hi.” I smiled. “I just wanted to get a bit more practice with my new sword.”

The whole group stopped to watch as I pulled out my golden blade, and their mouths fell open as it glistened under the sunlight.

“Jack!” Penelope shouted when she looked over from her group, and she hurried over with wide eyes.

Nicola and Aleia spun around as my name was called, and then they raced over to join as well. I laughed as my women jumped on me and planted kisses on my face and chest.

“Hello, my loves,” I chuckled. “I’m just going to do a little practicing with the Wrath of Jack, okay?”

“Of course!” Penelope gushed. “We won’t be in your way.”

She dragged Aleia and Nicola off me, and the women stood to the side with eager smiles as they watched me hold my weapon.

“We’ll go back to practice in a moment,” Aleia assured me.

“Yes.” Nicola nodded distractedly. “We just need to watch you with that sword, and those biceps, and that face, and those lips…”

The brunette made a little whimpering noise as she trailed off, and I chuckled at how weak at the knees they all were over my sword.

“Okay,” I chuckled. “So last time I tried this out, it kind of fucked up the other sword. Does anyone have a blade they aren’t personally attached to?”

Celeste glanced down at her enchanted sword and then clutched it tight to her chest.

“I won’t try yours.” I smiled. “Although, the enchantment might protect it.”

“I’m not sure I want to risk it,” Celeste said hesitantly. “It’s so deadly and shiny, and I love it.”

“I have an old one,” one male gnome offered. “There’s quite a few that we just have as backups. This one here has been around for years, so I don’t mind if it breaks.”

“Great!” I said. “Fancy a battle?”

“With a god?” the gnome snorted. “I can’t pass up that opportunity, now can I?”

He stepped forward with his dull sword clasped in hand and held it up solemnly.

I steadied myself and clutched the golden hilt tightly. It was like I could feel power pulsing through me as I gripped the weapon, and I waited until the gnome moved. Then he sprang into action and leapt up with a swipe of his sword. I brought mine down in an instant, and there was a scraping sound as our blades collided.

Once again, the Wrath of Jack cut through the mortal weapon like bread, and the gnome’s sword was chopped in half.

We both stopped and looked down at the broken metal, and the gnome rubbed his chin.

“I reckon that’s going to happen against any of our swords,” he chuckled. “Well, I know we make good weapons, but maybe not quite on the level of a god’s!”

“It seems so.” I nodded as I studied my shining blade. “Sorry about that, but thanks for helping.”

“Not a worry.” He shrugged. “Like I said, it’s an old one. Not sure we should try with any of our newer builds?”

“No,” I said. “I think it’s pretty clear that the same thing will happen.”

It was clear that I would fuck up every mortal weapon I came in contact with. I studied the blade and wondered if it was meant for something more. Could my new weapon be the key to destroying Luke? Was I holding a sword capable of killing a god?

The women rushed over and grinned as they looked down at the chopped-up piece of metal.

“That was amazing,” Celeste laughed.

“You look sooo handsome,” Penelope cooed as she gripped onto my bicep.

“What are you going to do with the rest of your time?” Aleia asked, and I snapped out of my own thoughts.

“I think I’ll take a walk around the groups,” I said. “It’s good to be down here encouraging my people in my physical form for a while. Clearly, I don’t need too much practice with the sword.”

“Okay,” Aleia pouted a bit. “I suppose we should go back to practicing, I just never want to miss a chance to give you a kiss!”

The fairy hovered up and planted her soft lips on mine, and I squeezed her hand before she hurried back to her group. The other women did the same, and they all shot me loving glances before they strode back to continue their practice.

I walked from group to group and gave encouraging words to everyone as they fought. Everything I said was the truth, and even though the fortress gnomes needed a bit of practice, it wasn’t long before they were keeping up with my convent group.

I really did have a powerful army on my side, and I smiled as I watched Celeste fight while I began to fade away. The harpy shot me a flirty smile as she spun around with her sword, and then I was back in my god form.

The day went by quickly, and only a few short food breaks were taken. The gnomes made sure to swap watchtower shifts throughout the afternoon, and the sun began to set.

“Okay,” I announced as I glanced up at the darkening sky. “You all did incredibly well today, and I don’t want you to be too exhausted for tomorrow. I think we should call it a day and be proud of ourselves for what we’ve achieved here.”

The group nodded and yawned as they began to pack up their weapons. The elves brought out some bread and cakes for a late snack, and jugs of water were passed around.

“That was a great day,” Celeste sighed happily as Myra handed her a cake.

“It really was!” Penelope agreed. “We got to brush up on our skills, and we got to see Jack again!”

Everyone took a seat to enjoy their snacks and chatter about the day’s fights filled the fortress.

But as the group spoke, I had a weird eerie feeling, like I had just shivered. Then I glanced up at the sky, and my non-existent stomach dropped as I noticed a tiny hint of amber amongst the inky blue.

Shit. Was Ethan about to unleash a surprise attack of Squall Sprites? I didn’t want to alarm anyone, so I decided to ask Celeste privately to help out.

“Hey,” I said to the harpy. “Would you excuse yourself to go and stretch your wings? There’s something outside I want to have a look at.”

Celeste nodded as she took her last bite of cake, and she brushed crumbs from her legs as she stood up.

“I’m going to stretch out my wings,” she said. “All that movement today has made them feel stiff!”

“Be careful,” Penelope said with a smile.

“I’ll go with her,” I promised. “We’ll be back in a moment.”

The priestesses gave Celeste questioning looks, but they didn’t say anything. I would fill them in once we returned, but there was no point in causing panic amongst the fortress for no reason. The harpy strode out of the metal entrance, and she gave a wave up to the gnomes in the watchtower as she walked past.

“Where are we going?” she asked quietly.

“I want you to look over at Ethan’s mountains,” I said. “I thought I could see some orange in the sky, and I want to make sure the storm isn’t on the move.”

Celeste nodded and unfolded her scarlet feathers before she soared up into the sky. She sped past the emerald treetops and hovered high above the gleaming fortress as she faced the far off hills.

“Fuck,” she hissed as we took in the sight before us.

The storm seemed angrier somehow. It was a much darker shade of orange, and there were several whirlwinds spinning around inside. Even from a distance, I could hear the far off shriek of sprites, and I could tell the clouds had spread. They had edged closer to the deep forest, and I knew it wouldn’t take long to reach the fortress.

“He’s coming,” Celeste breathed. “Isn’t he?”

I watched as the orange clouds rolled over the sky, and I knew that she was right.

There was more than one god in this land who wanted to fight me, but I was ready for them.

Chapter 17

Everyone slept soundly that night, but I had an overwhelming sense of drive and adrenaline, and I kept checking the fortress perimeter for signs of an ambush. We had taken one day for training, and I wondered if Luke had done the same.

The storm was moving further into the forest, and I needed to be ready for anything.

I had only mentioned the approaching storm to the priestesses as they got into bed, but I imagined the watchtower gnomes would spot it soon enough.

As the night went on, I wondered where we would even find Luke to battle him. What if his followers were spread out all over the deep forest?

I knew that the Wrath of Jack was what I would need to use against Luke, and I figured he would need to come down into his physical form for it to work. Then I wondered if all gods even had that ability. It certainly seemed like we all had different powers, but surely I couldn’t stab someone if they were still in their god form?

I had a million questions, and I was the only one who could figure them out.

The sun hadn’t even begun to rise when the fortress stirred with life. A few gnomes came out into the square just as the moon had started to fall.

“Couldn’t sleep?” I asked, and the gnomes shrugged.

“I got a fair bit of rest,” one of the men said. “Decided we might as well get started with breakfast before we go and find this god.”

They began to set up the fire for cooking, and a few more residents yawned as they came out to join in.

It only took a couple more minutes for the sun to start to come up, and I checked in with the priestesses to find them already awake.

They were propped up against the headboard in deep discussion, and I had a feeling I knew what they were talking about.

“Morning,” I said. “It seems that everyone’s up early today.”

“Good morning,” Aleia said. “Yes, we were just discussing the storm. Do you think Ethan is going to help Luke fight us?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “The only thing I know for sure is that we’re going to destroy Luke, Reaper of Skulzzz, and free everyone who has had their lives ruined by the fucker.”

“Yes!” Nicola cheered. “Let’s go and destroy an army!”

“I suppose the orcs didn’t choose us,” Penelope sighed as they climbed out of bed. “What a pity. I really thought they would make the right choice, my lord.”

“There’s still time,” I said. “Let’s make sure you all get something to eat before we get organized for battle. I’ll check in with the Orcs if we haven’t heard from them in a couple hours.”

“I don’t know if I can eat,” Celeste said. “I’m so excited, and nervous, too.”

“We’ll need our strength sister,” Penelope said. “Even if it’s just a bit of fruit!”

“She’s in motherly mode again.” Nicola grinned. “You better do as she says.”

The women finished getting dressed, and they headed down the stairs with determined looks. They had all of their weapons slung over their shoulders and attached to their waists.

There was an excited buzz in the square, and the priestesses hurried over to the rest of the group to grab some breakfast.

“Good morning,” I said to the group as bowls of eggs and fruit were passed out. “I know today is going to be tough, but each and every one of you are capable of great things. We’re going to work as a team, and we’re going to fight like the army of warriors I know you all are.”

“Where are we going to go?” Allam asked as he bit into an apple. “The orcs’ cave?”

“No,” I said. “I still think we have a chance of winning them over. I know that if we find a clearing in the deep forest, Luke’s ego won’t be able to resist bringing the battle right to us.”

“Should we take the horses?” Myra asked.

“Some,” I replied. “Enough to carry extra weapons, but not enough for it to be a problem if they get in the firing line. Besides, Layla is coming, too.”

Everyone turned to look at the three-headed bear, and she glanced up as she happily chomped on a small rabbit.

“We’re going to destroy them!” Grez cheered. “Luke doesn’t stand a chance. Well, his followers don’t. We can’t actually kill a god… can we?”

The yellow-haired elf scratched his head, and everyone else exchanged confused glances.

“You can’t,” I said. “But I believe I can. So what I need from you is to mow down everyone he will use to continue his reign of terror.”

“I’m not excited about fighting orcs,” a young gnome man said. “They’re huge. I know we’re all good fighters, but they might outnumber us.”

“We can take on anything,” I assured him. “Besides, there’s still time for the orcs to come around. They really seemed to be listening to the priestesses, and I know that some of them were questioning their beliefs.”

I quickly checked my armies tab on the interface, but there was no tab for orcs. I had to admit, I was kind of disappointed that they hadn’t appeared yet. They’d seemed pissed off at Luke, and they were clearly impressed by what I had done for my people.

Regardless of the orcs, I had to focus on the team I had at hand now. Even without any extra members, I believed fully in my people.

“So the next thing--” I began, and then stopped as there was a sharp knock on the fortress entranceway.

I immediately used my God Vision and was shocked to find we had visitors. There were around twenty male orcs armed with axes and swords, along with two imps who seemed less sure about their choice. Before I reported back to the others, I quickly checked my devotional map. There were deep orange marks for almost all of the orcs, and a couple of yellow ones for the imps.

I felt a rush of relief and excitement.

I had done it. I had stolen Luke’s followers.

The gnomes in the watchtower didn’t seem as excited, and they kept their crossbows aimed down through the thin window.

“We are here for Jack!” Lurk called from the front of the group, and the rest of the orcs grunted in agreement.

“They’re safe,” I said to the lookouts. “Trust me, they want to fight with us.”

“My lord,” one of the gnomes said slowly. “I truly worship you, but I’m not sure these orcs can be trusted. They’re… orcs!”

“I know,” I replied. “But I have my ways of knowing if their intentions are true or not. Don’t shoot.”

The gnomes glanced at each other and frowned, but they lowered their weapons with a sigh.

I joined my followers back inside and found they were all on their feet staring at the entrance.

“It’s the orcs,” I said. “And a couple of imps. They’re here to fight with us.”

“They are?” Penelope clapped. “Oh, my lord! How wonderful! You did it.”

“We all did,” I corrected. “I know you gnomes don’t really have a history of getting along too well with the orcs, but I want you to let them in.”

“Orcs?” Jemmy squeaked. “Inside our fortress? Jack, please! They’re worse than the volcano monsters!”

“I forgot about those,” I muttered. “Listen, I know this is going to be weird. Maybe a bit uncomfortable, but I need you to trust me. Do you trust me?”

“Of course, we do!” Grez said. “Let’s show our new friends in!”

“Maybe we should let the gnomes do it,” I said quickly. “As a sign of peace.”

“Alright!” Grez said, and his cheery smile didn’t waver even once as he sat back down.

The gnomes all exchanged glances, and I could tell that they were still unsure. I didn’t blame them. The orcs were pretty fucking terrifying, especially since they were three feet bigger than the gnomes.

I could see that the gnomes from my convent were not as nervous as the others, but they didn’t step forward to open the door. I knew they believed it was the fortress group’s choice, and I agreed.

The priestesses gave the gnomes encouraging smiles, and eventually, Jemmy sighed.

“Okay,” she said. “I trust you, Jack. I’ll let them in.”

The priestesses and elves cheered, and Jemmy strode over to the metal doorway. I had to hand it to the orcs, too, they had been pretty polite. They hadn’t banged on the doorway or tried to smash through the various locks. They were certainly big and strong enough to have done some serious damage to the steel, but I figured they were showing respect.

When the blonde gnome reached the doorway, she took a breath before she swung it open to reveal the orcs and imps.

There was a tense moment of silence as both groups stared at each other, and then Lurk gave a swift bow and nod. The rest of the orcs copied, and they smacked the imps over the head until they did the same.

“Hello,” Jemmy said. “Welcome to our fortress.”

She stood back and gestured for the new arrivals to enter.

“I can’t believe it worked!” Aleia hissed to the other women. “We did it!”

“We are just too charming,” Nicola said with a flick of her hair. “There was no way they were going to say no.”

The orcs strode into the square, and Layla walked over to stand behind Nicola. I couldn’t help but chuckle as even Lurk gave the animal a wary glance, and the group came to a halt in the middle of the fortress.

“We have come to fight by your side,” Lurk announced. “I know our people have not always seen eye to eye, but we want to fight against the god Luke.”

“Then we have the same goal.” Allam nodded.

“He has stripped this forest of its powers,” Lurk spat. “He has humiliated us, starved us, and tried to take us over with fear. Last night, he left a message on our pregnant women’s walls. He will pay.”

At that point, everyone started calling out their opinions on Luke, and the orcs and gnomes complained to each other about the asshole deity. I gave them a moment to enjoy their bonding, and then I asked Celeste to welcome them on my behalf.

The harpy spread her scarlet wings and flew slightly above everyone’s heads, and it grabbed attention like always.

“Jack welcomes you all,” Celeste announced. “We are going to put a stop to Luke’s reign of terror and take back everything that belongs to the deep forest.”

There was a cheer from everyone in the fortress, and it felt good to hear the screams of so many different species all for the same cause.

I looked down at my new, upgraded army and felt a phantom smirk as the orcs sharpened their axes. I would have almost felt sorry for Luke, if he wasn’t such an evil piece of shit.

“Okay,” I said. “We need to get the horses loaded up with their saddlebags. Any weapons we can’t carry go inside. We’re not traveling light here. We bring anything that could kill whatever monsters Luke has on standby. In fact, ask the imps and orcs if they have any idea what we might be up against.”

“Load up the horses,” Celeste called out. “Every weapon we have goes with us. Jack wants to ask the orcs and imps if they could shed any light on the kind of species we’ll be fighting?”

Lurk scratched his chin, and a few other orcs shrugged.

“We never really cared enough to ask,” the leader orc replied. “He always bragged about the creatures he had on his side, but it pissed me off so much that I ignored him on purpose.”

I snorted with laughter. I was really starting to like our new orc allies.

“What about the imps?” Celeste asked. “Do you have any idea what we need to prepare for?”

The imps looked shocked that they were being addressed directly, and the pair almost fell over as they took a few hurried steps backward from the harpy.

“Uh,” Celeste said. “Are you both alright?”

“Yes!” the shorter imp squeaked. “We just aren’t used to our god asking us something politely. Um, Luke never told us anything other than what would happen to us if we didn’t obey his every wish.”

“Sounds about right,” Celeste sighed. “Well, Jack just wants to know anything that could help us in battle.”

“He does have more imps,” the taller one said. “Quite a lot of them. About thirty? But other than that, I don’t really know for sure.”

“Okay,” I said. “Let’s get those horses loaded up, and we’ll head out into the forest. Any ideas from the orcs for a good place to declare our war?”

Celeste passed on the question, and there was a murmur of discussion.

“I know a spot.” Lurk nodded. “Up past Misty Hill, there’s good flat ground with a nearby lake. We can get people up high on the hill, and there’s not too dense of a tree line, so we shouldn’t be snuck up on easily.”

“Perfect,” I said, and Celeste passed on my approval.

I watched as the horses got loaded up with various weapons, and the gnomes handed out armor plates.

“Here,” Jemmy said to the priestesses. “We made a few more chest plates for you.”

“Thank you.” Penelope smiled. “That’s really kind.”

The priestesses slid the steel armor over their shoulders, and I noticed that Penelope and Aleia’s plates even had an extra little bit of protection on the stomach. My women looked like warrior queens as they attached their new equipment and double-checked that their weapons were sharp enough.

“I suppose it’s time?” Aleia said as she gripped her purple, spiked shield. “Jack?”

“It’s time,” I replied. “Let’s go and get this fucker.”

There was a cheer amongst my followers, and the orcs gave grunts of approval at the gnomes’ excitement.

“Ask Lurk to lead us to the spot,” I instructed. “I want everyone on high alert from the moment we step outside the fortress. This isn’t a practice. Keep the horses in the middle of the group and get Layla toward the back.”

Celeste relayed my orders, and the orcs began to lead the way back out of the fortress.

“How are you all feeling?” I asked the priestesses as the group headed out through the steel doorway.

“Ready,” Celeste said grimly.

“I hate what Luke’s done to the forest.” Penelope nodded. “Those sweet gnomes deserve to live happily, and so does everyone else here!”

“Should we fly?” Aleia asked.

“Not yet,” I replied. “Stick together as much as possible for now, I want us to get as close to this open spot as possible before Luke catches on to us.”

“When do you think he’ll notice?” Nicola asked as she glanced through the dark trees.

“It depends on how much attention he pays to these lands,” I said.

I had no clue if Luke would have God Vision, but I assumed he did since he’d found us before when we were near the orcs’ cave. Although maybe that was just a coincidence. Maybe he relied on his followers to bring news to him.

The group moved quickly through the forest, and Lurk led everyone with his axe over his shoulder and a scowl on his face.

I checked in with my other followers, and everyone seemed to be filled with the same determined rage. That was good. It was the emotion they needed to energize themselves for victory.

I kept an eye on the morning sky, but it didn’t seem to be getting any more orange. At least it appeared that Ethan wasn’t about to send in his Squall Sprite army.

The orcs led the group down a path we had never explored before. It led away from the creek and over a few small, oak tree-covered hills.

Eventually, Lurk began to slow down, and he gave a signal with his hand as he crossed a line of trees and arrived in a huge clearing. It was almost like the forest had started to build a soccer field. The clearing was a rectangular shape that led up to a short hill on the right, and a large body of water sat on the left.

There was a much clearer view of Ethan’s mountains from the clearing, and I studied every inch of the land as I prepared my next orders.

“Okay,” I said. “We need to make sure we’re ready to attack from all angles. Make sure you take care of each other, and nobody is to get cut off from the group.”

My followers spread out into lines and started to form a square so there were beings facing in each direction of the clearing. Everyone was silent as they waited, and even the animals stared up at the sky as if they knew they were waiting for something to happen.

Nicola stroked Layla with one hand and kept her flail tightly gripped in the other.

Then my god senses started tingling, and I suddenly got an ominous feeling that something was about to happen. I knew that Luke was close, and sure enough, a horrific blasting of untuned guitar music filled the air a split second later.

Several of the gnomes winced at the sound.

“He’s here!” I yelled. “Everyone get ready!”

The group were all poised and ready to attack, and I checked my God Vision to see if our enemies had come from the direction we did.

There was nobody on that same path, but it was hard to tell where the music was coming from as gusts of wind carried the noise through the trees.

“Show yourself!” I demanded, and I heard Luke laugh.

It was a cocky, cartoon villain laugh that only I could hear, and it filled me with rage. That laugh made me remember just how little he cared for all the harm he had caused, and how many lives he had fucked up.

Then I spotted a shadow over at the far side of the clearing, and I knew it was time to fight.

“Far side!” I shouted, and my followers all spun around to face that direction.

I looked up at the hill to our right and noticed there were a few large boulders that could be used to hide behind.

“I want a few archers up on that hill,” I hissed as footsteps began to echo around the clearing. “Now.”

Azza raced up the hill with his crossbow slung over his shoulder, and three gnomes hurried after him as they stayed low to the ground. They managed to weave their way up to the back of the hill before Luke’s army arrived, and I could now hear just how big that army was.

My followers stood poised and ready with their weapons raised high and determined scowls on their faces.

As Luke’s shitty music grew louder, so did the footsteps, and eventually, we got our first look at the young god’s army.

Three ogres burst through the trees followed by a crowd of imps. The little red creatures all had daggers clutched in their hands, and they snarled as they raced behind the ogres.

My followers began to fire immediately.

Arrows and bolts flew through the air, and two imps were taken down instantly as their heads were impaled. They gurgled up blood before landing face-down on the ground, and the sudden kills seemed to spread panic through the rest of the group. The imps scattered and moved with surprising speed as they raced over the grassy clearing.

Then all three ogres charged right toward my army, and I had to make some quick choices.

“Aim for the ogres’ necks!” I yelled. “That’s the weakest spot! Gnomes with blades, focus on the imps!”

The gnomes and imps were similar heights, which made combat easier than it would have been for the taller folks.

I watched Azza stand on the hilltop and take aim at one of the ogres. The elf’s bolt shot through the air and pierced straight through the beast’s skin at the side of the neck. The ogre howled, and dark blood sprayed everywhere as it swung around with wild gestures. It was going to bleed out eventually, but it was still trying to swipe at the nearest gnomes.

Aleia flew into the air straight at the injured ogre and smacked it square in the face with her spiked shield. That was the knock it needed, and the ogre was thrown onto its back as it wheezed up blood. There was a thundering crash as it fell, and the other ogres howled into the sky.

The orcs charged toward the other two ogres, and they began to slash at the beasts’ ankles to slow them down.

As my followers attacked, I watched as more shadows appeared on the other side of the clearing.

“Jaaaaack,” Luke boomed. “Oh, Jaaaack! Get ready to lose every single one of your followers! Your pretty little women are going to lose their heads!”

As he spoke, I watched Penelope swing her sword around and slash one of the ogre’s knees. The huge beast bellowed out a cry, and it gave Nicola enough time to shoot a bolt right into its jugular. The two priestesses raced out of the way as the ogre swayed on the spot, and a volcano of thick blood erupted from its throat as it tumbled to the ground and crushed an imp on the way down.

The red animal blew up like a blood-filled balloon as the ogre squashed it, and the two bodies oozed red onto the forest floor.

“It looks like you’re already losing,” I replied. “You see, that’s what happens when followers actually respect their god. They train hard and fight with everything they’ve got.”

Luke did his ridiculous evil laugh again, and then he made a tutting sound.

“Don't be a fool,” he hissed. “I am the Reaper of Skulzzz, I can’t be brought down by a few little ladies and some ugly orcs.”

“Recognize those orcs?” I asked. “They used to be your followers until I won them over. It seems it’s really fucking easy for people to abandon you. They told me how shitty and pathetic you were, and came running to a god they could actually respect.”

“Shut up!” Luke snarled. “You think you can take my people? I will kill all of your followers slowly, but I’ll make sure to put on a show when I rip the heads from your pretty little ladies.”

As he spoke, something new came onto the battlefield from the trees.

There was a sound like thunder, and Luke laughed as shadows fell over the battlefield. My followers spun around as dark blood dripped from their various weapons, and even the final remaining ogre turned to look.

Six creatures emerged from the trees, and I had no idea what the fuck I was looking at.

They were humanoid in shape, about eight feet tall, and looked like they were made of crumbling coal. Their eyes were burning orange, and there were small flames coming from various spots on their bodies.

“What the fuck?” Nicola hissed.

“Volcano monsters!” a gnome screamed, and then all hell broke loose.

Celeste shot into the air, and there was a flash of burning light as she transformed into battle bird mode. Her ivory skin vanished as feathers covered her body, and her pretty face morphed into a stern beak. Then she dove down toward the closest of the monsters, and she shot a stream of fire from her talons right into its face.

What happened next was something I could never have predicted. The flames engulfed the creature, and it began to burn.

But it didn’t die.

It didn’t even stop walking. In fact, the flames seemed to bring it even more energy, and the monster began to swing its flame-covered arms toward the nearby orcs and elves.

Was that actually a volcano monster? What the fuck even was a volcano monster? I thought it was just something the gnomes had made up when they were deep in their paranoia. That didn’t matter right now, though. All that mattered was working out how the fuck to stop them.

I watched as Penelope swung at the charcoal beasts with her blade, and she winced and almost dropped her sword as the weapon glowed pink.

“They’re heating up our weapons!” the naiad cried. “Jack, it’s almost too hot to hold after touching them!”

I glanced at the lake to the left, and I knew what had to be done.

“Penelope!” I shouted. “You need to use the water to hurt them!”

“How?” she yelled as she beheaded an imp with ease.

My followers were trying to avoid contact with the volcano monsters as they fought the other members of Luke’s army. The final remaining ogre had two arrows in its chest but had managed to smack away any attempts on the neck. Most of the imps had been taken out by the gnomes, and the two that were on my side were attempting to help with the ogre.

“Jack!” Nicola called. “How do we stop them?”

“Dip your arrows in water,” I yelled. “See if that has enough of a cooling effect. But try and lead them toward the lake, and Celeste can knock them in!”

Penelope wasted no time grabbing a bow and arrows from a saddlebag, and she raced over to the lake.

“Stop her!” Luke bellowed. “Stop that blue bitch!”

“You’re gonna regret saying that,” I growled, and then I redirected my focus so I could speak solely to my followers. “Protect Penelope! Watch her back!”

Nicola and Grez raced after the naiad, and the orcs formed a ring around the remaining ogre so it couldn’t follow her.

The ogre swung its massive fists down at the orcs, but that just left its neck unguarded. Myra and Jemmy shot two arrows into each side of its throat, and the ogre’s eyes rolled back in its head.

The huge beast swung from side to side and then toppled down onto the ground with a thump as several orcs jumped out of the way.

“Penelope,” I said. “With your water powers, can you keep the water icy cold on the arrows? If these guys are made from literal burning coals, it’s going to take a hell of a lot to dampen them.”

“Of course.” The naiad nodded. “I can make the water stay icy even after it’s been on their burning skin, and I’ll make sure plenty of it stays clinging to the arrowheads, too. Don’t worry, master! I have plenty of ideas up my sleeves!”

“Perfect,” I said hurriedly. “Your powers are getting so incredible, I’m so proud of you.”

Penelope smiled from ear to ear as she skidded to a halt at the lake, and she dove to the ground as she began to dip her arrows under the water. She plunged a handful of them under the surface and closed her eyes as she concentrated on her powers. After a moment, she pulled the arrows back up, and I could see the thick layers of glistening ice already forming. Then the naiad jumped up and spun around as she got ready to shoot.

Nicola and Grez raced to her side, and two of the fire monsters hurried toward them. The creatures had a weird run and kept their arms by their sides as their feet raced across the ground, and they burned the grass with each step.

The naiad carefully took aim at one of the beasts, and she shot an ice-tipped arrow into its skull. The creature made a screeching hiss and grabbed its face as bits of coal slopped onto the ground.

The ice seemed to be slowly spreading over the black coals, and even the small flickers of flame couldn’t stop Penelope’s icy-cold powers.

“It’s working!” I yelled. “We need more arrows down to the lake!”

As another group of gnomes raced to the water with arrows, I realized that Luke had caught on to our plan. The coal monsters were racing away from the lakeside of the clearing and toward our animals that stood near the trees.

The horses whinnied nervously as the creatures approached, and Layla roared and got on her hind legs.

The bear looked like she was about to charge, but I knew she would get burned if she tried to fight them.

“Nicola!” I yelled. “You need to get Layla out of there!”

She looked over to her huge pet, and there were only a few seconds left until the coal monsters would reach her.

“Layla!” the brunette screamed. “Come here, girl! Now!”

The bear’s love for Nicola clearly outweighed any independent thought, and Layla swung around and began to charge toward the lake.

Thankfully, it seemed that Luke wanted the bear dead more than the horses, and the coal monsters turned to follow Layla. That left the horses nervously backing into the trees, and I was happy to let them hide.

In the meantime, the bear pounded over the bodies of imps and snarled at the coal monster that was nearby Nicola.

Penelope aimed at the flaming creature and shot another icy arrow. She managed to hit the creature square in the chest, and it hissed as it fell over onto the ground, but it wasn’t even close to dead.

“I have an idea,” I yelled as I watched the bear run. “Nicola, can you get Layla to go into the river?”

“I think so!” the brunette yelled. “Why?”

“If we can get her to shake some enchanted water over these things, I think we can kill them!” I shouted.

Nicola nodded and snapped her fingers over the lake.

“Layla!” she shouted. “Come into the water! Come here to the water!”

I looked out over the battlefield to survey the rest of the danger, and I was pleased to see my people holding their own. Some more imps had raced onto the scene, but the shooters from the hill were taking them down with help from the orcs and elves.

Layla raced toward the chilled lake, and Aleia flew above her. There were four coal monsters chasing the bear, and I knew we would have just enough time to make this work.

“Aleia!” I shouted. “Can you use your shield to scoop up some water?”

“Yes!” she replied and dove down toward the lake.

The fairy and the bear reached the water at the same time, and they crashed down into the frigid lake with an almighty splash.

“Good girl!” Nicola said. “Now come up here for me!”

Layla bounded up beside the brunette, and her fur was absolutely soaked in almost freezing water.

“Okay,” Nicola said as the volcano monsters got closer. “Now, when I say so, I want you to shake as hard as you can, okay?”

The bear made a soft roar, and I wasn’t sure exactly how much of the instructions she understood.

Nicola shook her own hips as if to demonstrate, and I could have sworn the bear nodded as it turned back to the approaching enemy.

Aleia flew up into the sky with her shield upside-down, and she carefully held it so she didn’t spill her water.

The coal beasts suddenly stopped running a few feet away from the lake, and I figured Luke had spotted our plan.

“Chase them!” I yelled. “Don’t let them get away!”

Aleia flew toward the coal monsters as they hurriedly turned back, and the fairy tipped her icy water right over the head of one of them.

The creature looked like it was melting, and its skull began to dissolve as its whole body hissed and smoked. Bits of coal fell to the ground, and the beast made a faint crying sound as it began to fall apart.

“Nice work!” I yelled, and Layla seemed to understand her duty as she started to run.

It only took a few strides for the bear to catch up with the monsters, and she skidded to a halt before she shook her enormous, wet body. The lake water flew everywhere and drenched all the volcano monsters.

They collectively made a noise that sounded like a hundred kettles whistling, and they clawed at their dissolving faces as clumps of coal fell onto the ground.

They started to get back up, though, and even with half-melted faces they looked like fiery demons. I needed to finish them off with something more deadly than just the icy water.

An idea suddenly sprang into my head, and it would be risky as hell, but it just might work.

I looked around the battlefield for the spiked boomerang the gnomes had built, and I spotted it on a nearby gnome man’s belt. He had just slashed the face of an imp with his dagger, and he took a second to get his breath back.

“Good work,” I said to him urgently. “We need to use that spiked weapon, can you get it to Nicola?”

I was grateful that he didn’t ask any questions, he simply sprinted over to the brunette and handed her the leather glove first.

“Nicola,” I said as the brunette looked confused. “You’re going to go with Penelope to the lake, and she can enchant this weapon like she did with the arrows.”

“You want me to throw this?” Nicola screeched. “Jack…”

“You can do it,” I said. “Nicola, if you aim right, you can slit those coal bastards’ throats without stepping near them. The arrows work great, but we need something more deadly to finish them all off.”

Nicola looked like she wanted to argue, but she simply turned and began to race to the lake where Penelope stood.

“Penelope, we need those spikes to be ice-cold daggers.” I said urgently. “Got it?”

The naiad nodded with wide eyes as Nicola handed her the boomerang. She plunged it in the lake as she held the smooth edge, and then she carefully presented it back to Nicola.

The brunette pulled on the glove and took the weapon that was newly covered in ice spikes. It was so cold that there was steam coming off it in the warm air, and I knew this had to work.

“Okay,” I said to Nicola as the coal monsters hobbled toward her. “There’s no time to doubt yourself. I have seen you do things that nobody else could do. Just breathe, aim, and throw.”

Nicola nodded and scowled at the approaching monsters. They stumbled along leaving trails of coal behind them, and the brunette steadied herself as she aimed for the middle beast’s head.

Then she took a deep breath and threw the spiked weapon.

I could feel her hold her breath as it flew like a deadly snowball, and it scraped the fiery skin right off the coal monster’s face. As the boomerang began to swing back around, it ripped right into another of the monster’s throats.

The two injured creatures now had ice spreading right down their throats and chests from the wounds, and they fell down dead with pain-filled hisses.

I wanted to cheer, but there were still two more to go, and Nicola needed to hold her concentration.

The brunette stood with her gloved hand held high, and I suddenly questioned just how thick and protective the glove really was, but as the boomerang slammed into her palm, she grinned and immediately took aim again.

I stayed silent, and Nicola threw the weapon at the last two coal beasts as they were just a few yards away.

This time, the spikes ripped through the left-side monster’s forehead, and I could see the inside of its skull turn an icy-white. The second monster swung around in shock and got itself hit in the face in the process. Both volcano monsters fell to the ground with gasping hisses, and their bodies fell apart in a mess of ice and soaked coal.

“Fuck yes!” I yelled, and I looked over the rest of the battlefield to see it littered with the corpses of Luke’s army.

The orcs had their axes in the air cheering, and elves and gnomes grabbed each other into hugs as they kicked the corpses.

“You think it’s over?” Luke hissed suddenly, and I knew something terrible was about to happen.

“Watch out!” I yelled. “Something else is coming!”

My followers swung around as they watched for the next attackers, but I couldn’t spot any shadows or signs of newcomers.

I was tempted to think Luke was just fucking with me, but I had a crawling feeling that there was something big on its way. The coal monsters had been an unpleasant surprise, but I had a suspicion Luke had saved his worst gift for last.

I heard the footsteps before I spotted the shadow. It was coming from around the lakeside of the woods, and it was really fucking big.

“By the lake!” I yelled, and everyone turned to see the oncoming attackers.

I didn’t have a clue what they were, but unlike the coal monsters, they were not human-shaped. They were hunched over, lizard-like creatures that were about ten feet long and four feet wide. They raced along on six legs and were all a deep-green color with dull scales on their bodies. Their eyes were black, and they had long, sharp fangs sticking out of their snouts. Equally sharp talons tore through the dirt as they ran, and I counted seven of them altogether.

“What are those?” Aleia squeaked.

“Kappas!” Elowise screamed, and she looked paler than I had ever seen her.

“Son of a bitch,” I growled.

I was sure I had heard of those before. They were some kind of Japanese folklore creature back on Earth, but it didn’t matter where they came from now, they were absolutely fucking terrifying.

As I watched the huge lizards tear around the lake, I debated using my fifteen minutes to come down and help.

My followers were readying themselves, but the Kappas looked so enormous compared to them all. Even Layla was backing up and making little whines.

I wanted to come down and stand in front of my women and cut these bastards’ heads off with the Wrath of Jack. These scaly fuckers wouldn’t stand a chance if I sliced into their necks, but I still needed to kill Luke, and I knew that I needed my sword to do that.

I had to save my fifteen minutes for the right moment, and I had to help my followers survive until then.

Celeste swooped down toward the first Kappa and shot fire into its face. The lizard didn’t even blink, and the fire seemed to just roll off its scales.

“What the fuck!” Nicola shouted. “How did he get all these animals that are immune to fucking fire!”

“Celeste,” I yelled. “I think we’re going to need you in harpy form so you can use your sword.”

The battle bird began to rapidly change, and Celeste shifted back into her ivory skin as she flew over the approaching Kappas.

“Here they arreeeee!” Luke cackled. “My secret army. They will tear your people limb from limb! They will eat your women and leave the heads of your followers to rot! They will destroy your army, and you will regret the day you chose to come up against the Reaper of Skulzzz!”

“There’s seven of them altogether,” I yelled to my followers while I ignored Luke’s monologuing. “We need to work in teams to take them down. I want a mix of everyone in each group, just like when we practiced!”

My army didn’t hesitate to divide themselves up and spread over the battlefield so they weren’t all clustered at the same spot.

“Stay up high!” I instructed the group on the hill. “Take any shots you can and make sure to check that none of these fuckers sneak up to join you!”

The thunderous stomps of the Kappas grew louder, and the six-legged beasts reached the clearing as they snarled and hissed.

The first Kappa stormed toward Aleia and Nicola’s group where they stood with several gnomes.

Aleia flew upward, and she’d switched over to her mace as she swung her shield onto her shoulder. Nicola had her flail poised and ready to strike, and the gnomes clutched various blades while they boldly faced the incoming beast.

“Hold your ground!” I yelled. “Aim for the snout, Nicola! Aleia, fly down and hit its spine while it’s distracted!”

The women nodded and braced themselves to strike.

When the Kappa was in arm’s reach of the group, Nicola leapt into the air as she swung her flail down onto the beast. The metal slammed right into its snout, and there was a faint crack as a bloody tooth fell out.

Aleia used the chance to dive down with her mace, and she brought the weapon down onto the top of the Kappa’s back. She used her super strength to smack down with severe force, and the Kappa howled as blood splurted from the wound. Aleia soared back upward as the Kappa spun around to snarl at her, and the rest of the group jumped onto the creature.

The gnomes flung themselves at each side and sliced into the green scales with their blades. Nicola swung her flail again, and this time, she hit the fucker right in the eye. The black eyeball was punctured, and blood and goop flew from the socket as Nicola pulled her weapon back.

Aleia flew down once more and smacked her mace into the Kappa’s skull. There was a dull crunch, and the beast began to sway from side to side. Then the fairy soared down and shoved herself right against the beast’s ribcage, and the Kappa toppled over into the water and quickly sank as blood poured out into the lake.

“Nice!” I praised the group. “Keep that up! You’re kicking ass!”

The other groups were making progress, and the shooters on the hilltop had managed to take one of the Kappas down already with just their arrows. They had hit the green creature in the eyeballs and then filled its neck with arrows when it was blinded.

I joined Celeste as she soared over one of the Kappas, and she was swooping down with her enchanted sword as it ran toward one of the groups.

The harpy had managed to get in several cuts along the spine, and she grunted as she brought the blade down once more. The Kappa swung its head around quickly and snapped its fangs at the harpy as she just managed to dive out of the way.

Then Penelope and Lurk dove at the Kappa while it was distracted, and they sliced a chunk from its throat.

The green scales ripped apart, and gore spilled out of the creature’s neck. It was dead before it hit the ground, and I cheered as the scaly fucker fell still.

I looked over to see four Kappas who were still alive, but there were now more of my group who were free to join together, and I knew the lizards didn’t stand a chance.

“You’ve almost done it!” I assured my followers. “Kill those fuckers! Show no mercy!”

One of the Kappas raced toward Nicola next, and Layla roared with all three heads. Then the bear dove in front of the brunette, and she brought her mouths down onto the lizard’s face and neck.

Layla had one head chomping down on the snout, and her other two heads were biting either side of the Kappa’s neck now.

The lizard swiped at the bear with its front talons, and even though they scratched Layla, she didn’t let go.

“Layla!” Nicola screamed as blood began to pour from the bear’s side. The brunette raced around her furry friend, and she brought her flail down on the Kappa’s tailbone with a scream of fury.

There was a crunch as the lizard’s legs buckled, and Layla bit down so hard that she broke the Kappa’s jaw.

The six-legged beast spewed out blood as it fell limp, and Layla finally released it from her mouths.

“Layla!” Nicola cried as she dove toward the bear and looked at her wound. “Are you okay?”

It broke my heart to see the brunette so upset, and the bear did seem to be distressed as she licked the blood from her coat.

“Here,” Lurk shouted as he raced over. “Use this.”

He pulled something from his ragged shorts and threw it at Nicola before he ran back to help with the remaining Kappas.

Nicola opened her palm to find a small, metal tin. She twisted it open and revealed a small amount of green, glowing ointment.

“That must be the last of their healing ointment,” I said. “Quickly, use it.”

Nicola had tears streaming down her face as she dipped her hand in the tin and smeared the goo evenly over the bear’s wounds. Layla groaned softly as the brunette worked, and I watched with amazement as the wounds began to heal before my eyes. They slowly stopped bleeding, and a dark scab began to form on the bald patches of fur.

“It’s working,” Nicola breathed. “She’s going to be okay!”

The brunette flung herself into the bear’s thick, furry hide, and then she quickly pulled back and wiped her eyes.

“Okay,” she sniffed. “Layla, you stay here. I’m going to kill the rest of these fuckers.”

Nicola raced toward the other groups just as Grez shot an arrow into a Kappa’s open mouth. The weapon pierced the back of the creature’s throat, and it stumbled as orcs swung their axes into its feet.

It only took one more swing of Balabar’s blade for it to die, and that left two badly injured Kappas on the battlefield.

“Your army has fallen!” I yelled to Luke. “You thought you could defeat me? Your deadliest weapons are almost all gone. Is there anything else up your sleeve? Any other pathetic animals you think have a chance against my people?”

“You fucker!” Luke howled, and I knew at that moment that he had no other followers left.

We had taken everything from him.

My followers took it in turns to attack the barely alive Kappas, and it was clearly only going to be a few moments until they were dead.

“You lost, Luke,” I shouted. “Admit defeat. Admit that I am the more powerful god and relinquish your hold on the forest.”

“Never!” Luke screeched, and there was an explosion of blinding light across the whole clearing.

Everyone flung their arms over their eyes, and the remaining Kappas stumbled as they hissed.

Then I looked down at the ground, and I saw there was a new arrival to the fight.

Luke had appeared in his physical form.

Chapter 18

The entire battlefield looked over at Luke, and I needed a moment to take in exactly what I was seeing.

It didn’t feel like I was looking at a god. The guy looked like a twenty year old fucking e-boy, and I didn’t know whether to laugh or yell. He had black, floppy hair that fell over one of his eye-linered eyes, and he stood shirtless with tight black pants sticking to his skinny legs. He didn’t have a single muscle on his pale body, and I was pretty sure Aleia’s arms were thicker than his.

He was also holding an axe, but it shimmered bronze and seemed to have black gemstones lining the handle. Was that his godly weapon? I guessed so, but it didn’t look nearly as impressive as my sword did.

As I stared at Luke, my followers brought the final blows down on the remaining Kappas. The two lizards flopped onto the ground, and everyone turned their focus back to Luke.

“Come on, then!” the young god screamed, and I couldn’t help letting out a snort at his high-pitched voice.

It paired perfectly with his skinny jeans.

“What are you laughing at?” he yelled, and I almost felt sorry for the guy.

He was just as pathetic in human form as he was as a god. I knew I needed to come down and destroy him, but I was just struggling to take in how non-threatening he looked.

My followers were spaced out around the battlefield while they held their blood-soaked weapons, and they looked equal parts confused and shocked at the arrival of Luke.

The two imps who’d joined my side cowered behind an orc, but nobody else moved as they watched him.

“I said I would kill your people!” Luke screamed, and he seemed absolutely fucking deranged as he waved his hands. “How about I start with one of your women?”

Then Luke leapt toward Penelope, and I was in my physical body before I could properly think about it. I felt fur beneath my legs instead of ground, though, and I quickly realized I was sitting on Layla.

“Go!” I growled, and she seemed to understand.

The bear raced toward the young god, and Penelope had just managed to dive out of the way. Luke swung his axe at her again, and I was filled with a fiery fury that I had never felt before. Seeing the fucker trying to hurt my pregnant priestess made every inch of my skin burn, and I howled out a genuine war cry as Layla dove between Luke and Penelope.

“Back the fuck off!” I roared and leapt off the bear as I pulled the Wrath of Jack from my belt.

I landed right in front of Luke, and I was now certain that I stood a good head taller than him. I swung my sword down, and he lifted his axe at the same time. Our weapons clanged together, and as I suspected, his did not break.

But it did let out a noise that was so loud, I felt it with my whole body. The air rang out with a thunderous echo of our god weapons colliding, and it sounded like a million storms had broken out right over our heads.

Several nearby gnomes clamped their hands over their ears, and the ruckus lasted for a good few seconds while my body felt like it was pulsing with sudden electricity.

This sensation was like nothing I’d felt before.

It was as if genuinely battling with my godly weapon had filled me with some kind of new energy. Something I hadn’t even realized I had been seeking until that moment.

And I knew without a doubt that this was what I was meant to do. I felt more powerful than ever before, and it was as if the Wrath of Jack was just an extension of my natural body.

It was truly “my wrath” and not only a glorious weapon, and it was time to fight to the death with another god.

The challenge brought a deadly grin to my lips.

“Jack!” Nicola yelled as she raced forward to help Penelope up. “What should we do?”

“Stay back!” I commanded. “That goes for everyone. His weapon can only be broken by me.”

Luke’s dark eyes were wide as he looked me up and down now, and he seemed to stick out his chest as his gaze wandered over my broad chest and biceps.

“That’s what you look like?” he sneered unconvincingly. “Like… all muscles and tall? How fucking predictable. You just look like everyone’s fantasy of a god. Ugh, of course, you’re all broad-shouldered with cheekbones.”

“Yeah,” Nicola snorted from behind me. “People hate seeing a handsome, muscly man protecting them.”

“It’s the worst,” Celeste deadpanned somewhere in the air above.

I smirked, but I made sure to shift and hide Nicola from view with my shoulders.

As I stood waiting for Luke’s next move, his eyes flicked over my sword, and he seemed to almost grimace as he glanced down at his less impressive axe.

“Focus, fuckboy,” I growled, and his gaze snapped back to mine with renewed menace.

Then he raised his sneering voice to address our audience instead of me.

“You’ll all be my army soon enough!” Luke snarled. “The punishment for my traitors will be severe! As for--”

I used his stupid monologue as a chance to leap toward him, and he only just managed to stumble out of the way. His black fringe flopped around, and his dark eyes were wide as he steadied himself.

I didn’t know if Luke had a set amount of time he could be down here for, like I did, but I doubted he’d have a greater time allowance than me. After all, he was a young god, but I didn’t want to take any chances, and I knew the countdown clock was on for killing the scrawny, evil fucker.

Luke started to snarl at me like some rabid dog, and he bared his teeth and made quick, threatening moves with his axe from a few feet away.

I didn’t flinch, and that seemed to piss him off more and more every second.

“I really thought you would be more impressive,” Luke sneered, and I raised an eyebrow. “You know, the mighty Jack. Oooh, Jack is the god everyone needs to defeat! Jack is the one to end all others. Ha! I don’t think so!”

I didn’t have a clue what the hell he was talking about, but I wanted him to give me as much information as possible before I had to kill him.

The one to end all others? What the fuck did that mean?

“So you’re scared of me, too?” I shrugged nonchalantly. “That makes sense. Is that why you and all the other gods attempt to hurt my people?”

“I’m not scared of you!” Luke snapped. “Just because we’re all trying to kill you doesn’t mean it’s because we’re scared. It’s because we don’t care what legends say, we’re making our own destinies.”

Legends?

Luke made a pathetic attempt at swinging his axe my way, but he seemed too nervous to actually step close enough for it to hit.

I knew I didn’t have time to make much use of this back-and-forth, and I glanced at my surroundings near the hill and the lake. With the clock already ticking, there was no clever play here other than using my natural instincts, strength, and intelligence.

I gripped the golden hilt of my sword and watched Luke’s feet to determine where he would move next. He didn’t even try to be clever, and just as he went to step right, I jumped to his unguarded left and swung my blade.

He yelled with shock and tripped as he tried to jump out of the way. As he stumbled, he managed to move his axe just in time to block me, and silver sparks flew around us as our weapons collided again. The same thunderous echo rang out over the forest, but this time, I was ready for it and didn’t even flinch. More adrenaline coursed through me, and the sound of our godly weapons gave me a high more potent than anything I’d ever experienced before.

I was thriving in this battle already, and I could feel Luke becoming more distressed.

Then Luke did the most ungodly thing I could have imagined. He turned on his skinny heels and raced away from me and toward the lake. I was startled, but I wasted no time before bolting after him. I was a hell of a lot faster than him, and he yelped when he glanced over his shoulder to see me gaining on him.

I grinned from ear to ear as our eyes met, and his fear only made my legs pump faster and faster as I pursued the bastard who had dared to jump at my woman.

There wasn’t an instruction manual on how to destroy a god, but I knew I wouldn’t think twice about it when the moment came. I was pretty sure my blade would need to stab into his head or chest to do the job, maybe a quick slice of the arm would even work, but I had a feeling it had to be a move that would kill a mortal man, too.

And I was more than happy to do the deed.

“Stop running, you coward!” I yelled as Luke neared the lake. “Stand and fight like a god.”

“I’m not scared!” Luke screamed. “I’m wearing you out!”

“Dude,” I groaned. “I’m literally a fucking god and twice as ripped as you! You’re not going to wear me out with a little waterside jog, you dumbfuck.”

“I’m not dumb!” The young god skidded to a halt beside the water and turned around to face me with a grin. He held his axe up and waited by the lake as I took a few steps to catch up.

I was sick of this childish shit, and I didn’t slow down as I raised my sword.

Luke’s eyes widened, and he seemed to be taken by surprise that I was just going for it. I hurtled right at the greasy bastard, and I brought my blade down with as much strength as I could.

The Wrath of Jack hit Luke’s arm, and he let out a blood-curdling howl as gray smoke curled from the wound.

His arm had a gash in it, but it didn’t bleed. The trail of smoke was the only thing that came out of his body, and I watched as Luke’s face distorted into a manic grin.

Then he swung his axe at my head, but I blocked him with my sword in less than a second. The thunder that followed the blades connecting was already background noise to me, but Luke winced at the sound, and I couldn’t help grinning from his weakness.

It was like with every hit of my sword, I gained more energy and power. I felt like the whole forest was alive with godly energy, and I felt utterly fucking unstoppable.

“You bastard!” Luke screamed. “This is my forest! You don’t belong here! Get the fuck out of my land!”

“It’s not yours,” I spat. “It never was. You’re not even the main god around these parts, are you? You’re just a little puppet for Ethan.”

“How dare you?” Luke hissed. “I could call on Ethan, and he would be here in seconds. I just wanted to be the one to kill you myself. I don’t know what will happen to you afterwards, but hopefully you get to watch helplessly from some afterlife as I torture and kill all your followers.”

I spun around as Luke made a slow dive at me, and I hit his axe so hard that he almost fell backward into the lake while the thunderous clap rent the air.

“Why do you do it?” I demanded. “What’s the point in terrorizing all these people you want to follow you? They fucking hate you.”

“They fear me!” he breathed as he pushed his floppy hair back. “The Reaper of Skulzzz--”

“Is a stupid name,” I interrupted. “Seriously, it sounds like something a little boy would come up with when he was playing soldier with his friends.”

“It’s better than your title!” Luke hissed. “Ones and zeros? What kind of shit is that? What does that even mean? Something from back on--”

I brought my sword down on his knee before I could process what he was saying, and he howled with pain as more smoke poured from his wound.

As he writhed on the spot, I only just caught up with his words.

Something back on… was he going to say Earth?

There had to be enough time to squeeze a bit more information from this bastard before I ended him.

“How did you even become a god?” I spat. “I bet you were just as pathetic in the past.”

I hoped that was enough to prompt him to reveal where the hell he came from, and I held my breath as I waited for the confirmation.

“I was a god in the past, too!” Luke snarled. “Those assholes on Earth just couldn’t see it, but now everyone can. Now they know!”

I tried to hide the shock from my face. He had just confirmed that he came from the same planet as me back in his old life. But what the fuck did that mean? Did every god come from Earth? Were we all once humans, and how the hell did we get here?

“I doubt you were anybody special on Earth,” I said as I looked down on the scrawny fuck. “I can’t believe you actually made it to being a god.”

“I made it because my old family were as impressive as I was!” Luke shouted. “My father might have paid for me, but I’m the one who became great! The Reaper of Skulzzz built himself up to be the feared god you see before you!”

My mind was racing at a million miles an hour. Did he just that his dad… paid for him to become a god?

That couldn’t be right, he must have meant something else.

Maybe.

Either way, it was almost sad that my only interaction with another god was a hateful, violent encounter. But maybe that’s what most gods were like. Ethan certainly was, and Tobias didn’t even seem to exist.

My mind reeled as I tried to process all this in the heat of my duel, but then Aleia swooped past my line of sight waving her pocket watch in the air. Her green eyes were wide with urgency, and I realized she’d been timing my visit for me.

And apparently, there wasn’t enough time left to talk. I had to kill this evil god who had hurt so many people and tried to hurt the ones I loved.

Luke seemed to realize that his placement next to the lake was stupid, and he made a dive to his left to try and escape.

I stuck out my leg as he jumped, and his foot caught on my knee before he crashed onto the ground. Then I brought my sword up, and Luke just managed to roll out of the way as I crashed the blade down onto the ground.

He made a swing with his axe toward my ankle, but I easily stepped out of the way. Luke fumbled as he tried to stand up, and I raised my sword up over him once more. As I brought the weapon down, he managed to swing his axe just in time to block the blow.

“You’re going to die,” I said bluntly, and Luke tried to roll away.

I kicked him in the ribcage, and he fell onto his back again. This time, I stepped on his wrist that held his weapon, and he howled in pain.

Then I swung the Wrath of Jack down with all my strength and cut right through his axe-wielding arm’s elbow in one blow, and Luke was separated from his forearm and hand as he screamed.

Smoke billowed out of the wound, and his sliced arm vanished in a cloud of gray smoke. He swung his body over to try and grab his axe with his other hand, but I kicked his chest and pressed him back down into the dirt with my foot.

“You are not a god,” I hissed down at Luke as he struggled under my foot. “Gods are meant to serve their people. To love the ones who worship them. That’s why you failed, and why every other god like you will fail against me, too.”

Luke gurgled something, and his eyes bulged as I raised the Wrath of Jack up over his chest and pointed it just above my foot.

“Goodbye, Luke,” I whispered. “I win.”

I slammed my golden blade down into the young god’s chest, and there was a piercing, shrill sound that filled the whole clearing. The noise penetrated my eardrums and felt like it was echoing around my skull. A bright, golden light shone out over the forest, and for a second, that was the only thing I could see. The body below me became suddenly soft, and my foot slammed down as Luke’s physical being vanished. I looked down to see the god had gone, and his axe had disappeared, too.

I had done it.

I had destroyed Luke.

A message appeared in front of my line of sight, and I had never been happier to read one.

Level Up!

Restoration of forest enchantments achieved!

Gods Destroyed: 1

Bonus Reward: Visit followers in physical form for 12 hours

There was a silent and still moment in the clearing. I kept staring down at where he had been, expecting him to reappear in a cloud of gray smoke. I listened out for the echo of his voice, or to hear his annoying entrance song in the distance.

Nothing happened. Luke didn’t come back, and he didn’t speak to me in his godly form, either. I looked down at the Wrath of Jack, and I felt a slow grin spread over my face.

My holy weapon had just stabbed Luke through the heart.

He was gone.

The forest was free.

“Jack!”

I was snapped out of my thoughts as Aleia hurtled down from the sky and knocked me over onto the ground as she planted kisses on my face. I laughed and grabbed her by the waist as I pulled her in for a deep kiss. Then I jumped to my feet and took her up with me as the entire clearing erupted with explosive cheers and laughter.

“Jack killed Luke!”

“The forest is free!”

“He did it! All hail Jack!”

I grinned from ear to ear as I stayed in my physical body and clutched onto Aleia’s hand as my whole army of followers descended around me.

The priestesses raced over first, and they flung themselves onto me with excited shrieks.

“You fucking did it!” Nicola yelled before she planted a kiss on me.

“My lord!” Penelope cried. “You defeated Luke! You freed the woods!”

“We won!” Celeste screamed as she jumped up and down. “Jack! You did it!”

“We did it!” I announced as I tried to hold all four of my women at once as they showered me with kisses and squeezes.

I tried to greet everyone who came up to me, but there were so many voices and faces that I had to make do with general shouting and excitement.

The gnomes were going fucking wild and jumping on top of each other as they threw their blades in the air. Balabar was practically beating his chest, and Elowise was doing some kind of mad dance as Wilfrim clapped.

The elves were hugging in a big group, and even the imps were having a quiet little party of their own at the side. Lurk and the orcs were the loudest by far, and they yelled words I didn’t know into the air as they jumped around the clearing.

I had never felt as alive and as powerful as I did in that moment, but I kept looking down at the spot where Luke had been.

“He’s gone.” Nicola grinned as she followed my gaze. “And he’s not coming back.”

Layla the bear hurried over to join the fun, and I laughed as she gave me three big licks on the face, one from each head.

“Hi,” I chuckled as I stroked her middle head. “You were a big help today! Thanks for everything, and for taking care of Nicola.”

“We help each other out.” The brunette smiled at the three-headed bear. “I have to say that this is the strongest army I could have imagined for us. We don’t exactly all look like we fit together, but we work so well as a team.”

“I agree.” I smiled and chuckled. “I think I’ll keep you all around.”

I glanced up at the sky, and I felt my smile fall slightly as I caught a glimpse of the orange storm over the mountains. It was still a dark, swirling mass of anger, and I knew I would have to fight Ethan in the same way soon.

Luke had been a warm-up for a much bigger threat, and I couldn’t even imagine what dangers hid in those hills.

I had been taken by surprise by some of the creatures in Luke’s army, and I had no doubt there were things far worse beyond the forest. Maybe I would need another weapon to destroy Ethan, or maybe the Wrath of Jack was all I needed by my side. Well, that and my followers, of course.

I pulled my gaze away from the orange storm as Grez strode over to hug me, and I laughed as the yellow-haired elf babbled about how amazing it was to watch me fight.

A sea of happy faces surrounded me, and I knew that I didn’t need to worry about Ethan or his Squall Sprites at that moment. I had a victory to celebrate, and plenty of hours in my physical form to do so. It was a night for excitement and fun, and I put all other thoughts from my mind as I started to lead the group away from the corpse-ridden clearing.

It was time to celebrate.

Chapter 19

As we left the clearing behind us, the forest felt alive. All around us there were birds singing louder than ever before, and the leaves were shining so brightly that they sparkled under the sun.

Animals like rabbits, deer, and a whole bunch of other creatures I barely recognized ran around us as if they didn’t fear being close to me.

As if they knew I would guard this forest well.

My women were all over me as we enjoyed the stroll back to the fortress, and they had clearly lost all cares about being seen as modest.

“You looked soooo good,” Nicola pouted. “Stabbing that idiot right in the chest? With your boot right at his throat!”

The brunette made a groaning noise and ran her hand down my arm, and she squeezed every muscle as she went.

“I keep seeing it again in my mind,” Celeste gushed. “My favorite part was when you chopped off his arm, and it just vanished!”

“Where do you think it went?” Penelope asked eagerly. “Where did he go? What happens to gods when they die, Jack?”

“I have no idea,” I chuckled. “But I’m glad he won’t be stepping foot in this forest again.”

“I thought all gods would be handsome,” Aleia mused as she fluttered around us. “I was certainly wrong.”

“Yeah.” I smirked. “He wasn’t exactly doing himself any favors with that hair and eyeliner. Not that I expected much more than we got, judging by his stupid name.”

The gnomes had begun picking leaves around the pathway as we walked. They chattered away excitedly and carefully carried piles of greenery in their hands.

“We can make ointment again!” Jemmy cried happily. “Oh, Jack, I don’t know how we can ever thank you!”

“Good thing we can make more,” Lurk grunted. “I used the last of mine on a fucking bear.”

Layla gave the orc a lick on his bald head, and he smiled just a little.

A group of deer ran alongside us for a while, and it seemed like everything in the forest was celebrating with us. With so much merriment surrounding us all, it took no time at all to reach the fortress, and Allam hurried ahead to open the doorway.

“Everyone, get in!” he called. “Tonight, we are going to have a party!”

There was a cheer throughout the crowd, and everyone piled into the square as the sun began to set.

I spent a good few minutes receiving endless pats on the back, bows, and offers of whatever goods I needed.

“Thank you, everyone!” I called. “This victory was only possible because each and every one of you fought like hell. I can never thank you enough for being on this journey with me, but tonight, I want you to have the best night of your lives. We destroyed Luke!”

Everyone cheered, and the gnomes got to work handing out cups and goblets, and then they brought out a whole pub’s worth of bottles.

“These were being kept for a special occasion,” Jemmy laughed. “I can’t think of any night more deserving than tonight!”

The bottles began to pop open, and two gnomes brought out guitars. They played an upbeat, cheery tune that was infinitely more pleasant to hear than Luke’s entrance song, and drinks were poured into everyone’s cups.

My goblet was filled right to the brim with the gnomes’ sweet, strong wine, and I took a huge sip as my women cheered.

The priestesses hardly touched their teas and couldn’t seem to focus on anything other than me. I wasn’t exactly complaining. All four of them had been incredible during the battle, and I was beyond proud of my women.

“Did you know?” Aleia asked as she snuggled into my side.

“Know what?” I asked as I kissed her head.

“That you were going to kill him,” the fairy replied. “Did you know that we were going to win? I know you always believe in us, but there were a few moments during that fight that my heart just about stopped from fright.”

“Those fucking coal monsters!” Nicola groaned. “Or volcano monsters, or whatever they were.”

“I forgot about those,” I chuckled. “I need to ask the gnomes about them. Did they actually come out of a volcano?”

“Never mind those!” Penelope snorted. “The Kappas were the most terrifying thing I have ever laid eyes on.”

“Really?” Nicola grinned. “Scarier than the giant spider?”

“Yes!” Penelope nodded. “And that’s saying something!”

“I didn’t even know those lived in the forest,” Celeste admitted. “But we certainly managed to take them down with Jack’s guidance!”

“Of course, we did.” Aleia smiled. “Jack always guides us to do the right thing.”

“I can only do so because you’re all so strong on your own,” I said. “My beautiful, sexy priestesses can handle themselves. Although, I think I might need to have a go at handling you tonight.”

“Yes!” Penelope squealed and then blushed at her own enthusiasm.

“Ohh,” I said with a teasing grin. “Are you excited about that, my love? Excited about when I take you all into bed and kiss every inch of your beautiful bodies?”

“Jaaack!” Penelope wailed. “You can’t say that and then not immediately take us to bed! I’m getting all flushed!”

“We’ll go soon.” I grinned as I gave her a sly smack on the ass. “I just need to make sure I’ve thanked everyone properly.”

I made my way through the crowd and checked in on all of my followers as they began to get drunker and louder. The orcs and elves had started to play some sort of drinking game, and the gnomes were happily dancing to the guitar music.

“I just want to make sure you all know how much I care about you,” I said as I put a hand on Wilfrim’s shoulder. “Luke was a real piece of shit, and you should never feel fear or resentment toward your god. You’re the reason I’m here at all.”

“Oh, Jack.” Elowise smiled. “We’ve followed you for a long time now, and we will do so for the rest of our lives.”

“Wouldn’t dream of listening to anyone else.” Wilfrim nodded, and then he let out a wine-fueled belch.

“I can’t believe we have the forest back,” Jemmy sighed as she sipped her drink. “The enchantments of the leaves, the water, it’s all ours again!”

“Would it be alright if we went and fetched our women?” Lurk asked as he stepped forward. “I don’t want to celebrate without them.”

“Please do. The more, the merrier.” I smiled. “I mean, if that’s okay with the gnomes, of course.”

“Bring them in!” Jemmy cried. “We would love to meet them at last. It’s about time we all got on together.”

“It’s a new era,” I laughed. “Did you ever think you would open the fortress gates to orcs?”

“Pfft!” Allam snorted. “I never thought we would open the bloody gates to anyone! Never mind orcs!”

I laughed as the gnome took another swig of wine and began to happily dance and sing to himself. As I looked around, it seemed that everyone was content to carry on the evening mingling with each other. Even the imps had been roped into playing a game of cards with a couple of gnomes. Grez and Myra were cuddled up on a log bench together, and I grinned as I watched my followers happily drink the evening away.

I decided to check my priestesses’ stats since they had done so well in battle, and I tuned into Nicola’s page first.

Strength: 7

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 4

Perception: 3

Agility: 4

Special Ability: Hunting/Animal Husbandry: Develops into Animal Communication: Level 17

Her endurance and agility were up along with her special ability, but I paused as my eyes landed on the number seventeen. I could have sworn that, based on the number of quests we’d completed lately, my women were only supposed to be at level sixteen. I was pleased to see Nicola’s dedication reflected in the stats, but I remained confused as I checked out Aleia’s numbers next.

Strength: 11

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 3

Perception: 6

Agility: 6

Special Ability: Crafting: Develops into Alchemy: Level 17

The fairy’s strength and perception were up, and I wondered just how strong the petite priestess would be able to get. I figured her pregnancy was adding to her skills, and I was so proud of how far she had come.

But again… that number seventeen was one higher than it ought to have been.

Penelope was next, and I just knew the naiad would have a glowing review.

Strength: 6

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 5

Perception: 3

Agility: 3

Special Ability: Water Seeking/Fishing: Develops into Water Magic: Level 17

I was satisfied to see that her strength and intelligence had improved, and I wasn’t surprised to be honest. The naiad had shown incredible bravery, innovation, and speed during battle, and she deserved every one of those high scores. Along with the glowing level seventeen in her special ability category.

Celeste was last, and I was hoping her numbers were just as impressive.

Strength: 6

Endurance: 4

Intelligence: 4

Perception: 4

Agility: 4

Special ability: Flame combat: Develops into flame embodiment: Level 10

I was thrilled that the harpy’s strength had gone up once again, and even her endurance had improved after this battle. I couldn’t ignore that her own special ability had gone up by two points instead of just one, though. She had been a fiery force to be reckoned with, that was for sure, and I had no doubt those numbers would just keep growing, but there was a clear pattern here.

All of my women’s special abilities had increased by two points from this one quest alone, and when I mentally clicked into my own stats, I saw that my overall convent level was at seventeen as well.

Apparently, this last battle had gifted us all with a double level up, and while I wasn’t quite sure why that was, I took a moment to reflect on how far my women had come, and how strong their special skills were now. They really were the strongest people I knew, and I couldn’t wait to see where life took us next.

This level up business would have to wait, though. There was a party to be had, and I strode back over to the priestesses, who fluttered their eyes at me as if I needed any more encouragement.

“Jack!” Jemmy called and hurried after me. “Sorry, just one more thing. Since you’re here in your physical body, we thought it only right to give our god the luxury of privacy at night. We set up the house at the very back of the fortress for you. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s the nicest house by far, and it will give you some space.”

“Thanks.” I smiled. “That’s very kind of you.”

The gnome nodded and then hurried back over to join the party.

“Okay,” I said as I pulled Celeste close by the hip. “Let’s get you gorgeous warriors into that house so I can show you just how proud of you I am.”

“We are going to worship you so much,” Nicola breathed as we hurried away from the noise of the party. “Jack, we need your holy body next to ours.”

My cock was already hard as the women got excited, and I barely noticed the house that we stumbled into as we neared the end of the fortress. As I closed the door behind us, I looked around to see we were in a mostly empty lower floor. There wasn’t much to look at other than a couple of small chairs and a rug.

“Hmm,” Nicola said. “It’s not exactly an upgrade from the guest house.”

“Who cares?” Penelope said. “As long as it has a bed, then I don’t mind!”

“I like your thinking.” I grinned. “Let’s get my priestesses upstairs and ready for their worship session.”

They shrieked with laughter as they all raced upstairs, and I got the perfect view of Aleia’s ass from under her skirt as I chased her up.

“Woah!” Celeste said, and as I reached the women, I could see what she was talking about.

The landing opened up to a huge bedroom, with dark wood flooring and a skylight. The glass panel was fitted perfectly underneath one of the fortress roof’s glass panels, so we could see right up to the night sky.

There was a massive bed in the middle of the room, with a huge mattress covered in luxurious silk blankets and some pillows arranged at the top. There was a cabinet at the end of one wall with tea, wine, water, and cakes laid out on a wooden tray.

“This is beautiful,” Celeste gasped as she stared up at the stars. “This is definitely a room fit for a god.”

“Yes, it is,” I agreed. “Except my priestesses seem to still be wearing clothes, and that’s not allowed in this room.”

“Oooh,” Aleia giggled. “What happens if we don’t take our clothes off right away? Will you punish us?”

“I think so.” Nicola nodded. “Our master just won a battle, he needs to do whatever he wants to his priestesses now.”

The brunette stuck her ass out to me so her emerald dress rode up, and I could see her golden cheeks poking out.

“That’s it,” I growled. “Clothes off, and then let me see those figures in the moonlight.”

My mind pretty much exploded as soon as the women began to strip. I kept my gaze moving along so I could take in each of their unique beauties, and my erection throbbed as they wiggled out of their clothing.

Once they were all fully nude, they presented themselves to me in a line-up, and I strode over to admire them.

“Mmm,” I growled as I grabbed Penelope’s full breasts. “What gorgeous priestesses I have here. You were all so brave today, and I’m going to make sure you all cum as many times as possible as your reward.”

Penelope giggled, and I pinched her nipples as I looked into her blue eyes.

“Oh!” she squealed.

“I can’t wait to pleasure you all,” I whispered. “But before our worship session, I do need to punish you all. Just a bit… That’s the only way I can make sure you’re purified.”

“How can we be made pure?” Aleia gasped as I moved down the line to her.

“First,” I breathed. “I need to spank those perfect asses. Then I need to cover your bodies with my holy seed.”

The priestesses moaned, and I could see their fingers twitch as they got turned on by my words.

Aleia’s hand edged closer to her pussy, and I gave her perky tits a smack.

“Were you going to touch yourself?” I asked. “Like a naughty priestess? Did I say you could touch your pussy?”

“Jaaack,” Aleia moaned. “I need to be touched so much, pleeease!”

“That’s it,” I growled. “Get on your knees, all of you. Show me those asses that need to be spanked.”

The women fell to their knees and arranged themselves on all fours with their back sides aimed at me. I smirked as I carefully examined each one, and I noticed how slick their pussies already looked.

Then I glanced down at my sword and grinned as I remembered I had a thick belt on. I carefully unbuckled my weapon and slid the belt off as I placed the sword against the wall.

The leather would leave a mark, but I didn’t want to actually hurt them too much. It was all just playful, so I would have to make sure I used just the right amount of strength.

I stopped behind Celeste first, and she glanced over her shoulder with her amber eyes wide.

“Do you want to be pure?” I breathed. “Do you want to be punished by your god?”

“Yes!” the harpy groaned. “Please, Jack, punish me! I want to be a good priestess!”

I smirked and then brought the leather of the belt down onto her ivory ass. She cried out and groaned with pleasure at the same time.

“Yes!” Celeste gasped. “That felt sooo good, but it also hurt sooo good! Please, punish me again!”

“Oh, I will.” I smirked. “But I need to tend to all your sisters first.”

Nicola was next in line, and she shot me a teasing grin over her shoulder. I knew how much she enjoyed this game, so I was a little harsher with her.

“Bad girl,” I hissed. “You need to be punished really well, don’t you?”

“Yes, master,” she whimpered as she shook her ass at me. “I need your godly punishment to be a good priestess for you. Please punish me!”

I smacked her perfect back side harshly with the belt, and a red mark appeared on her golden skin. Nicola gasped and flung her head back with a smile.

“I think you’re enjoying your punishment too much,” I chuckled, and I brought down the belt again slightly harder.

“Oh!” Nicola yelled, and I grinned as I moved on to Aleia.

“Now,” I said. “You act like a shy little priestess, but I know you’re dirty, too.”

“Yes, master!” the fairy nodded. “I am. I need to be punished along with my sisters.”

I leaned down to give her cute ass a squeeze, and then I lightly whipped her with the leather.

“Jaaack,” the fairy groaned. “Oh, yessss. It hurts so good! I can feel my punishment working already.”

“Good,” I growled as I stepped up to Penelope. “Now, our final priestess needs her first punishment. Have you been good, Penelope?”

“I try to be,” the naiad moaned. “But I still need your holy touch, my lord! I need to be cleansed!”

I smacked her ass soundly with the belt, and she cried out as she arched her back. The sight was irresistible, and I brought the belt down again on her other cheek.

Then I strode down the line and gave each of them a few more spanks until I could barely take it anymore. Their cries of pleasure and pain were making my cock unbearably hard, and I needed some relief.

“Turn around,” I ordered as I placed the belt down, and the priestesses spun around.

They kneeled in front of me and stared at the bulge in my pants with wide eyes.

“Take my cock out,” I said, and they all shuffled forward to obey.

Then the four women took my pants off in only a matter of seconds, and I stood with my erection right in their pretty faces.

“Please,” Celeste breathed. “Can we have a taste of your holy cock?”

“You can have a taste.” I grinned. “But I want Nicola and Penelope to kneel up here beside me while you do.”

The two priestesses jumped to their feet, and I grabbed their waists to position one on each side of me on the bed. Celeste and Aleia stayed kneeling before me, and they both licked their lips as they stared at my hard cock.

“Go on,” I whispered. “Both of you, show me how much you want to worship me. Show me what good priestesses you are.”

Celeste and Aleia leaned in and got to work licking my cock up and down with their warm tongues. I shuddered with pleasure at their touch and reached up to play with my other two women’s perfect breasts.

“Oooh,” Penelope groaned as I grabbed rough handfuls of her tits. “Yes, my lord. Your touch feels amazing.”

“Mmm,” Nicola agreed. “Yes, it does. I can still feel my punishment on my back side.”

“Aww.” I grinned. “Let me help soothe you.”

I ran my hands down both women’s bodies until I reached their mounds, and then I teasingly ran my fingers along their labia.

Both of them moaned as I began to probe my fingers deeper inside their pussies, and I was met instantly with their wetness.

“So wet already.” I slowly began to rub Nicola and Penelope’s clits, and they rocked with loud moans beside me.

My own pleasure was off the charts, too, and I looked down as my winged women worked their mouths all over my shaft. They ran their lips up and down on either side, and their tongues danced around every inch of my cock.

“Good girls,” I whispered. “You’re making your god very happy.”

As I sped up the movement of my fingers, I could feel Nicola and Penelope beginning to breathe heavily and thrust down to meet my fingers.

“Are you going to cum?” I asked. “Cum on my fingers for me…”

“Yes,” Nicola gasped. “I’m about to climax on your hand, my lord!”

“Me, too,” Penelope cried out. “Your touch is making me feel so good, ohhh, it’s going to happen! I’m going to cum, my lord!”

I grinned as both women hit their climaxes at almost the same time, and my fingers were drenched with their cum. They both grabbed my shoulders to steady themselves and shuddered as their pleasure took over simultaneously.

Then I slid my fingers out from their pussies and held them up to their mouths.

“Clean up your messes,” I ordered, and they each took my fingers into their soft lips.

I moaned at how hot they looked as they licked and sucked their own juices off me, and it made my cock twitch against my other lovers’ mouths.

Aleia had moved her lips over the head of my erection now, and she began to slide her warm mouth right down my shaft. I moaned as her head bobbed up and down, and I could feel that I was close to cumming.

“Fuck,” I breathed. “That feels so fucking good, Aleia.”

Penelope and Nicola pressed their bodies against me and kissed my neck as Aleia sucked me off. Celeste stroked my thighs the whole time, and she played with Aleia’s tits as she watched me enjoy myself.

“Get on the floor,” I ordered the women. “I want to bless you all with my seed.”

The two priestesses on the bed jumped down and knelt alongside the other two as Aleia slid her mouth off my erection.

Warmth and electricity shot through me, and my vision erupted with colors as my orgasm hit. Warm streams of cum showered the women’s eager faces and flawless tits, and they licked their lips as I covered them in stream after stream of my holy seed. My whole body shook for a moment as I kept spraying more and more cum on my beautiful women, and it took me nearly a full minute to regulate my breathing as I looked down at my dirty priestesses.

They looked so hot as my cum glistened on their bodies, and they looked up at me with wide and adoring eyes.

“You have been cleansed.” I smirked. “And you all look so sweet covered in my cream.”

“Mmm,” Nicola moaned. “I want it inside of me, too, master!”

“Is that right?” I chuckled. “Well, first, why don’t you kiss and lick each other a bit to get cleaned up for me?”

The brunette leaned into Aleia and snaked her golden arms around the fairy’s waist. They began to make out hungrily, and my cock twitched again as I watched their bodies press up against each other. Celeste and Penelope did the same, and the two women passionately made out and licked each other’s faces as they grabbed each other’s breasts.

“Fuck,” I breathed as I leaned back to enjoy the show, and my erection started pulsing hungrily again.

I let the women kiss for as long as they wanted to, and I grinned as they looked over at me, still tangled up in each others’ arms.

“That was hot as fuck,” I groaned. “Now, who wants my cock inside them first?”

All of the women cried out excitedly, and I laughed as they looked up at me with pleading eyes. This was the best problem a god could ever dream of. Which beautiful woman to fuck first?

Nicola wanted me to cum inside her, but I reckoned I could make one of the others climax first before I needed to release again.

They had all been so brave in battle, it was tough to choose who deserved it most. Celeste had managed to take a Kappa down almost alone, and I felt like it had been a while since I last thoroughly fucked the harpy.

“Celeste,” I said. “Come and sit on my lap.”

The harpy leapt to her feet and straddled me so she was facing me with her wide, amber eyes.

I grinned as she eagerly lined her pussy up with the head of my cock, and I stroked her red hair as she started to ease herself down.

“Someone’s eager,” I breathed. “Let me purify you. I want you to ride my cock until you cum.”

The harpy didn’t need any more encouragement, and she slid down slowly with a gasp. Her warm pussy was dripping wet, and I groaned as she lowered herself right down onto the base of my cock.

“You’re so tight,” I moaned. “Such a devoted priestess.”

The harpy whimpered and began to move up and down as I grabbed her full breasts, and I took in the sight of her pale figure before me as pleasure crashed over me. Her tunnel walls clenched around me with every movement of her hips, and I thrust up to meet her as my cock was buried even deeper in her tunnel.

“My lord!” Celeste cried. “Your holy cock is so deep inside me!”

Her amber eyes were wide as we fucked faster, and I heard a moan on the bed behind me. Then I turned to see that the other women had climbed up to join us, and they were pleasuring each other as they watched.

“I’m so wet,” Penelope groaned. “Watching you fuck her, master, it’s making me go wild!”

I shuffled back so I was laying on the bed in the middle of the women, with Celeste on her knees as she rode me with wild abandon. This way, I could watch the others, and I didn’t want to miss a second of it.

Penelope had her head on the pillow to my right, and Nicola laid beside her. They were stroking each other’s bodies, and Penelope looked like she might explode if she didn’t orgasm soon.

“Nicola,” I said. “I want you to make Penelope cum. I order you to go down on her.”

“Yes, my lord.” The brunette smiled, and she shuffled down between the naiad’s legs.

On my other side, Aleia was basically panting as she watched us.

“Aleia,” I said softly. “Do you like watching me fuck Celeste?”

The fairy nodded silently as I grabbed Celeste’s scarlet nipples.

“Show me,” I growled. “Touch yourself for me, I want to see how much you like it.”

The strawberry-blonde knelt beside me and snaked her hand down to her glistening pussy. Aleia whimpered as she began to finger herself, and I moaned as I looked around at the gorgeous women.

Celeste was groaning on top of me, and I could tell by her flushed face that she would climax soon.

“Good priestess,” I growled as I thrust up harder and made her shriek. “This is how you become pure. Now… cum all over my cock. Now.”

Celeste gasped as I gripped her hips tightly, and I fucked her so deeply that I started to feel light-headed. I heard Penelope cry out beside me as Nicola ate her out, and Aleia gasped as she pleasured herself more desperately.

Then I gave one more deep thrust, and Celeste cried out as her whole body quivered. She gripped onto my arms as she shook from her orgasm, and she couldn’t stop panting while she smiled down at me with pure bliss.

“Jack,” Celeste whispered. “That was amazing. I came so hard.”

“I felt it.” I grinned as the harpy slowly slid off my rock-hard cock.

Before Celeste had even collapsed on the bed, I reached over to Aleia’s wings and rubbed the most sensitive part as she continued to play with herself. That touch was all she needed, and her sweet face flushed as she cried out with pleasure.

“Jaaaack!” Aleia whined.

I smiled as she shivered through her orgasm, and watching her bite down hard on her plump bottom lip sent a rush of arousal through every inch of me.

“Good girl,” I whispered. “That was very, very good.”

“Oh, I came so hard,” Aleia whimpered.

“Yes, you did.” I pulled the fairy in for a deep kiss and stroked her perky tits as our tongues met. She tasted like strawberries and honey, and I let her devour my tongue as much as she needed.

Then I turned to Nicola and Penelope to see the brunette still licking the naiad’s clit.

Penelope was shaking with pleasure, and her eyes were closed as she came closer and closer to her orgasm. I watched with a smile as little beads of sweat dotted her bare breasts, and the cerulean beauty wailed as she gripped Nicola’s head.

“Oh!” Penelope gasped. “I’m cumming!”

Nicola didn’t ease up on the naiad until her legs were limp with satisfaction, and then she slowly raised her head and smiled up at my pregnant lover.

“You felt like you enjoyed that,” the brunette laughed.

“I did,” Penelope gasped as she ran a hand through her blonde hair. “Thank you, sister!”

“I think it’s Nicola’s turn to cum.” Celeste grinned.

“I agree.” I smiled. “Now, how shall I fuck my naughtiest priestess?”

“However you want,” Nicola moaned. “Please, master, I need you to cum deep inside me. I need to become more holy.”

I grinned at her eagerness and grabbed her by the hips to pull her close.

“My naughty girl,” I breathed. “You want to be filled up with my cum?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “Please, I need it.”

I jumped off the bed and pulled her with me as she giggled. Then I led Nicola over to the wooden cabinet and lifted her up so she was sitting facing me. Her pussy was displayed at the perfect height for my cock, and I grinned as she giggled again.

I glanced back at the other women to see they had already begun to kiss each other.

“I have such wonderful priestesses,” I sighed. “Be good and play with each other while I fuck Nicola.”

I turned back to the brunette, and her eyes were wide and wild. She shuffled forward a bit and wrapped her golden legs around me. I felt her perfect tits as I edged my cock closer to her waiting entrance, and I played with her perked nipples as she gasped.

“Please,” Nicola breathed. “Master, please fuck me.”

I couldn’t resist any longer and began to ease my cock into her soaked pussy. Warmth rushed over me as I slid inside her tight tunnel, and I groaned as she pressed her tits up against me.

“Fuck,” I hissed. “You’re perfect, Nicola.”

I began to thrust in and out of her, and she whimpered with every stroke. Then I leaned forward and kissed her passionately, and I bit her bottom lip gently as she groaned.

“Yes,” she gasped as I sped my pace up. “Master, purify me with your huge cock. Fill me up!”

Her words drove me wild, and I fucked her as deep as I could.

Nicola cried out so loudly that she covered her own mouth, and her eyes were wide as I relentlessly slammed my cock inside her over and over again.

She felt incredible, and every thrust made my body buzz with electricity as the cabinet shook and creaked from the force.

“Oh, Jack,” Nicola whispered. “Your cock is so big. I can feel myself being purified.”

I leaned down to lick her nipples and flicked each one with my tongue as I fucked her even harder. As I gripped onto her hips, she wrapped her legs even more tightly around my waist, and I gasped as I slid so deep inside her that my mind began to spin.

I knew I was going to cum soon as I watched her golden tits bounce with every thrust, but I knew what she really wanted from me.

“You want to be a good priestess, don’t you?” I growled.

“Yessss,” Nicola moaned.

“You want to cum on your god’s cock?” I asked as I tore my nails down her back.

“Yes!” Nicola screamed and threw her head back in ecstasy.

“Then tell me what you want,” I groaned. “Say it.”

“I want you to fill my womb with your holy seed, master,” Nicola whimpered, and her big brown eyes burned into mine. “I want you to bless me with a child. With your child.”

Her words made heat rush through my cock until I could hardly hold back, and I didn’t want to anymore.

“Say please,” I growled and drove my dick as deep as possible into the priestess.

“Pleeeease!” the brunette begged.

She had barely finished speaking when her golden limbs shook with pleasure, and I felt her pussy tighten even more around me. My orgasm hit right at the same time, and I gasped as my climax washed over me. Every inch of my body was alive with pleasure, and I sprayed my hot cream deep inside the trembling brunette. Our warm bodies rocked together as her pussy milked me of every last drop, and even when we were both coming down, I didn’t pull out of her.

I kept my cock buried in Nicola’s quivering tunnel, and I kissed her soft lips as she gripped my biceps to keep from going limp.

“Jack,” she breathed. “That was… that was amazing. I have so much of your cum inside of me. It feels incredible.”

“You’re so beautiful,” I murmured as I stroked her face.

Nicola smiled, and I held her tenderly for a moment before I helped her down from the cabinet.

We held hands as I looked over at the other women, and I grinned as I watched them kiss and touch one another.

I knew I had another several hours left, and I intended to spend it making my women climax as many times as possible. I jumped onto the mattress as I pulled Nicola with me, and we fell into a night of sex and passion.

I lost track of the time as we lavished each others’ bodies over and over again, and I fucked each woman so many times, I couldn’t count. They eventually began to get tired, though, and they snuggled up for kisses and hugs after they had all been fucked senseless.

I kissed each of them goodnight as my holy cum seeped from their swollen pussies, and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as my beautiful priestesses settled themselves against me with happy sighs.

As the woman drifted off to sleep, I spent my remaining time just enjoying laying with them and hearing their gentle snores. I stared up at the stars through the skylight and smiled to myself as I replayed the events of the day. A victorious battle against an evil god followed by sex with my beautiful women. I was pretty sure there was no possible way things could be better.

I decided to check my interface while I had the time, and I mentally pulled the display up in front of my vision. Then a rush of excitement spread through my chest as I checked my devotional map. Every being in the fortress was now a true believer, and there were no unsure shades of yellow or orange left.

I scrolled through to the Armies tab and found two new additions labelled Orc Army, and Imp Army. Along with my women, gnomes, and elves, I was building an epic following.

I thought about how many other creatures lived out in the deep forest, and how they didn’t have a god to follow anymore. The volcano monsters and Kappas had been an unpleasant surprise during battle, but having animals like that on my side would be awesome if there were others left out here.

I had just restored all of the forest’s enchantments, so I had a pretty good standing to win over any other animals I could find in these woods. Besides, I was sure word would spread from the orcs and gnomes around the forest, and I would be waiting for any creatures who needed a leader.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I scrolled through my interface and noticed a new tab.

Territories.

I mentally clicked it and found a huge map that had been split up into different-colored sections.

The places where my territory was were marked with a deep purple, and it really showed just how much I had accomplished. The farmlands that sprawled out around Evelhelm, along with the city itself, were all mine. The convent and surrounding woods had also been claimed by me, and the purple spread right over into the deep woods and all around the gnome fortress. It seemed my battle had won me a huge stretch of land that had almost doubled what I had before we came to the northern fortress.

The mountains beyond the forest were marked with a murky orange, and I knew that land belonged to Ethan. I checked the surrounding lands, but the map didn’t expand much further. I figured it would grow as I traveled, and I wondered if more gods would show up in that time.

Then I studied Ethan’s mountains and thought about how Luke had been in an alliance with him.

Were we supposed to form groups with other gods? Maybe I was also meant to team up with Ethan. He was clearly much more powerful than Luke was.

The thought didn’t sit right with me, though, and I remembered how brutally Ethan had tried to slaughter the elves during the storm.

No. I wasn’t going to team up with that bloodthirsty bastard. Even if it would make me more powerful or get me more land, I didn’t want to earn it that way. I wasn’t going to harm innocent people and creatures just to gain followers. That was the difference between me and the others, and that’s why I knew I was more powerful than they ever could be.

Then I remembered what Luke had said about this legend. That they were all trying to defeat me.

The notion sent a chill up my spine, and it was almost as if some distant memory was trying to resurface. But I couldn’t make sense of the muddled feeling in my mind.

Aleia made a confused babbling noise in her sleep, and I came out of my interface to gently stroke her hair. I smiled as the fairy rolled over and snuggled into Penelope, and I knew that Luke and Ethan could never dream of having love like this.

Then I jumped in surprise as another message popped up on my interface.

New Life at Fortress!

I looked over at Nicola and felt a huge grin spread across my face. She had gotten her wish, and I had just gotten another child. I stroked her golden-skinned arm, and a rush of pure joy thrummed in my veins as I imagined her as a badass mother.

Now three of my women were carrying my children. I had everything in the world to fight for.

I felt confident in that moment that my Territories map would continue to expand. I was going to claim more land without being anything like the other gods I had met. Now that I had the Wrath of Jack by my side, I was fucking unstoppable.

And Ethan was next on my list.

That orange storm had threatened these lands for long enough, and it was time to make this guy pay for the harm he had caused.

I was going to keep growing my follower numbers, and soon enough, that entire section of the map would have my name on it. I would destroy Ethan and anyone else who thought they could stop me.

After destroying Luke, I felt truly immortal, and I was ready to take on the world.

But more than that, I felt it deep in my bones that I was destined to do it.

I looked up at the night sky through the glass panels of the fortress and smiled at the twinkling stars, and I knew I was ready to become the greatest all-powerful god of this world.

End of Book 5

End Notes

Thank you for reading Building Harem Town 5! I’ll start writing the next book once this book hits 100 reviews, so leave your review right here!

Don’t forget about my Patreon! You’ll get advanced audio chapters (for your ears) or written chapters (for your eyes), and nude/sexy versions of my covers (for your… uhhh… well…) I also have an audiobook subscription so you can get 3-4 of my books every month at a discount along with all the other stuff. Check it out here! Or search for my name on Patreon.com.

Amazon doesn’t update readers when an author comes out with a new book unless you follow that author on the store. Make sure you click this link and then click on the follow button. Then Amazon will update you a few weeks after my next book comes out.

If you want to get notified of my books the day that they come out, make sure you follow my Facebook author page and join my Facebook fan group. If you don’t follow me on Amazon or join my Facebook page, you’ll never get alerted that next novel is out.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 by Eric Vall

.

Patreon

Don’t forget about my Patreon! You’ll get advanced audio chapters (for your ears) or written chapters (for your eyes), and nude/sexy versions of my covers (for your… uhhh… well…) I also have an audiobook subscription so you can get 3-4 of my books every month at a discount along with all the other stuff. Check it out here! Or search for my name on Patreon.com.

Amazon doesn’t update readers when an author comes out with a new book unless you follow that author on the store. Make sure you click this link and then click on the follow button. Then Amazon will update you a few weeks after my next book comes out.

If you want to get notified of my books the day that they come out, make sure you follow my Facebook author page and join my Facebook fan group. If you don’t follow me on Amazon or join my Facebook page, you’ll never get alerted that next novel is out.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 by Eric Vall