Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Book listing

Chp.1

Chp.2

Chp.3

Chp.4

Chp.5

Chp.6

Chp.7

Chp.8

Chp.9

Chp.10

Chp.11

Chp.12

Chp.13

Chp.14

Chp.15

Chp.16

Chp.17

Chp.18

Chp.19

Chp.20

Chp.21

Chp.22

Chp.23

Chp.24

Chp.25

Chp.26

Chp.27

Chp.28

Chp.29

Chp.30

Chp.31

Chp.32

Chp.33

Chp.34

Chp.35

Epilogue

Authors Note

Dungeon Deposed 3

By William D. Arand

Copyright © 2019 William D. Arand

Cover design © 2019 William D. Arand

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by an electronic or mechanical means - except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews - without written permission from its publisher.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright © 2019 William D. Arand

All rights reserved.

Dedicated:

To my wife, Kristin, who encouraged me in all things.

To my son, Harrison, who now lets me type, but only when he isn’t shouting at me under the door.

To my family, who always told me I could write a book if I sat down and tried. I’ve now written quite a few.

Special Thanks to:

Niusha Gutierrez

Bill Brush

Sarinia Phelps

Travis Ledlow

Evilynn Thales

Robert Hammack

Zach Johnson

Tara Mulkey

Caleb Morris

Brian Flater

Brian Walker

I appreciate you all

Books by William D. Arand-

The Selfless Hero Trilogy:

Otherlife Dreams

Otherlife Nightmares

Otherlife Awakenings

Omnibus Edition(All Three)

Super Sales on Super Heroes Trilogy:

Super Sales on Super Heroes 1

Super Sales on Super Heroes 2

Super Sales on Super Heroes 3

Omnibus Edition(All Three)

Dungeon Deposed Trilogy:

Dungeon Deposed

Dungeon Deposed 2

Dungeon Deposed 3 (To be released 2019)

Swing Shift Trilogy:

Swing Shift

Swing Shift 2 (To be released 2019)

Swing Shift 3 (To be release 2020)

Books by Randi Darren-

Wild Wastes Trilogy:

Wild Wastes

Wild Wastes: Eastern Expansion

Wild Wastes: Southern Storm

Omnibus Edition(All Three)

Fostering Faust Trilogy:

Fostering Faust

Fostering Faust 2

Fostering Faust 3

Remnant Trilogy:

Remnant

Remnant 2 (To be released 2019)

Remnant 3 (To be released 2020)

Incubus Inc. Trilogy:

Incubus Inc

Incubus Inc 2 (To be released 2019)

Incubus Inc 3 (To be released 2020)

Books in the VeilVerse-

Cultivating Chaos: By William D. Arand

Asgard Awakening: By Blaise Corvin

Chapter 1 - Beginning of the End -

“Good morning,” Lauren said as she looked down from the palace balcony. Her bright blue eyes tracked from person to person in the crowd, giving the impression she was speaking to each and every citizen.

The roar of the crowd was intense in response to her greeting. No one in Dungeon had ever forgotten that Lauren had deployed her royal guards to defend the town from an invasion when there’d been no hope for success. It had become something of a local legend.

Dungeon had returned that loyalty back to her.

She was wearing a perfect dress for the occasion that made her look beautiful, but not sexual. Her black hair was perfect, her clothing matched her station, and the location was on point.

Everything looked exactly as it should for a royal personage.

It’d only taken Ryker the better part of the night to put everything together for her to hold this speech.

It’d been two days since he and Lauren had made it into Dungeon.

Word had spread rapidly throughout the Queendom of Dale.

The queen lived. She was holding court in Dungeon. She was planning to retake her country by force.

And the dungeon itself was on her side.

“…be working to retake the throne, and my crown. It was with a heavy heart that I fled the capital, but the treachery of the churches left me with no choice,” Lauren said, shaking her head dramatically. This was her element. Royal theatrics at their finest. “They attacked us, sided with the false queen, and then discarded her as soon as it was convenient. At the same time, our own allies betrayed us and attacked us in our home.

“I think it’s quite clear that both the pantheons of the light and the dark are evil. They will need to be cleansed from our lands entirely before we can be safe. They cannot honor their alliances, and they will be cast out from Dale.”

A deafening response from the crowd made Ryker’s heart shudder. So loud was the roar of anger and agreement, it was like being struck by a physical force.

“To that end, I hereby announce, as the rightful ruler of Dale, that the pantheons of both light and dark are banished from Dale.” Lauren hit her closed fist against the railing in front of her. “That forever forward, every church must be formally approved by the throne, and all existing churches will have to undergo verification.

“Excepting, of course, the church of Dungeon, led by our very own paladin Robyn. I have the utmost faith in her and the goddess Rike.”

“Of course,” Ryker muttered as he watched this whole thing from inside the palace. Leaning against the wall, he folded his arms against his chest and sighed.

“What did you expect?” Robyn asked. “Our goddess is righteous. She defends us and protects us from the foul evils of the world.

“Her sheltering hand was visible to one and all when the church of light attempted to turn on us after you were cursed.”

Ryker wanted to argue that point, but he knew Robyn was right.

He’d heard it many times since he’d returned home.

The church had attacked, Robyn had been defeated, Shirley’s avatar slain, the vanguard had been laid low, and Dungeon had been exposed.

Bereft of all its protections.

Rike had shown up and personally smote everyone who entered the city with evil intentions. Ryker had no idea what it had cost her, but he had no doubt the price had been steep.

Though no one had attempted to raid, attack, or bother Dungeon since then.

Pilgrims of Rike, refugees who claimed her as their goddess, and adherents of Rike’s faith had been allowed to pass by both churches after that point.

Apparently, neither faction was willing to go against Rike and her followers any further than they had already.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ryker said, looking at Robyn.

She was wearing her “regular Robyn” avatar, as he’d come to think of it, dressed in clothes befitting a minor noble’s station and with her dark-brown hair pulled back from her face in a ponytail. Her dark-green eyes were glued to Ryker and seemed to never stray from him.

The second his eyes touched hers, she gave him a beautiful and radiant smile. Since he’d turned her soul into a liquid paste with his own, she’d been ever present at his side.

“I mean, yeah, you’re not wrong,” Ryker said. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned back to Lauren. “I guess it’s different for me since I wasn’t here for it.”

“Yes, but you had your own experience with her. She assisted you on your escape, did she not?” Robyn pressed.

“Yeah. She did,” Ryker said uncomfortably. He couldn’t deny that Rike had indeed stepped in for him when he’d needed a hand.

“Before that, did she not assist when we were attempting to limit the number of troops the church could push through?” Robyn asked.

“What, the dark church? No. She had no part of that. We made them run through the valley,” Ryker said.

“…begin to reestablish our forces here! In Dungeon! And we’ll be working with the dungeon itself in our first effort…”

“No, when we were fighting the church of light,” Robyn said. “She assisted us then and there as well.”

Ryker frowned. He couldn’t argue that point. Rike had indeed helped them directly, and indirectly through Robyn.

“…begin retaking cities and towns currently under the oppressive rule of the church of light or the dark…”

“Okay, yeah, she did,” Ryker said.

“Do not fear, beloved,” Robyn said. She’d gotten much closer to him when he’d looked away. She was practically standing on his ankles now. “Rike doesn’t wish you harm or ill intent. She respects what you’ve done and how far you’ve come so quickly.”

“You’ve become overly fond of that pet name,” Ryker said, glancing at Robyn.

“Beloved? I heard Diane call you that once. I liked it. She doesn’t use it for you anymore, so I decided to,” Robyn said, being exactly what she always was and had been. “Besides, you are my beloved. We share a soul now.”

Insanely direct as always.

Except Ryker couldn’t deny her anymore, nor even fight her off very well.

The bit of her soul she’d left behind had saved him. It had clung to his body—to be with him, he assumed—even when his own soul had fled.

Reaching out an arm, he wrapped it around Robyn’s shoulders and drew her into his side for a firm hug.

“Shut up, ya stupid goodie-goodie,” Ryker grumbled. Then he pushed her away. “I’m trying to listen to my wife.”

“You are listening to your wife,” Robyn said, moving in close to him again after he pushed her. She pressed her cheek to his temple, her hands on his hips. She was taller, stronger, and physically far more imposing than he was.

“I’m not married to you. I’m barely married to Shirley and Lauren. The only one who actually has an official marriage certificate—sanctioned by a church, the queen, and herself—is Adele,” Ryker said, feeling argumentative. “Even Diane’s is technically incorrect because her mother signed it as Queen.”

“Ours is of a higher calling. Our souls are—”

“Yeah, yeah, one soul. I heard you,” Ryker said, pushing on Robyn’s shoulder when it seemed like she was going to try to push him up against the wall.

“…put the false queen in chains and give her to Duchess Diane. Through this entire ordeal, I’ve had three steadfast supporters,” Lauren said. Turning, she indicated the three women to one side. “My cousin, Adele Dale.”

Standing primly, ramrod straight, and looking far more dignified than he’d ever seen her look before, the athletic nose-picking Adele inclined her head to the crowd.

Her short, black ringlets were arranged around her face in a pretty fashion, and her blue eyes were ever brighter when compared to her dark hair.

“Fuck, I’d never heard her last name said aloud,” Ryker muttered. “That’s an awful fucking name. Adele Dale. A dell dale. Her name is literally valley valley.”

“…Claire Dale, whom you all know as Lady Ryker,” Lauren said, gesturing to Shirley.

Looking far too similar to Lauren and Adele, Shirley shared many of the royal family traits that were such a heavy stamp on them.

Black hair, blue eyes, eerily pretty—though Shirley had a much more impressive figure than either of her cousins. She had apparently decided to wear a dress that showed some of that off.

Lifting a hand, Shirley briefly waved to the crowd, who happily responded with loud cheers for her.

“She’s won the populace over. It was not unseen when she went to battle our enemies to retrieve you,” Robyn said, her arms sliding closed around Ryker’s shoulders. “They know she’s a wizard just as you are.”

Fucking pushy-ass do-gooder paladin.

Ryker grimaced and put a hand on Robyn’s chest to push her away a few inches. If he’d thought for an instant she would get this clingy, he wouldn’t have brought her in for a hug to begin with.

“Get off me,” Ryker muttered.

“No,” Robyn said, pushing him up against the wall. She was pressing his entire front to hers now, his shoulder wedged up in her armpit.

“Damnit, Robyn,” Ryker said, fighting her off enough to look back at Lauren.

“…last, but not least, my staunchest ally. The first of my vassals who threw in everything with me when I had nothing at all, Duchess Chas,” Lauren said, indicating the last woman in the line.

As she almost always was, Diane was a beauty on display in a flattering dress that emphasized her hourglass figure. The newest change, of course, was that her hair was cut very short but styled in a way that fit her face almost too well.

Ryker had often thought of her as having won the genetic lottery. Not just in her looks, but in the way she was built in the hips, waist, and chest department, as well as in her demeanor.

Smiling, Diane also presented the crowd with a wave very similar to the way Shirley had greeted them.

“And last but not least, a man you all know. One who asked me not to bring him up here. He pleaded with me, you know,” Lauren said, looking out at the crowd again. There was a low chuckle that seemed to spread throughout.

“Ah fuck,” Ryker said. “Quick, get off me. Lauren’s going to call me up there. I begged her not to do this. She promised me she wouldn’t. Fucking bitch.”

“What? Oh. Oh, alright,” Robyn said, finally releasing Ryker. The big paladin seemed as pleasantly neutral to his words as she usually was. Patting his shoulder, she eased him over to the doorway that led to the balcony.

“…promised him I wouldn’t call him out here. So I’m not going to, because I did promise. But I am going to talk about him,” Lauren said.

“That’s good,” Robyn said, her arms immediately snaking around Ryker from behind, drawing his back up into her chest.

Damnit. I think I’d almost prefer going out on the balcony.

“I swear to shit, Robyn, you need to—”

Robyn leaned her head down and kissed his cheek as her arms tightened around him.

“Hush,” she murmured in his ear and then stood up straight again. She hadn’t released him in the slightest.

Annoyed and frustrated, but unwilling to really push Robyn away, Ryker stood there.

Bothered.

When the hell can this be over?

“…single-handedly crushed both armies’ front lines by himself. It was a display one can’t really explain in words or even begin to attribute a value to,” Lauren said. “Such that both churches fled the field rather than deal with him. You know him as your count, and I know him as my husband, lover, and friend.”

“Ugh, this is awful,” Ryker said, feeling uncomfortable. Shaking his head, he looked away from the balcony. He wanted this over and done with. There was so much else left to do.

“She’ll be done soon. Besides, if she doesn’t honor you, who will? You don’t speak of your own exploits,” Robyn said.

Whatever.

***

Lauren, Adele, Diane, Shirley, and Ryker all sat down at a table laden with everything needed for a royal lunch.

“I must say,” Lauren said, leaning forward over her plate to eye everything laid out in front of her. “It’s so… nice… to be able to eat all these comfort foods. I had no idea you could get them here.”

“He can’t,” Adele said as she immediately started to load her plate up. “He has all this created specifically for us.”

Ryker grimaced at that statement. He thought he’d been rather sneaky about the whole thing. Diane and Shirley had never said anything about it before.

“Yes,” Diane said, daintily setting what looked like fruit and cheese on her plate. “If you look closely and consider some of things here, some are so out of season, let alone availability, that the abnormality is painfully obvious.”

Shirley’s eyebrows came down as she looked at the other two women. Her eyes were sharp, and it looked like she wanted to fight both of them.

“I’m not complaining,” Diane continued, looking up and smiling at Ryker. “I’m flattered that he goes to such lengths to show his care. I might be a hint jealous, though. There’s an entire section of the table near Shirley that looks like it came out of the fields around her home.”

“Anyways,” Ryker said angrily. “We should probably talk about something useful. Like dealing with the little problem of getting back the throne for Queen Valley over there.”

“Valley?” Diane asked softly, looking at Adele.

“Dale. Valley. He’s trying to be funny,” said the swordswoman back to Diane.

“That’s rather true, isn’t it?” Lauren said at the same time. “I suppose it’s as good a time as any to discuss our strategy.

“Should we ask the queen of the Fairies and Imps to join us? It would be inappropriate without her, wouldn’t it?”

Hah.

“Hush. She still doesn’t understand what the dungeon truly means,” Marybelle said in his mind. “Besides, they get along so well. Let Wynne have her fun for the time being. No harm is being done.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ryker sent back to the Hobgoblin. “You start working on that stuff I asked about? Moving the whole Death Dungeon underground?”

“I have. It’ll take some time and effort on both our parts, but we can certainly do it. I take it the time of the Death Dungeon is at an end?” Marybelle asked.

“For the time being,” Ryker said. “No sense in getting rid of it, though.”

“…right here,” Wynne said, pulling up a chair directly next to Ryker’s.

She was the single biggest Fairy in existence. Wynne topped out at five foot four now. She was wearing a dress that matched Lauren’s but emphasized her impressive assets. Her wings fluttered lightly behind her as she turned her head to Lauren with a smile.

Her black hair was drawn back in a single ponytail, and her dark eyes looked eager. Happy.

She’s delighted that she’s being included as an equal.

“Yes, she is. She’s rather enamored with Lauren,” Marybelle said.

“Great,” Lauren said with a smile. She looked around the room, making eye contact with each person. “The first order of business is to discuss what we have available as resources.”

“Anything Dungeon has, I guess,” Ryker said with a shrug.

“Yes, but what is that? How much does it account for and how much can we use?” Lauren asked.

Those are all… relevant questions.

“I can put all that together for you, dear. For the time being, just tell her we can easily field an army equal in size to twenty-five thousand with a refill rate of two thousand soldiers per day,” Marybelle offered.

“No. Join us and tell her yourself. Or send Benni, since she’s apparently my secretary now,” Ryker growled back.

“We can get the hard numbers for you later,” Wynne said. “For now, we could easily field an army equal to twenty-five thousand soldiers. Reinforcements of two thousand every day from the numbers lost.”

“That’s… and you can sustain that? Indefinitely?” Lauren asked, staring unbelievingly at Wynne.

“Yes, but it’s only within the vicinity of the dungeon and those who have declared war on the dungeon. Both churches have done so, so they’re valid targets,” Wynne said.

Ryker cleared his throat and held up a hand.

“This is where my previous thought and plan comes in. If we turn the entirety of the Queensland into a dungeon, all one big massive dungeon, then that limit is… everywhere that would matter,” Ryker said.

Wynne nodded once at that.

“And as I previously said, I’d have no interest in anything other than Dungeon, the Fairies, and the Imps,” Wynne said. “We definitely have the means to carpet most of the Queensland today with cores.”

“Most?” Adele asked around a mouthful of cheese.

“Most,” Wynne said with a small nod and a sigh. “We could cover perhaps… eighty percent of all of Dale today. We’ll need more cores. It’s likely we’ll find more as we go, and we could buy them from merchants who come to Dungeon, but that’s not something I’d really want to bet on.”

“No… that’s not something I’d want to wager on either,” Diane said.

“So… we just roll out the cores to the eighty percent that matters,” Shirley said with a shrug. “Skip over areas with no value and take everything that matters. It’s not as if an army is going to do us much harm hiding out in a forest. The moment they leave it, we’d know anyways, right?”

“We would,” Wynne agreed.

“Then there we go,” Shirley said, looking at Lauren.

“It definitely solves the problem and provides us with a workable solution,” Lauren said. “Although I’m not exactly keen on the idea of leaving armies around in our back line, or in the woods.”

Neither am I, but… this seems like the best solution for the time. At least I think so.

“So we just look at a map and figure out which eighty percent of Dale we want right now. Then we take those parts and push them into one part. Then we hold until we get more cores,” Adele said, then coughed as she inhaled something. She’d been talking and chewing at the same time again.

Hitting her own chest twice, she coughed again, and a half-chewed clump of cheese splattered onto her plate.

“Shit,” she said, then took a drink from her cup.

“Yes,” Lauren said, looking away from Adele with a frown on her face. “I suppose that’s the best option then, with the best usage available to us.”

Ryker couldn’t help but start to laugh. He’d always been the one with the worst table manners, and he’d been badgered by almost everyone until he ate like a civilized person.

Only for a princess to make his manners look saintly in comparison.

“What?” Adele asked, already chewing another massive mouthful of food.

“Nothing,” Diane said, and she patted Adele on the shoulder. “Should we put this on hold until we can reconvene with a map of the Queensland in front of us?”

“What?” Adele asked again, her tone getting louder. “We’re all family here. It’s not as if we won’t see each other till we die of old age. Why do I have to have manners? Stupid prissy-puss bitches.”

Lauren opened her mouth, then closed it. She shrugged her shoulders, and her posture immediately fell apart. Picking up a handful of grapes, she stuffed them in her mouth and started chewing in a much less dignified manner than previously.

“Yeah, let’s do that,” she said, taking Adele’s approach to heart.

It wasn’t as if the princess was wrong.

Chapter 2 - Sick Out -

Everyone moved out of the dining room and began making their way to an adjacent study.

Benni had been busy this entire time getting everything together for Lauren and her map meeting. She took her role as Ryker’s secretary quite seriously. That included making sure materials were available for whatever meetings he would be in.

Ryker really didn’t care one way or the other how it played out at this point. He was the count of Dungeon, a wizard, and not a whole lot else. He wasn’t a tactician, a strategist, or a planner.

He generally just made things explode or catch fire.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he trailed along at the end of the procession.

Heavy footfalls padded along next to him, heralding the ever-present guard known as Meino.

Since he’d returned, she’d mostly been back to normal. There were, however, a few odd quirks in her routine that he couldn’t quite place.

Like that fact that she hadn’t tried to groom him. Not even once.

It was mildly disconcerting, and he felt like something was terribly wrong. But in the same breath, he wasn’t going to complain about it stopping. It’d been rather awkward dealing with Meino.

She was a Minotaur, after all. There was a lot of “not human” to be said for her race. Ryker couldn’t deny she was a sentient person, but she also had… fur.

Glancing over to his side, he found Meino pacing alongside to him.

The big Minotaur’s pale blue eyes turned his way. Then she gave him her approximation of a smile.

He knew she was desperately in love with him. And it was flattering.

She’s a big-ass Minotaur, though!

Ryker smiled back at the giant, furry non-humanoid and looked ahead again.

“Ryker.”

Looking to his right towards the voice, he found Benni had appeared there. In such a short period, she’d already proven herself a much better assistant to him than Arria had been.

Didn’t hurt that she was a very attractive Orc and put together in an appealing way. Really seemed to hit his strike zone dead on.

“Benni,” Ryker said.

“Everything is laid out as Marybelle instructed me to have it. All of it,” said the Orc.

“Oh? How’d you manage to get all the Imps to make Elven avatars? Let alone all the requirements on their body sizes?” Ryker asked as straight as he could. “And get the handkerchiefs together for them to make their tops out of?”

Benni stared at him, blinked slowly, and then coughed once into her hand.

“No Elven avatars, I’m afraid. Though there’s an Orc and a Minotaur I think could do their best in a pinch,” Benni offered.

“Huh. You’re no fun,” Ryker said, then looked ahead. “Though I do think I need to have you run some messages to the rest of the Fairies and Imps. This is going to be a rather ugly little war with the churches. It might be a good time to open the floor and hear some opinions.”

“Really?” Benni asked, sounding surprised. “What’d Wynne say?”

“Dunno, didn’t ask her,” Ryker said with a shrug.

“She’s nervous that you’re trying to make her run afoul of Wynne so she can’t keep trying to bed you,” Marybelle supplied.

“Ah. Thanks, Hobbykins. Hugs and kisses—get the fuck out of my head,” Ryker said.

“Dear, I think we’re well beyond that. And if you think putting a massive amount of dirty thoughts into our shared space will deter me, it won’t. It isn’t as if we haven’t tried most of those things out already.

“Anyways, that’s why she sounds concerned,” Marybelle said, effectively neutering his threat before he could say it. He’d tried it once, and Marybelle hadn’t responded.

“And really, Hobbykins? Get a real pet name or I’ll find something embarrassing and use it in front of the humans,” Marybelle said, her voice in his mind sounding beyond amused.

“Gonna fuck her inside out,” Ryker growled.

“You’re going to what me?” Benni asked, her voice going up an octave.

“Not you,” Ryker said, looking at the Orc.

“Me then?” Meino asked. Her tone sounded hopeful.

“Oh my shit,” Ryker said, pressing his hands to the sides of his head. “Look, just… ask Wynne what she thinks. She’ll probably agree. Tell her I told you to do it. Go. Do it now.”

Benni nodded and winked out of existence.

“It’s because I’m a Minotaur,” Meino said.

“What? That I won’t have sex with you?” Ryker asked.

“Yes,” Meino said.

“This… it really isn’t the time and place for this, is it?” Ryker asked her, trying to get away from this subject as fast as possible. Meino was a weird spot for him. And kissing her the other day hadn’t helped at all.

“Can we talk about it later then? You’ve been avoiding me,” Meino said.

To a degree, he had been avoiding her. He’d regretted encouraging her when he knew he wasn’t quite interested in her the same way she was in him.

“Alright,” Ryker said. “We can talk about it later.”

Meino nodded, without her gaze ever leaving those in front of them. She was always on guard when it came to Ryker.

In her duties, none were better than Meino.

As he walked into a wide, open room, Ryker was confused. This was an entirely new room to him.

Then again, he hadn’t quite learned the layout of the palace he’d built for Lauren with Dungeon resources. He’d just thrown everything together in the pattern Marybelle had specified for him. There hadn’t been much more thought put into it than that.

Laid out in the center of the room was a large table. Pinned to that table was a large map of the entirety of Dale. From the walls of Dungeon to the shores in the northwest, it covered everything.

“Impressive,” Lauren said, walking up to the center of the map.

“Yes. Having the dungeon on our side gives us much more of an advantage than anyone would ever think,” Diane said, shaking her head as she stepped up next to Lauren.

“You ok?” Shirley asked as she stepped in next to Ryker.

She’d caught him off guard, practically materializing in his pocket.

“Yeah. I’m alright,” Ryker said, and he gave her a genuine smile.

“You sure? Not in pain? Nothing lingering?” Shirley asked, stepping in closer to him. Close enough that it would have made him uncomfortable if it were anyone else.

But after casting magic with her so often, standing practically in a hug for long stretches of time, his personal boundaries were long gone when it came to her.

“Nah, nothing wrong. I’m just… grouchy, I guess,” Ryker said. Genuinely, he did feel somewhat grouchy.

There were too many people around him at all times now. Too many things to do and not enough time to get it all done.

Not to mention he felt somewhat directionless.

“Awww, my gloomy little footstool,” Shirley said, pushing Ryker out of the room and back into the hallway they’d just come from. She eased him up to the wall, just out of sight of everyone else. “Are you lacking in conviction again? Your goal was satisfied, and now you need a new crusade?”

Ryker blinked, staring down into his mage-partner’s eyes.

She’s right. That’s… exactly what it is.

Again.

“Yeah,” Ryker mumbled. “Sorry.”

Shirley smiled up at him and patted his shoulder.

“It’s ok. That’s why I have to take care of my footstool. You need a Shirley session. With all these noble ladies fussing over you all the time, Imps bowing to the very ground in worship of you, and Fairies who drop their drawers and bend over when you come near, you just don’t know what to do,” Shirley said. Sighing, she shook her head and peered up at him. “We could still run away, you know. Just you and me. I’d take really good care of you. Promise to only put my bare feet on you, never boots.

“Well, maybe boots, if you’re especially good.”

Choking for a second on his own mirth, Ryker closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. Laughing softly, he laid his arms around Shirley’s shoulders and drew her in close to him.

“Shirley… don’t ever leave me. You seem to be the only one who can poke right through to the middle of me,” Ryker said.

“I thought it was you who poked into the middle of me,” Shirley grumbled, shifting around until she got comfortable against him.

“Hah. Guess so. And yeah, you’re… completely right. I guess I need to find my goal again. My conviction,” Ryker said.

“Well, that’s actually easy this time. Put Lauren back on the throne. Then send her, Adele, and Diane back to the capital. You and I can stay here and play house. I’ll be the countess and you the footstool,” Shirley said.

“Right. That’s… right. Absolutely right,” Ryker said, nodding his head.

“Good. Now come on, let’s leave,” Shirley said. “Let’s go play with magic in the dungeon, and when we hit the fun part of casting in a mage-marriage, we take a break in your bedroom and then go play with some more magic.”

Ryker thought about it.

Thought really hard about it.

He didn’t need to be here, did he? They could handle it without him. They were all grown women who could make choices and decisions without him.

He would only stand there and be mopey about the whole thing anyways.

“Marybelle…? Hobbykins? Babygirl? What… what do you think?”

There was no response to his thought.

Racking his brain, he tried to think up some cutesy pet name he thought Marybelle would like. One he’d never say in front of anyone.

“Uhm, Baby-Belle?” Ryker tried.

“Oh. I don’t mind that one. That’s actually rather cute,” Marybelle said. “In fact, I like it. As to your thought, dear. Yes, they’ll be fine without you. I have Benni on standby in the corner. She’ll take notes, and I can feed it back into your memories later. You won’t even notice.”

“Oooh. Thank you, Baby-Belle. You’re the best house-brain-wife ever,” Ryker said. “Though… how is it you’re so easily able to communicate with Benni? I didn’t hear anything in the dungeon sense.”

“We’ll talk about that later, when you visit me in my room tonight and we work on the dungeon,” Marybelle said. That didn’t sound like it’d be a great conversation, but there was also always the promise of other things.

“Let’s go,” Ryker said as he grabbed Shirley by the hand and ran off down the hall with her.

***

Standing in front of the door to Marybelle’s home, Ryker felt strange. He’d spent the last eight hours literally running around with Shirley.

There weren’t any soldiers nearby to hunt with avatars, so they’d taken to simply going through part of the dungeon tower by themselves in avatar form, with their bodies lying next to one another in Shirley’s room.

Grimacing, Ryker ran a hand through his hair. It still felt faintly damp.

Damn. I knew I should have bathed or something after we finished up.

“Why? It’s not like I wasn’t aware of it as it happened,” Marybelle said. Then the door opened.

Standing in the doorway was a busty and beautiful Hobgoblin. Minus almost everything that made her non-human. It really only showed in her cheeks, nose, and elongated ears.

She’d bound up her curly brown hair in the blue ribbons that were rapidly becoming her trademark. Her black eyes watched him, full of mirth, matching her wide smile.

“It’s really not fair to have you riding shotgun all day, every day. I can’t keep a single secret from you,” Ryker groused.

“I suppose not. But I’m just your happy little mindwife. I do love seeing how often you think nasty things about me.” Marybelle bared her teeth at him in a fierce grin. “I mean, goodness, dear. I knew you liked how I looked, but there must be a limit.”

Marybelle stepped to one side and gestured into her home.

“Come on in,” she said. “I already prepared a nice little late dinner for us, since everyone else has already retired for the evening or is in the process of doing so.”

“Thanks,” Ryker said as he walked into her home. He didn’t know what to say to everything she’d said. Half of it was a bit unnerving to respond to. So he went with something he knew she’d probably like. “I appreciate the attention, Baby-Belle.”

“Oooh, I like the sound of it in person even more,” Marybelle said as the door closed. “I know it makes you cringe saying it, too. All the more reason I love it, because you’re saying it for me.”

The Hobgoblin swept Ryker up, slipping her arm through his and escorting him into her dining room.

“Come, come. Let’s discuss the Death Dungeon, Benni, and my Fairy avatar while we eat,” she said, patting his arm.

“Right. Any, uh… any particular order you want that in?” Ryker asked, letting her lead him.

“In the order I stated, actually,” Marybelle said as she sat Ryker down in a chair. “Though I think a few of those topics will be rather simple.”

Sitting down directly on his left, Marybelle began to immediately put food onto his plate. She’d somehow managed to pan-sear a steak, properly make sliced and fried potatoes, and add a small berry salad as well.

“I’ve been practicing,” she said, picking his stray thought out of his mind. “You seem to focus on food often enough that I thought it worth putting some time into.

“Now, the dungeon. To be more specific, the Death Dungeon, as you call it.”

“Yes?” Ryker asked. He’d asked her preliminarily to consider what it would take to drop the whole thing down deep into the ground. And whether it would be better to simply destroy the whole thing.

“I set up all the appropriate spells to bury it. Submerge it straight into the earth as it is. That way we can always recall it if we have a need for it,” Marybelle said, dishing up her own meal now. “It wouldn’t even cost any mana to leave it vacant like that. Only the initial spawn would take mana.”

“Oh,” Ryker said. Picking up his knife and fork, he started to cut into the steak. “That makes it rather easy then, doesn’t it?”

When he took a bite, he was surprised to find it wasn’t just cooked well. It tasted good. Marybelle hadn’t just been putting time into learning mortal cooking here and there. This felt more like she’d been dedicating hours and hours to it.

“This is amazing,” Ryker said honestly, looking at Marybelle.

“Thank you, dear. As your mindwife, I do have to try,” said the Hob, pointing her fork at him after taking her food from it. She winked at him as she chewed with a smile.

“Mindwife… so… that’s your version of housewife then?” Ryker asked. Then he shook his head. “Never mind. Ok, bury the dungeon. Drop it straight down into the earth, and we’ll deal with it later if we ever need it back again.”

Marybelle nodded her head once and waved a single finger at him.

There was a thump in the dungeon sense, and the Death Dungeon appeared at the edge of the dungeon core’s control. Deep in the earth below them.

“All done,” Marybelle said, dabbing at her mouth with her napkin. “You know, I’ve often wondered if it would be easier if I shrank my canines down to a smaller size. Like a human’s. What do you think?”

Marybelle leaned toward him and opened her mouth, displaying her slightly larger-than-normal canines at him.

“I mean… I kinda like that you’re not completely human… but do whatever is most comfortable for you,” Ryker said.

After closing her mouth, Marybelle thought for a second and then shrugged.

“Next is Benni,” she said, picking up a chunk of potato and slipping it into her mouth.

“Yeah. What’s up with her? And how she seems to be just… there. You seem to be able to reach out to her without needing the dungeon sense or anything,” Ryker said. It wasn’t really a question. He’d already seen that there was something not quite right with Benni.

“When you blew her up with that spell, you used part of your soul,” Marybelle said, holding her hand up in front of her mouth. She wasn’t willing to go as far as Adele, apparently, but she was at least willing to talk with her mouth partially full. “Right?”

“Yeah. It’s how I fueled the spell through the dungeon sense. The normal spell frames didn’t have enough power to manifest correctly,” Ryker said.

“Oh? Oh! I didn’t even think of that. I suppose you could indeed do it that way. Though the idea of tearing pieces of my soul out to fuel a spell seems a bit… painful to me,” Marybelle said.

“It is. I mean, how could it not be?” Ryker said after swallowing a massive chunk of steak. “But it’s what I had to do. I couldn’t… let what was going to happen… happen.”

“Yes, I’m aware. I talked to Benni about it,” Marybelle said, then looked thoughtful. “Strangely enough, I couldn’t access any of your memories of your trip here. From the point when you landed there till you crossed the threshold of Dungeon is a blank space to me. So the soul-spell component makes more sense now.”

“Ok, and? How does this relate to Benni?” Ryker asked.

“You literally impaled her soul with a fragment of your own. It wasn’t as if she was truly in that body. It was an avatar,” Marybelle said. “When you put her back into her core, she took that fragment of you with her. She didn’t have much of a choice. It had cut right into her.

“There is a small piece inside her that will forever and always be a chunk of Ryker. Angry at what was about to happen to her and spending his own soul to stop it.”

“Oh. Oh… I see. Ok. So… so I just need to go into her and pull it out?” Ryker asked. He didn’t like the way the conversation was going, and he really didn’t like the idea of Benni having part of him running around in her soul.

He had a hard enough time with Robyn blending their souls every morning and evening.

“Not something you can fix anymore. Besides, Benni likes it,” Marybelle said as she waved her fork at Ryker. “Let’s her understand your emotions if she’s close enough, although she can’t hear your thoughts. It’ll make her a great personal assistant to you. She’s extremely empathic when it comes to you.”

“Ugh,” Ryker said, pressing his hand to his temple. “Whatever. It was worth it if that was the price to pay for her not being gang-raped. Fucking Vicar. Wish I could kill him again.”

“Not that I’d blame you for doing it, but I’m not sure bringing someone back from the dead is the best answer in this case,” Marybelle said.

“No. Didn’t work out for my dad,” Ryker said with a chuckle. It felt strange to him, though. There was a strange shrieking emotion in him at the thought that he’d fought his father—who’d already been dead—to the death.

And then cut off his head.

“You do realize we didn’t find anyone on the battlefield like what you described,” Marybelle said. “At all. There was no trace.”

“None?” Ryker asked, suddenly feeling like he’d fucked up.

Should have taken his damn head with me.

“Nothing. Though there’s no denying what happened. We all saw the spell duel,” Marybelle said.

“Mm. Right,” Ryker said. “Alright. Last but not least, your Fairy avatar.”

“Oh! Yes. That’s the reason I wanted you to come over tonight, really,” Marybelle said, smiling at him. “I want you to have sex with my Fairy body, after all. I’m going to see if I feel anything from it while you do that. If I do, I’m going to consider switching back and forth more regularly. If I don’t, I’m going to bury it with everyone else’s bodies. Take the steps everyone else has.”

Oooookay. That’s… kinda frigging weird. But if it makes her happy, I guess.

“It would, yes. Thank you, dear. I appreciate it,” Marybelle said, smiling at him.

Right. No privacy with you. Is there?

“Not really,” Marybelle admitted.

And if I thought a really horrible thing? Like I wanted to push you down into Wynne’s privates and ravage you from behind?

“I’d tell you I’m more likely to agree to that than Wynne is, but you’re welcome to ask her. Now, let’s talk about your outing with Shirley. That really perked up your spirits,” Marybelle said.

Chapter 3 - Makeup Work -

Ryker was looking down at the map everyone had been working on the previous day.

He’d ended up just sleeping in Marybelle’s bed after they’d fooled around. Coming from there, he’d wound up here.

He was now trying to figure out what they’d decided and planned. He’d specifically declined Marybelle’s offer to implant memories from Benni into his own mind.

That felt like a path he didn’t want to tread.

I mean, this is my penance, right? I need to figure it out.

I gave up having any input in the plan the moment I decided to run off with Shirley.

Frowning, Ryker stared at the map. There were wooden tokens laid throughout a good portion of it. Small, coinlike tokens placed at almost even intervals.

An additional four tokens looked like a vague humanoid shape.

Slowly, what he was looking at began to make more sense.

It was the end state of their plan for the time being. Except it didn’t look like they were going for the entirety of the Queensland as of yet.

They were planning on taking everything halfway to Queensrest, and no further.

“What questions do you have?”

Lifting his head up, Ryker looked over his shoulder and found Lauren standing there. She was wearing a white sundress that looked incredibly comfortable. It was also rather flattering on her. She seemed to be dressed for her own comfort alone.

“First question—you wearing anything under that dress?” Ryker asked, smiling at her.

Lauren’s eyebrows went up, and she took in a short breath. Then let it out with a smile.

“Maybe I’ll let you find out later,” she said, walking over to him. “Honestly though, hon. Questions?”

“A couple,” Ryker said as he looked back at the map. “Looks like you’re planning your first phase of this. Taking over half the Queensland up to this point.”

Ryker pointed to where it seemed the circular tokens stopped.

“That about right, sweetie?” he asked.

“Mmhmm. By the way, I like you calling me that,” Lauren said, stepping up next to him. “Phase one is a good way to put it. This point right here is where Dale seems to be cut in half by the churches.”

Nodding his head, Ryker suddenly got it.

“You’re going to carve them away from one another. Attack the one outside the capital first. Separate them, single out their armies, and then start to grind them down,” he said.

“That’s more or less it, yes,” Lauren said. She reached over the table and indicated the token he assumed was the light church’s main army. “This is the main army, from what ah… Charlotte, yes. From what Charlotte could tell me, this is their main army. There’s a second much smaller army over here.”

Lauren’s hand drifted closer to the wall and indicated a much smaller token Ryker had missed.

Leaning in, he laid his hand on Lauren’s rear end and looked at where she was pointing.

“I see,” he said. He suspected that was also where Claire was holding out. It matched the position where they’d moved near the wall as well. “Alright. I’m following so far.”

Lauren sighed and shook her head.

“Hon, I do love your attention, truly I do, but I don’t think this is a good spot for that. We’re not alone in the woods anymore,” she said, giving him a warm smile. “If Adele were to walk in, it’d harm her.”

Ryker let out a short breath and let his hand fall away from Lauren. “Thank you. I do love her, and I don’t want to hurt her. Hard to not want to touch you is all.”

“Then just touch me, idiot—you don’t have to grab my butt.” Lauren took a step closer to him and put her shoulder into his chest. “Stupid asshole.”

Chuckling, Ryker motioned with his right hand to the map. It did something for him, listening to her curse. “I definitely am at that. Well, sweetie? What else then?”

“First part of phase one is planting the cores,” Lauren said. “All those lovely circles. The queen of dungeon has been infinitely patient with me, explaining at length the limitations and what we could do with them.”

“Wynne’s pretty awesome, yeah,” Ryker admitted.

“She’s more than awesome. I’m glad to have her in our marriage,” Lauren said. “Now, to have all these planted, I’m thinking a small expeditionary force. At the same time, we’ll do what we can to hamper the church where they’re building their fortifications.”

“That’d… make sense, yeah,” Ryker said. He was suddenly thankful he’d missed the entirety of the strategy meeting. It wasn’t something he felt like he could add to, and he’d just have been… whiny.

Really… really need to thank Shirley for stealing me away.

“I promised everyone I’d talk to you about the plan and figure out how to use you,” Lauren said. She prodded him in the gut with her index finger. “And don’t respond with something flirty. I need you to be serious.”

“Fine. Whatever. Uh… what do you want me to do, Lauren? I mean… my… conviction”—Ryker grinned as he said the word—“is to see your ass back on your throne. I’ll do what you need me to do to make that happen.”

Lauren sighed, and her head sank. Slowly, her chin dipped down until it rested on her chest.

“I was hoping you’d tell me what to do with you. That way I wouldn’t have to send you into danger and could warn you instead,” Lauren muttered.

“Oh, uh, ok. Send me with the expeditionary force. I’ll take Robyn, Shirley, Charlotte, and Tris,” Ryker said immediately. “That should be more than enough force to handle anything we encounter. Adele should be able to look after Al while I’m away, I imagine.”

Lauren lifted her head up and smiled at him.

“Alright… just… remember to be safe,” she murmured.

“Of course. Can’t let you raise our kid without me, after all,” Ryker said with a shrug of his shoulders, setting his hand on Lauren’s back.

“Uhm, what?” asked the queen.

“You’re pregnant. Surprise,” Ryker said with a grin. “Either I have super seed or you’re just that fertile. Feel free to ask Marybelle or Wynne if you want; they’ll confirm it.

Lauren nodded, looking confused and bewildered. Then she started shaking her head.

“I am?” she asked, a strange giggle bubbling up as she spoke.

“Yeah. You are. Like I said, I need to make sure I get back to you,” Ryker said. “Though, it’s kinda nice I got to tell you first. And in private, no less.”

Laughing, Lauren bounced in place and then kissed him. She hugged him tight enough to actually squeeze the breath out of him.

Releasing him, she shook her head with a grin.

“I have to tell Diane,” she said, wiping at her eyes even as they teared up. “You go get your team together. You’ll probably need to leave tomorrow.”

After pausing to kiss him again, Lauren rushed off, practically running away from the room.

“I still wanna know about the dress later,” Ryker called after her. “Pregnant or not.”

Lauren flipped the rear of her dress up at him as she ran away.

Oh. Nothing underneath.

What fun.

“Why aren’t I coming with you?” Marybelle asked. She sounded normal in his head, but he’d also seen her break down in tears after he finished inside of her “Fairy avatar” the night previous.

In the end, she’d felt nothing from it. On any level.

When she’d regained control over herself and the tears had dried up, she’d made her decision quickly.

She’d cleaned her Fairy body up of Ryker’s attention, put it back into its box, and then had the ground open up beneath it to take it down into the depths. With the rest of the Fairy and Imp bodies.

“Because I need you here, my mindwife,” Ryker said as gently as he could. “I need someone here I can relay information to and work out what we’re doing. Traveling through the dungeon space is nowhere near as fast as our own personal bond.”

“I don’t like it,” Marybelle said.

“I know, Baby-Belle, but it’s what I need. For me?”

“Okay. Only for you, dear. Also… you’re going to have to take Meino, and you still owe her that conversation.

“Just be honest with her. If you’re not really interested in her, tell her that. It’s not like you can help what you are and aren’t attracted to. It’s just… how it is.”

Shit.

Fuck.

Shitfuck.

***

Meino walked into Ryker’s throne room.

He’d been waiting for her. Before he did anything else or spoke to anyone about what was happening, he owed her this conversation.

Owed it to her more than anything else he had planned on his calendar.

“Hey, Meino,” Ryker said, lifting a hand in greeting.

Meino frowned severely, looking at him.

“You’re going to tell me I should stop trying to become like Shirley or Adele,” she said.

The truth of the matter was, she was right.

He’d decided in the end that while he was attracted to Meino, he also wasn’t. It was a strange thing to look at a Minotaur and wonder how sex would be with such a thing.

She wasn’t human.

She didn’t even vaguely resemble a human.

On top of that, he already had more women in his life than he could handle.

In her pale blue eyes, he saw nothing but infinite hurt. Hurt, despair, and rejection.

For someone so non-human, she was very… human.

“Meino. I have… a lot… of women in my life,” Ryker said.

Turning her head to one side, Meino didn’t respond. She just looked at him, clearly unsure of what to say.

“Yes… you do. Nine, if you include Robyn,” Meino said.

“Ugh. I have more women than days in the week,” Ryker groaned, pressing his hands to the sides of his head. “How the fuck did that even happen?”

“Your almost insatiable appetite for women. You often eye Fairies and Imps, despite your clearly overloaded marriage certificate,” Meino said, her mouth slowly curling up into a smirk. “Adele made a bet with Shirley the other day that you’d eventually bed Benni.”

“Fuck me—am I that awful?” Ryker asked.

“I’d like to do that. And yes, you’re that awful,” Meino said deadpan. “It’s a very good thing all your women understand you and love you. Although some take it much harder than others that you’re not only with them.”

Grimacing, Ryker moved his right hand from his temple to the back of his neck and began rubbing at it. He covered his eyes with his left hand.

“Shirley… Adele, and… Tris?” Ryker asked.

“Yes. Adele most especially,” Meino said. “She’s doing very well with it now. She doesn’t cry at night by herself anymore. It seems she’s been adjusting since she came back with Lauren and Diane.”

“I’m a fucking monster,” Ryker said, shaking his head.

“No. You’re not. Not really, at least. You’ve seemed to firmly put the brakes on trying to bed anyone else. Despite multiple opportunities. There’s no shortage of Fairies and Imps trying to seduce you, after all,” Meino said.

“Shirley is a good example of me failing,” Ryker muttered.

“Not really. You were already wed to her on paper, and Lauren expected you to bed her,” Meino said.

“She said that to me, but… Wait, how’d you know?”

“I talk to all your wives. They talk to me about you, ask questions, try to figure you out. I spend all my time with you,” Meino said. “If I don’t know you, who would?”

The creepy Hob who lives in my brain. Like a ghost.

“Love you, too, dear,” Marybelle said. “Adele only cried a few times. A lot of her problem was the alcohol dependence. She was an alcoholic, in truth.

“She’s still recovering, but she hasn’t had a drop to drink since she poured out her canteen in front of you.”

“And Tris?” Ryker sent directly to her.

“She’s just young. It’s a much keener and sharper emotion for her, as her experience in the world is so limited,” Marybelle said.

“Alright,” Ryker said, letting his hands drop back down to his knees. He felt like scum of the earth, yet he couldn’t imagine not doing what he had. “You wanted to talk. Let’s hear it. I assume you have something to say, or… a topic… Something?”

“I want to try being in a relationship with you,” Meino said.

Ryker nodded, unsurprised.

“I was kind of expecting that,” he muttered.

“I’m not very subtle,” Meino admitted. “I talked to Shirley, Lauren, Adele, and Diane about it.”

“Uh huh,” Ryker said, pressing his hand to his brow. “And what’d they all say?”

“Adele was upset. Told me to bug Lauren,” Meino said.

Yeah. No surprise, from what I just found out.

“Lauren told me I’d need to get everyone else on board first. Diane said it was fine. And Shirley told me I was better off going for someone else,” Meino said.

“Uh huh. So… they’re saying no,” Ryker said, lifting his head up.

“They did, but that was to me sleeping with you. None of them had a problem with me trying out a relationship with you, or grooming you,” Meino said.

“Right. So… you’re going to start grooming me again and see about getting me comfortable with the idea of you becoming more than what you are to me,” Ryker said, letting his gaze hit the floor again.

He really didn’t like what he was about to do to her.

“Yes,” Meino said, nodding her head sharply. “By the time they realize my grooming sessions with you are more than they think, I’ll have already gotten you to realize I’m just like they are.

“With you backing me, it’ll be that much harder for them to say no.”

Taking in a breath, Ryker shook his head and let it out.

I can’t do it.

“Fine,” Ryker said, throwing a hand up in defeat. “If they all agreed to that part of it, then I will too. I’m telling you up front, right here and now—I’m not quite into this, Meino. It’s hard to see you as anything other than not human.”

“I know. It’s why I did this,” Meino said.

Looking up at Meino again, Ryker was shocked.

The face he’d known for so long as Meino’s was gone, and a far more human face was looking back at him. The muzzle and small angular nose were gone. The fur that covered most of her body had vanished as well.

The features were still Meino, in a way. Her cheeks were narrower, but still high and sharp. Her was jaw firm, but no longer so shallow. Her forehead had gained a significant addition, making her head very human.

She wasn’t bad looking. She was actually kinda cute.

The neighbor girl you saw too much of kind of cute.

Nothing else about her changed, though. She was still big in every way. Her large black horns still came up out of the top of her head.

Her hair was unchanged, with its signature mohawk stripe longer than the sides, and her long ears hung out low on each side of her head.

“Do you like it?” she asked. Her voice hadn’t changed, but her pronunciation had.

He’d never even considered changing her pattern. He’d just seen her as any other person. A living being.

She wasn’t, though. She’d been created in the dungeon, with mana and complex patterns. She had modified herself extensively. Not only had he not considered it, he hadn’t even considered how he would do it.

Peeking into the dungeon sense, Ryker looked into her pattern.

Everything he’d built around her was there, but now there was a massive second layer around her. Full of swooping and looping curves and circles.

Shirley. Shirley modified Meino well above and beyond what I had done.

And she made her absolutely… frightening. Meino is… a shapeshifter now?

She can modify her own pattern at will, so long as she has the strength of soul to do it.

Impressed by the scope of the work, and grinning, Ryker looked back at Meino’s new face.

“Shirley put a lot of time into you,” Ryker said.

“Yes… I owe her considerably,” Meino said, sheepishly looking down. The gesture in its shyness made her look all the cuter. She looked back up at Ryker and gave him a smile, her wide, square, flat teeth quite prominent. “Wanna touch my chest again? They’re a little bigger now without the fur.”

“Uuuh… maybe later. I need to hold a meeting soon. We’re going to become an expeditionary force and head out into the Queensland,” Ryker said. “We’re going to be in charge of planting cores throughout the countryside. So the dungeon can grow and expand throughout Dale.”

“Mm, sounds dangerous. I’m going?” Meino asked.

“Yeah. I already planned on taking you. You, me, Robyn, Shirley, Charlotte, and Tris,” Ryker said.

“That’s a very strong force to take. You’ll be carrying Robyn, Charlotte, and Tris’s cores with us?” Meino asked.

“Yup.”

“I’ll carry them then. We’ll put them in my pack,” Meino said. There appeared to be no room for argument in that.

“Okay then. If you insist,” Ryker said.

“Will you be sleeping with Shirley, Tris, and Charlotte on the trip?” Meino asked.

“I… don’t know? I mean… err… maybe? That’s a weird question, I guess,” Ryker said.

“Bring tents. I can groom you in them, and you can sleep alone if you wish or invite someone in,” Meino said. “I can also stand guard and repel anyone who tries to enter without your permission.

“Like the paladin.”

Ryker blinked at that, then started to nod his head again.

Robyn would make a move, wouldn’t she?

“I’ll go prepare,” Meino said. “Is there anything else I should bring?”

Ryker shrugged his shoulders, not really sure how to respond to that. He’d just throw together his adventurer’s pack and that’d be that.

“You have… no idea what to bring at all, do you?” Meino said, her eyebrows drawing down low over her pale blue eyes. Then she sniffed the air twice. “Your women are drawing near. I’ll speak with Adele and Marybelle about this.”

Shaking her head, Meino started walking toward her alcove in the rear of the room. Only she could enter and exit from it, and she’d also taken to using it as a means to get around after having added tunnels throughout the city.

There was a clack from the far side of the hall, and the doors swung open.

In marched Robyn, Shirley, Tris, and Charlotte. He’d sent a message for them all to please come and join him here.

Tris and Charlotte looked particularly pleased. When he thought about it, he understood why fairly quickly.

He hadn’t spent much time with them at all in the last six months.

Tris was, of course, the same as ever.

The stoic, beautiful Elven maiden. The picturesque alien beauty that Elves often were. Light skin, lovely green eyes, and short white hair, all wrapped up in a personality as straightforward as the longsword always on her hip.

Next to her was Charlotte, Ryker’s personal assassin.

Her midnight-black hair was pulled back with a tie, her pale skin making it seem all the darker. There were times when her hair, skin color, and eyes the color of pitch made her look like a piece of paper with burnt holes in it.

Then again, she was also almost up to Marybelle’s body type, and she had a lot of athleticism on top of that.

Smiling, Ryker stood up.

“Hello! I’ve got an offer for you all that I think you’ll take me up on,” he said.

“You’re going to push the Elf down in front of us and have your way with her as she squeals,” Shirley said. “I mean, I’m somewhat interested, but I’d also really rather not watch.”

Tris choked, turning to stare at Shirley with a bright-red face.

“What? You’re pretty,” Shirley said with a shrug. “Are your ears like… handlebars? Marybelle’s ears are like that. I asked her about it, and she just turned red and wouldn’t say anything.

“So, when he really gets into it, does he grab ’em? Hold onto ’em? He gets grabby with me. Holds onto my sides and hips a lot. Sometimes my wrists.

“Does he with you? What about you, Charlotte? With that rack of yours, I bet he can’t help it.”

Shirley looked at Ryker with a massive shit-eating grin.

She was already shit-stirring as fast as she could.

Going to be a… a fun trip. Yeah.

Fun.

Chapter 4 - Hated City -

Ryker and Robyn were walking in front of the group. They both knew the city ahead of them inside and out. Glancing behind him, Ryker saw Tris, Charlotte, Shirley, and Meino all marching along determinedly.

Everyone was wearing what could be easily described as dungeon-diver browns. Standard leather armor that almost every adventurer wore at some point in their career.

Catching his eyes, Meino gave him a broad smile with her new humanized face.

Ryker smiled back at her, not sure how to act around her anymore.

She was so drastically different that he was still getting used to her. It was like she wasn’t Meino anymore, but someone altogether different.

Even if it was still her in reality.

He’d been forced into getting groomed by her last night before they’d set out from Dungeon. Her tongue was like a very long human tongue now, but her badgering personality when it came to him submitting to her needs hadn’t changed.

Looking ahead, Ryker sighed.

“I didn’t think I’d be coming back to Warrenton with anything less than a wagon to pile corpses on,” Ryker grumbled.

“I know,” Robyn said. “It’s why you’re so amazing. You reek of redemption. It just… rolls off you in waves. I can taste it. It’s… blessed.”

“I’ll give you something to taste, you crazy goodie-goodie,” Ryker groused at her with a frown.

Robyn snorted at that and quirked a brow at him. Though her cheeks did turn a faint red.

“Bribe ’em, you think?” Ryker asked, changing the subject.

“That should be sufficient. I don’t think they really want to deal with us. We don’t look like a normal group they could harass,” Robyn said. “Or worse.”

If they even think of touching anyone, I’ll just crush them into the ground like the last ones who tried with Adele.

Robyn walked up to the guards and cleared her throat when she got close enough.

“What?” asked the church of light’s soldier.

“Ah… can we enter, or…?” Robyn asked, looking decidedly much less sure of herself.

Ryker felt the same way.

Usually gate guards loved to throw their weight and position around.

“Get the fuck out of my sight, heathen,” sneered the man.

Robyn nodded slowly, then started walking past the man and into the city proper.

That was a very… strange… interaction. Something more is going on here, and I have no idea what it is.

No one said anything as they marched into the city.

They were here to scout it out, see how things were doing and, if possible, plant a core right in the middle of the city.

After a week, the core should be at full capacity and able to stretch far south enough to reach Dungeon and link in with its dungeon.

Turning a corner, they began moving down a main boulevard toward where most of the cheaper, but not dangerous, inns were.

“That was strange,” Robyn said.

“Very. It’s almost as if they’re being restricted from acting. The only group with any power at all here would be the adventurer’s guild,” Ryker said with a grimace. “Which means we’ll need to pay them a visit later.”

“That’ll be… pleasant,” Robyn said. “An ex-member and a dead person.”

“You’re looking fairly healthy for a dead person,” Ryker said.

Robyn laughed at that, pulling at the pack on her back.

“You know, I don’t feel any different from when I was alive,” she said. “The only real difference is that physical exertion doesn’t tire me anymore. Only mental exertion, or if I use too much of my faith.”

“Would you even want to be mortal again?” Ryker asked.

As she blinked, Robyn’s face became a blank slate, her eyes unseeing.

Several seconds passed before she seemed to come back to herself.

“You know, I’m not really sure,” she said. “There’s… a lot of benefits to being what I am right now. I’m really only limited by where my core is. And that’s no different than if I was in a human body. I’d be limited to my location.”

“Kinda. You have two cores,” Ryker said. “Even now, isn’t there a part of you operating on a different level back at Dungeon?”

Robyn missed a step and stumbled, then managed to regain her balance.

“Err, yes, actually,” she said. “Though it’s strange at times. If I think too hard about it, I get really dizzy. Everything starts to swim and spin around me.”

“I… get the same feeling, actually, from time to time,” Ryker said, looking at Robyn. “When I really start to think about a lot of the strange things I’ve seen with the dungeon. Or how it works and operates. Like the arbitrary way the rules can be interpreted and—”

Ryker suddenly felt sick to his stomach, his thoughts scrambling away from him faster than he could hold on to them.

“Just like that,” Robyn said, nodding her head. “Exactly like that. We should talk about that later. If you have time.”

“I think I’d like that,” Ryker said when his head cleared. “Let’s get a room first, then split up and go in two groups. See what we can.”

“I’ll take the Fairies, you take Shirley and Meino?” Robyn asked.

“That’ll work. Do we want to ask for multiple rooms? We’ll be lucky if they even have one, I think. I’m seeing a lot of refugees. Whole lotta them,” Ryker said, glancing around.

“One room. Adventurers from outside, asking about that ‘dungeon city’ and if we have to register here first,” Robyn said.

“That works. You the party leader?” Ryker asked.

Robyn nodded. “Yeah, I’ll take up the role. Not as if I haven’t done it often enough.”

Turning to the left toward a well-known inn for the guild, Robyn and Ryker led their group up the short steps. The door was wide open, and they all trooped in together.

“One room,” Robyn said before the old woman behind the counter could even ask. “Guild.”

Frowning, the woman looked at all of them and then back to Robyn.

“Two gold, one room, includes meals for everyone,” she said.

Holy fucking highway robbery!

Those meals are just hard bread with soup.

Robyn looked around the attached inn room where most people would drink come nightfall.

There was no room for anyone to stand, because the ground was full of bedrolls and blankets.

People were paying to sleep in the taproom itself.

“Three nights,” Robyn said, turning back to the woman. “Five gold. All upfront.”

Frowning, the old woman seemed to think on that, then nodded her head once sharply. “Done.”

Robyn reached into her blouse and began fondling herself, it looked like. Ryker knew what she was doing, though. Easiest way to keep gold coins safe was sometimes to wear them in your underwear.

Pulling out five coins, Robyn set them down on the countertop. “Key?”

The woman sniffed, then grabbed the coins and slapped down a key. “Churchies are out there making everyone’s life hell. Don’t get in their way and they won’t bother you much. Don’t go out by yourself, though. Don’t go out in twos either. Three or more. Lotta bad people on the streets.

“Don’t even think of going out at night. I plan on locking that door once the gates close for evening curfew. If you’re outside the door, you’re outside, and I don’t care.”

“Got it,” Robyn said, picking up the key.

“Ground floor, last one in the back,” the woman said, gesturing to a hallway off behind her. “Left side.”

Everyone trooped onward down the hall, the clomp and stomp of boots loud as they walked. The boards creaked with age and overuse.

Robyn tried opening the door before she even put the key in.

It swung inward easily enough.

After closing the door, Robyn pushed the key in, locked it, and pulled the key out. Then she pushed on the door again.

With a pop, the door swung inward again.

“I’ll fix it,” Ryker muttered. Then he stepped up to the door frame and waved his arm. “Everyone inside. Shirley, come on over here.”

Moving past him, the rest of the group entered the room.

Shirley, however, slid up under Ryker’s arm and pulled it around her shoulders. At the same time, she wrapped her arm around his hips.

“Going to teach me something new… Master?” Shirley said, her voice curling impishly around the title.

“You’re so awful now,” Ryker said. Holding up his hand, he used an air and energy spell to peer into the locking mechanism.

“You like it. No one else talks to you like that, and you know I’m willing to go all in and run away with you,” Shirley said as her hand slid down towards Ryker’s rear end.

“Ah, the bolt’s cracked. See?” Ryker pointed at the locking mechanism. “You wouldn’t know it unless you actually tried to force the door.”

“Uhm, does that mean they would have tried to rob us?” Shirley asked.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Dunno. We’ll not be taking that chance, though. Would you care to do the honors? Just use a bit of fire and get the two pieces to weld together,” Ryker said.

Shirley lifted her left hand and pointed a finger to the same spot Ryker had indicated.

He watched as a small fire pattern began to form.

Before he knew what he was doing, Ryker had already pushed a base fire spell made out of his runes into hers.

Shirley said nothing and activated the spell.

“Thanks, footstool. I hate using magic without you. It sucks,” Shirley said. “It’s like… like masturbating. Feels okay, but not right.”

“Ha, and where’d you learn about that? You didn’t even know what you were feeling from our mutual magic work,” Ryker said.

“Adele,” Shirley said. “She’s been most helpful in figuring out what I’ve been missing. Anyways, love you.”

Shirley slapped him on the ass, then walked into the room without him.

Ryker stood there not quite sure what to do.

Shaking his head, he walked into the room and closed the door. Without a thought, he turned the bolt and locked it.

***

“It’s a nasty little city,” Shirley said, walking along next to Ryker. Meino loomed over both of them, walking just a step behind.

“Yeah, it always was. I think it always will be. I figure it’s because the guild house is such a large presence here. Brings in everyone from all walks of life,” Ryker said. “Cash in, get more quests and jobs, go back out. Usually to kill or hurt things.”

“Considering I melted a woman’s face with gas-based acid, I can’t really comment on that. I mean, her eyes melted long before she stopped screaming, remember?” Shirley asked.

“I do. And I suppose you’re right at that. We’re a pair of awful people that do awful things,” Ryker said.

“I like you both,” Meino said.

“Aww, you’re just saying that because you want Ryker to wrestle you to the ground and make you moo while I help him,” Shirley said.

“That’d be nice if he tried, with or without you,” Meino admitted. “You think he’d make me moo? I’ve never mooed. Not for anything.”

“He makes me moo,” Shirley said and shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ve heard,” Meino murmured. “You’re very loud at times.”

“He likes it loud. It makes him embarrassed but also fuels his ego. Next time you groom him, moan the entire time, especially when you lick his—”

“This is not happening right now, and you need to shut up,” Ryker said.

Shirley started laughing, her arm moving up and around Ryker’s waist. “Be at ease, my sweet footstool. Everyone knows she’s in love with you.”

Shaking his head, Ryker didn’t say anything. He was rather cross with her right now.

“Oh fine, fine. Now that we’ve explored most of the town and confirmed that realistically, it’s a shithole, what next?” Shirley asked.

“Need to look into the guild,” Meino said. “And the mayor’s office.”

Actually, those are both good suggestions.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. Let’s do the mayor’s office first,” Ryker said. “We’ll just take this street to the end, then turn right at the intersection. Mayor’s building will be on the left along with the End Green.”

“End Green?” Shirley asked.

“Oh, uh, where they hang criminals and the like. Queen’s justice is whatever the mayor wants this far out. Warrenton is… well, a shithole, after all.”

“I don’t like this place,” Meino growled. “I don’t mind when Ryker looks at my chest, but all these men stare openly and it angers me. It isn’t as if they’re on display, either.”

“Your boobs are huge, Meino. Even I look,” Shirley said.

Meino huffed in a distinctly angry cow type of noise. “You can look. They shouldn’t. And they know better. They all look away the moment I turn my head their way.”

Falling silent, the trio kept walking along and turned at the appropriate corner. As they moved onto the next street, Ryker was confused. Up ahead, right about where the building the mayor worked out of should be, there looked to be something like a ruin.

“Huh. I think one of the churches didn’t care for Warrenton’s leadership,” Ryker said as they slowly got closer.

They passed a blackened and burnt building frame with little to nothing keeping it upright. It looked like the skeleton of the building was all that remained. It had been completely gutted by a fire.

“It would appear that way,” Shirley said, looking over at the building. “Suppose that answers a few questions.”

“That the church of light and the guild are fighting for supremacy in the city. Seems like the guild might be in the lead right now, but that’s mostly due to the church not wanting another enemy, I bet. The moment they think they can get away with it…” Ryker paused as they passed a small group of church soldiers. “Then Warrenton will be an inconvenient wagon rut, at best. The city doesn’t exactly have a standing army.”

“We could use that to our advantage, couldn’t we?” Shirley asked. “If we waited for them to act on the population, then spawned a mass of monsters all out for church blood? You could probably argue that it was within the rules, since they attacked first. All we’d have to do is formally declare that Warrenton is now part of the dungeon’s jurisdiction.”

Ryker couldn’t argue the point. It sounded logical and it’d probably work. He had no way to confirm that at this point, though.

“Found the mayor,” Ryker said, pointing over to the End Green.

A single corpse was dangling from a noose. It looked as if the body had been there for a significant period of time, given that the arms and legs had fallen off of it entirely.

There was a sign in front of the End Green that simply read “Mayor - Disobeyed the Church” and nothing else.

It was an aggressive, draconian, ominous warning and message.

“Church needs to go,” Shirley muttered. “They’re just no good for anyone.”

“The sad part is Dungeon welcomed the neutral deities. The ones who weren’t part of the war,” Ryker said. “They clung to their neutrality even as Dale as a whole was pitched into chaos.

“They’ve hung on to the belief that they were on neither side for so long that they’ve made a third side to this holy war. They offered no sanctuary to those who made it into their churches, and simply turned the refugees over to their light or dark counterparts.”

“Really? They can all rot then. Rike or nothing for me,” Shirley said. “Besides, I like Rike as a goddess so far, even if I don’t really worship her. She seems to promote nothing but goodness and the belief that one can change.”

Ryker only nodded at that. Rike definitely seemed to be doing nothing but good for Dungeon and its people.

He had no complaint against her, formal or informal. Not even a flippant throwaway complaint.

By and large, the goddess had worked towards his benefit so far.

Briefly, he considered the feeling he’d experienced when Rike had dropped down right atop him and peered into his soul.

Ryker shuddered as he turned to the right, pulling Shirley with him. They were heading down a different road now. One that would cross paths with the guild house itself.

Robyn had been planning to go here first, since she was playing the group leader role.

It would be expected of her to show up there in said position. Doubly so, if the innkeeper was a busybody and a loudmouth.

As he’d been an innkeeper for a brief period, Ryker knew that he himself had been one of those very same people.

“Ryker,” Shirley said, her fingers curling into Ryker’s forearm.

“Mm?” he asked, watching people flow around them. Looking ahead to what he assumed Shirley was looking at herself, he saw a standoff happening.

A group of church soldiers were glaring at what looked like a band of guild adventurers. High-ranked ones no less.

They were sharing loud words between the groups, but there was so much going on around them that Ryker couldn’t make out a lick of it. It was like watching two mimes shouting at one another.

Pantomimed death threats and all.

“I’m thinking the sooner we’re out of the city, the better,” Ryker said, wondering if they should just turn around outright.

One of the church soldiers drew a sword, and an adventurer wiped him out with an arrow to the chest.

Both sides attacked one another.

“Yep, definitely turning around,” Ryker said, spinning on his heel and hustling Shirley back down the way they’d come.

Meino’s heavy footfalls were right behind him.

Chapter 5 - Cesspit in a Cesspit -

Muttering under his breath, Ryker grimaced as his hands closed around the grimy and filthy ladder rung.

Below him, the light from Charlotte’s lantern provided a warm glow for the surrounding area.

Climbing down into the sewers beneath Warrenton, Ryker couldn’t help but be mildly annoyed.

He could handle caves, dungeons, woods, and all sorts of terrible places no one wanted to be.

But the sewer was probably the one place Ryker really didn’t want to be. It was an easy way to catch a disease, get sick, or worse.

I’d rather fuck a Troll.

I don’t care if this is the perfect place to put a dungeon core or not—rather fuck a Troll.

When he got his feet on the ground, he felt his boots start to slip out from under him for a second. They were walking on a narrow brick walkway that ran on each side of the sewer. The center was full of the filth from everywhere else.

Now that I think about it… this is a little odd. Isn’t it?

Warrenton has a sewer and toilets and drains. But the older cities… don’t. They have septic pits and the like.

That’s… so odd.

Ryker felt lightheaded for a moment as he took in a breath of nasty sewer air. Causing him to lose his footing again.

“Slippery,” Tris said as one of her hands latched on to his shoulder and steadied him.

“Yeah, I noticed,” Ryker said. “I’m going to take a bath after this. A long one.”

“I’ll join you,” Tris said.

“Oh? Good. I’d love nothing more than to clean every inch of you tonight,” Ryker said as he moved to follow Charlotte, who was further down the sewer tunnel now.

Tris grunted at that, keeping pace with him.

“I love you, Ryker,” she said, her voice very soft.

“Not exactly the best place for this, but… I love you too, Tris,” Ryker said.

“I hate that you have other women,” she said.

“Yeah, I kinda do, too,” Ryker said.

“If I told you I didn’t want to be with you because I can’t handle it, would you hate me?” Tris asked.

Ryker winced, thinking on her words. Thankfully, he’d already considered the issue in his own way.

“No, of course not. I wouldn’t hate you. I love you, and I’d understand it. Is that you formally saying you want it to be a just-friends kind of thing?” Ryker asked.

“No. I was just curious,” Tris said. “I’m content.”

“You’re a bit strange at times, Tris,” Ryker said.

“I know. It’s why you love me. You like when I make you do weird things to me or with me,” she said. “Speaking of, did you like putting it in my—”

“How about we not talk about that right now?” Ryker asked, staring at a half-rotten corpse nearby. “Not really the time or place.”

“Oh, yes. Alright. In the bath then,” Tris said.

“It’s her age, dear. Just… take it as a compliment,” Marybelle said.

“I know, Baby-Belle, I know. How are things on your end? Miss me?” Ryker teased.

“A lot, actually. I love you. I hate that you’re not here, though I’m thankful we can talk like this,” Marybelle said. “Not much going on otherwise. I’ve been monitoring my Fairy avatar. I was curious to see if it could get pregnant. It looks like it can and is. I’ve put a stasis shell around it for the time being till I decide what to do.”

“Oh. That’s… uh… yeah. Yeah—”

“I know. I honestly don’t want a child yet, either. Hence the stasis shell. That and I’m not sure I really even want the avatar to be pregnant,” Marybelle said. “I may just see if I can somehow make my body more like Meino’s. Dismiss my avatar outright and bind myself more firmly to my body as you did. Maybe in a few hundred years I’ll want to have a Hob-Human half-breed with you.”

“Errr. Right. Yes,” Ryker said.

“Hon, this is what happens when you don’t wear a condom. You deliberately avoid them, which is a signal to everyone you’re with,” Marybelle scolded him. Her tone sounded amused.

“I know. I know. It’s just… it’s just a lot to take in all of a sudden. And I’m kind of in a sewer right now? It has corpses. And rats. And a lot of shit.

“Not the best time for this?” Ryker complained.

“That’s very fair.”

Shaking his head, Ryker didn’t know how to respond to any of this.

He was suddenly getting pressured from all sides. It was like they expected him to start telling some of them to leave or go away.

That or he was reading the situation very wrong, which was possible.

“Ryker,” Charlotte said, turning her head toward him. “There’s an intersection and… I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh? Huh. Let’s see,” Ryker said, walking up next to her.

When he reached the cross point, he couldn’t help but frown. This cross passage didn’t exist on any of the maps they’d bribed officials for.

“I hear people,” Tris said, her face turning upstream, so to speak. “Can’t make it out, but I hear them. Much further up that way.”

“Right… then we just pretend there was no intersection and keep moving on. No reason to go looking for a mystery when that’s not the reason we’re here,” Ryker said. Lifting his hands up, he began building out a spell-working of earth. It stretched from where they stood to the other side of the sewer.

With a sharp pop-like noise, the impromptu bridge settled into place.

“You two go first. Soon as I let go across, it’s probably going to break. I’d rather be last just in case I screw up,” Ryker said.

“Thank you,” Charlotte murmured, her hand briefly touching Ryker’s forearm before she started walking across. “I really didn’t want to die or get these boots dirty. Much like Marybelle, I haven’t left my avatar in… months.”

“Or me,” Tris said, getting onto the bridge behind Charlotte. “Most of us don’t bother anymore. Even if we die, we just wait to get in our body again. I have six just standing in a closet in my room. Just in case I have to jump quickly.”

“I have four,” Charlotte said, getting further away down the bridge. “I did make a fifth, but… her boobs are massive. I felt really top heavy, and a lot of my attacks felt strange.”

“Ah, yes. I tried that too,” Tris said. “It was hard to use my sword very well.”

Huh. I mean… I did experiment with making my dick bigger, so… not that surprising, I guess.

Ryker waited patiently, then crossed the bridge once it was clear.

Keeping his mind focused on the spell while trying not to walk off the narrow stone path, he kept his eyes down.

He was so focused on it, he missed it when he ran out of bridge and landed flat footed on the slippery brick on the other side.

Losing control of his spell, Ryker flung his arms out to catch his balance. When he managed to catch himself, he let out a breath.

Behind him he heard a wet splut as the thin stone cracked and landed in the sewer muck.

“Blegh, this is stupid,” Ryker said.

“This was your idea,” Tris said, grabbing him by the forearm to assist him. She began guiding him down the path to catch up with Charlotte.

“And I’m stupid for being the one who suggested it,” Ryker said. “Even if it’s the most efficient place to put the core, it’s still a stupid idea.”

Tris grunted at that.

The light from Charlotte’s lantern was suddenly doused, and the entirety of the sewer was brought into absolute darkness.

“Keep moving,” Tris said to Ryker, and he heard her walk around him.

Must be going to catch up with Charlotte. Tris can see in the actual dark. Kinda jealous of the night-sight.

Wish I was better at enhancement spells.

Then again, I could always just cast a flare type of spell.

But that’d alert everyone to our presence.

Ryker kept walking, his hand on the wall so he wouldn’t end up in the sewer channel.

“…ahead. About six of them,” Tris said.

“It’s on you then, Tris,” Charlotte replied. “I can’t see that well as a human in total darkness.”

“I understand. Ryker, there are enemies up ahead. They look like church soldiers,” Tris said. “The group I heard earlier is not this one. It would seem people are nervous about being attacked from the sewers.”

“Not that I blame them, since… well… it’s apparently happening,” Ryker muttered. “If both groups have soldiers down here, there ya go.”

“Yes,” Tris agreed. “Keep walking. I’ll keep watch.”

Ryker heard a single footfall and then nothing. Walking forward again, he almost tripped.

He’d walked right into Charlotte.

With a soft squeak, she flung her arms around him rather than get knocked over.

Grabbing Charlotte with one arm, Ryker stumbled for a second and then managed to right himself.

“Sorry, Charlotte,” he said.

“It’s alright.” She patted him on the shoulder. Then he felt her press a kiss to his lips in the dark before starting ahead again. “Just scared me a little. I thought something was coming out of the filth.”

“I mean, technically, it could. Slimes inhabit places like this. Zombies. Ghouls. Definitely a possibility,” Ryker said. “Normally I’d say the guild probably pays lower-tier members to clean it out. Now though? Dunno.”

Slowly, Ryker could see light up ahead. It was faint, but it had the appearance of a lantern.

“Shit,” he hissed.

“Yes, it would appear the church is about to attack a guild position,” Tris said from directly in front of him. A hand touched his shoulder, stopping Ryker in place. “I’m going to hold on to you. Charlotte, grab Ryker.”

He felt a hand grab hold of his belt.

“Got ’im,” Charlotte said.

Then they were moving forward again. The light ahead of them began to grow and grow, until Ryker could make out shapes in the faint gloomy glow. They were all on the edge of a well-lit circle of people standing in front of a door.

A massive burst of red light from those in the circle suddenly lit up the entirety of the sewer around them.

Screaming, the church soldiers rushed the guild members.

Tris, Ryker, and Charlotte all stopped to watch.

“Not our problem,” Tris said.

Ryker couldn’t help but agree. They really had no business getting between the guild and the church.

“Let’s just put the core here,” Ryker said. “It’s close enough, isn’t it?”

“Should be,” Charlotte said. “I’ll put it down right here. Are you ready, Arria?”

Arria? She couldn’t even get me bandages, and we’re trusting her with this?

Ryker wasn’t even going to bother pretending his thoughts weren’t being read anymore.

“She’ll do fine. I spoke with her extensively,” Marybelle said.

“…ig straight down. Alright?” Charlotte said before Ryker heard a soft, glass-like tink.

Then there was the soft sound of stones grinding together. Ryker vaguely felt a small dungeon presence forming at the same time.

It would take a few days for Arria to fully encompass Warrenton from belowground. The goal was to expand as far as possible without being noticed. Stretching out belowground to meet up with Dungeon.

The whole operation was to blanket Dale in the dungeon’s control without notice. Once all the cores were ready, buried, and spread to Dungeon, then they’d move aboveground and subject everyone to Dungeon rules.

“We can go now,” Tris said.

Off in the distance, church soldiers were finishing off the guild members. Throats were being slit for the wounded, and the dead were being looted.

“Right. Time to go get that bath,” Ryker muttered.

***

When he trooped back into their room, Ryker was greeted by the rest of the team. They were packed, ready to go, and looking nervous.

“Problems,” Robyn said as soon as the door closed. “Guild and church are in open conflict. Time to go before the church clears the guild. The moment they do, we both know what they’ll start doing.”

Ryker grimaced at that. He did know what would happen. He’d seen it firsthand as they’d fled to Dungeon.

“The church soldiers are assembling in a square nearby,” Shirley said. Her words had no meaning beyond the obvious, but Ryker had a fairly deep insight into her.

She wanted to go fight and kill them all.

“Let’s go kill them,” Tris said.

“Yes,” Charlotte immediately agreed.

Robyn shuddered at the words, her eyes locked on Ryker. He saw a faint golden glow in those orbs.

She wanted to fight as well, but she was deferring to him.

“Meino?” Ryker asked, turning away from Robyn to the Minotaur.

“I’m just a bodyguard, my lord king,” Meino said slowly.

“You’re more than that. What do you think?” Ryker asked, pressing the issue.

“Doesn’t matter,” Meino said simply with a shrug. “It would make Lauren happy if you fought for her city. In the same breath, it won’t actually help in the long run. Another army will show up, and we won’t be here. Not to mention, the guild did nothing to help Lauren and offered her no support. They were neutral.”

Robyn frowned, the light fading slowly from her eyes. She nodded after several seconds. “This is indeed a guild city, always has been. It gave nothing to Lauren at the start and would do nothing for her during the war. There is no actual reason to help them.”

All eyes turned to Ryker.

Lifting his left hand up, he pressed it to his mouth, thinking.

Fuck ’em. They can all burn for all they did to me. This whole city.

I wanted to burn it to the ground—this is my chance to do it.

By just walking away. I can sit back and just enjoy the flames, and… and…

Sighing, Ryker moved the hand on his mouth to rest over his eyes.

In his thoughts, he suddenly had a vision of Rike and her almost too-blue eyes. It wasn’t a divine-inspired vision, just Ryker thinking about the goddess of redemption.

“We’ll… fight,” Ryker said softly. “Because it’ll give them the opportunity to support Lauren and redeem themselves. If we pull it off, they can consider themselves blessed by Rike.”

After letting his hand drop, he had a millisecond to brace himself before Robyn was on him. Her arms were crushing, pushing him close to her.

Then her tongue was in his mouth, and she was bending him backward.

He felt her soul smash into his and then blend them together unendingly.

Stunned, and really not sure what to do, Ryker just hung there in Robyn’s arms as she mauled him.

“Okay, okay, get off him,” Shirley said. “We need to get going. Knock it off.”

Someone broke Robyn off him, and Ryker stumbled to one side. Coming to a complete stop, he lifted his head to find Meino. She was glaring over him, one arm around his shoulders.

“Seriously, Robyn? Why are you such a brute? Come on, let’s get going,” Shirley said. “Grab Ryker, Meino. Everyone else, get everything else; we’re not coming back here after this.”

Meino scooped Ryker up, and he was carried out of their room.

The lightheaded and overly sexualized, orgasmic feeling of having his soul blended with Robyn’s was fading quickly. By the time they got out of the inn itself, he felt like he could walk. Meino had reluctantly put him down.

When they reached the square, he felt confident he could hold his own in a fight again.

“Sorry,” Robyn whispered in his ear, her lips far too close right now. “It was just… amazing to hear you say that.”

Ryker elbowed the paladin away, watching Charlotte up ahead. She was peeking around the corner, employing her abilities as a rogue.

“They’re getting ready to move. It’s going to be now or never,” she said.

“Just like we practiced. Three hard points,” Tris said. “Shirley and Ryker as one, Robyn and Meino as the other two. Charlotte and I will provide assistance where needed.”

Ryker took two steps away from the wall and wrapped an arm around Shirley, who immediately put her arm around his waist.

“I’m scared,” Shirley said softly.

Ryker couldn’t blame her. It was their first time fighting without a safety net.

“S’ok. So am I,” Ryker admitted. “Fear is normal. It’s how you get over it that matters.”

“Go,” Tris said firmly, pulling her sword free of its sheath. Walking out from around the corner, she lifted her blade up.

Ryker and Shirley walked forward in lockstep while Robyn and Meino moved further away at a quick trot.

Coming to a stop as soon as they turned the corner, Ryker and Shirley began.

Ryker pulled up the full arsenal of spells Shirley preferred, taking a little extra time to build an especially large lightning spell.

Shirley was already building components to fit on his spells before he’d finished, at which point she began piecing them together rapidly.

Only a second after they’d halted, Shirley pushed out a chain-lightning spell. A pause after that and she lobbed up a fireball spell into the air.

Lifting his eyes up from the spell arrangement, Ryker saw what they were challenging.

The square was packed with soldiers. From one side to the other, it was full of church soldiers. He thought there must be at least three hundred people packed shoulder to shoulder in formation.

Frowning, Ryker stretched himself to the limit of his control and pulled up several more lightning bases. Sweat began pouring down from his brow as he did it.

Taking a tiny piece of his soul, Ryker combined the three lightning spells into one and then fed the soul fragment into it.

Ryker felt Shirley reach into herself in a similar way. He could actually feel her fumble around inside of herself, trying to imitate what Ryker had just done.

With a tiny flinch, she did it. A small fragment of her own soul was pushed into the spell as she built her patterns around the lightning spell.

She can do it too? I should ask her how she managed to do that.

Crackling, sparking, and roaring to life, the spell was frightening to behold.

Shirley shot it forward as if it were little more than a trained dog, not a spell that looked like it had broken free of a grand master’s control.

The world turned bright blue as the lightning screamed forward. The core of those massive bolts of death was bright red.

Twining around and through that core, Ryker could see his soul fragment and Shirley’s melded together to empower the spell.

With a boom that made his guts tremble, the spell ripped through the ranks of the soldiers. Groups of armed and armored church forces evaporated into ash. Fragments of their gear exploded in a flash of heat into their comrades.

“Heavens, what are we?” Shirley murmured, flicking her hand to one side and throwing a giant flaming, molten ball of iron toward the other side of the army.

“Death, Shirley my dearest mage wife. Death,” Ryker said grimly.

Laying her cheek on his chest, Shirley said nothing more, just pulled the spells up even as Ryker laid them down.

Glancing to his left, Ryker saw Meino simply laying waste to everyone near her. Her massive strength and reach made it impossible for people to get close to her without similar weaponry.

Beyond her, Robyn was standing with her golden wings spread out. Rike’s presence was obvious in the paladin as her bright-shining sword carved through people.

Tris and Charlotte were moving back and forth between all three “hard points” as Tris had called them. No one got close enough to Ryker and Shirley, and no one could flank Meino or Robyn.

Looking back toward his own section of the fight, Ryker smirked. He pulled Shirley a bit tighter to himself, feeling like they could accomplish far more together than he’d ever thought of.

A strange magical explosion was heading their way now. Ryker didn’t know what it was at first, and by the time he’d figured it out, Shirley had her hand up toward it.

The lightning spell they’d cast out was coming back.

Leaping into Shirley’s hand, the spell seemed to “come home” and settle into the small woman.

“Here, no room,” she said through chattering teeth. She shunted part of the spell into him.

Shirley’s soul fragment dropped into his soul like a tsunami wave of ice water.

My soul is becoming like a damn quilt.

Bit of Robyn, some elemental lightning, and now a dash of Shirley.

“And a bit of me,” Marybelle offered up from a dark corner of his mind.

Gritting his teeth, Ryker began to shiver from head to toe as Shirley’s fragment fit itself into the hole he’d made earlier.

It melded itself into the spot easily and perfectly, then merged itself with his as if they were one and the same.

“Your soul is like a damn puppy,” Shirley muttered, flinging another lightning spell out. “That fragment wouldn’t stop rolling around through my soul till I wrapped it up in mine completely. It’s mine now, though.”

“Sounding a little crazy there,” Ryker said, letting his arm fall to his side. He was spent. There wasn’t anything left in his tank, and they weren’t drawing on the dungeon.

“Maybe I am. Still mine now. I’m out of mana,” Shirley said, and her arm dropped down after touching off another spell.

“Fall back,” Tris said, stepping up in front of Ryker and Shirley. Her sword came around and cut a church soldier’s head from their shoulders.

Stumbling backward, Shirley and Ryker started back the way they’d come. Up ahead, Charlotte was waving an arm at them.

Meino, Robyn, and Tris were behind them, their whole force pulling back from the field.

“Didn’t clear the enemy,” Robyn said. “But they’ll not be able to fight the guild on even footing. Not even a fifth of them remained.”

“Goodie,” Ryker muttered, still holding Shirley as she held him. “So pleased as punch to help them.”

Chapter 6 - Proof -

Stumbling along through the streets and holding Shirley’s hand, Ryker felt slightly lost. They were trying to break contact with the church while escaping the city. Except he wasn’t in the lead and couldn’t see over the crowd.

A crowd that was running in every direction as the city broke down into open warfare between the two factions.

There was no reason to hang around any longer; their task was done. Remaining would only put them all in harm’s way, and the city wasn’t actually worth fighting for any further.

Ryker had done his part to assist in its defense. He’d done all that he could. If the guild couldn’t handle the enemy with the church forces decimated, then they weren’t going to hold anyways.

Then again, the guild might not be what it used to be? No idea.

Not my problem, though.

Taking a left turn from the boulevard they were on, Robyn got them on a path that was hopefully heading straight toward the northern gate. It would be the easiest to get out of from where they’d started. It had tended to be lighter on guards in the past because it led deeper into the Queensland. That and it had a tax booth for goods. People avoided the gate like the plague.

A patrol of church soldiers popped out from an alleyway in front of them.

Tris darted forward, lunging ahead with her longsword.

She caught the lead man in the chest, her blade effortlessly gliding into him. The sword slipped out of him as he fell to his knees and tipped to the ground.

Robyn slashed at a soldier as she ran past, taking his head from his shoulders. The remaining three scurried back into the alleyway.

“Straight ahead,” Robyn called to Meino, who’d taken the lead. She’d lost several steps in her advance to kill the soldier.

Charging ahead with her head lowered, the big Minotaur made a path. Nothing stood in her way as she went.

Off to the sides, Ryker could see the two groups battling on either side of the street. Battling everywhere, and seemingly for everything. Or for no reason at all other than that the enemy was there.

Looking ahead again, he watched Meino’s powerful shoulders and legs pump as she ran on. Letting nothing slow her down.

Roaring, she threw herself down low in her run and then up with her arms and weapon. A wagon without any animals attached to it went flying off to one side to crash into a wall.

My fucking goodness. She goes easy on me when I pull on her horns and wrangle her around. Need to remember to never actually piss her off.

Hefting her massive weapon as if it were little more than a stick, she flicked it out in front of her. Faster than he would have thought possible, she pulled it back as she ran on. The entire cutting edge was coated in bright red blood.

Glancing to the side, Ryker saw what Meino had done. Two men lay side by side. Next to their lower halves. They were dressed in the armor of the church.

Each man seemed at a loss for what to do. Both quite clearly still alive.

One of them began trying to stuff his guts back in as they slid out.

Fuck me.

Just like that, Meino had cut two men in half as if they were little more than blades of grass in her way.

Shame she’s too damn expensive, or I’d make an army of her.

Meino came to a skidding stop, her whole body leaning to one side, and then she started running off to one side. Toward what looked like the mouth of an alleyway.

No one argued with her choice. Whatever she’d seen up ahead had dissuaded her from moving in that direction. If it had made a Minotaur pause, it would give the rest of them pause as well.

Tearing into the alleyway, the group ran on through trash, standing water, and even corpses. Corpses of slain guild members and citizens, strewn about where they’d fallen.

Or crawled off to.

The city was in the middle of ripping itself to shreds between the two factions, and everyone inside was just in the way.

Coming to a halt in the dead center of the alley, Meino turned to everyone else. One by one, everyone came to a stop in front of her.

Shirley pulled her hand from Ryker’s and then bent over, taking great heaving gasps of air.

“They had a champion at the gate, along with what looked like several patrol-sized groups,” said the Minotaur.

“Ryker, you need to launch us out of the city. Like what you did with Lauren,” Charlotte said. She was pointing to the wall not far from them. It looked like he could shoot them off in that direction from where they stood.

Ryker couldn’t help but agree. It seemed like the best option of their remaining choices.

“How’s your pool?” Ryker said to Shirley.

“I’m empty, love,” Shirley said, looking pale and spent.

Ryker nodded, realizing it would come down to him. Which was a strange state of affairs, given where he’d once been with his mana pool.

Leaning over to Robyn, he pressed a hand on her shoulder and got in close to her.

“I can’t be in this spell when I cast it,” he murmured in her ear. “Can you carry the two of us?”

“Yes,” Robyn said simply.

Nodding, Ryker stepped off to one side and positioned himself right in the middle of the alley.

“Everyone cuddle up. Get real friendly with me,” he said. “Keep my back clear, though.”

“Tris, Charlotte, come cuddle me,” Shirley said. “You two are more than welcome to share Ryker with me. I’m sure we could make it fun.”

For fuck’s sake.

Rolling his eyes. Ryker waited as everyone gathered around him. He found it more annoying than he’d expected when Tris and Charlotte did squeeze in next to Shirley.

Grinning at him, Shirley put her arms around the Fairies.

“Four way later?” she asked.

“No,” Ryker said.

“Yes,” Tris replied.

“Okay,” Charlotte agreed.

Growling, Ryker began to build a bubble of air around them.

Robyn took a step away from them, wings spreading out behind her back.

Meino got in close to Ryker and laid her chin down on top of his head. Her big arms wrapped around everyone and drew them all into herself. Charlotte ended up cheek to cheek with Ryker.

Closing up the spell, Ryker began to very slowly feed mana into it. He didn’t have much, so he had to be judicious with its use.

Building the pattern, filling it, and taking it speck by speck, he was getting nervous. He wasn’t actually sure he had enough, but it was better to try than do nothing.

A tiny, minuscule trickle of mana from Shirley was adding to his own.

“Here we go,” Ryker said, directing the exit point of the spell. He had just barely enough, he figured. It was just as strong as the one that had launched Lauren to Dungeon. But there was significantly more weight this time.

“I don’t think I’m going to like this a—”

Ryker stepped out from the pack of bodies and closed the pattern.

With a pop, they went flying away into the air.

Turning around, he walked to Robyn and then hopped up onto her, wrapping his legs around her waist.

“Hope this works,” he muttered.

“So do I, but we had no other choice,” Robyn said, her arms tight around him. Her wings expanded, and then she hopped up into the air, chasing after the air spell filled with angry women.

Closing his eyes, Ryker pressed his face into Robyn’s neck.

“We’re going to make it,” she said between beats of her wings.

Ryker said nothing and pretended nothing was happening. He wanted to just keep his mind on nothing at all till he landed.

Every time he’d been in the air so far, nothing good had come of it. Broken bones and other things that made for awful memories.

Ryker felt a thump through Robyn.

“Why the hell’d you do that?” Shirley complained from nearby.

“Can’t cast that spell from inside it,” Ryker said, opening his eyes. Meino was standing in front of him, behind Robyn, watching him with a flat stare. “Robyn said she could carry me; it was our best way out.”

“Fine,” Shirley said with a sigh. “Put him down, Robyn. We need to get going. The sooner we get out of here, the better. We’re supposed to head west, right?”

Robyn didn’t put Ryker down. Instead, she held on to him and started walking toward the west.

“He’s tired and I don’t think he’ll move quickly. I’ll carry him,” Robyn said.

Looking at Shirley, Ryker found himself smiling. She looked annoyed. He didn’t get to frustrate her often. More often than not, it was the other way around.

Shirley looked at Ryker, then smiled warmly at him. “Warn me next time. I thought you were doing something stupid like sacrificing yourself.”

“Nah,” Ryker said. Then he reached down and grabbed Robyn’s ass with both hands, grinning at Shirley. “Lots to live for.”

Robyn didn’t respond, but she didn’t seem annoyed either.

“Hmph.” Raising a single eyebrow at him, his mage wife said nothing.

***

“Ryker, I need to update you,” said a voice in his head.

Groaning, Ryker lifted his head up. When he looked around, he found everything the same as when he’d passed out.

For the most part.

Charlotte had snuck into his tent after apparently bribing Meino. She’d had her fun and then left.

Only for Meino to begin grooming him. It’d come so soon after he’d finished with Charlotte that there was a certain amount of awkwardness to it.

Meino didn’t seem to have minded, though—if anything, that’d been the reason she’d done it.

It did awful things to Ryker’s mind, even so. Especially when she still refused to skip certain areas.

“What’s up, Baby-Belle? Also, I think I was dreaming of you.”

“You were. I had no idea you wanted Charlotte, Shirley, Tris, and I to do that together. I’ll talk to them later,” Marybelle said.

Ryker’s thoughts had wandered off to Shirley’s request for a four way before he’d passed out.

“Shut up. What’s up?”

“The church of light has fallen as far back as possible. Practically into the badlands,” Marybelle said. “They’re going to end up out of our reach no matter which way we do this. Lauren wants to shift the attack to the dark church and retake Queensrest.”

“Right. Okay. I can do that,” Ryker said.

Next to him, Meino stirred, her very warm presence acting as his personal heater.

One big hand came around him and pressed to his shoulder. She tipped him onto his side, then brought his head into her chest, snuggling him into herself.

“Great. Just keep moving into the cities and larger villages in the spots. Tris will know which ones to fortify with a core. Other than that, no new orders,” Marybelle said.

“Uh huh. Anything going on, though? Changes?” Ryker asked.

Meino’s head came down to his, and her long tongue slid out of her too-human face. She began to groom him again, starting with his head.

“The army is moving. We’re heading north to begin pacifying the dungeon as it comes up. Lauren doesn’t want to wait, and she doesn’t think she can. The Dark Lord is moving, and there’s a massive army from the church of light building in the southeast,” Marybelle said.

“Great. That’s the last thing we need,” Ryker said, tilting his head to one side as Meino nibbled and lipped at the crown of his head.

“It really is. I’ve started to begin laying the groundwork for that ‘battlefield’ idea you wanted to utilize. A king of the hill–style challenge and reward system would definitely benefit us. A war of attrition. Right?”

“Right,” Ryker agreed. Reaching up, he grabbed one of Meino’s horns and angled her head down toward the back of his skull. He liked it when she groomed him there. “Should we meet up sometime soon and start going over it?”

“I’d prefer now if you can,” Marybelle said.

“Okay. Be right there. One second,” Ryker said.

Blinking, he turned to Meino at his side.

“Going to the dungeon sense, I’ll be back,” Ryker said.

“Okay,” Meino replied, still grooming away at him.

Closing his eyes, he relaxed in the Minotaur’s embrace and pushed his mind toward the dungeon sense spell.

Instantly, Marybelle was there in his mind. As she always was.

The space had changed over time, looking more and more like a home shared by a married couple. Marybelle had never ceased modifying it, changing everything piece by piece.

“It’s a reflection of your mind, dear. I’m happy to say I’ve been able to work a miracle with it,” said the Hob as she walked to him. “It was amazing to begin with, just too dark. Too angry.”

“Uh huh. Maybe I wanted to be dark and angry,” Ryker grumped as Marybelle walked up to him.

“Liar. You’re secretly delighted to find that you’ve been ‘domesticated’ as you think of it. Stop playing hard to get and just enjoy it already. It’s not as if I’m leaving,” Marybelle said, wagging a finger at him.

“Fine. I enjoy it. Happy? I said it. Now, do you want to work on the dungeon or not?” Ryker said.

“Of course,” Marybelle said. With a hand gesture, a table appeared. On it was a dungeon-type view of everything they’d taken so far. “I think we should begin with the battlefield as a grid. Perhaps several miles in a square for each area.”

“Makes sense,” Ryker said, looking at the field Marybelle had created. “And how do we get them to fight us?”

“We declare intent. The dungeon has already been put into a war state. All we have to do is claim we’re fighting to claim land from our enemy. If we can hold more than eighty-five percent of the board, the enemy will be forced to surrender.

“That or they can leave the claimed lands and go back home. Which they won’t.”

“Which means they’ll have to fight us or be forced out anyways. And this is valid because we have Lauren on our side? Proclaiming the dungeon and Dungeon as part of her subjects?” Ryker asked.

“Correct. Wynne, as our queen, already agreed on our behalf,” Marybelle said. “Your idea was sound. It just took some time to explore.”

Ryker nodded at that. He’d proposed it right as they’d left. Almost as a passing thought. Marybelle had taken it on herself to run with it.

“Okay, and what do you need me for?” Ryker asked. “It sounds like you’ve got it all worked out and planned. You can do all of that without me, Baby-Belle.”

Marybelle smiled at the nickname, her cheeks turning a faint red.

“I know. I just… wanted to see you. Is that so bad? I love you. I hate it when you’re not home,” she said. “I’m fortunate to be able to see you here whenever I can talk you into it.”

Ryker laughed at that, then flopped down into the couch.

“Fine. Come on over here, my pretty Hob. Tell me what’s on your mind,” he said.

Marybelle dropped down next to him and immediately pushed into his side.

“I was in the city today talking to seamstresses. I’ve been looking into having a whole bunch of dresses designed. I only need to have something made once to be able to copy it,” she said. “I don’t think I’m going to be going out with you very much anymore. So I might as well settle into becoming a permanent fixture in your home life.

“Diane and Adele agreed with me. We’ve organized a nice manor home in Dungeon for us to live in. We can’t keep living in the dungeon itself or the palace. We’ve spent the last day moving all our belongings in.”

Ryker blinked at that, not knowing how to respond.

“Beyond that, I’ve been helping Benni change her pattern to fit the need to be in an active group with you,” Marybelle said, taking Ryker’s hand in hers. “She’ll be able to help out going forward, taking my place. Amusingly enough, I think Adele might try to get herself into your ‘forward action group’. I get the impression she’s not fond of you running around with everyone without her.”

Ryker nodded. He could imagine Adele getting slightly jealous over that.

“Speaking of, Lauren secretly told me that she’s expecting you to sleep with both Meino and Robyn while you’re gone,” Marybelle said. “Apparently you being easy is becoming well known. Adele, Diane, and Shirley were all consulted as well.”

“Huh?” Ryker asked.

“Lauren, Diane, Adele, and Shirley talked about the fact that they expect you to bed Meino and Robyn,” Marybelle said with a dismissive hand wave. “But you don’t know that, and I didn’t tell you.”

“I see. Hm.”

“If you like, I can pretend that you formally asked me about them,” Marybelle offered.

“I mean…” Ryker paused, not sure how to respond.

“I’ll just do it. Don’t worry about it, dear. Now. I wanted to ask you about dresses.”

Fighting back a grimace, Ryker managed a smile. He’d settled up to the idea of losing hours of his life, but he was determined to do it with a smile.

He owed Marybelle a great deal, and this would make her happy.

Much later, he popped back into his body.

As he yawned, he felt like something was different. He felt odd. Drained and heavy.

Frowning, he looked at Meino. The feeling was the same as when he got laid.

“Did you do something, Meino?” Ryker asked. He knew she was awake.

“If I did, you have no proof,” she mumbled. “You should eat less sweets, by the way. Makes it sour.”

Sighing, Ryker pressed a hand to his head. Then he gave up and lay down next to Meino, putting an arm around her hips.

“Aggressive brute,” he mumbled.

“Prude,” she said back.

Chuckling, Ryker pressed his forehead to her big shoulder.

“Love you. Stop doing that when I’m not there. I asked for permission to bed you on your behalf,” Ryker said. It wasn’t completely true, but it was true enough.

“Oh? Okay. Still not telling you what I did. No proof, can’t be mad, can’t get in trouble,” Meino said. “Love you, too.”

Chapter 7 - Run Away -

“Okay, I have to know, the horns… best handlebars ever? Did you ride the cow? Make her moo?” Shirley asked as she dropped down in the grass next to the firepit. “I bet I could really hang on to them.”

“No,” Meino said, shoving at the fire with half a log. “Nothing happened that he can prove.”

“Oh,” Shirley said. Then she chuckled. “What could have happened if he had proof of it?”

“I—”

“And I’ve got news from Marybelle,” Ryker said, interrupting Meino and giving her a death stare.

The cute Minotaur stared back at him, then ducked her head slightly, a small smile on her face.

“Marybelle said the church of light is running for the hills. Almost literally,” Ryker said. “Sounds like they’re heading up into nowhere trying to get away. Too bad for them the wall really does go the entire way to the ocean.”

“It doesn’t technically stop there, either,” Charlotte said darkly, a smile on her face. “It extends for a good while into the water. So unless they can build boats or float, it’s a pointless direction to go.”

“There ya have it,” Ryker said. “But that does change our own direction and orders for a time.

“We’ll be heading more to the north. Our ultimate goal is Queensrest. At the same time, Marybelle is converting all the land we take to a king of the hill–style field of battle.”

Tris grunted, putting a hand on her hip. “I talked to her about it. Think of a chess board. Every square is a battlefield that must be fought for. If someone takes enough of the board, they win. The difference is our losses come back. Theirs don’t. Given time, we can grind them down to nothing. To the point that they can’t afford to challenge us when we call them to battle.”

“Rather clever,” Charlotte said.

“Yes, I was surprised that it was Ryker who came up with the idea,” Shirley said. “I thought he was only good for spells and sex.”

Ryker sighed, then shook his head with a grin.

Shirley loved to poke and prod him. To tease him at every opportunity. He’d long since realized it was because she loved him, and it was easier to go with it than fight it.

Same way I treat Lauren, really.

“We’re going to challenge them then?” Robyn said, sounding eager. “Challenge them to a battle on this ‘square’ as it were? Right now?”

Ryker blinked at that. He hadn’t considered it, but they probably could.

And since they were in the backfield of Warrenton, it was unlikely the church could respond easily.

They might not even understand the rules.

“Why not,” Ryker said with a shrug. “I’m pretty sure we set up a safety so that only the same number of combatants will be allowed in the area during the fight, and for a few hours after. If they show up with overwhelming odds, we should be able to get out.”

I think? You listening, Baby-Belle?

“I put in the safety, yes,” Marybelle responded sweetly. “See? Isn’t it great having me here, dear?”

Ryker couldn’t argue with the fact that it was somewhat… pleasant… having her in his mind. Though at the same time, it felt deeply uncomfortable that he had no secrets anymore.

And never would again.

“Sure. Let’s… let’s try it. But I don’t think you should expect much,” Ryker said with a laugh. “I mean… six soldiers will show up to match our numbers. Meino could probably punch them to death by herself.”

Robyn looked frustrated at that statement. Then deflated, letting out a slow breath. “Yes. You’re correct.”

“I mean, we should still do it, and kill them. Take the square if only to take the square. We’ll just… move on from there,” Ryker said. “Get square after square as we move toward Queensrest.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll do it—sounds fun,” Shirley said. “I uh… formally challenge the church of light to battle. I represent the queen’s forces in this square.”

Battle initiated! The church of light forces have one hour to respond.

Total count of soldiers for the Queensland of Dale, seven thousand four hundred and thirty-two.

“What?” Ryker asked aloud.

“That can’t be right,” Shirley said, looking at Ryker.

“There’s a force of Lauren’s soldiers not far from you. They’re hiding in a valley,” Marybelle said quickly.

“Fuck, there’s apparently an entire mass of Lauren’s troopers not far. Maybe you’ll get that fight after all, Robyn,” Ryker said, getting to his feet. He turned to his tent and started breaking it down as fast as he could.

“Can you lead me, Marybelle?” Ryker said aloud.

“Goodness. Calling on me in public? They’ve been thinking I was just talking to you in the dungeon sense. They’re going to know now if they heard you, dear,” Marybelle said. “But yes, I can guide you. Turn left and start going straight ahead.”

“You can hear her?” Charlotte asked him, her tone slightly dangerous. She was practically in his pocket as he started packing up his belongings.

Ryker groaned, regretting his slip already.

“Later,” he said softly. Hopefully she was the only one who had noticed. “And keep your suspicions to yourself. Pack it up. Quick. We don’t have long.”

Someone distantly blew a queen’s horn. It was a particular horn unique for its sound, only handed out to officers in the queen’s army.

“Looks like they figured it out,” Shirley said. “At least they have an officer with a brain. Maybe we won’t have to do all the work.”

Ryker nodded. At least they could depend on whoever it was. Regardless of what happened, Ryker didn’t think this was going to be much of an issue. His group of six were worth hundreds. If Ryker had time to prepare tighter spells with accurate activations, he could make it stretch even further.

Damn. Wish I had Tar.

Where in the hells did he go?

***

The battle was lopsided and uneventful.

What had come to greet the queen’s forces was a mass of conscripts. Little better than men with hoes, pitchforks, and wood-axes.

The church wasn’t above taking people from nations that worshiped them and just pushing them onto the field of battle.

That kind of mentality tended to get people killed. Being a conscript was a quick way to die.

After not much more than an hour, the butchering was finished up quickly. Unfortunately, the battle squares didn’t allow for surrendering.

As it was with most things relating to the dungeon, this was a lethal exchange with no middle ground.

Trudging along with his pack, Ryker felt tired and drained. They’d gained nothing, wasted time, and killed a bunch of poor helpless idiots.

While it hadn’t been difficult to wipe out the conscripts, it’d been depressing.

“I’d like to talk about what happened now,” Charlotte said, matching him step for step.

With a grimace, Ryker threw up a small shield around the two of them that would block anyone else from hearing.

“Not sure what there is to tell—I fucked up. I spoke out loud when I shouldn’t have,” Ryker said with a shrug.

“She bonded with you. Didn’t she?” Charlotte said. “Like a dungeon-core type of bond.”

“That’s how she described it,” Ryker said.

“Why didn’t Wynne do that?”

“She’s bound to the actual dungeon core. I didn’t know what I was doing when I pulled Marybelle in,” Ryker said honestly.

“I take it she can’t break it, or won’t?” Charlotte asked.

“Says she can’t. Doesn’t seem like she’s lying,” Ryker said, looking at Charlotte.

“I’m not lying, thank you very much,” Marybelle said with some annoyance.

Charlotte grinned at that and shook her head.

“I imagine she just… bound herself to you and thought nothing of it. Probably didn’t even think about it when she did it. Just… did it, and that was that,” Charlotte said.

“Unfortunately… accurate,” Marybelle agreed.

“She agrees,” Ryker muttered.

“Ah, she can hear me because it’s in your thoughts?” Charlotte asked.

“Yeah. That’s… yeah. That.”

“Marybelle, I want to split the bond with you. I’m sure you already figured out a way to do it,” Charlotte said. “Give me half or I tell Wynne.”

“What!?” Marybelle squawked. “That’s blackmail! Absolute highway robbery!”

“She’s accusing you of blackmail and highway robbery,” Ryker muttered. “To be honest, I’m not really sure I want someone else in my head, Charlotte. It’s bad enough with her there.”

“What if I promised to block her from reading your thoughts unless you invited her?” Charlotte offered. “If I’m there, I can keep her out, though I’d be locked out as well.”

“You could?” Ryker asked, suddenly enjoying the direction of this conversation much more.

“I have no doubt about it. Well, Marybelle? Split him with me, or I tell Wynne and we all watch our queen go apoplectic,” Charlotte said.

Ryker immediately disliked this. Hated it.

The idea of making Wynne unhappy made him unhappy. Very unhappy.

“Fine. Tell her I say fine. It’ll be… better this way anyways,” Marybelle said. “I sometimes get lost just wandering through your memories. It’ll be good to have Charlotte here; she was always my balancing factor.”

Were you two dating or something? It seems an awful lot like it sometimes.

“No. We were just… very close. As close as you can be without having a romantic relationship,” Marybelle said. “More like twins, I suppose.”

“She said fine. But we’re going to talk about the fact that you were going to hurt Wynne for your own benefit,” Ryker growled out. He was most displeased with Charlotte right now.

“I lied,” said the thief with a shrug of her shoulders. “Was a bluff. I wasn’t about to do that to Wynne just to get what I wanted. But Marybelle didn’t know that, and I got what I wanted. I do like gambling. It’s where all the coin I steal goes. It’s fun. Sometimes I win; more often than not I lose.”

“Huh. I didn’t know that,” Ryker said.

“This is the spot,” Tris said, dropping her pack on the ground. “Time to bury Sierra and let her get settled in.”

Clearing his throat, Ryker dispelled the silencing spell around himself.

“Sierra? The spunky Dwarf?” he asked.

“Yes. She volunteered. She asked for a location with a lot of rock,” Tris said, looking around. They were in the middle of a wooded area. “Safe to say we couldn’t accommodate that, since we had to change plans. She’s not going to be happy with me for a while.”

“We all have to make sacrifices,” Shirley said. “Like the fact that I have to make my husband wear a condom because Mr. ‘I get everyone pregnant’ over there is too potent. Apparently Lauren was taking some type of medicine that reduced the chance for a pregnancy to almost zero, and he still got her knocked up.”

Meino grunted at that, looking somewhat nervous all of a sudden.

“Do we just… dig right here?” she asked, looking around.

“I’ll dig this time,” Shirley said. “You all set up camp. I’m beat and hungry.”

“Good plan,” Tris said. “We’ll put roots down right here while Sierra gets settled. Then we’ll get moving in the morning. A number of core placements to go still.”

Ryker pulled off his pack and set it on the ground. Groaning, he sat down and put his face in his hands. He just wanted a second to himself, to think.

And he promptly fell asleep.

***

“There,” whispered a voice. “Go. I’ve got him.”

“You sure?” came a deep rumble.

“Course I am. Who’s been in your corner, hm?” Shirley asked. Ryker recognized the voice as he floated up from sleep.

“You. I know,” Meino said. “Thank you. I needed a break. It’s hard to be next to him all night long and not do anything.”

“Soon. You said he asked for you on your behalf, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then there you go, mission accomplished,” Shirley said. “I told you it’d happen. Go. Get outta here.”

There was the shuffling of feet, and then what sounded like a tent flap being folded shut.

“She’s gone; you can stop playing,” Shirley said, pressing up next to Ryker in his bed. “And it’s because I have that little bit of your soul in me. Haven’t you noticed that it’s much easier to know what the other one is thinking or feeling now?”

Ryker thought on that.

He’d noticed that Shirley’s soul fragment hadn’t left him. In fact, it solidified into its own section and refused to be enveloped. It was distinctly part of him, but also not at the same time.

When he gently pressed on it with his senses, he could indeed feel what Shirley was feeling. Even a bit of what she was generally thinking.

A mountain load of dirty thoughts, all directed at what she wanted him to do to her.

“I never knew you had that filthy of a mind,” Ryker said after a brief stunned silence.

Shirley laughed. “Well, now you know,” she said, laying her hand on his chest. “Now, tell me why you blocked everyone out from your conversation with Charlotte. No one else noticed. Just me.”

“Because I share a bond with Marybelle. Like a dungeon core bond. Charlotte was… jealous? Angry? Something. She wants to split the bond with Marybelle,” Ryker told her, going for full honesty.

“Oh. Hm,” Shirley said, her fingers playing back and forth across his chest. “Ryker?”

“Yeah?” he asked, closing his eyes.

“Should we stop using a condom?” she asked him.

“I mean… do you want to get pregnant?” he asked in return.

“Kinda… but… we have to wait till we get your child back from her. Don’t we? I’m going to take them as my own, after all. That means I have to wait to get pregnant till she delivers,” Shirley said. “It’d be very strange unless they were born at the same time, or nine months after one another.”

“You’re really dead set on that,” Ryker said, surprised. Her tone had been iron-clad, lacking any type of room to maneuver.

“I am. I’m going to punish Claire for everything she ever did to you, me, the others,” Shirley said with some heat. “I’ve taken you, her name, and her titles. Next I’ll take her child.”

“Don’t let it consume you,” Ryker said, feeling weird about the conversation. She sounded like she was burning up with hatred. Hatred and a need for revenge.

Hatred so hot he knew it probably burned her to talk about it at all.

“Maybe… maybe consider that you’ve already taken enough from her and you don’t need to go further,” Ryker said. “If we could capture Claire and have her adopt a different name and persona, maybe it wouldn’t be terrible to let her… let her live and redeem herself.”

A deep, warm, and loving feeling grew inside his chest as soon as he spoke.

It had the unmistakable touch of a goddess blessing him for his words.

Rike had been paying attention to him ever more. More so every day, it seemed to him. It’d started when he’d let the dark priestess live in his mad flight back to Dungeon.

“She tried to kill you,” Shirley said, peering at Ryker.

“Yes, she did.”

“She’s going to poison your child against you if you don’t get ahold of them,” Shirley continued.

“That’s very likely,” Ryker admitted.

“And you just want to let it all go? Let her get away with it?”

“No, I want to give her a chance to redeem herself,” Ryker said. “Then hold her in judgment if she fails in that. She’s… she’s not a good person. But I did care for her at one point. And while I don’t anymore, I couldn’t imagine harming her. Or killing her.

“Especially as the mother of my firstborn. Because that’s what it’ll be. My firstborn.”

Shirley clicked her tongue and turned away from Ryker, apparently not wanting to even look at him.

“You don’t care for her anymore?” Shirley asked, her tone sharp.

“No. I don’t.”

“And you only want to give her the one chance?” she asked further.

“The one chance, yes.”

“Fine. She’ll get it, if only for you. I had planned on just… incinerating her with a spell. Turning her to little more than ash I could piss into,” Shirley said, her voice filled with absolute hatred. “Stealing her child away and raising it as my own. Raising it better than she ever could. Could ever think of. Better than my mother, or her. Better than anyone.”

Weird. But… I understand the anger, at least.

That part I get.

Maybe more than she realizes.

“Thank you, Shirley,” Ryker said, lifting his arm and settling it around her shoulders. “I appreciate that you’re willing to compromise for me.”

“Hmph. Of course. I said I’d treat you better than anyone else. You’re my footstool. Mine. Not Lauren’s, not Wynne’s, not the beautiful Hob’s—mine. I’ll talk you into running away with me eventually,” Shirley said, nuzzling her head against his shoulder. “Treat you better than Lauren, Adele, or Diane could put together.”

“You really think that?” Ryker said, laying his cheek on Shirley’s brow.

“You have no idea how much you’re worth, Ryker. As a husband, a man, a friend, a lover, a mage. I call you my footstool and act imperious and tease, but we both know I’d bend over backwards for you.” Shirley’s voice took on a slightly panicked edge at the end. “It scares me so much. I’d give you the world if you asked me. I’d fight the gods, travel everywhere, take on everyone.

“Just… just come away with me. Let me steal you away and show you how much you’re worth. Without all of this. Without the drama, the baggage, the insanity.

“You can even bring the Fairies. They love you just as I do. You won’t regret it for even an instant, Ryker.”

Feeling rather strange about the whole thing, and more concerned than he was willing to admit, Ryker actually considered saying yes.

He almost did so.

Her offer was actually very enticing. So much so that he was shocked to find he wanted exactly what she’d said.

That he’d almost simply said yes.

“Shirley, for what it’s worth,” Ryker said, his words slow and feeling rather thick in his mouth. “I want to say yes. I truly and utterly do. But… I can’t. Your words make me happy, and I’m glad you feel that way, but I have to stay.

“Will you stay with me? Stay at my side?”

“Of course,” Shirley said, reaching up and tapping his nose with a fingertip. “Just because I want you all to myself doesn’t mean I won’t settle for what I can get. It’ll just take me longer to wrestle you away from the others. But I’m patient. I can wait. And I even talked Wynne into giving me some Imps and Fairies. I’ll live just as long as you will, you know.”

“She did. Her technical title is Princess of the Queendom,” Marybelle said. Ryker could feel a strange edge to her words. “She made a very good deal with Wynne. They both felt like they got the better side of it. Even I feel like I got something out of it. And no… I can’t discuss it.”

Huh… what the hell is going on?

Chapter 8 - Gift Wrapped -

Ryker watched the ground as he flew along, moving ever northward. He felt like some type of pack-mule guide.

When he’d suggested a floating carriage to throw everything on, it’d rapidly turned into something for everyone to get on while Ryker used magic to push them along.

The only person who could help him and give him a break was Shirley. But he couldn’t deny that they were making unbelievable time.

Queen Lauren’s soldiers were continuing to challenge the church for squares around Warrenton. Last he’d heard from Marybelle, they were rapidly approaching the surrender mark for the city and surrounding area itself.

The plan was working.

“I need a break,” Ryker said, rubbing at his eyes. “It’s all blurring together and I need to take a piss.”

“Okay,” Charlotte said. Either she or Tris was always at his side. He was beginning to suspect something of the two. They’d been acting far too cheerful as of late.

More than he would expect, considering that either Shirley took his nights up or Meino kept everyone out.

Tris came over at a crawl. No one liked standing up on the fast-moving bed of air. “There should be a manor home somewhere up ahead to the west. It was a possible location for a dungeon core. Let’s stop there, take that break, and assess the situation.”

“Okay,” Ryker said, rubbing at his eyes. The constant wind on his face made them feel incredibly dry and scratchy. “That’d be great. How far off is it?”

“You can see it even now,” Tris said, pointing to a small hill-top off to the west. Sitting atop of it was a massive home. One that would rival even Lauren’s palace if it just added some towers and walls.

“And what the fuck is that?” Ryker asked.

“Duchess Chas’s home,” Tris said. “It’s where Diane was born and grew up. We’re in the furthest edge of their territories and the ducal seat.”

“Oh, then yes. We’re putting a core there,” Ryker said, turning the air spell toward the manor immediately. “Got any cores you think would perform better than the others? I’ll make it worth your while, Tris.”

“I can make that happen,” the Elven woman said immediately. Then she started scooting away again. Probably to go rifling through the packs.

“And what opportunity do I get?” Charlotte asked.

“I thought that was obvious,” Ryker said with a grin. “You’re a thief. Steal every opportunity you can. Have you ever had me say no to you when you take just for yourself?”

“Oh,” Charlotte said. “That’s a good point. No, you’ve always been extremely receptive. I guess I thought… never mind. Never mind what I thought. As many opportunities as I can steal. That makes sense.”

Ryker laughed at that. His life was a strange one.

It’d turned into dungeons, violence, and sex. There wasn’t much room for anything else anymore.

“It’ll be fun, too,” Charlotte said. “I’ve really enjoyed my new body. My Fairy avatar just… just isn’t the same. I had it packed away with Tris’s. We sent them down together into the vault with all the others who figured it out before us.”

“Good. Better that way. It’s your backup avatar, that’s all,” Ryker said.

Frowning, Ryker hit the spell hard to one side and sent the whole thing dashing toward the woods.

“What the hell?” Shirley squawked.

“Soldiers up ahead,” Ryker said. “Need to get to cover.”

Seconds after the brutal turn, they vanished into the brush. Disappearing entirely.

Bringing the whole spell to a stop, Ryker turned his head to peer back the way they had been going.

“Tris, Meino, you two got the best eyes—what d’ya see?” Ryker asked.

Both the Minotaur and the Elf were already looking that way.

“Soldiers. Church of dark,” Meino said.

“Yes,” Tris confirmed. “Twelve of them. Double patrol size.”

“Damn,” Ryker said. “Guess we’ll have to sneak in, then back out. Think you can pull it off, Charlotte? You, me, Tris? You wanted an opportunity.”

“Indeed. Alright. I can get us in and out I think,” Charlotte said. “Might make a few bodies, but… that’s fine, right?”

“Course it is. I’d be happy to kill every single member of the dark church,” Ryker said. “Every single one.”

“Oh? Could, Robyn, Meino, and I go play with the soldiers then?” Shirley asked. “We could easily take on a few patrols that are out and about without a problem.”

“If you think you can do it without anyone escaping or raising the alarm. Yes,” Ryker said, getting down off the spell.

“Great. If we do this well, Meino, Robyn, and I will be in your tent tonight,” Shirley said. “And if you three do better—you, Tris, Charlotte, and me.”

Ryker felt his face screw up in complete confusion.

“I what? And how did you end up on both sides?” Ryker asked.

“Because I’m the one that can force it on you. I do get some benefits, after all,” Shirley said. “Good thing I made sure to pack a lot of stamina potions for you. Good suggestion on your part, Meino. Alright. Let’s get moving, everyone. Contest to win and all.”

“Be sure to make me moo,” Meino said, staring at Ryker as she got down off the floating air spell. She flicked her big two-handed weapon up, and it clanged into position on her shoulder.

“Make sure you two take a trophy from each kill to prove how many we took. I want to win,” Meino said as she turned away.

Stomping off, Meino, Robyn, and Shirley fell into a line.

What the actual fuck.

“We’ll need to kill a lot of them,” Charlotte muttered.

“Yes. We’ll win. There will be more in the manor than out here,” Tris said.

I don’t even… what?

“Oh, shut up,” Marybelle said with a laugh. “If that’s what gets them through the fact that they’re all running around so far behind enemy territory that it’s probably a suicide mission, then do it. Stop being a ninny.

“If Charlotte or Tris die, they won’t be coming back. There’s no guarantee they’ll make it back safely to Dungeon. Nor Meino, in fact, as her core travels inside her. Perhaps this would be true even for Robyn. Her two cores are quite far apart right now. All their cores are with you. Shirley’s just a human and doesn’t have a second chance.

“Besides, Lauren laughed at the idea of you asking permission first. Adele did, too. Said you were learning.”

Ryker shook his head. He had no response anymore.

His life wasn’t his own, apparently. He just did what everyone told him to do.

Then again… that’s not so bad. I’m no leader. I’m not a man who wants to climb anything.

I just want to… well… farm and fuck, I guess. Got the second part of that down pat, just need to finish this up to do the first.

You’re right, Baby-Belle.

“I know I am. I’m your little mindwife. And speaking of—I’m afraid Tris and Charlotte will be joining me when you get back. We’ve decided to alternate days for who gets to sit in your head with you. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” Marybelle said.

Ryker stood there, unable to even formulate a response.

What the actual fucking fuck?

Son of a shit-eating fuck monster. Why the fuck does all this shit happen to me? Fuck my life.

I’m surrounded by people who just tell me what to do, and the whole world just likes to bend me over and fuck me in the ass like I’m some sort of cesspit.

Fine, fuck it. Whatever.

I’m going to ride Meino’s horns like a damn bicycle. Hang on to Robyn’s wings until they practically come off. Bend Tris over Charlotte and break one on the other.

And Shirley, oooh Shirley… I’ll figure out something special for you.

Real special.

Grinding his teeth, Ryker lost himself in plotting his revenge.

***

Charlotte and Tris had decided not to wait for nightfall.

Instead, they’d determined they wanted to systematically clear the manor of every single soldier they could find.

Ryker was both flattered and vaguely irritated. He still wasn’t sure if he’d actually allow it.

Marybelle’s words had stuck with him, though. This was a rather dangerous mission. They had more than enough force to deal with almost anything, but there was no one to rely on if it went sideways.

It was just them.

Charlotte stepped out from the doorway and smashed her short sword into a soldier’s middle, right through his lungs from the side of his chest.

Lifting up her foot, she booted the man off her blade and into the corner.

Tris stepped forward and whipped her longsword around, taking the second soldier’s head from his shoulders with that single strike.

Charlotte walked over to the dying man, ripped his tag from his neck, and then stabbed him in the chest again.

She pocketed the metal stamp, then shoved the dying man into the corner.

Back there, behind a table, was a pile of the dead.

“Ryker, wipe the blood up,” Tris said, taking the tag from the headless corpse. She began dragging it to the same corner, kicking the man’s head in front of her like it was a game.

Shaking his head, Ryker lifted his hand and wiped the area clear of blood.

They were hiding in the garrison room. Charlotte and Tris reasoned that every soldier would eventually come back here.

At most, they’d come back with twelve people. At which point Ryker would be using a silencing spell to deaden the noise, then lightning to kill everyone.

“I’m going to go take another look. I want to check out that room where the guards were stationed,” Charlotte said.

“Your curiosity is too much sometimes,” Tris said.

“I know. But I can’t help it,” Charlotte said. “I’ll be back.”

Slipping out of the room, she was gone in a flash.

“Mm. Shame we don’t have more time. They might walk in on us and try to kill us in the middle,” Tris said, giving Ryker a small smile. “Or maybe that’s the fun part.”

Getting a little nervous at what she’ll want to do in thirty years.

“Tris, you’re definitely the different one,” Ryker said.

“Yes, but I’ll be the one who’s still fun in a hundred years,” she said, reaching up to run a finger along the edge of her ear. “I imagine the others will be dull, and I’ll be the only one with anything interesting to offer up.”

Ryker decided not to reply. He just didn’t want to deal with that thought right now. He was still feeling a generous amount of self-pity about his own life.

Much to his own disgust. His life was pretty great, and there was very little for him to actually complain about. Other than his having too many women.

There was a single knock on the door, followed after several seconds by two more. Then the door opened and Charlotte stepped in.

“I think we have a problem,” she said. “And I don’t know how to handle it.”

“What is it?” Ryker asked, curious and concerned.

“I just found Veronica Chas and her family,” Charlotte said, her mouth a flat line. “There’s about twelve of them. I forgot how much Diane looks like her mother.”

Oh for fuck’s sake.

“Alright,” Ryker said, pressing his hand over his eyes.

“Should I kill them all? They were under a wanted dead or alive contract from Lauren last I heard,” Charlotte asked.

“No… no. I promised Diane I would work to save her family. I’m… a walking smut bag of sex and broken fidelity, but I can at least keep my word in this,” Ryker said with a massive sigh. “You can count them in your tally as worth more than a kill because they’re insanely important to Diane. Lead me to them?”

Charlotte bobbed her head, then opened the door and peeked out in both directions. Then she left, keeping herself low to the ground and pressed to the wall. Even knowing she was there, and that he would swear on it, it was hard to keep his eyes on her. It was like she wasn’t there at all if he didn’t focus on her.

Ryker wasn’t a rogue. He didn’t have the abilities she did.

Glancing back at Tris, Ryker saw that the tall Elf was walking along behind him without a care in the world.

Catching his eyes, she shrugged her shoulders.

“No point in trying. I didn’t try on the way in either,” she said. “If they spot me, they spot me.”

Without an argument for that, Ryker followed Charlotte along in the same way.

Stopping at a corner, Charlotte peeked around the corner.

Then she moved into the adjoining hallway without a word.

Ryker took a moment to look down the hallway Charlotte had gone into. There were two guards standing in front of a door.

“You ever figure out how to use a bow? Throw a knife?” Ryker whispered.

“No. I use swords,” Tris said.

“You’re a shit Elf, you know that?” Ryker said.

“Wouldn’t even know how to be an Elf if I wanted to be. I’m just me,” Tris said.

Clicking his tongue, Ryker lifted his hand up and began focusing on the guard on the far side. Preparing a simple javelin of force, Ryker took the time to tie a silencing spell to the whole thing. Then he built in a cleaning function similar to what he’d used on the rooms.

Aiming, he chose the guard’s head and guessed it’d probably be about a second to travel there from where he was.

Watching Charlotte for a cue, Ryker waited.

The rogue slipped in close to the first guard, then rammed her blade into the back of his head.

Before Ryker could use his spell, Charlotte simply appeared behind the second guard, her blade buried in his skull as well.

Shit. I’ve vastly underestimated her.

Going around the corner, Ryker canceled the spell and moved forward at a quick trot.

Charlotte had already taken their tags and was now working at putting the key from the dead guard’s belt in the door when he got there.

With a flick of his wrist, he dismissed their corpses, blood, and items with a fire spell. Incinerating everything in a flash.

Charlotte opened the door and then went inside. Ryker went to follow her, but Tris put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him up against a wall.

The stare she gave him was flat, and it didn’t invite questions or comments.

Right. I’m… I’m the important one. Right.

Got it.

“Ready,” Charlotte said from inside.

Tris stepped back, letting Ryker move again. “Sorry.”

“No, I get it. Thanks, Tris,” he said, giving her a smile and then moving into the room.

Inside the room was a gaggle of individuals, varying in age from five to eighty. It seemed everyone in Veronica’s family was here.

The room itself looked like it had been a throne room of sorts, now converted into temporary living quarters. The Chas family were prisoners in their own home.

The family head was here herself as well.

Veronica Chas.

She looked like a mirror image of her daughter, just older, a touch less pretty, and without the amazing figure.

“Wonderful,” Veronica said with a sigh. Then she shook her head. “I suppose my daughter is dead then, and you’re here to clean up for Lauren?”

Ryker clicked his teeth together against his first response. Trapping it there.

Then he shook his head, feeling sick to his stomach.

“On the contrary. Diane is alive and well, and it’s very likely we’ll be making you a grandmother soon,” Ryker said. “And because I love your daughter, I’m actually here to rescue you. Rescue you and take you to her. I personally think you should die. You in particular, Veronica. But as I said, I’m… desperately in love with your daughter.”

Turning to look at Charlotte, he continued, having said what he needed to his mother-in-law.

“How do we get them out easily?” he asked. “They’re not going to be swift, and this place is still crawling with soldiers.”

“And what if I don’t want to leave?” Veronica asked.

“Then I’ll put you in a damn ball of air and roll you all the way back to Dungeon to your daughter,” Ryker said to Veronica. His blood was boiling, and he truly wanted nothing more than to crush her head. “Between your daughter and Rike, you’re getting a chance you don’t deserve. Not at all. Now be silent… Mother.”

“We can go back out the way we came,” Charlotte said. “It should be relatively clear. Tris, can you lead? I’ll take the rear.”

“Sure,” Tris said, her eyes lingering on Veronica. “Can I kill her? She has evil intent in her. She tried to kill you. Leave the room, Ryker. I’ll do it and make it look like an accident.”

“Her family would know,” Charlotte said. “We should kill them all and just pretend we never knew they were here. Blame the guards.”

“Yes, that’d be a good option,” Tris said, still staring Veronica down.

“No,” Ryker said firmly. “No, no, no. Diane asked me to help her with her family. To fight Lauren if she needed the help. I said I would and I’m going to do it. I’m going to bag the whole Chas family and take it home like a damned collection of priceless jewels. Tris, go, lead the way.”

Tris didn’t look away from Veronica, just stared at her for several more seconds.

“Do anything stupid, and I’ll kill you. He can punish me for it. It’d be worth it,” the Elf finally said, pointing at Veronica.

Angry at everything and wanting to obliterate Veronica to dust, Ryker reigned it all in. Reigned it all in and smothered it over with his love for Diane.

And his newfound willingness to adhere to Rike’s tenets.

“Head count,” Ryker said, pointing at Veronica. “How many are here?”

“Twenty-six,” Veronica said, lifting her chin up.

“Great. Twenty-six. Let’s go,” Ryker said, indicating that everyone follow Tris. “Everyone play nice. Grab the person’s shoulders in front of you. Everyone be sure to pick up the little ones and keep them close.”

Charlotte walked up next to Ryker, looking frustrated.

“Put it in here once everyone’s gone,” Ryker said, meeting Charlotte’s gaze.

She nodded at him. She’d been trusted with the dungeon core, just in case they decided to put it somewhere hard to get to.

Ryker gave her a wave of a hand, then started walking once it looked like half of the group had filed out.

Smoothly, safely, everyone kept walking. Moving in line as if they were going out for a stroll.

There was only a single guard that showed up, and Tris dispatched him instantly. No one looked at the corpse as she yanked the tag from him or when they walked by it, and everyone did their best to pretend it wasn’t there.

Exiting through the same door they’d come in, Tris led them out. Then beyond the manor’s grounds and into the woods nearby.

Ryker fell off to one side, looking back the way they’d come.

Charlotte wasn’t there.

Chewing at his tongue, Ryker thought for a second. Then he started walking back to the manor home. He wasn’t about to leave Charlotte behind.

When he reached the edge of the trees, Ryker paused.

Slipping out a window from the side of the house, Charlotte dropped down to the grass and began heading his way.

“Diane is… beyond ecstatic,” Marybelle said.

That’s no fun. You spoiled my surprise. I kinda wanted to show up with her mom in tow. Get a reward.

“Oh… you’ll get a reward and then some, I think. From Diane and Lauren both. One for the return of her family, the other for providing her with her enemy,” Marybelle said.

Mm. Goodie.

I’ll send Meino and Robyn back with the Chas family. They can handle them easily enough between the two of them.

The rest of us will continue on.

“Alright. Be safe, dear,” Marybelle said.

Chapter 9 - Awakening -

Ryker sat in his seat in the inn, wondering what to do next.

They’d kept moving north after separating from Robyn, Meino, and the Chas family, but they’d quickly hit a road block of sorts.

The capital of Dale was swarming with soldiers. There was no end to the dark church’s lackeys running around in every direction, trying to figure out how to throw back Lauren’s armies that were on the move in the south.

Even Ryker had managed to hear some of the rumors going around.

That the queen of Dale was leading an undying army made by her husband, a man stronger than any arch-mage, the count of Dungeon. That she was on the warpath and would retake her lands and put the sword to everyone who stood in her way.

That every single worshiper of either church was being excommunicated from Dale and that every soldier of either church was being put to the sword.

Not for the first time, Ryker wondered how bad the morale must be for the church. It was likely they were suffering from some truly terrible desertion rates.

Especially when one took into consideration that one of their highest-ranked priestesses had reappeared. Though now she wore the colors of the goddess Rike and marched along with Dungeon.

“…said she’s actually a goddess from the shattering,” Charlotte said.

“What? Huh?” Ryker said, looking at the rogue.

He was sharing an early lunch with her. Shirley and Tris were out doing some basic recon on the surrounding area, trying to see if they could find an easy route into Queensrest that wouldn’t mark them as outsiders.

“Rike,” Charlotte said softly. “Apparently there was another goddess with the exact same name. Before the Dark Lord shattered the world and was thrown back.”

Ryker frowned at that. He’d been alive during the shattering. He could pinpoint the exact moment that the world had changed around him.

It’d been the same way for everyone.

The world had changed in a flash of light. Everyone had felt it when it happened.

Nothing was the same after. Even Ryker’s memories of the time before the shattering were different than the time after.

Everything before had felt uniform. Correct. Whole.

And everything after felt like a panicky disarray, starting with the flash of light that had made Ryker dizzy as his very mind ached.

Even just thinking about it tended to make people unhappy and sick.

It was why no one wanted to discuss it typically, and why it was the domain of the churches of light and dark.

That the shattering was entirely due to the Dark Lord of the North.

Actually… isn’t… isn’t that really similar to when I think about the dungeon?

Ryker went stiff in his chair as his mind slammed into that thought.

Before he could stop himself, he was reliving the shattering all over again.

That the world was wrong. That everything was wrong.

That he was wrong.

Ryker couldn’t breathe, his hands clenched tight into fists, his eyes rolled back into his head, and his mind went screaming in circles around itself.

Going faster and faster and faster, until it felt like he was going to break.

I never had a girlfriend before the shattering! Never had… never had anything!

I never owned toys.

Furniture. Friends.

Nothing. There was nothing!

My parents’ house didn’t have a bathroom!

I can’t remember ever having used the restroom ever before the shattering… The world… isn’t right. Things are wrong.

Everything is wrong.

I’m not right.

I’m wrong.

Everything after the shattering is different.

My mother doesn’t have a name.

My father was alive just before the shattering and died right after. He went crazy.

Crazy because… because this isn’t real.

Many went crazy.

None of this is real.

I’m not real.

***

“Hello,” said a calm and clear female voice.

Opening his eyes, Ryker found himself floating in nothing.

In fact, now that he thought about it, he didn’t even have eyes.

He didn’t exist in any sense of the word, and he had no body.

The best he could describe himself as was a floating thought in a world of white light. There wasn’t even a shadow.

Because there was no source of light.

And I don’t exist.

“Oh, stop being melodramatic, Ryker,” said the same voice.

“I’m not being melodramatic. I don’t exist. This is all some sort of dream and I’m just a figment of their imagination,” Ryker said bitterly.

“Maybe. Or maybe your reality is exactly what you make of it. Maybe it’s as real as you let it be, because it isn’t as if you’ll have any other life to live,” said the same voice. “And I’m Rike, by the way. It’s nice to meet with you directly.”

“Hello,” Ryker said. “Can… I have a body?”

“Of course you can. This is my domain,” Rike said.

With a light tinkling of bells, Ryker was once more clothed in his own flesh.

Reaching out, he pressed his hands to his chest and took in a deep breath.

It’d been very odd to exist without breathing.

“Why don’t you have a body?” Ryker asked.

“It wouldn’t be worth it. If you’d like it in simpler terms, my mana pool is very small. I’m being efficient,” Rike said. “The defense of Dungeon wasn’t cheap, you know.”

Nodding his head immediately at that, Ryker really could understand. He understood it completely, in fact.

“I’m glad you can appreciate the similarity,” Rike said. “So. How would you like to proceed?”

“With what?” Ryker asked.

“Your death,” Rike said smoothly. “Your mind couldn’t quite cope with what you’d discovered. Your soul… fled. It’s why you’re here now.

“You died.”

“Oh,” Ryker said. “I don’t exist… but I died, because I realized I didn’t exist. That’s some… real philosophical horse shit right there, isn’t it?”

Rike’s charming bell-like laughter washed over him and gave him a warmth inside he didn’t know could exist.

“You really do remind me of my brother-in-law quite a bit,” Rike said. “Ah… yes. You died when you discovered the world is not as you thought it.”

“Okay. Can you just… shove me back in? I’d like to go back down there. Cause you’re right,” Ryker said with a shrug. “The world is exactly what I make of it. It’s as real as I want it to be. And if I can die in this not-world, then I can certainly live.

“Though I’m probably going to try to have as much sex as humanly possible. So much sex. Starting with Robyn and Meino. I’m going to spell my way south and sex them to death. Robyn is going to pray to you to get me to stop. Meino’s voice will go hoarse from mooing. After that I’m going to sex Adele, Lauren, and Diane atop one another. Then, I’m going to go back north and sex Charlotte, Shirley, and Tris to death. Tris in particular. She should be killed by sex.”

Laughing again, Rike seemed beyond amused at his words.

“I’m pretty sure you can’t sex them to death, as you called it, but you could certainly try,” Rike said. “I would say, though… if I put you back in your body, you should continue north, doing what you’ve been doing. It’s rather delightful to watch Rannulf be… annihilated from Dale. Him and his little pantheon of lessers. Do be sure to destroy a church he had erected in Queensrest. That needs to be brought low.”

“If you put me back in my body, I’d be happy to do that,” Ryker said, hopeful. From the sound of it, it really seemed like she’d already decided to return him to the land of the living. She just wanted to make him squirm a bit.

Once more, Rike laughed. The warm sensation blanketed him from head to toe.

“Yes. I do want you to squirm. I want you to worry over what I’d do to you if you forget which goddess you owe your faith to,” Rike said. “Though it seems I’ve already revealed my intentions. Amelia would laugh at me.”

“Amelia?” Ryker asked.

“My sister. She’s currently playing with some pieces in another world. She wants me to meet her champion,” Rike said with a sigh. “He sounds interesting. I plan on visiting them shortly. We shall see.”

Ryker could only barely begin to understand all of this.

A goddess has a sister, who is on another planet, with a champion of her own creation. And Rike is apparently going to visit them.

“Yes, that’s right,” Rike said. “Think of it this way. I’m quite mortal in some regards, but I don’t have the same concerns as you do. Just as you’ve never had to worry about feeding yourself or where you lived. To a homeless man, you would be that different of an existence to him.”

“Right. Mortal gods. Fake worlds. Dying because I realized I’m not alive,” Ryker said, nodding his head and then abruptly shaking it. “Nope. Crazy talk.”

Breathing out roughly, Rike sighed. Then she giggled cutely. “Alright. I’m going to put you back in your body now.”

“Should I not… should I not think about the shattering or the dungeon anymore?” Ryker asked.

“No. The truth is already revealed to you, but I wouldn’t push others to the same result. They won’t have a goddess watching over them,” Rike said. “Now, for me to send you back to the world, I have to make a few little modifications to you. It’s… going to change the way you view the world.

“Are you… do you want this? Do you want to go back? I could easily let you cross over into my afterlife. It’s a lovely place. Though it’d only be you for the time being, of those you know. Then again, maybe you’ll meet some of my followers who have perished in the war and make friends.”

“What kind of modifications?” Ryker asked suspiciously.

“Oh… just minor things that won’t harm you or bother you at all. I can honestly say you’ll only benefit from them,” Rike said.

“Like?” Ryker asked, not really liking that answer.

“Like having more information available if you want it,” Rike said.

“Could you show me an example?” Ryker asked.

“Oh, if I must. Keep in mind I’m not going to explain it all to you. If you really want to know, you’ll have to work at it and figure it out yourself,” Rike said. “This is what Charlotte would look like if you were to get more information on her.”

Name- Charlotte

Level:

31

Class:

Rogue

Race:

Human*

Experience:

88%

Alignment:

Neutral

Reputation:

0

Fame:

0

Bounty:

0

Attributes-

Strength:

24

Constitution:

21

Dexterity:

38

Intelligence:

10

Agility:

37

Wisdom:

27

Stamina:

17

Charisma:

12

Status- None

“Oh,” Ryker said. “Shit.”

“Yes. I recommend not looking too deeply into it. It can get dizzying just on its own,” Rike murmured. “As I said, minor modifications that you won’t even notice unless you go seeking them.”

“I understand,” Ryker said. “There’s really nothing that would change if I pretend nothing did? Changed, that is.”

“Absolutely nothing,” Rike said.

“Okay. Then… I accept,” Ryker said. “Should I just stand here, or—”

Ryker sat bolt upright, blinking.

Looking around, he found himself in the inn room he was sharing with Tris, Shirley, and Charlotte. He was in one of the two beds.

Sitting nearby was a worried-looking Charlotte.

“Oh, thank goodness!” she said, leaning forward and wrapping him up in a tight hug. “Your heart was beating in strange ways, and I could actually swear I felt your soul leave your body for a second.”

“Uhm, yeah. I’m… fine,” Ryker said. “Must have just fainted. I wasn’t feeling very well this morning.

“I feel a lot better now, though.”

Hugging Charlotte in return, Ryker wondered if he’d been dreaming.

He almost didn’t want to believe it was a dream. It was almost too fantastical not to be, though.

Out of nowhere, he felt a firm poke right in the middle of his eyes that went straight into his brain.

He felt the warmth that was Rike’s laughter flood through him suddenly.

Nope. Not a dream.

“What’s not a dream, dear?” Marybelle asked.

Nothing. Nevermind. Also… when are you splitting up your bond with Tris and Charlotte?

“When they get back,” Marybelle said with a sigh. “Though they did promise to let me remain the leader. So it isn’t as bad as I feared. I’ll still be your mindwife, and nothing will change at all. They just want to be able to speak with you if you’re not around.”

That’s… not very helpful. Charlotte said you wouldn’t be able to read my mind.

“That’s very true. But I talked her out of that, and we have a different deal in place now,” Marybelle said smoothly. “Don’t worry, you won’t even notice a difference. I’ll just keep doing what I have been so far.”

Great.

Great… just… great. Yeah.

Sighing, Ryker tried not to think about the fact that he’d just met a goddess. Though he couldn’t help it.

Nothing came from Marybelle about it, however.

Nothing at all.

Which meant Marybelle wasn’t privy to thoughts of Rike, his memories of what had just happened, or anything involving it.

Things were just getting stranger and stranger.

He pulled Charlotte in the bed, determined to adhere to his promise.

First, he was going to try and sex her to death.

***

Staring hard at Shirley, Ryker really didn’t know what to think.

He’d tried pulling up her information box and had been extremely surprised by what he’d found.

Still unable to believe it, he concentrated hard on her. Thinking he wanted to see more about her.

Name- Shirley/Claire

Level:

23

Class:

Wizard

Race:

Human

Experience:

13%

Alignment:

Neutral

Reputation:

0

Fame:

0

Bounty:

0

Attributes-

Strength:

16

Constitution:

20

Dexterity:

14

Intelligence:

41

Agility:

15

Wisdom:

39

Stamina:

19

Charisma:

68

Status- Pregnant

Baby-Belle, is Shirley pregnant?

“Hm? Oh, uhm, ask Charlotte,” Marybelle said. “I’m afraid I can’t tell unless I’m nearby. There’s also a lot of strange background thoughts fluttering through your head. It’s like you’re reliving memories and I have to constantly re-sort them.”

Frowning, Ryker thought on that. He wondered briefly if Rike was protecting herself and Marybelle as well. If she couldn’t see what’d happened, the same thing wouldn’t happen to her.

Turning to Charlotte, Ryker leaned in close and pressed his lips to her ear. He practically had his tongue in her ear canal, so desperate was he to ask his question without Tris hearing.

“Is Shirley pregnant?” Ryker asked her.

Charlotte gave him a weird look, then turned to Shirley. Nodding her head, she looked back at Ryker.

Fuck. Well, that kinda goes with not using a condom.

“Pregnant then?” Marybelle asked.

Ryker frowned, thinking on what was happening. Marybelle was going to have a hard job of being his mindwife if he was constantly throwing her off by thinking of Rike.

Then again, maybe he didn’t want her to know what he was thinking. He could use this as a wonderful smokescreen.

But if she knew… if she knew, I’d have someone to talk to about it.

Could I help her brace for it?

Shifting his weight from foot to foot, Ryker didn’t know what to do. Part of him wanted to keep the cover over his thoughts, but he’d secretly grown to feel rather confident with Marybelle there.

She often would pluck out silly or stupid thoughts he had during the day and reinforce the positive ones.

He could honestly say that with her being his “mindwife,” she’d improved him.

Significantly.

“Charlotte, Tris,” Ryker said. “I don’t want you splitting the bond with Marybelle. If you’re that eager for something like that, we’ll figure out something similar.”

“Okay,” Tris said. “As long as it’s similar.”

“I understand,” Charlotte said, nodding her head. “As long as it’s similar, yes.”

“What now?” Shirley asked.

“You’re pregnant, by the way,” Ryker said, trying to throw her thought patterns off kilter. “I did tell you not using a condom was a risk.”

“What?! But I’m taking those herbs! They’re supposed to work perfectly,” Shirley said, looking at Charlotte. “You said they’d work!”

“Baby-Belle, I want to share something with you,” Ryker said, marching along behind Charlotte as they started walking again. They were currently moving through the back country, trying to sneak into the county of Queensrest so they could begin closing in on the capital itself.

“I said they probably would—I didn’t say they’d be perfect. I told you his seed was potent,” Charlotte argued back. “If I had a working womb, it’d be pregnant hundreds of times over.”

“What is it, dear? You sound concerned. You can share anything with me,” Marybelle sent back.

“I know why you’re having to fight background memories. I also know I can fix it. But it might change your view of the world. Considerably. It might even kill you.

“I’ll let you make the choice, though. You can fight the memories, or have them cleared at the risk I said,” Ryker offered.

“That’s an easy question; I’ll take the risk,” Marybelle said.

“First off… have you ever considered the world in depth? Outside of the dungeon? Perhaps before the shattering?” Ryker asked.

“Of course. Who hasn’t?”

“What if… what if the world after the shattering was different? Different like the dungeon kind of different,” Ryker said slowly. “What if the world before the shattering wasn’t… correct?”

There was no immediate response from Marybelle.

Ryker managed to be patient, letting her digest that.

“…pregnant! Can’t be pregnant. I’m supposed to mother Claire’s child and then have one of my own. This makes everything so much harder,” Shirley complained. “The birthdays won’t line up and it’ll all be for naught.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Charlotte said. “We can just have you run an avatar around in public while you’re pregnant in private. We’ll just… fudge the dates a little. That’s all.”

“That’ll work… I guess. But you’re helping me with this, Char! Or I’ll make you get in your Fairy avatar and have a baby put in you, too. Or make you create an avatar with a working womb, damnit,” Shirley said. “Then we can both carry them to term and you can watch both of them. Turn you into a nanny. You can wet-nurse them while I’m running around with Ryker.”

“Oh. I see,” Marybelle said. “The world is false. Hm. Alright. I suppose that makes sense. Especially when you consider the dungeon. Definitely makes more sense with why the rules are so much more strict with us. It has to be.

“Hmmm? You have a lot of new memories now I couldn’t see befo—Oh. Rike was involved. Yes, that makes sense. It all makes sense, actually.”

Ryker shook his head in annoyance. It wasn’t really fair that Marybelle apparently had the mental fortitude to just truck right through the whole thing without even a bump in the road. It almost sounded like she was disappointed in knowing.

“Oh well. That makes it that much easier to dismiss my Fairy avatar and never care about it again,” Marybelle said. “Though I might let it have that pregnancy sooner than I thought.”

“Sorry. I thought about not telling you, but—”

“Wanted me to be your mindwife. Yes, I saw the internal debate you had after the fact. Also the part where you told Charlotte and Tris to bug off,” Marybelle said with a deep chuckle. “I’m flattered… and I’m going to reward you a lot when you come home for that one. A lot, a lot. I think maybe it’s time I experimented with other avatars, see what kind of fun we can get into.”

Oh.

Yes.

Chapter 10 - For Love -

Ryker looked at the city of Queensrest and could barely recognize it. There was no one out on the streets. Most of the windows and doors were boarded or shut up tight, and there was almost no sound at all.

The city was a ghost town, or everyone was literally living in their basements. Nothing stirred.

“It’s… as if it’s empty,” Charlotte said. She and Ryker had snuck into the outskirts of the capital to see what was going on.

“It really is,” Ryker said, deeply troubled by what he was seeing.

They were outside of the closest core’s range as well, which meant they couldn’t use Marybelle as a scouting resource.

“We should wait for tomorrow morning and see what’s going on. Maybe this is just an evening lull,” she said. “In the meantime, you should probably head back to the border with Tris and Shirley. I’ll wait here and watch for anything interesting. I imagine there’s some work to be done with the new dungeon lands.”

“Marybelle and Wynne can handle it,” Ryker said.

“They can, sure, but… you’re the dungeon lord. While they can handle it, it’s just better if they don’t,” Charlotte said, looking at him.

“Fine, fine. But Marybelle is just going to jump me as soon as she gets the chance,” Ryker said.

“Mm. Tris could use some attention. She’s doing a fair job of keeping us all on task, but I think she could use a break,” Charlotte said. “So after Marybelle is done with you, turn all that excess toward Tris.”

Often when Ryker came back from meeting with Marybelle, his body was amped and ready. Only his mind and spirit experienced the coupling. Not his actual body.

Clicking his tongue, Ryker began to walk back toward where Tris and Shirley would be camped.

One of them would be on watch, the other sleeping.

Honestly, Ryker didn’t want to mess with the dungeon right now. He was genuinely feeling depressed about it whenever he did.

His dungeon stories were long since over, and all he had left was an army he could wield. It was dull, boring, and without any life to it.

I kinda miss just… putting speech into patterns and making people.

Creating life and letting it… go.

Sighing, Ryker pressed a hand to his head.

“Is that why I’m here?” Ryker asked aloud. “Because it would be fun for someone else? To make a life and then experience it through them?”

He half hoped Rike would respond. She never had, of course, and he doubted she ever would, but it wouldn’t stop him from trying.

“Ryker?” asked a voice from beside him.

“Yeah, it’s me,” he said, still walking toward the camp.

“You’re very loud,” Tris said as she came toward him out of the brush nearby.

“And you’re beautiful when your mouth is full,” Ryker said, looking at her blankly. “Your ears suck as handlebars, though.”

Tris turned a deep, dark red at the comment and came to walk along next to him.

“Yours do, too,” she said after several seconds.

Ryker chuckled at that. “They really do.”

“I’m… afraid,” Tris said suddenly.

“Oh? Of?” Ryker asked, curious. Tris had always been almost too stoic for him. She only ever broke her mask when it came to sex.

“The moment we plant the core in the capital, the enemy could just… declare a battle for the space,” Tris said. “If they did so, it could end up being thousands. Thousands and thousands versus four. We’d have to run as quick as possible to the border. But that’s assuming we’re not surrounded.”

He hadn’t thought about that.

About any of it.

They were really putting themselves in a position of great danger. The last time he’d spoken to Marybelle, he’d found Lauren’s forces were only just then reaching Warrenton. They were days away, even at a fast march.

That was assuming they weren’t under constant attack or engaged in a longstanding fight.

“That’s a very good point, Tris,” Ryker said.

“I want to go in alone,” said the Elf. “Or Charlotte, if she wants to. Just… anyone but you. We can’t risk you.”

The silence after that statement lingered. Ryker couldn’t think of a reasonable response.

“I can’t risk you,” Tris mumbled. “I love you. It hurts so bad sometimes when I think of you in trouble. That you were running from people from Queensrest all the way home. That you were injured.

“That you literally fought a battle at the doorstep and I couldn’t do anything. That I wasn’t there. I’ve been learning as much as I can about swordsmanship since then. I’m much stronger. Much, much stronger.”

Ryker glanced over at her, then tried to pull up more information for her.

Name- Tris

Level:

37

Class:

Sword-Master

Race:

Elf*

Experience:

01%

Alignment:

Good

Reputation:

0

Fame:

0

Bounty:

0

Attributes-

Strength:

21

Constitution:

27

Dexterity:

37

Intelligence:

23

Agility:

32

Wisdom:

24

Stamina:

28

Charisma:

08

Status- Terrified

“I understand,” Ryker said, looking away from the Elf. She’d been watching him with steely eyes. “But I’m not going to let you march in there by yourself. You’re crazy if you think that’s going to happen.”

“I love you, Ryker,” Tris said.

“I know. And I—”

The back of his head hurt suddenly, the world went dark, and Ryker knew nothing more.

***

Groaning, Ryker rolled over on his side.

“Uuuun. Really? I’m not even awake yet,” Shirley mumbled.

Trying to pry his eyes open, Ryker couldn’t quite figure out what was going on. He tried to lift his arm.

“Fine, fine. Just… give me a second to get my pants off,” Shirley said, gently pushing at his arm. “You’re always so needy in the morning. I love the attention and you, but it’s still weird with Char and Tris around.”

Tris!

Moaning, Ryker managed to get his eyes open. Everything was spinning, and it felt like he might be sick.

Shirley was next to him, practically under him really, and working at unfastening her belt.

“Tris knocked me out,” Ryker mumbled, angry and confused.

“What?” Shirley asked, her hands freezing at her middle. “Where’s… Tris isn’t here.”

Groaning, Ryker sat up and pressed his hands to the side of his head. It felt like his head was made out of glass.

“Oh my g… you have a very large knot on the side of your head,” Shirley said. Ryker felt a hesitant touch on his skull, and a slight twinge of pain. “Goodness. She must have hit you really hard. That’s quite a goose egg.

“Why’d she hit you though?” Shirley asked. He could tell she sensed something was wrong, but not the severity of the problem.

“Because she wants to go bury the core in the throne room by herself,” Ryker grumbled. “The moment the core goes in, they’re going to know something happened. They could technically challenge us to a fight. She was afraid we’d get trapped and stuck.”

As he got to his feet, Ryker felt wobbly, but it wasn’t too bad. Keeping his balance, he grabbed up his pack.

“Come on, we need to get to Charlotte,” Ryker said.

They cleaned up camp, packed, and made haste to where Charlotte was keeping watch. With any luck, she might have spotted Tris or seen something.

When Ryker found Charlotte, though, he realized any hope of that was dashed.

She was tied to a tree, ropes binding her firmly there, arms tied on each side of the tree itself.

“Good morning,” she said, looking up at Ryker with a grimace. “It appears I underestimated Tris. She’s—”

“Gone to put the core in by herself, I know,” Ryker said, getting down on one knee in front of Charlotte. He started to fuss with the ropes, then just gave up and used a burst of mana to slice them away. “She knocked me out cold and dumped me on top of Shirley. Must have come back for you after that.”

Charlotte started rubbing at her wrists after Ryker got her untied, probably trying to work the circulation back into her hands.

“Stubborn fool,” Charlotte grumbled, getting to her feet after Ryker freed her. “She always had a headstrong nature, but that damn Elf brain of hers has taken over.”

“Probably,” Ryker said. It wasn’t an academic question of whether the Fairies and Imps were influenced by their race. It was a guarantee. They were who they were. “What do we do?”

“Go after the idiot, of course,” Charlotte said. “She’s going to make a beeline for those ruins you mentioned.”

“Is she trying to kill herself? Because this is just stupid. Stupid and suicidal,” Shirley said, sounding angrier than either Charlotte or Ryker. “Even if she’s just an avatar, getting killed that far from her core would end her, wouldn’t it?”

“No, not suicidal. She’s just… just trying to protect me,” Ryker said. “If I had to bet… she’s going to try to do it with as much stealth as possible. Then try to get out. Except she’s probably the worst Elf that ever was.

“And honestly, if we really wanted, we could sneak into the throne room, plant the core, then hide in the safety chamber I was in last time while the battle goes on.”

Charlotte and Shirley both looked thoughtful. Clearly thinking through the plan he’d just suggested.

“The battle wouldn’t ever end,” Shirley said.

“Nope, but nor would they be able to find us,” Ryker said. “We could just hunker down there. Have Charlotte steal food at night, and we make elemental water. Could lie low for a long time. Or if we get real lucky, the passageway in the gardens. That one had a lot more room, and we could hunt in the woods.”

“Why didn’t you suggest any of this to Tris?” Shirley said.

“I couldn’t—she fucking brained me with a rock mid-conversation. Let’s see how well you debate a point when someone’s decided your head needs to be redecorated,” Ryker shot back, angry and hurt at Tris’s actions.

Sighing, Shirley looked angry but waved a hand at him.

“I’m sorry, Ryker. Forgive me, my love. I’m just… upset. Tris is my friend. I didn’t mean to lash out at you,” Shirley said.

Wanting to be mad at her—he was good at being mad—Ryker fought her words for a moment. Then he gave in and reached out an arm, snagging Shirley with it. He drew her in for a hug and held her.

“Me too, sorry,” Ryker said, forgiving her.

He’d changed since meeting Wynne. Even he could admit it was for the better.

“Come on. We need to go find that idiot so I can club her,” Charlotte groused. “She hit me with a rock. A fucking rock.”

Wow. She’s pissed.

I think… I think they both are. That means I need to help bring it back down, right?

That’s what they’d do for me.

“I would say so, dear,” Marybelle said. “To be fair, I’m a little angry at Tris myself right now, so I can relate.”

“You’re really pretty when you’re angry, Charlotte,” Ryker said. “Wanna take a quick break and have a nasty, angry three way? I think you’d have to be on the bottom. Shirley seems like the type who’d want to sit on your face.”

Both Charlotte and Shirley looked at him with almost blank, unreadable faces.

Then Shirley started laughing. Followed by Charlotte’s deep sultry chuckle. Both women looked relieved.

“Rain check, my beloved most darling and sweet footstool. After we get Tris, we’re having that three way, and Tris will watch it happen,” Shirley said with a nod. “Alright, let’s head for the ruins and its back door.”

Charlotte led the way, moving them through the outskirts of Queensrest without a problem. She seemed to be able to pick out the right paths for them to take every time.

They ran on for what felt like an hour, but they seemed to be making incredible time. Ryker couldn’t help but wonder if he and his group had just been that bad at being in the forest.

Watching Charlotte the whole time, Ryker kept his eyes where she put her feet so he could do the same. He found that she never seemed to slip or trip on a root.

Stopping dead next to a tree, Charlotte moved slowly behind it and then got low to the ground.

Taking the cue, Ryker moved in behind her and just got behind the tree outright. Shirley took up the space next to him.

“You see something?” Ryker asked, getting down low next to her.

“Yes,” she said. “There’s… a prison camp. It looks to be full of citizens and civilians.”

“A prison camp,” Ryker said. “In the woods. Next to Queensrest.”

“Yes,” Charlotte said.

“And uh… have we been following Tris? Did she go through here?” Ryker asked.

“No. I’ve just been moving in the general direction I felt like the ruins were, based on the map location Lauren pointed out to me,” Charlotte said. “Tris is likely doing the same.”

“Right. Uh. Right,” Ryker said, not really sure what to do.

If they freed the prisoners, it’d create absolute chaos once discovered. It might give them a distraction they could utilize.

Having the church hunting down escaped prisoners might pull more of their people from the castle and give Ryker an easy time. Especially since he practically had to plant the core under the throne itself.

Given the structure, the future use, and everything that would be needed, that was the absolute most ideal spot for it.

The rest of the plan had been built around it, in fact. If the core wasn’t put there, the church wouldn’t be forced into the badlands in the north. It was more likely to just be on the green, fertile plain ahead of it.

With a frown, Ryker ran a hand over his face.

“I’ll take care of it,” Shirley said. “I’ll free ’em all. You two keep going. I’ll catch up.”

Ryker really didn’t like that idea.

At all.

He didn’t think Shirley was incapable. It was the opposite, in fact; he felt like she could easily crush the entire camp.

But Ryker also always felt like the heroic band of adventurers were a bunch of lackwits when they split up the party in the bard stories.

“I know,” Shirley said, patting the top of his head with her left hand. “I know. And I’ll make sure I’m very careful. I have to be. I’ve got your damn freakish super-seed growing in me. Which Charlotte will be receiving as well once we get back to the dungeon. You and your stupid herbs.”

Charlotte shook her head at that, not replying.

“Alright. I’m going to… going to go kill a bunch of people and free a whole bunch of prisoners,” Shirley said, looking far more scared than she probably realized. “Without… without my mage-husband or an avatar. I’m going to do well and make it look easy.

“Because I’m Lady Ryker. An arch-mage in the making with a talent unseen in hundreds of years. I’m a damn force to be reckoned with and have personally killed champions of the gods.

“I’ll see you later, footstool. I’ll catch up to you and head to the interior garden door.”

Nodding at her own words, Shirley stepped out from behind the tree and started walking away from them.

Torn, Ryker wanted to reach out and yank her back. But he also knew she was right.

They had to hurry to try and catch Tris. With any luck, Charlotte could get them there quicker than Tris could do it on her own.

“Let’s go,” Charlotte said. The next instant, the crackle of lightning was loud enough that Ryker actually jumped.

Ducking out low behind the tree, Charlotte was off at a fast sprint. Ryker kept as low as he could while he chased after her.

Behind him, he could hear people shouting as spells detonated. Then men began to scream and shriek, probably dying.

Gritting his teeth, Ryker didn’t much care for any of this at all.

Should have fucking run away with her and taken my damn harem with me. Tied them all up, gagged them, and taken the dungeon core.

Gone out to the middle of damn nowhere and made a new farm that was a dungeon.

Fuck everything else.

Done with this shit.

Charlotte kept them going. Going fast, too. They were blasting along through brush, small trees, and vegetation alike.

Ryker swore he saw small groups of people as they did. People moving around in the dense undergrowth on their hands and knees.

It took him far too long to realize who and what they were.

They were citizens of Queensrest, out scavenging for food in the woods. Roots, berries, or otherwise.

Damn the church. I’m going to kill every single one of them. They can’t be allowed to survive this.

Bursting out of cover, Charlotte kept moving, forcing Ryker to push on even harder. Ahead of them were the ruins he remembered from last time.

They were unchanged in every way.

Rushing over to where the door was, Charlotte started to feel around for the hidden locking mechanism.

It was a complicated mess of having to press three very different stones at the same time that weren’t very close together.

Lauren had to literally draw a map for them, and even then it was a lot of “I think I remember” rather than actuality.

The stones she’d told them to push were “the dirty one, the one with a black stain, and the white one,” which did fuck all for Ryker now that he was looking at them.

The top of the ruins were covered in what looked like wet, black mud.

Or shit.

“Tris was already here and gone,” Charlotte said. “And really doesn’t want us coming after her. I… don’t even know what to say.”

“Is that her shit?” Ryker asked.

“Yes. Yes it is,” Charlotte said.

“I’m going to fuck her in the ass. Repeatedly. Until she can’t shit right for a couple days,” Ryker said, then swiped his hand across in front of him. The nasty remnants were scattered roughly into the surrounding area, leaving the stones clean and pristine.

“I didn’t… I don’t even. You did that with her? In her… in her bottom?” Charlotte murmured, her mind tripping all over itself. “Did it—”

“Bad time for talking,” Ryker said, then reached into the stones with his dungeon sense. He immediately saw which stones needed to be pressed and did so with magical force.

With a crunch, the door slid away and revealed its dark interior.

“In we go,” Ryker said, and then he went inside quickly.

Chapter 11 - Asshole -

Ryker thankfully knew where he was going as he ran through the tunnel. Knew where he was going and actually felt rather confident. The wizard light bobbing along beside his head didn’t hurt either. Last time they’d come through here, he’d had no idea how to cast such a thing.

Their time in the dark had forced Ryker to expand his casting abilities into the more mundane arts after he’d made it back.

Instead of simply being a full battle-mage specialist.

Hitting the stairwell, he took it at a run. Climbing the stairs almost three at a time.

I’m going to destroy her. Start thinking up fun ways to torture her, Baby-Belle, because her name is going to be “Asshole” for at least a month.

I’m going to make her lick the ground while I destroy her namesake.

“I’ll work on it,” Marybelle said. “I’m sure I can come up with something fun.”

When he hit the restock room, Ryker turned to the hallway, skidded on the stones, and then kept running when he got his footing under him again.

Pounding along, Ryker was hoping he’d catch Tris at the end. If they could find her unable to open the door for some reason, they’d be done.

Here and now.

Otherwise, he’d have to choose whether he was willing to risk himself to go after her into the heart of the castle grounds and keep itself.

Coming to the end of the hallway, Ryker found nothing.

Tris wasn’t here, and it was obvious they’d missed her.

He couldn’t tell if it had been two seconds or two hours since she’d gone through.

“Damnit,” Ryker said, resting his forehead to the stones. “Damn her, damn that stupid Elf brain of hers, damn her entire being.”

“That’s the door that leads into the interior of the castle grounds?” Charlotte asked, coming up next to him.

“Yeah. Which means she’s either dead, captured, or successful already,” Ryker said. “And since we can’t seem to feel a dungeon spreading out, that leaves the first two options. They both fucking suck, and I don’t know what to do.”

“We should leave,” Charlotte said. “Trust in her that she’ll finish the job.”

Ryker frowned, not sure what to do.

They had to make this happen. There wasn’t an alternative for failure here. No second option. No plan B.

Nothing.

“We’ll wait here till nightfall,” Ryker said. “If she hasn’t done it by then… then we’ll go in ourselves and do what we have to.

“You still have your cores? Do you have hers?”

“No,” Charlotte said with a grimace. “She took all the cores but left me mine.”

Really is a one-way trip for her then if she fucked up.

“Alright. If we have to… if we have to, we’ll see if we can track the cores. Do you know which ones were left?”

“A blank core, just in case… just in case something happened to you, and a few Imps who volunteered. None that you would know,” Charlotte said.

“Blank? Alright. I’ll just try to find Tris’s core. That shouldn’t be too hard. Just look for a whole lot of mana trapped inside a core,” Ryker said. “We’ll just… build a pattern out of air, make it invisible, and have it seek out sources of compressed mana. Which is all a filled core is, anyways. That’s all it is after we stuff a Fairy or an Imp into it.”

Sitting down right there, unwilling to move away from the door, Ryker sank himself into his work. Building pattern after pattern, he checked each time to see if there were any results.

He was determined not to move from this spot until either Tris came back, he could feel the dungeon, or night fell.

And that was just how it was going to be.

***

“Ryker,” said a voice softly next to him. “I think we should decide now. I’m almost positive it’s just past midnight.”

Looking up from the pattern he’d built, Ryker found Charlotte sitting next to him.

“You are?” Ryker asked, then licked his lips. His throat felt dry.

“Pretty sure of it, yes,” Charlotte said. “She’s either dead and retreated to her core, captured, or… I have no idea what else it could be.”

“Okay,” Ryker said. “Nothing from Shirley?”

“No. But then again, she might be leading those civilians back home, using them to fight, or just lying low,” Charlotte said. “Besides, she’s far stronger than you give her credit for. I have more experience than she does, but I don’t think I could beat her in a fight.”

Ryker smiled at that and nodded his head. “Alright. Let’s… open the door and see what we can figure out. There has to be some sign of Tris. She couldn’t just vanish, right?”

“If she died… that’s what would happen. She’d vanish into the core,” Charlotte said, standing up as well.

“Not what I meant. I mean… well… I guess that’s what I mean,” Ryker said. He pressed a hand to his head, not really knowing what to do. He wasn’t a leader.

“I’m just an angry little wizard who knows how to blow things up. And who can barely forgive people for wrongs now—which is a vast improvement, by the way, and can be rather petty. I have no idea what to do with any of this.”

“Honestly… there are really only a few things we can do,” Charlotte offered. “Move forward, or move backward. If Tris could have accomplished her goal, she would have. The simple fact that we can’t sense a dungeon means she hasn’t or couldn’t complete what she set out to do. Which means we have to follow up.”

“Her core was on her,” Ryker said, feeling a strange sick sensation.

“Yes,” Charlotte confirmed.

“If she died… her clothes, backpack, sword, all that would just… flop to the ground where she stood. Right?” Ryker asked.

“Yes,” Charlotte confirmed again.

“Someone could be walking around with her core in their hand, and we’d… never know unless I found them,” Ryker said.

“That’s… accurate. Unless we plant the dungeon core, at which point the dungeon sense would be available to her and she could easily flee the core herself,” Charlotte said.

“Alright. In other words, we really don’t have a choice. We have to move forward,” Ryker said.

“That’s what I think, yeah,” Charlotte said, laying a hand on the back of Ryker’s shoulder. “You say you’re not a leader, but you’re the person we look to for direction. In this case… I need you to tell me what we’re doing.

“I love you, but you’re still my king.”

Ryker snorted at that. It sounded stupid to him. Stupid and infantile.

“Fine, we go forward. I’ll open the door, you go out and look around,” Ryker said, dismissing his wizard light he’d made. “If it’s clear, or when it’s clear, come get me.”

Using his dungeon sense spell-work, Ryker quickly found the way to open the door, then popped the lock out of place.

With a creak, the hinges ground on themselves and the wall shifted in front of him. It was indeed quite dark out, from what he could see.

“My turn to work then,” Charlotte said, then pushed past him and vanished out into the darkness.

Pulling on the door, Ryker tried to shimmy it back into place as best he could. He didn’t want some random person to discover their hidey hole if he could help it. It’d been bad enough spending all those days locked in the throne room last time.

He’d rather not repeat the experience.

Sitting there waiting in the dark, Ryker felt his anxiety and fear begin to slowly rise.

Minutes passed.

Each one felt like an eternity to him.

Time flowed on.

***

“It’s clear,” Charlotte said through the small crack in the wall. He hadn’t expected it all, and it made him jump. He’d been lost in his thoughts.

“Yeah? Alright,” Ryker said, pushing the door open.

“I killed seventeen of them,” Charlotte said. “They had many soldiers on guard. It doesn’t feel normal. Either they’re on alert because of Tris, or… or something very different is going on here.”

Ryker nodded his head and slipped out of the bolt-hole. Shutting it completely, he made sure the door was locked again.

There was the distinct possibility of him having to come back through here at a later time. He wasn’t about to ruin the secret if he didn’t have to.

Creeping across the same greenery he’d escaped from not long ago, Ryker couldn’t shake the strange feeling of deja vu.

Deja vu and stupidity.

Hurtling right back to the very place he’d gotten away from wasn’t the brightest thing he’d ever done.

As they picked their way through the grounds, Charlotte led the way. She skirted them further away from the walls and kept them to the middle.

Then they were at a door Ryker recognized. It led right back into the castle.

Charlotte opened the door and went inside.

Following her quietly, Ryker entered and closed the door behind him. He wasn’t sure if Charlotte had cleared this area, so he just wedged himself into the corner and pretended to be a brick.

Thinking brick-like things, Ryker sat there, crouched low.

“Thank you for waiting,” Charlotte murmured, appearing not far from him. “We’re clear to the throne room. But… there’s a problem, I think. There’s a lot of people there. A lot of people.”

“Okay,” Ryker said, dreading the worst. He couldn’t shake what had nearly happened to Benni from his thoughts. If the same was done to Tris, Ryker was likely to lose himself and blow up the castle outright.

“I don’t see any sign of Tris. It doesn’t look like she was caught or spotted either,” Charlotte said. “But there’s definitely something wrong here. Something wrong that I can’t figure out.”

Ryker nodded, and then slowly brought up the “find Asshole” pattern he’d made. Slowly, the spell came to life between his hands.

A misty directional arrow appeared and slowly solidified, pointing straight ahead of him. As more mana filled the construct, the arrow slowly began to swing to the right, as if pointing them on toward their location.

“That way,” Ryker said.

Charlotte nodded at that, then started moving back the way she’d come.

Ryker had the distinct impression it was pointing them back to the throne room. He couldn’t prove it yet, but that was what he figured.

Stupid damned idiot. I’m going to turn her into a chair. A chair that is only allowed to have sex, eat, sleep, and drink.

Maybe go to the bathroom, if she can promise to not shit on the floor.

No fun though. No entertainment at all.

Ever.

For months.

Make a dungeon minotaur groom her. No baths.

Gritting his teeth, Ryker slowly advanced behind Charlotte. He was actually doing his best to keep quiet and low to the ground.

He doubted it would do any good, but right now he’d take any chance he could to somehow help them in this stupidity.

Walking into the rear of the throne room, Ryker watched as the arrow unerringly pointed toward the single spot he really didn’t want to see it go to.

The secret alcove that he, Diane, Adele, and Lauren had hidden in for days.

Charlotte was watching the arrow and followed where it was going with her eyes.

While she made the mental leap to where Tris was hiding, Ryker looked around the throne room itself.

It was full.

Even that, however, was an understatement.

There wasn’t even room to stand with how packed it was. Wall-to-wall bodies, pressed in tight and close.

All of them were wearing the clothes of the priesthood of Rannulf. The leading god of the church of the dark. The one who had cajoled, bribed, forced, and murdered a number of other pantheons into joining his own.

In his pantheon were seven other dark gods and goddesses. From all walks of life, cultures, and races, he’d assembled the worst of the worst together.

Standing there in the throne room were seven champions. Each one for a different deity in his pantheon.

This single room had perhaps enough strength to level a city from the ground up. Given a month, this group could grind down cities that didn’t have champions of their own. There’d be almost nothing left to take over, however, if they did such a thing.

Maybe it isn’t such a bad thing to sink Dale into the dungeon so deeply.

Two thousand high-powered Fairy and Imp avatars could kill a group of champions under the sheer weight of their bodies alone.

Ryker reached out and grabbed Charlotte by her shoulder, pulling her in close to him.

“She’s clearly in the hidey hole,” Ryker said. “No idea how she ended up there, but that’s where she is. I can make myself invisible, but I won’t be able to see anything once I do that. I’m just going to hold on to you, and you’re going to have to lead us over there.

“I’ll make a distraction with a snippet of a soul-powered spell through my personal dungeon sense. Then we’ll dive into the alcove and figure out what the hell Asshole was thinking before I break hers.”

Charlotte didn’t say anything. She merely watched Ryker, her eyes searching his.

Then she slowly nodded once.

“Alright. But there’s something else I think you should know,” Charlotte said.

“What’s that?” Ryker asked.

“All those champions? They’re trying to overpower the throne. If you look, you can practically feel the force coming out of them.”

“The throne? That doesn’t make any sense,” Ryker said, looking.

She didn’t succeed, did she? The arrow is actually pointing at the throne itself, maybe? Did… did she plant her own core into the throne?

No, no, no. The alcove is just on the other side of the throne from here, that’s all.

She wouldn’t sacrifice herself like that.

No one who volunteered for this job would be able to join the dungeon sense again. That was why it was a volunteer gig.

She wouldn’t do that.

“…might be her. I’m not sure though,” Charlotte said.

“Whatever. Give me something to grab—we’re going to the damn alcove,” Ryker said, not wanting to hear it.

Charlotte gave him a smirk, then put her hand into his, her entire being fading slowly from view.

Ryker took that as his cue and slapped a full invisibility spell on himself. There was nothing visible of him in any way, at any level. He was simply a void of air moving around.

And one that couldn’t see a damn thing.

His hand was pulled forward, and he kept a firm grip on Charlotte’s hand.

The chatter of voices slowly grew louder, and Ryker could practically feel the tension in Charlotte going up and up through her hand.

“…try again, damnit,” said a woman.

“I am trying. You try,” said a man. “It won’t budge.”

“I did try, remember? I lost a damn finger when the thing lashed out at me,” said the same woman.

“Still better than me. I can’t feel my arm,” said a second man.

“This is stupid,” said a different woman. “Let’s just have a new throne made. It’s not like we have to use this one.”

“The great and glorious Rannulf declared that we had to cleanse this throne,” said a new speaker. It sounded like a woman, but Ryker wasn’t quite sure. “So we’re going to cleanse it, and if you suggest anything other than that, I’m going to try cleansing it with your blood.”

“Is that a threat?” hissed the first woman.

“It is! You think I haven’t killed champions before? I killed the two who came before the one who came before you,” said the woman. “Adding you to that count wouldn’t matter at all.”

They really do go through champions rather quickly despite their power, don’t they?

Like rats.

Rats with an infinite amount of offspring.

And apparently death matters little.

Ryker’s thoughts went to his father, and the fact that his corpse was missing entirely.

“We’re here,” whispered a very soft voice near his ear. “I can see the locking mechanism. Need a distraction.”

Ryker nodded, only to realize that she wouldn’t see it.

Stupid.

Calling up his dungeon sense, Ryker began to feed a slow, almost passive tendril of mana into a construct. He needed to fill the spell without anyone noticing.

And the only way to do that was with time.

Drip by drip, the spell took shape. It was little more than a projectile with a spell that would make a loud noise when it went off. Very akin to someone dropping a plate.

While Ryker was building the construct, he saw the throne and the magic on it through the dungeon sense. He couldn’t help himself. He had to know if it was Tris.

To know if she’d sacrificed herself to do what she’d set out to do.

She hadn’t.

Wedged into the center of the throne’s raised back was an angry snarl of rabid and bloodthirsty nasty that Ryker didn’t even know what to identify as.

It was all anger, hate, and venom, and it looked like a living spell.

There was no way anyone could probably get near it without the spell lashing out.

Is it a defensive trap?

I never knew Tris as a spell-worker though. She hates magic.

Finishing his spell, Ryker snipped off a teeny piece of his soul. It didn’t even hurt this time. He was getting used to it.

After pushing the power source into the spell, he lobbed it high, hoping it would clear everyone in the room.

He couldn’t see them with his eyes, but he had a good idea of where they were through his limited dungeon sense.

“…again. Let’s just have the pri—”

A massive detonation of power against the far wall made everything shake and rumble.

There was a soft pop nearby, and then Charlotte was moving again. A soft rumble followed by the click of a lock sliding into place.

“You can drop the spell,” Charlotte said.

Letting the spell go, Ryker saw Tris.

She was standing near the viewing box, her eyes wide, staring at him and Charlotte.

“There you are, Asshole,” Ryker growled. He stood upright and marched over to her.

Leaning in close to the stunned Elf, Ryker pressed his forehead to hers.

“Do you have any damned idea how angry I am with you, Asshole? And by the way, that’s your name. For the next two months at least. Asshole,” Ryker said in rage-induced hiss. “And speaking of assholes, Asshole, I’m going to fuck yours till you can’t even consider eating anything firmer than gruel because of how often I’m going to be trying to clean you out with my dick!”

“I’m sorry,” Tris said. “I’m-I’m-I’m sorry. I just… I didn’t want you to be at risk. I’m sorry. I love you. I love you so much. I couldn’t stand the idea of you being in danger.”

Closing his eyes as his heart shivered at her words, Ryker wrapped her up in a tight hug and pulled her in close.

“You’re an idiot, Asshole. And I’m still going to turn yours inside out, but maybe I won’t make you be a chair,” Ryker grumbled. “Maybe.”

“Dear? I think I know what that thing on the throne is,” Marybelle said.

Do tell, Baby-Belle, because I’m about to make Asshole pay.

“It’s you,” Marybelle said. “It’s a piece of your soul. It’s angry, infuriated, and spiteful. It’s you, though. It’s a piece of you that’s stuck to the throne and won’t let anyone near it.”

Me? But I… oh.

I used a chunk of my soul to kill a dark vicar, didn’t I?

Chapter 12 - Sentinel -

Peering out through the peep hole, Ryker was frustrated.

They’d spent the last three days sitting here in the alcove waiting for the champions to leave.

Except they never did. There was always at least one of them here battering away at the angry bit of Ryker’s soul that was sitting there.

“Ryker,” Marybelle’s voice said in his mind.

What’s up, Baby-Belle?

“We’re moving up to the new territories now. We’ve cleared the field of everything below. We’ll be in the capital by tomorrow.

“Is there any chance of completing your mission before then?” Marybelle asked.

I mean, we’re trying. There’s just always more champions here than I think we can handle.

“Alright. I’m not trying to press you, dear, it’s just that if we’re unable to continue on as we have been, we’ll have to use human soldiers,” Marybelle said. “And they won’t just… get back up again after like our Vanguard.”

Ryker grimaced at that. She was right, of course.

If they could get this taken care of now, it’d be all for the better. When human soldiers died, that was it. A Fairy avatar could just reform and try again as soon as possible.

And with so many enemy soldiers dying, all feeding the dungeon, the rate of return is all the faster. That much quicker.

Alright. So… yeah. Okay.

I need to get this done fast and now.

“What?” Marybelle asked.

“Sorry, wasn’t… wasn’t talking to you, I guess. I was just thinking,” Ryker sent her way.

“Ah. Sorry. I’m trying to learn to differentiate between thoughts and when you speak to me. I’m getting better. Alright. I love you, dear. Be safe,” Marybelle said. “If you can’t do it, don’t worry about it. Soldiers fight; it’s what they’re paid, trained, and expected to do. It’s better for them to do their job than for you put yourself at risk.”

Ryker only nodded his head, coming back to himself and paying attention to the world again.

He could see five champions around the throne, all taking turns trying to overpower the soul fragment.

“Charlotte,” Ryker said softly.

“Mm? Yes?” asked the woman seated at his side. She was his second right now. Tris was sleeping. They rotated in and out so they always had someone watching for an opportunity.

Pulling his head out of the viewing box, Ryker got down in a squat.

“It’s time for us to attack, whether we’re ready or not,” Ryker said. “Do you have a core ready for this?”

Charlotte stared at him, blinking slowly.

“I do. Though I’m not sure they’ll be strong enough,” Charlotte said. “That little piece of you over there seems hell bent on destroying anyone and anything that comes near. Have you been able to reach out to it?”

“No. And I’m not sure it would even respond to me,” Ryker said. “Probably going to have to overpower it or take it back.”

Charlotte shook her head with a frown. “Alright. I’ll wake Tris up.”

Ryker nodded and walked over to the door.

He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to walk out there and challenge five champions, but he was also fairly confident he could actually succeed.

There was just no guarantee of it.

A fight was anything but a guarantee. They were always dangerous. Even someone with no experience could accidentally kill a master. That was just how the world went.

Taking in a deep breath, Ryker pulled on his mana well and started to cycle it up. Now that he had a much larger well, he sometimes had to get it flowing in advance so it would react to his beck and call more swiftly.

Letting out the same breath, he began to swing his arms back and forth, and then he built random patterns in front of him.

Various patterns for defense, offense, and miscellaneous quirks.

After his mage duel with his father, Ryker realized he wasn’t just out of practice, he was bad.

Bad habits had set in, and he wasn’t up to the same level of magical combat he’d once been. He’d been working to correct it since that day, and he felt like he’d made significant progress.

Today just happened to be the day he would test it.

Snapping his hands open, Ryker built a pattern of lightning as rapidly as he could, with as little thinking as he could manage.

And his soul filled the pattern with the electrical charge it kept at all times, giving Ryker a scare.

As he stared at the filled pattern, Ryker was surprised by the volatility in the spell. It was living lightning. There was no soul essence in it, but it was clear it’d come from his soul and retained some of that power.

Turning his senses inward, Ryker found that a portion of the lightning in his soul had been depleted.

But it was already refilling itself. Generating from the very mana around him, it seemed.

Apparently I’m the Lord of Lightning.

“Ready,” Charlotte said from behind him.

When he glanced over his shoulder, he found Tris and Charlotte armed, ready, and looking rather grim.

All their packs were resting nearby against the door.

“Do we try to sneak out or—”

“We just attack,” Ryker said, shaking his head. “Lauren will have to rebuild the alcove later. I don’t want to risk it, and I want the element of surprise. If I drop a champion before they can even react, all the better.”

Charlotte nodded at that. “Okay. I’ll try to get out of sight and ambush one.”

“I’ll go barricade the door,” Tris said, her longsword held loosely in her hand. “I should be able to get it locked down quickly.”

“Great. Any questions then?” Ryker asked.

Both women shook their heads.

“Any suggestions?” Ryker tried.

“Don’t die,” Tris said. “You need to keep punishing me.”

Ryker rolled his eyes at that.

Tris hadn’t been upset by what he’d been doing to her over the last several days. If anything, she’d enjoyed it.

“Idiot,” Charlotte muttered.

“Don’t be jealous,” Tris said, lifting her chin up.

Ryker ignored them both and opened the alcove door.

Stepping out, he pulled his arm back, the ball of lightning held in check there.

Targeting the closest champion, a woman who looked to be made of shadows, Ryker flung it forward.

All five champions turned to see what the crackling noise of death was.

The woman he’d targeted had a split second to look surprised. And then she exploded. Her arms and legs popped off her torso, and what was left of her went flying away, smoldering.

Two of the remaining champions drew weapons and rushed Ryker while the other two began casting spells.

Ryker cleanly punched out the center rune of one spell and lifted his left hand to unleash a cone of fire at the two rushing him.

Dancing off to one side, Ryker pitched an underhanded toss of lightning toward the caster he hadn’t been able to interrupt.

With a shriek as it hit her, the woman went rigid, her entire body crackling as the soul-made lightning blazed from one side of her body to the other and back again.

A sword came around fast for Ryker’s head from his left side.

Forming an earthen blade pattern, Ryker deflected the sword away from him. As soon as the strike passed him by, he leveled the earth spell at the champion and detonated the pattern.

With a boom, the earth-made blade blew out from his hand, passed through the champion’s stomach, and came out the other side.

Taking a few hops backward, Ryker tried to re-evaluate the battlefield and figure out who was up and who was down.

There were two champions still up and moving around, one using an axe and the other trying to build another spell.

Charlotte was kneeling over the one Ryker had dropped with that lightning stun. She’d apparently just slit the champion’s throat and was already getting back up.

Right, the one with the axe then.

Ryker put his hands together in front of him and made a new ball of lightning, letting his soul feed it directly.

The man with the axe stopped moving and stood there. To Ryker, it was obvious he was going to wait till Ryker threw it and then try to dodge.

Smirking, Ryker pulled his hands apart, turning the ball of lightning into a web, and then he flicked it forward.

Expanding outward as it went, the web of lightning grew so large there was no way the axe man could avoid it.

“Damn,” the man said just before the lightning hit him.

And carved him into meat chunks.

Sizzling, his flesh fell atop itself into a pile, and the room suddenly had a faint metallic, pork-like smell.

Turning toward the caster, Ryker watched as Charlotte buried a dagger into the back of the woman’s head.

“Right,” Ryker said, and then he jogged over to the throne.

Sitting there, angrily buzzing away, was his own soul shard. Except it also wasn’t. He felt two distinctly separate bits in there that weren’t from him. He had no idea where they’d from, but two other soul fragments were combined with his own.

“Hey, I need to put a core into the ground beneath the throne,” Ryker said, speaking to it directly. “Lauren needs it there so we can protect her.”

The soul shard lashed out at Ryker when he got close enough. But stopped as soon as it touched him.

It seemed to recognize that it had once been a part of him, and then it went back into itself. The buzzing noise faded partially, and the extreme anger boiling off it became slightly less.

Ryker reached out and tried to corral the soul shard back into himself.

Except it wouldn’t budge. It was firmly attached to the throne and wanted no part of anything Ryker was trying to do.

From what he could tell, it had a mind of its own.

Charlotte came over, her pack in one hand and a core in the other.

“Let’s get this put in and get out of here,” she said, moving closer to the throne.

Ryker could practically feel the soul shard turn toward Charlotte. It didn’t attack her, but it didn’t seem to like her presence very much either.

Getting down on her knees, Charlotte laid the core down on the stone.

Ryker threw up a hasty shield to deflect an attack directed at the core from the soul shard.

It apparently wanted nothing to do with the core.

“Knock that shit off,” Ryker said. “We need to put a core in to help Lauren—didn’t you hear me?”

Apparently it hadn’t, or it didn’t care, because the angry little piece of soul started to repeatedly attack out at the core.

“What the fuck?” Ryker cursed as he began to constantly defend against what was essentially himself.

Growling, Ryker built a small sphere of power around the soul shard and locked it down.

“Damnit, this isn’t going to work,” Charlotte said. “The moment we leave, it’s just going to attack the core. Can’t you talk to it? It’s you, isn’t it?”

“If it’s me, it’s in full asshole-not-listening mode. Honestly, it doesn’t even respond to me,” Ryker said. “I get the impression it’s more like an animal than anything at this point. It’s been attacked constantly by champions.”

Frowning at the idea that popped into his head, Ryker realized there was the possibility of an answer. He just didn’t like it very much.

“I’m going to put my own core here,” Charlotte said, apparently coming to the same conclusion he had. “I’ll put the blank one here too so I can use it as a power source.”

“Won’t that… won’t that lock you out of the dungeon presence? You’d essentially be a beacon, and locked into this area only?” Ryker asked.

He was pretty sure that was how this worked. They’d talked about it previously, but he wanted it confirmed now.

“Yes,” Charlotte said, riffling around in her pack. “So be sure to visit me. I’m going to miss you, Ryker.”

“No, there’s definitely a better way to do this,” Ryker said. “It doesn’t have to be like this.”

“I’m not sure how much longer I can hold this!” Tris called from the far side of the room. “There’s a lot of soldiers out there, and they keep shouting for people to go get champions!”

Fuck! There’s two more, isn’t there?

Shit!

“Unless you have a better idea in the next ten seconds or so,” Charlotte said, and looked up at him with a sad smile, “then I’m afraid this is the answer we have to take. You’ll visit me, right? I’m going to miss you. A lot. I love you.”

Ryker shook his head. He didn’t want it to be like this.

“No, let’s not do this. Let’s just go back in the alcove and figure out another answer. We can make this work—we just need more time,” Ryker said.

“We don’t really have time,” Charlotte said. “And it’s not like I’m dying. This is just more like… more like I’m moving. I’m moving far away, and you’ll have to write me often, and come see me.

“It won’t be so bad.”

Still shaking his head, Ryker disagreed. This was an awful answer and a terrible solution.

Charlotte laid both her core and the empty core down to the ground, then turned to look at them.

He could feel it when she pulled herself out of her avatar and started to stuff her soul fully into her core.

There was a strange shifting sensation in the area around him, and then a quiet pop sound.

The empty core sitting next to Charlotte’s was suddenly filled with a green-and-yellow aura.

Kneeling there, Charlotte was suddenly back in her avatar. Her soul had been forcefully shoved back and away from the empty core.

“What?” Charlotte asked, looking at the now-filled core.

“Hi,” said a voice in Ryker’s head. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t realize what I was doing.”

Raising his eyebrows, Ryker realized he was hearing a distinctly feminine voice. It was familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. In fact, now that he really thought about it, it sounded an awful lot like Bennie.

When he glanced at where the soul shard had been, Ryker found nothing. It was simply gone.

Apparently it had taken up residence in the empty core.

“I’ll take over from here. I understand what’s needed of me,” the voice said in his head. “And my name is Rinni. I’m… I’m not you, but I’m from you?

“Go, father. I’ll protect this place for Lauren. Just as you said.”

“I have no fucking idea what’s going on,” Ryker said, looking at Charlotte. “But apparently that thing is Rinni, and it just called me dad. That and it’s going to do the job we wanted to do.”

“I don’t… I don’t even… what?” Charlotte asked.

“Rinni,” Ryker said, looking at the core. Moving over, he picked it up in his right hand and looked at the throne. It was a massive thing that had sat there since the line of queens had been established. As quickly and subtly as he could, Ryker looped a deep and unyielding pattern around the whole thing. A safety backdoor in case this didn’t go the way he wanted later. “I’m charging you to protect Queensrest. We’re going to have a long talk about what you are later.”

Using his left hand, Ryker carved out a circle from the throne. Not waiting, he stuffed the core into the hole and then locked it into place, forcing the throne to partially grow into the core itself.

“I understand, Father. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you problems. I didn’t understand. I—”

“Yeah, I know. It’s fine, Rinni. I need to go, though,” Ryker said. “This is enemy territory. You need to build up a dungeon and dungeon sense. Reach out to the south, link in with the dungeon there, and start copying it.

“See you later.”

“Goodbye for now, Father,” Rinni said.

Ryker pulled Charlotte up to her feet and turned his head back toward the door.

“Asshole! We’re leaving right now. Get your rear in gear!” Ryker called out.

Then he turned, pushing Charlotte back toward the passages that would lead them out to the bolt-hole.

Running back to where the packs were, he grabbed his own and Tris’s and then chased after Charlotte.

They needed to get the hell out of here to safety as soon as possible.

Tris caught up to them just as they turned down the hallway to head to the castle grounds.

Hustling along, the three of them scrambled out into the evening gloom.

“Hey, what—”

Tris lunged forward, her sword skewering a man through the chest. Her blade slid through his ribs as if there were no resistance at all.

Ryker looked to the right and saw the second guard there. Lifting his right hand, Ryker built a solid wind spell and launched it straight into the man’s head.

With a wet, ripping sound and a crunch, everything from the shoulders up came away from the guard’s torso.

Splattering wetly, blood and gore liberally painted the area behind the man.

“Let’s go,” Ryker said as he gave Charlotte a shove on the back. “You lead.”

Not needing to be told a second time, the rogue darted ahead and started leading them through the greenery.

“Halt who—”

Ryker built a lance of lighting, filling it from his soul source, and flicked it toward the guard on the wall.

The world was lit up as the bolt of power stabbed out across the distance. It hit the man and turned him into a smoking piece of meat, flinging him bodily away.

“You’re stronger,” Tris said.

“Thanks for noticing, Asshole,” Ryker said as he shoved Tris ahead of him. He didn’t really want to think about the fact that his soul was generating electricity and filling spells.

That was something spirits, monsters, and creatures did. Not human mages.

It made him concerned for what he was now, and for what he would become.

“You there, stop where—”

Turning toward the voice, Ryker built up a pattern to throw another lightning bolt.

Except a ball of water that looked as solid as stone smashed through the soldier. It struck him in the torso and neatly splintered the man, his ribs splaying out behind him.

Following the path the spell had come from, Ryker found Shirley. She was standing in the doorway to the bolt-hole, throwing balls of highly pressurized water around at anything that moved.

He could feel the power in the water, however, and he knew instantly what had happened to him with lightning had also happened to Shirley.

But with water.

Shirley’s eyes landed on him when he got closer, and she gave him a smile with half her mouth.

Ryker gave her a quick once-over.

She was dirty and had some bloodstains on her clothes, but overall she looked healthy and unharmed.

“There you are, my lovely footstool,” she said, catching his eyes. “I need you to hold on to something for me.”

“I’m flattered, but this is the wrong time and place,” Ryker said, hurrying along into the bolt-hole.

Shirley laughed and followed him in. “Actually, yes, that’ll be next, but I need you to hold on to something else.”

Closing the door and pulling the locking mechanism into place, Shirley plunged the room into darkness.

Ryker held up his left hand and brought forth a mage light, then threw it at the ceiling. Looking at Shirley, he waited, taking deep breaths.

It felt like he hadn’t even had a chance to process what all had happened yet, and now there was even more yet to handle.

“Here, take this and put it into your soul,” Shirley said, her left hand coming up to rest on his side.

He felt a small piece of Shirley’s soul forced into his own. It was full of water elemental energy, and it seemed overjoyed to be entering his soul.

Realizing what she wanted, Ryker also knew he needed to make room after what had happened last time.

Breaking off a piece of his own soul, he shoved it back at Shirley, then took her soul fragment and put it into the hole.

There was a strange clack-like noise in his head, and then Shirley’s soul fragment flooded his with water elemental energy.

The water and lightning collided, then began to arc and buzz wildly. It felt like his soul was drowning.

Though in a strangely good way.

With a pop, Shirley’s bit of soul was done with whatever its task was. It merged with the previous piece of her soul and now sat in the middle of his, where it seemed to be “holding court” over its surroundings. Lightning and water buzzed and hissed in every direction.

The two elements weren’t diametrically opposed. In fact, it seemed more like they could use one another to reach further and do more.

“The hell did you do?” Ryker asked.

“Same thing you did,” Shirley said, panting now. She had a hand pressed to her heart. “Just with water. And goodness. Your soul is always so needy. It just burns me up and turns me inside out. I know you love me, Ryker, but goodness. The cuddling never ends.”

Snorting at that, Ryker rolled his eyes and stopped.

Shirley’s soul fragment remained in the middle of his own. Secure, safe, and actually directing the rest of his.

“Yeah, well, yours is trying to be Queen of mine,” Ryker said.

“Of course it is. I’d be disappointed if it didn’t. Run away with me, Ryker. Let’s just head south. Deep into the continent. We’ll take Tris and Charlotte with us,” Shirley said. “Run away with me and let me love you.”

Not for the first time, he found himself wanting to say yes.

“I am Rinni!” shouted a voice. It made the very air quake. “I am the daughter of Ryker, and this land is the Queensland! I will begin exterminating anyone who doesn’t belong immediately! Flee or die!”

After the statement was made, a sudden and overwhelming pressure blew out in every direction.

“What’s that…?” Shirley asked, looking around.

“I… don’t know, actually. And I wish I did,” Ryker muttered.

Things had just changed.

And he had no idea if that was good or bad.

Chapter 13 - Comeuppance -

Rushing out of the tunnel and back into the open air, Ryker was struck by the fact that the sun was rising.

“I might be a terrible Elf,” Tris said. “But I’m so glad to be out in the fresh air and have the sun on my skin.”

Charlotte nodded as she looked around. “Agreed. I’m happy to not be locked in a room with you and Ryker.”

“It wasn’t so bad,” Tris said. “Though the stink was getting to me.”

Charlotte muttered something under her breath but didn’t respond directly.

“Alright, so… where to now?” Shirley asked.

“To the border,” Ryker said. “To the border and back home for the time being.”

“Great,” Shirley said. “Home, and then a four way between all of us after a bath. That was the promise, and we delivered the Chas family.”

Ryker opened his mouth and stopped.

After having died, he realized he was fighting it for no reason.

“Fine,” Ryker said. There was no reason to disagree with her. “Let’s get home then.”

He was just being dumb and angry at being told what to do.

“After me then,” Charlotte said, moving forward quickly into the woods.

“Ah… we won’t be able to go that way,” Shirley said.

“How come?” Tris asked.

“I made a river. And a lake,” Shirley said. “They’re uh… big. I was getting away from the soldiers and I really dug into the water element.

“We’ll need to swing much closer to Queensrest as we head southeast.”

“Great,” Charlotte muttered. “We’ll practically be able to see the surrounding village, and they’ll see us. Just what we need.”

“I dunno. Maybe that Rinni girl who’s apparently Ryker’s daughter will be enough of a distraction,” Shirley said.

“Far as I know, she’s not my daughter because she’s not even mortal,” Ryker countered, chasing after Charlotte. “Damn soul fragment that jumped into a core.”

“What?” Shirley asked. “That’s possible?”

“Apparently,” Tris said.

Charlotte darted east much sooner than Ryker expected. When he passed the same spot, he saw why.

There was a massive river full of twisted and destroyed trees, ripped-up bushes, and rotting corpses.

“The hell did you do?” Ryker asked.

“I am the Lady Ryker, and I brought them ruin for opposing my husband and me,” Shirley said. “Pity them that they knew not what they were doing.”

Everyone fell silent as they ran along through the thin layer of trees overlooking Queensrest.

Charlotte glanced over to her left and promptly tripped.

The assassin-oriented rogue, one of the most graceful people Ryker had ever met, slid on her face in the grass.

Ryker descended on her immediately and started looking for injuries.

“Stop it, Ryker—knock it off, stop grabbing at me,” Charlotte said, knocking his hands away as he inspected her.

“What? You’re not hurt?” Ryker asked. “You went down like you’d been hit in the head.”

“No, I just tripped. Shut up, look,” Charlotte said, then pointed toward Queensrest.

Ryker followed the line of her arm. A group of dark church soldiers rushed along the street, their weapons held up high. They were racing toward the end of the street, where a second group of their comrades were fighting a group of Minotaurs.

Ryker frowned. He couldn’t process what he was seeing.

Almost on top of this new party spawned another group of Minotaurs, and they immediately began stomping, punching, and goring the dark church soldiers. Running them down and pounding them into the very dirt.

“Surrender and be executed with mercy!” Rinni shouted, her voice booming out from every direction. “Or fight, and die painfully!

“This is the Queensland of Dale! As promised to my father, I shall cleanse this land!”

After finishing with the soldiers, the Minotaurs stomped off, passing around a group of huddled citizens as if they were made of glass. The Minotaurs avoided even coming near them.

“Loyal citizens, please return to your homes,” called the voice of Rinni. “We shall welcome the queen home tomorrow. Today, however, is a day of cleansing!”

Ryker watched the two Minotaur groups come together and finish off the remaining dark church soldiers.

Even after all the soldiers had fallen, the Minotaurs systematically went from body to body and smashed their heads in.

“Should… should we keep running?” Shirley asked, standing just next to Ryker. “I’m not sure what to do anymore.”

“I don’t know,” Ryker said honestly. “I don’t know what’s going on at all.”

The group of four stood there, watching as Queensrest underwent a bloody and violent coup.

They stood and watched as the streets were cleared and cleaned one by one.

After that, patrols of Elves, Humans, and Minotaurs began going to houses, businesses, and warehouses.

One by one, each building they chose was cleansed. Corpses were brought out and then thrown into a wagon like trash.

“She’s using all dungeon core powers,” Ryker said. They’d been watching without speaking for quite a while, and it was like his voice broke their stupor. “She’s a dungeon core—it’s what she entered—so she’s doing dungeon core things. She can see everyone within her domain and know who and what they are. It’s how she’s directing her forces.

“There’s no possibility for anyone to hide. She doesn’t seem to be suffering from the rules and laws of dungeons either. She’s just… killing everyone she wants.”

“Yes,” Rinni said, directly in the space over Ryker. “I can feel the retaliation for each rule I break, but I don’t care. My core is fractured, cracked. I can feel the power leaking out through the breaks.

“I’m holding it together, and the throne itself is keeping me together. I can repair it later, but I cannot allow them to remain.

“They’re the enemy of you and of Lauren. They must die, and so they will.”

Right.

Ah… Baby-Belle, you getting all this?

“Yes, dear, I am. I’m mildly concerned, but as long as she calls you Father and treats you as such, then we’re okay. That and you did put those safety checks on her,” Marybelle said. “Good thinking, dear. I’ve been relaying everything I can to Lauren, but she keeps asking more questions and I don’t honestly know the answers.”

Got it. We’ll start heading back to the south again.

“Good work, daughter,” Ryker said, deciding to push toward that direction. “I’m going to start heading to the south again with Charlotte, Tris, and Shirley. We’re going to go welcome Lauren. Do you need anything?”

“No,” Rinni said, her tone much more sweet now. “Thank you, Father, for acknowledging me. I’ll make you proud. Do you need an escort? Supplies? Anything?”

“Nope, we’re good. We’ll see you soon, with Lauren,” Ryker said.

Laying his hands on Charlotte and Shirley, he started pushing them forward, right into Tris, and then onward to the south.

He didn’t want to be here right now.

***

Stumbling into Lauren’s military camp in the evening, Ryker felt exhausted.

Charlotte and Tris broke off to go speak with Marybelle. They apparently had things to work out in regard to her bond with him. Despite what he’d said about only wanting Marybelle, he imagined they still wanted to talk to her about it.

Shirley had gone off without a word and was probably already asleep.

She was a trooper and could fight her way through many things, but she also favored sleep over many things.

Entering Lauren’s command tent, Ryker found it was empty. It was just the queen of Dale and him.

“Hello, Ryker,” Lauren said from the table she was sitting at. She lifted her free hand and waved it at him. Her chin was resting in her other hand. “Come, talk to me. Tell me about this frightening thing that calls itself your daughter and apparently single-handedly cleared my capital of every person who worshiped the dark church.”

“It’s uh… apparently it was a bit of my soul that was stuck to the throne,” Ryker said, coming over and sitting down with her at the table. “You know, from that spell you made me use to kill the vicar.”

Lauren’s head tilted to one side as she studied him.

“By the way, it’s really good to see you,” she said, reaching out with her free hand to grasp his. “I missed you. I love you. I’m glad you’re safe and sound. Thank you for working so hard for me.

“And thank you for securing the Chas family, if for my own selfish reasons.”

Ryker smiled, looking down and away. He still got a bit uncomfortable when Lauren praised him or thanked him.

He still saw her as just the young woman who treated him fairly, but now he was also finally keenly aware that she was indeed the queen.

And his wife.

“Course, Lauren,” Ryker said, shrugging his shoulders. He did also turn his hand over and slip his fingers into hers. “I’m your husband. If you can’t rely on me, who can you rely on?”

Lauren grinned wide at that and pulled his hand up to her mouth, then kissed the back of it. “Thanks, my love.

“Now… I do remember the soul-fed spell you used to kill the vicar. So this ‘daughter’ is actually a chunk of your own soul. That can’t be it though, can it?”

“No… it’s not. It had two other bits of soul in there, but I couldn’t tell whose. Or where they came from,” Ryker said. “Going to guess those two bits are where the female personality came from.

“Though it does make me a bit nervous. The only other two souls in that room up to that point were Benni and the vicar.”

“Definitely a piece of Benni,” Marybelle interjected. “When she took on a fragment of your own, she would have had to lose a piece of hers.

“Bet on that. Though I can’t speak to the vicar’s soul. It’s definitely possible.”

“…makes me nervous, too. But there’s not much to be done, is there?” Lauren asked.

“Not really. And yet, yes at the same time. I dumped a few solid and scary patterns around the core. It won’t take much for me to shatter the core if I activate the patterns,” Ryker said. “The only condition is I have to be in the throne room. I’m going to work on creating a ring for you with the pattern in it that would break the core. All you’d have to do is say a code word and press hard into the stone on the top of it.”

“Oh, that’d be just swell, hon,” Lauren said, leaning forward toward him. “Give your sweetie a kiss?”

Unable to help himself, Ryker grinned, leaned forward, and kissed the queen of Dale with far more tenderness than he thought he’d ever have for someone.

“Goodness, that gave me chills and made my skin prickle,” Lauren said, pulling away slightly from him. “Now I regret my own evening plans that’ll prevent me from joining you.”

“Could always do that afterward. We’ve made it happen fast before,” Ryker said with a hint of hunger to his voice. There was no denying he had a soft spot for Lauren.

Especially when it came to making love to her.

“Hon, I really wish I could. But I’ve been feeling rather ill as of late, and I do have plans,” Lauren said with a small smile. “Since becoming pregnant, it’s been a very different… set of problems I have to contend with regularly.”

“Ah… yes. Are you alright, by the way? Is it… is it going well?” Ryker asked, not really sure how to ask how their child was.

“Yes, quite well. Everything is fine. Marybelle, that sweet little thing, has been nothing but a saint to me. She watches over me very carefully,” Lauren said. “I’m rather fortunate to be able to call her a friend.”

Awww, aren’t you a special little thing, Baby-Belle?

“Hush you,” Marybelle said. “I’m a very good woman and mindwife to you. I also take care of your other wives because I know you worry about them.

“Be sure you take special care of me for my kindness and dedication to you.”

I know, I will.

“Does that mean I can ride into my capital tomorrow?” Lauren asked.

“It does indeed. In fact, that was what Rinni—that’s the core’s name, by the way—was telling the city. That she was cleansing it for your return tomorrow,” Ryker said. “Best as I can figure, there’s some residual memories of mine in that core. You’ll remember I was rather sullen and angry at the time this all happened.

“It’s not much of a surprise in the end that it wants to massacre the entire church and put you back on the throne.”

Ryker paused for a second and grinned at her.

“Narrow ass and all,” he finished.

“Hmph. I’ve put on weight already. My ass isn’t so narrow anymore, I’m afraid. I’m deathly afraid I’m going to turn into a pumpkin, or an eggplant shape or something,” Lauren said, looking down at herself.

“S’ok, I’d still love you. I mean, come on, I promised a Minotaur I’d give her a go,” Ryker said, broaching the subject. “Think I can use her horns as handlebars? Shirley seems to think I can.”

Lauren guffawed and then shook her head, grinning at him. “You’re such an idiot. I’m sure you can use them as handlebars. And honestly, I find the idea of you bedding a Minotaur strange, but I think it’s for the best. Maybe it’s just my position as Queen and royal wife, but anything that binds her closer to us is for the better. That goes for Robyn as well.

“Having them on our side has been nothing if not beneficial.”

“Adele pissed off?” Ryker asked.

“Oh, she’s a volcano of rage, but not for the fact that you’re picking up more women,” Lauren said. “She’s more concerned you’ll lose interest in her. You should probably pay her some attention, you know. Lately, it’s been all me and a few of your Fairies. Diane and Adele could use some of your time.”

“I’ll… try to work on that. Been kinda busy, ya know?” Ryker said, feeling guilty.

“I do know, but I also know they’re both nobility. Any attention at all would be more than they’re used to,” Lauren said, then kissed his hand again. “Alright. Go to bed, hon. I need to edit my speech and rehearse it a few more times before I sleep myself.

“Big day tomorrow. The reclaiming of my capital. The Queendom shall once more be the Queendom. Didn’t even take half as long as I hoped it would.”

“Any thoughts on what to do after that?” Ryker asked, slowly getting to his feet.

“Not particularly. We’ll need to go get the church of light. Can’t leave them running around,” Lauren said with a short huff. “I’d personally like to wait till after our child comes, but I don’t have that luxury. I’ll be a queen at war, on the march while pregnant.”

“How scandalous,” Ryker said. Then he moved in and kissed her, wrapping his free arm around her shoulders and pulling her in close and tight.

Lauren melted against him, her mouth opening and her tongue darting into his mouth.

Suddenly he wanted very much to take Lauren to bed. Damn her speech, damn tomorrow, and damn anyone else.

Moaning lightly, Lauren ducked her head to one side and pressed her face into his shoulder.

“Oooh, that was a terrible idea,” she murmured. “Go on, you devilish brute. I love you and desire you, but I have things I cannot ignore.”

“Fine. Make time for me tomorrow? I missed you myself, you know. Deeply,” Ryker said against her hair.

“I will, hon. Go on. Please,” Lauren said.

“Sure, sweetie. Sure,” Ryker said, hugging her tight for a few more seconds. Then he released her and walked out of the tent.

As he exited, a guard met him and bowed his head.

“Sir, I have a tent made up and ready specifically for you,” said the man.

“Great, thanks. Lead on,” Ryker said.

The man dipped his head to Ryker again and then set off into the maze of tents.

Wordlessly, Ryker was led to a smaller tent off the beaten path.

I’d prefer making a mess of Lauren right now. That’d be real nice.

But sleep is a pretty good second.

It’s a great second, actually. I feel like I’ve been up way too long.

Or… would you care to join me, Baby-Belle?

“I would, dear. I would. I can’t,” Marybelle said, and she explained no more.

Walking into the tent, Ryker found Diane waiting for him. In that instant, he knew why Marybelle and Lauren had both turned him away.

A single mage light hovered nearby. It lit up the inside of the tent with a calm blue glow.

Diane was dressed in a black lace nightgown, and nothing else. Sitting on the only bed in the tent, she smiled the moment he stepped inside.

“I’m so glad… to see you, Ryker,” she said, getting up off of the bed. The black fabric barely reached the midpoint of her thighs, and it was hard not to stare at the beautiful noblewoman.

“Not fair for you to wear something like that,” Ryker said, his eyes glued to her.

“Oh? Why’s that?” Diane asked, walking over to him. She slipped her arms around his shoulders and linked her wrists behind his head. Looking up at him, she gave him a warm smile, pressing close until she was leaning into him.

“Too pretty on your own—wrapping it up like this in such a package just makes it hard to not attack you,” Ryker said as he hooked his arms around her hips.

“I’ll remember that,” Diane said, her eyes practically glowing with an inner light. “And I’ll never forget what you did for me, Ryker, my husband, the only man who’s ever done so much for me just because I asked.”

Ryker shrugged.

“Wasn’t that hard to do, Di,” he said, leaning his head down and resting his forehead on hers. “I found them. I knew what you wanted, so I did that.”

Wrinkling her nose and grinning at him, she kissed him. “Di? I like that. Di. I love you, Ryker. And I’m going to do everything I can to make you the happiest man that ever was. In any way possible.

“Because I know how hot your anger burns. I know how fierce your hatred is and can be. How intense your desire for revenge bleeds through your very thoughts and into your soul.

“I know for a fact your first instinct was to just kill my mother and be done with it. And you didn’t. You probably even thought of all the easy ways you could do it and lie about it. But instead you sent her back with your personal guard and the champion of Dungeon.”

Not moving away, Diane drew Ryker’s head down. Down into her cleavage. “And Ryker, my sweet, kind, caring, and overemotional farmer, I’m going to make your very world sing with joy.

“Now… come to bed with me. I’ve bribed, cajoled, and bartered with every Fairy, Imp, witch, hedge whatever, and mage in the camp. I’ve drunk more potions today than any adventurer could do in a month.

“If you’re not able to put a child in me tonight, I’m going to blame you for it and feel deeply insulted,” Diane said, starting to walk backward toward the bed and pulling him with her. “Because after what you did, all I want to do is carry on your line and make sure my mother and family knows who I’m married to. While presenting them the newest member of the Chas family, sired by the man who saved them all.”

Ryker allowed himself to be dragged to the bed, and he didn’t argue in the slightest. He was going to do his best to enjoy this life, now that he knew the secrets of it. Nothing was going to get in his way, either.

Chapter 14 - Prelude of Doom -

The personal guard of the queen of Dale had been replaced with Fairies and Imps. Not just those who guarded Lauren, but also her surroundings. They’d taken over the guard position and function entirely.

Lauren had felt much safer with them on duty in Dale than she had with her original guard detail.

Considering they’d all defected or fled when the dark church attacked, it’d only made the issue all the more clear to her.

She trusted no one as her protector that wasn’t from the dungeon.

Riding amongst banners of blue and gold, the royal heraldry held high, Lauren rode slowly down the main road back to Queensrest.

When they’d first set out on the road, it’d been a quiet affair, with no one but them on the road.

Slowly, as they got ever closer to the capital, more and more people began to appear.

Soldiers, veterans, citizens, and merchants lined up all along the road to see the queen return home.

The well wishes and welcome home cheers began at some point, followed by general cheering.

This continued all the way to the walls of the castle itself. The only difference being it was the nobility waiting for her there.

Everyone seemed happy to have Lauren back.

Ryker only had to interfere once, and not for anything against Lauren.

People had started throwing things at the Chas family, to which Ryker responded immediately.

A shield sprang into being around Diane’s family and sheltered them.

After everything Diane had given and done to him last night, he wasn’t about to let anything happen to her family.

It wasn’t until they rode into the castle courtyard, that he let that very same shield drop.

“Welcome home, Queen Lauren Dale!” shouted the jubilant voice of Rinni. It echoed and seemed to boom from everywhere.

“Welcome home, Mother,” Rinni continued in a much softer tone. “I’m so sorry for the mess. I’ve been working nonstop to have it cleaned up for your return.”

Lauren paused for a split second, then laughed softly.

“I’m grateful for all that you’ve done, daughter,” Lauren said, getting down from her horse. “Your father tells me you cleared out everyone from the church?”

“Mostly,” Rinni said. “I did spare a number of their high-ranking officials so you could have them executed personally, after questioning them.”

“Oh! You’re such a good girl, Rinni. Thank you,” Lauren said, slipping straight into a motherly role that Ryker hadn’t known existed in the woman.

“Isn’t she, hon?” Lauren asked, turning to Ryker.

“After what I saw the other day, I can honestly say she’s indeed a good girl. I approved wholeheartedly at the time, and still do, of the way she went about exterminating the rats,” Ryker said, getting down off his horse.

“Shush, you silly thing. There’s no need to phrase it like that. Rinni was just doing what she had to, weren’t you, dear?” Lauren asked.

“Exactly, Mother. I’m glad you understand,” Rinni said, her voice sounding even more excited.

Juvenile.

Young.

Rinni was a young personality with a scary amount of force available to her. Lauren’s handling of her so far had been exactly what was needed.

Though Ryker did worry about what kind of mischief Rinni could do in the long run. So much so that he planned on tying Rinni to Lauren directly in a subservient bond once they got in the throne room.

It wouldn’t take much for him to do it, and he doubted Rinni would even notice. She was a dungeon core.

He knew firsthand what she could and couldn’t sense.

Lauren, Ryker, and their collective family and friends continued into the castle.

“Is there anything I need to know, Rinni?” Lauren asked, marching straight for her throne.

“No. I already restored the treasury, the family heirlooms, and cleaned up the royal apartments. Everything is exactly as it should be,” Rinni said. “The only thing lacking right now is the pantry is a bit bare. I’m working to refill it as I can, but I’m lacking in many patterns.”

Ah! I can use that.

“Rinni, I could add patterns to your core if you like. I’d have to tinker with you a touch, though. Is that okay?” Ryker asked.

“Of course, Father. You want only what’s best for me. And, being part of you, I know how your mind works,” Rinni said.

In other words… she knows what I did, what I plan on doing, and she approves?

“That’s what I’m getting out of it,” Marybelle said in the space of his mind. She was only a few steps behind him, but it was pleasant to know she was still there. Still there and alone.

Charlotte and Tris had settled for sharing a much lower bond with Ryker. They now could sense his feelings and general thoughts, but not the exactness to a single detail like Marybelle could.

From those two, he felt a strange wariness. They’d realized what Rinni had said as well.

“Hm? Oh. Yes, that’s true, dear, but you’ll notice I didn’t do anything with those. I just put them in place for later,” Ryker said dismissively. “They’re blank. I was originally planning on putting a shield into them, but I ran out of time.

“As for the bond, I was going to bring it up when we got to the throne room. Part of a coronation type of deal with your mother.”

“I… yes. That actually makes a lot of sense,” Rinni said. “Yes. Exactly. Okay. With Mother?”

“Yep, with your mother,” Ryker said, still following Lauren. The queen looked like she wanted to interject and ask questions, but she also clearly knew better than to do that. “That way she can direct and guide you without speaking aloud.”

“Like the dungeon sense?” Rinni asked.

“Exactly. But just you and her,” Ryker said.

The doors were pushed open in front of Lauren by two of her guards, and Lauren reentered her ancestral throne room.

“Mother, welcome, welcome,” Rinni said from the throne. Her core sat high in the throne, glowing beautifully. The throne itself seemed to be polished, cleaned, and scrubbed as well. Now that he looked, the whole of the throne room had apparently been deep-cleaned.

It looked brand new.

“Come, sit, let Father bind me to you. That way you know I’m truly your daughter and will guard all my uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews through all the ages,” Rinni said. “I’m Rinni Dale, of House Dale, and I’ll protect our family.”

There was a strange feeling to that statement that gave Ryker pause. It wasn’t fear in him of the statement, but something like fate.

“That struck a chord,” Al said, staying next to Adele. His small hand was in hers, his eyes wide as he looked around. “I felt fate move with that statement. Father will be curious. He’ll have felt it.”

Really need to figure out who his daddy is.

Lauren walked over with a smile and sat down in her throne without hesitation. Her hands came to rest on the arms as if they were always meant to be there.

There was no fear in her.

“Thank you, daughter. It’s good to be home, and better yet that everything is… intact. Safe. Sound,” Lauren said, then took in a deep breath and let it out.

Ryker hadn’t been idle, quickly tapping into the patterns around Rinni. In a heartbeat, he had a pattern built that would put a transferable bond between Rinni and Lauren.

Before he could finish it, Shirley added her own half to the whole of it and built it out further. She closed it perfectly, and then pushed the binding into Lauren directly.

Lauren gasped and sat up ramrod straight in her throne.

“Oh. Oh, goodness. I had no idea,” she murmured.

“See, Mother?” asked Rinni.

“I do. And you did very well. Very, very well. I’m afraid we’ll need to open up our borders and begin sending out emissaries immediately,” Lauren said. “First, though, we need to get food in for our citizens. There’s much to do.”

Ah. That’s our cue, isn’t it?

“I believe so,” Marybelle said.

“I… I’ll return to Dungeon,” Ryker said, smiling at the queen. “It’s where I should be for the time being until you call me up for our battle to continue with the church of light.

“Besides, they’re closer to Dungeon now than Queensrest.”

Lauren looked at Ryker, a slow sad smile spreading over her lips. “You’re right of course, hon. I don’t much like it, but you’re right.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him,” Adele said. “Diane, Shirley, and I will be heading back with him, I imagine.”

“I must remain for a time,” Diane said. “My family will need to stand trial for their crimes, and then I need to go put my home in order. That and probably put my family under permanent house arrest.”

Robyn and Meino nodded in agreement.

“I’ll remain at Ryker’s side,” Meino said. There was no question there.

“As will I. As Rike’s champion and Ryker’s future wife, it is my duty,” Robyn said. “I must remain with my beloved.”

Ryker frowned, not really wanting to hear what the goodie-goodie and the aggressive brute were saying, and he turned to Benni. The lovely Orc was always at his side now. She’d apparently finished her training with Marybelle and was now an Orc shaman. She didn’t wear heavy armor anymore, though the leather armor did a serious job of making her look great.

“Go with Diane or send someone who can take care of a need for me. Make sure the core attendant there understands that Diane’s more or less the queen there,” Ryker whispered to his personal aide. “They will listen to her in all things.”

“I understand, and will make sure it’s taken care of,” Benni said.

“…go with Ryker, of course,” Shirley said. “Have to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t start sleeping with more Fairies and Imps.

“Besides, he owes Tris, Charlotte, and me a four way.”

“What’s a four way?” Al asked.

Everyone stared at Shirley, until there was a delicate cough somewhere else in the crowd.

Shirley turned to look at the child and smiled sheepishly at him. “Something that’s bound to be a lot of fun when you’re older, if you’re lucky,” she said. “For now, it’s just something adults who are in love do to have fun.”

“Oh, you mean sex? Father has lots of that with all of my mamas,” Al said. “I had to look it up to figure out what was happening.”

Child who isn’t a child.

As if hearing the unspoken thought about him, Al looked at Ryker.

“I’m going with you, of course, Uncle,” Al said. “Your way of using magic is very interesting, and I plan to copy it. I’ve already started relearning my abilities.”

Al held up his hands in front of him, and a crackling bolt of lightning shot from one hand to the other in an imitation of Ryker’s personal favorite attention grabber.

The spell had formed perfectly, the pattern precise and clean.

It was, however, a strange version of his own pattern. Where Ryker’s was squares, rectangles, and long lines, Al’s was like a myriad of extremely small and tight turns and lines. It wasn’t something Ryker thought he’d be able to repeat himself.

It was impressive.

“Wow! Al, that’s amazing!” Shirley said, bending down and looking at the child. “I’m so impressed!”

Wynne and Marybelle had also come over to bend down to Al’s level.

“That was amazing,” Marybelle said.

“Truly. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that level of control,” Wynne said.

“Thank you, aunties,” Al said, smiling at Shirley with embarrassment.

Rolling his eyes at the grin on Shirley’s face, which was mirrored on Marybelle’s and Wynne’s, Ryker looked back at Benni, then at Charlotte and Tris just beyond her.

The two Fairies and the Imp were watching him, not what was going on.

“What?” he asked.

Benni and Charlotte shook their heads, as if unwilling to answer.

“I want to have sex,” Tris said simply with a shrug

Benni suddenly nodded after Tris had spoken. “Me too.”

Charlotte sighed and held up her hands. “Me as well.”

Ignoring them, Ryker looked back at Lauren. The queen was watching the whole insane circus of her friends and family with a sad smile.

While everyone else would scatter and go about their business, Lauren would be forced to remain here. Until she was ready to go fight the church of light, only to return to the capital again after that.

Seeing her distress, and feeling empathy for the woman he fought for, Ryker wandered over to her.

Everyone else was talking amongst themselves in various conversations.

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Ryker said, taking her hand in his. “I’ll just… make a point to come visit at least once a month.

“Because let’s be honest. Most of these crazy people will follow me up to see you.”

Lauren snorted at that and gave his hand a squeeze.

“You will?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Of course I will,” Ryker said. “If anything, I might end up having to move up here. I mean… how else am I going to see our child and try to make you give me more of them?”

“That’s a very good point… and I suppose that means I’m going to need to expand the royal apartments. We have a very large family now,” Lauren said.

“That we do. That we do,” Ryker agreed, nodding his head. “I’ll stick around for a few days before heading back south.”

***

As he packed up the carriage, Ryker was rather pleased with himself. He’d been purchasing any number of things he could find that he didn’t have patterns for.

Soon enough, once they got rid of the church of light, he’d be able to start working on his dungeon. His dungeon as it should be, not the horrible monstrosity it was right now.

“Beloved,” said Robyn softly against his ear, her arms quickly slipping around his front.

“Hey there.” Ryker patted Robyn’s hand and continued to sort through the chest on the back of the carriage. “How’s it going?”

“Not bad,” Robyn said, her arms tightening around him. “Well, in fact, I held a sermon the other day, and Lauren visited.

“It went very well. Rike is growing exponentially. Now that she’s the recognized faith of Dale, she’s putting her focus on stabilizing the Queendom directly.”

“That’s good. And how’s Rike lately?” Ryker asked, stuffing a fabric square with a pattern further into the corner.

“She visited her sister’s realm, apparently,” Robyn said. “She was… very… excited when she came back. It was interesting. To me it sounded like she was in love with her sister’s champion.”

“Oh? Huh. Hey, I need to bend over real quick,” Ryker said.

Robyn released him without a word.

Getting down, Ryker pulled the lid closed and looked at the keyhole. He pushed the key in, then locked the chest quickly and stuffed the key back in his pocket.

Before he could stand up, though, he felt Robyn’s hand on his rear end.

“Marybelle mentioned it, and Lauren confirmed it for me—apparently you asked for permission to bed me,” Robyn said. “I’m flattered, and eager. I’ve been watching all the soldiers in the brothel ever since I reformed myself. I think I will be skilled enough to entertain you.”

Not fair that she can literally be in two places at once.

“She’s dead. She has no entity to store her soul inside other than her core as a home. She has more freedom than a core-bound Imp or Fairy, but no physical body to truly bind herself to either,” Marybelle said. “I personally can’t imagine it being a very pleasant experience. Being in two places.”

Standing up, Ryker made heavy eye contact with Robyn.

“Are you sure ’bout that?” Ryker asked. He deliberately eyed her from head to toe and back again.

“W-well… I’ve watched enough that I think I know what to do. I suppose we’ll find out,” Robyn said, blushing heavily. “Don’t look at me like that, beloved. It makes my heart race.”

“I think that’s the point?” Ryker asked. “Now how about—”

“Rider!” called a guard from somewhere near the gate. “Rider bearing the red and black!”

Fuck, what?

Looking toward the entry of the castle, Ryker saw a woman riding a horse just beyond the drawbridge. She was riding hard straight for the castle.

Above her were two flags. One a white banner, the other the black-and-red heraldry of the Dark Lord of the North.

She didn’t stop as she passed by Ryker, just rode straight up to the steps. After leaping off her horse, she walked quickly up the steps and into the castle itself.

Ryker went after the woman. He wanted to be there when the messenger delivered whatever news she had.

Catching up to her—a few steps behind her—was apparently enough to get her attention.

Glancing over her shoulder, she stared hard at Ryker.

She looked to be in her mid-twenties, and she had a pair of dark blue eyes that seemed like they were made of knives. Her black hair was the hue of a raven’s wing, and it was pulled back behind her head in a short ponytail.

On top of all that, she was pretty, and she had an athletic, lithe figure.

“Just comin’ along to hear the message, that’s all,” Ryker said defensively. “I’m the queen’s husband.”

The messenger’s brow smoothed slightly, and she nodded her head at him. “Fine,” she grumbled, a severe frown curling her pretty mouth.

Before the messenger even made it to Lauren’s throne room, the doors were thrown open and the messenger was allowed entry.

Sitting on the throne was Lauren in all her regal glory. Above her head was the glowing green and yellow stone that was Rinni.

It undulated power and seemed far more threatening today. Like a sword pulled from its scabbard. Though it was pointed at the messenger in defense of Lauren.

Stopping at the foot of the wide dais that Lauren’s throne sat on, the messenger hesitated for a moment.

Then she got down to one knee and bowed her head to Lauren.

“The Lord of Northwood, the God-Emperor of Bastion, sends you greetings, Queen Lauren of Dale,” said the woman. “He also wishes you many blessings in your successful recapture of your throne.”

The room was deathly silent.

Everyone knew who the Lord of Northwood was.

It was the false name of the Dark Lord of the North. Given to him to help soften his image in the eyes of mortals.

“We thank him in the same graciousness that the compliment was given,” Lauren said. “Please, rise. To what do we owe the pleasure?”

Standing up, the woman let out a short breath.

“The Lord of… eh… whatever,” said the woman, shaking her head. “Can I speak plainly?”

Lauren’s eyebrows went up at the question. “We’d almost prefer it.”

“Great. Fucking shit, I hate going on these stupid motherfucking missions. Do you have any idea how often the asshole does shit like this just to piss me off? Then he gets all goddamned lovey-dovey when I get back,” cursed the woman. “Like somehow that makes it all better that he sent me away.”

“Does for me,” Ryker said with a shrug.

Glaring at Ryker, the woman paused.

“Tch, you’d say that. You’re apparently almost as bad as he is,” the woman said, then looked at Lauren. “Look. Runner said that a whole fucking wagonload of motherfucking deities is headed your way. Apparently it’s a whole lotta neutral gods and goddesses that banded together to try and fight off this clusterfuck of a fail Rannulf and Lambart have going on.”

Lauren opened her mouth and then closed it.

“Ah… Runner?” she asked.

“Runner. Runner Norwood. Lord of Norwood. God-Emperor of Bastion. It’s who the idiots of the mainland call the Dark Lord of the North,” said the woman in a mocking tone. “Don’t get me wrong, my husband is an idiot, but he’s not that bad.”

“Your husband?” Lauren asked, her eyes widening slightly.

“Oh, yeah. Hannah. Hannah Norwood,” said Hannah, waving a hand at her. “I’m really just here because you worship Rike. Rike is Runner’s sister-in-law. He’s married to Brunhild, Amelia, and Ernsta, too. Asshole has too many wives. Don’t like it very much.

“Anyways. Runner can’t really help you out with this one—busy doing other things, promise. You’re on your own, but he’s coming. Personally.”

“The Dark Lord of the North is coming,” Adele said from off to one side.

“Pah, Dark Lord of my asshole,” Hannah said. “Yeah, he’s comin’. To the mainland. With everyone. Going to crush anything and everything in his way, so… be prepared to kneel or somethin’. He’s in a fucked-up and foul mood.”

Be prepared… to kneel… to the Dark Lord of the North.

“Right, whatever, gotta go,” Hannah said. “Need to go visit one of your neighbors and tell them to surrender or prepare to be crushed. There’s no in-between on this one for them. They’re not worshiping Rike and getting a mercy card like you are.”

The messenger waved a hand over her head, turned around, and left.

The Dark Lord of the North is coming.

Chapter 15 - Everliving -

Ryker opened his eyes slowly.

He’d been dreaming again about the meeting with the messenger from the Dark Lord of the North.

Her warning rang in his ears when he slept, far more frequently than when he was awake.

Mostly because he didn’t want to think about the fact that he was going to have to deal with another incoming army. Another army that he didn’t have the resources to tackle head on. That would just end up draining him of everything he had.

Ryker didn’t honestly feel like he had the wherewithal to deal with this sort of thing again.

Closing his eyes, Ryker briefly considered Shirley’s offer to run away again. He’d even had dreams of doing such a thing. Just escaping, making a farm somewhere, and living out his life on his own terms.

A sudden and deep snore followed by an almost noiseless fart reminded him of why he wasn’t doing that, though.

Grinning, Ryker rolled over partway and found the sleeping princess of Dale next to him.

Adele, naked, snoring, and with drool trailing from the side of her mouth was far from what most people would think of as a royal princess.

Thankfully, the nose picking and burping was reserved now for family. In public and around strangers, she was a very “princess” type of person.

Additionally, Adele was still sober and had been since the day she’d poured out her canteen.

For that alone, Ryker would forgive many things. A simple puddle of drool collecting in a pillow was a small price to pay for sobriety.

Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to Adele’s mouth and then snuggled in close to her.

He treasured quiet mornings like this now. He only got them with Adele and Shirley.

Tris and Charlotte never let him sleep in and often woke him up for morning activities.

Robyn always had duties to perform, and Meino always wanted to groom him.

“’Course I’m imm’rtl,” Adele mumbled. “If I die Ryker wo’l be an id’it. Pro’ly forget ta’ eat.”

Smacking her lips, Adele snorted, then opened her eyes.

A slow smile spread across her lips when she realized Ryker was awake and watching her.

“What?” she asked, her chin moving down toward her chest.

“Nothing. Just watching my wife sleep, that’s all,” Ryker said, grinning at her. “Apparently you’re immortal, by the way. Or that’s what you were dreaming of.”

“Huh? I… oh… yes. Robyn asked me a… a question,” Adele said, scooting forward toward him and then snuggling into him. “I told her I was immortal. Like Meino.”

“Hah, yeah, I suppose she is at—” Ryker froze mid-sentence.

Baby-Belle? What would happen if I made a whole bunch of Meinos?

“You’d be groomed to death,” Marybelle said immediately. “Though that need has definitely lessened since you started bedding her.”

No, no. I mean… I mean, is there anything stopping me from making an army of creatures like Meino?

Other than cores.

“I mean… well…” Marybelle’s voice faded out.

Turning his head, Ryker kissed Adele soundly and then got out of bed.

“Adele, I love you. You’re a brilliant woman,” Ryker said, going for his clothes. “And by the way, I’m incredibly proud of you for keeping sober.”

“You are?” Adele asked, eyeing him now in a different way.

“Very. It’s not an easy thing to do, and I know you’re staying with it. Proud of you,” Ryker said. “Feel free to go back to sleep. Need to work on some things.”

“Thanks… it’s good to hear you say that,” Adele said, laying her head back down on the bed and closing her eyes. “And yeah, I think I’ll go back to bed. Love you.”

Ryker managed to get on a pair of pants and a tunic without too much trouble and was off in a flash for his throne room.

“Ryker?” asked a startled voice just before the door shut behind him.

Stopping on a dime, Ryker waited right there outside his door. Meino would only take a moment to catch up, and it’d just annoy her if he ran off.

The door opened quickly, and Meino almost ran him over in her haste to exit.

“Oh! Ryker, I… thank you for waiting,” Meino said, smiling down at him. Then she leaned in and kissed him.

Faster than he thought possible, Meino had leaned him up against a wall and started to maul him. With her tongue in his mouth.

Reaching up, he had to grab one of her horns and pull at her to get her off him. He really had other things to do right now.

“Knock it off, you brute,” Ryker said with a laugh. “Need to get to work. Come on.”

Moving quickly, Ryker fled off for his throne room. Meino trailed along behind him.

“I have no reason against your idea, no objection, and not even a single thought as to why it wouldn’t be valid,” Marybelle said. “I’m having every valid core we have that could hold a pattern like Meino brought up to you right now. Off the top of my head, I think we have about sixteen thousand. Give or take.”

Okay, good. And how many soldiers from Lauren’s army did we capture in the minor cores?

“Roughly twenty thousand,” Marybelle said immediately. “Those are all being loaded up and being moved to a temporary holding room near your throne room.”

Ryker nodding his head, feeling rather happy right now. He might have just figured out a possible answer to the constant never-ending mana drain that was fighting for Dale.

Bursting into his throne room, Ryker moved over to his throne and practically hopped into it.

Before he’d even gotten settled, he sank himself into the dungeon sense and started casting about for the room Marybelle had mentioned.

There.

Shifting over, he found the mass of cores all filled with the memories and lives of the soldiers of Dale.

Most of them had died from their wounds after being sent to Dungeon for aide. There had also been several battles on the edge of the range of the dungeon, which had helped bolster numbers.

Picking up the core with his thoughts, Ryker brought it up to his throne room. He dropped it onto the table, fed it some mana, and then moved back into his body.

“What… what are you doing?” Meino asked, standing to the side of his throne.

“Meino, you’re an amazing and unique woman,” Ryker said. “The problem, though, is that the way in which I made you… isn’t unique. I’m going to make thousands of immortal soldiers.

“Starting with… whoever this is. I’m going to just… feed his core into a pattern much like yours.”

“I’m unique?” Meino asked. “How? I’m just a Minotaur.”

“You’re very unique. I took many different parts of many different people to make you. You were birthed from the minds, hearts, souls, and memories of hundreds of people,” Ryker said, watching as the core continued to fill with mana. “You are probably more filled with life than any other creature on the planet. Then I put all that into a lovely Minotaur form. And you became you.”

“But you’re not doing that this time,” Meino asked, eyeing the core on the table.

“No. I’m just going to take this soldier’s core and dump it into a pattern, then tie the core to it. If it works, he’ll be an immortal soldier of Dale,” Ryker said. “Provided he agrees.”

“You didn’t ask me if I wanted to be a guard,” Meino said.

Ryker looked to the side, unable to deny her words. Peering at her closely, Ryker tried to see more of her. To know what her status and details were.

Name- Meino

Level:

@($%&*┌

Class:

Guard

Race:

)♥▲[

Experience:

^&*%

Alignment:

rYkER

Reputation:

ryKEr

Fame:

RYker

Bounty:

RykER

Attributes-

Strength:

╪▓B

Constitution:

╩-

Dexterity:

┬○╒

Intelligence:

Æ-

Agility:

╡WΦ

Wisdom:

§k

Stamina:

G╫n

Charisma:

Γ½Ä»

Status- Fanatically Loyal

Ryker blinked a few times, extremely unnerved by what he saw. It was like whatever he’d done to Meino had broken her. Broken her and made her some sort of jagged abomination of broken bits and leftovers.

But he’d made her, given her life, and forced her into a purpose. One he’d thought she’d been happy in.

“Would you like to not be one?” Ryker asked. “You could stop. Go your own way. All you’d have to do is take your core with you. I never really bound you to anything, you know.”

Meino’s brows drew down, and then she shook her head. “Going to stay with you. You and I will be together a long time. Which is good, since I love you. Would follow you if you ran away, you know. With Shirley, without Shirley, wouldn’t matter. Which I think you should do, by the way. Run away. If not with Shirley, then just me.”

Ryker sighed and looked back at the core just as it was starting to form into a person.

“I know. But I can’t,” Ryker muttered.

With a quiet crackling noise, the soldier who’d died and been stored in the core came to life once more. Though he was only a projection of what the core saw itself as.

It was a man perhaps in his thirties. He had hair that seemed to run somewhere between brown and dark red. It was cut short on the sides, but a little bit of length grew out the top. He had hazel eyes.

Eyes that were empty of life.

This man was a memory.

Nothing more, nothing less. He had no soul.

Not yet, at least.

“Uh… hello,” said the soldier. He started looking around, seemingly unsure of what was going on.

“Hello soldier,” Ryker said. “I’m Count Ryker of Dungeon, husband to Queen Lauren.”

“Count Ryker?” asked the soldier. “I… I was in Dungeon. I was in Dungeon recovering from a stomach wound.”

Slowly, the man turned to Ryker, his eyes slightly haunted.

“I died,” the man said.

“You did,” Ryker said. “And your soul fled and went to the afterlife. You are… all that remains of what you were. You are your memories of your life, stored in a core.”

Ryker gestured to the glowing stone on the table.

Turning to look at the core, the man stared at it. “I’m… dead.”

“You’re dead. And you exist only for this period in time. I can let you go back to your well-deserved rest… or you can take up your sword and fight for your queen again,” Ryker said.

As he looked at Ryker, the soldier’s brows came down over his eyes. He looked annoyed and frustrated, but also determined.

“Fight for the queen,” said the man.

“Indeed. The capital has been reclaimed. You died for your country, and she sits on the throne once again in part to the efforts of you and your comrades. Duchess Chas has been captured, stripped of her title, and put on house arrest.

“Dale was victorious. The dark church is no more. The queen sits the throne.”

The soldier lowered his head, looking at the ground, and nodded partially.

“That is… good to know,” he said, letting out a slow, shaking breath. “If Dale is safe, why would I need to fight for the crown?”

“Because there are ever enemies of the queen. The church of light yet remains, and apparently the neutral pantheon has decided they want Dale for themselves as well,” Ryker said. He held out his hands at his side. “I stand alone as the gatekeeper. Dungeon is the stone that shall weather the storm as the waves crash against us. I need allies. I need soldiers.

“I need troops.”

Lifting his head, the soldier looked at Ryker.

“And as a dead man… a… rock… how am I to do that?” asked the man.

“As an eternal soldier. An immortal. To live, fight, and die, only to rise again and fight again. You would become part of an immortal guard made to protect the Queendom of Dale by fighting here at the gate,” Ryker said.

“An immortal,” repeated the man.

“Indeed. If you fell, you would simply arise the next day,” Ryker said with a smile. “You would become the first defense of Dale. Everliving.”

“Everliving,” the soldier repeated. “And I could… I could live my life when I’m not fighting? Could I… could I write to my wife to join me?”

“Of course,” Ryker said. It was a simple and easy promise to make. Robyn and Meino were perfect examples of living life without truly living. “Though you would outlive her. And your children, if you had any. And their children. And their children.”

The man blinked, shocked at the reminder that he indeed would be eternal.

“I… okay. I think I want to join, then,” the man said.

“What’s your name?” Ryker asked, leaning forward, excited. This had turned out perfectly so far. Now he just had to repeat this meeting thousands and thousands of times. That or have this man help him and start creating a chain effect. Where the newest recruit recruits another, and another, and another.

“Austin. Austin Hicks,” the man said, his shoulders squaring and his demeanor slowly changing. “Lieutenant Austin Hicks, royal dragoons, second division.”

“Well, Austin Hicks of her majesty’s dragoons. You’re my first recruit,” Ryker said. “So… you’ll need to help me look through a number of cores to find anyone you might know. And we’re going to see if they’ll join us. Slowly, we’ll work our way through every soldier who died here. And with any luck… they’ll all join you.”

“The first?” Austin asked. “Does that mean I get to name the unit?”

“Sure. I don’t have a problem with that. And for now, we’ll make you the division commander of it,” Ryker said with a shrug.

“Division Commander,” Austin repeated.

“Well, Commander Hicks. What’s it to be? What’s the name of this new division?” Ryker asked.

“Her Majesty’s Everliving. Or just the Everliving in short speak,” Austin said, nodding his head.

“A good name, considering you’ll serve as many queens in your service as are left in the Queendom,” Ryker said.

Taking a moment, Ryker copied Meino’s base pattern. The one he’d put at the center of her being at the start.

It was a simple thing that simply brought in mana, fed it to the core, and brought it back out.

Everything else would come with time and hopefully be built by the core. And eventually, it would be filled with spiritual energy. Though Ryker did put in one thing Meino didn’t have.

A simple hook and call for Austin Hicks’s soul. If his spirit wished to return to its body, it would be welcomed.

“And there we are, Commander Hicks,” Ryker said, then gestured to the glowing pattern that sparked to life. “Merely take your core and place it into that pattern.”

Austin immediately turned on his heel, grabbed the core, and dropped it into the pattern without a second of hesitation.

With a light crackle of energy, the core sucked up the pattern, and Austin vanished.

Only to reappear a fraction of a second later.

Except now he was dressed in what could only be the armor he’d worn in his life. He looked to be what Ryker would regard as a heavy infantry soldier, given the thick plate he was wearing.

“Now, how about you start digging through cores to see if you can’t find anyone you know. And while you’re doing that, I’ll ask another soldier to join the Everliving,” Ryker said, reaching into the room of cores to find another soldier.

Hopefully, his second recruit.

***

“I… don’t even know what to say,” Marybelle said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Ryker typically still lived out of his dungeon throne and bedroom, but he was slowly transitioning into the manor home Marybelle had put together for him in his absence. “They’re… impressive. And frightening. The whole thing shouldn’t be possible. It feels… wrong.”

Ryker couldn’t help but agree, all things considered.

“Wrong. One way to say it. And speaking of, you saw Meino’s table,” Ryker said, sitting down next to the Hob on the bed.

“I did. It looked… very broken,” Marybelle said, grimacing. “Fractured.”

“That’s certainly accurate, I suppose,” Ryker said with a short laugh. “I mean, Meino has always been different. I just thought it was because of how I… uh… how I created her.”

“I think that is why she’s different, certainly. It’s also more than likely what’s wrong with her,” Marybelle said with a heavy breath and then a sigh. “Dearest Ryker, you seem to make a mess of everything you come across. You know that?”

Marybelle flopped backward into the bed.

“Including you, I hope,” Ryker said, grinning at her.

“Oh, very much including me. I’m probably the messiest one of all. I’m the only one who knows how truly different our world is. I’m the only one you broke with that information,” Marybelle said, holding up a hand in front of her. “Then again, maybe as a Fairy I can appreciate it a bit better. I’m already living a strange, false life through a body that isn’t mine. So why not doubly so?”

Ryker nodded and then leaned back, flopping into the bed next to her. Reaching up, he took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

“Thanks. I needed a partner in this,” he said, slipping his fingers into hers.

“You could have asked Wynne. I think she’d have agreed just as readily as I did,” Marybelle said.

“Maybe so. But she doesn’t share the same space you do with me,” Ryker said, bringing her hand down and settling it between them, still holding tightly to it.

“True… much to my shame, I considered trying to hurt Charlotte and Tris when they told me they wanted in on it.

“I consider myself quite fortunate to have stumbled into it as I did, and I’m very protective of it. Defensive.”

“Really?” Ryker asked, looking at her with a grin. It didn’t sound anything like the Hob he’d fallen for. “You were going to hurt them?”

Marybelle sniffed at that, giving him an arch look that was ruined by the fact that she was partially falling out of her dress.

“I can be quite the fighter, thank you. I did hold my own at the temple for a while, you’ll remember,” Marybelle said.

“Oh, I remember. You looked great in that leather. Better in dresses, but great in leather,” Ryker said, grinning at her.

“Why is your mind always so full of sex? It’s like a constant flood of innuendos, entirely fixated on sex and sexual things,” Marybelle said, looking rather confused.

“I honestly don’t know. Always been that way,” Ryker said, and then his thoughts stopped in their tracks. His mind had been chewing at what Marybelle had said.

She’d held her own at the temple.

It was the king of the hill–style battle that had given them leverage.

“Could I turn everything in front of the walls of Dungeon out to the furthest reach of the dungeon into a battlefield? A living, breathing battlefield that enemies would have to navigate?” Ryker asked. “Like… a dungeon battlefield, with objectives, tasks, and goals that would have to be completed to move on to even siege the walls?”

“Ah? I do think that’d be fine, yes,” Marybelle said with a smile. “Though this is something you should include Wynne in, you know.”

“No… her functions are shifting. She’s becoming more and more the queen of the Fairies and Imps, and you’re becoming more and more my dungeon queen.

“To be fair, she has a rather large population to rule over.”

“An increasing one. The further and further the dungeon spreads into the Queensland, the more Fairies and Imps just… appear within our borders,” Marybelle said. “It’s the single largest population increase I’ve ever heard of.”

Ryker had a moment of brief regret.

He’d love to just have as many Fairies and Imps as he could bed. All to himself.

But that wasn’t something he could do. He was being good.

Good and loyal.

“Always sex,” Marybelle said with a smile for him. “Though… there’s a very willing Fairy right here, you know. And I did bribe everyone else to leave us alone for a few days.”

“You did?” Ryker asked, surprised.

“I did. I missed you,” Marybelle said with a tender smile that practically melted Ryker’s heart.

Chapter 16 - Nature of the Game -

“He’s coming?” Al asked, looking up at Ryker.

“That’s what the messenger said,” Ryker said. Sitting in Al’s room directly across from the young child, Ryker was pulled up next to the child’s table, which was full of books and writing implements.

Looking through the various papers scattered around, Ryker was alarmed and curious at the same time.

The ability of this child was well beyond what a vast amount of rural people could ever achieve. He’d demonstrated an uncanny ability to understand his situation and what was going on, and even figure out things that he shouldn’t.

I wonder.

Baby-Belle?

“Yes, dear?” sent the Hob. She’d been beyond affectionate to him since he’d gotten home. To the point that he wondered if maybe her realization that the world wasn’t quite real had affected her far more than she’d let on.

Do you think… do you think Al maybe isn’t… one of us? Do you think maybe he’s not like us?

Maybe he’s a god, a goddess, or… something more?

The absolute lack of a response from Marybelle told him she was processing it, thinking on it.

“…hat surprised. I hadn’t heard that he was doing anything,” Al said, looking somewhere between Ryker and the ground.

“Uh, from what I heard from the scouts who’d been running around in the area, it looks like he’s massing the largest army we’ve ever seen,” Ryker said. “In all of time, honestly. It seems like a madman’s gambit to put that many soldiers in the field, but he’s doing it.”

“He’s… what?” Al asked, looking up at Ryker.

“Massing a truly enormous number of soldiers. An enterprising Imp managed to get close enough to read a few orders before someone split her in half,” Ryker said with a laugh. “She apparently disguised herself as a rat. Appropriate.”

“She saw some orders?” Al prompted.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Orders. It’s a search. He’s looking for something,” Ryker said with a shrug. “No clue what the Dark Lord is looking for, but we’re going to stay the hell out of his way.”

“Ah,” Al said, looking strangely satisfied and nervous at the same time. “Uncle, can I write a letter and have you send it?”

“You’re right,” Marybelle said finally. “It seems more likely that he’s much more like Rike, or something in between. It doesn’t add up.

“It’d be a risk to press him on it, since the same information killed you. But I think it’s a fairly safe bet that he isn’t… normal.”

“Uncle?” Al asked, staring at him.

“Uh, ah, yeah, sorry, Al. I can definitely send a letter for you. If you tell me what you are,” Ryker said, peering at the boy.

He looked like a young child but behaved like anything but.

“I thought we discussed this, Uncle,” Al said, giving Ryker a sad smile.

“That was before I found out this world isn’t real and had a goddess by the name of Rike bring me back from apparent death,” Ryker said.

Al stared at Ryker, then blinked owlishly at him.

“Did she now?” Al said.

“She did. I learned that none of this is real and I can apparently call up information on people,” Ryker said. “Except for some people, I can’t. For some people, it just fails.

“Some people like you. So… maybe you should show me your soul card… or tell me what you are.”

Al chuckled at that, folding his hands in his lap.

“I don’t have a soul card, and you’d never be able to see my character window because I don’t have one,” Al said. “You’re right, of course. I’m not normal, the world isn’t real, and the gods and goddesses are well aware of it.”

Ryker swallowed hard. He hadn’t expected Al to know so much. Maybe some of it, but not all of it, and so easily given.

It made Ryker incredibly nervous to be talking to him so casually.

“That’s how you knew everything you did. You can see more… like how I can?” Ryker asked.

“And then some. In fact… try thinking ‘inventory’ in your head. Think it real hard. Like it’s the only thing you’ve ever wanted in your life,” Al said. “I know you can do it, Uncle. You’re an amazing person. Probably the single most amazing and unique person I’ve met so far.”

Frowning, Ryker did as he’d been bade and thought of an inventory. Though he wasn’t quite sure how to picture it.

“I mean… do I think of it like a list or—”

“Picture it as a chess board,” Al said. “A chess board, but every square has something in it.”

“Oh. Okay. We’ll try that and—”

Ryker froze and his eyes popped open wide. A window had appeared in front of him, much in the same way the information screen had.

This time, though, it listed everything Ryker had on his person.

Everything in his pockets or the purse at his side was on the right side of the screen.

On the left was a mocked-up doll version of him, with everything he was wearing on it.

It even included his underwear.

“Uh,” Ryker said after a few seconds.

“Yes,” Al said with a soft sigh. “This world is a very interesting place. You’ve been made aware of just the surface of it.

“Try grabbing your shirt with your fingers. Move it to the space on the right.”

Shocked to his very core, Ryker had no idea of how to respond. Or even what to do.

So he did what Al told him to.

Plucking his tunic from the small doll of himself on the left, Ryker moved it to the open spaces on the right.

Instantly, he was nude from the waist up.

“Oh my fuck,” Ryker mumbled, looking at himself. Looking back at the screen, he moved the tunic from the right to the left.

“How about… spell book?” Al asked.

In much the same way as he’d dismissed the extra information window, Ryker got rid of the inventory window and then thought of a spell book.

And instantly, a book listing every single possible iteration of his runes appeared in front of him. Floating in the air.

It listed every rune he’d ever learned. Even ones he’d forgotten about, as well as the proper way to draw them out with his own style.

The moment his eyes touched them, he felt the associated memories—long dulled by time—sharpen. As if they were from yesterday.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Ryker mumbled.

“If you think that’s the strangest part, I have something even stranger for you,” Al said. “Check this out, Uncle.”

Al tapped something in front of his face, and then a window popped up in front of Ryker.

“I’ve been invited to join… your… party?” Ryker asked aloud.

“Yep! It’s a neat way to share power gains with other people when you kill monsters in the dungeon,” Al said. “Just decline that for now.”

Ryker felt his mouth twitch as he declined the invitation.

“Is… none of this is real at all,” Ryker said, and then swallowed heavily. “Does that mean there isn’t an afterlife, or—”

“Oh, no, there is. A few of them, actually. Really depends on who you worship,” Al said. “Don’t worry, Uncle. Your goddesses is actually very nice.”

“How do you even know that, though?” Ryker asked, feeling so incredibly lost.

“I just know,” Al said with a shrug. “Now… would you be willing to deliver a letter for me, Uncle?

“I’d normally send it through other means, but there are some problems right now that are preventing me from doing it.”

“Yeah… I can do that, Al,” Ryker said, sighing. He’d hoped for answers, but this had only given him more questions. “Is there anything else I should know? Anything else that would help me?”

“No, other than just continue to be yourself, Uncle,” Al said with a smile. “I have absolute faith that you’ll get through this. Probably far easier than you could expect to, even.”

Ryker only nodded at that, closing his eyes and pressing a hand over his face. “Okay. Thanks, Al.”

“Of course, Uncle. I owe you a great deal. That champion coming to the town wasn’t there for you, but me,” Al said. “In fact, without your interference, it’s quite likely I would have been captured right then and there.”

“And why would a champion want to capture you?” Ryker asked, looking up at Al sharply. That statement didn’t sound good.

“Reasons I can’t explain yet. But I can very soon. Very, very soon, if I don’t miss my guess,” Al said with a sweet smile. “I guarantee that a day or two after this letter reaches its destination, you’ll have all the answers you want and more.”

“Great,” Ryker muttered, looking down at the ground. “That sounds far more ominous than positive.”

“It’ll be fine,” Al said. “Now, I need to write a letter.”

***

“That was… unexpected,” Marybelle said, holding the door open for Ryker.

Rather than going anywhere else after his talk with Al, Ryker had only one place in mind that he wanted to be. With Marybelle to talk about it.

“An understatement,” Ryker mumbled, walking into the room he shared with her. Everything had been moved into the manor aboveground, and for whatever reason, Marybelle was always in his bedroom.

The only time she wasn’t was when someone else came to spend the night with him.

“Well, it does answer a number of questions,” Marybelle said, closing the door. “Primarily, that there are indeed others aware of the difference in the world. Aware of it and part of it.”

“Yeah… that’s a good point,” Ryker said, dropping into a chair. “A very good point.”

“I thought so,” Marybelle said, coming over to sit down next to him. “It does make me more curious about Al. He tries so hard to hide everything about him. He still won’t talk about his family. Did you notice he also deliberately avoids saying the name of deities?”

Huh.

Now that he thought about it, she was absolutely right. Al had tiptoed around it using more generic terms.

“Enough about Al,” Marybelle said with a fluttering of her fingers. “We originally planned this to discuss the Everliving and the battlefield dungeon.”

“Yes, yeah. Let’s… yeah,” Ryker said, nodding his head. “That’s the right tact and direction. Thanks, Baby-Belle.”

“Of course. It’s what I’m here for,” she said with a smile, leaning to one side and putting her chin in her hand.

“How many did we end up with in the Everliving?” Ryker asked.

“In the end, after you finished up and the rolling chain of invitations continued, we maxed out the cores,” Marybelle said. “There isn’t a core left in all the Queensland in our control. Each and every one is spent.

“The exact count is somewhere around fifteen thousand five hundred,” Marybelle said. “Give or take a few hundred.”

Ryker nodded as he slumped low in his chair.

A messenger had been dispatched to Lauren with the news, but there was no telling when or if she’d be able to respond.

Her own problems right now consisted mostly of dealing with the church of light. Who were still in the Queensland of Dale and holding a portion of the country.

The cores set aside for that attack, and the Imps and Fairies volunteering for that duty, were already all accounted for.

It was also something that seemed like Ryker wasn’t going to be participating in. At least for the time being.

He was going to be tied down with Dungeon once again, playing gatekeeper and door guard.

“Alright,” Ryker said, giving his head a shake. “Let’s… oh—actually, did Wynne ever get that Imp and Fairy assembly together?”

“She did, actually!” Marybelle said with a laugh, grinning at him. “It went pretty much as I expected. She asked them how they felt, what they wanted, and what direction they wanted to go in.

“The answers she got basically boiled down to happy, happiness, and happiness.

“As a race, both Imps and Fairies, this is all so new to us. That we can experience everything we want to in an avatar. That our Fairy and Imp avatars are just… vessels that hold our souls.”

Ryker nodded. He’d hoped that was the case, but he had been moderately worried.

A few narrow-minded people would have probably labeled the Fairies and Imps as slaves without a choice.

As far as Ryker knew, all that had really happened was the Fairies and Imps had a unified government now, and a direction.

“…mostly centered around sex,” Marybelle said with a soft laugh. “Wynne assured them all that they’re welcome to seek out mates and husbands. It’ll be interesting to see what happens. For most of them… having a husband might be a lot like having a dog or a cat.

“Around for a while, and eventually they pass on. Only to be replaced by another.”

Snorting at that, Ryker couldn’t argue the point.

“I suppose when you’re immortal, that can be an issue,” he muttered, not wanting to think about Lauren, Adele, or Diane. They were all quite mortal, and he’d outlive them. Along with most of his children.

As if sensing his turn of thoughts, Marybelle cleared her throat. “Well, be that as it may. They’re all quite happy.

“More so when she suggested hearing them all out. They thought it was quite forward thinking of her. Benni, Wynne, and I didn’t bother to tell anyone it wasn’t her idea originally. She’d be most appreciative if you didn’t mention it either.”

“Yeah, I can do that. Okay, battlefield, sorry,” Ryker said, calling up a dungeon space map in front of him.

“Baby-Belle, could you modify this to only cover the expanse and reach of the dungeon?” Ryker asked.

“But of course, let me just—” Marybelle got up and then sat next to him on the couch. She slipped in close to his side, lifted up a hand, and tapped the map in front of Ryker with a finger. “There.”

“Lovely, thank you,” Ryker said, looking at the map. The boundaries for the dungeon expanded quite a way out from the walls. Far more than he’d thought possible. “Uh… this feels… really far.”

“Yes. It really is,” Marybelle said. Then she gestured to the furthest extent of the dungeon’s domain. “Most of this is because of the center of what is considered the dungeon now, and how much power it’s putting out.

“All those cores you’ve been putting down have changed the center. Changed the center and expanded the mana intake. The amount of mana we’re pulling in now is… well… if ever you made a wizard university, I could tell you where to put it. There’s going to be a nexus of mana right in the middle of Dale. When we’re done putting in all the cores, all the mana will gather there.”

“A university, ha. No point in that,” Ryker said.

“Why not?” Marybelle asked, sounding curious. “You taught Shirley, didn’t you? You’ve been teaching Al.”

“They’re both gifted students,” Ryker said dismissively. “Teaching an idiot or someone with low talent would be much different.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Marybelle offered up. “I think you underestimate just how useful that extreme control of yours is for demonstrating patterns. Shirley can do it, but it takes her much more effort.

“Did your father do that for you? Does anyone do that? Or is it something you alone seem to be able to do.”

Ryker shook his head, not wanting to answer that.

Instead, he began to pull up memories of battlefields he could recall from Lauren, Veronica, and the churches.

He began to copy defenses that any of these armies had put up, adding them to the defenses of the dungeon.

Slowly, Ryker built out a battlefield that would be forced to be played out to his own desires.

One that would break up formations, force the enemy into certain routes and paths, and bring whatever numerical advantage they had to a bare minimum.

Towers with ballistae atop them and stationary gunners. Small built-up fortified locations that would house and hold archers, crossbowmen, and other things.

All at low mana costs because there was effectively… no dungeon.

It meant that everything was slowly being refocused to the front of Dungeon, and there was very little that would stop an army if they made it through Dungeon.

Except that wasn’t much of a concern to Ryker.

Even if an army did break through Dungeon and make it into the lands of Dale, they’d have to contend with the battle squares.

And the Everliving would be a constant, nagging presence.

They were the quintessential drain on anything that might decide to come calling on Dungeon with ill intent.

Finishing another fortified square with a tower at the top, Ryker sighed and leaned back.

“Good work,” Marybelle said, patting his shoulder. “I think that’s very well put together. Though I’m no master strategist.

“Perhaps we should call up the generals and officers from Lauren’s army, or those who joined the Everliving, to inspect it. Then add their own thoughts and wishes.”

“Oh. It probably would have been a better idea to start with that, huh?” Ryker asked, looking at Marybelle.

“Probably,” she said with a smile. “But then I wouldn’t get to spend as much time with you. We can include them from here.

“Besides, it’s about time you realize we didn’t have our normal dungeon-building ritual. Isn’t it?”

Oh.

Yeah.

“And changing clothes is so quick and easy now with that inventory thing. I have a number of things I’d like to try on for you, and it’d only take seconds,” Marybelle said.

Chapter 17 - Arrival -

Standing there, Ryker felt beyond useless.

Useless, and little more than a hole for complaints to be dumped in.

The Everliving were all moving around the battlefield Ryker had built. Every. Single. One.

As a unit, since they would be the ones manning the field, they were trying to figure out what to add, what to remove, and what to change.

“What if we made this… deeper?” said the commander of the Everliving.

Ryker looked at what the man was talking about.

It was a stake wall that would provide the defenders a place to hold up and shoot from while still allowing for the possibility of a charge.

Though it’d be hard for them to get back into position once the charge was made.

Holding out a hand, Ryker made the whole thing deeper.

“Huh… I guess… no, I don’t think that’d work out much better. Especially since it sounds like we’re dealing with mostly infantry,” Austin said.

Ryker shrugged, not knowing what to say. This wasn’t his area of expertise. Not in the least—not in any way, shape, or form.

He really just specialized in blowing things or people up.

Into little itty-bitty bits.

Giving his head a shake, Ryker turned to Benni next to him.

“You can handle this. I’m done,” he said. He’d already been standing here for the better part of an hour, and he didn’t want anything more to do with it.

His patience would be considered less than normal on a good day.

Benni nodded at that statement. She stepped up to where the general was and began shifting the spike wall back to the size it had been.

Folding his arms over the top of his head, Ryker began wandering back into Dungeon.

The longer he’d been dealing with everyone and everything that pertained to Dungeon, the more he wasn’t really interested.

That went doubly so for the Queendom of Dale.

He was only interested enough to preserve Lauren and her throne. Beyond that, he honestly couldn’t be bothered.

More and more, he simply wanted to go back to farming.

That or adventuring.

Meino was matching him step for step. She said nothing and seemed perfectly content just to follow him around.

“I’m bored and don’t know what to do,” Ryker said. Walking for the center of Dungeon, he at least had a destination. He just didn’t know what to do when he got there.

“Oh,” Meino said. “It is what it is. There isn’t much you can do about that.”

“I mean… the dungeon mostly takes care of itself now. I built the battlefield, and I made the Everliving,” Ryker said.

“Both amazing accomplishments,” Meino said, nodding her big head. “They’re both miraculous things.”

“I just… I don’t know,” Ryker said.

“This is usually when Shirley turns up and redirects you to a new goal,” Marybelle offered up.

Oh. That’s a good point.

A new goal… a new goal.

Well.

I could…

Frowning, Ryker looked around even as he began to think out what he wanted to do.

Off to one side, a group of children were clustered around a young woman. They were all listening intently as she taught them some sort of lesson.

I could teach magic.

Couldn’t I?

Baby-Belle, you said you knew where to erect a university?

“I did indeed,” Marybelle said. “It’ll only be a good place at this moment, but an ideal one when we finish with the cores. Would you like to do that?”

I think I would. Did we get the core messaging system set up?

“Yes. Though Rinni is a bit different, so we have to send messages from the closest core by horseback to the capital. It only adds a day, which is still considerably quicker than what it used to be,” Marybelle said.

Send out messages and messengers. To all of Dale.

I’m going to be collecting up people to form a school.

Anyone can be tested, but not everyone will be accepted.

Testing is free. If they can pass the test, they’ll be given room, board, and instruction into the magical arts.

From me.

Ryker nodded once as he finished the thought.

“That can be done, dear,” Marybelle said. “I’m sure Benni will have it taken care of before you know it. And—”

Marybelle’s voice cut off in a strange way.

“Dear, turn around and head back for the gate. There’s a man there waiting for an audience with you,” she said. “He also asked for Al.”

Maybe it’s his dad. He can fuck right off with the kiddo and go back to wherever they came from.

Turning on his heel, Ryker started moving back to the gate he’d passed earlier.

“Something change?” Meino asked.

“Yep. Someone asking for me and Al at the gate,” Ryker said. “Maybe it’s his dad.”

Meino made a soft harrumphing noise at that, and her hand flexed around the haft of her weapon.

Moving to the gate, Ryker looked around.

Off to one side was a rather unassuming man.

He had black hair, bright blue eyes, and was dressed in basic leather armor.

Curious about the man, Ryker tried to see into him. It would be nice to see his statistics and level, and maybe even his name.

And couldn’t. The request just didn’t do anything at all.

Much in the same way as his requests to see into Al.

The man was waiting quietly with a smile, standing next to several guards of Dungeon.

“Hello,” Ryker said, walking over to the man, and then extended his hand. “I’m Ryker. Count of Dungeon. You were asking for me?”

The man shook his hand energetically, smiling at Ryker.

“Hahaha, yes, yes I was. Name’s Runner. I was hoping that Alaric would be with you,” said the man, looking around Ryker and then into Dungeon through the gate. “Is he here? Is he well?”

“Alaric, huh? Wants us to call him Al. As for where he is… I mean, yeah. He’s somewhere here,” Ryker said with a shrug, letting go of the man’s hand. “He’s a brainy little kid, so it’s not as if he can’t fend for himself in Dungeon. If he needs something, he usually comes and gets me or asks a guard.

“If you can even call him a kid. Come on, we’ll wait in the guard house next to here for him.”

The man’s smile only grew wider as he blinked several times at that.

Ryker looked at one of the guards to make sure they understood where to send Al.

The guard nodded at Ryker even as he led Runner into the guard house.

“Alaric can be different, that’s certainly the truth,” Runner said after the door closed behind him.

There were only three people in the room, Ryker, Runner, and Meino.

“I mean, that’s putting it lightly,” Ryker grumbled. “Whatever he is, he isn’t a kid.”

“Isn’t a kid,” Runner repeated, staring at Ryker. “Ah. Yes. I think I understand now. You’re actually one of the A—”

“Father?” asked a young voice as the door opened.

Al, apparently Alaric, stood in the doorway looking at Runner. He must have been very close to be here so quickly.

“Ah! Father, I’m so g—”

Runner was down at the child’s level instantly, holding him tightly. To Ryker, it looked like he was crushing the child.

Ryker grimaced as his mind started to drift toward the subject of children.

I wonder… I wonder how Claire’s doing. Should… should I be a father by now?

“I think so. At the earliest. At the latest… maybe a week? I’m sorry,” Marybelle said, her tone soft and unsure.

“I’m fine,” Alaric said. “Uncle saved me. A champion was heading right for me after I got cut off. I think it was Rannulf. Uncle got me out of the village before the champion even arrived, though. Then he brought me here. I’ve been here ever since.”

“Uncle?” Runner asked, leaning back to peer at the child.

“Uncle,” Alaric said, pointing at Ryker. “He’s different. He’s Awakened as well! He’s very smart, but sometimes just very rude and vulgar. A lot like Momma Hannah, but not as bad. He saved me and then brought me here. He’s kept me safe ever since.”

Runner turned to Ryker and let out a slow breath.

“I find myself in a great deal of debt to you, Count Ryker,” Runner said, still holding his child tightly. “Alaric here is all I have left of someone extremely important to me.”

Ryker shrugged and held up his hands.

“No worries. He’s actually been rather helpful, in a way,” Ryker said. “Feel free to stick around for a while if you want, or leave. Whatever you want.”

The man named Runner continued to stare at Ryker for several seconds.

“You don’t know who I am,” Runner said.

“You’re Al’s dad,” Ryker said. “I miss something?”

Chuckling at that, Runner shook his head. “My full name is Runner Norwood.”

“Uh huh,” Ryker said. “That’s nice. I don’t really have a surname. Not one I attach to myself, at least.”

“Ryker! Runner Norwood is—”

“I’m also known as the Dark Lord of the North,” Runner said.

“…the name of the Dark Lord of the North!” Marybelle said at the same time.

Ryker took in a slow breath, then let it out and nodded his head.

“Course you are. ‘Cause that’s my fucking luck,” Ryker said in a pinched, tight voice.

Al laughed uproariously at that, patting his father on the shoulder.

“I told you, Uncle, don’t worry! My father is here. I’m sure he can help with the army coming for Dungeon,” Alaric said merrily. “And don’t believe all that nonsense about Dad. That’s all frippery that got spread around by Rannulf, Lambart, and Zeus’s cronies.”

“Zeus…?” Ryker asked, not really knowing that name. He knew the other two, though. It was strange to hear Al name the gods openly.

And when he stopped to think about it, memories of the shattering about why and how it happened didn’t exist. He’d only learned about it after.

From a priest.

“Never mind that name,” Runner said with a flick of a hand. “But yes, I’m who you call the Dark Lord of the North.

“I was massing an army to begin search for Alaric here. I knew he was on the mainland somewhere, just not where. Those bastard deities have figured out a few tricks since the last time I tangled with them.”

“Right,” Ryker said, still not really processing everything. “So the woman who delivered that warning to me—”

“Hanners, err, Hannah, my wife,” Runner said.

“…yeah, her. She… you know what, never mind,” Ryker said, giving up. “Hey, Mr. Dark Lord. Could you please try not to squish Dale for me? That’d be real great.”

Runner laughed at that.

“Oh, I can promise you that, have no fear whatsoever. I’d already considered Dale on the ‘do not bother’ list simply because you’re worshiping my sister-in-law, Rike,” Runner said.

“Seriously, Rike?” Ryker growled, staring up at the ceiling above him.

“She’s not here right now. She’s off visiting her sister on a different serrrrrr… plane. Planet. World,” Runner said. “But yeah, she’s my sister-in-law. I’m happy to leave Dale be. One need not worship the Triumvirate.”

“You… you’re really the god-emperor?” Ryker asked.

“I am indeed,” Runner said. “Come. I don’t have much time. I kinda snuck out and ran away once I got the letter from my boy here. Grace is going to show up soon and kick my ass all the way back to camp if we don’t get moving.”

“I want to stay with Uncle, Dad,” Alaric said.

“No way. Not happening. Do you have any idea the hell Lady Death and Kitten are going through right now? Losing their ever-loving shit,” Runner said, picking up the child and throwing him over his shoulder. “You’re coming home, and that’s pretty much the end of the conversation. I promise you can come visit R… Uncle… later though.

“If Uncle doesn’t mind—does he?”

Ryker let out a slow breath and shook his head again.

“Nope. I actually don’t mind the little shit. The kid act gets annoying at times, but it isn’t so bad,” Ryker said, getting up out of his chair. “Just uh… keep working on the runes we talked about. Don’t use any soul constructs until you can build all the patterns without them collapsing.”

“Okay Uncle,” Alaric said from Runner’s shoulder, not looking at him.

“Wait, what?” Runner asked, looking from Alaric to Ryker and back.

“He’s teaching me his style of magic. I like it a lot. It makes sense. It’s all patterns, math, and planning,” Alaric said. “It’s so much easier to use than anything you taught me.”

“Hmph. Well… whatever. I’m not exactly a great wizard, that’s for certain,” Runner said, turning and leaving the guard house.

Ryker caught up to the man just as he passed under the gate.

“Again, I cannot begin to express my… extreme… pleasure in having found my boy safe and sound,” Runner said. “No words could get me there. If you ever have a need, I’ll be there.”

“Well, as Al mentioned, kinda have an enemy army coming down on us here real soon,” Ryker said. “Could use help with that.”

“And you’ll get it, but that doesn’t count as a favor. That’s more of a given. I’ll dispatch a few of my heavy hitters for you to make sure you weather the storm appropriately,” Runner said, moving further away from the gate. Ryker, of course, followed along, and he was surprised to find that Runner had a mount.

“Is that a fucking giant squirrel?” Ryker asked, staring at the behemoth.

“What, Nibbles? Sure is. He’s one of my oldest friends at this point. Aren’t you, you big furry dope?” Runner said, lifting Alaric off his shoulder and setting him into the saddle.

Nibbles, the horse-sized monster, head-butted Runner in response, staggering the man.

“Here,” Runner said, reaching into a pocket. He fished something out and then tossed it over to Ryker. “Just hold on to that tight and tell me if you need help. I owe you, a lot. I’ll have my people come over today or tomorrow.

“Just uh… just be prepared for—”

There was a monstrous detonation in the air above them, and a blue portal snapped into existence, then shut on itself.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuuck,” Runner said, peering up at it.

A beautiful white-winged woman with dark hair and dark eyes was simply there in the sky. Her wings beat lazily at the air, as if flying took little more effort than washing one’s hands. Dangling from her fingers was a lance that seemed to glow.

“Runner!?” called the woman, her head turning every which way until her eyes landed on the Dark Lord of the North. “Ah! Noble husband!”

The woman’s wings clapped together, and she dove straight toward Runner.

At the last second, her wings blew out and she stalled herself completely. She landed with a light pat next to him and turned to Alaric.

“And you, young man,” said the angelic woman in a heated voice. “I’m going to paddle your behind so hard that you can’t sit for a few weeks. Do you have any idea how upset you made Satomi? She’s been blaming herself this entire time because she showed you that spell!”

Alaric winced at that, hunching into himself.

“Hey,” Ryker said, feeling somewhat defensive. “Leave off. He’s spent the last whatever the fuck it’s been away from home and everyone he knew. The first thing you do is yell at him?

“The fuck is wrong with you, lady?”

Runner, the angelic woman, and Alaric were all staring at Ryker now.

“I… and you are?” asked the woman, disbelief evident in her tone.

“Uncle. And who the fuck are you?” Ryker asked, feeling ornery.

Runner burst out laughing at that moment and laid a hand on the angelic woman’s shoulder.

“This is Sophia, my wife. I call her Grace, which she’s showing precious little of right now,” Runner said, catching the woman’s eyes. “This is Ryker, who Alaric calls Uncle. He’s the man responsible for saving Alaric and providing him with a home till this exact hour. Till I got here.”

Grimacing, the woman looked away from Runner and toward Ryker.

“I’m sorry,” she said after several seconds. “I love him. He’s like a son to me. We’ve all been sick with worry.”

There was no mistaking the genuine feeling in that statement, which made Ryker feel somewhat guilty for scolding the woman.

He’d probably been projecting his own problems with his father on to her.

“Yeah… sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you,” Ryker said, running a hand through his hair. “Al’s a good kid, though.

“I’m sure he learned a lesson from this and won’t be repeating it. Didn’t you, Al?”

“I did, Uncle. A number of them,” Alaric said.

“Perfect! Alright, off we go,” Runner said, swinging up into the saddle. “I’ll have my people here soon. I’m sure they’ll prove useful. I’d offer to do more, but we have a truly massive army of the dark pantheon and light pantheon just looking for an opportunity.

“I’m trying not to wash this land in the blood of their people, but I feel like I might not have a choice soon.”

“Yeah… uh… that’s real great of you, not wanting to murder a continent,” Ryker said, unsure how to respond to that.

Runner grinned. “Isn’t it?”

The Dark Lord nodded at Ryker and turned the big squirrel around the other way.

Without word or command, the monster began bounding away. It was faster than the fastest horse he’d ever seen.

Standing there, the angelic woman continued to stare at Ryker.

“Well… Uncle… you have my thanks,” Sophia said, dipping her head to Ryker. “My thanks, and my support in any endeavor you have in the future. Until then.”

Her massive white wings spread out behind her, and then she leapt into the air. With only three flaps, she gained massive altitude and vanished into the sky.

“My life is so fucking weird,” Ryker said, watching the beautiful angel vanish into the heavens. “So… fucking… weird.”

“Look at the bright side,” Meino said next to him, also watching the sky. “We just got a really strong ally, didn’t we?”

“Yes… apparently we did,” Ryker mumbled.

Uncertain.

Chapter 18 - Testing -

“Then he threw me this,” Ryker said, setting down a golden equilateral triangle on the table. “It’s apparently a medallion of the Triumvirate.”

Adele picked up the golden trinket and flipped it over in her hands.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, staring at the likenesses in each corner. “And these people are the goddesses Brunhild, Amelia, and Ernsta? Rike’s… sisters?”

“Yeah,” Ryker said, leaning to one side in his chair. “Apparently Rike is his sister-in-law, as crazy as that sounds. It’s one of the reasons Hannah the messenger came, if you’ll remember. Because we worship Rike.”

Robyn nodded once. “It is as it should be, it would seem. The Dark Lord is no darker a lord than Ryker is. The false lord of light is only ever more complicit in evil.”

I suppose there it is. It’s all just one giant con job, isn’t it?

Especially for us who know there’s something more going on. And that Runner apparently is aware of it and a part of it.

Looking around the room, Ryker saw everyone else was agreeing with Robyn’s assessment.

Adele, Wynne, Marybelle, Meino, Shirley, Charlotte, and Tris. They were all nodding their heads.

“Alright,” Wynne said, patting the table. “I’ll have a messenger sent off to Lauren immediately to let her know what’s going on.

“We technically have two wars right now that we’re fighting. Internally, we have the church of light inside Dale. They own roughly half the lands of Dale right now.”

“Last I heard from cousin dearest,” Adele murmured, still staring at the triangle. “Was that the church of light is digging in. We can’t even get scouts or spies through into the western side of Dale.

“That more or less makes sticking in dungeon cores an impossibility, or just extremely difficult to the point where it’d have to be us again.”

Not… really wanting to repeat that. Especially if they’re that organized.

“Yes, that’s what I heard as well,” Wynne said. “Lauren doesn’t want to even think about repeating that plan. Apparently the vicar learned of it somehow and has been quite aggressive in defense against such a thing. He’s also moved to the edge of the dungeon’s range, putting himself outside of it.

“For all intents and purposes, the vicar has learned from everything we’ve done.”

“Maybe that’s where we ask for the Dark Lord’s help,” Ryker said, pointing at the triangle. “He did say he’d help me.”

“He also said he’d send help today or tomorrow,” Meino said. “Heavy hitters, he called them.”

“I think…” Marybelle paused before she’d even started, then shook her head. “I think we should wait and see who he sends and what they can do. Once we know, we can go from there.”

Ryker nodded. “I mean, that’s what we should do. We’re kinda jumping the gun. Especially since, as Wynne pointed out, we’re technically involved in two wars.”

“Yes,” Wynne said, nodding her head. “The second being apparently the incoming army of… well… all the gods and goddesses who don’t belong to the dark or light pantheons.”

Everyone fell silent, staring at one another, the table, or nothing.

It was strange to be the center of so much attention from so many different deities.

“Rike… Rike has just told me it’s because of how much power the dungeon offers,” Robyn said. “The simple reality is that Dungeon is a never-ending source of power, resources, and manpower. Because of how different the dungeon is, it’s worlds apart from what it should be. What it would have been.”

“Yes, this is true. Ryker’s dungeon is indescribable,” Tris said. “What he’s wrought and formed from it was inconceivable to our kind prior to this. The idea of it all is still mind-boggling at times.

“Wizards have made dungeons into homes and manors before, but those were always limited. The dungeon and wizard locked in eternal struggle for dominance, and the Fairy or Imp usually killed off as soon as they arrived.”

“That’s very true,” Charlotte said. “Very, very true.”

“Be that as it may,” Wynne said. “We’ll need—”

There was a clatter, and the door opened.

Benni stood there with her hand on the knob.

“I… I have some guests to present to you,” said the Orc with wide eyes. Moving into the room, she stepped to one side and held the door open.

The dark knight Ryker had met twice now walked into the room. The helmet was off, though, and hanging at her waist. Slung up over her shoulder was her big axe.

She was huge. In fact, Ryker was fairly certain she was actually an Ogre, or part Ogre. With short blond hair, and bright blue eyes that were almost too far apart, she was cute but different.

“First Paladin of the Triumvirate, Milicent Ritter,” Benni said.

With a nod of her head, Milicent walked into the room and went to one side, looking at the table.

“Are we having lunch at this meeting?” she asked. “If we are, I’d love some bacon.”

As if realizing what was happening Marybelle acted in the dungeon sense. The table expanded, and an additional ten chairs appeared.

Atop the table, food simply appeared, summoned up from the dungeon.

“Ooooh, I like this,” Milicent said, setting her axe down next to a chair and then seating herself. Before anyone could say anything, she grabbed the platter of bacon and started eating immediately. Directly from the platter.

Marybelle simply summoned another platter of bacon to replace the first.

“Second Paladin of the Triumvirate, Heilwig,” Benni said.

The woman who walked in looked rather unassuming. She had short brown hair and brown eyes. Ryker immediately saw the weaponry at her belt, though, and matched it to the giant Lion beastkin he’d seen previously.

She’s a Were-Lion, not a beastkin.

Moving over to sit down next to Milicent, the woman said nothing but began filling her plate.

“General of the Armies of Bastion, Faye Norwood,” Benni said.

A woman with short blond hair that curled slightly stepped into the room. She was dressed in a long coat, and a military uniform of a black and red coloring. She had deep gray eyes and looked amused.

“Goodness,” she said, looking around the room. “It reminds me of our own meetings. All it needs is—Oh, for heaven’s sake, Milly. Must you?”

The general walked over to poke Milicent in the back of the head as the woman gorged on bacon. Taking a seat to Heilwig’s left, Faye looked around with a smile.

“Several of my lieutenants would have joined us, as well as one other, but they’re all out trying to determine what’s going on with the front, the army, and what we can expect.

“Nothing better than knowing where your enemy is,” Faye said with a grin. Then she turned to Ryker directly. “And before we do anything else… thank you, Uncle. I heard a great many things about you from Alaric before my husband, Runner, asked me to come out here.

“I would love to see the magic you employ as well, at a later time. I consider myself quite the accomplished magic user, and I’m always curious about other ways to do it.”

“Uh… sure,” Ryker said.

Faye nodded at that, then started filling a plate for herself.

“Oh, I brought several squads of Runner’s Own,” Faye said, happily scooping more of the never-ending bacon onto her plate.

All three of them seem very eager for bacon.

“That should be more than enough to get us out if the worst happens,” Faye said. “Does… does this ever run out?”

“No,” Wynne said, shaking her head. “It will refill itself.”

“I’m not sure what I’d have to pay to get a platter like this to go back home with me, but I’m not a poor woman,” Faye said, making firm eye contact with Wynne.

“I’ll see what we can do,” Wynne said, sounding uncertain.

“Great. So, how can we help?” Faye asked as she looked at Ryker with a smile.

“Ah… I’m not sure,” Ryker admitted. “We’re really not even sure what we’re facing yet. We’re just… waiting for them to arrive. I guess.”

Faye took that in, then nodded once. “I understand. Then let’s talk about what we have, and what we’re working with.”

Ugh… I’m glad she’s here, but I hate these meetings. They’re just not for me, and they never have been.

Slowly tuning everything out, Ryker only barely listened as Wynne and Faye began talking about what Dungeon did and didn’t have.

Instead, he started to make plans for building a simple university to train mages.

A soldier could kill a person, but a mage could kill quite a few.

And if I have them utilize the dungeon to fuel some of the spell-work, that’d work out even better. Wouldn’t it?

“It would. And it wouldn’t cost too much, since they’d be using their own wells first,” Marybelle said. “Would you like me to put out posters and a recruitment drive? Along with the messages you previously ordered?

“If I did, how would you like me to handle those who are interested? And what kind of cut-off would you have?”

Uh… anyone, really. Just have them show up in the field outside of Dungeon.

We can hold the mage testing right then and there. We’ll be able to sort out those with ability and talent rather quickly.

“Benni can handle that while we’re in here. Now pay attention. This is the Dark Lord’s head general. She has much wisdom to impart, I believe,” Marybelle said.

Mentally sighing, Ryker turned to look at Shirley instead.

She gave him a wink and a smile, and she threw a thumb out towards the side door. When he pressed on her soul ever so slightly, he got the impression she wanted to go play hooky, use magic, have sex, and be lazy.

He grinned. That was exactly what he wanted to do as well.

Turning to the general, Ryker coughed into his hand and then smiled at her when everyone looked at him.

“So, I’ll be honest,” he said. “I’m not cut out for this kind of stuff. I’m mostly here because I get brow-beaten if I don’t attend. I’m just going to… leave.

“Yeah, I’m going to leave. I’m probably going to make Shirley go with me as well. We have some mage training to attend to.”

Faye watched them, then shrugged. “Makes sense. I’ll drop by later if you don’t mind so I can watch.”

“That’d be most acceptable,” Ryker said, getting up out of his seat. “I always welcome magic discussion. There’s so few one can have an earnest discussion with.”

And just like that, Ryker dragged Shirley away and left the meeting.

***

Staring down the long line of “mage applicants,” Ryker had no idea what to think. It’d only been a single day since he’d spoken to Marybelle about this. He’d not expected so many people to turn up. Especially since it was just testing.

Just to figure out if they even had the aptitude for this.

“A lot of people,” Shirley mumbled. “How about I start at the other end and work my way this way while you do the same from here.”

“Probably the best way to do it,” Ryker said. “Remember, no bigger than a pinky nail. The size doesn’t make it harder or easier, just limits the amount of pain they’ll have to go through.”

“Don’t worry, I got it,” Shirley said, patting his back. Then she leaned in and kissed him quickly. “See you later in the middle.”

Ryker only nodded and then walked up to the first person.

Faye Norwood, the Dark Lord’s general, one of the most feared people in existence, was trailing along behind him like a magical peer.

“It’s awfully sweet, having a mage partner like that,” Faye said, her tone sounding wistful. “Runner isn’t actually a real mage. Not like you, me, or your wife. He’s… something very different.”

“So I gathered,” Ryker said, pushing a small mana bean into the first volunteer’s hand. “Remember, just like you were told. Focus on the mana. If you can feel it, you can manipulate it.”

The woman he’d spoken to was staring at her hand now as if it were a snake. “It hurts.”

“Yes, you were warned it would,” Ryker said, moving to the next person. “However, it isn’t permanent and won’t last. Probably take you longer to get through a bad case of diarrhea than this.”

Faye laughed, her hands crossed behind her back. “You’re rather terrible. I can see why Runner likes you. Though I’ve never heard of this mana bean testing before.”

“No?” Ryker asked as he pushed another small bit of mana into the next person’s hand. “Father said it’s a lot like having a horse run a lap to see if they’re suitable for racing.”

“I said I’d never heard of it, not that I disagree with it. The ability to do something doesn’t necessitate the aptitude or talent,” Faye said. “In fact, I rather like the way you’re doing it. Would be a rather easy and reliable test for recruiting stations.

“It would rely only on the person and have nothing to do with who gave the test, when, their background, race—nothing.”

Ryker shrugged, pushing another bean into another hand.

“Remember, just like you were told. Focus on the mana. If you can feel it, you can manipulate it,” he said. He’d decided to say it for every other person. That meant that everyone would have a chance to hear it, and he didn’t have to say it as much.

“It’s just what works, or at least I think so,” Ryker said.

“Mm. Your magic is interesting. It seems very formulaic,” Faye said. “The demonstration you and your wife put on yesterday was quite interesting. I thank you again for it.”

“Not a problem. It was a treat to see you use your own magic,” Ryker said honestly. He’d been quite impressed with how much more close-quarter combat oriented her magic had been. It’d even given him a few ideas.

“Runner mentioned you were… ah… Awakened,” Faye said.

She knows? It’s a term?

A title?

That means a lot more. That means this isn’t limited to just a few people. It means it’s a classification that needed a term.

Does… that mean all of the North is Awakened?

I want to ask so many questions.

Hesitating for only a second, Ryker continued to administer the mana bean.

“If that’s the term for knowing the truth, then yes,” Ryker said.

“Do your wives know?” Faye asked.

“Only Marybelle,” Ryker said, shaking his head.

“Awww, you consider me your wife? I’m going to make you smile from ear to ear later, dear,” Marybelle said.

“You’re the first to be Awakened after the patch,” Faye said.

Patch? What patch?

“What’s a patch?” Ryker asked, pausing to look at Faye.

“Ah… never mind. I’m sure Runner will explain it eventually,” Faye said with a dismissive hand wave. “You’re the first, and probably the last.

“Now, tell me more about the dungeon.”

Ryker didn’t argue with the woman, and he let her change the subject. There was a lot more to be said and asked, but he realized it wouldn’t do to badger her about it.

Anyone who could survive as the general of the Dark Lord of the North and be his wife while managing armies wouldn’t be intimidated by a little wizard.

Time ticked by slowly, and Ryker continued to administer the test.

By the time he reached Shirley, he realized it was time to head back to the start. With nothing but a kiss, and deciding to switch sides, Ryker walked to where Shirley had started, and vice versa.

Faye decided to go with Shirley this time, leaving Ryker to his thoughts.

For which he was thankful.

There was so much about the world he felt like he barely understood. And there was far more than he’d ever even considered.

The first person Ryker walked up to was a young child, probably five or six years old.

“Uh,” Ryker said, looking at the little girl.

“Hi!” she said. “Look! I can make it dance.”

As she held her hand up, the mana bean in her palm bounced energetically from side to side.

Ryker grinned, finding it hard to be mad.

He’d wanted to bring everyone to this location to train them as war mages.

But the fact that this little girl had such control over the bean meant she was going to be quite an accomplished wizard.

Then Ryker frowned, and he peered at the small child. Coming out of nowhere, he decided he wanted to know more about her.

Name- Dot

Level:

1

Class:

Wizard*

Race:

Human

Experience:

01%

Alignment:

Good

Reputation:

0

Fame:

0

Bounty:

0

Attributes-

Strength:

5

Constitution:

6

Dexterity:

7

Intelligence:

19

Agility:

6

Wisdom:

21

Stamina:

9

Charisma:

14

Status- Ecstatic

*Class acceptance pending

Ryker held up a hand next to the little girl. He made a tiny bean of mana just like hers and then began to make it dance in the same way as hers.

“My name’s Ryker. And your name is Dot. Would you like to be a wizard, Dot?” Ryker asked.

Dot’s eyes jumped to his, and she gave him a wide smile.

“Yes!” she said.

“Great. You go ahead and stand over there at the table with the blue flag, okay?” Ryker asked.

“Okay, Ryker!” Dot said, running away while giggling.

Moving to the next person in line, Ryker saw it was a teenage boy. In his hand, the mana bean lay unmoving.

“I couldn’t do it,” said the boy, shaking his head. “I couldn’t feel it at all.”

Ryker opened his mouth and closed it again.

Then he tried to get more information on the boy.

Name- Billy

Level:

8

Class:

Fighter

Race:

Human

Experience:

43%

Alignment:

Good

Reputation:

0

Fame:

0

Bounty:

0

Attributes-

Strength:

29

Constitution:

22

Dexterity:

17

Intelligence:

11

Agility:

15

Wisdom:

13

Stamina:

31

Charisma:

11

Status- Disappointed

“Have no fear, Billy,” Ryker said, suddenly wondering if the entire test had been pointless. “You’re destined to be a fighter. You should join the army, become an adventurer or a guard. I think you’ll do very well there.

“Maybe you have family already in one of those professions?”

“My Da,” Billy said, shaking his head. “He’s an adventurer. Ma doesn’t want me to do that, though. Too dangerous.”

“City guard then,” Ryker offered. “Very similar work, much less dangerous. Best of luck, Billy.”

Ryker turned to the next person, who had a mana bean in their palm that was moving in slow, circular patterns.

Ryker checked their status quickly and found that much like Dot, they were only pending a class-acceptance notification.

I don’t need to test at all. If they already have a class, they can’t become a wizard.

I can actually tell people what they’d be best at if they already have a class, too.

I guess… I can make this work. I can help Dungeon with this, can’t I?

Chapter 19 - Interim -

Standing in the middle of the walled-in field, Ryker felt like this was an auspicious occasion.

All around him, men, women, and children were choosing from preset laid-out plots. They were all picking where their homes would be while training with Ryker.

From Faye’s reports, they had perhaps two weeks before the enemy army would be on their doorstep.

Ryker wasn’t quite sure how much they could get done in that period of time, but he was going to do his damnedest.

He was also going to abuse the hell out of the dungeon to do it.

Shirley, Benni, Adele, Meino, Robyn, Charlotte, and Tris had all accompanied him here.

Wynne, Marybelle, and Faye were the real planners here anyways. They would be in touch with Lauren, and those four could make decisions far beyond what Ryker could ever imagine.

A hard slap on his rear end made him stand up straight.

“Looked like you were being a stupid idiot and needed a good smack,” Adele said, stepping up next to him. He could hear Benni chuckling nearby. “We weren’t doing shit back home anyways. This is far better for everyone involved. I can practice on your mages—they can practice against someone a half-step away from being a sword master.”

He couldn’t really argue with her, since she was right. Though he was still considering slapping her on the rear end in return.

Or Benni.

“Do it. I’d like it. I know you’re thinking about it,” Adele said, giving him a strange look out of the corner of her eye. “So would she.”

Clicking his tongue, Ryker looked back to his trainees.

In the end, he’d collected some thirty people who could become—and wished to become—wizards.

They spanned the whole of the population and seemed to come from everywhere.

The big thing they had in common, though, was that they were all troublemakers, runaways, rogues, and others who generally didn’t associate well with others.

Except for the children, who were just young.

A theory had been forming in Ryker’s mind. One that seemed to be true so far.

The simple fact was that most people already had a class by the time they were twelve. Usually, it was the same class as whoever they had a lot of contact with. Fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, things of that nature.

Adele had shown up as a sword master when he’d looked at her status.

“Suppose so,” Ryker said. “Still feel like I’m running away a bit.”

“It’s fine,” Adele said, then sighed. “Besides, better this way. You’ve still got a rather wandering pair of eyes, you know.”

Rolling said eyes, Ryker huffed softly. “I’ve been very good, thank you. I learned my lesson. I still feel guilty about Shirley. Just because I’m apparently unable to help myself and keep my eyes to myself, that doesn’t mean I touch. Or even respond when they flirt with me.”

“I know,” Adele said, laying a hand on his back. “And I’m glad to hear it, mind you. I’m just being a little bitchy, I guess. You really do feel guilty?”

“Yeah, why?” Ryker asked, looking at Adele again.

“No reason. Other than it makes me feel good,” she said. “Your discomfort makes me feel better.”

“Does it make you feel better that I get jealous when men eye you?” Ryker asked.

“You do? Yes! It does,” Adele said with a short laugh. “I’ll do my best to discourage that if I catch it. I don’t want you to think I’m looking, or even trying to get people to do that. I’m a one-man kind of woman.

“Though I hear one of my cousins ended up with a harem of men all her own.”

Ryker shrugged. “As long as she and her men are happy with the arrangement, I guess that’s all that matters.”

In his brain, even though it sounded utterly ridiculous given his own situation, Ryker could never even begin to fathom sharing a woman with another man.

It actually set his teeth on edge at the very idea of it.

Need to be nicer to Adele. Maybe she feels the same way about her own situation.

Leaning in towards Adele, Ryker pressed a kiss to her cheek, then laid his forehead to her temple.

“Love you, Adele. Now, care to help me make these buildings come to life?” he asked. “Maybe you have some latent proficiency at magic after all.”

The booger-picking princess of burps and farts pulled back and looked at him blankly. Then she grinned at him. “Love you, too. And sure. I’m about as good at magic as I am getting pregnant, though. Despite you being Mr. Super Sperm.”

That’s still bothering her.

“Very much so. She’s rather angry about Lauren and Shirley being pregnant, but not her,” Marybelle said. “There’s nothing wrong with her, just hasn’t had it happen is all.

“Though that does seem a bit odd, given how potent you are. She’s just miserably unlucky.”

Ryker walked over to the small plots of land and stepped up to the first one.

“Alright everyone, first lesson,” he said aloud. “Wizard spells are all based on pattern work. Patterns can be anything you want them to be, but they all require the same basic elements. Patterns and runes can be inserted in any fashion you wish, but there’s always a couple rules to each.

“Earth is very simple.”

Ryker held up a hand and instantly built out a pattern of earth magic in the shape of the home in front of him.

“I prefer squares; Shirley likes circles and swoops. Use whatever you fancy and feels right to you,” he said, activating the pattern.

In a flash, the house became real.

With a nod, he walked to the next house.

Day one would be long and tedious. But they had a place to train and study. It was safe, secure, and protected from outside forces.

Glancing over his shoulder, he watched as Shirley lifted her hands up. A massive tower erupted out of the ground and slowly formed out of thin air.

It was where he and his personal group would be staying.

“Uhm, Ryker?” Adele asked next to him.

“Yeah?” he asked, looking over.

“I… did it,” Adele said, holding up a hand. “I think.”

In her palm was a shaky, half crumbling earth pattern. It looked terrible, and weak. There was almost no power in it, and it would likely fall apart if someone sneezed near her.

But she’d done it.

Ryker pulled up Adele’s status again.

Name- Adele Dell

Level:

71

Class:

Swordmaster/Wizard*

Race:

Human

Experience:

89%

Alignment:

Good

Reputation:

0

Fame:

412

Bounty:

50,000

Attributes-

Strength:

48

Constitution:

39

Dexterity:

61

Intelligence:

17

Agility:

57

Wisdom:

15

Stamina:

42

Charisma:

01

Status- Confused, Elated

*Class hybridization available due to level. Acceptance pending.

New class would be Mage-Blade.
No change to previous class.

Primary level magic would become available.

“Well. Apparently, you have a little bit of talent for this after all,” Ryker said, not really sure what to make of her stats. “Though… I don’t think you’d ever become a wizard. Perhaps… something like a sword master who can use magic to make herself better.”

That was what he got out of the messages he’d seen attached to her.

“Is that something you’d like to pursue?” he asked, looking up from Adele’s hand.

“Uh… yeah. Yeah, it is, actually. It’d probably make me more lethal,” Adele said. As if responding to her confirmation, the pattern slowly firmed itself up and became much more stable. It wasn’t anywhere near what Ryker or Shirley could do. But it was likely about where most teenagers in the wizard class would be.

“Congratulations then, Adele, I’d say you’re a mage-blade instead of a sword master,” Ryker said.

***

“Again!” Ryker called, summoning up another group of mindless soldiers from the dungeon. They all raised their weapons and charged at the line of would-be wizards.

Patterns began to form in front of his cadets and, a heartbeat later, spells formed and slashed out.

Lightning, fire, acid, water, earth—everything and anything was being utilized.

Much as he’d trained Shirley, this was the quickest and best way to get someone used to casting.

Casting, casting, casting, and more casting. Till it was second nature.

He imagined it was no different than learning how to swing a sword correctly.

Those who managed to drop their targets in the first spell were those who technically passed this exercise.

Everyone who hadn’t taken down their target still had to contend with them. They’d come at them regardless of how badly they were injured.

A second wave of spells went off, and the vast majority of the summoned soldiers were on the ground now.

Only a few would-be wizards ended up with their personal space invaded by a wounded, angry soldier with a sword, who vanished as soon as they were close enough to end the wizard.

Because only a fool lets their trainees die. Only an idiot would write that off as an acceptable loss.

There’s no such thing when it comes to training.

People either perform or get sent home. A death is a pointless thing that achieves nothing and wastes much.

“Better!” Ryker called. “But now I’m going to force you all to use lightning, whether you like it or not.”

Before anyone could catch their breath, or even think about how they’d respond, Ryker summoned up more soldiers. Then he flung them at his trainees, just as he’d been doing all day through all the different exercises.

Cursing, complaining, and looking hard pressed, they all built lightning patterns and touched them off.

Some were like rods of lightning, some were bolts, and a few looked like strange semi-liquid versions of what might be lightning.

Two more waves of spells went off before everyone either succeeded or failed.

Ryker said nothing to either group, and instead ignored them equally.

Those who didn’t end their phantom soldier knew they’d failed; they needed nothing more from Ryker at this time. They were fresh and new to the world of wizardry. The things they’d pick up in the next few days would weed them out of the process or give them the experience to fix their gaps.

That and he wasn’t here to give them a full wizard’s education. He only wanted to turn them into “archers” that used magic.

Archery required a lot more physical attributes and ability than magic and spells did. Being a wizard was mostly a mental skill, understanding patterns.

“Good show, everyone take a rest. We’ll resume in half an hour, give or take,” Ryker said. “I recommend water, soup, or bread. Things that’ll help fill you but won’t be coming back up if you overdo it.

“Just a suggestion, mind you.”

Turning his back on his trainees, Ryker began walking across the field toward the tower.

If he wasn’t training or teaching his students, he tried to remain in the tower at all times.

This wasn’t a social gathering; it wasn’t for them to form bonds or become a unit. They were here to learn to kill while standing on a wall.

Which meant it would be best if Ryker was only there to train them.

Stepping into the tower with Benni on his heels, he found Adele making patterns.

Her training was very different than everyone else’s. Hers was meant to help supplement her sword work, not be her go-to.

“Oh, hey,” she said, looking up at him and then back to her sword. “I think… I figured out what you were talking about. I have to make the pattern, attach it to the rune, put the rune on the sword, and then bind the whole thing with the other pattern. I kept… trying to build the second pattern into the first.”

“I do believe that’s what I said, yes,” Ryker said with a grin. He’d found Adele took to instruction as terribly as a cat did water. It was better to give her the goal, then walk away.

“Shut up,” she muttered, building a pattern over her sword. Slowly, she connected it to her weapon, then activated it just as he’d shown her how.

“There,” she said excitedly, holding up the glowing sword. It clearly was imbued with lightning. Even a small cut had the potential to put someone on the ground if enough of the spell could trigger. “I did it!”

“That you did. That’s pretty good work,” Ryker said with a smile.

“Yeah?” Adele asked, turning her massive smile on him.

“Very much so. The pattern was nice and tight. You blended a rigid pattern and a slightly wavy pattern into one cohesive piece. It’s good work,” Ryker said, honestly applauding her finished product.

Now if she weren’t a cunt about it when I’m trying to train her.

“Comes with her personality, dear,” Marybelle said. “Though to be fair, I somehow get the impression she’s on her best behavior with you. She might be even worse with others.”

“…watched you and Shirley enough that it doesn’t seem that complicated anymore,” Adele said, looking back at her sword. “I never thought I’d be doing something like this.

“Thought I’d just… get handed off to the highest bidder, wished luck, and that’d be the end of me.”

“You’re right. Instead you were handed off to me as a sex toy,” Ryker said, coming over to prod her side with a finger. “All for the low, low price of absolutely nothing.”

Benni took the opportunity to turn her back on them and walked over to a desk nearby to busy herself.

“Ha-ha,” Adele said, giving him a full glare. “Wasn’t a sex toy.”

“Sure you were. Good one, too,” Ryker continued, unable to help himself.

“Gonna stab you,” Adele said.

“No, I stab you. Regularly. You like it, a lot,” Ryker said as he nodded.

Adele’s eyes were wide, her teeth visible. He thought for sure she was going to hit him.

And just as quickly, she blew out a breath.

“Yeah. I do,” she said. “And yeah… I was. Thanks for not being an ass and just… loving me.”

Adele turned toward him and laid her head down on his shoulder.

“I probably don’t say it enough, or as often as I should, but thank you. And I love you,” she murmured. “My life could have been so much worse if not for you.”

“You going soft on me?” Ryker asked, wrapping his arms around her middle and holding her. “Shouldn’t you like… scratch at your boobs or fart or pick your nose or burp or something now?”

“Maybe I am going soft,” Adele said. “And I don’t have a fart or anything building up, otherwise I’d do it just to spite you.

“Might scratch at my crotch though. You make me itchy.”

“I could scratch it for you,” Ryker offered, suddenly wondering if his trainees might get more of a break than they expected.

“I think I’d like that,” Adele said. “At least I’m not as loud as Meino. I think everyone in the entire training camp heard her mooing last night.”

“You’re pretty loud yourself,” Ryker said. “But that’s what makes you, you.

“Now… before I whisk you away and we try to make a new prince or princess, let me check in with Shirley and Robyn. They both had their own projects.”

“Okay. I’ll be up in your bed,” Adele said. Then she pulled away from him and slapped him on the rear again. It seemed to be becoming a thing for her. “Waiting, mind you. Don’t make me wait too long or I’ll just take care of it myself.”

“Uh huh,” Ryker said with a grin.

Adele vanished into the stairwell and started upward.

After walking over to an empty alcove in the side of the tower, Ryker built a small channel of air at each end of his body. He gave Benni a wave when she lifted her eyes to him.

He and Shirley had worked out a quick and dirty way for a wizard to get around with two simple air spells. As he pushed on the bottom one, Ryker started moving upward.

He moved up floor by floor, faster and faster. Each floor had a small opening where he could get out if he wished.

Finally, he reached the top and slipped out.

Robyn stood motionless in the middle of her chamber. She’d come with him but spent much of her time tending to her religious demands back in Dungeon.

She really only did two things here anymore. Talk to Ryker, or sleep with him.

“Hello. Should I kiss you awake again today? Or are you already there?” Ryker said with a grin, walking up to her.

“I’m here, but you’re welcome to kiss me anyways,” Robyn said as her eyes slowly opened. “Rike sends greetings and thanks for your continued support. She’s also received several presents from her brother-in-law, apparently due to the fact that we had his son.

“They didn’t speak much before this point, and she wasn’t sure how to bring it up with him. Her sisters told her to just leave it alone till he showed up and realized his son was fine.”

“Oh? Huh. Well, good. If the boss is happy, the employees are happy,” Ryker said. “What else you got going on in that second body of yours? And by the way, have you ever considered how much fun we could have with two of you at the same time?”

Robyn stared at him blankly for several seconds, then smiled at him. “I hadn’t, but I have now. As to what’s going on in Dungeon, the enemy’s scouting forces have reached the edge of the battlefield.

“The Everliving have begun engaging them. From what we can tell, they’re just trying to figure out what we’re doing, where the two church armies went, and how they can make this work.”

Ryker shrugged at that.

“It honestly doesn’t make sense to me, unless they really don’t know we already crushed every army sent our way but the church of light. It’s not like they have any chance of conquering us,” Ryker said.

“That’s fair. Though…” Robyn paused, and there was a strange dulling in the light of her eyes. As if she was muting herself in some way. “Though after dealing with a divine, I can honestly say… they do not think of things in the same way we do. Not at all. To them, this might be the simplest and most desirable answer, even if it isn’t at all from a mortal’s perspective.

“We’re quite blessed that Rike seems to be very rational. Though at times, I feel there’s a… manic edge to her.”

“Great. You’re telling me our goddess might be crazy?” Ryker asked.

“What deity isn’t?” Robyn asked with a grin, and then the light in her eyes intensified. “That’s all I have to report, however.”

“In other words… we might not get as much time as we thought,” Ryker said, going along with her direction.

“Yes. Faye thinks it’ll only be a few more days,” Robyn said. “I’m sorry, beloved.”

“Is what it is,” Ryker said. “Is what it is. Guess we’ll be heading back sooner than I wanted.”

Chapter 20 - Dungeon Deposed -

Watching the massive siege towers, Ryker felt sick. Not only did they have towers, they also had ladders.

He felt as if he’d eaten a bucket full of rocks. Rocks coated in slime. They were all sitting right there in the pit of his stomach. Clacking together every time he moved.

“Would you like me to make a small potion for your tummy?” Marybelle asked in his mind. “I could have Benni bring it up. She wouldn’t mind.”

Uhm. Maybe. Actually… sure. Yes. Thank you.

He’d already gone to the bathroom once and left behind something that resembled a portal to hell rather than a bowel movement. He pitied whoever might stumble across it.

“Hm. They’re certainly better prepared than I expected.”

Looking over to the owner of the voice, Ryker found Faye walking up to him. Her boot heels clicked on the stones as she came.

“I mean… they brought siege towers specifically tailored for the height of your walls. That’s some planning ahead,” Faye said.

“I foolishly let some gods and goddesses into the city early on. Gave them permission to build temples,” Ryker muttered. “Seems I’m being repaid in kind for my foolishness. Nothing good can come of dealing with deities.”

“I’m not so sure of that. I’ve met quite a few already. Most are rather straightforward. Fairly easy to understand,” Faye said, coming to a stop next to him. “The problem comes when their desires don’t line up with their worshipers, or vice versa. Dealing with them directly is the best course of action to avoid that.”

“Pretty sure I’m not exactly at a level where I could get a deity to respond to me,” Ryker said with a chuckle.

“I wonder about that,” Faye said. “Regardless, it would seem our work has become more difficult. We have our work cut out for us, but I think we will persevere.”

“Oh?” Ryker asked, turning toward the small general. Her black and red uniform, marked with the crest of the Dark Lord of the North, made her look sinister and foreboding.

“Yes. Because I have no other alternative, and I’m not going to go back to Alaric and tell him I didn’t save Uncle’s home,” Faye said. “I’m going to call in every favor I have amongst the wives of Norwood if I have to.”

“Is Al… really his son?” Ryker asked.

“His firstborn. Firstborn to a wife we can no longer reach or speak with. The proverbial sleeping beauty,” Faye said, her voice falling in volume as she spoke. “If we lost him… I don’t know what my husband would have done. So… yes. He’s his son, and very special to all of us. So much so… that I put in a special request before I left. I think it’ll be granted, but we’ll see.”

Ryker raised his eyebrows at that.

“As I said… I won’t be the one to tell Alaric I didn’t save Uncle’s home,” Faye said with a smirk. “Besides, he said he wants to come back soon and continue his training. You and Dungeon will need to be here for that, I imagine.”

There was a clatter and clank from across the field, where the army of so many gods and goddesses had encamped themselves.

Faye and Ryker both turned their heads in that direction.

“Ah… I was afraid of that. A small army of champions,” Faye said with a heavy sigh. “They’re not at the same level as the others you’ve dealt with, but they’re enough to overwhelm a normal army.”

Lifting her hand, Faye pointed to what looked like a blob.

“Can’t see it,” Ryker said.

“Ah… sorry,” Faye said. Then she held up her right hand, and a small circular spell formed there. Inside the spell, Ryker could see what she was talking about. It looked to be hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of men and women. All with different arms and armor, and no two alike. “You see? They’ll overwhelm anything we throw at them. They’ll take losses, obviously, but they’ll have new champions by tomorrow. A tactic I’ve seen them use on the other pantheons.”

“And what happens?” Ryker asked.

“They lose many, but usually win the day. Inflicting greater casualties than what they take as well,” Faye said. “In retrospect, I should have disagreed with my husband’s choice to not interfere. All we’ve done is given the continent over to fester with warlords.”

“I… and how do we resist them?” Ryker asked.

“Your army of the Everliving will do quite well against them. Especially since they don’t fear death,” Faye said. “Though I fear it quite possible this may devolve into city fighting. Street by street. At that point, you’ll have to involve your actual soldiers. And that won’t be pretty.”

“Maybe,” Ryker said. “Maybe not. This is Dungeon, after all. I’m sure I can come up with some tricks and traps.”

“Ha, too true. Well, I’ll be off,” Faye said, closing her fingers and extinguishing the spell. “I’ll do my utmost to prevent the fall of your home, Uncle. Do me the favor of making sure you live through it. Otherwise it would be pointless.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure. Don’t want to be worm food any more than the next guy,” Ryker said.

Watching Faye leave, Ryker did something he had resisted up to this point. He peeked into her stats.

Or tried to.

Nothing came back when he made the attempt.

“Hey, what the fuck are you?” Ryker called out to her as she started down the steps.

Pausing, Faye turned around and caught his eyes with her own. Then she gave him a feral smile.

“I’m a Werewolf,” she said, the last word having a slight growl behind it.

“Oh. Okay. Is that something you can transmit? Cause if they’re all as stable as you are, might be good to have soldiers like that,” Ryker said.

Faye paused for a few seconds and then started laughing.

“I’ll think on it,” she said. “I can see why Alaric and my Alpha like you.”

Turning away from him, Faye vanished down the stairs.

“That kinda explains a few things,” Shirley said, laying a hand in the middle of Ryker’s back. “I always got a crawling sensation up my spine if she looked at me for longer than a few seconds.”

“Suppose so. I hope she agrees, though. Werewolves make excellent fighters,” Ryker said. He’d been forced by his father to fight a few.

Ryker turned and looked out to the mass of troops across the way. Everything was going to come down to the following days. Whether Dungeon stood or fell would be determined.

And if they fell, they’d have to fall back into Dale. Fall back and begin waging a war to get rid of the invaders.

In his heart, Ryker wanted to believe they could hold them. When his mind was put to the thought experiment, though, he found he couldn’t give good odds on it.

Sighing, he shook his head.

“Everyone, prepare for fighting on and at the wall,” Ryker called to the trainees with him as well as the soldiers manning the wall.

Slowly, the enemy army came forward, creeping over the field and moving ever closer to Dungeon. A large number of soldiers hid behind the siege-towers, pushing them ever onward.

“Prepare fire elemental spells!” Ryker called. “Let’s see if we can’t get those towers to turn into torches! Count yourself off in groups of three and take a tower, moving left to right. Move down the wall.”

Ryker had no idea about tactics, but he wasn’t an idiot. If the towers were burning, few people would want to be on them, let alone in them.

“If they’re in range for you, just start casting,” Ryker said. “Remember, build your pattern for it to burn, not explode. My wife and I will take the first tower.”

“Oh, am I officially your wife now?” Shirley said, sliding up into Ryker’s side. Her arm glided around his waist. “Introducing me as that going forward? The old ball and chain?”

“Idiot,” Ryker muttered.

“Footstool,” Shirley said, patting his hip. “You love me.”

“I do,” Ryker admitted, then called up the arsenal of spells they tended to work with.

Meino moved up from behind Ryker to stand at the wall in front of him.

She’d changed her appearance in an almost permanent fashion now. There was no swapping at all anymore. Long gone was the Minotaur, and now only the human-faced Meino remained.

Stepping up beside her was one of the Robyns.

“It would seem today shall be a day of remembrance in the future,” Robyn said. “When Rike returns, we shall have to discuss a day to commemorate all we’ve endured. A day of respect and memory.”

“Uh huh,” Ryker said. “You do that. I’ll just… worry about today rather than tomorrow. Much more likely to die today than tomorrow.”

“That will not happen,” Meino said in a rumble. “Even if I must toss you from the wall to make sure of it.”

“Less talking, more…” Shirley paused to open her hand wide. A ball of fire shot out from her palm and screeched across the vast distance. “Fire.”

When it hit the siege tower, the whole thing immediately began to burn.

Roaring merrily, the fire rose higher and higher.

Then it was suddenly snuffed out, like someone had pinched a candle flame.

“That was a deity,” Robyn said grimly. “It would appear we aren’t just fighting their soldiers and champions, but their very deities. It shall be very costly for them to do this.

“It is a shame Rike is not yet powerful enough to intervene in this, even if she were here.”

“Oh? Fine. Let’s see how they deal…” Shirley set off another spell. This one was a merging of earth and fire. With a hefty whump, a massive boulder of flame shot out from the wall. “With that.”

Before the spell could reach its target, something literally knocked it out of the sky. Sending it straight down into the dirt right there.

“Is that how it’s going to be? Hmph,” Shirley said, sounding angrier by the second.

“For what it’s worth, that was a different deity than the first one. It would seem they cannot act with true abandon,” Robyn said.

“Well, let’s see if we can’t outpace them,” Shirley growled. “Because I bet we’re stronger.”

Rapidly, she began to touch off spells as fast as Ryker built them.

Spell after spell blasted out from Shirley as she rained down her vengeance on the opposing siege tower.

“Concentrate on the enemy soldiers!” Ryker called out, peering out past Shirley down along his trainees. They didn’t have the same mana reserves he and Shirley did. Nor did they have the strength to possibly inconvenience a deity.

Shirley must have realized he hadn’t directed that at her, or she didn’t care, because she continued to attack the siege towers. Alternating her targets just to make it harder for the enemy defenders.

There was a sudden crack like thunder, and one of Shirley’s spells hit a siege tower. It’d been a boulder made from molten iron.

Instantly, the tower detonated with the force of the impact. Fiery bits of wood and people went flying in every direction.

“I think… a god just died,” Robyn said. “The spell overpowered him.”

“Oh? Good! Call me the Godkiller then, cause I’m lookin’ to do it again,” Shirley said in a snarl. Winding up another spell very similar to the one that had gotten through, she looked enraged. “Attack my home, my family, my friends. For their greed, I’ll give them all they want and more.”

A fiery boulder of glowing yellow magic blasted out from Shirley and scorched its way toward the next of the siege towers.

Unfortunately, it was swatted down before making it to its target.

As he built up more spells for Shirley, Ryker bent down for a moment to retrieve two mana potions from the case at his feet.

Looking down the wall, he could see his trainees, even the children, all hurling lightning down into the enemy soldiers as they approached the walls.

Dungeon soldiers were firing arrows and crossbow quarrels down from the edge as well.

Thumbing open the stopper, Ryker pressed the lip of the potion to Shirley’s mouth. Not giving her an option to decline.

Without fighting him, Shirley leaned her head back and began drinking down the contents even as she continued to fling spells out.

When she finished the potion, Ryker hurled the bottle over the edge of the wall.

Hope one of you steps on it and gets glass shards in your foot.

Then he unstoppered the second potion he’d pulled out for himself and downed it. Looking out into the field, he saw the ladders rapidly approaching. It wouldn’t be long before enemy soldiers were swarming up them and into his defenders.

Grunting, Ryker tossed that empty bottle out past the wall as well.

“Two down, eighteen to go,” he muttered. “Maybe we should start hitting the ladders? I bet they’re far less likely to defend those.”

Shirley growled, but her eyes shifted away from the siege tower.

She spread her fingers apart, and lightning forked out. A hundred bolts all zipped through the air, smashing into ladders.

Quite a few exploded into splinters and debris while others tipped forward or backward and went tumbling away.

She’d managed to knock down many, but there seemed to be ever more coming. More and more ladders.

Trumpets began sounding from inside of Dungeon.

“That’d be the call to defend the gate,” Robyn said, looking pained. “I’m there in my other self. There’s… there’s a large number of their champions on the other side. Faye is reinforcing it with her magic, but she doesn’t think it can hold.

“The longer she can hold it, the better off we all are. I will leave my other self there to assist.”

“That’s fine,” Ryker said, only partially hearing her. Shirley was burning through lightning spells as fast as he could bring them up. She was attacking the ladders with a fury he’d never seen in her.

“I’m working with Wynne and the Everliving. Charlotte and Tris are on their way to you, as well as Benni. She has your potion for your tummy. Be sure to drink it,” Marybelle said.

Kinda not the right time for that, is it?

“It is. It’s also a mana potion with ingredients that differ from those you’re drinking. It should have full potency and cost you nothing.”

Fine, fine. As you like, Baby-Belle.

Gritting his teeth, Ryker was pushing himself now. He had up near ten lightning spells, and it felt like his head was going to split in two. But even then, Shirley burned through them faster than he could keep replenishing them.

Something was shoved against his mouth, and his head forced backward.

He found himself staring up into Benni’s face as she made him drink the potion Marybelle had mentioned.

Gagging slightly at the taste, Ryker fought it down. He’d tasted worse, of course, but he hadn’t been prepared.

As she dropped the glass bottle to the ground, Benni nodded.

Moving a step to the right, she grabbed Shirley in the same way and forced a potion on her as well.

Coughing, Ryker winced and stood up straight. It’d been a very rough potion, but he could definitely feel its effects.

“Ah, there you are,” Tris said, coming to stand beside Ryker. “You have something on your lips.”

“Obviously,” Charlotte said, stepping in front of Ryker. Reaching up with one hand, she brushed her fingers over his lips. “Didn’t you see Benni? She stuffed that potion down his throat.”

“Of course I did,” Tris said. “Benni should be careful or he’ll do the same to her. He can be a bit too aggressive sometimes.”

Shirley sputtered as she finished the potion and immediately went right back to throwing spells. Coughing hard, she shivered and swiped her hand from left to right. Lightning radiated out from her in an unending spray as she simply held the pattern together. Forcing mana through it.

“Uuuugghhaaah that was nasty,” Shirley said with a rough cough.

“I’m here,” Benni said, standing behind and between Shirley and Ryker. “I will be responsible for your health should you be wounded.”

Coughing several more times, Shirley continued to spray out lightning as if she were little more than a conduit. Ladders continued to fall in every direction, explode, and catch fire.

There seemed to be no end to it. A never-ending, growing forest of ladders that kept on coming.

Then a siege tower was close enough that it stopped moving.

He could see soldiers moving into the back of the tower. Lightly getting ready to rush out of it once the bridge fell down to connect to the wall.

Shirley sighed and let her arm fall to her side as the ladders kept coming.

“Saving for the tower?” Ryker asked.

“Yeah, going to drop in seconds, right?” Shirley asked. “Should wait for them. See if I can’t… keep as many of them from rushing over as I can. That’s where they’ll mob us. Right?”

“I mean… I think so, yeah?” Ryker said. He wasn’t sure, but she sounded right.

“Yes,” Robyn said. “That’s correct. It’s going to be very bloody.”

As she raised her arm above her head, a golden, glowing sword formed, and her wings flared out behind her.

“And it’s going to happen right now,” she said.

Then the bridge slammed down onto the top of the wall.

Chapter 21 - Desperation -

There were no chains to haul the massive wooden slab back up from the wall. The thing was built for one purpose and to one end. There would be no dislodging the tower without destroying it completely.

And across that bridge came an unending stream of soldiers, it seemed.

“Go,” Shirley said, giving Ryker a shove. “Start knocking out towers.”

Holding up both of her hands, Shirley began to spray lightning into the oncoming enemies. It raced from man to woman to weapon and back again. Leaping off them, it even began to strike the tower itself.

Now that it was so close, there was no way the deities who were pushing this army on could defend it either.

Almost instantly, the wood began to blacken and burn everywhere the lightning struck. Boards exploded outward in steaming chunks.

Ryker couldn’t deny that Shirley had this one on lockdown. With the soldiers of Dungeon around her, there was little the enemy could do to her.

“I’ll remain with Shirley, just in case,” Benni said, smiling at Ryker. “I’ll also turn the immediate area here into a medical station.”

“That’d be a smart move,” Ryker said, not really sure what to say beyond that.

With a nod, he turned away from them.

Marching toward the next siege tower, Robyn and Meino fell in with him.

Down along the wall, Ryker could see towers. Towers and towers and towers.

All along the wall, his people, trainees, soldiers, and dungeon spawn alike were all battling to hold the defenses.

Spells detonated, weapons crashed, and people died.

Were dying.

I think I’d like it very much if it didn’t feel like I was constantly at war.

Yes. That’d be great.

Summoning up a massive hunk of iron, putting a superheated fire spell in the middle of it, and then propelling it with a canon of air, Ryker launched the whole thing at the closest siege tower.

With an explosion of force, wood, and bodies, the whole thing blew apart. In every direction, debris went flying. As the tower went, it took out several ladders that were clattering up against the wall as well.

Anything we can do about the ladders? Can we remove the ground out from beneath them or something? Absorb them? Anything?

“Doing all I can,” Marybelle sent back. “So is Wynne.”

Sighing, Ryker didn’t press. He imagined they were as busy as he was and didn’t have time to be answering stupid questions. Because that was what it had been.

A stupid question.

Marching forward, Ryker kept going. There were at least seven more towers against the wall that he could see. The enemies who’d made it across could be dealt with by Dungeon’s defenders.

“Glad you’re prioritizing,” Robyn said, her sword slashing sideways in front of her. A liquid stream of white flame jetted out in the same arc she’d cut. It sent several soldiers tumbling to the ground, blood and entrails spilling out all over. “Big answers for big problems, small answers for small problems.”

Meino grabbed a soldier by the back of his armor and threw him bodily over the wall. The man screamed all the while as he vanished beyond the wall.

Ryker cleared the mad tangle of soldier-on-soldier fighting and found the third siege tower out ahead of him. Except now Tris and Charlotte were missing. They weren’t with him anymore.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw they were deep in the scrum, fighting and trying to clear the area.

Okay… that probably needs to happen, doesn’t it? If we can’t clear them, it’ll just get worse and worse.

Looking ahead again, Ryker was surprised.

Between him and the siege engine was a group of five people. As if expecting him, they were arranged in a formation and looked relatively prepared.

Two were mages of some sort he couldn’t identify, the third was in plate mail, the fourth in leather armor, and the fifth was clearly a priest in their robes.

Before anyone could react, Ryker took the initiative.

He summoned a pillar of stone from above with a narrow earth pattern and smashed it down. With a wet splut, the priest was turned into a human coin. Bits of the man sprayed out from under the edges of the stone column.

Sweeping his left arm out in front of him, Ryker made a shield of energy with an earthen rune. After anchoring it to the ground and locking the pattern, Ryker flung it forward.

Grunting, one of the opposing magicians stopped the spell dead while the other worked at deconstructing it.

Meino roared and charged at the one in plate mail while Robyn beat her wings and charged forward toward the one in leather.

Two for me then. Let’s see what I can do.

After that tiff in the throne room… I haven’t had a real chance to stretch.

Holding his hands out to his sides, Ryker flexed them open and closed. He smiled at the two casters, then gave them the universal “come on” hand wave.

“Your turn,” Ryker said aloud. He had the impression that these five people had been picked specifically for this moment. They were champions. “Or are the champions of your sad little gods so pathetic that you can’t fight one lowly wizard?

“If you like, you could turn your goddesses over to me. I’ll treat them real well. Then put them away with my other used toys.”

Screaming incomprehensibly, the caster on the right made a hand-washing gesture, and an elemental of water came boiling out of the very air itself.

The second magic user made a flip of his hand, and a purple totem appeared on the ground next to him.

Shaman and a magician. I can do this.

Ryker slammed together a water rune composed into an air pattern, then flicked it toward the elemental. As soon as that spell was off, he built a construct that was more a machine. It would take ambient mana, or in this case spells, and convert it into the base elemental components. The power source for it originally came from Ryker but would transition to whatever spell it ate.

Taking a step back, Ryker threw the mana construct down practically atop the totem.

Bringing both his hands in, Ryker tapped into the lightning of his soul and the water Shirley had brought him. Flinging a bolt constructed of both magics forward, Ryker watched as lightning crackled back and forth over the empowered water element.

The summoned elemental was struck by the rune and became deformed. Ryker’s attack hadn’t clipped out the entirety of its summoning rune, but it’d severely damaged it.

A foot away, the totem was spewing out spells.

Which were sucked into Ryker’s de-constructor machine and turned into fire and air elements. Great puffs of superheated air shot upward and away toward Ryker’s foes. Scorching the shaman and the magician outright.

Building a shield and forsaking his elemental summon, the magician deflected Ryker’s magical blast.

Hissing and screeching, the bolt of extreme soul magic veered down into the enemies on the other side of the wall.

Panting and nursing his arm, the magician looked to be regretting holding the shield with his own will power.

The shaman was so focused on working to break the spell-eating machine that he hadn’t even noticed Ryker’s attack.

Putting together a shield spell with its center rune at the edge of the actual pattern, Ryker made it into a bowl and expanded the size of it. In the time it took to take a breath, it was already big enough to encompass both of his foes.

Using an air pattern that he attached to the back of the bowl, Ryker set up the shield to spin wildly. The center rune would be almost impossible to see.

Setting off the spell, Ryker had a split second to react as the water elemental closed in on him. Stumbling backward with all the grace of a one-legged dog, Ryker landed on his ass and scrambled backward.

A blade of water slid through the space where his head would have been a moment ago.

Staring hard into the elemental, Ryker saw the rune that’d borne it. It wasn’t just water, but water and ice.

Not bothering to try to counter the rune outright, Ryker just punched it out with enough force to send the whole elemental flying backward. The elemental would start to fade immediately, but it would still take a few seconds to dissipate.

Looking back to his enemies, Ryker found the magician was simply gone. As if he’d never existed—he wasn’t there anymore.

The shaman remained and seemed to have just cleared the little spell-muncher.

Stabbing out at the elemental with a thin blade of simple mana, Ryker managed to fracture the core it had been formed out of.

With the same blade of mana, Ryker made a shield into a cone and dropped it over the shaman from the top.

Holding down on the shield with his personal magical might, Ryker felt the blast of the elemental core shattering before he could see it.

With a whump, the shield was suddenly impossible to see through. It was all frozen air and ice.

Ryker dismissed the shield now that the blast was over, then turned to Meino and Robyn.

The large minotaur who was his bedmate and bodyguard was fine. She was in the process of pulling the armored man’s head from his shoulders with one hand. The other hand held his wrists clamped together in front of his chest.

Looking at Robyn, he saw she was moving toward where the shaman had just been a moment or two ago. She was missing a wing, but otherwise looked unharmed.

That man in leather was more formidable than I thought, if he managed to maim her.

Taking in several short breaths, Ryker started looking for the magician. He wasn’t sure where the man had gone, but his elemental hadn’t disappeared. That meant he’d still been alive before Ryker had destroyed the elemental core.

Grunting, Meino yanked the head clean off the knight’s shoulders. Whipping the corpse to the side, she flung it over the battlement and into the enemy below.

“Have we cleared the field?” she grumbled, looking around.

“Kinda. No idea where the magician went,” Ryker said. “Was distracted.”

“Halfway to the moon, probably,” Robyn said. “That blast you set off whisked him away as if he had a string attached to him and a god pulled on it.”

Sighing, Robyn fell to a knee, her head dipping down. Pulling her sword up, she wedged the tip into the stonework. Then she laid her forehead on the ground and took in a shuddering breath.

“That hurt,” Robyn said as Ryker came over to stand over her. “This is much more difficult without Rike here to support me. I cannot even repair my wing.

“And my core has a crack in it. This… is very dangerous for everyone. Including me.”

Damn.

No one gets a free pass in this one, I suppose.

“Speaking of that. I meant to tell you,” Marybelle said. “It’s very likely that Meino’s pattern will fade if she dies. It’s also quite likely her core could… be erased.

“If she falls, she might not get up again. You could recreate her, of course, but it wouldn’t be the same. She runs the same risk you do.”

Great. Just… great. And you’re just telling me this now?

“Yes. Because I’m not sure. It’s a guess. Her core might be just fine if she dies. The problem is her core is her, and her core is inside her,” Marybelle said. “She’s the only one in the known world like that.

“Nothing might happen at all.”

Angry, and not sure how to tell Meino, Ryker let out a short huff.

“Meino,” Ryker said, laying a hand on Robyn’s shoulder. “If you die, there’s the possibility of not coming back. Ever. So don’t do anything foolhardy.”

“I see,” Meino said, walking over to Ryker and Robyn. “I shall continue to do as I’ve done so far. Live my life and protect you.”

Ryker shook his head and then looked up. He needed to go to the next siege tower, but he didn’t want to leave Robyn like this.

“Go. I’m going to get off the wall,” Robyn said. “This version of me is no good to anyone right now.”

“Yeah?” Ryker asked, petting Robyn’s back.

“Yes, I’m going to fall back and move into my other body fully,” she said. “The gate is likely to fall soon. There are many champions attacking it. Then battle will be upon us there as well.”

Right, okay. So I need to clear the siege towers, ladders, and soldiers as fast as possible.

Patting Robyn on the back, Ryker started forward again. He didn’t have a lot of time. The more time he wasted, the more the enemy soldiers could get up on top of the wall.

Amassing a large, molten iron ball pattern once more, Ryker prepped it long before he could throw it.

All around him, soldiers rose up, were beaten down, killed, thrown back, and then rose up again. It was a torrential wave of people, an ebb and flow.

Hurling the spell forward, Ryker immediately started working on another. There was more work to do. Gritting his teeth, he powered onward.

***

Panting, Ryker stood hunched over. His arms dangled down in front of him, and he felt like he was made of sweat and dirt.

Out ahead of him, the last siege tower was engulfed in flame. Crackling as if in laughter, the flames seemed to be alive. It seemed like all of this was a joke to them.

Spitting to one side, Ryker shuddered.

At some point, it’d become a brawl. He’d gotten up close and personal with the people he was killing. Resorting to pulling a dead man’s dagger from his belt. Then promptly stabbing a woman in the face until she fell away from him.

Today wasn’t something he was likely to forget anytime soon.

“You okay?” Meino asked from beside him.

Turning his head, he looked over to the Minotaur beside him.

Her face had shallow cuts in it, one of her horns had been broken off an inch from the tip, and it looked like one of her eyes was swollen shut.

“No. Better than you,” Ryker mumbled. “Your pretty face ain’t so pretty right now.”

Meino snorted at that and reached up to touch one of her horns. “It’ll grow back. The rest will be fine. Was a mage I exploded. Healing potion is kicking in now. Should we head back and help to further clear the walls?”

Ryker leaned over and looked past Meino. Beyond her was the wall where he’d spent the last however-long-it-had-been battling. Killing soldiers, blowing up ladders, and moving ever onward to the next siege tower.

As far as he could see, the enemy soldiers were surrounded and being beaten to the walls and over them. There were still ladders up, but they were surrounded by soldiers of Dungeon.

As he turned towards the ground nearby, Ryker felt his face freeze into place. One of his students was lying there face down.

He knew it was one of his, because it was just a child. He’d tried to dissuade all the children from coming. To the point that he’d actually ordered them behind and under a few guards’ watch.

Then they’d shown up on the wall anyways, having apparently overpowered the guards. He hadn’t been able to do anything further, as he’d already taught them enough to overpower normal people.

They were too strong to be held down, even the children.

Feeling his breath catch, Ryker stumbled over to the small body and flipped it over.

It was Dot.

There was a large slash from the edge of her hairline down across her eyebrow and into her cheek. She was breathing, though, and it looked like her eye was untouched.

When he really gave her a once-over, she looked well other than the very bloody wound in her face. Letting out the breath he’d been holding, Ryker pressed a hand to his face.

“Stupid idiot,” Ryker muttered. “I said to stay behind. I said to wait.”

“I get the impression she does what she wants,” Meino said.

Grunting at that, Ryker slung Dot up over his shoulder. He was going to take her back to Benni and demand she heal her immediately. Even if he had to sell his soul to the Orc, he’d do what he had to do to get Dot taken care of immediately.

“Not really safe to go back that way,” Meino said. “Do we go down and around and back up?”

“I’ll make it safe. I’ll put a shield on you that’s like a damn door wedge. You just run ahead of me with your horns down, and we’ll knock everyone out of the way,” Ryker said. He was done with doing things by half measures. He just wanted to get Dot to safety and little else at the moment.

Using his free hand, Ryker built up a shield in front of Meino, gave it a blue color so it was visible, and locked it to her. It was almost the last of his mana, and he had nothing left.

If he drank a potion right now, it would do precious little for him. He had to wait a bit longer before the after-effects from the previous one would wear off.

Lowing deep from her chest, Meino set off at a steady run. As they heard her coming, most people got out of her way. Those that didn’t got a courtesy lesson in shield workings and mass.

With each new group they approached, Meino let out another deep, rumbling moo.

Far quicker than he expected, though not as fast as he wished, Ryker found himself back where he’d started.

Tris was there, though she’d lost a hand. Charlotte wasn’t far off, though she looked more like a corpse right now.

Shirley was standing at the wall lip and throwing spells down at whoever was below.

Benni was, of course, tending the wounded with the other healers.

Oh, thank heavens.

Handing Dot off to Benni personally, Ryker looked around to figure out what to do next.

“Ryker, the gate is about to fall. I think we’re going to need your help and whatever else you—”

There was a massive crash followed by what sounded like wood creaking. Like trees falling in a forest.

The gate!

Chapter 22 - More Problems -

Turning his head toward where the gate was, Ryker hesitated for a second.

“Time to go to the gate,” he said, then turned to look at Meino.

Then the wall exploded thirty feet away.

Fire screamed up into the sky, stonework flew in every direction, and a full column of black and red smoke billowed upward into the heavens. Staring at it, Ryker had no idea what’d just happened.

Then a tsunami of mana washed over him and into Dungeon. It had the distinct flavor and feel of something made from a deity. Numerous deities.

Charlotte, Tris, and Benni vanished, then reappeared. They looked completely whole and healthy, as if they’d never even had problems.

They must have reformed their avatars by siphoning some of that mana.

Beating at his thoughts, Ryker forced himself back to the situation rather than the pointless things he’d been thinking.

Baby-Belle, what’s going on? What should I do?

“I… part of the wall is gone, and the gate just fell!” Marybelle said. “I’m at the gate doing what I can! We need help!”

“Ryker,” Wynne said in his mind even as Marybelle did. “I’m sending some of the Everliving into the gap in the wall. I could use your help at the gate.”

Suppose that answers that when both are telling me the gate.

Looking at Shirley, he found her gazing back at him. She gave him a fleeting smile as blood oozed down from a cut in her cheek.

That bloody leak sliding down to her jawline reminded him that neither of them were working through avatars right now. They couldn’t spare the mana. It was being used by the Everliving. That and using spells with an avatar drained the Dungeon considerably, since there was nowhere else to take mana from.

“I’ll take the wall,” Shirley said. Then she moved in close and kissed him softly. “You handle the gate. Alright?”

“Yeah. Okay, yeah,” Ryker said. “Don’t… don’t die. I need you.”

Shirley’s smile widened, and she shook her head with a soft laugh. “How could I ever leave my footstool? Someone would come along and steal you away and misuse you almost immediately.

“Go, save my county. I find I quite like my citizens and this city.”

Ryker smirked at that, then turned and hurried along the wall toward the gate. Time was wasting, and he didn’t have much to begin with. If any at all.

When he got there, he found himself looking down into a massive gap. The gatehouse, towers, and entry were all simply gone. As if they’d been blown up, just as the wall had.

I can’t even begin to imagine how much power those deities had to use.

Looking down at the center of it all, he could see many familiar faces.

Faye was down there in a fully transformed Werewolf form. Mauling enemy soldiers who got too close, stabbing them, or simply using magic when there was no one nearby. She was terrifying to behold.

Fighting on each side of her were the two paladins she’d brought with her, and Adele.

Princess Adele Dell stood directly on Faye’s left side. She and Faye were working in tandem to keep one another safe and hold the area.

To the right of Faye was Milicent. The massive Ogre had a wide space of corpses around her. Anyone who stepped up to her was almost immediately dispatched.

Looking like a caged animal to the left of Adele, the Were-Lion paced back and forth waiting for more soldiers to get close enough for her to fight. The remainder of the wall was on her left side, and she seemed to be making great use of the tight space.

Behind them all was Erin, the dark church priestess turned priestess of Rike. She was clearly in charge of keeping this group well and healthy.

The far left of Dungeon’s once-gate wasn’t going to be fought through anytime soon.

Standing in the middle of the mad melee was Robyn. Her winged form stood like a rock amongst a sea of enemies, all hell-bent on ending her. Flanking and working beside her were a number of Everliving, but not enough. They seemed on the verge of being pushed back outright.

Marybelle was with her, as was Wynne. The two Fairies seemed focused on healing Robyn so she could fight ever onward. The Everliving would simply reappear if mana was available. And with each death of an enemy soldier, there was always more mana.

To the right of that, more of the Everliving were trying to hold a shield wall. They didn’t have the numbers for a direct confrontation, but if they could keep their line, it was likely they’d just hold everyone up right there.

“The center,” Tris said, stopping at Ryker’s side.

“Yes, that’d be the spot,” Charlotte said.

“Agreed,” Benni and Meino said at the same time.

Looking around, Ryker saw no one else. He made a cupped hand gesture and built a small mattress of air underneath them all. He put in a few safety spells to ensure they’d land softly before the whole spell would vanish.

Then he launched them straight toward the center where Robyn was in danger.

Landing amidst the battle, Ryker immediately lifted both of his hands and began channeling chain lightning into everything and everyone in front of him.

Arcs of bright blue bolts shot from his hands and began leaping from soldier to soldier.

Five seconds after it started, Ryker let the spell end, then turned around to hustle to Robyn, Marybelle, and Wynne.

Meino, Tris, Charlotte, and Benni had already taken up positions there.

“My beloved savior,” Robyn purred at him as he walked by her, her eyes glowing and her smile wide. “You always come for me. I do not even doubt it anymore. I just expect it.”

Before he could respond, she smashed her soul into his and blended them so roughly that he missed a step and bumped up into Benni.

Wrapping him up in her arms, Benni simply held on to him as her eyes moved back to the soldiers.

“Sorry, sorry! I couldn’t help myself,” Robyn said, the damage already done.

Shaking his head, Ryker didn’t pull away from Benni. Instead, he leaned into her and took several breaths.

His vision was clearing, and he was rapidly feeling more like himself.

Since Rike had more or less taken him in as a parishioner, Robyn’s sexual soul attacks on him didn’t seem to stun him as terribly.

Tris and Meino stepped forward to stand beside Robyn. Charlotte, Marybelle, and Wynne all circled up around Ryker.

Battle was resumed as the next wave of soldiers met the trio up front. Benni held on to Ryker during all this, giving him a chance to regain his composure.

Though that didn’t stop her from getting handsy. Both of her hands roamed all over his front and back. Apparently she was more forward than he’d realized.

After patting Benni on her collarbone, Ryker disentangled himself from the Orc. Feeling like his world was steady again, he walked up to stand behind his three warriors.

Remaining there, Ryker pulled up an arsenal of spells in the same manner he had for Shirley.

It was just easier for him to operate as if Shirley was there for situations like this. Even if he had to activate all the spells himself.

Then he eased forward, standing between Tris and Robyn. Picking targets, he began casting into the enemy soldiers. He did his best to keep out of the way but remain far enough forward to be useful.

Keeping to hurling small slugs of iron and chain lightning, Ryker felt like he was doing more than enough to push back their foes.

The problem was it felt like there was no end to the soldiers.

Casting endlessly, Ryker felt his mana pool ever shrinking. With each spell he flung out, there seemed to be less mana to draw from the surrounding area.

He was depleting his store faster than he could regain it.

With that thought, Ryker stopped flinging the iron chunks unless he needed to kill someone specifically. Otherwise, he kept to chain lightning since it was more mana efficient.

Everything slowly began to blur together in one long, endless slog of casting and killing. Dodging weapons and trying to stay alive.

Which made it all the more surprising when the next wave of soldiers didn’t come rushing at them. Instead, it was a group of people who carried themselves with an aura Ryker had come to recognize.

They were all champions. Every single one of them.

Even if they were the chosen of minor deities, they’d be tougher than the average run-of-the-mill person.

Sneering, Ryker didn’t bother to wait. He just threw out another bolt of lightning.

It caught a pretty young woman in the chest, turning her into a bright red paste and zipping into the person next to her.

Stunned by the attack, the champions seemed momentarily at a loss.

It wasn’t until Ryker threw out an iron chunk and another man’s head exploded that they charged forward.

Immediately, everything started to go wrong. There were simply too many of them for Ryker’s group.

Working to kill as many as he could as fast as he could, Ryker focused primarily on Meino.

She was the one at risk in his mind. Tris and Robyn could easily reform themselves, but Meino, his personal bodyguard, wasn’t a guarantee.

A detonation on his left, and a spray of blood and gore that plastered the side of Ryker’s face, made him flinch away.

Looking in that direction, he found Tris had been chopped down by her attackers. Someone had literally turned the poor Elven sword master inside out with a spell. All around her steaming corpse were the dead and dying champions she’d taken with her.

There’d been no shortage of bravery or skill on her part, just a lack of support.

Holding his hands up, Ryker doused the several remaining living champions in lighting out of sheer fury. They immediately went stiff, hit the ground, and started smoking.

Turning back to Meino, Ryker saw Robyn. She was on her knees with a spear in her guts, one of her arms was gone, and both of her wings had been hacked off.

Then her head was struck from its shoulders in one giant cleaving motion by a woman with an axe.

Howling, Ryker lifted up the weapons of the dead around him and turned them into a slicing maelstrom of death. In a few seconds, those who had brought Robyn down were nothing more than ribbons of flesh and bone.

Not waiting, and fearing Meino would suffer the same fate, Ryker flung the whirling death machine toward where he’d seen her last.

The big minotaur stood above her foes, lashing out with the butt of her weapon. Cracking into a woman’s skull, she split it wide open and sent her crashing to the ground.

That left Meino with six or so left to deal with.

Before Ryker could get his contraption of blades over to assist her, he ran out of mana. He was empty and spent. He had nothing left.

I need mana! Can I pull from the dungeon?

“No, I’m sorry. We don’t have any! At this point, I think we might have to start dispersing avatars just to be able to keep the Everliving up,” Wynne said. “We need to get Meino out of here as well. I’m fairly certain she won’t survive if she dies, and there’s no mana to even sustain her pattern.”

A champion apparently decided at that moment that they would die to bring Meino down. Moving forward, they simply wrapped themselves around Meino’s weapon and collapsed on it.

Leaving Meino without any means to defend herself.

Darting forward, a woman rammed a spear through Meino’s chest, and the tip of it burst out through her back.

Meino spasmed and then fell to her knees. With a heavy cough, she sent blood splattering out onto the floor in front of her.

“Meino!” Ryker shouted.

With nothing left in him, and knowing the dungeon had nothing, Ryker was out of options.

Taking in a shuddering breath, Ryker reached out to anything.

He clawed at his mana pool, jerked at the dungeon, and even ripped at his own soul. Determined to cobble together enough mana to power even a single spell, Ryker pulled at everything.

With an insane fury, he struggled against everything that seemed hell-bent on taking Meino from him.

“Don’t get close to her, just wait,” said the woman with the spear.

Meino lifted her head and turned it to Ryker. Her pale eyes watched him, and she gave him a slow, sad smile.

And Ryker broke.

His mana well crumbled, his soul sprang free of his body, and something in the dungeon exploded.

Furious fiery lightning sprang out in every direction. Pure elemental force scoured away the enemies in the gate as if they were never even there.

Screaming and screeching, the blinding bolts of death disintegrated everything that stood against Ryker and Dungeon.

Standing there, not knowing what to do, Ryker watched as Meino slowly tilted to one side and hit the ground. The spear was still sticking out of her, but the enemy was no longer there to threaten her.

In a flash, Ryker was looming over her.

Pulling at his dungeon sense, Ryker moved to fix her with the dungeon itself. To simply rebuild her as he’d done the first time.

Except when he looked into her pattern, he could see that it was flickering. The lines that were Meino began to fade as he watched.

In fact, everything in the dungeon sense had the same look. Everything was becoming dimmer.

Looking for Wynne, he couldn’t find her. Nor Marybelle.

Nor Benni.

All of the Fairy and Imp avatars were gone. They no longer existed at all.

In fact, when he looked at the bonds he shared with them, they appeared thread-thin and rapidly failing.

Following all the bonds back to the crystal with a single instant thought, Ryker now knew what was happening and why.

In his mad frenzy to save Meino, who was dying anyways, he’d made everything considerably worse.

He’d actually exploded the dungeon core itself. The whole thing had fractured into thousands of little pieces.

The dungeon was dead.

I don’t… what… what do I do?

There was no response.

Wynne and Marybelle were no longer with him. In fact, they were more than likely floating around in spirit form or locked down deep in the earth. In the vaults. Where their true bodies were safe and secure.

Which would now be their prison and fate for all time.

NO!

Clawing at the faint essence left behind in the dungeon core, Ryker tried to strengthen it with his will and mana.

There was a brief flicker, where he saw all the bonds that had once been tied to the Core, and then it began to fade again.

This shall not be their end, even if it must be mine!

Screaming mentally, Ryker mashed the entirety of what was left over from the dungeon core into his very being.

With a massive detonation, his soul blew apart.

***

When he opened his eyes, Ryker was in a bright white empty space.

“Shit, did I manage to actually kill myself this time?” he asked. “Sorry, Rike. I just didn’t want everyone else to die.”

There was no response.

Looking around, Ryker found no one.

All he could see was a mass of spell patterns. They were all about the same size as a normal climbing rope and inscribed with a single long line of spell work. Each one glowed with an inner light that meant their spells were active.

They were tangled and snarled with no beginning or end.

“Oh,” Ryker said, looking at the jumble. It was as big as a house. “Maybe this is hell then?”

Again, there was no response. His voice didn’t even echo.

“Hell, then,” Ryker said with a sigh.

Sitting down right there, he looked down at himself. Everything appeared normal; everything was where it should be.

He didn’t feel thirsty, hungry, like he had to use the bathroom, or anything like that either.

Reaching down to his pants, he immediately grabbed himself. Then he pulled at his belt to peer in.

“No, everything’s there,” he said, letting go of his belt. “Hope Meino made it. She’d survive the dungeon going kaboom if she didn’t die from the spear. Right?”

Reaching out, Ryker poked at the massive snarl of spells.

One of them fell out of the tangle and dangled down in front of him.

Clicking his tongue, Ryker was immediately annoyed. The spell was so basic, so crude, it was insulting. It’d do its job well enough, he imagined, but it was terribly inefficient.

“So… hell is me being trapped in a room with terribly basic spell work and nothing else to do,” Ryker said. “Cute.”

Grabbing hold of the spell, Ryker pulled on it.

It went nowhere. It was firmly tied into the mass.

“Well… guess there’s no time like the present. Isn’t as if I have anything better to do,” Ryker muttered.

He began to unwind the massive tangle of spells.

One couldn’t even describe the process as slow going, since that would have time involved.

Here, as far as Ryker could tell, there was no such thing. Everything simply was.

And like that, he worked.

For what could have been days, years, decades, centuries, Ryker worked.

Untangling the wretched ball of spells.

The hardest part about it was the simple fact that at the center of the ball, the spells vanished into nothing. As if that was where it terminated.

Or started.

The other termination point was the ground. Both of these points could be moved, he found, but the spell wouldn’t pass through anything.

And there seemed to be no end of the slack he could pull out of either end. Using both the slack and the movable end points, Ryker managed to untangle a single spell.

Except it got a lot easier once he’d untangled that one. Because with that as his starting point, he could systematically attack everything else it had been locked in with.

And just like that, he eventually cleared every spell from the madness it’d been mashed together with.

He’d laid all the spells out one after another like a corduroy road in a bog.

Sitting there, staring out at the endlessly long “spell road” as he thought of it, Ryker had nothing left to do.

Nor had anything changed.

Letting his eyes fall to the spell in front of him, Ryker contemplated what he wanted to do.

“Feels like it’s been years,” Ryker mumbled. “Years and years and years, and here I am. I suppose there really is no end to hell, is there?

“Mm. Heh. I bet if I finish this, they’ll just give me another one.”

That statement didn’t feel as negative as he thought it would, though.

Having a new ball to untangle wouldn’t be so bad. It’d at least give him something to do. Something to keep his mind busy with.

Masturbation, sleeping, and staring off into nothing only lasted him so long. Especially when he didn’t feel tired, nor rested.

He at least felt relief from taking care of his own biological needs.

Ryker made a choice.

Picking up the spell before him, he read the whole thing from one side to the other. There were runes he didn’t know or understand. But the vast majority of them, he did. He could read what the intent of the spell was, even if he didn’t know what it actually did.

Using a fingertip, he lightly scratched at one rune that was almost superfluous.

It flaked away from the spell and then faded away into nothing. It vanished as if it had never been there.

The spell was unchanged, though, and still stable.

Moving his finger over to the next rune, one the spell actually needed but was in the wrong order, Ryker scratched at it.

Just like the previous one, it broke apart at his scratching and fell away.

Then the spell went dark, losing its glow.

Using the same finger and pushing just a hint of mana into the act, Ryker wrote in the rune he felt would be a better fit.

Once it was in place, the rune activated and the spell started to glow again. Except now, it glowed a little brighter.

Working through the spell, Ryker began to rewrite it one rune at a time. Several times, he ended up erasing entire sections and starting over after discovering the goal changed later in the spell.

It took time, as he was guessing at a number of runes he didn’t understand. He compared the spell he was working on with one he hadn’t touched yet often. If the runes he didn’t know were placed anywhere else, the spell almost instantly failed.

With each change, upgrade, and modification, the spell’s glow grew in intensity.

Eventually, after much trial and error, he found he was at the end of the spell.

He’d been staring at this final rune for what felt like perhaps an entire day. Mostly because it didn’t look like a rune at all. To Ryker, it almost looked more like a signature.

It didn’t even seem to be in the same runescript he personally knew.

“I mean… let’s just… do it,” Ryker said. “We can always rewrite it by copying one of the others.”

With a practiced flick of his thumb, Ryker wiped out the signature. The brightly glowing spell winked out completely. It was as black as pitch now.

Even the runes were no longer lit.

“That’s different,” Ryker mumbled, and he hesitated. Shrugging his shoulders, he used his fingernail to write the equivalent of his name in runescript. It was something everyone had to have once they entered a school of wizardry. How else could one prove what spells were theirs, after all?

No sooner had he finished inscribing his runeseal, the spell exploded into bright light. It was as if the sun was glowing from inside of it.

“Fuck, kinda bright huh?” Ryker grumbled.

Shoving the spell behind him so he didn’t have to stare at it, Ryker looked at the second spell in line.

Sighing, he set to work on doing the same thing.

Chapter 23 - Ascension -

“Oh, you twisty-turny little fucker fuck,” Ryker said, looking at the spell in front of him. As he’d gone from one to the other, he’d found a number of them that had much more complicated spell-work that needed to be done.

To the point that he’d set them all aside and worked on them only after having finished up all the easier ones.

“You might be the last one, but that doesn’t make you impossible,” Ryker said, squatting in front of the spell. Turning his head one way and then the other, he thought hard on what he wanted to do.

He’d already tried several different variations on the spell to try and get it to work. To glow as brightly as all the others.

The end results all succeeded, but also failed. They weren’t as bright as they needed to be before he signed his runeseal to them.

If this was hell, he sure as hellfire wasn’t going to send out an inferior product. He could only imagine what they’d do to him if he didn’t succeed.

“Hell or not, you have a solution,” Ryker said, then quickly scratched out the rune in front of him. After much trial and error, he’d found this one rune was the problem. It was the bottleneck of everything. There simply wasn’t enough mana coming through this rune fast enough. For whatever reason, this rune, which he couldn’t read, was unable to perform. “Except… I may have to settle. Because the only rune I haven’t tried… is my name.”

Grimacing, Ryker scrawled his runeseal into the spell. He’d never put a second runeseal into the middle of a spell, but at this point, he was willing to try. He’d already put in every other rune he knew, but they all failed. Only the original rune allowed the spell to work.

No sooner had he finished the runeseal of his name, the spell immediately snapped to life. Glowing brighter than every other spell up to this point. Even after he’d put his name on them, this one still glowed brighter.

“Damn, you trying to make up for all that bullshit before? Too bad. Fuck you, fucking fucker,” Ryker growled. Walking in his squat to the end of the spell, Ryker was annoyed. This was the last spell he had to work on. After this, he’d have nothing left to do.

He was angry.

More so that he was afraid he might not get anything else to entertain himself with, rather than the idea of failing.

“Fine. Whatever, fuck you too,” Ryker said, scratching out the final rune, the other individual’s runeseal. Before the light completely faded, Ryker had replaced it with his own runeseal.

“See? All done, you fucking piece of sh—”

Ryker’s words were lost as the entirety of his existence became a blinding white light so intense that he couldn’t even process a thought.

And he was no more.

***

Staring down into Meino’s upturned face, Ryker was stupefied.

Blood frothed on her lips, and the spear sticking out of her chest looked like some sort of sick and twisted planted flag.

Instantly, the fury he’d felt so long ago—what felt like centuries previous—burst out of his chest in a roiling explosion. Everything that had just happened became more like a foggy dream in his mind.

Casting himself into the dungeon sense, Ryker went to use the dungeon to heal Meino, but then he remembered what he’d done.

He’d killed the dungeon core itself.

Looking for the bonds to follow them back to the core, Ryker stopped.

They were massive, glowing with an insane brightness and a pure gold color. They were also all moving into him rather than away from him.

Beyond all that, though, they were pouring an endless stream of power into him.

Power he could use to fix Meino.

Snatching at all of it, he looked down into Meino’s pattern. He needed to repair the damage, stabilize her, and get her out of here.

Rather than the pattern he was expecting to see, Ryker saw something else.

Under the pattern that was Meino, into her very core itself, he saw a single spell.

A spell he’d become intensely familiar with, considering how many times he’d rewritten it.

It was their bonds to the dungeon core. I was rewriting their bonds and bindings.

To me.

With barely a twitch of thought, he rewrote the spell at the core of Meino into the new one he’d developed. When he capped it with his runeseal, her fading pattern simply exploded outward.

Where the old pattern had stood was a golden replacement. It was a mirror to the previous in every way, but it seemed to be built out of something altogether different. On top of that, a truly gargantuan bond was growing between Meino and Ryker. It had the appearance of a massive oak trunk for its diameter.

Drawing out of the dungeon sense, he found Meino was gazing up at him with eyes glowing an electric blue color. The paleness of them hadn’t changed, but they actually held a light in them.

As if it were nothing at all, Meino reached in front of herself and yanked the spear out of her own chest. Instantly, the wound began to close, as if it were the most simple thing in the world. Gold light rushed out of her body as it shut.

Gathering her legs beneath her, Meino got up into a standing position. She looked as healthy as she always did. There was nothing wrong with her.

Meino was fine.

Letting out a breath, Ryker felt the tension drain away from him.

The intense crackling of lightning he’d heard non-stop faded away, and Ryker felt like he was falling. In the next instant, he found himself staring at Meino from much further away.

Taking in a deep breath, Ryker felt like he’d forgotten to breathe. Small stars were dancing across his view.

Coughing twice, Ryker looked out to where the enemy was.

Or should have been.

All that was there were the smoking husks of blackened bodies. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but smoldering mounds of the dead.

“Dear?” Marybelle asked tentatively in his mind.

Uh. Yeah? What’s up Baby-Belle? Are we ok here at the gate? Can you build it up while I go check on Shirley?

“Uhm. Yes… dear. That’s… that’s not a problem. You’re… okay?” Marybelle asked.

Yeah. Weird story. Not sure what’s reality and what’s me going crazy. But I think I blew up the dungeon core and then… I became the dungeon core?

I think.

“No… that’s… yes. Yes, that’s what you did. That’s what actually happened,” Marybelle said. “And if you’re the dungeon core, and you took its bond, that means—”

“That means I’m now bonded to you both, and I can hear you!” shouted Wynne at the top of her lungs. It made Ryker’s head hurt. “Is this why you always knew what was going on!? You bonded with him at a soul level?! Oouuu! I’m going to… I’m going to—”

“Going to stop!” Ryker screamed into his head space. “I need answers first; then you two can bitch fight later. Is the gate clear? Can I go help Shirley?”

“Yes, dear,” Marybelle said. “But Shirley is fine. Your… attack… also hit the enemy she was fighting. We’re in the clear.”

“Oh. Alright,” Ryker said. “Second. Are we okay? Is the dungeon okay?”

“Yes. We’re fine,” Wynne said in a grumpy huff. “We’re… fine. The core is gone, and you really are the core now. You’re in complete control, and you’re… not a core.

“Though it feels odd. Like there’s something else here.”

Frowning, Ryker turned his thoughts inward and inspected himself.

There, hiding in the corner of his soul, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, was Robyn.

“Robyn?” Ryker asked.

“I… yes… beloved. I’m here,” Robyn said. “I could… feel you… fixing me. I felt it. My cores are gone. You scooped me out of them. All of me. Both sets of my mind.

“I’m… I’m like a Fairy now, I think. My body is real and in the cathedral. I’m… I’m alive but… also not human.

“What am I?”

There was a dead silence in the shared space of Ryker’s soul.

It’d gone from having just him and Marybelle to Wynne, Robyn, Marybelle, and Ryker.

“Feel like I have a family of four in a one-bedroom shack,” Ryker muttered.

Turning his eyes to the shattered gate, Ryker thought about how to have the whole thing rebuilt. How they’d have to get it done as quickly as possible.

With a pop, the earth rolled up out of the ground. It washed all the dead, dying, wounded, equipment, broken bits, and living out of the gap.

When everyone was deposited back down on the other side, Ryker saw the gate was completely reformed. The dungeon had responded to his desire directly.

There was a hysterical rush of power fed into him, as if thousands had all suddenly screamed his name and flung their entire mana well at him.

There was no end to it.

“You’re… more like a god now, dear,” Marybelle said softly. “The Imps and Fairies are literally worshiping you as their god.”

“And hailing me as their queen, even though I no longer have any binding over them,” Wynne said in a strange voice. “I don’t… even know what to say.”

“That’s simple,” Marybelle said. “I’ll say the same thing they all are. Long live the queen. I did tell you that everyone was rather happy with how it turned out. You just didn’t believe me. The Imps are far more fanatical about you though, for some reason.”

Ryker wrinkled his nose, then shoved Wynne and Marybelle to one side of his soul. They could have a conversation between themselves that didn’t include him.

“I’m alive,” Robyn said in the sudden silence of his soul. “You brought me to life… and I think you made me immortal. Like a Fairy or an Imp. I’ll live forever, and I’m not bound in a core anymore.”

Growling, Ryker shoved Robyn to a different side of his soul. He didn’t want to deal with them right now.

There, in the quiet of his mind, Ryker… heard something else.

It was faint, but there. Like a voice.

When he paid attention to it, he suddenly heard it loud and clear.

“…hear me, Ryker? Because I swear I can hear you. Hear you, Wynne, Marybelle, and Robyn in my head. Am I going crazy?” Shirley asked in her mind.

“Uhm… no. You’re not going crazy,” Ryker said. “I can… I can hear your… thoughts… and you can hear mine… I guess.”

It wasn’t quite the same situation he had with Robyn, Marybelle, and Wynne, but he could guess at the source.

The small, imperious, queenlike bit of Shirley’s soul that ruled his own. That sat in the middle of his entire soul and held court over it with its water element.

“This is because of your stupid soul fragment that cuddles my soul all day every day, isn’t it?” Shirley asked.

“I think so… Let’s… let’s go have a big talk. Soon. Because this can’t continue,” Ryker said.

“I’d agree. I really don’t want you in my head,” Shirley said. “Because I love you way too damn much. Wait, no, you can’t hear this, right? You might.

“No, no, stop. Stop. STOP. No, no thoughts. No thoughts. A clear mind. No thoughts.

“Clear thoughts because I can’t help it. Can’t help that I love you too damn much. Because I’d do so much for you. I’d let you use me with the Fairies and Imps in massive orgies if that made you happy. Humiliate me horribly with them, all for my love of you, my stupid handsome footstool. I’d crawl under your work desk every day and show you how nasty I can be if you but asked. I’d murder or hurt anyone you wished me to. I’d let you destroy me in the as—NO NO NO NO!”

Ryker politely disconnected himself from Shirley’s mind.

“Don’t blame her or think badly of her,” Marybelle soothed. “You’ve had similar thoughts in different ways. The human mind is an interesting thing. I can name several instances where you had many of the same exact thoughts about her or Lauren.

“And no, you can’t just lock me away if I don’t wish to be. Sorry. It’ll work on Wynne or Robyn, as they’re secondary to me. Be sure to let them out later.”

Ryker was gritting his teeth and staring at the newly formed gate.

He suddenly wanted to stab himself in the brain.

A lot.

There was a massive boom that practically made the ground shake.

“Now what?” Ryker muttered.

“Did I ever truly explain what the Runner’s Own are?” Faye asked from nearby. Apparently she’d come over to him. She was still in her full Were form.

“Uh… bodyguard…group?” Ryker asked, moving to the nearby gatehouse that’d been reformed. Taking the steps quickly, he started going up.

“Yes and no. They’re my Alpha’s bodyguard group; that’s how they started. But they’re also his clergy now. His personal priestesses. They spread the word of the god-emperor far and wide. The husband to the Triumvirate and equal partner. Though he isn’t technically directly in their pantheon,” Faye said in her rumbling growl. She was clearly following him.

“Okay?” Ryker asked, reaching the top of the stairs. Coming out onto the top of the gatehouse, he walked over to the edge of the wall and peered out.

“They have all the formal designations of a small army,” Faye said, coming to stand next to Ryker. “Including divisions. One that doesn’t get called up often, but is always wherever Runner is, is the armored division.”

Out across the field, Ryker could see the enemy camp and the remainder of their forces. They still had a very large army. One that could easily lay siege to Dungeon and the Queensland of Dale. It’d cause a number of problems and probably create a slew of shortages.

There was smoke rising from the center of their camp.

More booms shook the ground, and Ryker suddenly feared the worst for his wall. Two explosions were more than enough to allow a flood of soldiers to attack en masse. He didn’t even want to contemplate what more of such explosions would do.

“Don’t worry, that’s what I was hoping for,” Faye said. She lifted an arm and pointed far off to the north.

Following her arm, Ryker saw what looked like large homes.

Large armored homes with steel-looking pipes on top of them. Smoke was drifting up from those pipes.

“That’s Boxy,” Faye said, indicating a light-brown version of the homes. “Runner made that one personally. It’s considered a badge of honor to pilot it or ride in it. Traditionally, that’s whoever is leading the division. More often than not it’s Sophia, or Grace as my Alpha calls her, who pilots it. As his champion, she’s viewed as the figurehead of the Runner’s Own.”

“That’s… that’s the angel? Who you’re talking about?” Ryker asked, staring at the squat homes. Then he realized they were moving. They were wagons that moved on their own. Not homes.

“Yes, Sophia,” Faye said. “And it looks like they took my request seriously. I asked them to deploy part of their armored division to assist ‘Uncle’ in defense of Dungeon.”

“They did,” said a new voice from the other side of Faye.

“Oh, Isabelle. Welcome back,” Faye said, turning her head to look at whoever it was.

Leaning over, Ryker peered across and found himself looking at an Elven maiden.

Standing about five foot nine, she had the lissome build that people always thought of with elves.

Long pale-blond hair and green eyes finished out that Elven expectation perfectly. She had elegant features carved too perfectly, in a way that only the gods could. It gave her a wistful beauty. No one could deny she was attractive.

Very attractive.

“…anks. It’s Sophia out there,” said the Elf. “She apparently took the mission on herself as soon as it was relayed over to Runner’s Own. Everyone is apparently well aware of who Uncle is.

“Also, hello, I’m Isabelle Norwood. Wife to Runner, one of Alaric’s mothers.”

The Elf held out her hand to Ryker.

Taking it, Ryker shook it.

“Right. Hello,” Ryker said, unsure of what to say. “I’m Ryker… though apparently I should start going by Uncle.”

“Probably for the best,” Isabelle said, giving him a bright smile. “Everyone just calls you Uncle in the Empire.”

Releasing the Elf’s hand, Ryker froze with his mouth open as another series of explosions went off. Looking back at the self-propelled wagons, Ryker found smoke wafting up from the pipes on top.

“They’re cannons,” Faye said. “They shoot iron projectiles that explode on contact. They’ll probably fire another salvo and then just… run them down.”

“Yes,” Isabelle said. “They were waiting for more of the enemy soldiers to enter Dungeon. They didn’t have enough force to take on the original-sized army. Once the enemy was fully committed, they were going to break their spine.

“What happened, by the way? That was a massive lightning bolt. It blinded me even from the distance I was at. Made my ears ring, too.”

“Uncle,” Faye said. “That was Uncle getting mad. The pretty-faced young lady over there with the horns was in trouble, and he… exploded.”

Ryker watched as all the wagons rocked backward, massive shells being shot out through the pipes and exploding amidst the enemy camp.

“Impressive. And frightening,” Isabelle said. “I find myself thankful that you’re on our side, Uncle. My lord would be thankful to have a wizard of your caliber assisting him in this war of ours. My lord is loath to risk his soldiers and people if he doesn’t have to. It’s one of the reasons he hasn’t simply attacked the mainland. Having someone of your power who could attack from a distance would be beneficial.”

“That makes sense,” Ryker said. He could definitely identify with wanting to spare one’s people.

Could I take the Everliving to assist him? That would only cost us mana, right?

“Yes, dear,” Marybelle said.

“That’d work,” Wynne offered at the exact same time.

“I’ll go with you,” Robyn said aloud.

There was a light tap behind him immediately after Robyn spoke.

Everyone turned around to find the white-winged paladin in full “angry knight of Rike” mode.

“Ah, hello,” Isabelle said.

“Greetings. I am Robyn, Ryker’s lover. He is my beloved savior. I’m the first priestess and paladin of Rike.”

“Is that what we sound like?” Faye asked Isabel quietly after they stared at Robyn for several seconds.

“I… think so,” Isabelle muttered. Then she smiled at Robyn. “And where are you going?”

“My beloved is going to take the Everliving into the field and fight the foes of the Lord of the North!” Robyn said with some heat to her voice. “I shall accompany him.”

“I will be as well. And why did you leave me behind, you stupid bird-brained fool,” said Shirley, coming up out of the tower. Then she stood to one side and took several deep breaths. “Oh, my goodness. I cannot do stairs anymore at all. What’s wrong with me?”

“Pregnancy,” Meino said with a soft chuff. It was the first thing she’d said since Ryker had gotten her back up. “It’s sapping your strength.”

“Accurate. I already warned her about all that, too,” Marybelle said.

“Oh… suppose that might be it. Marybelle did mention it. Didn’t think it’d make it harder to go up stairs so soon though,” Shirley said with a huff. “Also, hello. I’m the countess of Dungeon and wife to Ryker. Formally Lady Ryker or Lady Dungeon. I go by Shirley privately for friends and family, and that’d be just fine.”

“Pleasure, Shirley,” Isabelle said, walking over to hold her hand out to Shirley. “Oh, you really are early in your pregnancy. Your skin has such a lovely glow to it as well. You’re going to be a beautiful mother. I’ve already given birth to—”

Ryker tuned it all out.

He didn’t care.

Looking back to the field in front of Dungeon, he’d turned just in time to watch as the wagons began tearing through the enemy army.

They literally rode through them and over them. As if they weren’t even there.

A heavy, strong hand clamped down on Ryker’s shoulder and pulled him to one side. Practically yanking him off his feet.

Suddenly, Meino was all over him. And he knew what was coming next. It was no surprise when her tongue appeared and slid up along his skin till it reached the top of his head. Meino’s sudden grooming felt almost frantic to him.

Ryker pushed at her to get away, except she didn’t budge. Where she normally let him fight her off at times, she didn’t this time. Her arm was an iron bar around him.

Instead, she wrestled him to the side of the wall, pinned him against it, and began grooming him roughly right then and there. Regardless of how he shoved or pushed at her.

Nibbling at his ear, she nuzzled him at the same time.

“I love you, Ryker. Thank you for saving me. Your bond is so warm and heavy. It makes me quiver all over. It makes me think of when I was a child,” Meino said against the side of his face before proceeding to groom him again. She paused again to nip at his ear once more.

Child? Shit. I think I may have done more than I thought.

“I’m going to make you moo tonight,” she said in a husky voice. “All night long.”

Sighing, Ryker gave up and let Meino manhandle him in front of so many people. It was embarrassing, but it was less so than fighting against a Minotaur and losing.

“She just loves you,” Wynne said. “Don’t fault her.”

“Yes. She loves you. And it’s obvious that you love us. We can feel you. Through the bond. You’re our dungeon core. All of us. It isn’t filtered through someone else,” Marybelle said.

Now that he thought about it, Ryker could feel each and every Fairy or Imp in all of the dungeon. They were all at the edge of his awareness. It felt like they were all fluttering around him. Like whispers on his skin.

Focusing on one that was close by and abnormally bright, he found himself peering into Benni’s very mind and soul.

“My lord king!” said Benni loudly in a quivering voice. “I love you as you love me! I feel your love! I can feel it! I feel your hand on me! In me! I feel your mark! It’s like a brand across me! I’ll wait for you tonight! I’ll wait for you always!”

“Uh… you still need approval… anyways… thanks for caring… bye for now,” Ryker said and closed off that bond. He had no idea what to do with all that.

“It… it’s a bit much for some of them. The vast majority of them are just… lost in their own minds. Dazed, even,” Marybelle explained. “Your… bond is very intense. It feels like you personally burned away anything… wrong. That you did it personally and scrubbed me clean. Scoured it all away and replaced it with absolute care. Absolute love for me. I feel your very hand on my soul.”

“It’s distracting. Especially when you think of me. Even in passing. I can feel your attention,” Wynne said.

“Isn’t it, though? Dear can be such a silly. Oh, last night he locked me away in his mind and—”

Shuddering, Ryker slumped into Meino, who just kept trying to kill him with her tongue and lips. All the while, women talked in his mind like he wasn’t there.

Ryker felt like a dog who just did what he was told and chased along.

Then again, it isn’t as if I’m unhappy.

Maybe it’s easier to be a dog than to fight it all like a fool.

Chapter 24 - Big -

Eventually, the enemy army gave up and went running. Running as far and as fast as their legs, mounts, and wagons could carry them.

The “tanks” as Faye called them pursued for a short distance and then allowed their routed foes to flee. There was no sense in running down a defeated and broken enemy. It would cause needless deaths for an army that was already utterly done.

It was only when the tanks pulled up to a stop in front of the gates that Meino released Ryker. By that point, she’d already covered him from neck to head and had been working at his hands. He was thankful for that interruption because, after his hands, there’d be nothing left she could reach without stripping him.

And to be honest, he wasn’t sure she’d stop. He had the faint impression she’d been considering throwing him over a shoulder and absconding with him outright.

Stepping out of the gates of Dungeon, Ryker moved toward the lead tank, the one designated as Boxy.

Sophia came out from the rear of it, her wings curled up on her back in the same way Robyn often held hers.

“Greetings, Uncle!” she said with a bright smile.

“Sophia,” Ryker said and held out his hand to her.

Ignoring it, Sophia stepped in close and hugged him tightly.

“I’m glad we were able to assist,” she said, then leaned back and looked at him. “Alaric sends his greetings, of course.”

Smirking at that, Ryker nodded. “Yeah. And how’s the little nose-goblin? He practicing?”

“He’s fine. Annoyed that he can’t come back to Dungeon. And yes, he’s been practicing every day,” Sophia said, and she patted Ryker’s shoulders once. Then she took a few steps back and looked beyond him. “Faye, Isabel, greetings.”

“Sophia,” they said in unison.

“Now with that task done, I must return to camp,” Sophia said. “It wouldn’t be good for me not to be there. The enemy champions challenge me daily, and I wouldn’t want my lord husband to dirty his hands with such a thing.”

“Ah, about that,” Ryker said. “Any chance I could have one of those tanks?”

“Have?” Sophia asked, her eyebrows rising.

“Well, I’d say borrow, but I’m not sure I can return it in the same condition you gave it to me,” Ryker said. “I want to eat it with the dungeon and see if I can replicate it.”

“Replicate it,” Sophia repeated.

“Yeah. Is that too much to ask?” Ryker asked. He wasn’t sure if he was crossing boundaries or not, but he wasn’t going to pass up such a thing like this.

“I mean… alright, sure,” Sophia said. She gestured to a woman standing off to one side. “Grab number three and bring it around.”

The woman made some sort of salute that Ryker didn’t quite catch, and then she ran off.

I’m really no good at this crap.

This politicking is better for bootlickers. Heh.

Yeah. Bootlickers with names like Felix or Alex.

Looking up, Ryker found a big iron-covered monstrosity pulling up in front of him.

“Anything in there you don’t wanna lose?” Ryker asked, looking at Sophia.

“No,” she said with a smile. “You’re welcome to all the potions inside as well. They were hand made by Runner himself.”

Ryker shrugged at that. He didn’t care, really.

Sliding into his dungeon sense, Ryker was momentarily blinded.

Surrounding him, fluttering over him, or actually attached to him were thousands of Imps and Fairies. They were crowded around him as tightly packed as they could be.

No sooner had they realized he was there in the dungeon sense with them, they all pounced on him as well. He was drowning in a wave of shouted pleas, cries, and praise.

Wynne’s presence popped up in front of him, and the horde of her citizens scurried further away. Though the brightest one, the one he knew was Benni, remained attached to him. Even when Wynne directed her attention at Benni, it did nothing. The Orc seemed unrepentant and unmoving.

Ignoring Benni, and the fact that he’d just been more or less mobbed, Ryker devoured the tank with a single thought. The dungeon ate it in full.

A multitude of patterns flooded through Ryker’s mind. Potions he’d never seen, heard, or dreamed of, things that could be used as weapons. Beyond that, there were multiple masterwork-level spells that he’d never even considered.

Immediately, Ryker understood the application of this weapon and how he could make larger ones.

Or what he really wanted in this case—cheaper and smaller ones.

Recreating the original, along with all the potions that had been inside, Ryker went back into himself.

“There, all done,” he said, indicating the tank. “All yours again. It should be exactly the same. Let me know if I missed anything. Now—”

Turning to one side, Ryker went back into his dungeon sense.

Arrayed around him now were Charlotte, Tris, Wynne, Marybelle, and Benni. The mob of dungeon citizens weren’t far away, but they were keeping their distance.

Quickly, Ryker began putting together a stripped-down version of the tank’s pattern. He didn’t need it to have so many variable speeds. He just needed two. Gaining mana and spending it. There was no need to even have a reverse function on it.

He removed the safety features and the redundancy systems, and he stripped off all the armor on the sides. Then he put a massive bomb into it. One that would explode twenty minutes after someone pushed a button. Making the spell a non-reversible course of action, Ryker was confident there’d be no stopping it once it was hit. On top of that, he gave it an instant detonation option as well.

A single person could remain behind and continue to fire the cannon. If all their comrades fell, they could simply detonate the tank outright.

Ryker’s goal in all this was to create a one-way trip for his Everliving.

They’d blast and crush their way into the army. Fight wherever they stopped and then blow up spectacularly.

Grabbing the finished pattern, Ryker copied it and then began pasting hundreds of them. Hundreds and hundreds of them. He wanted to be able to load every single Everliving and take them with him.

Then he realized he was forgetting his Vanguard. His Fairies and Imps. They could all go forth and die.

“If I asked you all to make an avatar, go fight and die for me. Would you?” Ryker asked into the dungeon sense. He was fairly certain of their answer, but he still wanted to ask.

The response he got was a roar of approval. Then the sudden rush of all the Imps and Fairies going off to get their avatars ready.

Reaching into the corpses of his enemies, their equipment, the shredded and destroyed camp itself, Ryker used all he could to offset mana costs.

The dungeon inhaled everything Ryker commanded it to. The materials were converted directly into what he needed to begin building the tanks.

Everything was responding to him on an instinctual level. And he felt no repercussions, nor slow down to what he was doing.

“We’re no longer beholden to the rules,” Marybelle said.

“You’re more akin to our god now,” Wynne said. “The one who would hold our core responsible is you, and you’re the core.”

“Great. When we get back, I’m going to snuff out the church of light. Outright,” Ryker said. “Additionally, someone get a message to Lauren about everything that’s happened. And a message to my… daughter… let her know I’ll be visiting soon.”

“I’ll handle it, dear,” Marybelle said. “I think I’ll talk to Adele about seeing if she’ll go. It would be good for it to come from her cousin.”

Grunting, Ryker finished his construction.

Moving out of the dungeon sense, he surveyed his work.

Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds, possibly nearing a thousand, of his suicide tanks stood before him. They covered the plain and seemed to look the part they would play.

Ugly, black, and crude, they were exactly what he wanted.

“Oh… my,” Isabelle murmured.

Turning to the trio of Runner’s wives, Ryker smiled. “Time to go pay my debt. For sending you to assist, the tanks, and your expertise. I don’t think we could have held Dungeon without all the changes you made and brought out for us, General.”

Faye shrugged her shoulders. She’d reverted to her human form at some point, and she seemed mildly amused. “My Alpha asked me to assist, Uncle, and so I did.”

“Well. Runner has come to my aid, and now I shall go to his,” Ryker said. “Besides. I’d love… love… to pay some more misery back to the church of the dark. Love to.”

Clenching his fist with a grin, Ryker found he was looking forward to watching this happen.

***

As he got out of Boxy, Ryker gave himself a shake. It’d been a rather wild ride at several points. He’d chosen to make the trip in an avatar form so he could cut it loose at the end.

To be home instantly once everything was done.

So he wouldn’t be concerned about actually having a bad end, so to speak.

“I think I want to throw up,” Shirley muttered. “And it’s not because of your damn seed—I made sure this avatar wasn’t pregnant.”

Chuckling, Ryker held a hand out to Shirley. She and Marybelle alone had traveled here with him. Everyone else was part and parcel to the suicide attack the people of Dungeon were launching.

Even Meino was taking part in the action, now operating an avatar permanently. Her body was safely stowed away below with the Fairies and Imps.

Ryker had forced the situation on her. He wouldn’t risk her again.

“It’s the motion,” Marybelle said, slipping her arm into Shirley’s and leading her down the ramp. Then she hooked her free arm into Ryker’s. Turning to Shirley, Marybelle seemed immediately distracted. “Go ahead and guide us, dear. I’ll see what I can do for Shirley.”

Sophia, Faye, and Isabel had already disembarked as well and were leading the way. So Ryker simply followed them.

All around him were the black and red soldiers of the Dark Lord of the North. Here on the front, they were all armed and armored.

Here and there were those without their helmets on, however. Every time he spotted one as such, he found they were as normal as he was. Various races and breeds, but normal.

The Runner’s Own were a group aside. They had much more ornamental-looking armor, but they also seemed far more sinister. On top of that, they were all women.

Every single one.

Guess I have more in common with Runner than I thought.

“Uncle!” shouted a voice.

Looking around, Ryker found Alaric sprinting toward him.

As if realizing what was about to happen, Marybelle gently disengaged her arm from Ryker’s. Then Alaric slammed into Ryker at full speed.

“You’re so different now, Uncle!” Alaric said, staring up at Ryker. “You’re more like Father now!”

“I am?” Ryker asked, picking the kid up and holding him to his side. “How so?”

“You’re a demi-god like him. I can see it. It’s… in you,” Alaric said, patting Ryker’s shoulder. “Oh! I see. The Fairies and Imps worship you. That’s nice. That means you’ll live forever, too!”

“He’s correct,” Wynne said.

“Life and love eternal,” Robyn crooned. “Forever and always, my beloved.”

Grabbing Robyn mentally, he stuffed her down into the darker parts of his mind. Then started to deliberately subject her to the worst things he could think of doing to her personally in the back of his mind. With a squeak before it started, Robyn was drowned in it.

“You do realize she loves what you just did. She has a very dark… taste at times. She won’t ever ask you to indulge it either,” Marybelle whispered. Somehow, she managed to convey messages only to him at times, even though he couldn’t do that himself. “There’s a dark part of her, which I think your soul caused by the way, that wants you to do those things to her. Just realize you’re not punishing her.”

Clicking his tongue, Ryker didn’t bother to stop. He just continued to ravage Robyn in his mind, but he moved it to the back of his thoughts. He could keep her entertained like that and out of his hair.

“…built all the runes you taught me into one spell. I call it my practice spell. It just makes a weird noise and then vanishes, though,” Alaric said.

Holding up a hand, Alaric immediately conjured a pattern that held up a massive number of runes.

The whole thing lit up. It glowed.

Then it made a rather loud noise that sounded a lot like a very deep, wet fart, and it vanished.

Everyone in the immediate vicinity looked at Ryker.

“He did it,” Ryker said, pointing at Alaric.

Before the child could object or say anything, they had apparently reached their destination. A large wooden platform that rose into the air above them.

Moving up the stairs quickly, they found Runner at the top. He was in mid-greeting with Isabelle.

“Ah… I should have expected that,” Runner said, looking at Ryker. “Al found you immediately, Uncle.”

“Yeah, no shit,” Ryker said, putting Alaric down. Unsure of how to greet the Dark Lord of the North, Ryker settled for holding out his hand. Runner grinned and shook Ryker’s hand firmly. “Hello again.”

“Hello indeed,” Runner said.

“Shouldn’t curse around children, Uncle,” Alaric said.

“And you’re not really a child, so?” Ryker said.

Alaric stared at Ryker, then turned to his father.

“Don’t look at me; I’m pretty sure Ryker wouldn’t do anything I asked him to. Try one of his wives,” Runner said, pointing behind Ryker.

“Oh, yes,” Alaric said, then turned to Marybelle and Shirley. “Aunties, Uncle is cursing around me again.”

Something tapped Ryker upside the back of his head.

“No cursing around Alaric,” Shirley said.

Rolling his eyes, Ryker turned and looked across the field. “Brought you a present.”

“So I was told,” Runner said, looking out as well. “Though they didn’t tell me what it was exactly. Only that you were going to be attacking Rannulf.”

“Yeah. I owe a few things to the dark church. This is a chance to give them a friendly nut-punch,” Ryker said.

“You can punch someone in the nuts in a friendly way? I’d love a demonstration. I’ve been doing it all wrong,” Runner said.

“Har, fuck-wit,” Ryker said without thinking about who he was talking to.

Laughing, Runner seemed terribly amused.

“Fuck-wit,” said the Dark Lord of the North. “You’re a funny guy. Or at least, I find you funny.”

“Your face is funny. Anyways. This drained all the mana Dungeon had and is going to expend a lot of resources. Not something Dungeon can do very often. Maybe once every seven or eight months,” Ryker said. “It’s big.”

“Oooh? Big? Now I’m curious. Very curious,” Runner said. “Should I ask your wives if you’re really that big or if you’re just exaggerating?”

“You’re an insufferable shit,” Ryker growled out, his brows coming down.

“So I hear. But from what I hear, you’re almost as bad; you just save it for your women,” Runner said.

“That’s accurate,” Shirley said.

“Oh, pardon my manners,” Runner said, moving over to Shirley. “How could I neglect two beautiful women? I’m Runner Norwood.”

Rolling his eyes, Ryker didn’t bother to turn around.

“Countess Ryker. Formally Lady Ryker or Lady Dungeon, but I go by Shirley,” said Shirley.

“A pleasure. And who’s this beautiful Hobgoblin?” Runner asked.

“Marybelle. I’m as close to Ryker’s housewife as he’ll probably ever manage. Delighted to meet you,” Marybelle said.

“Ah, lovely, lovely,” Runner said. “So, is he really that big, or is he just trying to make me envious?”

“Faye, can you hit him for me? I don’t think it’d be polite,” Shirley asked.

“Oh, certainly,” responded the Were general. There was a puff of what sounded like a hand hitting the back of a skull. “Go stand over there with Uncle and be good.”

“Fine, fine. Was just a question. Geeze,” Runner said, coming to stand back next to Ryker. “So stuffy.”

In that moment, despite his frustration, Ryker felt like Runner was a kindred spirit. No matter how insufferable he might be, he could at least identify with him.

“Is what it is. Could be worse,” Ryker said. “Remember my Minotaur? Forces grooming sessions on me. Even in front of others.”

“Oh… eh… yeah. That… yeah. Yeah,” Runner said, then stopped talking, his eyes locked on a distant point in the horizon.

Slowly, it materialized into a mass of suicide tanks. Loaded with Everliving and Wynne’s entire population, including herself, they made a beeline for the dark church army.

“You have tanks?” Runner asked. He sounded nervous and shocked.

“Do now. Sophia let me eat one of the tanks. I gave it back, of course,” Ryker said. “Then made all those. They’re cheap copies, but they’ll do the job.”

Faster than one would probably expect, the tanks simply ran headlong straight into the army. Firing the whole way.

“I don’t think they’ll be able to get back out,” Runner said with a tense voice.

“Nope,” Ryker said, not elaborating.

The rear gates of the tanks burst open once they came to a stop, which eventually they all did. There were simply too many soldiers to not lose momentum.

From each tank poured out the soldiers of Dungeon who had no fear for the loss of their life. One and all, they’d simply reappear after returning home.

“I really don’t like this,” Runner said. “I really—”

“They’re avatars,” Ryker said. Faye had warned him about Runner’s worry for the lives of his people. “They’ll die and simply come back to Dungeon as mana permits.”

“Oh. Oh! That’s why you can’t do this that often,” Runner said.

“Yeah, resource heavy,” Ryker said. He’d gotten lucky this time, since there’d been so many materials he was able to convert. Next time wouldn’t be so easy.

“Well. I appreciate it,” Runner said. “It’ll be nice that our mutual enemy out there can’t rule out being flanked from behind. Though I’m afraid your troops may not be as effective as one would wish. Their troops are outstanding and—”

A suicide tank went up in an explosion. Blue flames shrieked upward and vaporized enemy soldiers. For thirty feet in every direction corpses were left smoldering once the blue column of fire vanished.

Then two more tanks exploded. Then six more.

Then a dozen more detonated, it seemed.

Apparently, Runner was right—the enemy was very strong. So strong they were simply wiping out the Everliving and the vanguard.

Which meant they were just blowing the tanks up now.

Then what seemed like a hundred of the near thousand tanks blew up.

Ryker turned to Runner and met his eyes directly. He gave the Dark Lord a grin.

“Told ya,” Ryker said. His words were punctuated by a massive boom as more and more tanks continued to blow up. “Big.”

“Hahahaha,” Runner chortled, looking back at the mad cacophony going on. He held up his arms above his head.

“BIG!” shouted the Dark Lord of the North. “BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG!”

Chapter 25 - Rob -

Ryker had felt Rinni’s presence the moment he’d stepped into the capital.

She’d excitedly greeted him with the very first step into her territory. Immediately after that, she’d peppered him with a constant line of questions. Questions that had no end.

Ryker did his best to answer them completely, or at least to the best of his ability. Rinni still acted very young, almost younger than Alaric even. The difference was Rinni was immature and wielded a frightening amount of power.

“Thank you for answering my questions, Father,” Rinni said aloud as Ryker continued ever deeper into the royal apartments. “Mother’s guards are escorting her, Adele, and Diane here now.”

“Oh? Thank you,” Ryker said. “I appreciate you taking up her security.”

“Of course. It’s my duty! You’re protecting all of us, and I protect Mother,” Rinni said. “I’m going to go now. I want to talk with Aunt Marybelle and Aunt Wynne.”

“Alright. Don’t bother them too much,” Ryker said as the guard in front of him opened the door.

“I’ll remain here,” Meino said, stopping at the front of the door and stepping to one side.

“Alright. Be sure to get something to eat. Still need to feed your avatar,” Ryker said.

Meino grunted at that, her large battle-axe settling on her shoulder. For whatever reason, she’d gone back to that weapon as of late.

Walking through the open doorway and into the room, Ryker found himself in a familiar location.

He’d met Lauren once here for lunch in what felt like a different lifetime. So much had happened that it was all so different now.

The room appeared unchanged, though there were far more numerous blue and gold banners of Dale now than he remembered previously. It even had a lunch laid out that looked eerily familiar to him.

I suppose with everything that’s happened, there would need to be a certain amount of patriotism to get out of this in one piece.

We’ll have to be on the watch for dissidents and naysayers.

Deciding he wasn’t going to wait, he immediately went and took a seat, grabbed a plate, and started loading it up.

Unexpectedly, there was an entire platter of his preferred commoner cheese, as he liked to call it.

Practically giggling at the sight, Ryker grabbed the whole thing and set it down off to one side of his own plate. Grabbing a still-steaming sausage, Ryker stuffed the whole thing in his mouth.

He’d been on the road since he’d returned to his body from Runner’s camp. Traveling back to the capital to see Lauren. It had only been a short while, but he’d missed his creature comforts.

Hot breakfast foods being one of them.

“See? I told you not to worry about it,” Adele said.

Looking up, Ryker smiled and swallowed. Adele, Diane, and Lauren were heading his way from across the room.

“You were right,” Diane said with a soft sigh.

“Hello there,” Ryker said.

Walking over to him, Diane leaned down, tilted his head toward her, and kissed him.

“Hello, Ryker. I’m glad to see you,” Diane said as she pulled away. “And before you ask, my family is fine. I have them all settled, and they’re all working to my ends now. I’m officially the Duchess Chas now. My mother officially, and on her own initiative, signed her titles away to me.”

Adele made a grumpy noise and shoved a chair over next to Ryker’s. Sitting down heavily in it, she reached over to his plate and started eating from it directly.

“Already told her everything,” Adele said, stuffing a piece of bacon into her mouth. “Answered her questions. You being here is pointless if that’s the only reason you came. If it was, let’s just go to my bed. I can think of a whole lot more fun things to do.”

“Okay,” Ryker said, shrugging his shoulders. He’d given up on fighting. Having almost died twice had changed his perspective on things. “Though I do have a few things to talk to everyone about.”

“Really? Hell yeah. I love getting laid,” Adele said with a happy little clap of her hands.

“Ah…” Lauren started, then sighed with a shake of her head. There was a small lift at the corners of her mouth. “It’s never what I expect. Alas, Adele, I may have to overrule you.”

“Huh? Oh… well… yeah. Guess you and Diane haven’t seen him in a bit,” Adele said, looking guiltily from one woman to the other.

“Quite right. Not all of us were playing house in Dungeon,” Diane said, taking her seat. “Now, Adele did tell us about what happened. Is there anything you’d like to readdress or reaffirm?”

“I mean… not sure what to say,” Ryker muttered. “I’m more or less the god of the dungeon. After I’m done here, I’m going to go absolutely wreck the church of light. I see no reason to play nice if I don’t have to, so I’m not going to.

“Other than that, I brought an alliance agreement for you, Lauren. Though I did already sign on your behalf. Didn’t think you’d mind, given what’s said.”

Reaching for the scroll case tied to his hip, Ryker pulled it free of its binding. He stood up and walked around the table to where Lauren was seated, then held it out for her.

“What is it, exactly?” she asked, taking it from him.

“Runner wanted to formally ally himself with us,” Ryker said.

“The… Dark Lord of the North,” Lauren said, pulling the scroll free of its holder.

“Yep. That’s him. It’s just a simple declaration of alliance. His wars are ours, our wars are his. Nothing beyond that. He did say he’d like to purchase a pier in one of your harbor cities, though, and start trading goods immediately.”

“That’d be… actually, that’d be rather fantastic. We’ve definitely been at the mercy of everyone else, and no one is willing to challenge the Dark… Runner… in his naval supremacy.”

“Yeah, figured you’d say that. I told him which cities had piers that’d work. He’s gonna ask one of his wives to venture over and figure out the details. Her name’s Thana, I guess,” Ryker said. “Should be interesting. I told him that Dungeon would pay top coin for cores, too.”

“Mm. It really is exactly as you said. It’s a very straightforward alliance with no strings, clauses, or anything,” Lauren said, looking at the scroll that had perhaps three sentences on it.

Ryker nodded as he reached down to Lauren’s plate and took a grape from it. “Yeah. Like I said. Runner’s actually a pretty good guy. Bit of a dickhead, and he can be insufferable, but a good guy.”

“Of course you’d get along with an insufferable dickhead,” Adele said, still eating from Ryker’s plate. “Because you’re an insufferable dickhead yourself.”

“So Shirley said,” Ryker said, and he rolled his eyes.

“Speaking of, where is she? I thought for certain she’d be accompanying you. As far as I can tell, you came alone,” Diane said.

“I did come alone. They’re all working at figuring out what’s going on with the church of light forces right now so that when I get back, we can act,” Ryker said.

“Yes, I’m afraid my own information network fell apart. I’ll have to build it from the ground up. A champion of the light church somehow managed to infiltrate one of the cells and gutted it outright,” Lauren said, rolling the scroll back up. “Rob resigned his commission formally the other week after it happened. He held himself responsible despite my assertion that he wasn’t.”

Rob!

There was a sudden flurry of white-hot anger in Ryker’s guts at the man’s very name. Except there was also now a deep and chaotic need to find him. If he no longer worked for Lauren, that meant he was fair game.

Fair game and able to be murdered indiscriminately.

“Was that everything?” Diane asked, smiling at Ryker.

“Yeah,” Ryker said, nodding his head. “Why?”

“Because now we can just have a nice, normal conversation and a meal. Like the family we are, even if we’re missing Shirley,” Diane said. “Go, sit down. Now… I’d love to hear what you thought about Runner, his people, and his army. He seems so different than what the stories always said. It almost doesn’t make sense.”

It wouldn’t, would it?

“No,” Marybelle said. Her tone was simple and to the point.

Ryker immediately realized what that single word meant. He had to guard the secret that this world wasn’t real. Stray thoughts would endanger Robyn, Shirley, and Wynne just as easily as if he held knives to their throats.

“Sure, sure,” Ryker said, walking over and retaking his seat.

He wasn’t distracted at all, of course, from thoughts of Rob. His mind was already running ahead on how he could find the man. Find him and kill him. Then resurrect him and kill him again.

***

Dropping into his throne, Ryker closed his eyes and cast himself into the dungeon sense.

Thankfully, he wasn’t surrounded by an army of Imps and Fairies this time. They were all going about their business as they normally would.

Though it was fairly obvious they would stray near him if they had the opportunity, inclination, or time during their duties.

Not that he could blame them.

If he were in their position, he was certain he’d do the same thing.

How could anyone not?

Their entire world had just been upended and rebuilt. And in the center of that massive rebuild was a god just for them. One that was the dungeon, the core, and their deity all wrapped up in one.

Shirley and Robyn were out in avatar forms prodding and probing the church of light encampment in the west.

Marybelle and Wynne were still working at settling the population and building new defenses. There were many lessons learned from the attack of so many minor and middle-tier gods and goddesses. Dungeon wouldn’t be caught unaware and unprepared again.

If we’re to be the gate and bulwark, we must be prepared to receive anything as an attack. Even an army of champions.

Sliding through the dungeon, Ryker paused briefly in the temple of Rike.

As was always the case, it was full to bursting. The second temple’s construction was already past the halfway mark now.

While Robyn was away, no longer having two bodies but only one, Erin led the congregation.

The once-dark priestess had apparently found not only a new life, but a grand one. From what he’d heard from Robyn, Erin was the single strongest priestess she’d ever met.

It’s because she was redeemed.

Ryker paused, freezing in the dungeon sense. The voice he’d just heard had the same feel as Rike’s.

But it wasn’t Rike.

I’m Amelia. You can call me Leah, if you like. Rike’s my sister.

So… that would mean you’re married to Runner?

Indeed! And speak freely. I’ve deafened the others who are lodged in your soul.

Oh. Alright. Thanks… for that.

Any chance of you just… removing them? I really don’t want them to be able to hear my thoughts.

I suppose I could do something like that. But I’d like something in return for it.

Though I should be honest up front about this before we go further. I won’t be able to remove them from your soul. They’re part of you now.

But I can certainly set a limitation so that they can’t read or listen to your thoughts unless you direct them.

That’d be perfect.

As you like. Would this be for all of them?

Yeah. Just go ahead and do it for all of them.

Ryker felt better immediately. If she could carve them away from his thoughts, that’d be infinitely better.

Then he thought of Marybelle and how much she did for him without him ever knowing. Selflessly, and because she wished to.

Actually. Leave… leave Marybelle alone. She can stay as she is. Everyone else can get the limiter.

Done.

Did you… did you make changes in the story? Alter… alter whatever it is this is?

Ah… yes. You’re Awakened. You’re aware that this isn’t real.

I forgot about that.

Yes. I made a small change to how their… essence… interacts with yours. It was a simple thing, so the favor I would ask from you is simple in return.

Okay. And what’s the favor?

I have a champion on a different plane. He’s a man of many talents, but he has… no ability to defend himself. At all.

I’d like for you to put something together that would at least give him a fighting chance. At least a good enough chance to survive until someone else can arrive and save him.

Okay… I could probably figure out something. Did you have something in mind? Does he have any proficiencies?

No. Not a thing. I don’t think he’s even hit anyone out of anger.

Sounds like a cushy life. Is he smart?

Very. I would say he’s likely your equal, but in different ways. You’d be fast friends in your general distaste for all other people.

Hm. Smart enough to use magic?

Ryker had been thinking on what he’d done to Meino.

He’d restructured her, rebuilt her, and crafted her from the very dust and dirt of the earth. From nothing, in fact.

If he could do that with a pattern to make a living person, why couldn’t he do such a thing to encompass all the abilities from a core?

To make a pattern that would transfer all the abilities of a magician’s repertoire and condense it into a core. A core that could be used on someone to transfer everything inside.

I would say so. Yes.

Flying down into the vault where they kept ability cores, Ryker began to search about through them.

“Benni,” he said into the dungeon sense.

Immediately, the bright spot that was Benni burst into life in front of him. She was always latched on him.

“My lord king!” shouted the Imp. “How may I serve you in whatever way you want?”

“I need all the grand-master class cores for any type of spell user. Where are they?” Ryker asked, ignoring her blatant offer.

“Oh! Right here,” Benni said and flew over to a far corner of the vault. “We currently have only three that are whole. The other four are partially fractured due to… due to the change that occurred within you. I’ve been working at repairing them, but it takes time.”

“Perfect. Thank you, Benni,” Ryker said, and he tuned her back out.

Looking at the three, Ryker found two were magicians and the third an enchanter.

Would he like Air Elemental Magic, Illusion and Enchantment, or Fire Elemental Magic?

Oh, that’s almost too funny. It’s almost too perfect.

Fire Elemental Magic. There could be no better choice. What’re you planning to do?

I’m going to build a pattern that will condense this core down into its ability set, its training and mastery, and infuse it with my runeseal. Just as I made Meino.

Your champion shall be a grand-master pyromancer.

I think perhaps I’m getting the better of this deal. I’m really only visiting here because Rike is assisting me with my own problems elsewhere.

Well. You could phrase it as a gift if you prefer, rather than a debt.

Ryker saw no reason to haggle with Runner’s wife who was a goddess and a sister of his own goddess.

A gift. Oh! That’s perfect. Rike plans on marrying my champion. We could make this a wedding present from you. Would that be acceptable?

I’d say so, yes. Alright. I’m going to put this pattern together real quick. Shouldn’t take me too long. Will give me a chance to practice as well.

I think I can use this method as a way to really build some scary soldiers.

I imagine so. Lovey would be interested in such things as well, you realize. With so many resources behind him, I have no doubt he’d be able to supply you and pay you quite well for such a thing.

About that… just how endless are the coffers? There’s always been rumors that he literally just summons whatever he wishes from the very air.

Quite real. There is no end to the bottoms of his vaults.

If he wished to crash the entire economy of the mainland into the ground, he could do so easily. He’d only use a fraction of his current wealth to do so.

Hm.

Alright.

Cores. I want cores. You can tell Runner that.

Cores and cores and cores and cores. The higher the quality, the better.

Prisoners too. Skilled prisoners who are due to be executed. I want to trap their memories and abilities, and to do that, they have to die in my lands and I have to have cores ready.

Goodness. Alright.

I’ll speak with Ernsta about that. She typically handles all the straightforward deaths like that.

And what do you handle then?

I’m the goddess of assassins and shadows, Ryker. You know my name. I believe I even heard your prayers once upon a time, but I wasn’t able to assist you.

He’s still in Dale, by the way.

Ryker’s mind froze with that information. He had indeed prayed to the goddess of assassins. The murdering goddess. She was who you sent your thoughts to when you wanted to kill someone outright.

And there was only one person she could be referring to.

Rob?

Indeed. He’s just beyond the church of light. He’s trying to figure out how to get out of the country without crossing your path.

Would you consider us even with that information?

Yes. Yes, a thousand times yes.

A moment, Leah, while I make this wedding present. Then we can speak more of… Rob.

Chapter 26 - World Building -

Sliding into the small avatar alcove Shirley had made, Ryker found her and Robyn waiting for him. It was a small room, hidden away under the ground. A single mage light floated between them, a small magical map.

“Hey,” Shirley said with a smile when Ryker opened his eyes.

“Greetings,” Robyn said, ducking her head to him.

“Heya. Everything’s fine. Lauren, Adele, and Diane are consolidating the Queensland pretty quickly. All that’s left is the piece we’re working on. Church of light,” Ryker said.

“Great. That makes this easier,” Shirley said. “We only have to worry about the light-biters.”

Robyn snorted at that and then held a hand out to the map that was floating in the air. “We’re currently a mile or so from where their main camp is.”

“They settled down near two cities and a dozen small villages and towns,” Shirley said, making a vague gesture at the map. “Robyn can point them out. The simple reality is they’re using them as food, supplies, and… unfortunately, other things. For a group of people who are supposedly so devout in ‘the light and the goodness,’ they’re certainly committing some of the oldest wrongs.”

Robyn shook her head once, her eyes gaining a golden glow as she did so. Her wings fluttered on her back before they settled back down.

Even though she was an avatar, just as Shirley and Ryker, she somehow still received the blessings of Rike.

“We will strike them all down and send them back to their foul masters, though only after giving them a chance to redeem themselves,” Robyn said with a decisive nod.

“Yeah, well, not so sure how you plan to do that,” Ryker said. “Because I’m just going to kill them all.”

Not bothering to explain or even say anything more, Ryker pushed himself into the dungeon sense. He wanted this over and done with. He wanted it to end now.

Immediately.

Moving toward the enemy camp, Ryker had a moment of panic as he rapidly stretched out that far.

Without thinking about it or trying to, he’d simply ejected himself from his avatar and right out of the alcove Robyn and Shirley had prepared. Beyond the range that the core they’d brought with them would provide.

Except… he felt nothing wrong.

He was completely cut loose from his body and his avatar, and beyond the range of the dungeon.

Without any problems whatsoever. He could feel all his bonds. Could feel the intense worship that the Imps and Fairies directed his way. The strange space that Marybelle, Wynne, Shirley, and Robyn shared inside him. Even his body all the way back in dungeon, which Meino was guarding.

Grinning, Ryker sped onward toward the enemy camp.

He passed over the outer sentries. The picketed horses. The exterior guards and their defenses. Straight over the line soldiers and deep into their tents and campsite.

All around, he could see signs of disarray.

This wasn’t Runner’s army in any way, shape, or fashion.

Men were stumbling around drunk. Most, if not all, weren’t even in their armor. On top of that, there was a clear lack of maintenance in the equipment. Ryker saw a small mound of broken arms and armor that was in line to be repaired.

Except there were no blacksmiths to work it. The forge was cold, and no one stood in the workshop at all.

Hmph.

I suppose I’ll offer them an out, just as Robyn suggested.

Angling upward into the point directly above the middle of the camp, Ryker contemplated how to do it.

When he reached a sufficient height, he paused. Without thinking about how he did it, he could feel himself sliding out of the dungeon sense.

With a crack like a lightning bolt, Ryker felt himself pop into the normal world there in the middle of the air.

Crackling and hissing, the best way he could describe himself was like a massive bird of fire and lightning.

Gathering his thoughts, Ryker looked down at the camp below him. He could see the entirety of the church force. It was a mighty and lazy thing at the same time. Countless hands were pointed up to the sky. Pointing to Ryker directly.

“False church of light, hear me,” Ryker shouted, his voice more like a roar of thunder than anything human.

Waiting, he watched as more and more heads turned up toward him. People came stumbling out of their camp tents to stare upward.

“I am Ryker, Count of Dungeon, loyal retainer to the queen,” Ryker boomed. “You have all been found guilty of—you know what, it doesn’t matter. You’re all guilty and have been sentenced to death. I’m here to carry that out.

“You have but one chance to avoid this fate. Renounce Lambart, the false god of light and a lord of evil, and pledge yourself to Rike, on pain of losing your life. Otherwise… you shall suffer.”

The panic he was causing was obvious. People were rushing one way or another, swearing at him, shouting, or just screaming.

It was pandemonium.

“You will now swear yourself to R—” Ryker was interrupted by a lightning bolt launched up at him from below.

Apparently, someone had decided that was enough from Ryker.

Rather than punching the rune out, which would be little more than child’s play given that the spell was overly simple, Ryker grabbed it out of the air itself.

Adding a few runes to it and rewriting the spell’s center, Ryker looked at the person who had activated the spell.

Pulling his arm back, Ryker flung it back down where it had come from.

With a detonation of sound, the mage simply exploded when the lightning bolt struck. They stood there one moment and then not the next. All that was left was a red, chunky paste and mist that was everywhere nearby.

“Now… as I was saying,” Ryker continued. “You will now swear yourself to Rike or face your punishment.”

Could use a hand, Rike. Leah.

Really would like to spare those who swear in earnest.

I understand.

It was Leah still. Apparently whatever Rike was up to really was keeping her busy.

The camp below became a bright red mass of human-like shapes. Here and there, blue and green shapes stood out in the bloody mess.

Red is Lambart, Blue is Rike, any other color is another deity. No one here worships the Triumvirate or Lovey.

Great. Can you scoop up everyone who belongs to Rike and just… put them in the nearby city?

I suppose. It’s what Rike would do. She’s far too lenient and kind. Though I suppose that’s what you get when you’re the goddess of goodness.

The blue-outlined people below began to vanish. One after another, they simply disappeared.

Waiting there, Ryker began to consider how he would kill them all. A single thought stopped him from doing that outright, though.

Claire could be down there, and possibly with his child. Because by this point, she probably should have given birth.

He couldn’t just kill the entire camp without finding her.

She’s there. I’ve marked her as the bright-blue, glowing color.

As is your daughter.

Ryker’s eyes jumped to a spot at the center of the camp.

Standing under a tent was a woman crouched low to the ground. Nearby, in what was likely a cradle, was a light blue shape that was considerably smaller. Sized closer to what Ryker would assume was a baby.

My daughter?

My daughter! Yes… my daughter. I need to… need to get her.

All around Claire and his daughter were bright-red worshipers of Lambart.

Fine. I’ll just crush everything except that one spot.

With a thought, he began to summon a pattern. A massive pattern, one that was literally formed and fashioned from the faith of his believers. One that would create solid, unyielding iron.

It would fall straight to the ground and simply crush the entire camp outright. There would only be a single space spared.

Ryker could handle everyone in that lone tent by himself.

Before he could truly get the pattern started, though, it fizzled out.

Out of nowhere, a message appeared before him. It was printed in a black box and seemed as rigid as could be.

Invalid target.

Cannot target opposing faction’s soldiers directly in a religious war.

Spell canceled.

What the fuck? Is this part of everything else? That… that I’m not real? Is this part of that?

“Yes, it is,” said a voice aloud. There was no body to pair with the voice, but he felt like someone was there. “Sorry, decided it’d be easier to speak with you privately up here. At least, easier than trying to mute everyone else in your soul. Your thoughts are always so loud.”

“Amelia?” Ryker asked.

“Yes, it’s me. Sorry, easier to not appear physically,” Amelia said.

“What happened? What… why can’t I just kill them?” Ryker asked.

“Because you’re a demi-god. A true demi-god. Your plane is actually the dungeon, which is interesting, but… you’re a demi-god,” Amelia said. “So… you can’t act directly against the followers of your foe. Lambart has declared you as his religious foe. You can’t attack them. At least, not directly.”

“In other words, I can’t kill them by my own hand, but I can still kill them using the dungeon,” Ryker said.

“Yes. That’s accurate. It’s one of the reasons we simply aren’t crushing the armies that oppose Lovey outright,” Amelia said.

“Fine. Fine. A dungeon. Okay. A massive, hideous dungeon where I make the rules,” Ryker growled.

“Well, mostly,” Amelia said. “I think you’ll find you have some limits, but I imagine they’ll be much less than they would have been when you only had a dungeon core. Now you have a god. You.”

Baring his teeth, Ryker really wanted to simply crush the entire church and call it done. To wipe them from the face of the planet without a second thought.

“So be it,” Ryker shouted, and then he retreated to the dungeon sense again.

There, he began to build layer upon layer of patterns.

First, the whole thing will be a damn labyrinth. Skewed and designed for a group of three. And only three.

Because I want them to all die. Almost all adventuring companies work in groups of five or six. So let’s cut that in half and make them do bare bones. There won’t be enough healers or defenders to go around.

Lots of deaths. Because I’m done.

And now you’re all done.

He constructed an ever-expanding maze. One filled with timed encounters, traps, perils of all sorts, and a never-ending descent. Down and down it went. Digging ever deeper into the earth.

Beyond even that, Ryker deliberately put in things that should and would stress groups out. Unequal loot, inadequate amounts of food or water for three people to feel full or satiated. That would leave them hungry and thirsty, but able to continue.

Spells that would make a high-pitched whine only audible to those who used magic. Small spells no larger than a grain of sand that were made of ice. They would cling to any metal surface and make them infinitely colder. The more spells one picked up as they went, the colder they’d get.

Ryker, of course, couldn’t forget the feet or sleeping arrangements.

The feet of any adventurer was their very life.

Which meant Ryker had to take that away from them as soon as he could. Almost every surface in his downward spiraling mess to hell was uneven. No matter where one put their feet, they’d find their ankles bending in one direction or another.

It’d only take a single misstep to send someone tumbling to the ground with a twisted or broken ankle. Then the group would have to decide on going backward. Having to go through all they’d already cleared.

Or forcing themselves onward and ahead. With a party member whose movements would be so restricted they’d be an easy target.

Finally, in his desire to make these people as angry, frustrated, on edge, and simply unable to function as possible, Ryker made sure they wouldn’t sleep.

He systematically installed self-regenerating spells that would make loud screeching noises every five to twenty minutes. They would last for only three seconds, but that’d be more than enough to wake anyone. No matter how asleep they were.

And when he felt like he’d made a dungeon that would truly test the limits of the churchgoers, and there was a distinct impression in his mind that he was at the point where he could do no more, Ryker let the dungeon end.

Deep underground, into an open room, and without an ability to get out. That large room had a rest area Ryker put into it. It had water and an unending supply of slimy, edible green algae.

This was a spot someone could sneak into and murder people if they weren’t on their guard.

To that end, Ryker cut a number of openings in the ceiling that would allow people to drop down out of. Shirley was not bound to him, which meant she could easily go on murder sprees all on her own. All it would require was mana. And if Ryker didn’t miss his guess, he could easily supply the dungeon with the generated faith rather than mana.

Which meant all the mana could be easily set aside for Shirley to wreak havoc with.

Satisfied that he’d met all the conditions he figured a dungeon would be beholden to, Ryker began repeating the exact same dungeon. Just with different monsters, different traps, and differing layouts. Everything was jumbled up, but all the nasty things and surprises were there in spades.

This dungeon went up to the exit and aboveground. Back up to the sun and freedom.

Having finished both patterns, Ryker went to the entrance and put down a very simple sign. It was a warning and a promise.

“All who enter will die.”

Finished with his work, Ryker spun up all that golden faith power that was constantly thrust onto him. Into him. That filled a reservoir he didn’t really understand and just assumed was much like his mana well.

Pulling deeply on that golden source, Ryker fed it all into the patterns. They were massive constructs that would require an insane amount of power.

Ryker felt like he had that available.

Especially when he utilized the earth in the way he had. All that dirt and stone would be displaced. It would have to go somewhere.

Which meant it could easily and happily assist with the construction of the dungeon.

A massive crack of thunder exploded in the air around him, and a giant magical dome appeared around the church of light.

It was a one-way type of magic, however. Anything could pass through from the outside, but never again could it leave from the inside.

The church could remain in that dome and enjoy the sun, the grass, and whatever water fell through it. If they managed themselves, they could probably survive for a while before their food sources ran out.

Even if they started farming, there was no way they’d be able to feed all their people with the limited space afforded to them.

Their alternative was to go down into the newly formed and made dungeon. To brave the depths and come out on the other side.

Ryker didn’t even think for a moment that he’d be able to kill them all. He had no disillusions that some of the church’s soldiers wouldn’t make it out. The difference was that by that time, he’d have whittled them down again.

They’d more than likely have almost nothing on them that could assist them with their journey or war with Dale.

Providing Lauren could arrive with her army, she could simply camp out at the entrance and execute anyone who came out.

Lauren wasn’t connected to the dungeon, which meant she could act as freely as she liked.

“Well, that’s rather nasty,” Amelia said.

“Thank you. I do pride myself in an efficient dungeon,” Ryker said. “Though I do miss simply having one that’s for storytelling purposes. I enjoyed it quite a bit.”

“Oh? What if you could fashion an entire world to your liking?” Amelia asked.

“What do you mean?”

“What if you could… make a world? Set the stage, so to speak. With all the rules you wanted, in any way you wished. Would you want to try it?”

Fashion a world…? I mean… it’d be like the dungeon, wouldn’t it? Just with a much larger scale and scope.

“Would depend on the limitations, I suppose,” Ryker muttered. “I find myself constantly hemmed in by mana costs and the inability to be ‘too lethal.’ You were right, by the way. I could feel it when I was starting to push things too far.”

“Yes. The system can be rather heavy handed at times. As for limitations… what if there weren’t any? What if it really was just whatever world you’d want to fashion?” Amelia asked.

Ryker didn’t really want to answer or think about that. Gods and goddesses had their own games that they played. And he was one of them now.

That meant he was fair game for them to take pot shots at.

“I’d ask what the strings were,” Ryker said.

“Once you started the world, it would act all in accordance with its own self. Whatever grand plan you had for it would probably go right off the rails within the first day,” Amelia said. “After all, people are people. Are they not?”

“Could I make… could I make course corrections? Change things?” Ryker asked. He was curious now. The idea appealed to him.

He’d loved building his dungeon.

“Some. You’d be limited, of course, but it’d be like being the overgod of a world. Couldn’t really affect the minds of the people, but you could affect everything else,” Amelia said.

“Mmm. Yes, I’d be interested. But… why do you ask? Idle curiosity?” Ryker asked.

“You could call it that,” Amelia said. “You could call it that.”

Chapter 27 - Revenge Served -

Crying into her hands, Shirley was hunched into herself. Dressed in little better than leather armor torn to rags, she looked like someone who’d been thrown through the mud of life and come out broken.

The two church of light soldiers coming out of the exit of the dungeon seemed wary. They were two men, one dressed in plate mail and the other wearing a long white robe.

Approaching Shirley without making much in the way of noise, they both seemed to be contemplating her. Clearly unwilling to call out to her, the men also didn’t seem willing to engage her.

However, they were both still closing in on her. Neither had drawn a weapon as of yet, but their intentions were clearly not altruistic either.

Ryker wasn’t sure how this one would turn out.

The two previous groups had all quickly started talking about who would get to take a turn on Shirley first. One group even had suggested they turn on the priestess who had accompanied them after they finished with Shirley.

Their corpses and equipment had long since been dissolved by the dungeon. Shirley having tossed them in after she’d killed them.

She’s certainly my equal now. I’m not sure if I could win without losing something at the same time. That mind of hers can certainly outpace my own at times.

Ryker grinned, watching his once-apprentice. She always impressed him. Always motivated and guided him.

Where he was in love with many, he was rapidly developing something else with Shirley. They all had certain roles that they filled. From Lauren being his best friend to Marybelle his comfort and support, they all did different things for his well-being.

Shirley pushed and pressed him. Fought and rode him down. Beat him and raised him up at the same time.

She constantly forced him to better himself, regardless of him liking it or not.

“I can hear you, you know,” Shirley said. “And I’m deeply flattered. I had no idea you loved me so sweetly, my beloved footstool. I’ll be sure to reward you tonight and let you care for me. You can rub my feet, my back, and then I’ll mount you.”

Ryker didn’t respond. He merely watched Shirley as she cried brokenly into her hands. Between her palms, though, he could see her wide grin. She was clearly enjoying being able to hear his thoughts.

Since they were operating so far afield, and so alone, he’d opened himself to Robyn and Shirley. They were all swapping and sharing things back and forth much quicker in that way than the dungeon sense.

“I would be willing to barter so I may participate,” Robyn said. “In the foot rubbing, back rubbing, and mounting.”

“Oh? I’m sure we could come to an arrangement,” Shirley said. “One second. I need to kill these light-biters.”

When it looked as if the church of light members had finally let down their guard, when Shirley looked like nothing more than a broken adventurer—she attacked.

Coming up in a spin, Shirley swiped her hand from the right to the left. She’d unfortunately developed the same habits Ryker suffered from. While she wasn’t limited to using magic with her hands, she preferred it.

A blade of magic tore through the air in a filament-thin strike.

The head of the man in robes simply peeled back from his neck and fell to the ground. His body following it quickly.

Unfortunately, the attack wasn’t as successful on the man in armor.

His shield came up at the last second and deflected the spell. It went high and into the ceiling above him.

Pulling his sword from its sheath, the man charged Shirley head on.

Clicking her tongue, Shirley built a shield in front of her at an angle. With her right hand, she rapidly constructed a lightning-bolt spell that would last for ten seconds after it connected with its target.

Ah, she’s going to use his armor as a conduit.

Hitting the spell with his shield, the paladin—because that was exactly what he was—slid off the angled magical construct. Losing his balance, the man went stumbling toward Shirley’s left side.

Pivoting, having expected exactly what happened, Shirley held her right hand out and back to douse the man in literal lightning from her spread fingertips.

Tilting her chin back, Shirley watched without emotion as she continued to shock the paladin. Shrieking in pain, the paladin began to roll back and forth on the ground. Begging for mercy, swearing off his god, and screaming, the man seemed willing to do anything.

“Fool, only now at the end do you understand,” Shirley said. The spell that had been about to run out doubled in length and intensity.

Several seconds after that, the paladin was little more than a smoking ruin of charred plate mail.

“Goodness,” Shirley said, then shook out her hand. “He was much stronger than the previous ones.”

“It isn’t surprising,” Robyn said from the alcove she was hiding in with Ryker. It was hidden from view and would be impossible to discern for anyone who wasn’t part of the dungeon. They’d be able to watch and speak with Shirley when they wished, while not directly interfering. “They did defeat a dragon just to get here. The other two groups did as well, but they utilized faith-based abilities, which meant they did not need to work as hard to do it. It would seem Lambart is limiting what they can use to get through since you’re here to… greet them.

“They’re doing very well for only having been running the dungeon for two weeks.”

“Yes, well. At least these two weren’t so quick to divvy me up,” Shirley said. Walking over to the still-smoking paladin, Shirley grabbed him by an arm. “I hate these types. They’re so damn heavy.”

Grunting and straining, Shirley began dragging him over to the entrance to the second dungeon.

She groaned as she walked the paladin’s corpse into the dungeon and then dropped it.

Walking back to the priest, she sighed and picked up the man’s head.

“I feel like I just make corpses all the time now,” Shirley said, peering at the slack face. “And it doesn’t even bother me. I do worry about that, you know. I used to care.”

She curled her arm back, then brought it forward and launched the head into the dungeon before grabbing the body.

“It’s normal. Has happened to every wizard I’ve ever known. In fact, every spellcaster I’ve ever known,” Ryker said. “I suspect there’s other factors at play. Perhaps you simply have something protecting you from feeling such things. Think of it as an always-active spell you just don’t know about.”

“A lovely thought. Right up there with the tooth fairy,” Shirley said, dropping the corpse at the entry to the dungeon. “And about as useful as the belief that no harm will ever befall me.”

“Optimism and hope are never wrong,” Robyn said.

“Yes, well, not everyone is a bright and cheery paladin, Robyn my dear,” Ryker said, watching Shirley walk back to her spot.

“Exactly. Before I met Ryker I—” Shirley squeaked as the sudden thump of a crossbow bolt striking into her chest cut her off.

Falling to her knees, Shirley looked down at the bolt sticking out of her.

“Fuck me. Again?” she asked, her hands closing around the bolt.

A second bolt struck her in the head and sent her now-lifeless body tumbling to the ground.

“Fuck, that hurts. Right in the boob. It’s always in the boobs. Hurt just as much as the time when you shot me. Speaking of, you’re an asshole, Ryker. You shot me,” Shirley said.

“He shot you in the boob, though. I hit you in the lung. You said the boob hurts more,” Ryker said.

“It does. Still. You shot me,” Shirley grumbled.

“I mean… yes? I didn’t know who you were. And aren’t you glad I shot you?” Ryker asked. “You wouldn’t be here right now if I hadn’t. So in reality, me shooting you was the best thing in the world that’s ever happened to you. Be sure to thank me.”

“I suppose so. Wouldn’t have my footstool now if you hadn’t. Still, I shan’t thank you,” Shirley said in an angry tone. Then her dungeon presence leapt on top of Ryker’s and forced him into holding her. Nestling into him, she latched her sense on to his. He couldn’t go anywhere without taking her with him. “There. You can be my footstool for a while.”

Running out of the dungeon came a group of three. One had a heavy crossbow that was raised to their shoulder even as they moved.

“Fuck!” said the woman in the lead. She was outfitted in heavy plate mail, but her helmet visor was up. She had dark green eyes and black eyebrows. “We weren’t fast enough, were we?”

“No,” said the man with the crossbow. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Fine. Set up in a corner, prepare defenses,” said the woman, gesturing at the two men with her.

“Oh, she’s direct and forceful,” Shirley said.

“And pretty,” Robyn said. “Should we collect her and feed her to Ryker?”

“No. Better not. Adele would hurt us both, even if it was amusing,” Shirley said.

“Har har. As if I needed more women,” Ryker said.

“Maybe for later then. Wrap her up in a cocoon and store her away for another time for him,” Shirley said. “Actually, I think I might do that. I’ll catch her tonight.”

The conversation was giving Ryker an odd feeling.

It was as if he’d forgotten something. That he needed to do something or fix something.

To collect something.

Something he should remember. Something he’d done and needed to follow up on.

But nothing came to him.

“…help you out,” Robyn said.

“Thanks! Should go easier with two of us. Just keep an eye on her. I’m going to go prep another avatar and see if I can’t kill that crossbow fucker,” Shirley said.

“Certainly, certainly. Then we can barter about beloved tonight. Correct?” Robyn asked.

Before Shirley could respond, Ryker snatched up Robyn and threw her off into the darkest part of his mind. He craved doing it to her on some level now.

Robyn shrieked, and then her voice was cut off and became a deep moan as she was subsumed in the quagmire he reserved just for her. After several seconds, even that faded into nothing as she was drowned in Ryker’s thoughts and couldn’t be heard further.

This was where he could do all the worst things to her personally and still enjoy it. Often, he found her own thoughts helped him refine that dark place, too.

“Well, that was rude,” Shirley said. “Be sure to give her back before I go in. I’ll need her help. She needs like ten minutes to cool off after you finish with her.”

Ryker felt like everything was moving in the right direction here now. Like he could leave it be and it would do just fine all on its own.

That meant he could go find Rob when Marybelle showed up with the new cores today.

***

Unfortunately, Ryker couldn’t really leave the dungeon as himself. He was acting as the core that kept both dungeons together there. On top of that, his body back at Dungeon was acting as the core there.

He had to go back to his body every so often just to make sure he ate, drank, and slept. All the while, his dungeon sense was tied back to the church of light dungeon.

There was the unfortunate reality that he was being stretched awfully thin. So thin that at times he couldn’t keep his thoughts straight anymore.

Once Marybelle had dropped the captaincy core into the dungeon, Ryker immediately tied everything to it. Then he strung it back to Dungeon. Just as he’d done with all the cores spread far and wide across Dale.

Now he was able to walk out of the light church dungeon on foot in an avatar form. Which he’d done several days previously. Since then, he’d simply been walking around in an ever-widening search pattern looking for Rob.

He’d finally found the man early this morning and had been walking straight towards him ever since.

The light church dungeon and its core had given him this opportunity. He wasn’t going to squander it.

Although the core had changed the game to a degree. As had his dungeon.

It was a new version that could be moved. Which meant once they were done with the church of light, he could pack up the core and go back to dungeon with it.

This would be something new for him. A mobile platform that could house and hold Ryker as he went about his business.

Making sure to block out Robyn, Shirley, and Wynne, Ryker focused on the only person able to read his thoughts directly.

Thanks again, Baby-Belle.

“Of course! What kind of terrible dungeon queen, mindwife, and housewife, would I be if I couldn’t handle something like that?” Marybelle said sweetly. “And do remember, Charlotte and Tris can somewhat understand what you’re thinking. Your emotions. You forgot to block them.”

Fuck.

I did.

Oh well. They can’t really read them though, right?

“That’s right. Only surface things. Like when you maul Robyn with your mind. They only know you’re thinking very dark and sexy things, not what’s happening,” Marybelle said. “I know I’ve said it before, but you really need to stop doing that to her. She’s becoming addicted to it. You’re not punishing her, you’re rewarding her.”

Whatever.

Anyways. You added some titles to yourself today. I’m surprised to hear you call yourself the dungeon queen. You were resistant to that previously.

“I was. But Wynne made it official earlier. She’s completely focused on building a queendom for the Fairies and Imps similar to Dale. She’s been speaking with Lauren quite a bit. With all that going on, she can’t take care of the dungeon side anymore. Not as well as she used to,” Marybelle said. “Hence, she made me the queen of the dungeon. I think, given my experience as a teacher and our… fabulous… working relationship, I can probably perform the function better than she could. As terrible as that sounds, I do believe it to be true.”

Good. We’ll just have to—

Ryker stopped mid-thought as he walked out of the woods and into a small clearing. Sitting on a log in front of him was Rob.

He’d found him.

Staring back at him was the source of an endless well of hatred and anger in Ryker. One he’d spared a number of times for the sake of others.

He’d set aside his revenge and bitter heart over and over.

For this moment right here.

Laughing, Ryker clapped his hands together and then pushed them out in front of him.

Before Rob could even move, he was struck by a small lightning bolt.

It was more than enough to make his joints lock up and his body lose complete control over itself.

Falling to the ground, Rob landed face down in the dirt next to his campfire.

“Rob,” Ryker said, skipping over to the fallen man. “Rob, Rob, Rob, Rob. Hello… Rob. Hello. Hello.”

Ryker let out a slow breath, a wide smile on his face. Getting down in a squat, he patted Rob on the shoulder.

“Hi… Rob. Hello. It’s… it’s so pleasant to see you,” Ryker said. “So… so pleasant. So lovely. So wonderful.”

Taking in a shuddering breath, Ryker felt absolutely splendid. Like the world had just shifted into absolute focus. Like everything he’d ever wanted was right here before him.

“Ry-ker,” Rob got out in two grunts. Apparently his diaphragm wasn’t working right yet.

“Oh, yes. It does make it hard to breathe when all the muscles seize up. It’s one of the reasons I do so enjoy lightning. Admittedly, I’m proficient in everything. In a related way, I hear every parent has a favorite child. You’re just not supposed to tell them about it,” Ryker said. “Good thing they’re not children. Just elements. Lightning is my favorite.”

Holding out his left hand, Ryker constructed a quick pattern of solid steel. Using his right hand, he pushed Rob’s hands together and then activated the pattern he’d been holding. Steel bands formed around Rob’s wrists and locked them to one another.

“Well. That’s done. Now it’s just a question of how to kill you,” Ryker said. “I made sure to bring health potions. That way if I decide to make it last, I can keep you going.”

“Work-for-Lauren,” Rob gasped.

“No. You don’t. I spoke with her,” Ryker said. “She said you quit. Said you felt guilty for something, I can’t remember what. I just remember you aren’t working for her anymore. Which means… which means you’re free game. I can kill you without a single shred of conscience that it’d impact Lauren.”

“No,” Rob said and took in a lungful of air. “I’ll go back and work for her.”

“Oh. No. No thanks,” Ryker said, patting Rob on the shoulder. “You’ll work for me. After I turn you into meat, I’m going to put you at the bottom of a pit. Then I’m going to put an outhouse on top of it.

“You have… no idea… NO IDEA… how much I’m looking forward to taking a morning shit on you. Every day. Mm… mmm mmm mmm. Every day I’ll get to shit on your corpse, knowing I killed you. That I put you there. That you couldn’t even stop me. One pump did that to you.”

Shivering, Ryker took in a quavering and audible breath.

“I can barely contain myself. I’m so excited. I can’t rush this, though. I can’t. I have to make it last. You only have one life to give, after all. I looked into how I could bring you back from the dead, but nothing would have really worked,” Ryker said. “Instead… I brought something. It’s what I call a captaincy core. It’s an extra one.

“I’m going to use it to trap your soul. Then I’m going to put it in the outhouse as a decorative piece. You can watch me shit on your corpse. For all time.”

Rob coughed several times, apparently regaining control over his body.

“And when that outhouse pit is full… I’m going to summon you up a new body. Fresh and clean. Then… kill you again. And put you under a new outhouse. And start shitting on you all over again. All over again,” Ryker said. “It’s going to be… beautiful. For all time. All time, Rob. All time.”

“You’re insane,” Rob said, rolling over onto his side.

Now that Ryker got a good look at the man, it was obvious that the once-infamous intelligence operative had fallen on hard times. His eyes were bloodshot, there were bags under his eyes, and dirt was rubbed into his stubble.

Even his clothes looked ratty and worn.

“No. I’m not. I’m just… really… motivated to make you wish for something you’ll never get,” Ryker said. “A swift death. I think… I think on the third go-round, I’m going to bury you in a public outhouse. Let all the citizens shit on you. Yeah, that’d be fun. Wouldn’t it? Something different.”

Rob shook his head and closed his eyes. Resting his head on the grass, he seemed to go slack.

As if all the life in him went out at the same time.

“Fine,” Rob said. “Fine. Just… get it over with then.”

“Haha, no. No, no. We won’t just… get it over with,” Ryker said. Biting at his lower lip, he reached out and punched Rob in the stomach with as much force as he could.

Rob crumpled up around Ryker’s fist, the air rushing out of his lungs.

“Not going to get it over with. With all the hell you put me through. You ruined my life… to the point that I had to flee the city in shame… no. We won’t just… get it over with. You’re a bully, Rob. A bully and a scumbag and… and so much more,” Ryker said. Reaching out, he patted Rob on the shoulder. “Going to take a while. Long while. Going to enjoy it.”

Without wanting it to happen, without wishing for it, a single thought bubbled up deep from his mind.

Could he be redeemed?

Shrieking at the damned idea, cursing it, and stomping it back to where it came from, Ryker denied it. Denied that Rob might deserve any such thing.

That he could ever be anything other than what he was today. That any niceties given to this sack of human filth would only be returned with violence and horror.

But could he be redeemed?

I was redeemed.

Wasn’t I? Don’t I pray to Rike?

Don’t… don’t I follow her tenets?

Growling, closing his eyes tightly, and looking to the side, Ryker was doing his best to smother the thoughts. Thoughts that kept coming up despite his will. No matter that he didn’t want to have them.

His anger cooled.

Cooled, hardened, and fractured.

In its place was a simple truth he’d already known. Known since he’d killed Gavin.

Revenge wouldn’t solve the hurt in him. Especially hurt like what Ryker felt.

Rob’s crimes weren’t actually crimes.

They were personal grievances.

Ryker felt washed out and empty. Like a glass with the bottom shattered. The burning hate was gone. All that was left was a sick realization of what he was about to do.

“Going… going to release you,” Ryker said after several seconds. Shaking his head, he couldn’t believe his own ears. “Don’t stay in Dale. Leave. Don’t come back. Live a better life. Rike would tell you to seek redemption and be better.”

Feeling his cheek twitch, Ryker prepared to dissolve the binding on Rob’s wrists.

Unable to help himself, he suddenly blasted Rob with a low-strength lightning spell. He kept it up, Rob screaming all the while, till Ryker noticed Rob had pissed himself.

“There,” Ryker said, then removed the pattern that held Rob’s hands together.

Getting up, Ryker left the clearing on shaky legs. His breath was coming in ragged gasps. He felt absolutely sick that he was letting Rob go.

There was no catharsis in the doing, no resolution, just anger at himself.

But he was doing what he knew Rike and Robyn would want of him. He couldn’t lie and say it was because he felt Rob deserved it. Or would make it work.

It was only for Rike and Robyn.

Mostly for Robyn, in truth.

Then Ryker dissolved his avatar, putting Rob out of his reach, and fled back to the church of light dungeon.

Chapter 28 - Sainthood -

Exiting the dungeon sense he’d been traveling on, Ryker aimed for the dungeon alcove that he, Robyn, Marybelle, and Shirley inhabited.

Winking out of existence for the transition, everything went dark. Just as it always did.

Then Ryker came back to himself inside what he could only think of as a temple. It was very clearly not the alcove.

“Shit, did I die again or something?” Ryker asked aloud. “That makes… what… number three? Four?”

“You’re technically on your third life,” said a voice from behind him.

Turning, Ryker found a woman standing behind him.

She was amazingly beautiful. More so than any woman he’d ever met in his life.

She had dazzling sapphire-blue eyes, delicate blond eyebrows, and long eyelashes. Her lips were full and pink. She had a wondrous smile as well.

Golden hair spilled down across her shoulders, and she had on a blue dress that did amazing things to her.

She was artistry made real.

“Rike?” Ryker asked. The eyes were the same he’d always seen previously. They were unmistakable and unique.

“In the flesh,” Rike said. Then she looked down at herself. “Well, as much as I can be, I suppose. There are so many silly rules about us that it makes it difficult at times.”

“Rules?” Ryker asked.

“Yes. Rules for gods and goddesses. As a demi-god, you’re only partially bound by them. You have a lot more leeway than I do,” Rike said with a dismissive hand wave. “I wouldn’t be able to appear as I am now if it weren’t for the fact that you’re a demi-god. Not enough power yet.

“It’s different for other worlds and planes, of course, but those are the rules here and now. Regardless of how Runner would like to change them.”

Blinking, Ryker processed all that.

“Runner can change them?” Ryker asked.

Rike opened her mouth, then closed it. Her pretty eyebrows came together as she settled into a full-blown frown.

“I think my sister just played a trick on me,” Rike muttered. “Amelia said she’d told you about everything.”

“I mean… I know this…world isn’t real. But I had no idea Runner was… I guess… in control?” Ryker asked.

“He is and isn’t at the same time,” Rike said. Then she sighed and pressed a hand over her eyes. “Another time. For now, I wanted to talk to you about what you’ve just done. Because I think the scope of it might be lost on you.”

Ryker had no idea how to respond anymore. Nothing made sense.

Marybelle? Are you here? Are you listening?

“Do you want her to be?” Rike said, looking at Ryker again. “Marybelle, that is. I blocked her from hearing this, but… if she’s your emotional support, I can summon her.”

“Uhm… yes?” Ryker asked. He really didn’t know what to do or say right now.

With a light popping noise, Marybelle’s Hobgoblin avatar was summoned into being next to him.

“What…? What’s going on?” Marybelle asked, looking around. “Ryker?”

“H-hey, Baby-Belle,” Ryker said, now even more at a loss. Then he held a hand out, indicating the lovely goddess. “This is Rike. Rike, Marybelle.”

Eyes widening, Marybelle turned to look at Rike.

“Hello,” said the goddess with a smile and a wave of her hand. “Now, let’s get to it, as it were.

“You… spared Rob. You spared him, gave him his life back, and spoke my name and my core belief to him. You didn’t just drop a rock into a pond—you let loose a boulder into a puddle.”

Ryker shrugged his shoulders and held up his hands.

“After everything you and your goody-goody keep saying, it’s hard not to want to believe in it,” Ryker said. “Even if I think it’s stupid and foolish, even I want to believe in it. And you helped me. You spared me. It seemed only right to return the favor.”

Rike was smiling as Ryker spoke, nodding her head slowly.

Marybelle’s hand slipped up into Ryker’s, and her fingers slid into his. Her skin felt warm and soft. Clenching her hand in his own, he held on to her.

“Which is righteous of you,” Rike said. “Righteous and true. That is a faith that is hard won, even in the face of doubt. Belief without doubt isn’t belief at all. Belief without questioning is blind and false.

“You believe, doubt, and still press on. That is such a true belief that I can’t even begin to fathom how you’ve done it.”

“Just… did what Robyn would tell me to do,” Ryker said.

“Yes, my first and most loyal will be rewarded heavily for her conversion of you,” Rike said with a wide grin. “She and Erin have done a marvelous job of spreading my word far and wide. The Queendom of Dale is rapidly becoming mine. I gain new followers every day. I’ve had to recruit a number of priests, priestesses, and paladins.”

“Right,” Ryker said stupidly. He had nothing else to offer.

“Anyways,” Rike said. “On top of all that is the fact that you’re a demi-god. Doing what you did partially stuck you into my pantheon. Without my intending it to happen, you’re going to end up becoming almost a ‘saint’ in my religion. So to speak.

“The pinnacle of redemption. A man of mud and blood, brought into the world with a lack he could never fill. To be persecuted, chased, and harmed by others. Who rises above and beyond all others. To lead a country out of its darkest times and become a demi-god, only to worship a goddess and forgive those who wronged him. It’s like something out of a fairytale.”

Grimacing, Ryker wanted no part in any of that. He really just wanted all of this to go away so he could get back to making dungeons with stories in them.

Though… I’m not really going to be able to let people die anymore, am I?

Or at the very least, I have to give them an opportunity to cheat death.

“Probably, my love. But I think that’s a thought for a better time. Is it not?” Marybelle said.

Immediately coming back to his current situation at Marybelle’s mental poke, Ryker blinked several times.

“It won’t be so bad, Ryker,” Rike said, walking over to him. “You’ll be part of my pantheon. The demi-god of dungeons and my first saint. The one who forgave.”

Reaching Ryker, Rike laid her hands on his shoulders.

An immediate warmth suffused him and filled him. It was like getting into a tub full of hot water that was the perfect temperature. Hot enough to make his skin itch, but not so hot that it made him uncomfortable.

“Receive my blessing as my saint and become part of my pantheon,” Rike said, squeezing his shoulders. “You will hear me much more easily and be welcomed with love in all my temples.”

In that statement, he realized he could refuse all this. Refuse it and be done with it.

Staring up into Rike’s loving and beautiful face, though, he realized he didn’t want to decline her invitation.

Where he’d gotten nothing from his revenge except an empty feeling, he’d be welcomed and forgiven despite having done what he’d done.

He’d atoned.

“Okay,” Ryker said tonelessly.

“In the words of my beloved—grand, you’re a real peach,” Rike said, grinning at him. “And on his behalf, thank you for the wedding gift. We’re yet to be wed, but I know he’ll very much enjoy the present. His happiness is my happiness.”

“Sure,” Ryker said, his mind still rather blank. It was also hard to think while Rike’s blessing was literally enveloping him into an ever-deeper warmth of love and security.

Lifting her hands from his shoulders, Rike nodded her head once.

“Your wives will of course receive part of my blessing. If it weren’t for them, I do not think you’d be the person you are today. You are… much more stable,” Rike said, turning her head to look at Marybelle. “And most of that stability I believe is due to a certain Fairy who’s been running herself ragged to keep you balanced.”

“I… he’s my Ryker,” Marybelle said, her tone strange. “If I didn’t do my all for him, he wouldn’t be at his best for everyone else. I can’t do as much as he can, but I can help him do more. I can do more that way.”

“Yes, I understand,” Rike said. Reaching out, she cupped Marybelle’s cheek gently with a hand. “Don’t fret. I’ll assist you going forward. As the Fairies and Imps worship Ryker, you in turn worship me now. I give you this single insight to take back to your kind.

“You are who you wish to be. Your avatar is what you see yourself as. Wynne has an avatar of a Fairy and sees that as her right and true body now, even though she is an avatar of herself. Why would you be any different as a Hobgoblin?”

Marybelle’s eyes were glossy. She looked like she was falling asleep.

“I understand,” Marybelle murmured, her eyes closing. “I’m who I wish to be.”

Then Marybelle vanished as if she’d never been there.

“There we go, that should help ease their hearts and minds. It’s different when it comes from a full-fledged goddess; don’t take it as an insult that they didn’t quite believe you,” Rike said, looking back at Ryker. “Don’t worry, you’ll be joining her in a second. I just wanted to tell you… stop rewarding Robyn for bad behavior.

“I need you to stop throwing her into that… disgusting… place in your mind when she annoys you. Unless you really are seeking to have her annoy you deliberately to be flung there. She really does enjoy the terrible things you do to her there. Far too much.”

Ryker let out a slow sigh. “Maybe. The idea of corrupting Robyn is rather lovely.”

Laughing, Rike shrugged her shoulders. “You’d be corrupting nothing. Sex is a good thing. What you’re doing to her is different, but it isn’t evil. She is a paladin of goodness and redemption. Sex is about as evil as eating.

“I’m only warning you for your own sake, unless you want another Shirley on your hands.”

Then, with a flash of light, Ryker found himself standing in the alcove.

“Oh, welcome back,” Shirley said, looking up from her seat. The alcove had become a home. It had bedrooms, a study, kitchen, cupboard, and dining room. Each one separated by walls of rock and simple hallways. While they were all avatars, that didn’t preclude simple needs they had to mend and restore their bodies. “Nothing going on here. That asshat of a vicar was out and about. He was calling on his god to strike down the dome. Apparently whatever you did is stronger than his faith. Ha.”

Before Ryker could respond, he was wrapped up in a crushing hug.

Robyn was pressing him into herself, her arms tight about his back like chains.

“Oh Ryker,” she purred in his ear, then began dragging him off to her bedroom regardless of how he felt about it. “My beloved savior. I’ve saved you after all. As her first paladin, and you her saint, we must immediately go to the bedroom.”

“Alright, not sure what happened, but clearly something did. I’ll ask Marybelle,” Shirley muttered, looking back at her book. “Be sure to bring him back before dinner, Robyn. Charlotte, Meino, Tris, and Benni are coming in their avatars.”

“Yes, Shirley,” Robyn replied, pulling Ryker into the bedroom.

***

Marybelle had taken to going into the dungeon to fight the soldiers on the premise that she wanted to improve her martial ability. Apparently, as the queen of the dungeon, and with no subjects, her duties had cleared up significantly. Her entire existence was now focused on the dungeon and what it needed.

And apparently that included being strong enough, and knowledgeable enough, to fight in her own dungeons.

More often than not, she died before she could even harm one of the soldiers. But that didn’t stop her from very clearly learning with each and every attack she launched. Each one got better, sharper, or more cunning.

Considering her win rate was zero, or what Ryker would probably consider even below zero, it cost them almost nothing for her to simply go into the dungeon and attack as she saw fit.

Ryker had a feeling that’d change the moment she got a kill.

“They’re here,” Shirley said. Her words broke Ryker away from watching Marybelle trying her luck in the dungeon.

Though he was betting she was going to get killed fairly quickly.

Again.

Walking into the alcove from the temporary staircase came Meino, Charlotte, Tris, and Benni. They’d finally made enough progress with Wynne that they could be spared to assist Ryker.

“Hello everyone,” Ryker said with a smile. Standing up, he walked over.

Tris didn’t say anything, just met Ryker and wrapped him up in a crushing hug.

Groaning under the strength of it, he patted the Elf warrior on the back and hugged her in return.

“Missed you, too,” Ryker said.

Tris wordlessly released him and walked over to Shirley, who was in full stoic mode right now.

Charlotte, Benni, and even Meino hugged him, said hello, and met him in a much more normal fashion.

Before Ryker could go back to his seat, however, Meino grabbed him by a shoulder and stuffed him down into her own lap as she sat down on the ground. She immediately began to groom the top of his head.

Rolling his eyes, Ryker didn’t fight her. He’d been expecting it, to be honest.

With a soft click, Marybelle appeared near the wall.

“Oh, I actually hit her with my staff,” said the Hobgoblin excitedly. “I hope it’s a nasty bruise.”

Laughing, Ryker raised his eyebrows at that. “Good job then. I honestly didn’t think you’d even get close enough.”

“I threw a spell at the warrior and jumped at the priestess,” Marybelle said. “And hello everyone. Welcome, welcome. Forgive me for leaving, but I want to get back in there.”

Marybelle vanished again, charging right back in.

With two different dungeons, and multiple groups in different areas, she was able to continuously reenter and attack.

“That’s… different,” Charlotte said, getting comfortable on the couch near where Meino had sat herself down.

“She’s taking her role of dungeon queen very seriously,” Ryker said as Meino’s tongue slid over his cheek. He was finding it hard to concentrate when Meino groomed him lately. She was a very pretty, human-looking Minotaur now. Her tongue was much more human-like now as well.

“Good,” Charlotte said, smiling. “I’m glad to see her spreading out. She had such a narrow focus up till now.”

“Mm. Anything to report, by the way?” Ryker asked.

“Nothing you probably haven’t already heard,” Charlotte said.

“Nothing,” Tris said, standing over Meino and Ryker. “All is the same. As it should be. Though you will need to go and visit Wynne soon. She is working with Lauren and Runner.”

“It’s only been like a day or two,” Ryker complained.

“You will need to go visit,” Tris said. There was no room for debate or questioning in her voice.

“Fine, fine. I’ll make sure to actually visit rather than just taking care of my body,” Ryker said. “Not much going on here. Just… grinding down the church with every pass they make through the dungeon. None of them have made it out yet through the second one, thankfully. Though I think they’ll manage it in a few days.”

“Oh? That makes things easier, I suppose,” Charlotte said. “I already reached out to the blades through their blade markers. I let them know there would be the opportunity to earn tokens over here. Assuming you don’t mind me paying them for dog tags.”

“Not a problem at all. Do as you see fit. You taking over the blades?” Ryker asked, peering up at Charlotte as Meino worked her tongue over Ryker’s neck.

“Indeed, I am. Unless you feel or have a reason why I shouldn’t,” Charlotte said, smirking at him. “Before you ask, Tris is in charge of the walls and defenses of Dungeon now. Wynne confirmed it after I gave up my own section. I did keep my captains and lieutenants, though. They’re filtering themselves out into the blades and becoming contacts and communication hubs.”

“No. No reason you shouldn’t. I think that’d be good for you. It matches what you’ve been doing anyways,” Ryker said, then looked at Tris. “And you’re alright with this?”

“Of course. I’m here to serve you,” Tris said, a small smile curling her lips as she stared hard at Ryker. “In whatever way you see fit to have me serve you.”

Oh. Well, that’s a cute little open invitation. I think I could play with Tris tonight.

As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, which Ryker realized belatedly she could, Tris nodded.

“Yes,” she said.

Marybelle appeared again and immediately started clapping her hands together. “Oh! I did it!”

“Really? You killed one?” Ryker asked.

“No! But I could have. I knocked the warrior and the rogue down and had the priest dead to rights,” Marybelle said. “Instead, I stole his bag and ran away.”

“What? Why?” Shirley asked, sounding genuinely confused. Everyone was watching Marybelle now. Even Meino had slowed in her near-frantic grooming of Ryker to look at Marybelle.

“Because then it’d cost to have me do this,” Marybelle said with a giggle. “But if I just steal the bag, I cause them much more damage, but I’m still just a non-lethal zero-point value attack. My goal is to practice, train, and… make their lives difficult. Maybe hurt them a bit. But so long as I never kill them, I can just keep coming at them.”

Everyone stared at Marybelle as if she was speaking a different language.

“I’m going into the dungeon,” Tris said, and then vanished.

“Me, too,” Charlotte and Robyn said as they also simply disappeared.

Groaning, Meino pressed her mouth to Ryker’s ear.

Then she huffed and nuzzled him. “Grooming you before and after you have Tris. I’m going into the dungeon as well.”

Suddenly, Ryker was alone with Shirley. Sometime in the realization of what she’d done, Marybelle had also fled back into the dungeon.

“So,” Shirley said, smiling at him, apparently realizing they were alone at the same time he did. “Think you can get me off in five minutes?”

“I can try,” Ryker said with a grin.

Chapter 29 - Familiar -

Staring down into the bassinet, Ryker didn’t know how he felt.

The tiny little girl inside it was staring back at him. Her eyes were wide and clearly watching him.

His daughter definitely looked as if she would grow up to share a face with her aunt and mother.

“I wonder if you’ll be more like Claire or Shirley,” Ryker mused aloud. “That royal Dale stamp seems to run heavy in your family. Especially in the girls.”

Smiling at him, his daughter made a cooing noise, one little fist thumping into her leg.

Grinning, Ryker turned his head to the other side.

He couldn’t touch his daughter, but he could at least watch her.

Claire remained in the dome with the vicar and several of his guards. For the life of him, Ryker couldn’t figure out why the vicar was keeping Claire and his daughter around.

Though at this moment, Ryker was glad for it. He could see his daughter. Even if he couldn’t hold her, he could see her. And she could see him.

“You have my eye shape, but Shirley’s eye color,” Ryker said, reaching out and wiggling a finger back and forth in front of the baby.

Cooing again, his daughter tried to grab his finger, her tiny fist passing right through it.

It left Ryker with an ache in his chest that felt like a physical punch.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” he said with a sad smile. “I’m so sorry. I’m not here. Not really. But it’s amazing you can see me. That alone means so much to me.”

“And what are you so cheerful about?” asked Claire from where she was reading a book nearby.

Looking up, Ryker couldn’t help but frown at the woman.

The last he’d seen her, she’d been an insane wreck.

Looking at her now, he could still see the insanity behind her eyes. She wasn’t right in the head anymore. But she’d also regained some of her previous composure.

“Your Aunt Claire was a happy baby, too, you know,” Claire said. “Before she stole everything from me. Haha. Hahaha. Stole everything from me.

“Stole it all away. But that’s okay.”

Claire nodded her head, not looking up from her book.

“Because I’m Shirley. Your mother is Claire, and I’m your aunt,” Claire said. “Your mother asked me to watch after you for a while. That’s all. Soon enough, your mother will come back and take you home, and I’ll go back to the family home. Where I can read.

“Hahaha. I can just read. Read. Yes. Read.”

The guard looked over at Claire, shook his head, and turned back to the tent flap. He was assigned to keep Claire inside and everyone else out.

As far as Ryker could tell, Claire was absolutely beyond cracked. She swung between complete instability and quiet insanity.

She was having a pretty good day right now, as far as he could tell.

“Yes. Soon I can give you to your mother,” Claire said. “Give you to your mother. And go read. Hahahaha. Yes. Yes.”

Sighing, Ryker looked back at his daughter. He’d tentatively come up with a name, with Shirley’s help. Her grandmother, Bianca. The one woman in the family who’d been kind to her when the rest of her family had taken it upon themselves to make Shirley feel as terrible as possible.

Or at least that was how she’d phrased it.

As far as he knew, Claire hadn’t named her; she seemed to refer to the baby as an it more than a person. Which made it all the easier for them to come up with a name on their own.

“It’s alright sweetie. Daddy will get you out as soon as he can,” Ryker said. “You just wait, Bianca. We’ll get you home safe and sound. You can meet your Aunt Shirley, who really wants to be your mom. You’ll see, it’ll all work out.”

Cooing again, Bianca continued to grasp at Ryker’s finger futilely. It didn’t seem to bother her that she couldn’t do it, though. She just kept trying over and over, all the while staring at Ryker’s face.

After another ten minutes, Ryker dissolved his presence inside the dome and went back to the alcove.

From there, he sent himself racing back to his body in Dungeon. He really didn’t want to go back to the alcove right now. It’d turned a bit too much into a “turn with Ryker” rotation system that kept him far more busy than he wanted to be.

Admittedly, it was fun, and a great way to pass the time, but after a while it was getting annoying.

Groaning after he hit his body and settled into it, Ryker felt like he’d been lying still far too long.

“Ugh, I need to visit more often, I think. This is becoming harder and harder,” Ryker grumbled. Reaching up, he started to rub at the back of his neck.

Sitting up, he swung his legs over the side of his bed.

With a sigh, he began to stretch himself out one way and then the other. Everything felt tight and sore.

Getting to his feet, he turned toward the bedside table and picked up the potion that was sitting there. It was something Wynne prepared for him and kept on hand. It helped with the body aches and pains.

After downing the thing in one go, he set the glass back down on the table and looked to the bed.

Curled up next to him, having practically been atop him, was Shirley.

Her stomach was just starting to show the barest whisper of her pregnancy. She’d been complaining bitterly about the fact that she had to hide herself away now and live in her avatar.

It was all so she could formally take Bianca as her own daughter without making the situation obvious. Charlotte was usually on the receiving end of the complaints, since it had been her suggestion to use what herbs she’d been taking.

Reaching over, Ryker pushed some of Shirley’s hair back from her face. Nodding his head as the potion took effect, he set off to find Wynne.

Linking up with her would be best.

He pushed himself slightly into the dungeon sense and tried to look for Wynne without being noticed. Going into the dungeon sense in the middle of Dungeon was always a great way to get bogged down by Imps and Fairies.

Wynne was speaking with Edwin Payne in Ryker’s “throne room.” She was seated in a third throne that’d been put in.

Which meant the total number of thrones there was now four. With a fifth behind those on an elevated dais.

Huh. Going out on a limb, but… Marybelle, Wynne, me, and Shirley. The one in the back being Lauren.

“That’s right,” Marybelle said.

“That’s what I get for asking a question in my own head,” Ryker muttered. “More people there waiting for anything than there are around me.”

Shaking his head, Ryker opened the door leading out of his bedroom and walked straight into Meino.

“Ah, there you are,” said the Minotaur. “I’m ready. Shall we go?”

“You… followed me?” Ryker asked, peering up at Meino. As far as he could tell, it was yet another avatar. Personally, he couldn’t manage to have more than one avatar active at a time.

Meino, Robyn, and a few of the Fairies and Imps seemed to be able to go beyond that.

“Of course. I’m your guard,” Meino said. “It is my duty to be at your side. As well as my pleasure.”

Grinning up at her, Ryker reached out and patted Meino on the stomach.

“You really are huge,” Ryker said suddenly.

“Yes. I know. Do you dislike it?” Meino asked.

“No. Just commenting. Alright, come on, throne room,” Ryker said, shoving at Meino.

She went with his hand and let herself be moved. Unless she was lost in her own thoughts or emotions, she never resisted his desires and wishes.

“I could make my avatar smaller,” Meino said, walking down the hall to the throne.

“Ha, no. I’ve got plenty of women my size or smaller. You’re my only big girl,” Ryker said.

“I’ll make myself bigger then,” Meino said.

“Eh… sure, why not? Might be interesting. Hush now—this isn’t fit conversation for wandering the halls. Lots of ears now,” Ryker grumbled.

“This is true. Though most of those ears are just Imps or Fairies trying to listen in,” Meino said. “They are easy enough to discourage.”

“They’re all, uh… that eager… still?” Ryker asked. Since he’d become their demi-god, a number of the Imps and Fairies had begun to literally throw themselves at him.

Apparently the bond he’d personally written on each of their souls had overwhelmed them.

“Many, yes,” Meino said. “It’s well and fine. I just have to clean up your bedroom now and again. They aren’t that troublesome. Just determined.”

Clean it up?

“Shoo them away, dear,” Marybelle said. “Sometimes more, but not often.”

Oh. Alright.

Opening the door to his throne room, Meino shoved it open and to one side.

When he walked in, he found Edwin and Wynne were in the middle of what looked like a trade discussion.

Looking up, both of them paused when they realized Ryker was there.

“Oh! Hello,” Wynne said, smiling at him.

“Heya,” Edwin said, nodding at Ryker. “And before you ask, dating a nice cousin of Claire’s. She introduced us. Looks a lot like Adele and acts like her, too. Pretty far down the royal line. Nice bonus with that. Nothing in the future I have to worry about.”

“Okay. Good. Glad you found someone with usable daddy issues,” Ryker said, walking over to Wynne.

Sighing, Edwin nodded his head again and then shook it.

“I mean, yeah? Whatever. We can pick this up later, Queen Wynne,” Edwin said, bowing to Wynne.

“That’d be most appreciated. Thank you for your awareness,” Wynne said, bowing her head to Edwin in return.

The man left with a wave at Ryker and closed the door behind him.

Reaching Wynne at the same time as the sound faded away, Ryker quickly wrapped her up in a hug.

“Hey there,” he said, hugging her.

“It’s good to see you, my silly king,” Wynne whispered against his ear, her arms pulling at him.

“Tris told me to visit, so I’m visiting. Something going on?” Ryker asked.

“Somewhat. We’re modifying the wall of Dungeon,” Wynne said.

“We are?”

Leaning away from Wynne, Ryker peered into her face, curious. That wasn’t exactly a small change. He could definitely see why Tris was telling him to visit and ask about what was going on.

“Yes!” Wynne said, patting him on the chest. “Don’t worry, it isn’t anything you wouldn’t want. We’re just extending it slightly so we can put in a fort and a gate along the coast. Along with a pier.

“It’ll give us a better ability to move about, launch boats, and reach out to the Lord of the North. It’ll also provide us with another hard point and shore up one of the few natural harbors we have up there. The fort will protect it.”

“Oh. Yeah. That all makes sense,” Ryker said, having to immediately agree with her statement. That really all sounded like things they should do. “Anything else?”

“Oh! Lots. Let’s see,” Wynne said, and she then started into describing every little thing to him that he might not have known had been changed.

Regretting his question, Ryker sat there and listened. Because he knew for a fact that sometimes, that was all he needed from others.

So how could he not offer the same to Wynne?

***

Sitting down on the bench, Ryker let out a slow breath. He’d patiently and diligently let Wynne unload on him. It’d taken the better part of an hour, but he’d taken it all with a smile. Walking over to a planter nearby, Meino sat down on the ground, pulled open the bag of oats she had in one hand, and began eating.

“Shirley?” Ryker asked to the quiet spot he knew was his link with her.

“Yes, my sweet footstool?” she replied quickly.

“Am I doing okay? Am I balancing… everyone… and their needs okay? You’d tell me if I wasn’t,” Ryker said.

He’d briefly contemplated asking Marybelle, but he wasn’t sure if he was taking care of her needs. The only one he really knew for certain was Shirley.

And that was because he’d often sat up at night just listening to her thoughts.

Listening to the soft patter of her thoughts had become calming to him. It was like listening to her whisper incessantly about the day’s activities and what she was planning for the next.

Eventually she’d run out of steam and fall off into sleep. Ryker often followed her in that sleepy decline.

“I… taking care of everyone? Well, yes. I’d say you are,” Shirley said. “I haven’t heard anything different. Nor do I think you’re failing anyone.

“You could probably give Meino a bit more personal time. She has to force you into things because you’re not approaching her as directly as you could. I think that’s it.”

“Really?” Ryker asked, feeling unsure about almost everything.

He couldn’t disagree with Shirley, though. Looking at Meino, he thought about his big personal guard. She gave him everything and asked nothing of him, really.

Right now, though, the Minotaur looked quite happy. She was eating her oats with her eyes closed, ears moving slightly as she tracked sounds.

“Oh, my footstool. Yes. Really. Everything is fine. Do you need me to help give you some direction later? Need your personal Shirley guiding session?” Shirley asked.

Thinking on that, Ryker realized he did. Desperately so.

He needed what she’d done for him repeatedly. Redirect, guide, and channel him.

“Yes… please. Thank you, Shirley,” Ryker said.

“Of course. Just promise me eventually you’ll run away with me. I’ll wait as long as I have to. I’m the Fairy princess herself. The only Fairy princess in the land,” Shirley said. “We have all the time in the world. Promise me it, and I’ll always give you your sessions without a delay.”

“I… I promise it. Yes,” Ryker said. Suddenly he knew it as truthfully as if he’d been punched in the face. Some of his wives were mortal and would fade from this world.

Shirley wouldn’t.

Her pressure on him was always there, asking him to run away and leave it all behind.

And he wanted to. He wanted to so badly.

“I promise you that I’ll eventually run away with you, Shirley. But it won’t be anytime soon,” Ryker said.

“Perfect. That’s all I ask. When you come back, I’ll take care of you, sweet footstool of mine,” Shirley said. Then she went back into her own thoughts.

Ryker never commented on what he heard there, so he could always listen to her without her thinking he could.

“Hullo mister,” said a tiny voice next to him.

Looking down and to his side, he found Dot.

A bandage was on the side of her face. He knew it covered the long, winding wound he’d seen her with earlier.

He’d never intended to have her on the wall.

“Hey… Dot,” Ryker said, immediately feeling sick.

“Are we going back to school soon?” Dot asked.

“School,” Ryker repeated.

“Mmhmm. Where we were learning magic and slept and ate and my friends were,” Dot said, smiling at him. She was missing several teeth.

He sincerely hoped they were baby teeth she’d lost.

“I… yes. We’ll go back to school soon. Are you looking forward to it?” Ryker asked.

“Mmhmm. I don’t like sleeping outside. I wanna go back to my home,” Dot said.

“Sleeping outside?” Ryker asked, his heart falling out of his chest even further.

“Yeah,” Dot said, smiling up at him. “But it’s okay! We’re going back to school and I can sleep in my bed.”

“Where are your parents? Your family?” Ryker asked.

“They were died,” Dot said. “Church of light solders died them.”

“I see,” Ryker said.

“My brother was died, too. We haven’t seen Daddy’s brother in a long time,” Dot said.

“Right. Right, okay. Right,” Ryker said, swallowing against the lump in his throat. “When did that happen exactly? When you… when you lost your parents.”

“On my birthday a few months ago,” Dot said. “I turned five.”

Ryker winced at that. He’d thought she was older. This was loading up his poor heart worse and worse with every sentence.

I let a little girl into a war who probably doesn’t even understand what death really is.

I shouldn’t have ever trained her.

I shouldn’t have.

I could have grabbed some of the Fairies and Imps and made them sit it out with the kids.

“Okay. Let’s… get you back to school then,” Ryker said with a sad smile for Dot.

“Good! I made friends. Can they come to school, too?” Dot asked.

“Friends?”

“Yes! Friends. Some of them are my age, some are older. But we can all go to school together and learn magic and things.

“I know they can learn magic because I put the testing dancing magic in their hands, and they could all do it! They all make it dance,” Dot said. “That means they can go to school, right?”

“You did—wait, where are your friends exactly?” Ryker asked.

“Over there. I told them they could all sleep here with me outside,” Dot said, then pointed off to the gardens of his backyard. “The nice ladies in the house feed us. It’s much nicer here than on the street, and we don’t have to ask strangers.”

“Right. And they can all ah—all make the magic dance?” Ryker said.

“Yes! I gave them the school test like what you gave me,” Dot said. “I can’t wait to get back to school. I’ve been practicing. Watch, watch. I’ll call Spark Friend to come and play.”

Dot held her hands out in front of her. In only a few seconds time, a strange pattern appeared in the air. At the center of it were runes he’d never seen before. Nor did they even look like runes.

They’re… almost like what a child would think runes should be. Aren’t they?

Like a child trying to draw letters and it’s just chicken scratch.

A crackling noise grew louder and louder. Then the hair on Ryker’s head started to stand on end. Before he could do anything about it or dismiss the pattern, it activated.

With an audible pop, a small creature made of lightning was summoned into being. It looked around, as if it could see, then began to chase its tail.

“Spark Friend, this is Mister Schoolmaster. Mister Schoolmaster, this is Spark Friend,” Dot said.

Immediately, the lightning creature turned and looked at Ryker, heeding Dot. It walked up to Ryker and then sat down, just as a dog would.

Waiting for more commands.

Right. Spark Friend.

It’s a familiar. I can see its bond with Dot.

Just… just a constructed familiar. That’s all.

No big deal. No big deal at all.

Fuck.

Chapter 30 - Challenge -

Looking at the familiar—because that was exactly what it was—Ryker wasn’t sure what to think. The rune made no sense, but it clearly held some sort of power.

Can’t really argue with the results.

“Can I try making Spark Friend?” Ryker asked, looking at Dot.

“Of course, Mister Schoolmaster,” Dot said. Then she reached out, took the pattern, and simply pushed it into Ryker’s hands.

Immediately, he felt the connection to Spark Friend.

Ryker knew instantly that it really was his name and that Dot had named him personally.

Confused by the fact that she’d been able to hand off the pattern to him, Ryker hesitated. With a shake of his head, he began inspecting it.

When he started to follow the pattern back to the rune, he realized the pattern itself was the rune.

The pattern is the rune, and the rune is the pattern. In fact, now that I look at it, the pattern and rune look a lot like Spark Friend.

Does… that make it what it is?

Dismissing the pattern after having memorized it, Ryker immediately remade it.

It promptly fizzled out.

Frowning, Ryker thought hard on what he’d just witnessed.

“Who showed you that pattern?” Ryker asked, still staring at the ground. He turned all his thoughts to this single thing.

“I made it up! I wanted a friend,” Dot said. “So I made him.”

“Mm,” Ryker said noncommittally. He’d done everything in his life by the book so far. If it didn’t exist before then, to Ryker, it wasn’t going to exist in the future.

There wasn’t a single thing he did that wasn’t based in someone else doing it before him.

Taking in a slow breath, Ryker gave up.

I want Tar. I want him here.

And Tar… looks like this.

This is Tar, and Tar is this. Tar will simply be here.

Because… because that’s the way it is.

Pushing his entire expectation into the spell, Ryker built out the pattern. He didn’t try to force it; he simply tried to draw Tar. Draw him in the same way Dot had clearly drawn out Spark Friend.

Ryker took it further, though. As he built the pattern, he drew the rune and put his mental image of Tar into the pattern.

It wasn’t a recreation of Tar—it was Tar. It would bring his wayward familiar to him, wherever it had gotten off to.

When he finished the pattern, Ryker felt something happen. He couldn’t tell what it was, but it was like someone had opened a door to somewhere dark.

Dark and deep.

Somewhere Ryker shouldn’t be.

With a screech and a muffled thump, a cloud of black abyssal smoke appeared in front of him. Then it vanished as quickly as it’d come.

There, in the middle of the black acrid smoke, was a skeleton. Ryker didn’t have to look at it for long to realize it was indeed Tar.

He hadn’t seen Tar in so long because Tar was dead.

Dirt and grass began to rush up and over the bleached bones, wrapping around them and settling over them.

Eventually nothing of the bones could be seen. They were entirely covered by green grass.

I suppose th—

With a boom, the corpse of Tar vanished in an explosion of magic. The pattern Ryker had drawn came back and began to glow brightly.

And Tar appeared, hovering in the air in front of Ryker.

“Hello, I’m hungry,” Tar said, peering at Ryker.

Staring back at the familiar, it took Ryker a bit longer than he realized to respond.

“Considering you were dead, I imagine you might be,” Ryker said. He connected his familiar to his greatly expanded mana well.

“Yes. Angry god killed me. Was coming to warn you not to visit special lady. Angry god waiting to hurt you,” Tar said, feasting on the mana well. He was also widening it and expanding the well even as he did so.

Visit special lady? I don’t—oh. Oh!

“You were coming to warn me not to visit Diane,” Ryker said.

“Yes. Angry light god was going to hurt you. Doesn’t matter. You fine. I’m not dead,” Tar said.

Ryker nodded, then laughed as Tar flopped over his shoulder and lay there. Then his breath caught in his chest.

“Glad to have you back. I didn’t know where you’d gotten off to,” Ryker said and meant it. Tar had bonded with him. Even when Ryker had had almost nothing to offer the little creature.

He’d felt incredibly blessed and hadn’t realized how much he’d missed him.

“Yes. Good to be back. Much stronger now. Tar feels strange as well. Sleep now. Full. Well is nice and big. Sleep there. Send me,” Tar said.

Ryker didn’t know what Tar was asking for, but he had an inkling of an idea.

Grasping Tar’s pattern, Ryker pushed the whole thing straight into where his mana well was.

Tar let out a happy sigh and vanished.

Dot promptly clapped her hands and giggled insanely.

“Such a cute baby dragon!” Dot said. “I want to make one now!”

Facing forward promptly, Dot effortlessly began making a pattern of her own. In less than a minute, she popped her little hands together, and a dark-red imitation of Tar appeared in the air. Then it flapped its wings once and glomped onto Dot.

“Hahahaha, I can hear it in my mind! This is Drake Friend!” Dot said, holding Drake Friend with one arm. With the other, she summoned up Spark Friend. “Now I have two magic friends.”

You’re going to be very strong one day, Dot.

Very strong.

***

Snapping back into the alcove, Ryker immediately felt like something wasn’t right.

Ryker.

Rike was there in his mind.

A champion of Lambart has invaded the city of Felist nearby.

Please, go there and help.

“Uh, right,” Ryker said, then immediately cast himself back out of the alcove and started heading northeast. He had only been to Felist once, but he felt reasonably sure he was heading in the right direction.

It’s to the northwest.

Thank you, Ryker.

Growling under his breath, Ryker changed course and sped along toward Felist.

Before he got there, he knew where he needed to be. He could feel the champion. It was very strange, but it was as if there was a magnet in his chest.

He just knew where this person was. Knew that it was a man, that he worked for Lambart, and that he intended ill for the worshipers of Rike and citizens of Felist.

Constructing an avatar on the fly, Ryker built up a clone of himself.

Benni had spent a long time making his avatar a perfect wizard. Who was he to mess with that and change it up now?

When he got within twenty feet of the champion, Ryker summoned his avatar.

Appearing out of thin air, he kept walking towards the enemy champion.

There was no reason to hold back. He knew this man was his enemy. His foe. If he could kill him faster than he could speak, all the better.

Standing in front of him was a man in glowing white plate mail. It was clear he served Lambart for that reason alone. He had a helmet on, which made it so nothing of the man’s face and head could be seen.

Once again, Ryker felt like the god and his cronies seemed to clothe themselves as prettily and beautifully in goodness as possible so as to hide the filth beneath.

With a crackle, Tar came out of Ryker’s mana well. The black-scaled homunculus had lines of twisting blue lightning running across his scales. His eyes were elemental water that glowed a dark ocean-green color. Trailing behind him was a golden tail that seemed to reek of faith magic.

Tar was also about four times as big as he’d been previously.

Bigger mana well, bigger Tar? Huh.

Constructing a golden shield of faith in his left hand, Ryker built a spear of water in his right with a lightning tip.

Rolling his arm back, Ryker prepared to throw the spear.

“Another step and I’ll kill everyone in Felist!” shouted the champion.

All the more reason to instantly kill him!

“If I die, all my spells will go off and the whole city will explode!” shouted the champion in a high-pitched voice.

Stopping, Ryker glared at the man.

He’d built his fair share of dead-man’s spells. Spells that would simply go off if his life ended. They were usually a form of insurance or control in a situation.

Mutual destruction was a great deterrent for anyone sane.

“I’m on my way,” Shirley said in his mind. Apparently at some point she’d pushed into his awareness. That or she’d never actually left.

Ryker found he didn’t care.

“I’ll start inspecting the city. You keep him busy,” Shirley said.

Letting his arm fall to his side, Ryker watched the enemy champion. Who watched him in return.

After what felt like fifteen seconds, Ryker shrugged.

“Waiting,” he said. “Say what you have to. Telling you right now, though, your life is forfeit one way or another. Not your territory, not your land. I’m going to pull your head off, clean it out, and use your skull as a chamber pot. Turn your lower jaw into a stand for it.”

The champion of light didn’t seem to take that very well. He began to shiver—in rage or fear, Ryker couldn’t tell.

“How dare y—”

“Yeah, yeah, heard that one before,” Ryker said, interrupting the man. “Lambart can suck sweetly on me while I carve open his skull. Get to the point, you daft fuck, so I can kill you. Unless you wanna spare me the issue and kill yourself. That’d be great.”

“I-I-I—you are the most evil man I’ve ever met,” said the champion. “I’ve come to barter for the release of his most holy of holy soldiers.”

“Uh huh. And what are you bartering for the lowest of the low’s disgusting thugs?” Ryker asked.

“That I spare the lives of the city of Felist,” said the champion, pointing to the city behind himself. “They are worshipers of the most foul Rike. She who was once goodness but is now fallen and depraved. She who—”

“Will be eating out of your stomach after I fill it with your flesh and bake it in an oven,” Ryker said. “City hostage or not, speak poorly of her again and I’ll just kill you. Here and now. Do you understand? You’re bartering with someone who really doesn’t care.

“Right now I’m still weighing out whether it’s worth letting the city die just so I can kill you, then kill the entire army of worthless shits I have trapped,” Ryker said. “Leaning more towards killing you right now.”

“Wh-what?” asked the champion.

“I might kill you anyways. Fuck Felist,” Ryker said, shaking his head and giving the champion a wide-eyed stare. “I feel like Felist is an appropriate sacrifice to kill you and all those church of light fuckers. You’re only making it easier by the second. Hostages only work if I give a shit about them. Surprise, I don’t.”

“I’m here now,” Shirley said. “I’m in the city. I’m moving as fast as I can to try and figure out what he’s done. Any clues?”

“Spells. Spells that were laid down and will go off if this one dies, supposedly,” Ryker said. “Try looking for magical impressions left behind. I can’t imagine there’s been too many master-class magic users wandering through there in the last twenty-four hours. Last I knew, that city was relatively simple.”

“Got it. I’ll do what I can,” Shirley said.

“Then I’ll make it simple,” the champion said. “In this city are hundreds of children. All who worship Rike. If you let them die, that would be a serious transgression of her faith.

“That someone such as you could allow so many of her followers to die when he could stop it. It’d be quite a blow to her and her believers.”

Sucking on his teeth, Ryker thought on that. He didn’t want to harm Rike. He had no way of knowing if it was true or not, though.

He’s not lying. It truly would cause me great harm if allowed to happen. Truly great harm to me, Robyn, and my followers.

We could recover in a year if we were patient and worked at it. But it would indeed be a blow.

As this is a war being fought by you almost exclusively, I shall not suggest any course of action.

Not even advice?

No. I fear I would contaminate your choice. Life is as much free will as you would believe it to be. This is one of those moments where I cannot suggest anything.

“Alright. Fine,” Ryker said. “Let’s hear what you have to say and offer. What do you propose then, goat fucker?”

“Now see here—”

Ryker lifted his spear back up.

“Okay! Okay. I want you to release the church of light soldiers from your trap and let them go free,” said the champion.

“Okay, and what do I get for doing that?” Ryker asked.

“I don’t kill your citizens,” the champion said.

“Uh huh. See, here’s what I have a problem with. Where I can’t help but feel like I’m better off killing you,” Ryker said. “You’re threatening children, old people, orphans, everyone in that city. All for the sake of an army that murdered and raped its way to where it is today.

“There is nothing in your offer that would guarantee me their safety or that you wouldn’t do it again. In fact, if I agree to this, there’s nothing to stop you from doing it again.

“So… as I said… I might be better off killing you and then the army. Then maybe flying out to the city with the most temples for Lambart and returning the favor.”

The champion didn’t move or speak. He just stared at Ryker as if not really understanding what had just been said.

“You don’t get it? You just upped the ante,” Ryker said. “Not sure if this was your plan or the cum-guzzling, cock-stroking Lambart’s, but you just gave me an absolute perfect weapon to use on your own cities. Hold them hostage and then wipe them out.

“What’s to stop me from doing the same thing you’re doing today? Hm?”

Shaking his head, the champion apparently hadn’t considered that.

“No. You can’t,” said the man.

“Can. And will,” Ryker said. “Let’s call it for what this is. You and Lambart have demonstrated you have no moral qualms about murdering innocents. Why should I treat you any better?

“So, when this is over, regardless of Felist standing or not, I’m going to go on a city-killing extravaganza. Start torching everything with a temple to Lambart in it until there’s nothing left,” Ryker said. “Do you think that would kill him, by the way? If I blow up every single temple, would that make him cease to exist? It’ll be fun to find out. Speaking of… where are you from? Maybe I’ll visit there after the first one.

“As I said, you’ve upped the ante, killed yourself, and honestly made this whole thing so much worse. I was content to whittle away the army that’d been sent to kill my countrymen and steal from my people. Grind them down and kill them and consider it a done deal. Not anymore.”

“I think I found some of the spells. They’re directly tied into buildings and being fed from the mana in the ground itself,” Shirley said.

“Okay. Be careful. I’ve known a few wizards, myself included, who put patterns in that would make them detonate even just from a casual inspection,” Ryker said. “When their job is to blow up, there’s really no need to put in any type of safety system, after all.”

“I think… yeah. I think you’re right. I think any attempt at all on my part to see what I can do will set this off,” Shirley said. “On top of that… I think they’re all chained together. If one goes off, they all go off. I can’t do anything with this.”

“Alright. We’ll… do something else then. Get out of there. No sense in risking yourself if you can’t do anything,” Ryker said.

“I think… I think maybe… maybe we could… ah…” The champion’s voice trailed off.

“Yeah, no way out of this one, is there? It’s done—pandora’s box is opened. When you introduce a weapon, or a way of using it, you can’t expect it to not come back at you,” Ryker said.

“This is unacceptable,” said a voice Ryker didn’t recognize.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t have condoned such an action, brother,” replied Rike.

Ah. That’s Lambart then?

A golden beam of light appeared off to the side of Lambart’s champion. There was no humanity there.

Beside Ryker, Rike coalesced and formed with a tinkling of bells.

“This is unacceptable,” said the beam of light.

“Angry god who killed me,” Tar hissed.

“It is? Lambart? That makes sense,” Ryker said.

“So you mentioned,” Rike purred, crossing her arms under her breasts. “I look forward to watching your cities smolder and burn as Ryker puts them to the torch. And now that I think about it… I bet Runner could be enticed to do the same.”

The glow that was Lambart became so dark, it could be called purple.

“No. This is unacceptable,” Lambart repeated.

“I’m heading to the capital of Trevail. Let’s see how they like the place after I turn it into a molten crater,” Shirley said.

“No!” Lambart said, his voice rising in volume. Suddenly his light became a very brilliant white.

Apparently, he could hear Shirley inside of Ryker’s own head.

“Yes,” Rike said, lifting a hand up. “You cannot interfere, brother. By the same rules and laws we are both bound. You’re the one who brought this style of warfare about; do not be so wounded that it will be used against you.”

“I demand to make an accord,” Lambart said.

“That’s nice,” Ryker said. “I don’t really care. Why don’t you go be a chandelier somewhere? I’m sure there’s plenty of huts on the outskirts of Trevail that could use it.

“Right now, I think I’m going to let Felist go boom. Right after that, though, I’m going to head over to the second most populated city of Trevail. Well, after I kill your champion here.”

“Sister, I wish an accord!” shouted Lambart.

“Oh, now I’m your sister? Hmph. And what of Ernsta and Brunhild? Are they your sisters now too?” Rike said, shaking her head. “They’re my sisters. Just as Amelia is my sister. But you? You’re not my brother. It was stupid to even address you as that. You’re dead to me.”

“An accord,” Lambart said. Apparently he had a very narrow ability to produce thought.

Sighing, Rike shook her head. Then she turned to Ryker and gave him a bright smile.

“As a demi-god in my pantheon, what say you?” Rike asked.

“I uh… I defer to you?” Ryker asked, feeling very unsure.

“Hm,” Rike said, nodding and looking back at Lambart. “I will allow half your army to leave the lands of Dale, and you shall free the city of Felist. Such a weapon shall never be used again under any pretense, lest you suffer the same calamity.

“I would agree to that accord. Providing Rannulf and Runner also agreed to such a thing. I believe with them all swearing to such a thing, we could enforce a pact on the rest.”

“I agree,” said the disembodied voice of Runner. “Also, hi Uncle. Alaric wants to come visit when you’re done with the church. Kitten and Lady Death want to come over as well.”

“Uh… okay,” Ryker said, unsure.

“I also agree,” said a voice in a sibilant hiss that Ryker didn’t recognize.

“I agree,” Lambart said. “But I pick which half of the army is allowed to go free.”

“Fine,” Rike said.

There was a sudden crack of thunder. Though nothing else happened.

“It’s done then. We’re in accord, and the pact is set down,” Rike said. “We should all be on our way.”

Ryker knew this was his chance to strike a blow to Lambart and his damned church, to pay them back for all the wrongs they’d committed to Dale and her people, to Lauren and himself.

Taking a breath, he cleared his throat.

“I challenge Lambart and two of his champions in a duel to the death for the title ‘of the light’ to be given to Rike. I offer the opposing wager of myself and the dungeon,” Ryker said.

The disembodied laughter of Runner was loud and crass.

“Holy shit! That’s amazing. Yes! Please, yes. Lambart, you dickless coward, let’s see you put your money where your mouth is,” Runner crowed. “I bet on Ryker as well. I offer my title of God-Emperor and one hundred of my tanks. In return, I’ll take half of your faith for the next six months, Lambart, and your strongest priestess.”

Looking at Rike to see if he’d miscalculated, Ryker found that she was grinning at him. Her eyes were wide, brilliant, and hungry.

Hungry for Lambart’s title.

“I also shall bet on Ryker. My ‘the redeemed’ title shall be on the line, and six years of my entire faith pool, in exchange for Lambart’s founding relic,” Rike said.

There was a deathly silence as everyone looked to Lambart’s light. No one seemed to even be breathing.

“Unless you’re afraid that your light isn’t strong enough,” Ryker offered. “And that you’re weaker than Rannulf. I’m sure the lord of darkness would have already taken the challenge.”

“Of course,” hissed Rannulf.

The dimly glowing light that was Lambart exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors and reflections.

“I accept!” roared Lambart.

Chapter 31 - Duel -

“There will be one change, however,” Lambart said. “This shall be a contest of equals. One champion and one other of the faithful. Both to fight at the same time. I’ll not have it said that I won this unfairly in an unequal match.”

“As you like,” Rike said, then turned to Ryker.

“Robyn,” Ryker said aloud. He knew she was going to ask who to summon. Among those who worshiped Rike, he imagined there would be no one else who would fight with more determination than Robyn.

Though Ryker did regret that Shirley didn’t worship Rike as fervently.

With a sharp pop, Robyn simply appeared between Rike and Ryker.

“What…?” Robyn asked, looking around. Then her eyes landed on Rike. “My lady!”

Immediately, Robyn dropped to the ground and bent down low to the goddess.

“Rise, dear Robyn,” Rike said. “Ryker has challenged the champion of Lambart in a duel to the death. There is much at stake, and he has chosen you to fight beside him. Do you accept?”

“Yes!” Robyn shouted as soon as Rike finished speaking. Standing up, Robyn had a look of absolute joy on her face.

The bright white wings on her back shot straight out as her armor formed from nothing on her body and glowed brightly. She held her hand out to her side, and the shining silver sword she wielded immediately sprang into being.

As she turned, Robyn’s eyes found Lambart’s shining pillar.

“False one!” Robyn screamed, pointing her blade at Lambart. Her wings quivered in agitation on her back. “False and foul! I have killed many of your faithful who spread your poison! I greet the opportunity to remove your champion’s head from their shoulders!”

“The fallen one,” Lambart said. “As the challenged, I will choose the location. The cathedral of light shall suffice.”

Everything went dark for a split second. As if they were transported to another location entirely, Ryker found himself in what he could only describe as a grand old church.

Wooden pews, stone arches, and Lambart’s iconography were everywhere.

Thankfully the location was free of people. There was nothing here that Ryker had any attachment to.

With any luck, I can use that to my advantage.

“Begin!” shouted Lambart.

Shocked, and not expecting such a quick start, Ryker threw a shield out in front of him and Robyn. He’d practiced too long with his father once upon a time to let a cheap tactic surprise him. His father had used every dirty trick in the book.

Two spells made impact with the shield and splattered off toward the ceiling.

Robyn held her left hand out in front of her, and a shield of glowing blue light formed there. Holding it, the paladin began marching forward.

Looking across the way, Ryker saw the champion of Lambart moving toward Robyn. A woman in a bright-white robes stood nearby, working through several spells.

Putting together a mana-draining pattern, Ryker stuffed it into a mana frame that would do absolutely nothing. It was there simply to carry the drain to the woman.

Tar shot out from around Ryker, curved out around Robyn, and slammed into the champion’s shield. With a screech of metal, the entire thing was torn from the man’s hand and sent clattering off to one side.

Laughing, Ryker flicked out the mana-drain spell, then built in a limiter spell into his shield, a crumpling effect, and threw it out as well.

The woman noticed the spells and turned her attention to them. Ryker had no idea how accomplished she was, but if Lambart had chosen her, Ryker would assume she was at least as good as he was.

With that framework in mind, Ryker immediately began putting together another spell. This time it was a construct of absolute force, all hidden behind a wind spell.

Glancing up at his foe, Ryker found that the carrier spell had been broken apart. The drain was firmly attached to her midsection and seemed to be doing its job.

As for the shield spell, it’d landed exactly where Ryker had intended it, and it was already closing in on the woman. Any spell she threw would be redirected back at her.

Looking at Robyn and the champion, Ryker saw they were deeply engaged in what looked like a sword fight. He couldn’t be sure, though, as they were moving so fast he could barely keep track.

Tar seemed equally unsure and hadn’t reengaged. Although he was constantly moving in on the champion’s flank, trying to get at the man’s back.

Turning with the constant pressure and keeping Tar to his side, Lambart’s champion was apparently well versed in combat. Robyn wasn’t going to get an easy victory.

Finishing the force spell, Ryker thrust it forward and followed it in.

From the look of his opponent, she was better versed in structured duel forms of magical combat. If he could get in her face and use cones, touch magic, and area of effect, he’d probably have the advantage.

Smashing out in front of him went the spell of sheer force. It upturned pews, knocked aside decorations, and generally destroyed everything it touched.

When it blasted through the pulpit, it seemed to splinter it outright. Bits of wood went flying in every direction.

“How dare you!” shouted the woman. Ryker couldn’t see her through his spell work, but he knew where she was.

Passing by the spot where Robyn and the champion fought, Ryker paused for a second to throw a brick of earth at the man’s knee.

Lambart’s champion had been careful. He was sliding his feet around rather than picking them up terribly far. He was also using a great deal of agility and dexterity in his movements.

Taking out his knee would probably end the fight.

As if sensing the attack, the champion shifted away, and the brick harmlessly smashed into the ground behind him.

It created a solid crater in the ground, and shards of rock and stone went flying in every direction.

Focusing back on his own fight, Ryker found that he was looking at his opponent again.

She’d somehow dismissed the drain spell, the shield, and the force spell. Staring back at him, she seemed mildly shocked that he was already within ten feet of her.

Holding up his left hand, Ryker built a pattern of lightning and began speeding mana through it. Crackling and hissing, the bolts slammed out at the woman, everything around her, the ceiling above her, and even the ground beneath her feet.

With a shriek, the woman made a constructed spell of pure light. Rather than canceling or stopping the bolts, the shield began absorbing the spell and channeling it elsewhere.

Where it went, Ryker had no idea, but he had a feeling he needed to be ready for something to come back at him.

Lifting up his right hand, Ryker shut off the electrical spray and then began to batter at the woman’s shield with the elemental water gift Shirley’s bit of soul had given him.

I should make Robyn take an element and give it to me as well. Same with Marybelle, Benni, and Wynne.

In fact, I could make Charlotte and Tris do it as well. They have a much lesser bond space with me, but they’re still there.

Realizing his thoughts were running away with him, Ryker refocused his mind back on the fight.

The torrent of water had knocked the woman off her feet and sent her careening toward a wall. The attack had been physical in nature, the water having no magical source other than its summoning and direction.

Screaming, the woman was slammed into the wall with a force that would likely break bones.

Ryker smirked to himself as he continued to pound the woman down without a shred of mercy.

Then his spell was cut short, and a massive burning sensation washed over and through his chest.

Looking down, he found the tip of a sword sticking out of his chest.

Groaning, Ryker stumbled to one side, taking the blade with him as he went. Collapsing to one knee, he felt his breath coming in a strange, half-strangled gasp.

Looking over, he saw the champion of Lambart had stabbed him in the back. Robyn and Tar were in the process of violently murdering the man now. Without his sword, he was at a significant disadvantage.

Wheezing, Ryker looked down at the blade sticking out of him. He felt like he was getting colder by the second.

Shit. Okay.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

Uhm.

Not thinking very clearly, Ryker shoved the blade back into his chest. Reaching around behind him, he yanked it clear.

Which apparently was a very bad idea.

Whimpering, Ryker fell forward onto his chest. Everything hurt, and it felt like he was bleeding out very quickly.

Reaching into himself Ryker peered into his body with his dungeon sense.

His lung was collapsed and filling with blood. Either an artery or a very big vein in the middle of his chest had been cut. Now blood was going everywhere and all over.

Somehow, though, the man had missed Ryker’s heart. It was a small blessing that was keeping him alive right now.

Play dead for a minute and get this fixed, then kill the woman.

Yeah. That’s… yeah.

Ryker’s vision went dark for a second before he came back to himself.

Fuck!

Scrambling, Ryker built small spells that were simple constructs. They were made to patch the area that’d been ripped open in his lung and bridge the gap between the severed blood vessels.

Feebly, the spells responded. Slowly doing what he wanted them to.

Once they were in place, Ryker didn’t feel any better. His lung didn’t seem to be inflating very well. At least the blood loss had stopped, though.

Looking at his good lung, he quickly surmised that something was inhibiting his lung from expanding. Comparing it for a few more seconds, he was able to figure that it was air. Air was in a space it shouldn’t be.

It reminded him of when he’d shot Shirley with the crossbow.

Forming a construct that was a duplicate of the one he’d used to patch up his blood vessels, though much larger, Ryker stuck it into the space he suspected was the problem.

Almost instantly, he felt like he could get a deep breath as the air began to rush out through the tube.

Getting up to his knees, Ryker felt like he could breathe again. Though he’d have to keep up the spells in his chest. They were the only things keeping him together right now.

The woman in robes was battering Robyn relentlessly. Forcing her further and further back. Robyn had nowhere to go and was more or less hiding behind her shield.

Tar was with her, working to deflect, soften, or cancel any spell he could.

It was obvious they were being overpowered though, and they weren’t equipped to deal with the woman.

Grabbing the sword that was covered in his own blood, Ryker rose shakily to his feet.

Walking past the corpse of Lambart’s champion, whose head had been crushed in despite the helmet he wore, Ryker trudged toward the woman.

Not noticing him, and acting as if he didn’t even exist, the woman continued to blast away at Robyn. The entire time she did so, she was screaming. Screaming what Ryker could only assume were obscenities.

He had no doubt that Robyn was probably one of the biggest sources of hatred inside the church of light itself. She had once been one of the highest in their ranks, and now she served Rike.

Directly opposing the church of light itself and going after its members with what they would probably consider “unholy abandon.”

When he finally reached the woman, Ryker tackled her more than anything else. He’d been trying to lift his arm and slash at her with the sword.

Shrieking under his weight, the woman went to the ground with a thump.

Landing atop her, Ryker had one hand on her chest and the other clutching the sword. Except now it was broken. Somewhere in the fall, the last foot of the four-foot blade had snapped off.

Lifting it up, he aimed for the woman’s chest and then brought it down.

With an ugly crunch and a hiss, the blade sank into her.

Staring into her beautiful eyes, Ryker took in a deep breath and started coughing. The fall had shaken up everything in him.

As he splattered and covered the woman’s face in the blood that’d previously been in his lungs, she looked to be in absolute shock.

“I don’t-want to-die,” she panted.

Ryker stared into her eyes as she stared back at him. There was a rivulet of his blood trailing down from the bridge of her nose and over her cheek.

“Sorry,” Ryker said as he pulled the blade out of her. “Worshiped the wrong god. Nothing personal. Hope you have a good afterlife.”

Shoving the blade back down, Ryker felt like he got her in the heart this time.

Groaning under him, the woman shuddered and then slowly went slack. Her eyes lost what awareness they had and stared at the ceiling above them.

Coughing several more times onto the now-dead woman, Ryker groaned and got to his feet.

When he looked back at Robyn, he found her kneeling amidst the shattered debris of the church. Her wings were dirty and covered in dust. They were folded over her shoulders and seemed to be more like a cloak right now.

Her face was dirty, her armor looked dented and ruined, and there was a general sense of absolute bone weariness in her.

Almost sadness.

But she wasn’t broken.

Her eyes were glowing, staring at Ryker. A look of determination was on her face, as if she wasn’t done, merely waiting.

“Fuck you, Lambart,” Ryker said.

Standing there, he held his arms above his head. “Fuck you, praise Rike, and in her name I claim absolute victory and superiority.”

“In her name,” Robyn echoed.

There was the massive cascade of bells that always heralded Rike’s arrival.

“I claim victory,” Rike said, appearing at the top of the church’s platform. Where a priest would stand, Ryker imagined. “I am Rike the redeemed. The lady of the light and goodness and this—”

Rike paused to turn around and make a grabbing motion at the wall behind her.

With a crack, the entire stone front came away and collapsed to the ground. There, hidden behind the wall, was a small stone in a glass bottle.

It shone with an unearthly light that didn’t have an origin other than the stone itself. There was a high-pitched whine as the stone broke through the glass and zipped across toward Rike.

“Is now mine,” Rike finished and closed her hand as the stone hit her palm. “It shall have a place of glory in the crown of Queen Lauren herself. The right and true ruler of Dale and my birthplace.”

“Nice,” Runner said, not appearing. “I’ll just… take this one. She gave Uncle a run for his money. There’s some life left in her. I can make that work. All you need is a single hit-point, after all.”

The body of the woman Ryker had assumed he’d killed rose up off the ground. With a flash of light, the woman took in a deep, shuddering breath.

“What? I—” Before she could finish talking, she vanished outright.

“Oh Lambart,” hissed the voice of Rannulf. “You poor stupid thing. I’m going to come kill you once and for all.”

“Get out!” shouted Lambart.

Ryker, Robyn, and Rike were all ejected from the church and vanished into nothing.

***

“There, all fixed,” Rike said.

Opening his eyes, Ryker found himself staring up into Robyn’s face.

“Thank you, my lady,” Robyn said, then immediately bent down and hugged Ryker tightly.

“There is no need for thanks. Putting him to rights was the first thing on my to-do list,” Rike said from somewhere off to one side. “How could I not, after all? He just earned me a great boon. It is a guarantee that Lambart is done with this silly war for a time. He’ll pull back to the lands he controls and watch for Rannulf to make a move. Rannulf will take that as a warning to do the same, lest he suffer an attack by Lambart.

“That’ll give Runner more than enough time to settle into the lands surrounding Norman’s Point and dig in. So long as he doesn’t move forward, I think Lambart and Rannulf will be content with glaring at one another once again. Perhaps with some time we can sidestep this religious Armageddon that seems to be on the horizon.”

“Doubt that,” Ryker said, Robyn still hugging him. “They seem dead set on washing everyone in each other’s blood.”

“Mm. To be fair, I was once no better than them,” Rike said. “Runner forgave me in the name of another and gave me an opportunity to redeem myself.

“I think it’s quite possible to save my poor wayward brothers. I just do not think it’ll be easy.

“If father were here… he could settle them. But he hasn’t been seen since before this… existence began.”

Ah. Robyn must not know.

“Right,” Ryker said, then started pushing Robyn away. “Alright, so… did he move half his army off then?”

“He did indeed,” Rike said. “Including the vicar, Claire, and Bianca. Do not fear, though. I know exactly where they are. You can be there in a day and resume your… hunt? I’m not sure what to call it exactly.”

“Close enough, so… it works,” Ryker said, sitting up. Looking around, he quickly discovered they were in Robyn’s temple. He’d been laid out on a pew to be treated.

“There we have it then,” Rike said. “Now, I’m going to go. I need to speak with Lauren about her crown and see if I can get her approval to have this put in. With Rinni watching over her, her crown is likely to be the safest spot in all the lands to hold such a treasure.”

“Yeah?” Ryker asked, standing up. “Just how strong is it?”

“Very,” Rike said. “Very, very strong. Me having this is the equivalent of having hundreds of years of faith at my fingertips. I can use it whenever I want as well, and however I wish.

“And in using it, I don’t lose it. It’ll simply recharge all on its own. It generates faith simply by existing.”

“Good. You’re welcome then,” Ryker said, walking toward the exit. “Going to go find my daughter now and get her back. Because Bianca’s been without a loving parent long enough.”

Chapter 32 - Ever Deeper -

Walking along the road toward Trevail, the unimaginative capital of Trevail, Ryker still felt quite strange. He was walking into what would essentially be the lion’s den.

Willingly, and with a desire to do so.

“I know she swore up and down that they wouldn’t know it’s us,” Shirley said, holding Ryker’s arm as befitted her role. “But I can’t help but want to run away screaming.”

“Yeah… you and me both,” Ryker said with a sigh. “Rike said it though, so I believe it.”

“I know,” Shirley said. “I know. I’m just… nervous. It seems so insane. But this is what we have to do to get Bianca back, so we’re going to do it.”

“Exactly,” Ryker said. There were times when it seemed Shirley was more intent on retrieving Bianca than he was.

“It’s rather unnerving to be doing this outside of an avatar, though,” Shirley muttered. “I’ve gotten used to having that layer of safety.”

“Agreed,” Ryker said. He couldn’t disagree that it felt strange to be in his skin. But that was one of the conditions Rike had given them. “Okay, let’s… not say anything more outside of what we’re supposed to be.”

“Oh fine,” Shirley said, and then pulled Ryker’s arm up into her breast. “I dislike this role already. Being an idiotic pet healer seems so… stupid.”

“Not uncommon though,” Ryker said. “Male or female, having someone act as a lesser partner is normal.”

“I suppose that’s true, my sweet footstool,” Shirley said and then sighed, falling silent.

Smirking, Ryker laid a hand on Shirley’s arm through his and continued to trudge onward toward the gate guards.

When they finally did reach the pair of guards, they seemed almost uninterested in Ryker. Yet both of them definitely gave Shirley a solid look or two. Given that she was wearing rather revealing clothes, he couldn’t blame them.

“Declare yourselves,” said the senior of the guards in a bored voice.

“Master Magician Silt and Doctor Silt,” Ryker said. Reaching into the robes that Silt apparently favored, Ryker pulled out two dog tags and several coins.

“Oh,” said the younger guard, nodding his head. He now seemed even more uninterested in Ryker, and he acted like Shirley no longer existed.

“Welcome home, Master Silt, Doctor Silt,” said the senior guard. “We’d heard you’d vanished in the dungeons of the whore.”

“We did,” Ryker said. “We made our way out, somehow. Richer for it and poorer for it at the same time.”

“Yes,” Shirley said, nodding her head severely. Apparently, the woman she was pretending to be appeared as little more than an idiot. She’d married Master Silt, trained as a doctor, and then been dragged around forever since.

He couldn’t see it since the spell on Shirley wouldn’t affect him, but Doctor Silt was apparently extraordinarily beautiful.

“Welcome home,” said the senior guard, handing back the dog tags and keeping the coins.

“Hmmm. Yes,” Ryker said, shaking his head. He hadn’t known the Silt’s had a home in Trevail, but he saw no reason not to use it to his advantage. “Is there any possibility of hiring a guard or two to escort us home? I’m afraid I don’t have my usual patience, and I might make pick-pockets… explode.”

The older guard turned paler at the comment and nodded his head quickly.

“Of course. Not a problem. Ah… I’m sure we could—”

Ryker pulled a handful of gold coins out of his robes and shoved them into the man’s hands. Meeting the guard’s gaze, Ryker said nothing more.

“Right. I’ll take you myself with my squad, sir,” said the older guard. Turning to the guard tower, the man shouted up at it. “Hey! Checking on something in the city. Have a replacement squad sent down!”

Not waiting for a response, the older guard motioned at his compatriot and started into the city.

Several more guards immediately fell in with the older man and formed up around Ryker and Shirley.

“Perfect. Now we don’t even have to figure out where our house is,” Ryker said to Shirley.

“Yes,” she said. “Good job. Your diligence in serving me is ever appreciated.”

“Oh, stop it. There’s no need to be like that. You know I don’t think of you as the late Master Silt did his wife,” Ryker said.

He got the mental impression that Shirley clicked her tongue at that statement.

“The very idea of being a kept woman insults me,” Shirley said. “Hmph. I’m sure it works for some, but not me.”

“Obviously. Though I bet you’d look amazing with a black collar on that lovely throat of yours,” Ryker said.

“Mmm. Maybe… ah, is this it?” Shirley asked.

Blinking several times, Ryker realized he wasn’t paying any attention to his surroundings whatsoever.

They were here to find Bianca in the very heart of everything that was the enemy of Dale. He needed to keep his head in the game.

Looking up—and up, and up—Ryker found he was looking at a wizard tower with a home attached to the base of it. It was a rather strange-looking building, but he imagined it was the right place.

“Many thanks,” Ryker said, pulling out another handful of coins and stuffing them into the guard’s hands. He wanted to leave an impression on the man so he could call on him later if he needed to.

Gold was the surest way to get anyone in your favor.

The simple reality of the world was everyone had a price. Even if it was astronomically high. The buyer just had to find that price.

Walking away from the guards, Ryker peered at the front door to the home. He was expecting a magical locking mechanism and shield, and he wasn’t disappointed.

Intricate, massive, and layered over and over with hidden constructs, it was a testament to what a paranoid man could do with time and energy.

Realizing he wouldn’t be able to solve such a thing as quickly as one would expect, Ryker threw up an invisibility curtain. Much like the one he’d used for his escape with Lauren.

Ryker and Shirley vanished from view.

“Oh,” Shirley said softly. “I see. You explained it, but seeing it makes it much easier to understand.”

Nodding his head, Ryker began picking over the spell. After his time working at what was essentially his own soul and the bindings with all the Fairies and Imps, a task such as this wasn’t unpleasant to him.

“While you’re inspecting that, look over this as well,” Ryker said, pulling out the rune and spell for Tar. It was always active and cost him nothing. Tar fed it directly.

Shirley made a humming noise and started to read over the two spells.

“I think I understand this invisibility spell, but I’ll want to play with it a bit more,” Shirley said. “And this second one… if I’m reading this right… it’s not a spell at all?”

“Kinda, not really. It summons Tar. My familiar. Long story told in a short way—apparently you can bind a familiar or make one with a spell like that. I just… put everything I knew of Tar into it, then made the rune and the spell the same thing,” Ryker said. “And that’s what happened.”

“Really?” Shirley asked. “So strange. It’s almost childlike.”

“That’s because a child taught me. Dot did,” Ryker said. “She also made two of familiars for herself, which… I’ve honestly never even heard of. I figure we can make a familiar for you as well like that.

“Would help in the long run with spell work, mana, and just to have another fighter in a battle.”

Tracing the locking spell with his finger, Ryker was surprised when he figured it out much sooner than he expected. Mostly because the entire thing was bent around a physical key. It all came to a simple point where an item was inserted.

“Huh. I wonder what it’d—ah, I bet that’s it,” Ryker said. Reaching out with his left hand, he jammed his fingers into the unlock mechanism.

With a massive clank, Ryker heard the internal lock slam open as the spell forced everything into the right positions.

Master Silt had apparently been a touch more sentimental than Ryker had supposed.

“The lock. It’s bound to their wedding rings,” Ryker said, pushing the door inward. “After you, Doctor.”

“Hmph. Doctor my rear end,” Shirley said, walking into the house. With her she pulled the rune structure for both spells. Apparently, she wasn’t done inspecting it.

As he walked through the doorway, Ryker glanced into the door jamb itself. There was a large crevice there that seemed to be full of spells. Spells that would activate if the lock was attempted to be forced open, the door attacked, or any number of things Ryker could only guess at.

Very… very paranoid.

I wonder what he has to hide.

Closing the door behind him, Ryker froze. Standing throughout the home were a number of blond, blue-eyed, massively endowed, insanely beautiful women. They all looked the same and were all staring at Ryker as he stared at them.

Shirley dismissed the spells she’d been holding quickly, as if having them there would give their disguise away. Despite the fact that it clearly didn’t matter anymore.

This was far beyond Ryker’s expectations.

“Welcome home,” said one of the women, gesturing to the rest of the women. “Should we put ourselves away per your normal instructions?”

“I don’t…” Ryker froze mid-sentence. Looking at all the women, he realized they were magical clones of the dead doctor. Every single one of them. “No. Because I’m not your master, and she’s not his wife. Doctor Silt and Master Silt are both dead.”

Ryker wasn’t in the mood for games, and he didn’t have time to play them either.

Blank stares were all he got back, and then all the magical clones turned to look at Shirley.

“Trust me, I’m not one of you,” Shirley said, then held up her right hand and created a ball of water there. Inside that ball was a lightning bolt that spun around endlessly with a hiss. “And you all need to decide if you need to die with your deceased ‘husband,’ or if you plan on doing something else.”

“Dead?” asked one of the clones.

“Very,” Ryker said, adjusting the robes he was wearing. “He died in Dungeon from an Ogre who bit his head off.”

One and all, the blond clones continuously looked at one another, as if seeking someone to step up.

“While you figure that out,” Ryker said. “How about one of you tell me where the temple is in the city. I need to go there.”

He’d originally planned to rob the place. Now, though, he didn’t want to touch anything in the home. He had a feeling these poor things would probably need everything in the house to survive a year, let alone succeed.

Need to make sure we leave the rings so they can come and go as they please. Or make more of them. I think I could do that.

Dungeon creation magic should work perfectly for that.

“At the very center of the city,” said the closest clone, then pointed at Shirley. “I could lead you there, but I can’t leave the house unless One remains.”

Growling, Shirley angrily threw up a pattern over the top of her head. Its intent was to make her look like someone else entirely and not one of the clones.

“I’m not One, I’m not the doctor, and I’m not a brainless clone,” hissed Shirley. “See? This is me clearly not being you. You can leave if you want, and I’ll just look like someone else.”

“Oh,” said the clone. “Okay. I’m number Forty-Two. I’ll lead you there now. Please call me Doctor.”

Throwing up her hands, Shirley turned to look at Ryker.

Motioning a hand at her, he couldn’t deny her frustration. But they could use the help from these poor things, if he could manage it.

Focusing on the ring on his hand, Ryker slipped part of himself into his dungeon sense.

“How many of there are you?” Ryker asked as Forty-Two walked by him.

“There are two hundred and twelve of us, and another hundred that are sleeping,” said Forty-Two. “We can wake them whenever we want. They’re in stasis.”

“Right,” Ryker said, then duplicated the wedding ring three hundred and fifty times.

A mound of bright gold rings appeared to one side. “There. Now you can come and go as you please. Off we go.”

Forty-Two stared at the rings, then pulled one out of the pile and pushed it onto her finger. Opening the door, she led them out of the manse and back into the street.

Turning to him, Forty-Two looked like she was considering taking Ryker’s arm.

“Don’t even think it,” Shirley said, sounding frustrated and angry. “He’s not your husband.”

“But… we don’t go out without holding our husband,” Forty-Two said.

“Yeah? Time to learn,” Shirley said, shutting the door to the manse behind them. “So lead on.”

“Here, I’ll make it easy,” Ryker said with a sigh. Using a similar spell as Shirley had, he shifted his features around to look neither like Master Silt nor himself. “Is that better?”

“I… yes,” Forty-Two said. “Yes, thank you.”

Turning on her heel, the clone began walking away from the manse.

“Makes me so angry,” Shirley grumbled, walking beside Ryker as they followed Forty-Two.

“Why? Be angry at the man who did it, not them who had to live with it,” Ryker said. “You once made yourself subservient with the idea to escape. For all you know, they’re living a similar life. They just didn’t have someone to shoot them off a horse with a crossbow bolt.”

“I… but… ahhhh…” Shirley’s voice fell away. “You’re right. You’re… right. I’m angry at them for something they didn’t have the luxury to choose. Maybe it’s more than that and I’m angry at what I did to myself my whole life. Till I met you.”

“I mean… probably?” Ryker said. “I could make a whole bunch of clones of you, if you like. I’ll just have a sex orgy with me and as many Shirleys as I can handle.”

“You could try,” Shirley said with a scoff. “You can barely handle one of me. You might do better with an orgy of Meinos. She listens to you, my sweet footstool.”

Rolling his eyes at the mention of his personal bodyguard, he felt a little guilty.

He’d been forced to order her to remain behind. She was simply too recognizable, and Rike had already stated she’d be too hard to hide.

Forty-Two led them ever onward. Ryker had the impression that she was absolutely terrified and lost, but outwardly, she looked confident and aloof.

As far as he could tell, her personality seemed like it’d been washed out of her. Whether that was from the treatment of her husband or just what she’d become, Ryker couldn’t begin to guess.

Forty-Two turned the corner and walked them straight past a large bridge. At the end of the bridge was a truly massive building. It looked to be on direct parity with the castle in which the king of Trevail himself made his home.

“That’s the temple,” Forty-Two said, turning to Ryker and Shirley.

She stared at Ryker, as if demanding him to say something.

“Alright, thank you for leading us,” Ryker said.

Forty-Two nodded, but she didn’t look away from Ryker. Her hands were clutched together in front of her now. It was clear as day she didn’t know what to do.

He immediately had the image of all the clones standing around in the manse without a clue how to proceed.

Shirley turned to look at Ryker as well, her face turning into something of a grimace and a frown at the same time.

“Uhm,” Ryker said brilliantly. “Is there… something else I can do for you?”

The beautiful, magically created clone looked at Ryker with wide eyes.

“I don’t know. Is there?” she asked.

“I mean… maybe? Is there something you want? Or need?” Ryker asked.

“Yes. I’d like to know where to go and what to do. Master Silt created us and only let us out when he and his chosen were out and about, when he couldn’t see us,” Forty-Two said. “One has always been One. We’re… backups. She ordered us to be created in case she died but Master lived.”

The original doctor wanted them made? Huh.

Odd but… alright.

“I mean… what do you want to do?” Ryker asked.

“I don’t know,” the clone said helpfully.

“Okay, let’s just do this,” Shirley said, taking charge. “You and all your, ah… you and all yourselves collect everything of value. All of it. Then when you’re ready to leave, come to Dungeon. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

“I’m not sure we’d make the trip,” Forty-Two said, looking at Shirley. “We’re just doctors. We heal; we don’t fight.”

“Alright, ah… oh! Send a letter to Dungeon, addressed to Shirley,” Shirley said. “I’ll come get you personally. But you’ll have to wait a week or two, alright?”

“I can do that,” Forty-Two said, giving Shirley a beautiful smile. “That’s your name?”

“Yes. That’d be me. Alright, we’re going to get going. Can you get home alright?” Shirley asked.

“Yes, I’ll be fine. No one would bother us in the city. It’s outside the city I’m nervous about,” Forty-Two said. “Goodbye for now. I’ll send a letter soon.”

Turning, the clone began walking back the way she’d come.

Every single man with working eyes noticed her passing by as well.

“Okay!” Shirley said, looking up at the temple. “Let’s get up there, inside, and hunker down. We can start searching around once we’re there and see what we can figure out.”

“Uh-huh,” Ryker said, laying an arm around Shirley’s shoulders and then drawing her close to him. “You’re still a softie.”

“Stop it,” Shirley said, pushing at his chest, but with very little force. “I’m not a softie. I’m just… I’m pregnant. That’s all.”

Pulling her in close, Ryker laid his cheek on her brow.

“You’re a softie, and I love you for it,” Ryker said. “Pregnant or not.”

“Knock it off, people are staring.”

“Let ’em. Don’t care. You’re my softie wife, and I need to reward you for being that,” Ryker said, his hug slowly increasing in pressure. “Besides, it’s fun to hug you while you’re pregnant. I can feel the bulge now.”

“Stop… knock it—knock it off. Stop,” Shirley said, her fingers curling into his clothes.

“Just a minute or so more, then I’ll stop,” Ryker said as he held her.

Shirley didn’t complain any further.

Chapter 33 - Trading -

With Shirley more or less perched on his arm, the two of them walked along the bridge toward the temple. Regardless of what they looked like, they’d decided a husband and wife going to church would be the simplest and easiest disguise.

Beyond that, they didn’t know what to expect, but the simple reality was it didn’t matter. Their goal was to retrieve Bianca, and nothing else mattered at all. Whatever happened would be dealt with as best they could, and that’d be that.

Distressingly, however, they did manage to stand out just a little. Shirley and Ryker were walking at a normal pace. All around them, though, thronged countless worshipers all moving to or from the temple. With much more speed, determination, and fervor.

Ryker had the distinct feeling that this frantic disposition wasn’t normal. That perhaps his recent confrontation with a champion and priestess had tipped over the apple cart that was the church of light.

Perhaps Lambart was trying to fix things. To put right all that Ryker had destroyed and get his religion back on the track.

Especially since he’d lost something critical to himself, another champion, and his best priestess.

“They’re all praying,” Shirley sent. “Every single one of them. Praying as they move.”

“Considering what Robyn and I did to Lambart, I’m not surprised. I imagine they’re probably trying to gather as much faith energy as they can,” Ryker said. “I find that the faith energy is at least ten times as strong as pure mana.”

“Any chance I can use any of that? Sounds like it could be fun,” Shirley said. “As your wife, I should get half of everything, shouldn’t I?”

“I mean, I see no reason we couldn’t try. Wanna swap soul fragments and see what happens?” Ryker asked. “That was how you ended up with my lightning element and me your water element.”

“Hmph. You just want another little piece of me to have all to yourself, don’t you?”

“Not really? It already lords over the rest of my soul on its own right now. Can’t imagine what more would do,” Ryker said.

“Form into a larger piece and just… do what it did before,” Shirley said. “Alright. It’s worth a try. It might come in handy. Besides, I noticed a marked power increase the last time you sent your snuggle monster of a soul shard my way.

“Try it now before we’re on holy ground?”

“Sure. Why not,” Ryker said. “Probably the best idea. I can’t imagine this working out very well while directly in a proclaimed temple or church.”

Reaching into himself, he carefully broke off a small piece of his soul. He did take the time to try and infuse it with the power of the absolute faith his people had in him.

He wanted to push part of his demi-god nature into that soul piece to give to Shirley.

“Here you are, my precious footstool. A small bit of me, for a small bit of you,” Shirley said as a small wisp of a spell appeared in the dungeon sense. It was a dainty piece of her soul.

Taking her soul fragment with a similar spell, Ryker inserted the piece of his own soul into Shirley’s spell.

Pulling it into himself, he seated it down into the open spot.

Instantly, it filled in the gap.

Then it rushed off to the center to immediately merge with the other piece of Shirley’s soul that was forever there.

The water element she’d had last time was more pronounced now. Without even trying it out, he knew he’d have a much finer control over elemental water.

Shirley tripped over her own feet and leaned hard into Ryker.

“Are you alright?” Ryker asked aloud.

“Yes, I’m fine dear,” Shirley said in a soft pant, her free hand pressed to her chest.

“Sorry. I wasn’t expecting it to be so… strong. It smashed into me and went right into the other piece. Then it went right back into wrapping my soul around it like a blanket,” Shirley said. “But I can definitely… it’s… very different, this time. It hurts.”

Pulling Shirley off to one side, he leaned her up against the side of the bridge. They were about three-fourths of the way across now. They didn’t have much further to go, but he wasn’t about to lead her over into holy ground unless she was ready.

Groaning, Shirley laid a hand on her stomach, and her head dipped down to Ryker’s shoulder.

“Fuck, it hurts. That was a really bad idea. It’s because I’m pregnant. Isn’t it? I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t have,” Shirley said in a panicked whimper in his mind.

Gritting his teeth, Ryker didn’t know what to do.

He hadn’t even considered the fact that she was pregnant or how their child might be affected by the trading of bits of their souls.

“It’s… going away. Goodness, that was almost too much for me,” Shirley said. “It’s… settled down now. But I definitely picked up something different that time.”

Looking to his well of faith, where that golden energy was all stored inside him, he saw that where the overflow used to simply vanish, it was now being drawn away.

Straight to Shirley.

“And you’re right. I can draw from it just like my mana well,” Shirley said. “Thought it doesn’t fill very quickly.”

“Pretty sure you’re only getting what I can’t use. Are you alright, though? Should we stop and go back?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Let’s… get going. Just remind me to be patient next time,” Shirley said.

Once more, Shirley and Ryker started down the bridge.

Crossing over it without any difficulty, they ended up on the holy ground of Lambart.

Yet there was nothing waiting for them, and nothing happened.

It was exactly as Rike had promised them. It would be like they belonged unless they somehow blew their cover through action or stupidity.

Moving toward the front of the grand, massive cathedral—because it really wasn’t a temple anymore with how big it was—Ryker couldn’t help but feel like he was making a mistake.

But if he wanted to find Bianca, this was what he had to do. The vicar had kept Claire nearby regardless of what happened. It was the most likely possibility that he’d have her here at the seat of his religion’s power.

Passing through the truly awe inspiring open archway that served as the door, Ryker was struck with the absolute and total power that coursed through this building.

It attacked him physically. Or that was how it felt to Ryker, at least.

Then, it vanished as quickly as it had happened. Flowing over him and moving past him as if he was no concern at all.

“That was terrifying,” Shirley said. “I’m guessing that was Lambart?”

Frowning, Ryker realized it had indeed felt like a presence.

“Him or his will made solid,” Ryker said.

“Let’s go to a pew and uh… pray. We can take a look around from there,” Shirley said.

Nodding his head, Ryker agreed. It was the best idea he’d heard from either of them so far. No one would bother someone head down in prayer. Or at least, he thought they wouldn’t.

Walking into the middle of the endless aisles of pews, Shirley pulled Ryker into an empty one and sat him down at the far end of it.

Without waiting for him, Shirley bowed her head. She launched herself out of Ryker’s control area like an arrow from a bow.

The area he could search with his dungeon sense was significantly larger now that he was an actual dungeon core, so to speak.

Bowing his head, he found that it had apparently grown even larger since the last time he’d checked.

Then he realized it wasn’t him that’d grown, it was Shirley. In taking in part of his soul, she’d created her own dungeon control area. It was smaller than his, but when pooled together with his, it made the area much larger.

In fact, it covered the entirety of the capital. There would be nowhere the vicar could hide Claire or Bianca from him.

Noting which way Shirley had gone, Ryker began searching in the other direction.

***

“She’s not here,” Shirley said, sounding extremely irritated.

“I’m… thinking the same. Doesn’t seem as if she’s here. Neither is Claire, in fact,” Ryker said.

There was a faint growling noise in his head, and it took him a second to realize it was Shirley. She was actually growling at the situation.

“Fine. Let’s go get Chadwick. I’m sure the vicar could spare us a minute after I clap a shield around him,” Shirley said. “Then we barter. He tells us where Claire and Bianca are, tells no one we visited, which we’ll reciprocate, and we’ll let him live.”

Shirley appeared further and further distraught the longer this went on. Ryker really wasn’t sure what to do to help her, or even how to deal with it. It seemed like she was rapidly losing all control over herself.

Getting to her feet, Shirley started off toward a side hallway. In the direction Ryker assumed was the vicar Chadwick.

Moving past priests, priestesses, and parishioners, Shirley was on a mission

“Shirley, I really don’t think this is a great idea,” Ryker said. “We should approach him when he isn’t… you know… in the cathedral itself?

“The only person higher than him is the cardinal himself.”

“Don’t care. I want my daughter, and I want her now,” Shirley said.

“I do too, you know. But it’s going to be a lot harder to raise her if one of us dies in the getting,” Ryker said.

“Don’t worry. We can make this work and it’ll be fine. Now that I see how faith works, I can easily build a spell that’ll lock it out,” Shirley said. “I know it.”

Shaking his head, Ryker didn’t want to tell her no. He wanted to go murder Chadwick outright and get Bianca back.

What about Claire, though? What about her? Do I… kill her? Do I imprison her? Let her go?

What do I do?

“Whatever you want, obviously,” Marybelle said with a soothing tone. “And whatever you choose, you know we’ll all help out.”

Oh… hi. You’ve been rather quiet.

“I have to be, to a degree. Shirley is rather loud,” Marybelle said. “Besides, I get more than my fair share of your attention and time.

“As for Claire, it really doesn’t matter. Whatever you decide, we’ll make it work. Personally? I’d lean towards offering her a home to live out the rest of her days in. I think she’s… broken.”

That’s… yeah. Yeah.

Probably a good idea.

Thanks… Baby-Belle.

“We all have our talents. Mine just seems to lend itself toward settling your wild heart and mind,” Marybelle said. “Now go get Bianca back. I want to spoil her as desperately as Shirley does.”

Looking ahead, he watched as Shirley more or less forced her way through a mob of people. It was a literal packed hallway full of bodies.

Not waiting and giving no ground, she pushed her way straight through the middle of it.

“Excuse me, sorry, pardon me,” Shirley said. “Pregnant woman coming through for a blessing. I was cursed by the Dark Lord of the North in my duties. Beg pardon.”

As if her words were a spell all on their own, a bubble formed around Shirley. No one wanted to even touch her given what she’d said.

That works.

Moving into a hallway that branched off to one side, Shirley led Ryker into a series of turns. All along the hallway were doors upon doors upon doors.

“Offices,” Marybelle said. “I charted everything into a map as you went. From what I can tell, Chadwick may have lost quite a bit of face in his failed war with Dale. It’s likely he’s at the very bottom of the vicar ranks now.”

Reaching a door, Shirley lifted her hand and knocked gently on it.

“What is it?” shouted a voice from inside. Ryker was almost positive it was Chadwick.

“I’ve come seeking your blessing,” Shirley asked through the door. “I came in contact with one of the wives of the Dark Lord of the North, and she cursed me and my unborn child.

“You once helped my sister, and she said to only trust you.”

Shirley looked at Ryker and shook her head, rolling her eyes.

“You’re frightening at times, my love,” Ryker murmured softly.

Smiling with one side of her mouth at that, Shirley peered up at him. Then she puffed up her cheeks and crossed her eyes.

Unable to help himself, he chuckled. He knew she was trying to break some of the stress off and probably realized she was acting out of character.

“It’ll be fine after this,” Shirley said, letting out the breath and letting her face go back to normal. “It’s only—”

“Alright, one moment please,” called Chadwick from inside.

Before Ryker and Shirley could respond, a wave of faith magic washed through the wall and passed through them.

It felt like someone had picked up a magnifying glass and peered at him.

Thankfully he hadn’t found anything, because it sounded like he was unlocking the door.

When it opened, Ryker could see the vicar himself standing there in the door frame.

Vicar Chadwick in the flesh.

He was an older man with almost full gray hair now. He also had a demeanor that could only be described as “ex-military.” He was dressed in whites, though the blue sash was gone now.

“I can indeed feel the touch of the Dark Lord upon you. Come in, dear,” Chadwick said, looking at Ryker. “And you, good sir, are you her husband?”

“I am indeed,” Ryker said with a flat smile. Just the sight of the older man made him want to lash out immediately.

“Come in, come in,” said Chadwick.

Shirley and Ryker both entered the man’s office. Ryker kept moving toward the desk while Shirley moved off to one side.

Chadwick closed the door and turned to Ryker.

Shirley smashed the man flat into the ground with a spell in that moment. A spell made out of mana, elemental water, elemental lightning, and faith itself.

Groaning, Chadwick looked very pale in the span of a breath.

“What’ve you done?” asked the older man.

“Nothing compared to what I’m about to do,” Shirley said. Coming over to Chadwick, she grabbed him by his clothes and dragged him around to the far side of his desk.

“Blessed Lambart, hear me,” Chadwick said.

“Sorry, he can’t hear you. In fact, no one can hear you,” Shirley said. “I’ve gone ahead and cut you off from him directly. Now, we’re going to have a nice conversation, and you’re going to answer me.

“Or you’re going to have a very bad end.”

“I’ll not say a—”

Ryker pushed a boot tip into Chadwick’s side, drawing the vicar up short in his words. Then Ryker leaned over Chadwick and grinned down at the man.

“Vicar, you shouldn’t interrupt her. She’s very angry right now, and I don’t think you really want to deal with her in that way,” Ryker said.

“Now,” Shirley said, grabbing a letter opener from Chadwick’s desktop. “I want to know where Claire and her daughter are. And don’t even think to pretend you don’t know her, where she is, or where to find her. I know better.

“Tell me the truth, and I’ll leave you here. Alive, safe, sound, and unharmed. And to ensure you speak the truth, you can show me your soul card or swear on Lambart’s name.”

“Claire? The crazy woman? Claire and that fil—” Chadwick paused in his words, noticing that Shirley’s arm had drawn back. “And her daughter. They’re not here.

“They were no longer useful to me, and she was clearly not right in the head anymore. That… evil… man from Dungeon broke her.

“So I paid the woman what I owed her, a bonus out of pity, and sent her on her way. Last I saw, they were heading south,” Chadwick said. “South to the lands beyond, to get away from that devil of a man who sired a child on her and broke her mind.”

Shirley scoffed at that and leaned down, pressing the tip of the letter opener to Chadwick’s throat.

“Soul card, or swear,” Shirley said with a feral smile. “The alternative is this letter opener getting a workout on your throat. I think it’ll take me a little to saw it back and forth through that fat neck of yours.”

“Okay, yes. I swear I speak the truth on the most holy name of Lambart,” Chadwick said. “There, are you happy?”

“No. I’m not. Not at all,” Shirley said. Standing up, she drew out several more patterns around and into the spell she had around Chadwick. “But you didn’t kill her, nor did you spurn her. So you get to live.”

Locking it all into place, she sealed it up and activated the whole thing.

With a dull spark of energy, Chadwick was forced into a magical sort of stasis.

“There, he’s asleep,” Shirley said. “Let’s get out of here. Lock the door on the way out. We need to get moving south as fast as we can and catch up to Claire. We need to get Bianca back.”

Guess that’s that.

Ryker looked at Chadwick, wishing he could just kill the man. This man had cost him so much that it wasn’t even possible to really count it all up.

He had places to be, but he couldn’t resist just a little bit of revenge.

“Eh… one second,” Ryker said and started unbuckling his belt. “I need to take a load off and this’ll make me feel better.”

Moving over to the sleeping Chadwick, Ryker turned around and started to bend over the man’s face.

Shirley looked at him with something between shock and confusion.

“You gonna watch me, or get me something to wipe with? For when I’m done, that is. He got any awards or papers that look important on his desk or the walls?” Ryker asked. “That’d honestly just be icing on the cake. Or I guess toilet paper on his face.”

“Oh. Oh!” Shirley said, her eyes suddenly glowing with comprehension and glee. “Sure, sure. But I’ll need a little bit of time when you’re done. I’d really like to add my own sentiments for our dear Chadwick to your own. I’ll get enough paper for both of us.”

Kinda weird, kinda fun having someone as messed up as I am around.

Chapter 34 - Run On -

Shirley led Ryker’s horse along while he kept his eyes on the ground.

They’d been following Claire for the better part of a day now. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a straight trail, nor did it follow a road of any sort.

It didn’t even stick to a path.

To Ryker it almost seemed as if Claire was wandering aimlessly. Ever southward, but never on anything trod or made by feet, wheel, or hoof.

“The hell is wrong with her?” Shirley muttered.

“Apparently quite a bit,” Ryker said softly. The last he’d seen her in person, she’d tried to stab him, and the last he’d heard of her, she was absolutely crazy.

Then again, he’d seen and heard her through the dungeon sense, but that wasn’t quite the same thing. “You know that. You saw her. I know you went and looked at Bianca just as I did.”

Shirley huffed and didn’t immediately respond.

Concentrating on the trail, Ryker watched as it started straight into a thick patch of bushes.

“Damnit, she went into those bushes,” Ryker said, indicating the direction.

Shirley grunted, then pulled her horse and Ryker’s to the needed direction.

“I did see her,” Shirley said as the horses pushed through the foliage. “I saw her and heard her. I hate my sister, you know. Truly hate her. But she’s still my sister. Seeing her as she was, I… didn’t know how to feel. Or what to think.

“I’ve been forcing myself to remain angry, but I’m not sure I can anymore. Even though I want to, I want to be angry, I just feel… wrung out.”

“Yeah,” Ryker said, watching as the trail meandered through the woods. “I get that. Felt that. With Rob.”

“Still can’t believe you let him go,” Shirley said. “I’m glad you did, and clearly Rike was quite happy with you for it, but I still can’t believe you did.”

“Me neither,” Ryker said with a grunt. Lifting his hand, he pointed back toward the way she’d been going earlier. Still southward. “She wandered back the other way again. That way.”

“And what the hell is south?” Shirley asked. “The hell is down there that’s drawing her on like this? This isn’t anywhere near Dungeon. Or Trevail.

“No one in my family knew anything about this region, let alone further south.”

“No idea,” Ryker said. “But clearly something is pulling her along. Just no idea what that is.”

Watching the trail beneath them, Ryker kept his spell working and his eyes on it. He’d never figured out how his father had managed that tracking spell of his.

In the end, Ryker had improvised his own. It wasn’t fast, but it was absolute and relentless. There would be no dodging away from the spell once Ryker could put it on someone or something.

Unfortunately, it’d taken two days of criss-crossing back and forth across the plains in the south to find Claire’s trail. She hadn’t left the city by any normal means.

Ryker still couldn’t explain that part, but he suspected she wasn’t the same as she used to be. That Claire had somewhere, somehow, picked up a class.

When he finally tracked her down, he planned on looking at her information sheet to figure out what was going on with her.

“Damn,” Shirley said, pulling their horses up short.

“What?” Ryker asked, looking up from the trail. Out ahead of him, the world fell away far below. Apparently they’d been moving toward a cliff face the entire time. Directly across from them was another rise, which meant it was quite possible they’d end up climbing up again.

“Didn’t realize we were heading for a mountain range,” Ryker said. “The hell are we?”

“No idea anymore. But I’m pretty sure that’s too damn narrow and winding for a horse,” Shirley said. “Could do it on foot, but… not on horse.”

“Yeah… no. Not a horse,” Ryker said, looking down at what was little more than a goat path all the way down to the bottom of the cliff. “Damn. Though I think that kinda lends itself to my theory that something is pulling her onward. She hit this trail dead on.”

“Yes,” Shirley said. “Yes… that’s a definite answer, isn’t it? There’s no way you’d know this was here without… knowing it was here. There was nothing that led up to it.

“Oh, Claire… what’d you get yourself into? And how long has it been this way?”

“Starting to wonder about your dear older sister?” Ryker asked, getting down out of the saddle.

“A bit,” Shirley said, getting down as well. “She changed with the shattering. Became a much better person. Right before Lauren sent her off to Dungeon, though, she became someone altogether different.

“She’d always been cold, perfect, calculating. That was just who she was. But this mad grab for power she made was different. It didn’t seem as planned.”

Huh. That makes sense, to a degree. Her throwing in her lot with the church of light was out of character for someone so planned and methodical.

I wonder… Baby-Belle, could you send a message over to Runner?

I think it’s about time we learned more about the shattering and what’s really going on. I want to know more about what’s going on here.

“I’ll take care of it, dear,” Marybelle said.

“…might as well camp out here,” Shirley said, having continued the conversation. “Sun’s setting, and realistically there’s no way we’ll make it down before dark. And I’d rather not be crawling on that thread-thin ass crack of a path at night.”

“Your language is so colorful lately,” Ryker said, pulling his saddlebags free from the horse.

“Well, if I’m going to be riding around all over the lands with my husband, best I learn to speak the appropriate lingo,” Shirley said. “Now. Your bedroll or mine?”

Ryker raised his eyebrows at that.

“Yours, of course,” he said.

I hate it when I have the wet spot in mine.

An hour later, Ryker realized he’d found what he’d been looking for. Something he’d been searching for since they’d finished with one another.

“Shirley,” Ryker said, shaking her awake gently. “Shirley!”

Groaning, she reached over and thumped him gently in the middle of his chest with her fist.

“Sleeping,” she groaned.

“Bianca is across the way. Right where the path stops on the other mountain, I can see her in the dungeon sense,” Ryker said.

That got Shirley’s attention. Her eyes snapped open, and he felt it when she shot forth in the dungeon sense. Following her, Ryker was impressed. She was faster than even he was.

She came up short and sudden, and Ryker knew she’d reached Bianca.

As he joined her, they stared down into a woven bassinet of reeds and grasses. Bianca was swaddled in a number of blankets and looked rather comfortable. Especially since she’d been dragged through the wilderness for quite a while.

Not far away, Claire lay nearby sleeping in a bedroll of her own.

“Bianca,” Shirley said, forcing her dungeon sense to resemble what she looked like. As she leaned over, Shirley’s hands fluttered over the small child.

As if hearing her, the baby’s eyes slid open and fastened straight away on Shirley. With a soft coo and a smile, Bianca saw her.

Laughing softly, Shirley made a hiccuping noise. “Oh… oh, sweetie. Don’t worry. We’re almost here.”

Shirley’s head turned to Ryker. “You can make things with the dungeon, right? Can we make something for her? I want to make something to make sure this doesn’t happen again. So Claire can’t just… grab her and run off.”

“What, like… a dungeon item? I mean, yeah,” Ryker said. “The spells would require a bit of work and tuning, but yeah.”

“Make me a necklace. Something silver. I want to give it to her later,” Shirley said. “Something that’ll blast Claire into specks if she tries this again down the road.”

“Uhm, alright,” Ryker said. “I can do that. Silver necklace. Protection from Claire. Got it.”

Shirley nodded and looked back at Bianca.

***

“Come on, let’s get going. The rising sun will make it much easier for us to get down,” Shirley said.

Ryker only nodded. He’d just finished tethering the horse to a nearby tree. There was more than enough foliage and the like nearby to last it for a few days. He’d really only had to fashion a large tub and fill it with elemental water. The horse had everything it needed to survive for a day or two.

“Actually, let’s not go anywhere,” hissed a sibilant voice. “We should have a family discussion. The last time we tried to have a conversation, you killed me.

“Well, somewhat killed me. You can’t really kill the undead, you know.”

Looking up, Ryker found himself looking at his father. Or what was once his father.

It looked more like a zombie with withered skin now.

Behind him were a group of others who seemed to fill out what Ryker would consider a standard dungeon group.

Next to them was a dark mass of twisting black shadows.

“Feel fortunate,” said the dark mass. “Were you not a demi-god, I would not be able to appear to you as such. Though with you being so deep into territory I’ve claimed, that makes you fair game after I announce my contention.”

“Is that so?” Ryker asked, smiling at what could only be Rannulf.

He had no intention of fighting the god.

“Go,” Shirley said. “Finish what we started. I can handle your father, and I doubt Rannulf can trouble me. In fact, I bet I can take care of your father even better than you could. I’ll catch up with you faster than you think possible.”

Hesitating, Ryker stood there.

Then he realized he didn’t have time. If he waited, Rannulf could indeed do as he’d said he would. And there was no guarantee Ryker could handle a full-fledged god.

Shirley, though, might actually be able to handle Ryker’s dad. He was a mirror image of Ryker, just with more experience and practice.

“I formally—”

If anyone knew how to beat Ryker, it was Shirley.

Before Rannulf could finish, Ryker built a massive air-burst spell under him and behind him, and he launched himself clean off the cliff face.

Channeling it behind him, redirecting the spell, and adding power, Ryker more or less… flew.

It was something he’d been contemplating for quite a while. The hardest part was coming up with a workable air spell that wouldn’t drain him. One that would also be malleable enough to be changed mid-flight for course corrections.

Gritting his teeth and feeling his eyes water and his hair whip around, Ryker sped up. Faster and faster he flew to the other side.

Looking behind him, he watched as the dark blot of evil vanished.

Shirley stood alone as the group of people with Ryker senior rushed her. Spells began lashing out from her, and a spear of lightning appeared in her hand.

Realizing he had an option to deal with Rannulf, Ryker reached into a belt pouch. Wrapping his hand around the warm golden triangle, he contemplated how to ask.

“Runner!” Ryker shouted. He wasn’t sure if he’d be heard over the wind. “I’ve got Rannulf chasing after me, Shirley is fighting off my undead father, and I’m trying to get my daughter back! I could use a hand here!”

“Wow, that’s a lot going on,” Runner said from the triangle. “Uh… I mean, okay. Rannulf. Okay, I could probably kick Rannulf around for you. He really doesn’t like being anywhere near me. I think what I am scares him.”

“Yes! Please! That’d be great!” Ryker shouted. “Going to land in a little bit. I’ll let you know when I touch down?”

“Land?” Runner asked.

“I’m flying right now!” Ryker shouted.

“Holy shit, you are,” Runner said. “Haha, that’s great! You’ll have to show me how you did that. I wanna fly. Not fair at all. I’ll make a customized tank just for you if you make me a flight spell?”

“Really not the time!” Ryker screamed.

“Oh, right, right. Yeah. I’m watching,” Runner said. “I’ll be there when you land. I should send out more medallions like this. Never really thought about it.

“Mostly because my priesthood is almost entirely off plane. You’d never—”

“Runner! Shut up!” Ryker yelled.

“Sorry, sorry. Oh, is that where you’re landing? That’s a lot of rock. I mean, make sure you don’t undershoot it or you’re gonna bounce off it like something out of a cartoon,” Runner said.

“What the fuck is a cartoon? SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Ryker shrieked.

Pushing out in front of himself, Ryker did everything he could to slow his flight and alter his course. He really didn’t want to do exactly what Runner said, but neither did he want to hit the ground and go rolling away like a rock flung from a sling.

With a spray of loose dirt and rock, Ryker touched down.

And promptly did a forward flip with his leftover momentum, then slid through the dirt on his face.

Coughing several times, Ryker got to his hands and knees.

“Way to stick the landing,” Runner said. “I’d never have thought to use my face as a brake, but hey, if it works.”

A pair of hands slid around Ryker’s shoulders and lifted him up to his feet.

Standing there was the Dark Lord of the North, God-Emperor of the Triumvirate, and apparently someone who would instantly travel hundreds of miles because Ryker asked and had a need.

To fight a god for him.

“Oh, nothing terrible,” Runner said, and he held up a hand in front of Ryker’s face. A warmth spread down from Ryker’s head all the way to his feet. “All fixed. Now, you should get going, shouldn’t you?

“You said you were chasing after your daughter.”

“I mean… yeah, but Rannulf is coming and—”

“Do not run from me, little demi-god,” said a hiss. A black void appeared off to one side. “You cannot run from me and—what are you doing here!?”

“Friend of the family,” Runner said, and he flexed his hands out. “Just for you, I broke out my super-special-god-emperor-turret-of-death ensemble. Do you like it? Had it done up in red and black.”

“No! I’m not here to fight you. I’m here—”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s fight, you little twit. You always run away. Do not run from me, little dark god,” Runner said, then threw something golden at the dark morass.

A massive explosion of gold and silver lights spun out in every direction. The black smoke that was Rannulf twisted over itself in what Ryker assumed was actual pain.

“Been looking forward to kicking your ass. In Nadine’s name, I’m going to wipe the floor with you,” Runner said, closing in on the dark god. “Oh? You brought me a present, too! Fantastic.”

Ryker took that as his chance and promptly ran away. He wasn’t about to get between the Dark Lord of the North and Rannulf.

Oh my shit, oh my fuck, oh my hells!

As he ran straight on, Ryker called up the spell to hunt Claire down. He needed to be away from this area, but he didn’t want to lose her trail.

Behind him, he could hear the detonations of spells. Massive explosions of force that actually made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

Faith-backed magic washed over him in waves long after the spells had already gone off. It made his skin feel like it was under the heat of many suns. The bark of the trees around him even started to smolder.

What in the actual fuck? There’s no way I could have fought Rannulf!

“I would sincerely agree!” Marybelle said from his mind. “To the left—left!”

Moving in the indicated direction, Ryker realized Marybelle was trying to keep him on Claire’s trail.

“Fuck it. You watch it, Baby-Belle,” Ryker said aloud.

“I’m on it, dear,” Marybelle said. “Keep on moving in this direction. She veers to the right in about thirty feet.”

Ryker nodded, keeping half his attention on the trail and half on his surroundings. He really didn’t want to run into a tree with two full gods battling behind him.

A massive whump behind Ryker made him hunch his shoulders. It was so heavy and strong that it actually made Ryker stumble.

He wanted to look backward, but he was terrified to do so. Even in his fight with his father, they’d never put out that much magical power.

Like a monster rearing its head, Ryker could feel something catching up to him rapidly. It was massive, overwhelming, and it felt like it was going to tear everything around him to absolutely nothing.

A golden wave of anger washed over Ryker. It flowed over him, inspected him, and passed on by. Except as it left, Ryker felt renewed.

Invigorated.

Sprinting harder than he felt he ever had before, Ryker felt like there was a hand on his back pushing him along. As if someone were telling him to run on.

“Runner is very strong. We should invite him over for dinner soon, along with Al,” Marybelle said. “Slight right, dear.”

Turning to the right, Ryker ran on.

Chapter 35 - Leap of Faith -

Panting, Ryker continued ever onward. He felt like he’d been running for what he was starting to believe was forever. Never ending in his chase of Claire.

He had no idea how she was staying ahead of him, but she was. She was moving with a speed he couldn’t comprehend.

Stumbling out of the lightly wooded area, Ryker lifted his eyes from the trail. Out in front of him was a plain, and to the right was the same cliff drop-off he’d been beside this whole time. The very same he’d left Runner fighting Rannulf on.

Out ahead of him in the open plain was Claire, with Bianca in the basket, carrying her by the handle.

From this distance, it was clear to him that Claire was using spells. He couldn’t see what method she was using from here, but it was obvious to him.

She was also just as talented as Shirley, if not slightly more. Ryker wouldn’t know unless he tested her, but that was what he was thinking.

Or if he peeked into her status and information.

Focusing on her, Ryker felt a burst of energy rise up inside him. Moving forward again, chasing her once more, he tried to get more information on her.

Name- Shirley/Claire

Level:

39

Class:

Wizard

Race:

Human

Experience:

93%

Alignment:

Chaotic

Reputation:

0

Fame:

0

Bounty:

0

Attributes-

Strength:

19

Constitution:

23

Dexterity:

17

Intelligence:

58

Agility:

18

Wisdom:

21

Stamina:

22

Charisma:

84

Status- None

Oh fuck, she’s stronger than Shirley, and she’s a wizard too.

Damn me.

Thinking quick, Ryker made a choice. He wasn’t sure it was the right one, but it was the only one he had. If he didn’t miss his guess, he could get her to stop.

“Shirley!” Ryker shouted at the top of his lungs.

Claire stopped mid-stride and turned around to face him.

She looked much like Shirley; it was amazing how similar the two sisters were in appearance.

In seeing him, there was a wild look of success and achievement in her eyes, but also an equal measure of confusion.

Rushing toward him, she came back. She looked unfatigued and absolutely driven. She was also moving at a walking pace, but she seemed to be moving at a sprint.

It was terrifying in a way.

“I think she’s absolutely mad,” Marybelle murmured softly.

That’s a given. The question is… how do I make it work for me? I just have to get Bianca away from her. Get her away and put her necklace on.

That’s all I have to do.

After that, I can crush Claire flat if it comes down to it.

Coming up to him as if nothing were the matter at all, Claire gave him a wide and dazzling smile. It was something he’d looked for often when he’d spent time with her. For the brief period of time he’d called her wife and enjoyed her company.

When he’d fallen in a sick and fascinated love with her.

Looking back, he realized she’d never quite had the same affection for him that he’d had for her. She’d never deigned to give him anything more than a glance or a few words.

“Ryker!” Claire said, coming up to him. “I’ve brought Claire’s daughter, just as you asked. I’ve brought her. No one could hear you talking but me. I could hear you. You said you wanted Claire’s daughter for her safety, so I’ve brought her. Here you go.”

Nodding his head, Ryker held out his hands, hoping he’d get his daughter back in the simplest way ever.

Claire handed her over to him, basket and all, as if it were the easiest and simplest thing in the world.

Letting out a breath, Ryker slowly looked down at Bianca. She was quite safe and unharmed. She smiled up at him as if there were nothing wrong at all.

Glancing at Claire, who was smiling at him as well, Ryker didn’t know what to do.

“Good job, Shirley,” Ryker said. “What can I give you for doing this great deed for me? What do you want? Name it, and it’ll be yours.”

“Oh, that’s simple,” Claire said, waving a hand at him, which was followed by a crazed giggle. “Just bring my family back to life. Just like you said. Just like you promised you would. That’s all.”

“Ah, yes. Of course, of course. Sorry, it slipped my mind in my joy to see my daughter,” Ryker said. “We’ll just have to head back to your manor home, and we can do it from there. Have to make sure we get all of them, right?”

“Exactly!” Claire said with a firm nod. “We’ll head back home and bring everybody back. As if the Chas family had never come. Maybe we can even bring Claire back?”

“I see no reason not to,” Ryker said with a tight smile. “She’s the mother of my child, after all.”

“Oh, fantastic. Fantastic,” Claire said, moving away towards the cliff edge. “That’s wonderful.”

Moving several steps away from Claire, Ryker looked back down at Bianca.

Smiling at his daughter, his firstborn, he wasn’t really sure what to do with himself.

The necklace then. Let’s get that on her now before anything further happens.

Just in case. Because when you’re dealing with a crazy person, one should never expect normalcy.

Reaching into an inner pocket in his clothes, Ryker fished out the necklace he’d made for Bianca. One Shirley had put several spells into after Ryker’s protection wards.

He had no idea what she’d added, and he hadn’t had the time to inspect it or really look it over.

Carefully, Ryker slipped it over Bianca’s head, then locked the necklace into place with a small self-sustaining spell. It would only ever come off if Bianca wished it to come off. Otherwise, it would remain with her for all time and grow with her.

“I suddenly don’t feel so well,” Claire said, moving several steps further away from Bianca and her necklace.

Perfect. It’s working.

Grinning, Ryker watched as Bianca tried to grab at the necklace but only succeeding in patting it. Her little fingers managed to close on it eventually, at which point she made a happy baby coo.

“What’s that?” Claire asked. “It looks like… a person?”

Grimacing, Ryker looked up at Claire. Then he followed the direction she was pointing at with her arm.

There in the sky was a blue streak of magic.

And it was heading straight for them.

“Ryker! I found you!” Shirley said in his mind. “Is that Claire? Do you have Bianca!?”

“Yes… yes, it is, and I do,” Ryker said, relieved. He’d been worried for Shirley. “She’s already wearing the anti-Claire necklace as well. How’d it go with my dad?”

“I have his head in a bag on my horse. You and he really do fight in a mirror-like way. It took longer to deal with his minions than it did him,” Shirley said. “Whatever. He can’t come back if I’ve got his head, so… there we go.”

“Can’t someone just steal his head?” Ryker asked, somewhat weirded out by the conversation they were having about his undead father’s head.

“No. Runner’s watching the horses. I ran into him when I went to catch up with you.

“He said he has something to give you, a relic. He mentioned that you asked him to fight Rannulf. Apparently, the dark god had come prepared to fight you as if you had Lambart’s founding relic. Runner won, of course,” Shirley said. “He also wanted to inspect your father’s head. He was curious, and I saw no harm in it.”

Once again, Ryker was insanely glad to have met Al and befriended Runner.

“It’s… is that…?” Claire asked, sounding incredibly unsure.

Uh… maybe it’s not a good idea for Claire to see Shirley.

“Remember, you’re Claire. She thinks you died,” Ryker said. “Just tell her I brought you back. As a down payment on her agreement with me.”

Landing with far more grace than Ryker had managed, Shirley smiled and walked over to where he was.

“Ah!” she said, immediately taking Bianca into her arms and holding the child. “Thank you, Shirley, for bringing my daughter here.”

“I… I… I did, yes,” Claire said, her tone becoming calmer by the second. “I brought her. Yes. Ryker said to bring her, so I did. I didn’t realize he’d be fulfilling his promise so soon. You’re alive once more, sister?”

“I am indeed,” Shirley said, holding Bianca. “I was brought back by Ryker. It was a down payment of sorts for his deal with you.”

“Oh, good. Good. I wasn’t sure. Ryker said… Ryker said—no, it’s good. We’re good,” Claire said, nodding her head quickly. “So very good. Soon enough we can go back home and… go back home and everyone will be put back to rights. Our family shall live on and… and everything will be fine.

“Fine. Everything will be fine.”

Claire started to laugh at nothing, her hands clasped tightly into one another in front of herself.

“Yes. Everything… everything is… will be… yes… no,” Claire said, her face going absolutely blank. There was nothing human there in that moment. It was like she was carved from wood.

“Nothing’s been right since the shattering. Nothing. Nothing is… nothing… was,” Claire said, shaking her head. “None of it’s real. It’s all wrong. We’re not real. I’m not. You’re not. You’re not. The sun, the grass. None of it.”

“What?” Shirley asked.

“Nothing. Never mind,” Ryker said quickly. “Come on, Shirley, let’s get back home and we can start fixing things. Alright?”

“But that’s just it,” Claire said, slowly turning her eyes to Ryker. “I’m not Shirley. I’m not even Claire. I’m not real. We’re all just… figments of someone’s imagination. Nothing makes sense. The shattering isn’t real. It never was.”

Glancing at Shirley, Ryker found that she was staring hard at Claire. Her eyes were also slowly starting to lose focus.

“Hey, stay with me, Shirley. She’s just crazy. Alright?” Ryker said.

“We don’t have anyone other than Mother and Father. Their sisters and brothers? Don’t exist!” Claire said with a crazed laugh. “None of them do! I never told you, but I went looking for Grandmother and Grandfather. They never existed. Even their house was like it had never been there.

“Those days we spent there as children? Never happened!”

Laughing louder and louder, Claire laid her arms over her stomach.

“There’s not even a bathroom in our family home!” she said in a crazed voice. “We have to go outside and use an outhouse! Like peasants! Who’s ever heard of a noble house without a bathroom? No one!”

Claire took in a deep breath.

“Because this is all fake. Fake! FAKE!” she screamed.

Shirley’s body went rigid, and her eyes rolled up into her head.

“Shirley!” Ryker shouted at her in her mind. “It’s okay! I promise it’s okay! We can talk about it and make it work. It isn’t so bad. I promise. We can get through it easily. It isn’t really fake, just not exactly real either.”

There was a faint squeak from Shirley in return, but that was all.

“Fake. It’s all fake and none of this matters,” Claire said in a hiss. “None of it. I’m not Shirley, she’s not Claire, that’s not my child, and you’re not Ryker. We’re all… make believe. All of us.”

“It’s okay, Shirley. It’s okay. I promise, it’s okay,” Ryker said at the same time as he laid a hand on her back. “It’s okay. We’re as real as we want to be and choose to be. The gods and goddesses know about it. So does Runner. It’s very normal. I promise. Bianca is real, you’re real, I’m real.”

Shirley relaxed several seconds after he touched her. Her muscles loosened, and her eyes gained focus again as the pupils came back to center.

“It’s really all fake,” Shirley murmured.

“It’s not what we thought, at least. But it’s still real, just not the way you expected. Rike helped me figure it out personally. Marybelle knows, too,” Ryker said. “But we can’t tell everyone, because sometimes it makes people crazy. It’s all as real as we wish it to be.”

“Crazy like Claire,” Shirley said, her head turning to Ryker. “Those who can’t handle the idea of not… being the center of their own world.”

“Probably the reason, definitely crazy, and likely the reason for that crazy,” Ryker admitted. He’d suspected for a while that was the problem with her, but there was no way to tell. No way to find out.

Not without risking actually making her aware and making everything worse.

“Fake,” Claire said, standing directly in front of Shirley and Ryker.

Somehow she’d gotten close enough despite the necklace. Ryker’s sense of alarm went off, and he felt his skin go cold.

“And it doesn’t matter,” Claire said.

Jerking Bianca’s basket out of Shirley’s arms, Claire turned and sprinted away from them.

Straight for the cliff face.

“Claire! No!” Ryker shouted. Rapidly building spells to stop her, he launched them the very millisecond they were complete.

They latched on to her with full force and stopped her dead.

It lasted for a single second before she blew them away as if they were little more than strings holding her back.

“It doesn’t matter! None of us are real!” screamed Claire as she leapt off the edge of the cliff with Bianca in her arms. There was a brief moment where Ryker could see Claire and Bianca, and then they were gone, vanishing from view off the cliff edge.

Shirley was a fraction of a second behind them, diving off as well.

Scrambling forward, Ryker ran up to the edge and peered down. At the same time, he was building multiple air spells. Some to slow, some to catch, some to bring something back upward, and some to let him fly straight down like a dart.

He had no idea what he’d need, but he was going to make things happen.

Shirley was a considerable distance below him. She was clutching the edge of a rock face with one hand. The other hand held Bianca’s basket.

Dropping off the edge of the cliff, Ryker aimed for the ledge Shirley was hanging onto as his heart hammered in his chest.

When he reached her, he began to form his air spell around her just in case she lost her grip as he hauled her up.

“I had her, Ryker,” Shirley said in a shuddering voice. “I had her. Then Claire pulled her from the basket, and… I lost her. I lost them both. They vanished into the trees.”

Shocked, Ryker looked in the basket. It was indeed empty. The pulled-aside blankets were all that was there, and it looked like the side of the basket had been ripped in half. Like someone had yanked on it with inhuman force.

“I had her. I had Bianca. I had her and lost her,” Shirley said, then started to sob brokenly. “I lost our daughter.”

Pulling his poor defeated wife up off the ledge, Ryker wrapped his arms around her.

He felt empty and hollow as he stared down at the treetops at the bottom of the cliff. He couldn’t see anything. Couldn’t sense anything. Couldn’t feel anything.

Even with his dungeon sense, there was nothing there. There was no trail of Claire’s either. No matter which way he searched, using mana, faith, or the dungeon, there was nothing.

It was as if they simply no longer existed.

“Ryker, I had her,” Shirley wailed, clutching his chest. She pressed her face against his shoulder and began to wail into him.

Doing his best to comfort her, he held her.

He felt as broken as she seemed to be, but he had to hold it in. At least for a little bit. Long enough to care for Shirley. Then he could let it out in peace and quiet.

When he was alone.

He had no doubt she’d blame herself for this. That she couldn’t save Bianca from Claire.

And that was the last thing he wanted her to think.

“She was real,” Shirley said in a sob. “Bianca was real. Is real. I’m real. It doesn’t matter if the world isn’t real, but I’m real. And I know it.

“Damn Claire and her crazy, twisted brain. She couldn’t handle that she wasn’t going to be remembered or important in the world, and she took our baby.

“Damn her. Damn her!”

Ryker laid his cheek to Shirley’s brow and simply ran his hands up and down her back.

He couldn’t even speak right now.

It felt like his very soul was broken.

Epilogue

Standing there at the top of his tower, Ryker watched as countless children worked at the patterns he’d given them. He wasn’t instructing the class, but he was watching it through his dungeon sense.

They were children from all parts of Dale.

Children without families, futures, or places to sleep. They mingled with the children of wealthy merchants, scions of noble houses, and the scrappy offspring of the commoners.

Here, Ryker’s rule was absolute. Absolute and without question.

No one dared to go against him when it came to his school. Even the children. So much so that they all knew there would be no second chances for any who violated the simple cardinal rules.

All children were equal, all children were special, and anything counter to that belief would be expelled, destroyed, or removed.

Without question as to who they were or what it was.

All done so by the arch-wizard of Dale, known friend and comrade of the Dark Lord of the North, husband and king-consort to Queen Lauren, and master of the dungeon. No one challenged Ryker here.

On the first day of the first class, Ryker, the headmaster of the School of Towers, expelled several children. They’d disobeyed the rules, thought they were above others, and determined to make other children’s lives less so.

One was an orphan girl, another a duke’s son, and the third a commoner.

None were spared if they threatened Ryker’s vision of his school.

All children were sacred to him and equal. They all had worth. Even if they had less ability, more money, no money, no social graces.

Here was a place where anyone could learn to be a wizard in safety and peace. In addition to that, they would learn the laws of Dale, the laws of the School of Towers, and what Ryker expected of them as his students.

If they failed him, there would be no second chances, and Ryker would come for them. That was part and parcel to their agreement to join the school, and they wouldn’t be here otherwise.

There was only one person in the entire school who ever questioned Ryker.

And that was the headmistress, Shirley.

She was just as unbending with the rules as Ryker, except she was part of everyone’s day. She knew almost every student and could always be seen somewhere on campus. She was often able to curb problems before they began, where Ryker simply ended problems.

You’re brooding again.

“Yes, I do that often,” Ryker muttered. “How are you, Rike?”

I’m doing very well.

Very, very well.

Alex accepted my proposal for marriage, and he even took your wedding present. He was… very pleased. I think he’ll spend quite a bit of time on how to provide you with a gift in return.

“No need,” Ryker said.

While you and I know that, it’s simply how he is.

There’s no reason to brood, you know.

There are many things to be thankful for.

“I would disagree. At least about the brooding part. There are indeed many things I’m grateful for. Like having a really active sex life,” Ryker said.

Folding his arms in front of him, Ryker disconnected from the dungeon sense and looked down from the headmaster and headmistress’s tower.

Death is merely a part of life.

Runner himself scoured… everything… for you. There’s no chance that Claire or Bianca is among the living. There was nothing you could have done further.

Their souls passed on to another afterlife, and they’re safe and removed from pain now.

And as someone who’s lost, Runner can tell you the truth of it. That you have to move on.

“Yeah, I know,” Ryker said, frowning severely. “And I even know you’re not wrong. Neither is Runner when he visits. Doesn’t make it any easier.”

It’s been months. You have other children you will need to care for.

“I know,” Ryker said softly. “And I will when the time comes. Until then, I’ll grieve.”

“Dot’s coming,” Meino said from where she sat in her chair. She was practicing her newfound hobby, drawing.

Looking over at the big Minotaur, he couldn’t help but smile. She looked entirely at leisure, but he knew better. She’d been modifying her avatar each time she remade it. She was becoming stronger with every iteration.

“Well, suppose that means my chat with Rike is over for now,” Ryker said. He turned and looked at the stairwell that led up from the interior.

That’s fine. I like Dot. I don’t mind making time for her.

Only one child visited him directly without fear or trepidation. And did so regularly, usually bringing her lunch up to share with him.

“Mister Schoolmaster!” Dot shouted from below.

Tar got up from where he was dozing on the wall with a shake. Stretching himself one way and then the other, he immediately started to preen himself. He’d grown and was roughly the size of a large dog now.

He also doted terribly on Dot and often followed her around the campus.

“I’m here, Dot,” Ryker said with a genuine smile.

“Okay!” shouted the little girl, apparently not quite yet at the top of the stairs.

A second or two later, her head came up from the stairs. “Hi, Meino! I like your braid today.”

“Thank you,” Meino said, smiling at the little girl. “My hair is getting long. It felt like a good thing to do.”

Bouncing over to Ryker, Dot looked the same as she always did. The scar she wore on her face didn’t seem to diminish her spirit or her outlook.

If anything, she’d been tempered and come out stronger. Every day, she grew faster and further than Ryker expected in the arts of a wizard. So much so that he’d been forced to start teaching her directly rather than relying on others to teach her.

Instruction in the basics would do her no good. She was far more like Shirley in her needs.

“They made dungeon chicken today. I brought us three. One for each of us!” Dot said happily, a large greasy sack held in her small fists. “I didn’t forget you, Meino. I brought you some oat cakes! And I saw Headmistress Shirley. She looks big.”

“Well, don’t tell her that,” Ryker said with a chuckle. “Just keep telling her she looks beautiful.”

“She is beautiful. She’s just big,” Dot said, coming to Meino. Reaching into a different sack, she pulled out a stack of hard-pressed oat cakes. Then she leaned over and kissed the Minotaur’s cheek.

“Oh sweetie, thank you,” Meino said with a deep, rumbling laugh. Taking the oat cakes, she happily bit into one immediately.

“I hope when I have a child, she will be just like you,” she said with her mouth full.

Dot had been raised in a situation where manners and etiquette meant nothing. After having eaten with Ryker and Meino, and having seen how they ate, she’d been a complete loss with her lessons regarding manners forever forward.

She saw no reason to bother when her friends didn’t.

“Do you really have to leave today with Adele?” Dot asked, holding out one of the chickens to Ryker.

“Yes, we really do,” Ryker said with a grin. “We have to get back to Lauren. She and Diane are… well, they need us there.

“Just how it goes.”

“Hmph. I don’t like it. You should stay here. Towers isn’t the same without you,” Dot said.

“I’ll be back before you know it. Besides, I need to check in on Rinni,” Ryker said. “She likes it when I visit.”

“I still don’t like it,” Dot complained. She sat down next to where Tar was on the wall and held up a chicken for him above her head.

Tar didn’t technically eat human food. In any way or shape.

But he never refused anything from Dot. He’d eat it, even though it did nothing for him other than probably make him uncomfortable.

“I mean, that’s fair,” Ryker said with a chuckle. “But it is what it is. I’ll be back sooner than you realize. Shirley will be here while I’m gone to help you with your lessons.”

“She looks at me with sad eyes,” Dot said, pulling the last chicken out of the sack and taking a big bite out of it.

“Yeah… I know,” Ryker said, losing his appetite quickly. “She just likes you a lot.”

“I know she does,” Dot said, chewing loudly.

Ryker snorted at that and leaned up against the wall.

Looking out at the grounds below, he took in a slow breath.

It was called the School of Towers because every student was expected to make their own tower now. It would house them during their stay, provide them with a place to train, and could be a way for them to show off a bit.

Competition, truly friendly competition, never hurt anyone. They were all equal, but they were allowed to show their towers off.

“…said I needed to eat more,” Dot said. She’d continued talking even when Ryker had zoned out.

“Who did?” he asked, looking back at Dot.

“Doctor Doctor,” Dot said. “She thinks I need to eat more.”

“Then you should probably eat more. She’s a good doctor and knows what she’s talking about,” Ryker said.

The magical clone army of Doctor Silts had arrived. All brought over by Shirley herself and immediately given a place to live in the School of Towers. In return for her services, she was given a place to live safely, in comfort, and also begin to expand herself out.

Doctor Silt was the entire medical staff from top to bottom for the school. It was an amazing thing to have her on staff, as she was a very proficient doctor.

Wizards tended to get hurt often, and having such a great medical team on staff was a blessing.

She’d gotten the name Doctor Doctor from the children because that was how they all introduced themselves. They were the doctors who asked to be called Doctor.

“I know. I like Doctor Doctor. I just can’t eat much,” Dot said.

Nodding his head at that, Ryker could definitely identify.

He hadn’t had a real appetite in a while. Even if everything was going his way and all seemed settled, he still felt sick.

Sick and at a loss.

Soon, though, he wouldn’t have the option to sit and mope around.

He’d be a father again. And this time, he wasn’t going to waste a single minute of it.

Even if he had to abduct Lauren, Diane, and Shirley to a farm away from everything. He was going to enjoy being a father, one way or another.

And pity anyone who got in his way.

“Don’t forget me or Adele,” Marybelle said. She was somewhere in the tower working on something else. “You won’t have to work hard to kidnap me. Though I’d like to go back to Dungeon soon and see the others. While being at the center of the dungeon here works quite well for my job, I miss my friends.

“Wynne, Charlotte, and Tris all miss you too, you know.”

I know… soon.

And maybe that’s the answer. Take everyone and run away to the dungeon. Somewhere deep down and away from it all. Where no one can get to us.

***

“Hey,” Runner said, holding up a hand.

Ryker was in a room that felt odd to him. The walls were smooth and metallic looking, and there was a quiet hum all over.

Blinking several times, Ryker wasn’t sure where he was or how he got here.

“I die again?” Ryker asked, looking down at himself.

“Uh… no? But I did pull you to somewhere else that… isn’t what you would expect,” Runner said. “I was hoping to pick your brain on something. You’d also asked a while back to know more about what was going on. With… well, everything.”

“Oh. Time for that conversation, huh?” Ryker asked.

“Probably a good time for it now that you’re done with Dale and all that. Back home, all snug and homey,” Runner said with a shrug. “How ya been, by the way?”

“Okay,” Ryker said honestly. He and Runner had had several long conversations about loss. Runner had lost two people very close to him and could identify.

It made him a very safe person to talk to who understood how Ryker felt.

“Gets… a little easier. Especially with the kids now. Then I feel like I’m betraying her memory by getting better and loving what would have been her siblings,” Ryker said with a grimace and a shake of his head.

“I have statues of Nadine erected all over. By my hand, and others,” Runner said. “Because I’m not betraying her by moving on. I’m remembering her in the right way.

“But that’s nothing we haven’t talked about before, and I’m sure you’re sick of the sermon.”

“Yeah,” Ryker mumbled. “So… what is it you want exactly with my brain?”

“Come, come. I have a story to tell you, Uncle,” Runner said, turning to the doorway. “And it’s not exactly an easy story to tell.”

“Just tell me what I need to know, then ask your question,” Ryker said, moving to follow the other man.

“Uh… right. Okay. Uh, yeah,” Runner said, nodding his head and then shaking it. “So, you know your world isn’t what you thought it was. But it isn’t false either. Nadine once asked me about it, and I thought I came up with a clever analogy at the time.”

“You’re never clever,” Ryker said.

“What? Course I am,” Runner said.

“No, you’re not. And your wives tolerate you for reasons I’ll never understand. Get to the point,” Ryker said.

“Okay, right. So… imagine a fishbowl with fish in it. Those fish can’t see out of it. To the fish, that is the entirety of the world.

“Now imagine I walked up with a fish puppet on a stick. I put it in the fishbowl and pretend to be a fish. To you, I am a fish. To me, I am a man holding a fish puppet. I can pull the puppet out whenever I want and walk away. You’d be none the wiser and think I just swam off.”

“Hm. I take it you or someone like you made the fishbowl?” Ryker asked.

“So to speak,” Runner admitted.

They were walking through a long hallway now. There was no one around. It was eerie how silent and empty the place was.

“And?” Ryker asked, trying to get the conversation going. Runner could be damned long-winded at times.

“I have a bunch of fishbowls. Lots of them,” Runner said. “Lots and lots. Except someone came along and stole some of them from me. His name’s Zeus, by the way. Real dickhead.”

“Okay,” Ryker said, somewhat curious now.

“And I want to get them back,” Runner said. “I want my fishbowls back. The problem is, to get them back, it’s really possible I might break them.”

“And there isn’t a way to get them back without breaking them?” Ryker asked.

“Well, yes, there is. But that involves either converting all the fish in the fishbowls into worshiping me, or killing the Zeus fish on that server.

“And doing that would be rather hard. He killed my fish in several of them.”

Ryker shook his head. This talk about fish and fishbowls was getting annoying. “What are they really called? The fish and fishbowls.”

“Oh, ah, that is… servers. Servers and characters. A server is like a… big fishbowl filled with fish. Or characters,” Runner said.

“Fine, and you want your servers back,” Ryker said. “How did he take them from you to begin with?”

“Commando strikes and infiltration. He just outright killed me on a number of them before I could respond,” Runner said. “I had let my guard down. Then he took over before I could mount a counterattack. Stupid me. I basically didn’t close and lock my front door, and someone came in and did a home invasion on me.”

“Then kicked you out,” Ryker said. “Okay. And? Just do the same back to him.”

“I mean, I’d like to, but I’d have to risk people I don’t want to risk. It becomes a balancing act,” Runner said.

“Can you make more servers? More characters?” Ryker asked.

“I mean, yeah. I can. Why?”

“Just makes hundreds of servers, lock the door this time, and start making billions of characters. Billions and billions and billions. Then set it up so you can cull the weak and find the rare lives you could use to go fuck Zeus up,” Ryker said. “Just take the dungeon mentality—the strong survive—and apply it to a bunch of servers. You’ll make an army like that.”

“I… that sounds awful,” Runner said, looking truly horrified.

Ryker shrugged. “Dunno what fantasy land you’re living in, but that’s just how it goes. If you can’t bring yourself to do that, can you shorten their lifespans? Make it so they breed and die real fast? Shorter lifespans, more characters, more chances to find your warriors.”

“I could never—wait,” Runner said, staring off at nothing. “I could change the way time flows. Speed it up or slow it down depending. Put in a few hundred filters, lines of code, and just keep it running. Looking for soldiers and commanders. Heroes.”

“I guess? No idea what half of that meant, but sounds like you’ve got the right idea,” Ryker said. “Just breed ’em up till you get what you want, then go take back the other servers.”

“I’m not so sure about making an army… but a strike force would work. A team of individuals picked off different servers for what they can bring to a team. To take back everything,” Runner said. “And if I hurt Zeus enough… if I kill him a few times… it might give Sunshine all she needs to escape.”

“She’s the one trapped?” Ryker asked. They’d talked about her briefly before. One of his wives was locked in an eternal struggle with Zeus.

“Yeah, she is.”

“So… if you can give Zeus problems, it’s far more likely she could escape all on her own?” Ryker asked.

“Uh-huh. That’s what Al thinks,” Runner said. “Apparently, during the First-Core war—”

“First-Core war?” Ryker interrupted.

“Uh, when Zeus stole all my fishbowls.”

“Servers.”

“Yeah, when Zeus stole all my servers. That’s what we call it now. The First-Core war.”

“You’re a presumptuous asshole at times, you know that?” Ryker asked. “Name your wars like you’re some sort of historian.”

“I mean… yeah?” Runner asked.

“Anyways. If you can keep Zeus occupied, then that means your wife would have a better chance to wriggle out?” Ryker asked, trying to confirm his thoughts.

“It’s what Al thinks, yeah.”

“Then make a whole bunch of servers. So many that it’s just ridiculous. Make it obvious you’re attempting to breed up armies to fight Zeus. But… don’t actually do it,” Ryker said. “Just make it look like it. Lock the doors down tight, but give Zeus enough room to get his foot in the door and be distracted.

“Put enough meat on the bone that he can’t resist the trap and has to take it. Or at least, he has to try to take it. Use your strike team when he’s at the peak of being distracted and see about knocking him down a few pegs. That’d work, wouldn’t it?”

Runner was staring at Ryker with a stupid look on his face.

“I mean… yeah. But wouldn’t I be putting all those worlds and people at risk?” Runner asked.

“No more so than what we seem to do on our own,” Ryker said. “I mean, shit… how many have died in this war between Rannulf and Lambart? And that has nothing at all to do with your Zeus or you. That’s just them being human and stupid.”

“That’s… a fair point, I suppose. There were a number of servers, or cores I guess, that simply ripped themselves to bits all on their own,” Runner said, his eyes slowly drifting up to the space above Ryker. “It’d work. Wouldn’t it?”

“I mean, I think so,” Ryker said, shrugging his shoulders. “But I’m just a dungeon lord. I like suckering people ever deeper.”

“Mm. It’d work. Yes,” Runner said with a nod.

Ryker shrugged. He didn’t really understand.

“Alright. Let’s go get a bite to eat here. I’ll tell you more details over food. I want you to try out a food called pizza. I think you’ll like it.

“Then maybe we can go for a romp in that dungeon of yours. I’ve been curious to try it,” Runner said.

“I mean… okay? Sure. We can try one of the newer wings I made. I put in a real great story, I think,” Ryker said.

“Sure, sure. Wait. Maybe we can make that dungeon story into a world. Build it out literally. Or several worlds. Actually, maybe we should build those servers together. Suddenly I feel inspired to create an entire second generation of core worlds.

“Would you like to build some worlds with me?” Runner asked. “It can be a lot of fun.”

A conversation he’d had with Amelia came rushing back to him.

A conversation about just such a situation. About making worlds.

Tricky little thing. She knew it was a possibility a long time ago.

“Yeah. Let’s… go build some worlds. But I want to be the overgod of a few of them,” Ryker said. He was genuinely interested and excited about the possibility. “Just like you are.”

“Sure, sure, we can figure out something. I’m all for that, in fact,” Runner said, clapping Ryker on the back. “Let’s go make some worlds. I have this great idea for a world about superheroes.”

“Superheroes? What are those?” Ryker asked.

Thank you, dear reader!

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Blaise Corvin- A close and dear friend of mine. He’s been there for me since I was nothing but a rookie with a single book to my name. He told me from the start that it was clear I had talent and had to keep writing. His background in European martial arts creates accurate and detail driven action segments as well as his world building.
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John Van Stry- John was an author I read, and re-read, and re-read again, before I was an author. In a world of books written for everything except harems, I found that not only did I truly enjoy his writing, but his concepts as well.
In discovering he was an indie author, I realized that there was nothing separating me from being just like him. I attribute him as an influence in my own work.

He now has two pen names, and both are great.

https://www.amazon.com/John-Van-Stry/e/B004U7JY8I
Jan Stryvant-

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Daniel Schinhofen- Daniel was another one of those early adopters of my work who encouraged and pushed me along. He’s almost as introverted as I am, so we get along famously. He recently released a new book, and by all accounts including mine, is a well written author with interesting storylines.

https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Schinhofen/e/B01LXQWPZA