Tarion.

  “Sky Treader technique! Hahaha, in Freidland of all places!”

  Clawing the ground, Jing pounced. I guarded with gold on my right forearm, and a shockwave repelled us away. Jing bounced back in action with light feet. I watch her with lightsight. Watching for any habits in her qi usage. Her higher dantian illuminated as mana from the air coiled like a whip. Left, right, left, I flashstepped. A second qi whip on her left attacked as I escaped the hundreds of whip cracks. After careful timing, I caught a whip with my right hand. Jing just smiled and focused with two fingers.

  Lightning electrocuted me, making me throw away the qi whips. However, as if alive, the whip wrapped around my arm again for a second electrocution. Groaning in pain, I increased my senses and intelligence and felt the frequencies, allowing me to endure. Gaining a second to react, Qi pulsed, tearing the tough whips to pieces.

  Gotta get close!

  A jump to the right saved my life from a whip falling at supersonic speed. The stairs were destroyed in a split second, and I was sure the blast of debris killed many of my men. Flight held me by instinct, and I flew over a cutting whip from the right. I resonated with air, and platforms broke as I flew like a bullet. I heightened my agility, slipping past danger. Left, under, above, now two whips swung at the same time. An axe kick trapped both whips under my boot. Destroying the whips from under my sole, a leap launched me above spears, swords, arrows and dying men. But Jing waited calmly. Fists turn to vipers, warping the air, slowly bobbing up and down. Her intense eyes were on me.

  Her higher dantian lit up, and I skidded on the stairs, stopping abruptly. A snake strike missed my head. Her right viper pivoted to my left, snapping like a taipan. Super senses saved me again with a lean away. My right hand glowed gold as I blocked a third viper strike with a palm. Wind rushed away from our qi colliding. Jing stomped with a shockwave at my feet. I spun, giving her a backspin elbow on her right cheek.

  I caught her mid-flight by her leg, increased strength and smashed her against the rubble that was once stairs. One, two, there, then again for good measure. Jing grunted, gnashing teeth as blood leaked from her lips. I lift her up again, and a kick shot a shockwave right into my face, blinding me for a moment, but a moment was all she needed to vibrate herself out of my loose grip. I evaded a viper attack, and a quick right jab pelted her nose.

  She blew blood from her nose. “Bastard!”

  Her right arm relaxed, and a backhand struck my face with insane speed. Feeling the brunt of the shock wave hit to my temple, my sense of balance went haywire. About to kneel, on wobbly legs, the viper strike finally connected, bursting blood vessels on my skin. Viper strikes rain on me as I attempt to guard with golden skin. The world still twisted and turned, and I put 105 points into vitality.

  Something choked me. I saw, with blurring vision, a figure pulling two whips. “Is this it?!” Jing pulled harder, and my vision blurred. I gasped for any air.

  No…

  I reached for the whips around my neck. I feel them weakening. I am taking it all in, even this situation.

  “I am not into this kind of thing. Is it common with you and Jianling?”

  “How do you know his name?!”

  “You didn’t say no.” I dashed, tearing the whips and attacked with a double palm strike to her chest. She flipped over to her feet, and qi exploded from his great blaze of black.

  “I shouldn't have left you to the wolfburn! Nobles who know no hardship will never amount to those with true talent!”

  “Thanks for the compliment?”

  Black mist collected into her, leaving some of the men of her army lifeless on the floor. Long-nailed hands looked dipped in glassy obsidian marble. Her grey skin seemed more vibrant. The black hair of her Liuen Decent was replaced by white.

  “You earned my respect, Duke. Now behold the true power of a Xiao!”

  Amazing…! Her power doesn’t come close to Duke Wolfburn, and that can be explained by the sheer number of strong souls he consumed. But when it came to pure skill, I have never faced better. Syphoning of the power to supplement her mastered techniques. Jing uses the curse as if it were her own. Maybe it is her own… Let me test something.

  Qi capacity 105

  “You are really strong. Is there something about the cult that makes you talented with the curse? I guess in a cult of inbreeders, that trait can be concentrated. A power that depends on which branch was freakier with their kin! Fascinating.”

  An uppercut exploded away from Jing’s supersonic Viper strike from under her forearm. “Ooh, sore spot?” Screaming from her dislocated shoulder, she retreated up the steps and crouched under a bullet punch. Her arm clicked, and a shockwave from her palm hit me in the intestines. Flying in the air at sound-breaking speed. Dozens of whips track me, wrapping around my limbs tightly.

  “SEE HOW IT FEELS!”

  BANG! BANG! BANG! Jing flung me up to see the angel I made in the stone rubble, and I spat blood at vipers made of pure qi flying at me.

  Mind stage… where imagination becomes reality… Shit, this is going to hurt so bad.

  “THOUSAND VIPERS! Feed on him!” Jing howled, and hundreds of qi snakes bit into my flesh.

  “AARGH!” Mini shockwaves vibrated from their fangs. Bang! Back on the ground, I was dropped, crushing stone and bone.

  “Fuck…sake.” I spat out a tooth, glad it wasn't one in the front.

  Snakes and whips retreated to Jing, slithering around her hurting body. “My fangs have a little surprise for you.” She grinned, like acid poured into my body, curse and poison oozed from the fang holes.

  “This is…” I examined my arms.

  “My famous venom had claimed a lot of men renowned in the Liu states. None live to tell-”

  “...So cool.”

  “Huh?”

  I calmed. Taking the energy I had harvested, I flushed my injuries of impurity. Collecting the curse in one spot, I rose out of the stairway rubble, swatting away a whip with golden fingers.

  “Should be enough.”

  Remember that feeling. It's yours.

  I feast on the curse.

  I felt full.

  My dantians sing, humming pure tones of qi. My heart beat like a chorus of drummers.

  Soft, easing qi became unruly on my skin. An uncontrollable forest fire, ready to smoulder anything in its way.

  No bloody red taint this power. Pure qi sped through my meridians; an overpowering energy surged in my heart like firecrackers.

  An eye opened to a new world. Black scales grew on my face.

  Easy… What was that Yuran doing in my body?

  “Y-your eye! A descendant…” she groaned. “It makes sense now. But is that all you can muster?”

  “I don’t know. But it's all I need.”

  Her hands changed into a viper stance; she readied herself for the last fight, and with no further questions, hundreds of qi snakes flew in my way. A right arm curled, ready to strike.

  RESONANCE: WIND – SHOCKWAVE! I perforated the air, and a cone of vibrating wind bounced the qi attacks. However, a giant snake of qi snapped at me, and with a flash step, I spun away.

  With my right eye, I saw everything. Such gorgeous interlacing of qi, all conjured in a second. Caught during my admiration, the giant serpent of qi turned to its right, slithering down the stairs to gobble me.

  “Here we go!”

  Grabbing the large fangs, I crashed into building after building, never letting go of my tenuous grip.

  1+

  1+

  1+

  I sent the extra points to strength and kicked the living shit out of the large viper. Bursting out from the Qi essence, Jing ran in close, striking my head and chest and private parts. All guarded with a lot of luck, and I responded with the Brazilian kick to the cult member's face, in which she narrowly evaded with a spin.

  Dragon eyes saw all. And I learnt. Her low posture, snappy jabs at weak points, and how she reacted when I diverted her attacks. The tips of her obsidian fingers were imbued with an incredible amount of qi that would tear a hole in a talented eighth circle.

  “Where-” strikes to my neck, rib, and privates were slapped away. “Who taught you?” She whipped down and kicked into guarding forearms of gold. I weaved under a viper with a peekaboo-boxer stance, and a right straight punch to her face sent her back through many buildings to the famous steps. I said hi to a staring family and left with light feet.

  Jing waited; whips slashed from above, and simple side-stepping evaded all. “Who?” she asked impatiently. “Zhi would dare! Betrayer, she is; the cult is ingrained in her. She wouldn’t share such knowledge with a Friedman.”

  I scratched my ears. “I protect her people; she helps me protect mine,” I said.

  “This is why the master shouldn’t have let her go!”

  “Haha, did he really have a choice?” I laughed.

  Jing let out a little smirk. “True… Already had her famous sparring session?”

  “Ah, yes. I still have scars, haha.” I saw her smile. She must not have been that much older than I. In this moment, I realised we could have really got along.

  “If this could be my last fight, I must ask, why risk you men for land already lost?”

  “Lost?” The merry moment was dowered. “It's more than that… I'm proving my worth.” Jing stomped on the stairs, cracking it with pure power. “Okay, Duke. Do you really have the time to waste?”

  Charles…Shit.

  I wiped the dust and dirt from my clothing. Flight carried me on the morning wind. Fist to the chin, my left palm guarded patiently.

  “Jing, Xiao of the Ming cult. Confidant of the Heaven Demon.”

  I puffed out a vapour of qi, muscles compact like a string of coiled metal.

  My men watch.

  “Duke Tarion Greystone. RULER OF THE UNITED DUCHY OF OSBERG AND VIODEN.”

  Bullet Punch and Viper Strike flew at each other. Recoiling off one another like snooker balls, we shook our dizzy heads and flew again at each other at sonic speed. As if swimming in thunder, we hit and repel each other with our fast attacks again, again and again. Repeatedly, each slam spread its devastation like airborne tsunamis across the city. Not thrashing around like the pitiful Duke of Vioden displayed; this was a true battle of superhumans, true skill, mastery of technique and manipulation of qi. Talent.

  Repelled by another clash, I zoomed again with all the speed I could muster. However, Jing was the first to quit this game of chicken, jumping to my left with Qinggong.

  Dragon Eye was on my target. An air platform burst as I leapt quickly to follow, and I collided with Jing's palms, emitting a shockwave as a shield. Feinting the wide punch, my left arm raised Jing's arms, leaving her open for a wincing kick to the stomach. Feeling the prey weakened by crushed bones. I flew faster. One, two punches to her wounded organs and a vibrating fist of my own destroyed her marred face. Weaving and bobbing in the air, vipers missed my face. A double hook busted a liver, and Jing let out a howl as Qi serpents burst outward in every direction.

  I flew back, studying everything with Dragon Eye.

  Mm… I flashed a watch on my hand. Two minutes had long passed. I felt no more tired than I would be after training. This power was a bitch to attain, but keeping it going was as easy as using my inventory. Second nature.

  I shook my head. This is starting to piss me off.

  I took one look at Jing.

  Speed.

  Agility extra points – 77

  “MEN! I CAUTION YOU. DO NOT GO PAST THAT LINE.” I point at the rubble. “YOU PASS IT, YOU DIE!”

  Serpents of Qi found me. My greatsword found my hand again. Qi wrapped around the blade, and I attempted what I had learned.

  I soared.

  Jimmy

  “MEN! I CAUTION YOU. DO NOT GO PAST THAT LINE.” I couldn't see where he pointed.

  “Where!?” I looked at Loran, who shrugged his shoulders.

  “YOU PASS IT, YOU DIE!”

  “Whatever you say, Your Grace!” I looked back at my scared men. “Better move back a bit.”

  A massive boom exploded my eardrums. The storm left being from the dukes flying sucked me in to the vortex. However, a cheeky bastard pulled me away. I fell on the stairs, panting on my hands and knees, and Loran offered me a hand up.

  “You owe me.”

  “What do – oh shit.”

  My eyes widened watching my duke turn into a storm made of knives. That's the only way I could explain the bullshit I saw.

  Tarion

  I flew, and I cut. I soared and sliced. Turning at Mach 5 and above pulled my skin in embarrassing ways when it would pulverise normal men into minced meat. I don’t know if I can be called a human at this rate. Doesn’t matter. I flew, and I cut.

  Qi settled on my family sword, severing thousands of serpents with every swing of my vibrating blade. I whittled the orgy of snakes, creating a black mass of twisted long bodies.

  Dragon Eye saw an opening under the armpit.

  I cut and found the ground. Dropping my greatsword, my inner Beckham guided me, and I kicked the pommel with shockwave qi and repulsion. Flying like a boosted rocket, my greatsword spun, drilling through snakes of qi until it caught the eye of Jing. Snakes caught it, giving the trophy to the new owner.

  “What are you looking at?” A heavy punch dug deep into Jing’s back, a kick broke the rest of her ribs, and a double hammerfist slammed them to the stairs. Blood flowed down the steps from her like a crushed bottle of wine, and yet she struggled onto her feet. White hair matted in blood, teeth fallen, nose gone. Eyes swollen black. Chest destroyed, back broken. Only sheer willpower is keeping this woman up. Dragon eye scanned. She doesn't hide a cursed self. This is truly her.

  “I have to see the end… I must prove myself worthy.” Trembling, she took a viper fist stance one last time.

  Watching her burn the last of her candle, I couldn’t help but say. “You are.” Boxing stance ready, I jump on my toes. “Thank you.”

  “Hahaha.” With pale lips, the cursed woman smiled cheerily. One last time, her vipers bit.

  “OSBERG, OSBERG, OSBERG!”

  Morning begins. I flicked off blood and brain from a scaled fist. I point, and my army ravages the last of the army. I knelt down beside the dead.

  A beheaded man floated to my mind.

  “Fuck…Kellen. It should come back from that.” I sighed. “Masse”, I took my greatsword from him. “Find Kellen’s body and retrieve it.”

  “Same as last time…?”

  I nodded.

  Resonating, until the air hazed with heat. Single touch ignited Jing's clothing. The battle replaced my mind repeatedly.

  “Mind stage? Can’t wait.”

  Something whispered in my ear, barely discernible in the clanging of swords and roaring men.

  Scales form around my ear

  “Charles! Show you the way!”

  Scales disappeared from my ear to my eye, revealing a brownish little sprite chirping.

  “Been a very long time, Earthy. Quick, show me.” I stepped on a crumbling body of fire ash, and a shockwave spread the warrior to the wind.

  Vanessa Greystone

  A medic held me up as another pushed a chair under. I sat down, feeling the life taken from me. And Elder Medic went to check Joshua's body. “Breath has returned; his new heart is pumping. Eye movement… He is going to be okay, Your Grace!” The tent burst with cheer and laughter. “A miracle!”

  I jumped out of the chair, suddenly remembering. Enemies! Mana tethers grabbed the nearest sword. I jogged outside to join the battle with the little strength I had, and I was met with a single old man. Dark as the night that had passed, hugging his beautiful mage staff in folded arms. Alone in the field, his crystal lost its glow, crumbling apart.

  “Where…? I thought…”

  The mage tower winked. “Just holding up my end of the bargain.” His dark brown eyes looked to the right at the tent behind me with a warm smile. “Amazing. What else can I expect from the saint?”

  “Vanessa”. Shirtless with a scar across his chest, a miracle walked out of the tent. “Tarion was beside me? Where?”

  A few runes sparkled around his earlobe, where an earring glowed. The old towermaster's smile grew brighter as his shoulders relaxed.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “That brother of yours… Would you like to meet him?”

  Tarion

  Behind a throne room full of extravagance was the only entrance to an elevator that led straight from the higher rooms of the first tower to the lower basements. Every second, the smell grew worse and worse.

  “Here we go, earthy!” Chirps from the spirit and ting from the too-modern elevator, then all was silent. I slid the elevator door open, and a pack of black beasts gnashed their teeth with madness in their black eyes.

  “FUCK OFF!”

  A shock wave pushed the beasts out of the elevator with my kick. “Earthy”,. I looked around at the darkness. Iron filled the air. I stepped out of the elevator onto sticky floors. “Where are they?” The sprite chirped and pointed to a pillar.

  “Where is the enemy?” I asked, and Earthy pointed to the middle of the large underground hall filled with magi-tech instruments. Dragon Eye saw several dark beasts sensing me in the dark. They froze still.

  “Your Grace!” Four people run to me, sweaty from constant battle. Erathy flew back to her tired master, and a young lady jumped to hug me, her chubby cheeks squeezing tight on my chest.

  “Duke!! I mean, Your Grace…! What’s up with your eye?!”

  I picked her up by her collar, dropping her “Nice to see you well.” I ruffled her head. “Thank you for being brave.” I moved on from the blushing maid to salute Kurt and the mysterious seeker. “Good work, Afia.”

  “No biggie.”

  “Kurt!” I held up a fist, and we bumped knuckles with happy smiles.

  “Charles…” I embraced him despite his hurt. Just seeing my best friend alive made me extremely emotional.

  “Tarion…”

  “Sorry, I just…” I slowly let go of the big man.

  “I know, brother, I know. Close to the end.”

  I sighed. “How long can you hold them all?”

  Charles, the hundreds of mutated spirits. “9 seconds, I think.”

  I whipped my sword, and thunder reverberated down the hall. With thousands of hungry, crazed eyes on me, flight took me away.

  Six seconds passed, and the last of the mutated beasts dissipated back to the world between worlds. In the middle of several compacted but advanced magic circles stood a monument to every Greystone passed on. Desperately, an unaware tattooed man with a line on his cheek works on opening the chest.

  “Long time, Jeg.”

  The sound of my voice froze him stiffer than ice. Politely, he turned around on his knees, begging for forgiveness with more humility than the Japanese.

  “I had no choice! I would've stayed in my cell if only Jing hadn’t crashed into it!”

  “Believable?” I asked my people, and they answered with shrugs.

  “Kurt, take him.” Carrying the summoner to his feet with a single hand, I chucked Jeg behind. The monolith stood in front of me at last. My touch shifted something in the black stone. From the inventory, the key flashed into my hand, and a hole opened at waist height.

  “Mmm.”

  I slot the key in. I turned it and turned it again in both directions, feeling obstructed, however, and a strange but familiar sensation pulled on my hand. I allowed Qi to hum on my skin and turned.

  Not enough…

  Black scales grew on my hand, and I turned the key.

  A click echoed in the hall.

  “Just like that?!” Jeg yelled behind me. Sleepless nights working on it, the thousands of runes and magic circles I had to untangle… all wasted.”

  They didn’t see… good.

  “Unfortunately, we parted ways before we could truly talk properly. You were a tough nut to crack.” I pulled out the key and put it back into my inventory.

  “But it's over. Nothing left to fight for. The duke of Vioden, dead. Jing, dead.”

  I turned back and saw the summoner's false confidence fall in an instant, and despair replacing it.

  “Jing?! Tell me you lie?!”

  “I am here.”

  “Fuck…fuckfuckfuck FUCK!!” The summoner wailed in his dirty hands. “It's over…”

  “Now is your chance to tell all you know,” I spoke, hearing segments of the mysterious stone obelisk return. “Jianling. What was he planning to do with this, the countless sacrifices, the crystals?”

  “The master has nothing to do with this.” The summoner said. Golden Fists scared him, but still, he stuck to his words. “It was all Duke Wolfburn's plan! He wanted to impress the Heavenly Demon. He convinced us summoners to experiment with new ways to use the curse, like the elusive golem mage, and find ways to open the safe.”

  Vel? Mmm. Some spots in their info. Good to know they are not all-knowing.

  “The duke and his curse. Explain. Why impress Jianling?”

  “The duke… was desperate, you see. As any aging man who had everything would be. Wanting his vitality and youth back, he contacted many in the east who were well-renowned in medicine and cultivation. However, after not finding the pills or techniques from the orthodox, we saw his desperation, and so we sought him out to give him what he needed to get what we needed: a driven man, willing to sacrifice everything to get what they desired. Sons, Daughters. His reputation, his duchy, his people. He expended everything to help us research. He even offered himself. And all Master needed to do was give him a little piece of the divine and a promise of something greater. Jing and I were then sent to oversee the project and bring success, and we did!”

  “So the crystals were payment?” I asked.

  Jeg nodded his head of falling hair.

  “But it wasn’t supposed to be; it started to fall from your inclusion. You destroyed the network of slaves we need to fuel our research. He needs something else to continue the relationship. Jianling ignored his pleas; Jing agreed.”

  “What did you give him, Jeg?”

  “Something wasted on him. Divine blood!”

  “Divine blood? The betrayers.” My answer caught the summoner of balance.

  “Iedir’s flesh or one of his followers? Must have been Iedir, his the only one to offer.”

  Charles, the seeker and Kurt observed me, interested in the words I said under my breath.

  “It's you! The transmi-”

  I squat down by the summoner. Mouth to his ear, I whispered softly. “The future is bleak. And your master is the cause of it all. Millions die. Countries will fall under his tyranny. Even your people…”

  “Is that so…” The summoner gulped. “For retribution. I would do anything. Everything must fall!”

  “You would choose anything to choose progress.” Charles limped closer as I stood. “From suffering, you only learnt how to deal it on others.”

  “You serve the descendants of nobles who took our land! What do you know about suffering, Butler!?”

  “I know,” said Charles as Earthy started chirping at the summoner in a fit of rage.

  With jaw dropped, Jeg spoke tentatively, “With the greystones…?”

  “We are not normal nobles,” I spoke out, folding my arms. “We take care of the people of our land, sometimes to our detriment.”

  Shock widened the summoner's exhausted eyes as one by one sprites came to our world, sharing their glow in the dark.

  “‘How?’ I see you asking with your eyes. You do not deserve to know. You made your deal with the devil.”

  Charles added, speaking with more anger than I have ever seen from my tall friend. “You gave up the spirits to be tools of the same madmen who twisted you with revenge, kept you out of society, and slaughtered your people to this day! Everything you do only shames them.”

  Slowly, bright light sparkles appeared around the summoner. You could feel the sprites' rage as they spun around Jeg, dizzyingly. All the summoner could do was drop to his feeble knees and cry. “I would do it all again! We found ourselves a way to live! We will not cower as you had in your castle as a pet! Thousands like me never gave up and surrendered! You will never snuff out our flame!!”

  I placed a hand on a monument. And it disappeared into my inventory

  Inventory: Nearly full.

  “Charles. Your choice.”

  He solemnly nodded to me. “Pity,” Charles said, almost choking on simple words. “Ifrit”. At the mention of that name, all sprites disappear. A looming red being with long horns bent over Charles to look at the summoner. Its terrifying face made Jeg pee on his cloak.

  “Burn.”

  A flash of fire turned the summoner into ash, and the being faded into nothingness. Fatigued, Charles stood with Kurt's help. Gripping my greatsword, ready to murder, I looked at the side with a smirk. Charles stopped me with a shaking head.

  “Mine.”

  “Charles… Once you're in, you escape responsibility. Can you carry the weight of your people on those wide shoulders?”

  “With you, my friend, it will feel as light as air.”

  After a moment of thought, I peeked at the eight other squirming summoners we left alive, smiling.

  “If you want to stay alive, be helpful.”

  *********

  An elevator dinged, and a seeker opened the door for us.

  “Say hello to your father for me.”

  Saluting, the seeker slipped away in the dark.

  “She’s impressive.” Kurt complimented her. “Utilising runes so efficiently. And her skill with her blade…” He looked at his own rune-engraved blade.

  We walked out of the elevator, finding our way to the throne room; the chanting welcomed us.

  “GREYSTONE! GREYSTONE! GREYSTONE! GREYSTONE!”

  A friend pushed me forward. “We got the prisoners and June. Go forward,” Charles grinned. “Take what was earned.”

  “Haha.” I patted my dear pal on his back, and a smile rose to my swollen cheeks. Coming from the left, Stone skippers huddled together on the left side of the large room, fortunately suffering superficial wounds and few casualties. I bowed, and their respect was shown in their deeper bow. Rydel gave me a thumbs up. I saw my Osberg knights with Shopen men. The best of the best. Battle-hardened and still suffered in this little war. Armours imbued with runes torn to pieces. But the fire in the eyes stayed strong. In the very front, Bradshaw, Shopen, and Loran stood straight, beating their chests at my arrival; they were the largest voices. To the right, Jimmy sat on a chair, exhausted, as his men of enlisted gawked at the commander with embarrassment. Shrugging, I stifled my laughter as I strode over to the stage to the embarrassingly large golden throne.

  Looks soft.

  Slowly, I sat. Getting comfortable on the red velvet, resting a tired head on a gold armrest, I stared down at the last Wolfburn.

  Countess Lea brought her to me with Susan by her side. The witch. The evil stepmother. My parents' killer dressed like a mother at a funeral.

  “By my side, Susan.”

  The former headmaid did her best to hold her tears as she walked up.

  “Lea Trak, upfront.”

  Lea smirked, curtsying low. Her long straight black hair drooping like a water fountain. Even in this situation, her makeup was subtly perfect. I saw every man fall in love at first sight, except a lazy git on a chair.

  “James Tasher. Beside her.”

  As if he were shaken from sleep, blinking like a lovable fool, Jimmy pointed at his face. “Me?” I looked at him again, and he followed my word. Slamming his spear on the carpet, the soldier straightened at attention.

  “Lady Lea Trak. I have found that a countess is too little of a reward. MAY THE CONGREGATION WELCOME COUNTESS LEA TRAK. All lands previously condemned will be returned to her family’s hands.” Woots and hurrays were shouted. Lea’s perfect curtsy fell apart. She watched my eyes and saw that I told no lie.

  Ambitious talent like her needs to be kept close at all costs.

  “And you, James Tasher. For your model record, your exceptional command over your duke's troops and prowess on the battlefield, you will be awarded a title as well. TROOPS, WELCOME VISCOUNT TASHER!”

  A round of applause celebrated both of them. Lea accepted her congratulations with the grace of a noble. Frozen in his shock, the once common man, Viscount Tasher, couldn’t move one inch.

  “Lea, if you could, please.” The countess bowed, escorting the icicle away from the front of the throne room.

  Hands on the gold armrest, I exhaled, lifting myself to stand.

  Qi carried my voice.

  “Thank you.”

  I scanned across the crowd. Every eye was locked onto me.

  “Without your help, your sacrifices, this wouldn’t have been possible. So I want to give my greatest thank you to you all. My stalwart army.” A strong salute and deep bow changed the vibe of the room, but applause and cheers rang again.

  “We were fighting against the forces of evil. Fighting against the impossible. So sure of our loss, the king left us be while his people were sacrificed for his subject’s power.”

  Grunting and groaning from the crowd, I saw the anger rise in the eyes.

  “He did nothing as his guard lazed in the golden homes, also doing fuck all.” Osberg knights jeered. Insulting the king's guard always got them riled up. “The church stays still. Quiet as a mouse. Diverting their gaze as they pickpocket the masses. So many losses would have been avoided if they had listened. If only they had cared.” Some of my men look to each other in confusion. “No. It wasn’t the church that supplied the holy water, but one woman. For months, she trained. Filling barrels worth of water for this one day. One great woman won this war.”

  “DUCHESS, DUCHESS, DUCHESS, DUCHESS.”

  “Oh, you know who it is! It was going to be a surprise.” The chamber erupted in raucous laughter.

  “Our goddess of victory! Vanessa Greystone! Without her…” I held my emotions down as thoughts of the rumours rolled through my mind.

  “From Pirn to the Vioden fields, the terror was evident. Kyros floated above us all, judging us from his vapid throne, and yet nothing! Even as my brother was…”

  I let the silence sit and their anger boil.

  “That's why we must make a change. Build upon this victory. Reform from the top down. Remove uselessness; nurture the worthy.” My greatsword flashed into my hand, and with quick sonic-bladed cuts, the throne fell to pieces. “I started with Osberg. Vioden is next! We will build upon the ashes of Vioden a state that protects and provides for its people!” I raised my family's sword to the air. “Look to history and know my word is a promise!”

  GREYSTONE! GREYSTONE!

  “Will you join me again, brave warriors?

  “YES DUKE!”

  “Good, good.” I smiled, resting my blade on my hurt shoulders. I winked at Susan, whose tears couldn’t be stopped by her wiping hands.

  “As the sun washes us with its orange light of the morn, take a rest. For this evening, we celebrate the birth of the United Duchies of Osberg and Vioden with overflowing ale and wine!”

  Their cheer shook the room.

  “Typical. Couldn’t wait to get drunk, could ya?”

  ***************

  On my orders, she was left unchained and unmasked to sit on the carpet of her father's throne room.

  She put a brave face on.

  “Did you ever love my father?”

  Gwen looked surprised at the question. “Of course I did! More than you could know! I was willing to raise her hell spawn for him!”

  I knelt before her. She saw my face up close. I saw her blush on her sickly pale skin. “Do I resemble him that much?”

  “I-!...” She turned away.

  “I figured my brother looked more like him. Since you doted on him so much.”

  “E…xactly! A perfect mix of our love. The greatest lines in Friedland mixed into a perfect boy. No one could compare.”

  I chuckled. “If your love was so powerful, why did an order from your father win out?”

  She stopped herself from yelling in retort.

  “Impressing a misogynist creep who lusted over her teenage daughter's friend or the husband of the best friend you murdered. Tough choice. But Father won again.”

  I had too!! He would take my boy!!”

  “Would’ve. Was the man you loved so weak?”

  “I-I-I…”

  “Kellen the second. Remember him?”

  Gwen squirmed, tugging her loose dress. “Yes… The boy loved by the duke.”

  “Well, he stabbed Joshua.”

  In an instant, the stepmother was gaunt. Blood rushed to the capillaries as she slowly clawed at me. “What do you mean, Tarion!? Don’t LIE TO ME AGAIN!!” She grabbed my arm with fingers fragile as paper.

  “Through the chest.” I show her on her body.

  “You lie!” She shook like an ant moving a hammer. “YOU LIE! YOU LIE! YOU LIE!” Snot and tears drip on her clothes. “YOU LIE! YOU LIE! YOU LIE! YOU LIE! YOU LIE! YOU LIE!”

  “He did not.” Entering the throne room, a young man unbuttoned the top of his shirt, revealing a large, freshly healed wound. Hearing her son’s voice, she let me go and scampered to his side.

  Sorrow filled my brother's eyes.

  Joshua shoved her away and she dropped to the floor.

  “Darling. Wha-”

  “Its end, today.” Ignoring his stunned mother, he made his way to me, giving me a strong hug.

  “Brother!”

  “Joshua…” I patted his strong back and ruffled his long red hair. With his height nearing mine, I never knew how much he had grown. “Welcome back from the dead. How was it, hot or cold? Curious how hell is.”

  “Fuck you, Haha!”

  A small finger tapped my arm. “Mind if I join the nice hug?” The sight of her still made my heart pump.

  “Of course, you can, sister-in-law, if you don’t mind Tarion's horrible stench!”

  Feeling the warmth, I felt recharged. My wife and my brother are all well. Never been a greater feeling.

  “JOSHUA!”

  Our hug, interrupted. Joshua whispered.

  “At your discretion.” He walked back to the door, pushing away his mother. “Come, Vanessa, I heard someone got a title.”

  “Ooh! Who?”

  “You will never guess who.”

  “JOSHUA, COME BACK HERE!!”

  The throne room door slammed closed, and my hand wrapped around Gwen's jaw. “I wanted to love you, as a son would a mother, and I wanted you to love me. I tried… for years…You ignored it all. Because of that love… I hesitated.” A vial appeared in my hand.

  “Recognise this?” Like a fish, she wiggled and scratched, struggling with all her might. I manually open her mouth. “Kuwei. Undiluted. Davis found me some spares. I was saving this just for YOU.” I flicked off the cap, and the poison flowed straight into her throat. I let her drop hard, holding her neck as she had a coughing fit.

  “Too much? Oh, I forgot. You dripped it to them slowly. Sorry, but I don’t have time to waste like that.” A wooden chair flashed with blue light for me to rest. A more comfortable throne. “However, I can spare a few minutes for now.”

  Seven passed, and I stood up from the chair.

  “Arrange the funeral to Joshua’s specifications.”

  Susan appeared from the shadows with an upbeat Beatrice to collect a corpse. I couldn’t remove the smile from my face. Everything I had wished for, I had brought to fruition. Months of planning and training, many men lost, comrades gained.

  Vioden is mine.

  Wait before I gloat… I pivoted to the elevator. I need space.

  A flash of blue. The monument lands in the underground hall with a small earthquake. A key clicked, and with Dragon Skin, it opened. Segments pushed out and to the side like a bank safe door. Through the door was only a bright light.

  Despite being passed down, our family had never dared to open the monument. But we had plenty of ideas of what else could have been hidden inside. Golden weapons adorned with gems. The crystals, of course. Armour worn in the heroic times. So many theories, but none of us even tried to open it. Uncurious lot we Greststones are. But you cannot say we are greedy. Until me, I guess.

  It may not be important to Jianling, but I have to see what I was fighting hard for…

  I stepped into the white light.

  A footstep on stone echoed for miles. A subspace. Like my bracelets. But its size…

  The sound of the wind brushes the leaves of three.

  My eyes get used to the bright light. Green everywhere. Lush, healthy leaves and grass that would make the window background jealous.

  Plonk

  Static filled my body.

  “ARRGH!”

  “Shit, sorry about that. Last time, I promise.”

  A liuen voice that overflowed with confidence. I unsheathed my blade from a light of blue. “YURAN!" My sword pointed at a flickering man. "Why? Who… WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?”

  “No one can understand the machinations of the designer.” An elder mage with a warm smile entered the monument.

  Player 2 added to the party.

  “But we figured you could.” Beside Yuran, a light flickered, making a holographic version of Haru.

  “Yuran?! It worked!” Just like Yuran, her voice sounded robotic, filtered through a lot of static and imperfections.

  “Told you!”

  Huru hit Yuran in the shoulder. “NOW TELL HIM EVERYTHING!”

  Trainer 2 added.

  I shook off my massive headache and asked. “The Crystals! All I see are grass and trees! Where is this?”

  “Ahem, look behind you, son.” Wrinkly fingers gestured about the doorway.

  “Wha- Oh. My. GOD.” I said, gazing at the mountain of pure crystal.

  Goddamn.

  “I-I will bring Vanessa; then we will talk.”

  A while ago.

  A prince watched two cultivators battle for the first time with bated breath. I could hear his heartbeat as he strained his eyes to watch their movement. From a mile away, the wind from the strike blew his perfectly cut hair. Kyros finally told us the potential we saw in Tarion.

  Vanessa…” Licking his lips, he rubbed his swollen chin; his invigorated eyes showed a disturbing hunger in cold eyes. The beast has finally found new toys.

  “We start training tomorrow.”

  The rest of the pantheon cheered.

  “Gale, what’s got you so down?” my prince asked.

  “I used him as an example, not to encourage you. But to tell you to stop.”

  “Stop what?” The prince's prickling smiles gave me goosebumps. “Tell me, Commander. What shall your prince stop?”

  I saluted, “I spoke out of turn.”

  “Speak no more for today.” With a dismissive wave off, I stepped off the roof onto clouds. Wind carried me high, and these thoughts still didn’t leave me.

  The north can never happen again…

  Somewhere in the far east.

  A bored man drank his wine.

  “Jing’s light has blown out.”

  Jing…JIng… I don’t remember such a woman. A consort?”

  “No, Master. She a Xiao-”

  “The one I sent to Vioden. Did you know I picked her up off the street? A skinny girl but with remarkable grit. She withstood the changes to her soul very well. Mmm… Tarion, I assume?”

  The servant nodded. “Overpowered her at her full strength. We think he is a descendant.”

  The bored man leaned forward on his chair. “Direct line?”

  “Impossible. You eliminated them all.”

  The bored man stood in his black and red silk robes, and his servants paused every action. A motion of a hand, and they continue.

  “Was there a split…” The bored man started to think. Finally, something for his mind to ruminate on. “It must be diluted.” The bored man paced up and down his bedroom, making the heads of his many women in his bed bob left and right. “Enough generations have passed to make the bloodline disappear amongst the masses. Yet…”

  Jianling smiled. “Vels’ hiding something.”

  “Master. More news!” Another servant ran up to bow on the floor. “Davis brought back good news. A specimen survived.”

  The bored man's eyebrows perked up. “Which one? The old one or…”

  “The talented one.”

  Jianling smiled, which made his men wary. “Good, let’s start research. Find Vel!”

  “YES, HEAVENLY DEMON!”

  End of Volume 3