A cool breeze pressed against Elinor’s skin, howling wind and thunder mixing with the pattering of the heavy rainfall following as she opened her eyes to the outside world. She stood firm, her figure reformed in a flash of green flames, and she was greeted by her two undead lieutenants and mother.

  Noticing the same clothes she’d worn before her artificial body was destroyed in her mother’s arms, only cleaned, and seeing the smiling, orange radiance in her mother’s gaze, Elinor didn’t say a word as she helped her dress.

  Butter reformed her own body, fluttering over to Quin to land on her left shoulder and initiated a private conversation to hear the report, leaving Elinor to come to terms with the apparent loss of her mother.

  Once dressed, she observed the ritualistic practices around her with the dead husk of a creature her Monarch of Witchery has used to expel the evil entity.

  Not too far away lay the blonde-haired teen that had sat behind them on the bus. It felt like forever ago, even though it had likely been three days at most since they’d arrived in the town. Now, they were trapped on this planet, and she was the only hope this human colony had left.

  Tiffany fidgeted with her fingers at her front, Elinor’s mouth tightening upon seeing her ripped shirt and the underside of her black bra. It was a coarse reminder of the question left by Shade; she didn’t want to ask it, but she had to deal with reality.

  Elinor’s focus centered on the steaming flow of water passing over the tannish stone of the cave they were using for shelter as she moved toward the noise of the dripping water and thunder outside. Her mother followed and stopped at a distance to observe the vertical downpour and flashes of lightning.

  Pain pricked Elinor’s heart as she held her trembling fingers at her back to keep them in check; Tiffany stopped behind her to start braiding her hair, only exacerbating the emotion fighting within her breast.

  Speaking through the Nexus while enveloped in the solemn scene, a light spray of mist brushed against her face; she asked what was on her heart—the question she dreaded.

  How much of my mother is left in you?

  When the imposter answered, her voice tightened Elinor’s jaw; it was a voice she’d connected to her entire life, yet the cadence and emphasis were somehow a tiny bit off.

  “I have most of her memories… such as how she used to braid your hair. Unfortunately, Empress, those feelings of familial ties and maternal love have been corrupted, and mmh… are, from what I can tell, beyond repair. I am your mother only in appearance and memory. I am sorry…”

  It took a few moments for Elinor to swallow the response. It is nothing for you to be sorry about… It is corruption, though. My mother was not erased?

  Tiffany seemed to know where she was going because a pained note came to her voice. “Yes… but you must understand that the creature the ri’bot call the Whispering Shade has left his imprint on my soul. I will never be what you knew to be your mother. I am your subject—a member of the Royal Court—and my life is only dedicated to serving your needs.”

  Closing her eyes and breathing in silence for several minutes, Elinor’s vision opened to view the hurricane again. I will not force you to act as my mother, but it will be challenging for me to change that image of you. My father… is going to be heartbroken. What do you feel toward him?

  “I… view him as someone that is important to you; therefore, he is important to me to protect,” Tiffany hesitantly returned, no doubt attempting to navigate the sticky situation as best she could.

  “As I said, my objective is to build your dream and Empire… to see you blossom. So, I suppose you could say there is a modicum of your mother within that spectrum. I do not quite understand it myself.”

  Elinor’s teeth ground together. There were no tears, only hatred and the thirst for vengeance that coated her black heart with ice. Are you capable of loving someone else?

  “Eh-hehe. I will say… we should take that on a trial basis. I am still discovering precisely who I am as a person after the corruption. Oh! I have found a hobby in creating a school of witches and warlocks, among other things your mother loved to do, such as researching the ecosystem.”

  A melancholy smile lifted Elinor’s mouth while recalling her mother pouring over data, videos, and other materials given to her by colleagues, excited to tell her about all the boring things she was discovering and researching.

  Very well, time will tell. In any case, this means war against the Scarlet Hand and Shade. I will have my pound of flesh… Give me your report.

  Elinor found a modicum of solace in the storm outside as she observed the seemingly desolate landscape of clay and stone, heavily saturated with minerals, all while listening to everything that had transpired.

  Currently, Carlos was supervising everything back at the camp, and things were quieting down. She sighed upon hearing The Witch had stuffed her former husband into a trailer full of dead bodies, but time had been tight; still, Elinor was a little pissed the mother-turned-witch didn’t even try to take the time to explain the situation to her father.

  By the explanation Tiffany gave, it was obvious the Scarlet Hand was trying to force her into a conflict with Krava as a reactionary method. They wanted to take her out of commission in a struggle with Shade, then have her undead retaliate since she was attacked. Luckily, Butter’s standing order had prevented that since she’d swiftly concluded that was the results before they’d been cut off from the Nexus.

  She’d fallen right into their trap in resurrecting her mother and creating a bridge that Shade could use to infiltrate her Nexus and spirit. Elinor knew she couldn’t act on the chilling impulse in her heart just yet, but in time, she would exact her revenge.

  On the plus side, her citizen count was rising, meaning she didn’t need to be so worried about her [Death Pool] or [Minion Pool] sizes for a time. Converting people to her empire would be far more efficient in that area rather than dumping her stats into it. That left the question, what should she move into next?

  Elinor’s brooding gaze fixated on a ri’bot that appeared just within view beyond the haze of rain. Garu pointed the orange-skinned young woman out, her narrowed pink irises centered on Elinor as she allowed the elements to beat against her glistening skin in the darkness, only visible due to [Darkness Vision].

  A red palm print almost appeared tattooed onto her chest with an infernal, vertical eye that held a supernatural light within it. Despite the ominous mark, she merely sat in a crouching position, glaring at her.

  Stopping Garu and Quin from going out to meet the warrior, Elinor remained in her standing position, staring the new cult member down.

  Krava’s experiment in allowing the Scarlet Hand to do their ritual had opened his tribe up to the entity that backed them, and considering the creature had power between multiple worlds or dimensions spoke volumes as to who they were up against.

  The Scarlet Hand and Shade… Our enemies are increasing. Both seem to be restricted, though, which gives us time to organize, but war is coming. Krava may find his decision to entertain the human cultist over me will be his undoing. Regardless, we need to prepare.

  After a time, the woman vanished, likely heading back to report that she’d survived Shade’s spiritual assault, and Quin prepared to return to the sanctuary Nicole had made with the Plant Callers’ support.

  Elinor sat in Quin’s hands with the storm beating against her body, despite Tiffany’s concern, Butter resting on her shoulders. The blonde teenage witch Tiffany had taken was unceremoniously carried by the giant ape, barely a concern; she would be unconscious for a time. Even if only Tiffany had exercised her mana, just resonating with it had utterly drained the budding witch of her own.

  She discussed what needed to be done with Tiffany and Butter, stopping at the edge of the jungle as Quin brought their attention to the north, spiking their interest.

  Elinor peered past the veil, water running down her forehead as Quin used her body to shield her from the sharp gales, yet nothing could be seen beyond the hurricane. Kel’mal’tha, you say… There is a great fortress city made by your people there?

  “Yes, Empress,” the feminine gorilla confirmed with enthusiasm. “I can guide you to the location. Perhaps the Ke will see you! I’m sure he would love to meet someone of your aptitude; he is a great seeker of talent.”

  She didn’t respond—Quin was still considered a child among her race—the girl hadn’t yet heard the fate of her people and Empire. To her, the ruler of her nation was a legendary hero, likened unto a god. It must be unthinkable to think someone so powerful had died.

  We will make a trip when we have more information, she whispered, having the ape turn back to the sanctuary. If there were anyone lingering in the ruins of the place, she didn’t want to risk an attack when in such a vulnerable position, besides, Valdar would have the answers she sought.

  Studying the massive trees and branches that bent and swayed under the heavy winds that Quin protected them from, Elinor reminded herself that this was an entirely alien world. Tiffany seemed to be in a dream, glowing orange eyes sweeping their environment and wanting a sample of it all to examine.

  Her focus eventually drifted to Esmerelda, held in Quin’s grip; Tiffany had to remind her of the girl’s name since she hadn’t bothered committing it to memory on the bus. It was a bit surreal to see how much she’d changed after the Seed and her sister’s awakening inside of her. So many questions swirled within her regarding Butter, but she had other things to focus on right now.

  They took a far more relaxed path to the camp now that time wasn’t against them, and possibilities spun in her mind while Butter and Tiffany went back and forth on the functions of her teaching capabilities as a member of the Royal Court.

  It made her realize how critical the role was in her empire and why her extra slot to appoint one was so important: anyone appointed to a Royal Court position would be taken to their maximum Grade and Rank.

  She had no illusions that there would never be a human that could start at Uncommon-Grade—her mother was no exception, only raised as such thanks to the monarch title. It seemed the requirements for a species were too high off the cuff. Mind returning to more pressing matters, she felt a spike of worry jab her side upon reflecting on how her father might act when she returned.

  Resigning herself to accept whatever her dad wanted to help him through his grief, she took the back seat in the conversations to brood in silence, primarily listening to Butter and Tiffany as Garu and Quin discussed past grievances against each other.

  After hours in the storm, they finally returned to the shelter, privately prompting Carlos to trigger the doors to be opened from the inside since the protective area had been completed in their absence.

  Elinor could see the visible relief on the humans’ faces when she entered, resting atop the four-armed gorilla’s hand, sopping wet but maintaining her poise.

  Upon further examination, she saw Nicole making an effort to draw on Adoncia’s whiteboard to illustrate concepts she wanted to be put into action with the Plant Callers. The young German girl appeared to be coming out of her shell after having been given so much attention by the amused and curious ri’bot Mystics.

  The sleeping areas and plumbing seemed to be supervised by Gwen, Gloria, and Virgil, who had taken charge once Tiffany had introduced them to Valdar, furthering the living situation for the humans. They were quick to redivert their efforts to talk to her the moment she entered the area, however. In fact, everyone stopped what they were doing to see what action she’d take.

  However, Quin took her right to the skeletal coach, where her suitcase had been left, and she ordered her former mother to put on something more befitting of her new title; she did not want to see people fixated on her mother’s soaking underwear.

  There was only room enough for three to maneuver comfortably in the tarped, hollow creature, so only Audrey went inside to support them as Adoncia took the unconscious girl—who her Tiffany claimed was her new apprentice, Esmerelda—to Gwen to be looked after.

  Cleaned up and in a new change of garments, Elinor exited the coach with Tiffany to a small crowd of people, yet Valdar, Nadraca, and Fennel were naturally the ones in front.

  The blue-skinned elder chuckled, sweeping her appearance. “You have succeeded in combating the Whispering Shade, I see.”

  “An unpleasant experience,” she stated, causing mumbles to be spread about her battle with the mythical entity. “I understand there is much to attend to, but I have directed Garu and Quin to handle the typical things that require direction or answers. Queen Tiffany and I will be engaged for a short time.”

  Fennel worked around his jaw with what Mika said was an impressed expression. “First, you stare down the legendary elder chief of the Lethix, and now you live after crossing blows with the Whispering Shade… You continue to raise my opinion of you, Empress.”

  “Indeed,” Nadraca mumbled, tight eyes shifting from her to the diesel her father was no doubt inside. “However, you seem to continue stepping on my toes… The human you have trapped inside was claimed by the Clavex, yet those you placed in charge will not tell me why you have stolen him.”

  That Nadraca knew what a male and female human looked like now told Elinor she’d been watching them carefully.

  Addressing the disgruntled woman, Elinor sighed. “Yes, High Priestess, I will have a private conversation with you shortly… As you can imagine, circumstances have been quite unfavorable as of late. We must wait for this storm to die down to split our separate ways, in any case, so I implore you to be patient a bit longer. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

  She nodded to each expedition leader before moving past them toward the diesel. Yet when commotion ensued, Quin spoke up, and more than one person was shocked by the soft-spoken gorilla girl’s voice as Butter directed things through her.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Steeling her resolve, she glanced to her left at her new Monarch of Witchery as they walked; Elinor had been examining the woman’s emotional state ever since they left the cave, yet not once had she seen the light her mother once held.

  This woman—the Queen of Witchery—was cold, curious, and held a sadistic twist in how she viewed the world that her mother would have been appalled at. If it were for the Empire, this new version of her mother would commit any crime, and there was no low she would not stoop to.

  Carlos opened the hatch to allow them inside, her father’s eyes squinting from being in the dark for so long, jaw tight as he tried to identify who had come into his cage.

  “What do you—Elinor!”

  She smiled as her father lurched forward to embrace her, fingers soon rising to her face to scrutinize every inch of her while peppering her with questions, shooting hard glares at his wife soon after, yet once he paused to catch his breath, Elinor took his hands to redirect his focus.

  “Dad… I want you to listen to me carefully. Can you do that for me? Allow me to explain what is happening before asking anything more. It will be… difficult to accept, but I’m still here for you. Okay?”

  Fright took the place of relief and anger as he glanced between them. “What—no, I’ll listen, but… you are my little girl—you are my annoyingly goth-obsessed Elinor?”

  “Haaa. Hehe. Yes, Dad. Have I changed a little since I got these powers over death? I think so. Still, you are my dad, and I love you,” she whispered, trying to show him a cheery face that her heart didn’t reflect as the thunder and rain sounded above them.

  “I love you, too… Tiffany?”

  “Eh-hehe. Not exactly,” she chimed with a strained grin. “Give The Empress some time to explain, dear. It’s not as bad as it seems!”

  Elinor wanted to shoot her new monarch; to her, it certainly wasn’t, but to them, it was huge. Yet, as Tiffany explained, her mother made the decision to relinquish her humanity in order to save her daughter, and they had to honor that decision.

  “Where should I begin?” Elinor whispered to herself, showing a melancholy expression. “Well, I suppose from the beginning… Dad, I died.”

  Her Cuban father’s tanned face turned whiter by the minute as she explained the last sixty hours, the things she’d had to do in order to gain the leverage she had in the ri’bot community, and the ultimate fate of the woman they both loved.

  It took more than an hour for her to get through the full account, Carlos making sure they had privacy as Butter kept things moving in the background, sending Mika—as a newly appointed Staff Sergeant—into the hurricane with Adoncia and Audrey to level the maids up and regain their physical attributes in an attempt to take on more leadership roles.

  Apparently, they had to reach level 5 in order to advance to Common-Grade, where they’d be hard-stuck until reaching Rank S, which came from performing their assigned duties within the Empire.

  When Elinor finished her tale, her father’s teary eyes shifted between the corpses around them and the chipper, orange-eyed witch. “You’re… really not my Tiffany?”

  “Mmh. As The Empress said, it’s… complicated, dearie. Hehe. I have her memories and all the lovely times you shared together—oh, she adored you and how protective you were of your daughter—but I’m disconnected from all of it, like viewing someone else’s life.”

  Her father stared into Tiffany’s outwardly bright but dispassionate irises before streaming out his stress in a long sigh. “Sweetie… I need some time to… to process this. Heh. You’re growing up right before my eyes, but I guess you had to… Heh. I feel like such a failure.”

  Elinor rubbed his arm comfortingly before he pulled her in for another hug, knowing it would be rare that he’d be able to show that outwardly affection moving forward since she had to keep a strong image.

  “I know you feel that way, Dad… Yes, the Scarlet Hand manipulated you and Mom into taking me on this trip; it’s their fault, though—not yours—and we will take our revenge.”

  Her father drew away, trying to show a strong face. “Haha. Emotions are so bizarre; this is—was, I guess—usually your mother’s department… Tiffany…”

  “Mmh?” The Witch tilted her head with an edge of curiosity.

  His eyes didn’t blink and his tone held no shred of doubt as he stared into her illuminated eyes. “If my wife is in there… I’ll find her.”

  “Hmm? Hehehe! Well, you’re most welcome to try,” she smirked, showing a bit more of the nefarious fiend that had imprinted into her soul. “It might be fun having you chase after my skirt. Who knows what trouble we can get into, hmm? How exciting! Well…”

  The woman clapped her hands together with a cheery note in her throat before winking and pointing a finger his way. “Now that that is settled, there is so much I need to do. If you’ll excuse me, husband! Oh, uh… eh-hehe. Is it okay to tease and poke, Empress—too soon?” she winced.

  Elinor was about to say it was absolutely too soon when her father shocked her, showing a small smile.

  “By all means, Tiffany, be yourself… My Tiffany was actually a little devil when we were private and loved to tease me, so tease away.”

  “Oooh. See, this is why she loved you so much,” she giggled, looking him up and down as if she wanted to dissect him. “I don’t know if The Empress really wants to hear about how much of a little devil her mother was, Edmon,” she mused, breaking away with laughter. “Now to start a cult of my own; oh, the fun to come!”

  Unsure how to exactly take what she’d just witnessed, Elinor centered on her father, still watching his former lover leave with a song in her throat. “Are you okay, Dad?”

  Her father ran his fingers through his messy dark hair and shook his head, eyeing the corpses surrounding them. “No… I’ll work through it, though, and… give me some time to think. I’ll get back to you, dear… I love you.”

  Leaning in so he could kiss her forehead, his attention lingered on her crown for a short time before shaking his head. “You have a lot on your shoulders. I don’t think it will take long for me to… Find me when you have time, honey.”

  “Alright…”

  Giving him one more comforting hug, he laughed, commenting on how cold her body was, which, it wasn’t alive, and was a construct entirely of Death Energy, so it wasn’t like she had any heat.

  She left the box, knowing her father would return to Nadraca’s camp and that she was intent on purchasing all the humans inside of it. Almost all of the minor tasks in setting up her empire over the next few days were being handled by Butter through Tiffany, Garu, and Quin’Alse. Carlos remained close to her father in case there were any further troubles.

  Looking up at the bright, twinkling flowers that spotted the ceiling, radiating light for them, she scrutinized all the work Nicole had put in with the other human leaders. Now, all she needed to do was speak to Nadraca.

  Elinor felt the somber pick of the loss of her mother on her path toward the pure green ri’bot camp, sparking notice from those within as they brought her approach to their leader’s attention.

  She met the sashed and silken-wrapped priestess with a few of her guards; the damage she’d caused to the woman’s chest had been restored by her channeling-based Mysticism.

  “Am I to assume you have finally taken the time to speak to me?”

  Knowing Nadraca was likely quite upset by being disrespected almost the entire time she’d been a part of this expedition by the other clans, Elinor had an angle of attack.

  “Despite what you think of me, I believe we will be wonderful business partners,” she said with a charming smile. “Why don’t we find a comfortable place to chat?”

  “We shall see… I am skeptical you can offer me anything I do not already possess from our earlier bartering and what is still up for the taking.”

  Elinor only chuckled at the statement; the ri’bot really did have trust issues when it came to dealing with other clans, but she was not a ri’bot.

  Motioning to a few wooden chairs they were using as hangers for drying the soaked sink, she prompted Carlos to swiftly find some string that they could use, examining everything the Clavex had stolen from the humans. Most of the humans were men, reflecting on the toad woman’s earlier comment about fishing.

  She explained the use of the seats before taking one, waiting for Nadraca to sit opposite her, not thrilled to be in this discussion but also not wanting to be left out of critical information in the bartering to come.

  Crossing her legs, Elinor went straight for the throat. “You are a lover of fabrics—silk, cotton, heh, polyester—you seem to be the only clan interested in fashion. I am quite intrigued by that notion. Care to explain?”

  Nadraca’s focus darted to the items that were now being hung up, hands tightening in her lap while her clansmen listened in passing, attempting to eavesdrop.

  “The Nalveans are a race of etiquette and proper dress; the quality of one’s garments is very important to the station, personal expression, and status of those that wear them. Specific folds indicate many things, such as mourning, a search for a partner for the night, or the desire to be left alone.”

  Elinor’s eyes sparkled at the information. “How difficult is it to come by quality garments? Who supplies them? There must be a robust market for such products.”

  The woman crossed her hands in her lap, which appeared to be a sign of nervousness to the toads. “It is… quite difficult to cultivate, and only a few City-States in the Empire have the means and methods to produce such wares.”

  Lips curling, Elinor hummed. “So… there is a monopoly or cartel that is at play? It sounds like there is an expansive economy among the Nalveans, which I am quite interested in.”

  Leaning forward, she folded her fingers to draw the toad’s confused gaze. “What would you say if I could create fine fabrics of all kinds for you to sell to the Nalveans?”

  She now had all of their attention, and she’d learned a few nasty rumors from Mika about the clan that gave her a solid way forward.

  “You can grow, harvest, and process these plants I have heard mention of?”

  “I have experts in all kinds of things, and humans are quite adaptable when you understand how to work with them, especially when enhanced by my abilities. I can create Mystics, after all. Although, correct me if I’m wrong…” She paused, brow furrowing while glancing between her people nearby.

  “As I understand it, you are in debt to the Nalveans for offering you land and a place in their empire, providing security that has continued to sink your tribe into a deep hole you can never seem to escape, which… is why you hope to secure enough goods in this raid to make a dent in that debt, correct?”

  Nadraca’s fingers were now knotted. “It… has been challenging to keep our debt even over the past several decades. What are you offering me? Clearly, you want the humans since they are valuable to you in creating Mystics. Why are you bringing up our debt—an insult?”

  Elinor chuckled. “Nadraca, obviously, I’m telling you I can free your clan from the hopeless pit your grandchildren’s grandchildren won’t be able to overcome… Instead of sending your humans back to the capital, leave them with me, and let them pay off their own debt of life under my stewardship. You may even send someone you trust to oversee the exchange and progress.”

  A hiss came from the woman as she stood and walked a few paces away, rubbing her chest before turning back to her with a glare. “You are a pitsnapper; your words are like sweet poison! You would have me believe you can free my entire clan from their debt; what is this timetable you are playing on—a century? You can’t die and seem immortal, but we are not!”

  Studying her agitated actions, Elinor figured she still held a bit of a grudge for embarrassing her. “How long? Hmm. It’s hard to say; let me get one of my expert’s opinions…”

  They all followed her gaze to the singing witch as she spread her propaganda regarding a school of witches and warlocks among the nervous humans.

  Tiffany, with Nicole and the Plant Callers, how soon do you think we can have a batch of silk or linen of some kind grown, harvested, and processed? I’m assuming there are dark magic methods you can employ.

  “Ooh! That’s a fun project. I do think I’d enjoy gardening! Hmm. If it takes us a month to get back to Valdar’s clan, and there are accommodations, among other things… Six months to a year is a healthy estimate. If we expedite it… perhaps four months, depending on factors.”

  Elinor repeated it, making Nadraca’s jaw slacken. “You would… have a shipment ready for us in such a short time after only just arriving in our world?”

  “Hehe. Mysticism helps with a coven of witches and warlocks entering my ranks. As I said, I am very adaptable.”

  Rising to her feet, she glanced at her father, who had a look that said he was ready to talk. By his face, it was exactly as she’d anticipated, making her black heart ache.

  “Think about it, Nadraca. A few fairly worthless humans to you could be given to me to completely eradicate the yoke around your neck. I’m more than willing to negotiate further, but until you are free, they are still your slaves—excluding my father—I will have him without negotiation. You will understand shortly. It’s a very generous offer… Don’t let grudges doom your clan.”

  Elinor left her speechless and her mind in a buzz as she went to her dad, knowing it didn’t matter anymore if she did reveal his identity. Showing a sad smile, she burned his face in her mind as the ri’bot around them watched nervously, unsure what to do with Nadraca still in a whirlwind at her words.

  “You’ve made your decision?”

  “There’s no other way for me to still be your father and protect you,” he said with a helpless shrug. “My darling girl, I swear to you. I’ll get your mother back… somehow. Turn me into one of your undead.”

  Closing her eyes, chills ran down her spine as she breathed out the stress compressing her lungs, yet she only hesitated for a moment before accepting her father’s will.

  Tiffany, can you create a potion that will kill my father without pain?

  “How morbid! I love this turn of events. He’s so cute, thinking he can turn me back into his wife. I’m getting butterflies!”

  Tiffany… Elinor groaned.

  “Oops. My apologies, Empress. Truly, it does make my heart quicken a bit, though. It’s nice to be wanted, even when it’s not really me he wants. Hahaha!”

  She internally cursed at the witch her mother had become, yet the woman had the brew mixed and ready within minutes, showcasing her skill with the things they’d already gathered for her previous ritual.

  Holding up the washed plastic cup she’d borrowed, Elinor frowned while taking it and smelling the concoction; strangely, it held the scent of raspberries and oranges.

  Her dad took it without hesitation, offering her one last smile. “I love you.”

  Knowing Shade couldn’t attack her again, she made sure The Witch watched for his gathering presence, yet it didn’t come. Her father’s eyes sagged, legs giving out, and he fell into a deep slumber he would never awake from, veins turning black, yet before the process could complete, she raised him back, using her last Court slot.

  Her green flames tinted blue, infusing into his body to remold her father into the man he wanted to be: her protector.

  [Undead Raised as Monarch of Fortification]

  [Edmon Valera: Monarch - Elite Defender Core- Uncommon-S - Death Knight - Ice-Bound - Lv.1]

  [Monarch Slots: 0]

  [Monarch of Battlements Unlocked - The Frozen King]

  [Elite Defenders Advanced Classes and Subclasses Available]

  [Student of the Sword and Shield Available]

  [Student of the Sword and Shield Advanced to Instructor of Fortification]

  [Instructor of Fortification Advanced to Iron Citadel]

  [Mounted Combat Available]

  [Aegis Order Available]

  [Knight’s Steed Available]

  Cobalt irises opening, a light mist came from her father’s illuminated eyes as he rose to his feet, veins glowing with the lingering energy coursing through them. He smiled at her and took a knee.

  “My daughter, I swear to protect you for eternity. Now… I suppose I should choose a mount… Is that how this works?”

  Tiffany giggled, looking at The Death Knight as if he were a snack to gobble up. “Oh, was that mount comment aimed at me?! My, Edmon; I know this was your wife’s body, but—”

  Elinor gave her Witch Queen a tight expression at the internal comment, making her cut off with a forced laugh.

  “Kidding! Kidding! Oh, we’re going to have so much fun!”

  However, her father seemed to feed into it, making her look at him in disbelief as a wry smirk lifted his mouth while appraising The Witch.

  “If you’re offering, at the very least, it would be nice to keep you close.”

  “Sweetie! You’re going to make me blush,” she snickered, arms crossing under her bust. “You are as fun as I recall…”

  Elinor sighed, glancing between her father and corrupted mother. A family in life and death… Haaa. Butter, thanks for the distraction.

  Her twin squealed with excitement as she swooped in to join the family.

  “You should have told me you were going to raise Dad!”

  “Dad?” her father asked, glancing between the golden butterfly and her.

  Right, Elinor mumbled. I did glaze over that topic… So, meet Butter, the twin I ate in the womb… apparently.

  “Hello, Father! A family conquering the world!”

  Tiffany’s face shone. “I love that image. The Empire will only continue to spread until The Empress stands above even the gods!”