Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 48 - A new world - Part Two

 

Sanctuary had changed. More heavily populated than when I had left it, the Daemons had taken it upon themselves to expand Sanctuary’s physical borders to accommodate the new arrivals and those who would follow in the coming days. Permanent dwellings that combined the natural aesthetics of the vegetation with stone and earth were far more common than not.

 

The Dwergi had made their own mark as well. Despite being roughly the size of eight-year-old human children, the scope of their imagination and ingenuity was disconcertingly impressive.

 

Above ground, the only sign of their presence was the goods they created in collaboration with the Orcs, Goblins, and Gnolls. However, below ground was a different matter entirely. Making use of the high-pressure currents in the caverns beneath Sanctuary, and with the help of their allies, the Dwergi erected giant water wheels that now served to automate certain means of production.

 

Initially limited to the grinding of grains, pressing oils, and spinning potters' wheels, it had taken less than a day for the Dwergi to turn the power of their water mills to pumping the bellows of the Orcs forges and spinning their grinding wheels. Lathes for shaping wood had come a day after, and a sawing mill two days after that.

 

With the Druids and Earth Mage’s ability to shape the environment to accommodate the water-powered technology, the Dwergi had gone big with every venture, pushing the limits of what I thought was even possible. With no shortage of raw materials to work with, and a horde of eager allies to assist them, the Dwergi were drawing Sanctuary into a water-driven industrial revolution.

 

Of course, it had all come at a cost. Or rather, it had come with expectations. In exchange for the force multipliers they were providing for Sanctuary’s production capabilities, the Dwergi wanted the liberation of their people from the Werrian Empire. A perfectly reasonable request that I intended to honour once I was certain Sanctuary and the Dem-plane were both truly secure.

 

A war council, for lack of a better word, was due to be held in the next few days. That would be where the elected leader of the Dwergi, Johan Shaleheart, would be permitted to present his case before the Regent of the Asrus Kingdom. Without the Human army, or at the very least their tactical expertise, any rescue effort would be doomed to accepting otherwise avoidable casualties.

 

Sitting in the shallows of the lake that now dominated the greatly increased territory of the Grove. I felt a profound sense of peace as the mana-enriched water was slowly absorbed through my skin. Looking out over the lake, my eyes were momentarily drawn to the great willow in the centre of the lake.

 

Hana and her sister Kohana were sitting on one of the larger branches and chatting with Ophelia and Orphiel, who was hovering in the air beside them.

 

Orphiel had been serenading Kohana with his original ballads for the better part of an hour and was now evidently taking a break. The Fallen Angel’s interest in the Dryad raised some interesting questions regarding Angel’s and Daemons' reproduction and half breeds.

 

I was interrupted from my musings as Lash erupted from the water and landed beside me in the shallows. She had been swimming in the lake at every possible opportunity since we had returned to Sanctuary. Lash refused to Evolve until she could unlock the means to breathe underwater like our children.

 

Ushu’s Evolution had only forced the issue further. Lurking somewhere at the bottom of the lake, Ushu had Evolved shortly after our return to Sanctuary. Not only had he taken on the Swamp Environmental Evolution, as I had been personally hoping for, but Ushu had proven Clarice right as well.

 

As Lash sat herself down beside me, I pulled her in closer and wrapped my arm around her waist, “Are Pete and Suzy having fun?” I asked, avoiding the issue of her Evolution.

 

Lash pushed the wet hair away from her face and nodded as she sighed contentedly, “Cheh’s brood is curious and fast. Good playmates,” Lash stated approvingly.

 

In exchange for helping to keep an eye on Pete and Suzy while they were in the lake, Cheh, her mate, and their recently hatched children were allowed to use the lake as they pleased. While not technically able to breathe underwater, the Lizardmen were capable of holding their breath for prodigious amounts of time in a similar manner to crocodilians.

 

“Ushu hasn’t been giving them trouble?” I asked curiously.

 

Lash shook her head, “No, just sleeps like a sunken log.”

 

That had more or less been what I had expected. Ushu had only left the bottom of the lake at meal times since his Evolution. I had seen him swimming about in the late evenings, so I just assumed Ushu was just adjusting to the changes in his body. That, or he was just enjoying the freedom of doing what he wanted when he wanted.

 

I was about to ask something else, but Lash suddenly flashed with golden light, momentarily blinding me and causing me to forget what I was going to ask her.

 

“Another level,” Lash chuckled before kissing my cheek, “Sorry.”

 

“It’s fine,” I chuckled back, shaking my head slightly, “It’s my fault anyway.”

 

The sudden surge in Exp generated from the Tyrant’s Labyrinth had unlocked another interesting Class Ability, Keys to Power.

 

[(Class Ability: Keys to Power): The strong know which wheels to grease to maintain dominance. Qualified* Subordinates may be selected to receive a predetermined portion of Exp from {Takesation}. {Keys to Power} must be divided amongst three or more Qualified* Subordinates minimum in order to function. {Qualified Subordinates}: Overseer, Underlord, Lord, Overlord.]

 

Naturally, Lash had been the first person I marked for the Ability, then Gric, Cin, Qreet, Orphiel, Ophelia, and Wisp, making promotions as needed. Each of them possessed a set of skills or combination of Abilities that I deemed essential for the continued safety of Sanctuary and the Demi-Plane as a whole.

 

I had set Lash’s Portion at twenty-five percent, and divided a further twenty-five percent to the others, leaving myself with the lion’s share. However, because the majority of the Exp I was currently receiving was heavily reduced due to my relative level compared to the monsters being slain, I decided to divide a further portion of the remainder.

 

I assigned a single percent each to Nadine, Clarice, Fesk, and Hrolk.

 

The promotions had prompted Fesk and Hrolk to all obtain Leadership Classes to unlock custom classes. Unsurprisingly, they had both elected to take Beast Trainer due to the comparative ease of meeting its requirements.

 

Nadine already had Taskmaster, so the promotion had immediately taken effect in combining her qualified Classes and her Species into a Master tier Class. I had not spoken to her about it beforehand, so it had been something of an awkward conversation explaining why I had done it. However, Nadine seemed pleased enough with the changes once the Keys of Power began rapidly surging her back to her original level and then beyond.

 

The changes I had made for my Labyrinth were to explicitly encourage the growth of those who entered, putting it in direct opposition to the existing Labyrinths. Besides the torrent of Exp generated by Takesation, magic items had begun flooding the market and the Alchemists were being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of mana stones being donated for Exp.

 

These were, of course, all very good problems to have.

 

Many Asrusian entrepreneurs were only too eager to begin construction on distilleries to fill both the needs of the public and the ever-expanding workshops of Sanctuary’s Alchemists. Similarly, the sheer volume of magic items entering the market was reducing the demand for mundane weapons and armour, but freeing up more raw resources for everyday commercial items.

 

Similarly, crop yields were higher than ever, generating a surplus for experimentation and creating much higher availability across all economic demographics. Combined with the plentiful availability of housing and surge in gainful self-employment, I didn’t doubt that the Humans would soon become far healthier than they had been less than a week ago.

However, with everything seemingly settled, for the time being, and no news of the Liche, it raised the question of what I should do next. There had been an overwhelming and unanimous push from the Daemons, Fallen Angels, council members, the Asrusians, as well as Clarice, Nadine, and Toofy, that I should focus on Evolving as much as possible.

 

I had agreed and proceeded to demolish the remaining stores of the high-powered Evolution Elixir leftover from Wisp’s original culling effort. As a result, I was now on the verge of my next major Evolution. Which was why I was sitting in the lake to absorb as much mana as I could naturally.

 

A huge rush of bubbles broke the surface near the willow in the centre of the lake and a few moments later Toofy began scrambling up the bark of the willow’s trunk. She had been using large iron cauldrons trapped under the willow’s roots as diving bells, similarly replenishing their stocks of air to how she stored water.

 

Unlike Lash, Toofy didn’t seem particularly motivated in Evolving at all. She has definitely been making small amounts of progress, but nothing active. She seemed perfectly content with remaining as she was.

 

Lash had been using Toofy’s diving bells as well, but she wasn’t a particularly confident swimmer. So, every so often, she would come to the shallows and spend some time with me instead.

 

I would have joined her in the deep, but I had lost a great deal of buoyancy after shedding so much fat. To make things worse, I was fairly certain that my bones had been growing considerably denser, making me heavier and more prone to sinking.

 

If I was honest with myself, it bugged me that I couldn’t spend more time with Pete and Suzy, but I knew that ultimately, this was in their best interests. It would be years before they could learn and unlock Classes of their own, so their best protection was Evolution. The more they Evolved, the less of a threat the world and our enemies would become.

 

A part of me also knew that it would be better if I grew used to being apart from them, even if it was just a little. After all, the war wasn’t over and the Liche was still out there somewhere. As an undead, she wouldn’t die of old age and would persist until destroyed for good.

 

Lash took a small breath and was about to say something, but stopped abruptly, her eyes widening in surprise.

 

The sudden shift in her behaviour drew my attention, but before I could say anything, Lash spoke first.

 

“Swamp Orc Lord,” Lash breathed, suddenly looking up at me with a fierce grin, “I did it!”

 

Already somewhat melancholic about being separated from our children, I stamped the feeling down and did my best to be happy for her, “I knew you would be able to,” I confirmed supportively, “It was just a matter of time.” At least now she would be able to spend more quality time with our children.

 

Accepting her Evolution, Lash’s body was briefly obscured by a green glowing light. When the light receded, I was a little surprised by how little Lash had changed. She had grown perhaps a half foot taller and her skin had taken on a faint greenish hue. Her hair had grown thicker and had mottled patterns of brown and green that shifted with the light. Besides the plated gills now lining the sides of Lash’s ribcage and a very minor refinement of her facial features, it seemed to be the limit of her transformation.

 

Lash gave me a nervous smile and brushed the hair from her face, revealing that she had webbed fingers like the twins.

 

Assuming that Lash was feeling self-conscious, I leaned down and kissed her as a sign that nothing had changed between us.

 

Lash eagerly returned my affection before settling her head on my shoulder again and sighing contentedly.

 

Glancing at Lash’s Status, I found that she had gained both the Savage Nobility and Birthright Racial Abilities. This confirmed my suspicions that certain suffixes in Evolution were likely to yield identical or very similar Abilities in the same way that the prefixes like the Environmental Evolutions provided predictable modifications to anatomy.

 

Lash’s Class had changed to somewhat match my own as well. Gaining the Takesation and Keys to Power. However, Takesation was ‘Inactive’ supposedly because Lash was technically my subordinate, and her Keys to Power only allowed Underlords, Lords, and Overlords. That was a more interesting development because Lash was technically an Overlord herself, so I could only assume that her position as my mate afforded greater seniority in some way.

 

“There’s nothing really stopping you from Evolving again, you know?” I prompted Lash, feeling somewhat curious about what the next major Evolution would hold.

 

Lash nodded, “Was considering,” she confessed with a hint of embarrassment.

 

If she wanted to, Lash could get another two Major Evolutions under her belt from the Elixirs before suffering from the dramatically reduced returns I was dealing with.

 

“You won’t mind?” Lash asked somewhat self-consciously, wringing her hands in her lap.

 

“Why would I?” I countered supportively, “The stronger you are, the better you can protect yourself and our children,” I explained earnestly.

 

Lash looked at me for a few moments, her amethyst eyes searching mine for, something, before smiling and nodding in agreement, “I will do it.”

 

I had meant what I had said, but I was also curious to see what Evolutions became available to her.

 

We spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying a picnic while Lash somewhat aggressively pursued her next major Evolution by getting tipsy on Elixirs. My own metabolism had become far too aggressive and made it impossible to feel anything but a faint buzz from the most potent alcohol and Elixirs we had on hand. All the same, Lash didn’t feel comfortable drinking alone, so I did my best to match her.

 

Due to her intoxicated state, it wasn’t until the late evening that Lash managed to coherently explain her Evolution options.

 

As I had suspected might be the case, each of her presented Evolutions had the Lord suffix replaced with Tyrant. However, the Swamp Environmental Evolution Prefix was absent from all but one of her options as well.

 

Unable to see them myself, I had to rely on Lash reading them to me aloud.

 

Like Toofy, the rarest Evolution was the Primaeval Swamp Orc Tyrant, adding a second Prefix and the Lurk and Sovereign Racial Abilities. As described by Lash, Lurk was a passive sort of camouflage that could be activated at any time while partially submerged in water.

 

Sovereign was slightly more interesting. Similar to Nadine’s original Class Ability Soothe, it would allow Lash to expend mana to ease tension and reduce the effects of certain negative Conditions. However, the Ability was specifically limited to Lash’s Species but was described as encompassing a large area. Presumably, while it would be limited to affecting Orcs, it would cover a significantly larger area than most other Abilities.

 

The only other options were, Hag Tyrant, Boggling Tyrant, and Grendel Tyrant. I was somewhat relieved by Lash’s choice to go with the Primaeval Swamp Orc Tyrant.

 

Just as before, Lash’s body was bathed in a green glow. However, as it receded, Lash was revealed to be almost exactly as she had been before, with the exception of some minor refinements to her facial features and gaining a few inches of height.

 

It wasn’t until Lash somewhat unsteadily got to her feet that I noticed a more visible change. Already a statuesque beauty of honed and toned muscle, Lash’s skin held an almost shimmering oiled quality under the rays of the setting sun.

 

Unable to help myself, I ran the back of my fingers along the side of Lash’s thigh and was surprised to find that her skin felt somewhat slick to the touch. “A protective mucus?” I muttered curiously, “Or perhaps it absorbs and transmits oxygen?”

 

Lash blushed, “My skin is not dry like before,” she commented in agreement, running her hands over her arms with open and unashamed curiosity.

 

“I guess that kind of makes sense. If Primaeval is the Labyrinths original copy, it would make sense that it has the most Racial Abilities and the characteristics the Species would otherwise have needed in order to thrive in the first place,” I reasoned aloud, trying to make sense of the changes as best as i could.

 

Lash was about to make a reply, but Cheh and her mate had crested the surface nearby, each holding one of the twins who were fast asleep while their three children swam lazily around them.

 

“Great ones,” Cheh bowed her head and her mate copied the gesture a moment later, “The hatchlings...are resting...as requested...” The twins were both passed over to Lash with quiet reverence.

 

Even the baby Lizardmen seemed to keep their clicking squeaks and hisses to a minimum.

 

I was fairly certain that the twins had been tired out sooner, but the decision had been made to give Lash and myself some privacy. “Thank you. Feel free to approach someone if you need assistance selecting your rewards,” I thanked them quietly, not wanting to wake the twins.

 

Cheh and her mate bowed low at the waist and then after holding the position for a handful of seconds, transitioned the low bow into a shallow dive while turning back towards the centre of the lake and the far shore. Most likely intending to continue making the most use of the lake, I couldn’t fault them for their decision. Besides, the stronger both they and their children became, the safer my children would be while under their care.

 

Carefully lifting Lash while getting to my feet, I carried her and the sleeping twins to a large moss and bush-covered building that had replaced our old cave. Designed for amphibious occupation, the floor was a full foot under water and that same water was cycled with a slow current from the lake to keep it relatively clean.

 

Barrels, pots and jars containing food were kept on high shelves out of the twins' reach along with a raised fire pit for cooking meals. A larger and deeper portion of the floor had originally been intended as a bath, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Lash and the twins slept in it whenever I was away on business. The bed had been done away with entirely and replaced with a thick carpet of aquatic moss on a gradual incline that would ensure my head would remain above water.

 

Settling down to sleep I gave Lash another kiss before closing my eyes.

 

The twins had settled in a more predictable routine since coming to Sanctuary and being allowed to tire themselves out exploring the Grove’s lake. So I was not surprised when I woke up to Suzy slapping my face.

 

“Bwawawawa,” Suzy burbled in a singsong rhythm that was completely out of time with the slaps on my cheek.

 

Cautiously opening my eyes, I froze as I realised that I had a notification currently occupying my primary vision.

 

[Swamp Ogre Tyrant Runt: +2 Strength, +2 Toughness, +1 Presence. (Unique*)]

[(Racial Ability: Thick Hide): You have an abnormally thick hide that will shrug off minor damage. {Toughness} increases the level of damage resistance.]

[(Racial Ability: Brute Strength): You deal more damage with {Primitive} and {Heavy} weapons. {Strength} increases the amount of bonus damage.]

[(Racial Ability: Iron Gut): Consuming food accelerates {Healing}. {Toughness} increases the rate of digestion.]

[(Racial Ability: Savage Nobility): You are a paragon of primal might and authority. {Strength} increases the effect of {Racial Abilities} and {Class Abilities} modified by {Presence} when targeting {Allies} and members of the same {Species}.]

[(Racial Ability: Birthright {2}): Your genes are superior and create superior offspring. Sired offspring will always match your Species and Tier of Evolution. Sired Half-Breed offspring will always match your Species when determining Primary Species and Racial Abilities.]

[(Racial Ability: Sovereign): Your right to rule is unquestionable and is recognised by your entire {Species}. Expending MP will purge subordinates of the same {Species} within a {Large Area} of negative morale {Conditions} and emotions if desired. Effectiveness is increased by {Presence}. Range of the effect is increased by {Willpower}.]

[(Racial Ability: Empire of Weakness): The weak cower and take shelter in your shadow, swearing fealty in exchange for your mercy. Subordinates, regardless of {Species}, are affected by the Racial Ability {Sovereign}. Executing a subordinate will not incur morale penalties unless desired.]

[Confirm Evolution: {Swamp Ogre Tyrant Runt} (Accept/decline}]

 

Contrary to my expectations, I only had a single option for Evolution. All The same, I doubted I would have chosen anything differently if the options had been the same as the last time. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I understood why I hadn’t been given options at all. I was THE Tyrant. Lash had been given options because she was my Mate. I was the one with the Bloodline, the Demi-Plane and an overarching control over just about everything.

 

I flinched and narrowly avoided blinking as Suzy’s fat fingers narrowly missed my right eye.

 

Shifting Suzy onto Lash’s stomach, I sat up and cautiously shimmied away to give myself some space before accepting the Evolution.

 

Expecting nothing to have changed, I was surprised to find that my reflection showed a number of knobby protrusions along my brow. Gingerly feeling along my brow, I realised that the protrusions were actually spurred from my brow, and they continued all the way around each of my eyes and along my cheekbones. The only reason I couldn’t see the others was due to the muscles still currently drawn over and concealing them.

 

Deeming the changes largely aesthetic and benign, I noticed that my skin felt somewhat thicker than it had before. Pinching at a few different areas soon confirmed it. The mottled patches had thickened considerably, almost by a factor of four as near as I could tell, and outer-facing surfaces had thickened closer by a factor of two.

 

Lash stirred shortly afterwards and stared at me for a moment before smiling, “You Evolved,” she observed happily while scooping up Pete and Suzy.

“Just now, yeah,” I replied with a grin.

 

Lash was about to say something else, but we were interrupted by someone knocking on the hollow log hanging by the door that served as a primitive doorbell.

 

“Tim, you up?” Clarice called out from the other side of the thick vegetation hanging over the doorway.

 

I gave Lash an apologetic look and headed for the door, “I am, what is it?” I asked while making my way outside.

 

“One of the Regent’s...” Clarice stared at my face for a few moments, “Did you Evolve? Or have you always had those bumps above your eyes?”

 

“I just Evolved this morning,” I explained with a hint of amusement.

 

“Oh...” Clarice looked like she was going to ask something else, but shrugged, “There’s a messenger from the Regent that says he has important news. Seems pretty urgent given how he almost risked barging past the Daemons.”

 

The Daemons all had caves and nests spread around the inner side of the Grove beside the only gate that allowed entrance. They took turns guarding it alongside the Orcs I had taken from the Werrian army.

 

“You were training with Hrolk I assume?” I asked with a sigh.

 

Clarice nodded, “We were just about to kick off our morning training session when the messenger came running over.”

 

“I’ll be along in a minute,” I stepped back into the house and gave Lash an apologetic smile, “I need to go handle something. It would probably be best if the twins had their breakfast now rather than waiting for me to come back.”

 

Lash nodded and made her way over with Suzy and Pete so I could give them each a kiss before I left.

 

Leaving the Grove, I found the messenger waiting for me just as Clarice had said I would. He was a short, nervous-looking man who was probably in his late twenties. “Ah, ahem, his most supreme Majesty, I have been sent by the Lord Regent of the Asrus Kingdom to request your presence in regards to a most urgent matter to be discussed in Port Gidian at your Majesty’s earliest convenience.”

 

I briefly considered my rather plain attire before deciding that perhaps I could make a better impression. “I will leave within the hour,” I told the messenger, doing my best to repress the irritation I felt at getting dressed up for the occasion. Inside of Sanctuary, I had resolved to wear what I wanted, but while outside, it would be best to make a more favourable impression.

 

Waving over Hrolk and Clarice from their sparring practice, I had them help me adjust a mail hauberk and thick surcoat into a presentable condition. I could manage the boots and gauntlets well enough on my own. Thanks to the magical properties of the armour, it was able to resize to fit my frame after being injected with sufficient levels of mana. Rather than forgoing a helmet entirely, I carried it under my arm.

 

Making my way to the Gateway, I focused on creating a firm image of Port Gidian in my mind and stepped through. Technically, I could have simply willed myself to any location I wanted inside of the Demi-Plane, but it was far more mana efficient to use Ril’s Gateways.

 

Given the early hour, very few civilians were up and about, but there were still plenty of soldiers heading to and fro following orders for who knew what.

 

The Settlement looked nothing like what I remembered. The military engineer's influence was apparent almost immediately. The roads and buildings were all straight and in perfect alignment with one another, allowing large amounts of traffic to pass freely and with minimal congestion. Similarly, the overwhelming majority of buildings were largely identical, possessing a couple floors more or less than one another but still looking the same. If it weren’t for large signs set onto the sides of certain buildings, it would have been difficult to tell if they were a place of business or someone's home.

 

“Ahem, Majesty?” A tall broad-shouldered sergeant was standing to my left and had apparently been expecting my arrival. “With your Majesty’s permission, I am to escort your Majesty to the keep,” she pointed to the huge fortress looming in the distance.”

 

I was fully capable of making my own way there but decided to indulge the Sergeant anyway. It wasn’t like we could get lost.

 

To my amusement, the Sergeant led the way along the left side of the road, and I noticed that other soldiers were all doing the same. It hadn’t taken much at all for the Asrusians to adopt the basic traffic law.

 

As we drew closer to the keep, the motivations for its size soon became self-evident. It was built with the function of accommodating my size as the primary consideration. The absurdity of the scale meant that humans passing through the entranceway and halls looked like small children. The ceilings were crosshatched with ribbed supports and large columns helped spread the load of the immense structure.

 

The Sergeant led me through to a large hall with rows of tables and chairs arranged in a similar fashion to a session of parliament. A whole host of men and women, most of whom were military officers in dress uniforms, were chatting quietly on the far sides of the hall. The Regent and a small gathering of familiar faces were similarly chatting amongst themselves on the far side of the hall where a huge stone throne currently stood empty.

 

I assumed the throne was intended for me since no one else would come close to filling a quarter of the seat.

 

As I entered the hall and began making my way toward the throne, all conversations came to an abrupt halt, bringing silence to the hall.

 

For a moment, I had expected a herald to announce my arrival, but a quick glance confirmed that there was no such person in attendance. Only slightly disappointed, I continued towards my throne.

 

The men and women on either side of the room began hurriedly making their way towards their respective tables, but only once I had passed them by. I wasn’t sure if it was some form of courtly etiquette or just a precaution against drawing undue attention to themselves.

 

“Majesty,” the Regent bowed and motioned towards the throne as I passed, the officers gathered around him bowing in turn.

 

The throne had a large somewhat flat cushion, but I doubted I would be able to appreciate it through the mail hauberk.

 

Once I was seated, everyone else in attendance began to take their own seats, having waited patiently up until this moment to do so.

 

The tables were arranged in a rough horseshoe that would allow everyone to more or less see and hear one another at any given moment. A single table was kept separate and positioned ahead and to my left, with the occupants, most notably the Regent, sitting facing everyone else.

 

The Regent motioned to the soldiers by the main entrance to the hall and the doors were pulled shut. He turned and bowed to me once the doors had closed, “Majesty, with your permission, I would like to address the court.”

 

“You may proceed, Lord Regent,” I made an effort to use his proper title so I wouldn’t weaken his political position. I was confident that the Regent was an ally, but I wasn’t nearly as certain about most of the other Humans in attendance.

 

“Thank you, Majesty,” The Regent turned to the assembled nobles and senior military officers, “Lords and Ladies of the court, loyal servants of the realm, in the early hours of this morning, our petition for conditional surrender was formally rejected by the Confederation of Independent City-States.” He paused while a swell of murmuring passed through the assembly, after a few moments he raised his hand for silence and waited until the murmuring came to a stop. “It is our firm belief that they intend to dismantle the monarchy in its entirety.”

 

This time there were cries of outrage and a number of men and women angrily got to their feet, shaking their fists at the ceiling.

 

“Indeed, it should not come as a surprise that I share your outrage,” the Regent paused for a moment as if collecting himself, “As many of you know, I have made no attempts at hiding my lack of desire for the crown. My brother was a man and ruler whom I could never hope to match. However, I have earnestly sought to do my utmost in preserving his legacy so my nephew, the true hier, will inherit a land and people who are more than ash and Slaves.”

 

Some of the older men and women in attendance openly wept, dabbing at their eyes with handkerchiefs.

 

“My brother and our royal father often spoke of our royal duty to our people,” the Regent’s voice was low but driven by passion, carefully articulated motions of his hands and arms serving to further express his emotions, “Land can be retaken, castles can be rebuilt, and crops resown. But our people!... Those we love! Our families! They cannot be replaced!” The Regent slammed his fist down hard on the table, the blow echoing around the hall as he made a point of looking each man and woman in the eyes, “Our people are all that matters. To this end, I petition the court to support the nomination of Field Marshal Baron Klive Rivers, as Steward of the realm so we may sue for peace under the pretence of implied regicide-”

 

The hall erupted in angry shouting as almost everyone present began to argue or express profound anger at the Regent’s suggestion. Considering the political purges that had taken place over the past couple of months, it was hardly surprising. The men and women currently present in the hall almost certainly represented those most in support of the royal family.

 

The Regent patiently waited for the voices to subside before raising his hands for silence, “Lords, Ladies, and loyal servants of the realm. I believe you misunderstand my intentions. I merely suggest an act of subterfuge and political theatre to buy time for my nephew to come of age and inherit his birthright,” the Regent explained patiently, “I will endeavour to continue serving our people as best I am able from the shadows, while Baron Rivers claims credit for my staged assassination. By presenting Baron Rivers as an opportunist and social climber, I believe the Confederation of Independent City-States will prove far more receptive to our terms of surrender.”

 

“Baron Rivers is a known hardline loyalist of the crown!” An elderly Baron interjected, “They would never fall for such a ruse!”

 

A middle-aged nobleman in a military parade uniform raised his hand, “But Baron Rivers does have the loyalty of the military, and his elevation to the peerage was very recent and under ‘questionable’ circumstances,” he smiled slightly and nodded approvingly to the Regent.

 

“We could spread rumours of his dissatisfaction, a rift between himself and the Lord Regent,” a young noblewoman sitting beside him suggested, “Perhaps frame the assassination as a regretful necessity and the Lord Regent as a knaveful cad?”

 

“We could bribe some of the lesser members,” A somewhat portly officer suggested hesitantly, “Coin no longer holds value as it once did, and we have rather substantial reserves that could be put to task.”

 

“We could make a show of impoverishing ourselves,” another officer agreed, “Make the perceived gains not worth what it would take to acquire them.”

 

Arguments and debates began to circulate around the hall, only this time it was in a far more civil fashion than previously.

 

It was an interesting experience witnessing a room full of people all arguing for the same end result but through different means. I had watched parliament question time on the public broadcast station ABC a number of times, but this was something else entirely. As best I could tell, there were almost no outside interests being pushed whatsoever.

 

The debates eventually turned to discussions on how best to implement a modified version of the Regent’s intended plan.

 

I had come to suspect that at least a third of the men and women in the room were already informed of the Regent’s plan and were being sued to convince the others without the Regent’s direct involvement. It was a clever trick if it was true. However, I still didn’t understand why I had been invited to attend. A one-on-one conversation, or even just a message would have been good enough to explain the change in the political situation.

 

Unless, of course, there was more to it than I had realised.

 

“Majesty?” The Regent had left his seat and was now standing beside my throne.

 

I nodded to show he had my attention.

 

“I have a request. We have previously discussed the possibility of setting aside the floor of a Labyrinth to serve as a place of exile,” The Regent paused for a moment to give me time to recall what he was talking about.

 

It was unnecessary, so I motioned for him to continue.

 

“I would have your Majesty consider such an action again. If possible, set aside a dominion that cannot be left once entered. A prison of exile, as it were,” the Regent explained quietly.

 

“Why do you need it now?” I asked somewhat warily, a little perturbed that I had actually been considering the issue the day before.

 

“If our ruse is successful, it is guaranteed that all manner of inspectors, spies, and a host of naer-doo-wells will attempt to subvert and destroy the capital from within. I would like the option of removing them without necessarily resorting to violence,” the Regent explained diplomatically, “And there is still the issue of enemy combatants and monstrous humanoids who refuse to accept your laws and swear oaths of loyalty. Setting aside even a single floor at least provides nonlethal and nonviolent alternatives.”

 

I had to admit, the Regent had a point. It wouldn’t be difficult either. In fact, I could probably make something of a trap by using Ril’s Gateways. “Alright,” I agreed, “But I won’t be creating any literal prisons. It will serve as a place of exile, nothing more.”

 

“Just as you say, Majesty,” The Regent agreed.

 

Gregory was subjugating the capital’s Labyrinth with a sizable force, allowing him to Conquer the footholds directly, while a second supporting force Conquered the secondary portals. The next floor wouldn’t be available for integration for another seven hours, but there was nothing stopping me from planning out the prison.

 

Clearing away the existing infrastructure of the foothold would allow Cin to construct a large town for the exiles to take shelter in. Ril’s gateways would be linked to deliver any non-citizens that attempted to use them to the prison.

 

Perhaps contrary to the Regent’s intentions, I also began planning a second prison that would allow those in the Plains of Exile to be given the opportunity to become citizens. More or less the same as the first prison, it would serve as a space reserved for parole. Moving from the first prison to the second would require swearing the oaths, making it much easier to survive as a community while waiting out their parole.

 

Low-tier beasts would provide for the majority of the prisoners' diet, but I decided I would add farming equipment and seeds for various vegetables and grains to the second prison as something of a reward.

 

While I was distracted, the assembled nobles and senior officers seemed to have come to a consensus. It was perhaps just as well since I had arrived at some conclusions of my own. Most importantly, it was time I began seizing territory in earnest to increase both my Evolution and level.

 

*****

 

Ushu was roused from his slumber as he felt the call. By no means a command, it was more of a polite invitation requesting his presence. It was just as well, because Ushu suffered no commands, not anymore.

 

Opening his eyes, Ushu’s secondary eyelids remained closed, protecting his eyes from the stray debris floating in the lake.

 

Small scaly humanoids were swimming nearby, propelling themselves about in the water with their tails. Two larger scaly humanoids followed along behind them at a more leisurely pace. They gave Ushu a wide berth out of respect and maybe fear, which was sensible.

 

However, two pudgy pale green humanoid hatchlings were currently rolling about on top of Ushu’s head and disturbing his dorsal crests. Their mother, a far larger and more formidable humanoid was treading water nearby. Unlike her hatchlings, she had noticed Ushu was awake and there was the hint of a warning in her eyes.

 

Ushu huffed, releasing a stream of bubbles that dislodged the two hatchlings, sending them spiralling through the water, much to their apparent amusement. They were the offspring of his liberator, Ushu would not dare repay such kindness with ingratitude and evil.

 

Ushu waited until the hatchlings’ mother, The Liberator’s mate, had secured their offspring before slowly kicking off the bottom of the lake. Keeping his wings tight against his sides, Ushu used powerful strokes of his tail to propel him to the surface.

 

Cresting the surface, Ushu made sure the bank was clear before clawing his way up onto land. Ushu was aware that a special cave near the lake served as a hatchery, so he made absolutely certain his path was clear before setting down his claws.

 

Sunning himself for a moment and shaking his scaly hide to promote the warming of his blood and muscles, Ushu carefully unfurled his wings and gave them a few practice flaps before drawing them back against his sides.

 

Ushu had always dreamt of flight. It was an oddity he had never understood until he possessed the means of doing so. It was another gift Ushu owed to The Liberator. Even so, there was a time and place.

 

Passing through the arching entrance between the trees, Ushu spared a wary glance for the sleepless watchers that skulked in the shadows before passing the metal covered humanoids standing beyond.

 

The scaled humanoids bowed their heads as Ushu passed them on the path, filling him with a sense of deserved pride. Scaly humanoids bowing and worshipping him just felt so right.

 

The Liberator was waiting for Ushu beside a large ring of metal and smiled at his approach. “How would you like to go on a hunt, Ushu?”

 

Ushu felt a sudden surge of excitement, “Hunnnnt?” Forming words was hard and Ushu couldn’t express himself as well as he would like to, but The Liberator seemed to understand.

 

“A long hunt, and you can eat what you kill,” The Liberator explained with a broad toothy smile.

 

Ushu huffed in excitement, thick rivulets of saliva running over his tongue, teeth and lips as he imagined ripping and tearing his way through a field of meat.

 

“Do you want to come with me?” The Liberator asked.

 

“Yesssss,” Ushu hissed, shaking his scaly hide in excitement and briefly flapping his wings.

 

“I thought you might,” The Liberator stated happily, “Cin is just clearing the way for our arrival. He would have been finished by now, but the architects are being picky about making the building appear cosmetically functional,” he sighed and shook his head.

 

Ushu didn’t fully understand what The Liberator was talking about but knew he was being asked to be patient. Settling down on the path to conserve his energy, Ushu found certain contentment from warming his scales in the sun. He didn’t mind the cool water at the bottom of the lake, in fact, he quite liked it because of how easy it made it to sleep, but sunbathing was another pleasure all its own.

 

“I’ll be back in just a little while when it is time to leave, I just want to say goodbye to my family before we go,” The Liberator explained before heading off towards the lake.

 

Perfectly content with continuing to doze in the sun, Ushu gave himself a light shake and settled in to wait.

 

Sometime later, Ushu wasn’t exactly certain how long The Liberator returned, and he came with a gift.

 

“Theoretically, this should resize if you can infuse it with enough mana,” The Liberator held up a small ring of shining gold.

 

Ushu felt a sudden powerful and primal need to possess the small ring of metal.

 

“Ah, I was wondering if Dragons might be like that,” The Liberator commented while approaching Ushu’s left foreclaw, “I’ll try to resize it a bit first, but your claws are bigger than my wrist, so we are gonna have to figure something out.”

 

His entire attention focused on the shining metal ring, Ushu felt an inner reservoir of energy slowly begin to ebb as The Liberator gradually worked the slowly growing ring onto his middle claw. Once the ring was settled into place, the drain on his inner energy ceased and Ushu felt a profound sense of contentment. The shining ring of metal was now his, and that thought made him incredibly happy.

 

“So long as the magic works as it should, that ring’s effect will stack with your scales' Ability to deflect ranged attacks,” The Liberator explained patiently, “I figured that if we get in trouble, you are far more likely to be targeted by volleys of arrows or whatever than I am. An Ogre is scary and all, but you’re a Dragon, hehe.”

 

Ushu wasn’t paying much attention, so most of what The Liberator said wasn’t making much sense, but he recognised The Liberator’s concern and appreciated the gift all the same.

 

“You really like gold huh?” The Liberator asked with a hint of amusement.

 

“Gollllld,” Ushu rumbled happily, the word sending shivers up and down his spine as he moved his claw to make it glint in the light of the sun, “Miiiiine.”