Chapter Four
I still wasn’t wearing any armor, but I didn’t care since I could avoid anything with enough speed and agility. I raced across town at a superhuman pace, and I barely noticed the buildings around me as I aimed for the western entrance. Jaxtom should be there because of the first alarm bell, so I wasn’t too worried about the bandits getting past the wall since I knew the blacksmith wouldn’t let anything happen to Bastianville on his watch. Still, I wanted to make sure the burly blacksmith had backup, so I leaned into the wind as I zoomed forward.
I skidded to a halt once the western entrance came into view, and I paused a moment to take in the scene before me. A massive horde of men were pouring out of the woods and running across the field toward town. There had to be at least fifty of them, and I swallowed hard when I thought about the last time I’d faced off against that many men.
I’d ended up defeating the Loser Lord and his mini army, but it had taken me a good number of respawns before I’d annihilated them all.
This time I had help, though, so I knew it wouldn’t take me as many attempts.
All we needed to do was to clean up some trash, and then we could all go about our days.
I could see Jaxtom out in the field as he fended off two bandits at once with his sword, and Jorgen’s short black hair was visible even further in the distance as the hunter shot arrows into the oncoming horde. Corvis and the other men who had followed me from Vallenwood fought as well, and I was eager to join them so I stomped my boot again.
I made a new save point, zoomed past the other men toward the oncoming horde, and angled a bandit about a hundred yards away.
“The Great One is here!” Jorgen cheered when he saw me dash past him in a blur of motion.
“Die, bastard!” I yelled as I pulled out my daggers and drove them into the chest of the asshole who threatened my town. I wrenched the blades out as blood sprayed like a fountain, and the red liquid squirted all over my face.
I wiped my eyes clean with the sleeve of my shirt as I scanned the field for my next opponent, but suddenly I spotted Mahini in my peripheral vision. The desert goddess was in full armor, and she wore a look of rage on her beautiful face as she rushed toward the line of bandits crossing the field.
If anything happened to my precious desert gem, I would lose it, so I quickly crossed the distance between us and then skidded to a halt.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I demanded. “You should stay in town to protect the civilians.”
“I fight by your side, Great One,” Mahini answered with a stubborn lift of her chin, and she pursed her lips together tightly like she was trying not to argue with me even further.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you,” I said, but before she could answer, arrows began to fly through the air from the direction of the bandits, so I growled and ducked to create a smaller target.
I laid eyes on one of the archers on the bandits’ side, and I stomped my foot again before I dashed toward him in a blast of momentum. When I was about five yards away from him, I launched myself into the air, and I landed with both of my daggers in his chest just below the collar bone. The impact of my body knocked us both to the ground, and I yanked my daggers free as I hopped to my feet.
The archer pulled a dagger from his side and moved to swipe it at my ankles, but I hopped nimbly over the blade, and when I came down, I slammed my dagger into his heart.
The bandit let out a gurgled moan as blood pooled from his lips, and a moment later the light of life left his eyes.
These men were well-trained like the last bunch had been, and their weapons were also top notch. There was no way they were just ordinary bandits trying to loot and raid the town. No, there was something stinky going on, and I planned on finding out what it was.
Then I heard Mahini’s pained cry, and my eyes shot to where I’d last seen her. The desert goddess was on her knees, and an arrow protruded from her shoulder. I was by her side an instant later, and I didn’t even remember activating the fleetness of my boots.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I squatted beside my injured goddess.
“I’m… fine, Great One,” she choked out, but the look of pain on her face was too much for me, so I reset back to my save point.
Chime.
I swiveled mid-run and dashed back into the town. I had to find Mahini and command her to stay put before she put herself in danger. No matter how talented of a fighter she was, I couldn’t put her life at risk without good reason. There were other people capable of fighting, as I’d seen on my previous attempt.
I found her halfway through town, and the look of determination on her face would have been incredibly sexy under other circumstances, but as it were, I steeled myself for disagreement.
“Mahini, stop,” I ordered as I skidded to a halt.
“Great One?” The desert goddess blinked in surprise at my sudden appearance before her. “Bandits are attacking the western border. We must hurry.”
“I know,” I said, and I held up my hands to stop her. “And I want you to go back to Elrin’s house to keep guard over the civilians.”
“But--” she started to argue until I cut her off.
“No buts,” I said in a firm tone. “That is a direct order.”
“Yes, Great One,” Mahini sighed, but she shot me a heated look before she regained her composure.
Apparently, she didn’t like being left out of a fight, but I wasn’t about to see her riddled with arrows any time soon.
I watched her head toward Elrin’s house before I zoomed back to the western entrance. The two men attacking Jax were starting to get the upper hand, so I crossed the distance to him, and I rammed my daggers into each man’s throat as I jetted past.
I took out a couple more bandits in my path before I screeched to a halt, and I left an indent in the dirt from the force of my stop. Then I scanned the field for the biggest threat. Jorgen, Corvis, and the others were holding up fine, but the enemy archers were notching arrows to their strings.
I’d found my next target.
Then I stomped my boot again with only a moment of hesitation for the durability, and I was off once more in a blur of motion.
Fuck, I loved these boots.
The closest archer was about two hundred yards away, so I sliced my way through the oncoming bandits while I made my way across the field toward him. I killed five men as I carved a path through the horde, but by the time I reached the archer, I was deep behind enemy lines.
Once I was within a close enough distance, I flung my daggers tip over hilt at the archer, and the blades buried themselves into his chest. The archer fell to his knees, but a moment later I was in front of him with my sword, and I sliced my weapon across his throat.
I didn’t pause to retrieve my daggers, but I made a mental note to grab them later as I aimed for the next archer in the line.
I took out four of the bandits’ archers before they realized what had happened, and then the men closest to me turned their weapons to the new threat in their midst.
“For Bastianville!” I heard a voice shout, but it was followed by even more voices, and the next thing I knew, Jax, Jorgen, and the others had broken through the enemy lines to join me.
Blood sprayed everywhere as Jaxtom swung his massive warhammer into skull after skull, and Jorgen stepped into his wake to fire off arrows at lightning speed. Corvis and Thanor guarded the hunter’s flank, and Ian and Kylor brought up the rear.
“Man, is it good to see you,” I said as I parried the blow of an axe with my feather sword.
“We couldn’t let ye have all the fun!” Jax shouted above the din of his metal hammer smashing into another helmet.
“Bastianville is our home,” Jorgen added between arrows.
I flung back my attacker, and he raised his arm to swipe his axe down on my head, but I caught his fist in mine and held it aloft while I rammed my feather sword into his gut. I twisted for good measure before I withdrew my blade, and blood seeped from the bandit’s lips as his arm went limp in my grip.
I dropped him to the ground, but I grabbed his axe for myself as I swiveled to face my next opponent. There was a flurry of blades as our forces collided with the bandit horde, but even though we were outnumbered, we had a passion for the fight the bandits were lacking.
I was beating back two men intent on slicing their blades across my throat when I heard the stomping of a horse’s hooves. I glanced over my shoulder at the first opportunity, and I spotted Riondale with Isak, Asher, and Stryker all on horses rushing into the fight.
The calvary carved a wide path through the enemy horde, and we quickly cut through the assholes’ ranks in the wake of the horses. While there were more of them than us, we were more well-trained and experienced, and with the added numbers of the calvary, we made quick work of the mini bandit army.
I was scanning the field for a new opponent when I heard a moan from beneath a pile of dead bandits. I kicked aside the bodies to find a man with a severed leg, and I squatted down beside his head to put him out of his misery.
The rest of the townspeople were going over the remaining corpses and killing off the survivors, which was gruesome work, but necessary.
Hearing alarm bells twice in one day was enough for my tastes.
I flagged down Riondale and Jorgen, and the two men quickly trotted over to meet me.
“Have the men begin the burials,” I instructed, but then a flash of silver reflected the sunlight and caught my eye and made me pause. “Is it just me or do these guys have way too nice of weapons to be ordinary bandits?”
“They seem very well armed,” Jorgen observed with a nod.
“These men also fought well.” Riondale frowned. “I was surprised they were so organized and hard to kill. If we hadn’t been here to protect the town, I’m not sure the villagers could have fought them off.”
I thought this over for a moment while we walked back to town. The bandits had attacked twice since I’d returned to Bastianville, and that was odd enough in itself, but add in how the vagabonds usually targeted travelers and caravans instead of walled towns, and the whole situation didn’t make sense.
I needed to gather the elders together to discuss this.
“Oh, sir,” Riondale said before we went our separate ways. “I almost forgot to give you the letter from the Duke of Bullard. Here.”
The lieutenant reached into his side pack and pulled out a sealed envelope. It had the sigil of House Bullard stamped into the wax, and it was made of a fine, thick parchment.
“Thanks, Ri-guy,” I said with a grin as I accepted the offered message.
The young man saluted before he and Jorgen took off in the direction of the inn. I didn’t hesitate to rip open the correspondence, and I unfolded the paper and started to scan the contents.
To The Great One of Legend, Archduke Sebastian of Bastianville, the God of Time
Many thanks for your efforts in slaying the dragon. The realm is safer because of you. I wish you good health and fortune, but I must inquire after the health of my daughter. How is Evangeline? Send her my love, if you will.
That would be easy enough. I was glad I didn’t have to pay him a visit, and Eva would be happy to see her dad’s words.
I received the king’s decree, and I hereby acquiesce to the forfeiture of a portion of my lands unto you. These shall include the townships of Ivywood, Carleone, and the town formerly known as Addington.
A warning, however…
I inhaled sharply as my eyes widened. Here we go.
Duke Arginold and Duke Edinburg may be less than pleased with your new appointment. It is with my daughter’s welfare in mind that I urge wariness and readiness. They may already be plotting your demise.
Stay vigilant, dragon slayer.
Sincerely,
Duke of Bullard
“Well, shit.” I tucked the letter back into its envelope, and I slid it into my pants pocket as I headed back into town. Were the recent bandit attacks the work of these dukes? I didn’t have any proof, but the timing was definitely suspicious.
Something would have to be done.
I frowned as I thought over what I should do. I didn’t like the idea of there being other dukes out there in Sorreyal who were plotting against me. This sounded like a challenge to me, and a shiver of excitement coursed through my veins.
I had my next quest.
I made a new save point before I marched down the dirt street of Bastianville while people meandered around me, but I was lost in my thoughts and didn’t notice who I passed by. Then I found myself standing before Elrin’s house, and I decided it was as good of a time as any for a meeting with the elders, so I climbed the steps to the porch and knocked on the door.
Dalwin answered my knock, and the small boy grinned up at me in greeting.
“Oh, Hello, Great One,” he said in a cheerful tone.
“Hey, there, sport,” I replied as I tousled his hair. “Is Elrin around?”
“Yes, sir,” he said, and he bowed quickly before he disappeared inside.
I followed him in and shut the door behind me, but I went into the dining room instead of after the boy as he ran down the hall. I made myself comfortable at the head of the table, but it didn’t take Elrin long to meet me. The auburn-haired leader of Bastianville looked harried as he entered the dining room, and he greeted me with a quick incline of his head.
“Is everything okay?” he asked with a concerned frown. “The bells…”
“Another group of bandits attacked,” I informed him. “Nothing we couldn’t handle, though.”
“Goodness, more bandits?” Elrin shook his head in dismay. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Exactly.” I frowned. “That’s why we need to have a meeting with the elder counsel, to figure out what’s going on.”
“I’ll summon them right away.” Elrin straightened his jacket with a nod. “Leave it to me, Great One. The elders will be here momentarily.”
He was good on his word, and I didn’t have to wait very long before the rest of the elder counsel filed into the dining room. Jaxtom, Torya, and Caelia took a seat, but Theodora propped herself up on the doorframe, and Elrin grasped the back of the chair opposite from me.
“This bandit situation is not good,” I started once everyone had gathered. “In fact, I don’t think they were bandits at all. They were armed better than they should have been for marauders.”
“Oh, my,” Elrin gasped. “We are fortunate you were here, Great One.”
“That’s why I’m worried,” I said. “I just got back from a quest, and if I hadn’t arrived when I did, the town would have been in danger. I don’t want to put anyone at risk, so we need to figure out ways to protect the town against these kinds of attacks.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Jax growled. “Where do we start?”
“We need to increase our fortifications around town,” I began, but then I frowned. “The Duke of Bullard expects trouble from the other two dukes, so we need to be prepared for anything.”
“The… other… two dukes?” Caelia stammered with wide eyes. “I didn’t know there were other dukes besides the Duke of Bullard.”
“Yes, my dear,” Elrin said. “The Duke of Bullard ruled over our town before the Great One arrived, but other parts of the kingdom are ruled by two other dukes and one duchess.”
I suddenly remembered meeting a duke and a duchess while dining with the king, and I wondered how the seemingly harmless nobles could threaten my town. The Duke of Edinburg was impossibly old, and the Duchess of Mistvale seemed like a space cadet.
Were they plotting against me?
“I know of the Duke of Edinburg and the Duchess of Mistvale,” I said. “But who is the other duke?”
“The Duke of Arginold,” Elrin supplied. “His lands are to the north of us.”
“Where is the Duke of Edinburg and the Duchess of Mistvale’s land?” I asked as I tucked away the names into my long-term memory.
“Edinburg is to the northeast of Vallenwood,” Elrin informed me. “And Mistvale is to the east of the palace.”
“You sure do know your stuff,” I admired.
“Yes, well, when you’re forming a new town it’s important to be a source of knowledge. I went to the library at Castle Bullard and studied genealogy for weeks before I founded Addington.”
“So,” Jax interjected as he leaned his chair back and rested his hands behind his head, “if these two dukes are causin’ problems, what are we supposed to do about it?”
“I’ll handle the dukes,” I said in a firm voice. “Don’t worry.”
“Are they responsible for the recent attacks?” Theodora questioned with a shrewd look.
“I suspect they are,” I replied with a nod.
“Goodness,” Torya muttered to herself as her face flushed. “Who would have thought this little town would get so much attention from the nobles.”
“It’s quite something here,” I observed. “But I think it’s my fault. I took some of their land when the king named me an archduke, and I don’t think they’re keen on letting their territory go to a new arrival on the scene.”
“Well, they’ve got a lot to learn if they think they can get the jump on you,” Jax laughed, and the sound filled the dining room for a moment.
“You’re right about that.” I grinned across the table at the blacksmith. “So, it looks like I will be going on another quest. I’m trusting you guys to take care of Bastianville while I’m gone again.”
“It will be done, Great One,” Elrin said as he inclined his head. “When will you leave?”
“I’m not sure.” I frowned. “How long would it take me to travel to the Duke of Arginold’s castle?”
“Several days.” Theodora shrugged. “I’ve never been, but I’ve talked to merchants who have. It takes about a week with a full wagon.”
“Will Elissa be traveling with you?” Elrin asked in a cautious tone.
“I’m sure,” I laughed. “It’s hard to get those girls to stay behind, after all.”
“Fair enough,” my wife’s father sighed. “I trust you to keep her safe.”
“She’s getting pretty good at keeping herself safe,” I assured him. “She’s handy with that mace.”
“I never would have imagined it before you arrived in our town,” Elrin said with a shake of his head. “She has grown a lot in such a short amount of time. We all have.”
“And I promise there’s more growth in the future,” I said as I pushed back from the table and stood from my chair. “Bastianville will continue to thrive, as will Carleone and Ivywood, and whatever other towns I acquired with my title.”
“That’s wonderful,” Torya gasped. “My cousin lives in Carleone.”
“So, if you’ll be leaving again soon,” Jax said, “what else can we do to make Bastianville safer?”
“I think all we need to do is add more watch towers, traps, and alarms,” I started. “All the townspeople will be safe inside the walls, and you can shoot arrows at enemies from the safety of the towers.”
“We still need to finish the gates,” Elrin pointed out.
“I’ll wait to depart on my quest until they are finished,” I assured him. “I want Bastianville protected on all sides while I’m gone.”
“You’ve only just returned to us, Great One,” Torya said in a melancholy tone. “How long will you be gone?”
“As long as it takes,” I said as determination filled my gut. “I’m not going to just sit back while these assholes fuck with my town.”
“Well, yer not alone,” Jax said in his gravelly voice. “We’re all standin’ behind ye.”
“I appreciate that,” I said as my heart warmed.
I’d met some really amazing people during my time in this world, and I was determined to help them live their best lives. If a couple of asshole dukes wanted to mess with that, well, then they had a lesson coming their way.
We finished up our meeting with plans to build the gates, and then I departed from Elrin’s house and headed home. The girls were waiting anxiously for me on the porch, and I realized I hadn’t seen them since I sent Mahini away.
“Everything is fine,” I assured the three women as I approached my house. “Just a few bandits, nothing I couldn’t handle.”
“I kept the civilians safe,” Mahini informed me. “But I wish you’d allowed me to fight by your side.”
“Well, there’s going to be a lot more adventure if you stick with me,” I laughed. “We’re about to leave on another quest.”
“A quest!” Elissa squealed with delight, and she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. “How exciting!”
“I’ll explain more inside,” I said as I climbed the steps, and then I gave them all a kiss on their foreheads before we entered our home.
The lighting was a little dim, and candles were lit around the living room. It created a comforting ambience, and I was half tempted to curl up on the couch to take a nap, but I had other things weighing on me, so I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep yet.
“So, tell us about this new quest,” Eva said once we all got comfortable in the living room. “Does it have to do with the bandit attacks?”
“It does.” I nodded. “Also, I got a letter from you father, and he sends you his love.”
“Oh, what a relief,” the duke’s daughter sighed. “I’ve been so worried about his reaction, but I suppose he probably expected it, after all.”
“After you demanded to go with me but were rejected?” I laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure he was less than surprised when he found out you were with me anyway.”
“I was compelled.” Eva shrugged, but there was a mischievous glint in her smoky-gray eyes.
“Alright, enough already,” Elissa groaned. “Tell us about the new quest before I explode with curiosity!”
“Okay!” I laughed and held up my hands in surrender. “What do you ladies know about the nobility in Sorreyal?”
“More than I’d like to,” Eva snickered. “My father insisted I study genealogy and ancestry, as well as the courtly graces. I’ve met all of the members of nobility at one point or another.”
“I know there are three dukes and one duchess beneath the king,” Elissa offered with a shrug. “I didn’t pay as much attention as my father would have liked, but I remember that much.”
“Our new quest has to do with these other nobles?” Mahini questioned with a shrewd look in her ice-blue eyes.
“Yep,” I confirmed. “I think they are plotting against me, and I need to figure out what’s going on and put a stop to it.”
“Oooh, intriguing,” Eva cooed. “I’ll gladly help in any way I can.”
“Me, too!” Elissa said.
“Obviously, you have all of our support,” Mahini added as she crossed her arms. “When do we leave?”
“As soon as the gates are finished,” I said as a grin spread across my face.
I had the best damn women in the world.
“Let’s go!” Elissa squealed with delight.
“I’m ready whenever you are,” Mahini purred.
“Adventure time is my favorite time,” Eva chirped.
“I’m glad I’ll have you ladies at my back,” I told them as my heart grew two sizes too big for my chest.
I spent the rest of the day poring over maps of Sorreyal as I familiarized myself with the different territories within the realm. It looked like I would have a smaller section of land than the other dukes, but that was fine with me. I’d grow in power and holdings bit by bit until I was the wealthiest man in this world.
I wrote a letter to the Duke of Bullard explaining my plan, and I offered to form an alliance with him. Then I gave the correspondence to Jorgen and sent him back to the duke’s castle with the message in tow. Evangeline added a list of her personal possessions, and the duke’s daughter tipped the hunter generously in exchange for returning with her things.
With that settled, I turned my attentions to fortifying the town against any further wannabe bandit attacks. If the dukes were responsible for the attacks, then I would put a stop to it soon enough, but in the meantime, I wanted to do everything in my power to protect the people who followed me.
We finished the gates on a sunny afternoon a couple of days later, and the whole town came out for a ribbon cutting of the new fortifications. It had been a group project, with Jax and me leading the effort, but I was pleasantly surprised by how many people had volunteered to help.
Bastianville’s population had nearly doubled since I’d arrived in this world, and the extra hands made the heavy work lighter. There was no telling what I could do with more followers, and I started to get excited about the new towns I ruled over.
I made a mental note to visit my new holdings to see what sort of improvements could be made in my new holdings, but that would have to take place after my quest to the Duke of Arginold’s castle.
I’d picked the duke I knew the least about since I wanted to size up the threat I faced before I made any decisions on how to deal with it. There was a chance it would be as simple as showing off my powers to get him to bow down to me, but as the God of Time, I wanted to have all the information I needed first.
When the town was as well defended as it could be, I turned my attention to packing for my next quest. I took out all my armor to get it cleaned and repaired at Jax’s forge. Then I checked the stats on each piece since part of my ability was being able to see the stats on weapons, armor, and magical items in this world. All I had to do was press my pointer finger to an object, and lines of text hovered in the air above it. Apparently, I was the only one who could do this or even see the words when I activated the stats, so I assumed it was another aspect of my godhood.
I started with the helmet. It was a single curved piece that fit snugly on my head with a long piece that came down to protect my nose. The sides came in to protect my cheekbones, but my chin and throat were exposed.
Durability – 90%
Weight – 3.8lbs
Quality – High
Magical Aspect – None
Armor Tier – 3
Then I looked over the greaves, thigh pieces, and both the upper and forearm parts, but the stats on all of them were the same.
Durability – 75%
Weight – 2.2lbs
Quality – High
Magical Aspect – None
Armor Tier – 3
The shoulder guards were only slightly different, but they also needed to be repaired.
Durability – 85%
Weight – 2.4lbs
Quality – High
Magical Aspect – None
Armor Tier – 3
Then I checked my gauntlets, breastplate, and shield.
Durability – 99%
Weight – 5.2lbs
Quality – Excellent
Magical Aspect – Iron Fist
Armor Tier – 5
The gauntlets were still in good shape, so I set them to the side by themselves.
Durability – 80%
Weight – 5lbs
Quality – Excellent
Magical Aspect – None
Armor Tier – 6
My breastplate had gotten some dings in it, and it was stained black by soot, so I’d definitely have to clean it.
I hadn’t taken my shield out very much during the last leg of my journey, and I’d decided to melt it down to use for something else, so I put it to the side by itself.
Then I checked my weapons.
The dagger I’d taken from the sorcerer was getting used less and less the more I became accustomed to throwing the two daggers Jaxtom had made for me, but I checked the stats on it anyway.
Durability - 84%
Weight - 0.9lbs
Quality - High
Magical Aspect - None
Magical Ability - None
It would need sharpening since the blade had a few nicks in it from parrying swords, but nothing Jax’s grinding wheel couldn’t fix.
My obsidian bow was next, and the beautiful shadows of the volcanic rock reflected the sunlight in interesting hues. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and I pressed my pointer finger to the handle.
Durability - 90%
Weight - 5lbs
Quality - Flawless
Magical Aspect - Night
Magical Ability - Whisper
It would need a small repair, but it was still in very good shape considering how much I’d used it. The flawless quality probably had something to do with the durability staying so high, but either way, I was grateful.
Next, I checked my griffon feather boots. I still had one feather remaining that I could use to repair them, but I wanted to make it count, so I was waiting until the shoes were in bad condition before I used the magical feather to renew the enchantment.
Magical Item - Griffon Feather Boots
Weight - .01lbs
Durability - 75%
Magical Aspect - Fleetness
Weakness -1% Durability with each use of fleetness
They weren’t too bad, but I’d have to be careful not to get them below fifty percent. I wasn’t sure what would happen if I wiped out the durability during a battle, but I didn’t want to find out. I loved my boots too much to risk losing them.
After I checked all my gear, I separated out the items I wanted to repair and then glanced at the dragon’s egg and other remains, but I still didn’t know what I was going to do with either yet. I assumed working dragon pieces into armor or weapons would take considerable magical skill, and while I knew Jax was a great blacksmith, I would most likely need to speak to an enchanter or something to get what I wanted out of my dragon loot. First, though, I needed to address this problem with the duke, so I ended up stashing the dragon pieces in a safe spot. Then I took the gear I needed to repair to Jax’s shop, and I had everything in tip top shape before the end of the day.
When I returned home, my three women were ready to go with their bags packed and stacked up by the front door.
“We’ll leave at first light.” I grinned. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the three of you are excited.”
“We are, though,” Mahini said with a confused tilt of her head.
“I know,” I laughed. “It’s a joke.”
Mahini just shook her head and gave me a wry smile.
I slept fitfully, and I had a lot of dreams of bandits and monsters attacking in the night, but when I woke up, all was well. The girls stretched and yawned beside me, and they all gave me brilliant, loving smiles when they realized I was awake.
A god could get used to waking up in the arms of three beautiful women, that was for sure.
I made a new save point as we loaded the horses, and Goliath seemed just as eager to see some action as the women were. Star was demure and polite while she was saddled, but Warrior, Mahini’s mule, stomped his feet and huffed. Then we got another mare for Evangeline, a pretty palomino with golden hide and a white mane.
Riondale and the rest of the men came to see us off while we were finishing up with the horses, and I could tell by the look on the young lieutenant’s face that he was disappointed he wasn’t tagging along.
“I know all of you want to come with me,” I said as I took in the sad faces of my men. “But I need as many trained fighters to stay here and protect the town as possible.”
Plus, I didn’t want to bring an entourage and draw any unnecessary attention to myself. These dukes might be out for my head, so I wanted to travel as fast and as stealthily as possible.
“I swear to serve the townspeople with my life,” Riondale replied in a solemn tone.
“Cheer up, Ri-guy,” I chirped. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Leaving so soon?” Elrin asked as he came to say goodbye, and he hugged his daughter tightly.
“I’d like to get some distance behind us before we stop for the night,” I explained.
“I understand,” my wife’s father replied, but he still seemed reluctant to let us go. Then some townspeople came out to wave us off, and it felt like a mini parade as they followed us to the town gates. Elrin was in the front of the group, and he waved over his head as we headed out of town. “Travel safely!”
We rode the rest of the day at a steady pace, and we kept up light conversation while we travelled. Once we turned to the north, the road grew wide and well used, so I expected to encounter more than a few travelers.
I waited until the sun began to set before I struck camp, and the four of us worked together to set up the big tent I’d had custom made for us. It was large enough to fit all of us inside, so we only needed to erect the one structure each night.
Plus, there was lots of room for shenanigans.
The moon was beginning to rise by the time we’d eaten our dinner, and the full circle illuminated the forest floor. The wind grew chilly as the darkness settled in, and the combination was eerie.
“The moon is so pretty tonight,” Evangeline observed, and the moonlight reflected in her gray eyes as she looked skyward.
“Not as pretty as you are,” I countered with a wink, and the comment earned me a blush.
Then a sudden, spine-chilling howl reverberated through the trees. It sounded like a wolf, but more wild, if that was even possible.
Eva shivered and huddled against me, and I wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.
“Probably just some wolves,” I said in an effort to reassure her and myself both.
Another howl echoed through the forest, but this time it was much closer, and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.
It was just a pack of wolves, right?
“That doesn’t sound good.” Mahini drew her sword and took a protective stance in front of Elissa.
“I was thinking the same thing,” I said with a frown as I pulled my feather sword free.
Suddenly, a beast lunged from the shadows beneath the tree and entered the copse where we’d set up camp. It looked like a wolf, but bigger, and it stood on its hind legs like a man. As we stared in shock, the creature titled back its head and let out a blood-curdling howl so loud it made my ears ring.
A fucking werewolf. Was this some kind of sick joke?
I pushed Evangeline behind me, but she was already pulling out her throwing stars and staring the beast down. Elissa was unarmed, and her mace laid resting against a log nearby, but Mahini was ready for a fight.
I made a new save point as I stared the beast down. I could have reset to before the wolves attacked, but my last save point was when we were loading up the horses in town, and I didn’t want to waste a whole day of travel.
Besides, I was confident I could handle a few unruly mutts just fine.
I squared off with the werewolf before me and narrowed my eyes. Was it going to attack or just stand there?
Then another wolf-man thing jumped from the shadows, and another, until we were surrounded on all sides.
“Oh, I see,” I sneered. “You had to call for backup first. You fucking coward.”
With that, I dashed forward with my sword raised, and I let out a fierce battle cry as I charged.
“Die, motherfuckers!” I yelled as I ran toward the first wolf-man thing that had shown up in my campground.
Whatever these things were, they were about to find out just who they’re messing with.
I was the God of Time, and I wasn’t scared of a few overgrown rabid pups.