A shiver of excitement coursed through my veins as I considered the new playground before me. My name would be on the lips of every person in the Northern Reaches before I returned to Sorreyal, and my following would continue to expand across the world.
The God of Time had work to do.
I pulled Goliath to a halt in front of the gates crusted in ice, and I waved over my head to the men manning the ramparts. The walls stretched as far as the eye could see in either direction, so I had a feeling a good-sized town laid on the other side. Upon closer inspection, the border appeared to be constructed out of solid ice, and I marveled at the immensity of it for a moment while I waited for the guard to open the gate.
I made a new save point as the icy portal began to creak open, and I turned to flash my companions a broad smile.
“How do they stand the cold?” Jaxtom shook his head and rubbed his arms. “My balls have frozen stiff.”
“We’ll be warmed up inside soon enough,” I promised. “We should all be on our best behaviors, though. The Northern Reaches
are in an alliance with Sorreyal, but it’s a tenuous agreement at best.
We shouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.”
“I’m sure you will charm everyone until they are eating out of the palm of your hand,” Mahini said with a sideways smile. “I’ve never known you to fail to impress anyone.”
“True,” I laughed, but then I noticed three guards emerge from the crack in the gates, so I turned back to the entrance of the city.
The guards wore heavy white fur cloaks over chain mail armor, and they all had long dirty-blond beards that hung to their waists.
Gripped in each of their hands were halberds sharpened into a shine, and their gray-blue eyes narrowed as they peered up at me.
But they were short men, and their heads barely came up to Goliath’s withers.
They kind of reminded me of the dwarves from Middle Earth.
“State your business,” the guard in the middle said in a gruff voice.
“Hello, there!” I smiled brightly as I threw my leg over Goliath’s neck and slid to the ground. “I am Sir Sebastian, Archduke of Sorreyal, Dragon Slayer, Bane of Pirates, and the God of Time. I am
traveling through the north on personal business, but I wish to speak to your leaders while I’m here.”
The men exchanged skeptical glances, and they gripped their weapons a little tighter. I waited patiently for them to decide if I was a threat or not, but they didn’t seem to be in a hurry to let us into the city.
“Have you ever heard of him?” one guard muttered to his companions.
“Maybe we should ask the sarg,” another suggested.
“We come in peace,” I said when my patience ran out. “What’s the problem?”
“Let’s get the sergeant.” The guard in the middle was obviously in charge, and he looked me up and down with a shrewd gaze.
“They don’t look like merchants.”
“What’s your name?” I asked the lead guard.
Once I learned a little bit more about these men, then I could reset and impress them with my knowledge, but first I had to get them to talk to me.
“What’s it to you?” The man crossed his arms over his chest.
“I think there’s been some sort of misunderstanding,” I explained. “Do you typically bar entry to travelers from Sorreyal?”
“That’s the thing,” the guard grunted. “We don’t get travelers around here. Sometimes a merchant will come from the south, but most stay where it’s warm.”
The lead guard turned to the others and gestured back toward the city, and they immediately scurried back through the crack in the gates to find their sergeant. Then the man faced me again with a neutral expression, but he didn’t move to let us through.
I scrutinized him out of the corner of my eyes as I pretended to check the sky, and I noticed his boots were made of high-quality leather. There were engravings carved into the material, and they didn’t match the rest of his uniform.
“Nice shoes,” I said in a casual tone. “Are they standard issue?”
“No,” the guard said as he raised his eyebrows. “They’re a family heirloom. They were my father’s. You have a good eye.”
“I should since I’m a god. Look, man, I’m not here to hurt anyone.” I spread my hands palms up in a placating gesture. “We
just want to find an inn for the night and talk to whoever’s in charge of the city.”
“I cannot allow you access to the lord without approval from our sergeant.” The guard shook his head. “Stay where you are in the meantime.”
“No harm in chatting while we wait, is there?” I smiled as I stuck out my hand for a shake. “Call me Bash.”
“Kern.” The guard took my hand with obvious hesitation, but he looked me square in the eyes as we shook.
“Well, Kern, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I grinned. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“I don’t make a habit of giving my name out to strangers,” Kern countered.
“We aren’t strangers anymore, though,” I pointed out. “We’re on a first-name basis now.”
Kern chuckled, but then his eyes trailed over my shoulder to my companions. His eyes widened as he took in the weapons strapped to Mahini’s saddle, Jaxtom’s bulk, and Zenda’s pale-blue skin, but then his gaze returned to my face.
“Who are you?” Kern asked with a tilted head.
“I told you,” I laughed. “I’m the God of Time.”
The guard shook his head in disbelief, but there was a glimmer of uncertainty in his gaze.
“How long have you been working the gates?” I asked in an effort to keep him talking.
“About a year,” Kern grunted, but his shoulders straightened a little. “Sarg says I’m on my way up the ranks.”
“You must work hard, then,” I said.
“You’re not going to be able to smooth talk your way through the gates before the sarg gets here,” Kern warned.
“I knew I couldn’t put anything past you, Kern,” I said. “I have a feeling you take your job very seriously.”
“What’s takin’ so long, Bash?” Jaxtom growled from behind me. “Need me to knock ‘em around?”
Kern stiffened and tightened his hold on his halberd, but I gave him a reassuring smile, and he relaxed slightly.
“There’s no problem, Jax,” I assured the blacksmith over my shoulder. “I’m just getting to know Kern here a little better while we wait for his boss.”
Jax grumbled and muttered something incoherently, but I ignored his impatience as I peered through the crack in the gates to see if the other guards were returning with their sergeant yet.
Thankfully, I saw three men walking toward the portal, and I let out a breath in relief. Once I got more information out of the guards, I could reset to my save point and impress them with my godly knowledge, but I needed to get the details out of them first.
It was time to grind.
“Hey, there!” I greeted them as soon as the men stepped out of the entrance to the city. “Kern and I have been waiting.”
“Apologies, sir,” a man wearing shiny plate armor said, and he stuck out his hand for me to shake. “I’m Sergeant Tomlin. What seems to be the problem here?”
“Nice to meet you,” I said. “I am Sir Sebastian, but you can call me Bash.”
“What’s the Archduke from Sorreyal doing traveling the northern road without an entourage?” The sergeant peered down the road behind me as though searching for the rest of my party.
“I’m on an important mission,” I explained in a vague tone. “Too many people would slow me down, so I brought only a few
companions along. I didn’t think the Northern Reaches would appreciate a god showing up with an army, after all.”
“No, I don’t suppose we would.” Sergeant Tomlin gave me a tight-lipped smile. “It just makes it hard to believe you’re really who you say you are.”
“You haven’t heard of me already?” I arched one eyebrow in disbelief. “I would have thought tales of the God of Time would have reached the north after the king’s summit in Vallenwood.”
“Aye.” Sergeant Tomlin nodded. “A few of our mages went south a while back, but us soldiers don’t run in the same circles as the magic users.”
“See, Sarg,” one of the guards whose name I didn’t know yet said. “He’s suspicious, right?”
“I don’t remember asking your opinion,” Sergeant Tomlin snapped, and the other man fell silent. “Sorry. Fron won’t speak out of turn again.”
I flashed the man called Fron a haughty look, but the guard merely stared at the ground. The other guards shuffled nervously from foot to foot, but they kept a tight grip on their halberds.
“You run a tight ship, Sergeant Tomlin,” I complimented. “I’m not looking to rock the boat. You can search us if you want, but we have nothing to hide.”
Sergeant Tomlin scanned over my companions and pack animals with a scrutinizing gaze, and he took in our weapons and gear swiftly before his eyes returned to mine.
“Fron, Kern,” the sergeant commanded in a brisque voice.
“Search the pack animals for contraband. Derk and I will look over their personal belongings.”
Mahini stiffened in her saddle, and her hand hovered over the hilt of her sword, but I gave her a subtle shake of my head. The desert goddess took a calming breath, and she swung her leg over her mule’s withers to land with a thud in the snow. Jaxtom grumbled as he climbed off his mount, but Zenda’s face was as serene as ever when she moved to my side.
We stood silently while the guards searched through our belongings, and the sergeant quickly patted us down while his soldiers looked over our mounts. The men took note of all our weapons, but then the guards by the pack animals called the sergeant over. I inhaled sharply when I saw them pulling out my
dragon egg, and when I checked the sergeant’s reaction, he was wide-eyed and slack-jawed.
Uh-oh.
I would have to reset if they tried to take my egg, and then I’d have to figure out a different method to gain entry to the city. I wasn’t about to jeopardize one of my most prized possessions just to be able to meet the leader of the northern town.
“What kind of bird could possibly lay such a large egg?” The sergeant hefted the dragon egg and gawked. “It weighs as much as a goat!”
“Yeah, um, it’s… art,” I said, and I gave a nonchalant shrug.
“An interesting piece, but of little real use.”
Sergeant Tomlin gave me a skeptical look, but he put the egg back where he’d gotten it from, and he dusted his hands off on his pants.
“I’m not sure if you really are who you say you are,” Tomlin said. “But I have half a mind to take you into custody until I can perform a full investigation.”
Fuck that.
“No, thanks,” I said with a tight smile.
“I wasn’t asking,” the sergeant said, but I was already resetting to my save point with a wave of my willpower.
Chime.
“How do they stand the cold?” Jaxtom shook his head and rubbed his arms.
“I don’t need to hear about your balls, Jax,” I chuckled before he could continue.
The blacksmith snapped his mouth shut just as he’d opened it, and he flashed me a playful glare. Mahini hid her giggle behind her hand, and Zenda shook her head in amusement.
I waved up at the guards on the ramparts again, and a moment later, the entrance began to creak open once more. Kern, Fron, and Derk emerged and crossed the distance to us, but I kept my most charming smile plastered on my face.
“Howdy, boys,” I said once they were within earshot. “How’s the wall today?”
“State your business,” Kern said in his no-nonsense voice.
“Don’t be like that, Kern,” I said with an air of familiarity.
“Have we met?” the guard asked as he narrowed his eyes.
“Nope,” I laughed. “But I’m the God of Time, Kern. I know everything.”
The three guards exchanged glances, and they took a step backward as though they intended to retreat through the gates.
“Derk, Fron, you don’t have to be afraid,” I said. “My name is Sir Sebastian, and I’m the Archduke of Sorreyal in addition to the God of Time. If I were you three, I would summon Sergeant Tomlin right away.”
“He knows the sarg, too,” Fron muttered.
“Maybe we should do what he says,” Derk suggested.
“Excellent idea, Derk,” I said as I flashed the fur-clad guard a wide grin.
Kern gestured back toward the city, so Fron and Derk took off in search of Sergeant Tomlin.
“This will just take a moment,” I told my companions. “The sergeant is a smart man. He’ll make the right choice.”
“It’s ridiculous to keep us waiting out here in the cold,” Jax grumbled. “Yer the blasted God of Time!”
“Easy,” I chuckled. “They’ll figure it out soon enough.”
The sergeant and the two men emerged from the opening in the gate a short while later, and I walked straight up to Sergeant Tomlin to shake his hand.
“Sergeant Tomlin,” I greeted. “I am Sir Sebastian, the Archduke of Sorreyal, Dragon Slayer, Bane of Pirates, and the God of Time, but you can call me Bash.”
“Whatcha tell him my name for?” Tomlin turned to glare at Kern.
“He asked for you by name, sir,” Kern said with an apologetic look.
“Is this how you normally treat nobles and gods?” I arched an eyebrow.
“Archduke?” Tomlin frowned. “What’s a fancy noble doing traveling north without an entourage?”
“I didn’t want to seem threatening to our allies in the north,” I said in a casual tone. “I am on an important mission, and we need to travel swiftly. I can come back with my army if you’d prefer?”
“That’s not necessary,” Tomlin muttered.
“I’m sure the Lord would be highly displeased with his guests being harassed at the gates,” I said with a pointed look toward the
city.
“Not so fast,” Sergeant Tomlin said as he lifted a hand to stall me. “I’m not convinced you’re not a threat yet.”
“What would convince you?” I asked bluntly.
“You’d have to have an invitation from the lord first.” Tomlin shrugged. “He doesn’t usually have uninvited visitors.”
“Fine,” I sighed. “What’s his name, at least?”
“You don’t even know the lord’s name?” Tomlin furrowed his eyebrows until they were in a solid line. “What kind of noble are you?”
“The kind with unlimited attempts,” I said. “It’s a fair question.
What’s the name of your lord? What city is this?”
“You’ve arrived at Northwatch,” Tomlin explained. “And Lord Burchard has resided over our fair city since I was a lad.”
“So, old dude firmly rooted in the seat of power.” I grinned.
“Gotcha. Thanks for the info, sarg.”
Chime.
I went through a few more attempts, but each time I gleaned a little bit more information from the guards and their sergeant. I learned a lot about Lord Burchard and his style of leadership, but he
didn’t sound like a bad guy. The guards were happy with their jobs, and despite their skepticism of outsiders, they were jovial people.
Chime.
I used intimidation and the threat of force to coerce the guards into obedience, but I was arrested as soon as we attempted to enter the city.
Chime.
I tried bribing the guards before they retrieved their sergeant, but only Fron took the bait, and the others immediately set upon him with ridicule.
Chime.
I experimented with a variety of techniques I’d picked up during my tenure as the God of Time, and I received a wide variety of responses. Once I was confident in my ability to turn the situation around, I reset one last time.
Chime.
During my final run through, I decided to have Zenda act as my herald, and after I’d explained my expectations of her, the blue-skinned beauty rode her horse ahead of our group with her head
held high. Then she threw back the hood of her cloak and gazed up at the ramparts with a stoic expression.
“Open the gates of Northwatch for Sir Sebastian, Archduke of Sorreyal!” The historian’s voice was loud and clear. “Lord Burchard awaits his arrival!”
The guards reacted a lot differently every time I’d used one of my companions as a herald, but through my many experiments, I’d discovered Zenda’s voice to be the most efficient.
It took even longer for the gates to creak open during this run through, and I wondered what the hold-up was. I waited in silence, but a short while later, the telltale sound of the portal opening graced my ears.
Sergeant Tomlin was already with the guards when they emerged this time, and I walked Goliath forward until I towered over him, but I didn’t move to dismount.
“What’s the hold-up?” I called down to the guards as they approached. “The lord is waiting for me.”
“Right this way, Your Grace,” the sergeant said after he swiftly scanned us over.
That was more like it.
I’d just needed to make a bigger deal out of my arrival to really sink it into their thick heads that I was an important person.
I kept my back straight as I rode Goliath through the gates, and I peered around at the city as much as I could without appearing to gawk. The structures were all coated in a thick layer of ice so the entire town resembled Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, and the chill in the air only deepened as we entered the shadowed street. The sergeant dismissed the other guards, and he mounted a horse hitched near the gates before he gestured down the cobblestones.
“Please follow me, Your Grace,” Sergeant Tomlin said before trotting ahead of me.
My companions and I followed the sergeant through the frozen town toward what I assumed would be the lord’s home, but we all craned our necks in an effort to see as much as possible of Northwatch.
The windows and storefronts were all frosted over and impossible to see inside of, but the people coming and going didn’t seem bothered by the cold in the slightest. Everyone wore thick furs, and they all had the same squat hairy appearances as the guards.
Blond seemed to be the dominant hair color, but most people wore hoods or fur hats that covered their entire heads, so it was hard to
tell for sure. The resemblance to dwarves continued to the point of it being difficult to tell apart the men from the women, and I itched to talk to the townsfolk to learn more about their differences.
The signs in front of the stores were written in a language I wasn’t familiar with, and Zenda and I exchanged an excited glance.
Then I saw vendors shouting about how delicious their food was, merchants shoving furs and fabrics into the hands of the passing people, and long-legged gray dogs scurrying between feet everywhere I looked.
We passed by a tavern where a sled and dog team rested on their haunches outside, and the humongous long-haired dogs looked like wolves on steroids. I didn’t see any other horses on the streets, but I spotted a stable tucked away from the main thoroughfare, and I made a mental note of its location for later use.
I was definitely going to get a team of sled dogs if I could.
My attention was pulled forward when a brisk current of icy air struck me, and I winced as I turned into the wind. Then the frozen fortress rose from the top of the hill we crested, and I inhaled sharply at the sheer majesty of it.
Spires of translucent ice spiraled out on each corner of the massive fortress, and the walls were glassy as they reflected the rays of the sun. The effect caused rainbows of color to beam off the structure in every direction like it was a prism, and my companions let out awed gasps behind me.
“It’s… beautiful!” Zenda shook her head in amazement. “How do they keep it frozen?”
“Our Builders’ Guild works night and day to ensure the ice layer is maintained,” Sergeant Tomlin answered for me. “Every single builder is an ice mage.”
“It’s all magic?” Jax asked.
“Northwatch prides itself on its ice mages,” Tomlin said. “The fortress is the only one of its kind in all of the Reaches.”
“So, Lord Burchard must have a lot of influence over the rest of the kingdom,” Zenda mused.
“The Northern Reaches are ruled by seven allied lords,” Mahini explained to my surprise.
“How did you know that?” I asked in a curious tone.
“I spoke to one of their warriors during the summit,” the desert goddess said. “I kept saying king mistakenly until the man corrected
me.”
I continued to listen to my companions’ discussion the remainder of the walk to the ice fortress, but I was pleasantly surprised by their combined knowledge of the Northern Reaches. I was tempted to reset to my save point to predict their responses in my most godly fashion, but I decided to wait until after my first meeting with this Lord Burchard character.
The gates to the courtyard were fully open, so we trotted over the translucent ice bridge that spanned a rapidly flowing stream, but there was a troop of fur-clad guards waiting for us on the other side.
They held their halberds at attention and eyed us with blank faces, but they formed an aisle leading to the front door.
My companions and I dismounted, and stable hands rushed forward to take our reins. I hesitated for a moment as I thought about my dragon egg and other prized possessions, but I could always reset if there was a problem getting our stuff back.
“Kind of a tense welcome party,” Jax muttered under his breath.
“They’ll warm up to us soon enough,” I said. “Play nice in the meantime.”
“Aye,” the blacksmith grunted.
“You’ll need to surrender your weapons and magical items,”
Sergeant Tomlin said in a cautious voice. “I will place them in a chest here in the courtyard until you depart.”
“Ain’t no one touchin’ my blades,” Jax growled, and his hands moved to his waist where his weapons hung.
The entire platoon of guards tensed and pointed their halberds at us, but I shot the blacksmith a warning look, and he sighed.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “But if they’re so much as nicked when I get ‘em back, there’ll be hell to pay.”
“Your weapons will be safe,” Sergeant Tomlin assured us, and he led us to a wooden chest. “I’m sure you understand the precaution.”
“Sure, sure,” I said as I began to strip off my panabas and my variety of daggers before I placed them inside the empty chest. “I guess you don’t get many visits from mages, huh?”
“You’re a magic user as well.” The sergeant instantly picked up on my meaning, and he frowned.
“I’m not here to hurt anyone,” I chuckled. “I’m a god. If I wanted you dead, you’d already be lying cold on the ground.”
Jax copied my motions, and the sound of metal clanking into the chest filled the air for several moments. Mahini went next, and she added her bow and sword to the pile, but then Zenda stepped forward and removed a thin sliver of a blade from inside her boot.
The Zaborian historian continued to surprise me.
“We’re ready,” I announced once the chest was brimming with our weapons.
Sergeant Tomlin nodded, and he gestured for the guards to open the front doors to the frozen fortress. My companions straightened their shoulders and formed a triangle shape behind me as I marched behind the sergeant, but I was quickly distracted by the beauty of the castle’s interior.
The light shone through the walls and bounced off every surface, but intricate candelabras illuminated the frost-covered ceilings. The roof vaulted several stories over my head, and a humongous double spiral staircase filled the entryway. Servants in white livery formed a line to either side of the stairs, and they all bowed in unison as we approached the steps.
Sergeant Tomlin marched up the steps without giving the servants so much as a glance, so I followed behind him without a
word. We climbed up three stories until we arrived at the top floor, but there was just a long hallway lined with doors. The ceiling glowed with the sunlight streaming in through the ice, and thick white rugs made from some kind of animal hide muffled the sound of our footsteps.
Portraits of dwarf-looking men in thick furs covered the walls between the doors, and I gazed at them casually as we passed. No doubt they were former lords and rulers of Northwatch, but I was more interested in the current leader.
“I thought you said it’d be warmer inside,” Jax complained.
“The northerners don’t seem cold,” Mahini teased.
“Their bodies have likely acclimated to the lower temperatures over time,” Zenda said, and her eyes twinkled at the possibility of new knowledge. “It would be interesting to see how a northerner reacted to summer in Sorreyal.”
Sergeant Tomlin led us to the end of the hallway where a door made entirely out of ice was carved with a wintery landscape scene.
Then he paused at the portal, and he took a deep breath before knocking on the surface.
“Enter,” a baritone voice boomed from inside.
Our escort pushed open the door and ushered us inside, and I realized we were inside one of the spires. Thick white furs covered every inch of the floor, and bookshelves lined the walls between the floor-to-ceiling windows. A massive desk carved from a solid piece of ice sat in the center of the room, but the chair was turned with its back to us.
A fireplace sat on the opposite side of the desk, and flames crackled in the grate. I wondered how the entire room didn’t melt from the exposure to the heat, but I was sure the answer was magical in nature. I still had a lot to learn about the Northern Reaches, and nothing would make me happier than figuring out every last detail, but I had all the time in the world to play around.
Maybe I’d become the God of Ice before I returned home again.
I knew a few simple ice spells, but nothing that compared to the majesty of the fortress I stood in. There was some complicated magic at work here, and I was determined to learn it all.
“Hello?” I asked the back of the chair. “Anyone home?”
Someone had told us to enter, so I was just being a smartass, but Lord Burchard’s reaction would tell me a lot about his character.
“Can I help you?” The Lord of Northwatch spun his chair around, and I finally got a good look at him.
Burchard was an older man, and his face was lined with deep wrinkles and spotted with age marks. His hair and long beard were tawny and streaked with gray, but every strand was neatly combed and hung down to his wide shoulders. His gut bulged over his thighs, and he groaned as he pushed himself to his feet. A gray fur mantle was draped over his neck, but underneath was a black velvet robe.
Lord Burchard swept his robe to either side of him, and the sunlight streaming in through the walls glinted off his fine plate armor as he moved around the table toward me. A curious smile played with the corners of his mouth, and his sky-blue eyes were soft when they met mine.
“The correct question would be how can I help you,” I said, and I flourished into a deep bow. “Sir Sebastian, Archduke of Sorreyal, Dragon Slayer, Pirate King, and the God of Time, at your service.”
My announcement was met with silence from the lord, and Sergeant Tomlin cleared his throat.
“He said he had an invitation from you, my lord,” the head guard said.
“Did he present you with said invitation?” Lord Burchard asked in a calm voice.
I held my breath as the sergeant paled and shook his head, and the Lord of Northwatch peered at me with obvious curiosity.
“You’ve come a long way,” the lord finally said to break the long silence, and he turned and gestured to the chairs in front of his desk.
“Please, sit.”
Jax crossed his arms and took up a position by the door, so I waited until Zenda and Mahini sat before I took the third, and then I inclined my head to Burchard.
“Thank you for seeing me,” I said with my most charming smile.
“Of course, Your Grace,” Lord Burchard said, and he waved a dismissive hand in Sergeant Tomlin’s direction. “That’s all for now, Tomlin. You may go.”
“Yes, my lord,” the sergeant said as he snapped a crisp salute.
“Have a nice day.” Jaxtom smiled sweetly as he held the door open for the sergeant, and Tomlin shot one last glance over his shoulder before he left the room, but then the blacksmith resumed his guarded stance before the entrance.
Lord Burchard busied himself with pouring a clear liquid into two glasses, and he handed me one before lifting the other to his lips.
“To your health,” the lord muttered before he tossed back the liquor.
“To your wealth,” I added before I copied his motion.
I winced from the bitter flavor of the drink, and I swallowed hard. The burning sensation rolled down my throat to warm my stomach instantly, and the room was suddenly less chilly. It tasted like vodka, but it was fitting for the ambiance of the Northern Reaches.
“What brings you to Northwatch, Your Grace?” Lord Burchard poured another round of the clear liquor.
“I’m passing through,” I said, and this time I sipped my drink gingerly. “But I figured I’d stop in to say hi while I was in the area.
I’ve wanted to visit the Northern Reaches ever since I met some of your mages at King Frederick’s summit in Vallenwood.”
“Yes, yes, I remember that event.” Lord Burchard nursed his drink as he peered at me over the rim. “You don’t look like an Archduke.”
“What does an Archduke look like?” I countered.
“The last one I met was a snobby old man with one foot in the grave,” Lord Burchard said. “Stubborn old fool died without an heir, so maybe he was half-dead long before he actually keeled over.”
“I can assure you I have no such issues,” I chuckled. “But I’m immortal, so I won’t have any feet near a grave any time soon.”
“I’ve heard claims of some gods roaming around,” the Lord of Northwatch said with a dismissive flap of his hand. “I don’t believe in such things.”
A slow grin spread across my face.
Challenge accepted.
“Then I have picked a perfect time to visit,” I said. “You’re in need of faith in a bad way, and I’m just the man for the job.”
“Man, or god?” Lord Burchard arched an eyebrow. “I’d pick one and stick with it if I were you.”
“Can a god not be a man, too?” I smirked. “Just because I’m immortal doesn’t mean I don’t eat or fuck.”
Lord Burchard snorted, and some of his liquor dribbled down his bearded chin, but his eyes flicked to Zenda and Mahini.
“How rude of me.” I gestured to my companions one at a time as I introduced them. “This is my wife Mahini of the Kotar Desert, my lover Zenda is the first daughter of the High Priest of the Zaborial Isles, and my friend Jaxtom is the best damned blacksmith west of Vallenwood.”
“A pleasure.” Lord Burchard inclined his head. “It would please me a great deal if you accepted my hospitality during your stay in Northwatch. If there’s anything you require, I would be happy to provide it.”
“Thanks,” I said. “But let’s get down to brass tacks. What are you doing about the cult of dragon worshippers plaguing the road to the south of here?”
Lord Burchard’s eyes widened, but he stalled by taking a long sip of his liquor. I could see him choosing his words carefully before he spoke, so I leaned back and rested my hands behind my head.
“What do you know of this group?” the Lord of Northwatch asked in a cautious manner.
“I know a bunch of them are dead now,” I said. “They chose the wrong god to mess with, and they paid for it with their lives.”
“So, you are not in allegiance with this group of mask wearers?” Lord Burchard placed his empty cup on his ice desk and steepled his fingers beneath his chin.
“Nope,” I laughed. “They marked themselves as my enemies when they came after me. I take it we’re in agreement that they’re pests in need of extermination?”
“I have had challenges with them sneaking into the city to steal food and other resources,” Lord Burchard said, and he pressed his fingers against his temples as he released a tired sigh. “They’re worse than pests. Any who oppose them are left with burns and other wounds.”
“Yeah, they use some kind of fire magic,” I said.
“Heathens,” Lord Burchard hissed. “There is no refinement to fire magic. No control. Ice can burn just as well without the chaos that always ensues.”
“You might be a little bit biased,” I pointed out as I indicated his frozen office with a flick of my eyes. “There are other types of magic, you know.”
“None with the purity or control of ice,” Lord Burchard argued, but a smile curled the corners of his lips. “It is obviously the superior
element.”
“I have to admit you guys have done some pretty amazing things with ice.” I grinned. “But a few solid fire spells could do a lot of damage to your frozen fortress.”
“You speak like one unfamiliar with the rigors of ice magic,” the lord countered.
“I’m familiar with pretty much everything,” I chuckled as I thought about the arsenal of spells I had at my disposal, and ice elemental magic was included in the long list.
“Fair enough.” Lord Burchard inclined his head. “But that sounds like a discussion for another time. Is the Order the reason for your unannounced visit?”
“Yes and no.” I poured myself another round of the vodka-like liquor and tossed it back. “I wanted to see how you were handling them before I continued into your realm and made an ass of myself by killing them all.”
“You are more than welcome to kill the men terrorizing my city,”
Lord Burchard said.
“What will I get in return?” I arched an eyebrow.
“The removal of a threat against you,” the lord shot back.
“Not good enough.” I smiled sweetly. “I want you to open more trade routes between Sorreyal and the Northern Reaches, and vouch for me with the other Northern Lords.”
“You are offering something you already said you were doing anyway,” the leader of Northwatch said with a nonchalant shrug of a shoulder. “Why should I agree to anything?”
“More trade routes will only make us both richer men,” I pointed out. “And being the first one to meet the God of Time will give you superiority over the other lords when I finally get around to meeting them. I’m offering you friendship, Lord Burchard. Are you foolish enough to refuse it?”
Burchard peered at me through narrowed blue eyes for a long moment, and then he waved a dismissive hand.
“I have enough alliances,” he said. “And I’m already a rich man. You have nothing to offer me.”
Not good enough.
I’d see how he reacted next time, though, and I wasn’t going to give up until I got what I wanted.
Chime.
I repeated my most successful method of entering the city, but this time, I told Sergeant Tomlin that an escort was not needed, and we continued on to the ice castle without him. I wanted to try a different approach with the leader of Northwatch during this run through, and I didn’t need the sergeant getting in my way or trying to stop me. I didn’t pause in the courtyard to remove my weapons, but without the sergeant escorting us, we weren’t greeted by the platoon of soldiers.
“How do you know where you’re going?” Zenda’s eyes widened when I led us through the frozen fortress to the top floor.
“I’ve done it before,” I said in a vague tone, but I pushed open the door to Lord Burchard’s office before she could question me further.
“What is the meaning of this?” the lord boomed as he pushed himself to his feet. “How dare you storm in here!”
“Sit down, Lord Burchard,” I commanded in my most godly voice as I quickly crossed the room to tower over him. “You have summoned me, so here I am.”
“W-W-Who are you?” The previously calm, cool, and collected lord stumbled backward and fell into his chair.
“I am Sir Sebastian, the Archduke of Sorreyal, Dragon Slayer, Bane of Pirates, and the God of Time.” I planted my hands on my hips and struck a heroic pose. “I have answered your call for aid, but it will not come without a price.”
Mahini and Jaxtom struggled to maintain their straight faces, but Zenda watched with open curiosity shining in her sapphire eyes.
“G-G-God of Time?” Lord Burchard coughed and attempted to regain some of his composure. “I’ve heard of you.”
“As I have heard of you.” I smirked. “Now that the introductions are out of the way, let’s get straight to business. You have a problem with a cult of mask-wearing dragon worshippers.”
“How do you know this?” Lord Burchard narrowed his eyes and scanned me up and down. “You don’t look like a god, or even an Archduke for that matter.”
“What does a god look like, Lord Burchard?” I tilted my head to the side.
The Lord of Northwatch chuckled and dipped his head in submission.
“Please, have a seat, Your Grace.” He gestured to the chairs on the opposite side of the desk from him. “You truly intend to
eliminate the dragon worshippers?”
“Why else would I be here?” I laughed. “But, like I said, my help doesn’t come for free.”
“What could a god possibly need from me?” Lord Burchard lifted one eyebrow as though he had me cornered.
“I don’t personally need anything from you,” I countered. “I want both of our realms to thrive and grow richer together.”
“The Northern Reaches are already allied with Sorreyal,” the lord said with one of those dismissive waves of his hand. “We stand ready to join in war should the need arise.”
“Alliances involve more than showing up during wartime,” I said. “There’s a lot of opportunity for trade routes between our realms, and everyone involved stands to get rich.”
“You strike a hard bargain,” the lord said, and he stroked his beard thoughtfully. “What if I refuse?”
“I leave you to the cultists.” I shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll stop harassing the townsfolk eventually.”
“They won’t stop,” Lord Burchard sighed. “What do you know of them?”
“Enough,” I said.
“You know they seek ancient magics?” The lord slumped his shoulders. “Such a magic lies in the heart of this very fortress, and they’ve been making attempts to gain access to it for nearly a year.”
“Why didn’t you ask anyone for help?” I raised an eyebrow. “Or move the magic to where they can’t get to it?”
“The magic cannot be moved,” the lord explained. “It is a central part of what makes this entire structure possible. I would let the entire city fall victim to the cultists before I allowed a single soul to harm the heart of the fortress.”
My curiosity was officially piqued, and I leaned forward eagerly.
“Go on,” I urged. “What does this magic consist of? Some sort of ice elemental magical anchor?”
Lord Burchard seemed to remember himself, and he lifted his chin at a stubborn angle.
“I agree to your terms, Sir Sebastian,” the lord of Northwatch said with a decisive nod. “Eliminate the cult, and you can consider Northwatch your ally in all ways.”
“And you’ll show me the heart of the fortress,” I added.
Lord Burchard hesitated, but then he shook his head. “I cannot agree to such a demand.”
“It was worth a try,” I sighed.
Chime.
I went through the same motions to gain access to the city, and then I led my companions to the ice fortress. A few servants tried to stop us on our way to the top floor, but I ignored them and barged into the frozen office.
“The heart of your fortress is in danger, Lord Burchard,” I announced. “I am here in answer to your call for help.”
“I made no such call,” Lord Burchard argued as he rose from his chair. “Who are you?”
“I am Sir Sebastian,” I said, and I continued on with the rest of my titles while the lord’s eyes continued to grow wider and wider.
“Your Grace, this is quite the surprise,” he said when I’d finished. “You have come a long way for nothing, I’m afraid. I have no need for aid.”
“You would sit idly by while the cultists threaten the heart of the fortress?” I narrowed my eyes and planted my hands on my hips.
Lord Burchard looked torn as he considered my words, but after a long moment of silence, he gestured to the chair across the desk from him.
“Please, have a seat, Your Grace,” he said as he politely inclined his head. “We have much to discuss.”
I had Lord Burchard in the palm of my hand in a matter of moments, and then we spent the rest of the evening touring the ice fortress and having dinner with him.
Dinner consisted of roasted swan and root vegetables, and the wine flowed freely for the entire evening. Jaxtom was laughing loud and hard over the smallest jokes, and the leader of Northwatch encouraged it.
We were given elegant rooms carved into the ice itself, but the fireplaces did little to abate the chill that permeated the air. I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever feel warm again, but then I remembered I could always blip back to Bastianville whenever I wanted to.
“What’s that look for?” Mahini asked with a twinkle in her ice-blue eyes.
“Thinking about home,” I explained, and I gave her a sheepish smile. “I’m already missing the warmth of our house.”
“I bet a night with one of your wives would warm your insides,”
the desert goddess suggested. “Why don’t you go home and spend
some time with Evangeline?”
It had been way too long since I’d been able to enjoy the blonde bombshell, and my cock twitched at the thought.
“Keep an eye on things while I’m gone?” I asked as a devilish grin tugged at my lips. “I don’t want Zenda to get lonely.”
“She will want for nothing in your absence,” Mahini promised, and she pulled the Amulet of Zyne out from under my tunic. “Go, husband, and tell my sister-wives I said hello.”
I had no arguments for the gorgeous woman, so I planted a kiss on her lips.
“You’re the best,” I said.
“See you soon.” Mahini winked and stood back a few paces.
I winked back before I began the motions for the fast travel spell, and excitement bloomed in my gut as I began to dematerialize.
The blue aura flooded over me before I closed my eyes, but when I opened them up again, I stood in my living room back in Bastianville.
“Bash!” Elissa gasped.
The next thing I knew, Elissa, Eva, and Caelia were all in my arms, and I squeezed my arms around all of them as tightly as I could.
“I missed you already,” I chuckled. “I had to come back and warm up my toes.”
“We’ll warm up a lot more than your toes!” Evangeline declared, and she grabbed me by the front of the shirt before she began to pull me upstairs.
I grinned and let the blonde bombshell lead me toward heaven.
The God of Sex was home.