“AAHH!” Rex exclaimed as he awoke once more with a start, “I am getting really tired of blacking out, can someone PLEASE tell me what the f**k happened?” “Well, you kind of blacked out after an assassin attack,” Lacey said with a shrug, “Master Percus isn’t sure why, he checked all of your meridians, he said they all checked out to be fine.” “I have no idea what happened my prince,” Master Percus sighed, his disdain seeping through his words, “Some sort of demon kin you have as a partner to you prevented the dagger penetrating any deeper than an inch, even then should have not rendered you unconscious.” “Any idea what the dagger was, or the history of the thing?” Rex asked standing and stretching his limbs, he felt no pain, and did not have any visions or visits from beings as he usually did with his blackouts, so even he was at a loss. “I have asked Rowina, she has said nothing strikes her as abnormal,” Lizz said, shrugging her shoulders. “So I mysteriously just passed out for no
“How do you feel this morning my prince?”“Kealy, haven’t seen you in a while,” Rex said with a smile, seeing the neat pile of clothing set next to his bed. After a few sighs and groans as he stretched, he disrobed, picked up his new clothes and dressed again, stopping at a little coughing sound.“You should have said something so I could turn away. I confess I may have peeked a look while you changed,” Kealy said the edges of her mouth curled into a smile she was trying to hide.“I think we are past the point of embarrassment by now,” Rex shrugged, he wasn’t sure why she was saying something now, Kealy had watched him, even helping him bathe and dress sometimes.“Your harem left in the early hours, none said where they were going for me to pass it onto you, I presume you wanted breakfast? The kitchen has only just started up so it might be a little while before food is served,” Kealy said, grabbing his old clothes and throwing them into a basket, Rex could tell something was off with
Rex and his company at the table ate in silence, the occasional request coming through their bond for condiments such as salt, pepper, or Marcia’s constant requests for a purple spice that he didn’t know except it burnt his mouth and throat every time he tried it. “My lord, I am sorry to intervene, but the lords have reconvened in the war room for the finalisation of the after-battle reports and paperwork,” a short thin man in a full white robe and a gold chain around his neck said, leaning in close to Rex with a bow and speaking quietly into his ear. “Tell them I will be along shortly,” Rex replied, with a friendly half smile and a nod, gesturing to the remainder of his food still left to go. “Of course my lord, I will pass the message along,” the man said, bowing his head once more, apologising for interrupting his breakfast again before leaving. “The vipers are already waiting to hear you split up their shares, I always felt bad for the emperor when this had to be done, the nobl
Rex and Markus both flowed into the open area, weapons drawn, working together to scan the room for threats, “Got a body,” Rex called, “No threats.”Markus called the same, not seeing any threats, both men sheathing their weapons at the same time,” Be calm, tell me what happened,” he said to a hysterical woman sobbing near the corpse of another woman.“It’s Jessie, I just saw her this morning, she was fine, and now…and now she’s dead,” the woman sobbed, placing her hands over her face.“Markus, come look at this,” Rex called out, kneeling over the dead woman called Jessie.“What is it?” he asked, joining him, a clatter of armoured feet rattling in the distance.“Claw marks and a bite to the side of the throat,” Rex said, pointing to the tell-tale marks on the woman’s body.“That wasn’t, you know,” Markus said, pointing with his eyes at Rex’s sword, motioning to Sküülen.“I am not allowed to assault anyone that is not directly harming my sweetness without his command, so no, not my doi
Laying in the middle of three beautiful women, Rex still had to punch himself sometimes to ensure he was not dreaming, ‘How lucky am I?’‘All hail lord harem prince,’ Fafnir growled, his voice full of sarcasm, ‘This has to be the first time I have heard of an amonthrul having a romantic attachment.’‘This is also the first time you’ve heard of four being part of the bond too,’ Rex said with a smile, ‘This is just an added bonus.’‘Bonus,’ Fafnir scoffed, ‘Not only is one romantic attachment problematic, but now you must deal with keeping three of them happy.’‘Seems to be working.’‘You will live a very long time, if your adventures do not find you perishing beforehand, you will face many hard and difficult judgements that will make some people love you, and many to hate you, your women entanglements all have differing ideals, so pleasing all three of them with your decisions will not be possible every time.’‘Why do you have to be such a downer?’ Rex said with a scowl.‘I am a realis
As Rex and Rowina arrived at the site of the attack, there were soldiers already at the scene ushering people away, a bloody white linen sheet covering a body, “Can we move it somewhere not so public?” Rex asked, seeing the number of onlookers.“I hope for the opposite,” Rowina replied, answering quickly seeing Rex’s dark expression, “To see if there are any magical interactions with the deceased. I can sense those kinds of things for short periods of time after the event.”“They said it was a beast attack, not a magical attack,” Rex replied, bowing his head to the soldiers who parted and bowed upon his arrival, something irked him instantly.“What is it?” Rowina asked, seeing Rex’s expression change quickly once more.“Nothing,” Rex replied, “Who found the body?” he asked turning to the soldier leading the group.“Miss Kealy my lord.”“Really?” he replied, turning to look in her direction, Kealy’s face dropping after meeting his gaze.“You know something I do not,” Rowina said, looki
After sharing a meal with Rowina, Rex let her lead him back to Percus’s physician building, he was glad to see the building come into view, after listening to how molecules of matter interact during the consumption process was getting tiring, after entering, both nodded to the receptionist as they passed her sitting at the desk.“We have new information pertaining to our search,” Rowina exclaimed as she threw the door open, startling Percus while he leaned over a pot plant with a blue-green mushroom growing in it, “I’ve told you watching it will not make it grow any faster.”“I do not tell you how to do your job, so don’t, ah prince Rex, how are you doing?” Percus said, changing from scolding Rowina to bowing his head, his usual light tone of voice returning.“Don’t let me get in the way of scientific arguments, you know better than to bottle it up,” Rex said a smile on his face at the sight of how they were about to quarrel.“It is not an argument, I was merely stating a fact,” Rowin
As Rex turned toward the last path leading to Marcia’s house, he had run multiple ideas through his head to try and broach the subject of getting the key from her without soliciting any suspicion, the more he thought of each new idea, the more he thought it would be harder to push, “She is going to see straight through me.”The more he worried the more he seemed to get questioning probes from Lacey, Minet, Lizz and Marcia, ‘I forgot the shared bond for a bit there,’ he mused to himself.‘She is going to know something is up the moment you ask, especially now you have ruined your plan by worrying so much,’ Fafnir sneered as he approached the gates, nodding his head back in response as her guards bowed and opened them for him.‘Thanks for the vote of confidence,’ Rex sighed back, getting another gruff snort from Fafnir as the main door to Marcia’s house opened.“Something is up, what’s wrong?” Marcia asked as she passed through the open door, stopping Rex in his tracks at the bottom of
The Citadel's council chamber buzzed with tension as Rex's old companions from Dracoterrum faced his new allies from this realm. What should have been a joyful reunion had quickly transformed into an atmosphere thick with unspoken rivalries and territorial instincts."So let me get this straight," Minet said, pacing the stone floor with her arms crossed. "While we've been desperately searching for you across realms, you've been here making new... connections." Her eyes flickered briefly toward Dilo and Kiri."It wasn't exactly by choice," Rex replied, his voice strained. "I was pulled here against my will, had to survive, and found people I could trust."Lacey, who had remained unusually quiet since their arrival, finally spoke. "We understand that, Rex. But do you understand what we went through to find you? The risks we took? Rowina might be trapped between realms right now because of it."From across the room, Dilo growled low in her throat. "He wasn't
The delegation from the godking's encampment advanced at a deliberate pace across the battle-scarred plains, their progress marked by the fluttering of the white parley flag. At its center rode the imposing figure in black armor – now clearly visible as a woman with pale, almost translucent skin and silver hair that flowed like liquid metal despite the still air."I don’t recognise the envoy," the Lady of Blades said grimly, lowering the spyglass.Rex studied the approaching emissary with growing unease. He could see the person had the figure of a woman and she was not riding a horse, but a massive wolf whose shoulders stood taller than a mounted knight. Its fur was midnight black, with wisps of shadowy vapor rising from its coat with each powerful stride. Flanking her were not soldiers but beasts – creatures with vaguely humanoid forms but bestial features, as if someone had attempted to mold animals into the shape of men and stopped halfway through
The Citadel's western courtyard echoed with the clash of steel as Rex and his companions trained in the afternoon sun. Three concentric circles had been marked on the flagstones with chalk—battle formations designed to maximize their individual strengths.Rex moved through the center circle, golden energy crackling along his sword as he parried attacks from multiple directions. Cassius and Dilo flanked him, their movements synchronized after hours of practice. The purple discoloration had receded from Dilo's arm, though the healers warned the void corruption had left permanent damage—a network of dark veins that glowed faintly whenever she channelled her battle rage.In the second circle, Kealy and Venya darted between training dummies, their blades flashing in complicated patterns designed to target vulnerable points in demonic anatomy, according to the ancient texts the Lady of Blades had provided. Grub moved with surprising grace among them, his strength providing the necessary for
Rex stood on a balcony overlooking the imperial city as dawn broke over the distant walls. The golden bracelet pulsed gently against his wrist, a reminder of Fafnir's presence within. After yesterday's battle, the dragon had retreated into a restful silence, conserving energy and processing all they had experienced.Below, teams of soldiers cleared the courtyard of the dissolved chimera remains, their movements precise and practiced, evidence of how routine such clean-up operations had become. The void corruption had left blackened scorch marks across the flagstones, impossible to remove completely. A permanent scar on the city's heart."Couldn't sleep either?"Rex turned to find Kiri approaching, her steps nearly silent against the stone. She looked exhausted but alert, her eyes scanning the horizon with careful attention."Too much to process," Rex admitted, turning back to the view. "The prophecy, the godking, these... connections that seem to be forming. It feels like we've steppe
"Cassius, take the left flank with Karinna," Rex commanded, slipping easily into the role of leader. "Dilo, Grub, with me in the center. Kealy, Venya, work the perimeter and watch for stragglers. Kiri—""I'll be where I'm needed," Kiri said with a knowing smile, her hands already beginning to weave complex magical patterns in the air.Rex nodded, then turned his attention to the bracelet. "And you," he murmured, "let's see what we can really do together."As if in response, the golden lizard seemed to shift, its form flowing like liquid metal around his wrist. Rex felt Fafnir's consciousness merge more completely with his own than it had since their reunion—a perfect synchronization of will and power.'Together, then,' Fafnir's voice resonated within him, stronger than ever before.Rex vaulted over the balcony railing, golden light trailing from his hands as he descended to the courtyard below. He landed in a perfect crouch, the impact sending a shockwave of golden energy rippling out
The Lady of Blades led Rex and his companions through the Citadel's grand entrance hall, a cavernous space where sunlight streamed through high stained-glass windows, casting prismatic patterns across the polished stone floor. The hall bore the scars of a fortress long at war—elegant tapestries hung alongside battle maps, and ornate columns were reinforced with practical steel bracings. Guards in gleaming armor stood at attention, their faces betraying flickers of curiosity as they watched the unusual group pass. Rex felt their stares lingering on him in particular, which only added to his growing unease. "I imagine this must be disorienting," the Lady of Blades said, glancing back at him. Her armor made barely a sound as she moved, each plate fitting together with masterful precision. "To arrive at a place you've never been, only to discover people have been expecting you." "That's putting it mildly," Rex replied, studying her carefully. "How exactly did you know we were coming?"
Rex's lungs burned as he sprinted through the crumbling tunnel, dust filling the air with each new tremor that rocked the passageway. The golden lizard bracelet pulsed against his wrist, sending waves of warmth up his arm—a warning, perhaps, or Fafnir urging him forward."Keep moving!" he shouted over his shoulder, making sure everyone was still with him. Grub's heavy footfalls thundered behind, followed by the lighter steps of Kealy and Venya. Cassius moved with his usual grace, a faint blue shimmer still surrounding him like a second skin. Kiri and Dilo flanked the group, weapons drawn against whatever might await them at the tunnel's end.Invictus Myst led the way, Rex noticed her glancing at him every few seconds. Whatever had happened in that crystal realm had shaken her, the confident assassin replaced by someone who seemed just as desperate to escape as the rest of them."There!" Myst shouted, pointing ahead to a circular opening where daylight spilled into the darkness. "The i
“Is it just me, or can anyone else hear voices?” Rex asked, stopping and turning his head slightly.As Rex stopped, his companions also followed suit, Cassius placing his hand on the pommel of his sword.“I can’t hear anything except for Grub’s wheezing,” Kealy said after a few quiet moments.“Grub is wheezing because of all the walking,” Grub grumbled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a scrap of meat.“Uh, what are you eating?” Venya asked, spying the meat.“Grub has kept this for a road snack for a few days,” Grub replied with a wide grin.“Um, so you’ve let it dry in your pocket, and you still think its safe to eat?” Karinna added in, moving to stand beside Kealy and Venya.“Grub has eaten things much more questionable,” Grub replied, still smiling as he lifted the meat to his mouth and pushed the whole piece in. “Grub still thinks has good taste.”“You are disgusting,” Kealy replied with a shudder and frown. This just got a confused look from Grub in response.“Grub has an
“So Rex,” Kiri began once they packed their cooking utensils. “I believe there is a part to this story you have not told us.”“What part is that?” Rex asked, raising one eyebrow at her.“The part where you earned the ‘blessed one’ title,” Kiri replied with a smirk. “I am most curious as to who has blessed you to elicit such a respectful response from a creature powerful enough to kill almost all of us.”Kiri’s question seemed to draw all eyes to Rex, even Cassius and Grub, even though they already knew the story.“Well,” Rex began with a little sigh as he gathered his thoughts, “I was originally tasked with performing a deed, in return for a favour. The queen then brought me through a portal to a place to have the agreement sealed by someone she called an ancient. She cannot deviate too far from some mission she was brought here to do, or something like that. Anyway, there were more ‘ancients’ than first agreed upon, almost like a council-type setup. The agreement was then changed to