Gingee dragged its tail along the ground, Luizitine nodding to stop so he could finish the etching. Though the main threat had passed, such safety precautions were necessary. The last thing they needed was another group of humans sniffing around their territory.

"Alright," the hellspawn said. "Karla, place your hand in the center of the glyph."

The spirit did as told, instantly recoiling afterward.

"Ow."

"That will do." He pointed to Gingee. "You're next."

The demonling whimpered but did as they were told, yelping from the ward. Luizitine placed his hand in last, needle-like pain jabbed his palm. For such precautions, blood was the currency rather than magic. In exchange for a bit of essence, they could erect a strong barrier to dissuade attacks. The only downside was its limited reach. They'd erected six wards around the junkyard. And each required their own portions of blood.

"How many times are we gonna have to do this?" Karla asked. She touched the second ward quickly, shaking her hand afterward. Though she lacked blood, spirit essence made a fine enough sacrifice. "Can't you just magic up a wall or something?"

"Bark. It hurts, master," Gingee echoed.

"Bear with it, you two." He shook off the pain. "These wards will be our first line of defense. Should any creature besides the three of us attempt to enter...well..."

He pointed to the sky, where a white avian creature was soaring freely. It vanished the moment it crossed over to the junkyard, Luizitine smiling while both Karla and Gingee jumped.

"What the-?"

"Bark! Where'd bird go?"

Luizitined pointed across the field of wreckage, the avian soaring off into the distance, its flight past unhindered in the slightest.

Such were the perks of the vanishing ward. It was a minor glyph which any creature with a bit of magic could make, though it took even more to dismantle. Hence why it was important they created six to surround the entirety of the junkyard. They were as much a protectant as they were a warning. The minute one fell, they'd know both where the intruder was and that they were an above-average threat. It would be as good a sign as any they were under siege.

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"Wards like these are essential tools for creatures of the dark," Luizitine said. "The humans have their charms. The angels, their blessings. We have wards and rituals. Now come, we must complete the circle."

Though neither seemed enthused by that, they still did as told. With a final cut from Luiztine's hand, the junkyard was fully fortified against minor attacks. Save for the three of them, no other being would ever set foot in the Kingdom of Luiz. Everyone else would be teleported to the other side. Save for those they approved, at least. They'd still want access for whatever human snacks they let in. With the city so close, luring prey would be a simple manner. So long as they were careful, at least.

"Minion Karla."

"Huh? Ugh, what now?"

Luizitine looked upon his kingdom with pride. The masses of broken machinery and dirt mounds. Though it lacked walls or subjects, in time it would become the seat of power for the entire world.

"Thank you," he said. "For assisting us. For granting us our first piece of property."

"Oh." The spirit brightened. "Then this means we're official now, right? Gonna take on the entire world, just the three of us?"

He smiled. "Us and whatever recruits we wish to take on. It's doubtless we'll need an army. Especially against that mayor. And the wizard. And that witch, Felissa."

Just saying the names put a bad taste in his mouth. The day they finally claimed the city as theirs, assuming those three weren't killed in the process, he'd make it a point to draw and quarter them all. Or perhaps a vat of boiling oil would be better. Or he could skip the theatrics and simply eat them. Every scenario made the hellspawn's smile grow wider and wider. But he knew he couldn't get ahead of himself.

"There are many dangers in this world," he said. "Some I fear I'm ill-equipped to deal with. Not alone."

"Bark! I wish to help, master!"

"Same here," Karla said. "Just thinking of me as your Royal Knight."

The hellspawn chuckled. They lacked tact, but their loyalty was admirable. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a headache ruling them.

With the wards in place, it was finally time to move on to the next phase of their plans. Though they had a base, they lacked resources. Money. Allies. Infrastructure. The first would secure all that and more, though there in was where the problem laid. Karla had informed him of the Angelas's currency. The so-called dollar. If they were to truly build a kingdom from the ground up, they would need to secure a vast sum of dollars. Fortunately, quest boards were not so foreign in Luizitine's new world.

He pulled out his phone, looking through the many different jobs humans offered in exchange for currency. It didn't matter what he'd pick. He simply found the job with the most pay being offered. The title was a completely foreign concept.

"Karla."

"Hmm?"

He squinted at the words.

"What is a 'surgeon'?"

The ghost's only response was a blank stare.