A tall beautiful fire haired woman sat on a lovely purple and silver chair next to a great throne in the middle of a grand marble throne room. The phrase fire haired was not a saying, her hair was orange and red, and almost gave off the impression to observers of being made of fire from a distance, closer in her hair lost the fiery illusion but the colors of her long silky hair became much more pronounced, hues of orange and red that were not natural for humans; however quite normal for the Kindred who are descended from fire dragons. The only thing most people would consider more striking then her hair or figure would be her golden yellow eyes with vertical cat like pupils. This beauty was wearing a full-length blood red gown; which was buttoned to her neck, it was form fitting, accentuating every inch of her curvaceous body. Wrapped around her shoulders was a red shawl.
The room was cavernous; made out of a black almost obsidian like stone with a great dome ceiling, now broken. The damaged stone from the collapsed dome had been recently removed, and the only thing keeping the throne room from being exposed to the elements was the Wollumba plant wood like roof that had been built to cover the gaping hole in the dome. It was a temporary fix, but considering the amount of work that would need to be put in to rebuild the hundred-span tall dome it was effective at the moment. At least it kept the wind and snow out; though the great burning braziers kept most of the chill out of the air, it was almost impossible to keep this huge dome warm on this overcast day while it rained and snowed outside.
Verna had a terrible headache and was doing her best to keep herself warm in the chilly air in the throne room. She had spent weeks doing the equivalent of sifting through a mountain of white sand looking for one solitary sparkling red grain. The worst part about this task was it was one she took upon herself. The only thing keeping her from dropping it in frustration was because she was grudgingly in awe of the work that Jace had been putting in over the past couple of weeks.
She found herself impressed with the tall young man and all he had done in the past six weeks. He clearly never really had any leadership training. In many ways, he was not qualified to lead a squad of men in a military formation, let alone this city state. However, his work remaking this state and the humans within since that fateful night have been remarkable.
His first act was to free, cloth and house all the slaves in the city, Then he went through and purged the nobility and freemen who were resistant to his changes. Those purges were bloody, at one point in time it erupted into a full out mini rebellion. Yet the now free people of the city, especially the women, all unified behind their liberator, and whatever trouble the nobles and former freemen tried to cause was swiftly stomped out. Through seizing the assets of the traitors the nearly empty treasury had been refilled, which was then when Jace really started his great public works projects.
First was the removal of all of the debris and repair of the damage caused by his seizing charge. He also launched a huge project to repair and maintain the sewage/drainage and cistern systems in the city. Seeing clean running water in the public fountains were a wonder for the people who had been used to making long journeys to the few non-polluted wells. Following those acts he started a project to house the newly freed slaves (lots of empty buildings made that a snap) and naturally that caused a huge spike in demand for furniture and pottery, so soon a whole string of new business started up in carpentry and pottery. He then cleared land around the city, and employed people as farmers. Before the dust was settled from this, he won over the city guard by healing the gelded ones. He tore up the old laws and in just one day replaced them with something fairly brutal. He also outlawed “rape” via penalty of death a crime he had to define as many of the humans didn’t consider what they were doing as “rape” or even know what that word was. That law sent the city into another series of armed rebellions as well, as a surprisingly large number of men simply weren’t willing to follow those rules. Again it was largely due to the support of the former slaves, especially the women, that the revolt was ended swiftly and brutally. Just this week he had won over the pirate groups that operated out of the city; and turned them into something he called [buccaneers] a strange word from his native tongue, which meant they were state approved pirates. They all paid for the right, and agreed to follow certain rules under penalty of death.
He transformed the city and the people in it almost overnight. Cannibalism was eliminated, rape, while still occurring was definitely no longer a public act, and the guard was so fiercely loyal to Jace (what man wouldn’t be after he regrew their manhood) they enforced his laws with zeal making the number of rapists quickly decrease. The city no longer smelled of an open sewer, and the new bank he founded seemed to be igniting the economy, as the number of unemployed was shrinking rapidly. Overall what he had accomplished was nothing short of a miracle considering it all occurred in less than 20 days.
Because of his efforts refused from backing down from the task she assigned herself. Her task required some finesse since she didn’t want Jace to know what she was doing yet. One of the first actions she performed was to demolish the statues of the old Grey King. Using coin she embezzled from the treasury, she hired several gnome sculptures to carve a great statue of Jace in the largest square in the city (this was just the first step, she would follow this up by replacing all images of the grey king with images of Jace).
Great men should always have a legend to inspire others, so she was going to insure Jace’s image and legend was cemented with the people. Of course all of this is secondary to the major miracle he created that night.
She purposefully avoided looking at the blackened tiles to the left of the throne. When she felt the curse activating she was sure that was going to be the end of her. She could feel her life drain right out of her. Then Jace started to make magic. She had tried studying the magic array he created, she had never seen anything like it before, and couldn’t make heads or tails of it. It operated on principles she never heard of before, and the way it was interconnected made her head hurt. When it activated and she felt the curse snap, and her longevity flood back, she was so stunned she actually missed the breakup of the 2nd moon. What came next was even more remarkable, it seemed the effect of his magic didn’t just affect the 3 in the circle, it affected the whole of the city. All of the slaves and cursed humans, or cursed slaves from other races had their curse removed. When the sun rose bloody the next day she had to admit she was confused and asked Jace about it. Jace was speechless as well, but then shrugged and said that he meant for the curse to rebound on the Gods responsible for it, but never expected a moon to vanish and the sun to change. Now the whole world was bathed in the cool red light of the Sun. She wasn’t sure if this was the result of the curse rebound or Elis punishing the world in response to the curse rebound, either way it was an inauspicious sign.
Of course, how could she miss the changes in the man since that day? Leadership did not weight on him well. She was growing more concerned as he grew more distant. He was already alone in this world, she didn’t like how he was spending more and more time isolating himself from everyone else to stare at that horrible green cube. Some of the changes in him were to be expected, sorcerers tended to be withdrawn, but she could see something was off about him recently.
While Verna was busy dwelling on her own thoughts she failed to notice a beautiful girl with sapphire blue hair enter the hall. She was an unearthly beauty even by the standards of her own people, with a thin, delicate build. The girl was halfway to Verna before she noticed her and flinched, her first thought was to hide. The girl was smitten with her. At first when she noted the girl’s interest in her, she had thought to use it to draw her into bed with Jace. That plan however had failed. The more time she spent with the Fairy girl the more she realized the girl simply had no interest in men. Worse, the girl’s infatuation with her was quite real. She had not lied to Jace when she said she wasn’t particularly into women in that way. So this was definitely unwanted. If it was simply on the level of lust, she would have spared some time for the girl, though she didn’t really find other women interesting in that way, she saw no harm to a little fun from time to time. It was different and interesting in its own way, if unsatisfying. However, this girl was infatuated, which meant crossing that line would bring ‘feelings’ into the equation. And she had no interest in a female love interest. She still was trying to decide if her interest in Jace went beyond physical attraction or not, and without even trying to make love with the Fairy girl she knew Jace was many times more interesting in bed then that smitten virgin girl.
Her yellow eyes narrowed as she realized she was thinking about escaping from the girl. ‘Me? Run from another woman?’ Her pride would not allow that. So she forced herself to smile. A smile so fake even a child would notice, and greeted her pleasantly; without standing up.
“Easol, child, to what do I owe this honor?”
The girl practically came out of her cloths when she heard Verna use her name. Bubbling with enthusiasm she smiled and spoke sweetly to her, “Nana, I did as you asked and was able to accomplish the task you set before me.” She smiled and twisted, preening as if expecting praise.
“This lot will be better than the last one correct?” Since the girl wanted praise, Verna intentionally gave her none. That she used the nickname “Nana” only irritated her more. She still couldn’t get Jace to call her that. She didn’t want to hear that name from some woman’s lips.
Easol seemed to deflate a little at the cold tone, “Of course they’re better. Though the only reason I didn’t succeed the last 4 times is because you haven’t told me what you’re looking for; ‘you’re a Seer, you’ll know it when you see it,’ is hardly instructions.”
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Verna smiled slightly at the girl’s hurt tone. Part of the reason the instructions were that vague was because she wanted the girl out of her hair. Part was because a seer on the lookout for people with strange or interesting fate can turn up gems. And partly her reasons were none of Easol’s business.
“If you wish to know the answer to those questions convince Jace to let you into his bed. We both know all you’ll lose is your virginity, humans and fairies, despite their close physical appearance cannot crossbreed. Who knows, you might enjoy it. And you’ll get your answers.”
The smiling, playful look on her face vanished instantly. “I can’t, Nana, don’t ask that of me.”
“Your loss then. I must say, though his face is rather plain, and his physical strength isn’t quite up to par, he’s quite good at it. If you’d like to see what you’re missing you’re welcome to watch us tonight. Just don’t let Jace run you out of the room.” Verna’s playful tone caused Easol to blush. Which in turn caused Verna regret her tone. Though she’d like to toss the Fairy girl at Jace if only to bring a little more joy into the boy’s life, and to get Easol off her back, she feared the girl would only take up that offer to see her nude. Which of course would only increase her passion.
“Nana, come on, I should have a reward shouldn’t I? I found you good sculptors, and someone to fund that huge statue of Jace. I helped you clean out the old king’s harem and get those women set up with new lodging, even renovated those rooms. You need to motivate me somehow. Else after this group I won’t help anymore.” Easol was now pouting like a child.
Verna felt her headache grow worse; this girl was treading on her last nerve. “No you do not. You’re staying in Jace’s kingdom, you’re not producing anything and eating the food while sleeping on our beds. We are already being lenient on this point. If you don’t want to help move into the city or go home.”
Easol looked surprised at Verna’s harsh counter to her playful request. “Nana, don’t be like that. We’re friends aren’t we?”
“A friend wouldn’t try to coerce sexual favors from another friend.”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing with me? What is your insistence I sleep with Jace if not coercion for sexual favors?” Easol now sounded a bit hurt
“Didn’t you just answer your own question?” Verna’s cold answer and the venom in it brought a spark of anger to Easol’s face.
“Is that so Verna? I did not know you thought so little of me. In that case I will be leaving.”
Verna winced. She had let her headache talk. While she had no interest in the Fairy girl, she knew Jace would need the girl’s help in the future. Tossing a skilled seer aside was foolish. “Easol, my apologies. I spoke poorly. You see I have a terrible headache.” Verna paused and put on a believable smile. “Listen, child. I owe you the truth. The truth of the matter is I want you to become part of the royal harem.”
Easol stared at Verna, a complicated look on her face. “There is no harem. You threw them out. Besides I already told you no.”
Verna sighed, “Listen girl, I do appreciate the help you’ve given me. But that boy needs our support. He deserves yours.”
“He doesn’t deserve anything, he was the cause of my problem, it was his job to fix it, and he did. We owe each other nothing. What I’m doing is help you.”
Verna watched her closely and then shook her head. “It’s a shame you know. For such a pretty girl such as yourself to waste away. I won’t talk you out of liking women. This was how fate made you I think, nor would I ask you to like men. Forgive my continued hounding on this issue. I thought you were throwing a fit, with those black cloths and angry eyes. I didn’t credit your tastes enough.”
Easol was quiet a moment watching Verna, then sighed “Forget it. I did bring you a new group to look over. There is one in particular I think might be the one you’re looking for. A human girl called Jaenin, she has a strong fate, so strong she practically glows gold to my eyes.”
“Jaenin?” Verna’s eyes took on a distant look as she thought on the name, ‘Why does that name sound familiar?’ she pondered for a long moment, then gasped.
“Jaenin?! You are sure it’s Jaenin?!”
“Yes, JAY-NIN” She pronounced the name slowly.
“You said ‘girl’, what game are you on? Jaenin is no human and no girl either.”
“What? She is a girl. She even has a human fate.”
“Child did you never study history? Think. I can’t believe the People of the World would forget Jaenin.” Verna was thinking quickly, she didn’t know why THAT decided to show up, but she did know she didn’t want Jace within a hundred miles of it until she knew what it was here for. “Quickly, get Jaenin and bring it here, and remember to treat it like it was an angry dragon.”
Verna stood up and smoothed her dress nervously. Then she changed her mind, rather than summon Jaenin, she’d see him personally. She called out to Easol, stopping her, and caught up. She wasn’t comfortable moving this quickly in dresses, and preferred armor, but she had been in the mood to play around like a queen this morning, now she wished she hadn’t been so frivolous. Jaenin was a dangerous entity. Though sword and armor would be worth nothing they’d make her feel more comfortable.
Jace stared at the green cube floating in the middle of a large empty room in the lower levels of the keep. It was levitating without any supporting magic circles, furthermore the green cube resisted all attempts to move it, be it physical movement or using magic to do so. The surface of the cube was carved in strange designs that seemed to have little to do with each other. Just a series of lines and shapes overlapping with each other. It rotated quietly, and from time to time he almost felt like he could detect something pulse from the object, similar to the feeling he got from the pulse of the world. There was nothing in the room which explained what this object was for, and after a search of the keep he turned up no clues to its purpose.
During his first days in the keep he had been unable to study the strange object stored here, as he was busy with the cleanup and reorganizing of the city. Of course, most of the cleanup had to be done by himself, as no one else had the power to repair the walls and the building, with all the giant stone blocks tossed about during their assault upon the keep. Furthermore, the more he looked into the doings of the nobility the more nobles he executed.
The treasury was filled with more Tals then he had ever seen in one place. A literal mountain of gold. The clerks told him there were tens of thousands of tals and complained that the city was impoverished. Something Jace had trouble wrapping his mind around. So when he started executing the nobility he started seizing their assets, properties and businesses. By the time his purge of the nobility was over, the state was positively overflowing in tals, the income far outstripped the expenses, and the vault was now stuffed with coin
He did a number of things to turn the city around, mostly pulling out ideas from social study classes he had and barely paid attention to in school. His one act of mercy and charity, healing the missing manhood/balls of the soldiers/slaves probably did more to insure his success in taking over the city than any other action taken. Recently he had been busying himself with the pirate issue and had he been willing to slaughter them all like the crew of that one ship he probably would have if only to spare himself the headache. However, the killing of that crew on top of the oceans of blood he spilt to keep his throne and keep the changes he was making made him ill in a way he never experienced before. It was almost as if the wanton death was repulsive to the pulse of the world in some way, and he felt almost as if his very being was warping out of alignment with the world.
The sensation still was in him, almost as if something was crawling under his skin. He hadn’t eaten since. With no sorcerers to consult about this feeling he didn’t know if this was because of his actions, conscience or some deviation or flaw in his magic technique. He was blind about the cause and though he experienced the effect personally he had no idea if these strange feelings would go away or not.
“‘For all I know, this is just because I’m not sleeping enough,” he murmured under his breath. The echo in the nearly completely silent room brought him out of his stupor of self-reflection and brought his eyes back to the cube.
The cube started spinning again, before stopping. He studied the surface of the cube, his problem was the surface changed every time it started to spin. Almost as if it was telling him or testing him in some way. However, the Glyphs on the face were almost completely indecipherable. In the beginning, he had thought the spinning, timing and glyphs were all related to the secrets of this device. He dutifully recorded the 6 faces of the cube on paper and waited for it to spin, then recorded the new appearance, and continued to do so as time passed on. The problem was apparent 100 pages in. The surface of the cube never repeated a design, and observing it at the same time of day didn’t seem to matter.
He suspected it might be designing out a large magic circle but none of the glyphs even meant anything in the magic system of this world to begin with. He had tried upside down and inside out, again nothing. The designs seemed to be completely nonsensical. As a result of his initial failure he tried other things. He tried elements, he tried force, he even tried touching it as if there was some secret button hidden in the designs.
In the end, he simply took to meditating next to the cube, feeling the pulse, and watching the cube spin endlessly whenever he had free time. Though he couldn’t discern the meaning for the cube he did feel like he was closer to comprehension while he sat there merging with the pulse then he did doing anything else to open it.
Right now, however his merging with the flow seemed to be disturbed by the strange sickness he was feeling in his heart. It was a strange sensation, almost as if he wanted to vomit or cry, and didn’t know how to do it. This confusing and odd sensation was making the pulse resonate strangely with him, as it if was drumming lightly on the nerves of his body. He wondered if this was the result of his conscience and not anything about the world or a sickness at all. Before a little over 100 days ago, he had never killed anyone before. But now, he had probably personally killed with his own hands and magic hundreds, perhaps thousands of people, many if not most of whom were humans.
The way he killed and even tortured people still repulsed him to the point he still could not sleep well at night. It had been 6 weeks and he still remembered to appearance of the king and his sister as they were suspended in that stasis formation while their torment dragged on and on. Their inhuman screams, how those screams turned almost so sound like a dying animal. He had lost his appetite completely for meat after that night. He suspected his current diet was unhealthy in the extreme. He could tell in the past 6 weeks his clothing was getting loose. His lack of appetite, his lack of exercise, both were starting to rob him of his health, so he figured he shouldn’t be surprised at his ill health now; the pain in his guts grew a bit beyond discomforting, as he shifted his stance.
He had just merged with the pulse again, when he felt something enter the keep. It was a presence, which did not set off a single ward, yet he could feel it through the pulse. A disturbance so great he was actually alarmed.
Eyes snapping open, he looked up at the section of the palace and debated if he should charge up there, while the pain in his body twisted tighter.