After collecting his items from impound Mace was led into the main lobby of the police station. There chatting amicably with an attractive African American policewoman was a short very pregnant black-haired woman. Rebecca was Mace’s third state appointed wife and probably his last. She was Sicilian Italian and still had the accent of her birth country. She was also the nicest of Mace’s wives to him. Blue eyes turned to see him walking up and her perfect white smile faded. Without saying anything to the officer who had obviously been flirting, Rebecca took the three or so steps to meet Mace, hauled back and firmly slapped him. Mace’s head swung wildly to the side and his ear rang from the impact. Still he didn’t miss the officers look of hostility turn to amused dispassion at seeing the violence. Instead of doing anything the officer turned and walked back towards an empty greeting desk.

Mace’s hearing slowly returned letting him pick up on Rebecca’s half shouted rant, “… and another thing! What the hell were you doing driving home? You were obviously told to go to the airport and fly back! Because of your childish inability to listen Mary had to cancel her nail appointment, and Sara had to take the kids to school! Do you even consider your family when you do these little acts of male rebellion?”

Grabbing his arm, she began to pull the much taller Mace from the station. With a shove she flung the front doors open, still yelling at him.

Outside she manhandled him to a black 2021 Lincoln Continental and shoved him into the passenger seat.

Stomping around the car she flung open the driver side door and gingerly sat down behind the wheel.

As the door shut, she started the quiet engine.

“than…” Mace began bug, was cut off by Rebecca. “Shut up. Wait until we get onto the freeway.”

Minutes later the car was sailing down I-25, deftly avoiding the slower moving traffic.

“Thank you, Becca.” Mace tried again.

“Ugh, you owe me Mace.”

“Okay, that makes what 12?”

Rebecca grunt in a most un-lady like manner, “13 but who’s counting.” She paused then reconsidered, “Na 15. I’m counting this.” She pat her belly, “As three favors. If Mary or Sara found out that I actually took your V card and it ended up with you impregnating me… Well, it just wouldn’t be pretty.”

Mace reached out his hand to touch the swollen belly but paused inches away.

“Go ahead you numbskull, this one is your’s after all. You kind of caused it.”

Mace placed his hand and smiled feeling movement, “He is doing okay then?”

“Doing fine. No signs of the virus. Seems his daddy’s immunity bred true. You know this will place you on the top breeders list. 4 confirmed male offspring. You may even be considered for a fourth marriage.”

Mace grunted in dissatisfaction. Sure, on paper this was his 6th son. With 4 surviving, being immune to the Patriarch Virus. That was an amazing 66% immunity rate.

However, in reality when Mary was first paired with Mace, she had already had a male lover. She had completely spurned mace and using her families millions flown her lover in for visits. A couple years later Mary’s second male conception was shown to have gained immunity, Sara was paired to Mace in response.

Sara was an attractive Asian-American woman. Slightly shorter and leaner than average, but her expressive Golden honey eyes and rare but delightful smile gave her a friendly air. At the time of her pairing with Mace she had just finished her master’s degree program in Biochemistry and was starting what would soon become a fairly successful career.

However, she wasn’t as high on the social hierarchy as Mary and quickly fell under Mary’s machinations. If it wasn’t for some malicious maneuvering on Mary’s part, Sara and Mace may have even gotten along.

As it turned out Mary got wind of the upcoming wedding and using her wealth, she ensured that her lover Patrick was over the night of Mace’s and Sara’s wedding. Due to Mary’s involvement Mace ended up once more sleeping in his marital bed alone. By the time Patrick passed away at the age of 72 a year later, Sara was carrying a healthy baby boy. Thus, the United States government assigned Rebecca as Mace’s third wife.

This time Mary arranged 12 Cuban men to attend the wedding, with vague promises to the men in getting assistance getting citizenship for any that could place a child in any of Mace’s wives.

So, three wives, 11 children, 8 Girls and 3 boys, later and mace was still a virgin in reality.

Rebecca however was born in Europe with different views on Post WWIII views. She felt bad for Mace and although could barely stand being around him, still respected the hard-working idiot.

So, nearly 9 months ago Rebecca waited until both Mary, Sara and the oldest kids were out of town on a skiing vacation and snuck into Mace’s room. That night was probably the worst sex Rebecca had ever had, but evidently Mace’s little soldiers knew their assignments because 4 weeks later it was confirmed Rebecca was with child. When the child was shown to be an immune boy, she could only shake her head in morbid amusement.

Out of the corner of her eye Rebecca watched Mace’s face as he lightly touched her stomach. A slight smile pulled up her thin lips. The idiot of a man was so gentle and so concerned for both her and the baby… It actually made her feel loss for her other kids. Why had she listened to Mary’s protestations? Why had she denied her children what was obviously the love of a caring father?

Her eyes focused on Mace’s adoring smile, and his crooked front teeth. Oh yeah… That’s why, bad genes. Then she gave the car a pat and had to be honest with herself. Mary’s money also helped the decision. Money that would turn against her if any of the others found out…

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Rebecca shoved Mace’s hand away, “We are almost here. Now straighten up and look presentable. I’m sure Mary will want to talk with you.” She didn’t miss the look of hurt and loneliness that crossed Mace’s face as he sat up straight in the car.

She was not wrong after the car parked up at the end of the Estate’s long driveway and one of the attendants took the keys to park, Rebecca watched as Mace was led to Mary’s third floor study.

Several hours later Mace was sitting in his basement bedroom alone. One bare bulb illuminated the small space as it swung slowly from the movement of the washing machines in the next room. Mace was used to Mary’s rants. He was used to being accused of things he hadn’t done. He was even used to the general apathy the rest of the house displayed for him. He was not however used to the outside world hating him for just being a man.

He had been isolated in his own home for nearly two decades now. A forced recluse with-in his own family. Due to Mary’s money and influence any attempts Mace made early in his life to gain friends or gain useful skills had been not too subtly rebuffed. Including having one of Mary’s Male liaisons beat Mace and break his leg. So, he spent most of his time puttering around the house alone in the crowd.

Time in which the world had changed. Mace was allowed to watch enough News to stay up to date and not embarrass Mary or Sara on one of their many business gatherings. So, he knew the world was changing men’s rights had gone out the window when it became an issue of species survival. However, he had thought at least in the richer countries of the world men were still treated as Human. Now, he was second guessing that. He had literally just been arrested for driving his truck. The police report stated he was an unattended man and looked suspicious. Then he proceeded to resist the officer and was subsequently charged. But he hadn’t done any of that. Had he?

Shaking his head mace sighed. Now he was second guessing himself. A failing that was growing more and more common as he grew older.

Idly he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small glowing gem. He had considered showing it to Mary and seeing if she could discover what it was. But if it turned out to be something special then he wouldn’t get it back and that somehow felt wrong. So, mace kept the stone.

Its slow soft pulsing provided almost as much illumination in his dark bare brick room as the dim light bulb. Its Neon pink starkly contrasting the neglected look of Mace’s room. It's brilliant pink glow cast Long shadows on the two tall bookshelves full of books, his dark wood dresser, and his plain if expensive bed. Even down here Mary’s extreme wealth showed in his limited furniture, if not his room’s location.

“Mystical Power is insufficient to restore active status.”

“Please Master, locate an area of higher ambient Mystical Power.”

“Using unassigned Dungeon Master Trait.”

“Returning to full hibernation.”

The odd pink box appeared over the gemstone. It didn’t provide any light to the murk but stood out like a bright TV in a dark room to Mace’s vision. The chipper red writing flowed over the box, until the last statement was finished, then the box snapped closed soundlessly.

Unsure what that message was saying he sat up and fell back screaming. A sharp needle like pain slammed into his head right behind his eyes. The burning, scratching, digging pain was like nothing he had ever felt before. A mad high-pitched scream tore from his throat and continued until his burning lungs bled into the pain in his head. Then taking in another deep gasping breath … the pain just stopped.

“Dungeon Master Trait – Mystical Sense has been assigned by Dungeon Core – Unassigned.”

The text appeared and then fled his watery sight. Blinking Mace froze. In his lower right-hand view, there was a yellow bar that looked like a battery meter when it was nearly empty. The bar stretched across the lower part of about half his visual range as a thin outlined line. At the very right of the bar was a small section filled in yellow. In the very bottom right of his view was the numerals 3%.

“What the hell?” mace mused. “Does this mean that the Gem’s Mystical Power is at 3?”

…

“No. It was able to wake up at 3% before. So, maybe that’s my Mystical Power?”

…

“Na, I don’t have Mystical Power. Do I?”

Mace reached his hand out and shouted, “ALAKAZAM!”

He looked around the room searching for some change then frowned. With a different wave of his hand and wrist roll this time he shouted, ”HOCUS POCUS!”

Again, he looked around the room, even getting off his bed and looking under it. Finding nothing he sat down on the side of his bed once more and scrunched up his face in concentration. This time he put all his will into his words and flung his arms around wildly, “BIPPIDIE BOPPITY BOO!”

A high pitched long BRRRRT echoed across the room. Mace shifted uncomfortably as his face turned beat red, “Erm excuse me.” With a slight cough and trying to ignore the new fragrance, Mace looked around his room. Even moving books and figurines on his shelves. Not finding anything he let out a long sigh and flopped down on his bed.

…

“Umm, yeah no magic powers here. Unless seeing glowing pink boxes is magical… More like insane…”

His mind went back to the line that stayed in his vision regardless of where he looked. Then he reviewed the statements the boxes had been saying in his head.

A smile crossed his face, and he snapped his fingers, “Oh! I get it! It’s the Mystical Power in the air around me!”

“Wait… That means there is magic in the air…”

He sat up quickly, arms flying into the air in a triumphant gesture!

“OH holy shit! Disney wasn’t lying to me this whole time! My Prince Charming is coming for me!”

…

With a confused expression on his face now mace continued to speak to himself, “Wait…”

“No, no. That’s not right… Do I have to be someone’s Prince Charming? I’m the guy right and I mean that’s a lot of pressure… I mean I have three wives already and they all hate me. So, I’m not doing great on that front.” He shook his head back and forth as if doing so would add weight to his statement.

Palming the glowing gemstone once more Mace stared at its neon pink illuminance for a moment.

“Oh, wait! Maybe that’s the issue! Maybe I’m like supposed to be their prince charming and I just didn’t know there was magic in the air!”

Standing up Mace stormed out of his room in search for anyone to tell his discovery too and maybe to become prince charming!

Half an hour later Mace slowly closed the door behind him and sat on his bed rubbing his freshly blackened eye. “Who knew Sara had such a nice right hook? I mean 10 years of cardio kickboxing sure did pay off!” he rubbed his eye once more grimaced and layed down.

“Well, so umm this magic in the air shit does not make one a Prince Charming. Maybe Disney did lie to me.”

He rolled onto his side grunting as his new black eye lay against the pillow. Half speaking into the covers he kept musing, “Unless, I’m supposed to be waiting for something…”

Sitting bolt upright he shouted, “I know! I need to go fight a Dragon! Prince Charming is supposed to rescue his princess from a dragon. Or, from an evil stepfamily. Or, from 7 evil little bearded men.”

Mace threw his legs over the side of the bed and paused. “Wait… I don’t want a princess! I’ve married two and a half evil stepmothers already! I don’t think adding a princess to the mix is a good idea. I mean royalty is selfish, arrogant, and ruthless right? I have plenty of that already!”

He lay back down firmly. “Nope, fuck this magic in the air shit. I don’t want a princess!”

And so, Mace placed the glowing gem on his bedside table, closed his eyes and proceeded to ignore the little bar and its implications for the next few months.