CHAPTER 18 - HUMBLE YOURSELF

With the Gods gone the Flight of Black Dragon Lords celebrated their successful ruse. Roeg-Hiam was a little sad he lost the anonymity of his Archmage Roe persona but he had no need to remain hidden.

The Gods had asked the Dragon Lords not to spread word and to help suppress word of Archmage Roe’s murder. Not only would the Pantheon lose face, Asturiel herself would lose many worshipers. So in an act of irony, Roeg-Hiam the Midnight assumed Archmage Roe’s identity.

There were many things Roeg-HIam the Midnight had to do to wrap up his Vassal’s holdings in Bitalistan. He made it known Archmage Roe was moving to Island Dryden in the Dragonlands ruled by Dragon Lord Midnight. Archmage Roe visited the royalty to reassure them his Emporium was not closing and finally, at the end of a hectic week he visited the Mage Tower.

.

Walking through the door, Roe felt a pulse he didn’t know, but recognized as an alert.

He waited to see if there would be a reaction from the Mages inside but no one else noticed it. Roe proceeded to his apartments and secured them, when he stepped out of his area he found many of the Archmages waiting for him in the hallway.

“Friends, Archmage Eclinion, I was just on my way to see you.” he greeted them warmly

The group exchanged worried looks, before bowing to him.

“Greeting Dragon Lord, may we inquire if our friend Archmage Roe still lives?” Eclinion asked.

Roe raised an eyebrow, before when he came here he had never used his Dragon Rules so they never set off that pulse that alerted the tower to the threat. Now he was using his Rules since the Gods were keeping tabs on him in their territory.

“I see, please raise your heads.” Roeg-Hiam replied. He couldn’t tell them the truth, that he was their friend this whole time, the Gods would ferret out the truth and who knows what trouble that would lead to. So he decided to tell them the same lie. Roeg-Hiam shed his human form for his Dragon Newt shape.

“My name is Roeg-Hiam the Midnight. Archmage Roe was my vassal. He died a week ago. I've come to wrap up his affairs.”

The Archmages were saddened by the news. They had grown fond of the young Mage.

“Thank you for indulging us Dragon Lord.” Eclinion replied for the group before the others made their farewells.

“Archmage Eclinion I’d like to have a word in private.” Roeg-Hiam called as Eclinon turned to leave.

“Of course, let us go to my office.”

They had a silent walk to Eclinion’s office. Roeg-Hiam lamented the loss of his friends, it would not be the same now they knew him as a Dragon Lord.

“What business would you have with me, Dragon Lord?” Eclinion asked once they were settled.

“That’s simple, I want to create a Mage’s Tower in the Dragon Lands.”

Eclinion was stunned. The Dragon Lands was an untapped market. They had many Kingdoms over there with their own banking guilds. He had tried to get into that territory many times over the centuries but had been squeezed out time and time again, but the backing of a Dragon Lord would change all that. Not to mention that Roeg-Hiam's territory included both the IWC and Dryden Island. Funds from the banking services would be astronomical if they could set up a branch in those two places.

Eclinion took a deep breath to calm himself before he looked up to the smug Dragon Lord.

“What is the catch?”

Dragon Lord Roeg-Hiam sat back in his seat and steepled his fingers.

“It would seem I am short a Vassal.”

“Usually I’d jump at this opportunity but I need to know how my friend died.”

Roeg-Hiam paused. His reply was very deliberate.

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“I can not answer that question unless you become my Vassal.”

That evasion was an answer in itself. A Dragon Lord could do whatever he pleased for him to not be able to answer something means it had to do with the Gods… A God had killed his friend Archmage Roe.

Eclinion sat back in his chair distraught.

Even with the risk of offending a God, being a Vassal came with too many benefits

“I am willing to accept this offer. Can we discuss terms?”

“Of course.” Roeg-Hiam replied.

They hammered out details and the next morning, Eclinion and several Mages left on Airships headed to Dryden Island to survey a place to build the new tower.

That concluded Roeg-Hiam’s business in Bitalistan

He teleported to Laureline’s valley and summoned Paw the Griffin from his Realm. While Paw was delighted to see the valley again he realized his days of luxury were on hold for a while. Most people would find Roeg-Hiam’s realm to be boring since there was nothing to do, but as a Griffin, Paw was smart enough to see that hunting slow fat sheep, gliding through the air lazily and sleeping all day was a lifestyle to aspire to.

As Roeg-Hiam was preparing to leave Asturiel descended. With her was a young human woman, she was petite with large eyes and a heart shaped face. Her looks coupled with her shy demeanor would make people want to protect her.

Roeg-Hiam assumed his Dragon-Newt form.

“Greetings Goddess, what business have you with me?” He asked.

“I’m here to pay my debt, Dragon Lord.” She said as she ushered her ward towards him.

“This is Lilah, until this morning she was a Priestess in my church. Now she is your concubine.”

“Not interested.” Roeg-Hiam replied. “I’ll keep my own counsel on who is to join my Harem and I abor slavery. The demand for you to hand over your priestesses was to make you humble yourself.”

“HUMBLE MYSELF? You filthy…”

Asturiel froze, her sentence unfinished from the vicious look in Roeg-hiam’s eye.

“You talk a good game Dragon Lord, sounding so righteous but you have ruined this girl’s life. I refuse to take her back and I’ll make sure no other god will either. You’ve damned her.”

Lilah sobbed hearing her goddesses’ curse.

“Don’t cry Lilah.” Roeg-Hiam comforted. “She can’t stop you from being reincarnated nor will she be able to identify your soul when you’ve been reborn. The gods are not as powerful as they like to pretend.” Asturiel looked incensed at his statement and Lilah tried to make herself as small as possible to avoid the goddesses ire. Roeg-Hiam was indifferent as he continued.

“What is it that you loved about being a priestess, Lilah?”

Lilah looked to Asturiel for guidance. Roeg-Hiam noticed and also turned his attention to the goddess.

“Thank you, you may go.” A flick of his hand and the goddess was gone. This display of power left Lilah terrified.

‘Weren’t the gods supposed to be omnipotent?’

“She’s gone. Answer my question.”

Lilah thought about what she loved the most and it was helping the unfortunate, the children and the elderly were especially vulnerable.

“Helping the unfortunate, my lord. I’ve been trained in the healing arts and alchemy.” She replied.

“Well there are Injured people, orphans and elderly in my territory as well. You can operate here as well as you could in the Kingdoms. Your life can have as much meaning as you want it to have.”

Roe changed his look to a handsome Drow and mounted his Griffin before addressing Lilah again.

“So are you coming with me or going your own way?”

Lilah looked around. She was wracked with indecision.

“Um, can I go with you for now and make up my mind later?”

Roe reached down to pull her up behind him.

“Our reality is made by the decisions we make, it is wise not to rush them.”

They headed deeper into his territory. Up until now only Laureline had moved about his territory getting his house in order, and while Roe had no intention of doing anything administrative he did like exploring. Now that he was finished with the Godlands it was time for him to get to know his territory.

Sensing that Roe was in no hurry, Paw mostly walked, only flying when there was an obstruction. They journeyed across the lands, stopping at every city, village, town and habitat they found. Roe once again put the guise of a wandering enchanter, either selling or bartering his services. Depending on what people could afford. Lilah found her duty was to care for Paw. The Griffin mount was usually self-sufficient but when Roe made it Lilah’s duty to care for him, Paw then insisted on being groomed before he was saddled as well as in the evenings before bed. The prima donna even made it known he would like Lilah to sing while she did it.

Other than that every dwelling they spent time at she would check on the health of the people and help where she could.

On the whole she made an excellent travel companion. As the weeks went by she became less intimidated by him. The turning point being her attempt to heal a bad infection a hunter had but being unable to find the plant needed for a poultice. Roe had pointed out another plant that could substitute and two other plants needed to reduce side effects. Lilah was amazed.

Roe had spent a bit of time reading all manner of books in Ognil’s library and was now quite knowledgeable. From that point Lilah asked him everything she could about healing, becoming quite a chatterbox.

When Roe spoke to Laureline about the experience she was looking forward to meeting the healer. It sounded to Roe as if his Matriarch was planning to convince Lilah to join his harem. He was still unsure of someone who chose to serve Asturiel, but he decided it was rude to judge people by their gods.

Two months of travelling put Roe near the city of Fegran. A walled city on the plains near the border of his territory where many Beast-kin tribes congregated. Roe had made arrangements to meet Laurenline’s airship there. He would travel with her for a while but that wasn’t his main reason for being there.

Roe was psyching himself up to see Tabitha, the green eyed beautiful Beast-kin Cat girl who had spurned his attention in favour of her definition of independence. He was truly undecided of what he would do with her.

Since he had been reincarnated he had been trying to let go of his past human and societal biases but he was wondering if he was failing. Perhaps going around re-enacting an episode of ‘Undercover Boss’ was just stupid. He now had Laureline, Korra and Constance. He was sure those three loved him dearly and that was all he needed. He also had his 10 dryads, the nymphs had grown on him, way past his initial guilt. From now on he’d just leave his love life in Laureline’s hands.

The thought made him laugh, Laureline was gunning for at least 20 females, she found the number 13 to be unlucky and trying to move past it quickly. She was still trying to convince Roeg-Hiam to get a Dwarven concubine, going so far as to convince Inga, the dwarf she was pushing to shave her beard. Roe had to admit, without the whiskers Inga was damn cute.

Laughing at himself Roe put aside the thought and made up his mind to visit Tabitha, he urged Paw to land and walk through the gate of Fegran.