AN: The second book cover is up, so please tell me what you think. The artist who made this, as well as Azzarath's is one Christian Bentulan, and owns a little business called 'Covers By Christian'.
https://www.facebook.com/coversbychristian/
http://coversbychristian.com/
As always folks, thank you for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to voice them.
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It had been two turns since the small, nameless village had accepted our presences, and in that time, I and Gahn had been erecting earthen walls around their farmland. This was so, as they had expressed a desire to secede from the city and its monarchy. Of course, I obliged them, giving them the knowledge necessary to complete this task. Unfortunately, it was sorely lacking, as I have no need of a government when the hierarchy we had was enough.
Yes. We had such a structure, with my person at the top, Brutus at my right, Sia my left, and everyone else trickling down until it reached the hirelings and the dragonfolk. The lowest of the low would be anyone who desired to join, and would have to climb the ladder in order to find their place within our group.
However, the populace had discovered my person to be a god, and after much explanations of what it means, as well as various demonstrations, caused the populace of the farming community to grow excited. Of which caused many instances where they would bow and scrape and worship my every footstep. "Do not perform such actions," I growled as Gahn continued his task of summoning up great mounds of dirt to surround the farmlands, "I do not need your worship, only a simple acknowledgement would suffice."
Yes. I am of the rare group of gods who do not need worshipers. Instead, I simply desire all to note my comings and goings, nothing more. Of which caused them all to believe I was far too humble to accept such a praise, when these thoughts couldn't be further from the truth. To be fair, I didn't see a point to the worshiping.
It was just that simple. I. Saw. No. Point.
In any case, I grew annoyed by the consistency of it all, and outright barred anyone from doing so in my presence. Of which caused them to perform such annoyances within their homes, and even "prayers". Again, no point in performing such an action, as I would not hear it. Even to this day, I do not hear a prayer. This is so, as I do not have a temple, church, or what have you, dedicated to my person. Instead, they were dedicated to the vast majority of those upon their separate worlds, and only acknowledged my presence.
For now, I continued to create their walls with Gahn. Of which were five metres tall and half a metre thick of solid earth. This would continue until the whole of their supposed territories were surrounded by earth and stone. Once completed, I gathered everyone about my person in the centre of the community, and simply willed the earth about us to grow high until we had reached a height of twenty metres.
"Witness my power," I spoke with a slight grin upon my features, as I held aloft my staff of bone for a time, then slammed its point into the ground. Lines of violet, crimson, and emerald lowly spread out from beneath my staff, causing small geometrical fractures within the earth around our persons, as they raced down the large mound of earth we stood upon.
Many had become startled from the lifting of their persons into the air by way of this mound, and became surprised by the lines which appeared upon the ground. Even more so was the fact that these lines had spread out innumerably once they touched the earth below. Whereby they did race once more, but towards the walls. Upon reaching the walls, a light show of crackling energies erupted as the walls of earth took shape into that which was called "Marble".
This stone, normally reserved for those of whom held the coin, was of the pure, snow white sort and seemed to cause many to look on with a mixture of awe and fear. It was an awe inspiring scene below, and they were grateful for such a thing. However, they were fearful as such a thing was expensive, and made to look as though some great noble had claimed the land.
"I am not finished," I called out to them, as the earth beneath their feet shifted and shook as it flowed back into the ground below. Once finished, I reached into the air in front of my person to pull out several horse-hair brushes, and handed each one to the children who stared at it with great curiosity.
"Each of these brushes hold an enchantment about themselves," I spoke slowly so that they may understand, "They are magickal brushes, and are able to bring forth your dreams upon the stone walls. So go. Paint. All you must do is simply hold the brush to the surfaces of that wall, think about your dreams, and it shall come forth."
Most were skeptical, along with many of the adults and elders not understanding why I had gifted the children with such a wondrous gift. Of which were soon voiced, as the pair of red Fox-kins dashed off towards the walls. "The children are children, and have multiple dreams and nightmares from various circumstances. It is a good chance for you, the adults, to know and understand what it going on within their minds. As opposed to sitting down and speaking with them to understand what is within their minds.
"Go. Enjoy the stories each of their dreams will share," I pointed towards the distance, where the Fox-kin children were simply staring at a detailed work of art. Of which consisted of them atop a mountain of sweets, snacking on such things with great happiness in their features.
*
By the evening of this turn, I was busy brooding over the map of the nearby city within a small, stone structure near the village proper. The walls within and without were bare, as I did not see the need for decorations and would not be bothered with such a thing. For they had desired it to be regal, and desired my person to dictate their everyday lives as the monarchy had done so for so long. "Why?" I had asked them with greatly concealed annoyance, "Why should I direct your lives?"
"Because you're the Lord, and a god," spoke out one of their number, of whom was the old Fox-kin I had thanked two turns ago.
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"A god I might be, but I do not care what you do with your lives. There is no need for micro-managements, as you are given the freedom of choice so long as you follow my two rules. Which are to follow orders during times of crisis and battle, and to never abuse children. If you can follow these two rules, what have I to say what you do with your lives?"
These words of mine left many of the community distraught or confused, as I refused to order them about as the officials in the city had. This seemed, to my mind at least, that they had been forced to obey for so long, they did not know what true freedom felt like. Much of them reminded my person of the dragonfolk, as they had similar reactions after the initial giddiness of freedom was over and done with. Of which led to my person summoning up a few of my female Undying, who were directed to teach these farmers what it was like to live freely under my rule.
Though of course, such a thing would take time, which we did not have as I desired the city to fall within the next few turns. One way was to simply have the dragonfolk armed and armoured as they struck out against those within the city. The other was to employ Persephone, of whom was currently making her way towards my person with a cup of water. Her clothing was of a simple, brown leather jerkin with a pair of linen trousers. There was a pair of odd, leather boots upon her feet, of which turned out to be a simple wrapping of leather and fleece about her feet.
Yes. She was within arm's reach of my person whilst I brooded over the detailed map of the city. For she came riding up on a strange, ox-horse hybrid along with a large group of craftsmen. They had appeared as the day-star reached its zenith, and desired to stay close by as the city had a large variety of riots happening within. Of which were being quelled with much violence from the palace guards, the nobles, and their private armies.
"There was a literal river of blood flowing from the marketplace," she shivered as she recounted such a scene, whilst sipping from the cup of water, "So we left and now we're here, but were surprised to find the marble wall. I take it that was your doing?"
"You should know my handicraft, Persephone," my voice whispered softly, as I placed small figurines of the dragonfolk within my village about the map's face, "You and that 'harem god' have been with my person for many cycles. So you, of all people, should know what I am capable of.
"By the by, where is the 'human god'? It has something I greatly desire," I asked this query, and moved my head up to find the female gripping the cup with great tension. "Oh? And what has caused you to nearly break the small cup?"
"He's betrayed us all for the sake of one woman," she growled with enough venom to poison a world, "And has tossed me aside once he grafted these ears to my head," her free hand reached up to grip her left ear, tugging on it sharply before wincing and letting it go. "He said I wasn't human anymore, and slapped a collar around my neck.
"It was humiliating, Dei," there were tears in her eyes, but I did not feel a thing within my body as I watched her, "The collar was a slave's, and he made me run around as though I were a dog. I even had to eat from a dog's bowl for his amusement. Then he sent me off to this forsaken shithole, and told me I had to find a dragon with another girl. Who took pity on me and freed me from the collar.
"Wish I knew where she was, so I could thank her."
"And what did this female look like?" I asked, wondering if it was the Tiger-kin who claimed to know where a dragon currently resided.
"Um," she mumbled, thinking of what it appeared as, "Well, she's one of those 'Kin' you call it, and was a cat with stripes. She also wore straps, ropes, and a loincloth over her waist. Why? Do you know where she is?" Her eyes were hopeful, as she leaned forward with expectation.
To which I intoned, "<
The scene developing before my person was amusing, as she had taken to her role more so than the others. For to her right was a rabbit eared Kin who was crying and looked to be fighting back, as several Dragonocks were shoving their appendages into that which was between her legs at the same time. This caused my person to grin a feral grin, which disappeared upon remembering my audience and centered in on the Tiger-kin whose mouth was over the male's.
"If this is her, then we already met," my voice was a soft chuckle as the Mirror Portal I held stretched itself to allow Persephone full view of the scene beforehand.
"That's her," she spoke slowly, her right hand covering her lips as she gasped in horror, "Why is she-? What did-?"
"Do you remember the battle which took place after the destruction of the port city?" At her nod, I continued, "Do you recall our time upon the last world we ventured into within this Abyss?"Again, another nod as her eyes grew wide upon remembering something, "Yes. That which occurred upon that realm has been transferred over to this and will continue so long as I have mortal followers with needs and desires which cannot be met by their hands alone.
"And no, she will not be released."
"Why not?" Her voice was small, as she fell upon the ground due to her legs giving out.
"Because she has become pregnant," I chuckled as my eyes flashed an emerald colour. Of which caused the images within the Portal to drift towards the naked abdomen of the female in question. This revealed a large hump which had grew into being some time ago. "She will be the first to give birth to a new creature. One of Slime and Kin."