There was barely any forewarning that she’d used a complex spell. He’d barely felt the trace of the void, either. She’d moved them instantly to a spot near the center, making it look easy, as if she was merely breathing.

He looked back and saw the others were with him under the glow of neon magic lights, fully returned to their village. No Baron Ekri the Tailor in sight.

When Zarian looked up, he saw the Central Library Artillery Tower looming above the other village buildings. The structure stood as a vast monument to Hannah’s crafting prowess and runic engineering while looking like a skyscraping weapon of doom, all black with the dark red gator head emblem and cursive motto.

“I’ve placed a ward around your village made for Ekri. It would keep him out unless he wishes to attract my wrath. The last time he did, I made him regret it for years,” Ruvaria said.

“Why didn’t you kill him?” Zarian asked.

“That is a story for another time.”

Zarian looked back at the others. Nobody had anything to say. Then they glanced off to the side as a pair of adventurers from the Windy Strider Kingdom walked drunkenly by them.

The striders were singing about how the world was ending and nobody had time for love except for the Darkness Lord and the Shadowfell Lady. Their love was the end of Infinita.

That was one of a few bawdy songs that turned Zarian’s marriage into a comedy, tragedy, dramedy, or all of the above. Zarian didn’t put it past striders to find something to celebrate for even when there was a major doomsday fight miles outside of the wall.

Wanting to avoid unneeded attention, Zarian grabbed the empress by the hand and pulled her down an alley. The others followed as Zarian escorted Ruvaria toward the tower. The empress didn’t pull away or correct him.

“Thanks for putting up a ward,” he grunted.

“It is of no trouble to me,” she said.

Zarian stopped when a squad of paladins stalked through the alleys suspiciously. It was easy for Zarian to cover himself, the empress, and the others under dark shadows using his Dark Affinity, especially when Hannah or Magi dimmed down the lights around them. They also had advanced stealth enchantments on their outfits that kept them unnoticeable, too.

Once the suspicious paladins moved past, Zarian sent some spectral spiders after them. He moved on with the elf in tow.

“I can’t use Identify on you right now, so I have to ask how you can do what you do?” Zarian asked.

“I’m a Master Ranker at Level 184,” she said.

Zarian looked back at the others on the ground with him. None of them interrupted, trusting him to speak.

Even Hannah didn’t dare speak. The observational prowess of the empress still spooked her.

Zarian nodded. “Okay, this has been bugging me. This is a world for Levels 1 to 100 mainly. Yet, there are plenty who are way past that. Why?”

“Because the remaining Master Rankers and Level 100s chose not to ascend. Which comes with a drastic penalty in experience and other means of growth, as well as more negative attention from the System. Most Master Rankers don’t get above Level 110 if they stay in a Lesser World, anyway. Some would rather let their life energy expire than ascend.”

That was more bleak than Zarian had expected. He didn’t let it affect him and kept rolling forward. “So you’re far above most Master Rankers in this world?”

“I’m the most powerful Master Ranker in the World of Castles and Caverns and in most of the Lesser Worlds across Infinita,” Ruvaria answered. “However, I would be considered a small threat if I ascended to a Greater World, forced to grind against even bigger monsters and Master Rankers while hoping to avoid the attention of Champions. I don’t wish for that, and even if I did, it’s too late for me now.”

Zarian wasn’t so sure if she was a ‘small threat’ as she claimed, but before he could challenge her on what could be a lie, Hannah blurted out, “Why is it too late for you to ascend?”

“The First Ascension Star Trial would tear me apart for being this high leveled while coming from a Lesser World. I have the advantage of nearly unending life energy, and many elves in similar positions are more harshly tested, especially if they go too high into the Master Rank from a Lesser World,” Ruvaria explained.

“So there’s a heavy soft cap in progress after becoming a Master Ranker in a Lesser World. And the First Ascension Star Trial is a hardcore test that can scale up with you based on level.”

Zarian could see how these measures reduced the chances of anyone reaching the Greater Worlds from the Lesser Worlds without earning it.

The empress sighed. “So instead of dying in a test that would kill me, I stay and live the lifespan of an undying elf and rule at the top of this world.”

“What about regressors and world bosses?” Zarian asked.

“If I can get to them in time, the regressors will die,” the empress said. “World bosses aren’t easy for me to attack directly because of system parameters, but I have other ways if those who are much weaker than me can’t handle that challenge. Other than that, I stay to myself and live a fine life.”

“Apologies, ma’am, but that sounds like a coward’s life,” Naomi grunted, breaking her silence at last. She remained on Slip’s back, the eight-legged horse clopping across the cobblestone.

For the first time since they’d met her, Ruvaria smiled. The look on her face expressed her many years of experience and wisdom. “Yes, it is a coward’s life. I’m the biggest coward there is.”

“I think I like her,” Gilbert grunted. “She’s got the right type of attitude.”

Slip the Sleipnir let out a disagreeable huff. The eight-legged creature was more on Naomi’s side than Gilbert’s. Bianca fell mostly silent again while walking from the back. And Zarian walked from the front while brooding darkly.

This was a lot of great information for him to learn. But he was still upset with Ekri, which was distracting him still, and he hadn’t figured out why. In fact, it wasn’t smart to keep the Carrowmore Baron out. How much was Zarian missing from Ekri’s side of the story?

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Zarian could justify his exclusion of the baron for Ezda’s comfort. The gnoll elder had a traumatic meeting with the drider when she was a young pup. But that wouldn’t be true. Zarian simply didn’t like the drider.

Before Zarian could keep brooding himself into a hole, Gilbert shocked him with a pat on the shoulder. “It’s alright, brother. It’s only natural. I’ve been there.”

Zarian looked up at the big, blue-eyed man in confusion. Then Zarian glanced at the others, but the ladies were placing their attention elsewhere, especially Naomi.

With a shrug, he put aside his disgruntled mood. There was more to concern himself over.

They were going to cross past the central courtyard at the foundations of the tower. The stone buildings were all decently tall, many reaching slightly above hundred and fifty feet, but the library stood like a titan in the skyline.

Zarian found the alley’s exit. He saw the bustling market surrounding the most commercial area in the village.

There were restaurants run by the Hemlock Family who’d invested here first among other adventurous entrepreneurs. There were shops circling around the area run by other entrepreneurial adventurers that had paid a fee to the Hemlock Family, which had fattened the coffers of the Floridians.

Snowflakes drizzled down between the stone towers. Magic lights shone on the crowds. Most people would probably stay up for hours longer after listening to volleys and volleys of the magic artillery fire from earlier.

The crowds could be distracting, but they weren’t much of an attention grabber compared to the four temples of the village, one at each of the corners of the central market.

One temple held Shadowfell’s altar. He felt drawn toward it like being under a darkly magnetic pull.

Zarian ignored the pull and looked down into the empress’s awaiting face.

“I want people to see us. Ready for that?” Zarian asked.

Empress Ruvaria sighed. “I’ve lived for three eras. And nothing tortures me more than the dreadful masses. I suppose this is another worthwhile punishment even after the near destruction of my great grandson.”

An introvert, huh? Say no more.

Zarian smiled darkly. He pressed his hand to the empress’s back and pushed her forward. He made it seem like he was tossing a cute little girl to the wolves.

All conversation around the center died down quickly.

The silence was deafening.

Then an eruption of activity and voices roaring over each other filled the center. The sight of the first elf on the Walled Continent in over an era was worthy of mythical attention, especially since she was a petite thing.

Ruvaria glared straight ahead. She wasn’t happy. But she endured the onrush of gushing and talkative adventurers while holding back power that could wipe out the village instantly.

Thankfully, Zarian was there. And with his presence, there was the benefit of the Uncanny Valley Effect, The Dreaded One, and Parasite Cloak +2.

Zarian made himself look like a nightmare from the darkest depths of a human’s depraved imagination. Most people looking at him directly turned away fast.

Para spread out with multiple harmless limbs. She put no effort into tossing aside adventurers who focused too much on the petite empress.

Making solid progress on the political walk, Zarian glanced back at the others. Gilbert was enjoying the show. Slip the Sleipnir nipped at random hands from people who wanted to touch his majestic hair and figure. Bianca was quiet and dim in the back.

And Naomi was looking at Zarian weirdly.

Her expression was mostly blank. He couldn’t tell what was truly up with her. She was leaning hard on Tranquil Mind +2 to suppress whatever emotions she was feeling.

Maybe he should apologize about what he’d said in front of Ekri the Tailor. While Naomi was his party member and fellow Marine, Zarian could see how he’d sounded too possessive of her. It was kind of hypocritical to act that way as a Freedom Leader, wasn’t it?

Once I apologize, she’ll understand.

Zarian figured that was that. He turned forward and smiled as they reached the many steps up to the front door.

The air felt fresher once they moved under the stone awning. Zarian could almost taste the runic magic and high amounts of aura passing through the mega structure.

The glass doors slid open as they approached. Then a holographic male in a tuxedo appeared.

“Welcome to the Central Library Artillery Tower!” Magi said cheerily. “It is great to be your host, Empress Ruvaria. We can set an appointment for public tours once you’re able. We even have a royal room with state-of-the-art amenities for esteemed guests.”

Nice job, Hannah and Magi, Zarian thought. The nicer we present things, the more luxurious we seem. The more luxurious we seem, the more we can leverage how strong and rich and awesome we are to the op elf.

Empress Ruvaria didn’t reply as she examined Magi. Regardless of the holographic body and tux, the magical intelligence only looked semi-humanoid.

His face was smooth. His body, even while wearing a nifty suit, wasn’t proportioned like a real humanoid man. His arms were too long. His body was too narrow.

Magi reminded Zarian of a smaller version of Slender Man. Hannah seemed to prefer him this way.

Before Empress Ruvaria responded. Another decently major political figure ran out. Zarian didn’t recognize the woman until he heard her voice. By then, she already had him trapped in an embrace.

“My alpha! I’ve been told to wait while you were on a conquest against a powerful enemy! Who was this enemy you’ve defeated? And did Elder Para eat all of its remains? I would’ve liked a taste if you can spare even a bone,” Ezda said, backing off from the big hug.

Zarian shook his head as he looked up at Ezda’s humanoid form. Her skin was dark. Her hair was shorter while still falling as locks of yellow and brown. She still dressed like a savage woman with leather straps in front of her chest, but now she only had one pair of breasts.

Her pants fitted her looser. And she wore no shoes, displaying claws from her bare toes. She had claws on her fingers, too.

When she opened her mouth, her yellowish fangs, although smaller, reminded him of a gnoll. And instead of being ten feet tall, she was a little under seven feet tall.

So she can shift into a giant hyena form and a smaller human form, huh?

“Did they treat you well, Elder Ezda?” Zarian asked with a small smile.

Ezda seemed to remember having tact. She bobbed her head, her locks failing. “Yes, I’ve been treated well. The Roland human remained professional even though I think he should’ve attacked me. It would’ve been easier to let out the passions in our blood that way.”

“The gnolls truly haven’t changed on this continent,” Ruvaria said.

Ezda blinked down at the petite elf woman. The human-shifted gnoll looked with wide eyes at the pointy ears. Then Ezda seemed to muster her boldness and speak haughtily down at the elf.

“So you remain alive as a political hostage, hm? Or as the reward for conquest? Excellent. The alpha should have his appetite sated by all types, even the smaller ones,” the gnoll elder mocked.

Ruvaria blinked her bright green eyes up at the haughty gnoll. No response.

Someone in the back, Gilbert most likely, was choking on air.

Zarian let out a soft evil chuckle. “Ha ha ha ha ha. Oh, Ezda, Ezda, Ezda.”

“Yes, my alpha! That is my name!”

“Would you consider yourself the strongest gnoll in the world?”

Ezda laughed like a hyena. “I know I am the strongest across all the Walled Continent. If there are other gnolls elsewhere, I’ll dominate them all! I bet I can even dominate little elves if they meet me in open battle!”

Zarian nodded slowly. He gestured a hand at the little elf next to him.

“Hm, yes, yes, I suppose you could. Well, let me introduce you to this little elf right here: Ruvaria the Sorceress Queen, the Forever Green Empress, the Ruler of the Promised Continent and all the kingdoms that exist there. She’s the strongest Master Ranker in this world and across the other Lesser Worlds. She’s lived from the Reset Era till now. She’s the granddaughter of Good Goddess Purehome. She once made Ekri the Tailor look like an annoying bug. And she is Corma’s Chosen One.”

Zarian chuckled some more after the lengthy introduction. “So, yeah, I will have my appetite sated, but this is not my hostage, this is my guest. Understood?”

Ezda turned around and ran away.