Arthur smiled as he flicked a coin into the air, catching it before it could hit the top of his fancy oak desk.
Epyrth had remained true to her word and furnished the skyscraper she’d given over in their deal. Each part of his office now contained items he would never buy on his own. His favorite was the chair. The designer had used a plush green material as a cover after making sure it would perfectly fit his dimensions.
Every time he sat in it, he had to resist the urge to let out a contented sigh. As he flipped up the coin again, he allowed his eyes to wander to the one piece of old furniture that remained in the room. Near the elevator that acted as the entrance to his office sat the old couch that he’d spent so much time sleeping on.
Now it mostly existed to remind him of where he’d come from, a fact he appreciated. It was easy to lose track due to all the recent changes. With a sigh, he pushed himself out of his chair and dropped the pen he’d used to sign the documents that littered his desk.
He barely made a sound as he walked across the plush green carpets, which contrasted the wooden walls at Nyssa’s request. She’d taken a firm hand in the interior design of the room—the multiple murals decorating his office were proof of that.
Wherever windows didn’t take up the walls, roots snaked down the walls. Between them, various woodland creatures played. Smiling faces that reminded him more of Ashtown’s residents every day.
When he arrived at one of the many windows, he paused and looked down at the changes spread out before him. So much had changed now that what lay before him was almost unrecognizable from the place he’d started.
His eyes tracked down to the flow of people that moved in and out of Apocalypse Assortments. The small store no longer sat on a street that was cracked. Once Davey and his team finished with the surrounding buildings, they’d filled in the asphalt and patched up the slabs.
They’d done a good enough job that people could easily drive if they wished, not that they had many cars. Arthur looked back at his computer, which still held the trade screen—he’d have to work on that.
The lack of destruction and cracks weren’t the only changes on the street, of course. Plantlife, courtesy of Dr. Lisa and Dr. Murilers, reclamation project had turned the once grey and lifeless area green. Flowers bloomed, small and unobtrusive, while offering that splash of color that people still talked about.
Flowers and landscaping weren’t the only changes they’d made. Arthur flipped the coin again as he looked up and over the store. In the distance, he could see trees poking between the buildings. It had taken weeks, but they’d turned entire city districts into orchards to help feed the populace.
It had taken less than he thought it would to get some farmers to share their knowledge. Now the two communities mingled regularly, normally around the new restaurants Arthur had built to sell their creations.
A few steps around the room had him at a different window, this time facing north. While he couldn’t quite make out the knight’s compound from where he stood, he knew it was still there. Arthur grimaced as he remembered the last two times he’d visited. The first was Hulvin’s execution.
All the knights aside from Rab had given him a wide berth, but he’d turned up to watch at The Council’s request. Hulvin, to his credit, hadn’t begged. He’d simply knelt as Alyssa listed his crimes before giving him the chance to speak, an offer he took up.
“I was right.”
Those three words had been all he’d said, and then he lost his chance to speak forever more. Arthur hadn’t stuck around long after that. A quick conversation with Cyrus and Kourtney before he departed, with Theobold and Jemima in tow. The crocodile woman refused to leave his side after their time in The Pit.
His second visit was far more festive, and he stuck around far longer. Once again, he watched Alyssa climb onto a makeshift stage, though this time to start a life, not end one. Theorisa and Charleston stood in the fanciest clothes Arthur could afford to buy them as they said their vows. Theobold stood nearby, resplendent in shining armor, as he gifted them both rings of pure gold.
A part of Arthur salivated over the thought of how many carats of gold they were worth. From the corner of his eye, he’d watched Dr. Kuniberts standing next to Nyssa. The mad scientist was no longer transparent, looking closer to a green-skinned humanoid than an ooze construct. They tentatively held hands, a new couple watching an old one.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
He didn’t know if that would last, but from the reports he’d gotten from Mike, they’d met up a few times. Even Dr. Muriler had spent some time with them. With a smile, he’d gone back to paying attention to the ceremony. They didn’t need or want his intervention. Not again.
Arthur nodded to himself as he moved across the room to look out another window. His eyes locked on the area where he knew Diaboli Theatrum sat. No one else had done anything as stupid as Clarissa had since her little stunt. From all reports, it ticked along, with Carina ruling it with an iron fist.
Every time he heard people discuss it, there was an undercurrent of bitterness at the prices. Arthur didn’t mind. Diaboli Theatrum was their luxury store; after all, prices should be high to reflect that. Still, he might have a chat with Carina about it if things got too bad, or perhaps send some knights over if they had the time.
That thought made him move about again to yet another wall of windows, this one interrupted by a set of elevator doors. Even with that, he could still look towards The Pit and, by extension, The Assembly’s headquarters.
With Rathnil gone, both were quieter now. While monsters did still spring from The Pit, whatever the dragon had done made them less aggressive. Thus, a simple force put on guard was enough to keep most things in check. In terms of The Assembly, they spent more of their time acting as an extension of Mike’s team.
Peacekeepers, who solved disputes between the general populace. The last he’d heard, Lady Pigeonette and Mr. Nimble had branched out into messenger services and deliveries. Even as he thought about them, he saw an onyx-colored pigeon fly by, and he smiled. Her new job hadn’t stopped the bird-themed superhero from spying on things, of course. It simply made her less noticeable.
A sigh escaped his lips as he checked the small clock on the desk and moved to the elevator. It dinged as he hit the button, and he stood back to wait for it to open. His eyes roamed upward, looking at the painting that sat above his entrance—one of Nyssa’s recent paintings.
The subject of the image was familiar: Splotch sitting on a pile of golden coins. She’d laughed when she’d gifted it to him, and he didn’t blame her. The symmetry was uncanny.
With a quiet clicking of hydraulics, the elevator doors opened, and he stepped inside before quickly jabbing several buttons. While his destination was in the lobby, there were a few places he wanted to check first.
A ding chimed, and the doors opened to his favorite sight. Piles of golden coins, artwork that had somehow survived the apocalypse, and golden jewelry filled the shelves and chests that lined the room. It took all his effort not to step out and run his hands through it, but he resisted.
For a brief minute, he simply stood and enjoyed his hard-earned collection before the doors automatically closed and they were once again on their way.
More dings sounded out as the doors opened to show him several other rooms in the tower. These ranged from offices to gyms to cafeterias, and of course, his second favorite space after the treasure room—the library.
Books of all kinds lined the shelves as people moved back and forth about the space. He could hear laughter and whispers to shut up as groups read or studied the books about the various monsters in the sewers. Pride filled him at the sight, and he wanted nothing more than to stay. Instead, he let the doors close with a soft thump.
When they next opened, he stepped out into the auditorium. A single long desk stretched the wall, where people sat answering questions and looking up information. As he stepped into the room, a hush fell until he waved them back to work.
His cane tapped at the ground as he moved across to the center of the room, where the statue stood. It had taken a long time for it to be built—a massive thing made of metal. Nyssa had painted it, refusing all other jobs until she’d finished the project.
Arthur couldn’t help but marvel every time he saw it. The way the armor seemed to gleam, and the lifelike eyes that stared at him caused a pleasant chill. He reached up to run his hand over the large bat as he looked towards the door.
“Even after all this time, you’re still making sure the entrance is safe?” Arthur whispered as a twinkle of gold caught his eye.
His gaze dropped to the rat’s feet, where a large bowl sat nestled against the statue’s legs. Golden Pennies filled the container, so much so that they hid the small sign that declared good fortune.
He’d never figured out who exactly had turned the statue into a wishing well of sorts, but security was always on duty to watch for anyone who might mess with it.
Warmth filled the hand that clenched around the coin he still held, as a sudden voice behind him made him jump.
“You still miss him?”
Arthur turned and saw Nyssa moving up with Dr. Kunibert at her side. They were holding hands again.
“Yes. Are we still on for the meeting today?” He tried to make it sound like a joke, but he couldn’t stop his voice from cracking.
“Our dinner reservation?” Nyssa asked, smiling and pretending she didn’t notice. “Yes. Lucy got us in. Carina and Leo meeting us?”
“And Lisa, Mike, Carly, and The Explorer.”
“He’s back?” Dr. Kunibert asked, sounding curious, and a touch annoyed.
Arthur didn’t blame him. Even with their burgeoning relationship, The Explorer acted a little more forward with Nyssa than he should. Though, of course, he was careful not to do anything too untoward.
“Yes, though please don’t ask where. I don’t need that conversation again.”
Before the group left the building, Arthur turned and flicked a Golden Penny into the bowl. He might need luck for this meeting and whatever happened next.
THE END