Chapter 5: The way to a king’s heart
The path to the netherworld was just as ominous as always. Only, this time, Xanader opened a permanent passage. My suggestion had been to create it in the dungeon of Camelot Castle, but Xanader shook his head.
“You must understand that this portal will connect our worlds from here on out,” he explained. “While you may be unconcerned today, opening a highway in your dungeon poses a security risk for your people and mine. I suggest we utilize the land we wish to inhabit.”
“Did you have something in mind?” I asked.
Xanader nodded. “We noticed an area up north that is naturally connected to the netherworld through what I believe you call volcanos.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “That doesn’t sound like a good idea at all.”
“Volcanos bring heat,” Xanader replied. “And heat brings life. It is only natural for the grimlings to live there.”
“What about the eaglin and the aquans?” I asked, worried Xanader was only thinking about his kind.
“They may live where they choose,” he didn’t seem phased by my question at all. “The portal must flow through the ancient passage. Otherwise, the cost will be too high.”
“You’ve made portals before,” I reminded him. “How much does it cost anyway?”
“Those were different,” Xanader replied. “A permanent portal needs an anchor to the netherworld, or it will draw too much mana to keep open. Queen Lilith is sponsoring the full cost, so don’t worry about that.”
“Thanks, I think,” I gave in, unsure if he was doing me a favor or not. “Where do you want to set it up?”
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Before leaving for the netherworld, I liberated Bori from training the guys. Alan and Mike didn’t mind, as they were both eager to start crafting. They happily allowed themselves to be led off by Sir Palamedes.
I tried to take the carriage, as the location Xanader wanted to use was on the other side of Albion. However, Arthur was right. The dirt roads were way too bumpy to travel comfortably. Things slowed considerably on foot, even though there were only a few of us.
Bori kept me entertained during the trip, creating puzzles that worked like an obstacle course for me to get through. Sure, it made the journey take longer, but Bori got experience every time I cleared an obstacle.
“Mommy is a B-rank dungeon,” she explained. “I want to get A rank by the time I’m an adult.”
“You want to beat Mom?” I asked, wondering when it was, I started calling Aura Mom.
Bori shook her head. “No, Daddy. I want to impress her.”
“Oh,” I chuckled sheepishly. “Well, don’t grow up too fast.”
“I won’t!” she chirped happily.
We arrived at the lava river just as the sun began to set. Xanader led us to the cave where I fought Sir Bedivere. The knight had gone after I passed his trial, but the small island in the middle of the lava pool remained. I created another stone bridge out of Cornerstone just as I had the first time.
Xanader stopped in the middle of the island and rested his hand on the ground. “This is the spot.”
“For wha…” my voice turned into a yelp as the ground fell away, and I fell into the darkness.
I reached out for Bori, who giggled as her construct plummeted beside me. I know I needn’t have worried as it was just a construct, but my Dad brain kicked in, and I couldn’t help myself. Fortunately, the real Bori was safely stowed in Cornerstone, not that I was any safer as I was also falling.
Then, just as suddenly, I was standing in a grassy field that shouldn’t have existed deep in the bowels of Gaia. A refreshing gust of wind, that brought with it the subtle scent of cinnamon, gently tickled my skin. Iris came out once again, her arms crossed in the most threatening manner I’d ever seen from her.
“Come out, Lilith!” she commanded. “We can smell you.”
Do gods smell of cinnamon? I asked myself.
“I told him to come alone,” a pouty voice echoed across the hills as Lilith descended from above. “Welcome back, King Alexander. Are you ready to hear my offer?”
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“Offer?” I asked. “I thought I was here to rehome the aquans and the eaglin.”
“And you will in due time,” her whispered voice felt like a cool breeze that made me shiver. “For now, I’d like to discuss a union that will help your kingdom grow exponentially.”
“Over my dead body!” Iris hissed.
Lilith tutted. “You have yet to claim his mortal body. Do you intend to deny him the benefit?”
“Don’t lie, Lesser Goddess,” Iris’s voice was cold. “You only wish to do this to elevate your status. I will not allow you to fool my precious disciple.”
“Do what?” I asked, thoroughly confused.
Iris sighed. “Some pathetic gods and goddesses toy with the hearts of mortals. I cannot say that I condone such actions for any reason other than love.”
“Love?” I asked, looking up at Lilith. “Are you suggesting…”
“Of course I am,” Iris huffed. “The goddess means to bed you to hitch herself to your rising star. Her offspring with you would be a demi-god and the most powerful of your children. As such, the child would be your heir.”
“I most certainly do not…intend to do…that,” Lilith stammered, turning red. “I am not so devious. The only reason I invited Alex down here is to explore our blossoming alliance. Surely, it would behoove him to ally with as many gods as possible, given the upcoming battle. Or do you intend to win the war for him?”
“I…cannot,” Iris admitted hesitantly. “However, I still intend to keep my eye on you.”
“Very well,” Lilith sighed. “In any case, welcome back, King Alexander. I’ve been watching your recent exploits with great interest. Are you ready to forge a permanent bond between Albion and the netherworld? I guarantee we will be the strongest nation of beastmen in Gaia.”
“What do I have to do?” I asked, skeptical after the conversation between the goddesses.
Lilith smiled. “Nothing. The portal has already been created. All you have to do is give the decree, and we will be allies. It won’t be magically binding until your kingdom grows, but I give my word as a goddess that we will honor it regardless.”
Remembering the milestones of my kingdom, I replied. “I thought the only kingdom I could ally with was Dabia.”
“The netherworld has never officially joined or been accepted by any of the Gaian realms,” Lilith explained. “You can still say no if this isn’t what you wish.”
Eager to hit my first milestone, the last thing I was going to do was say no. “I accept! Where do I sign.”
The goddess smiled. “Excellent. We will begin the migration straight away. For now, how about you join me in a meal?”
Mixed emotions swept over me as I recalled the terrible-looking yet delicious food from my last visit. It made me long for Helen’s food, which not only tasted good but also looked amazing.
“I need to recruit her for my kingdom,” I mused out loud.
“Who?” Lilith asked, casting me a sidelong glance as she floated beside me.
“Helen,” I replied. “She’s this amazing chef from the town of Yew.”
“Is there a problem with my cooking?” the goddess pouted.
I rubbed my chin, not sure how to break it to her. “Your food, um, is delicious, but…it, uh, isn’t exactly that appealing to, uh, humans. Are you familiar with how our food is supposed to look?”
Lilith chuckled. “You humans place too much value in appearance. A thing is what it is regardless of how it appears. It’s true things in the netherworld have a gruesome appearance, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with them.”
I sighed. She was taking things too far. Appearance had a very real impact on my gag reflex, and that definitely wasn’t good.
“We can solve this,” I decided eventually. “Do you have a blindfold?”
The goddess gaped at me before breaking out in laughter. “See no evil, eat no evil, huh? I suppose something can be arranged.”
Bori, who’d been observing the conversation in silence, whispered. “Can I eat, Daddy?”
Lilith overheard the young dungeon. “Of course you can, little dungeon.”
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And that was how I found myself clad in a blindfold at a long table with my daughter and a pair of goddesses attended to by a slew of grimlings.
“I don’t know what your issue is, Daddy,” Bori squealed between bites. “This food is delicious.”
As a dungeon, she didn’t need to eat, per se, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy food.
“My cooking should be extra nourishing for you, my dear,” Lilith said as she watched my daughter eat. “Divine cooking is saturated in mana. It cultivates the soul as well as the body.”
I peeked through the blindfold to take a closer look at my plate.
Ambrosian Lasagna
Item Rank: SS
Special: Divine Mana Infusion
It still looked rotted, but knowing its effect gave me an added respect for the dish. Bori couldn’t get enough of the stuff, having devoured her plate and moved on to the serving dish. Iris watched with a scowl as I poked a fork into something that looked and smelled like compost. I had to resist a strong urge to gag as I forked a bite into my mouth. The fact that it was juicy didn’t help either. That was until the taste hit. It was so satisfying, it put Helen’s cooking to shame. While Helen’s food was already out of this world in terms of flavor, Lilith’s Lasagna filled me in a way food never had. The effect was addictive. Suddenly, I had no issue eating the turgid-looking slop, and my nose refused to recognize the stench as I raced to match Bori’s pace, devouring the stuff.
“You can eat my cooking any time you want,” Lilith chirped, giving Iris a vindictive look. “They do say the way to a mortal’s heart goes through his stomach.”
“Humph!” Iris snorted. “My mortal isn’t that fickle. You may have scored points with your culinary trickery, but I will always be his goddess.”
Bori and I finished all the food on the table while ignoring the goddesses who continued to squabble. It was just in time, too, because Xanader chose that moment to return.
“The migration is complete, My Goddess.”
Lilith turned her attention away from Iris. “Very good, Xanader. We will be along shortly.”
“Are you sure you want to leave this place?” Iris asked. “This is your seat of power. You’ll be powerless in the over-world.”
“This realm is now an extension of Albion,” Lilith made a point of smirking at Iris in between sentences. “A path has been opened for all the lesser gods who were banished to the netherworld to see the light of day again.”
“So that was your plan,” Iris replied, pointing an accusing finger at the goddess. “This changes nothing. You still fall under Alex’s rule, who is my disciple.”
“We’ll see,” Lilith smirked, returning her attention to me. “Are you ready to go, Sire?”
I stood with some difficulty. It was clear that Lilith made a special meal to butter me up. I just hoped she would make it again once she got her way and was in Albion. Bori, who was too stuffed to move, returned to her core in Cornerstone.
“Let’s head back,” I said, rubbing my stomach happily.