The Houses of Rostil, Luvarek, Ollerdani, and Heievdell communicated in secret for generations. While their interests overlapped little, they did work together to topple the weak royal family. The other noble houses of Iceleon pushed against their agenda but any counter plans came decades too late. But, when all the parts aligned and their time finally came, the weather just collapsed. The extreme winter struck from nowhere and every day became worse than the previous. In a short time, the entire country had descended into chaos.

Tarik Rostil walked anxiously across his Father's throne room and wondered where his father was. Coordinated events took an unexpected turn when Lars Iceleon sent Theresa to Arcadia for help. His father was furious when he learned that the moron suggested his daughter for a political marriage with Theon Avalon. Those were the most tense moments of their life. The fame of Theon Avalon was terrifying for any noble in the area. He swore loudly at just the memory of it. The Families’ decades-long efforts, centuries of preparations, was jeopardised by one action of the delusional madman.

Fortunately, the Princess returned and it seemed like her advances were unceremoniously rejected by the Emperor. The only downside was she returned with the Arcadians and the Arcadian Captain seemed to be protecting her. It made no sense to Tarik - why send anyone to protect her if the Emperor wasn't interested in her or Iceleon? The Captain seemed to be a commoner. Though Tarik heard that the Princess was very fond of him and that infuriated Tarik to no end. Her attitude and bearing had also changed after her brief trip to Arcadia; that was most concerning. The HMS Scimitar stayed over the capital for a few days only to suddenly leave two days ago carrying the King, Princess, and his Father. Soldiers loyal to house Rostil reported that only twenty-five soldiers accompanied them. This made Tarik very nervous. Especially, since there had been no word from his Father. The weather was a problem and, admittedly, without external help, Iceleon might lose too much workforce but, as far as he was concerned, those might be acceptable losses. He sighed and dropped onto a large couch in front of the fireplace.

Bored, he watched the two girls dancing, naked except for their slave collars, and smiled to himself. In a few days, tops, his father would return. To avoid another blunder like this one, they would have to force King Lars to announce the engagement between himself and that stupid doll Theresa. It was far too close, for his taste, to a complete disaster so postponing this marriage even longer wasn't worth the risk. Theresa Iceleon... Oh, what a lovely addition to his collection she will be. After all the humiliating things she had done to him, Tarik already had an entire list of punishments for her. He had given her a fair chance to fall for him and, if she had complied, she would have had some freedom. After she ridiculed his height, his tragic baldness, and his supposed lack of education, he was ready with a collar for that bitch. Once on her slender neck, she would fulfil his every wish even if he was required to drug her into servitude; he prepared a lot of drugs. He trained a lot of bitches and experimented on them so as to not accidentally kill Theresa when she finally fell into his hands. He would abuse her, toy with her, put a leash on that bitch, and do whatever he pleased… Then, he would break her but will keep her sane. She will suffer the humiliation he had to...

Suddenly, the lights started dimming; it was a very dark and cosy room. The last thing Tarik noticed, as he drifted off, was an unknown servant in a black tuxedo with black gloves...

•••

"Wake up, Tarik Rostil." A familiar, female voice snapped his name. He realised it was Theresa! They returned. He opened his eyes with a wicked smile that immediately faded the moment his gaze focused on a tall man standing beside the Princess.

The sound of metal grinding echoed in the dimly lit room. His body ached and he was incredibly cold. In sudden panic, Tarik realised that he was chained.

"Finally! I was afraid that you would never wake up!" Theresa smiled at him. But her smile was all wrong.

"What's the meaning of this, Princess?" He asked weakly but promising himself that she would pay tenfold for this particular slight.

"It's Queen Theresa, Tarik." She corrected him with a cold voice.

"A Queen? You?! Don't be ridiculous! The Noble Senate hasn't allowed you to use that title. Remember, I am heir to the title of Count! I-" He was too tired of playing anymore with this stupid bitch. He looked behind her and spotted a bunch of Royal Guards. Amongst them, he recognised his house's loyal soldiers. "Guards! Release me at once!"

He smiled and waited. And waited. For far too long. Angrily, he turned his head to snap once again at the guards only to notice they were no longer there.

"I need no approval from servants, Tarik, and you are no longer a noble." Theresa's voice was cold and full of disgust. "After what we found in your former mansion, I don't know what kind of death is appropriate for someone like you."

"Hahahaha! You foolish girl! You act oh-so-righteous but you completely ignore the fact that your family is weak. If you touch me, the other noble families of Iceleon will kill you!" He laughed as he looked at her and pronounced, "But I will forgive you if you stop fooling around and release me. Stupid, stupid girl! You have no power, no soldiers, no authority! It seems that your lunatic father never told you the truth. So be a good albeit stupid girl, release me at once and, maybe, I will forget this when we have a long conversation with our Fathers.” He licked his lips disgustingly and took a long moment to gaze at her. "You shouldn't treat your future husband like this..."

She gagged in disgust and hid behind the tall and stoic man - officer, noble? He was of no matter. Tarik smiled wickedly because he was just beginning to contemplate what he prepared for her. The silent man walked towards Tarik so he completely blocked his line of sight to the self-proclaimed Queen. The man clenched his large fists and Tarik, for a moment, was worried that he might hit him and that would be his death sentence. He towered over Tarik with his muscular features which represented everything Tarik envied. The man stopped a couple of steps away and, ominously, loomed over him in silence with a cold smile. Tarik lost his patience.

"What are you waiting for, you servant!? Release me at once or else-"

"Or else, what, you mindless goblin?" The man put his hands on his hips and bent to address him. "You are powerless. Your wealth is gone, no army to call, and no loyal servants. We released all the slaves you illegally possessed. Don't count on help from any other Iceleon nobility because they are here or will soon join you. Don't worry, you will have the rest of your life to meet everyone."

"This is ridiculous... Do you think I'd believe such nonsense?! Who would help her achieve this?" Tarik laughed, still confident despite the chains on his hands.

"I would." The man smirked, and Theresa approached him from behind and wrapped her hands around him.

"You two scum-" A sudden and violent slap across his face threw him to his knees. Tarik felt his right eye start swelling. "My face! You will pay-"

"I'm not allowed any slight go unpunished and, I warn you now, if you insult Theresa one more time, you will spit out teeth." The man interrupted him with a murderous voice and, for the first time in their presence, Tarik felt fear.

"We already informed you, Tarik. You are now no one. The riches your family amassed were confiscated. Your titles were taken away. You are a traitor, a bandit, a rapist, and I'm too sick to even name all your crimes!" Theresa sighed, disgusted.

"You are crazy if you believe these accusations will stand against me during a trial. Ha! Trial! Let's be real. The Noble Senate will never allow it -" Tarik Rostil laughed. The pair seemed unfazed. As if they were ignorant of the laws Iceleonic nobility spent generations to form. To make those laws most favourable for them.

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"I dissolved the Noble Senate and ordered their arrest along with their families." Theresa laughed and Tarik was alarmed by her confidence. That was impossible, she couldn't have done that... "Oh! By the way, meet my fiancé!"

"Oh, right! Such a lowlife might not recognise a uniform of the Royal Navy. I am Rear Admiral, lower half, Marquis Victor Thornton of Arcadia." Tarik's heart sunk in fear. Arcadia. So his fears were true... He looked up slowly toward the muscular giant. "By the will of Emperor Theon Avalon, the armies of Arcadia are going to restore order and justice in the Kingdom of Iceleon."

"What have you done, you stupid bitc- ugh!" Another hit almost put him out cold. Warm blood filled his mouth and Tarik vomited blood and teeth.

"I warned you, you stupid goblin." The man wiped his fist with a pristine white handkerchief and tossed it away in disgust. "Abandon any delusion about power and glory because this is your end. Operation Dusk is in full sweep across Iceleon. Every single noble will be captured, judged, and sentenced. While the operation is aimed against nobility, anyone who supported and served the likes of you should not feel safe. We will capture and punish everyone involved. There is no one to help you. No one to save you."

"Once my father learns about this..."

"Your father was given to the Emperor's Jester for training. I wouldn't bet money for him to emerge sane but, chances are, he might survive. King Lars is under house arrest, stripped of his power, and the best healers in Arcadia are trying to restore his mind."

"Hahahahaha!" Tarik started laughing as Theresa and Victor turned to walk toward the large doors. "Then it's an Arcadian invasion! If you believe that you can fight us-"

"Fight you? No" Victor chuckled, honestly amused as he stepped out. "No, you dimwit... Fighting implies you have adequate power and forces to oppose us. This is going to be a purge, Tarik. The entire might of Arcadia is at our disposal to cleanse the lands of Iceleon."

"Kill me or, once I get out of here, you will pay!" Tarik snarled, but they were already gone.

The metallic clang of the latched doors echoed across the barely lit room. As the clang reverberated seemingly to infinity, Tarik realised the room was enormously large. The shackles that bound him mysteriously unlocked and he rushed toward the cell doors. As he used all his mass to ram them, they opened so easily that they may never have been closed. He laughed at such incompetence but his laugh was short-lived as he looked around to only see a shallow cave without an exit or even the smallest crevice that would lead to where that bitch went. Only a single, black figure was in front of him.

"Tarik Rostil, return to the game area." A black and gold-clad man announced menacingly, and Tarik recoiled in fear. Seeing he was unarmed did not reduce Tarik’s terror.

"Who are you?!" Tarik demanded but his voice trembled in fear. "What game?"

"I am but one of many in service to my Immortal Lord, Theon Avalon. I'm a Praetorian." The voice, like grim death itself, carried on, "You have a slave collar around your neck that prevents you from killing yourself. Other than that rule, there are a few hidden properties I believe you will have fun discovering. It's a game, after all. As for the other rules, they are simple. You have been sentenced to serve lifelong imprisonment in this Dungeon. You must fight for your survival each day and for the rest of your worthless life. You must fight for food and water. You must preserve your strength because you can't trust anyone. You will encounter other scum but don't trust them because they might be better at the game.. In the darkness behind you are monsters worse than the denizens of any Dungeon."

The Praetorian tossed him a poor-quality sword, a water-skin, and a small sack that fell to the floor. From it, rolled a small bread roll and a small piece of cheese. The figure said nothing but just one glance was enough to make Tarik scramble on the ground to collect everything in a panic.

"This is outrageous! I am a noble!"

"You are the imbecile of the highest grade, that's what you are." The man laughed and stepped forward. "You are a criminal who would normally die. But death would be a mercy for you and criminals like you do not deserve mercy."

The dark figure spoke calmly but each word was like a painful slap. Tarik slowly shuffled back toward the cell, all the while, observing the man in black armour. He looked at the sword he was given, unsheathed it, and rose from the ground. Swallowing the slimy ball of fear stuck in his throat, he pointed the sword at the Praetorian and demanded, "You will release me at once!" The sword trembled in his grip but he was armed. That man was not.

"Do you think that something like that can scare me, Mortal?" Two blue flames cast a dim glow from the visor of his helmet. He started laughing as he slowly took off his helmet. "Go on. Try your best."

Tarik started screaming in horror as he fled into the darkness further inside the cave. Cruel laughter echoed through the cave and chased him relentlessly. Whatever was there, in the shadows and darkness before him, wouldn't be as terrifying as the Death Lord Champion behind him.

•••

"Do you feel better?" Victor asked as they teleported outside the punishment zone and straight to their room.

"Like a newborn!" She giggled, and after making a spin, she gently dropped onto the comfortable sofa, where she bounced. She opened her arms towards Victor and smiled invitingly. "Thank you so much for coming with me. I needed to, specifically, make sure that he knew it was over. I'm surprised but happy it gave me a sense of freedom." She flexed her fingers similar to a cat. "Come here!"

He grabbed her and effortlessly lifted her into the air. Theresa giggled but, as he gently put her next to him, she puffed her cheeks in disappointment. Victor sighed and leaned back, causing her to fall backwards straight into his arms, where he caught her. She felt so safe with him.

"Tell me, Victor, how was it when Lord Theon overthrew the nobles of Cridia and Berna? Did they fight back?"

"Some tried..." He slowly nodded. "But there was nothing they could do. Many believed that they were special but when confronted with the power and authority of the Emperor, they looked weak and petty. The Gods are his friends, Theresa. Goddess Hestia is his wife. There is really nothing that could challenge his right to rule."

"I still can't believe so many Gods blessed me and confirmed my right to rule." She meekly admitted.

"Sooo... Now you can see why my Lord limited noble’s power and privileges?"

"I see the wisdom in doing it..." She sighed and looked into the distance.

Theresa hesitated and lowered her head. The revelation about the true identity of Theon Avalon was beyond what anyone could believe. However, everything made sense. His immeasurable power, the ability to control Dungeons, and, finally, his adamant self-confidence.

"So... You serve the Dungeon Core?" Theresa asked as calmly as she could.

"Yes." Victor simply nodded as if this was something natural.

"How are you so calm about it?!" She huffed in frustration but she, herself, wasn't confident about how she felt about it.

"He is the best ruler I have had so far, so..." Victor sighed and picked up a cup of steaming dark liquid. But just a single glance at her expression forced him to make more of an effort to explain. "Honestly, there are only positives so far. Arcadian society is advancing rapidly. Poverty was basically eliminated; it's relatively easy to find a job or start your own business without fear someone will extort you. Law and order are swift and inevitable. The Emperor's Inquisitors are working with Guardsmen to protect the people and ensure that only criminals are persecuted. I really could sit here all day and tell you how amazing Arcadia is."

"But the Dungeons..." She hesitated.

"First, you saw no problems before he told you who he is." The Arcadian Marquis laughed. "Secondly, you have seen Avalon. You saw the might of his armies, Mortal and Immortal alike. You sat with the Emperor, Theresa. What else do you want?" Victor shrugged and took a sip of strong coffee. "Currently, we managed to evacuate most of the people who needed immediate help. Very soon, you will have to meet them because, sooner or later, they will discover that we disguised my soldiers as Iceleonians."

"I... I guess you are right." She puffed her cheeks and leaned over his side. "It's just overwhelming, you know..."

"You will get used to it, my Fiancée." He chuckled and wrapped a strong arm over her shoulder. "I still can't believe you announced it..."

"Well... I thought you might like it." She admitted sheepishly as he rubbed her arm. "Besides, I thought if I did that, I would be able to keep my word from back then..."

"Oh, I love it." He rubbed her arm and suddenly burst into laughter. As he enjoyed her surprised expression, he continued, "We all laughed a bit at the expanse of the Emperor every time a new woman visited. The rumour is that all his wives caught him the way you caught me. Now I know how he felt!"