I feel fantastic. Better than fantastic. I feel good. Promoting a new king has taken the world off of my shoulders. Not that I was actually a king before, but the pressures from the title started getting to me. I had so many questions like do I lead the meetings, do I need to be at the meetings, or should I be making up rules? All of that stuff is fun when I'm the king of nothing. Start throwing people into the mix, and the throne becomes too heavy to carry.

The promotion was a little sporadic. I was planning on making Cru the acting king. The wiley goblin outsmarted me and took off before I got the chance. So now we have Colby as king. The thought brings out a healthy chuckle. The fool has some grit. From what I've heard, he's refused actual healing so that he learns from his mistakes during the Battle of Nameless Town. The mistake of being outnumbered by demons and ambushed by ashwalkers.

Waiting for me at the sparring grounds is Bones. Fury is already fighting against Gene. Both are using their flying forms. The black dragon is nearly three times the size of Gene's wyvern form. He's faster, equipped with fire, and a master of the sky. Gene has a shadow escape and cunning experience as a lancer. The overhead fight is a wonder of fire, shadow, and acrobats.

On the ground, Nette and Roxi are engaged in a battle of trees. Roxi is using actual trees, and Nette is manifesting the trees with her mind's mana. The dryad has an overwhelming advantage, but Nette fights with the intention of losing, which is hard to beat. Each victory Roxi's warrior trees win lures them closer to an unseen web.

"Lo, King of Being Late," says Bones when he sees me. The skeleton finishes his stretches. Instead of wiping the dirt from his thick scale plating, he summons a new armor set.

"Can a king be late? Seems like I'm the most important person. Time is based on my schedule." I nod to my companion and run through a quick set of stretches.

"Maybe if you were a stronger king… or even an active king," he finally says after a moment of thought. He tries to play the delay off by making a show of summoning his axes one at a time. It doesn't matter. Today is a good day. I've already gained the high ground.

"We both know my strength isn't at the front. I'm too susceptible to running." Bones nods his head, thinking I've conceded, which I have. "That's why I'm no longer active king. Colby is king. Actually, do you think he can get a promotion?"

"You hear that, Gene?" Bones yells into the sky. "I win the bet."

"You betted on me stepping down?"

"We betted on the timing. Gene guessed three days. Nette actually thought you could last the week. Fury was optimistic and said a year. I knew it would only take one day of sirs, and you'd step down." Bones' axes cut the air in a taunting celebration.

"It's better this way. Nobody tries to kill a secret king."

"So you are fine dangling Colby like bait?"

Stolen story; please report.

"Like I said, he needs a promotion."

"I can't just promote everyone. We have a limited number of promotions. Two for the Anvileers and three for our demon boy to set up our dungeon."

"That's only eight."

"Yeah."

"You've got two more."

"I need those."

"For what?"

"Secrets."

"You've got nothing and are just waiting for something better to come along."

"So?"

"That's smart, but here's another idea: invest in your current power rather than save for power that may never come."

"I've toyed with the thought. But Colby? He throws stoney punches."

"And that's a problem?"

"His element is fire. Why is he not embracing fire? Seems…odd."

"He's king. He can do whatever he wants."

"I still don't like it."

"You should've had more confidence in my reign instead of undermining my rule."

"I did you a favor." We both laugh, knowing it to be accurate but still a terrible argument. My goodwill was never the target, and we both know it. Still, the strawman argument gives me an idea.

"How about we place our own wager. Colby doesn't get a promotion if I lose, and you can absorb one of my powers. If I win, Colby is promoted, and I reign as silent king."

"I've got wings. What could I possibly want from you?"

"I got rope and shadow." I smile because I know I've got him. Bones has been jealous of my rope since I first used it to abandon him in a spider hole. Since then, my rope has gotten shinier and more magical. I even catch him eyeing it from time to time. No way can he refuse.

"Deal. We fight to the death."

"Is that wise? Cru is gone, and we have not seen or heard from his spider this morning."

"We have to know somehow."

"For science."

"For science."

Bones is a tough fighter. I've trained him myself, and he has four arms. Beyond that, he is a sage of death. While I don't think his bard class will give him an extra edge in our fight, I don't think he needs more of an edge. Death is his domain, and plenty of that energy is lingering here.

On the other hand, he is still my creation. If this is for science, then it will be for science. No matter how gross I feel about it, I need to know.

Halt. Through our bond, I send all my will and death energy into the command. Bones' gait pauses mid-stride. His entire being tries to resist my command. I can feel our connection churning. Intuitively, I know that if I feed our bond more energy and will, I can silence the struggle. Bones will not be able to fight, and I can destroy him. It just feels wrong. I let go of the command and prepare for a fight. Gloom is equipped, and Bo is summoned. Death mana is replaced with shadow and mind.