by Sain Artwell
“Done what exactly?” Alron sat on the floor next to Yuvera.
Her eyes followed him. “This? We could’ve lived happily together.”
“We would have been a troupe of ignorant wyrmlings in a world of dragons. Perhaps we would have overthrown Sorcerer King’s rule, but what then? Mlevanosk wouldn’t have done what she did. A stargod wouldn’t have risen to oppose the dragongods. At best we could have hoped to live our lives to their ends without seeing another ascension event. You did what you thought best. Don’t dwell on it.” He stood to leave.
“Will you ever forgive me?” Her voice was small, trembling.
Alron paused to study the grooves on Apocalypse’s blade. “I’ve thought of you often, of the old Yuvera I remember, and all you meant to me. I’ve also thought of Dente and what you robbed from us. And I’ve found that, despite everything, I cannot bring myself to hate you forever. I am a greedy man, and too soft for those I’ve allowed close. Who can say if we will fully reconcile, but perhaps we can find a way to be together again in some measure. It’s a difficult balance to strike however, seeing as Fei’s hatred for you still burns as bright as ever.”
“I would gladly answer any of her questions and make my plea. If only she came to visit me.”
Alron met Yuvera’s pleading eyes and shook his head. “I will not force her to do so.”
Yuvera imitated the sound of a sigh. “Forget it then. You did not come here to reminisce. Is it time to force our gambit upon the world? I’ll gladly lend my aid, in whatever small capacity I’m able.”
“It is time. Regrettably, Sofi did not manage to convince the local tribal elders of our vision. They’ve accused us of practising unnatural sorcery and blasphemy against dragongods, and rallied a group of awakened masters to eliminate us.”
Yuvera snorted. “Blasphemy against dragongods. If only they knew who they’re talking to. So, I presume you’re about to conquer them?”
“This is as good a time as any to begin the forceful approach. The little ones have close friends among the nearby tribes, and we’ve all learned their language. If we’re to build the infrastructure Sofi’s machines need, we need more workers. But that’s still a few days away.”
Yuvera cocked an eyebrow. “More preparations to be done?”
“Not exactly.” With great difficulty, Alron gave Yuvera a genuine smile, remembering the woman she once was. He sat down beside her. “Since I’m here, could you tell me of Dente’s life, of yours with her, and your years before and after becoming the Sorcerer King?”
Her blue-on-black eyes stared at him wide open, glistening with emotion. Yuvera chased the tears off, her voice trembling. “Really? You’ll talk to me?”
“It’s about time. I’m sorry for taking so long.”
“No… It’s okay. I did kill your girl. I… I loved Dente, I truly did. I did not… I wish someone else had had the fortitude to survive the ritual. I wish she hadn’t insisted.”
Alron breathed deep, steeling himself for the story to come.
Yuvera hurried to add, “Will you please tell me yours too once I’m done? You don’t have to tell me of the new hatchlings, if the others don’t wish me to know.”
“I won’t betray Fei’s wishes, but I can speak of myself, Oqhizt, Sofi, and our hatchlings. Where should I begin?”
“How much time do you have?” Yuvera asked, worried.
“Two days.”
“Then I’d like to hear it all, beginning from your days on that island.”
Alron nodded. “So be it. Let us trade a story for a story. Could you continue yours?”
Yuvera gathered herself. “Dente hatched a year after Kastalos stole her egg from Fei’s womb. I claimed her and named her Dente after the old story of a dutiful warrior who slew her lover when he became tempted by his dragonsoul…”
For two days, the two talked. Alron learned of the century of prosperity, during which Dente grew into the hero of Ascendancy, and Yuvera grew to accept her cosmic duty as the Sorcerer King. In turn, he told her everything he could without mentioning Fei, finally relaying Mlevanosk’s goodbye to Yuvera.
When time came to leave, Alron promised to come by later. After all, they would be relying on Yuvera’s guidance in the matters of governance in the coming years.
***
Alron met the group of ten champions and ten chieftains and their attendants in a natural arena formed in the cleft of the round green mountain. Though the sky remained clear, a warm rain rapped against the stone, lifting a pleasant earthy scent into the air.
“Bow, trespasser! You are in the presence of the venerable chieftains of tribes who govern these lands!” announced the translator in words of the Ascendancy. Like the rest of the natives of Jelesseree Isles, she had an orange complexion and smooth topaz horns, and favored light clothes of interwoven strips of soft green bark.
“I know your tongue,” replied Alron with the local words. “I know your names. You are worthy warriors, but not so worthy I would bow to your might.”
“Then know that you are no longer welcome,” replied a short, aging chieftain with a gnarly cane. “Begone! Leave your treasures behind, and we will overlook your woman’s attempts to mislead our people with her wicked sorcery. This is your last chance.”
“One moment,” said Alron. “Before we shed blood, let me demonstrate my power. After I do, you may change your minds.”
“Hah! Why should we allow you to do such a thing, so that you might launch a cowardly sneak attack?” a woman covered in green tattoos sneered. “My chief, speak the word. Let this be over with.”
“We have gathered fifteen warriors who’ve forged powerful dragon-cores,” the old chieftain pointed out. “Do not be mistaken, trespasser, this is not our full strength. No matter how skilled, one awakened master cannot match ten, let alone the hundreds that our tribes command. If you could, you would have conquered us already. Your trickery will not be indulged any longer. Speak your last words now, for our warriors will aim to deliver deadly strikes. They will be relayed to your women, who shall either die or be enslaved as is the will of dragongods.”
“I welcome you to accept the same courtesy. Do any of you have last words you wish to be relayed to others?”
The champions lunged for him like a pack of wild beasts. They wove dragonfire into animals and half-solid weapons. They transformed, fleshbending onto themselves the thick barbed bark of local trees, and armed themselves with the myriad of natural weapons of local apex predators. One feather-headed oracle made an attempt at an unrefined version of Ascendancy’s sensory overload.
Alron dragonized the ground, manifested his wings and tail, and leapt to meet them. A solid wall of air cracked against his face. He guided Apocalypse in controlled arcs, whilst striking out with all of his limbs simultaneously. A heartbeat later, the turquoise viscera of the champions and chieftains was being washed away by the rain.
The attendants stared at him, afraid to move.
“You will spread word of this to your tribes,” said Alron.
The attendants began to fervently gesture their submission.
“What of the bodies, o’ dragonblessed one? Will you eat them, or allow us to bring the flesh back to their relatives?” asked the bravest one, a young woman of the same tribe as the loud champion—Ghiar had been her name.
“You may take the flesh. Leave the vestiges behind.”
Some blinked, struggling to suppress their outrage.
“B-but…” the brave attendant stuttered, “their souls will not know rest. Surely you will allow them to be inherited by their descendants, as the dragongods intended.”
“They fought bravely. Their souls are at rest, and will be remembered. That is all. Now go.”
She bowed, gritting her teeth. “We will do as you say. Thank you for your mercy.”
Alron returned home on foot, hauling a rain drenched sack of vestiges on his back. He took the scenic route, gazing idly at the new moon being slowly forged from the remains of
the two gods, and pondered how the world might be once his duty was done.
What great cities might emerge, when all vestiges had been collected and disposed of? What wonders would they build, once other great minds joined Sofi in her pursuit of truths behind the myth? Would the warriors still be mighty, or would flying battleships and legendary sharpshooters the likes of Katjan emerge and overthrow all but the most ferocious wielders of blade and claw? Or would a new breed of warriors emerge, with such mastery over myth that their might surpassed Alron’s?
Of course, there was no guarantee that they could ever fend off the Cosmic Dragonflight, but Alron didn’t fret about matters so far in the future. For now, he was glad things were moving again, happy to be where he was with his lovers and offspring, and eager to watch the world change with them.
I hope Alron’s and his lovers’ journey entertained you. If you did enjoy it, I would humbly ask you to leave a review to help others know what you thought of it.
If you’d like to stay up to date on when the installment of the series comes out, follow me on Amazon, subscribe to my newsletter and/or join my facebook page. I update those two with writing and publishing related updates once or twice a month. My twitter, which you can also follow if you want, is mostly retweet spam of monster girl artwork.
I also want to acknowledge some groups HaremLit and HaremGamelit facebook group as a collective of connoisseurs with great recommendations on the genre and discussion related to it. If you’re hungering for more books with harem themes, I would strongly recommend visiting them.
About the Author
I’m your regular washed out academic from Finland — cynical, and addicted to wholesome stories of struggling heroes.
I’ve been writing for my own enjoyment for a long time, but beginning to write for others has really been the best thing ever. When I started, the stories quickly gravitated towards my interests: Fantasy, monster girls, wacky action, and spicy adventures. Blame it on over consumption of anime, manga, and artwork by the great butt connoisseurs of our time. Fantasy classics, video games, and tabletop RPGs have also been a big influence on my writing.
Surprisingly, it took me a long time to discover that the pulpy haremlit was a thing in the west and the perfect place to smash as many of my favorite tropes into one book as possible. Hopefully, someone will find enjoyment in my stories as I’ve found in so many works of the other authors of this genre.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Alron the Vigilant
Chapter 2 - Obsidian Oubliette
Chapter 3 - Awakening
Chapter 4 - The Blockade
Chapter 5 - The Finger Bearer
Chapter 6 - The Garden of Heavenly Dream
(Untitled)
Chapter 7 - Old Love
Chapter 8 - Wealdborn
Chapter 9 - Dead God’s Leftovers
Chapter 10 - Lost Blood
Chapter 11 - A Blackmetal Day
Chapter 12 - Steamy Enslaving
Chapter 13 - The Spinning Skull
Chapter 14 - The Unwelcome
Chapter 15 - Interview
Chapter 16 - Broken Dragons
Chapter 17 - Avatar of the Metal Dawn
Chapter 18 - Proxies and Prophecies
Chapter 19 - Apocalypse Awakes
Chapter 20 - Dying Wish
Chapter 21 - Edge of Enlightenment
Chapter 22 - Deeper Desires
Chapter 23 - Mlevanosk’s Theory of Vis
Chapter 24 - Immortal Memories
Chapter 25 - Blood Jungle Massacre
Chapter 26 - Shaky Principles
Chapter 27 - A Promise Forever Lost
Chapter 28 - He’s Coming
Chapter 29 - Homecoming
Chapter 30 - Starsteel Stab
Chapter 31 - Dead Redemption
Chapter 32 - Voice of the Gods
Chapter 33 - Star Rise
Chapter 34 - Scaling the Gods
Chapter 35 - Destroyer’s Duty
