Metal Mage 9

by Eric Vall

  My women giggled as they dragged me with them down the hall, and when we made it to the oak chairs of the throne room, Deya immediately hopped down to steal a spot on my lap before anyone else could.

  Cayla and Aurora perched themselves on the arms of my chair, and I could feel Shoshanne running her fingers threw my hair as she stood behind me.

  Temin was shaking his head to himself when he took his seat across the large desk, and he raised his brows at the sight of us.

  “I could have sworn you all usually manage to keep a few inches of space between yourselves and Defender Flynt,” the king said.

  I grinned. “It got kind of hectic earlier. They were a little--”

  “Worried,” Shoshanne mumbled as she stroked my hair.

  “And lonely,” Deya added.

  “And furious,” Aurora muttered as she sent me a fiery look.

  “And impatient.” Cayla shifted her holster so she could pull my hand into her lap, and I could see the muscles in her jaw tense while she toyed with the sleeve of my shirt.

  “I know,” I sighed, “but Hulsan could track anything in seconds flat. He’s seen how much you all matter to me, and there’s no chance he wouldn’t have used that against me in there. I couldn’t have protected all of you at once, and the Defenders, too. I needed you out of there for your own safety.”

  Aurora stubbornly rolled her eyes, but Deya just smiled sweetly.

  “I’m just glad you came back safe to us, Mason,” she murmured as she began tucking more kisses on my neck, but then Temin cleared his throat so loudly, the elf straightened up at once with a fierce blush on her cheeks.

  Cayla casually took hold of the elf’s braid like she needed to be restrained, and when Aurora and Shoshanne burst out laughing, the king let out a sigh of amusement.

  “Defender Flynt, do control your women long enough for us to discuss the events in the Oculus.”

  “They’ll behave,” I chuckled, and my women nodded.

  “Thank you,” Temin muttered. “Now, what is this about Defender Hulsan? I wasn’t aware he was in Serin.”

  “Ah,” I said, and I realized I had a lot to explain. “It’s kind of a long story, but to sum up, Hulsan built the fortress in the eastern foothills that I told you about, and he’s been trying to get me to join the Master’s side, but I didn’t really catch on until today.”

  The king stared dumbfounded, so I continued.

  “Then a Terra Mage named Pindor summoned me here because he was concerned about the safety of the Oculus, and when I arrived, a fleet of mages branded by the Master’s rune were attempting a mass branding of everyone in the Oculus to overthrow the Order.”

  “They weren’t successful,” Aurora quickly added as Temin began to look green.

  “Yeah, we handled it,” I assured him. “Some mages were branded, but my automaton’s already bringing them to the infirmary in Falmount so we can remove the brandings. The Defenders managed to counter a lot of the damage to the Oculus too, but Hulsan was a powerful Terra Mage, and we have some serious rebuilding to do.”

  “Was?” the king managed.

  “Uh … yeah,” I admitted. “I killed him.”

  Temin slowly nodded. “Proceed.”

  “So, we have to figure out how nearly two hundred of the Master’s mages managed to break into the Oculus,” I continued, “and I’ll have our mages begin on the repairs tomorrow. We just got back from Jagruel, obviously, but we ended up killing two of the Master’s mages out there who were capturing the ogres to brand them. I’ll be building another automaton to guard the region and ensure we don’t have a repeat of the issue out there, and I’m considering arming the members of the Order with a new weapon of mine, but I need to work out a few issues with it first.”

  I could almost see all of Temin’s brain cells standing stunned behind his eyes as he just stared at me, and after two full minutes without him moving a muscle, Aurora shifted uncomfortably on the arm of my chair.

  “Temin?” I tried.

  “Yeah.”

  “You alright?”

  “Fine,” Temin said with a tiny nod. “Just thinking. So … everything was nearly lost, but now it isn’t, and we’re moving ahead with … ”

  “Better weaponry,” I said with a shrug, “an alliance with the ogres, an extra hundred or so mages, because Shoshanne revived them while I was gone, and some information to go off where the fortress is concerned.”

  “I see,” the shell-shocked king murmured.

  I grinned. “Don’t worry, Temin, it’s all under control.”

  “Oh good,” he said with a nervous chuckle. “Well then … h-how was your trip?”

  Aurora snorted as Cayla tried to hide her grin behind Deya’s back.

  “It was nice,” I admitted. “The ogres were pretty awesome, and no one tried to eat any of us, so that was cool.”

  “You can’t be serious?” Temin scoffed.

  “No, it’s true,” I assured him. “We feasted, we drank, we killed the bad guys. It was fun.”

  Temin furrowed his brow incredulously. “And we actually have their alliance?”

  Deya glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, and I tried to push Hulsan’s words out of my mind as I took a deep breath.

  “Temin, I’ll be honest with you,” I finally said, “the divide between your kingdom and Jagruel is still firmly in place. The alliance I gained is with myself alone.”

  I waited for Temin to blow up, or look betrayed, or something, but he just leaned forward on the desk.

  “But they will assist you against this Master?” he clarified, and he didn’t seem at all concerned by my honesty.

  “Yeah,” I told him with some confusion. “I have their full alliance and have been promised any numbers I need when the time comes to storm the Master’s fortress.”

  “Excellent!” the king exclaimed with pleasant surprise. “This all went better than I expected!”

  “Alright,” I chuckled. “So, you’re not … ?”

  “Goodness no,” the king snorted. “Grot despises me, and frankly, I despise him as well. He absolutely repulses me, but as you said, what matters is the Master not gain that kind of power. If the ogres can work with you, then we’re all better off. Although, now that I don’t personally have the alliance, I can take no credit amongst the other nations, which means they will all be hearing about your added efforts in the name of their safety.”

  I nodded as my women grinned proudly. “Fair enough.”

  “I’ll have any exorbitant gestures of gratitude sent directly to you at Falmount,” Temin said with a wave of his hand. “Including my own. What do you think … that statue? It weighs over ten thousand pounds, and it’s solid gold. Interested?”

  I glanced toward the corner where a twenty-foot tall sphinx statue wrought entirely from gold stood snarling on its hindlegs.

  “No, that’s alright,” I muttered. “I don’t really need a giant golden sphinx.”

  Then Cayla cleared her throat. “Temin, surely you aren’t going to allow Defender Flynt to receive no acknowledgement of his sacrifices when your kingdom is so wholly indebted to him.”

  “Cayla … ” I warned.

  “Of course, I wouldn’t dream of it,” Temin hastily assured the princess, and Cayla narrowed her icy blue eyes. “Wh-What would you have me do, Princess Balmier?”

  “If I were in your position?” she asked coolly. “I would have offered him a baronetcy months ago.”

  I sighed and looked down at the pair of slender thighs draped across my lap, but I already knew Cayla would get her way. She always did.

  “Excellent idea!” Temin said with a gracious nod to the princess. “Defender Flynt, it is my great honor and duty to bestow upon you the title of Baron in the court of Illaria. You will henceforth be a formal member of my council and be entitled to the address of Lord, Excellency, Baron, and really whatever you wish.”

  “And the land encompassing Falmount Rift will thus be relinquished to Mason,” C
ayla added.

  “Absolutely!” the king agreed. “Along with say … the ten miles surrounding it. I’ll have the parcel borders drawn up and delivered to you in the next few days.”

  Cayla nodded in approval, but I saw a smirk twitch at the corners of her mouth.

  Then Temin sent me a broad grin. “Well, that handles everything quite nicely doesn’t it?”

  “Yep,” I muttered.

  “Don’t forget to take your next payment with you,” the king added as he stood and gestured toward another giant chest waiting beside the entryway. “The railway continues to bring wealth to every quarter of the city, thanks to you. I would pester you about that tariff situation, but you’ve certainly done enough for one day.”

  “I appreciate that,” I chuckled as Aurora trotted over to the chest of gold and sent me a devilish wink.

  The king escorted us to the courtyard while I used my metal magic to carry the chest, and my women giggled ahead of us as they murmured a dozen ideas into each other’s ears that all seemed to end with me fucking one of them in a pile of golden coins.

  Luckily, Temin’s hearing wasn’t as acute as mine, and he carried on about gathering the other barons within the week to discuss the tariffs enforced on the dwarven nation.

  I grinned from the steps of the castle as the nobility parted to make way for my women, and while I sent the chest to the roof of the Mustang, I turned to Temin.

  “I’ll keep you posted on any other developments,” I told him, “but from what I saw today, the mages are advancing quickly with their training. There are even a few I’d suggest you promote to Defender soon. We could use all the help we can get.”

  I offered my hand to the king, but he just furrowed his brow as he looked at it.

  “Defender Flynt, I must be blunt,” he finally said, and I lowered my hand uneasily. “As much as I appreciate all that you do for my kingdom, I am not the sort of ruler who enjoys taking advantage of the courage and unwavering dedication of good men. Furthermore, I’ve come to consider you more of a friend than a subject, and although I know you stretch yourself thin tending to the threats that weigh down not only on my kingdom but on the other nations, I have to ask … would you consider doing me the favor of taking over the Order of the Elementa?”

  I opened my mouth to decline, but the king held up a hand to stop me

  “Hear me out,” he chuckled. “You would be in a position to directly influence laws of defense in Illaria, and if I’m not mistaken, you already fulfill many of the duties Wyresus is meant to uphold. You oversee the training of the mages, protect the Oculus, tend to the concerns of the citizens, and I have no doubt Illaria would be safe with you leading our Defenders. All I’m asking is you consider the offer. Goodness knows that princess of yours would appreciate the title, if that’s any incentive.”

  I grinned. “I’ll consider it, Temin.”

  “Glad to hear it,” he said with a nod, and he shook my hand. “I look forward to hearing more terrifying news from you, most likely within the week.”

  I chuckled as I headed down the steps and through the crowd, and Bobbie roared to life as I dropped into the driver’s seat beside Cayla.

  “Baron Flynt,” she purred.

  “Get over here,” I ordered, and the princess slid her hand to my belt as we headed out of the castle courtyard.

  Chapter 22

  Cayla spent the entire drive to Falmount with my dick down her moaning throat, and by the time we were parked in the clearing beside the house, I decided being a baron was going to be fucking awesome.

  My knees were numb, and my arms fell limp from the steering wheel as Cayla slowly slid my cock out of her mouth. Then she chuckled and wiped a bit of my cum from the corner of her lips.

  “I’ve never sucked the cock of a baron before,” the princess laughed.

  “Me neither,” Aurora said, and she turned my head to kiss me while she leaned over the seat. “I’m next.”

  “Deal,” I sighed with a hazy grin.

  “Then me!” Deya announced.

  “I’ll be waiting until tomorrow,” Shoshanne groaned with disappointment, and she climbed out of the car. “I have dozens of brandings to remove.”

  “No, you don’t,” I countered, and I quickly secured my belt before I hoisted the healer over my shoulder. “You’re celebrating with us. Those mages won’t be waking up for hours, and you can sober up with that staff of yours before then.”

  Shoshanne giggled as I carted her down the lane toward the market, and the rest of my women fell in step behind me.

  Up ahead, the torches in the marketplace were burning bright while the noise of raucous mages echoed all over the village, and I ignored how many life affirming moans were coming from the houses we passed. Every mage from the Oculus and the village were filling the lanes and gathering wherever there was a spare patch of grass, and I couldn’t even count how many times someone fell backward out of a window to a chorus of drunken laughter.

  We were halfway to the market when I caught sight of Haragh towering above the others, and when I called out to him, the man turned two black eyes and a bloody lip my way.

  “I can’t believe I left ye’ to handle that alone,” the half-ogre said as he met us in the lane. “I should’ve been there with ye’, I should’ve--”

  “Don’t worry about it,” I chuckled, “we took care of the Oculus, and besides, it’s Taru’s first night in Falmount. You two should be getting settled.”

  “Yeah, we’re settled,” he said as he fought against a smirk. “She’s, uh … she’s pretty tuckered out, so she’s sleepin’ now. I feel terrible about missin’ the battle, though. Shit’s blowin’ up, and here I am just … well.”

  “Hey, it happens to the best of us,” I assured him. “Are you joining the celebration?”

  “Nah, I better get back,” he said as he adjusted his vest. “Don’t want Taru thinkin’ I’m up to no good, or nothin’.”

  I grinned as the half-ogre waded through the mages on his way to the northern woods, but then he turned and cupped his hands around his mouth.

  “That’s excellent formation, by the way!” he hollered. “Lookin’ good!”

  I glanced back to see my women were actually walking in ogre formation behind me without meaning to, and Aurora blushed as she rolled her eyes, but she didn’t move.

  Deya sent me a glittering smile from her proper position, and Cayla shrugged in a way that made me think she absolutely did notice, but she just didn’t mind.

  So, we ended up working our way through Falmount in excellent ogre formation, but when we got to the clearing between the large oak trees, I abruptly set Shoshanne down as we all gaped at the scene we’d walked into.

  Barrels of Rosh were being dipped into all over the market, and every kind of mage was wielding their powers in the most ridiculous fashion imaginable. I couldn’t help wondering if I’d behaved this outrageously in Jagruel, but as I saw a Terra Mage swimming buck naked through a sinkhole, I had a feeling the answer was yes.

  Even Kurna was standing on top of an empty barrel with his mage robes tied like a toga, and as he threw his arms out to the side and let out a devilish laugh, his entire head burst into flames.

  The crowd around him raised their mugs and roared with approval, and all of my women laughed as they clutched my arms.

  “This time, I’m drinking, too,” Aurora decided, and Cayla immediately followed the half-elf to a barrel of Rosh.

  I chuckled as Deya squealed and dragged Shoshanne with her, and Raynor was all smiles and nods as he passed around empty mugs for everyone.

  “Thanks,” I said with a smirk as the women dunked their mugs and filled them to the brim.

  “It’s no trouble,” Raynor rasped. “Just glad to see you all made it back alright.

  “Yeah,” I sighed. “I can’t thank you enough for talking to Shoshanne about Hulsan. I had no idea about his background, but you were right. Him and Abrus were both vying for the same job with the same intent
ions.”

  Raynor’s smile faded as he furrowed his brow. “Damn shame. That’s why I left the Order. Too much deceit. You think you’re helping people, but …” He trailed off as he shook his head and glanced toward the pub. “I hear this new head of the Order’s no better. Promoting mages who ought not be in a position of power. Can’t trust anyone these days.”

  “The king uh … he mentioned he was looking for a new head of the Order,” I admitted, and I eyed Aurora already downing her second mug of Rosh.

  Raynor shook his head. “Probably be more of the same.”

  “Maybe,” I allowed. “I think that’s why he offered me the position.”

  I glanced sidelong to see the old barkeep staring at me in disbelief, and I sent him a sheepish grin.

  “I don’t think I’ll accept it,” I told him. “That’s a lot of responsibility, and I’ve got all of this to take care of, and--”

  “You oughtta take it,” Raynor cut me off. “Need a man who’ll respect the job, and you look after the mages as it is. I tell ye’, if a man like you was head of the Order, it’d really stand for something again. Undo a lot of damage and deceit.”

  “Thanks,” I said with half a grin. “I’m still thinking about it. I just got handed Falmount and a baronetcy, so I’m just trying to wrap my head around where I’m at.”

  “Baron now?” he asked with a hoarse chuckle.

  “Apparently.” I nodded.

  “Well, get that mug filled,” he urged as he prodded me forward. “No sense lettin’ all these youngins celebrate without you. Hell, they’ll drink up all this Rosh before you get one sip. Baron’s supposed to drink before the rest.”

  “Alright,” I chuckled while he nodded and smiled, and I joined my women to find them already glassy eyed and giggling.

  “Mason, tell her,” Aurora demanded as she pointed at Deya. “Tell her no one knows about her. She’s freaking out.”

  I glanced at Deya to see her not so much freaked out as she was blankly tipsy, but she nodded fervently.

  “No, it’s true, I heard it!” the elf insisted. “Mason, tell her.”

  I laughed as I realized this was going to be one hell of a night, and I gestured for the women to join me at a stone table someone had left beside the library.