Dungeon Master 5

by Eric Vall

  Chapter One

  I woke up on a blustery, cold morning entangled in my minions’ arms, and the first thought that came into my mind was that I was now the Lord of all of Machstein. From the peak of Kanashimi and the golden pillars that once marked the entrance to the goddess’s dungeon to the lower half of the city that included the port town of Eifersucht and the now empty dungeon of the Liebe, I was in control of the whole island, and nothing could stand in my way from taking more.

  I rolled over onto my side, and Carmedy’s sleeping face came into view partly obscured by her short black hair. I chuckled deep in the back of my throat as I reached out a hand and stroked the soft fur on her ears, and they twitched softly under my fingers.

  “Load it up,” the feline murmured in her sleep as she licked her lips. “You can never have enough syrup, load it up.”

  The cat-girl was dreaming of food once again, and I shouldn’t have been surprised. I had playfully asked her if she loved food more than me once, and her face had dropped as she thought for a long moment. I already knew the answer, but I just wanted to hear what she would say. She had looked up at me with those sparkling emerald eyes I loved so much and proclaimed her love for me over food, but I could tell that it was a close race between the two of us.

  Morrigan snuggled up to my back behind me, and I could feel her warm breath on my bare back. These were the things that I cherished, waking up first thing in the mornings and feeling their soft bodies pressed into mine from all directions. We had come so far, my minions and I, and we would go even farther than we had ever imagined.

  Our sights were on Tintagal next and the tyrant who owned the land there, Baudouin. I had heard horror stories about him from my first wife and what Morrigan had learned from the spirit waifs called the Rusalka. Soon, Baudouin would feel my wrath firsthand. The scuttling beetle had the land that I wanted, and I would surely take it from his cold, dead hands. I wanted to see him suffer, wanted him to know pain, and that was what I was going to bring to him once we arrived in Tintagal.

  My minions and I had met so many wonderful people along the way, and even now, Shida and Yuri had followed us down from Kanashimi. They had brought a few of their older children along with their teenager, Popī, who had taken a particular liking to my women. The girl saw them as older sisters and confidants. We stayed the night once more at the Purple Conch which had a nice barn to hold our Bantams, the rideable giant chicken-like birds.

  Though the Bantams were a comfortable ride and amiable animals, I still missed our lizards back in Valasara. Nothing compared to the smooth movements of the lizards, and I wished there was such a way to outfit them for the cold of the northern regions. There were many things from Valasara I missed, but one of them I hadn’t thought I would was the heat. The bitter cold of Eifersucht had hit us like a ton of bricks when we made our journey down from the warmer mountain side of Kanashimi.

  Shida and Yuri had been surprised at the difference too when we arrived in Eifersucht. They both were born in Kanashimi and had only journeyed down the mountain once or twice in their lifetimes. The difference in temperature was baffling, and when I explained to them that this was another blessing from the Tichádáma, they were blown away. Popī, still recovering from the loss of the goddess she had loved so much, had burst into tears.

  I wanted to comfort the young girl, but this was something she would have to recover from on her own, since my minions and I were the ones who had a hand in the goddess’s death.

  Unlike Popī, Kanashimi was dealing with the goddess’ death well, and they had accepted me as their new leader readily after my marriage to Morrigan on Machstein soil. Like Valasara and Tamarisch, I had put Shida in place as my regent. He was an upstanding man, a hard worker, and a good father to his multitude of children, and I knew he would make a good leader in my place. I didn’t want the people of Kanashimi or Eifersucht to worship me like they had the Liebe or the Tichádáma. I may have been a god, but I was also their ruler.

  I didn’t want offerings or gifts, I wanted their obedience and submission to my power.

  I sat up in bed, and Annalise was the first to stir. The swordswoman’s brown eyes opened slightly, and the light shining in turned them bright gold. My first wife smiled at me tenderly, reached over the elf’s sleeping form, and took my hands.

  “Good morning, Master,” The High Queen whispered over to me, and I leaned over and stroked her pink cheek.

  “Good morning, my love,” I replied back through a broad smile.

  “When do we set off for Tintagal?” Annalise asked as she sat up and started to dress before anyone else.

  “Tomorrow,” I told her as I carefully moved from the bed so as not to disturb the rest of my sleeping minions. “I believe that the people of Eifersucht are throwing a grand feast tonight.”

  “In your honor, of course.” My wife smirked as she slipped into her boots and tied them up with nimble fingers.

  “Yes.” I nodded as I used telekinetic power and brought my armor over to me. The metal plates and padded gambeson found their way onto me and cinched themselves into place around my form.

  My first wife looked at me affectionately and took in my commanding presence before she crossed to me. I folded her into my arms, and we stared into each other’s faces for a passing moment, then her eyes broke away from mine. One of her delicate hands snaked out and caressed the smooth, polished metal of my armor tenderly then the hand lifted and stroked my cheek. Then my warrior queen and I both jumped as Rana’s sleeping form launched forward in the bed.

  “Give it back, you potbellied pig-snatcher!” the fox shouted angrily as her paws tore through the air. Her unruly red curls were frizzy around her face and her bright blue eyes wide as she tried to take back whatever the person had stolen in her dream. The redhead’s eyes cleared, and she shook her head quickly to ward off the nightmare.

  “Please explain what a potbellied pig-snatcher is, and why you are yelling about it so early in the morning?” Morrigan grumbled as she rubbed at her tired eyes.

  “Is it a person who kidnaps pigs?” Carmedy asked softly, and from her tone, I could tell that sleep was still clinging desperately to the cat-girl. “Was someone trying to steal your pigs in the dream?”

  “No,” Rana said with a shake of her head as she patted down her crazy red curls. “If I explain it, it’ll just sound dumb.”

  “You can tell us if you want,” I assured her kindly, and she raised her eyes to me with a soft smile. “Carmedy was talking about syrup in her sleep, so I don’t think we will judge you.”

  “I was dreaming about mountains and mountains of pancakes and waffles,” The feline sighed as she fell back into the pillows with a wistful smile on her soft lips. “Best dream I’ve had in a while.”

  “Well, there was this guy I used to know before I met Annalise,” Rana admitted softly as she played with a single curl between two fingers. “He was really mean to me. One of those ‘all fox people are thieves and beggars’ types… whenever he saw me on the street, he’d kick me around just for fun. There were a few times I was hired at small bakeries or produce stalls, always working in the back where no one would see me. I’d go home at the end of the day to my momma with the very little money I made and give it to her to help around the house.”

  She sighed softly. “A lot of the times…he’d find me walking home, and he’d take the money from me, saying that I must have stolen it or something like that. Sometimes, he’d drag me to the bakeries or the stalls and make me give the money back and… the owners would take it back because they never wanted to admit they hired a fox for jobs. Most of the time, he just took it for himself, and I had to go home from a long day of work with nothing to show for it.”

  “Oh, Rana,” Annalise
breathed as she came over and comforted her sister. “I’m sorry, no one should be treated that way, especially you.”

  “No, it’s okay.” Rana chuckled as she rubbed at her eyes. “The last time I saw him, I beat the shit out of him and kept my money. I just dreamed he tried to do it, and it was like living all of those times all over again.”

  “Do you know what’s different about those times and now, Rana?” I asked her as I came closer and took her paws into my hands gently.

  “No, Master?” The fox-woman asked as she stared up into my eyes.

  “No one will take anything from you ever again now that I’m here,” I told her as I cupped her cheek, and her round cheeks flushed pink at my words. “I will kill any man for you, all of you.”

  “We have the best Master in the world,” Carmedy breathed as she rushed over and wrapped her arms around my middle. “We would be so lost without you, we love you so much. Never leave us, Master.”

  “I will never leave you as long as you stay by my side for the rest of your lives.” I smiled as I moved my hands between each minion to caress their sweet faces lovingly.

  “I do not wish to think of a time where we are without our Master,” Morrigan stated as she slipped from the bed, put on one of her signature black dresses, and then donned her bright red coat.

  “The same for me, my loves,” I muttered softly with my eyes downcast. “I would be lost without all of you. I would’ve never been able to leave the dungeon if it wasn’t for you four, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”

  With that, we readied ourselves for the day. By the time we had gotten up and all dressed, it was midmorning, and the sun was high in the sky against blindingly white clouds. My minions and I left our room and headed downstairs for breakfast. In the hall, we were met by Shida and Popī as they headed down too. Both of the Kanashimi natives were bundled in heavy coats, and despite the warmth inside the Purple Conch, their cheeks and noses were rosy from the cold. Popī raced forward and grabbed onto Annalise’s forearm happily, and the High Queen smiled down at the teenager.

  “What are you guys up to today?” the dark-haired teenager asked through a broad smile, and my wife thought for a moment.

  “Well, breakfast first, then I believe the people of Eifersucht are throwing something like a party for Master later in the day,” the swordswoman told the young girl as Popī nodded along with every word.

  “I wish you weren’t leaving so soon,” the adolescent whined, and Shida gave her a warning look over his shoulder as we made our way down the stairs and into the main room of the Purple Conch.

  “Me too.” The petite alchemist sighed as she patted Popī on the shoulder. “But the fight against Tintagal is just on the horizon, and we need to get over there and beat their butts as soon as possible.”

  “Will Tintagal be added to Tamarisch just as Machstein was?” Shida asked directly to me.

  “Yes, Tintagal has been a lone nation for too long,” I told him in a firm voice as Shida listened intently. “Baudouin must be taken down, and Tintagal added to the great nation of Tamarisch. Though they are separated by the Riese, they will become one under our rule.”

  “Will it be an easy task?” the regent inquired. “Baudouin came to Machstein a few times and tried to convince our people to become part of his nation. Though we were sovereign and relied only on ourselves, you saw the greed of Akuno for yourself. He was tempted by Baudouin and the money and power that came with him. I would like to say this for myself and for the people of Kanashimi, we are glad he is dead and cannot sour of minds or beliefs anymore.”

  “I wouldn’t call it easy,” the High Queen interjected as we found a table and sat down around it. “It will be like all other deities and tyrants we’ve taken down in the past. There will be challenges, but like all the others, we will overcome them and Tintagal will be under my and my husband’s rule.”

  Our server came over, and we quieted down for a moment as we ordered our breakfast. Annalise’s eyes widened as Popī ordered the same amount of food as Carmedy. Shida didn’t even blink an eye at his daughter’s food habits and ordered himself a breakfast plate that included eggs, bacon, and some type of baked good I had never heard of before. We talked for the few passing minutes that it took for our food to be prepared. Popī and my petite feline’s food took three trays to bring out, and the two small women tucked it all in. I watched with amusement as both the teenager and my minion scarfed all of the food into their bellies. The rest of my minions ate more slowly, and once we were done, Shida asked more questions about Tintagal that I couldn’t answer.

  I only knew what had been told to me by Annalise and a few others. Tintagal, like Tamarisch, was a cold climate land under the control of a man named Baudouin. Tintagal’s leader was a cruel man from what I had heard, and he hadn’t taken kindly to Annalise running away from their arranged marriage. From what Morrigan had learned from the Rusalka, he was also an abuser and a murderer.

  He had to be killed.

  Not only did I want to murder the man who had almost married my first wife, but I wanted to exact revenge for the spirits left in the water from his heinous acts. I didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened if my High Queen had stayed and married him. She too probably would have ended up in the water as her filmy spirit attacked passing sailors.

  The day passed quickly as we explored Eifersucht with Shida and his family. It was a lovely town, and the people, no longer plagued by the Liebe’s love spells, were kind and grateful to us. My minions enjoyed the city as the civilians set up for the grand feast in my honor. Just like Kanashimi, they accepted me as their leader and were joyful to be a part of the greater land of Tamarisch. Without the control of a larger country, Machstein was susceptible to invaders from any enemy country. With Tamarisch protecting them, the island of Machstein could no longer live in fear, and the trade route that I had set up with the help of Kalon and Makar was well on its way to being set into motion.

  The people of Eifersucht were excited to be able to trade their goods and receive more than just what the island provided to them. With Valasara on our side, they would be able to obtain many types of produce and products from faraway lands. My plans were working out beautifully, and once the entire earth was under my control, and the heavens were torn to pieces, the people who worshipped me and lived by my reign would be fruitful and succeed by my hand.

  Those who didn’t bend to my will or turned their backs to me would be scourged and destroyed from existence. The world was mine for the taking, and as all those I blessed with my presence knew, I would be the one and only god left standing in the end.

  Once all nations were under my control, I would take to the heavens and rip it down from its heels. I would seek my revenge on those who shunned and cast me down from my rightful place. The other deities had given me a name when I had fallen as they had with all others and when I rose back up, they would see me for what I was, the god of death and destruction.

  Evening fell upon us like a heavy blanket, and the citizens of Eifersucht led us to the grand feast. It was a lovely evening despite the frigid temperature and the town square where they brought us was surrounded by large fires in cast iron pits. A large table with five high-back chairs was set front and center for all to see. And beyond that were twenty long tables with benches for the citizens and their families to sit. Yuri, who had taken it upon herself to set up the whole feast, was directing people to their tables. The dark-haired woman smiled widely at us as we came into view and she hurried over. Yuri was a small woman, much smaller after her pregnancy, and she wrapped each of us in a tight hug that was surprising from her short stature.

  “Come this way,” Yuri urged our group forward toward the center table and gestured for all of us to sit. The little woman grabbed my gloved hand in hers and brought me over to the largest chair. “This one is for you, Master. Isn’t it beautiful? The woodworkers made it especially for you.”

  It was a masterfully made chair, and when
I sat down in it, I was much higher up than all of my minions. My women smiled to me as they took their seats, Annalise on my left and Morrigan on my right. It didn’t matter which of my minions sat next to me, but according to Eifersucht tradition, men with multiple wives sat between them and the women he was unmarried to sat beside the wives. This information bothered me slightly because I loved Rana and Carmedy just as much as Annalise and Morrigan. It didn’t matter to me if we were legally married, they were still my women and lovers. I went along with it for the time being, but once we returned to Machstein and the city of Eifersucht, I would do away with the tradition.

  My elven woman glided into the seat beside me and moved her dark eyes over the crowd with disinterest. Nothing had changed since we married, I made love to her often as I did with my other minions, but I had noticed a change within the pale woman. Morrigan was an unemotional and cold person when we first met, but once I had made her my second wife, she had opened up to me and her sisters in a way I never thought possible. The High Elf was kinder and spoke in a softer voice, and I would often see her affectionately petting Carmedy’s sleek hair or giggling lightly to one of Rana’s jokes. There was no jealousy within my minions, the two single ones didn’t voice any complaints. If anything, they were happier for their sisters that I had married. They would all be my wives and eventually mothers in due time.

  The food was delicious, and every once in a while, one of the Eifersucht townsfolk would scurry forward and bow low to me. The citizens would thank me for all I had done for them, especially freeing them from the clutches of the Liebe who had control over their minds for a long time. Because of me, the residents were able to live their lives how they wanted without a jealous deity stepping in and forcing their hands.

  The only thing I wished for at this moment was that Haruhi was there to see what we had accomplished. The white-eared cat may not have lived on the island, but she visited often and would be relieved to see the people returned to normal. I found myself thinking about Haruhi more often than I realized and wanted to see her again once we were finished in Tintagal.