Ruinous Return

Fall passed and winter came for all of Ghomar. Lynhold was well supplied thanks to spells and mundane farming. The Empress used her spells to pull up rivers of lava to the surface to keep the Valley of the Volcano in a temperate climate, as the heights of the mountains crusted over with ice and snow. The mighty parapets that the new incarnation of the Destroyer had erected months prior were patrolled vigilantly, keeping a watchful eye on Valagonia. Military training continued, as did immigration of various groups into the capital of The Eternal Empire.

Chancellor Vehenna continued her work with the newly incorporated vassal kingdoms and territories, ensuring that the new strictures and support systems were being distributed across the Empire in a consistent, measured manner.

Under her offices, Diplomat Rashanna traveled to Vharthos and Raptol, bringing the race-specific cultures into the fold of the Empire. After returning to Lynhold for a month, she traveled to Khrelardia and represented Lyn\'s interests in that kingdom. All the while, keeping in contact with the Free City of Bashinol.

Stellas took control of the mage school with ease and poise, promoting some of her old-fellow classmates to teaching positions under her. Her mastery of Elenthir had grown immensely under the tutelage of Thomas. She had to occasionally visit him to ask questions of her own…but she was excelling in her new role. She had also acquired the genetic material necessary for her clone. Her, Thomas, Brad, and Lawrence all had customized \'empty shells\' given to Lyn to keep in one of her storage spell dimensions. They were all tattooed with the Elenthir verses required to recall the person – and Thomas had somehow acquired dungeon cores to implant within each of the waiting backup bodies. Aside from Thomas, each had elected to keep their original race. Stellas had splashed in some Ari genetic material to give her next iteration longevity, even more potent mana potential, and enhanced senses.

The Newen who were identified as having the genetic trait that enabled divination were put to work under Seer Dran, who assisted the burgeoning Empire by sending their sight across Ghomar to keep an eye on the going-ons in the vassalized regions. Through their abilities, Lyn was able to uncover a minor plot in Trisk to unseat King Skir and declare independence from The Eternal Empire. The ruler was notified, and following the new laws put in place, they were arrested, sent to Lynhold, and then subjected to an inscribed statue which Lyn had created. Their criminality was wiped away. Then, the malefactors were released back to their lives.

Under the guidance of Thane Mol, Steward of The Eternal Empire, the realm was well-cared for. New banks were being set up, coinage with the symbol of Empress Rivers\' emblem were being minted from the rare minerals she dredged up from the ground, and the groundwork for the transition away from the bankers of the Free City of Bashinol were being laid. Under his watchful eye, requests for supplies were dealt with in a timely method; especially given the harsh winter that was ravaging the cities north of The Rill in Trisk.

Antiquarian Menora set about her duties with diligence. She never even thought about Bhelarm, her father, even after he was subjected to the inscribed artifact that wiped away all his transgressions against Empress Rivers. She traveled Ghomar, reveling in the feeling of being away from home and outside of the Valley of the Volcano, finally able to explore and indulge in her wanderlust. She recovered several inscribed artifacts from the age of the Elenthians, bringing them back for analysis before they were utilized.

Marshal Remora drilled the troops relentlessly. With the assistance of Ben, the troops went through a daily regiment of mana circulation to increase mana core reserves. Ben insisted on combining various units of combatants and brought his brawlers in to train every combatant in hand-to-hand tactics in the event they were disarmed or lost their weapon on the battlefield. Remora was able to figure out writing and reading after several months of studying in her evenings. This enabled her to better coordinate battle plans, and she developed several ingenious tactics with the assistance of her Duskari Military Advisors.

Strike Commander Slanosh worked devotedly under Marshal Remora\'s command. Under his guiding insights, the Newen were further integrated into other units; and when the other races saw this level of interconnectedness in the armed forces, ceased any resistance to working alongside others not of their kind. Thanks to the Newen advisor, the military worked harmoniously despite the cultural and racial diversity.

Admiral Naila finished construction of the first ironside vessel and tested it on the lake in the center of Lynhold. The vessel was a work of art that could be propelled by an inscription, with a backup of a cycle-pedal system. The top of the vessel was flat with high walls that could swing out and down, planting themselves onto hostile ships. In addition, large tubes that were inscribed by Lyn would produce gouts of flame and lava. The Ari marines were extremely excited at the prospect of a vessel that ensured they could continue their boarding-style actions, whilst also being safe from the weaponry of other ships. Over the course of the seven months of downtime, the fleet grew to three ironside ships. Naila could not wait to see them used against Valagonia\'s navy, and spent many evenings with Empress Rivers, after their amorous activities, to discuss how best to go about destroying their foes.

Spymaster Velenna redistributed her spy network across Khrelardia with only a few agents remaining within Trisk. Her Valagonian spies were likewise repositioned. And not a moment too soon, as Valagonia cracked down on foreigners of any nationality save for theirs. A fervor had taken root, a prophesied ruler was on their throne, and they were whipped into fanaticism towards a war of purgation. Velenna kept a steady hand on the spy network and provided key, critical intelligence to the other members of Lyn\'s council to inform their own tasks.

Finala, the keeper of ravens, continued her duties training and using animalism spells on the ravens. Within a few months, she had successfully set up a postal network that spanned The Valley of the Volcano, Trisk, and Khrelardia. Her penultimate act of spellcraft was assisted by Lyn, and together they used animalism spells to transform a newly hatched group of ravens into enormous versions of the creature. They were able to transport much larger loads, but due to their size could only be housed in certain locations. Finala, nonetheless, was ecstatic about the possibilities of combining various animalistic traits into the newer generations of ravens, engineering new species for a variety of focused tasks.

Lionel was relatively new to Lynhold, and the idea of holing up for winter in the Valley of the Volcano was unnerving for Kory\'s Killers…but he learned of the immense power of Lyn Rivers, Empress and Destroyer, when she raised up lava to regulate temperatures. He knew he had picked the right side and approached Marshal Remora to try and ingratiate himself into the military command structure. To his pleasant surprise, he was not looked down on despite being Human, and the Marshal brought him in as an advisor for how to deal with other mercenaries that would doubtless be hired by the monarch of Valagonia. Kory was also a topic of discussion, as Lionel discussed the man\'s battle tactics at length. If the Berserker hero fought on the side of Valagonia, the military would be ready for his brutish tactics.

Shadowstalker Bolvon was dispatched to Khrelardia, and shadowed King James Marshal without his knowledge. In that capacity, he foiled several attempted assassinations, and the Khrelardian monarch was none the wiser. He would return once a month to spend time with his beloved Gael, being replaced for that short time by a Duskari squadron who protected the Khrelardian monarch. When he visited the Valley of the Volcano, his beloved would be given time off and they would enjoy the forests together. Hiking up to the peak of Shiverburn Summit, Lyn performed the ceremony he had requested. Life was perfect, and he served his goddess with unmatched fervor. Before the war was to begin in earnest, he was sent to Kor\'s Hold in Khrelardia, to safeguard King Marshal\'s family.

Gael spent most of his time guarding Lyn. There was not a real need for a bodyguard, but he enjoyed her company. The two grew closer in the quiet moments when she could let the Empress persona lapse a little and be more authentic with him. Of course, the sexual repasts were excellent, and he enjoyed his time with her thoroughly…but he felt restless. Yes, he had a cushy job compared to others, but on several occasions, he would ask for and be granted permission to train with the army and the Duskari squadrons. The time with the military gave him a renewed sense of purpose, and he was given much deference due to his status as the Empress\' personal bodyguard.

Vael, too, spent much of her time guarding Lyn. She shared her bed more and more frequently as the seasons turned colder, and whilst she did not feel any romantic connection towards the Empress, she did feel a deep sense of devotion. This woman was keeping true to her word of making Ghomar a place under her vision of perfection. Vael was content to just be the bed companion and confidant, and the trust Lyn placed in her was held tightly. She was named as the leader of the Empress\' Guard and scouted the armed forces for several skilled individuals to serve as bodyguards to the various councilors and their assistants.

Lawrence stepped up to the duties of Seneschal and Architect with ease. He was always a builder, having received several sets of plastic block toys back on Earth that he cherished even after his family split apart. That, combined with his love for city management simulation games made for an amazing combination. Lynhold grew and expanded under his direction and guidance. The fortress that stood at the center of the half-wheel shape was added on to with Lyn\'s assistance, creating whole new wings until the entire building surrounded the base of Shiverburn Summit. Once that was done, the capital continued to add to its urban sprawl. Lawrence felt quite satisfied for the first time since finding his Zen in isolation. He was effectively the mayor and city planner…and felt richly fulfilled. He frequently gave dragon-back flights to the children of the various families within Lynhold, and his public enrichment projects were a huge success, as artistry of all types bloomed throughout the city.

Thomas continued his work developing the schooling system that The Eternal Empire would use. Consulting with Lyn over many, many meetings, he fully developed a curriculum that would be duplicated with transmutation spells and sent out into their vassal territories. He also created a series of school facilities within Lynhold using his dungeon core and earth elementalism spells. His duties did not stop there, and he would often find himself working himself ragged writing a complete set of laws and codices with Lyn, burning the midnight oil as they both exhausted themselves. But…the work was worth the misery, as by the dead of winter, the full set of laws was established and in the process of being distributed to the vassalized kingdoms. Thomas felt a serenity wash over him, knowing that due to his works, he was laying the foundation for every child\'s education, and equal treatment for every person on Ghomar.

Trisha continued her work at the hospital and instructed new healers and medics. At her insistence, every Duskari squadron cycled through a series of trainings to learn how to efficiently heal with both mundane methods and magical. And, of course, she focused on her duties as a mother. The infantized Misty was a silent, wide-eyed child and seemed to get along well enough with her new sister, Ginavieve. The older children celebrated their birthdays as the ice began to melt atop the walls of the valley. Life was perfect, save for the impending war on the horizon. But she had no worry about that shadow that loomed in the future, as she felt safe and secure in the heavily fortified Valley.

Ben took up his duties with gusto and spent half the day with his family, and half of the day helping Marshal Remora train the troops. His best boxers had taken over the job of training new recruits, and Lyn had asked that the brawlers be transformed into a policing force to ensure civil order in Lynhold. Ben liked the idea, and many of the brawlers he had been training up appreciated the newfound trust they were being asked to take up. Ben became sort of a captain of the guard in conjunction with his military advising duties, but he always ensured to spend every morning and evening with his family. Life was pleasant and his natural protective nature lent itself well to his duties.

Brad continued to develop medical pharmaceuticals. By the time the dead of winter set in, he had produced recreations of every type of medicine Trisha could think of. Not only that, but he had developed a variety of combat stimulants in a gum form, that could be given out to the troops. None of them were addictive, and all were potent enhancements for a battlefield. In addition to that, he was able to pursue some passion projects, such as a drug that allowed him to shed his excess weight, and another one that enabled hair regrowth. He knew he did not have to take his talents to the battlefield…but he wanted revenge against Cecily and all she did to him. And so, he worked in secret developing many more potent combat stimulants that would enable him to resist Cecily\'s mental influence and get his revenge with his own two hands.

Zebed traveled to and from Khrelardia, Trisk, and the Valley of the Volcano, continuing to perform the duties as required by his merchant family. However, he received an unexpected visit one night as he sat on the balcony of his family estate. The weather had just taken a turn for the cooler, and winter was beginning to set in. A flash of blue light flared in front of his eyes, and then Lyn Rivers was standing in front of him with an angered expression. He spoke in Khrelardian, "Ah, Empress Rivers. To what do I ow-"

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She crossed her arms and the voice that came out was the guttural growl of her draconic side, "I know what you\'ve been doing. Criminals and undesirables? What happened to those seeking a fresh start?"

He smiled and gestured to the seat next to him, "Please, sit. Would you like a drink?"

The Empress shook her head, but turned around and placed her clawed hands on the rails, staring out over the glittering sea as the sun set towards the horizon. "Those murders and rapists you have been sending are being…fixed." Her voice was once more the cute, girlish tone.

"Oh?" Zebed said as he stood up, taking his drink to the railing alongside Lyn. "Do tell."

"They\'re being fixed," she stated again as she turned her head to him. He could see the flames licking behind her eyes, some ancient power reflected through those orbs. "You have no doubt heard that Khrelardia and Trisk have both bent the knee. All the duchies fell in line as well. Vharthos, Raptol, Fosk, Ari from the Arin Isle, the surviving Sloren from the Slor Mountains…all serve me." She turned her body to him and reached into an extradimensional storage space adjacent to her, tossing him something.

He caught it and held it up. "A silver coin?"

"Platinum."

"Ah, fascinating metal." He saw the valuation printed on the back and turned it over to see the emblem of The Eternal Empire. "But these are not our coins. As you\'re well aware, the Free City of Bashinol, the merchant families, and the banking ones control the minting of coins across Ghomar."

"I will rule all of Ghomar," she stated bluntly. "I have already begun the processes for my own banking system and mint that is centered in Lynhold."

Zebed nodded as he flipped the coin, "That does pose some problems. The merchant families will not like it."

Lyn hopped atop the rail, gripping it with her feet-like claws. Raising her hand, she began a lengthy series of verses in Elenthir. Zebed looked behind himself to the manse and made eye contact with one of his household guards. He utilized secret sign language, concealing his hand. The guard mana-charged his weapon and stood at the ready.

In the bay below the Free City, where all their merchant vessels were moored when not in use, the entire expanse froze over. Just from looking at it Zebed knew it was several feet thick; a deep, dark blue. The blast of cold air that surged up to him chilled him, and he looked up at the Empress, "Impressive display of power."

"It\'s a long-term spell," she stated. "Several months unless I reverse it."

Zebed felt fear wash over him. They would not be able to import crops or export products. It meant death for a good portion of the city\'s population. "You…you\'re a harsh negotiator, you know that?"

She looked back to Zebed. "You will convince the other merchant families to bend the knee, and then my Chancellor will reach out with our plan to swap to my Empire\'s currency." She smiled softly, "I did the display here to simply show you that I am not to be trifled with. I desire a peaceful transition of economic power…but make no mistakes; The Eternal Empire will moderate currency across Ghomar. If you don\'t like it…then I will freeze this entire island. I will bring ruin to you and your house."

Zebed nodded as the weight of the statements sank in. He knew that he would not be able to oppose this woman, as she had already vassalized two out of the three major trading partners of his merchant family. But she was also giving him an amazing opportunity. He read between the lines of her speech. She intends to have me serve as the ruler of the Free City of Bashinol, he thought. He bowed, "I will convey your request to the families. I am ever the faithful servant."

He could tell from her slight smile that he had read her intent exactly. "Excellent." She reached into the storage dimension once more and handed him a small, silver mirror with inscriptions around the outside. "Use this to contact me when you have them convinced…or if not, I will come here and personally see to those great houses\' removal. Serve me well and implement my policies and laws…and we will share in a prosperous future." She looked North and rapidly incanted a spell under her breath before vanishing in a flicker of blue light.

Zebed finished his drink and threw the gold cup over the balcony to the streets below. Turning to the manse, he made his way inside. I\'m not going to waste the chance to move the Shedai family to the top of the ladder.

Khrelardia went through a period of minor upheaval over the fall and winter. James had little problem convincing the duchies of Pictal, Sonash, Boles, and Faron that his decision to bend the knee to Empress Rivers was wise. This was primarily due to them being able to see the intricate, elaborate spells that had changed the very landscape as the mountains surrounding the Valley of the Volcano were shifted, and the whole of the Flontar River was fortified.

The remaining duchies of Glaurin and Firol were being more obstinate, but a quick call to Lyn, and her visiting the dukes in turn quickly caused them to agree and return to obeisance once more. This enabled James to ensure the kingdom was well supplied and could begin the lengthy process of preparing for war.

Acquiring food was not difficult, as Sonash and Pictal had rich, bountiful harvests. James found himself primarily focused on matters of war, spending many long hours in the conference room with his commanders. Supply trains were being established, the routes the various levies and trained forces would take were being determined, and the staging grounds were being identified and prepared. Training was ever constant with the professional troops.

The bridges between Khrelardia and Valagonia had been demolished by the hostile nation, and so they would marshal their forces in Faron, which had a ford that could be crossed with relative ease. The entire war would boil down to a few key, large battles. James knew he would have to be on the front lines with his men; the morale boost from seeing the Paragon hero and their monarch amongst their ranks was something he could not give up. And so, he spent several hours training up his mana core by using the circulation exercise he learned years ago.

Lyn\'s present arrived shortly after her first visit, and James had been practicing extensively with it. The weapon was an artifact named Brightguard. Not only was it made of very, very rare material, but the letter that came with the item explained the inscription; the blade could fight on its own alongside the wielder. It also had a secret inscription on the pommel…and for the first time in his life he experienced the joy of flight on his own as he utilized the shifting spell within to become a dragon.

He spent his days training, planning, ruling, and raising his boys. And throughout those seven grueling months, Maria never left his side. His emotional rock. His beloved. The most important person in the world to him. Giving up the Paragon core gave him a sense of clarity once more, and he realized how much the hero core had been changing him. He felt like himself once more; the bright-eyed and high-spirited lover of fantasy given a fresh perspective of the world he fell in love with.

Vinic returned to Valagonia and received his reward for the Ari ears. He was granted a higher command for his initiative and began training up troops alongside the other commanders. During this time, he learned more and more about the foes that hemmed in Valagonia on all sides. Trisk had bent the knee to this Destroyer within the Valley of the Volcano. Khrelardia was preparing just across the Azure Divide for their impending conflict. He knew that the impending conflict was going to test his mana to its limits…but the morale among the troops was high. They were being led by a prophesied ruler, after all. One who would kill off all the non-Humans and bring a golden age of prosperity to Valagonia…to the whole world. He was to repeat his success with Trisk, but instead of going into that kingdom…he would go into Khrelardia and wreak havoc.

Sigurd continued her command, but on the orders of Princess Cecily, was given a new commission. She was to train up a force that would take boats from Sidalon, on the southern edge of Valagonia, all the way around The Teardrop Isles, and attack Kor\'s Hold directly. An audacious plan, but the prophesied ruler who would lead them to victory assured Sigurd, personally, that this plan would lead to the best outcome possible. None would expect a strike in the heart of their lands whilst at war on the borders. Her orders were to kill the king\'s wife and children. Princess Cecily wanted the man to suffer for some reason. Sigurd knew that her ruler had made a hard decision, and though the discomfort of her upcoming mission unsettled her…she knew she was doing the right thing. How could the prophesied ruler be wrong?

Kory scratched his prosthetic leg. The mana channels were well-established, but he knew he must have forgotten one of the spells Trisha was going to use on him. It was a constant reminder of his failure. Something that would never happen again.

These seven months of training had turned the group he had taken into the most hardcore, ruthless bastards in Valagonia\'s military. They practically worshipped Cecily, treating her as a near-goddess. Kory knew that was bullshit.

But that didn\'t matter in the long run. Their blind fanaticism would serve him well on the battlefield. He knew that this war was going to be bloody and violent. And he would be on the front lines, in the vanguard. An unstoppable machine that would carve a bloody canyon into Khrelardia\'s army.

And…with any luck…he would face off against James and see the life leave his eyes. That fantasy nerd had lucked out with his Paragon core, and Kory still had not forgiven him for defeating him. The score had to be evened out. Kory wasn\'t a loser – he was a winner. And he would win every battle, every war, every conflict where he could bring his power to bear.

However, there was one concern he had, and he stared off to the North. This person claiming to be the Destroyer. He\'d heard the rumors going about – she raised an entire wall along The Rill, changed the fucking mountains around the Valley of the Volcano into walls, and even forced Trisk to bend the knee. The thought of facing that draconic foe terrified him. He knew he was no match.

Maybe, though, just maybe…Cecily was.

Cecily stewed in hatred as she sat upon her chair in the council chambers. The fall and winter had not brought any good news about the expedition to the Ruins of Elent. That\'s all I need, she thought. I have the vessel to transfer my mana core and consciousness…but I need the spell. As she went through her usual routine of making decisions and appointing individuals to tasks, she accepted a report from her spymaster.

She read it and snapped her eyes on the woman. "What?"

"It is stated there, Your Highness—"

Cecily threw the letter on the ground and gripped the table in front of her, feeling the mana surging through her as the anger boiled up inside her. "Who is responsible?!"

The woman shook her head. "It is not known, Your Highness. But the capital will soon be in the throes of it."

Cecily growled and stared at the table. The spell she had performed months ago worked perfectly, and the people saw her as the prophesied ruler. But this…virus that was ripping through the tanner\'s quarter of the capital was causing hallucinations that disrupted that memory alteration. It was spreading quickly, and drastic action would need to be taken to prevent the spread further. "Seal off that section of the city. Quarantine it fully. Execute everyone afflicted."

"Your will be done." The spymaster bowed. "One more piece of bad news, I am afraid. One of our expeditions returned from the Ruins of Elent…and found the place completely empty. Someone got there first."

Cecily slammed the table, and it cracked in half from the force of her blow. "Damnit!" she screamed. "Fuck!"

"But…we have some good news. The Mage hero has moved her school to the Valley of the Volcano. Apparently, she has chosen to side with whomever this Destroyer is."

Cecily stood up and straightened her dress. "That is not good news! War is coming soon. The time is almost upon us. I want to have my insurance policy in place before the conflict begins."

"I will do my best, Your Highness. With the mage hero\'s school closer, we have a chance to perhaps…poach a student who is unhappy with their new residence."

Cecily walked back to her chambers and closed the door. She had a secret backup plan if the worst came to worst. She had forced Thomas to inscribe a spell, in the years she had him as a thrall. A spell that would enable her to flee back to Earth. It was tattooed on her skin and was her final insurance policy. She did not know if she would even have a mana core or mana once she returned. But she would not die here. If worst came to worst…she would flee back to her full-ride scholarship life.

She kicked her servants out and sealed the servant entrances hidden in the walls. Standing in front of the mirror, she disrobed and looked at her nude form. Every defensive body enhancement had been performed on her, thanks to her enslavement of Brad, and the slight prismatic sheen brought a smile to her face. She went to the dresser and pulled out something she had not used in a long, long time. A dagger given to her by the statue of Aelor when she obtained her Ruler core. With this, my enhancements, and my mana reservoir…I can defeat that Destroyer.

Cecily did not have earth as a spell type; otherwise, she would have performed similar feats of fortification to her kingdom. But she had the one that mattered the most to her – mind. She knew that if she laid eyes on this Destroyer…she could utterly thrall them to her will. She had no need to break down and erode defenses anymore. Whoever it is – Lyn, Raevan reborn, the Demonic Dragon revived…they will serve. Or, they die.

All would serve.

Lyn looked out from the top of Shiverburn Summit. Seven months had passed exceptionally quickly, and her Empire was well on its way to a glorious future. In the time between the fall and the spring, she had traveled to her vassals and when needed, their underlings. This sated her desire to travel imbued by the Scout core, which still for some reason had a strong pull on her. The other hero cores were not subjecting her to any side-effects. Yet.

The only reason she could come up with was that the Scout core was affecting her so harshly because it had been with her for so long. Almost six years – not counting the time skip where the world advanced and she was gone. The Destroyer core was stronger…but it made her fear for the future. What would happen when the years passed onward? The other cores would doubtless show their negative personality-altering effects.

Many, many nights, she had worried over that question. And now, at the top of the world, the highest point on Ghomar, as she stared out across the world that would serve her, she knew that she had to acquire every hero core to prevent herself from falling into madness wrought by overlapping personality-altering effects. The bring them all together. \'Until all are combined.\'

It would mean the forceful removal or swapping of hero cores from her allies. Convincing the living heroes in her Empire – Ben, Brad, Lawrence, and Trisha – would be difficult. But she would not be able to wait for them to be on their deathbeds as they had initially discussed months ago. She had enough dungeon cores stored, gifts from Thomas, that she could easily switch out their cores. But how easily would they give up their chance to return to Earth upon death?

First, Lyn knew she had to conquer the dungeons and free the remaining heroes trapped inside their mana cores. The Warder, Binder, and Oracle cores were still out there. She was able to travel to any dungeon on the map her bracer showed her and would make that her priority.

Then, the war between Khrelardia and Valagonia. The forces were on the march, and staging had begun.

A world war was about to begin. And she had work to do to not only save her old classmates, but to lay the foundation for ruling the world.

All would serve.

Those that did not would be destroyed.