Chapter 43
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***Viram***
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Viram closed the lid on the jewelry box and set it back down on the pile of spoils his other clone had just brought back. He looked down the road, ignoring all the prisoners his second clone and some of his other forces had caught and lined up along the walls. The prisoners were nothing more than livestock now, good for selling to the empire. The stronger ones among them would be counted as targets of opportunity which he was ordered to capture along the way and would be taken off his hands regardless. At least he was guaranteed a decent reward for turning them over.
He would have liked to eat a few of them to recoup some of his power but the more he ascended the ranks, the more freedom he'd have in the empire. In contrast, he knew what happened to mercenary captains that decided to leave the empire's service. At best they would become livestock the same as any other enemy. Viram already had far more freedom than when he served his first master, but more was always welcome. He smiled at the music of the agonized cries the damaged livestock made as their wounds were cauterized.
He could sense his weakened clone getting closer, it would appear from a side street further down the road. Viram decided that it would be best to meet his damaged clone in private. It wouldn't do for his subordinates to see his likeness in a sorry, wounded state. He couldn't abide anything that made him look weak, especially in front of his troops. He moved far enough down the street that the heavy rain would conceal his activities from the rest of his forces.
...
Viram's clone clung to the stump where the dragon's wing used to be as his mount swam across the deep flood waters and tromped through the streets and alleys. He was very close to death, it was all he could do to hold on. He was barely keeping his heavy eyes open when the dragon left the alley.
"What a sorry state," Viram said, the disgust and fury in his voice rising. "Keep guard. Don't let anyone near enough to see this." He told his more successful clone.
The dragon limped the last few steps to Viram and collapsed. Viram's anger burned hotter, seeing his favorite mount in such a state. His nearly dead clone slid down the dragon and crumpled on the street. There wasn't much ichor leaking out of his wounds anymore. The clone's head moved so it could see Viram. Its mouth moved but no sound came out.
Viram sneered down at the disgusting thing before him. "I don't remember ever making such a worthless creature. What words could such a pitiful thing expect me to want to hear?"
Viram crouched next to the dragon, his defeated clone choked and vomited out more dark ichor. It struggled to draw in enough breath to speak. "Take, me, back."
The pavement under Viram's feet began to melt. "Why would I ever want to taint myself with such a disappointing failure?" He grabbed his clone's head and pried open its skull. He picked out its brain and infused it with power to read its memory. This interrogation method was less direct than simply reabsorbing the clone into his body, but it still worked. The dragon next to him trembled and didn't dare to watch.
Viram saw what had happened. His clone had encountered some powerful enemies, but that was no excuse for its failure. Viram smiled, there was a good chance the enemy forces would soon present themselves before him and become even more livestock. He incinerated his clone's remains and sucked up the ashes to reclaim any dregs of power they still contained before he turned and started back up the street.
The dragon tried to follow but stumbled and crashed to the ground with a whimper. Viram stopped and looked back with disappointed eyes. "Are you no longer fit for battle?"
The dragon made eye contact as Viram walked back to it. It knew what was coming but it didn't have any strength left. It growled as its master got closer. Viram extended a blade of flame from his hand and decapitated the crippled beast. Then he began eating it, sucking up all the power from the carcass. His remaining clone joined him and feasted.
After they ate their fill, Viram reabsorbed his clone and incinerated the dragon's remains so he could suck up its ashes and last bits of power too. He returned to his spoils of war and summoned one of the other dragons to have it roar a signal for the rest of his dispersed forces to gather and prepare for battle. He would stay right where he was and let the enemy trouble themselves with a long walk while he packed up his new treasures.
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***Alex***
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****
["Ahem, she may be pretty but you have a job to do."] Angel Chided.
Alex kept glancing at Haruka while he practiced moving his energy around. He was really tempted to walk over so he could see the grass townscape she was weaving together but he'd been getting a good view of her backside as she worked and didn't have faith in the loincloth he was wearing. The waterfall that healed him also repaired his loincloth. It's too bad it didn't give him more clothes. He could tough it out when there were other scantily dressed men around, but he was alone with Haruka.
Angel *Hmmfed* when Alex ignored her. He was treating her as some kind of accessory in his brain, but now was not the time for her to take any unnecessary actions. She waited patiently as Alex kept directing his perverted eyes at the base of Haruka's tail and other places.
Haruka suddenly looked back and caught Alex staring. Alex reflexively looked away for an instant but his instincts told him to play it off as interest in what she was doing, so he looked back at her right away.
"That's really awesome looking. What you're working on." Alex laughed and lightly smiled, "I've never seen anything like it before."
Haruka grinned and stood up facing sideways to both Alex and her creation. She looked down at her little town and back over to Alex. "Come over and get a better look then."
[Oh, crap.] A drop of sweat rolled down Alex's neck.
["Hahaha! You're in trouble now~"] Angel was well aware of the loincloth's current inadequacy.
"What's wrong?" Haruka noticed Alex looking nervous and started walking over. "Are you feeling alright? I know this training can get pretty boring." Haruka jumped the few final feet over to Alex which exacerbated Alex's condition as her softer parts bounced and jiggled from the landing.
"Ah! I'm fine! Really." Alex leaned forward placing his hands between his knees on the edge of the stone seat. His arms were in such an awkward position that it was only too obvious that he was trying to hide something.
Haruka gave him an askance look as her eyes wandered over his body. "If you're sure."
"Ah!" Alex straightened up with a look of hope shining in his eyes because Lucius had just returned with food.
Lucius took in the scene in front of him. "What are you two doing?" Without looking away, he placed the basket and sack full of food on a stone table that gently rose from the ground next to him.
"Alex was acting weird so I came over to see what was wrong, but then he started acting even weirder."
Lucius saw Alex's face turn bright red and chuckled.
Haruka looked at what was making Lucius laugh but was only more confused by what she saw. "He looks like he's in pain. Could it be some kind of backlash Lucius?" Her brows furrowed in worry.
Lucius had to clench his teeth and stiffen his lips to keep from laughing harder. It took him a moment of eternity, as Alex glared at him, to regain control enough to talk. "I'm sure he's fine. In fact, I'm now sure I was right to have you help me with his training." He swiped his hand down his face to banish the humor that was still struggling to run free and gestured at the food. "Enough of this though. Let's eat." He said with a grin.
Alex waited until Haruka's back was turned before he stood up and followed her to the table. He faced away from her as he sat down and then rotated to face the food. The table proved to be better protection for his dignity than his defeated loincloth.
Lucius unpacked wine, cheese, some meat, and a bowl of olives from the basket. Then dumped out sliced bread rolls and various vegetables from the sack. He used a knife to slice up the cheese and cut some of the olives and passed them around before preparing the other food. Fine crystal goblets rose from the stone table to hold the poured wine. Lucius and Alex made sandwiches with their portions while Haruka ate everything one at a time.
A very light rain fell from the sky as they chowed down.
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****
**
***Viram***
**
****
Viram closed the lid on the jewelry box and set it back down on the pile of spoils his other clone had just brought back. He looked down the road, ignoring all the prisoners his second clone and some of his other forces had caught and lined up along the walls. The prisoners were nothing more than livestock now, good for selling to the empire. The stronger ones among them would be counted as targets of opportunity which he was ordered to capture along the way and would be taken off his hands regardless. At least he was guaranteed a decent reward for turning them over.
He would have liked to eat a few of them to recoup some of his power but the more he ascended the ranks, the more freedom he'd have in the empire. In contrast, he knew what happened to mercenary captains that decided to leave the empire's service. At best they would become livestock the same as any other enemy. Viram already had far more freedom than when he served his first master, but more was always welcome. He smiled at the music of the agonized cries the damaged livestock made as their wounds were cauterized.
He could sense his weakened clone getting closer, it would appear from a side street further down the road. Viram decided that it would be best to meet his damaged clone in private. It wouldn't do for his subordinates to see his likeness in a sorry, wounded state. He couldn't abide anything that made him look weak, especially in front of his troops. He moved far enough down the street that the heavy rain would conceal his activities from the rest of his forces.
...
Viram's clone clung to the stump where the dragon's wing used to be as his mount swam across the deep flood waters and tromped through the streets and alleys. He was very close to death, it was all he could do to hold on. He was barely keeping his heavy eyes open when the dragon left the alley.
"What a sorry state," Viram said, the disgust and fury in his voice rising. "Keep guard. Don't let anyone near enough to see this." He told his more successful clone.
The dragon limped the last few steps to Viram and collapsed. Viram's anger burned hotter, seeing his favorite mount in such a state. His nearly dead clone slid down the dragon and crumpled on the street. There wasn't much ichor leaking out of his wounds anymore. The clone's head moved so it could see Viram. Its mouth moved but no sound came out.
Viram sneered down at the disgusting thing before him. "I don't remember ever making such a worthless creature. What words could such a pitiful thing expect me to want to hear?"
Viram crouched next to the dragon, his defeated clone choked and vomited out more dark ichor. It struggled to draw in enough breath to speak. "Take, me, back."
The pavement under Viram's feet began to melt. "Why would I ever want to taint myself with such a disappointing failure?" He grabbed his clone's head and pried open its skull. He picked out its brain and infused it with power to read its memory. This interrogation method was less direct than simply reabsorbing the clone into his body, but it still worked. The dragon next to him trembled and didn't dare to watch.
Viram saw what had happened. His clone had encountered some powerful enemies, but that was no excuse for its failure. Viram smiled, there was a good chance the enemy forces would soon present themselves before him and become even more livestock. He incinerated his clone's remains and sucked up the ashes to reclaim any dregs of power they still contained before he turned and started back up the street.
The dragon tried to follow but stumbled and crashed to the ground with a whimper. Viram stopped and looked back with disappointed eyes. "Are you no longer fit for battle?"
The dragon made eye contact as Viram walked back to it. It knew what was coming but it didn't have any strength left. It growled as its master got closer. Viram extended a blade of flame from his hand and decapitated the crippled beast. Then he began eating it, sucking up all the power from the carcass. His remaining clone joined him and feasted.
After they ate their fill, Viram reabsorbed his clone and incinerated the dragon's remains so he could suck up its ashes and last bits of power too. He returned to his spoils of war and summoned one of the other dragons to have it roar a signal for the rest of his dispersed forces to gather and prepare for battle. He would stay right where he was and let the enemy trouble themselves with a long walk while he packed up his new treasures.
****
**
***Alex***
**
****
["Ahem, she may be pretty but you have a job to do."] Angel Chided.
Alex kept glancing at Haruka while he practiced moving his energy around. He was really tempted to walk over so he could see the grass townscape she was weaving together but he'd been getting a good view of her backside as she worked and didn't have faith in the loincloth he was wearing. The waterfall that healed him also repaired his loincloth. It's too bad it didn't give him more clothes. He could tough it out when there were other scantily dressed men around, but he was alone with Haruka.
Angel *Hmmfed* when Alex ignored her. He was treating her as some kind of accessory in his brain, but now was not the time for her to take any unnecessary actions. She waited patiently as Alex kept directing his perverted eyes at the base of Haruka's tail and other places.
Haruka suddenly looked back and caught Alex staring. Alex reflexively looked away for an instant but his instincts told him to play it off as interest in what she was doing, so he looked back at her right away.
"That's really awesome looking. What you're working on." Alex laughed and lightly smiled, "I've never seen anything like it before."
Haruka grinned and stood up facing sideways to both Alex and her creation. She looked down at her little town and back over to Alex. "Come over and get a better look then."
[Oh, crap.] A drop of sweat rolled down Alex's neck.
["Hahaha! You're in trouble now~"] Angel was well aware of the loincloth's current inadequacy.
"What's wrong?" Haruka noticed Alex looking nervous and started walking over. "Are you feeling alright? I know this training can get pretty boring." Haruka jumped the few final feet over to Alex which exacerbated Alex's condition as her softer parts bounced and jiggled from the landing.
"Ah! I'm fine! Really." Alex leaned forward placing his hands between his knees on the edge of the stone seat. His arms were in such an awkward position that it was only too obvious that he was trying to hide something.
Haruka gave him an askance look as her eyes wandered over his body. "If you're sure."
"Ah!" Alex straightened up with a look of hope shining in his eyes because Lucius had just returned with food.
Lucius took in the scene in front of him. "What are you two doing?" Without looking away, he placed the basket and sack full of food on a stone table that gently rose from the ground next to him.
"Alex was acting weird so I came over to see what was wrong, but then he started acting even weirder."
Lucius saw Alex's face turn bright red and chuckled.
Haruka looked at what was making Lucius laugh but was only more confused by what she saw. "He looks like he's in pain. Could it be some kind of backlash Lucius?" Her brows furrowed in worry.
Lucius had to clench his teeth and stiffen his lips to keep from laughing harder. It took him a moment of eternity, as Alex glared at him, to regain control enough to talk. "I'm sure he's fine. In fact, I'm now sure I was right to have you help me with his training." He swiped his hand down his face to banish the humor that was still struggling to run free and gestured at the food. "Enough of this though. Let's eat." He said with a grin.
Alex waited until Haruka's back was turned before he stood up and followed her to the table. He faced away from her as he sat down and then rotated to face the food. The table proved to be better protection for his dignity than his defeated loincloth.
Lucius unpacked wine, cheese, some meat, and a bowl of olives from the basket. Then dumped out sliced bread rolls and various vegetables from the sack. He used a knife to slice up the cheese and cut some of the olives and passed them around before preparing the other food. Fine crystal goblets rose from the stone table to hold the poured wine. Lucius and Alex made sandwiches with their portions while Haruka ate everything one at a time.
A very light rain fell from the sky as they chowed down.
*********Viram*********Viram closed the lid on the jewelry box and set it back down on the pile of spoils his other clone had just brought back. He looked down the road, ignoring all the prisoners his second clone and some of his other forces had caught and lined up along the walls. The prisoners were nothing more than livestock now, good for selling to the empire. The stronger ones among them would be counted as targets of opportunity which he was ordered to capture along the way and would be taken off his hands regardless. At least he was guaranteed a decent reward for turning them over.He would have liked to eat a few of them to recoup some of his power but the more he ascended the ranks, the more freedom he'd have in the empire. In contrast, he knew what happened to mercenary captains that decided to leave the empire's service. At best they would become livestock the same as any other enemy. Viram already had far more freedom than when he served his first master, but more was always welcome. He smiled at the music of the agonized cries the damaged livestock made as their wounds were cauterized.He could sense his weakened clone getting closer, it would appear from a side street further down the road. Viram decided that it would be best to meet his damaged clone in private. It wouldn't do for his subordinates to see his likeness in a sorry, wounded state. He couldn't abide anything that made him look weak, especially in front of his troops. He moved far enough down the street that the heavy rain would conceal his activities from the rest of his forces....Viram's clone clung to the stump where the dragon's wing used to be as his mount swam across the deep flood waters and tromped through the streets and alleys. He was very close to death, it was all he could do to hold on. He was barely keeping his heavy eyes open when the dragon left the alley."What a sorry state," Viram said, the disgust and fury in his voice rising. "Keep guard. Don't let anyone near enough to see this." He told his more successful clone.The dragon limped the last few steps to Viram and collapsed. Viram's anger burned hotter, seeing his favorite mount in such a state. His nearly dead clone slid down the dragon and crumpled on the street. There wasn't much ichor leaking out of his wounds anymore. The clone's head moved so it could see Viram. Its mouth moved but no sound came out.Viram sneered down at the disgusting thing before him. "I don't remember ever making such a worthless creature. What words could such a pitiful thing expect me to want to hear?"Viram crouched next to the dragon, his defeated clone choked and vomited out more dark ichor. It struggled to draw in enough breath to speak. "Take, me, back."The pavement under Viram's feet began to melt. "Why would I ever want to taint myself with such a disappointing failure?" He grabbed his clone's head and pried open its skull. He picked out its brain and infused it with power to read its memory. This interrogation method was less direct than simply reabsorbing the clone into his body, but it still worked. The dragon next to him trembled and didn't dare to watch.Viram saw what had happened. His clone had encountered some powerful enemies, but that was no excuse for its failure. Viram smiled, there was a good chance the enemy forces would soon present themselves before him and become even more livestock. He incinerated his clone's remains and sucked up the ashes to reclaim any dregs of power they still contained before he turned and started back up the street.The dragon tried to follow but stumbled and crashed to the ground with a whimper. Viram stopped and looked back with disappointed eyes. "Are you no longer fit for battle?"The dragon made eye contact as Viram walked back to it. It knew what was coming but it didn't have any strength left. It growled as its master got closer. Viram extended a blade of flame from his hand and decapitated the crippled beast. Then he began eating it, sucking up all the power from the carcass. His remaining clone joined him and feasted.After they ate their fill, Viram reabsorbed his clone and incinerated the dragon's remains so he could suck up its ashes and last bits of power too. He returned to his spoils of war and summoned one of the other dragons to have it roar a signal for the rest of his dispersed forces to gather and prepare for battle. He would stay right where he was and let the enemy trouble themselves with a long walk while he packed up his new treasures.*********Alex*********"Ahem, she may be pretty but you have a job to do." Angel Chided.Alex kept glancing at Haruka while he practiced moving his energy around. He was really tempted to walk over so he could see the grass townscape she was weaving together but he'd been getting a good view of her backside as she worked and didn't have faith in the loincloth he was wearing. The waterfall that healed him also repaired his loincloth. It's too bad it didn't give him more clothes. He could tough it out when there were other scantily dressed men around, but he was alone with Haruka.Angel *Hmmfed* when Alex ignored her. He was treating her as some kind of accessory in his brain, but now was not the time for her to take any unnecessary actions. She waited patiently as Alex kept directing his perverted eyes at the base of Haruka's tail and other places.Haruka suddenly looked back and caught Alex staring. Alex reflexively looked away for an instant but his instincts told him to play it off as interest in what she was doing, so he looked back at her right away."That's really awesome looking. What you're working on." Alex laughed and lightly smiled, "I've never seen anything like it before."Haruka grinned and stood up facing sideways to both Alex and her creation. She looked down at her little town and back over to Alex. "Come over and get a better look then."Oh, crap. A drop of sweat rolled down Alex's neck."Hahaha! You're in trouble now~" Angel was well aware of the loincloth's current inadequacy."What's wrong?" Haruka noticed Alex looking nervous and started walking over. "Are you feeling alright? I know this training can get pretty boring." Haruka jumped the few final feet over to Alex which exacerbated Alex's condition as her softer parts bounced and jiggled from the landing."Ah! I'm fine! Really." Alex leaned forward placing his hands between his knees on the edge of the stone seat. His arms were in such an awkward position that it was only too obvious that he was trying to hide something.Haruka gave him an askance look as her eyes wandered over his body. "If you're sure.""Ah!" Alex straightened up with a look of hope shining in his eyes because Lucius had just returned with food.Lucius took in the scene in front of him. "What are you two doing?" Without looking away, he placed the basket and sack full of food on a stone table that gently rose from the ground next to him."Alex was acting weird so I came over to see what was wrong, but then he started acting even weirder."Lucius saw Alex's face turn bright red and chuckled.Haruka looked at what was making Lucius laugh but was only more confused by what she saw. "He looks like he's in pain. Could it be some kind of backlash Lucius?" Her brows furrowed in worry.Lucius had to clench his teeth and stiffen his lips to keep from laughing harder. It took him a moment of eternity, as Alex glared at him, to regain control enough to talk. "I'm sure he's fine. In fact, I'm now sure I was right to have you help me with his training." He swiped his hand down his face to banish the humor that was still struggling to run free and gestured at the food. "Enough of this though. Let's eat." He said with a grin.Alex waited until Haruka's back was turned before he stood up and followed her to the table. He faced away from her as he sat down and then rotated to face the food. The table proved to be better protection for his dignity than his defeated loincloth.Lucius unpacked wine, cheese, some meat, and a bowl of olives from the basket. Then dumped out sliced bread rolls and various vegetables from the sack. He used a knife to slice up the cheese and cut some of the olives and passed them around before preparing the other food. Fine crystal goblets rose from the stone table to hold the poured wine. Lucius and Alex made sandwiches with their portions while Haruka ate everything one at a time.A very light rain fell from the sky as they chowed down.
