Hermes
The Great Royal Castle, probably the capital's most prominent architectural landmark, was a grand Victorian castle with Gothic details and giant stained-glass windows. Many of the windows bore the symbol of the God of Fire, and the glass frames and decorations on the structure were coated with gold, delicately polished by the blood of thousands of slaves.
But the prominent castle didn't just look luxurious on the outside. Inside, it was even worse. The floor was white quartz, the pillars were pure gold, and they rose to the ceiling, almost out of sight. Every wall had a sculpture or piece of art. Every fabric was of the highest quality among all the kingdoms.
In the royal chamber the god of fire was furious
—How could this happen? Do you know how much I had to give to hire those mercenaries? How could he advance again?
I yelled angrily at the worm I had appointed as Fire General, a mere mercenary named Ezreal, who had helped me maintain order for these ingrates. We were in my chambers, a room carved with gold and luxuries you could only dream of. The bed had been made by the finest artisans. I sat at the table of pure gold, sipping wine.
"We don't know, my dear lord... We've asked everywhere, even the most dangerous places where the mercenaries live. We don't know who he is. We don't know if he's doing it for money," she replied with fear in her voice.
—The son of a bitch is a god. How are you going to tell me no one knows about him? Gods aren't born from the earth, that red dragon gives it away. He's not from here, he shouldn't be here! And now he wants my head! The Order thinks I'm an idiot; they want my land, that's why they refuse to help me.
—Love, I think it's time to think about it better.
My wife, Catia, spoke to me as she signaled for Ezreal to leave the room.
"If you really saw a red dragon in its true form, they must have too much power. It's best to leave all this and live," Catia said.
My face wrinkled with anger upon hearing those words.
"How can you say such a thing? You're disrespecting me even by mentioning it." I hit his chin hard; it made him stagger a little and his lip started bleeding.
I grabbed her by the neck and while I was strangling her I approached her.
"Don't forget your place. You're mine. I've respected your wish not to merge because it's not necessary, but now we have to kill that bastard. Right now!" As soon as I said those words, his face turned as pale as a sheet of paper.
—Please… —He tried to say as he slowly moved away, still with my hand on his neck, but without putting pressure on it.
"I'm not asking you, you damn bitch," I spat at her.
She quickly pulls a sharp hairpin from her dress and stabs her neck several times. Before I could get close to her, I started to tremble… Without her, I couldn't be a god again. Why? Didn't I give you enough luxuries? Wasn't what I gave you enough?
—Damn bitch! I won't let you! —I used the ritual and merged with her soul.
All her memories and feelings were mine again, and I understood. I was filled with rage... But she was gone... I couldn't think anymore, her soul... She had given up... She had committed suicide... and the bitch had betrayed me.
Our son ran into the room, when he saw his mother, he looked at me with hatred, he got scared and started to cry, but it was right at that moment that I realized that in front of me I had one last chance to win.
This isn't going to end like this... She may have brought you here, but to me you're just another filthy rat. I looked at the sun streaming through the large balcony of the room decorated with marble and gold, I took Catia's lifeless body and sank my teeth into her skin, not caring about the horror I caused our useless son. Her flesh between my gums and her blood that slowly filled my stomach, gave me energy, gave me the energy that corresponds to me, I am a god after all, if you do not want to serve me in life, you will in death.
The sound of my son's unsheathed sword caught my attention…
—Another traitor?? Of course he could be born from this bitch?
Long before he could fight properly, I pierced his heart with my sword. He was a god too, but without the power or courage of one; he's just another piece of shit designated to serve me, and that's what his whore of a mother is going to do.
—Ezreal, have everyone working day and night to produce more puppets, and get everyone ready! We're going to kill them all!
Sean Dorvin
We were back on top of the wall, my speed now on par with Jane's, who, although still injured, had refused to stop training. Her injury had slowed her down to a pace closer to mine.
As the fight grew more intense, my senses sharpened, my muscles acting on their own as I dodged and attacked. Power attacks were already easy for me; now I combined them with several spears I kept around me. Like a dance of death, she and I fought relentlessly. The spears severely restricted her, forcing her to look me in the eye.
She prepared to give me a good slash and probably hit me to gain the advantage, but I was used to that by now. Just as she lunged again, she lost her balance. I dropped my sword and held her with my arms so she wouldn't fall. Ashley jumped up; she'd been engrossed in paperwork, but she dropped everything. She'd been especially worried about Jane.
Jane was breathing heavily; it was the first time I'd seen her like that. I touched her forehead and she was feverish. Ashley and even Azumi, who had been spying on us, were perplexed. Seeing Jane wasn't reacting to my touch, we all understood that she was in bad shape.
We went down Jumping over the wall, Azumi took Ashley down, Jane was babbling, she was completely lost, We took her with Doc to his tent, he was completely alone, seeing the situation, he wiped his nose and gave orders to the gossips that we had attracted with all the hustle and bustle.
We couldn't say a single word, nor did we feel we needed to, but we were all completely scared. Doc examined the wound, and everyone's response was instantaneous. Doc looked at me, scared.
—It's poison and I'm afraid I'm sure I don't have the cure.
"We have to do something!" Ashley shouted.
"I know that poison, it's typical among mercenaries, maybe if we go to the nearby mercenary city..." Azumi mentioned.
"It's a slow-acting poison; it'll give us at least five days to act," Doc replied.
—Let's stop talking. Let's go find that poison. Azumi, you lead the way. Ashley, stay.
Ashley interrupted me.
"I'll go... only you can defend these cities properly, leave this to me. I'm from the underworld. I'm sure this place won't be much different from our home," she told me with determination.
Before I could complain, he kissed me on the lips.
"I love you." She rushed off, dragging Azumi along, without making any preparations, without doing anything.
Doc and I hid Jane in my office. We had to cover her with a sheet, but given the number of bodies we were still cleaning up, it wasn't too difficult.
"Doc, please bring me Lombardi, Frost, and the nurses to take care of her. There are also some files on the table. Please bring those people to me," I ordered.
I'm too worried, but I have to keep working, I have to, I can't even list all the people I owe it to, if I can't train well, I have to prepare my strategy command well, increasing its classes.
Just then, I felt a terrifying magical power, one I'd encountered before, though it was weak. I felt it; the Fire God must have already merged with his dragon. Jane would have been absolutely right.
However, there was something strange: her energy was fluctuating, it wasn't like before, it wasn't like when she was fighting him.
"What did you do?" I muttered to myself.
"What happened?" Jane was half asleep, half awake, still pale and trembling.
—Rest, we're already looking for a cure… Just hang in there, I muttered.
—Do you feel it? The fire god must have forced his dragon to merge… That's why his energy is fluctuating…
"Jane... Can't you merge with me yet?" The words stuck in my throat finally came out, but I felt like I never should have said them in the first place.
—When you merge... You can do it with your body... I... But you'll still see my memories... I... — I interrupted him.
—Sorry... I shouldn't have asked.
But she had fainted again. I have to get strong… It's my fault this happened…