David

  The steward led us into the outer sitting room of the King.

  The double doors swung open, revealing a chamber of quiet grandeur. One wall was lined with tall bookshelves, while the other featured a massive stone hearth. Above it hung a grand painting of a long-dead royal triumphant over a mythical beast, its colors vibrant despite the passage of time. Is this the same painting as before? Sunlight poured through tall windows draped with delicate lace, softening the room’s otherwise formal austerity.

  A group had already gathered around the fire, the flickering glow casting warm shadows across familiar faces. King Theron sat in a deep, overstuffed chair, his posture relaxed, yet his eyes remained alert. Nearby, on long sofas, his four sons, Theodore, Ajax, Paul, and Eric, were seated. Arch Mage Veralt occupied the other armchair, his robes pooling around him like smoke. General Kitch stood leaning casually against the mantle, arms crossed, with an unreadable expression.

  From across the room, I could hear Theodore talking animatedly about the Orcs and our journey. As we entered, servants appeared with extra chairs, arranging them swiftly so we could all join the gathering. The king stood as we approached.

  “Ah, David. Glad to see you. And my little girl,” he said, his face breaking into a smile.

  “Father,” Theresa beamed as he pulled her into an embrace.

  Once he released her, I stepped forward and extended my hand. He took it with a firm grip, testing, maybe, but nodded.

  “Theresa, my dear,” he said, gesturing toward a cushioned seat beside him, “come, sit. Tell me all about your trip.”

  She did exactly that. “Well, Father, it was an exciting week. I met Orcs, saw Trolls, explored the Vaults of legend… oh, and I also kept up with all of Ms. Osbornee’s study requirements.” She added the last part with an impish smile.

  The king chuckled, then paused. “Your brothers said something changed. That you’re no longer… betrothed?”

  “Yes and no,” I said.

  He arched a brow. “Please explain what ‘yes and no’ means. You left engaged. Now you’re not?”

  I shifted, choosing my words carefully. “Well, sir… the gods had their say in the matter.”

  His expression darkened. “The gods?”

  I saw the same look I remembered from Elizabeth’s father, a storm of doubt and protectiveness brewing in his eyes.

  Theresa stepped in, her voice calm but firm. “Father, we’re married, bonded, with the gods’ blessings. What started as an engagement became something more. David still promised me the ceremony, and I plan to hold him to that.”

  The king blinked. “So, David… are you taking responsibility for this?”

  “Absolutely,” I said without hesitation. “I take responsibility for all of my wives. I’ll always be there for them.”

  At my side, Aria gently touched my back, solidarity, silent and grounding.

  “I had hoped she’d go to Vaelthorn,” King Theron said after a beat.

  “She still will,” I replied. “We’re heading to Vaelthorn in a week or two. She’ll enroll then. We’ve already discussed it.”

  “What about her protection?” General Kitch asked.

  “I’m working on it,” I said. “Too much, and she’ll stand out. Too little, and she’s vulnerable. I need to strike the right balance. I won’t risk her.”

  “Hmmm.” King Theron studied me with a long, weighty silence. “What do you think the court will say? They’ll make a mockery of me.” I paused for a moment. Then the seed of an idea hit me, and I chuckled.

  Theresa turned, eyes narrowing. “David, stop. Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”

  Now everyone was staring. Ajax looked confused, Paul leaned in, and even Veralt raised an eyebrow. They all thought I’d finally snapped. I couldn’t help myself. The idea was just too perfect.

  “King Theron,” I said, still trying to stifle a grin, “who knows about this? About the marriage, I mean, besides those in this room?”

  “No one,” he answered slowly, cautiously.

  “Good.” I leaned forward. “Then here’s what we’ll do. You blame me.”

  “What?” he blinked.

  “Put it all on me,” I said. “Say I took your daughter. Say we eloped without your knowledge, that I violated protocol and threw tradition out the window. The engineer is arrogant and unpredictable. There’s enough truth in it to hold. Wild Engineer magic, you could say.”

  “You want me to throw you to the court?” he asked, genuinely puzzled. “Why would you do that for me? For us?”

  “Because a convincing lie is built on a foundation of truth,” I said. “And the truth is, you didn’t know. She’s married to an engineer, and your court will be horrified by that alone. So give them someone to be horrified at. Let them point fingers at me. I don’t care.”

  Theresa squeezed my hand. I turned to her, and she was tearing up.

  “She’ll still get the best education. And in a few years,” I added with a slight grin, “you’ll have grandkids running around your feet.” From off to the side, I heard a sharp sniff. The king’s eyes were red. His lips trembled as he nodded. Theresa leapt up and threw her arms around him. Their muffled sobs filled the chamber. I stood and offered my hand, but instead of taking it, King Theron dragged me into a hug.

  When the emotion finally ebbed, I stepped back and wrapped an arm around my wife. Princess or countess, I still wasn’t sure which title applied, but either way, she was mine. Theresa’s four brothers approached, each congratulating us in turn. There was no malice in their eyes. Just joy. And maybe a little brotherly amusement.

  We all sat again, and at the king’s request, I recounted the journey north. I told them about the Troll ambush and the adventurers we lost, the unexpected alliance with the Orcs, our journey to their village, and the expedition with Varka and Shavri to the ancient ruins, where I fought a great serpent in a lost cavern of history. I spoke of introducing the Orc chieftain to Prince Theodore, of tentative unity and promises of aid, and of how to contact me if needed. Then I told them about the Vaults, the puzzles, the artifacts, meeting Ava, the Shadow Demon, and finally General Getyin, the Demon General of the Fourth Army. And lastly, the destruction of the Vaults.

  Any other room would have dismissed it as madness. But not this one. Not with Kitch, Prince Theodore, Ajax, Seraphina, Aria, and Theresa all sitting with me. Each one nodding. Each one confirming the tale’s truth. They’d seen it with their own eyes.

  “That reminds me, King Theron,” I said, standing.

  With a thought, I summoned Eversharp from my storage. The gem-studded hilt reflected the morning light, and the runes along the sheath glowed faintly. The blade hummed with restrained power, not flashy, just resolute.

  I turned the sword with a practiced motion, gripping it with both hands as I presented it hilt-first to the king. He rose from his seat, his brows knitting as he examined the weapon. He reached out gently and took it from my hands. His fingers wrapped around the grip as if it were made for him.

  “This… is no ordinary sword,” he murmured, his voice quiet.

  “No, it’s not,” I said, taking my seat between Theresa and Seraphina. “It’s called Eversharp. It was locked away in the Vaults. The inscriptions along the blade are designed to keep it eternally sharp.”

  “A magical sword?” he asked, his gaze still fixed on it, as though he was holding a piece of legend.

  I nodded. “Yes. And I give to you. A relic that we salvaged from the vaults.”

  He stood there, stunned. His hands gripped the sword tighter, as if afraid it might vanish.

  “I… I don’t know what to say, David.”

  “I take it this isn’t a normal gift, then?” I asked, genuinely confused.

  Seraphina let out a gentle laugh beside me, while Aria muffled a chuckle behind her hand. Across the room, even Prince Ajax raised an eyebrow with an amused smirk.

  Theresa buried her face in her hands. “He’s doing it again…”

  “Theresa, my dear sister,” Seraphina said, patting her arm, “get used to this. Being with David is… an experience.”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “What?” I looked between them. “It’s just a sword. I could make one just like it, but since I had it…”

  “You just gifted a royal heirloom to a king like you were offering him a sweetroll,” Aria said, shaking her head. “You never cease to surprise.”

  “Technically, it wasn’t an heirloom until now,” I said with a shrug. “It was sitting in a dusty crate.”

  Theresa groaned. “He’s impossible.”

  But King Theron was still staring at Eversharp, lost in thought. Then he looked up, really looked at me, and gave a slow, solemn nod.

  “You honor me,” he said, his voice thick. “This will be treasured. And remembered.”

  After lunch, I saw Mage Veralt standing by the fireplace, hands clasped behind his back, warming himself in the flickering light.

  “Arch Mage Veralt,” I said as I approached, with Seraphina’s hand resting in mine. Aria trailed just behind us. “You’ve been awfully quiet today.”

  The Arch Mage turned slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Yes, David. With all the emotions running high earlier, I thought it best not to interrupt.”

  “There’s a small matter I wanted to discuss with you,” I said, observing his expression.

  “The airships?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “I read your proposal and already passed my approval along to the King. Impressive work, truly.”

  “Oh, thank you. But no, this is about something else,” I said, glancing across the room.

  Theresa stood with her brothers, laughing at something. A rare, lighthearted moment. Veralt followed my gaze. His expression changed slightly, the way someone’s does when they realize a secret might not be so secret anymore.

  “Ah,” he said softly.

  “Theresa,” I confirmed. “She showed me. Showed us,” I added, nodding to Seraphina and Aria. “She mentioned something about a book, in a section that is locked away?”

  Veralt folded his arms and gave me a look of mock disapproval. “She swore me to secrecy, you know.”

  “She also seemed pretty sure that the book would answer questions. And trust me, we now have more questions than answers,” I said.

  Seraphina nodded. “Especially with what would be unlocked.”

  Veralt blinked. “Unlocked? There’s more to it?”

  “There’s a lot more,” I said. “I saw something else… something different. Another color. Like molten gold. Just for a second, but it was there.”

  The Arch Mage’s eyes lit up. “You’ve seen it?”

  “In passing,” I said. “Bright as a gold coin, just like the silver… only deeper. More… alive.”

  He looked like a child hearing about dragons for the first time. “I would love to see what abilities are tied to that. If silver grants one type of power, what does gold do?”

  “That’s what I’m hoping to find out,” I said. “There’s someone in Vaelthorn who might be able to show me more. But I’d like to see that book first.”

  Veralt’s excitement turned to eagerness. “Of course. Come by the Cathedral anytime. I’ll take you to the restricted section myself.”

  “One more thing, Arch Mage,” I said, tilting my head slightly. “If someone, hypothetically, had five rather unusual creatures to turn in… where would they go?”

  Veralt raised an eyebrow. “Unusual? What kind of creatures are we talking about?”

  “Well… two griffins. And three demons,” I said casually, watching his reaction.

  He blinked. “Griffins? You have griffins? You do realize those are worth a fortune, right? Feathers, meat, magical cores, one can fetch millions. Where in the world are you keeping them?”

  “Stored away. Along with the demons,” I said, nonchalantly.

  Veralt stared at me for a beat, as if trying to decide whether I was joking. When I didn’t elaborate, he sighed.

  “Of course you do. Alright, bring them by when you visit the Tower for the library. I’ll arrange for someone from the cathedral to assess and take them off your hands discreetly.”

  “Appreciate it,” I said.

  “Making deals already?” I heard General Kitch behind me.

  “Actually, yes. I’ve got some reading to do, and the Arch Mage has the books I need.” I turned to face him and smiled.

  “Sure. Every time I think I understand you, you throw out what I just figured out.” He smiled back. “Are you and your wife ready for tomorrow?”

  “Yes. I expect it’ll be a good lesson,” I replied. “Also, General, one thing about the training. Would there be one or two individuals skilled enough to protect the princess while she’s in school?”

  He paused, studying me. “So you want to use this not only to provide training but to audition some guards?”

  “Actually, yes. I’ll cover the cost if needed, but I figured the King would feel better knowing some of his own soldiers were protecting his daughter, too.”

  “But you and what you bring to the table are leagues beyond what I can provide.”

  “Sure, but a couple of Eldros soldiers by her side gives a better screen than me alone. Honestly, General, I’d come across too much like a hammer, and what we need is finesse.”

  “I see your point,” Kitch said. “You did steal the last person I had guarding her.” He started to chuckle.

  “Well, that was rigged, wasn’t it?” I laughed and raised my glass.

  “Yes, David, that it was.” He raised his glass in return. Then he called his aide over, who handed him a scroll. “These are the transfer orders for Captain Robertson, from Eldros’ military to yours.”

  I took the scroll and handed it to Allyson. “Thank you, General. How about a wager tomorrow? Something like a six-on-one scenario. Loser buys lunch.”

  “Hmmm. Six on one, where you have to tag all six to win, and if you get tagged once, we win?” He took a deep sip from his drink. “That would put my soldiers in their place when they lose. Alright, but I’m working with a limited lunch budget.” He laughed hard. “I’ll need some healers on standby when they get smacked around. I already feel bad for them. I’ll see you both at the training fields in the morning.” He walked off laughing, his aide hurrying to keep up.

  We returned to the tower later that day, and I made my way back to the workshop, my sanctuary, my chaos, my creation space. That’s when I saw it.

  The crate sat on the workshop floor, exactly where I’d asked it to be delivered after the Enterprise docked. It pulsed on the floor like a silent reminder. Urgency bloomed the moment I saw it. It was time to regenerate the core.

  Without it, Ava and the combat golems she brought wouldn’t last much longer. They were still connected to the last remnants of borrowed energy. I needed to give them proper power. Permanently. They deserved their own cores. Their own spark. But for now… this would have to do.

  Allyson stood nearby, following me into the workshop. Their eyes were on the crate and its contents.

  “Master,” she said, “is it time?”

  I nodded. “It is. Aria’s waiting for me, and I don’t want to keep her.”

  Ava entered the room and moved to stand next to Allyson, silently watching as I opened the crate. The core sat inside, faintly pulsing, dim but alive. I reached down and lifted it with both hands. It gave off a gentle warmth, much less than the airship’s core but still unmistakable.

  I held it carefully and focused. My Arcane Integration skill didn’t trigger automatically this time, so I activated it myself. A sensation shot down my arms as the skill activated, and a glowing interface appeared before my eyes.

  Power Core

  3 of 5000 Power Units remaining

  Menu:

  1.Add Power Units

  2.Remove Power Units

  3.Remove Dependent

  4.Add Dependent

  5.Shutdown / Restart Core

  Selection [1–5]:

  A menu. Simple, like one of those old bash prompts from university mainframes. I smiled faintly at the nostalgia. Those days of entering data with a keyboard that didn’t always work correctly.

  I selected 1) Add Power Units, and a follow-up prompt appeared, asking how much to transfer. I mentally input 500. That would leave me with 120 MP in reserve, not counting the extra stored in my armguards. I confirmed the transfer and immediately felt the drain hit, but it was manageable. A moment later, the screen updated:

  Power Core

  103 of 5000 Power Units remaining

  So… five MP per unit. Good to know. I wish it had told me before the commitment, but now I have the conversion rate. I gently returned the core to its cradle in the crate. I turned to Ava. “How’s that feel?”

  She blinked, then smiled. “Master, I’m not sure how you did it, but I feel… energized.”

  “I have a skill for these kinds of things,” I said. “You should be fine until I can either get you a new core… or figure out how to make this one work better for you.” I paused, eyeing the softly glowing orb. “We’ll move the vault’s golems to Tower Six for upgrades. Then I’ll worry about optimizing your core.” Closing the lid, I stood, hesitating. How to ask this question?

  I sat down on a nearby stool and faced my three assistants. They waited silently, those blue eyes watching me, ready for guidance or questions. Ava still wore the same dress, faint blue lines flickering down her legs and feet like soft pulses of energy. Allyson stood beside her in a sleek two-piece, consisting of a white top and a dark skirt. She wore it well, a far cry from the robe she’d been in the first day we met. Behind them, Melissa stood in a simple yellow sundress, which lit up her complexion and made her seem even more approachable.

  They’d chosen those outfits themselves on a shopping trip with Seraphina and Marlena. I was glad to see that kind of independence and self-expression. Ava was a bit behind in that area, but after being locked away in vaults for so long, she needed time. Eventually, she’d catch up.

  “I have a question,” I said, glancing between them. “For now, it stays between the four of us.”

  “Yes, Master,” they replied in near-perfect unison.

  “There’s a skill I gained during my last race evolution. I don’t understand it. Every time I try to look into it, I hit a wall. It’s blocked.”

  Ava nodded thoughtfully. “There are many skills like that for Engineers, Master. Especially if your Engineering level is not high enough to interface with them.”

  “I get that,” I said, rubbing a hand through my hair. “But why give me something I can’t even see? That’s what’s bothering me.”

  Allyson tilted her head. “May we know the name of the skill?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “It’s called… Arcane Engineering.” All three of them froze. Not stiffened. Not paused. Froze. The silence stretched, heavy and unnatural, as if the room itself were holding its breath.

  Finally, Ava spoke slowly and carefully. “That is a listed black skill.”

  Melissa’s voice followed immediately, sharp with urgency. “Master should not even know that skill exists until level fifty. That is when…”

  “Okay,” I cut in, holding up a hand. “So it’s a problem. But what exactly is a black skill?”

  Ava met my gaze. “A black skill is one that fundamentally alters anything it interacts with. Systems. Matter. Reality itself.” She paused. “They are rare. And dangerous.”

  “That’s… still vague,” I said.

  “Yes, Master,” Allyson replied. “There was an Engineer named Runar who possessed a black skill called Transmutation. He could turn iron into mithril.”

  “That sounds useful,” I said.

  “He was found dead the same day,” Allyson continued calmly. “Crushed.” I stilled.

  “Some records suggest he accidentally transmuted the air above him into iron,” Ava added. “Others imply divine intervention.”

  “Black skills are not merely dangerous,” Melissa said quietly. “They are… unwelcome. I have never encountered an Engineer with Arcane Engineering. I agree with Ava. It is on the black list.”

  Ava stepped closer and placed a hand on my arm. “I know how your mind works, Master. You want to study it. Test it. Understand it.” Her grip tightened slightly. “Please… take this slowly. And do not tell anyone else. Not yet.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  Before she could answer, Allyson spoke. “In the final years before the Engineers vanished, any individual suspected of possessing a black skill was removed.”

  I swallowed. “Removed how?”

  “All records were erased,” Allyson said.

  “We don’t know the details,” Ava added. “There was a special group. When a black skill was suspected, they would arrive. The Engineer would be taken. Relocated.”

  “That’s a nice word for it,” I muttered. “Relocated.” I exhaled slowly. “Well, as far as anyone knows, I’m the only Engineer left. So no one’s coming.” They didn’t look convinced.

  I shook my head and forced a smile. “Anyway. You three are starting to know me a little too well. That’s enough mystery for one day.” I turned toward the doorway. “What I actually want is to spend some time with my beautiful Earth Mage.”

  The three of them followed me out of the workshop and into the living area. Scattered around were my wives, some reading, others, like Marlena and Allira, locked in quiet battle over a chessboard.

  I walked over to Aria and offered my hand. She smiled and stood, letting me pull her into a hug.

  I turned to Seraphina. “Want to join us?”

  She looked up, eyes dancing with mischief. “Sounds yummy, but I’ll pass tonight.”

  That smile, I loved that smile.

  With Aria in hand, I led her from the room. And by the time we reached the bedroom, somehow, she’d already lost every stitch of clothing.