My kingdom will expand. The Cinari can delay all they want. They can fight if they must. But my kingdom will expand. It is an inevitability that the knife-eared filth will have to accept the reign of the Dog one way or the other.

  Looking over my map in a room that is lit by candlelight. The sun outside is blocked out by my curtains to keep this room dark to give it a familiar feeling. Even though that feeling is derived from my enslavement. Working tirelessly underground till our hands bled and our mouths dried. The outside world is far more liberating, but in a way, there is comfort in the darkness where I was born.

  I wonder what I should do when I take over this island. However, that is easier said than done. I still need to win this war.

  This war. My war! Will start back up again once we head north. The bastards will relive my wrath once more as I burn their churches and cities to the ground. I waited long enough. My sword hand is itching to break their backs and rip their throats out. It is what they deserve after what they have done to me! Their bones will be the foundations of my Empire.

  Though for now, I need to finalise my plan, I can’t replicate the same mistakes the Cinari have made. I can’t let my excitement cloud my vision. Not when I am this close to winning it all.

  The only safe way to head to the North is through the Galire Desert. It’ll take a few weeks to travel through there, and we might face a few issues. But compared to every other route. It is my safest bet to launch an invasion into the heart of their Empire. The plan is simple, though the journey will be the hardest part. Especially after reading the reports about the place. People will die, but that is acceptable.

  However, it doesn’t matter. As long as I can get there and start killing the knife-eared scum. I’ll be happy. I care less if I lose a few men in the desert because of heat or lack of thirst. If they die in the sand, they are not strong enough to begin with. The war is going to be a test of strength, and I need everyone at their best if I want to conquer the entire island.

  As I continue to examine the map, daydreaming about how the Cinari will die by my hand. My thumb traces over an old belt buckle with a flower etched onto it. Even in a rage, the rough edges calm my wounded heart. The last gift I gave to my daughter before they murdered her.

  Those creatures took her from me! They even have the gall to expect me to obey. Fools think slaughtering our children will instil fear or loyalty. Monsters believe the murder of our future will make us work harder than ever before like pups desperate for their mother’s tit to suckle on the last drop of milk as they starve. The conquest of the South proves otherwise. We will not be their tools anymore, and we have the means to fight back. Their resistance only delays their eventual slaughter.

  As the buckle is firmly in my hand, the more I miss her. I yearn to be with her one more time; to show her the world I have built with my own hands. I hope she is proud of what I have done to make our world a better place.

  However, the Cinari still live, and as long as at least one of them keeps drawing breath, she will never be truly avenged. Death is the only promise I will give to every Cinari. They don’t deserve the luxury of generational torment. They will have the taste of our suffering and more. But their time on this planet will come to an end. For that, it is certain.

  I’m getting ahead of myself. Best to focus on the now. The only potential issue I see when I leave is who should be leading the South in my absence. Alex and Max are good candidates; both have proven themselves to be effective statesmen. I have faith that they can achieve my desires while also improving my kingdom.

  While Max will be good at the job, I doubt she will be as level-headed or as collective as Alex. Though she will be capable of keeping the Cinari in line and making sure they know their place. She understands they need to be kept in check to prevent their corruption from spreading throughout my people.

  On the other hand, Alex is the smartest of the two; the only problem I see with his leadership is his compassion. That weakness could doom my Kingdom before it even has the chance to become a proper Empire. But he knows how to build a nation. He knows what needs to be invested in and what isn’t a priority. His empathy is a poison, but he can make up for it.

  Both are good, but I can’t give them dual rulership as I fight up north. Max will do everything in her power to ensure she has all of the authority. Eventually, she will push him aside to be the sole regent of the South. I can't allow that.

  No, Alex will be in charge. His weakness is apparent, but Max’s ambition and narcissistic drive for power will force Alex not to compromise with the enemy. Not as a leader in her own right, but more of an adviser. Yes, I think this can work.

  I put away my belt buckle while I make my way to the throne room. There is still time to ponder who should stay or leave. For now, I need to see what is going on within my kingdom.

  Heavy steps echo along the crystal halls as I march to my throne room. The shimmering of the crystal pillars shines brightly as sunlight touches their jagged surfaces. The walls were once decorated with barbaric paintings of Cinari Gods and heroes. Now, they are decorated with the flags of my kingdom and the colours of my trusted lieutenants.

  All the flags are painted on a black cloth. Alex’s flag is a red shield with a Dog at the centre of it facing right. With Max, her flag has a red sword with a green snake coiled around it. Midrax’s flag has two blue axes crossed over each other while being held together by red chains. Thorgan’s flag is an outline of a green tree with no leaves. Karl, the newest lieutenant, has a flag of a red Dog’s head facing left with a sword behind it. My flag is the largest. A white imprint of my left hand.

  I open the door to the throne room from my chambers. My lieutenants are there, waiting in the room for me. Midrax is a large beast; his face is flat, and his cheeks hang carelessly while saliva drools from them. On his forehead is his brand number, C-3:5. He is thick-headed and too straightforward for my liking.

  However, he is as determined as I am to head North to face the Cinari. He sees the world as a nail, and himself as a hammer. He is a dangerous brute, a simple-minded one, but one who can cause fear into the hearts of my enemies. I just need to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.

  Thorgan is an old Dog, his fur is orange and grey. He holds himself up with a walking staff, keeping himself steady in my presence. Too old to fight or be an effective statesman. However, his advice is both practical and useful. Leaving him here with Alex will be beneficial, as he will make sure Alex will make the most optimal decision possible.

  Karl is Thorgan’s successor; he came from the same mine as Thorgan and shares the same fur colour. A young, determined man, eager to adventure north with me to fight against the Cinari. To prove himself worthy to me and his peers. While Thorgan will praise him for being a talented young man.

  I doubt it. Words of praise mean nothing to me. His worth will be determined by how he handles the Cinari in combat.

  Max wears her elegant red dress that complements her snow white fur. She always likes to take everyone’s attention, to be the centre of the world. She is ruthless, brutal against the Cinari. Ever since we won the South, her thirst for Cinari blood didn’t settle. Her loyalties are to her race, and no one else.

  But through her elegance and false facade. She is an ambitious woman. Only driven by the lust for power and control. However, her ambition makes her predictable. Say the right words and point in the right direction, and her own self-interest can easily make her a loyal pawn. Though in the end, I know that this song and dance can’t last forever. She’ll become a problem that needs to be chiselled away like anything that threatens my rule. For now, she is useful.

  Alex looks at me, waiting for me to speak. He is slim though fit, with fur as black as mine. He’s clever, able to come up with any solution to solve any problem. A son a father should be proud of. Without him, this war would have been over from the beginning. Compared to anyone in this room, he is the most instrumental to my rise to power.

  Everyone stands quietly, waiting for me to make the first move. I sit on my throne of black iron and gold. Looking over my loyal subjects intently. It seems they either have good news or something drastic that requires my attention. Let’s just hope my invasion will not face a delay one more time.

  I gesture to them to begin with what they need to bring up. Alex is the first to step forward.

  ‘The mines and farms have been producing enough materials to outfit your army with enough supplies to take and hold out in the North. Our smiths have also worked tirelessly to produce the best equipment possible for your soldiers as well. By the end of the week, everyone should be outfitted for the invasion.’ Alex says with confidence, though with a bored tone, like he has said it a hundred times.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  ‘Anything else to report? Anything to improve?’

  ‘No, that is all.’ Alex steps back.

  Max smiles, giving me an elaborate bow after walking to the front of my throne. ‘Oh, your highness. I can also announce that your army is up to scratch with training. They are ready to head out when you are.’ Max looks at Alex with a grin. ‘Since he didn’t report it. The Cinari slaves are not producing enough as they should compared to their previous quota. So, I suggest that we double their workload until they catch up with our needed quotas.’

  Alex glares at Max, though he keeps his silence. Max smiles back before walking back to her original spot.

  Children. They should know better than to behave like this around me.

  ‘Anything else that needs to be brought to my attention?’ No one steps forward or responds to me. ‘Good, in a few weeks, we will march north in the first month of winter. I want my armies prepared and ready to move at any moment. Gather them by the gate. We will traverse through the Galire Desert. That will be our safest route.’

  ‘Jackle has already mapped out the desert, Marak. He should be here in a few days.’ Midrax replies to me with a low tone as if he is trying to swallow something.

  Good, his aid will make traversing the desert easier. ‘If there is nothing else. You are all free to leave.’

  Meetings are never long, which is good. I don’t care for petty fights or their internal issues when we have a war to win. Get here to tell me what the problem is, or get out. That is the policy I gladly stand by.

  Everyone except for Alex heads out of the throne room. He waits alone, staring me down as I walk up to him. ‘Any news on the project?’

  Alex straightens himself up. ‘The crossbows are effective, in two weeks, five thousand units will be made and ready to be used. This time, the design will be improved upon.’

  ‘How so?’

  ‘The new crossbow design will be magazine-fed. Besides putting a new bolt in every time you fire, you just need to crank it, and the bolt will already be loaded. However, after five shots, you will need to put a new magazine in. Besides that, it will cut down the reload time and any potential accident errors caused by the operator.’

  I nod, that will be useful in any battle. It’ll give us an advantage against the Cinari and their horse riders. The prospect of having newer versions of a superior weapon added to my army will make this war easier to win. Those creatures won’t know what will hit them.

  ‘Is that all?’

  Alex frowns. ‘Yes, Marak. That is all.’ Alex walks away, not speaking another word. A shame, really, he could explain in detail what the other capabilities of the crossbows are. Can it be equipped with another weapon? Is it easy to repair? Can it be repaired on the battlefield? I want to know.

  But perhaps he has something important to deal with. It is best not to let him wait. Nor will it be wise for me to waste his time if it means I can get something out of it.

  Every night is always a pleasure of mine. Overlooking the city to bask in my own glory. The streets are populated with Dogs, some wearing armour with a painted coloured stripe which indicates what unit they are from. The children laugh and play on the street, enjoying their moments of freedom that they never had before.

  Sometimes I wonder what my childhood would be like if I had their freedom. Instead, all I get is a reminder of what I was told in the mine, my birthplace. The Cinari will claim that we couldn’t handle freedom, that our servitude is a luxury. Our enslavement was mercy to them.

  From their rotten heavens, I hope they are looking down to see how wrong they are.

  The Cinari, on the other hand. Oh, they give me a smile! They work on the streets in chains. Serving us food, cleaning the roads and buildings, and providing much-needed entertainment. Granted, it won’t last forever; their filth will have to be eradicated if I want a strong Empire. Their services are temporary, but needed to give us a footing and for them to understand our misery.

  My Empire, my nation, is built because of my efforts. For too long, I was chained as a slave, my potential stripped away and hidden from sight. The Cinari tried to break me, but they failed. Now they know me as the King of Dogs, the Black Death, and the Southern Beast. Those tiles show what their true fear is, what makes them unable to utter with confidence. They dare not speak my name, so they gave me false names to hide from the truth. The truth is, their Empire will soon be no more.

  Karl walks up to me. ‘Enjoying the view?’

  I frown. I don’t want to get friendly with this kid. Nor do I want him to kiss my ass to get my approval. ‘Speak.’

  ‘I want to know who will stay behind?’

  ‘Why do you want to know?’

  Karl shrugs. ‘We can’t leave this place without some sort of leadership. I know Thorgan is going to stay behind. But even he knows that he is too old to do his job. So, I wonder who else you might leave behind?’

  Interesting. I can use this as an opportunity to test his abilities as a leader. If Karl is as impressive as Thorgan says he is, he has a chance to do it now. ‘Tell me, who do you think is the best fit to stay behind?’

  Karl pauses for a moment, ‘Max, she will be the perfect candidate.’

  ‘Elaborate.’

  ‘Midrax is just a soldier. He doesn’t care, nor will he do anything here besides indulging in luxuries. The place will fall apart if he stays behind. Alex needs to head north. He is a smart lad, and I believe his contribution would be valuable for our cause. He was the one who figured out how to take down the sky beast after all. I respect him. I believe we need his aid more than anything.’

  ‘What about me? Why shouldn’t I stay back?’

  ‘Well… you’re the king. You united us, you brought us here. The Dogs up North need to see who their ruler is. They will be reluctant if they see our flags and symbols without the man pushing us forward.’

  I nod. Not bad. This kid knows what he is talking about. He is the first not to doubt or ignore Alex’s contribution. He even acknowledges his involvement in the war. Bravo, I see why Thorgan gave you a leadership position.

  ‘That is good, Karl,’ I respond to him. ‘You almost convinced me for a second.’

  Karl’s ear flips to one side. ‘Sorry, I don’t understand.’

  I rest a hand on his shoulder. ‘I have already chosen who will stay behind to defend my capital. You made some good claims on who should stay and who should go. I am impressed, though not impressed enough.’

  ‘I am willing to learn from my mistakes.’ Karl proudly responds.

  Truly an arrogant kid. Let’s just hope he can back it up when we do face our foe.

  ‘You will. Soon, I hope.’ I reply before leaving for the war room. There is no need to continue our conversation. Right now, he needs to focus on himself and not on me. We will fight a prepared enemy, and they will do everything in their power to win.

  Good. I like it when they struggle.