Kaden needed names to release the lock on Dominion, so he had to go meet the Sisters at the front gate, with Trella by his side and the solar dragon on his shoulders. The moon hadn’t yet risen, and they appeared like gaps in the world, siphoning in all light. And they stood a good twenty feet from the gate.

  A warm golden glow lit the night, highlighting the bent form of the Senior Sister. Kaden had no question that though she was stooped with age, her power, especially in the dark, was unparalleled. “Senior Sister, thank you for coming.”

  “Trema would be disgusted by you milking the organization she loved,” the woman to her right said. Aunt Triss.

  “She’s the one who told me to do this.” Kaden didn’t hesitate. “I spoke to her through the High Priest of Mortis. Good conversation. I need to repeat it a few more times because I had a lot of questions that didn’t get answered. Including about you.” He looked back to Senior Sister. “Do we have an agreement?”

  The Senior Sister looked to her other side. “Second Sister is making arrangements. I’m starting to understand why so few [Beast Masters] made it to level seventy five. If this is what you’re like at thirty one, killing you early could be their only chance. Calm, boy. I’m not planning anything. Just noting that the lines of power intersect around and through you.”

  Kaden held out the blades. “My mom warned me the price of using these was higher than I could possibly imagine.”

  “Power always comes dearly.” Senior Sister stretched out her hand. “I swear we will uphold our end of the bargain. Understand, please. We will be watching.”

  [Advanced Leadership] activated, supplying implicit knowledge. She saw it as a threat, treat her people well or face the consequences. The consequences were exactly what Kaden was hoping for. The Sisters didn’t draw attention to themselves. They didn’t stage spectacles. They hid in plain sight.

  “Then these are yours. I swear I will protect them the same way I do everyone else in Faust.” Kaden flinched as the System took note.

  Oath heard and acknowledged.

  The night itself grasp the blades, folding them in shadow. Surprisingly, Senior Sister didn’t wield them herself. “Trella. Vadis was extremely pleased with her new title. The other Sisters gained more than just experience. I would consider it a personal favor if you continue to draw on us for erratics. Kade Birch, may it be a long, long time before we speak again.”

  That wasn’t a threat, it sounded like a blessing, like she meant it well. “Thank you. I loved your poisons. Hope to taste them again some time in the distant future.”

  “Kaden.” Trella put her hand on his side. “I’d love to talk to my Sisters alone. I’ll be back in shortly.”

  He left them there. Trella could easily make it back to the edge of Dominion if something went wrong, and even Centurions could be harmed by it. Wait. Trella was already wrapped in Dominion. It recognized her and accepted his order that this be her home, though it recoiled when she attempted to adjust it. And now that he thought on it, the outer edges felt larger. Everywhere except Echo Lake, where a good fifty yards remained accessible. It gave Adventurers a path to the dungeon and let commoners fish in the lake.

  The deeper one went into Fangwood the harder it pressed down. On the far side, it reached right to the edge of Verdant Vineyards, and extended into the wild lands closer to Verona.

  Kaden knocked on Eve’s door. “I have a question only you can help me with.”

  Eve emerged with Vip in her arms and followed him down to the kitchen, where she listened to his explanation of what had changed. “This could be natural. At one point, this Holding was pinned in between three kingdoms. Now, it’s fifteen minutes by wagon to the nearest claimed land. I wonder…”

  Your effectiveness rating is ‘Baron.’

  Your administration ranking is (Poor), improved from (Extremely Poor)

  Your scope of influence is (Small), improved from (Extremely Small)

  Your reputation is estimated as Relatively unknown (118).

  You have (274) subjects and (2) vassals.

  Eve waited as he read the status. “Establishing Faust appears to have linked your [Authority]. As a result, your sphere of influence has increased. Understand, if the town were wiped out by a Raid Boss tomorrow, it would shrink back down.”

  “How do I unlink it? It was FreeHold before the cultists took over. How do I re-free it?”

  The pause Eve held didn’t bode well. “This isn’t your decision. The people arriving expect it to fall under you, so the System assigned it to you. This is how Kingdom building gets started. No one sets out to build the next Empire of Ash and Bone. It just happens.”

  “I can cede it to the nearest kingdom.” The moment Kaden said it, he knew it couldn’t be true. If there were any form of [Authority] on his borders, he’d feel it. “There is no nearest kingdom. Shit.”

  “Even more curious is that you have vassals—people who have sworn their lives to yours. I would know if you accepted that oath. I could see it written on your soul, and there’s no such thing,” Eve said.

  Vip perked up. *Fast.*

  “Yes, you’d die for me, but I’m not asking you to, and also you’re not a person,” Kaden said, scratching her head. “Wait. Does it have to be a person? Trinity would—and has—multiple times. Would she count as one or three?”

  Kaden’s skin vibrated as Eve stared at him, her eyes distant. “Maybe. I mean, the System is simply slotting things as best it can. A soul-bound beast with loyalty and love might be equivalent to a vassal. Vassals act as extremely limited spheres of [Authority]. You simply can’t exert large changes through them, but they are free to move even in the presence of other [Authority].”

  Vip and Trinity made sense. Garm didn’t love Kaden, they respected each other. Eclipse didn’t love or respect Kaden, Rocky was too stupid to count as anything, and Burney…was already [King of the Match Lizards] and therefore not elligible.

  Skully was curious. And Kaden had a plan for Skully. “In the Fire Domain, I receive a Soul Fire Crystal. I did some research. It grants souls. I think I’m going to grant Skully a soul. It should empower him to use mana skills and make him more intelligent.”

  “I think souls are something you are born with or born without,” Eve said. “Except Vip. As an enlightened Beast, she simply must have a soul. Anyone that beautiful and intelligent and clever and sweet could only have a soul.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  *Love.* Vip sent.

  “I’m not building a Kingdom. I’ll shut down the Outposts. I’ll pronounce the town free, sell the holding to Metami, who can sell it right back to me. No Kingdom.” Kaden had heard too many stories about the road to the seventh hell being paved with the skulls of people who said ‘I’m not going to the seventh hell.’

  “That…might actually work.” Eve smiled. “That could actually work! I’ll research it if you want, and I can help structure oaths so you get the Holding back. That’s brilliant. I truly thought you’d enjoy ruling a small swatch of earth. I apologize. I was wrong.”

  “This little swath I like. Fangwood is mine. Echo Lake I’ll share. I won’t rule anyone else. Thank you, Eve.” He didn’t dare pat her on the back, but she accepted his thanks with a warm smile.

  And when he returned to the bedroom, Trella was waiting, bouncing and bobbing with nervous energy and a wide smile. “You really upset them. But they respect you more when you demand what you deserve. Never stop demanding what you deserve.”

  Kaden returned the solar dragon to the headboard. When he dimmed the fairy ligths, it glowed a soft gold light. “Did you say something about cuddling? And talking?”

  “I did.” Trella answered. “I was thinking of something different, now, if you don’t mind.”

  He truly did not.

  ###

  Morning came, and with it, a flight of birds, all of them detailing problems with the town. Some, Kaden knew how to deal with. He retrieve the [Icon of the Builder], a crumbling brick that had come from the temple of Legos. Some, like the argument between two general merchants from different villages, he didn’t.

  Trella had slept restlessly all night and woke, her hair a mess, her face covered in sweat.

  “Do I need to get Eve to check you for Status effects?” Kaden asked, pressing a hand to her head.

  “No. Senior Sister and I have this thing. I like to challenge her Deceptions. One day, mine are going to be better. Last night, she had to use an actual skill to dodge. They’re not better yet. And the skill causes me to remember every mistake I made during the fight.” She grasp a cup and used [Create Water] to fill it. “I can’t stop thinking about everything I did wrong.”

  “You’d be a Fool to let that hinder you,” Kaden said. “Relive the moment lets me choose to see the mistakes I made. Learn from them, move on.”

  “Easy for you to say. You weren’t the one who used [Shadow Step] six times in a row and still couldn’t escape.” She headed to clean up, while Kaden went to make breakfast—breakfast Sara was serving from the meal-storage box.

  “I trust you got the same messages?” Sara asked. “They’re not sure if it’s safe to approach you. I made all the arrangements, so both mayors would rather reach out to me.”

  Sara, with her Horror, was hardly less imposing. “I made a deal yesterday. We’ll see how the Sisters of Shadow come through.”

  “What did you trade?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing that mattered. I don’t know what to do about these arguments. Which merchant should get what building. What should be brought by caravan and what by FarPortal. I don’t know who gets the east gate or why it matters.”

  He stopped, because Sara was smiling, a warm, genuine smile.

  “We were supposed to have time to discuss this. All of these questions, the little arguments, the quarrels? They’re not for you. Or me. Two days ago these people had lives in established towns. Yesterday they were fleeing destruction. Today, they’re trying to establish a new order.”

  “So why ask you? Or me?”

  “Two kinds of asks.” Sara drew her planner from Inventory. “These, the professions, the processing equipment, the mine issues? Those are for us. The others are to establish that the mayors—not you or I—will help decide. ‘I’m sorry, I’ll consult with the Town Lord. I’m afraid he hasn’t answered, that leaves the decision to me. I say…’ and so it goes.”

  That made a lot more sense. If Kaden had wanted to live in day-to-day squabbles he would have opted to be a Mayor. “We’re going to need a house in Faust, at least short-term. I won’t leave Trinity or Vip or the dragon, but the Drake and Skully should stay away.”

  “Excellent. Just a few weeks of [Leader of the Pack] will help the town succeed. I found a [Priest], a [Priestess] and bought three skill scrolls. We can make a [Healer] from one of the refugees.” Sara looked up as Eve came down the stairs. “Breakfast. I had it brought from Trunistan, a celebration feast of our own.”

  Eve, too, looked a wreck. Her platinum blond hair was normally braided tightly but now hung messy and tangled, drops of blood seeped from her tear ducts, and bags under her eyes said she hadn’t slept well, either. “I was up all night researching what we talked about. I don’t think it’s ever been tried. This runs against the System’s intent. It builds power and combines people to keep them safe.”

  “Explain?” Sara asked. It wasn’t an ask.

  After she listened to the spiel, she sat back. “I agree with the plan of action. If your sphere of influence keeps growing this will cause problems you don’t want and can’t handle. A Baron would not have expanded influence.”

  A messenger dragon landed on the table, singing out in Ashi’s voice. “I will join you in Faust when I am done adjusting Kaden’s dungeon. Do not fear, you will not be alone for long.”

  “Afraid is not how I’d describe it,” Eve said. “[Blood Burn!]”

  Her eyes wept blood again. “[Tired] doesn’t clear with that. Why does it not clear with that? Kaden doesn’t sleep for days. I should be able to stay up all night. I still am owed my choice of blood spells by the Mercari, perhaps something to keep me awake.”

  “We’re going to be staying in Faust for a while. I’ll arrange a house, you can sleep while Kaden and I handle town business.” Sara seemed chipper. “I gained a level in my business profession for arranging clearing the mine. My planning skill is that much more powerful, S&K Holdings now gets a six percent efficiency bonus and I’m a hair’s breadth from level thirty.”

  Dungeon Master didn’t level and didn’t need to. Eve…he had to ask. “How do you level Oathbinder?”

  “Taking and enforcing oaths. I’ve limited my oaths to people who will have reason to keep them,” Eve said. “At some point, I have a quest to enforce an oath on an unwilling subject. Oathbinders are normally combat classes. For good reason.”

  “I wouldn’t object to contracting to enforce oaths,” Sara said. “I have a Quest—”

  Kaden and Eve drew the silver flasks Trella had giften them from Inventory and took a drink, then put them away while Sara stared.

  “Well, I do.” She reached down to pet Vip. “I’m going to go throw a mag rat skull for someone who appreciates it.”

  *Fast!* Vip dashed through the door and into the field.

  “When are you going to tell her it’s enchanted with cold water?” Eve asked.

  “Why would I ever tell her?”

  Eve took another sip and put it away. “Point taken.”

  Trella emerged, cleaner, damper, and with tangled hair, and looking like she was two steps from falling over. She clutched the dragon hatchling like a drowning man holding a log. “Eve, is there anything you can do for me?”

  “What…” Eve stared. “You have a Centurion class Status condition, ‘Night Terror.’ What did you do? What did you have done to you? How are you even on your feet?”

  “Barely.” Trella put her head down on the table. “I was fine when I came back in last night. Better than fine. Why can’t I see the status effect?”

  Eve shared her view of Trella’s status.

  [Night Terror]

  What begins as a peaceful and pleasant feeling will built to a cescendo and then plunge you into a mirage of fear built from your failure. The higher the peak, the steeper the fall. Night Terror will inhibit skills and talents for twenty four hours. You may not detect Night Terror through system logs.

  That was nasty. And Trella had been enthusiastic last night. All a part of a status effect that delayed initial effect in return for a harder hit. “You said Senior Sister was forced to use a skill. Was it this one?”

  “She [Shadow Stepped] away and then hit me with something called [Shadow Fist.]” Trella swore. “I can’t even focus enough for Alchemy.”

  “Egalion’s priests could cleanse this,” Eve said with careful distaste. “I’d rather not go but you could. You know who would fit right in there? Ashi. You know who doesn’t? Me.”

  Kaden dispatched the Falcrow to ask Ashi for a favor. “I have to go handle this. I started this mess, it’s mine to clean up. You want to keep the dragon?”

  “I will literally stab anyone who takes it,” Trella said. “Holding it keeps some of the terror at bay.”

  Kaden engaged [Beast Soul] to try and ask the hatchling a question, and should have anticipated its answer. The hatchling expected—no, demanded—to be worshiped and adored. It was, after all, a dragon, with all the strength—forget that. Majesty—no, not that either. Grace. All the grace a dragon should have. “He’ll go with you but he wants an hour in the sun, minimum. Two hours would be better. He’d like three even more.”

  “Fine. Your fancy lizard can sit in the sun while I wait in line. I’d take him to Meridian Island but I have a feeling Dragons don’t get along.”

  “Good call,” Sara said. “Kaden, if it’s just you and I and Eve, let’s head to Faust. Remember, the more you defer to the mayors, the less you have to personally handle in the future. If the end goal is for this town to govern itself, that’s essential.”

  Essential is exactly what Kaden would call it. “I asked for this. I’m ready to face it.”

  Together they went through the FarPortal.

  And Kaden emerged to a cacophony of argument. Everywhere, commoners and craftsmen argued. Everwhere they shouted, raising fists, drawing weapons.