The people of Heroldin work diligently to repair their city to its former glory. For a fleeting moment the peril of imminent war seems distant. Okami enjoys time with Chrissima while the others help villagers rebuild after the savage battle with the Hellbent. Blood is washed from the streets as best it can be, and bodies are buried by loved ones. The hellbent corpses are disposed of indignantly.

  Stitches scours the gore riddled streets alone building her collection of ‘materials’.

  Heroldin and Lady Death come to an agreement and go to take their leave.

  “What terms have you come to?” Mateo asks as they stand.

  “Some things aren’t meant for mortal knowledge,” she smiles at Mateo, “but I suppose you won’t be mortal forever, you’ll figure it out long before you ascend though, I bid you farewell Mr. Ryusane, when the dawn breaks remember me, not as an ascended being, but as a friend waiting to see you once more.”

  The two ladies take a bow and step away disintegrating into the air like dust blowing in the wind.

  Juliana approaches Mateo, her head hung low. Mateo turns his contemplative gaze from his fried chikus legs to meet her form.

  “What’s the matter?” He asks.

  “Thank you, and your friends,” she says with a bow.

  Mateo wipes his face with a cloth and stands from his table. He moves closer to her taking a bow himself. They both rise and he gives her a half smile.

  “Your father, even after Stitches, it wasn’t enough?”

  “No, it wasn’t, but he was glad to have more time with me, and I am grateful that I had that time with him.”

  Mateo moves closer to Juliana wrapping his arms around her. She returns the embrace as tears stream down her soft ivory cheeks.

  “You are the first person I ever met in this realm,” Mateo says.

  “You were the first naked man I ever saw,” she replies.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “Don’t be, you got a girlfriend?”

  “Yes.”

  “Damn, guess I’ll have to go for the elf girl.”

  “She’s, my girlfriend.”

  “The catgirl?”

  “She has a main protagonist fetish, also, not into beautiful women.”

  Juliana blushes.

  “Wolfman isn’t out of the question?”

  “Sorry, Chrissima is a friend, and they are, complicated, he is a bit of a dog though so, maybe?”

  Mateo, still having not released Juliana from his embrace, feels her tightening her grip. He runs his fingers through her long dark hair gently.

  “Thanks for coming to help me Juliana, but you should get back to tending your people.”

  Main quest complete: Assist Lady Heroldin in liberating Heroldin from an unstoppable Hellbent onslaught.

  Reward: Title ‘Heroldin’s Champion’ unlocked. Title ‘Lady’s Man’ updated to ‘Heroine’s Hero’.

  Heroine’s Hero passive effect: When conversing with females your charisma is increased by five. Additionally, when in combat the nearest female companion will regenerate health, stamina, and mana at a faster rate, this does not apply for pixies and other soul bound beings, familiars, or draconic beings. Use of the ability ‘calm’ works increasingly well on female targets and may make them infatuated with you for a short period.

  Companion alert: Juliana Stormveil has been added to your contacts list. Rachel the lady of death has been added to your emergency contacts.

  “Are you ok?” Juliana asks as Mateo stares off into the distance.

  “Sorry, just some notifications, things seem to have calmed down, why don’t we rest a bit,” Mateo says.

  “Missing your elf girl already?”

  “Very much so,” Mateo replies.

  The sun falls leaving only the moonlight to illuminate the war-torn streets of Heroldin. Stars dot the infinite void as two moons illuminate the night. A fire burns in the center of town as two groups of adventurers revel in their victory.

  Azul manages to sneak her way into Mateo’s lap as he sits cross-legged by the fire. Serenity doesn’t seem too concerned. Stitches isn’t having it though.

  “Hey, that’s my lap you’re sitting in!” Stitches growls.

  “Aw, don’t be so jealous, can’t a cold devil enjoy a warm lap?”

  Yetsu looks over at Ruby with a smile. She rolls her reptilian eyes at him.

  “Our little Azul seems to have broken out of her shell,” Yetsu says.

  “Yes, but she’s still a juvenile, she’s not ready for the affection she’s seeking,” Ruby scoffs grinding her sharp teeth.

  “Don’t worry, Mateo isn’t that kind of guy, I’m a little worried about the wolf though,” Yetsu replies.

  “As you should be.”

  They both pause turning toward Okami. He’s wearing a striking burgundy robe with accents in dark hues of purple that somehow don’t seem tacky. A large pipe rests in his offhand exuding a gentle plume of smoke. He moves the pipe to his snout and takes a puff blowing smoke through his nostrils with a smile.

  “Excuse me,” Ruby says approaching him.

  “My apologies, you know not of my interspecies research, please have a seat and I will explain myself,” he says with a bow.

  The two don’t even have time to argue with Okami or listen to his interspecies explanation of the interactions between wolf men and Succubi, nor their subspecies like elemental ogres, before the sky is ruptured by a massive obsidian ring wrapped in gold vines.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  A gale of wind forces its way through the circle as a massive dragon erupts from it. Its iridescent obsidian scales shimmer in the moonlight. Massive wings pound the ground with forceful gusts bringing the creature to a sudden halt before crashing into the ground.

  Rayo, sensing another dragon, creeps toward the flame burning in the center of Heroldin. The Harmony Casters group up as if preparing for battle. Azul’s face turns from playful flirtation to solemn determination. The burning passion in her eyes not lost in the transition.

  Dust settles and a familiar dragon knight appears in a large fur coat. It’s a dark navy with silver fur wrapping around the nape of the neck. Okami growls angrily at the sight of it.

  “Jessica?” Mateo asks.

  “Oh, hey Jessica!” Natalia yells excitedly.

  Jessica tosses off the coat she’s wearing and it vanishes into her inventory. Only an expensive looking elastic breast band covers her large, but firm bosom.

  “Mateo be weary, she has not come as a friend,” Okami yells.

  Mateo raises his hand and Drako’s Razor appears in it extending. Natalia turns to him seeming confused.

  “Mateo, what’s going on?”

  “Mateo?”

  The world becomes dark for Natalia. For some reason she cannot hear Mateo’s thoughts. She can barely feel him at all. She can’t feel his magic, only his spirit. One the moment the world is still, the next it is alive with movement. Not a movement that anyone can track though. Moments pass like minutes before the man made construct of time returns to reality.

  Mateo’s unconscious body slides across the dirt into the massive talons of Jessica’s obsidian dragon. Rayo moves to attack, but Stitches moves between them summoning her abomination, Monica.

  Okami grunts pitifully as he crawls across the ground. Mustering all the strength he has left he pulls a frightened vampire elf into his lap petting her long soft hair gently. She turns her gaze from an unconscious orc lying on the ground to him.

  “Wh-wha-what the fuck just happened?” She stutters.

  “Jessica, no, the Cult of Drakvania, just took Mateo,” Okami replies.

  “Took him where?”

  “To Drakvania.”

  Stitches’ familiar Monica pins Rayo to the ground as Jessica climbs on her dragon and ascends. He cries out pitifully as they disappear into the gate in the sky.

  The ‘Harmony Casters’ move to the expended members of Mateo’s party. The world seemed to stop for a few moments, and then Mateo was gone, his party dispersed. Rayo cries out pitifully again, staring at the ground where Mateo once stood. The gold vined sky gate closes leaving only a small cloud of residual mana behind.

  Rayo howls like a mad beast as Stitches runs to comfort him. In a mere moment. Mateo’s entire party was felled, and him and Natalia were ushered away.

  As Mateo has been captured and his party is left unsure of what to do there is time to explain Mateo’s current knowledge of the realm of Gottes. There would normally be a map here, but Natalia is absolutely terrible at drawing. Besides, this allows me, the Narrator, to speak freely.

  Mateo appeared on the continent of Vitas where Heroldin is the central trade hub. South of Heroldin lies the Equitorial Marshes. To the northwest is the land of Obsidius where the orcen hail from. Far to the east is Satsuki. Of the three destinations I find Satsuki the most appealing despite the scores of large breasted naked orcen women that walk the streets of Obsidius.

  Wrapping around the southeastern edge of Vitas is the continent of Aramas. The reigning capital of Aramas is the Twilight Everglades. This is the kingdom of the dark elves where Serenity hails from. There the elves live amongst the trees with nature, even the dark elves. Serenity is afraid to return here in her current state as she will be seen as an affront to the natural order of things being a vampire. That, and she is no longer accompanied by her brother whom is very important to the Twilight Everglades.

  Amongst other continents unexplored the planet existing in the realm of Gottes is less a whole sphere and more a fractured collective. The continents aren’t separated by oceans, but open space. They all surround a large solid spherical center called the ‘Corelands’. The most prominent dominion in the Corelands is the dragon dominion, and that of Drakvania. This is where Mateo finds himself a captive of the Cult of Drakvania, and one very sadistic dragon knight. Gods rest his tortured soul.

  The world is still spinning when Mateo wakes alone in a cell. He tugs on a choker around his neck as he tries to access his mana.

  “Struggle all you want, that collar has you silenced, I mean you can still scream,” Jessica bites her lip seductively, “I don’t mind, infact, I wanna hear you scream.”

  “What’s going on, where’s Natalia?” Mateo asks pulling on the collar.

  Jessica unlocks the door to his cell and steps inside with a crooked smile. Mateo hunches over gripping his stomach as her bare foot slams into his ribs with a loud crack. She presses the bottom of her foot to his forehead tilting it back.

  “Did you get a pedicure?” Mateo coughs spitting blood.

  “So weak, I should have waited to take you in, never mind that, you’ll serve Lord Dios all the same.”

  “Your feet are surprisingly soft for a dragon knight,” Mateo continues.

  “I can’t wait to break you,” Jessica says biting her lip so hard it begins to bleed.

  “Sapphire is a good color for your toenails; it matches one of your eyes and is a good contrast with your silver hair,” Mateo says holding his ribs.

  Jessica places her foot on his head pressing it down to the ground. Mateo grabs at his ribs with one hand while trying to hold himself off the floor with the other. Seeing him struggling Jessica presses her foot down harder.

  “Struggle all you want, but this isn’t battle, this is torture, I’m going to play with you however I want until I break you, you can fight back all your want, but you will gain no ground.”

  Mateo moves his head to the side and her foot slips. He leans down and licks one of her toes before staring up at her expectantly.

  “You little perv, you filthy unrealmer, how dare you touch any part of my pure realm form lustfully!” She yells.

  Mateo flies into the wall with a loud thud. Jessica steps over to him and leans down with a scowl. She grabs a clump of his hair pulling his eyes to hers.

  “I want you to beg for me, I’m going to make you beg for me.”

  Days later and Mateo is starving and fatigued. Jessica is an unrelenting force of pain and agony. Unwilling to surrender. Mateo fights on.

  “Lord Dios, I believe he is near ready to break, though I am,” the large dragon cuts her off.

  “I know of your desire to play mortal, but it is not a game with this one, bring him to me.”

  “Yes Lord Dios.”

  The cell door slides open and Jessica steps in wearing her ceremonial dragoon dress. The dress itself is a silk red stitched with gold threads. The female version displays an open chest showing off Jessica’s large perky breasts.

  “Get up you fucking worm!” Jessica demands.

  She still walks barefoot across the cold stone floor displaying her now crimson-colored toenails. Mateo having been deprived of Natalia’s presence for what has seemed like several days has tired of making jokes to play along with her sadistic advances.

  “Where the fuck is Natalia!” He demands.

  Her fist slams against the side of his head and he falls limp onto the floor. Jessica tosses him over her shoulder carrying him to Lord Dios’ chambers.

  The Cathedral of the God Dragon is a massive structure filled with gothic era sculptures and architecture. The further in you go the more sculptures of winged creatures are present until you get to the hall of dragons. Hundreds of dragon sculptures and paintings line the walls. Jessica drags Mateo’s body through these halls until she reaches a massive set of wooden doors. She snaps her fingers, and they open slowly, scratching the floor as they glide across it.

  “I couldn’t get much out of him, well, in the way of information.”

  “You may take your leave Lady Coldthorne,” Dios thunders across the open cathedral.

  “As you wish master Dios.”

  After a half hour Mateo wakes in the large open cathedral that houses the massive dragon, Dios. He grunts audibly holding his side as he peers over at the massive dragon.

  “Holy shit, you’re one big dragon, I see by the color of your talons Jessica’s pedicurist hasn’t gotten a hold of you, a shame really, a shimmering metallic purple would really compliment your dark ashen scales,” Mateo coughs spitting blood.

  “I am Lord Dios, God of dragons, to suggest my form is anything but majestic is heresy.”

  “Hold on, calm down now, the talons are fine, could use a little grooming, it’s the eyebrows I can’t stand, why do they float like that running all the way to your ears, well, earholes?”

  “You are an insolent buffoon, the fact that Jessica has not killed you yet shows great restraint on her part,” Dios says her massive skull rising slightly.

  “That or she’s interested in me, and she doesn’t want to kill me until after we have sexy time,” Mateo grunts gripping his side.

  “I assure you the two elves accompanying her will fill her desires well.”

  “So, bullshit aside, you going to tell me why I’m here?” Mateo asks.

  “No, you’re going to tell me why you’re here, and everything you know,” Dios replies shrinking down to a somewhat human form.

  The dragon’s illusion is that of a dragga with shimmering obsidian wings. The reptilian humanoid transforms further changing its face from that of a reptile like a ruksha or the traditional dragga, to that of an ivory skinned woman in her youth. She runs her talons under his chin raising his eyes to hers. He peers up into two orbs resembling rotating galaxies.

  “And if I don’t?”

  “I, will, make, you.” She replies her gaze penetrating beneath his mortal form into his soul in the void.