I could not just March this army of weakling to war. First I need discipline among them. As I looked at my two servants feeding I snapped my fingers and they stopped. They kneel before me again.
"Both of you will form ranks from the weaklings outside. I want an organized army, if they refused kill them" I order with authority in my voice.
"Yes Master" they say in unison. As they leave and take the rest of the dead body with them. I sit on the floor my legs crossed and close my eyes. I focus on the hole in me and the small power that has regenerated. I poured my focus on it as I used my emotions to fuel me. The disappointment, the rage, the happiness, the sadness. The only feeling I seemed to lack is fear, but fear is for weak. 'I will never be weak, I refuse to be weak.' I was not sure how much time had passed. The power within, the anti light, it was writhing now wanting out. 'To let power control you is to be a slave to that power.' I thought to myself as I meditated.
I let out an internal roar at the anti light, it shrank back understanding my raw will. I opened my eyes looking at the Archon women. I have yet to give myself a name, I should have one to make myself known. Two popes into my head. One from a world of magic, one from a world of science. I simply nodded to myself. 'Alexander Kane.' I thought to myself two names of power that will strike fear into all. The women stayed with their heads lowered and knelt before me.
"Raise your heads, I have new orders. You shall find those who can construct with stone, wood, and metal. Bring them to me for conversation. My numbers must grow" I said with finality and a growl of an order. They both rose and left immediately. 'I must keep hidden, I need more time to grow.' I thought to myself in the empty room. I closed my eyes and meditated once more. I would need it to make many weaker Archons who can do construction. They would still be stronger than Liana. She was pathetic, I chastised myself for making something so weak. 'Weakness is a sin.' That thought sounded firmly yet i couldn't understand why.
As they returned several men cowered in fear of my anti light eyes. In chains of ice it's clear they didn't come willingly. Petra had ice blue chains coming from a magical sigil. The sigil was coming from her hand. I noticed one was scaled and was not in chains but knelt before me. I was actually surprised by this, my left eyebrow rose as I walked to the reptilian looking being.
"You came willingly, why?" I asked standing in front of him. The man looked up. His mouth protruded slightly as he looked into my eyes of endless black. His hand shook slightly as he answered.
"You made them stronger, I am weak. I wish to be stronger no matter the cost" he said with a tremble in his voice. I simply nodded at his response.
"Then you will not be a worker you will follow Narma. Failure will mean death" I said as I grabbed is throat and injected him. This was the first time I had to stop because I could feel he couldn't take anymore. He is stronger but not as Narma. 'Interesting.' I said to myself with a smile. I then frowned realizing Liana could have been of use. The reptilian man screamed as I wondered if I could inject more into the current Archons. As I did so I converted the other men. The ice chains shattered like glass and evaporated into the air. They screamed and writhed on the ground. Except the saurian, he was screaming but held his gaze at me. 'He will be strong.' I thought with a smile so wide it was unnatural.
Unlike all others I turned his entire body had not just become pale. His muscles became bigger and that's when I noticed from my fingers energy flowed into him. I smiled at this laborer.
"Speak your name Lizard" I said as I looked him in his golden eyes. He didn't kneel like the rest. He was the weakest, now he was the strongest.
"I am Xinel Fair. Outcast of the Dalak tribe for being weak. Now in your debt" He said with reverence. His forehead was placed on the floor as if a god was before him. As he said that I felt something inside me. I felt kinship, was I once weak?
"Very good, for now work under Narma" I said with a nod. "As for the rest of you, begin gathering those with construction skills and fortify the defenses" I sat back down my legs crossed as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I had stayed like that for several days. I did not feel hunger or thirst, I simply was. I ended my meditation when I felt a pull. I looked to the direction it came from. No person was there, yet I still felt the pull. I figured an investigation was necessary. I was curious as to how and why more than the who or what. As I walked out of the hut I realized my power was leaking. Everything was so slow, to call me a God might not be to inaccurate.
"Narma we are leaving for a bit. Xanel you are in charge until I return. Do not disappoint me" I said as I walked by the orc woman and lizard man. She dropped whatever she was doing. The lizard man, who was taller than me, lowered his head in reverence and understanding. 'I need to ask Narma something anyway.' I walked to the gates as a brute of a sentient being stepped in front of me.
"You just go and kill the boss, who made you bo-" as I cut off his tirade my power manifesting as a black scythe. The pitch black tip stuck from the forehead of what I now realized was an orc. As the black anti light retracted the body fell forward his head less than an inch from hitting my nose. It was so quiet I thought maybe silence itself was a sound. I kicked his body away out of my path as I looked forward.
"Does anyone else have something to say about how I run things? No. Then get back to work" I said it so calmly like nothing had happened. The psychologically affect of this would be far more impactful. I smiled and spoke again. "I'm leaving for a bit Xanel is in charge until I return. I am going with Narma to investigate something of interest to me. Do not betray me or when I get back I will kill any survivors" I said coldly as I walked past the corpse with Narma and out of the small bandit settlement.
I turned to the left and began walking casually. As I turned back to see the settlement far enough away. I looked at Narma.
"What is in this direction?" I questioned her.
"The city of Keldar, it is the main city in this region. Duchess Garda rules there and is much beloved for her charity" she said explaining as we burst into a sprinting through the forest. We moved so fast that several times I almost ran into forest critters. I move out of the way each time but only to spare my clothing. We stopped at a river and washed ourselves and our clothing. Didn't want to go in smelling like human blood.
It took two days to reach the city. As we walked into the line I noticed the attention I was getting. I checked to ensure my power was secure and being hidden. Then Narma spoke up.
"You have no shirt on Master" she said without whispering. I simply looked down at my tattered pants and shrugged. Enough time passed that the red sun had set. When we reached the gate I looked at the man guarding it. His skin was grey and I could tell his helm was meant to accommodate pointed ears.
"What is your business here?" He asked with a bit of bite as the other guards looked us over.
"I'm curious about the city. Never been in one this big" I said casually. He looked at me with confusion in his eyes. "If you have an issue with me and my servant entering then say so. Otherwise let us in" I said blankly. He then looked to the orc woman who stood a head taller than me.
"Your joking right? You are definitely not a noble or rich. I'm pretty sure she would crush you" he said with a hit of laughter. My brows came closer as I spoke.
"Narma cut your hand" I said bluntly. As the guards watched her she cut her hand open them sheather her blade bowing her head.
"It is done Master" she said before raising her head to look at the guards again.
"Thank you. Is this proof enough gentleman?" I questioned them. As I looked at the elf the name Drow and Dunmer came into mind. I preferred Drow. The guards moved aside and we walked into the city. The smell was awful and the sound was annoying.
As Narma walked next to me people stared. Not sure if it was me or Narma being attractive. I didn't care as long as people didn't get in my way. I felt the pull stronger, I could resist it, but I didn't. If someone was trying to manipulate me I would kill them. 'I'm not weak anymore.' I don't know why I thought that but I did.
Finally I looked up at a castle. The pull I get was coming from there. I stared at the castle studying it closely. My eye sight zoomed in like a camera. I took in as much detail as I could. Then I was interrupted by the sound of a fight. I snapped my head in the direction of the sound. As I moved Narma followed like a shadow. A carriage was on fire. Several men who looked like the guards, but in better armor, were fighting. I noticed a girl with severe burns. This would be good for making connections.
My eyes became pitch black as lines of obsidian formed over my body. The fighting stopped as a guard peed in his pants. In my hands twin short scythes appeared and I moved. In an instant a man in a cloak was decapitated. I grabbed another man crushing his skill on my arm.
"Narma kill the rest. I will heal the girl. There is no challenge in fighting the weak" I said in true annoyance. My anti light crept back into me as the scythes vanished. A single arm was left covered in the black lines as I walked to the burnt girl. My hand touched her face. 'This young I can't convert them. How do I know this?' Black lines ran over her as I transferred my healing to her. I heard the battle behind me and then Narma's footsteps standing behind me. The girl gasped as her skin began to regrow as bones snapped back into place. Her throat was burnt so her pained scream sounded like a whisper. The guards didn't attack as I'm sure they planned to do. Probably because her skin was repairing itself. I recalled the anti light lines into myself and stood.
Narma had a battle axe in hand. She stared down the guards who clearly wanted to attack. Seeing what I guessed was their master healing they put away their weapons. I walked away from the healing child and repaired several others. If I turned them it would be bad publicly. A woman and man on horse followed by several soldiers rode up to the sene. I simply began walking away as they approached. Narma walked behind me then I heard a voice.
"Please wait!"?A woman's voice said as I felt someone getting closer. I grabbed Narma's arm before she moved and looked into her eyes. She understood and relaxed. I turned to the woman and the personal guards following her. My face kept its blank expression. "You saved my daughter I am Duchess Garda, please allow me to thank you properly" she said bowing in a curtsy. The guards eyed us wearily. I looked back to her daughter as her body rebuilt itself.
"I didn't know, to be honest I wasn't sure it would work. Also you are welcome" I said nodding my head slightly as she rose. Her daughter finally screamed. "Seems her vocal cords have begun to regrow. I hoped it would be the last thing" I grimaced at her scream and her mother looked to me then to her pleadingly. "Healing magic was not used Duchess. If it was healing magic she would have died. What I did was make her body repair itself rapidly. It will save her but at the cost of pain. It's the same way I heal" I said as her eyes widened. I looked at her daughter for several minutes then she panted now in a silk robe.
"Who are you?" The Duchess asked me as I looked back to her.
"Alexander Kane" I said simply. She finally noticed my tattered pants and that I was shirtless. She looked to Narma wearing haphazard armor. Then she noticed the blood.
"Please come and clean yourselves at my home. It is the least I can do" the Duchess said giving a small smile. I looked down at my blood stained pale skin.
"Thank you I accept your kindness." I nodded to her and followed her back. As one of the guards approached me Narma picked him up by the throat. I liked to her and then the man. "Put him down Narma, we do not want trouble. Besides no one here could lay a finger on me if I did not wish it" I said to Narma as she nodded. She set the man down gently and stood behind me. I turned to the duchess. "Apologies she is protective of me" I said flatly as I followed her. "No need for a horse. We can keep up" I said as I the Duchess got on the horse. I bolted in front of her with Narma on my heels. We arrived at her homes gate before her.
We waited for a few minutes as they arrived with slightly shocked faces. I simply stood and looked over to them. A slight smile crept over my face. 'Didn't think I could feel pride.' As we walked in I thought on how to make this my first conquest.