A large piece of land, spanning several kilometres, floated 100 meters above the earth. The stronghold right at the centre of the floating island began to enlarge.
The wall grew from 15 meters to 30 meters tall. And not only was it made out of bricks and covered in green clay, making it much harder and twice as durable as any other wall.
It was 10 meters thick, providing enough space for soldiers to manoeuvre and an undeniable structural integrity.
The buildings inside the wall transformed at a rapid pace. The frozen stone houses were rebuilt with new stones and wooden beams with all having fireplaces.
The interlocking connection of the houses was outstanding, allowing for the creation of connecting roads and wider streets, all neatly paved with cobblestones.
Trees, dozens of meters tall with fat fruits, able to nourish and energise those from the Silver-rank and below grew at several sections of the city!
Another wall was constructed around several kilometres away from the first wall. It circulated the city.
From a Bird’s eye, it looked like a city within a city! The second wall was 50 meters in length and 15 meters thick!
Behind the walls, houses, streets, markets, grand halls, taverns, auction houses were all built. But none in both walls could compare to the Lord’s Estate.
The estate’s gate made the third wall.
This estate had several story buildings, lavishly and exquisitely decorated with sculptures, murals of the old and new rulers of Ashbourne and Winter.
Giant sculptures of Anderson and some heroes of war like Jacob who died before Asher came stood in the cities, like giant guardians.
Their life-like appeal and intimidating aura made people gawk at the miraculous craft from a distance.
Beyond the walls was a vast flourishing greenery. Tall trees, shrubs, grasses and some hills!
This was an entire island capable of thriving with hundreds of thousands! A paradise for man.
Nothing like this had ever been seen in all the domains in Tenaria!
After the transformation ended, Asher let go of the window sil. He took a good look at the council hall which had transformed into a 25 meters long hall paved with marble.
The throne, placed on a platform of about a dozen steps. This time it was made of metal and stone instead of the pure stone thrones in other cities.
Other than the unique look of the throne, it had a higher elevation than the others.
“The sacred hall.” Isaac muttered softly.
Lord Winter looked at Asher deeply. “How are you not dead with the ability to manipulate reality?”
Asher raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“The greater the talent, the deadlier the flaw. Talents in the zenith grade grants death. Why do you think men with great unstoppable powers never lived long enough? We would have had giants and great warlocks of the past ages rule in this age but they’re gone. Why?”
Asher frowned.
“Great power means you won’t last long. Your lifespan might expand to four hundred now that you’re an imperial-ranked Swordsman but your Zenith talent will kill you at 200 or a little later. It makes me wonder if you’ll live till thirty.”
Lord Winter’s words dropped like a bomb on Asher.
He didn’t know much about the system. But he did know he had two zenith talents. From the way Lord Winter spoke, he was certain the effect could be stacked?!
His expression hardened.
“I would have carved my name on Tenaria before then.”
Lord Winter and Isaac noticed the key word ‘Tenaria’ instead of history.
“Hahaha, I see. Nevertheless, your talent has made me see what I never even dreamed of. A city that floats, high above the reach of our foes.”
Lord Winter marveled at the sight from the window.
“I believe the outer city is for the other races?” He turned toward Asher.
Asher glanced at him and back at the grand view. He nodded. “They have their differences so it is better they stay behind different walls but in order to leave the city for any reason, humans will have to pass through them and if they have reasons to visit the Lord’s Estate to make complaints, they would surely pass through our kin.”
Isaac, amazed by this idea, spoke. “Their small interactions will thaw the gap between them and render the wall inconsequential.”
“Indeed.” Asher responded.
While they had their conversation, the massive hole left by the city, expanded beyond the shadow of the floating island and was filled to the brim with water!
He along with Lord Winter and Isaac left the hall. They moved through the wide hallway which had lots of sculpted knights to the courtyard, where they mounted horses and rode to an elevated platform several meters wide.
It was a teleportation channel.
Along with the mounts, they ascended, stood upon the channel and vanished like pixels. In the next moment, Asher, Isaac, Lord Winter, Nero and some paladins appeared below the floating paradise.
They were stunned to see the vast water body before them.
Tilting his head upward, Isaac gazed at the bottom of the island. Jagged rocks, like a mountain faced upside down, was the only way he could describe the bottom of the island.
It was literally pulled out of the earth!
His gaze toward Asher changed subtly but noticeably.
“You’re a monster.” Lord Winter shook his head. Completely, astounded by this.
“I believe we should have no problem moving other strongholds into paradise.”
“Who wouldn’t want to live up there, high above several nobles.” Nero chuckled.
The paladins laughed softly.
“We shall return to Nineveh.” Asher said sternly as he could feel their longing to look down at the world from up there.
Their laughter ceased abruptly.
“Paradise has vast lands beyond the city. People could build settlements there, in the serene depths of the forest or grasslands.”
Isaac said softly.
“I shall send envoys to Gilead and Ramoth. Also to the Edomites and Dothanites. Those that chose to bow the knee shall be granted citizenship as Ashbourne citizens but those that do not shall be left for the abyss beast.”
Others agreed with Asher’s words.
“Now then, let’s return.” Asher said looking at the teleportation channel, a couple meters away covered halfway with grass.
…
Hurried footsteps fell into the ears of two 8 foot tall women clad in white studded leather armour inlaid with metal at their torso.
When they saw the black haired 6 foot tall woman clad in a similar white armour, a battle skirt with a sword strapped to her waist, a round shield strapped to her back and a golden rope at her waist, they bowed their heads.
“Lady Morgana.”
Morgana glanced at these giant like women and their Warhammers. “I want to see my mother.”
Both of them glanced at themselves. Unanimously, they pushed the heavy stone door, allowing Morgana to walk through.
Morgana walked into a hall. In the center of the hall was an exquisitely sculpted round table with a map of the Silver moon kingdom on it.
Several female generals and two men stood around the table. The most iconic woman was the golden haired mature looking beauty clad in a white garment and adorned with gold.
She stood at an impressive height of 7 feet!
That woman was none other than Queen Artemis, daughter of Artemis, granddaughter of Artemis.
Every ruler was baptized and when they emerged they would look like that and bear the name of the founder of Silver moon.
Then, they would copulate with several men to produce the perfect woman who would be groomed to take over.
Morgana was the next in line to become that epitope of beauty and allure yet inherently stronger than men.
Within the lands of the silver moon, men were under women. Here was a woman’s land!
Their unique ideology made them consider other dominions on Tenaria a filthy place in need of cleansing.
“Mother.”
Morgana fell on one knee like a well trained soldier. Her toned muscles and scars spoke of her tough experience, like fighting other female warriors and beasts.
To be appointed as the perfect woman amongst the dozens of daughters her mother had, Morgana had to be truly special.
It was more than just looks. She had to be able to be the best warrior, the most feared in the lands of silver moon and beyond.
And Morgana, a woman at 39 had achieved that by journeying into the sea of vipers and returning with the seven heads of a hydra!
The hydra was a creature with records of slaying and eating knights at the Exalted rank and countless ancient-ranked knights!
No one had encountered it and came back the same but Morgana, a woman broke this curse and made the sea a hub for voyagers.
None of the previous Artemis had ever achieved this so Morgana was seen as the greatest queen the kingdom would ever have and her glorious feat gave her the name.
Godslayer!
Because the hydra was known as the god of the sea.
Silver moon had plans of nurturing her until she had fully tapped into her potential but that plan crumbled because of the Galvia Empire!