Eritrea clicked her tongue, the playful light in her eyes dying out as she realized she wasn’t going to get the reaction she wanted from Asher.
Asher snorted inwardly, amused by Eritrea’s antics. He knew she desired him, and despite knowing he was already committed to someone else, she still wanted to play games.
He wondered how he would explain embracing a woman in tattered clothing, almost revealing her body, to Sapphire if the news got to her.
As Eritrea joined the generals, Kelvin approached Asher, still reeling in shock.
“Your Lordship, I mean no disrespect, but what do you want to do? Once these soldiers don dwarven armour, you could dominate almost every force in the Eternal Immortal Empire in a fair battle.”
Asher glanced at him, his voice calm and collected.
“Fair battle? I have the Scarlet Templar Knights and Gray Knights for unfair battles, and while you haven’t seen them, I must tell you that they are as big as these men before you.”
Kelvin’s eyes widened in incredulity.
“I refuse to believe you raise an army of giants clad with the best armour known on the continent just to protect yourself.”
Asher’s lips curled upward, a hint of a smile on his face. “Of course, I didn’t. Once these men are fully clad, spread the word that my sister Mary Ashbourne will be betrothed to Lucas Adamos, and make sure His Highness learns of it.” Kelvin’s eyes snapped wide open in alarm. “What?! It would lead to war.”
Asher’s expression turned cold, his voice taking on a steely tone. “Are you afraid of war, Kelvin? The times are changing. If you do not take the fight to them, it will come to your doorstep.” The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Asher’s words hung in the air, a clear warning that the status quo was about to be shattered.
Kelvin bowed his head, his eyes clouding with concern, like a stormy sky on a summer’s day. Then, he lifted his head, sighing softly, the sound carrying on the wind like a whispered secret. “I’m old, my views are limited to the time of peace. But I came bearing news that the 70,000 slaves have moved past Nineveh.” Asher’s expression turned grim, his voice firm.
“Prepare. We shall outrun them.” It would be disastrous, after the campaigns of his men that the slaves arrived and the paradise that could float on water wasn’t there.
“Gather 3,000 men of the city guards, give them horses, and make sure they’ll be there to maintain order once the city ship is ready.” Kelvin nodded heavily, his eyes fixed on Asher as he mounted Bezerk.
The horse, a majestic creature with a gleaming black coat, shifted its weight, its muscles rippling beneath its skin like a living sculpture. Asher’s back straightened, his thighs gripping the saddle as he settled into the ride.
The sound of the rein whipping through the air was like a crack of thunder, followed by the thud of hooves pounding the earth as Bezerk burst into a full gallop.
Wind rushed past Asher’s face, whipping his hair back like a banner, as he rode off into the distance. The city guard’s eyes followed him, his gaze lingering on the dust cloud kicked up by the horse’s hooves, like a ghostly trail vanishing into the horizon.
One of the city guards approached Kelvin, his voice laced with concern, like a whispered warning.
“Did the duke leave without telling us how to handle these men? I don’t think they can ride horses or their weight alone will kill the horse. Not even a centrak can handle their weight. Their armours won’t fit those bulking muscles, their appetite must have increased. They don’t even have clothes…”
Kelvin shot a sidelong glare at him, his expression darkening by the millisecond as the city guard kept listing out the work on his plate.
The city guard’s words trailed off as he felt a presence behind him, like a shadow looming over his shoulder. The hairs on his neck stood, and slowly, he turned, his right hand gripping his sword’s hilt tight.
“Let go of the sword.” That deep, authoritative voice made the city guard freeze, his pupils trembling at the sight of the man before him.
A 7-foot-2-inch-tall giant with an athletic build, hard muscles with a tint of red outlining his frame, stood before him.
His ink-black curly hair caressed his shoulders like a waterfall of night, and one of his eyes had yellow sclera with slanted black pupils, while the other was dull gray, like a moonless night.
This was the Duke’s Noble BloodBlade, Nero, the Sand Knight.
The city guard stuttered, “S-Sir!” Nero’s gaze was piercing, his voice firm.
“Find me clothes and something to ride… quickly.” The city guard gulped, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and awe as he hastily retreated to fulfill Nero’s orders, like a servant scurrying to obey his master.
“Are you not supposed to learn the battle force art?” Kelvin questioned.
Nero grimaced. “The duke can’t ride off without his BloodBlade. It’s my job to protect him and though I can’t fit into my armour, my skin is now strong enough to protect me from deep wounds.”
After a brief silence, Kelvin mounted his horse. Grabbing the reins tight, he turned to Nero. “Go. Those new citizens need to see an Ashbourne Emberframed knight.”
His horse kicked up dust as he stormed off.
____
Two hours later, as Bezerk’s hooves touched the ground with gentle thuds, Asher rose and fell according to its rhythm.
He sighted a few dozen men including Josef standing before a mighty heap of logs. A great part of the forest had been turned to logs causing him to wince in his heart.
The golden rider must have felt the pain.
“My Lord.” Josef and the others bowed when Asher came close. “You’ve done well.” Asher replied, his eyes fixed on the next great heap which were ropes.
Next to it was another.
And another.
And…
‘Are these basic materials enough?’
[They are. With 2 million gold coins, I shall commence with the construction of the Ark Titan.]
‘Commence.’
Swoosh!
In a white flash, the heaps of materials vanished, as well as the required gold coins from the vault.