WIEDERGEBURT Act IV: Chapter 12

While we didn’t have anything to do in Muqadas now that the Sea People threat was taken care of, we had paid for several days worth to stay in the noble’s suite, which meant we decided to basically lounge around until it was time to leave.

I divided that time evenly amongst the girls--and Zane, who I was still training.

Since Kari was the one who loved exploring, we often traveled out to sea on a small ship and went diving. Our journeys took us to many coral reefs and underground caves. Sometimes we ran afoul demon beasts, but none of them were beyond B-rank. We, of course, did not find anything too extraordinary. There were no hidden underwater ruins. Kari said she wasn’t at all disappointed, that simply going out with me was what she wanted, but I could tell she’d been secretly hoping to find something like the legendary underwater city Atlantis.

Kari was very easy to read.

Lin was my eater; she loved trying new foods, so we ended up spending most of our time wandering the markets, buying food from stalls, and visiting any restaurants we could. Several places actually kicked us out because she ate their entire supply of meat.

It was a little difficult traveling with Lin because the people here didn’t like her. We got a number of ugly looks, which sometimes meant I had to get ugly. I wondered how those people felt when they discovered that it was me, and not Lin, who they needed to be wary of.

By comparison, Fay was much easier to please. We didn’t have to go exploring or go out on eating extravaganzas. Sometimes we went with Raul to a park, other times we would spar together, and occasionally we would simply find a quiet place to rest and fall asleep in each other’s arms. Of course, when we sparred, we made sure to stay as far from the city as possible. We didn’t do that our first time and the army came out thinking they were under attack.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget the looks on the faces of the soldiers when they realized it was just two people sparring.

Qarwuin had not been pleased.

Out of all my wives, Siv was the easiest to please because she didn’t like going outside. It actually took me more effort to make her walk around Muqadas than it did to just stay at home and cuddle on the couch or take baths together. About the only thing we did that involved going outside was flying. As a dragon--no, as a drakvar--Siv absolutely loved taking to the skies. Sometimes we would fly together and sometimes I would rid her back while she was in her dragon form.

On that note, I learned through the grapevine that a large shadow had been spotted traveling over Muqadas. It had caused a serious panic from people thinking a new and powerful demon beast had appeared.

Aside from spending time with my wives, the only other thing I did was train Zane. Since Lin was basically in charge of his sparring, I took a handle on his education about Spiritualism, which was something Lin didn’t focus on much since her method of growing stronger differed from a human’s.

“Since you’ve managed to complete the leaf floating exercising, we’re moving onto the water walking one,” I stated as we stood on the sandy shores of the same beach where that Demon Beast attacked us.

My wives were present as well, but they were doing their own thing. Lin and Kari were playing in the water, Fay was nursing Raul as she rested in the shade of an umbrella, and Siv was… flying, I think. She had disappeared in the air not long after we arrived. I could only assume she’d taken to the skies.

“And what will this help me with?” asked Zane.

“Aside from increasing how much Spiritual Power you have and your control over it, you mean? Not much.” When Zane glared at me, I could only shrug my shoulders. “The amount of Spiritual Power you possess and how well you can control is more important than anything else to a Spiritualist. To reach the Second State of Spiritualism, you must take your Spiritual Aura back into your body. For that, you not only need to have a lot of Spiritual Power, but your control over it must be precise.”

“So this is to help me reach the Second State of Spiritualism?” Zane asked.

“Isn’t that what most of my training has been for?” I was tempted to roll my eyes, but instead I pointed at the ocean. “Now, start by traveling onto the water. Remember to channel Spiritual Power into your feet and expel it outward.”

Zane began walking into the water, but he either forgot to channel his Spiritual Power or wasn’t doing it right because he didn’t stand on the water’s surface. He looked at his feet, frowned, looked again, and then frowned even more.

“Are you actually channeling Spiritual Power to your feet?”

“Of course I am!”

“Then maybe try channeling more. You have to channel enough that you stay on top of the water’s surface. If you don’t channel enough, you’ll just sink.”

It took Zane several tries before he managed to stand on the water’s surface. Of course, he only managed it for about a second, and then he’d fluctuate between sinking and having his feet get blasted out of the water when he channeled too much. Walking on an uncalm surface like an ocean meant having to constantly calculate how much Spiritual Power needed to be channeled. He’d eventually get the hang of it, to the point where making those calculations became instinct, but until that time came, he’d have a hard time of it.

“Ha ha ha! You fell!”

“Shut up! I’d like to see you do better!”

“Hmph. This princess would be happy to show you how it’s done.”

I wasn’t sure what impressed me more: How Lin managed to do the water walking exercise even though she didn’t have feet, or how far Zane’s jaw dropped when he saw her doing it?

At long last, after spending another five days in Muqadas, our group finally began the journey back to Cairo.

We had a wedding to crash.

***

Ronia stood motionless in the middle of a large room as several people bustled around her. They were the maidservants of her clan, people she had known for almost her entire life, and right now, they looked about as miserable as she felt.

“We’ve finished adjusting your dress, My Lady,” her head servant said.

“Thank you. How do I look, Anat?”

Anat was a middle-aged woman with skin several shades lighter than her own. She wore a red skirt that wrapped around her wide hips, a thick strip of linen that formed an X-shape across her chest and back, and sandals on her small feet. Ronia thought she was a beautiful woman. She should have been married by now, but instead she was helping a woman two times younger than her marry a man she didn’t love.

It was tragic.

“You look… very sad,” Anat admitted.

“I guess my smile isn’t enough to fool you,” Ronai sighed as though exhausted. Truth be told, she was feeling quite tired, but it was her heart that had become this way.

Anat gave her a sad smile of her own but didn’t say anything. Perhaps she knew nothing she said could help now. No words of comfort would make Ronia feel better.

As depressing thoughts swam through her head like Sand Sharks, the door to her room opened and a man appeared on the other side. Her father. Dressed in a resplendent linen robe with a magnificent headpiece used only for ceremonial purposes, her father’s dignified bearing was nothing short of astounding--or it would have been if the smile on his face weren’t so fixed.

“You look beautiful,” he said as he walked into the room.

“Thank you, Father.”

Neither of them were unaware of the other’s feelings. Her father had to know she had no desire to marry Ammon, just like she knew her father was not happy with this arrangement. Ronia was even aware that he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. The Malik Family and the Shuruq Family might be considered equal in the eyes of the commoners, but there was a vast difference in power between them.

Reaching out with his hands, Ronia’s father cupped her cheeks. His hands were large, warm, and somewhat rough from his travels. They reminded her of his hands.

“I am sorry,” he said in a voice so soft nobody but she could hear it. “I wish… there was something I could do.”

Ronia sucked her tears back in as she placed her hands over his. “It is all right, Father. I understand you have no choice in the matter. I do not blame you.”

“I knew you would say that.” His smile grew even sadder. “Somehow, that does not make me feel much better.”

Ronia hated what was happening, but she also didn’t want her father to blame himself. She opened her mouth, prepared to offer more false reassurances, and yet before a single word came from her lips, someone else walked into the room unannounced.

“Now there is my lovely bride,” Ammon said as he gazed upon her with unfettered lust.

Her father’s expression darkened. “What are you doing her, Ammon? You know of our traditions. The groom is not allowed to see the bride in her wedding dress until she is walking down the aisle. Do you intend to make a mockery of our traditions?!”

“Please relax, old man. Being so worked up like that can’t be good for your health.”

Her father’s face was already quite red, but Ammon’s comments made it even redder. It looked like several blood vessels had popped.

Ammon either didn’t know or didn’t care about how upset her father was. She was betting on the latter. This disgusting man seemed to enjoy riling people up to amuse himself. What’s more, because he was the eldest son of the Malik Family and its heir, he didn’t have to worry about her father or anyone else laying a hand on him. Attacking Ammon would be like committing suicide.

He walked up to her, pushing past her father like he was just a pest, and grabbed her by the chin. His hand was rough and felt cold. It also burned like dry ice on her skin. She hated his hands. She hated him. The very sight of this man made her want to retch.

“Hmmm… yes. You aren’t as pretty as some of the slaves I keep, but you’ll do nicely as my queen.” Ronai tried her best to keep the anger off her face, but she must not have done a good job because the smirk on Ammon’s face grew wider. “There’s no need to look so upset. This is a grand occasion! The Malik and Shuruq Families are finally uniting in holy matrimony! Just think of the power we will wield once you and I marry. Why, it might not even be impossible to overthrow the emperor himself.”

“You are talking treason, Ammon!” her father roared. “Get out! Get out right now and pray that I don’t call this entire wedding off!”

“You wouldn’t do that.” Ammon grinned at the older man. “After all, my family has the power to crush yours. If you decide not to give me what I want, then I will simply ask my father to destroy your family and take it by force. I will see you at the wedding, my darling bride.”

As Ammon left the room, Ronia felt the blood drain from her hands as she clenched them into fists. Several tears tried to fall from her eyes. She did not let them. But on the inside, she was most certainly crying.

I’m sorry, Zane.

***

The wedding ceremony was to be held at the most prominent mosque in all of Cairo. The mosque was a place where the people of the Endless Desert worshipped the Great Overlords, gods who were said to have ruled over this world long ago and aided humanity when the Era of Chaos erupted.

As a temple in honor of the gods, the mosque was a magnificent structure. A minaret sat in one corner of the mosque’s structure, slender and beautifully crafted from limestone. Because of the heat, this structure featured an enclosed courtyard with several hanging gardens and a prayer hall. The flat roofs required columns to support them.  

Ronia stared at the people gathered in the prayer hall as she and Ammon sat on a dais in front of the guests. She tried to present the image of a queen. However, she felt like a child trying to play at one. The man sitting beside her didn’t look so much like a king as he did an arrogant fool playing at king.

Nobody spoke during the ceremony which, while joyous, was also a solemn occasion that demanded respect. The many silent guests stared at her and Ammon with wide eyes. Many looked joyful. She could only imagine what they were thinking. The Malik and Shuruq Families, two of the four strongest families in the Endless Desert, were being joined together. Surely this was a joyous occasion? Surely this would bring greater prosperity to both families?

The sharbat was being passed around to the guests, who drank in the bride and groom’s health. Once that was done, she and Ammon would switch their rings from the right hand to the left index finger. After this ritual was done, they would cut their ring fingers, place a drop of blood into the other’s chalice, and drink to each other. The ritual would be complete. They will have become married, and the festivities would begin after that.

Ronia did not feel like celebrating.

Everyone soon drank of the sharbat and it was now time to switch rings. Ammon switched his from the left hand to the right without hesitation, but Ronia was slow to move hers. Her soon to be husband frowned at her. However, he did nothing else. Arrogant though he might have been, he at least understood the need to keep up a pretense.

Just as she removed her ring, the doors leading into the prayer hall exploded. It was such a shocking occurrence that no one, not even the guards, were able to do anything as five people walked into the room.

Well… one of them was slithering, but the rest walked into the room.

“Who dares interrupt my wedding?!” roared Ammon, who leapt to his feet and glared at the five… though his glare ceased when he noticed who entered. His eyes became absent as he looked at the four beautiful women standing beside the man in front. It looked like he might start drooling at any second.

Ronia knew who these people were. They had only stayed at her house for a single night before leaving, but she could never forget such memorable people.

“Lord Eryk?!” Her father stood to his feet and addressed the one with the highest standing who just entered. “What is the meaning of this?!”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to ask Zane if you’d like to know what this is about,” Eryk said, shrugging as a smile lit up his face.

“Zane?” Her father’s frown grew larger as he looked from Eryk to Zane. “What is this about?”

“Lord Alshams, I apologize for interrupting the ceremony, but I believe this entire wedding to be a terrible farce,” Zane said. He walked past the gathered guests and toward the dais. “We all know what sort of man Ammon is. He is not worthy of Lady Ronia’s hand in marriage. He is not even worthy of breathing the same air as her.”

“This peasant is saying some awfully disrespectful things about me.” Ammon finally recovered from is absentminded state after hearing Zane’s words, his face set in an angry snarl. “A mere peasant dares to disrespect a noble? I will give you credit for your audacity, but you should know that such words cannot go unpunished. I’ll have your head for insulting me.”

“You won’t have to go so far for that. I will gladly give it to you… if you manage to defeat me.” Zane unsheathed his khopesh and pointed it at the now purple-faced Ammon. “Ammon Malik of the Malik Family, I challenge you to Sharawaj Mubaraza. If you win, I will offer you my head. If I win, you will renounce your right to marry Lady Ronia and never attempt to come near her again.”

“Hmph. Why should I bother humoring a pissant like you?” asked Ammon, his expression dark as he crossed his arms.

“Are you afraid?” asked Zane.

“Afraid? Surely you jest. I merely do not wish to sully my honor by agreeing to this farce. Sharawaj Mubaraza? A peasant wishing to challenge a noble in an honor duel is even more of an insult than your previous words. I’ll not agree to a request like this, and you have no right to challenge me.”

Ronia bit her lip as the air in the mosque grew tense. She looked between Zane and Ammon. Her lover was glaring at Ammon with determination alight in his eyes.

Zane had disappeared after Eryk and his wives left. She had wondered where he’d gone, but now it seemed like he’d been traveling alongside Eryk. What had he been doing? Why did he leave? And why was he challenging Ammon to an honor duel when he surely knew he had no chance of winning. Strong as Zane was, he did not come close to possessing Ammon’s unparalleled strength.

“You will accept his challenge,” Eryk said at last, stepping forward in the now silent hall. Every person present turned toward him. Whispers broke out amongst the guests, all of whom wondered about his beautiful man standing before them. Ronia would have snickered when she heard one of them shout “that person is a man?!”, but the situation was so tense she found no humor in those words.

“Oh?” Ammon looked at Eryk and licked his lips. “And why should I accept his challenge?”

“Because…”

Eryk smiled, but it was a cold smile, a merciless smile, a smile of death.

In that moment, just as Eryk smiled at Ammon, an intense and undeniably overbearing pressure slammed into every person within the mosque. Ronia felt as if her chest was being crushed. She was unable to stand up straight and fell onto her hands and knees, her entire body shaking. With what little strength she had left, she looked up and found everyone else--even her father--was also being forced onto the ground.

Everyone except Eryk and the women with him.

While she and the others had it bad, none of them were worse off than Ammon, whose face had drained of blood and whose body had begun shaking uncontrollably. Blood leaked from his mouth. Whether that was because he’d bitten his tongue or because he was suffering internal injuries was unknown. Ronia felt like her organs were being crushed. She could only imagine how this man, who was the recipient of Eryk’s ire, must have felt.

And then, within this silence brought about by his overwhelming strength, Eryk spoke again.

“If you do not agree to the Sharawaj Mubaraza, I will simply annihilate you and your entire family. Now choose. Accept the duel or die.”

Those words would have normally made everyone laugh. This man was threatening the strongest of the Four Great Families with death. Just who did he think he was? Did he have a death wish? Yet no one was laughing right now. The intense Spiritual Pressure threatening to crush their bodies told everyone present that this man had the power to do as he said.

What choice did Ammon have but to accept?

“F-fine…” Ammon gritted his teeth as he struggled to remain conscious. “I will… accept his challenge of Sharawaj Mubaraza.”

The moment Ammon accepted, the pressure threatening to crush everyone vanished as if it never existed.

Eryk smiled. “Good. The challenge will take place tomorrow. I’ll leave it to you to sort out the details.”

Without a backward glance at the still pale Ammon, Eryk and his four wives left the completely mosque. Only after they vanished did the place become lively again, but this time, what was spoken of was not the wedding. It was instead of the incredible Spiritual Pressure Eryk had displayed.

While the rest of the people were talking about Eryk, Ronia looked over at Zane as he stood there, his eyes locked onto her.

For the first time since her marriage was announced, she felt hope.

***

A stage had been prepared for the Sharawaj Mubaraza. Located in the center of the city, the building where members of society dueled to settle disputes and reclaim lost honor was large enough to seat around twenty thousand. Quite a few of those seats were currently filled.

Being the guest of honor--sort of--we were allowed to sit with Alshams and his family, though they did not look pleased.

“What possessed you to help him?” Alshams asked, a frustrated expression marring his face.

“I have my reasons,” I said.

The chairs were pretty comfortable, though they were not as soft as some of the other chairs I’d sat on. My wives were sitting around me--all except Lin, who had decided to cheer Zane on.

“You’ve got this, Zane! Kick that prick’s ass! Prove to this princess that training you was worth it!”

Zane did not look particularly happy about Lin’s cheering, but he didn’t seem very upset by it either.

“Well, then, could you maybe explain your reasons?” asked Alshams. “I would really like to hear them, Lord Eryk.”

I glanced at Kari and Fay. Both of them were sitting on either side of me while Siv was sitting on my lap. The dragon girl was so small that I still had a perfect view of the arena. I only had to be wary of her wings and tail. Her tail had wrapped around my waist, while her wings were folded against her back. When my two wives noticed me looking at them, they both smiled and nodded once.

“Fay and Kari here were both in arranged marriages,” I admitted. “They were being forced to marry the same person, someone neither of them wished to marry. Zane reminds me of myself during that time. He does not want Ronia to marry Ammon. He is willing to do everything in his power to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Alshams sighed. “I should have known he would do something like this. He and Ronia have always been fond of each other.”

“Wait. Father? You knew?” Ronia asked, her eyes wide and her face red.

Giving his daughter an exasperated smile, he said, “Ronia, you two might have believed you were being subtle, but there are many servants and guards wandering the estate even during the night. It was impossible for them not to notice you both slipping out to the training ground so you could meet.” While his daughter’s face turned beat red, Alshams glanced back at me. “When he disappeared, I assumed Zane had run away out of anguish… but it seems you have been training him.”

“I have,” I said.

“Can he win?”

“I’d say the chances are fifty-fifty,” I admitted. “Zane has grown a lot stronger in the time he’s been away. I’d say might be a little stronger than Ammon. But Ammon has been at the Second State of Spiritualism for much longer. He has more experience. Whether Zane can win will largely depend on how well he can counter his opponent’s tactics.”

“He has the elemental advantage,” Fay said as she narrowed her eyes. Her pupils were currently a glowing red instead of green. “Zane’s elemental affinity is earth. Ammon’s is fire. While fire is weaker to water than anything else, earth is still strong against fire.”

“So it will all come down to fate,” Alshams said.

While the father seemed calm, the daughter looked like a nervous wreck, wringing her hands together as her mothers, brothers, and sister sat around her. It was hard to tell what they were thinking. While the siblings just seemed confused, Alshams’ wives looked like they were a fairly mixed bag. That said, I was pretty sure his youngest wife, Lapis, was joyous over what was happening.

The battle started not long after the crowd settled down. I didn’t pay much attention to the banter between Ammon and Zane that happened near the start. Nobles everywhere were pretty much the same. If I had to take a guess, I would say Ammon was talking about how foolish Zane was for daring to challenge him to a duel, that he should give up now, and maybe if he did, Ammon would spare his life. That was pretty standard noble diatribe.

Ammon looked about the same as I remembered him from my previous life. He was a man with dark skin, dark eyes, and dark hair. The handsome features of an aristocrat made him look like an amiable person, but the ugly smirk and arrogance in his eyes let anyone know he was no saint.

Zane said something and it must have angered Ammon because the noble darted forward. He didn’t charge at Zane. After taking two steps forward, he spun around, stomped on the ground three times, and then threw a punch. Fire erupted from the fist and took the shape of a Sand Shark.

Stomping on the ground and clapping his hands together in a rhythmic pattern, Zane knelt and slammed his hands against the arena floor, creating a wall of earth that rose from the floor and blocked the fire shark. Ammon’s attack slammed into the wall. The wall held, which caused Ammon’s face to become twisted in anger.

Fire erupted from his body as he entered the First State of Spiritualism. His Spiritual Aura activated, resembling a small flame flickering around his body. It was a decently powerful flame too. The ground around him began glowing red, though it did not melt.

Zane also activated his Spiritual Aura. The brown aura encasing his body like armor looked closer to a second set of clothes than a flame. That was simply how the earth element acted.

Ammon seemed shocked, so much that he actually shouted.

“You’ve reached the First State of Spiritualism?!”

It must have been a surprise. Most people who practiced Spiritualism never reached the first state, which was the state necessary to begin really training. The primary reason this state was so hard to reach was because few people had the Spiritual Power necessary to activate their Spiritual Aura.

Zane didn’t say anything as he launched himself at Ammon and engaged the man in hand-to-hand combat. Since this was a duel, they were not allowed to use their khopesh, so as to avoid killing each other. It was still possible one of them would die. A stray Spiritual Technique hitting them in the right place could easily kill them, but it was possible to survive that. Being impaled through the chest was much harder to survive.

The two traded numerous strikes, and it became clear to me that Zane was slightly better than Ammon. He blocked the man’s fists whenever he could. When he couldn’t, he just took the hit and delivered an even more punishing blow. Even now, I couldn’t stop from smiling as Ammon decked Zane across the face, only to wheeze and spit out bile as Zane slammed a fist into his gut.

“That’s the way to do it!” Lin cheered before turning around to grin proudly at them all. She had even gone so far as to place her hands on her hips and thrust out her chest. “It seems this princess’s training really has paid off.”

“You trained him?” Alshams asked in surprise, glancing from me to Lin.

“This princess helped him with his hand-to-hand combat,” Lin stated with a prideful smirk. “Darling taught him about Spiritualism.”

“And what did you do to make Zane so formidable that he can stand up to Ammon?” askled Ronia, unable to hold herself back.

“Hmhmhm.” Lin’s breasts shook a little as she laughed. “This princess taught Zane how to be tough and take a hit.”

While the members of the Shuruq Family didn’t look like they knew how to take her statement, I understood what Lin meant. She was strong. While Siv was physically the strongest among them and Fay was easily the most talented fighter, Lin was the second strongest of my wives. I’d once seen her destroy a two meter thick wall with a single punch. Getting hit by her would definitely toughen someone up. It would also hurt. A lot.

The battle continued. The fight was growing more fierce. Ammon seemed to have realized he couldn’t win with his martial combat, so he opted to back up and attack with Spiritual Techniques. However, Spiritual Techniques required precise, dance-like movements in order to execute. They were easy to disrupt.

Zane was not letting him use his Spiritual Techniques, keeping a close distance between them and lashing out with several swift punches. One of his fists clipped Ammon’s shoulder. The man spun and fell to the ground. This caused the crowd to laugh.

“T-that does it!” Ammon shouted. “I have had it up to here with you! I will make you regret ever being born!”

The Spiritual Aura surrounding Ammon reversed course and appeared to sit on his skin. He gnashed his teeth for a moment before the aura disappeared, though a soft red glow still remained. He had just entered the Second State of Spiritualism.

“Two people can play at this game!” Zane shouted as he also sucked in his Spiritual Aura.

Ammon was shocked.

“You’ve reached the Second State of Spiritualism?! No, it doesn’t matter! I will crush you no matter what!”

“I’d like to see you try!”

Ammon and Zane ran at each other again and clashed in the center of the arena. A shock wave rippled across the ground as their fists met. Then they were off, throwing punches and kicks with reckless abandon. Zane blocked a kick with his forearm, knocked Ammon off balance, and tried to throw a kick at his opponent’s head. It was a bad move. Ammon just ducked underneath the kick. Then he came up and slammed a powerful uppercut into Zane’s jaw. Blood flew from his mouth as he stumbled backward, though he did not fall.

“No! Zane!” Ronia shouted when she saw this.

Zane must have heard her, for he looked her way, but that was a mistake. Ammon lanced a powerful punch square on Zane’s solar plexus.

The man gasped as he stumbled back. He tried to gain some distance, but Ammon didn’t relent, sending a barrage of powerful attacks that Zane could not completely fend against. A fist hit his cheek. A bruise appeared over his left eye as it swelled shut. More and more attacks landed.

Ronia bit her lips.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Zane is preparing a Spiritual Technique,” Fay announced.

All eyes turned toward her.

“What? He is?” Lapis said in shock. “It looks to me like he is just getting beaten up.”

Fay shook her head and gestured toward the fight. “Look at his hands. See how they are moving in a pattern? He could have blocked some of those attacks but chose to take them so he can use this technique. My guess is he realized he won’t win the longer this fight continues.”

Lapis and Ronia looked back at the arena, looking at Zane’s hands, which were indeed moving in idiosyncratic patterns that resembled a dance. Neither of them knew what was coming, but I recognized this technique. It was one of the few I’d taught him.

Ammon landed another punch that sent Zane reeling--or so it appeared. The man flew backward as though he’d been hit hard. Ammon, secure in his victory, didn’t follow up and instead began mocking Zane, who suddenly knelt on the ground as though he could no longer stand.

Zane placed his hands on the ground.

A massive hand rose up from the arena floor in front of Zane.

It came down with a thunderous crash, right on top of the shocked Ammon, squashing the man flat. The arena rumbled. The stands shook. Ammon, now lying underneath the hand, twitched a few times but did not get back up.

Needless to say, Zane was announced the winner.

***

We had set out on the road again. Kari, Fay, and I were sitting in the driver’s seat. Raul was on Fay’s lap as Kari kept hold of the reins.

Because she could not sit on the driver’s seat due to her weight, Lin was instead basking in the sun atop the wagon, which was fortunately strong enough to hold her weight. At present, she was topless and lying on her stomach. Her eyes were closed. I assumed she was asleep.

In the skies above us, Siv soared through the air with a flap of her wings. She was not in her dragon form. She flew past us like a streak of green, slowed down as our wagon moved past her, then overtook us once more as though she were a child running past her parents and waiting for them to catch up.

“I’m a little disappointed that we won’t get to see Zane’s wedding,” Kari said as she cracked the reins a little. The Giga Monster released a strange huff like it was complaining as it subtly changed directions. “I mean, they even invited us to stay. We could have afforded to remain there for a few days, couldn’t we?”

“I am also curious to know what weddings in the Endless Desert are like,” Fay admitted.

“If you really want to know what a wedding is like, this princess will be happy to show you a lamia wedding,” Lin said, eyes still closed. So she wasn’t sleeping. She was just lounging.

“That would actually be pretty neat,” Kari said. “What are lamis weddings like?”

“Lamia host big weddings. After two lamia give each other the Ring of Marji, everyone spends several nights celebrating the union. After the ninth day of partying, the newly wed couple is sent to the nesting grounds beneath the lamia village, where the couple will mate until the woman is pregnant.”

“So lamia pregnancies are important to the marriage process?” asked an interested Kari.

“Of course. Lamia do not give birth as often as humans do. Every marriage is very important and meant to be done with the intention of giving birth. If you marry someone and don’t have kids, then it makes you a disgrace as a lamia.”

“But you haven’t had kids with Eryk yet,” Fay pointed out.

“That is just because this princess hasn’t gotten pregnant yet! But she will! You’d better believe this princess will have Eryk knock her up good!”

“I’m not sure you should be talking about how I’m going to knock you up,” I said with a sigh.

“In fact, this is a great opportunity. Come on, Darling. Now that Zane is gone, you should use this opportunity to implant as much of your seed into this princess’s womb as you can.”

“I certainly don’t mind having sex, but let’s at least wait until Raul is a little older.”

“But this princess wants babies now!”

“Well, that’s too bad. I’ve already got my hands full with one baby and four wives. Plus, we’re traveling. Now is not the greatest time to have a kid.”

As Lin tried to convince Eryk to make babies with her, Fay and Kari laughed. Raul, not knowing anything they were saying, laughed along with his two mothers.

Eryk looked far into the distance as Lin continued making her case about why he should impregnate her. The Northern Plains were about eight month’s journey from their current location, give or take a few months. He wondered if they would make it within that time frame, or if another problem would occur that would keep them from leaving.