Marvel: Impregnation System

Chapter 186 - 176: The Calm Before The Storm, Again.

As the sun slowly rose into the sky, its golden light washed over the lush green expanse of Avalon, painting the land in a serene glow.

The rolling fields seemed to just stretch endlessly, vibrant and full of life, while Camelot stood at the heart of it all, a gleaming jewel cradled by nature.

The towering trees that stretched like a line over this expanse seemingly mark the kingdom's borders, swaying gently, their leaves rustling like whispered secrets in the wind.

But on this seemingly ordinary day, the morning light did not merely reveal its golden shades of beauty.

It awakened something else.

Not under the veil of night, where the shadows creeped and figures prowled in secrecy, no, this time, the monsters rose with the morning sun.

From the depths of the dirt, from the cracks in the earth, from the places men dare not tread, but were buried.

Twisted forms, unseen horrors, rose up from the ground in which the bodies of the damned were buried, all beneath the dawn's gentle embrace.

Because on this golden morning, the sun did not bring its usual peace.

It beckoned towards a slaughter, it beckoned towards the hunt.

Those writhing forms, those monstrous abominations, were none other than the vanguard of the Chimera horde, hastened forth by Merlyn's hand.

Their grotesque masses split into relentless waves, a tide of horrors stampeding across the rolling fields beneath the golden sky.

The earth trembled beneath their charge, their numbers stretching far and wide, surging toward the ancient line of trees that marked the kingdom's borders.

And upon the horizon, towering over the departing storm, six horrid knights sat atop the rolling hills as their steeds rotted with the wind.

Their armor was corroded and blackened, bearing the scars of countless massacres.

Their sunken eyes gleamed with the only relief the damned could ever lust for, the screams of their victims.

DING

(Legendary Undead) Death Knight (Guard Captain): A once-great warrior, now an undead commander bound by eternal duty. Clad in tattered yet resilient armor, his presence alone chills the battlefield, radiating an aura of dread and command. His spectral helm conceals a hollow, burning gaze that sees beyond the mortal realm.

Abilities:

Gravebound Spear: His weapon is imbued with necrotic energy, allowing him to summon it back to his hand if disarmed. When thrown, it erupts into shadowy tendrils that briefly bind foes in spectral chains.

Corrupting Touch: Any attack inflicted or taken by a Wraith Knight has a chance to corrupt the soul of the attacker or victim. This corruption weakens their will, making them more susceptible to control, sapping their strength, or even twisting them into undead servants if left unchecked.

(Epic Undead) Wraith Knights (Spearbearers): The 49 Wraith Knights are elite spectral warriors, remnants of once-loyal guardsmen now bound to eternal service. Each moves with deadly grace and silent discipline, their long, shadowforged spears piercing through both armor and soul. They do not speak, but their hollow eyes burn with spectral intensity, reflecting a fragment of the battlefield's horrors. X 49

The knights formed from their original flesh in a really cool, descriptive way, but Ricky couldn't be bothered to care, he'd seen it all before, and it was getting a little old.

The thing that tore his mind away was Alexander's departing figure on Bucephalus, knowing he really needed a win as ever since this whole Merlyn ordeal began, the gerbil had been a little off.

"Man, if only I had a commander to just go nuts with this group of experienced death knights, just f*cking charging forward into battle, with the only thing promised to them being the glory of victory." Ricky said with a sigh, casually tossing out the bait while using Alexander's lingo to cast it out and waiting as it dangled in the open.

Clop

Clop

Clop

Slowly, Bucephalus clopped back into frame, Alexander perched on his nose in a pondering position but turned away as if uncaring towards Ricky.

"I mean, I wanna do it, but I just suck at commanding," Ricky sighed, shaking his head, really selling the act.

Bucephalus nudged forward, and with him, Alexander drifted right back into place beside Ricky, a horse's head slowly moving over his shoulder with the gerbil slowly being turned towards him.

"I heard tell you were looking for a commander?" Alexander coughed, looking almost unenthused while scooting closer to Ricky.

"Yeah, I just don't know if I could even lead these undead into battle without a horse-"

"Say no more, I'll take it from here." Alexander immediately declared, his furry chest puffing out as Ricky gestured for him to take the lead with a smirk.

"Do your thing." Ricky laughed, holding up his hands as if giving the floor to Alexander as he slowly backed away.

"ATTENTION!" Alexander roared, his voice booming as his mighty gerbil fist clenched the straws of fate and yanked them back.

The undead all snapped to attention, their lifeless forms standing rigid as they received the mental orders from Ricky to listen to the small, yet imposing, gerbil.

Alexander raised his gaze to them, the weight of his newfound command settling over the battlefield as his mopey attitude washed away as his commander's title was once again adorned onto his mighty form.

"I know what you're thinking." Alexander continued, his voice resonating with a calm authority that rang out across the silent field.

"And I know that all of you, even myself at one point, believed that a life only came with one death." Alexander paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, before adding.

"And yet, here you stand before me."

"Words could try to describe such realities." Alexander went on, his voice low and steady, seemingly putting himself on the same plain as these undead.

"But even if they could, even if it were written with the ink of my blood and the quill of your bones, the truth remains: death is not the end." Alexander paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked out over his undead army.

"It is your new beginning,"

"Even the fates themselves couldn't understand how we've been called back from the void, not to rot in the shadows of our graves, but to conquer once more!" Alexander declared, his words carrying the weight of something ancient and unyielding that shook the very bones of the warriors in front of them

"We are defiers of fate!"

"We were set to die, defy."

"We were fated to rot, fight."

"We were supposed to perish, thrive."

"And we were all abandoned by death."

"Reborn." Alexander preached, he spoke not just to their ears, but to the very wisps of their souls.

He didn't merely understand them, he had been them.

Thrust into a body he never asked for, by the side of a man he didn't choose, but even though he had been thrust into the body of a gerbil, even if others looked at him as a mere rodent, he was no less than Alexander the Great.

And now, in this second chance at life, he had risen once again to lead.

To lead them.

"SO NOW I ASK OF YOU, WHO AMONG YOU WILL FALTER?" Alexander raised his voice, igniting the embers within their skulls and hearts, the sound of their bones clanking in unity.

"WHO AMONG YOU WILL ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE WHISKED AWAY LIKE MERE SAND INTO THE ANNALS OF TIME?!" Alexander asked, almost pleading for one of them to step forward, to defy his command, yet they only responded with the eerie chattering of their skulls in reverence.

"NONE OF YOU, FOR I AM HERE!" Alexander thumped his chest, the sound echoing like the beat of a war drum, filling the air with unyielding force.

"FOR I WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO REST UNTIL THE WORLD KNOWS OUR TALES, UNTIL THEY FEEL THE DREAD FROM THE VERY RUNES THAT SPELL IT OUT!" Alexander roared, holding his tiny spear into the air as the undead all followed in suite.

"HAZZAY!"

Ding

[Do you wish to entrust these undead servants to your familiar Alexander the Gerbil?]

[Yes/No]

Ricky stared at the screen in surprise, not knowing this was even an option as he turned to Alexander, whose reinvigorated expression was enough to make him grin.

It was ridiculous that this was all it took to make Alexander happy, but somehow, it was fitting.

Even when he was a human, Alexander was always a very emotional and passionate man, utterly lacking temperance and moderation.

If he felt something, he embraced it fully.

If he commanded, he did so with unwavering conviction.

That was simply who Alexander was, a man who never held back, never diluted himself for the sake of others.

And that, more than anything, was what Ricky liked about him because no matter what, Alexander had never pretended to be anything other than himself, his friend.

'Yes.'

DING

[1st Legion Created]

Commander: Alexander The Gerbil

Vice-Commander: Bucephalus

Squad Captain: (Legendary Undead) Death Knight

Soldiers:

(Epic Undead) Wraith Knights (Spearbearers) x 49

Ricky felt his connection with the undead, but instead of having to constantly issue orders like they were mindless automatons, something had changed.

The link remained, yet it no longer demanded his every thought, it was as if Alexander's command had woven into the very fabric of their existence.

For the first time, Ricky realized he didn't have to micromanage them as they stood, they waited, and when Alexander spoke, they listened.

'This is pretty cool-'

"Ricky, RICKY!" Asterion shouted from atop the castle, wearing a shower cap and a towel wrapped around his waist.

"WHAT?!" Ricky snapped, turning to see Asterion holding a scrubber in one hand and a loofah in the other.

"Are we leaving right this second, or do we have time for a shower?" Asterion called down from a bathroom window, genuinely curious as Ricky stared at him with a deadpan expression.

Sniff

Ricky was about to say something demeaning, only to catch a whiff of the air of the distinct stench of the undead as he paused, sniffed his own armpit, and immediately recoiled.

"Yeah, we got time!" Ricky suddenly said, his words making Asterion smile as he turned back to the running shower.

"Who knew you could reek of death and sex," Ricky muttered to himself, glancing up at Morgana as she met his gaze with a knowing smile, her fingers slowly undoing the knot of her robe.

Turning away, she let the fabric slip off her shoulders, cascading down her back like silk and just before stepping into the bathroom, she cast him one last look.

Without hesitation, Ricky summoned a staircase construct, tossing the ebony artifacts into the room as he bolted into the bathroom after her.

'Disgusting.' The Ebony Crown scoffed from the side, its voice laced with contempt since it believed no two races should mix, especially not with filthy halflings.

'Do you all feel a tingle?' the Ebony Chalice suddenly murmured, its tone uncertain as the other artifacts turned to him with mortified expressions.

'A what?'

30 minutes later,

Clap

"Ah~"

Clap

"Ah!"

Clap

"AH!"

As the shower poured down, the fog from the hot water clouded the glass pane within the shower as two silhouettes were vibrant.

Morgana pressed into the glass, her tits squishing into them as one of her hands was pressed by Ricky's hand, the other holding his waist that yanked her down, thrusting all that he was deep inside of her, over and over again.

Morgana's head tipped back, a sharp breath escaping her lips as she gritted her teeth.

Her eyes fluttered, rolling back before settling against the curve of Ricky's shoulder, her body momentarily trembling from the sensation before Ricky overwhelmed her further.

CLAP

With one, all endowing thrust, Ricky collided his hips into her plump ass, the sensation causing her very flesh to vibrate from the force before a warm stream erupted into her being.

His balls endlessly churned out long thick ropes of his cum, endlessly dumping it into her being as her pink walls slathered in his white essence.

"That's the stuff~" Ricky muttered, placing his forehead on her shoulder while letting a chuckle escape as the sensation washed over him like the water above, letting it stream all across their bodies.

Pressing a lingering kiss to her shoulder, Ricky felt Morgana shudder beneath his touch as a slow breath escaped her lips as clarity returned to her gaze.

With a soft sigh, she reached out, patting his head, her fingers threading briefly through his wet hair.

The warmth of the water still clung to their skin as they gradually turned off the flow, the steam curling around them in the quiet aftermath.

Pressing a lingering kiss to his cheek, Morgana's fingers trailed to the back of his head, giving it two gentle pats before she slowly, deliberately disengaged from him.

A tremor ran through her as she stepped forward, her movements unhurried, each shift of her body savoring the lingering sensation between them.

Unimpaling herself, his cum slowly streaked down her thighs before she sat down on the toilet to clean herself up.

"Truly an animal." Morgana chuckled, watching Ricky lean on the shower door, enjoying the show before he lugged himself forward towards the mirror.

"Do you gotta tooth-"

Snap

Without even needing to finish his sentence, Morgana snapped her fingers, and with a soft shimmer of magic, a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste materialized in midair.

They hovered for a moment before gently settling into Ricky's waiting hands, the bristles already coated with a perfect swirl of paste.

"Sweet." Ricky muttered, scratching the bristles against his teeth while brushing, looking at Morgana slowly cleaning herself off.

Spit

"So, hey, you wanna grab some grub before setting off for a can of whoop ass?" Ricky asked, spitting some of the toothpaste into the sink.

"Of course, everyone's probably already in the dining hall." Morgana chuckled as if it was obvious, watching Ricky have a realization at that remark.

"Oh yeah, I forget these places have those."

10 minutes later,

Within the foreboding Castle Le Fey was a rather lovely dining hall, unlike the pale ghostly attire on its outside, the vast area spoke of a rich aura that welcomed those to sit down and enjoy.

The air carried the mingling scents of herbs, roasted meats, and a lingering hint of something more arcane.

Rows of long, sturdy wooden tables filled the expanse of the hall, their surfaces laden with platters upon platters of food while steaming plump bread, thick slabs of bacon glistening with fat, eggs scrambled with fragrant herbs, and fresh fruit both mundane and otherworldly.

Goblets brimmed with dark mead and spiced wine, their scents blending with the ever-present aroma of incense that wafted through the chamber.

The coven dined in murmurs and laughter since they all knew that they would eventually throw their life on the line, they wanted to have one last final meal before it was time to risk it all.

Surveying it all was a long stretch of table, perched above the rest and meant to serve as the dining space for medieval lords, which also happened to seat Ricky.

Tearing into a roasted duck leg, caught earlier that morning by Morgana's undead servants, he paid no mind to the beautiful sorceress at his side.

Instead, his eyes were fixed on a large map plastered along this high perched table, its terrain inked in careful detail, depicting the very lands they sat upon: Otherworld, Avalon.

Ricky was lazily gazing at it, really more into this roasted duck then anything as this was his third serving of it.

'Man, I gotta ask Morgana to like, give me this recipe or something-........if there even is one.' Ricky thought, tearing his teeth away from the meat to get a better look at it, only to realize it was just a plain roast.

No golden crust, no visible herbs, not even a hint of seasoning and yet, it tasted so goddamn good.

While Ricky was having his little revelation about how the undead could master and perfect such a craft, Alexander studied the map.

He rubbed his furry chin, pacing slowly around it, absorbing its details with an almost immediate understanding.

The two coven elders, Cedric and Eldric, sat on the other side of the table, across from the rest.

Meanwhile, Asteiron sat at the side, his plate stacked high with roasted meat with Ricky but unlike the barbarians tearing into their food with his hands, he cut into his meal with a fork and knife, savoring each bite with refined delight.

"Should we not at least wait and-" Cedric began, his tone carrying a hint of hesitation, as if trying to dissuade the advance and Ricky, mouth full, scoffed.

"We've waited way too long and the last time we just sat around waiting, he sent a f*cking chimera to my shores." Ricky sighed, cutting Cedric off with a shake of his head.

"We're kicking his ass today, that's final," Ricky muttered, knowing damn well there'd be some bullsh*t as he could almost feel a foreboding tingling in the deepest regions of his nuts.

Snap

Ricky tore off another leg from the roasted duck, signaling that was the end of that train of thought as Morgana took the opportunity and initiative to slowly trace a line from Castle Le Fey down toward Camelot.

"The portals through which we will proceed begin here, my castle, Le Fey, in my lands of Gorre, all the way to here," Morgana said slowly, her black nail gliding across the table.

But she didn't stop at Camelot and instead, her fingertip came to rest at the treeline in front of it.

Ricky's eyes flicked over the map, keeping up with what was being said, until his brows scrunched when Morgana's finger stopped short of the city.

"Uh, you mean here?" Ricky asked, wiping his hands on his shirt before slowly nudging her finger toward the spot labeled Camelot.

But Morgana simply dragged her finger back, stopping once again just before the treeline.

"Unfortunately-"

"No."

"There is a-"

"No."

"Ricky."

"No, what the hell?" Ricky interrupted, pressing his finger firmly on Camelot.

"I got you out of the castle, and then we were supposed to attack Camelot. That was the plan, let's stick to that plan." Ricky said, knowing to trust that tingle within his balls as Morgana simply chuckled at his forwardness.

"Yes, Ricky but we can't teleport right into there." Morgana said, prompting her sentence short to leave it hanging just in case he wanted to interrupt her or chim in.

"Fine, why not," Ricky scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Though none of them had been to Camelot, everyone, including the elders, assumed that Morgana should've been there before, especially to open a magic portal which is why it wasn't Ricky who shared this same mentality but the rest, excluding Asterion who was savoring his bite of roasted duck.

"Ricky, you have to understand that opening one portal to another isn't merely cutting a hole through space, but casting a straight line," Morgana explained, her finger glowing with a purposeful hue to demonstrate.

With her magic, she drew a line all the way toward the treeline, which faintly pulsed with light, signaling that the connection held.

"But do you see this treeline, the one that happens to form a subtle ring around Camelot?" Morgana continued, her tone shifting into a question and prompting it towards him.

"Uh, yeah," Ricky muttered, his gaze fixed on the treeline, which he suddenly realized formed a large, ugly circle around Camelot, but not the entirety of Avalon.

"This treeline acts as a sort of natural barrier," Morgana explained, showing rather than just telling as she drifted her finger across the forest.

Instead of a glowing straight line, the light began to wobble and dim, flickering like a weakening connection.

"Although it is not a traditional barrier, it acts as one because its properties warp and wave the magical energies around it." Morgana continued, trying to explain the properties that usually fell in line with most areas within Otherworld.

"Even I have trouble using magic within the forest, but even so, even if there wasn't this natural barrier here." Morgana trailed off, her gaze distant as if considering something deeper.

"Even if I could cast a magic portal into Camelot, Merlyn has stacked wards upon wards over the centuries, constantly improving them and casting barriers that would never allow for such an intrusion, even by my hand," Morgana explained, her tone laced with frustration at something being out of her reach.

Sigh

"Of course it's like this, of course," Ricky sighed, resting his head in his hands and shaking his head.

"Just a goddamn onion," Ricky muttered, tearing into the wing of the goose as his eyes drifted back to the map Alexander was studying.

"So we shall teleport here-" Morgana began, her smile widening as she traced her finger back over the map, only to be interrupted by a small, yet insistent voice.

"If I may be so rude as to interrupt, but can I suggest we teleport here?" Alexander suddenly cut in, tracing his small paw along the treeline, distancing it away from where Morgana had placed her X, and resting it atop a specific spot.

"But that clearing is full of hills-" Morgana laughed, as if it were absurd, only for Alexander to shake his head.

"Downward sloping, favored in our general direction towards the treeline." Alexander countered, his paw drawing along the terrain as they would appear atop the hills looking down onto the treeline rather than right next to it.

"As you said, we cannot cross the treeline with magic, and thus, we are open to attack when approaching," Alexander explained, his eyes almost outlining a silhouette of a potential battle with varying outcomes.

"An empty field is an understandable choice, but we want them running up to us rather than at us." Alexander gestured back to her X, his tone curious yet utterly dismantling her reasoning.

Morgana hadn't truly put much thought into the matter, confident that Merlyn wouldn't step out of his little bubble and knowing they could handle any forces he sent their way.

But when Alexander challenged her, she felt a stir of threat and knew she had to make sure she'd get the upper hand, even if it meant playing a poor hand she was dealt.

"Even though it was nominal, our troops would need cover and the high ground since their numbers should far outweigh ours-"

"How can you be so sure that we will be attacked-"

"How can you not?" Alexander interrupted, his question prying at her lack of thought, sharpening the tension in the air.

Morgana raised her gaze to meet the challenge, feeling the intimidation of the gerbil's eyes, which showed not the slightest hint of fear for her authority.

"It is not purely about numbers, our individual superiority-"

"It's always about numbers, be it 100 or 100,000," Alexander interrupted Morgana again, staring her directly in the eyes.

"In a war, cannon fodder exists for the exact reason of being numbers." Alexander prompted, his words making Morgana want to retort but laughed at how absurd it was to degrade herself to continue arguing any further.

"The reason bannermen exist and not the most individually strong troops is because, in an onslaught of enemies, throwing bodies at a battle could, and can, nudge the victor just enough to make a difference," Alexander explained, his words flowing as smoothly as the rivers of blood he had made with the deaths of his enemies.

"What should happen is that Ricky should of course lead from here, I would lead my legion over there-

Alexander continued, his paw tracing over the map, his eyes fixed on it as if he were standing right on the battlefield itself.

To put it simply, it was as if every line and every contour appeared in his mind's eye as though the terrain had come to life beneath his touch.

Morgana's eyebrows furrowed, feeling completely undermined by Alexander.

Despite having led many armies and campaigns, she couldn't deny that Alexander had won far more than she had ever accomplished.

But what Morgana didn't understand, like all those around the gerbil, was how Alexander stood over the map, watching him as his little feet merely stood over this mere paper.

But to Alexander, the map was no longer a mere collection of lines and symbols, it was alive.

Every curve, every contour, every mark told a story, and in his mind, the terrain itself came to life, propping up when he looked around the part he was standing on.

He was just able to visualize the environment the map detailed with almost perfect clarity, as if the paper had transformed into reality.

He looked down, almost sensing the feel of the grass beneath his feet, and then turned his gaze to the side, imagining the hills stretching out before him, each one offering its own tactical advantage.

It all clicked into his mind as if he were once again in his commander's tent from the past, always searching for any, just one, way to change the course of battle.

Many of his victories hadn't come from sheer strength, but from impeccable placement and perfect timing.

Although he was but a mere gerbil, his presence once again made Morgana and the elders feel small.

Alexander didn't just embody this feeling, he made it clear with his words, reflecting on his thoughts that constantly dissuade any form of arguments from these figures.

Morgana felt the sting of his challenge, wanting to get back at him but ended up feeling a mix of begrudging respect and frustration.

She had momentarily forgotten that this was Alexander the Great standing before her, and the reminder left her both impressed and a little soured by the shift in power within the conversation she herself started.

Because, though Alexander is often passionate and whimsical, when the moment demands it, when the moment asks him to be at the forefront.

He becomes the forefront.

His presence alone commands attention, and even the main story around him shifts to accommodate it.

He doesn't just follow the flow, he draws it.

But as Morgana's gaze lingered on the map, her face slowly soured, the weight of her frustration growing.

Ricky, feeling the tension, slowly leaned in, resting his head on her shoulder as she side-eyed him, a mix of irritation and subtle amusement in her expression.

"Oh come on, don't get all soured cause of Alexander, that just how he is when it comes to this stuff-"

"It's not that, and I was not soured," Morgana refuted, her tone sharp, not only correcting the misinterpretation but also denying the very suggestion that she was bothered in the first place.

However, Ricky could detect the obvious lie within her words but didn't interrupt her and let her continue

"I simply realized that one of us needs to secure that bastion, the Starlight Citadel," Morgana continued, her finger tracing towards the boundary on the map, moving farther down to hover over an obelisk that seemed to float above the nexus of realities.

"Although it's purely built as a defensive fortress, its observational capabilities stretches all across Otherworld, including Camelot." Morgana's voice took on a more serious tone as she frowned, her eyes narrowing in thought.

Alexander, who had gotten a little carried away with his explanation towards the elder, also turned his attention to the map, a flicker of realization crossing his face.

But before he could voice his thoughts, Ricky cut in.

"Wouldn't he be all over it, like, fortifying the sh*t out of it?" Ricky said, tapping the desk with a slight furrow in his brow.

The idea seemed strange to him after getting to know more about Merlyn, the master of Camelot and all its defenses, leaving such a powerful, floating fortress completely unguarded.

"That would be the case if Lady Roma didn't come herself," Morgana said, her voice sharp and sure, her eyes gleaming with a cold determination as she stared at the Starlight Citadel.

"From my observations, understanding, and prior experience, Merlyn most likely ordered an evacuation into Camelot to bolster his numbers." Morgana paused, letting the words sink in before continuing.

"Even if there are people within its walls, I'd still rather it fall under our dominion in the battle than leave it out in the open and besides." Morgana said, turning over to Ricky and caressing his chin slightly.

"To further my point, it is a watchtower into your world, a monitoring station that can scan all across its plane, including the City of New York where your family resides," Morgana said, her words heavy as if using his family against him to convince him of how valuable it is as Ricky scratched his chin.

"Well, are you just gonna stay up there the whole time or-"

"I will only separate a needed few when occupying the citadel." Morgana stated firmly, her tone unwavering.

"I will return before you make your siege against my claim." Morgana knew that to be the ruler, she couldn't just take the throne from a distance, she had to be there, in the heart of it, to truly claim her crown as queen.

"Speaking of which, can you check?" Ricky suddenly said, his gaze fixed on Morgana as she sighed, rolling her eyes at him as if the request was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

"Ricky, I checked-"

"Please." Ricky asked, his voice softer now but with a firmness that made it clear he wouldn't ask again.

He watched as Morgana parted her lips, ready to respond, but then shut them, her eyes narrowing in contemplation.

With a deep, deliberate breath, she closed her eyes entirely, her senses, vision, and spirit distorting around her as if she was vanishing into her own thoughts.

"¿Cómo estás?" Danielle hesitated, her voice soft as she sat on Raven's lap, gently brushing her hair.

"Muy bien, ¿y tú?" Raven chuckled, planting a kiss on the top of her head in approval.

Danielle smiled warmly, tilting her head forward slightly, clutching the ends of her skirt as a sense of accomplishment washed over cheeks as they reddened after finally getting it right.

"Ricky has asked me to check on the situation." Morgana scoffed, her tone sharp as she smoothly transitioned into her vessels, crossing her legs and arms while raising her gaze to Danielle.

"Now, Danielle, what do we call women who prance around Ricky like flies?" Raven asked cheerfully, her words dripping with venom.

Morgana's eyebrows twitched, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face at the subtle challenge.

"I-I-"

"It's okay, honey, take your time," Raven whispered gently, offering encouragement without pressing Danielle into a corner.

"A rompehogares?" Danielle asked curiously, turning her head up to Raven, who hugged her tightly, a soft smile playing on her lips as she held her close.

"That's right, good job, honey!" Raven exclaimed excitedly, her laughter bubbling up as Danielle lunged into her embrace, returning the hug with joy at the praise.

Meanwhile, Morgana scowled intensely, her eyes closing as she turned back to the table. Ricky glanced at her, waiting for her to speak.

"She's fine, they're fine." Morgana spat with a hint of disdain, leaving it at that as Ricky nodded, knowing that's typically how Raven's attention affected the women around her.

"Hey, if you don't want to go-" Ricky chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair behind Morgana's ear as she side-eyed him briefly before turning back to the map, focusing intently.

"I don't mind if Alexander here goes, but since I'm the only one who's been to the Starlight Citadel before, it's faster if it's me," Morgana said, her tone pragmatic. It didn't make sense for all of them to go.

"However, although I could go about it on my own, I think it'd be better to have a small regime of the coven break off to follow me," Morgana said, her voice low and calculating.

A glint of something, strategic, perhaps, flashed in her eyes as she looked up at the two elders, her gaze sharp and focused.

Almost wanting to use their bodies to throw at any unexpected revelations.

Eldric and Cedric frowned at this, not at her hidden intentions but the manner in which this thought was carried out as the reason they had remained silent all this time for good reason.

It wasn't their place to chime in on matters they weren't experienced with, especially this kind of warfare.

While they had certainly faced their fair share of battles, nothing compared to this.

The closest they had come to this level of complexity was a defensive battle against intruders, but this was something entirely different.

However, the reason they frowned wasn't because they were against the idea of taking the Starlight Citadel as a bastion.

It was because they, along with the coven members, had come to fight the Chimeras, not to secure footholds in a war that wasn't originally theirs.

Eldric, the stubborn old man, crossed his arms, his stance firm as if to show he would be rooted in place.

He'd rather die fighting the Chimeras in hopes of finding his lost daughter than live without being a part of the battle.

"I'll-" Cedric began, his voice faltering for a moment as if he were weighing some noble sacrifice. He closed his eyes briefly, gathering his thoughts before continuing.

"I'll go." Cedric finally came to terms with his decision, his voice steady but with a hint of resolve.

Eldric, in response, gave him a respectful nod, a silent acknowledgment of the weight of Cedric's words and the path he was about to take.

"Way to stick your neck out, Eldric." Ricky chuckled from the side, tearing off another piece of goose.

The old man, Eldric, snorted in disdain, his eyes narrowing at Ricky's lighthearted jab.

"I've been sitting on my ass well enough, I ain't come here to chafe it on some fancy Citadel." Eldric said, his gruff words speaking for the coven that had followed behind them.

"Then, shall we get back to the war at hand?" Alexander asked, almost excited to once again step into the thrall of battle as he immediately took hold of the reins of the conversation, going in-depth into where they should set up if attacked.

"Hey Asterion, you gotta second?" Ricky leaned over, watching Asterion beckon over an undead servant that was carrying more food as the minotaur turned towards him.

"Of course, I have whole minutes set aside just for you," Asteiron joked, his plate now cleared of duck bones, only to be quickly replaced with another hot serving of roasted duck.

"I know you're like a crazy strong Demi-God, but could you take a backseat until we get to Camelot?" Ricky asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Although he wanted to squeeze out the Minotaur's usefulness, he had something else pressing.

"Of course," Asteiron replied, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Is there any particular reasoning for such a line of questioning?" Asterion added, intrigued that Ricky would willingly place him in the background, considering he was one of, if not the strongest here.

"Cause of Lady Roma, she's my card against Merlyn." Ricky said, revealing it to Asterion who understood as he sought to leverage Merlny's daughter at his gates.

"But I just feel like, I don't know how to explain it, but like I feel-" Ricky tried to explain it, to voice out his reasoning but Asteiron understood.

"You wish for me to guard her and make sure you don't lose your valuable bargaining piece." Asteiron finished his sentence, putting it into words as Ricky nodded.

Snap

"Yeah, that." Ricky snapped his fingers, knowing that Merlyn might pull something to save him the trouble and he didn't want that at all.

Ricky didn't care about Lady Roma, and although she was attractive, Merlin pissed him off more than his desire to bone her, which was saying a lot.

"Also, I got another favor I want to ask of you, if that's cool." Ricky said, knowing how shameless he was being but Asteiron gladly welcomed it.

"Ask away."

For the next couple of minutes, Ricky stood off to the side, engaged in his own ongoing conversation as everyone else settled into their own realm of thought.

As the minutes ticked by on the clocks and the food dwindled until only empty plates remained, it became time for them to set off.

Everyone, from Ricky himself to Morgana's undead, slowly gathered outside the castle gates, the last two people finally appearing.

"Listen, I know it's asking a lot of you, but in return, when this is all over, we'll hang out, just the two of us," Ricky offered, aware that he was always asking one-sided favors from Asterion.

He wanted to give him something he might actually accept, especially since Asterion was the most unselfish person he knew.

In fact, one time his guys had to inform him that Asterion was sleeping under a bridge to 'understand what a worm feels like,'.

He was a very aloof person, and Ricky had never quite figured out what to give him in return for everything he offered.

It just went to show that Asterion's dedication to others was beyond anything Ricky had ever seen, and it only made Ricky feel like he owed him more than he could ever repay.

But even now, Asterion was honestly delighted to tag along on Ricky's adventure to see new things.

Even coming to Otherworld had been more than enough payment, but for once, he decided to take Ricky up on his offer

"Then I shall gladly assist you in whatever way I can." Asterion smiled, walking side by side with Ricky as they gradually crossed the drawbridge and approached the gathering crowd.

"Hurry up, we have a victory that needs achieving!" Alexander beckoned, raising his spear as the undead legion behind him followed.

"Alright, alright, relax," Ricky said, walking next to Alexander as Morgana nodded, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

With a wave of her hand, she began casting the portal, her fingers tracing symbols in the air that shimmered with an ethereal glow.

"Oh sh*t, I just remembered something," Ricky realized as the portal slowly materialized before all of them.

"I got some more powers," Ricky said outright, not hiding it from Alexander, who merely sighed at the statement.

"Of course you have," Alexander said, immensely troubled by his disciple, who gathered powers like he gathered bastards as he drooped his shoulders and turned to him.

"Well, do they align with your swordsmanship?" Alexander asked first, watching Ricky walk forward with him, since everyone was waiting for him to go through the portal first.

"I actually had some thoughts about the whole 'revolving my powers around the ebony blade' thing," Ricky said, honestly putting his thoughts into view as they both stepped forward into the swirling purple vortex.

"Ricky, you must understand-"

"I'm just saying, it wouldn't hurt for me to actually learn how to use all these damn skills," Ricky interrupted, stepping out of the other side of the shimmering portal beside Alexander, who stood tall on his steed.

His gaze drifted, momentarily caught by the sight of Bucephalus' imposing snout, the warhorse standing as still as a statue, nostrils flaring in irritation at him daring to talk back to Alexander.

"I mean, I get these new powers every other f*cking day, shouldn't I be, I don't know, altering myself around that goal?" Ricky gestured vaguely, his words laced with exasperation as his hands signaled through the air.

"Asterion agrees with me, right, Asterion?" Ricky said, turning towards Asterion, who had also stepped out of the portal but was now crouching down and observing a daisy growing out of a rock, poking at it.

"See, look, Asterion gets it-......I think." Ricky said, gazing at Asterion, who wasn't paying attention, before turning back to Alexander, who stubbornly crossed his arms.

"Ricky, it's out of focus, fighting is a discipline and you need to understand that first and foremost." Alexander exhaled through his nose, the slightest shake of his head betraying his thoughts before he even spoke.

"I'm not saying it's not a f*cking discipline-"

"But you are saying that you should constantly shift your train of thought to every new power that pops up within you?" Alexander asked, trying to understand it from Ricky's point of view but unable to completely grasp it from his own biases.

"Okay, now you're just blowing it out of proportion." Ricky scoffed, holding up his hand to stop him but Alexander merely shook his head.

"Is it so over exaggerated to assume that every other day you might have a different power spouting within you?" Alexander grunted, this time looking at Ricky, who was about to say something but closed his mouth again.

To Ricky, the whereabouts of his powers were obvious, but to Alexander, it was as if at any moment he could suddenly possess a new power, like an unpredictable force

But the thing that made Alexander concerned was this very fact, since it seemed like every second, Ricky's focus could shift to a new power sprouting within him.

However, Alexander didn't want Ricky to be like a field of scattered flowers, shifting constantly with each new bloom.

He wanted him to be a large tree, deeply rooted, with bushes around it; strong, stable, and able to grow with purpose.

"Fighting is a discipline because it requires focus, repetition, and direction." Alexander explained, knowing it was frustrating since Ricky was the type of person, from his observation, to get easily psych tracked, memorized by the flashy lights that constantly swirled around him.

"But what's more, is that you have a gift, you have talent, potential." Alexander explained, pushing it even further as Ricky just sort of sat there while the others slowly trickled in through the portal.

"The talent you have is like this spear," Alexander said, materializing his spear with a flourish, the skill adornment commanding attention as he pointed the tip toward Ricky.

"You either take care of it, sharpen it regularly, keep it clean and sheathed, or you neglect it, allowing it to dull and chip over time." Alexander smiled as he gazed at the spear, his reflection sharp in the blade.

"But skill is how you wield that spear as even a dull knife in the hands of an experienced fighter can kill a weakling with the sharpest sword known to man." Alexander turned his gaze back to Ricky, his eyes intense and purposeful.

"I know you've been successful in your implementation of your many sharp spears, using them to overwhelm your enemies with countless cuts," Alexander continued, his voice calm but carrying weight.

"But one day, you'll face someone with a sword as sharp as yours, and the hands to wield it with far better precision." Alexander let the words hang in the air, his gaze unwavering, as if challenging Ricky to truly consider the consequences of his approach.

"AND FURTHERMORE-" Alexander boasted loudly, speaking from his very heart as he started to get carried away as Ricky sort of sighed.

SIGH

"Uh huh."

"Woah."

"Totally."

Ricky muttered his response, knowing full well it was nearly impossible to interrupt one of Alexander's tangents, so he let it play out.

"Uh-huh," Ricky said, his lips pressed into a thin line, reluctantly agreeing to Alexander's rant.

But as Alexander continued, a twitch within Ricky's mind shifted the focus, his thoughts slipping momentarily from the conversation as something stirred deep within him.

He instantly glanced down, his eyes narrowing as the tiny pebbles on the ground trembled, rattling in place as if something massive was approaching that made him widen his eyes.

"And another thing-"

"INCOMING!" Ricky's voice ripped through the moment, his instincts flaring to life as his hands shot up, and before Alexander could even turn toward the disturbance, the treeline erupted into chaos.

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Author's Note: I appercaite the support and the messages cause it's cool to see people really like this story as much as I liked writing it. Wish I could respond to any of the comments BUT WEBNOVEL F*CKING LITERALLY WON'T LET ME LIKE WTF IS THIS BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY DOING! Anyways, this site is just being weird lately but I do see the comments and appreciate them cause I read them all. Even if webnovel won't even let me goddamn like one.