Paragon of Weaponmasters

The walk from the portal room to the throne is too short. I don't have enough time to prepare myself for this. As soon as I'm within earshot, I hear screaming and arguing coming from the building. I run for it.

"We should kill you!" one of the beastly children yells.

"No! He's hurting! He didn't mean it!" a soft voice retorts.

I enter the room, and find all of my children gathered around Earlgor, two of the larger boys hold his arms behind him, Apaki rests before him on the ground.

"Stop!" I shout. All of their heads turn to me. Some eyes go wide, some jaws drop, there's even a few tears shed.

"Dad!" The orc girl with fox ears runs and wraps me in her arms. I'll have to check the journal for her name later.

I return the embrace, and pat her on the back.

"I can come back. It still hurts to die, but it's not worth killing Earlgor over. Let him go." I tell them. "Please."

They do immediately, Earlgor falls face-first to the floor. He gets his hands under him, and reaches for the sword. Some of the children move to stop him, but I hold up a hand.

"Earlgor. You've proven that I am to blame for your mother's death. Are you satisfied?" I ask him.

He doesn't answer, holding the sword flat on his palms.

He stands, and walks over to me.

He offers the sword.

"I have proven only that I am a fool, father. I let this wicked blade convince me of your guilt, of the necessity of your death… I was blinded by rage, and loss, and I regret my actions." tears form in his eyes. "I regret so much."

"Me too, son." I put a hand on his shoulder, and accept Apaki with my other hand.

Apaki, God Recovered added to inventory.

Apaki, God Recovered is a unique item. You can only have one in your possession.

This shit again. The walls warp, becoming distorted. The floor buckles, knocking everyone from their feet. I open my inventory and attempt to delete one of the copies. It doesn't not work, the option is grayed out. I think about selling one, but Apaki whispers in my ear.

Where is my other me? What have you done with him?

He left.

What? No! He was supposed to take me!

Why don't you just leave? He did.

…

…you can't, can you?

The blade does not answer. However Apaki created a copy of himself, he must've put it in a failsafe, only the prime can return to his true form. I'd laugh if the world wasn't melting. What else can I do?

"Nearest forge?" I ask my kids.

"This way." the big green bear answers, guiding me out into the street. The rest follow as the streets crack and buildings start to spiral in on themselves. Thankfully the forge isn't far. "What do you need?"

"Get the forge fired up, I need…" What do I need? What am I even doing?

I lay the two Apakis out on the anvil. They're identical, and side by side like this, they almost resemble…

One sword.

"I'm going to fuse them. I need…" I start explaining.

"Heat and flux." The bear finishes my thought. "You already have an anvil and hammer."

Thozur, are you up for this?

Of course.

Don't you dare! Apaki screams.

Silence, false one! You are the shadow of a darkness without end! We shall be rid of one of you, at least, once and for all!

I don't have time to unpack that, the world outside is slowly vanishing.

"Fire's hot." my bear son tells me. I can feel it.

Cease this! Apaki demands as I slide both halves in the fire.

"Gonna need another metal to weld them together." he informs me.

The first thought that comes to mind is dangerous… for so very many reasons.

I pull the crown from my inventory and hand it to my bear.

He inspects it, nods, then places it in a crucible. Into the fire it goes.

It feels like closing a chapter, a part of myself that should have never been. I don't know if forcing my will on the people of the labyrinth was my idea, even partially, but now that my mind is my own, I'd like to think not.

The world outside is gone. There is only my children and the forge.

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The bear uses a pair of tongs to remove the swords from the forge and place them on the anvil. They're red hot, so bright that it hurts to look at. Next he removes the crown, and pours it into the space between the blades. He holds the swords steady, and nods to me.

I cast Thunder God, and with Thozur fully charge, I swing.

Klang!

The impact rings for an unnaturally long time. The two pieces shift, growing closer together. The core of gold soaks into them.

Klang!

Lighting arcs from my hammer, skittering along the length of the blade. It has become one.

Klang!

It grows longer, and wider.

Klang!

Shapes form around the handle, two molten snakes curl around the shaft and form a guard with their mouths, as if they would bite any enemy that found themselves on my blade.

Klang!

The jewel that was the centerpiece for the crown rises to the surface of the pommel.

Klang!

The blade itself solidifies, quadruple the width and twice the length of the sword that made it.

I hold the hammer aloof, but hesitate. It's done.

Bear lifts the blade and quenches it, it hisses like a den of snakes. When it emerges, further defying logic, it is polished to a mirror shine. The blade is a huge silver rectangle without a point, a heavy sword meant to slash, not stab. The two snakes are golden with green jewels in their eyes, fangs bared and tongues frozen mid-flick. They coil, all the way down to the end, where the red jewel rests.

I extend my hand, and call it to me.

[Kingmaker] added to inventory.

Kingmaker - Unique greatsword - ??? slash damage - ??? will

Sentient III: This weapon has a consciousness. It can operate and think independently.

Floating II: This weapon can fly.

Venomous X: Any opponent that is poisoned by this blade will die instantly.

Kingmaker, huh?

Indeed. The voice is deep, rumbling, like the earth itself speaks.

Not Apaki?

No. Apaki fancied himself a king. I have no such delusions.

I nod. This is... good?

Like it never happened, the world returns to normal. A very confused elf blacksmith looks around at the huge group that, from his perspective, suddenly appeared in his smithy.

"Hello, how can I help?" he asks.

"Just browsing." I tell him as we depart.

My family returns to the throne room, Prime Nurturer Talindra awaits us.

"Paragon, welcome home." she tells me.

"Thank you." I respond, sheathing my new sword on my back.

"You've been indisposed as of late?" she asks.

"Yes… a great foe captured me, however, I had help escaping." I really try to play my role.

"I'm glad to have you back. Your daughter missed you a great deal, as did all of your children." she smiles.

I look around the room at them. They only met me once, and they were all newborns. They missed me without ever really knowing me. There's something wholesome about that.

"I'm glad to be back." I say.

I mentally switch to group chat.

"Okay, I think we're all set. Everyone alive and in one piece." I tell Helga and Peter.

"On our way." Helga says.

"So." I say, looking around awkwardly. "Have you all met Peter and Helga?"

"Peter, yes. Helga, no." Faraine speaks for the group.

"I haven't met either of em'" Oorrcca mentions.

"They're on their way now. Be nice, ok?" I request.

They all collectively roll their eyes. Sass must be in my genes, Millie used to do the same thing.

"We're not kids, father. We know how to behave." Tsilda, the pug, says with a wheeze.

"Patricide notwithstanding." Voron, my tusked werewolf son, mentions.

Earlgor looks away.

"Water under the bridge. Apaki got in my head too. Several have, in fact. I've made a lot of choices I regret under the influence of higher beings. I have no right to hold that against my son." I say earnestly.

Earlgor meets my eyes, and nods.

"Hey gang!" Peter calls out as he arrives.

"Uncle Pete!" some of the kids shout.

"Uncle Pete?" I ask him. He shrugs.

Helga makes a quiet entrance and finds Earlgor off to the side. She gives him a tight hug, and he hugs her back. I turn my attention away to give them a moment. I wonder if they've seen each other since Lagakh?

Most of my children converse with Peter, I feel like the awkward new kid, everyone else already knows each other. Talindra catches my eye, she's staring right at me from across the throne room. She stands, walks to a curtain, and looks back at me. I take the hint and follow her though.

Inside, she sits on the edge of a plush bed. She taps her thigh, waiting for me. I cross the room, get to my knees, and lay my head on her lap. She caresses my hair, running her hand gently over my scalp.

"Tell me what happened." she says.

I explain I was trapped in some other place, a world made of darkness. One of my allies betrayed me, and another saved me.

"That's not what's bothering you." she says, holding my chin to make me look into her eyes.

I hesitate. How could I explain?

"My life is… on a contract, of sorts. Collateral, you could say. Or a loan?" I get myself twisted up.

"Take your time." she tells me, stroking my hair again. She smells of sweet berries.

"I have to pay to live, and the only way to get the money is to get as strong as the strongest in the world. I only have nine days to do it." My voice cracks a little.

She shushes gently, like one would a child. I could be offended… but I'm not. It's nice. It's been a very long time since anybody just… held me.

"The elven kingdom's coffers are open to you, our hero. Could we not pay on your behalf?" She asks.

"I don't think so. It's half a million gold, and the way they talk, it sounds like if I don't get it myself I'll get in trouble." I shake my head. Her thigh squishes under my cheek pleasingly.

"Is the contract magical in nature? Perhaps one of our sorcerers could break it." she explores options.

"No, it's not magical. Peter and Helga have the same contract, all of the heroes do. They just aren't as desperate to pay their dues. If they don't, their bodies will just… sleep, until their… souls can pay the debt." I try to put it into a fantasy context. "If I don't pay it, I might just go away forever. I don't know."

She leans down and kisses my forehead. Her lips are large and soft, like a pillow has come to rest on my head.

"Thank you for listening." I say.

Her eyes meet mine, looking up at her is like observing the night sky of another world, one that has two moons floating in space.

She moves, slowly, and kisses my lips. They taste like blueberry muffins.

"Hey," a feminine voice intrudes on us. "Oh, sorry. I'll go."

"We were just finishing up, daughter." Talindra tells the source of the voice, our Halanaestra.

"Must we?" I ask her, longing for her touch.

She caresses my cheek. "Yes, Paragon. Your time is short, remember?"

I nod, resigned. I stand and leave the room, but not before giving The Grand Nurturer one last, long look.

"Peter." I call out as I leave the private room. He turns to me, having been still chatting with my litter. "We need to get these dungeons over with."

"No until tomorrow." he tells me. "No groups available."

I look around the room, at seventeen half-orcs that all seem to keep up with my level.

"Our group is right here." I tell them.