Vaid Empire: Conquest Ch. 02

Vaid Empire: Conquest is a massive fantasy series that aims to mix erotica with the quality of a published novel. New chapters and artwork are released every month absolutely free, with the completely optional possibility to receive early access. The Series focuses heavily on worldbuilding, story, and characters.

The world of Ayphieal is shattered and chaotic, with kingdoms and tribes of six distinctive races vying for territory amongst themselves. It is only when a young human warrior finally pushes back against the chaos that the world begins to shift towards order.

***

15th of Onis, 5 BVE.

Unknown.

The ghostly figure that had seemingly saved his life stood before him, holding perfectly still. They were in the middle of a large field, with the sounds of a river echoing gently nearby. A strange pod-like structure sat behind the man, larger than the size of a two-story building. It appeared to be made of a white metal with small black details. The stranger began to raise its hand, pointing a transparent finger directly at him.

"Seek...me...out..."

Dominax's silver eyes shot open with panic as he awoke from the dream, and he quickly sat up before a jolt of pain ran across his bare torso, causing him to collapse back onto the bed that he had been laying in. A groan escaped from his lips as the pain slowly died down.

On his back and looking up at a wooden ceiling, the events of the siege flowed through his mind, ending where he had blacked out on the river's edge. He realized that he had no idea where he was or even how he survived.

He turned his head carefully while attempting to avoid any further pain from his wounds which had seemingly been bandaged already. The bed was against a wooden wall to his right, though turning left he could see the entire layout of the one roomed shack. A metal pot hung over a small fire that burned in the center of the room, with racks of strange plants and animal hides practically covering the other walls. Sunlight shined in through a window next to the bed, allowing the candles littered throughout the hut to remain unused for the moment. His heavily damaged chest plate sat in a corner, with his tattered white cloak draped over the foot of the bed.

Realizing that he was alone, Dominax looked up at the ceiling and contemplated. Cendra was dead, and there was nothing he could do about it. He remembered seeing the blade pierce her abdomen, an image that caused him far more pain than any of his wounds. His home was gone, the entire settlement burnt to the ground. He could only hope that Briza and their unborn child had survived the slaughter.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of someone walking near the hut. Instinctively, he forced himself into an upright position, groaning as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He had dropped his sword back at the settlement and no replacement presented itself inside the small hut, so he simply raised his hands in front of him and prepared to defend himself with his powers.

The wooden door swung open, and he was surprised to see a woman. Not only a woman, but quite an exceedingly attractive one. She had straight black hair that hung slightly past her narrow shoulders, ending just above her medium-sized breasts. She looked to be his age, with an attractively toned body that was nothing short of the very definition of feminine perfection. Her revealing outfit was far from modest, as all but her most intimate areas were exposed. A strip of black fabric concealed the firm orbs that were her breasts, while a dark loincloth hung between her legs from both the front and back. The sheathe for a small dagger rested on her right hip, seemingly her only weapon. She had soft semi-pale skin that was detailed with thin tattooed lines that created unusual symbols on her torso, legs, and arms. Her sensual face held dark eyes that seemed to contain unknown knowledge behind them.

The woman stepped inside, though paused when she saw Dominax. Her serious expression shifted as her sensual lips curled into an arrogant smirk. "Well, looks like you're finally awake." She said in her smooth and sultry voice, subtly resting her hand on the hilt of her small dagger.

"Where am I?" He asked, slightly lowering his guard. He hadn't expected to see someone so...alluring. In return, the woman removed her hand from the hilt, recognizing that he had little interest in harming her.

"You've been out for two days." She began to explain, taking a step towards him though maintaining a cautious distance. "I found you half drowned and badly wounded, so I dragged you inside. It took...awhile, to say the least."

Her words reassured him enough to fully lower his defense. She had saved him, and even replaced Cendra's crude arm bandage with one of her own. "If that's true...I am in your debt."

She took another step in his direction, her nude womanly thigh brushing lightly against her loincloth. "In my debt, yet I don't even know your name."

"Dominax. My settlement was...attacked." He explained, feeling a twinge of sadness as the words passed through his lips. Everything had happened so fast, yet now the terrible reality of the situation hung over him, weighing him down as if someone had placed a mountain on his shoulders.

The woman nodded knowingly. "I could see the smoke even downstream. Didn't take much to piece it and your injuries together." She said, finally reaching him. Her dark eyes peered down at him, and she placed her right hand on his bandaged forearm. "Though I want to know something, Dominax. Why are your wounds healing so quickly, and why are your eyes that color?" She asked, her tone serious.

He met her gaze, his silver eyes meeting hers. His people had grown so accustomed to his unnatural eye color that they hardly ever questioned it.

"If I hadn't noticed them when I found you, I probably wouldn't have tried so hard to save your life." She explained coldly when he didn't answer. "Yet as the days passed, I noticed that your deep gashes had closed faster than I thought possible, replaced by simple scars. Tell me Dominax...what are you?"

A moment passed as he considered her question, Cendra's cautious voice echoing through his memories. Yet now that she was gone, the woman who had cared for him as her own...he cared little about concealing himself. What good were his powers if he couldn't even prevent her death? "You ask me what I am, but I have no answer. Even from my birth I've had strange abilities, and from birth I've concealed them. The only person who knows the true cause of them was my natural mother, though she is long dead."

The woman pulled her hand away and looked down at him with curiosity. "Do you have...other abilities?" She asked, and Dominax detected the faintest tone of concealed ambition.

There was a pause before Dominax let out a breath. Though he had used his powers to escape the slaughter, he had done so on instinct. To willingly expose his abilities to a stranger for the first time felt odd, though he ultimately agreed. He opened his hands and electricity surged in his palms, arching from his fingers and into the air.

Though it lasted only a few seconds the woman was completely mystified. Her pretty mouth hung open in amazement, watching the display with a hungry look in her eyes. "That's...incredible..." she stammered.

Closing his hands into fists, he stood up from the bed with a pained groan. As much as he was relieved to finally show someone the secret he had kept for so long, he knew that every second away from Nitri was a second that could be spent searching for Briza, alive or not. "As much as I'd like to show you more, I need to get back and search for survivors. Yet I owe you a great debt for saving me, so simply name what you desire and I will return with your request when possible."

The woman quickly concealed her amazement with her typical arrogant expression before turning to look into his eyes. After only a moment of consideration, she spoke. "There is nothing you can bring me, because what I desire most is to serve you, Dominax."

The statement surprised him to the extent that he momentarily forgot about the destroyed settlement, before he regained himself. "I..don't understand. Serve me? For what purpose?"

The woman eyed him hungrily, as if she were a predator hunting for prey. "What purpose? Dominax...I've spent my entire life as a healer. My mother, and her mother before her, spending our time in this world seeking the truth of nature. Every Chiefdom has their own gods and beliefs, yet you are something solid and real. Your eyes...your powers...they are the mark of the gods."

Dominax considered the gorgeous woman's words carefully before opening his mouth. "Though I know nothing of where these abilities came from, whatever gods you speak of certainly don't favor me."

Her familiar smirk returned to her lips, and she placed her right hand gently on his forearm. "Ah but they do. I've never come across anything even remotely like you. You can deny it all you like, but you've been granted a gift. For what purpose, I can't say, but whatever true Gods are out there clearly have their eyes on you. To learn from you...to serve you...I can think of no worthier path than calling a being such as yourself master."

Dominax pulled his arm away with a stern expression. "Enough. It's talk like that which got my mother killed. You saved me, so I won't deny you of your wish, but there will be no more talk of gods. Understand?"

The woman was quiet for a moment, before she nodded her head. "If that is what you command, then I accept."

"Very good." He said, reaching up to rub his temples as he considered his next course of action. "If you wish to serve me, you'll need to return with me to my settlement. It may be dangerous, as I know nothing of what's occurred there while I've been recovering. It is even possible that there are no survivors, though I must know for certain."

She smiled sensually, placing her hand on her dagger once again. "Trust me Dominax, as I'm no stranger to defending myself. It wasn't by simple luck that I've managed to live alone for this long, especially appearing the way I do."

The sight of her form would certainly fill other men with enough desire to attempt something against her, which left Dominax no doubts about her claim. "Good. Prepare what you need for the journey, as we'll leave as soon as possible. However...it occurs to me that I still don't know your name."

With her alluring voice sounding smoother than honey, she spoke. "My name is Xenia."

***

Traveling by foot, they followed the edge of the river for several miles. The sun shined brightly in the sky, creating a peaceful atmosphere that revealed none of the horror that had occurred mere days ago.

As he walked, Dominax replayed the attack over and over in his mind, trying to find anything he could have done to prevent Cendra's death. It was a fruitless exercise.

"Dominax, may I ask you something?" Xenia questioned, her attractive voice interrupting his thoughts.

He simply nodded in response, keeping his determined gaze forwards.

"Your cloak is...strange. I've never seen the type of fabric that it is made from. Even the rest of your clothes are made of fairly common materials, though not your cloak. Where did it originate from?"

The white cape in question flowed gently behind him as he considered her words. "It was given to me by my birth mother."

He had hoped that the simple answer would satisfy her, though she continued to look at him as if she expected more.

Letting out a sigh, he continued. "She wrapped me in it when I was born, just before she was executed. It's all I have left of her."

"Oh." She stated, deciding to cease her questions for the moment. "I'm sorry."

They walked in silence until they were able to see the settlement in the distance, lacking the billowing smoke that had arisen during the attack.

Picking up their pace, they reached the outer wall within minutes. The noise from within was far less than he was used to, as the once healthily populated community was now mostly silent.

As they passed through the closest gate, Dominax gazed at the destruction. Houses that had been there his entire life were now nothing more than heaps of scorched wood. The dirt paths that acted as streets were spotted with various drops of blood and discarded weapons, though there was an odd absence of any dead bodies. The cause of the missing corpses was soon discovered as they reached the settlement's center, where a small group of survivors were burying the deceased.

Dominax recognized all of them to be either from the group that Briza had escorted, or those who were similarly off hunting just as he had been. Virtually none of the warriors who had fought beside him during the attack had seemingly survived.

Dominax's heart nearly stopped when he spotted Briza amongst the crowd, wounded but alive. He ran to her, lifting her off her feet as he embraced her with a bellowing roar of joy.

"Y..you're alive!" She cried out as he placed her back onto the ground, holding onto him tightly. "I feared that they had killed you...or...or...enslaved you!"

"I got away..." He said, feeling the softness of her skin against his. She had several bandages in various places, though none of her wounds appeared to be serious.

Xenia watched their reunion, her dark eyes studying her new female competitor.

Dominax kissed Briza deeply before separating. "I tried to save her..." He said with sorrow, not needing to utter her name.

Briza nodded somberly, placing her hands on his strong shoulders. "I know, Dominax. I know..."

"Did you...find her?" He asked, looking around at the newly dug graves. They liked to keep their ancestors close, and usually buried them near the center of the Settlement.

She nodded in response, and slowly led him to a nearby grave that still had a visible outline in the dirt. There had been no time to create a headstone, as only a short wooden pole marked the grave.

Dominax stared at the dirt, a tingle of anger sparking inside of him. He had lost the woman who raised him, cared for him, taught him all he knew. For...what? A petty rivalry between Chiefdoms? He kneeled, placing his hand on the center of the grave. "You saved me from certain death and raised me as your own. I'll do everything in my power to protect your daughter and make something of the life you've given me. Rest now...Cendra..."

Xenia stepped closer and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, inciting a confused look from the other woman.

"Who are you?" Briza questioned with suspicion, eyeing the strange newcomer up and down.

"Xenia." She replied, turning around to give Briza a falsely polite smile. "I'm the one who saved Dominax's life. And you are..?"

"Saved him?" She repeated, shooting Dominax a surprised glance. "Then I suppose...you have my gratitude. I'm Briza."

Dominax stood up from the dirt, his face grim. "She's a healer, and we're going to need her in the coming weeks."

"What do we do now though?" Briza asked, subconsciously placing her hand on her abs knowing there would be no future for their unborn child without a plan. "They've destroyed everything! Killed everyone! There's barely anything left!"

His face was stern as he looked around at the nearby survivors. There couldn't be more than one hundred left, from a settlement that used to contain over three thousand people. The number of capable warriors were even fewer, consisting of only a quarter of the remaining population.

"Perhaps we should set out on our own..." Xenia suggested, giving the remaining survivors a look of disapproval.

"No." Dominax replied, feeling a flair of anger arise through his body as he considered their predicament. He had watched as lesser men mismanaged the settlement, manipulated it, and finally...destroyed it. The Elders had led them to their destruction, and he had sat back and allowed it to happen. No longer. He spotted a nearby house that had been burned down, though a crude porch partially remained. He ascended the smashed and broken steps, raising himself slightly above the crowd. "Everyone! Hear me!"

The group slowly turned to face him, some looking curious while others appeared to be utterly devastated and defeated.

"I know you! All of you! I've grown up amongst you! And like you, I've obediently sat by as our leaders brought this slaughter upon us!" Dominax announced to the gathered crowd. "But The Elders are dead now! We are on our own, leaderless and defenseless! We cannot simply wait and hope that the Zilrinians do not return to finish us off! We must act!"

The crowd broke into murmurs, before someone yelled from the crowd. "What would you have us do? We've lost everything!" The shout came from a young man near Dominax's age, who he recognized as a warrior known as Clin. He hadn't actually spoken to the man before, only passing by him occasionally. He was an inch shorter than Dominax, with an athletic build. He had a braided beard with short hair that was shaved on the sides. He was the only blonde in the entire settlement, being an extremely rare trait.

"I would have us set out and settle down somewhere nearby! There is nothing left for us here except death! To leave would grant us time to prepare ourselves! To rebuild!" Dominax yelled, throwing his arms out to gesture at the surrounding destruction.

"This is our birthplace! We cannot abandon our ancestors!" Another man shouted, this time coming from a warrior named Salduin. He was a large powerful man, two inches taller than Dominax and brandishing a long black beard. His head was hairless, showing off a large scar across the top that looked fresh. He was known to be a deeply spiritual man who would never harm a living creature without reason.

"If we don't, we shall join our ancestors in the ground! The Zilrinians have destroyed our food and burned our supplies! Even if they don't attack once more, we'll all starve!" Dominax replied, his voice strong and commanding. "We must set out and rebuild!"

"Who exactly made you the new leader?" A third man yelled, folding his arms. Known as Hesin, he was the same height as Dominax, with a thin yet athletic frame. Lacking any facial hair, his short black hair was concealed by a hooded brown cloak. He was known to be a loner, as most people usually kept their distance from him due to his scheming nature.

"I did." Dominax replied coldly. "I see no one else stepping up to assume the mantle."

"Wrong, boy." A voice echoed from the crowd, moments before a large warrior stepped forward. Much like Salduin, he possessed powerful muscles that heaved a large hammer above his head, slamming it down heavily into the dirt. "If any man should lead this group, it WILL be me!" The man roared, stepping closer to the half-destroyed porch. With long brown hair tied behind him in a rough braid, the warrior brandished a long beard that hung over his bare chest. Dominax immediately recognized him as Ortis, an older fighter with far more experience than himself.

Dominax gazed down at the man sternly, folding his arms. "The Elders were arrogant enough to believe we were capable of remaining independent with no allies. If you are arrogant enough to resist me, you'll share their fate."

"Ah, such confidence!" Ortis replied in a mocking tone. "Let's see how long that lasts."

With a swing from his hammer, the older warrior smashed the remaining supports, sending the porch crashing down. Dominax rolled as he landed, quickly getting to his feet. The crowd backed up with shouts of surprise, giving them room to fight.