Vaid Empire: Conquest Ch. 03

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.

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17th of Onis, 5 BVE.

Lower Human Basin, East of Nitri.

Dominax held his hand out, igniting a flame in his palm that burnt away the encircling darkness. His flickering light illuminated the interior of the strange pod, revealing that it consisted of a single spacious chamber made of the same pure white metal from the exterior. Yet unlike the exterior, it's walls were curved into a more circular shape, topped with a high domed ceiling that he could hardly make out through the oppressive darkness. The floor was decorated with a massive symbol that he hadn't encountered before, vaguely in the shape of a crescent moon.

A thin pedestal began to rise from the center of the floor, sticking out into the empty space of the room. Waist high, a strange orb sat atop its peak.

With careful steps, he approached the pedestal. To see an object move without the assistance of man was mystifying, yet its strangeness was null compared to the item it presented. The translucent spherical orb was as dark as the void of space, yet it erupted into thousands of different specs of color as the light from his flame shined through. Though it was small enough to be concealed using two hands Dominax felt a dizzying depth as he peered into it, as if someone had stolen a piece of reality and condensed it into a ball.

With a glimmer of desire in his silver eyes, he slowly reached out towards the strange object with his free hand. Yet before his fingers could brush its surface, he instinctively shot his arm up into a defensive position when the image of a larger sphere projected above the orb, wider than a grown man could wrap his arms around. Dominax slowly lowered his guard, examining the semitransparent globe. Glowing slightly, he could see oceans, rivers, and mountains, yet he recognized none of it.

"What sorcery is this?" He asked, waving his hand through the projection.

"Uuuu iiii oouu" a sound whispered quietly inside his mind in what could only be described as a light vibration. It was as if the orb itself was communicating with him, though even stranger, he understood its intentions. As if delivering pure data directly into his brain he suddenly looked at the globe in understanding.

"How..can this be...?" He asked himself, staring at the projection in pure astonishment. As possibly the first human in history to do so, Dominax looked upon a map of the entire world. With one massive continent facing him, he had to squint to recognize practically anything that he was familiar with. All of their maps and all of their travels amounted to practically nothing.

The projection flickered, before disappearing entirely. "Wait...no! Come back!" He cried out in his deep voice, looking at the orb in panic.

Though his fire lightly illuminated the chamber, all color instantly drained away from his surroundings. The flame seemingly froze in place, as if time itself had stopped. Dominax tried to move and realized once again that he had left his frozen body, just as he had during the slaughter. He stepped fully out of his physical form, feeling deeply unsettled and confused as he looked upon himself.

"Dominax...." A low, weak voice echoed quietly through the chamber. He quickly turned to his right, only to be met with the presence of the ghostly figure of the cloaked stranger who had saved him.

"Who...what are you?" Dominax asked, taking a step backwards as he readied himself for a fight.

The figure slowly approached him, his steps making no sound on the cold metal floor. He stopped when he was a mere four feet away from Dominax, granting him a better view of his hooded face. He appeared FAR older than he had during their first encounter, with wispy white hair and deep wrinkles. A black robe concealed his elderly body under his cloak, slightly dragging on the floor. Yet the feature that delivered Dominax a tingle of unease was the man's silver eyes, matching his own nearly identically.

The man slowly began to reach out with both hands. "Come...let me look upon you..."

Dominax eyed the man suspiciously, standing firm as he studied the cloaked figure. He was three inches taller than the stranger, forcing his ghostly fingers to reach up at a slight angle as they sought out his face. Yet as both wrinkled hands met his skin he felt...nothing, as if he hadn't actually touched him at all.

"Look how much you've...grown..." the stranger muttered in what was nearly a whisper.

With caution, Dominax slowly attempted to grab the figure's wrists to pull the transparent appendages away yet was disturbed to discover that his fingers simply passed through the figure as if he was nothing more than an illusion.

"Do not be frightened...child..." the man said, his fingers shaking as he pulled them away. His voice was low and strained, as if the man could only conjure it through great effort.

"Yet you've failed to answer my question." Dominax replied with visible wariness. "Who are you?"

A small grin began to creep across the man's face. Or rather, if he actually was a man, instead of some decrepit demon. "Child...I no longer possess the...need for a name. Though if you must know, I was once...called Dorian..."

As the words oozed from the figure's old mouth, an inkling of familiarity tugged at Dominax's memory before a strange realization stabbed him abruptly. "Dorian...or Doriin?" He asked carefully, the monumental implications of his question sinking in. Though nearly every Chiefdom throughout The Human Basin held differing beliefs regarding the origin of the world, nearly all contained some variation of the name Doriin.

"Ah...yes, Dorian...Doriin...Dirian...Darian...all have been used to refer to...me." He replied, confirming Dominax's suspicions.

As if looking at the strange translucent figure through new eyes, Dominax suddenly felt a surge of importance radiating from the man. Dominax hadn't simply confronted some childhood ghost, but rather if their legends were correct, he had been lured to the very creator of the world. He felt as though he should wish to throw himself at the feet of this strange being, to utterly praise the man. Yet, the urge to bow remained elusive to him, absent from his mind. Only the weak bowed, even to a God.

When Dominax didn't answer, Dorian gave a gentle nod. "I...understand that you may be...overwhelmed with such a revelation..." He began in his usual strained voice. "Yet time is of...importance. Even here...where my power should be at its...strongest, I can barely reveal myself. I...severely damaged my power...when I rescued you..."

"An act that still confuses me." Dominax replied, thinking back to the slaughter of Nitri. There had been no doubt in his mind that he was about to die, yet the stranger had granted him just enough reaction time to escape his fate. "Why choose to save me?"

With a kind smile, Dorian's silver eyes seemed to slightly glow as he answered. "How could I not save...my own child..."

The revelation hit him like a fist to the gut, and Dominax had to take a step backwards to put some distance between himself and the strange man. "That's...impossible..."

Dorian held out his hands in a calming gesture. "Do not be alarmed...my child."

Though his mind whirled, Dominax snapped out of his thoughts to deliver an insidious glare. "Alarmed? You not only claim to be the creator of the world, but my father as well. Yet you dissuade me from being Alarmed?" His voice contained more bafflement than anger, still processing the implications of such information. "Why should I trust even a single word of it in any case?"

The ghostly figure nodded in understanding, before slowly waving his hand. As he did so, a faint glowing rope of pure white began to reveal itself, extending between them. Though virtually no visual indicator existed, Dominax instinctively felt as though Dorian was the source of the strange rope-like beam with Dominax at the end, as if somehow sensing the nature of the connection.

"There is more to conception...than mere blood." Dorian began to explain, gesturing to the beam as it hung between them. "Parents give up a piece of their soul...to create their child. A literal line exists between them...connecting them across time...and space. Concentrate, and you will see...the truth of my claim..."

Too intrigued to refuse, Dominax focused his attention on the ethereal line between them. Within moments, it was as if he had received information directly from it, understanding its purpose entirely. The undeniable bond between father and son was directly in front of him, absolute proof of the man's statement. "How is this even possible?" He questioned, the unmistakable look of ambition in his silver eyes.

"In time...I will teach you." Dorian struggled to say, seemingly fighting to continue speaking. "Though it is unimportant...for now. I must...rest...and regain my power."

The glow in Dominax's eyes disappeared as his face dropped into a look of disappointment. "No, you cannot go yet, I must know more! Tell me, Dorian, the purpose of my birth. Tell me why I was created, why I was gifted with these...powers!" His voice was low, though demanding. He had always known that he was meant for something greater than a life as a simple warrior of an insignificant settlement. Born with abilities that none had encountered before, he had been certain that there had been a reason for his existence. Yet now the possibility to learn the answers he had always yearned for was in his grasp.

"Purpose?" The old man asked in a confused voice, before a look of realization overtook his features. "Ah...I see. I found your mother on the eve of...approximately one thousand years...since the creation of this world, Ayphieal. I refrained from any interference...for a sufficient amount of time...to allow events and decisions of its inhabitants to occur...naturally. I wished to see what my creations would do...without my guiding hand. Only then did I allow...my vanity to take hold, giving into...my desire to produce an heir to my power."

A silence filled the chamber as Dorian paused, allowing his words to fully sink in.

He then continued, though his tone shifted to one of sadness as if the memory particularly pained him. "I brought your mother to my ship...and granted her my seed. Throughout her pregnancy...I cared for her, gifting her all of my...knowledge, knowing she would...one day train you. Yet after your birth, I sent her back to the surface...in the pod you stand in now."

With a wave of Dorian's hand, the orb's hologram of the planet reactivated. "She wished...to spread her new knowledge...to every corner of Ayphieal." He said, gesturing to the large globe. "Your settlement elders, however, rejected her explanation...of their origins. They executed her...in front of the entire village..."

The mention of his mother's drowning brought a sharp pain of anger to Dominax's chest, causing him to clench his fists.

"They...KILLED her...for the truth she spoke." Dorian continued, sounding genuinely devastated at the loss. "I could do nothing...except watch her die. It was only her wisdom...in placing you in the care of Cendra...that spared your life. Had the elders known you were...of her blood, they...would have cast you into the river."

"Then their foolishness only increases. She offered them the truth, and they rejected it. If only she could have seen their slaughter at the hands of the Zilrinians." Dominax replied, his words dripping with disgust. Yet despite the anger that Dorian's explanation delivered him, he began to feel his respect for Cendra increasing. She had risked her life to save him, knowing that the revelation of his true parentage would earn her a swift death. She had raised him, spreading a false narrative amongst their people about simply adopting an unspecified friend's child. The thought of her loss was suddenly brought to the forefront of his mind, and he had to grit his teeth to suppress his emotions.

"Yet their actions gifted me...a realization." Dorian said, continuing. "As your mother drowned...any ambition I possessed for your future...died with her. I nearly lost you..." the old man said, his voice quivering nearly imperceptibly. "You ask what your purpose is, and so I will...give it to you. Live...your life."

The simplicity of the statement was anything but what Dominax had expected. He had envisioned grandiose designs thought up by the ancient mind of a God, plans that would echo across the world. Yet instead, all he received was...this? "Live my life?" The younger man asked with contempt.

Dorian nodded, ignoring the clear hostility. "Find a woman, settle...down. Perhaps even start a family. Just...live in peace. I only wish for you...to be happy."

"A simple life?" Dominax repeated, as if bitterly tasting the words.

"That is my wish for you. Find...peace. There is far too much death in this world. The pod...will protect you. Use it. The orb...contains instructions on creating highly durable steel, of which this very pod...is constructed. Use it and sell whatever you manage to...forge. It'll bring you enough wealth for a comfortable life, safe...from the world's horrors."

The chamber once again went silent as Dominax processed his words. The request was intriguing, a way to prevent himself from ever being forced to experience anything similar to the Nitri slaughter. A way to prevent himself from suffering the loss of any further loved one. Yet as each benefit flowed through his mind, there was one problem that continually made itself known to him as he turned his silver eyes towards the holographic globe. One confliction that refused to free him from its grip. "You ask me to live a simple life, one of peace and comfort. An existence that any ordinary man would eagerly accept. Yet...I am no ordinary man. My answer is no."

"No?" Dorian replied with an expression of shock, clearly not expecting such a blunt answer.

"No." The younger man repeated, his voice firm as his eyes remained locked on the large representation of the planet. "You request that I live a simple life, and I say no. For too long I've allowed inferior men to act as rulers. For too long I've sat back, concealing my powers while this world is torn apart by conflict. I did nothing to avenge my mother, and I did nothing as The Elders put us in a position to be attacked."

"My son...The Elders of your village are dead. Whatever vengeance you seek to achieve...has already been inflicted upon them."

"Ah, but vengeance has never been at the forefront of my desire, and that remains true even now. Yes, The Elders are dead, but they were merely a small piece of the problem. This world you've created, one where leaders fight each other for control, is wrought with chaos. Merely five days ago I had a settlement and a family. Now, only a few lucky survivors remain."

Dorian observed the young man with curiosity, listening to his passionate words.

"This can no longer be allowed." Dominax said as he reached out, as if grasping the immaterial globe. "I will take this world, and I will give it order. I will inflict my will into every part of it. No longer will civilizations clash over petty disagreements. No longer will people live their lives in fear, wondering when the next attack will strike. No longer will chaos thrive." He stated as his eyes began to slightly glow. There. He had said it. The very thing he had desired for as long as he could remember, placed out into the open for only a God to judge.

Dorian folded his ghostly arms, choosing his next words carefully. "If this is the path you choose...you are asking me to sit by...and watch you risk your life in an attempt to do...the impossible."

He nodded somberly. "I am, Dorian. You are my progenitor, my blood. I would not exist without you. You've granted me these abilities, this power, yet you request that I do nothing with them. I...can't, not anymore."

Throwing his hand out loosely in a gesture of bewilderment, it was Dorian's turn to disagree. "They will allow you to protect yourself...and your family! That's FAR...from nothing!"

Dominax stroked his short beard. "Though the fact remains that you desire me to live happily, correct?"

The translucent being nodded in conformation

"This potential life you've illustrated, one where I live as a simple man. I..." Dominax began, searching for the correct words. "I do not wish to live as others do. I desire...to rule. If I cannot, if I must spend my life among ordinary beings...then the elders may as well have thrown me into the river alongside my mother."

A long silence filled the surrounding air, the world around them remaining paused. Dominax had been outside of his body for so long that he hardly even noticed, the strange colorless existence swiftly becoming natural to him.

When Dorian finally spoke, he kept his voice low and calm. "What you seek...will be difficult. You're in the most decentralized area." He explained, gesturing to The Lower Human Basin on the globe. "Other areas have formed kingdoms, even...empires, yet your people still fight as tribes."

An insidious grin formed on Dominax's lips. "Ah but you miss the advantage. Tribes are far easier to subjugate than empires. I shall consolidate surrounding Chiefdoms through conquest, amassing a force strong enough to consume the continent."

The tired eyes of the godly entity seemed to dim somewhat, as he looked upon his son's ambitious form. "Is this what you...truly desire, my child?"

Dominax's eyes seemed to glow with increased intensity as he turned to gaze at the vast globe. "More than you can possibly imagine."

"Then...I will not deny you." Dorian reluctantly agreed, his ghostly form barely visible. "Yet be warned. I no longer possess the...strength to save you. You...are on...your own..."

"That is a risk I am willing to accept. To die as a ruler shall always be preferable over living as a common man."

Dorian looked at the younger male, clearly pondering. Whatever opinion he now held of his son, he gave no voice to. "Then go. We...will speak again soon...though I...must rest. Goodbye for now...my boy..."

Dominax watched the figure slowly fade from existence, before he was suddenly returned to his body. The abrupt transition was disorienting, causing him to stumble slightly. The beam connecting them had vanished from sight, yet he could sense that its presence remained.

Only a moment passed to allow himself to readjust before he picked up the alien-like orb. It felt cold against his bare fingers, yet he could feel something more. Something...powerful, deep inside of it.

Dominax turned to leave the chamber, exiting through the doorway he had entered by using an exact copy of the outside hand scanner. The outside light was overwhelming as he stepped through, pausing to allow his eyes to adjust before stepping through the doorway. As he did so, he felt as though he had been changed in a way, relieved of a deep weight. He had revealed his deepest desires, and now nothing would dissuade him from seeking them out.