Later that day, they arrived in a small port village, where they waited for a ferry. They would have made the trek through the desert faster, but the frogfolk grew tired from hopping quickly, and they frequently needed Noah to splash water down on them from the Wandering River using his electricity rod, which he had taken to calling a ‘Tesla rod’ due to its effects and vague resemblance to a tesla coil.

This was the last stop a ferry would make on the way to the Toldenhold, and the city was now visible in the distance. The Wandering River wound toward it and entered its blackiron walls, allowing vessels to stop directly inside the city. From the village, Noah could see the giant, black metal walls, which were spiky and oppressive in appearance. They were tall, but behind them were many tall buildings and spires. At the center of the city was a blackness which radiated outward. Graven had told Noah the city was centred around an antimagic star, which radiated darkness the same way a normal star might radiate light. It apparently powered many of the artifacts of the city. The spires of the city intermittently interrupted the passage of the anti-light and created a reverse starburst effect, causing darkness to spill unevenly onto the surrounding landscape.

The village they were in was much less impressive. It had no outer walls and no fortifications. The buildings were stone, and few, and centred mostly around the port. It was not unlike the other port village he had been to. The people were mostly sheeple, with some frogfolk and one veggiefolk, a potato man they rented a room from.

Upon arriving at the village, the frogfolk and Graven went their own way. Noah and Berenice rented a room, and as soon as they were in the room together, all alone, Noah was all over Berenice, kissing her neck and feeling her body with his hands.

“Ah, Noah! Thou art aroused?”

He was. Killing the elephant creature a few hours ago – narrowly avoiding death in the process – had been exhilarating, and the excitement had carried with him for the rest of the day. Berenice had been similarly excited. It had been thrilling, taking down such a dangerous beast, and Noah felt unusually self-confident.

Expressing that confidence, he turned Berenice around at the hips and pushed her gently toward the stone wall behind her. Her body pressed against the rough stone, and her hands went up to brace herself. Noah kissed her neck again.

“Ah! What art thou doing?” His hands started feeling her ass. It was smooth, as her wool didn’t go that low except to cover her crotch like a bikini. “What of my period, Noah?”

Noah didn’t respond. His heart beat in his ears. Though he was unusually confident, he was still nervous. He was never this aggressive with sex, but he found a certain comfort with Berenice, since he knew if he did anything wrong or embarrassing, he could brainwash her into forgetting it. Not that he would, if he could avoid it, since it would be immoral to abuse that fact. But it was a safety net that let Noah feel more comfortable experimenting with her.

His cock was already raging when he took it from his pants, and used his hand to cover it in his saliva. He pressed the tip against her asshole.

“Oh, thou art to place it in there?”

“You want it, right?” whispered Noah into her long sheep ear, his dick still touching her asshole.

“Aye, Noah, thou art being so rough, and verily, I like it. Confidence becometh thee.”

That was all the permission Noah needed. With his left hand, he pressed her harder against the wall, wrapped his right arm around her hips, and pulled her toward him as he slowly pushed his cock into her ass. Noah groaned. It was so tight.

“Oh, pox! Ow, it doth hurt!” said Berenice. Noah gripped her hips with both hands and started fucking her ass. He rammed his dick inside her ass with speed and force that matched his excitement. He looked, hypnotized, at his own white cock as it slid in and out of Berenice’s tight black asshole. He watched his hips slap against her round ass, and he moaned. She moaned too, partly in arousal, and partly in pain.

“It’s good, Noah. I am happy to serve thee. Ah! Ah! Mayhaps, more slowly? Ah!” Noah didn’t heed her advice. He was too pent-up and full of energy. He fucked her hard in the ass, and their bodies made a slapping sound on each thrust.

Berenice squealed. “Ah! What if others hear us?”

Noah put one hand on Berenice’s mouth, quieting her. “Shut up. Sorry. Just stop talking. Ahh.” He moaned as he fucked her. He thought about doing more aggressive things, like spanking or choking her, but it didn’t seem like something he would do, and he would be too embarrassed. So he just fucked her harder. It was unlikely anyone else in the building would hear them, but it was not impossible. They were not being quiet.

Finally, Noah pushed deep into her ass and started to cum. He groaned loudly as he came, and she moaned and mumbled, her mouth covered by his hand. He finished cumming, and then breathed heavily behind her, his dick still inside her. After a while, he took his hand off her mouth.

“Art thou satisfied, Noah? Was my hindquarters a satisfactory substitute?” Noah kissed her neck in response, and she smiled slightly. “Thou wert quite loud. I hope none hath heard us.” Slowly, Noah pulled his dick from her ass, and when the tip came out, he was relieved to see it appeared clean. He had never had anal sex before, as the possibility of making a mess disgusted him somewhat. That, and hurting a woman during sex seemed immoral. But Berenice seemed not to care much.

Berenice turned and looked up at him, smiling slightly. “Well, shall we rest? The ferry will arrive in a few hours, assuming the river is safe. The frogfolk did say they saw rain clouds behind us as we walked. Imagine that! So soon after we took our leave, the drought did end.”

“Yeah,” said Noah, still catching his breath. “Maybe the huge elephant thing we killed was responsible for the drought somehow?”

“I know not. Come, take comfort in my warmth, sweet Noah.” She crawled into bed, and Noah did too. She was the big spoon, and held Noah as they fell asleep.


The colossal, golden throne room doors slowly ratcheted open. Noah, Graven, and Berenice were shoved forward into the expansive hall from behind. He worried about falling on his face as his hands were bound. He moved his legs quickly to avoid falling.

The throne room was regal, but Noah’s eyes were drawn straight to the Emperor. He tried looking away – looking at the other people and statues and pillars and brilliance, but no matter where his eyes looked, the Emperor occupied the center of his attention.

He was longfolk. Like the Earl Noah had met before, his arms, legs, and neck were way longer than a normal human’s, to the point where he probably couldn’t walk or even sit up on his own. But the Emperor was older than the other longfolk Noah had seen. And the Emperor instead sat on a supportive, reclined throne, looking down his chin at Noah. Like the other longfolk Noah had seen, his head was fixed in an upward-tilted position, which made him seem arrogant.

They were close to the city’s center, and the blackness of the antimagic star spilled in through the windows, though the greatest source of blackness was the Emperor himself. His armor emitted the same kind of anti-light as the antimagic star, and cast a shadow on its surroundings, obscuring the Emperor’s body. Only his head, hands, and feet were easily visible due to their distance from his body. On top of his head was a blackiron crown.

Noah was pushed forward by the sheeple guard behind him. He walked alongside Berenice, with Graven behind them. Noah tried to look around, to focus on anything other than the Emperor, but he struggled. There were other people in the great room, he could tell. But who? What species were there? Even when they were at the center of his vision, his eyes could see them, but his mind could not. Only the Emperor would occupy his attention.

The room was decorated magnificently with gold and rich blue, red, and purple fabrics. Noah could tell that much. The Emperor’s throne was decorated similarly, and Noah thought there were gems embedded in it, but he couldn’t pay attention to the throne for long enough to see which kind. He found himself staring up at the Emperor again.

“Halt!” shouted one of the people in the room. Not the Emperor.

Only when a different person in the room went to whisper something into the Emperor’s ear did Noah perceive him. It was a sheeple guard of high rank, judging by his armour. The Emperor spoke quietly to him in response, and the sheeple left the Emperor’s side.

“I also have something to report, Your Highness,” said someone on the sidelines. Noah couldn’t see who. All he saw was the Emperor, whose long fingers twitched slightly, inviting them to approach. When they came close to the Emperor, Noah saw her briefly while she whispered in the Emperor’s ear. She was a species Noah had never seen before. Her skin was shiny and turquoise. She was dressed in impressive, noble fashion. The Emperor merely nodded in response to her, and she walked away. She disappeared from Noah’s attention.

“Kneel before Emperor Antimogne!” shouted a voice. He said the name of the Emperor like the word ‘antimony,’ but with the emphasis on the second syllable. It was the same voice as before, perhaps. Noah did what he was told. Berenice and Graven did too, but Noah wasn’t focused on them. He was staring at Emperor Antimogne and his neutral expression.

Antimogne stared back at Noah, and Noah felt naked before his keen gaze. The Emperor’s eyes moved calculatingly between Noah and the others in his group. He stared at them for an uncomfortable length of time before he finally spoke.

Strange man, what species dost thou bear? Thou look’st elven, but thine ears are round, Not pointed as an elf’s; thy skin too’s fair.

He looked down his nose at Noah, waiting for a response. Noah tried to answer, but his voice caught in his throat. The Emperor had an intimidating presence, which made Noah nervous. He tried again. “Uhh, yeah, I’m not an elf. I’m…” Should he admit it? What would be the consequences of lying? “I’m human.”

Ah, human true? So thought I this to be. Yet ‘tis impossible; Yet here you stand. How comes a man with sheeple and golgotha To travel in this land of iron black?

He waited again, watching Noah’s every movement with narrowed eyes.

“Well, this sheeple is my slave, and the golgotha is named Graven, and we met on the ferry. He has something he wants to ask of you. I don’t know him that well, but we were both coming to talk to you, so we travelled together.”

Fool! Another lie to me thou shall not speak Or it shall be thy last, so now confess. I know the sheeple’s free, thine crimes amassed. First, thou travel without papers, human. And too thou freed a sheeple from mine grasp And lied to my Earl’s agent in the act, Which is itself a punishable crime. His sheeple guard revealed the truth to us Upon interrogation done routinely. Confess thy crimes, and mercy may be shown. Or deny thy crimes and meet a dire fate.

The Emperor’s face was surrounded by darkness, and Noah had to stare directly at it. His heart pounded in his ears. He was terrified. He needed to think of something to say – anything – to get out of this. He knew things were bad when he was arrested upon entering the city for lacking identification. He thought it was strange he was brought straight to the Emperor for such a minor offence, but thought maybe it had something to do with Chastity. He thought maybe she had met with the Emperor, and had Noah brought here so he could meet with her. But now he saw the truth: he was before Emperor Antimogne because he was guilty of a capital offence and might be put to death. He wondered how Berenice was feeling. He could see her out of the corner of his eyes, but he couldn’t focus on her. He saw only the Emperor’s stern face, and piercing eyes gazing into his soul.

“I- Uhh-“ Noah stuttered.

“I confess, alright!” shouted Berenice. He could hear she was in tears. “I confess! It is true, I am free. Yet, Noah had naught to do with my freedom, so leave him alone, I pray! Just execute me, and me alone!”

Is what the sheeple says the honest truth?

“Uhh, well,” he thought again about the consequences of lying. He was conflicted, and anxiety shot through his body. What should he say? He was getting tunnel vision from the panic, but he could still see clearly those eyes, the eyes that bore into him. He could hide nothing from them, he knew. “No, Your Highness. I did free her. But I did it by accident. I mean, I didn’t know it was a crime.”

Golgotha, thee I’ll deal with at a later time.

He waived his finger slightly, and Noah sensed movement in his periphery. Perhaps guards were escorting Graven out of the room.

Thy honesty I value; Harsh I rule, But fair am I to those who kneel to me. I may thy crimes forgive, but tell me, pray, Why freed the sheeple, thou? You two are friends? Thou must have known to free it was a crime.

“No! I didn’t know! I’m not from here. I’m not from this world! I woke up here, like a week and a half ago, or something like that. I was born in another world. Please believe me. I didn’t even know sheeple existed until I met Berenice, and I only learned it was a crime to free her after I did it. Please, you won’t execute me for breaking a law I didn’t even know about, will you?”

Emperor Antimogne stared at Noah and Berenice for a minute without speaking, holding them both in tension as he analyzed them.

I believe thee, so thy crimes are now wiped clean.

Upon hearing this, Noah breathed a sigh of relief. After a pause, the Emperor asked a question.

I see my younger self in thee, young man, Though weak, thou art sincere and stout of heart. Tell me, Noah, what’s thy class and level?

“Uhh… I’m level four. And I’m-“ Noah swallowed. “I’m a Heretic.”

I see, a Heretic? A wise choice that. Though bias may in mine own heart reside, For too am I a Heretic devout. Which of the living Gods dist thee take as thy patron?

“Heart,” responded Noah meekly.

Of all the choices, Heart is not the weakest. And level four, thou said, at age so tender? This is a feat that calls for due applause, Perhaps thou art a human after all.

The Emperor looked at Berenice, and looked as though he was going to ask her something, and then paused.

Young boy, why came thee to this vast Empire? To speak to me? What dost thou wish to say?

Emperor Antimogne stared directly at Noah, whose natural reaction was to look away, but he felt he should not. Could not. “I came to meet my friend, Chastity. She was the one who came here to meet you. She’s an elf, and she came to ask for your aid.”

Berenice spoke next. “I apologize for interrupting, Your Highness, but I also beg thee to release our friend from thy custody. Her name is Kirsa, and she’s currently being held at the Rainbow Mountains by the gemfolk. She is slated for execution for the same crimes thou now sayest thou shalt pardon us for. Please free her in kind.” She bowed her head in respect after speaking.

The Emperor’s eyes dug into them both as he considered their requests.

I hear thy plea and can’t myself deny it; Consistency demands her freedom, so, It shall be granted now without delay. Good Clement, go and send a messenger.

He waived his finger, and someone standing on the sidelines, a sheeple, Noah thought, walked quickly out of the throne room.

As for thy elven friend, she did I meet, And pledged to aid her people in their need. She asked when thou arrived to send thee to Her chambers for a one-on-one discourse. My guardsman Edmund takes thee to her side; We’ll speak again when you are reunited.

Noah felt his arm being pulled by someone. Edmund. A sheeple imperial guardsman pulled him back out of the throne room, leaving Berenice behind. Even as he left, his head turned to stare at the Emperor. There was something about him that made him impossible to ignore.

When he was in the hallway of the blackiron palace, he finally felt his mental faculties relax. Finally, his attention could wander. He could choose where to look. He looked at the black metal walls, the obsidian floors, the warm-coloured tapestries and the gilded lanterns. He looked the guardsman in the eye, making eye contact.

“Come.”

He pulled Noah’s arms, and Noah had to follow, his arms still bound like a prisoner. “I thought I was pardoned? Why are my arms still tied up?”

“I will free thy arms when we arrive at the elf’s chambers. Hold thy tongue.”

They walked through many hallways and tight passageways through the palace. Despite being day, the halls were lit with lanterns, as outside, the sky was dark and obscured anyway by tall blackiron towers. When they walked along the north side of the palace, darkness from the black star floating slightly above the city poured into the hall, overpowering the lanterns.

They stopped in front of a door. One of many. After freeing Noah’s hands, the guard unlocked the door with a brass skeleton key.

“Here. Thou hast little time. Waste it not.” He pushed the door open with his fingertips, and Noah went through.

There she was. All at once, Noah fell in love again. Chastity was looking out the window, but turned to look in Noah’s direction when she heard the door opening. She was beautiful. Flawless. Even moreso than Noah remembered. When they met in the forest, she had been dirty, but now she was clean, and her smooth brown skin was without defect. She wore a green, gossamer dress that complemented her shapely body. Being an 18-year-old, his eyes lingered on her shapely body for longer than they should have, but he managed to pull them up to her face. Her smile was radiant. Feeling nervous, Noah swallowed.

“Noah!” she exclaimed. “Ye made it!” She ran toward Noah. Angel, too, was there. Her grassy fur matched Chastity’s green dress. She ran up to Noah and started sniffing at his feet, but Noah was too focused on Chastity. He wanted to hug her, or hold her hand, or do something, but they couldn’t. Chastity’s elven taboos wouldn’t allow it. So they awkwardly stood very close to each other and looked warmly into each other’s eyes. “Hail, Noah!”

“Hi,” he responded. Angel’s tail wagged as she circled Noah.

The two of them smiled at each other, not sure what to say. He was happy to see her again, and she was happy to see him. Because she didn’t know. She didn’t know he cheated on her. Guilt washed over him. What could he say? He couldn’t tell her. He had dreaded this moment for days, and he knew now that it had come that he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t tell her the truth.

“Are ye well, Noah?”

“Yeah, sorry,” he lied. He couldn’t tell her the truth, no matter what. He needed her to like him. He didn’t need to be an honest person; he just needed her.

“Good. It has taken ye long enough to come here! The airship was ready yesternight, but I asked them to delay in the hope that ye should come in time. We shall go straight by air to Hoomtree. Is Berenice also here?”

“Uhh, yeah,” replied Noah. “But the Emperor said you wanted to see me one-on-one.”

“Hmm. Well, I’d not have grieved to have seen Berenice as well, but it is good to see ye Noah.” She smiled warmly up at him, unable to touch him but leaning to be as close to him as she could.

“You too, Chastity. We’re going to your home city? Hoomtree?”

“Yea, soothly. The Emperor has traded us enough medicine to heal all the city. Though the malady shall spread from the other elven cities, it is a beginning at the least, nie? We shall go this night. I cannie wait for ye to see it, Noah! It is a proud city! Not like this old pile of scrap metal!”

“Yeah. I bet it’s nice. I had a dream about it, actually.”

“Oh, soothly?”

“Yeah. You and I were together in one of the buildings. We were high up, and I could see the whole city was burning.”

“Ha, well, no fire could spread far in Hoomtree. Fear that not. Will ye be ready to board the ship this night? Will Berenice come?”

“I think so. She seems to like to see new places and new people.”

“Good,” said Chastity, “They have not found that she is free? Soothly, it seems such a thing is a trespass punishable by death here!”

“I know! We did get caught, but the Emperor pardoned us.”

“Verily? He seems like a fair ruler. The tales of his tyranny seem much overwrought.”

“Yeah, he seems nice. This place is so dark and evil looking I thought he’d be some kind of villain. He’s scary, but he seems fair.”

Chastity nodded. “So, how were ye two devils caught? What gave ye away?”

“Well, apparently, the sheeple guard of that airship you took to get here, he was interrogated. I guess they routinely interrogate the sheeple to find out if they’ve been brainwashed or whatever. It can’t be too hard to figure out. And they found out that we lied to him about Berenice being free.”

“Ah, woe!”

“Yeah.”

While they talked, Noah couldn’t help but feel on edge. He worried what would happen if Chastity found out about his infidelity. But maybe she wouldn’t have to find out. The only other person who knew was Berenice, and she probably wouldn’t tell her. Definitely not, if he brainwashed her not to. He should probably do that soon. The last thing he needed was for Berenice to offer Noah sex in front of Chastity. He would have to get her alone soon and convince her Noah has never slept with anyone other than Chastity.

He was going to ask Chastity how she’s been, but there was a knock on the door. “Emperor Antimogne doth summon thee with utmost haste!” yelled Edmund, the guard.

“That didn’t take long,” said Noah.

“Yea. Shall we go?” Noah nodded at her. “Abide here, Angel. I know, I know. Dwell here, ye cur!” She scratched Angel’s head, and then she and Noah slunk out of the room, not leaving enough of an opening for Angel to follow as they closed the door on her. They followed the guard to the throne room, and he opened the door for Noah and Chastity to go through.

When they did, Noah tried to look at Berenice to see if she was still here or how she was doing, but again, even though his eyes may have looked straight in her direction, his mind could only pay attention to the Emperor when he was in sight.

Noah, Chastity, welcome once again. Informed, am I, my ship is poised for flight. To Hoomtree you shall venture through the sky, The passage long shall stretch for many days. Art thou prepared to face the trip ahead?

“Yea, oh gracious Emperor.” Chastity knelt in respect. “We thank ye for yer largesse. And when we land in Hoomtree, I shall arrange to send ye the first payment.”

Well met. The sheeple, shall it join your flight?

The Emperor looked aside at where Noah assumed Berenice must be standing, though Noah had a hard time seeing her. His eyes were seeing something white. Perhaps her wool? But it was a struggle to focus on her rather than on the Emperor.

“Yeah, she’ll come. Right, Berenice?”

“Aye, Noah. I would not wish thy carnal desires to lie unserved upon thy voyage. I shall strive to please thee in whatsoever manner thou dost desire, even as I have been doing.”

Noah’s heart skipped a beat. He turned to look at Chastity, but he couldn’t make out her expression. He wanted to protest what Berenice was saying, but what could he say?

“What?” asked Chastity. “Yer carnal what?” she asked Noah in a high-pitched voice that indicated she was hurt.

“His sensual desires, Chastity. His sexual needs. He hath had none to tend to him in such matters since Kirsa was taken into custody.”

“Berenice!” Noah exclaimed in desperation. So much for keeping his fucking secrets! His breath was shallow and fast, and he felt like his tunnel vision got worse. He stared right at Chastity, pleading with his eyes, but he could barely see her through the Emperor’s visual magnetism, and she couldn’t see him either. But she could hear his voice, and his tone was damning.

*HEARTLESS!

The Heart screamed, piercing his ears. He cupped his hears in pain.

After a torturous moment of silence, Chastity spoke in a controlled, calm voice. “Noah, is it true what Berenice speaks? Have ye found solace in her arms? And this other woman, Kirsa?”

Noah was silent. He wanted to scream, to deny it, but he couldn’t lie to her face, and she wouldn’t believe him anyway. He was full of guilt, regret, and rage. Why would Berenice say this in front of Chastity? It’s true, Berenice didn’t remember that Noah was in love with Chastity, not after he told her he wasn’t, but still, why would she talk about that here and now? She didn’t seem like a common slut who would air her sexual activities in public like that. Why?

Noah tried to calm himself. It wasn’t her fault. It was his own. It was his own for not keeping his dick in his pants. He loved Chastity, but he had sex with other girls only because he was horny and he couldn’t have sex with Chastity. And now she knew he was a liar and a cheat. She loved him before, and they were going to be together before, but now?

“I take yer stillness as a confession, Noah?” Her voice hitched. She sounded like she was going to cry, but was controlling her voice so as not to cry in front of him, not to mention the Emperor. Antimogne just stared down at them, watching the drama with a neutral expression.

“Chastity, please. Just let me explain, okay? Don’t leave me alone.”

“There is little to speak of, Noah. I thought I knew ye. But it turns out that I did not. Thou art like the others, after all. I was foolish.”

“Please, I just made a mistake, Chastity! Listen to me! Just let me explain!”

“Nie, Noah. I think not. Angel and I shall take the airship alone to Hoomtree.” Noah saw Chastity shift her position somehow, but he couldn’t tell how. “Yer highness, is that alright?”

The ship awaits you now, so go with haste. Take whom thou wilt: the choice is thine alone.

“Wait! Don’t go yet, Chastity, please!” Noah was on the verge of tears, and it came through in his voice. “Please, Chastity! I love you. Don’t go!” He yelled after her. He saw motion in his field of vision and heard her leaving. He went to follow her, but a black hand blocked his chest, stopping him from moving. It was jet black like Berenice’s, but thicker. A male sheeple guard’s hand. “Please! Please!” Noah shouted, but Chastity did not stop. She left the throne room.

Noah turned to the Emperor. “You can stop her! You can stop your ship! Don’t let her go, please! I’ll do anything!”

Emperor Antimogne just stared back at Noah in silence. His look was neutral, but was that a hint of disgust? Or was Noah projecting how he felt about himself onto the Emperor? He felt sick. Why did this happen?

Noah imagined Chastity’s cheerful, beautiful face in his mind, and then the fact that she hated him now, and he felt himself become faint. Maybe he would vomit, he thought. Why did this happen? If he had just kept control over his sexual urges for a few days, he would have been off to Hoomtree in the Emperor’s airship right now with Chastity. But instead, he was alone. Chastity was the one bright light at the end of his tunnel, and now the tunnel had collapsed, and he felt alone in the darkness.

Why? Why did Berenice do this to him? Was she stupid? He had to know what compelled her to say that to Chastity.

“Berenice, why did you say that to Chastity! You knew it would upset her! You knew she had feelings for me. Don’t pretend you didn’t.”

“I am sorry, Noah-“

The Emperor’s booming voice cut off Berenice.

Pathetic, Noah, art thou in mine eyes. Deserved, it seems, is what hath come to thee. Blame not the sheep, for stupid are its ways, Yet thou, aware, did falter knowing better. It seems that thou art weak; is it not so?

The Emperor’s glare was oppressive, as Noah could focus on nothing else. He felt himself being judged, and it multiplied his self-judgement and self-hatred. The Emperor was right. He was weak. He just gave in to whatever urges came over him in the moment. He was a piece of shit. He hurt the one person he loved in this shitty world. And now he was alone.

My query’s not for mere rhetorical effect: Doth thou recognize thy feeble nature?

Noah swallowed. “I don’t know,” he said.

Unsure, thou say? What dost thou mean by that? Art thou not sure of how to answer a Simple query with a yes or no? Art thou as stupid as the sheeple girl? Or else, perhaps, thou art too weak to answer.

Noah felt anger rising in his chest. Why was the Emperor being mean to him? And to Berenice. He already lost Chastity, and now the Emperor was insulting him. His eyes watered in sadness and anger. He knew the Emperor was powerful and had to be careful not to offend him, but he had to stick up for himself.

“I’m not weak!” he shouted through his tears.

And yet thou let thy penis do thy thinking, And let thy lust destroy thy chances with the elf. Now lonely art thou, a sheeple is thy Only friend – who else would have you?*

Thou art a coward, for who else would fuck a sheep? ‘Tis true, my court hath those who seek such pleasure, But cowardice I brand upon their name. Only rejects need lie with a sheeple.

Yet in thy weakness, I perceive a spark Of prodigious strength that I could fan to flames. Though thou art weak, great promise thou dost show, So, in pity, I shall offer thee a path:

Join my ranks and leave behind thy shame. I offer thee a path to might and worth. I’ll train thee well, if courage thou dost show, Then thou may yet become a champion of mine.

What? The Emperor wanted Noah to join his army or guard or something, and even maybe become one of his champions? But why? He was weak, aside from his electricity rod, although apparently, he was a high level for his age. Was that why? Maybe Noah would be pretty powerful at some point in the future since he levelled faster than other people. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that what the Emperor was saying was right. He was weak. He was pathetic. He wanted to be better. He wanted to be stronger. So he could get Chastity back. So he could show her he wasn’t the same weak piece of shit he used to be. And the Emperor was giving him the opportunity to do just that. But what would it involve? Would it be dangerous? If it was, Noah probably deserved it anyway. But the uncertainty scared him.

“I don’t know,” said Noah, still sniffling. “What does that involve?”

I’ll keep that to myself; thou need not know. Cease hesitation, show resolve, take chance. My strength’s apparent; learn from me if thou Art wise enough to thine own fears ignore. Decide now: will it be a yea or nay?

Noah gulped. “Yea,” he said, almost whispering. He felt uncertain, but he didn’t want to miss the chance to learn how to be strong from someone so powerful. He clearly needed someone like that in his life. He knew it would be hard, but being weak was hard, too.

A wise decision, Noah. So tomorrow morn Will start thy training with a Mamluk who I’ll choose. Let me not be disappointed. For now Edmund shall guide you to your chambers new, Thou and Berenice in separate rooms shall both abide, Lest her fickle beauty tempt thy feeble heart. I trust thou understand why not to bed her?

Noah nodded. The Emperor blinked his eyes in recognition, then looked aside and waived his finger. Before he knew it, he and Berenice were being led from the room by Edmund.

They walked down the confusing halls of the palace. Noah was totally lost by the time he was shown to his room, which was a few doors down from Berenice’s. It was nice of the Emperor to let her have a room to herself, even though he didn’t even see her as a person. Clearly, this was for Noah’s sake, and he was grateful.

For not the first time in the last few days, Noah cried himself to sleep. His guilt over Kirsa’s sentence had now been replaced by his guilt about hurting Chastity, and the self-hatred of knowing he was a cheater and a loser. But now, at least, Noah’s thoughts were not full of self-pity. He wasn’t thinking about how unfair this bizarre world is, or how little he has, or how hard everything is. No. He took responsibility for his fuck-ups. The Emperor had shown him a better path. He was still hurt, and his stomach twisted whenever he thought of Chastity, but now he was resolved to improve. To get better. To become strong so he could get her back. But for now, his bed was empty, and he felt deeply alone. He sobbed, and nobody could hear him.