Zephyr looked over his realm, and it was a wreck. All the damage Kahn did to both Spree and Heavens Peak would take months to repair, but he had to start somewhere. But he decided to take the lemons he was given and make a hell of a lot more than lemonade. He traveled through the Golden Hills to meet with the elders of clan Golderson, and he was impressed at how fortified the valley he ruled had become. He was confident that if Kahn had attacked there, he wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as he did. Zephyr entered the meeting hall outside the city that once held the beer kettle, seeing both his chapter master Todd and the dwarven elders waiting for him.
"Gentlemen, thank you for gathering here on such short notice."
"It is an honor to have you in my domain, my lord." Todd said as he bowed down.
"What the hell do you want, sire?" The elders' eldest said in a grumpy tone, spitting on the ground when he was done talking.
"Firstly, how have the other clans responded to my message?"
"They have responded as expected, their made as hornets! I haven't seen an army like the one being assembled since the conquest of the elven realms!" The elder said, giving Zephyr a maddened glare as he spoke.
"We will be ready for them when they arrive, master! By our blades, they will know suffering!" Todd said as he drew his sword, holding it high like a champion of the darkness itself.
"How long until the army arrives at the former brewery?"
"Two weeks, at the latest!"
"Ok, that gives us an acceptable time frame. While I gather my forces, I would have the greatest architects and engineers of your city to rebuild Heavens Peak. Just name your price, and no, you can't have the kettle back!"
"Is this really the best time for tha-" The elder speaking was grabbed by the others and pulled into a group huddle. The greedy little runts murmured in their strange tongue before they all turned to Zephyr smiling.
"All dwarves get half off buying beer from your tradesmen. Their prices are extortionary, and you promised us that we would have a steady supply of our precious brew that your little imps don't even know how to make properly!"
"I'll do you one better, half-off like you wanted, and your brewmasters can move to Heavens Peak to operate the new brewery and keep half the gold they make from sales to those that don't have warrants of trade. But I want Heavens Peak to be a fucking masterpiece of a city when your people are done with it, clear?"
"DEAL! We will have that human shit hole turned into the standard for a city of humankind!" The elders cheered as they got the deal of a lifetime. Two of them even started dancing with joy at getting what they wanted and more.
"I will send for my armies. Just have your people ready to help rebuild my city when this war is over." Zephyr then left to return to his tower. He had much more to do and so headed to Ruboria. Worms Rest was not a particularly pretty town, but it belonged to him, so Zephyr would make the most of it. Townhall was about as handsome as the rest of the sand trap, but it was where he needed to be to meet with Malaka, so he endured the lack of appealing senary.
"Greetings, matron Malaka. How have you been this fine day?"
"Do not waste pleasantries with me. I have looked over the laws you are enforcing upon my people. And so far... They are surprisingly fair!"
"Your not the first Ruborian town leader to make such a statement, matron Malaka. And I will tell you what I told him, follow my laws and never betray me, and you will prosper. Now how is the extermination proceeding?" Malaka just gave Zephyr a confused look for a few moments before answering.
"The sandworms are dying by the dozens a day, but you are not the first to try this. And you will fail just like everyone before you has. But I must protest at your minions killing of the blaster bugs!"
"And why is that? I would think that exploding vermin would be a bad thing. Why keep them around?" Malaka looked deeply troubled, she clearly had a secret that she didn't want to tell Zephyr, but now he left her no choice.
"Because the chemicals inside of them are the main ingredient in the explosives we make here. It is our main export, and we can't afford to lose them."
"When were you planning on telling me about the fact that you people make high yield explosives for a living? I'm not going to execute you for this clear act of withholding resources from me because you are new to my rule. But do not think for a moment that I didn't know that you were planning on using this knowledge to destroy me, Malaka!" Zephyr glared at the wise woman, his anger darkening the room. She stared right back at him, showing no fear before his malice.
"Understood, my lord. One last thing, your knights, have been gathering all the unclaimed children from the village and taking them to the fortress your building around the oasis. Why is this? What do you plan on doing with them?"
"They are going to be trained as the next generation of my black dragon knights. And before you start with all the screaming, I am giving those kids a home, feeding, clothing, and keeping them clean. When you were content to let them starve and die in the streets." Malaka looked like she wanted to read him the riot act for raising children to be soldiers but had no defense against the accusations he made against her.
"Very well, lord Zephyr. Just know that my eyes are on you. If your rule brings suffering to my people, you will not rule them for long." Zephyr then slapped Malaka so hard she fell to the floor. His shadow moved over her.
"These are warrants of trade. Anyone who can pass a written exam can become a licensed tradesman in my domain. They can get merchandise from any state rune facility to sell in exchange for fifteen percent of their yearly profits. And threaten me again, and you will be fed to the sandworms with the blaster bugs!" Zephyr did not wait for a response before leaving. Hopping from the tower to Spree, he still had the traitors to deal with. Walking into town, he could see that his minions were practically finished rebuilding the town. The place was like a small fortress now.
"Round up the prisoners. I am ready to pass judgment upon them." The knight guarding the inn nodded before forcing the men to walk out of the inn, all of whom looked scared, as they should.
"You fucking bastards are charged with selling out your own people to the enemy, you are given two choices. One, renounce your fellow conspirators, kill them with your own hands, and get all their property and their families as your slaves. Or submit to execution, your property sold at auction, your family forced to starve on the streets, your choice fuckers." The men looked at one another, and then one of them rushed forward.
"Give me a sword, sire!"
"Fuck you, Joseph! Give me a sword too so that I can gut this bastard!"
"Ok, that is two people for killing the rest of you. Anyone else want one?" The only one who didn't take a sward was Archie. Zephyr simply shook his head and walked over to him.
"Are you sure you don't want one? Your odds might not be as bad as you think you know."
"I think I'll manage, my lord."
"suite yourself, arm the fucks, then step back. This should be amusing if nothing else." Zephyr stepped back and watched as the men were armed, then laughed as they clumsily attacked each other. It was like watching children playing, ether that or Zephyr had a more fucked up childhood than he thought. Eventually, only one man was left, dripping with the blood of his friends, shaking with horror at what he had done.
"Congratulations on the victory, mister um?"
"Jim... my name is Jim, sire..."
"Congratulations, Jim! Hope you enjoy your new property and slaves." Zephyr said as he walked past the horrified man returning to the tower for a well-deserved nap. That is until Gnarl made his unwanted presence known.
"Not trying to be a bother, sire, but I have good news. After the attack on Heavens Peak, more of the cities population has decided to join the order of the black dragon."
"Excellent, have them armed and armored and ready to die fighting in about a week. Anything new from our queen in Evernight?"
"Mostly just grumbling about how much she hates you, and that funny enough seems the young wench has suicidal thoughts." Gnarl said with a giggle, he really didn't like elves.
"Keep me informed on her status. If the queen dies, then the elves might go from vassals to subjects."
"Yes, sire." Zephyr then left the presence of the fucked up little freak he kept around for some reason. Finding his way into his bed and took that nap.