The dragon's harem

“What were you trying to do?” Arad looked at her and she sat down, “This power inside me, the destruction. It belonged to someone from time long past. Let’s call her Destruction, she was a pure form of energy, a concept from the time of the first overgod, AO. You can say I’m something like her reincarnation.”

“What does that have to do with me? Wait, you can’t control that power, she goes on a rampage often?” Arad lifted an eyebrow. Kali’s power was far too great for her to be losing control.

“No…since I do love you…I wanted to know if you have anything to do with AO, maybe you’re his reincarnation as well. Alas…that power in you would’ve woken up and stopped me if that was the case.” Kali stood and went to sit beside Arad, “At least now you know that you can count on me. If someone tries harming you, just tell me and I’ll crush them to dust.”

Kali leaned on Arad, wrapping her three arms around his neck and back, “How about this? I’ll teach you and everyone else some skills of destruction. They should be powerful enough to save your lives.”

“What kind of skills?” Arad looked at her and Kali pointed a finger at a stone that was nearby. A hole was suddenly punched in the stone, shattering it.

“Father taught you how to enchant your attacks to do more damage. Use that enchantment and extend it out, try throwing that magic away.” She swung her arm down like a slash. “Imagine a blade soaked in water. When you swing it, the water would splash out. That’s the enchantment, release it out.”

She stood, “The more you use it the better you’ll get with it.”

“That means it’ll increase my attack range, but I still have to make the attack motion, right? Swinging a sword or thrusting a spear.” Arad pulled a sword from his stomach and tried it. The attack barely worked, dealing no damage to the stone.

“The more you use it, the more skilled you’ll get. One day you might be able to throw it like I do.” She turned toward him, caressing his face in her hands, “Of course…this power is mine. Treat me well and you’ll keep it.”

“Of course.” Arad stood and Kali waved her hand, slashing a gate into Hati’s barrier. Arad couldn’t help but think, Kali indeed can destroy anything.

When the two walked out they found Kayden and Hati waiting for them. Hati lifted an eyebrow, “It was less than a minute. Did you fight? And why break my barrier?”

Kayden approached Kali and glared at her, “Don’t…use…that…power…again.” He growled with burning red eyes. “Do it again I’ll make sure you stay locked up for a thousand years.”

“I had to confirm that. You knew I’d use it.” Kali glared back at him.

“And I’ve told you not to do it. You shouldn’t need me to tell you how much of a stress that power puts on your body.” Arad could see Kayden’s eyes, he wasn’t mad…but worried.

“Locking her for a thousand years is excessive.” Arad looked at him, “How about just a lecture?”

“You know nothing.” Alcott glared at him, he looked angry this time. “A thousand years is how long it’ll take her to recover from using that.”

“Unless we find Creation.” Kali leaned on Arad’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, we’ll find her soon enough.”

“That’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.” Kayden turned around to leave, “My work here is done. Hati, call me when he’s about to absorb the dead heart.” He disappeared like a ghost.

Kali sighed, “Dad is angry now…but don’t worry, Mom will calm him down. She knows how to put him at ease.” She then turned toward Hati, “Also, sorry for breaking your barrier. Since you’ve tried to cast more than seven layers of it it seems they got jammed.”

Hati approached the gate and looked at it, “You’re right! It would’ve taken me a day or two to undo this barrier.”

“Let’s go find everyone else, I’ve got powers to grant.” Kali tapped Arad’s shoulder and the two of them walked past Hati, heading toward the workshop where Mira should be working.

Mira was standing before the forge, blowing air into it with the bellows. Mora was here as well, but that dwarf wasn’t alone, another dwarf with a large beard was beside him, helping him knit some ropes.

“Mira, do you have a moment?” Arad called her and she looked back, “Want something before you two fight? I doubt I can modify the staff in a few minutes.”

“No…the fight’s over.” Arad waved his hand and pulled three chairs from his stomach for them to sit.

Mora who was in the corner looked at Arad, “Won’t you at least greet me?” He stared at Arad, fists on his hips, puffing his chest out, but no matter what he did, his stomach still bounced forward with maximum efficiency.

“You’ve got a friend there.” Arad waved waved his hand. The dwarf behind Mora looked a bit strange, his beard was far too thin compared to all the dwarfs that Arad had seen in his life.

“Tis is ma guidwife.” Mora looked back and the dwarf behind him waved her hand at Arad and Kali, “Ah cam tae check oan him. Thought he wis cheating oan me.” She pulled a large hammer out of nowhere and swung it around, “Skelp his nuts wi’ mah hammer.”

Mora looked terrified and took a step back. “Bas didnae tell me he trained sic a guid lassie.” She approached Arad and looked at him, “Is she yer guidwife? lassie tellt me her guidman is huge, muckle as a ben.”

“What is a ben?” Arad looked at Mora.

“A mountain.”

Mora’s wife looked at Kali who stood beside Arad, “A’m feelin’ lik’ a’ve seen ye afore.” She then turned toward Arad.

Kali looked at her with a smile, “I’m his future wife…”

Mora’s wife looked at Arad for a second then swung her foot at his ankle, dropping him to the ground. He tried to stand but she smacked him with her hammer to the forehead, leaving it stuck on his face. She quickly pulled a burning red tongue out of the forge and stepped on Arad’s legs, “Fur mah lassie Mira!”

Mora immediately caught the tongue, “Whit urr ye daein’?”

“Cutting his wiener! Scoop his baws! A’m aff tae roast thaim up!” She clacked the tongue, making it spark.

“What are you doing to my poor child?!” Lyla, Mira’s mother approached the shop. She was just bringing a bottle of cold water to Mira when she found Arad about to get…cut…by Mora’s wife. “Get away from him, barrel!”

Mora’s wife moved away from Arad and approached Lyla, “‘n’ wha urr ye?”

Lyla blinked twice, “Sorry… I didn’t know she can’t even speak.” She patted Mora’s wife on the head, “But don’t worry, I’ve got a daughter who can help you. Let’s go see her.”

“Ah kin speak! Human!” Mora’s wife roared and Arad stood to calm them up. He tried to explain the situation to Lyla while Mora took care of his wife. In the meantime, Kali was already speaking with Mira about the ability she wanted to give her.

“My lady!” A beaver approached the workshop dragging a large wooden beam, “Hard wood, good wood.” He dropped the beam and approached Mira. “May I take my leave? I’ve been hard at work for a day.”

“Good work, you cane take a rest. But tell Bevalina to send me a group of ten beavers, I’ve got a huge project for them to help me with.” She waved her hand and a circle of light engulfed the beaver.

“I’ll send you the best wood biters of the realms.” And he disappeared in a golden glitter.

Kali looked at Mira, “What do you need all this wood for?”

“A boat for Arad’s vampire pirates. I’ve always wanted to build one.” She sat on the chair, “What is this power you wanted to give me?”

Kali looked around and found a sword, “It’s better if I showed you.” She touched the sword and it flashed with light. When the light faded just a second later Mira’s eyes opened wide as she saw a steel billet, leather scraps, wood, some charcoal, and some rivets… “Wait…”

“I call it reverse creation, it uses my destruction power to erase the process of creation from something and turn it back to its basic materials.” Kali smiled, “There are some things that can’t be disassembled, but this power allows you to salvage anything.”

“Even hard-welded magic crystals in swords and armor?” Mira gasped and Kali nodded, “You can even retrieve those.” She reached forward and touched Mora’s forehead, “Hold on a moment.”

With a flash of light, Mira could feel a strange power rushing through her veins. “The success rate depends on the difficulty of the process of creating the item and your divine power. I can disassemble everything, but for you, that sword would have a 50/50 chance of success.”

“If the spell failed then the materials would be destroyed.” Mira looked at her hands.

“A sacrifice to destruction. Enjoy your new power.” Kali approached Arad who was sitting with Lyla, “Let’s go,”