Building Harem Town 8, page 4
I leapt down from the fountain as I delivered a swift kick to the young god’s chest.
The armor cracked against my boot as Xomes went flying backward onto the cobblestones. His followers cheered as he hit the ground with a crash of metal, and I strolled over to look down on him as he tried to scramble to his feet. Then I stomped down on his right arm, and he howled as his pathetic weapon fell from his hand.
The fact I hadn’t even used my weapon to disarm him was amusing, but not as amusing as the pure scarlet shade of his face as he glared up at me.
It was bizarre to know he was one of the final gods left in the world, and his death would take me one step closer to becoming the almighty. If only they were all this easy to defeat.
“Nicola,” I called over my shoulder. “Why don’t you come over here, my love?”
The brunette strode over with a proudly set chin as she drew her sword, and her gorgeous brown eyes were fixed on the flailing god as if he was a pile of griffin shit with maggots squirming all over it.
He tried to sit up as she approached, but I kicked him hard in the chest. Xomes wailed as he was pushed back against the cobblestones, and I stomped down on his left wrist for good measure. There was a sickening crunch as he howled, and Nicola reached us with a smirk on her lips.
“Are you sure you don’t want to apologize?” I asked the maggot on the ground. “Because my incredible priestess is much more than just an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous goddess among the peasants of this world. She also happens to be very skilled with that sword. You might want to consider that before–”
“I have nothing to say to your bitch!” Xomes spat, and I looked over at Nicola.
“Rude,” I muttered.
“They can’t all have your forbearance and charisma, Jack,” Nicola chuckled.
“True,” I sighed with a shrug. “Well… let him have it, I guess. He’s clearly got a death wish.”
But to my surprise, Nicola put her sword away.
The brunette crouched down beside the god, and for a moment, I thought she was going to speak with him as they locked eyes. But Nicola swung a curled fist around, and she punched Xomes so hard in the face that his nose broke in an explosion of blood.
“Holy shit,” I snorted as he wailed. “Did that feel good?”
“That was for turning my own family against me,” Nicola hissed. “And this one is just for me.”
Nicola punched him again, and his eyes rolled back as her fist crashed into his cheek. Then the brunette stood up slowly with a soft chuckle, and she perched on the cracked fountain like a damn queen to watch the rest of the show.
I smirked as I watched her cross her long, golden legs as she leaned back with a dazzling smile, and then she sent me a subtle nod.
“Kill him,” she said gently.
“As the lady commands.” I grinned, and I turned back to the spluttering mess of a god.
Then I held my blade up to his neck, and his darting eyes met mine as his whole body trembled in his stupid fucking armor. The dented armor had ruined his fake abs, and beads of sweat fell down his greasy head.
“They will win,” Xomes hissed quietly so only I could hear. “They’re going to find the Oracle.”
I paused as I started into his eyes, and he smirked through the trail of dark blood that trickled from his nose.
“Who?” I growled as I shook his limp body with my foot.
“All of them,” Xomes whispered. “The remaining gods know how much your little friend means to you, Jack. They are going to find the Oracle and destroy it so you can’t use it. He’s going to die, and there is nothing you can do about it. How does that feel? Do you feel so powerful now?”
My heartbeat quickened as I tried to work out if he was telling the truth.
Could he really know what the other gods were planning?
“You’re lying,” I snarled. “What could you possibly know about the Oracle?”
“I know that you want it,” Xomes spluttered through his blood. “And so does everyone else. They are going to find it first, Jack. And once it’s gone, you won’t be able to save your precious friend. He will die. Just as he always does.”
“Where is it?” I hissed as I pressed the blade up to his neck. “Tell me.”
Blood seeped from the point where my blade rested, and the more he wriggled, the more it sliced in.
“I don’t know!” Xomes cried. “I swear! I just… I just know they’re all looking for it, and I hope they find it! He will be killed, Jack! He will be killed, and you will be alllll alone before you die, too.”
The young god tried to smirk, but I slammed my blade deep into his neck before he could succeed. There was an explosion of yellow smoke as his neck was severed, and as the last spark of life left his shitty eyes, his body slowly seeped into a puke-yellow vapor and vanished.
I lowered my sword, and there was an eruption of cheers around me as people hurried into the square.
“He’s gone,” Nicola breathed as she stared down at the empty space. “Jack… thank you.”
Her brown eyes welled with tears as she quickly swiped at them, and I scooped her into my arms. Nicola buried her head in my chest as I stroked her sculpted arms, but then she started to laugh as we were swarmed by the people of the city. There were only about thirty beings around to witness the murder, and some of them kept looking over their shoulders as if they expected Xomes to suddenly reappear, but they were all acting as if they’d gotten a private concert of their favorite artist.
“He’s really dead,” the horned woman said as she slowly puffed on her pipe. “Jack saved us from that wretched bastard!”
“That’s what he does,” Nicola said dreamily as she looked up at me. “He saves people.”
“I can’t believe it,” one of the red-haired men said. “Does this mean we get to have Jack as our god?”
“I would be honored.” I smiled. “I’m just glad that I could get rid of that piece of shit. Are there any other residents here?”
“Not anymore,” the horned woman sighed. “Used to be a bustling metropolis out here. Thousands of people lived within these city walls. But as time went on, he drove them all out. One by one. Family by family.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Nicola said. “He broke my family apart with his hatred. I would imagine others wouldn’t stand for that sort of leadership.”
“Bastard,” the horned woman said. “I’m Belinda, and it’s a bloody honor to meet you both.”
“You, too.” I smiled. “This is Nicola.”
“You’re Nicola,” Belinda said slowly as she eyed the brunette. “Errel’s daughter?”
“Yes.” Nicola frowned. “Do you know him? Is he still here?”
“Not anymore,” Belinda said. “But wait right here. I have something for you.”
The horned woman shuffled back into her house and left a strong waft of smoke in her wake.
We watched curiously as she fumbled about with some drawers near the doorway, and she grabbed something before she strode back out. She held out a crumpled up piece of parchment, and Nicola cautiously took it.
“Errel left it,” Belinda said. “Just in case you ever came back.”
Nicola titled the paper so I could read with her, and the black ink was neatly written out in carefully curled letters.
Dearest Nicola,
I am writing this letter in case you ever come back to this place. I don’t imagine you ever would. The memories here are terrible, and that is largely my fault. When your mother died, I became a shell of myself. A terrible father. I regret that.
Your stepmother gave me comfort, but I turned a blind eye to how she treated you. I never forgave myself for what she did to you. We parted ways when I spoke of finding you again, and she has left my life for good.
I have heard word of a great god named Jack, and I am going to seek his help. It is said he has taken much land under his protection, and he is rumored to be as powerful as he is just. I can only hope he takes pity on me and agrees to help me find a way to reunite with you. The Brackens insisted on coming, too. They love you dearly and want to leave the cruel rule of Xomes the Immaculate. As do I.
We will head to the forest which was restored by Jack, and I will think of you every day.
I will never stop searching for you,
Your loving father
Nicola took a few more seconds to finish reading, and her mouth fell open silently as she stared at the paper.
This was a hell of a lot to take in. Her father was out looking for her? Holy shit. That didn’t sound safe for an elderly human, but I was glad to see his apology written with no excuses.
And I was glad he had the common sense to seek out a better god for guidance.
“He… left,” Nicola said quietly. “To find me?”
“That’s right,” Belinda sighed. “Not long ago, either.”
“The Brackens, too,” Nicola muttered. “They’re the family that owned the tavern I always went to!”
“Are you okay?” I asked. “This is a lot to take in.”
“He apologized,” Nicola said as she swallowed hard. “He… acknowledged how much he hurt me, and he’s out there looking for me. I don’t even know what to say.”
“You don’t need to forgive him right away,” I said gently. “But this is huge. He’s looking for you, and it sounds like he’s headed for the deep forest.”
“He might be there in a few days,” Belinda said. “Maybe longer, with his bad knee.”
“Then I will meet him when he arrives.” Nicola nodded as she folded up the parchment and blinked rapidly. “I might scream at him or hug him. I can’t decide just yet. Maybe both at the same time.”
“That would be justified,” I said. “I’ll be there for whatever you need.”
“It will be lovely to see the Brackens,” Nicola said. “They were always so kind to me.”
“Good folks.” Belinda nodded. “No wonder they were driven out by that bastard.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “Sorry you had to put up with that shithead for so long.”
“I did my best to ignore him.” Belinda shrugged. “I’m a hag, so he wasn’t interested in me. If you weren’t young and beautiful, he ignored you for the most part.”
“A hag,” Nicola said curiously. “That’s like a witch?”
“Almost,” Belinda chuckled. “I don’t exactly have the training, but I can conjure up a thing or two if needed. Not that it was ever allowed under that bastard’s rule.”
“He stopped you from doing magic?” Nicola asked, and the winged woman took a deep puff on her pipe.
“That’s right,” she sighed. “He didn’t like the fact that anyone else could use magic or powers without his permission. Bloody insecure little maggot.”
“Well, I encourage you to practice whichever powers you have,” I said. “It’s not a god’s job to stifle his followers.”
Belinda looked me up and down with a slow nod, and she laughed as she glanced at my sword.
“I was hoping you might come along, Jack,” she said. “Is there anything we can do to welcome you to Archborough?”
“Just enjoy the day,” I said. “I want you to do whatever it was he stopped you from doing. All of it. Live a little, alright?”
“We can open the shops again,” a young woman hissed excitedly. “He didn’t like us buying and selling. He said we should spend our working hours focusing on how to be better servants to his holiness.”
“What a fucker,” I sighed. “Please, work on whatever you’d like today. All I ask is that you spread the word to anyone around that you might know. I am here for whoever needs me. Always. You only have to call my name.”
“Right away,” one of the red-haired men said eagerly. “There are some nymphs in the forest that I’ve always wanted to speak to!”
“I wonder why,” Belinda chuckled as the two men raced off to the archway. “Now, Jack. You just give me a shout if you need anything, too. It’s time we got this place back to the city it once was. Look sharp, everyone!”
The hag waved her hand, and the residents jumped into action as they retrieved brooms and hurried over to unlock their shops. It was clear that what was left of this city had a tight bond, and I figured hating their former god had really brought them all closer together.
I checked my devotional map, and I was happy to see the dots of the residents quickly turning a deep red. It was obvious they were desperate to be rid of their shitty god, and I was happy to lead them into a better life.
But now my follower count had clocked up to over four thousand.
Holy shit. My soldiers must really be spreading the word throughout the lands.
Then a message suddenly appeared on my interface:
Level up!
Ability to use priestess power share achieved!
Gods Destroyed: 5
I was fascinated to find out what power share meant. Would the women be able to swap powers? My mind raced with the possibilities, and I grinned as I processed the fact I had slain five gods.
Still, what Xomes had said about the Oracle worried me, but he might have just been full of shit. I couldn’t go searching until I had more information, and I knew I had to try to be patient.
Nicola slipped her hand into mine as she leaned against me, and she stared at the dry fountain with a dreamy smile.
“How are you feeling?” I asked. “That letter was quite a shock, I know.”
“It was.” Nicola nodded. “But the thrill of Xomes dying overrules that. I can’t say I’ll forgive my father just because he apologized. But I am looking forward to seeing him again.”
I knew that she would need time to process all this information about her estranged family, and I wanted to take her mind off it for a while. She deserved some fun after watching her childhood enemy die.
“Why don’t you show me around,” I suggested. “I would love a tour of the city where my badass priestess was raised.”
“I would love that,” Nicola said. “Jack, I feel so incredibly lucky. What you did for me today was amazing. I know you had to kill him anyway, but the fact you let me be a part of it is just…”
She trailed off as she gazed up at me, and I ran a hand slowly down her back. Her deep brown eyes flickered down to my biceps, and she shot me a grin that suggested she wanted to thank me properly. Then I leaned down to plant a kiss on her full lips, and her tongue danced into my mouth. She gave a soft moan as we enjoyed the taste of each other for a moment, but I suddenly wanted to be somewhere we could be alone.
The city residents had hurried off to start rebuilding their town, and Nicola led me down one of the cobbled streets. We held hands tightly as we walked, and I couldn’t help glancing down at her impressive cleavage as she kept close beside me.
“Enjoying the sights?” Nicola purred as she caught me staring, and I grinned.
“It is a beautiful city,” I said. “But the view I have right now is even better.”
“Jack,” Nicola whispered. “Watching you kill the god who’d tortured me mentally… it really did something to me. You were so powerful and caring. I felt so important to you.”
“I love you,” I said gently. “There was no way that piece of garbage was getting away with his bullshit. Not while I’m around to put him in his rightful place.”
“He didn’t stand a chance!” Nicola snorted. “Hmm, I always liked this building.”
We stopped outside a two-story structure with a red door and boarded-up windows. There was an old sign that had all the letters worn away from the elements, and empty torch holders sat on either side of the entrance.
“The old library,” Nicola said. “Xomes shut it down when I was young. He said he didn’t think people should be learning too much, they should be praying at his temple instead.”
“What an asshole,” I sighed. “He probably didn’t want anyone reading about a better life in case they left.”
“I’d imagine so,” Nicola said. “It’s a shame the library was abandoned, but I do know that there were lots of very comfortable chairs and tables inside. Maybe I could show you how deeply thankful I am in one of those dim rooms…”
The brunette pressed her body up against me as she fluttered her eyelashes, and I roamed my hands down to her firm ass. She giggled as I gave each cheek a squeeze, and she glanced over my shoulder.
“We’d better go inside,” she whispered. “So I can worship my lord in private. I reeeally want to show you how devoted I am.”
“I mean… I’m a firm believer in my followers doing anything that brings them joy,” I said with a grin. “You can certainly do anything you’d like, Nicola.”
The stunning priestess started to walk up the library steps as she swung her hips from side to side, and she glanced over her shoulder as I raced behind her. Then she shrieked with laughter as I flung her over my shoulder and pulled the doorway open.
I carried her into the dim building, and we tumbled into another kiss as I lowered her down. My godly body enveloped hers as she whimpered into my mouth, and I knew I was about to be seriously rewarded for my latest kill.
Chapter 3
It was difficult to drag my gaze away from the beautiful priestess, but I was amazed at how stunning the old library was.
Daylight shone in from between the gaps in the boarded-up windows to reveal a building still crammed full of books. Towering shelves lined the main ground floor, and a wide staircase led up to a smaller area with desks and shorter bookshelves. There was a circular desk near the front of the building that I assumed was some kind of reception, and red armchairs were dotted around for people to sit and read. Half-burned candles were placed on desks, and there were golden sconces lined around the walls.
It was still completely intact other than the layers of dust that had built up everywhere. The people of the city had clearly cared for the place, and it had just been left stuck in time while it waited for the evil god to die.
“Isn’t it amazing?” Nicola sighed as she glanced around. “I knew those chairs would still be here.”
“They look comfortable.” I grinned. “Why don’t we make sure?”
I pulled her roughly by the waist as I took her in for another kiss. We made out passionately as I started to walk her backward to one of the huge chairs. Nicola roamed her hands all over my arms as I reached behind to squeeze her firm ass. My body sparked with excitement and lust as I pushed her down onto one of the chairs, and she looked up at me with a playful pout.
