Book 4: Near Blood - 184: Crazed Monarch
Book 4: Near Blood - 184: Crazed Monarch
Within Gullan Castle.
Twenty thousand years ago, this place was merely a desolate area on the Permafrost Wastelands. Nothing else was here.
In the year 4189 of the New Star Era, the human race’s Freedom Alliance was wiped out, and the Illustrious Divine Dynasty rose to power.
The Bloodthirsty Tyrant Hanton Ironking took advantage of the opportunity and led the Ravager army against the newly-formed Illustrious Divine Dynasty to try and seize the Bloodline Extraction Instrument. However, they ran right into Gu Youhuang’s ambush and suffered disastrous losses. They retreated to the Harvey Plains after losing almost eighty percent of their army. Gu Youhuang had chased after them with his troops and captured Stormwind Fort. The Ravagers were forced to give up on the Harvey Plains as well and retreated all the way back to the extreme north.
The Ravagers were at the end of the line back then, and they were in a territory that was the most desolate possible. Even the Ravagers themselves had given up on all hope of survival.
At that critical moment, a miracle happened.
One of the Ravager soldiers unintentionally stumbled upon a crypt. After walking through the long, hidden tunnel, he came upon an area that was flourishing with life.
There, the sky was blue, the lakes clear, the grassy earth covered in all kinds of green vegetation and strange running lifeforms. It seemed like paradise on earth.
From this day onwards, the fate of the Ravagers would be forever changed.
They named this place Gullan; in ancient Ravager tongue, this meant something similar to hallowed grounds.
From that day onwards, Gullan Castle became the holy city of the Ravagers, a place of eternal happiness..
After arriving at Gullan, the Ravagers began the long process of building their country’s capital.
The history of construction lasted for around 1800 years. Various coups, usurpations, and bloodshed tempered the capital, eventually resulting in a glorious city that was called Gullan Castle.
In the year 4212 of the New Star Era, the Ravager General Dalich of the Slaughtering Axe killed the Ironking of Gullan Castle, assuming the throne. This was henceforth known as the “Gullan Incident” by historians.
In the year 7900 of the New Star Era, Sorna Redeagle killed Uldritch of the Slaughter Axe, declaring that she was the first female Ravager ruler. The Ironbone Clan took the lead to rebel, and Barnard Ironbone led his troops out of Gullan Castle, entering the Bloody Wastelands and wiping out the natives there in order to establish the Ironbone Tribe.
These natives were later known as the Ferals.
Other large Ravager generals also began to split off and form their own tribes shortly afterwards.
The Bloodhand Tribe, the Thunder Edge Tribe, the Droughthammer Tribe, the Black Sun Tribe, The Slaughter Axe Tribe, the Ironking Tribe, etc. were all created.
In the year 8400 of the New Star Era, Sorna Redeagle met with the Elf Patriarch.
In the year 8500 of the New Star Era, Sorna Redeagle began a second battle to try and unite the Ravagers under one banner with the help of the Elves.
In the year 8800 of the New Star Era, Sorna Redeagle defeated the Droughthammer Tribe. The Black Sun Tribe, the Slaughter Axe Tribe, and a bunch of other large tribes began to discuss an alliance.
In the year 8900 of the New Star Era, the Redeagle Tribe fought with the various allied tribes. The Redeagle Tribe was victorious, but paid an immense price, and Sorna was heavily wounded. The allied troops retreated to the Bloody Wastelands.
In the year 9400 of the New Star Era, Bobet Redeagle led his army into the Bloody Wastelands and was ambushed there, then forced to retreat.
In the year 10000 of the New Star Era, Tajita Ironshield established the Ironshield Tribe, separating from the Redeagle Tribe.
In the year 11000 of the New Star Era, the allied tribes attacked a second time. The Redeagle Tribe was defeated, and Bobet Redeagle died in Gullan Castle. The Redeagle dynasty ended. The Black Sun Tribe, the Slaughter Axe Tribe, the Ironshield Tribe, etc. began to fight with each other to establish dominance over Gullan castle. Kerrich Nuyan was the final winner, and the Nuyan dynasty began.
In the year 11200 of the New Star Era, the Ravagers, fresh off of the back of an internal conflict, were invaded by the Harpies and were defeated in battle. This defeat, however, resulted in the alliance of the various distinct tribes.
In the year 12000 of the New Star Era, Kerrich Nuyan led the united tribes to Halma Forest, slaughtering the traveling hunters and various races that lived there, claiming that territory for themselves.
In the year 17400 of the New Star Era, Ravager general Barham Berserk Hammer attempted and failed to assassinate Niyedi Gullan.
In the year 19000 of the New Star Era, the humans invaded.
Benen Nuyan died in battle.
Cleo Blackfox counterattacked from the Bloodbath Plains, allying with the Harpies to defeat the humans.
In the year 19200 of the New Star Era, Cleo Blackfox killed Charlotte Nuyan, and the Nuyan dynasty ended.
In the year 20000 of the New Star Era, the Molten Steel Tribe and the Beech Tribe attempted to rebel.
In the year 20800 of the New Star Era, the Redwolf Tribe rebelled, as did the Gravel Lizard Tribe.
In the year 20900 of the New Star Era, Mark Blackfox was poisoned, and Fetter Blueeye became the new emperor . Not long afterwards, Patrick Inferno rebelled, mounting an expedition against the human race and claiming large amounts of territory.
In the year 23900 of the New Star Era, Alexander Inferno led his troops from the east to the northern regions, challenging the Ravager emperor at the time. He defeated the Blueeye Tribe and became the new emperor.
Ravager history was full of internal conflicts, invasions, rebellions, and subjugations.
Despite how many times control of the Ravagers had exchanged hands and how much history was there, the capital of Ravager territory had always been Gullan Castle.
It represented the Ravagers’ history and their hope, the miniscule amount of beauty possessed by such a barbaric race.
At the center of the flourishing territory of Gullan Castle stood a white, round-domed building - the Ravager Imperial Palace, Eketela.
Eketela Palace preserved some of the traditional architectural features of Ravager buildings. The style was simplistic and majestic, but it had also been accented with some of the more aesthetic features of Harpy buildings. The finer details had been greatly improved upon, revealing an elaborate design that was impossible for the Ravagers to produce. As such, it was often frowned upon by the Ravagers.
Anubi Inferno really didn’t like Eketela Palace. If possible, he would rather have lived in Tefan Palace.
That was a place more suited for the Ravagers to live.
However, just like he couldn’t choose the country’s capital, he also had no right to choose the castle he lived in.
“Sometimes, I really want to just burn this place to the ground so that I can find a new place to live,” Anubi complained as he tapped his finger against his head. He was lying on a narrow bed constructed from the fur of a White-Headed Tiger King.
“Of course you can choose to do that, Your Majesty. After all, you are the unrivalled king......” a beautiful Ravager Female sitting next to Anubi said. She was basically naked, and all she wore was a simple strip of cloth. At the moment, she was drawing circles on Anubi’s chest.
She had a long, thin neck and sleek fingers, and her eyes were slightly slanted, giving her a peerless charm about her. There was even a red dot placed in between her eyebrows, and all of her movements were effortlessly enchanting.
There were seven or eight other maidens also only dressed in strips of cloth behind her or lying next to Anubi. Occasionally, they would croon seductively, filling the air with a decadent aura.
Anubi ate the fresh milk grape that the woman fed him, then sighed, “If that’s the case, I would become an incompetent ruler.”
“So what? You can be whatever you like as long as it makes you happy,” the bewitching woman said charmingly.
Anubi chuckled. “My dear Alicia, if those loyal subjects of mine were to hear your words, they would say that you were a femme fatale bewitching the ruler and putting the commoners’ lives in danger, and then they would want me to hang you. I heard those humans like to do things like that.”
“Well, I would first need to be either your wife or your most favored concubine, but I am neither of those things. I am just the wife of a general, and I have no right to bewitch an incompetent ruler,” Alicia chuckled, covering her mouth.
“But you’re in my arms right now,” Anubi naughtily stroked the woman’s lower body.
Alicia shook her head. “That means I am just a pitiful, innocent woman who is being forced.”
A cute, pitiful expression appeared on the woman’s face.
Anubi laughed loudly. “I like it when you’re like this! Beautiful and erotic, yet filled with a bit of wickedness and charm. Your entire lower half is emitting a wicked allure!”
“I’m just a weak, helpless woman......” Alicia lay in Anubi’s bosom.
Anubi felt a surge of vitality he couldn’t repress. He picked up Alicia and tossed her onto the couch, then savagely and recklessly entered into her body.
Alicia responded with equal amounts of excitement. She bit Anubi’s shoulder hard without holding back at all. Her razor-sharp teeth could shatter iron, and they sank into Anubi’s flesh. However, all this did was cause Anubi to groan with pleasure.
He furiously plunged in and out, the Origin Energy in his body surging like flames as it enveloped the two of them. The whole room was brilliantly lit up, as Origin Formation after Origin Formation was activated. These Origin Formations had cost a ton of precious resources, and countless human Origin Formation experts had been coerced into setting them up here, but their only purpose was to increase the pleasure the emperor felt as well as prevent the shockwaves of Origin Energy from destroying the castle.
However, just as Anubi was about to climax, a Ravager servant hurriedly rushed in from outside.
He knelt on the ground and turned a blind eye to what was going on above him, then said, “An urgent report from the southwest!”
“Speak!” Anubi growled as if he was short of breath.
“Southern Advance Castle has fallen, and His Highness Sachar...... died in battle!” the servant said, trembling slightly.
Anubi stopped his movements.
He froze in place like a stone statue.
After a long time, he somewhat unwillingly extracted himself from Alicia’s body.
He sat up.
He said, “I understand. You may go now.”
The servant left, still in a daze.
Anubi placed his elbows on his knees, hunched over and staring intently off into the distance.
He said calmly and slowly, "White Night, what do you think?”
A voice spoke from within the shadows of the room. “Even though the Beast Wave is fierce, it isn’t one organized by multiple Demonic Emperors. Only the Scarlet Heart is going mad. Even though its attacks are very violent, it won’t be able to sustain them for long, and Southern Advance Castle will be returned to our control.”
“True. But Southern Advance Castle’s fall and the Beast Wave’s wanton spread is causing my citizens to suffer, while I am here living the high life. There is something wrong with that, isn’t there? Shouldn’t I be doing something else?”
The voice said, “Your Majesty, you can kill a few of your subordinates to vent.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea. Alicia, you can pick one for me,” Anubi said.
The beautiful woman on the bed pointed out an exceptionally beautiful maidservant from amongst the group. “How about her?”
“No! Your Majesty!”
Bang!
Anubi’s palm slammed into the maidservant, killing her instantly.
He slowly withdrew his palm and let out a long sigh. “I feel much better now.”
Alicia wrapped her arm around Anubi’s neck. “Then does Your Majesty wish to continue?”
“No.” Anubi shook his head. “All that has been resolved is the matter of the fall of Southern Advance Castle. The death of my own uncle has yet to be dealt with yet.
“Then Your Majesty can kill a few more?” Alicia said, pouting with her red lips.
“Kill a few more? How could that be enough?” Anubi replied calmly.
He ignored the maidservants below him trembling and said, “That is my blood uncle, the God of War of the Inferno Tribe. He has taken care of me since I was a youth and has instructed me this whole time. He was the one who spent days tempering me and training me, turning me into a mighty warrior. He was the one who supervised my studies and forced me to learn not only martial arts but also culture and language. He was the one who stood his ground against the opinion of the masses and turned me into the Iron and Blood Country’s ruler. It was him who watched over me to ensure that I didn’t become a totally incompetent ruler. Every day, I needed to pay attention to the goings-on in the kingdom......”
Anubi stood and cried out loudly, raising his hands, “It was he who created everything I have now! And now, he’s dead! How can you expect me to......”
Anubi paused.
He tilted his head back, staring at the sky through the crystal ceiling, then howled as loudly as he could, “How can you expect me to not be happy!”
“...... Expect me to not be happy!!!”
“...... Expect me to not be happy!!!”
“...... Expect me to not be happy!!!”
The voice echoed throughout the chamber like thunder.
Then, Anubi began to guffaw. “That old coot is finally dead! He was the one that caused me so much suffering! Even if I became the ruler of this country, I still needed to do things based on his countenance. He wouldn’t even let me be an incompetent ruler! Now, he’s finally dead. Who can control me now?”
Alicia gently sat up. “Congratulations, Your Majesty!”
“Whew!” Anubi let out a long sigh as he reached out to grab the woman’s chin. “So how can killing only one person be enough? I need to kill a few more than that! And I need to kill someone that I normally couldn’t bear to kill!”
Alicia’s expression changed drastically. “No, Your Highness!”
“Crack!” Anubi snapped Alicia’s neck.
Next, a violent wave of palm energy surged forth, slaughtering all of the maidservants beneath him.
The coppery smell of blood filled the air.
Anubi breathed in deeply. “How nice!”
Then, he raised his hands and howled, “Let the fierce storm grow stronger!”