The world's history subdivided into four major epochs: the Primordial Age, the Age of Miracles, the Age of Heroes, and, lastly, the Age of Empires.

Many claimed to understand the nature of the Primordial Age. No one agreed on the details, other than it occurred before material existence.

During the Age of Miracles, gods walked the unnamed world. Gaia birthed the enlightened races, and Ouroboros spawned monsters and dragons; their battle was named 'The Great Cataclysm.' Mana was pure and abundant, and spellcasting required only an imagination. The age concluded when Aratron, God of Magic, bound wizardry to a grimoire and fragmented mana, and so the gods lost their avatars.

Next, the Age of Heroes followed.

Gaia circumvented Aratron's restriction and summoned The Four Heroes, Galvarin the Warrior, Aristo the Thief, Menvra the Healer, and Viktordromos the Mage. Their wholesale defeat of the monstrous was named The Four Heroes Crusade, and, during their lifetimes, they passed on their strength, knowledge, and abilities.

The Dragon Crusade commenced when Ouroboros, to counteract her sister's meddling, summoned the Dragon King, and he organized her monsters into an army. Idrun Eovamund the Paladin led the enlightened races to victory against the Dragon King and unified the world under his banner. To this day, the world still bears his name, Eovamund.

The Bloody Crusade destroyed all peace. Heroes were summoned en masse, not by gods, but by man. This generation of heroes varied wildly in philosophy and ambition, and some were outright evil. Eovamund fractured from violent infighting. Ouroboros instructed her dragons to transform their hearts into magical artifacts, the Dungeon Heart, so that it may never unify again.

"And now, we're at the Age of Empires," Elin said, "Though current events are much more complex, and I'm afraid I won't be accurate. There are technically six empires, but only five are recognized. Walter? Are you still awake? It stopped raining, and we should get up."

Walter grunted.

After someone knocked, Elin climbed over Walter and cracked open their lodging door. Once the visitor passed a sealed letter, they wordlessly left.

"What is it?" Walter asked.

"It's from Priestess Evelyn." Elin glanced at the stamp on the wax seal, then cracked it. She read it. "She's requesting I return to Camp Wolf."

Elin urged him to get on his feet and get dressed, and he quietly did so. Different emotions masked her face before she settled into a disciplined stare.

"Can we ask the Wagoneers to transport us?" Elin asked, "It'll cost money, but it's the fastest and safest way."

"Sure," Walter nodded, "But, are you really going to go? You're disqualified for paladin-hood. Plus, we just figured things out for ourselves."

Elin's grip tightened on the handle of her sword, and her bare hand creaked, "Regardless of my standing as a paladin, if my help is needed, then I should go."

"Do you want to go?" His voice was blunt.

She blinked and processed what he was asking. When she looked away, she managed to find her words. "With you or with my duty, what I want is irrelevant."

"Do you want to go or not?"

"Walter," her voice started a whisper and slowly regained its volume, "If you marry me, right now, then I'll replace my duty with being your wife. I'll do whatever you want."

He choked in surprise. "That's extremely unfair. People get married fast in this world, but not that fast."

"Our circumstances prevent us from being reasonable, Walter." Elin shifted her weight when silence carried on between them. "If you want me to the exclusion of all others, that's my condition."

"Fine. Let's do it."

"What?" Elin nearly shouted in surprise.

"I said, I will." Walter shrugged. "Not happy with the answer? Did you not expect me to agree? You're perfect, I'd be an idiot to decline." He counted points off on his fingers. "We'll have sex twice a day when you're not pregnant. When I want how I want. You're beautiful, so that's a given, be ready for it. I'll get upset with you if you claim to not be in the mood. You'll cook me three meals a day, I like meat, so I want it all the time. I'll also send you to the dungeons to keep us from going broke. If you don't earn enough, then you'll have to cut your expenses, I'm not cutting mine. Oh, and I'm a lazy man, so you have to do all of the house-cleaning. I'm not getting up with the kids, too."

"Walter! What the hell are you saying?" Elin's rage raised her voice loud enough to be heard throughout the Pilgrim's Folly.

"What? Didn't you say you'll do whatever I told you? Do paladins go back on their word now?"

"No, I said, I'll do it!" Elin's voice continued to carry, and her ears reddened from anger. "But I didn't think you were like this!" When she saw the smirk on his face, she closed her eyes and forced a chuckle. "Oh, I see. You're mocking me."

"Of course I am, stupid." Walter buried his irritation, but some seeped through. "You asked for a rushed marriage to dodge a question. You earned a little ridicule, but you misunderstood. I'm not asking if you'll do what I tell you, I'm asking what you want to do."

Elin sighed and admitted, "I want to help, but I want to keep you safe. If Priestess Evelyn requested my return, then it'll surely be a battle. It won't be like a dungeon."

Walter nodded. "That's fine. I'll follow you, but don't think I'm going to be dumb and fight with you. I like living, and I couldn't keep up, anyway. All I ask is you promise to put your life first."

"I promise."

"Also, some of that stuff I listed was true." Walter finished buckling up his gambeson. "I'll let you figure that out."

"Which parts?" Elin asked, "Walter, are you mocking me again? Which parts, Walter!"

He continued to ignore her as he left the lodging, hiding his smirk in his hood.

Faux fumed.

Walter survived both of her random encounters. He killed the goblin in the deadfall pit in a gruesome fashion, and she felt nostalgic. That's how [Players] were supposed to be.

However, the hobgoblin ambush, she spent a day corralling them, also failed. The ice witch with them defeated the lot, and not Walter. He acted like a typical lazy [Player] and sought out power-leveling. No matter how she explained it, however, the hobgoblin charge should have reached them before the witch could prepare. The [Player] cheated somehow.

She needed reconnaissance. So, she followed them.

From the Adventurer's Guild, the [Player] made his [Follower] march in the rain without a waterproof coat. What a laughably simple kink, soaking a freezing woman to see her shiver. When he grabbed her wrist, Faux knew he was going to force her. They all did, eventually. That's why they created [Characters] and [NPCs], to gratify themselves with sex and violence.

She leapt into the window next to theirs, her level-boosted strength provided the necessary jumping power. A fat merchant occupied the room, wearing a silly little sleeping cap, and stared in surprise from the bed.

"[Sleep]," she whispered.

What she heard, after she pressed her ear to the wall, made her heart race fast enough stars formed in her vision.

He was violating her, and, like an obedient [Follower], she quietly suffered it. From the sound of it, he plied magic as well. Her lack of self-control was far too advanced. A horrible swirling fury bubbled in her lower abdomen, the sum of her lust and murderous rage. She alternated between thinking, 'He has to die,' and, 'I want that.'

Faux knew her next action when that [Follower] mentioned the Necropolis, and the [Player] set their quest.

They bought a seat from the Wagoneers, and the [Follower] requested they put together. Faux's envy made her blood boil.

Who does this bitch think she is?

Wagoneers were efficient and fast travelers, but keeping up was a simple matter for Faux and her movement speed. At night, they camped, as expected. The evil healer crept up to the wagon carrying the [Player], incanted [Sleep] on the passengers, and stole her sleeping prize.

It wasn't necessary to tie his hands and feet, but she wanted the [Player] to feel helpless when he recovered.

It was her duty to provide the boss-fight soon.