An annoying tapping roused Lex from his deep dreams. His eyes slid open a slit, giving him a perfect vision of mortal greatest sin, lust.

"Get up. You are late." Destinee pulled the covers off him and thrust a bundle of clothes into his chest.

Lex yawned and glanced at the clock. A little after nine in the morning. His blackout drapes perfectly blocked the sunlight, which left his room in a dim glow from the green runes littering the roof.

"I thought I said we weren't leaving until noon?" Lex sat the clothes on the bedside table and sat up.

"I have a memo that says now." Destinee shoved her screen into his face.

Lex's eyes walked over the content but then he laid back down. "Read it again. It says inspection for those participating in the escort will meet at nine. Giving you the chance to gather the required amount of health and potions. To check your spell books and make sure your staves' circuits are functional. Nothing about the train leaving now."

"Oh? My bad but shouldn't you get up anyway?" Destinee turned to walk to the door.

"Not at all. I'm a Dragon-tiger. I don't rise until noon. Full twelve hours." Lex's voice trailed off.

***

Lex walked among the wizards and rogues. These new faces looked particularly nervous and excited at the same time. It was pretty decent that they had more than thirty new recruits and these were just the ones passed T1 in their practice.

The train jerks to a start, slowly flying over the ground, and down the ramp. Unlike the old trains that were bound by rail lines. This new model relies on gravity and earth magnetism to achieve the dream of hover cars.

Lex dropped into a window seat and closed his eyes. Only cracking it when the smell of Destinee dropped into the seat beside him. Given that he was in the officer car, it just wasn't right.

"So, do you expect us to be attacked on the way with how menacing the train looks?" Destinee fiddle with a pink scar on her wrist.

"Mm."

"Are you going back to sleep after just waking up?"

"Mm."

"You are kind of boring."

"Mm."

"Here I came to give you a different riding experience. Guess it's in vain."

"I'm awake."

Lex turned in his chair, rubbing the sleep out his eyes at the same time.

"Wow. I was being sarcastic."

"That's mean."

"What are you, a child?"

"No, just a horny dragon."

"I thought it was a serpent that we killed and you used."

"Weren't you a recruit or something during that period?"

"So? I just broke through to T2 and was allowed to go."

"Oh, so about that ride?"

Destinee snorted and left.

Lex watched her go before sighing. "I hate when you come but I'll be damned if I don't love you leaving."

"That's not how it goes."

Lex glanced at Halle, the supposedly married woman that was more front sided. It didn't mean she didn't have ass, just that her breasts weren't normal for her size.

"Oh."

Halle moved from the back and he got to see how she fit those pants that were made neutral gender.

"So why the sudden desire to help people?" Halle dropped onto the couch and spread her legs like she was one of the boys.

"I can't have a sense of humanity?" Lex opened up his email.

"If it had been someone else, sure. I'll agree but given that you didn't even assist Kathy much. Plus you also call helping females as charity work. I can't help but feel odd that you decided to lead something I can easily accomplish."

"Mm."

"I see why you went for trophy wives instead of a wife."

"Explaining logic is a waste of time if you don't get it from the start. After all, my eight year old adopted sister figured it out while I was planning it."

Halle's mouth shut tight. She turned and grabbed the remote, turning on the TV.

Lex smiled until a caller appeared, Cher. Sighing, he answered and stared at the one he thought he could live with but one sign came after another. He could understand people who had self-interest but not those claiming to be there for love. Yet, they weren't much different than the others.

Cher wrinkle her tiny ass nose and those brown eyes tugged at his soul. She purposely ran a hand over her stomach, showing off that standing belly button.

"Lex.." She paused and climbed out of the tub, giving him a big-picture view. "Are you really going to let your child grow up without a father?"

Now you care about the child? Not when you acted petty when I went to get you? The shit that goes through women's heads never makes sense until they come back later. Bet they are laughing then suddenly someone dump water on their head and now they are cursing and kicking shit.

Lex clicked his tongue. "I'll send someone to pick you up but if you turn them down then fuck it. I can have more. One thing I'm not lacking as the Dark Lord is willing pussy being greedy for the good life."

Halle snorted. "Who is being greedy?"

Lex cut the call and turned to Halle. "Mm."

Heavy breathing and scared cries made him paused. An image of three women in tattered dresses stained with blood here and there. A dark haired woman with the most charming green eyes turned as if she saw him.

"Please help us!" Her voice was laced with magic but the despair canceled out the enchanting call.

Lex squinted his eyes and caught the smell of wolves. He pondered for a bit. "They aren't normal humans?"

"Who aren't normal humans?" Halle turns from the TV.

"Nothing. I'll be back." Lex transformed into a black wind that shot out the open window.

He soared over the clouds and looked over the open plains stained with black lines. He could make out the first town quite easily. The train would make it in another hour or so.

The three women were running in a forest but the only forest with the smell of a river was over the mountains.

Lex looked at the mountain range that dotted the west. He charged towards the mountain just as another image hit him.

The three fools were back against a cliff face. Facing down a pack of minor dire wolves with kitchen knives.

Yet, this gave him a chance to look over their faces. Sisters, definitely. Their blood smells the same. Similar eyes but different hair colors. Their eyes were slender like many Asians laced with sharp eyelashes that curved towards the corners. Their earlobes were hidden behind their hair but he suspected that they curve a little.

Half-bloods?

Lex altered his direction and shot towards them. He could taste their fear in the air along with the scent of the hunt.

Another image blasted him much louder than the first. Seven pale skin men in black leathers, white braids, and curved blades dancing at their waist. The way they walked was like professional hunters who were aware of everything around them.

Lex landed on a branch and watched the show.

"You girls run pretty far. The witches of the old are diluted by time and no longer anything like your ancestors." One of the pale ones walked around the wolves, twisting a dagger between his fingers.

"You know nothing of us." The brown haired half-blood shouted.

"You are right but it doesn't matter. Your enemies pay and we hunt." The man put a hand on his blade and smiled. The blue scrawl on his face stood out from his skin.

"You should be afraid of the White Serpent looking over us." The dark-haired one truly held no fear.

She even took a step forward and put away her knife. Her green eyes glowed with power and he caught a familiar scent.

I think she just gave me away and here I was interested in watching history be made.

The pale one waved at his men who spread out. He felt their magic reach out, searching. It passed through him as he was nothing but the dark-wind that hung above the rivers.

"You lie but we don't." The pale one gestured at the girls. "Pick between the two lessers. Let them enjoy their last night."

The men moved forward with smirks.

"Jo'tk and me with the brown-haired bitch."

"Fine. We will take the green-haired bitch."

"I think you should bow and beg for forgiveness." The black-haired laughed.

Sighing, I stepped onto the ground and waved my hand at the closest fools. Their bodies were instantly lacerated. Chunks of flesh dropped down like the unwanted snow. The skeletons hit the ground before the blood spilled.

The pale one held up his hand and his men backstepped with a hand on their hilts. "I guess your guardian is still alive but this one smells young."

Lex collected the souls and turned his back to the pale Elves. They would leave. It's in the lack of bloodlust, the fear that made their movements a little stiff.

Yet, what he wanted to know is why this witch could send him telepathic messages.

With a wave of his hand, she floated up and spun horizontal. His index finger grazed her sharp chin, tracing up along the prominent bone before curving towards her earlobe. Moving aside her hair, he confirmed they were indeed almost curved like humans.

His fingernail withdrew a drop of blood from her neck and he tasted it. It held a sweet mango taste. Yet, other than that weird image, nothing made him want to save her. Nothing connected them by magic and maybe she was just reaching out to any powerful Serpent beast within range.

The other two girls still held their pocket knives out but their stance showed they weren't hostile.

Just wary.

"I saved you and now what do you have to offer?" Lex spoke in Elven tongue but by the way they stiffen up. It might be from a tribe that was antagonistic to their tribe.

The black-haired one landed on her feet. She pulled at the collar, sliding it down her arms. It couldn't have been more than clear that she felt she had nothing to arouse my interest other than her body.

With a wave of his hand, they moved to another valley in the mountains. Nothing could threaten them other than wild animals but they felt powerful enough to handle that much.

He watched her strip and study the intricate lines that stood out on her body. However, the bracelet wrapped around her ankle made his heart stop beating. He knelt down and grabbed her calf, lifting her feet up, and removing the bracelet.

Power still links the bracelet to Kathy. He closed his eyes and tracked the link deep into the mountains. He could feel her heartbeat and taste her fatigue. Withdrawing from the link, he stood up and left the half-bloods behind.

He succeeded in his objective for coming out.

***

Lex paced the up and down the officer cart. He could feel them getting closer but he didn't want to rouse the enemy yet.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the map and began creating the very first war-time tasks. He could get a jist of Kathy's location but she was in a mine and that was about it. The next stop might very well be the only town that he can mob up from.

Guess it's time to put those war puppets to use. To develop a war strategy that will be the foundation for every plan moving forward.

Destinee walked in and sat down beside where he stood. She laid a hand on his arm.

"Are you really going to wear out the floor?"

"Yes but since you are here. I can wear you out instead." Lex turned on her, lifting her up, and carrying her to the bedroom.

A little later, Lex sat on the side of the bed staring at the call list. Kathy grey out name suddenly lit up. With a smile, he made the train stop and start on fort constructions. He established a connection with Kathy watch and noticed she was making a lot of vods. He ignores those and opens up a screen to survey her surroundings.

He had to make sure he was targeting the right people or else he would end up hog up in two-way.

Kathy's face was dirtier than a pig wrestler. Little streaks of sweat didn't even make road-way on her face. She swung a pickaxe tirelessly and a pale one walked behind them in the low light. The tunnel she was in didn't offer much besides a few other humans around her and that she was physically fine if not emotionally unstable.

Lex closed the link and stood up. He put on his battle armor with eagerness.

"What's going on?" Destinee walked out of the bathroom and bent down to grab her under garments.

"Don't worry about it." Lex walked out the room, his black steel boots clacking on the train tile.

"My lord?" Brock bowed in the call.

"Have my shadow-wind cavalry stand by." Lex ordered.

Lex stepped off the train and stared at the forest covered mountains. Up head on the road, you could make out a speck of the town wall. It should be the place where Kathy was ambushed. With her and Summer's strength, it wouldn't be hard to escape from an ambush.

Sighing, he turned to the portal that was being built.

"Esmeralda company is on standby at the loading deck. Your mount is also ready and waiting." Brock reported.

"How long before those battleships are ready or even the siege equipment?"

"Battleships need another month but the siege equipment have already entered production. The catapults, ballistic arrows, and only four elephant Trojans. As for the fort, they are still fucking around with the design."

"Prepare the siege equipment and issue the first stage of the war-time. We are about to fuck up someone day."

"Done. I also need to make sure these warriors aren't slacking." Brock frowned and closed the call.

Lex smiled as the portal opened and Esmeralda black and purple hair led her company through.

They all lined up on their black metallic mounts. Eighty-seven people look incredibly fierce in their black armor with the black and red Lance.

Lex didn't waste time with the pleasantries. He hopped on his black panther mount. His fingers wrapped around the protruding control and his feet rested in the footrest on the upper thighs. The position made him lean low on the puppet back but when it took off down the plain, nothing but wind was left whipping his braids against his back armor.

The company followed without a sound, forming an arrow with Lex as the tip. Lex gripped the handle of his Lance and began charging its strongest attack, wind cannon.

The panthers slice through a jungle as silent as an empty home. Like wraiths, they weren't seen or detected by the first outpost until four wind cannons erased it and good help from the mountain side as well. Leaving behind a sheer, polished cliff face that extended for kilometers.

The Shadow-wind company vanished like a breeze on a cloudless day. They hit fast and in rotations. Leaving behind nothing but a bald face as evidence of their passing. Right up until they entered a Valley that held a town with mine carts.

They split into eight groups of ten with seven riding behind Lex. They rushed down the mountain side and across the exposed land before the watchers could ring the bell for an attack. Wind cannons ripped through the stone wall. Rubble had yet to fall when the panthers slipped in like a slippery snake.

The Lance transformed into a shield and sword. The pale Elves barely had time to register what happened when wind blades tore through their houses. Store fronts were directly blown apart by wind bombs and any mage powerful enough to walk out of the debris was greeted by curses that weakened them greatly. What ended their life was a sharp black blade that was just a blur in their eyes.

The fight started not even eleven minutes ago, already finished by the fast, light cavalry. They met in the center of the town and broke off to search the town from the center.

They finished the looting just as the train arrived and Halle's new recruits unboarded.

"So was this the purpose of the whole escort mission?" Halle glanced at Esmeralda before turning to Lex who was pouring over a map.

"You don't need to know." Esmeralda pointed at the puppets who began to deconstruct the town. "Your job right now is to guard those and ensure that the newbies get some experience with working as a team."

"I wasn't talking to you, was I?" Halle snorted.

"But I was talking to you or do you think just because you are his sex toy, you can ignore a superior?" Esmeralda pulled the sword out of the shield sheath and took a step forward.

Halle frowned but turned to issue orders to her fresh recruits.

"Have Halle's company come. We might need them to process the forts after we take it. Also, I sent you a map of the mine. Go and secure the last resistance and those captives." Lex turned to the spine of mountains and sigh.

They had to be such smart fuckers. Seven forwarding bases before the real camp. That is the type of shit you expect to see in games.

Oh, you killed us but the real war just started?!

Bah!

She isn't that deep. Once I get her, then we can retreat and laugh as you send men to die on our walls.

Lex walked out of town and stepped onto the train. They wouldn't be able to secure any more towns before reinforcements arrived. It's best to wait and attack when the siege equipment arrives.

Footsteps interrupted his peace and quiet. He glanced up to spot Nicole and Halle walking into the room.

"She has something to tell you."

Lex closed Kathy vods and waved for Nicole to speak.

"I discovered a diary with half a blueprint of an ancient fortress but the most important thing is that it is written in Elven. The handwritten notes on the side are brand new like three days old brand new. Which means that the contents have been read and processed by the Elves. In short, they have anti-siege weapons." Nicole held the book out.

Lex took it and threw a glance at Halle. "You can return to your work. Also, I want you in charge of processing the rogue's data. Your organization skills are the best."

Halle bowed and left but it was clear she wanted to speak.

Nicole smirked. "Sounds like some problems in your love life."

"I don't have any problems. Just that they might think status equals extra rights when they haven't even shown the slightest ability to earn that." Lex poured over the handwritten notes and shook his head.

"You noticed it too? The flaws in the notes. Like this guy didn't have the training to actually decipher the magical formulas?" Nicole pointed out a few very obvious errors.

"They knew this outpost would be discovered and left behind things that they could easily destroy if we push back into their important territory. Alright, sell this to the Thunder boy and the Government factions." Lex handed the notebook back.

Nicole bowed and left with her wide ass hips. Tsk, she was more of that mature womanly body. The one you knew would test your life goals. While her wife or ex wife, was more of a track star. It just didn't match but made sense in a way.

Lex shook his head and turned on his Playlist, hitting the shower with fatigue heavy steps.

"Remember the lake and moon.. remember what you look like on that day.. my my.. everything I hold dear resides in those eyes.. you got power over me.."

Lex scrubbed and sang until Destinee peek her head in.

"Stop crying please."

Lex flipped her off and rinsed off the suds. He walked out with web feet and his tail dragging a trail of water behind him. Yet, when he left the bathroom, the trail dried instantly.

"Why is all your playlist so.. white?" Destinee scrolled through his phone.

"Um.. music knows no nationality. It either talks to you or doesn't.

"Must do a lot of talking." Destinee patted the bed between her legs. "Sit down and let me fix your hair."

Lex sat down obediently. He opened up several screens and kept two on the situation that the Strategy department is in charge of. The rest depicted the results of the city building, news channels, or the top favorite streamer-reporters.

"Can you turn up the one with Arlene? I like the way she likes to brave the craziest spots for topics." Destinee fingers unraveled the braids with the precision of an automated machine.

Lex turned on the volume to that particular screen. It made him wonder what that little angel was up to now that he wasn't around to stop her mischief. Her poor mom is definitely going to go white hair before she turns thirty five.

"Behind me, you can see the concentration camp style set-up that the so-called government established for the people. The so-called housing plan is just to tear down walls in buildings already set up, add cots, and give you a small pillow, blanket, and sheet."

Arlene shook her head and walk amongst people that look like the end of the world really fuck them.

"In conditions like these, how can people gain hope again? Where can they even find it to begin with? Sleeping on these back-breakers with these thin ass blankets in the middle of winter?"

Arlene left the building and walked up the snow covered road.

"Up ahead, you will find something entirely confusing. Houses with smoke coming out the chimneys. Mansions with people plowing the snow. Cars emit exhaust while warming up for the politician to go to work. None of these men are defending this city but their lifestyle is like a fantasy compared to the average citizen. Shit, their actual defenders make less than a typical adventurer back in the City of Inheritors."

"That is a damn shame. These corrupt politicians are finally showing their faces at the expense of the people they are supposed to serve." Destinee grumbled.

"These people are fools. Why would you stay where the death rate to the cold is higher than the chances of dying to orcs and wolves?" Lex replied.

"Maybe they don't have the strength to make a change."

"No such thing. They are just useless fodder that don't provide any benefits but plenty of downsides."

"Is that why you council people decided not to save people when you have the strength and resources to do so?"

"Of course not. We don't have enough resources to make such a stupid campaign and even if we hit above the yellow line. You should know how many magical crystals you secure per dungeon. Well, puppets take ten a day per. Just the defense system draws more than hundred fifty. Your training resources devour three hundred per day. The total income doesn't amount to more than twenty-eight hundred." Lex tunes into a rogue camera as the guy snuck into a mine.

"Sounds like an excuse from a politician without the fancy words."

"Maybe because you are only a layman who is looking up while we are looking down."

"Wow."

"Mm. I feel like you are taking that as disregard but take it like this. As a drug lord, I have to ensure that my people have a corner to sell on. The quality is good enough to make people come bring me ps. That the supplier is paid on time and finally handles regular people shit."

Lex smiled as he caught the rogue on Kathy's camera. Lex circled the base on the map and sent it to the Strat nerds as their prime target.

While you as a soldier, just sit around playing bones. Only need to run your mouth about this shit stepping on your corner over here. Or this lad just beat one of your guys ass because they were fighting over a chick. Now you come running to me about the disrespect this guy showed you. How we need to handle this fucker which does nothing but brings more problems. But due to being well-fed and having a certain status. You can't look past the disadvantage and only think about some lame ass bullshit like reputation."

Destinee dipped her finger in gel and began rubbing it into his scalp. "Alright, I get the picture. I just still think we can do something for them."

"You are doing something for you. Throwing that ass back was the wisest decision you ever made. Almost like you went from little bitch status to big bitch." Lex winced as she pulled on his hair.

"Watch your mouth."

The rogue went to a dark corner and buried a beacon that wouldn't emit any mana fluctuations. The guy looked like a snake from G.i. Joe snuck back out and took a tour around the outpost. He counted no more than hundred fifty people but he didn't go near large buildings. He wrote that the mana levels were at the peak of t3 to t4.

Need to convince Rachel to assist me with taking that fort. As a T5, she will easily subdue the biggest threat.

"Dana, you and Courtney go pay a visit to Rachel. We need to borrow her strength for a possible T4." Lex ordered.

Both cut the call at the same time which was irksome.

"So why are you focused on this particular outpost? That you already infiltrated it." Destinee leaned to the side to watch his expression.

"I didn't infiltrate it. That is Kathy. She had the same desire as you to do something for others. Her desires just landed her in an ambush and turned slave-miner." Lex continued watching the G.I. Joe guy.

Especially giving him a bigger bonus for his information that pinpointed several weaknesses that could be useful with their current war weapons.

"So that is why you have been looking so restlessly since this started. Here I thought you had a sense of guilt and wanted to help these people."

"Why would I care about strangers? Have you ever heard of my family?"

"No?"

"Exactly. If I don't even help my fifty-six year old mother or my brother or sister. Then why in the hell would I give a fuck about people that provide no benefits for me?" Lex opened up another screen and watched an old lady rock in a chair on a porch.

A young man stood bare chested, swinging an ax down on shivering lumber. The young man grabbed another block and repeated the same motion.

"That lady is your mom?" Destinee pointed with her comb.

"Yeah. That is my mother and that kid is my cousin, first cousin from my mother's side. She adopted him when she split from my dad."

"Now, I understand why you look so much like a pretty boy. She looks good even with that silver hair and her age."

Lex laughed. "Magic most likely. She considered herself a spirit shaman. Used to tell me that my ancestors were with me. Why I was such a strong warrior. Then she started losing her mind to dementia but it apparently receded when mana was introduced."

"Oh, so why don't you invite her here?"

Lex shook his head. "She is in Europe and it cost me quite a lot to get Rachel to send a few puppets over. Plus my mother doesn't like the city. The woods is where she was born and apparently, where she will die."

"So the dark wizard does care about something other than pussy and money." Destinee left his hair down and stretched backwards.

"Who doesn't have things that they care about? It is just that I keep mine close away from people who are born to manipulate others. Definitely women.. I learned to never show you guys my heart." Lex stood up and crawled into bed.

"Wow.. acting like you guys aren't worse. That's that type of insecure shit, right there." Destinee peeled out of her uniform and slipped under the covers.

"Bah! You women are so much worse. We, guys, just like oh, okay. You women be like I'm only fucking because your rich and I know you ain't going to pass on this pussy. But before you get tired, I'll run up the bill."

"Hold the fuck on!" Destinee sat up, her hand came up to help her speak. "You guys do the same thing. Even worse, you guys feel proud about it. 'Yeah bro. I got this fine bitch that bought it for me. Looks nice, huh?" She turned her wrist from side to side.

"You mean, you don't purposely shop at brand stores where the price tag is triple digits to quad? 'Nu-uh babe. That's out of style, we need to go here. So-so celebrities wore this on the red carpet. If I show up at the club with this, all my friends will be so jealous. Buy this and we need shoes and jewelry to go with it." Lex laid on his side, head prop up on his elbow.

"Ain't nobody done that." Destinee waves her hand.

Lex gave her a look like 'really?'

"I'm going to sleep ain't got no time to deal with you stupid ass." Destinee huffed and turned around, poking that cinnamon-dotted ass out.

"But I got time for that ass." Lex scooted up right behind her.

"You got five minutes."

"Shit, thought you would have said you were on period or something. Five minutes?! Say no more."

"I can't deal with you."