I groan awake with a pounding in my head. I open my eyes timidly. They really do care about me, the blinds are drawn. Nix is lying in the bed with me and Oasis is quietly moving around in front of the stove. Nix locks eyes with me, a questioning look in her eyes. Leaning back I grown wincing from the herd of mammoths stomping the inside of my skull.
"Was it worth all this?" Nix whispers.
"I haven't even gotten started yet," I say rolling to the side.
"You planning on making alcohol a staple?" Nix asks.
"No, not that. I need to sit down with all of you and have the chat." I say.
"Which chat?" Nix says crawling closer to him.
"You know more than the rest. Time for everyone to be on the same page. If I have a goddess dropping in on me just for kicks, what else is on the horizon?" I say rifling my nightstand for a morning after potion. "Being a Lord to a Demon House is not a common occurrence for a mortal."
"Scelene pushed you to do it," Nix says shirking back.
"I'm not blaming her or pointing any fingers. Unless you summoned up that goddess." I say leaning over and kissing her cheek. "A chat is needed none the less. Get everyone gathered up while I go get Crys."
"I will," Nix says with a frightened look on her face.
I grab clothes and gather up gear. I don the ring of flight and grab the Iron Flask from the shelf. Walking past Oasis I grope a nice handful of her ass before going down the steps. Reaching the ground floor I hear Val mouthing at Cross again. I sneak behind her. Cross sees me but says nothing. I shove my hands up her shirt and grope me some elf boobs.
"What do you think you are doing?" Val yells at me.
"Grabbing the titties of some uptight elf chic with a loud mouth and lack of moral restraint," I say.
"Let me go." She growls.
"Sure," I say giving her hard nipples a good tug before letting go.
"You evil fuck." She says swing at my head.
"You haven't seen anything yet," I admit catching her fist in my palm. I pull her lips to mine.
She struggles for a second then returns it passionately. I step back from it, "Later bitch." I say.
Her astonished expression as I stepped back almost made me laugh.
"What did you say?"
"I said, later bitch," I say as I step out the door. I take a step and jump into the air.
"Nameless! You fucking asshole!" She screams as I fly off. "When I catch you..." She goes silent mid-sentence.
I am over the rim of the canyon seconds later. I turn in the direction of No Name. I put a little altitude under me and fly with as much speed as I can muster. Seven minutes later I am seeing the ocean on the horizon. No Name comes in to view. A dozen riders milled of the roadway at the entrance of my villa.
I drop low and get a closer look at them. They are wearing matching gear and colors. I don't recognize the insignia. They are carrying tether bows and mirrored shields.
I shoot out of the tree line and grab the bossiest looking one out of his saddle. The guy goes limp, trying to act as dead weight in my grip. I get over water and drop him as I intended.
The yelling of the other riders rises from behind me. Dropping down behind the villa I see Crys gearing up with her bow. She spins in my direction bringing her bow to bare. As I land she turns the bow away from me. Tempis bounces out of her nest throwing her arms around me.
"They rode in an hour ago. The wards on the bridge are holding." Crys says.
"They want me." Tempis whimpers.
"You're not property to be claimed so they can go fuck themselves," I say,
"Nameless?" A male voice calls from down by the water.
"Crys keep doing whatever it is you're planning on, Tempis stay out of sight, and I'll go talk with the Mer-guard about our prisoner," I say as I turn for the stairs.
Reaching the water's edge I see two guards holding the rider I dumped between them. Slightdi sits on the ledge, his tail still in the water. I gesture for the guards to bring the prisoner closer to the shore. The man has no weapons or armor. The Mer-guard stripped him of his gear in less than thirty seconds after he hit the water.
"We have casters at the ready if you wish it Consort," Slightdi says formally.
"Don't get all official on me, Sid. They aren't after the clan. They are hunting Tempis. Who are you working for?" I ask the prisoner.
"What makes you ..." He starts to say but the guards dunk him at my signal.
"I think he still thinks he has some power over whether he lives or dies," I say nonchalantly. "Who do you answer to?"
Cough. Cough. "Lord Ethneldis of Del' Krourt, of the northern province." He chokes.
"Your group is armed for Gorgon and Siren. Why?" I ask.
"The Lord wants them both for crimes against the city." He answers.
"That has got to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Dump him on a beach, breathing if possible. Sid tell Caldoria this is my domain and not political. Give her a nice two-hand groping from me privately. Keep the guard out of what happens next." I say giving him a gentleman's nod.
"Sure thing Rik," Sid says before sliding into the water.
I just grin as I walk up the steps.
Once back upstairs I wave Crys back from doing anything reckless. Grabbing out a chain-lightning wand I head for the bridge. A half-dozen guys are standing at the other end of the bridge, swords drawn. Four others knock arrows in my direction.
"Unless you plan on dying today, put the weapons down," I say loudly.
"Where is Hobart?" The lead bow wielder demands.
"He's alive and being dumped on a beach. If you're nice and speak aquatic you might be able to find out which one." I answer. "As for the rest of you, time to mount your horses and leave."
"You have no authority to order us to leave." The bowman says taking better aim at me.
"I beg to differ. I am Lord Nameless of No Name. Sage of the Nameless Isle in Unnamed Cove. I am the Mayor of the town and Lord of this Province. I have every right to order you from my lands." I state with every bit of arrogance I can muster. "And if that isn't enough, Consort of the Court of Caldoria Queen of the Mer-clan. I could kill you all and no one would ever find your remains to scry from."
"You think your magic is the ultimate weapon. You're wrong." He says before loosing his arrow.
I step to the side but am grazed by the projectile anyway. The pain melts my restraint and my eyes burn as I turn this guy to stone. Two others never get the chance as Tempis's squeal robs them of their consciousness. Even the horses stagger as they are affected as well. She catches the bowman before he shatters on the ground.
"Nameless!" Crys hollers as she runs across the bridge.
"It's not bad. Bring a potion though. Please." I call over my shoulder back at her.
"I have one here." She says.
"What about stonified butt-munch?" Tempis asks.
"Crys, did I kill him?" I ask not sure if I want to know the answer.
"He lives, not sure for how long." She answers.
"Temy put him gently against the wall. Then we gather ... OWW!" I yelp as the potion stings in the wound across my shoulder. "Take all their weapons then wake them. I'll take it from there."
Tempis bounces from one sleeping rider to another gathering up weapons as she does. I ready myself for putting on a real sideshow. Crys and Tempis look at the pile of weapons then back at me. It's a sizable number, it takes three trips to take it all to the island. Tempis sings a line of a song and most of the riders roll or scramble to their feet seeking out weapons.
"Stop!" I yell.
Most of them do, two reach for other weapons on their horses.
"You were warned," I say as I hurl magic missiles to knock them off their feet.
"If everyone would care to note that your boss is a statue. Yes over here, petrified. You have been relieved of your weapons and commander. I could have killed you all. Instead, I want you all to take a message back to Lord Ethneldis. If he wants to charge a Siren and Gorgon with criminal acts he must first name them citizens of the Empire. I would be more than happy to second such an act." I rattle off.
"You killed him!" One yells as he charges at me.
"Not quite," I answer as I missile him off his feet as well.
"Now the longer you fight and argue, the more likely he will die before I can reverse the magic. Tell your Lord if he tries something like this again and I will pay his house a visit to do a little hunting of my own."
"You can't stop us all. Let's get him!" a shorter rider says hurling a rock at me.
The arrow strikes the center of his forehead snapping his head back with enough force to take him off his feet. I grab the rock out of the air before his body even hits the ground. I drop it to the ground looking at the rest of the riders coldly. They hold up hands in surrender.
"He must have forgotten that I am not alone," I say turning toward their petrified commander.
"You will report what I told you to your commander and leave my province."
My eyes flare and the commander falls to the ground restored to his flesh state. Looking over my shoulder at the riders, I walk back across the bridge. Two of them rush forward to their commander. Tempis is waiting for me at the other end.
"You're just going to let them go?" Tempis asks.
"I came to get you and Crys. Dealing with these jackasses wasn't on the schedule." I answer.
"We going somewhere?" Tempis asks.
"Little trip to the Vale, with Crys and you. We are having a group chat." I say.
"And why are we doing this today of all days?" Crys asks laying her bow on the table.
