Amazon Apocalypse 6: Chapter 36

Upon returning home, I dropped Reluna off at her cottage. She had a room in the castle too, but some of her moans were rather loud, so I figured putting her in her own space would be best.

Mimiko looked pleased to be back in my estate on Crownhill. She was on guard here in System space, but that was no different from how things had been on Prince Herius’ world. She looked at me in search of a task, and I directed her to Sakura and my D-Grade team of adventurers.

So far, Sakura had done a decent job of converting every inch of skin on their bodies into bruises.

“I remember you knew a healing trick or two? I think they’re going to need it.” I pointed out the members of my team currently grinding proficiency levels while Sakura pulverized them. It looked like they were mostly getting defensive proficiency points, but those could be useful too.

“I am by no means a healer. But I’ve never been afraid of practice.” Mimiko dipped her head and joined Sakura in instructing the trainees.

I turned back to Cyra and her small army of warriors trailing behind her.

“Cyra, I’d love to give you a thorough tour of the shard, but you and your troops are urgently needed elsewhere. We’ll have to hold the real tour until later. Let me show you what you’re working with.”

I led Cyra and her troops through Crownhill. She made all the appropriate noises of appreciation at the tall buildings and well-made streets. Compared to most of Themyscira, they were pretty impressive. They probably would have made a larger impression if Cyra hadn’t seen Glacia first. God-King Ted had crafted a world just as awe-inspiring as most of Earth before the integration, and some of Ladwick had been pretty nice too before the war destroyed it.

“Your city is bigger than Shadefall. Fewer people, but bigger somehow.” Cyra looked around, paying particular attention to the humanoid mannequins manning the fruit stalls and inns in the adventurer district.

“As you’ve probably guessed, most of these people aren’t even real. The city’s actually fairly empty, but we have a lot of automated infrastructure.” I shrugged.

Around us, a few of Cyra’s Amazonians were poking the mannequin shop vendors, looking equal parts intrigued and horrified when they felt wood and plastic where there should have been flesh and blood.

“It’s actually part of the reason I’m trying to keep the settlement you’ll be governing under control. It has a lot of people in bad shape. I can give them an opportunity as long as it happens in an organized fashion.”

“Why not bring over a few thousand more Amazonian warriors to fill out your ranks? Or soldiers from the nineteenth legion?” Cyra suggested.

“Truth be told, I think Earth was a pretty good place before the integration. It had its rough edges, but at its best, it was better than a lot of the Arcadia Multiverse. I’m not ready to give up on restoring what was lost.”

I looked out over the city. I still remember my promise to give them back the world they once knew. I’d known it would be hard, even back then. But these days it seemed even harder.

It wasn’t like I could talk people into giving up their levels and magic. Finding a way for the old world to coexist with the new one was going to be a challenge that would take much of my very long life.

I sent Cyra and her troops to the military base, where they took over the barracks. Already, things were devolving into chaos. If not for Frank’s adventurer team, the place would probably be overrun with monsters as well.

Multiple fights had broken out in the refugee camp, and a group of them had broken past the fence and raided the military base’s MRE supply. Half of the emergency food stockpile had been wasted in the stampede to grab as much as possible.

It was a tragic waste, but Cyra didn’t need my guidance in figuring out how to restore order quickly. As soon as she saw the place, the skills she’d built during the crusade made themselves known.

As soon as she saw the chaos, she sent in her troops to restore order, then rounded up most of the offenders for a little speech.

“This settlement is now under martial law. While my troops are in charge, you will abide by the rules I’m about to set forth. I will have order, security, and discipline. Failure to comply will be met with severe consequences.”

After that, Cyra launched into a series of simple rules. I nudged her a few times so we could adjust things for humans of Earth. Theft and false reporting of crimes might be an issue, but we probably didn’t need the stipulations for dealing with cannibalism. Some of the other races in the Aracadia Multiverse struggled with that, depending on what the System used to evolve them into a humanoid form.

“I can take things from here, Carter. Go on, I’m sure you have a lot to do.” Cyra gave me a quick embrace.

“What? You don’t want to show me your stern side?” I teased.

“The opposite. I don’t want these people to see my soft side. That’s something I reserve for my husband. Now go on before I get all teary-eyed.” She shooed me away.

I darted in for a parting kiss, then pulled her into a second embrace and whispered in her ear.

“Make sure you secure a private bedroom for yourself. I’ll be back to check in on you later. Preferably around bedtime.”

Cyra’s cheeks flushed, and I departed before I ruined the stern and commanding image she was putting on.

***

Back at my farmhouse estate, my old team was looking healthier than they had when I departed, but significantly more exhausted. Mimiko had kept their bodies working far longer than was natural for people of their level, which gave Sakura that much more time to smack them down over and over again.

What Mimiko did was less true healing and more just pouring energy into the body to reinforce it, similar to what cultivators did with their own bodies to enhance them without the System’s aid. As a result, Charlie, Abby, Suzie, and Meghan had gotten a month’s worth of weapons practice in just a few hours.

“I see you all worked hard today. A few days of this and I’ll finally be able to make those guild introductions I mentioned!” I grinned as I congratulated them on their efforts.

“Few... days?” Meghan gasped. Abby’s head hung limply. Even Suzie seemed exhausted. Only Charlie still had any trace of eagerness left in him, but he was used to taking hits and getting right back up, so he was best suited to Sakura’s brutal training regimen.

I laughed. “I’m just teasing. You’re with me tomorrow. I need to run some errands in the wilderness, and you all can help me with them. Sakura and I will switch off.”

They seemed significantly relieved at that. Doubly so when we brought them into the castle again and Bridget served them a refreshing dinner. It was specially formulated to speed physical recovery. After eating it, I was certain the whole team would feel better than they ever had by the time they woke up the following morning.

Night came. Sakura seemed to have some frustrations to work out, so she kept me up late. Bridget was there for a bit, but with the pregnancy progressing as fast as it was, I made sure she took things easy.

I worked Sakura over until she passed out on the couch, then went to the bedroom to chat with Bridget.

“I’m worried you’re pushing yourself too hard, Bridget. You spent half the day cooking, and before that, I heard you even took care of a few monsters,” I said as I ran my fingers through Bridget’s hair. We lay together side-by-side as we spoke quietly to avoid waking my team in the guest rooms on the other side of the castle.

“I told you before. I’m pregnant, not crippled. I feel as healthy as ever,” Bridget replied.

“I’ve seen the way you’re walking now.”

“Don’t you dare call it a waddle! You try walking with something this big inside you.” Bridget pouted into the pillows.

I chucked. “I'll pass. But I will have another set of outfits made for you. Surely somebody in Crownhill can make a set of extra-pregnant maternity clothes. Just don’t be shy about relaxing a little more often.”

I looked Bridget over. Based on my timeline of events, she should only be two-thirds of the way through her pregnancy. But from the look of her now, I’d guess she was on her ninth month. I was starting to get a little worried about her. Just how big was this baby going to get?

“The baby doesn’t want me to lie down and relax. I can feel him. I think he preferred the fighting during the crusade. Maybe I’m reading into it too much, but I think the only thing that calms him down is fighting a monster or two.” Bridget rubbed her bulge. My hand was already stroking her belly, and our fingers intertwined there.

“You think we have a little warrior in the making, huh? Maybe you’re just imagining things,” I chuckled.

“It’s true! He’s going to be a fighter. I’m sure of it.” Bridget yawned and then drifted off to sleep.

***

The following morning, I grabbed my team and went on a mission through the forest. My goal was to track down Myrina and the squad of Black Knights she was leading under my name.

Along the way, we came across dozens of monsters of various sorts. This was where my team’s levels would come from. I took down two B-Grade monsters and a few high C-Grade ones with them in my party.

Eventually, we got to the mountaintop fortress Myrina, and the others were using for fortifications. Once the place was in sight, I dug through my satchel for a radio and tuned it to the channel Doomblade’s helmet should be listening to.

“Myrina, I’m near your location. Make an excuse to get out of there for a bit. I’ve got supplies for you.”

It was a bit strange to see my Doomblade Armor charging us. From this side of things, it was pretty intimidating. My team looked like they wanted to run at the sight of an enormous black-clad warrior wielding a massive sword. I urged them to remain steady, and they clung tight to my side.

Myrina came skidding to a stop, and everyone except for me took a step back as Myrina’s massive armor-clad figure came right up to us. A moment later, the armor split open in the back, and a red-headed figure lunged for me.

“Carter! Finally. Did you bring my old Feisty Redhead armor? Put it on, then you can be the cute and sexy sidekick to me, the tough and manly Doomblade!” Myrina laughed and threw herself around my shoulders.

She clung tight to my side, wrapping arms and legs around me in an entirely indecent way, considering we had company.

It took me a moment to realize she was entirely naked, though unlike Meghan, Myrina seemed entirely unashamed at being undressed.

“Are you going commando in my armor?” I poked Myrina in the nose.

“I always go naked in your power armor! Physical sensations don’t transfer as well through the armor if you’re wearing clothes.” Myrina poked me in the nose as well.

“I don’t think that’s true. The connection is entirely extradimensional.”

“Yeah, well... the auto-shower function doesn’t work as well. And the auto-bathroom. Besides, I can go into battle however I want!” Myrina planted a kiss on my lips.

I realized I wasn’t going to get a proper report on what she’d been up to until her other needs were satisfied.

“Team, go find a monster to fight or something. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” I pointed back the way we came.

Bridget had packed us a little picnic basket, complete with a blanket. I threw it on the ground, though sadly, Bridget’s food lay overturned in the dirt a few minutes later. Myrina was a greedy and rambunctious lover, and it was all I could do to keep her pinned in one place on the forest floor.

Thankfully, my level was quite a bit higher than hers these days, so pinning her down was easy enough. She struggled, but only in ways that would give me a better angle on her.

“I missed you...” Myrina sighed, collapsing into my arms for a few minutes. She set herself down on my lap, still naked and with a look in her eyes that said she wasn’t quite done with me yet.

“What is it?” I asked, brow raised.

“Why didn’t you take some levels? You’re so close to A-Grade. I could get you there, you know,” Myrina nudged me suggestively.

“I’ll get there soon enough. If I need A-Grade, it’s right there waiting for me.” I shrugged.

“Fine. Fine...” Myrina let out a little sigh. Then she started shifting her weight back and forth over my crotch, breathing life back into my limp dick.

“Come on, I think my team already thinks I’m a lecherous beast, given what they probably heard last night...” I groaned, but Myrina would have none of it.

“If you want me to stop, all you have to do is stop me...” Myrina teased as she continued rocking her hips back and forth.

By the time I mustered the strength to stop Myrina, she’d already mustered my arousal to the point I felt like showing her how I really felt about her. We had sex for another few hours before finally tiring and picking Bridget’s picnic basket up off the ground and eating whatever we could salvage.

We spoke a bit then, and Myrina told me what she’d been up to. She promised she’d been roughly following the plan I’d laid out for her, though with a few twists that played to her personal strengths as a leader. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but if she was succeeding in keeping the Sages of Camlaan distracted with the Black Knights of the Order of Sorcery, I was happy.

“Glad to hear things are going well. I’m dropping off some supplies, but after this, I’m going to leave the world for a while,” I said.

“Where are you going?” Myrina leaned down and snatched the rest of the cookie I was eating right out of my hands with her mouth.

“Sakura caught wind of her father. I promised her I’d help her find him. Things are as stable now as they’re going to be for a while. I think it’s time I made good on that promise.” I reached into the bag for another cookie, only to come up with nothing but crumbs.