Empire Builder 1: Breed, Populate, Conquer by Dante King (free e books to read online txt) 📕

voice boomed from the other side of the door, the same voice they had heard at the entrance to the dungeon outside. “Treacherous crypt robbers and dungeon divers, you are fools to enter this place. I, Sir Gallant the Younger, Archenemy of Benzhameen and Dispeller of Darkness, shall show you the error of your ways.”

Chapter Eleven

Ben stood with his companions, watching the great door opening. On his left was Nipper, the now much larger child of his union with Melody. The great cat, born only that morning, licked his lips, and his giant fangs, hungrily.

Melody and the nymphs stood on his right, weapons and spells at the ready.

The great wooden door, twice Ben’s own height, swung ponderously open. Through the doorway they could see a wide stone chamber. The ceiling was low, only three yards above their heads, and flat. The stone in this room was a light gray.

Pale daylight streamed in from one side of the room. That puzzled Ben. Weren’t they deep underground? Maybe this was magic too.

A vast, brightly colored rug covered the floor. From what they could see through the slowly widening doorway, this room looked more comfortable than any other level of the dungeon they’d yet seen. Ben surmised that it might be more intended as a living space for whatever beings ruled the dungeon, rather than a killing floor.

“You fools dare to trespass in the chamber of Sir Gallant?” the voice they’d heard before boomed out from in front of them, though it was higher pitched and not as loud. But there was no one to be seen.

The adventurers looked down. That’s when Ben saw the source of the voice. It was a tiny stone statue, the size of an action figure.

Imogen looked at Ben, her eyebrow raised. Ben nodded. He suspected he knew what she had in mind.

“Prepare to face your doom, adventurers. You shall not pa--”

Imogen kicked the statue in the face with all her might, sending it flying across the chamber. Its voice cut off in a long drawn out wail, punctuated by yelps as the little figure bounced on the stone floor. Its cry was abruptly cut off as it crashed into the dais at the other end of the room.

The adventurers walked into the room and got a proper look at the dais. It was a platform, raised several feet above the rest of the floor, surrounded by steps. The dais was ten yards across and half as deep.

On its surface rested a stone table with multiple chairs pulled up. The chairs too were made of stone, but cut slenderly. The furniture appeared elegant but practical.

And on one of those chairs sat Vinata. She leaned over the table in concentration. Seated opposite her was a warrior in a great suit of armor. A couple of patches of the armor gleamed in the light, suggesting that it had once been an illustrious suit, but it was mostly dulled now by rust and grime. He too leaned forward over the table in concentration. Between them stood a number of figurines, presumably a game akin to chess.

“Vinata!” Ben called out, disturbing the quiet that had reigned since they’d silenced the little statue at the door.

Vinata glanced up at the travelers. “Benjamin!” She smiled in recognition. “I wondered how long it would take you to arrive.”

“You’ve been expecting us?” Ben was confused.

“What happened to you?” Lulu asked, still suspending a globe of water in front of her, her eyes peeled for danger.

“Are you hurt?” Imogen rushed to add.

Vinata held up a hand, motioning for quiet. “I have been waiting for you here. Did Sir Gallant the Younger call to you like he did to me?”

“Who? Sir Gallant the Younger?” Ben echoed. That was the name the dungeon had given before he got through the door, but if it was supposed to ring any bells, it didn’t.

The small animated statue at the foot of the dais rose to its feet with a groan. “I am Sir Gallant the Younger.” The statue attempted to stand straight and look dignified, but a twinge in its back made it stoop again with a sharp intake of breath.

“And I am Sir Gallant the Elder.” The knight sitting at the table got to his feet and turned to face Ben and his companions. “And who might you be?”

The knight had a thick accent. It reminded Ben of the way Melody spoke.

“I am Benjamin,” Ben announced.

“Benzhameen,” the knight echoed, repeating the name several times. “Strange that he should have that name. Who is he really?”

Melody spoke up, sounding proud and defiant. “Benzhameen is the Forgotten Ruler, reincarnated to claim his rule once more.”

Lulu let her globe of water splash to the ground. The room went silent. Even Nipper stopped washing himself to look around at the stunned onlookers.

Ben was shocked. Melody had told him the day before to keep his identity a secret, and here she was blabbing it out for all to hear. He wondered if she knew something he didn’t, if she’d decided, perhaps, that he was now strong enough.

Either way, he hoped she knew what she was doing.

All three nymphs stared at Ben, their mouths open in shock. The little statue and the knight faced Ben, but their faces were concealed.

“He’s lying.” The statue’s voice sounded much more high-pitched now that he wasn’t booming through closed doors.

“He is not,” Melody declared. “This is Benzhameen, the being who once ruled the Sky, Land, and the Seas. Savior of Monsterfolk and Subjugator of all Races of Light.”

“Is this true, Benjamin?” Vinata asked. Lulu and Imogen were also staring at him inquiringly.

Ben shrugged guiltily. “I was going to tell you all, but the right moment never came.”

Lulu inclined her head toward Ben. “If it is truly you, Benzhameen, we shall follow you without question.” Imogen nodded as well.

The man on the dais in the suit of armor, Sir Gallant the Elder, raised his visor. Ben was surprised to see nothing behind the visor. The helmet was completely void, only