A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

Right now, Erik, Ankhur, and Enkai were the only third rankers in their army, and they were looking down the barrel of a significant number disadvantage of three to five. The enemy were naturally all Arcanists

"It's not all bad," Erik muttered as his eyes passed over their opponents. "They're still out of omnisense range, but even from here, I can feel their unstable energy. They were clearly either forced into the third rank or only just entered it naturally."

Enkai didn't seem comforted by that, however. "You mean just like you?" he grumbled softly, still not entirely happy with Erik's takeover.

But Erik simply smiled slightly. "No one is like me, Enkai."

While Enkai rolled his eyes at his comment, Ankhur looked deadly serious. Enkai had been busy with a week-long patrol around the kingdom when the duel occurred and had thus not yet seen his new emperor fight.

Regardless, Erik continued. "Regardless, we haven't lost yet. Remember, even if you can't take on two of them at the same time, just go on the defensive and make sure they don't try to interfere in the army battle. We need to buy time, more than anything."

Nodding, Enkai and Ankhur agreed with that, although they didn't feel good about their chances to keep more than one third-ranked opponent in place. Fortunately, Erik had a plan. "Don't worry, I'll help keep them in place. All you need to do is keep up the pressure."

Cutting off any incoming questions about how exactly he was going to do that, Erik looked at the others around them. "The rest of you should go join the army now. It probably won't be long before some spark sets his powder keg to blow."

A little anxious, their companions quickly started making their goodbyes with the people they cared about. Runa stepped over to Erik but didn't look particularly worried. She knew Erik made plans to get himself and those he cared about out of there if things went awry, and she was in full agreed with him.

She seemed strangely aggressive, however, as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Silvy… don't forget what you promised the girl! She's kept to her training regimen as promised, and I didn't raise a liar!"

Wryly and a little unwillingly, Erik smirked but still waved his hand to release Alice from his dimension. At the same time, he pulled Nora, Anne, and Seraphina out as well.

"Finally," the small, eager, first-ranked wereverine immediately exclaimed. "I thought you'd forgotten!" she grinned at Erik, nearly hopping from excitement.

"Of course not," he sighed, even if he'd sort of hoped she'd given him any reason to deny her today. He frowned, "But remember—!"

"Yes, yes," Alice quickly interrupted him with a wave of her hand. "Stay close to the others and keep my emergency escape sigil ready."

Erik pursed his lips, worry clear in his eyes, but still nodded, "Good girl…" Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

With that, he turned to look over at his servants warmly. "The same goes for you three. Stay together, keep your sigils close at hand, and remember my orders."

Nora and Anne rapidly nodded, devotion, even love, glowing in their eyes. Panning his gaze over his three servants, Erik felt a sense of power and pleasure at the looks they gave him, and his thoughts rested on each of them for a moment.

In the case of Nora, she'd perhaps fallen in love with the way Erik treated her, more than the man himself.

Having been thoroughly dominated and subjugated by Erik back in Frostvik, seemed to have both broken, and awakened, something inside her. Now, she practically treated Erik like a god and the Bond of Service as a natural consequence of his divinity.

Anne's love was a little more typical. In a way, her obsession with human hatred had been replaced with service to Erik, which made her far happier. Thus, love was born out of gratitude, only reinforced by the fact that she could still take her revenge on the hunters by serving him.

Finally, Seraphina didn't love him at all, but she always looked at him with a glimmer of hunger in her eyes—hunger for his blood and hunger for the power he could give her if only she gave in. Looking at her, Erik wondered if she'd ever love him or if it would always be a desire for power tempered by the Bond of Service.

Honestly, he didn't care much, though. He didn't love her either, after all. Not yet at least. He didn't exclude the possibility, but all he felt right now was some gratitude for her past interactions with Emily.

Shaking his head, he broke free from his revelry and nodded. "Good girls. Now, go. Kill, and make me proud, but come back alive, understood?"

Bloodlust shone in all three of their eyes for their own reasons. Then, they nodded and left to mingle in the army together with Alice and Runa.

When they were gone, Naeku, naturally in her werepanther form, showed up in front of him. She actually wore some shape-changing armour Erik had personally created for her, much like he'd once done for Alice. Of course, without another sigil core, it was nothing like his own armour, but it did the job just fine anyway.

He'd offered some to Runa as well, but she didn't want to be restricted, so Erik could only sigh helplessly at his reckless berserker of a mother.

Meanwhile, Naeku looked up at him a little nervously, her eyes shifting back to her family, who looked at her a little too intently. Knowing what she was thinking, Erik smirked and then made the decision for her. Stepping into her personal space, he closed his eyes and conjured a small sheet of ice to block the army's vision of them.

Naeku panicked slightly, but just before Erik's lips would have touched her transformed snout, she rapidly turned back into a human and let him kiss her voluptuous lips.

When they separated, Naeku immediately turned back to werepanther form, and Erik opened his eyes again. Smirking, he could see the small blush under her fur. Of course, by now, he could have used omnisense to see her true appearance with closed eyes, but he hadn't done so.

He kind of liked this game he was playing with her. The anticipation made it more fun.

"Stay alive, alright?" he told her, his arms wrapped around her waist. "We still need to marry."

Naeku's blush deepened, and she quickly wormed out of his grip. "S— Shut up!" she exclaimed, and then quickly turned around to leave. Around her, many people looked at her strangely… but they had no time to form an opinion about what just happened.

"They're moving!" Enkai warned, alarm in his voice.

It appeared the enemy was done preparing and had no intention of waiting for them. The five third-rankers across from them started moving toward them, and Erik responded in kind, flanked by Enkai and Ankhur.

Erik's gaze was firmly focused on Lilith, whose eyes were burning with hatred and madness as they bore into him.