The Tyrant Citadel

The Tyrant Citadel

by Billy Wong

Smashwords edition

The Tyrant Citadel Copyright © 2018 Billy Wong

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the Author. Your support of author’s rights is appreciated.

All characters in this compilation are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Credits and author page

Sample of Iron Bloom

Chapter 1

Clanking automatons with jerky limbs poured through the broken gates of Metheld's citadel, followed by human Dominion soldiers. In spite of their efforts to resist, the armies of Casaria and Ronumel who occupied the stronghold were driven back ever deeper into the vast building, leaving many dead behind. At last, though fighting continued throughout the labyrinthine halls and chambers, Baron Alfred and Dandelion who had been left in charge of the Casarian force found themselves cornered in the large throne room along with General Zenon of Ronumel and a handful of soldiers. Bloodied and bent with fatigue, they faced the enemy leaders—the surviving Three Emperors of the Dominion and Tinker, Dandelion's former partner in a bulky mechanical suit.

Dandelion dodged a projectile from a tube on Tinker's knee, which blew chunks from the wall behind her as it exploded. The bald man in his early thirties grinned at her through the glass window on the chest of his suit. Why no more fancy tricks? You wouldn't happen to be running out of them, would you?

He referred to her special arrows, with a range of effects such as explosives, acid and smoke. No shit she ran low, not having had a chance to replenish her supply since their campaign began. I don't need any tricks to defeat you.

Oh of course not, you very nearly killed me before after all. But with this armor and a full supply of ammo, it's different this time.

And you're proud of that? She rushed him despite the heaviness of her aching legs, rolled under a stream of fire from his wrist tube but was struck by a lightning bolt as she came up. A hoarse scream escaped her dry throat while powered forward through the pain and smashed her sword against his knee joint damaged in a previous encounter. Hope surged through her to find it appeared not to have been fully repaired, as he staggered sideways. He caught himself and turned towards her again, raising an arm to aim at her. She jammed an arrow into it just before he fired and jumped away. An instant later it exploded, the boom and noise of tearing metal hurting her ears. Tinker's yelp more than compensated her as he was hurled onto his side, missing half an arm from the stump of which sparks flew. That had been her last explosive arrow, but the result seemed worth it. He didn't bleed though, so was his real arm hidden inside the torso of his suit as opposed to the metal limb? Before she could plunge her blade down and finish him, she heard something crackling towards her from behind and dove aside. A fireball impacted the floor scant feet from the downed Tinker, and she glared at his rescuer.

Elemnos, she addressed the robed old man who leaned on his scythe like it served for a walking stick as much as a weapon while his other hand glowed with magic, so two ambitious men need to gang up on one woman?

If your former friend wasn't handicapped to some degree before, he is now. Besides, what else would I do after finishing off the last rabble who accompanied you?

She looked around to see the allied soldiers strewn charred or torn about the floor. How shocking, she said sarcastically, for you to pick on easy prey while we wear each other down so you can be fresher when you join in.

I am an older person after all, it's only fair not to have me overexert myself. And I didn't think you would want special treatment for being female.

Tinker rose up and started to circle behind her. Despite the odds against her, Dandelion grinned. I wouldn't. Big and strong as I am, it'd be disingenuous of me to use my gender as a basis for sympathy. Still, kind of embarrassing for one of the Dominion's Emperors and its chief weaponsmith to lack confidence to face a lone warrior in single combat.

History is written by the winners, Tinker said. No anguish showed in his voice, so it stood to reason the forearm he'd lost didn't reflect damage to his actual body. With you and your friends dead, there will be no one to shame us.

Go ahead and try. But if I win, I'll make sure to let the world know just how pathetic your attempt was. She charged Elemnos, hoping to take the vulnerable flesh-and-blood man out quick before going back to work on that armored hulk.

Tinker shot at her from behind, but she sensed it coming and ducked. A fiery gout roared over her shoulder and nearly hit Elemnos as he dodged, setting the sleeve of his robe ablaze. Watch it, you metal oaf! he snapped while he patted it out.

It's not as if you didn't almost blast me just now. Quit complaining and concentrate on killing this whore!

Meanwhile silver-armored General Zenon battled against Cullea, the lithe female Emperor in black and red light plate and a crown of bone. The grizzled veteran landed a hard punch over a wound in her side, making her gasp and stumble back. He ran after her thrusting his spear for the kill, but she jumped over it and countered with a double kick to the chest and then face. He reeled, blood pouring from his nose, but Cullea doubled over herself clutching her flank.

Damn you, she said while her thin curved sword drooped in her grasp, if not for that brat hurting me before, you wouldn't be able to put up half the fight you have.

Blame yourself for coming here anyway, he replied, pressuring her with a barrage of pokes. Her injury notwithstanding, the edge in speed perhaps granted by her youth proved a significant factor as she stepped in and sliced his arm in mid strike. He winced and lost his grip on the spear, which flew past her. However, reacting quickly he punched her with the other hand. Rocked by the unexpected blow, she tried to backpedal, but he stopped her by grabbing her shoulder and hit her again. Again and again until her legs buckled and she crumpled, eyes closing. Sorry lady, you'll never get up again. Not wasting time to retrieve his main weapon and give her a chance to recover, he drew a dagger and knelt to stab at her throat.

She caught his wrist, holding the point back from her skin. Don't think... I can be defeated by the likes of you. He punched her with his free hand, making her spit blood, but before he could throw another shot she reached up and gouged his eyes. He recoiled in pain before she rolled him under herself, still holding onto his knife arm. She wrenched it savagely with the help of her newfound leverage, and he screamed as his elbow bent the wrong way with a crack. His dagger dropped from useless fingers and she scooped it up. Now let your own blade send your soul on its next journey.

Before she could strike the fatal blow, Dandelion bowled into her from the side and knocked her away. Her own back smoking from hits inflicted by her adversaries, she dragged Zenon to his feet by the good arm while he winced. She pressed a backup dagger she had drawn into his hand. Sorry old fellow, but you'd better shake it off and get back in it. Not even I can take on three of them at once.

Cullea struggled to her feet and limped to stand with Elemnos and Tinker. She stayed back a bit behind them, ironically when she was a melee fighter and perhaps indicative of how badly she was hurting. Why do you resist us with such fervor? she demanded staring at Dandelion, sounding short of breath. Is our goal to establish an improved government for the Dominion so detestable, even though it's the same thing you want?

Dandelion's gaze flickered towards Tinker. You ally yourselves with the monster I once thought my friend, and besides that you Emperors were happy to serve Metheld for years and years committing whatever atrocities he tasked you with. How can the rest of the world trust you to take the reins of its most powerful nation from your master?

I told you I only planned to serve Metheld until the opportunity arose to overthrow him! Just because you and your allies managed to bring about his downfall before then doesn't change anything. As princess of the K'tarl, it's still my duty to restore my people who this land belongs to.

You're calling yourself a princess now, huh? Zenon asked gruffly, hiding the pain from his broken arm well aside from a hint of pallor. Unsurprising from glorified warlords used to over-elevating themselves.

Cullea scowled. I'm not seeking to have an insult contest with you. Listen, we don't have to kill you. Surrender this country to us and you can leave with your lives.

I'm uncertain that is your call to make, Lady Cullea, Tinker said in a wry tone.

I am one of the Three Emperors, my say in this is at least equal. Why waste our men and energy fighting to the end and antagonize the world further, when we could possibly avoid that and give our nation the semblance of a fresh start? Do you disagree, Elemnos? The mage didn't reply right away, perhaps pondering what response would most benefit him.

Dandelion dipped her chin slightly towards the other woman. I appreciate that you might not be completely unreasonable. But still, we can't allow you to retain power here for the reasons stated. So unfortunately, we'll have to be the ones to reject the peaceful solution this time.

Then you will die.

At whose hands, yours? You're so wounded you can barely stand, good luck trying to fight for even one more minute.

Her eyes narrowed. I told you I'm not here to trade barbs! She raised her sword again and burst forward past her allies. Dandelion dashed to meet her in anticipation of countering some reckless offense, but found Cullea's slashes still tight and controlled, leaving few openings. Her discipline proved not so easily shaken. Maybe her injuries would slow her down, but it wasn't as if Dandelion was the picture of health herself. Zenon moved to intercept Tinker probably due to him seeming the bigger physical threat, but that left Elemnos free to harry them with spells from afar. As she locked blades with her fellow master swordswoman, a shard of ice grew up from the ground between her foe's legs towards her. She leapt away just in time, but the tip nicked the crotch of her pants and made her shiver at what could have happened if she'd been a split second slower. This numbers advantage wouldn't be easily overcome against such strong opposition. She hoped Alfred could defeat his opponent soon and come even the odds, but a glance his way told her that was less than likely.

#

While Dandelion and Zenon battled the other enemies, Alfred dueled the seven foot Emperor Androgant back and forth in the center of the room. The gigantic man wore upper body armor consisting of a breastplate and pauldrons, which appeared to expose vulnerable spots in his bare rippling arms. Yet he must be extremely used to defending them as Alfred's efforts to hit them with his father's sword met with little success. It might even have become part of his style at this point, to bait opponents into wasting their time attacking the limbs he was well versed in protecting and possibly opening themselves up to a counterattack. Androgant's other unarmored portion, his head surrounded by a lion-like mane, didn't make a much better target when being so far up made it easy for him to see strikes at it coming. Meanwhile the Emperor's blows with his great hammer proved much more dangerous to Alfred than the other way around, as the ones Alfred got in to his body glanced off his armor. If Androgant landed one clean hit with that maul, on the other hand, it would likely be the end of the fight and Alfred's life.

Your woman and the geriatric aren't faring too well, Androgant taunted as a blocked swing of his hammer nearly tore the hilt from Alfred's throbbing hands and sent him sliding away across the floor. He spotted Dandelion and Zenon panting back to back, before a fireball forced them to throw themselves desperately away from one another while it exploded between them. I presume you desire to assist them, too bad you won't get past me to do it. Alfred tried to fake going in one direction, then dart past Androgant the other way. The giant predicted it and whipped the hammer around to intercept him. He jumped back hastily, but put himself off balance and couldn't recover before Androgant pursued and forced him into a continued retreat.

He found himself backing up the stairs to Metheld's elevated throne, growing farther from the struggling figures of Dandelion and Zenon below. He wanted badly to aid them, especially the bold female warrior who had supported him when nobody else did, but it seemed increasingly like he wouldn't even be able to help himself. Androgant filled the stairway before him, though he no longer loomed over Alfred due to the higher ground he occupied. Wait, higher ground—could he use that to overcome the Emperor's advantages? He scrambled back faster to give himself a moment to regain solid footing, did so and rebounded to press the attack. His sword flashed down in lightning strokes, battering the handle of his foe's hammer as it shifted rapidly to defend. Androgant's knee bent under the assault, and Alfred felt a tinge of optimism. But then a huge hand closed around his own, holding the blade immobile.

Strong effort. But that's all it is. Now I will take my rightful seat. Gripping the handle just behind it, Androgant slammed the head of his maul into Alfred's chest.

Though it was a short blow, not a full swing with all the destructive potential that entailed, it still proved enough to launch him upward through the air until his back crashed against the throne. Alfred! Dandelion cried upon seeing him fly, barely audible through the sick pain that engulfed him. Even without much windup, the massive warrior could bring incredible power to bear...

Alfred's vision blurred as Androgant ascended the stairs, booming footfalls approaching before he rose into view. You sit my throne. Remove yourself from it.

Even if he wished, he wouldn't have had the strength at the moment to do so. He raised his sword weakly, knowing full well it had no chance of stopping what was to come. Androgant brought the hammer up. Very well, I will simply remove your corpse after.

Before the maul could crush his body, Alfred heard a voice, thick like it spoke through liquid. Summon the power you took. But hadn't that been a dream? Yet a frightful cold rose up within him, just like the one he'd felt when he heard the same voice several nights ago. No time to think—the hammer swept down. He tried to will the cold out from himself with no idea what he was doing, but imagining it to be something like when he threw absorbed magic back out of the fallen angel's sword he once wielded. A purple bolt lanced from his hand and struck Androgant in the middle, flinging him backward. He tumbled noisily down the stairs, metal thudding and banging against stone, but stopping him for good proved too much to hope for as he rolled upright at the bottom.

So you're a mage too? Androgant asked sounding irritated. Interesting talent to hide for all this time while your friends were dying.

Stumbling back from a blocked blow from Cullea, Zenon shot Alfred an irate look. Is this true?

He raised his hands and started to see that a faint purple glow surrounded them. A chill ran through him at the inexplicable sight, but this phenomenon had just saved his life, so he told himself it might not be that bad. No, I've never had the ability to use magic before. I have no clue how...

Cullea stabbed Zenon in the side. As he fell to his hands and knees, she grabbed her own flank again. That's for taking advantage of my wound. She slammed the flat of her blade down on the back of his skull, laying him out. For what reason did she not kill him outright? Probably in case they wanted to use him as a hostage against Ronumel, Alfred figured.

Mage or not, Androgant said, you become ever more outnumbered. Your new tricks won't save you.

Standing alone now on the floor ringed by four powerful enemies, Dandelion glanced warily between them, then dashed at Androgant's back. He spun swinging his weapon, but she somersaulted over him and continued up the stairs to Alfred's side. This isn't looking good, she whispered, covered in nasty gashes and burns. Why are you glowing like that, though?

Might be whoever the voice belongs to granted me power.

Voice?

He shrugged and stood up, the cold which filled him having driven back the pain in his chest. I'll explain later. If there was a later. Three Emperors and Tinker! You thought you came here to secure victory at last, but instead you came to die. In truth he didn't know if this power would be nearly sufficient to offset being outnumbered two to one, but wished to at least put their adversaries on their toes with his bravado.

As if we'd be impressed by some pretty lightning, Tinker said. I have—he looked at the sparking stump of his arm—eh, had lightning too. And other things as well! He fired a small oval missile from one of his knee tubes. Dandelion made to dodge though she would have to brave a long fall from the throne platform to do so, but before it got halfway up the stairs Alfred sent his energy lashing out again. It struck the projectile which exploded, and Elemnos' eyes bulged.

That color! The old magician must not have noticed it before, being occupied with his own battle. It resembles... the power of Lord Metheld!

So what, Cullea replied, Metheld is dead. If he somehow put a remnant of himself into his nemesis, let us be rid of it by killing him too.

Elemnos looked a tad miffed at her disregard for their god, who he had seemed the most devout of the Emperors towards. No, wait. If we analyze him, we might be able to harness the divine power for ourselves. Or even... nevermind.

Then let's just defeat them and take him alive, Tinker said. No point in sparing my old partner's life, though.

Dandelion sneered. Come try and take it, then!

Before the battle could be rejoined, a black-armored and helmeted Dominion officer ran into the room. A hostile force has been sighted approaching the citadel! If we don't win soon, we'll be surrounded.

Who the hell? Androgant muttered.

Alfred was baffled as to who might have come to reinforce them, but the news nonetheless uplifted him. Dandelion also seemed to draw strength from it; in spite of her heavy injuries, she stood straighter and declared, We still have plenty of fight left in us. Will you stake it all right here?

I suggest we back off and evaluate our options, Elemnos said.

No, we can still beat them. Cullea glared at him. What, do you think four of us can't crush the two of them?

What is the status of our troops? Tinker asked the officer.

They are making progress, but slowly. The opposition puts up surprising resistance, and it might be a while before they are fully defeated.

Androgant touched his chin. Tsk... we'll retreat for now. This new development with the baron does seem worth thinking on.

Cullea glowered, but said, All right, I suppose our final victory can wait. Perhaps certain people will find the wisdom to change their minds with time, too. She