New Era

Time passed after the events of the wedding.

Taz's farm flourished with crops, trees, and farmhands. It was near being a steady supplier to the bars and taverns of babilim.

She struck a deal with Hajras to gain him as an investor. He gave her funds, and in return, he demanded to become a business partner and handle the financials. She bought all the needed supplies with the funds she gained from her cousin and bought various animals to keep the farm in working condition.

One of those animals was a pair of cats, one female and the other a male.

The furry fiends might strike as house pets more than farm operators, but one cannot deny their natural versatility. They fend off snakes, eat insects, and diligently guard their habitat.

Within the royal palace, matters began to worsen. The royal tyrants were dead, and the flames of arrogance were extinguished, but the main issue was the king.

The old lion's health began deteriorating, and Taz still hadn't stepped forward to claim her favor from him. Her excuses were that she was busy maintaining her farm or was reluctant to do it.

In the late morning, at Taz's farm.

Qutaibah strolled to the gate and stood before it. He wore pale robes and a turban.

He entered the farm and looked around in amazement. He heard about it being large, but to see it in working condition and bustling with life was notable.

He heard a whimpering woman near a tree and rushed to her.

He found Yara cornered by one of the farm's cats. She balled herself and shouted, "Go away, you furry demon!"

The cat kept low to the ground and approached her slowly and menacingly.

Qutaibah chuckled, then shooed the evil cat away. He approached Yara, tapped her head, and said, "The furry demon is gone, pale woman."

Yara looked at him with sobbing eyes and said, "I flee from one beast to the other."

Qutaibah smiled at her and said, "Stand up now; no need to be rude to me."

Yara stood, brushed the dirt off her dress, and said, "Thank you."

"Where's your master?" Qutaibah said.

"Who?" Yara replied.

"Tanaz," Qutaibah said.

"She's not my master. She's my employer," Yara said.

Qutaibah raised his eyebrows and asked, "Since when did snow people become free?"

"Tanaz gave me my freedom and paid me well," Yara said.

"Speaking of her, you haven't told me where she is," Qutaibah said.

"She's inside the house, in the kitchen," Yara said.

Inside the kitchen of Taz's home.

Taz wore a sleeveless white shirt and short pants. She topped off her clothing with a beige apron and a head scarf.

She was arranging her spices and herbs while cleaning the shelves.

She heard the door open, and soon after, she heard the voice of Qutaibah as he said, "I see marriage changed you, wolf."

Taz looked at him, spooked, and said, "Ever heard of indoor manners, you old prick?"

Qutaibah leaned on the wall, crossed his arms, smirked, and said, "There it is, the foul temperament of a married woman."

Taz closed the shelf roughly, then said, "I hope you didn't come here to pester me, Qutaibah."

Qutaibah stood straight, then said, "Your suspension is over."

Taz placed her hands on her waist and said, "I'm not interested in taking missions."

Qutaibah crossed his arms and said, "It's time, Tanaz. The king sent me here to give you his favor."

"Like I said, I don't want it now," Taz replied.

"You don't have a choice; the king is dying. Once he's gone, so is the favor he promised," Qutaibah said.

Taz stared at Qutaibah and said, "You're pushing this because I could die from my wish."

"You're the one who wished for that, not me. Change that wifely attire and meet me in the royal palace," Qutaibah said, then left.

Taz took off her apron, threw it on the table, then sighed and said, "Cunt."

She entered her room, changed into her dark clothing, strapped her weapons and mask, and walked to the door.

Surprisingly, she found Nash at the door, almost like her luck couldn't get any worse. She had to give her final goodbye to her husband.

Nash grew in height as the genes of his house began to take over. Indeed, given more time, he would be as tall as Daghir or Caleb.

She approached Nash with a sad expression.

Nash knew that the time had come. He looked at Taz and said, "You don't have to explain, dear."

Taz hugged him tightly, sobbed, and said, "I'm sorry. I was too weak to control my greed."

Nash hugged her tightly, stroked her back, and said, "Don't be―I always admired your passion and consistency."

"I don't want to leave you alone. I don't want to be alone," Taz sadly cried.

Nash smiled, then comforted, "Whatever happens, I want you to know you're the best wife I could ask for."

They let go of each other, and Taz wiped her tears.

"I love you," Taz said.

"I love you, too," Nash replied.

At the gate of the royal palace, in the noontime.

Taz approached the gate with a bitter stare and found Qutaibah waiting for her. They went inside, and Qutaibah matched her pace.

He looked at her and said, "Took you long enough."

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Princess. I found myself repulsed by flame users as of late," Taz said.

"Look at you, talking rudely to your superior. I still have the power to extend your suspension," Qutaibah said.

"We all know your position as the leader is hanging by a thin strand. You're lucky if the new king would keep you," Taz said.

Inside the king's quarters.

The king and Ahmad sat around a table, playing a chess game.

Taz and Qutaibah walked in, and as they wanted to talk, the king gestured for them to be silent. The chess game was near its end, and the old lion wished to keep his focus on it.

Ahmad made the risky move of sacrificing his queen, leaned back, and stared blankly at the king.

Kurigalzu looked at him in confusion, took Ahmad's queen, and asked, "Why would you make such a move?"

Ahmad took back, smiled at Kurigalzu, and said, "Sometimes, a great sacrifice has to be made to catch the enemy's general. Al Shah Mat."

Kurigalzu looked at the board in awe, then stood and shouted, "Damn this Persian game!" Then, he coughed while he steadied himself with his cane.

Ahmad laughed.

Kurigalzu sighed, looked at Taz, and said, "Leave your equipment with your uncle, girl. You won't be needing them inside the hall."

Taz gave her tools to Ahmad.

In the lower level of the palace, with Kurigalzu and Taz.

Taz and the king walked through the tunnels silently. While the king had a nonchalant expression, Taz's was filled with sorrow.

She never knew if she would return home on her feet or be carried out.

Kurigalzu looked at Taz and said, "You chose this, Tanaz. I didn't force you."

"I'm not worried about myself, but my husband doesn't deserve this torment," Taz said.

Kurigalzu sighed, then said, "Not all soul mergers end with death."

Taz looked at him in awe and said, "How?"

"When the souls encounter each other, they must reach an agreement. Try your best to convince the person you're going to meet about merging," Kurigalzu said.

"What if we disagreed?" Taz asked.

"Then your soul will lose its way, and your body will be in eternal sleep. Alive, but never aware," Kurigalzu said.

"That's worse than death," Taz said.

"I've instructed the priestesses to end you. In case your soul never returns," Kurigalzu said.

They reached the great gates, guarded by four beast hunters. They promptly opened the gates for them and stood aside.

The hall had four levels, almost designed like a great library of souls. Torches lit it brightly, and it had shelves wherever the eyes lay.

They went to the hall's heart and found a round, plushy bed colored red. There were two masked priestesses around it.

Kurigalzu looked at Taz and said, "I took the liberty of choosing two souls for you if you don't mind."

The priestesses came to Taz carrying two boxes and opened them for her to display the contents.

Kurigalzu pointed to the right box and said, "In this box lies the soul of an arrow, a master in lightning magic."

He pointed to the left box and said, "In this box lies the soul of a scientist who spent his life learning about natural lightning."

Taz looked at the boxes and said, "I've trained with a master and barely learned anything because our styles differ. I'll choose the scientist."

She took the box with the scientist's medallion.

The priestess instructed Taz to stand near the bed and use the medallion like hers.

To which Taz did.

Before Taz used it, she looked at Kurigalzu and said, "Goodbye, my king."

"Farewell, wolf," Kurigalzu replied.

Taz pulled up her sleeve, took a deep breath, then hung the medallion on her forearm.

The medallion wrapped around her forearm forcefully and shined brightly.

Taz grunted, held her forearm, and winced. Her lightning sparked, and her veins expanded; soon, she instantly lost conscience and plummeted onto the bed.

Kurigalzu approached her, looked at her sincerely, and said, "This may be the last time we meet. If you hear me, know my brother will carry on the last of my favor."

He looked at the priestesses and said, "If she's not awake in three days, you have my permission to end her."

In the plane of souls, time is unknown.

Taz found herself in the void. She looked at herself and noticed her clothes were a simple white dress. She looked around and found nothing but emptiness in a sea of silver.

She marched forward, figuring out what or where to start searching. She heard a noise resembling the sound of a paper being torn and the grumbles of a man.

She ran to it. She noticed in her movements that there was no weight on her legs. She stopped and muttered, "This is the weightlessness of a soul."

She hopped to test if she would fly, but sadly nothing unusual happened.

She scoffed, then continued following the noise.

She found in the silver sea a building built like a shack. She knocked on the door and waited. The person she was meeting was not only dead but a copy of the original, yet manners had to be met.

However, manners didn't help her since he didn't open the door.

Taz knew she had limited time, so she opened the door and stepped inside.

What she found was a messy study room with papers scattered around.

The man she heard was frantically applying equations with his pen. He was in his prime and had a shaved head. His beard was thick and short, and his eyes were small.

Like Taz, he also wore a white dress.

The man looked at her with crazed eyes, approached her, and said, "Oh, finally, I've been waiting for a woman all my life!"

Taz smacked his head and said, "And you'll keep waiting, you damn bookworm."

The man rubbed his head and said, "Who are you!? Did you come here to ruin my research!?"

Taz crossed her hands and said, "I'm a woman who can give you a chance to expand your knowledge."

"Preposterous! A woman claiming superior intelligence than the great Abu Barq," He said.

Taz gestured at the surroundings and said, "Don't know if you noticed, but you're dead."

Abu Barq tranced momentarily, stared at the floor, and said, "So, you're here to take me away. Where will my soul lie?"

"Your soul had already departed into the heavens. You're a fragment of what remains," Taz replied.

Abu Barq approached and snarled, "Are you mad? That can't be happening! Unless…." He groaned and said, "I remember―the medallion."

He looked at Taz and said, "But that would mean you're from the future. Who's the current king?"

"Kurigalzu," Taz replied.

"The third?" Abu Barq asked.

"No, the fifth. If I'm guessing correctly, you're from four hundred years ago," Taz said.

"Do we still rule the world?" Abu Barq asked.

"No, we lost our territory due to the rise of other great powers," Taz said.

Abu Barq held his head, returned to his desk, and said, "It's worse than I predicted."

Taz approached him and said, "The king told me you were a scientist, but did you hold other positions?"

Abu Barq looked at her and said, "Yes, I was an advisor and the minister of knowledge."

Taz grabbed a chair, sat on it, and asked, "How did a prominent figure like you get forgotten?"

"Simply―I was overshadowed by my peers. The men of war will always be remembered, while the men of science vanish from memory," Abu Barq said.

He looked at Taz suspiciously and said, "But if you're here, that means you attained my medallion. How did that happen?"

Taz crossed her arms and said, "I was blessed with the king's favor. One of my wishes was to attain a medallion from the hall of glory."

"And you chose me," Abu Barq said.

"Correct," Taz said.

"But why? You took a huge risk with what you did," Abu Barq said.

Taz leaned forward and said, "I need you if I ever hope to achieve my goal."

"What's that goal? The one whom you risked your soul for," Abu Barq questioned.

"I want to reach the pinnacle of our species, to become equal with the forces of nature. That is my goal," Taz informed.

"That cannot possibly happen unless you're a…." Abu Barq said. He stood up and walked away as he realized why she picked him. He looked at her and said, "You're a cursed one who specializes in lightning?"

"Yes, but we're now called the blessed ones," Taz replied.

Abu Barq approached her and snarled, "There's not a shred of blessing in what you have."

Taz leaned back and said, "Yet I have it."

Abu Barq sighed, then said, "Yes, strength and power are favored by all. Sadly, people like you will not live a happy or healthy life."

"I know, yet I won't spend my life cowering from my nature," Taz said.

"So that's why you chose me? To embrace that evil nature and soar into mastery," Abu Barq said.

"Yes, do you accept, Abu Barq?" Taz asked.

Abu Barq scratched his beard and said, "On one condition."

In the world of men, in Kemet, at the Nile River.

The people of the empire gathered around the river to witness the start of the yearly blessing.

This event was usual, but this time it was special.

A new emperor took the throne. He was the son of the previous one and was considered the people's hero before he ascended.

That new emperor went by the name of Ramses the Third.

Ramses had short hair and a light-brown skin tone. His eyes were fierce and colored rich brown. His face was clean-shaven, and his expression was aggressive. His height was comparable to giraffes, and his body was a hulking mass of muscles.

By all means, one doesn't need to look twice to witness his might. He was the one who stood above all creation. He was the one who usurped the title of being the finest human specimen in history.

This was the new emperor, the man who ascended to godhood, Ramses the Third.

The people's chatter was heard. Some talked about the emperor's history as a warrior, and some mentioned that the emperor's blessing would make the land more fertile than it ever was.

Their chatter had stopped as a priest appeared.

The priest stood on the other side of the river and held a great staff made from gold.

The priest announced the start of the ritual and spoke of the holiness of this day.

The people clapped and cheered.

The priest pointed his staff at the platform and shouted, "Behold, our god! Pharoah Ramses the Third!"

Heavy steps were heard from the high platform, and beastly grunts were heard. Ramses appeared on the top and greeted his people.

The people cried and fell on their knees from the divine presence before them.

Ramses held his palms up and said, "Be silent, my children! For I now will bless these lands."

The people held their mouths and couldn't stop their pouring tears.

Ramses took off his shirt and displayed his perfect body to all present. As he felt generous and kind, he threw his shirt to the crowd.

Then Ramses took off his skirt and gave it to the crowd.

He extended his arms outwards and let the crowds behold his glorious body and cock. If one saw it from afar, he would've sworn it was a man's arm from its size and girth.

Yet seeing the emperor's cock was too much for the crowd. Men and women alike began fainting one after another.

Only those with strong minds were able to withstand its brilliance.

Ramses wasted no time and began stroking his majestic cock. He used one hand to hold it and the other to stroke.

He groaned, clenched his butt cheeks, and threw back his head.

After minutes of relentless masturbating.

The priest grew worried and thought the emperor had trouble reaching his climax; he had to intervene.

The priest looked at the people and said, "O' people aid your Pharoah." He pointed at the women and said, "All the women present, show your feet to your god." He looked at the men and said, "All the men present, show your bare bottoms to your god."

The crowd instantly complied.

The women lay on their backs and displayed their feet to the emperor.

The men turned around, bent over, and displayed their bottoms to the emperor.

Ramses looked at the sea of bare feet and bottoms, and a surge of powerful lust flooded his body.

He couldn't hold it anymore; his climax was coming.

He aimed his cock at the Nile River and shot a powerful stream of his holy semen. The surge was so powerful that his cock began to wobble.

Ramses groaned loudly, wrestled his cock, and held it with all his might so his semen stream wouldn't go over to the crowd and kill them.

The crowd heard him, and they all turned to the sight before them.

It was done. The Nile had been blessed.

The people cried, cheered, and shouted their love for their god. They all hugged each other and sobbed.

Ramses let go of his cock, panted, and shouted, "Rejoice, my children! Your god has blessed you!"

The End