Within two hours, Zethari was tied to the seal, and they were making their back to the manor. However, on the way, he decided to swing by the bathhouse. Most of the fey''ra there had been heavily drained by the goblin proprietor before, so he wanted to see if he could help them before he left town. He crossed the street, and after ten minutes, they turned down the familiar alley toward the bathhouse.


    "Nightstalker..." Zethari''s voice was apprehensive.


    "I know. But we should do this. We can help."


    "Okay." Her voice was tense, but she followed.


    He reached the door, opened it, and was greeted with the same cheap perfume he remembered. However, as he entered the establishment, he was surprised to see not the goblin proprietor but the snake woman he''d noted the first time he entered the establishment. She stood behind the front desk adorned in a finely cut dress and a light professional smile.


    "Hello, honored guest." The snake woman, Odana if he remembered right, greeted him. She was dressed in fine clothes of black and gold, which accentuated her shimmering complexion perfectly. The woman was absolutely beautiful, with plump lips, a full figure, and smokey painted eyes. She was utterly captivating. He could tell she had some form of presence enhancement because she practically pulled the room toward herself. He was certain no one could look upon her and not feel as he did.


    While she maintained an air of professionalism with him, her lidded eyes opened wide when Zethari entered behind him. "Zethari!" The woman rushed around the desk and wrapped her arms around his vassal. The wolf girl squirmed a little as she did but didn''t stop the gesture. "We thought you were..." The woman squeezed her tight.


    "I was spared that fate by this man," Zethari said, finally relaxing and hugging the woman back. He''d never seen her be vulnerable like that before. "Thank you for your concern, Odana."


    Several other attendants poked their heads out of the archway to the baths, and Abad could hear them saying Zethari''s name in hushed tones. A few minutes later, each of them was pouring out of the baths to greet the wolf girl. She seemed uncomfortable at first, but soon she was smiling and laughing with her former peers. He was happy she could relax that way with them.


    While they were catching up, Abad reached out with his senses to examine them. Most of the attendants still felt weak, with Odana and the bull man being the strongest by far. Unlike before, however, most of them had recovered some of their essence. He assumed that meant the goblin was no longer in the picture. As he glanced around, he couldn''t see the green bastard anywhere.


    "He''s gone," Odana said, answering his unasked question. She walked up to him, each movement smooth and tantalizing. "He ran with a handful of te''ra when the legion came. We felt him leave. Now that he''s distant, our strength returns."


    "I''m glad." Abad''s eyes flicked back and forth between the various fey''ra. "Are you in charge here now?"


    "Yes and no." Her full lips pursed. "No one is running this place now." The woman scowled. "I''ve been keeping it afloat for several weeks, but it''s only a matter of time before they come and take us away. Without a patron, we are not permitted to stay." She glared at nothing, though there was no true heat. She simply seemed deflated.


    He didn''t know how to help them, but there had to be a solution. Soon, a thought came to him. "Would you make enough money to run this place if you could find a patron?" As he spoke, he stroked his chin.


    "Yes. We can maintain operations as is. And perhaps we could even offer more services or increase our rates if we gain another servant to fill the baths and get better supplies. Even without offering... some services" her face screwed up, "we should make more than enough without that gikra skimming so much off the top. We live here in the lower levels as well, so it should be easy to survive. It would be far better than it was before, at least."


    "Would your patron have to be present in the city?"


    She began to understand his thoughts. "No. He''d simply need to give us his name and support." Odana''s eyes flicked to Zethari, who was watching them with an amused look on her face. Something wordlessly passed between them. "Do you wish to take on our burden, my lord? We are capable of paying our rent and salaries as long as the te''ra allow it, so the investment would be minimal."


    He thought for a long while. While he wanted to help them, he couldn''t afford to throw around gold like he once could. Yet, in the same breath, this seemed like a win-win. It was already a functioning business, and he wouldn''t need anything from them. It would give him a place to return to when he needed to rest as well, which would be a boon... "Yes. I will take you on. I require nothing more than a room to return to from time to time and access to the baths. In turn, you will have my unqualified support."


    Odana laughed. The sound was light and full of joy. "The Black Serpent guides you, my friend. This is wonderful." Her eyes met his. "Then it is settled." She sauntered toward him. "Do you expect payment now, or..." He didn''t understand her meaning at first, but gently pushed her away as he did.


    "No payment." He swallowed. Whatever power she had was potent. "Thank you. I simply wish to help."


    She seemed confused for a moment, then nodded. A genuine smile spread across her face. "You are face too kind, my lord."


    "Nightstalker, you continue to impress me." Zethari said. The smile drifted off Odana''s face, and she stared at his vassal.


    "Zethari..." He whispered.


    Odana''s eyes widened, and she took a step back. "Nightstalker?" The others looked at one another when they heard the word.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Knowing there was no longer a point in concealing it, he shrugged and let his [Mask of Many Faces] fade. The group gasped collectively when they took in his true form. Each of the fey''ra stepped back, a few lowered their heads in prayer, and one even dropped to their knees. He tried to stop them, but it was useless. He simply waited for them to do whatever they felt was right.


    After several minutes, he decided to break the tension. "I came here today to remove your brands. Once the marks are gone, you''ll not have to worry about the weakening effects you were suffering from again, and you''ll be free to choose your own paths." He approached Odana. "May I?"


    "Whatever you wish, sod''ra." She pulled her dress back and revealed her brand, which was on her shoulder. He pressed his hands to it, and she shivered. He performed the same process as before, and minutes later, she had his sigil on her neck. The group roared when they saw what he''d done.


    One by one, he approached the fey''ra and held his palm on their brands. Some were on their necks, but others had them on their arms, legs, hips, or torsos. One by one, he removed their magic and replaced their brands with his own personal seal. After around an hour, he was shaking from exertion, but the task was complete.


    As he finished, his scroll unfurled.


    <hr><hr>


    [Those Who Rule]: By claiming new vassals and gaining a base of operations, you have strengthened your ability to influence the world. Vassals provide new skills, resources, and information you wouldn''t otherwise have access to, and your new location grants you the space needed to store materials, house companions, and generally be left alone when needed.


    You reach Level XVI


    You gain the [Quasireality] Mask Talent.


    [Quasireality] (Passive): Your mastery of deception allows you to blur the line between illusion and reality. All illusions you create are imbued with a fragment of reality, enabling them to partially interact with the physical world. These quasi-real illusions can deal minor damage, exert force, or create subtle environmental effects, confounding your enemies and enhancing your trickery.


    Choose an Enhancement:


    [Mana III]: Increases the reserve of magical energy coursing through you, further boosting your mana pool and enhancing your endurance when casting.


    [Life II]: Fortifies your life force further, making you stouter than all but the strongest mortals.


    [Resilience I]: Grants you increased endurance against poisons, diseases, and other conditions that would weaken or slow down ordinary beings.


    <hr><hr>


    Feeling as exhausted as he was after undoing their brands, he felt like now was the time to increase his life force further, so he chose [Life II]. He felt his energy return as the additional life force granted by the system entered him, but he was still tired.


    Seeing how exhausted he was, Odana escorted him to the pools and forced him into the hot water. She decided they would close the establishment for the moment, giving everyone time to chat and relax. He watched as each of them sank into the waters, the worry on their faces replaced with comfort. As they sat in the waters, he spoke to each and began to learn their names and pasts. As he did, he realized he felt like he was doing something truly good for no other reason than to help. It felt good.


    Zethari approached his side. Looking her over, he realized her face was downcast. "Zethari?"


    She struggled to find the words for a moment, then asked, "Do you think we could hunt for my mate, Nightstalker?" She lowered her head slightly, clearly not confident in his response.


    "Yes. I was hoping to do so. As soon as I teach the healers here how to break the brands, we will leave."


    Her yellow eyes met his, and the tension began to leave her face. "You are sure?"


    "Absolutely. Will we be heading north or south?"


    "North."


    "Okay. Then that''s what we''ll do."


    Words burned onto his scroll again.


    <hr><hr>


    You have obtained Zethari, Lupana Fey''ra Warrior''s quest [Find Your Mate: Rennar].


    <hr><hr>


    Her face lit up when she saw the words.


    "Thank you, Nightstalker." She shuffled up beside him, threw an arm around his shoulders, and stiffly hugged him. She''d never done anything like that before with him. He felt like they were getting closer. After a moment, she lowered her arm and shuffled away, but he appreciated her gesture.


    Odana floated up next to him. "Will you complete the ritual now, Nightstalker?" Her slitted green eyes shone with anticipation.


    "Indeed." He arranged the words in his mind. "Odana, do you swear to honor me as I honor you and serve as my seneschal in this place of water and rest? Do you swear to be my vassal for as long as we both choose?"


    Odana bowed her head. "I do."


    He felt that same power as before wash over them, and his scroll unfurled.


    <hr><hr>


    You have accepted Odana, Ophida Fey''ra Courtesan as your vassal.


    You may grant Odana one of your talents as an enhancement.


    <hr><hr>


    He granted her [Illusion Magic]. He figured she could put illusions to good use once she learned some spells. Once he established a new spellbook, he''d come back to Farnfoss and teach her.


    When she realized what he''d given her, her eyes widened, but she remained composed. "Thank you, Nightstalker. I am filled with honor." The snake woman leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "What of the others?"


    He noted her class. That''s why her presence was so compelling. Another thought occurred to him. "Since you have a class, can you take vassals?"


    "Yes, as long as I have a patron, I am legally allowed to do so."


    "Then you are the patron of all the others here. Make sure you do what''s right by them, Odana, or the Goddess will smite us both." Abad laughed. "And trust me, it''s not very fun being smitten." She seemed confused, so he added, "I won''t be here that often. This will allow you to do everything you need to do here without any issues."


    "Thank you, my lord."


    "Just Abad. You don''t have to be formal with me."


    "Thank you, lord Abad." They''d have to work on that eventually.


    She swam away and began gathering the others. As she did, Zethari grabbed his shoulder and forced him to face her. "You don''t know her well. Are you certain?"


    "You''re right. But I know you, and you clearly trust her."


    The wolf girl looked at him with an unreadable look. A moment later, she nodded and said nothing more.


    Odana approached him, the other fey''ra behind her. "May I...?"


    "Of course."


    She began the ritual, and all took turns swearing themselves to her. Once it was done, each bowed to both Abad and Odana. He felt a surge of emotion but quelled it. When he did, he felt something through his bonds with Zethari and Odana. It wasn''t as strong as his bond with Angra, but it was there, and it grew with every vassal the snake woman gained. It seemed that her having more vassals connected them further. He''d need to study the phenomenon further to understand how it worked.


    Once they were finished, he spent time cleaning up, got dressed, and turned to all of them. "I will be gone for some time, so be well. When I return, I look forward to speaking with all of you again and see how much you accomplish in between. Thank you for trusting me enough to swear allegiance to me." He bowed to them, then recast his [Mask of Many Faces]. "Until then, I bid you all a fond farewell."


    With that, he turned, exited the establishment, and walked back to the main road with a large smile.


    This felt right.