Aphrodite was soon passed out, leaving Eris the only one awake among those who had come here to help the Empress. As a god of trouble making, Eris’ thoughts went to the idea that her sister has proposed, but was soon distracted by something else.

Out in the courtyard, there was a lot of commotion taking place as attendants and siblings ran back and forth. With her god realm, Eris was able to watch everything happening without the need to get up from her relaxing chair. So she spread his senses closer to some of the ones running around to try to get an idea of what was happening.

"Full retreat...."

"Heading here..... Fort..."

"Gods killed...."

"North fallen...."

There was a lot of activity and even more confusion, but after a while Eris was able to get the idea of what was happening. After the Empress had retreated to receive treatment, the lines to the north quickly fell apart, despite the arrival of the Emperor and his legions. Even worse, several of the god realm heads and leaders had been killed, almost as though they had been targeted. They were all old hands of the Emperor having followed him here when he and the Empress had discovered this pocket dimension. And while they’re realms had remained stagnated at whatever level they were at once arriving, they we able to rule over this world like gods so many of them didn’t even try to keep advancing. When the Emperor had called upon them to take care of a problem in the north, he hadn’t revealed exactly what was happening so many of them were caught unaware and once confronted with the enemy, they had been killed without resistance. The Emperor, all the while, had hung out in the rear of the line, using them as bait to get the monster to reveal itself.

It never did.

Not that the Emperor would let their bodies go to waste mind you. In the name of regaining their honor, the Emperor’s men cut through the throngs of shadowed beasts and retrieved the bodies of all the fallen leaders in the god realm while ignoring everyone else. Once that was done, he had ordered a full retreat, leaving just two days after the Empress had left. She didn’t know this since they had constantly been on the move, not stopping for the several weeks it took to return to the Empire.

"So that means they are coming here first? I thought it was announced they would be meeting up at the fortress at Palamidi? Hmm... If his advanced guards arrive here first? Or it he checks in with mother to confirm her injury? And our boy is still here too? Would it seem strange if he wasn’t back in the slave pens when the Emperor returns? Well... this just got trouble some..." Eris thought, leaning back and taking a heavy swig of the wine that was close by, only to find that it was now empty.

"Fuck..." Eris thought, before getting up and moving over to two of her sleeping sisters and shaking them awake.

"Erato, Clio... wake the fuck up you lazy asses," Eris said, shaking them both awake.

"Eris... ?" Clio said, shaking the sleep from her eyes.

"I have a few jobs for both of you and since you both passed out first, you lose the draw. So get up. We have work to do."

...

When Laz came too, he moved slightly and felt a weight on top of him. He then moved some more to try to figure out what it was and felt a stinging pain coming from his crotch.

’God damn it...’ Laz said, resisting the urge to check out the damage.

’Apparently even I can’t have sex for that many hours straight without causing some damage to my ahhh... fuck.... that stings,’ Laz thought to himself, debating whether he even wanted to open his eyes and figure out what was happening.

’Still so tired....’ Laz knew he had wasted a lot of his abundant life force on healing Hera, so much more than he ever had before. As such, he wasn’t surprised by how tired he was. The problem was he was also hungry and needed food just as much as he needed sleep. With the weight on top of him though, there was little he could do to move.

"Off you go slut," someone said and the weight disappeared before a much smaller one appeared on his lap, causing him to flinch from the pain as they rubbed against his swollen, but not in a good way, member.

"FUCK... MY DICK..."

"He he. You should really let that thing heal before you do any more fucking daddy...." Eris’ voice cut through the haze still in Laz’s head as he opened his eyes.

Sitting on his lap was Eris while the recently moved Persephone was now laying on the same bed as her mother, clearly not ready to get up yet.

"What’s going on?" Laz managed to get out before he felt small and gentle yet strong arms begin to lift him up. Several pillows ended up behind his back when Eris spoke again.

"Open up," she said and since Laz was thinking about it, just opened his mouth as asked. A warm, salty liquid entered his mouth and he swallowed. Feeling the substance go down, Laz felt an immediate comfort and surge of energy enter his body.

"Better?" She asked.

"Yeah..." Laz responded.

"Good. Because I’ve got some bad news. For a while at least, you’ll need to head back to the gladiator slave block. The Emperor is returning soon and everything needs to be kept hidden if we are to have a chance. So for now you’ll have to return. But I promise I will have you freed shortly, ok? Just hold on for a while longer... I know you were going to be freed for this service, but since the Empress can’t push through the paperwork at the moment, you’ll have to endure for now," Eris said, her voice soft and sweet, a complete contrast to her normal demeanor. Because of that, Laz knew she was trying her hardest to be polite, but that it was important as well.

Laz knew this and was going to argue.

"No problem. Might as well bring me back now while I’m in such bad shape to make it look like I earned by keep" Laz said with a laugh that was soon joined by Eris. Laz had been bitten, bleed and worked almost to death. If it wasn’t for knowing how he had gotten that way, even she would have believed he had been beaten up.

"Alright. Be safe daddy. We’ll see you soon."

...

Two days later, all of the gladiators were being shipped off to the front line of the fortress, to hold back the waves of shadow beasts coming from the north.

*I don’t know. I just don’t know.* Kat said in Laz’s ear as they once again tried to plan some sort of strategy for what was to come.

The Emperor had returned, but other than that, they had heard nothing as to what happened with the Empress or anyone else. On top of that, there was no news on when he would complete his walk of freedom either. All Laz knew was that every able fighter was being sent to the fortress to help hold the lines. Luckily the gladiators would have an easier go of it than the conscripted commoners, given nothing but one day of basic training before also being marched north. As for any other training, it would happen there since they estimated it would take a week for the shadow armies to arrived.

’I just need to not stand out so much, not get to caught up and retreat when the line retreats,’ Laz once again suggested, but Kat was saying that was the problem.

*There is no telling how strong these creatures will be. Maybe they are expecting nothing more than a slaughter where if you even come back alive would mean they would suspect something.*

’Well. I can’t just play dead can I? No. The only thing I can do at the moment is to play whatever role I am given to the best of my abilities,’ Laz said firm in his own mind.

*The Emperor may notice you then.*

’I know, but its the only option I got.’

Laz wasn’t in the best of conditions, but there were others in worse shape. The entire block had been cleaned out and with that meant a lot of people with old injuries who’s only worth would have been getting killed in some bloody way. As for Laz, his vitality still was lacking so he looked rather sickly and thin. Still, he wasn’t about to complain about that since he finally felt full of energy. His inner world was brimming and thrumming with it, but his vitality was lacking. Once it recovered, he would be able to seriously consider his break through to godhood.

The head guard of the gladiators was in charge of their march and spoke with them often about what kinds of things to expect when they arrived. While they would be set up with the conscripted solders, their meals and lodging would be a bit better since they were being treated like senior solders.

"You’ll have a little over a week to get used to things while we drill you on some formations. This is the most important skill needed for this upcoming battle so all of you had better take it seriously," he said, looking at a few people in particular who all laughed.

"Once we climb this ridge, there is a straight shot to the fortress. All of you will be assigned four to a tent so try not... to... by all the gods..."

Once they climbed the ridge, all they saw was the fortress burning....