Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

When Onyx spoke, his voice was low. Though he showed little outward emotion, Dirtclaw could still hear the pride in his tone.

Giants, succubi, buffalofolk, and obsidian golems—those four races were the first to pledge loyalty to Orion. They'd also displayed the highest loyalty.

As the Stoneheart Horde expanded, more and more races joined. Even so, there was still a clear line between those closer to Orion and those further away. One obvious illustration was access to a precious resource like the Abyss Gate.

Even if Orion chose to open it, it naturally tilted in favor of those four core races he was closest to.

The gnolls, on the other hand, didn't hold much sway in the Stoneheart Horde yet. Dirtclaw was all too aware of that. He gazed at the distant Abyss Gate, silently giving himself a pep talk:

"I have to push harder. I have to prove myself. I have to reach Alpha level.

"Once I make Alpha, I'll be a Warden. Then the gnolls' standing in this Horde will go up.

"With better standing, we'll get more resources and more of Orion's attention.

"Dirtclaw, don't screw this up. Keep grinding!"

His eyes shone with steely resolve. Fergus's dramatic reappearance, riding an Abyss dragon in Moonshadow Valley, had been a serious wake-up call for some and a huge motivator for others.

No one felt it more than Tarn, Fergus's younger brother. Tarn had boasted he'd come back from the Abyss with his own pet dragon, only to fail to even tame a Bone Python. In fact, he couldn't get past the first level of the Abyss.

Standing in the throng, left arm injured, Tarn looked at his older brother basking in glory, clenched his teeth, and silently slipped away from Moonshadow Valley.

"That kid's young and hotheaded. Let's hope he doesn't just give up."

Orion and his guards were patrolling the western ridge of the city walls. With his sharpened senses, Orion quickly spotted Tarn in the crowd.

"My lord," one of the guards couldn't keep quiet, "we finally have a second Abyss dragon in our Horde!"

"Yes, and if we have a second, there'll be a third. Someday we'll have more than we can count."

Orion withdrew his gaze. Anyone returning from the Abyss Gate with real gains was good news for the Horde. It meant they were breaking ground on using such a special place to further the growth of their people.

"You all wait here," Orion said. Without another word, he leaped down into the underground fissure.

Spider Queen Lorelia was already waiting near the entrance, quietly awaiting Orion's arrival.

"Master, you're here."

Orion gave a small nod and strode into the dark tunnel leading to the bottomless abyss. Right before he reached it, he ran into Rockwell, who was on rotation to guard this area.

"My lord," Rockwell said, stepping out of the shadows with his stone axe slung across his back.

"That old wound of yours—are you healed up?" Orion asked.

"Thanks for the concern, my lord. I'm pretty much back to normal now!" Rockwell chuckled, looking in bright spirits.

"With the Abyss Gate open, I hear some of the obsidian golems have run into serious luck down there. Aren't you curious to check it out?"

Rockwell let out a hearty laugh, but while Orion and Lorelia continued forward, he backed away, returning to the darkness to keep watch as usual.

For Orion, gazing into this bottomless abyss no longer sparked the same fear or worry. Now, he felt more of a sense of anticipation. The thick aura of death was plain in his heightened perception.

"Have any of the little spiders come back recently?" he asked.

"They have," Lorelia replied.

Orion waited calmly for more, his expression unreadable.

"Every so often, at fairly even intervals, three Death Spiders have climbed up with the same report each time," Lorelia went on. "Master, your sister and the other elders have secured a foothold below, setting up a temporary camp."

Orion kept silent, eyes still locked on the darkness. After a long pause, he pulled out a piece of hide from inside his clothing and handed it to Lorelia.

"Copy the contents onto several more pieces. Next time you send the little spiders down, have them take this."

Lorelia glanced at the writing, then nodded in agreement. Orion turned, heading out the way he'd come, Lorelia right behind him.

"Send the spiders on more hunts," Orion said. "Use the Black Forest, Poison Dragon Swamp, and the Barren Mountains as your hunting grounds. By the time spring thaw arrives next year, I want to see the spider swarm hit at least a million."

This was Orion's directive. Poison Dragon Swamp, the Barren Mountains, and now Half-Moon Lake were all his territories, brimming with creatures that the cave spiders could hunt. Lorelia's brood no longer had a shortage of resources, so there was no real limit to how many she could raise.

"Master, I've already got little spiders joining Arch Elder Rendall's hunting parties in the Black Forest, Poison Dragon Swamp, and Barren Mountains. Should I dispatch them to Half-Moon Lake, too?"

As spider broodmother, Lorelia was eager to expand her swarm anyway. Besides the spiders stationed as guards around the bottomless abyss, the rest were out either hunting or helping the cannon fodder troops rebuild Blackstone City. The little spiders had become one of the Horde's most versatile assets.

"There's no need at Half-Moon Lake. Once Twilight Viper sets up shop, it'll provide all the resources we need from that area."

He paused, eyes flicking to Rockwell farther off. "Also, don't neglect your own cultivation. Even if I don't push for an invasion next year, someone else might come for us instead. Stay on your toes. From now on, expect battles every single year. Make the most of this quiet time."

By the time Lorelia parsed the deeper meaning behind Orion's words, Orion's silhouette had already vanished from the underground fissure.

…

A month passed in busy, boisterous activity.

In that time, Blackstone City saw extensive renovations, and the presence of the swamp tribes only heightened the energy. Construction teams were everywhere—from Moonshadow Valley all the way outside the city walls—raising fortifications and structures. Discover exclusive content at empire

One day, Orion walked along the city wall to the western ridge. Lately, Thunderhawk Rayden's cries had turned more powerful and ringing than ever. Early that morning, Orion had barely stepped out of his tent when the whole city was already talking about the thunderhawk circling overhead.

After more than a month of recuperation, Thunderhawk Rayden's feathers had regrown. The proud, sky-soaring thunderhawk was back.

Screee!

A winged shadow streaked past the mountaintop. Spotting Orion entering its territory, Thunderhawk Rayden swooped down from the sky.

Orion looked up, bent his knees, and let crackling arcs of lightning spark across his body. In a sizzling flash, he landed right on Thunderhawk Rayden's back.

The thunderhawk jerked in startled surprise—its master had vanished from the ground and then abruptly reappeared on its back mid-dive.