WorldCrafter - Building My Underground Kingdom

"So, can you tell me what's going on now?" Ben asked, eyes fixed on the man seated across from him.

They were inside a sealed, moving carriage, its interior dim, silent except for the soft hum of magic beneath their feet. Ben had tried asking earlier, but the Nephirid escort insisted they leave immediately if he truly wanted to help.

"Honestly," the man replied, "I don't know much detail. What I can tell you is this, the civil war just ended. Things are still a mess. And the one who wants to meet you… isn't Prince Zeratul."

"Not Zeratul?" Ben's brows furrowed. "Then who? Something happen to him?"

The man's gaze sharpened. He fell silent for a beat, then finally answered, "You'll find out soon enough. The one requesting your presence… is the Queen."

'The Queen?' Ben's thoughts whirled. 'Is this connected to the civil war?'

As the ride continued, the fragments began falling into place. Just as Zeratul once warned, several princes had attempted to seize control by getting help from the daemon's. Hungry for power, ambitious like their father, they triggered chaos on an unimaginable scale.

What started as political maneuvering soon erupted into full-blown war. Cities burned, loyalties fractured, and order collapsed.

The Nephirid King, remained detached. Whether he didn't know or didn't care, it made little difference. The servants moved around the truth, but Ben could read between the lines.

Time passed in silence until the carriage finally slowed to a halt. "Wait here," the man said curtly, stepping out.

"We're already at the border?" Ben muttered, glancing around. There're no windows. The interior was completely sealed, enclosed in layers of magic. But even without sight, he could feel it.

A dense formation wrapped around the carriage, one designed to suppress magical sensing, isolate vibrations, and scramble aether signatures. His awareness was muffled to a crawl.

'He's reporting to someone now. Let's see… 10… 15… 36 people nearby. Quite the security detail. This many people, while Elvira and I couldn't detect anything before…' Ben sighed.

If not for the suppressive enchantments, he would've already released his Krell ants to scout the surroundings and mark infiltration routes for the future.

Moments later, the Nephirid returned, this time with a sour expression.

Ben tilted his head. "Something wrong?"

"Not your concern," the man snapped.

Seeing he didn't want to talk, Ben let it go. The cause wasn't hard to guess.

As a Nephirid, dealing with royal affairs, especially those involving entitled elites, was always a chore. And from what Ben could sense, the guards posted outside weren't Nephirid. Likely fire temple personnel, puffed up with arrogance and bloated egos. No wonder the man looked annoyed.

'It makes me appreciate the veterans back in Vlontera. Prideful, sure, but still leagues better than this.'

Suddenly, the carriage vibrate, interrupting his thoughts. Ben instantly felt the spatial fold engage, an unmistakable ripple of space manipulation. "We're here," the man said.

The door swung open, revealing a familiar scene, one that stirred echoes of the Nephirid capital. The architecture, the atmosphere, even the scent of the aether-infused air, all of it mirrored the design of their homeland.

Before Ben now stood a grand castle adorned with intricate carvings, its surface pristine and unmarred by war. It looked untouched. As if the civil war had never reached this place.

Standing before the gate was a sharply dressed man in a dark suit. With a single glance, Ben recognized him as Velmorian. "You've done well, Rozark. I'll take it from here," the man said.

Rozark gave a silent nod and stepped back as the Velmorian approached Ben, offering a respectful gesture. "We've been expecting you, Sir T'zarek. The Queen has heard much about your exploits."

"My exploits?" Ben raised an eyebrow, grinning. "You'll have to be more specific, I've got quite a few."

The Velmorian offered a faint smile and motioned for him to follow.

They entered the castle. Despite its enormous scale, the halls were nearly silent. No guards. Just polished floors, gilded columns, and the quiet hum of latent enchantments.

But Ben didn't drop his guard. The moment he stepped inside, a strange sensation crept over him. The castle was immaculate, beautiful, but it gave off a subtle pressure.

A presence. Something that reminded him of the time he spent inside the belly of the hell worm.

Eventually, they reached a long hallway ending in a solitary door. "Please enter," the Velmorian said, stopping. "I'll remain here."

Ben nodded and stepped inside. The room was modest compared to the rest of the castle.

At its center, seated behind a desk piled with papers, was a Nephirid woman. She didn't look up at first, still scribbling signatures and marking documents with swift efficiency.

She was striking, elegant, commanding. There were no scars on her face, but her features carried the unmistakable sharpness of a warrior.

Ben took a seat without a word, his posture relaxed but his senses sharp. He patiently observed the woman before him and the surrounding room, noting the fine details, the subtle enchantments woven into the walls.

The queen remained focused on her work, flipping through documents and signing them with swift strokes. It was clear she wasn't in any hurry.

Five minutes passed in silence. Then, finally, she looked up and met his gaze. Her voice carried authority, laced with restrained curiosity. "So you're T'zarek… I see the rumors didn't do you justice. You're stronger than what I heard."

Ben smiled, unfazed by her delayed greeting or subtle provocation. But just because he wasn't offended didn't mean he would play along. "Let's not waste time," he replied calmly. "Why did you call me here? And let me be clear, I won't lift a finger unless I get something in return."

The queen's eyes narrowed. The warmth drained from her gaze as a heavy pressure radiated from her body, washing over the room like a rising tide.

Ben's expression hardened. The pressure is no joke, it's almost on teh same level with Apophis.

In response, he released his own aura. The room shuddered under the weight of their clash.

Energy crackled in the air. Cracks formed along the marble floor and spiderwebbed across the walls, the enchantments groaning under the strain.

Still, the queen didn't back down. Her gaze widened slightly in surprise as she pushed harder.

"To think… a human, down here at this depth," she murmured, voice sharp with disbelief.

Ben's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" he shot back, neither confirming nor denying, his power rising to meet hers.