King of Kings

December 15, 2025

A shrill siren rang out, tearing through the silence aboard the vessel. It reverberated off the gaudy, cathedral-like halls of the massive chambers and common areas. It pierced every crawl-space and maintenance duct. No part of the ship was spared from the cacophony. This warning, above all others, was to be heeded quickly. The cry wasn’t isolated to this ship either. It resounded aboard every one of the nearly two thousand ships that comprised the Claxterion Armada. Those awake jumped in shock at the sudden wail. The sleepers slowly tried to orient themselves to the disturbance.

Before the last note of the shrill wail had ended, every ship of the fleet was filled with action. Those on night duty responded first, each knowing their role and executing it with practiced precision. Everyone onboard, from the lowliest peasant to the highest Arch Duke, had a role. The Claxterions had been waiting almost 75 years for this occasion, and there was not a second to spare. An excited energy permeated the ship; the long-awaited day had finally come. Navigators frantically worked to chart the fastest course to the coordinates that accompanied the alert flashing on every screen throughout the numerous vessels. Knights and squires prepared their weapons, armor, and gear. The higher nobles plotted and planned, often more politically than militarily, looking for ways to advance their station for the coming conversion.

Alongside the excitement, a palpable sense of urgency lingered as well. They wouldn’t be the only ships racing to their destination; far from it. Now, it was a race against time to reach the newly discovered planet and stake their claim. If they failed to quickly establish dominance, other kingdoms would swoop in and gain a significant foothold, potentially leading to a legitimate claim. This would perhaps even lead to another war, or multiple wars, depending on how many kingdoms arrived, their conquests, and their power. Complete and rapid control of the planet was crucial for Claxterion progress.

Above all the chaos, only one man stood still. Calm in the sea of activity that occupied all others. Having been among the sleepers roused at the disturbance, he had quickly dressed in imposing and beautifully ornamented black robes. Flecks of purple and blue were woven into the fabric, giving it a nebular look as he strode down the halls with purpose toward the bridge. Silver ornaments adorned the hems of the garment and fine ethereal silver patterns decorated the sleeves and chest. His large boots, also exquisitely crafted, made a soft staccato rhythm on the polished hallway floors. At nearly 7 feet tall, the imposing figure towered over those around him. His passing caused those nearby to stop what they were doing and bow in waves rippling out. Stepping onto the bridge, the hurried activity of the ship command center ceased under his penetrating gaze.

Though his robes bulged, hinting at a muscular physique, his features looked more skeletal than human. His gaunt white skin pulled tight over the skull, a bony pallor that struck a heavy contrast to the darkness of his raiment. His eyes, while still of human appearance, had red sclera that seemed to glow from the hollow and darkened eye sockets. Long black and white hair cascaded from the skull and down his back in a flowing mane. A crown of ornate silver sat atop the hair, and close observation would reveal the crown’s tendrils did not just sit atop the head, but penetrated into it, making the ornament as much a part of him as the hair it sat atop. Telaxis was the King of the Claxterion Kingdom. Of the seven kingdoms of the known universe he was the oldest and, without question, the most powerful of the monarchs. His age and experience had given plenty of time for the handsome features of his youth to distort into the macabre visage he currently struck.

The bridge was a large, open room, framed with massive viewing screens opposite a single entrance door. Dozens of peasants and lesser nobles sat at a sea of consoles in the lower area immediately in front of the screens. The various pilots, navigators, communications officers, and more were busy diverting the fleet towards their new destination. Behind and elevated about three meters above the lower section, a massive throne sat in a commanding position, elevated above all else and connected by rounded staircases on opposing sides of the room. The opulent ornamentation that adorned other areas of the ship continued here as well, though a bit less verbose as to not attract the attention of those running the ship.

Telaxis walked to the large throne and sat slowly. It was a monolith of stone, so matte it seemed to suck in all light around it. Though it was devoid of the color found in the decoration on the surrounding walls, it was still covered with ornate inlays. They were hard to decipher other than by touch, as the material did not allow reflections or shadows to highlight the carvings. Despite age and appearance, Telaxis’ movements exuded grace and poise. This extended to his eyes as they intently focused on the blue and green marble displayed prominently in the viewing screens.

“Proceed,” he rasped, and the frozen army on the deck below him resumed their actions as one. A noble from below scaled the stairs on the right side of the king. He was the only one in the room dressed in the deep crimson uniform that identified him as the captain of the vessel. He also wore the six small spheres that identified him as a Baron; this ship no doubt his Barony.

“Your Grace,” the man said, bowing respectfully, staring completely at the floor.

“Tell me of our new world,” Telaxis stated, his voice like gravel cascading over velvet; it was deep and smooth, though muted and having the rough edges of age.

“A Class Three planet, approximately eight billion new subjects for your Grace.”

“Excellent.”

There could have been a smile on the gaunt features of the king, though it was difficult to tell if it was an expression or permanent wrinkles of centuries old skin pulled tight over the bones beneath. At nearly 680 years old, Telaxis had carefully amassed a great deal of power, cementing his status as not just the strongest in the Claxterion Kingdom, but the strongest living human. There may be monsters or demons that rival him, but he hadn’t ever met them. He briefly pulled up his status window:

Name: Telaxis

Allegiance: Claxterion

Rank: King

Level: 99

Experience: 9324/10000

Stats:

• Strength: 119

• Intelligence: 126

• Wisdom: 126

• Charisma: 41

• Dexterity: 82

• Constitution: 100

There hadn’t been a modification to this status screen for nearly a decade. The last advancement had occurred when he neutralized a Duke’s attempt to assassinate him and defect to the Zelleron Kingdom with one of his spouses. He had accrued a respectable experience increase from uncovering and eliminating the conspiracy. Though minimal experience stemmed from the execution of the Duke himself, the system appeared satisfied with the demise of his now deceased wife. She possessed considerable power in her own right and, as reflected by the experience boost, she was the principal instigator of the plot. Since then, nothing significant had occurred to yield even a minor gain in experience. Suppressing minor uprisings or managing routine state affairs didn’t contribute at all at his level. Initiating a war or another substantial political event would likely generate a small amount, but what was truly required was an Assimilation Event. Furthermore, Telaxis wasn’t overly concerned about usurpation, as he recognized his position was far above any within his own realm. Among the other six kingdoms, their monarchs would have reached similar stagnation points in their progression, though still well below his own. None alive could pose a credible challenge to him.

His halting advancement would be resolved today. He would finally attain level 100, surpassing achievements previously unmatched by any human. Undoubtedly, every other kingdom would have been notified that the system had incorporated a new planet. While all would be mobilizing toward the nascent world, eager for the knowledge and resources it presented, the Claxterions possessed a distinct advantage. One of the king’s Wizards had successfully identified the sector where the assimilation would take place, so Telaxis had ordered the Armada to position itself within the darkness of space, anticipating the moment to act. They had been patrolling this region for nearly three years, and now it was time to initiate the operation.

Telaxis smiled to himself as he felt the subtle shift as the pilots repositioned the ships and prepared to jump towards the poor planet. This would be his greatest moment. The thing that would elevate him well above the other kings, and give his Kingdom the tools it needed to begin consuming the others.

There was a soft chime at the door, indicating someone wished to enter the bridge to speak with the monarch. “Enter,” he said in a measured and regal tone. With a soft hiss, the door slid open and Lord Berrington entered to stand before the king. He cut a majestic figure in his naval uniform. The deep crimson was a striking contrast to the black robes of the king. Where the monarch was gaunt and deathly looking, the Lord was handsome and healthy, exuding youth and vibrancy. “Your grace,” he said curtly as he bowed. “We should reach the planet in approximately 27 hours.”

“Good,” Telaxis responded, “Inform all Dukes and Arch Dukes that I expect a full report in 12 hours detailing their preparations and details of the planet. Be sure to inform me of the details of the assimilation as soon as you have them. Dismissed.”

Without a word, the Lord stood and exited. There was no need for the man to acknowledge the request. The system granted power, but it also required compulsive obedience to the noble hierarchy. Since it was a direct order, Lord Berrington couldn’t have ignored the command, even if he wanted to. As soon as he had conveyed the orders to the Dukes, neither could they. Only a King or a Queen, the highest rank, was beholden to none.

Telaxis remembered what it had been like as a boy. As the son of the previous king, he had the good fortune of being born with the rank of Prince. This was far from guaranteed. While having a parent with a powerful rank, the system would use a combination of genetics, disposition, and potential when assigning a rank to an individual. They were usually very predictable, but of the 38 sires of the old king, only 2 had been assigned such a vaunted rank at birth. This put him at roughly the level of a Count. He could command those of lower rank, but was still beholden to his parents and those members of his family that outranked him. He had been King for so long now, that thinking back to what it felt like to be compelled to obey by an unwavering force sent a shiver down his spine. It wasn’t something you could fight against, or shy away from; there was only obedience. He had worked hard to level up and advance his rank, to the point that by the time his father had died, he held the title of Crown Prince due to his own merit and effort. Hours of combat training, fighting monsters, political maneuvering, and dedicated study had leveled him up to prepare him for the moment his father died and he could assume the rank of King.

There were ways around the compulsion. The system had a margin of allowance if a command issued was too broad, or if the individual believed they were correct in an action. Distance played a factor as well. If a person wasn’t immediately near their nobility, a significantly higher-ranked noble from another kingdom could command them to obey and effectively steal away control from their original King and his court. When his dearly departed ex-wife was questioned how she had gotten around the marriage commands she had been given, she explained that she never intended to hurt or betray Telaxis, rather only to leave his service.

He had learned the plan was to escape to the Zelleron Kingdom, and have their King issue her commands that would free her from Telaxis, allowing her to return and murder him later. Of course, she had no recourse but to divulge all of these plans in great detail when directly questioned by Telaxis. That was one of the great benefits of being a King; Nobody could deny his command. Despite being his wife, the woman had only had the rank of Countess. She had no choice but to obey those who outranked her. The look of anguish on her face as she divulged every detail of the conspiracy was delightful to the old King.

6 hours since conversion

Telaxis stood in his solar before a giant projection of the planet which took up the majority of the large room. Various colors lit up the globe, each hue indicating how the conversion was progressing. The ambient glow of the rainbow of light cast eerie shadows around the dark walls of the space. Green indicated that the local population had been claimed as subjects for the Kingdom, either through forcing a surrender or through being of high enough rank to usurp the existing nobility. Yellow meant this was an area of current contention; these areas usually meant that the force dispatched didn’t have a high enough noble to command the other side to yield outright. There would either need to be a traditional battle and surrender or Claxterion command would have to send a Duke to intervene. Usually this was far from necessary as the technical superiority and military prowess of the Claxterion Knights far exceeded those of the recently assimilated barbarians.

The Kingdoms usually referred to these events as a “conversions” rather than an invasion or similarly militaristic description. Rarely could the natives put up any real resistance. The inhabitants of the newly assimilated planet would have had little time to acquaint themselves with the system and organize their society into the new hierarchy. Inevitably it would take some time for them to figure out the rules of levels and abilities, how the nobility ranks worked, and for the newly minted nobles to consolidate their rule over their subjects. This would leave scattered pockets of nobility branches scattered around the planet. While there would always be some fighting, if a high enough noble was able to swoop in and command the new initiates to comply and swear fealty to the empire it made the process go much faster.

Usually, if a noble was at least two ranks higher than another, the higher could command the lower to defect from their previous alignment and submit to a new noble branch. While this was a convenient way to avoid bloodshed, it had to be done in person and couldn’t be done through a recording or transmitted through some other means of remote communication. These intricacies led to interesting scenarios whenever the kingdoms clashed with each other. The fighting would be fairly standard, unless a high enough noble arrived that could order the other side to surrender. Though in practice this wasn’t much of a concern due to the small number of the higher ranking nobles, but it did occasionally happen.

The final color on the globe was red. These areas indicated that the Kingdom had not yet gained control nor engaged with the region. Of particular concern to Telaxis on this occasion was a troublesome red spot that wasn’t shrinking, but rather growing. He had been watching it intently over the past few hours, expecting it to be rapidly consumed at any moment by the surrounding yellow and green. A slight twinge of anxiety and annoyance tugged at the edges of Telaxis’ consciousness.

Perhaps this was one of the rare occasions where a native had been born to the role of Count upon assimilation. While not unheard of, it was very infrequent, with only a few recorded cases over the thousands of documented events. Usually the highest rank that might be awarded upon assimilation was Earl. Peasant was easily the most common, with over 95% of the population gaining this title. Squires, Knights, and Lords would make up the remaining 5%.

Raising his hand, Telaxis summoned a Patrician to his side. “Send Duke Alleris to this area at once. I want this area conquered quickly. Have him find out what is going on and report back immediately.”

As before, once commanded the lower classed noble stood and carried out the order without acknowledgement. Alleris was one of his finest Dukes, and without question would be able to handle whatever resistance the poor native Count could be mounting. The Claxterions couldn’t afford to delay any longer. Their scouts had already warned that the Toldarians were nearing the area, with surely the other 5 kingdoms not far behind. Feeling that the immediate crisis had been addressed, Telaxis sat back in his imposing throne and focused on other areas of the slowly turning globe.

10 hours since conversion

A tense atmosphere prevailed in the command room. All those assembled could sense the consternation that held grip on Telaxis as he looked intently at the globe. It had been 4 hours since Duke Alleris had deployed to the region, but instead of the assimilation Telaxis had demanded, the red spot had grown significantly. All other red and yellow on the planet had turned to a solid, satisfying green. All but this one troublesome spot.

By now, the anxiety had taken true hold in Telaxis. How could this be? Duke Alleris should have been able to handle anything but a King, Queen, or Arch Duke, which shouldn’t have been possible to occur naturally on a remote planet such as this. Telaxis had first thought that maybe one of the other kingdoms had arrived without the Claxterions noticing. But that theory was quickly put to rest as every ship in the armada confirmed there was no sign of other kingdoms’ arrival or interference yet. Perhaps Duke Alleris had been killed? That simply had to be the case, since it couldn’t be possible that he had been compelled to change alliances. Telaxis straightened, seemingly coming to a conclusion. “Prepare the royal guard and my excursion team. I’m going to handle this personally.”

11 hours since conversion

Telaxis dominated his troops on the ground by several ranks. The presence he exuded demanded respect from those inferior without him having to speak or so much as look at his subjects. A King, not to mention a King of his level, exuded an aura that couldn’t be ignored. The craft had touched down in a desolate waste. The signs of battle were evident in the scars, detritus, and smoking piles that surrounded the area. The ruin stretched out in all directions, evidence of the battle that had taken place here. Squires, Knights, Earls, and Barons all gazed at him, wide-eyed, as he strode down the ramp leading off his landing craft. As his foot touched the surface of the planet, the assembled group of onlookers bowed as one. None were able to resist the compulsion to show respect to so powerful a noble. Not that any of them would even think to do so. These were loyal Claxterions all.

“What is the situation here? Where is Duke Alleris?” Telaxis asked resolutely. A round man nervously assumed responsibility and summoned the courage to answer the King’s question. As he rose and approached the king to speak, Telaxis cast his Identify ability on the man.

Name: Selmenton

Allegiance: Claxterion

Rank: Baron

Level: 28

Experience: 2570/3500

Stats:

• Strength: 18

• Intelligence: 22

• Wisdom: 22

• Charisma: 26

• Dexterity: 18

• Constitution: 18

“He and about 50 knights left about 4 hours ago, headed toward the conflict zone. We haven’t heard from him since. His communication equipment and tracking went dead about a half hour after he left. We presume them to be dead. Perhaps the natives possess some form of weapon powerful enough to kill a high-level noble at range.”

“Have you been able to convert any of the enemy? Surely you have questioned them to determine what sort of weapons and rank our future subjects possess?”

“I have tried your grace,” the man responded cautiously, “But I have been unable to convert any of them. They have thus far been able to ignore any compulsion to obey.”

The King was quite displeased to find that his hunch had been correct, though none of this showed on his face. Not only did it seem that their foes possessed some impressive firepower, it appeared a Count must have arisen among the natives as well. A Baron wouldn’t be able to command anyone to defect, especially with a Count so close by. That also meant that Duke Alleris must be dead, since he would have certainly reported back the presence of natives that he couldn’t assimilate.

Anger flared in Telaxis now. His previous annoyance replaced by a seething rage. After so long of a wait, it was foul luck to stumble upon a Count appearing on a native planet. That aside, the loss of Duke Alleris was a major blow to his military prowess. The Duke had been competent, powerful, and loyal to a fault. Telaxis had liked the man enough to even arrange a marriage between Alleris and one of his favorite daughters. It would not be easy to replace him.

Addressing all of his assembled forces at once, he proclaimed, “Everyone fall in with me. Let us go see what has become of my dear Duke Alleris and his men.” The assembled military might set out from their camp, moving swiftly in orderly rows behind their king as he marched with determination towards the contested area. The waste extended out before them as they neared the front. The evidence of battle was more apparent here, with the smoking mounds giving way to more recent wreckage, with buildings, trees, and other flammables consumed by the combat.

As he approached the battle, the sounds of fighting reached the ears of the marchers. When the enemy came into view, the king let the full power of his aura flow out. The fighting had been focused in what could have been the remains of a city. Combatants from both sides were taking cover behind trees, rubble, and what remained of the urban expanse along the ruined blocks. Lining the streets, Telaxis noted metallic boxes with glass windows standing on black rubber cylinders. Some kind of vehicle perhaps? The sky began to darken as Telaxis’ power roiled out, and bolts of bright blue lightning flew from the king’s body towards the combatants before him. Dozens fell in an instant as the bolts of lightning arced between the enemy, their lives ending before they hit the ground, their bodies smoking blackened husks. “KNEEL!” Telaxis bellowed.

All of the remaining enemies within view instantly fell to their knees, with whatever weapons they had been holding dropping to the ground. Most seemed to wield primitive projectile weapons, though there were a few axes, swords, and two black sticks connected by chains. All of them fell to the ground with a harmonious clatter in the sudden silence that had enveloped the battle field. A few of the now docile combatants suffered the effects of various attacks that had been directed at them before the king’s command and reeled back as the blows from the Claxterions found their targets.

“Now,” Telaxis ordered with purpose, “Bring me one of them.” A dirty looking man was brought before the king. He knelt and kept a humble composure, with the full weight of the King’s majesty taking its effect, forcing the man into humility. Telaxis used a quick identify on the man, and scoffed at what he saw.

Name: Justin Blankenship

Allegiance: Wild Stallions

Rank: Peasant

Level: 2

Experience: 87/150

Stats:

• Strength: 4

• Intelligence: 4

• Wisdom: 3

• Charisma: 3

• Dexterity: 3

• Constitution: 3

“Who is your commander and what is his rank?” Telaxis asked coldly. A passive translation ability accompanied the rank of King, allowing his commands to be understood by all no matter what their tongue. “His name is Skyler… I’m not sure his last name. And I’m not sure of his rank. All I know is we can’t help but do what he says. Not that that’s a problem, we all want to fight you invaders.” Justin said without looking up. “Well, I command you to join us. Welcome to the Claxterion Kingdom!” Telaxis said with a slight grin. The recent captives all looked at each other with confused expression on their faces.

“Take me to this, Skyler” Telaxis ordered, and Justin quickly rose to comply. “Yeah I guess, follow me” he said immediately, the fear evident in his voice. Clearly this “Skyler” was a mighty warrior. While the translation ability could only do so much, Telaxis picked up on the “sky” part of the name. Surely this man ruled the heavens and would be a truly formidable foe. Telaxis was eager to add such a warrior to his ranks. As the entourage followed Justin through the enemy lines, Telaxis didn’t need to say anything, letting his Aura alone do all the work. The enemy knelt immediately as they saw him and felt his powerful presence. Some flinched as an occasional bolt of the still summoned lightning around Telaxis arced and buzzed. Some even were on their knees before their new King came into sight. Weaklings. All of them.

Justin led the group towards a rocky outcropping, and what looked to Telaxis to be a small shelter made of natural materials. As the building came into view, a strange sensation stirred within the King. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. “What could this be?” He wondered internally as every footstep brought him closer to the small shelter. With each step, the strange sensation grew, and his unease tightened. “I haven’t felt this way since I was a child in my Father’s presence.” The terrifying thought that one of these natives had assimilated to the rank of King crossed his mind. He quickly dismissed the notion, and chastised himself for even thinking such a thing. That was absolutely impossible. There needed to be strong royal blood for someone to be born a King or Queen. Even a Duke was impossible. The thought helped Telaxis feel better as he approached the structure, quashing his anxiety and preparing to face whatever was inside.

“Come out immediately!” Telaxis demanded, stopping a short distance away from the meager structure. Instead of the quick sounds of obedience that had become the norm when a command was issued, he instead heard muffled but unhurried shuffles. After a few moments the door to the structure opened, and Telaxis’ world shattered to pieces.

Telaxis could not comprehend what was happening. His eyes had landed on the ordinary looking man as he exited the structure. Telaxis had been prepared to command the man’s surrender. Instead, before the old King could speak, the man had said simply, “Let’s take a knee and talk this out”. Telaxis had then immediately fallen to one knee, eyes locked on the dirt beneath his armored feet. Try as he might, he couldn’t move. He struggled in futility to look up and gaze upon this leader of the resistance, but no matter how much he strained, he could not avert his eyes.

Fear shot through Telaxis like the lightning, which he had used to lay waste to the enemy forces but that he now found out of reach. What could be happening? This was the same feeling he had as a child, standing before his father, the King. But that had been centuries ago. He was the king now, he bowed to nobody. It simply was not possible for him to be beneath this savage.

“Hey! What’s up?” The man said in a casual, upbeat tone, sending shivers down the King’s powerful spine. This further stoked the rage and confusion. How dare some filthy barbarian address him, the mighty King Telaxis, in such a way. Anger seethed inside, but no matter how hot his rage, he could not move. A pause followed as Telaxis struggled internally to rise. “Oh right!” The voice continued. “Stand up, Bro! No need to be bowing to me.” As if a weight was lifted off of him, Telaxis was finally able to stand up and gaze upon the creature that somehow had control over him.

His rage melted to confusion as he studied the unremarkable human before him. There stood a plain looking male, wearing short pants that ended at the knee, and a loose fitting shirt with a strange hand signal emblazoned on it. He had a shaggy beard and sandy, wavy, disheveled hair. Telaxis forced himself to set his shock aside to use identify on the man, and his blood turned to ice. Despite the very short description that was returned, he could only focus on one line of the data displayed before him.

Rank: King of Kings