Whispers of A Dead Empire

Chapter 8

"What did you have in mind, mistress?" He asked as we watched the mob mindlessly stack the various materials for us to use, though it wasn't as neat as I wanted it to be.

"I was thinking of a fallen empire. One that was was torn asunder by an invasion and then betrayal. However, I am still working on the idea a bit. I can't go completely all out without a few things." I placed my notebook on the steps next to me and sat back onto my hands. The loose stone bit into my skin, although it wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

"What things do you need to do to complete this?" He asked as I closed my eyes, trying to enjoy the warmth of the air, which was a stark contrast to the biting cold from earlier in the day.

"Well, Bosses, for starters. I need to write stuff about them and create a back story. Afterward, I will probably attempt to link it to them to be with that knowledge if they awaken. That and essence. What can I create with it? How far can I expand my domain? What can I add to it?" The questions flooded out of my mouth since they were finally free.

"The bosses will come in time. As for the rest, we can work on it together. With essence, though, you can create almost anything you want with it. You just have to visualize it down to even the most minute detail. Otherwise, it won't come into existence. It's a bit more expensive if you dont have the materials for it on hand." I opened my eyes and saw that I had a massive pile of stone and wood, so that shouldn't be too big of an issue for me, at least at the start.

"What about the domain? How does that work?" I sat up and grabbed my notebook, and scribbled down the brief conversation.

"Well. You can't change the size of the foundation. However, the interior you can change at will, as well as the positioning of everything. Each new zone cost essence, and naturally, the amount increases with size. But it's a flat rate."

I raised my eyebrows and looked over at him. "Isn't that a little busted?"

"You would think. But grow too much too quickly; you are pushed to the side and will forever stagnate or be killed off. Grow too little, and it's the same. The weak will always get culled." His response was off-handed and sounded like he didn't care, but honestly, that was just his tone. I knew that bothered him a little. I would just have to be careful. I nodded my head and thought it over. Thankfully the cost would be manageable.

"Would adventures build cities in here if they had the chance?" It was a random thought but one that I was curious about. If they could, then I can work out trade deals and bring in more resources.

"In theory, they could, as long as they had a safe area. It would provide a steady source of essence for you and protection for them. But that is a rare occurrence." I nodded my head and jotted down the idea before closing my notebook. I slid it back into my bag and realized I still had this squirrel in here. I had to get this creature cooked so that I can eat.

"I see. Well, thank you, Kharon. I would love to finish this conversation, but I want to cook some lunch first before I starve to death." I explained as I stood up and threw it over my back.

"Why would you cook food? You are a domain god. You don't need to eat." He asked as he tilted his head much as a dog would.

"Wait, you're kidding, right?" I asked as I stood, dumbfounded.

"No. You no longer need to eat, sleep, or consume water. The domain sustains you and all of your needs." The skeleton stood up and cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders.

"Damn, that would have been nice to know before I panicked; Wait, you said I didn't have to sleep. So why did I before?" I asked as I reached into the bag and grabbed the dead animal. What was I going to do with it?