A Soldier's Life - Chapter 88: Battered and Bruised

“Success is a shallow foundation built on luck and circumstance. Failure, accumulated and stacked like endless bodies in a mass grave, forges the deepest roots into unshakable power. I know all this about power with surety as all I had were countless failures. After all, I am Vakochev, and I set the very Scales of Existence. This... is my story. Existence, is my Story.”---In the brutal Lands of Stone, where mountains move and beasts devour civilizations whole, power is the only currency that matters.Damian Vakochev was once a prince to a glorious power, but he was stripped of that power, family, and everything he held dear as he was left with a shattered foundation.In an age where tribes war for scraps and Neolithic Empires crush all who oppose them, where ancient beasts roam territories older than memory and Mana flows through the Lands of Stone like blood through veins, where Warriors reinforced by Mana who could go against entire armies and Primal Beasts could devour entire mountains, Damian looks upon it all and asks...why?Who said things had to be the way they were? Who decided what power truly was?Why could he not stand over the tallest mountain and declare exactly what power was as he saw fit?!Why did he have to follow the set path of cultivation? Why were others born with Land and Sky Physiques while he was not? What prevented him setting up his own rules and his own paths?!

WARNING!-DARK ROMANCE-“Why do you have scars?” All of sudden, Iris changed the topic, as she looked at Cane in the eyes. She was still clutching to his sleeves.“Your father gave me,” Cane replied. He thought, Iris wouldn’t remember this conversation when she woke up.“That must be so painful.”“They are.”“Will the scars heal?”“I don’t think so.”The night indeed made you vulnerable and let you said something that you would never admit when it was bright. The obscurity softened your heart.“Too bad. You have a warm soul.” Iris frowned slightly.“I no longer have a soul.” He had sold his soul for the freedom of his people. There was nothing left of him right now.“Yes, you have, but you are in so much pain.” Iris blinked her eyes. “Your beast is in pain. You have so many scars.”“The only scars that I have is on my face.”Iris shook her head meekly. “I am not talking about your face. I am talking about your soul. Too bad, you are in so much pain… what my father and brother had done to you must be painful…”And after that, Iris closed her eyes and fell asleep.======================She is the daughter of an alpha who has killed his family, razed his pack and has also made his people slaves.Now, he has achieved revenge after ten years of being treated as a slave and was living a life that no one would ever imagine. Life akin to hell.And ten years later, Alpha Cane manages to take over and kill the alpha who has made the lives of his people worse than death.It was time for him to make the children of the alpha pay for what their father had done.Only…Iris was a runt and she was very different from her father.

Suffering the machinations of family, Remus is sent to the newly built border city of Greltheaven. A place filled with opportunities but also dangers.If it had been up to him, he would have stayed in the safety of the empire, slowly building his business as he had planned, but he did not have a choice, either go to the dangerous city or live a mediocre life.Which he is not willing to do.Swearing revenge, he packed his bags and moved to Greltheaven, a city of great dangers and fortune.... A brothel is not an easy business to run, much less get success, but since fate had so kindly decreed it upon him, he will not only run the brothel but will make it immensely successful.He had plans, big plans for it; he only hoped the city would remain standing long enough to turn his small business into an empire.

His lips hovered near her ear, his voice a dark whisper against her skin. “You may fear me, little bride, but I will teach your body to crave me… to need me, until I am all you ever want.”---Belle was never meant to be the bride. But when her parents cried to her about how her beautiful sister could not be married to such a man, she was forced to take her sister’s place. To prevent war between the two worlds of humans and vampires, the kings decided to sign a peace treaty with a marriage, but the only man they could offer for this marriage was a vampire said to be mad and completely heartless. When they said heartless, they meant really heartless, but Belle, being a naive girl her whole life, had no idea what she was stepping into by agreeing to this marriage.At first, he appeared innocent, a man completely opposite to all the rumors around him, until she slowly began to realize every single thing said about the mad vampire was true, or perhaps even worse! He was a man who walked in the path of darkness. He knew no light and showed no mercy, even to those who were not his enemies. He had no heart to love, no emotions but dark ones to feel for anything or anyone. But all of a sudden, when he set his eyes on her, he decided he wanted to keep her, and Belle's naive world began to take a different turn because the mad vampire was hellbent on tainting her innocent soul.Expect“Now, can we forget this happened and enjoy the night?” He arched an amused brow at her, making Belle's heart drop to her stomach as she recalled the so-called wedding night.She hurriedly pulled away from him, her face flaming with embarrassment. From everything she had heard about this night, she was not ready to experience it with this man. The women whispering about it in Mr. Marchant's shop had said one would hate their husband's presence after it and be disgusted by the act. It was not an act meant for pleasure for any woman but torture.Now that she realized her husband would do the same with her, she swallowed hard and nervously clutched her dress. “I...I am not feeling well, My Lord, I—”“Rohan,” he cut her off with a tone of amusement. “Use my name when you address me, sweetheart. You looked quite energetic when you tried to go after the ring for someone who isn't feeling well, but,” he sighed softly, “I've always been a generous man. I won't let you stress yourself tonight.”Belle began to sigh in relief and smile in her mind that he wouldn't push her for the wedding night ceremony. She was even about to part her lips and agree that he was indeed generous and even offer him a thank you when he continued to speak, causing the momentary relief to be replaced by dread.“I will pamper you tonight, and you won’t have to lift a hand. I will give you all the pleasure since you are feeling unwell. Take it as the first lesson in my plan to make you forget love and welcome lust.”“...!”“Lie on the bed for me, Isa.”Belle felt her throat go dry at that strict command.“I...I...” She began but could not find any words to say to make him spare her tonight. What had she got herself into? Belle thought as a pit seemed to form in her stomach, a deep, gnawing dread.“Do you need me to carry you to the bed, or would you rather walk there yourself?” Rohan questioned with dark mirth in his voice and eyes as he watched her like a hawk. He could tell she was nervous, but what to do? She had brought herself into his world.Belle began to walk slowly to the bed at a snail’s pace, as if delaying it would help prevent the dreadful act from happening tonight. She could feel him following closely behind her. When she reached the bed, she used her shaky hands to move the drapes aside and carefully sat at the edge of it, her hands folded nervously on her lap. She felt his piercing gaze on her, but she dared not look up at him.“Lie down,” he ordered softly.MATURE CONTENT, NO RAPE!!