Novel Full Chapter 638: Castle Home (1)
Chapter 638: Castle Home (1)
Mounting Drakkias with practiced ease, Nathan had already traveled far beyond the Tenebrian Kingdom’s borders, leaving that demon realm behind as he pursued a different destination entirely.
He was traveling across open seas now, having departed the continent where Tenebria resided. The vast expanse of water stretched endlessly below them, waves catching sunlight and transforming into fields of shifting diamonds. Drakkias’s massive wings beat with steady rhythm, carrying them effortlessly through the air at speeds that would have been impossible through conventional means.
Nathan was now approaching the Achaean continent—or more specifically, a very particular location near that landmass that held significance known only to a select few. When they reached the precise coordinates he’d been navigating toward, Nathan signaled Drakkias to halt, and the golden dragon obediently stopped mid-flight, hovering in place with powerful wingbeats that disturbed the sea surface far below.
At first glance, nothing whatsoever seemed unusual about this location. It appeared to be ordinary open ocean, indistinguishable from the thousands of miles of water surrounding it. Empty sky above, endless waves below, no land visible in any direction.
But Nathan knew better. He reached out with one hand, palm open, and a small silver stone materialized from seemingly nowhere—pulled from whatever dimensional storage he’d been keeping it in. The stone was smooth and perfectly spherical, its surface reflecting light with an otherworldly quality that suggested its nature was far from mundane.
The moment the stone began to glow with internal luminescence, the very air and space around them warped visibly. Reality seemed to twist and fold in on itself, colors bleeding together and dimensions bending in ways that would have made any observer deeply uncomfortable. Then, just as suddenly as the distortion had begun, everything snapped back to apparent normalcy.
But something fundamental had changed, though the difference was imperceptible to ordinary senses.
Nathan prompted Drakkias to continue forward, and the dragon complied without hesitation. His mount trusted him completely, even when being asked to fly directly toward what still appeared to be empty air over open water.
And then, as Drakkias crossed an invisible threshold, something shifted dramatically. It felt as though they had passed through a film of water—a membrane separating one reality from another—and suddenly their surroundings transformed entirely.
An island materialized into view where moments before there had been only ocean. Not a small rocky outcropping, but a substantial landmass covered in lush vegetation—rich greenery and rolling grasslands that spoke of fertile soil and abundant life. The island was breathtaking in its natural beauty, seemingly untouched and pristine.
Nathan smiled with satisfaction as he guided Drakkias lower, directing the dragon to descend and fly across the island’s interior. They soared over forests and meadows until reaching the island’s approximate center, where a massive cleared space had been deliberately prepared—definitely not a natural formation but rather carefully constructed landing grounds.
Drakkias touched down with surprising delicacy for such an enormous creature, his clawed feet finding purchase on the packed earth. Nathan immediately dismounted, jumping down from the dragon’s back and landing smoothly on the ground.
He walked forward with purposeful strides, his eyes fixed ahead on what dominated this clearing—and his smile widened considerably as the full scope of the construction came into proper view.
A massive building rose before him, still clearly in the process of being completed but already displaying extraordinary grandeur and beauty even in its unfinished state. The structure was designed in the classical ancient Greek palatial style, with soaring columns and elegant proportions that spoke of divine architectural sensibilities.
It was constructed entirely from pristine white marble that seemed to glow with internal luminescence in the sunlight. The stone had been cut and fitted with such precision that the seams between blocks were nearly invisible. Temple-like elements incorporated throughout the design gave the structure an almost sacred quality, as though it was meant to house not just mortals but something transcendent.
The design was absolutely beautiful—aesthetically perfect in ways that mundane human architecture rarely achieved. Every proportion felt exactly right, every angle and curve contributing to an overall harmony that was deeply pleasing to perceive.
But beyond its beauty, the structure was genuinely giant. It rose multiple stories high, sprawling across a footprint that would easily accommodate hundreds of residents. The scale was genuinely impressive, approaching the dimensions of major public buildings rather than private residences.
This was Nathan’s future home—his and his wives’ and his children’s sanctuary, currently being constructed exactly as he’d dreamed about for years.
The concept had started as a complicated abstract idea years ago when his family situation first began expanding beyond manageable simplicity. But now that dream was becoming tangible reality, being physically built into something he could see and touch. And the execution was even better, even more magnificent than he’d dared to imagine.
In fact, Nathan genuinely hadn’t expected things to turn out this sublime or reach this monumental scale. His original vision had been considerably more modest—perhaps a large mansion or an expansive villa, something spacious enough to comfortably house his various wives and growing number of children without feeling cramped. Comfortable but not ostentatious.
But this… this was literally comparable to a massive Greek temple complex. The architectural vocabulary, the proportions, the sheer size—all of it evoked sacred spaces rather than domestic ones.
It reminded Nathan somewhat of the giant Theatre of Pompey in Rome—that colossal structure that had dominated the city’s landscape and impressed even the most jaded Roman aristocrats. Which was quite a comparison to draw, considering this was supposed to be a private home rather than a public monument.
But this was apparently how Eurynome had interpreted his requirements and planned the construction. And Nathan obviously wasn’t complaining in the slightest about her ambitious interpretation. If anything, seeing the reality of what she was creating made him appreciate her vision even more.
“What do you think?”
Speaking of Eurynome, her melodious voice came from directly behind him. She had materialized silently while he’d been absorbed in studying the construction, appearing with the effortless grace characteristic of divine beings.
Nathan turned around to face the blue-haired goddess, taking a moment to appreciate her ethereal beauty as always. Eurynome was stunning even by divine standards, her appearance carrying an otherworldly quality that marked her unmistakably as something more than mortal.
She had been personally overseeing this entire construction project since its inception two years ago, dedicating enormous time and divine energy to ensuring Nathan’s sanctuary would be everything it needed to be.
“I think I greatly underestimated both your capabilities and your ambitions,” Nathan said honestly, genuine admiration coloring his voice. “This exceeds my expectations by an order of magnitude. It’s genuinely breathtaking.”
Eurynome laughed at his assessment, the sound like wind chimes in a gentle breeze.
“I’m not personally doing the heavy physical labor,” she clarified with amusement. “I’m primarily giving orders, designing the overall structure, and using my divine power to reinforce critical elements—making absolutely certain the foundations and magical protections are perfect and will endure indefinitely. But the actual construction work is being performed by mortals.”
She gestured gracefully toward the building site ahead of them.
Nathan’s eyes followed her indication and took in the scene more carefully. Hundreds of human workers swarmed across the construction site, all moving with purpose and coordination that suggested excellent organization. They were everywhere—on scaffolding working on upper levels, laying marble blocks for walls, carving decorative elements, mixing mortar, hauling materials.
But these weren’t ordinary construction workers laboring under normal human limitations. Eurynome had blessed all of them, enhancing their physical capabilities far beyond mortal norms. They possessed superhuman strength that allowed them to lift and maneuver massive marble blocks that would normally require complex machinery. Their endurance was similarly enhanced, allowing them to work for extended periods without exhaustion. Their precision and skill had been augmented as well, enabling them to achieve architectural perfection that would be impossible for unenhanced craftsmen.
Eurynome had also provided them with all the necessary specialized tools and resources, ensuring they lacked for nothing in their work. Between the divine blessings enhancing the workers and the goddess’s direct oversight ensuring quality, they had reached this remarkable level of completion within just two years—progress that would normally require decades.
“Are you absolutely certain they won’t speak about this place to others?” Nathan asked for perhaps the hundredth time, though his concern was genuine rather than doubting Eurynome’s competence. “I don’t want anyone beyond those strictly necessary to know this location exists.”
The entire purpose of this hidden sanctuary was protecting his women and children from enemies who might target them to strike at Nathan indirectly. If word spread about this place, if its location became known, it would completely defeat that protective purpose.
“I’ve told you many times already—they are working specifically for me under divine contract, and they will completely forget everything about this project the moment their assigned work is completed,” Eurynome reassured him patiently. “I’ve woven memory alteration magic into the very blessings sustaining them. When the final stone is laid and their service ends, their memories of this island, this construction, even the journey here will simply… fade away like morning mist. They’ll return to their normal lives with no recollection of what they built or where.”
Her tone carried absolute confidence—this was divine magic, not mere mortal suggestion, and it would function exactly as intended.
“They’ll retain their enhanced construction skills,” she continued, “because those abilities can be explained as natural talent or training. But all specific memories of this location and project will be cleanly removed. Your sanctuary’s secrecy is absolutely guaranteed.”
Nathan nodded slowly, accepting her reassurance even as the strategic paranoia that had kept him alive through countless dangers made him instinctively uncomfortable trusting anything completely.
“How much longer until completion?” he asked, shifting to practical concerns.
“At the current pace, approximately six more months for the main structure,” Eurynome estimated. “Another three to four months beyond that for interior finishing, decorative elements, and establishing the full protective enchantment matrix. Call it nine to ten months total before your family can actually move in and the sanctuary becomes fully operational.”
Less than a year. After years of planning and preparation, Nathan’s dream of a truly safe home for his scattered family was less than a year from reality.
The thought filled him with profound delight and anticipation.