After many hours of planning and organising, a frigate has been sent to the Dread Swamp to begin its search for Tirek. I've also deployed a sloop each to the other two possible locations.

"Now all we can do is wait. You three get some rest, we'll go hunting in a few days like we used to do back in Felfire," I tell my sons who all smile at the thought.

"That would be great, father. It has been awhile since we last went," Tidus replies while rubbing his hands together.

"By the way, how's your marefriend doing?" I ask Tidus with a grin.

He sighs and shakes his head. "She left me for another deamon over a month ago. Said she only really dated me because I was your son, and since I wouldn't spend anything from the treasury on her, she left for a more wealthy demon," he replies sadly.

"Ah... Well I'm sure you'll find the the right demon for you someday," I tell him making him sigh.

"I've got all the time in the world to do that. But finding Tirek is our top priority for now," he tells me and yawns.

"Right. Go get some sleep. I'm going to go check on Twilight," I tell him and then head for the door.

"Sssleep well, father," Scalefang says and I wave over my shoulder as I exit the war room.

I trudge my way through the Castle and to my bedroom where I greet maids and soldiers along the way. I arrive at my doors and push them open to see Twilight laying on the bed with an excited Desire bouncing up and down next to her. Slitherana has coiled her tail and is using it like a chair next to the bed with a smile on her face.

"Damien! You worked quickly didn't you!" Desire says with a shit eating grin while patting Twilight's stomach. Who is blushing fiercely.

"It wasn't intentional but it is a welcome surprise. We did talk about having more kids around here, and it seems Twilight beat you both to it," I say and strip down to just my trousers.

Desire then pouts and crosses her arms. "Well, if it wasn't for Tirek right now, I'd have you bend me over this bed and buck me till I'm bloated with your hot steamy-" she replies getting a cough from Slitherana.

"I underssstand, Desssire. But I think you're making poor Twilight even more embarrassssed," my naga wife comments.

I look to Twilight to see her whole face lit up with a blush as well as down her neck.

"Oh... did you want to join in as well?" Desire asks the purple succupony who whimpers and pulls the blanket over her head. I also notice her rubbing her thighs together.

"Stop teasing her, Desire. She's nervous enough about it as it is," I lightly scold my wife.

She sighs and waves a hand. "Fine, but once Tirek is dead you're putting another foal in me," she tells me and without shame strips naked and cuddles up to Twilight who I suspect now has a full body blush.

I slip under the covers next to Twilight where Slitherana slithers in next to me.

"Let's just get some sleep. Tomorrow we can just relax as there's not much we can do until the airships return," I tell them and after a round of goodnights, we all fall asleep.

We're rudely awoken by my daughter Olivia who despite looking tired is bouncing around excitedly.

"I DID IT!" she yells making Desire groan and stuff her face into Twilight's chest, making the purple girl yelp at the sudden action.

"Did what?" I mumble rubbing my eyes.

"I finished the dune buggy! It works!" she tells me which wakes me up faster.

"It's finished?" I ask with a grin.

She nodded furiously and runs back out of the room.

I climb over Slitherana getting a giggle out of her. I then quickly get dressed and head out the room after my daughter.

I greet the soldiers and maids along the way to her Lab at the back of the Castle. Once there, I enter to see the buggy humming with power as the motor in the back is running smoothly.

It's a beautiful sight. "Olivia, it's amazing," I tell her getting her to squee happily and then pass out on her couch. She must have been working on it all night again.

I chuckle and then cover her with a blanket she keeps on the back of the couch just for occasions like this. I walk over to her workbench to see an instruction manual for the buggy.

I take a seat in the buggy and start reading the manual. Seems the gears are changed with two buttons or levers behind the grip of the wheel on each side. The right one goes up a gear while the left lowers it.

To reverse you'll have to go to gear one and then go one lower, seems like there's no neutral gear. The handbrake is between my legs, kinda like a jet fighter's flight stick.

There's no clutch pedal, but there are both a brake and accelerator pedal. There's some basic meters like speed, battery power levels, and distance travelled.

I find two more switches for headlights and powering the buggy on and off.

While I'm reading the manual, Twilight, Desire, and Slitherana enter the Lab and spot Olivia asleep.

"We've told her not to work all night multiple times..." Desire says with a sigh.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Twilight's done it before as well," I say getting Twilight to blush faintly. "Thought so. I take it you'll be continuing your silver research here? Maybe get Olivia to help you," I say to the purple succupony.

"Yes. I'm hoping to come up with an enchantment or ward to counter its effect. I'll be needing a lot more silver than we have right now though for testing," she replies and walks over.

“Once we get a connection back to Equus established, we’ll bring back some more for you to study,” I tell her.

I examine the area and it should be big enough to allow Twilight on my lap.

"Hey, Twilight. Want to take this for a spin with me?" I ask her getting her to perk up.

"Oh yes please," she replies and I help her sit comfortably on my lap.

The seat belt stretches far enough to strap us both in as I clip the two ends in front of Twilight’s chest.

"Desire, can you open the shutters please?" I ask my wife.

"Fine, but I get a go next," she says and presses the button to open the shutter door.

"Here," I say and toss her the manual. "Read that while we're gone," I tell her and she catches it.

With the door open, I push down the handbrake and then press down on the accelerator and Twilight yelps as we start moving forward. The engine humming a bit louder. Though it sounds nothing like a normal car engine, no exhaust or fumes either.

I pull out of the Lab at five miles an hour just to get clear and slowly turn to the streets of the City. Demons look on in awe as I slowly drive by heading for the City's main gate.

"Mommy! What's that!?" a little succupony filly asks her mother as we roll by getting me to smile.

"This is amazing! Such technology is unheard of anywhere on Equus!" Twilight says giddily looking at the meters on the small dashboard.

"Once we get out of the city, I'll teach you how to drive it," I tell her getting her to bounce excitedly on my lap. I try to ignore her ass mashing against my building arousal and focus on the street as I don't want to accidentally run anyone over.

It takes a good thirty minutes to navigate the crowded streets, but the demons all move aside for me and I thank them for it. If these buggies or eventually proper cars catch on, we'll need to widen the streets for actual roads.

The main gate comes up and the soldiers defending it move aside once they spot me.

"My lord! What is that?" a boarus asks me and I press the brake to stop next to him.

"My daughter's latest achievement. This is just a prototype and I'm giving it a test drive. We'll be gone for about an hour, but send some harpies to fly above us as lookouts just to be sure," I reply getting a salute from him.

After a couple of minutes, three harpies arrive in light leather armour and an imp on their backs armed with revolver pistols.

"Alright then, let's go!" I say and with the path out to the plains open, I slam the accelerator down making the buggy wheel spin for a few seconds before lurching forward.

Twilight screams as I press the right button on the wheel shifting gears until I'm in fourth and speeding away at forty miles an hour. The axle and hydraulics are keeping the buggy from bouncing too much and allowing us to drive over the uneven terrain easily.

Trees and boulders whizz by as we drive across the grassland, now back to its original splendour thanks to the fel ents.

"Oh how I've missed this feeling!" I shout out as Twilight is still screaming and gripping the sides of my legs tightly. As exciting as it is to be able to fly, driving in a machine built for speed and harder to control is a thrill I've wanted to feel again.

"SLOW DOWN SLOW DOWN SLOW DOWN!" Twilight begs and I slowly drop to fifteen miles and hour.

She's breathing heavily and seems stiff as a board. I chuckle and use my left hand to ruffle her hair.

"Don't worry, Twilight. Even if we tip over and roll, the cage around us is designed to keep us safe," I tell her.

"Oh that's reassuring!" she says sarcastically.

I brake until we stop and back into gear one. "Here, I'll teach you how to drive then," I tell her and explain how.

After a good five minutes, she grips the wheel and her hooves are now on the pedals with my feet against the seat.

"Okay, right to go, left to stop," she says to herself and gently presses the accelerator.

The buggy starts moving forward at four miles an hour and she applies more pressure, making us go at nine miles an hour.

"This... is actually rather fun!" she says and turns the wheel to the left.

She drives us around for a few minutes avoiding trees and boulders easily with a big grin on her face, but going no faster than ten miles an hour.

"I want one of these!" she says and yelps as a bump lifts her up a bit before slamming back down on my lap. I grunt not from pain but to keep myself from getting too aroused.

"Let's head back, I'm sure Desire wants her turn now," I say and let her drive us back to the main gate.

The harpies that followed us dive back down to the gate and start talking to the demons there.

We arrive back into the city proper and Twilight carefully navigates the streets, though I've had to slam the brake down twice before she accidentally hit someone and she apologised repeatedly.

I check the battery meter and see we only used five percent of the power. That's not bad for a prototype, I think Olivia will have to increase the battery’s capacity before we can use these for travelling long distances. But for now, these would be good for scouting the area with imps seated on the sides with mounted revolver rifles... maybe even grenade launchers...

I want an armoured division for my forces now… I wonder how long it would take Olivia to develop tank tracks?

We arrive back to the Lab where I apply the handbrake and unbuckle Twilight and myself. Olivia is still sleeping and Desire looks ready to go.

"Alright, my turn! I've already read the whole damn thing and it's made me want to try it even more!" Desire says as Twilight and I step out of the buggy.

"Just stay at five miles an hour until you reach the gates. Then you can have your fun. Just remember to be back within an hour or two," I tell her.

"Uh-huh," she replies and gets in the buggy.

She slowly drives out and I watch as she drives down the street carefully.

"Well then, I'm going for some breakfast since this distracted me. Care to join me?" I ask Twilight and Slitherana.

Twilight's stomach rumbles and Slitherana giggles at her.

"I could use a bite to eat," Twilight says.

"I'm feeling hungry myssself," Slitherana replies.

I hook my arms around each of theirs and lead them out of the Lab. "Then let's get going," I say and head for the Dining Room.

And Tartarus' tech advances again!