Dungeon Builder's Harem Book 01 Ch. 15

Chapter Fifteen

My heart raced as I burst into my throne room. I was hastily dressed in my gray robes with my silver breastplate over it. I held my spear. Lana and Garnet flanked me, all the bliss of our morning fun forgotten as the alarm echoed around us.

Usiku stood at the top of the map sunk in the room. She frowned.

"What?" I asked the fomorian.

"The enemy hasn't entered the dungeon yet," she said. "He's waiting at the door."

I stared at the map. There were two red dots in the entrance cave. They were right at the door. Several blue dots, representing the will o' wisps and wildhounds, waited near the entrance door to pounce on the intruder.

"Are they having trouble opening the door?" I asked, staring at the map. "I mean, it's locked, right? Are they those ill-equipped adventurers?"

"No idea," Usiku said. "My previous master's dungeon was invaded once by an adventuring party, but they had no problem with the door. It's almost as if they're... waiting."

Then one of the red dots flashed bright. It pulsed. "Okay, what's going on?"

"He wants to communicate with you," Souleen said. "It's a dungeon builder."

I swallowed. "Another one already?"

"I guess so. If you concentrate on the flashes, your minds will connect through the magic of your dungeon."

I sighed. I guessed I better speak to him. I gripped my lightning spear--I really needed to learn how to use this--and concentrated on the dot. I had been hoping to have some time to gain proficiency in my powers before another dungeon builder or my first adventuring party arrived.

"Hello," I said. "I am Leo." Then, feeling foolish, added, "The lord of this dungeon."

"Leo..." the man said. "Is that your real name, or did you adopt it upon entering this world?"

"Real name," I said. Why would I adopt a new one? "Who are you?"

"Fuegin," he said. He had a jovial tone to his voice. "Not my earth name, but one I thought was fitting for this world. For my new role. I would love to come in and have a chat. Meet the newcomer. I hear you defeated that ill-mannered Mthunzi."

"I did." Caution gripped me. Then, to Souleen, I asked, "He just wants to talk?"

"Probably. I mean, what other friends do you get as a dungeon builder besides your companions? Make him swear on his Void Crystal."

I nodded then concentrated on Fuegin. "I would enjoy a conversation, but--"

"I swear by my Void Crystal that I, Fuegin, and my vassal, Amante, shall not harm you or yours. I ask leave to enter your dungeon and be granted safe passage to your presence."

A nervousness rippled through me. If Souleen said it was okay... "I swear by my Void Crystal that you shall have safe passage to me and be allowed to leave unmolested so long as you do nothing to threaten or harm myself or my vassals."

"Agreed," he said.

I glanced down at one of the dots near him. The wildhound Du. "Du, guide him to me."

"Yes, Lord Leo," she said excitedly. It was nice to know that I could communicate with my monster girls this way.

I glanced at my two companions and Usiku. "We have a guest coming in. Fuegin. He's got a monster girl named Amante with him."

"Pretty name," Garnet said. "So he's not coming to fight."

"He said he won't, but let's be ready. We'll outnumber him two to one."

My monster girls nodded.

I sat on my throne, Garnet sitting on my armrest in a cute position, reclined back on my shoulder with her arm draped over my neck. Lana and Usiku flanked me, standing ready for any trouble. Usiku could shape weapons of darkness and Lana had her lightning.

What could Garnet do in a fight?

No time to figure that out. Their dots were no longer red, but green. A new color. No longer hostile but not one of my monster girls. Du led Fuegin and Amante through the dungeon unerringly. To my knowledge, the monster girls had never wandered it. I had placed them in their spots via the magic of the Void Crystal. Perhaps they all had a map of the dungeon in their mind.

My stomach tightened as they passed through trap rooms without setting them off. My pledge was controlling the dangers of my dungeon automatically. I hated that he was seeing the layout, though, like the hidden door that led to my throne room. Was this just a way to scout my domain? Should I scramble things up after he left?

He passed down the hallway, through Usiku's guard post, and then was at the door to my throne room. I straightened. Garnet wiggled about to get more comfortable. I drew in a short breath, preparing myself.

Du pushed the doors open, a great big smile on her lips. She immediately darted to the side and fell onto all fours, her tail wagging happily. Behind her came my two guests. Fuegin and his monster girl, Amante.

I frowned. He had bronze skin. Not like someone with a deep tan, but actual skin that looked bronze with eyes that were glowing bright like coals. How had he made his body look like that? Fire was obviously his element since he had a cape of it burning down his back. He wore a sleeveless, red robe he had tied loosely to show off his muscular chest. He strode with strength and confidence into the room. He had power.

Beside him walked a gorgeous monster girl. A busty woman who looked to be made out of cooled magma, the outer surface black and smooth but fissures of glowing red ran across her curvaceous figure. Her hair was like his cloak, a mane of flames that burned down her back in defiance of gravity. Her eyes had the same glow as his.

"She's a cherfu, Lord Leo," Souleen said. "And he has power. More than one glyph, but fire must be his primary one."

"What a delightful place you have here," said Fuegin. "It's basic, but so were my first few incarnations. You have some panache, though. A labyrinth right off the bat. It took me weeks to figure out that trick."

"Thanks," I said, not sure what else to say. "I'm curious why you're here. The last dungeon builder I met..."

"Yes, yes, him." Fuegin blanched as he crossed the map and then stopped before my throne. "He was a little pissant. Some men, you give them a taste of power and they burn with it. Too hot. They destroy everything around them."

"Not you?" I arched an eyebrow. "You literally are wearing a flaming cloak."

"I know, it's ostentatious, isn't it?" He laughed in self-mocking deprecation. "I like to play the trope, you know. Look all badass for when I have my audiences. It cows the locals. Keeps them from causing problems with my dungeon."

"I see," I said.

"Like that lightning breastplate you have on over your robes." He cocked his head. "Why does that make me think of Lord of the Rings? That can't be right. Gandalf didn't wear a breastplate, did he?"

"No," I said. "Is that why you're here?"

"I'm here to say hi." He smiled. "You know, be all neighborly. We're not that close neighbors, but, still, I thought I'd introduce myself. See if you were a prick." He glanced at my sister. "At least you have some kinky tastes. She would look good in thigh-high boots."

"Yes, I would," Garnet said. "Big bro, would you make me some boots?"

Fuegin smiled. "Big bro, huh? Nice. I like your style, Leo. I think we can be friends."

"Okay," I said, still bewildered by all of this.

"You're cautious, I get that. What with that Mthunzi prick attacking you and all."

"And I don't think being friends is exactly why you're here," I said, studying him. There was something more to this guy.

"Do you have any idea why we're here?" Fuegin asked, his eyes narrow. "Why we were brought from our world to here and given these powers."

"No," I said. "Not really. Souleen won't tell me anything."

"Souleen?" He smiled. "That's cute. I call mine Soulita. She has a feistiness to her."

"Mine's more motherly," I said.

"Interesting," he said. "And does she have black hair and tan skin? A nice set of breasts? Like on your fomorian or on my Amante."

"Yeah," I said.

"They all look alike, the Souls of the Void Crystals," said Fuegin. "Or so I can gather. But they have different personalities. Why do you think that is?"

I shook my head.

"Yeah, I'm pretty clueless myself." He sighed. "I never had the patience for study. You know, always thought school was useless. Not the idea of it, but the execution. Sit there, listen to boring lectures, and memorize dumb shit. I want to be doing things. Teach me to rebuild a car engine or wire an electrical circuit. Give me something useful. And now... Now I'm here and I want to understand the Void Crystal. Why we're here. What the whole point is in bringing us into the world. The locals hate us. They have a whole cottage industry of adventurers. You're out in the hinterlands, but there's a town near here putting out the call for some adventurers. You get closer to the big population centers, and some heroes out there could flatten this dungeon without taking a breath. And when we're not killing each other, we attract wandering monsters that want our mana and other dungeon builders looking to increase their power. But here's the catch, the more you have, the more the locals try to kill you. Why? What is the point in bringing us here?"

"I really don't know," I said. "I've been wondering that myself. I've been here not long, though."

"Fifty years for me." He stretched his back. "And all I can think about is we're being honed."

"Honed?"

He nodded. "Violence to keep us sharp. To keep strengthening us. To build us up into something. What, I don't know. But this is a crucible. Something is being smelted. We're either the new alloy of whatever being brought us here, or we're the slag that floats to the surface and gets scraped away. The impure parts. The bits that aren't needed to make something better. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be thrown away."

"I don't either," I said, my stomach sinking.

"So, that's why I thought we could be friends." He reached into his robe and plucked out a scroll. He tossed it to me. Garnet snatched it with her tail. It was parchment rolled up tight and sealed with red wax that had a chevron made of four of the arrow, cuneiform-like lines. A stylized flame. "Break that seal if you ever need to contact me. I'll come and help. If I can."

"Thanks," I said, frowning. His words filled a pit in me.

"Lovely Du, shall you guide me to the front door again?" asked Fuegin to my wildhound.

She glanced at me. I nodded as I took the scroll from my sister. I held it in my hand. I had just made an ally. As surprising as that was, my stomach roiled. This was something serious. I bit my lip, glancing at my sister and then Lana.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"That you need to get all big and strong, big bro," Garnet said, sliding off of the throne. "Like big time. I don't want you to die. I'll end up having to suck some ugly guy's dick. He'll be named Bubba and have a beer gut and he'll use my cute head as a coaster. You don't want that, do you?"

"God, no," I said and glanced at Usiku. "If another dungeon builder beat me, he would claim my companions as his own."

"They might shift their love to him as I did to you, Lord Leo."

My little sister with another man? "Fuck, no. We need to practice. Usiku, you know how to fight with weapons." I stood up and brandished my spear at her.

"I do, Lord Leo," she said. "I would gladly train you."

"And you have your dark magic to practice," Souleen said. "Three new spells to practice."

"Then let's begin," I said. "I want to get proficient as fast as possible." And how did he make himself look so inhuman? Is that from expanding his dungeon into new mana veins? Or did he do it through the Void Crystal?

I had healed myself with it. "Souleen, can I modify my body with the Void Crystal?"

"Of course. That's how you repaired your wounds. You're part of the magic of it, too. There are limits, but you can modify yourself."

I nodded and said, "I'll be right back. Usiku, figure out how to start training me."

"Right," she said. "I'll figure something out, Lord Leo."

"Make me some thigh-high boots to wear, big bro," my little sister shouted, her words echoing around me.

I headed to the treasure room. Motherly Souleen sat on the Void Crystal. I studied the tiny figure, her large breasts looking perfectly proportioned. I stared at her as I grabbed the black gem in both my hands.

"Is he right about this being a crucible?" I asked.

"I really don't know, Lord Leo," she said. She rose into the air and floated before me. "I can see the logic of his words, but if they are correct, I don't know?"

"And all Souls of the Void Crystals look the same?"

She shrugged. "I've never met another. I came into being the first time you dreamed of me. When we connected. This crystal was made for you. It's keyed to your life signature."

"My DNA, or is this something magical?"

"I don't know what DNA is, but every creature has a unique life signature, a pattern of such complexity it defines everything about their physical bodies and helps to shape their spiritual ones."

"Spiritual?"

"Your personality. Your thoughts, your will. Who you are, Leo." She smiled at me. "And I was made to be a companion to you."

"A sexy MILF, huh?" My dick throbbed thinking of my mother. "Yeah, I get that. You are delicious."

She smiled at me.

I stared at her. "Do you think I'll make it a year let alone fifty like Fuegin, or will I be defeated by the first set of adventurers who crash into my dungeon?"

"Believe in yourself, Leo, and there is nothing you cannot do." Then she kissed me on the nose. I couldn't help but smile at her touch. It was exciting to feel. I closed my eyes and then I concentrated on the changes.

I found myself like I had when healing my wounds. I could make myself stronger. Have quicker reflexes. I could also change my skin, hair, and eye coloring. It was like the character creator in a video game. But I didn't see the need for that. Bronze skin and glowing eyes were not my style. I was fine the way I was.

I did push up my strength and my reflexes. I felt my skin growing tauter over the more defined muscles I gained. My sinews felt tougher. Like they could move my limbs faster. It was the best I could do. It had to be enough.

And then I created a pair of thigh-high boots for my sister to wear. Black, of course. A nice, shiny black.