Dungeon Builder's Harem Book 03 Ch. 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

"How is this one man?" I demanded as I ran through the ruins of Meskalamdug's labyrinth, following the way we had marked. A ball of light floated before us. Isatu was right on my heels, the rest of my monster girls, Halia, and Fara right behind us.

"He's like a living shadow, Lord Leo!" Khur shouted.

"He flowed like liquid darkness," Feya added. "He kills so fast!"

"Fuck!"

I ran as fast as I could, taking the turns. Then Marwo, Ci, and Gwyllt darted past me. My three wildhounds scampered at the lead, guiding us through the maze. They didn't have to think about which way to go.

But we were deep into this dungeon. And we still had to rise up the ascent and rush through my dungeon. Fears squeezed about my chest as I ran naked through the dungeon, abandoning my armor and robes, just holding my spear in hand.

* * / *

"He's at the lightning room," Terra found herself saying. She knew the others could see it, but the golem couldn't help herself. Fear gripped her. She remembered the desperate fight with the dwarves, Led, Smerta, and Feya right after being summoned.

That had been a force and they had taken causalities, but they had a chance. This shadowy man had cut through Smerta with ease. Smerta!

"He'll get through it," Baaghi growled as the red dot entered the room full of pillars that would shoot him with lightning. They flashed on the map as they activated it.

"We should go and fight," Crystal said.

"Defense in depth," said Baaghi. "The labyrinth tunnels are narrow. The monster girls are chosen for their areas for a reason to maximize them. It's still one man. He'll be weakened. He's being hit by the pillars."

"And destroying them," muttered Crystal. The pillars winked out one by one.

"This is a battle of attrition," said Baaghi. "We're the last line of defense. We're here to make him spend as much time as possible getting through our defenses to buy time for Lord Leo to arrive."

"He's almost to the second labyrinth, Feya," Terra sent.

The golem's eyes flicked to the force that was assembling to hit the shadowy man in the second labyrinth. Feya had rallied all the defenders. The four arachnes (Damhanalla, Sreaga, Gaiste, and Greasai), the last two werebears (Garjan and Maan), the last two basilisks (Mastab and Dychannie) along with the unicorns (Rih, Sriblo, Nezaymana, and Chystota) who had been pulled out of the Overgrown Room.

Smerta's last orders.

"They're a stronger force of monster girls," said Lana. She swallowed, more lightning arcing amid the strands of her golden hair. "All Level 2. They can overwhelm him. Feya will stop him."

"So let's go join them!" Crystal barked. Mist spilled off her body. "We'll make it impossible for him to get by. We're more powerful than Level 2 monster girls."

"No time and it's too many bodies as it is," said Baaghi. "Iaidas, take your quetzalcoatl to the Flooded Bridge Room and join your sisters there."

"You're pulling them back to the third labyrinth?" Crystal gasped. "Lana, you're in charge!"

"They'll be more effective in that room," Baaghi said. "He has to raise and turn the bridge. He'll be vulnerable in the water. They'll be in the air hitting him with lightning while the mermaids and hippocampi attack him from below."

"You're already giving up on the second labyrinth?" Crystal shook her head.

"She's not giving up," Lana said. "She's being prudent." Lana took a deep breath. "We're staying here. We'll defend this room. Our powers will be most effective in the open."

"Feya, he's thirty seconds out from you," Baaghi sent.

"I hate this," said Crystal.

Terra nodded her agreement, watching the three blue dots of the quetzalcoatls moving through the labyrinth to the Darkness Room and the path down to the Flooded Room. Then she glanced to the red dot, her stomach tightening.

* * / *

Crystal fumed.

She was so angry, she was surprised that she wasn't melting. This was her new life. Her little brother had brought her to this new world, given her these icy powers, and she was helpless to do anything about protecting them. She had to wait here.

Just like she had to wait when Leo didn't pick her to explore the labyrinth. He left her behind.

It was so infuriating.

The red dot reached the next ambush. The blue dots converged, Terra zooming in on the map once more. Mist spilled down Crystal's body and spilled over the display. She stared down at the dots as they collided with the red.

Garjan and Mastab died in the first second. Cikata fell from the ceiling on the red dot. For a heartbeat, they overlapped as she tried to suffocate him. But then she vanished, too. Crystal's teeth ground together.

"Come on," she muttered.

"Please, please, stop him," muttered Terra. She tapped her clay foot.

"No!" Mrs. Baldwin gasped. Crystal's mother clasped her hand over her mouth as Chystota, Sreaga, and Rih all winked out in two heartbeats. Then the red dot had a clear path at Feya. He moved down the tunnel too fast. It wasn't a sprint.

Feya's dot winked out.

"Come on!" groaned Crystal. "We should be down there! He's murdering them all."

"We hold!" Lana hissed, her wings thrusting wide. Lightning crackled around her.

Greasai fell next. Then Damhanalla. Nezaymana rushed in and vanished. The red dot brushed Gaiste's dot, then she was gone. The others fell fast. Sriblo, Dychannie, Khur, and last fell Maan the werebear.

"Not even a minute!" Crystal shouted, her rage burning through her. Mist fell in thick waves down her body. "This is a massacre. We need to get down there. Support the next attack."

"No!" Baaghi shouted. She pointed to the map. "He has to figure out the second labyrinth, find the Darkness Room, and survive the will o' wisps. They have the best chance of killing him. And if not, this buys Leo more time."

Crystal knew that and didn't care. This was the worst. She couldn't do anything but pace and fume and yell. This couldn't be how it ended. How this wonderful, new life would snuff out. She had finally overcome her own shame at her attraction to her little brother.

Here, she could tease him and dominate him and then be fucked hard by him.

And it was all falling to pieces.

* * / *

This is insane, Lana Fulmine thought as she watched the red dot near the Darkness Room. A single bridge across a deep chasm with will o' wisps firing lightning blasts at him. It's just one creature!

"What is he?" Terra asked as the dot moved down the final stretch of hallway.

"Fara or Halia would know," muttered Mrs. Baldwin.

"Hurry, Leo," Lana called "We're barely clinging on here.

"We're coming! Just hold on! I believe in you all!"

Crystal let out an angry hiss.

"Orcs and yuki-onna, be ready for your ambush," Baaghi sent. "I want you to hit him when he makes it through the Darkness Room."

I should be giving those orders, Lana thought. This was too much for her. She was a movie star. When things got rough, she got high. She had had no craving for her drugs since coming here, no longer addicted to them, but that didn't mean she was strong. She was a weak creature. Why did you leave me in charge?

The red dot entered the Darkness Room.

He moved across the bridge too fast. There was no hesitation. He should be unable to see. The lightning would strike him from both sides, pummeling him if it didn't just kill him. It was a narrow bridge and a deep fall. He would not survive. If he did, how could he get back out?

"He's dodging our attacks!" Svyte, one of the will o' wisps sent. She and her sisters lined the edges of the room.

Gintaras winked out.

"How did he kill Gintaras?" gasped Terra even as Dvasia vanished.

"He threw his sword," Svyte cried. "He's at the door. He just hacked through it."

"Get ready, orcs and yuki-onna!" Baaghi growled.

Please, please, we need you, Leo.

"FOR LORD LEO!" the four orcs shouted as the red dot neared the ambush point.

"Hold him!" Slepkavi suddenly shouted. She was the orc who had gone with Leo. Her voice snapped with command. "We're on the first floor. We're coming!"

Lana shifted the map. Her heart lurched. There, moving through the first floor, was a white dot. Behind him came six blue dots, three gold dots, and two green dots. Those were Halia and Fara. The gold dots were companions like Lana herself.

Leo was the white. The only one that would ever be found in the dungeon.

He was here. Hope surged in Lana.