Dungeon Builder's Harem Book 04 Ch. 08

"It has to stop!"

Siwang stared at me with this studious look. Was I getting through to him?

"I want to work with the people of this world and show them that we don't have to be tyrants. That we don't have to fight them. That's what breaks most of us. Those of us who are good men, like us, Siwang, are broken by the pain that having to fight to survive inflicts on us. It carves deep wounds into our hearts. Makes it easier to kill. To oppress. To become a tyrant. It's a vicious cycle of violence that I will break!"

"That's very... admirable," he said. "And the dungeon builders that don't have good hearts."

Fury rippled through me at that bastard Jindag. "The ones who already delight in hurting others, who are already bullies and dicks and assholes before arriving just become absolute monsters. Sadists who revel in the destruction they cause. I've faced them. Jindag. Mthunzi. The Twins. I killed them. I will put down any dungeon builder that's a threat to the people of this world!"

Siwang swallowed. He took his mother's hand and smiled at her. "I don't want that. To be a despot or a bully. I just..." He swallowed, his eyes misting with emotion. "I am just glad to be free of my death bed. To be healthy for the first time in a decade."

"My Siwang is vital again," his mother said. The deathly monster girl had tears in her eyes. "He withered away for so many years, fighting against leukemia. He kept beating it, but it kept coming back until..." Tears spilled down her eyes. "Hours after he passed, he summoned me here. Summoned me to a world where he can have a second chance. He's a good man, Lord Leo. We just want to be in peace"

"You won't have peace for much longer," Halia said. "Word of your dungeon is out. Adventurers live to raid them, especially the new ones. There is money to be made. Your Void Crystal is worth a fortune to the mages of the world. There's prestige to be earned. Those who make a name for themselves are celebrated. Heroes."

"The movie stars and pop stars of this world," Hagane added.

"You will be dead in a month. I don't want that." Halia shook her head. "Not if you're a good man, Lord Siwang. Making peace is why I am working with Leo. It's the only way this will end. We want to create something better. To help dungeon builders become the allies of this world, not their enemies."

"You will still be attacked, but I want to help defend you." I took a step forward, smiling. "To work with you."

"And what if you attack me?" he demanded. "What if this was a ruse just to see my defenses. You want my Glyph. I know you'll get it if you kill me!"

"I already have it," I said. "Pain retreats, let the chill of Lady Ereshkigal sustain!"

The deathly cold fell on me, numbing away the pain in my ass from galloping for the last two hours straight.

"That's Endure Pain," Siwang said. "I know that spell. You..." He relaxed. "You have already gained the death glyph."

"Yeah, maybe I should have brought Morana," I said, rubbing at the back of my neck as this sheepish embarrassment fell on me. "She's my Death companion. A banshee."

"My mother's a wraith," said Siwang. "They're different."

"They tend to be." I smiled. "My darkness companion is a succubus."

"A bratty succubus," Halia said playfully.

"But Mthunzi, the dungeon builder who attacked me in my first few days had a fomorian for his." Usiku has been with me longer than even Garnet. Only Lana Fulmine had been with me longer. It was strange to remember she used to be another's. "It seems our companions are unique, though, I imagine, you'll find duplicates out there."

Siwang didn't look amused. "You have killed other dungeon builders."

I nodded. "Four of them."

"Lord Leo has never killed a dungeon builder, a saint, or an adventurer that didn't attack him or his people," said Hagane, her voice full of such emotion. "He is a great man who just wants to make an alliance with you."

"To be your friend," I said.

"He defended Astovin from being attacked," Halia said and sank to one knee. "He saved my home from being massacred. I am proud to be his woman."

"I wish to be your friend," I continued. "I am even looking for a way to get a new glyph without having to fight. I promise I will share this with you. I want you to be allies. In fact, I want you to come with me to Astovin and meet the people there. They're your neighbors. You should get to know them. See what great people they are. They will trade you food. No more having to steal it."

"How do I know you aren't tricking me?" Siwang asked. "You just appeared with all these promises."

"Like I'm some slimy guy selling bibles door to door." I chuckled. "I get it." How to convince him? "When I first started, this powerful dungeon builder named Fuegin appeared before me. He could have easily destroyed my dungeon with just him and his single companion."

"He has conquered whole nations," Halia growled. She hadn't forgotten who had killed her father. The first time, anyways.

"He didn't kill me. He offered me the hand of friendship. He wants to work with me to figure out why we're here, and while we're not allies like I want you and me to be, he is the example that I want to follow. I'm not going to kill you because I hate it. It's wrong. Even when I'm forced to, I despise it. Believe me, I could crush your dungeon with a fraction of my power, but that would be evil. Make me a tyrant. A bully." Disgust filled my voice. "That's not who I want to be. I'm Leo Baldwin, and I choose to be a good man."

I stepped forward and thrust out my hand to him.

"Who do you want to be, Siwang?"

He stared at my hand and swallowed. His breathing quickened. He stood up, his black robes swirling around him, and reached out to take my hand. His grip was firm, his palms sweaty. We stared into each other's eyes.

"A good man," he croaked.

Joy burst inside of me. A smile slid on my lips. I pulled him close and hugged him like a brother, slapping his back for a moment. Then I broke apart from him. He breathed heavily, but he was grinning, too. His mother nodded her approval.

"So, will you come with me to Astovin tonight? I swear on my Void Crystal that I will protect you and your dungeon." Something tingled over my skin. That was a very binding promise.

"Okay," he said.