Dungeon Builder's Harem Book 04 Ch. 19

Chapter Nineteen

"Lady Lamashtu's burning cunt," gasped Kassie as she stared at the teleportation circle. It was one of the few parts of the First Dungeon that had been preserved. I had destroyed the rest searching for mana veins. They had long gone dry save one.

"So you recognize it?" I asked.

"This is truly a teleportation circle?" she asked, shaking her head. She bent down and read the glyphs on the edge. "This is... impressive. It uses Light and Wind to work. I can't believe it. This is brilliant. This is magic that is rarely ever attempted. Magic circles inscribed in the ground to perform such a complex act. And... It uses them both at the same time. Two glyphs at once."

"So, that's a big deal," I said, bending down and staring at the glyphs. "You can read it."

She nodded. "It's the arcane script. The style's a little archaic, but it hasn't changed much. We do it the same way that our mentors teach us as theirs did. It works. If you mess with the symbols too much, it doesn't."

"Interesting," I said. "Your medallion has the Fire and Ice glyphs on it. But there's also arcane script on the edges." It looked a lot like the cuneiform writings that we found.

She raised her copper disc. She stroked it. "This lets me use Ice and Fire magic. It's a shortcut. You see, all magic spells require a magic circle, but that's slow to draw. This lets me cast Basic and Intermediary Fire and Ice spells without having to spend the time to make a circle. Those are what we call natural spells."

"Natural?"

"They are spells that are woven into the fabric of this world. There are Laws that underlie the Twelve Elements. In those laws are the natural spells. The ones that don't take any special research to create. Like this teleportation circle. The natural spells just... work."

"Are they the same Basic and Intermediary spells that I can cast?" I asked then stood up. "Incarnation of flames, let the passion of Lady Lamashtu embrace!"

My body became fire. The Flamebody spell engulfed me in flames but I didn't burn.

"Flamebody," she said. "Yes, a natural Intermediary Spell. I don't have to steal the power from the Gods like you do. My seal is the shortcut. I just have to say one quick phrase. Izi Su!"

Her body burst into fire. She crackled just like I did. The light dancing from us played over the glyphs of the teleportation circle and the stone walls around us. Hers had erupted so fast. She became a bright torch in moments.

"Damn," said Maya. "That was neat."

"Yeah, big bro," Garnet said.

"Color me impressed," said Nina Naughty.

"I can do it, too," I muttered, glancing at the three monster girls who had accompanied us down here, too. "I'm doing it right now."

"But you have to say that long incantation," said Nina. "She just speaks that quick phrase and... poof. She's engulfed in fire."

The flames around Kassie vanished.

I dismissed mine and asked, "So if I steal the power from the gods, then where does your power come from?"

"From my own life," she said. "Or this." From within her robe, she produced a small, black crystal. I heard a faint whooshing sound as it drew in power just like my Void Crystal did.

"That's a fragment of a dungeon builder's Void Crystal," I said, swallowing. "It works just like one, right? I had heard they were valuable."

"Nothing better for a mana battery," she said. "My reward for conquering my first dungeon. A Light builder. Two of my companions died." She thrust the crystal back into her pocket. "We caught him young. Before he could grow dangerous."

My stomach churned. Before he could be turned dangerous, I thought. That had almost been me.

"Do you understand this circle?" I asked, pointing to it. "Could you replicate it? I would love to have this so I could move around my dungeon faster."

"Maybe," she said. "I'll study it. I think I get the principal. It's a standard magic circle, just one not formulated the way I've ever seen. That makes sense since it's using two glyphs at once to do a single act, teleportation."

The way she grinned. She was a cute thing. Dimples shone in her dark-brown cheeks.

"Thank you," I said. "You need something, just ask me or one of my monster girls. Fara, Hagane, and Nina are the best at the research stuff."

"Yep," said Nina. "This porn star loves all that ancient shit."

Kassie glanced at the three monster girls with us. "You have quite the harem of interesting girls, Lord Leo. They're all quite different in temperament and personality."

"But we're all sexy," Garnet said. "Kweh, heh, heh!"

"They are delicious," I said. "Don't feel like you have to join the harem."

"Though you want to try a halfling, don't you?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at me. "You're thinking about what it would be like to have a small and sexy halfling riding your cock. Humans always do."

I shrugged. "It might have crossed my mind."

"Big perv, it definitely crossed your mind," said Maya, shaking her head. "You can't turn your back on him. He's just a letch."

"Lord Leo!" Du yipped. "Siwang's with me. He wants to talk to you."

I turned and found Siwang, his wraith mother, and Du heading towards us. "You used the Glyph without a problem."

"I have," said Siwang. He held out his hand. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it's a big gesture. I won't let your faith in me down."

"You better not," muttered Nina.

I shot her a warning glance then shook my friend's hand. "I made a promise."

"Well, I have to get back to my dungeon. I have some new monster girls to make."

I released his hand and said, "I'll let you know when we're ready. Keep you in on the plan."

Siwang shifted. "I don't know how much help I can be." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "I mean, I have my own dungeon to defend, and I don't have the army of monster girls that you do, Leo."

I thought about that. "Why don't you drive a tunnel to Astovin. You can put your entrance there. If you have the mana to reach that far."

"Not sure that I do, but I don't see what that would do," he said.

"If you put it up inside the walls, then any adventurers would have to get past my defenders," I said. "It'll be safer for you anyways than having to walk through the fields to get there. A secure supply line."

He stared at me for a moment. "You trust me that much?"

"Yeah, I do," I said.

Siwang glanced at his mother. "Okay, I'll go back, make my new monster girls, and see if I can drive my tunnel that far. Where should I pop it out?"

"Village green," I said. "Right in the middle. Nice and safe."

"Okay," he said. "We'll be in touch."

He turned and headed back down the tunnel, his mother clinging to him. Mist trailed after her curvy figure. Du paced them, her tail wagging. I watched them leave, hoping this wasn't a mistake. I could feel Nina judging me.

"I trust him, Nina," I sent to her.

"I didn't say anything, Director," she answered me. "But this gives him a conduit to attack Astovin Village."

"Why would he? I have enough forces to annihilate him. Besides, he's not that sort of person." He better not be. I was putting a lot of faith in him. This had to work. There had to be someone that I could trust.

"Do you have this?" I asked Kassie. "The magic circle."

"I do," she said. "You're going to leave me alone?"

"If Nina wants to stay and hang out with you, that's fine," I said. "I have some new spells to test out. I have to know what they do before we go into battle with Sulanga."

"Yeah, sure," said Nina. She squatted down. "Sounds interesting."

* \ * / *

"So," Nina Naughty said after Director Leo, Maya, and Garnet had left, "how does this work." The devil glanced at the circle. It was large. "The Light and Wind Glyphs are repeated at each of the eight points on the circle."

"Just like on this disc," said Kassie. The halfling held out her magical circle. "It's the principle of how a magic circle works. How it directs the energy."

"May I?" Nina nodded to the disc the halfling wore.

She took it off and worked the chain down the long braid of red hair she had. She held it in her hand and said, "Each magic circle has eight points on it. The words in between channel the spell. Each of the eight points represents something, and the words written after it are very important. It starts here at the top. The North Point."

"I see," said Nina.

"This is the point that roots the circle with the caster." Kassie slid her slender finger to the Northeast Point. "Here, the magic is connected with the caster. The East Point is the Point of Communication. It is where the magic flows into the circle."

"Got it," said Nina, frowning. "The Southeast Point holds the command that directs the magic. The South Point energizes the power. Swelling it. Then it moves to the Southwest Point where it magnifies the power with a purpose. From there it moves to the West Point. This point directs the power. Channels it. Last, it reaches the Northwest Point. It is from here that a spell is unleashed."

"And the writing around it?" asked Nina.

"That is... the spell." Kassie pointed to the script of the larger teleportation circle. "See, they are different. My magic circle is to let me cast natural spells with ease. It has a generic circle."

"What does it say?" An eagerness shot through Nina. "This is very fascinating."

"Starting from the North Point, it reads, 'The will reaches out to the universe!" She slid to the Northeast Point. "'The universe responds with energy!'" To the East. "'The intent is realized!' 'The spell is created!' 'The power builds!'" She reached the Southwest Point. "'Purpose shapes the spell.' 'The spell flows to the universe!'" She reached the final point. The Northwest Point. "'My will is carried out!'"

Nina nodded. "So the circle does the incantation for you, and that little phrase you chanted just tells the circle which precise spell to activate and run through your incantation?"

"Yep," the mage said. "Now this circle, it has a unique spell built into it."

"What does it say?" Nina asked, eager to find out.

Kassie shrugged. "I'll have to decipher it. The arcane script is not something I can just read on the fly. I know what my circle says by heart. But give me some time, I'll crack it. It still works on the same principle. And there are parts of it that I recognize. There are common words that I expect to see at the various points. This is still just remarkable to find. A teleportation circle. I want to make this work."

"Me, too," I said. "Let's get some paper down here." Nina concentrated "Nos, can you get some paper from Fara's room and bring it down to the magic circle in the first dungeon."

"On it, Nina!" Nos answered.

"Okay, I just heard that in my mind," Kassie said. "We have telepathy."

"Courtesy of the Void Crystal," Nina said and winked.

* \ * / *

Back in my throne room, I decided to practice my magic. See what these new spells were all about. Garnet and Maya were sitting behind me on their thrones. I had twelve of them up there, mine and all my companions.

"Let's go, big bro!" Garnet whooped. "Let's see what the power of the Thunder can do!"

I focused on the first spell, Thunder Hammer. The words rose out of my soul. It was time to steal the power from Lord Ishkur, God of Thunder. "Hammer concusses, let the might of Lord Ishkur deafen!"

A hammer flung out and hit the wall where it burst with a deafening roar. It made my ears pop. Getting hit by it must disorient someone. Make them stumble about and leave them dazed. I could see some good uses for it.

The next Beginner Tier spell was internal. Magnify Voice. "Voices carry, let the commanding tone of Lady Kittu carry!"

I turned around and faced my women as they sat on the dais, both of them staring at me waiting for me to do something. I winked at them then rolled my shoulders. "How's it going!"

They both clamped their hands over their ears as my normal spoken voice boomed like I had shouted into a megaphone. They shook their heads, Garnet glaring at me. I grinned at them. I bet if I shouted...

"Don't use that indoors," said Maya. "I'm made of water. Your shout reverberated through me."

"Yeah, that's for speaking to a crowd or something," Garnet said.

"I'll keep that in mind," I said. "Let's see. Last in the Beginner Tier is an alarm spell, but I don't think I'll use that much. It lets me make a spot give an alert if someone enters it or another trigger."

"Those rituals are sort of situational," said Maya.

"So what do you got in the Intermediate Tier?" my little sister asked, clapping her hands together. "I bet it'll blow us away."

"Probably," I said. "Ready for Concussive Burst?"

"No," Maya said, wincing. Tense ripples washed across her features and down her body to her round breasts.

Garnet thrust fingers into her ears. "Ready, big bro!"

"Thunderclap deafens, let the roar of Lord Ishkur disorient!"

At a point down the throne room, just beyond the map, a thunderclap erupted. The growl rumbled over us. Anyone in the midst of that would be hurt by the shock wave and disoriented by the sound. Maya shuddered on the throne, shaking her head.

"Maybe this will help you," I said. "Sound vanishes, let the might of Lord Ishkur silence!"

Maya blinked. "I can't hear anything!" she shouted in that way of a deaf person who speaks louder without knowing it. "Did you just deafen me, Leo?"

I flashed her a thumbs up. The Deafen spell did just what it claimed.

"What's next?" Garnet asked as I dismissed that spell.

"A really dumb one," I said. "Perfect Pitch. It'll let me have a perfect singing voice."

"Weird," said Garnet. "Sometimes the spells are strange."

"Yeah," I said. "Beautiful song, let the aria of Lady Kittu sing!"

"Now sing something, big bro?" Garnet said.

I frowned and thought about it. I never was much of a singer, but then the words to American Pie flitted in my mind. I started singing it. Maya and Garnet both leaned forward. My voice sounded so sonorous and deep. They poured out of me in a way that was both embarrassing and thrilling. I was happy that I had cast it.

Then I dismissed it.

"Wow," said Maya. "What a shame you can't cast that on others. You could make your own awesome a cappella monster girl band and go on tour. Then you'd unite this world through the power of song."

I gave my undine a look.

"What?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Thunder's an okay magic at this level. Two good offensive spells. The ritual... You know..." I frowned as an idea popped into my mind. "No one comes to the valley that leads to the entrance. I could put the alarm spell there. Give us some more warning of adventurers coming. You know, I think I'll go do that."

"Once you have the orcs secure the valley," Maya said, standing up. "We can't have you going out there unprotected like that."

"Really?" I asked. "Just a quick jaunt outside."

"Rituals take time," said Maya, folding her arms beneath her breasts. "And adventurers could come at any time. So let's not take chances. If you don't order them, I'll have words with your mother."

"That's low," I said, shaking my head.

"Keeping you alive is important," Maya said. "You're an important man, and important men have bodyguards that keep them safe."

"Your own secret service of busty orcs!" squealed Garnet. "I love it. Let's do it, Dark Lord Big Bro! I'm in for it."

"Fine," I said and sent the message for the orcs to meet me at the front of my dungeon. "There, you happy, Maya!"

"That does make me happy," Maya said, a big grin on her face. "Now go cast your ritual and have fun with your sexy orcs."

Zobens and her group of orcs were more than happy to escort me out of the dungeon. The green-skinned and strong beauties surrounded me like they were the bodyguards to a sultan. Sexy and deadly all at the same time. Like that guy who used to run Libya had.

An all female bodyguard.

We moved through the dungeon, the other monster girls all appearing to say hi. Smerta was drilling the oozes combat techniques that made use of their gelatinous bodies so they could be better at taking out individuals.

Cikhala, Cikata, and Philtara all smiled at the sight of me, bouncing up and down, their breasts ballooning to their busty size they possessed when they played with me or each other. When they fought, they had leaner builds. Their blue, translucent flesh was always a sight.

"Leo," Smerta said, nodding. The valkyrie stood tall and deadly. She was a valuable member of my dungeon. Captain of the first layer of defenses. If I was gone, she would control things. And I would be gone soon.

I reached the entrance hall. Today, it was the Stalactite Room. It didn't even have monster girls in it. A trap room that they would have to survive right off the bat to really throw off adventurers. My dungeon was becoming famous.

I might have to devise some new rooms to mix things up.

I stepped into the cave entrance, made to look natural and not be a part of the dungeon. The entrance was hidden, but adventurers found it way too easy. I moved through the cave, getting nervous. The moment I left it behind, I would be outdoors.

Maya's words were fucking with me now. I had felt safe going outside by myself, but now...

If a band of adventurers found me in the middle of setting up the Alarm ritual, then I could be in trouble, even killed, before I had a chance to react. But I had Zobens, Briesmoni, Slepkavi, Orka, and Dzelzs to watch my back. The five orcs donned their celestial gold armor and weapons. Blessed by Lady Sherida, the Goddess of Light, they had slightly better equipment than the standard orc.

I wondered why the Goddess of Light was on my side when the other gods were against dungeon builders. Demons that were hunting the Incarnation. That was why she needed me to get strong. To protect her from those "gods."

So why was one helping me? Blessing my orcs. Choosing Halia to be a paladin after she decided to help me.

I was missing something important.

I closed my eyes and started the alarm spell. I put it on the valley before my dungeon to trigger when any creature that walked on two legs entered. That would cover almost anything that would attack me. It would alert the entire dungeon, a new warning to ring out. Get them ready to deter any intruders.

It made me think about hiding some spotters, too, little towers that I could cover with illusions like the Observatory thrusting up the top of the mountain. I thought about that as my mind wandered. Saying the same phrase over and over was tedious.

It took hours to extend the alarm spell across the whole valley. And once it was done, the orcs and I tripped it. We were creatures who walked on two legs. But, at least, it proved that it worked even if it gave a fright to everyone in the dungeon.