"Lord Ziamili and Lord Led are terrible dungeon builders," said the priest. "I am shocked that they attacked out here. They must be spreading their influence. They have their domain east of Myrecilla."
That was the capital of this human kingdom.
"They control the Vorianil Mountains and have enslaved the dwarves who dwell in those peaks." The priest looked around the village. "They are not the... gentle master you are."
"I am not your master. I'm your neighbor and ally, nothing more. I don't want to rule."
"By protecting us, you mark us as your territory," the priest said. "Whether you know it or not, the world sees us as yours. Lord Shorvin is certainly not going to stand idle about it."
"Yes, yes, he's put out the call for the adventurers." I waved a dismissive hand. "It's these twins I have to care about."
I wanted to be peaceful. I wanted things to be safe for my family. To have easy lives. But these twins had to be dealt with. What was that old Latin saying from the third John Wick movie? It was one of the last I'd seen before all of this.
"If you want peace," I muttered, "prepare for war."
The priest gave me a sharp look. "You are going to attack the twins?"
"They've already attacked me." I shook my head. "I have to go."
When I returned to my monster girls, they had Halia loaded up on the cart along with the supplies we had come here to buy. I marched forward, our donkey pulling the wagon. My mind pondered this. Anger brimmed in me.
What did the twins want with me? If they were east of Myrecilla, they were far from here. This attack must have taken days to travel here. Days that the twins had left their defenses lowered. But, of course, if there were two of them working together, then they must have combined their resources.
Ziamili and Led...
The names pounded through my head with every beat of my heart.
Ziamili and Led...
They echoed through my mind. Even when Jindag had attacked Astovin to steal their women it hadn't infuriated me. I had gone not to kill Jindag, but to rescue those girls. His death was just a consequence.
I wanted to murder Ziamili.
I never knew such anger could lurk in my heart. Such fury.
My hand gripped my spear as we left the farmland behind and entered the mountains. The trail grew steeper. My thoughts roiled with fury. I couldn't think of anything else but plunging my spear into Ziamili's heart and stealing the power to save Halia.
Every time I glanced at her petrified form, the need to track down Ziamili swelled in me. A reckless urge to charge after him. It shook my body. I trembled with it. I could see no other path before me but one that led to his death.
I wanted to see the fear in his eyes. To hear--
"We're under attack, Lord Leo!" Souleen screamed in my mind.
My head snapped up to stare at the trail. We weren't at my dungeon yet. I could see the peak it was built under looming before us. My heart burst into a wild beat as cold fear shot through me. I could feel the first of my monster girls dying.
"We're being attacked by yuki-onna, orcs, and unicorns!" Souleen continued. "They're Level 2 monster girls from Ice, Metal, and Light."
A satyr died. Then a wildhound. A will o' wisp.
"They are slaughtering your defenders, Lord Leo!" Souleen cried, panic in her tone.
"All monster girls fall back to the guard room!" I cried. "Mermaids, do what you can. We're on our way. Hold out!"
"Yes, Lord Leo!" sang in my mind even as another satyr died.
I burst into a run, abandoning the donkey cart. I pounded down the trail, my mother and Maya running behind me. Garnet soared in the air above me. I gripped my spear, terror slamming through my chest.
Level 2 monster girls? And three different glyphs? This had to be the twins. One force to attack Astovin and draw me out to protect the village, another to attack my dungeon when I wasn't there. My stomach roiled.
A wildhound died. Would I be in time? If they got past the guard room...
I had never run so fast in my life.
The taste of blood filled my mouth. My side ached from the run. Even with my body pushed to my peak physical condition, I panted. Ten minutes later, I reached the entrance to my dungeon. The fighting was fierce. They had reached the guard room. My monster girls were dwindling.
I charged through the cave and to the doors. They were thrown open. Just torn off their hinges. Inside, traps were tripped. Evidence of the enemy monster girls tearing through my dungeon was everywhere.
My women followed me as I ran through the maze. I knew it by heart. The pressure filling my chest swelled and swelled. A satyr died. The fighting raged in the guard room. I had to get there right now, but I had so much territory to cross.
The mermaids were dead, the bridge raised and turned to the secret door. Maya had to dive into the water to turn it. I chaffed to do something. Every moment I stood here brought defeat closer and closer. I stared at her swimming in the water.
She turned the bridge.
We darted out to it and then fought for balance as it rotated to go through the secret door. They had blasted through it, finding the way with ease. Maya climbed up the central column as I raced down to the end.
The moment I could, I darted through the door and moved deeper into my dungeon. The lightning columns were all destroyed. The enemy monster girls had blazed through my defenses with ease. Level 2 monster girls.
I only had Level 1 and the companions. Would Usiku, Paanee, and Baaghi be enough?
I hurtled down the hallway to the throne room, Garnet whimpering in fear as another wildhound went down. I could feel my resources dwindling. I swallowed my fear, leaping over a triggered pit trap. I hoped it got one of the bastards.
The growls and shouts of monster girls echoed down the hallway. Through the blown-up doors ahead, I could see the fray. The battle had commenced. Lightning strobed and flashed. Metal clanged against horn.
A satyr baaed in pain and then I felt her soul released and returning to the Void Crystal. My stomach twisted.
*********_***********
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