He blew out a heavy sigh. “And I suppose I need to avoid getting drawn in too deep and losing myself when my consciousness leaves my body?”
“That would be preferable, Master.” Sthuza grinned wryly. “I have faith that you can manage this. It should be far easier than healing that mammary-centric canine,” she said, trailing off into a mutter.
Gabriel chewed on his lip for a moment as he considered his Prime’s words. Still undecided, he ran through his favorite centering routine, taking several deep breaths before staring up and nodding. “Yeah, okay. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sthuza, I’ll be careful not to dive as deep as I did that time.”
“Excellent. Then I will draw the sigils. Perhaps you would like to spend the time focusing and harnessing your mana pool? I know you have not fully recovered, but you should not require too much power for this small space.”
Shit, I’d forgotten about how much mana I spent healing Cindra. I know it used to take me two weeks to replenish from an empty pool. How does the increased capacity affect my recovery rate?
He nervously concentrated on his Interface and brought up his arcane statistics pane.
Mana 30%
Damn, that’s not bad for two nights of recovery, especially sleeping on the stone floor last night.
“I’m not nearly as empty as I feared.”
Sthuza paused in her chalk drawing and turned to flash him a smile, her green eyes lighting up. “Oh? That is wonderful news.”
“Yeah, already back to thirty percent.”
Her smile grew brittle.
“What’s wrong? Is that not good for a DM?” Gabriel asked, worry gnawing at his gut.
She shook her head sharply, setting off a flurry of hissing snakes.
“No, it is not bad,” she said, pausing for a moment, the tip of her dark-green tongue peeking out between her teeth. “But it is rather typical, given the higher density of Aether in the dungeon.”
He deflated, mentally kicked himself for overlooking that factor, and nodded. “Right, I forgot about the difference being in here makes. The Guild recommends against resting inside the dungeon. Too easy for monsters to set up ambushes.”
A small smile lit up her face. “Yes, Mistress Iylara was quite fond of preparing elaborate traps for anyone arrogant enough to pitch camp within her Domain.”
Just as quick as the smile crossed her face, her expression darkened, and she shook her head again.
“My apologies, Master, I let myself become distracted. It will only be another moment before I finish this,” she said in a rush, already diving back into her work.
He stared at her for a moment, shocked by her drastic shift.
Maybe she’ll feel more comfortable talking about her past once we’ve been together longer.
Gabriel shrugged away that line of thought, spending the rest of his wait smoothing his mana pool and preparing his internal leylines for the spellwork to come.
Even if I have way more power than I used to, there’s no reason to waste any of it on inefficiencies if I can help it. I’ve already burned through it all in a single day once. Not interested in doing that again.
“It is finished,” Sthuza called out, her soprano voice calm as she stepped back and gestured for him to go ahead.
He nodded after glancing over the prepared ritual circle. “Thank you.”
Her skill is incredible. Not sure I’ve ever seen a more perfectly prepared circle.
Careful not to step on any of the markings and risk damaging the ritual, he moved to the center and exhaled.
“I would recommend kneeling, Master, just in case it takes more effort than expected. That way, you do not risk falling onto the empowered sigils.”
He nodded, implementing her suggestion, but remained silent. With no reason to wait, he regulated his breathing and tapped his pool for a trickle of mana.
Keep it slow and steady.
Matching the flow of mana to his even breathing, he luxuriated in the wondrous caress of arcane energy coursing through his body. Power concentrated along his internal leylines, following them out to merge with the ritual, empowering it.
Eyes closed, Gabriel recited every arcane syllable the moment Sthuza intoned them for him. As the spell formed around him, raw power spiraling around him faster and faster, he gradually increased his pace. It took him less than two minutes to reach the casting’s climax, and its intensity shocked him.
This is so different from healing Cindra. It feels… right. Natural.
He let out a sigh of satisfaction when the mana effortlessly sank into the completed spell construct. With the casting complete, he took a moment to let his heart settle, his breathing returning to its previously placid pace.
Now to spread my focus without diving too deep.
Not wanting to risk losing his nerve, Gabriel released the held spell. He shuddered as it activated. His senses shifted, taste and smell vanishing, while sight and sound grew to unfathomable proportions.
Assaulted by a cacophony of unexpected sounds and bedazzling images, his breathing grew rapid and shallow, accelerating and strengthening the feeling of pressure building around him.
“Calm yourself, Master. You are strong. You can do this. Do not allow the dungeon to overwhelm you. Remember, you are the Dungeon Master,” Sthuza called out. Her voice sounded at once, both in his head and far away. A wellspring of warm confidence and determination matched the unexpected words. Plus, a touch of deep-seated fear and desire.
Okay, now that’s weird.
Accepting the strange, but comforting emotions, he anchored himself within the swirling morass of details. He recognized several images, and his mind began to make sense of the riotous sounds. Within the visions threatening to overwhelm him, he spotted every room and hall on the entire floor.
No wonder it was so hard to handle. Being able to see dozens of locations at once is crazy. Is that what’s normal for Meri? Keep it simple. Just concentrate on a single room for now. This isn’t the time to try skipping ahead.
Intentionally narrowing his focus, Gabriel smiled when the fractious kaleidoscope of views faded away. In their place was the long hall he was kneeling in and the large altar room. It looked much like when he’d started, except the view was from above.
Okay, a room and a hallway aren’t too much, right? Right. You can do this. Just take your time and bind each one to the Core.
It seemed like hours of delicate work as Gabriel transferred a steady trickle of power into each room. The moment he started, he sensed an instinctive connection with Merideva and knew that he was binding the spaces to her.
Halfway through, a pulling sensation began to draw him deeper into the dungeon, and he dug his metaphysical will in and fought to resist its siren call.
A vague sense of pain flared near his mouth. He ignored it. Instead, he redoubled his effort in the two rooms.
Almost there, just hold on for a few more…
And done!
Gabriel severed his connection with the dungeon and collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.
“Master!” Sthuza cried, catching him before his face could hit the stone floor.
“He is okay?” Cindra growled from behind him.
Strong, slender hands caressed his face, turning his head one way and then another for several long seconds.
“Yes, he is fine. He bit his lip badly, but it should not take long to heal with his enhanced body.”
Gabriel smiled, then flinched as the action made him aware of the vicious gash in his lower lip. He tried to speak but hesitated when his voice came out garbled and rough.
“Shh, calm yourself, Master, You were at it for several hours,” Sthuza cooed.
“Here, drink this,” she said after taking a hand away from his face and pulling something from her belt.
Cool, soothing water filled his mouth, and he gulped the refreshing liquid.
“Cindra, please come here and help me carry him back to the bedrolls. He needs to rest.”
> “No problem,” Cindra growled cheerfully.
Seconds later, her powerful arms slipped under him and lifted him effortlessly to rest against her massive breasts.
Is she carrying me like a princess?
He cracked his eyelids open, shocked at how heavy they were, then blinked when he found himself staring into the hellhound’s glowing blue eyes.
“Hello, Packmaster,” she yipped.
“Cindra has you, just relax.” She nodded decisively, then dashed down the hall quick as a hare.
“Be careful with him, you boob-brained fur coat!” Sthuza screeched from behind them.
Cindra shot him an embarrassed grin, her large fluffy ears drooping down. “Sorry.”
That made him chuckle, reigniting the burning pain of his lip, but he reached up to pat Cindra on one muscular shoulder.
“It’s all right. No harm done,” Gabriel said as she lowered him carefully to the bedroll.
“Kind of early to get the beds out, isn’t it?” he asked as the gorgon, glaring at Cindra, stalked into the room.
“Snakey knew the ritual would tire you, so she came and got yours ready for you,” the hellhound said, completely ignoring the death stare aimed her way.
“Cccindra, get away from him,” Sthuza hissed, then straightened up when he turned her way.
“Go guard the hallway,” she said, her tone less threatening.
“Sure thing, Snakey!” Cindra replied before skipping out of the room, grabbing her sword near the door.
“Are you feeling well, Master?”
He gently felt along his split lip, careful not to exacerbate the wound. “I think so. I’m crazy tired, but it’s more like the ritual drained me than physical exhaustion. It’s not an experience I’m used to, but I should be good to go after a short rest.”
She nodded, her emerald eyes watching him. “As long as you are sure. Please do not push yourself too fast. We have much to do and little time, but it will only grow worse if you strain yourself.”
“Is it always that taxing to expand the Core’s Domain?” he asked, a little worried at the idea of having to do that on a regular basis. A second of concentration brought up the Interface, and he checked his mana.
Mana 25%
“I do not believe so. No doubt, the other Core’s ownership made it more challenging, which is why Lady Merideva needs that crystal.”
He opened his mouth to respond, then paused when a filthy goblin sprinted into the room. Soaked in sweat, the panting goblin staggered toward him but collapsed halfway across the room.
Merideva burst out of her hidden cubbyhole and flew straight at Gabriel.
“We’re doomed!” she wailed, her dark-blue orb slamming into his chest and knocking the wind out of him.
“Lady Merideva, what is wrong?”
“A huge band of adventurers just entered the dungeon and are rushing through the first floor.”
Gabriel coughed, sucked in a fresh lungful of air, and turned to look at his Prime.
“This could be rather terrible,” the distracted gorgon said as she stared off into space.
“Isn’t it normal for adventurers to delve the dungeon?” he asked, confused.
“Yes, but given her fear, and the ‘huge band,’ I now recall an aspect of the missing Domain Crystal that I had not previously considered.”
“What aspect?” he replied impatiently, drawing her attention back to him.
“Adventurers tend to keep their parties small, yes?” she asked, arching a flawless green eyebrow.
“Yeah, the larger the party, the more dangerous the dungeon becomes…” he said, trailing off as her concern dawned on him. “Oh shit. The crystal would be responsible for spawning more monsters to counter a larger party?”
She nodded, her agitated head-snakes hissing angrily as they coiled behind her. “That would not be a problem for us unless someone up there knows about the issue with the Core.
“If they informed this Estrial about the crystal, but not the vulnerability of Lady Merideva’s Core,” she said, her long tongue slipping out to wet her full lips.
He watched raptly as she lost herself in thought. Her tongue slithered back and forth in time with her swaying snakes. All at once, she froze, then blushed and turned away.
“Ah, what was I saying?” she muttered. “Oh, yes. I strongly suspect that the adventurers who stole the Domain Crystal are not a part of this new group. Instead, I imagine these are employed by whoever informed your erstwhile companions in the first place.”
“Which means?” he asked, trying to keep her focused.
“Sorry, Master, I must admit I may be a touch unsettled,” Sthuza whispered.
“What? Why?”
“Because we will probably die soon.”
That caused Meri to wail, her voice shrill as she vibrated against his chest, reminding him of the cowering Core.
Careful not to drop her, he stood up and moved to embrace his Prime.
“Well, they will take Lady Merideva as a prize, but they will aim to kill the rest of us,” Sthuza said, her voice filled with despair. Curling in on herself, she began muttering. “Why did this have to happen now? I finally found a new Dungeon Master who is not a total deviant. And now we are going to die.”
“If Meri and I are doomed, can’t you and Cindra just run away and survive?”
Her head snapped up, tossing her snakes about, and she stared at him uncomprehendingly.
Gabriel flinched when he spotted unshed tears threatening to spill from her glistening eyes.
“No, Master. Our bond with you will eventually result in death if you fall. If you were bonded with a stronger Core, we might transfer over to them, but as it stands, if you die, we will follow within weeks.”
Her certainty, both of what would happen to his bonded, and his impending death, rocked him.
Shit. This isn’t fucking fair. Some asshole set all of this up? Set me up as a sacrifice, and now they want to kill my bonded?
No! Screw that! She survived Iylara’s death. Maybe there’s something she’s overlooking?
“Sthuza, if my death would kill you, how did you survive your previous mistress?”
She blinked at him, her vertical pupils flaring wide as she shrank back in fear.
“I… ssshe… pleassse, Massster, I cannot deal with thisss right now,” she begged him, tears streaming down her high-boned cheeks.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“I’m sorry, forget I asked,” Gabriel said. His shock at the usually collected gorgon’s unsteadiness left him stumbling for a response. A simple glance at his Prime’s face made it clear that something terrible had happened with Iylara.
Sthuza choked back a sob. “It does not matter right now. We need to figure out how many adventurers are coming.”
He glanced down at the gasping goblin and quickly wrote off getting anything coherent from the filthy little monster.
Maybe it’s time to try scrying again?
He took a deep breath, then focused before he could lose his nerve and reached out through the Dungeon Sense to locate the rest of the goblins.
Less than a minute later, he’d located the other four, and from the vague sense of direction he detected, at least one of them was still on the first floor. Attention narrowed to the single scout, Gabriel furrowed his brow in concentration and dove into the sneaking creature’s senses.
Sight and sound assaulted him as before. He was ready for that this time and found it much more manageable. He was less prepared for the horrific taste and smell that flooded through the goblin’s acute senses. A supreme effort of willpower kept him from vomiting. And, more importantly, from breaking the connection.
It took only seconds to block out the unwanted feedback, and a smile spread across his face when he instinctively filtered out the offending senses.
Damn, that’s much better. Now if I can just locate the invading—
“Fucking shit!”
“Are you all right, Master?” Sthuza ask
ed, her voice echoing from far away.
“Gabriel?” Meri’s scared voice called out from much closer.
“No, there’s no gods-damned way!” he screamed, his eyes wide open but unseeing.
“Massster, what isss wrong?” Sthuza hissed, her fearful tone recalling him to his own presence.
“That asshole Kelith is up there leading a dozen or more of the baron’s guards,” he spat angrily, retracting his awareness to his body.
“Kelith, the one that recommended you to Estrial?” Sthuza asked, sounding perplexed.
He turned to look at her, her head-snakes cowering behind her lovely face. With them pulled back so thoroughly, she looked very much like when he’d first laid eyes on her.
After a second, he shook away the distracting thought and nodded. “Yeah, I’d recognize him and those ridiculous red and gold robes anywhere.”
“How many of these guards did he have with him?” the gorgon asked, gazing at him, face pale and her angular eyes open wide.
“I didn’t get an exact count,” Gabriel said, shaking his head. It felt like he had water in his ear, but he couldn’t quite clear it up.
“Yes, scrying through goblins is a rather alien experience. Still, it is impressive that you managed that so well,” Sthuza replied, her voice regaining a touch of her usual elegance.
“They were splitting up into a few groups. But that’s still a bunch of heavily armed and armored soldiers. Without the dungeon spawning more monsters to counter them, we’re in a lot of trouble if they find the path Estrial’s group carved,” he said, shaking his head as he sank back to the cold stone.
Sthuza moved close and wrapped her slender arms around his chest. “Do not give in to despair, Master,” she cooed, her snakes uncoiling enough to embrace the sides of his head. “We need to hit them at once. If we wipe out a few groups fast enough, they may believe that the Core is still functioning properly and flee.”
Gabriel focused on her words, reminding himself of his powerful bonded and his pledge to protect them and Merideva.
I can do this. It’s not fair, but life obviously doesn’t care, or a prick like Kelith wouldn’t be so damn lucky.
Dungeon Bound Page 21