Nicole had muttered the last part as I stripped to nude outside the door. Groz arrived with a report exactly the moment I was flopping in the wind.
“I get you are the boss, but put a hand over it or something,” Groz said in a grumpy tone.
I tucked my penis between my legs and he walked to the side of the wagon and tapped his head against the vehicle in frustration. I tried to get him to stop but it was too late. The wagon despawned and Nicole squeaked as she fell six feet down suddenly.
“Awe, are you fucking kidding me,” Groz said in an even more sour voice. “Sorry Miss Nicole, won’t happen again.”
I saw Nicole healing her broken ankle and when it was done she stopped biting her lip. Nicole pulled herself up then handed me my black robe from the gala and my staff. The outfit was far comfier, but it would have no mana regeneration but the pockets sure were nice. Groz apologized a second time and I realized this was all part of the growing process. I zoned out remembering when I had spawned Kor and ran out of mana a few times. Shit was going to happen, learning from it was how we grew as Awesome Adjective Annihilators.
“Okay, the report came in. A canyon opens up to a wide valley, about half a day march north. There is a huge cavern entrance with potential mines all around it. The large entrance had a company of goblin troops with infantry and crossbow ranged in support. Around the valley, there are smaller openings that were only briefly observed. The scouts were making notes when an ambush was sprung by a team of goblins with crossbows. A scout died when they learned the area was guarded. Walked right into an ambush which means the goblins aren’t mindless fools,” Groz said sadly.
Barq had walked over to hear the report and nodded at the last part. I kicked the dirt in frustration. I could have done the recon but I was at a gala listening to music and snotty nobles. While I brooded Barq cleared his throat for attention.
“They are probably a few hundred floors at least. Our family conquered a mining dungeon,” Barq said proudly while leaning on his ice staff. “If you always have a person inside the dungeon it will never respawn. So if we conquer the area and maintain an outpost we can extract the interior minerals, stone, or ore. The dungeon will eventually break and respawn not far away. The local Duke of our area fined us a hefty price until it relocated. Our conquered dungeon took a few weeks but a new cavern system opened up less than an hour’s walk and we were left to harvest the bounty of the old one.”
I summoned the blimp and I craned my neck up to marvel at it. The image of it appearing a few feet away was always so impressive. I walked for the ramp when Groz came to my side.
“I will get the troops ready. Give us another hour to shop please,” Groz said.
I paused to allow my teammates to catch up to us on the ramps. I had a decision to make and knew I was rushing things. Still, we might be able to revive that dead dwarf.
“I want the head scout on this ship, like two minutes ago. Run!” I bellowed at Groz and the dwarf grumpily sped off. I saw Shala despawn her battle pet in the background and hustle our way. Zoey, Kata, and Mysti arrived in a huff. When I thumbed them into the hold they waltzed up the ramp. “Where is Desmond?”
“Beside you. Am I coming?” He asked and I nodded with a grim expression.
“Ossa cave me you sexy ogre,” Desmond said to Ossa as she was helping Dib build a cooking pit.
A cave spawned and Desmond ran into it. I saw him swapping from mage to thick armored gear. Garataur went to get in but I stopped him.
“You and Frooska need to go clear that small dungeon. Likely until you are level fifty. Keep at it and I promise to help you improve your smithing. Right now you have no armor to tank in. A single bolt and you’re dead. When that is done I need shovels crafted. Enough for us to start digging foundation trenches.”
“Aye, you are right. Frooska was wanting to try the dungeon. We will take Dib and Ossa while you are gone with some dwarves. I will make amazing armor in due time, I keep telling myself that and adjusting has not been the easiest of things. The talent is simply waiting for me to have enough mana and the right ore as well as a powerful smithy. And then the tools, oh the tools I will make with that legendary orb. Sidetracked in smithy dreams… I figured I would be remiss not to try to join you,” Garataur said with Frooska listening behind him.
“Thanks Gryff, we shall go level. King Ptera gifted me with a mythic mage tower for my familiar. I can't craft much else than a stick with minor mana reduction at the moment. We shall go grind the lowbie dungeon,” Frooska said while fluttering the leaves that hung like a long mustache over his lips.
Shala, Desmond, a random dwarf who was probably the scout, and Groz ran up the angled ramp and into the warehouse. I did a quick headcount and saw that we were ready to go. I jogged down the empty long corridor for the stairwell and then slowed my pace.
“We are not in a rush,” Nicole said while moving closer to hold my hand. “I was able to restore that female bearfrii because she had minimal damage to her brain. I do not think I can revive someone past an hour but we can always try.”
“We must,” I said while still taking long steps.
Nicole yanked me to a stop and there were gasps from those behind us. I chuckled. If anyone was allowed to halt me violently it was my alpha babe.
“Home! For those who strive to go, there is no greater calling; and there is no greater sacrifice than to die while aiding those that make it,” Nicole said. “These dwarves, me, and you… We all know what is at stake. You cannot be everywhere at once. Everyone will learn and grow. The sad truth is that not all of us will make it home.”
“I hear you, Nicole, I truly do. How about we go try to revive him? And then grieve if not.”
∞∞∞
The scout was named Rigmar and he guided us to the dungeon location with ease. He may have grumbled sourly at how we made it there in ten minutes instead of spending a full day walking but the directions were on point. I landed a mile away to avoid the chance of getting shot down. We exited the blimp and I despawned the airship. There was an hour cooldown that caused me to frown. I never really had to worry much about the delay of respawning my familiar before.
Desmond established point with me a step back from him and Groz to my left. Nicole and Kata were in the middle ready to heal and the air shield was over us. Barq, Shala, Zoey, Rigmar, and Mysti were tense and ready. Even though we had open fields to cover everyone was a bit on edge. We knew we were walking toward enemies with lethal ranged weapons. An arrow to the eye from a level fifty goblin would kill me just the same as an arrow from a level twenty thousand elvath.
I picked up our pace to a jog and slowed us when I was surprised. We were about a quarter-mile when a team of goblins exited the wood line. They arrayed themselves to meet us for battle in the open. I was confused. Tactically it was suicide but maybe they did not realize we were armed for battle and not scout dwarves ready to flee.
“Take us down to a walk Desmond,” I commanded. “Who has an identification orb on them? I swear I cannot believe I forgot to get one.”
“I have one boss,” Kata said and I saw her swapping orbs out. “Just a moment. Okay, there is a mini-boss in the middle level two hundred. A dozen level one hundred infantry. Oh, the magic located your dead dwarf. His body is on the ground in the treeline. No head… Sorry Gryff.”
“How many total and can you see past the trees?” I asked.
“No being can see through solid objects Gryff. I can smell around them as can others,” Kata huffed and paused her reply. “My point is there could be more.”
“What is the range on the crossbow, a thousand feet right?” I turned to Groz and asked.
“Give or take a few hundred based on the angle and quality of the crafting,” he replied.
“How many bolts can your shield stop before it pops from mana consumption?” I asked Kata.
“A few dozen at most and I am counting seventeen crossbow carrying goblins. If they get four vol
leys off we should be concerned by the fourth and those that follow. Assuming we trade our arrows for their bolts,” Kata said while pointing at Mysti.
“Light jog until a thousand yards and then sprint to close the distance Desmond,” I said expecting him to grumble or whine.
He grinned at me over his shoulder and raised his shield proudly. The ogre trotted forward to close the distance. The first enemy volley was launched prematurely and landed way too short.
“Run!” I commanded and Desmond took off in a long gaited sprint.
The second volley released and I instinctively flinched when bolts were about to hit us. Watching them come directly for my face was slightly scary. When they hit Kata’s air shield and deflected I let out a sigh of relief. While I had certainly endured things more painful than a crossbow bolt, I was not eager to welcome them into my body parts.
“Those were… weak… as in… not pulled tight,” Kata said between panting breaths.
I forgot she would have to slither but somehow Kata kept up. Her thighs pumped as if running with legs and her tail muscles from the knees down were jerking violently to propel her across the ground. I did not let it distract me for too long as the enemy was trying to reload when we arrived.
Ice frost coated the ground under the goblins’ feet while lightning smashed down on the enemy boss in a resounding boom. He raised his shield in time to absorb the blow but rocked from the impact. I hurled a spear into the air to break the sound barrier and then cast a heal all on our group. Desmond shield bashed the mini-boss and sent him flying and he pushed into the enemy infantry. A tornado erupted on the goblins’ left flank and sprawled their formation into chaos.
I spun to take up space behind my ranged damage dealers. My goal here was to be reactionary. The right flank was taking arrow fire when a rhinorc skeleton charged into their midst. Bodies were flying and the defensive line of the goblins had crumbled. The rotting zombie constrictor bound up a goblin and I watched it squirm ineffectively.
The mini-boss recovered and stealthily scored an arterial leg wound on Desmond when he was parrying an infantry goblin. Nicole beat me to the healing and I continued to survey the battlefield. Groz and Rigmar were deep into the disorganized left flank. A goblin was picked up and thrown my direction by the skeleton rhinorc. I couldn’t resist the easy kill and threw a spear into its face.
“Those are for Mysti you brute!” Zoey said with a gleeful cackle. “Kill my minions, kill them all!”
Desmond continued to keep the enemy boss on his back foot. Mysti found an opening and buried an arrow into an eye slot.
The largest goblin did not realize he was dead and continued his errant swings. He smashed the helm of an infantry goblin and then collapsed in a tumble, never to rise again.
The enemy sensed defeat was coming. I watched as they turned and fled. We gave chase until the wood line and killed the vast majority of the retreating foes.
I had my breath under control fairly quickly. I checked my score and saw I did not level up. Desmond gave a loud ear splitting roar as the last goblins faded away.
“Yes! I got twelve levels from that,” Mysti said while grinning triumphantly.
“Six,” Nicole mentioned.
“Nine,” Desmond added.
“While great, we have twenty two minutes until we leave. Nicole spawn your chest. Desmond and Zoey you are on over watch. The rest of us, time to cut some goblin hearts out,” I said with a grin.
“Going to feel odd doing this to gnomes if we find any later,” Shala said while giving voice to her thoughts on the concept of sawing hearts out her fellow species.
“Not bad when you realize they have no actual souls,” Barq said from experience.
“I figured as much, just different.”
I let them have their banter without any input. I spawned a spear and dove it into the chest of the first goblin. The point of the weapon buried into soft squishy things. The rib bones barely gave any resistance against my powerful jabs. I smashed again and I felt the spear tighten inside the body from a lack of space which meant orbs had materialized. The spear despawned and I fished inside the goblin body to pull out two orbs. A green identification orb, nice. The next was what looked like boiling water. Into Nicole’s box, they went.
I went to the corpse of the mini-boss and removed his metal chest piece. I started smashing his chest in with violent thrusts with my spear. A few jabs into the process and I hit something hard.
Again I repeated the process of sending my hand into a gory mess. Oh, I felt something boxy in shape.
When I pulled the treasure chest out it expanded to its proper size. I instantly flipped the lid open and saw raw gold chunks.
Eh, not bad.
There was a pattern occurring where the level of the monster reflected what the chest held. I set the box to the ground and continued searching for more loot and retrieved two orbs. One for a common air shield and the last one was purple.
A combat pet goblin with a mini spear and everything. He looked so cute. I ejected my healing ray and stuck him in.
When I spawned him I realized I had erred.
Mysti was the quickest.
An arrow twanged from her bow and my pet monster died instantly. I chuckled at his demise.
Oh, killing goblins never got old.
“What the fuck was that?” Zoey asked while scanning for threats.
“Combat pet. I should have given a warning before having him suddenly appear. My bad,” I said in a half-apology to the group.
“Too bad he did not spawn as a zombie,” Zoey replied.
“Awe, while necromancy orbs are excellent, if you got the goblin worker that would be a real nice find. They are low mana consumption and do great work. They are tediously slow at mining but stick them on a wall and a day of mining from them adds up,” Barq said as he tossed the last of the orbs into the storage bin. “Hey we got one from the troll dungeon, we should buy it back if it was sold.”
“Check with Francine when we get back. Consider the request to buy worker orbs approved.” I told the team.
“We are all cleaned up here boss. What now?” Kata asked.
“Desmond protect our rear, Nicole despawn your familiar,” I said as I took point and started a slow jog away from the remnants of our fight. “How hard is it for you to maintain a long run?”
Kata realized the question was directed at her and said, “Oh, not too bad at this pace. I can do this all day. While I may be a natural amphibian I struggle moving fast across the land for extended periods. You saw my limit and I probably pushed past it. Nothing a warm bubble bath won’t fix.”
“If only one existed in our muddy camp,” Shala quipped and then jabbed Barq with a finger as we jogged. “Hey, maybe your cabin will upgrade?”
“The blimp has one, we filled it with sex juices though. At least the one closest to the entry,” Zoey said while Mysti tried to suppress a laugh that escaped. “There are others to spoil my darling.”
“We are not going to rest. We are picking up the merchants and taking them to Remi, then picking up the dwarves, and finally coming right back here. We need stone, and I hope we find it inside these caves.”
CHAPTER 25
“Covering fire!” I bellowed out.
The front line dwarves with shields slammed their metal wall into the dirt while rangers leveled crossbows over their shoulders. The moment the thud of metal meeting earth hit my ears, I was in a dead sprint. My feet tore across the cavern floor as I heard the snap of crossbows belching bolts of death. I jumped against the wall on my right and propelled myself twenty feet into the air. My chest crashed into the plateau wall and air vacated my lungs from the impact.
A determined grunt escaped me as I forced myself up the overhang just in time. The enemy crossbow bolts soared as the goblins’ weapons twanged. The area all around me was peppered with shoddily built goblin bolts. Relief washed over me as I knew I was behind cover with a fl
anking position. Safe for the moment, I gave a long reflective exhale at the grind that got us to the final boss.
When we had dropped off the merchants I had a runner deliver a few lists for Ovaria. I needed more staves that could revive the dead. I was fairly certain I may not even be able to afford one but it was worth a try to have her people look around. Included in the note was to keep hiring and to bribe the King to do a daily blimp flight. If not every day, at least when Harmony returned. I should have thought that one over more than I did.
I ended up arguing with King Ptera about my plans for building in the dungeon valley. What worked for Barq’s family on Yariw was not how things operated on Thur. The Awesome Adjective Annihilators was forced to pay a fine to cover my impending transgressions. The only thing saving me from such a flagrant violation was my naivety, we had not started construction yet, and this now bumped up dungeon was not visited this time of year since it was winter. When King Ptera returned to Remi to continue working on airships he did so with far less hostility.
Three days of slow pushing into the valley resulted in zero deaths. I happened to be a really shitty healer and fucking quit that by day two. Maybe it was my impatience and boredom. Maybe it was my murder boner had gone flopping soft. And maybe, it was my “healing was only for girls” sexism attitude. By day two I carried a massive shield, big enough for a thirty foot being. Smashing into goblin lines with a twenty foot wide shield with empowered speed knocked them over in an epic fashion. The best part was I only killed a few each time and the troops were getting the kill experience instead of me.
Harmony arrived and we stalled out from pushing into caverns when she returned. I tried to convince her to attempt to fly to Remi and back in my blimp in the hopes it would not despawn. As happy as she was to see me, which I admit was amazing, Harmony flat out refused. That night we established Harmony would fly a route to the capital and back while I slept off the day’s battle. She did hand Kata a legendary air shield orb that I had to compensate her ten platinum for. There was only one so I ensured my end of the bargain was fulfilled instead of adding it to my rotation.
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