Thersea looked down at her lap as she organized her thoughts, though the fore front if concious thought was the sheer absurdity of the situation. Her, the hero was sat before the vile scourge of the land, the Dungeon Lord... and he wanted her history from the past year? It almost seemed like old times when Alexander and herself fought and were sat before a mediating adult to try and mitigate whatever full scale war they declared between their two sides.
Clearing her throat she looked up and began, "This was the path you thought you'd get wasn't it? I can tell whatever you read probably only glossed over what it is. The first month was celebration, showing off the reborn ancient path to all the high nobility. But once the fan fare was over it was made perfectly clear that the nobility and the imperial line wanted nothing to do with it or me. Well the latter is a bit of a lie, some of the princes looked upon my having the path as concubine material to perhaps breed their own line of heroes but the imperial sage quickly defused that, it never gets passed on directly like they were thinking so even as breeding stock I was unwanted at court."
Sniffing slightly, "I was introduced to the Knights League for training, their leader however was about as welcoming as a riled bear. My... training... was more being a sandbag for the actual knights, i was never taught anything, mostly thrown between teachers and expected to learn from the beatings i was given." Reaching down to lift her empty scabbard and looking to the blade laid across his lap she sighed, "The blade was a gift from Father when I graduated. He looked so proud as he presented it to me, how could I break his heart and admit our old militia drills had taught me more about swordplay than our stout defenders of the Knights League?"
"My training was broken up in three month stretches, after the Knights League, it was the Mage Association. The old men there were more interested in being perverted bastards than teaching me magic. While i did learn a few cantrips, nothing that would help me win a battle unless gusts of wind to blow up ones robe would defeat you?" She gave a mocking laugh and shook her head, "Finally the church, where I had hoped my path would take me was a cold prison. Rather than learning to heal the wounded or relieve the sick, I was condemned to endless prayer, begging forgiveness for my tainted war like path in an age of peace... even as the empire prepares to subjugate our neighbor."
Thersea sat back, her head tilted to look upon the ceiling, "After the three major factions had their turn, they dumped me outside the Adventurer's Guild, barely able to hold a sword, weave a spell or cure the dying, the last month has been trying to get experience by fighting slimes and giant vermin, baby sitting spoiled brats and playing escort to insufferable noble bastards. Until the call came, a dungeon had appeared, soldiers had died. All groups were to mobilize and to make a show for the populace they put me in charge... but not really. I'm just the figure head they hope you'll kill off."
Thersea blew out her breath leveling a gaze upon Alexander, "Is that my fate Alexander?"
• ▪︎ ● ■ * ■ ● ▪︎ •
Alexander listened as Thersea spoke, if what she said was true the route he craved was a joke! Though he should have realized it himself, heroes were summoned to fight extreme evils not random occurrences that happened because fate giggled and farted on the universe. No, a hero born to an age without a demon lord would stick out like a sore thumb, especially in their home of an Empire, the only great 'evil' was the imperial family itself. Go figure they wouldn't train the blade that would ultimately turn on them by sheer virtue of its existence.
Looking to his former rival he shook his head at her final question. It wasn't just that he liked her either, there was no satisfaction in beating her like this. This was like kicking a dog that had been beaten and abused, it simply rolled over exposing its belly and had no way to resist. There was no challenge, no sense of satisfaction of achieving victory over his rival. Sighing he met her gaze, "Stay here for the time being. The dungeon demands my attention. What happens now will be decided later."
Pushing off the bed he walked out the doors without looking back, a sob reached his ears as the tension in her finally broke. The fear and uncertainty overwhelming her as he closed the doors behind him. She needed time to come to terms with the empires betrayal. He wasn't lying either, her raid group had been routed, she was the sole survivor of the forty invaders. Between the trained knights, clergy and mages, his merits had refilled greatly, but he needed to act swiftly, if the three factions were preparing another raid he would not be able to rely on familiarity with a childhood friend to swing things in his favor a second time.
Sitting in his throne he prepared to access the build menu when he looked to Jansea, the demon was fidgeting and looking quite... put out. Quirking a brow he asked, "Something on your mind my guardian?"
Jansea sighed looking upon him and nodded as she squirmed, "Can I have her Master?"
Alexander looked to her, "Her who?"
Jansea bit her lip to stifle the mian in her throat as she squirmed against the side of his throne, "The hero Master, I know she still lives, I can smell her purity. The sweet fragrance of the untouched is intoxicating Master, corrupting her would enhance me to at least a greater tier... so please Master, let your servant have the heroine?"
Alexander chuckled and shook his head, he was rather glad to see the succubus suffering at being unable to touch that she craved much as she had tempted himself. "No, she is mine to corrupt at my leisure. What of our other... guest?"
Jansea groaned in frustration, one hand between her leather clad thighs as the other waved and opened a window, the view made Alexander cringe but also thankful there was no audio. In a different part of the dungeon another raid survivor was currently enjoying the tender mercies of the goblins and orcs. It was the 'knight' who had shoved Thersea forward without pause or consideration. While he had lead her away he had given his minions specific task to capture this fellow.
Currently the goblins and orcs were piled on the man, if he could even still be considered such. Alexander's displeasure at the mans betrayal had translated into the fellow becoming a plaything of the goblin kin. The view in the window was dismissed with a quick wave of his hand. "See that he is shoved outside after my upgrades are done. He will be our warning to the Empire."
Turning from the gruesome punishment he focused now on the gains, while he would not gain merit from the man nor from Thersea the death of many knights, mages, clergy and adventurers had seen a great influx of merits...
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Dungeon One
Owner: Alexander Cowens, Deaths Chosen
Guide: Jansea, Tier 5 Demon (Succubus)
Levels: One
Terrain: Cavern Labrynth, Demonic Core, Royal Bedchamber
Population: 77
Special Features: Starter Copper Mine, Captured Hero
Available Dungeon Merits: 27,500
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Alexander whistled looking at his merits, tapping the option he could see that the mages and clergy especially were highly valued targets by the dungeon. Much like the soldiers, the knights and higher skilled adventurers gave a base average gain while the rogues, scouts and archers were little better than the mob that had first fed his dungeon. Still, twenty five thousand merits was nothing to sneeze at, along with the twenty five hundred he already had. Quickly opening the Builder window he scanned the list in thought.
There still wasn't enough to level up the dungeon but he could expand the conditions of his creatures or try another gamble. Staring at the screen Alexander frowned, he needed to level up his dungeon and spawn a boss, relying on himself and Jansea was too risky, better they be end bosses and let the empire murder itself on the iron wall he foresaw his dungeon becoming. Still, he was half way away from increased security, he could forgo creature comfort momentarily and just focus on gearing them but it was still the same situation.
Gearing his minions with rocks and sticks wouldn't help against armored knights. Sighing he looked at the final option. Gambling was something he had stayed away from in his original life, it always favored the house so flushing money down the drain with that was likely a waste... but... his initial gamble had paid off in spades. Pushing his luck with his [Deathly Visage] skill had paid off as well. Would three times be the charm? Sighing, Alexander decided to chance it, if nothing else he'd just have to adjust the ambush spots on the fly for the next while, he turned his attention to the notification that popped up.
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A SPECIAL ENCOUNTER HAS OCCURRED
Tier Two Equipment has been found by your minions. Five orcs have become five Orc Warriors, five goblins have become five Goblin Fighters, five goblin wolf riders have become five Goblin Knights, ten kobolds have become ten Kobold Sappers. Due to the presence of Goblin Knights, one has been promoted to Goblin Commander.
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Alexander had first been disappointed when he read the initial line that he had only gotten equipment but watch the flurry of upgrades happen to his living horde he could no longer be disappointed. Bringing the new troops up on the window he looked through them. The kobold sappers were much like the original kobolds only now they were dressed in what appeared to be leather armor and each carried a pair of daggers, over all they didn't look any stronger but they should survive easier with armor and no longer relied on biting and scratching.
The Goblin Fighters were much more impressive, each of the five wore hide armor and carried a bronze sword and wooden shield, again it beat them throwing rocks and wearing a nasty loin cloth. The Orc Warriors were much the same, like the kobolds they now wore leather armor but each carried a large bronze axe. To round out the upgrades the wolf riders had become a true calvary, each wore bronze armor and carried a Bronze tipped spear while their commander had iron armor while wielding an iron glaive.
Feeling quite satisfied with these benefits for a measly five thousand merits, Alexander almost screamed as another notification popped up, unlike the prior windows which had a soft bluish coloration this one glared an angry red.
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WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
Tier three units detected in dungeon. Support rooms however not found. Please build a barracks and food pit lest Tier three units rebel!
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Alexander cursed quickly bringing up the builder menu and expanding his dungeon, crying inside as twenty thousand merits vanished to support the Orc Warriors and his Goblin Commander. He felt his earlier luck had turned sour as he was turned into a pauper once again. Sighing he rubbed his face. He had gotten strong units but naturally they wouldn't be content squatting in the labrynth like his Tier one and tier two minions. Grumbling he set the barracks to be a simple worked stone room with cots while the feeding pit took on the form of a boar ranch.
Closing the menus he slumped in his chair, at this rate he'd never get level two for the dungeon. Shaking his head he reorganized the defenses putting the Sappers and Fighters towards the front lines with Orc Warriors for support. The Goblin Knights he had hold down the mid chamber and reassigned the undead platoon to the core doors. Waving away another window he looked to Jansea, "Hold the fort, hopefully those idiots outside send in another raid group."
Jansea bowed low, her tight catsuit straining as gravity tried to dislodge her chest from the open top of her corset as she leaned forward and purred, "It will be as Master commands, about the other request..."
Alexander sighed pinching the bridge of his nose as those full crimson orbs threatened to spill free, "Denied for now." Despite her pout Alexander crossed the room, abandoning the oppressive heat of the core chamber for his bed chamber, as he opened the doors wide his jaw nearly unhinged as it dropped towards the floor.
Within, Thersea blushed, her whole body crimson as a wisp of a sheet barely covered her intimate details. Standing at the end of his bed as naked as the day she was born. Alexander's mind reeled as the image he had long dreamt of was presented before him, yet the only thing going through his mind was... 'Thersea...what the fuck?!'