Chapter Forty-One
Bhediya wasn't the only casualty Halia's party took as they navigated the labyrinth. Hela, Marwo, and Cysgo were lost to traps and an ambush of rock elementals. Halia hated each one of them yipping in pain before they vanished.
She knew they would be revived by Leo. They probably were alive right now, telling Leo what was going on. Still, Halia didn't want anyone to die against dungeon builders. She thought about her adventurers in training.
What if she lost one of them one day?
The life of an adventurer was not safe. Most of them didn't make it past their first dungeon. Only the best had successful careers. Delving into the dark winnowed out the weak and the unlucky.
It's war,
Halia told herself.
Our world versus the rogue builders.
There would be casualties.
"There's a door!" Du yipped from ahead. "A metal one. Strong and locked."
It emerged out of the darkness, a stout door of steel just like the ones Leo used to guard the approach to his throne room. They must be at the end of the dungeon. Right now, Berg and his companions were in his throne room staring down at the map, watching their red dots getting closer and closer. Feeling his monster girls dying.
Nothing was more dangerous than a badger cornered in his den.
"How do wet get through it?" Baaghi asked.
"Shame Garzan is dead," Sarkz said, his voice bitter.
"Shame you attacked our Lord!" Cheekha growled back.
"I can open it," Hagza said. "Stand clear!"
The dwarven mage thrust out her stony hand, fingers splayed wide. She stroked the brass medallion about her neck, caressing the cuneiform markings on it. Everyone pressed against the walls. Halia hugged it tight, the wildhounds standing up, their small breasts quivering.
"Kisib Na!"
A granite fist punched the door, denting the metal. The hinges groaned. Hagza cried out the arcane words again. A second rocky fist crashed into the door. The metal bowed inward, the metal crumpling. The third stone blow ripped the door off its hinges.
It crashed to the stone floor with a loud clatter.
The dungeon builder's throne room spread out before them. Lights glowed through it, illuminating the space. A throne stood on the far side before another steel door. The dungeon builder, Berg, stood in full plate armor before the map on the floor. He had no weapons, but black soil trickled from the gaps in his clenched fists.
Earth enchanted.
He had three companions with him. On his right was a tall and strong woman with thick, shaggy hair and claws at the ends of her fingers and toes. Her large tits swayed as she shifted her stance and roared with ursine fury.
Instead of a human head, she had a bear.
Bugbear,
thought Halia as she scanned the enemies. To the dungeon builder's left was a lampetia, her body made of pure light, her hair shining and eyes glowing blue. Beside her stood the last companion, another Light monster girl. A chalkydri. She had twelve wings, her feathers the spectrum of a rainbow. A lion's tail swished behind her and she stood on feline paws.
"Kill them," boomed Berg, his voice echoing from behind his helm.
The bugbear charged at Halia, but Baaghi roared and rushed past the paladin. The rakshasa and the bugbear collided. They crashed to the ground, tiger and bear heads snapping and snarling at each other as claws raked across their bodies.
The wildhounds rushed towards Berg, racing past Baaghi and her fight. The glowing woman stepped before her builder and burst with light. Halia winced at the brilliance from across the room. The wildhounds screamed in pain and clutched at their eyes.
