Dungeon Life

Chapter One-Hundred Twenty-Three

The First Mate

The great white scion of Hullbreak Harbor looks across the seabed to the forces of the other dungeon. Thedeim, or Neverrest, or whatever it is, shes given the Captains decision: The invaders leave, or everyone dies. She can feel the Captains confidence through the bond. Hes certain the other dungeon will back down.

Shes pretty sure hes just killed them all. At least theres a decent chance of the dwellers being able to get out safely.

The Boss calls that mutually assured destruction, comes the odd sound of Thedeims Voice. Shes never heard anything like the odd crackles it makes. The Boss also says it only works if its actually mutual. Youre making this a lot messier than it needs to be, Hullbreak.

The First Mate can hear the Captains confidence as the Quartermaster approaches the coastal town. She can also feel that confidence move to mild surprise as a black cloud rises and moves to intercept.

Thats Poe, the Marshal of Murders and Lord of Unkindnesses, Thedeims raven scion, comes the sound of the voice. Its odd though it doesnt sound proud or boastful, but more resigned.

Her Captain asks her a question, and she relays it. Are you worried he wont win? You dont sound very confident in your so-called scion.

Her Captains confidence evaporates as the raven scion embraces the power in those titles, seemingly in response to being called out. She cant feel the power directly, but the Captain is scrambling to try to come up with something to counter this unexpected threat.

She can hear the directions given, and its all but confirmed the Captain has killed them all.

The Boss isnt worried about Poe losing. Hes worried about collateral damage to the town.

Then back off. The Captain will leave them be if you leave him be.

And hell go right back to starving, especially after having spent all his mana on making and upgrading a new scion like that albatross. Then we either do this whole dance again, or the Boss just lets Hullbreak starve. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

The Captain snaps a retort at that, and the First mate relays it. She wants to know, too. Why do you care?

Because he just does, comes the simple reply. The Captain rages as the First Mate simply waits, and thinks. If this other dungeon really is as strong as its claiming to be, why doesnt it just subsume the Captain? Why would it try to help?

Will it even still want to help, after the two winged scions clash? All she can do is try to feel how the battle is going, through her bond with the Captain. She cant see through the Quartermasters eyes, but she can still sense what the Captain is feeling. Mostly, its rage, but she can catch glimpses of more. The ever-present sorrow and pain from the loss of the dwellers. She wonders if the Captain even registers that anymore, or if he just accepts it as his baseline. Smug satisfaction. The Quartermaster has figured out something to use against this Poe.

Movement at the enemy dungeons beachhead pulls her from what shes doing. A skeleton, weighted by rocks? That doesnt seem quite right. It has a strange hat, and an odd axe? Shes never used one before, but she doesnt think thats how thats supposed to be held. The Captain suddenly is in abject terror as the figure comes to a stop, but the great white shark cant figure out why.

And then sound. It has the same odd edge that the Voice had, but no words. It starts with a few simple notes, pure and simple, somehow beautiful even with the harsh edge. Rumbles accentuate the notes as they flow in a simple melody of sorrow, of a battle that didnt need to be. Subtler notes join, adding tension to what should be something of simple beauty. It didnt have to be this way it still doesnt.

A momentary pause before what she can feel should be the final note, the quieter melody and rumblings stop. Even the tides seem to pause for just a heartbeat, before the final note falls.

The First Mate gasps when it does. She could feel the Quartermaster vanish, the gull spawner now slowly working to respawn him. What kind of attack could obliterate him in a single hit like that?! She was vaguely aware of him taking a few other attacks, but nothing like whatever it was that ended him.

The opposing dungeons forces stand still and solemn, and the weight of the song crashes down on her and the Captain. That is another scion. A Bard. That song was no battle hymn, no glorious march to war. It was a dirge.

The first mate shudders, knowing that if its played again today, she wont be able to hear it.

Thedeim

I watch through my scions eyes as Slash plays, and Im glad Fluffles treated that attack with the solemnity it deserved. It took a decent chunk of my mana to do, but it looks to be well worth it. The storm is petering out now, so I let Coda give the bell a break. Its probably still a good idea to let my dwellers continue with their plans to check the city, though. Theres probably going to be a lot of people wanting answers.

But I also probably shouldnt count my chickens before they hatch. Theres still the First Mate and the sharks ahead of us. I think the song took just about all of the fight out of them, though. I nudge Teemo to try to talk again.

Will you let us pass? echoes his voice from Slashs hat, my Voice riding his shoulder.

I yes comes the tired answer from the First Mate.

I leave the skeletons at the beachhead for now, not seeing much point in having them march in. Even if Hullbreak somehow tries to trap my scions, I still have all the rockslides and slimes inside. Marching the skeletons in would just be kicking him while hes down.

Rocky, Slash, and Teemo walk out from the beachhead, and Yendo nervously follows. Once they all meet up with the First Mate, she escorts them back towards Hullbreak.

What was that? asks the merman. Its plain on his face that he knows something big happened, but he doesnt look like he thinks a song was all.

It was a dirge, for the Quartermaster, answers the First Mate, and Teemo nods.

Thedeim really didnt want to fight, but hes not going to hold back if its the only option.

Yendo and the great white both look like theyre still trying to process that as everyone reaches the edge of Hullbreaks territory, and the merman gasps as he sees it.

It looks a lot different than I was expecting it to, from the reports. As my scions move through it, though, I get an inkling for why.

He consumed everything, didnt he? asks my Voice, even though the answer is clear.

The First Mate nods grimly. The nodes, the other spwaners everything except me, the Quartermaster, and the shark and gull spawners. And the enclave, of course. He wouldnt, even if he could.

Slash nudges various rockslides as they go, and the odd elementals distribute the information through the grapevine: no more need to hide. The shark chuckles as she sees the movement.

Heh elementals? The Captain had no idea.

Slimes, too, adds Teemo. He doesnt want to pile it on, but at this point, might as well be honest with everything, even if Im sure it hurts Hullbreaks pride. As we enter the merfolk Enclave, Im surprised to see several merfolk with tridents standing standing in the way of the procession. Rocky can see what looks like a big coral sculpture past them, in the center of town, which is where were almost certain the core is. I cant think of any other reason for the First Mate to lead us here, nor for the merfolk to try to threaten us.

Go away! We wont let you harm the Captain! speaks up a merman in what looks like some kind of shell or coral armor. He doesnt sound very old, and Rocky can see the shaking of his hands on the haft of the weapon, but the merman isnt backing down.

Klyrnev, let them pass. Theres nothing we can do, starts the First Mate, but the merman shouts over her.

No! Theyll kill the Captain!

We wont, states Teemo.

Liar! shouts the merman, then notices Yendo among the scions. You! This is all because of you, traitor! With that, he lunges towards the shocked merman.

Rockys hand moves through the water like its not there, and grabs the haft of the weapon. Judging from the loud crash an instant later, Im pretty sure he brute force moved it with his kinetic affinity. The speed and sound makes the merman release the trident and both he and Yendo stumble backwards. Terror is clear on Klyrnev's face as a lich just disarmed him mid-strike, while Yendo is in a new variety of shock from being saved by an undead scion.

I get a notification as Rocky simply looks at the merman.

Accept Geas? Y/N?

Hullbreak offers fealty in exchange for no harm ever befalling the merfolk.

I sigh at the popup and select no.

Thedeim will not make an impossible promise, Hullbreak, speaks my Voice as Rocky raises the trident, then plunges it into the silt of the sea floor.

Pain and hardship are just part of life. He has no intention of harming them, and will protect them as he does his own enclaves. And hes going to help you, too. He has no intention of subsuming you, either. Things are going to be weird, hell do a lot of stuff that doesnt make sense, stuff you wont like, maybe even hate but the merfolk and you will all be better for it.

Lordship accepted, Hullbreak Harbor Vassalized.

...The Captain accepts Admiral Thedeim.