The Castle in the middle of nowhere.

We spent about three hours talking with Demesne. She was surprised by the number of changes I proposed, but she was eager for changes. Her attitude gave me hope that maybe dungeons could be persuaded to be less bloodthirsty. Or simply beaten into submission and then reformed. While the people of the world can't really do anything to the dungeons except weaken them, I can. To be honest, I started to suspect that fighting other dungeons in the long run might be problematic.

"So you have three spawners now. Wolves, bears and an Avalon Legion spawner." I leaned over the table, pointing at each one of them on the map.

The last one was interesting. It allows for spawning all types of skeleton warriors, however, it can't spawn fairies, nagas or hussars horses. Still, it's a very nice option to have. I lazily sat on the simple chair and silently tapped the table with my finger.

"Yes, my King. I was wondering, how do you manage to control the vast armies of Avalon, ten scions and, according to tales, Avalon itself?" Demesne asked timidly, and she added quickly. "It's impressive!"

"I have many adventurers who spent hours on daily quests on the dungeon grounds as well as their daily lives in the Dungeon. They generate vast amounts of mana..."

"With all due respect, my King, that's impossible. Even if you have one hundred people to delve daily into your fighting grounds, it seems impossible for them to generate the amounts of mana needed for managing your denizens." She interrupted very politely.

"But I don't manage my denizens, Demesne. They are following their basic orders normally or listen to the scions or my residents. Even in battle, I rarely had to give individual orders." I shrugged with a smile. "Creating base instructions for you denizens will allow you to ignore micro-management completely."

"Oh!"

"Also, working together with the people of the world gives you many more benefits long term than simply killing them!" Amber looked at the statue's face. "When people are not afraid you will kill them, they will return to your grounds."

"But if I want them to stay? How can I make them stay? It seems this is a way better solution! I could have so much more mana..."

"You will have to give them a safe zone within your grounds, then." Irene laughed. "Sorry, Miss Demesne. But I am happy you want to create a safe village, even if you are motivated purely by greed."

"Thank you...my Queen. We Dungeons have to be greedy to survive. I lived long enough to know that greed is a very negative characteristic of a mortal, but it's normal for us," Demesne responded happily. "So a safe zone... And then you send a raid to the nearest settlement and kidnap everyone?"

"No, Demesne!" Luna barely held her laughter. "You must build for them a village they can move in first."

"And then I raid the settlement?" Demesne asked with uncertainty..

"No raiding, Demesne." I tried not to laugh, but the idea of Demesne raiding nearby villages just to help these people was amusing.

"But..." Now she was simply confused.

"It only sounds difficult." Amber laughed, probably imagining the same thing as I did. "After building the town in the safe zone, you have to grow food nodes so the people will dwell to get food for themselves. When the adventurers return, you can show them the free zone and invite them to stay."

"But... The Cridians blocked all routes to my grounds!"

"Oh... I forgot about that. However, I expect Cridians to attack Avalon with full power right at the beginning of the spring..."

"That's not good... Many surrounding villages might be destroyed by the Cridians." Demesne said with a dry voice.

"Hold on! Why would the Cridians do such a thing?!" I looked at her statue with a slight fear in my eyes.

"They want to deprive a disobedient dungeon of any sources of easy mana." She responded with a vocal equivalent of a shrug.

I felt the gazes of every woman in the room. Amber looked furious and I felt the same. Once again, the innocent are simply just killed. The most outrageous thing for me was the fact this was completely unnecessary. I slowly rubbed my eyes, and I coldly smiled...

"In that case, you will focus on building the village. Let's see... Maybe this pattern?"

•••

We returned to Avalon a few hours later, after I made sure Demesne knew what she was doing. My Queens and I spent the next day planning. Kyns and Sigismund, who followed Amber’s orders, focused on planning for accommodations and operations. Luckily, their final plans were quite simple to follow. Two hundred people lived in Everlight, which might sound impressive, but it could easily accommodate three thousand. Fortunately, we could pinpoint every single settlement that needs our help. I sighed heavily.

Even in a fantasy world, settlements need my help...

Anyway, Irene gathered every healer in Avalon to explain to them what was going on. Luna was making sure there will be enough food for all refugees, which was also a very good idea. Thanks to them, I could focus on sending, well, the raid parties to save these people. I am sure they will be happy once we explain to them the alternative...

•••

"Congratulations, you are being rescued! Please do not resist," exclaimed Ian to the gathered peasants with the most straight face he could make.

"But... We don’t require rescue!" One of the older villagers protested.

The villagers were surrounded by the unknown knights, but no one was hurt by them. They were allowed to pack everything they possessed on the wagons and this strange noble promised them safety and food.

•••

I chuckled, watching Ian handling one of the first villages. The whole operation was moving smoothly and I could probably take a moment of rest. This was a strange feeling, to be honest. I wasn't really tired, I just subconsciously expected to be tired after so many hours spent on one task. I guess that's another curse or benefit, depending on how you want to look at it, of being a Dungeon. The Flower Girls and my Dwarves were in charge of bringing all villagers to Avalon- and informing them why. It looks like killing people around the dungeons targeted by the army is normal for this sick country. I shook my head and rubbed my neck. Maybe I should ask Luna to use her sleep magic on me? I would normally crave a nap...

...probably?

•••

Myrna was the only person sitting without anyone else from her village in the carriage. Her belongings were also scarce: a waterskin, a few flatbreads and some copper coins. She was not alone, however. A strange noble was lying on the opposite side of the carriage with closed eyes facing the roof. Myrna looked at him in awe. She heard tales about nobles who were powerful and rich beyond any imagination, but never believed in any. However, this man was living proof there was a grain of truth in the stories. He was also incredibly handsome...

"How may I help you, Miss?" Myrna heard his deep voice, and a shiver ran down her spine.

His eyes were still closed, and he was still laying on his back with his arm under his head. Myrna was so shocked that a surprised yelp broke free from her chest. She immediately turned red, but the damage was already done. He was now smiling softly at her and was looking her way with one open eye.

"Sorry..." She covered her mouth with her thin fingers.

"Don't worry. I was sent here by my King to make sure you are all safe and follow the instructions provided by the legionaries." He stretched his body with a yawn. "What's your name? You look familiar..."

"Oh, that's impossible, my Lord!"

"But still... You look like my childhood friend! But that's impossible... She died, or even worse. Kidnapped by the cursed slavers!" He angrily hit the side of the carriage with enough power to punch through the plank of the wall. "Damn it! I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you."

Myrna was pale; she curled her arms to hide the arm but something made her ask.

"What was her name?" She asked under her breath and rapidly covered her mouth.

"Myrna. Myrna from the village of Southcross." He responded without looking at her. He somehow managed to repair the hole in the wall with some kind of skill.

"Ian?" Myrna's voice was like a whisper. "It's me..."

"By Eriar!" Ian was pale when he turned his head towards her. "God! Is that really you? How...?"

"I was just lucky... I managed to run away when they attacked at night. But I couldn't return home, Ian!"

"Why? We all looked for you! But your mother told us you died..."

"My mother sold me, Ian! Please, don't take me back..."

"I will not, Myrna. I will take you to the safest place in world. I will take you to Avalon," he promised with a wide smile.

"Avalon?" She had never heard about that place.

"Yes. The place that dwarfs legends. To my home."

•••

"Excuse me, my Lord?!" The distant cry of Sigismund buried my chances for a nap.

"Yeees?" I yelled back with a bored voice. The Dwarven noble entered the office with Jasper. Their concerned faces were the last thing I needed now. "Something wrong?"

"Not exactly..." Started Sigismund with an uncertain facial expression.

"We have a problem, my King!" Jasper looked at him scornfully.

I looked at them patiently while I waited After a few moments of forced silence when Sigismund tried to win a gaze duel with Jasper, I realized that I can wait like that forever. As amusing as it was; the rat scion was almost the same height as Dwarf, I unfortunately, didn’t have time for their games.

"So, what's the problem?" I asked, allowing my voice to show a little impatience.

"We estimated that in two days, the days of darkness will start." Jasper announced, still gazing at Sigismund.

"Ugh! That is just fantastic..." I facepalmed. "Wait... The last team should return tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed then..."

•••

Irene looked out of the window of her office and closed her slender hand around the beautiful sapphire pendant she received from Theon.

She looked to the sky to watch the dark clouds heralding an upcoming blizzard, and she prayed for every team they had sent to save those poor people.

As the Saintess, she felt obliged to commend them to Eriar's care. She finished her prayers and awakened the mighty runes with a smile. Time for something more useful than praying to the Silent Guardian. Without a single word, she built a large and incredibly complicated magic circle.

She focused on everyone who was sent outside, as the days of darkness were coming and she knew that a blizzard was the last thing they needed. The magic circle moved outside and aimed straight into the sky.

"Archangel spear!" Irene outstretched her arm, aiming her finger into the darkest of clouds.

The bright golden light, similar to the ray of the setting sun, pierced the cloud and formed a large swirling ball. The golden orb suddenly ripped, blasting away the cloud and creating a wave of violent currents that blew away smaller clouds. Irene nodded her head with satisfaction and looked at Luna.

"Sister?"

"Whoa... I think we are good. But this illusion to cover your spell was massive, Irene..."

"May I know what that was?" Theon's serious and cold voice made both of them look at their angry husband. "If anyone saw through Luna's illusion, Irene, we might be in huge trouble..."

"Calm down. Even if someone saw that, they would have to be in Avalon to understand what I did." Irene winked at Theon. But he still was serious.

"Luna? What are the chances someone could break your illusion?"

"Close to none. It all happened too fast."

Theon sighed and rubbed his eyes, but finally smiled.

"Next time, my Honeys, just tell me what you are planning to do instead of giving me a heart attack..."

"Theon, you can't have a heart attack." Luna pointed out with conviction.

"And Titanic was unsinkable..." he sighed once more and looked at both of them once again until they lowered their gaze.

"Next time we will ask you..." Irene sighed. She realized he was still concerned about the unknown enemy. Luna just nodded in agreement.

"Just wait for spring... After that, no more hiding. " He sighed once more and sat heavily in the chair.