I am ashamed. I fled. The clatter of arrows, bouncing off the stone where I once stood rattle in my ears, laughing. I will not die here and return to my creator as a shade. Also, against so many, I need to funnel them to me in fewer numbers and I recall the ideal location. It means I must return to him and my stomach churns at the prospect nevertheless it is the best tactic. It is, the wise choice.

The solid stone under my feet is a welcome comfort as I sprint away between the avenue of piled rocks. Those creatures cleared a path of sorts through the avalanche, leading directly to the rock room, no more and no less. I scan the rocks piled on either side and conclude they lock firm confirming the creatures own some skill with stone. Travelling this path provides protection, although my disappearance from their view doesn’t dissuade them. The guttural grunts clear, issuing orders not random shouts of panic or dismay. The creature’s boots ring off the stone as they hurry after me confirming my assessment.

Approaching the rock room doorway, I consider knocking over the posts supporting the roof of wood, the roof staying crushing rocks and preventing another avalanche. I decide not to hide, I am ashamed, not a coward. Self-preservation in the face of superior numbers I accept as I formulate a plan.

{You have entered the Quest Dungeon of Azizos.}

Climbing across the rocks, I accept the risk of the beasts attacking my exposed buttocks before I reach the safety of the hallway. I am halfway across when I hear one of them in command.

“Why stops arrow?” utters a harsh voice.

“Her easy target arrow up the bum!” another one bellows.

He is shoved to the side and his attempt to release goes astray.

“I follow and stick my arrow up her bottom!” he snarls, grabbing his crutch, eyes fixed on the vision wiggling across the rocks.

Eavesdropping on their conversation I am surprised I can understand them. I pause and glance around my shoulder. They are orcs and as I now stare at them, they pause, black beady eyes wide open.

“Her hole has no hair and her rear end firm, hips wiggle well!” one growls deeply in their guttural tongue. He is one of three struggling to climb the rocks, drool dripping from their mouths. I cannot spot any of the smaller creatures, the orcs pushed them out of their way possibly. I continue to crawl, satisfied the required time is now available, as my pursuers foolishly fight to be first. They don’t value their lives as they imagine a weak female before them, who they wish to conquer and denigrate.

“Return to the Core Room now!”

His voice is in my head as I dismount the rocks and land in the hallway. I try to drag my feet, resist the urge to hurry.

“Master spread your awareness. Invaders trample your domain. I must stay to defend you.”

He releases his will from me, and I utilise the time, I place a bow and quiver further along the hallway and return to the rock room’s doorway. I am my body length from them to ensure I hit them and then I expand upon my plan.

“Stay and defend.” His voice in my mind emanates anger and indecision.

“Master you will be rewarded with much mana, although I would ask a boon.”

A silent pause. I then start releasing arrows at the drooling wide-eyed orcs who now decide who among them is first to die. Three dead bodies block the way, and their companions start to drag them back. I shudder at my master’s joy and witness the blockage dissolve. Those remaining are surprised and recover quickly. One dies to another of my arrows, while the other two equip shields and under the protection provided by the shields climb forward over the rocks. I am at close range when I release arrows at them, unfortunately, I am not accurate enough to wound any exposed body locations.

“Master I would request a boon, or they will overwhelm me. I need you to grant me Dexterity, I beg you.”

Through our link I discover the conflict within him, he wants to and then he doesn’t. I am female, I stole from his favourite, although I can’t discern what I stole.

“I will grant what you ask, you will, once you win return to my Core Room.”

He is planning, perhaps he detected my resistance to his commands and by returning he can ensure I am obedient.

“Master I will submit to your will and return once I slay your enemy.”

{Dungeon Master infuses Dexterity Enhancements. Mana now expended.}

Their drooling eager faces are an arm's length away. I strike at them spear in hand, exerting my entire strength and technique grips me, I must follow through with the weight of my body. With enormous satisfaction, I grin as the spear penetrates the shield the orc hides behind, and I rejoice as I am certain the spear shaft travels through flesh. I step back and reach for another spear, as the one beside him is hurrying to leave the bed of stones to confront me.

He realises his doom as my spear point penetrates his shield and impales his body. My master greedily claims my first kill. I grab at the lonely shield and my spear is returned with it. Multiple arrows ricochet off the shield, although one clips my middle finger, my archery finger. I quickly duck back, leaving my other kill for my master to claim, he absorbs the spear and shield also.

“Master, claim the slain, leave the weapons as I need to use them.”

Silence once again, no acknowledgement. Then a clang reverberates behind me. The door into the far room at the end of the hallway is whole and hearty. Now slammed shut and possibly secure. The previously hanging wooden door is now made of stone, within a stone doorway. I realise I must defeat my foes now, impossible to push past the door while under attack. I am bitter at the betrayal. I don’t complain as this despicable act confirms he has no faith in me, he expects me to fail. I confuse him, and he is protecting himself I reason. Why am I making excuses for him?

I utilise the spear hole in the shield I wield to safely spy upon the enemy as I peep around the doorway. They are again crawling across, leading with shields. Placing the shield against the doorway I equip my bow and release. I am careful to not draw on the string with my full strength. One arrow scrapes down the length of an arm on one attacker, another catches a boot, penetrating the top of the foot, the arrowhead poking out of the sole of the boot. They both hesitate and then I catch the leader’s voice for the first time, a single word spoken I cannot interpret. The two wounded orcs hesitate no longer.

Behind them, advances smaller creatures, equipped with smaller shields, crouching and scampering quickly across the stones. These two orcs, my final fools before the smaller creatures overwhelm me, brandish their shields to protect their bodies. I cannot draw my bow to ensure a kill and I need their certain deaths.

“Master the next I kill don’t absorb their bodies as I need them to pile up and become a wall.”

Again silence, he is deliberating. Is he considering my request or plotting my defeat?

The orcs are within spear range, and I dispatch both, snatching back one of the two spears, discarding the shield impaled by it. The smaller creatures now need to climb around the orc bodies and as they crawl, I strike past their shields. I am reasonably certain I could strike through their shields and recover the spear, yet I can’t afford the risk that the spear will be trapped and lost. The bodies remain, and I harvest two spears before the next wave of small creatures reach me. I launch one of those spears, it penetrates the lead creature's shield, passes through his neck, catching the two following him who dragged their shields, unwisely believing those in front would protect them.

My master absorbs the three small creatures while those nearby deploy their shields into position. The vacant space is occupied by another three, urged on by their leader.

I rise above the dead to throw another spear and glimpse a chain of creatures quickly removing the rocks. I realise to my horror, distracted by my success, the stones are being cleared from the cavern side end, which will permit larger creatures to assault me. The deaths are a distraction. Deep harsh laughter issues forth and I snap my head in its direction. The bulbous head encased in a metal helm licks its lips in reply to my gaze.

--- Azizos POV

With the mana gained from my servant’s kills, I reconstruct the door, improving it and the supporting doorway. Normally when a Quest party enters, I am unable to repair, these are Invaders, hence the system allows me this favour, although it costs triple mana. Granting my servant dexterity though is a ‘normal cost’, which surprises me, convincing me to grant the request instead of denying it, ensuring I present two obstacles in the way of these Invaders.

I enquire with the system and confirm the cost of a door and doorway within Zone Two, away from the Invaders is ‘normal cost’, another pleasant surprise. If these Invaders were a Quest party the cost would triple and prohibited to act or repair behind them, which I know from bitter experience.

I absorb three bodies, their armour and weapons and save the mana. I infuse my presence within the rock room, the room resists initially, although the resistance eases as the Invaders remove more of the rocks. The rocks are foreign material I cannot absorb and in fact contest my ownership of the rock room. I chortle as I realise the trap my servant is facing and chose not to warn her. Before she dies, she will feed me with more mana and when she dies, she will respawn more mine than ever before, losing more of her free will.

Character Sheet: Aphrodite Name: Aphrodite Culture: Greek Mythos Race: Human Superior Spirit: Human Body: Living Basalt Soul: Dungeon Dominate Sentient Dominate: 10% Monster Dominate: 11% Dungeon Dominate: 58% Hominine Essence: Level 10 Avine Essence: Level 10 Dragon Essence: Level 0 Strength: 65 Grasp: 65 Toughness: 65 Constitution: 65 Vigour: 65 Endurance: 65 Dexterity: 65 Agility: 65 Quickness: 55 Wisdom: 75 Perception: 55 Mettle: 55 Intelligence: 50 Willpower: 20 Power: 20 Charisma: 20 Glamour: 50 Beauty: 100 Languages: Greek Orc Gifts: Regeneration Prolific Fertility Shadow Hide Silent Step Spear: Level 1 Halberd: Level 1 Bow: Level 1