Dungeon Builder's Harem Book 06 Ch. 01

Characters

Queen Puabi: The Incarnation who summons the dungeon builders to protect her. None have yet figured out how.

Leo and His Harem

Leo Baldwin: Dungeon Builder, College Student. Owns all twelve Glyphs.

Alizee: Head Cheerleader at Leo's College. She becomes a Sylph and his Wind Companion.

Bella Lucina: Hot wife neighbor of Leo. She becomes an Angel and his Light Companion.

Crystal Baldwin: Leo's older sister, College Student. She becomes an Ice Sprite and his Ice Companion.

Fauraliiithiliana: An elven scholar interested in uncovering the secrets of the Dungeon Builders. Now serves Leo.

Garnet Baldwin: Leo's little sister, College Student. She becomes a Succubus and his Dark Companion.

Hagane: Nerdy girl at Leo's College. She becomes an Animated Statue and his Metal Companion.

Halia Vobria: Recently claimed as a Paladin by Lady Sherida, Goddess of Light. Sworn to Leo and his lover. Daughter of the famed adventurer Anguin who was slain fighting the Black Flame of Nyias, a dangerous Dungeon Builder.

Kassie: A halfling mage from Sharithin. She is an expert in Ice and Fire magic. Joined Leo after he defeated her home town.

Lana Fulmine: Movie star famous for playing Jane Dangerous. She becomes a Lightning Sprite and his Lightning Companion.

Maya: Leo's best friend, College Student. She becomes an Undine and his Water Companion.

Morana: Goth girl at Leo's College. She becomes a Banshee and his Death Companion.

Nina Naughty: Leo's favorite Porn Star. She becomes a Devil and his Fire Companion.

Rosa Trueno: Busty teacher at Leo's College. She becomes a Thunder Sprite and his Thunder Companion.

The Soul: The Soul of the Void Crystal. A piece of Queen Puabi the Incarnation who summoned Leo to this world. Nicknamed Souleen.

Terra: Barista. She becomes a Golem and his Earth Companion.

Zoe Baldwin: Leo's mother. She becomes a Dryad and his Life Companion.

Leo's Monster Girls

Agubnamus: An ancient water dragon who was once bound to the kingdom of Myreman.

Animated Armor: Level 3 Metal Monster Girl. Unique animated armors: Brunasi, Aizsardzi, Neredza.

Aos Si: Level 3 Light Monster Girl. Unique aos sithe: Zhinka, Divochyy, Hrudei.

Arachne: Level 2 Dark Monster Girl. Unique arachnes: Damhanalla, Sreaga, Nimhe, Gaiste, Greasai.

Baaghi: A unique Rakshasa Monster Girl. Originally served Jindag but now serves Leo.

Basilisk: Level 2 Earth Monster Girl. Unique basilisks: Skamianiela, Vielmi, Piaro, Mastab, Dychannie.

Bjorni: A unique Bugbear Monster Girl. Originally served Berg but now serves Leo.

Daleitha: A unique Chalkydri Monster Girl. Originally served Berg but now serves Leo.

Deva: Level 1 Lightning Monster Girl. Unique devas: Grazi, Tvanku, Siela, Auksasa, Krutysi, Kekse, Puliu

Esclava: A unique Ifrit Monster Girl. Originally served Sulanga Stormfury but now serves Leo.

Feya: A unique Fairy Monster Girl who is Led's widow and now serves Leo.

Ghost: Level 2 Death Monster Girl. Unique ghosts: Duhot, Dusata, Grobi, Ipalsi, Nevidena.

Goblin: Level 1 Metal Monster Girl. Unique goblins: Klitorsa, Hipera, Mazsi, Atri, Zala.

Harpy: Level 2 Wind Monster Girl. Unique harpies: Pihatu, Hota, Piyayuru, Bittaraya, Kaputan.

Hellhound: Level 1 Fire Monster Girl. Unique hellhounds: Perra, Solodada, Mordera, Infierna, Estellara.

Hippocampus: Level 2 Water Monster Girl. Unique hippocampi: Ghoda, Kelpa.

Hippogriff: Level 3 Wind Monster Girl. Unique hippogriffs: Asvaya, Rajaliya, Tarkiyusis.

Isatu: A fire dragon, daughter of Meskalamdug and Girru. Serves Leo.

Leprechaun: Level 3 Dark Monster Girl. Unique leprechauns: Mona, Tuar, Ceatha.

Ljosa: A unique Lampetia Monster Girl. Originally served Berg but now serves Leo.

Kelpie: Level 3 Water Monster Girl. Unique kelpie: Beduka, Jibha, Thunkane.

Mermaid: Level 1 Water Monster Girl. Unique mermaids: Mase, Skela, Pani.

Ooze: Level 1 Water Monster Girl. Unique oozes: Cikhala, Cikata, Philtara.

Orc: Level 2 Metal Monster Girl. Unique orcs: Zobens, Briesmoni, Slepkavi, Orka, Dzelzs.

Oread: Level 3 Earth Monster Girl. Unique oreads: Dongara Apsara, Spaika.

Paanee: A unique Naga Monster Girl. Originally served Jindag but now serves Leo.

Paetu: A unique Djinn Monster Girl. Originally served Sulanga Stormfury but now serves Leo.

Phoenix: Level 3 Fire Monster Girl. Unique phoenixes: Vida, Pica, Pajara.

Pixie: Level 1 Wind Monster Girl. Unique pixies: Mala, Mihiri, Amkuraya, Atmaya, Dosaya.

Quetzalcoatl: Level 2 Lightning Monster Girl. Unique quetzalcoatls: Gyvate, Sparnas, Iaidas, Vaivory, Skale.

Red Cap: Level 1 Metal Monster Girl. Unique red caps: Rudsa, Karsi Ciniti, Kauja, Vardarbiba, Vacinsa, Taktika

Rock Elemental: Level 1 Earth Monster Girl. Unique rock elementals: Valuna, Asnova, Hraniti, Kremie, Marmur.

Salamander: Level 2 Fire Monster Girl. Unique salamanders: Engana, Malvada, Astuta, Dolor, Horca.

Satyr: Level 1 Life Monster Girl. Unique satyrs: Bakara, Seeng, Havas, Khur, Doodh, Ullo.

Siren: Level 3 Thunder Monster Girl. Unique sirens: Dala, Nimfa, Veszeli.

Smerta: A unique Valkyrie Monster Girl. She served Led and now serves Leo.

Sphinx: Level 2 Thunder Monster Girl. Unique sphinxes: Talalo, Oroszla, Ordita, Gyama, Igazsa.

Thunderbird: Level 3 Lightning Monster Girl. Unique thunderbirds: Erelisa, Griausti, Dangu.

Unicorn: Level 2 Light Monster Girl. Unique unicorns: Rih, Sriblo, Nezaymana, Chystota, Kin.

Usiku: A unique Fomorian Monster Girl. Originally served Mthunzi and now serves Leo.

Vampire: Level 3 Death Monster Girl. Unique vampires: Palka, Krvi, Udel.

Vilkas: A unique Raiju Monster Girl. Originally served Sulanga Stormfury but now serves Leo.

Werebear: Level 2 Life Monster Girl. Unique werebears: Bhaaloo, Panja, Daant, Garjan, Maan.

Werefox: Level 1 Life Monster Girl. Unique werefoxes: Lomri, Jangalee, Shikaara, Laal, Santara, Khaanga, Ghaata

Werewolf: Level 3 Life Monster Girl. Unique werewolves: Bhediya, Chaandi, Cheekha.

Wildhound: Level 1 Dark Monster Girl. Unique wildhounds: Hela, Ci, Du, Nos, Gwyllt, Marwo, Cysgo.

Will o' Wisp: Level 1 Lightning Monster Girl. Unique will o' wisps: Sviesos, Zaibas, Svyte, Kibir, Gintaras, Dvasia.

Yeti: Level 3 Ice Monster Girl. Unique yetis: Goloda, Zuby, Yesti.

Yuki-onna: Level 2 Ice Monster Girl. Unique yuki-onna: Snezhinka, Moroz, Belyy, Prekrasnyy, Sukkub.

Leo's Retainers

Akiz: Dwarf warrior.

Ashiliozia: Elven rogue.

Bellia: Girl from Astovin Village, now training to be an adventurer under Halia.

Hagza: A dwarf mage adventurer.

Karvin: A young man from Astovin Village, now training to be an adventurer under Halia.

Melin: A young man from Astovin Village, now training to be an adventurer under Halia.

Nomaz: A young man from Astovin Village, now training to be an adventurer under Halia.

Sarkz: A dwarf warrior adventurer.

Siwang: A new Dungeon Builder who appeared near Astovin. Possesses the Death, Life, and Thunder Glyphs. He has sworn himself to Leo's service.

Vargi: A dwarf warrior adventurer.

Vern: Human warrior.

Siwang's Monster Girls

Choir: Level 1 Light Monster Girl. Unique choirs: Pisnya Anhel, Svitinnya, Neba, Kryla, Pera, Litay.

Cockatrice: Level 1 Thunder Monster Girl. Unique cockatrices: Madara, Gyika, Kialtas, Benita, Karom, Pirosi, Merlaga.

Guang: A unique Lampetia Monster Girl who serves Siwang.

Lei: A unique Cyclops Monster Girl who serves Siwang.

Lemure: Level 1 Death Monster Girl. Unique lemures: Crna, Belo, Sjaj, Kandzi, Senka, Rajot.

Xiongbu: A unique Wraith Monster Girl who serves Siwang.

Astovin Village

Anguin Vobria: The famed adventurer of Astovin and Paladin of Light who was slain fighting Fuegin, the Black Flame of Nyias. Reborn as the Saint of Darkness and defeated by Leo and Halia.

Anji: A young woman.

Mayor Bevlin: Mayor of Astovin Village.

Orvain: Priest of Astovin Village. Former party member of Halia. Killed by Dark Saint Anguin.

Other Dungeon Builders

Barany: A new dungeon builder with the Thunder & Ice Glyphs. Under the domination of Therodin and the Company

Berg: A dungeon builder around the dwarves. Killed by Halia and the dwarven adventures. Earth and Light Glyphs.

Eric: A dungeon builder with the Ice glyph. First builder killed by the Company to increase Barany's power.

Fuegin: A Dungeon Builder with at least the Fire, Wind, and Light Glyphs. Known as the Black Flame of Nyias.

Intsimbi: A Dungeon Builder with the Metal Glyph. Killed by the Company.

Jindag: A Dungeon Builder with the Water and Life Glyphs. Killed by Leo.

Led: A Dungeon Builder with the Light and Ice Glyphs. Twin brother to Ziamili. Killed by Leo.

Meskalamdug the Flaming Devil: The original Dungeon Builder. His dungeon lies beneath Leo's.

Mthunzi: A Dungeon Builder with the Dark Glyph. Killed by Leo.

Munjan: A Dungeon Builder who appeared outside of Sharithin with the Lightning Glyph.

Sulanga Stormfury: A Dungeon Builder with the Wind, Fire, Lightning, and Life Glyphs. Conquered the halfling city of Sharithin. Killed by Leo during Sharithin's liberation.

Thong Tri: A dungeon builder with the Fire and Water Glyphs. Killed by the Company.

Tuerien Ironbane: A dangerous dungeon builder whose territory is near Myrecilla. Has the Metal, Fire, Death, Thunder, Wind, and Ice glyphs.

Zamrazen: A Dungeon Builder who appeared near Lord Shorvin's estates. Has the Ice Glyph.

Ziamili: A Dungeon Builder with the Earth and Metal Glyphs. Twin brother to Led. Killed by Leo.

Other Monster Girls

Acier: A unique Red cap Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Amante: A unique Cherfu Monster Girl. Serves Fuegin.

Brise: A unique Tennyo Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Chara: A unique Lamia Monster Girl. Serves Zamrazen.

Charbonne: A unique Cherfu Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Ejszaka: A unique Nue Monster Girl. Serves Barany.

Finira: A unique Lich Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Fracasa: A unique Fenghuang Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Frosseta: A unique Adlet Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Girru: A fire dragon, wife of Meskalamdug, and mother of Isatu. Died after returning her husband to his dungeon.

Glace: A unique Lamia Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Kyuuma: A unique Erinyes Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Liegra: A unique Prism Monster Girl. Serves Fuegin.

Mei: A unique Shesha Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Namusimi: A death dragon who serves Fuegin. Dispatched to kill Siwang.

Peda: A unique Treant Monster Girl. Served Sulanga Stormfury. Deceased.

Sarkans: A unique Red Cap Monster Girl who served Ziamili. Deceased.

Savurma: A unique Maenad Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Skrige: A unique Cyclops Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Tukeni: A unique Banshee Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Vejra: A unique Manticore Monster Girl. Serves Tuerien.

Zmiaja: A unique Gorgon Monster Girl who served Ziamili. Deceased.

The Company

Therodin: The leader of the Company. A human paladin of Lord Abzu, God of Earth.

Auniasiiriliiania (Ril): Second in command. An elven mage who specializes in Light and Wind magic.

Aython: Halfling warrior.

Corthin: Elven priest or Lord Ishkur and Lady Kittu, Gods of Thunder.

Empty: Human mage who specializes in Death and Dark magic.

Niss: Human rogue.

Zarn: Dwarf warrior.

Other Characters

Fiztin: A dwarf cleric adventure, deceased.

Garzan: A dwarf rogue adventure, deceased.

King Thanitis: King of the human Kingdom of Myreman whose territory Astovin lies within.

Knight-General Arthemar: Commander of the Royal Army of Myreman.

Lysila, High Priestess of Water: The high priestess of Lord Enki and Lady Ninli, the Patrons of Myreman.

Lord Shorvin: Local lord who is not happy with Leo's existence.

Milies: A cleric adventurer. Former party member of Halia.

Norso: A rogue adventurer. Former party member of Halia.

Virin, Royal Mage of Myreman: The chief vizier of King Thanitis, slain by Leo.

Chapter One

I stood in the rubble of King Thanitis's camp. The pavilion where the king held his court had been torn to shreds and the supports thrown in all directions. Shattered furniture, strewn clothing, and bodies. Lots of soldiers dead from what had started as a simple raid to capture the man who had brought an army to besiege Astovin and kill me.

He wasn't supposed to have a dragon. The simple raid to capture him had gone amazingly. I had sent my tunnels bursting out around his tent and rushed in. We had killed his royal mage, disabled his general, and captured him. Then he unleashed Agubnamus.

An ancient blue dragon. With the element of water, she had massacred my most powerful monster girls and nearly killed me. Even Isatu, my fire dragon, had done little more than wound the powerful beast.

But those wounds had added up. Death by a thousand paper cuts had brought down Agubnamus. And I had claimed her. I had fucked her and gained what my little sister called my dragon-MILF. Now Agubnamus stood at my sight as I faced King Thanitis. He knelt.

He had surrendered.

The siege was over.

Paetu flew in orbit above us, the djinn still in her whirlwind form. She seemed to be keeping an eye. An entire army was out there. They had started running when the dragon appeared. That had broken them.

My surviving monster girls were with me. Alizee, Garnet, Maya, Lana Fulmine, and Nina. Halia and Kassie stood at my side, the halfling mage trying to look imposing as she glared at the kneeling king. Halia didn't have to try. The adventurer stood in such a powerful stance, her Blessed Blade of Light held in her hand.

King Thanitis had Priestess Lysila glaring daggers at me. The woman, robed in blue, hated that I had won. She quivered there, wanting to curse me. I could tell. She wanted to cry out to her Goddess and smite me.

Knight-General Arthemar didn't look much happier. He had a bandage about his arm, taking one of Crystal's ice shards during the assault. He was an older man made of iron. He had no fat on him, just a face hammered into hard angles by a blacksmith hammer.

"My king, you can't do this," the knight-general growled. "You can't surrender our noble kingdom to a dungeon builder! Myreman has never bent the knee to their filth! Never!"

Thanitis glanced at his general. "Even when we were little more than a city-state with most of our kingdom overrun by them? That's not bending the knee? When we let them do as they wish in our territory and didn't protect our citizens? Tell me that's not bending the knee."

The knight-general swallowed.

"We have left our people to the predation of the dungeon builders." The young king, not much older than me, hung his head. He shook in his stained doublet, his green eyes squeezed shut. He wore a gold circlet that stood out against his short-cut, black hair.

"We had to survive!" the knight-general shouted, rallying. "And we'll continue to survive. Defy him, my king! Don't be afraid of death!"

"I am not afraid of death!" The king's words rang with steel. He stared up at me with passion in his green eyes. "I want to protect my people! He claims the people of Astovin are happy with his rule. Safe. Halia Vobria, the daughter of the mighty Anguin, stands at his side with her father's blessed blade in hand. If Lord Leo wishes to help instead of harm, I cannot turn my back on that."

"The Gods oppose them," Lysila the priestess said. She wore a circle of silver studded with sapphires amid her long, black hair. Her blue eyes were as wild as a storm-tossed sea. "You would be a heretic. The Gods will turn their backs on Myreman--on you--if you do this, my king. The Lord and Lady of Water have blessed Myreman and Myrecilla. They gave us Agubnamus to defend us. You--"

Agubnamus growled and glared at the priestess.

She quailed for a moment then glanced at her king. "You would have them take all that away from our nation?"

"We lost," Thanitis said. "We cannot prevail against Lord Leo. He has claimed Agubnamus for himself. Our army will be massacred against his might even if we could assemble them. But we can't. They're scattered. They'll be running for days. It'll be longer to gather them up and regroup. Right, General?"

"We have enough around here," growled the general. He glared at me. "His monster girls are all but wiped out. We have enough to destroy him now!"

"He has me, Arthemar," growled Agubnamus.

I winced. To properly use Agubnamus, it would take burning three mana veins. Not one, like to use Isatu. That was how powerful Agubnamus was. She was a nuclear fucking bomb. I couldn't afford to do that. I didn't have the resources to use her, but I couldn't let the world know that.

Not now that everyone would know I had her.

Other dungeon builders must be spying on me. I knew how they could do it.

"I don't want there to be any more deaths, General," I said. "I don't want to massacre your army. I'm sick of this. I am an ally of any who wants to change the world. The Gods, the builders... Something new needs to be done to break this cycle."

"You're interlopers!" cried the priestess.

"So are the Gods! They came to this world from the same place--"

"Blasphemy!" The priestess recoiled. "What poison drips from your tongue, Leo the False!"

"Yep, it's blasphemy!" Alizee said. My peppy wind sprite, and cheerleader back in the other world, bounced in place. Her white hair whipped around her pale-blue body. The current swirling around her only touched her. "We used to have God and churches and they told us to do dumb things like drowning witches to prove they couldn't float and eat crackers! How silly is that! Crackers!"

I glanced at her, momentarily dumbfounded by the stupidest thing I had ever heard.

"Wow," Maya said. My undine girlfriend blinked. She was made entirely of water, her body always rippling with the little waves that ran over her cute form. "That was... special, Alizee. Thanks."

"You're welcome!" Alizee said and thrust her arm in the air like she held a pompom.

"Yep, super special!" Garnet said. My little sister threw her crimson wings wide. She was a petite succubus with horns curling out of her black hair that fell in pigtails over her shoulders. She had a playful tail and was always horny. "Alizee, you are definitely the right one of us to be the Wind monster girl!"

"Oh, you're so sweet!" Alizee said. "I love you both!" She threw her arms around Garnet and kissed her.

The king stared in interest at the two girls pressing tight together, their lips melting into passion.

I cleared my throat, my cheeks getting warm. "You can call it blasphemy, priestess, I don't care. I'm here to change things. I want to negotiate a treaty of mutual defense. I will be the protector of Myreman."

"You'd protect us from Tuerien?" asked the knight-general. "You would care about a dungeon builder so far from your base of power?

"Yes," I said. "I want to make a treaty between us. Figure out how we can help each other."

"He's willing to do what we won't," said King Thanitis. "I'm set on this course."

The priestess shook her head. "The Gods will strike you down. The Lord and Lady of Water will drown you!"

"Then they'll drown me," growled the king. "But I'll protect my people!"

Siwang appeared on the periphery of my vision. His black robes were stained in places. He was a little older than me, yet he felt younger. Probably because he spent most of his life in a hospital bed dying of cancer.

He had died. Not just been nearly killed, like most of us dungeon builders. It seemed that we had to have some accident in the other world related to our element. For me, it was being struck by lightning. But Siwang had come here with the Death glyph.

He had to die for real.

He was Chinese, a slender and studious young man. I smiled at him, glad to see him alive. He looked around at the situation. He didn't have as much power as me, having only Level 1 Monster Girls and Beginner Magic.

"Good, good," I said to Siwang. "I'm going to start moving the people of Astovin out of my dungeon and back into their homes. Would you give King Thanitis, his general, and the priestess a tour of the village? Introduce them to Mayor Bevlin." I glanced at the glaring priestess. "Ask him to tell what happened to Astovin's priest."

"You executed him!" hissed the priestess.

"He did not!" Halia spat on the ground. "He's never executed anyone!"

Siwang eyed Priestess Lysila. "I will, Leo." A sheepish look crossed his face. "I'm so sorry that I ran."

"You would be dead," I said. "It's fine. Agubnamus was almost more than I could handle."

Siwang opened his mouth like he would say more when a fat man in a dirty doublet of blue stepped into the chaos and swallowed. He glanced at the king. "You've... capitulated, Your Majesty?"

"I have, Lord Shorvin," said the king. "I have."

I stared at the fat man. "You've caused me a lot of headaches with your bounty."

Lord Shorvin swallowed and paled, his jowls shaking.

"But I don't hold a grudge. I'm making an alliance with your king. I'm sure you'll support it."

He nodded quickly.

* * / *

The sun was rising as Siwang took the king and his party through the East Gate into town. The playful hellhounds looked fierce. They had petite bodies with black skin covered in fiery cracks like they were made out of cooling magma. Red tails wagged behind them. They and his choirs--dainty angels with white wings and golden skin that glowed--guarded the entrance into Astovin.

The king, his general, and the priestess eyed them.

"Relax, relax," Siwang said as the hellhounds started yipping excitedly. His choirs sang a welcoming song, their voices trilling. "They won't hurt you. You're Leo's guests."

"Lord Siwang," breathed Neba, one of Siwang's choirs. "Your robes are dirty."

"You didn't get hurt in the fight, did you?" asked Anhel. Her wings fluttered.

"No, no, I'm fine." Shame flushed through him. He had run back into the dungeon with his mother.

"You're a dungeon builder," asked the king, glancing at him. "Not just a servant."

"I am a builder," said Siwang as Svitinnya threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Her lips worked on his. She tasted so sweet. A rush of warmth shot through him. He had enjoyed his monster girls thoroughly since coming to this world.

Since he finally had a healthy body that could enjoy sex.

After Svitinnya kissed him, Pisnya had to have her turn. She kissed Siwang with such passion. Her wings fluttered behind her. Her tongue thrust into his mouth as his hands slid around to cup her rump. Siwang enjoyed the feel of her firm butt-cheeks beneath his squeezing fingers.

The king cleared his throat. "They are... very beautiful. I see there are perks to being dragged into our world."

Siwang broke the kiss, his cheeks burning. "Yes, there are definite perks. But we're not evil. Not really. We're just people. Good and bad. I want to be good. Most of us don't get that chance. We're forced into a corner of fight or die. So they fight and... They let it go to their heads."

The king nodded as they left the gatehouse behind and entered the village. It was made of stone buildings, most only a story tall, with thatch roofs. Many of the houses had little gardens beside them or small pens for chickens or other livestock. It was all empty. Not a soul to be seen.

Large buildings dotted the village, tall and massive. The stone was much finer. Not roughly cut and fitted haphazardly, but with fine regularity. Like the walls around the city, those were part of Leo's dungeon. The tallest structure lay in the heart of the city, a tower that monster girls were flying around.

"Where is everyone?" asked the king, looking around.

The knight-general stared up at the skies and swallowed. A swirl of different types of monster girls soared up there, phoenixes, hippogriffs, harpies, ghosts, vampires, and more.

"The villagers fled into Leo's dungeon for safety," said Siwang. "He has made it so that they have living spaces to shelter during attacks. With his magics, he has made fields for them underground. You could have besieged Astovin for a hundred years, and its people would have prospered."

"Fields underground?" King Thanitis asked in astonishment.

Siwang nodded. "This is his governmental building." He pointed to the large structure thrusting out of the green. "It's here that the concerns of Astovin are brought to his attention. It's administered by Feya, one of his monster girls." Siwang paused. "I think she's dead, but she'll come back to life. Monster girls don't stay dead."

"I've heard," muttered the knight-general.

Just then, villagers flooded out of the building. The men, women, and children of Astovin were all talking animatedly as they walked out. Some were carrying coups of chickens, others leading cows or sheep. They all had a bounce to their step as they talked. Children broke into runs and darted around at play.

"Lord Siwang!" the villagers greeted him. Some of the young ladies smiled at him. "Lord Leo saved us once again?"

"Yes!" Siwang called when they said it.

Cheers ran through the crowd. The king drank it in. He sometimes stopped them to ask questions. "He saved my sister's daughter from being taken off by that foul Mthunzi," one man said. Another growled, "Saved my life from being killed by that dark saint that rampaged through our village."

"Lord Siwang," said an older man with whitening hair. "Who are your guests?"

"King Thanitis," Siwang said, smiling, "this is Mayor Bevlin, the leader of the village."

The old man's eyes widened. He bowed low. "My king. I... I don't know what to say."

The king clapped a hand on Mayor Bevlin's shoulder. "You truly serve him?"

The mayor looked up and said, "Ever since he saved us from the Dark Saint sent to us by the Lord and Lady of Dark."

"A saint attacked Astovin?" asked Priestess Lysila. "And not the dungeon."

"He attacked us," the mayor said. "Killed our priest, a good man who served the Lord and Lady of Light. It was Anguin, corrupted by darkness, and sent to punish his own people because we dared to turn to Lord Leo for support."

"And he killed your priest?" asked the priestess. The woman's face paled nearly to white. "Why would he do that?"

"To punish us!" The old man shook his head. "The first thing he did was kill Orvain. The very first thing. Then he attacked us. He would have butchered us all, but Lord Leo saved us!"

"He should have butchered you all!" Priestess Lysila shouted with such vitriol. She trembled, her face twisting with fury. "Dungeon Builders are a filthy blight on this world, and all who ally with them are traitors to its people and the Gods!" She whirled on King Thanitis. "You can't mean to do this, my King!"

The king raised his hand and gave her a hard look. "I'm doing this. These are my people, and Lord Leo had to protect them. He's doing what I should have. And if the Gods punished these people because they turned to the only authority that would help them, then shame on the Gods for sending a saint to attack them."

The priestess gasped and swayed.

The mayor swallowed, watching the exchange, but the king turned to him and asked more questions about Lord Leo. As they talked, Siwang looked around and noticed his mother talking to a group of village girls around the age of eighteen or nineteen.

The girls all giggled.

What are they doing? wondered Siwang.