Deathforged Dungeon [Dungeon Core litRPG] Book 1

Igmond was sharpening his axe, awaiting the news of the first battalion's runner. It was only a matter of time before news of the first strike came. The hardest part would be waiting for said news. It was good that he made an example of the last runner that made him wait too long.

Lucky for this one, they came just as his patience was running low.

"My lord general!" trilled the harpy who came to land nearby, prostrating herself before him as his personal guard stood between them. "I bear news of the first strike force."

Putting his axe aside, Igmond stood from his seat, fully dressed in his half-plate armor assembled from the pieces of armor of those he vanquished. He crossed his arms, towering over the prostrated harpy. While he enjoyed the sight of the creature shivering in fear, he wanted the news to decide how to proceed.

"Speak," he ordered with a growl.

"My lord general, the attacking forces were ambushed. A strange woman plucked my flock sisters from the air with her bow. She led the ground forces into a killing field. Traps, spikes, buried undead grabbed their feet before hundreds of bolts rained down on them. Creatures of metal and angry corpses came running out of the forest to attack when our forces were vulnerable."

Igmond only grew more excited by the report. It sounded like the dungeon wanted to challenge him. To fight his army. He had never conquered a dungeon before, nor had he heard of anyone who had.

"We shall have glory the likes of which none has ever claimed before," Igmond growled.

Reaching behind himself, he opened a leather pouch and pulled out a golden tome.

All parts of the tome were made of solid gold, from its cover to its slate pages. The spine was composed of interconnected hinges that bound the slates together. The cover had a complex arcane circle engraved on its surface, which Igmond carefully traced with his fingertips. Pressing the center of it with his thumb, the engravings lit up.

All of his personal guard and the quaking harpy shuddered at the sound of a deep growl that shook their bones. All four sets of eyes of the mechanized beast glowed an angry red, ready to heed the call of the tome's possessor.

"They want to play hide and seek? Then we'll take away their hiding places," Igmond chuckled darkly before turning to his favorite pet and pointing in the direction the harpy came from. "Burn it all."

The beast's maw began to glow as it opened, revealing the inferno building inside. With two heavy thuds, the ground shook as it braced itself. The inferno grew brighter and hotter until, with a deafening explosion, the raging fireball was fired. Soaring into the air in a wide arc, it morphed and split into multiple streaks, all flying toward the area where his forces had fallen.

All who saw the event watched in horror, reminded of why they obeyed him. Igmond, though, watched in satisfaction as death flew with terrible purpose toward those who dared defy him. His only regret was not seeing the chaos once the area exploded into hellfire.

"Captain, ready the rest of my army. Today we conquer a dungeon."

***

Aegisthal was regrouping his forces, meeting once more with the rest of the sentinels. Omnus was carefully pulling a sheet of paper from his tome to make a scroll. Halyndra floated a few inches off the ground under a nearby tree. Eorlas, for her part, was cleaning off an arrow she had recollected, washing it in the nearby stream to see if it was still usable.

All of them turned to face Aegisthal as he approached atop Ironhorn. When he dismounted, it was Omnus who approached first.

"Greetings, General. Tell me, was the ambush as... fruitful as anticipated?"

Aegisthal patted Ironhorn's side. The beast leaned into the touch, seeming to appreciate it.

"The ambush was satisfactory. A counter-response from the invaders is imminent. When they mobilize, we will redirect them to the next designated kill zone. Their numbers will be significantly greater in the engagement to come," Aegisthal responded, turning to face his fellow sentinel with one hand still scratching behind Ironhorn's head crest.

"Shall I be playing bait again, beloved Aegisthal?" Eorlas asked, putting her arrow away, her voice a purr at the idea of once again toying with her kills.

"Unlikely. Preparation is sufficient. Engagement should occur only if they deviate from their intended path," Aegisthal said, walking away from Ironhorn, who grumbled in displeasure at not receiving more affection.

"I am in agreement with Aegisthal. Should they stray from the path, it may be best that I am the one to draw them in. They have grown cautious of you, but not of me. A simple melody may be all it takes to soften their guard… and guide them where we need them to be," Halyndra said, her tone soft but with far more resolve than Aegisthal had previously heard from her.

Aegisthal agreed with the idea. It was sound and made sense, since he had seen her voice at work. It would enchant their enemy for certain.

"Sound reasoning. We will proceed with that plan," Aegisthal confirmed.

"Pardon the interruption, but... what is that?" Omnus interjected, gaining everyone's attention while pointing to the sky.

Aegisthal took notice of how Halyndra's serene countenance turned to confusion, then dread. Eorlas' usual grin faded to a flat line as she, too, peered at what Omnus was pointing at. When Aegisthal turned, he understood why they looked afraid.

He gazed at the streaking trails of fire cutting through the sky. Each one seemed to split into two separate streaks. Many of them were heading their way like comets. Right. For. Them.

"Everyone! Behind me!" Aegisthal barked with such force that it brokered no argument.

All the sentinels took their place behind him. Ironhorn moved next to his master just long enough for the warrior to claim his shield from the beast's saddle.

Aegisthal slammed the shield down, bracing his arm and shoulder against it for what was to come.

"Eorlas, intercept the fireballs. Hit as many as you can," he ordered, and the huntress drew her bow to take careful aim. "Halyndra, wide-area enchantments. Omnus, multi-layer wards around us."

Everyone obeyed. Eorlas fired her steel arrows with deadly accuracy, striking the closest streaks and making them erupt with such force that it was as if the sky itself was aflame. For each eruption, another three fireballs hurtled in their direction.

Halyndra crouched on her knees behind them, hands clasped together, uttering a prayer to the General, beseeching him to grant them strength, protection, and the resolve to endure what was to come. Her words gave all present comfort and bathed them in her magics of faith, even casting enchants on the dungeon mobs and undead who also sought shelter.

Omnus spoke in twisted words, warping the arcane to make a shimmering barrier appear. It emerged from the ground to create a large dome once all edges met overhead, allowing Eorlas' arrows to pass through. Then he created another—and another, layer on top.

Eruption after eruption shook the sky, making it harder to spot the next incoming fireball. Eorlas' arrows came less frequently until they were blind to the next attack. The first fireball struck the barrier with such force that the outer and middle layers ruptured, while the last spider-webbed with cracks. Omnus managed to erect another just moments before another fireball struck, shattering both with a raging inferno overhead.

The buffs from Halyndra were the only thing that stopped the ambient heat from doing damage.

When the fires cleared, another fireball, the size of a massive boulder, was hurtling toward them.

Braced and ready, Aegisthal did not know if they would survive. He did not know if the gamble would work. Yet it was something the General would do.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

That was enough for Aegisthal.

With his left arm, Aegisthal used a backhand shield bash to strike the fireball.

For the first time, his strength was truly tested. That untold amount of explosive force, condensed into a giant ball, crashed into his shield. Pressing down on Aegisthal. Threatening to crush him into the ground and annihilate all around him. The heat alone made the surface of the shield glow. His feet dug into the ground, knees and shoulders groaning from the strain. Cracks formed as the metal of his body struggled to withstand the force and heat. The shield began to melt, hot slag dripping off.

Aegisthal could hear the pain the others felt. He could sense the fear of his fellow sentinels, the ones the General entrusted him with. The clever was overwhelmed. Wildness was cornered. Faith was being smothered.

And he, the shield, was melting.

But he was Aegisthal. The First Sentinel. The sword and shield of the General. The perpetual guard, entrusted to safeguard all who called his territory home. He was never made to surrender. He was NOT made to give up. He did not know fear. He refused failure.

He was the will of the General. And that will is unbreakable.

Aegisthal dug his feet in deeper, leaning hard into his backhand shield strike. It didn't matter that his arm was on the verge of destruction. For the first time, he yelled in sheer defiance. His warcry drowned out the roar of the fireball. He threw everything he had into his strike.

The fireball, dwarfing the warrior and his forces by scale and power, caved.

The surface buckled, then bent, before exploding. The force of the explosion was deflected away from the group. Fire crashed over the forest in a wave that consumed all in its path, away from those who stood unharmed, watching as the wave scorched the land.

Aegisthal stood at the epicenter. His shield was little more than slag, partially welded to his arm. His joints cracked and damaged, his arm partly melted, his body covered in soot and burn marks. Yet despite the damage, despite barely holding himself together.

He stood tall.

Despite his victory over annihilation and the survival of his forces, he turned in time to see many more streaking comets of death continuing to sail overhead.

Some struck the wall separating the first and second layers, making it crumble from the impact, while many more flew over. The distant sounds of explosions could be heard, destroying all they touched in the second ring.

"Omnus," Aegisthal said while Halyndra chanted a soothing hymn, slowly repairing his body.

"Yes, First Sentinel?" Omnus asked.

Aegisthal could feel the waves of awe coming from his companions. The immense respect they felt for him. None of it mattered now.

"Notify the General. The enemy has established a route toward our stronghold," Aegisthal stated. "The enemy advances. Reinforcements are required."

***

Jack muttered under his breath, cursing how long it was taking to finish his latest work. But he had to suffer through it. He could not afford to make it this far only to rush and make a mistake now. If that happened, then it would all be for nothing.

Within the massive underground chamber, he continued to cast his spell Divine Artisan to form his mechanized beast. He was so close to completion. Just a little more and they might be able to change the course of this battle. That was the hope, at least.

"Primus Sage!" The voice of Omnus rang within his head. "We have a situation. The enemy has carved a massive path straight toward the heart of the dungeon. We do not know how they managed such destruction in so little time. Aegisthal has sustained heavy damage, Halyndra is tending to him now. Our forces remain largely intact, but Aegisthal believes reinforcements will be necessary. That path they made… it changes the entire field."

Jack immediately stopped casting the spell to shift his consciousness. He immediately found what Omnus was talking about as there was now a massive swath of scorched land with a forest fire to boot. There were only a few things that Jack could think of that could carry that kind of firepower. An erupting volcano for one. A mana bomb like the one he originally made to wipe out the invaders.

If these new invaders had a weapon that could do that, then they were in trouble.

"I'll send what I can. But I need to finish this. Hit and run tactics. Gentlemen's rules are for gentlemen. We're survivors," Jack messaged back using his Dark Communion ability.

He summoned another hundred Land Squids, then summoned another twenty Bronze Apes. The Land Squids quickly burrowed underground, gliding through the ground toward where they were needed. The Bronze Apes followed above ground moments later, each with a bundle of javelins tucked under an arm while they ran off.

With that done, he doubled his efforts into finishing what he was calling project 'game changer,' only now he was adding a few more modifications. The tail was going to be long and thick to act as a proper counterweight for its front half, coupled with a pair of collapsible spikes at the end. He was also making sure the forward arms were properly proportioned instead of the short, stubby excuses the original skeleton had before. More than that, he had included longer curved claws with further reinforcement throughout the body. But the real quencher was that he was installing a crucible and arcane slug slinger enchantments in the mouth. It might take a little longer, but if the enemy had something that had that much firepower, he needed something much meaner.

He went back to work, using as much of his mana as he could spare to craft his beast. He summoned more steel, iron, bronze, and tungsten to make the needed upgrades. He didn't even bother trying to keep track of time. He only focused on what needed to be done.

The spell dismantled the metals, turning them to particles and reforming them into the proper places on the beast, fusing the metals while molding them with the engraved circuits and enchantments. Then he filled those circuits with bronze so they would last.

By the time it was done, there was but one last thing he wanted to add so that it would be all the fiercer for the fight to come.

He summoned one of the smaller crystal brains that he had absorbed into his dungeon, making it materialize in his outstretched hand. Once it was made, he took a deep metaphorical breath as he looked at his creation. Then he summoned the other device that The One Who Watches gave him, a device called an Arcane Engine. The beast had clearly once been a predator, a great and terrible monster of its time, and he had made it bigger and all the more deadly with the upgrades he just gave it. Ironhorn would have listened to him since he gave it the brain, but this monster out of time was much more dangerous. There was no telling if it would even listen to him, never mind outright attack him.

There was no helping it now. There was no time for what-ifs or maybes. His residents were either deep underground or in the dimensional plane. His people were safe if it rampaged.

Jack was about to install the Arcane Engine when he realized his mistake. Quickly, he insulated the chamber that would house the engine within the beast with a one-inch-thick dome of lead, then encased it with an inch-thick shell of tungsten. The first layer was a means to insulate from mana poisoning, the second to insulate as well as to protect the engine. Once it was done, he placed the engine inside and connected all circuits so the mana would flow. With the beast's heart installed, Jack moved to give the beast its new brain.

Jack braced himself as he came to stand at the head of the beast, the metallic crystal brain gem in hand.

"Time to wake up," Jack said, then pressed the gem to the beast's forehead.

The gem fused and melded into the beast's head, vanishing after it sank past the surface of those multiple layers of steel and iron before coming to rest within the beast's skull. Jack stepped back while he watched tendrils of energy grow from the back of its head, spreading like fast-growing vines that twisted and fused with the metal of its body, adjusting and turning the metal to better fit its purpose. The energies became like copper wires that stood in place of a nervous system. By the time it was done, the beast's body was further refined to where it looked both organic and mechanical.

Then it rumbled.

The sound was a low and dreadful horn, deep and menacing, that shook the air with the grinding of metal against metal. It opened its glowing topaz eyes, and unlike other machines that lacked the spark he saw in the eyes of his people, the beast's gem eyes were filled with an awakening primal urge—instincts honed to a deadly edge by time, contest, conflict, and an unforgiving world where it was only survival of the fittest.

Then those eyes focused on Jack.

The king of its time started to rise, the ground trembling as it pushed its forelimbs down under itself to rise. Gouts of hissing steam escaped its nose while it exerted strength to rise higher and higher, coming to stand on its hind legs to showcase its glory as it stood over twenty-five feet tall at the top of its head.

The beast was bipedal in design, its muzzle narrow and elongated, yet wide enough that a person could mostly fit inside. A row of wide, short sword-like, slightly curved fangs lined its jaws. Cogwork, gyros, and pistons lined its joints, while tightly braided steel wires and cables made up its sinew and muscles. Jutting spires of steel with vents emerged from its back, with two on each side. Its neck was thick and powerful, as were its chest and back. Its arms, while shorter than its legs, were bent yet still hovered a few feet above the ground, ending with three long fingers tipped with curved claws and a short thumb. The three claws of its feet dug deep into the stone for superior grip. Its tail was long and thick at the base with those same steely muscles, and at the end, it had retractable spikes on either side, able to deploy a collapsible armor-piercing spike or scything blade. All of this was covered in overlapping armor plates that acted like scales and protected its joints and vulnerable areas.

The beast grumbled while it shook itself, making the armor shift and move like thick muscle and skin on an actual animal. Its eyes focused on Jack as it leaned down to rest its clawed hands on the ground for support. Another gout of steam left its nose while that perpetual snarl of bared fangs hovered within arm's reach of Jack.

Yet Jack did not move. He did not show it fear. He did not step back or show any unease. He stared right back at it with the floating burning embers he had for eyes.

They endured the staring contest. Neither backed down. Neither gave the other an inch in this battle of wills. Until the beast blinked and turned its gaze away. Only then did Jack step forward, knowing the beast was his and would listen to his words. He placed his hand on its nose, then moved to the side to slide his skeletal hands along the side of its face until he reached the neck. Using a hand to rub its side, he now looked directly into its eye, feeling a bond form between them that linked the beast to him.

"From this day forward, your name is Scrapper," he told the ancient beast while it leaned into his touch, letting out a deeply pleased rumble. "You and I are going to do great and terrible things."

At this, Scrapper laid back down, allowing Jack to climb up its side.

Jack used the plates and ridges as hand and foot holds to climb, coming to rest between the large spires of Scrapper's back while he held on to the spikes at the neck.

"Now, let's show these assholes what it means to fuck with us," Jack growled, giving Scrapper a nudge with his heel.

Scrapper rose to his full height at Jack's nudge. Taking a step forward, with nearly two thousand metric tons behind that step, the stone underfoot cracked while he threw his head up to proclaim his existence with a room-shaking roar.

I almost feel sorry for the poor fuckers.