The Tower in the Shadows

Chapter 172



I was processing a small amount of void corruption at the moment. A void stone had been returned, and I'd used it to create more of its kind and was processing what was left.

I spent this time thinking about my defences. This had left me with only one option. I had the void stones around the stairwell, and I decided to add another cluster to the floor. The best location on the eleventh was around the plinth where the Guardian stood.

I merged eight void stones into the plinth, placing two on each of its faces. The stones were buried just below the surface. They were arranged to draw any void essence from any near them. They would also slow down the amount I would be absorbing straight away.

Perfect? No. But I was putting what I had in place to strengthen my defences. Part of me wondered if I should have kept with the classic Dungeon layout, but I quashed these thoughts.

I had added another fire-infused mana stone trap to the middle of the tenth floor. It was risky as it could create a cascade effect with the molten river. I placed only one stone into it, and it would trigger with the death of Maximus—another means to eliminate large amounts of void corrupted monsters.

I thought about other additions to the Dungeon. Consider adding spring-loaded traps in the stairwell rooms and possibly a hatch to block off access to the stairwell. The tower above had that feature and had spent several days investigating it. In the end, I decided against it, as I wanted the void corrupted to be constantly descending the stairs. I planned to use their numbers against them. I discovered during the assault of the corrupted priests that the void corrupted would do anything in their power to get to me, trampling each other in their desperation. If I played it right, these numbers can be used as a natural obstacle in the choke point of the stairs.

I knew that once the horde arrived, hopefully in a more diminished state than it was, I would be able to survive the onslaught as it came in a relentless assault, not in waves like it did last time I was attacked in such large numbers.

I had to factor in the city. They might be able to draw some of the corrupted towards them or at least drop high-powered spells on the horde as it assaulted my surface building. I knew I couldn't rely on them to wear the horde down significantly, so I had to focus on my defences.

I continue to plan.

## ## ## ## ##

The horde was moving fast eastward into the mountains. There were no major cities or fortified positions between them and the mountains after the fall of Nygar. There were towns and villages, and most were evacuated. A few foolish people stayed on, thinking they could weather the storm approaching them. They were either killed or added to the horde.

Military forces from dozens of nations and races are now operating around the edges of the horde and behind it. They were primarily focused on cleaning up the void corrupted remnants left behind. When they could, they hit the main horde, trying to reduce the numbers. More high-powered spells were being deployed against the horde, but nothing on the scale that was dropped on Nygar.

This will change as soon as the horde reaches the mountains. From then on, it would be up to the local monster population to reduce the numbers, but many more would be corrupted and replace them in the end.

In the city of Shadow Vale, the local population was preparing for the impending assault. The north end of the valley was where the monsters would arrive from the horde's direction, guaranteed it now. The city's palisade wall was being reinforced with a trench, and the two siege weapons they had ordered had arrived and were deployed to that wall.

Everyone knew that if the horde bypassed the Dungeon, the city would not stand a chance. It had become widely known that the Dungeon was the ultimate destination of the horde, and most people were secretly relieved that they were not going to have to face the full strength of the abominations coming.

Military units and volunteers from other nations and races were arriving in the city now daily. This was swelling the already large population of the city and putting immense strain on the limited space within the valley.

Two additional defensive lines were established within the city, positioned behind the palisade. Lord Goldwind had heeded the advice of his military advisers in not placing all of his trust within the palisade. The people living closest to the northern end of the city warned that when the horde arrived, they would need to evacuate straightaway. It was hoped that they could give the noncombatants at least two hours' warning to get out of the area before the horde arrived.

Tracking the horde was still tricky, but it was nowhere near as bad as when it was at its strongest during the assault on Nygar. There was still a fog that travelled with them, but it was no longer as cold as it once was. This information was added to the planner's thoughts, and they made preparations for it when it arrived with the horde.

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Like the Dungeon, they were looking for new ways to strengthen the city's defences.

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"I don't see how a trench will slow them down," Ranus said to Danrum as they watched the workmen below creating the fortification.

"By itself, it won't. We plan to add sharp and wooden stakes at the bottom of the trench. As you can see, it won't be very deep, but it will be wide. Very few of the witnessed abominations can cross such a distance without putting their foot or whatever is propelling them into the trench." Danrum pointed out the trench as he spoke.

"We are not using Geomancers to make it to save on costs at the moment." He added. "With the saved money, we can buy more bear traps and place them between the trench and the wall. Again, that was not so much, but it will hopefully cause a few injuries."

"How much are we saving by not employing Geomancers?" Ranus asked.

"For the trench, quite a lot. We have employed them to strengthen the foundations of the palisade wall." Danrum tapped his foot, indicating the new stone foundations.

Ranus looked at the palisade. It was hard to call it that, as it was more akin to a reinforced wooden wall. It was comprised of two layers of logs that were two meters apart. The void between them was filled in with tightly packed earth and layered with stone, creating a place where the city's defenders could stand and fire down upon anything that attacked them. Along the wall were a series of towers that were higher than the wall itself. The square blocks numbered six. Two had the siege engines I had ordered based upon them. The crews have sighted the weapons and marked out the distances across the floodplain.

These markers would also help archers and mages get their ranges right. When they come at them, the stones would be used to mark out kill zones.

Danrum had been running endless drills since the horde had erupted from Folly's End. The city watch was as ready as it could be. Additional military units had arrived from local human nations, as well as some from further afield. They were all volunteers, and along with them came several hundred more adventurers. When threats such as the hordes appeared, the Adventurer's Guild, as well as the others, mobilised their members to aid in containing what was happening.

They were being organised to be part of the city's defence. Most will man the two additional lines of fortifications being erected deeper within the city. Everyone knew that once the palisade was breached, these lines would not hold long and were designed to help the local population flee.

"Can we hold them?" Ranus asked quietly.

"If we were the target of the horde? No." Danrum answered honestly as quietly as the question was asked. "But we are not the target of the horde. We will need to deal with those who cannot enter the Dungeon immediately. This will also allow us an opportunity to thin their numbers."

"I know. I approved the plan and accept the consequences." Ranus said, looking out across the floodplain with a worried look on his face.

"It will be difficult. There will be losses. But if the Dungeon falls, we will have far more pressing things to worry about." Danrum sounded calm.

Ranus shivered anyway, remembering the estimations of what would happen if the Dungeon were unable to defeat the horde. He had already been told that if that event occurred, then his valley would not become the next Nygar but something worse.

He had tried to speak to Bhaldor. The force controlling the Dungeon was as unwilling to communicate as usual, and the few times he did, he kept him updated on the horde's progress. Ranus had enquired about the status of the Dungeons' defences, and all he got was a 'working on it' as the answer.

That frustrated him a bit, but then he recalled the adventurer's disregard for the warnings and instructions from the surface building. He suspected that the Dungeon had its defence as well in hand.

A sound of heavy marching boots pulled his attention from the floodplains back into the city. Marching down the road towards the wall was a hundred Minoars dressed in full plate battle armour and each carrying a double-handed weapon of some type, moving in formation. The locals and others quickly got out of their way as they were a force you did not want to get in the way of.

"Right. Let's go help them get situated on the wall."

## ## ## ## ##

Rickle knew that much was happening in the divine play that he was not aware of. He had his means of gathering intelligence, but much was being obfuscated from even him.

He knew of the plan to trap Oda. He had supplied the means for them to track him, but they had not yet revealed that fact to him. They were gathering the resources needed to create the pocket dimension and trapping him within a crystal. In doing so, it would bring Bhaldor into the Paths of Ascension.

What that would entail in the long run, no one knew. Those with the ability to see the future said it was too clouded and confused to make sense of. But what they were all sure of was that action needed to be taken, or all they loved and were sworn to protect would be destroyed.

Even the most polarised or entrenched in their views of the courts were now cooperating. They all sensed that something bigger was happening, but the leaders of the courts had not informed them. They had to put their trust in them nonetheless. If they did not, then their destructions were assured.

He had been told of the plan but not its full details. He did not know how they were going to pull off what they claimed they could do. He, too, had put his trust in them, knowing that there was no other plan. The old fool had manoeuvred them into a corner that he thought they could not escape from, but had not planned on something so desperate being implemented.

If they were successful, things would change in ways none of them could predict. Failure meant destruction, so they were willing to take the chance.

"What will success bring us?"

Rickle asked himself, feeling reflective and thoughtful. He was hiding in his realm, avoiding the other divine beings. He was sitting at his favourite table, flicking cards into a hat on it.

There were too many variables and unknowns. He didn't like it, but as the god of luck, he was willing to take the chance. He did not know how many times in his past mortal life he had done the same, seeing the odds and laughing in the face of them. Well, it looked like he was going to have to do it again.

The irony amused him.

The god of luck relying on luck.

He kept flicking as he approached the end of the deck. He was thinking more along the lines of possibilities as he did so. He knew that Oda would not go quietly or be without his plans and defences.

He will not go quietly. But if they succeeded, what would be the cost?

They all sensed it now. The great wheel of ages was turning, and the world they knew was changing.

"But what will tomorrow bring?"


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