Chapter 3 Part 1 of 1 (Patreon)

Stassov walked into the meeting room, laid out at the head of the table were several boxes holding dungeon cores.

“Most of the crafter dungeons were controlled by the Ten Realms. Only these were controlled by Vuzgal’s lords.” Goran reported, standing off to the side. Petros and Marco stood behind him.

“The Ten Realms took the plan and started using it?”

“Yes, or they gave them blueprints and released control.”

Stassov looked at Goran. “You think that they would do so?”

“They left several dungeon cores here in their city to create a regional dungeon,” Goran offered.

A knock came from the room’s door. With a flicker of power Stassov opened the door.

“Lord Commander Chmilenko’s Talon, Luminare, has arrived alongside and wishes to meet with you.”

“I will meet him on the landing deck.” Stassov took the dungeon cores into her storage ring.

“Wait here, Petros.” She left the room. Guards ranged ahead as Ranko and Gregor trailed behind with Goran who had taken Bela’s sub commander role.

She stood on the formation under the dungeon core, surrounded by her party.

Formations appeared around them and light flooded the area.

They reappeared in a corridor between stables. Beasts cried out in pain as their handlers tried to heal them. Signs of blood covered the decks and the lifts that had raised and lowered the aerial forces.

Her group spread out and marched at her speed as her shoes rang out on the stone. They stepped onto a platform that raised them up to the surface of the Eternus.

Barriers are still messy. Stassov felt a breeze pull on her clothes as it passed over the deck.

The sun was shadowed as she looked at the Luminare dominating the sky. Nearly three times the size and ten times the weapons and manpower.

The Lord Commander’s group created red streaks in the sky. Their excess mana left a trail in the thin mana density of the Fourth Realm.

Their mounts cawed as they banked and glided over the Eternus. They raised up, flapping their wings and throwing up a wind before settling on their legs.

“Lord Commander Chmilenko.” Stassov bowed. Gregor and Ranko cupped their hands as her guards dropped to one knee.

“Stand up. Quite the mess commander, you track them down?”

“We have not found out where they are hiding, yet. It appears they do control, or controlled, other dungeons.” Stassov stood up.

“They hid under our radar for this long. I heard that your cannon was hit badly.”

“Yes, my Talon is in need of repairs.”

Chmilenko grunted, resting his fists on his hips. “Who are they?”

“Lord West is an Alchemist. His teacher is from the Alchemist Association. He’s also a bit of a fighter. Lord Rodriguez, people call him Rugrat, is a smith. He is also a fighter. They ride a dragon and a red wolf with wings. Both of them and a number of people in their military were made elders of the Blue Lotus.”

Chmilenko spat on the deck. “How were they able to stop you and inflict so many casualties?”

“They didn’t have the levels. But they had the body cultivation and mana cultivation on level with some of the sub-commanders. They were used to the environment. We just arrived in this realm.”

Chmilenko grunted and shifted the formation hooked to his belt, increasing the mana density around him.

“They used weapons and tactics that we haven’t seen before. Their army was disciplined, all different kinds of people working together; uniform weapons, clothing and armor.”

“Were you able to recover anything from the city?”

“No, everything was systematically destroyed but we did recover this.” Stassov pulled out a deformed bullet and held it out.

Chmilenko picked it up and studied it. “Earth grade ore, enhanced to increase the power of formations. Engraved with a formation, detailed work for the Fourth Realm, high journeyman, what is it?”

“It is the ‘arrow heads’, if you will, of the weapons they were using. This was pulled from one of my fighters.”

“How many of these did they have?” Chmilenko raised the bullet.

“Hundreds, possibly thousands, with weapons that were similar to what the Sha use.”

Chmilenko rolled the bullet over in his fingers. “You think that they are the Sha’s dogs?”

“Yes.”

“But they are not a clan. The Sha have other cities in this realm, do they not?”

“Yes sir.”

“Must’ve been trying to hide them. What a waste to have a sky grade dungeon core down here. Which they escaped with.”

Chmilenko’s voice hardened as his hand balled into a fist around the bullet. “Find out where they are and get that dungeon core before you return. With your actions you have left our flank undefended in the Earth Cloud valley. Now I will need to clean up your mess.”

“Lord Chmilenko—”

“You went hunting for this dungeon core without asking me. Now you’d best find it. I hope you have stored up enough mana stones for this backwater.”

Stassov gritted her teeth.

“Yes, Lord Chmilenko.”

He grunted and turned, leaving. “Have the ship ready to return to the Seventh Realm. Stassov, you had best have the mana stones it cost me to come down here returned to me soon!”

“Of course, commander.”

She waited for him to leave before returning to her command center.

“Gregor,” She said as she sat down upon her chair.

“Commander?” He stepped forward as the sound cancelling formation dropped around them.

“I have a mission for you in the lower realms. The United Sect Army is set on a path to find the Vuzgalians. They will not succeed with just their forces. They need support and I want those dungeon cores. Take your dungeon hunters and go to the Willful Institute, make use of them. Create corvettes from Dungeon cores under your command.” She passed him a series of blueprints.

Gregor seriously doubted that he would be able to create even a corvette with the low level dungeon cores in the lower realms.

“All other resources are to be supplied by the other sects.”

“Phoenix breath?”

“If the situation warrants it, I will send one. Use their cannons and spell scrolls. There are plans for better mana barriers, you will need them to deal with the Vuzgalian weapons.”

“The corvettes afterwards?”

“Once your task is complete, combine the dungeon cores and return to me. We need to wipe away this stain.”

Gregor gritted his teeth and bowed.

“Yes commander."

"Leave nothing of the Vuzgalians."

***

Qin looked at the bowl of food in her hands, the heat dissipating rapidly.

“Your food will go cold,” Elan said, softly nudging her side.

She grabbed her spoon and scooped up some simple fruits and oats.

They were sitting in the cafeteria of dungeon one. It was filled with the last civilian members to leave Vuzgal. The stone walls were warm to the touch, keeping it comfortable. It was only a small dungeon, able to fit a few thousand in relative comfort.

People around them were playing cards, talking to one another, or getting drinks and food from the cooks that had taken over the large kitchen so they could do something.

What am I going to tell Julilah?

Qin dropped her spoon, burying her face in her shaking hands as her stomach churned, the few mouthfuls she had eaten threatening to come back up.

“Qin.” Elan hugged her. “Qin, it’s okay, you’re safe now.”

She grabbed the front of his shirt as she cried.

“It’s okay, Dad’s here.” Elan shushed her, stroking her hair.

It took Qin some time to calm down, to get words out between big gulping breaths.

“H-how… am I gon-na… tell Julilah?” She gripped his shirt tighter.

“All you can do is be there for her. Just… tell her, and be there for her. That is what you must do as her friend, and for Tan Xue.”

Qin shuddered. “She— the bunker. The attacks. There wasn’t anything I could do.”

“I know, my dear, I know. War does nothing to aid us. It only serves to tear us apart even more,” Elan patted her head and rocked her.