ROUGH DRAFT: Dungeon Builder's Harem 12, Part 21 (Patreon)

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Chapter Fifty-Three

“Guide me with your Life,” Bellia prayed to Lady Ianna as she moved through the Deep Labyrinth. The Death Saint had grown lucky and found her way into the second level of the dungeon.

“The Death Saint is in the Echo Room killing the sirens,” Smerta said. “One more right. You see it.

Bellia nodded. She knew the dungeon. The adventurers drilled in it. They knew all the defensive rooms. This was a peaceful one with music playing and soft light. The air was filled with a sweet perfume that lulled those who entered into a sleep. The sirens helped with that.

The paladin reached the open door and passed into the room. On the far side, past the comfy beds, a rotting corpse of an elf crossed the room. He held a spectral blade in his hand. Tangled of bleached hair spilled down the Saint's black and bloated back.

“My, my,” the Saint said, turning around. His voice rasped and squelched as he spoke. “A champion of Lady Ianna. Isn't this delightful?”

“Lady Ianna is my sword and my shield!” Bellia cried and charged across the Echo Room.

The Death Saint exhaled a noxious fume that roiled across the floor and washed into Bellia. Instantly, she felt the strength sap from her body. She staggered beneath it, gripping the sword bestowed to her by the Lady of Life.

Bellia pressed through the miasma, drawing on the life swelling in her womb. She was a mother. The Vessel of New Life. She roared and burst into a charge, invigorated. The Death Saint cocked his head and grinned. One of his pointed ears twitched. The other was just rotted cartilage.

“Impressive,” he said and swung his spectral blade at her.

She caught it with her wooden blade. She noticed the glint of surprise in the Saint's eyes. He hadn't expected her sword to be able to block his ethereal weapon. Encouragement swept through her. Lady Ianna had armed her for this fight.

For this one battle.

“I am Lord Leo's paladin!” she cried and attacked.

He blocked her blade. They traded blows, shifting their feet. He was fast, but she had been practicing so hard. She had gained so much skill. Life invigorated her as she faced the Death Saint. She knocked his blade aside and saw an opening.

She buried her sword into his chest.

The impact made an awful, squelching sound. A putrid aroma filled her nose. The Saint swung his sword, hitting her wooden breastplate. The spectral blade cut into the oaken armor, but not all the way through it.

She struck him again in the shoulder.

He flinched from the touch of life, stepping back at her. He cocked his head and exhaled again. The miasma engulfed her. It was thicker than he last one. Flies buzzed in it. The chilly fume sucked the warmth from her body.

The strength left Bellia.

She collapsed to the ground, spasming. Death sapped more and more of her life until it hit this ember in her belly. This spot of brightness. Lady Ianna's gift pushed back against the evil coursing through Bellia.

But it was such a small spot. A little ember. How long could it last?

\ / *

Mr. Lucina stood in the throne room of Leo's dungeon, both of their companions around them. Twenty-two monster girls. He trembled, wanting to weep. This was too much. The others were fighting with the Saints throughout the dungeon, but...

“The Earth Saint has had no trouble navigating the dungeon,” Smerta said. “He's moving fast. He must have learned how to move through the stone itself. He'll be there in moments.”

Bella put her hand on his shoulder. His Bella, not the angelic Mrs. Lucina who loved Leo. His real wife. On the other side stood his Maya. She was his slut, ready to fight for him. The watery Maya stood ready, too.

“He's at the door,” Smerta said.

Everyone grew ready. Mr. Lucina struggled to think. He had to use Wind magic, but he only knew Basic spells. He wasn't as powerful as Leo or even Munjan. He would die in this fight. And once he died, the Earth Saint would find the Void Crystal and finish them off.

The door exploded open.

\ / *

Lana Fulmine would not disappoint her Number One fan.

The stone elf strode into the room. Lana Fulmine launched her attack. She wasn't the only one. Lightning, icy daggers, flaming tridents, deathly and piercing screeches, a shadowy dildo-club, and more hurtled toward the Earth Saint.

The elf vanished into the floor.

Lana Fulmine flapped her wings, holding station in the air. Everyone searched around for her. Then the floor opened up beneath Ms. Trueno. The thunder sprite vanished into the ground. It crunched shut, killing the poor monster girl.

“What do we do?” Alizee cried, flying past Lana Fulmine. She could really hurt the monster girl.

\ / *

Terra had an idea.

She slammed both of her hammer fists into the ground. The floor shook, forcing the Earth Saint to burst out of the ground before her. The Saint swung a stony blade at her. Terra barely had a chance to blink before it cut off her head.

Then she fell into the Void. Into the comforting arms of Souleen.

As she fell into her dreamless sleep, this time, Terra didn't know if she would ever wake up.

\ / *

Undine-Maya threw herself at the Earth Saint.

Her watery flesh engulfed the enemy. She forced her body into his mouth. She had to drown the bastard. She hugged him tight, squeezing down on him. It was the only thing she could do. Terra's motes drifted through the air and vanished.

The Earth Saint shot downward. Maya's watery form hit the floor. She didn't vanish into it like he did. Her body rippled and rebounded, forming into her human shape. She pushed herself up to see Alt-Maya standing near Mr. Lucina.

So weird to see myself with feathers, she thought. And clinging to that man.

The Earth Saint appeared behind Alt-Maya. Someone shouted. Alt-Maya shoved Mr. Lucina to the ground as a flinty sword flashed. Alt-Maya's heat flew off her body. She became motes of light a moment later and rained down on Mr. Lucina.

Maya scrambled to her feet and rushed at the enemy.

\ / *

Nina Naughty shifted her aim to where the Earth Saint now stood. Mr. Lucina scrambled on the ground, Alt-Bella throwing herself between her husband and the enemy. The devil threw a flaming pitchfork at the Earth Saint.

The fiery attack burst across the stony body, doing nothing.

Behind the Earth Saint, Alt-Alizee cut herself. The nixie's blood spurted from her wound. She controlled it, fashioning a crimson whip. She struck the Earth Saint around the neck and yanked him back. He stumbled, off-balanced. Lightning struck him as he turned to Alt-Alizee

His sword became a stone dagger, he threw at her, taking her in the eye and killing her.

The real Alizee screamed out and threw windy blades down at the Earth Saint. He jumped back, dodging her attacks. Nina Naughty hurtled her flaming pitchforks, feeling so useless. They were in the fight for their lives, and her director...

He fought four more of these bastards alone.

\ / *

“For Dark Lord Leo!” screamed Garnet.

She threw a shadowy net at the Earth Saint. It bound him up. Lightning struck him. Light from Mrs. Lucina's halo. A blast of ruby light from Alt-Crystal's gemstone. Icy daggers burst across the Earth Saint from real Crystal. Wind blades slashed down at them.

Yes! thought Garnet, their enemy trapped in her net.

He vanished into the floor. The wind blades struck the polished marble tiles, gouging into them. Garnet hissed and looked around for him. She fashioned another shadowy bondage net to capture him. She wanted to spank him.

He was such a bastard.

Lana Fulmine screamed. Garnet whipped her head around to see that the Earth Saint had slammed into her from above, his sword thrust into her back. She burst into motes. He fell through them and hit the floor. She threw her net.

He sprang forward at Sweet Sasha. The erinyes slashed their whips at him. They struck the stony elf, bouncing off without even damaging him. She cursed, flapping her wings to escape, but his blade flashed too fast, cutting off her head.

“No,” Mr. Lucina groaned, scrambling back.

Smerta charged into the throne room. How had she gotten here so fast? She was supposed to be in the guard room, unless she had left another monster girl behind to monitor things. Maybe Vilkas? Now she was rushing forward and slamming her blade into the back of the Earth Saint.

He staggered forward, spun around, and swung his blade into Smerta's armor. The icy armor shattered. She struck him again, hammering hard. He grunted as fire and wind slashed down at him. He opened the floor.

Both he and Smerta fell into it. The floor closed, crushing Smerta.

Garnet trembled in rage.

She whipped her head around, searching for the Earth Saint. In the corner of the room, Mr. Lucina cowered in fear. He trembled there, not doing anything. Garnet ground her teeth. They could not lose here. They had to fight for her Owner.

“For Dark Lord Leo!” she hissed, her wings fluttering.

The Earth Saint burst from the ground and slashed at Alt-Nina. The valkyrie blocked the blow with her sword. Garnet hissed her fury and fashioned another net of shadows. I hurtled it at him, desperate to slow him down. Kitty Delight fired off her spines as she soared nearby.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Fire melted my steel flesh. I could not die here. I had to keep fighting. I had killed one of the four Saints attacking me.

I could finish off the others.

I had no choice but to win.

The flames died down only for ice to engulf me. It swept over me, freezing my body, gripping me, and holding me in place. I could feel the steel of my flesh cooling rapidly. I stressed the body, cracking the metal. I had to escape.

“Lightning flashes, let the passion of Lady Uttu fly!”

I shot behind Metal. The saint spun around, but my next spell was already on my lips.

“The cruelty of ice, let the freezing might of Lord Anshar spread!”

Hoarfrost slammed into Metal. The Saint screamed and stumbled back, the cold attacking the metal of his body. I had to hurt him. Kill him. The frost spread up his body, devouring him. He staggered, his body fracturing.

The other two Saints attacked.

Fire and ice rushed at me. I could not withstand them both.

“Lightning flashes, let the passion of Lady Uttu fly!”

I needed something else. I had to change my tactics. What spells did I have that could change the flow of battle? Something dramatic. I had the Shapechange spell. I had rarely used it. I could transform into... What?

Just beasts. I had become a bear once, but there was a better spell I could use. Stronger. Monstrous Shape.

Ultimate tier magic.

What were the limits of the spell? Was there something I could change into that would even out the battle? My dragons would, but they weren't here yet. They probably would not arrive in time. At this rate, I would fall.

Three Saints were devastating.

Dragons...

Could I turn into a dragon with Monstrous Shape?

The Saints were closing in on me. They were about to launch another attack. I had to do something bad. I didn't hurt, but that was because of Endure Pain. I knew my body had suffered. How much longer could I keep this up?

“Awaken my flesh, let the monstrous power of Lady Ianna shape!”

Strength flooded my body. I expanded as I roared. My neck grew longer. My arms and legs strong. A tail sprouted. Wings. The ground fell away from me as I swelled in size. The three Saints all gasped and recoiled as I became a dragon.

A beast made of flesh and blood, Steel Body ended by this spell. My claws dug into the ground. I had brown scales, almost the same hue of my dark hair. I snarled, my maw filled with sharp teeth. I was powerful. I had never felt so strong. The Saints looked like bugs before me. My tail swished back and forth as they stared at me.

I was powerful. Strong as a thousand horses. I had claws that could rend steel. Jaws that could crunch bones. My tail swished behind me, a battering ram that could smash through a concrete wall. I growled and flared my wings wide. I wasn't as big as an ancient dragon, but I was at least as large as Isatu.

I could devour my enemies. I hungered to destroy them. They had caused so much pain. They served those fucking gods. They wanted to destroy me. All to stop me from saving the goddesses and the Incarnation. They did not want me to break the cycle.

I would not let them kill me.

I would win.

I would crush them all, starting with... Ice.

She was the nearest.

I snaked my head out and snapped my teeth down on the icy bitch who cut off my wife's hand. Who kidnapped her. Tormented her. Rage fueled me. I snarled as I crushed her in my jaws. The Ice Saint screamed. Her blade slammed into my face, cutting through the scales of my cheek.

I bit down harder.

Ice shattered in my mouth. Fragments burst out of the sides of my jaw. The chill swept over my tongue and teeth. The pieces fell to the ground. I savored the death of my enemy. Finally, one of them was down. I spat out the rest of the ice, the pieces tumbling around the ground and steaming away.

I roared my triumph.

Something tugged at my side.

I spun to find the Metal Saint. His blade had ripped through my scales, leaving a deep wound behind I did not feel. I snarled at the blood spurting out of my wound. He slashed again, ripping through the pale beige of my belly scales.

I went to snarl a healing spell, but my jaw didn't work like a human's. I couldn't move it properly. I couldn't speak the words to the magic. I hissed as I realized my mistake. I was big. Powerful. A target that couldn't easily escape.

Flames slammed into the other side of me. I felt the heat washing over me. Something burned. I turned to the other side to witness my right wing half-melted. The membrane stretched between my wing bones burned away. Useless. I couldn't fly like this.

Another sensation of being hit. Metal had ripped into my side. I was a big, massive dragon, and they were about to kill me. Fear swept through me. I leaped down the mountain. I couldn't fly. I hit the slope. Rocks skidded beneath my feet.

I ended the spell.

I became a human and slid into a boulder. I grunted at that. I had lost all my protection spells by becoming a dragon. Blood soaked my shirt. My right shoulder was blackened and burned. I didn't feel the sickening wounds, but my body was dying.

“Fuck,” I groaned, focusing. “Graven wounds pulse in pain, let the healing of Lord Dumazid flow!”

Mend Flesh poured into me. The damage retreated. One casting wasn't enough to fully mend my wounds, but the burns on my shoulder retreated. The horrible gashes in my sides and belly closed enough that blood wasn't spurting out.

The Metal Saint appeared before me and plunged his sword into my belly. He grinned at me, twisting the blade in my body. It should be agony, but Endure Pain still worked. I was able to focus on him.

“The cruelty of ice, let the freezing might of Lord Anshar spread!”

Hoarfrost slammed into the halfling. The white frost swept over the rocks around me. He screamed and flung himself back, the white attacking his body. More cracks appeared over him. He landed, spasming, his movements stiff.

I rose, blood spilling from my guts and soaking my clothes. Fury swept through me.

“The cruelty of ice, let the freezing might of Lord Anshar spread!”

The frost engulfed the halfling as he scrambled to his feet. He screamed. Metal snapped. An arm flew off. The small figure stumbled and fell onto the rocks. His brittle both shattered into chunks that spilled across the mountainside.

I grinned in triumph as my foe tumbled over the mountain.

Flames slammed into me. They swept over my body, engulfing me in the heat. I could feel my flesh burning as the spell threw me back. I landed, the heat washing around me. I raised an arm, blackened and charred.

The pain should have overwhelmed me. I didn't feel it, but I was dying. I struggled to breathe, my lips charred and cracked. The Fire Saint leaped onto a boulder, grinning down on me as I lay there, a wreck of a man.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Xiongbu flowed out of the trunk of the tree that had fallen on her. The wraith was incorporeal.

“You are trapped,” she told Siwang.

He nodded, believing it. “We have to kill the Life Saint.”

She nodded as he turned to face the room. The dense vegetation moved around them. He had killed swaths of it with Spectral Breath. That seemed the most prudent plan. To unleash the Death Magic and kill everything in his path.

“The breath of death kills, let the exhale of Lord Nergal slay!”

The jungle died before him. He marched forward, his wraith flowing at his side. Black mist trailed behind her. Her claws were sharp and ready to slash. A large tree loomed before him. Vines hung from it that surged at Siwang.

“The breath of death kills, let the exhale of Lord Nergal slay!”

The vines shriveled and died. The exhale of death swept over the tree. The bark grayed. The leaves wilted and fell off the dying branches. It groaned and pitched forward at him. Siwang gasped as the tree fell at him. He jumped to the side.

Not fast enough.

Static Aura burst as the tree trunk hit the spell. The force shoved Siwang harder to the side and nudged the falling tree trunk to the left enough to miss crushing him. It landed on his wraith, but she would be fine. He hit the ground.

Before Siwang could rise, a human woman made out of vines appeared out of the dying foliage. He held a wooden blade not unlike the one Bellia carried. The Life Saint landed before Siwang and stabbed her sword, striking his armor.

Metal rang as the wooden sword dented the surface. The Life Saint grinned and drew back her blade, purring, “I have slain thirteen dungeon builders in life, and now I have been called once more to cut them down.”

“Good for you,” grunted Siwang. “The breath of death kills, let the exhale of Lord Nergal slay!”

The spell struck her. She hissed in pain as the magic attacked her. She held her blade before her as he rose to his feet. Pain crossed her face as more vegetation around her wilted. Some blight attacked the edges of her flesh, the tips of her fingers.

She laughed as he drew in his breath for another attack.

The Life Saint burst into a cloud of yellow particles. Into pollen. She flowed around him. He raised his arms to ward off the particles. His nose burned. He coughed as they flew into his mouth and nose. Panic swept through him. He sneezed hard, his eyes burning.

He thought she was attacking him by choking him, but the particles cleared. His eyes watered. He blinked against that sensation when something struck him from behind. Metal sheared. The sharp point of a sword then struck his back, having ripped through his armor.

His granite skin withstood the blow.

He spun around, struggling to breathe. He wheezed, congested. He coughed again, his vision blurry. The Saint of Life grinned at him as she held her wooden sword. He had to focus, but he couldn't speak through the coughing fit. He struggled to draw in enough air as he hacked up phlegm. His stomach writhed and churned next. Bile burned the back of his throat.

“My, my, this is fun,” the Life Saint cooed as his vision blackened.

Then his stomach churned. He wretched. He bent over, vomiting onto the ground. He was open to attack. She drew back her sword as more puke exploded from his mouth. He was vulnerable. Open. Choked by throw-up, he couldn't speak.

Xiongbu flowed through him and slammed her claws into the Saint of Life. The plant woman staggered back from the blow. Xiongbu snarled, ripping with her sharp claws, black mist trailing around her from the attack.

The Life Saint became a cloud of yellow pollen, Xiongbu falling through her.

Siwang collapsed to his knees. He vomited again, his stomach contorting with the need to expel the foreign material. Yellow bile spilled out of his mouth now. Tears flowed down his face. He couldn't do anything else but puke. He dry heaved now, agony ripping at his guts.

“Siwang,” Xiongbu cried, horror in her voice.

She shoved her hand through his head. He felt the cold of her incorporeal arm reaching into him. She thrust down to his guts. Then she pulled it out. He felt something coming out with her. She ripped her hand out, coated in disgusting pollen coated in blood and vile.

He wheezed one more time before she jumped, hissing and attacking.

“Thank you,” he sent as he pushed himself to his feet, vomit coating the front of his robes. He spat it out and focused on the enemy.

The Life Saint became pollen again. Siwang clamped his hand over his nose and mouth, holding his breath. He closed his eyes as she swept over him. He didn't breathe her in this time. His wraith jumped through him, the cold of her body strengthening him.

Her love swept over him.

He spun around to find her behind him and facing the Life Saint. The enemy thrust her blade for him. Xiongbu took it. She caught the blade in her flesh by staying physical. Her claws slashed, ripping into the Life Saint.

“I love you,” Xiongbu said. “Destroy her!”

“Xiongbu!” Siwang shouted as she burst into motes. They swept over Siwang as the Life Saint reeled back from the wounds she suffered. He focused on the Life Saint.

On this evil woman who had come here to kill them all. To take away all that they had. All that they had worked together to build. Leo was the center of it, but Siwang, Munjan, King Thanitis, Anji, the monster girls, the elves, the dwarves, and more. They were all working toward this wonderful goal.

And the gods wanted it to end.

They wanted to selfishly hold onto their powers. The anger that swept through Siwang had him trembling. He had to end this farce. He had to destroy this creature before him. He would not fall. He would stand by Leo when he saved the Incarnation.

Siwang would help to heal this world.

“The breath of death kills, let the exhale of Lord Nergal slay!”

Spectral Breath engulfed the Life Saint. She recoiled from the killing mist. Her extremities blackened. She glared at him, such hatred in her eyes as the black mist died away. Her feet crunched on the dead vegetation. Shriveled leaves and withered vines fell around them.

She burst into a cloud of pollen, rushing at him.

“The breath of death kills, let the exhale of Lord Nergal slay!”

The black cloud of Spectral Breath slammed into her cloud of pollen reaching for him. The spell attacked the little particles. Siwang realized her mistake at once. She had increased the surface area of her body.

That let the spell engulf every bit of her. All of her essence. The cloud of yellow surged for him, but the mist of death devoured them. The pollen grew gray. Dead. The particles rained down on the ground, pelting it like small pieces of hail.

Siwang stood there, watching his enemy die before his eyes. He breathed in slowly. He had never taken such satisfaction in destroying a foe. His throat burned. Eyes stung. His stomach muscles ached from the contractions.

The last particle fell to the ground. Siwang had survived.

He swayed there, his strength fading. He stumbled back and sat on the trunk of the fallen tree. The world spun around him. He had to focus. This wasn't over yet, but he felt so weak. So drained by her pollen attack.

\ / *

Vina jumped out of the way of the Thunder Saint's sword.

Munjan needed to hit her, but she kept dodging his attack. He just needed to blast the Thunder Saint with Lightning and disrupt her. He couldn't hear the thunderous attacks she made. Her sonic screeches did not hear him.

She shrieked at him again, but he had deafened himself. She thrust her sword for him, lunging to run him through. Vina slammed into the Thunder Saint, knocking her off balance. Munjan pointed his finger at his enemy.

“Lightning arcs and sizzles, let the fury of Lord Enlil spread!”

The lightning spell sizzled out at the Thunder Saint, but she teleported again. She appeared to his right, slashing her sword at him just as the lightning bolt hit the floor and sizzled. It didn't arc to anything because it didn't hit a valid target.

“Strong and durable, let the strength of Lord Nabu shield!”

The attack struck a metal shield. The Thunder Saint smiled at him as the spell faded. She drew back her sword, but Vina lunged in, slashing with her claws. The Thunder Saint turned and slashed at Vina, driving back his maenad.

Vina dodged the attacks.

“Sorry,” Munjan sent to Vina as he realized what he had to do.

She shot him a confused look as he pointed his arm at the Thunder Saint. The woman stopped her attack, staring at him. She wore this mocking smile. Eventually, she would teleport into the right spot and get a killing blow on him.

Worse, she would get on Vina, leaving Munjan to face her alone.

“Press the attack on her,” Munjan sent.

“Yes!” Vina howled in his mind, her white hair flowing behind her as she slashed at the Thunder Saint.

The enemy cursed. She had been ready to teleport, but he hadn't fired off the spell. She blocked with her sword, catching Vina's sharp claws on the edge of her blade. Munjan imagined the ear-splitting sound that must have been made. Everything was just muffled like he had clothes in his ear.

The Thunder Saint traded blows with Vina as he pointed his arm at her. It kept her off-balance. Munjan didn't want to do this. He hated this idea he had. Maybe Vina could get lucky, but the Thunder Saint battered back her attacks.

Got to do it, Munjan told himself. She'll forgive you.

“Lightning arcs and sizzles, let the fury of Lord Enlil spread!”

Like every other time, the Thunder Saint Teleported the moment he started casting. She vanished, Vina's claws slashing through the space where she had been. The Thunder Saint appeared to Munjan's right just as Arching Lightning shot from his fingers.

The bolt of lightning raced toward his target. This time, it wasn't the Thunder Saint, but the figure next to her. Munjan targeted his own monster girl. The bolt slammed into Vina. His maenad screamed in silent agony. Her head threw back, pain on her face.

The bolt arched to the next available target.

The Thunder Saint was already slashing for him when the glowing lightning snapped past him and struck her. The blow threw the Thunder Saint to the ground. Her distorted body writhed on the ground as the lightning attacked her.

“That hurt!” Vina shouted in his mind right before her body burst into motes.

Sorry, he thought as he rounded on the fallen Thunder Saint.

He had to capitalize on this moment.

“Lightning arcs and sizzles, let the fury of Lord Enlil spread!”

The Arching Lightning slammed into the Thunder Saint before she could recover. Her body contorted from the second attack. The current glowed throughout her distorted form. If she screamed, Munjan couldn't hear it.

He imagined the shrieks, though.

“Lightning arcs and sizzles, let the fury of Lord Enlil spread!”

He hammered her with the third spell. The lightning ripped her body apart. She burst into sound waves. The distortion hit him. Buffeted him. He felt the deep bass of the Saint's death in his chest. He staggered back and swayed there.

He had killed her.

He had blown her apart.

He panted as he stared down at her body. He could not believe it. She was gone. He had won. He swayed there, this triumph surging through him. He whooped. No one, not even himself, heard it. Still, he shouted. He pumped his fist in the air.

Munjan had crushed his foe.

“That's fucking right!” he shouted, not even able to hear his heartbeat.

He dismissed that spell. Sound crashed into him. He laughed. All his monster girls had died, but he could bring them back. He felt relief. The day was won. He chuckled and stretched. He would go back to his dungeon and...

The other saints.

“Shit,” he muttered.

“Get to the throne room right now!” Smerta shouted in his mind. “We need—”

Her words ended in such crushing finality that Munjan knew she was dead.

\ / *

Bellia lay on her back, the strength leaving her. The Death Saint loomed over her, the rotting elf smiling. He watched his miasma stealing her life away. He wanted to see her suffer. He craved to watch her die and rot into filth.

With a cry of frustration and desperation, Bellia drew on the flicker of life in her and stabbed into the corpse's belly. The Death Saint stared down at her sword in his bloated belly. He laughed, this disgusting, wheezing sound.

She ripped her blade free.

Disgusting, black rot spilled out of him. The stench of it choked her nose and mouth. She almost vomited from it. She felt so unclean as he loomed over her, the filth splattering on her wooden armor. The stench filled her nose.

She pushed herself up, drawing on that flicker of strength. She would not give up. She rose before the rotting corpse. He stared at her, amused by her actions. She staggered, her body shaking as she fought to stand.

“You will not defeat me,” she spat. “I am Bellia, Paladin of Lord Leo the True!”

He laughed. She lunged forward and buried her blade into his chest. He didn't care and slammed his sword down at her, striking her wooden helmet. It shattered. His blade cut through and grazed her forehead. He cut across her scalp. Her blood flowed hot through her hair and across her face, almost blinding her.

“Lady Inanna,” she croaked out, wiping the blood from her face. “Give me strength!”

Energy surged through her. She drew back her wooden sword and slammed it down, striking the elf in the shoulder. Her blade cracked through his brittle collarbone, slicing into his chest. More of that disgusting, rotten ichor spilled out around her sword.

Bellia pulled on her blade, but it didn't come free. It bound in his rotten flesh.

He stabbed at her. She let go of her weapon to retreat, but it was too late. The tip of his sword buried into her throat. It pierced deep as she lunged backward. The blade came free in a spurt of blood. She gasped, the coppery liquid choking the back of her throat.

She stumbled, blood spilling down the front of her armor. She gagged on it, coughing it up. She staggered and fell to the floor. She lay there, twitching, unable to speak. He moved over her, smiling at her, her life dripping from the end of his blade.

Lady Inanna, send your life to your servant, Bellia prayed as her enemy leered down at her. Protect the vessel of Lord Leo's heir. Defend your servant with your life and your love.

\ / *

Siwang panted as he sat on the fallen tree. He didn't have the strength to get up. He spat out more bile. The acrid stench filled his nose. He wiped at his eyes and sneezed again. Shivers ran through him. He felt like he was coming down with a cold.

Xiongbu did not fully cleanse me, thought Siwang. He should do something, but he just wanted to lie down. He felt so drained. He—

Bellia was dying.

The thought struck him, energizing him. He bolted to his feet as he felt it in his guts. Bellia was dying. Every living plant still surviving in the room cried out to him that this was true. She needed his help.

“Life energizes and enervates, let the grace of Lady Ianna empower!”

Revitalize swept through him, energizing him. He jumped to his feet and charged out of the Overgrown Room and into the Second Labyrinth halls. A cry echoed through his mind as he raced down the tunnels.

Bellia needed him.

He took two lefts and a right before rushing down the stairs to the Deep Labyrinth, the Third Level. He felt the call echoing. He didn't have much time. He ran faster than he ever had in his life, adrenaline and magic coursing through him.

He rounded the corner and found the doors to the Echo Room open. Bellia lay on the floor, blood spilling from her throat. A rotten and bloated elf stood over her, watching her die, this twisted smile on his lips. He gloated in it.

His milky, cataract-filled eyes flicked up to Siwang. “A builder.”

Siwang ignored him and snarled, “Life revitalizes and mend, let the restoration of Lord Dumazid mend!”

An arrow of healing energy, of pure life, shot from Siwang and struck Bellia in the head. Instead of hurting her like all the other divine weapon spells, it healed her. She gasped and spasmed, spitting out blood. The Death Saint flinched from the attack and fixed baleful eyes on Siwang.

The Revitalize spell was wearing thin. Siwang felt the exhaustion from battling the Life Saint, and now he had to face the Death Saint. He had no choice but to continue the fight, his armor damaged, his granite flesh cracked, and his static aura discharged.

Siwang would fight for not just his future, but also for everyone bound to Leo.

Siwang's community. His family.

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