The Dungeon Without a System

Chapter 92

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The Dungeon, Medea Island, The Kalenic Sea

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With confirmation of the invasion fleet being a day away, I focused my seagull scouts to the east. I'd know they were here first, and it was my defenses the fleet would have to push through.

I made sure my Leviathan and Sea Serpent were hanging around, though I kept the Kraken in reserve, near the island's shores. Soon enough, my Leviathan's time to shine approached.

Stretching across the horizon, a fleet of more than a thousand ships emerged. Dozens of different classes and designs milled around; smaller ships acting as the vanguard for the lumbering giants behind them. I saw them far before they passed through my borders, as did the Phenoc fleet's scouts. It was these scout ships, loitering at the extreme edge of visual contactm who were witness to my first attack.

Drown them, Calypso. I ordered. She responded with vigor.

A bulge in the water grew in the middle of the vanguard's formation as my leviathan rose at great speed, then breeched the surface dramatically. Three ships directly over her breech point were overturned immediately, their sailors thrown into the ocean. She towered over the ships around her, and their crews looked up in awe and fear.

Their fear proved to be the more dominating emotion as her gravity-defying pause turned into a fall. Listing to the side, she went from vertical to horizontal, crushing three ships beneath her bulk entirely, and heavily damaging another seven. The wave her body-slam caused drove another twenty ships to crash into each other. She sunk beneath the waves, leaving only chaos and floating debris to litter the now-rough waters

While the invading fleet panicked, their momentum completely broken, the waters beneath the ships roiled. Hundreds of sharks and other large fish were conducting what I could only call a massacre. The crews of the scout ships seemed to be normal humans, lacking manacores entirely. It did make me feel a little bad. These people stood no chance at all.

It made sense, from a tactical standpoint, that there were no guilders among them. It took a long time and plenty of resources to train a guilder. The vanguard would be the first to encounter the enemy in any engagement, and would take the heaviest losses. They couldn't afford to lose their Guilders, but normal humans were far more replaceable. The soldiers with some power were probably on the larger ships, or with the majority of the invasion forces on the transports, protected on all four sides by the warships.

To test that, I had Calypso surface in the midst of the left flank. These ships were larger, often with two decks; Brigs and the like. Some had rams, others mounted ballista or particularly large forward-facing cannons.

This time, when my Leviathan surfaced, she did so with jaws open wide.

That Calypso could barely hold the brig in her jaws was informative. One, I had underestimated the size of most warships. I'd intended her to swallow ships-of-the-line whole. She was nowhere near big enough for that, and I made a mental note of that fact for the Leviathan pod on the Eleventh. Two, she had more than enough strength in her jaws to fulfill her role, even if on smaller targets than I'd intended.

The brig shattered into kindling, and with a flex to the side Calypso threw the mid-portion of the ship directly onto a ballista that was turning in her direction. It, and the ship it was on, didn't survive the impact. A second later, spells, arrows, bolts and more were fired, aimed for the Leviathan as she fell. Mages Identified, I called on my other monsters waiting in the wings.

One ship, host to four mages that burned with power to a mana-sight capable seagull circling overhead, was introduced to Jormungandr.

My Sea Serpent launched himself from the ocean, jaws wide. Looking the other way as they were, the mages never saw the jaws that closed around them until it was too late. Jormungandr wrapped around the ship twice more, then constricted. The ship's keel broke, and the serpent disappeared beneath the waves, dragging the ship with it.

I left the titanic monsters to it, and turned to my next task; scanning the helms of the largest ships for potential admirals. It didn't take long. There were a few such figures scattered around the fleet, but the most ostentatiously dressed one was on the largest ship in the fleet. Gull, why don't you go roll out the welcome mat for our unwelcome guests?

Once merely milling about above the fleet, the legion of monstrous seagulls descended.

Ever since I'd gained control of the birds, I'd been quietly hollowing out the cliffside above my entrance. It provided a safe space for the larger members of the flock, and let me hide exactly how many of them had. Which was a lot. Sure gave the guilders a fright when more than a hundred seagulls as big as them flooded out from a space they thought was far smaller than it is.

From a distance, especially when something is in the sky, it's hard to judge how big that something is.

When the first seagull completed his dive bomb, that being Gull himself, It was made painfully clear that the invading army had made a critical error in disregarding the birds that'd been circling overhead. Gull landed with a heavy thud, pushing the potential grand-admiral to the ground. The seagull miniboss weighed in at over 300 pounds, the largest specimen of his species. Needless to say, the bird crushed the man's spine, and finished him off by wrenching his head from his neck with his viciously toothed beak. The sailors around him fell back, crying in fear and terror, and Gull let his glowing red eyes rest on one in particular.

As Gull launched himself into the air once again, the deceased man's body in his talon'd claws, captains and admirals of other ships came under similar assault. Now forewarned, Only a half-dozen perished. The rest escaped to below-decks as mages and archers retaliated. Dozens of my Giant Seagulls died in the assault, but that was fine. I'd killed the highest-ranking man there, so potentially the fleet would splinter with multiple lower-ranked admirals vying for control over the invasion force.

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Bahrain Flagship Fist of The Emperor, Bahrain Invasion Fleet, The Kalenic Sea

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Grand Admiral Almaanz Shakih stared at the bloodstain left behind as the enormous seagull escaped into the air. The Fist of theEmperor's captain had just been assassinated in the most vicious way he'd ever seen. The way the monster's gaze had pinned him in place... This was a warning. I could have taken you out, but that would be unsporting.

"Commander Jugai," Almaanz called, prompting a man on the other side of the helmsman to circle around the bloodstain, soon standing before him.

"Orders, Grand Admiral?" The sailor asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"Congratulations on your promotion, captain. We cannot make landfall with these monsters harassing us." Almaanz asserted, watching dozens more of the giant seagulls assaulting other ships. "Have the fleet move into Spread Circle Formation."

Captain Jugai saluted, then rushed to find the signalers and mages to spread Almaanz's orders.

The Admiral turned to the right flank, watching the giant serpent and whale as they assaulted his fleet. His orders made their way through the fleet, and ships moved into the new formation just as they'd drilled, despite the loss of captains and officers across the fleet. With larger gaps between the ships, the whale's attacks became a lot less devastating. It became more visibly injured with every breach, until it stopped attacking.

It wasn't dead, as far as Almaanz could tell, but it'd obviously fled the battle before they were able to kill it. The Serpent was easier to pin down. It's method of ship destruction more targeted, and thus easier to pin down. When it got cocky, and tried for a larger ship, one transporting a Diamond squad.

It soon found itself stuck as magic ropes bound it to the boat, then the half-dozen swordsmen jumped on it's face.

It died with a roar, one which cut off suddenly as it went limp.

A great cheer up, countered by the ear-piercing cries of the seagulls still circling overhead. The fleet reformed, then continued with the invasion plans.

Almaanz soon had the casualty list. A hundred ships of smaller weights, several high-ranking officers, including Admiral Pohja Litaj. Almaanz briefly mourned the loss of a capable admiral, but the man's second was clever enough. A few other, lesser admirals were killed. Almaanz was less sure of their skill.

As the island came into view, the Grand Admiral turned his attention to the Phenoc's defenses.

A piddling number of ships, gathered quickly and a mere inconvenience in comparison to the earlier attack. The monsters couldn't have hoped to sink the entire fleet, but blooding their nose and demoralizing the common sailor seemed a more reasonable goal. The seagull monster's red eyes flashed in his memories, and he frowned. Why play with them like this? If whatever force was driving these monsters, likely the island's dungeon, had truly wanted to kill him, it had the chance and wasted it.

What was it's angle?

He shook his head as the Phenoc fleet sailed to meet them. The battle was short, and the pitifil fleet was crushed entirely. When the transports moved to approached the black, sandy beaches flanking the port, it showed itself.

A Third Sea Monster.

Dozens of tentacles emerged from the surf, plucking sailors from the decks of three ships and throwing them into it's many-toothed beak. Almaanz watched as dozens of mages and swordsmen of Ruby and Emerald power focused their attention on the monster. It quickly found itself missing tentacles, either by having them frozen, cut off, or any of a dozen other attacks.

It died without a sound, slumping and sinking below the waves.

"Well, that was unexpected," Almaanz commented, turning to the mage beside him. "Your thoughts?"

"This many monsters, at these sizes and coordinating like they are?" The aged man asked, eyebrow raised. Almaanz nodded, confirming that'd been what he was asking about. "I find your theory sound. Only dungeons could coordinate monsters like this. How it's controlling them outside of it's halls, I couldn't tell you."

Almaanz hummed as the first transports reached the beach and disgorged their complement of soldiers.

And the invasion of Medea Island entered it's next stage.

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The Dungeon, Medea Island, The Kalenic Sea

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My disappointment was immeasurable, and my day was ruined.

My leviathans, despite how confident I was and how much mana I invested in them, performed rather poorly in sustained combat. Calypso was extremely close to death when I called her off, loosing blood and barely moving. I had her resting, surrounded by her pod, moving away from the invasion fleet. My Sea Serpent, Jormungandr, died dramatically in combat, having taken out a fair number of guilders. It seemed to me his species are better suited to fighting single targets. Ambushing and overwhelming them quickly, rather than a large group like this. His one-at-a-time way of attacking ships only informed the others of his weaknesses, and gave them time to prepare.

Davey Jones' death was inevitable.

The Kraken was smaller than his fellows, and boasted far more vulnerable skin. No excess of blubber or hard scales to absorb or deflect blows. Something to note for my next one. It worked far better as an anti-personnel monster, plucking sailors from ships and eating them, rather than sinking the ships outright. Unless I made one that was truly immense, It would have difficultly fighting more than one ship at a time. I decided to reserve these monsters for ships I wanted to capture, rather than sink.

My Seagulls were easily deterred when their cover was blown, powerful mages assigned to guard the helms of larger ships and fend off any of the giant flying rats. But it did tie them up, leaving them unable to participate in the landing. Silver linings, I supposed.

Obsidian beach was a warzone. The Phenoc's hastily-trained militia performed well individually, but against the coordinated and well-trained Bahrain soldiers, they could barely hold their own. This was when I got my first good look at how Guilders are utilized on a battlefield.

Both sides seemed to use the 'Champion' methodology. Squads of Guilders fought each other, the regular soldiers giving them plenty of room even as they sought to slaughter the opposition.

I spotted Haytham's party cutting a swathe through common soldiers for a time, though they were soon intercepted by a group of Bahrain guilders. The two groups fought well, each displaying skill and ability far beyond the soldiers around them. Haytham's three-strong party was outnumbered by the seven-strong Bahrain, but the difference in quality was measurable. The Seven were whittled down, one by one. Haytham's party only lost one in return.

Flasa, the rogue, was neither tough or armored enough, and her speed couldn't match the three Bahrain that overwhelmed her. Bertram avenged her, his eye-beam spell cutting down the three offenders, and the couple of dozen regular soldiers behind them.

This was a common story across the beaches. Phenoc guilders were of a higher quality, it seemed. Or perhaps it was just those who trained in my dungeon. They were skilled, alert, and capable; out-skilling even supposedly stronger Bahrain guilders. Their flaw and greatest strength was their party. The Phenoc held back, splitting their focus on both attacking and defending their party members. When a party member fell, it was one less thing to focus on, and their rage sharpened their attacks.

It also let me see what guilder-vs-guilder combat did on the 'experience' side of things. The difference between the amount of mana a guilder claimed from their fellow humans drastically outmatched the amount they took from monsters. Perhaps it had to do with compatibility? Since the mana was coming from a human, it was 'easier' to convert; merely stripping it of memories and connections, about 40% rather than 90% of mana lost.

As such, the more successful the party, the tougher to kill they became.

This knowledge had to be restricted or hidden in some way, I could almost guarantee it. If it was well known, Guilders would have a lot more reason to slaughter each other than they already did. The backstabbers and scoundrels would rise to the top, slaughtering the trusting and good who would never perform such acts.

With the platinum-level Bahrain soon to reach the shores, my monsters took to the field.

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Obsidian Beach, Medea Island, The Kalenic Sea

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Skitters-Across-The-Sand swept her longswords, decapitating two Bahrain even as her claws crushed another. Her tail lashed out, spraying it's toxic payload over a mass of terrified soldiers. When they began screaming and dissolving, those nearby turned and ran.

She swung again, and caught sight of the other Children in the fray. Aston was sending soldiers flying through the air three at a time, the heavy swings of his hammer launching them a fair distance. Swipe Silvereyes was dueling a Bahrain guilder. The sword he'd named Shimmerscale swung, and the guilder's sword snapped in twain. The drake-kin's slash continued, and beheaded the human with ease.

The capriccio, Baastet, danced over the army. Launching himself, kicked a head or two, then jumped to the next. He used his spear to impale one, then used the pole to push himself higher and further, to more distant groups. He was an agent of chaos, causing discord and confusion, giving the Phenoc soldiers a decisive advantage.

Kata flew overhead, her wings shimmering in the midday sun. She was locked in magical combat with a group of mages near the shore; simultaneously holding up a shield and launching a variety of spells back at them. A clash of thunder signaled a lightning bolt. The singing of a swarm of icicles. The crackling of a lobbed fireball that exploded on impact with the mage's shields.

That they needed five mages just to match her proved The Creator's Children were far more capable than any guilder.

Of course, that was when things started going wrong.

A Bahrain mage, heat haze surrounding him, launched himself into the sky with a pillar of flame. Kata had to break off, and the two dueled in the sky. Aston found his match in an larger-than-normal human, one who caught his hammer and grinned at the minotaur like a madman. Baastet was grounded, then desperately trying to keep a guilder at bay with his spear. Swipe found himself locked in a duel with a human in full-plate armor, wielding a sword the gleamed with mana.

And Skitters? She found herself fighting a woman who would not stay still! The woman was seemingly lightly armored, but danced around her claws, dodged her every sword swipe and rolled out of the way of every spray of acid.

It was infuriating.

Something needed to change, soon. Or they'd lose.

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