Chapter 33 - Bloody Advance

While the battle was going on, I was sitting on the edge of the orchestra’s stage, watching it happen. I smiled as I watched Kass and Rembrandt finish off Vanessa. It might have seemed like a costly victory, but since we could revive a squad after conquering a floor, the revenants were coming right back. As I kicked my feet in joy, Bella floated up behind me.

“The harpy is back already. This time she brought war trolls, sharkin berserkers, and fell seers. Seems like she’s done messing around, and just wants to hammer through this time.” She handed me a second tablet, which showed the mycelium getting bogged down by curse magic, just long enough for a mixture of grey-skinned trolls, and shark men, to cut them down.

“Not super surprising… We drove her back with minimal casualties, she probably feels a little embarrassed. The plan was never to keep them out completely, only force them to commit additional forces,” I replied, watching the battle intently.

“I still don’t like that they can bypass the front line, and still attack us,” Bella huffed.

“It would be boring for the audience if only the closest floors could engage in battle. Even though it could end up with a close back and forth, it would more likely result in a grinding battle, or even a stalemate, as both dungeons constantly throw troops at the front line to replace losses. Since all the rest areas are linked, the dungeons can commit troops from any floor to an attack, and not be stuck shuffling them forward floor by floor,” I glanced over my shoulder at the pacing banshee, a small smirk on my face. “You wouldn’t be this salty if we lost that opening exchange.”

She stopped for a moment, a tiny frown on her face. “Fair, I just don’t like watching Voss go down so easily. You could have moved some additional troops in to reinforce the forest, instead of leaving them relatively undefended.”

I shook my head, “The oozes were devastated in the original attack, and Jenkins' squad was necessary for the attack. We could have moved additional troops in, but the defenses were already compromised, and none of our other troops have resistance to the native toxins of the floor. It was better to move the dryads out, reinforce the baths, and let Voss soften the enemy up for future engagements.”

As I said that, the massive ent was brawling his heart out. He managed to catch one of the trolls with his massive club, but there were far too many enemies. The other trolls and sharkin surrounded him, smashing into his legs with everything they had. What they didn’t seem to notice is that every attack they made against Voss split his bark, and caused them to get splattered by his poisonous, caustic sap.

“It was smart for the Isles to throw some bruisers against the Forest, after their tactical advance failed, but they really didn’t take into account the long term effects. We may be using the rest rooms to teleport around, but they don’t strip off status effects like a normal adventurer run. They should have brought some healers.”

Bella leaned over my shoulder to watch the battle. “Did you expect them to attack without healers?”

“Expect? No. Hope, yes. I don’t know how many healers the Dread Isles have, they certainly didn’t use healing during the regular runs, just like here at the Wailing Manor, but I bet on the fact they’d forget to integrate them into the attack.”

Voss finally fell under the concentrated attack, causing a cheer to erupt from the surrounding squads. They wouldn’t be cheering once the toxins and diseases kicked in.

“Where do you think they’ll go next?” Bella asked, as she finally took a seat next to me.

“Probably the Parlor,” I replied. “Cecilia will absolutely bring her harpies back, and she’ll want to avoid Gardens, because that would mean engaging the anthophilans on their home turf. They might have chosen the Baths, considering that Kass is on the offensive, but the melee heavy lineup they’re currently running would be terrible against the naiads' ranged magic, and they risk getting flanked if Kass comes back.”

“And that leaves the Parlor and Ballrooms,” Bella said, with a nod. “That makes sense. Let's hope Luther can do some damage.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

—

Back in the Dread Isles dungeon, Kassandra slithered around the rest area and checked on her troops. Being kicked off the previous floor, and into the next rest area, was a little disorienting, but considering the floor was being taken completely out of the rotation, it kind of made sense. At least the troops could have a quick rest before moving forward.

“Everyone on your feet,” Kass called to the room, after they had a few minutes to recover. “We’re going to go down the Village route first.Those skeletons Voss destroyed in the initial attack were from here, so the next floor should be fairly lightly defended. We still need to be cautious though, they could have send extra squads to reinforce the floor.”

“How cautious do we need to be?” Jenkins asked. “Like… watch where we throw things? Or…”

“No more explosives without my permission!”

The little gremlin deflated a little, “Fine…” Kass just shook her head, the gremlins were definitely a boon to her advance, if they could keep their urges under control.

Across the room the revenants and sirens got into formation, before stepping through the portal onto the next floor. It was another ship, but this one was made of a black wood and decorated with gothic carvings. Right in the middle of the deck, standing in formation, was the crew. Two groups of vampiric pirates, flanking their elder vampire leader.

“You didn’t call for reinforcements?” Kass asked, eyeing up the enemy crew suspiciously.

“That would rob me of my glory!” The vampire replied.

Kass narrowed her eyes. “You realize this isn’t a regular match. You don’t have to play up to the broadcast as much. Honor and glory don’t mean much in an all out brawl.”

“To you maybe,” the vampire glowered at Kass. “But I swear on the name of Beckett Karh, this will be an honorable duel!”

“Right, well, good for you. You'll have to forgive me if I don't feel like doing the same.” Kassandra replied, pausing for just a moment. “Jenkins, stake the right flank.”

The gremlins whipped up their repeating crossbows and unloaded them on the first group of vampires, while the revenants rushed to the left.

“You dishonorable harlot!” Captain Karh yelled, while unsheathing his cutlass.

Kass just shrugged, unsheathing her knives as she advanced on the man. “I did warn you.” Her blades lashed out, catching the vampire’s coat, but failing to find flesh.

Karh stepped back, snarling, “If that’s the way you want it, I’ll rip open your veins and feed on your blood.” His cutlass flashed forward, but was deflected by one of her knives.

The two of them exchanged blows, neither gaining ground, or losing it, until Karh managed to dance away, a cruel smile on his face. “Now, you’ll face me at my full strength.” He raised a hand at her wound, and concentrated, but after a few seconds of nothing happening, he frowned.

“I may not be as strong as you in blood magic, but I know enough to keep my fluids in my own body, and out of your hands. It’s one of the reasons I was selected to lead the raids,” Kass explained casually. Karh snarled, lunging for the naga, but this time it was Kassandra that gained the upper hand. She entangled his cutlass with two of her knives, before jamming the remaining two knives into both sides of his neck. The vampire looked confused, just for a moment, before disappearing.

With their leader defeated, the remaining vampires formed up and made an orderly retreat.

“That guy was a little bit crazy, wasn’t he?” Calliope asked, as she rode up on Toto.

Kass shook her head, “I’m pretty sure he was just ordered to delay us. The crew didn’t push the attack too hard, just held us in place long enough to inflict a couple casualties.”

“That was an act?” Calliope asked, unconvinced.

“Acting is part of our job, or at least it is against adventurers. Misdirect our opponents and entertain the crowds. It doesn’t matter as much when we’re smashing into each other, but it still has its place. Even though Karh was intense, I doubt their tactician would have allowed him to reject reinforcements, unless it was part of a greater plan.”

“Wonderful. Now what?” Calliope asked. “We took casualties, but both the revenants and sirens are at more than half strength. Replenishing either of them would be a waste.”

“We stick to the plan, and retreat for now. We could all use a rest, and without full squads we risk further casualties. Talia can worry about who to bring back.” Kass replied, sliding her daggers back into their sheathes.

“Break time!” One of the gremlins cried. He had a burn mark across his face, which was strange because Kass was pretty sure none of them used explosives in that last battle. At least, that she noticed.

She shook her head, if nothing else, a break would give her time to recover and plan what to do with those troublemakers the next time they advanced.