Worthy Core

After the attack on the mountainside the conflict turned into a long, slow gruel of attrition. It took two days for the Domain to bring in enough mages to restore the path to the top of the mountain, and on top of that the amount of manpower kept reserved for scouts and patrols was increased significantly. There was serious consideration given to launching a full-scale counterattack and reclaiming the 'lost floors', but Xenia nixed those plans. Even with the advantage of surprise, the Domain soldiers were still around in sufficient numbers to cause heavy casualties in any large-scale battle, and dungeon simply didn't have any easy way of acquiring reinforcements.

Which isn't to say the residents simply sat back and did nothing, of course. Monster ambushes with mortal support did occur on a semi-regular schedule, mostly to good effect against the intruders although a few defenders did fall in the process. Xenia also added new traps and irritants whenever an area was left alone, taking a few soldiers by surprise. Ultimately though it didn't stop fresh waves of soldiers from pouring into the dungeon, and once again kobolds, slimes, and demons were fighting their way through new floors.

Floor Three had undergone significant differences compared to its usual layout. Previously most of the floor focused on slowing down and annoying intruders, with moving platforms, slime spiders, and timed traps. This was far too non-lethal, and so Xenia flooded the floor with strong types of undead. Minion-class banshees, vampires, and upgraded forms of the Terror Tentacles struck at the soldiers at every corner. Using their intangibility the tentacles would latch on to a team, slowing them down and strangling them while others moved in for the kill. It didn't take long for the Domain to send forward classes with specific strengths against undead, but ambushes and traps triggered by hidden mortals did their best to take down those high-value targets.

Unfortunately the floor was only so large, and the monsters could only slay so many people before being destroyed in turn. The first day's push into Floor Three was relatively light, a scouting run, but the second day saw them push all the way to the arena of Dips and Tank. Trush again joined in along with some aid from Prince Thaddeus's team, and they did at least halt the soldiers before they fully cleared the floor. The third day saw a fresh wave of reinforcements though, and Floor Three fell like those before it.

At this point the first two floors were beginning to look like a hollowed-out stone quarry. Any earth mage not assigned to other duties was set to scouring the floor of its natural walls, floors, and ceilings, and they began this task as soon as the midnight reset occurred on each day. Although this was extremely tiring for the mages it greatly limited what tricks Xenia could pull on them, and the casualty rate on the first two floors dropped significantly.

Which meant that things are now down to Floor Four. As the Domain again repeats their process of sending in scout parties to begin with, a rather contentious debate occurs in the Worthy War Council chambers.

"This is the ideal terrain for a battle! Literally - there's enough terrain there to make exactly what suits us!"

As Prince Thaddeus makes his point, Xenia addresses it - in her own avatar this time, having not used it in a few days. "I'm not stupid, Taddy, of course I'm going to be setting things up for a royal throwdown. It's the inclusion of the mortals into all of this that I have a problem with."

Still a little hesitant about addressing a dungeon spirit directly, Tinsel Hansliss puts as much confidence into her voice as she can manage. "Look, your coreness, I respect that you've been trying to keep us safe. Really! I hate dying as much as the next girl. But we are soldiers." Tinsel glances at some of the Challengers in the room before amending her statement. "Well, some of us, anyways. But even the freelancers have been itching for a fight! What are you going to do - wait until they hit Floor Five and we start fighting them from tavern to bunkroom?"

Xenia waves that last concern off. "They might not go after Floor Five at all. The place is only connected by portals, so people can just go straight from Floor Four to Six. And I'll make sure to hide and defend those portals hard enough that they'll regret it if they try going after the residents that way."

"That's worse, though!" Tinsel gestures at the map of Floor Four on the table. "Skipping right past a whole floor? You don't have that many of them!"

The dungeon master grimaces. "If we lose Floor Five, I don't have anywhere else to put everyone. Adding residential spaces to the other floors would completely negate them as threats! But fine - Floor Four. Does anyone have a plan that isn't just 'try and kill them before they kill us'?"

Lord Raylin Highbranch clears his throat. "If I may, I would like to request command of the floor's defense. The soldiers of the Rainlands will form the backbone of the defensive forces."

"Request denied." As the minor noble boggles, Xenia clarifies. "No offense, Highbranch, but you have no military experience and the training you've been doing here doesn't make up for that. If you want to lead some soldiers in the fight, fine, but someone else is taking command."

"Not it." Trush quickly speaks up in a gruff voice. "I've never commanded anything larger than a squad - besides, you'll need me on rapid response, most likely."

"Well it can't be me - my avatar can't last a whole battle, and I need mortals and monsters to be able to hear orders."

Many eyes turn towards Prince Thaddeus, and the man slowly stands up to address them. Not, however, with the acceptance they may have been expecting. "I believe I've had a great deal of success these past days with organizing and training the Challengers, and I believe I've earned a great deal of trust from many of them. However, I do not believe I would be best suited to be field commander of this particular battle."

Xenia stares at her descendant with a bit of disbelief. "I appreciate the humility, kid, but tell me you're not saying that unless you have someone else in mind. I'm not looking to wildly switch up the command structure at this point."

"I do, actually - Lady Nalina Evervein and her team. As nobles of moderate rank, several of them have military training in addition to their Challenger experience. They are also Rainlander natives, so they're more well-known to many of the dungeon's defenders than myself or my companions." Having said that, the man's expression shifts to a smirk. "But more importantly - they're a squad of Supreme-tier combatants, and they have not been unleashed yet upon our enemies. I believe Floor Four would be an excellent place to make a...demonstration."

Raylin nods along. "To be honest, they have commented to me that they feel a little left out of things. Not only have they been excluded from this council, but they have yet to take part in even the smaller ambushes we've performed so far."

Xenia sighs. "I wanted to save them as aces up our sleeves for when the Domain sends its Supreme-tiers in here - because you know they will eventually. But fine. I'm not putting them into the council, but talk with them, have them come up with a plan for how to use the floor, and I'll make modifications as required - if they're not shit. The scouts are still tangling with our usual monsters, so if they stick to their last pattern we've got until tomorrow until they do a full-scale assault. That means I want to hear a plan by tonight."

Thaddeus nods. "I'll see to it that it happens."

---

The dwarf looks up in surprise as the human a quarter of her age finishes making his proposal. "Hold on, prince - you're giving up field command to us? For, if I'm not mistaken, is what about to become the largest battle in our little war front here?" She glances at the others sitting at her table in the inn before continuing. "Has the dungeon not been happy with yer performance, or something of that nature, if you don't mind me asking?"

The raven-haired man shakes his head. "Things have been going well enough Lady Evervein, I believe, despite our losses. However, I admit that I may have something of a...political view in mind when it comes to this matter."

Glory Silverbloom, the aged elf sorcerer, laughs at the explanation even as the human paladin sitting beside him groans at the same statement. "Ah, politics - my second favorite arena. But what form of politics do you intend to play here exactly, young prince? Are you hoping to improve relations between the Kingdom of the Rainlands and...whatever mysterious, distant land it is you hail from?"

The paladin, Red Daylinta, shakes her head before he can answer. "This is about sending a message, if I'm not mistaken. Creating a symbol. Am I correct?"

Thaddeus gives the Deliverer of Balance a nod. "Everyone in this dungeon, including the dungeon itself, is fighting for the dungeon. Or at least...that is how it shakes out in practice. The dungeon is under attack, so of course we defend. But trapped away down here, I worry that it might be easy for some to forget the larger picture - especially those who serve the dungeon directly, and need no larger picture."

Tinter Gloomroot, the last member of the Highbranch family's Supreme retainers, raises an eyebrow. "And what picture would you like for us to focus on instead, which requires our hand at work?"

The prince pauses, considering his words before he continues. Even then, he glances briefly at the ceiling before opening his mouth. "It should be understood that what I'm about to say is with the highest of respect to Worthy Dungeon and its master. She is likely without peer among the dungeons of this world when it comes to matters such as tactical planning."

Nalina scoffs at that opening. "But."

"But she is not a politician, and prefers action over talk, and results over symbols. Which is all laudable, certainly!" Thaddeus again glances at the inn's ceiling. "But many of those here are not of the dungeon, and cannot help but think about what is going on beyond our very small borders. The invasions into the Rainlands and, quite likely, the Valleylands. The fate of their homes and families. The culmination of a conflict which has been building up pressure for centuries. I am aware of these factors, but I am not a native of this continent. I am not the one to properly motivate these forces."

"Ah." Red nods in understanding. "You don't want this to be a battle in the war of Worthy Dungeon versus the Dragonlord. You intend for this to be a battle in the war of the Rainlands against the Domain. Which, of course, needs the nobility of the kingdom to be in strong presence."

The prince gives the older woman a slight smile, pleased that she sees his intentions. "Between the actual Rainlander soldiers, and the Challengers who are Rainlander natives, you are by far the largest national grouping within the mortal population here. There's the Valleylands as a slightly distant second of course, followed by a few Domain citizens and a smattering of those from more foreign lands. But we can't place everyone into a single battle, even in the spacious Floor Four. A patriotic stand by our Rainland representatives, however? I think the numbers would work out rather well in that case."

The half-elf, half-dwarf Gloomroot rubs the slight beard on his chin. "We will of course have monster support from the dungeon, I imagine."

"And the water elementals who reside in the river there. They are mortals, not monsters, but I understand that they have refused to evacuate their 'home' without a fight. They've lived there for years, as it happens."

Glory is already pulling out materials to take notes with. "And the dungeon is capable of making terrain changes before the battle begins?"

"Extensively so, if required."

A smile grows on Nalina's face as she considers the possibility. "I won't deny, I enjoy runnin' a demon through with my spear more than I enjoy orderin' for one to get run through by someone else. But if I must put all that musty military history training into practice..." She slowly nods at the thought. "...Then this would be a damn good time to do so. Sit with us, prince - let us talk about how to integrate a monster into a military unit..."