Worthy Core

DAY 811

Subcommander Haenlius checks her armor one more time, ensuring that the padding between her natural orange scales and her metal plate remains comfortable and flexible. As a draconic, it took the woman a few years to really get used to needing external armor beyond that which she was born with, but the most important trait for any rising draconic officer to master has always been humility. Pride, as she was taught, was the most common killer of draconics in battle and it was a lesson she had learned well. Indeed she rather suspected she was perhaps the most humble draconic in her entire class of officers, which was of course the kind of performance which got her to her current position.

Although there are perhaps two dozen draconics currently assigned to various portions of the 'Grassbrook Operations Region', so far none had seen actual combat within the dungeon. Several were assigned to managing the prison garrison, and most of the rest spent their time doing flying patrols of the woods, mountains, and reaches further north. Their power and mobility is simply too valuable to waste in the grinding attrition of the battle for the dungeon. Today, as the Domain expedition prepares to push into the fourth floor - 'The Forest of the Rabbit Cult', as some apparently call it - that would change. In addition to eighty traditional frontline Domain soldiers, Emissary Darktouched had assigned ten more of the newly-arrived 'Dungeon Legion', and a squad of five draconics to lead them all.

It is, after all, shaping up to be a real shitshow.

"Skythrasher Janisan. What's the latest report from the forward scouts?"

A younger draconic of blue and gray pounds his chest before answering. "Resistance is definitely greater than it was yesterday. They're not actually attacking our scouts any harder, yet, but those with tracking skills and spells say there is definitely a massive concentration of enemies further in. It seems they intend to make a fight of it."

Humbly, Haenlius gives credit to her superior officers. "Then it seems the Emissary and the Commander were correct in their assessment - the dungeon has decided that this is the best place to make a stand. Fortunately, they have placed their best in command to ensure that this stand crumbles." She flaps her wings wide once for emphasis before continuing. "Are the illusionist scouts able to push behind their defensive line, wherever that may be?"

Janisan shakes his head. "Although it may superficially resemble a forest, infiltrating it is nothing like with the forest around Grassbrook. The floor may be spacious by dungeon standards, but there simply does not appear to be sufficient gaps between monsters, traps, and terrain for a cloaked soldier to slip on through."

"And the ceiling? Is the floor still tall enough to allow for flight?"

This time the blue-scaled draconic nods. "Indeed it is, Subcommander. Some of the scouts can fly - shall I order them to slip behind the lines that way?"

"No." Haenlius pauses briefly to watch as another squad files into the somewhat-cramped boss arena of Floor Three, mustering for the assault. "Even if we assume they can't be detected, we don't have enough scouts who can both fly and maintain a stealth illusion to be effective that way. However, do arrange the fliers into specialist squads. When the battle begins, we'll attack them in three dimensions. Include the flying monsters, as well."

"Very well, Subcommander. Which squads should begin the assault?"

The orange-scaled woman gives him a toothy smirk. "Send Squads One and Two forward - with me. If there are indeed mortals defending the floor, then mortals can be spoken to - and intimidated. I do not expect them to surrender, but I do not doubt that I can put the fear of the Dragonlord into these...rejects and refugees."

Janisan takes a moment to consider how to respond to that, before eventually bowing his head. "You channel the greatness of the Dragonlord themselves, Subcommander."

"Of course. Now, see to it that the following squads are close behind - that damn tunnel to the next floor limits our movement, so we must not allow them to strike while they have a temporary advantage in numbers."

The Skythrasher departs to implement her orders, and Haenlius herself waves forward the first two squads as she heads down the tunnel. It had of course been trapped, but the Domain's scouts and mages had at least cleared things this far some time ago. There's only a bit of rubble to slow her down before she steps into the open expanse of Floor Four, and what she sees...disappoints her.

"Pfaw! Those reports of a 'starry sky' were just Challenger bard poetry, that's merely glowing fungus! And you call this a forest? I've seen gardens larger than this!"

"...In the Domain, Subcommander Haenlius?"

Surprised to actually hear a response to her comment, Haenlius glances down to spot a rather nervous-looking kobold from Squad One. "...I flew over a few Rainlander estates in the first days of the war. They had rather unnecessarily large - it was a rhetorical statement, kobold!"

"Ah!" The soldier practically yips as they stand up straighter. "Apologies, Subcommander."

"Your ignorance is forgiven. As for the ignorance of these stubborn dungeon-lovers - they shall soon be educated as to their flaws."

Taking a brief moment, Haenlius casts a quick spell on herself - one to enhance the volume of her voice, a common one learned by draconic officers. It's quite useful for issuing orders while flying far overhead, not to mention the incidental benefits during draconic mating rituals. Not that Haenlius would ever need such artificial enhancements for those purposes, of course. "ATTENTION, DEFENDERS OF THIS DOOMED DUNGEON! SOME OF YOU HAVE BRAVELY - AND FOOLISHLY - DECIDED TO STAND AGAINST THE GREAT DOMAIN OF THE DRAGONLORD. YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO CORRECT THAT MISTAKE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE FOR YOU. SURRENDER NOW AND YOU SHALL NOT BE HARMED. STAND AGAINST US, AND BE SLAIN!"

She winces slightly as the sound echoes off of the enclosed space, even as large as it is. Still, if her opponents get to hear her voice multiple times then that only makes them all the luckier. Just as the noise fades out though, there's a responding call. A woman's voice and, if Haenlius places the accent correctly, likely that of a highborn dwarf.

"THANK FUCK, ONE OF YOU SCALY BASTARDS FINALLY CAME DOWN IN RANGE OF MY SPEAR! ALWAYS WANTED ONE OF YOUR HORNS AS A TROPHY! IF YEH WANTED TO CLAIM THIS FLOOR YOU SHOULDA BROUGHT A LOT MORE MEN, BASTARD - BUT WE'LL THROW A FINE PARTY FOR YOU WITH WHAT YOU'VE BRUNG, EH?"

Eyes wide, Haenlius briefly touches one of her short horns in alarm. "Northern barbarians! And this is what passes for 'Rainlander nobility', is it? We'll make a fine example of them!"

As the words were exchanged soldiers and monsters continued to pour through the tunnel, forming a long line along the curved wall of the gigantic chamber. A few more traps and minor nuisance monsters were found along the way but easily dispatched, and so far it seems as if the dungeon is reserving its stronger defenses for further in. Finding the nearest scout, Haenlius calls them over. "Is the general terrain of the floor still as expected?"

The incubus nods. "About a third of the floor consists of where we currently are, Subcommander, with a cliff wall leading to a raised section further in. The 'river' is also still present, with a waterfall bringing some of it down to this level."

"If they're not fools, then that cliff will be where they've positioned their main defense." Raising her voice again, although in a mundane manner, the draconic calls out to the squad leaders. "March forward! Prepare for ranged combat! Fliers, be ready to launch an assault on my command!"

As ordered the soldiers begin to make their way through the forest, a rather short trek by army standards. Although the trees do block the view somewhat, it doesn't take long before the jagged stone of the artificial cliff comes into sight. What they find waiting at the top of that cliff, however, is not what they expected. In just the time it took for the last round of scouts to range out and report back, castle-like parapets had been erected in intervals, stretching for about fifteen feet before leaving a ten foot gap to the next. The 'climbing trails' leading to the higher section are within those gapped regions, perhaps thanks to dungeon rules, but Haenlius knows those trails are likely to be heavily trapped.

And with dozens of mortals defending those trails from behind stone walls, this floor assault has suddenly taken on the flavor of a castle siege. A shouted command from above sends arrows and spells flying down into the Domain soldiers, and squad leaders quickly issue their own instructions to return fire and take cover. Fortunately the treeline helps in this regard, and the soldiers had been expecting some sign of resistance, so the initial volley doesn't claim too many casualties. A few kobolds and demons do curse as arrows pierce their skin or flames scorch their armor, however, and Haenlius knows that they can't just sit there and let the defenders continue attacking from their superior position.

"Legion to the front! Destroy those walls!"

As might be expected, there's little uniformity to the dungeon guardians who had been sent to reinforce the army. Some of those monsters such as a large stone golem are more oriented towards defense, and begin raising stone walls of their own. A few, who can fly, are held back to join the main assault. Others however such as a draconic-arachnid hybrid - of all the terrifying possibilities - immediately go on the attack. Skittering forward on eight reptilian legs, the monster ignores the climbing trails entirely and heads for one of the more defended sections of the cliff, scaling it as if it were a horizontal path. As it nears the top the fanged mandibles of the thing spread wide, and a burst of flame bathes three of the unlucky humans manning that particular stretch.

Elsewhere along the line an oversized wolf is howling, blasting a section of wall with storm-like winds, while at another a woman made of roots and vines launches toxic seedpods into the air as if they were organic bombs. The Domain's own soldiers join in of course, with mages blasting the cliff with their strongest siege-class spells. If Haenlius thought the noise from the earlier shouting was loud it's nothing compared to the racket now being created, with monstrous screams and the sounds of explosions filling the air.

Unfortunately, as powerful as the Dungeon Legion may be, they're still monsters designed to be fought by squads of half a dozen Challengers, now pressed into battle against dozens. The wolf is sent licking its wounds after a massive thunderbolt strikes its shoulder, and the eight-legged reptilian seems to lack the humility of its commander, seeing as it becomes overconfident due to its success. Scaling the wall entirely it begins to wreak havoc, chomping one gnoll in half and sending other defenders flying - only to find itself incredibly overexposed. Haenlius can't see exactly what happens to it after it disappears behind the stone barriers, but the sound of multiple magic spells and the sight of one leg flying through the air gives her a pretty good idea.

Now is the time to keep up the pressure, however. "Fliers! Begin assault! Sappers, clear the trails!"

Several squads launch into the air from the treetops, most of them demons of one kind or another, but the number also includes three of the draconics on the field along with two Legionaries - one an undead insect made of sharpened bone, the other a draconic-feline hybrid, like an orange wyvern with massive fangs and claws. The defenders quickly switch their fire onto their new targets, but that clears the soldiers below to perform their own task. Rushing ahead, mages defended by soldiers in heavy armor make their way within range of the cliffside. Some of them focus on performing 'destructive clearing', destroying the traps placed along the cliff by filling the space with waves of jagged earthen spikes which crumble to dust after breaking anything they impact. Others focus on making the trails more climbable - adding handholds and steps, and straightening out routes that would otherwise require switchbacks while under enemy fire.

Some of those mages fall, but even when they do, many still manage to cast their spells before the enemy claims them. The casualties are unpleasant...but well within expectations. In fact, Haenlius has to grin as more and more of the trails become cleared. "Floor Four shall fall this day! All squads - forward!"