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Story Codes: Gamelit, Fantasy, Magic, Violence

For a list of all the dungeon builder stories click here

Comments are very welcome. I would like all criticism, positive and negative, so long as it’s
constructive, and feedback is very appreciated.

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Click here for Part 7.

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Note: Thanks to Alex for beta reading this!

Chapter Sixteen

We marched down the tunnel, the surviving wildhound sisters sniffing ahead. Everyone was on alert. Usiku, Halia, and Slepkavi marched with their weapons drawn. The hum of Halia’s blessed blade filled the corridor. My ball of conjured light bobbed over our heads, floating with us. The tunnel was lined with disabled traps.

And soon we came to branching choices. The wildhounds sniffed around. “They went this way last,” Hela reported, pointing to one of the three choices. “Their scent’s the strongest.”

“Go!”

They led the way. My monster girls followed. Garnet had a shadowy whip in her hand. Maya’s form rippled with her every step. Hagane had turned her right arm into a blade, the light gleaming off her chrome body. Mrs. Lucina fluttered her angel wings. This would be her first time doing something dangerous.

What could be down here? It had to be a fire trap. Something they missed. Something that wasn’t a traditional trap. That had to be it. My fingers flexed. I wished we had more information to it than just fire.

Du had died before she even knew what hit her. Nos had died a moment later. They were Level 1 monster girls, but they had been trained to fight. Practiced. Grown better than their innate talent. That was something I had done. I wouldn’t abandon any monster girl I had created. I wouldn’t retire them to eternal sleep.

I wouldn’t murder them just to have more powerful monster girls.

We took another left and then came to a set of bronze doors that had been forced open by the wildhounds. Beyond, was a large room. My skin tingled. There was something about this room that prickled my senses.

“Hold up,” I whispered. “Let’s do some preparations.” I had Ice magic, but none of it was useful in warding me against flames. But there were other spells I could cast if there was trouble in there.

“Strong and unyielding, let the granite of Lady Ki enhance.”

Strength of the Mountain fell on my limbs, increasing my physical strength. I felt it flowing through me. I would be better at fighting with the lightning spear I had brought.

“Hard and enduring, let the rocks of Lady Ki defend.”

My flesh turned into stone. A layer of protection. Granite Flesh was a useful defensive spell. I nodded and then whispered, “Go.”

The wildhounds surged into the room, sniffing around. They spread out as they looked. My other monster girls followed after. We marched into a large room. The ceiling rose high above, vaulted bands of supports rising from buttresses along the wall. The far ends of the room were lost to the gloom. It was immense.

And smelled strange. I stopped with Garnet, Maya, Mrs. Lucina, and Hagane around me. Halia stood before us, the other monster girls fanning out. I glanced back and saw Fara was lurking in the doorway.

The currents in the air changed. A wind blew over me, ruffling my hair. The monster girls I could see all froze. Halia raised her sword in warning. The darkness erupted with flames. A great gout of fire belched down and slammed over Daant, my werebear, and Prekrasnyy, my yuki-onna. If they screamed, the roar of the fire drowned them out.

Then they were dead. The flames vanished.

“Dragon!” Paanee hissed, slithering away from the flames that had belched down.

Garnet gasped. “Dragon? Really?”

Another belch of flame burst out. I spotted Havas fleeing on her hooves, her gray hair flying behind her. The flames chased her and engulfed her. My hands tightened on my spear. I could see a reptilian head in the flames. Scarlet scales gleaming with fire. Something swept in the dark. Another blast of wind surged around us.

The dragon’s wings.

“Fuck me, she’s immense,” I gasped. Her head must be two stories up. Her wings just as wide. “How did something that big get through these tunnels?”

My monster girls were scrambling. They shouted. A ball of plasma shot from Sviesos at the dragon, bursting on scales. The dragon roared, her bellows filling the echoing through the tunnel. My bowels turned into jelly.

“Lord Leo, give me the honor of slaying the beast,” Halia said.

“No, no, let me tame her with my whip!” Garnet shouted. “I want to have a dragon!”

“Something has occurred to me, Lord Leo,” Fara said.

“Is this the time?” I asked, struggling to think. How do we fight something that immense? Her breath was killing monster girls. She breathed again, but Hela and Marwo scampered clear of the flames. Heat billowed through the room.

“This might be the wife mentioned in the poem about Meskalamdug. The wings. She could have carried his body away. Dragons are monsters who can be won by a dungeon builder.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Halia hissed. “Let’s just kill the beast.”

“No, no, we need her!” Garnet gasped. “She’s awesome.”

“I don’t know,” Mrs. Lucina said. “She’s killing the monster girls.”

“I think you should tame her,” Hagane said. “She is a creature of immense power. And if she is the wife of Meskalamdug, imagine the answers that she holds.”

Another blast of flame erupted. Hela wasn’t so lucky this time. My monster girl died in the flames. She suffered.

“How do I tame her?” I demanded, my heart hammering.

“You have to get her to revert to her human form,” Fara said. “You have to attack her. Overwhelm her with force and show her your strength. It’ll be deadly.”

“My force?”

“You have to risk yourself, Lord Leo,” Halia hissed. “This is madness. Let us just slay the beast. No information is worth dying.”

“You are wrong,” Hagane said. “Information is worth it. We need to know these secrets, Leo. That’s why we are here.”

She was right. If I had any chance of finding out the truth of the dungeon builders, Meskalamdug’s wife might be it. She would have been down here for four thousand years, sleeping. He had tamed her. So would I?

“Ci, Gwyllt, watch over Fara.”

“Yes, Lord Leo!” the two wildhounds shouted and darted out of the darkness. The others were dodging the dragon’s flames and claws. Paanee slithered fast to one side. Slepkavi rolled out of the way of a slashing claw, the orc’s golden armor gleaming in the burst of flame.

“This is madness,” Halia hissed.

“She’s right,” Mrs. Lucina said. “Leo, I’m not sure this is wise. You’re important. Too important.”

“I’m not going to stand back safe and sound and have my monster girls die for me to kill a dragon. I’m fighting no matter what. So let’s try to tame her.”

“That’s my big bro,” Garnet said. There was such joy in her eyes. “You’re our hero! Let’s do this!”

Hagane lifted her armblade, and I hefted my lightning spear. More flames burst before us, illuminating the dragon’s body. She looked like a classic one. Immense. Her body must be the size of a semi-truck with its trailer and stood on four strong limbs. Her neck long and sinuous. She had black horns and yellow eyes that had baleful rage in them.

“That’s a mature dragon,” Fara shouted as I marched forward. “She isn’t the most powerful they can become, but she is definitely old. Be careful!”

Chapter Seventeen

Be careful…

Easier said than done.

I marched toward the dragon, my companions and Halia with me. The dragon flapped her wings as Usiku and Slepkavi came at her from the sides, both swinging weapons. Paanee spat a ball of acid and Sviesos fired a ball of electric plasma. The attacks struck the dragon while the swords slashed in. The dragon roared and then she launched into the air.

“Fuck me,” I groaned as the dragon soared over us and banked to the right. The room was big enough for her to fly around in. It was like it was created for her. I shuddered as her tail swept like a scythe behind her.

Paanee spat another ball of acid at the soaring dragon. The beast roared and then fire burst down at my naga. Paanee hissed and slithered out of the way fast, her armless body undulating and breasts bouncing. The flames scorched the ground where she had stood.

The dragon soared past, Paanee hissing. She turned her head and spat another ball of black acid.

“What are we going to do about that?” asked Maya. Her flesh rippled. Another blast of fire erupted, bathing my undine in oranges and reds.

“Like this,” I said and focused. “Blinding brilliance hardened, let the light of Lord Shamash cut!”

A sword of dazzling light appeared before the dragon’s head and slashed, striking the scaled beast. Light burst from it, a scintillating display that would half-blind the dragon if it worked. I couldn’t tell if it even cut through her scales.

Roaring in fury, the dragon banked around, her wings spread wide. They reached nearly to the high ceiling. She came around, her yellow eyes focused on me. She hurtled at me, flames crackling in her open mouth.

“Scatter!” I shouted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halia Vorbia’s heart hammered in her chest at the sight of the dragon. Every adventurer dreamed of slaying a dragon. It didn’t matter which of the twelve types. A fire drake, an ice drake, or a metal drake. They were all dangerous beasts that would make a name for any adventurer. A legend.

Now Halia stared at her destiny. She could kill this beast and outstrip even her father. For all that Anguin Vorbia had done in his storied adventuring career. He had never slain a dragon.

But Leo wanted to capture it.

She had sworn herself to Leo. This task might be folly. Taming a dragon had to be infinitely more difficult than slaying one. You merely had to cut off the dragon’s head for that. Forcing it to revert to a human form…

This would be dangerous.

Halia broke into a spring, scattering with the monster girls around Leo, her braid of black hair flowing behind her. She threw a look over her shoulder and saw that Leo wasn’t moving. He had his spear planted. His mouth opened in to cast the spell.

“Lightning crackle and hiss, gird me in the love of Lady Uttu!”

Static Aura danced over him. The air crackled around him moments before the flames burst down and splashed over him. Her stomach tensed as the fire blazed over his body. he was gone. Shouts erupted through the room. The dragon banked over, the air rippling in her wake. Wind howled over Halia.

Leo appeared amid the smoke. His Static Aura was gone, but he was fine. She couldn’t believe he had been such a fool. What if the fire had overcome the protective spell. She had to protect him. She had to keep him alive.

If this world was ever to break the cycle of the dungeon builders, then Leo had to live.

“Lady Sherida, guide my sword,” Halia prayed to the patron. Lady Sherida, Goddess of Light, had blessed Halia, Made her into a paladin. The divine power of her goddess flowed into her.

Halia threw her blessed blade. The humming sword flashed through the air. The course of it bent, following the dragon as she made her circle of the room to come around for another attack. The magical weapon slashed into the dragon’s belly scales. Smoking blood spurted from the wound and rained down on the floor. Usiku gasped, driving out of the steaming liquid and coming up in a crouch.

The dragon roared her fury. Her tail slashed in the air. Her head turned, yellow eyes focused on Halia.

The blessed blade reappeared in Halia’s hand. She could never lose it. The dragon dived for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mrs. Bella Lucina spread her wings wide. The angel charged at Halia as the dragon dove for the human. Halia stood proud, raising her sword. Blood sizzled on the humming blade. With a hard flap of her wings, Mrs. Lucina hurtled in and grabbed Halia.

“What?” gasped the startled human.

Wings beating hard, Mrs. Lucina carried them straight up in the air, her halo pulsing with determined light. Fear pounded through Mrs. Lucina’s veins. She had to keep the paladin alive. Leo loved her. Mrs. Lucina loved her. The naked, busty angel would protect this new family.

She had no idea what else she could do.

“Let me go!” Halia gasped.

“I’m sorry, dearie,” Mrs. Lucina said, glancing down.

The dragon roared, wings flapping, but she couldn’t fly straight up. The dragon pulled out of her dive before hitting the ground. As she did, Slepkavi jumped and grabbed the edge of the wing where it met the scaled body. The orc hauled herself up on the dragon’s back, her thick, black hair whipping from the force of the wind.

“Wow,” Mrs. Lucina gasped as the orc clung to the dragon’s back.

Lightning flashed up from Sviesos. Paanee spat more acid. The other monster girls were spread out, ready to attack. Mrs. Lucina watched the battle, holding on to the squirming Halia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You’re crazy, you know that?” Maya asked as she ran back to Leo. “What if Static Aura didn’t keep you alive.”

He glanced at her and said, “I knew it would.”

“You did not.” Maya’s body rippled. She stamped a foot coated in dust. More of that nasty stuff infiltrated her body. She wanted to pour herself through a Brita filter right now. Purify herself. “You can’t risk yourself like this.”

“Sorry,” he said and focused on the dragon.

Maya shook her head in irritation. She didn’t know what she could do. Slepkavi had managed to jump on the dragon’s back while Mrs. Lucina hovered in the air with a struggling Halia. Maya’s only attack was drowning people in her body.

Not something she cherished doing.

“Darkness hides and shadows conceal, let the curse of Lord Zuen fall!”

The dragon roared. She shook her head as she banked around. Her wings flapped hard. Maya frowned. “That was Blind? Did you steal her vision?”

“Think so,” he said.

The dragon roared and flames burst from her, splashing across the wall. In the reflected light, Maya spotted Slepkavi raise her golden sword. She plunged it down into the dragon’s back. More pain burst from the monster. She thrashed in the air, her spine flexing.

Slepkavi flew from the back of the dragon. She soared out to the side, her green body flailing. She arched over and plunged for the ground. Maya winced as she watched the poor monster girl fall to her death.

I’m utterly useless in this fight! screamed through Maya’s mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Water’s crushing weight surround, feel the grasp of Lord Enki squeeze!”

Watery Grasp surged out from me. I cast it on Slepkavi moments before she hit the ground. The water surrounded her to crush her, but it also cushioned her fall. Before it could harm her, I dismissed the spell with a thought. Active magic drew on my reserves, so I could end it at will.

She tumbled out of it, coughing but alive. She staggered to her feet as I stared up at the blind dragon. She beat her wings and banked before she hit the wall. She couldn’t see, but she had avoided colliding with the obstacle. How?

Didn’t matter. I had to be on the attack. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mrs. Lucina set Halia down then the angel returned to the air, joined by my little sister. I had to hit the dragon with an attack that would let me tame her.

Something that could stun her…

Yes!

“From above it falls, let the ice of Lord Anshar crush!”

A block of ice conjured by Frozen Fall appeared over the blind dragon’s head. It hurtled down at her to crush her. Knock her out or drop her from the sky. Her head turned to the side, pivoting at the end of its long neck. The ice fell past it and shattered on the floor, pieces spraying over Nimhe.

“The fuck?” I gasped.

“How did she dodge that?” Maya demanded. “Even if she wasn’t blind, that appeared over her head.”

The dragon turned and then breathed fire that shot down at Sviesos. The will o’ wisp ran to the right, narrowly avoiding getting burned. The dragon flew past and then turned again. I could see the darkness covering her yellow eyes. She was blind, but that didn’t seem to matter at all.

Then it hit me. I groaned in disgust. “She’s lived in the dark for thousands of years, Maya. Being blind is no different.”

I had to think of a new plan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Garnet had her whip in hand as she soared through the air. Mrs. Lucina rose up beside the succubus, white-feathered wings beating beside scarlet, leathery ones. The succubus’s pigtails trailed behind her as she turned in the air. The dragon banked over, dodging a blast of lightning from Sviesos.

“Let’s get her, Mrs. Lucina!” Garnet shouted and surged at the dragon. “Hey! Hey, you! Dragon! You’re my brother’s! You belong to him. Stop being so naughty!”

“Garnet!” Mrs. Lucina shouted. “Don’t get so close to the monster!”

Garnet flapped her wings at full beat, winging for the dragon. The little succubus was not about to stop now. A Lightning Spear fired from her brother. His magic crashed into the dragon’s scales. Below, monster girls scattered for another fiery attack. Hagane moved, her metallic body standing out as it reflected red.

Garnet swooped in above those flapping wings and then slashed her whip at the dragon. The shadowy end struck the hard scales along the dorsal fins. The dragon didn’t even care. She dove again, hurtling down at Sviesos.

Webbing struck the will o’ wisp and yanked her to safety moments before the fire burned across the ground. The dragon roared her frustration, beating her wings and climbing back in the air. Turbulence slammed into Garnet.

She tumbled for a moment, her wings buffeted. Her tail swished behind her to steady her balance and keep her from plummeting to her death. That would be tragic. She couldn’t die yet. She had to help tame this new pet.

“Kweh, heh, heh, you shall be my big bro’s!” Garnet flapped her wings hard and soared over the wings to fly by the monster’s head.

SWISH! CRACK!

Her whip struck the monster by the darkness-covered eye.

The dragon roared. Flames burned amid her sharp teeth. The head turned. Garnet flapped her wings, lifting her up and over the dragon’s head to the other side. Flames barbecued the air, but not the little succubus.

“Meanie!” screeched Garnet. Her whip lashed out, striking with a crack. “You are my brother’s! So be a good dragon, turn into a hot MILF, and prepare to get fucked by the hunkiest guy in the world!”

The dragon growled, a deep, rumbling menace. Then claws slashed at Garnet. Squeaking, the succubus twisted in the air, her tail swishing behind her to turn her body. the claws raked past her, nearly ripping her in half.

“Rude!” Garnet hissed. “You’re a rude dragon-puppy!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Garnet!” Mrs. Lucina shouted. She flew down before the dragon. “You’re going to get yourself killed. A whip’s not going to do nothing.”

“She’s my big bro’s!” hissed Garnet and slashed her whip out. It crashed into the dragon’s head again.

The claws slashed again. The succubus squeaked while the angel’s stomach twisted in fright. Garnet shot up, though, her legs just cleaning the clawed paw only for her to get smacked by the dragon’s large wing. It threw the succubus the other way. She tumbled in the air, falling to the ground.

“No!” Mrs. Lucina gasped.

Garnet unfurled her wings and pulled out of her fall, skimming over the ground and nearly crashing into Usiku. She banked out of the way. Relief shot through Mrs. Lucina, her wings beating to keep her in the air.

The dragon roared behind her. Hot breath spilled over Lucina. She threw a look over her shoulder and her halo pulsed in fear. The dragon’s open mouth closed in on her. The beast could easily swallow her whole. Saliva dripped from teeth blackened by soot.

“No, no, I’m not a good meal,” the housewife-angel shouted. Her halo pulsed. She could feel it brimming with light.

Radiance burst from the angel. A blinding explosion of light that did nothing to the already blind dragon. Mrs. Lucina gasped, reeling her mistake as the dragon’s wings flapped hard, propelling the beast closer.

I’m about to be eaten! she thought.

Something whipped up from the ground.

CLANG!

A bar of metal struck the dragon in the side of the head, knocking her to the side. The dragon roared in pain while Mrs. Lucina banked to escape. She dove beneath the dragon. The downdraft from the powerful flapping wings struck the angel.

She gasped, feathers ripping from her wings as she was thrown to the ground. The stones hurtled up at her. She tumbled, struggling to unfurl her wings. The dragon soared on, growling in pain as Mrs. Lucina screamed.

“Got you!”

Garnet grabbed the falling angel in her arms, her leathery wings spread wide. Mrs. Lucina gasped, throwing an arm around Garnet’s neck as the little succubus kept them both in the air, if barely. A big grin spread on Garnet’s lips.

“I’m your hero, aren’t I?” Garnet cooed. “I totally saved your ass. A naughty demonette saving a sexy angel MILF!”

“Yeah,” Mrs. Lucina said.

Garnet then kissed the angel, much to Mrs. Lucina’s shock. This was not the time for a make-out session, but the succubus thrust her tongue past the angel’s lips.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hagane had her sword arm ready and wanted to get into the fight. All those action movies she’d watched, especially staring Lana Fulmine, would pay off.

“Kin,” Hagane called as the dragon roared. Steel Batter had apparently hurt her. Garnet flew overhead with Mrs. Lucina in her arms. “Kin, I have an idea.”

Kin the unicorn trotted over to Hagane, her silvery-white mane of hair spilling behind her. She had that sharp horn. “Yes?”

Hagane pointed to the ground nearby. Blood sizzled. “The dragon’s bleeding. Halia’s thrown sword cut her belly open. You can jump high, yes?”

“I can,” Kin said.

“When the dragon passes over, jump and try to stab your horn into the hole. Gore her. Inflict more pain. We have to bring her down. We can’t keep dodging her flames.”

“Right,” Kin said.

As the unicorn galloped away on her two hooves, Hagane spotted Usiku crouched nearby, her shadowy sword held in hand. She stared up at the dragon, tracking the beast as she soared around for another attack. Lightning and acid shot up. Another steal bar narrowly missed the dragon.

“Usiku!” Hagane shouted and rushed to her.

As the animated statue reached the fomorian, Kin made her attack. The unicorn neighed and jumped up, becoming a loving spear. Hagane watched the unicorn, the animated statue adjusting the rims of her glasses with her left hand.

The unicorn’s horn plunged into the wound. The dragon roared in pain. Blood spurted out of the wound. Kin fell free, blood smoking over her body. It was hot, but not scalding. Hagane didn’t think Kin would be—

The dragon’s tail swiped down and crashed into the unicorn. Kin whinnied in pain as the blow flung her towards the wall, her body broken and twisted. She vanished into gold motes before she hit it, killed by the blow.

“She hurt the beast,” Usiku muttered. “This is frustration.”

“We need to get onto the dragon’s back,” I said. “Like Slepkavi managed.”

“Just hold onto better than I did,” the orc growled. She jogged over, her golden armor reflecting a blast of lightning rising up from the will o’ wisp. “The dragon doesn’t like us getting on her back.”

“I can help!”

Nimhe scuttled over on her eight legs. Her breast jiggled and bounced. The red diamond stretched between her tits made her stand out. Her compound eyes reflected distorted versions of Hagane, Usiku, and Slepkavi.

“I can get you on her back,” said Nimhe. “It’ll be dangerous.”

“I’ll take dangerous,” Slepkavi said.

Hagane nodded. “We are useless on the ground.”

Nimhe nodded. Then she aimed her abdomen up at the gloomy heights of the vaulted ceiling. Silk thread shot out and soared up. She caught the ceiling and then scrambled up her own webbing. Hagane glanced at the dragon. She belched fire, chasing Piaro and Paanee. They broke apart, the flame burning between them.

“We have to take this dragon down,” Hagane said. She had been brought to this world by Leo. Freed from the academic grind that her parents had imposed upon her. No more expectation to be what they wanted. She was here to be something else. Something strong and powerful.

A living weapon for a man who loved her.

She would be a glorious weapon.

“We go for the wing joins,” Hagane said. “That’s how we—”

Webbing struck her in the shoulders. Slepkavi’s and Usiku’s, too. The three monster girls were yanked up into the air by Nimhe’s webbing. Hagane could not help but marvel at the strength of the arachne’s webbing. Maybe even stronger than spider silk.

This will work. We’ll either land on the dragon or miss her die.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had a new plan. Pummel her with spells. Batter her. Get her to land. The dragon could absorb damage, but there had to be limits.

“From above it falls, let the ice of Lord Anshar crush!”

A block of ice crashed into the back of the dragon and burst into shards. She howled and twisted around, flame erupting from her mouth. The orange-red billow jetted out like a flamethrower. Soot rained from the sky while smoke rose.

“What are those three doing?” Maya gasped.

I ignored her and cast Water Mace next.

“Waves slam into the shore, let the strength of Lord Enki hammer!”

The watery mace slammed into the dragon’s head. Water burst across her scales. Steam rose. She turned in my direction again, letting Paanee and Sviesos fire acid and lightning up at her, the attacks splashing across the belly scales.

As the dragon dived at me, Maya broke into a run. But I faced her without flinching. Though the sight of Hagane, Usiku, and Slepkavi being lifted into the air on strands of spider silk almost threw me out of my concentration.

“Lightning crackle and hiss, gird me in the love of Lady Uttu!”

Flames erupted as Static Aura fell over me. The inferno engulfed me. The sizzling spell protected me from the attack. The energy washed over me and then died, leaving smoke rising around me. I gripped my spear and blinked my eyes against the brilliance of the flames. The dragon’s tail slashed the air above my head as she banked around.

I cast Lightning Chain.

“Electricity surges and binds, let the chains of Lord Enlil’s lightning bind!”

The crackling bolts of lightning struck the dragon and danced over her scales. Blasts of lightning arced out into her wings. She shuddered in the air, her tail knifing behind her. Clawed feet clenched tight.

She twisted her head around as she banked and aimed herself at me. Fire exploded from her and rushed towards me. I opened my mouth to start chanting Static Aura. But there was no time to get the spell off.

Death rushed at me.

Chapter Eighteen

Maya saw the head whip around and acted.

Flames rushed at Leo. He opened his mouth to chant, the words tumbling out, but the flames hurtled down too fast. Maya crashed into Leo. Her watery form slid around him. She engulfed his body in her flesh, spreading her liquid over every bit of him. She embraced him as intimately as she could.
She had loved Leo all her life. Dying for him was nothing.

The flames roared over her. Her body steamed. She felt herself boiling away, giving up her own liquid to protect Leo. Agony engulfed her. She screamed, the sound swallowed by the fire that licked over every bit of her. She dwindled faster and faster, Leo thrashing in her.

The flames died.

There wasn’t much left of her. She closed her eyes, reduced in half. Only an inch of water still protected Leo. She slumped off of him, spilling to his feet. The pain was too much. She had lost too much liquid. She couldn’t hold her form.

She melted away and dissolved in golden light.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Maya,” I croaked.

I gripped my spear, the metal warm. I watched her dissolve away. I swallowed. I had been careless, and she had to pay to correct my mistake. I had been such a fool. I couldn’t believe I had let her die for me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

I had to do better than this. I had to beat this dragon. Tame her. I was making my monster girls, the women I loved, suffer for me. They always had to die for me. I couldn’t ever die for them. My death was their death.

It was a cruel, sick, twisted joke. Whoever brought me here must be laughing her ass off. I tightened my hand on my spear and spoke the words. A new Static Aura crackled around me. I had to keep this up. I had to refresh it the moment it vanished.

I glared up at the dragon and chanted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A steel bar battered into the dragon’s head, knocking her in the direction of where Hagane hung with Usiku and Slepkavi. Nimhe lowered them down slowly as the dragon soared for them, the beast shaking her head.

“One!” Hagane shouted, the dragon coming closer and closer. “Two!” The beast was almost on them. “Three!”

Nimhe cut the webbing.

The three monster girls plummeted. The dragon swooped beneath them a heartbeat later and they landed on the beast’s back. Hagane drove her armblade into the muscles of the shoulder joint connecting to the wings. Beside her, Usiku slashed her shadow sword at the same muscles. On the other side of the dorsal ridge of spikes, Slepkavi hacked her golden blade at the other wing’s muscles.

The dragon roared in pain as the three monster girls cut through armored scales. Steaming blood spurted, splattering across Hagane’s metallic form. She hardly felt it spilling over her as she kept attacking the dragon. She stabbed over and over, rapid plunges as her feet shifted on the back.

The dragon’s right wing snapped up, no longer extended. The dragon rolled and crashed to the ground. Usiku grabbed a dorsal spine. Hagane drove her armblade into the creature’s flesh and crouched down.

“Lord Nabu’s big cock!” Slepkavi roared like this was a grand adventure, the orc gripping the edge of the left wing.

The world spun around them.

The dragon hit the stone with a crash. The impact threw Hagane forward. She tumbled through the air and then struck with a metallic ring on the ground. She rolled and came to a stop a dozen feet before the dragon. Pain throbbed across the animated statue’s body. Usiku landed with far more grace on her feet, the fomorian’s purple legs bending to absorb the impact, her big boobs heaving before her.

Triumph surged through Hagane. The dragon could not fly. She was on the ground. Vulnerable. Usiku rose, flashing Hagane a grin. The animated statue returned it as she staggered to her feet, blood dripping off her metallic body.

The dragon’s claw swiped in a blurring arch and ripped Usiku’s head off. The fomorian’s torso vanished before it hit the ground. The dragon rose and roared, one wing draped limp on the ground, the other extended outward.

Hagane dove out of the way of snapping jaws and rolled to her feet in a run.

“CONVERGE!” shouted Halia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mrs. Lucina savored in the sky, staring down at the dragon on the ground. The beast’s tail swished across the ground, a scything attack that would leave anyone it hit crippled. Fear beat in her breast for the other monster girls that were all surging for it.

Paanee slithered closer. Piaro darted in. So did Cysgo and Marwo, the two wildhounds scampering across the battlefield. Nimhe dropped from the ceiling while Halia raced in from the sidelines. Hagane dodged another bite attack.

Acid fired from Paanee and struck the dragon on the side of the face. The beast roared in pain. She growled out her rage and turned to who attacked her. The naga spat another blast of acid. The dragon raised a claw.

Mrs. Lucina knew what she could do. She dove for the naga. The angel spread her wings wide and swooped in. She grabbed the monster girl and hauled her up into the air at the last moment. The claw missed the blue-scaled naga.

“Thanks,” Paanee hissed, her boobs rubbing into the angel’s.

“You’re welcome,” Mrs. Lucina answered, her wings strong. “Just want to keep as many of you girls alive as I can.

Piaro the basilisk jumped on the dragon’s back where Slepkavi the orc still stood. The basilisk ripped at the wounds hacked into the dragon’s scales by the wings, tearing away chunks of flesh. The dragon roared in pain, her tail slashing like a scythe.

Halia ducked the tail and then she was at the dragon’s flank. Her sword slashed, cutting into the belly scales. Blood spurted. The dragon roared and her rear leg came up and kicked at the paladin. Mrs. Lucina could do nothing for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Lady Sherida, shield me in the light!” Halia Vorbia called as the dragon’s rear foot kicked at her, black talons gleaming.

Light burst before Halia. A shield conjured by her goddess’s love. The foot struck the shield. Radiance rippled. The barrier winked out. Halia darted past the foot and she buried her sword into the dragon’s belly again. Blood spurted from the wound. Her blessed weapon hummed as she slashed again.

A dazzling sword slashed in at the dragon’s face. Lightning fired from the will o’ wisp. A block of ice shattered on the dragon’s back. They hit her from all sides. Garnet dove from above. The wildhounds leaped on the dragon, joining Slepkavi and Piaro.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Kweh, heh, heh!” Garnet cheered as she soared over the dragon. Her whip slashed down, cracking into the beast’s hide. “You are my big brother’s! So stop fighting and serve my big bro!”

The dragon roared. Her claw slashed at Hagane, but she rolled clear. Halia’s sword hummed. Garnet’s wings flapped as she banked around and came in for another attack. She would whip this dragon into submission.

The dragon’s good wing flexed and batted into Marwo. The monster girl howled as she was flung from the dragon’s back. She hurtled in the air, her black hair flying about her pale form. Whimpering, she plunged for the ground.

“Puppy!” Garnet shouted and dove after the falling wildhound.

She swooped in and caught the monster girl before she had a bone-breaking impact with the ground.

“Thank you, little sister!” gasped Marwo, her triangular ears twitching. Then she licked her tongue warm across Garnet’s cheek.

The succubus grinned in delight as she winged Marwo down to the ground so she could help tame the dragon. Garnet’s tail swished back and forth. That dragon would serve her brother. The biggest puppy in the world.

“Kweh, heh, heh!” she laughed and flew back to the fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My monster girls were swarming in from all sides. The dragon bucked, throwing those on her back to the side. They were all over her. Halia slashed in from the left. Hagane thrust her armblade in from the right, Slepkavi at her side. Piaro, Cysgo, and Nimhe attacked near the front, all bunched up.

The dragon turned her head.

“NOOO!” I shouted.

Nimhe started to jump. Cysgo turned to run, while Piaro just raked her claws down the dragon’s flank. A great gout of orange burst from the dragon’s mouth. My three monster girls vanished in the orange. They all died. I felt them fading away, returning to slumber in my Void Crystal.

“Sister!” howled Marwo as she ran back into the battle.

“You can do it, big bro!” Garnet cried as she winged over me, her shadowy whip in hand. From above, Mrs. Lucina soared. Then a ball of lightning struck the dragon in the neck.

I had to do it. The words to Lightning Chain rose in my mind then spilled from my lips.

“Electricity surges and binds, let the chains of Lord Enlil’s lightning bind!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The angel flew over the battlefield ready to render aid to her family. It was all she could do. A moment later, Sviesos’s ball of lightning struck the dragon in the neck. She roared in pain, the attacks affecting her. Halia and Hagane stabbed and slashed with their blades.

Lightning fired from Leo and struck the dragon. Chains danced over the dragon, trying to restrain her body. She roared as Mrs. Lucina flew over the battlefield. She watched everything with care, wanting to protect.

The dragon turned and slashed at Hagane.

Mrs. Lucina dived down to rescue the animated statue, but she wasn’t in time. The blow struck Hagane’s metallic body. She flew back and crashed into the ground, Mrs. Lucina cried out in dismay. She had failed to grab any of the three burned by fire, and now she had missed Hagane.

I have to do better. Her family dwindled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pain exploded across Hagane.

She struck the ground with a metallic clang and rolled across it, her armblade snapped. Agony shot up her arm. She came to a rest and shuddered. The claws had ripped metal from her body, leaving jagged tears across her flesh. She shuddered, screaming in pain.

She had to get up and fight. For Leo. He had brought her to this world. Freed at least one version of her from the tyranny of her parents’ expectations. She didn’t have to be what they wanted. She could be what she wanted. Her own woman.

But not if Leo died. So she had to fight. Only she couldn’t move. She struggled and whimpered.

It is so dumb that I’m made of metal and still have pain reception, she thought, her body trembling on the ground.

Then Leo was over her. He bent down and placed his hand over her stomach. “I got you.”
“Leeee…. oooooo…” groaned from her.

“Shhh.” He smiled at her and then chanted, “Graven wounds pulse in pain, let the healing of Lord Dumazid flow!”

She gasped as her metallic flesh flowed. She felt the jagged wounds closing. She watched as her snapped armblade reformed, the metal rippling and shaping like she was the T-1000. She blinked and then glanced at Leo.

“That makes no logical sense!” Hagane objected. “It’s Mend Flesh! I’m not flesh. I’m metal.”

“You’re flesh,” Leo said. “Trust me, that metallic pussy of yours is as soft and silky as any other woman’s.”

Her cheeks burned with that. Why should that happen? She didn’t even have a heart. No circulatory system. She shouldn’t be able to blush, and yet, it just happened.

Leo rose as she grappled with what she was: an animated statue. He turned to the dragon and cried out, “Waves slam into the shore, let the strength of Lord Enki hammer!”

The dragon roared in pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halia slashed with her sword, smoking blood spurted from the wound.

Roaring, the dragon raised her leg to kick Halia. The paladin’s protective prayer died on her tongue, though. Paanee lunged in. The naga slithered her armless, sinuous body and tail around the dragon’s leg, binding the joint.

The naga squeezed with all she had, her blue hair dancing behind her as the dragon staggered.

“Thank you!” Halia shouted and slashed again. She darted beneath the dragon, cutting through the belly scales. She burst out on the other side, blood spilling down to the ground behind her. The paladin grinned and thrust deep.

A shadow flashed over her. She barely had time to turn before the tail struck her. Her armor crumbled from the blow. It threw her past Slepkavi. Halia landed on her side and rolled onto her back. Pain throbbed up her body. Her brain sloshed in her skull. She blinked to gather her wits.

The dragon’s front foot raised up to crush down on Halia.

To be continued…

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