Dungeon Bound Read online

  “Okay, Sthuza, it’s high time we get back to Merideva. I’m sure she’s freaking out by now.”

  Nodding, Sthuza followed him over to check on the slumped form of his second bonded. He knelt next to her, careful to avoid the blood-splattered greatsword, and reached out to brush gore-soaked hair from her breathtaking face.

  She looks more sophisticated when asleep.

  Chuckling to himself, he stroked Cindra’s cheek while calling her name. It took less than a minute for her to respond, and his shoulders loosened as the stress of the abrupt battle released his body.

  “Packmaster happy with Cindra?” she asked quietly. At least compared to her normal speech.

  “Yes, your performance thrilled Packmaster, my wild berserker beauty,” Gabriel said, a broad grin splitting his face as he gazed into those large, glowing blue eyes.

  Her bashful smile flashed sharp canines, and he moved his hand lower, offering to pull Cindra to her feet.

  Her embarrassed face sank, rapidly shifting to humiliation, and she pulled away, scooting back.

  He blinked at her before it dawned on him.

  Shit, she’s very self-conscious about her weight, isn’t she?

  Fixing his smile more thoroughly, he stepped toward her and reached out again. “Time to get to your feet, Cindra. Don’t leave me hanging.”

  Wide, tearful eyes stared up at him for long seconds before she tentatively grasped his hand.

  With all of his strength focused on pulling the deceptively heavy young woman up, Gabriel surprised them both by successfully helping her stand. Continuing the motion, he pulled her close and wrapped an arm around the filthy woman and put his mouth as close as he could to her wolf-like ears.

  “You’re worrying about nothing, Cindra. I like you just the way you are,” he whispered, eliciting a shocked whine from her.

  “Packmaster not… doesn’t think I’m too big?” she asked, sounding more like a frightened child than a six-foot-six monster girl.

  “Nope, you’re awesome,” Gabriel replied, reaching up and scratching one ear. “Now, let’s get moving. I want to show you both off to Merideva. We’ll shock the pink out of that Core.”

  “Showing up with a pair of high-ranked monsters bonded to you should be quite a surprise for your young Dungeon Core, Master,” Sthuza said, joining them.

  ***

  They encountered two roaming bands of orc warriors as they continued toward Meri’s room. The first one, twelve strong, was large enough that Gabriel worried about their chances.

  Then Cindra cleaved the first two in half with a single strike.

  He’d forgotten just how powerful the blows from her stupendous sword were. While fighting against those undead, she’d been struggling to keep their claws from carving into her. But against opponents that relied as heavily on brute force as she did, the hellhound was an unstoppable whirlwind of destruction. Without enchanted weapons or armor, they had no defense against her powerful strikes.

  He didn’t even bother casting a spell against them. With the orcs fearlessly charging into the meat grinder that was his second bonded, they lasted almost a minute. The next band to stumble into their path served as nothing more than a minor interruption to their tranquil journey.

  When they ascended to the fourth floor, it surprised Gabriel to find a lone goblin standing watch.

  The diminutive male raised a sharpened wood spear toward them confidently, then froze, his yellow eyes bugging out when he noticed Sthuza.

  “It dooms us! Stony death comes for all!” he screeched, throwing down his spear and fleeing toward Meri’s room, a thin trail of wetness marking his passage.

  Sthuza glanced over to him, her perfect lips scrunching to one side in a cute smirk.

  “That does not bode well for our new Core, Master,” she said, humor coloring her voice.

  “No, it doesn’t—” he replied, cut off by a loud baying.

  A huge hound raced past him, her loud barks echoing painfully in the tight confines of the cave.

  “Cccindra, come back here, you ssstupid, gah,” the gorgon hissed. A glance showed head-snakes hissing and spitting, all glaring after the sprinting hellhound.

  “What the hells just happened?” he asked hesitantly.

  She shook her head, sighed, and started forward again.

  “That boobs-for-brains furball got too excited seeing the goblin flee, and her more bestial instincts triggered.”

  “So, she’s hunting him?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’re not going to make a great first impression, are we?” he asked, sighing and moving to walk alongside the slender gorgon.

  “No, Master, we will not.”

  After turning the final corner, they saw the heavy wooden door leading to the room where Gabriel’s life changed so drastically. They soon heard several more voices join the screeching guard’s.

  “Perhaps I should go first and try to calm them.”

  “Yes, that would probably be for the best.”

  He picked up his pace, rubbed his face with both hands, and stepped into the dimly lit stone chamber.

  “Hello, honey, I’m home,” he called out cheekily, drawing five sets of beady goblin eyes to him.

  The comically massive hellhound had Cuix and the others pinned beneath her in a writhing pile of filthy goblin flesh.

  A deep-blue glow flashed from behind the dark altar, and Gabriel looked over just in time to see the source come bolting through the air to slam into his stomach, blasting the breath from his lungs.

  “Gabriel! The high-pitched voice screamed. A strange crying sound echoed oddly alongside her scream.

  “Save me, please! I’m sorry for whatever I did that drove you away, just please protect me from that demon!” she rambled incoherently.

  “Calm down, Meri, I’m back, and that ‘demon’ is one of my bonded,” he said, chuckling.

  He reached up and clasped her smooth sphere with both hands, holding her tight against his chest as she shivered, her voice nothing more than wracking sobs.

  Whispering soft assurances that she was safe, it took him several minutes to calm the distraught Dungeon Core. The whole time, he stared mercilessly at the writhing pile of goblins. He ignored their desperate beseeching for salvation, a small smirk tugging at his cheek when Cuix focused her big, tear-filled eyes on him.

  “Big Boss Guy? You is alive? Please save us too!” she cried, drawing the Core’s attention back to the present.

  The hellhound on top of the female goblin yipped at her, then began licking Cuix’s face with a tongue as wide as his hand.

  He relaxed his hold on the glowing orb when it stopped shaking uncontrollably, then watched as it floated back a foot and turned like it was looking at him.

  “You actually bonded that huge monster?” she asked, incredulous.

  Gabriel’s grin widened, and he nodded. A chuckle escaped after he spotted the foul pool spreading around the pinned monsters. “Yep. That’s Cindra. She’s my second bonded. my Prime is waiting outside in the apparently vain hope that the goblins wouldn’t soil your room.”

  “Two bonded?” Meri said, sounding flabbergasted. Then she wobbled side to side before floating back.

  “Of course, my chosen Dungeon Master would come back with worthy monsters. I had complete faith that you’d succeed wonderfully. No less than I expected,” she boasted haughtily before letting out a strange, arrogant laugh.

  He stared at the hovering orb as it shifted from deep blue to bright pink.

  “It’s only to be expected that you’d bring back servants worthy of serving my amazing self,” she said after finishing her creepy laughter.

  “Really? I am quite surprised at your reaction to the return of your ‘chosen Dungeon Master,’ Lady Merideva,” Sthuza called out. Her cold, cultured voice drew Gabriel’s gaze to her as the sleek gorgon entered the room, moving gracefully to his side.

  The Dungeon Core froze in midair, her color shifting to the deepest blue Gabriel h
ad ever seen.

  “Th… s… a… gorgon!” Merideva screamed, her normally chipper voice filled with even more terror than before his entry.

  “I thought you were waiting out there to let me calm her down first,” he said, turning his head to meet Sthuza’s smirking face.

  “That was the plan, Master. But I could hardly stand back and listen to this upstart Core belittle your accomplishments,” she said calmly, her snakes swaying as they observed everyone. “And as to your comment, yes, Lady Merideva, I am a greater gorgon, Sthuza Slytheria, Prime-bonded of Gabriel Grimm.”

  Seeming to snap out of her paralysis, the Core slowly moved closer to Gabriel, acting like no one could see her stuttering movements.

  “You, honestly bonded with such powerful monsters?” she whispered, still edging closer.

  “Yes, and while I’d have preferred a more reasonable introduction for them, I’m grateful to have found them both. With Sthuza and Cindra, I might be able to hunt down Estrial and recover the crystal, if she hasn’t already sold it.”

  Sthuza shook her head and stepped closer, turning to face both her master and her new Core. “There is no point in risking ourselves for a mere Domain Crystal, Master.”

  Meri made a sputtering noise but went silent at a harsh glare from the gorgon.

  “If these goblins are the full extent of Lady Merideva’s defenses, save for your contributions, of course,” Sthuza said, nodding at Gabriel. “Then we put her at dire risk from any adventurers that stumble upon her. Or even hostile monsters like those arachne.”

  Meri whimpered. “Arachne? Where?”

  “Hmm, I hadn’t thought about that. I know the reputation of the dungeon back in the city was that it’s dying. Most advised not to bother delving beyond the third floor,” he muttered, pausing for a moment. “Do you think others might explore this hidden section like Estrial did?”

  She nodded, causing her alert head-snakes to undulate. “I cannot say whether anyone would directly target the Core, but without proper defenses, I am most uncomfortable with any of us leaving her Domain.”

  “But, I have to have that crystal!” the distraught Core wailed.

  Sthuza’s sharp face softened as she looked down at the sniffling blue orb. “I sympathize with your fears young one, and I know it will create many hardships for us until you can create a replacement, but the safer play for all of us is to focus on defense.

  “Manually replacing the monsters slain by adventurers will be taxing, but you have both Master and myself to assist you.”

  Instead of calming her, that only set the glowing orb off, her sobs growing louder, causing Cindra’s large head to lift as she looked over.

  “Glowing Stone Lady hurt?” she growled.

  “Shh, it’s all right, Meri,” Gabriel said. “Sthuza has a great deal of experience and will help us out. We’ll be fine before you know it.”

  Merideva’s wailing grew louder still, causing him to wince back in shock.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, watching as the orb sputtered and wobbled.

  She sniffed a few more times, calming down. “I-I’m not the real Dungeon Core!”

  Sthuza stiffened, her emerald eyes hardening as she glared at the small orb.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Gabriel turned to face his Prime. “What’s wrong?”

  “You lied to him? You tricked usss?” Sthuza hissed angrily. All of her snakes rose up, poised and ready to strike.

  Before he could interject, Meri darted away, the dark-blue orb leaving a line of glowing light as she soared back into the small alcove concealed behind the altar.

  “Merideva, you need to explain what you mean,” he said, trying to keep his voice calm and level.

  “What ssshe meansss isss we are all doomed, Massster,” the angry gorgon spat.

  “I need a little more than that to go on.”

  Sthuza huffed, a move echoed by her head-snakes, which brought a faint smile to his face, then took a deep breath and seemed to calm herself. She shot a sharp glance toward the cowering Core. “Lady Merideva is not the Core in charge of this dungeon, which means she is an intruder, and incapable of controlling any aspects of the dungeon at large.”

  “Wait, she’s not? Then who is?”

  Sthuza sighed and turned away, her green eyes glistening. “I fear my joy at the demise of that arrogant blowhard was a touch premature.”

  At a momentary loss for words, he hesitated for only a second before moving to his Prime and pulling her into a tight embrace, a creeping sense of despair burgeoning in his mind.

  “I’m so sorry, Sthuza,” he whispered, cradling her cool face to his neck and rubbing her back. “That’s my fault. I didn’t get her to explain things. When Merideva said she was the Core, and you mentioned that pompous one, hoping he’d died, I assumed that was what happened.”

  After having witnessed her incredible strength multiple times, Gabriel’s mind froze at how fragile the slender gorgon felt in his arms. He suddenly realized the growing sense of despair was not his. It was the crushing emotional tide washing over the terrified monster girl and flowing to him through their bond.

  I can’t stand seeing her so distraught. Her or Meri, but what can I do?

  Still stroking her back soothingly, he held Sthuza as she sobbed, her voice muffled in the collar of his coat.

  Content to let Sthuza release her sadness, and unwilling to pressure her, he glanced over to check on his other bonded. The hellhound was still aggressively licking the pinned goblins.

  Sort of disgusting that she’s licking them, but magic will clean almost anything. And it’s worth the mana to see them squirm.

  Gabriel was careful not to let his amusement at the unreliable minions’ suffering disturb the sobbing gorgon. Instead, he focused on comforting her until she calmed several minutes later.

  “Okay, my elegant Prime, you need to explain this situation to me,” he whispered in her pointed ear.

  Sthuza nodded fractionally. Dozens of green eyes watched him as several head-snakes coiled protectively about her. “As I was saying, the previous Core, whose name has no doubt changed many times since I last served him, must still rule the dungeon and has merely forsaken this branch. Which most likely allowed your savior to take over here.”

  “But, didn’t you say Merideva couldn’t control any aspects of the dungeon? If she rules here, doesn’t that just mean she needs to expand?” he asked.

  “No, Master,” Sthuza replied sadly. “That is why she wanted the Domain Crystal. If she had usurped it from the dungeon’s controller, she would have become the true ruler of the entire region of the dungeon bound to that crystal.

  “Which would include at least two or three complete floors. More than enough for Lady Merideva to establish herself here.”

  Gabriel’s heart dropped into his stomach at that revelation.

  Shit. That sounds very similar to ‘we’re screwed.’

  Distracted by his inner thoughts, he didn’t notice when the hellhound climbed off her pile of prostrated chew toys and stalked over to him. Sthuza tried to shoo the ten-foot-long canine away. But sensing her master’s despair, Cindra pushed up against him, rubbing her furry muzzle against his side.

  He returned to the present with a start as he stumbled back, almost falling on his ass from her forceful snuggling.

  “Packmaster will fix everything,” she growled, nodding her enormous head for a moment before returning to aggressively rubbing against him.

  Her faith in him was staggering, and Gabriel idly cast a low-cost cleaning spell on her as he pondered her words.

  Can I? Merideva wanted me to chase after Estrial. Didn’t Torrik mention it might take a few weeks to find the right buyer? Maybe we could steal it back before then.

  Without her gaze, Sthuza is weaker than she could be. But between her and Cindra, plus my far more potent magic, could we overpower those traitors?

  Yeah, we can do this.

  “You’re right, Cindra. I’ll
fix this, but I’m going to need you and Sthuza at my side.”

  The gorgon, still cuddled tight to his chest, stirred at his claim. Though, her movement was barely noticeable against the far more demonstrative hellhound’s.

  No longer content to rub against him, Cindra leapt up, tackling the pair and slamming him back painfully against the stone tiles. An immense, luminescent blue tongue lapped sloppily at his face, threatening to drown him in hellhound drool.

  This would be far more traumatizing if her spit wasn’t so sweet and spicy.

  “Cindra, stop that, you’re—” he cried before her energetic tongue lashed by at the wrong time, and the huge muscle slipped into his mouth.

  I’m going to choke to death on her tongue!

  Not seeming to notice his sudden panic, she kept rubbing against him, her tongue flexing and flopping as she tried to keep licking without withdrawing.

  Gabriel struggled for several seconds before dislodging the muscular appendage. He spat out a mouthful of cinnamon-flavored hellhound slobber and took several deep gasping breaths.

  Likely mistaking his labored panting for a reaction to her scent, the massive monster recoiled from him, whimpering pitifully and backing into a corner.

  He blinked, bewildered by the sudden reversal, and flinched when a small snake nipped at his cheek.

  “What was that for?” Looking down, he saw Sthuza shaking her head in exasperation.

  “Massster, you truly are a natural at offending the mutt,” she hissed.

  “What did I do this time? I thought she was going to choke me to death with her tongue!”

  “Honestly now, you should have at least realized that how long you can hold your breath has increased, Master. You would have been fine for several more minutes. Though I confess, I would not wish to ‘make out’ with her in that form either.”

  Sthuza calmed as she spoke, and the gorgon was now gazing up at him from where she sat, still curled in his protective embrace.

  “Okay, good point, but still, what did I do?”

  She snickered. “You were sniffing her quite aggressively. I imagine she is now worried you think she smells foul. In most cases, I would agree with that assessment, if not for your thorough cleansing of that despicable fur.”