The Tower in the Shadows

The Adventurers reappeared about mid-day. Woodland came in with a team of well-equipped Adventurers. They descended straight down to the third floor and spent some time looking for the fourth. They used magical items to see if the route was hidden. Along the way, they cleared the floor of boars and the Guardian. Things went as well as I expected.

“Not yet.”

They were disappointed but left and the others began filtering through. Woodland was not happy about the lack of a new floor. The day quickly returned to the regular routine. Nothing of note happened outside of the first team. As soon as the miners left, I closed the Dungeon. Back to the new floor!

“Right, this cavern will be 4A.”

The floor plan was started. I have decided to have no floor traps on this level. The danger will be coming from above. I began expanding my aura again, claiming more land.

Again, my aura crossed into another space and flooded in. My CP dropped dramatically each time this happened.

“Shit, another cavern?”

This time, the space was to the southwest, following the stream. I think it might be larger than the first—time to investigate. The cavern was about the same size but had a different shape. I found the stream running through it and the same mushrooms and moss growing. They were absorbed and the moss was replaced along the stream.

“Well, this is a bit of a dilemma.”

Were these caverns, or were they caves? Whatever they were, they had thrown my plans into chaos. One I could work around, but two, maybe more, was different. I needed to know if there were more, so I continued to expand.

Dawn was nearby when I expanded to the size I was planning on. No more were discovered. I stopped and prepared to unlock the doors.

“OK, I can work with this. Tonight, we make the rooms and corridors.”

They were smashed in before I unlocked the doors and an angry red alert appeared.

## ## ## ## ##

Thrugg had finally arrived.

The pull was getting stronger. He could see a building ahead and what was pulling him here was there.

He would go in and smash it and prove he was strongest.

The sun was rising, but the mountains were blocking the light. He walked towards the building. His club gripped in his hand.

In the distance, he saw a wooden wall. He could hear sounds of alarm.

Good, they knew he was here and was strong. They feared him.

He walked around the building, looking for a door.

He found it and went to smash it.

Pain flared as fire swept over him.

Roaring, he turned to find a group of humans attacking him.

Thrugg was strongest. He will show them.

He lashed out with his club. He caught a man who was too slow to move aside and sent his broken body flying away.

Thrugg attacked with his club several more times, smashing bodies.

Power flowed through him. He was strongest. He will win.

Magic and arrows hit him. Some hurt, but he ignored most.

More were coming. Thrugg knew he could win, but the pull was more dangerous.

He turned as pain flared, but he knew what he had to do.

With his club, he hit the doors.

## ## ## ## ##

Raid Alert!

Your Dungeon is being raided!

A Void Corrupted creature is attacking your Dungeon. Kill it before it destroys you!

Rally your minions!

Defend your Core and Dungeon!

…………..

Minion room/floor restrictions have been lifted until the raid has been completed or defeated!

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

A massive humanoid was forcing its way into the entrance room.

“Larry! Core now!”

Larry did not waste any time and was moving. He scampered across the rafter and through the flap in the wall. I reached out to each floor and had the minions gather in the stairwell room. The figure was crawling to get in and I was unhappy with what I saw.

Humanoid and misshapen. That was before what else was happening. Thick arms and squat legs. Broad shoulders with large, wide hands. The head, oversized ears and nose with small eyes. Covered or “dressed” in hides, the thing was fearsome by itself.

Now, I had to add the bone spikes protruding from the arms and black veins on the skin that can be seen. The eyes were jet black, with two misshapen tusks protruding from the mouth. Arrows and what I think are magic attack impacts covered them. Dark grey oily “blood” was oozing from some of these injuries.

I moved to the first floor. The wasps have almost gathered. Its size gave me a little time as it would have to break through the tower wall and crawl down the stairs.

This was going to be nasty at best. I am terrified for the first time in years.

## ## ## ## ##

“Get organised. We are going in after that thing!” Elian was gathering her Adventurers to follow the monster into the Dungeon.

“What in the Abysses name was that!” Someone called out.

“Some form of twisted Mountain Ogre. I never saw one ignore so much and keep going.” Another answered.

“Melee upfront with archers and ranged next. Finally, healers and everyone else.” She continued snapping orders. The ogre had arrived at dawn just before the first team was going in. Several groups were at the gate arranging their entry and had responded as soon as the Watch called the alarm. She had arrived as it broke through the doors and entered the surface structure. They could all hear the sounds of it forcing its way deeper into the building.

Around the healers were treating a few wounded and three were already dead. Crushed by the monster’s club and sheer strength. It was another issue to add to the situation, but she had realised in the Dungeon that it would work in their favour. The healers were telling her that the injured were not responding to healing as they should—another issue to add to her growing list.

“Are we ready?” She calls out. The answers back tell her they were about ready to go in.

“Guild leader, Woodland!” A man's voice called from behind. She turned to find a priest approaching her.

“Cleric Asham! Thank Astraus, you are here. We are about to enter the Dungeon to kill that ogre.”

“No, you are not.” His tone was soft yet firm. Woodland thought she misheard.

“Sorry. What did you just say?”

“I said you are not entering the Dungeon.” He said again. Now, many others were listening.

“By the Gods! Why not?”

“That is the reason. Astraus and the others have all decreed that we should not interfere with what is happening.” He was standing with the confidence of a man with his goddess at his back. Woodland was at a loss. This was not what she expected. She looked over his shoulder at the gate and saw the other three church heads emerging and walking with the conviction of those on a mission.

“What are we to do then?”

“Guild Leader Woodland, as a former Adventurer, I understand your frustration. The instructions are, however, clear. We wait. If the monster were still outside the Dungeon, we would not prevent you from killing it, but the moment it crossed the Dungeon threshold, it left your ability to engage.” Asham said, knowing the others around listening.

Elain did not speak for several moments. Her mind was reeling, trying to understand what was happening. This Dungeon was vexing her and the other Guild Leaders. So many strange things were happening here. The most recent was the Dungeon closing, which was going through an expansion phase, but no new floor was found. Now, this twisted ogre appears and ignores them to attack the Dungeon. She wanted to scream at him and demand answers but remained controlled.

“Everyone back to the palisade.” She called out. The Adventurers were confused but followed her instructions. She stepped close to the cleric, speaking to him quietly as they retreated. “We need to speak to Lord Goldwind. It is far past time we spoke about this place.”

“I wish I had answers for you, Elian, but we are just as confused as you. But you are right. We should speak.” Asham replied in an equally quiet voice. This only increased her concern that something beyond their understanding was happening here.

## ## ## ## ##

The door to the tower was smashed in.

The walls were being broken as well.

Whatever was attacking me was too large to fit through the doorway and was expanding the one there. My walls were stronger than usual stone; this was slowing it but not stopping its assault.

My minions gathered on each floor stairwell room to fight the thing as it came for my Core. The alert had named it a void creature, but I was still trying to process it all.

“Mana Sight. Activate.”

My vision changed, and the creature was revealed to me in a different way. It had a dull brown energy in it, but it was being consumed and almost obscured by void essence. The creature was surrounded by it and it was flowing through its body. I could see that parts of its body were not original, as the void essence was stronger in those areas. Its skin was an ashen grey and looked wrong.

I could see injuries. From how it was moving, none were significant. It was leaving a trail of void essence and was drawing more to it at the same time. I remembered what Oda had said. The void corrupted would seek me out. Well, that day was here.

“Mana Sight. Deactivate.”

My sight was restored to normal. I had a few minutes to strategise before it started to come down the stairs. Looking over my Dungeon again briefly, I looked back to my attacker. Breaking down the problem and focusing on resolving it was calming my mind.

Time to figure out how to survive this.

“Void corrupted. Large and strong. An ogre or troll or something else, maybe? How am I going to kill it?”

It was going to be through the wall shortly. Chunks of masonry were being knocked from it.

“Its size works against it on the stairwell. It has a club but cannot swing it in such a tight space. It must be swarmed there to wear it down. The wasps and toads will not stop it but could injure it more. It will be the boars that will end this, or I am fucked. They are also at a disadvantage in the stairwell room.”

I ensured the first and second-floor minions were in place to fight it as it came down the stairs. I instructed them to attack as soon as it appeared.

“I need somewhere the boars can amass and use their natural advantages.”

I focused on the third floor—Larry and Puck—next to my Core's hiding place. I knew what I had to do. Revealing my Core, I began reorganising the defenders of this floor.

“The second room will be where the fight happens. We have to get all the boars into there to charge it together. Puck will need to distract it with his spells. Larry will carry my Core to the room. If all fails, he can keep moving around the floors with me until I can replace my minions.”

As I mused and thought out loud, my minions began moving into position. The boars and Guardian moved to the second room on the floor. Puck was flying around above them, ready to use his magic. Larry picked me up and carried me into the room. He sat in front of the doorway on the other side of the mud pit, leading deeper into the floor. The door leading from the guardian room was open. He would run in a circuit with me if that was required.

Above the wall finally gave way and the creature began to move down the stairs. It had left its club, which was more like a tree trunk on the floor. The stairs were wide, but it was larger, forcing it to crawl. The wasps attacked as soon as its head appeared.

They darted forward, using their stringers to try to penetrate the creature's hide. I held the Guardian back as I studied the wasp's attacks. It was tough but bellowed as it was attacked, using an arm to try to swat the wasps away. The wasps were fast and agile, but their numbers worked against them. The creature was slowly caught with arm swipes and crawled down the stairs enough to enter the room. It pushed itself forward and rolled down into the room with a crash.

“Go for the eyes.”

I sent the instruction to the Guardian and it shot forward. As the creature rose from the floor, it was met with an enlarged stinger to the face.

The roar of pain made me happy as the stinger found its mark and hit one of the creature’s eyes. Considering the size of the target, I was surprised the Guardian found it.

“Right on target!”

This came with a cost. The creature slammed its open palm against its face, catching and crushing the Guardian. The red health bar emptied in less than two seconds, confirming its death.

“Shit! I hoped it would last longer.”

The creature was standing, hunched, but standing now. The other wasps did not last long after that. The eye hit was closed and weeping grey oily blood. I think it can no longer see out of it.

Looking down the stairs after the last wasp died, it knelt and began crawling again.

“Alright, the toads are up.”

The toads fared far worse than the wasps. They lacked the speed of the wasps. They were a little tougher, but they were crushed against that thing. Literally, they went at it with all they had, skill and natural weapons, but they were squashed one by one. The room echoed with the sounds of skill-infused croaks, tongue whip impacts and the spattering of toad bodies.

The Guardian was no different; its death marked the end of the little resistance encountered on the second floor. As far as I could tell, no further injuries were inflicted, but I could be wrong.

It was now moving down to the third floor.

“Guardian, hold back—boars attack in groups of three. Puck, use your spells to confuse. Larry, be ready to run.”

I gave my final instructions as the creature pushed itself through the turning on the stairs into the room. It got up and looked around, expecting to be attacked. It realised it was not going to be and began “sniffing”. It turned in my direction and moved slowly towards the entrance to the first room. It was hunched over, making its progress slow.

When it reached the doorway, it began using its fists to smash the walls. I watched as it crashed through the stone walls. Its hands showed signs of the durability of my walls, as they were bloody. These injuries only increased as it broke through to the first room.

“Here we go, be ready.”

I was afraid but committed to my plan.

My minions knew danger was close and were getting aggressive. I focused on keeping them together, or they would just charge in and get in each other’s way.

The wall at the entrance to the second room was now under attack. The stone was smashed and sent flying into the room. It was not long before it was pushing through.

“First three boars go! Puck go!”

My minions leapt forward. Puck was to engage first, casting spells at the creature. The creature was halfway through when the boars hit it. It was pulling itself through the hole. One of the boars hit the arm, while the others hit the partially revealed body. The stamina bars fell as the boars used their skills. Puck's mana bar also dropped as he cast his spells.

The impacts were loud, and the tusks ripped into its body. The creature bellows in pain. I can sense what spells Puck is using and realise he is just throwing spells without thought, draining his magic too fast.

“Puck focus on using dazzle and aim it at its eye.”

Puck quickly follows my orders. The dazzles affect the creature’s attacks, allowing the boars more time before they are killed. They last longer than the wasps or toads, even taking two hits to kill, but they fall. One triggered its Fury skill, gaining a red hue, and ripped a nasty wound in the arm of its killer. As they die, the creature pulls itself further into the room.

“Next three go!”

The next boars charge in and collide with the creature's bulk. One hit the hip area while the other collided with a leg. Again, a thunderous bellow erupted as the boars cut deep with their tusks. The attacker was now swinging with its fists—two more boars' red health bars drained when hit. The third got another hit in before it to died.

“All remaining boars go!”

The rest were released to attack, as the intruder was entirely in the room now. They crashed forward together, hitting the intruder from different directions. The Guardian was still being held back. Puck’s blue mana bar was almost exhausted, but he was still casting Dazzle.

“Puck, fall back and join the Guardian.”

He obeyed and was around the boar near the ceiling. Hopefully, his mana can regenerate a little before the Guardian is committed and from the looks of things, that would be soon.

More tears were opened by the tusks in the grey flesh and the oily blood was flowing from them. In return, my boars were dying, but I saw that the injuries were taking their toll. The creature was not as steady on its feet. It was swaying but still lashing out, but the strikes were not killing the boars outright. More were triggering their Fury ability, gaining the tell-tale red hue, increasing the damage they inflicted before dying.

“Soon, soon.”

The last boar tore a chunk from its leg and the creature toppled forward onto its hands and knees with a cry of pain.

“Go!”

I released my hold on the Guardian and with a thunderous squeal, the last hope I had charged forward. The creature was facing down but looked up as my Guardian triggered its Charge skill and collided with its face.

The impact was a sickly crunch sound.

Both were knocked back from the impact. My Guardian was staggering, trying to remain upright; his health bar was depleted. His opponent went backwards, falling on and killing the last boar. Its face was a bloody mess.

“Shit! Puck use Dazzle if it tries to get back up again.”

Both combatants were punch drunk from the impact. The fight would be won by the one who recovered fastest. The creature was getting back up, but Puck was there using his last mana, casting Dazzle spells, trying to slow it. My Guardian shook his head and was getting back into fight mode.

“Fuck me! Larry, get ready to run if this goes bad.”

Larry was still holding me and was ready to run. He was quivering in fear and I could not blame him. I would be right there with him if I were not an inanimate gem now.

The creature was on its knees. The wounds on its legs prevented it from standing, but my Guardian took advantage of this. It triggered Charge again as the green stamina bar dropped slightly again. The impact was against the creature's lower torso, and my Guardian ripped in deep with his tusks. The beast bellowed in pain. The area where the intestines are on a human was shredded. What looked like the same organs were exposed with a lot of blood.

The void creature attacking my Dungeon fell forward. I caught my Floor Guardian under it, crushing my valiant defender as it, too, died.

That was how the fight ended.

Silence covered my Dungeon as Larry, Puck and I were the only things left alive.

Then, the alert and something else entered me.

It was not essence but something sickening and wrong.

I felt violated and ill. I wanted to throw up.

“Open alert.”

Raid Alert!

Your Dungeon is being raided!

The raid has ended!

Result – VICTORY!

Your defences killed a total of 1 Void Corrupted Mountain Ogre.

Design gained Mountain Ogre!

Your Dungeon has been damaged in the raid. As you are VICTORIOUS all damage will be repaired.

Void corruption gained!

………….

Minion room/floor restrictions have been restored and your dungeon is being reset!

“Fuck! What does this mean?”