Fantasia: I Am the Dungeon

Lynel, the captain of the third squadron, roars and swings his steel staff, wielding two spiked spheres at each edge of the weapon, capable of tearing flesh and pulverizing bones. The man, with a broad body and a bushy gray mustache, thrusts with every ounce of physical strength, pushing back the enemies the little stretch they managed to penetrate into the castle garden, sending back to the outside of the west wall entrance.

"[Max Power]!"

-Technique: Max Power.

Requirement: None.

Cost: 20 Ki.

Description: Doubles the user's physical strength for 60 seconds.

Caution: It is advisable to have a healthy physical state to withstand this technique.

The captain canalizes his inner ki. The man's muscles swell, bulging his armor even more. Strikes the ground with one side of the staff, causing two effects: Pushing the dark elves away with the shockwave; and raising himself five meters above the ground. As Lynel falls swings the staff like a hammer and strikes a minotaur's head, plunging its skull into his torso and seating it on the stone cobblestones. Seconds later, the minotaur's body falls sideways.

Lynel lands gasping for breath, his body burning under the armor and bathed in sweat. Aware that he cannot maintain this overexertion all the time, steps back and waves the staff, striking the contours of the threshold of the entrance. The bricks and the steel gate give way, collapsing and clogging up the way.

The effects of the technique conclude and Lynel's muscles return to normal. The fatigue is immediate, but even though his armor feels heavier, the captain refuses to reduce his efforts.

"Count!" Lynel orders to find out how many soldiers are left, but as he sweeps the garden with a glance, he discovers that only a handful of soldiers are left standing, some of them on their knees, too many injured to fight. Lynel's face darkens. "You boys, return to the castle and take shelter as best you can, also carry the wounded. Remember that we are the buckle that holds together the belt that is the United Kingdoms. It is forbidden to falter!"

Lynel doesn't know if his words of encouragement will boost morale, but he can't stay to find out. The captain rushes to assist at the remaining entrances. As he glances sideways at the castle his expression darkens even more, for he is certain that only a miracle could save them all.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the kingdom, two hours away on horseback, lies the Great Rift. An abyss that looks like a wide mouth or a wound of the world. A broken stone bridge, older than the kingdoms, serves as a threshold to what lies below in the underground, territory known as the Underdark, a place that can be cold and wet, or so hot that your organs can burn, underworld where the gems take the place of the stars.

Halfway to the Great Rift, on a hill, there is an open tent, and a closer look would reveal that the folds of the tent are tightly stretched human skin. Moonsong takes a seat on a bone throne, and raising a spyglass he watches the invasion of the Stoicus kingdom unfold, named after Stoicus, who was not even a king, but a barbarian leader who was dedicated to killing anything that came out of the underdark in a sort of personal crusade.

Moonsong is a dark elf, her hair is white as the moon and her skin is a blue almost black as the sky in the darkest nights. Her beauty is superlative even among her species where beauty is the norm, and her light armor of plenilunium has a suggestive cleavage and exposes part of the thighs and the skin of the hips, further accentuating her excellent figure. To the left of her waist hangs a bone flute, and to the right a curved sword of plenilunium, a black mineral with purple, red, and blue reflections, as lethal as it is resistant and precious. Crude human alloys simply split like butter under a plenilunium blade.

Centuries after the death of Stoicus an outpost was created, just a barracks and a watchtower, from where a soldier at the top using a more rustic and primitive spyglass than the one Moonsong is using, warned about possible invasions coming from underground. As the decades passed the settlement evolved into a village full of people wanting to take advantage of the green esplanades or the mining of the Great Rift. Eventually the Stoicus kingdom was formalized.

Unlike other kingdoms, the Stoicus kingdom is not ruled by bloodlines, but rather every century the United Kingdoms come together to elect a noble family to lead it. The current ruler is King Marc, and like his predecessors, the role is to serve as a point of containment for any subterranean threats.

"Humans... Always running and escaping their mortality," Moonsong says with a cold smile devoid of humor. "In a century that I took to choose a new suit of armor or plan the integration of a new lover for my harem, they see their kings and heroes born and die. Could there be any other creature more embarrassing?"

Actually Moonsong can think of several more disgusting creatures. Goblins, slimes, imps... But at least those are aware of how pathetic they are and just exist as savages. While humans build monuments and walls as if trying to overcome death with their works. For many elves and long-lived species, such attempts are an insult to nature.

"I like humans," replies another feminine voice, but more brusque than melodious. Moonsong glances sidelong where Blood-And-Guts remains standing, performing the guardian role. Unlike Moonsong, Blood-And-Guts does wear full body armor, because she is a total warrior, as you can tell by her height and the muscles in her neck. Blood-And-Guts' smile is radiant, and her silver hair long, wavy and soft. The elf looks much kinder than she really is. "You should see the humans when they defend their short lives... It's a lot of fun. It's even funnier when they understand that it's all over and start begging"

Moonsong opens her eyes wide.

"Are they capable of asking a dark elf for mercy? Are they that crazy and misguided?"

"I don't like to let them down, so I more or less give them a little hope until I get tired"

"How did you do with Stoicus?"

"Exactly! You should have seen how his face lit up when I told him his beloved wife and daughter were alive. Of course I didn't tell him the both true condition, that would ruin the surprise. I, personally, wouldn't call that life"

Blood-And-Guts' attention is taken by a silhouette approaching on horseback. The woman raises her blue hand and places it near the forehead.

"Look! Here comes your husband, Moonsong. With news, I guess... Hopefully good stuff"

Moonsong sighs and leans her elbow on the arm of the throne. Her gauntlet clatters against the bone. She looks down at a ray of sunlight filtering in from the outside to touch her metal boot. Particles of plenilunium are loosened and blown away by the wind.

"Yes... Good news..." Moonsong murmurs, masking her growing nervousness.

Plenilunium. An extraordinary metal under the darkness, unbeatable under the full moon, and terrifying under the blood moons. But under the sun... It turns to dust, or so it usually does. That the dark elves are fighting under full sun is a reflection of the fact that they are being supported by arcane and unbelievable forces. But even such support has its limits.

There is not much time left.