Azuria was once a wonderful city with tens of thousands of people roaming its streets. From its tall spires, you could not only see but also hear the ocean that was a few dozen kilometres away. Azuria was already old when the Kingdom of Balantica was born. It was always a prominent city but it was never the capital of any nation despite changing owners from time to time. Despite that, Azuria always thrived and seemed to grow in its own rhythm. But, that was long ago before a Dungeon Core awakened under the picturesque city. But, even then, people celebrated and helped guide the young Dungeon, allowing her to expand and grow. It was a time very precious to her and she often relived those blissful moments in her memories. The time she lived peacefully with the people who helped her.

  Until the sky turned black and a massive rift opened spewing horrors beyond any imagination.

  The monsters were vile and evil. They snuffed all life in their wake and devoured all mana. They spread destruction and built nothing, leaving the earth barren and cities reduced to rubble. No one was safe and, although she was powerful, she was powerless to stop them. She watched the Gods of Nilmerthis descend from the height of their heaven and wage war against the abominations. They summoned their Heroes, the mightiest individuals whose power and prowess were exceptional. Their mere presence inspired the masses, giving them a much-needed hope. The Gods themselves launched a fierce counter-offensive that pushed back the abominations. Days turned to months and months into years but hope never died. The invaders couldn't push away the defenders while their chosen prepared. It took time, a lot of time paid in the blood of Gods and many of those considered Immortal perished forever.

  But their sacrifice wasn't in vain.

  Their Heroes led armies, numbering in the millions, to defeat the monsters once and for all. She watched them bleed and die. Without asking anyone for permission or instructions, she raised her own army and sent it to aid the defence. She wasn't alone. Dozens of the Dungeons joined the effort to defeat the intruders and, for a while, it looked like they might be victorious. But the sky broke once again and the foul Deities of Chaos and Void descended upon Nilmerthis. She watched the Gods of Nilmerthis fight impossible beasts that shouldn't exist. Twisted and corrupted entities that oozed deadly miasma or erased entire villages with their mere touch. The defenders of Nilmerthis did their best but they were at a disadvantage. Hundreds of thousands of Mortals died. The Heroes fell and died.

  She watched the Gods die...

  Then, the Dragons have arrived. They were led by the two ancient sisters whose power rivalled the Gods themselves. Grandine Skash'a Lat-una Ignis fought bravely, as did her sister. However, the proud Tiamat Liss'na Var'sata Ignis was struck down by an evil God she had slain and she fell from the sky to be never found again. The Dragons allowed the fighting Mortals to catch a breath and slowly rebuild their ranks. The war was exhausting and it lasted for hundreds of years. Mortals, Gods, and Dungeons were united in the struggle, many of them died. Well... At least most of the Dungeons. Some selfish cowards didn't want to fight and she deeply despised them. But, one day, even they joined the fight which, at first, made her happy until she realised that the Mortals had found some desperate way to force them into it. She didn't pity them at all.

  By the end of the war, she had turned her beautiful city into a fortress where the allied forces made a desperate last stand against the unrelenting monsters. They all fought bravely and demonstrated many heroic deeds worthy of being sung about for generations. Stories now spoke of the legends and what was done back then. However, no matter how formidable the fortress, without reinforcements, it is destined to fall if the attackers are determined enough. The defenders were butchered, the Heroes perished, and she nearly died when her Dungeon was struck with an apocalyptic spell. She didn't know how long she was unconscious. She didn't even know that she could be knocked out. But when she woke up, the world wasn't like she remembered it.

  At least, the world still existed...

  The beautiful plains and small forests with the view of the nearby ocean were gone, replaced by monstrously large trees that blocked even the sky and sun. She awakened just in time to see her denizens defeated and beaten by the forces of one of the cowardly Dungeons. She almost instantly recognised his mana imprint, however, he was incredibly powerful now. Almost a different being compared to the weakling who refused to help save the world. She had no idea what was going on but she had to survive. Her loyal denizens were beaten, most of her spawners were destroyed and she was forced into compliance. But, fortunately, she wasn't demanded to be his vassal, nor a servant, nor even a slave. The shackles he put on her were flimsy and sloppy but his power was overwhelming. So she played along for thousands of years, sickened by the cruelty of the monster that called himself the Emperor of the Forest.

  Thousands of years of senseless bloodshed and cruelty.

  But she wasn't broken. She knew that she had to be patient and wait for her chance to strike and, hopefully, kill that tyrant. While she grew in power and covertly rebuilt the strength she once had, the monster called Vestargo grew as well. He seemed unstoppable, which was frightening. She couldn't allow herself to be intimidated so she pretended to be a servant. It helped that Vestargo never recognised her or even paid any attention. She was just another Dungeon under his command. She saw many younger Dungeons become as twisted as their master. But many of the remaining chose to pretend compliance like her. She saw them rebel against Vestargo when the bloody tyrant was challenged by the external enemies. She also watched them die when their little rebellions were ruthlessly crushed. It took her a long time but she believed that she was finally ready.

  So when Vestargo was challenged by the Righteous Dungeon, she carefully prepared for her chance to act. It wasn't the first time that someone tried to stop Vestargo. They had always failed... However, the Righteous Dungeon pushed Vestargo to his limits. His armies were vast and strong. She hesitated and decided to wait a little bit longer and that hesitation almost cost her life. When the forces of the Righteous Dungeon arrived at her doorstep, one of Vestargo's scions attempted to murder her. Fortunately, she wasn't naive and Vestargo never discovered her true form; she had prepared a false sanctum and placed a fake Core inside. Once Vestargo's scion shattered the fake, she began her uprising. Her domain was under siege and her denizens were fighting a losing battle against the Vespids and other Instectoids. However, there still was hope. It seemed like the forces of the Righteous Dungeon wanted to capture her. She wasn't thrilled by the prospect of swapping one master for another but that certainly beat being dead.

  The Righteous Dungeon didn't seem to be a horrible person since his forces consisted mostly of Mortals which shocked and delighted her at once. They arrived in the huge ships that floated in the air and crushed the Insectoids with their might. Their ships were nigh unstoppable and she cheered every time they managed to kill another oversized abomination. However, she was confused and concerned when the Denizens of the Righteous Dungeon were teleported into the battle. Undead led by a Vampire Queen... It was hard to believe that Righteous Dungeon was any better than Vestargo. The golden army was fighting bugs led by a massive Storm Eagle Scion. A Fenrir stayed with a larger group of Mortals in front of her maze while the Vampire Queen led a smaller group inside.

  They were powerful and brave. The Mortals protected the Vampire and she protected them in turn. But it wasn't anything she had seen before. Their relationship seemed deep and genuine. It didn’t appear as though they had to serve her but as if they were soldiers serving the same king. They didn't seem to be a unifying force out of fear. She had seen that before when the Summoned Heroes led Mortals and Dungeon Denizens alike into the battle. They inspired the masses and captivated hearts, turning those who followed them into a single army under one banner. The Vampire Scion was powerful and she instantly understood that her gear had been enchanted by the best Mortal Smiths. The Scion strode forward with the confidence of a veteran of hundreds of battles. She rarely needed to fight as the Mortals who supported her were absurdly powerful as well. The Core wondered if they would recognise the false Sanctum or if she should somehow try to talk with them. Soon, they would reach it.

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  One way or another.

  ???

  Morrigan looked around and slowly shook her head in disbelief. The new weapons in the hands of the Special Forces had changed the game’s rules. For a moment, the Vampire Queen wondered if they realised how sophisticated their weapons were, but that wasn't important. She dispatched a few Vespids out of habit but the Major's soldiers were impressive enough that she was able to preserve all her power to confront the Core. She felt it was near. Morrigan was sure that this Dungeon Core was different from any other they met so far. It observed them with curiosity but, at the same time, it was directing its forces to crush bugs. There was wisdom and cunning behind the stare the Vampire felt. This Core was extremely dangerous and Morrigan really hoped that she could convince it to join the Arcadian Empire.

  "Major, my platoon is going to hold the bugs here. It looks like the Sanctum is nearby and this is the best choke point we have passed so far." Captain Wes's voice was calm.

  "Don't die, Wes," Morrigan said quietly. "Maia would never forgive me."

  "I don't plan on it, Ma'am!" He laughed as Morrigan and the vanguard charged even quicker toward the Sanctum. "But, if I survive, I will have questions!"

  "Oh?" She tried to smile as she watched the radar image through her link showing a relentless tide of bugs trying to breach the positions of the 2nd Platoon of the Moonshadow Company.

  "How the fuck do you know my wife, Ma'am?!" He laughed cheerfully before the communication was cut.

  Morrigan clenched her fists as they rushed forward. A few green dots on her radar flickered and vanished but she watched as a steady stream of blue dots, indicating the Denizens of the local Dungeon, joined the 2nd platoon. The 1st platoon reached a vast chamber that ended in a narrow bridge which led to a pair of massive doors, but they didn't stop. All of them knew it was only a fake sanctum behind those doors. Instead, she extended her senses and jumped into the dark abyss. The 1st platoon followed her without hesitation. She glided through the air steadily slowing down her fall but the Special Forces soldiers plummeted to the bottom at full speed. She heard them crash to the ground with mighty thumps which indicated that their fall-absorbing gel wasn't used. Moments later, she landed gracefully near Hakkan and Rhys. Without a word, she turned toward a wall that silently opened for her.

  In front of them was a tall, beautiful Rabbitkin woman wearing intricately woven silk robes. She was sitting in a carved chair and looked at them nervously.

  "I'm Morrigan of Avalon, servant of Emperor Theon Avalon, a Vampire Queen Scion." The Commander of His Imperial Highness' Praetorians announced herself.

  "My name is Lapis Azuria, the Core of this Dungeon. We don't have much time so tell me what you were instructed." She said with a melodic voice.

  "My Lord offers you to become his Vassal. However, before that, he will judge you for the crimes you committed as Vestargo's servant." Morrigan approached the Core while Rhys quietly placed his soldiers to guard the entrance.

  The Core sighed and stood up. "My greatest crime is my weakness to stop Vestargo on my own. I fully plead guilty to it and won't try to avoid that punishment."

  "I won't be your judge." Morrigan interrupted and extended her hand. "But as you said yourself, we don't have much time."

  Lapis hesitated but took Morrigan's hand. A bright flash of light consumed the inner sanctum and everyone immediately relaxed as the World's Words recognised this place as part of the Arcadian Empire. What followed next, however, was something that no one expected.

  "I'm glad that you are alive Lapis!"

  "Freya?!" The Core of the local Dungeon dropped to her knees as she hugged the much shorter woman. "What are you doing here?! How is that even possible?!"

  "Well... It's a long story." The Dwarfess grinned as the line upon line of her Elite Watchmen emerged.

  As an outraged roar of what must have been Vestargo's Scion echoed through the underground maze, Theon Avalon emerged from a glowing portal that appeared mostly for show. Following close behind him, emerged Praetorians. The Emperor wasn't wearing his usual dark robes but his armour. His pitch-black cuirass with golden details was smooth and, at first glance, it was obvious that it wasn't a mere decoration. His legs were covered with plate armour and any gap between the plates exposed an intricate chain mail. His arms, fully protected by sleek but pronounced pauldrons, were covered by a similar combination of plate and mail. He looked down at the still kneeling Rabbitkin-shaped Core and put on his helmet. In his combat gear, the Emperor was an inspiring figure. His dark cape trailed softly behind him but it didn't hinder his movements.

  "Let me introduce you to my husband, Emperor of Arcadia, Theon Avalon." Freya, who freed herself from Lapis' hug, pointed toward the towering man.

  Morrigan watched in amusement as the conflicting emotions crossed Lapis' face but the Emperor waved his hand.

  "I guess that knowing you were trying to properly prepare a rebellion against Vestargo, I can't charge you for negligence or compliance. After all, you would only get one chance." The man's voice was calm and neutral. "I hope you will try to repair what was broken and help us to once and for all, destroy the monster responsible for all this suffering."

  "I will." Lapis stood up and deeply curtsied before the Emperor. "I'll do everything in my power to stop Vestargo! His bloody reign must end."

  "Very well." He nodded and looked at the still beaming Dwarfess. "I'll leave you two, for now. It looks like you have some catching up."

  "Give them hell, Theon!" Freya laughed as the Emperor waved his hand at Morrigan and Rhys.

  ???

  Lapis blinked in shock and looked at her old friend. The Mountain Dungeon was one of the young ones who had helped during the war of her own volition. Never before had she seen the Dwarfess-like Core but she recognised her instantly.

  "I thought you were dead, Lapis." Freya looked at her warmly, with a stare full of emotion as she hugged her again.

  "I almost died..." Lapis smiled weakly. "But look at you! You've grown up so much... No. We don't have time for that! We must focus on killing Vestargo's Scion-"

  "No!" Freya panicked. "Theon wants to capture him."

  "Capture?" Lapis looked stunned at the young Dungeon Core. "But that Scion is..."

  A series of violent quakes and explosions shook the chamber while Freya gave Lapis a smug smile.

  "Capture. It would be the second one he has captured. " The Arcadian Empress looked around and summoned a pile of pillows into which she dropped. "You don't know by chance where Vestargo's Dungeon is?"

  "Well, he is somewhere south-west of here..." Lapis fell silent upon hearing her entire Dungeon go eerily quiet.

  "Could you repeat that?" Freya put together her slim hands with a very focused and serious expression.

  "Vestargo's Dungeon is somewhere south-west of here," Lapis said nervously while her voice echoed across the underground maze leading to her sanctum.

  The broken husk of a still living Vespid Scion was thrown in front of her as the ominous footsteps of a returning Theon Avalon echoed in the room. He looked at her with a cold smile that sent shivers down her spine. She looked at him in awe, with her lips slightly parted, and couldn't find a word. He was powerful like the Heroes of the past, no, even more than that. He was the single most powerful being she had ever seen.

  "South-west we go then." He said calmly with a voice that knew no disobedience. Over her Dungeon, the massive airships vanished without a trace. "But before that, we will rebuild your city, Lady Lapis. The City of Azuria will once more be the jewel of the north as it was for millennia."

  "Thank you, my Lord!" She bowed deeply in accordance with the rules of ancient Mortals. One glance. It took her only one glance to know that this man was a King she could respect.

  "Soooo... How do you know my wife, Lady Lapis?"

  Thank you all for reading.

  I wish you all a great day and as always I wait for your comments.

  A big thanks to who edited the chapter!

  The map of Aderon is on my Discord :)

  https://discord.gg/G6SVrBeDdG