Shaking off the vertigo of entering and exiting the portal, Seras was shocked to find a number of fresh bloodstains marking the floors and walls of her dungeons. Fearing the worst, she rushed to find Horny before he could do any more damage.
Turning the corner and expecting to see her newest recruits to be reduced to a fine red paste, she was surprised to find Elias and the two orcs engaged mid-conversation while Azzimec prodded at a few shivering little monsters in a cage.
"What the hell is with all the bloodstains?"
Her question earned only babbling from the orcs, and a disinterested shrug from Azzimec. Elias merely pointed in the direction of Horny's lair. Seras had to repress the urge to facepalm and stopped to take a breath. At least none of my people are dead, she thought to herself.
"Apparently your..Horned Reaper..discovered a pack of Demon Spawn invading your hatchery and disposed of them in a rather sickening fashion. The details of which he shared. At length." Elias looked to be somewhere between nauseous and hysterical. "We trapped the rest, and are awaiting your instructions."
The clopping of iron-shod hooves spurred the orcs to flee, and Seras turned to see Horny exit his chambers. "Keeper! You've returned from that pisshole! I hope none of it rubbed off on you." He stopped to take a closer look at the heavy crossbow slung across her back and the warhammer she carried. "The troll's still in business I see. Good. You'll need all the help you can get." He snorted in the direction of Azzimec and his apprentice, apparently unimpressed with the fruits of her recent endevours.
The Mentor floated over to the cage and observed as the spawn froze in terror of the red behemoth that had so easily butchered their kin. "How did they get in? I thought the tunnels had been fortified?"
"The imps exposed a lava chamber, and they came right in." The Reaper grinned malevolently, and one of the spawn urinated. "Like moths to the flame."
"What exactly are these little guys?"
"Demon Spawn. They're normally quite vicious, and perfect for bolstering a newly minted Keepers' army" the Mentor quipped. "They likely made their home in that cave your imps opened, and simply followed their noses. Which, unfortunately for them, led them straight to Horny."
Seras had walked towards the cages and was inspecting the surviving spawn. The squat creatures resembled beach balls with legs and lots of teeth. She presented her hand, and they quickly moved to bond with her.
"Well that was easy." Seras muttered as she unlatched the cage.
One after another, they waddled up to her and began snuggling her legs. Giggling slightly, Seras patted and scratched the spawn, immediately surprised at how friendly they were. Horny merely growled at the saccharine display of affection and stomped back into his quarters.
....................
Seras was surprised. In just a few hours, Azzimec and Elias had almost completely set up shop in her library. Several of the shelves were loaded with books, tomes and grimoires, while two more had been devoted entirely to a collection of jars, bottles and flasks. The Mentor had been discussing research plans with Azzimec while Elias finished unloading their things. She was..you could call it a strange sort of awe. She'd never been one for science or math or literature, but the things the old man knew! It was like he carried around an entire library in his head.
"You weren't kidding when you said she had no magical knowledge. I've seen goblins with more sorcerous experience!" Seras tried to be mad, but the grey-haired warlock was right. "Never the less, this is also an opportunity!"
"Wait, how is my not knowing magic an opportunity?"
"You're unbaised! None of the misinformed mutterings of arrogant fools who couldn't ignite their own flatulence! But forgive my waggling tongue, we shall have more time for your instruction in the arts of spellcraft at a later time." He pawed through a pile of charts, maps, scrolls and notes until he found what he was looking for. "These are just the first of many, my lady" he said, as he presented her with some of his first room designs. "Once my apprentice and I are fully settled, I will be able to more ably devote my talents to making your dungeon truely worthy of respect." While unfinished, they would be the basis of the expansion of her dungeon. A training facility, a workshop, and..a temple? She had some questions about that last one, but held her tongue.
She looked to the ghost, who had been observing over her shoulder. "This is an excellent start. For now, lets leave these two to their work and check out that lava chamber."
..................
The young draculina was rather displeased. The hole in the wall wasn't much, but it could allow a full grown man to come and go as he pleased. That is, if it weren't for the lake of molten magma. The chamber was incredibly bright compared to the relative gloom of the dungeon, and the air was heavy with the stench of brimstone. Shielding her eyes from both the fiery illumination and intense heat, she could make out another entrance on the opposite side. She had set her imps to tunneling around the lake of fire, but their progress was halted by solid bedrock.
"This is a definite problem. We can't know what may lie beyond our borders, and those Spawn won't be the last. We need to shore up our defences." The Mentor had floated out over the lava to observe, and was noting where a bridge could be erected to allow her to move past the lava. "For now, put those pea-brained orcs to good use and have them keep watch here, just in case we aren't alone."
"What about that tunnel?" Seras didn't like not knowing what was out there.
The ghostly figure shrugged. "There is little we can do about that until we build a bridge. If need be, we can collapse the breached tunnel to prevent further intrusions into your territory, but I'm hoping that won't be necessary. For now, I would stay wary and keep recruiting."
"Does that mean going back to Skid Row?" Seras's face scrunched up at the thought.
"Not yet, though we will have further business there. Come, I will show you."
Making their way through the dungeon tunnels, the ghost led her to the standing stones that contained the whirling magical portal. "I thought you said we weren't going back yet?"
"We aren't. Do you remember how you activated the stones? This time, as you release mana into the stone, focus on your desire to recruit and expand. The portal will react to this, and erect a glyph stating your offer."
Stepping forward, Seras placed an open palm on the rough surface of the portal stone. Looking within herself once again, searching for the rhythmic thumping of the dungeon heart, she was immediately rewarded by a flush of energy. Now, she simply had to channel her want for able workers and....
A crackle from the portal made her open her eyes, and she was shocked to see the Hellsing emblem through the swirling vortex. "Excellent. Now all that remains is waiting for prospective minions to come through seeking work."
..................
Some distance away, a small goblin tribe had made their camp above a small frozen stream. The fires were dead and cold when one of the sentries came racing into the camp, screaming his head off. Within seconds, the camp was up in arms and ready to fend off whatever predator was waiting in the dark. Their leader, a particularly hairy specimen of the goblin species, was peering into the darkness, waiting for the enemy. Silently he nursed a blunt nub where his right hand once existed.
"What Muk Muk sees? What Muk Muk sees?"
"Spiderz? Skeltans? Big snakeses?"
The one called Muk Muk was shaking his head, which caused the bucket he was wearing for a helmet to rattle around. "Big glowy stonezes!"
"Glowy stonez?"
"Youz stoopid! Stonezes no glow! Mushroomses glows!"
The hairy goblin pushed his way forward, grabbing Muk Muk by the collar of his rat-hide cloak. "Show me."
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(Posted Fri, 27 Feb 2015 22:57)
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