The Guild Core: The Complete Saga Boxset: A LitRPG Dungeon Adventure

by TJ Reynolds

  Tela shook her head. “No, not that I’ve heard of. But your presence in Hintar has not gone unnoticed. The council of nobles has sent an army to seize the Sunken Keep. They’ll be at your doorstep in two days. Three thousand soldiers at the minimum, and with them, several of Hintar’s most powerful wizards. It may be best to simply flee.

  “Good luck to you and yours, Ban. I hope you can somehow survive.”

  The ranger bowed at the waist and left them. She walked back across the bridge and threw a long leg over the back of her horse.

  Shouting out a command, Tela rode away with her band of rangers, off on some unknown mission.

  Jakodi watched them go, and with a whisper of his mind, said, It might be best if you tell Kai. We will not stand without the dragons.

  18

  Master of the Keep

  Bancroft

  “Kai, I must leave this body at once!” Ban said the second he emerged back into his champion. “Tela of the rangers came and warned of an approaching army. The Sunken Keep will be under siege in two days!”

  The fragile peace and happiness his companions had just felt melted away in a flash.

  Rhona gasped, her eyes flaring wide.

  Kai’s dragon eyes squinted into slits. Tell me all you know, Ban. Quickly!

  “I know all too little,” Ban admitted. “Tela came and told me the council of Hintari nobles had sent an army of three thousand, perhaps more. Wizards are with them.” Ban gaped briefly, fear crushing his heart. “I must prepare the keep. Not to worry, I have plans aplenty, but Kai… please return as quickly as you can.”

  Rhona threw herself up onto Kai’s back, and the other dragons unfurled their wings, all looking prepared to take to the air immediately.

  Kai nodded to Ban, his golden eyes smoldering. Go, Bancroft. Protect your core and know your dragon is coming on swift wings. We will be there as soon as we can.

  Mind still in panic, Ban gave his beloved dragon a nervous smile before yanking his consciousness out of the champion’s body.

  He took the ether that had formed Greg with him, dissolving the champion in a second.

  Back in the keep, Ban reformed Greg’s body at the base of the tower. He shouted as loud as he could, “Caw! Come here at once!”

  A squeak emerged from higher up in the tower, and less than a minute later, the daldrim leader burst out of the first-floor door. “What is it, Great Leader? Why the shouts for Caw?”

  Taking pity on the creature, Ban tried to calm his racing heart. “Caw, I need you to send ten of your fastest warriors. Seek out the kobolds immediately. Tell them to send all their forces as well as every Earth Core champion within two days’ travel.”

  Caw gaped, his ugly face confused and terrified. “Great Leader, what is wrong?” He glanced around the empty chasm. “I sees no threats.”

  “Do as I say, Caw, and be swift about it. Battle will come shortly.”

  The daldrim spun on his heel and raced back in the tower. Caw’s shrill voice barked orders immediately after, and Ban heard the scramble of hasty preparations.

  Withdrawing from Greg’s body, Ban swooped up through the Sunken Keep. He activated a score of hidden traps, filling the chambers with pitfalls and acid bombs.

  Ban flipped the switch on a thousand devious plans he’d come up with over the long winter months.

  If some snobbish Hintari noble thinks they can steal my dungeon, they are sorely mistaken, Ban thought bitterly. I will burn their soldiers, cut them down in droves, and make their children grow up as orphans.

  Gone was the kind steward who liked most the subtleties of life.

  Gone was happy Bancroft, willing to accommodate any friendly soul within the safety of his dungeon.

  Gone was restraint, common goodness, and humanity.

  Fear and desperation made for a toxic brew—Ban knew that better than most. He’d had his core threatened twice now, and both had been close and terrifying ordeals.

  This was not just about him any longer, however.

  Bancroft was the Sunken Keep.

  The Sunken Keep stood as a symbol of regrown and sanctuary. And it acted as the last stand against the darkness that would soon come.

  Ban wished he had a mouth to froth from. Of all the wretched times to seek ambition! he fumed, reinstalling the breakaway portions of the bridge, now more deviously designed.

  And why not send an envoy to congratulate the resurrection of this dungeon? But no! I swear it, men are equal parts good and evil. I suppose I should be lucky to have known so many of the good.

  With the keep’s defenses in order, Ban saw to his field fortifications.

  Aesthetics were everything to Ban. Simply surrounding his lovely keep with a mess of walls and towers would have made for a tragically ugly facade.

  So, knowing that using up precious resources when time was short could be disastrous, Ban had done much to prepare the grassy field above.

  He applied his will and lifted the prefabricated walls. They rose up from where they’d been buried in the turf, black and solid stone lined with steel.

  His influence stretched well beyond the walls now. Those stood well over a quarter-mile from the chasm. Extending himself to the very edge of his influence, Ban lifted twenty-foot walls in a wide ring around the keep.

  Since the keep brushed up against the foot of a mountain on one side, and a cliff on the other, the wall took on the shape of a crescent moon. Bowing outwards, the two-thousand-foot wall would be strong enough to withstand nearly any force that invaded him.

  Furthermore, his wall had parapets behind which his minions could stand and fight. Four thirty-foot towers rose from sockets he’d forged in the bedrock.

  They weren’t particularly stout, but each could hold thirty archers apiece.

  At the center of the wall, Ban had designed something particularly nasty. Giving the illusion of weakness, Ban forged a ten-foot steel gate that any catapult could destroy in a single volley.

  Twenty feet of open ground would then be exposed, where he could fight toe to toe with the invaders. His minions would slice into them, and when things got nasty, Ban would trigger the largest trap he’d ever constructed.

  I pity their souls, he thought as the last of the structures was set in place. But I will not hold back when they come for me.

  Ban filled each tower with thirty archer nymphs, their dexterous fingers perfect for using the long bows he’d fashioned.

  Behind the gate, Ban assembled ten ranks of obsidian bears and striated crawlers, the sturdy monsters he’d shown Rhona in his battle room.

  Atop the walls, Ban raised up dozens of drimgard soldiers, all wielding tall pikes to throw of siege ladders. The amalgamations were enhanced versions of the dalgard monsters that had defended Ban’s tower against Hastings’ men, even much stronger and more resilient.

  In fact, Ban felt they were now stronger than any single human, at least when matching a man of equal ascension level.

  He had plenty of other surprises in wait, but the ten ballistae he’d fashioned by modifying oversized bows were among his favored defenses.

  Each was manned by a team of nymphs. He couldn’t hurl stones with his own power—such was against the rules an Earth Core was bound to. But he could fashion all the weapons he desired.

  Last of all, his greatest hope facing such a powerful force, was the fact that he could resummon his minions as often as he wanted.

  As long as no enemy lay a foot within his zone of influence, Ban could replenish his forces as needed.

  I only hope the Hintari don’t discover this somehow. If a single soldier steals past, I’ll be forced to retreat into the tower.

  If that happened, or most likely when, Ban would need to retreat, and the battle of attrition would start. Sheer numbers might once again be the deciding factor.

  Finally, when he felt a bit better about the protections surrounding his precious keep, Ban opened his Amalgamation Interface.

  Greg was a proud representation of
the Sunken Keep.

  The champion had served well, and being able to walk upright on two legs and pretend to be human had value.

  There will be no dinner parties in the coming days, however. I’ll design instead a nightmare the Hintari nobles will fear until their deaths.

  I’ll construct a monster of unimaginable strength.

  Size was a key factor, so Ban had previously decided on using a stone lizard, a four-toed bear, or an elekine as his base design.

  Recalling the vast strength of the elekine alpha was enough of a justification for Ban.

  He selected the elekine and watched it fill half of his vision. The creature was a massive mammal, something like a stout-legged moose. Its massive antlers would provide the basis of terrific weapons.

  Next, he ran through the options of which minion to combine it with.

  The cave crawler has served me well. But its limbs are too fragile, and poison doesn’t act quickly enough.

  He discarded the idea.

  The striated stag had too much in common with the elekine already. No, I want something sturdy, something strong.

  That brought up the tunneling boar, stone lizard, and four-toed bear.

  All brought their own advantages and disadvantages.

  The boar he dismissed first. Its tusks weren’t needed, considering the elekine’s antlers. Also, it had a too-similar body composition, its shoulders and chest much more powerful than its hind quarters.

  Ban couldn’t have his elegant monster be surrounded by Hintari soldiers only to fall because it lacked maneuverability.

  He pondered the bear for a long while. It had a more well-rounded musculature that was similar to the lizard’s in a way.

  Both creatures would be diverse in various situations. Both even had vicious claws and teeth to draw upon, though of vastly different shapes.

  What tipped the scales for Ban was the tail.

  He’d seen all too often lately the devastation that a solid tail strike could produce. Kai and the other dragons could fight with only their tails if they so chose, and though Ban wouldn’t hinder his champion in such a fashion, he wanted the added weapon.

  Selecting the stone lizard, Ban saw the hideous composition of his two selected minions appear in the bottom of his screen.

  That won’t do at all, he thought. Let’s start with the foundation, shall we?

  When he’d first begun creating amalgamations, Ban had started with Head and gone down the list: Torso, Upper, Lower, and Tail.

  There was order in that approach, but not much logic.

  Ban first selected Torso.

  When he did so, Bone Structure, Musculature, and Skin popped up.

  He chose Bone Structure and began adjusting the slider to change the proportions of which minion to draw upon.

  Resting at 50%, the current skeleton he was working with seemed a bit too tall and bulky. The elekine used height in their duels. Clashing alphas would attempt to lift higher to increase the power of their attacks.

  That was an incredible method of fighting a single opponent.

  Ban would be wrestling with an army, though.

  He slid the scale over toward the stone lizard side and stopped at 64%. The shorter skeleton was also much longer than before.

  Pleased with his choice, Ban brought up Musculature next.

  He’d discovered varying benefits to reptilian versus mammalian physiology. In the upcoming battle, however, he would need his champion to fight for a long time. True, by the time he brought it out, it might be swarmed with foes and cut down quickly.

  But he wanted the option of endurance.

  That meant the mammal would be the better choice.

  He shifted the scale over to 80% elekine, appreciating the bunched muscles that filled in the skeleton. The 20% reptilian musculature would increase the champion’s speed and burst power.

  Finally, he selected Skin. Without much thought, Ban shifted the scale all the way over to the Lizard side, preferring scales since they provided some degree of natural armor.

  He hesitated, rethinking the decision. I’ll be making the champion a suit of armor though. Padding might be best after all.

  The elekine had a thick layer of fat surrounding its body to defend against the vicious antlers of its kind.

  Ban reversed his decision, but lowered the scale to 91%, the moment where the tufts of hair disappeared. He didn’t need the champion catching fire should the Hintari use spells.

  He was starting to feel the excitement of mastering something new, a champion strong enough to strike fear in the hearts of his enemies.

  Though this excitement urged him to move faster, Ban used discipline and took each choice seriously.

  Ban selected Head next, and saw Teeth, Skull, Jaw, Eyes, Snout, and Tongue pop up after.

  He went with an 80% elekine skull, which slightly lengthened the elekine’s natural shape. He didn’t want to give too much ground to the lizard since the antlers would need the sturdy structure.

  90% lizard teeth and jaw would give his champion a powerful bite, the 10% from the elekine strengthening both features.

  The Snout and Tongue he kept pure mammalian, but he shifted the Eyes to 50% to give the champion the ability to see at night better, should the need arise.

  Finally, Ban adjusted the Upper and Lower extremities.

  On both accounts, he preferred the lizard build. Recalling how he had managed with the stone houndzard, Ban ended up at 78% stone lizard.

  The champion wouldn’t drag its belly across the ground, but nor would it keep its legs directly beneath its body. The latter would only invite having the monster knocked over in a fight.

  When he was finished, the amalgamation looked much like a wide-legged sludge hound.

  The next choice was simple.

  He wanted 100% lizard tail since the elekine essentially had a shrunken one, little more than a nub.

  Seeing the nearly completed design in his Interface made Ban wish Kai was present. He’d love nothing more than to impress his dragon, show Kai yet again what he was capable of.

  Yet there was a battle coming to Ban’s front door.

  And in all likelihood, Kai and the others wouldn’t be here when it arrived.

  Instead of bowing to that spike of fear that called out in his heart like a baying hound, Ban shoved it away.

  He didn’t need fear.

  He needed a champion.

  The last thing Ban did was modify the monster’s antlers.

  At first, he’d planned to keep it entirely elekine, but he chose instead to shrink the antlers down until they were only three feet long.

  The wide plates of bone wouldn’t be his champion’s weapons, they would only serve to root the weapon in place. Steel, or perhaps even mithril allow would him to form the device he planned to make.

  Ban finalized his choices, and he summoned the champion.

  It materialized in a shower of ether, its bulky form so large that Honor knickered in distress from his enclosure.

  And it wasn’t done yet.

  With an evil joy, Ban chose Metamorphosis, evolving the champion into something even greater.

  Its claws grew into long sickles that could kill a horse with a single swipe.

  Its teeth extended.

  The broad shoulders and thick limbs became heavy with dense muscle.

  The monster grew into a creature one might mistake for a wingless dragon if not for its oddly mammalian features.

  It was at least twice the size of his stone houndzard, and it was ready for anything.

  Well, nearly ready, Ban added.

  With the flourish of a master craftsman, Ban summoned the threshing blades he’d designed for the creature. Since its body would excel in side-to-side movements, Ban forged crescent blades that fanned out to the right and left.

  They spread out over the monster’s snarling faces, five feet in length. The tips of each axe-like blade stretched into a long spear that could effectively stab or slash.
r />   As Ban was modifying the design he’d used for Kai’s plate armor, a rasping voice spoke up at the base of the tower. “A fearsome creature if ever I’ve seen one. You wouldn’t believe how many ambitious fools I’ve warned over the years. None ever seem to listen.”

  It was Jakodi.

  The old man hobbled out of the tower, leaning heavily on his cane.

  Warn them of what? Ban asked, grateful to have someone here to admire his work.

  Jakodi grinned. “Warned them not to rouse an otherwise peaceful Earth Core. No other creature in Anvar is capable of such an array of emotions. Normally, you are the sweetest and most respectful being, Bancroft. Every Earth Core I’ve ever met has been much the same, though your personalities and passions differ.

  “But when pushed into a corner…” His voice trailed off and he pointed to the champion with his cane. “This is what comes out. Truly terrifying.”

  Thank you, Jakodi. I think that was meant as a compliment?

  “More of a statement.”

  Ban chuckled. Fair enough. Well, if you don’t mind, I do have some more work to do in preparing the monster’s armor.

  Jakodi nodded but remained where he was, both hands planted firmly atop his staff. “There’s something else as well. I feel my curiosity demands I stay until I have learned the name of this monstrosity. What will you call it, Bancroft?”

  Ban thought about it—seeking to combine the creature names in his head produced several undesirable combinations.

  Elekzard. Stone Elekine… Lizkine?

  The creature design shall be known as a Tyrannical Lizkine, Ban declared finally.

  The old man laughed, nodding emphatically. “Very good, but what will its name be? You named your last champion Greg. That no longer seems to fit, does it?”

  Jakodi was right.

  This was something on an entirely different level, designed not to fit in among men but to slay them in droves.

  After scanning the endless list of names and titles Ban knew of, one emerged as properly terrifying in nature.

  With a great deal of gravity and confidence, Ban said, I think I’ll call him Darby.