1-49 Last Stand

Zorac didn’t bother with a shirt as he burst into the hall and ran for the stairs. He wasn't even sure how to find Rajeen as the woman's private chambers were well beyond the areas only her harem girls could enter. He dashed into the common room to find it empty except for the tiger guards who stood watch at every doorway. He expected as much as it was well past midnight, but he had prayed a harem girl would be about still cleaning up. With no other option, he ran for the guards at one of the private halls and was not surprised when they crossed their swords to bar his way.

“Please, I need to speak to Rajeen,” the lizardman said. “Jaina is in danger!”

“No entrance without permission,” one of the guards growled.

“Didn’t you hear me?” Zorac shouted. “I said Jaina is in danger! I have to warn Rajeen!”

“Stand back, or we will cut you down,” one of the guards said in a voice that dripped with threat.

“Hold!” a voice called as the two guards began to draw their swords. A woman with dark skin and white hair peeked around the corner wearing harem silks. “What did you say about Jaina?”

“She came to me in a dream and told me she was in danger. She begged me to run to Rajeen and tell her where she was,” Zorac said with a pleading voice. “You have to believe me. She used some kind of magic to enter my dreams.”

“She uses the fairy’s glitter. It allows the Gisley woman to manipulate the user's dreams,” the woman replied with a tense voice.

“Yes, that’s it!” he exclaimed. “The gnoll guy, Roric, he gave me a small jar of glitter and told me how to use it.”

“Then they must trust you or see something of value in you,” the woman replied.

“Then you believe me?” Zorac asked. “You have to get me to Rajeen. There is no time to waste.”

“I cannot take you to my master,” the woman replied. “But I believe you, and I will risk telling her you are here. Stay here and do not attempt to pass the guards.” With that, she vanished around the corner, leaving him to wonder what would happen next.

Zorac stepped away from the guards, who looked as if they were still not ready to let him pass, and waited a few moments. A minute later, he heard a distant shout of anger followed by a chorus of voices steadily drawing closer. Then two lights appeared in the darkness of the hall. Blue eyes full of anger stared out at him as the tigress appeared flanked by a dozen women armed for battle.

“Deliver your message,” Rajeen demanded as she stepped into the room wearing only a slip around her waist.

Zorac quickly repeated everything Jaina had said as the tiger woman’s eyes blazed with anger. He impressed the point that they were trapped and outnumbered with very little strength left to fight. Rajeen didn't waste a moment and turned to her girls with a snarl on her lips.

“Wake everyone and order them into armor!” She shouted as she turned to head back into the hall. “I want the tunnels scoured for trespassers, and my beloveds found! Send a messenger to the rogue's guilds, and tell them I want all the exits sealed! Nobody gets out of that dungeon unless I say they can leave!”

Women ran off to follow her orders, and moments later, a gong rang out three times. Zorac ran back to his room and gathered his armor and club before rushing down through a hallway of guests, looking out doorways to see what was going on. He rushed in his scale mail armor to the common room, where he saw Rajeen wearing black leather with metal plates covered in small sharp spikes.

“Lady Rajeen?” Zorac said as the woman stood in the doorway while a small army of women ran by in the hall.

“Ah, I was hoping you would come back,” Rajeen said as she smiled. “It would appear you are special to Jaina, so I will trust you to come with us.”

Zorac nodded and shouldered his club as Rajeen snapped her fingers and ordered the guards to follow. Moments later, an army of angry women poured into the sewers, fanning out to block every exit and sweep into the lower dungeons. Many of them knew the dungeons well and led raiding parties to begin clearing entire sections. When they found the fools threatening the master's beloveds, they would teach them just how poor a decision they had made.

“Evalynn rustled Roric awake as he slept in a huddle with the girls. He blinked his tired eyes and looked up to see her troubled expression and knew their time was up.

“I hear something coming,” Evalynn said and pointed to the doorway. “We are about to be discovered.”

“Get up,” Roric called as he rustled the sleeping women.

“What?” Gisley asked as she rubbed her eyes.

“Our enemies have found us,” Roric sighed and helped Chandice up. “We have to hold them off as long as we can.”

Jaina looked at Evalynn, who nodded that the danger was real and the time for resting had come to an end. Judging by how little stamina she had recovered, she guessed less than two hours had passed. Still, it would be enough for a controlled fight, provided the number of foes was small.

Roric took charge of the strategy, asking Chandice to pull her devil back so they could use the door as a choke point. The room was large where Gisley, Jaina, and Chandice could hide safely back to avoid area of effect spells. There were even a few nooks that they could use for cover once the doorway was lost and they. Chandice was to conserve her power so that as soon as her devil died, she could summon two imps who could do far more damage than she could right now. Gisley would use her sword to defend Chandice and Jaina while Roric, Evalynn, and the devil focused on holding the doorway.

They huddled in the chamber, waiting until they all heard the thumps of armored feet. Evalynn charged the moment the door was thrown open, immediately scoring a solid hit on a human woman with an ax. Behind her were several more players, but they were quickly shoved back by Evalynn's attack. Roric moved through the door with her, the devil warrior right behind, engaging a dwarf man and a slightly shorter woman with green hair. The ambush had its desired effect, taking them by surprise, but it quickly turned as the short woman began to teleport around, laughing as she kept stabbing with a slender knife.

“That’s a type of fairy,” Gisley said as her antenna went up. “It’s like an evil leprechaun. They can teleport short distances and create illusions.”

“Great, more illusions,” Jaina said as she winced when Roric was stabbed in the leg. She and Gisley were still absorbing damage, and he would likely pull on them to heal when he needed it. Though this was helping, it left Jaina longing for a way to affect the battle more directly. She just wasn't a class that was good in direct combat, and dungeons were not her strong suit. Eventually, that would change, but until it did, all she could do was hope she had enough health for Roric to draw on.

Roric desperately tried to swat the rapidly darting fairy, who kept vanishing in puffs of mist. Every time he did, he or Evalynn cried out as he stabbed at them from behind with a slender knife. Roric found it hard to twist and turn in the corridor, especially with his long spear. However, the dangerous foe was short and had plenty of room to maneuver about. Moreover, being able to teleport made it much harder to pin her down, distracting them from the other foes.

It was an excellent tactic, but Roric could see a pattern in his attacks. She was darting from one to the other in perfect succession, always arriving directly behind. Roric planned his attack catching a glimpse as the fairy stabbed at Evalynn, then turned rapidly even as she vanished. He slashed at the spot that used to be directly behind him, catching the player as she appeared. The pest cried out in pain as Roric’s blow took her off her feet to slam into a wall. Roric tried to skewer her, but the fairy blinked away before he could strike. Suspecting she might focus on him now, Roric jumped forward while turning in the air. Sure enough, the angry fairy appeared to strike at him only to find he was out of reach. However, the long spear was more than able to strike back, scoring a second hit on the miniature pest.

“No fair!” the lurikeen cried as she stumbled back only to be caught by Evalynn, who saw an opportunity. She took a firm hit from the dwarf so that she could visit some payback on the little pest. Her blow tossed her at Roric, who tried to skewer her, only for her to blink away. She arrived in the room before the three girls and smiled to see two of them were naked.

“I hope we take you two alive,” she said with a wicked smile.

“Keep dreaming,” Gisley replied and slashed at her with her sword, only for her to blink away. Jaina immediately grew her claws and wisely pressed her back to Gisley’s so the creature couldn’t get behind either of them.

Chandice backed up to the wall and, with a word, was surrounded by a halo of fire. The poor player appeared at her side and was immediately burned, but she managed to stab Chandice's leg, causing her to cry in pain.

“Friggan damage auras!” the player cried as she hopped around and looked back with rage in her eyes before a red lance of light struck and sent her flying. She hit the floor as a ray of moonlight came down, flattening her to the stone where she finally lay motionless.

“I can’t do that too many more times,” Gisley said as she watched the dead player carefully.

“Was that red light you?” Jaina asked.

“It was Roric,” Chandice replied as she limped away from the wall. “He used that ranged attack to throw a phantom spear.”

Jaina turned back the fight in the tunnel to see Roric and Evalynn were faring far better in a two-on-two fight. Without the annoying pest to keep them turning, they could focus on the remaining combatants who were no match for Evalynn.

“This one’s not low level,” the dwarf cried as Evalynn used a special ability that had her moving in a blurring series of attacks. She struck the poor player five times as he tried in vain to scurry back. The devil and Roric were double-teaming the woman who appeared the be the more dangerous of the two attackers. She wore heavy armor and swung a one-handed ax with deadly precision while using her free hand to cast defensive spells. She produced shields, gusts of wind, and even counter punches, but being on the defensive wasn't helping her cause. Slowly she began to take hits, and when Evanlynn finally ended the dwarf, it turned to three on one.

“You can’t win this!” the woman shouted as she started to falter. “We all know you are trapped down here.”

“Tell Alexandria she doesn't have enough money to run us down,” Roric growled as he swept her ax aside and landed a blow to the woman's stomach. “And Don't worry about us. We always manage to survive.”

“Not when Jaxine gets here,” the woman said as blood spurted from her mouth and she fell to her knees. “She can take you all single-handed.” She collapsed face first onto the floor, her fight finally over.

“I managed to conserve some stamina,” Evalynn panted as she leaned against the wall. “But that little annoyance scored some decent hits. My health is badly damaged.”

“Mine is too,” Roric wheezed and looked back to the girls. “I have to draw on your health.”

“Just do it,” Jaina insisted. “If you are strong enough to keep fighting, we might hold out long enough.”

Roric didn't think that was true, but maybe there was something useful in the dead player's gear. He asked Evalynn to help him search for anything that might help, and after dumping their bags and pouches, they found one small health potion.

“That isn't going to go very far,” Evalynn said as Roric held the bottle out to her.

Roric agreed, but what else could they do? He could heal from the slave girls, but Evalynn had no means of recovery save a rest. The potion would likely only heal her enough to survive one more hit, but any help was worth it. He was just about to hand it over when an idea came to mind.

“Wait!” he cried and handed her the potion so he could root around in his pouch of deep pockets.

“What are you doing?” Jaina called as he became desperate to find the right object.

“I think I know how to turn that healing potion into a fountain,” Roric replied as he fished out the magic chalice he won at the fair.

“That’s brilliant,” Chandice said with a weak smile. “Assuming it works with magic liquids.”

“Let’s find out,” Roric said and poured the small potion into the cup. He and Evalynn leaned in close to watch as the magic caused the cup to fill with red liquid.

“It's working!” Evalynn cried as Roric held the chalice up to her. She quickly took a drink of the much larger quantity of potion, feeling her wounds melting away. The magic refilled the chalice a moment later, and Roric took the next drink, melting his injuries away without having to drain Jaina and Gisley. He then ran back to hand the cup to Chandice, who only drank a little, just enough to mend her one serious injury.

“Save the rest for you two,” Chandice suggested. “We might need it in the long run.”

“What about the devil?” Gisley asked as he, too, was wounded.

“Oh, pets heal fast once they are out of combat,” Chandice said. “If he goes five minutes without combat, he will start regenerating rapidly.”

“And you should pull on my health the moment you need it,” Jaina urged as she looked at Roric. “I have natural regeneration. I can use my kiss to heal Gisley while I regenerate myself. So don't be afraid to draw on us.”

“I have to take into account that you are taking wounds for me already,” Roric replied as he handed the chalice to Chandice to hold. “If I draw on a wounded slave, I will likely overtax you quickly. I know you picked this class because of your regeneration and ability to keep healing me, but it still has its limits.”

“Which we might be testing,” Evalynn said as she pointed to the hall. “More players are coming.”

Roric ran for the doorway with Evalynn at his side as they did indeed see dark shapes coming down the hall. There would be no ambush this time, as the bodies lying in the tunnel would alert the new arrivals. This group was five strong, with a man in a dark cloak wielding a magic bow. He also had what looked like a panther at his side, bringing their numbers up to six.

“Two to one odds,” Evalynn said as they reached the door and prepared to hold it.

“Maybe not,” Roric replied as he took the final moments to consider another option. He had a power that allowed him to summon a hunting beast for a short period. It wouldn't be very strong, and it was a cost to his stamina, but that was what the 20% bonus from having slaves was meant to cover. If he had spent points, it would last longer and be tougher, but he hadn't, so it was only going to go so far. With a command, he called for the pet, producing a small hyena that rose from the ground.

[lvl 15 Conqueror skill: Minor summon pack] You summon a hunting animal befitting your race.

“There they are!” a woman in the back called as the pet drew their attention. She immediately turned to an elf with blue skin and told her to run and tell the others. That woman took off at terrific speed, racing down the tunnels to get help while the others kept them trapped.

“Four to against six,” Evalynn said with a smile. “Much better odds.”

Roric went to nod in agreement when he noticed his foes using a strange tactic. They formed a single line behind one powerful-looking tank with a heavy shield. He ran down the hall, creating a barrier of force as the archer and what looked like a wizard went to fire. Roric saw the perfect opportunity to dish out some direct damage as his foes made themselves the perfect target.

“Gisley!” Roric cried and looked back. “Take off your collar and use that ray ability!” He and Evalynn dived to either side of the door as Gisley stepped into the center of the room and threw out her hands.

[lvl 45 Lunar Fairy skill: Fairy fire] An intense blast of fairy energy races from your outstretched hands. It produces a straight line that strikes all targets in its path for ten yards. It does massive damage but has a one-minute cooldown and uses a significant amount of fairy dust.

A purple laser-like ray raced down the hall, burning through the line of players. They cursed and cried out in anger as the hunter ignored the pain and fired that magical bow. The arrow trailed frost in its wake, striking Gisley flat in the chest and then exploding in a cloud of snow and ice. She screamed in pain and to the side, curling into a ball as she shivered from the intense cold. He went to fire a second shot as Jaina rushed in to grab Gisley. Roric slammed the door shut, blocking the line of sight but only until that metal warrior collided with it.

The door and surrounding wall buckled and then shattered, falling into the room as the warrior came crashing through. He immediately used an ability that created a phantom shield of light, causing it to slam Roric back while he turned on Evalynn.

The devil leaped on the hunter while Roric's hyena squared off against the cat. The woman in the back waved a hand and produced a green slicing bolt. It struck Roric as he tried to recover, causing a hissing wound that burned with acid. Beside her ran a man with a dagger in each hand. He rushed into the room and dived on Roric to keep him off balance. He was intercepted by a curse from Chandice and Gisley, brandishing her flashing sword. The two exploded into a whirling dance of rapid cuts and parries while yet another woman in white armor and wearing a metal veil stepped up. She raised a mace and called for something called a hammer of faith, producing a magical glowing light. It was shaped like a hammer, and before anyone could react, it raced across the room, striking Jaina. She was battered aside as if it had been swung by a strong man, throwing her bruised body to the floor.

“I will keep the whore busy,” the woman announced as she stepped forward to engage the back row.

Chandice let loose a firebolt to distract the woman as she ran to Jaina's side. She quickly knelt and handed her the magic cup so she could drink the healing potion. Even as she handed off the cup, the woman charged, raising her mace as she closed the gap.

“Shadow binds!” Chandice shouted as she reached for her staff, preparing to defend Jaina for as long as she could.

[lvl 12 Warlock skill: Shadow binds] Create chains of shadow to wrap an opponent, binding them for up to one full minute. Attacking a bound foe causes the chains to weaken and grants the target a strength check with a bonus to break them.

The woman came to a sudden halt as chains formed like smoke around her and then anchored to the ground, holding her fast as she struggled. She looked up with anger smoldering in her eyes while flexing against the chains that strained to hold her.

Chandice held her staff in one hand while pointing with her wand with the other. A bolt of light fired out of the wand, changing colors rapidly as it raced to the trapped woman. It was white when it struck her, spreading out in a shower of sparks that resembled an electrical flare. The woman howled and strained the chains beginning to break as Chandice fired another flux bolt.

[lvl 10 Enchanter skill: flux bolt] You cast a bolt of fluxing energy that detects your target's weakness and becomes the most effective type.

“You are going to pay for this!” the woman shouted as the chains finally broke. Before Chandice could get off another spell, a ray of light fell from the ceiling, striking her with holy fire. She fell to the side, seriously wounded, as the woman laughed and mocked her for not being able to heal.

“Blood bats!” Chandice cried as she pointed her staff at the woman. Black bats poured out of the tip, flying in a swarm at the gloating woman. They descended on her as she cursed Chandice, promising to make her death slow.

[lvl 11 Warlock skill: Blood bats] black bats fly from your hand, biting the target and transferring the health to the caster.

The bats vanished after biting, but the woman was already charging with a hand out, and her mace raised high. Chandice felt something hit her chest as another of those terrible hammers nearly took her off her feet. She locked the woman with a twisting ray of black light as she tried to tear away at the woman's health, but she was on Chandice a moment later. The mace twisted poor Chandice's head to the side before she took a second blow to the shoulder. Chandice felt this was the end until Jaina pounced on the woman from behind.

[lvl 13 Seductress skill: Drain strength] With a touch, you siphon away a portion of the target's strength, adding it to your own. Your strength cannot exceed 150%. Target cannot be reduced below 50%

Jaina tackled the woman with her claws while trying to drain away her strength. She hoped that the loss of strength might slow the woman, but she didn't seem bothered. She glowed with a golden light that burned Jaina's skin, causing her to want to let go to avoid the pain. She clung on, trying to dig her claws into the woman's back to do some damage. The woman responded by ramming into the wall, crushing Jaina between the wall and her armor. Jaina felt the air blast from her lungs and couldn't hold on as she slumped down the wall.

“Did you really think you could keep running?” the woman asked as she turned to glare at Jaina. “You should have taken Alexandria’s offer. She knows what to do with whores like you.”

“You have no idea how much trouble you are in,” Jaina groaned as she clutched at her chest, wondering how many ribs were broken. “Alexandria isn't the only one who has powerful friends.”

“Almost nobody knows you are down here, and those that do won’t come looking for you in time,” the woman replied as she pulled a pair of shackles out of her bag. “And I will get the bonus for being the one who caught you.”

Roric knew the fight behind him was going poorly, but he didn't have the strength or time to intervene. The hunter's pet easily killed his hyena, and now it and the wizard woman were on top of him. The panther lunged at him repeatedly, cutting deep scratches through his leg armor while the woman fired darts, bolts, and even piercing blasts, seriously wounding him. If not for Jaina and Gisley sharing the damage, he was certain he would already be dead, but as it stood, he feared to draw on them for healing. They were both in combat, and to take away their health now might leave them vulnerable to their foes.

He rolled and released a series of rapid stabs, scoring several more hits on the panther. Thankfully its master was in melee with the devil, who seemed to be holding his own. Evalynn was facing off against the tank, and to her credit, he was bleeding and bellowing in anger. However, she was in no better condition, having been battered and thrown about like a toy. If only she could break away long enough to drink from the chalice, but that was an impossibility.

“You fight like an animal,” the wizard woman laughed. “How fitting you will be killed by a cat.”

“I have a feeling you will be, too,” Roric snarled as he took a swipe across the chest but scored a solid hit, nearly impaling the cat fully. The woman saw her chance and let loose with another green bolt that splashed across Rorics back. He screamed in pain and nearly toppled as the acid burned his skin, producing a sickly smoke in the tunnel. He fell to his hands as the panther slid lifelessly to the floor and looked up to see more players coming.

A tall shadow stalked into the tunnel wielding a massive club banded with iron and covered in spikes. He let out a battle cry and rushed forward, bringing the heavy weapon down on the woman's head. The sickening crack that echoed down the tunnel was followed by a cry of pain as the lizard man vicious bit the woman, tearing into the woman's shoulder.

“You!” Roric cried as he recognized Jaina’s lizardman lover.

“I will be with you in a minute,” Zorac answered as he unleashed a hail of blows on the woman who was desperately trying to fend him off. She lashed at him with acid and lightning, but all it seemed to do was make the lizardman angry. A final crack across the face sent her twisting into a wall to crumple into the tunnel, finally freeing Zorac to come to Roric's side.

“You’re a mess,” Zorac said as he assisted Roric in sitting.

“Help, Jaina,” Roric pleaded and pointed to the battle going on behind him. “Don’t let them take her.”

“Wait here,” Zorac said and turned to face the rest of the combatants. A naked purple woman was covered in cuts and fighting with some kind of rogue or specialist fighter. The armored woman was going toe to toe with a giant man, or perhaps a half-ogre. In the back corner, a woman in full plate was chaining somebody he couldn't quite see while the warlock he knew as Rorics companion crawled for a cup sitting on the floor. He assumed the woman being chained had to be Jaina, so without wasting a moment, his eyes went red as he used a battle surge and charged in.

“What?” the woman said just as she took the full blow of that club in the side. Zorac hoped the blow would easily knock her over, but she slid only a few inches before lashing back with a mace that stung his skin and caused blood to fly from his jaws. He quickly went for powerful strikes, determined to make her feel every blow despite her armor. She, in turn, called holy strikes down on his head and used healing to keep mending her wounds. It was a battle of endurance to see who would run out of stamina first, but he had an ace up his sleeve.

[lvl 25 lizardman skill: Bestial endurance] For the next hour, all stamina-based skills use 50% less stamina. It can only be used once a day.

He used special attack after special attack, forcing her to counter with spells and abilities of her own. It went on for almost a minute until finally, she cried out in frustration, and one of his brutal blows connected. The next one landed as well, and so did the third, as the woman could no longer heal. She staggered back, swinging her mace effectively until black chains wrapped around her. Zorac looked up to see the warlock woman standing, the strange cup in one hand and a black staff in the other.

“Kill her!” Chandice shouted.

“You will pay for –,” the woman shouted just before Zorac’s club ended her words. He turned to join the fight beside the purple woman, lending his club to squash the rogue. That fight ended less than a minute later, leaving only the giant in armor. He rushed in and immediately took a shield to the face, but he was still fresh, and the warrior had been battling the woman for many minutes. With the purple woman and the armored one at his side, they triple-teamed the tank and quickly started scoring hits. A minute later, he fell as well, finally allowing them to step back.

“Where is Jaina?” Zorac asked as he turned to see a nude woman with long dark hair, crying over Roric as she held a silver cup to his jaws.

“Just drink it,” the woman pleaded as he tried to push it away, insisting Evalynn needed it first.

“You’re the lizardman from Jaina’s dream,” Gisley said as she staggered to his side. “Then it worked, you warned Rajeen.”

“She is in the upper dungeon,” Zorac said as he watched the dark-haired woman, somehow convinced he knew her.

“How did you get down here so fast?” Gisley asked.

“What? Oh, I am a lizardman. I swam down a water tunnel from the sewers to a room just down the hall. We lizardmen can swim very fast and hold our breath for ten minutes or more.”

“Jaina, are you alright?” Chandice asked as she joined her at Roric’s side.

“I'm fine,” Jaina replied and looked at the lizardman.

“You’re Jaina?” he asked with a surprised expression.

“I suppose you deserve an explanation,” Jaina said while helping Roric. She handed him off to Chandice and stepped toward the lizardman as her form blurred, and she appeared as the elf woman he knew her as.

“You’re a shapeshifter,” he said and looked at Gisley. “You are one of the girls that danced with her.”

“I am, and Evalynn is the other one,” Gisley said and pointed to the armored woman.

“Please don’t be angry,” Jaina pleaded. “I wanted to tell you, but I am not supposed to reveal the secret.”

“Why not?” Zorac asked as the magic cup was handed to Gisley.

“Because the fewer people who know my secret, the better,” Jaina said and reached up to touch his chest. “But I am glad you know. I felt terribly guilty about your wishes.”

“How touching,” a voice called, turning them all to the tunnel where a woman in black cloth and holding a long sword stood smiling. Behind her were a dozen others of various races and classes.

“We forgot about the hunter,” Roric growled and looked around the room to see the devil was dead. “He escaped and brought help.”

“It was probably that woman who ran off just before the fight started,” Evalynn said as she gripped her weapon tightly.

“I hate to break this tender moment up, but the shapeshifter has an appointment with a slave master,” the woman said as she slashed her sword in a display of skill. “And I intend to collect the reward.”

“Is that some kind of ninja?” Gisley asked as she handed the cup to Evalynn.

“Her name is Jaxxine,” Zorac said as he leveled his club. “It’s rumored she’s over level fifty and is known for her brutality.”

“How good of you to recognize your better,” Jaxxine said with a wicked smile as she pointed the sword their way. “Hand over the girls, and you can go free.”

“Girls?” Roric said in surprise.

“Oh, we heard the fairy has wings which means she is evolved and worth a fortune to certain collectors,” Jaxxine replied as she stepped into the room, her small force spreading out to either side. “Not to mention we hear she's a prostitute. She's going to earn somebody a great deal of money.”

“You aren’t taking any of them,” Roric snarled as he and Evalynn brandished their weapons. “You won’t lay a finger on them while I live.”

“Oh, all we need is your head to claim that reward,” the woman laughed. “Oh, and the elf woman's too.” She turned her gaze on Chandice with a shrug and announced she wasn't worth anything, but she could die all the same.

“By any chance, are you over level fifty?” Jaina asked as she stepped behind Zorac.

“I wish,” he replied and readied to strike the moment battle started.

The woman went to say something else when a shadow moved behind one of the hunters. A woman in padded armor banded with red silks appeared out of thin air, driving a curved dagger into a man’s back. Before anyone could react, the woman catapulted over the group, landing beside Evalynn with murder in her eyes. A moment later, a fireball raced down the tunnel, exploding on the backs of the crowd as Roric used his body to shield Gisley and Chandice. When they looked up, the group was turned around to see a wall of angry women rushing down the tunnel.

“Harem girls!” one of them cried as the group tried to form a line to meet the charge.

“Hold them off!” Jaxxine shouted and turned to engage the whole group by herself. “I can handle this lot.”

“Oh, but you are not going to touch them,” A familiar voice purred as a green flash announced the arrival of Rajeen. She landed a powerful kick that sent the woman staggering back with a snarl on her face.

“So, the mistress has come out to play,” Jaxxine said as her snarl turned into a smile. “My legend will be even greater when I add your name to my list.”

Rajeen took a stance like a fighter about to pounce, holding her hands up to show she was holding spiked knuckles.

“Rajeen can fight?” Chandice asked in surprise as the cat woman waited for her sword-wielding opponent to make the first move.

“You don’t know about Rajeen?” Zorac asked with a note of surprise.

“Our mistress is a master martial artist,” the woman beside them said. “She is a jade monk and a master of the tiger fighting style.”

The two exploded into motion, with the ninja woman unleashing a series of slashes that were impossible to keep track of. Rajeen blocked every blow with the metal bracers on her arms, darting around the woman in circles. Behind them, a small war raged as harem girls in their dozens poured out of the tunnel and swarmed over the other adventurers.

“We need to help her,” Roric said and went to rush in, but the harem girl in their midst held up a hand.

“Our mistress wishes to fight this one alone,” she insisted. “You must stand down and wait for us to secure the tunnels.”

Roric looked to Evalynn, who was just as unhappy about not being allowed to fight. They stepped back instead as Rajeen took a hit to the leg, Jaxxine drawing first blood.

“You’re not as good as they say you are,” Jaxxine laughed as Rajeen set her feet.

“I just wanted to see if you relied on your sword too much,” Rajeen replied as her eyes went green. “Let’s see how you do if you don’t have the range to swing it.”

Jaina gasped as Rajeen blurred and was suddenly beside the woman, landing a devastating punch. She blurred again and was behind her, landing a kick to the woman's back. She blurred again and then again, working her way around the woman landing a series of blows that tossed her from side to side. Jaxxine threw her hand down and vanished in a puff of smoke, appearing a moment later in the air as she swept down on the tiger woman. Rajeen moved with super-human speed, deflecting the blow and punching back, but the ninja woman twisted around it, coming back with a punch of her own.

“It's like one of those martial arts movies,” Evalynn said as the two women engaged in a battle skill, trying to land a blow while the other evaded them. It was a masterful display of skill, with each of them hardly managing to scratch the other. The fight near the tunnel was desperately one-sided as the harem girls swept the bounty hunters aside. They then stood and watched as their master kept the ninja woman on the defensive, always too close for her to use the sword. Eventually, the woman cast the sword aside and drew two short, thin weapons. She used these far more effectively, scoring a couple of hits while taking a crushing punch to the chest.

“What level are you?” Jaxxine growled after Rajeen leaped into the air and delivered a roundhouse kick that staggered the ninja woman.

“That would be telling,” Rajeen replied as she smiled. “You should have counted the number of harem girls I have and then done the math yourself.”

Jaxxine looked at the masses of women watching from the side and realized the level had to be high. She suddenly weighed her options, and with a spring back, she snarled at Rajeen.

“This isn't over. You can't protect them forever,” she cried and vanished in a puff of black smoke.

“No, it isn't over,” Rajeen replied. “Because I have been offended by this Alexandria, and she will answer for it.”

The ordeal was over, and the battle was won as Roric breathed a sigh of relief. His girls were alive and quickly escorted through the dungeon past a dozen other players slain in the rescue. Unfortunately, a few harem girls fell, but Rajeen assured him they would respawn in the inn and be given a special reward.

The group limped up the steps into the inn and were hurried to the back rooms where they could bathe and recover. Roric was the first man in the history of the inn’s existence to be bathed in the purifying pool, a dozen harem girls attending to his and Chandice’s needs. Gisley and Evalynn were at the other end, being rubbed by women eager to restore their stamina. Jaina was the only one who was missing, as she had a special task. Roric insisted she take Zorac aside to explain the deception and offer to give him the money back.

He hoped the lizardman would understand and not be angry with Jaina for the deception. She only did it because Roric made her do so, and in truth, the blame rested on his shoulders. He wondered if perhaps he needed to reconsider how he presented his girls when firm hands gripped his shoulders. He looked up to meet the blue eyes of the tiger woman who smiled down at him. A moment later, she pounced, and Roric was helpless as the woman cornered her prey while the girls attending him laughed. The day had been filled with blood and combat, but it would end with passion and lust as Rajeen demanded a reward for rescuing Roric and his girls.