Chapter 33

Note: Thanks to Alex for beta reading this!

I reached the northern sector of the city and found Garnet, Hagane, Sriblo, Terra, Baaghi, and the surviving werebears and orcs getting the halflings moving towards the dungeon. I looked around at the evacuation then glanced to Ms. Trueno.

“Let’s go,” she said in a calm voice. The sort she would use with her students. “It’s okay. We’re getting out of here.”

“Garnet,” I shouted, seeing her leading a group of halflings towards the dungeon, Sriblo trotting with her.

“Big bro!” squealed my little sister.

She flapped her red wings and raced over to me. She threw herself into my arms and kissed me. Her lips were soft on mine. I grabbed her ass and squeezed her rump. Her tongue thrust into my mouth. Hot and nimble, it danced with mine.

I broke the kiss and breathed heavily. She had a wicked smile on her lips, this naughty gleam in her red eyes. Her black pigtails framed her mischievous face. She thrust her hands behind her back, arching an eyebrow at me.

“What’s up, big bro?” she asked.

“Get to the air and make sure we’re getting everyone out,” I told her. “Sweep the city. No one gets left behind.”

“You got it, big bro!” She spread her wings wide and leaped into the sky. “Kweh, heh, heh!”

I shook my head then headed out into the city to find people to save, my heart pounding in my chest. Exhilaration surged through me. We had taken losses, but we had the city secured. Now we just had to funnel the halflings through Astovin and pull my dungeon back across the mountains.

If Sulanga Stormfury wanted vengeance, he’d have to come to me. He’d have to leave his dungeon behind. He might have the stronger monster girls, but I had more of them. He would be attacking me on my home turf.

And if he took too many away from his base, then he would be vulnerable to adventurers. I smiled. He could never bring his full force to bear on me. Not without risking it all. We just had to get everyone out of here fast.

How far away was his dungeon from here?

Garnet winged over the city. It was still full of so many halflings.

“Zobens and Briesmoni, there’s a group of halflings hiding in the building that you’re passing on your right. I saw them through the windows,” I sent to the two orcs prowling through the street. “Be gentle with them.”

“We’ll be gentle,” promised Zobens as she kicked in the door and rushed in, Briesmoni right on her heels.

Garnet looked to the south and drifted into that sector to help with the evacuation down there. Her eyes scanned the city. She would find every last halfling. She would not let her big brother down. She would help them save everyone.

This was such an incredible day. She felt so thrilled to be in this world.

Crystal reached the street with her surviving yuki-onna. Morana emerged on the street, her cape of black mist spilled down her back. Lana swooped down and landed with a flurry of her lightning-clad wings.

“Let’s move it,” Lana shouted. “We have a city to evacuate.”

“Right, let’s go,” said Crystal. The ice sprite ran down the street and burst into a building. A group of halflings huddled inside. “Come on, it’s okay. We’re here to help. Lord Leo has sent us.”

“Lord Leo?” a child squeaked. The boy was so small, coming up to Crystal’s knee.

“That’s right,” she said, smiling at him. “We’re Lord Leo’s, not that evil Sulanga Stormturd’s.”

The boy laughed. So did others.

Crystal motioned them and led them out onto the street. She guided them to the cobbler that served as one of the dungeon entries and ushered them inside. Morana led her own group, the queen of the dead looking strange holding a hurt halfling in her arms. Concern painted the goth banshee’s face.

The ice sprite swallowed and darted off to find more halflings to return. Her next group hid in an alley, quivering there. A small family, grandparents included. She led them out and spotted Halia leading a group of halflings. A large one. Thirty or more being shepherded by her and a few of the salamanders. They were waving their arms, ushering the halflings inside.

Then Piaro, Mastab, and Dychannie led another large group. The blue-scaled basilisks looked so gentle as they guided them in. They weren’t the fierce monster girls whose breath could petrify you. They were loving and caring women.

Leo’s done this to us, thought Crystal. He’s changed these fierce monster girls from something dangerous and vicious into creatures who are full of love and compassion. Those bitches in the skies had none of that.

“Hey, big sis,” Garnet said in Crystal’s mind. “Don’t just stand there. I’ll whip that butt. There are halflings three blocks to the north. In the large building with the shattered wall. Go get them.”

Crystal shot a gaze to the sky and spotted Garnet soaring above them. She indeed had a shadowy whip in hand. “Love to see you try,” Crystal sent back with a smile on her lips. “Your whip would freeze to my ass, then what would you do?”

“Tie you up!” Garnet cracked the whip in the sky.