Chapter 14

Note: Thanks to Alex for beta reading this!

Mrs. Zoe Baldwin shuddered in horror as the dragon’s black flames splashed down on her force of monster girls. Valuna, Klitorsa, Hipera, and Estellara all vanished, consumed by death. The flames swept to the right and caught three of Siwang’s cockatrices.

They screamed only for a moment before vanishing into motes of light.

The dragon landed on grass that grew black and blighted with decay. Perra and Mordera launched themselves at her. The two hellhounds leaped. The red cracks of molten heat that covered their black bodies glowed brighter. The dragoness whirled. She caught Perra by the throat, while her other hand slashed.

Mordera hit the ground and rolled with a scream. Her guts spilled out, disemboweled. Perra thrashed in the dragon’s hand. Blood spurted as claws tore into her throat. Perra vanished into motes followed by Mordera a heartbeat later.

The remaining cockatrices all screamed. The air rippled from their sonic attacks. The dragon staggered and whirled as they assaulted her, pelting her with high-pitched screeches. More flames belched from the dragon’s mouth and swept over the cockatrices. One managed to jump clear, rolling on the ground and leaving the entrance to Siwang’s dungeon unguarded.

The other cockatrices vanished.

“Kill her!” Mrs. Baldwin cried, her roots growing from her toes and surging at the dragon. \ / * Siwang swallowed. Only Madara was left. All his other cockatrices had perished. He sat on his skull throne with his three companions. His mother stood beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder. Guang and Lei stood before the throne.

Fear swelled through Siwang. This monstrous force of destruction easily handled his lowly monster girls. He needed more power, but he lived in the shadow of Leo. That was one of the reasons he’d sworn his allegiance.

Protection.

That was why Siwang had moved his dungeon entrance into Astovin. It was supposed to be protected. And now there was a deadly monster, a dragon, heading into his dungeon. A third of his defenders were dead without doing a thing.

Fear flooded his veins. After spending a lifetime wasting away, much of it in bed too weak to leave, he had a new chance. A new body that was strong. He was free of that dying husk that had been his last few years of painful existence.

He wasn’t ready to die again.

“Leo, she’s killing my monster girls” he sent.

“I know,” Leo answered, his voice composed. “On my way to you. Teleport me to your throne room when I enter your dungeon.”

That made sense. And I can revive my cockatrices. I should be there instead of here.

Feeling stupid, Siwang bolted from his throne and hurried towards his Vault. It was through his living quarters. He had to reach it now before the dragon entered his dungeon. His mother called to him, but he kept running without answering. \ / * Mrs. Zoe Baldwin’s roots surged at the dragon as the rock elementals rushed in to attack. The tall and busty monster girls, made of gray stone with stria of white and black, swung fists grown into boulders. The dragoness twisted out of the way of Kremie’s punch then slashed. She tore the rock elemental’s head off.

“You black bitch!” Hraniti snarled at the death of her sister. Her punch slammed into the side of the dragoness’s head.

The bitch staggered to the right from the blow. Atri, one of the short and petite goblins, darted in and swung her iron sword. The dragon took the blow on her arm and kicked, claws ripping the goblin open from belly to breast. She flew back and crashed into the entrance of Siwang’s dungeon and burst in a blast of motes.

Mrs. Baldwin’s roots seized the dragon’s feet as black flames erupted from her mouth and engulfed Hraniti as the rock elemental swung a second time. She screamed as the power of that umbral fire stole her life.

The last cockatrice gained her feet and screeched with fury and rage, her face twisted with the loss of her sisters. The attack struck the dragon. She swayed from it, rooted in place by Mrs. Baldwin now. The blows were affecting her.

“Get her!” Mrs. Baldwin cried. “We have her!”

Solodada and Infierna charged up on all fours, the fiery cracks that covered the hellhounds’ bodies burning bright. They snarled and jumped on the dragon’s back. They bit at her neck. Hope surged in Mrs. Baldwin as the hellhounds savaged her.

The dragon roared and swung her arm. She threw the two hellhounds off her as she breathed again. Her flames engulfed Mrs. Baldwin’s roots. She screamed in pain as they withered beneath the decaying flames. The dryad staggered. The dragon swung her mouth and sent the flames into the last cockatrice.

As Siwang’s monster girl died, the dragon threw herself at Mrs. Baldwin. The staggering dryad barely got her feet planted beneath her when the dragoness’s claws buried into her throat. Mrs. Baldwin gasped at the pain.

The dragon smiled, cruel delight gleaming in her eyes.

She ripped out Mrs. Baldwin’s throat. The dryad collapsed into motes. The last thing she heard was the hellhounds roaring in fury. \ / * My mother died.