“ I am Bastion.”
Those words caught Will by surprise. Already his older sisters were on their way to to look after Marleen. She was hurt but she will survive with scars, seen and unseen, but she will survive. He quietly moved on as his eldest sister arrived. He moved to their father, who was laying face first in a pool of his own blood. His hand reaching out to his youngest daughter.
“ Papa?”
Will could not contain himself as he started shaking his father. Hoping to stir life back into the body, but his scan does not lie.
“ Papa, wake up. You got to see Marleen is well as well.”
Suddenly a strong but gentle armored hand was on his shoulder.
“ He is more than an honored one, my child. If permitted he will join your mother’s side.”
Will looked down at his father and felt empty. He knew of his father’s younger life. He had frequently told stories of his past. Of some happy times before coming to the dungeon, but there was always that hidden part the dungeon shared of the story that his father did not tell. His father was not the best of men, but he was his father.
“ It is the will of the three that our father joins her side, but we must see to the living before the dead.”
Will turned to see his other sister, Julie, panting out of breath, it must have been a struggle to say what she did. She must have ran all the way from the temple before stopping.
“ I will be claiming a few items from your store, I hope you do not mind?”
Lora shakes her head as she held the now awake and weeping youngest sister.
“ We are here to serve you mighty dungeon elite, what is ours is the dungeons. Take what you wish.”
———
Bastion looked with pity to the younglings. The true firstborn of his kobolds. One has been scarred for life. One he sees walking a dangerous path. One losing her faith. The last trying to remain strong for the others. But it was not his place to console them. His place was to give those deserving the upcumpence they deserve. In his rage, he killed them all, instantly. According to the rules he should not have. His strength was far beyond theirs. But to every rule, there is an exception. His strength is fading. It will take several days before his rank drops, but once it does it will be a domino effect that will speed up the drop. What he must do will take longer than that. Justice was a slow machine and he did not have the time. With a thought, Bastion comes up with an idea. Why should he be the one to administer that justice. There was a perfectly good king that was supposed to keep these things from happening. Grabbing a sack, some travel rations, a short spear, and a spare banner cloth of his home, he set out. First to collect some heads, and then to send a message the nation of Laroot will never forget.
Bastion paused in the small city of Convil, it was growing late and he wanted a warm meal in him before what came next. By now every guard captain knew of the emblem of Deep Hollow, it had been on the dungeon tokens circulating around the kingdom for decades now. Getting a room at a decent inn was not as easy. He settled in a mid-class inn called the Dwarven Bedroll. Run by a dwarven couple for several generations. They were in for a fright when he walked through the door. There was an ancient dislike between dwarves and dragons, and Bastion did not really care. The inn was clean and the food smelled good.
Bastion just finished his eighth bowl of stew when he reached for his mug when another’s hand grabbed it and picked it up.
“ What is a dungeon monster doing outside their dungeon domain?”
Bastion sighed. If it was more average members of the adventurer guild then this would not be as much trouble. But instead, a full party of SS rank adventurers being lead by a L had appeared. Worse it seems their leader is one of those entitled reincarnators from some god’s plan.
“ Merely a messenger this time mortal.”
The one that stole his drink finished it off and put a silver coin on the table.
“ And what message are you sending, and to whom?”
Bastion sighed again knowing he was not getting out of this without a fight.
“ Heads.”
“ Heads?”
“ Yes, heads.”
“ As in?”
“ Yes, human heads.”
“ You monster.”
“ Racist aren’t you?”
The party leader gritted his teeth and put a hand on his sword.
“ There will be no fighting in the city!”
The adventurer party turned to find the captain of the guard with a pair of guards with him.
“ Especially against messengers of Deep Hollow, BY ROYAL DECREE!”
The captain of the guard put emphasis on the later words and the party had to stand down. Ever since the stunt the adventurer guild pulled a few decades ago, the tension between the royalty and guild has risen considerably. It was no secret the guild did not like them having their own personal training dungeon that they did not control. With a sneer, the reincarnator turned and started to leave but stopped at the door.
“ We will be seeing you later.”
Bastion turns to the captain of the guard.
“ I would highly recommend you advise travel around the clearing to the north, be avoided tomorrow, and reinforce your city ward.” With those words, Bastion crushed the tracking and spy spells left behind by the group.
