Mark checked their status. They were currently sitting at just over 400,000 MP. Enough to mount quite the defense. However, he also had 108 DP. A new floor level would cost 100 DP. It made sense to him, that if he was required to spend resources to defend the dungeon, he might as well put as much as possible into something that would be there after the battle. With how much MP and DP they had, he could easily build two more levels as well as reinforce the surface.
Building two levels was quite tempting. On top of putting the resources into something that would still be there, each level would take the enemy an additional 10 minutes to find their way through. Since Mark was unsure whether they would be able to defeat Mareth’s army with their full power, he was quite certain that they likely would not be able to defeat her army after having sent out an army of their own.
That changed the game from successfully defeating her forces to delaying her army and hoping that their own army was strong enough to defeat Mareth’s dungeon. Mark was sure they would be successful. Mareth’s dungeon was in the same situation that they were. With her army departed, she was vulnerable according to Mark’s plan.
Mark designated how much MP to put aside for the two levels. He would reinforce the surface first since as soon as Mareth entered the territory, he would be prevented from doing so. Then if she arrived, he could always build the dungeon floors as long as she had not entered the dungeon proper.
It did not end up mattering. Mark had completed everything well before Mareth had even arrived. It helped that he had already had plans for the next floors and what he would need on the surface.
Mark only summoned two more midnight lotus and 50 more creeping ivies to round out the flower units. Sunflowers were already maxed out, so reinforcing the plant defensive wall and ensuring they all had healer coverage was as much as he could do. Mark did not consider using any of the other tier 1 flower units. Other than creeping ivy they would not be able to add anything.
However, the flower units would not comprise the entire defense. They had the archer division led by Nasal. Mark decided to reinforce further with 80 red mages nearly capping out the unit, and 29 scorpions which did cap the unit. Like the sunflowers the mages and beasts would be the unit killers. Mark gave the scorpions all four beast bloodline upgrades in fierceness to increase their physical power. It should make them powerful enough to attack and destroy even the toughest enemies they would be facing.
There was not much else Mark could summon that would truly make a difference. The total cost for the surface reinforcements only came to over 130,000 MP leaving them with double that to build two new dungeon levels.
Mark had decided on another beast floor and one flower floor. He felt a compulsion to put the beast floor next to keep things nice and orderly, but Mark resisted. The plants would man the fifth floor, and the sixth floor would be nearly the same as the fourth. Mixing the floors up would require enemies to change tactics and reconfigure their forces.
Mark made the midnight lotus the guardian of the fifth floor. With only a tier 3 health vegetative state, the named bonus, the unit only got up to a 4.2 power rating. Far weaker than the third or fourth floor guardians, but the midnight lotus’s only purpose was to empower the other flowers and heal them.
Mark styled the floor like a tower defense game. The enemy would have to storm up a mountain and then would be forced through three levels of 3 blood roses. All the while 15 sunflowers fired at them from above. The lotus would also not be visible from the lower levels, keeping it defended. The floor was open air, meaning hundreds of feet of space above the floor with a fake sky and an artificial sun. To build a floor with open air and an artificial sunlight source only required an additional 10 percent or 10,000 MP.
Mark had been a little worried about whether the artificial sun would charge the sunflowers' sunburst skill. The floor would be far weaker than he hoped if that was the case. Thankfully, it appeared their abilities were charging, although at a far reduced rate. Perhaps they would not get fully charged for this attack, but it would be a valuable floor in the future provided they survived.
After doing the math, Mark had realized that he had enough MP to unlock one of the fourth tier budding states for 50,000 MP. He went with mystic to power up the sunflowers as far as possible since they were the damage dealers. However, the mystic budding stage did not provide another spell, so they just got the 10% power rating boost. Not great, but the higher their power rating was the more of a boost they would get from the lotus’s malevolent aura.
The sixth floor was nearly the same as the fourth floor. The exception was that Mark used a bugbear for the floor healer instead of an arachne. Then there would be four arachne mages and the 20 scorpions. They would not have the 10% bump for being regulars, but having the fourth bloodline it all about evened out. The scorpion guardian, he named Emperor. His power rating was up to 5.3 versus the fourth floor King’s 4.9.
When it was all said and done, Mark was quite pleased with himself. He only had 27,000 MP leftover, but since there was not too much more they could add, he would save it for rebuilding.
Completed, Mark relaxed back onto the couch. Well as much as a guy could relax. He was fairly confident things would work out, but that was far from certain. Based on both armies' progress the attacks would occur nearly simultaneously. The scouts had located the construct army and were staying well ahead. They would get the official numbers as soon as they crossed the territorial boundary.
The number was only surprising in that it was exactly 1,000 units. The tree line had been further cleared since the last attack meaning that Mark got a good count prior to the army moving into range. The field had been well lit allowing the counters for the various types to be registered, prior to the units extinguishing such lights.
There were only 454 level 1 units, 254 creepers and 200 flesh golems. The most powerful level 1 units that Mareth had to offer. Then for level 2 units Mareth was fielding 120 rock golems, 105 Jack o lanterns, 135 forest guardians, 100 stone guardians, and 86 bronze guardians. The army was half the size of the last, but vastly more powerful.
Mareth was banking that her unit's toughness would allow them to plow right through Amelia’s dungeon. Unfortunately, she may be right. Things were not helped by the fact that Mareth’s forces had made it to the battlefield first. The goblin creepy crawly army still had more ground to cover before they even breached the earth’s surface. Then they would have another 10 minutes before they were able to assault her dungeon.
However, Mareth was not aware of that fact and waited for her forces to form up. The slow but tough rock and flesh golems would be the vanguard for her assault. They marched forward, their ranks staggered to prevent area attacks from easily affecting multiple units. They extinguished the lights as they moved. Not too much of a concern since they had thousands of light and fire arrows.
Nasal directed the first wave of light arrows to land just behind the slow moving vanguard. They all stuck in the earth, forming a band of scattered white lights. The other unit types waited as the vanguard proceeded. The front ranks of creepers and guardians waited. Unmoving statues with only their fronts barely illuminated.
Day 173: Mareth
Mareth watched smugly as her vanguard advanced, so far during the succession battle she had exhibited a poor showing. She had yet to take another dungeon, and this was the third time that she had sent her armies to crush this dungeon. However, she felt confident that this would be the last.
Amelia seemed to be able to pull one trick after another, and things had not changed. In the last month and a half she had pulled out another one. Somehow the girl had managed to get a plant branch despite the tree being closed after the dungeon ranked up to level 2. It was infuriating. She had unit types from seemingly all of the trees.
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However the new unit types would not save her. Mareth studied the thick vine units that stretched around the dungeon’s walls. For flesh and blood enemies, it would likely be quite formidable, but her units should be able to wade right through the brambles and vines. Not to mention she had the magma essence. Her lava rock golems should be able to wither large sections with their heat attack.
Mareth watched as the stone and flesh golems approached the walls. Several stone golems found little pockets where they would be safe from attack. They dropped large bundles of javelins. Soon they would send them rocketing into the midst of the fort destroying the softer targets inside.
Waves of arrows started pouring onto the flesh golems. Arrows were duplicating in the air and then punching into the ground, occasionally right through one of her flesh golems. The flesh golems were incredibly durable, but the arrows were piercing with ease. They must have some sort of enchantment for punching through, which would mean they were double enchanted. How frustrating? Amelai had far surpassed her in regards to enchantments, but in the end it would not matter. Mareth’s construct army just was not as susceptible to most things.
A couple of pockets of arrows targeted a couple of the rock golems. Small pops encompassed the targeted golems, but the rock golems seemed to be unaffected. They continued forward like nothing had happened. After that the archers left them alone, only focusing on the flesh golems.
It was effective. The flesh golems were dropping one after another. Very few if any might survive taking the surface, but that was fine with Mareth. As long as she had the bronze guardians and a good number of jack o' lanterns for support, Mareth was confident that she would be able to take the dungeon’s lower levels. Both units had power ratings that had been brought well into the 4’s.
Mareth’s vanguard reached the final stretch; all they had now was a couple hundred feet of a straight away before they faced the tangle of units sitting upon the earthen wall. Once they got a bit closer, Mareth would send the rest of her forces forward. Even at this point the creepers could still overtake and hit the wall before the slow moving vanguard did.
The beams of light that illuminated her screen took Mareth quite by surprise. Mareth leaned in. The sunflowers were shooting yellow beams of light. Each beam only lasted three or four seconds, but they swept across the ground. Twenty seconds later and everything was back to what it was. Like a sudden light show that abruptly ended. Mareth glanced at her counters.
Her rock golems total had been reduced by 34 units. It would not be too big of a concern, however Mareth noticed that the 34 included the majority of her magma golems. Mareth just sat there for a few moments mouth agape, before her expression firmed. Something that powerful should not be something that her enemies could use over and over again. From all indications, they had probably already burnt out. Mareth just needed to take the sunflowers out before they regained their manna or whenever some cool down was over.
Mareth sent the orders. The creepers, forest, and stone guardians surged forward. Half of the jack o lanterns fell in behind them. Unlike the rock golems, the stone guardians were actually fairly quick. However, their nimbleness meant they could endure far less, but their quick attacks should make them even more difficult for enemies to deal with.
More lights flickered into existence. Light spears surged forward exploding into the rock golems. Each hit caused the rock golems to rock back, and separated chunks of rock. The rock golems were incredibly durable, but the spears seemed to be coming from a hundred or more units. Her flesh golem counter was already down to half, and the rock golem counter was dropping once more.
Mareth gritted her teeth. She should have expected as much. This was her third attack. Amelia should have a good idea how to bring down each of her units. As soon as the creepers came into range, the archers shifted their aim. Now hundreds of arrows burst into flame before raining down onto the deadly level 1 units.
The rock and flesh golems reached the earthen wall and began climbing and digging even as vines reached down to entangle. Several scorpions had wedged themselves in amongst the bramble. Their tails and pincers whipped forward. Even the tough rock golems could be pierced by the tail or have an arm ripped off by the pincers. The scorpions were wedged amongst the bramble wall which would likely make them immobile, but it also meant that the constructs could not attack from any direction except for the front.
However, Mareth’s units were now in range. The few lava and brimstone rock golems attacked the bramble unit wall. Hundreds of green balls of acid splashed into the tangle from behind them, from the creepers advancing from behind. Small sections of the bramble wall withered as units died. Then the creepers and guardians made it to the wall.
Shadow creepers immediately sprang into the midst of vines. Their incorporeal forms were highly resistant to physical damage, so they were able to attack with impunity. Fireballs sprang into existence. Mareth zoomed in to see red goblin mages setting their own plant units alight in their effort to destroy the shadow creepers. The shadow creepers succumbed to the flames, but so did sections of the plant wall.
The shadow creepers continued in after the softer targets. The red mages fell quite easily, but before Mareth could get to excited light arrows started duplicating in the air. Any shadow creeper that had been targeted fell quite easily. Within minutes they had all but been eradicated, but they had done their job. In a couple of minutes they had wiped out a good deal of the red mages that had moved forward to engage them, and large sections of the outer wall were opened.
Forrest and stone guardians made it inside of the fort through the gaps in the plant unit coverage. There were actually not too many defenders inside. Sure the sunflowers stood tall, and some glowing purple flowers that occasionally sent streams of yellow healing light into friendly units. There were a couple dozen red mages still alive, but they had fallen back behind a second bramble wall formed from the units that had been guarding the far walls Mareth had not attacked. With them was one tall wooden robot with sparks of lightning streaking from various parts of its body, and more scorpions posed to mount a second defense.
Still it did not seem like enough. She would have expected hundreds or even a thousand goblins behind the plant units. Amelia’s defenses were effective, but they were far from enough. Mareth still had 600 units fighting the dwindling defenders. Once the jack o lanterns put an end to the archer tower, she should easily be able to finish off the rest. All she really needed was about 150 of the right units to take the lower levels. Even if Amelia had added floors, if Mareth’s units rested between each floor she should still easily manage.
The outer wall fell in another five minutes. Mareth’s units started mopping up the remnants even as the rest moved toward the second defensive line. The archers were giving it everything they had, but very soon jack o lanterns would get in range and clear out the tower quite easily.
The wooden robot sent streaks of electricity into the front ranks of charging guardians. Mareth would have thought that electricity would not have much effect, however the stone units that were hit turned into slag. The forest guardian’s burst into flames. It was an alarming display of power, but just like the sun flower light show it was short lived. The robot ran out of juice. Moments later the robot pulled out a blackened club. It had killed a dozen with the electrical attacks, perhaps with its big stature and blunt force weapon it might kill a dozen more, but it would not be enough to make a difference.
Sunflowers were dropping. Seemingly out of magic the flower units had started lashing out, whipping their bodies against attackers. It was not very effective. They would be cleared out in short order.
A half dozen jack o 'lanterns used their ultimate move. In a matter of seconds the first level of the archer tower was nearly cleared of all life. Only a few goblins clung to life amidst the pile of corpses and blood. Soon after the jack o lanterns came into range and cleared the second floor as easily as the first. There was no sense in holding back since she could slowly work her way through the dungeon. Her unit total was just under 500. With what was left arrayed before her she would likely be able to enter the dungeon with at least 400.
It was then that the alarm sounded. What? Mareth thought as she brought up a screen of her home dungeon. Several red units had broached into her territory. Mareth immediately zoomed in. It was hard to tell due to the darkness, but finally one passed into open space and Mareth was able to make it out. A cockroach, Mareth thought her eyes widened.
Oh no, she thought as more red dots started to enter her dungeon. How had they gotten past her scouts? Her valley was absolutely covered in them. There should be no way that an attacking force could have gotten in so close without any warnings. Mareth was stricken in terror for nearly a minute.
They were already in her territory so she could not summon more units and what she had available… Practically nothing. There were 600 units, but the majority of them were likely so deep down into the mines they might not even make it out in time. Mareth had her units sound the alarm. Hoping that the cockroaches were some sort of joke, but then large clumps of red dots started entering her territory. Mareth did not have to zoom in to see that these were not all cockroaches.
It was not an overly large force, about 700 units in total, but what did Mareth have to mount a defense. She had over a hundred thousand MP, but could not use it. Wait, she could build another floor as long as they had not entered the dungeon yet. Mareth contacted her army attacking Amelia’s dungeon.
The bronze guardians and jack o lanterns that had been waiting charged forward to join the fight. Things likely would have been wrapped up in another fifteen minutes any ways, but Mareth did not want to waste even one minute. Her army would rush down level by level until Amelia’s core was destroyed. There would be no breaks in between, because she was certain the force attacking her dungeon would not be taking breaks either. It was a race, and now all Mareth could do was to add one more level to extend the time it took for her opponents to finish.