Lasair was, once again, waiting. If she wanted to win this, she couldn't just give in to her impatience. She had strategically positioned all of her [CREATURES]. The ordinary wisps and birds were tucked with the crevices of the aviary, out of sight, but ready to attack. Apollo was hovering just above the entrance tunnel, tucked against the wall to avoid being seen. Mirage was circling several hundred meters above the forest, ready to dive down at breakneck speeds. As for Lasair herself, she kept her view in the middle of the Aviary, in a position to see everything that happened in the room.

"...ound it right through here."

And there was elf boy. Lowering her view for a moment, she looked into the tunnel. The six soldiers were coming through first, in three lines of two. Behind them, the robed elf was striding forward with a sneer on his face. Lagging behind the whole group was elf boy, with his beast tucked to his chest like a stuffed animal.

"Hold your tongue boy! If I miss the opportunity to kill a core because of you..."

Robed bastard was apparently just as much of a dramatic bitch as he looked. And apparently a tad murderous. Well, it made her feel a little less guilty about what she was about to do. Mirage began her dive. The soldiers were strode confidently forward, just a few seconds away from the opening. Apollo flew down from his hiding place, and made good on the element of surprise. His light became blinding, burning the soldiers eyes. They clutched their heads and dropped their swords as the flash was accompanied by an incredibly high pitched screech. In their vulnerability, there was no way that they could have seen Mirage coming. She dove into the Aviary going at least eighty meters a second, crossing the room in a blink. Then, just before she hit the ground before the opening, she stopped. Every drop of momentum was converted to heat, and of wave of fire so hot it burned blue burst from her wings. It passed over the soldiers like a wave, armor growing red hot and flesh sizzling. But just before it reached the robed bastard, the wave was replaced by a miniature blizzard. Frost covered the tunnel and the temperature plummeted. An [INSPECT] confirmed Lasair's fears.

[STATUS LOADING...]

[STATUS]: SULLIVAN WILLOWDALE

[CLASS]: [NOBLE], [MAGE]

[LEVEL]: 27

[AFFINITY(S]): ICE

[BONDED]: [NONE]

[ABILITIES]: COMMANDING PRESENCE, PRIVILEGED BLOOD, MAJOR CRYOMANCY

The bastard had ice magic. And was level twenty seven, which was likely no laughing matter. Four of the soldiers, the ones in the front who had taken the direct burst of fire, tried to flee. It made sense, seeing as how the metal of their armor was red-hot against their skin from just one attack. But the robed bastard had other ideas.

"Fight you sniveling cowards."

Lasair felt a rush of energy from the man's [COMMANDING PRESENCE], bursting from him like tendrils of power. Said tendrils dove directly into the fleeing soldiers, spreading through the mana of their souls. And like an infection, the tendrils seized control, and the soldiers turned to join their less injured companions. Lasair knew that she was attacking these guys and that they were trying to kill her, but mind control still seemed like it was crossing a line. She reached out with her own energy, and severed the tendrils, using about a third of her reserves. The soldiers stumbled as they regained control of their bodies, and then returned to fleeing back down the tunnel. Robed bastard, elf boy, and the remaining two soldiers were now fully in the Aviary. Mirage directed the wisps and birds to attack with her, as Apollo retreated to guard the tunnel to the core room. One soldiers was hit with six blades of haze at once, his armor beginning to melt onto his skin. He joined his comrades in fleeing, the sound of burning flesh joining that of his screams. Lasair felt bad about that one. But they were trying to kill her. The other was assaulted by fifteen wisps, flying up to the openings in his armor before flaring their fire. He ran as well, more from fear than pain this time.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

The birds, wisps, and Mirage herself all converged on robed bastard. For a moment, Lasair was sure that he was done for. But then, a single word crushed that hope.

"Blizzard."

A dome of ice shot from his staff, easily filling the room. It was all Lasair could do to use her remaining energy to protect Apollo and Mirage. Both were sent flying back. Mirage hit the wall of the Aviary with a sickening crack. As the bird lost consciousness, Lasair looked at the mana of her [LIEUTENANT]-no, her child. The main structure was intact, but the edges of Mirage's form were...frayed. Leaking a small amount of mana into the room, along with the blood that was pooling. One thing was certain, she would not be rejoining the fight. Apollo fared a bit better, being blasted almost two thirds of the way down the tunnel, but managing to stabilize himself. Elf boy also got sent flying, hitting the wall and slumping to the ground. His beast was covered in a coating of frost, but seemed to have no major injuries. Robed bastard began advancing towards the tunnel, a crazed smile on his face. Lasair activated the flamethrowers, but another spell from the man encased him in a layer of ice mana. He made it halfway down the tunnel before Apollo came rushing up to meet him, empowered by the flames. Said power was only enough to hold off one or two blasts of ice before the bastard got a lucky shot in. Apollo was encased in a ball of ice, which was sent flying before embedding itself in the wall of the core room. Against pure ice mana, and already weakened, he stood no change of escape. The bastard strode into the room, his eyes landing with greed on her core.

"Only two rooms? These are going to be the easiest levels I've ever earned!"

He stepped above her, preparing one last spell to end it all. But there was one thing different now. Before he had entered the room, he had been attacking Apollo. Now, he was attacking Lasair. So as his staff rose, glowing with a white and blue light, so too did the [KEEPER OF THE FLAME]. Apollo burst from the ice, tripling in size as a wave of fire rolled off him. The bastard got a taste of his own medicine, flying into the wall. A blast of flame burned his staff beyond recognition. Apollo readied another, aimed at the man himself.

Apollo. We do not kill.

The wisp stilled, but do not yet drop the blast.

"He would end us, given the chance."

And that is what makes us better.

The wisp hesitated, before dropping the blast and replacing it with a tendril of flame. It wrapped around the man's leg, dragging him back down the corridor. Apollo floated up the the ceiling of the Aviary, the unconscious bastard being taken along for the ride, before throwing the man into the forest above. As he floated back down, his form flickered, before returning to its normal state.

They had won.

But there were still things to do. Elf boy was lying against the wall, his beast guarding his sleeping form. Mirage was badly hurt and would need some help. Every normal bird and wisp was gone.

[A DUNGEON'S PURPOSE]

Add enough energy to fill her to capacity ten times to the list. Well, best get started. It was going to be a long day.