Underdark- Unending Abyss Region
Nightwell Fortress- Dark Oak Grove

"HOLD THE FUCKING LINE YOU GOD DAMNED PUSSIES. ANY ONE OF YOU IDIOTS BREAK OR DIE, I WILL PERSONALLY BRING YOU BACK JUST TO KILL YOU MYSELF!" Thorgrom bellowed out as another wave approached. Crossbow bolts, arrows, and magic were already reaching out and whittling down their ranks. 

I did my best to ignore the Duergar yelling as I checked the strap of the shield on my arm. With the defense set up as it was, swinging Moonlight around could wound or kill an ally just as easily as one of the attacking monsters. I had switched the blade out for the shield we had recovered from the Cavern of Damnation and a short sword Torgan had managed to craft on short notice. The Orc promised me a better weapon, but I was more than happy with what I had. I pulled up the blade's stats one more time.

While it had a couple of dings in it, the stats had not degraded. I had learned as long as my spells did not require specific gestures, I could still cast them while wielding a sword and shield. I just had to compensate and concentrate slightly more to conjure what I wanted. 

I studied the oncoming wave of monsters, it was comprised of mindless Undead, Void or Shadow Wolves, wild Goblins and Orcs, and other things I had no name for and had no time to use analyze on. The mages started dropping their area of effect spells, I concentrated on a knot of oversized Slimes and my bog spell burst up around them. While Slimes in the area were normally just a nuisance, whatever Andria was doing had doubled their size and their levels. 

Since they were all but immune to physical attacks, the only real way to destroy them was with magic. Preferably with fire or ice for those I had seen in our area of the Underdark. Plague damage from my spell would do, and a dozen Slimes I snared were out of the fight and would either die or be left crippled. "SHIELDS UP!" the Sergeant bellowed and while my new kite shield wasn't uniform with most of the guard's shields, it still blocked my part of the line. 

The City Guard used circular shields, they were smaller than my kite shield, but from what I had seen were comparable in stats. While they might be just a city guard, they were also battle-tested and had survived the original siege of Eternal Night. Every single man and woman were veterans of the war. So my faith in them was absolute and would be a boon for me in the future if we could survive. 

Then with a great crash, the wave of monsters slammed into the defensive line. Men and women screamed while the monsters let out their shouts, but while the tunnel through the Underdark was wide open allowing the monsters to swarm into the area, the tunnel leading to the grove was only wide enough for ten men to walk through abreast. I opened the gap between me and the next guy long enough to punch out with my sword.

An eyeball exploded as the Shadow Wolf jerked and yipped as it tried to move back as I ducked back behind my shield as a spear from a Goblin tried to reach me. 

I had learned the hard way, not to leave the gap open too long. A sword thrust had almost stabbed me in the throat. A last-second jerk had caused the blade to bite into the muscles on my neck instead. I had bleed like a stuck pig, but I had survived and learned. 

A minute later, a hard punch tap on my shoulder, and I was moved off the line to let my Stamina and Health regenerate naturally as a new line moved up to contest the mouth of the tunnel. My Health was down to a third, and my Stamina was about a quarter of its max. I shook my head and was thankful for my lucky stars. I looked over at my Thralls that were nearby. 

June was with the archers firing over the shoulders and heads of the defensive line, Drax was assisting with the other healers, while Sessa had taken command of some of the other mages surprisingly. Chalxae and the other Rogues were responsible for hunting down any monsters that had either Stealth skills or the ability to Teleport short distances and circumvent the defensive line. 

"Enjoying yourself?" Chalxae asked as she studied the ongoing battle. We had another hard lesson about some of the monsters jumping over the line as well. While I both wanted and needed the Dark Oak Grove, earning it was turning into a giant pain in the ass.

"Tons!" I told her as I panted and tried to get my breath back. I could see the others taking drinks or eating small snacks as they stretched tired muscles and I rose to follow their example. "Has there been any word from the settlement?" I asked Chalxae. 

Thorgron continued to bellow out orders, encouragement, and threats as the line switched out again. "No word from Abraxxus, but I doubt anything living can get past him. Between him, the captain, and the remainder of the guard there, they will cover the main part of the settlement. I know several Rogue types among the settlers that will keep watch on the tunnel and give the defenders there notice of any incursions." the Assassin stated confidently. 

I wish I shared her confidence, but I would do what I must to keep both places secure. 

Underdark- Unending Abyss Region

I studied the nearby camp and did my best to suppress the grimace of distaste. Battle Slaves, War Slaves, no matter what you wanted to call them, they were the trash House Dhalmass used. I looked at the knot of Drow, true warriors trained for the better part of a decade before they were allowed to even spill an enemy's blood. While far from the elite of the House, they were the backbone of the small army. 

I shook my head in disgust, the House was falling more and more into disarray. The Matron was reaching too high and the Houses of Zeren'gor were unlikely to allow us to continue to expand at the rate we had been. Either they would purge the House or demand it be split and a new House formed. While House Dhalmass was valuable to the Drow kingdom and Queen there, providing an intermediary for many things the kingdom wanted or needed to deny, they would not create a threat that would pose a risk to themselves or the other major powers within the Underdark. 

Yet the House had made many inroads with the surrounding powers, some tolerated us, others feared and hated us. The venture here would either make or break House Dhalmass and I was unsure if I would even survive it. House Dhalmass did not believe in loose ends and if the Matron's plans were discovered or compromised by another House, she would not hesitate to kill everyone involved. 

Since the new settlement had gone quiet over a week ago without any update, it had been decided to send the reinforcement column early. Three hundred War Slaves and fifty of the House Guard made up my force. Of those, only the House Guard was any worth, the slaves were largely trash and would easily break in a real battle. They would only serve to weaken the enemy and overwhelm them if possible.

"SWORDMASTER!" the loud screech made me instinctively roll my eyes before I gained control of both my emotions and physical reaction to turn and face the one who was 'leading' and would take command of the new settlement.

"Yes Lady Dyrr, how may I be of service?" I asked the other Drow causing her to glare at me while I let my hands drift to my sword hilts. While she was a powerful Priestess of Lolth, it didn't matter if your head was cut off and if she attacked me I would gladly remove her head and somehow she would have died during the expedition.

Apparently, she sensed something for she took a step back and let her own hands drift towards the handles of her weapons, "Don't take that tone with me!" she snarled but I ignored her and simply waited for her to continue. "Why are we not moving?" she finally broke and asked.

I kept up the patient's façade while I wanted to simply cut her head off, "The troops need to rest, if the settlement fell to invaders, we might need every single one to reclaim it. For the last week, we have been marching for twelve hours a day without rest. If we go into battle as we are, we will lose and how will the Matron like your failure?" I asked her after explaining the obvious. 

She glared and I could tell she was thinking about attacking, but she also knew despite the acolytes with her, the House Guard or the Matron would kill her for it. "Obey, Tathlyn Hune, as you swore to do," she stated with a smirk and I almost pulled my blades but stopped and just glared at her as she smirked. "One hour, then we go again. If anyone is too weak, kill them and leave them for the beasts," she commanded before walking off. 

I contemplated killing her then and there, but there would be reprisals on my few allies within the House Dhalmass. "Janus," I stated and my second materialized out of the nearby Underdark. The man had been with me since I had sworn allegiance to House Dhalmass and I trusted him. "Wake the scouts and get them fed and on their way. We wake the others in half an hour." I told him and he nodded but I could tell he wanted to say something so I nodded and gestured for him to talk.

"We should break with House Dhalmass sir, the Queen knows what the Matron is doing and word is her spies are already infiltrating our ranks. I respect you and would follow any order you give, but if we continue down this road we will die." Janus stated before bowing slightly and walking off to wake the scouts. I considered his words, Janus had been my second for the last decade since my House had cast me out and House Dhalmass had taken me in. 

It had been a risk back then, but that was before the Matron had expanded the House through several Regions and had a growing ambition that her House could not match with its strength. Maybe it was time to leave House Dhalmass, but where would we go I wondered as I continued to study the gloom of the Underdark and unknown future.