I feel the ground around the entrance become saturated with blood. The roc?!? I turn my attention to the entrance only to see the marques with a contingent of knights. Sir Ujan is beside him, he has a trinket in his hand that pulls towards the door, then in a different direction.

  Sister, we have an issue.

  -Poor miss roc.

  “Still think I'm a liar, [Marques].” I was sitting at the front of my door, my attendant form out to speak for me. I feel a bit of a pull on my blood core…nevermind, don't get distracted.

  -I can't move the interface.

  Damn was it because this was a permanent door? Did shifting the interface here make it permanent as well. Or is it because the keys are near?

  “There is no guarantee this door is permanent. I have runes smiths ready to make it so.” The marques intones.

  “It's permanent but I won't allow them to trap me inside my own dungeon.”

  “You won't have a choice once you are in lockdown.”

  Guess negotiations are over. I return inside my dungeon. He uses the arena key. Upon entering he is met by an avalanche of Maknor spiders. Five three headed hydras as well.

  -*giggle*

  What would you have done if he had chosen differently? All I get is a shrug. He succumbs. I get a bit more of his blood to hide from Lea.

  -----

  Well now the arena has a copy of Violet dungeon in it. She keeps winning at rock paper scissors. I'll get her one of these days.

  -Not if you keep throwing scissors.

  One of these days.

  Any instance without live monsters I make into giant vacuums. That includes the arena one.

  -Pity we don't have enough [Drain Mana] tiles.

  I think Lea would drink our blood to escape us if we forced her to tile all these extra instances.

  -Perhaps we should ask her then.

  You called me the cruel one.

  All I get is a mental raspberry.

  The vacuums could use some more fodder. I look at the undead rabbits. The one on the left was in better shape then the one Violet incinerated. Its bones were intact. I sigh. Going to hate these dreams. I rip out the soul from the corpse of rabbit number one. I feel myself grow colder at the act…

  You have gained [Necromancy Magic] Basic 9

  Gain 5 exp

  Damn even personally ending undead rabbits inside our dungeon is whittling us down. Violet comes next to me and hugs me.

  “No Exp.”

  Perhaps because we were the creator of this undead. No double dipping I suppose. I burn as much of the soul core as I can to make more undead rabbits inside the vacuums.

  “Did rabbit one run out of soul already?”

  I look at Lea and give her a sad smile.

  “Lady Crafter ripped its soul out to make copies. She is still sad about it, but Lady Dungeon knows she will stop caring if she has to personally end a bunch of knights.” Said tells Lea.

  The sad smile I had fades. Lea comes and grips my shoulder.

  “I will do my best to eject them before they get to you.”

  I look at Lea, they have already entered the arena instance. She gives me a nod.

  “Any I should focus on?”

  “Kill Lamia.”

  Always the healer first.

  -----

  Isabella's body is pushing out life mana to the marques and Sir Ujan. They had brought more but Isabella was unable to keep them alive longer than a minute. Rather callous to let them die instead of sending them back.

  -I locked the door.

  Oh right, rather callous of us. I titter which just causes the dungeon to do so as well. It's been awhile.

  The undead rabbits slow them down but not enough to stop them. They make it through the forest to the graveyard. The goblin skeletons harried them to no avail.

  Is the hydra still there?

  -Dungeon hydra don't need air…

  Why did we end the rabbit then?

  -Didn't know till now.

  Damn it. We lost a bit of ourselves for nothing.

  Violet rubs my back. The trio make it to the keep. Hanki manages to grievously injure Sir Ujan, though it was a sacrificial play. Too much blood…Sir Ujan drinks a potion and gets back up.

  -That wasn't one of ours.

  No it was a different bottle…our blood slime?

  -That could complicate things. How many potions could they make?

  Mom, the knights have a slime I made that has our blood. How big would they make said creature to make potions?

  Oh my sweetie, I wasn't expecting you to intrude on me like that.

  I roll my eyes.

  Okay, I felt that Red. Don't be mentally sassing me now. Give me a moment to ask Magdeline.

  I should totally just turn Mags.

  -She still wants the legs.

  I smile at that.

  According to Magdeline, impurities in slimes will slowly be replaced by whatever they feed it. So a bigger slime will just dilute your blood.

  So a finite number of potions that will grow weaker in time. Perhaps I should make more blood slimes.

  -Actually, the slime I gave Isabella was tainted with our blood. I think intentionally making blood slimes may make them convert mass into our blood. Our death slime is fully our blood, I think.

  Nevermind then, let's not make our replacements. I get a giggle from violet for that thought. I smile in turn.

  -O, they are on my part.

  You mean the rip off part.

  -Shush.

  Also I turned off the music.

  -...but then they can't find the way.

  Duh. I mean it's four times eight branches. It won't take them that long.

  -It will if I was randomizing the path each time they fail.

  Oh dear, that's just awful.

  -Well there was music before.

  Sure sure but the goal is to not let them get to the core. I think they are getting rather annoyed.

  “Good.”

  Seems they are writing something down. Ha they are conversing by messages. That's a pretty good work around to the vacuum issue. They're splitting up.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  -Never split the party.

  They have no other way of navigating the branches.

  -Might get them further but they will still end up separated in different branches and then back to guessing. They need more knights for this strategy.

  Isabella can't keep that many alive. Uh oh, it seems Lea is going for an ambush.

  Lea's sword cuts into Isabella's back. The life knight darts forwards as the wound closes. Lea in turn licks the blade, relishing the fresh blood of the Lamia. Isabella narrows her eyes, a green blade of life magic flashes out which hits nothing.

  -Lea is really cheating by being able to warp in the dungeon.

  Pity we can't move our monsters like she can move herself.

  -Not when someone in the instance, strange system dungeon rules.

  We could change that.

  -Probrably better to not see if our soul can be changed that much. We almost shattered ourselves making magic programming.

  Fair.

  Before Isabella can retreat back to the cells, Lea is on her again. The sword going deep into the Lamia shoulder. A moment later the wound explodes. Lea bites down onto Isabella as the life knight struggles to heal. It's not long before the life knight is ejected out of the dungeon. Lea pops in next to us.

  “Oh, I do wish you would let me play shop and eat adventurers.”

  I give her a sad look.

  “Oh don't give me that, I don't have your hang ups. I'm a dungeon monster, am I not?”

  Violet points to her mouth which causes Lea to lick the wrong cheek.

  “Other side.”

  She gets it this time. I notice the tongue is longer and more pointed at the end. Is ours like that? Violet sticks her tongue out at me. Yep it is, when did that happen?

  -Our blood bender at our great grandfather's estate. We weren't quite in our right mind at the time.

  I bark a laugh. Was it me or Violet at the time…I started to panic. I'm not sure who it was. I took a moment, it was…

  “Was Sara.”

  My train of thought falls apart. But sister, what of our individuality.

  -Better to own our crimes together. We did it. We became one and merged our memories. I'm alright with that.

  I pout but I lose sense of who was who the further I look back. Just us. Just me. I turn back to our invaders.

  Isabella is stuck outside. Seems the key is on the marques. Probably for the best.

  “I would have just attacked her again before she could rejoin the group.”

  Were you able to curse her blood?

  “At the start, it fell off the moment she was ejected.” Lea says with a disinterested voice.

  “Are you going to try Sir Ujan next?” Said prods.

  She shakes her head, “The [Marshal] running out of air. I give myself fifty fifty chances of beating him in an ambush. He is quite a bit stronger than I am.”

  “I Could.”

  I place an arm on Violet. She turns and gives me a sad smile.

  -Sorry.

  No, it's alright. I thought the same. Best to keep it as just thoughts, not actions.

  She nods at that. We watch as Sir Ujan slumps over. He lets out another small huff. He struggles to get up when Lea pierces his heart. Guess she figured it was safe enough. He slumps over and is ejected from the dungeon as well. Lea comes back and offers the sword.

  Your kill, besides it wouldn't be my first taste.

  She smiles and enjoys herself. She shivers a bit as I give her a brave smile. She frowned at my attempt.

  “I can feel your soul, idiot. Masking your emotions can't do shit.” Lea says crossly.

  I suppose not.

  -Don't attempt the marques.

  “Ya, I figure he'd be able to retaliate even if I pierce his heart.” Lea looks wistful, I wonder if she thinks it worth it to try.

  It's half a day before he runs out of air.

  -----

  The knight called Dennis finishes chiseling in the rune. He looks up at the marques.

  “There my Lord. It would seem the dungeon was not willing to challenge us while you stood near.”

  “O sure, say it the Lord an’ not my efforts keepin’ the ground unmoved that allowed ya to finish, Sir Dennis.” Hecnae grouses.

  “I appreciate the effort, Dame Hecnae. Now then this should…”

  I interrupt the marques's words by erasing the runes in the stone. A drawing of me giving them a middle finger only causes them to tilt their heads.

  -I understood it.

  Thanks Red.

  “I was curious if I could change it after he finished.” I taunt the three.

  The various knights around the entrance pull their swords and ready their spears. The marques flicked a glance at me.

  “So you proved we can't contain you then. You could have allowed the fiction.”

  I shrugged, “You've been straight with me on your intentions. I felt it would be poor form to not show the same courtesy. That said, should you die in my core again, I will have enough of your blood to kill you whenever I want.”

  “The blood curse that Dame Isabella spoke of? It wore off after she exited the dungeon.”

  I sigh. A blood skin appeared in my hand.

  -Are you sure?

  He won't believe us otherwise. Separate yourself from Lea. Lea don't look for us for a while, please.

  As you wish.

  The marques looked at me with defiant eyes. I take a mouth full of his stored blood. Swallow and hold the bliss off for now. Damn him. His eyes widened.

  All stats increased by one hundred temporarily.

  I barely maintain lucidity. Fuck, a mouthful is a hundred stats. I can feel my eyes begin to light up red as I hold back the bliss. One last parting shot.

  “Should the curse include a hundred percent of just one of your stats [Marques], you'll die. Care to keep building my stock of your blood?”

  The younger knights begin to look dreamily at me. Shit, I can feel my skin starting to split from the blood eyes. I return to the dungeon. I find my sister and we hold each other as our mind devolves from the bliss I just took in. We don't see the notification. We don't notice anything.

  -----

  [Embrace Bliss] becomes [Embrace Bliss 2] Basic 1

  Embrace Bliss 2 - Give in already

  Basic - The bliss you feel can be given to your other half of your soul, decision is up to the imbiber

  Gain 3 exp

  O so we can drive our other half insane.

  -Want to test?

  No Violet, we already were out of it for far too long.

  “Chug, chug, chug.”

  I give an annoyed look at Said. She just shrugs her shoulders and flits away.

  “Systems, even in another instance I felt that…I can understand why you keep me away from his blood.”

  I look at Lea and give her a shaky smile. It just annoys her.

  “By the way they sent in multiple knights into your various instances. I think they were probing which ones had air. The triple threat are in instance one, with two new additions.”

  They dragged [Count] Ericnae and Dame Hecnae in this time. Looking like a proper adventurer party now. I find them at the switch portion of my labyrinth.

  -Pity they are in your labyrinth and not mine.

  I give a wry look at Violet. What happened to not being able to tell who was who. She smiles at me.

  -It was more recent and besides, not a crime for being simple.

  I give her a frown which just earns her a giggle. I hear a kerthunk. Damn they already found one of the switches.

  “That was the second one actually.” Lea gives the bad news.

  I regret spreading out our babies. I watch as they dispatch the spiders guarding the three headed hydra. Against five, she didn't stand a chance. It doesn't take long until she is just a torso. Isabella places a hand on the body while the marques holds the torso in place. More hydra blood flows out at a rapid pace. She is bleeding her out. I start to move when Violet grabs my arm. She looks at me with pleading eyes. I … I can't risk dying. Not now. Sorry princesses. I'll give you all the neck rubs when you are back.

  The knights take a moment after everything is quiet. They get up and continue on. The mithril hares are child's play to the marques. He takes them down with his sword in smooth motions that make Cecelia look awkward. The scorpion fires its venom but the barrage is met with a dirt wall. They move quickly. Hecnae provided cover while they drew closer. Unfortunately the dungeon scorpion is not intelligent enough to go back into hiding. It's Sir Ujan who splits it in twain.

  -Ever think of making scorpion eggs?

  “Pretty sure they are live birthed, Violet.”

  Really?

  Lea nods. The five enter the long hall. The first thing that happens after the door shuts is the marques stomps on the ground, shattering the tiles. Lea scowls at that. Her scowl matches my own. He then motions to Ericnae who shoots a massive wall of flame down the hall. He nods and they proceed forward. Ericnae is in the front, confident. They start running forward when his head is removed.

  Super heated hair thin invisible mithril strands. Granted I hadn't heated them. They must have thought my sticky thread was there. The group stops. Ericnae blood marks where the first one was. Hecnae looks annoyed and creates a metallic dome. It is only big enough to cover the marques stooped but they slowly walk under it and into the gauntlet. At times the marques has to help push the half dome. Too many threads being snagged against it. That Hecnae is capable of repelling my mithril with [Metal Magic] is both amazing and disheartening. When Hecnae goes to drink a potion, the marques stops her. She gives him a glare but nods, handing the potion to Isabella. The three make it to my core. Hecnae is left behind, unconscious and dying.

  I enter the throne room as my blood tail. It is surprising since my ghost is not here. Nevermind, both my sister and I use the cover spell. It works. The three are surprised but we will just wait them out. No need to weaken my hold on empathy. They fan out looking for us but it doesn't matter. We are intangible at this point. If they could hear us they could find us but in the end they give up. The marques crosses into the center of the room and plunges his blade into the center. He then focuses.

  -What is he doing?

  I can start to feel a tiny vibration in our soul. Damn him, he doesn't need a core slayer sword if he has the skill. This is bad. Sister…

  -They have potions to keep Isabella full of magic, they aim to end us. I will provide a distraction. Lea help me, please.

  Of course my [Diqueen], I will attack the marques.

  -No, go for Sir Ujan. You won't distract him long enough.

  Damn it, I moved behind Isabella. Violet appears first, thrusting her spear towards the marques back. The knight commander turns and the spear tears his breastplate. The cut on him heals even as he moves on Violet. Sir Ujan also turns to engage when Lea stabs him in the back. A life blade crashes into her, bisecting her. Isabella had anticipated the ambush. I go to squeeze my eyes shut but no she will be back. I can't give up this opportunity. The mental blade Lea left in the Sir Ujan activates backflip, injuring him further. Isabella begins to move towards the marshal when my two blade legs pierce her. Just as she had bisected Lea, I removed her upper half from her lower. She is sent back out of the dungeon. My soul freezes at the act. I turn to the marques just as he crushes my sister's head. My rage grows but I will lose…I'll watch him suffocate. I click the button on my status screen right as his hands try to grab me. His fist closed on nothing.

  It's all horror and gore in the throne room as the blood boils, both internally and externally. The marques goes back to focus on the blade. The vibration increases but he will die before I do. Sir Ujan drinks a potion and he is healed. He gives a look to the marques and the man just shakes his head.

  The marques looked at Sir Ujan and then my sister's corpse…they wouldn't. Sir Ujan balks as well. The marques rolls his eyes and lets go of the sword. The vibration remains steady, not increasing. He walks over and pulls a knife. He removes each core, and crushes them. My rage grows but I will not give in to his provocation. He will die, he is wasting his breath. I will watch. Sir Ujan places his remaining potions next to the knight commander and just waits until he dies. Part of me wishes to stomp on them but I can't reveal myself. The knight commander himself just shakes his head. I wait. The marques removed the sword, he understood there was no point. The vibration in my soul stops. Sir Ujan looks depressed. They write to each other. Last orders in case I exact my vengeance on the overgrown bear.

  Sir Ujan is the first to run out of air. I feel a twinge when I see it. I should have felt more. I knew him and all I felt was a twinge of guilt. Killing Isabella hurt me more than killing a rabbit. Of course it would, even if she had been the one who pushed for a citadel. I still knew her. Damn, they are making me into what they fear. I continue to glare at the one that remains. It's more than twelve hours before he dies. Not even a twinge of guilt for that one.