Chapter 29: Turf War

Ellena found herself in the deepest darkest tunnel in the Black Wolves territory. There were no branching pathways and no changes in width or depth. There were, however, many many long toothed Black Wolves. The ones that had given her the most trouble thus far.

When she described them to Ellephwen, she was informed that they were simply called Sabretooth Black Wolves. It was apparently a particular variation that was quite common for Black Wolves.

Ten were dead already and a dozen more lay in front of her. It felt like every other one of the beasts managed to get a bite in, their long sharp teeth sinking deep into her flesh. Even then they weren’t worth that many levels individually.

Ellena pushed through, summoning both of her shields as multiple of the Wolves moved in against her, working together. A few came from the left, another from the right and another couple straight ahead. She weaved through the front two and used her shield to smash the two on the left against the wall. The singular Wolf on the right used the chance to push through their packmates and bite into her arm. She winced a little, but the pain wasn’t enough to push through her resistances.

Even with that a few more monsters charged her way. The Mushman pulled her shield in close and span them around in a circle as fast as she could. She gripped the jaw of the biting Wolf with her free hand as the others bounced off her shield.

With a little exertion she picked the Wolf up and spun it around, knocking a few more flying, then finally flung it into the crowd. Thus another four were dead, leaving just six.

Exhaustion had begun to settle in. She wasn’t able to rest once since arriving in this small corridor. It had been quite the fight so far. Not that the surviving Wolves cared, carrying on their relentless attacks without restraint.

The Mushman jumped back, narrowly avoiding a claw and a jaw. She pulled the two shields back and took hold of them in her hands, launching both into the piling bodies.

One ripped straight through the face of a Wolf the other cut another torso and planted itself in the hind of a second wolf. The other beasts were temporarily distracted, so Ellena charged herself forwards head first, sandwiching the two injured Wolves against each other and the wall.

Now there were just three left, and they were clearly fearful of her. She could feel the blood dripping from her body. This was not how she expected this day to go. She eyed up the whimpering Wolves, one of which glanced at the exit behind her. Another tried to shield their two packmates, but in the end, they ran. Which at the very least, allowed Ellena some respite.

She slumped against the wall and let the sudden temporary peace wash over her, taking a few deep breaths. Ellena looked around at the near mountain of corpses around her and closed her eyes for a second.

That was far more intense than she had desired and far more risky. In the end the little Mushroom didn’t take too much damage, but those Sabretusk variants could penetrate her defenses far too easily. She was glad she waited before coming down to the second floor.

After her stamina had recharged enough, Ellena got back to her feet and made her way deeper in. At this point she had to see what it was the Black Wolves were protecting so fiercely.

The tunnel snaked around a little more, quite long for a single tunnel, especially for this maze-like dungeon. Finally though, it came to an end. Gradually the tunnel opened up to a decently sized room with one root filled corner. Not the size of the central room she had come to earlier, but decent enough. It had to be large though. Large enough to fit the quite alarmingly massive Wolf that Ellena was now staring down.

She couldn’t imagine this was the Lonely Wolf. Not randomly on the second floor. Though if that was the case, then that probably meant the lonely wolf was even larger. Though even this beast stood at the same height as the Mollit boss, just with an entire Wolf body behind them too.

Around their legs were the surviving Sabretusks, growling at Ellena. It seemed as though they had tattled. This meant that Ellena was now, in fact, in quite a decent amount of danger. She cleared her throat and backed up. “Apologies. Enjoy youw day,” the Mushman bowed a little, and ran very fast.

A loud crash ripped through the dungeon as the ground itself shook a little. The smell of hot breath well on Ellena’s trail. She looked around to see the massive wolf forcing themselves through the tunnel, just about squeezing through. It probably explained why the tunnels in the Black Wolf territory were so massive.

Not that Ellena had the time to truly appreciate the decor; she was a little busy being chased by a giant angry Wolf. So, the little mushroom had to think fast. Even with the Wolf squeezing through the tunnels, they were still hot on her trail. She had to think of a plan and think fast.

That’s when her little cogs switched on, and Ellena remembered another species of monster that she had spotted in this dungeon. Those famously aggressive Buzzlars. The Mushman used her shield to jump off to make a rapid right hand turn around another tunnel, running towards the great opening.

She burst out into the great room with quite the stampede of Wolves behind her. The noise got the attention of multiple monsters including the Buzzlers. All but the Buzzlers disappeared into various tunnels at the sight of the many Wolves behind Ellena, but she didn’t stop running, she needed them far enough in the room to draw all the attention.

She kept running until she reached the doorway to the right of her original entrance. The sound of the stampede rapidly changed to the sound of yelping and fighting. The Mushman let out a breath and turned around to see the carnage unfolding.

Wolf against Buzzlar, a damn near war at this point. Even the pack leader was fighting off multiple, getting covered in bite marks and stings. More and more Buzzlars flew out of the hive, doubling the number of the Wolves, then tripling. Ellena sat back against the wall and sighed.

“Quieete da’ mess ya’v made there lassie.”

Ellena blinked and looked to her left. Sitting in a hole next to her was a slightly larger Tugglit. He wore glasses and a long robe, with a very wrinkled face. He rested his arms on the edge of the recently dug hole and watched the fight whilst occasionally puffing on a pipe.

“Wha?”

He looked up at Ellena and blew a puff of smoke into her face. “Ya’ fancy a cuppa tea?”

A response did not find Ellena. Instead she just nodded her head with her mouth agape.

“Alrighty. Back behind us, head right an’ continue til ya see a lot a’ Tugglits, ya hear?”

The talking Tuglit dropped down into his hole, the dirt around it filling it in without anyone’s input. It would appear that this talking Tugglit had some magic. Though she had met plenty of talking monsters at this point, a talking Tugglit was definitely a surprise. A Tugglit talking was just as strange as a Mushman talking and she had the excuse of reincarnation.

Ellena looked at the fight one last time. The Wolves were preparing to retreat, many dead on both sides lay on the floor. She turned and walked for the door, following the strange Tugglits very simple directions. Eventually she came to a doorway with a dim blue glow. Several varying sized Tugglits littered the corridors.

Cautious, the Mushman walked in. Inside was an even stranger sight. It was all stone, yes, but brick rather than rock. More Tugglits were inside this room, chattering to each other, going about their day. Some in holes and some out.

Placed equal lengths along both walls were stone lanterns floating in the air with blue flames bursting out of them. In the center of the room sat that strange robed Tugglit, next to a stone table with six stone chairs placed around.

“Have a seat lassie.”

Ellena didn’t really know what else to do, so she obliged, sitting opposite the Tugglit. There was a tap on her leg as a small, but evolved looking Tugglit stared up at her, holding a cup of tea. She picked it up and bowed her head.

“Th.. Thanks?”

“A talkin’ Mushman. Strange thing ta’ see.”

The talking Mushman in question tilted her head. “As oppose to a talking Tugglit?”

He chuckled. “True ‘nough,” he took a sip of his own tea. “We’ve bin’ watchin’ ya since ya first came in here. Got eyes up on da’ first floor too ye’ know? Bin a lon’ time since I ‘ad a good chin wag. Thought it a good opportunity.”

“So you invited me hewe just to talk?”

The Tugglit leant forwards with a cheeky grin. “Aye. Name’s Rugtug. I’m sure ya’ got questions I might be able ta’ answer”

Ellena sat back and nodded. She did indeed have questions. About this strange monster and the dungeon that he lived in. For the next few hours, ‘chin wag’ is exactly what they did.

She learnt that he gained sentience some two hundred years ago and quickly grew tired of how often Tugglits were hunted by mortals and the more sentient monster species. Ellena was surprised she invited a monster that was clearly hunting other monsters to talk, but apparently that’s the reason he took so long to reveal himself. Noticed she had no interest in hunting that which didn’t fight back.

They had been living on the second floor of the Lair of the Lonely Wolf for some fifty years. There was still some risk from some of the monster species on this floor, but he was reasonably strong. It was far easier to protect his progeny when he knew where they all were.

That was another thing. Rugtug was an apparently decently strong wizard, concentrating on earth magic. Hence the rock manipulation. Magic was something that never seemed in the cards for Ellena originally, but perhaps earth magic, given her nature as a Mushman, would be quite a bit more feasible.

Finally, she asked if he could tell her anything about the Lonely Wolf himself and he answered simply that he didn’t know much as he had only caught a glimpse of him once.

The Lonely Wolf was massive. He was a species Rugtug had never seen before in his two hundred years of life, but that was all he could say. Other than mentioning that it would be a really bad idea to try and fight him. Something Ellena had heard before.

There was one last question Ellena had though and it had gotten late enough that she needed to head home soon.

“Kin’ Levias? Aye…” Rugtug scratched his hairy chin. “Nah, never hear of da’ bugger.”

Ellena blinked a few times. She had never heard anyone refer to this mystical figure so casually before, but then if he had no idea who it was, that made some sense. She looked down at her second cup of tea and downed the last of it.

“Well, he’s powerful. Like cut the continent in half powerful and we’re gonna need all available hands to help fight him when he eventually awakens.”

Rugtug pursed his lips and took a deep breath of his pipe. “Lassie. I’ve nary fought since I evolved to this state. I’ve stagnated these fifty years. Yeah, I’ve got da’ strength ta’ fight ta’ fools on dis floor. But a monsta’ of the caliber you’re describin’?” He shook his head not even finishing the thought.

“Oh.” She understood, but that did mean her first attempt at recruiting was a failure. “Well. I’ll come here again sometime, let me know if you change your mind.”

He shrugged. “Not likely. Not unless I find a way ta’ rapidly level. Besides. Ain’t no one else here ta’ take care of me family, y’know?”

The conversation was over. It was clear this wasn’t happening. At least not in his current form. It was worth trying at least. She hopped of the chair with a small grunt and turned to Rugtug.

“Thanks for the tea, I’d better head home now”

He raised his hand. “Ah yes! Of course,” Rugtug hopped off of his own chair. “Let me help ya’ get home nice and quick, aye?”

“Wha?” Ellena exclaimed before she was shot into the air.

The Mushman yelled as the floor rose up below her and the ceiling melted away, always just a second before she reached it. The two thick layers of the dungeon were gone in an instant, disappearing before she burst out into the evening sun.

Ellena looked around, disorientated and a little wobbly. She stood on the edge of the cliff that the dungeon lay below. Far closer to her home than she was a minute ago.

“Huh,” she exclaimed. “What a strange guy,” she muttered as she began her short walk home.