Moving Forward

Thersea blushed fiercely at Alexander's gaze that swept across her bared body, much as he, she was internally questioning why she had stripped herself of her clothing and armor to welcome him back in naught but a sheet... her body just seemed to act on it's own while her distraught mind was distracted. Clutching the thin fabric to her chest she wanted to throw herself into the bed and bury herself amongst the thick sheets and pillows. The only thing stopping her was that shred of rationale that told her getting into bed in her current state might be seen as an invitation, thus she just stood there, the sheet clearly outlining her body and nearly melting as her thoughts and shame caught up with the situation she now found herself.

With head bowed she nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a heavy mantle being draped across her shoulders. Looking to Alexander who was doing his best to at least spare her a touch of her forsaken modesty by only briefly looking as he draped her in the thick warm cloak. Tears glistened at the edge if her eyes as she whispered, "Why? This isn't like you Alexander, I thought you wanted this?" Thise tears blazed a trail down her blushing cheeks as a soft sob escaped her lips.

Alexander rested his hands on her shoulders and released a sigh. Want this? Fucking of course he wanted this! The thing holding him back however was his pride. As much as he lusted after this young woman who had so easily prepared to surrender to him, he wanted to beat her. He wanted her to come to this point through his own actions, to be recognized in her eyes. This? This would be a pity fuck. A desperate attempt to find worth in his arms by sacrificing everything that tempted him! Like hell he'd accept that!

"Thersea I want you, for all the shit we've fought over in our childhood you were always one step ahead and served as the wall that needed climbing."

Thersea sniffed looking at him with teary eyes, "Yet even you are turning me away?"

Alexander wrapped his arms around her, resisting the urge to feel those delightful curves he so recently perused, "I'm rejecting this act of desperation. This isn't the Thersea I know. The Thersea I know and love would be fighting back, those bastards that don't recognize you, you'd pull them down around you after kicking their asses. The Thersea I know would make me work for this, not hand it to me in fear and sorrow.

Reaching up he stroked her thick fiery hair, "So yes, I don't want this now. I want you to acknowledge me first. I want to beat you myself, not kick you when you're down. There's no gain in that. Sure I would enjoy you, you are beautiful and gods know I'm a lecherous bastard, but even I can't accept this."

Sighing she rested against him, "Sorry."

Shaking his head he guided her towards the bathing chamber, pushing her gently through the gateway, "Go clean up, I'll but your things by the door, once your refreshed we'll talk about what happens next."

Slipping through the doorway she leaned against it and looked back, wiping some tears from her eyes, "You know Alexander, you're not such a horses ass when you try." Giggling at the blank look on his face the door shut on his laughter. Seems she would be alright, her pride just needed a jump start of its own. Turning from the closed door he moved to one of the near by pillars and gripped it tight, his teeth clenched. Turning her down had nearly killed him!

Not want her? He wanted to DEVOUR that. If such would not wound his pride in the long run just standing before him in naught but a sheet had nearly caused him to push her down then and there. Considering his dry spell of two whole days his lust was getting to the point of just risking it with Jansea, his desires were just nearing that not give a hell level. Then Thersea practically offers herself up? Gods as his witness he would wreck the girl if she ever tried that again, pride be damned.

Leaning on the pillar Alexander tried to calm himself down, gathering up Thersea's discarded clothes and laying them by the door before he sat back on the bed to think. Just how would they move forward? Her job was to literally come back with his head on a silver platter, and he was rather disinclined to give himself a neck line hair cut just to cement her position in the Empire. Laying back he sighed staring at the ceiling, a view he was becoming more and more familiar with for all the wrong reasons.

The door to the side opened after awhile, a pair of lightly tanned arms snatching up her clothes before the door slammed shut. Alexander chuckled and sat up, oddly enough the dungeon had been quiet, he'd received no messages that any invaders had entered or that his minions were in combat. He had no way to gauge the passage of time but it had had to have been at least an hour right? So another month had passed outside but no secondary raid groups had poured in, this made him frown, just what were they doing?

As he sat in thought the door opened again and Thersea reappeared, once again fully dressed though her wet hair framed her face as she walked over to return his cloak. "You look a million miles away Alexander."

He looked up startled for a moment, "Huh?! Oh! Yeah, sorry Thersea. If I'm guessing right a month should have passed outside but for whatever reason we've had no further attacks. Was your raid party the only one?"

Thersea shook her head with a deep frown, "No, not at all. We brought forces for three continuous raids, the magic we used would have opened your door for us for a few weeks. It's strange that the secondary raids have not come in."

Alexander sighed, much as when the raid first came he drew upon one of his minions. He still had a couple of teir one goblins which made perfect throw aways at this point. "Just a moment, going to scout outside." Urging the goblin through the maze the stupid brute was much as the first, easily enough traversing the dungeon and slipping outside. Alexander's gaze was behind its eyes staring out at the barren space before the cave. The three faction forces were gone.

Blinking he returned his attention to Thersea and shook his head, "They're gone. They only sent in your group. That makes little sense..."

Thersea shook her head, "Makes perfect sense actually. When I didn't come out the result they wanted was achieved, the unwanted hero was dead, chances are high they've establish a watch camp near by to direct adventurers away from your dungeon, if no one is allowed in there's little you can do about it right?"

Alexander frowned but could not refute it. While he could send out his forces to kidnap poor souls to die in here if adventurers never entered he was essentially crippled. Looking to her he sighed, "So what do you want to do? If you go back, you know they'll invent new ways to humiliate and kill you, you know."

Thersea nodded softly, moisture at her eyes but she shook her head, "You're more one for scheming than I ever was, what do you suggest?"

Alexander chuckled, "Become an adventurer. Gain the skills needed to survive and show those idiots who you truly are. While you build up your skills I'll figure something out on my end."

Thersea folded her arms over her chest looking down on him, "That's your plan?"

Alexander chuckled and shrugged, "Worst case you can always become my right hand, the position of Dungeon Lord's consort is certainly open."

Thersea chuckled and smacked his shoulder, "One day, for now yeah building my skills is a decent enough plan, as for you, might want to ask that red skinned harlot for ideas."

Alexander worked an eyebrow, "Seems Jansea must have visited you while you cleaned up him?"

Thersea blushed and turned away, "Nevermind then! So what now, I just leave?"

Alexander held up a finger double checking things, "After the initial scout found nothing I spread out more, they found a tower being built near by, they likely mean to station a guard here to watch my dungeon. Either way yes, I'll have one of my Goblin Knights bring you out, stick to the mountains to avoid the soldiers."

Thersea nodded moving towards the core door, resting her hand on its handle, her voice was soft, "Will I see you again?"

Alexander looked over and sighed, "Maybe, perhaps one day a mature and beautiful redheaded hero will seek out the dungeon to finally lay to rest the child like Dungeon Lord within. Rest assured, five years from now or twenty years, my bed will welcome you."

"Bastard."

Alexander laughed and gave a flourished bow, "That is me oh Lady Hero."

Looking to the door he spoke, "Jansea, return the sword by my throne to her, one of the knights is waiting by the door to be her escort. For now, good luck Thersea."

With that the redhead had slipped out through the door, once she left the dungeon it was highly likely he would never see her again. With the time difference outside versus in here, by the time she established herself and took her vengeance she will have become a full adult while he... would be stuck in the body of a teen. Alexander sighed to himself, perhaps he should have taken her offer. He watched one of the dungeon overview windows, watching her depart. Seeing her slip through the ghostly bone door he pushed off the bed and headed out to the core.

Jansea stood by his throne watching him in silence, he strode past falling into the hard seat and stared forward at the double doors. "Is there no way to change the time difference Jansea?"

The succubus shook her head, "For thus type of dungeon that time difference us required."

Alexander sighed then turned his head, "THIS type of dungeon you said? Then there's different types that work differently?"

Jansea nodded slowly, "There are three sorts of dungeons Master. First is the type we reside in, it depends on souls to operate. The more that die in here, the better the dungeon becomes, thus time needs to differ so we don't wipe out all existence feeding it. The second type is a training dungeon, it takes no merits to run but it doesn't really grow unless left to grow wild. There were all sorts of those in the old days to serve as training grounds for younger adventurers. The third type is a living dungeon, it combines the two. The more souls pumped in the more it evolves but it's a hands off evolution, the dungeon itself decides what it needs to be more lethal, it instinctively upgrades to counter adventurers who survive its earlier forms."

Alexander listened rubbing his chin, "And how do we switch between?"

Jansea shook her head, "You can't. You currently exist in a managed dungeon. Training dungeons require the Dungeon Lord to have died but the core remains. Living Dungeons require Dungeon Lord and Dungeon Core to become one. In short, you stop being you, you merge with the dungeon and exist as it does."

Alexander frowned slightly staring off at nothing, Jansea stood to his side watching him with a frown. Meeting the hero had done something to her Master, and it wasn't a good change. Still she kept her silence as he brooded, lost in the information he was just told. Honestly he was considering her description of a living dungeon, but how much of 'him' would still exist to be with Thersea if he merged with the core. Would he even still care about such things?

Looking through the windows he did not notice as Jansea stepped back and another figure took her place beside his seat on the throne.