Chapter 19:

  Time's Up

  After draining the thuggish soldiers dry of blood, to their deaths and then deconstructing them for materials, Jade removes Allura's mostly destroyed clothes and equipment, replacing them with new ones, then proceeds to the difficult topics.

  System Notice: Quest Completion 5/10

  “Did they hurt you, Allura?”

  “You see me covered in bruises from head to toe and ask if they hurt me?! Did you suddenly go blind or something?!”

  “Allura, dear, I'm trying to be genteel here. I can clearly see that they beat you up and beat you down. What I'm asking is if they did something infinitely worse.”

  “They forced me to watch a communication crystal where you said I'm pretty much useless except for sentimental value. That hurt.”

  “I lied. Of course, you're far more valuable to me than just a pretty face!”

  “I know that, of course, but it still hurt...” Allura slaps her forehead “OH! You're asking if those bastards raped me, aren't you?!”

  “Well. I was hoping to not be so blunt and crude about it, but yes.”

  “Honestly, you are such a prude, but that's why I like you, Jade.” She smiles sweetly “And to answer your question, not for lack of trying! But go ahead, [Appraise] me! Make sure I'm still 'pure as the driven snow' I believe is how you'd phrase it.”

  Allura: Were Vampire Bat Rabbit-kin

  Level 30

  HP: 15/300

  MywaP: 0/100

  ….

  Ailments: None.

  “See! What did I tell you?! Clean as a whistle. By the way, those threats you made against that evil duke? THAT WAS SO FUCKING COOL! 'I. AM. RELENTLESS! THE LONGER YOU KEEP HER FROM ME AND THE MORE YOU HURT HER, THE WORSE YOUR BARGAINING POSITION GETS!' That's so damn epic! If you had lips, I'd kiss you! Heck! I'll kiss you anyway! GET OVER HERE!”

  She scoops up Jade and kisses the core on where she thinks the lips should go, then hugs it tight. “Now. There was something else you wanted to ask me, wasn't there? And it probably involves this Iluna person you mentioned earlier, right?”

  “You know me too well. Yes, I'm on a System Quest to avenge her... violation, and part of the rewards for that is making her a dungeon boss, in addition to you.”

  “Ooh! Is, or rather was, she pretty?”

  “I don't know. She was pretty banged up, broken, and, for lack of better terms, utterly defiled, on the brink of death via several means, including nasty STD that in themselves would kill without treatment.”

  “Oh. YIKES! So it wasn't just prudishness on your part that made you ask such a 'sensitive' question of me. Anything you can tell me about her?”

  “She'll come back as a level 100 Paladin and a 'Grand Inquisitor' whatever that is.”

  “LEVEL 100 Paladin?! And a Grand Inquisitor to boot? Oh, Jade! You'd be a fool to turn that down! What else can you tell me about her?”

  “If she was in perfect health, her stats would be the 20 across the board, 5000 hp max, but only 10 MP.”

  Allura whistles loudly “DAMN! 5000 HP Max, but only 10 MP? Either the MP max was damaged by her ailments, or she's got skills that drain HP instead. I say go for it...”

  Suddenly the room shakes violently and sparks start flying along the walls.

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  “Okay. That's not good. Those sparks means the building's magical defenses are trying, and failing, to counter some powerful magical attack. We need to get out of here, yesterday!”

  “SUZIE, RICARDO! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, MEET ALLURA AND I ON THE ROOF OF THE HOLY KINGDOM EMBASSY!”

  “Allura, let's head out through the hole in the wall I made getting in here and then see if there's an easy way to the roof.”

  “Why the roof, Jade?”

  “It's where we can get the best vantage point to see what our options are and what the hell we're dealing with!”

  As Allura carries Jade up to the roof, she asks “so, what's she like?”

  “Sorry. I don't know much. We only got to chat for a few minutes before she passed away, but she seems nice. She's got a real 'motherly' feel to her.”

  “Ooh! I can't wait to meet her.” Once they finish climbing onto the roof, “Okay. We're going to be waiting for the others anyway, so how about getting started? Hmm?”

  “Okay, System. I'm ready for the bonus reward.”

  System Notice: Acknowledged. Dungeon Boss slot awarded. Initiating integration of new Boss Monster. Iluna blueprint used. Compatibility with Eagle Beast-kin blueprint found. Add to Boss Monster? Y/N?

  “Yes”

  Eagle Wing Blueprints missing: Available substitutes. [Chicken], [Pheasant], [Crow], [Pigeon]. Please choose one.

  “Where did those come from? Ah! The stable boy must have got them from the trash he was cleaning up with the wand we traded him. Hmm, which would give her the 'angel' look? How about [Pheasant]?”

  [Pheasant] acknowledged, white feathers premium decided.

  “Oh. Oh, wow! She's pretty!”

  “Now to make a custom armor from the blueprints available, let's see, size to fit, check, strip away the black paint with the Deokk crest, check. Ooh, gleaming white plate? Check please. Now for the insignia. Hmm. Oh, I got it! For a hybrid Eagle-kin, how about the national seal of my home country? An eagle in flight holding an olive branch in one claw and some arrows in the other. PERFECT!”

  And that's how Iluna Silverst came back to life.

  Status:

  Name: Iluna Silverst

  Race: Human/Eagle Beast-kin demi-human.

  Age: N/A

  Job: Dungeon Boss Level 100 Paladin: Subclass Grand Inqusitor.

  HP 5000/5000

  MP: 1000/1000

  STR: 30/20 (+5 STRx2)

  INT: 20/20

  WIS: 20/20

  DEX: 20/20

  CON: 20/20

  CHA: 20/20

  LUK: 20/20

  Equipment: Plate-mail with silken under-weave. Feminine undergarments. Plate thigh-high boots with silk nylon stockings. Chain gauntlets with steel knuckle-dusters. Spider-silk sleeves. Longsword and sheath.

  Status effects: None

  Ailments: None

  “Wait. What is this? I'm... I'm alive and whole?!”- Iluna.

  “Welcome to the club! Name's Allura. Pleasure to meet you!”-Alura.

  “Likewise. So you're the companion Jade spoke about? And. Wait a second, I have wings. I HAVE WINGS?! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!”-Iluna

  “And that's proof positive you're one of us now! Don't know if Jade's got a thing for wings, but a paladin/grand inquisitor like you definitely benefits from the angelic look they provide.”-Alura

  “So you weren't born with those leathery wings then?”-Iluna

  “NOPE! Jade got them from a giant vampire bat corpse he [Analyzed] and put them on me when he broke me free out of captivity and slavery to Sydonia, making me his first [Dungeon Boss] in the process. Can't fault his sense of taste! Makes me feel strong, sexy, yet still classy!”-Alura

  “You are a rabbit-ear beast-kin though, yes?”-Iluna.

  “That, I am, and proud of it!”-Alura

  “I trust Jade had permission to make the changes he did?”-Iluna

  “Oh, absolutely! He found me as a beaten, abused, and near-death child! I gave him permission to make whatever changes he needs to so that I can get even with those black-guards who burned my home village down and enslaved me in the first place!”-Alura

  “I see. Perhaps my memory's finally failed me, but I don't recall giving Jade permission for any of this. Only to go after those scum who defiled me.”-Iluna

  “Actually. Your revival and becoming my second [Dungeon Boss] is a System Reward. I would have asked, given the chance, but, you were dead.”

  “Fair. And the wings?”-Iluna

  “Take a look at our tactical situation. We have an unknown threat coming from an unknown ritual, likely started by the Black Serpents, who we have already encountered several times, and who attacked our group twice, with lethal intent. Our staging point is the top of a building. Do you think it would be wise to have as many of us being able to fly as possible?”

  “Well, I suppose it could all be worse. At least you outfitted me with excellent gear, I see my gauntlets have strength-enhancing magic on them. +5 to STR, each? Impressive. I trust you will ask me permission from now on if you want to do something with my body, yes?”-Iluna

  “Of course.”