Lewd Dungeon, Chapter 218 (Patreon)

Chapter 218 – Dragon Battle

“Target in sight.”

Sheila Darrows, Anointed of Kuronoth, smiled as Cara Grehan spoke up from the gunner’s seat in the Bloodhawk’s cockpit. The elf had been cross training to serve as a gunner on the ship. She’d even unlocked a skill to use her ranger abilities with ships’ weapons!

Leaning back in her captain’s chair, Sheila looked at the screen. This wasn’t their first job for Lord Kuronoth, but it was rapidly looking to be the biggest. But excitement was running right alongside her nerves. After all, how many PMCs got to say they had fought a DRAGON!

“Right. Elinlia, begin the attack run.”

It had only been ten minutes since the dragon had been spotted off the coast of Miami. The dragon had been flying lazily through the air, using a breath weapon that appeared to be superheated steam to flash boil anything in its path, like the boats that couldn’t get out of the way in time. Apparently, some idiot was streaming video of the dragon to social media from his catamaran when the world got to see what high-pressure, high-temperature steam did to human flesh. The only consolation was that the idiot was probably dead too quickly to feel anything. The waterproof camera he was using for his stream actually held up for all of three secons before the signal cut, giving plenty of time to see the grizzly results of the blast on the would-be influencer.

The Air Force had slightly better luck. The pair of F-16s that scrambled from Patrick Air Force Base up the coast came in at over Mach 2, System-reconditioned weapons hot. Unfortunately, their missiles were designed for jets. A dragon, even a sea dragon, was far nimbler in the air than any fighter jet. Even getting a weapons lock was difficult, thanks to the fact that the dragon did not have the same heat signature as a jet, and radar had trouble locking onto the magical creature.

Fortunately for the pilots, their guns were not reliant on fancy targeting systems. The 20 mm Vulcan cannon did not care about radar locks or heat seeking. Despite all the changes the world had gone through, Sir Isaac Newton was still the deadliest man in the universe, and the two fighters proved as much as they unleashed their firepower on the dragon.

The dragon bled, as the rounds tore through its shield spell, and impacted its armor. But the creature was not dead. Roaring in pain, it turned on the fighters as they split to fly past it. One of the fighters did not split far enough, and was caught by the dragon’s jaws. The pilot managed to eject, but only barely, as the dragon crushed his ride.

The second pilot didn’t stop, or turn, but kept flying. Which was what saved her life, and probably the life of her downed wingman, as the dragon had to turn and race to try and catch up with her. While she flew, orders had come in. Try and lead the dragon towards the Everglades. Specifically, towards Swamptown.

Which was why Sheila and her people were now scrambling, in the Bloodhawk. As they roared out of the hanger in the swamp where their beauty was kept, they broadcast a friendly IFF so that the fighter pilot wouldn’t get jumpy. The F-16 passed by them, drawing the dragon into line with their guns.

The dragon ignored them, for the moment, focusing on the fleeing prey that had hurt it. Sheila would be damned if she didn’t make sure that the dragon learned to respect the Bloodhawk. The two guns on the ship’s wings peppered the dragon’s shields with energy blasts, causing the dragon to roar in response, and break off its attack on the fighter. It had just turned to face the new threat, when the main gun on the ship’s nose fired, a lance of blue-white magic flying to meet the dragon head-on.

The other guns had been your standard ship-to-ship blasters, good for battering shields, busting hulls, and generally making someone have a very bad day. This gun, however, was the main ion cannon. The ion cannon fired magically-supercharged electric plasma at the target, overloading a ship’s systems, potentially slagging them entirely if they aren’t hardened, like military models. Against organics, however? Well, it was a taser fit for a dragon.

“Good hit, Captain!”

Sheila nodded, as the dragon reeled back the electricity causing the massive sea creature to shudder spastically in the air. “Elinlia, bring us another round for another pass! Grehan, keep up fire with the turrets as we turn. Don’t give that thing time to think! Remember, our job is just to get the thing hurt and angry, and draw it into the Lord’s domain.”

“On it, Captain!” “As you please, Annointed.”

Sheila Darrows didn’t even bother trying to hide the predatory grin on her face as the Bloodhawk banked, turning tightly around the dragon, peppering it with the smaller turret blasters. The creature was bleeding from several wounds, now, and one of the dragon’s eyes was closed, with blood coming from that side of its face, but it was not dead. Not yet.

Suddenly, Elinlia threw the spaceship into a tight roll, throwing everyone around as the inertial dampeners struggled to compensate for the sudden violent movements. The next instant, alarms started blaring. Dimly, Sheila realized that Elinlia’s sudden maneuvers had allowed them to just barely avoid the incoming jet of steam as the one-eyed dragon unleashed its breath weapon at them.

Roaring in pain and rage, the dragon followed, hell bent on ripping the Bloodhawk apart. The dragon did not even notice as their vector began taking them over land. Cara, however, whistled even as she kept up the fire with the turrets that could hit the dragon trailing them. “We’re at Mach 2, and the dragon is gaining on us, even injured!”

Sheila just nodded. “I would have been incredibly let down if anything calling itself a dragon would be so easily outmatched by a ship like this, no matter how good the Bloodhawk is. They’re supposed to be the apex magical predators, after all. That’s what the fantasy stories all say, anyways.”

Elinlia just nodded, as she kept the ship flying evasive maneuvers. “Then your stories aren’t wrong. This creature, for all its size and power, is just a baby dragon. A fully-grown adult dragon would have already killed us all, the moment we drew its attention. They are Tier 4 creatures, and they most definitely grow into their powers as they age.”

Sheila winced. “Tier 4, huh? That’s not good. Any idea what it would take to bring one of those down?”

“Well, a full-grown dragon would require a full squadron of ships like the Bloodhawk to damage it as much as we have this one, and you’d be looking at insane casualties. Dragon hunts are literal suicide missions, unless you, and all your gear, including ships, are tier 4, and using tier 4 materials. The only exception would be actual gods, and some of their more powerful servants.”

Sheila’s stomach tried to escape through her mouth as the ship dropped twenty feet, with Elinlia once again just barely making the dragon miss with her breath weapon. The maneuvers were problematic, slowing them down even while they kept them alive. It only allowed the dragon to close the gap between them, which made dodging the attacks far more difficult.

“So, dragons are that tough, huh?”

“Tougher. They have Tier 4 magic, and their bodies are naturally Tier 4, making them stronger and tougher than anything else around. Hell, their regenerative abilities are some of the strongest you’ll find. Look.”

Sheila looked at the viewscreen, and cursed at what she saw. The wounds the dragon had received were already starting to close, and heal. If they let that go on, the dragon would be back to full strength, sooner rather than later!

“How much further?”

“About two miles! But the damn dragon isn’t stupid. I bet it knows we’re trying to lead it somewhere. The damn thing keeps cutting us off! And it is still gaining!”

Suddenly, tracer fire crossed their viewscreen, striking the dragon in the side, piercing its scaly hide. The dragon roared in pain once more, but it did not slow down. Instead, it turned to glare at the fighter like it was a mosquito that just bit it, before unleashing another breath attack at the fighter. The pilot managed to avoid being boiled alive, thanks to a quick roll, like Elinlia had done.

“Bloodhawk, this is Viper 02, callsign Pern. Thanks for the assist.”

Sheila grinned as the fighter pilot’s voice came through the speakers on the channel they’d been given. “Viper 02, this is Captain Darrows of the Bloodhawk, former Army and leader of Jadesins PMC, currently working under contract to Lord Kuronoth.”

“Really, that dungeon boss has a sweet gunship like that? He have anything more like a fighter? No offence, Captain, but, you know…”

“A fighter pilot isn’t a fighter pilot if they aren’t flying a fighter, no matter how deadly their current ride is, yeah. I’ve known some of you flyboys in my time.”

“Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, do you guys have a plan? My guns can hurt this thing, but from what I can see, it is already healing. And I’m going through fuel and ammo damn fast.”

“The Lord has something resembling a plan. Unfortunately, whoever scheduled the dragon attack forgot to notify anyone, so we’re winging this. But if we can get the dragon inside the Lord’s domain, near Swamptown, then He can fight the dragon directly, with all of His power.”

“Get the dragon to the new god so they can scrap, away from the city. Better than what we launched with. Distance?”

“Crossing the border—now.”

“Fear not. For I am with you, my servants.”

Sheila relaxed as she heard her Lord’s voice come over the radio. She didn’t know what He had planned, but she knew that He would do something to save the day, and bring down the dragon. After all, didn’t Elinlia say that gods were some of the ones who fought dragons without it being suicide?

“Who is this? Identify!”

The fighter pilot, on the other hand, was less soothed by the new voice on the channel. But that was just due to ignorance and nerves. The Lord chuckled, and did not seem to take offence at her tone, which Sheila was thankful for.

“Viper 02, you should have guessed who this was already. After all, you just crossed into my domain. I am called Kuronoth, Lord of Pleasure and Domination, Master of the Forbidden Chambers of Exotic Pleasures. And I have heard the prayers of the Adventurers’ Guild, and bring my blessing to you all.

“Bloodhawk, bring the main guns to bear, same as the first attack. Viper 02, come about to do another attack run. It is time for me to meet this dragon personally.”

Sheila felt the ship move, as they turned to face the dragon once again, all weapons charging. When she glanced at the viewscreen, what she saw was patently impossible, but that didn’t change the fact that she saw it. Crouched on the wing of the F-16, next to the fuselage just behind the cockpit, there was a figure in black.

Black hair whipped behind him, but did nothing to hide the two red horns growing from his head. Demon wings were tightly furled against the man’s back, sprouting through the long black coat he wore, flapping in the wind like a cloak, and giving a glimpse of the tail coiled about his waist like a belt. And, in his hand was a sword, with a blade like midnight, and wreathed in black flames.

“The Lord is with us!”

“Indeed I am. Now, Bloodhawk, set up my prey. Viper 02, you will be my steed, and carry me into battle. Do well, all of you, and you shall be rewarded, this I promise you.”

“This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. Thisisnthappening. Oh god. Oh fuck.”

“A godly fuck, hmm? If that is what you want for your reward, Viper 02, I will be more than happy to oblige. Now, focus. Bloodhawk is almost in position.”

Cara breathed slowly. “Firing blasters. Ion cannon charged. Good target.”

Sheila nodded. “Fire!”

The ion cannon fired again, but the dragon was no fool. Its serpentine body writhed in the air, sliding around the space the ion cannon’s blast passed through. Cara shook her head. “Miss. Target evaded the shot!”

“Damn it!”

“Anointed, the dragon is turning on Viper 02! It looks like it is going to breathe again!”

“That is fine. Steady, Viper 02. I will handle it.”