Contents

  Dungeon

  Warden Locke

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  Dungeon

  Depot

  2

  Warden Locke

  Copyright © 2025 Warden Locke

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN:

  ISBN-13:

  1

  “This one gives me an idea,” Aleesia called to him while pointing at a slender woman in a silk gown. “I like the thought of having a tempting seductress guide the adventurers through the dungeon. It would be like reading a book, but with the narrator seated next to you. Don’t you agree?”

  The suggestion barely registered. It was Maxi’s idea to go shopping at Dungeon Depot, but he wasn’t interested in sexy women, traps that his transmutation mage could alter into something spicy, or any of the monsters they passed. Maxi only had one thing on his mind, and it had nothing to do with sex.

  His personal assistant, Aleesia Fleur, a gorgeous high elf with a dress so open that he could see her cleavage and her belly button, let out a long sigh as she stared back at her master. “You know, Master, it is a bit warm in here. Do you think I should slide out of this dress and run through the store naked?”

  He didn’t hear a word, not when all of his focus was on the giant orc in front of him, one he doubted would fit within the lobby of his dungeon. The club the brute held was almost as big as Maxi, which was really saying something since his altered body was now 6’2”. “I’ll think about it.”

  Aleesia growled and stormed toward him. She grabbed his arm and jerked him away from the enormous orc, but his gaze went back to the brute after she turned him. She shook her head and stepped between him and the dungeon monster, drawing a loud groan from Maxi when their eyes finally locked.

  “What?”

  “Odd, that is precisely what I was about to ask you. You’ve grown so distant that I’m not even sure if we are in the same town anymore.”

  He leaned around her so he could check the price on the orc. Sadly, it was 1,500 dubs, which was more than double what he had to spend. He could feel his assistant’s worried eyes on him, though, so he let out a breath and turned toward her. “There’s a barrier around the town. I couldn’t leave Duskview if I wanted.”

  “I was being metaphorical. However, now that I have your attention, perhaps we can discuss what’s troubling you?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? I got my ass handed to me by that Drow. He could have used the sharp side of that big-ass sword of his and ended my life in three seconds. Oh yeah, and I wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it.”

  “Yes, but…”

  “Oh! I almost forgot,” he continued and stormed down the aisle. “He could have killed any of you. You could have died, and I don’t think I could have slowed him down, let alone stop him.”

  Maxi knew he needed to apologize for blowing up at her halfway through his rant, but he just couldn’t stop himself from searching for a guardian of sorts. Part of him blamed Aleesia for not telling him sooner that adventurers and wanderers could attack them, or his dungeon advisor, Sylvia, since she had been with him from the start. Pointing fingers wouldn’t solve the problem, though, so he forced all of his attention toward the task.

  He didn’t know how old Aleesia was, but she proved she was far wiser than her eighteen-year-old master. The high elf hurried around to cut him off before throwing her arms around him. Shame overtook him. Shame and embarrassment. He felt weak for allowing the assistant to comfort him, and it was that weakness that fueled his anger ever since he was attacked by a group of adventurers.

  “Talk to me,” she whispered while stroking his hair. “I may not have the answers to all your problems, but sometimes everyone just needs to get it out.”

  “I’m scared, alright?” he managed through the lump in his throat and eyes that burned from holding back tears. “I’m terrified. I thought I was starting to figure this place out, but then…”

  “Then reality stepped in to remind you that this isn’t a fantasy?” she offered and kissed his cheek before leaning back. Her bright blue eyes offered more comfort than her body pressed against him, but that only made him feel worse since he didn’t think he was worthy of her friendship. “Many who come here lose their minds within the first few days of arriving. Did you know that?”

  “No, but I kinda suspected.”

  The high elf offered him a smile that warmed him from within. “You are doing very well, Master. Too well, in fact, which is why we were unprepared for that Drow. As I told you before, most dungeon masters don’t run into trouble until their dungeon earns a few levels. Yours isn’t even a quarter of the way through level one, so I didn’t see a need to trouble you with more issues. That is my fault. I failed you, and I vow to never make that mistake again.”

  “You didn’t…” he started until her expression hardened. Aleesia was easy on the eyes, but she could stop a raging bull with one look when she wanted. “…fine, but just so you know, I forgive you if that’s what you need to hear.”

  She shook her head and let her arms slide off his shoulders. “What I need is for my master to feel right again. How can I make that happen?”

  “I…I don’t know. I just don’t. Right now, the only thing I can think of is buying some muscle to deal with people like that Drow.”

  “Doing so won’t erase all your fears, Master.”

  “No, but I have to do something, so can we just focus on it for a little bit?”

  She nodded, but the look on her face spoke volumes. “Very well, Master. I will help you find a suitable guardian. I can’t recommend the orc, though. Not only are they hideous, but…”

  “Yeah, they’re too big for the lobby,” he groaned with a forced smile. “That’s why I need an assistant, right?”

  “And your Dungeon Depot sales rep!” a cheerful voice called out from the next aisle.

  Aleesia smiled and backed away from him, but Maxi just rolled his eyes and turned. Jenny James, the only cashier in Dungeon Depot, popped out at the end of the aisle. Her cheeks were a bit red as she walked up to them with her eyes aimed at the floor.

  “I take it you were listening to our conversation?” Aleesia stated with an amused smirk.

  Jenny hung her head for a moment. “I’m sorry, really. It’s just…well, you’re my only customers, and I’ve been dying to check on Maxi ever since I heard about that jerk in the dungeon.”

  “I suppose word would get around in a little town like this,” he sighed and motioned at the cashier with his hand. “Go on, let’s hear it.”

  Jenny looked back and forth between them for a few seconds. She was clearly still embarrassed for eavesdropping on them, but at least her cheeks returned to their usual tanned color. The answer had to wait until she had a chance to give him a hug, followed by a soft kiss to his swollen nose the Drow broke.

  “Is it that obvious?” he asked while covering his nose with his hand.

  “Yes, but it makes your face more interesting. Let’s get to business. You want security, and I don’t want my best customer getting his pretty face smashed in on a regular basis, so I’ve been searching through the store to find the best solution.”

  “And?” he asked, ignoring the fact that she brought up his ‘good’ looks more than once. He also had to fight the urge to mention that he was her only customer, but there was no point in bringing it up.

  “Right this way.”

  Jenny wore a crop top and cargo pants every day, along with an apron whenever she was in the store. Maxi had seen the outfit several times, but he still felt a tingle of excitement whenever the cashier walked in front of him. The legs of her cargo pants were loose, but the bottom was tight, and he loved watching her butt cheeks flex whenever she walked.

  Aleesia leaned closer. It made him jump, but she put her hand on his shoulder to calm him. “You know she flexes her bottom because she knows you’re staring at it, right?”

  “I was not!” he hissed with some fire in his eyes.

  “You’re a bad liar,” she laughed and squeezed his arm. “The real question is whether you’re lying to me, or yourself.”

  The assistant flicked her brows.

  “Didn’t you say you couldn’t persuade her since she’s an employee of Dungeon Depot?” he challenged with a knowing grin.

  “Oh, I don’t think you need my help to bed that one. Again, she’s flexing her butt on purpose. You would realize that if you possessed an ounce of confidence.”

  “Hey, I’m confident.”

  She shook her head and sighed. “Again, who are you trying to convince? Don’t worry, I’ll make it my mission to help you. In the meantime, maybe you should look away before that poor girl strains a muscle?”

  He didn’t realize it right away, but his personal assistant had managed to make his problems go away for a little while. She gave him another concern to deal with, but summoning the courage to flirt with Jenny James was only half as scary as getting killed by a group of adventurers.

  Until you get killed because you let all these girls distract you.

  The intrusive t hought stole his smile, but he forced it back to his face to keep Aleesia from worrying about him. The trio worked their way to the returns section of the store, which didn’t surprise him at all since most of his monsters and women used to belong to another dungeon master.

  Jenny turned down one of many overflowing aisles. The large figures shifting in the darkness still filled him with some anxiety, even though he knew they couldn’t move until they were purchased. He also knew that they were conscious and aware that someone had turned on the lights. Phoebe, his half-elf thief, had already explained it to him. Those stuck in the poorly lit returns room called it the abyss, and the name made perfect sense considering 70% of it was blanketed in darkness.

  “Ah, here we are.”

  Maxi was so busy feeling bad for the creatures in the room that he didn’t notice Jenny had stopped walking. He bumped into her in the process, which led to an uncomfortable scramble to find his balance.

  “Woah, do I have a brake light out?” she laughed and twisted her torso to look at her bottom. “You just walked right into me, didn’t you?”

  “I…” he started until he realized he was about to dump a lie on the cashier. He didn’t see the point in lying anymore, not when Jenny had become a bit of a friend to him. “…Phoebe said something that’s kinda haunting me.”

  Jenny’s eyes widened. “Oh, I’m not sure I want to hear what she said. Not to be mean or anything, but that thief is on the weird side.”

  “I noticed, but this was one of her more profound statements. She said this place is an abyss, that they all just stand around in the darkness praying that the lights come back on.”

  “What?!” Jenny cried out and whipped around. “They told me everyone was in a dream state, that it was like going to sleep and waking up when they were purchased.”

  Aleesia stepped in and placed her hand on Jenny’s shoulder to get her to stop whipping around in every direction. “No one is blaming you for the condition these beings are kept in. Now then, may we get back to the matter of the master’s safety?”

  “Everyone’s safety,” he corrected her with a stern look. “Everyone, period.”

  The high elf bowed her head and backed away, but something told him that his statement didn’t sway her. It was a discussion they needed to have, but Jenny cleared her throat and began her sales pitch.

  “Okay, this is who I had in mind,” she said in a shaky voice. “This is Sarandia. She’s a…”

  “Shield maiden,” Aleesia interrupted and waved the information card. “She is only level one, though. You understand my concern, yes?”

  “It won’t take long to level her up if you designate her as a servant.”

  “Why does that sound wrong?” he asked and looked from one woman to the next, noting that Aleesia wore a frown. “Why wouldn’t we assign her to the dungeon lobby?”

  Aleesia drew in a long breath with her eyes closed. He didn’t know her well, or women in general, but even Maxi could tell that she was trying not to explode. “Miss James suggested servitude because Sarandia would level with you rather than the dungeon.”

  “That makes sense. I mean, it’d take forever if she were linked to the dungeon, wouldn’t it?”

  The high elf nodded, but her expression didn’t soften. “Yes, she will level quicker. However, Sylvia won’t be able to summon her in an emergency. She can be summoned to your side, but if the problem were in the dungeon, then you would have to be there as well.”

  “Which would put you in harm’s way,” Jenny pointed out sheepishly. “I’m sorry. It’s just a suggestion. You can assign her to the lobby, but it’ll take forever for her to level up.”

  “Aleesia?”

  “The choice is yours, as always, Master,” she sighed with another bow. “My role is to assist, but I am filled with conflict. On one hand, the shield maiden could be summoned to your side should you fall under attack. This makes me feel better. On the other hand, however, you would have to run to the dungeon if any problems arose, which means you would have to move toward the danger rather than away.”

  He understood why she felt conflicted. Maxi gave her a nod before turning his attention to the shield maiden in question. Her dark blue armor was certainly imposing, as was her height and physique. Her appearance was a little odd given the long, dark blue hair, almost orange eyes, and a skin tone that was a bit ashen in the dim light. He tried not to notice, but it was impossible to ignore the big, round breasts the blue armor contained, or the fact that her lips seemed a bit plump for such a narrow face.

  You’re not going to have sex with her, dude. She’s supposed to protect Duskview. Who cares if her tits are as big as your head?

  “I trust Jenny,” he admitted with a brief smile offered to the cashier. He swore she blushed, but it was impossible to tell given the lighting situation. “How much?”

  “200 dubs.”

  “200?!” Aleesia growled and gave the shield maiden another look. “For a level one?”

  “And a used one at that,” he added with a sigh. “Why the steep price tag?”

  “Because her stats are impressive for a level one,” Jenny quickly replied. “They’re not eye-popping, but they’re respectable. Also…she’s a moon elf.”

  The comment left him in the dark. “I don’t see why that’s important.”

  “Moon elves are highly loyal,” Aleesia pointed out and leaned closer to the shield maiden. “I thought her skin was a touch gray. You have my blessing.”

  “Just like that? I don’t get it. Why did you change your mind so quickly?”

  Jenny stepped in and placed her hand on his arm. “It’s the loyalty. A moon elf will sacrifice everything to fulfill their oath. If Sarandia is assigned to protect you, then she’ll do it, even if it kills her. That’s why I handpicked her. I mean, I knew you’d like the way she looks, but that wasn’t important. I can’t leave during store hours, and I hate the idea that we’ve already attracted some lawbreakers, so I would feel a lot better if I knew there was someone by your side who would lay their life on the line if trouble came up.”

  “I…I don’t know what to say,” he stammered as he stared down at the hand clutching his arm.

  Aleesia cleared her throat and stepped in. “What he meant to say was thank you for being concerned about his safety. Also, it sounds like we shall be taking the moon elf with us.”

  Jenny offered a beaming smile and squeezed his arm tighter, but he shook her off and pulled out his phone.

  “Don’t forget the 20% discount.”

  2

  “At least Jenny didn’t exaggerate about her stats,” he pointed out as they walked away from Dungeon Depot. “For a level one, she’s pretty impressive.”

  Aleesia nodded along, but she looked over her shoulder at the moon elf following them before responding. “I’m finding it hard to believe that your fascination revolves around her stats rather than her beauty. I should also point out that I’m a bit jealous of her bosom. They are quite the pair.”

  “Hey!” he hissed and leaned into her. “Don’t talk about her like she isn’t here. It’s rude.”

  “Very well then. Sarandia, I admire your busty bosom, and your eyes are simply amazing.”

  “Aleesia!”

  “Thank you, madame,” Sarandia replied in a low voice before bowing her head. “I am not worthy of your admiration.”

  “You see?” the high elf laughed and gently hit his arm with the back of her hand. “She isn’t offended. Now then, since the issue of security has been remedied, I believe this would be the proper time to reopen the dungeon and inn. We’ve already lost several hours, so our profits will be low, but we can recover easily enough if we…”

  “I don’t know,” he interrupted as his eyes loomed on the dungeon ahead of them. “I still think we should have bought more security. We should definitely have someone in the lobby at all times, and I wouldn’t mind hiding some creatures in the dungeon we can summon when needed.”

  “Master,” she breathed with a long sigh. “I understand why you are concerned, but just having Sarandia around will make adventurers like that Drow think twice before starting trouble. Besides, we can have Kelly stand watch in the lobby for the time being.”

  “Kelly? No! Sylvia is so mean to her.”

  “I believe I told you to fire the dungeon advisor, did I not?”

 

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