The Crafter's Dominion: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 5) by Jonathan Brooks (e ink epub reader .txt) 📕

Yes!  Just like before, the damage done to the throat was extensive, and her own shot was followed up by 2 more, tearing the vulnerable neck open even wider.  A few seconds later, the Giant went still, disappearing…and revealing the crushed remains of the War Machine beneath it.  Needless to say, Violet highly doubted that the Warmaster pilot inside had survived.

Unfortunately, the other Giants were learning – or the Dungeon Core controlling them had learned; either way, the enormous dungeon monsters held their arms up in front of their face as they continued to approach, blocking any bolts from hitting anything vulnerable.  The ones that hit their arms or chest were little more than pinpricks, and even trying to fire together wasn’t enough of an impact to do more than annoy the humongous creatures.  Soon enough, they passed by where the other two Giants had been taken down, walking in step with each other, their footsteps causing the ground to rumble as they walked.  In short, they were getting into dangerous territory, because a few more steps would take them in range of the main Defensive Force.

Without any other option, the Shredder Cones attacked one while the War Machines attacked the other.  The Cones did a spectacular amount of damage, shredding the skin and muscle off of the one on Violet’s left side, but the success didn’t last long; the Giant reacted quicker than she had seen it move before, punching down with both fists, smashing into 2 of the Cones at the same time, demolishing them into a spray of splinters.  A third was kicked so hard that it flew at least 150 feet away before crashing and practically exploding from the impact, though the Giant was severely damaged as well.  The fourth Cone went all-in and spun into the right leg while the left was kicked out, tearing it up and causing it to break; the Giant came crashing down in a similar fashion as the second, but it fortunately missed crushing the last spinning Cone in its collapse.

Now vulnerable to attack, the Accelerators wasted no time in taking advantage.  A dozen bolts sprouted around its face and neck, causing additional outbursts of pain, but nothing was yet lethal.  At least, not until Violet saw a tiny form rushing at the Giant from behind.

“Hold your fire!  Concentrate on the other Giant!”

Amazingly, they all listened to her, and Violet shot her next bolt at the upright Giant, who was currently dismantling their War Machine group with ruthless efficiency.  That didn’t mean it wasn’t getting hurt, because axe heads and flames from Felbar’s War Machine were causing some serious wounds, but the Giant had picked up and crushed 3 of the Machines already, leaving just the grizzled Warmaster and one other to continue the fight.  The remaining Shredder Cone was still trying to tear up the prone Giant, not seeing what Violet was seeing.

Namely, that Princess Celeste – enchanted hand-axes still in her possession – was climbing up the Giant’s throat from the side.  Even as it started to sit up, arm raised to smash the still-attacking Cone, the Royal Gnome struck, slicing open its throat with a powerful slash of both axes.  There was a moment when nothing seemed to happen, and Violet wondered if Celeste had cut deep enough, but the next second a wave of purple blood erupted out of the wound and practically drowned the Princess in viscous liquid.

That didn’t seem to deter the battle-hardened Gnome as she turned and jumped off the dying Giant, already sprinting for the other target in her sights.

Violet went to grab another bolt, but her hands came up empty.  Looking around, she saw that all of the others on her Hauler were either out or close to it; the situation looked similar on the other Hauler as well.  We’re out of bolts!  No!  We’re so close.  Looking down at the carnage of the other transport vehicles, she could see some bolts scattered here and there, but it would take a while to scrounge them up, check to see if they were able to be fired, and then brought up to the waiting Mass Accelerators.

Almost as if the rest of the Defensive Force realized this as well, over 3 dozen of their remaining members were already running towards the Giant, with Flame Thumpers in hand and Ice and Absorptions Bombs at the ready.  Violet was proud of them rushing to end the fight before it was too late, but she also realized that they might not be enough.

It was time to use her backup weapon.

Looking up into the sky, she saw the Aerie Roc still circling around.  “Down!  Attack!” she shouted, using all of her thoughts to direct the bird down to finish the job.  She wasn’t sure if it would hear her over the sounds of the battle still going on, but she put everything she had into the order.

Thankfully, that was all that was needed.  Instantly after she finished her order, the Roc dove down at tremendous speed, looking like some sort of projectile itself.  Talons extended in front of it, the enormous bird slammed into the head of the Giant as it was bending down to pick up Felbar’s War Machine.  Long scratches marred the bald head of the Giant as it was rocked backwards from the impact, causing it to fall on its rear end.

The Roc rose back into the air after it finished its dive, gaining altitude for another attack.  However, before it could attack, she shouted, “Hold!” as a wave of Bombs from the Defensive Force suddenly impacted its sitting body, and Ice shards were suddenly embedded in multiple parts of its body.  These were quickly followed up with Absorption Bombs, which didn’t have too much of a visible impact when they activated, though the roars of pain from the Giant said otherwise.

In a rage, the massive creature bent forward, reaching