[Flame Nymph]


    I can’t believe I have been reduced to this. I say to myself as I fly from the scene of my defeat. The hole in my stomach hurts badly and I can feel the reaper Mania looking at me as my life drains with my blood.


    I am not dying. I will find a way to survive like I always do.


    I fly into the the nameless grasslands. Maybe I can find a resting place here and cultivate, usually no one even bothers coming here. With hardly any essence besides earth its useless to even the weaklings.


    My fire begins to wane and I start dropping in altitude.


    Crap I need to land now. Maybe there will be something there that can help me?


    I slowly drop in height until I’m barely skimming above the ground, then my flames leave me. My once beautiful and devastating flames disappear.


    I drop like a stone onto the ground rolling for an ungodly amount of time. As I stop I lay on my side blood flowing slowly out of me. It incenerates the grass around it to ash. I laugh.


    “So I still have some power left I see.”


    Blood drips from the corners of my mouth.


    I exhale loudly my lungs starting to give. Nymphs are physical creatures with high affinity for certain essence. Usually my body is hot enough to to cauterize a wound and heal it instantly, but this one is too big and I’m out of essence. I follow my blood as it flows through burning the area. It stops just before a ant pile. I laugh the ants will probably make use of my body. May even get the affinity of fire.


    I look up at the sky. It’s a clear day the sun shining overhead. I really don’t want to die, but I don’t believe my soul is taking orders from me anymore.


    I close my eyes letting the dirt act like a comfortable bed. Maybe the soldiers will find my body and bury it.


    “Hay what are you doing?”


    …….


    [Z]


    I’m almost done cultivating for now. I decided to do it for longer this time so I’ll have around fifty percent to play with.


    BANG! The ground around me shakes violently.


    What the? I haven’t done anything why is there shaking. As the shaking stops I sigh in relief. What could have caused that? Is there something above me? I can’t see anything outside my influence but maybe I can determine where it is by the vibrations. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    I listen closely taking in all sounds around me. The ants don’t seem bothered only concerned with patrolling their eggs. I don’t hear anything it most likely just walked by.


    I go back to cultivating but I''m interrupted again. The temperature just got hotter, by a lot. It won’t affect me but my egg it’s in danger! I am not letting that thing die I have worked too hard for it.


    I look up to see the source of the heat.


    A large amount of essence it directly above me it’s bright red and is leaking everywhere. This is what is causing the temperature to increase I presume. I take a breath. If I were to compare my essence to that I would be a grain of sand next to a mountain.


    No I will stand up and demand for the temperature to be turned down. But how will I do that? I can’t communicate.


    Perhaps if I poke it with my mind. I reach out with my mind''s eye trying to disturb it.


    I don’t know how but I form a connection with it.


    Not like the sand. This is like a telephone thoughts can be transmitted between it. A mind link is what it is called. How did I know that?


    I need to talk with Dungian about what the abilities of a dungeon soul really are. But first talking with the thing.


    I take another breath preparing myself. I shall be firm with a mighty voice.


    “Hay what are you doing?”


    I ask nicely.


    Don’t judge me I can talk how I want to.


    “Who is this! If you come near me I’ll kill you!”


    “Sorry but you are on top of me and,” I sound like a nerd convincing the bully to stop picking on him,” can you please stop making things so hot, my egg will burn and it took me a while to get this.”


    “I don’t care about your egg now leave if you wish to live.”


    “I am sorry but I can’t. Dungeons can’t move around freely can you just put your heat somewhere else please.”


    The thing stops responding. I feel it thinking through the bond, but I can’t get anymore than that.


    “All the dungeons were killed five years ago by the goddess Lilithian. How can you be one ……” She goes quiet again.


    “I was only born a few months ago so I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Did she just say I’m the only one. I uh, I uh. My body gets cold even the heat coming from the being doesn’t warm me.


    I am the only dungeon in this world.


    “If that is true then make a pact with me.”


    The thing draws me out of my daze. I mentally slap myself. I need to focus, this is life or death.


    “What is this pact?” I ask.”If you are trying to enslave me I won’t do it I would rather die than be a slave!” Holy crap I’m going to be chained to a wall and have unseemly things done to my core. DUNGIAN PLEASE SAVE ME!


    “It isn’t a slave bond you idiot. A pact is an agreement between a dungeon and a sentient being for equal partnership. I supply you with essence and protect you and you heal my body when injured and help me rank up.”


    Protection. I can use some of that, and I get essence out of this deal. Hell yes.


    “I wish to accept this, but let''s discuss this in greater detail. Can we do a percentage exchange with you giving me a certain percent.”


    “NO! ACCEPT THE PACT NOW! I a flame nymph hereby accept this dungeon to be my partner…..”


    Wait I’m not ready for this type of commitment. This is too much too fast.


    “I the dungeon Z accept this pact.”


    Well I can’t let this opportunity pass me up. This can be my big jump were I soar through the levels and reach the rank of the gods in less then a year.


    Or not.