《The Tower in the Shadows》 Chapter 1 Surprisingly, death is more like life sometimes. Boring. I mean, it isn''t very interesting. I was thinking this as I found myself in darkness. As far as my senses are telling me, I''m looking but surrounded by darkness. I had the unfortunate experience of dying, which was surprising at the time. Admittedly, I felt slightly unwell during the day, but I didn''t expect this. I should have paid more attention to my body''s warning signs. It happened coming out of the shower while not having a great time in my none-too-exciting life; suddenly, bang, a heart attack kicked in and then I dropped to the floor dead. It was damn painful. I remember my soul? Yeah, better call it that. There is nothing else I can call it, leaving my body as I died. No. I was dead on the floor. I have to stop thinking that I am alive. I remember seeing my body from behind while my point of view floated away into this darkness. My former body was lying on the floor with my bare ass in the air. A damp towel under me where I had collapsed, with a shocked and pained expression on my face, admittedly, not the best, I think, in the end. A lifetime of junk food and gaming had taken its toll on me. Physically, I was in terrible shape. Okay, let''s be honest: I was a fat bastard. So, today was the day that it all caught up with me. I knew it would be days before I was found. I was not pleasant to be around, so I had few friends. Being known to be a troll and a total bastard in the online forums and games I played, the majority would not miss me. They may even have a party for my demise. Back to the story, I floated away through my ceiling to this place while thinking about my life and the afterlife. Whatever this is. Now, I''m surrounded by this blackness. Blackness. That is all I can perceive at this time. I exist here, but I wonder where I am. Also, why am I telling this like a story in my head? There is no way to tell time, so how do I know how long I have been here? It is impossible to mark the time, as there is just blackness. Maybe time is passing. I''m not sure, as I am just here with my thoughts. Does that mark the passage of time? Okay, let''s think this through. Let''s see if there is something here. I have nothing else to do, to be honest. I started by "looking" left and right¡ªnothing but blackness. Then I tried up and down, but I was still unsure if I was moving. I continued trying to move, but again, I felt nothing; I could see and hear nothing. All things considered, it''s boring. Suddenly, a thought came to me. Why was I not freaking out? This was a bit of a revelation to me. I should, by every metric, be freaking out right now. I died, for God''s sake! And now, maybe I was floating in this blackness, with no body and no visible way to get out of here. I should have been completely losing it. Yet there I was, surprisingly calm and collected. Hang on! My memories are much more vivid than usual. We all have faded memories, especially when we''re not paying attention. Somehow, I can remember everything I did on the day right up to death when I focused on the memory. Strange all the mundane things that just get forgotten, I remember. You know, eating, cleaning my teeth, that sort of thing. All in full detail. So, with little else to do, I float here in this place. Remembering. Maybe time passed and eventually, I saw something. In the distance, I could make out a point of light. Is it approaching? Or am I heading towards it? Finally! Something is happening. Whatever it is, it makes me very happy. Something is happening! The light source approaches and grows within my vision until it consumes all. The black around me is now replaced with white. "Hello." A voice spoke to me from all around. Suddenly, I felt awake and fully aware after dozing. "Err¡­ Hello." I answer, not sure even if I am speaking. "I greet you, travelling soul. I am Oda. I am a god of balance from another pantheon not known to your world." The voice was that of a man. It was rich and warm, with a great sense of wisdom in it. You could listen to this voice all day, reading the weather or some other boring information. "Nice to meet you, Oda." What was I supposed to say? Something claiming to be a God has shown up. How am I supposed to react? Why am I saying "I" often in my head and private thoughts? Who am I talking to? "I have intercepted you as you travel to the next stage of existence. The next stage would not have been a pleasant time for you. You were not a believer or a kind and gentle soul. Nor were you a terrible person, just not a good one, for you were not a positive person in your last life to many. Your actions have consequences." "I have stepped in, however. It is a rare event for any travelling soul and I will offer you something unique. You have the skills and mind I require to aid me in a great project on the world my pantheon and I oversee¡ªa choice." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "It will not be easy, but if you succeed, I will grant you entry into one of the heavens until your soul forgets why it is there and returns to the life cycle." "What is it you require of me?" "At the moment, I cannot say you must accept my offer or move on." Okay, this is suspect! I can sense Oda around me, watching and waiting for my response. "Is there anything you can tell me?" More information is required here. Mama raised no fool here. When she was around, that was. "You will be granted a new life and body with a great task to fulfil. I can say no more until you have accepted my offer." "This is not a true choice but a blind one. How am I supposed to choose if I do not know the consequences of the choice?" I demanded to the light around me. "You are correct. It is not a fair choice, but it is a choice." Oda was annoyingly calm in his response. Dammit, all. How was I supposed to choose this? But the choice had to be made; I knew he would not lie about my destination if I said no. So, I made it. "Okay, I agree." I never took chances like this in life, but now that I''m dead, why not now? "You are now Soul Bound by your choice." Oda said. Shit, that did not sound ominous as hell. There was also something in the way he said it. It resonated in me somehow on a level that I cannot explain. "Thank you for your choice. If you are successful, you will save countless billions of lives. Even if you do not, you can influence the world positively. Unlike the one that you have just left." "So, what have I agreed to do." It was time to find out what devil''s bargain I had made. "The world I oversee has become corrupted by a terrible and dark force called void essence. It is slowly corrupting and twisting the world and those who live upon it, though they nor the gods have realised it yet." "It was the foolishness of the other gods in my pantheon that caused this disaster to happen. Their arrogance and lust for power disrupted the balance of the world and those who live upon it." "As the God of Balance, I am the only truly neutral God standing at the pantheon''s head. I must keep the balance between the two courts. I failed in my duty in this. To that end, I sought a way to restore balance once more. Through many years of study and learning, I realised there was a way to remove the void essence corrupting the world." "You will be reincarnated as a very special dungeon core. Your core has been specially created to absorb and process void essence, making it safe. However, this will place limitations on you as a dungeon core. You will gain several unique advantages to balance this out." Oda intoned. Okay, this is a lot. Like any geek, I had heard of the dungeon core genre. Hell, I had read quite a few books and electronic novels. Dungeon management games were also games that I enjoyed playing when I was alive. So, I was not going into this blind, it seems. I could make this work. "Okay, so I''m to create a dungeon. Challenge adventures and create monsters, all that stuff you mean." I needed to confirm. I wanted to use more creative language but was playing it safe for now. "Fundamentally, yes. But as I said, to process void essence, you will have several restrictions placed upon you and balanced out by several advantages. I have created an enhanced system to help you in your new existence as a dungeon core. I have based on the computer games that you have played and books you have read." Oda confirmed this to me. "Okay, lay it out for me, Oda. Can you start with the disadvantages and then hit me with the advantages?" Time to find out if I''m screwed and how badly. The term "Faustian pact" came to mind. "Very well. The first thing you are not allowed to do is to become allied with any gods. No shrines, temples, celestial or infernal beings are to exist within your dungeon. This goes for contact with other dungeons as well. You must stand alone." Okay, I can work with that one. I have always preferred playing games alone. Except, of course, when I was trolling people online. Oh, the good times! "To process void essence, you will not be able to take a mana affinity if offered by the system. This will restrict you long-term as creating more powerful monsters and traps will be next to impossible." I was still trying to figure out this one. I needed more information on the system I would be working with or how mana affected the world. What was it anyway? It sounded like some form of magic. The restriction on powerful monsters would be a big issue I already knew. But I am committed now and will have to improvise. "Due to the risk of void essence exposure, you cannot have a companion like all other dungeons have. You must be alone in your task. Only those you create will be protected from void essence corruption." This might be a problem. The dungeon companion is meant to keep the dungeon core sane in the literature. I''m used to long periods of being alone, but I always had some level of human interaction. That was going to be complicated. "I will not wipe your memories, but you cannot use the knowledge of your world. Everything created must be within the system and rules of the world you reside in." Okay, no Earth knowledge cheating. I could understand that. I wonder if I could work that some way. I will have to get creative to game the system to my advantage. "Finally, if you absorb too much void essence too fast, it will cause your dungeon core crystal to shatter, condemning your soul to be destroyed." Fuck! Way to bury the lead. That was a big thing, to be sure. He did not allow me to say anything. He just continued. "To the advantages that I will offer you. First, I will bless you with a good location in the world to expand." Okay, a good starting location is always a plus; I can never deny that. But I was still dealing with the soul destruction part. "You will not be limited by the creatures or traps you can create. Anything that you kill or create will be yours to command. Any unique creations will also be fully under your control." Flexibility in monsters and traps is always a plus. What was that about unique creations? "Mana affinities are restricted from you, but you can use any type of mana in your dungeon that you can hold on to." I still need to know more about this mana stuff. It was going to be critical. I had already gathered this from my past reading/gaming. I just did not understand the context of it where I was going. "You shall be on your own, but you will have what your world calls a "wiki" to give you some information about your abilities as a dungeon core and the world. The rest you must learn on your own." Okay, that will help me. Even a little information is better than nothing. "Finally, your last advantage is that you keep your intellect and will as you exist in your dungeon core body. This will be a gem and grow as a dungeon. As your powers develop, so too will this gem change. You will be immune to the physical ravages of time and entropy. You will be effectively immortal, but be warned. This is also a curse." Immortal. Okay? I don''t know how to take that last part. Curse? "So that is what is now before you. It is time to go young dungeon core and fulfil the destiny before you. Good luck to you and may you live a better life than the one you had." Before I could say anything, I was suddenly overwhelmed by the sensation of my soul being twisted and compressed. It seemed I was now contained in something. I couldn''t say how I knew. I just knew this now. The next thing I knew, I was falling through the stars and space. Before me, there was a planet and I was rapidly heading toward it. The world had four moons. I could see dozens of continents and even more small islands not covered in clouds. These information dumps were getting annoying. As I approached, I realised that this world was more extensive than Earth, the world I had left¡ªa lot bigger. Again, I did not understand how I knew this. I just did. My new form quickly passed the moons and reached the upper atmosphere. I fell surrounded by fire onto the world. As I fell, a few details could be made out through the flame surrounding me as a mountain range approached. I was heading towards a valley with a river and a thick forest running through it. As I came hurtling in, I saw I was aimed at a tower on a low hill in that forest. Before I could think of anything else, I hit the building, crashed through the roof and landed on the floor. To say I was stunned would be an understatement! Thus began my new life. Chapter 2 So, here I am on a stone floor. I looked up at the rafters and the hole I created when punching through the roof. But that would be inaccurate. My awareness extends to everything within a sphere-shaped area around me. Everything beyond it is faded monochrome and seems slightly distorted, worsening the further away it was from me to the point it was a blur at the edges of my view. I quickly realised that I could look around. Everything within the sphere I am aware of is perfectly clear. My awareness of everything is somehow constant, even if I am not paying attention to anything in my sphere. This new sensory information intake will take me a little time to get used to. I can move my sight around like I was looking at things with my eyes. But at the same time, I am still aware of everything else. I push up to the limit of my sphere of influence. Looking back, I see my new form. On the ground is an inch-wide, perfectly round stone. I was not expecting this. I know I am a gem of some kind, but I cannot name it as I am jet black in colour. I mean, I am the deepest black I have ever seen. Almost to the point, I am absorbing light. As a gamer, I realised that I would have to learn as much as possible about the mechanics of my new existence. In the corner of my "vision", I see a blinking box. Written on it was the word menu. I focused on the button, willing myself to click it. Nothing happened. Okay, let''s try something different. "Menu." I "spoke" in my mind as I don''t have a mouth. This started something.
++Initialising. Please stand by¡­.++ ++¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.++ ++Welcome. Please enter your name. ++ ++Warning this cannot be changed++
The box appears in the centre of my vision. I am strangely not surprised by this. My inner nerd expected something like this would happen, but blue boxes! How stereotypical can you get? I was just starting out and I already had an Isekai story trope in front of me, so this didn''t bode well. Focus! I will not be seeking a harem any time soon. Not that I would not like one, but I no longer have the required parts to enjoy one. This makes part of me sad. I am going to miss some parts of being human and having a body, but I cannot dwell on that right now. I thought for a minute about my name. What shall I call myself? New life, new world, new me? I decided not to use my old name but my gamer handle, as I was always happy with that one. "Bhaldor." When I spoke the name, it resonated in me and somehow in the air around me. It was like Oda saying his name to me.
++Thank You. Your true name has been accepted. ++
Eh? True name? Two new options appeared before me. The first said status screen and the second was a wiki. Before I dived into the wiki and the massive amount of information I would have to learn, I decided to see my status screen.
Name Bhaldor Essence 0%
Race Dungeon Core CP 100 / 0.1 phr
Level 1 Corruption 0%
Floors 1 Health 100%
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 1 - 0% Core Refining ¨C 0% Mana Sight: 1 ¨C 0%
Perks/Restrictions: Godless Affintyless Companionless Limitless Monsters/Traps
All right. I could quickly make out the bulk of my status screen sheet from a basic surface understanding. I knew the wiki would help me understand the things I needed help understanding, which was everything. The Skills and Perks/Restrictions section had to be opened by command. I could not help myself in the end and needed to see what I could do with my status screen. After some experimentation, I discovered that I could access more about my skills and perks by saying, for example, skill: Mana Manipulation. This opened up another box with the skill''s name and a brief explanation.
Mana Manipulation: This skill allows the sight and manipulation of Mana. This allows the creation and use of spells. The user may use the skill to infuse Mana into living or inanimate objects to grant them magical abilities. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Okay, on the surface, there is only a little information. The number next to the skill must be my level and the percentage should show how far I am to the next level. It''s all standard stuff so far. The only one I could not understand was Core Refining, as it was just a percentage. Accessing the skill only told me it was used to improve my core. Discovering how to return to the menu screen by saying "menu" out loud. From here, I navigate to the wiki option. This opens up a massive number of options. I spent several minutes looking through the options list alone. I started reading the section about dungeon cores and how they expand. I steadily read through the information, thinking back to my status screen and realised that the CP option is one of the most important things I was to be aware of. Creation Points, or CP for short, are the bedrock of everything I can and will be able to do. I have come to understand how much I suck right now, with a 0.1 regeneration per hour. The area around me is my aura. Within my aura, I can manipulate and control everything. I can create and destroy at will as long as I have the CP to fuel what I want to do. Absorbing things breaks them down, netting some CP and other resources. I have a hundred points with terrible regen. As my level increases, so will my point limit and regeneration. Okay, I need to level fast! In this world, they don''t have experience points but essence. You level up once you accrue enough essence through quests, killing monsters or specific actions. That would be the case if I were anything but a dungeon core. To gain essence, I must kill and absorb anything that enters my dungeon for the moment within the one-meter range of my aura. The information about the expansion includes a warning. If I chose, I could kill everything to gain power quickly, but there is always a "but." If I take this route, I would be considered a danger that the locals will need to deal with and I could find my core and dungeon destroyed. This makes sense to me. From all the novels I have read and shows, I have watched, a dungeon that takes this route is quickly eliminated. As my task is to eliminate the void essence and corruption that comes with it from this world, I need to play the long game. Most importantly, I don''t want my soul destroyed! The section on this explains a lot. I am passively absorbing the void essence naturally. If left to build up in things, it will cause them to become corrupted and spread their corruption. The greater my level, the faster and more I will process. This was when I discovered the first "I am fucked issue". I will attract void essence and those corrupted by it to me! Need defenders fast! I reviewed the section explaining how to increase my aura size using my creation points and decided to try it out. Looking around the room beyond my aura, I note a figure sitting on a chair. As this figure has not moved since I arrived, I do not think they are alive and might be a statue. I focus on the edge of my aura and follow the instructions in the wiki to use my CP points and expand my aura. It took several attempts, but I eventually started pushing my aura out. The expanse in all directions from 1 meter out to 3 meters. The number of CP points I have decreased as I expanded my aura. I decided to stop here and take stock. Expanding my aura is more taxing somehow than I thought it could be. As I grew, I became aware of everything in my aura''s expanded sphere of influence as soon as it entered, which I found to be more than I expected. I lost 3 CP just growing this amount. It was not as bad as I feared on reflection, as it would recover over time. I know everything new in my aura as soon as it enters. There is a table and chair with a dead man sitting on it. It looks like he died quite some time ago. The body is nothing but bone with a few wisps of hair, but his armour is well preserved. I find a void below the room I am in. There is an underground section of this building. I will need to explore this, too. I look over the section in my wiki on absorbing material and begin. Time to feed the core! As I start absorbing, I force myself to stop. The impulse to absorb everything is like no hunger I have ever experienced. I want it all, and I want it now! The intensity and force of it are shocking. Controlling the desire takes me several minutes of using my willpower to suppress it. Okay, that was surprising. In the end, I started to absorb some things, but only some. I forced myself to be more targeted, leaving the furniture behind for the moment. My CP ticked up a little from the materials I had absorbed.
Materials Absorbed: Roof Tile (Clay) Roof strut fragment (Wood) Human remains (Bone) Cythian Short Sword (Quality-Good, Durability-25/25 Notes- +2 Damage, Iron) Cythian Leather Armour Set (Quality-Good, Durability-25/25 Notes- -2 Damage, Leather) Cythian Copper Coin x4 (Copper) Cythian Silver Coin x1 (Silver) Wine Bottle (Quality ¨C Good, Poisoned) Tin Plate (Tin) Letter (Vellum)
I had begun with the fragments, then moved to the body and the table. The list grows as I absorb the body and things around it, giving me more questions. Did this man kill himself, or was he murdered? I focus on the letter on the list. As I do, the written content appears in my mind. To whoever finds this. Let it be known that this is the last testament of Sectarum Vladis Drussic of the 14th Iron Legion, 8th Cohort, 5th Century, leader of the 3rd Line of the Cythian Empire. Mid-summer day 3466 imperial year. Today is my last day. For twenty years, I have held my post at this tower. My Linemen are dead or deserted. I sent word to my local Centaurium of the present condition of my command, but I am still waiting for a reply. That was five years ago. Since then, travellers have yet to travel along the Shadow Way River. The last who took my message spoke of increasing chaos within the empire. Even 300 years later, we are still being cursed by Adrill''s Folly. I am now at such an age that I can no longer maintain the building and grow the required supplies each year. So, I have elected to end my life. I have poisoned my last bottle of wine and will have a glass with my last meal. I do this to save myself the indignities of death by cold or starvation this winter. I hope that my legion or empire will one day return to this place, until that day. Glory to the Empire. Sectarum Vladis Drussic. Well, that explains some things. But it also leaves me with more questions. I look through my wiki for references to the Cythian Empire. I need more context. Reading my wiki, I found out some exciting things about this empire. The Cythian Empire was the former dominant empire on this continent. It sounded similar to the Roman Empire in many respects, especially in its military organisation. Human controlled but began declining after "Adrill''s Folly". There was no mention of what that was. As I read, I came to several realisations. This world was massive compared to Earth. I already knew this, but still, if Oda''s wiki is to be believed, it is one hundred times larger! It clearly states that there are many more races in this world, but it is focused on my local region. I am presently residing in a Cythian Empire Watch Tower. The empire used these towers to monitor dangerous areas and offer safe havens for travellers. This tower is located in a series of valleys called Shadow Falls beside the river Shadow Way. They get this name because the mountains around here cast long shadows over the area. The Shadow Way is the only safe way through the mountains in this part of the continent and is not just one but a series of interconnected rivers. It also turns out that the continent is the same land mass as roughly Russia, Africa, Europe and North America combined! Okay. This helps, but not for my short-term survival. I go back into the wiki and my aura expansion section. I go over it again, even as I clearly remember it. There is a link to another area that I am going to check out. I found the link at the bottom and it reads. Aura Reveal. Accessing it, I started to panic as I read it. It turns out that when my aura leaves this building, it will generate a large essence burst that will be detected for hundreds of miles by those who are sensitive to such things pointing to my location. Several dungeon core books used this as a means to show adventurers that the dungeon was open. But that was after they had traps or monsters to defend themselves. I do not! As long as I do not expand beyond the building''s walls while on the surface, I will not trigger this event. The problem is that I am expanding in a sphere. I need to think. I absorb everything but the stone floor, replacing a little of my CP already expended. Then, I continued to expand my aura. I am near the back of my room, allowing some additional space to grow. I encountered more chairs and a cupboard with a small chest. I get the metal, good old bronze, from absorbing it. I get to add that to my list of resources. It takes some more of my CP to almost reach the walls, so I decided to hoard the rest for now. I spent the night waiting to regenerate my CP, using this time to think/brood and finish reading my wiki. I read through everything in a few hours. Boredom is becoming an issue because guess what? I do not sleep anymore! I have plenty of time to kill. By mid-morning, I have enough points to expand on again. I push up to the wall closest to me. I fall short by choice and wait to regenerate my CP, the little I had used. I need to start thinking about defences. I think back to the room as it was when I arrived. I reached and passed through the wall at the tower''s base during my expansion. When I fell, I could remember the building and knew the tower was the centre with four sections like a cross. I had absorbed the door that led into the tower base. It was a medieval-style doorway with a narrow opening and a thick door. It was designed for defence and as a choke point into the tower. There is a lock on the other side. The room was barren as far as my aura showed me nothing was present. "Time to get creative, Bhaldor." I had spent the night studying, and it now paid off. I recreated the chairs, table and door I had absorbed. I need to present the look of an empty/abandoned building to lure anyone who enters with a false sense of security. I placed a new small chest inside a new cupboard I had created. They all looked identical to the ones I had absorbed, apart from the missing layer of dust. This exhausted my CP. Expanding my aura was cheaper by far. As night was once more approaching, I went back to thinking. Thanks to my improved memory, I remembered something. "Who the hell am I talking to in my head?" I pondered this for the rest of the night, but I could not find an answer to this question. I had been doing it all day, almost as if it were second nature, telling my actions like a story. "Bloody hell! I am doing it again!" Chapter 3 "What to do? What to do? Come on, Bhaldor, think!" I asked myself. I had a significant problem. My aura reached the end of my current room to expand. I was just short of one of the walls not connected internally to the rest of the building I was in. If I crossed it and my aura left the building, it would alert everyone sensitive to my presence. I was not ready for that. Honestly, I was afraid. Was I a coward? When alive as a man, the answer was yes. In many ways, I was. So now here is my new life. Would I still be? That was the question. "I really need to stop this!" I had been trying to stop thinking like I was telling a story or conversing and getting on with it, but I was failing. "Why the hell am I explaining everything I do? Hello, is anyone there?" Silence was my answer. Frustrated with my rebellious mind, I had to continue. It was late afternoon and I spent the first two days of my new life thinking about the walls around me. It had occurred to me that I needed to decide whether these walls would be my prison or my home. With nothing else to do, I just read and thought. However, the expected mental crisis of my new existence had not arrived. I was somehow very accepting of the fact that I was no longer human and now something else. In the night, I wondered if Oda had done something more to me than round my soul into this new gem body. It was quite possible, but I had no way of knowing. I could not keep thinking along these lines right now. That route led to some dark paths and already weird thoughts. "Focus, Bhaldor!" Back to my problem at hand, I had come up with a risky idea. I had been thinking about the stories I had read and it was the only way I could think of to continue to grow. I gently pushed my aura out and touched the wall. My CP was still low, so I had to be careful. I slowly moved my aura further into the wall as gently as I dared. When I reached the face of the outside wall, I stopped. Now, my experiments could begin. In the night, I asked myself the question. "Could I manipulate my aura''s shape?" If I could, I reasoned, then I could shape myself to become this building. If not, my presence would become known and the odds of me surviving would drop dramatically. Within my mind, I focused my will on picturing my aura expanding into the wall and, eventually, becoming the wall. Over the next few hours, I tried and tested different concepts and ideas in my mind. The night quickly fell, but still, I worked. Not needing sleep anymore was now an advantage for me. My CP regeneration rate was my only limiter. "Come on, Bhaldor!" "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" "Work, damn it!" I called and screamed out in my mind during the night. And as the sun rose, I got my reward. A glowing exclamation mark appeared in the corner of my vision. A small bell rang softly. Ring I remembered from the wiki that it was an alert. I had to access it. "Alert open."
New Skill ¨C Aura Manipulation ¨C Level 1 This skill allows the user to shape their aura according to the environment around them. Using this skill increased CP use by 100%.
"FINALLY!" I screamed out. Blue Box for the win! This was going to work. I hoped. That was one hell of an additional cost to use the skill. I had merged my aura with the wall and now made it the edge of it. This meant my aura would not move further here unless I willed it. I stopped, mentally exhausted. I never thought I could feel so tired as a dungeon core. My CP was low, but I felt a lot better now. I had been stressing out about several near misses I had during the night. A little time later, I got to work. ## ## ## ## ## Twenty Days and Nights! Twenty Fucking Days and Nights! That was how long it took me to "occupy" the room with my aura. That extra cost was a total bitch! To be honest, I did not just mould my aura to the room''s walls. I merged with the roof, window shutters and front door. The room had a fireplace with a few wood logs and some old ash, which I checked out but left alone as there was nothing interesting. The hole in the roof let in rain, which gave me access to water, but in the end, I repaired it. The roof was also missing tiles, so I replaced them as I went. I expected them to be slate, but as I discovered, the debris that fell with me was clay when absorbed. The walls were pale grey stone with Roman military-style architecture and the roof tiles were orange like those found in the Mediterranean. The clay and wood were cheap and easy to replace using CP, but this repair work slowed me down. During this time, learning that I could open and close the doors and shutters in the room controlled by me at will was fun. I could also move the furniture I had created around. It''s not helpful at the moment, but maybe later. I also discovered I could have a CP counter in my vision. Like a HUD display to help keep track of the amount of CP available to use. This proved to be both a help and a curse as I constantly watched the count while waiting for my CP to regenerate. I "looked" around the room. This was the entry to my Dungeon. Let''s be honest. It is my Dungeon at the moment. So how am I going to do this? Thinking about this was easy as I had a lot of time between waiting for my CP to regenerate and planning this. In time, I had a plan or at least a start of one. I had to work with what I had, which was almost nothing. I decided to create a trap in this room. I had recreated the room to what it was. There was a cupboard in this room with a small chest. Creating a new poison wine bottle and placing it in the chest with a few copper coins was easier than I expected. The bottle just fitted in and was filled with the wax seal replaced. This was the trap. I hoped to use this lure to get those foolish enough to drink the wine and take them out. The experienced adventure would not be fooled, but the younger ones might fall for it. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Hope springs eternal on this idea. People can walk in, pick me up and walk away with me. That was concerning, to say the least. I needed to think about where I was going to hide. I was looking at correcting this when I felt¡­... something. It was strange. I could not explain it as I had never experienced it before. I looked around my room to see what was causing it. Was it a feeling? Impression? Of shadow. I think. I could not explain it. I did not see anything. It was about midday from the light coming through the one open shutter. I felt it was in the corner in heavy shadow. But I could not see anything different. I am a bloody idiot! I could change the way I could see. "Mana Sight. Activate." My vision of the world altered like a filter was placed over it. I noticed a light mist floating through the air. In the corner, I now could see a mote of grey light. Was this Mana? Experimentation time! I "reached" out and touched it.
Alert! Shadow Mana discovered!
The blue box appeared as soon as I made contact. But was quickly followed up by more.
Mana Absorption is possible! Do you wish to absorb Shadow Mana and have it become your¡­. ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Absorption is impossible! Shadow Mana is now decaying!
Wait! What? I could sense that the Mana was disappearing. I knew why it had been blocked; it was that bloody restriction listed on my character sheet. "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" I found that I could move the Mana but could not store it anywhere. I panicked as I tried to hold it in different places. They all failed. It quickly decayed and vanished. "Mana Sight deactivate." This left me feeling down for a while. Since my CP was still regenerating, I used this time to expand the other sections of my character sheet. "Skills open."
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 1 - 20% Core Refining: 1 ¨C 0% Mana Sight: 1 ¨C 15% Aura Manipulation: 1 - 85%
Hold on! I had neglected to look at my skills since I had gained Aura Manipulation. I cursed myself rotten for missing this obvious thing! I was gaining experience towards the next level on three of them. Noob mistake 101, forgetting to check how your skills are developing! I could not neglect things like this if I were going to survive. I had been alternating between being hyper-focused on expanding and wondering what to do with my time. The long, lonely hours were the worst. This time has worn on my mind. The quiet time, as I came to know it, was the most challenging part of my new existence. Time drags here relentlessly. I was never bothered by the time when alone before, but now I feel it and fully understand the danger of the Companionless restriction. I need to get into a mindset of staying active. The companion has the role of mental health support to the Dungeon in the stories I have read and as a guide in the core''s new existence. Neither is available to me. "Is this why I am talking to myself?" Focus! It''s time to get defenders. Or at least try to. The first step was to create and place a tin plate on the table. Then, a second bottle of wine, which I put with the end of its neck over the plate. When happy with the placement, I reabsorbed the cork and watched the contents spill over the plate. About two-thirds of the wine was now covering the plate and table. I was not concerned as I could remove the wine at will. This was a lure to draw in whatever could be attracted by the smell of the wine. I made sure to open two of the six shutters in the room, the closest to the wine-soaked area. I had toyed with the idea of opening the door but was only testing the concept. Doing this had used up my CP again, forcing me to wait. "Mana Sight. Activate." This did not cost me anything to use, but the skill affected my sight of the space my aura controlled. I was not seeing everything like I usually did. Everything became dull and fuzzy¡ªnot as bad as outside my aura, but it made looking around harder. I was interested in the light mist I had seen earlier. I watched it float around my aura-controlled space. What was it? I needed a way to get around or make the Affintyless restriction work for me. I knew I needed to learn more about Mana. My wiki explained that Mana was the essence of the world taken form. The environment influenced this. For example, due to the shadow lurking in the corner of the room, it had become shadow mana. So, if the essence took form in a lake, it would become water mana. This makes sense to me. But what do I do with it? The wiki could have been more specific on this. An alert icon with a bell ring appeared in the corner of my vision. "Alert open." Nothing happened. "Mana Sight. Deactivate." My vision returned to normal. "Alert open."
Alert! A Grey Striped Wasp has entered your Dungeon. A Grey Striped Wasp has died in your Dungeon. Essence Gained! Creature Design Gained - Grey Striped Wasp.
I felt a slight rush of energy, which I almost missed. Looking at the plate, I found the creature in question. The wasp was three inches big and had a nasty-looking stinger. It was light grey in colour with dark green stripes on its body. The need to absorb the body was present but was too bad. I absorbed the body. I opened my character sheet and found that my essence had gone up a whole 1%¡ªgreat! But I had to work with what I had. I needed to kill another ninety-nine for it even to be possible to level up. Navigating through my screens to the creation section, I found a new option for minions had appeared. "Minions open." The menu presented me with a list of one. Grey Striped Wasp. (1 CP) Well, I can now officially create my first dungeon creature or Minion, as my display calls them. Was Bhaldor over the moon with joy? No. Was Bhaldor happy to get started? Yes. Opening up the Minion option was next.
Name Wasp Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Grey Striped Wasp Essence 0%
Health 10/10 Mana 10/10
Stamina 10/10 Corruption 0%
STR 1 1 Damage base
DEX 3
AGL 15 + 10% Dodge
END 1
VIT 1
PER 6
INT 1
WIL 1
LUCK 1
Skills: Stinger Strike: 1 ¨C 0% (+2 damage) Cost: 2 Stamina Dodge: 1 - 0% Cost: 2 Stamina
Equipment: Stringer: Dam 1 + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Small and Fast: The Minion''s size and speed make it harder to hit¡ªX2 to all Dodge skills bonuses. Aggressive: Will attack any threat that enters its sight.
Ok. No significant threat, but used in numbers could be dangerous. Not too bright, clearly. It had a (1 CP) next to its name, which was its base cost to create. My first creature could have been better, but it was what I had. It was good to see the sections with more details, unlike mine, which was odd. This confused me. Why was mine more restricted? A new option at the bottom of the screen is listed as "customise". "Customise open." The screen changed, showing a wireframe of the wasp''s form. This again made sense to me based on what I had read in the media and what Oda had said. There were two more options for adding CP or adding Mana. I could use this wasp template to create all new and dangerous versions of creatures that died in my Dungeon. There was a warning, however, on the screen. It read. Warning. All alterations are randomly dependent on selected options and may not be compatible with the base design! This was not surprising. The stories I had read indicated that dumping too much Mana and/or CP, in my case, could lead to explosive results. Affording such mistakes was imperative; I had to avoid them for my future survival, so it was hard for me not to experiment just yet. But I so wanted to! No, be strong. Focus on securing the building first! The other reason I did not create one was that my minions taxed my CP total. This was a natural limiter on the number and power of the creatures in my Dungeon. The more powerful, the greater the CP upkeep cost or tax, as it was called in my wiki. I needed every point for expansion, leaving myself vulnerable and not creating any. I left the "trap" for now and returned to my expansion. There was a basement of some sort below me and the tower base. I decided on the tower base and got to work. Thinking about the future as I worked. Chapter 4 I was forced to continue using Aura Manipulation as my area of control expanded more than I had hoped. The additional cost was slowing me down massively. The tower base had a spiral stairwell that went up into the tower and down into the ground. The stairwell was located in the centre of the room. I found three more doors in this room as well. There were no windows and four torches on the wall were located on iron brackets. I was absorbing them and replacing them, discovering only cloth, which was highly flammable. I decided to secure the tower first and pushed my aura up the tower''s frame. The tower had three floors above the ground. The following two floors were the same, with four "windows" that were not much more than arrow slits. I got a welcome alert message during the journey and a bell ringing.
Level Up! Aura Manipulation has increased to level 2. CP use was reduced to 99%.
I discovered moss growing on the second tower floor but gained nothing when I absorbed it apart from the ability to recreate it. My wine plate had killed two more wasps and several flies on the table. The flies gave me nothing at all. I had been forced to recreate it on the fourth day and every four days after that. My essence count was now at 3% and each point came with a little energy rush. I can only describe it as a tingling sensation. Strange but not unpleasant. Thinking about it, I was coming to enjoy it. Another thing I discovered when inspecting my character sheet was that my CP regeneration was now 0.11 per hour, up a whole 0.01 from the start. The explanation in my wiki is that the size of my dungeon and core level influenced this, I figure. That tracked with the stories I had read and games I had played. "Christ! I am still doing it!" I had been actively trying not to have my mind narrate what I was doing but was failing miserably. It was getting to the point I was just letting it happen and going with the flow. I did get some good news with an alert that told me that my Aura Manipulation Skill was now level 2 and the penalty had been reduced to 99% from the 100 it had been. I had been expanding into the tower for eighteen days and it was late in the evening. I had just reached the third floor and noted a new presence in my dungeon when an alert appeared. "Alert open."
Alert! A Sharoon has entered your dungeon.
"A what now?" Shifting my view to the room I arrived in, I called the entry room to find out what a "Sharoon" was. I found myself looking at a racoon? It was a racoon but was slightly different. The body was that of a racoon. It was not coloured like one. The bandit mask was not present on its face. It was a light grey with stripes like a camouflage pattern. The fur was grey with darker grey stripes, I think, to blend when hiding in trees. Its design was similar to a tiger''s. I noticed it was hard to see the Sharoon fully when it was in a light shadow. It was like the shadows around it were somehow being manipulated. The thing that stood out the most was its paws. The paws were more like hands than even a racoon. I knew from documentaries that racoons had flexible paws, but this one had paws that were more akin to hands. It''s definitely like human hands, thumbs and everything with little claws. The sharoon was moving slowly into the room from the window, sniffing the air and scanning the room for danger. Whiskers were twitching. The creature''s body is tense and ready to bolt at a moment''s notice. I reasoned that the smell of the wine that had not dried on the plate was why it came further into the room. I watched it slowly come into the room, little by little. It was gaining confidence as it found no threats from which to flee. I change my point of view to get an overview of the table and the sharoon inching towards it. It had crossed the room and climbed onto the table, focusing on the plate. Had it not smelled the poison in the wine? I would have thought the sharoon would have smelled it. But as it approached, I think it had not. It reached the plate, still sniffing. It licked at the wine. The eyes were still looking around. It stood up on its hind legs suddenly, like it heard something. Its ears were twitching. It stopped, then started again, twitching more aggressively, breathing faster. The body hitting the table as it died made nearly no sound.
Alert! A Sharoon has died in your dungeon. Essence gained! Sharoon design gained for your dungeon!
The rush of Essence was more intense. I looked at my character sheet to see what I had gained. I absorbed the body. The urge is there, but again, I can suppress it. This will become an issue for me if I cannot control this. I may one day not be able to control it and something terrible could happen. My Essence has increased by 3 to 6%, which was good news for me. My skill list also had a change: Aura Manipulation was up to 75% to the next level. That was also good. My levelling was slow but happening, which made me happy. The next thing I checked was the Sharoon minion status sheet.
Name N/A Level/Class 1 ¨C Dungeon Minion
Race Sharoon This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Essence 0%
Health 50/50 Mana 30/30
Stamina 20/20 Corruption 0%
STR 2 2 Damage base
DEX 6
AGL 6
END 2
VIT 5
PER 15 + 5% Danger Awareness
INT 3
WIL 3
LUCK 3
Skills: Claw Strike: 1 ¨C 0% (+3 damage) Cost: 2 Stamina Danger Awareness: 1 ¨C 0% (+ 5% Success chance) Cost: 2 Stamina
Equipment: Claws: Dam 1 + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Shadow Touched: +10% to hiding in shadow.
Ok. It was slightly better than the Grey Striped Wasp. That was obvious, as the sharoon was a larger animal than the wasp. The wasp was faster, but the sharoon had better damage. I had to think about how to have them work within my dungeon. Looking at the creation cost, my Affintyless restriction would be such an issue in the future. Creation cost 2 (CP) 1(SM). I expanded on the SM cost. It turns out that SM stands for Shadow Mana. "Are you fucking kidding me!" I scream out. How the hell am I going to do this? I now understand how Oda hinted at the scale of the problems this restriction would cause me. At the moment, I cannot create sharoons. God, what a name! I need to think about this. ## ## ## ## ## I went back to finish taking control of the tower. It takes another three days. I remove the wine bottle and plate from the table as I feel somewhat depressed at the moment. I leave the wine stain on the table. Expanding my dungeon helps a little with my mental state. The third and final floor of the tower is different from the rest. It is a more open pavilion style. A series of eight wood pillars supported a wood roof covered in more clay tiles. I mould my aura here using the pillars as a base. The shape of the top was an octagon and sightly overhanging the tower walls. I replaced the missing tiles and repaired what needed to be repaired. I found some more moss up there but little else. I would say I could enjoy the view, but no. This disappoints me more than I thought it would. Everything outside my aura was grey and fuzzy. I cannot hear anything like the wind unless it passes through my dungeon. I moved back down to the tower base. Which way should I expand now? I have three doors and the basement. I decided to rule out the basement for now. I will secure the other rooms in this building. I get to work. I push into the next room. The next day, after waiting for my CP to regenerate, I discovered the room''s function: it was a kitchen and store room. It took fifteen days to occupy the space and do any repair work. On the last day, I got an alert that made me happy.
Level Up! Aura Manipulation has increased to level 3. CP use was reduced to 98%.
I look back over the room. It was an empty kitchen. The cupboards and containers were all bare. I had absorbed the contents and replaced them. I gained nothing from this in terms of new resources. I moved to the next room and started the process again. Fifteen days again to occupy and do any repairs on an armoury. I find several more sets of Cythian leather armour. Each set comprises six sections: arm, forearm, shoulders and one torso section: no boots or helmets. I also have more swords. The rest of the armoury is empty, apart from some materials used to maintain anything stored here. I was absorbing and replacing the wall mounts and cabinets. I do not replace the armour or swords. I am not gaining anything new from them to add to my resource list. I am receiving another welcome alert near the end.
Level Up! Aura Manipulation has increased to level 4. CP use was reduced to 97%.
This brings me to the final room. I start the procedure of expanding my aura again into a new room. With my Aura manipulation levelling up again and my experience of the other rooms, I could move faster and more confidently. This room was the living quarters of the garrison that was once here. The room had ten beds located in it. The beds were wooden frames with straw mattresses and looked extremely uncomfortable to my "eyes". Gaining the ability to create straw from the beds. Each bed had a chest at the bottom, a simple wooden thing and all were empty. I had already had rough linen from the torches at the tower''s base. I absorbed everything as my aura moved through the room. However, something happened on the 10th day of my expansion into this room. While expanding my aura led to, the discovery of a small hidden compartment under one of the beds. A thin layer of stone covered it and underneath it was a small space that contained two things of great interest. The first was a Cythian gold and silver coin. Score! To find this in most of the literature on being a dungeon was a huge thing for me. Gold coins were the most important things I could create. Adventurers love their gold. This was also added to my resource list. The silver was just an added bonus. However, the second discovered item proved to be more fascinating for me and supplied me with a great deal of information when I absorbed it. It was a broken mana stone and unusable. This stone was used when it was whole to store mana to be accessed at a later date. It can hold only one type of mana at a time and only a limited amount, but it did allow for the replacement of any mana that had been used. So, it was a rechargeable battery for magical energy. I was greatly excited by the discovery of the stone, but I held myself in check until I had finished occupying the room. As I got older, I learned to focus on getting the job in front of me done before moving on to something else. This lesson served me well in my new life. By the end of the 14th day, my aura had occupied the room and I found nothing else interesting. The mana stone was a nagging itch in the back of my mind that I should investigate. I knew I still had the basement ahead of me. I needed to secure this whole building before I could begin to experiment and push what I could do. My limited options for defenders and no traps apart from my poisoned wine still concern me. I checked to confirm that I had exhausted my CP by returning the room to its previous state with all the beds and chests restored. The room also had a fireplace, but it, too, had nothing of interest, just some old ash. I''m drifting back through my territory to the tower''s base and the winding stairwell that leads into the basement. I have some free time before my CP allows me to expand again, so I''m using this opportunity to go through my character sheet again. I noticed two differences on my sheet. First, my CP regeneration increased to 0.12 per hour and my aura manipulation skill increased to 85%. I hoped that as I was now expanding into the ground, I would not need to use the skill again. It turned out to be a convenient skill, but the cost was seriously delaying my development. I used this opportunity to study the mana stone design I now had access to. I spent the next few hours studying the stone, wondering how to fix it. True, it was broken, but concentrating and zooming in on the actual crystalline structure of the stone was interesting. Could I recreate the stone at a later date whole? Eventually, I had to put these thoughts away for the moment as my CP was restored enough to allow me to begin to push down into the ground. Looking at my character sheet for my CP total, I suddenly became concerned. "What the hell!" I exclaimed, looking at the number. It turns out that I''ve been studying the stone, not for a few hours but for a few days. I had not realised the passage of time while focused on what I was doing. This began to trouble me as I wondered how my new existence would ultimately affect my perception and understanding of time, let alone my own sanity. I did not need to eat, drink or sleep. These things grounded the life of the man I once was, but now I was bereft of them. In this dark moment, it truly dawned on me that I was no longer human but something else. True, the memories of my past life and that of my soul still told me I was a human being, but¡­. New instincts and the hunger to absorb were also present that were not part of my previous life. Again, my mind returned to Oda and what he said. At the time, I thought I was getting a reasonably good deal, but now, here in this place in this form, I truly began to wonder. I spent the better part of another day mulling over this. Unable to find peace as I try to reconcile with the man I was to the dungeon core I am. With great effort, I put these questions aside, knowing I could not hide from them forever, and focused on finishing the task at hand. But in the back of my mind, the question always lingered. "What sort of being will Bhaldor be?" Chapter 5 It takes me another 25 days to take the basement over. It mirrors the ground floor above it, with each wing having a separate basement section; there are no doors, unlike upstairs. I find nothing of interest in these halls, some barrels and crates, but nothing of great import. Absorbing everything and choosing not to replace anything at the moment. This helps my CP restoration. The rooms are half the size of the ones above, which speeds things up a bit. Several spiders are located down here with their accompanying cobwebs, but nothing else is living. As I take control of what little is down here, there is no evidence of rats or mice, which is odd. The poorly rated material spider silk is gained from the cobwebs and spider design, but nothing else. I am leaving the majority of the rest alone. This is the first time I have seen a rarity rating on a resource after the poor linen was absorbed from upstairs. The only good news I get is that with the expansion now over for me, my CP is sitting at 0.15 per hour. Is this world now travelling into autumn, as I¡¯ve been here for several months? On the surface, I detect a change in weather patterns as there has been more rain in the last ten days than there had been the whole time I was here, well, what I was aware of. To be honest, the weather changes do not bother me much as the building is part of me, is far more robust than before and will be far more resistant to the weather. ¡°Now, what do I do?¡± ¡°Bhaldor now controls the building and the basement. I need monsters. I need traps. But how?¡± I have noticed that I am increasingly talking to myself and in the third person. This concerns me, but I currently have minimal options for conversation. My gem is still located in the first room. I¡¯m still vulnerable, so that must be my new priority. I repositioned my sight to this room and looked it over. The only thing close to a trap in this room is the wine bottle in the cupboard. My core is the only thing even close to the trap in my entire dungeon that is concerning. Mulling over my limited options, I get that old feeling again and an alert quickly pops up in the corner of my vision. Opening the alert, I read that mana was again forming in my dungeon. I moved my sight to the location, knowing instantly where it was. I activated my mana sight skill and saw what I had. From the light, it gave off a pale grey. It looked like shadow mana once again. ¡°What to do?¡± I could list the options in my mind. What I find on those lists is that they are depressingly short and unlikely to help. I open my menus and go to my minion creation screens, focusing on the Sharoon template. ¡°Could Bhaldor do it?¡± A desperate idea popped into my head. Could I grab the mana quickly and use it to create a Sharoon? The idea was the best option at the moment, so what the hell, let¡¯s try it. Taking hold of the mana caused the expected alert to pop up, informing me that it was degrading and I could not absorb it. Using the time available as it degraded to focus on creating a Sharron. A window popped up asking me if I wanted to create one. ¡°Yes!¡± The system acknowledged my request and the CP and shadow mana needed were present, but a second alert popped up.
Alert! Too much Shadow Mana Present. Three units are detected. Do you wish to create a unique minion design? Warning: this creation might be unstable and all resources used in its creation will be lost.
¡°Yes!¡± I exclaimed. The mana was degrading, and I was getting desperate. I added more CP to the base design and balanced out the amount of shadow mana being put in. Another box opened, informing me that the creation process was taking place and costing ten CP points. I was both terrified and exhilarated at the same time. Before me, there was a small cyclone of dust and motes of grey light swirling as the minion was being created faster and faster. I made out a few details of the base design and suddenly, there was a flash of grey light. Now, there was a Sharron. ¡°WWOOHHOOO!¡± I did it. I have created the first minion! I thought it was looking around, slightly perplexed. I quickly looked over and noticed some strange slight differences. Then I realised that there was a flashing alert icon in the corner of my vision that had been ignored in my excitement over my first creation.
Congratulations! You have created your first minion¡ªa Sharoon. Congratulations! You have created your first unique minion. Congratulations! You have created your first mini-boss. ¡­¡­. Greater Sharoon created! Please name your unique creation.
I was stunned for a few seconds as I read through the information before me. The Greater Sharoon seemed to be looking at me, waiting for my decision. ¡°Larry.¡±
Congratulations! Your first mini-boss has been named. Larry. Do you wish it to be assigned to a room or wandering?
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Wandering.¡± I knew that this new creation of mine would not be fixed into a room but needed to be mobile throughout the dungeon. Looking at him, especially his hands, I realised he could be a far greater help mobile than fixed to a location. Looking at my character sheet, I knew there would now be a tax for having minions. I wanted to see what form it took. It looked in my direction again. I noticed the glint of intelligence in its eyes. I opened my menu options quickly, seeking out Larry¡¯s character sheet. I had to understand fully what I had created.
Name Larry Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Mini-Boss
Race Greater Sharoon Essence 0%
Health 70/70 Mana 40/40
Stamina 30/30 Corruption 0%
STR 3 3 Damage Base
DEX 7
AGL 7
END 3
VIT 7
PER 18 +8% Danger Awareness
INT 5
WIL 4
LUCK 4
Skills: Claw Strike: 1 ¨C 0% (+3 damage) Cost: 2 Stamina Danger Awareness: 1 ¨C 0% (+ 8% Success chance) Cost: 2 Stamina
Equipment: Claws: Dam 2 + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Shadow Touched: +30% to hiding in shadow. Mini-Boss (Wandering) ¨C This boss can travel anywhere in the dungeon and strike without warning.
Why name my first creation a mini-boss that can wander the dungeon ¡°Larry¡±? I say to you, why not! ¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Bhaldor really needs someone to talk to.¡± Damn it, I am doing it again! Larry was a marked improvement over the average Sharoon. His intelligence score was what was interesting to me the most. I noted that he was the same size as a standard Sharoon and could easily be confused with one. I needed to prioritise what I would do, as I had limited resources at this given time. The first thing was to secure my core! I now had at least one defender, with all the possibilities he presented. The long periods of inactivity I had allowed me to plan out several options depending on my situation when I started creating minions. I now knew what direction I would take in the next few days and what steps to enhance my survival odds. The small hidden section I found in the barracks/bedroom was a great source of inspiration for my plan. The other was that now I had a minion who was flexible with what I could get him to do, allowing me to do more. During my down periods, I read through the whole wiki several times. There, I found an interesting fact about minions that will be important moving forward: I can influence the minion to do tasks I cannot. I begin my plan by going to the basement and the stairwell that runs the tower length. Just behind the last steps is a hollowed-out half-meter cube in the pillar that the steps are wrapped around. This is where my core gem will be hidden from now on and is this size to allow growth through levelling but not too big to risk the structure of the pillar. I return and find Larry sitting on the table in the entrance room, just looking around. I open the door to the tower, which draws his attention. ¡°Alright, here goes nothing.¡± I focus on Larry; he seems aware of my attention; his head moves and he looks at my core gem. I form a picture of what I want Larry to do in my mind as his intelligence is not high enough; I can¡¯t just tell him. It takes a minute before he does anything, but he suddenly jumps up and clambers off the table. He quickly scurries over to my core gem; looking at it for a few seconds, he picks it up and holds it under one of his arms. He quickly moves through the open doorway to the stairwell using his hind legs and other arm. From there, he hurriedly navigates down the stairs into the basement. Following him, I was obviously concerned about my first minion carrying my ¡°body¡± and that he might accidentally drop it and damage me. It turns out I need not have worried; his dexterity and agility were more than sufficient for the task I had set him. He quickly moved down the stairwell, taking care not to endanger my core gem; once at the bottom, he moved around the stairs to the section of the pillar I had hollowed out. Using both hands/paws, he placed my gem in the alcove I had created roughly in the centre of the bottom section. If I could, I would have sighed in relief that my gem was no longer so exposed. Larry sat looking at my core, likely wondering if I had any other instructions, so I projected happy feelings to him in recognition of what he did. ¡°Well done, Larry.¡± He might have appreciated my complimenting him on a well-done job, but I was unsure. He just sat there and went back to grooming himself, so it seemed he was happy and I let him be there for now. But I had plans for him in the future. I was checking my dungeon aura to see if the moving of my core gem had altered it in any way. I was extremely pleased to see that my moving had indeed not changed the space my aura controlled. This meant that in the future, I could drop down deeper into the ground as my dungeon delved further, making it harder for anyone to reach my core gem. But for now, I will begin to implement the next stage of my plan. This started by creating a small stone layer covering up the alcove that had been built into the pillar. This was the next line of security as I sought to hide my location from anyone seeking me out. Next, several slabs of stone shaped like the stairs wrapped around the central pillar were created. They were placed in front of the now-hidden alcove, further obstructing its location. I put several other slabs around this room to add to the effect. All this took less than 20 minutes to do. I still had quite a lot of CP left, so I began the creation of my first proper trap. Again, taking inspiration from the small compartment area found in the barracks, I set about creating a pitfall trap. I decided to locate it at the bottom of the stairwell in this very room. I started by creating a section on the floor that was the length of the step and located about half a metre from it. The section was 3 m long and 1 m wide. After some thought, I made the pit I had created only a metre deep. The stairs leading to the basement were wider than the ones going up into the tower. The tower was designed for defence and the stairwell was created as a choke point, but this basement section was designed to allow easy access to large quantities of goods and people. Looking at the pit that had now been created, I was pleased things were going so well. However, I needed to make a choice here on how dangerous I would make this trap. At the moment, someone could see it and avoid it, so I created another thin layer of stone across the top so thin that if anyone stood on it, their foot would go straight through. I¡¯ve been thinking about the building upstairs and what I could do with it, but at the moment, I have no clear idea that I would leave it as is. This would easily injure the unwary, from simply twisting an ankle to breaking a leg, and was, in my opinion, a perfect introduction to my ¡°true¡± dungeon. In time, this could change, and probably would, but there was no need at the moment. Down here in the basement, I had plans. They would make this basement into the proper dungeon starting area. The pit trap could be far nastier with spikes in it. Still, I did not add this, making it dangerous as the media and literature I¡¯d read indicated that if a dungeon became too difficult too quickly, it developed a bad reputation and was often dealt with permanently. Checking my CP level and still grumbled about the reduced total that could be reached. I knew from reading my wiki that levelling up was the only way to increase it. So, this increased the impetus to get my dungeon ready and to create more defenders. I have purposely ignored filling in Larry¡¯s loot table. This section on his character sheet gave the odds of certain types of loot appearing when he is killed. I did not want him to die because he would be my ¡°hands¡± for a better term. However, I would assign the proper rewards to my other creations, and I began to plan how this floor would look and challenge anyone who came upon it. At the moment, it consisted of four rooms and a stairwell made at the base of the tower. I knew I would have to expand this, so I began to push my aura into the ground around me. I plan to expand into the dirt around me to form a rough square and add another four rooms to this underground section. Once this is done and the new rooms are populated, I will begin filling them with additional traps if needed. I was genuinely looking forward to this part of my new existence. Chapter 6 "Fool, fool, fool!" That''s what she called herself in her mind as she was shaking in her prison. Atania was a pixie, a child of the wild and free magic, but now a prisoner. She could see her reflection on one of the walls, which was made of glass. She was trapped in a lantern specially designed to contain her people. Standing 5 inches tall, a female humanoid figure with six crystal-like butterfly wings sprouting from the back. She was pale pink in colour and had hard-to-define features as she had an aura of the same colour light surrounding her. She was young and was out exploring against her elder''s wishes when she was captured by the two humans that were imprisoning her. The elders had said not to go, to stay with the others and be safe. But she wanted to explore to see, hear and smell everything. She wanted to live! They had trapped her in this enchanted glass and iron lantern with trickery, its enchantment draining her of her magic and weakening her. She was now coming to despair, knowing a terrible fate awaited her and rescue was not to be. The lantern was strapped to the side of a donkey. She could hear the two humans who had taken her prisoner arguing as they had gotten lost in the valleys of the Shadowland Mountains. They were called the Shadowland because the great mountains cast shadows covering the deep valleys between them. The great mountains were covered in snow all year round and reflected the colour of the sky when the sun was setting like it was now. The sky was a mixture of red, orange, and some purple as the sun set and it was a truly wondrous sight that she could not enjoy in her present confinement. She had been weeping and seeking to escape but knew she was now doomed, for she knew the fate that awaited her when these two men returned to their city. However, they had gotten lost in the winding valleys and deep woods between the great mountains. They had found the river and were now following it, thinking that this would lead them from the mountain range and back to somewhere that they could identify. "Aruss, you fool, I told you not to take that turning back 20 leagues ago!" One said. "Shut up. You fool, this will get us out of the mountain range and back home faster." The other retorted. She saw the two humans as poor examples of their kind; both men were dressed in rough outdoor clothing and had been travelling for many weeks or even months. From the equipment and supplies they had, it was clear that they were hunting her kind. Both had long, stringy and greasy hair. They both had extensive beards; she expected they would smell horrific if she were not within this lantern. The donkey with them was mistreated and overburdened with supplies and equipment. She pitied the poor animal. "Vadium, how much will we get for our little catch?" She had learned that the one speaking was named Aruss and was not the smarter of the two. "For this one, 20 gold easy." Vadium smiled, showing his broken and rotting teeth. "20 gold!" Aruss said dreamily. "It''s a Shame she''s a young one. The older ones fetch a much better price, as they have had time to gather more magic." "How much Hylonia''s Kiss will they get from this one?" "Who knows? I just want my gold. You know they will drain off her magic, cut off wings and grind them up to make the Kiss." Vadium shrugged as he walked on, following the river. "Yet I know that! How much do you think they''ll actually make, and how much will it make in gold?" He asked, looking over to the lantern. Atania shivered under that gaze and the hunger of greed it contained. "Don''t ask those questions!" Vadium snapped at him. "You know what they do to those who try to cut into the market." This quiets the other man in fear, but he keeps looking at the lantern; the greed and hunger for wealth are still evident in his eyes. Vadium does not look back but keeps moving ahead. The forest they are in follows through a broader valley than usual. The trees are thick and old. It is darker than expected as they are blocking out the light from the sun, which little is left of the day. The tree''s leaves are turning but have not fallen from the branches yet. It is much darker here than it should be due to this and in the distance, the predators that live in this forest are beginning to stir with nightfall. "We will need to camp soon." Vadium decides out loud. "Look ahead!" Aruss exclaims, pointing to a building they can just make out on a hill some distance away. "What''s that?" Vadium squints, looking into the distance, trying to identify the building his friend had pointed out. "Looks like a Cythian watchtower." "Watchtower and it''s still standing, even after all this time?" Aruss questions. "Damned Cythian Empire knew how to build things, so a tower out here might not be disturbed and could still be standing enough for us to use." Vadium declares. "Either way, we will use it and it''s not far." The two men, buoyed by the discovery of possible shelter, quickly begin pushing the donkey to move faster. The poor beast is forced by both blow and threat to move quicker. It does not take them long to clear the small hill and discover that the building they are approaching seems whole. "It seems to be intact. What luck!" Aruss exclaims with happiness, probably having the first roof over his head in weeks. "You''re right; let''s get inside." The two men and the donkey with Atania attached walk around the building and find the main door. They notice several old grave markers. They inspect them but, in the end, choose to ignore them. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. They find that the door is open. They light a torch to see inside, as it is now extremely dark. Peering inside, the room still has furniture and the fireplace has wood. "Quickly, Aruss, get the fire going. It is soon night, and the monsters will come with it." Vadium is looking back to the forest, his hand on a short sword at his side. Aruss makes no argument and quickly shuffles into the building, dragging the donkey with him. The door is wide enough to accommodate the animal and he pulls it inside, but it is clear that the donkey does not wish to enter this building. As soon as she crosses the threshold, she understands why. She senses being watched; she feels the hunger. Aruss quickly starts a fire, and the room is bathed in a warm glow. Vadium closed the door and locked it. He quickly looked around, ensuring the shutters were all locked as they covered the windows. He walks across the room and looks through the back door leading into another part of the building that she cannot see. Looking around, he closes the door and goes over to the table, dragging one of the chairs and bracing it against it. He seems satisfied now that the room is secure, so he goes over and joins Aruss. "We can stay tonight and set off in the morning; we are close to the exit of this God''s damned mountain range. Odd that the building is in such good condition." He said as he warmed his hands next to the fire. Aruss nods and begins setting up to cook one of their meagre meals. The two men quickly fell into a well-worn routine she had seen them do every night since they captured her eight days ago. Neither man seemed to be aware of their terrible danger and she found that she was in no mood to warn them. The lantern was removed from the donkey and placed on the table in the clear eye line of the two men. She looked around with enhanced senses, seeing the thicker essence in the air. She knew she was within a dungeon from what she was told when she was younger in story and song. And with this knowledge came a strange sense of calmness, knowing that she would die here and not be used in the way they planned. She could see the magical power invested in the stone and wood around her. She could feel the dungeon''s intelligence looking at her; the hunger was blatant. She knew she could not escape, so she just sat down and accepted her fate. The two men continued oblivious, making idle conversation and wondering about the state of the building they were now in. They thought it was fortunate they had come across it and the weather and time had not eroded the structure. They had pulled up two chairs to the fire and enjoyed the warmth. Neither seems too interested in doing much more; the days and nights are getting colder as autumn makes its presence known. "You think there''s anything left here?" Aruss asks. "Doubtful. It looks like it''s been abandoned for a while," Vadium replies lazily, his eyes closed and hands folded before him, enjoying the fire. "I think I''ll have a little look." Vadium grunts as Aruss gets up and begins rummaging through the few cupboards in the room. He opens them, finding nothing in most, a few odds and ends in others, until the last one. "Vadium, look!" He exclaims in joy and runs over to Vadium. Who is now awake and looking at him curiously at what he has found. Aruss''s hands hold a small leather pouch and a bottle of wine. He''s clearly happy to have discovered them in his little search around the room. He pours the contents of the leather pouch onto the table and four copper coins roll out. Vadium snatchers one up and begins to inspect it in the firelight. He takes his time looking at the coin and then bites it just to make sure. "Cythian coppers!" Exclaims surprise. "Cythian coppers!" Aruss echoes the other man, becoming even happier. "Truly a day that the God of luck smiles upon us." "That is true; what else have you found?" Aruss indicated to the bottle. Aruss handed it to him and he looked it over. The bottle has a label, but he seems to ignore it, inspecting the wax seal over its cork. He shrugs, breaks the seal, and quickly pulls the cork out, smelling the bottle''s contents. "Wine!" Both men quickly laugh and begin drinking from the bottleneck, toasting their good fortune this day. They talk about their plans to do with the money they will earn from this trip and the pleasures they seek. But as Atania watched, she realised fate had another plan for these men. Within minutes, both were dead. They didn¡¯t have time to react as both slumped in the chairs, clearly dead as they had suddenly fallen asleep, twitched and finally gone still. She could feel the dungeon around feasting on their essence, knowing she would be next and then probably the donkey. The chair that Vadium had braced against the back door was still there and the front door was locked. She wondered where death would come from and didn''t have long until she saw it. From the rafters came a creature that quickly scaled down the walls. Her death was coming for her. She noticed it was a sharoon, a local animal that had changed due to exposure to the large amounts of shadow mana in the valleys. A normal inquisitive but shy creature, she thought it was odd being here until she got a good look at it. She then understood it was a dungeon monster. Its magical signature was far stronger than average and matched closely to the one in the wood and stone around her. "Cometh my death." Atania speaks for the first time in days in her language. The sharoon approached the two dead humans and sniffed their bodies. Satisfied that they were dead, it then went to the donkey. The donkey was so scared that it did not move as the sharoon walked around it. The behaviour was odd; Atania expected the sharoon to attack and kill the donkey immediately, but it did not. However, the sharoon did start to do something that surprised her. It went up to the donkey and chewed through its pack harnesses. It took several minutes, but with an audible thud, the packs slid off the donkey to the floor. The donkey moved away from the packs and sharoon as far as it could go in the confines of the room, but it was still afraid. The sharoon then scampers over to the main door and climbs up it. Demonstrating a level of intelligence and dexterity, she had never seen before from its kind; it unlocks the door''s deadbolt. Returning to the ground with some effort, he opens the door wide enough for the donkey to get out; the sharoon promptly chases the donkey from the building with aggressive hissing. Atania watches this with fascination, forgetting her fear for the moment. "What is this?" She asks herself. The story and songs are clear: entering a dungeon means it will try to kill you unless you are strong enough to survive; she is not. The sharoon climbs up onto the table and casually approaches her lantern prison. She can see that it is dark outside now and it pains her to know that freedom is so close! Atania cannot help but watch as it approaches. It circles her, as it did with the donkey sniffing at her container, examining it from all angles. Suddenly, both stop as they hear the donkey that had just fled the building screaming in distress. Wolf howls were carried in on the air into the room and Atania knew the animal was being killed nearby. Some ear twitching was all the sharoon did to acknowledge the donkey''s death. After what seemed like an eternity to her, the sharoon reached out and began to unbolt her lanterns side. It was designed like a door with a series of bolts keeping her in and required all to be undone before it would open. This prevented an accidental release through the lantern bolts catching on to something. The bolts were released within less than a minute, and the door popped open. Atania was tense, terrified and hopeful. Freedom was right there; with the lantern open, the magic suppression field was no longer working and she could feel her magic returning. The sharoon was blocking her escape; patience just a little longer! The sharoon moved to the side and a gap opened up. She does not hesitate and flies forward with all her strength. She shoots past the sharoon and flies at her best speed across the room, escaping through the open door. She flies as fast as she can into the night, revelling in her freedom. Chapter 7 I had been focused on expanding my aura and getting ready to alter the basement for the last few days. I decided to add four new rooms to the basement and fill them with the traps and monsters that would be expected. Discovering I could "see" what was within the soil when expanding into the earth around the basement walls was a surprise. I was cautious not to expand onto the surface as that would trigger the energy release that would announce my presence. This involved more aura manipulation, slowing me. As I expanded, occasionally, a few interesting items in the form of various bones belonging to dead creatures were found. I also discovered where most of the former garrison of the tower was buried when I stumbled across the graves. I was not absorbing anything, choosing to let them lay where they were. The graves were in an area where I planned to add another room; I would need to decide what to do with them. Part of me was not too eager to disturb the graves. Was there an undead thing here? This being a fantasy world with magic and all? Larry had grown bored sitting in front of my hidden alcove and had wandered off into the tower. While I was waiting for my CP to recover, I noticed that he had moved into different rooms, as all the doors were open. I wasn''t concerned by this because he was a wandering mini-boss. He eventually found a spot he liked in the first room, where the main door was. I often found him in the rafters in a very shadowy and dark area. He seemed to like it there, so I let him be. My attention was once more down in the basement, using up my CP and expanding my aura when I received a notification alert and felt that something had entered my area of control. "Open alert."
Alert! Intruders have entered your dungeon!
"Shit!" I quickly changed my perspective to the room, where I found something I was not expecting. The men had entered the first room and pulled a donkey through the door. The donkey did not seem happy to be entering my first room. It may have sensed me. I noticed a sort of pressure on my mind, not painful or distracting, just that I was aware of it. The two men quickly got the donkey in and placed what looked to be a lantern on the table. One had a fire going in the room''s fireplace, while the other should watch at the open doorway for any threats coming from outside. Once the fire is lit, the man at the entrance closes it and locks the door. He goes around checking all the shutters, ensuring they are secure, and moving to the door at the tower''s base. He opens a door and looks in, noting the room''s condition before closing it again. There is no lock on the side of the door and he goes over to the table, brings one of the chairs across and uses it to secure the door. Once he had done this, he returned to the other man at the fireplace. From their conversation, I gather that they are unhappy with their present predicament while preparing food. They seem to have gotten slightly lost in the mountain range, but with the discovery of my tower, they seem confident that they will soon leave the mountains. They eat their meal from the packs on the back of the donkey that they had warmed up using the fire. They seem to be in no rush to do anything as they believe themselves safe and enjoy the warmth of a fire. One who had prepared the meals became restless and began to look around the room. He searched through the cupboards and small containers that were scattered around. He eventually worked his way to the final cabinet, where I had left my surprise. He opened it up and rummaged around, discovering the bottle and a small bag of coins. Upon this discovery, he becomes very excited and quickly goes over to his companion, exclaiming his joy at what he found. They inspect the bottle and the coins. The one who remained at the fire biting into one. Both cried, "Cythian coppers!" They seemed extremely happy that they had discovered them. From their reactions, I determined that the coins were of great value to them, so the silver and gold coins I created would also be sought after. It was good to know that I had the means to generate a currency that the locals would happily use or take. Vadium was the name of the man who had stayed at the fire. He was looking over the bottle of wine with great interest, but he inspected the seal and the label on the bottle. Studying how he looked at it, I had a sneaking suspicion he couldn''t read. It wasn''t until they had broken the seal and removed the cork to inspect the contents that they confirmed it was wine. They quickly began drinking from the bottle, directly toasting their good fortune. They talked about how they would use the money they would gain from this little excursion. This part of the conversation piqued my interest and whatever they were talking about, this "Hylonia''s Kiss" was something worth a lot of money to them. Whatever it was, it was linked to the lantern-like object on the table, so I investigated it more. The lantern was made up of what I think is iron and glass. Inside was a figure with wings. It was glowing a pale pink. A fairy? That was all I could think of what could be as it was tough to make out any significant details as its main body was glowing so brightly. I can make out some facial features and it appears to be staring towards my core. I find this deeply concerning as it is hidden as far as I know. If it can be seen or tracked, I need to think of a new way to hide it, as my defences were far from what I needed to be. The hunger within me that demands I kill and absorb everything stirs at the sight of this creature. I force it down. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Mana Sight. Activate." I shifted the way I perceived the world around me. "Fuck!" I was unprepared for the magical glare from the creature and the lantern. In my inspection of the item and one contained within, I had come close with my "sight" to the lantern. When my vision changed using Mana Sight, I was unprepared for the glaring light that filled my sight. Both the lantern and its occupants were radiating magic. While studying them, I suddenly got a notification.
Alert! A level 5 Human has died in your dungeon. A level 4 Human has died in your dungeon. Human corpse design gained.
I suddenly experienced a massive flood of essence into my core, which felt great. Returning to my regular sight, I turned my attention back to the two men at the fireplace and realised that they had both died from the poison in the wine. "Damn, that stuff is fast." I spent a few moments pondering over the alert and wondered about the "human corpse" part. But before I did anything else, I needed to know something. "Status." I called up my stat sheet and looked at my essence level. "Are you kidding me? 96%!" I felt like the universe was laughing with me now, mocking me for my slow progress. I could not lie about how frustrating I was finding this whole thing, but there was nothing I could do now, so I turned my attention back to the lantern and what was contained within. "Okay. Housekeeping before dealing with this." I looked around the room, noting the two bodies¡ªthe donkey and this lantern. The donkey will have several backpacks strapped to it that probably contain something I can use. The bodies need to be disposed of and anything they have on them must be absorbed. Finally, I need to investigate this lantern more. Deciding to start with the two bodies as they were the easiest for me to deal with. All I had to do was absorb them, figure out what they had on them, and decide what to do with the donkey. Unfortunately, I got a new error message when I tried to absorb them. It turns out that the system counts it as an intelligent being due to the presence of whatever is in the lantern. And as long as it is within this room, I can''t make alterations, absorb anything, or create anything until it is either dead or gone. "FUCK!" I screamed in my head, along with several other obscenities, as I tried to figure out how to get around this. Then it dawned on me. "Larry!" Looking up to see he is in the rafters, at me calling his name, he looks over and down at the room. I quickly sent him a series of mental images of him coming down from the rafters into the main room. He gets up and begins to follow my instructions slowly and cautiously. He watches the two bodies briefly before deciding they are no threat. He scales down the wall and approaches them, sniffing for any sign of danger. After a few moments, he confirms that they are the dead and no threat to him. I hear a tinkling sound and I look over to the lantern. Had the fairy said something? Now that he is down, more mental images of him chewing through the harnesses on the donkey to release the backpacks strapped to it were sent. I wanted what was in them, even if it was crap. What can I say? I am a hoarder. The donkey was terrified but made no move as Larry chewed through the harnesses. As soon as it was free, it suddenly moved away from him to the other side of the room, trying to give as much distance between him and Larry as possible. Without confidence, I moved to the next stage of my plan; again, mental images were sent to Larry, hoping he could understand. It takes a few attempts, but he seems to get the idea and quickly moves to the main door. He quickly scampers up the doorframe to where the deadbolt locking the door is located. He pulls the bolt to unlock it and walks back to the floor. With considerable effort, he managed to get his claws into the door and began to pull it open. Once he had done this, I sent him the next set of instructions. With some aggressive hissing and threatening behaviour, the donkey is encouraged to vacate my dungeon. "Doing good, Larry!" Telling him encouragingly because he was doing exceptionally well. Again, I hear a tinkling sound. I turned back to the lantern for a few moments. I watched the fairy. It seemed to be very interested in what was happening. As far as I can see, it had no means to leave the lantern. Larry climbs onto the table of his own accord as he, too, becomes interested in what is on it. He cautiously approaches it, sniffing all the way, trying to identify what it is. He moves around it, looking at it from all angles as I do the same, studying the design. Larry suddenly stops dead; his ears perk up, usually a sign that he is listening to something. I was not sure what. I''ve come to understand over time that it was not just my sight that was useless beyond my aura but my other "senses" as well. His ears twitched quite a bit but then seemed to calm down again. Whatever he is listening to seems to be over. I wonder what it was? Back to the lantern. Upon studying its design, I realised that part of it was locked with three bolts and was a door from the hinges. I spent several minutes thinking of what I would do here for our two options. The first, of course, would kill what was ever in this container, claiming its essence and possibly magic. True, I could not hold the magic, but I might have been able to make something, a new creature, quick and dirty, to help fill out my defenders. The second was simply to let it go, claiming that whatever this container was and what was left of the two humans had died. The fact that I had called them humans stopped me for a moment. Did they have families, or were they good people? If so, how are their deaths going to affect them? Was I becoming used to the fact that I was no longer a human but now core? These questions forced me to pause as I wrestled with the ramifications of what I had not done but arranged to happen. This was the first time people actually died from my actions. This left me conflicted. To advance, I was going to have to do this a lot more and to groups, most likely. Kill people. I was hesitating. I needed to get back and finish what I had started. "Shit! Get with it!" Questions for later! I made my decision. Instructing Larry to unlock the bolts on the lantern as it would release whatever was contained within. I could kill the fairy and get away with it as there was no one else here but deciding (maybe incorrectly) to lean towards the more noble side of my nature. When human and alive, I was an absolute bastard in the forums, but I always secretly leaned towards the good guy options in single-player games campaigns that gave players a choice. So, I decided to continue that here for now. Larry didn''t take long to undo the bolts and the door sprang open. He moved slightly to the side to give whatever was inside a free shot at escaping. It did not disappoint, shooting out of the lantern at incredible speed and through the door into what I realised was the night had fallen. "Damn, that fairy is fast!" The second it leaves my aura, I feel the pressure vanish from my mind. I would have sighed in relief if I could anymore, but another thing I could not do. I was finally able to get to work now that I was "alone" again. Starting with closing the main door and cleaning up the mess. Chapter 8 The work started with the shit. I mean literal shit, as in donkey shit. The animal had crapped in several places in the first room. Hating to, I absorbed it first to get rid of it; if I could, I would be shuddering right now. As I was doing this, Larry returned to the rafters. I got a notification telling me I now have access to manure as a resource. "What the hell am I going to do with that?" As usual, there was no reply to my question. I was moving on, absorbing the packs from the donkey. Another extended notification appeared telling me I now had access to two tents that gave me Oil Skin Leather (Poor). This treated form of leather was water resistant and used instead of canvas in the tents. Camping equipment and travel rations (Poor) were added to my inventory again. There was also a Short Bow (Poor) with a quiver of twenty Basic Arrows (Poor). All these two dead fools had was crappy cheap gear; I was not impressed. The only thing it did was increase my CP slightly as I regenerated back to full. "What cheap ass crap!" Capture Net (Common): What was this? It was the only thing in the packs that was not poor quality. According to its description, it captured and trapped insects and small creatures. They must have used this to capture that fairy thing in the lantern before they arrived. OK. With that done, I moved to the two dead bodies, hoping to get something good. Just as I was going to absorb them, I heard a strange sound from the rafters. Upon investigation, I found Larry flopped flat along one, running beside the fireplace, snoring loudly. I was tempted to wake him, but as he had done good work this night, I decided against that and returned to the bodies. The fire was built up and blazing merrily away; the logs would probably take the rest of the night to burn through. I enjoyed the fire and the flames'' effect, causing the room''s shadows to dance. I replaced the logs used and absorbed the bodies. The notification was a bit more interesting.
Materials absorbed. Iron Short Swords x2 (Quality -Poor, Durability-10/10 Notes- +1 Damage, Iron) Iron Daggers x2 (Quality -Poor, Durability-10/10 Notes- +1 Damage, Iron) Nascan Copper Coins x10 (Copper 60%) A bag of Pixie Lure (Uncommon)
"Even their damn weapons and money are crap!" The iron weapons were terrible compared to the Cythian short sword I absorbed when I first arrived all those months ago. They had less than half the durability and the damage of my original blade. I compare the two in my menu section for creating items. The difference between the two blades was clear to see. The short sword was cheap in construction and probably this world''s version of mass-produced. The other blade showed apparent workmanship and care in its forging. I decided that this dungeon was never going to use these poor-quality weapons. My dungeon would produce slightly better rewards as quality would attract more adventurers. The Nascan copper coins were also smaller than the ones I have and had a much lower purity count in copper, so they were replaced with other alloys. No wonder they were excited when they discovered them. There are far better coins¡ªanother feature to lure the greedy in. The bag, however, was interesting. It was the first uncommon-quality item I had found. Pixie lure, what the hell was this?
Pixie Lure This contains a powdery substance. It is a mixture of different herbs and alchemic chemicals designed to attract any pixie that smells it. It also acts as a narcotic when touched by a pixie, rendering them euphoric and unaware of their surroundings.
"What the hell?" When absorbing the backpacks and bodies, I noticed two very odd things: a pair of oversized hoops with nets listed as Capture Nets¡ªthe type that you see people use to catch butterflies. Combining them with this Pixie lure stuff was how the two men had captured and placed the Pixie in the lantern. "So, it was a Pixie, not a fairy. Good to know. I wonder if fairies are real?" I could not recreate the Pixie lure. Something unknown made it up and I did not know the ingredients even after absorbing them. This was a bit frustrating, as I hoped to gain more knowledge from the stuff, which was of an uncommon quality, but I was denied. Looking over to the last item in the room, I found myself in a quandary. The lantern was still on the desk and I realised I should stop calling it a lantern but a prison cage. Knowing it was magical and the minute I absorbed it, whatever magical energy was contained within would be lost very quickly. "What to do then?" My instincts were to absorb it, but I resisted. To distract myself, I returned my attention to the basement. The expansion of my aura into the surrounding earth had been going well and I was almost ready to implement my plan for the floor redesign. During my renewal of expansion, I was thinking over the arrival and death of the two men and remembered something I had ignored. "Damn it!" I would have been screwed if Larry had not been in the room! You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. When external living things are present in my dungeon that I do not control, I cannot manipulate or alter anything with my aura where they are located. I stopped my expansion as I pondered this new problem and how to get around it. At the moment, Larry was essential to such situations and how I would resolve them, but then the issue of him not being in the room in the first place came to my mind. I returned to the main room to seek inspiration in resolving this issue. It took me several hours to think of options and ways to resolve the problem. In the end, I created what I can only describe as a cat flap up in the rafters for Larry to get through. Making a hole in the wall and attached a small wooden board on hinges to it, allowing it to swing out so Larry could move between the room and the tower. The flap is located on the tower''s first floor, as the rafters aligned more with the ground floor. As a safety feature, I installed a similar flap for every room linked to the tower. There was a wooden section that acted as a trapdoor. This could be dropped to act as a barrier between the tower''s floors. This was to prevent hostiles from moving up the tower and possibly to stop a draft. The arrow-slit windows on the first floor had no shutters; the floor above was the same and the third was more open-plan. I was satisfied that this was the best I could do when I returned my attention to the basement. My CP had been drained by the alterations I made to the tower, but not so badly as to hinder part of my expansion. Within an hour, I had claimed with my aura of the last pieces of the earth around me that I would expand into. I started alterations on the floor by removing the doorways that led into several other storerooms. The main room above me faced south; how I knew that, I was not sure, but I knew it was facing south. I removed the North-East and South doorways. I filled them in with new bricks matching the stonework around the tower base. I left the West doorway open, as that was the entrance to the floor now. Entering the Western storeroom, I cleared out all the materials I had not already absorbed. Moving to the back of the room, two doorways were added, one facing North and one facing South. The northern doorway was where I began to tunnel out of the new room, absorbing the earth, stone and whatever else I found as I moved out, creating a new space. I gained nothing of note during this excavation apart from a few bones that I was aware of. It took me several hours to carefully carve out the room, ensuring I was not moving past where my aura had expanded. Several alerts popped up during this time, but I chose to ignore them as I moved on with my work. It was much larger than the storerooms and I expanded the rafters from the storeroom into this one that crossed to the opposite side of the northern wall. I purposely fell short here, allowing the rafters into the wall. I then returned and created brickwork for the Western wall and paving slabs for the floor. The southern and eastern walls already had brick because they were where the two storerooms were. I chose to leave the northern wall as exposed earth and had a plan for here that would be implemented later. Glancing at my CP level, I had just enough to finish this room. I pushed my aura out a bit further, creating an area of the earth that I controlled further northwards. This used up the remaining CP and I had to stop, but I was delighted with my work. I spent some time regenerating my CP and read the alert messages I had ignored. "OK. Doing better now."
Level Up! Aura Manipulation has increased to level 5. CP use was reduced to 95%. Alert! CP regeneration increased to 0.35 per hour. Resources Gained! Flint Wolf bones (Full skeleton) Bones (Assorted)
The CP regeneration jump was highly welcome and was not expected. Mulling over for a few minutes, the only thing I could come up with was that the space I had created was original to me and not part of the pre-existing structure. I hope that as I expand and create new rooms and floors, my CP regeneration will increase to match the size of my dungeon. The aura manipulation was another welcome level-up, but the benefits of this skill were hard to see at the time. A 1% decrease in CP cost per level meant it would be until at least level 10 before I saw any real practical benefits from the skill. Again, I had many questions about the system and the world I was in but had no one to ask. I went over the plans I had outlined in my mind for the rest of the floor, ensuring that I was on board with what I was going to do. I didn''t have the resources, but I had the time to make changes, so I had to be careful with what I was doing. Eventually, my CP regenerated and I moved to the next room. I started by creating a door on the eastern side of the storeroom that I had sealed off and led into the north-facing storeroom. I made another doorway on the south side of this room near where the original entry point was facing east again. This would be the access to the next room I was to create. This did not use much CP as they were simple things to accomplish. This gave me plenty of resources to use in modifying this room. As I left the other room unaltered beyond its initial creation, I finished the floor before adding any traps or creatures. I quickly carved out another room the same size as the one I created. I made the same design choices this room has had with the other and promptly finished it. On the south side, I made another doorway leading into the storeroom facing east. I did the same as the previous storeroom with another exit facing south. Pausing only to regenerate my CP, I made two additional rooms after one had just finished. I created the doorway system between these rooms to run in a clockwise system around these rooms, meaning that anyone who enters the only open storeroom will be led in a clockwise route around the floor. The final doorway I created faced the first one made in the west storeroom and had a door rather than an open arch. I had absorbed one of the doors upstairs and replaced it earlier; the door was a solid wood oak with metal studs and was perfect for what I needed it to be. After experimenting with creating a door that can only be opened one way, I opted for the more straightforward means of securing the door. I place a deadbolt inside the door that can only be opened from within my created room. "Stage 1 finished at last!" I had lost track of time while creating these new rooms and ignored my notifications. As I had not sensed anything entering my sphere of influence, I hadn''t bothered to check them as I knew that nothing significant, as far as I was concerned, had happened. But with the rooms finished, I thought now was a good time to check before I started creating creatures and traps.
Level Up! Aura Manipulation has increased to level 6. CP use was reduced to 94%. Alert! CP regeneration increased to 0.65 per hour. Resources Gained! Human bones x4 (Full skeleton) Wolf bones (Full skeleton) Bones (Assorted)
"Eh?" Human bones? I have been so focused on absorbing the material to create the rooms that I had not been paying attention to what I was absorbing. The fact that I now had four complete skeletons of human remains was quite a surprise. Theoretically, I can use them to raise undead if I learn how. That could be an interesting addition to my dungeon''s repertoire of monsters. Wait. Hold on; Undead is generally not a well-received monster type in many of the stories I have read. I didn''t know the situation with the local churches or their corresponding gods to risk the creation of the undead at the moment. I didn''t want to risk a cultural taboo being violated that would force the locals to destroy me, so again, the lack of information proved to be a significant problem for me. The aura manipulation level increase and the CP regeneration increase were welcome improvements. Now that the primary outlay of the floors was finished, I could start finalising the monsters and traps I would put on this floor. With my limited options regarding these things, it was time to get creative. Chapter 9 As soon as my CP was restored to full, I began stage 2 of my plan for my first floor. I removed the pitfall trap at the foot of the stairs leading down. I realised I didn''t need it there, as I wanted any interlopers to go deeper into the dungeon and ignore the stairwell that I was hiding in. I opted not to put anything into the eastern storeroom either, as this first floor was not intended as a death trap. From the material I had read on dungeons before I became one, it was clear that making myself into a death trap early on would be a surefire way of getting myself destroyed. I had to become a danger, but valuable resources would ensure that it would cost more in the long run if I were destroyed, so I had to manage the short-term benefits or dangers. The first room I created on the floor was where I would begin to place risks and rewards for those who ventured into me. I set a new pitfall trap under a thin layer of stone just within the doorway of this room. I put flint heads onto the wooden stakes in the ground as it was easier to produce resource-wise than iron ones. I suspected that veteran adventurers would quickly spot it and that only noobs would be at risk. The north-facing wall here was left without a finished brick covering. All the other rooms had the same stonework all over the walls. I reached into the earth I controlled and began turning into solid stone. It took longer than I expected, but I did create a large chunk of rock where there was once a mixture of earth and stone. Next, I once again reached into it and made a copper seam. I exhausted my CP doing this but was happy it turned out so well. The idea was to have people come to mine this copper to be used in any local industry. Through my experiment, I discovered that creating something was hard, but remaking or recreating things was easier. This means I would have to regenerate the resources when I have no adventurers within my sphere of influence. "I wonder, can I automate this?" In response to my question, I got a message alert.
Resource Node Created! Congratulations! You have created your first resource node (Copper seam, Quality¡ªcommon). Do you wish to make this a permanent resource node? If you select yes, once every 24 hours, the node will be regenerated back to its initial amount of copper (20 pounds). This will cost four Creation Points to permanently assign to this resource node. Do you wish this to happen: Yes or No?
"Yes!" I received another message telling me that the resource node was now a permanent feature of my dungeon. Losing the four CP points permanently was a blow to my plans, but not worrying about constantly regenerating the resource node was a fair trade-off. I was mentally kicking myself because this was explained in my wiki and I had forgotten to refer to it during the creation of this floor. I knew there were other sections on my monsters that I would have to consider when I brought them into being. I had already decided that there would be no monsters in this room, so I could now move on with the resource node finished and in place. The north-facing storeroom was again to be left without any monsters, but another pitfall trap was placed within it about halfway down the room, hidden by a thin layer of stone over the top. The next room, however, was where things would start to get dangerous for anyone entering my dungeon. I only had two types of monsters: grey-striped wasps and sharoons. They were not very intimidating, to say the least, in their base forms, but they were all I had to work with, so what could you do? I went into my menus and opened up the options for the Grey-Striped Wasps. They would be the first monsters I would create to defend the floor. They were fast and manoeuvrable but did very little damage, so swarm tactics were the way forward for them. I had to find the right balance between their numbers and the space available. I didn''t want to create so many that they would hinder each other within the dungeon rooms. "What to do? What to do?" As I thought about the numbers, I would place this room when I noticed that Larry had decided to grace me with his presence, wandering through the new spaces I had created. I saw that he could identify where the traps were and skillfully went around them. I wondered if that had something to do with the fact that he was a wandering dungeon boss or was naturally aware of their locations. He was exploring and sniffing various things that caught his attention in all the rooms I had recently created. The wiki clearly explained creating new dungeon monsters and assigning them to specific rooms. It also explained how to give a loot reward to each creature that would be given out on its death. However, this was the first time I had done it and I was still a little nervous as the wiki clearly stated that this would impact my CP total like the resource node had. I also had to consider that I would be creating a floor boss, which would also affect my CP total. With my limited resources, I had to be far more frugal than I would have liked. "Decisions. Decisions." I muttered to myself. Eventually, I decided to stop procrastinating and get on with it. Four wasps are to be placed in this room. I decided they could be a good start because it was not enough to be a significant threat to an experienced adventurer but to a new or a non-adventuring type. I opened up the menus for monster creation and selected the wasp option listed. I selected the option to create one but got a slightly different prompt than I expected. It asked me if I wanted to place the wasp in this room, to which I said yes, which led to another prompt requesting the number to be created. I selected four and was notified that the cost would be four CP points. The exact total would be permanently deducted from my CP total to automate the respawning of these monsters. This would reduce my overall CP total from 96 to 92 and cost 4 points to create. It pains me to do it, but I made the room''s four wasps. Upon selecting the final yes on the options screen, motes of light gathered around the room. They quickly coalesced in the four forms but took on the shape of the wasps and eventually formed into them. As soon as they fully formed, they began buzzing around their room, inspecting the existing space. I watched them for a few seconds before realising I had a new prompt alert.
Loot Assignment. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the four Grey Stripped Wasps. Cythian Copper coins x1 (Chance - 85%) Cythian Copper coins x2 (Chance ¨C 15%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." This caused the screen to disappear, as there was no way in hell I would alter the rewards. On the surface, they appeared fine and I did not want to risk any more my CP being assigned to this room anymore. "Hang on. Why does Larry not have a respawn and loot cost?" I turned my attention to my wandering dungeon boss monster, who seemed to be aware of my attention. I looked over and could see nothing out of the ordinary, so I turned my attention to the menu screens and looked up his status screen. Going through it, I noticed a small flickering icon in the bottom corner. Accessing it, I realised it was a sub-alert message. As it was not a primary alert, it did not appear like the others usually do in my vision.
Alert! You have been awarded a special boon award because the first minion you created was a unique wandering mini-boss type. Boon: The mini-boss minion "Larry" has no CP upkeep cost and will keep its earned experience when resurrected. Loot Assignment Cythian Silver coins x3 (Chance - 90%) Cythian Silver coins x5 (Chance ¨C 10%) Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." So, that is why my CP level had not dropped when I created Larry. Then it dawned on me. "Fuck! I will need shadow mana to recreate him!" I was being boned again by my lack of access to affinities. The inability to store mana was hampering my abilities big time! I had found a broken mana stone, but that did not help me. I quickly realised I was starting to wallow in self-pity over the lack of mana. I forced myself out of it and finished the floor. I moved to the next small connecting room and placed another pit trap. It was only meant to be a minor or mild annoyance in a different location from the first room. Once this was done, I turned my attention to the third larger room I had created in the southeastern corner of the floor. My increased CP regeneration rate played a significant part in my expansion, allowing me to move faster. I looked around the room, thinking about what to do here, knowing I would create more wasps, but to what extent? I was still unsure. Looking around the paved floor and walls, I thought about increasing the number of wasps to be assigned to this room, but I had to be conscious that I didn''t want to add too many. My reasoning was twofold: the first was to ensure the room was not too dangerous and the second was the permanent CP cost attached. Ultimately, I decided to stop procrastinating again and decided that five would be a good number for this room. I set up and organised the creation of five more wasp minions for this room. I nearly wept if I was able as I witnessed my CP total drop to 87 and 5 points to create. I turned my attention after the creations were confirmed. I accessed the alert and knew it would be awaiting my attention.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the five Grey Stripped Wasps. Cythian Copper coins x2 (Chance - 85%) Cythian Copper coins x3 (Chance ¨C 15%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." This caused the alert to disappear. Larry followed me around as I created the wasps and seemed unimpressed with their buzzing. I watched the five I had created, awaiting my CP to regenerate to its now reduced level of 87. I was becoming more aware that I was not perceiving time like I used to. I was unsure if it was due to my isolation or new existence, but time seemed to flow differently for me. In the beginning, it seemed like every minute took an eternity to pass, but I was becoming less fixated on the passage of time in recent weeks. I''m still aware of the passage, but hours nowadays seem less important to me somehow. I could explain, but waiting for my CP to regenerate was no longer the torturous process it had once been. Boredom was my main enemy. It ended up taking me five days to regenerate my CP¡ªthe creation of the nine wasps wiped out my stored CP. Moving into the final small room that was part of the original basement, I opted not to put any pit traps here to be different. The final room in the southwestern corner of my floor was the room with the door that only opened one way. This was to be the boss room on the floor. Traditionally, this is where access to the next floor would be located, but I had decided to take a slightly different approach to my dungeon. Each floor would be accessed through the staircase at the centre and I would design the floors around this. I decided to do this for two reasons. The first was that it would allow more experienced adventurers to bypass the earlier floors and go straight to the lower ones. The second was that I hoped to lure more foolish or greedy individuals or groups down into the areas where they were not ready to engage or handle the dangers I would create. As they would be given the option to come down faster than they were prepared for, I hope this will not cause me to be considered a threat. I knew I would make this room much more challenging than the others, but in what way? I knew I would create a boss here; maybe just living alone would be enough. I looked around the room again at the ceiling, walls and floor. How can I incorporate them to make the boss harder? Well, I realised the first thing I had to do was actually create the damned thing in the first place! As all my minions on this floor are wasps, I opted to go for another one, but this time, I was going to tinker with the design. I opened up the necessary menus and began preparing for a new creation. I opted to add five additional CP points to the creation of this wasp. Once I confirmed the additional costs, I ¡°sat back¡± and watched the show.
Congratulations! You have created an improved minion. Greater Grey Stripped Wasp created! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ This minion can be assigned to this room as the floor guardian. Do you wish this to happen: Yes or No?
The motes of light appeared and correlated quite quickly in a flash of light into my new minion. It was similar to its smaller cousins but at least twice the size of the others. My CP total fell to 84. "Yes." I answered the question in the alert and thus was born my first-floor boss. This is an important step forward for me. Now that I had finished my first floor, I felt like an actual proper dungeon for once. But I had a few loose ends to tie up first.
Loot Assignment. After killing the 1st Floor Guardian, the following rewards will be generated randomly. Cythian Copper coins x15 (Chance - 85%) Cythian Silver coins x1 (Chance ¨C 15%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." With the loot assignment now finished, I was almost done. I had only one thing left: to alter the room that appealed to the evil part of my nature. Burning through several more CP points, I created a series of enlarged pitfall traps across the room floor filled with wooden spikes with sharpened flint heads. I didn''t bother trying to hide these traps as they were much larger than the others and took up a considerable portion of the floor''s space. I left several walkways running through them to allow people to navigate the room, but they were only wide enough for one person to walk at a time. The idea was simple: they were here, so fighting the 1st-floor Guardian, as it was called, was much more difficult. Before I could find out what my new Guardian could do by looking at its status sheet, I felt strange¡­ probing around the edge of my aura on the surface. Chapter 10 "I told you it was here!" Atania fluttered around. She was nervous and excited for two reasons. First, of course, was her recent imprisonment. The fear of being trapped in that iron cage shaped like a lantern was still fresh in her mind, but she had decided to return upon the command of the Matriarch. She fled home as soon as she had escaped and the Grove Matriarch was furious with her, but she relented as she told the story of her imprisonment and how she had escaped. The Matriarch commanded upon the end of the tale to take one of the elder members of the Grove back to where she escaped. Together, the two travelled across the now-frozen and snow-covered valleys for many days. As they came into sight of the tower, the second reason for her fear and nervousness was before her. This seemingly abandoned watchtower contained a dungeon. She remembered the fear she experienced when she sensed it, looking her over. When she sensed the hunger, it was only by luck and her natural speed that she had escaped the place. The elder sent by the Matriarch was one of the eldest within the Grove. It was at her command that they had taken longer to get here on their journey. She had made sure that they were not being followed or tracked. Tilnas was her name and she was known to be one of the most cunning and paranoid members of the Grove. In her youth, she had travelled the land far beyond the mountains that they now call home when it was not safe to do so for their people. She and the Grove Matriarch were responsible for the illusion spells that protected them from outside hunters. "I see it, new foolish acorn!" Together, they were standing in the branches of an evergreen tree. It was one of the best locations to hide. Other trees had lost their leaves and were now barren and bare. Many had snow and ice covering the branches like the ground was now layered in a thick blanket of white powder. Tilnas glared at the younger pixie as she fluttered around. "Now we see if your tales are true!" Tilnas looked up the small hill, which was no more than a minor incline if truth be told. A Cythian Empire Watchtower was located on this high point. She had seen many over the years when she travelled abroad before that dark time came to her people. The humans of that empire loved to put their towers all over the place; they were once common sites but no more. "How do we move to?" Atania paused in her fluttering and landed next to the older pixie. "With shadow and cunning foolish acorn. Two things you lack!" Atania flinched under the criticism and stern scowl from the older pixie. "Dull your glow and approach we go." In response, Atania''s magical glow dimmed as she focused on hiding it as the elder taught her. Once Tilnas was satisfied, they set off to investigate the human-built tower. Tilnas had not survived this long by being stupid and as they moved to the tower, she cast many more illusion spells to help protect them from any possible danger or watchers. She cast a critical eye over the tower and its adjoining buildings as they approached. The age of the structure was clear to see, but even to her non-magical vision, the lack of wear on the tiles and stonework should have been a giveaway of something being wrong. All the roofing tiles were covered in the same layer of snow that blanketed the whole valley. She suspected that it became during the warmer months that vines and other plants would be growing up the walls. The window shutters and all the doors were closed on the lower floors. The building looked empty and abandoned. She shifted her vision into the magical and the building lit up. "Acorn right powerful magic here." "My tale true. Dungeon." Atania exclaimed happily. "Speak not. We approached closer and I will make sure." Atania flinched under the elder''s rebuke. "Stay eagle-eyed while I learn more." The two pixies flew to the tower''s main doors. They were closed and in good condition, with little sign of wear from the elements. Tilnas flew up to the doorway and gently placed her hands on the wood and iron doors. Atania turned her attention outward to the hill and surrounding trees. Tilnas expanded her magical senses outwards and into the wood, metal and stone. The younger pixie was right; it was a dungeon and it was expanding at the moment. She could sense the terrible powers contained within this building. Reaching down with her magical senses, she could feel the ground along were being changed and altered. She reached further, trying to understand what type of dungeon this was in relation to its magic, but she realised she had gone too far when the dungeon''s attention suddenly turned to her. She instantly withdrew and backed away from the doorway. "What fear you?" Atania asked. "Tale true. Dungeon. But young one. Strange one." Tilnas answered, a look of confusion on her face. "How know this?" "I know, acorn. I know." Tilnas knew that the dungeon was aware that they were here, maybe not exactly where it was a young and weak example of its kind. But it knew. She looked at the building, thinking about what she had felt while exploring with her magical senses. This place was strange, stranger than any dungeon she had ever encountered before. She had never encountered one so young but with such control. Typically, dungeons are aggressive and hungry, constantly seeking to expand and strengthen themselves. This one was different. She could sense the focus and the fact that it had manipulated its aura to mould itself into this building showed a frightening level of intelligence for one so young. The other odd thing she had sensed was actually the lack of core magic type. Every dungeon she had ever heard of or encountered had a core magic type to start with. From what she had learnt, they usually gain this literally within hours or days of being "born". For some reason, this one did not have one or had not taken one yet. Because of the area they were in. She expected it to be a shadow magic-based one, as it was one of the most common types due to the geography of this area. "Tales true. Return we must to the Grove Matriarch." Atania nodded in agreement with the elder''s decision. "But first. Offering must be made." "Offering?" "Foolish acorn. Escaped due to your wits and speed. No. Dungeon chose not to eat you!" Atania again flinched under the scowl and criticism. "Balance must be maintained. Offering in return for your foolish life. Now come." The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The two pixies flew up towards the top of the tower. They stopped when they reached the third floor, which was the open plan section of the tower for the guard to look out from. Tilnas reached into a small pack she was carrying around her waist. Atania knew this to be a powerful magical item that other races called a dimensional storage bag. Tilnas quickly pulled out several items far too big for more containers and threw them onto the stonework near what looked to be a hatch that led down into the tower. Atania recognised them as seeds, but she was unsure of what plants they would grow into. "Come we go. Back to the Grove. The other elders and the Matriarch need to know your tales were true." The two pixies flew away back to the tree line. Tilnas stopped and looked back towards the tower. She had not told the younger pixie but sensed a void in that tower that frightened her more than its intelligence. "Strange one. Strange one indeed." With that, she turned and followed her younger Grove mate back into the deep woods. ## ## ## ## ## "What is that!" I exclaimed. I sensed something, or one was probing my aura and dungeon. I shifted my focus from my new floor to the entry room of the building above. Whatever the source of what I was feeling was on the other side of the main doors. I focused my attention on them, but it seemed that I spooked whatever was on the other side as it withdrew suddenly. I went up to the edge of my aura, allowing me to see just beyond the wall and the doors. Unfortunately, whatever was out there was too far from me to see, as my vision could not extend beyond my aura. I could just make out two figures, I think. But what was odd was the size and the fact that they were, I believe, several feet off the ground. Pixies? That was the only thing I was aware of that could even come close to matching the vague outline I was seeing. If they were pixies, what were they doing here? "Well, this is unexpected." I said to myself. The two figures began moving and quickly disappeared from my sight. It was then that I realised that the building''s roof and a heavy layer of snow were sitting on it. "Snow? When did that happen." Before I could ponder this new development, I sensed something entering my dungeon, not through the doors for windows but up on the tower''s third floor. Something was hitting or being thrown into the open area. I quickly moved to this part of the building and once I was up there, I looked out and could see the vague images of the two figures again. One of the figures had come closer to the tower, still not close enough for me to make out, but it seemed to be throwing things into my tower. It didn''t take long for the figure to do whatever it was doing and they quickly left. Looking around, I noticed that what they had been throwing into my aura were¡­..seeds. This part of the tower was designed for a sentry to stand upon a lookout over the area. Some snow was now sitting in the floor section under the gazebo-type roof. I wondered why I had not noticed the snow in the first place entering my aura. But as I thought about it, I realised I didn''t even pay attention to the rain that came on some level; I must just ignore it. This thought quickly left my mind as I focused on the seeds. Were they a trick? Or some form of trap? I spent several minutes procrastinating on what to do, but ultimately, I decided to do what a dungeon does and absorb it.
Alert! Nyralia''s Gift seed x1 (Common). Blue Orchid seed x1 (Common). Spring Daisy seed x1 (Common). Unknown seed x1 (Unknown). Your alchemist knowledge is insufficient to understand these plants'' purposes or identify any that are unknown to you. Gain the alchemist skill or raise your core level to attempt to identify these plants.
"Okay. I can learn alchemy. Cool." So, I now have the ability to grow some plants if I want to. Evidently, they had some use, as the system identified them as some form of alchemist ingredient. It was good that I could identify three of them as common, but I had no idea what to do with them. As for the fourth, that was a complete mystery to me. Digging around stories I had read about dungeon cause, in theory, I could plant the seeds and create flowers or whatever the fourth one was. They would grow underground as, according to all the stories, they could feed off the mana within my dungeon. I could also alter the plant later down the line when I understood my abilities and what I could do with them. What to do with them? This was new and unexpected from what I had planned to do after my first floor was finished. After some more procrastinating, I decided not to do anything for the moment and go back and finish what I had planned initially. I went back down into my dungeon to where my core was located. Here, I activated mana sight as I wanted to explore the ability some more. My vision suddenly shifted again. I was watching the mana around the floating like a very light mist. I focused on some of it, trying to understand what I was looking at and if I could manipulate it somehow. I messed around and tried several things for an hour before noticing something odd about some of the drifting mist. I saw it moving like it was travelling on currents. It was not very quick to move, but it was definitely moving. I quickly identified a dozen different currents moving through my dungeon. They all had one thing in common: they all intersected with me at some point. My core seemed to be the nexus that everything was travelling through. "Damn it!" I exclaimed as this negated my hopes of staying hidden. Any opponent or creature with anything similar to my mana sight would be able to identify where I was¡ªit was time for experimentation quickly. Over the next few days, I tried different things and ideas and ultimately made a breakthrough. I discovered that air flows could affect the current of mist. I had to make several more alterations to the dungeon, but these were only minor things to create a draft between rooms, my first floor, and the building above. This caused a vortex of mist to flow around the central tower and obscured my location. I had heard the ringing sounds of alerts, but I was too engrossed in what I was doing to pay attention. But now I was finished, I decided to look. I was pleasantly surprised to notice that they were all level-up notifications and that my mana sight had risen from level 1 to level 4. I was happy that I had to improve one of my skills by three levels, but I was also concerned. I had become so fixated on the task that ignoring my alerts could be a significant problem. They could have been anything from an attack to something entering my dungeon, but I completely ignored them. I needed to rectify this and think of the wiki. I knew that there was an option. I could change the way the alert is signalled. I changed the parameters of the alert message. I separated them into two categories: priority and secondary. Priority would ring and sound as usual but would keep ringing until I acknowledged it. The secondary would only ring once and stay flashing in the corner of my vision. This should hopefully prevent me from ignoring anything important; I become fixated on the task at hand. The improved mana sight had made things more apparent when I was in this altered vision. Not by much, but a little and I noticed a detail that had escaped me before. Occasionally, in the mist, I would find a vein of black. It was not often I saw it, but they were there now and again, and out of curiosity, I decided to follow it as it travelled around the current of the dungeon. Eventually, it reached my core and entered it like all the other clumps of mist. From experience, I knew the mist passed through my core and nothing else happened, but I noticed something different this time. The black vein was gone. "Eh?" Upon witnessing it, I received an alert, which I read immediately. It turns out that the black vein I was following around is void corruption¡ªthe very stuff my core was created to process and make safe. It seems that I am naturally absorbing any in the air around me, but it is not enough to increase my corruption waiting on my character sheet. "Right then. Another thing I need to add to the list of things to learn about." This had been a fun side excursion that had led to some exciting discoveries. But I turned my attention back to what it was planning to do: to find out what my last skill did. Core Refining. Chapter 11 I travelled back to my core. The black gem that made up my form was "safely" tucked away at the moment I hoped. It was time to try my last skill, which I was most unsure of. Core Refining. It was time to find out now that I had secured my core. According to my wiki, this will allow me to improve my core and increase my CP storage and regeneration outside of expansion and levelling. Activating this skill will allow me to use my CP to enhance the quality of my core crystal, how I do not know. I navigated to my skill list in my menu. Strangely, it was a skill with no number next to it like the others and no accurate description when accessed. I had often wondered what that meant. "Core Refining. Activate." What happened next, I was not expecting. My vision twists and I fall into my core. When it returned to normal, I could no longer see my Dungeon. As I "looked" around, all I could see was a crystalline structure. Looking more, I noticed that not all were crystalline structures. Below me, from my perspective, there was a black void of some kind. I think that was the centre of my core. I can move around like I am in my Dungeon. I moved towards it, but I encountered a barrier before reaching it. Looking at this, I make a few guesses. First, touching the blackness would be BAD! This idea and a strange feeling came to me as I reached the barrier. OK, avoid that in the future. This is where the void corruption is being removed from this world. It is the only logical conclusion I can draw on why it exists. It scares me. Not in the scary film or facing a phobia, but if I interact with it, I might lose my soul scary. So, I''m not touching that. No sir! Looking back at the crystal structure around me, I began thinking of what to do next. I need to improve myself as fast as possible. The more I look at my structure, the more familiar it seems. Mana stone! That was it. I can see the similarities between the two and what made them different. In many ways, my core was a much more advanced version of the mana stone. In complexity, my core was the most distinguishable from the mana stone. "Were mana stones based on dungeon cores?" I wondered to myself. I just existed there for a while, looking at the crystalline structure of my core and thinking about how to do this. According to my wiki, I had to focus on the part of the structure and channel my CP through conscious effort. "All right, here goes." I focused on the part of the structure and reached the point where I could sense my CP in my consciousness. The process was straightforward; I could feel the CP flow through me into the crystalline structure, and before my "eyes," I could see a change. A section of the crystalline structure suddenly started to change and alter. Within what seemed a few seconds, my CP was exhausted, but the crystal looked different now. It was more refined somehow and even more complex. The downside was that I now felt drained and exhausted. I had not felt like this since I became a core. It was like working a 100-hour week and it was finally over. I knew I could not do it anymore because my CP had been drained, so I called it a day. "Core Refining. De-activate." My vision once again twisted the opposite way it had initially and I was ejected from my core. I suffered a few moments of vertigo again as I realigned my vision and was assaulted with all the data and knowledge from my aura. As soon as I was steady on my "feet" again, I inspected my Dungeon. Going through the building and the ground below, I noticed no changes. Everything was as I left it, which was good. Once this was done, I returned to my character sheet and wondered what the alterations would be. "Status Screen. Bhaldor." Though it was listed as a status screen, it was always a character sheet to me from my RPG days. The simplified voice commands I had set were making things so much easier. The screen popped up in my vision at my command. "OK. Let''s see what happened." I went through the sheet and it didn''t take long to notice the three changes that were now present. First, my CP was now zero, which was not unexpected. Second, my regeneration rate went up from 0.65 phr to 0.75 phr. It is not massive, but a welcome increase. The third and strangest thing was in my skills section. Core refining had increased from zero to 1%. I found this odd, as all my other skills had grown far more when used. My wiki does not supply more information on this skill, so I had to figure it out independently. It seems like so much¡ªanother thing to add to the list¡ªbut it keeps me occupied, at least. I returned to the first floor of my underground section and went through it again. With no CP to play with, I had time on my hands again. I was role-playing different scenarios in my head as to the reactions of adventurers while they were on the floor. Easy access to the floor. Check. Set a route that they needed to follow. Check. Make sure they can''t cheat and head straight to the floor boss by making the door one-way. Check. The first room has one trap but is designed as a resource room. Copper, being the result of the work, can be mined out. Check. The pitfall trap is just inside the doorway. Was it too excessive? I want to lure them in and get them to commit. "Note to self. Remove pitfall trap." "No, wait. I need them to understand that this Dungeon is dangerous. I will move it deeper into the corridor." Next room. "Maybe add spider webs?..... No, that is a bad idea with me using wasps on this floor." The next room has four wasps and no traps. Check. "Maybe I should number these rooms to make it easier?" "I should also organise them according to the floor." "That is a good idea. So, this will make the stairwell and linked room will be 1A. The resource room will be 1B. The next room will be 1C. The room with the first minions will then be 1D. That sounds better." "Hang on one minute! Can I generate a floor plan?" It turns out I could. The minute I voiced the question, the option became available to me. This was another thing that was not listed on my wiki. I grew increasingly concerned and downright paranoid about what was not found within it. I also discovered that I could alter the plan to include the names and numbers of the rooms I wish to add. During this little task, there was a lot of swearing and questioning of certain gods'' parentage. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I numbered rooms 1A through 1H on the plan and continued my inspection. The next room was 1E. It was a long, thin corridor that only contained a pitfall trap. Check. Room 1F. Five wasps, no traps. Check. Room 1G. No traps or minions. Check. No. Change of mind: I will place two pitfall traps at either end as soon as my CP is regenerated in this corridor. I will have to remember this and make the alterations later. Yeah, I like that; keep any adventures on their toes. Finally, room 1H. Floor Boss! One-way door to vacate the room. Enlarged pit traps make manoeuvring difficult, leaving them exposed to be seen. Check. "Right. Overall, we are done with a few alterations to be made." I was happy with my first floor now. I had created a solid foundation when I had planned it out but realised a few alterations were needed. Looking at the floor plan, I realised two things. My floor was a large square. The other was that I had a lot of unused space. Each corridor was half the size of a wing upstairs in the building. My sense of proportion is entirely out. I could create more danger with the pitfall traps¡­¡­ A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Hang on, are the pitfall traps resetting automated?" It turns out I could and it cost one CP tax for all the pitfall traps on the floor. Once this was done, I stopped to think. I have an issue and I have been ignoring it. The wiki I have is different from what I need. The system has more options and abilities that I do not know, as the wiki is either poorly designed or purposely misleading. I am leaning towards misleading. Oda is a god who has been planning this all out. You do not just do the things he did to organise all this without planning it all out. This means he has an alternative goal here. What is it? He has met the conditions that were laid out in our first meeting. But. But he has filled these conditions at the bare minimum. Removing void corruption was the primary thing I was here to do. This was obvious in the nature of my existence and how I interact with the world just by existing. The system he supplied has got me going but has many issues. It is designed to hold me back in most ways. I have no recourse in changing the system, but I can try to work it to my advantage. How? I am still determining how. I returned my attention to the floor. My CP was restored enough to move the pitfall traps to their new locations. This marked the floor completed for the moment in my mind until some poor sap tried it. "Soooo¡­.what now?" I think about it for a few minutes. I ignore the lantern/cage thing upstairs in one of the wings. I know it is there. I want to absorb it, but I continue to resist the urge. I need to do something to get my mind off it. "Time for the second floor!" I am back at the spiral stairwell. I have been thinking about how to approach the new floor and have decided to continue the stairwell down to the next floor. I started to absorb the stone on the ground and remove the dirt. I began curving the hole I was creating to match the stairwell. I was not expecting the flaring pain that tore through my mind. I double-backed into the first floor and the pain vanished. The alert in my vision was different from normal; it was an error message rather than an alert. I opened it.
++ ERROR! ++ Dungeons cannot create a new floor until they reach the required Core Level and further attempts may damage the core.
"Fuck!" On some level, I was not surprised, but still, it was frustrating. I am stuck until I meet the next floor criteria. It dawned on me that I did not know what that was. I go through the wiki again. I know there is nothing on the floor expansion criteria in the wiki, but look anyway; I was correct; there is no information on this. Another glaring omission of important information. Oda was definitely trying to stymie my development for some reason. The next few hours were filled with me waiting for my CP to regenerate and much swearing about a god of balance. But I had a plan! It had come to me during my hours-long ranting. It had not stopped but had started forming during a brief lull near the middle. It had to do with my core and the core refining ability. When I used the ability, I only focused it, but what if I could control it? Could I get around the issue of having no mana storage but changing part of my core into a mana stone? Risky? Hell yes! But I was reaching a development dead end unless I could access a functioning means to store mana. I remembered the part in my conversation with Oda about now being near "immortal". Any mistake I made now could be with me for a very long time. But if I did not, I was hamstrung from the lack of access to mana storage. Time to stop procrastinating! "Core refining activate." My vision twisted again and I was once more within my core¡ªtime to get to work. I focused on the part of my core near the crystal surface. I pictured what I wanted to create: a small bubble of altered structure resembling a mana stone. Then, I began releasing my CP. I felt it¡­¡­..I felt strange. It was not painful, but it was not comfortable either. Something was happening. I remained focused on what I was trying to do and not to get distracted by the sensation. I could see the crystal structure changing into what I had envisioned. It was slow, but it was happening. Suddenly, it stopped as I realised I had run out of CP. It looked like a bubble in my core as it was different from the rest of the crystal structure. Moment of truth time. "Core refining de-activate." I quickly returned to my "normal" worldview and had an alert awaiting me. I hesitated but opened it. Information cascaded through my sight and mind.
Alert! ++ ERROR! ++ Alert! ++ ERROR! ++ Dungeon Core has been modified in an unauthorised manner! ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Alert! Restriction - Affintyless active! Restriction ¨C Affintyless bypassed! ++ Error ++ ++ Error ++ ++ System Admin ¨C Calibrating ++ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. ++ System Admin ¨C Calibrated ++ Alert! Mana stone has been created. Congratulations, Dungeon Core Bhaldor, you have created your first mana stone! This stone can store up to twenty units of mana.
"Yes, I did it!" I screamed aloud, but another alert appeared.
Alert! Dungeon Core Altered! Core Refining max reduced to 99%!
"Ooookay? What does that mean?" I wondered. ¡°Status Screen. Bhaldor.¡± It was now listed in red on my status screen as a restriction. I thought about these alerts and alterations as I regenerated my CP. I mulled over it for quite some time, going over ideas. The only idea I had was how refined my core was in total and how creating the mana stone within me had reduced the overall quality of my core in the long run. What the result would be, I did not know, but now I had options. "Larry, where are you?" I found him in his usual spot in the rafters. After some mental prodding, I got him moving with the instruction to bring the lantern/cage thing down to my core. Through our connection, I sensed his annoyance. Damn, he was getting to be lazy! After about ten minutes, he arrived with it at my core. I would be drooling right now if I were still in my human body. I wanted to absorb this thing immediately but was resisting because I still needed to be cautious, as I had only one chance at doing this right. I had also opened the section of the stairwell I was hiding in to be safe. Clunk. He placed it down in front of my core. I took a mental breath, focusing. "Come to Pappa!" I said as I absorbed it. The alerts that began first were the most important. As soon as I "grasped" the mana, I put it into my core, where I had just created the bubble.
Alert! Illusion Mana discovered! Mana Absorption is possible! Do you wish to absorb Illusion Mana and have it become your¡­. ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Absorption is impossible! ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Illusion Mana absorbed and stored within Mana stone.
"Close alert. Open Status Screen Bhaldor." The blue box closed, my personal screen opened, and two things were different. The red error message is now next to Affintyless; the other was the added new section.
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 20(20) / 0.01 phr.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! It Worked!" I knew that I had a chance of surviving now! Chapter 12 I had mana storage and even better, it would replenish itself! I travelled my Dungeon in an ecstatic mood. Today was a good day! I looked outside to find out the weather conditions only to realise from my limited view that it was night. Well, then, it was a good night! Absorbing the lantern cage had only given me wood, glass and iron, which was no real letdown, as I already had these resources. I even got a little dump to Mana Manipulation. I got one other thing that left me perplexed- pixie dust. The lantern contained a few grams of the stuff and I discovered that I could absorb it but not replicate it. This was the first time I had encountered this and I had stopped leaving most of it behind. I gathered it and stored it in the hiding spot under one of the beds where I found the mana stone. My CP got only a little bump from the absorbing and it was going to be a while before I fully regenerated it back to full. Plans to make! I continued to travel around my Dungeon, noting little things and making the planned changes. Also, I re-hid my core. I cannot forget about that! Larry had returned to his favourite position in the rafters near the main doors and I let him be. This took me until morning and another snowstorm rolled through the valley. I returned to the first floor and went back to work to change some more of my core. ## ## ## ## ## I lost track of time as I worked. I realised this as it dawned on me that the snow covering my roof tiles had mainly melted. "Bloody hell! How long have I been in my core?" It took longer than I thought, but I had made progress! Sweet, sweet progress! "Status screen. Bhaldor." I focus on two sections that matter at the moment.
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 1 - 40% Core Refining ¨C 5% Mana Sight: 4 ¨C 15% Aura Manipulation: 6 - 42%
Perks/Restrictions: Godless Affintyless (++ ERROR! ++) Companionless Limitless Monsters/Traps Core Refinement max ¨C 95%
My Core Refining levels increased and decreased as I created four more bubbles in my core and refined other parts. My most significant increase was that my CP regeneration was now up to one unit per hour. Yes, one unit per hour! I had hoped that the gains would be at 1.05, but no! But, an unforeseen thing had occurred to my core. I turned and looked at it. I was still the jet-black orb but with an addition. A tiny pinprick of soft pink light was present now within it. Because of my core colour, it was straightforward to spot. I had freaked out for a while over it but realised that this was the Illusion mana being stored within me. I had come to wonder what other colours would represent the types of mana out there as I knew that a light grey was Shadow mana. Talking about Shadow Mana, I had yet to encounter any more, but I had been using my Mana Sight skill around my Dungeon and thought some might be forming soon. Essence was clumping or pooling in several locations and I hope one might become Shadow Mana. I wanted to reopen my entry room window shutters and reset my wine bait trap to see if I could lure more creatures in. Instead, I had opened the main doors because I needed larger creatures to be attracted over the earlier smaller ones. Larry was not amused. The room temperature dropped noticeably, forcing him to vacate his favourite spot for another deeper in my Dungeon. "Come on, Larry. It won''t be forever!" He ignored me to the best of his ability. "I need new creatures to come in so I can kill them." He had rolled over to show me his back and I felt a strong sense of irritation from him. The wine trap bowl was in again. That simple bottle had done me right and I was not going to give up on it yet. "I know nothing has come in yet, but we must be ready when something does." It had been a slow, dull day. I could have spent more time refining, but I had neglected the rest of my Dungeon when I was doing it earlier. So far, the wind has blown in a few dead leaves, sticks and snowflakes. "I need the essence to level and so do you!" He still ignored me. I had realised that he had to level as well to be of any use in the long run. "Fine, be that way!" I "stormed" off, looking for something to do. The Dungeon had required a few very minor repairs from the winter storms. That took all of two minutes to complete this morning. Since then, boredom central. The weak sunlight coming through the open door was fading fast. Night would be here soon. Do I leave the door open? "Open or closed? Open or closed? That is the question." I quickly came to a decision. "Open. More chance of attracting predators." I settled back and continued to wait. And wait. And wait. "God! This is like watching paint dry." "What to do?" I ran through a checklist in my mind. Dungeon alterations. Done. Dungeon repairs. Done. Core Refining. Done. Checked for new sources of mana. Done. Make sure my core was hidden. Done. Ok. What now. New minions! I opened up my menus and began to think. New sharoon or wasp? Those were my main choices at the moment. I could create a spider but was not feeling that now due to the wasps below me. Plus, I got the feeling they might not mix well with the illusion mana I had. Sharoon''s needed shadow mana to be created and the wasps lived in an environment that was heavy in it. I wanted to experiment but held myself back as thoughts ran through my mind, like enhancing the floor boss wasp with illusion abilities or¡­ "No! No! No!" "Eye on the prize. Next objective levelling up." That was the goal I had set for myself. I found that I was achieving more this way. Otherwise, my mind wandered too much and I made mistakes that could prove disastrous. I thought back to the media I had consumed on dungeon cores. Generally, by now, the plucky Dungeon would have several floors and adventures to deal with. Me, I have been screwed over and left in the middle of nowhere, it seems. I could quickly reveal my presence but was hesitant until I had another floor or two. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. So, back to waiting. With my core mind, I could work out how long I had been here in days at least, but I had decided against it. I did not want to depress myself as I knew it could be over a hundred days at least. Very least. Night time now. Looking at the entry floor, I knew the sun had almost disappeared behind the mountains. Are there any wolves around here? I am sure there could be. Getting access to one would be nice. Back to waiting. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. ¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡­¡­¡­¡­. "What is that?" I noticed a soft glow from something just outside my visual range. "Finally. Come on in; we don''t bite¡­. Well, we do come to think about it." I was still watching the doorway when the soft light source appeared in my vision. It was a ball of light with a halo around it. The light was not white but tinted with a very light grey and was not strong. Looking at it, my memories kicked in. "Is that a Will- O''- the Wisp?" The alert of an intruder and it being a creature quickly appeared when it crossed the doorway threshold. I was interested to see what it would do. I watched it enter the room. It drifted for a few seconds, then quickly zipped to another location. I wanted to watch it more, but I needed the essence.
Alert! A Ghost-light Wisp has entered your Dungeon.
"Larry, get over here and kill this thing!" I sensed him quickly moving from his location back to this room using the flaps I had installed earlier as the inner door was closed. He was positioning himself in the rafters above the Wisp. "A Ghost-light Wisp? I wonder what it does?" New creature. New abilities. Larry was moving from the rafters down a wall, using the darkness to enhance his camouflage pattern. He was looking for the moment to strike. As the Wisp moved, it came close enough and he attacked. Leaping, he collided with it, slashing with his claws and biting. Three bars¡ªred, blue and green ¡ª appeared above his head and I watched the green diminish fast. I reasoned that they represented health, mana, and stamina. The ball of light vanished, leaving a few wisps of vapour.
Alert! A Ghost-light Wisp has died in your Dungeon. Essence Gained! Creature Design Gained - Ghost-light Wisp.
"Well done, Larry!" I congratulated him. He strutted away, savouring his victory, climbing the wall and returning to his temporary sleeping spot. I watched him go, laughing a little at his actions. "Essence from a kill, please, be enough. Status screen. Bhaldor." I looked at my sheet and noted the whole 1% increase. One per cent. One. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ The next few hours were filled with a lot of swearing and cursing at the usual god. This only increased when I looked at the Wisp''s stats and realised it was worse than my Wasps in almost all regards. Its only advantages were agility, a lure skill and a spell ability called Dazzle. It was like the legends from Earth, a creature that tricked the unwary into dangerous ground to kill them. This continued the rest of the night and into the morning. It started raining, which I noted in my tirade. It was coming down heavily for at least a few hours. Then I heard it. "Rrrippuutt." "What?" That stopped me. "Rrrippuutt." It came from just outside the door and my view was of something. I had a reasonable suspicion of what, but I had to wait a short time to see. The source of the sound entered my Dungeon and sight with a leap. It hit the ground with a loud slapping sound. It is a giant toad. It is massive, truly massive. It was twice the size of Larry. It was brown/green in colour and its skin was very rough in texture; otherwise, it was a toad. It leapt into the doorway, landing heavy and looked around. As it breathed, a sac on its throat expanded and shrank.
Alert! A Giant River Toad has entered your Dungeon.
"Damn! That''s a big boy!" I exclaimed. "Larry got another one for you!" I sensed Larry again coming back to the first room. I felt annoyance that he had been called again to fight. He once again went through the flap in the rafters. He quickly scampered to near the doorway rafter and looked down. The toad had not moved and was looking around. "Go on then, Larry." He was checking out the toad. I wondered why he was not engaging it. Then I realised he was outmassed by a factor of two. "How are we going to do this?" I knew I could not interfere and had no actual ability to either. This was all up to Larry. I decided that I had to remain quiet and let him handle this. The toad was still sitting just inside the room. Larry was moving around, looking for the best place to attack. He seemed to settle on a location and hunched up. Then he leapt. He sailed through the air and angled to land on the toad''s back. He connected, landing almost dead centre. As soon as he landed, he began attacking. The toad was shocked by the surprise attack but seemed to rally. The bars appeared above Larry''s head and the green began dropping. The toad began jumping around, trying to dislodge Larry. It was not moving quickly, but it was moving. The toad collided with some of the chairs in the room, knocking them over. The toad''s tongue lashed out, bending around to strike at Larry. The tongue has barbs that extend when it comes out of the mouth. After several attempts, the tongue hits Larry, injuring him. I can see the injury and the red bar drops about ten percent. Larry, in turn, is doing damage. The green stamina bar is quickly exhausted. The toad is now slowing as blood runs freely from its back. Suddenly, it stopped and collapsed. The notifications then followed with the essence rush.
Alert! A Giant River Toad has died in your Dungeon. Essence Gained! Creature Design Gained - Giant River Toad. Level Up! Minion ¨C Larry has levelled up. Level Up! Congratulations, you have levelled up. Do you wish to level up now? Yes or No?
"Hell, yes. Please yes. Yes." I was so excited! Larry started glowing gold and the main door suddenly slammed shut. "What th¡­¡­" My vision twisted and was sucked back into my core. Then there was blackness. ## ## ## ## ## "Eeerrrwww." Coming back to awareness was like suffering the worst hangover ever. It took a good minute to get back to full functionality. When I did, the excitement quickly returned. "Status screen. Bhaldor." Only one part of the screen changed, which interested me.
Name Bhaldor Essence 0%
Race Dungeon Core CP 179(200) /1.95 phr
Level 2 Corruption 0%
Floors 2 Health 100%
"New floor! More CP and more regeneration." My ability to store illusion mana had also increased to 40 units and I generated 0.5 units on top of the initial 20. That means I had been "unconscious" for at least fifty hours! I inspected my core, finding it had increased in size by around fifty percent. The pink speck of light was more pronounced. So many new options. I was quickly thinking about what to do next. Before I started work, I forced myself to do everything else first. It turned out it was a lot and started with Larry with him glowing gold and all. "Status screen. Larry." His strength, endurance, and vitality both increased by one. This, in turn, improved his health; damage and stamina had all increased.
Name Larry Level/Class 2 - Dungeon Mini-Boss
Race Greater Sharoon Essence 0%
Health 80/80 (+10) Mana 40/40
Stamina 40/40 (+10) Corruption 0%
STR 4 (+1) 4 Damage Base (+1)
DEX 7
AGL 7
END 4 (+1)
VIT 8 (+1)
PER 18 +8% Danger Awareness
INT 5 (+1)
WIL 4
LUCK 4
His Claw Strike skill had also levelled up, reducing the stamina cost by 0.1 to 1.9 per activation. I found him still in his favourite spot in the rafters. He was healed from his injuries and was dozing. There were no other changes to him that I could see. I reabsorbed the wine and plate from the table and went to create my new floor. I was going to have to think a lot about this one. Chapter 13 I travel down to my core and the beginning of the stairwell that will lead to the second floor. Now, knowing the cost of the alterations I had made to my core, I could live with them. My CP was being reduced by the amount of core that had altered every level I increased. I was losing five percent of my levelling increases at the moment. A trade-off I was willing to make for the ability to store and use mana. I was looking over the giant river toad design screen. It was much "tankier" than the wasps on the first floor and, in turn, slower. The ghost-light wisp was a bust. Larry could sneeze at one and it would die. Its only saving grace was a few abilities it had. Unless another option appeared, the toads would form the floor''s defenders after some tinkering. "What to do." Logic dictated that I had to make this floor more challenging than the first. The toads would do that. Or alter them? Maybe shake things up environmentally as well? Options. First, begin digging down. The stairwell would be the same on every floor. This would be the way in and out for everyone. The stairwell was more than wide enough to fulfil this purpose. It took about an hour to create the room. I went deeper than the floor above to avoid the bottom of the pit traps. It was becoming almost second nature to me to use my Aura Manipulation to mark out the areas that would be made into parts of my Dungeon. I started a new floor map by creating a corridor going west like the 1st floor. I noted this as 2A on the map I was generating. I had already decided to match the idea of the entryway that led deeper into the floor on the bottom north side and the one-way exit from the floor boss on the south like above¡ªtime to start on the first proper room. I quickly absorbed the earth until the room was shaped. Then, I covered it in stone slabs like above. "Okay. How am I going to do this?" I spent a few minutes thinking about the toad, what environment would suit them, and how to create it. "Toads like to sit in water, so there''s that. So, something water-based, maybe with plants?" The dungeon core literature indicated in their stories that I should be able to grow plants inside my Dungeon without needing sunlight. It''s time to find out if this is possible. I start to alter the room some more. Firstly, I mark out a three-meter circle in the room. Second, drop the floor around the circle a further half meter down and turn the slabs into a solid block of stone. This created a step that had to be factored into leaving and entering the room. I then make a second circle, the first about two inches from the outer and remove the stone from it to a depth of five inches. Soil is then filled into the space until it is level again with some manure. Now for the plants. I have grass seeds in my inventory, which are incredibly cheap to make. I seed the soil, adding a little water and then leave it to see the results. With the increased CP from my levelling up and the low cost of the materials, I can get most of the floor laid out before I exhaust my CP. I turned my attention back to the rest of the floor and got to work. This floor will be far more spread out and cover a larger area than the one above. I start heading north, making more corridors and a room and then turning east, creating the third room. Another passage turns south and a short distance from the stairwell, I hollow out what will be the largest chamber on this floor. From here, I turn south and west, creating another two rooms and corridors. Finally, I started what will be the boss room to the north on the other side of the original passage. I made the doorway and noted that the map I have produced lists the rooms/corridors as 2A-M. My increased CP regeneration and overall amount made this far more straightforward than the floor above. I had ignored the alert message in my view as I did not want to be distracted. Crossing to the first and almost completed room, I inspected the soil I had laid. "Nothing so far." I looked around and thought about water, but first, the alerts.
Level Up! Aura Manipulation has increased to level 7. CP use was reduced to 93%. Alert! CP regeneration increased to 2.0 per hour. Materials Absorbed: Coal Stag bones (Full skeleton)
"Aura and CP increase. Sweet! A full skeleton like the wolf?" What was that about? I looked around my screens and found an entry indicating I could use these to create a new undead minion similar to the wolf bones I had found earlier. "Undead. Possible future project, but not now." I could not risk creating undead until I could figure out how the locals would react to them, with core destruction being one highly possible outcome. "Right then, water." Creating water was one of the easiest things for me. I figured that one CP made ten gallons. It took several minutes, but I filled the room with water below the half-meter mark. There was a little overspill, but I could deal with that quickly. "Right now, the toads." The standard toad cost two CPs to create. However, I wanted to experiment, so I opened the menu to produce one and added an additional CP to the process through the customisation option. Adding mana was not an option as I only had one type and did not think it would synergise well with the toad. I created it in the first corridor. The motes of light quickly appeared, along with the whirlwind of dust and the new dungeon minion was formed with an alert.
Congratulations! You have created a Dungeon Giant River Toad.
"Okay. Let''s have a look. Status screen. Dungeon Giant River Toad."
Name Dungeon Giant River Toad Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Toad (Dungeon) Essence 0%
Health 70/70 Mana If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. 20/20
Stamina 60/60 Corruption 0%
STR 5 5 Damage Base
DEX 3
AGL 3
END 6
VIT 7
PER 3
INT 2
WIL 2
LUCK 2
Skills: Leap: 1 ¨C 0% (4 meters. END +2 impact damage) Cost: 4 Stamina
Equipment: Barb Tongue: Dam 4 + STR Range: 2 meters
"Right then. STR and VIT increased by one with corresponding improvements in health and damage. Its barbed tongue has also been improved along with its range." This toad cost three CPs to produce in my Dungeon. It was a definite improvement over the original. The toad I had made was looking around and opening its mouth. The tongue came out and moved around. It was longer and the barbs more pronounced. When the tongue retracted, the barbs did as well. "Bhaldor, can work with this." I nudged my newest minion into the first room and watched it explore the space. The second toad was added to the room and I assigned the loot for them.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the two Dungeon Giant River Toads. Cythian Copper coins x2 (Chance ¨C 80%) Cythian Copper coins x3 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." Well, that cost me. The toad''s upkeep is the same as the wasps'', as my CP total dropped by two and the six to create them. I now had a maximum of 177 CP points. The odds were slightly better here to get a bigger payout equal to clearing five wasp rooms above. "I wonder what the loot criteria are?" No messages came to that question, so I continued. The next corridor was devoid of anything, so I decided to leave it as a brief resting area after the toads. The next room was altered as the first; this time, I left three raised circular areas. I did not add soil to them as I was waiting for the results from the first. Here, I created three toads after the room was filled with water.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the three Dungeon Giant River Toads. Cythian Copper coins x3 (Chance ¨C 80%) Cythian Copper coins x4 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." I looked over the table before answering. "It looks like it''s linked to numbers on this floor. I wonder if it is due to the toads being slower but much tougher." I moved around the room, watching the toads for a few minutes. Then, I set up one of the four pitfall traps planned for the floor in the next corridor. They were copies of the ones from the floor above¡ªnothing fancy, just easy to produce and cheap. After approving the loot, I moved on. Room 2F was altered to match the other rooms, with one raised circle and one toad. There was nothing too hard there. The longest passage on this floor was 2G, with two pitfall traps to make it interesting for visitors. Room 2H was where things were going to get tougher. Four raised circles with four toads. This should be a challenging room. Once the necessary loot option had been approved, I moved on. Another pitfall trap and two more rooms with two or three toads in them. Loot assigned and reset cost paid for the floor. Almost done; just the last room to go, the floor boss. I had been thinking about it as I went through creating the floor. My increased CP storage and regeneration had come into play here, allowing the floor to be almost finished much faster than the first. Before creating the floor boss, I checked in on the first room and my grass-growing experiment. It had been two days and I was not expecting any change. The toads were in the water, chilling and croaking every so often. I was here to see the soil section of the raised circle. I was using my ability to go in close to see if there was any change. Much to my surprise, there was! I could just make out the green tips of several dozen grass blades. ¡°Bhaldor, has grass!¡± This was going to lead to loads of new options for me. In my excitement, I realised I was addressing myself in the third person again. Before I could do anything else, I got a familiar feeling from within my Dungeon. "Oh, Shit! Where are you? Mana Sight. Activate." I quickly adjusted to the change in my vision and went hunting. Finding a newly formed Shadow mana mote took me only a short time. I took a deep mental breath. I grabbed it and rushed to my core, ignoring the alerts. "Mana Sight de-activate." I placed it with my core in one of the pre-prepared bubbles and checked the alerts. "Success!"
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 20.5(40) / 0.01 phr. Shadow ¨C 8(40) / 1.1 phr.
"I now can store Shadow mana!" After checking the rest of my sheet, I noticed that my Mana Sight and Manipulation had improved slightly. That''s a bonus result! "Two of the five filled. I might need more soon. But the cost." I was still pleased, but the worry of further alterations to my core was creeping in. I could now create more Sharoons. Or recreate Larry if I needed to. This was a worry I had been living with since I had made him. "Right! Back to the second floor¡­... hold on, let''s move the core first." Over the next hour, I changed the position of my core to the second floor and removed any evidence of the hiding place on the first. I then checked the essence on the floor with my Mana Sight, placing vents to get it moving more and hiding my location better. I then had to stop to allow my CP to regenerate as I was running very low. "What are you doing, Larry?" I was bored and went to find out what he was doing. As always, he was slumming it in the rafters of the entry room of the tower building. He had returned there after moving me down to the second floor. My increased size had not been an issue for him, but that will change. "So, Larry, how has your day been?" His response was to turn over and show me his back. Okay, I got the message¡ªit was time to wander about again. "Three bubbles in my core still free. Should I create more?" "Risks and rewards. Risks and rewards." "What do you think I should do?" ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡± "Hang on, why am I even asking you!" I knew what needed to be done and was wasting time until my CP regenerated. Floor boss! Still, time was needed to be killed. Travelling around my expanded Dungeon was fun, watching the different minions doing their thing, which was not a lot and got boring fast. On my travels, more moss was discovered growing on the first and second-floor tower window ledges. Absorbing it confirmed it was the same stuff as before and gave me nothing interesting. Up on the tower''s highest floor, I looked at all I could survey, which was pretty much nothing. The same monochrome-filled static fuzz was all that was visible. Sure, I could make out rough details like the mountains, river and forest, but that was it. "I need a change in scenery. A desert would be more interesting." Time dragged but passed very slowly and my CP returned to the amount I needed. By then, I was back on the second floor, ready, all giddy and excited. "Floor boss time!" The floor boss would be an improved version of the minion found on the floor. This was my plan for the foreseeable future until I had access to more mana sources and minion designs. With the first-floor boss, I added five additional CPs to its creation. The result was satisfying but costly. Here, I would add seven, meaning the boss would cost me nine CPs to create and maintain. Shuddering mentally at the cost, I set everything into motion. Everything went well, and I checked my alerts.
Congratulations! You have created an improved minion. Greater Dungeon Giant River Toad created! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ This minion can be assigned to this room as the floor guardian. Do you wish this to happen: Yes or No?
"Yes."
Loot Assignment. After killing the 2nd Floor Guardian, the following rewards will be generated randomly. Cythian Copper coins x20 (Chance - 80%) Cythian Silver coins x1 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." These alerts and setting its respawn options were quickly cleared so I could see my latest creation. I tried not to weep as my CP total fell to 122. My 2nd floor boss was to be described in one word: "chunky." It was twice the size and probably even heavier than the others created. The skin on its back was even more rough-looking. Looking closer¡­.. "Errr¡­.. what''s this?" An alert, flashy, angry red icon appeared, dominating my eye view. "Open alert."
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! A group of sentients above the allowed amount has entered your Dungeon. Your core may be at risk. Rally your minions! Defend your Core and Dungeon! ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Minion room/floor restrictions have been lifted until the raid has been completed or defeated!
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!" Chapter 14 The weather was turning. She was sure of this now. The air was cold as the mountains held on to winter. Spring was still to take full hold in this region. A storm was coming. "Vernia, how long before we arrive?" She looked to the other woman who had whispered the question. She and eleven other women were chained together on the deck of a Devnear river raider, which was travelling along the Shadow Way River. "Soon, I think." She whispered back. Looking over the group of women. They were pale-skinned with green or blue eyes. Their light brown and blonde hair contrasts with the men around them. All were dressed in the roughly same way. Long, flowing white cotton dresses embroidered with flower patterns along their collars and sleeves. All were tired, wet and afraid. The Devnear men have olive-coloured skin with dark brown or black hair. They all had beards and dark, hard eyes. They dressed in roughed and well-made leather-reinforced clothing. Designed to protect them as they travelled the riverways and coastal routes. They had been attacked less than eight days ago. Devnear raiders were a constant threat to any Skaald community along a waterway. Her village had been lucky for many years in avoiding these attacks and had built a solid wooden palisade to protect themselves. Ultimately, they were surprised when they opened the gates to begin the morning work. An advanced group of raiders were waiting. The men fought well but were not ready, as the attack was too early in the year for anyone to even consider it possible. The raiders typically came in late spring to start the raiding season. A dozen raider ships had come together and they quickly overwhelmed her community. Then, the real horrors began. She and the others were selected and chained together as the population was sorted. The young women were chained together in groups. The older ones were raped and killed for sport. All those who could fight or were too old were killed straight away. The children were also sorted and most were taken. The rest were put into a building and sealed within. She could still hear the screams, the smell of smoke and cooking meat as they torched her former home with the people they did not want. "Storm coming in, Captain." The oldest, a grey beard, called from the front of the boat. "I sense it." The captain called back from the rudder. The women huddled closer, quickly learning not to attract his attention. "Hands, keep a lookout for a place to beach if we need it!" He called to the rest of the crew. None answered, but she knew all had heard. The Greybeard crossed the deck to speak with the captain. They did not know, but Vernia was being trained to replace her village''s healer and was educated. She understood several languages, including theirs and could read. She had made several steps along the Paths of Ascension and was near her tenth step, which would give her a class. If they knew this and she had a little magic with the ability to sense auras, they would seek a higher price for her in the slave markets. "We should not have followed this route." The Greybeard was not speaking loudly, but Verina could still hear them. "Stop complaining, old man." The captain hissed. "I chose this route to save us time getting the cattle to market. This route will get us to Ostrul traders first and we will make a better profit." Vernia shivered at the mention of Ostrul. The city-state was infamous for its training and selling of human slaves to anyone who had the gold. The other women understood the name of the traders but were too tired and beaten down to even whimper. The fear was still in their eyes. "But the Shadow Way. We don''t use this route and are not even on the main waterway." "True, the last storm blew us down this minor waterway, but we will come out near Nascan city-states and then home to sell the cattle." The captain said with confidence. "Well, look north." The Greybeard said, pointing in the direction of the closest peak. The captain looked and frowned at what he saw. Vernia looked too and realised why the Greybeard was worried. Heavy black clouds were moving south, fast and the air was growing heavy with the sign of a storm, as she had thought. "Strumass, have mercy! The God of the Sky and Storms is active this season." The captain exclaimed. The crew had picked up on the conversation and were looking northwards. The storm was going to be harsh. "Baten us down, lads. Unless we find shelter, we will need to beach!" The crew set about working on securing the ship. The raider was designed for rivers and had a small storage section under the main deck. Only used for storage, they were all exposed on the main deck. The sail was still open and the oars, which were unused, were attached to the side of the boat. That would change soon. "Building in the trees to the south." A crewman called out, pointing to what he saw. They all looked in the direction and standing taller than the trees, they could make out a tower. "A Cythian watch tower. Still standing?" The Greybeard said. "Look! A place to beach as well, we will make for it." The captain declared. As they travelled, the tower became clearer to see. It was sitting on a low hill and was near the river. There was a gap in the forest that the boat could use to land, which led to the tower¡ªa flood plain. According to Greybeard, the building was a watch tower of the Old Empire. Vernia knew of them, but all in Skaald territory that she knew of were ruins. This one looked intact. It''s overgrown but still whole. Vernia had no knowledge of the building, but some instinct warned her that it was strange. "That''s not right." The Greybeard said, spitting onto the deck to ward off bad luck. He, too, seemed to think that this was not right. "The Goddess of luck is smiling at us, men. Let''s land and get inside." The captain called out to a cheer from his men. "Captain¡­..." He began. The captain grabbed him and leaned in. "I don''t want to hear it, old man!" He hissed. "We will take the good luck offered and be thankful." He pushed the older man away and began issuing orders to the rest of the crew. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Soon enough, they brought the boat in and pulled it partially from the river. Several crewmen hauled the ship aground and tied it to several trees using thick ropes. They were soon back aboard, grabbing weapons and packs. "Get moving!" The captain yelled at them in their language and the chained women moved as quickly as possible to obey. They were all bound together by a chain with manacles on each right foot. This meant that they could not run, as the chain would trip them if they did. Getting off the ship was difficult, but they managed it and soon walked towards the building with the six members of the crew. The other four had gone ahead and were looking through the building door. They had found it unlocked and had pushed it open. Vernia watched as it offered no resistance and the door hinges worked fine. "How''s it looking?" The captain asked. "The Walls look solid, and the roof is intact. There are no signs of animals or monsters." One of the men answered. "Captain, that''s not right." The Greybeard said, bringing up the rear. "Everyone inside." If the captain was going to say anything else, it was overridden by the rain that started. Cold and hard, it began falling from the dark sky, backed by a freezing wind. Vernia and the other women were herded into the room by their captors. As soon as she passed the threshold, she sensed a powerful magical aura. The impression was so powerful that she almost tripped and fell. She could feel the intelligence and hunger all around. She had never before encountered anything like it. The air was heavy with magic; she felt like she was facing a great beast. It took all of her self-control to remain outwardly calm and able to put one foot in front of the other. The other women picked up on her heightened fear and became restless. "What''s wrong with the cattle?" One man asked. "Bah! They think we might take a few for some more entertainment, like earlier. Put them there." The captain said. He pointed to a spot next to some cupboards across from the fireplace and the table that dominated the room. Vernia and the others were forced to sit as the raiders explored or began setting a fire. Vernia also looked around and noted one thing that stood out to her: the lack of dust. She did not know why, but this stood out the most. "Vernia, what''s happening." One of the women asked her. She motioned them to silence as the fear turned to dread as she sensed that the presence here was aware of them. The Greybeard placed two packs nearby and she identified the contents of one straight away. Her books! When her village fell, the raiders burned everything, but the Greybeard was more competent and knew the value in the books that her master had once owned. The others had wanted to burn them, but the Greybeard firmly claimed them as part of his "share" of the raid. Seeing them stirred a memory of them. She remembered a night several years ago when the master entertained another traveller. They had been discussing many things late into the night and she had become very drowsy, but one thing they spoke about she had perked up at. Dungeons. She did not remember everything but clearly remembered the discussion on a dungeon aura. It was so similar to what they had discussed. But something was different here. Where were the dungeon monsters? Why were they not being attacked? "Get that fire up, good. Let''s get some food on the go and maybe some entertainment." The captain ordered. Many men grinned evilly and the women around Vernia shrank back, not knowing the words but the look. Soon, they were eating and talking. The room was filled with the smell of food and wood smoke. They were all relaxed, apart from the Greybeard, who was alert and tense. The sun was now nearly gone and the fireplace was the source of illumination. "Captain, look what I have found!" One of the younger men exclaimed. He had been searching the cupboards and emerged with a few coins and a bottle. "Show me!" The captain demanded. Soon, he took them off the other. "Cythian coppers and a sealed bottle of wine. Men, tonight we drink!" The crew cheered and grinned wildly. "Apart from you two." He turned to look at the youngest of the crew. Both were barely sixteen winters. "You two still need punishment, so look through the rest of the building." He points to the door that leads further in. One looked like he would argue but thought better of it, and both glumly went about their task. They took torches from the wall, lit them and left the room. They left the door slightly ajar as they left. The other crew muttered about the two who had left but soon focused on the captain cracking the bottle. He sniffed the bottle''s contents. "Smells good." Then took a big swig. "Tastes good!" The bottle was passed around, and each man drank deeply, except Greybeard, who refused. Several jeered him for it, but he ignored them. The front door was locked and they all settled in the chairs in the room. Vernia and the others were hungry and thirsty but said nothing. Knowing that drawing attention to themselves would lead them to being the source of the night''s "entertainment". The men casually talked about this until they heard the first scream. The room suddenly stilled. It was distant and sounded like one sent to explore the building. They all jumped to their feet, drawing weapons. "What was that?" One demanded. "Sounds like Veruss. Secure the cattle, you two. The rest and I will find out what''s happening." He indicated to two and the rest nodded, ready to follow their captain. Then came a second scream. The two chosen to remain hurried over to the women. Suddenly, one started coughing and then collapsed. Exclamations rang out but were soon followed by more men collapsing. "The wine was poisoned!" The Greybeard realised at the exact moment Vernia did. Both men were sent to watch her and the others were dead. Both are lying close to them. Vernia saw that one had a set of chain keys. "Help me, sisters. The keys, we can be free." Vernia urged them as she lunged for the body. Many were frightened to act, but Vernia was sure now of their danger. She managed to scramble to the body and gripped the key ring. Once firm in her hand, she began testing to find the one for her lock. Across the room, everyone had fallen apart except the captain and Greybeard. The captain had dropped his blade onto the table and was leaning on it while Greybeard looked around frantically for danger. "I warned you about this place." He yelled at his captain. ¡°Shu¡­ shut up¡­. You old¡­. fool." The captain was weakening and growing paler. Both men were not paying attention when Vernia freed herself. Scrambling back over the closest dead body, she grabbed and drew a long dagger. Using the table to shield her from their sight. The loud sound of buzzing wings was coming from beyond the ajar door. The Greybeard began walking towards the door to close it when Vernia attacked. With a scream, she leapt up and attacked him. He was so focused on the door that he was unable to respond in time. The blade plunged into his neck and Vernia continued screaming her hate as she struck repeatedly. The old man collapsed under her assault. Vernia suddenly realised he was dead and looked around wildly. She was covered in his blood, now staining her dress crimson red. The captain snarled and approached her with his blade in hand. He stumbled, coughing and collapsed to his knees, then planted face-first onto the corpse of another of his crew. Silence. Verina only heard her frantic heart beating and her ragged breaths. "Vernia, what do we do now?" The women had almost freed themselves and were looking around for danger. "Grab everything you can. We need to go." The rain subsided. She knew they had to risk travelling along the river at night. One or two of the women knew a little about boats and the captain was sure they were near the edge of the mountain range. The others quickly gathered several heavy leather bags with supplies; most had even armed themselves. The silence from the interior was starting to put them all on edge. They were all glancing at the doorway fearfully. "Let''s go." They began moving to the door that led out. Bring up the rear, she suddenly remembered. Her books! Turning to return and get them, she saw they were not alone. Sitting on the bag was a Sharoon. She had seen one owned by a travelling merchant before, except this one was larger. "Shoo!" She said as she made threatening gestures. The animal did not move and watch her. Suddenly, the buzzing of wings returned. "Vernia, we need to go!" A woman called out from behind her. Then she understood that the books and everything else left were no longer theirs to use. They now belonged to the dungeon. She turned and joined the others fleeing into the night. Chapter 15 Panic was the only thing that I registered for several seconds. I moved to the entry room to find out what the hell was going on. Ten men and twelve women had entered the room. The men were spread out, dropping packs and looking around. Soon, two were lighting a fire. The men were armed with long daggers and a few swords. They were dressed in what looked like tough and rugged clothes. What stood out to me were the women. They were dressed in white dresses with flower embroidery and herded into a section next to the room¡¯s cupboards. I was very interested in these packs for new materials. I desired the one carried by the oldest man, whose beard and hair were grey/white with a bit of black. It had books! The fact that they were shackled to each other made me pause my investigation. ¡°What is this?¡± Watching them move around the room and the apparent split in the group, it is evident that this was not the ¡°raid¡± I expected to find. I turned my attention to the roof and sensed the rain falling on it. ¡°Travellers, sheltering from a storm then. But why the shackled women?¡± The question¡¯s answer quickly became clear from my knowledge of Earth¡¯s history. The men were a raiding group and the women were slaves/captives. Larry was watching everything from the rafters, avoiding being noticed. ¡°Good idea, Larry. Stay hidden for now.¡± At first, the men made no move to travel further into my Dungeon. According to the alert, I could gather my minions and flood the room. ¡°I would not kill all of them. No, that is too risky. Got to let the wine do its job if they find it.¡± As my plans were to remain hidden for as long as possible, a direct fight would be nasty. There would be survivors and word would spread if they returned to whatever ¡°civilisation¡± was out there. ¡°What about the women?¡± Another complication. Gather the first-floor wasps. That was the first thing that needed to be done. Like with Larry, instructions could be given and they gathered in the first room that held any of them. While this happened, I kept aware of what the intruders were doing. I had slowly become more used to my ability to ¡°see¡± everything in my Dungeon¡¯s influence. It was apparent they were planning to stay the night and were preparing for some ¡°entertainment¡±. It did not take a genius to figure out what that would be. One of the younger men was looking through the cupboards and found my little surprise. The coins and bottle were quickly taken by an older man whom I assumed was the leader, as they called him captain. ¡°That bottle is truly a beautiful thing!¡± The captain sent the boy who found it and another as a ¡°punishment¡± to explore the rest of the building. Looking at them, I think they are between sixteen and eighteen at most. They lit two torches from the wall and headed to the tower¡¯s base. I listen to them as they decide what they will do. ¡°If there is anything else left, it will be in the basement.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. The basement is the best chance, anyway. It will be easier to look there first and then move up.¡± ¡°You lead the way then.¡± ¡°Why? Are you afraid?¡± ¡°No. Hurry up before the others eat everything!¡± They continued bickering down the stairs. They were not expecting anything dangerous from their relaxed postures. They had not even drawn their weapons. Watching them advance was stressful, as this was the first time anyone had made it this far. The wasps and the floor boss had gathered in the first room that was occupied and they were getting agitated. Their voices were echoing a bit. I had them crawl into position and not fly so as not to alert the two walking down the stairs. ¡°Got to keep them calm. Can¡¯t have them attacking too soon!¡± My attention was split between keeping the wasps controlled and the progress of the two young men. They walked down the corridor and into the room with the copper vein. Looking around the room, they ignored the vein or were unaware of it as they had yet to comment about it. ¡°Nothing here.¡± ¡°Look. Another doorway.¡± ¡°Yes, I see it. Let¡¯s look.¡± Their torches illuminated most of the room, but it still took a few seconds for them to make out the exit to the next corridor. The wasps were becoming harder to control with them so near now. ¡°Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay calm.¡± This corridor had a surprise with a pitfall trap. As soon as one stood on it, I will release the wasps. Barely containing my excitement, I watched them enter the corridor. The one leading had a buckler shield strapped to his arm, but his dagger was still in its sheath like the other. ¡°Come on. Just a little further.¡± Each step they took was agony. They were so close! As he walked forward, the boy¡¯s left foot touched the fake stone covering. As he put his weight onto it, it went straight through. ¡°Aarghhhhhh!¡± The painful scream filled the corridor and the wasps were freed to attack. The other boy was stunned by his companion¡¯s cry and was not even close to being ready as the wasps streamed from the room to the corridor. Inspecting the injury was revealing, to say the least. The foot had collapsed the thin stone covering and the flint-headed spikes had ripped right through his foot. Blood was pumping from it as he collapsed to his knees. His foot was pinned in place. ¡°Ilinia¡¯s mercy, Help me.¡± The first cried out. The second moved up to start, too, but the roar of wasp wings caused him to look up. What he saw made his face turn white. ¡°Tan, protect me!¡± ¡°Not today, sunshine!¡± Cackling as my wasps swamped them. The floor boss was coming but had to crawl through the doorway as its wing span would not allow it through. ¡°Wow! These wasps can climb around fast!¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The injured boy tried to defend himself, swiping at the wasps with his torch and buckler. He was trapped in place. The second just ran. The wasps split between them. The bars appeared above all of the wasp¡¯s heads as they entered combat. The injured boy put up a frantic defence, killing a wasp and injuring three others. Unlike the stories, the body of the dead wasp remained. His fate was sealed when he fell into the trap and died. I ignored the notifications but felt the essence rush. The second ran into the next room and tripped over some debris, which had been left around to give the room that abandoned vibe. Dropping his torch, he looked for it. He reached out and grabbed it with his hand and returned to his feet. By that time, the wasps were on him. He fought frantically like the first, swinging the torch as a weapon. The wasps were taking damage but were striking back as well. His reinforced clothing was blocking some of it. He was backpedalling and was saying¡­.. ¡°Tan, protect me!¡± Over and over. ¡°I wonder who Tan is?¡± Watching as the floor boss, now in the room, took flight and attacked. The other wasps scattered as the floor boss swept in. The boy was turning to face it but was not fast enough. It¡¯s a much larger barbed stinger punching into his shoulder. He screamed in pain and dropped his torch as the other wasps swarmed again. His death was of no interest to me as the essence rushed into my core. The other eight were now my priority. The next part of my plan was to instruct the wasps to gather at the stairwell. The entry room was full of men frantically arming themselves. This was going to be more challenging and I might need to bring¡­¡­ One of them fell over dead. ¡­¡­¡­. Everyone else suddenly stopped and looked at the now-dead man. ¡°The wine. Hahahaha.¡± Five more of the men quickly followed. The captain was clearly not doing well, but the oldest was still standing strong from not drinking. One woman was scrambling for something, the rest cowed by fear. The odds were now heavily in my favour, but I still needed to be smart. The essence rush was intoxicating, but I had to focus. ¡°Larry, secure that bag.¡± The book satchel was my main priority at this time. Larry began moving as I sent him an image of him sitting on it and guarding it from being removed. Next, I will get the wasps up into the¡­. One of the women was stabbing the old man in the neck with a blade. His shocked expression would mirror my own if I had a face. He died drowning in his blood. His killer was covered in it. The man called the captain moved towards her but keeled over and died like the rest of his crew. ¡°Ok, what do I do with you, lot?¡± The women were freeing themselves as fast as they could. The one who had killed was ordering them to get weapons and supplies. Larry had been descending from the rafters and using his natural hiding abilities and was now sitting on the books. ¡°Good job, Larry.¡± The women were making to leave and had noticed him. ¡°Do I let them go?¡± This was the big question. Two options were my answers. Killing all or most and gaining more essence or letting them go. If any escaped, my location may become known. The second option led to a possible reveal as well. They are slaves who are seeking freedom. They are food and a risk to me being discovered. Slaves or Freedom. Secrecy or discovery. I thought over this and my previous life. ¡­¡­¡­.. I decided to let them go. They were not here by choice. They were not seeking adventure or challenge. Sure, I could use the free essence to grow, but it did not sit right with me. The violent woman got the women to leave now but stopped to get something else. She made to walk to the books but found Larry. She tried to scare him away, but he snarled at her. The wasps were an excellent incentive for her to leave, as I got them to buzz about having the sound echo up to the entry room. She took one last look at the room before leaving into the night and from my vision.
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! The raid has ended! Result ¨C VICTORY! Your defences killed a total of 9 raiders. ¡­¡­¡­¡­. Minion room/floor restrictions have been restored and your Dungeon has been reset!
¡°Fuck!¡± The alert appeared in my vision, startling me. ¡°Hang on? What! No bonuses or rewards?¡± No answer. ¡°God damn useless system!¡± ¡°Hold up! Why only nine?¡± In the corner of my vision were numerous alerts; one was a level-up notification. ¡°Fuck yeah!¡­¡­¡­. But not yet. Got work to do first.¡± Looking about, it was apparent I had to clear it up. ¡°Larry, take the bag to my core.¡± Images were sent explaining what I wanted. He hopped off and began dragging it away slowly. The main doors were closed and locked. Checking the wasps, they were returning to their original rooms and new ones were spawning. Larry was managing to get the bag down the stairs with some issues. The dead wasps disappeared just before the new ones appeared. ¡°Good. Now the bodies.¡± Absorbing them was easy. The women ransacked many supplies. The rest were absorbed, along with any remaining weapons. This included the bodies on the first floor. The blood was also removed and the entry room returned to its original state. The fire was left burning, but the firewood was replaced. ¡°Looking good.¡± I said to myself after I checked everything before turning to my notifications.
Alert! A level 5 Human has died in your Dungeon. A level 4 Human has died in your Dungeon. A level 8 Human has died in your Dungeon. A level 9 Human has died in your Dungeon. A level 9 Human has died in your Dungeon. A level 9 Human has died in your Dungeon. A level 10 Human (River Raider) has died in your Dungeon. A level 14 Human (River Sailor) has died in your Dungeon. A level 21 Human (Raider Captain) has died in your Dungeon.
¡°River raider? Sailor? Captain? What the hell?¡± Ok, I was perplexed by this. The stuff they left behind was nothing special. I got access to hemp rope (common) and what money they had on them was below the quality I already had. The food could have been more interesting. It was mainly a hard-tack biscuit designed to last on long voyages. Overall, their weapons were of low quality. The only thing that stood out was every man¡¯s Devnear Long Dagger. They were well made, rated as good quality by my system and a contender for my dungeon loot list. Checking and clearing the other alerts was easy. There were notifications of injuries and deaths among my minions. The floor boss had gained essence from the fight and killing but not enough to achieve a level. The rest shared the essence from the kills they were involved in, but split between their numbers meant little overall. The level-up alert was flashing, but I ignored it. ¡°Where¡¯s Larry.¡± Got to distract myself. I found him dragging the bag down the final steps to where my core was now hidden on the second level. ¡°Good work, Larry.¡± He abandoned the bag at my core and retreated upstairs. I knew where he was heading, so I left the fire burning. ¡°Books! I wonder what we have.¡± I absorbed the bag, leaving the three books in a pile on the floor. The book is leather-bound and well-made. Until the modern era of the printing press, books were expensive and treasured by the owners. Reading the first title as I absorbed it. ¡°The Paths of Ascension. Ok. No idea on this one, but let¡¯s find out.¡± Absorbing it caused a cascading torrent of information to slam into my mind. ¡°Fuck! That was painful.¡± I knew new things. The Paths of Ascension was a level instruction guide for the people of the Old Empire. Levelling in this world differed from how I did it in most respects. They used a cross-between cultivation and stat system. They absorbed essence by killing monsters/people or performing tasks. The more challenging or complex fight/task and success leads to more significant essence gains. It was possible to grind levels by repeating the same thing, but this led to diminishing returns. After gaining a level or a step on the path, as they call it, they must meditate and focus the essence they have gathered into their bodies to improve the ¡°stats¡± they want to increase. They don¡¯t get the same notifications I do and ¡°sense¡± when a new level is reached. They only share that they can see the three bars representing their health, stamina and Mana. So, they call levels steps; the further you walk along the path, the stronger you are. As with most things in life, you can change your path, but the system¡¯s goal was ascension. Ascension to what it did not say. ¡°Ok, that makes sense to me.¡± Talking about Mana, I now realise how much Oda screwed me even more. The locals have some affinities, but most have generic Mana that they funnel into spells. They use affinity mana more for enchantments on items/armour/weapons. As well as casting specialised spells. ¡°Damned motherfucker! Oda, you useless excuse for a God, you screwed me!¡± Skills were gained by performing tasks and being recognised by the system for reaching the required criteria. They can be increased by grinding with repetition with diminishing returns or actions. Classes were represented by (Raider Captain) and were gained at the tenth level, no tenth step as they call it. I need to get into the habit of thinking like the locals on this. Evolutions could happen at twenty and every ten above that, depending on the person¡¯s actions. ¡°So, the last three kills had classes. Now I get it.¡± Pissed was an understatement over the mana issue. Leaving the other two books for the moment, I opened the level-up alert and triggered it. My vision twisted as I fell into my core and blackness. Chapter 16 Returning to awareness after my level-up should have been a happy thing, even with the hangover-like effects, but I was still pissed and it made it worse. "OK. Breathe, calm down and focus." There was much to do, like checking the level-up effects and finishing the 2nd floor. ¡°Status screen. Bhaldor.¡±
Name Bhaldor Essence 0%
Race Dungeon Core CP 217(300) /2.5 phr
Level 3 Corruption 0%
Floors 3 Health 100%
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 21(60) / 0.01 phr. Shadow ¨C 60(60) / 1.1 phr.
There were only two sections with changes, but they gave me a lot to think about. "Right, let''s see¡­.. The new floor is great, but I have no clue what to do with it yet. The CP amount and regen increased and I''m happy about that. Illusion and Shadow mana also increased. It looks like I have been out for about 50 hours again. 83 CP lost to respawn costs¡­. do not cry!" Inspecting my core revealed that it was twice the size of when I first arrived. The specks of pink and grey light were now easily seen motes. "Good progress. I need to finish the 2nd floor after a dungeon inspection." Being unaware for fifty hours was a recipe for things going wrong. "Note to self: check dungeon automatically after each level-up." Yeah, that was a good habit to get into. Travelling around the Dungeon took little time and I checked off things from a mental list as I went. Is the surface building intact? Check. Larry present? Check. The external door and shutters are closed and locked. Check. Spring is here now and I feel plants growing up on my exterior walls. 1st floor wasps and traps ready. Check. Everything was back in place on the floor. I moved down to the 2nd. The last two books were still lying on the ground here. "To absorb or not to absorb, that is the question¡­¡­.. what are the titles anyway?" Looking at them, I discovered an interesting fact. I could not read the language in which they were written! "Fuck! OK, the answer is absorb. There might be something useful in them." The first book was absorbed and the information slammed into my mind. It was an index identifying local plants found in the eastern regions in and around the Shadow Way mountains and their uses. This triggered an alert.
Alert! Nyralia''s Gift seed x1 (Common). They are used to create alchemic compounds for health restoration. Blue Orchid seed x1 (Common). They are used to create alchemic compounds for mana restoration. Spring Daisy seed x1 (Common). They are used to create alchemic compounds for stamina restoration. Moonflower seed x1 (Rare). They are used to create alchemic compounds for regenerative effects.
I knew more than the alert was telling me. The first three are respectable plants sought after by alchemists. They make up the essential elements of many potions, tonics, or whatever the alchemist in question has created. The Moonflower, now that''s the money shot¡ªalchemists'' hunger for this little baby. "Score!" It appears that letting that pixie go had paid me back big time! "Options! How can I use them?" The flowers played on my mind as I checked in on the toads and the grass cover platforms. All were doing well, bringing me to the final room, which had its boss. Along the way, I checked the four traps placed on the floor. Looking around, I felt something was missing in the boss''s room. The exit door was finished and tested. The boss was sitting on its grassy platform, waiting for action. "Status screen. 2nd floor guardian."
Name 2nd Floor Guardian Level/Class Floor 2 Boss
Race Greater Toad (Dungeon) Essence 0%
Health 100/100 Mana 20/20
Stamina 80/80 Corruption 0%
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
STR 6 6 Damage Base
DEX 3
AGL 4
END 8
VIT 10
PER 4
INT 2
WIL 2
LUCK 2
Skills: Leap: 1 ¨C 0% (4 meters. END +2 impact damage) Cost: 4 Stamina Toad Roar: 1 ¨C 0% (10% chance of causing Fear debuff.)
Equipment: Barb Tongue: Dam 5 + STR Range: 2.5 meters
Perks/Restrictions: Vulnerable to fire: +2 Fire damage.
"A lot tougher than the others. It has a better range but is vulnerable to fire. Makes sense." So, what should I add to this room? ¡­¡­¡­. "Flowers? No, a flower. But which one and where?" I created a large flower bed on the other side of the room, away from the entrance next to the exit. It was half a meter wide and deep and ran the length of the room. It was quickly filled with earth and manure, with a broad sprinkling of grass and Nyralia''s Gift seeds. The floor boss looked on with no interest in the changes to its room. "Right. Should be growing in a few days." Watching the two young men who entered my 1st floor, I realised something had been forgotten. There was no light! I could see everything in perfect detail, but I was remiss because they could not. "How to remedy this?" I could have torches around each floor lit, but it would be costly for CP to replace them constantly. I could be evil and leave the floors as they are and have them stumble around in the dark. "Leave them for the moment." The second floor is finished. Now I have to start planning the third. Since I had nothing to populate, I absorbed the last book. ## ## ## ## ## "So, in this world, the Gods are organised into a pyramid-like structure. They are organised into five tiers." Larry was in the entry room rafters, doing his best to ignore me. The pain of the info dump was gone and I was dealing with what I knew now. "Oda is the God of Balance like he told me and head of the Pantheon, but he is also the guardian of time. Making him the only tier one." He turned around and showed me his back, but I continued. "Remember that boy asking Tan to save him? Well, it turns out that Tan is the God of the Sea. This makes sense as he was a sailor that he would call on the God of the Sea for protection." Larry''s ears twitch, but still, he ignores me. I opened the main door again and had the wine lure/trap set up again. "Nyralia is the Goddess of Nature. According to the books I absorbed, the flower I planted was a gift from her to the world''s population. She is in the second tier." He started scratching an ear but was still lying with his back to me. "Remember those two weirdos with the pixie? Well, they spoke about Hylonia''s kiss. This is tied to the God/Goddess Hylonia, who holds the mantles of pleasures, selflessness and excess¡­¡­ Shit! I forgot to tell you about mantles! Gods can die or step down and their mantle/mantles are up for grabs. So, anyone can ascend to divinity if their level is high enough." Larry was not interested, but I was, so I kept going. "Hylonia is in the fourth tier. The description differs but is mainly that of a male with female attributes or traits¡­.." Larry suddenly perked up and got onto his hunches. His ears are twitching and he is tense. "What do you hear?" My attention changed and focused on the open door. What has he noticed? I could not see beyond the doorway, as everything was distorted and monochromatic. But I could see that something was there¡ªnot several things. Thankfully, it did not take too long to find out what was out there as one entered my entry room.
Alert! A Black Boar has entered your Dungeon.
The boar was big, rough and mean-looking. It was sniffing around, snorting as it inspected things. Pigs and boars are excellent scavengers, so it is looking for food. It heavily outmasses all my minions but the 2nd-floor guardian. Its hide looks tough and several scars are long on its back. The two tusks protruding from its mouth look like they can do some nasty damage. I want one! "How the hell are we going to deal with you?" Larry was looking over the room and checking out the intruder. I wondered about sending him in. No, that will be a disaster. He turned in my direction with a look that said, "Don''t even think about it!". The boar was sniffing and grunting around the table. The wine and plate were on it and I think that is what attracted it into the room. It spent a few seconds more sniffing but then moved on. OK, not that. The door leading to the tower base and the stairwell down was open. The boar was slowly moving in its direction now, sniffing everything that caught its attention. "What are you looking for?" It looked up and sniffed the air and began moving with more vigour and purpose. It passed the doorway and started down the stairs. I went with it. It had caught the scent of something and was following it. Larry opted to remain where he was. We passed the first floor and went straight down to the second. The boar moved down the corridor to the door that led from the boss''s room. Here, it stopped, sniffing and clawing at the ground under the reinforced wooden door. Reviewing the contents of the room, I had only one idea. "The flowers?" Several had grown and flowered faster than the grass, checking on the room''s flower tray. I counted eight in total. The boar was getting agitated by the sound of it as the stone was not relenting. Then silence. "That can''t be good." Bang! "What the hell?" The boar had taken several steps back and rammed the door! It trotted back and charged again. Bang! The door rattled from the impact. The guardian turned around to face the other door, attracted by the noise. The boar was pulling back again. This time, it went further than before¡­.right into the first room and fell backwards into the water. It was not deep, but the two toads were not impressed. As the boar got back to its feet, they attacked. Their tongues began slamming into the boar. Bars appear above them. The fight was on! The boar turned and charged the closest toad. The water proved little impediment. It slammed into the toad with its tusks ripping through its body. My poor minion''s red health bar drains frighteningly fast. "Shit!" The second toad leapt at the boar from the raised area, colliding and knocking it over. The green bar was decreasing. Its companion was dead. The toad was on top of the boar, using its weight to hold its head in the water. The boar had other ideas and was thrashing about throwing the toad off it. As soon as it was on its feet, my other minion was dispatched with a brutal attack. The fight was over, but it took the boar a few seconds to realise it. It snorted and stomped around. It stopped and began sniffing the air again. Climbing out, it charged the door again. Bang! Then again. Bang! And again. And again. This went on for a good five minutes. The door was giving way as the boar relentlessly pummelled it. There was blood on the door and boar''s face now. The floor boss just sat there and watched it all happen. As did I. The sheer unrelenting pig headiness was both impressive and shocking at the same time. The pun was not intentional. The lower half of the door ultimately gave way. The boar crashed through and fell straight into the water again. Metal parts of the door cut it more as it forced its way through. My floor boss engaged it. It did not move as its tongue was well within reach. Injuries were all across its back and legs. The boar got back to its feet after a barrage of tongue strikes. The boar''s hide was tough and it was taking the punishment. The boar charged my toad, jumping up onto the platform. "Shit, not again!" The boss had other ideas as it leapt and collided with the boar as it landed. The boar fell back into the water, but the red and green bars fell on my toad. The tongue was quickly back in action. Clambering back to its feet, the boar was annoyed, sounding grunting. More injuries were slowly being added to its body. Blood was leaking into the water, discolouring it slowly. This was intense! The boar attacked again, but my toad had a height advantage. The tongue and tusks were used to trade blows. The red bar was falling fast. My boss leapt again right on top of the boar, knocking it down with its weight. The boar was struggling, being drowned under the boss. It managed to knock it off and both needed to get back into position to attack. The combatants were both looking worse for wear. "Come on!" The boar was staggering. Two more tongue strikes landed before the boar rallied and attacked again. My boss leapt up and came down onto the boar. The boar collided with my boss as its tongue wrapped around its neck. The boss''s red health bar emptied and it died. But it was still latched on to the boar and its weight dragged it down into the water. The boar thrashed about, unable to escape the tongue and dead weight. I watched as it struggled, getting weaker from slowly being drowned.
Alert! A Black Boar has died in your Dungeon. Essence Gained! Creature Design Gained ¨C Black Boar.
"Bloody Hell! That was close." My Dungeon began resetting¡ªthe door I had to replace. Everything was back in place in less than five minutes. I locked the entry room door, not wanting to attract any more boars. "Let''s see Daddy''s new toy..... Wait, no. I will build the third floor first. Yes, plan that and match the boars to it." Right planning mode. Another environmental change, I think. But what? First things first, build the stairwell down. My CP level was nearly full so that I could get to work. Starting to expand downwards but stopped. "Hang on, why am I still shaping my aura? It should be safe now, as I am nowhere near the surface." Pushing my aura out without moulding it to the planned room was easy. I covered ground faster without the additional cost of using the skill. My aura expanded out and down until it reached a point where I could not expand down any further. "Must be the floor limit." That was the only thing that came to mind. Feeling around the limit, I did not notice anything. Well, here comes the stairwell. Its construction netted me something new as I absorbed a large vein of something.
Materials Absorbed: Stone ¨C Granite (common) Quartz (uncommon)
"Ooh! Two for one." I have no idea what to do with these just yet. Back to expanding. I was travelling out in all the cardinal directions until I reached the rough size of the floor I wanted. "Time to make some rooms!" There are no corridors on this floor. As for the environment, I am thinking of grasslands. There was a lot of unused space on the first floor, but it showed me that I could make large areas. The stairwell was created, and the room was opened shortly after. Making sure that the air currents kept the essence moving around, I got Larry to transport my core to its new hiding place and got to work. Chapter 17 "Okay, time for something a bit different." The floors above had a corridor heading east as the starting point into the floor. This time, I went west. The ground I was now taking control of was rock, as I was pretty far underground now. "That will confuse them." I laugh to myself as the corridor takes shape. The stonework creation took me only a few minutes to form and have in place. The doorway leading to the floor is on the northern side, and the southern exit will be the boss room exit. "Right, there are no corridors on this floor. There are wide spaces for the boars¡­.. Idiot! I have not even checked their minion sheet!" Calling it up only takes one command now. "Status screen. Dungeon Minion. Black Boar."
Name Black Boar Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Boar Essence 0%
Health 120/120 Mana 20/20
Stamina 120/120 Corruption 0%
STR 12 12 Damage Base
DEX 6
AGL 8
END 12
VIT 12
PER 6
INT 2
WIL 4
LUCK 2
Skills: Charge: 1 ¨C 0% (10 meters. END + 6 impact damage + Tusks) Cost: 10 Stamina
Equipment: Boar Tusks: Dam 6 + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Fury (When health reaches 20%): + 4 Dam. Tough Hide: - 3 Dam from attacks
"Bloody Hell! No wonder one of them was so tough!" The stats alone were more than enough to overwhelm several toads. "Are my first and second-floor minions really that weak, or is the boar overpowered?" There was no way I could resolve this question. My experiences so far against live enemies were ambushes. But Damn! This boar was not just a step up but two. This led to my next question. "Is the boar too much?.......... Who am I kidding? Of course not!" Then I saw the CP cost of 15 per boar. If I could, I would have spent the next few minutes crying. The next room takes shape as I absorb the rock and dirt. It is enormous; there has to be room for the boar that will be placed here to move around. I started to make my map with references. "This will be 3B as the corridor will be 3A." Looking around, one boar will be enough, but what environment? "Grass? Yes, grass¡­.. maybe a mud pit?" The walls and ceiling are altered to the stonework like the upper floors. The ground is covered with dirt mixed with donkey shit. Grass seeds are the last added. "It''s looking good. There''s no mud pit in this one. No, I will have a pit in all of them." The boars will be added last to allow the grass to grow. The next room north was going to be even bigger. The rock and dirt are absorbed as I turn the room east. The room I cut out is twice the size of the first. "Right, 3C, what will we do with you?" The walls and ceiling were finished first. The "enriched" soil was next with grass seeds. But I did not cover the whole floor; I cut out a wide area about five inches deep. I made the exposed area stone and filled it with water, creating a shallow pond, knowing the boars would turn it into a mud pit. East was the direction I continued, but I turned south. The room received the same treatment as the last, with another pond added. I placed it close to the southern wall and covered nearly the whole space, about 40% of the floor. "One boar in room 3D." Looking at the pond, I got to thinking. Deeper? Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The depth increased to two meters after a short distance. Anyone could walk into the pond a few steps, then a sudden drop. Petty, yes. But it''s funny as hell. I continue to move south, creating another room. Then, another after that, but then, the room turned west. That was E and F finished. Moving to G, I continue moving west. When the basic room was finished, I moved on to H. "Now, will this be the boss room, or will I create two rooms?" The other rooms were all rectangular in shape. If I were to make the boss room, I would break this trend. "No two rooms." I got to work creating the first turning north. When finished, the last room was mainly parallel to the entry corridor. For my entertainment, I placed the water/mud pit next to the door as you enter, making it harder for anyone to fight the floor boss. The exit and the one-way entrance were added, as were the finishing touches of the stonework, water pool, and grass. "Looking good." I said to myself, travelling through the new rooms. My CP regeneration rate has increased to 2.9 an hour. This made me happy, but what would happen next was not. I decided to wait until my CP returned to a total of 217 points. "Time to make the boars." I wish I could cry. I really felt like crying. There are no upgrades, just boars. The first one came into existence in room 3B. The motes of light gathered as my CP total dropped. It appeared and began wondering about its new room. I checked the notification that came with it.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing a Black Boar. Cythian Copper coins x5 and Boar Meat 1kg (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Copper coins x5 and Boar Hide x1 (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Copper coins X10 and Boar Tusks x2 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the minion respawn. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"Okay. That''s new. No." As the screen closed, I pondered this new turn of events and then asked the question. "What are these new boar rewards in the loot assignment?" Surprisingly, I got an answer.
Loot Assignment Upgrades. When a dungeon minion passes the ten CP mark for creation, new options become available for the loot drop table. Creatures must also be assigned loot individually and not by room. Boar Meat ¨C Rich in protein and tasty, this is a favourite for all meat eaters everywhere. Boar Hide ¨C Tough leather that can be used to craft armour. Boar Tusks ¨C Alchemists use these in their creations.
"Errr.. thanks?" I closed the screen, thinking about what I had just learned. I set the respawn ability and winced as the cost was deducted from my total. Another 15 CP was permanently lost from my total unless I changed my floors. Then I got angry. "Why the fuck was this not in the wiki that¡­." I ranted for some time. Eventually, I calmed down and went back to work. Room 3C was the most extended room on the floor. Hating to do it, I took the hit and created three boars in this room. After the creation, agreeing to loot and setting the respawn costs, my CP was down to 157 points. "I will need to rethink this." I planned to have two boars in each room until the boss room. There was no way I would be able to afford this. "It''s times like these; I hate maths!" The only upside was that my grass was growing well. Oh, the boars were also enjoying the ponds, which were fast becoming mud pits. I thought about my CP issues while watching the three new boars as they frolicked in the mud pit. My CP was ticking up and was soon back to full. Four rooms got four boars. My CP has fallen below 97 points now. I have 67 to use, but I must wait for that number to rise again to full. "I was doing so well. Now look at me!" Larry was still upstairs, so I was talking to one of the boars I had just created. "I had well over two hundred CP before this floor. Now I am almost totally tapped out." The boar was not paying attention, finding the grass and mud far more interesting. It wandered around, grunting merrily as it sniffed and investigated its room. "I still have two more boars planned. Then the floor boss! At this rate, I will have nothing left!" It turns out boars are not great conversationalists or even listeners. Who would have thought? Two more boars were added to the final non-boss room. This left me with a grand total of 67 points to use after they had regenerated. "Okay, what to do with the boss?" "Go big? Or. Think prudent?" "I have a maximum of sixty points to spend. I will need the last few. Or, just make a slightly improved boar and have a reserve in case of emergencies." These thoughts warred within my mind as my CP number slowly went back up. I am so torn! I could just press on, but the CP recovery gave me a great excuse to procrastinate. In the end, I made the choice to¡­¡­ "Go big, baby!" Why? If anyone made it this far, they would have to face something truly dangerous, so an impressive floor guardian was required. "Right fifteen base cost with an additional fifteen upgrade¡­¡­.. Should I add mana?" Now, that was a thought! "Illusion and Shadow. Illusion is working towards full at 23.4 and Shadow is full. Options, options." "Hold on! If this is right, I have been at this for ten days!" Going through my memoirs, I felt the sun on the external building multiple times since I started on this floor. Yes. Today was the tenth day. This disturbs me. I am becoming disassociated with time and that was not a good thing. Was this a sign of my mind beginning to fracture? "Got to stay focused. Make floor guardian." "Right back to the original question. Mana or no?" "Let''s risk it. Mana. Shadow, that''s what we will use." I felt Illusion was interesting but did not go with the boar. Shadow Mana was plentiful and was sorta my dungeon vibe. "Right, fifteen base cost with ten CP and ten Shadow mana. That sounds good. Let''s see what happens." Opening the required screens, I assigned the resources and created my new boss. The motes of different grey lights gathered as the creature was shaped. The size of the boar was impressive as it formed. I felt the forces tugging and pulling in its creation. I stayed focused on keeping the process going; it was more intensive than any other. The other two were easy and I could cruise through. This time, I was being forced to pay attention. The whirlwind of dust and motes was thick and spun fast. With a sudden pop and flash, it was done.
Congratulations! You have created an improved minion. Shadow Touched Boar created! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ This minion can be assigned to this room as the floor guardian. Do you wish this to happen: Yes or No?
"Holy Shit! Yes!" My new floor boss was the biggest creature I had. He (I checked and they were all he, but this was the only one I was addressing as one) was far larger than his brother boars. Mean and tough-looking, he was everything I was hoping for. "Let''s see what we have." I opened its status screen.
Name 3rd Floor Guardian Level/Class Floor 3 Boss
Race Shadow Touched Greater Boar Essence 0%
Health 170/170 Mana 20/20
Stamina 150/150 Corruption 0%
STR 15 15 Damage Base
DEX 7
AGL 10
END 15
VIT 17
PER 7
INT 2
WIL 4
LUCK 2
Skills: Charge: 1 ¨C 0% (12 meters. END + 6 impact damage) Cost: 10 Samina
Equipment: Boar Tusks: Dam 8 + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Fury (When health reaches 20%): + 8 Dam. Tough Hide: - 5 Dam from attacks. Shadow Touched: +15% to surprise attacks chance to hit and -15% to ranged attacks when in Shadow.
"Fuck me!" This new guardian was scary. His hide was tougher and his tusks were more pronounced. He was more challenging, more robust, and healthier, with a shadow-touched bonus. "You''re my boy!" The boar was looking around and began exploring its room. I wanted to check him out more, but I needed to assign loot and set up his respawn costs.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 3rd Floor Guardian. Cythian Copper coins x40 and Boar Meat 2 kg (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Copper coins x40 and Boar Hide x2 (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Silver coins X2 and Boar Tusks x2 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the room respawn. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"Okay, that''s a lot." I thought about it but made no changes. If the system thought this was fair, I decided to leave the table as it was. The rewards looked fine. However, as I did not have a reference point, I had to work with what I had. He began walking around his space like the others, exploring. Looking around the room, I felt that something was missing. But what? I went to the stairwell and "ran" the dungeon floor. I went through the first rooms. I stopped at 3C. "Three boars too many this early?" This was outside the floor guardian, the most dangerous room on the floor. Was being in the second room a problem? I thought for a while about this. "Nah. Leave it as it is. Got to make them work for it on this floor." I continued travelling the rooms. The boars were wandering around doing their thing, sniffing the ground or playing in the mud pits. The deep one was not as muddy as the boar knew it was deeper than the others. I made it back to the floor boss room. Looking around, I still felt I should add something else to it. I opened my menus, looking for inspiration. Moving through them, I stopped on the plants I could create. "Flowers?" Thinking about that reminded me of how the flowers I had placed on the second floor had attracted the boar in the first place. Maybe some new ones on this floor? Looking around, I thought about how to add one new type to this floor. "Which one? I have the healing one upstairs. What about¡­. Spring Daisy, the stamina plant. That sounds right." I cross to the western wall and look north to the exit door. Should I create a flower bed that follows the whole wall? Creating the beds will not be much hassle and will naturally allow the flowers to grow. "Right, here we go." My CP total dropped a little as I sprinkled Spring Daisy seeds. It will take a few hours or days, but they will soon grow. This was the end of this floor. I felt it was complete. "Now, what am I going to do?" Chapter 18 To say the last thirty-two days were rough would be an understatement. Boredom was a Core''s greatest enemy. After finishing the third floor, I quickly ran out of things to do, so I had been trying to find something to preoccupy me for the last thirty-two days. Mostly failing, okay, failing nearly all the time. I did have a few moments of excitement. I found another Shadow mote had formed in my Dungeon, but I could not absorb it as I was already at full storage. Playing with it before it disappeared did level my Mana Manipulation and Mana Sight skills. They are level five and two now. So yay, me! My flowers and grass have grown in. The dungeon minions are wandering around doing their thing. As predicted, except for the deep one I made, the boars had turned the ponds into mud pits. That boar had muddied the water enough to hide its depth. Things could be classed as "good" apart from one major issue¡­.. I am Bored! Larry is doing his best to ignore me. Why? I am drifting aimlessly around my Dungeon right now. At one point, I spent two days just opening and closing the building window shutters, which should demonstrate just how bad things are. I spent nearly twenty days singing every song my enhanced memory recall allowed me to. It turns out that is a lot. This is the main reason I think Larry is avoiding me. The temptation to alter the Dungeon is intense, but I have resisted, knowing my limited CP total of forty-two available points cannot be wasted. I could not even plan for the fourth floor as I had no new minion type to populate it. True, I could alter an existing one and use them, but resources are currently limited. I do have two types of mana, but what¡­¡­. "Could Bhaldor create a new type of minion from scratch?" I had wondered about this over the last several months. In theory, I could take an animal that was not classed as dungeon minion material and tinker with it. What were my options? Apart from not addressing myself in the third person! I am getting to the point where I might just stop trying¡­¡­. But that could lead to somewhere bad. Or worse than I am already. Several animals that had been killed over my time here were on my list. My wine trap and Larry had killed them. Looking at the list, the only thing that I could think of to experiment on was a spider. It is cheap to create at only 0.1 CP. It is not anything at all, as it is a simple spider. Perfect. I decided to experiment in the entrance room. All the doors and shutters are sealed to prevent anything from getting in or out. I don''t want to be disturbed in my experimentation. "Larry, come down. I need you." It took a few moments, but he got up and climbed down from the rafters. "Okay. Here we go." ¡­¡­¡­ "This harder than Bhaldor thought." ¡­¡­.. "Come on! You can do it!" ¡­¡­.. Using a faction of a point proved more challenging than I expected, but I ultimately managed it. It took nearly the rest of the day, but I did it. I created one on the entrance room table and watched it scamper around. Before it left the table, Larry jumped up and killed it. "Right, here we go. Moment of truth." The first stage is completed now to see if I could "improve" what I created. I started to make a new one and added an entire CP point. The motes of light began to condense and the spider outline began to form. Suddenly, something went wrong as the motes spun faster, and then there was a bang with a flash of light. "Fuck!" Larry had been blown off the table and there was a scorch mark on it now. "What happened?" Larry was back on his feet with a look I could only describe as glaring. His focus was in the direction of my Core. I repaired the table and went over what had happened in my mind. "Are creatures that can be used as minions more receptive to injections of CP?" The only conclusion I could arrive at was yes. So, how was I going to do this? "Instead of a full point, let''s try another fractional amount." My next attempt was going to be interesting. Larry was now under the table to avoid any other blasts. I focused on the spider and began the creation. As it formed, I added the additional CP point one. The whirlwind of lights and dust quickly took space and a larger spider was now in existence. "Success! Larry, kill it." The spider started scampering away, but Larry quickly caught and killed it. "Right, I know how to do this now. Let''s see how far I can take it." It turns out that the rest of the night was spent altering the spider with different amounts of CP and quite a few explosions. This led to a lot of cleanup of burn damage to the table and spider parts blasted around the room. This was a lot of work before I got what I was looking for as dawn arrived.
Alert! You have created a Dungeon Minion, a Brown Spider. Creature Design Gained ¨C Brown Spider.
"Yes!" At 1 CP, the brown spider was nothing to write home about. Its stats were better than those of the Wisp I had, but not by much. It was a giant¡­ spider with six legs and more hair than I was expecting. Larry had killed the last one created, which gave me the new design. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. My CP was regenerating after a night of heavy use. So, I had time to think. "The plan for the next floor is simple, Larry. I will use the spider as a template for bigger and nastier things. But first, I need to level." With my Essence at 5%, I was not going to do that soon. Killing my creations did not net me any, so there goes my idea of power-levelling myself. "Well, that used up most of a day and entire night. Now what?" I still have the itch to create new minions but lack the resources. I spent an hour flicking through my screens, seeking inspiration. "Crappy gear. Shitty gear. Not bad¡­. Pixie Dust." Pixie Dust. I can''t replicate it. Got a limited supply. What can I do with it? "Wasps. No, it does not match them. Sharoons. I already got Shadow Magic. Boars. No. Spiders. Maybe¡­. Thinking about its no. Wisp¡­..Wisp?" I looked at the Wisp again. A magical creature that uses a light spell to confuse and trick its enemies. Illusionists use light as a means to mislead their audience many times for tricks. Something was coming together in my mind. "A one-off experiment. Yes, just a quick one." I looked over the resources at hand again. Could combining the Ghost-light Wisp, Illusion magic, more CP and some of the Pixie Dust work? How much of each? "Bhaldor will need to get this right the first time." I could not go all in due to the limiting factor of Pixie Dust. The other two would regenerate. I began to mix and match combinations of numbers in my head. This was informed by my experiences creating my other minions. This went on for a few hours. Hey, it was something to do, at least. "I am going to do this." Finally, I decided to go ahead. I will use half of the Pixie Dust, five CP and ten units of Illusion Mana. This was a risk; losing the Pixie Dust would be painful even if I succeeded. "Okay, here we go." I focused on my new creation, I gathered the resources and went to work. I opened the Wisp screen and accessed the customisation options. I started the process and added the resources. I was now committed. The whirlwind of dust and lights quickly began. I concentrate on maintaining the new creature. The lights are coloured different shades of pink. I could make out the start of the form of something. Focus. "Come on, I can do this." There was a strain during the creation, but I managed to hold it together. With a small flash and a pop, the minion came into existence along with notifications. "Well¡­¡­hello there."
Alert! You have created a unique Dungeon Minion, Pixie Wisp. Creature Design Gained ¨C Pixie Wisp. Congratulations! You have created your second mini-boss. Please name your unique creation.
Shit! I need a name. ¡­¡­. "Puck!"
Congratulations! Your second mini-boss has been named. Puck. Do you wish it to be assigned to a room or wandering?
"Wandering." The Wisp had been significantly changed by the energies and dust I had added. The ball of light was now shaped in the form of a pixie. The figure was about five inches tall and had a set of rough butterfly wings coming out of its back. The figure had no accurate detail as it was made up of light and was a soft pink in colour. Close up, it was apparent it was not a pixie, but it would easily be confused at a distance or getting a glimpse. It took to the air and began flying around. From my limited experience seeing one, it moved like a pixie. Puck was the only name I could think of, and I might be correct. Puck is the name of a trickster fairy, so let''s see. "Let''s see what we have. Status screen. Pixie Wisp. Puck."
Name Puck Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Mini-Boss
Race Pixie Wisp Essence 0%
Health 20/20 Mana 80/80
Stamina 20/20 Corruption 0%
STR 1 1 Damage base
DEX 4
AGL 25 +25% Dodge
END 2
VIT 2
PER 10
INT 8
WIL 8
LUCK 10
Skills: Dodge: 1 - 0% Cost: 2 Stamina Improved Lure: 1 ¨C 0% Cost: 2 Stamina
Spells: Dazzle ¨C Cost: 5 Mana (Duration: 30 seconds) Invisibility ¨C Cost: 5 Mana (Duration: 1 minute) Target Self only. Confusion ¨C Cost 5 Mana (Duration: 30 seconds)
Perks/Restrictions: Pixie Form
"This is a lot to unpack." Starting with the stats, Puck was not strong or tough but fast with spells and smarter. "That makes sense. Small and weak, speed would take precedence." The different skill was Improved Lure. Checking it revealed that it had a greater chance of attracting a target by mimicking something that could intrigue them. "Odd, I would have thought that would be more a spell than a skill." When talking about spells, this is where things get interesting. There are three in total, although the original Wisp had only one Dazzle. I looked each of them up.
Dazzle (Spell)- A defensive spell used to confuse an opponent by creating a loud bang and flash of light that can disorient them.
"Basically, a magical version of a flash-bang grenade. Useful."
Invisibility (Spell)- A defensive spell that makes the user invisible to protect them from hostiles.
"I figured that one out myself."
Confusion (Spell)- A defensive spell illusionists use to confuse their opponents. If successful, the target will miss hearing words, think allies are enemies or wander around confused.
"That one has a lot of promise." The last thing on the screen, Pixie Form, was just as I saw it now in the rough shape of a Pixie¡ªone last thing to do.
Loot Assignment Cythian Silver coins x6 (Chance - 90%) Cythian Silver coins x7 and Pixie Dust (Chance ¨C 10%) Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"Eh? How come it can create Pixie Dust as a reward, but I cannot recreate it?" I got an answer to this one.
Alert! Pixie Dust is an exceptional magical resource unique to the Pixie race. One of your minions is now part Pixie. Due to this, one of your minions is now beginning to create the resource Pixie Dust, so you can harvest some amounts and store it. This is done passively as long as the minion remains within your Dungeon.
"Okay. I was not expecting that." I turned my attention back to the new Pixie Wisp as it flew around. As it flew, I noticed small particles of dust falling from it. They sparkled and shimmered as they fell. Pixie Dust. Larry was watching as well. He had returned to his usual position in the rafters. I felt a warm sense of accomplishment with my latest creation. It had been a risk but had paid off. It flew up and began doing cartwheels around the rafter Larry had flopped down along. "I wonder how long Larry is going to tolerate that?" Then, a thought occurred to me. "How the hell do I keep you alive?" Puck was a light source in a dungeon with none. Shit! This was going to take some thought. Chapter 19 "At least it''s not raining." The groan from the rest of the group that followed this statement was not a surprise. The six of them, with three-pack donkeys, were moving into a valley much deeper in the Shadow Way Mountain range than they typically did. They were deep into the forest that covered all the valleys. "How much farther are we going to go, Aldric?" Aldric stopped, which halted the rest as he turned. Looking over the five others, he weighed his answer. "Another day at most unless we find a spot to investigate." There were some groans, but they all understood. They were a mining scouting expedition. They were all men of the Nescan City States with brown hair, eyes, and weather-beaten olive skin. They were equipped with few weapons but quite a bit of mining gear and rugged clothing. Supplies were still good; as it was summer, hunting had been plentiful. But the change of seasons was soon and no one in the party wanted to be in these mountains when it came. "Come on, men! Our families in Tyboon are counting on us." "Not as much as the Nescan tax collectors!" This came from Sotum, the group''s joker and Aldric''s oldest friend. They all laughed at his antics, which had helped with the long journey and many failures. Aldric did not admit it, but he was getting worried. Travelling as deep as they had into the mountain range had been a risk, as they usually just skirted the edges, looking for surface-level deposits revealed by the past winter''s weather. This year, he had organised a group to go deeper. "It is nearly midday. We will stop for food before pushing on." This pleased the group as they dug out travel rations and water flasks. Aldric walked further up a slop to see if he could get a better view. He saw the river they had been following in the distance, not too far away. They had been forced to make a detour but had found it again. The valley was covered in the same dense trees as the last they had traversed. "See anything?" Sotum said as he came up behind him. "Yes, there''s the river." He pointed to the water flowing in a break in the trees. "Thank the Gods! We have a route home." "You''re right. It is so easy to get lost in these woods." Aldric was sure they all feared this fate as the forests were dense and dangerous. His friend was quiet, looking back at the others and Aldric knew something was on his mind. "What is it?" Sotum looked at him, concerned about something. "It''s Randar and Justim." Aldric said nothing; he just faced his friend and waited. "I think¡­..I think they are also on a Pixie hunt." Aldric hissed through his teeth. This was the worst thing he could have heard. Addiction to Hylonia''s Kiss had devastated parts of many cities. The only thing that had halted the rate of addiction was the near extinction of the Pixie race and the withdrawal deaths of most addicted to it. "Are you sure!" He was insistent but kept his voice low so as not to carry. "Saw a net in their gear last night strapped to their donkey." Aldric let out a deep breath. This strangely made sense. He did not know the two men as they had joined the group at the last minute with their own supplies and a donkey to carry them. "What are we going to do?" Sotum asked, wondering what his friend would do. "According to the Old Empires maps of this region, there was a watch tower over the rise there." He pointed to a small hill a few leagues away. "I planned to hopefully find its ruins and use them as a base for scouting this valley. There was no change to that, but tonight, we must talk with Randar and Justim." The rest of the day went as planned for the group. They crossed through the trees and began walking up a hill. Aldric had told them that an Old Empire watch tower over the rise and its ruins would be the base camp from which they would scout the local mineral deposits. This gave them extra energy, as they knew that the first part of the journey was almost over. The forest around them mainly comprises three types of trees: Black Pine, Evergreen Oak and Shadow Beech. These trees added to the land''s reputation as eerie and unwelcoming. They blocked out what little light there was; underneath, the canopy was always dark with twisting shadows. Nothing but moss lived under most of it, covering the ground in a spongy layer they had to walk on. This made travelling harder, as the moss hid depressions and rocks. Branches and sticks were common, making firewood plenty full when they camped at night. Many were fashioned into walking sticks that were used to test the ground as they walked. During the day, they used light stones to help them navigate through the forest. The soft white light gave them a limited view, but it was better than nothing. As they crested the rise, they all saw the gap in the trees. There was no wall of light to meet them as the mountain''s shadow now hung over the area. They stopped and looked over the rest of the valley, surprised by what they saw. A Cythian Watch Tower. Standing. Apparently, it is still intact but overgrown with plants. They were not too far away, and what seemed to be a treeless floodplain separated them. They would have to go down and then up the other rise to reach it. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "That''s odd." Aldric heard Sotum say as they checked the area for threats before advancing to the building. He had the same mindset as his friend. The Old Empire built things well, but without maintenance, the elements should have worn down that tower and its support wings. "Do you think anyone is living there?" Sotum asked him. Turning to him, he saw the concern in his eyes. "Only one way to find out." Aldric said and began the descent onto the floodplain. The others followed him, ensuring the donkeys did not trip and fall on uneven ground. That would be a significant issue for the expedition. Crossing the distance did not take long and the others talked about how they were ready to start. This area had been abandoned not long before the collapse of the Old Empire and even then, was never genuinely explored for mineral deposits. The others did not initially notice Aldric and Sotum''s concern, but they fell silent when they reached the building proper. "What do you think, Aldric?" Sotum asked the question they were all now thinking. The group were all in their twenties. Eager men in their prime to find fortune, but no one in this world and profession made it to their age by being stupid. Aldric was the oldest and most experienced and the others listened to him. "We search the grounds around the building first. Then, if we see no signs of tracks, we check the building. Randar, Justim, stay and guard the donkeys." The two men nodded and the rest spread out and walked around the building. When they were out of sight, Justim checked the door. It is the only part of the exterior with no plants growing up. "What are you doing?" Randar hissed at him. "Just seeing what''s here." It opened without any resistance. Looking in, he saw a room with a fireplace and some furniture. Another door was located directly across from him. A quick flash of soft pink light caught his attention. "Give me the tracking crystal now!" "What¡­ why?" "Stop talking and give it here." Randar mutters under his breath but pulls the crystal from one of their bags on the donkey. He hands it to the other man and leans through the doorframe. The crystal is in the palm of his hand and after a few seconds, it glows a faint pink. Justim withdraws back from the doorway and turns to show his partner. "Pixie." Both men say in unison as they begin to grin. Before they say anything else, they hear the returning miners and quickly hide the crystal and close the door. Aldric and the others will soon be back with them. "Anything?" Justim asks the men. "No signs of any tracks." Sotum echo¡¯s Aldric¡¯s statement. So, there is no sign of anyone living here. "Maybe someone was living here but has died." "Maybe." Sotum was talking to Aldric as he examined the building again. Something concerned the party leader, but they were unsure what. Sure, the building intact was strange, but there could be a dozen reasons. "Are we going in?" Justim prodded Aldric with the question. He and Randar were barely hiding their excitement. "We enter. But only four of us. I want¡­." "I will go in." Justim cut Aldric off. "So will I." Randar added. Aldric looked at the two men, unsure why they were so eager but instantly on alert. He was now sure something was going on here, but what? "Very well." Aldric turned and opened the doors in front of the group. The room was dark, as all the window shutters were closed. He made out a fireplace, table and chairs. More furniture and another open door were further back in the room. "We will enter, but weapons drawn. Sydar, guard the donkeys." The six men pulled their blades from the sheaths at their belts. They were all armed with Nascan short swords. Aldric enters the room first, with the other four following him¡ªthey spread out as they entered as far as they could. Each was alert, looking for any dangers. They moved forward around the large table in the centre of the room. Aldric reached the other side and looked through the open door to the tower''s base. "Aldric!" The five men span to face the entrance. Something was making the donkeys nervous. "Shadow Wolves in the trees!" Sydar was tense and sweating, looking towards something the others could not see outside the building. "God''s damn them! Get the donkeys in here and close the doors!" The five men rush back to the entrance and pull the donkeys into the room. The animals'' agitation only worsened as they crossed the threshold into the building. Aldric and Sotum closed and locked the doors while the others calmed the animals. Aldric lit the lantern with a light crystal in it. "We need to check the rest of the building. How are the donkeys." Aldric was looking around. "They''re still upset." Sydar told him. Aldric continued looking around. "Sotum, light the fire. We need more light in here. We cannot risk opening the shutters." Sotum was soon at the fireplace setting the fireplace. He pulled out a striker and flint. He was working to get the fire going. The fire caught and was soon roaring in the fireplace. "I will stay with the donkeys." "Thank you, Sydar. The rest of us will search the building." Randar was standing with his back to the group at the door to the tower. Aldric was unsure but thought he saw a flash of light as he turned the lantern off. He should have noticed Justim taking a pack from their donkey. They moved into the building. "Light the torches on the wall. It''s too dark in here." The four torches are lit on the wall, removed from their holders and spread to the others, apart from Aldric. "Justim and I will head down into the basement and look around." Aldric looked hard at him. He was not sure what his game was. But at the moment, he needed to secure the building. "Very well. Meet us back at the entrance when you are done." They nod to him and walk down the stairs. The twisting staircase took them from the sight of the others. Aldric turned to the others. "Let''s start with that door." ## ## ## ## ## Justim turned as they reached the next floor, checking that they were not followed. "Randar, why are we down here?" Randar turned at Justim''s concerned whisper. He looked up the stairs to see if they were being followed. Once satisfied, he pulled the crystal he used earlier and showed it to his companion. "The pixie''s trace is stronger down here. Get the net out and give me the lure." The other pulled the pack off his shoulder after he put his sword back into its sheath. He was forced to put the flaming torch down as he assembled the net and handed the lure to Randar. Randar placed the small bag into a pocket but was forced to put his sword under the arm holding his torch. "The cage in the bag?" "Yes." Justim showed him the lantern-shaped cage to hold a pixie. He then closed it. "Ready?" Justim nodded after standing. The net and torch prevented him from holding his sword, so he would have to rely on Randar to protect him. The pack was again slung over his shoulder. "Let''s go." They continued to descend, moving as silently as possible, trying not to spook their prey. They reached the basement floor and encountered the first thing that concerned them. "The stairs keep going." Justim whispers to Randar. He nods, unsure of what this means. The Old Empire military buildings were built to the same standard design across the lands it once covered. "So?" Before he could answer, they both saw a brief flash of soft pink light from further down the stairs. Randar motioned and they continued. Because of their torches, they could not get too close yet. They continued down as the stairs took them deeper into the earth. They reached the second floor and still, the stairs went on. "Randar, this is not right!" Justim was afraid now and was barely whispering. Before Randar could speak, the pink light was visible further down the stairs. Greed soon overtook the fear both men were feeling. "We continue." Again, they continue further down. The wind stairs continued as they caught the flash of light drawing deeper. Eventually, they reached the third level, where the stairs ended. They found the only corridor leading from the stairs and followed it. They came to an open doorway on their left and a closed one on their right. The light led them to the left. Randar walked through into a room with Justim close behind. Something was different and it was Justim who expressed it. "Randar¡­¡­Why is there grass on the floor?" Both were looking down, but before anything else could be said, there was an angry squeal as a black boar charged from the darkness. Then the screaming started. Chapter 20 Ten days of thinking had not given me concrete ideas on incorporating Puck into my dungeon. I had a few thoughts, but I was unsure about their practicality. Larry was snoring in the rafters as Puck flew around the tower base. All the doors on the surface were open as it flew around the dungeon. It was another usual day. The only difference was I had closed all the shutters and the front door. I had been trying to lure new creatures in but with no luck. According to its INT score, Puck was smarter than Larry and listened to my verbal commands. For the last ten days, that was mostly to leave Larry alone. Puck seemed to get far too much pleasure out of tormenting him. "Tunnels, that''s all I can think of. Using Puck to¡­" Someone opened the front door. "Fuck. Puck, get downstairs now!" Puck shot down the stairwell but was most likely seen from the main door. An arm entered my dungeon holding¡­ a crystal in its hand. It began glowing faintly pink. I sensed some type of magic. I could make out a humanoid figure on the edge of my aura with another just behind it. Larry was awake and alert, now sensing my surprise. The arm then withdrew and the door was closed. "Right. Did not expect that at all." I was unsure of what was happening. The door opened a few minutes later and I could now make out a larger group. Five men entered my dungeon. The alert that was expected popped up, and I ignored it. They were cautious as they moved through the entrance room. Blades were drawn, looking for signs of danger. They were using the little light that was present in the room to check all angles of possible attack. The blades looked like Cythian short swords but were a little thinner and longer. "Larry, you stay hidden." He did not need my encouragement as he used his abilities to blend with the shadows in the rafters. The man who had first entered had now reached the other side of the room and was looking through the open door. "Aldric!" Suddenly, they all turned. This came from the outside. "Shadow Wolves in the trees!" I think the man is Aldric, who is the furthest away from the entrance door. What are Shadow Wolves and where can I get one? "God''s damn them! Get the donkeys in here and close the doors!" Wait! Donkeys! "Oh, fuck me! Not those bloody animals again." They returned to the door and several vanished from my sight. Soon, there were six men and three donkeys in my entrance room. As soon as they entered the room, their agitated state did not abate. They knew the danger was inside as well as out. The men closed the doors and locked them. Their packs, however, were very interesting to me. Most adventuring groups, I think, do not carry picks, shovels and other mining equipment, but I could be wrong. Aldric drew my attention when he pulled out a lantern-shaped object. It was different from what I was expecting in one regard: the crystal where the flame should be. It suddenly flared to light, producing a white light- not harsh or glaring, but able to illuminate most of the room. "Hell, yes! Bhaldor wants!" The men discussed the donkeys and explored further. My focus was on how to get that lantern. "Mana Sight. Activate." "Fuck that''s bright!" Yes, magical. I had to confirm it. It had a Mana type I did not have. "Mana Sight. Deactivate." My sight returned to normal. They were well on their way to starting a fire. It did not take long; the flames consumed the wood in the fireplace, and the lantern was "switched off." The men were arranging who would explore the rest of the building. One took a pack from a donkey and slung it over his shoulder as the five men entered the tower base. The four torches were acquired and lit to help illuminate the area. One of the men was on the other side of the stairwell with his back to the rest. I sensed the earlier magic and noted the crystal he was hiding from the others. "Something fishy is going on here, I think." After a brief discussion, two entered the basement while the rest explored the other rooms. I wanted the lantern that Aldric carried, but the two descending the stairs were acting odd. Watching and listening to them, it was clear what they were after. They thought Puck was a pixie. The second had the pack on his shoulder, stopped to assemble a net and had Pixie Lure to the other. I discovered their names were Randar and Justim. This was going to be too easy. "Puck! I need you to lure these two down the stairs to the third floor and the first boar room." Puck was hanging around the second at the moment and quickly made his way to the stairs. The two men continued down but stopped at the first floor. Randar was confused by the ongoing steps down. They were enticed to go further by Puck moving far enough to have his glow seen. At first, they were unsure, but it seemed greed won out in the end as they continued their descent. "My turn. Where''s that boar." I found it sniffing around near the entrance to the second room. I prodded and moved it to the corner on the same wall as the entrance. I focused on holding it there. Puck was doing well, luring them to the room. Arriving first, I had to give them further instructions. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Go into the next room and hide. If you want, you can join in when the boar attacks." Puck flew away and I got the sense of mischievous laughter. Not the playful kind, but someone is about to get fucked up kind. I did not get long to process that when I saw the light from their torches on the wall. The boar knew something was coming and I sensed a building desire for violence from it. "Come on. Just a little further." The two men entered the room, not seeing the boar due to the torch''s light radius. They stopped with Justim just inside the room with Randar further in. They were both looking down. "Randar¡­¡­Why is there grass on the floor?" It''s time to get started. "Go!" I released the boar and it charged forward with an angry squeal. The two men did not have enough time to react. The boar collided with Justim and I heard a sickly crack as he screamed, collapsing. The impact was just above the knee and shattered the bone. It ripped through his trouser leg and blood was oozing. The boar did not stop and continued to gore him. Randar was holding a sword and a torch. He began attacking the boar to distract it from his friend. This is when Puck returned to the room. Justim''s health bar was dropping fast. The boar''s health bar was as well from Randar attacking it but very slowly as its hide protected it. Justim was not just screaming but begging as well. Puck, crossed the room, casting its Dazzle spell at Randar. A small ball of pink light shot from it towards Randar. He was facing away and did not see it coming. The spell exploded an inch from the back of his head. There was a bright flash and a loud bang. Randar dropped both the sword and torch to cover his ears. The boar tore Justim''s guts out and the man''s health bar emptied as he died. I felt the essence rush to my core. Turning its attention to Randar now, the boar attacked. Randar had recovered somewhat from Puck''s spell and was kneeling to retrieve his blade. Unfortunately, he looked up and got a face full of charging boar. It did not go any better for him than his companion. I watched as the boar mauled him to death. Screams echoed and blood splattered around. It''s not a pretty way to die. His essence flooded into my core and I enjoyed the sensation. "Damn, that''s the closest thing to sex for me now." I checked the notifications. Two dead human level 12 (Miners). "I was right. They are not adventures." Ignoring the fight''s aftermath, I sought out the others who had entered my dungeon. Aldric and the two others with him were standing at the stairs leading down to the first floor. "Are you sure you hear screaming Sotum?" "Yes. It sounded like it was echoing from a lot deeper." "That''s not possible. These towers only have a storage basement." There were a few seconds of silence. "We need to check." "Are you sure, Aldric?" "Yes. If we can, we leave no man behind." They nodded to each other and began to descend. They were tense and gripped their swords tightly. Fear was evident on their faces and they were all sweating. Aldric was leading, carrying a torch, with the other two coming behind. The one called Sotum held another. They reached the first floor and halted. They broke out into a discussion on the stairs continuing to go down. It seemed this was the final straw, and the men started showing signs of freaking out. Aldric was the most composed, but from the looks of things, not for much longer. "Aww. Come on, get going. Explore the floor and go down!" Their feet dragging was annoying me. The logical part of me understood why, but the hunger just wanted to be fed. They continued talking and did something that surprised me. They retreated. Yes, back up the stairs they went and back into the entrance room. There, the four men discussed what to do. Listening in, they were torn. They could not spend the night and risking not knowing what was there. They would have to fight the Shadow Wolves outside if they left now. "Oh! The dilemma." They continued talking until Aldric made the choice. All four would explore the first floor and what lay on the second. "Finally!" Two more torches were made, and all four slowly descended the stairs to the first floor. They were nearly jumping at every shadow. Walking along the corridor, they tried the exit door from the floor guardian room. Discovering they could not open it, they went into the first room. They explored the room until Sotum called out. "Copper!" He had found the vein in the wall. This caused the four men to gather and inspect it; their fear was momentarily lost. This would be interesting for me. How would they react to the vein? Was it too little or too much? The conversation they were having gave me two crucial pieces of information. First, they were confused as to how the vein was here and second, it was a vein they were thinking about mining. "Well, then, I will leave it alone." I have considered removing it after someone eventually discovered it and rated it poorly. I had been second-guessing it a lot since its creation. In truth, I had been second-guessing a lot during my inactive periods. But these miners had told me it was an excellent addition to my dungeon by their reactions. They seemed more confident and pressed on into the corridor and the pitfall trap. The wasps knew intruders were near but were not making any noise yet. Aldric was a tall man who stepped over the trap with his stride. The man behind him was not so lucky. His foot went straight through the covering and was impaled on several flint-tipped spikes below. He howled in pain and surprise. Three spikes had punched right through his foot. They were sticking up through his boot and blood flowed freely from the wound. He had dropped the blade and torch to grab hold of the trapped foot''s attached leg. His screaming was quite loud and he was now down on one knee. "Maybe the pitfall trap is a bit overkill this early in the dungeon?" I asked myself this as the men rushed to the injured aid. It did not take long to free him, but he still had spikes in his foot. He was thrashing in pain, colliding with the men trying to help him. I watched him knock the lantern with the light crystal from Aldric''s belt. He did not notice as they carried the injured man back up to the entrance room. They had tried to bandage the wound, but he leaked a trail of blood all the way there. "I will need to clean all that up." The lantern was still there and I was eager to absorb it. In the entrance room, they placed the injured man on the table and tried to treat his injuries. At Aldric''s instructions, additional medical supplies were pulled from the donkey''s packs. "Fucking donkeys have shat on my floor again!" I was going to have to clean that up. The injured man was screaming still and Sotum was holding him down, trying to pour something from a flask down his throat. Aldric ran back and sealed the door to the tower. "I wonder what that is?" Some of it spills on the table as he manages to get most of it down his throat. He continued thrashing for about a minute before he started to relax. He was still grimacing but was much calmer now. This allowed the others to inspect the wound. I was down there looking, too. His foot was messed up badly. The spikes had ripped it up as they passed through. They were talking and all agreed to remove the spikes. They set about setting up some bandages and other medical supplies. They went about and removed them. Two held him down and forced a gag for him to bite down on into his mouth. His screams were muffled as they pulled them. The two holding him strained but held him. It took ten minutes, but they did it. The guy on the table had passed out by then. The foot was smothered in herbs and bandaged. He was sweating and very pale from blood loss. His breathing was shallow and steady. "We need to leave." "It''s getting dark. The Shadow Wolves will rip us apart." "Sotum''s right, we cannot stay here." "Are you sure, Aldric? Sydar''s injuries will slow us down and attract the pack." "Do any of you want to spend the night here?" That pretty much ended the discussion. One donkey had its packs removed, and what they thought necessary was moved to the other two. This consisted of what I believe are food bags and water skins. They gather up materials and make more torches. "God''s damn it!" "Aldric, what''s wrong?" "I have dropped my mage lantern." "Where do you think it is?" Aldric said nothing and looked towards the closed door leading to the tower and the stairs. The look on his face was one of torn desire. He wanted the lantern back but was too afraid to risk going to get it. "You know we cannot go back even if it''s been in your family for generations." "I know. Let''s get going." He let out a deep and resigned sigh and together, they loaded the wounded Sydar onto the donkey. They lit the torches they had made and opened the front door, leading the donkeys into the falling night. I watched them leave. "At least they could have closed the door." Chapter 21 "Well, that was short and bloody." I closed the door and looked around the entrance room. There was blood, abandoned packs and used bandages scattered around. "Right then. Larry, go get the lantern on the first floor and take it to my Core." I sent him mental images to help get him moving. I noted he was soon scampering away. I could not use Puck to do this as he was physically weak to do most things. "Housekeeping, check status and then we will absorb the lantern." That is the plan. I started in the entrance room and began absorbing what was left. The packs contained mining gear such as pickaxes, shovels and a hatchet, which I added to my inventory. The blood stains were removed from the table and floor. Everything else was absorbed. "Seriously! Why do they always bring donkeys into my entrance room? It is not a fucking stable!" I worked back, following the trail of blood to the first floor, removing it as I went. The pitfall trap had already reset and the wasps were calm again on to the third. Larry was moving down the last stairs as I arrived. "Good job, Larry." I went to the first room and inspected the bodies. The boar had savaged them to the point that the parts were no longer all together. Their intestines were ripped out and blood was spattered all over the ground and walls. "Someone went a little overboard here." The boar was strutting about after its victory. Puck was flying around the room as well. Shaking my head mentally, I absorbed the remains. Check my notifications. I condensed the information to the essential things.
Alert! A level 8 Human had died in your dungeon. A level 9 Human had died in your dungeon. Materials Absorbed: Nascan Short Sword (Quality-Good, Durability-20/20 Notes- +2 Damage, Iron)
"The Nascan Sword is not bad. Not as good as the Cythian, but close." I got several more Nascan copper coins, another capture net and a Pixie Lure. Their clothes were shredded past the point of use, but oh well. The last thing I did was replace the torches on the ground floor. "Dungeon back to standard, ready to accept visitors." Returning to my Core, I thought about what I had just said. There was now a good chance my location would be investigated or even recognised as a dungeon. My life might be becoming a lot more interesting soon. Larry was sitting next to the pillar where my Core was hidden. Puck had also wandered along to see what was happening. Opening the hiding spot, I was ready to absorb the lantern. "Here we go." Absorbing the Core was easy. I felt myself grasping a new type of Mana. Not waiting for the notifications, I placed it into one of the empty bubbles I had created in my Core and then looked.
Alert! Light Mana discovered! Mana Absorption is possible! Do you wish to absorb Light Mana and have it become your¡­. ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Absorption is impossible! ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Light Mana is absorbed and stored within Mana stone.
"Light Mana. Makes sense." Going through the lantern materials, I got an exciting message.
Alert! Congratulations Dungeon Core. You can now create Mana Stones. Quartz (Crystal) combined with one unit of Mana will create the stone.
¡­¡­¡­. This led to a bout of swearing and cursing of a particular God. This was more proof that the fucker had been trying to screw me over. Eventually, I calmed down and looked at my character sheet.
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 21.08(60) / 0.01 phr. Shadow ¨C 50(60) / 1.1 phr. Light ¨C 5(60)/0.1 phr.
This made me feel a little better¡ªa little. Mana Sight improved a bit as well. "Fifteen percent of the way to my next level. Progress, at least." Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Looking over my dungeon, I still had yet to answer an important question. "Puck, how are you going to get around?" ## ## ## ## ## The Realm of the Gods was quiet at the moment. Oda stood on a balcony overlooking the domain entrances of the other members of the Pantheon. Each one was a building shaped according to God''s nature and mantle. Pearl-coloured clouds separated them. The sun was setting, giving everything an additional spread of colour. Here and there were flashes of light and movement as celestial beings went about their tasks for their masters. Many mortals who witnessed this place often wept at the beauty. His own was a building of white marble with black veins running through it. The furniture was a mix of ivory or ebony styles. The room, as well as the rest of the building, was in balance. He was standing at the top with the gods below, descending in order of importance. "All is well." He spoke to himself, knowing the lie that was. The Void Corruption was still slowly spreading. He had seen the danger in time and began the plan he devised to remove it. The first unique Dungeon Core he had created was on the world below and hidden in a location he had picked out. He was fortunate to find a suitable soul as quickly as he had. The Core was designed to limit the soul within and neuter its ability to grow. He needed it to survive and process the void energy that was corrupting the world. This meant he needed it to stay hidden and survive. He was committed to his Path. If the courts discovered what he had done, there would be chaos, which would only add to the growing threat. The domains of too many had been trespassed upon. He had not broken but bent too many rules for him to explain it away. He knew Astraus would lead the charge against him as all Dungeons fell into her Domain. He sensed the arrival of the two he was expecting. They approached his location and manifested within seconds of each other. Neither wanting to be outdone by the other. Oda had never approved of this, but it was the way it was always. He turned to face them. "Xandus, Goddess of light, life and destiny. I greet thee." She was as always. Each mortal who looked upon her saw the best version of their race. To him, she was a female humanoid figure bathed in light and echoes of possible futures. "Nictor, God of death, darkness and endings. I greet thee." He was always old and frail to mortals, which hid his terrible strength. In his sight, he, too, was a humanoid male figure. He was covered in darkness with the cold air of the grave around him. "Oda, God of balance and guardian of time. I greet thee." They both intoned the ancient greeting of God greeting God. "Why have the heads of the courts requested this meeting?" They looked at each other and then at him. That was odd. It spoke to co-ordination and agreement. Usually, they were opposed in terms of word and action. But not today, it seemed. "We are concerned at your recent lack of action." Xandus started. "You seem distracted. How is the world balance." Nictor added. They were testing the waters and seeing how he would react. They sensed something was wrong but lacked the context to name it. It would be hard to lie to them, so he obfuscated the whole truth. "The world is not in balance and I am acting to correct it." Again, they traded a look. They knew he was not lying but were still looking for more. "If the issue was caused by one or both courts, would it not be beneficial for us to know so we can help correct it?" Xandus could see the destinies created by mortal decisions. Oda knew she or Ilara would be the first to see the signs of Void Corruption. Ilara was called the weaver of fate, a Goddess linked to Xandus''s court. They touched upon his mantle and he had been able to hide the far future from them. "It is a small thing I have already started to remedy." Again, this was not the whole truth. Void Corruption was a lesser influence at the moment and the Core he had created was what he hoped was the short-term remedy. "We ask again, can we not aid you?" Nictor rarely aided anyone without a means to profit. Oda knew he had to give them something, or they would stand there and prod until they got what they wanted. "Adrills Folly. This has caused some unexpected effects, which I am balancing out." Both of them reacted to the mention of Adrill. They tensed at the events that foolish man had unleashed over three hundred years ago. To most mortals, it was history. To the Gods, it was like yesterday. "Adrill! Casting that evil, insane man into the abyss was too kind!" The venom Xandus said that with was not surprising. "The abyss almost threw him back." Even to Nictor''s court, Adrill''s actions were despised at best. Prince Adrill, heir to the Cythian Empire, was not content with his lot in life. It was believed that he had, by accident, found a way to increase his power by forcing himself along the Path of Ascension. He did this by destroying Dungeon Cores. Before even the Gods understood what he was doing, he had shattered fourteen, causing a vast magical backlash that mortally wounded the Empire. Losing two-thirds of the Dungeons in the Empire was bad enough, but the natural disasters and monster hordes were devastating. Add the fact that it cost the Empire most of their highest ranking and most powerful subjects, even with divine assistance, their lives to stop him. The Empire never recovered, and the continent was suffering openly from it. The rest of the world now had void Corruption on top of the effects of the Folly that reached them. Shattering so many cores had cracked reality. Oda had plugged the breach, but some corruption was still leaking into the world. "Indeed. His actions had a longer-lasting effect than any of us knew." Oda was looking to end this conversation and hoped this would do it. Both Gods were silent for a few seconds. "Very well, we will leave this issue to you." Nictor spoke first. "But call on us if you need." Xandus added. "I shall. I bid thee farewell." Oda intoned the words to end the meeting and conversation. Both returned the words and left his space. When they had gone, he breathed a sigh of relief as the mortals understood it. Things were still under control for the moment. His plan could still work if the test core he had created performed as he hoped. Another two years and then he will make more and hide them away. The souls within would not hold up, but he would fulfil his promise to them if any did. The system he created and supplied to them was adaptable but would limit them every step of the way. He needed them to survive, not grow and prosper. Oda turned and walked to the wall opposite his balcony. It dissolved as he approached to show a large set of scales. On each side was a giant orb, one white, the other black. Each represents the court''s influence upon the world. The scales were tipped slightly in the white court''s favour but not to the point where he would need to take action. Something else concerned him. "The World Scales are twisted." It was slight and even most Gods would miss it, but to him, it was impossible to ignore. Void Corruption was the cause and he had to restore the world to what it was. But a question had remained when it came to Adrill. Why? Why had he done what he had? In the aftermath, Oda and both courts had investigated what had happened. Even with their divine powers and knowledge, the answer eluded them. They knew every aspect of his life until he began his rampage and then everything was hidden in fog. Each choice and action was studied. He was to be Emperor, but all the signs pointed to a short and bad reign. Like all his peers, he used dungeons as training grounds to walk the Path. Then, something happened when he reached the first dungeon core. Something that was obscured to all. They had tried to interrogate his soul and mind, but the energies he had been exposed to had twisted them so severely that getting any answer was impossible. "What happened?" This question was the one that drove him to distraction. The world in the aftermath was in chaos and he was focused on restoring balance. The courts were at each other''s throats and caused him to be even more distracted. In this time, he missed the crack and the void Corruption. He was unsure what or who, but something had interfered and set Adrill on his Path. He had to act secretly until he understood his opponent''s motivations. He realised he had not checked on his experiment since it was sent to the world. It had just been over a year and a half, not long. As he walked away from the scales, the wall reformed, hiding them. He had a grand desk in the room and he sat at it. There were several items in ordered positions on the table. The thing that interested him was a simple evergreen oak box. Picking it up, he leaned back into his chair. "Well, young core, let''s see what you have been doing." The box opened using a little divine essence, and he looked at a replica of the Core of the Shadow Falls mountains. What he saw caused him to sit upright. "What the¡­. How¡­. This not possible!" He picked up the black gem and inspected it closer, not believing his own eyes. The gem had doubled in size, meaning it was now three steps or "levels" long in development. Surprising but not unexpected, his plan envisioned them reaching the fifth step at best. What was different was the three specks of light visible in the Core''s structure. "What have you done, little Core?" Needing more information, he called up the Core''s "status screen" and read it. Then he went through the system''s "event logs". After reading them all, he thought about the Core and its actions. "It seems I chose too well when I selected the Core''s soul." This "Bhaldor" proved to be more adaptable and creative than he had thought possible. True, his Core was processing more void essence than ever, but he would soon be noticed from the looks of things. He had found a way to get around the restrictions Oda had placed on him. Oda thought about a soul''s greatest and most terrible power¡ªthe ability to make choices. Even with all his Divine power, that was the one thing he could not take from a soul. "He has not violated the terms of our agreement or stepped outside of a dungeon remit. So, I cannot move against him. I must factor what he did into the next cores I will create." Looking over the gem between his fingers again, he thought out loud. "Well done, Bhaldor. You are proving an excellent test subject for my plan. Let''s see what future your choices are creating for you. Soon, you will be exposed and I will know how the other powers will react to your presence." Chapter 22 Winter had passed and Ranus Goldwind was glad. Standing on the bow of his small trading ship, he watched the trees on either side of the river pass. The mountains on either side watched over everything. Snow-capped, as always, they dominated the area. At the moment, they sailed in sunlight. The Shadow Way mountains were as stunning as they were dangerous. They were navigating an estuary of the Shadow River. Typically, no Nescan trader would be using any of these river estuaries, for they were known to run through monster-plagued valleys and had been abandoned since before the fall of the Old Empire. His family and friends had called him foolish for taking this route to the land of the Skaald people. But he was young and hungry to make his mark. His family was one of the wealthiest in the Nescan City States. As such, his name carried weight. But he was the sixth child out of seven and needed to be respected, not just for his name. His family respected two things: gold and more gold. At nineteen years old, he had plied the route between Nescan and Tyboon, occasionally going to the coast. His ship, the "Traders Bounty", was his sixteenth name-day present and the warning that he had to pull his weight or be kicked from the main family. His four older brothers dominated these routes and he was lucky to get the scraps he was as they each sought to dominate the routes. This forced him to stay alert for new opportunities. To this end, he frequented every shitty tavern along the routes listening to the sailor''s gossip and looking for an angle. Then, about this time last year, he had heard the first story. The story was about a Devnear raider who was found piloted by a group of Skaald women. They were heading down this every waterway towards Tyboon when the city''s river milia stopped them. The women were escaped captives destined for Ostrul slave markets. Somehow, they got free of the raiders and escaped with their ship. It was the how that had piqued his interest. They spoke of coming across an Old Empire watch tower deeper into the valleys. They spoke of the raiders being driven to use it as a storm caught them. As the story went, the building was intact and they sheltered in it. Then, something started killing the raiders and, in the confusion, the women were able to escape. This was another fanciful story for the river traders and sailors to tell each other. Ranus had wondered since he was a child if the routes were still navigable and the women''s story hinted that they were. He did not put much thought into it until late autumn when another story reached his ears. A mining expedition from Tyboon went into the mountains, seeking new veins to tap. Nothing new; it was a regular event. This one went much further than the others. The tale spoke of the group finding an Old Empire watch tower fully intact and being killed by something within. His tale was known because the last surviving member of the expedition got back to civilisation half-mad and starving. No one put much stock in the tale, but it added to the lack of interest in going deeper into the valleys. Ranus heard the tale of the "intact Old Empire watchtower" He could not explain why, but he was intrigued and started investigating. As winter began, he used his family name and contacts to look in several libraries. Ten days into his search, he found an Old Empire map of the area and used some of his limited savings to have it copied. With map in hand, he traced the possible route the raider would have taken. Sketching a crude version, he found one of the women on the raider in Nescan. After some convincing, he managed to get her to tell him the route they had followed. The map was correct as she pointed out a few things she remembered. When he asked about the tower, she went pale and started shaking. Her new husband, who was there, was unhappy about this, but Ranus managed to calm the situation. She, in the end, pointed out the rough location. She told him it was on a slight rise, almost a small hill next to a floodplain. She then told him what had really happened in the place. He thanked them and left their tiny home. He could barely contain himself; there was so much to think about. Back home, he unrolled the Empire map and checked it against his crude one. On the river bank, the location of a watch tower was marked next to a flood plain. He was sure that the route was open and could be sailed to the lands of the Skaald. This would cut nearly forty days from using the sea route. But his mind and eyes were still drawn to the tower. Stories. That was what had led him to this point. The story the woman had told him had only deepened his interest. He loved stories. When growing up, his family''s servants regularly told their young charges tales to keep them from causing trouble. Old Helg told the best as they were the scariest. Ranus remembered that one night, well past bedtime, he found the old woman drinking alone in the kitchen. She saw him and scolded him to return to bed, but he begged for a story. She realised he was going nowhere and relented. She told him stories of something he had only heard vaguely about at that point in his young life. Dungeons. He listened as she told him about them¡ªtheir power and danger, the adventures searching for them and the monsters awaiting them. To those brave or insane enough, the wealth and magic that could be obtained. He listened entranced for hours, and something was born within him¡ªthe hunger for adventure! His family would not hear of it and blocked him from his dreams. He spent many years learning about them, including that only eight were now within the lands that once made up the Old Empire, no new ones had appeared since Adrill''s Folly, and the ones left were the centres of powerful kingdoms. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. He had to know the hunger born within him as a child reared its head. First, he planned and organised a venture to follow the route to the lands of the Skaald, but that was his cover. He really wanted to investigate that tower. He knew he would need something from the family vault. His grandfather was a bit of a hoarder. One of the many things he collected was an Old Empire sensorium crystal. These crystals were used to detect different types of magic in an area. If they encountered a dungeon, they would glow a deep purple, according to the books he had read. The crystal itself was valuable because you could not just tell if there was magic present, but it also gave you an idea of how strong it was. During a family get-together, where his brothers would openly mock his attempts to become a trader, he had an opportunity. He was able to secure the crystal without anyone knowing it was gone. Honestly, he doubted they would even notice it was gone. They had all laughed at his plans to travel the Shadow Falls River to the Skaald lands. He gritted his teeth and endured. He prayed he would have the last laugh. His ship and crew were prepared with respectable cargo, which used up his last savings and little on-hand money. Getting a crew was hard, but there were enough desperate sailors to man his ship. His old navigator, Dusk, was still with him and got things moving with fewer hiccups. This had all led him to today. Standing on the bow, he was looking for the tower. According to his map, it should be around the bend they were approaching. "What''s got you all worked up, boy?" Dusk had walked up behind him while he was focused on the river ahead. He was the only person Ranus would allow to call him boy. "The joy of youth, of course. Something an old man like you has forgotten." Dusk snorted and then started laughing. Ranus joined in as the two had known each other for fifteen years and were as close as family. "People rarely reach my age these days because they do not listen to their elders. So, I ask again an earlier question: What are you up to, boy?" Dusk was not fooled by his explanations of the desire to reach the Skaald lands by this old route. He knew Ranus enough to see there was another reason. Dusk was far along his Path and was older than every crew member. His age extended by his body improving as he advanced. "Well, we are about to find out." Dusk looked at him and raised an eyebrow. The meaning was clear: get on with it. Ranus turned back to the river ahead as they passed the bend. He could barely contain himself as there it was. Ranus point ahead. "That is my real destination on this journey." Dusk looked where Ranus had pointed when he spoke. There was a break in the trees and an intact Old Empire watchtower sat on a small hill. "Tan and Tama, guide us!" That was a favourite saying amongst the river workers of the city-states for both surprise and shock. Calling on the God and Goddess of seas and rivers. "An Old Empire watch tower still standing?" Dusk was confused and thrown as Ranus turned and began issuing orders. "We are beaching on the flood plain for the night. Set to it, lads!" He headed for the stern and relieved the sailor manning the rudder. Turning the ship, he redirected it to the flood plain. There was a clear line of sand that the vessel would ground upon. With a shudder, the ship hit the sand and several crew jumped, carrying mooring lines to tie to the nearest trees. Within ten minutes, the ship was secured. Ranus had jumped from the ship and was wading to the shore. Dusk was soon behind him. "Vic, check the girl over and then camp the crew down for the night." Ranus called to a man standing on the bow, winding some rope. "Ai, captain!" The crew was soon about their tasks as Ranus walked from them to the tower. Looking back at Dusk, he noticed that he had armed himself. Ranus was armed but had been since the afternoon when he knew they would reach the tower. Ranus knew enough about the man not to ask how he was armed so quickly. "Right, boy, what''s going on? There is no reason that building should still stand." Dusk waited until Ranus stopped a few steps from the door that marked the building entrance. "Stories, old man. Stories." Ranus looked at the building with hope in his eyes and a dream burning in his soul. "What stories?" Dusk was confused, for he had never seen Ranus like this. "Last year, I heard two strange tales. Each had one thing in common: this watch tower." He reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a crystal. "Ranus, you''re not making any sense. What is going on?" Dusk''s concern was evident. Ranus turned and looked the older man in the eyes and smiled. "You are about to find out." He walked towards the doors and grabbed the handle. He stopped and took a deep breath. Then he opened the door and both looked inside. The room had a table, chairs and serval other types of furniture. There was no sign of anyone living here, but the window shutters were all closed, making details hard to see. The door on the other side of the room was open, but it was too dark to see anything more. Ranus reached his hand and held the crystal in the room. He closed his eyes and focused a little of his mana into it. A soft glow emanated from it. The light grew brighter over a few heartbeats and suddenly, the white turned to a deep and vibrant purple. Dusk watches all this from behind Ranus. He says nothing, awaiting an explanation. Ranus pulls his arm back and closes the door. Turning, Dusk sees that the younger man is crying and shaking. "Come, we have a long journey tomorrow." Ranus moves to leave, but Dusk grabs his arm. "Speak! What is this place, Ranus?" Ranus looks his friend in the eye and whispers the answer to him. "It''s a Dungeon." He took a moment to compose himself. "Let''s go. We have a lot of work to do and I need to send a message." ## ## ## ## ## The winter was brutal. There were no visitors and there was even a hint of monsters or creatures to make into minions. The only thing that kept me from going around the bend was thinking and implementing a fix for my Puck issue. I had created a series of small tunnels running up the stairwell that branched out to chosen points across the floors. These tunnels were small and only Puck could fit into them. The exit/entrance points were hidden by thin stone flaps with little hinges. It took weeks to figure out how to make them work while hidden from view. Puck used them now and again but was currently happy to fly about the third floor "playing" with the boars. Larry had been its target for some time and his pleading look convinced me to seed Puck deeper into the dungeon. Spring was well and truly here and the snows were gone. I could feel the plants growing again up my walls. Seeds and pollen carried by the wind fell in the open area of my tower. Nothing of interest was found. "Maybe I should do more experiments with minion designs?" My limited CP was the factor that was stopping me. True, I eventually had some success with the brown spider, but that was not a sign that others would be. "What to do?" "Maybe it''s time to open the door and shutters again to see if we can attract anything." Suddenly, an alert appeared as my front door was opened. I could make out the arms owner and another figure, what I thought was a man outside. An arm was now in it, holding a crystal. I had such a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu it was not even funny. The crystal glowed white. I suddenly felt something probing my aura. No, that was the wrong word. It was more like someone running their hand along your skin. That was the closest I could come to explaining what I was feeling. The crystal changed colour to purple and the arm withdrew, closing the door behind it. I waited. And I waited. Nothing else happened. "Ok, that was weird." Chapter 23 Mid-summer was pleasant in the valleys they were travelling through. Once again, he was travelling up the river from Tyboon. Ranus was still riding an emotional high. The last few months had been more rewarding than he ever expected. The route was now open along the Shadow Way River. His trading expedition was a greater success than he had planned and he sold the path to others as an additional source of income. His father and mother were amazed. They talked him up to all their friends, much to the frustration of his brothers. The only thing from his family was his father had admonished him over selling the route and not trying to hold it longer. The message he had sent proved to be the hardest to get going. There was disbelief, condescension and a few truth spells, but it had been acted upon. And now, the journey''s true success stood on his ship''s deck. There was a group of six people. Five were Adventurers from their dress and mannerisms. The sixth was the most important: an Adventure Guild assessor. Dusk was the only other person who knew why they were on board. The cargo hold was filled with supplies to establish a base camp. They had not requested them, but he had bought them himself, so sure he was of his find. He was again standing on the bow, looking ahead. "How soon until we arrive?" The voice surprised him as he had not heard anyone approach. Turning, he found the Assessor there. "See the bend ahead? It is just beyond that. We will moor along the flood plain and await further instructions." She nodded and turned, returning to the adventures that made up her escort. "Soon." Ranus said to himself as his dreams were finally in reach. ## ## ## ## ## Gran and his team were standing on a small trader heading to what many thought was a fool''s errand. "A new Dungeon on Kyber. Do you believe it?" Nilus, the group''s archer, asked him. The crew were far from them, not wanting to attract their attention. They were a registered Copper grade team and their likes were only seen when there was trouble. "We all know these lands have not seen a new Dungeon in over three hundred years. But we all know we cannot be sure until we have checked. The trader was convincing enough to get an assessor assigned to check." He looked over his team: leader and a fighter good with a blade. Tobar is a giant of a man with a tower shield and mace. Nilus their archer. Kimor, the group rogue and finally, Mags healer/priestess. They were missing a dedicated magic user and they were being held back for it. They just have not found anyone that works with the group dynamics. His group nodded at this, knowing that getting an assessor assigned to anything outside of a large town, let alone a guild building, was a significant feat. The Assessor was returning from talking to the trader. "Leader Gran. The trader has informed me that we should see the building in question shortly as it is around the bend ahead." "Understood Assessor Woodland." Gran was polite and formal. In the structure of the Guild, assessors were not to be trifled with. She was different from the rest. She appeared in her mid-thirties with pale skin and light brown hair. This, combined with emerald green eyes, hints she was from further west, deeper in the continent. She was dressed in a leather armour set with more pouches and bags attached to her by belts and a bandolier than practical. On her back was a large pack. The quality of everything was good and in excellent condition. She was a stark contrast to his team. They were dressed in a wide assortment of gear and armour. It was well maintained but showed it had been used by years of activity. They all looked past the bow of the ship. They were now just at the river bend. The wind was with them and they quickly turned it. "There it is." Nilus and his good eyes spotted it first. "Definitely a Cythian Empire-era watch tower." Assessor Woodland noted. "Nilus, what''s its condition?" Gran and his team were now alert. Things may be about to become interesting. "Looks intact. No major structural collapse." That was a major red flag to them. Sure, the building might have been occupied over the years and been maintained. But all the reports were clear: the valley had been abandoned as far as anyone was concerned since before the fall of the Old Empire. "Standard approach. Check the building exterior, then we go in." They all nod and get their equipment together. The Assessor was competent as she did not interfere with Gran running his team. To this, Gran was grateful. The ship moored and they disembarked. They had to wade the last few meters to shore. There was a lot of grumbling about water-logged boots. The floodplain was not that big and it was crossed quickly. The group was standing inspecting the building. Assessor Woodland had pulled out a voice crystal and began speaking into it. "Investigation target reached. As reported, it is a Cythian Empire-era watch tower. The initial external search is about to commence." Gran nodded to his team and three broke off and went around the building. Leaving Mags, their team Priestess, with him and the Assessor. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "The building is overgrown with vegetation apart from the windows and main door. The overall structure appears sound, with no identifying signs of elemental decay." The Assessor continued her examination. The others circled the building, returning quickly. Nilus shook his head negatively. "No signs of occupation at all?" "Nothing, Gran, apart from a few ancient grave markers." "Very well. We enter." Gran faced the door. Tobar moved to block anything that might leap out, the others spread out, weapons ready. They had all become more tense as the strangeness of the situation continued to grow on them. Gran had not drawn his sword, but his shield was strapped to his arm. He gripped the door handle and looked to Tobar. The big man nodded to say he was ready. Gran swung the door open. The group tensed, ready for action, but nothing happened. Gran drew his sword and looked inside. It was dark. "Kimor, you''re up." The group''s rogue moved forward and began inspecting the door frame. She pulled out and lit an oil lantern. They would not risk the mage lanterns yet. "The frame''s clear. So is the entranceway." Kimor relayed the finds and the Assessor recorded them from the back. "Advance!" Gran''s team went into the room, covering all possible angles. "Clear!" The rest of the team echoed his call. "Assessor Woodland, you can enter." She entered the room and looked about. She placed her pack on the table and pulled out a mage lantern. Once lit, they could see the room better¡ªstill no signs of any dangers. Gran walked over to her. She pulled another item from a pocket at her belt. "Now we find out." In her hand was an aura-sensing crystal. She focused a little mana into it, and it lit up. Within a few heartbeats, it turned purple. Gran noticed the voice crystal in her collar was still recording. "Dungeon aura confirmed. The size and threat level of Dungeon are still to be determined." Gran called to his team. Things now were severe. They were all excited as this was a new, undelved Dungeon. Who knows what they could find? Woodland pulled a sheet of parchment from her pack and placed it on the table with an inkwell and quill. Gran knew what was going to happen. "Tobar, guard that door. Kimor, search the room. We are mapping the Dungeon. You two call out anything odd." The group sprang into action at his orders. Gran moved to stand next to Woodland as she worked. She was drawing a basic outline of the room. The Guild held dungeon maps, which were worth a shocking amount of money. "Found something." Kimor pulled out a small chest box from a cupboard and placed it on the other end of the table. After inspecting it, she seemed happy and opened it. Looking at the contents, she told them what was there. "A bottle of wine and a bag of copper coins." "Step away and allow inspection." Kimor stepped away and Woodland moved around and took her place. Woodland was holding a wand handle with a slot in the top to swap out crystals. She pulled a green-tinted one from a pouch and slotted it into the wand. It started to glow softly. She spilled the coins over the table. Waving the wand over them, she seemed happy, so she picked one up and inspected it. "Cythian Empire copper coins. Four in total." Gran''s group looked at each other. This was a promising sign. Woodland moved to the bottle. Here, the crystal flares a sickly green. She picked up the bottle and inspected it. "Cythian wine bottle. It''s a good vintage and maker. Poisoned with a strong toxin. Type unknown." That was a concern. This was not how Gran''s team had encountered a dungeon entry before. Woodland was back at the parchment, making notes. Nilus walked over to Gran and whispered loud enough so both could hear him. "There''s something in the rafters." "Do you know what?" "Hard to say, Gran. But I think it''s a sharoon." "Dungeon minion?" "Most likely Assessor Woodland." "It has not attacked. An ambusher then?" "Good chance of that." It was hard, but Gran did not look up. Bringing attention that it was there might trigger it to attack. This was another odd thing about the Dungeon Woodland and he was noting. "Your choice Leader Gran." Another sign that Woodland was competent at her job was that she knew when to step aside and let him do his job. "Kill it." It was risky, but leaving it was a bigger one. Nilus was fast, notching an arrow and drawing the string in a few heartbeats. They all braced for violence. He aimed up tracking a target but did not loose the arrow. "What''s wrong?" Gran asked. "Lost the target." Nilus was frowning as he eased from his firing position. "Explain." Woodland asked. "It manipulated the shadows but disappeared on that rafter just above Tobar and the door." Woodland frowned, picked up her lantern and walked, aiming it up. "There''s some form of hatch or flap." Gran and Nilus joined her, looking up. They could see it now. "Now that is odd." Nilus said. An escape route for a dungeon minion? "I will note it. Then, if there is nothing else, we move on." Woodland''s even tone was hinting at a note of confusion. This Dungeon was getting stranger by the minute. Woodland pulled a board from her pack and attached the map she was creating to it. The inkwell is fitted to a holder in a corner. She picked it up once her pack was back on and nodded to Gran. "Right, same again. The next room will be the tower base. According to the old plans, there are three doors. Stairs going up and down. Light your mage lanterns." With Tobar leading the way, they moved to the next room. The other doors were closed. Each member of his team had their lanterns attached to their belts to allow them to have their hands free. This created issues, but they had trained to work around them. "Clear!" They all called again. "No traps." Kimor said after checking the room. Woodland entered the base and began making notes on the map. "Well, I expected a draft, but not this pronounced." Mags commented. The hem of her robe was moving in the breeze. "Well spotted Priestess Mags. It is not normal." The air was cold and they would be shivering if they were not insulated by the layers they were wearing and stepping along the path. "Tower and the wings first before we go down." The three rooms and tower were empty of anything that interested the group. More flaps were discovered and their use was speculated on. But room by room, the confusion within the group only grew. "Is it me, or is anyone finding this dungeon strange?" Mags finally blurted out. No one disagreed with her, but they continued until they had to think about going into the basement. "You have all gone over the plans. There should be four wings down there, matching the floor plan above. Keep aware we are descending." They all nodded. Gran and Tobar walked down the stairs together. Two men should fit, no problem, but Tobar was much larger. The spiral stairs were open on the side, which helped. Coming down, they saw that the wings they expected were not present. They reached the floor and stopped. "What''s wrong?" Nilus asked from behind them. "See for yourselves." Tobar and Gran moved aside. The other four joined them, looking at the stairs that continued down. "That''s not right." Mags said, looking around. "Shouldn''t this be after the floor guardian?" Nilus was confused as they were all now. Woodland was writing frantically on the map while speaking. "Dungeon has presented the survey team with, as far as I am aware, an unprecedented issue. It appears access to the next floor is not guarded by any form of minion or trap but is freely accessed." Gran and his team looked at her and each other. They were all thinking the same thing: What should we do? Gram thought and then looked at Woodland. "Assessor Woodland, we will sweep the floor and then descend." She looked up from her work and nodded, indicating that she understood. Again, Gran was glad she was competent and did not interfere with his leadership. "Kimor, take the lead. Trust nothing, people. This place is¡­ different" Kimor was dressed in her dark clothing and had her hood up. They would never see her in the darkness down here if she had not lit her lantern, even with their improved senses. She moved down the only route on the floor. The rest followed several steps behind. She reached the end and looked around. "One door and one open doorway." She told them. "I can see into the room beyond somewhat no signs of danger." "Can you open the door?" Gran asked. The rest waited, knowing that it was best not to interfere. She went to the door and began inspecting it with her hands, eyes, and skills. "The door is designed to open one way from the other side." "We go through the doorway then." Kimor was first through after checking the doorway for traps. His group were getting more agitated. Gran could tell. Nothing about this Dungeon was like the ones they had delved into before. Most of the time, the only sound was Woodland''s quill scratching the parchment. They entered the room wondering what this Dungeon had in store for them. Chapter 24 Empty. That was the first room. There were scattered boxes and broken barrels, but that was it so far. Everything gave the impression of an abandoned building. The group moved further in. Kimor is checking relentlessly for traps. "Copper vein in the wall." The rumble of Tobar''s voice was surprising. The big man was quiet and often did not speak, but when he did, they listened. He stood at the far wall, looking at the green streak running through the rock. "Show me." Woodland moved up and added more notes as she looked at Tobar''s discovery. "What do you think, Adventurer Tobar?" Her question revealed she knew something about their pasts. Tobar had grown up in a blacksmith shop before changing to his present Path. He knew base metals as all apprentices first learned to smelt. "I cannot tell the quality, but there is about fifteen to twenty-five pounds of ore here." Woodland nodded as he spoke, adding to her map. "A possible resource node. Interesting." That was not unknown. Some Dungeons used these nodes to attract miners or greedy Adventures. Copper was an excellent resource to have so easily accessible. It hinted at an exciting future for the community that would form here. "Let''s continue." Gran got them moving and they headed to another doorway. Kimor checked it and passed through. She stopped and tensed up. "I heard something." "What?" Gran trusted her senses. Out of all of them, she had developed her senses the most, even more, the Nilus. "Sounded like buzzing." This was the first example of possible Dungeon monster activity on this floor. She stepped forward but did not place her foot on the floor. Instead, she stepped back and knelt. The others waited. She held her chosen weapon, a long dagger, ready for trouble. Her other hand lightly brushed the stone paving that made up the floor. Then, she violently brought the pommel of her blade down. Crack. Her hand was partly through the floor covering. She began to knock more down, revealing the trap. "There''s a pitfall here. Well designed. Wooden spikes with flint heads." Kimor spoke in a flat tone as she always did. If she said a trap was well designed, they were in for a problematic delve. "Assessor Woodland, we will check the next room while you update your map." "Understood." After Kimor nodded that it was safe, Gran''s team continued to the next room. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she was attacked. The room suddenly buzzed and four giant wasps dropped from the ceiling and attacked. Tobar rushed in and covered Kimor. The wasps were small and fast but no match for Gran''s team. They fell in the end, even if a few strikes were dodged. When the last one died, there was a brief flash and something hit the ground. "Another Cythian copper." Mags was closest and picked up the reward. Some of the tension in the group drained away as this was more that they expected in a Dungeon. "Well, that was a nice warm-up." Nilus was known for his comments on situations and bad jokes. The group groaned as they waited for Woodland. She did not leave them waiting and was soon recording the room they were in. "Leader Gran, your thoughts?" Woodland knelt and inspected a wasp''s body as she asked her question. The voice crystal was still recording and her quill never stopped. "Four wasps. They are a local breed, not dungeon-created, called Grey Stripes. The reward for killing them was one Cythian copper coin. It is a typical low-level threat for a first Dungeon floor. Low-level Tin grade adventures will find them difficult, but any other will be able to handle them." She recorded the scene and noted his answer. "I agree. The presence of the wasps indicates a wind affinity Dungeon. But this is contradicted by the sharoon sighted by Adventurer Nilus." "Could have the sharoon just been a local animal living in the rafters here?" Mags asked. She was always seeking new knowledge, one of the main reasons she did not remain at her temple. Gran could not remember how many libraries they had to pull her out from. "Not likely. Dungeons rarely tolerate anything they have not spawned living within it. There are exceptions to this and we will need to inspect the core to know for sure." They continued through the next corridor, where Kimor found another pitfall trap. After fully exposing it, they entered the next room, where they were attacked again by five wasps this time. They were eliminated quickly and two copper coins were the reward. "The Tins are going to flock here for the copper coins alone." Nilus said as he looked on over. They were getting more "relaxed" as they could in a Dungeon. Gran had warned them to be careful about what was said around the Assessor as soon as they were assigned this job. He was no fool and knew that they would eventually start talking. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "A coin that good. Three of them a day would get you into a good inn and supply you with food." They all remembered the early years as a Tin and the struggle to find money. Mags just reminded them and nostalgia softened the hard times. "Do not forget the copper vein." Tobar rumbled. They all knew that, with this being a new Dungeon, people would flock here. The copper ore and coins were an extra lure to create a small local industry. Woodland said nothing, just continued working. "Let''s move on." Gran watched as Kimor was glancing through the next archway. Then she moved into it. "More pitfalls." There were two and they were located in places that would cause trouble. The second was close to the doorway out of the corridor. They were soon past these and in front of another archway. What they could see of the inside was different from the other rooms. "We have come in a big circle. I think this is the floor bosses'' room. Everyone get ready." So far, it had been easy for them. Now, things were going to get more complicated. "Watch the floor. The room has been engineered to be a hazard in of itself." Kimor said, still looking inside as close as she dared. The party were ready and advanced. They found the floor was indeed a danger. Large sections were exposed pitfalls full of flint-headed spikes. This narrowed the room they had to manoeuvre. Gran and Tobar were leading with their shields up. The floor boss soon introduced its self. The buzzing from its wings was much louder as the wasp fell from the ceiling. The wasp was double the size of the others and was just as aggressive. As it attacked, it darted to the left over the spikes to get around the front fighters. Nilus fired an arrow at it, but it dodged it. "It''s faster!" Nilus exclaimed to the others, which none were surprised at. It attacked him. Kimor jumped in with a side attack, which it dodged again but was forced to pull back over the spikes. Nilus fired again, which missed gain. "Rickle''s laughter! That thing is annoying." Nilus was getting angry. He prided himself on his skills with a bow and this wasp was showing him up. When this happened, he used his favourite curse. "Stay focused!" Gran knew he could not let Nilus''s temper get the better of him. The floor boss was attacking again. Tobar was moving to block its approach, but it was fast enough to move around him¡ªthe lack of floor space affected them more than they initially thought. "Spread out. We are too bunched together." They responded to Gran''s order and made more room to fight in. The fight continued as they struck at the wasp when it got too close, but no one had landed a hit yet. It continued until Kimor yelled in pain from a strike, but as the wasp pulled back, Tobar''s mace glowing with a skill he had activated made contact. The bug was splattered as the mace killed it. "Kimor, are you injured?" Mags was soon at her side. "Not really. My armour blocked most of it." She pulled off a glove, revealing a tiny puncture wound from the stinger. Mags pulled a bottle from a pouch and smeared a little on the wound. There was a flash and a small pile of coins appeared. "Reward!" Nilus scurried over after retrieving three of the five arrows he had fired. He quickly started counting the money. "Fifteen copper coins. A good haul." Gran was looking around the room as Woodland entered. "Thoughts Leader Gran." She asked. He knew she had her own, but the procedure was straightforward on a mapping expedition. His input was to be noted. When assigned this job, he was forced to look these things up in the guild library as no one alive remembered the procedures outside the Guild administration staff. "The boss was a marked increase in danger from the others. Definitely a Dungeon creation." Woodland was looking at the remains of the boss. She nodded to his statement, agreeing with everything he said. The boss was a nasty surprise as it was a marked increase in power over the others. "It will threaten the Tins, but again, the higher ranks will overcome it as soon as they finally hit it." Woodland was still noting on her parchment. The last thing in the room was the door on the other side. They all knew it was the one they found in the first corridor. "Let''s return to the stairwell." Woodland made the choice Gran was thinking about. The door was unlocked and it opened onto the first corridor. The group returned to the stairs. Woodland replaced the parchment with a fresh piece to record the next floor. "This is so strange." Nilus said what they were all thinking as he looked down the stairs. The ability to access floors without defeating the floor boss was disconcerting in the least. "It''s dangerous, too, as it is a trap itself." Woodland added. Nilus looked at her. "Why?" Nilus was not the sharpest blade outside of a gambling den. "Tin grade Adventures are not always the smartest of people. Many who are not ready will bypass the boss and head down looking for greater rewards." He understood. Gran had already figured this out, which, among other things, increased his unease about this Dungeon. The rest of the group was also more alert as they descended. The staircase took them down to the next floor, with Tobar and Gran in the lead. Reaching it was no issue, but continuing the stairwell was. Gran had to ask himself how big this Dungeon was and how it was not identified sooner. "We have another floor after this." He called back as he and Tobar walked from the stairs to stand near the corridor. It was a mirror of the one above. Kimor was checking around but had not found anything yet. Woodland was recording as the group spread out across the chamber. Like the floor above, the corridor had a door and an open doorway. "If things are like the floor above, the door will be the exit from the boss room. Let''s find out what we will be facing." Gran got everyone to enter the first room. Kimor glanced in to get an idea of what was in there. "The room is covered in water. Two monsters may be toads." There was some groaning, mainly from Nilus, but now they knew. Tobar and Gran lead the way into the new environment. The water was not that deep, but it slowed them down. Kimor was right. There were two toads in the room. One was sitting on a platform with another in the water. They stepped into the water and were forced to endure a cold shock. The toads attacked as soon as the first two Adventures entered the room. They moved a little closer and opened their mouths. Their tongues lashed but were blocked by the shields they held. "Tobar and I will take these two. Tobar, go for the one on the platform." They waded across the room through the water to attack the monsters. Their opponents were not giving them an easy time continuing their attacks. The tongues were barbed and could injure the men if they caught them where their armour was not covering them. The toads tried to leap away to keep their distance. The two Adventures stayed with them and struck back. It did not take more than a few strikes each to kill both toads. There was a flash and two copper coins appeared on the platform. The two bodies were slowly sinking into the water and the blood was discolouring the water. Gran looked around and was scowling. This was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. "Tobar, grab the coins." Gran waded back to the doorway he had entered. Nilus was there but stepped aside as he approached to leave. "Assessor Woodland, a word, please." She looked up from making the first notes about the room. "Yes?" "What is going on here?" She looked at him and understood what he was asking. "I do not know." Her honest answer was not what he expected. The rest of the group listened to what they said but stayed out of the conversation. "I know what you are thinking. The unusual floor layout and now the two different element-type monsters. Not to mention the highly advanced traps on the first floor." She named all the significant points that had him concerned. Gran knew that his team was thinking the same. "You might not be aware that the Dungeon was not discovered in the manner that all the others have in the past." He did not know how they identified Dungeon locations; now that he thought about it, he did not know how they knew so many things. Woodland continued talking. "This Dungeon goes against everything we know about them. Dungeons are wild and aggressive when they form. Their affinity guides their monster choices and limited traps. Here, things are different. There are signs of planning and a clear design in its layout, not to mention this weird draft flowing through this place." She paused, collecting her thoughts and then continued. Gran realised she was right. There was a draft moving the air around. "Three affinities so far. Intelligently created traps. A dungeon designed to lure the arrogant or greedy into making fatal decisions. This has never been seen before." She looked at all of them. "We need to understand how big this Dungeon is and what is happening here. To start this, we must continue to the core and if we are lucky, we can commune with the Dungeon Fairy." Gran stared at her for a few seconds, then back to his team. "Right, we are going to finish this." Chapter 25 The group was now focused on their goal. They crossed the first room and stopped in the next corridor as Kimor checked for traps. Woodland was working and Gran noticed that Kimor was sweating. ¡°Kimor, how are you holding up?¡± She had finished checking the corridor and was walking back to them. ¡°This place is taxing. The pitfall traps are well constructed and are hard to spot.¡± ¡°Right, we rest here briefly. Mags got any stamina tonics for Kimor?¡± Mags went to supply Kimor with a tonic. The rest relaxed as best they could. Woodland was the exception as she continued to work. Gran thought about his team. They were still concerned about the Dungeon, but the excitement of exploring a new and bizarre one was still with them. ¡°How are everyone¡¯s lanterns holding up.¡± At his question, they all checked and told him they were fine. There were no light sources down here and having the lanterns run out of magic was a nightmare no one wanted to picture. He gave them five more minutes before continuing. They advanced through the rest of the floor. They encountered only toads, pitfalls and more water. Five rooms and four corridors with Woodland recording everything. The toads were slower but tougher to kill than the wasps. Their tongues could cause injury if they caught an exposed body part, but Gran knew his team were tough enough to push through. There was one thing that was funny after the fact but was concerning at the time. Nilus had gotten cocky in one fight and had gotten too close to a toad. Its tongue was injured and he thought he was safe. They were all surprised when it leapt, colliding with him and knocking him over into the water. Tobar got to him and killed the toad, trying to drown him. Gran had yelled at him afterwards as he stood there soaking. They made a respectable haul of copper coins along the way. Eventually, they reached the room they knew would be the boss''s room. At that moment, they stood in the room before it was in the water, ready to cross the threshold. Wading and fighting through the water was unpleasant and everyone was not in a good mood. ¡°Kimor, see anything.¡± Gran was having her peak into the last room. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s another toad but a lot bigger. It is sitting on a large platform.¡± ¡°Right, the rooms are the same as the last ones. Tobar and I lead, Nilus supports. Kimor and Mags, be ready if we need you.¡± Woodland knew she would be called when the fight was over. His team got ready. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He and Tobar advanced into the room over the step. When they came through, the boss was facing them. They did not expect what it did. ¡°RRIIPPPUUUTT!¡± The sound hit them. All felt something(?) wash over them. ¡°Status attack!¡± Mags called out from behind Gran. He did not feel any adverse effects and pressed on. The toad was illuminated now and Kimor was right. It was massive. Its mouth opened and Gran got his shield up as its tongue impacted with it. He grunted from the impact. He felt that! ¡°Tobar press. Nilus shot it as soon as you have an opening.¡± He continued his advance. Tobar received the tongue next and he to blocked it with his shield. An arrow flashed past Gran and it impacted with the toad under its mouth. ¡°RRIIPPPUUUTT!¡± Tobar and Gran were about to strike when the toad used its status attack again. The sound washed over them and again, he felt no adverse effects. Tobar went to swing his mace when the toad leapt at him. It collided with him and its mass was enough to knock him over. Nilus put another arrow into it as Gran drove his sword deep, causing a nasty wound. Tobar pushed up and forced it off him. The tongue lashed more, but Gran and his team quickly overwhelmed it. As it died, there was a flash. A pile of coins appeared on the platform. ¡°Well. That was harder than I expected.¡± Gran said as Nilus went over to check the loot and began counting. ¡°Status attack. Lucky we could resist it.¡± Tobar said, looking at the body of the boss in the water. They were all wet and covered in toad blood from crossing this floor. ¡°It was a low-level fear effect, I think.¡± As a priest, Mags was the best person in the group to identify it, as she would be expected to remove it. Woodland was writing furiously, recording everything. ¡°Twenty copper coins. A good haul¡­ what are those?¡± Nilus was on the grass-covered platform, looking at the wall behind where the toad was sitting. Now that they could see the room, they saw the flowers growing on an outcrop. Mags went over with Kimor. ¡°It''s safe.¡± Kimor told her after checking for traps or hidden threats. Mags looked closely at the flowers. ¡°They are Nyralia¡¯s Gift flowers.¡± Woodland perked up at that information. Gran knew that alchemists would be coming for these flowers and any monster parts that could be used. Mags looked at them longer and then moved away. Kimor had opened the door and was in the first corridor. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Are we leaving the flowers?¡± Nilus asked as the group left the room. ¡°Yes. They aren¡¯t worth anything unless you can get them to an alchemist on the first day of picking.¡± Mags told him. He looked at the flowers, then shrugged and joined the others. They walked to the stairs and checked themselves over before continuing their descent. ¡°Leader Gran. What are your thoughts on the floor?¡± Woodland had swapped out the recording crystal for another and was still gathering information for her report. He thought about the question briefly before asking. ¡°The toads are tougher and stronger as a monster but are far easier to attack. The water environment is challenging but not impossible. The rewards are good and the existence of Nyralia¡¯s Gift flowers an extra incentive. Tin grade Adventures, even near Iron, will be tested by the floor boss.¡± She nodded as he spoke, still writing. Gran looked down the stairs. ¡°Are we ready?¡± He asked the group and they all told him they were ready. Woodland confirmed she was prepared too. ¡°Same again, Tobar.¡± They got on the stairs and continued down into the Dungeon. The stairs took them down and they found three differences from the floors above. First, there was no further route down the stairwell. Second, the area had blocks of stone scattered around like a work site preparing to descend further. Finally, the corridor was in the opposite direction from above. ¡°Right, looks like things are being mixed up on this floor.¡± Kimor went ahead but came back a short time later. ¡°It''s the same as above. There are no traps, but a door on one side and an open doorway on the other.¡± ¡°Tobar, then me, with the rest following depending on dangers found.¡± Gran gave his instructions and the group formed up. Tobar reached the doorway and stepped through with Gran close behind. The loud, angry squeal was not what they were expecting. As soon as Tobar entered the room, a black blur crashed into him. It was fast, but Tobar was fast enough to turn and get his shield in the way. The collision, however, was brutal, and he was thrown back against the wall. Gran could not tell if he was injured because a large black boar was partially blocking the doorway. ¡°Mags, check Tobar. Nilus, support me!¡± The shock of the attack did not last long and they were all soon in action. Gran attacked the boar from the side to distract it or push it back from its continuing attack on Tobar. The boar was trying to get past his tower shield. Goring it with its tusks, Tobar was pinned and in trouble. Gran put his weight behind his sword as he attacked, thrusting forward. Boars like this had tough hides and this was no different. The blade penetrated, wounding the boar and it let out another squeal, but this time in pain. It turned to him, ripping the blade from its side. Due to its hide colour, Gran could not see the blood flowing but knew it was. Gran was just inside the room and moved to his left, giving space for the others to act. The boar ran at him now. Gran was ready as the boar covered the short distance. Thankfully, it impacted his shield and did not build up much momentum. The impact was intense and Gran was thrown back against the wall and pinned by the attacking boar. Pain flooded his body but Gran pushed past it and his ringing head. His attention focused on preventing the boar from mauling him. Furious attacks were coming from the animal, and his body was straining. His shield was cracking and his arm was being pressed into his armour enough to make him scream in pain. An arrow impacted the boar''s side and it squealed in pain again. It turned to see where its new attacker was, which gave Gran a brief but necessary respite from its attention. As the boar turned, Tobar appeared in Gran''s eyeline. His mace was glowing again as he used one of his skills. The mace fell on the boar''s head with a sickly crack. The boar did not squeal this time but staggered a few steps, stunned by the blow. Nilus put another arrow into it and Tobar followed up with two more blows to its skull. The boar was tough, but it could not endure this punishment. With a grunt, it sagged and collapsed onto its side as it died. ¡°Gran, where are you injured?¡± Mags was suddenly there and inspecting him to see how injured he was. Gran took a few seconds to collect himself and looked down. Pain, yes, there was a lot of pain, but it suddenly lessened as Mags placed a glowing hand on his head. The healing magic flowed through him, allowing him to finally focus properly. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Gran thought about the question. ¡°I think I am capable of continuing.¡± Mags nodded and moved to Tobar. She cast another healing spell on him as Gran stood up. Nilus was pulling an arrow from the boar''s hide as the other had been snapped when it fell over. ¡°What¡¯s everyone¡¯s condition?¡± The boar was a nasty surprise and he needed to know how his group was. Checking himself and his equipment, he noted the damage to his shield. The healing spell from Mags had restored him, but not to what he was. He still carried a few aches and pains from the fight. ¡°I am uninjured.¡± ¡°So am I.¡± Mags and Kimor spoke first, as he knew that they had not taken part in the fight. ¡°I lost another arrow. But we got rewarded another five coppers and a boar hide.¡± Gran was not surprised that Nilus had already checked what loot they received before recovering his arrows. The hide would be used to create high-quality leather armour. ¡°My injuries have been healed. My shield is damaged and so is my leg armour.¡± Gran looked Tobar over and agreed with his assessment. There was damage but nothing a good armourer could not fix. Gran looked at the boar carcass. ¡°We push on. Leave the remains. Don¡¯t even start Nilus.¡± He had opened his mouth to complain, but Gran knew this was an Adventure Guild-sanctioned mission, so they did not have time to strip the body of valuable materials. The others understood and did not say anything. ¡°Assessor Woodland, we are pressing on in a few minutes. Are you ready?¡± ¡°One moment, Leader Gran. This room is larger than the others we have explored so far.¡± She was working on her map and Gran was happy for a more extended break. ¡°Kimor, look through the doorway and tell me what you see.¡± She nods and moves across the room. Gran looks around, grass on the floor and a boar. The grass was not unusual, but the boar was linked to earth affinity. That made four now that they had observed. Cores always started with one, according to all the experts and developed ¡°compatible¡± additional ones as they grew and aged. They were weak initially, relying on instinct and aggression on the early floors, but not here. This Dungeon was not very old, he believed, as this was possibly the last floor in its present form. The monsters here showed four very different affinity types, making his head spin with worry. What else was here? He turned to see Kimor hurrying back across the room. ¡°Two boars in the next room, maybe a third. It''s hard to tell the room is a lot longer.¡± ¡°Thank you. Gather around people.¡± His team formed a half circle facing him. Woodland was still working but was close enough to listen. ¡°Kimor has seen two, maybe three boars in the next room.¡± The group looked worried and he did not blame them. ¡°That boar is a massive increase in danger level for this Dungeon. What is this floor? Iron grade?¡± Mags frowned as she thought out loud. Gran was inclined to agree with her. That boar was tough and strong. ¡°That is a fair assessment, Adventurer Mags.¡± They all turned to look at Woodland. ¡°That boar¡¯s size and power indicate it was a male in its prime. If all the boars are the same on this floor, then it will be Iron grade as Tin grade adventures will be unable to handle them without Rickle, the God of Luck''s intervention.¡± That was a sombre and accurate description of what was here. The easy access to this floor made the cunning of this Dungeon even more apparent to the group. ¡°We push on. Expect three boars. Tobar will draw them in. Nilus, Kimor and I will hit them from the sides. Mags concentrate on Tobar. No holding back. Hit them hard and fast with your best skills and abilities.¡± His team nodded in understanding and prepared for what was next. He was proud of them and what they had accomplished over the years and hoped for more to come. Chapter 26 There were three. Tobar taunted two with one of his skills to fight him as Gran blocked the third. Gran had triggered his [Hold This Ground] skill, which allowed him to endure the boar''s charge and follow-on attacks. As a Bladesman, it was one of his few pure defensive skills for holding a fixed location. Gran was trying to be aware of everything around him. He knew the others were doing their best to support both men. The boar had other ideas. The assault was degrading his shield and his body was also suffering. His arm was aching, blocking the attacks. The boar was brutal and relentless. Thrusting his sword, he caught the boar along its head. The bone and hide deflected the blade, only causing a shallow wound. The boar squealed in rage and pushed forward. Gran dropped his shield to block. Crack! The impact shook his whole body. More pain flared from his arm and now shoulder. This fight was wearing him down. Kimor suddenly appeared in his eye line. The boar was so focused on Gran that it only knew it was in danger when her blades plunged into its flank. The hide slowed them, but they bit deep. The boar lept back, squealing in pain. Kimor was fast and stayed with it as it turned, trying to face her. This gave Gran an opening. Driving his blade forward, backed with his weight, it penetrated the boar''s ribs, punching through into its chest. Blood poured from the wound as he pulled the blade out. The boar staggered a step and then collapsed. Gran could not rest looking to Tobar. He breathed in relief as Tobar was finishing the last boar off. The mace was smashing the boar''s skull. The second was already down, with several arrows protruding from its side. There was an audible crack as Tobar''s mace made contact and the boar collapsed. They all looked around for any other monsters. There were three sudden flashes and they all tensed for more violence. ¡°Rewards.¡± Nilus was the first to speak and move. The others allowed the stress to flow from themselves. ¡°Everyone, check yourselves over.¡± Gran instructed his team as he walked over to the doorway they came through. Assessor Woodland was taking the never-ending notes. ¡°That was harder than I expected.¡± She looks up at his comment. ¡°There has been a marked increase in danger on this floor. These boars and their rewards will attract many to this floor. This is odd again as each floor increases in danger level while other Dungeons slowly increase over several floors.¡± She said and Gran agreed with her. ¡°Nilus, what do we have?¡± Nilus looked up from the pile he had gathered together. ¡°Fifteen copper coins, Two more hides and a large chunk of raw boar meat. Are we stripping the corpses?¡± ¡°No, we are moving on. Pack up what we have.¡± He was not happy. Still, a lot could be stripped from the corpses, but Gran was uneasy and wanted to ensure he understood this dungeon before returning to standard delving tactics. He walked back into the room, checking his team out. Mags was supplying Tobar with a tonic of some kind. Looking him over, Gran could see the damage to his shield. ¡°We need that fixed as soon as we return to civilisation.¡± Tobar nodded as Mags turned and handed Gran a tonic. He popped the cork and drank it down with no questions. He handed the bottle back. The current supply she had tasted pleasant. He soon felt the aches in his arm and shoulder fade a little. Nilus was pulling arrows from the boar he had shot up and Kimor was rolling the hides up. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± They found a small pond/mud pit on the far side of the room. The tracks made it clear that the boars used it often. They found nothing odd and moved on. Kimor was scouting ahead and they went further into the floor. The next room contained one boar that fell quickly. The only danger came when Nilus was forced back into the much deeper mud pit that sucked him down. It took both Tobar and Gran to pull him out. It would sound funny in the retelling, but that pit was a significant danger. They moved on, becoming much warier of the mud pits from there on in. Five rooms, five boars. They fell faster as his team got into the rhythm of fighting them. They gained two hides, two more slabs of meat, some tusks, and thirty copper coins. All in all, it was a good haul. True, most of it would go to replace the supplies used and repairs, but they would not be losing money¡­.yet. The floor boss was next. ¡°Keep alert. The Dungeon''s boss is an enhanced version of the floor monster. Expect a huge boar. Kimor, what have you seen?¡± ¡°It''s hard to see the whole room due to its size. The mud pit is in front of the doorway and will hamper our entry.¡± ¡°Tobar leads. I am right behind, and Nilus is supporting him going left. Kimor heads around to the right. Mags, be ready. We might need you in this fight.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! They all nodded at his instructions. It was a simple and solid plan they had done before and they knew their roles and how they would interact. They took position at the doorway, ready to move on his command. ¡°Go!¡± Tobar moved, followed by him. He knew Nilus was behind him. They stepped in and to the left, heading around the mud pit. They were all scanning the illuminated area, looking for the floor boss. A patch of deep shadow was in the corner as he looked to¡­ ¡°Tobar! Left cor¡­¡± The boar charged from the corner where the light was not fully reaching. Tobar was ready and slammed his shield down to anchor himself with one of his skills. The boar crossed the distance so fast that an arrow from Nilus missed it. Cursing, Nilus was reaching for a new one when the boar made contact with Tobar¡¯s shield. Tobar was an experienced Copper grade Adventure with the Bulkward class. His role was to stop such attacks. Today was one of the few times Gran had seen him fail. The impact was loud. Tobar was knocked flat and would have been trampled if he was not on his back with his shield on top of him. Even so, he would be injured if he was not helped. Gran ran in, stabbing at the boar. It had a tough hide and the blade did not cut deep. The boar turned, slamming into Gran with its head and tusks. Gran''s shield blocked it and he bit down as pain from the impact flared along his arm. ¡°Fucking spawn of a diseased whore!¡± Nilus cursed it as an arrow impact with it. The boar seemed to ignore it as it continued to trample Tobar and attack Gran. Kimor was coming. They needed to get it off Tobar! Gran activated one of his best skills, [Multi thrust- 3 strikes]. He blurred as he landed the strike barely a second apart. The boar was bleeding and focused on him now. ¡°Shit.¡± The boar paid him back, colliding with him, knocking him back and he fell into the mud pit. Pain flared in his arm and shoulder shortly after landing a savage, hot pain flare from his leg, causing him to yell out. He could not look down as the boar was still attacking him. His shield was the only thing between him and its tusks. He was still getting trampled and his injuries were mounting. He could only focus on keeping his shield in place. The back hits his head and face as the boar stomps on him. A squeal of pain comes from the boar. The pressure of its attacks suddenly falls away. Looking over the shield edge, several arrows are protruding from the boar''s flanks. Tobar was then there, hitting the boar on the head with his glowing mace. The impact was loud and the boar staggered a few steps. The fight was not over. The boar shook its head and squealed angrily as it charged again. Tobar was the target but was ready this time. His shield glowed as he activated a defensive skill. The impact was the loudest yet, but Tobar held his ground this time. The boar was staggering again and Nilus was firing arrows as fast as he could. Kimor appeared in Gran''s eyeline, hauling him up to his feet. He had difficulty putting weight on his injured leg and had to lean on Kimor. With a thump, the boar collapsed dead on the ground. There was a brief moment of peace as the adventures watched it to ensure it was not faking. A flash of light signalled the boar was dead as the reward appeared. ¡°Xandus¡¯s tits. What the hell was that!¡± Nilus moved to the corpse, viewing which arrows he could recover. Mags was inspecting his leg. ¡°You have a nasty gash injury, Gran. Hold still while I heal it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Gran looked down and finally saw the injury. His leg armour on his thigh had been ripped open. He now was bleeding from a several-inch cut. Mags placed her hand on it and started muttering a prayer. Her hand glowed and a pleasant warm feeling spread through his leg then, an itching sensation. She withdrew her hand and the wound was closed like it had been healing for a few weeks. ¡°Another scar to add to your collection.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mags.¡± He still had other aches and pains, but the most severe wound was treated for now. She stood and handed him another tonic bottle before checking on Tobar. He popped the cork and swallowed the contents. Kimor moved to check on what they got for the kill. Mags seemed happy to give Tobar a tonic. Nilus was pulling the arrows he could salvage from the boar''s body. ¡°That was an intense fight, Leader Gran.¡± ¡°That it was Assessor Woodland.¡± She had walked into the room and recorded as she spoke to him. ¡°High Iron grade floor boss?¡± ¡°Definitely. This whole floor is a marked increase in danger. But the rewards should match the risk. Kimor, what have we got?¡± She looked up from counting. ¡°Forty copper coins and two hides.¡± ¡°Not bad. Each hide is worth a silver as is. The corpse can be stripped for further profit. This Dungeon will be attracting low-grade adventures like no other on this continent.¡± Gran mused. He looked at Woodland and realised she was not working but looking around. She was perplexed by something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Look at my floor diagram. Can you see my problem?¡± She turned the board and he looked at the expertly drawn map with notations. It took a few seconds, but he saw what was the problem she was hinting at. He looked shocked at Woodland. ¡°Where¡¯s the Core room?¡± ¡°Let''s return to the stairs. I need to run a test.¡± ¡°Gather up everything we are moving.¡± The others looked at him and began to roll the hides and gather the coins. ¡°Look, more flowers.¡± Mags'' head perked up and she quickly went to where Nilus was pointing. She picked one and used her lantern light to look it over. ¡°Spring Daisy. A plant used to create stamina potions or tonics.¡± ¡°Good to know. Tobar, you ok carry the extra hides?¡± ¡°I have no issues.¡± Tobar told Gran as Kimor tied them to his backpack. Nilus was putting the last recovered arrows in his quiver after checking them. They were ready to go. ¡°Kimor the door.¡± She went over and signalled the door was safe. They opened it and were unsurprised that they were back in the first corridor. By the time they were back at the stairs, Kimor and Mags were looking around, concerned. Tobar was aware of the issue, Gran thought. Nilus picked up on the other''s mood change and asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°We should have found the Core room if this is the final floor.¡± Mags was the one who answered and they all looked to Gran. ¡°Assessor Woodland wants to run a test, so we wait here.¡± She had put down the board and pulled her wand out. She was changing the crystal to one with a faint purple hew. Holding the wand before her, she channelled her mana into it and the crystal lit up, spreading its glow. ¡°Extinguish your lanterns.¡± They did as they were bid and were now only bathed in the purple light. Around them, the air was now revealing a faint mist. Woodland was watching the mist, focused on it, ignoring everything else. She turned slowly, looking for something. The frown on her face only grows more profound as she continues to turn. ¡°What¡¯s going on.¡± Nilus whispers to Mags. She sighs and whispers back. ¡°Assessor Woodland is using a spell to reveal the essence in the air to use it to trace the flow to the Cores location.¡± Even whispering, the whole group could hear the conversation. The mission''s last requirement was a visual inspection of the Core and Gran was interested to see it. The Dungeon was so strange. From the look on Woodland''s face, this Dungeon still had a few tricks left. ¡°Well, that¡¯s odd. The Core is hiding itself.¡± Gran was now surprised he had never heard of anything like this. ¡°What now?¡± Gran asked and the rest awaited Woodland''s answer. ¡°We leave. I need to report to the Guild.¡± They welcomed this. This Dungeon was small, but this last floor had pushed them. Nilus and Gran were covered in mud. Tobar and he still had minor injuries; overall, they could continue if there was another floor. But for now, they were finished and leaving. ¡°Check your lantern''s mana levels. Let''s go.¡± The journey back up to the surface was uneventful. The front doors were open and they soon left, happy to be out of the Dungeon. Gran closed the doors as they left. Chapter 27 ¡°Well, now I know how Adventurers will handle my Dungeon.¡± My sight is focused on the main entrance room. The Adventure group has just left and at least had the presence of mind to close the doors. I ignored the notifications for the moment, thinking about what had happened and there was quite a bit. My Dungeon is resetting with all the monsters respawning and traps rearming. The bodies were dissolving into motes of different colour lights before respawning. It takes only a few minutes before everything is as it was. It was time to review what had happened. Larry scampered back to his favourite spot in the rafters and Puck came out of the tunnels I had created to allow him to move around. It flew around the third floor, watching the boars as they appeared. It seemed very interested in all that was going on. ¡°Any thoughts, Larry?¡± I asked, knowing there would be no answer. He just looked at the door and was a bit apprehensive. He was getting more upset every time he was disturbed. He was becoming lazy these days. ¡°They were a Copper grade group. They spoke of Tin and Iron grade adventures flocking here. Is copper the next grade on the development ladder? I wonder what is the full ranking system with criteria for the grade?¡± Questions now were flooding my mind. It was easy for me to go back through my memories of the group''s time in my Dungeon and review everything they said and did. I started at the point they entered. ¡°It seems my trusty wine trap is no longer the threat it was.¡± That simple bottle of wine was one of the leading killers in my Dungeon. I had to admit to myself that it had a soft spot in my heart. It was sneaky and deadly; I was loathed to get rid of it, but I had to be practical. ¡°Leave the bottle, but get rid of the coins. Yes, that is what we will do.¡± That was the option I was happy with. I just did not want to get rid of the bottle. It was an easy means to kill the arrogant and foolish. ¡°Right now, about you, Larry.¡± He perked up, knowing I was focused on him. They had spotted him, but the flap up there allowed him to escape. The other flaps had allowed him to avoid the Adventures as they explored the surface structure. I should have moved him from here, but again, that was his spot and he hated moving. ¡°I will leave you for the moment. But that might change!¡± I got the sense of him being relieved and he hunkered down. I left him for the moment and continued the review. This took me to the first floor. ¡°They steamrollered through this floor. Only the guardian even came close to giving them any trouble. The pitfall traps gave them pause.¡± The wasps were taken apart with almost laughable ease. Their ¡°rogue¡±, Kimor, had taken her time spotting them, and the Dungeon''s exploration seemed to tax her more as it went on. ¡°Was she using a skill of some kind?¡± So many questions! Carrying on. ¡°The floor guardian''s speed worked for it and I got a good quality arrow out of it.¡± That was the highlight of the group crossing the floor. It had dodged several attacks but was finished by the group¡¯s ¡°tank¡± Tobor. His mace was glowing when he hit it and the blow emptied the health bar of the guardian. That was the first overt use of either magic or a skill I had seen the group use. I did not count the lanterns. The stairwell had not been as confusing as I had hoped and they quickly realised the trap that it was in itself. The one called Woodland and the group leader, Gran, quickly grasped the danger others would face due to arrogance or pride. ¡°Would they warn others or let them descend without telling them?¡± Another question I could not answer yet. The second floor was more challenging due to the water than the toads. They pushed past them with no issue. Even the floor guardian was taken down with little in the way of concern. ¡°The flowers were a good addition.¡± They seemed happy they were there and I think the flowers will be picked when they establish whatever community out there to support Adventuring groups. ¡°Yes. It is only a matter of time before more people arrive. My existence demands some form of support structure to be established.¡± It could be a small community to start, which I suspect will appear. Later, who knows? ¡°Ah, but things got kinky when they hit the third floor!¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Did I actually say ¡°kinky¡±? Now I know I am losing it! Back to the review! Concentrate!¡± The boars provided them with some challenges. The first and second rooms pushed them initially¡ªthe first boar by surprise and the second by numbers. The later rooms were more manageable as they adapted to the boars. ¡°The floor guardian did push them hard.¡± The boar had hammered into them, knocking Tobar and Gran down. His greater strength and endurance of the guardian had helped it endure the Adventurer''s attacks, but it had been overwhelmed in the end. During the fight, I realised something important. ¡°I am conflating Shadow abilities with Darkness ones. To maximise Shadow abilities, I need to supply shadows, not darkness!¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Should I re-plan the floor or the guardian room? I am wasting one of the guardian''s most potent abilities as the space is now. I spent some time in thought but decided to leave things as they were. The next floor; however, I will need to consider this. That left two things that had been brought to my attention during the Adventure¡¯s exploration. First, my Limitless Monsters/Traps perk is something they have never encountered before. The mixture of monster types had confused them, but they worked through it. It seems that a dungeon typically has monsters based on its affinity. They can develop others later but are always linked to the primary one. ¡°As I have no affinity, how will the ¡°Guild¡± react?¡± The other thing is that my plan to hide my Core worked. Moving the Dungeons essence around using air currents obfuscated my location and made my Dungeon a bit drafty. ¡°It seems they expected to find my Core. Is this going to cause more problems in the future? They also mention maybe trying to contact the Dungeon Fairy. There is so much to unpack from that by itself.¡± There are so many questions with no answers. There was nothing else to do but wait and try to find the answers. Oh, and read my notifications. ¡°Let''s see. Adventurers arrive. Adventures triggering traps. Fighting. Adventures leave¡­. Essence gain?¡± I called up my character sheet and found a 10% bump in my essence total to the next level. ¡°Right, the wiki said; making Adventurers use their skills and magic will slowly increase my essence total. Another avenue to level up I can use.¡± ## ## ## ## ## Assessor Woodland was happy to be free of the Dungeon. As a member of the Guild, she needed to know what it was like in them, but she never liked to be in them. The day had progressed and the area was in the shadow of a mountain, but still, it was better than the darkness they had been in. She had come to one conclusion early on that had been only confirmed. She had never seen any record of a Dungeon like this one. A headache was building behind her eyes at the mere thought of the report she would have to submit and the ramifications, let alone what would happen when word got out. She saw Ranus Goldwind was waiting for them, sitting on the ground with an older man by a fire. She walked towards them, followed by Gran and his team. The two men stood and faced them, looking at their condition. They were all tired and battered, with Gran and Nilus covered in mud. ¡°Assessor Woodland.¡± ¡°Trader Goldwind.¡± ¡°Your appearance, I think, answers my question, but your opinion, is it a Dungeon?¡± ¡°Yes, Trader Goldwind, it is a Dungeon, the first new one recorded on the continent of Kyber since the Folly.¡± The young man closed his eyes at her answer and a smile of joy came to his mouth. Opening them after a deep breath, he spoke something she should have expected but was still surprised at. He had done his research. ¡°I, Ranus Goldwind of the family Goldwind of the Nascan City States by Right of Discovery, claim my due as decreed by the Gods and the Guilds.¡± Well that was going to put the cat amongst the pigeons she knew. ¡°I, Elian Woodland of the Adventures Guild, hear and recognise your claim of the rights of Discovery of a new Dungeon. As the Gods have decreed, it will be added to my report to the Guilds.¡± Ranus nods at her words. She wonders if he truly understood what he had done. The others, from their reactions, did not. ¡°So, Lord Ranus, what will you call this valley and the community that will be established here?¡± Surprised looks were on all but Ranus and her faces; they finally understood what had happened. Ranus Goldwind was now the owner of this valley by divine law and would receive all the rights and privileges that come with it. ¡°The valley and the community will be called Shadow Vale.¡± She nodded another thing for the report. ¡°I have started construction on the other rise.¡± He turned, swinging his arm in a flourish. Across the floodplain, she could see his crew members felling trees and clearing a space in the forest. ¡°I have moved your chests to there. We will have tents up before nightfall. A watch has been arranged.¡± ¡°Thank you. I need to clean up and write my report.¡± The fire was put out and they crossed the floodplain to the new camp being formed. Woodland oversaw the setting up of her tent. Inside, there was a sleeping bag and her travel chest. She sat cross-legged on the bag and pulled out the floor diagrams and notes she had created. ¡°What are you?¡± She whispered to herself. The diagrams showed an unusual layout for a Dungeon¡ªthe free access to the floors and the different affinity types of monsters on each floor. She tutted as she pulled a scroll case from the chest after unlocking it with her mana. Opening the scroll case, she pulled the magic-infused vellum and prepared herself to write her report. With her quill, she started to write. The report covered the arrival to the surface building. She went through everything the group assigned to her did and encountered. She detailed the Dungeon''s oddities and downright strange things that should not be present but are. The report went on and every paragraph she wrote vanished into the page. She was detailing the group''s inability to find the Core room, even with her help. She stopped there and wondered how the Guild''s leaders would interpret even the smallest amount of what she had written. Thinking about this, she snickered and wondered if they would recall her to check her mental state. Ending with Ranus Goldwind¡¯s claim of the Right of Discovery. Leaning back as this ended the report. She wondered if the young Goldwind understood what he had done and what was going to come for him. Lifting a mana crystal, she took one last deep breath and touched it to the vellum. The crystal glowed and the report was sent. So, the die was cast. She thought about food and dug around in her pack. She still had plenty of travel rations. Getting some out and was munching on some nuts when her crystal glowed with a faint chiming. ¡°That was fast.¡± Touching the stone to the vellum, words quickly formed on the page. She knew who she was talking to. It was him, after all, that sent her here in the first place. Elian, is this report accurate? Here we go. She lifted her quill and started writing. Hello, Guild Master Albrot. Yes, everything is accurate in my report. Do you know what this means? Yes, Guild Master, I know. There were a few moments of no activity before a large block of text appeared. I am sending an entire support team to help you build the Adventure Guild building and assigning you as acting Guild leader until I understand what is happening. The other Guilds will be coming as soon as they get your report. It will not be long before the information gets out and every low-grade Adventurer and hanger-on will be coming. Be ready. The crystal went out and the message slowly disappeared. She blinked at what she just read. ¡°Xandus tits!¡± That was not what she expected or wanted. It seemed she would be spending more time in the new community of Shadow Vale¡ªall ten tents of it. ¡°Who am I fooling.¡± She knew that this would become a small town in a matter of a few months. People will flock here, and there will be chaos and violence at best, even with the presence of the guilds. Ranus Goldwind has painted a great target on his back as the local and continental powers get involved. She stood and opened the flap of her tent, looking over the small encampment. She had to admit he had chosen the location well. The rise would protect them from floods and give them a measure of defensive protection. Ranus was standing talking to the old ship hand that seemed to follow him around about the location for a pier on the other side of the rise from the building and floodplain. Yes, he was doing a lot better than she thought. He had gambled and planned ahead to bring supplies and equipment. Gran and his team were going to have to wait with her until the Guild support arrived. ¡°Yes, things will start moving quickly now.¡± She went back into the tent, closed the flap and pulled a statue from her chest. She set up a little altar in the confined space and began praying. ¡°Oh, Astraus, Goddess of Dungeons, Challenges and Struggle. Hear my prayer as we have discovered this new Dungeon. Allow me the wisdom and insight to understand its secrets and¡­.¡± Chapter 28 Astraus¡¯s domain was one of the most unusual of the God''s domains. Her Mantels were Challenges, Struggle and Dungeons. The Goddess was known for not responding to prayers as she believed people should rise and fall on their own agency, but that did not mean she ignored them. She supplied the opportunity and it was up to you to figure out what to do with it. The domain surprised those who visited it, expecting a place of anarchy or strife. What they found was a highly ordered and structured bureaucracy running the Dungeons around the world. Dungeon fairies fly around the sizeable mansion-style building that houses the Divine Dungeon Registry. The fairies handled all aspects of prayers and things relating to Dungeons, such as fairy assignments and Dungeon health. Everything was running smoothly and in its proper place, just as the Goddess liked it. Shezar was the fairy covering the east side of the continent of Kyber. She only had one Dungeon within her area of concern. All the desks in the room face a giant map of the world. On this map, all the Dungeons were marked by glowing runes. Destroyed were indicated with black runes. There was a healthy number around the world apart from Kyber. This is a typical day until a prayer pops onto Shezar¡¯s desk. ¡°Another plea about the Rock Maze Dungeon, no doubt.¡± She reaches over and reads the vellum note that had appeared. She pays little mind to it as she reads it with little attention, thinking about other things. She puts the note down and reaches for the following prayer that has appeared. Then she stopped. She blinked rapidly and then grabbed the prayer she just read. She re-read the prayer again. Then again. She got up from her desk. Walking down the gaps between the tables with the vellum prayer note the focus of her attention. She ignored everything going on around her. Her odd actions were quickly drawing more attention from the fairies on other desks and flying around. She reached the map and flew up to the section she oversaw. She looked at the map for the mountain range. Finding it, she checked for a glowing rune. Knowing there would not be one, she was not surprised that one was absent. She re-read the note for the tenth time. ¡°This cannot be right.¡± She had not realised that her actions drew more attention from the floor. Most had stopped and were watching her. An old male fairy had left a higher level and was approaching her. She was still oblivious as she was muttering to herself. ¡°No, not possible. Not possible at all if¡­.¡± ¡°Shezar, what are you doing?¡± The voice startled her, and she turned to face her floor manager. Denall was nearly a thousand years old and once had been a fairy assigned to one of the most powerful Dungeons ever to exist. But that Dungeon was destroyed in Adrill¡¯s rampage and he was reassigned here afterward. He still had not fully recovered, many believed. ¡°Manager Denall! I was just trying to confirm a prayer that was just received.¡± He raised an eyebrow and reached out his hand. With hesitance, she placed the vellum note into it. He looked slightly exasperated and read it. There were a few seconds of silence. After that, the shouting started and chaos ensued. To say things escalated quickly was one of the greatest understatements that Shezar could have ever said. Astraus loved order in her Domain when it came to Dungeons. Shezar was in the training academy when Adrill¡¯s rampage of Dungeon destruction rocked the Divine realms. She never thought anything could match those horrible days for sheer chaos, but this came close. The Divine Dungeon Registry was in an uproar for apparently one simple prayer and what it revealed. There was a Dungeon that was not known to the Goddess of Dungeons. This found both Denall and Shezar before said Goddess as she reclined on a couch reading the prayer that had caused the day to spiral so far from ordinary. The room was opulent but not to an extreme. She had just read it and her eyes flashed for a second. ¡°The intention behind the prayer is honest.¡± Astraus was calm as she spoke. She read it again. ¡°Oh, Astraus, Goddess of Dungeons, Challenges and Struggle. Hear my prayer as we have discovered this new Dungeon. Allow me the wisdom and insight to understand its secrets and its mysteries. Please allow me the privilege to commune with your holy emissary within and reveal the Core to me so I can finish the mandated inspection according to Divine Law.¡± Both fairies shifted uneasily as she read it aloud. ¡°The Shadow Fall Mountains. Kyber continent. A new community is being established called Shadow Vale.¡± She used her Divine power to gleam this information with another flash of power from her eyes. They had tried scrying the location but found that it was being blocked. No, not blocked. The spells were just sliding off the area, not connecting to anything. ¡°So, the questions before us are twofold. Why am I completely unaware of its formation and second why can I not see it even now?¡± Her tone was calm. The air around them charged like a thunderstorm was about to break. This was not good at all. Wrathful was not even close to describing her mood if someone upset her ordered realm and this was something more significant. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. A challenge to one of her Mantels of Divinity. ¡°You, Shezar.¡± Shezar almost fainted under the divine gaze. ¡°Y-Yes, mistress!¡± ¡°Travel to this ¡°Dungeon¡± in secret. Assess it and the Core. I want to know how far along the Path it is and what affinity element it has developed. Report to Denall but remain near to it until I make my decision. Now go.¡± ¡°Yes, mistress!¡± They both said in unison, bowing as they fled the room. ¡°Leave at once and report as fast as possible. Hopefully, this is some form of mistake that we can correct.¡± Denall was sweating and fearful as he gave final instructions to Shezar. ¡°Your position will be covered until your return. Take this communication stone. I will be awaiting your report.¡± He thrust a small stone into her hand. ¡°I¡­. I understand.¡± She had failed the Academy tests and was assigned to the Registry. Now they were sending her into an unknown Dungeon to find its secrets. She felt a wave of fear and excitement, for this was the purpose of her kind to help and support a Dungeon. They had unique abilities that allowed them to understand and guide Dungeons. There were many ways of getting around in a world with magic. Divine teleportation was one of the fastest. Within minutes, Shezar was approaching the building that was over the Dungeon. She could see campfires burning and a few people moving around a short distance away. ¡°That must be the beginning of Shadow Vale.¡± Communities quickly developed where Dungeons were to be found even in the most rugged terrain. She turned and looked at the building. A Cythian Empire watch tower in good condition. The door she found herself before was closed and so were all the shutters. Flying up to the top of the tower, she found the stairs down unblocked. As soon as she entered the open area under the roof, she sensed she had entered the aura of a Dungeon. There was no mistaking it. ¡°In Astraus¡¯s name!¡± Aura manipulation showed that the Dungeon was unusually intelligent and that meant old. Young Dungeons were always driven by instinct and hunger. Companion fairies found this time the hardest as they had to reign in the Dungeons instincts to stop it being declared ¡°Rogue¡± and destroyed. She now had a feel for the Dungeons aura. She felt it was not very strong, three to four Steps along the path and not very old¡ªa few years at most. Control like this was unheard of for a young Dungeon and was how the Dungeons essence released when it reached the surface had not been detected. ¡°What are you?¡± Shezar hesitated. So, much was unexpected here. She should be safe from harm as a divine servant, but things were not as anyone envisioned. She took a breath and spoke to the Dungeon. ¡°Shezar named am I¡ªHearld of Astraus, Goddess of Dungeons. I seek thy Core in peace and threaten you not. Allow me access to speak to you.¡± Silence. She waited. Nothing. Nothing at all in any form. That was not expected. Even newborn Cores would respond to her words. This Dungeon was so confusing. ¡°I have been tasked. I will continue.¡± She steeled herself and flew down the stairs. Reaching the ground, she looked around. They had thought that the building was covering the entrance to the Dungeon, but it was now clear that the building was the entrance. The building was locked up with no light sources. Her racial ability to see in Dungeon Auras made everything look like it was mid-day on a sunny day. Four doors were present as well, the stairs continuing to descend. She looked into each room. Empty, empty, empty and not empty. In the rafters was a sharoon. A Dungeon creation, she was sure, as it had a similar aura signature to the Dungeon. She could see the shadow magic in its aura. The minion was aware of her but not making any threatening moves. ¡°A shadow affinity Dungeon, then. Makes sense with this region.¡± She turned and flew back to the stairs. ¡°Down I go.¡± Heartbeats was all it took to reach the next level. Here was the next surprise. ¡°Direct access to the next floor! This goes against all Dungeon floor planning guides. No fairy would allow this.¡± Shezar was conflicted at first, but she realised that she needed to find the Core. That was her primary mission. She continued to the next and found access to the next. ¡°Not right. Not right at all!¡± She had failed in the Academy and had been assigned to the Registry, but this was against everything she knew. Floors were meant to test the Adventurer to see if they were strong enough to continue. This would allow those not ready to advance before they are ready. Shezar suddenly stopped as a thought occurred to her. ¡°Unless that is the point. It is a trap for the arrogant.¡± It suddenly made sense to her. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s nasty. The arrogant and prideful will be quickly culled here.¡± As a race, Dungeon Fairies had a nasty streak in their nature that enabled them to do the job they were created for. This revelation appealed to that part of her and she looked around approvingly. ¡°Yes, you are a nasty one.¡± She was laughing as she reached the third floor. The stairs ended here and she felt the aura strengthen here. Looking around, she had no reason for that unless the Core was here. She flew down the corridor to the two doorways. One was blocked with a closed door the other was an open portal. The aura was weakening. ¡°Strange.¡± Looking through, she took in a grass-covered room and a large black boar. A black boar. ¡°That is not a shadow-infused minion. It¡¯s a regular earth minion.¡± Again, she was confused. The minion in the surface building was shadow magic-based. This boar was not infused but earth-based. She paused to assess. The aura weakened slightly, tipping her off to something she remembered from the prayer. ¡°The Core is hidden! That¡¯s why she prayed to commune with the Dungeon fairy to gain access.¡± Shezar returned to the stairwell and felt the aura strengthen again. Altering her sight, she looked at the essence floating through the Dungeon. Following the currents would tell her exactly where the Core was. This was proven to be impossible, it seemed. She watched as the air currents in the Dungeon caused a small vortex that was centred around the stairwell. This would throw most off, but she knew the Core was nearby and focused on the vortex. ¡°There you are!¡± It was not easy, but she saw a pattern near the base. The room had the appearance of an ongoing construction area. Such themes were not uncommon in older Dungeons. Several slabs were stacked under the stairs at the bottom of the stairs as if they were to be added to the next floor. The Core was behind them. She flew around to face them. She tried to communicate again. ¡°Core of this Dungeon, I mean no harm and only wish to talk to you.¡± Silence. Was the Core ignoring her? No. This was different. At this range to the Core, she should be getting an impression of something of its emotional state at least. Yet it was like she was facing a stone wall. Was she wrong? Was the Core here? ¡°No. You''re there. Why can¡¯t I sense you?¡± Her frustration was growing. Nothing here was as it should be! Time to get serious. ¡°Core of this Dungeon, I mean no harm and only wish to talk to you. As the representative, I invoke her name of Astraus, Goddess of Dungeons, to have you speak.¡± She altered the way she spoke to invoke the Goddess''s true name. There would be no possible way the Dungeon could refuse. She was ready for the connection to be made for communication. She would be able to complete her mission. Silence. Confusion and embarrassment warred within her. That was impossible! No Core could refuse invoking the divine name of the Goddess of Dungeons. Yet this one had. She was pulled from her thoughts by the sharron from upstairs appearing on the stairs. It looked at her and barred its teeth. She was in danger! Taking to the air once more, she had to leave and report her findings. She flew as fast as she could back up the stairs into the tower and from the Dungeon. She stopped a safe distance from the tower and turned back. She had made herself invisible as soon as she crossed the Dungeons aura. ¡°What are you?¡± This question, when answered, was going to cause even more chaos, she felt. Chapter 29 ¡°I am going to call that a fairy.¡± She (and it was clear it was a she) had travelled into my Dungeon. I noticed as soon as she entered my aura, but the lack of alerts of any type was the most alarming thing. So far, everything entering has triggered some form of notification. The fairy stopped in the open section of the tower and made a series of musical sounds. ¡°Is she trying to talk to me?¡± She had paused as if expecting an answer. But I had no idea of how to communicate with her. I watched as she moved through the tower and looked at her wings when she stopped. I could see the differences between her and the pixie once imprisoned in the lantern and why it was easy to confuse the two. There was a magical glow around her, but not as pronounced. The dress was not a collection of leaves and other materials but a designed cloth outfit. The most significant difference was her wings. They were patterned like butterflies but less crystalline than the pixies. Larry was aware of her, but I held him from attacking. The rest of my creations were mindful of my unease and knew something was happening. Puck was hiding down in the tunnels on the third. I was unsure of what to do. She was not hostile for the moment and I was willing to play this out. ¡°Let''s see what she does.¡± She travelled down the stairwell, briefly stopping on the floors, making the musical sounds as she travelled. I noted as she travelled that she did not leave a trail of dust like pixies behind her. ¡°Are you talking to me or yourself?¡± By now, I was sure the music was some sort of speech I could not understand. I thought about my Companionless restriction from Oda. This might be what is at play here. According to some literature, a fairy is the one that finds the Core early on and bonds with it to supply information and an anchor to prevent madness. Other stories had other creatures filling this role. Maybe she was here to do this? She reached the third floor and began moving towards the first room. I expected her to fly in and stay well out of reach of the boars, as there was plenty of room to do this. Larry was moving cautiously down the stairs. Puck was still hiding but wanted to get involved. I mentally ¡°instructed¡± it to stay put. Reaching the entrance to the first room, she stopped and looked inside. I had noticed that her facial features were human(oid?). I was able to figure out some of the expressions she was using. The one now was confusion, I was sure. Maybe? However, she did not enter and instead returned to the stairwell. This was getting concerning now. She flew around the stairs and landed in front of my Cores hiding place. ¡°Fuck! Larry, get down here!¡± The musical sound of her speech began again as I knew Larry was on his way. She spoke several times and then said something that freaked me out. Astraus The name hit my mind like a punch to the face. I knew that name from the book about the Gods of this world I had read. Astraus, Goddess of Dungeons¡­¡­..Amongst other things. ¡°Shit! This is bad!¡± My Godless restriction was also playing its part here; I was now certain. She was standing there as if she expected a response. She got one, but not the one she expected, as Larry arrived and got hostile. With a look of fear, she took to the sky and fled up the stairs to the tower and was gone from my sight. ¡°Divine attention was the one thing I was hoping to avoid!¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡± ## ## ## ## ## Lord Ranus Goldwind stepped out from his tent and looked around at his lands. What he saw was a few tents that made up the camp, the river, the Dungeon and a lot of trees. His ship had just returned from Tyboon, delivering letters and buying more supplies. More craftsmen were acquired in the town to help in building the community. They were focused on the new pier that was being built. Once that was done, the temporary housing, then other buildings. Assessor Woodland had been assigned as the Guild Leader for Shadow Vale, with Gran and his team supporting her. They had agreed to help defend the encampment as shadow wolves were stalking the tree line at night. Thankfully, there had been no significant issues. The rest of the camp was stirring and fires were already lit with food being prepared. The scent of woodsmoke and cooking food filled the air. ¡°Good new day, Lord Goldwind.¡± ¡°Good new day, Guild Leader Woodland.¡± She had emerged from the tent next to hers. Upon her order, no further Dungeon delves were allowed until she had finished her required tasks by Guild and Divine writ. He was still unsure of what they were but had other more pressing issues at this time. ¡°We should start on the new buildings in a few more days.¡± ¡°Thank you. Finally, having a bed is something I look forward to.¡± ¡°I would imagi¡­¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Sail approaching!¡± The call came from a lookout who pointed to a sail emerging from behind the river bend leading to Tyboon. ¡°Are you expecting anyone, Lord Goldwind?¡± ¡°No, Guild Leader Woodland. You?¡± ¡°No. So it seems that the first of our unexpected arrivals has begun.¡± The two walked down to the almost-finished pier. The work team leader, a woman named Morg, shooed off the ogling workers. Many were watching to see what was going on. Ranus could easily make out the ship now coming up the river. It was the Eternal Profit, a river/sea ship that his family-owned. She was low in the water, meaning fully loaded. He frowned, as he now knew who was here. The ship turned and was guided to the pier then tied down. A ramp was extended and hit the dock with a solid thud. A well-dressed figure strutted from his ship and Ranus¡¯s fears were confirmed: his oldest brother Rassal had arrived. ¡°Ranus! So good of you to meet me!¡± His brother was intelligent, handsome and charismatic to all who saw him. Ranus knew his darker side hid from the sight of everyone but his family and enemies. ¡°Rassal. Good to see you. What brings you here?¡± Be polite, be polite, Ranus thought over and over. ¡°Ah. The local Guild Leader, I assume. Well, this will make things easier.¡± Ranus¡¯s question was ignored as Rassal focused on Woodland next to him. ¡°Guild Leader Woodland.¡± ¡°Well met, Guild Leader Woodland. I, Rassal Goldwind, heir to the Goldwind family, claim the Right of Discovery by my family member Ranus Goldwind in the name of my father, Hector Goldwind, his due as decreed by the Gods and the Guilds. As such, I will act as proxy for Lord Goldwind until he arrives. Now let us take stock and plan for what comes next.¡± Normally, Ranus would be furious with his father and brother, but it was all he could do not to burst out in laughter. For once in his life, he had been able to outmanoeuvre his family. Rassal had a smile plastered on his face as Guild Leader Woodland replied. ¡°I am afraid that is impossible, Rassal Goldwind, as the right of discovery has already been claimed.¡± If she had struck him, the effect would have been the same. The smile vanished and his brother frowned. ¡°That cannot be right. It was a Goldwind who discovered the Dungeon and brought it to the Guild''s attention. We have the right of discovery.¡± ¡°Indeed, Rassal Goldwind and it was claimed.¡± Rassal was about to speak to express more outrage but stopped. His mind quickly realised what the Guild Leader had said and turned his attention to his younger brother. ¡°You! You claimed the right!¡± He was outraged and furious. His and his father''s dreams of a noble title and control of a Dungeon suddenly disappeared. Ranus revelled in the feeling of power over him for the first time in his life. Smiling, he said. ¡°Yes, brother. You may address me as LORD Goldwind from now on.¡± ## ## ## ## ## ¡°This is an attack on me through my Divine Mantle!¡± Astraus was raging. She was storming around Oda¡¯s office with Nictor and Xandus watching on. Astraus was an interesting Goddess, being almost neutral in her outlook to the two courts. She moved between the two, depending on her desires. ¡°A dungeon that is operating on its own and can refuse to communicate even when my divine name is enacted! The only way that can happen is if another God protects it!¡± Oda was sure she was looking for something to throw, but his spartan office lacked targets or means. Nictor and Xandus were watching, both concerned as they had no idea what was happening with this situation, which unsettled them. Oda had hoped for longer, but his creation was proving more creative than planned. ¡°Indeed, it does, Astraus.¡± She spins to face him, sitting behind his desk. He moves in his chair to get more comfortable. The day was going rather well before she stormed in, followed by the other two. ¡°Then who would perform such an outrage? I demand to know!¡± He let out a sigh, knowing the conversation ahead. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then I demand th¡­¡± It took a few seconds for what he said to get through to her and bring her to silence. The other two were looking at him with shock on their faces. He knew what they were thinking. Did I just hear what he had said, right? ¡°Y-you?¡± ¡°Me.¡± Oda stood from behind his desk and walked around it. He moved, and Astraus turned with him until they stood facing each other. He reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eyes as she looked up to his. She was confused by what was happening. ¡°I apologise for my transgression, but it is required for the benefit of all.¡± ¡°Oda! This is against everything you stand for!¡± Xandus had found her voice, it seemed. Nictor was not to be outdone. ¡°This crosses the divine rules we all stand by!¡± Coming from them, Oda nearly laughed. But he knew that he was going to have to explain. ¡°Oda! Why?¡± This came from Astraus. The hurt and surprise in her voice did strike at Oda. Plans were already made and he implemented them. ¡°I shall tell you Astraus and the head of the courts. But first, I will need your divine oaths that nothing I say will leave this room¡­¡± ## ## ## ## ## Across the world, whispers and rumours were spreading no more than Kyber itself. A new Dungeon. A new chance for wealth and power. A new means to grow and walk the Paths. The Guilds had not made an official announcement yet, but that did not stop the rumours. Those with and in power took notice. Investigations were launched, reports made, prayers/offerings made and bribes offered, depending on who was asking. The answer returned was: yes, there was a new Dungeon! It would not be too long before the masses found out and began to act. Opportunity was in the air. ## ## ## ## ## Elian Woodland had retired from the ¡°conversation¡± the Goldwind brothers were having, as it had been ongoing for the entire morning. She could still hear them arguing even through the canvas of her magically enchanted tent. She sighed, glad to be away from them. She had made sure the Guilds position was clear: Ranus Goldwind held the title and that was the end of it. Sitting on her cot, she began to remove a boot. It was then she noticed she had a visitor. Standing on her travel chest was a fairy. ¡°Greetings Guild Leader Woodland. Shezar am I herald of her divine splendour Astraus, Goddess of Dungeons.¡± ¡°I greet you, Shezar. Are you not the Dungeons fairy?¡± ¡°I am not. I bear a message from my mistress to the guilds.¡± ¡°I understand and am ready to bear witness to her words.¡± The fairy nodded and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and began to recite her message from memory. ¡°It is the will of Astraus that this dungeon be opened to the willing seeking to test themselves. The normal Guild requirements are to be ignored at this place. But there are several restrictions you are to inform those you need to know and enforce. First, the community growing here must not reach beyond the point it is now towards the Dungeon. It may expand in every other direction but that one.¡± Elian had never heard of such a thing, but the fairy was not finished. ¡°Secondly, the Core must be left in peace. If discovered, it may be examined but not removed or tampered with by any. Also, do not seek to commune with any within.¡± That was strange again but was easy to obey as no Core had been tampered with since the Folly. It was clear that the Core was off-limits like other Dungeons. But why was it remaining hidden? Also, why were any attempts at communication banned? ¡°Finally, any beast or monster that attacks the Dungeon must not be interfered with. Do you understand these instructions?¡± ¡°I do and I will relay them to the Lord of these lands and the Guilds.¡± Elian mind was spinning even as she remained outwardly calm. What was happening here? ¡°Then I shall depart and leave you to your work.¡± ¡°Then my work is done and I shall depart.¡± A small oval of swirling colour and light appeared behind her and she stepped back into it and disappeared along with it. Leaving Elian alone. ¡°By the Courts, I wish I never came here!¡± Elian complained to herself. Nothing was as it should be here and that conversation only increased the strangeness of everything. Sighing, she stood collecting her message scroll to write an addition to her report and inform Lord Ranus. She had no idea what the reactions would be to what she had been told. Many would check through prayer or divination, but she knew the message would only be confirmed. As she left her tent, she could feel a headache coming on. Chapter 30 The last few weeks had flown past. The season was changing as summer was ending and autumn was well on the way. Ranus stepped out of the newly constructed tavern room he was staying in and went downstairs. The building was rough in its look and the smell of sawdust was still heavy in the air, but it still was better than the tent he was in. Construction had only finished two days ago. Word of the Dungeon had spread like wildfire across a dry grass plain. And the people came. By the Gods, they came. The Tyboon Council reported that more were coming every day. Shadow Vale¡¯s population had exploded. He had established a basic Governmental structure, but they still had no idea of the numbers. Their best estimate was four hundred already. Ranus was desperate for money. Rickle favoured him with a spot of luck as an architect was visiting Tyboon and had signed on immediately to help plan the new city growing in the valley. The architect, a man named Vulus, had proposed the idea of land parcels sold under a twenty-year lease. They quickly mapped the area and began selling building rights. One of the first was to Jontar, a Tavernkeeper who bought four plots and built the first Tavern, which he named Shadows Rest. The Adventures Guild building was almost finished. The pier was completed and several warehouses were nearly done. A rough market area had been established as numerous workshops and merchants were already hawking their wares. Homes were sprouting like mushrooms. The Dungeon had been classed as an Iron grade with three floors. Gran''s team had visited several times already. Several Tin and Iron grade groups had arrived, with a few going in with mixed results. With the Dungeon supplying old Empire-grade coins and a good selection of resources, the future was looking bright. ¡°Good new day, Lord Goldwind.¡± ¡°And to you, Tavernkeeper Jontar.¡± Jontar walked over to Ranus as he descended the stairs into the common room. Jontar was a tall, heavy-set man leaning into the fat category. He had been an adventurer in his early years but had found the life not for him. He went into Tavern running instead. This was his third. He sold the others after they had become established, as he found they were no longer challenging. ¡°Come, I have a table ready for you.¡± He led Ranus through the filling common room to a large table near the hearth. He chatted as they walked about the problems he was having to deal with. The smile on his face told Ranus he was loving every minute of it. They had found a quarry site two weeks ago and stoneworkers were busy fashioning the stone that was being produced for the foundations of the new buildings. Jontar¡¯s tavern foundation and hearth were the first to receive the stone. Vulus was sitting already eating while going over rough maps of the area. ¡°Good new day, Vulus.¡± Vulus looked up, surprised. He was too engrossed in his work to see them approach. ¡°G-good new day to you, Lord Goldwind.¡± He made to rise, but Ranus waved him back down as he sat beside him. ¡°Tavernkeeper Jontar, whatever is ready for the morning meal I will take.¡± ¡°Of course, Lord Goldwind.¡± The Tavernkeeper quickly went off to see to the order. The lack of staff meant he did a lot himself until more people arrived to fill positions. Ranus looked over the other man at the table. Vulus was from the far south. He had ebony-coloured skin and was one of the tallest men at seven feet Ranus had ever met. He was gaunt and cleanly shaven, even his head and was hesitant around most. That made the deep resonance of his voice all the more odd coming from the man. If you were to guess, it was the voice of a public speaker or priest. ¡°What do we have today, Vulus.¡± Ranus looked over the maps that were spread over the table. ¡°The next phase of building is planned and approved.¡± ¡°So, the market square, merchant quarter and the temples.¡± ¡°Yes. The temples have been the most¡­demanding.¡± The biggest surprise that Ranus had encountered in the last few weeks was the arrival of a small army of clergy. Oda, Xandus, Nictor and Astraus sent their priests to the new town. Getting the heads of the courts and the Pantheon head all arriving at once was a shock. Usually, the lesser Gods arrive first, followed by the heads later. Astraus was obviously one of the first, as the Dungeon is here. The others, not so. Adding the fact that the priests were not low-level clergy members but relatively high-level members. Things got more complicated. ¡°Are they still arguing over resource allocation?¡± ¡°Not any more, Lord Goldwind. They have finally settled on their building and resource allocations.¡± ¡°Very well. What else?¡± ¡°I have confirmation on the building restrictions around the Dungeon and the northeastern third of the valley.¡± The Divine restrictions on where the town can build were another strange thing to add to the list about this Dungeon. ¡°Were we right to assume we can build on the opposite bank?¡± ¡°Yes. We can build anywhere in the valley if we do not block access to the rest of the mountain range.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Then we continue with our original plan and finish the palisade along the valley, stopping further expansion.¡± ¡°I have instructed the work gang leaders to continue the wall. We should have it finished in three days. This will protect the town from the Shadow Wolf packs that come down from deeper in the mountain range.¡± ¡°Excellent, this gives us an extra sense of safety. What else?¡± ¡°The copper smith is smelting and the tanners are treating the boar hides being supplied from the Dungeon.¡± ¡°More sources of income are welcome.¡± Ranus smiled, thinking of how things were developing. The copper was being processed and shipped to Tyboon. The boar hides were being turned into leather armour. The boar meat was being sold to the population. Jontar was one of the leading buyers. He had been dining on it regularly himself. ¡°The alchemists have agreed to their location and are setting up basic workshops until the new buildings are finished.¡± ¡°More resources will be leaving the Dungeon soon.¡± Vulus nodded, not interested in what was coming out of the Dungeon but how they needed to use it most effectively in the forming town. ¡°Have you seen Guild Leader Woodland?¡± ¡°Yes, she was up early and left to organise the adventurer teams going into the Dungeon.¡± ¡°Thank you. I will head over to see her as soon as I have eaten. Then I will need to talk more with the new Watch commander.¡± ## ## ## ## ## Guild Leader Woodland was sitting at a rough wooden desk on an equally rough chair. Gran and his team were in the Dungeon at this moment and she was allowing two Tin grade teams in after them today. She was reading reports and the first requests from the new townspeople¡ªthe usual requests for different herbs, resources and monster scouting. This was the standard fare for a guild and she was happy to have them. The Dungeon had quirks and outside factors that gave her a nearly daily headache. The new Adventures Guild building was near the Dungeon and the palisade was being built. There was a gate manned by two of the new Watch that was recruiting. They had orders to only allow approved groups through. This was ironic, as the palisade only reached several meters from the gate as it was still being built. The magic communication scroll on her desk began chiming, telling her a message had arrived. Sighing loudly, she reached over and picked it up. Once, it had been a wonderful and exciting artefact to use. Now, it¡¯s chimes only herald more problems.¡¯ The other Guilds and the promised support will arrive in the next three days. Be ready. ¡°Gods! Is there no end!¡± The Guilds and her support. She would welcome the support, but the other Guilds meant more politics. That was the issue she was dreading. Just dealing with the churches had been bad enough. The fact that they had arrived before the Guilds was a surprise in and of itself, but when your God says get this done, you get it done. There was a knock at her office door. ¡°Yes.¡± The door opened slightly and a young boy¡¯s head popped through. ¡°Gran''s team have just emerged from the Dungeon.¡± ¡°Thank you. I will be right down.¡± The head retreated and she got up, walking out into the bustling chaos from the back of the new Guild building. All around, people were moving and working with the corresponding noise level. Her eyes were focused past the still-being-built palisade to Gran¡¯s team walking across the floodplain. ¡°Good new day, Guild Leader Woodland.¡± ¡°And to you, Lord Goldwind.¡± He had emerged from the moving workers. Evidently, he had been making his way here from the tavern he was staying at. ¡°I see Gran and his team are returning.¡± ¡°Indeed. They planned a short trip into the Dungeon¡¯s third floor. More boar meat and hides to sell.¡± Gran had gotten permission last night for an early delve to obtain more for the town¡¯s ever-expanding population and industry. ¡°Are more of the new teams going in today?¡± ¡°Yes. One of the new Tin grade teams¡­ There they are.¡± She looked around and found them now walking towards the gate. The guard looked over at her and she nodded that they could go through. Gran and his team entered the town as the other group left. The others went off to do what they needed to as he approached the Lord and Guild Leader. ¡°Good new day to you both.¡± ¡°And to you.¡± They both responded to him. ¡°Anything to report, Gran?¡± Elian asked him, looking him over. There was no sign of injuries, but he was covered in mud and blood. ¡°No. We did not go beyond the second room on the third floor. Four boars were killed and we stripped the carcasses as well as taking the reward.¡± The easy access to the other floors was becoming an unexpected benefit to the town. The Dungeon reward and the ability to strip the carcasses were helping the developing community greatly. ¡°That is good to know. Hopefully, the Tin group will listen and not go deeper than they can handle.¡± Most heeded Elian''s instructions, but one group had not emerged from the Dungeon. This had the desired effect on most of the young bloods for the moment. With more arriving every day, it seemed it was only a matter of time before more were lost to the Dungeon. Yes, it fuelled its expansion but also made it more dangerous and this one was dangerous enough. ¡°If you excuse me, I have things to attend to before I pay the Dungeon due.¡± He moved off and into the crowd. Elian knew he would give a complete account of the group''s haul later and pay the required percentage to the Guild and Lord. ¡°I have some news for you, Lord Goldwind.¡± ¡°Oh. What is it?¡± ¡°The remaining Guilds will be arriving in the next three days.¡± Ranus could not suppress a shudder. Elian understood what he was experiencing, as she would go through the same. More problems for both of them would soon begin. Before he could say anything more, the sounds of an argument reached their ears. Turning, they saw several priests in an argument that was getting heated fast. Letting out an audible sigh, Ranus spoke. ¡°Excuse me, Guild Leader¡­.It seems I have an earlier start than expected.¡± ¡°Of course, Lord Goldwind, we will talk later.¡± He nodded to her and began to walk towards the growing altercation. The community lacked proper paved roads and he was walking on a dirt track. She knew that they would all turn to mud when the rains came in earnest¡ªanother problem for another day. Looking around, she noted several figures eyeing her but not approaching from the look. More Tin grade teams and maybe a few Iron are needed to be registered. Sighing like Ranus, she returned to her Guild and office to continue the endless paperwork. ## ## ## ## ## Like a stone dropped into a pond, the effects of the ripples of a new Dungeon were being felt further and further. This Dungeon was having other effects that only a few Gods knew about. Around the Shadow Falls mountains, the slowly creeping void corruption was slowed but still moving. It was not evident, but several local ¡°monsters¡± were becoming more affected as the corrupting essence influenced their bodies and minds. A figure stirred in a cave at the base of a mountain near one of the rivers that flowed through the valleys. The misshapen figure was humanoid but out of proportion and appeared male. He emerged into the dying day, feeling something drawing it to the southeast. He sniffed the air. What had stirred it? Not prey. No. Danger? Maybe? The pull was getting stronger. He had felt it since the last winter snows and the one before that. He did not know what it was, but he knew it was something he did not like. He could ignore it at first, but the constant pull was making him mad. He was changed he knew this. Different from before, stronger. The others were jealous and had cast him out. They never liked him. Facing the pull''s direction, he decided to go and kill it. It was making him mad. Picking up his favourite club, he set off. Around him, the forest was quiet and he smiled with rotten, broken teeth. It was good to be feared. Chapter 31 ¡°The good times are a rolling!¡± A new group of Adventurers had just entered my Dungeon. Gran''s team had just visited the third floor, and after they had departed, the dungeon reset. I had been slowly accruing essence when they visited. Making them use their skills and abilities gave me a slight bump. Other teams were visiting, but the essence I got from them was a fraction of Gran¡¯s team. ¡°Unless they get themselves killed.¡± Two weeks ago, a young group of five had decided to risk the third floor for greater rewards. The only victor in this was me, as my boars quickly gutted them with a bit of help from Puck. Nothing interesting was gained in terms of loot apart from a common short bow. ¡°Sitting at 66%, nearly at level four!¡± Plans! Such plans are in my head. A shining vision of what was to come! True, I had not decided on what would occupy the floor, any additional resources, or a layout, but that was not dimming my enthusiasm. Along with my essence increase, my skill of Mana Sight had increased to level six, with me checking out every team that entered for magical gear. Nothing outside of Gran¡¯s team, but I was still hopeful to find some soon. ¡°So, what are these new adventurers all about?¡± I focused on them¡ªa group of six, all young between fifteen and eighteen years of age. They were poorly equipped and very nervous, so I dismissed the alert that came with them entering. ¡°Looks like another Tin group. Is that all they think I can handle?¡± Four men and two women. Two ¡°tanks¡±, two second-line archers and the last support. One of the support might be a rogue from the clothes; I might be wrong on that. Looks like there are no magic users. They all were carrying flaming torches. ¡°I really need to think about my Dungeons lighting or lack of it.¡± Larry was in the rafters and watching the group explore the entrance room. He was unhappy with the constant flow of visitors, but I ignored this. I watched as they checked the cupboards and found the wine bottle. I had removed the coins as an extra to see if anyone would fall for the wine trap. It seemed that Gran¡¯s team had not told the newbies about the poison, but the new adventurers had ignored the bottle so far. ¡°Okay, it looks like another bust with the wine. Hold on, I see you sneakily tucking it into your pack!¡± The group leader had vetoed taking it, but one of the group had picked it up and tucked it into a pack as they left the room. ¡°If the wine kills someone outside my Dungeon, do I still get the essence?¡± Now, that was an interesting question, but it seemed that the system was not in an answering mood. ¡°Right, they''re on the way to the first floor.¡± They were hesitant, choosing to ignore the rest of the building in favour of descending. I watched them as they walked onto the floor, weapons drawn, ready for violence. They whispered, but I could hear them as if they were talking directly to me. ¡°Are you sure the first few rooms are clear?¡± ¡°Yes. I spent most of the night listening to the adventurers that have already been in here. It¡¯s the second full room with any monsters.¡± Intelligence gathering before entering. That shows they are taking this seriously. ¡°Any traps?¡± The rogue-like woman asked. ¡°Not that I heard, but we should be aware. I would not put it past them to keep that secret.¡± It sounds like the adventure groups do not help each other out. I wonder what Assessor Woodland did with those floor plans she created? They found the copper vein in the wall of the first room, which it seemed by now was widely known. After the first miners hacked the ore out, I discovered the vein takes a whole night to regenerate, unlike my minions. Go figure. What would it mean if the vein reformed as fast as my minions? ¡°Stop overthinking back to the group!¡± ¡°Right, where are they?¡± They were just leaving the first room and entering the corridor leading to the next with the first pit trap. The wasps had sensed them and were getting agitated. Several groups had suffered nasty injuries due to it. ¡°Come on! Trip and break your neck!¡± ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Alright, I am getting a bit more bloodthirsty, but I really want that fourth floor.¡± One of the tanks walked forward and put his foot through the false floor. His boots were not very good quality as the flint-tipped spikes tore through them and his foot. He screamed in pain in a very high pitch. Collapsing, he made the injury worse by falling forward ripping the wounds open more. I had to give them credit for their reactions. The other tank was a woman who moved over the now exposed pit to cover her wounded comrade while the others sought to aid the injured man. The other support was a healer who was inspecting the injury. The screaming was stopped when a gag was shoved in his mouth. The healer was inexperienced from the green now colouring his face. Blood was freely flowing from the wounded foot and he bandaged it to the best of his ability. He did not try to remove the spikes and did his best to bind the foot. ¡°We are going to have to get him out.¡± ¡°What? We have just started!¡± The archer who was hiding the wine bottle was not happy. He was the one doing the eavesdropping the previous night. ¡°His foot has been punctured right through. He will not be able to put his weight on it.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The healer was talking to the other archer, who appeared to be the team leader. ¡°Can you do anything?¡± ¡°I can only dull the pain. We must get to a full healer or a priest to save the foot.¡± The wounded man was still in a lot of pain and was letting them know with his muffled cries. ¡°I have the wine bottle from upstairs. Would that help? It would save on the potions that we would have to use.¡± Please say yes. Please! ¡°I told you to leave that.¡± ¡°Lucky, I did not. We can use it now.¡± They were unsure but relented due to the ongoing sounds of pain. The alcohol would help dull the pain. ¡°Oh, come on! This is too easy!¡± The bottle''s seal was broken and the wine almost was poured down the wounded man¡¯s throat. It did not take long for the poison to take effect. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Do something!¡± They were quickly panicking as their friend and teammate died. There was a short, stunned silence as they looked at each other and the dead body. It did not take them long to figure out what happened, and the accusations began. I paid them no mind as I opened the alert that had popped up.
Alert! A level 3 Human has died in your dungeon. Essence gained.
The sweet sensation of the essence flowing into my core was familiar and welcome. I wanted to check my status screen, but the group was still present. The healer turned and emptied his stomach in the corridor as the arguing got worse. ¡°Fuck sake! I am going to have to clear that up!¡± The group almost became violent. Accusations and arguments broke out between them. They managed to stop, retrieve the body and leave my Dungeon. I watched it all until they left. ¡°They left the door open! That¡¯s bloody rude.¡± I closed it myself as soon as they were clear of my aura. ¡°Got the feeling we will not see that group again, Larry.¡± I got no answer, as usual, but I think my assessment was correct. The group''s interactions and dynamics were in tatters. I might see the individuals with other groups, but that collection, no, they were done. ¡°Status screen. Bhaldor.¡±
Name Bhaldor Essence 70%
Race Dungeon Core CP 38(300) /2.9 phr
Level 3 Corruption 0%
Floors 3 Health 100%
I ignored the rest as nothing had changed. My essence was sitting at 70%. ¡°So close!¡± Then I remembered the mess downstairs on the first floor. Cursing a lot, I cleaned it up and ignored the alert that came with it. I did not want to know. The trap was reset and everything was ready for the next group. They had been coming in regularly, so it would not be long before more visitors. ## ## ## ## ## ¡°Granus, get everyone together. We are heading into the Dungeon.¡± ¡°Eh? Did the group of Tins not just go in? Are you trying to jest me, Ron?¡± ¡°They did but are now out carrying a body.¡± His group¡¯s rogue looked at him, understanding what had happened. ¡°Right, we will meet you at the gate.¡± Granus got up and put the blade he had been sharpening and whetstone away. Ron knew he was going to be there soon with the others. Ron walked back to the gate leading to the floodplain and the Dungeon. The guards had been told his team was next and were waiting to allow him through. Guild leader Woodland was watching the group of Tins carrying the dead member walk towards the under-construction temple district. The Dungeon was too new, with few Adventures available to teach such groups. They were warned but decided to go alone and now knew the cost. Ron checked his gear. His axe, shield, leather armour and the rest of his gear were accounted for. He had been speaking to Gran and his team about the Dungeon. They had worked together a few years back before his team got rated to Iron. Gran had warned him that this one was ¡°odd¡±. They had not said much more as the Guild was still trying to get established and was not selling maps yet. But that was enough to set Ron and his team on edge. Nothing was as dangerous to an Adventure team as something ¡°odd¡±. ¡°The Tins got chewed up that quickly?¡± Ron turned to see his team approaching. Myma had spoken and her twin brother Mikel was watching the other group like many of the others around. Both were wearing iron-reinforced leather armour and were carrying kite shields with maces. Granus, their Rogue, was checking his six daggers. Slivna, a Wizard, was holding her robes up slightly to avoid getting mud on them. Finally, Nicola, a Priestess and group healer, was fussing with her satchel of supplies. ¡°From the looks of it, some form of spike trap. His foot was badly torn up.¡± ¡°Enough to kill him?¡± Mikel asked. ¡°Not sure the group was tense when they passed. I think something else happened.¡± Ron never looked away from the receding group as he spoke. ¡°Everyone be sharp in there. You have all heard the rumours from the few who have.¡± They passed through the gates and walked across the floodplain. Autumn was coming and the day should have been pleasant, but the mountain''s shadow covered them. It robbed the air of what warmth the sun was providing, making the whole area glum in temperament. They kept a watch on the tree line, as Shadow Wolves had been sighted near the palisade being built. ¡°We light the torches before we go in.¡± Ron spoke as they walked, not expecting an answer. He and his team had been through Dungeons before and knew what to do, but this one was new to them and they were taking no chances. ¡°Granus has lead; the twins and I are in support with Slivna and Nicla ready for emergencies.¡± ¡°Mags hinted that there are three floors and we can ignore the surface building.¡± Nicola spoke up. ¡°Good to know. We sweep each room slowly and call out anything you think is amiss. I mean anything. We do not know what is in here apart from boars.¡± Ron looked at everyone pointedly and they all nodded with understanding. He checked his helmet one last time. They had reached the door that led into the watchtower. ¡°Light your torches and stay sharp.¡± Slivna used a little magic to light the torches. Each member of his team carried two spares. Ron looked at everyone one last time, turned and opened the door. ## ## ## ## ## The alert appeared as soon as I felt them enter. ¡°Another group already?¡± I focused on the new arrivals¡ªthree men and three women. There was no archer, it seemed, but they were moving with purpose. ¡°Experienced team, I think. Looks like a rogue of some type backed up by three fighters. Is that a magic user?¡± Two women, both in robes, were in the back. One looked similar to Gran¡¯s healer, Mags, but the other differed. Her robes were far more expensive-looking and colourful. ¡°Mana Sight. Activate.¡± My vision shifted and the magic they possessed stood out to me. Both women were lit up with different magical items and their aura. It was easy to see even through the haze of the floating essence. One of the men carrying an axe and shield had some form of magic in his helmet. Each carried a flaming torch and was looking around. ¡°Mana Sight. De-activate.¡± My vision returned to normal. ¡°Larry, best get out of here.¡± Larry had been observing from the rafters but got up and, using his abilities, skulked away. This was going to be interesting. They were no Tin group like all the others apart from Gran¡¯s. I settled in to watch the show. ¡°Granus, see anything?¡± ¡°Nothing so far. I will check the cupboards.¡± They remained alert, with the two with maces and kite shields watching the door to the tower as Granus searched. ¡°I have found a wine bottle. It''s still intact and looks like a good vintage. It is a trap. I am leaving it.¡± ¡°Good, we will move on.¡± Alas, there are no easy kills with this lot. ¡°We check the surface building and the tower before descending.¡± They moved to the tower base and checked each of the building wings. They searched each room thoroughly before moving on. I learnt all their names as they went from room to room. The tower was also checked before they gathered at the stairs leading down. ¡°Same as before. Take it slow and call out anything no matter what.¡± They all acknowledged what Ron had said and descended with Granus leading the way. Chapter 32 The descent to the first floor was without issue. Ron knew his group and that they were taking this seriously. The winding stairs quickly opened onto a new room and continued unexpectedly. ¡°Direct access to the next floor?¡± Granus expressed the surprise they were all feeling. Every Dungeon they had visited or heard about required the Adventures to earn access by defeating the floor boss, but not here, it seemed. ¡°Stay sharp, everyone. If this is a sign of things ahead, we need to be aware of everything.¡± They all nodded at Ron¡¯s words. Granus worked his way across the room to the corridor, which was the only route there. He moved slowly, checking for traps or hidden threats. The rest moved slowly in his wake, knowing he would alert them to any danger he found. ¡°I''ve got an open doorway on the right and a closed door on the left. The hinges tell me we cannot open it from this side.¡± Granus said to them over his shoulder. ¡°Left it is, then. See anything in the room?¡± ¡°It''s big. Some junk on the floor, nothing else.¡± ¡°Continue then.¡± Granus moved in and the rest followed. As he said, it was big and had some junk in it. They checked everything as they moved, but nothing was of interest. ¡°Copper vein in the wall here.¡± Slivna called out. Ron hurried over and looked at the green streak in the wall. ¡°It''s not bad. It''s a small vein. Now we know where the copper is if we need to mine it in the future.¡± Like the others, he hoped to avoid that as they had moved up from Tin to Iron grade. If they were mining it out, the other groups would loudly hear the message of desperation. His group had their pride and reputation to keep in mind. ¡°Keep going.¡± There was another open doorway Granus went through. The other went to follow. ¡°Hold!¡± Everyone stopped in place. ¡°Trap in the floor!¡± There was a cracking sound and a small grunt from Granus. ¡°Is it safe for me to see, Granus?¡± ¡°Yes. It is a pit trap with spikes. Nasty little thing.¡± Ron moved into the corridor and found Granus kneeling on the floor. The stone paving in front of him was smashed, revealing wooden spikes with flint heads. It was not deep but wide. Anyone standing on that would be badly injured unless they were far along the Paths. ¡°What about the rest of the corridor?¡± ¡°It looks clear, but I think I heard something moving through the doorway.¡± ¡°Possible danger ahead. Let us be ready.¡± It was time to see what the Dungeon had in store for them. ### ## ## ## ## ¡°They are good. Not as good as Gran''s group, but a hell of a lot better than the ones coming through recently.¡± I watched them moving through the floor. They were taking their time and checking everything. It was slow going and I could understand why. But I was getting impatient for them to get to the third and see what they could do. They entered the next room, ready for trouble, and were greeted by the wasps. It went badly for the wasps. It turns out the woman called Slivna in the bright robes was a spell caster and quite handy with fire spells. Wasps'' wings are flammable, I discovered. Once grounded, they were quickly finished off and the coins appeared. They were happy with the coins supplied and carried on. I was happy to see spells in action that were not part of an object. This was interesting; I observed a lot of switching between my regular sight and Mana Sight. I am still missing contexts and knowledge, but I am starting to grasp magic, I think. They pushed on through the rest of the floor. The wasps and remaining traps were overcome without any real issues. Things got more interesting when they met the floor guardian. ¡°They need an archer here, I think.¡± The open spike pits limited their manoeuvrability as the Greater Wasp attacked. Slivna was brought up to deal with it. She cast her spells by channelling her mana through a wand. I had watched her do it in the last room, finding it fascinating and illuminating. No pun intended because of the fire spells. ¡°Right, Slivna, let''s see what you will do.¡± She was guarded by the two twin ¡°tanks¡± as she cast. A jet of flame shot from the wand towards the wasp¡­ and missed. She cursed loudly as my guardian dodged out of the way. The green stamina bar above its head dropped slightly. The red health was still full and it was attacking again. It buzzed forward to strike out with its stinger. The twins blocked with their shields, stopping any damage from getting through. Slivna cast another spell, but the guardian dodged again. The group was clustered up on the limited floor space. This gave them an advantage on the defence but cost them on the offence. ¡°I don¡¯t think my guardian is going to do much more here.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The green stamina bar was draining, but it still had options. Ron was keeping his team focused. Slivna was cursing loudly and very impressively. I learned some very interesting new insults. She acted all posh and educated, but it turns out she had a mouth on her that would put most sailors to shame. ¡°Slivna, focus and finish this.¡± She was getting frustrated and his voice forced her to concentrate. She paused, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It seemed that Ron knew his group and how to get the best from them. ¡°Looks like this is about to end.¡± My guardian had been doing well and I hoped it would score a hit and wound someone. But alas. Slivna opened her eyes and found the guardian. She lifted her wand and a fireball streaked out and struck the guardian. It tried to dodge but was not fast enough this time. The impact was a bright blast, and the health bar emptied suddenly as it was consumed by fire. The flaming corpse fell from the air into a spiked area on the floor. ¡°Well, that was fun while it lasted.¡± There were no injuries, but the group had been pushed harder than I expected. Reviewing their actions, the next floor will not be an issue for them, but the third will be much more challenging. ¡°Well, it looks like my toads are going to get crushed.¡± They vacated the floor and moved down to the next. Again, Granus was in the lead, checking for traps. They reached the first room and found a change in the environment. The toads were crushed with little trouble. Slivna and Nicola were the most vocal, unhappy that their robes would get soaked. They progressed through the floor, killing toads and avoiding the traps. Slivna occasionally roasted them, but the three fighters did most of the work. The toads were not getting past their shields often, but when they did, their armour blocked any injuries. The progress towards the floor boss was straightforward and relentless. The fight was a little longer, but Slivna used her magic to end it fast. She called out a warning over Ron¡¯s objections, allowing them to get clear before unleashing a jet of flame. The fight ended with the rewards collected and the flowers, which were a surprise for them, which they harvested. After the fight, Ron talked to her, scolding her for overusing her powers. He was worried that she would exhaust herself on the next floor. She was arrogant in her attitude and assured him she would be fine. ¡°I wonder if she is right? Or just overconfident?¡± While flashy and destructive, her spells were leaking mana from what I could gather. I admit I am no expert¡ªhell, I am not even a novice¡ªbut watching her spells, I could not be sure, but I think they could be cast more efficiently. ¡°More things to learn. I need some books on magic.¡± ¡°If wishes were horses, as the old saying goes.¡± ¡°I never understood that saying.¡± Ron gathered his group together and they began their descent to my last floor. ¡°Alright, here, things get interesting!¡± The floor stairwell room was checked and my Core hiding spot was not discovered. Whenever a competent team checks this room, I panic a little. If I still had my body, I would be sweating bullets. ¡°I might need to change my Core''s hiding place.¡± Something to think about for the future, but for now, they were about to meet my boars. ## ## ## ## ## Granus was ahead of the group, slightly checking the floor and walls. He was close to the two doorways they had found on the last floors. If this floor matched the others, the reinforced wooden door would be the exit from the floor boss''s room. ¡°No stairs flight leading down, so this might be the last floor. Expect things to be tougher here.¡± Ron spoke to his team as they continued. ¡°Really? The last floors were not difficult?¡± Slivna said. ¡°Do not get cocky Slivna. That¡¯s how we get killed.¡± Ron was not in a good mood with her. She was wasting too much mana in this Dungeon. She claimed she was fine, but he was worried she was over-taxing herself. He had a good idea of what they would find down here. Granus was at the open-door portal. He looked inside, keeping his body out of sight. It was only a few seconds before he quickly pulled back. Turning to the group, they all saw the concern in the flickering light cast by their torches. ¡°What is it?¡± Ron asked. ¡°A black boar and a big one at that.¡± Several curses were uttered at that. Ron just nodded; his suspicions were confirmed. The number of hides and boar meat supply was inconsistent with the reported local herd numbers. ¡°Does it have room to move in there?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a big room.¡± Granus answered him. Ron took a deep breath and began talking. ¡°Mikel, Myma and I go in first. We attract it. Its charge will be fast and brutal, so be ready. The two not attacked will hit his flanks.¡± The twins nodded grimly, knowing this was going to hurt. ¡°Granus, get behind and attack it from there. Nicola, be ready with your healing magic. Slivna, hold back and be ready to use fire magic, but first, as soon as we are in there, give us a light spell.¡± Slivna had no snide comments at his orders as even she recognised the danger now. She got arrogant when facing lesser opponents, but this was not one. Ron looked at each member of his team, noting their mood. ¡°No one dies today.¡± He told them and they all nodded at his words. ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°My turn to lead.¡± Myma said. Her brother was unhappy but did not oppose his sister. ¡°Then lead us in Myma.¡± She hefted her shield, bracing it on her arm against her shoulder and walked into the room. The squeal echoed as Mikel crossed the threshold, blocking his view. Ron was fast behind him. He heard the sound of the boar charging and Mikel moved enough to witness the impact. Myma had planted her shield, glowing with one of her skills. The boar collided and she was pushed back, gouging the earth. She grunted loudly at the impact and her shield strained holding back the boar. Mikel went into the boar''s left as Ron moved around Myma to attack its right. Myma could not help as she was focused on holding the attacking beast. The room was suddenly filled with light as a ball of magic was supplying it, exposing the room''s size and the boar to them. ¡°Mikel hit the bloody thing!¡± Myma called out in a strained voice. He said nothing but hit out at the boar with his mace. The boar moved as he swung down, missing its head, but hit its shoulder. This seemed only to make it angrier and it turned, attacking him. Ron¡¯s axe hit the now exposed flank. Cutting into it''s hide but not deeply, blood flowed. The boar swung its attention to him now. Dropping down his shield to protect his lower body, the impact of the boar forced him to grit his teeth in pain. The attacks strained his arm and shoulder as the tusks ripped into his shield. Granus and Mikel were attacking it now, but Myma was not. The boar was now torn on who to attack and they took advantage of its confusion. The boar died, but it died fighting hard all the way. ¡°Nicola, check everyone out.¡± Ron breathed hard as he spoke. That was a more brutal fight than he was hoping for. Nicola looked over at Myma. He noticed she was pale-faced and holding her shield oddly. Granus was collecting the reward from the kill. ¡°How is she?¡± Ron asked. ¡°Her arm and shoulder are injured, but I can heal it.¡± Nicola was focused on her patient as her hands began glowing. Ron focused on himself and was now feeling the after-effects of the fight. Mikel looked battered but ready for another opponent. ¡°Granus, check the next doorway. Slivna support him.¡± They moved away to obeying his orders. Nicola had moved to Mikel and was inspecting him. Myma looked better but not fully recovered. ¡°How are you?¡± He asked. ¡°Not fully healed, but ready if you need me. My shield is in worse shape.¡± He looked and saw she was right. The lower half was severely damaged and cracked. ¡°You are going to need a new one.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s a shame; I liked this one¡¯s balance.¡± They both turned as Granus and Slivna came back over. ¡°We have a problem, Ron.¡± Granus was concerned. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked. ¡°There are two more, maybe more, in the next room. It¡¯s a lot bigger and I could not see the end in the dark, but I made out two boars, I am sure.¡± Ron let out a sigh. ¡°Do we fancy taking on at least another two of these today?¡± He asked his team. They looked at each other and he knew the answer from their looks. No. Before anyone spoke, he continued. ¡°I see that¡¯s a no, so we are leaving. Think about it: we can easily return when better prepared.¡± They agreed with him and left the new Dungeon, planning to return and finish it. Chapter 33 I was progressing towards level 4, slowly but progressing. ¡°Thankfully, it¡¯s not like the first level that took forever!¡± Larry was doing his best to ignore me as I spoke. He is hanging out in the rafters as a group was below on the first floor. I was aware of them, but they were not that interesting. ¡°Since Ron¡¯s group was here, I have had nothing but new Tin groups. No interesting gear or magic. True, I have reached 85% on the way to my next floor, but things are moving slowly.¡± It was raining outside at the moment, and I think winter will soon be here again. The groups coming through were complaining about the weather changing. I had noticed the shortening days. ¡°From the conversations, it seems the town is developing well out there. I cannot see any bloody thing, but the building is going well. A lot of services and merchants are now set up.¡± Larry was flopped over on the rafter with his eyes closed. ¡°I wonder if I will get any more Iron or Copper grade teams showing up?¡± The nights were slow for me, but I continued experimenting with the spiders. The fourth floor would be spider-focused, with light crystals in the wall and an environment that helps create shadows. The spiders will be enhanced with shadow mana that will allow them to take advantage of the environment. That was the plan. The number of exploded spider bodies I had to clean up told a different story. I was having trouble getting the balance of shadow mana right in them. I was getting frustrated. ¡°Well, tonight, I will try again with my next experiments. I think I am close to a solution, as it took longer for the last one to explode.¡± Creating the spider I wanted was going slowly, but I was learning a lot about creating new minions. This knowledge will help me when creating new challenges for the new floors. ¡°I was thinking about using the other two types to create other spiders and mixing them into the floor. I was¡­¡± I was suddenly distracted by a rush of essence into my Core. Turning my attention to the group below, I found that they had reached the floor guardian and one of them was now dead. He was impaled on some of the floor spikes. It looks like the wasp knocked him in during the fight. They were winning but were being pushed by the guardian. I dismissed the alert. ¡°Status screen. Bhaldor.¡± The screen appeared and I looked at the only important thing. ¡°Well, that has taken me to 89%. If I am lucky, we will have the new floor in just a few more days.¡± ## ## ## ## ## Ranus Goldwind was walking towards the new Alchemy Guild building. He was wrapped up in a heavy fur and hide coat that was able to stop the cold wind blowing through the valley from making him shiver. Winter would soon be here and he was thankful most of the required buildings were up. Granted, most were temporary, but they only had a limited building time during the year. Entering the Guild building, a receptionist quickly took his coat. There was a large fireplace with a roaring fire heating the room. ¡°Lord Goldwind, please follow me. They are awaiting you.¡± The receptionist indicated to follow her. There was a meeting of the Guild leaders, and he was invited as the Lord of the Dungeon. He entered a side room and noted the five Guild Leaders were present, sitting around a rough wooden table. He looked them over as they, in turn, looked at him entering. The door was closed behind him as he entered. Axem Rossm was the head of the Merchant Guild¡ªa thin, bald, hunched man with sharp grey eyes. He was dressed for the climate, and Ranus had quickly come to see the danger of crossing this man. Vill was next to him and the head of the Magical Guild. Dressed in a robe of flamboyant colours, she had an air of disdain he had encountered with much of the nobility when dealing with the ¡°lesser¡± people. She was from the far north with pale skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. Hydran Hammerson was a native of Tyboon who was moved up to establish the Crafters Guild here. A broad, powerfully built olive-skinned man. He was the most imposing physically out of all of them. Comus Drum led the Alchemy Guild and was the oddest of them all. Barely twenty-four winters old, he was sent to establish and run the guild. Pale skin with brown hair and eyes, he was a heavy-set man with a pot belly. Ranus was initially unsure of him until he realised the Gods gifted the man with an incredible mind. Finally, Elian was representing the Adventures Guild. She sat beside an empty chair, which he knew was for him. Sitting down, the meeting started they had much to discuss. ¡°Thank you for attending Lord Goldwind.¡± Vill said. She was trying to establish herself as the ¡°head¡± of the Guild Council in the new town. ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the first point of this meeting. We need your permission to launch a full asset review of the Dungeon.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°It¡¯s too early. The Dungeon must be more established according to the ancient records.¡± Axem spoke up. He was one of the primary challengers to Vill in the group. Ranus was grateful he did not have to deal with this group too much. Yet. ¡°We need to understand the new types of monsters that have been produced so far.¡± Vill was ready for the argument and was on the offensive. ¡°We risk upsetting this Dungeon. It¡¯s too easy to upset the early balance of it.¡± Axem was too ready for the argument. Tensions were rising amongst several others. ¡°I believe that I am the best judge of this issue.¡± Comus suddenly spoke up. Everyone looked at him. ¡°As head of the Alchemy Guild, I will be the one studying the new monsters.¡± ¡°So, what do you propose?¡± Hydran asks, trying to avoid the coming argument. Ranus sensed it was one they had been through already. ¡°We should take each floor separately. In a week or two, we acquire the body of the first-floor boss and the others a few weeks apart. This will allow me to study the bosses and any other monsters that need studying. This will also not stress the Dungeon.¡± ¡°I concur.¡± Hydran supported him straight away. ¡°As do I.¡± Elian joined in supporting Comus to prevent the coming argument. Ramus remained silent, awaiting the group to come to some form of consensus. The other two were unhappy but relented, knowing now was not the time for the ongoing battle for influence. ¡°Very well. I will arrange the kill and collections with Guild Leader Woodland and supply you with reports as soon as they are ready.¡± Comus nodded to Elian. She nodded back. Ranus would get a copy, as these reports will detail any new means to use monster parts in alchemy or crafting, increasing the options for the town''s development options. Who knew what new creations would be born from this Dungeon? ¡°With that resolved, we can move on to the main issue we asked Lord Goldwind to this meeting for.¡± Elian guided the conversation to their primary concern. ¡°The Dungeon''s unique aspects and the interest of the major churches.¡± The Guilds and Churches had an odd relationship. The Guilds had a divine mandate honoured by all the Gods, while the Churches were dedicated to one. Their areas of responsibility often crossed, but there was always communication to resolve issues. This Dungeon was the source of tension that they were only starting to address. It started with the Dungeon''s own set-up, a mix of mana types never seen according to records in one so new and then the Church''s reporting of divine rules on dealing with it. ¡°Lord Goldwind, we asked you here to see if you have any insights into this matter.¡± Comus spoke. ¡°We know you were the first to confirm its existence.¡± ¡°Like you all, I was surprised at the restrictions and speed at which the major Gods were represented in this new community.¡± Ranus leaned forward on the table as he spoke. ¡°Astraus was expected as this is a Dungeon and falls within her Mantels, but the others arrived so fast and together. That was not expected.¡± He voiced what they had all been thinking and even said privately. Churches came due to community size or dedication to a God. Astraus was expected, but not the other three primary ones arriving so fast. He expected lesser members of the Pantheon to make approaches first. ¡°I will tell you this. I have received messages that the other Churches are coming here.¡± Ranus knew now was the time to tell them. ¡°How many more?¡± Elian asked. She was expressing the concern they would all be feeling. ¡°Nearly all of them.¡± That brought a tense silence to the room. ¡°It seems, Lord Goldwind, that we are at the centre of some part of the God¡¯s Great Game.¡± Hydran spoke. The God¡¯s Great Game was the term used by most to explain the battle for dominance between the courts in the Pantheon. Usually, it was one of influence and political manoeuvring, but it turned bloody at times. ¡°I feared such. What is happening here seems to have surprised many of them due to the actions I am hearing about.¡± Ranus could only agree and add his thoughts. ¡°Well then. I think we can all agree that something is happening here that will impact the continent, maybe the rest of the world.¡± Comus thought out loud. The others did not add anything more, all agreeing in their silence. ¡°Guild Leader Drum, please let me know when you are ready to proceed. We have new Iron-grade adventures arriving now and are eager to test themselves in the Dungeon.¡± Elian said, breaking the silence. Comus nodded at her request. ¡°Guild Leader¡¯s I have two requests one of the group and the other of Guild Leader Woodland.¡± Ranus had been thinking about things and decided to test one of his ideas here. They looked at him to ask his requests. ¡°First, and I know it is a breach of protocol, is that we use our names over titles in these meets to speed things up. The second is that the Tin grades going in without a mentor are warned about the wine bottle and the danger of the stairs.¡± ¡°I think we can agree to the first, but the second is harder.¡± Elian spoke, smiling slightly at the first request, with Comus and Hydran nodding in agreement. Axem was unreadable and Vill was unhappy. ¡°The Adventures Guild has ancient and unbreakable rules. Anyone can enter a Dungeon of their own free will as long as the Guild and Lord gets their dues. Mentoring is a good way for other adventures to help train and guide aspiring ones. It is a time-honoured role that I cannot challenge.¡± ¡°I understand, Elian and I do not want you to. All I ask is that you tell them of the poisoned wine bottle and remind them not to go too deep too quickly. That is all.¡± Ranus made to clarify his request. ¡°I can make your requests happen. The wine bottle is the Dungeon''s first trap for the unwary. Why would I warn them of it?¡± Elian asked. ¡°A group that left did not class it as loot and tried to sell it in the town. Thankfully, another adventurer realised what it was had stopped the sale.¡± Ranus told her. To his reason, the temperature in the room dropped and Elian asked in a very controlled voice. ¡°Oh, and which group was this?¡± ## ## ## ## ## Thrugg was moving towards the pull he was feeling. He missed his cave but pressed on. Things were going slowly. He thought he would be there by now. He was walking¡ªhe had been walking for many days. His body was changing as the new power he had discovered was growing within him¡ªthe power his tribe had rejected him for. He had been hunting and fighting. He was hunting to fill his belly and fighting the other predators that challenged him. He killed them all and ate them, so he was happy. He was still walking. The air was getting cold. Winter was coming. He did not like winter not much to kill. He wanted to get where he needed to go and end this pull. It was making him angry. He was close and would be there soon, he felt. He had a new club to crush it. He hefted his club and continued walking, eating his last challenger''s leg. Around him, things were quiet as they all were hiding. He grunted in happiness. They knew he was strong. When he ended this pull, he would go back and kill his former chieftain and claim the tribe. Yes, that was what he would do. Looking at his arm, he saw the black veins running through it and the spikes of bone now cutting through his skin. Yes, he was getting strong and was still hungry. Always hungry. Chapter 34 "Please, will someone die today!" Today, the third group was working through the second floor. Another Tin group is being "mentored" by an Iron grade. In the last week, I noticed three small group changes coming through. First, more groups had mentors. Next, the number of Iron-grade groups increased. Last, they avoided my wine bottle surprise in the entry room on the ground. "I think the bottle''s done as a trap." As usual, I talked to Larry as he relaxed in the rafters as the group moved through the second floor. "It had a good run. I think I will leave it for old time''s sake." I slowly gained from the Iron grades using their skills, abilities and magic¡ªfar more than the Tin''s limited powers. I was nearly at the next level threshold. A death or two would be enough to get me over. "The spiders are almost ready for the new floor. I have been practising and am sure of the combination of mana and CP needed to stop them from exploding." Larry''s look told me he was not convinced. During my experimentation, he avoided the areas I was working in. "I have been thinking about something special for the floor boss. The floor spiders will be shadow-infused, but the guardian, I am thinking illusion. You know, to throw them off." Larry, as always, was silent. I was going to say more when I got a rush of essence. Looking at the group, one of them had been killed by the 2nd-floor guardian jumping on her and drowning her before the other members of the party could intervene and save her. "Well, that is an almost embarrassing way to die." The party was wailing and grieving over her death while the mentor was looking on. The mentors were there to advise and not to hold the hands of the groups they were with. They had finished the guardian off and were collecting the body and rewards. It looks like they had finished their run. ¡°Status screen. Bhaldor.¡±
Name Bhaldor Essence 92%
Race Dungeon Core CP 38(300) /2.9 phr
Level 3 Corruption 0%
Floors 3 Health 100%
"Almost there!" I watched the group leave. That was disappointing, but I knew it was the most likely thing after the death. Not long after, the miners showed up with a two-adventurer escort. "Hey, the miners are here for the copper." Every day, these four guys typically show up with different escorts. They head down to the copper vein and quickly mine out the ore. They are the miners'' equivalent to Iron grades. They use skills to speed up the process of ore extraction and I welcome the essence I gain from them. They did not deviate as they descended and began cutting into the stone with their pickaxes. They worked like a well-oiled machine. The ore was cut free and placed into baskets they brought. Once they were satisfied, they came back up and left. "Damn! No skills used this time." I had come to identify skills as they were used as they affected the user or target. This typically was a coloured aura that was easy to see. The more intense the aura, the stronger the skill being used. The colour, I think, reflected the type of skill being used. When the third-floor guardian used his, I noticed that he glowed a red hue as it activated. Adventures had shown blue, white, and even green colours as they activated skills. I was unsure if it was a personal or skill related to what colour appeared. It was something I was interested in but was not vital to know at the moment outside of the essence I gained when they were activated. "I gain from them just visiting, but it is so little. If they use skills, it''s more profitable for me." Larry continued to ignore me, and I got used to it. I sensed the night coming and it was snowing now. Winter was here and I wondered how it would affect the groups coming in. "I think they cut a path through the snow to whatever town now exists out there. I can just make it out." The novelty of having Adventures coming to my Dungeon had worn off. Now, I saw most as just a resource to be monitored if required. There were exceptions with some groups, but most did not interest me. "Well, this is getting boring again." The next few days were just a repeating cycle of Adventuring groups and then the miners. My essence meter was creeping up. Slowly, so bloody slowly! "Well, that''s interesting." A group was moving straight down to the third floor. I did not recognise them. "It''s a new group, then. They look well-armed with decent armour. It''s not a Tin group and they don''t have a mentor." It looked to me that they were a group of four men, all combat classes. They had two long spears with them, which they were using to navigate around the staircase as they descended¡ªcalling them spears might be wrong, as they were more like pikes. "Are those boar spears?" Several groups discussed using them on the third to take out the boars faster. It seemed that this group were going to try. I watched as they slowly made their way down. The spears were slowing them down as they were very long and cumbersome. There was a lot of swearing and cursing as they went down. I found the whole thing entertaining as they eventually got downstairs. I had figured something out as they went down but was waiting for them to realise it. The spears were too long to get into the room from the corridor! The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "This was going to be good." They made it to the floor and discovered the problem. I was not disappointed by the reaction as the group broke into one hell of an argument. They seemed to be a rather hot-headed bunch, as their tempers were flaring. "This is why you do your scouting first!" The argument was getting more intense and focused on one of the men who, it seemed, had come up with the idea. They were getting worked up to a much greater degree than I expected. A lot of threats and accusations were being thrown around. "Some history here, I think." Things suddenly got violent as one of the men struck at the other who was being blamed. The remaining two quickly back off, not helping either, but following as the fight moved. Blows were being exchanged as the combatants were not holding back. "Bloody hell! That escalated fast!" I watched as they fought. The attacker drove the defender down the corridor. The thuds and ringing sounds of weapon impacts echoed as they moved. They were so focused on each other that they never noticed they were now in the first room and my boar had something to add. The squeal as it attacked surprised both men and they did not have time to react. The first through the doorway was the man attacked and he was having a bad day¡ªfirst assaulted by a member of his party and now a boar. The impact of the boar hitting him shattered his knee and ripped a large wound in his leg. There was an audible snap at the moment of impact. Screaming, he collapsed as the two non-combatants ran in to help. "That might be a fatal injury. Well, it will be if he does not get medical aid soon." As I watched the fight, I was not unaware of my growing disinterest in the suffering of those who entered my Dungeon. There was simply nothing I could do. The boar was rampaging, fighting the three still standing and trampling the falling man. "Newly Iron grade, I think." The single boar was showing itself to be almost too much for them to handle. They were hacking at it; the red health bar was dropping, but its hide was stopping a lot of the damage inflicted by their weapons from getting through. The boar was outnumbered, and it was those numbers that brought it down, but as it fell, I felt an Essence rush of the death of the man on the floor. A gold alert suddenly flashed in the bottom right in my vision. "Levelling time!" The survivors collected the body and reward and they left. The boar spears were forgotten as they wanted out fast. As soon as they were out the door, I opened the alert and said¡­ "Yes." My Dungeon sealed itself. My vision twisted and I fell into my Core. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ Blackness. ## ## ## ## ## "Errrwwmmm." My return to consciousness could have been more pleasant. I should know this by now. "Why can''t it be this wonderful experience like in most of the stories? No! I get the worst hangover version of levelling." It is not long before I am fully aware and ready for what comes next. First, I check on my "body." I have grown again and reckon I am 2.5 times larger than I was when I arrived. The glowing mana lights are a little brighter along my outer layer. ¡°Status screen. Bhaldor.¡±
Name Bhaldor Essence 0%
Race Dungeon Core CP 133(400) /3.5 phr
Level 4 Corruption 0%
Floors 4 Health 100%
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 2 - 10% Core Refining ¨C 5% Mana Sight: 6 ¨C 51% Aura Manipulation: 7 - 52%
Perks/Restrictions: Godless Affintyless (++ ERROR! ++) Companionless Limitless Monsters/Traps Core Refinement max ¨C 95%
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 64.8(80) / 0.01 phr. Shadow ¨C 80(80) / 1.1 phr. Light ¨C 80(80)/0.1 phr.
"I''m Looking better than I started. I''ve got a new floor to make. How long has it taken me to get here?" What had it been three years here already? It was getting harder to tell, as my mind had gotten used to my existence as a Core now. Time was not an issue; it once was when I was human. It was times like these that I reflected on what I had lost and gained. These thoughts echoed in my mind as I checked the Dungeon. Each floor, room and minion was as I had left them. What had I lost? What had I gained? Well, having a human body was the most obvious of what I had lost. There were good and bad things with that. Maintaining the body I had was annoying, but I really miss other things. Eating, drinking and jerking off, things like that. God, I miss jerking off¡­ "Back to the new floor." It was night outside and with this floor, I had already decided to make it slowly over the next few days or weeks. I focused my attention on the stairwell on the third floor. When it was finished, I planned to create the fourth floor and link it to the rest of the Dungeon. Sinking into the floor, I began expanding my aura. The stone and earth were brought under my control. It was almost exclusively stone now. The first area claimed would be the stair room. I knew the size and claimed the space quickly. The room was cut out of the rock and the pillar and stairs were formed. Later, I would create the hidden alcove for my Core and add the additional details, making the area look like it was still being built. "So far, so good." Next, I began expanding in all directions. Suddenly, the stone before me disappeared to the west. My aura flooded forward, filling a large space. My CP count dropped dramatically as this happened. "Fuck! What was that!" Stopping my expansion, I tried to figure out what had happened. Was this the reverse of my aura hitting the surface? I waited several minutes to see if anything happened. "Nothing happening. Let''s see what''s going on." I entered the space to find a large underground cavern spreading out north and east. There were stalagmites and stalactites scattered around. A stream was running through the cavern in a southwestern direction towards the river. What interested me was the mushrooms and moss growing in the area. Clustered close to the stream, I started to absorb them as soon as I confirmed there were no dangers. I start with the most abundant thing: the moss. It was bioluminescent, producing a soft blueish light. In large clumps, it was bright enough to light small areas.
Alert! Blue Moss (Common) has been gained for your Dungeon. Blue Moss is a commonly found plant in underground areas worldwide. It lights areas for both friends and foes. Blue moss is also used in some alchemy creations as part of light potions. 1 CP creates a meter patch that does not expand naturally without access to a water source.
"Blue Moss? Who the hell names these things around here?" Not counting the name, it had some exciting possibilities for my Dungeon. This could be used to light-select areas without using mana. "That book on plants seems to allow me access to more information. I wonder if Herb Lore is a skill that I can gain?" Once I asked the question, another alert appeared.
Alert! Herb Lore - 1 (98% to completion).
"So now you answer!" This caused me to rant about my favourite subject, a certain God and his system. About an hour later, I pulled myself back out of it, realising I needed to finish the floor. "Focus! The mushrooms now." Two types of mushrooms were present That were absorbed one after the other.
Alert! Grey Skin Mushroom (Common) has been gained for your Dungeon. The most commonly found mushroom type. Tough but edible. 1 CP creates a two-meter patch that does not expand naturally without access to a water source.
They were small and grew in patches. They were the typical example of mushrooms. "Not sure what to do with these?" The next was growing from the walls or stones. They were broad and flat with a red-coloured top.
Alert! Redhead Mushroom (Common) has been gained for your Dungeon. A slightly poisonous mushroom is best avoided. 1 CP creates a 2-3 mushroom patch that does not expand naturally without access to a water source.
"I have no idea what I can do with this." I took my time and absorbed all of the remaining mushrooms and moss. The moss was replaced by running the length of the stream and lighting the area around it. I also removed all the spores to stop any wild growths from appearing. This took longer than I expected and dawn was soon upon me. I unlocked the door and waited for the Adventures to reappear. "I wonder how long I was out this time? Looks like about twenty days." That seemed about the average time my levelling takes to complete. Snow was still sitting on the roof, so winter was still ongoing. There was something I am forgetting. Then it hit me. "The boar spears!" Chapter 35 The Adventurers reappeared about mid-day. Woodland came in with a team of well-equipped Adventurers. They descended straight down to the third floor and spent some time looking for the fourth. They used magical items to see if the route was hidden. Along the way, they cleared the floor of boars and the Guardian. Things went as well as I expected. ¡°Not yet.¡± They were disappointed but left and the others began filtering through. Woodland was not happy about the lack of a new floor. The day quickly returned to the regular routine. Nothing of note happened outside of the first team. As soon as the miners left, I closed the Dungeon. Back to the new floor! ¡°Right, this cavern will be 4A.¡± The floor plan was started. I have decided to have no floor traps on this level. The danger will be coming from above. I began expanding my aura again, claiming more land. Again, my aura crossed into another space and flooded in. My CP dropped dramatically each time this happened. ¡°Shit, another cavern?¡± This time, the space was to the southwest, following the stream. I think it might be larger than the first¡ªtime to investigate. The cavern was about the same size but had a different shape. I found the stream running through it and the same mushrooms and moss growing. They were absorbed and the moss was replaced along the stream. ¡°Well, this is a bit of a dilemma.¡± Were these caverns, or were they caves? Whatever they were, they had thrown my plans into chaos. One I could work around, but two, maybe more, was different. I needed to know if there were more, so I continued to expand. Dawn was nearby when I expanded to the size I was planning on. No more were discovered. I stopped and prepared to unlock the doors. ¡°OK, I can work with this. Tonight, we make the rooms and corridors.¡± They were smashed in before I unlocked the doors and an angry red alert appeared. ## ## ## ## ## Thrugg had finally arrived. The pull was getting stronger. He could see a building ahead and what was pulling him here was there. He would go in and smash it and prove he was strongest. The sun was rising, but the mountains were blocking the light. He walked towards the building. His club gripped in his hand. In the distance, he saw a wooden wall. He could hear sounds of alarm. Good, they knew he was here and was strong. They feared him. He walked around the building, looking for a door. He found it and went to smash it. Pain flared as fire swept over him. Roaring, he turned to find a group of humans attacking him. Thrugg was strongest. He will show them. He lashed out with his club. He caught a man who was too slow to move aside and sent his broken body flying away. Thrugg attacked with his club several more times, smashing bodies. Power flowed through him. He was strongest. He will win. Magic and arrows hit him. Some hurt, but he ignored most. More were coming. Thrugg knew he could win, but the pull was more dangerous. He turned as pain flared, but he knew what he had to do. With his club, he hit the doors. ## ## ## ## ##
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! A Void Corrupted creature is attacking your Dungeon. Kill it before it destroys you! Rally your minions! Defend your Core and Dungeon! ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Minion room/floor restrictions have been lifted until the raid has been completed or defeated!
¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± A massive humanoid was forcing its way into the entrance room. ¡°Larry! Core now!¡± Larry did not waste any time and was moving. He scampered across the rafter and through the flap in the wall. I reached out to each floor and had the minions gather in the stairwell room. The figure was crawling to get in and I was unhappy with what I saw. Humanoid and misshapen. That was before what else was happening. Thick arms and squat legs. Broad shoulders with large, wide hands. The head, oversized ears and nose with small eyes. Covered or ¡°dressed¡± in hides, the thing was fearsome by itself. Now, I had to add the bone spikes protruding from the arms and black veins on the skin that can be seen. The eyes were jet black, with two misshapen tusks protruding from the mouth. Arrows and what I think are magic attack impacts covered them. Dark grey oily ¡°blood¡± was oozing from some of these injuries. I moved to the first floor. The wasps have almost gathered. Its size gave me a little time as it would have to break through the tower wall and crawl down the stairs. This was going to be nasty at best. I am terrified for the first time in years. ## ## ## ## ## ¡°Get organised. We are going in after that thing!¡± Elian was gathering her Adventurers to follow the monster into the Dungeon. ¡°What in the Abysses name was that!¡± Someone called out. ¡°Some form of twisted Mountain Ogre. I never saw one ignore so much and keep going.¡± Another answered. ¡°Melee upfront with archers and ranged next. Finally, healers and everyone else.¡± She continued snapping orders. The ogre had arrived at dawn just before the first team was going in. Several groups were at the gate arranging their entry and had responded as soon as the Watch called the alarm. She had arrived as it broke through the doors and entered the surface structure. They could all hear the sounds of it forcing its way deeper into the building. Around the healers were treating a few wounded and three were already dead. Crushed by the monster¡¯s club and sheer strength. It was another issue to add to the situation, but she had realised in the Dungeon that it would work in their favour. The healers were telling her that the injured were not responding to healing as they should¡ªanother issue to add to her growing list. ¡°Are we ready?¡± She calls out. The answers back tell her they were about ready to go in. ¡°Guild leader, Woodland!¡± A man''s voice called from behind. She turned to find a priest approaching her. ¡°Cleric Asham! Thank Astraus, you are here. We are about to enter the Dungeon to kill that ogre.¡± ¡°No, you are not.¡± His tone was soft yet firm. Woodland thought she misheard. ¡°Sorry. What did you just say?¡± ¡°I said you are not entering the Dungeon.¡± He said again. Now, many others were listening. ¡°By the Gods! Why not?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°That is the reason. Astraus and the others have all decreed that we should not interfere with what is happening.¡± He was standing with the confidence of a man with his goddess at his back. Woodland was at a loss. This was not what she expected. She looked over his shoulder at the gate and saw the other three church heads emerging and walking with the conviction of those on a mission. ¡°What are we to do then?¡± ¡°Guild Leader Woodland, as a former Adventurer, I understand your frustration. The instructions are, however, clear. We wait. If the monster were still outside the Dungeon, we would not prevent you from killing it, but the moment it crossed the Dungeon threshold, it left your ability to engage.¡± Asham said, knowing the others around listening. Elain did not speak for several moments. Her mind was reeling, trying to understand what was happening. This Dungeon was vexing her and the other Guild Leaders. So many strange things were happening here. The most recent was the Dungeon closing, which was going through an expansion phase, but no new floor was found. Now, this twisted ogre appears and ignores them to attack the Dungeon. She wanted to scream at him and demand answers but remained controlled. ¡°Everyone back to the palisade.¡± She called out. The Adventurers were confused but followed her instructions. She stepped close to the cleric, speaking to him quietly as they retreated. ¡°We need to speak to Lord Goldwind. It is far past time we spoke about this place.¡± ¡°I wish I had answers for you, Elian, but we are just as confused as you. But you are right. We should speak.¡± Asham replied in an equally quiet voice. This only increased her concern that something beyond their understanding was happening here. ## ## ## ## ## The door to the tower was smashed in. The walls were being broken as well. Whatever was attacking me was too large to fit through the doorway and was expanding the one there. My walls were stronger than usual stone; this was slowing it but not stopping its assault. My minions gathered on each floor stairwell room to fight the thing as it came for my Core. The alert had named it a void creature, but I was still trying to process it all. ¡°Mana Sight. Activate.¡± My vision changed, and the creature was revealed to me in a different way. It had a dull brown energy in it, but it was being consumed and almost obscured by void essence. The creature was surrounded by it and it was flowing through its body. I could see that parts of its body were not original, as the void essence was stronger in those areas. Its skin was an ashen grey and looked wrong. I could see injuries. From how it was moving, none were significant. It was leaving a trail of void essence and was drawing more to it at the same time. I remembered what Oda had said. The void corrupted would seek me out. Well, that day was here. ¡°Mana Sight. Deactivate.¡± My sight was restored to normal. I had a few minutes to strategise before it started to come down the stairs. Looking over my Dungeon again briefly, I looked back to my attacker. Breaking down the problem and focusing on resolving it was calming my mind. Time to figure out how to survive this. ¡°Void corrupted. Large and strong. An ogre or troll or something else, maybe? How am I going to kill it?¡± It was going to be through the wall shortly. Chunks of masonry were being knocked from it. ¡°Its size works against it on the stairwell. It has a club but cannot swing it in such a tight space. It must be swarmed there to wear it down. The wasps and toads will not stop it but could injure it more. It will be the boars that will end this, or I am fucked. They are also at a disadvantage in the stairwell room.¡± I ensured the first and second-floor minions were in place to fight it as it came down the stairs. I instructed them to attack as soon as it appeared. ¡°I need somewhere the boars can amass and use their natural advantages.¡± I focused on the third floor¡ªLarry and Puck¡ªnext to my Core''s hiding place. I knew what I had to do. Revealing my Core, I began reorganising the defenders of this floor. ¡°The second room will be where the fight happens. We have to get all the boars into there to charge it together. Puck will need to distract it with his spells. Larry will carry my Core to the room. If all fails, he can keep moving around the floors with me until I can replace my minions.¡± As I mused and thought out loud, my minions began moving into position. The boars and Guardian moved to the second room on the floor. Puck was flying around above them, ready to use his magic. Larry picked me up and carried me into the room. He sat in front of the doorway on the other side of the mud pit, leading deeper into the floor. The door leading from the guardian room was open. He would run in a circuit with me if that was required. Above the wall finally gave way and the creature began to move down the stairs. It had left its club, which was more like a tree trunk on the floor. The stairs were wide, but it was larger, forcing it to crawl. The wasps attacked as soon as its head appeared. They darted forward, using their stringers to try to penetrate the creature''s hide. I held the Guardian back as I studied the wasp''s attacks. It was tough but bellowed as it was attacked, using an arm to try to swat the wasps away. The wasps were fast and agile, but their numbers worked against them. The creature was slowly caught with arm swipes and crawled down the stairs enough to enter the room. It pushed itself forward and rolled down into the room with a crash. ¡°Go for the eyes.¡± I sent the instruction to the Guardian and it shot forward. As the creature rose from the floor, it was met with an enlarged stinger to the face. The roar of pain made me happy as the stinger found its mark and hit one of the creature¡¯s eyes. Considering the size of the target, I was surprised the Guardian found it. ¡°Right on target!¡± This came with a cost. The creature slammed its open palm against its face, catching and crushing the Guardian. The red health bar emptied in less than two seconds, confirming its death. ¡°Shit! I hoped it would last longer.¡± The creature was standing, hunched, but standing now. The other wasps did not last long after that. The eye hit was closed and weeping grey oily blood. I think it can no longer see out of it. Looking down the stairs after the last wasp died, it knelt and began crawling again. ¡°Alright, the toads are up.¡± The toads fared far worse than the wasps. They lacked the speed of the wasps. They were a little tougher, but they were crushed against that thing. Literally, they went at it with all they had, skill and natural weapons, but they were squashed one by one. The room echoed with the sounds of skill-infused croaks, tongue whip impacts and the spattering of toad bodies. The Guardian was no different; its death marked the end of the little resistance encountered on the second floor. As far as I could tell, no further injuries were inflicted, but I could be wrong. It was now moving down to the third floor. ¡°Guardian, hold back¡ªboars attack in groups of three. Puck, use your spells to confuse. Larry, be ready to run.¡± I gave my final instructions as the creature pushed itself through the turning on the stairs into the room. It got up and looked around, expecting to be attacked. It realised it was not going to be and began ¡°sniffing¡±. It turned in my direction and moved slowly towards the entrance to the first room. It was hunched over, making its progress slow. When it reached the doorway, it began using its fists to smash the walls. I watched as it crashed through the stone walls. Its hands showed signs of the durability of my walls, as they were bloody. These injuries only increased as it broke through to the first room. ¡°Here we go, be ready.¡± I was afraid but committed to my plan. My minions knew danger was close and were getting aggressive. I focused on keeping them together, or they would just charge in and get in each other¡¯s way. The wall at the entrance to the second room was now under attack. The stone was smashed and sent flying into the room. It was not long before it was pushing through. ¡°First three boars go! Puck go!¡± My minions leapt forward. Puck was to engage first, casting spells at the creature. The creature was halfway through when the boars hit it. It was pulling itself through the hole. One of the boars hit the arm, while the others hit the partially revealed body. The stamina bars fell as the boars used their skills. Puck''s mana bar also dropped as he cast his spells. The impacts were loud, and the tusks ripped into its body. The creature bellows in pain. I can sense what spells Puck is using and realise he is just throwing spells without thought, draining his magic too fast. ¡°Puck focus on using dazzle and aim it at its eye.¡± Puck quickly follows my orders. The dazzles affect the creature¡¯s attacks, allowing the boars more time before they are killed. They last longer than the wasps or toads, even taking two hits to kill, but they fall. One triggered its Fury skill, gaining a red hue, and ripped a nasty wound in the arm of its killer. As they die, the creature pulls itself further into the room. ¡°Next three go!¡± The next boars charge in and collide with the creature''s bulk. One hit the hip area while the other collided with a leg. Again, a thunderous bellow erupted as the boars cut deep with their tusks. The attacker was now swinging with its fists¡ªtwo more boars'' red health bars drained when hit. The third got another hit in before it to died. ¡°All remaining boars go!¡± The rest were released to attack, as the intruder was entirely in the room now. They crashed forward together, hitting the intruder from different directions. The Guardian was still being held back. Puck¡¯s blue mana bar was almost exhausted, but he was still casting Dazzle. ¡°Puck, fall back and join the Guardian.¡± He obeyed and was around the boar near the ceiling. Hopefully, his mana can regenerate a little before the Guardian is committed and from the looks of things, that would be soon. More tears were opened by the tusks in the grey flesh and the oily blood was flowing from them. In return, my boars were dying, but I saw that the injuries were taking their toll. The creature was not as steady on its feet. It was swaying but still lashing out, but the strikes were not killing the boars outright. More were triggering their Fury ability, gaining the tell-tale red hue, increasing the damage they inflicted before dying. ¡°Soon, soon.¡± The last boar tore a chunk from its leg and the creature toppled forward onto its hands and knees with a cry of pain. ¡°Go!¡± I released my hold on the Guardian and with a thunderous squeal, the last hope I had charged forward. The creature was facing down but looked up as my Guardian triggered its Charge skill and collided with its face. The impact was a sickly crunch sound. Both were knocked back from the impact. My Guardian was staggering, trying to remain upright; his health bar was depleted. His opponent went backwards, falling on and killing the last boar. Its face was a bloody mess. ¡°Shit! Puck use Dazzle if it tries to get back up again.¡± Both combatants were punch drunk from the impact. The fight would be won by the one who recovered fastest. The creature was getting back up, but Puck was there using his last mana, casting Dazzle spells, trying to slow it. My Guardian shook his head and was getting back into fight mode. ¡°Fuck me! Larry, get ready to run if this goes bad.¡± Larry was still holding me and was ready to run. He was quivering in fear and I could not blame him. I would be right there with him if I were not an inanimate gem now. The creature was on its knees. The wounds on its legs prevented it from standing, but my Guardian took advantage of this. It triggered Charge again as the green stamina bar dropped slightly again. The impact was against the creature''s lower torso, and my Guardian ripped in deep with his tusks. The beast bellowed in pain. The area where the intestines are on a human was shredded. What looked like the same organs were exposed with a lot of blood. The void creature attacking my Dungeon fell forward. I caught my Floor Guardian under it, crushing my valiant defender as it, too, died. That was how the fight ended. Silence covered my Dungeon as Larry, Puck and I were the only things left alive. Then, the alert and something else entered me. It was not essence but something sickening and wrong. I felt violated and ill. I wanted to throw up. ¡°Open alert.¡±
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! The raid has ended! Result ¨C VICTORY! Your defences killed a total of 1 Void Corrupted Mountain Ogre. Design gained Mountain Ogre! Your Dungeon has been damaged in the raid. As you are VICTORIOUS all damage will be repaired. Void corruption gained! ¡­¡­¡­¡­. Minion room/floor restrictions have been restored and your dungeon is being reset!
¡°Fuck! What does this mean?¡± Chapter 36 The Dungeon began resetting and I felt awful. Other alert notifications had appeared, but I was not looking at them yet. On the surface, the doors and wall were reassembling. It looked like whatever the system said about the Dungeon being restored was where the attack started. "Larry, take me back to my alcove." He carried me past the corpses of my minions that were dissolving long with the corrupted mountain ogre. Puck was flying around the bodies. "Well, I now know what attacked us." Larry carried me to my alcove. I would hide it again as soon as I was secure. Along the way, I noticed the boar spears still on the floor. "Got to take care of them." They were absorbed and I knew another alert had been added to my list. It felt off as I did it. Everything felt off, like I was human again and had a nasty head cold or a concussion. Larry moved around the column and placed me into my hole. His hands/paws allowed him to put me quickly into the correct spot and backed away. With more concentration than was usually required, I sealed myself away. I would not add the rest of the stones that hid me as I would be moving to the next floor as soon as it was completed. The doors and wall were replaced at the entrance and I locked them as visitors were not welcome right now¡ªtime to count the cost. ¡°Status screen. Bhaldor.¡±
Name Bhaldor Essence 20%
Race Dungeon Core CP 133(400) 3.5 phr
Level 4 Corruption 40%
Floors 4 Health 100%
"Well, that explains a lot." I acquired an amount in my Corruption section for the first time. Essence was up to twenty percent, but corruption was double that. "Oda said I would absorb it and process it to make it safe, but how long will it take?" No answers were supplied. I was not surprised. It was easy to forget how being tired affects you mentally; well, now I am remembering because I felt exhausted. I wanted to sleep and fall into that sweet embrace of nothingness, but my present existence prevented that. This was not going to be fun. "Close status screen." I mentally gathered my thoughts. "Keep busy. Yes, that will be best. Start with the alerts."
Alert! Your minion Puck has levelled up! Do you wish to level up this minion: Yes or No?
"Bloody hell! Well done, Puck. Oh, er, yes." I looked at Puck as he landed on the ground. His body glow increased for a few seconds and returned to normal. He launched into the air again and began flying around as if nothing had happened. "Status screen. Puck."
Name Puck Level/Class 2 - Dungeon Mini-Boss
Race Pixie Wisp Essence 0%
Health 20/20 Mana 90/90
Stamina 20/20 Corruption 0%
STR 1 1 Damage base
DEX 5 (+1)
AGL 26 (+1) +26% Dodge
END 2
VIT The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. 2
PER 10
INT 9 (+1)
WIL 9 (+1)
LUCK 10
Skills: Dodge: 2 - 10% Cost: 2 Stamina Improved Lure: 1 ¨C 0% Cost: 2 Stamina
Spells: Dazzle ¨C Cost: 5 Mana (Duration: 35 seconds) Invisibility ¨C Cost: 5 Mana (Duration: 1 minute 10 seconds) Target Self only. Confusion ¨C Cost 5 Mana (Duration: 35 seconds)
Perks/Restrictions: Pixie Form
"Close status screen." Well, he has improved, which is good for him and me. His magic had also increased in duration slightly. "I wonder if he will develop new spells as he advances?" Again, there was no answer. I continued through the remaining alerts, all the housekeeping stuff and the boar spears. I glanced at them but was not in the mood to think about them. The tower door and wall were under repair. They would be finished soon. "Focus on the next floor. Check out the ogre later." Sinking my awareness into the ground, I viewed the two caves/caverns(?). The first thing I did was link them beyond the stream. A corridor quickly formed between the two. "What will these caves be? First room and guardian or the first two?" The discovery of these two spaces had thrown my plans into disarray. This floor was going to be spiders. That was a given, as all my experimentation had focused on this direction. How would these two areas be part of this? I opened and looked over what materials and resources I had on hand to play with. "To create shadows, I need light. I was going to create light crystals, but it will be more cost-effective to use large amounts of Blue Moss." Musing on my options helps distract me from my present condition. "The stalactites and mites can be repurposed in this. Let''s try." I created patches of Blue Moss around the first cave and added some water and fertiliser to those areas as well. The areas saw the moss quickly appear and grow- faster than the other plants, for some reason. The soft blue glow illuminated areas but was not very strong. "Going to need more. Who would have thought I could develop such a green thumb?" Adding larger patches to the ceiling and walls created my desired illumination level. Patches of some of the stalactites and mites were grown. The room now had lit areas to patches of darkness, giving an otherworldly feel. The moss was cheap to develop and self-sustaining. "This will be better in the long run. Spider time." The design for a simple brown spider was available to me and cost 1 CP. It was roughly as capable as my wasps. The toads were bigger and tougher. The plan was to mix in a hefty dose of Shadow mana and additional CP to get something more dangerous. "Right, time to see if my experimentation was worth it. Six CP and four Shadow mana. Here we go." Channelling the energy and assigning it to the design was easy. Holding it together and creating something new was the hard part. My present condition was no help, but I pushed through the tiredness and queasy feeling I had. The spot of the ground I was focused on began to form a small vortex of wind and dust. The motes of that weird grey-coloured light soon appeared and the outline of a spider began to appear. "Keep focused!" It was proving far more challenging than the others, but there was a sudden pop and the spider came into existence, and the pressure of its creation vanished from my mind. "Open alert."
Congratulations! You have created a new minion. A Shadow Spider Design gained - Shadow Spider
"Close alert." There was another, but I ignored it for now as it would be the death reward. Before me was my new creation. A six-legged arachnid with a smooth, deep grey shell. It was more akin to a beetle shell, which was the first surprise. The brown spider it was created from had hair, but this one did not. It had two sets of eyes that were jet black, and the rest was clearly expected to be on a spider. It was large, its body about the size of a Labrador dog. Adding its legs in made it seem larger. "So, what are you all about?" ## ## ## ## ## "What happened? Why was Guild Leader Woodland not allowed to pursue the ogre?" Ranus demanded of the priests that were with him and the other Guild Leaders. They had gathered in the room where he had recently met the Guild Leaders. The room was packed and tense. The temple leaders were on one side of the table, while the Guild leaders were crammed on the other. The small fireplace was lit, and the press of bodies had already raised the temperature to the point that people were stripping their outer winter clothes. "Lord Goldwind, we understand your confusion and frustration on this matter." Cleric Asham spoke. It was odd in itself that the other three were letting him take the lead, but as the subject was a Dungeon, it made sense to Ranus. "We are all aware of the "oddities" around this Dungeon. We have received messages from our divine patrons instructing us on this matter and others that might arise." Asham continued talking and had the attention of the room. He was speaking, but everyone was aware of what he was not saying. "If any other of the mutated or twisted, as some call them monsters, appear, as long as they are not attacking this community, they are not to be prevented from reaching the Dungeon." Silence descends on the room at this. There was no overall surprise, but he came out and said it was still a shock in many ways¡ªanother strange thing to add to the list around this Dungeon. "What happens if this thing attacking the Dungeon destroys it? How more powerful will it become?" Elian was concerned and they all shared it. "We do not know, but Astraus has always preached that we must stand on our own." Asham was firm in his Goddess''s rules. "You saw that thing. It was easily ranked as a high Silver or low Gold threat. We do not have that grade of adventurer in this community." She did not let up. "We must trust in Astraus''s wisdom and hope for the Dungeon''s victory." The room exploded into arguments as each sought to have their views heard. Only Ranus, Elian and Asham were silent. There was a sudden knocking at the door. "Enter!" Ranus commanded loudly. A new member of the Watch came in. The youth was flush from running when he spotted Ranus and began pushing through the crowded room to reach him. "Lord Goldwind. A message from the Watch Captain!" He squeaked out, shaking from the terror of all the town''s influential people looking at him. "Report!" Ranus managed to keep his face straight. Even in this tense situation, the boy''s actions were amusing. "My Lord! The captain reports that the Dungeon front door and the damaged wall have begun to repair itself." This brought another bout of silence in the room. "Thank you. That will be all if there is nothing else." The boy shook his head in the negative and fled the room. "The Dungeon is victorious." Asham spoke after the door was closed. "For now. But what about next time?" Elian asked, bringing the room to a third period of silence. "It is past time we talk about this." Ranus spoke after the silence dragged on. He expected the room to explode into arguments but found the silence worse. The room occupants looked at him. "I know we have had conversations in private. It was past time we talked as a group; now is the time. What is going on with this Dungeon?" Ranus posed the question that they were all thinking. They all looked at each other and began talking. They all agreed it was time. They started sharing information and confirming some of their thoughts. But in the end, they had far more questions. ## ## ## ## ## "So, your little experiment has survived its first challenge." The bitterness was still easy to hear. Four Gods were gathered again in Oda''s office. Oda called them as soon as the ogre began its attack. At his request, they instructed their churches to prevent the Adventurers from following and watched the Dungeon''s defence. They stood around his table, looking at the replica of the Dungeon Core. It had grown again and the specs of light on its surface were more pronounced. Above the table was a representation of the Dungeon Bhaldor had created. If he saw it, he would call it a holographic representation. It was complete down to the finest details. The minions were respawning, and Astraus was watching this. "Astraus, I have apologised for my trespass, but you know why it had to be done." Oda''s voice was soft but firm in his response. Astraus was still not entirely mollified by what he had done. The other two had grudgingly accepted the reasons for his actions ¨C but had not forgotten them. "The void-corrupted ogre was stronger than you predicted." Nictor said, looking up at Oda. "It was. I knew there were corrupted creatures in the mountain range, but it was hard to gauge their strength. Its elimination helps us by reducing corruption in the area." Oda was truthful to the other three as he also looked up. "The Dungeon is creating its fourth floor and has closed itself off until it is finished." Xandus was still looking at the replica. "He was lucky. The Adventures outside injured that ogre enough for him to kill it." Astraus spoke again. "That may be true. Sealing his Dungeon off is normal. He must also learn to deal with the corruption he has absorbed." "How long will it take to render it safe?" Xandus still had not looked away from the replica. "It is a lot. It will take around forty days to purge it all." Oda answered after a brief calculation. "That is a long time. Is there any risk while this is happening?" Nictor asked. "Only if the Core absorbs another large concentration of void essence. As long as no more is absorbed, the Core will be fine. Now, do you see the danger?" "Yes. We were aware that something was wrong. Now we can name it; we can learn to fight it." Xandus was still fixated on the Core. "What of the other Gods?" Astraus asked. "The others know that something is going on, and our Churches'' move to the new town has caused great interest. They have their clergy moving to the town. I have not been asked outright, but several have been making enquiries." Nictor looked at Oda. "We need to tell them something. Or one will do something foolish." "I agree. My thoughts are that we are interested in this new Dungeon and are eager to see what it will become." Oda looked at him. "They will never believe that." Astraus snapped. "They don''t need to believe it. Only stay out of the Dungeon." "What of the other races?" Nictor asked. "They are aware of the new Dungeon by now. None are nearby, but I expect to see some appearing in the town within the year." Astraus answered. "They are still looking down and hampering Humanity." Xandus finally looked up. "The whole world was affected negatively by the Folly. In humanity''s weakened state, they have been taken advantage of in revenge." Nictor reminded the others. "These things are outside of our control. We are Divine but are bound by the Rules of the Mantles. We are reflections of how mortals perceive us and the avatars of our Mantles. We cannot control these things, but we must keep striving to prevent another inter-species war," Oda intoned. The Gods looked at each other, knowing that hard days were ahead until the corruption polluting their world was purged. Chapter 37 "Okay. You are a bit larger than I expected, but I can work with that." My newest creation was walking around the first cave, exploring. I could sense its desire to spin webs and wait for prey to get insnared. I had decided what to do when I finally created this fellow. "Status screen. Shadow Spider."
Name Shadow Spider Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Shadow Touched Spider Essence 0%
Health 80/80 Mana 30/30
Stamina 80/80 Corruption 0%
STR 8 8 Damage base
DEX 10
AGL 10
END 8
VIT 8
PER 10
INT 3
WIL 3
LUCK 2
Equipment: Bite: 3 DAM + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Creates Webs: +30% Chance of being caught and immobilised. Shadow Touched: +10% to surprise attacks chance to hit and -10% to ranged attacks when in Shadow. Produces Shadow infused Spider Silk(common). Vulnerable to Light: +5 Damage for Light sources. This may cause Fear in a minion.
"This is a little different. There are no skills or magic, but you can create a resource. Throw in a light vulnerability as well¡­. Yes, you are a bit different." Tougher than my toads but nowhere close to the boars. Costing six CP and four Shadow. It is more expensive but much more dangerous in the right environment. Talking about environment time to make the floor. "I have come to a decision: The first cave will be the first room and the second will be the guardian room. We need more spiders here¡­. Scratch that, just one more." I added the standard door to represent the exit to the guardian room. Unlike the higher floors, this led the adventures back into the first room. I had to keep the cost of my new creations in mind as I would need more for the Guardian. Creating the second was easier for me, but my current mental state was still slowing everything down. The two spiders were scuttling around. "Right, you two have fun spinning webs while I do some housekeeping." The spiders did not need to be told twice and were looking around. "Open alert." The first was the notification of the new spiders and I said yes to their assignment to this room.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the two Shadow Spiders. Cythian Copper coins x12 (Chance ¨C 80%) Cythian Copper coins x14 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No? This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
"Hhhmm." I was not sure. My visitors who had left things usually came to violent ends and through them, I had acquired a list of things I could use as rewards. "No." Dismissing the alert. Not in this room, but later ones were a different story. Finally, I agreed to the room''s respawn costs. I started work by moving my focus to the other side of the cave. The first cave was a twisted U shape. The stairs connected to one side now I began creating a corridor on the other heading south. I had to expand my aura a bit more to encompass the area the room would be in. With the earlier floor, I had broadened my aura to control the space I planned to use. With the discovery of the caves, I was less willing to do this. It would take longer, but I had to use my aura manipulation skill again. The corridor was short and the room I carved was also on the smaller side. I had done something different when descending the stairs to this level. I had pushed the stairs to the limit of the space I could claim. This meant I had more ceiling height in the rooms I was creating. This was part of my plan for the floor. The room did not take long, and it was listed as 4B on my mental map, so I made my first change. The thick wooden support rafter beams on the first floor were not used anywhere else in my Dungeon. I thought about that and realised they would be perfect for this floor. I was creating two that crossed each other in the centre of the room above the seven-foot mark. I had to widen them to allow the spiders to walk across them without issue. One running east-west, the other north-south. In the walls, I made four alcoves above where they met the walls. Now that I knew the size of my spiders, I adjusted them to allow the spiders to fit inside them. This enables the spiders the ability to attack from above. To confuse the Adventures more, I also add nooks on the ground. Spiders are ambush creatures by nature and they will give them options on which direction to attack from. The walls, ceiling and floor were the same stonework I had used on the other floors. Patches of blue moss lit the room. After creating and erasing patches, it took me about an hour to find the right light level. The last thing to be added to the room was the spiders. Two spiders are to be in this room as well. They were created and set loose in the room. I confirmed the alerts of the spider creation and reward assignment. "Looking good. Next room, here we come." I pushed my aura south, taking over more rock and very little earth. Nothing of interest was found as the area became mine to play with. Out of the east side of the room, I cut out a new corridor heading south again. Room 4C was going to be a new shape. All the rooms I have made on the floors have been rectangular or square in shape. All the remaining rooms on this floor were going to be shaped differently. This room I made now was an octagon in form. In this room, I made sure to leave four pillars of stone. I had to reinforce them and alter the outer stone to reflect the stone cladding. I had the same rafters in this room but in a different configuration. Linking pillars together and three to other walls. I hollow out routes for the spiders to move through the pillars and more ambush spots. This was with more alcoves and nooks added to the walls. "Right moss time¡­. Shit, I will need to add it to the corridors as well!" Now, I had figured out how to get the correct illumination level I wanted; it did not take long to get the corridors and room lit. "Spiders. How many?" I paused here and reviewed my CP and Shadow mana, which are available for use. Looking at the numbers, the CP was correct, but the Shadow mana was not what I expected. I thought about this and reviewed all my memories of using it. "I am not getting taxed like my CP!" This was something so obvious that I had completely ignored it until now; it was staring me in the face. Every time I create a minion using mana, the amount I use is deducted but regenerates over time. When the minion is respawned, it removes that much mana again. This is what happens with my CP, but the cost is locked off, so I cannot use it, leaving my minions unable to respawn. "This means I can have a scenario that leaves me without enough mana to spawn my minions after my Dungeon has been cleared." This was an issue! "The plan was to create an illusion spider as the floor guardian. I will need to rethink this." My ability to regenerate Illusion mana was terrible. If I invested five units into its creation, I would only have fifteen kills before I ran out of mana (including the creation cost). If one died a day, I would not have regenerated even close to one unit of mana for replacement. "Shit! Illusion spider for the Guardian is a no-go. Light was a better choice, but I do not think it works with what I am trying to accomplish here." Well, this scuppered all my plans. What to do? "Finish the floor, then worry about the guardian." It was the only thing I could think about doing for the moment. Maybe inspiration would strike as I worked on the rest of the floor. The next corridor continued south and then turned west. I was using my aura manipulation skill to channel my aura in the direction I wanted to go. This slowed me down as I was almost inching along at a higher cost in CP. Taking a short break as my CP was almost gone. I checked the rest of the Dungeon and found everything was restored. It was night again as I had spent the morning fighting for my survival and expanding the new floor the rest of the day. There was an alert that I had been ignoring, so I opened it.
Level Up! Aura Manipulation has increased to level 8. CP use was reduced to 92%.
"Hey, something has improved, at least." My CP regeneration had also gone up to 3.9 per hour. I did not know how long before dawn, so I had to wait for my regeneration to tick up to continue working on the floor. I might stop using my aura manipulation skill to speed things up. The risk is finding another cave that might lead to a network or even contain something nasty. "Well, not much to do right now." Larry was in the rafters sleeping while Puck was down on the third, flying around the boars in the second room. I had nothing to do right now. I could interact with Puck, but I still felt crappy. I was really in no mood to interact with anything. Nights are the worst for me. With nothing to do but wait, my mind wanders and my present state does not help. It was in these empty hours that I had to confront what I was and the truth of my existence. I could not call it new as I have been here for several years. During this time, I have changed, and because my Core is able to retain all my memories, I have to remember what I was and what I am. In the beginning, I felt bad about killing. Even the scumbags and slavers that first came into my Dungeon. I do not regret my choices with the pixie or the slave women I let go. Over time, this regret faded with each following death. The Adventures coming to test themselves against me now do not even give me a flicker of remorse. How much of my humanity remains? This question haunts me in ways I never expected. It is telling that I call them human and see myself as the Core/Dungeon. I think about the many visitors and deaths that have happened in my Dungeon. The only times I find myself roused with any emotion are when I think of those brought here in chains¡ªthose who did not choose to come and test themselves here. "That is consistent about me, at least." I find it strangely comforting that I do not tolerate such things in the place I control. I was a bastard when I was human, but even I had lines that I would not cross. But I was from the west and certain things had been engrained in me. Slavery was terrible and was one of the few that stuck. Killing was wrong; evidently, It was now more of a suggestion. "Who am I kidding? It''s not even an issue for me anymore. " My humanity was diminished, or my link to it was. Could my isolation be blamed? Or that I was still changing and adjusting to my new existence? My mind was the one place I could not escape from and these questions, along with others, haunted me through these long, dark hours. In time, which feels like a tortuous eternity, dawn comes. I can tell as the tower is now bathed in Shadow, not darkness. Beyond my limited view of the world, there was the new community where the local Adventures now lived. Everything I could see was covered in white as the snow was thick on the ground and the building. The only exception was a path cut through the snow leading away. I unlocked my doors. It will still be many hours before my CP has been restored. The Adventures will provide a distraction, at least. Larry perks up at the bolt being slid open. "They should be here soon." I wait. Nothing at first, but then I can make out a figure approaching out of the weird static-like fuzz. It was hard to tell at first, but it was holding a lantern and wrapped in what I think are multiple layers of clothes. The figure is short and I cannot even guess the sex. It trudges up to my doors and reaches out to test if they are open. When tried, the door swings open slightly and the figure closes it immediately. It turns and hurries away much faster than it had arrived. I soon lose it in the grey static that covers everything a few meters from my Dungeon. "Must be a scout to see if I am open yet." My theory bears fruit as a group of Adventures appear not long after. They quickly enter and close the door behind them. They spend a few minutes shedding their outer winter layers before proceeding. This gives me time to look them over. I dismissed the alert, telling me they had entered. They were getting annoying, popping up with every group. "I have seen this group before." They were an Iron grade group that had been here three times before. Well-equipped and balanced, the group of six efficiently handled most of the threats my floors presented. They never passed the second room on the third floor, which always confused me. "Well, today might be different." They started forward with little hint of danger. They descend the stairs and their whole demeanour change on the first floor. "I strangely appreciate a professional group." I expected them to travel down to the second but more likely the third, but they entered the first. I noticed that most of the groups were avoiding the second floor at the moment. It took me several days before it dawned on me that none of them liked walking back to the settlement wet! "Odd. They normally avoid this floor." The wasps are crushed with little resistance. The rewards are collected, and they move on to the next room. The traps are mapped by now and are avoided. The second room wasps do no better and fall in quick order. "I wonder what they are up to. This floor is no challenge for them." The Guardian is soon engaged. It puts up a bit better of a fight, but it, too, is soon cut down. They collect the reward but do something I have never seen before: they collect the Guardian''s corpse and take it with them. "And what are you lot up to?" They put it into a large sack and headed upstairs. They redressed in their winter outer layers and vacated the Dungeon. They closed the door behind them and disappeared from my sight. "Huh?" Chapter 38 Several more teams showed up and at the end of the day, so did the miners. They all acted normally, but none went to the third as they were all Tin groups. I was still confused by the first team''s actions. "Why take the 1st floor Guardian''s corpse?" It had respawned without issue. But why? The last had just left and I had locked the doors. Larry was back in his favourite spot, the rafters. A Tin group had spotted him and tried to hunt him, but he used the flaps I had created to elude them. From their interactions, I learned that the local Adventures were aware of him but were unsure what to make of his existence. "Research? Alchemy of some kind? Trophy?" Listing reasons for taking the corpse helped with the itch of not knowing. Larry, as most times, kept his thoughts to himself. "Well, you''re no help." I could talk to Puck, but he was worse in his blatant ignoring me. "CP is back up. I will risk it to finish the floor tonight and not manipulate my aura." I realised that using my skill would add three to four more days to the floor creation. "Not willing to do that. I want it finished and open to kill the unwary." I went to the stairs on the third floor and linked them to the fourth. This was a message to myself to finish the bloody floor tonight! "I can move myself down later." I was a bit impatient with this floor and the time it was taking to finish. True, there had been a few unexpected events and developments, but still, I wanted it finished. I returned to the last room I made and placed the spiders in. The spiders had been busy and the area was covered in webbing. Looking around, I could see the ambush areas the spiders had decided on and the scattered routes between the alcoves and nooks around the room. "Hey, this is working better than I planned. The lighting level is also good even with the webs." The webs were defusing the light produced by the moss, but not to the point that I was unhappy. I looked at the first room and the spiders did the same. I noted there was a lot more moss around the stream, but as a water source, that was to be expected. "Octagon room, here I come." I needed to think about numbers. I was leaning towards two again. The rafters in this room were shaped in a U amongst the four pillars I had created. These pillars were connected to the walls by three more rafters. "Going to be two." After agreeing to the respawns and loot messages, I made the spiders and looked south again. The next corridor was quickly carved from the rock. It did not go far before I turned west. Travelling a bit further, I started where I planned the next room. Before I made the room, I claimed the space I would use. "This room will be the same size as the third-floor second room. But with a twist." I had spent the last few days thinking about this room and what I was planning with it. I started by carving out a rectangular space with ten pillars, five set on each side. This gave the room a grand hall or temple vibe. "Looking good." Next, I carved sections out of the walls to the north and south. This gave the room the appearance similar to the teeth of an old-style key. Once this was finished, the alcoves and nooks were added, but far more of them. The rafter beams came last. They were shaped like an S through the pillars, connecting five more to different outer wall parts. The moss was then added to the room. I looked at my CP count and knew I would finish the floor today but not add the guardian. "I am happy with that." It will take about twelve hours for the moss to grow fully in. Now spiders. This room was going big! As in eight of the things will be here. This was nearly half of my remaining CP. I would need to wait a bit to regenerate it, but this was happening. I had to wait two hours, but my CP regeneration was now 4.3 per hour, which was far shorter than before. "Here we go." The eight spiders took time to create, but they were created. I was mentally exhausted at the end but was happy I had eight new minions running around. I confirmed the respawn costs but thought about the loot rewards offered.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the eight Shadow Spiders. Cythian Copper coins x50 (Chance ¨C 50%) Cythian Silver coins x1 (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Silver coins x 2 (Chance ¨C 10%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards. Yes or No?
"No." I wanted to alter the rewards or even try something different, but I was hesitant because of my limited resources at the moment. "Finish the floor first, then experiment later with what I have left." I knew this meant the fifth floor would be more experimental, but I could try mixing things up with the floor guardian when I create it. This was to be left for the future. With the spiders now placed, I headed west again with a new corridor. "Let''s see forty-nine CP left to use. Damn it, that''s not a lot." My plan was for another large room with a good quantity of spiders, but that was impossible. I had to go for a smaller room, which would be linked to the second cave where the guardian would be located. I ensured the one-way door was also in place in the corridor, connecting the two caves together. This would save me time later. This time, I made an odd-shaped room with cut-out areas that did not match and three pillars running down the centre in a western direction. The second cave was just north and I created the passage linking them. I placed an L-shaped run of rafters through the room and then I added the alcoves and moss. "Spiders. Spiders. Spiders. How many?" I was leaning towards three. Two seemed too few after the last room, while four too many. So, what will room 4E have? I procrastinate for a while over this. Suddenly, I felt strange. I could sense something in my Dungeon, so I turned my attention towards it. It was weird¡­¡­ yet familiar. "It''s mana formation! Mana Sight. Activate." What I found was new. The essence condensed into a new type of mana at the top northern end of the second cave. Unlike the other three, this was a rich brown in colour. "I have seen this before. The ogre had some of it within his body." The process finished and a glob of mana was sitting on the rocky ground in my Dungeon. I could see it was decaying and reached out for it. The alert filled my vision when it opened. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
Alert! Earth Mana discovered! Mana Absorption is possible! Do you wish to absorb Earth Mana and have it become your¡­. ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Absorption is impossible! ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Earth Mana is absorbed and stored within Mana stone.
"Hell, yes! New mana type to play with!" This was an unexpected and welcome surprise to my Dungeon. What could I do with this new mana type? New options filled my mind. "Focus, finish the floor!" I cannot allow myself to get distracted. The visions of possibilities got me thinking, bringing me to something I had been mulling over for a while. "Can I create an improved spider?" I had considered that question. I have created improved versions of creatures and pushed that further with my Guardians. But what if I can do it again with an existing design but on a smaller scale? Would I risk it? "Hell, yes, I will! It''s time to be bold!" I was feeling reckless. Sure, I was still feeling like shit from the corruption I had absorbed, but the gaining of new mana type had lifted my mood. Was it dangerous? Yes. But I was willing to risk it. "But how will I do it? New Mana type added. No, I don''t know enough About it. What then?" I mused over this for about an hour. In that time, I looked at my status screen and noted I had eight mana points with a regeneration of 0.5 an hour. "Not bad. Well, I have to decide on this¡­¡­.. Two more CP and one Shadow, that''s what I will do." If the respawn costs were too high, I had to factor in my low CP level and the danger of running out of Shadow Mana. After I had calculated the problem, the additional resources would not have been too much. "Right, here we go." Opening the design, I set about customising the design that I created. Approving the additional resources, I made the new spider¡ªthe vortex of wind, dust and motes of light formed in the room. I concentrated on controlling it to stop it from spinning out of control and collapsing. The strain was far worse than I had encountered before, but I remained resolute in my goal. The spider outline was forming, and I could see the beginnings of details. With a sudden pop, the pressure vanished from my mind as my newest creation appeared. "Open alert."
Congratulations! You have created a new, improved minion. A Greater Shadow Spider Design gained - Greater Shadow Spider
"Bloody hell, that was hard! Close alert." Before me was the fruit of my labours. The Greater Shadow Spider. "Damn, you are scary!" I was no fan of spiders but was not afraid of them. My other creations were not pretty and freaked me out a little on some level, but these were far worse. It was the same size as the first but more¡­¡­ angular? The points on its body, especially its legs, are more pronounced and sharper. The spider''s colouration was deeper and the back part where the web fluid was created was slightly larger, along with its mouth. "Right, let''s get into the details. Status screen. Greater Shadow Spider."
Name Greater Shadow Spider Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Shadow Touched Spider Essence 0%
Health 90/90 Mana 30/30
Stamina 90/90 Corruption 0%
STR 9 9 Damage base
DEX 10
AGL 11
END 9
VIT 9
PER 10
INT 3
WIL 3
LUCK 2
Equipment: Bite: 3 DAM + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Creates Webs: +35% Chance of being caught and immobilised. Shadow Touched: +15% to surprise attacks chance to hit and -15% to ranged attacks when in Shadow. Produces Shadow infused Spider Silk(common) Vulnerable to Light: +5 Damage for Light sources. May cause Fear in a minion.
"Well, that''s interesting. It is not a major improvement over the base Shadow Spider but a more refined one. Honestly, I would call it improved over greater, but that''s me." The stats showed me that the new spider was a little stronger and tougher with more agility. The perks have also shown some improvement. These spiders'' webs were slightly better at catching "prey", aka Adventures and their Shadow Touched ability was on par with the Floor Guardian upstairs. "Not as fearsome as I wanted, but I can work with them. Open alerts."
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the two Greater Shadow Spiders. Cythian Copper coins x30 (Chance ¨C 50%) Cythian Copper coins x40 (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Copper coins x 80 (Chance ¨C 10%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards. Yes or No?
"No." I approved the respawn costs. After doing a rough calculation, I found that a complete Dungeon wipe would drain my Shadow Mana heavily. The spiders had not crossed the ten CP mark, so they did not warrant individual loot assignments. Looking at the numbers, I had a thought. "I wonder what the conversion rate between coins is? Most of the stories were one hundred coins between metal grades. Is it the same here?" Another question to add to the collection. Ignorance truly is not bliss in this regard. "Thirty-three CP left for the Floor Guardian. Shit!" Dawn was approaching and I needed to finish. I planted the moss in the cave and waited for my CP to tick back up. I got an alert that it was now sitting at 4.5 an hour. This was going to be close! Two hours later, dawn was nearly here and the Adventures would be arriving soon. "Right, got to be fast and dirty here with this Floor Guardian." I was using the Greater Shadow Spider design as the base for this one. Eight CP and five Shadow for the base minion. What should we add? "Shit! I don''t have time for this. I will¡­.. er, the third is fifteen CP and ten Shadow, so more then?" I was running out of time and thoughts about what to do were causing my mind to spin. I knew dawn was less than fifteen minutes away. "Damn it all!" What the hell! As I have said in the past, go big or go home! I opened the Greater Shadow Spider design and started the creation process, but I added twelve more CPs and two Shadow. I felt the forces tugging and pulling in its creation. I stayed focused on keeping the process; it was more intensive than any other, even the third-floor guardian. The others were easy in comparison and I could just cruise through most of them. This time, I was being forced to pay attention far more. The whirlwind of dust and motes was thick and spun fast. The corruption sought to fog my mind, but I focused on my newest minion. I could see the spider taking shape and it was big! It was done with a sudden loud bang and flash of intense grey light.
Congratulations! You have created an improved minion. Shadow Touched Spider (Queen) created! ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ This minion can be assigned to this room as the floor guardian. Do you wish this to happen: Yes or No?
"Fuck me, what was that!...... Yes!" I was disoriented from the flash/bang effect as I had no idea it would happen. Focusing, I looked at what I had brought into this world. The spider was a giant. I mean, it is the biggest thing I have created so far and possibly the scariest. It was four times the size of the other spiders and bigger/outmassing the third-floor guardian by a good thirty to forty percent. It was darker still in colouration and even more angular, to the point of being almost alien in appearance. It was looking around the cave, which was its new home. It had another set of eyes and I saw the intelligence in them. For the first time, I had to wonder¡­ "Have I gone too far?" The Fourth Floor Guardian stopped in its inspection of the cave and turned. It was facing my core now on the third floor. "No creator, I do not believe you have." "You can talk?" "Indeed, you have granted me that level of intelligence creator." I realised that the Spider Queen was not communicating with me by speaking but by some form of telepathy. It was similar to how I communicated with Larry and the others. With them, I had to project images of what I hoped they understood, but with the Queen, I was having an actual conversation. I still had alerts to open and things to do, but I could actually talk to "someone" now! Before I could begin, I sensed the door opening and the first Adventures arriving. "Fucking typical!" Chapter 39 Just when something interesting happens, I am interrupted. Today''s first group is a Tin group that goes through the first floor. The Guardian puts up a good showing, wounding two of the five, but is overwhelmed. As this happens, I am talking to my new Fourth Floor Guardian about itself as I inspect its status sheet.
Name 4th Floor Guardian Level/Class Floor 4 Boss
Race Shadow Touched Spider (Queen) Essence 0%
Health 200/200 Mana 120/120
Stamina 200/200 Corruption 0%
STR 16 16 Damage base
DEX 10
AGL 15
END 20 -2 DAM from attacks
VIT 20 +5% Poison Resistance
PER 12
INT 12
WIL 12
LUCK 10
Skills: Charge: 1 ¨C 0% (12 meters. END + 6 impact damage) Cost: 10 Samina. Spiderling Swarm: 1 ¨C 0%. Cost: 10 Stamina.
Spells: Shadow Arms ¨C Cost: 10 Mana (Duration: 45 seconds)
Equipment: Bite: 9 DAM + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Creates Webs: +45% Chance of being caught and immobilised. Shadow Touched: +25% to surprise attacks chance to hit and -25% to ranged attacks when in Shadow. Produces Shadow infused Spider Silk (Uncommon). Hardened Shell. -5 Damage from attacks. Vulnerable to Light: +8 Damage for Light sources. May cause Fear in the minion.
"So, you instinctively understand all your skills and spells?" "Yes. I understand them and how to use them when the time is required." "Well, that''s interesting. Let''s start with Spiderling Swarm. What is it?" "This allows me to awaken my hatchlings to aid in my defence. I cannot use it at the moment as I have not laid any eggs." "Oh right, please do what you need to do. The other spiders quickly webbed their spaces." I was barely controlling myself. I was having my first proper conversation in three years. If I still had my body, I would be giddy with excitement and crying from sheer joy! The Guardian nodded and began moving around the room, producing web fluid to create webs. I still had things that needed to be done before I could ask more questions. The first Adventure group was leaving and I now had a short window of opportunity. I approved the Fourth-floor respawn costs and opened the following alert.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 4th Floor Guardian. Cythian Copper coins x60 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 0.5 kg (Chance ¨C 50%) Cythian Copper coins x80 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 0.75 kg (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Silver coins X3 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 1 kg (Chance ¨C 10%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the room respawn. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"Yes." A wall of screens appeared, asking me what changes I wished to make. This made me think about the options being presented. I had no idea of the scale of what I could do- so many choices! You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Right, what to do? I could do that¡­.. or that. Ohhhh, I could do that." I was looking through the screens and the wonderful options that were mine to use. Time was against me and I made my decision.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 4th Floor Guardian. Cythian Copper coins x60 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 0.5 kg (Chance ¨C 50%) Cythian Copper coins x80 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 0.75 kg (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Silver coins X3 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 1 kg (Chance ¨C 9%) Cythian Gold coins X1 and Spider Silk (uncommon) 1 kg (Chance ¨C 1%) The odds and types of rewards have been set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the room respawn by 1 CP. Do you wish to accept the rewards: Yes or No?
"Yes" It was a small change, but one I felt was worth making to understand the alternative options. I now have new options to consider for all my minions going forward. Before I could return my full attention to my new floor guardian, another group entered the Dungeon. I look them over and note another Tin group without a mentor consisting of six Adventurers¡ªanother group I have seen before and has a good mix of people working towards their Classes. I return my attention to the fourth floor as the Queen is webbing the cave she has been assigned to. Looking around, I see the moss growing in and across the rest of the floor. The Shadow Spiders have settled into ambush points in their rooms. All is well. The last thing that will need to be done tonight is moving my Core to this floor. I force myself not to speak as the Queen works. The need builds in me like an explosive pressure force, taking all my willpower not to babble out a thousand things. Just as I am about to speak, something catches my attention. The group cleared the first floor and moved down the stairs from the second to the third floor. "What are you all doing, I wonder?" Turning my full attention to them, I listen in on their conversation. This is their first trip into my Dungeon without a mentor. Who, by the way, would be yelling at them right now? Their leader had convinced the others to travel to the third to see one of the boars but not do anything else. "Yeah, right. As soon as they are there, he will try to get them to engage the boar." I watch them and realise something. "They are about to find the route to the fourth is open!" Now, this was interesting. What would they do? The group was hesitant, but with some cajoling, they went to the third. When they reached it, the lead Adventure, who I suspect was trying to get the rogue class, stopped dead, causing the others to walk into him. This almost caused them to fall over. Almost. There was yelling and swearing at the lead guy, who pointed mutely at the continuing stairs heading down. That got their attention. They huddled and, in loud whispers, argued about what to do. The group leader wanted to go deeper and see what was there. The others came together and overruled the leader, deciding to leave the Dungeon and report the existence of the new floor. They went with their leader trailing behind, sulking at the group''s refusal to advance any further. Before leaving, they returned to the surface and put their winter outer layers back on. I ignore them as they go. Back to the fourth floor. The Queen had created a cluster of eggs at the top of the cave and was covering the rest of the space with webbing. The moss was growing in and slowly lighting the room up. "I see you are settling in." The Queen continued to work as she replied. "Yes. The cave suits my needs well. I have one request." "What is it?" "May I have more of the light-producing moss, as my webs are thicker than the others of my kind?" "Sure, I will add more." My CP was limited to twelve. I could create another six patches of moss. The stream was helping to grow more moss. I looked around the cave for dark spots that needed more light. Five areas were identified, and I placed more moss patches in order to light them. "Right, there is more moss growing. The new patches should be ready in a day and the rest will be fully grown tonight." "Thank you. This should be enough illumination to allow me to use my abilities fully." The Queen was very agile for her size as she (and yes, her voice was feminine when she spoke but odd) was climbing up walls and webbing different locations. I was hungry for more conversation and knowledge. "Continuing where we left off, what is your spell Shadow Arms?" "This allows me to create tentacles of shadow that can attack or snare my opponents." "Wow. That is interesting!" That was the best I could come up with, as part of me was screaming. Show me! Show me now! I controlled myself as I recognised the need for the Queen to finish what she was doing. I knew that we would be getting more company very soon. ## ## ## ## ## "So, as you see, this is an enlarged Grey Strip Wasp. I need to do more testing, but not much can be used from the body outside what has already been discovered." Comus Drum was in full explanation mode as he worked on the corpse of the first-floor guardian. It was partly disassembled on a wooden table in his first and temporary laboratory. Gran had managed to get himself invited along as he knew that anything that was found to be valuable would be important information. Him finding out first would give his team a temporary but hopefully profitable advantage. Lord Goldwind and Adventure Guild Leader Woodland were also present. Gran looked around the room and shuddered, not from the cold but from the dangerous alchemic compounds he had already identified. A brazier was burning in one corner, heating the room and every wall had shelves covered in bottles, boxes and pouches with a few more tables. One mishap and explosive were the least of the results. He stood very still, away from as much of the room''s content as possible. "Then there is no need for a bounty on parts?" Woodland asked. "Not yet, but that might change with more experimentation." Comus was glowing with happiness as he was in his element. Goldwind just nodded, looking at the monster before him. "How soon will you send another group to acquire the next Guardian?" Comus was inspecting a wing he had picked up when he asked. "Tomorrow. The second floor is not a popular destination at the moment due to the weather." Woodland told him. Well, that was an understatement, Gran thought. Several groups had run the floor and then returned to the town, catching the flux as the watery conditions on the floor froze them as they crossed the wintery ground. Most were reluctant to go there until spring. "That''s fine. I will be handing the rest of the investigation of this beauty to my assistants. They will¡­" He was interrupted by an insistent knocking at his laboratory door. He walked over and opened it. One of his assistants was standing there. "Well?" Comus asked. His mood was unchanged, showing no annoyance at the interruption. "Apologies, Guild Leader! A message from the Adventure''s Guild: the Dungeon has opened its fourth floor!" The young girl squeaked out. "Oh, it has. Well, thank you for telling us. Off with you now." Comus told the girl, who promptly vanished. "Well, Elian, it seems you will be busy." He said, turning around. "Yes, I will be. Gran, I am commissioning your team to accompany me as we explore the new floor." "Understood Guild Leader. I will gather my team. Lord Goldwind. Guild Leader Drum." He nodded to the others as he said their names and left the room. Upon leaving the Alchemy Guild, he walked along a muddy path to the town''s largest tavern, Shadows Rest. It was just finished when he was last here, but as he approached, he could see the extension added just before the winter snows had arrived. His team had left before then but had been called back to support the Guild Leader due to the influx of new and established groups. He also knew that even more were on their way. He had even heard rumours of non-human groups coming. Gods, he hoped not to be around if they did show up. Entering the tavern, he looked around and spotted most of his team in a corner, holding down a table with a good view of the room. The room was mostly filled with Iron grade Adventures and buzzing with conversation. He knew what was driving them all¡ªthe fourth floor. "Gran, you heard?" Gran nodded. He knew. "They have stopped groups entering because of the new floor." Nilus spoke as he approached. Only Mags and their newest member, Hena, were not present. "Get everyone together. We are going in with Guild Leader Woodland. Mapping job." Gran told them. There was some groaning, but they were all soon moving. The room was far quieter now. Gran knew the others were listening in and as the highest-graded team in the town, they would be sent in to explore it first. Gran went with them to their shared large bunk room and began getting his gear together. Mags and Hena were already there and quickly caught up. Hena was a Mage and was testing to join them. A short and plump woman with a lighter shade of black skin. She was dressed in brightly coloured robes favoured by the people of the southern part of the continent. Her hair was braided with equally brilliantly coloured ribbons. Many underestimated her from her appearance, but Gran knew she was a Copper-graded Adventure and was no pushover. "How was the floor discovered?" Mags asked. "No clue. I was with Woodland when the messenger arrived from the Adventures Guild." Gran replied. "That means we are walking in blind." Nilus whined. "Are the rumours about this Dungeon true, then?" Hena asked. She had a soft-spoken voice most of the time, but this changed when she was in combat when she barked like a recruit trainer in the army. "Which ones?" Nilus quipped. "That this Dungeon has no fixed affinity and each floor is different." "That''s all true." Mags told her. "We will have no idea what we will find on the new floor." With a typical Dungeon, they would have a good idea of what they would be encountering, but here it was. They would not know until they got there. Gran found it both frustrating and exhilarating at the same time. "We are meeting Woodland at the palisade gate. Make sure you have everything." Gran and his team had been compensated handsomely for the first mapping expedition and picked up some new gear when they were in Tyboon. They were soon packed and out the door. As they left the tavern, more Adventures were in the common room and on the street. Word had spread and they were here to witness the group''s departure. They were all wearing extra layers on top of their armour to hold the cold mountain winter conditions away. He knew they were still feeling it, but most were far enough along their Paths to ignore it for now. They waited at the gate, and Nilus chatted with the town watchmen on duty. He told dirty jokes that had several people laughing. He might be an idiot sometimes, but he knew how to diffuse the tension before they entered a Dungeon. Woodland appeared a short time later dressed like his group. She nodded at him when she arrived. "Let''s go." He called out. Woodland was a professional who knew how things were done. She might be the Guild Leader, but when in the Dungeon, he was in charge, and she followed orders. The gates were opened and they walked towards the watch tower across the flood plain. The journey was uneventful as they followed the track to the building door. The compacted snow made the ground frozen and the track icy. It was slightly slower going, but they arrived. The doors swung open and they all got in, quickly closing them as soon as they entered. Their outer layers were soon being removed. "Are we under threat of being attacked here?" Hena asked, looking around the room. "No, the surface building is safe, apart from a bottle of wine in that cupboard over there," Mags said, pointing to it. "Why?" She asked. "Poisoned." "Ah." They were soon free of the outer winter clothes and had piled them on the table. "Gran, there is something in the rafters." Hena said to him. "It''s a Sharoon. A local low-level monster no threat to us." "Is it a Dungeon minion?" "We think so, but it has never attacked, so most leave it alone." He told her. She was confused. "Do not worry; we will point out everything as we move down to the fourth floor." They went to the stairs and moved into position. "Lead us down, Kimor." They began to descend. Chapter 40 As they descended, they explained each floor to Hena. The fact that they could travel through the Dungeon to the floor they wished without fighting their way through it was a source of both amazement and consternation. "That is a trap, is it not?" As they walked, she talked to Mags, slightly turning her head to see the other woman. "Yes. This Dungeon is far more intelligent than the typical young one." "Wasps with floor traps on the first, with Toads and water environment on the second and here on the third boars?" She turned, facing the others behind her as they walked. "We were just as surprised." Woodland added from the group''s rear. "It was quite the impression. Eh, Nilus?" Mags said to the group''s archer. "Do not remind me." They could not see his face, but his shoulders tensed up. The rest of the group chuckled as they reached the third floor. Hena gathered it was not a pleasant experience for him and would ask Mags about it later. "I see the new stairs." Kimor spoke. "Be ready, people. From here on, we have no idea what we will face." Gran spoke to the whole group. Hena had joined them because of their reputation as a dependable group. In response, the group''s attitude went from ready to wary. "Let us go," Gran said after a quick glance over everyone. They moved on down the stairs. "I hear water running. Soft, but it''s there." Kimor said from ahead. Nilus groaned¡ªdefinitely a story she needed to know. "Kimor scout ahead." Gran instructed. Hena could not see her because of Tobar''s bulk but knew the woman was moving. They continued a short distance, following the curve of the stairs until they reached the bottom. There was a large opening that showed a cave with two things that stood out straight away. First was the soft blue light in the room, giving everything illuminated a blue otherworldly feel. Second were the spider webs, which were very large and dense. Each group member carried a magical lantern whose light was far stronger and easily drowned out the blue. Kimor was kneeling at the entrance, looking at the room. The rest of them were gathered a short distance behind her. Woodland had begun taking notes and drawing the map of the floor. "What do you see, Kimor?" "There is a stream running through the cave. Blue Moss is producing the light. I cannot see the spiders that made the webs. The cave turns to the northeast and might be larger. There is a door over there." Kimor''s tone was like she was talking about the weather as she broke down what she was seeing, not studying a Dungeon floor they knew nothing about. Hena had many questions about the group''s rogue but was professional enough not to ask because you sometimes had to wait for someone to tell their stories. "We are going in. Kimor, stay close to Tobar. The rest, keep aware if we are dealing with spiders, they will most likely ambush. Keep your lanterns on. The light produced by the moss is not strong enough to go without them." Gran quickly planned their moves. Woodland was omitted, as she would not enter the room until it had been cleared or a section declared safe. The group got to organising themselves. Mags and Hena took positions in the back and in front of Woodland. Gran turned, looking them over as he was at the front with Tobar. Looking back to the cave, he spoke. "Move in." They began moving. The cave was eerie due to the light and webs casting shadows everywhere, which was only worsened by their lantern''s light. Kimor checked for traps and hidden dangers with her skills, while Tobar stayed close to protect her if needed. Gran was next to him, with Nilus behind in front of Hena and Mags, with an arrow notched but with the bow undrawn. Hena had her magic ready and her wand in hand. "I hate spiders." Nilus muttered, but Hena heard him. There were paths through the webbing that allowed a person to walk around the cave, but it would also be easy to get stuck. Hena thought of the Jungles of her home and the spiders there. The monster species were the only type that created webs this dense. The Yellowback was the most common and their spider silk was worth a good price in the village and town markets. "Kimor, check the door." Gran''s voice brought back to the present. She did not respond in words but in actions. In near-total silence, she went to the door and looked it over. Hena was unsure if she was only doing a visual inspection or using skills as well. The latter was most likely. As this happened, the rest kept a lookout for danger. The webbing around the cave limited their view. It caused a sensation of claustrophobia even in such an ample space. "The door opens one way like the other floors." Hena jumped slightly at the sound of Kimor''s voice. She had looked away and not heard her return. "That will be the exit from the boss room. We continue." Gran indicated the path further into the cave. They started walking again. The cave was covered in webs, and they had to cut some away as they walked. Tobar was leading, using his mace to sweep away the webbing in their way. He and his mace were covered in a lot of webbing very quickly. The group was tense but ready for an attack. When it came, they were still surprised. A black shape detached itself from the ceiling of the cave. It fell onto Tobar as another shot from the side. With that, the fight began. "Kimor, help Tobar. I will take the other one!" Gran yelled as he attacked the second monster. Nilus drew his bow while Hena focused her mana to cast her offensive spells. They were spiders but unlike any she had seen before. It was hard to make them out. Tobar had the spider on his head and shoulders. It was large, but he was larger still. He remained upright but was staggering as the monster attacked him. The fight was developing fast. The lanterns were casting wild shadows around as the combatants fought. Tobar was struggling against his attackers on uneven ground, which caused him to trip and fall into a dense patch of webbing. Kimor was stabbing the spider that was now on top of him while Gran was fighting the other. He was using his shield to block the attacks. The spiders were large and it was clear that any bite would be dangerous. "Gods damn it all! I have no clear shot!" Nilus was frustrated and Hena understood, as she also had no line of sight to cast. Mags, however, did do something. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°[Blessings of Ilinia: Resistance to Harm].¡± As she cast her priest spell, Hena could see a glow around Tobar the spell was directed to. "How are you doing? Gran called to Kimor." Gran was holding his attacker off, but Kimor was having less fortune helping Tobar. "The webs are causing issues!" Kimor''s voice was strained, but the tone was still the same. "Nilus? Hena?" Gran called out. "No shot. Trying to get a clear view." Nilus was moving, trying to get the sight on a target, but the webbing was hampering him. "Same with me. I am moving closer." Hena had realised she was going to have to get closer. "Not much further. This damned webbing is sticking to everything!" Gran was now getting hampered as he tried to swing his sword by the webbing. The blade edge was cutting through, but the flat had webbing cling to it. Hena moved forward only a few steps and focused on the spider attacking Gran. She saw her opening. Channelling her mana through her wand, she cast Mana Arrow. The spell shot from her wand tip and took the form of a rough arrowhead light blue in colour. It hit the spider attacking Gran. It let out a screech in pain, leaping back with a would oozing greyish yellow blood. Gran used the distraction to follow up, driving his sword into its head, killing it. Pulling his sword out, he turned to Tobar and Kimor. Kimor was finishing the second spider off with Tobar trapped in the webs, struggling to get up with the spider on top of him. With another screech, it died, ending the fight. "Injuries?" Gran asked the group. Nilus, Mags and Hena all said no. "Tobar''s injured. But I am all right." Kimor spoke, helping the group''s biggest member to his feet. She was cutting the webbing off of him and Hena realised they all had some on them. Mags went over to him. Gran was getting it off his blade and himself but was failing to get it all. Nilus saw the reward arriving and collected it. "How is he?" Gran asked Mags. "Not bad. One bite wound and a lot of scratches. [Blessings of Ilinia: Minor Healing]." Mags called upon her power again to heal Tobar''s injuries by laying her hands on him. A soft white light surrounded him. When it was done, she stepped away. "Good work, Mags, but from here on in, we ration magic and rely on our supplies." Gran was looking around as he spoke. "Understood." Mags was not happy but obeyed her team leader. "Nilus, what do we have?" "Fourteen Cythian copper coins." He was counting them in his hands. "Right, we move on in a minute. Catch your breaths and be ready. We walked right into an ambush. I don''t want another!" He was now looking at Woodland, who was inspecting the spider he had killed. Hena went over to get a closer look. Gran was talking low with Kimor. The spider was a six-legged, hairless creature. It was a deep grey with a shell on its back. It also had four black eyes with strange grey/yellow blood. Some aspects of it were disturbing in a way she found hard to articulate. Was the spider too angular? "Never seen or heard of anything like this. You?" Woodland was taking notes and updating the floor map she had started. "My homeland has giant spiders¡­. But nothing like this." She knew that Woodland knew of her lands and their most famous export of spider silk garments. Gran had come over to them now. "I will have to check the continent''s bestiary volumes. But I am sure it will not have an entry for this," she indicated to the body with a quill. Hena believed her, as she had never heard of anything like it during her studies and travels. "Kimor never spotted them until they attacked." Gran spoke to Woodland. "She is damn good at what she does, but these things are good enough to avoid her." "That means we are looking at a marked increase in danger on this floor." Woodland was frowning. Hena knew why. Her team was a respected Copper grade group, so she joined. Typically, Dungeons increased in danger level every three to five floors. If things on this one stayed at the same threat level, the Dungeon would be upgraded to a Copper grade from Iron by its fourth floor, which was unprecedented to her knowledge. "Let''s keep going." Gran got the group moving. They were tense, knowing things were now closer to their level. The cave went north and turned east, shaped like a kidney bean. They encountered no more spiders, but the ever-present webs stuck to everyone. Kimor discovered more ambush locations as the webs hid nooks in the walls, allowing spiders to hide. Gran cursed several times but was forced to keep his blade clean. "Gods damned webs stick to everything!" "That they do. Collecting them is always a complicated job." Hena mussed, remembering her home village and their journeys into the jungles. "Wait. Why did you collect spiderwebs?" Nilus asked. "Ever heard of spider silk garments?" "Of course, I always wanted to own some." "Well, what do you think they are made from?" That stopped the group dead. "You mean this webbing is worth something?" Gran asked. "Oh yes. Depending on the quality of the web and who processes it, the silk can be worth a lot." Suddenly, her group was looking around, not at an annoying danger-filled hazard but at a revenue source. "How?" Tobar rumbled. "It is done in three stages. Collection of the webbing. Creation of the raw silk and finally the making of the garment." Before any more questions were asked, Gran spoke. "That is a conversation for later. We clear the floor first." With that, they moved on. Kimor discovered a passageway leading south. It was artificial and created by the Dungeon as it mirrored the stonework above. As for the cave, Hena was unsure if it was natural or dungeon-created. She felt that it was natural. The passageway was web-free but had blue moss growing on the walls. "No indications of traps." Kimor was kneeling at the edge of the passage. "Advance." They continued in. Behind them, Woodland was muttering notes into crystal. Hena could make out some of it. "Stream following through the floor with moss growth focused along it. Webs is a possible new income source for Adventures and the town." Hena was interested in some of her guild''s inner workings. Dungeon mapping and surveying were two that she was flirting with pursuing if the opportunity appeared. "What do you see in the room?" Gran''s voice pulled her back to the situation at hand. Kimor was looking into the room that the corridor led to. Again, she was kneeling at the threshold, looking around. She took longer to answer. "The room had two cross beams. A lot of webbing and I can make out several places where the spiders might be hiding." "Can you see them?" She did not respond immediately, again focusing on the room. Hena wondered what skills she was using. Most Adventures spoke their skills as it was the fastest way to activate them. The truly experienced did not need to and that made them dangerous. "Got a location of one. There might be another." "This is what we are going to do¡­." ## ## ## ## ## Watching Gran''s team in action was always instructive. They had a new member, a spellcaster named Hena and she cast a fascinating spell against the first two spiders. I had learned some new things from her about the world beyond my aura and its economy. I had caught the casting while using Mana Sight to inspect her for magical auras. They were assaulting the second room at the moment. "I wonder if the smaller room will hamper or help the spiders?" "These intruders you are watching are expected to reach me?" Her question shook me out of my thoughts and reminded me that I could talk to her. After so much time alone, I had developed the habit of being in my own head. "Sorry. Yes, I expected them to reach you, but the fourth room on the floor will be their biggest challenge before they reach you." "The room with eight lesser of my kind." In our brief conversations before Gran''s team arrived and descended, I gave Queen a rough overview of the floor. "I think I will call you Queen. It is easier." "I am a Shadow Spider Queen, so that would be the correct thing to call me." The two spiders were attacking them now, but they did not surprise them like the first pair. The webbing and beams added to the difficulty of the fight, but the spiders were overcome. Nilus collected the twelve copper coins and the group went on. The next room was the octogon-shaped one. The two spiders here were taken down, but one got a solid bite on Nilus''s leg. The first had drawn his attention, but he did not see the second until it was too late. Gran killed it with help from Hena. "That looks like it hurts." He was not able to put weight on it and collapsed. Mags was at his side, binding the wound with a bandage. The spider had ripped his leather breeches open on the thigh. There was plenty of blood, but the bandage was beginning to control it. His face was paler from shock and blood loss. Maga reached into her side pouch and pulled a small bottle from it. The contents were something new. The bottle was clear, but the liquid was blood-red and glowed slightly. "Healing potion?" I needed to get my hands on one of those! The possibilities for new options for my Dungeon were immense. He drank the concoction and the bleeding stopped. Some colour returned to his face. A few minutes later, he was standing, but the wound still gave him issues as he favoured that leg. The bloody bandage was still wrapped around his leg. They stopped and rested for several minutes. I knew things were about to get dangerous, as the next room had eight spiders in it. Chapter 41 Gran watched his team. Nilus was still favouring his leg, but the healing tonic was working to bind the wound. The others were still in fighting shape. He noted Woodland still working on her floor map and muttering into a crystal. Walking to her, he motioned to Kimor to join them. The woman, as always, noticed his motion and silently stood from balancing on her heels and joined them. "Kimor, what are your thoughts on the floor?" Gran asked her. Woodland watched them come to her and stopped working. "The environment has been tailored to these spiders. The webs hide their locations and the walls have ambush points built into them. The beams above add another angle of attack. From what I have been able to make out, they have a shadow affinity." Her tone was the same as always to those who did not know her. Gran had known her long enough to hear the slight hint of tension. This floor pushed her abilities like they had not been for several years. "Thank you, Kimor." Gran knew she was not needed for the rest of his conversation and glided away. "Are you continuing?" Woodland asked the very question he had been contemplating. He was within his rights to pull his team out and come back later better prepared. "Would you object?" He needed to know where she stood. She looked down and thought for a few seconds before looking at him again. "No." He let out a breath he had been holding. "This floor is a drastic increase in danger. The Dungeon rating will be increased to a high Iron grade at the least. These webs will cause a new industry to appear in Shadow Vale. I want to map the floor on the first attempt as well as a point of pride." She smiled slightly at her joke. Gran had his answer and had to make a choice. This team was reliable because he did not jump head-first into danger and retreated when the situation dictated. "Hena, how much will this web be worth anyway?" Nilus''s voice drew his attention. Hena looked around, thinking about his question. "The webbing is slightly thicker and a shade of grey. If it makes the same amount of silk¡­. I think about three to five silvers¡­" "Five!" Nilus exclaimed. The pain in his leg was forgotten briefly. The rest of the group was also surprised. "¡­ For this room alone." That brought silence to them all. Nilus did the calculation. "So, adding in the cave, we could get a minimum of ten silvers for the three rooms?" "That sounds about right." Hena''s reply was a matter of fact in its delivery. That meant they could get thirteen silvers if the next room matched this one. That was enough for a person to live in a good inn and get two meals daily for a year! "If this is true?" Woodland thought out loud, and Gran came to the same conclusion. "This floor will be a death trap. Greed will drive the unready here." Gran''s statement was like cold water to the rest. Their dreams of wealth were suddenly ruined by the understanding of the blood and death this floor would create. The hunger for wealth would bring the foolish here, the spiders would feast and the Dungeon''s power would grow. "This place is too smart! Nobody will speak of this floor when we leave until I approve it!" Woodland snapped out, breaking the silence. Even Nilus would keep his mouth shut this time. Gran wondered what the Guilds would think of this floor. The Alchemy Guild will want the spiders and the webbing for testing. "Up and at it, people; we have a floor to clear!" He could not let them think too much and got them moving. Nilus was moving better on his leg now. Tobar and Kimor were at the room''s exit, looking down another corridor with a bend. Mags was checking her bags and pouches and Hena cleaned some webbing off her wand. "Kimor led the way." Her only response was action. Moving along the moss-lighted corridor, she scouted for dangers. The rest followed her for a short distance to the next room. Gran was up with Tobar and they found her kneeling in the doorway to the room. Gran was instantly alert and frowned. "What do you see?" "Long room. Set up like the others. Seen hints of at least three spiders." Gods damn it! Two of them were bad enough. Three and most likely more was going to be a tough fight. The avenues for attack from the floor and above gave the spiders the advantage. "This is what we are going do." He looked at the room and then his team. "Tobar and I will lead the way. Kimor supports us. Nilus hang back with Hena attack targets of opportunity, especially if they move above us. Mags stay back unless needed. We bring the spiders to us and kill them as quickly as possible." He could have gone into more detail and created a more elaborate plan, but experience had taught him that these were the most likely to fail. Keeping it simple allowed them to adapt as needed. They got themselves arranged and checked themselves over. When they were ready, he said. "Begin." He and Tobar advanced into the room. The webs had to be cleared as they walked, but they moved very slowly anyway, trying to look in every direction at once. The room was extended. Kimor said he counted eight pillars and could make out the doorway on the other side through the webbing. Above them were rafters that the spiders could transverse and attack from above. The blue moss was growing in patches and he spotted alcoves on the wall where spiders might emerge. They were soon covered in webbing again, but he ignored it. They continued further to the next set of pillars. He noticed that the webbing was in clumps that hid routes the spiders could travel along without being hindered. He was about to share this when Tobar rumbled. "Two spiders, right." The fight was on. They came at them on the ground. "Nilus, keep your eyes up!" Gran moved to stand with Tobar. The spiders jumped at both of them. They met shields in return, and both men had braced to meet the attack. The spiders bounced back and the Adventures moved up with their attacks. Gran caught him with a glancing blow that cut it slightly. ¡°[Sky Hammer Strike].¡± Tobar rumbled as he activated a skill that caused his mace to glow and smash into the head of the spider it made contact with. The grey/yellow blood splattered everywhere from the force of the blow as the spider''s body contorted from the impact. "Gran above us¡­ three! Rickle''s laughter! Five!" Nilus called out from behind as an arrow flew past Gran. "Another coming from the left. Engaging." This time from Kimor. Seven! This was like the second room on the third; they would be tested. "Hena, can you do anything?" Gran looked at his opponent, unable to see the new threats, while Tobar shifted to face the ones above. "I will use a¡­." "The ones above are jumping!" Nilus screamed out. Things went from intense to dangerous. Gran was being attacked again, which prevented him from getting a clear picture of what was happening. The sound of the battle was not good. "Nilus cover Hena¡­" "Tobar''s got three on him¡­" "Clear, I''m about to unleash a spell¡­." Gran heard the voices of his teammates and spoke using a skill. He had to take charge. ¡°[Multi thrust- 3 strikes].¡± His arm blurred as the skill triggered. He felt the burn in his arm from the physical exertion and knew his stamina was still good. His opponent was stabbed by his blade three times, unable to defend itself and the wounds were fatal, killing it. Gran turned and things were terrible. Three spiders were attacking Tobar. Kimor was fighting two and Nilus was trying to stab the sixth. Hena was about to release a spell, with her wand tip glowing. ¡°[Arrow of Light].¡± Like her Mana Arrow, the arrow-shaped spell was far brighter and white-coloured. The spell had only a few meters to cross and hit one of the spiders attacking Tobar. This one was clinging to his back and trying to rip through his armour. The spell connected and the spider screeched in pain as the magic burned into it, causing a fatal wound. It dropped off Tobar dead. "They''re vulnerable to light magic!" Gran called to Hena. The other spiders had seen what had happened and one broke off from Kimor and went after Hena. Gran intercepted that one. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Swinging down with his sword, he caught the spider''s leg. He cut cleanly through it, forcing its attention on him. "Hena, get them off, Tobar!" They need to even the odds. Hena cast another Arrow of Light at the spiders attacking Tobar. Gran could not turn his attention away to see which one. He slammed his shield into the spider as it jumped. The impact did not stagger him, but he felt it in his arm holding the shield. Moving forward, as the spider righted itself, he thrust with his sword. Even missing a leg, the spider was able to dodge the blow. Cursing, he had to be careful as he was near several dense patches of webbing, limiting his ability to move. The spider attacked again, coming in low. This worked in his favour as he thrust his shield down, impacting the spider''s head and stunning it. His blade finished it off with a downward thrust into its head. Pulling the blade free, Gran turned to see what was happening to the rest of his team. Tobar was fighting one opponent now but was wounded with blood coming from his neck. Nilus was overcoming his spider with help from Kimor, who killed hers. Hena was looking for another opening for a spell and Mags was casting. ¡°[Blessings of Ilinia: Minor Healing].¡± Tobar started to glow. Mags would not panic but cast her magic on the team members who needed it the most. Two spiders remained, but the Adventures overwhelmed them. Gran looked over his team. Tobar was wounded, but the healing magic took care of that. Kimor''s arm vambrace was damaged and he saw blood. "Kimor, get checked out by Mags," Gran told her. Mags was inspecting Tobar and turned to look at the stoic woman. Gran knew he had to make sure she looked after herself, as he had seen her being beaten down and not uttering a single word of complaint or pain. Nilus was investigating the reward for the fight that appeared. "We got a Cythian Silver!" Gran turned to look at what he was waving around. The coin was slightly larger and of better quality than most coins used in the Human lands these days. "Not bad for killing eight spiders." Nilus was happy with what they had received. Gran agreed with him but looked across the room. "What comes next?" Woodland had approached him. He had heard the quill scratching on the parchment as she walked. "We are near where the door in the cave we entered the floor through." "Yes, we are. Depending on the size of the boss room, we might have another one to three rooms to get through." Woodland calculated by looking at her early map. Gran nodded in agreement. He had been thinking the same. "What is your rating of the floor?" He asked her. "The spiders are dangerous but not as dangerous as the boars above. The floor''s environment makes them far more threatening. Their vulnerability to light magic is a good discovery. All things considered, without seeing the boss, it will be rated a high iron grade." Again, he nodded, still looking into the distance. He had thought the same. "Hena, do you have any other light spells?" He asked, looking at his newest team member. "Only the Arrow of Light can be used to attack. I have only a small affinity to light mana and find casting them taxing." Gran nodded, taking what she said into account for going forward. "Hold your spell off until we need it. If the Dungeon stays the same as above, we will face an enormous spider as the floor boss." Nilus shuddered at that. "Mags, how are they?" "Tobar is injured. My healing magic has taken him from danger, but he will need at least a week of rest after this. Kimor has a nasty forearm injury but has been bandaged and given a healing tonic. She will need rest as well." Mags was all business and spoke as she was still wrapping up Kimor''s forearm. Gran let out a long breath. This floor was pushing them hard. He was within his right to call off the mapping and leave and knew Woodland would not hold it against him, but that little voice in him that made him become an adventure whispered to go on. "Rest up for now. Then we continue." ## ## ## ## ## "The eight spiders had maybe been a bit too much?" The fight against Gran and his team showed that the swarm tactic could overwhelm even experienced groups. Their discovery of the spider''s vulnerability to light magic was a fact I was hoping would remain hidden for longer. "You expect them to reach me then, Creator." "Yes. The greater spiders will put up a fight but not stop them. You best get ready. Also, call me Bhaldor, not Creator." ¡°I understand, Bhaldor.¡± I knew that this team would reach Queen, but what then? Could she beat them? She was a marked improvement over all the other guardians. Gran and his team were battered but not beaten yet. This was going to be interesting. Now I knew what spider silk was used for. How many would listen to their greed and seek the wealth the silk could lead to? I should feel bad about this, but I do not. Why? Simply put, they must accept the consequences if they choose to come here. My musings abruptly end as Gran gets his team moving. I watch them move to the next room: Kimor, with Tobar in the lead, Gran close behind, and the rest. They entered the next room and were introduced to my Greater Shadow Spiders. The fight was fast and brutal. The spiders put up better resistance than I had hoped. They died true but were no pushovers, forcing the Adventures to fight. "They will be with you shortly." Queen did not answer but got into the ambush position she had chosen. ## ## ## ## ## "There is another cave ahead." Kimor reported to Gran. "Boss room?" She did not answer but nodded. "Rest up, people; the boss room is next." Gran walked over to Woodland, who was inspecting a spider''s body. The spiders were a nasty surprise, a variant of the ones they had already fought on this floor. There were two and they died hard, being more brutal, faster, and more robust. "We will be moving into the boss room next. Are you ready?" Woodland looked at him. She understood what he was saying from his expression that his team members could not see as his back was to them. Is she ready to run if the floor boss overcame them. He had never asked before, but this floor had shown him they were about to face something dangerous. "Yes." "Right then. The floor boss is next. This will be one hell of a fight, so be ready. Check everything and tell me if you have any concerns." He turned back to his team and got them ready. They spent the next ten minutes checking their injuries and gear, then resting how much they could. The tension was building and Gran knew that he shouldn''t wait any longer. "Tobar and I lead. We attract the boss and pin it in a fight. Kimor and Nilus are next. You two try to flank it and hit it from the sides. Hena and Mags are last. Hena, use what magic you need, but be ready to cast as many Arrow of Light spells as you can. Mags heal as you need." They had gathered around him and accepted their part in the plan. "Be ready to cut and run if things go badly in there. No heroics; we live to fight another day, understand?" This was a sobering thing for him to say. Woodland knew that this team would never scale the heights of the Paths but would rise further. She was sure of this. ## ## ## ## ## I listened to Gran''s plan and thought it was sound. I could tell Queen what they were going to do, but I wanted to see what she would do in response. This was her baptism by fire, after all. ## ## ## ## ## "Go." They moved into the cave. Like the first, it was covered in webs with blue moss illuminating areas. Stalagmites and stalactites were covered in both. A small stream ran through it. "Keep your eyes open." Gran was looking for the boss. "All we need is to find the giant spider hiding here." Came Nilus''s snide remark. He did not turn around but heard the sound of the slap or Nilus''s yelp in pain and surprise. He knew Mags was dealing with him. "Stay focused!" She scolded him. There were a few paths through the webbing, and the group followed the first they encountered. The tension amongst them was easily felt. They were ready for the fight- or so they thought. It never occurred to them to look down. Gran was walking slightly behind Tobar when he was attacked. Tentacles of solid shadow wrapped around his legs, causing him to cry out in surprise. Tobar spun around at his cry, not fully seeing the huge shadow detach from the ceiling. His instincts saved him as he raised his shield, but the floor boss hit it with his arm in an awkward position and there was an audible crack. As the tentacles impeding Gran vanished. Tobar let out a loud grunt, for him was nearly a scream of pain as he was knocked down. "Tobar!" Several cried out behind Gran. He attacked as Tobar was now pinned under his great shield. The boss was a giant spider, even bigger than the third-floor boss. Gran went for the eyes, but the boss had other ideas. As he went to thrust, a spider leg impacted his shield. The shock of the impact travelled up his arm and stopped his attack in its tracks. The boss used its front two legs as weapons, similar to short spears. Kimor went around him and an arrow flew between them. The arrow glanced off the spider''s hardened shell. Kimor used the distraction to go in low. She was tripped by more tentacles that appeared and gripped her ankles. She hit the ground and rolled as a leg sought to impale her. She was forced to turn into a dense webbing patch or collide with Gran. The terrain was limiting them in openings to exploit. Kimor was untangling herself as Gran blocked another attempt by a leg to impale him. Nilus fired another arrow, which hit the boss in its body but did not seem to penetrate far. Tobar was still pinned and unable to move. "[Arrow of Light]" He heard from Hena. The spell passed him, but the boss was moving to avoid it. The spell hit one of the boss''s legs, causing significant damage that slowed the boss down. It was forced to stop using the front leg on that side as a weapon. It had the bonus of freeing Tobar as the boss''s weight shifted. Gran attacked, but the boss moved in response, manoeuvring to give itself room. A leg blocked his blow, but he cut it deep. Kimor was getting up, but the strange shadow tentacles were slowing Tobar. The boss was not done yet. It let out a strange cry/song. At first, Gran was confused, then heard Nilus shout from behind. "Baby spiders are attacking Hena!" "Mags and you help her whi¡­" As he spoke, the boss spat a glob of webbing at him that he did not have time to avoid. It hit him and exploded, covering him. The boss pressed forward, but Kimor prevented the boss from hitting him by attacking. She leapt at it with her two long daggers, forcing the boss''s attention from Gran. She was using a skill as her movements were much faster. Scoring several hits making the boss turn its head to avoid being hit in the eyes. Tobar regains his footing and is standing again. Gran is getting free from the webbing and watching the fight unfold. Kimor launches another flurry of attacks, but the boss charges forward. Colliding with Kimor, she is knocked over. The boss bites down hard, catching Kimor on the shoulder and penetrating her leather armour. She cries out in pain. Tobar joins the fight. His face is pale, but he swings his mace using skill. ¡°[Breaking Blow].¡± The mace impacts the boss''s central body section. The blow cracked the outer shell. The boss staggered from the impact and let out a screech of pain; grey/yellow blood flowed from the cracks. Gran has an opening. ¡°[Multi thrust- 2 strikes].¡± He had used his better skill earlier and did not want to risk using it again. This one would be enough, he hoped. His arm strained again as his arm blurred. Sweat came to his body as his stamina was strained. The first cut sliced across the boss''s head. The cut was not as deep as the shell blocked the bulk body. The second struck true, cutting deep into one of its eyes. The boss screeched again, backing up to give it space from its attackers. Nilus slipped forward and dragged Kimor back to safety. Tobar and Gran pushed, staying close. Tobar was in no condition for a protracted fight. Gran would need to end this fast, or he might be beaten down. He had to risk pushing himself to exhaustion. The boss was lashing out and Gran had to step in with Tobar''s injured shield arm. The first block sent an impact shock into his arm. The second glanced off it and slid down. Gran did not realise the boss''s plan until it was too late. The leg cut across his, cutting through his leg armour. Sharp, hot pain surged up his leg, causing him to grit his teeth. The boss moved to attack again and Gran pushed past the pain and stepped in with his own attack. Deflecting the leg with his shield, the boss was close. ¡°[Multi thrust- 3 strikes].¡± His whole body strained from using his skill. The three thrusts went into the boss''s head, penetrating it and causing vicious wounds. The boss staggered and collapsed, dying. Gran collapsed as well from pushing himself too hard, breathing hard and sweating profusely. Exhausted. ## ## ## ## ## That was a close fight. Queen had fallen, but had taken a toll on Gran and his team. They were treating their wounds and counting the cost. I had listened to their conversations as they worked through the floor and realised I had to make a few changes to what I was doing with my Dungeon. Adding tunnels for Puck to use on this floor was another thing that needed to be done. I had things to do. Things to think about. For now, I am limited by my lack of CP. Once I reach level five, I will have new options. For now, I wait and plan. Chapter 42 Gran and his team had passed through the newly established fourth floor twenty days earlier. I had spent the last twenty days thinking and taking a few actions. "Twenty per cent on my corruption and thirty on essence." I was losing one point of corruption every day. I still felt crappy, but I was getting better. There was an iron-grade group running my Dungeon. They were on the third in the second room, fighting the three boars within. They had killed the first boar and then skinned and harvested more of the boar''s meat. They were not handling the others well. They had been using their skills and spells extensively throughout the fight. One boar was down and the other two were wounded, but the Adventures were just as battered. They were going to win this fight, but they were not going any further today. I had questions to answer and decisions to make and with no spare CP, I had time. During this quiet time, I planned what I would do next. My first issue was with mana. I can create mana stones that will give me additional storage and, most importantly, regeneration. However, I have not yet made them, so I did not know the cost/benefit ratio. Storage was the other reason why I had none yet. Where would I put them so Adventures could not take advantage of a five-finger discount? Digging again through my option menus and wiki, I found a possible answer, but it was one I had been avoiding: a core room. This would solve a few of my problems but create more.
Core Room. At the heart of a Dungeon is the Core Room. Here, the Core presides over its domain and manages its resources. Located on the deepest floor of the Dungeon, reaching can be seen as an achievement on its own. The core room can take any shape the Core desires and is where Adventures may come to speak to the Core if granted permission. There are many advantages to having a core room.
"So many problems with this." What problems? The Adventures will know my location. They will quickly notice that I am not a typical Core, which will invite more trouble. Plus, how will I even communicate with them? The part of the explanation that says, "The core room can take any shape the Core desires", still makes me think about a core room. I might be able to work with this. Several crazy ideas had been floating around my head¡­. or Core. "What if I make the stairwell room at the bottom of my stairs the core room?" Why? My reasoning was simple: it was the one room that the Adventures would always ignore. Why would anything of interest be located here? It''s just a stairwell between floors. The fact that they had yet to discover me was a good sign that the idea could work. Only a divine blessed fairy had found my location. My Core had been moved from the third to the fourth and was safely tucked away in the central pillar once again. "Could this work?" I have thought about it for five days and nights, today being the sixth. I had to make a decision¡­¡­.. "Screw it! I need more mana in the long run. I will need to take the chance." I looked over my wiki again, even if I did not need to decide what to do. It was one of the few sections that was not short on information. I focused on the bottom of the stairwell. It was one of the few things I could do with Adventures present in my Dungeon. Alright, here we go! "Assign as Core room." I felt something shifting inside of me. An alert appeared, which I opened. "Open alert."
Alert! Please confirm that this is the room you wish to assign as the Dungeon core room. (Note: this cannot be changed until level ten!) Yes or No?
"Yes." Suddenly, the room around me felt different. It was weird. It felt like it was part of my Core and the Dungeon. It was an experience I had a hard time defining. Another alert: I am so surprised! "Open alert."
Alert! Congratulations, your core room has been established! This is an important set for all Dungeon Cores! The following benefits are now yours to enjoy. 1 ¨C When established, the core room must be located on the lowest Dungeon floor and can be moved there at no cost. 2 ¨C Fifty CP points have been permanently assigned to your Core pool. 3¡ªYour core room holds your Core. As an extra layer of protection, you can create a unique minion to defend it. Grow strong, young Core, and challenge all who come! This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
I read the alert message several times before dismissing it. Checking my status sheet¡­ yep, the additional CP was there. I stayed calm, no epic rants. I have things to do and new things to think about. ¡­¡­. No ranting! No ranting! I think about the room. With this established as my core room, I had new options regarding mana stones. "I will place them around my Core. But first, I will need to create one." Opening my menus, I navigate to the necessary options. Tonight, I will be experimenting! With that out of the way, let''s move on to the next issue: Dungeon-level difficulty. Gran''s team had noted the marked increase in the threat that the floors were showing as I made them. This was against my original plan, so I will need to reign in my enthusiasm for creating each floor from now on. Slow increments in danger was the new order of business. "Well, that sucks." Now, on to the next part: minions. I have nothing new to use. Well, that''s not true. I have the Mountain Ogre, but at forty CP per ogre, that was a no-go right now for so many reasons. I could put two on the next floor, but that would defeat the point of managing my floor''s lethality. Puck had been misbehaving recently. Several groups had gotten a brief glimpse of him, causing rumours of an unknown monster. Several were now actively searching for him. This was forcing me to keep an eye on him when adventurers were around. "Ssssoooo¡­." I had no idea of what to do just yet. I noticed that the team on the third had killed the last boar and was retreating up the stairs. "Should see one or two more teams before the miners come in." The routine was well established and teams went through the day with the miners marking the last group. This led me to contemplate the last thing¡­ well, it was more of a revelation. I had been thinking about the slave women who were brought into my Dungeon. In most Iseki/levelling stories, people were judged on their strength level or class, creating a certain balance between the sexes. The more I thought about it, the more I realised this was a fundamental misconception. Most writers envisioned a world where anyone could rise based on how hard they worked or were committed to levelling. There were terrible people, but the just ones balanced them out. The truth is that the monsters with human faces were likelier to out-level the weak, making abusing them all the easier. I could not fully explain why, but this made me sad. ## ## ## ## ## "Lord Goldwind." Ranus nodded his head to the speaker as they acknowledged him. He did this so many times a day now he stopped even thinking about it. He was being shown to Comus''s laboratory. The town was still a buzz with the discovery of what was on the fourth floor. Woodland had been able to contain the knowledge at first, but someone on the council leaked it. He opened the door and walked into the room. Woodland and Comus were waiting for him. He closed the door behind him. "Still angry?" He asked Elian. The look on her face told him she was. "When I find out who talked, they will regret it." "Do we know of any issues related to the word getting out?" He chose not to ask about that issue further. "Spring is going to be a rough season." Comus spoke. "What have you heard?" "We all know about the next wave of people gathering at Tyboon planning on coming." They both Ranus and Elian nodded. "Well, that is just the tip of what is coming from what I have heard." "How bad?" Ranus grimaced. "Well, the other churches are coming. They did not make it before the snows, as you know. The new Adventure groups and other regional powers. The weather is holding them at bay." This they both knew. "Well, the higher-ups in the Guilds are taking an increased interest, and so are the major human and non-human nations." This changed things. Since the folly, humanity has been seen as a weakened race and was being preyed on more. Interest from them was a dangerous thing to the new community. The threat from the human ones was just as dire. "Is there anything else about the new floor?" Ranus needed to change the subject. "Nothing. Comus wants samples of the webbing and spiders as soon as possible, but the second-floor boss will be first and recovered today, along with the flowers in the boss room. Then we move to the third floor next week. Then the fourth." Elian said. Ranus nodded. Things were moving along well on that front, at least. "Any worries of fools trying to explore the fourth?" "For the moment, no. The sight of Gran''s team coming out as battered as they were has had a sobering effect on most of the younger Adventurers for now." "How are they?" "They will need another week or even two, but they are planning another run at the fourth floor already." Elian smiled faintly at the thought of the team. "The floor boss embarrassed them a bit and they want to address that." "Then you are standing by with your assessment of the floor and its boss." Ranus asked. "Yes. The surprise of its attack is what worked most against Gran''s team. Next time, they will be better prepared and should gain victory faster." Ranus remembered the sight of the group and their battered state and hoped she was right. "Well then, on to other matters¡­." ## ## ## ## ## Spring was slowly coming to the Shadow Falls mountains. Forces were moving around the continent and world. A new Dungeon was one thing, but the reports coming from it were another entirely¡ªquestions with too few answers. The weather was holding the hordes back, but one local power had the resources to push ahead and reach the small town in the mountains along the treacherous river. A magically enchanted river barge was making its way through the winter storms. The river watchers soon spotted it and reported it. The one local power Ranus Goldwind secretly hoped would never come. Ostrul. ## ## ## ## ## The sudden pounding at the door stopped the conversation dead. "What is it!" Comus yelled. "Urgent message for Lord Goldwind!" Came the reply through the door. Ranus turned and opened it. "Well?" He asked. The messenger was red-faced and breathing hard. "M''lord! Ship coming from the south flying Ostrul''s symbol!" The reaction to that statement was like Ranus diving head first into the river naked. He took a moment to respond. "Thank you. I will be there shortly. Please take word to Jontar at the Shadow Rest tavern. I will need his large back room for a meeting." The messenger turned and left. "Ilinia''s mercy! Ostrul!" Woodland muttered loudly. Ranus was in total agreement. Today was now a very bad day. "We are close to the City of Slavers, so a visit was only a matter of time." Comus was as unhappy as the others. "Well, it seems my day has gotten longer and less pleasant." Ranus said, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Excuse me." He left the room and walked from the laboratory back to the Guild entrance. He collected his winter outer layers and put them on. The cold air hit him hard in his face, even with no wind. He walked towards the temporary piers, noting the lack of people around. Ostrul had that effect on most. The pier crew was set up and ready to start work; for the moment, they were huddled around a brazier. They were waiting for his permission for the boat to be unloaded. He had a standing order that no one may enter with large amounts of goods without permission. The gangplank was down and one man was standing off the boat, waiting for him. At the sight of his approach, he returned to the boat. This gave Ranus a chance to look over the boat. It was a large and wide river traveller. It would not handle the smaller waterways but was a heavy load mover on the wider ones. He noted the conversion work for it to carry passengers. Three men came off the boat. Two were guards and the third was the one who would do the talking. He was dressed in much more expensive furs and had jewellery on display. He approached with a smile, presenting the look of a friendly and courteous fellow. "Greetings. Are you here to lead us to Lord Goldwind''s presence?" His voice was rich and smooth, like that of a skilled trader or diplomat. "In a manner of speaking, for I am Lord Goldwind." Ranus knew the game that would be played; he had played it many times before. The man looked surprised and bowed to him. "A thousand apologies, Lord Goldwind. We would have been better prepared if we had known you would greet us in person! I am your humble servant and representative of the sublime city of Ostrul, one Halor Vac." "I greet you, Halor Vac. Please follow me to a place that is warmer than here." Ranus kept his face and tone polite. Inside, he wanted to throw this man into the river. "That would be greatly appreciated." Ranus turned and walked from the piers back into the town. They approached the largest tavern and entered. Chapter 43 Both men had shed the outer winter layers they wore and now sat at a table in the back room of the Shadow''s Rest tavern. Drinks had been supplied. The tavern owner, Jontar, would keep the curious away. The room was rough in construction but warmed with a large fireplace. Ranus knew that the Ostrul envoy would not openly or even hint at judging the location of the meeting. Their city trained them too well to make such a simple error. Such envoys adapted to any situation they found themselves in. They were known to be some of the most dangerous envoys from any nation. This Halor Vac was sitting and looking around at the room in polite interest, sipping from the tankard supplied. He was dressed in fine silks, had shoulder-length oiled ringlet hair, and had a trimmed short beard. The Goldwing family had dealings with Ostrul, with Ranus''s father leading them. Like his grandfather, he avoided dealing with this city-state like the pox. Through these dealings, Ranus learned many things. Ostrul always led the way, not with blades but with words, which is why they were so dangerous. Their envoys could charm almost anyone into doing what the city wanted. If they did not get it, they would unleash their attack hounds, the Devnear. "Tell me, envoy Halor. What brings Ostrul to my humble town?" Ranus began, entirely focusing on the other man. Ranus learned that in Ostrul, people always addressed themselves and others by position and first name. "Thank you, Lord Goldwind, for this prompt meeting. The sublime city has come to your burgeoning community with the open hand of friendship and to honour your discovery of the first Dungeon on Kyber in many centuries." His voice and mannerisms reflected an open friendship. Ostrul never went anywhere without learning all they could before making their move. To this end, Ranus knew they would not try to bribe him with gifts to get what they wanted but with another track. "I thank you for your kind words. I, however, wish to know what Ostrul seeks this day." Ranus decided to cut through all the fine words and get to the meat of the matter. Halor did not react to this, most likely expecting it. "We of the sublime city have had many dealings with your family over the years." Ranus cursed his father in his mind for this. "We seek a fruitful relationship with you and your new town." Now, things were going to get interesting. "In what way, envoy Halor?" "The sublime city wishes to access the Dungeon within your territory." And there it was. "I allow access to all who wish entry. Ostrul may test themselves against it but for one small issue." "The sublime city is aware of your issue with it. We are willing to listen to your requirements." Ranus knew he had to tread carefully now. He could not endanger his position here with foolish action. His position was approved by divine law, but that would not stop an assassin''s blade or military force from coming and killing him. History had taught Ranus much about Ostrul. The city was founded in a natural harbour on a peninsula south of the river lands. It was difficult to attack due to the desert that covered the northern land route and having a well-fortified harbour and city. The city was one of the oldest in all of Kyber. The old empire never conquered Ostrul but absorbed it after a lengthy campaign. Ostrul relies on hidden blades, gold and vice to protect itself. The Devnear are their attack dogs, used to raid and pillage anyone foolish enough to enrage Ostrul. Human slavery was banned under the old empire, but Ostrul had kept it alive but very well hidden. As soon as the old empire waned and fell, it resumed business as usual. The Nescan city-states publicly did not allow the trading of slaves, but owners could move through the lands without issue with them. Most of the population feared what would happen if the Devnear were unleashed with Ostrul''s full backing. This led to the problem facing Ranus. "Slaves may not be transported through or sold within my lands. Owners may keep theirs but not openly mistreat them. Any may enter the Dungeon, but you offer your fate to the Gods if you do and all taxes related to it are paid." He felt dirty for saying it, but at the moment, it was the only thing he could do. Offending Ostrul was something he could not afford at this time. Halor smiled toothily at Ranus''s words. The Nescan city-states used the same rules, with the addition of the Dungeon and Ostrul was happy to work with them. "This is most acceptable to the sublime city. We are grateful for your wisdom on this. A scion of one of the great families travels with this humble servant and would like to test himself against the Dungeon as soon as can be arranged." This was a surprise to Ranus, but he kept his face controlled. As they were known in Ostrul, the great families were the city''s slave lords- the surviving descendants of those who founded the city. They were wealthy, powerful and vindictive. Some appearance was always going to happen, but not so soon. He hoped for more time. "He is welcome to speak with the Adventure''s Guild leader as she handles the entry order for those wishing to test themselves against the Dungeon." Halor nodded with his eyes closed at this, expecting the answer. "I will make my way to see the Guild Leader as soon as we have finished." Ranus knew the main purpose of the conversation was over, but he had to be careful, knowing that Halor would seek any advantage. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ## ## ## ## ## "Mana stones are the only thing I can think of to help with the shortage that can happen." I was talking to Larry. He was ignoring me as usual, as he was trying to sleep in the rafters. I could speak to Queen, but she questioned my ideas too much. "I will start making them tonight when the last group is gone." I feel this was the best resolution to the problem outside of levelling. In the last few days, not one adventuring group has risked the fourth floor, which was a letdown, but I saw the growing looks of greed as many stared at the stairwell going down. It was only a matter of time. Larry and Puck had wandered down to the new floor to see what all the fuss was about. Puck was first and upon seeing all the webbing, I got the distinct feeling of "Hell No!" from him as he retreated from the floor back to the third. Larry had entered, but the webbing stuck to his fur, making him retreat and spend a few hours cleaning himself. Neither had returned. The front door opened and a group walked in¡ªa new group at that. "Better hide, Larry." He quickly scampered away at my prodding. The first three through the door were warriors and men. They were all equipped with the same matching armour: long-scale mail coats, large oval shields, and helmets with large plumes of what I think are dyed blue horse hair. The helmets covered the whole head, barring a T-shaped section for their faces. They were all armed with well-made long swords. Each shield carried a coat of arms or crest of some kind. It was of a series of blue wavy lines with the silhouette of a black crescent moon surrounded by a gold-coloured chain in a circle on a white background. Next came a woman dressed in form-fitting leather armour that was dark grey in colour. A hood obscured her features, but I could see pale skin and black hair. By now, I could spot a custom job when it came to equipment. All the other women who wore armour looked similar to the men, favouring protection over style. This was not the case with this one. While not an anime or fantasy pin-up, she was flaunting what she had. She was armed with a bow and more than a few knives. The following two made me pay far more attention to their differences. A man dressed in similar armour to the other warriors but without the shield entered my Dungeon. His gear was of even higher quality, which was a bet I was willing to make. He had his sword still in its sheath, but the handle guard was decorated with a fair amount of gold. The final one to enter was a woman. She was dressed in a linen tunic, with exposed arms and most of her legs. She wore sandals on her feet and the same crest on her tunic. She was unarmed and was carrying a large pack. Around her ankles, wrists, and neck were large leather straps. The neck strap had a metal ring on it. She was shivering from the cold and was turning blue. Her olive-coloured skin and light brown hair had a light dusting of snow that was melting. "Mana Sight. Activate." Everyone in the new group lit up to different degrees. The warriors had magical-infused armour. The woman in leather was glowing, showing the armour, bow and several of her magical knives. The leather was shadow-infused; I could tell as I recognised the mana signature. The other woman''s pack gave off an intense glow like I had never seen before. The final man had several magical auras from his armour, sword, helmet and gloves. "Mana Sight. Deactivate." My sight returned to normal. The group was looking around the room. The warriors were tense and ready for trouble. The armoured woman was holding her bow loosely at her side. The "Rich Guy", as I thought of him, was removing his helmet. "Not liking the look of this lot." ## ## ## ## ## Myma watched her employer''s fourth son take his helmet off. Modus Seamoon was, at first appearance, a handsome man. He had dark olive-coloured skin and a finely manicured beard and hair. His dark eyes hinted at the cruelty within him. With his helmet off, he looked around, and his face twisted into an ugly sneer. "Is this it?" "It is the entrance." He looked at her. She feared him not but was wary of his father. "What have you learned of this "Dungeon" from the locals?" He might not be impressed, but Ostrul quickly weeded out the foolish amongst its children. As a son of Ostrul, he had learned that lesson early but not completely. "It is a young Dungeon. Four floors rated at high-grade Iron." She started to give him what she had learned. He had been sent to test himself and this place by his family. He nodded as she spoke, looking around again, a frown replacing his sneer. "Mana affinity?" A good question, she thought. He had been paying attention to his lessons. "Apparently. Multiple." That got his attention. He focused on her again, losing his frown. "Explain that?" "Shadow, Wind, Water and Earth types have all been found in this Dungeon." "That explains much. I wondered why I have been sent here." She remained silent. He was thinking that this was a test from his family and a way to progress along his Path. She could read him so easily. This was, in part, true. He had been sent here to get him out of the city for a period of time. Modus was confident, skilled with a blade and even more arrogant as any noble can be. He had caused some issues with the other families and had been shipped off here to be out of the way. His father had told her to test him in this new Dungeon to learn some sense or die. Ostrul did not suffer fools, especially amongst the families. "What sort of rewards can be claimed?" "Mainly coinage of the old empire. Other rewards can be gained in addition." This again interested him. The old empire coins were sought after for their purity and weight. Ostrul''s coins mirrored the old empires. "Let us start then." He donned his helmet and drew his sword. "Slave, stay close to me at all times." The slave girl he had brought with him spoke. "This one understands and obeys, great one." She was shivering and turning blue from the cold. The envoy had told them to get the slave to the Dungeon quickly so as not to stir the displeasure of the local "Lord". Modus had sneered at this but had been reminded that his father''s instructions were clear: "Do not sour the locals to Ostrul". He was arrogant but feared his father and relented. They gathered themselves and began exploring the Dungeon. They had to wait two days before a spot opened in the Adventures roster and this only happened because the envoy bribed the group into giving up their place. Myma had used that time to investigate the local Dungeon by talking with the Adventures. What she had learned confused and intrigued her in equal measure. They entered the tower base and found three more doors and a stairwell going down. "We descend. The floor has traps and a local insect called a grey-striped wasp," she told the group. She led, followed by the lifeguards, Modus and the slave. Reaching the first floor was easy, with no traps or ambushes. Myma activated her passive skill [Improve Trap Sensing]. It would tax her stamina, but it should allow her to identify any traps before triggering them. ## ## ## ## ## "Well, well, well. This is interesting. What to do!" Larry had hidden himself away and was not noticed. Listening in on the conversation, I was conflicted about what to do. To be honest, I wanted to kill the "Rich Guy" in an as violent/painful way as possible. Why? Well, I am a Dungeon Core and I wanted his gear and the whole idea of owning a slave thing. They were moving across the first floor and the wasps were not presenting as much of a challenge as I had expected. The woman whom I decided to call "Rogue Hotty" was spotting my traps. I thought more about what I needed to do to get them to venture to the fourth. Hopefully, they would go down of their own accord, but I had to make sure. "Where''s Puck?" I quickly found him and began planning what would happen to this group. Queen was soon brought in as I would get nasty with them. Chapter 44 Myma was watching the group she was exploring the Dungeon with. The first and second floors were cleared and they were standing on the stairwell on the third floor. They were preparing for the fight on this floor. She knew that boars were coming next and they were ready. The fight would be challenging, but she was confident they would clear the floor. She was less confident about the next. Modus was a high Iron grade, with his magical gear pushing him to low Copper. His lifeguards were also high Iron with their gear, but what she had heard on the next floor was close to copper grade. The sound of a hard, sharp impact on flesh drew her attention. The slave was on the floor with a red welt on her face. There was a copper wine goblet on the floor with spilled wine. She was quickly scrambling to pick up the goblet. "Foolish slave! I said the rich red vinty!" Modus was angry. Myma knew why and she had to calm him down. He had not found the violence he sought and his now water-logged boots were making him angrier. He was standing with his helmet off again. She sighed and walked towards Modus. The slave was putting the goblet back into her pack. "Master Modus, we need to stay focused." Her tone was calm and soothing. She did not need him making rash decisions. He glared at her but said nothing. She was no slave or servant, answering only to his father. "This place is frustrating! There is no challenge!" "We are about to enter the last floor, which will be more dangerous and will test you more." She would have to stop him from going further. He was not ready to fight what was down there. She could see him eyeing the stairs down. He nodded at her words. She turned to his guards and began issuing orders. "The boars on this floor will be harder to fight, but we will attack them from multiple sides and kill them quickly." The lifeguards listened to her instructions and would obey. They had magic lanterns hanging from their belts, producing light but not bright enough to blind them. She turned to find Modus looking down the stairs. What was that? It was brief, but she thought she saw a flash of light further down the stairs reflected off the wall. This put her instantly on alert for danger. She realised he was vulnerable to Mental magic without his helmet''s enchantments but saw no indication of magic in use. "We will ignore this floor and go further down." Modus spoke, focused on the stairs. "Master Modus, that would be a waste as this floor has been the most profitable for those who have cleared it." Myma could not afford to have him go on a glory hunt. His pride and arrogance had got him sent here in the first place. "No. We go deeper. There, I will find my challenge and more profitable rewards." He had not even turned to look at her while speaking. "Guards to me!" Myma could not overrule his orders as lifeguards were sworn to their owner''s command over everyone else''s. "Master Modus, let us clear the floor here first, then progress. Think about the glory in clearing a Dungeon in its entirety." She had to appeal to his ego if she wanted him to listen to her. That stopped him for a moment, but he shook his head and pointed his sword, which he had drawn at the stairs going down. She was starting to panic inside but kept her demeanour calm. He put his helmet back on as his guards walked down the stairs ahead of them. She sighed and followed with her bow ready just behind the slave girl shadowing Modus. Things could become very dangerous. ## ## ## ## ## "Well done, Puck! You got him good with your lure. Now, get to the tunnels and hide. Queen, are you ready?" Puck needed no more encouragement and vanished. "I am Bhaldor. Do you still wish me to follow your instructions?" "Yes. I think they will make it to you, but bloody and battered. Do exactly what I instructed." "Understood." ## ## ## ## ## The cave was covered in soft, glowing blue moss and spider webs. She was concerned that Modus was not ready. The rumours were that the spiders were numerous and dangerous. A Copper grade team got battered exploring this floor. Modus was at least acting smarter now, arranging them into a good formation to move through the floor. "Myma, what sort of spiders are we going to encounter in this cave?" He asked her. "There are three types across the floor. All with shadow affinity. From what I have learned, they favour ambushing." "Poisonous?" "No." He did not answer but looked around the cave. The moss was creating a soft blue light and their harsher lanterns flooded the light. They could extinguish them, but that would only help the spiders. Modus was at least aware of this and had not ordered it. They both had noted the door on the opposite wall. The Dungeon always used them as an exit from the boss room. Myma tried picking out the spiders, but the cave webbing and clashing light sources prevented her from seeing anything. "Forward!" His barked order broke the silence and brought everyone into motion. The lifeguards were set up in an arrowhead formation ahead of Modus, with Myma just behind with the slave. She had an arrow notched in her bow and was looking for a target. Where were the spiders hiding? They came at them fast and low. They were skittering across the cave floor. Myma lifted her bow and released the arrow. It flew true, hitting one of the spiders. The lifeguards were already positioning themselves for the fight. The spiders jumped as they drew close. Colliding with the lifeguards, they were knocked back by the warriors bracing behind their shields. Modus and the other guard followed the spiders, attacking them. They were soon joined by the other two. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The spiders did not last long. "Myma, I am not impressed so far." Modus was not even breathing hard after the fight. "This is only the start of the floor, Master Modus." They collected the reward and moved on. They all soon had webbing sticking to them. Modus cursed loudly. They were attacked again in the following two rooms. These rooms were different from the cave, with rafters above them that allowed the spiders another angle of attack. They found this out with a lifeguard being jumped from above. He was wounded, but his armour prevented a more severe injury. "Useless slave! What sort of lifeguard are you? I will not waste a valuable tonic on you." Modus was yelling at the injured man, whose eyes were downcast. "A thousand apologies, oh great one." He was repeating like a mantra as Modus yelled at him. Myma was getting frustrated with Modus more than usual. She knew he was not going to last in Ostrul society if he kept this up. She did not want to be near him when the God of Death came to collect him. The next room was long and maybe larger. She needed the guard in complete fighting form. "Master Modus, the floor still has dangers. We need to have everyone at their best." He spins to look at her. "You promised me a challenge! These spiders are nothing!" He spat at her. What she could see of his face was red. "We have not yet reached the floor boss, young Master." She was sighing internally but remained calm outwardly. "It''s the start of the floor! We have not reached the floor, boss! Excuse, woman, I want my challenge!" His anger was not rising but on full display. There were few who could reason with him like this. He stomped from the room, advancing towards the next. Myma cursed, this time chasing after him with the lifeguards. He entered the larger room and began hacking through the webbing. "Master Modus! We need to stay together!" Myma was getting afraid now. Her fears were soon to become reality. Eight spiders attacked them from different directions. As they were spread out, they could not mount an organised defence. Myma was soon engaged by a spider, forcing her to use her blades to protect herself. The fight was fast and brutal. She blocked and countered. The spider lashed out and was constantly moving. Her enchanted blades made the difference. They tore through the spider''s armoured body, killing it and finally allowing her to get a sense of the fight. One lifeguard and four spiders were down. Modus and the remaining guards were all engaged. The webbing was working against them, causing the fighters to get tangled and slowing them down. She rushed to Modus. As she got close, he killed the second spider attacking him. He looked at her and she saw the furious light of his battle lust in his eyes. Ignoring her, he leapt into the next fight against the spiders attacking the lifeguards. A moment of calm came to her. In it, she realised she would have her means of escape ready. Modus was going to kill himself at this rate. The fight lasted a few more minutes as Modus and the two lifeguards killed the remaining spiders. Myma recovered her bow from the floor as Modus approached her. "Now that was a fight!" He was happy now that he had what he called an actual fight. She looked at the others. Modus was unharmed. The remaining guards were both sporting injuries. "The lifeguards need healing." She had to point this out as he was still wrapped up in the thrill of the fight. "Oh. Them. Slave!" He motioned to the burden slave cowering in the doorway to the room. "Bring the basic healing supplies." He waved his hand to the guards. He turned and investigated the reward for the fight, not paying more attention. Myma was different from most, but he was now threatening her survival and she needed to be ready. The guards were given bandages and salves to help with the injuries. They had to stop to allow them to be applied correctly. Modus was getting more restless as the time dragged on. The fallen guard''s equipment was recovered and stored in the burden slaves'' dimensional storage pack. Eventually, they got moving again. The next room had two slightly different spiders that were a bit more of a challenge. They, too, died and they continued into another cave. Myma looked around and knew it was the boss room for the floor. Modus was also aware of this as he advanced with the guards flanking him and Myma just behind. The burden slave behind her shivering in fear. The cave was like the first, covered with webbing and blue moss. They were all looking around, asking the same question in their minds. Where was the boss? They were all tense, waiting for the fight to start. It occurred to her too late to look up. A large black shape dropped from a dark patch on the ceiling. The boss was a giant spider and fell upon them. Modus was impaled by one of its legs through his right leg in his thigh as it hit the ground. His scale mail coat was ripped cleanly through. He screamed in pain and dropped his sword as he grabbed his wounded leg and he fell onto one knee. Blood was flowing freely. His lifeguards reacted as soon as they could, as did she, but the spider was faster. The boss sang/cried strangely, and her instincts warned her of danger. A swarm of spiderlings erupted from a clump of webbing behind a guard to attack him. A leg blocked the other guard''s attacks and he was attacked by strange tentacles of shadow that came from the ground. Myma was a copper-grade Adventurer who had seen over a decade and a half of fighting. She knew a massacre was unfolding when she saw one. Time to go! She turned and beat a hasty retreat from the room, heading down the corridor to the door that exited into the first cave and the stairs back to the surface. ## ## ## ## ## The "Rogue Hotty" was getting out of the fight. I watched her as she fled the room. "Strangely, I am not surprised." The fight was turning against my visitors fast. The arrogant bastard leading them was wounded badly and his guards engaged too much to help him. The woman carrying the fascinating bag was hanging back, terrified of the fight before her. The guard tangled with [Shadow Arms] was further inconvenienced with a leg swipe that he blocked but knocked him into a large clump of webbing that immobilised him until he got free. The other was fighting the spiderling swarm crawling over him but was winning slowly. The arrogant one had come somewhat to his senses and was trying to get to his sword. Queen was aware of this and pierced his throat with her leg. I was unsure if she aimed for it, but the effect was undeniable. The leg was impaled in his throat and he was coughing a great deal of blood from his mouth. His eyes were wide with surprise and fear. "Don''t think he is coming back from that one." The essence rush followed soon after. Queen pulled her legs from the body with some effort. The guard with the spiderlings had killed enough to realise the bastard was dead. At the sight of the body, he let out a cry and attacked Queen with an almost berserk fury. This was the opposite of what I had seen of them through the Dungeon. Queen defended herself but suffered a few hits wounding her. She created more tentacles using [Shadow Arms] to make an opening. Distracted long enough, the guard was open, and she leapt forward, driving her legs through his body and biting hard down on his neck. The guard screamed in pain as he died¡ªblood pumping from multiple wounds. Another rush hit me. "Damn, that''s good!" The last guard had untangled himself from the webbing as Queen pulled herself from her last kill. At the sight of the bastard''s body, he, too, went berserk. Queen was ready and counter-charged him using her [Charge] skill. Her three bars of health, stamina and mana above her were draining. This distance was short, but the impact was loud and decisive. The guard was knocked over and Queen savaged him to death. Three in rapid succession. I could get used to that! "That went better than I thought." Looking over the aftermath, I noted the last thing to be done. "Remember, do not kill that one." "I remember Bhaldor. Remove the leather strap around her neck and take the pack from her if I can. If she attacks, I can kill." "That''s right." I watched as Queen approached the now collapsed girl. She was in her early twenties, as far as I could tell. She was thin and mistreated. She was shaking in pure terror. She was manoeuvred into a sitting position. Queen was able to remove the pack from her and then, after a few attempts, the leather strap still did not come off. The girl was crying and her nose was running with snot. But she was looking now confused and blinking rapidly. "Apologies Bhaldor. I am unable to remove the strap without hurting the prey." I had the answer! "Where''s Larry?" The rogue was nearly out of the Dungeon, and Larry was soon able to come down. He entered the boss room through the door left open by the fleeing rogue. "Larry cut that strap off her neck." I sent him images of what I wanted and he got to work. It was not quick, but it came off. When it did, a translucent chain appeared around her neck, snapped and disappeared. The air where it had been twisted and distorted for a second then returned to normal. "Eh?" That was not expected! I waited several seconds but nothing else happened. "The pouch on the belt of that kill. Take it off him and give it to her." Again, Larry went into action. The pouch was where the bastard had stored all the coins gained during the Dungeon run. This was put into her hands. She looked down at it, still bewildered. "Time for her to go." Larry went behind her as Queen stood her up. Larry then snarled and chased her out of the Dungeon. I returned my attention to the Queen''s room when she was gone. "Looting time!" Chapter 45 My Dungeon was resetting now that it was empty of visitors. After the last group got mauled, I wasn''t sure I would get any more today. It was going to take a few minutes to be fully restored. I made sure the (former?) slave was removed by Larry chasing her out. I was returning my attention to the bodies left behind. "Looting time!" I loved this part of being a Dungeon. I was hardly using anything I had acquired right now, but I was a hoarder by nature¡ªfour bodies, plenty of gear and what appears to be a dimensional storage bag. I will start with the one who did ¡­¡­. "Bhaldor, I have a request and a question." Queen''s voice threw off my train of thought. "Er¡­. Sure, what are they?" "My request is to allow me to keep the bodies. The question, why did you leave the last prey to live and escape?" "If you want the bodies, keep them. Does that include the one killed before they reached you?" "Alas, I cannot get to that one." "Ok. I will deal with that one. As to your question, that is a bit complicated." I sensed she wanted me to explain, so I tried. "The one you called the last "prey" was not a willing Adventurer. Those who come and try their luck against my Dungeon do so with the power of their own agency. She was brought here against her will, so I chose to let her go." "You grow stronger with every death. Would another even as weak as it be a benefit?" "No. She was just too weak to interest me." I felt the giant intelligent spider did not grasp the morality of my decision; she was a predator, after all. "I respect and obey your right to kill or not in this case." "Let me strip these bodies and then you can do what you will with them." I changed the subject to avoid a more extended conversation. I did not want another team showing up and stopping me from claiming the gear of the dead. I absorbed everything but the bodies. Alerts piled up in the corner of my vision, adding to the ones already there. I held off opening them, shifting my focus to the entry room. Larry was in his usual spot and the doors were closed but not locked. "Here we go. Open Alerts."
Alert! A level 14 Human (Lifeguard) has died in your Dungeon. A level 18 Human (Slave Lord) has died in your Dungeon. A level 16 Human (Lifeguard) has died in your Dungeon. A level 14 Human (Lifeguard) has died in your Dungeon. Essence gained!
"Well, one of those I am not unhappy about killing in the slightest." There were still more, so I moved on to the big one.
Alert! Enchanted Scale mail coats (Quality - Good + 3 DAM resistance) x3 gained. Large oval shields (Quality - Good) x3 gained. Longswords (Quality - Good) x3 gained. Bronze helmets (Quality - Good) x3 gained. Enchanted scale mail coat (Quality - Good +5 DAM resistance) gained. Enchanted longsword (Quality - Excellent +5 DAM) gained. Enchanted bronze helmet (Quality - Excellent + 3 DAM resistance +3 Mental Attack resistance) gained. Dimensional storage pack (Quality ¨C Rare ¨C 50 slots) gained.
I noticed the alerts changing as they seemed to adapt to my preferences with information and how I liked to consume it. "That is a lot to get into, but there is more!"
Alert! Dimensional storage pack contents. Food (Quality - Excellent) Wine (white) bottle x3 (Quality - Excellent) Wine (red) bottle x3 (Quality - Excellent) Wine (purple) x1 (Quality - Rare) Clothing x4 (Quality - Excellent) Ostrul Silver coins x150 Ostrul Gold coins x 50 Ostrul Platinum coin x1 Healing tonics x25 (Quality - Excellent) Healing potion x1 (Quality - Rare)
"Jackpot, baby!" I should have known better to celebrate because of the following alert.
Alert! You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The Dungeon Core lacks the skills and knowledge to recreate the enchantments or the alchemist potions acquired.
¡­¡­¡­¡­ "Motherfuck¡­¡­" I ranted for a time. ## ## ## ## ## Ranus Goldwind, Lord of the Dungeon town of Shadow Vale, questioned his choices over the last year as a headache was brewing. Halor had been protesting for the last few minutes for the return of the Adventurer Myma and the slave girl. Myma had appeared first with not one member of the group she entered with at first following. Many speculated about a group death and she painted that story at first, but then the girl emerged. Myma was taken to the Adventure''s Guild by Woodland for further explanation and Ranus dealt with the slave. The envoy had made his presence known while she was wrapped in winter clothing and warmed next to a fire, telling her story. He had commanded her to return to the ship; she had started to obey but then said no. That shocked him at first and caused Ranus a terrible concern. He had tried to have two guards escorting him move her, but Ranus had blocked them, and they retired to this room, where the envoy did not threaten but made his wishes clear. Ranus had sent for the Arbiter of the Church of Lawdrun God of Laws, Contracts and Courts while manoeuvring him into the room. "Please, Envoy Halor, your requests will be ruled upon as soon as the Arbiter has arrived." Ranus wanted to tell the man to shut up and wait but could not. "Lord Goldwing, Ostrul will not look kindly on this situation. The loss of one of its sons will need answers to be supplied. The situation is clear as to the legal standing. Adventurer Myma and the slave are under contract with Ostrul and will be taken back to answer for what has happened here if required." "That may not be what is before us anymore." Ranus answered softly. "How so, Lord Goldwind?" Halor asked sceptically. Before Ranus could answer, there was a knock at the door and the Arbiter entered. Nextom was of average height and build with a head and beard of dark grey. Dressed in a light grey robe with a chain with the symbol of his god hanging from it, he was easy to miss until he spoke, then you paid attention. He stood before Ranus and bowed slightly. "You seek legal knowledge, Lord Goldwind?" His voice was deep and carried. When raised truly, its power was something to fear. "Yes, Arbiter Nextom. Thank you for coming on such short notice." The priest bowed slightly again to him. "Have you heard what has happened at the Dungeon?" "Indeed, the town is rife with rumour and speculation." "I expected no less. Envoy Halor has asked for an adventurer named Myma and a slave girl named Trixis to be handed over to him. He has cited they are bound by contract to Ostrul." Nextom had closed his eyes and was nodding now and again as Ranus laid out the situation. "Guild Leader Woodland is speaking to Myma right now and will release her when finished as her contract demands." Halor was nodding happily to this as Ranus continued. "My legal issue is with the former slave Trixis. That is why I have called upon you, Arbiter Nextom." "What is your concern, Lord Goldwind? I noted your use of "former slave". You cannot release her from a slave contract, and if Ostrul has not, then she is to be returned to their representative." He was frowning slightly, clearly wondering why he had been summoned. "My concern and question are twofold. First is her present standing. I ask this as she refused a command from the envoy. Upon investigation, it was discovered that her collar had been removed. When asked, she spoke of a Dungeon monster removing it and sparing her life. My second is, does this count as an act that falls within the Dungeon right of domain?" This stopped the Arbiter mid-nod. "What do you mean the Dungeon right of domain?" Halor asked, confused. "What Lord Goldwind is asking about is an ancient law that applies to what area is claimed by a Dungeon." The Arbiter spoke, but his eyes were distant, and his eyes were flashing. Some form of skill, Ranus thought, allowed him to look through legal documentation rapidly. "Lord Goldwind, your question is a valid one. I¡­.. That would mean¡­.. Could it be¡­.. I must seek further advice on this. Please excuse me." Suddenly, he turned and left the room, leaving both men speechless. He had never heard of an Arbiter not being able to make a ruling almost immediately. Ranus felt his headache getting worse. ## ## ## ## ## "Dungeons do not have the right or ability to break magical contracts!" Oda was not having a good day and was developing the equivalent of a divine headache. Nictor, Xandus and Astraus were in his domain but were joined by Lawdrun. Lawdrun was legendary for his composure, so the sight of him frantically walking around the room and yelling was quite disconcerting to them all. "This is incredibly dangerous! We may have to cull this Dungeon! Astraus, how could your fairy allow this!" She never answered, but all three looked at him. Oda sighed and spoke. "Lawdrun! Stop pacing and listen. I have a few things to explain, starting with¡­" Oda walked him through what was happening to the world and why this Dungeon existed. Lawdrun went through confusion, concern and fear, but the fear was for something different from what they had thought. "The Soul Contract with the Dungeon! I need to see it!" Lawdrun was getting frantic again. Oda made it appear and handed it to him. He opened the tube, pulled out the contract and read through it. The other gods waited for him to speak. They all noted the look of growing concern. "Oda¡­..What have you done?" That was not the question he expected. "I have created a means to help restore balance to the world. What have I done? Speak Lawdrun" "Yes, the plan to get rid of this corrupted essence is legally sound it¡­its¡­..its what you have left out that is the problem!" He started calm but by the end was shouting again, waving the contract around. "Calm down and explain, Lawdrun!" Oda was getting annoyed now. Lawdrun was almost frantic again. "ODA! There are no safeguards in this contract!" The god of laws was yelling again. "Of course there is. They are all clearly listed." "Oda! You have created a Dungeon that has no oversight or restrictions of what it can do in its own domain!" He slammed the document onto the table. "What!" Astraus was on her feet, the first to understand what Lawdrun was saying. "That is madness." The other three were not seeing what he was trying to say. Lawdrun focused and calmed himself. "When a Dungeon is created, a series of limitations and restrictions are written into its soul contract along with the fairy to advise it. These are put in place to prevent things like this happening. Things like respecting divine laws and magical contracts and not taking Mantals!" That final thing caught everyone else''s attention. "You have created a Dungeon with a few safeguards but none of the most important ones. Dungeons are effective demi-gods in their domains and we have no control over this one." Oda suddenly understood the scale of his error. Mortals had more power over the divine than they realised and mortals created each Mantel they had. It was their prayers that fuelled most of the god''s power. He and a few others were exempt, but what Lawdrun was saying was he had, in essence, created a minor deity that was outside of the usual restrictions. How far could a demi-god like that go? ## ## ## ## ## The entire town council was present, with every other person of note crammed into the Shadows Rest''s common room. Halor was here too, all awaiting Arbiter Nextom''s verdict on the status of the girl Trixis. It had only been a day, but the whole community was interested in what was happening. Nextom had taken the floor to speak, but the room was silent, awaiting his words. "The last day passed, Lord Goldwind brought a legal point to me for clarification. He requested that the status of a slave named Trixis be confirmed, believing her releasing was within the Dungeons right of domain." Most in the room looked at each other, confused, not knowing what he was speaking about. He was going to have to explain. "Ages ago. In the Starlight Lands, there was an elven princess who had fallen in love with a commoner. Her father had forbade her from seeing him, but they had snuck into a Dungeon to find something valuable enough to get him to change his mind or die together. While travelling through it, they professed their love and desire to be wed. The Dungeon was moved by this, creating two rings for them. They spoke their vows to each other, calling on the Gods and Dungeon to witness their bond. Upon leaving the Dungeon, the commoner was arrested, but the Gods intervened as the Dungeon they told the king had the right to allow the marriage in the domain it controlled. Thus, it became known as the Dungeon''s right of domain. It allows a Dungeon to do what it desires as long as it is within the rules laid down by the Gods and its decisions are to be respected." Muttering had been building slowly during his tale died down. "Taking this into account. The Dungeon here has made its will known by freeing the woman named Trixis from her slave contract to Ostrul. Lawdrun has confirmed the breaking of the contract and she is a free woman." The room exploded into noise. Arguments and demands for more information were being hurled across the room. Ranus sat in a chair, ignoring everything, looking at Nextom, who, in turn, was looking at him. Ranus had not expected the Arbiter to back his interpretation of that ancient law. In truth, he had only vaguely read about it when he was researching Dungeons in his teens. He had invoked it to buy time to see if he could secure a way to have Ostrul give up its claim to her. He was never expecting this. What did this bode for the future? He had no idea. Ostrul would not be happy with this or the death of the noble scion, but he at least knew the town was safe from reprisal. Yet he could not get rid of the feeling that there was a lot left unsaid by the Arbiter. A magical contract had been broken and during his research, he had never heard of that happening. He had been getting more reports from the south at the numbers awaiting the winter''s end to travel to the town. Adding this now to his ever-growing list of concerns was unwelcome, to say the least. Chapter 46 Comus was in his laboratory with Ranus and Elain again. He had been there for nearly an hour, pointing out things of interest on the corpse of the second-level boss that they had acquired for him. "So, the body possesses a few things that can be used for alchemy?" Elain was getting tired, and Comus did have a habit of losing himself in his work. "Yes... nothing major or world-changing, but some interesting potions can be made from it." Her question had thrown him off his chain of thought. "Excellent. Send me the information and we will set prices for adventures to get collecting." "That will help the locals get new sources of income." Ranus was thinking of the future like Elian. Spring was coming and they were already noticing the weather changing. They were getting ready for the horde of people who were at Tyboon seeking to come here. "Have you been able to confer with the Tyboon city elders?" Elain asked him. "Not as much as I wished. Message spells are expensive and I am not currently swimming in wealth." Ranus grimaced, having tried his best to get a rough idea of what was coming. "I have spoken to my counterpart in Tyboon. The numbers are hard to tell, but the figures they hint at will cause us all issues." "How bad?" Ranus did not want to know but could not avoid what was coming. She looked at him and began talking. "The last of the churches, as you know. The guilds are sending more people to support us. The adventurer numbers are still growing, but we are looking at nearly two hundred. As for other crafters or lesser folk¡­ maybe close to a thousand at last estimate." Ranus sagged from what she told him. It was as bad as he feared. The community was nowhere near ready. They were short of everything. Housing, food and employment were in short supply for the current population. The pressure and weight of his position were wearing him down. He took a deep breath and stood back to his full height. "Thank you, Elian. If you both excuse me, I have much to attend to." He turned and left the room. He walked out of the guild into the bustling town. He walked towards the largest tavern, Shadows Rest. As he walked, he greeted many on the way. Publicly, he was projecting calm confidence inside. He was in turmoil. The muddy streets slowed all travel at the moment. As he trudged forward, he thought about what he would have to do. There was so much to plan for. Housing was the first that needed to be tackled. The longhouses that most were quartered in needed to be expanded and more single houses made. With the quarry and abundance of timber, he was sure they could build them quickly, but not for the threatened numbers from the south. Food was becoming another problem. The mountain valley they were in was not suitable for large-scale farming. Housing and other buildings were going to take up most of the space. The river connected them to the farmlands of the Skaald to the north and the Nescan city-states to the south. With the town growing as it was, merchants would flock here all year round. Money was running low. His personal wealth was almost gone. The Dungeon was producing a solid but low income for him. The copper and other crafting materials were building the town a good industry base for taxation. The coins coming from it being of such quality was another boon. There were many more land plots to be sold that would keep the town afloat for the short term. The last was diplomacy. Nescan was happy with the flow of money going through their river routes. The Skaald were now opening up trade routes, with most planning to go through the town. For the nation''s further afield, his only concern is Ostrul. The scion''s death and Trixis''s freeing had thrown everything into doubt. Myma had admitted that the noble had overreached and paid the price. The Ostrul ship had taken her from the town under her protests. Ranus had never warmed to her. Something about her put him on edge, and he was privately glad she was gone. As for the other woman, Ostrul had not pushed the issue after the Arbiters'' ruling, but he knew they would somehow seek to balance the scales. There was one last thing and that was his family. His father and brother had not taken his actions to claim the right of discovery well. Several merchants he was friendly with had reported that they were campaigning to have him removed by guile or force. His family had, on the whole, set themselves to ignore him. This suited him just fine. He reached the tavern after stopping to talk to some townspeople a few more times. Before he walked in, he kicked the mud off his boots. The room was hot and crowded, even in the middle of the day. Adventures awaiting their allotted time were waiting to be called or just passing the time after a run into the Dungeon. Jontar ran his staff like a general, monitoring everything and ensuring no issues or problems existed. He spotted Ranus entering immediately and moving through the crowd to meet him. "Good new day, Lord Goldwind." "And to you, Tavernkeeper." "The room in the back is ready for you." He turned, indicating the way. "Thank you. Architect Vulus will be joining me presently." "Very good. I will send him in as soon as he arrives." Ranus made his way through the crowded common room into the back room. The fireplace was lit and he shed the outer layers he was wearing. Sitting down on one of the rough chairs, he thought about what needed to happen. The door opened and Vulus entered bundled up even more than he was. "Good new day, Lord Goldwind. By all the Gods, I am thankful spring is nearly here!" If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "I expected you would be." Ranus replied with a chuckle. "I never in my life have encountered so much snow and freezing winds." He was standing next to the fire, shedding the outer layers, revealing more rugged clothes than the bright ones he usually wore. "I have heard the southern lands never experience severe winters." "No. We have a rainy season, and that''s it. This is the furthest north I have been and I have decided no further!" The man shivered at the thought of worse winters. "You know we are in a mountain range, making winters harder." Ranus pointed out the obvious. "I know and trust me; I have learned my lesson." Ranus smiled, knowing the man was here for the challenge of building a whole town or even a city from scratch. He would complain but would have endured worse for this chance. "Have you the plans?" Ranus knew it was time for them to get to work. "I have, here." Vulus revealed a satchel hidden under all the layers. From within it, he pulled several rolled sheets of vellum. He opened them and spread them on the table before Ranus. There were three sheets, each sowing the subsequent three planned construction phases in the valley. They looked good to Ranus, but he winced internally at the cost, which would quickly turn into debt. "Have all the additional land plots been mapped and marked?" Ranus asked. Selling land was the only way to prevent a financial collapse. "Almost all the ground is frozen and placing the markers is still difficult. Is there any word on the numbers we should expect?" "Two hundred adventurers and over a thousand others with more coming." Ranus did not bother to honey his words. "By the Pantheon! That many!" Vulus was forced to sit down and this revelation. "My plans are nowhere near capable of handling that number!" "We will just need to adjust the best we can. The town has two things in its favour. The distance to Tyboon and, for now, the weather. They can only reach us via river as the overland routes are blocked by snow." Vulus nodded, looking at his plans, already reworking them in his mind. "I can see all the important buildings and groups have all been taken into consideration." Ranus waved his hand over the plans. "Yes. They have all been assigned land to build when they arrive. The churches already here without buildings have staked out their plots with the others yet to arrive have been taken into account. The Guilds are looking to expand and want to buy more plots and are even buying others out. We have plenty of room for industry, crafters and merchants. The main issue is housing." Ranus nodded as he spoke, pointing out the different districts that were forming on the plans. He was already aware of the issue of housing. The others he knew Vulus would identify and attempt to remedy. The restrictions on building around and past the Dungeon were annoying but not critical¡­yet. "Can we even begin to build housing before the thaw starts the migration?" Ranus wondered. "No. The best we could do is build three more longhouses before the first boats arrive. That will cover the population we have at the moment, not anyone new." Vulus was becoming grimmer by the minute, factoring in the people coming. "We can only hope the first to arrive will be builders, but I know it will be adventurers for the Dungeon." Vulus did not answer but nodded in agreement. ## ## ## ## ## "Oh, what a glorious day!" Yes, I am in a good mood. Today marks the end of the void of corruption plaguing my mind and Core. "0% on corruption. That''s right, Larry, I feel clear-minded at last." To no one''s surprise, Larry was located in his "spot" in the rafters of the entry room. There was a Tin group on the first floor at the moment. They had been through a few times over the last few weeks and were improving. Talking about getting better¡­ "60% on my essence count to the next level!" The near wiping of the slaver and his group twenty days ago had been a big boost. There had been no other deaths and few had tested the fourth floor. So, things were moving slowly but were moving. This had given me time to think about the next floor and work on mana stones. This soured my mood. "Bloody mana stones!" This had been the thing that was frustrating me at the moment. "Who would have thought that they would be so¡­ problematic!" I move my attention down to my Core, which is hidden in the stairwell pillar of the core room. I added four newly created mana stones embedded into the wall beside me. They glowed with the magic light of each mana type I possessed. The problem was¡­..
Mana Stone ¨C Shadow Type: common. Mana: 10. Regeneration: 0.01ph.
They were all the exact mana total and regeneration. Shit! "They are just too small." What was a Core to do? Well, I spent twenty days experimenting with creating a better-quality stone by increasing the quality of the materials or having my Core reflected closer in its makeup. The results were all the same. "Twenty days of failure!" Every stone broke or exploded. I swear I have spent more time repairing the core room than anything else. I could not understand it. Clearly, there was something I was missing. I had used this project to distract me from the enchantment and potion issue that would be driving me nuts instead. Sighing internally, I move to look at the Tin group of five Adventurers. They had been coming in with a mentor, but this time, they were alone. They were fighting the first-floor boss and winning. They had killed it several times now and I knew that this time was not going to be different. I had noticed the days growing longer and the snow melting on my roof. An additional team entered every day, so spring was nearly here, meaning longer days. "I wonder what the year will bring?" I was fast approaching four years in this world. I looked around my Dungeon at what I had achieved. Was I the greatest Dungeon¡­. Well, to be honest, I had no idea. What I did know was that I was as dangerous as a Dungeon four times my size. If I ever get a minion to fill it, I will have to be more restrained on the next floor. "Maybe it''s time to upgrade one of the minions already in use." I let my mind wander with this idea. How about using wasps again? What would I do with them? "Well, I could make the floor boss the standard minion. With an even more dangerous one as the new floor boss." That was an idea. My train of thought was broken as the boss in question was killed. I watched the victors collect their rewards and then head to the stairs. "They will be moving down to the second." Much to my surprise, they went up, not down. I watched them move up the stairs and out of the Dungeon. They did not close the door as they left. As soon as the last were out of my area of control, the Dungeon reset. "They could have closed the door!" I went to close it myself when another group entered my Dungeon. "Damn it! This lot again." The group that entered was the Copper team, which had now removed the corpses of the first¡ªand second-floor bosses. "I think if you stay on form, you will be after the third-floor boss." I watched them get ready and then descend to the third floor. The Copper team consisted of six strong people who were used to working together. The boars were overwhelmed room by room. This did not mean it was a straightforward series of fights and the group was pushed hard in the second room. They were using skills and spells far more than the other floors. They reached the boss and again, injuries were sustained, but the boss fell. They collected the rewards and the boss''s body and left the Dungeon. As they went up the stairs, I checked my status sheet. "Another 5% to my essence. Not bad." I followed them to the exit and watched them leave. "At least they close the door behind them." Chapter 47 Ranus was again in Comus''s laboratory. This time, the body of a massive boar was on the table. It bore the scars of a brutal death and was cut open. Its organs were scattered around in jars with different liquids. Comus was wearing an apron that was covered in blood. Ranus thought he looked more like a butcher than an alchemist. He was even more excited than usual. "It is just incredible!" He said, waving his arms at the corpse. "I have identified at least three separate parts of the body that can be used in different alchemy potions. That is not even counting the hide!" "Slow down, Comus. What is this about the hide?" Elian was trying to get him to tell them coherently what he had found. He stopped and took a breath. "The board hide normally supplied as a reward from the Dungeon is of good quality and makes solid leather armour. This hide is different." He points at the corpse. "This hide has been infused with large amounts of shadow-aligned mana. You will get magical leather armour with the right leather worker and armour maker, allowing the owner to hide in shadows better." This was amazing. Ranus knew that magical-infused crafting materials were vastly costly to find and use. "What price do you think?" Elian asked. Comus stopped and looked at the body on the table, deep in thought. "It''s hard to say, but the least will be three to five gold coins per hide, depending on the condition. The armour will sell for far more." Ranus and Elian looked at each other. That much for the hide alone would drive far too many unready to their deaths. It was something they would not be able to hide for long as several leather workers were already putting in requests for the boss''s hide. The Alchemy Guild will have to realise its discoveries soon. "We cannot hide this for long." Elian said with a sigh. "Comus, can we hold off letting the population know?" Ranus had to ask. "Not possible, Ranus. The Guild''s divine mandate states that all crafting materials, when identified, are made known to anyone who asks. What they do with the knowledge is their business." Comus said with a heavy heart. He, too, knew what was going to happen. "Messages and traders will take the value of the hides even further. Drive demand." Elian added. "It will be a slaughter at the start." Ranus finished. All three fell silent. The Dungeon was going to feast and Ranus wondered if this had been its plan all along. This Dungeon had always shown signs of being too intelligent for its size and age. Before anything else could be said, there came a rapid knock at the door. "What is it?" Comus snapped. "Guild Leader, an urgent message for Lord Goldwind!" Came a young voice through the door. Ranus walked over and opened it. "Yes?" He enquired to the young boy standing there. The boy gulped and stammered out. ¡°Lllord¡­L-ord¡­Lord Goldwing. Sails seen to the south!" "Thank you. Be about your business now." Ranus dismissed the boy, who promptly fled. "Well, it seems it has begun." Ranus turned and spoke to the other two. They nodded in understanding. "Excuse me. I will now be rarely available for the next¡­for the foreseeable future." "If you permit, I will walk with you." Elian offered. "Of course." The two left the Guild and walked towards the rise that overlooked the river. They wore less than a few days ago, as spring had arrived and the weather was warmer. The snow was melting fast, but they had to stay alert to the threat of sudden winter storms. Today, the sky was mostly clear with few clouds. "They are sooner than we hoped." Elian said as they walked. Ranus said nothing. Many of the town''s population was gathering on the rise. They moved aside as Ranus approached. He looked southward along the river. He began counting sails. "Nine large river barrages." He counted. "Anything behind them?" Elian asked. "It''s too crowded to see." Below them, at the piers, the work gangs were getting organised. The overseers were yelling instructions. There were now three piers for loading/offloading into the town. He had prioritised them over housing to Vulus''s complaints. He knew they needed to get those boats empty fast to get them moving back down the river. Ranus counted again and made some calculations. The first boat docked and began offloading. People streamed down the gangplank and he looked at the new Adventures coming to his town. They were a mixture of the young and inexperienced to the older and more battle-hardened. Yet they all had the same burning hunger in their eyes. The town''s population watching were moved on or taken away by their duties. Ranus was soon almost alone watching the second and third boat docking. They, too, were quickly offloading more Adventurers as well as goods that the town demanded. They would be loading what the town had produced few trade goods. He knew that the coins coming from the Dungeon were the thing most of the merchants would be seeking. The other boats were moored, ready to take an empty slot in the piers. Some were using row boats to take small groups to shore. All around, there was noise as people spoke and orders were yelled. Things were as in hand as could be expected. Ranus turned and watched the bodies flow towards the Adventures Guild. Elian had disappeared some time ago and he did not envy her in the coming days. He knew, too, that he would be busier than he had ever been, but that came with the position. He walked through the crowds to the gate in the palisade that led to the Dungeon. He looked over the floodplain to the building in the distance and thought to himself. "Are you ready for what is to come?" ## ## ## ## ## Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "What the hell is going on out there?" Over the last three days, I have been thinking this to myself more and more. Adventuring groups I had never seen before have begun appearing more frequently. "Case in point." One such group fought the boars on the third floor in the second room. Out of a group of five, one was dead, one was severely injured, and the other three were fighting for their lives. True, one boar was dead, but the other two were still fighting hard. My essence total was fast, pushing enough to reach level five. I spent three days with different groups exploring my Dungeon. In the last few days, I have seen more deaths than in almost the previous year! One group of six Tins, almost Iron, had gone straight to the fourth and got wiped out. I had noticed that someone was now stationed just outside my door. Every so often, a hand holding a crystal would appear, and it would glow. I would feel my aura being checked. By the second day, it dawned on me that, somehow, they were checking to see if my Dungeon was resetting. After the overconfident group got taken out, another came in shortly after. I gained a few interesting things, but nothing stood out from the corpses. "Another wipe? Might happen." The fight on the third was still too close to call. The boars were wounded more than the Adventures. The healer was forced to aid in the fight as the boars threatened to overwhelm the other team members. The health and stamina bars above them were draining fast. The fight turned when the swordsman leading the group killed the boar he was facing off against. The group healer was able to break away from the fight to treat the injured team member. "Well, that means there is no wipe with this lot." The healer stabilised the injured team member as the last boar was killed. The team decided quickly that they were getting out. The rewards and body were collected. The injured team member leaned on the healer as the other two carried the body. I watched them leave. "So, who''s next today?" It did not take long before the next team entered. "Damn it! It''s the boss recovery team." The Copper grade team that had been taking out my floor guardians and taking their corpses entered my Dungeon. They were grim-faced and looked ready for a fight. I looked them over with my mana sight, noting the increased number of magical items since their last visit. "Hold on. They are going to the fourth." I shift my main perspective to Queen''s guardian room. "Queen, there is a team coming to take you out." "What can you tell me about them." "A six-member team: three frontline fighters, an archer, a mage, and a healer. They are experienced and skilled. This is a copper-grade team and definitely capable of taking you down." "I understand. I will be ready for them." Over the last few weeks, we have discussed tactics for dealing with different groups. With a group like this, a ceiling-based ambush attack was the best angle to take with them. I watched them coming down the stairs. They were ignoring all the other floors and came straight to the fourth. "Right, here we go." They began working through the floor room by room. The spiders were hitting them from different directions. The team found it hard, but not as hard as the third. Two frontline fighters suffered hits, but nothing; the healer and armour they wore could not handle. This changed when they reached the room with the eight spiders. From how they acted in each room, it was easy to see they were briefed on the floor layout. This room made them work as the spiders hit them as soon as they reached the midway point. The spiders attacked from every possible direction. Two had waited and allowed the adventurers to pass them before joining the ambush. The group was focused on the spiders attacking them from the front. The melee fighters were engaged and the archer supported them. The spiders attacking from behind went for the group healer, but she was not ready. She suffered a nasty bite on her leg and her scream of pain brought the support team members to her defence. This was the high point of the fight for the spiders. The group was experienced and reacted quickly, changing their formation to face the spiders. Even wounded and clearly in pain, the healer had the presence of mind to treat her injuries with magic. This had her back healing the others, guaranteeing their victory. "They will be reaching, Queen." She probably heard me but remained silent as she got ready. I had noticed something about the fight on this floor that I needed to answer. "They can spit webs. I wonder why you do not do this more?" A question for later. The Adventurers were moving on. The next room had better spiders, but against this group, they were going to be beaten. I watched as they were engaged and killed. The group showed clear signs of strain and exhaustion. They were resting and tending to their gear before facing Queen. This floor had pushed them more than they had planned. "This will be interesting." They collected themselves and went into the final room. The apprehension was evident on their faces. They were not cocky or arrogant, knowing they were in for a fight. I had to respect this; they were not as good as Gran''s team but were close. "Thinking about Gran''s team. I wonder when they will be back?" My distractive thought ended as soon as Queen engaged. She had positioned herself next to the entrance instead of further into the cave as usual. The Adventures were just coming through the doorway when she struck. Dropping from the ceiling, her attack was sudden and violent. One melee fighter was hammered to the ground by my floor guardian''s weight. The other melee fighters reacted but not fast enough. One was hit as he turned to face her. The leg racked across his body, knocking him away from the fight. His armour saved him from serious injury. Queen lunged at the other to bite him but was met by his shield. The archer and magic user did not stay idle; they joined the fight. The guardian was attacked from the side by an arrow and a spell. Her armour deflected the worst of the attacks, but she was forced to move to limit her exposure to attack. This freed up the fighter she was pinning. His lack of movement either was a tactic, or he was badly hurt. The other two fighters soon engaged her and pushed her back, making room for the others to enter the cave. The healer attended to the fallen fighter and the others attacked the guardian. Queen''s health bar was starting to empty. I stayed quiet, respecting my creation''s ability to fight its own battles. She pulled back further into the room, drawing the team members attacking her away from the healer who was casting spells on the fallen fighter. This was a manoeuvre she had planned. In our conversations, I had emphasised the need to take out group healers as fast as she could. The blue mana bar above her head suddenly dropped as she cast her spell, Shadow Arms. The black tentacles wrapped around the legs of one fighter, causing him to trip. The other quickly moved to cover him. As he did this, Queen used her Spiderling Swarm skill as her green stamina bar fell. The swarm erupted from an egg cluster next to the healer, attacking her from behind as she was focused on her patient. They covered her, biting her at every opportunity they could. She screamed out from the attack, making the archer and mage turn. This is when Queen made her final play. She glowed slightly green as she used her Charge skill. Almost leaping forward, she crashed into the fighters, knocking them over and attacking them. She had the advantage now. The archer had other ideas. As the group''s leader, he ordered the mage to help the healer while he turned to my guardian again. Pulling a strange arrow from his quiver, he notched, drew, and fired it using some skill. It yelled out "eyes" as he fired, closing his own. The arrow did not have to travel far and as it did, it glowed white. Queen did not have time to react. The arrow impacted her head and there was a blast of hard golden/white light. Queen screamed. "Fuck!" My vision was filled with spots and I could just make out my guardian reeling from what had happened. The spots quickly faded and the situation had changed. Queen was being attacked by the two fighters again, along with the archer. The mage had somehow cleared the spiderlings off the healer and the third fighter was getting up. Queen''s health bar was down to a third and she had a nasty wound on her head. The fighters were triggering their skills, increasing their damage and speed. This was ending whatever that arrow was had shifted the battle decisively in the Adventurer''s favour. Queen only lasted a few more minutes before she fell to her attackers. The Adventurers had won, but they were severely battered. The fighters and healer were the worst off, even with the magic used to get them back up. The healer had collapsed from exhaustion. The reward appears in a flash. I noted they got the three silver and spider silk option. The archer was organising the body removal as it was too big for their dimensional storage bag, but again, they had a plan. They produced collapsable polls from the bag and tied the body to it. As they worked, I listened to their conversation. It was soon apparent that the fight had been far too close for them and they were talking about staying on the third or the first few rooms on this floor for the time being. It took all six of them to lift and carry the body out of the Dungeon. The spiral staircase gave them a lot of problems, but in the end, they got it out. Chapter 48 My essence was 65%. The fight against the fourth-floor guardian gave me the most of today''s 5% increase. The miners had just finished for the day and the sun had set, allowing me to focus on my projects into the night. My CP count dropped, but I finished it before it ran out. The mana stones were made, but even after several nights of experiments, I failed to improve them. I still had other projects to work on, and the next was fast approaching. I needed to get ready. Floor five. This winter, I have been thinking about and experimenting with new ideas. The empty wings of the tower building had been a great place to work as the Adventures never entered them as they were empty. Here, I worked on a new generation of traps. During this time, I discovered something. "Traps are hard to make!" In the stories, a Dungeon chooses the trap option, and the system gives them the knowledge to make them. "But not me! Oh no!" This poor bastard had to work it all out himself. I first made the pitfall trap and then made several improvements that I planned to roll out. The problem I was having was creating other ones. The ability to access my memories better had helped with the theory, but putting them into action was difficult. That was until tonight! After several months of experiments and countless (well, I could count them but did not want to make myself depressed) failures, I had figured out how to create a pressure plate trigger. The hardest thing was finding a workaround to replace a spring, as I did not have any materials I could use in its place. "Who''s the Dungeon Core? Yes, that''s right, I am!" ¡­.What the hell was I doing? I looked around and realised that there was no one but me here. "Well, that could have been even more awkward." It had taken most of the night, but the trigger was finished and tested. I knew I could adapt it and use it as the base for numerous traps. This had lifted my mood, but I still had an issue. What will the minion type on the floor? I moved through my Dungeon thinking on this. "Counting the guardians, Puck and Larry, I have fifteen designs. Should I reuse one, but which?" I was working from the assumption that I would need to create a new minion from them. "I could make the 1st floor boss the minion type on the floor and make an even bigger one as the guardian." "I should make that floor more "traditional" and not raise the threat level too much." I had found out what Queen had wanted the bodies of the Slaver and his guards for. Their remains were in cocoons in the cave. What she was doing with them, I had blocked myself from remembering. There are things a Core should never think about! "What to do? What to do?" My progression to the fifth level was slow but happening faster with the influx of new idiots. Sorry, adventures. My skills were dead-ended for the moment as I had not used any of them for months. Mana-wise, I still had a spare bubble inside of my Core, but I had not encountered any new mana types. "Status screen. Bhaldor. Open"
Name Bhaldor Essence 65%
Race Dungeon Core CP 62(450) 4.5 phr
Level 4 Corruption 0%
Floors 4 Health 100%
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 2 - 70% Core Refining ¨C 5% Mana Sight: 7 ¨C 81% Aura Manipulation: 8 - 5%
"Some improvements but nothing major. Close status screen." My Mana was regenerating from today''s floor resets and the mana stones next to my Core were ready to be used as a backup. Sure, the stones were not even close to what I had envisioned, but they were better than nothing. "I might encounter something new when I dig down." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Discovering the caves was a surprise on the fourth, but they had provided some new interesting features for my Dungeon. "That''s a thought. I could add the blue moss to the other floors. What''s my CP count?" Looking at the number, I worked out that I could place some tonight and the rest tomorrow. Starting on the first, I began placing patches around. This used up my remaining CP quickly and I had to stop. It was at least two hours before the adventures would return. This was the time I had come to hate and fear. The time I had nothing to keep me focused¡ªthe time I had to let my mind wander¡ªwas when the darker parts of my mind came to the forefront¡ªechoes of who I was and shadows of who I might become. It never takes long before I start having unwelcome thoughts, typically about what I have become and what actions I have taken. "Would I even recognise myself anymore?" "Well, I am a Core gem now, so that''s obvious." "How much of me is still human and how much is now Core?" "Does it matter?" I talk to myself as I wander around the first floor, watching the moss grow. These and other questions always come to me during these times. The early days were the worst, but still, the inactivity brings them back. "When did the killing stop bothering me anymore?" "I think it started with the raiders who had the slave women." Thinking about any of the slaves that had been brought to my Dungeon always sparked anger within me. "Why do I hate slavers so much?" "Is a product of being raised in Earth''s Western society values?" "No, I would have a greater issue with killing if that was the case." "Unless this is the Core, I am now changing my thinking." I am getting too philosophical during these times. Yet, I had noticed the changes in my thinking. "Hunger is the thing I can still relate to from my past human life." Hunger is always with me. I have come not to suppress it but to endure it. It is always there in the back of my mind, influencing my actions to different extents. There were times when I was aware of its influence and others when I only understood it later. The clearest to me now, in hindsight, was the ramping of each floor''s threat level. Songs echo through my mind sometimes during these periods¡ªsongs of sorrow, mystery and reflection. I do not understand why. That is another thing to add to that list. "It''s almost like the weirdest soundtrack in history." I could hear the sound of the Animals ¨C House of the Rising Sun playing as I went around. "Is it what passes for my subconscious talking to me?" The moss was growing well and the soft blue glow of the light it produced lit the rooms and corridors on the floor. "That should stop some of the complaints¡­. Maybe." ## ## ## ## ## Complaints. They had become the only thing that Ranus Goldwind encountered these days. The town''s population had exploded and with it, so did the number of complaints. He knew the other Guild Leaders and even some of the churches were dealing with some or a lot of problems¡­. but it seemed it was never-ending for him. "¡­¡­ with this said Lord Goldwind. I hope that you will be able to see it fit to have the construction of my warehouse at the piers given priority. This will allow me to unload my and other goods faster." The present complainer was a very portly merchant in fine clothes who was trying to have him move work teams from longhouse construction to build a warehouse on some land he had just acquired. Ranus kept his features passive but was screaming internally. "Merchant Vad. The town understands your desire for a warehouse to help the town grow. Your request at this time cannot be granted." The man deflated a little at my words. "The need for housing is more important." Before he could protest, a messenger came into the room. "Lord Goldwind, Guild Leader Drum requests your presence in the Alchemy Guild building!" Thank the Gods! Ranus yelled internally. "Apologies, Merchant Vad, but it seems I am needed elsewhere." Ranus took the opportunity to escape from the merchant. Leaving the Tavern of Shadows Rest, he considered the need for a proper building to conduct business. Looking around the town as he walked, it was a scene of chaos and construction. Vulus was at least happy that he had focused most of the work crews on building homes again. More boats were arriving, bringing more people with them. The Adventures made up most of the first with a good number of merchants. Now, everyone else was arriving. This was both a blessing and a curse. More people meant more problems but also more people to help resolve them. Some of the new arrivals had the foresight to bring their own work crews with them. He looked at the new churches, taverns, workshops and longhouses being built. Jontar had already informed him that the Shadows Rest would be part closing as he upgraded and expanded the building. He had bought the land plots on either side of the tavern and was already knocking down the rough constructions that were there. It did not take him long to reach the Alchemy Guild. Scaffolding was going up, and it seemed to work to expand, which was also happening here. He walked in, was spotted by the staff through the crowd in the lobby area, and was escorted to Comus in his workshop. Ranus opened the door and almost leapt in fright as the body of a giant spider confronted him. "Who is¡­. Ranus, come in!" Comus''s head appeared from over the body''s bulk. Very slowly, Ranus entered the room. The spider was facing him and he was unnerved by it even though he knew it was dead. He had been too busy to see it when the retrieval team brought it up. He had heard they were taking time off to recover from the fight and now he knew why. The thing was massive. Ranus had seen more enormous monsters before but nothing so¡­ so ¡­. Unnerving. Elian was also in the room, leaning against a wall as Comus worked. She was the picture of casual indifference. Ranus remembered she had seen this thing alive and fighting, so he rallied his composure and acted like it was not making him want to run away screaming. She nodded to him in greeting. Comus was in his apron again, covered in grey/yellow blood. The spider''s underbelly was cut open, and its organs were removed. They were located in several glass jars. "This is the boss of the fourth floor." Ranus said, hoping he was sounding confident. "Yes, it is an impressive creature!" Comus''s reply was far too enthusiastic. His arms were covered in the spider''s blood up to his elbows. "What can you tell us." Elian spoke up. "So much¡­¡­. This is not a Silk Spider. I thought it was because they produced silk like the others. It has been altered, as can be seen. Shadow mana is the principal means of change." He stepped away from the corpse. He started cleaning his hands while still looking at the body. "The corpse had so many things I needed to research: the shell, organs and even blood. This is going to take some time. I am even talking to my guild elders as I am finding strange things." Elian shifted where she was standing when Comus mentioned the guild elders. "I have some news from mine." Both men turned and looked at her. "High Magus Doltum will be here soon." That left both men speechless for a few moments. So, she continued. "Yes, that crazy old bastard will be gracing us with his presence. We need to get ready." "When?" That was all Ranus could say as his head spun from that news. One of the last human platinum-level Adventurers was coming here! "Any day. He was on the far side of the continent when word reached him of the Dungeons discovery. He finished what he was doing and began to make his way here." "Is he as bad as the stories?" Ranus asked. "I have never met him. Albrot, my superior, has warned me he is." "When do we think he will arrive?" Ranus asked. "Hard to say. The old empire''s teleport network does not reach here. He can cast teleport himself¡­ He will arrive whenever he will." Elian thought about how fast he could arrive. Ranus had to add what she had told him to his list of problems. "We will deal with him when he arrives." Ranus sighed. "Do you think that the fourth-floor boss will be another source of wealth?" Since the revelation of the third-floor bosses'' hides worth, they have been receiving more requests for it, and they are coming from further away. "It is highly likely." Elian swore up a storm that was very impressive and wholly expected. The third floor had claimed more lives in the last few days than the whole winter. Money-hungry people who were not ready to face the floor''s dangers ignored the warnings and died for them. It was now so bad that an Adventurer Guild employee was stationed to monitor the Dungeon''s activity. When it was resetting, its mana flow changed, and they knew the team was dead. "How much of an advanced warning can you give us?" Ranus asked Comus. "I can wait until the complete examination is finished. Then, I can review it... ten days at best." "Thank you. Elian, are you and your staff ready?" "No! But we will need to be. I will send for more staff and resources." Elain had one advantage in this Ranus had given her. He had allowed the Adventures Guild to run access to the Dungeon. He could have taken control of this, but as a political move to garner support from the Guild, he had ceded control to them. "Another day. Yet more new problems." The other two had to agree. Chapter 49 "Tripwires. Tripwires. Tripwires. What can I do with them?" Over the last few nights, I had been consumed by my experiments with traps and finally, a new door of possibilities opened. Could I fashion a tripwire from what I had on hand? The answer was a resounding yes! Spider silk was the answer. It was stronger than I thought and I could produce it. It did not take me long to create a basic wire. Sure, it would snap with enough pressure, but it was strong enough to trip up someone. Add that it was very thin and you have a tripwire. I would love to have piano wire, but I had no idea how it was made. I worked with what I had. "The question remains. What can I do with them?" I thought about this as I checked on the moss growing on the first to third floors. I had to keep an eye on the second, as the moss loved the damp environment and threatened to grow too much. I did not want to deal with a floor overrun with moss. The adventurers coming into my Dungeon expressed their happiness at introducing the moss, which gave them at least some light. I had been cautious not to give them too much, removing my minions'' ambush ability. It had taken a few attempts, but I found the balance that made me happy. Each room was different depending on what was in it. "Open status screen. Bhaldor."
Name Bhaldor Essence 85%
Race Dungeon Core CP 62(450) 4.5 phr
Level 4 Corruption 0%
Floors 4 Health 100%
"More fools trying the third floor before they are ready." I had also noticed an uptick in adventurers trying the fourth, who fared even worse than those on the third. "I wonder what''s driving them?" They had been skinning the floor boss and harvesting everything they could. Well, those who survived did. Some groups even removed the whole corpse. "The body must be worth more than the rewards you get for killing it." There are more questions than answers, as usual. The fifth floor was going to have traps spread across it. All my research had been leading towards this. I was even leaning towards having the floor be wasps and tailoring the environment more towards them. I noticed another group entering the Dungeon. A Tin group had just left after finishing the second floor. The group was another new one and it was iron from the gear and how they worked together. It looked like there were five in total: two tanks, two support and a healer. I was getting good at spotting the roles of individuals in the groups exploring the Dungeon from their gear. "Probably going for the third." I watched them ignore the first two floors and go straight for the third. They were a gossipier group, so I listened to their conversation as they descended. They were after the floor guardian as its hide had magical properties, allowing it to create magical leather armour. "Well, that explains why there is a sudden interest in the guardian. Magical armour!" They went onto the floor and cleared the first room with some difficulty. "They are not going to make it." The next room was their downfall. The three boars slammed into them and the fight turned into a struggle to stay alive. The boars were tough and had their skills. Three of them did not make it; the healer and one of the tanks fled the Dungeon, battered but alive. After the essence rushes were over, I checked my status screen. "89% nearly there. I have to make my final preparations." ## ## ## ## ## Today was the day. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. High Magus Doltum was arriving. Ranus and Elian were waiting for the boat carrying him to arrive. Comus had made the report on the fourth-floor boss public and they were being inundated with more requests for parts from the spider. Eight alchemic brews that benefitted from the spider were identified, with more possibly to be discovered. Elian looked exhausted and he probably looked the same. It was never-ending. "Sail turning the bend southward!" Came the call from the lookout. "That will be him." Elian said. "Are you ready?" "No. Are you?" "Not really." They both fell silent, preparing themselves. Elian had told him last night that her superiors were discussing sending Albrot to the town to oversee the Guild here. They were impressed with what she had accomplished, but the Dungeon was becoming such a magnet of forces that they felt a more senior Guild member should be present to run the Guild in the town. She had admitted that she would welcome giving it all up, but for the fact she was progressing to her next step at an incredible speed. Ranus understood he, too, was advancing to his next step and with it, his class change. The boat came into view, and Ranus recognised it as one of the merchant boats now sailing from Tyboon to the Skaald lands. The harbour master he had hired was directing it to an empty pier. The boat docked and a gangplank was lowered, hitting the pier. The work gang was catching the ropes the crew threw to tie the ship to the moorings. "Here we go." Ranus heard Elian mutter. A man quickly emerged from the boat, followed by a hunched figure. Both drew the attention of everyone around them, especially the man. He was tall with a beard and a mane of white hair. He was dressed in the travelling robes of a mage, sky blue with silver patterns decorating them. He was carrying a staff of dark brown wood that was almost black and a pommel of a sword, protruding from his robes. Easily six feet and full of energy, he bounded down the gangplank. Ranus found it hard to look at him and look away. He had an aura that was almost a physical thing. He was smiling and taking in the surroundings. More and more people stopped to watch this man enter the town. He quickly picked out Ranus and Elian and strode over to them. "Lord Goldwind and Guild Leader Woodland, I presume?" His voice was strong and confident. Ranus could detect the accent of the central parts of the continent, maybe even from the Cythian region. "Indeed and you are High Magus Doltum." Ranus managed to find his voice. "That is correct, young Lord." The man laughed with a good-natured belly laugh. "I hope to access your new Dungeon and test myself against it. I have heard som.." "Ohi! Ya forgot me again, ya stupid git!" A woman behind the Magus said in a rough and stern voice. The accent was thick and guttural; Ranus could not place it. "Ah, yes and this is Seela." He waved his hand to indicate to the person behind him that he was blocking the view of. "Get ya bony ass out of the way, ya old fool!" Doltum sighs loudly and rolls his eyes as he moves aside. What or who now stood before them was someone who was even more striking in many ways when you paid attention and looked away from the Magus. The woman was old but still vibrant, like Doltum. Standing at maybe five feet at a push, it was hard to tell as she was hunched over, carrying a pack almost as big as her. She wore a simple light brown worker clothes with a hood, but her arms were exposed. Her face was old and her hair white, but her eyes were clear, brown and sparkled. A thick steel-toped club hung at her belt along with more pouches than Ranus thought possible. Ranus found himself staring at those arms. They were the most muscular he had ever seen on a woman and even many men! Each arm had scars that were pale lines against the sun-tanned skin. They were gripping the arm straps of her pack. "Oh! Admiring me arms, eh? Well, me face is a little higher." She said, cackling. "Seela, will you stop teasing the local Lord?" Doltum sounded tired, as if they had been doing this for a long time. "Bah! It''s one of the few fun things I get to do following ya old bony backside around." She snapped at him. "Listen to me; you stubborn old mule; we are the same age that¡­.." Ranus and Elian watched, bemused, as the two began arguing right there on the edge of the pier. The language was harsh and barbs sharp, but they never reached for their weapons. "This is normal for them, according to what has been reported to me," Elian leaned over and said to Ranus. This instantly ended the argument between them. They turned their attention back to Ranus and Elian, not in the least embarrassed by their display or language. "Well, Seela and I have been travelling together since before the Folly. We have quite the history. She is my burden carrier." Doltum coughed as he attempted to regain his composure. "If any of yea call me an ass, donkey or mule, I''ll brain ya!" From the look she gave them, Ranus believed her. High Magus Doltum was old and so, it seemed, was Seela. Because of the number of steps he had taken on the Paths of Ascension, he was still as vibrant as a man in his twenties. He was one of the last humans to reach Diamond grade or higher left alive. The rest had died during the Folly. This was a disaster, in addition to the destruction of the Dungeons. Many considered this the main factor in the collapse of the old empires and the weakening of humanity amongst the other races. "But to business! Guild Leader Woodland, can you inform me when we can enter the Dungeon." "We have arranged your entry time to be the first tomorrow. I have a request." "What is it, Guild Leader?" "May I join you on your journey through the Dungeon. We have been receiving reports of alterations to the Dungeon." "Of course. I have heard the rumours that the Dungeon''s Core has not been found yet?" "If you come with us to one of the local Taverns, we have arranged rooms. We can let you know what¡­" ## ## ## ## ## "They should be arriving soon. They will probably start with Tin group." Larry was lying on the rafter he liked. His ears were up and twitching, indicating I was getting visitors any minute. The door opened and three people walked in. I recognised Woodland straight away, but the other two were new. The first was a well-dressed man whose age I could not tell. He looked like a mage or spellcaster. The second was¡­.. is¡­¡­. Eh? Is it a woman? I was not sure. I closed in on the figure and took a closer look. "Yep. It''s a woman. With bloody, massive arms. How much weight training do you do? Does this world have steroids?" She was tiny. I would call you a liar if you said she was five feet tall. She was also hunched over, carrying a massive pack on her back. "Let''s check them out. Mana Sight. Activate." My vision shifted and I looked at the pair¡­ "FUCK! I am blind!" They light up like two suns filling my vision. "Mana Sight. Deactivate!" My vision returned to normal. "Fuck me! How much magical gear are you two carrying?" The two were looking around. "There is a sharron in the rafters." The man spotted Larry straightaway. "Larry, get out and hide now!" He scampered out of the room as fast as he could. "The sharron is an unknown minion of the Dungeon. We do not know its function within the Dungeon." "A shadow-based creature, is it the affinity of the Dungeon?" "No. This Dungeon has no main affinity." They went on to discuss my lack of a central mana type. I found out the man was named Doltum and was a "High Magus," whatever that was. He was powerful, and I knew the woman with him was as well. From their bickering, I found out her name was Seela. Doltum said they should start exploring the Dungeon. Woodland told them that the surface building was empty and that they should truly start with the basement. They walked across the room and entered the tower base. The stairs up and down the central pillar were free of obstacles. They started to descend and walked down to the first room. Blue moss was now growing in the room, illuminating it. I did not know if they were going to go down any further or take the Dungeon floor by floor. They went onto the floor and entered the room with the copper vein. Seela pointed out the copper and inspected it. She asked if the vein was trapped or had a monster assigned to it. Woodland told them that there was none. This surprised them as it seemed that Dungeons normally protected resource nodes. I had decided not to do this. Doltum was getting eager to move on and see what else was different about my Dungeon. "Well, he''s not going to be disappointed." Chapter 50 I do not need to be here. She thought this as she watched Doltum and Seela discuss the copper vein in the wall. The last group she had sent through had detailed the only change to the Dungeon: the addition of glowing blue moss to the first three floors. It was a well-known fact that most Dungeons made minor changes to their floors as time passed. Her presence here was partly to witness a Diamond-tier Adventurer in action. This was a rare opportunity that she had seized. Doltum was aware of her intentions and had no objections. He had only requested that she observe and disclose nothing about the Dungeon unless prompted. She readily agreed. The night before, she and Ranus had spoken to the two. She had understood that the reports about their bickering were not untrue but may have been understated. At first, Seela''s accent was hard to understand, but she got the hang of it. Seela often used Ya for both you and yes, which sometimes threw her. Seela sounded simple, but Elian had realised she was anything but. Seela was as enjoyable as Doltum in her own way. Not as far along the Paths as her companion, she was equal to Platinum, tier herself the tier below Doltum. Her class was Carrier of Burdens and Resources; Elian knew this because she had asked the woman last night. Seela explained it was a class created by her original Burden Carrier, merging with her extensive skills based on harvesting resources from a Dungeon. She carried all the tools she needed with her, which was part of the reason for the almost comically large pack on her back. Elian remembered the drunk Iron grade, who had mocked the small woman the night before. The healers had told her before she left that he would recover from the punch¡­. Eventually. "It''s odd that there are no dangers with this resource node." Doltum was talking with Seela and was attaching a crystal he had pulled from his belt onto his staff. His robes were open, revealing light leather armour and a belt full of pouches like Seela''s. "Ya, real strange. Not seen its likes before." Seela rubbed her hands on the vein. "Not bad vein." "Let us continue, then." He walked towards the doorway. The crystal began glowing a soft yellow light. Elian knew it was not for additional light, as the moss was providing enough at the moment. The whole Dungeon had a surreal look to it, with everything having a blue tint. There still were large patches of darkness for monsters to hide in. Sella turned from the wall and followed, with Elian taking up the rear. Doltum stepped into the corridor, changing how he held the staff. He now cradled it under his arm horizontally, pointing it in his walking direction. After a few steps, the crystal flashed brighter. "Hmmm. A trap, it appears. Where are you?" Doltum muttered, adjusting his grip on the staff. The crystal intensified its glow as it was directed at the floor. Reversing the staff, he probed the floor until it pierced through the thin stone layer concealing the pitfall trap. Seela, quick to react, pushed past and shattered the rest, exposing the entire trap with her club. "Well made. Easy to be missed by young''uns." That was Seela''s opinion, her voice tinged with admiration for the trap''s craftsmanship. Elian, too, understood the danger. So many were injured in this first corridor, even now. Foot injuries were the second most common after wasp stings on this floor. She knew several healers were making a good living just by treating them. Doltum stepped around the hole and held the staff out again. He turned and walked into the first room. Seela and Elian were just behind him. "Ah, wasps, is it?" Doltum said almost to himself as the first Dungeon monsters appeared. He raised his arm and flicked his wrist. Each time at a wasp, a firebolt spell shot from his hand. Impacting, they incinerated each wasp. "There. All done." He was pleased with himself. "Bloody wasting mana, ya show off!" Seela barged past him, heading to the kill reward that had flashed into existence. She bent over to pick it up. Elian was amazed she did not topple over because her pack was larger than her. Seela rattled as she walked because of all the things attached to it. "Stop complaining. It was the fastest way to clear the room." Doltum rebuked her. She snorted at this. "Use ya sword, ya twit." She looked at what the Dungeon had given them. She bit into it and nodded approvingly at what she found. "Old empire copper coin. Regealmus face on it." "Regealmus. The last competent Emperor post Folly. After him, things fell apart fast." Doltum sounded lost in his memories for a moment. "Ya, the bastard could drink too! Shame he died in that battle." Seela added. They continued to the next corridor, where the trap was found and bypassed. The next room found Doltum using his sword and quickly dispatched the wasps within. Seela was picking up the reward as he studied the bodies. "Well, that is strange but not unheard of." "What ya babbling about now?" "These wasps can be used as generic monsters by Dungeons. They naturally lean towards Air mana, but I do not see any Shadow mana infusion." Seela came over and looked at the bodies. "Ya right. We''ve seen this before. Odd but not unknown." Elian was asked no questions and said nothing. She was eager for them to see the rest of the Dungeon and get the Magus''s reaction. They continued to the next corridor, not bothered by the two pitfall traps. "Rogues and trap masters must love this floor." Seela muttered. Elian knew they did for the challenge of finding the traps. The boss room was the next and last room on the floor. Doltum strode in and quickly adjusted to the room''s layout. The giant wasp came straight at Doltum, darting to the left and right. His sword was drawn and he countered the stinger with it. He counterattacked, cutting the boss with the blade. The wasp was fast, but Doltum was faster. The fight was a series of stabs and counters that the boss could not find an opening for. Doltum cut it to pieces with little effort. The man was an expert swordsman and a spell caster. Elian knew that few could boast both these days. His skills came from being a Spellsword at the start of his Adventuring career. Seela picked up the reward and they walked out of the door and back to the stairwell. "It''s an interesting floor. It is an extraordinary design, unlike what you see in other Dungeons. The direct access to floors is an easy way for the Dungeon to get easy kills and grow." Doltum thought out loud as they walked to the stairs. "Strange ya. Much we not seen before and much we have." Seela added as they walked. Doltum stooped in the stairwell room and looked around. Elian noted the slight glow in his eyes. He was using some spell as he looked at the Dungeon around him. To what end, she was not sure. Doltum ended whatever spell he was using and descended the stairs. The walk to the second floor was short and they were soon walking towards the first room. He scanned the path as they walked with the crystal on the end of the staff. "If this floor is like the first, that will be the exit from the boss room." Doltum said as he noticed the door on the left-hand wall. Doltum looked into the first room. "A water environment?" Seela pushed him out of the way and looked inside. "Water! I bloody hate water. Why water here in a shadow Dungeon?" Seela blurted out. "If you stop sticking your nose, maybe I would figure it out!" Doltum snapped. "Ya figure it out? Ya makes me laugh!" She shot back. They broke down into a brief but intense bickering session. Elian waited for them to finish. "I will go into the room and kill the toad." Doltum said, looking into the room again. He went in and the toad responded as soon as it noticed him. Doltum found no challenge in the toad''s defence of the room. It slashed out with its tongue, but his blade sliced it off. The toad died not long after. Seela waded into the room and collected the reward. The water was up past her knees. Elian followed, not happy wading in, but she was ready with high-leg boots. She still felt the cold through the boots. This was the least popular floor in the winter. They continued to the next corridor. Doltum was still using the spell, looking for traps. It was a testament to his mana reserves that he could still cast the spell without signs of strain. "Wasps are a generic air type and now toads represent water. Add the fact that there was a sharoon, which is shadow. This Dungeon is quite the strange one." Doltum was talking. Elian was not sure if it was to them or himself. "Ya, is right. Tis a strange one." Seela agreed with him as she looked around the corridor they were walking along. The next room had three toads in it. Due to their numbers, they lasted only a little longer. The water slowed him, but Doltum adapted and cut them to pieces. Not their attacks nor skills slowed or threatened him. Elian was not impressed by his abilities but by the fact that he was holding back and killing all that stood in his way. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Another trap was discovered in the next corridor, which Seela revealed with her club. So, it went for the rest of the floor, corridor by corridor and room by room. Doltum''s advance was relentless and he showed no signs of slowing. The only thing that broke his pace was when Seela and he started bickering. They reached the boss''s room. Here, he just incinerated the giant toad with a single spell. "Ya wasting mana again!" Seela complained. "Not really. This floor is different but not as challenging as expected. I desire to move on." "Payout is good for what we are facing. These flowers are a good find." Seela was harvesting the flowers growing in the room. Elian noted the herbalist pruners that were now in Seela''s hand. Her pack was sitting on the raised section where the burnt remains of the boss were pushed off. With a speed that came with practice, she harvested the flowers and stored them away. The pack was soon on her back again. Elian was sure she could not lift the thing, let alone carry it around. "To the next floor." Doltum said with a flourish of his hand. Seela mocked him all the way to the stairwell. The next floor found Doltum fighting boars. He danced around them, slicing and stabbing their hides, not even slowing his blade. Elian wondered at the number of enchantments on it. In the second room, one attacks Seela. It did not last long enough to regret this as she smashed its skull in with a single blow from her club. Doltum advanced again through the floor. Seela eyed up the corpses as she collected the rewards for their deaths but did not harvest them. "Floor boss should be in the next room." Seela said, counting the coins from the last kill. "I agree. Now boars an earth or nature type. I must see this Core. Guild Leader Woodland, can you tell me about it and how it will react to our visit?" This was the first time since they arrived that he addressed her with a question about the Dungeon. "Alas, I cannot, as no one has seen the Core, and it has hidden itself away." Elian controlled her excitement. This was the other reason she had come. If anyone could find the Core, it would be the High Magus. "What, no one. No one at all!" Doltum was fascinated by this revelation. "Then we shall be the first!" "That''s odd. Guild rules state the Core must be seen as part of the first survey," Seela said, turning to face Elian. Her features were scowled and Doltum looked at her for an answer. "Correct. We did not find the Core on the first survey, but divine decree bypassed the rule." Doltum and Seela looked at each other. Elian knew not what passed between them in that look but knew that they were intrigued even more. "Then we continue on!" Doltum declared, turning and striding into the next room. Seela sighed loudly and followed with Elian right behind. The third-floor boss charged Doltum as soon as he crossed the threshold and died almost as fast. Doltum braced and impaled the boss with his blade through its head, killing it with its own momentum. He never moved an inch during this. "Ya did it right for a change!" Seela pushed past him, dropping her pack. She opened it and began rummaging inside. Her back was to Elian and when she turned, she was carrying two wrapped sets of tools Elian had gathered from the appearance. Seela put them on the ground and opened them up. One was a skinning set, the other a butcher''s set. "I would like it hanging to do this but we work with what we got." Seela pulled a few implements from the skinning set and got to work. Doltum motioned Elian over to him. "The Dungeon has created a fourth floor and more beyond that?" "Not as yet. Our inspections of its aura are hinting it''s close to the fifth." "Excellent. The Core will then be on the next level. I will clear it and then we will see what the Core is hiding." He smiled at her as he spoke. Behind them, they heard the sounds of Seela at work. "What do you think of this Dungeon so far, High Magus?" "Please call me Doltum. I hate standing around on ceremony when I do not need to. As to your question¡­" He paused and looked around, thinking about speaking again. When he did, he sounded like a lecturer in a Guild school. "You know this Dungeon is unlike any encountered before. Every Dungeon has been centred around one mana type influencing its environment and monsters. This one is leaning towards shadow but has not fully committed. The only trap we have encountered is a well-made pitfall. We should have seen some variation on it or other types¡ªthe danger level ramps from floor to floor when it normally increases slowly. I have noted several other strange features, like the sharoon that does not attack and small passageways in the walls. This Dungeon has many secrets left to discover." Elian felt surprised and did not bother to hide it. She knew Doltum would quickly grasp the strangeness of the Dungeon but had revealed something she was unaware of. "What is the role of these tunnels and where are they?" "To their location. They run through each floor, and egress points are hidden behind well-disguised flaps that look like stonework." To demonstrate, he walked over to a section of wall and, with a knife, lifted the cover, revealing the small tunnel. "To their purpose, I know not." Elian had learned something new about the Dungeon and will have to add this to the Guilds records. "How are you doing?" Doltum asked Seela. "Working." Was the reply. "As soon as she is finished, we will see what the last floor will offer us." Seela continued skinning the boar of its valuable hide and collecting a large cross-section of cuts of meat. She worked with speed and precision. They were all wrapped up and stored away, along with the reward for the kill and flowers in the room. Seela was covered in blood and gore, but both seemed unfazed by this. "Done." She called out, putting her pack back on. "Onwards then." The next floor was as difficult as the one above. Doltum advanced with almost comical ease, slaughtering the Dungeon monsters. The spiders were cut down and anyone who attacked Seela had their bodies bashed in. Elian was in awe of the power each had. This floor had pushed her best team to nearly their limits. These two were bickering about foolish things all the way. The spiders attacked from ambush or in waves, but each time, they died and the party moved on. The rewards were acceptable to Seela as she collected some of the webbing in each room. This was the only thing that slowed Doltum''s advance. "These spiders were different from the others." Doltum observed the bodies of the two he had just killed. "They appear to be a more advanced version of the earlier spiders." "Good chance the boss is next then." Seela said over her shoulder as she packed away more webbing. Elian knew it could be used to make spider silk and make a decent sum of coins. "Elian, what is the rating of the Dungeon?" "At the moment, low copper." "Yes, I would say that is accurate. To think with just four floors." "Ya would normally see twenty for that." Seela added. "Let us finish this." Doltum walked forward into the boss''s room. The room was the same as the last time Elian was here. She knew some of the possible ambush locations but was silent at Doltum''s request. She hung back at the entrance and waited for the ambush to begin. She did not have to wait long. The spider fell from the ceiling in an attempt to skewer Doltum. His reaction time was amazing, as he immediately shifted out of the way and counterattacked. For all of its bulk, the boss was no slouch. It used its forward legs as weapons and a means of blocking. This tactic was solid against the Adventurers it had fought before, but not against this one. Doltum''s blade sliced through its natural armour grey/yellow blood began flowing. The spider began backing up, but as Doltum went to press his advantage, black tentacles wrapped around his legs. They surprised him, but he did not fall. This gave the boss the space it needed. Seela was watching intently but made no move to help. The boss made a strange crying/singing sound and Doltum was attacked from behind by spiderlings. His armour and clothing protected him from anything the spiderlings could do, but it was another distraction as he fought them off. The boss glowed for a brief second and charged forward. Again, Doltum''s reflexes were superior and he sidestepped the boss and slashed across its side. Elian could not see the wound, but the boss''s reaction was that it was profound. It tried to back away again, but Doltum did not allow it to escape. Elian could not keep up with his attacks and she suspected he was boosting them with magic. The boss was being sliced apart and fell to the relentless assault. It collapsed dead, and for the first time, Elian noticed Doltum was breathing harder. She moved into the cave with Seela. The reward flash drew Seela''s attention as Doltum wiped his blade. "Ya worked up a bit of sweat with that one." "Yes, it was a bit tougher than I expected. It''s well worth the rating the Dungeon has been given. What do we have?" "More spider silk and ''bout eighty copper. It''s the corpse where the real money is." "I will let you get to work. Elian, a moment if you will." Elian met him halfway. "This Dungeon is fascinating. There are so many strange things about it," Doltum exclaimed, smiling. He appeared to have enjoyed the whole thing. "The last thing is to view the Core." "Indeed, but as you can see, it is well hidden." Elian watched as Seela began working on the giant spider''s corpse. "Untrue, Elian. It''s a sneaking one and I do not blame the local Guild or Adventures for not spotting it." Elian''s attention snapped back to him. "You know where it is?" She asked. "Yes. You have noticed the slight draft on all the floors?" "I have. It disrupts the essence flow throughout the Dungeon, making it harder to spot things using some scrying magic." "True. That is how the Core is hiding itself. The flow of essence in the air should lead you to the Core as it will attract them naturally. With this Dungeon, it or its companion has changed those flows to obscure its location. I am much more in tune with my magic, allowing me to identify its location." That made sense to Elian and was one of the Guild''s theories about how the Core was hiding. She decided to tell him another theory they had. "We in the Guild have been thinking along the same lines, but we have also concluded that this Dungeon has no companion." This did not surprise him. "What is your reasoning? But I have come to the same thought." "The layout goes against all known Dungeons, present and past, from all over the world¡ªthe lack of a mana affinity. Throw in the escalated danger level per floor¡­ Well, this goes against everything a companion would have the Dungeon do." Doltum nodded at every point she made, agreeing with what she said. "It is all the same things I have noticed. This makes me even more eager to view the Core. Seela, are you finished?" "No, I am bloody not, you old git! Go look at those cocoon things on the walls there and leave me work!" They turned their attention to what she was indicating. On the wall were three cocoons that Elian had never seen or had reported to her. Doltum walked up to one and sliced it open. "Elian, have you lost any Adventurers recently down here?" He asked. "Several have died in the Dungeon recently, so maybe?" She went over and looked inside. The contents were the shrivelled remains of a man. All the liquid was gone from the body and she suspected all the internal organs. The clothing was in better condition and she recognised the coat of arms when she moved an arm. "Thus was the end of Modus of House Seamoon of Ostrul. Lord, slaver and most unpleasant of men." "Ostrul? I suspect they were not happy with this." Elian told him the tale of what had happened recently with the young scion''s visit. "The Dungeon broke a magically enforced slave contract!" This did surprise him. He fell quiet as he thought over what she had said until Seela said she was finished. "Let us end this." He walked with purpose back to the stairwell and stopped. "Hear me, Dungeon. I wish to view your Core. I seek no harm to you or disruption to your realm. We will keep your location secret and tell not one soul." Elian was watching him like a hawk. This was something important and she needed to observe everything for the record. She had agreed to this condition earlier before entering the Dungeon. Doltum walked around the pillar to the other side. Several blocks of stone that would be used to make more stairs lay in a pile. He moved them out of the way. As they were large and thick, it would take a pair of labourers to do this, but he managed it alone. He smashed his staff into the pillar, breaking through a thin stone layer like the pitfall traps. Clearing away enough, he looked inside. He fell silent and did not move. "What ya seeing?" Seela asked. "I¡­ I do¡­..I do not know." He sounded so confused. Seela barged him out of the way and looked herself. She was more vocal with her response. "By the Gods! Ya is strange!" Elian could no longer hold her curiosity and looked inside the alcove. What she saw was something she had never seen before. Her breath caught in surprise. The Core was sitting in the centre of the alcove and was the right size for its Dungeon, which was its only regular feature. The Core was a black she had never seen before. It seemed to suck in all the light around it. But in it, she made out four points of light shining in different colours. The closest she could describe it was like looking at a section of the night sky through a lens. "Eh?" It was the best she could do. Chapter 51 "I am so fucked! So completely and utterly fucked!" I was in a bit of a meltdown combined with an anxiety attack. My Core had been found! The thing I had spent these last few years avoiding had happened. "What the hell am I going to do now?" The man Doltum had said they would not tell anyone of his location, but by his reaction and the others, they were not expecting me! They had all viewed my Core and then departed the Dungeon in utter silence. That was a far cry from the bickering on the way down. My Dungeon was resetting and that gave me no comfort. Doltum had walked right through each floor with a casual attitude that was almost insulting if he could not back it up. Hell, he could and that scared me even more! "He destroyed everything I could throw against him." I needed¡­ Everything! Better minions, traps and a fortified Core room! "I am so, Fucked!" ## ## ## ## ## Elian had returned to her Guild and was sitting in her office. People had tried to speak to her, but she had ignored them all. Walking like she was under a mind hex, she went to her office. She had not even bothered changing from her Dungeon gear. The Adventurer Guild message scroll was on her desk before her. She used it to communicate with her superior, Albrot and the rest of the Guild leadership. It was open and she knew that the magic crystal was lit, linking to the one Albrot had would tell him she wanted to talk. He was expecting a report. There was a great deal of interest in the Core of This Dungeon. He had told her to agree to what even Doltum''s terms were to get a look at the Core. Well, she had. By all the Gods and Goddesses, she wished she had not! She had no idea what would happen when she made her report. You''re sooner than I expected. The words formed on the magically infused vellum. She picked up her quill and began to write. Doltum faced no significant opposition in the Dungeon. He is as impressive as you said. As expected. Is there nothing to report on the Dungeon''s layout, then? It has added Blue Moss to all of its floors, giving some lightning. That is good news. Anything else? Several bodies now decorate the fourth-floor boss''s room in cocoons. I am not sure what to make of that. But then again, it is a giant spider, after all. Have you seen the Core? Yes. ¡­. ¡­. Well, then, speak. Elian was unsure of what to say. She was suddenly very paranoid. It was believed that the Guild message scrolls were safe from everything outside of divine intervention, but she was now not sure. There were rumours that the Elders spied on each other as well as monitored conversations of lesser members. What she could write here could destroy the Dungeon and town. Not a single soul she knew of could explain that Core. That would make it valuable beyond its Dungeon and could trigger another Folly if she was not careful. She could not leave Albrot without an answer. I believe it would be a good idea for you to visit the town and see what we have accomplished here in a short time. Then, we can speak of the Core. ¡­. If you think that is a good idea. Yes, maybe a visit is in order. It''s been a few years since I''ve been to that part of Kyber. I will be there soon. Then we will talk. The connection crystal embedded within the scroll went dark. She was committed. ## ## ## ## ## Doltum and Seela sat in a room he rented in the tavern Shadows Rest. Seela used her pack as a chair/bed and he sat on the bed. The bed dominated the room by its sheer size in such a small space. Her hood was down and her long white hair was upbraided. "Ya been quiet." Doltum had been thinking about the Core and had not risen to her barbs as he would normally. What he had seen had not shaken him but caused him to think of the implications. "We will not speak of it. The Core will cause many issues if it becomes public knowledge. It is unique and that will attract the power-hungry here. They are stupid and will cause no end of problems. To think I thought it was hiding due to some form of shyness not required paranoia." "Ya fearing another Folly." "Don''t you. We were both there. We survived when so many did not. I have errored here with revealing the Core." It was centuries ago when they were both younger and had just started to become established. The memories of that time never faded for either of them: the desperate fighting, the tragic losses, the heroic stands and the desperate race to stop Adrills before he destroyed more dungeons. Three hundred years later, they had not dulled the memories one bit. "Bad days, worse nights. We lost so many." "It gutted the upper leadership of the Guilds and Empire here on Kyber. The human race may never recover its former power. It has left them open to abuse by some of the other races." The snort from Seela was loud. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "Abuse! Mistreatment at best, then slavery, then even worse." Seela was bitter. Doltum looked at his old friend and knew why she was like this. She was from the lands of the Skaald people and they had suffered worse than most. They had, on occasion, taken action against both men and others who had preyed on the weak and innocent. But it was not enough. It was never enough. "What ya thinking." "It has to be protected." "We can''t hang around, too much to do." "We need to strengthen this Core. It''s smart, that''s clear. But it''s young and lacking knowledge and resources. We can remedy this." "With what?" "Look in the pack. If my memory is correct, you should have¡­." ## ## ## ## ## I had calmed down. It had taken two days, but I had until Doltum came into my Dungeon again a few hours past dark. Now I was back to freaking out as he stood in front of my Cores hiding place. "Dungeon, hear me. I have not spoken to any of your form or location. I suspect you are not happy with my actions and now I understand why you are hiding yourself away. I seek to make amends." He reached into a satchel at his side. He began pulling things from it and placing them on the ground. All right, I am interested! Still freaking out but not as much. He placed several books, bottles and other items on the floor. What is he up to? "These offerings will hopefully address the wrong I have done. They are a small thing but should aid you well into the future. For now, I bid you farewell." With that, he turned and went back up the stairs. I watched him until he left, closing the door behind him. "Well, that was not what I expected." I focused on what he left behind. "Right books first and I will need to take this slowly." Each item was absorbed and with each book, I received an information dump and a mental kick in the head. Pushing it all aside, I waited until everything was gone before opening the insistence alert in the corner of my vision.
Alert! The following items have been gained. A basic guide to Spell Craft. A basic guide to Alchemy. A basic guide to Enchanting. A basic guide to the Paths of Ascension. Basic Health tonic. Basic Stamina tonic. Basic Mana tonic. Cythian Empire platinum coin. Alchemy bonding gel. Skills gained! Spell Casting (++ ERROR! ++)
"Right, that is a lot to take in with another bloody error! Open status screen. Bhaldor."
Name Bhaldor Essence 93%
Race Dungeon Core CP 62(450) 4.5 phr
Level 4 Corruption 0%
Floors 4 Health 100%
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 2 - 70% Core Refining ¨C 5% Mana Sight: 7 ¨C 91% Aura Manipulation: 8 - 5% Herb Lore: 1 ¨C 0% Spell Casting: 1 ¨C 0% Alchemy: 1 ¨C 0% Enchanting:1 ¨C 0%
Perks/Restrictions: Godless Affintyless (++ ERROR! ++) Companionless Limitless Monsters/Traps Core Refinement max ¨C 95% Spell Casting (++ ERROR! ++)
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 80(80) / 0.01 phr. Shadow ¨C 80(80) / 1.1 phr. Light ¨C 80(80)/ 0.1 phr. Earth ¨C 80(80)/ 0.5 phr.
"Whoa! That''s some big changes! Let''s start at the top." The book on Spell Casting was informative. It broke down the basic requirements to cast one of four spells. They are firebolt, light, earth shield and sense water. They are not incredible spells, but they are good to have. For beginners, the way to cast a spell was to focus their mana on the image of it in their mind. Then, transfer the mana to a wand or other magical sensitive item or body part, such as a hand, that can be used to release the energy. Speaking the name of the spell helps with this. More experienced casters can do away with that. Absorbing the book gave me all the knowledge I needed to do it. But that is where the error came in. The error was caused by the fact I had no hands to cast the spell through! "Damn it! I will need to find a workaround if I can!" Oh, and you can use non-aligned mana to cast spells, but it is far less efficient. The things you learn. I was going to have to experiment with creating this non-aligned mana as soon as I could. On to alchemy. This infused me with the knowledge of how to make several alchemical tonics. Tonics are basic versions, moving on to potions and elixirs. There were additional grades within these, but that was the general rating for them. I had some ingredients and needed to check my plant list to see if I had any others. The bonding gel was the stuff that brought it all together. The stuff was developed by a Gnome alchemist around seven hundred years ago, and this led to the "modern" age of alchemy. Well, I now know that Gnomes are a thing in this world. The second was that I had no way to create new potions; again, I had no hands! I would have to figure out a way to grind and mix the compounds. "Body hands! At least I can start working on this. I can create tonics without experimentation if I have the ingredients." Looking through my plant list, I found that Herb Lore had given me information on the fundamental properties of my common plants. I only had more because the first herb book I absorbed was more detailed. Enchanting was actually the easiest of them all. You weave a spell into an object you are enchanting. As I reviewed this procedure, it dawned on me that it was similar to how I enhanced a minion through my creation screen. "Theoretically, it should be easy as long as I know the spell." As I explored all the new things I had learned, new menu options opened. I opened and reviewed each one as I went through everything. The last book was not as important, but it covered many things about adventurers and levelling in this world. I knew most of it already from the first book I acquired, but this one added a few small facts that I did not know. The biggest takeaway was that Adventurers had ten tiers: tin, iron, copper, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, diamond, adamantium, and mithril. "Well, I can add to more metals to look out for. As I now have access to platinum through the coin." It had been an interesting night. When Doltum reappeared, I thought it was my end, but it seems now was not to be. Looking over my stats, I noted that level five was within reach but that I had been neglecting my other skills. "CP limitations are the main reason for that. Also, not much has been happening to make me use them." I knew I should try to use them more often, but I kept getting distracted by the new shiny things that were in front of me. Case in point: I pulled up my menus with the enchanted items I already had and checked them out again.
Alert! Items cannot be copied as your Enchanting and Spell Crafting levels are not high enough. Items cannot be copied as you do not know the spells involved in their creation.
"Seriously!" This was annoying but strangely expected. I was going to have no quick wins with anything at the moment. The fifth floor was going to be an important one. I would be introducing new traps to the floor and needed to reflect this. The wasps were pencilled in as the minion, and the layout was going to be different. I had to remember not to raise the danger level too much again as I had on the other floors. "Too much to keep track of at times!" It was still a few hours before dawn. What to do? Something about Enchanting was rolling around my mind. I did not know what it was, but it was an itch I could not scratch. My mind was trying to make a connection, but I was not fully grasping it. "What am I not seeing?" I went back into the enchantment menu options. I was looking at them again. "Really looks like my minion creation screen." Nothing came to me. I was not getting anywhere, so I closed them and "walked" my Dungeon. Everything was fine and in order. The Dungeon was ready for the dawn and the adventurers that would come. Soon from the time I think it is. My mind would not let it go. "Spells and enchanting. Spells and enchanting. Sure, I now know four basic spells. As for my minions, they do not. That''s not right¡­." Suddenly, it hit me. "¡­Queen and Puck know spells." I quickly navigated my menus to both their character sheets. Yes, there it was. Shadow Arms for Queen was the easiest to find. Her signature spell was there in her design. Opening her creation options, I saw the spell was there in her design. This made me excited. "Could I use the enchanting principle and add desired magic to my minions?" Comparing the two showed it was possible and could open a whole new avenue of minion development for me! I was getting giddy with excitement! "All new options! But there will have to be much experimenting to get it right!" Just not right now. Dawn had come. Chapter 52 "Come on! Someone use more skills or spells¡­ even die in a stupid way, please!" The last few weeks have been a gruelling test of patience as my essence count crawled up at a snail''s pace. Skills and spells were used, but their effects were so minimal that I could barely discern any improvement in the generated essence. It was a slow, agonising process, with the promise of progress always just out of reach. And in this time, not a single death to break the monotony! "98%! Come on!" As a case in point, the first floor was currently a battleground, with a group of Tins led by a seasoned mentor engaging the boss. The wasp, a formidable adversary, was darting in and out, seeking an opening, but the young group was displaying remarkable teamwork and strategic prowess, effectively thwarting its every move. They were acutely aware of the boss''s power and the room''s layout, using this knowledge to their advantage. The emptying red health bar was telling me how the fight was going. "Looks like they will finish and the miners will roll in." This team had been here several times and was almost ready to go to the second floor. They were led by a level-headed woman of about twenty who kept them focused and within their limits. "I bloody hate competent bloody leadership!" Almost on cue, the boss died to a well-placed arrow, and the young group celebrated their second takedown of the boss. "No injuries this time." I had been seeing the regular groups that listened to their mentor''s progress and got better. It seemed the idiots and stupidly greedy from the last influx were dead. Go, me! "Well, the miners will be here in a few minutes." I am strangely happy to see the miners now. At first, I ignored them, but now I have realised they are a bit of a gaggle of gossips who tell me about what is happening in the town outside. "Let''s review¡ªlots of building. More people are coming daily. Some shortages. Things are getting better with several new inns and taverns." That was what they had been talking about for the last five days. Sure, there were a few other things like courtships, cheating and, strangely enough, a lot of priests arguing. They were unsure what the arguing was about, but it concerned me somehow, so I was interested in discovering more. Alas, I haven''t had any success yet. They were smart enough to keep their heads down and avoid local politics like the plague, which was both annoying and something I respected. Many used to say politics is what gets you killed. Considering what politicians used to get up to and what happened to many, death was preferable. The Tin team collected their rewards and left the Dungeon. I watched them leave and consider different concepts for the next floor. I had been debating with myself about using this time to refine my core more, but with the goal of the fifth floor being so close, I wanted to get started at full CP as soon as I recovered from levelling up. I regret that a little at the moment. "Right, if the time of day is correct, I will have miners next." With my attention on the door, I waited for my next group. ## ## ## ## ## Mags walked into one of the rooms they had managed to rent. She was tired and needed a bath from the journey back to Shadow Vale. Gran had them down around Tyboon for the last few weeks, fulfilling a couple of Guild contracts. She dropped her pack on the floor and took off her travelling boots. With a sigh of relief, she laid out across the bed. It was a straw mattress and pillow, but she did not care at the moment. She took a few moments to collect herself, having come up from the common room early to take the next step along her Path. Her group knew and celebrated when they had returned, but now gave her the space she needed to take the step. She was excited to have finally reached her twenty-fourth step and was focusing her mind on taking it. "Oh, Ilinia, Goddess of healing, children and love, let this step guide me along the path I have chosen to embrace your purpose." She uttered the prayer all of her Goddess clergy did before taking their next step. Closing her eyes, she reached out into her mind for the part of it that governed the walking of her Path. Congratulations! Mags, as a [Priestess of Ilinia], you have worked and struggled to reach the next step along your Path of Ascension. The words floated into her vision. They always excited her, like it was the first time, even now. It is time to choose how the Path will change you and be judged for the route you took to get here. Now, she focused on the critical part that had begun. She looked into her mind and saw the outline of an image of herself. Around her were nine spheres of light blue. She knew they represented strength, dexterity, agility, vitality, perception, intelligence, willpower, and luck from her tutoring when she started. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. She was granted the ability to add to these spheres as she walked her Path. The spheres of intelligence and willpower were much larger than the others, allowing her to hold more mana within her body for her spells. She had added to the other spheres over the years, but those two were the primary recipes of her Steps. She reached out and touched them and the vitality sphere. When she made contact, they turned golden in colour. "I have chosen." She spoke in her mind. Now, it is time for judgment¡­... Mags, you have honoured and fulfilled the duties as a [Priestess of Ilinia]! Your divine patron smiles at your works! You have¡­ been rewarded with the skill [Mana Efficiency] for this step. This allows you to cast your spells at a slightly reduced cost! It is time to take the step. Are you ready? "Yes" With this, she fell into darkness¡­ ¡­. And suddenly snapped awake. Sitting up, she looked around. Morning sunlight was flooding through the gaps in the shutters. The bed next to her was unmade from Hena sleeping in it. Taking stock, Mags noted the weariness in her body and the slight echo of a headache. These were the results of the changes she had gone through. Knowledge of her new skill flowed through her mind. Within a few heartbeats, she had come to terms with how it could be used. Rising from the bed, she shed the clothes she had been wearing. There was a large copper bowl of clean water on the table. Testing it with her finger, she found it to be lukewarm. "Good enough." She set about cleaning herself. When this was done, she pulled a prayer rug from her pack and unrolled it onto the floor. Kneeling on it, she started her daily rituals. "Oh patron blessed and kind Ilinia, hear my prayers as your humble servant. I thank you¡­." The words came from her, and she entered a semi-meditative trance as she recited the prayer verses. The act allowed her to open herself to her Goddess, and she soon felt some of the divine presence fill her. Sensing nothing but happiness and approval, Mags knew she was walking the right Path with her patron and letting out a deep sigh as it withdrew. When she opened her eyes, she gathered her thoughts. A new temple had been built in the town for her Goddess, and she could have gone there. The tensions in the new district were palpable. The further you walked along the Path of a God, the more you could sense their thoughts and emotions. Right now, there is a great deal of tension between the two courts. Strangely, it seemed not to be directed at the other but more towards the God of Balance, Oda. Even the more neutral Gods were, for some reason, unhappy with him. Why? That was the question on all the clergy''s lips. The normal means of understanding divine will and interactions were proving to be insufficient. Whatever was happening amongst the divine was being kept there, but what had been gleaned involved this Dungeon. Mags wanted to meditate more on it, but her stomach made its will known. "Better see what the others are up to." Mags dressed and made her way downstairs to the common room. It was well into morning and most of the workers were not present. Adventurers were now the greatest number in the room. They were not dressed to go to the Dungeon, so they waited for their turn like her. Mags was seen by Tobar, who stood there and waved her over to their table. They were breaking their fast and she joined them. "We have the first slot in two days." Gran spoke between bites of bread. "Why so long?" Nilus asked. In response, Gran waved to the room full of people like them. "How was your step, Mags?" Hena asked. "It went well, and I received a new skill." Her group congratulated her. Hena and Tobar both had recently made a step, with the others indicating they would soon as well. The room was full of noise from different conversations. The staff navigated the room with practised ease, a far cry from the first weeks after the tavern was built. Jontar, the owner, was expanding by building a new tavern around this one. Once done, he planned to knock this one down and incorporate its space into the new Shadows Rest. Gran leaned to speak in a more hushed tone. "Any idea what this issue is with the temples?" "No. I have been avoiding mine not to get dragged into whatever is happening." Leaning back, he nodded approvingly. Gran always sought to avoid drama that they could and did best to avoid. The town was tense. The issues between the temples were straining the peace as the different priests and followers eyed each other. She knew from experience it only took one zealot or idiot to start a riot. The temple heads were watchful and ensured everyone knew they did not sanction any violence. Lord Goldwind hurried through the room, trailed by several people who were all complaining about some issue. "I suspect he is regretting his claim of Right of Discovery now?" Nilus quipped. Not one member of the group disagreed with him. From their brief glimpse of him, the man looked haggard and exhausted. Such was the price of being in charge. "Are we going to clear the third and fourth floors when our rotation comes up?" Hena asked Gran. "Yes. Both bosses alone are worth it. We might take our time on the third harvesting every boar." Mags thought that adding this to what was being offered for different parts of the two bosses would take time but be worth nearly half a year in base expenses. She helped Gran run the team''s finances and knew they were in a good place, but this single run would give them plenty to lean on in hard times. "We will use standard tactics when we are in there. Kimor will take care of the harvesting and Tobar and I will help with the carrying." Gran was practical and was a strong believer in planning ahead. "Nothing fancy or cocky. We go in, clear each room, harvest what we can and move on." They all nodded, understanding what each was required to do, but as always, Nilus had a question or, this time, worse, an idea. "I have seen a kill and retrieval request for the sharoon that hangs around the entry room. I think we should go after it." "Why?" Was Gran''s reply. "It is a curiosity. Why is it there? What is its function in the Dungeon? People are interested and are offering good money to find out." Gran was silent for a few heartbeats. "Has it attacked anyone?" He asked. "Er¡­ No. I think." "Then no, we will not." "We will lose out on quite a bit of coin." "I do not want to risk it." "Risk what?" Nilus was confused, and Gran released a deep sigh of resignation mixed with frustration. "Nilus. Listen to me. This Dungeon does strange things. We all know this. But everything it does will seem strange and will have a purpose. Think of the third floor. Why not have the three boars just before the boss and not in the second room? Why it eliminates adventurers faster because a lot of the young bloods get cocky after overcoming them, not realising that the next rooms are designed to wear them down before fighting the boss." Nilus nodded along as Gran spoke. "Then what is the purpose of the sharoon? I have no idea. But I know this: I do not want to make a highly intelligent Dungeon mad at me. Do you?" This made Nilus think. In Mags''s experience, it is not easy to do. He never spoke for a time as they ate but eventually said. "I think ignoring the request might be a good idea." Most of the group smiled at this and continued eating. The tavern door opened with a bang that drew everyone''s attention. There standing in it was a town messenger. "Attention all Adventurers! The Dungeon is sealed as it is expanding due to a part wipe! All delve rotas are suspended to be redrawn!" A loud groan went through the assembled adventurers. Gran''s team looked at each other. Mags knew that they were the most likely team to explore it when the Dungeon reopened and the fifth floor was revealed. "Well, we have some time to replan what we will need," Gran said thoughtfully. Chapter 53 "EErrrww." I came back to awareness. Levelling was so unpleasant. It''s not as bad as dealing with corruption, but terrible. It takes a few minutes to collect myself, but the excitement soon kicks in. "Level five, baby!" Looking around, I see Larry and Puck in my core room. They both come here when I am levelling. Was it to be present or to protect me in my vulnerable state? I was unsure. It''s time to deal with the notifications and status sheet. "Status screen. Bhaldor. Open"
Name Bhaldor Essence 0%
Race Dungeon Core CP 182(575) 5 phr
Level 5 Corruption 0%
Floors 5 Health 100%
The rest of the sheet had not changed, so I ignored it. "Hold on! What''s up with my CP total?" That was not the number I was expecting. The first notification after the level announcement gave me the reason.
Congratulations! You have reached a significant milestone! It is not easy for a Core to walk its Path and develop in the world, but you are making headway. For achieving your fifth floor, you are awarded an additional 25 CP points. Continue to gain more rewards!
"Ok. Was not expecting this." This made my options for the fifth more interesting. I had more to play with now. I checked the Dungeon before I started the new floor. It was late at night, so I kept my Dungeon closed as usual. Larry and Puck were still hanging around. "Time to start." I focused on the ground below the room. I would not rush this, but I was not going to use my aura manipulation. I was going to go slow, but not that slow. My aura was expanding down into the ground. The ground below is almost solid rock. There was tight-packed earth down there was well. I began cutting away the area below the ground, making what would become the entry/exit point and the Core room when the floor was finished. The room was quickly formed. Nothing interesting was found. The collum for the stairwell was left¡ªtime to think how I would do this. "South." Turning my attention that way, my aura moved forward¡ªmore rock and earth. Then, suddenly, it flooded forward into a void. My CP dropped fast. I stopped expanding my aura. "Shit!" I started using my aura manipulation skill and began working at the edge of the cave. It was about the same size as the others on the floor above. There was no stream or any attached caves. I pushed my aura into the cave, finishing taking it over. The cave is different as it has a loose earth floor. There were no stalagmites or stalactites in it. "Strange. Water did not create this space." Inspecting the walls, I noticed that there were what appeared to be teeth marks on the wall. Something had eaten this room out of the bedrock. "What did this?" I reached out and connected the room to the cave. Next, I created the stairs and linked them to the floor above. I had more than enough CP left to cover it later to stop Adventurers from coming down. Larry and Puck were hovering around the first room, exploring the new space. I was¡­. Something was in the cave. I sensed it and an alert appeared. From the loose earth came a very large¡­. Worm? It was about a meter long and a quarter thick, pale pink in colour and making its way to a wall.
Alert! A Greater Eater Worm has entered your Dungeon.
"Who the hell names these things!" Well, come to think of it, it was just a giant earthworm. It had reached the wall and reared up like a cobra. The front of it opened in four sections, revealing dozens of tiny teeth. It lunged forward, biting at the rock wall. "Holy Shit! I was not expecting that!" It was trying to bite the rock, but it was now infused with my aura that had strengthened far more than it used to be. "Larry, Puck, get over here and kill this thing!" The two perked up and moved into the new cave. Puck shot forward and engaged the worm. He released his spells onto the worm. This was not very effective. Puck''s spells focused on causing his opponents to become disoriented by primarily attacking their sense of sight. Here, this opponent did not have eyes and seemed to ignore him. "Well, it seems it''s up to Larry then." Larry charged into the room and the worms turned just as fast as they could to face him. The loose earth was a minor issue, but he moved well. The worm had coiled up, waiting for his approach. "Shit, that''s not good!" As Larry approached, it opened its "mouth" and lunged forward. Larry jumped to the side as it lunged. It was close, but he moved out of its way. Turning fast, his green stamina bar fell as he triggered a skill. His front claws lashed out, slicing along the worm''s side flank. The skin was opened and a light grey fluid oozed out. It swung around, lashing out at Larry again. It did not bite him, but its body knocked him to the side. His health bar fell slightly. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Larry lashed out again. The stamina bar dropped more as he used his skills again. More wounds opened up as Larry slashed more into its hide. The fight was in Larry''s favour. The worm kept lashing out, but Larry was faster as the wounds he inflicted wore it down. Larry was clipped a few more times but was not in danger. It reared up and then collapsed, dead.
Alert! A Greater Eater Worm has died in your Dungeon. Essence gained! Greater Eater Worm designed gained for your Dungeon!
"Well done, Larry!" He was strutting around, celebrating his victory. I gave it to him. I was looking up my new minion option. It was an interesting addition to my Dungeon. Could I use it? I planned to use wasps on this floor, but now I had to think about this. Puck did not affect them, as they had no eyes and tracked threats through vibrations in the soil. A weakness? Yes and no. "Wasp or worm. Wasp or worm." I looked around, thinking about what I would do without creating minions. "How about a new resource node?" I turned my attention to the eastern side of the cave. My CP count was still good, so I expanded my aura in that direction. It went forward and I took control of the rock and earth. I started cutting away at the rock; a new corridor was forming. I continued to expand, noting what I was finding. Nothing new was being added to my resource list. I started on the first room. My CP count was falling, but I could go a bit further. I had to be mindful to leave enough to seal the floor. I claimed a large area and had to stop as dawn was approaching. "Alright, you two back upstairs." Larry and Puck were still hanging around, watching the new floor take shape. They soon departed as I turned my attention back to the core room. As soon as they passed, I covered the entrance to the new floor. Dawn was soon to be here. "Time to wait." I opened my Dungeon, and soon Adventurers were coming in. The first group went down to the fourth and checked to see if the new floor was open. They left disappointed. As the day wore on, I ignored the groups and focused on what would be placed on the fifth. Traps were going to be a thing, and initially, wasps were the minions, but the worm had changed things, I had realised. "I could enhance the worms with earth mana. I could cover the floor with a top layer of soil or even have deeper sections to be used as ambush locations." The more I thought about it, the more attractive it became. The basic worm costs two CP. It''s not outrageous and could be built upon. "Traps and worms, then. With a resource node." This was good. Then, a thought hit me. "How about dividing the floor?" All my floors went in a basic circle. This was a sensible idea as the stairs were the way to reach each floor. But what if I split this floor? "The resource node is to the east, and the rest to the west. I could add a few minions and other rooms to the east, but most of the traps and minions will be in the west." This was getting interesting. "I have one room done and can put two or three more in the area I have claimed. Maybe expand a bit more to the north and make larger rooms?" That could work, but what resource will the node supply? "It will need to be something they want." I opened my resource list and reviewed my options. "Move the copper? No, leave it alone. Iron? Tin? Definitely not gold or platinum." I thought about all the conversations I had overheard for inspiration. The locals had found a rich iron vein in the mountain nearby, so that would not be used. "Something practical and valuable¡­." Silver was an option. I looked at the copper vein again. "Replace the copper with tin and bring the copper down here?" I was at a loss at the moment. What to do? As the day progressed, I mulled over this issue. By the end of the day, I decided. Tin will be located on the first and copper will be placed on the fifth. I watched the miners working on the vein and wondered what their reaction would be to the veins moving. I was straight down to the fifth floor as soon as they left. I expanded the area I had taken control of to the north. "The cave will be 5A. The first room to the east will be 5B." I created a U-shaped corridor that exits this room in the south. The next room is only a short distance from the first. These rooms are on the larger side. "This is 5C. Now, do I create another room or make this the resource node?" I had plenty of space to make another room, but I was feeling devious and wanted this to be represented on this floor, so I added a third room, 5D, to this section with a short corridor linking it to 5C. I made the floor loose earth in all the rooms and corridors. "Let''s do this. Worm first." Opening the minion creation screen, I went to work. "Six CP and two Earth mana will be what I will use." I focused on creating this new minion in the cave on this floor. The motes of light gathered with the wind, stirring the earth below. My new minion came into existence with a pop and flash of light.
Congratulations! You have created a new minion¡ªa Rock Worm. Designed gained ¨C Rock Worm.
I looked over my new minion. It was three meters long and half a meter thick. Its body was covered in tough, rock-like hide. Opening its four-section mouth, its teeth were more prominent and even nastier-looking. "Let''s get into the details. Open status screen. Rock Worm."
Name Rock Worm Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Worm Essence 0%
Health 120/120 Mana 20/20
Stamina 120/120 Corruption 0%
STR 8 8 Damage base
DEX 8
AGL 8
END 12
VIT 12
PER 4
INT 2
WIL 2
LUCK 2
Equipment: Bite: 4 DAM(Piercing) + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Tough Hide: -3 DAM Blind: Poor PER outside of the earth. Burrow
"That''s interesting. What''s Piercing?" It was one of those rare times I got an answer.
Alert. Piercing is a modifier that ignores the armour of the target that it strikes.
"Thanks?" Well, now I know. "Well, this is a decent minion. It is around the same level as the spiders on the floor above." I assigned the worm to the cave.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the Rock Worm. Cythian Copper coins x6 (Chance ¨C 80%) Cythian Copper coins x7 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." I reached into the ground and extended the floor, allowing the worm to bury itself. "Best leave the resource node to last. But what can I do with these rooms?" I worked out I could finish this area and start the next section with the CP I had left. "Traps to start. But what?" I decided to start simple. I created a thin but strong tripwire a foot off the ground across the entrance to 5B. Next, I made a pitfall trap across the area of the floor where someone would fall when tripped. I covered the pit with the usual thin layer of stone and added an additional layer of earth to camouflage it. On this floor, I improved the spikes in the pit. I removed the flint heads and replaced them with serrated iron arrowheads. "Looking good." I took a moment to admire my latest trap. True, it was only a variation on the ones upstairs, but I was still proud of it. I knew it was going to be a waste of space, so I left the rest of the room empty anyway. "I do not want to make this section too hard." As I moved along the corridor, I decided not to add anything. 5C was going to be the resource node. Upstairs, I had left it open to exploitation, but I placed two worms to guard it here. I deepened the floor to allow them to burrow again. This was going to be standard in every room with any worms in it.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the two Rock Worms. Cythian Copper coins x12 (Chance ¨C 80%) Cythian Copper coins x14 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." One last room. I was going to be a bit flashier and do something different here. First, the room had two more worms added to it. Now, to the good stuff. I created a half-circle in the wall. Within the circle, I raised a circular platform. A chest was placed on this platform. It was a simple box and just a larger version of the one sitting in the first room as you enter. I add small additional weights to the chest lid. I placed a pitfall trap before the platform, but this was just the start of my plans. I put a pressure plate under the chest. Above the platform, I integrated a series of large and heavy cylinder-shaped stone weights. The weights are held in place by chains. I attach them to a release mechanism, which, in turn, is connected to a wire linked to the pressure plate. This is all done behind the floor and walls to protect these mechanisms. When the chest is opened, the weights shift on the pressure plate, triggering the trap. When triggered, the weights drop, aiming to crush the adventurer below. The last thing was what to put in the chest. "Something precious. But not too valuable." Silver coins were to be placed in the chest. A small leather bag with three coins was also placed in the bag. "Time to move on." Returning to the cave, I opened the rock face, forming a new corridor. Chapter 54 Another short corridor was now added to my Dungeon. Room 5E soon followed. A rectangular room as all were on this floor so far. It was facing west. I stopped to take stock. It was approaching morning and my CP was running low. "I have time to finish this room and another before opening." With the dawn approaching and my CP dwindling, I knew I had to act swiftly. Extending my aura into the west, I shaped a corridor and another room. A worm was assigned to 5E, but 5F had a different fate. "New trap room!" Three pitfall traps were placed in this room. The first two were next to each other at the doorway from 5E. A trip wire was placed along the doorway, and a pitfall trap was placed where a person would fall. The second was placed slightly northward of the first. The idea was that someone trying to get into the room would take a significant step or jump past the pit. If they went northward, they met the other pit. The third pit was placed on the other side of the room where I had started the next corridor leaving this room. No worms in this room. I had big plans for later rooms and had to conserve my resources. For now, time was the factor I was most aware of. Dawn was almost here. I went up to the entry room and unlocked the doors. The first group rolled in about half an hour later. The day had started. ## ## ## ## ## "Any sign of the fifth-floor entry opening?" Elian asked one of her office workers. "Two teams have gone through so far. We asked the first to check, and they have said there is nothing yet." "Thank you." She went back into her office. It was not unprecedented for this Dungeon to keep the next floor closed until it was ready. Gran''s team was on the roster for today, but she had already warned them that they would be escorting her again when the fifth was open. She could assign it to another, but it got her out of the Guild and away from the endless paperwork. Looking out her window at the fine late spring day, she saw that the town was a hive of activity. She had not installed glass panels yet and the shutters were open. The sound was loud and yet strangely comforting to her. It was the sound of optimism for a better life. Merchants were hawking their wares, people were yelling, and there were sounds of construction. The town was getting bigger every day and more were showing up. The brief closing of the Dungeon had not slowed anything. It was seen as a sign of even better things on the horizon. She sighed and returned to her desk and work. Albrot would be here soon. ## ## ## ## ## "Right, hurry up! Out! Out!" The miners had finished for the day and were filling out the door. No deaths but a few injuries marked the day. Ten teams ran the Dungeon between the first and third floors, with one team getting half away through the fourth before turning back. The only highlight was Gran and his team''s return. They went straight to the third and cleared the floor, stripping every boar on it. They ignored the rest of the Dungeon. It had been a long day, as I wanted everyone out to work on the fifth floor. I could have left the Dungeon closed, but I decided not to allow my CP to regenerate. The miners left and closed the door behind them. "Time to get started!" My focus shifted back to the fifth floor. I was back in the half-finished 5F. I continued pushing my aura westward. I did not go far, as I planned, only another room before shifting north. The room was quickly formed and I began the corridor out of the room. I planned something special for this room. "This is not going to be easy." Understanding the theory was easy, but putting it into application was hard. I focused on my plan, starting with a pressure plate within the doorway. Above the doorway, I cut out a section of the ceiling running the length of the wall, where I placed the pendulum. The pressure plate would release the pendulum, which would swing down from the right as they walked in. Its arm was weighted to keep it swinging on its axle. The end of the arm was a half-moon blade. The mechanisms to release the pendulum were built into the floor and wall. After some experimenting, I weighted the pendulum right to keep it swinging when released. The blade was iron and the arm was wood, all cheap to make. I tested the trap when I had finished the last alterations. I triggered the plate, releasing the blade. It swung down, crossing the doorway. Anyone caught by it would be in a world of hurt. I watched the pendulum swing to the point it turned back. It continued to do this a few more times, each swing less as it lost energy. I reset the trap. "Bloody hell, that was hard!" This was the second complex trap I had created on this floor, and I felt mentally exhausted. This new trap had drained my CP total badly and I was loathe to make another. But I was damn proud of both of them! "Worm or not to worm." Looking around, I decided to make this room harder. Two worms were added to the room and the rewards were approved. "I have just enough CP for another room." I was not in a good place time-wise. This trap had taken most of the night to make. "Right, one more room and then I will be done for the night." I expanded my aura to the west, then turned north. What was I going to do with the next room? I wanted something trap-based but different, as it was cheaper to make. I suddenly realised I had gone further than I had planned and stopped. "Shit! I have to stop daydreaming while I work!" Looking over the claimed ground, I could place two rooms within it. "What to do?" Dawn was two hours away at most and I was thinking about what I could do. "Something cheap and sneaky." I went through my memories of the adventurers travelling through my Dungeon looking for inspiration. The one thing that kept drawing my attention was the first-floor guardian room. The spike-covered floor had caused a series of injuries and a few deaths. "Something similar?" I thought about it for a while, and inspiration hit me only an hour before dawn. I made a round room. Then I dug down, creating a circular pit in the room, filling it with the serrated arrowheads. The ring around the pit was wide enough for a person to walk, but they had to be careful. This I layered in stone apart from four sections. This I angled at ninety degrees into the pit. I camouflaged them with a thin stone layer like the pit traps. When the hapless adventurers stand on the outer layer, their feet will go through, causing them to overbalance. This led to one of two outcomes: they would fall into the pit (my preferred outcome), or they would be able to catch themselves on the other side. "Most will see this room for what it is. But I can always hope for idiots." My CP was low and dawn was about to arrive time to wait for another day. Again, it was a slow one. It did have one highlight when the first-floor guardian knocked a young Tin grade onto the spikes, killing him. There were a few more injuries over the day, but no threats of party wipes. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. I listened to the conversations within the groups. They were mostly the same old things I had been hearing: discussing supplies and their costs, discussing tactics, or occasionally gossiping. There was still tension among the churches. The merchants and crafters were now established and supplies were getting easier to acquire. A large iron vein had been discovered nearby that supplied the town''s current needs. Construction was ceaseless. The miners showed up and went to work. I had been hesitant, but now I knew the copper vein was going to the fifth floor and a tin one would replace it. After all, copper + tin = bronze. They dug out the copper ore and packed it up. I was getting antsy as they worked. As soon as they were out, I secured the door and returned to work. My CP was better but not fully restored, but I had plenty to work with. "Another two or three days and the floor would be finished. I hope." The round room was 5H and I continued north with a short corridor and another room. This was 5I and was not as large as the others. I had spent the day thinking about what would make up the last rooms. "I wanted a spear trap, but I need a spring for that!" Working with what I had, I chose another deadweight trap like in 5D. I created a chest and placed three more silver coins in it. But this time, I rigged the lid so that when opened, a cylinder would drop from the ceiling onto the front part of the chest and, hopefully, the adventurer who opened it. "Let''s throw in a worm to keep things interesting." It''s time to go eastward now. I created an S-shaped corridor linking to the next room. Another small room, I labelled 5J, was made and assigned a worm. The next corridor went south and east. I had earlier decided to be more traditional with this floor, which meant an increasing number of minions in the next one to two rooms. I still had not decided on how many. I was near to completing the circle of the floor as I was close to the stair room. "Okay. I need to think about this. How much room do I have to play with?" I expanded my aura out, almost draining it, but claimed the last area my floor would be in. Dawn was still a few hours away, but I had time. "Right if I¡­ No, that won''t work¡­ Unless¡­. That could work, but how do I¡­. That''s it!" I had a plan! There will be three rooms, including the guardians'', one with an additional trap. I checked my CP level. It is too low for any more work tonight. I could carve out one more room, but I had developed a habit of leaving some in case I needed it. "Another bloody day!" It passed painfully slow. It was more of the same: no deaths but a few more injuries than yesterday. Time wore on so slowly! Yes, I am frustrated, eager and excited. The fifth will be finished tonight! As long as I have enough CP, I have at least no issues with Earth mana. "Come on day, hurry up!" What I was experiencing now was, in many ways, the opposite of what I was during my long periods of inactivity. Days would drag as I had nothing to do; now they dragged as I had too much! It did not help that the days were still getting longer and more teams were running the Dungeon due to this¡­.. well my essence count did appreciate it. Eventually, the miners left for the day once more. "Finally!" I secured the door and went down to the fifth. "No matter what, I am finishing tonight!" The only good thing from the day was that I was able to plan out the last three rooms. 5K was made first, then to the north 5L and then to the east 5M. A corridor to the south linked the last room to the stairwell room. Time to get the floor done!
Resource Node Created! Congratulations! You have created a resource node (Copper seam, Quality¡ªcommon). Do you wish to make this a permanent resource node? If you select yes, once every 24 hours, the node will be regenerated back to its initial amount of copper (60 pounds). This will cost twelve Creation Points to permanently assign to this resource node. Do you wish this to happen: Yes or No?
"Yes." I changed the copper vein on the first floor to tin and got thirty-five pounds of tin for the same cost as the original node. With this done, I turned my attention to 5K. This room has nothing special about it apart from the two Rock Worms I assigned to it. On to 5L and here would be my last trap. I cut out an additional section on the north wall, creating an alcove and placing a pedestal there. The alcove was small and deep, requiring you to reach in to get to the pedestal. In it, I created a small pressure plate that would trigger if the gold coin I placed on it was removed. When triggered, the guillotine blade would drop at the alcove''s entrance and hopefully chop off a limb. I tested the trap a few times to make sure it worked, and then I added three Rockworms to the room.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the three Rock Worms. Cythian Copper coins x18 (Chance ¨C 80%) Cythian Copper coins x21 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
"No." The last room was the guardian and here I took a moment, well an hour or two, to recover some CP. I looked around, happy with my work, but a small part of me asked¡­. "What have I become?" This stopped me, putting out the warm, glowy feeling that the floor was almost finished. I had always thought of the consequences of my actions as a Core. The death and injuries I was causing, but recently, these thoughts and feelings were more and more abstract. "Am I losing my humanity?" This question scared me on one level yet did not bother me anymore on another, which frightened me even more. The floor I had almost finished was not a death trap but designed to be extremely dangerous and even fatal to the unprepared. Those who are quick, smart, or just lucky would get through it. In my opinion, it is fair. This brings me to another thought. In many ways, I come to think about most, like being a Dungeon Core. I mull over these thoughts until I realise I have wasted most of the night that was left. "Fuck! Get your head back into the game Bhaldor!" 5M guardian room. I opened up the Rock Worm design and added additional CP and Earth mana until it is 20CP and 10 Earth. The motes of light appeared many coloured a rich brown. The cyclone began spinning and growing¡­ and growing. The pressure in my mind was also growing, but I mentally gritted my teeth and fought through it. I stayed focused; the new floor guardian appeared with a flash and a loud bang. The release of the pressure on my mind was sudden and I mentally "staggered" for a few seconds. "Damn, that was hard!" Refocusing, I looked upon my newest creation. I ignored the alerts in the corner of my vision. The worm was really big! It was fifteen meters in length and two meters in width. It was not as large as Queen above, but it seemed denser. It was armoured in rock-like scales and when it opened its mouth, the teeth became even more intimidating. A dull brown in colour, I watched it start to move around. Then it dug into the dirt, covering itself. "Okay?" I dealt with assigning it to the room and, as the floor guardian, then moved to the following alert. I read the reward list for killing it and made some alterations.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 5th Floor Guardian. Cythian Copper coins x60 and x1 Iron Ore (uncommon) 1kg (Chance ¨C 50%) Cythian Copper coins x80 and x1 Iron Ore (uncommon) 1.5kg (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Silver coins X3 and x1 Iron Ore (uncommon) 2kg (Chance ¨C 9%) Cythian Gold coins X1 and x1 Iron Ore (uncommon) 4kg (Chance ¨C 1%) The odds and types of rewards have been set manually, but this will add to the overall support cost of the room respawn by 2 CP. Do you wish to accept the rewards: Yes or No?
"Yes." Adding iron was a new take for me. It was an experiment to see how the adventurers would react. I mirrored Queen''s rewards. Money-wise, the fourth was a better source of income. This completed the guardian apart from one small thing¡­ "Open status screen. 5th floor guardian."
Name 5th Floor Guardian Level/Class Floor 5 Boss
Race Earth-Infused Greater Worm Essence 0%
Health 300/300 Mana 40/40
Stamina 300/300 Corruption 0%
STR 25 25 Damage base
DEX 10
AGL 12
END 30 -4 Dam from attacks
VIT 30 +10% Poison Resistance
PER 4
INT 4
WIL 4
LUCK 3
Skills: Charge: 1 ¨C 0% (12 meters. END + 6 impact damage) Cost: 10 Stamina.
Spells: Harden ¨C Cost 10 Mana (Duration: 30 seconds)
Equipment: Bite: 6 DAM(Piercing) + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Rock Hide: -10 DAM Blind: Poor PER outside of the earth. Burrow
"Shit! This thing is a pure tanking beast!" Dawn was fast approaching, and I needed to finish. Triggering the automation of the traps resting cost me another 25 CP points, which was outrageous! I grudgingly approved it. I opened the stairwell connecting the floor to the rest of the Dungeon and moved my Core room down. I was down to less than twenty minutes-ish. "Right, am I done? I think I am done." I looked around, but something was nagging at the back of my mind: I had forgotten something. But what? "Minions. Check. Traps. Check. Rewards. Check. What is it?" Then I remembered. "Lighting!" Chapter 55 Elian was in her office, feeling more like it was a prison these days. The day had started early, as always. She needed to be on hand if anything happened that fell within her realm of responsibility. She glanced at the day crystal on her desk. The first team was in the Dungeon close to finishing and the second would follow as soon as the Dungeon recovered. She was slowly working her way through the never-ending paperwork her position needed her to deal with. No matter how hard she worked, the pile before her always returned. The sight of it was a constant reminder of the unrelenting nature of her job. Yet, knowing that nothing would change for the better unless you made it, she returned to work. Requests, applications and messages. Over and over, she rejected or approved them, delaying some and replying to others. There was a noise from outside her office. Elian paused and looked up. Someone was running up the stairs. She frowned, knowing that this rarely brought good tidings. There was a rapid and hurried knock at her door. "Enter." The door opened, and the lead receptionist, Naru''s head, appeared. "Sorry to disturb you, Guild Leader, but the fifth floor has opened!" She exclaimed breathlessly. Elian breathed in deeply and let it out before she began. "Notify Gran''s team to meet me at the palisade. Cancel my appointments for today. Inform Lord Goldwind and Guild Leader Drum of the reason for my absence." The woman nodded at each instruction. "Close the door. I will be getting ready." Naru closed the door and Elian heard her rapid footfalls along the balcony, returning to the stairs. She was also on her feet and crossed to her closet in the room, where she stored all of her gear for the days when it was needed. After the fourth floor, she made it a standard rule that the first group checked the bottom of the Dungeon''s stairs each day to see if the new floor was open when they were finished. If it was, they reported it at once. It looks like today she would escape the paperwork. Everything was set so she could quickly change and she was soon walking down the stairs and out of the Adventurer Guild building. Around her, she saw the looks and heard the whispers. The mood and energy around her were different and she knew why. The new floor. Experienced adventurers were looking on with calculated interest while the excitement and hunger of the young bloods were blatant. A not-so-small crowd soon followed her at a respectful distance while others watched her lining the mud street as she walked to the gate in the palisade that granted access to the flood plain before the Dungeon. The murmur of conversation was constant as she walked. She could almost feel the hunger and excitement that was building around her. Even with the increased number of people and carrying animals on the street, she made good time as they all parted before her. The gate was open and two watchmen stood alert and ready. They were not generally like this, understanding that something big was happening. Gran and his team were only a few moments behind her. The ever-growing crowd parted again to allow them through. Adventurers were returning from the Dungeon, irritated that their assigned entries had been cancelled. Some made to complain when they noticed her, but her glare changed their minds. "Good new day, Guild Leader." Gran greeted her and she turned to face him. "Good new day, Team Leader Gran. Are you ready?" "We are." He responded. They both knew this was just theatre for the benefit of those watching, but they did the dance anyway. "Then we depart." With this, she turned on her heel and walked through the gates. Gran and his team following. They crossed the flood plain with a measured stride, following the track created by the near-daily flow of adventurers going to the Dungeon. Gran caught her up and walked beside her. "What do we know?" He asked. "Nothing. The first team in reported the floor was open when they checked." "Understood." They fell silent until they reached the doors. One of the guild''s flunkies sat in a wooden box that gave him some shelter from the weather. He sprang out as they arrived. "Anything to report?" She asked. "No, Guild Leader. The Dungeons aura has remained stable." "Excellent. We are entering. The Dungeon will be closed until we are finished. Understood." "Yes, Guild Leader." The young boy was so petrified he gave a little bow. Elian just rolled her eyes and walked in. They were all soon inside the entry room and closed the doors. Elian looked them over. They were ready with their gear prepared and faces set. Nilus did look a bit hung over but ready. Now they were here, Gran took over. "Stay alert, people. This Dungeon is going to throw something new at us with this floor, as it always has. Kimor will lead us in. There are no heroics; we do this slowly and steadily." As he spoke, Elian got her gear ready. She checked it over as the others did with their weapons and supplies. She was soon set up to map the new floor. Elian watched the group''s interactions. "You awake there, Nilus?" Hena teased the archer. "I am fine. I was just showing the youngsters last night how it is done." He acted like he was fine but dropped most of the act as soon as he was in the room. "Here, drink this." Mags handed him a small bottle with light green tinted glass. Uncorking it, he downed the contense in a single swallow. Grimincing at the taste, he returned the bottle with a nod of thanks. Gran looked at everyone and then nodded. "Let''s start." He drew his sword and indicated Kimor to start their journey. She moved forward towards the door to the tower. The shutters were open, and the light was plentiful in the room. The tower base was darker, but now a soft blue glow came up from the stairs going down. Kimor went down the stairs alert but not expecting trouble. The Dungeon was consistent in a few things; the stairs being a safe place was one of the best known. The descent was without issue, and once they reached the fourth, Gran called a halt for the final gear check. "Hey, Gran, will we hire a carrier now that the fifth is open?" Nilus asked. "We might. It depends on what we find on this floor." Elian thought of Seela, the woman, as a dedicated carrier hauling all the gear and supplies Doltum needed. The third attracted many adventurers, who started to hire the first carriers to make their presence known to get everything they were harvesting out. As the Dungeon got larger, demand for their services would increase. As the group discussed this possibility, Elian looked around the room. She did her best to avoid looking at where the Core had been. The room had changed; if things were the same, the Core would be on the next floor. "We are starting." Gran''s voice cut through the conversation. Things were now serious. Elian began recording. Kimor was already moving down the stairs. As last in the group, Elian brought up the rear. Tobar and Gran are just behind Kimor at the front. The others are behind them. The first room they came to was the same half-built room that indicated the last floor they could reach. Elian began sketching the room dimensions. She found herself sweating, as she knew this was the Dungeons'' Core room and the Core knew it. This Core is unpredictable and might take action against her. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "There are two egress points in the room: one open doorway to the south and a heavy wooden door to the north." She mutters into the voice crystal. The door indicates the exit from the floor boss''s room. Kimor inspected the door and confirmed it could only be opened from the other side. The walls were covered with patches of blue moss that gave everything a surreal blue tint. Gran instructed, "Light your lanterns." Elian and the team drowned out the soft blue light with their harsher white. Kimor was across the room, looking along a short corridor; she was the only one without a lantern. "Cave ahead." She spoke. "Stone paving ends at the doorway. It''s loose earth from there on." She was kneeling, inspecting the ground. Elian recorded this on the map. This is the first significant change, as all the floors above are paved. What this signified she did not know, but she knew that the group would find out. Kimor had moved to the edge of the cave; blades were drawn and ready to be used. Gran and Tobar are close behind. Nilus had notched an arrow but not drawn the bow. "Two exits located to the south and east. I cannot see any¡­" Suddenly, the earth before her exploded outwards as something attacked her. Gran and Tobar blocked her view as they engaged whatever was attacking Kimor. Nilus was moving to get a shot with Mags and Hena was ready to provide support. Whatever they were fighting was tough, as she heard the sounds of impacting weapons. There was an audible grunt of pain that she thought came from Kimor. The rogue stepped around Tobar as he moved up to help her. Elian saw her armour had been ripped and blood was flowing from the tear and her sleeve. Mags reached into her satchel as she moved to treat her. Gran and Tobar were now pushing what they were fighting back into the cave. Elian had seen it was some type of giant worm or snake. Tobar''s mace glowed a faint white as he raised it, triggering a skill. Bringing it down, there was a loud crack and the monster collapsed to the floor. Both men were breathing hard from the brief but intense fight. "Clear the cave. There might be more." Gran snapped. Nilus moved, checking the rest of the cave. Kimor would have done this but was getting her wounded arm treated by Mags. Elian got a good view of the wound before Mags blocked her sight. Kimor wore hardened but flexible leather armour over all of her body. It was designed to allow easy movement and was dyed a deep blue to have her blend in with any patches of darkness. The forearm section had been ripped right through and the material was now hardly holding together. Elian had never seen damage like it. "We are clear, Elian." Gran said. Elian went in and up to the body of the monster that had just been killed. The creature was a giant worm, not a snake. Its body was like a ring earthworm, but its ring sections were armoured. The "front" of its body was open, revealing a large mouth lined with sharp crystalline teeth. There were signs of injuries on its body, with a significant dent that had cracked its hide and was leaking yellow fluid, which indicated it was blood. Elian began recording the details of what she saw into her voice crystal as Nilus collected the reward that had appeared in its customary flash. "Seven copper coins. Not bad." "Anything else?" Gran asked. "Nothing." "Mags, how is Kimor?" "She will be fine. Whatever that thing is ripped right through her armour. There are no signs of infection or poison." Gran nodded at her reply. Elian kept working, adding any details she thought were relevant. "Two exits. Any ideas on which to follow?" There were no answers. "Nilus, toss a coin. Seal south, monarch east." Nilus took one of the new coins and flicked it into the air. As it fell back to the earth, he caught it and slapped it onto the back of his hand. Looking at the face-up side, he announced, "East." "Is Kimor ready?" Gran asked Mags instead of the other woman. Elian quickly concluded, watching the group, that Kimor would say she was fine even if her arm was hanging off. "She is ready." Kimor never said a word but moved across the cave to the exit on the eastern side. She looked down the corridor as the rest of the group moved up behind her. Without a command, she slipped forward. They could see the next room along the short corridor. Kimor had almost reached the doorway when she stopped and stiffened. Elian and the others had yet to enter the corridor and became tense when she stopped. Dropping to her knee, she inspected something in front of her. "Tripwire." It was not loud but carried to them. Elian began making notes on the board with the rough map taking shape. Kimor leaned over the wire''s location. Using the point of her shorter dagger, she prodded the doorway frame and then the ground. Elian could not see what had happened, but something had happened. Kimor turned the blade and brought the pummel down hard onto the dirt. Something gave way and her hand partly disappeared. "Pitfall trap hidden under a thin layer of dirt and stone." She worked to reveal the area it covered and cut the wire. As she worked, she motioned that they could move up. They went forward. Gran and Tobar stepped around the expanding area that Kimor was revealing. Tobar moved around the edge further into the room. It was a large room but seemed to have no other dangers. Elian moved up last into the room and inspected the wire and trap with Gran. They both knelt to get a better look. "It appears that the wire is meant to cause a trip and fall into this pit." He reasoned. "I believe that is correct. Look at the pit. Those are serrated arrowheads." The heads could be seen in the pit above the dirt, and the broken stone was now sitting at the bottom. Her crystal was recording all that she was saying. "A marked increase in lethality." Elian said as see recorded the trap on the map. "We are continuing." Gran said, standing and looking to the south exit. Kimor led the way again through a U-shaped corridor connected to a similar-sized room. She inspected the doorway but motioned that it was clear. Gran and Tobar moved into the room. Not far in, Gran was attacked. He was able to block but was being forced back. There was an explosion as another worm erupted from the dirt. Luck was not with it as it attacked. It made contact not with Tobar but with his heavy shield. The impact was loud and staggered the big man, who quickly responded with his mace. "Nilus, Kimor flank now!" Gran called out. They quickly responded as Nilus loosed an arrow at the worm attacking Gran. Elian could not see the result, but Nilus''s curse indicated it was not good. The two melee fighters had now recovered from the initial shock of the attack and were countering. Kimor joined Tobar, and the two brought down his attacker. Nilus fired two more arrows at Gran''s attacker with more success and helped bring that one down. The flash of the rewards marks the conclusion of the fight. Elian waited for the fighters to recover before entering with the last two group members. They explore the room as she inspects the dead monsters with Gran. "They are the same as the cave." Elian noted. "They are tough and can take a lot of injuries before dying." He indicated the numerous wounds that had breached the creature''s hides. "Comus will be eager to study them." She had never heard of these types of monsters before, but that did not mean they had not been recorded elsewhere. "Those teeth are dangerous. They damaged my shield far more than I expected." He turned the shield to show her what he meant. The flat of the shield had dozens of scratches and gouges in the wood. They corresponded to the teeth in the outer sections of the mouth. "What is your opinion, Gran?" Elian asked. He took a moment before answering. "Tougher than the spiders but with fewer tricks. In all about the same rating, I would say." "I concur." The others milled around the room, listening to what they said. Surprisingly, Tobar added to the conversation. "There is a large copper vein in the wall." Elian looked at the rough wall, noting the green streaks in it. It stood out already, being bare stone rather than the bricked walls of the rest of the Dungeon. "Larger than upstairs?" "Twice, maybe three times the size." Elian trusted his words and recorded everything on the map. The miners and the town''s copperworkers would be happy. The node on the first was a constant but low-amount producer. More ore would be welcomed, even if it would be harder to reach. More work for her as an escort contract would need to be arranged for the miners to reach this node. Gran got them moving through the north exit to the next room. The doorway was clear, but two worms attacked them again. Gran and his team were now getting used to fighting them and developed tactics to help. The flash of the rewards marked the end of the fight, but this room gave them something different to deal with. At the western end of the room, the wall had been cut back in a half-circle shape. There was a large raised round platform there. A step was facing them, allowing someone to step up onto it and stand in front of the chest sitting on it. "Kimor, this is yours." Kimor nodded at Gran''s words and moved forward very carefully. "Well, this does not scream trap." Nilus quipped. No one contradicted him. This was their first time encountering an actual chest in the Dungeon. Similar platforms could be found on the second. They knew this was a trap, but what was stressing them was the shape it would take. Kimor was using her training and skills to try to see all the possible dangers. She quickly identified and revealed the pit trap before the step. This did not make her relax and she continued to move forward slowly. The rest of the group remained tense and would not relax until she said it was safe. Elian stopped sketching the room until this was done. Stepping up, Kimor was on the platform. She walked around the edge slowly, not approaching the chest, inspecting everything, trusting nothing. Elian noticed the sweat on her brow. Kimor was pushing her skills and she was starting to show signs of tiredness. After a complete circuit, Kimor stood in front of the chest again. With a hesitant step, she was at the chest. Nothing happened. They all let out a held breath. But this was not over. She bent down and began inspecting the chest. Running her hands gently over it, she sought to find what it was hiding. Elian was standing behind her and could not see her face, but her body language hinted that she had found nothing. She leaned back. "What do you think?" Gran asked. "There are no signs of a mechanism on the chest, but I still think it is trapped." "What do you recommend?" Kimor was silent as she considered it. Like Gran, Elian knew she was the best in the group at this, so deferring to her was only natural. The rest waited. "The only thing to do is open it." The group''s reaction was apparent. They were not happy. What she was recommending was incredibly dangerous. "Are you sure?" Gran asked. "Yes. There is a trap here, but I cannot tell what it is." She turned to face him when she said this. "Alright. Everyone back up." They all got further from the platform. When she opened the chest, anything could happen. Kimor waited a few moments, bending over again to slide her thin blade onto the gap between the lid and chest. Nothing. She moved the blade to the left and right to the lid hinges, looking for a trigger. Nothing. Standing again, she flipped the lid open¡­. It appeared the ceiling fell as Kimor leapt from the platform. Several large cylinder weights impacted the platform with a loud crash. Everyone jumped at the sound and speed of what had happened. "Kimor!" Mags cried out as the group surged forward. The woman in question staggered back to her feet, looking at the platform with a rarely-shown display of emotion. Her team reached her and Mags instantly barged forward to check on her condition. "Are you ok?" The priestess asked, overflowing with concern. Kimor nodded that she was. The cylinders had fallen over and were now covering the platform. One of them destroyed and covered the chest. They could move them, but they were large and heavy and would tire them out doing so. "Well, it seems the Dungeon has developed some new tricks." Elian muttered into her crystal. Chapter 56 It took several minutes for Kimor to recover and explain what had happened. "As soon as I opened the chest, I heard a soft click. That is when I knew the trap was triggered, and my [Sense of Danger] told me to move. So, I moved." As she said this, she looked at the platform. Tobar and Nilus were to see if they could get to the crushed chest. Gran had thought it a fool''s errand, but Nilus hoped whatever was in the chest had survived. The impacts of the weights had cracked the platform. Elian recorded everything as Kimor spoke. Gran was leading the questioning, but she was ready to ask her own if he did not cover what she wanted to know. "None of your trap-finding skills hinted at it?" Gran asked, his voice laced with concern. "None, this trap is higher than my [Improved Trap Sensing] can detect." That was a sobering thought for them. [Basic Trap Sensing] was a skill most rogues got. Kimor had done well to get it up the two levels to "Improved", making her an even bigger asset to the group. Elian wondered what she was thinking and feeling as the other woman''s face was passive and her tone was neutral. You could easily be forgiven for not knowing that she had almost died a few minutes ago. "The Dungeon has increased its threat level again, or do you disagree, Elian?" She considered Gran''s words. It was a fair question. Her response was firm. "At this moment, no. The traps are a nasty surprise, but the floor environment is not as difficult as above. The monsters are tougher but less flexible with their means of attack." Gran was unsure but accepted her reasoning. "Let''s get going! We are doubling back as this route is a dead end. Keep sharp. I don''t want any more surprises." He called out to his team. Nilus grumbled about the chest but fell in with the others. Kimor''s brush with death had shaken them. The journey back to the cave was uneventful. The banter was not present as the group was more aware now of the type of danger this floor presented. Kimor began moving down the corridor to the south. She moved slowly but with purpose. Reaching the doorway into the next room, she paused, checking the doorway and ground. Turning back, she nodded, indicating it was safe. Gran and Tobar moved up. The worm attacked them as soon as they were a few meters in. The two leads contained it as Nilus and Kimor flanked and struck it from behind. It died soon after. Elian entered the room, adding its details to her map. The board she was holding was getting a bit heavy, as her arm was tiring, but she could go a bit longer before needing to rest. Gran looked at his team and decided they were okay with continuing. He had Kimora scout ahead. The next room held no worms but three pit traps and a tripwire. Kimor identified them and revealed their locations. Her team avoided them but had to use some fancy footwork as they entered. Elian noted the locations and how they were positioned to fool anyone who only spotted the first. As she recorded them, the Dungeon was getting more devious, which was a note she added to the map. The group fell into the established pattern of waiting for Kimor to check the corridor and doorway to the next room. Elian watched as the rogue used her experience and skills to ensure the route was safe. They were standing in the room on the other side of a pit trap. It would take time to get around it, so they waited here rather than crowded together in the corridor. Kimor looked like she had finished checking the doorway. She put her head through the doorway and was checking the other side when she looked up and tensed. Pulling back quickly, she turned and made several hand gestures. Gran cursed and the group tensed more. "What is it?" Elian asked. "She has spotted another trap but is unsure what type it is. She can see part of it, but the rest is hidden. It is located above the doorway." Kimor was taking her time. She checked the doorway in more detail and prodded further into the room with her blades. Something in the dirt had attracted her attention. Elian watched as the woman slowly worked to reveal what was hidden in the dirt. Whatever she was uncovering was large. Kimor motioned for them to come up. Gran went forward to speak to her and Elian stayed back but was close enough to hear what was being said. "What have you found?" "Some sort of pressure plate trigger mechanism. It''s easy to think you can step over it and still trigger the trap because you do not realise how big it is." "Any idea of what it is?" "I am going to lean in, direct my lantern up to the ceiling and have a look." "Are you sure that is wise?" "I think it will be fine as long as I do not touch the plate." Gran was not happy but gave her his approval. She turned around and arched her back to allow her to lean backwards into the room. Bracing herself against a wall, she pointed her lantern at the ceiling. She moved her lantern briefly to get a good look at what was up there. Her expression turned to a frown as she righted herself. "Well?" Gran asked. "It appears to be a pendulum with a half-moon blade. Anyone standing on the plate releases the arm and the blade swings down. With its size and weight, most would not survive." Gran looked down at the partially revealed plate. "Have you figured out how big it is?" "See, there is the end of the plate. We must step into the room with a long step and at an angle." She indicated the safe areas. "You will need to hug the doorway as you step in." Gran and Tobar followed her in and began to secure the room. This is when they were attacked. The first worm attacked Gran from the dirt floor. He blocked the initial attack with his shield and began countering. Tobar turned to help and did not see the second. It erupted from the dirt like the first. It came from behind Tobar and he did not have time to react. It bit into the back of a leg, ripping through armour and man alike. Tobar screamed in pain and collapsed forward. The rest of the team reacted quickly. Nilus began firing arrows as fast as he could from the doorway and Kimor went in to help. Hena and Mags were getting past the pressure plate to help where needed. Gran held his opposition while Kimor and Nilus distracted the one attacking Tobar. This allowed the big man to roll onto his back under his shield to give himself some protection. Three arrows stuck out of the worm as Kimor went in with her blades. Nilus had distracted it enough to allow her to get close. She blurred as she attacked, triggering at least one skill. Elian could see the strain this was putting on her. Multiple wounds appeared in the worm''s body and yellow blood flowed freely as it collapsed back onto the floor. Gran, in turn, was overcoming his opponent and it quickly fell to a series of well-placed strikes. Mags moved to Tobar as soon as the second fell to Gran. She rolled him onto his side to see the wound. Blood was flowing freely and the ground was wet from it. She hissed and went straight for her magic, not her supplies. Elian looked at the wound and understood how serious it was. The soft white light of her magic illuminated her hands and Mags placed them on the wound. The injury started healing. "Keep alert. There might be more." Gran instructed. The flash of the reward that appeared told her otherwise, but Elian knew this was the time any group was at its weakest. This was why Gran was so on edge. "What is Tobar''s condition?" He asked Mags. "The bite missed the artery but sliced him up badly. My magic will have him back on his feet in a few minutes." Tobar was still in pain and his face was pale, but he was making no sound in protest. Elian was in the room, now recording its features. "Kimor, finish revealing the plate, and when you are ready, trigger it. Let''s see what we are dealing with." The quiet woman nodded and got to work. It took several minutes, but the extent of the pressure plate was concerning. The plate was as wide as the doorway and as long¡ªit was a square. It was easy to think you could step over it, but it was larger and trying to step over it was part of the trap. Satisfied that she had revealed the plate, she looked to Gran, who nodded his approval. The rest of the group stood away, looking on with interest. She reached out and struck the plate. The whoosh of the arm falling from the ceiling was still a surprise. The half-moon blade swung back and forth. The blade was at roughly waist height and if it hits you, the blow would be fatal to most. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "That will kill any it strikes." Gran watched the blade swing and slow. The rest of the group silently agreed with him. Elian recorded everything she was witnessing. For example, the dead drop trap they had encountered had massively improved the Dungeon''s ability to increase its lethality. "Mags, how is Tobar?" Gran asked. "He is healed." Mags told him. "We are continuing then." The group gathered themselves to continue into the Dungeon. Elian wondered about Kimor''s condition. She had been using her abilities extensively on this floor. Elian had not seen any signs of fatigue but knew the woman would be feeling some, at least. Elian trusted Gran to know his team''s limits and did not mention her concerns. "Kimor, take the lead." The rogue only indicated she was instructed to move into the next corridor. Elian noted Gran''s lingering stare. She suspected he was thinking the same thing as she was. They walked through an L-shaped corridor into a new room, which was different from many of the rooms in the Dungeon. The Dungeon favoured square or rectangular rooms. The third floor had different-shaped rooms, but this floor was like most of the rest of the Dungeon. Discovering this round one was a bit of a surprise. The circular room was, in fact, not a room as such but a large pit with a raised walkway. The walkway was wide enough for most to cross around the pit in a single file. The route was also paved stone, not the dirt of the rest of the floor. The pit itself was filled with the served arrowheads found in the pit traps across this floor. "Trap?" Gran spoke to Kimor. "Trap." She agreed. "What do you think?" She fell silent as she looked over the room. Their lanterns illuminated most of the area. "The paving is the give way. I suspect it will be like the pitfall traps, areas of this stone that break when you step on it, causing you to fall into the pit. Due to the other more advanced traps, many would expect something more complicated." This was the longest she had ever heard Kimor speak, and Elian agreed with her assessment. Apparently, so did Gran as he stood next to her, looking over the room. Kimor went to the right and began striking the paved sections with the pommel of her blade as she inched forward in a crouch position. No one was surprised when a section gave way under her rough actions. She cleared it away to show the slopped section underneath. Anyone standing on it would see their foot pass through and find no means of steadying themselves as the slope guided them to overbalance and fall into the pit. Simple but effective. She stepped over the false section and continued, but by the time she reached the other doorway, she had found another false section. The rest of the group followed. Tobar was finding it the worst, as his size forced him to hug the wall with his back because the path was too narrow for him to walk normally. They got through and continued. The next room contained another worm that quickly fell to Gran and Tobar. The armour on the back of his leg was shredded, and Elian could see the pink skin below where Mags''s healing magic had restored it. This room had another difference: a chest sitting on a stone pedestal. Everyone present knew this screamed. Trap! "Well, what do you think this one will be? Any bets?" Nilus quipped. The group''s usual banter was more subdued on this floor, as it had proven to be more taxing on their nerves. The worms were dangerous but far tougher. It was the new traps that were putting the group on edge. "I do not think anyone is going to take you up on that one." Hena mildly admonished him. "Kimor, this is your area. Everyone else, stand back." Gran instructed. The group lined up against the opposite wall. Elian added notes via crystal or writing them down on the vellum attached to the board. Kimor spent the next few tense minutes investigating the pedestal and chest. She did not rush, taking her time with everything that she spotted. Elian respected the other woman''s diligence in all aspects of her class. "It''s definitely trapped. I think it''s another pressure plate." Kimor said, standing up from being hunched over the chest. "Can you get around it?" Gran asked. "No. This is beyond me." Kimor had no ego or pride if she could not do something she told you. "Understood. We continue after a break. Rest up. We are getting close to the floor boss''s normal location." Gran spoke to everyone. The group remained on the other side of the room and Nilus looked longingly at the chest. They drank from canteens or waterskins while eating trail mix. The conversations were light and they avoided their concerns. Gran came over to Elian and started a quiet conversation with her. "Still rating the floor, the same." "Yes, the traps are nasty, but overall, the floor matches the above floor." "So low copper tier." He said, scratching his chin as he thought about it. "I cannot make a final decision until we see the boss." He nods at this. She could tell that he believed the floor should be raised. "What do you think it should be?" She asked him. "Copper tier. So far, it might be higher by the end." She thought it was a fair argument, but it was not there with the floor at the moment. Gran turned, looking over his team. He knew they would need a bit more time to rest, especially Kimor. He walked amongst them, talking and gauging their level of fatigue. Elian made her own from her observations. Tobar and Gran were still relatively okay. Kimor was getting tired as she had been using her skills the most. Nilus and Mags were still good. This left Hena, who had not done anything yet. Elian had gathered this was at Gran''s instruction as they planned to use her against whatever the boss was. Judging from the worms, it would be a much bigger version of one of them. These new monsters were tougher but slower than the spiders. They only attacked from the ground, making them easier to guard against. An adventurer was in trouble if they latched on; those teeth could shred through most types of leather armour, maybe even metal. Elian ate and drank herself, knowing there might not be another opportunity on this floor. Gran waited a bit longer and then got the group moving again. The following two rooms were cleared as they encountered three worms and Gods be praised; there were no more traps. "Kimor, what do you see?" "I can see into the next room. It looks about the size of this one." "But?" Gran knew from her body language there was one. "There is an alcove in the room." This meant another trap. "Kimor, check the doorway then Tobar and I will advance." Elian was still adding to her notes. The last two fights had gone easier, but both men''s shields were showing significant damage from the teeth of the worms they had fought. "Clear." Came from Kimor. The two men entered, and the ground erupted as two worms attacked them. Nilus quickly followed them into the room, stepping to the side to get a shot, while Kimor went in the other direction. Mags and Hena were with Elian in the doorway. The two men''s shields blocked the worms, breaking their momentum. Nilus released an arrow, hitting the worm attacking Tobar. The fight was moving, forcing Nilus to move again to get another shot. He drew his bo¡­ The third worm exploded from the dirt and bit into his leg. He was screaming in pain as he collapsed due to his leg giving out. "Nilus!" Hena cried out and went to help her teammate. The others were engaged and could not help. Pointing her wand, she released a spell. Firebolt hit the worm on its side. The spell burned into the monster''s body, but the damage was not significant. It did have the effect of getting it to let go of his leg as it turned to face her. Kimor broke from Gran''s opponent to help. She passed Hena, attacking the worm with her blades. Her arms blurred as she triggered a skill. The blades were designed to punch through armour and the monster''s hide was no defence. Yellow blood flowed from the new holes in its body. It tried to pull back, but she stayed with it, stabbing it more as they moved. Nilus dragged himself along the ground away from the fight as Mags went to help him. Gran and Tobar were pushing the worms they were fighting back. Kimor killed hers with a few more strikes. Mags began working on Nilus''s leg, trying to stop the bleeding. She paused, reached out and laid her hands on the injured leg. Her hands began glowing as she used her magic. The other two worms did not last much longer. The three fighters still standing were breathing hard and looking for more danger. The flash of the reward''s appearance indicated the fight was over, but Gran was taking no chances. "How is he, Mags?" Gran asked. "The worm tore right through his armour. My magic will heal him, but we must wait for it to take full effect." "We are going to be here for a few minutes. Secure the room, Tobar. Kimor, check that alcove. Hena cover, Mags and Nilus.¡± The group responded to Gran''s instructions. Elian waited in the doorway, recording the room. She knew to stay out of the way until it was clear. Kimor was inspecting the alcove. The moss was growing around the outside of the alcove. Kimor''s lantern illuminated the alcove as she approached. Elian could make out a pouch sitting on a short, thin pedestal. "The room is clear." Rumbled Tobar. Elian moved in and around Mags, who was treating Nilus. The archer was white-faced from pain and blood loss, groaning in pain. His leg armour was light leather and ripped to the point of not even covering the leg below. Mags''s hands were covered in his blood as she gripped his thigh and focused her magic on healing it. Kimor was now running her hands along the outer edge of the alcove. She and Gran were watching the rogue, the last source of danger in the room. Kimor stood back from the alcove and let out a grunt. "What''s wrong?" Gran asked. "It''s trapped. Pressure plate, but to what result, I do not know." She answered. "Are you going to try to disarm it?" Kimor turned and looked at Gran. She shook her head, telling him that was not going to happen. "We are leaving it then." Tobar collected the reward, and Gran went around speaking to the group quietly. He was allowing another rest period as they knew the boss was a room or two away. He needed them as rested as possible. This floor had pushed them more than he was happy with. Elian was concerned about raising the rating to full copper as her best team was finding things difficult to the point that they were not attempting them. Was this Dungeon becoming too dangerous too fast? Elian looked at the map she had created and the notes she was adding. She reasoned that the floor boss would be next from the blank space between their position to the door on the north side of the stairwell. "The floor boss will be next." Gran said, causing her to look up. "It seems so." Gran seemed like he wanted to say something but was hesitant. "Go on, say it." She prompted. He looked at her for a few heartbeats and then spoke. "Are you increasing this Dungeon to copper?" "Because of the traps, yes." He thinks about this, and she can see he agrees with her decision. At this point, it would be negligent of her not to do so. A Dungeons rating reflects the hardest floor to cross and this floor presented challenges that a copper-tier adventurer was not able to overcome. "I am concerned about the floor boss." He lowered his voice so that only she could hear him. "Why?" She asked in a similar volume. "We underestimated the Dungeon. We were ready for a floor like the one above, but this one strained us more than we expected. We have all used our skills more than I am comfortable with. Everyone except Hena is more tired than they are letting on. Tobar and my shield have extensive damage, not counting the armour sections some have lost. We might not be able to beat the floor boss." She looked him and his team over. On the surface, they seemed ready even with Nilus still being healed, but she knew them enough now to see the signs of strain. "Do you propose ending the exploration and returning at another time?" Gran was a good team captain. He reached the copper tier by being smart and building a competent team. Many in the Guild thought he would reach silver and go no higher. It was a sad fact that those who did were not exactly what you would call sane; how could you be as you had to throw yourself into more and more dangerous situations to advance? Looking at him, she saw in his eyes that look¡ªthe look that all true adventurers had¡ªthe hunger for fame and glory tempered by the knowledge of what was needed to get it. They would continue. His answer confirmed it. "No. We will finish it." He turned back to his team. "Listen up!" This drew their attention. "The boss is next. I know we are all tired and worn down. But this is the end of the floor. I do not know what lies in there waiting for us." He points to the doorway that leads to the next room. "I do know that we are good enough to beat it!" His words stiffen the backs of his group. Nilus is now back on his feet and the others look ready. Battered and bloody but ready. "The odds tell us we will be facing an even bigger worm. Tobar and I lead. Nilus and Kimor flank attack. Hena hit it with all your magic as soon as we knew what we were up against. Mags, do not hold back with your spells and potions." The group nodded as he gave them instructions on what part they would play in the upcoming fight. "Support each other and we will win. To Victory!" He yelled and the end. "To Victory!" They yelled back. Elian hoped they would find it. Chapter 57 Tobar and Gran led the way, with the others following behind them. Elian was able to get a good view from the doorway. The room was bigger than the others they had recently passed through. Blue moss covered the walls, giving off some light. The ground was dirt, but the walls were brick. The thing that drew their attention was the large mound near the other side of the room illuminated by their lanterns. "Well, it''s not hiding." Nilus quipped. "Because of its size. It can''t." Hena retorted. Gran and Tobar walked forward much slower now, with Kimora and Nilus moving to the sides. The group was tense, focused on the mound of dirt. It did not take long before the boss revealed itself. "Gods damn it! Look at the size of it!" Nilus was now worried and Elian could not blame him. "Looks armoured. Keep it focused on us. The rest of you hit it with everything you have." Gran was not taking chances. The boss did not give them time to attack as it went on the offensive. The boss''s length was its first advantage. As they inched forward, it struck at them. Tobar blocked the attack with his shield. The impact was loud and his shield or arm made a cracking sound. The boss''s bulk knocked him back onto his back and as he landed, he let out a loud "ooff". Gran attacked the giant worm as it pulled back. It was moving more like a snake than a worm. His sword raked across its hide, scaring it but not cutting through. "Beware, its hide is a lot tougher!" He called out. Arrows hit the hide, some digging in while others bounced off. Gran hard Nilus cursing. "Regular arrows are not getting through!" Gran was too busy to respond as he continued to attack. His blade was striking, but the boss''s hide prevented any significant injury. Tobar was getting back to his feet and Kimor was helping him. He looked like he might be winded, but as Elian could only see his back, she could not tell any more than that. The boss glowed slightly. "It''s using a sk¡­" Gran never got to finish. The boss''s impact sent him flying back several meters. He impacted the ground and travelled for another meter, with the loose dirt absorbing some of the impact. Elian winced, knowing that that impact would hurt him. "Gran!" Mags moved to him. Elian could see he was injured and possibly stunned. Tobar stepped up to draw the monster''s attention. He glowed slightly as he used a skill. "I am right here!" His voice resonated and Elian recognised the [Taunt] skill in use. The boss turned to face him. The "face" opened like the other worms into four sections, revealing dozens of large, very sharp-looking teeth. Tobar raised his shield and braced himself. ¡°[Hold This Ground].¡± Again, the boss impacted him, but this time, the top third of his shield was ripped off as he was pushed back a meter, leaving gouges in the ground from his feet. The boss pulled back and reared up again, opening its mouth to strike again. Nilus hit one of the opened sections. His arrow dug in this time, but the boss ignored it again. Kimor was with Mags, helping Gran to his feet as she cast healing magic on him. ¡°[Firebolt].¡± With a flash, the spell connected and the flames were brief but intense. Hena had, like Nilus, aimed for the mouth area. This caused a slight recoil and turning of the boss''s body to shield itself. "Concentrate on the mouth when open!" Gran ordered, his voice firm, but the pain he was feeling was evident. He moved up to rejoin Tobar. Kimor took something from Mags and stood behind the two men. The boss turned to face them again. Tobar and Gran rushed in to prevent it from using its length to get the advantage again. They hacked at the body, but it was hard to tell if they were wounding it. The boss''s head was above them and opened its mouth again. "Alchemic Fire!" Kimor yelled, causing the two men to dive from the boss. The rogue threw a glass jar. Elian watched the jar and its glowing contents sail through the air and collided with the worm. She squinted from the intense blue/green flash as the bottle broke, exposing the contents to the air. As the alchemical fire took hold, the worm''s mouth was awash with blue/green flames. The boss writhed in pain. Elian and the group saw the body glowing a soft, rich brown colour. "It''s activating another skill!" Nilus called out. The majority of the group tensed. "No! It is a spell!" Hena realised. The boss pushed through the pain and cast a spell, and the effects were quickly seen. While still burning, the flames were diminishing, and the boss seemed less pained. "Oh, Rickle''s laughter!" Nilus moaned. It did seem the God of Luck was mocking them. The boss hit Tobar again with its body, knocking him back. ¡°[Multi thrust- 3 strikes].¡± Gran attacked his arm, becoming a blur. ¡°[Piercing Arrow].¡± Nilus spoke as he loosed a glowing arrow from his bow. ¡°[Multi thrust- 2 strikes].¡± Kimor added. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The barrage of attacks hit as the worm''s brown aura faded. This time, some of the attacks got through. Yellow blood was now leaking from the floor boss''s body. The fight was far from over. When the boss opened its mouth and lounged at him, Tobar was just back on his feet. He barely got his shield up when they collided. He was knocked from his feet again, but this time, he was seriously injured. His shield had given away, collapsing and allowing the boss''s teeth to rake across his upper body. Red blood flew as those teeth tore through man and armour alike. The other continued attacking to pull the worm''s attention from Tobar as Mags moved to treat him. Elian was unsure of which way the fight would end. At the moment, neither side had gained the advantage and the injuries were stacking up. Had she been too hasty to rate this floor copper? Gran and Kimor were stabbing at the bulk of the boss''s body while Nilus fired arrows into its mouth. Hena was positioning herself. ¡°[Thrice Cast - Arrow of Light].¡± From her wand burst forth in rapid succession three Arrow of Light spells. They were so fast it appeared to be one spell. All entered the body of the worm through the open mouth. She slumped visibly after the casting from draining her mana pool so quickly. Flashes of detonations could be seen from there. The worm reeled back in pain from the attack as Gran and Kimor delivered more blows. "Have things turned?" Elian muttered to herself. Gran triggered another skill, but she could not tell which in the fight''s noise. His blade glowed and cut a clean wound across the worm''s hide, causing yellow blood to flow. Kimor''s blades were better at piercing attacks and were getting through. Nilus and Hena continued to attack when openings presented themselves. The worm was not given any further openings outside of it, hitting the adventurers with its body. This marked a shift in the fight and the relentless assault had worn down the worm. The worm suddenly shuddered almost, coughing blood from its mouth. "Back!" Gran ordered. The body shuddered again and then collapsed. The impact of the body sent a small shock through the floor. The room suddenly went silent apart from many adventurers'' heavy breaths. The sudden flash of the reward appearing marked the end of the battle. "Mags, what is Tobar''s condition?" He asked. Elian made her way to the floor boss''s body. Nilus looked at what had been gained as Kimor looked down the other corridor in the room. "He will be fine, but it will take time." Mags looked up. She was breathing hard and was sweating. Gran nodded. "Nilus?" "We got three silver and a large chunk of what looks like iron ore." "Kimor?" "I can see the door out." "Let''s collect what we got and get out of here as soon as Elian has finished." Elian was working to finish the map and recorded everything she saw. The floor was tough and challenging, but she was happy with her rating. She was not arrogant enough not to ask. "Gran, your final thoughts?" Gran walked over to her and thought about her question. He was favouring his shield arm. "High copper tier." "I disagree." He was surprised at this. "Why. The boss alone should be rated that." "Does it? Think about it, Gran. It''s big and tough but has few skills and spells. The Spider above had more abilities and tricks while this one relied on its bulk." She could see him thinking about it as he came back to himself from the battle. Thinking about what they had just gone through. She waited for this response. "I¡­ I will have to agree." He now understood what she had seen. She nodded, happy that he agreed. He turned and put his team together. He helped Tobar up and supported him. Mags told both men that they were going to her temple in town to get thoroughly checked out. Nilus collected the ore while Kimor was just alert. Elian looked at her map. There were more issues and Comus would arrange the collection of this boss as soon as another Copper grade team was available. Gran and his team would be out of action for a few weeks. "This means more paperwork." Elian mutters to herself. ## ## ## ## ## Ranus had gone to see the team''s return that explored the newly opened fifth floor. The town''s adventurer community was excited about the possibilities that would appear. The younger ones talked and speculated while the older ones waited for information. Their return was reported with great excitement. Ranus was near the gate and went to see. The battered and bloody return was sobering even for most glory-hungry. Many questions were called out, but all were ignored. The crowd parted, allowing the group through. Elian split from them and entered the guild while the others headed into the temple district. All the time, there was the background hum of conversation from many. Ranus noticed the veteran groups were quiet, watching Gran''s team. He did not make them follow, respecting that they all would need time to heal and recover. Instead, he went back to work. "Lord Goldwind! Lord Goldwind!" A merchant waved to get his attention from a stall. Sighing, he knew what he wanted. He spoke as he passed, not stopping, keeping his tone pleasant. "Come now, good merchant. You must speak to the city planning council about your building requirements." Several others tried this approach and he now understood why so many nobles travelled with a whole squad of guards. He passed through the town "square" as he headed to his new home. Many of the Guilds, the most prominent taverns, and his own home lined the edges. The ground here was newly paved with drains, but all the foot traffic was dragging in a lot of mud. A recent addition to the square was a large, heavy wooden stock, the type that held a person''s head and arms. It was presently graced with a young adventurer who had ignored the prohibition on removing a wine bottle from the Dungeon''s first room. He had been pelted with rotten vegetables, probably by some local children or even some adults. It never ceased to amaze him how stupid so many young adventurers were, which accounts for the high mortality rate. Back in the Old Empire, there were training schools and academies that were at least designed to prepare those who wished to walk the Path of adventure. They were some of the first areas destroyed in the Folly because they were close to the Dungeons. The others suffered as the Empire collapsed. He looked to his home and workplace. Vulus designed and built a three-story longhouse. Made from local stone and wood, it was sturdy-looking but not grand or imposing. Function was its focus. The ground floor in front was for meetings; the back was for kitchens. The first floor was offices and bedrooms. The second was a tower rather than a floor, allowing Ranus to overlook the town. To finish it off, there was a basement for stores. Two watch members stood at the entrance to keep the curious at bay. They snapped to attention as I approach. I nod as I pass them. Entering the building, he nodded to the receptionist behind the desk in the first room. He waved her down as she started to rise. Several people were waiting to see him as he walked through. The next room is the main meeting area. It is furnished with a large polished desk and several chairs. The fireplace is not lit and the room''s shutters are open, letting in the mid-day light. Watch Commander Danrum was sitting waiting for him. As he entered, the other man rose but was waved down. ¡°No need for that Commander Danrum.¡± "As you will, Lord Goldwind." Danrum was a welcome addition to the town. He was not a watch captain but a commander. He had walked his Path and received three class upgrades. When he arrived in town and presented himself to Ranus, he was hired on the spot. He looked to be in his forties, with black hair that was grey at the temples. Clean-shaven, with a strong-looking body, he oozed an aura of command that most reacted to. "Guild Leader Woodland has returned from the fifth floor." Ranus told him. "Good news. I await her report." His voice was deep and so far, Ranus had never seen him flustered. Having to control a town full of rowdy adventurers was definitely going to tax his patience. That was the reason he came. Most towns, even many cities, would have hired him to run their watches. He had come here to Shadow Vale because this is where his skills would be challenged the most. "Shall we start then?" Ranus settled into a chair to hear about the crime happenings in the town. Chapter 58 Danrum had a sheet of vellum before him. He looked up from it and began. "The town has sufficient watchman numbers at the moment. This will change soon due to the continuing expansion and limited budget available." Ranus knew this was going to happen. Money was flowing in but slowly and not in significant amounts. Most of the land parcels were sold, giving him some capital to lean on. Taxes are not collected until the summer solstice, which is still too many weeks away. "On the issue of crime, now that we have a watch house and the stocks, we are dealing with more low-level disturbances. The local adventurer population is the main source of this trouble." That was not unexpected. Adventurers had a well-deserved reputation for troublemaking when not engaged with jobs. "The local judge is handing out fines that are adding to the town''s budget." Ranus was going to have to look into just how much. "The Thieves Guild seeks to establish a chapter within the town." This was not good news, but again, it was not unexpected. "How do you know this?" He was curious, so he asked. "We have apprehended about a dozen street runners working on getting the class. As this town has no slum or workforce problems yet, I am sure they are being trained." Street runners was the nickname given to kids who had no apprenticeship or were not in education. They run streets looking for trouble or opportunity, hence the name. Ranus also did not like that it was a matter of time before a slum appeared. "I was unaware that the population had grown so large that we had a surplus of youths?" "Actually, we do not. I have discovered many have been brought in from Tyboon. Thus, my Guild statement." Ranus frowned at this. It was how the Guilds, on the other side of the law, recruited and trained members: They found youths with no prospects and lured them with promises of a better life. Those who made it were treated well by their Guild. The problem was the ones who did not. "I know it will not stop them, but lean on the ones you discover." Ranus instructed. Danrum nodded his understanding at his lord''s instruction. Both men knew they would never eliminate the so-called "dark" Guilds but had to be seen to try. "There is one last thing, my lord." Danrum was hesitant. "Speak, Commander." Ranus prompted. Danrum took a few heartbeats to speak, but after a deep breath, he started. "I can confirm that every member of the divine pantheon now has a presence in the form of a temple within the town." It took a few heartbeats for Ranus to understand what he was saying. "All?" He asked again. "All." The other man confirmed. This resulted from Ranus''s policy of not blocking any God from having a temple in the town. He devised it when the clerics and priests began arriving en masse. At the time, he was afraid of insulting one of the prominent members of the pantheon as the town was being established. Dealing with a singular or annoyed group of divine beings could have ended the town before it started. "What trouble have you encountered?" He asked the question, dreading the answer. "So far, nothing major has happened outside the temples. The priests and their followers have been tense, but all are respecting the rule you imposed last year." Ranus remembered the flood of priests and clergy, the tension that had come with them and the threat of it spilling into violence. Due to this, his first decree was announced. "Any willing person may enter a temple of a divine of their own free will. What happens after that is between them and the divine. Any clergy who violates this or the town''s peace will see them cast from the lands I control," Ranus recited. Danrum nodded as Ranus spoke. "Your decree has held, my lord. The mood in the temple district has been agitated several times, but with the district''s inventive organisation, there haven''t been open outbreaks of violence." Ranus had Vulus to thank for that. When the architect learned of the churches'' coming, he proposed a somewhat radical solution. Placing the churches so close together to the two courts was always a recipe for disaster. He had unveiled a three-section district with both courts occupying one side with the "neutral" Gods acting as a buffer between them. Ranus hoped this would hold the peace and, so far, had. "What is your concern, then?" "The less¡­ ethical gods have now established themselves in the town and are openly worshipped." It quickly dawned on Ranus what the older man was saying. "Have they moved any of their "activities" beyond the temples?" He asked. "No. They have kept everything within the grounds as you decreed." He paused before continuing. "I must admit my surprise that all the churches are following your decree. I expected by now that at least one would have tested your decree, but they are going out of their way to obey it." Ranus was unsure why but did not want to question it. The peace was too important right now. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "No, addictive substances, public orgies, violent deaths or outright murders." He asked. "None outside of the temples. What is happening within¡­." He did not finish. Divine beings in the "dark" court, such as Hylonia, were tolerated to have open temples in a few cities worldwide as far as he knew. Most civilisations did not endure those divine practices for long or did and that was best not spoken about in polite company. Ilinia and Hylonia were bitterly opposed in the courts. Ilinia represents healing, childbirth and love, while Hylonia stands for pleasure, selfishness and excess. To have both openly worshipped in a town or city was a recipe for disaster. There were other such states between different Gods. Ranus had the great "fortune" to have all of them present in his town. You could find them in most communities, but many were worshipped privately or secretly. Ranus understood his decree, which now trapped him. He cannot move against any of the temples with which he has a moral issue as long as they obey his ruling. If he does, that would enrage the God and the court it is aligned to, as well as Lawdrun, the God of Laws. His decree was a town law. Leaning back in his chair, Ranus sighed, now seeing the worse issue he had created inadvertently by trying to head off the first. "As long as the temples do not breach my decree, they are allowed to continue." Both men knew this would be the source of many future problems, but for now, things were stable. "I will send a message to all the temples reminding them of my decree and the consequences for breaching it." Danrum only nodded, knowing there was not much more either man could do. "Thank you for your time, Danrum. I will let you get back about your duties. Please bring your needs to the next council meeting." When he heard one, the older man knew a dismissal, rose and gave a quick bow. He was soon out of the room and Ranus rubbed his face with his hands. "What a fine mess you have created!" He muttered to himself. Only one city in the world that he knew of had all the divine beings represented openly and that was the Holy City. If it had any other name, he knew not. Located on the equator between the Elven lands and Dragon Isles, the city-state was legendary for having each God have a grand temple dedicated to them and the city having not been destroyed in any of their conflicts. "I wonder if I should try to contact them to find out how they manage it?" Ranus paused, realising he was talking to himself. He quickly sat up and straightened his posture to appear like a Lord in control. He had several more meetings to go through. "My lord, are you ready for your next appointment?" Naru had entered. Another new addition to the community and his staff. The woman was from the far west. She had pale skin with dark almond eyes and jet-black hair. Her petite frame made her look fragile but concealed her incredible organisational skills. "Yes, Naru. Who is next." "Hexus, head priest of the temple of Hylonia." Ranus almost laughed at the situation but controlled himself. "Please send them in." She nodded and left the room. Ranus stood and awaited his next meeting. Narus escorted the man into the room but left, closing the door. Hexus was an excellent example of a follower of his God. Most Gods chose a gender to help identify them that suited the role they had or the image they were presenting. Hylonia went out of their way it seemed to confuse this. Appearing as either sex or a mixture of the two, this fits in with its position within its court. Correspondently, the temple priests blurred such ideas as gender through clothing, mannerisms or even with alchemic aid. The priest was doused in a sweet-smelling perfume that would be pleasant, but only for the amount applied. Hexus was a mixture of masculine and feminine traits. With long hair and extensive makeup, Ranus was unsure of its base sex. The clothing worn while revealing also aided in confusing this. Ranus was sure Hexus was a man but knew that was not a safe bet. "Welcome, Hexus of the temple of Hylonia." Ranus was always polite, learning from a young age that this helped with negotiations. "Thank you for your welcome, Lord Goldwind." The voice was close to male but with female aspects. Ranus indicated to a chair and they both sat at the table. "What brings you to my hall, this day?" Ranus enquired, hoping it was something that could be quickly resolved. "First, my patron has instructed me to thank you for allowing open worship within your lands." The priest''s body language helped convey their words. "I have been instructed to let you know that my patron has sent word to its temples in Ostrul that the death of its scion of that city was not your responsibility and they would not look kindly on any action against you." This confused Ranus, as he was unaware of any issues with Ostrul. Elian had been firm that the scion''s death was his own responsibility and no one else''s. "I would thank your patron, but I am unaware of such issues with Ostrul. The Adventurer Guild investigated and found that the scion went too far too fast in the Dungeon." "You are correct. The Guild named the scion the one responsible, but your family have been spreading another story about this event." Ranus schooled his features to stay neutral, but inside, he was seething. His family was still seeking to usurp him. He did not have evidence that they were trying this approach through Ostrul, but it was in line with the other attempts. "I had not heard of this. I thank you and your patron for their actions." He wondered what the cost would be for this help. It was odd that they had not tried to get it first but instead told him they had helped him. "I can tell, Lord Goldwind, that you wonder why my patron has done this." The priest smiled. Ranus thought about Ostrul and how this priest reminded him of the envoy from that city. He felt the same need to bathe after speaking with them. "That would be a fair guess. I mean no insult, but your patron is not known for their charitable actions." The priest let out a deep belly laugh of genuine amusement at this. "That is a true thing, Lord Goldwind. My patron is well known for their pettiness and selfishness as they are the God of it. My words to you, however, are true. My patron is rarely openly allowed to have a temple within a town or city. Your willingness to not interfere with it as long as all our rituals remain within its grounds is also a welcome break from our normal state of affairs." Ranus suspected that this was partly true. Hylonia and the other Gods like them were often restricted or outright banned from most civilisations. There was something that Ranus had been wondering about but had never raised with any of the priests he had interacted with since they arrived. Today, he decided to ask. "Then I thank you and your patron for their actions. I do have a question for you if you are willing to answer it." "If able, I would gladly answer, Lord Goldwind." "My question is then. Why are all the Gods here?" This did not elicit the reaction Ranus expected. The priest''s smile became strained, and they tensed up. What had he asked? "Oh, that is simple, Lord Goldwind. We are here because our patrons have instructed us to be." The answer was a deflection. Ranus thought about it and pressed. "That is true, Priest Hexus, but I ask again: Why has the entire pantheon graced my small community with their presence?" "The reasons for the actions of the divine are beyond this simple priest. Now, I must beg your forgiveness as I am needed to attend to my duties." Hexus quickly excused themselves from Ranus''s hall and left. With the priest now gone but the lingering smell of their perfume in the air, Ranus thought over the reaction to the question he posed. Something was going on he already knew by the presence of the temples and churches alone. The question itself had either caused the priest to be fearful or was under orders not to divulge anything. Ranus had a gap in his schedule at the moment so he could think on it. What little he had gathered was that the priests and clergy were tense around each other. The usual inter-God issues were there but being controlled or suppressed at this time. The evidence was that the temple district was not a battlefield but a standoff. Ranus was not arrogant enough to think that his decree was holding the peace, but it seemed more likely that the priests had used it as an excuse to set up this standoff. The only thing Ranus was sure of was it was all linked to the Dungeon. "I need to talk to Elian and Comus." He muttered to himself. Chapter 59 Elian''s day had not ended with her return from mapping the new fifth floor in the Dungeon. She had returned weary from her exploration and had just managed to freshen up when the messenger arrived. The news of the resource node change hit her like a blow. She had been so engrossed in her work, compiling notes on the new floor, that she hadn''t anticipated this. The resource node on the first floor had been changed from copper to tin. The miners were¡­ unhappy, which was not even a close description of their mood. She replied, informing them there was a new, more significant seam on the fifth floor, but it was now guarded. That means they would be unable to reach it without an escort. A few could, but they would dominate the industry by controlling supply and most were not happy with this. That led to a two-hour meeting/complaining session with the local copper workers and miners, which she ended by throwing them out of her Guild. She had just sat down again at her desk when Ranus and Comus arrived. Both men were now sitting with her in the cluttered office. She had told them what she had found on the new floor. "Worms?" Ranus asked. Comus looked thoughtful. This was not what anyone had expected; with this Dungeon, that was something. "Yes, big ones that can rip through armour." She confirmed. "Your description reminds me of Rock Worms." Comus said. Elian knew that if the creatures existed elsewhere, he would be the person who would know. "Rock Worms?" Ranus asked, turning in his seat to look at the other man. "Earth mana-infused creature. Naturally found in the Underlands. Tough and slow, relies on ambush." "Sounds right. Valuable?" Elian asked. "The parts have some uses, but they are not very expensive. The floor boss, however, is where the money will likely be." Elian sighed, expecting that answer. "You said that iron was part of the loot drop." Ranus inquired. "Yes. Enough ore for a small ingot, at least." Again, not very valuable, but most adventurers would not turn it away. The recent discovery of an iron vein in a local mountain supplied the town with all its needs. "I am interested in the escalation in the traps. From your descriptions, I am surprised you have not increased the Dungeons rating to High Copper." Comus mused. "When I considered the floor, everything pointed to it being as dangerous as the floor above. The environment on the fourth was more suited to the spiders and one room had large numbers. The fifth had the worms spread more and was the most traditional Dungeon floor I have seen." She paused, thinking about the day''s events. "The worms are tough and can hit back harder, but the spiders have more tricks to use. I stand by my decision." "I have heard the copper vein has moved¡ªfrom the first floor." Ranus said, changing the direction of the conversation a bit. "Gods!" Elian groaned as she slumped down into her chair, which creaked a bit at her abuse. "The local miners and copper workers have been filling my ears with complaints for the last few hours." The two men smiled at her reaction, both knowing how it was for anyone in a position of authority. "How did you placate them?" Comus enquired. "I told them to be quiet and address any complaints to the Dungeon Core. Then I threw them out of my office." This time, the men did laugh, picturing the scene she described. "How do you think this will change in the Dungeon and new floor will affect the town?" Ranus asked Elian, getting serious again. "In the Short term, the change in the copper vein is the biggest thing. The larger yield from the vein on the fifth will offset this. The tin? I did not know. In the long term, the new floor will attract more adventurers. I will be posting the contract to acquire the fifth-floor boss for you tomorrow, Comus!" She cut off the alchemist who had opened his mouth. "Be warned, it''s big, so you will be getting it in several parts." Comus said nothing but looked unhappy, hoping to study as undamaged a corpse as possible. "Anything interesting happen while I was in the Dungeon?" Elian asked. "During your time in there? No. But after, I had an unusual visitor." Ranus spoke. Elian leaned back in her chair to listen to the young Lord''s words. "The head priest from the temple dedicated to Hylonia paid me a visit." This elicited a reaction of surprise from the two Guild leaders. "What did they want?" Elian asked, leaning forward onto her desk. "The priest''s name is Hexus. They came and thanked me for allowing the open worship of their divine patron." Ranus spoke, thinking back to the conversation. "I found it hard trying to address the priest. Terms I am so used to do not apply. Was it a He, She or even It?" "That''s a common issue. The temple keeps its practices hidden and members often do not announce that they are followers. Most do not tolerate the presence of the temple and that''s why they are mostly hidden. From what I have learned, they actually enjoy having people confused and unsure." Elain said. "Well, that was the main part of the conversation." Ranus sought to refocus their discussion. "What! That was it?" Comus asked. "No. There were a few more things. It turns out that my family have been trying to stir up trouble for me with Ostrul. Hylonia has instructed its temple in Ostrul to counter my family''s lies and claims." "Hylonia? Why is the God of Selfishness helping you?" Elian asked, confused. "Does that not go against the God''s very nature?" "I was as surprised as well. The information about my family''s antics was strangely unsurprising, but where they were stirring the trouble was." The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Another thing to add to the list of strange things going on around here." Elian rubbed her eyes with her hand. "It''s become quite the list." "Well, my decree on the temples and churches is holding and honestly, I have no idea why. I have been waking up each morning wondering if I am going to find a destroyed town or a pitched battle. Every time I find nothing has happened in the temple district overnight, I breathe easier for the day." "There is still tension in the district. You cannot have so many Gods and Goddesses in one place without it," Comus reminded them. "Ranus is right. The fact that they are not killing each other is telling." "All." "All?" Comus asked, confused. "All the pantheon is now represented here, Comus." Ranus told the other man. That brought silence to the room. They all knew that it was rare to have most of the Pantheon within a community, but having all of them openly worshipped could be counted on a few fingers. "Why would anyone follow Hylonia." Elian thought out loud. "That path of worship is always self-destructive." "Hylonia, let''s you be your true self." Comus mused. Elian and Ranus looked at the other man questioningly. "Think about it. For all the excess, drugs and sexual deviancy, Hylonia never judges you. To follow them, you need only be true to yourself and who you are; that is all they ask." "Yet they lead you down a path that gets you executed in most nations." Ranus reminded him. "Not all of their followers end up taking that route. It was rumoured that the heretical text Thoughts on Divinity and Mortals touched on the subject that the worshippers of Hylonia took the God to the extremes, not the other way around. It was because of them that it gained the Mantels of Selfishness and Excess." Mentioning that book had shocked her and Ranus. The book was written by an unknown scholar who had written about the concept that mortals had more power over the Gods than anyone had realised. The book was ancient before the Old Empire, and fragments of it could still be found. Followers of said Gods declared it heresy against the Gods and had burnings involving copied fragments and anyone who had read it. "Best not mention that book around anyone else, Comus; I do not want to stop a mob from burning you alive." Comus looked shocked that he had revealed such a dangerous piece of information even to them. Elian knew that, for all his intelligence, Comus could sometimes be incredibly naive. "Since the twisted ogre attack, we have been sharing information, but I know there is more they are holding back." Ranus grumbled. "What can you do?" She had thought about it and had no answers. "What I did was I asked Hexus directly why they were all here." Elian was stunned at Ranus''s words. He had just said he had directly asked a representative of a divine power why he was in his town. "Wh-What was the answer." Comus stammered out, equally surprised. "I expected some esoterical answer that would boil down to mind your own business, but the question seemed to scare Hexus." He said as he thought over the meeting. Elian considered the question that no one was asking but that everyone was thinking about: What could scare a God? ## ## ## ## ## Oda was watching the whole Pantheon arguing intensely¡ªso intense that it was bordering on violence in some areas. The cause of this commotion was him and a Dungeon Core he was overseeing. He and the other two court leaders had come to the conclusion that the other Gods should be told. Not because they could be trusted to handle the information but because they were asking too many questions and mounting dozens of independent investigations that were tripping over too many things, mainly each other. That had led to all the Gods setting up a temple in Shadow Vale, as all identified this as the reason for the strange goings-on in the Divine realm. They had gathered everyone together and Oda had explained everything to them. First, there was silence, then yelling. This had been going on for three months in mortal terms. For them, a long argument. Groups were forming and splitting at a remarkable speed. Everyone was voicing their opinions loudly, mainly at him at first but more at each other as time went on. He was not watching the loud ones but the quiet group off to the side, who had been in intense conversation since he finished talking. He knew that the gods and Goddesses who made up this group would bring the others into line. Nictor, the God of Death; Xandus, the Goddess of Light; Hackyon, the Goddess of Magic; Astraus, the Goddess of Dungeons; and Lawdrun, the God of Laws. They had been talking in a huddle, not stopping, even dismissing those who tried to interject themselves. The rest were arguing, but most were also watching this group. Oda would have typically been involved, but as he was the cause of the issue, he felt he did not have the right to intervene. Being on the outside was a feeling he did not enjoy. During this time, he checked on his usual duties and the Core. It had grown again, now having a Dungeon with five floors. His initial plan was progressing too fast and he doubted that there would be any more. The mood was angry and grim. Since the folly three centuries ago, the Gods had been afraid. Something they did not know or understand was affecting the world, and they did not know what to do. They finally had an idea of what it was and could name it now. A few voices had called on them to use void corruption to their advantage. The rest of the Pantheon made it clear that those who did try would not face censure but death for it. That silenced them, but Oda knew that many were thinking about it. This is why he hoped to keep it secret, but that was a dead hope now. The group he was watching had reached a conclusion. He and many others noticed the body language shifting and nodded amongst them. The two court heads stood forth and most turned their attention to them. "Fellow members of the divine, hear our words." Nictor took the lead, drawing all attention to them and silencing the arguments. "Oda saw a problem and took action to redress the balance that has been disturbed." Xandus added. "We shall continue to watch this new Dungeon and the Town established above it." "All will remain silent on this to the mortals." "Instructions will be given to our followers to stay alert for these "twisted" as they are being called." "The Soul Contract with the Core will be honoured and thanks to the local lord, we have a means of maintaining peace amongst the churches and temples." "To the issue of this Void energy corrupting our world, we will seek to purge it as it is destructive to all we are." "Any with our number who seek to harness or spread it will find not punishment but death as it is too dangerous for any to use." Oda understood why Xandus delivered this final statement. She was usually the last to seek such a violent punishment, which would not be lost on the divine beings gathered. "We have spoken. Now, be about your business." This was a dismissal that they all understood. Within seconds, they were gone, but for Oda and the group led by the head of the two courts. "That you have remained tells me there is more." Oda noted. "Yes." This came from Hackyon. The divine representation of Magic and learning was difficult for even other Gods to look on, and she took great pains to control her image. "I told you your contract was flawed, Oda." Lawdrun spoke. "Yes, you told me at the time." "Well, now I have had more time to examine it. I have discovered it is worse than I originally thought and I have found your hidden failsafe." "In what way is the contract flawed?" Oda asked, frowning, ignoring the talk of the failsafe. The others indicated that he should continue. "The Core has the ability to take on Mantels and remain on the mortal plain. That is bad enough. I have also discovered that its ability to create new monsters can be even more dangerous." "How so. None of them can survive outside of the Dungeon." "That is not correct. After consulting with others, I have discovered that if the monsters reach a certain "level", they could exist outside the Dungeon and even a Core death." This shocked Oda. He believed he had ensured the monsters would die with the Dungeon if this happened. "How is this possible?" "The system you gave to the Dungeon was similar to the Paths of Ascension. The problem is that it was also assigned to its creations. Once they get strong enough, they can leave the Dungeon and when they enter the world, they become part of the Paths and they can multiply." The others were grim-faced while Oda was shocked. He thought to himself. "What have I done?" "We need to talk about the failsafe, Oda." Nictor spoke for them all. "What of it?" "You never informed the soul of it." Lawdrun snapped. He likes things to be stated in contracts, even if they''re hidden in terms and other sections. "I did. I told him if his Core corruption reached a critical point, he would suffer the destruction of his soul as the Core shatters." "The problem is that you never told him that the Core will be destroyed by the mechanisms you put in place!" Lawdrun was yelling again. "Is the failsafe a breach of the contract?" Oda asked. The Gods fell silent as he knew it was not. He had made mistakes, he now knew, but he had foreseen and addressed some problems before they arose. He knew he would have to work hard to save the world and restore balance, but it was worth the cost. Chapter 60 Shadow Vale was a growing town. The population and boundaries of the town were expanding nearly daily, a testament to the allure of Shadow Vale. People were coming from all over the continent, embarking on a journey of adventure and discovery. They started from the nearest parts, mainly the Riverlands. People with dark hair and eyes. Their olive-coloured skin that is not used to the harsher climate of the mountains. Following suit, the Skaald arrived soon after. Hailing from their lands beyond the mountain range to the north, they brought with them a different complexion and a variety of hair colours. Accustomed to such a climate, they seamlessly integrated into their new home even with their distinct cultures. From the south came the dark-skinned and brown peoples of the lands there. Hailing from the fantastic jungles and vast grasslands, they found the mountains hardest to get used to. They were bundled up even in summer and cursed the winter the loudest. Last, the people of the far west came. They were as pale as the Skaald but with black hair and almond-shaped eyes. They dressed in fine silk but quickly changed to the thicker and more rugged clothes the population had adopted for living in the valley. They were few in number but hinting that more were coming from their lands and the other nations not yet represented among the town¡¯s population. Nowadays, finding such a mix of peoples and cultures is rare outside of major trading cities. The Old Empire saw far more interaction, but those days had passed and the peoples of Kyber became more insular, less trusting of the "other." The only thing that brought them together now was the promise of wealth and walking the Paths the Dungeon represented. So, they came and were still coming. Every ship arriving brought more with the truly brave or strong coming by land. Many were lost or met misadventure, but they still came. The town now had developed into the classic district setup found in most human communities. A wooden palisade walled off the north end of the valley. Here, the Dungeon could be found. Behind the palisade was the town''s wealthy and administration. To the west was the river. The east saw the temples and churches of the Pantheon. Going south, you came to the docks and warehouses, facing the river. The crafters dominated the side facing the mountain. Here, the town merchants and those visiting conducted business with the crafters. Always loud and busy, it was here that most found employment. Further south, at the valley''s other end, were the homes of the bulk of the people. Another palisade had been raised to protect them from monsters that roamed the mountain range. Things were starting to get crowded, and sanitation was becoming an issue. The young Lord was working to rectify these problems before they became deadly. Shadow Vale was a growing town. Around it, the other nations and powers looked on, making plans and treaties. All looked on with hunger, but the wisest saw it for the trap it was. Shadow Vale was a poisoned cup that would destroy those who sought to claim it. The claiming of the Right of Discovery by an upstart younger scion of a merchant family proved to be a boon in disguise. He had no allies, enemies, or favours owed. He was the perfect person to run the lands. He treated everyone fairly and with respect, favouring no person or group over another. Of course, the divine laws helped protect him, but the intelligent could work around them. But why rock a steady boat? That was how the wise thought. Unfortunately, many rulers were anything but wise. The man''s family was no help. They spread rumour and poison against their own, seeking help to usurp him. They were good merchants but walked into an arena they poorly understood. The hungry rulers saw the Dungeon and wanted it. They plotted and planned, seeking advantage so they could strike. They were opposed by each other and those who were happy with the present setup. So many plots and plans were in motion that most fell apart, not because the Lord countered them but because the plotters got in each other''s way. Around the valley, a hidden war started and quickly escalated. It was not a conflict of armies and magic but one of the blades in alleys and influence peddling. The cost was in a few bodies and many reputations destroyed. What became apparent to all in this fight was that the Gods favoured the status quo. Offerings and prayers were presented to the divine, but the Gods that would typically be involved were strangely silent. Those who did speak said no to the plotters. This confused the plotters and some questioned what they were doing. However, this was not true for the majority, who continued with their schemes regardless. The town residents were mostly unaware of the events going on around them. Those who were aware were the sort to protect their interests. The people and plots were not the only ripples from the Dungeon''s discovery. Money and resources were the other big changes that the Dungeon brought. The coins being produced were of good quality, and merchants were happy to accept them in exchange for goods. The coins were being seen further and further away from the town. More merchants were accepting them over local coins every day, and this would start to affect the local economies if it continued. The rarer goods that the Dungeon town was now producing were starting to influence the Riverlands. It was said that the Riverlands saw as much gold flowing through the rivers as water. Trade was their lifeblood and things were looking better every day. More ships and boats were plying the new route to the Dungeon town and the Skaald lands beyond. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The town demanded every type of good and sold rare alchemy ingredients. This did not count the magical hides and other types of leather armour that appeared. The local adventurers were buying most, but the demand for the magical hide was making a single journey worth it for the bold merchant. Orders were coming in from further afield every day. That was just on the human continent of Kyber. What of the rest of the world? The appearance of a new Dungeon was news, but was it world-changing? Often, no, but many were taking notice in the echo of the Folly and its effects on humanity. What changed their opinions were the rumours about this place and its strange behaviour. Adventurers were travelling from these lands to see this new Dungeon and a few were contacted to act as the eyes of these lands and nations. A breach of the Guild''s neutrality? Not if they were getting paid and the Guild got its due. They were coming, but the distance was great. A few were closer and they had now reached the town. ## ## ## ## ## "Why are we still in the lands of these disgusting creatures?" The sound of the musical language contrasts with the harsher human dialect. The ship was close to the new Dungeon and the captain had told them they would be arriving soon. The ship in which they sailed was covered in the shadow of a nearby mountain, making the air colder than the early summer should have been. Sliva of Moonborn sighed internally at her charge''s words. Not teammate but charge. At least the young elf had the sense to speak about the humans around them in their own language. She looked at her team and their charge. Rated a Silver-tier group they had been contracted by the Starlight clan to take one of their young scions to the human lands to expand her education by interacting with other races. Offending this clan was not a good idea for them so they accepted. After nearly a year of travelling with Asta of Starlight, she wished she refused. The young elf was arrogant but never openly insulting to her elven companions. To the humans, she was terrible. Sliva could not count the times anymore that she had to cool her tempers due to the girl''s words and tone. The elf nations had been at peace with the Cythian Empire when it ruled, not friendly but not seeking conflict either. The Folly changed that view with many of her race. The backlash affected all races, even her own and many still blamed humans as a whole for the results. Anti-human movements were present in all races and had not helped with the Empire''s collapse. She had heard whispers that some had even helped it along. She and her group did not have great love or interest in humanity outside of the Guild contracts they accepted. However, they had interacted with them enough to build up a tolerance to their smell and ways. They had visited these lands before but never remained for more than a year. Each time they came, they travelled to the area their contract required and then left as soon as it was completed. "Asta, we have spoken of this before. You cannot insult them whenever you wish. Remember, we are acting on behalf of the clan and family you belong to." Sliva''s words forced the younger elf to focus away from the ship''s crew working around them. Three moons ago, they had been contacted to come to this even more uncivilised part of Kyber and investigate the new Dungeon that had appeared. In truth, she and her team would have come as soon as they found out it was already rated a low copper tier. This was strange as the Dungeon was only a few years old. Either something strange was going on, or the Dungeon was getting fed a regular influx of adventurers. Asta''s clan beat them to it with the request, so they set off the next day. During their stay on Kyber, they gained access to two human-controlled Dungeons, both below the team''s level but well within Asta''s. She gained two steps along the Paths from this trip; this was her only bright spot. She had been put into danger and had her abilities pushed but the team was always ready to step in if required. Due to their long life spans, it was harder for elves to progress, so two steps were better than they had expected. "We will return home as soon as we finish the investigation," Sliva reminded Asta and the rest of them, bringing smiles to most of their faces. "I will arrange access to the Dungeon, but be ready. We might be here for a few days." "Shadow Vale ahead!" A human called out. The group of elves looked out at the bank of the river being pointed to. As they turned into the valley passing through a ravine, the river that was following through the town came into view. As they did, they left the shadow of the mountain. Asta groaned as they saw the town. The place was rough and uncivilised. Construction was happening all around. Ships and boats were moving in and out of the piers. They could see more ships moving up and down the river. The river was wide enough to allow this, making it a natural stopping port along the river. "Asta, you will stay quiet as we get established. I do not want any more trouble. We get in, check the Dungeon and then we are leaving." She told the young charge of the group. She knew she had to reinforce this to the young elf. The young one pouted at Sliva''s words. Sliva wondered if she would listen to her this time, but she was doubtful. Behind Asta, Dayton, the group''s fighter, nodded to Sliva, telling her that she was keeping an eye on their charge. She knew she could rely on him. The ship had to wait nearly an hour before docking. Sliva and her group were the first off. They had hooded travel cloaks on, but their clothing style and speed of movement drew attention. They were used to it by now and quickly moved through the muddy streets. Sliva had researched the town before coming and learned where the best tavern with rooms was. She led the group to a new building. They moved fast and with purpose, but she knew that the rumour of their arrival would be faster. "Shadows Rest." This was the one they were looking for. The tavern''s common room was filled with human adventurers. They were loud, smelly, and poorly armed. She made out the tavern keeper running things from next to the bar. They were noticed as they walked through the room and silence ensued. Her group was used to it, but Sliva knew that Asta would still bristle under such attention. ¡°Good new day to you, tavern keeper. My companions and I seek rooms if you have them.¡± Sliva said to the human in his own language. She learned long ago that a little politeness went well with strangers. "G-Good new day to you, strangers." The tavern keeper was taken aback; few deal with nonhumans these days, but he recovered well. "I am Jontar, tavern keeper of the Shadows Rest. I am afraid we have only a single group room available at the moment." "That is fine. Can we rent it?" "Of course, let me show you to it." The group were guided up to the next floor and a large group room. The room had eight rough wooden beds. Renting costs and food were arranged with the tavern keeper, and he withdrew to fulfil a few requests made of him. Halo, the group''s rogue, went through the room checking for listening holes or threats. It did not take long before he nodded to Sliva; it was clear. "I am going to the Guild. You will remain here and await me. I will arrange entry to the Dungeon. If I must, I will use our boon as I think not one of us wants to be here long." Chapter 61 Elain was thinking the Gods were laughing at her. Not one or two, but a group of them. That was the only thing she could think of to explain the last few days. Just yesterday, Elain had emerged from the treacherous fifth floor of the Dungeon, her mind still reeling from the encounter. Little did she know, a group of mysterious elves had already set foot in the town, their presence shrouded in rumour and intrigue. If they were adventurers, they would soon make their presence known. If she was a gambling woman, she knew that was a safe bet. Truthfully, there was no other reason why they were here. If they were merchants, they would have brought their own ship. Elain, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts, was attempting to restore some semblance of order to her chaotic office. The knock at the door, though expected, sent a jolt of surprise through her, causing her to lose her composure momentarily. She rallied and spoke loudly. "Who is it?" The door opened slightly and Naru''s head appeared. "You have an elf downstairs registering her team. She had asked to speak with you." "Bring her up when she has finished registering." Naru nodded and left, closing the door. Elian moved around and sat at her desk, setting the scene for the person who was going to walk through the door of a busy Guild leader. Within a few minutes, the knock comes. "Enter." Naru opens the door and guides a new figure into the room. She then withdraws and closes the door as Elian stands to greet the visitor. She looks in, taking the details of the stranger and she feels that the other person is doing the same. Before, Elian was a lithe figure. Taller than her, she could barely tell that the figure was female. The elf was wrapped in a hooded dark green travelling cloak that shimmered slightly in the room''s light. Elian could not identify the material but knew its quality was far beyond anything available to the town. The elf pulls back the cloak''s hood. She is beautiful but strangely androgynous, with emerald-green eyes and silver/blonde hair tied in a high ponytail. The cloak is held in place with a silver broach, travelling clothes are worn underneath. Strapped to her back was a bow and a quiver of arrows. "Good new day, adventurer. I am Elian Woodland, Guild Leader of Shadow Vale''s Aadventurer''s Guild." "Good new day; I am Sliva''Elania Fellonia, the Silver-Tier adventurer. Most call me Sliva." She revealed a silver medallion with the Guild symbol. The metal denoted her grade and it had a stone in the centre that glowed slightly, confirming she was its owner. Elian and Sliva bowed slightly to each other. The elf spoke in the human common tongue, but her voice gave the words a strange musical sound. "Welcome, adventurer Sliva. What has brought you here to this community." Elian knew why the elf was here, but she had to play the part of Guild Leader. "My group and I are to test ourselves against the Dungeon here." "As a copper-tier Dungeon and your group a silver-tier, you will not be greatly tested by this Dungeon." "We know this but are interested in seeing what the Dungeon has to offer." "Of course. There will be an opening in fifteen days we can add you to the list." "I am afraid that we hope to be travelling again by that date." "There are no other gaps, I am afraid." Elian was unsurprised at the request but had to honour the rota to keep the peace among the other adventurers. The gods knew the trouble that could cause. "I thought that might be the case." Sliva gripped the medallion and channelled some mana into it. She handed it to Elian. There was a glowing rune on the medallion, which she recognised immediately. "You are calling in a boon?" Adventurers who perform services for the Guild can earn a boon. This boon allows them to receive a special service or contract. The Sliva was calling in one to get her team access to the Dungeon faster. Elian was a copper-grade Guild Leader, which meant that Sliva, as silver, could force her to do this. This was rarely done and was considered uncouth by most. This caused a flash of hot anger through her at the sheer arrogance of it. This Sliva did not even try negotiating before making this move. "Yes. My request is to get access as soon as possible within the next three days." Elian looked down at her desk. She pulled a sheet of vellum from a pile. It listed the groups going in over the next five days. Scanning the list, she noted a group she could have moved. She did this to hide her frustration, but she knew she was not fooling the elf. "You can enter as the first group two days from now. Sunrise entry." "Thank you for your assistance. I would like to apologise for the disruption, but we are acting under a tight schedule." It was rare that she had heard an elf apologise to someone not of their kind. Elian was unsure if it was sincere but decided to take it at face value. Still, it was galling to have to disrupt their schedule. Coming into her office and demanding this was allowed due to the boon but considered rude by most. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Is there anything else?" Elian was still annoyed but knew that antagonising the situation was not the path forward. "A copper-tier Dungeon had between twenty to twenty-five floors. What is the count so far?" "Five." "Very well, we will plan to take twenty-five into account. We will¡­" "No, adventurer Sliva. Five floors, not twenty-five." Elian took perverse joy in having surprised the elf. It was hard to read her, but the brief silence was the best indication. It was petty, but it made her so exuberant. "Five?" The question was clear but unspoken. Sliva would never openly question the rating but was questioning it in her mind. The Guild had standards across all of its branches. Elian''s position meant she knew what she was doing when she graded the Dungeon. The repercussions for misgrading a Dungeon were severe. "Thank you for that information. We will be ready at the given time. What is the Dungeons element?" Sliva worked the angles in her head, trying to figure out what was happening. That was what Elian thought she was doing. "Varies on each floor, but Shadow is the most common." Internally, she was gleeful at the elf before reacting. Legendary for the self-control amongst other races, she caught the flicker of surprise. By now, Elian was used to the Dungeons flaunting all known conventions. "Varied? On each floor?" Sliva asked to confirm what she had just heard. "Yes and yes." "I thank you again, Guild Leader. Excuse me, I must be away for my business." With this, the elf swept from the room and closed the door behind her. Elian sat at her desk and broke out into a vindictive smile. She waited until the elf was out of the Guild before saying, "Did not expect this Dungeon, did you?" ## ## ## ## ## Sliva and most of her group were sitting in their rented room. Halo was missing for the moment as she had sent him out on a mission. Out of all of them, he was able to blend in and hide even in this town. The rest were sitting on the beds and a few chairs in a rough circle. Sliva had told them of her conversation with the Guild Leader and had sent Halo out to find out what he could. "Do you believe the Guild Leader?" Elron asked. "I do. She was not lying when she spoke." "I think the human is a fool. There is no copper-tier Dungeon with five floors." Asta sneered. This caused a ripple of unease amongst the others. "Asta! The human, you are insulting an Adventurer Guild Leader! I will hear no more of it." Sliva snapped, knowing that such insults would not do them well if such words became known. They were speaking in their language, but she had to be careful. Asta slumped in outrage at the words from Sliva. The others did not comment on what was happening between the two. They, too, knew the dangers of insulting the Guild. "The Guild has confirmed the grade of the Dungeon. This means we are going to be walking into a Dungeon that follows none of the standard''s rules." The group remained quiet, thinking about what they might be walking into. They hoped Halo could tell them more. "We will be acquiring supplies for the expedition tomorrow. We have much, but we will most likely need more." The door to their room opened, revealing that Halo had returned. The group tensed when it opened, but they relaxed as he entered. "Halo, what did you find out." "Much." He came in and removed the human-made cloak he was wearing. The group watched as he shed the disguise he used to walk amongst the humans. They were curious but respected their teammate to tell them what he had discovered. He came over and joined the circle. "The Dungeon had just opened the fifth floor and not much is known about it. More is known about the other four. The first is wasps and pitfall traps. The second is a water environment with toads. Third has large boars and the fourth has spiders." The group shifted each time he listed the floor and monster, knowing that the Dungeons they had explored were not like this. "When we go in, we must be careful. Make sure you have plenty of room in your dimensional bags." Her teammates understood what they were expected to do. Sliva wanted to make sure that they had plenty of room to collect the resources and loot offered by the Dungeon. She did not want to employ a carrier to come with them into the Dungeon, as that was an additional expense and would get in the way of their intelligence gathering. By now, she had to admit to herself that this mission was not a standard exploration but an intelligence-gathering mission for her people. The people who sent them needed to know what this Dungeon was capable of and what it was producing for the humans. "What else have you learned about the Dungeon, Halo." "The dungeon produces mostly copper coins, alchemy ingredients and leather hides." "Boar hides?" Dayton asked. "Boar hides and meat are the biggest sources of income for adventurers who can reach that floor. The floor bosses produce most of the alchemy ingredients, but I have discovered that the third-floor boss produces a magically infused hide." "Infused in what way?" Asta was interested now being the group mage. "Shadow mana. The hides are being ordered by anyone who can convert them into shadow-infused leather armour that is good for rogues or stealth-based adventurers." This piqued the interest of the group. "How much are we talking?" Elron asked. Another archer like Sliva. He was the group''s moneykeeper. "Fifteen gold for the hide alone on a bad day. Treated to be used or even finished armour, you are looking at much more." That was a good return; with that money, Sliva could comfortably transport them all back to the Lands of Starlight. "We are going in tomorrow. We will clear each floor. We are harvesting where we can. No heroics; we study and kill everything we find. Understood?" They all acknowledged her instructions. Asta, by now, was used to how the group worked. A close call in the first Dungeon they explored had changed her attitude and she was far more focused now in them. "If the boss hide is worth as much as Halo found out, we will be getting back home slightly faster." This brought smiles to their faces. "But remember! This is a copper-tier Dungeon with five floors. No one here has ever heard of this before. We need to stay sharp!" This brought them back into focus. The circle broke up as each went to attend to their gear. Halo came over to Sliva and sat in front of her, blocking the view of them from the others. He motioned in the elven sign language. "There is something else." "What is it?" She signed back. "Most of the hushed conversations the adventurers have all speak of the Dungeon''s intelligence and two strange monsters that exist in the Dungeon." "Explain?" "Found in the entry room normally is a local monster called a S-H-A-R-O-O-N." He had to spell it out, as its name did not exist in the language. "What is it?" "Low Level. Shadow infused. It has been sighted on other floors as well." "Why speak of it?" "Most ignore it. Some have tried to kill it, but not one has succeeded." "Odd. The second?" "Not much is known. Several have reported seeing a pink light and have got brief glances at a small flying creature." "Which floor?" "Several of them like the first." "Anything else?" He indicated no. Sliva nodded to him to attend to his gear. He left and left her to her thoughts. Two wandering monsters? Things were getting stranger. On the surface, she was calm and composed. Internally, she was getting more concerned. Too much was out of the norm, both with the Dungeon and the town. She had discovered that all the Gods were present with a place of worship, and that raised her concerns. Add in the strange things they were hearing about the Dungeon and she was now troubled. "Rest well, my friends. Tomorrow, we challenge this Dungeon in shadow." Chapter 62 The sun is yet to rise. Sliva and her group were in front of the Dungeon''s surface building. They were armed and ready to go. The guild flunky that would record their entrance was standing in a shoddily built shelter. Sliva looked over her team. Elron was testing his bow. Dayo was standing stoically, shield strapped to his arm and sword still in its sheath. Asta stood with her eyes closed, reciting spell meditations under her breath. Halo, the thief, was silent as always. She had her bow in hand, ready to go. The sun would rise in a matter of minutes. The air was slightly chilly, but the mountains would prevent the sun from warming the air until later in the day. The sky was changing colour. It was time. The flunky left the shelter and opened the building''s door, putting his arm into the room. Sliva could see the glow of the crystal. She took a deep breath; her team stirred, ready to go. The flunky turned and nodded to Sliva. "Let''s go." She entered the Dungeon. The first room was an entry room for the tower and building on the surface. Halo had gathered what intelligence could. Everything he had found told them that the tower and attached buildings were empty and could be ignored. Well, that was not true. She could see the sharoon. The monster was huddled in a corner of the rafters, watching them but not making any hostile moves. With her elven blood, Sliva had far better eyes than a human. Shadow magic flowed around it, helping the creature hide in the rafters. "Do we engage it?" Elron asked. She looked at it, thinking about any advantage to killing it. "No. There is no advantage to us killing it. We would not get much from the deed." She spoke to the group. "War sign from here on." Elron nodded and they turned to the next door, the rest were silent but understood. Their eyes could see in almost pitch darkness. This room had blue moss growing on the walls, a recent addition they had heard. The soft blue light revealed the room''s furniture and exit. The tower had the same moss lighting the room. Torch brackets on the wall held unlit torches. The thing that interested the group was the stairs going down. With a single motion, they began to descend. The first floor surprised them, with the stairs continuing down. Sliva motioned the corridor to the west. Halo glided down the corridor. He would alert them to any dangers or traps. The blue moss was all over the Dungeon, giving some light. They found a door that Halo motioned that could only be opened from the other side. Strange. The first room was bare of danger, but a tin vein was on one wall. They were not here for the metal and moved on. ## ## ## ## ## "Who is this lot?" This new group was strange. The first thing that stood out was their movement. The best way to describe them was "graceful." They were looking around the room and then two spoke to each other. "Well, that is not the local lingo." The words had a musical sound that was very different to how the locals spoke. I got closer to get a better look at them. Four were wearing hooded cloaks and the last a helmet. "Elves?" They were not human, which was now easy to see. They could be confused with humans from a distance until they started to move or speak. Their gear was also different from what I had seen or collected. It appeared to be of much better quality in both craftsmanship and materials. The material seemed to simmer as they moved. "I would like some of this stuff." I looked at them again with my Mana Sight skill. They all lit up with magical items. It was not as blinding for two reasons. I was further away, and they did not have as much, but again, it was better quality compared to most of the humans. Returning to normal, I went back to watching. It was then I noticed one looking in Larry''s direction. He was already freaked out by these strange-smelling strangers and was huddled near his escape hatch. "Shit, Larry, best get out and hide." Before he could, the elves sprang into action and moved through the door to the tower base. They moved in near silence and with no communication, just a few hand gestures. "Sign language?" They were down the stairs and on the 1st floor. The stairs continuing down made them pause. I could not read their expressions well, but I think they were surprised. Well, everyone else you realised they had direct access to the rest of the Dungeon were normally. They were fast! They moved across the room and into the second corridor. The one leading them was a male¡­ I think. He was tall and dressed in dark blue clothing, allowing him to blend in with the patches of darkness. "Rogue. A damn safe bet with that one." The rest were melee fighters, two archers and some support-type healers or magic users, but I could not tell yet. My assumption of a rogue was proven right when he exposed the first trap after motioning his group to stop. They moved on and cleared the first room with wasps in less than thirty seconds. The two archers fired arrows off so fast that even I had trouble keeping up. "Bloody Hell!" After collecting the reward and arrows, they moved on. The rest of the traps and wasps were swept aside with ease. They reminded me of Doltum but were not as flashy; they moved with precision and speed. The boss''s room was entered and the Guardian fell with an arrow through its skull, killing it instantly. "This is getting ridiculous!" The reward was collected, but they paused as one of the archers, the male checked the Guardian''s body. They waited for several minutes, but nothing was taken from the body. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "The second will be no challenge for these guys. Maybe even the third." They had opened the door and were heading for the stairs. "Queen! We have trouble incoming!" I explained to her what was happening as the elves slaughtered their way through the second floor¡ªarrows vs toads. Arrows won. They removed the toad''s room by room. The water hampered them little and the traps even less. The boss again took an arrow to the head through an eye and collapsed dead. They spent longer here. The body was again inspected, and the flowers were harvested. The flowers had become their most animated subject so far. They were using some form of sign language, so I had no idea what was being said. "Well, that is just rude. I put a lot of work on this floor when I built it." Then they were off again and down the stairs. "Come on, you boars!" They advance to the first room and the boar dies. The melee fighter actually drew his sword as the archers took my first boar out. This was taking the piss now! In the next room, things went a bit differently. Well, not much. Three boars attacked and one went down as soon as it started moving. The second boar meets its end a few seconds later. The third was intercepted by the fighter and the rogue stabbed it to death with two aimed strikes to its heart and brain from its flank. "Wow! The others can fight as well." The only one who had not done anything yet was the support. Still, I was unsure of a healer or spellcaster. Again, room by room, they swept through the floor. The archers took the boars out with almost comical ease. Then they reached the Guardian. The archers were just behind the melee fighter as the boss charged. Two arrows flew forward, but here, things went differently. Just before impact, the boar dropped his head. One arrow bounced off while a tough hide and thick skull stopped the other. The Boar glowed a faint red and accelerated on his attack charge. CRACK! The impact was loud and the fighter was pushed back by the impact as the boar was knocked back. "Holy Shit! He just tanked a full charge!" The elf was tall but not very broad. I was sure the Guardian would have run right over him. The rogue attacked from the side and wounded the boar, but my boy was not out of the fight yet! The boar turned to attack the rogue, but he danced away as two arrows dug into his side. The red health bar continued to drop, but he was a tough bastard. The elves could overcome him, which they did with several more blows from the fighter and rogue. The body was stripped of its hide and meat harvested. The kill reward and the room''s flowers were also collected. If I read them correctly, the group was slightly less confident from their body language and hand gestures. I think. It took them longer to continue, and the harvesting of the resources was not quick. The fighter was inspecting his damaged shield. The support member of the group was standing around, not doing anything. The rest were doing something, but she was not getting involved. Odd. Reviewing their actions up to now, it became clear that they were having the elf hold back. She was always the last one in a room and if there were any threats, they were eliminated before she entered. The rest I understood. How they moved and acted were all classic adventurer troupes. But this one was different. "Why are they protecting you?" "When will they arrive, Bhaldor?" "They are just collecting their due as the victors from the third floor." "Very well, I will be ready." "I have noticed something that might give you the advantage." I usually did not interfere with groups, but this group was way above my Dungeon regarding power. I walked Queen through how they operated and what tactics I had seen. Would she win? I doubted it. Could she give them a run for their money? Maybe. They had finished and were moving back to the stairs. "Silver or gold tier?" I wondered about them. I was sure they were not copper. Gran and his group were copper and the third could have given them some trouble. These elves almost just walked through it. Sure, there were one or two close calls, but nothing that would say that they were stressed about the boars. The fourth floor was reached. The elves were now looking at the first cavern. This had them pause as the female archer made several gestures. "She must be the leader." The rogue was moving into the cavern, but the webbing limited his routes. The others followed the fighter, archers, and finally, the odd one. The spiders attacked. They came in from ambush positions close to the path that had been left through the cavern and moved quickly across the distance. The archers killed both with headshots. "Oh, for fuck''s sake!" The reward was collected and as they picked up the coins, I thought about them. They were relying on the archers to pick out vulnerable spots and score critical hits on the monsters they were facing. I was unsure if they were using skills or if it was coming from experience. The fighter could block anything that got through, allowing the rogue to hit it from the side or rear. In all, it''s a good group tactic. So, how do you get around it? They were also not using additional light sources, meaning that their eyes were better than humans, but how good was the question? They were moving into the next room. The archers would be more restricted now, with the smaller room and rafter beams allowing more directions for attacks. The spiders were hidden in the alcoves, one on the ground and the other near a rafter beam. Both are good positions to ambush from. They attacked¡­ and died with arrows in their skulls. They had gotten closer but still were picked off by the archers. I explained the group''s tactics to Queen and how they were guarding the elf in the back. She told me she would be ready. The octagon room had been cleared by the time we finished the conversation. I had some hope for the next. They could handle two spiders, but how would they react to eight? They entered the room, moving in their typical formation. The webbing filled the space, giving only one route through. The spiders were stirring. They knew that intruders were in their place and were getting ready to attack. When the elves were deep into the room, not able to escape easily, they struck. Well, that was the plan. Two died as soon as the archers put beads on them. Arrows punched through their skulls, and the other six were moving against them fast. The rogue and fighter braced to meet the spiders. The archers pulled more arrows from their quivers. Another spider died, but the second targeted dodged, but this broke its attack. The other got close enough and attacked. The rogue was fighting one, the melee guy was dealing with two, and the last was going after the male archer. The fight was tough for the spiders; they could not gain an advantage over the elves. The elves quickly dominated the fight and picked off the spiders. The archers swapped out their bows for short swords and displayed their proficiency with them. They went from spider to spider, killing them and freeing the elf to join the others against the remaining ones. I watched them die and score no meaningful strikes back against the elves. "Well, that was disappointing." I had hoped for more of a showing from the spiders in this room, but their numbers had not availed them of any meaningful advantage. The elves progressed after collecting the reward for killing the spiders. The greater shadow spiders fared no better. It was now down to Queen. The elves entered her cavern and watched for the floor guardian. She had positioned herself on the ceiling and was partially hidden by a stalactite and the ceiling''s shape. She was using her natural abilities to their best, using the shadows in the room to enhance her hiding skills. I do not think they had spotted her. The rogue was the furthest in the line, and she let out a musical warning as she dropped. He dodged out of the way as she impacted the floor where he had been standing. The archers loosed arrows while the melee fighter advanced. Queen was ready. She moved her head and used a leg to prevent the arrows from piercing her eyes. She responded by spitting her webbing at the male archer. He was not as nimble as the rogue and was hit by the webbing. This, in turn, knocked him back into more that was behind him, tangling him up good. Queen was not having the fight go all her own way, as the rogue and fighter were now engaging her. Her shell was tough, but they were getting through and she used her bulk to reposition herself. She activated her spiderling summoning skill as she fought the two elves attacking her. The swarm erupted from the nest sacks near the elf that they were protecting. The elf was focused on the fight and did not realise what was happening until they covered her. She screamed out, panicked, as they attacked her. This distracted the others. Queen took advantage of it. She triggered her charge skill and bulldozered forward with a sudden burst of speed. The rogue was knocked aside into more webbing and the fighter was knocked over onto his back. The female archer was helping the elf who was being attacked by the spiderlings. The fighter was trapped under his shield as Queen battered it. Her bulk meant that the fighter could not get up or get an angle to attack the Guardian back. The rogue was attacking from the side, trying to distract the Guardian, but one of her legs was keeping him back. The male archer was freeing himself from the webbing and the other was clearing the spiderlings off the elf, who had not done anything yet. Queen was winning? A fire bolt slammed into Queen''s head. The elf was now almost free from the spiderlings and made her presence known in the fight. She was holding out a wand that she cast the spell through. The female archer followed it up with an arrow. This one struck Queen in the eye as she was distracted from the firebolt hitting her. She let out a scream of pain and stepped back. This allowed the fighter to get out from under her. Both archers were now back in the fight and began showering Queen with arrows. The fighter and rogue joined in. I watched the red health bar drain at a frightening speed. Queen fought on but was overwhelmed by the group''s attacks. The elf in the back was a spell caster and added her abilities to the fight. With a grunt, she collapsed and died. Chapter 63 The floor boss was dead. Sliva looked over her party. She was noting the heavy breath and signs of injuries. The Dungeon had mercilessly pushed them far beyond what she would have anticipated for this floor. "How is everyone?" She spoke, attracting everyone''s attention. Her team was battered. The floor boss had been much tougher than they expected. The giant spider was smarter and had used its abilities to great effect. Elron was still covered in webbing, which he was trying to pull off. Dayon was battered and bruised but had avoided serious injury. Asta was covered in spider bites but was also without major injury. Only Halo and herself were uninjured. They told her that they were ready to continue. Dayon and Asta were drinking healing tonics as Halo collected the reward for the kill. Elro moved up next to her. "Well, that was an unpleasant surprise." He quipped. Sliva shook her head at this. "This Dungeon is strange." "Which part, Sliva? The direct access to the floors or the rapidly increased power of the monsters on each floor. Or that each floor has different environments and monster types that are not linked?" "All good points. I am fearful of how the clans of our and other elven nations will react to this place." This silenced him. The others could hear their conversation but were being polite and avoiding joining in. "Asta." Sliva motioned for her to join them. The younger elf came over. "Yes, Sliva?" "You did well in the fight." Sliva was not arrogant and praised when someone was worthy of it. The other elf acknowledged the praise with a slight nod of her head. "What do you think we will encounter on the next floor?" She asked. "I am afraid that is a question we will not be able to answer until we get there," Sliva said honestly. "The elders are going to be unhappy with this place." She said, looking around. They could still see the bite marks on her exposed skin, but the healing tonic was causing the red, angry swelling to fade. "We will let them decide how they will feel about this place, shall we?" Elron said. The younger elf said nothing more. "She is learning slowly but learning." Sliva thought to herself. The group collected themselves and made their way to the stairwell. The next and final floor beaconed. This time, they took a moment before advancing. They were silver grade, but a copper monster that they underestimated could kill them. The floor boss had reminded them of this. "Conversation will remain to the minimum. We move with purpose and wisdom." She motioned to Halo, and they started moving with him in the lead. The team had spent decades together and could predict each other''s actions, but Asta did not reap that benefit. Sliva was dismissive of the Dungeon when they entered but was not anymore and her team had the same attitude. The ever-present moss was growing on the walls, lighting the path ahead. They came to another room. There were no more stairs leading down and the room looked like it was still ready for workers to continue to dig further down. To the north was a heavy door with an open portal to the south. Halo checked the door, turned to Sliva and shook his head in the negative. So, it could not be opened from this side. If this floor was like the others, the floor boss would be on the other side. They went south. As soon as they left the stairs, the paved stone changed to loose earth and ahead was another cavern. The lack of stalactites was the first point of concern. Halo was in the cavern with his short sword drawn. Each step was so light he left no footprints behind him. He was tense but ready and expecting the ambush. When it came, he sprang aside as the giant worm erupted from the ground. The worm''s open front section, covered by dozens of teeth, missed the elf. Elron and Sliva drew their bows and aimed at the monster. The problem was immediately evident to both of them: the monster had no eyes! The two arrows were loosed as Dayton advanced anyway, impacting the worm''s body. Each arrow dug in, but no major injuries were inflicted. The worm turned to face the archer, allowing Dayton to close and slide his sword into its open mouth. Grey blood gushed from the injury and the worm recollide from its attacker. "Asta, engage!" Sliva ordered. Asta unleashed a firebolt and the spell impacted the monster''s hide, burning it. Halo moved in and finished it with a thrust to its flank. The flash of the reward was noted. "Well, that is annoying." Elron said as he inspected the body of the monster. They knew what he meant. The group was built around Elron and Sliva''s tactic of picking out vital areas, such as eyes, with their arrows. The goal was to blind or inflict a kill shot. Dayton and Halo then moved in and finished off anything that was still alive. Well, these worms had no eyes or brains to target. "Change of tactics. Elron, we fire as soon as they appear. Dayton and Halo strike at any opening. Asta use your magic when you have a target." They all nodded at her orders. "Two exits east or south?" Halo pointed out. Sliva thought for a few seconds. "South. We can swing back if it''s the wrong direction." The corridor led to another room with a dirt floor but bricked walls. Another worm attacked and died. The reward was collected and they moved on. Sliva would count everything when it was all over. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Before entering the next room, Halo stopped dead, which stopped the rest. He knelt and began investigating the ground around the doorway. They waited, trusting in their team''s skills. With a quick motion, he cut a thin wire that they became aware of. He continued to move forward slowly into the room. With sharp motions, he broke the surface of three pit traps around the entrance of the room. When he was satisfied, he motioned them forward. The three traps were similar to those on the earlier floors, but instead of flint arrowheads, they were iron-serrated ones. This markedly increased the danger of this floor. "No worm." Halo signed. They crossed the pits and entered the room. "Onwards." Sliva motioned with her hand. The next room entrance stopped Halo again. He began inspecting something in the dirt with the blade of a stiletto dagger. Whatever it was, he was getting concerned. Sliva knew this from his body language. Having spent decades travelling with her team, she knew them so well that she could read their thoughts from their body language alone. He turned to them and signed. "Large pressure plate. Beware." They individually crossed into the room avoiding the marked-out area that Halo had created. Three were in the room, Elron and Asta, waiting to enter when the worms attacked. Dayton was the one attacked as he was the deepest in the room. He blocked the first, but the second came from a different direction and bit into his leg. He let out a cry of pain as his leg gave way and he fell to his knee. Silva''s team''s reaction was fast. Arrows soon impaled the worms'' bodies as Halo moved to protect Dayton. Yellow blood soon flowed as Halo stabbed, and more arrows impacted the worms. Dayton did what he could but was bleeding badly. The fight was fast and brutal, ending as quickly as it started. Sliva rushed over to her fallen companion as the others covered them. The worm had caught him on the back of the knee, where there was no armour. She reached into her satchel and handed him a bottle with a glowing red, almost blood-coloured liquid. "Drink this now! No arguments." He nodded, pulling the cork out, breaking the seal and downing the contents. Healing potions were expensive, but his injuries were beyond that of a tonic. His knee was mangled and a good chunk was missing, with blood pumping from the wounded flesh. The potion took only seconds to get to work. Sliva feared the wound would be beyond even the potion''s ability to heal. But as she watched, it seemed the magic was strong enough to heal her companion''s body. After a minute she asked the important question. "Can you stand?" Dayton nodded and rose. He was unsteady at first but quickly found his footing. He walked around, getting his strength back, the colour returning to his face. "As soon as Dayton is ready we go on." The group welcomed the brief respite. She knew they could go on, but pushing too hard was an easy way to get them all killed. Dayton was soon ready and Halo went into the next corridor. The next room was different. It was a circular room with a pit full of serrated arrowheads and a walkway around the edge. Halo quickly exposed the false sections that would cause a careless adventurer to slip and fall. Another worm died in the next room. The pedestal was new to them, so Halo inspected it. "Thoughts?" Sliva asked. "Trapped and a good one. I can''t get around it." "Is it worth it?" "It appears the bag contains several coins." Sliva thought about it only for a few seconds. "Leave it. We have spent too much time here as it is." They continued through the next few rooms, killing the worms and ignoring the alcove with another bag in it. They knew the next room contained the boss. "Rest for a few moments. We will enter then." The break was more to let them gather their thoughts and prepare themselves. The last floor boss had been harder to beat than they were willing to admit. This Dungeon followed no rules that they had seen in the others. Sliva knew that she was going to be questioned extensively over this Dungeon. "We are going to kill the boss and inspect the core room. Then we are leaving." She gave them the time she thought they needed and then motioned for them to go. They walked into the boss''s room. Like most of the Dungeon, the ground was loose earth, but this room had a large mound on the far side. They entered and formed a rough skirmish line with Asta hanging back in the doorway and Dayton out further in front. The boss waited until they were a bit further in and then attacked. The monstrous worm erupted from the mound, glowing slightly from a skill activation. It crossed the ground towards Dayton who braced and used his own. Sliva and Elron released arrows as they moved aside, but they had no effect. The impact between the two was loud and knocked Dayton off his feet, back through the air. He hit the ground hard. The worm appeared stunned. Sliva''s group continued to attack. "Elron. Swap to piercing arrows. We are not getting through its hide!" Eight arrows were peppering the worm''s hide, but almost no blood could be seen. It appeared to be a rock over flesh. Halo was stabbing with his daggers and had a bit more success. Asta had joined the attacks with her spells. The third impact against the worm was ice magic. She was changing each spell looking for the best. Sliva glanced at Dayton to see he was getting back to his feet while downing a tonic. He did not look good. The boss was trying to bite or crush Halo, but the elf was fast and dodged around it. The worm''s size would work in its favour if it caught Halo even with a glancing blow. Elron loosed the first piercing arrow, and it struck true, but again, little damage was done. By the Stars! This thing was tough! Dayton rejoined the fight. He and Halo tried to keep the boss distracted as the others used arrows and spells to wear it down. Dayton was not as fast as Halo and was caught as the boss lounged forward, mouth open to eat him. Dayton''s shield was rammed into the maw, preventing the elf from being bitten in half, but it was cracking under the strain as the teeth sliced into it. The creature''s strength was overpowering him. "Alchemist fire!" Elron shouted. He had pulled a sickly green glowing flask bottle from his dimensional bag. Dayton heard him and slicked at the leather straps holding the shield to his arm with his sword. As soon as he was free, he jumped back, and Dayton''s shield shattered. The boss opened its mouth to spit out the shield''s remains and Elron threw the flask. Sliva loosed an arrow that collided with it and caused the flask to shatter¡­. The flash, boom and heat from the blast disorientated all of them. They recovered quickly. The boss did not. It was writhing in pain as the green/blue fire burned within its mouth. It was lashing around and with a glancing blow, it caught Elron, knocking him from his feet. Dayton and Halo attacked where they got an opening. Sliva and Asta attacked from afar. Elron was injured but got back to his feet, rejoining the fight. They battered down the boss for the next few minutes, taking some hits back in turn. In the end, they brought it down, but the fight seemed to go on forever. When the boss collapsed Elron and Dayton quickly followed. Halo and Sliva remained standing but were tired and aching. Asta was leaning against the doorway sweating from the strain of casting so many spells. "Well-well, that was unpleasant." Elro quips from the ground, panting. "Check yourselves over." Sliva ordered. Everyone but Asta had some form of injury and needed treatment. The reward for the kill was collected but the body was left untouched as they had no idea what any of it was worth. Dayton pulled his spare shield from his dimensional bag as they got ready to move on. They walked down the southern corridor and exited the room back into the stairwell. Sliva was now confused. "Asta, can you see the essence flows and see where the Core is?" Asta''s eyes glowed as she changed her perception. She looked around and was frowning. Blinking rapidly, the skill ended. "The essence flows are all confused. I cannot see the route to the Core." "Could it be in the section we missed?" Elron asked. "Possibly." Sliva looked around the stairwell. This whole exploration had been strange. The clans of her nation were going to demand more answers than she had. Money-wise, they were going to break even with what they had used and gained. The fourth and fifth-floor bosses were both tougher than they expected. All within the copper rating of the Dungeon. They could check the missed section of the floor. Her team could do it, but they were battered and tired. They awaited her order. "We are done. Let''s see the sun once more." With her order, they left the Dungeon via the stairs. Chapter 64 "Well, that was interesting." The elves had just left the Dungeon and it was resetting. My focus was with Larry in the rafters again. The resetting was automated and did not need my full attention. He had just returned from hiding in another part of the building to his favourite spot. "The two teams who have cleared the fifth suffer similar injuries in the same rooms." Larry was uninterested, but I was really talking to myself anyway. "I would have thought the outcomes would have been more varied with the different racial and team makeup." Larry rolled over, showing me his back. "That alchemist fire is something I need to get my hands on." That was a surprise and gave me downright evil thoughts about what I could do with it. Additionally, the elves had missed one of the piercing arrows, which I now had added to my inventory. With the essence gained, it was a visit that got me thinking. "I never understood what they were saying but got the feeling that they were looking for my Core at the end." The next team came into the Dungeon, an Iron group I had seen before. A group of six with a good mix of classes. They would be going after the boars on the third. Hides and meat were the main sources of income for many such groups, and most Iron groups were involved in the trade. I was aware of them bypassing the first and second flights of stairs. They continued to the third and kept walking down the stairs. "What are you lot up to?" This drew my attention to them. I watched as they went to the fourth. Their conversations as they walked informed me that they were after the webbing on the floor that was used to make spider silk. They went into the cavern and had a bad time with the spiders. They won and killed the spiders, but now they were nursing their own injuries. They went around collecting the webbing. They were inexperienced at this task, and I was entertained watching them. They got wrapped up and covered in webbing. They cursed and swore at each other and the webbing. They eventually collected the webbing but decided not to carry it onto the floor. "They would never have gotten to the third room." They went out of the Dungeon. I watched the rest of the groups coming and going. "I need to start thinking about the next floor. What will floor six be." No other teams were brave or stupid enough to try the floors beyond their abilities. "Ogres?.... No, not yet, but soon." The third was getting farmed aggressively today. The boars were not going down easily but were going down. There were injuries and close calls, but not one death¡­. yet. "Minion first, then environment. So, what do I have." I opened my minion list screen, even though my memory did allow me to recall the whole list and I reviewed what I had. "Nothing is jumping out at me." What to do? Bigger wasps? New boars? More threatening toads¡­. Maybe not. I could have more traps as well. That is something. I mull over my options as the adventurers wander about my Dungeon. ## ## ## ## ## Elian was at her desk when Albrot swept into her office. The towering man was like a force of nature. Everywhere he went, everything was thrown into chaos. This was a combination of his stature and personality. Today was no different. "I have arrived!" She was so surprised that she fell out of her chair as they fell back. "Gods damn it, Elian! You must be ready for anything as a Guild Leader." He roared as he slammed the door. The man was different in his communications, as they are normally monitored and he needed to sound professional. In person, he was far more ¡­. loud. "Albrot, can you ever bloody knock?" She shouted back as she got up and straightened her chair. Albrot threw himself into the chair in front of her desk, and Elian sat back into hers behind the desk. She was not concerned with her tone as he demanded competence, not deference, from his underlings. "Why am I here, Elian." Elian took a moment and motioned to the room and her ear. He rolled his eyes and pulled out something from his coat. It was a crystal wrapped in a silver wirework sphere. He channelled his mana into the object, and it started to glow. He placed it on her desk. "There, we can talk now." She let out a sigh as she leaned back in the chair. "Well, it''s nice to see you too, Albrot." He snorted at that. "Elian, you have dragged me to the ass end of the continent to speak about something that you will not address about through a message scroll about this Dungeons Core. I ask again, why am I here?" If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Elian took a moment before speaking. She needs to be careful here as disaster could follow for everyone. "You have asked me about the Core." He nodded, acknowledging her words. "I was with Doltum when he discovered the Core." "I knew that old goat would find it. Where is it?" "I made a promise not to disclose the location." Albrot frowned at this. It was not normal for this to be done by the Guild leader. "Why?" "Doltum had me agree to his terms as the Core would not welcome its reveal." "Again, I ask, why?" She sighed and tried to find the right words. "We found the Core, but its appearance caused some issues." Albrot said nothing, but his body language said, "Get on with it!". She jumped right in. "The Core was black." For the first time in the years she knew him, Albrot was lost for words. "Black?" He asked, shocked and confused. Elian remained silent, letting him work through the implications of what she had said. His body posture suddenly changed as he focused. "Tell me what you can." People who had met him often saw him as brash and loud, but she and now the real Albrot, One of the Kyber continents Adventurer Guild Masters, spoke. Elian swallowed her fear as the air in the room became charged. "The Core has hidden itself by location and manipulating the essence flows through the Dungeon. When it was revealed, the Core was black, not just black but a depth of colour that seemed to absorb light around it. Along its surface, I noted several specks of different coloured lights. It looked like staring at the night sky through a lens." He was silent through the explanation but stared at her intently. "I have explored five Dungeons, viewed their Cores for the guild and read about dozens of others in the archives. I have never heard of a black Core or the strange things that it has been doing with the Dungeon." She fell silent, allowing her superior time to think. "I have read your reports on the strange goings on. Have you had an opportunity to consult with the Dungeons companion?" He asked. "At this time, no¡­" Another thing she was unsure of. "But?" He pressed. "I do not think there is one." She blurted out her suspicion. Albrot fell silent again. So many things to consider. Elian understood some of the things running through his mind. She had been wrestling with many of them since she arrived first to explore the Dungeon. One or two quirks could be explained away, but this Dungeon was too intelligent, too different, and attracting the wrong kind of attention. Throw in the appearance of the twisted Ogre and the strange rules when dealing with them. The divine rules they thought were the foundation of all Dungeons were not applied here. That alone was terrifying. "What has the church of Astraus said on this?" "Publicly. This is all within their patrons will." "Privately?" "I even think they have no idea of what is happening." "What of the others? I know your community has quite a few present." "All." "Sorry, what did you say?" He was momentarily confused, wondering if he just heard her correctly. "All of the pantheon is here, Albrot." She gave that a moment to sink in. "I have learned that the priests and clergy are just as much in the dark as us." He was silent in thought again. Elian got comfortable in her chair and waited. "Who else knows?" "Including you four." "Good, keep it that way." He became silent again. "This will change everything if it becomes known." He said quietly. Elian was unsure if he was talking to her or himself. "Another Folly would surely follow." He had closed his eyes, and Elian knew he was looking at the problem from every angle. His examination had already revealed the problems and dangers she faced, including a hundred she had never considered. "Elian, you have done well to keep this a secret. We cannot allow the Core to be seen if we can avoid it. The problem is that the Dungeon would have attracted attention by its existence if the Core became known¡­ Gods know the results." "What will you tell the Guild council?" "At this time, nothing. I will consult the Paragon and see her thoughts on this." Elian shivered at the use of that title. Each Guild had a council of masters on each continent that ran the Guild, which the Paragon led. The Paragons sat in the world council that dictated the laws of the Guild for every race and land. Things might escalate quickly when she finds out. "I will continue here for a few days to make it look like an official visit to check up on this newest Guild branch. Then I will be away to the Capital." Cythia was the centre of the old empire and was still called the Capital by most. It was still the largest city on the continent but was a shadow of what it was once. Many were the capitals of their successor kingdoms but none could challenge that city. "Right then, young Elian. Let''s see your books¡­.." Elian groaned, knowing that she was going to be bogged down in paperwork for hours. ## ## ## ## ## Rickle was the God of Luck. Most in the world knew it to take the aspect of a male or female depending on the worshipper. On the continent of Kyber, Lady Luck was fickle, but most knew Rickle as a male God who laughed at you at the worst possible time with a (un)healthy dose of bad luck given without malice (well, most of the time). Would this God be laughing if it could see all that was happening? The divine sight was good but not all-seeing. Across the world, things have always been in motion. Action and reaction. Cause and effect. Fate or Destiny. Name it what you would. Things are constantly in motion. The Dungeon in a mountain range on the continent of Kyber was having spreading effects. The locals were coming to terms with it and the races further abroad were becoming more interested. Strange things were happening around it. However, the most significant effect was something that Oda should have added to his list of errors if he had fully understood what he had created. The Core was designed to act as a beacon to attract the void corrupted to it. This had already happened with the corrupted ogre called Thrugg. What he did not know was the range of the effect of the Core. As soon as the Core arrived, all the corrupted in their lairs and hiding places felt its presence. Worldwide. What was his mistake? He truly does not understand what he is fighting against in his fear, desperation and arrogance. The Void. As the Core grew, so did the pull. Thrugg was the first, but most resisted worldwide. Others moved, unable to ignore the call. It was something that they could not deny, so they followed the siren song, pulling them towards their goal. They were affecting the world in so many ways. Battles were being fought as the corrupted intruded on the territories of others. If the corrupted moved on with victory, they would get stronger, spreading their corruption in their wake. If they lost, they would pass on their corruption anyway to the victor to become like them. The natural patterns of the world were changing and those who watched such things were seeing the disruption. The world''s races were becoming aware of the dangers as these creatures struck out at small communities and travellers. At the moment, they could only see strange creatures and monsters randomly striking out at easy targets. No one could see the big picture. They had pieces but were ignorant of the scale of what was happening. There was a method to the attacks. The corrupted were moving in a singular direction. They had a purpose. This was the monsters and beasts. What of the intelligent races that were corrupted? The Void sought to claim all. They were few in number, but the void was slowly claiming them. In time, they spread the corruption, allowing the claiming of more. They felt the call and the weakest started to move. Plots and plans were put into motion. Others just killed or revelled in their madness, but still, they started moving and affecting the world around them in more subtle ways. It was said that Rickle laughed at the plans of mortals when facing the world. Would Rickle laugh at the plans of a God facing the Void? Chapter 65 Sliva''Elania Fellonia, child of the Lands of Starlight, wondered what she had done to anger the Gods to demand such a cruel punishment. The message scroll she had used to contact her home nation was in her hands. They had been communicating for the last few days. The request for information and her thoughts had been relentless, but for the previous day, there was silence. Then, the final message arrived, informing her of her people''s decision. Her team had been politely avoiding her as she dealt with their people, but they had all picked up on her body language change. They were waiting for her words in the room they continued to rent in the Shadow''s Rest tavern. They had to extend their stay and were hoping to be gone soon. They had sold the Dungeons loot and paid their dues to the Lord and Guild. "Not pleasant tidings for us then?" Elron asked. "No. We are to stay here to continue to report on the town and Dungeon until a group representing the Starlight Lands arrives." She knew them well enough to give them the news without flowery language. The news stirred a palpable unease among the group, their collective anxiety manifesting in a restless rustle. Asta, the most outspoken of them all, was the only one to voice her concerns. "What madness! Must we spend more time amongst these savage beasts! I will talk to my family at once!" "Asta, it was pushed by your clan." Sliva was tired but did not lose her temper. She resigned to remaining here longer, knowing she could not move against her family''s wishes. This brought an end to the storm that the young elf was building to. The rest of the group became as resigned as their leader. "We have things to do if we are staying. This is what we need¡­." ## ## ## ## ## In the mountains, the local monster population was still recovering from Thrugg''s passage. Those who challenged him died, leaving vacuums in the local monster peaking order the others were trying to fill. His passage had left more than death and fear. Void corruption had affected a few. The seeds had been planted and the process of corruption had started slowly but was gathering pace. At first, it was small things, but the corruption began showing itself over time, changing body, mind, and soul. Animals and monsters quickly identified the corrupted and cast them out or avoided them. Many died to the claws and fangs of others, sometimes in turn corrupting their killers and starting the cycle again. Those who survived tried to get stronger, but the pull from the Dungeon was too great, so close to it and they were drawn to it. They were slower than Thruggs'' advance, but they were moving now. Winter was well past and summer was in full force. The ruler of Shadow Vale became aware of the danger through stories. He kept the practice of listening to the stories told by the small folk. It was the reason that he now held the position he now did. Whispers around hearths with roaring fires with ale was the start. He did not hear these first, but the tales continued growing and he came to hear them. Most heard them and laughed. The Lord heard them and worried. Unlike most, he had options to explore and see if they were real. He feared they were. ## ## ## ## ## "Are there no other issues with my request?" Ranus asked. Elian was in her office, with Albrot sitting in. Ranus had supplied all the payment requests and completed forms. This was a simple formality to confirm his request before it was posted to the adventurer community within the town. Elian and her superior had read over the request. Albrot was not interfering in his underling''s guild branch, as that was considered incredibly rude unless warranted. Elian had told Ranus that formality was required when he attended this meeting. A Guild Master was in town and she wanted to have him see the branch''s professionalism. They could have done it in his meeting room, but he agreed to do it here as a sign of respect. Albrot had said nothing, but Elian sensed he approved of the young Lord. "No, Lord Goldwind. Everything is in order and the request will be posted on the notice board at midday today for all to see." "Thank you. I hope that the issue will be resolved or even proven false. I would like to stay, but I must beg your forgiveness, as matters of governance are never-ending." With this, he left the two Guild members to their conversations. "Are you sharing a head receptionist?" Albrot asked. "Naru insisted. She is seeking to improve her place along the Paths and this was her idea of how to do it. So far, she is handling both positions very well. I do think she will need to choose on which one soon." Albrot chuckled. He enjoyed the rough way things were being done and was happy to be away from the politics his job demanded he deal with. "To be fair, it is a standard request," Elian added, looking at the form she would place downstairs later. "Maybe." This caused her to look at her mentor and superior. Albrot had his copy and read it while stroking his beard. She knew this signalled he was thinking something. "What are you thinking?" "Has he made any requests like this before?" "Not really. There are a few targeted ones, but not a broad sweep like this. He has been busy and I have been expecting this for a few months." "A request to search the local valleys to the north to identify hostile monster populations for further action to a range of thirty miles." Albrot broke down the basics of the request. "Something we both know he needs to do. The valleys to the south are more traversed and several active requests are going on each day." A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "I noticed." Albrot fell silent, still looking at the vellum he held and stroking his beard. "Do you know how the young Goldwind became a Lord?" "I was there, remember." His question threw her slightly. "True, the Right granted it, but how did he find the Dungeon." Albrot chuckled but pressed on. Elian paused and thought about what he was asking. Albrot had seen something or at least suspected it. "He heard a few rumours that he decided to investigate." "I remember we all thought he was insane. Claiming that there was a Dungeon in the mountains." "True. But he was right. That''s what has got me worried." ¡°What am I missing then, Albrot.¡± Elian said after a few moments of contemplation. "He has done something you should be doing as well. He is listening to local stories being told. What has he heard that has made him take action?" Elian understood what her superior was saying. He had been building up a whisper network, but this was a new branch and time was a luxury she had little to spare. "I have started to establish my own whisper network." She said, feeling defensive. "I know, Elian. I know. You are doing very well here. No one in the Guild has been critical of your actions outside the usual malcontents." Elian''s accession to Guild Leader of a new branch had ruffled more than a few feathers. The Guild was an old organisation. Politics was a present force within the organisation. Factions were found across the continent. As long as they did not breach the public appearance of the Guild, they were tolerated. Those who reached the position of Master mainly were beyond the worst of the internal politics. Mostly. "Who''s complaining now?" "Leave the complaints to me. Stop avoiding the question I posed." "He has heard enough of something to have him investigate it. This means even if it is false, he is concerned enough to investigate it." Elian was sure this was Ranus''s reasoning for his request. "Good. Lord Goldwind is willing to fund an investigation of a possible source of danger." "Do you think there is something to it?" Albrot thought in silence for a few moments. "Yes. The twisted ogre was from the north. Investigating any whisper of another is a good sign for the town''s future. It is always best to be safe than sorry, Elian." She looked at her mentor. He was looking into some distance at a view only he could see. "What should I do?" Albrot focused and looked at his pupil. "Keep doing what you are doing and ensure the Lord''s request is quickly fulfilled." He stood and stretched with a grunt. "Stay alert. We need to be aware of any threats that emerge from the north." ## ## ## ## ## Lord Goldwind had heard whispers of strange goings on to the north. He heard and took action. The problem was he was too late. The first of the "twisted" had arrived in the valley. In the wild north of the valley, a large snake moved south. It was being drawn ever on towards something that it could not understand. The passing of a greater monster had changed it. A strange power had entered the snake and it slept as it changed. When it awoke, it was stronger and killed many who challenged it. It was strong, but the pull was more substantial. It had come to a new valley, knowing it was close now. In the distance, it could see a building that was where it needed to go. ## ## ## ## ## The day was over. The adventurers were gone. The miners were not in today and from what I had overheard, they were still arguing about what to do about the resource node changes. "Well, there was not much they could do in the end." Larry was still ignoring me as I spoke. The door and shutters were open and I sensed a warm breeze passing through the room. Summer was here and I was in no rush to close up the Dungeon. Over the spring, I acquired a few more plants through their floating seeds and a few adventurers dragging the rest in on their boots. Nothing unique or screamed, "Plant me now!" I noted them and continued. I did gain a level in herb lore from them, so that was something, at least. The Dungeon had fallen into the usual rhythm of adventurers by day and me tinkering at night. There were a few deaths and injuries, but no party wipes. I was thinking about the sixth floor but had found no inspiration about what to do with it when it became available. "I feel so uninspired." It was about an hour after everyone had gone. "Best close up I might¡­" Something entered the Dungeon and the alert filled my vision.
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! A Void Corrupted creature is attacking your Dungeon. Kill it before it destroys you! Rally your minions! Defend your Core and Dungeon! ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Minion room/floor restrictions have been lifted until the raid has been completed or defeated!
"FUCK!" I frantically scanned around, looking for the monster that was attacking my Dungeon and found¡­. "¡­Is that a snake?" Larry sensed my fear and was alert, and Puck was heading up from the third to see what was happening. They also felt my confusion. A snake had entered the room from the doorway and was moving towards the door on the other side. Its tongue was tasting the air as it moved. "Is that even a corrupted snake?" It was about a foot long and had a half-inch thick body. Its head was an inch wide. Its scales changed colour, reflecting the stonework it was moving over. "Mana Sight. Activate." My vision changed and I looked at the snake. It was small, but I could make out the seed of void corruption. Black tendrils spread out from it, wrapping around the inside of the snake. "Larry, kill it." He attacked, which changed my vision back. The snake reacted fast and the two danced around, trying to strike each other. The snake revealed two large fangs in its mouth and tried to bite Larry when he got close. "Shit! Is that thing poisonous?" Larry was no ordinary sharoon and gained the advantage by clawing and biting the snake as soon as it brought his height advantage into play. The snake died.
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! The raid has ended! Result ¨C VICTORY! Your defences killed a total of 1 Void Corrupted Mountain Forest Snake. Design gained Mountain Forest Snake! Your Dungeon has not been damaged in the raid. As you are VICTORIOUS, no damage will be repaired. Void corruption gained! ¡­¡­¡­¡­. Minion room/floor restrictions have been restored and your Dungeon is being reset!
"Damn it!" My Core absorbed the corrupt essence and I quickly felt shitty again. "I bloody hate this feeling!" I take a few moments to collect myself and focus. I close up the room before pulling up my character sheet. I ignored the other alerts flashing for the moment.
Name Bhaldor Essence 21%
Race Dungeon Core CP 66(575) 5 phr
Level 5 Corruption 3%
Floors 5 Health 100%
"Only three percent corruption. That means it will be gone in a few days." Sure, the next few days would be shit, but it would not be like the first time. That was at least a small piece of good news. I then turned my attention to the other alerts.
Alert! Natural Camouflage ¨C Void Corruption alters the nature of the being it has corrupted. Some of these changes will help, while others hinder. You have killed a void-corrupted beast, allowing you to access one of these mutations. Minions with this ability will naturally blend into their environment, enhancing their ability to hide and ambush.
"Holy Shit! That''s amazing!" This gives me so many more options. I do not know what I will do with it right now, but it is something I will need to consider. The snake is nothing special but is a new option for my Dungeon. "Right, let''s think about this." Chapter 66 The snake needed 2 CP to be created. So, it was cheap, at least. I looked over the snake''s character sheet. It was not very interesting or strong, but it was an excellent basis for a future floor minion. It had some sharp fangs, but that was it¡ªno venom or armour. "What will I do with you?" The night had passed and the adventurers were back with the dawn. I had been thinking about this all night. It had merged with other thoughts I had been having for over a year about mana. "I get the feeling nature is best for this snake. I can possibly use other types of mana. The problem is I do not have Nature mana." Since coming here, I have always had questions about mana. What was it? What did it do? How did I use it? Questions like those. Through countless experiments and the guidance of a few books, I''ve managed to grasp the basics of mana. It''s still a realm of mystery in many ways, but it''s some knowledge I can wield to a limited extent now. Mana is formed by essence condensing in a given area. This I understand. It can take on a type based on the environmental factors of that area. Understood as well. Knowing these two things, I should be able to create floors configured to create new types of mana. Case in point: making a floor with abundant plants would lean towards Nature mana being produced. The closest I had was the third floor, but it seemed I needed more vegetation. That was the theory. I had naturally found Shadow and Earth types. Shadows often formed in my dungeon now as the conditions were far better suited. Thinking about it, I should have had Darkness mana; it should have appeared, but it had not yet. Was there something I was missing? I did not have the required environments for other types to stimulate their creation. My next issue was the storage of mana. I, at first, used myself as the storage vessel. This mean the mana was secure. The downside was that this impacted the amount of CP I gained each time I levelled. I had mana stones now. They allow me to store any type of mana. However, the amount of mana they could store was small and its regeneration was terrible. Those are big problems, but the worst was that the stones could be stolen if my Core was found. I have problems then. How am I going to fix them? "This is so frustrating!" Adventurers were fighting in my Dungeon; many were wounded, but no deaths. It was a distraction that gave me little satisfaction or answers. I spent the day thinking about it, especially the sixth floor that I was planning. I will be trying new things on this floor, including how my Dungeon created mana. The snake would be the minion for this floor, but I will be creating multiple versions of this minion. What exactly would I do? I was not sure yet. The snake and maybe another minion? "Wasps and snakes? Attacked from above and ground?" The snake''s design kept drawing my attention back to it. What can I do with it? "Camouflage? Yes, I will use that. But what else?" Questions on questions. The snake would gain the ability to protect itself from adventurers. My concern with snakes is their lack of offensive abilities. They have fangs, but they are not very effective. "What could I do with them?" I notice that my thoughts are spinning around in a circle. Until I create the sixth floor, I will not waste my resources creating the full new snakes. I will do some testing on parts of the snakes, creating them with specific abilities that will be built upon to the final minion. "The fangs will be first." The fangs are very similar to the Rock Worms'' teeth. Could I use them instead of the fangs that come with the snake? The fangs were smaller, so I would need to enlarge the snake or shrink the teeth. The miners arrived and travelled to the copper seam. Their escort cleared the path to the vein and they got to work. The day passed and night finally came to the valley again. I started as soon as the last miners left with their bounty. I move to one of the back rooms to begin. The snake''s design screen was open and I was looking at it. "Fangs and camouflage are a good start. Got get the fangs sorted out." Using the design screen, I imposed the worm''s teeth over the snake''s fangs and began. The rest of the night passed with many frustrated attempts at creating the improved snake. Eleven attempts were made and eleven of my creations died as they often appeared mainly to explosive results. I did feel I was making progress. Each victory lasted a little longer than the previous one, but I took heart in each limited victory. It was that or the Core equivalent of crying. The adventurers rolled in with the new day and I had to stop my experiments. I reviewed the night''s work, vaguely aware of the groups running the Dungeon. The rush of essence was a surprise. "Right, who died?" The third floor had claimed another kill. A group of adventurers I had not seen before were getting stomped by the three boars in room 2. Initially, it was a party of six; the first had fallen and the rest were not faring any better. The boars were overwhelming them due to numbers and fortitude. Two more group members were trampled by the boars, which caused the remaining three to turn tail and run. They were close enough to the doorway that they made it out and did not stop. The essence reached my Core as soon as they passed the door out of the room. "Well, let''s see what we have." This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. I had to wait for them to run out of the Dungeon and when they did, I absorbed everything remaining. I read through the alerts. ¡°Nothing¡­nothing¡­ Oh, nice dagger¡­. Nothing¡­.and more nothing." I was disappointed. The boars had done a great job trashing their bodies and gear. "Well, every little bit helps in the end." Checking out my progress to the next level was next. "Twenty-eight percent¡­ This is going to be a slog to get to floor six." I resigned myself and reviewed the next group coming in. It was another new group, much better outfitted with magical gear¡ªfive strong three front-line fighters with two support members. "Looks like things are slowing outside regarding new adventurers showing up." I watched this group work through the first and second. I was not paying attention; my focus was on reviewing my planned experiments for tonight. The third gave them more problems, but they continued onwards. They reached the floor guardian, where things took a turn. As the fight progressed, they must have been in worse condition than I thought. They started falling quickly to my guardian. A well-timed charge smashed right through their line of fighters, catching the support members when they were standing close together. They died as the others tried to distract the massive boar. "Well, that''s not a good sign for the rest of this fight." The fighters should have retreated, but they fought on. They fought well and wounded the guardian, but his tusks and hide carried him through the fight to victory. I absorbed what was left behind. "Right, let''s see what we have." Like earlier, the boar had trampled most of what was left. I gained a few magical items in the form of light crystals, a sword and a few pieces of armour. All of its durability was low as the guardian had trampled it in the fight. The enchantments were weak, but I got a good feel for them. I was sure I would be able to recreate them in time. I got a level increase in my enchanting skill from studying them. A new team was coming into the Dungeon. It appeared I had spent longer than I realised studying the enchantments. "I should use the gear I am stockpiling." I was unsure how to do this, but I had to look into it. Another thing about the sixth floor: the list for this floor is getting longer by the day. The rest of the day wore on with no other deaths. There were a few injuries, but the groups were being more cautious. I was sure the deaths had reminded them how dangerous my Dungeon could be. I had felt that the adventurers were getting too complacent. The miners rolled in with their escort. They went down to the fifth, and the escorting adventurers fought through the worms. It seemed that the adventurers were collecting the kill rewards, which was part of their payment, as the miners made no issue about it. The miners unpacked as soon as they reached the copper vein. The pickaxes began hitting the stone to free the copper ore from the rock face. There were occasional sparks as the metal heads connected with the stone. They were fast in removing it from the rock face. The ore was placed in a dimensional bag by the miners. By now, they knew the quantity of ore they would get from the vein and stopped when they reached it. As soon as they packed up, they vacated the Dungeon. I always respected the professionalism the miners displayed. They got in, did the job and got out. As soon as the door was closed, I got to work. I positioned myself in the room I designated as my experimentation room. "Right¡­open design screen¡­snake, snake, there you are." I went back to work. The night passed with ten attempts, all failures. Two were massively explosive, forcing me to repair the room¡ªanother night of no new minion designs. Dawn was here and the adventurers had arrived. For the next few days, we were adventurers by day and experiments by night, over and over, until I made a breakthrough. The seventh attempt this night worked! I gained the design for a stable new snake. I had reworked the size of the fangs for the last few attempts, and this version worked! "Finally! Sorry, but you are just a stepping stone to my goal." I felt I had to apologise as I destroyed the snake. Well, Larry killed it at my behest. I dismissed the notifications and alerts. "Progress, not perfection, Bhaldor!" I did take the rest of the night off. My progress to the sixth floor was now at forty percent. I was going slowly but moving forward. ## ## ## ## ## "Any more reports of strange sounds from the Dungeon last night?" Elian asked the man standing before her. The Guild has established a guard at night to prevent foolish young bloods from trying their luck. She had been receiving strange reports recently about sounds of explosions and loud bangs from the building over the first floor. "A few earlier in the night, but it went quiet afterwards." He was tired and she did not want to keep him here any longer than needed. "If there is nothing else, head home and get some sleep." The man almost ran from the room and Elian could not blame him. Guarding the Dungeon at night was proving more taxing due to the strange happenings. The town council had worried over the sounds, but nothing had come of it so far. Albrot had departed but had told her he would return. There was only so long he could avoid the politics of his position. She had heeded his advice and strengthened her whisper network. She was now starting to get her people into place in the nearby realms. The ones around the town who were reporting to her things were stable and seemed reliable. Adventurers exploring the northern valleys bring back tales of unrest amongst the monsters and beasts. That was concerning her. Things should have stabilised so long after the passing of that twisted ogre. Something was disrupting the natural balance, but she did not know what. Getting up from her desk, she walked to the open window. Stretching as she went. "I am spending far too long at that desk." She grumbled as she walked. Her office overlooked the town''s central square. She took a few moments to look out over the masses. The noise and, yes, the smell of the population greeted her. A petty criminal was in the stockade, and some children were throwing mudballs at her. A town watchman promptly chased them off. Elian picked out people she recognised. They were all moving purposefully, attending to the tasks that brought them out. It was then she spotted Trixis. The freed slave was now living in the town, working different jobs that needed to be done. Albrot had been very interested in her but had chosen to not seek her out. Elian knew she was living in a small room in a longhouse in the outlying part of the town near the exit to the south of the valley. She was covering her daily needs and was not in debt; she seemed to be doing well. Sighing, she turned and returned to her desk. ## ## ## ## ## Unintended consequences. As Oda was now discovering, they came to mortals and Gods alike, to his concern and regret. They were never expected or foreseen and always a surprise. What Bhaldor did not know was that the biggest he had created so far was a small, dressed woman named Trixis, a freed slave and survivor of a failed Dungeon run. He had freed her not from compassion but from a sense of indignation she had not come to test herself of her own free will. She did not know this. Well, only Bhaldor and his fourth-floor guardian knew why, in truth. The only thing she knew was that, against Law and Magic, the Dungeon had broken her collar and freed her to live her life as she desired. This had impacted her significantly and it had taken months for her to see how much. She walked through the town of Shadow Vale, which she called home. She had found a way to make a living by performing small tasks that the townsfolk needed to do, such as delivering this, fetching that, doing this laundry, and taking this message to this person, never complicated, with a little coin in return. Many times, she took other things like food as payment. The town was getting busier daily, and she found work easier than when she first started. Greeting those she knew as she passed. At first, she was an oddity, making her a little famous in the town. In those early days, many pointed and whispered. Now, most knew her not and those who employed or ignored her did not care. She walked through the town to the Longhouse she called home. She rented a small room, barely big enough for her bed. What few possessions she owned were within. She went in and locked the door behind her. Sitting on her bed, she removed her shoes and laid back on the straw mattress. A luxury compared to some places she had been forced to sleep. Looking up, she could see a plate she had attached to a bream over her bed. The plate was a crude depiction of the watchtower and its attached buildings, which acted as the entrance to the Dungeon. She rested for a few moments and then started. "I thank thee, Dungeon, Breaker of Chains, for my freedom and for my daily bounties. I pray that you see my works and bless my future days with more." You see, when she was freed, the woman mainly had known a life of abuse and slavery. This was the first time that she could remember that something had acted to make her life better. She came to see this as a miracle. And from this, she believed. She believed hard. Chapter 67 As the seasons shifted from summer to autumn, my experiments continued to bear fruit. Each day brought new discoveries and advancements while adventurers bravely tested their mettle against the challenges of my Dungeon. The death toll went up and down, with new groups suffering the highest losses. The elves and several other groups were making regular visits. Gran and his team showed up several times but disappeared on another job. My essence count was going up and the sixth floor was near reality. I had finished my basic ideas about what I was going to do. I was happier that the basic idea was in place, but I wondered what my creations would be like on the floor. The snake design, a creature of my creation, had now evolved to incorporate fangs and a camouflage skin. I knew it would possess many new abilities when I unveiled the final version. The prospect of these unknown capabilities filled me with a sense of anticipation and a hint of excitement. I was in a waiting mode at the moment as I had reached the end of most of what I could do until the floor threshold was reached. ## ## ## ## ## "The Tower in the Shadows." Ranus said, a bit confused. "That is the Guild''s final decision on the Dungeons name." "Not very impressive, I know." Elian was a bit apologetic about her Guild''s choice of name. She had told him in their weekly meeting. A gust of colder wind blew through one of the open windows. She got up and closed the shutters. The summer weather was changing and traffic flow from north and south along the river was finally dropping. The weather was getting colder and wetter. Winter was still a time away, but the population prepared for what was coming. Most remembered the last and did not take any chances with this winter. "Yes, it is a bit unimpressive." He had been looking at the message scroll that proclaimed the Dungeons name. "We are placing the new name at the required places around the Guild." She replied, sitting back down. "Back to business then." Ranus put down the scroll and looked at Elain. Comus could not join them today because new samples had arrived. "What else is happening." "The surge in deaths during mid-summer seems to have stopped finally." Elian picked up a scroll with the figures on it. "The new teams have learnt their lesson or have been killed." Ranus grimaced at this, but she continued. "Team access will start to drop now as the days are getting shorter. We have had a few issues with groups trying to jump the line, but we are handling it." Ranus nodded as he heard about a few of these groups and what Elian had done to them. "As to your ongoing request with winter coming soon, are you going to continue it?" "No. Travel is bad enough going south. The northern valleys and passes are far worse. What is the final tally?" "Three twisted creatures have been encountered and killed by different groups. Their bodies have been handed over to Comus after several churches and temples wanted to cleanse them. He is looking them over today." "Did you let them?" he asked. Elian initially opposed it but, in time, understood it was a small thing that generated a bit of goodwill. Most of the other called for the body''s destruction but took no further action. "Yes, but Comus thinks it has no effect." Elian was still disturbed by his words. What sort of force could the Divine not remove? Ranus''s expression told her he was thinking the same. "He is taking all the precautions he can think of when dealing with the bodies." "I trust his decisions here. Anything else?" "As expected, the Guild requests are shifting away from monster clearances along the southern land route as most have been dealt with. We are starting to see more aimed towards the north." "As long as they do not violate our instructions there, there should not be any issues from the town." Ranus closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and finger. Elian shared his frustrations with this rule from the Divine. She remembered that in one meeting with some merchants, he had snapped at their dogged requests and told them to go raise their issues with the churches. That brought the discussion to a swift end. "Anything else?" He asked. He is still leaning back with his eyes closed. "No. I will take my leave. We still have much to do." She stood to leave; he nodded and did not move. Elian was not insulted, as she completely understood his exhaustion. She withdrew from the room, closing the door. She passed Naru at the desk in the next room. The woman had chosen to accept Ranus''s offer and she did not envy her, as she had trained a competent replacement for the Guild. Elian walked into the town''s central square. It was as busy as always. Few were bundled up as summer had not given up yet, but she made out more carrying thicker clothing that had been bought recently. The weather would turn quickly soon. The Guild was across from Ranus''s home/office. It took her a few minutes to navigate the crowd and enter the building, which was just as busy as outside. Three receptionists handled the adventurers who accepted or turned in request jobs. Several were crowded around the board, looking at the unclaimed ones. The rest were hanging around and talking. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Gods, she wished more bathed more often! The pungent smell was unique to the Guild as the closet was many taverns, but they had the smell of cooking and alcohol to try to hide it. The crowd here moved aside for her as she went to her office up the stairs. Once inside, she took a deep breath as she had been holding it most of the way between the entrance and her office. Walking across the room, she sat at her desk and glared at the pile of scrolls that were not there when she had left. Sighing, she reached out and opened the first. She could not escape them and knew that ignoring them would only increase the pile. It was near midday and she could deal with a few before lunch. It would be good if she could¡­. The explosion rocked the building. The blast wave came through her window and scattered the scrolls from her desk. There were moments of pregnant silence¡­ and then the screaming started. Elian was on her feet in seconds and looked out the window. The Alchemist Guild was on fire and the blast had wrecked part of the building. People were staggering around and many were lying around, not moving. Others were starting to respond to help or panic. Alarms were being raised. Elian was out of the room and running down the stairs. "Explosion at the Alchemy Guild. All adventurers respond, NOW!" This broke the bulk from their shock and they followed their Guild Leader into the square. Chaos was what they found. Danrum was on the scene organising his people. Ranus was emerging from his building. A few with healing knowledge or powers were treating the wounded closest to them. Wounded and shocked people were still emerging from the burning building. Suddenly, most of the more experienced adventurers stopped and all listened. Elian was among them. They heard it from the building. Secondary explosions. Several more blasts erupted from the building and the veterans instantly knew what they were seeing and hearing. Someone was fighting in there! Comus fell from the building, holding two glowing bottles covered in blood and soot. He turned and threw one back into the building, triggering another blast. Those adventurers armed rushed to his side. Something was attacking the Guild! From the smoke and fire, it emerged. It had been a person but now was terribly mishappen. As it cleared the smoke, Elian recognised who it had been. Benard, one of Comus''s assistants. The young man was tall and awkward but was well-liked. Now, he was a monstrosity. His body was no longer proportioned right. The whole right side of his body was warped and sat higher than the left, giving him a lopsided look. His right arm was longer than the other, and his hand was now a clawed talon. Bone protrusions and spikes stuck out from different locations. The most striking thing was his eyes, which Elian could see even from a distance. They were so black that they seemed to absorb the light around them. "Engage!" She called out and pointed at the horror the poor boy Benard had become. Many adventurers went forth and engaged him while Elian got to Comus. It was difficult in the growing chaos, but she managed it. The fight was quickly unfolding in the square. "Comus! What in the name of all the Gods is happening!" She had to yell over the growing battle. "Ber-Bernard was cataloguing the bodies recovered from the north." He was wounded and burnt but was focused on his former apprentice. "Something happened and the next thing I knew, he was changing." Elian turned to see how the fight was developing. Whatever he was now, Bernard was putting up a fight far past what he could have yesterday. The adventurers were from different groups but should have been able to overwhelm him with numbers. He was holding them off and they formed a half-circle around him, pinning him against the burning building. Two arrows thudded into him. He staggered slightly but remained upright. Elian turned and saw the Elven group armed entering the fray. Around her, she sensed the building of magic. Two more arrows bit deep, but it was the dozen or so spells that collided with him that killed him. The collision of so much magic against one target was blinding. Once her sight returned, the charred body was lying on the paved walkway. Elain could see the damage from half a dozen elemental spells across his body. "Stay clear!" Comus called out. He was standing looking over the disaster before him. More adventurers, guards and priests were arriving and the ones present formed a cordon around the smoking body. Many voices were now competing for dominance. "SILENCE!" Danrum roared, being the desired effect. "All adventurers withdraw. Thank you for the assistance. Priests hold back unless you are treating the wounded. Watch secure the scene." His tone did not cause any misunderstanding as he organised the chaos. Elian helped Comus to a priest who was treating the wounded. As he was healed, she looked around. Most of the adventurers had pulled back but were still in the square. They were talking amongst themselves and watching. Ranus had a group gathering around him. Elian helped Comus to them when he was ready. Danrum soon joined them. Ranus was fending off questions when the trio arrived. He named a few church leaders and ushered them into his meeting room after dismissing the others who tried to follow. "Comus, what happened?" Ranus asked. This was the question on everyone''s lips. Ranus waited until he had a drink in his hand before asking. He downed most of it before starting. Everyone let Ranus handle this conversation as the town''s Lord. "We had received the three bodies of the twisted monsters. They were locked in a reinforced warded examination room. Benard was overseeing the storage of the bodies. Nothing seemed wrong at first. The wards were solid and Benard was not acting anything differently." He paused as he set the scene of what had happened. "Not one of our wards or scrying magic saw anything. Benard handled most of the work with the bodies preparing for my latter examination. We were getting ready to start to cut the bodies." His eyes went distant as he told his tale. "No alarms were active when we entered. Benard was acting odd, but I thought nothing of it. We started the examination and as we began, Benard became agitated. Before I knew what was happening, Benard suddenly began changing." His audience remained silent as he spoke. The implications of what he said scared many in the room. The idea that whatever corrupted the young assistant had not triggered the impressive Alchemist Guild wards was unprecedented. "He began attacking me and the others. I pulled everyone out sealing the room. The wards, now active, did not hold him long. He broke out and attacked all he saw. The fighting quickly spread, and many containers of alchemy components were smashed and triggered a chain reaction after a few of my juniors panicked and began throwing anything on hand." "Causing the explosion." Ranus stated. "Yes, the blast injured many and disorientated him briefly. I do not know if any were killed." Comus slumped in the chair, the weight of loss sitting heavy on him. "We are still searching the building. When we know, we will tell you." Ranus tried to console him. He nodded to Danrum, who slipped out of the room. "What did you think happened?" "Whatever is causing the beast and monsters to change is something we have never encountered before. The standard wards are not good enough to contain it." The question seemed to help Comus as he answered. "So, what do we do?" "For now, destroy the kills on sight and check the returning for signs of the same change." Comus seemed to slump even further and Ranus stood, leaving him for the moment. Whispered conversations broke out across the room. "Attention!" Ranus brought all eyes to him. "For the moment all those called "twisted" encountered are to be killed and bodies destroyed on sight. Whatever is affecting them is too dangerous at the moment to allow the entry to the town." All within the room nodded in agreement. "A combination of priests and healers will check out any who have fought or been in close contact with them to confirm they have not been affected." A chorus of agreements echoed through the room, Elian joining them. She had work to do. She had some adventurers to track down. Chapter 68 The last few days had been tense around the town. The population is understandably on edge. Ranus, with his characteristic precision, ensured that his instructions were meticulously carried out. The adventurers, who had been involved in killing the twisted beasts, were thoroughly checked and found to be free of whatever had affected poor Benard. That did not stop the local rumour mill. He felt that he had spent the last few days just containing it. They had taken many precautions in destroying his body, and most of the Gods had representatives watching or involved in the whole thing. Comus had not taken the whole thing well and was sequestered away for the time being. Ranus had found out he was not eating and asked a few priests to see if they could help him. After some consideration, he made storing and selling anything related to twisted beasts or animal bodies illegal without special permission. On the surface, all welcomed the ban, but he knew that making something forbidding would attract a specific type of people to it. Danrum was working with the merchants and churches to enforce the ban. So far, it was holding. Danrum grappled with the mounting challenges, warning Ranus of the imminent need for an expanded budget. The demands on the Watch were spiralling out of control, a situation they had not anticipated. He was running out of coin and the ledgers would soon run red. What was ironic was that it was the easiest part of the aftermath of what had happened. The news of the event had spread quickly and the Guilds were in a uproar. The Guilds prided themselves on the power and quality of their wards. To have recently established ones shattered so easily had shaken them. All the local Guild leaders were telling him the same thing. At first, the wards were blamed for not being created correctly. The standard Guild paperwork countered this, as two enchanters double-checked and tested the wards. Each verified that the work was up to standard. Some bring into question the enchanter''s competence. These led to some nasty exchanges with the Enchanters Guild. Finally, the question is asked. What had affected him? Elian had come to see Ranus earlier, and their conversation had been frustrating, frightening, and a bit illuminating. Elian had discovered, through an accidental slip from an adventurer Guild Master, that other places had been seeing the appearance of these twisted things. No one knew what was happening at the moment or how widespread it was, but they were now getting specific reports from other nations outside of Kyber. This was now starting to scare Ranus. Adding to it all was a series of diplomatic messages that had arrived. Several races not native to Kyber were sending representatives to the town to organise access to the Dungeon. While very common, Ranus had hoped they would still be away a year or more. "What to do?" He asked himself as he leaned back in his chair, eyes closed and reached out with both hands to touch his temple. He was getting another headache. "Am I doing something wrong?" "Well, I don''t think so." The voice surprised Ranus as he had been alone. He sat up, snapping open his eyes, looking for the person who spoke. He banged his legs on the table before him, but he ignored the pain. The room appeared empty, with him the only occupant. "Down here." The voice came again. Looking down at the table, he found the source of the voice. Sitting in the centre of the table was a giant mouse, which was unsurprising even as it appeared to be speaking to him. What stood out the most was the rainbow colouring through its fur clashing with its natural brown. Looking closer, Ranus could see the magic in its eyes along with its intelligence. The mouse suddenly stood up on its hind legs and spoke again. "Greets mortal Lord Goldwind! I, a humble emissary of the great and amusing God of Luck, Rickle, greet you!" Ranus''s brain stopped working for a few moments. "Yes, I can see from the expression on your face that my inspiring presence stupefies you! Collect your mind and senses, young Lord, as I bear a message from my Patron!" The mouse''s words brought Ranus out of his befuddled confusion. He attempted to reestablish a modicum of the appearance of a Lord. He was dealing with a Divine emissary, after all. "I, Lord Ranus Goldwind of Dungeon Vale, greet you, emissary of Rickle God of Luck." Ranus spoke in his most "Lord"-like voice, the proper greeting to one who was now in front of him. "Well met, Lord Goldwind." The mouse still stood, brushing his fur along its chest as it spoke. "My, Patron speaks for himself and many others this day." Ranus''s stomach dropped, but he remained calm outwardly. It was terrifying that Rickle was speaking for anyone else but himself, as he was notorious for his sense of humour. "Hear this divine message." The mouse stopped grooming and spoke. "We see your works, Lord Goldwind. We see what you have faced. Know that darker days are yet to come, but know this: We are with you." Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The mouse sagged and sat down after speaking. Ranus was a bit elated, confused and very afraid by what was said. It was never a good sign for anyone outside the incredibly devout to be seen by a divine being, let alone multiple, as Ranus appeared he was. "Got anything to eat?" The mouse asked after a few heartbeats. Ranus looked down at the messenger as he looked hopefully up at Ranus. He reached into his pocket and passed across the table a chunk of sweet biscuit he usually kept to ward off hunger in long meetings. "Great, I thank you, young Lord!" The mouse took the biscuit offered and began eating. Thoughts were swirling in Ranus''s mind, making it hard to focus on anything. As the mouse munched away, something clicked in his mind. He almost blurted out the question. Why was the herald still here? Hearlds appear to give their message or warning, then disappear suddenly. This one was sitting on his table, eating his snack for later. Something else was going on here, and he had to ask the right questions to find out what. "How is the biscuit emissary?" "Oh, not the best for the mortal realm, but good enough." "Please thank your Patron for the kind words." "I shall pass your supplications on." "I take it you have heard of our recent troubles?" The mouse''s ears twitched, but it kept eating. "Indeed, most unpleasant nastiness." It said between mouth fulls. The biscuit was disappearing, and Ranus realised so would it when it was finished. "Yes, it was strange and we are most perplexed by how the Guild wards were breached so easily." "It seems they encountered a type of energy they were never created to stop." The mouse was almost finished and Ranus did not have much time. "Some had speculated this. But what form of energy could it be?" "That I can''t say, but trust that the Dungeon you live next to is helping you in ways you still do not see." With that, the mouse finished eating. "Right, I must depart, remember Rickles with you." With a flash, the mouse disappeared, leaving Ranus with even more questions. ## ## ## ## ## The last few days were a bit weird. The adventurers all but vanished two days ago, but they were back to typical levels now. They had been gossiping like mad, allowing me to discover what had happened. The Alchemists Guild had been badly wrecked by a member who went mad. The more I learned, the more I was sure that the man was affected by void corruption. This worried me more than I thought at first. It meant that the corruption was still present around me. I knew it would be attracted to me, but it never occurred to me that the town would be affected. There was nothing I could do at the moment. I must stay aware of the danger of corruption taking the town out or over it. I will have to consider this as a source of danger in the future. I had been thinking about incorporating the abilities of other minions into the new snakes, but doing so would change the costs of adding mana and I did not want to have to factor that in. My resources in that department were limited even with the mana stones. Should I make more? I will have to think about that. I had to stay focused. The floor will be nature-heavy in order to attract the mana type. That had to be my main focus. As to the void corruption around me, I had to find a way to protect myself better in case another ogre or larger infected creature showed up and knocked my doors in again. The sixth floor was still far away. ## ## ## ## ## Elian was tired. The last few days had been more stressful than any time this year and that was saying much from this town''s short but intense history. Albert had a message that he was heading back in response to the events in the Alchemists Guild. He had hinted that other Guild masters were also on the way. The town was attracting far too much attention too fast, which was dangerous. She was not looking forward to having so many Masters present simultaneously. Ranus had sent word that diplomatic emissaries from several other races would soon appear, adding to her stress. Adventuring was dangerous, but politics would get you killed. She knew she would need better robes to represent the Guild here for when they arrived. Albrot would be back by then, she hoped and be able to handle that. Since the Folly, it was a procedure that Guild Masters oversaw diplomacy with non-human nations. She would leave that all to him with a glad heart. She had plenty to worry about without adding more to her workload. The issue of Comus''s health was as worrying to her as Ranus''s. He had not spoken to either of them, and he was wasting away, blaming himself for what had happened. Four dead and twenty-three wounded, with the Alchemist Guild almost totally destroyed. She shook her head, amazed it was not worse. Because their two guild buildings were close together, they were able to respond quickly and contain the problem and the damage. She thanked the Gods for their small mercies. The most significant side effect was that Ranus''s twisted beast hunt contract was now defunct, as no adventurer or group would go near it. It was still open, but everyone attached to it had withdrawn from the hunt. Her people were not worried; they were scared and the rest of the population panicked when adventurers were frightened. Anything "twisted," like the blue puss pox, was avoided. This led to many false alarms, which were still occurring as the population was on edge. She pitied Danrum and the rest of the Watch right now. It was almost every day that the alarm was being raised. She would have been amazed if he had not taken a step along the Path for this. She suspected that many more would before this was over. Looking back at her desk, she glared at the pile of vellum that she still needed to read and decide upon. Wishing she could set it on fire, she reached over with a sigh and took the first. The next two hours passed with her reading and approving/disapproving the requests of the Guild that were being made. She paused, thinking. Her mind was telling her that she had seen something. What was it? She went back over the forms and requests, slowly reading over the words and slowly realised what they were. Someone was manipulating the reports and requests to stop people heading into a small valley in the north of the town. Many had been opened but closed or withdrawn in hours or days. "Why? What is there?" She frowned and got up to the map she had commissioned for the area; there was a cabinet under it. She opened it and pulled out a vellum scroll that she looked for. The map was still ongoing and Ranus had his own as well. They hoped it would be closer to finished within the following year. They had agreed to share the costs of its creation. She ran her finger along their valley, heading north into the next. From there, she continued to go north from the river into another valley. It was here that the river branched with three exits. The smallest led to a dead end, and she ended her finger movement. "Nothing reported of interest when explored for the first time." She had unrolled the report and read over it. A Guild cartographer wrote it, so she trusted it on the surface. "Where are the follow-ups? If there were, what would they find?" With everything going on, she knew she would have to find out. Gran and his team would be back, and she would seek to send them to find out what was happening. Chapter 69 Ranus stood on one of the town''s docks. It was empty, as he had reserved it for today''s guests. Albrot from the Adventurer''s Guild was standing with him. The other docks were a hive of activity, but he had seen the looks they were getting from the population. They sensed something was going to happen today. There was a growing group of onlookers seeking to know what was happening. Despite the creaking wood beneath him, Ranus was reassured by the dock''s solid structure. Yet, a sense of unease lingered in the air, amplified by the cold wind blowing from the south, a harbinger of the impending fall and winter. "Ever meet elves?" Albrot asked. "Before becoming a Lord? A few, as a merchant family, we encountered the occasional non-Kyber peoples." "Sometimes, I forget the Riverlands were and still are a major trading hub. What do you think of them?" "The ones I encountered were polite and good traders. They typically were distant." "That sounds right. The travellers are known to pass through the lands of others with little trouble. Outside of them?" "Just the travellers, non-others." "We will be dealing with diplomats from the Lands of Starlight and Trees, one of the three eleven nations. The stories you have heard of elven arrogance are true with most outside of the diplomats and travellers. Gods, sometimes even with the diplomats. Best keep your wits about you. They are excellent at getting more out of a conversation than you think." He laughed at this and shook his head, remembering some past event. "With your permission, I will lead the talks unless they involve the town." Ranus knew Albrot was being polite and he could just ignore Ranus. The Guild was far more powerful than he and as a minor lord, he could impose his will on him. Ranus nodded his agreement. "Since becoming a lord, have you encountered any more?" "Briefly. There is a group in town at the moment." "Ah yes, Elian mentioned them." He looked around as they spoke. "It appears that they are here." Ranus turned and saw the elven adventure group walking up to the watch, blocking access to the pier. The watchmen were tense and ready to block their access, but the elves were relaxed and made no threatening action or word. "Allow them to pass." Ranus called out. The watchmen stiffened, then relaxed. The team leader nodded to the guards as she passed. The rest ignored his men. Sliva, he remembered her name, walked up to them. "Lord Goldwind. Guild Master Albrot. Greetings this day. May we stand with you to greet our kin to this place far from the trees of our home?" "We greet you, Adventurer Sliva''Elania Fellonia and your team. We welcome you standing with us to greet your kin from the lands of your trees." He used her full name while addressing her. Ranus did not know if she was impressed or surprised by this as he could not read her expression. The rest of her group had their travel cloak hoods up and she was the only one pulled down. The group joined them on the pier but remained apart. There was an uncomfortable silence from the others even as Sliva and Albrot made small talk. "I believe you have tested yourself against the Dungeon?" "Twice now, Guild Master, we are seeking a third attempt. With the new floor, we are finding it more of a challenge." "Oh, what are your thoughts on it?" It''s an innocent question on the surface. Ranus knew it was loaded with much more. Albrot was intelligence gathering just as he suspected they were. "It is an interesting place with many peculiar traits." The answer was quickly and delivered smoothly. It was very non-committal and diplomatic. Ranus knew she was evading. Her home nation would not be sending a diplomatic mission to the town, even with a Dungeon, unless they found something interesting or dangerous. He knew this Dungeon was both. "True, true. The reports I have read are quite different from other Dungeons." Albrot continued. "So many strange features. Enough to interest your people?" Albrot was fishing still, trying to get what he could from her. They all knew it, but that was the dance of diplomacy. She would be doing the same thing if she were in his position. "Sails inbound!" The call from the watchtower on the rise ended that conversation. Everyone turned their attention to the bend in the river. They would see the boats coming up soon. He knew it would not be long. Human hands did not make the ship that emerged from the bend. It was similar in shape and form, but that was where the similarities ended. As it got closer, Ranus picked out more details. The sail had the image of a tree with branches, leaves and roots haloed about a half circle of seven stars. The railings along the hull were carved works of art depicting forest scenes. The hull was the most significant difference. There were no signs of planks, making the ship look like it was made from one piece of wood. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Ranus watched the crew work quickly and precisely, bringing the ship up next to the dock. Ranus could not but be impressed with just how well they did it. The equivalent of a gangplank reached out and touched down gently on the pier. The whole event screamed of grace and ability. Ranus gathered himself ready to greet their visitors. Albrot did the same. Both men stood a little straighter. The murmur from the crowd of onlookers increased. A group of three elves descends onto the pier from the ship. Each is finely dressed in well-made, expensive clothes that look practical for the town''s weather. Ranus felt like a pauper next to them. The lead was an elven woman with pale skin, violet eyes and jet-black hair. She was strikingly beautiful and Ranus forced himself not to be mesmerised by her. She wore long robes of pale blue with the same symbol of the tree and stars as the ship. Albrot stood forward. "Welcome, Star Speaker Ellania." He reached out his arms with his palms facing upwards. "Greetings, Guild Master Albrot." She reached out and grasped his forearms as he grasped hers. They held for only a few seconds. Separating, he turned to Ranus. "May I introduce Lord Ranus Goldwind to you?" Ranus bowed slightly to her. "Greetings and welcome to Shadow Vale." He could have waited for her to make the first move as protocol dictated, but he desired not to make a fool of himself and be gone from her presence as soon as he could. "I greet you, Lord Goldwind of Shadow Vale. I bring kind words and bright hopes for the future from the Lands of Starlight and trees." "We have a reception planned, but some of your people are here to greet you." Albrot pointed out the group just behind them. Star Speaker Ellania gripped Sliva''s forearms like with Albrot, but they touched foreheads together. "Greetings, Elven sister." Eliania spoke in their language and used a sub-dialect to confuse listeners. "Greetings, Elven sister." Sliva returned the words and gesture. "We will speak later." Eliania promised. She then moved and greeted the rest of Sliva''s party. They joined the humans in attending a reception for the diplomatic mission. Sliva and her team were present only as a formality. They were respectful of their hosts and mingled as much as they could tolerate. What passed for the local upper echelon was present and trying to make a good impression. Eliania, on the other hand, swept around the room, bringing light and laughter with her presence. She seemed to be engaged in several conversations at the same time. Her aids were more solemn but performed their functions without error. Eventually, she begged forgiveness as the journey was long and she retired to her assigned rooms. Sliva joined them and waited for her aids to perform their duties. She knew both males were not aids but were playing a part. She personally knew one of them. Once the room was declared secure, Eliania sat down. Behind her was Tutanus, an elven warrior and occasional operative for the clans of her home. His presence was the loudest signal of how the clan leadership and the whole court were treating her reports. "Sliva''Elania Fellonia, your words and recent events have caused quite a stir in the court." Eliania was all business now and her attitude changed to reflect it. "I crafted my words to reflect what is known and inform the court to the best of my ability." She was still standing and had not been offered to sit. Tutanus was watching her like a hawk eyeing its next meal. "I suspected no less. Your words have brought great unease to many. This Dungeon has many unsettled. We have been sent here to discover if this place is a threat to the Lands of Starlight and Trees." "Have more events involving these "twisted" creatures taken place?" "Not any from the destruction of the Guild building. Most of the population are avoiding anything related to the subject." "Yes, even Humans are occasionally capable of intelligent action. Is there anything you wish to reveal to us?" "One, we have secured a slot in two days to enter the Dungeon." Eliania went silent for a few heartbeats as she thought about that. "This is good tidings. Tutanus will join you in accessing the Dungeon and locating the Core. That will be all." "I understand, Lady Eliania." Sliva knew she was dismissed and bowed slightly as she withdrew. The two in the room waited until they knew she was gone before speaking. "Your thoughts, Tutanus? You have been silent the whole trip here." "I am concerned." This simple statement caused Eliania to look at him surprised. "Concerned! I once heard you describe a Greater Wyvern as an annoyance. What has you so unsettled?" "There is much here we do not know. The presence of every God, the lack of direction or the usual infighting from the pantheon. The presence of these twisted beasts. I know we are getting reports from elsewhere. Finally, I know the Dungeon and they are all linked." Eliania had been thinking along the same lines since she was dispatched. "Do you think that Sliva''Elania Fellonia was the best to be sent over the fact she was the closet?" "Sliva was the best choice in both regards. She has earned her rank through dedication and hard work. She and her team have visited a dozen Dungeons. If they say the Core is hiding, I trust her words." "Speaking of the Dungeon, five floors and Copper grade already?" "Unprecedented, I know. You must add that to all the other things and the court knew that a full investigation was warranted." "Hence our presence." "Indeed." They lapsed into silence as they thought over their objectives. "I learned that Doltum has been here." Eliania knew she had to speak up. Tutanus tensed up at the mention of the name. He subconsciously rubbed his side where he had been wounded two centuries ago. "Is he still here?" The tension was audible in his voice. "No. He left some time ago." "Then he found the Core but remained silent on it. Strange?" "The local Adventurer Guild Leader went in with him and they emerged later but made no mention of the Core." Eliania was going over the conversation and what she drew from the locals. Tutanus was silent, thinking over his old rival and what she had said. "What is your concern?" She asked. "Doltum is a loudmouth. If he had found the Core, as I know he did, he would have told every single soul along the route out of this poor excuse of a town. The fact that he remained silent indicates that he found something he did not understand. This speaks of either fear or concern. Maybe both." "Why both?" "He would if it could cause another Folly." This brought Eliania to silence. Now, that was something to fear. They both lived through the last and cared not to see another. The worldwide backlash of magical energies touched their lands. In the aftermath, a number of races called for an invasion and subjugation of the Human empire in its weakened state. She had made the call in the court, but the Starlord and Treespeaker had blocked the calls. Time showed that they were right. Her nation had the quality, but the human numbers would have grounded them down. She was leaving them vulnerable. Other nations still had a strong movement to invade Kyber, but it had not amounted to anything¡­ yet. "This makes my investigation of the Dungeon all the more important, along with your investigation of the town." She knew he was right. "I will spend the next few days in the town while you get ready for the Dungeon." He nodded at her words, knowing this was the most efficient use of their time. "If we discover something important, what will the court''s actions be?" "That will depend on what we will find." Chapter 70 Another day has arrived. The dawn light was now touching the tower. The adventurers were expected to arrive at any moment. Meanwhile, I was painstakingly grinding up my essence count, inching it up to 45%. "This is taking forever!" There had not been any deaths which would have accelerated my essence gathering. The adventurers were getting better and running the first few floors. The weaker ones were avoiding the last two. The third was challenging enough for most. The development of the new snakes went well but very slowly. This is no surprise. I had been trying to integrate enchantments into the latest designs, but they were failing at the moment. I continued to test different ideas every night. Most failures were explosive and I spent most nights clearing up the mess left behind. I reviewed last night''s designs, thinking about the failures when the doors opened. "Let''s see who first." I was surprised to see the elven group was back. This would be the third time they had been into the Dungeon. Looking them over, I noticed a new member. It was another male armed with a sword and bow. He wore light leather armour like the others. "Are you carrying any magical gear?" I activated my Mana Sight and¡­.. "Fuck Me!... Deactivated Mana Sight." Looking at him blinded me with the amount of magical equipment he was carrying. The sheer amount reminded me of Doltum for number and power. It took several seconds for my sight to recover from looking at him. "Well, you''re not my usual visitor." I now paid attention to the group''s dynamics, as they might tell me something about what was happening. The group communicated with hand gestures and being nonhuman was another hindrance. I watched as they made their way to the stairwell. They ignored Larry up in the rafters. He sensed my concern and was hiding. I was sure they knew he was there but was no threat. They moved well together and covered each other. If I did not know that there was an additional member to the group, I would say that this was their usual lineup. Descending the stairs, they got off on the first floor. The new elf took the lead and the others hung back. Was the group just here to support him? I watched as he moved with unnatural grace throughout the floor. With a casual stamp of the foot, he exposed the traps to break the surface layer, and his sword cut down the wasps with an ease that bordered on contempt. The others collected the reward drops as he advanced. He was here for a different reason. The floor boss was sliced in half with a single strike, which I was sure was not even backed by a skill. This guy was good. I started to get concerned. They descended to the second. My toads met a similar end. He walked on the surface of the water and strode across each room. The toads tried and died just as fast as the wasps above. It was painful to watch. The floor guardian died to a single strike as well. He ignored the reward drop and flowers. The others collected the reward, but they ignored the flowers. "Queen, beware, we have a powerful individual descending through the floors!" "I Understand and will be ready." Puck had sensed my growing concern and was making himself not present. The third was reached and the slaughter continued. The first boar charged in at the elf. He sidestepped and inserted his blade into its skull, killing it. I did not hold any hopes of this floor slowing him. The next room had the three boars, which he danced around as they died to single sword thrusts. The group behind him barely had time to collect the reward drops as he had moved on. I sensed they were afraid of him from watching them on these last few floors. His attitude towards them was not dismissive, but he knew they could not match him. On the other hand, my creations demonstrated with every kill what he thought of them. I was getting more concerned and angrier. Doltum, when he slaughtered his way through my floors, had spoken about what he thought about what he was fighting. This elf was destroying all and moving on. Room by room, boar by boar, they fell. He now reached the guardian. The fight was short and brutal. The guardian died but forced him to use two strikes to bring him down. I was elated by that small win. Petty, sure, but I would take anything offered. The female elf who had led the group on the last two runs stepped in here and made several gestures to the male. This made him pause and he replied with several gestures. They had a brief conversation and he turned away and knelt. The group stripped the corpse of its hide. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. When they finished, the male elf stood and continued back to the stairs. The others followed at a slight distance, allowing him to lead again. He descended to the fourth. The spiders fell at the same speed. Single strikes were his favourite means of dispatching my minions. Their attempts at ambushes were spotted and thwarted by the elf. Fast and single strikes killed each one by one. He moved room by room, killing with the other''s collecting the reward drops. He reached the room with the eight spiders. Here, he was slowed as they flooded forward; numbers might work. Skills were brought into play now. The elf blurred and glowed slightly as he attacked the eight, attempting to swarm him. His strikes were faster than before and the spiders died, not just with single strikes. Body parts flew in different directions as the blade cleanly sliced through their bodies. Guts and ichor splattered around the spiders as they got in each other''s way, trying to get to him. The numbers did not get to him and the webbing did not hamper his movements. Bodies piled up, and before long, he was the only one left standing. The group was still in the corridor, waiting for him to finish. Once he was done, they moved in and collected the reward drops. His blade was heavily enchanted and the ichor flowed off it. He stood looking across the room at the next exit. The others picked up the loot and counted what they had received. The led female elf gestured and they moved onwards. The following two spiders were stronger, but they fell without even coming close to injuring him. They just remained long enough to collect the reward. Next was the guardian. Queen launched her ambush as soon as he entered the room, far enough for her to strike. She was in a new spot on the cave''s ceiling. She dropped from the ceiling, aiming to fall and trap him. I think he was aware of her presence when he entered the room, moved around and avoided her. With a slight blur, he moved away as she hit the ground where he was once standing. She turned quickly as she recovered from the fall. His attack was striking her carapace before she could respond. The blade cut cleanly through, wounding her but not fatally. Her red health bar did drop quite dramatically. Before he could move in to kill her, [Shadow Arms] grabbed his legs, causing him to stumble and get distracted. Queen used this brief distraction to attack again. She darted forward even with her bulk to strike but found only air as he moved back quickly, evading her. Then again, he was attacking, and Queen was backtracking to avoid a fatal wound. She summoned her spiderlings, but the elf ignored them. Causally killing any that got too close to wound him. Queen was running out of combat tricks and as well as space to move in. Her health bar continued falling as glancing hits cut through her armoured hide. She cast [Shadow Arms] again, but he just pushed through them this time. This got him close enough to land the killing blow, sliding his sword into her head. I watched her health bar drain away as she died. The elf was not even breathing hard from the fight. "This is getting to be just plain rude. How is my Dungeon even supposed to handle someone of this level?" I was getting flashbacks to Doltum again and how he just swept through the Dungeon. Then located me¡­. "Shit! Is he looking for me?" Now, I was worried about what was happening here. Was he looking for me? My Core room has no individual defender and I relied on my ability to stay hidden. The reward drop was collected before they moved, but they are now, on into the Dungeon. The elves were moving to the last floor down the stairs. I was not confident that this floor would convince the lead male to leave. I watched with growing concern as he started to move through the floor. The worms began dying like all the others before them. Single strokes sliced through their hides, killing them. They reached the junction room, and they communicated with hand gestures. After a few more motions, they ignored the side route to the copper vein. The traps were spotted and avoided; the worms just died. The reward drops were collected, which was the only thing that slowed them down. He did not take long to reach the floor guardian. It erupted from its mound, attacking the lead male elf who had entered ahead of the rest. It triggered its [Charge] ability immediately after it emerged, crossing the distance to its target. The elf sidestepped the attack, slicing across the guardian''s hide. Its health bar dropped slightly as the blade did not entirely cut into its flesh due to its tough hide. It swung around, trying to face the elf. The elf continued to move as it stayed out of striking range of the guardian''s mouth. More blade slices scarred the hide of the guardian as more attacks connected. It glowed slightly as it triggered [Harden] to protect itself from the enchanted blade. The blue mana and red of the health bar fell in response. The attacks were now doing less damage as the guardian became tougher. It rolled as it could not face the elf trying to pin him. The elf jumped out of the way, avoiding the attack, forcing him to roll across the room floor. He was back on his feet, turning to face the guardian, but the worm was facing him this time. The mouth opened, revealing its teeth and then it attacked. The elf had little room to back up from the attack as he sliced away at the guardian. He made good use of what space was available. The guardian got close to hitting the elf, but he was too fast. The blade continued slicing away, wearing down the guardian''s body. The health bar was draining away to the point that it would not last much longer. Each slice caused an additional slither of health to disappear. The guardian was tough and hardy, but it could not last, and it did not. The final blow from the blade brought its death and it collapsed. The elf was breathing hard from this fight. This fight had pushed him like no other in the Dungeon. My problem was that it was the last of what I had to throw at him. Puck and Larry were left, but I had no hope that they would be able to do anything against him. The rest of the elves collected the reward drop as the male pulled something from his pack. He now had a small amulet type, a clear crystal surrounded by a copper circle band. The band was inscribed with some form of runes that glowed slightly. He started channelling mana into the item and the glow began in the crystal and the runes got brighter. Now I was getting afraid. I could feel the crystal reaching out, inspecting my aura, looking for me. The elf was turning as the crystal light grew stronger and got closer to my location. He was going to find my Core! Suddenly, I sensed something enter my Dungeon from the tower and moved quickly down the stairwell. I was torn about where to focus: stay with the elves or look to what had entered. The male was walking towards the stairwell, where he was going to find me. Whatever had entered reached the bottom of the stairs. With a flash, a bird appeared and landed on a stair. Silver and emerald in colour, the small bird was surrounded by a strange aura. I have encountered a similar aura before. The fairy that Astraus sent had a similar aura; was this a divine emissary? It might be based on the elves'' reaction. They all bowed slightly, and the bird began speaking to them in elven. I had no idea what was happening, but the male spoke to the bird. They had a brief back-and-forth, then the bird took to the air and flew from the Dungeon. The elves looked confused and then left the Dungeon. They did not speak as they left, but even I could sense their tension and confusion. This was not the ending that they or I expected from this Dungeon dive. Had I just been saved by divine intervention? Chapter 71 The return of the team Tutanus had taken into the Dungeon on the surface had no effect apart from adding another shadow-infused boar hide to the market. In private with the elves, there was chaos that had not been seen since the folly. The once serene and harmonious elven community was now a place of tension and uncertainty. The number of messages being sent and received started attracting the attention of others. For ten days, message traffic was almost continuous, a secret exchange that numerous influential people/organisations were taking note of. The Lands of Starlight and Trees, with their capable magic users and advanced cyphers, had managed to keep the content of their messages hidden. The sheer volume of messages hinted at the unfolding events. Ranus was unaware of any of this. He was found again on the docks this day, with Albrot awaiting another diplomatic mission to the town. Several human nations had arrived over the last few days, but today, another nonhuman nation was arriving. The anticipation in the air was palpable, and Ranus couldn''t help but feel intrigued by the prospect of this new arrival. The weather was turning and the chill in the air was becoming more noticeable. Autumn was short in the mountains, while winters were longer. He was not looking forward to this winter as he had not with the last. At least he had been wise enough to be wearing thicker clothing and a cloak today. Albrot was reading a message scroll and not paying much attention to the events around him. The locals had heard a rumour that another nonhuman race was arriving today and there were a fair number of onlookers. The watch kept them at a distance to prevent any issues with the diplomats. The last few days had been more chaotic than usual, and for this town was saying something. Something significant had had happened to Ranus, which he had kept quiet about for now, but he knew it would get out soon enough. He had finally progressed along the Paths to achieve the option to change Paths. He was now a Lord of Dungeon Entry, which was not as impressive as it sounds. This marked the first step along his new Path to Ascension, that of rulership. Most Lords that had lands with a Dungeon gained this class, so he was elated but still aware he was far to go. He had gained a consolidation with his old class of Scion of a Merchant Clan. Most of the skills he had were upgraded or replaced. This brought new options and headaches that he had to deal with on a daily basis. He gritted his teeth and got on with it, feeling the weight of his responsibilities. The next was the request by the Lands of Starlight and Trees to establish a permanent trade mission in the town. He had hoped that the diplomatic mission would come, look around, turn their noses up at his community and disappear. He was no fool. Since the group went into the Dungeon, something was going on or had changed. The problem was he had no means to ascertain what that was. He was sure Albrot knew, but he was not talking and neither was Elian. However, she had hinted he was right. The elves requested a plot of land on which to establish a trade mission and conduct their affairs with local traders. Ranus knew from his travels that these were far more common, and having one within his community would be a source of both boons and ills. The land could be arranged, but he had to be aware that the lack of such plots was now becoming an issue as the valley they occupied was getting full. Many were calling for the town to expand around the Dungeon entrance to the north, but he firmly resisted that. He delayed the request from the elves to give himself time to figure out what was happening. He was eyeing the other side of the river in the valley¡ªgranted, it was much smaller¡ªbut he could not ignore it. Several survey teams were mapping it out. Money issues were starting to become something that he was losing sleep over. He was close to being copperless. Taxes and sales revenue were trickling in, but as most of the plots were gone, that money stream had dried up. The Merchant Guild had finally established an auction house in the town, which was adding more to his meagre income. The sales of the shadow-infused boar hide were the most profitable thing coming from the Dungeon, but they were hard to get as the floor boss was no pushover. The webbing from the fourth was starting to attract more attention, and several artisans who could turn it into spider silk had arrived in the town. This increased the demand for resources, but most adventurers in the town were not strong enough to attempt that floor. This was, in turn, attracting higher-grade groups to the town, putting more pressure on the local infrastructure. Elian had reported that adventurer losses were going up as those too arrogant to listen to advice were jumping in headfirst, only to find the rumours were true and this Dungeon showed its teeth much faster than the others. The Dungeon produced other resources that the town willingly accepted for use, but they were the most profitable. Most avoided the fifth floor due to the combination of monsters and traps. Recently, a team had gotten around one of the traps to find out what was to be found in the bags on the plinths. Silver coins from the old empire had caused quite a stir. Greed was a powerful motivator, but the fear of death was an even more powerful deterrent for now. He can avoid these and all the other headaches today as the Dwarvens are arriving very soon. "Have you reminded everyone not to call them Dwarfs." Albrot said, breaking Ranus from his thoughts. "Yes. We will be alone here on the pier and the rest at the reception have been told several times." Ranus was looking down along the river to the bend. Albrot had been very insistent on that. "Excellent. They will be here within minutes." He said, returning his attention to the scroll. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Ranus did not mind the man but found he could be overzealous with some details. He continued to look down the river and up to the peaks. The snow line was creeping down the mountains, yet another sign of the approach of winter. He tightened the cloak around him. "Ship inbound!" Came the call from the watchtower. Ranus noted that the call was different. It was not the usual "Sails inbound" or "Sails sighted." The crowd turned all to the bend and were nearly all stunned by what came around it. It was a ship of a sorts. Most races built their water-going craft along similar lines. They were meant to cut through or glide along the water. This craft was designed to bludgeon its way through. Ranus could see no sails but two large wheels on either side pushing the ship through the water. A large funnel on top of the frame produced a great deal of thick black smoke. There was wood that made up a large part of the hull, but there was also a large amount of iron. The ship was decorated with little and seemed almost utilitarian in its construction. The only decoration that was so large it dominated was a relief of a bearded face with a helmet on the prow of the ship. It appeared made from an alloy that made it look like polished copper. Ranus knew it was not real copper as it would have been decayed by the sea journey to get here, along with any other journeys the ship had made. "Be ready, Lord Goldwind." Albrot stood to attention and was now formally ready to greet the diplomats. Ranus prepared himself. The ship approached the docking area and the pier. As it stopped, it smelled strongly of burning coal. Ranus and others were forced to cough the smell and taste from their noses and throats. Albrot seemed unfazed. A gangplank slammed down onto the pier with a loud thud. This was followed by the stamping of five short and very broad individuals coming off the ship. Albrot stepped forth to greet them. Ranus had never met any Dwarvens before, and his family had never dealt with them. Their lands were further north and he knew that the Skaald had some trade with them. As the stories said, they were short, around four foot five, but far broader than most men. All wore long braided beards and each was dressed in some amount of armour. The lead figure was the least covered in metal, while the other four would put many knights to shame with the amount they were clad in. ¡°Greetings, Clanspeaker Thuzgrul.¡± Albrot slammed his right fist against his chest as he spoke. "Greetings, Guild Master Albrot." The deep, rumbling voice of the led Dwarven responded as he returned the gesture and slammed his right fist against his chest. "I speak for Ranus Goldwind, Lord of these lands." Albrot gestured to Ranus. "Welcome, sons of Deep and Stone. Heed the laws of these lands and find wealth." "I, son of Deep and Stone, hear your words and will heed the laws of these lands." With that, the official greeting would begin. The Dwarven walked over to Ranus and stuck out his hand for the traditional handshake. Ranus took it and was almost lifted off the floor by the strength of the Dwarven as he shook it. ¡°Welcome, Clanspeaker Thuzgrul. I hope you will enjoy your stay within my lands." Ranus sought to save his hand from being crushed. "I hope to, Lord Goldwind. You have some nice small mountains here." Thuzgrul said looking around at the community and mountains. "We will speak more later." ## ## ## ## ## Star Speaker Ellania sat with the rooms assigned to her during her visit. An open message before her on the table. It was the third she had been forced to use, as the first two burned out from overuse, their magic exhausted. Since Tutanus returned from the Dungeon and made his report, she had not known peace. Tutanus had been tracking the Core''s location when a divine messenger appeared and warned him off. He returned to report what had happened and things went wild. His private confession of his shock was still haunting her. His report was that the Dungeon was not typical and needed further monitoring and investigation. The result was the court in an uproar. The Starlord and Treespeaker had to intervene and restore order. Melania knew this as they had taken over her direct communications, which was an almost unprecedented event in itself. The court was still debating, but they had started to put things into motion. She was given instructions, which she was trying to implement. The most significant task they had her to achieve was securing a plot of land for a trade mission. She had approached Goldwind, but she was being stalled for the moment. While meeting him, she had read his body language and gained a little insight into his thoughts. He knew something was going on, but she was sure he did not know what was happening between her nation and herself. The Guilds were watching but had not involved themselves yet. Ellania was sure she would secure the plot, and her people were preparing to send another ship to build on it. It would quickly become the hub for trade and intelligence gathering for her people and it could become one of the most important for her people. Sighing as she leaned back, she rubbed her head with her hands. Things would not improve for her anytime soon. So much was left to be done. Her peace was broken with a knock at the door to the room. "Enter." She spoke in the human language. The door opened and Sliva''Elania entered. She closed the door and bowed slightly to Ellania as she entered. "Sister." "Sister," Sliva greeted in return in their language. Elania motioned for her to sit in the chair across from her. Once she was seated, Ellania began. "I had hoped to speak with you sooner." Ellania placed her hands on the rough wooden table. "But as you suspect, greater issues have demanded my attention." "I indeed suspected that there were." Sliva conceded. She was reserved and polite, as was expected in front of one with Ellania''s station. "I will be remaining here longer than expected and wish to know your true opinion of the Dungeon." Ellania had wanted this conversation earlier, but it had been impossible until now. "Fear not your words and speak without shadow." Sliva took a few moments to collect herself before speaking. She did not face Ellania but looked at the table, her eyes distant. "They call this place the ''the Dungeon in the Shadows'' or something similar. The name fits, as the Dungeon hides a lot and is not typical in any regard. The obvious is the speed of the threat increase and mixture of mana types within the monsters located within." She paused briefly before continuing. "The traps are too advanced for such a young Dungeon. This, combined with no sighting of a companion and the fact that the Core hides itself, leads to more questions. My words do not take into account what is happening around the Dungeon. Adding it all together, I know not what to think." Ellania was silent as the younger elf gave form to her thoughts through words. She could understand everything that was being said as she had struggled with them, too. "Heed me, young sister." This brought Sliva''s head up. "Your words show wisdom and are heard. You are asked to remain here for now as I will be and assist me with actions for our people." "Rest assured, Star Speaker, we will assist you as needed." "I never doubted Sliva''Elania Fellonia. But now I must be away as the Dwarven have arrived by now and I must attend the reception for them." Ellania smiled at the younger elf. Chapter 72 Elain had managed to avoid the reception for the Dwarven emissary that had arrived today. Albrot was unhappy until she showed him the message she had just received, and he told her to deal with it as fast as possible. Guild rules were clear, and he asked her no more until this situation was resolved. She had only heard rumours of these orders she had just given out. Several days before, Gran and his team had returned from completing a job in the Skaald lands and were looking for a well-earned rest before trying the Dungeon again. They were travel-weary but still elated from a well-done job, eager for a bed and good food. Elain had dissuaded them of these notions as she had an urgent job for them. She was sure that someone was manipulating the local job and quests to have a small valley to the north viewed by everyone as uninteresting. She wanted to know why. Gran was the only person she trusted to see this done, as her relationships with the other high-level groups in town were not as developed as his. This made them her first choice, much to their unhappiness. This was no small feat and the Guild would be very interested in knowing who was behind it and why. The Guild broke no outside interference with its operations and normally expressed its displeasure in the most violent terms. They had left quickly as the weather was soon worsening. She had made sure they had a message scroll supplied so they could immediately contact her with what they found. For the next week, she waited until the message arrived. They found a hunter encampment preparing for a large hunt. Gran found this odd and instructed his team to observe for a few days. This proved fortunate, as they realised that the prey they were getting ready to hunt were Pixies. This became clear when they spotted the nets and storage lanterns. No other creature, animal, or monster called for them. She looked back over the conversation on the scroll. Can you break the group, Gran? Yes, they have a few that can match us, but their numbers will mean we might miss a few. Are you sure you can get the group leaders? Kill them, yes. Capture uncertain. Capture them if possible; eliminate them otherwise. The Guild calls a Blood Quest Order. Understood. Albrot had given his blessings to the order and she had set Gran and his team to their grisly work. The Adventurer Guild gave simple instructions to all its members. Any part of Hylonia''s Kiss production found was to be engaged and destroyed with maximum effort. The maximum effort part was highlighted as the fight would be nasty at best. Even a tiny amount of Kiss would devastate a community within days. The Guilds had been forced to create and enforce strict rules governing the drug. All linked would be captured and interrogated, then killed if they were not outright. Those involved in the trade knew the risks and fought accordingly. This was going to be bloody. She was going to have to inform Ranus and Danrum of the find. Danrum would swear up a storm and back her actions. He had seen the results of Kiss on a community close-up and personal. This had left him with a strong dislike that bordered on hatred for all those involved. This included the church of Hylonia, but he was professional enough to obey his Lord''s orders regarding the church. However, she had heard of the constant surveillance of the temple in the town. For now, she had to wait. ## ## ## ## ## Gran lay in the damp, long grass overlooking the camp they had been observing. His armour and clothing kept him dry, but the cold was seeping into him. The valley was far narrower and the forest in the distance was more tightly packed with trees than the other areas. His team was getting into position and would be moving soon. The Blood Quest Order had been expected as soon as Kimor confirmed the nature of the hunter equipment. They all knew he was going to have to report it. They were not surprised when it came but were not eager to see it done. Completing it would give them a significant boon debt with the Guild as well as a hefty payout. The issue was it would be a bloody event as they sought to capture the leaders and kill the rest. In many ways, this was a mission to murder everyone down there. Then why do it? Well, that was what made it possible for them to do it. Eradication of Hylonia''s Kiss. They had been lucky and not to lose anyone to the drug, but most had seen communities where it had spread without check. Gran had seen monster attacks do less damage to the people. What he saw in one was¡­ He pushed the memories aside, hardening his heart to the task at hand. His team motioned with hand gestures that they were ready. He breathed, closing his eyes and focusing for a moment. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. They snapped open and he motioned to go. They rose almost as one and began moving in. The camp before them was focused not on their rear but on the forest before them. They had scouted out several magical alarms. Kimor had cut them off without alerting the guards; then, she had eliminated them. Gran planned the attack after the shift change as night was falling. They had the setting sun behind them as they attacked. Without the alarms or sentries, they were on them before the alarm was raised. Nilus fired arrows with his usual precision, killing the few who spotted them before they could cry out in alarm. Once they reached the tent line, things got bloody and the camp was alerted to the attack by the noise. The camp was organised better than most and Gran''s team could advance along clear lines through the tents. These were not warriors or even high-level adventurers. They were hunters, scavengers, and other lowlifes who made up the camp. They were dying, but Gran was no fool, knowing that the group would have some high-level individuals somewhere in the camp. They would be in charge of the group and because of what they were here to do, they would be the most dangerous and difficult. The alarm was now raised and the camp exploded into activity, but Gran''s team was among them. Hena and Mags held back. Hena was supported while Mags had been exempted from the job by Gran, for he knew her Path would not tolerate being a part of what was happening. Fighting was happening now as the hunt group rose to the challenge. More were taking up arms and clashing with the adventurers, slowing them but not stopping them. Further back with the better-quality tents, three figures emerged armed and studied what was happening. Gran and Tobar advanced towards them, both recognising the camp leaders. Two were fighters and Gran was unsure of the third. Men and women charged Gran and Tobar but were cut down. Both men were saving their skills for the fight about to start. The two opposing fighters advanced to meet them but clashed only after a few strides. Gran was facing off against a slightly shorter but armed woman, similar to him. Sword and shield with a mixture of plate and leather armour designed with mobility in mind while giving the best protection. This alone told him she knew how to handle herself in a fight and body posture only reinforced this to him. She was moving light on her feet while watching from over her shield rim to block any quick attacks on her body. Gran started the dance with a quick strike that was blocked and he, in turn, blocked the counter. Both fighters were feeling each other out and not rushing in. Around them, the battle was continuing, with Hena casting several spells into the growing confused mass of the low-life flunkies. Nilus and Kimor were still moving amongst them. Tobar and his opponent were trading heavy blows. What concerned him was the third figure was missing. The woman quickly drew his attention back as she attacked with more confidence and vigour. The blades clashed, causing sparks as they impacted. The shock from the impacts travelled up his arm from his wrist. They were minor but annoying. The woman triggered the first skill in the fight. The skill affected her blade, causing it to glow slightly. She blurred as she attacked again. The skill was some form of attack accelerator. Gran blocked it with his shield as the blade cut deep into the wood. He grunted as the force transferred through the shield into his other arm. Time to reply. Speaking the skill would give it more power but would alert his opponent to what would be coming. [Multi thrust- 2 strikes] His blade glowed in return, and he attacked. The woman raised her shield, but his blows cut even deeper into it, pushing her back. He pressed on with the advantage, continuing to attack. The skill had taxed him, but his recent experiences with the trips into the Dungeon had helped sharpen him. She was back peddling on the defensive, trying to get back into a solid offensive position. Several attempts were made to counter his attacks, but he was able to halt them and keep up the pressure. After overbalancing from an insufficient thrust, Gran got the opening when she opened her guard. His blade slid through her defences and cut through her leather arm armour. Her armour protected her from the worst of the blow that left a shallow wound. She gritted her teeth but never relented, continuing to fight. Her blade glowed again as she triggered another skill, attacking again. She was too close and Gran used his shield to divert the sword in a different direction. This opened her up again and Gran thrust his sword forward with a low strike on her abdomen. His blade made contact again but slid off an iron plate as she twisted to avoid being cut open. Gran knew he had to finish this quickly. He charged forward and collided with her, knocking her back. This broke her defensive stance and he triggered another skill. [Multi thrust- 3 strikes] His arm blurred and he pushed past the pain of the skill. The first strike was blocked, but the other two found their marks and punched through her armour. The third went deep into her stomach, causing her to throw up blood. The wound would kill her unless treated soon. Gran pulled the blade out and his hand, as well as the blade, were covered in blood. She fell forward to her knees and he stepped back to avoid her. Gran knew not to leave even a wounded opponent to his rear. He finished her off with a strike to the neck. Looking around, he gauged what was happening. The camp was starting to burn as his team tore through it. Hena was using spells liberally to finish off the remaining occupants of the camp who were not running or dead. Tobar was beating down his opponent, Nilus and Kimor were moving amongst the rest. Gran was alert, looking for the third figure who emerged from the tents, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Let''s finish this!" He yelled, getting his people''s attention and they moved faster. The few remaining were now running in all directions. Gran counted seven but suspected there were more. Three times that lay dead around the encampment, any wound would be finished off in time. Gran left the finishing off to Nilus and Tobar. He motioned to Kimor to join him at the largest and most opulent tent. Like him, she was covered in blood but showed no emotion as usual. "Take the lead." That was all he needed to say. Kimor nodded and went to work. She uncovered several alarm triggers and a few traps as she worked her way into the tent. Gran stood, looked out and watched the fight as it died down as his team broke the last resistance. Their orders were clear: no prisoners and none were taken. It was a controversial order as they could be interrogated for information. Those behind the trade ran a tight ship; little was usually discovered. "Clear." He heard from behind him, turning he entered the tent. It was more significant than the rest by a wide margin. The space was covered in rich furnishings and smelled of expensive perfume. "Not the typical fare for a hunter encampment." He muttered. Looking around, he noted that anything of import had been removed in haste. "Find anything?" "Nothing. Whoever was ever here cleared out fast." She said, still looking around. "Take anything valuable or looks important. We will let the Guild sort it out and burn the rest. I will message Shadow Vale and tell them to be on the lookout for the survivors." He returned outside and relayed the same orders to the rest of his team. The day was not over yet. The camp and bodies were searched and then gathered. Hena got the fire started after they added lantern oil to the bodies. The remaining tents and supplies were also destroyed. They were glad to leave this place. Chapter 73 Reality shifted and warped as I left the internal Core view, returning to the outside world. I dismissed the alert notifications straight away and opened my status screen.
Name Bhaldor Essence 77%
Race Dungeon Core CP 0(575) 6.3 phr
Level 5 Corruption 0%
Floors 5 Health 100%
"Looking better." I have been waiting for my next level for the last few weeks, so I have taken more time from experimenting to concentrate on Core Refinement. Over the night, I used up all my CP to get the count to 10%, bumping my regeneration to 6.3 points per hour. My essence level had been improving due to an influx of new adventurers who were both better levelled, and some were dumb enough not to listen to warnings. I found that odd, as they should have been smarter after reaching their level due to the attrition rate. The fourth floor was attracting much more traffic. Webbing was now a sought-after resource and the town had new crafters who could convert it into cloth. This led to an increase in casualties, from which I was benefiting. I checked the Dungeon and outside. All was well and dawn was near. "Well, I timed that right." Autumn had ended and winter was now here, as the ground, along with my surface structure, was covered in a thick layer of snow. I had not seen any adventurers in two days as a blizzard had blown through the valley, not allowing anyone sane to reach the Dungeon. I think that a few of the less sane had tried. Larry had retreated deeper into the Dungeon as the temperature dropped. Across the surface buildings, I found frost and ice formed on surfaces. In some areas, icicles formed mainly near the windows even as they were shuttered. I was being forced to do much more repair work to the surface builds than usual. The walls and tiles were more robust as they were part of the Dungeon, but the weather conditions were wearing on them. "Damn! I never seen it this cold before." The air was heavy. I could see a few flakes of snow blowing through the shutters, floating through the air. It was still dark, but my Core sight made everything as clear as day and as I watched¡­. "What is that?" I got a strangely familiar sense of something happening. "Could it be? Activate Mana Sight." My vision changed again as I looked around at the essence floating through the air. A mana node formed near one of the windows with the greatest ice concentration. It was a pale blue that bordered on white. "Ice mana." Several adventurers used ice magic and I knew the colour matched the items and spells. This left me with a choice that I had to make fast. Leave it to disperse naturally, or try to absorb it? I had one free bubble in my Core and if I filled it with Ice Mana, I would need to create more, which, in turn, would come with costs. "Leave or take. Leave or take¡­. Who am I kidding!" I opened my Core''s hiding place just in case I needed to absorb it physically and reached out for the mana as it finally formed.
Alert! Ice Mana discovered! Mana Absorption is possible! Do you wish to absorb Ice Mana and have it become your¡­. ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Absorption is impossible! ++ ERROR! ++ ++ ERROR! ++ Ice Mana is absorbed and stored within Mana stone.
The feeling of cold briefly swept through my Core, which was quite a surprise. "Open status screen. Bhaldor" Only one section interested me.
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 80(80) / 0.01 phr. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Shadow ¨C 80(80) / 1.1 phr. Light ¨C 80(80)/ 0.1 phr. Earth ¨C 80(80)/ 0.5 phr. Ice ¨C 2(80)/ 0.012 phr.
"Well¡­ that''s almost as bad as Illusion for regeneration." I was a bit disappointed at first, but I soon realised that while it was nice to have a new mana type, it would have no effect on my plans for the next floor. That regeneration was a killer. "What to do?" I thought it over and knew that I would have to create a mana stone to build up my reserve of this type of mana. I would wait a little longer for my CP to recover before doing this. "The question is, do I create more storage places within me now so I can create mana stones?" No, this was a question that demanded, I think, on it. I could just create new mana stones to store any new types in, but any adventurer who discovers my location might help themselves to those stones. I had four already made, which were storing additional mana. I would need to create a fifth to hold the ice mana just gained. If I create more bubbles within my Core, I have a safe way to store mana and stable regeneration rates above those of mana stones. However, this comes with its own problems and possibly others I am not aware of in the future. The biggest would be the further loss of the ability to refine my Core. I now have both in use, but I could be more discerning with my choices. I ignored the adventurers as I moved through the Dungeon. I mulled over all my options and what I needed to do. The day wore on and night arrived. The adventurers and miners were all gone; I was procrastinating again. The night brought another blizzard, swirling around the surface buildings, rattling the shutters and doors. I was downstairs in my Core room looking at my Core. The black gem sat in its alcove with the sparkling lights of the five mana types within my Core. I knew what I was going to do. I had regenerated some CP, and it was time to start. A new mana stone was added to the wall with the others; ice mana was placed within it. I would need to wait longer to do the next stage and create more bubbles to store additional mana types. I planned to make five more. With this decision, I made the final choices for the sixth floor and what I planned for them. I knew I needed to be flexible as I could run into something unexpected while gaining control of the area. Experience has taught me that having a solid plan for a floor is a waste of time, but I found a general plan was better when creating the floor. The basic layout, environment and minion type were ready to be implemented. I felt better that these were now in place, as they would make creating the floor a bit easier. "Well, not much to do now but to wait¡­. I hate waiting." ## ## ## ## ## Ranus was bundled up next to a fire in his private rooms. Outside, another blizzard had fallen on the town, shutting everything down for the night earlier than usual. This winter was far harsher than the last. "I hope Strumass is not mad at us." He said to himself as he looked around the room, listening to the blizzard outside. "It might be a good idea to drop in on his temple and see what his mood is." The thoughts on the weather had pulled his attention from the stack of vellum that seemed to be following him around these days. He was holding on and had been reading its words when he was briefly distracted. Danrum had compiled an extensive report about the fallout of the adventurer raid on the hunter encampment. The Guild and Danrum interviewed Gran and his team. Little was gathered from the site as the missing third high Pathed woman disappeared with what documentation was present. A description was given and passed out to the surrounding communities. Ranus held little hope of successfully identifying her. Hexus visited Ranus and publicly stated that his temple had no knowledge or connection to the hunters and that he would assist wherever he could. Ranus had thanked him for his support and words, Danrum was silent. Privately Danrum had expressed his views about that "God''s damned lair and pervert" and that was the mildest of what he had said. In the end, through gritted teeth, Danrum admitted that there were no links to the Hylonia temple, as of yet. One of the hunters who had fled the attack had been caught half-starved and mad from his trip back to the town. The watch had captured him trying to steal food and get to the docks. The rest were most likely dead, killed by the inhabitants of the mountains. He knew nothing but what they were hunting and a hefty payday at the end. He was executed two days later. This was the first execution Ranus had ordered with the full blessings of the temples of Lawdrn and Apharon. Still, he was haunted by it. He had sentenced many already but for petty crimes or fighting, nothing that warranted death. The laws on this drug he had adopted with the founding of the town and knew they were harsh for a reason. Still¡­. Ranus shook his head, focusing on the words on the vellum. He already knew the rest: several crime Guilds were establishing themselves within the town, and the watch was trying to prevent this¡ªbusiness as usual for any large community. The promise of wealth attracted the crime guilds, just as everyone else was. The next sheet was the town''s finances, which discussed wealth or, in his case, the lack of it. He leaned over and picked it up, wincing at the numbers displayed. They were bad. He was not in debt, but an emergency could ruin him. Money coming in was growing just ahead of his outgoings. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair. Spring would see an uptick in revenue due to the return of the merchant ships. Few but the bravest or most desperate sailed these waterways this time of year. Until then, he had to be careful and prayed to Rickle to stay away with either good or bad luck. He had made two choices that would lead to some gain and probably problems. He had approved the Elves'' request for a trade mission after consulting with Albrot and Elian. They had paid handsomely for a plot of land and would be sending their people to build the mission¡ªor, in their case, grow it, as its centre and foundation was always a tree. The Dwarven had been greeted and were looking at trade opportunities. When they learned of the deal, they, too, requested a trade mission. The speed of the request and earnestness with which it was delivered surprised many in Ranus''s council, including himself. When he enquired why, they responded, "There are some lovely small mountains here that we would like to explore." He was not fooled. There were other reasons, mainly the Dungeon, he suspected, but I had approved the request. Then word seemed to get around the diplomatic channels, and he now had six more requests. He had been able to hold them at bay by requesting a face-to-face diplomatic meeting. He had hoped that this would put many off, but alas, they all had sent word that the emissaries were en route and most would be arriving in the spring. "Me and my clever ideas." He complained to himself. Placing the vellum to the side, he picked up another wood log. With a casual flick of his wrist, he threw the log onto the fire. The impact of the log on the top of the fire caused a cloud of sparks to travel up into the chimney. Ranus watched the flames dance, thinking about the next year and beyond. Questions and problems swirled around his head with no resolution. He knew the source for nearly all of it: the Dungeon. It defied the rules and expectations that came with all Dungeons. Why was the Core hidden? Why was there no companion that could be identified? Why were the floors increasing in danger so fast? These and so many more needed to be answered. Ranus knew that the Adventurers Guild had a few. He had not pressed them on any but now realised he had to. He was sailing into uncharted waters with no clue as to the dangers. When the blizzard blew through, he resolved to get the answers he could. Sometimes, they lasted for days; until then, he waited. ## ## ## ## ## Comus was sitting in his laboratory in the newly rebuilt Alchemist Guild building. Elain and Ranus thought he was doing better. He was not, but he had become more focused. He had lost much of his body mass but was eating more, which allowed him to hold on to what was left. He needed to know what corruption was creating the "twisted" and how to counter it. The deaths of his Guild mates still sat heavily on him and showed no signs of lightening. He needed to understand why the wards had proven so ineffective. He had overseen the new wards established within this building, which were sitting on top of the old foundations. His Guild had spared no expense to get his chapter back up and running. They had sent designs for new and improved wards commonly found in higher-rated communities. He had reviewed them but privately thought they were still lacking. He had been sending out messages to select individuals within the Guild, trying to discover what he could. The replies he received were nearly all the same: "We don''t know; stop looking until we get a clear picture", but a few had come through for him. He had started building a better picture of what was happening not just locally or across the continent but worldwide. Something was happening, but he was not sure of what. He had his suspicions but no hard evidence of what. The Gods were aware of it, but they were keeping quiet, so it was something even they could not control. The Dungeon was also involved. He was sure for so many reasons, mainly that the Gods were here all together with no open clashing. He had so many questions. He had been compiling his notes covering everything that had happened. He had talked to all those present and survived, gathering a timeline of what had happened. He had checked his work against the official investigation, noting the similarities and differences. He had vellum scattered across his new desk notes and ideas, mixed with new ward designs and experiments. He had been warned to leave it alone until the Guild completed its investigation, but he could not. He knew they were watching him for now, so he would wait. Chapter 74 This year''s winter was harsh in the mountains. The ice and snow seemed endless, and the freezing wind howled through the mountain valleys, bringing day-long blizzards. Many wondered if Strumass, the God of sky and weather, was angry. People, animals, and monsters huddled down and waited. The only exceptions were those tough enough or desperate enough to keep moving. The twisted fell into both categorisations. As endless as winter seemed it gave way in time to spring. The season changed, the snow slowly began to retreat, and life became awake again. The town of Shadow Vale started digging itself out of the snow drifts and merchants soon began plying the river trade routes again. The flow of people returned with them. What would this year bring? This was the thought of many, from its Lord to the lowest; even the Dungeon had to wonder. ## ## ## ## ## "What kind of bullshit was that!" I was watching a group on the third fighting the three boars. Two were down and the third was wavering. It looked like one of the adventurers was going to get trampled to death but was pulled to safety at the last minute by another, triggering some type of skill. Overall, the winter had been far harsher than the last few and the numbers visiting had been lower. It felt like my advance towards my sixth floor was progressing at a near-glacial speed. "They will not be going any further." The last boar fell, and the group nearly all collapsed. The three boars had battered them, and they were exhausted. The rewards were collected and the corpses were stripped for additional hides and meat. "Let''s see¡­ up to 91% to the next level. Well, at least that''s something." I had time to kill over the winter and had created three new bubbles in my Core, but now I have a Core Refinement max of 92%. My CP had recovered to the whooping 66 points I had free. I had picked up a few more odds and ends to add to my equipment list. "I should really do something with that stuff, not just hoard it." I was watching them leave. It is about midday, so I will have a few more teams come through today before the miners make their journey to the two resource nodes. After the change, they ignored the first floor at first, but now they are mining both daily when the weather allows. Larry had moved back up to the surface and reoccupied his spot. Most ignored him, but a few were keeping track of his movements. I had overheard plans to attack him to find out what would happen, but so far, no action had been taken against him. The third was the most popular floor, but more were going to the fourth. Most went as far as the room with the eight spiders but did not enter or go further. A few cocky went to the fifth and most were not seen again¡ªthose who did learn their lesson or quit the adventuring life. I had noticed an increase in the number of Iron and Copper teams showing up regularly before winter. They were the ones pushing the fourth and fifth floors, but they still made up the lowest number of adventurers entering the Dungeon, but this was changing. ## ## ## ## ## "The decree will be put into effect today." Ranus said, standing at the head of the table in his meeting room. The town council, nodding in agreement, was also gathering around. "The small valley where the Pixie colony exists will be monitored and entry is forbidden. Anyone who asks will be informed that a beast is sleeping there and that we wish not to disturb it." "It will be a good enough cover story for now." Elian ventured. Comus seconded her statement. Ranus was glad to see Comus retaking an interest in affairs outside his Guild, but he seemed still too thin and looked haunted. Ranus occasionally noticed a gleam in his eyes when any mention of the twisted was brought up that worried him. This was the most significant piece of business he had to deal with outside of the usual affairs of town. "With that, we can discuss the remaining items on the agenda." Ranus looked down at the list on a sheet of vellum before him. "We have started to get more people arriving again as the river routes are open. How we for housing?" "The new buildings have started. We are seeing a limiting rooms and rented properties." Vulus spoke up. He was still bundled up much more than the rest. No one complained louder than him over the weather this past winter. The rest of the council shifted to the limitations he was speaking of. "Are they being overcharged?" Ranus asked. "Not as yet, but prices are increasing." Vulus admitted. This was not his area, but he watched these things at Ranus''s request. "I will step in if needed," Ranus decided on the issue. Next, there is the growing demand for all metals." The meeting went on along the more established lines that they all expected. Ranus was eager to have it end, as he arranged a private meeting with Albrot and Elian in the Adventurer Guild after this. He would press them as hard as he could over the Dungeon today. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The meeting came to an end, and a few more decisions were made and a few put off. Ranus waited for everyone to file out as he prepared himself for what was coming next. A short time later, he got up and collected his heavy cloak. It was only a short walk, but the winds were still blowing cold. He spoke to a few as he left and walked into the town centre square. The stocks were empty as he passed them. Few were moving around the square; many were still bundled up. Ranus walked into the Adventurer Guild and was greeted quickly by one of the receptionists. The building was full of bodies. All around, people were talking or planning. Most were preparing to enter the Dungeon or local quests that were posted. He overheard as he passed being led to the stairs leading to the next floor. He arrived at a door and waited as the receptionist knocked on it and opened it, speaking to those inside. "Lord Goldwind has arrived." "Thank you." He said to the receptionist as he passed her into the room. She withdrew, closing the door behind her. Albrot and Elian were standing at a table waiting for him. The air had a slight tension to it. He had been trying to get this meeting since early winter, but they had stalled him. In the end, he threatened them, which he knew was dangerous, but he had no other options. That had not gone down well. "Lord Goldwind." Albrot was stiffer than when he first met Ranus, as he did not take his threat well. Elian had been more diplomatic and helped smooth things over. "Why has it come to this?" Ranus knew they both had to reach out to prevent things from worsening, so he faced the problem head-on. His frank question surprised them both. They had not expected him to take this route. "You made a foolish threat against the Adventurers Guild!" Albrot snapped. Ranus remained calm, knowing that it would give him the advantage. "Why? Because you are too ignorant or afraid to answer my questions," Ranus prodded him. Again, it was dangerous, but he was in a corner that gave him other options. Albrot turned red and before he could say anything he could not take back, Elian placed her hand on his arm. "Some things are beyond your position as Lord of these lands." Albrot was still angered. Ranus bristled at the words. "Let us sit." Elian inserted herself to calm things. Both men grudgingly sat on different sides of the table, facing each other. Elian sat between them. "You are holding out important information about the Dungeon and how it could affect this town." Ranus started again with the argument he had been making for the last few months. "We are the Divine-mandated Adventurers Guild. We do not answer to a minor local Lord," Albrot reminded him. "But¡­" Elian interjected before the heated words escalated. "¡­But we recognise you are seeking to keep your people alive and protected." Albert grudgingly admitted. "Then what are you offering." Ranus knew when they were making an opening for an offer in negotiations. When he spoke, he pulled back his frustration and sounded more consolatory. "The Guild will get you some information in return for you not raising the issue again or taking any unwise action against us." Elian offered. Ranus now could see this meeting for what it was: a negotiation, but what were they offering? He leant back, thinking before speaking. "Not good enough." He crossed his arms as he spoke to see how they would react. "What do you mean not good enough!" Albrot went red again. "We are being generous in what we are offering you!" Again, Elian placed her hand on his arm to calm him. "What are you looking for, Lord Goldwind?" She asked. Ranus knew he would not get what he wanted, but he tried to get as much as possible. "I wanted to know what the Guild knows about the Dungeon, the Twisted, and to be warned about any threats if discovered." Albrot went crimson at Ranus''s words. Elian spoke before he did again. "We cannot do that, Lord Goldwind, but we are willing to offer some information on the Dungeon, and we will warn you of any dangers we discover." Elain offered. Ranus now understood the game they were playing. They had agreed in advance what they were willing to give up to him and both were playing a part. He chose to play his. He rubbed his chin with a hand, looking thoughtful. "I agree." He finally said. "Very well." Albrot said, still angry. "What I am going to say will count as the knowledge we promised and the warning." This caused Ranus to become concerned. "High Magus Doltum found the Core. Guild Leader Woodland, who was with him, confirmed the information and was sworn to secrecy as to its location." He paused to let that sink in. "Upon inspection, the Core was discovered to be black in colouration." "B-black?" Ranus stuttered out in shock, looking at Elian. "As you know, Lord Goldwind, Cores take on the colour of the first mana element they absorb, which is the foundation of their Dungeon." Elian explained. "This Core, as far as we can tell, has no base mana element, which allows it to be more¡­ creative in its approach to its Dungeon." "But how... why?" Ranus blurted out. "We do not know. That is also the warning we are giving you. If it became widely known about the Core, it could trigger another Folly." Albrot said with deadly seriousness. Ranus felt silently stunned, trying to grasp what he had been told. The implications alone would have brought him to the same conclusion as the warning. A Core like this would attract every insane fool trying to ascend the Paths faster or just to own such an unusual thing. A folly might even be the least of the disasters that could unfold. "Thank you for telling me," Ranus said after a few seconds. "Excuse me, I need to think about this." ## ## ## ## ## Elian closed the door after seeing Ranus from the room. As soon as they were sure the young Lord was gone, Albrot spoke. "I now see why you think keeping him on our side is a good idea," he said with a chuckle, all anger and resentment vanishing. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his anti-scrying crystal and after checking that it was still functional, he placed it on the table. "Will he accept what we told him?" She asked, sitting again at the table. She had worried that the meeting could have ended in a disaster. "The information on the Core and the warning. Yes. How we presented it with our act. No." She looked at him, confused. "I thought we played our parts well." She said, sounding a bit hurt. This caused him to chuckle again. "It seems I underestimated our young Lord Goldwind. He saw through our little charade almost as soon as we started it." Albrot smiled, thinking over the discussion. He had been reading him the whole time and was impressed with how the young Lord had handled the entire thing. "What will he do?" She asked, now concerned, things were delicate at the moment. "If he is as smart as he appeared, nothing. He will know it''s all about politics and theatrics. If I were him, I would concentrate on the town and the coming emissaries." "When will they arrive?" Elian was happy with the change of subject but was not looking forward to the social functions that accompany every arrival. "Ten days at most will see the first." He said, looking into the middle distance. "What is the count at this time?" "Six, but I have been getting rumours that more are paying much closer attention now." He said, then rubbed his face with both hands. "Are there any we should be worried about?" "My dear Elian, why all of them!" He chuckled again, then got serious. "I received whispers that we might be seeing the Shi''Tan this year." "Dear Gods!" Elian exclaimed. "They have been making polite enquiries through their contacts in Ostrul. It will be difficult for a diplomatic mission to reach here, even as close to the coast as we are." He was looking into the middle distance again. Elian prayed that they would not come. The problems they would cause just by setting "foot" on Kyber would be horrendous at best. "I am afraid this year will be far more eventful than the last." Albrot prophesied and Elain was afraid he was right. Chapter 75 The runner entered the Adventurer Guild at full speed, narrowly missing a few and colliding with others. Yells and curses followed him as he pushed through to the receptionist''s desk. She looked up in frustration at his actions. He reached the desk, leaned over, and whispered a message into the lead receptionist''s ear. She paled and ran up the stairs to the next floor. Elian was sitting at her desk, facing the relentless enemy of her paperwork. Of course, it was vellum, as paper was far too expensive for her to acquire. She was surprised by a rapid knocking at the door, which her lead receptionist hurriedly opened. "Apologies Guild Leader. A third team has been wiped in the Dungeon!" She blurted out while trying to catch her breath from the run from downstairs. "WHAT!" Elian yelled, getting up from her desk, knocking over the stack of reports on it. She stormed out of her office and down the stairs. Often, adventurers would attempt to speak to her or plead their cases for different issues. Today, they sensed the storm cloud brewing and parted like a hot knife through butter. She marched out of the building, and as soon as she was gone, the murmur increased as they all asked what was happening. Word quickly got around; a third team was wiped out. Elian stormed past the guards at the gate in the palisade. They knew who she was and, with one look at her mood, chose to leave her pass unchallenged. She passed the line of adventurers waiting to enter the Dungeon. They had heard of the third team''s deaths, but none had moved from the queue. She reached the hut set up near the Dungeon''s doors. A man from her guild was waiting for her. "Report!" She barked. Her mood was evident. "Three teams have been wiped out today. First, a Tin group of six; we think they tried for the third." He began reading from a sheet of vellum. "Greedy new adventurers. Continue." "Next was an Iron group of five. They went straight to the third and we never heard anything else. Our sensor crystal showed the Dungeon resetting." "Bit of more than they could chew. The last?" "Another Iron group seven strong. We think they went straight to the fourth floor." She pinched the bridge of her nose with her hand and let out a deep sigh of frustration. She knew that once they entered, they were on their own, but she hated filling out the additional reports that accompanied each team''s demise. She was about to speak when the doors slammed shut and the blots were heard closing. "Well, that changes things." She said to mostly herself. "The Dungeon is closed as it is creating its new floor!" She yells so the queue can hear her. Groans and exclamations follow her words. "Back to town, everyone." Grudgingly, they returned to town. She remained giving the guildsman orders. "Normal procedure. When it reopens, let me know." The man nods at her orders, expecting them. She then heads back to the town. Word is already spreading fast through the town. Merchants and artisans complain about the short-term loss, but all wonder what new riches will be available to be exploited. As she passed, the guild was in a ruckus of complaints; others were handling them. She walked to the building where Ranus was working. Naru noticed her entrance and got up from her desk, slipping into the back. She reappeared a few minutes later with Ranus. "Guild Leader Woodland, what brings you here today?" He asked. "The Dungeon had closed for the creation of its new floor, Lord Goldwind." She spoke knowing many in the room were listening and it was not private information. "Thank you for telling me." He nods to her and turns, returning to whatever he is doing in the room behind this one. She returned to her guild and the work ahead. As she entered, a dozen adventurers began speaking to her all at once. "SILENCE!" This brought quiet to the chaos. "You all know the rules for a dungeon expansion. Stop panicking, get the request in and do not harass the receptionist!" She got through the masses who she wished again washed more often. She reached her office and found Albrot waiting for her. "Floor six." He spoke. "Floor six." She echoed as she closed the door and walked back behind her desk, sitting down so they faced each other. "Normally, I would ask what was expected, but here, we just have to wait." He chuckled at the situation. "I have a problem." She said, leaning back. "Which is?" He asked, a bit confused. "I would take Gran and his team in with me, but the last floor was almost too much for them. Also, they are in the north at the moment." She liked them, but as Guild Leader, she had to be practical. "Ah, yes. That would be an issue, but I have word of a solution. A team of Bronze grade adventurers arrived this morning and will be registered by the end of the day." He told her. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "Really, who?" She asked. "Nimora Airspeaker and her group." "So, one of the highest-level human teams in this part of the continent has graced us with their presence." She was a bit snarky. "What can I say? The Dungeon is attracting more attention and people are getting interested. It is financially worthwhile for them to see what it has to offer." He shrugged as he spoke. "Another thing to add to my list of things to deal with." She groaned out and he laughed. ## ## ## ## ## Nimora Airspeaker was walking through the town''s market with her team. They had secured rooms and were registered with the local Guild. Now she could relax, take in the few sights and inspect the town''s local wares. "Why are we here?" Kyle groaned. "Come now, Kyle. This Dungeon is so different we had to be here." Nimora told him. "This town is the back end of nowhere, Nimora." He was not giving up. "True, but every great city begins somewhere, Kyle." He snorts at this. The rest of the group looks around at the stalls and shops, not engaging in the conversation. They have known each other for a long time and know how the conversation will go. "Nimora, look at that leather armour." Xerack said, pointing to a set of armour hanging on display. This caused the whole group to turn and look. A few gasps spoke of their surprise. The leather armour was made from the hide of some beast that had been treated and formed into the set before. Its quality was respectable, but what made it stand out was that it was magical in some way. Nimora took a closer look and understood why Xerack had spotted it so quickly. "Shadow infused! My, my, you do not see this often." She looked around for the shopkeeper and quickly caught his attention. "Such a find, shopkeeper. Where did you acquire this armour?" "Why, honoured patron, the suit is made locally from several hides from the third-floor boss of the Dungeon." The shopkeeper waved at it with a flourish of his hand. "It can be yours for a mere twenty-five gold coins." It was expensive, but such sets were not often found. That did not catch her attention, but what the shopkeeper had said caught her attention. "You say that it is made from the hide of one of the floor bosses?" She asked. "Indeed. The Dungeon had only five floors, with the sixth being created, but what we gained from it is very generous." He was very proud of his wares that he had been able to gather due to the Dungeon. "My, my, I had heard that the Dungeon was small, but I had no idea that it was so profitable." Nimora was playing a part in getting more information from the shopkeeper. They already knew the Dungeon was small but had not believed the rumours of its danger or the wealth that could be gained. "Yes, we are getting very excited as we are looking forward to the sixth floor." Nimora nodded as he spoke. What surprised the group was Xerack''s action. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Merchant Guild crystal, which he handed to the shopkeeper. "I will take the armour." He pointed at the shadow-infused set, and the shopkeeper''s face lit up with a smile. His team was almost shocked, as their teammate was known for his frugal lifestyle. The shopkeeper paced Xerack''s crystal next to his own on a sheet of mana-infused vellum. Words appeared naming the two and the agreement to transfer twenty-five gold coins between them for the set of armour. This was the high point of the shopkeeper''s month as it was such a large sum of money. He handed The armour over to him and placed it in a dimensional storage bag. He was happy with what he had acquired and walked with more of a spring in his step. The rest of his team smiled at each other as they watched him move. The rest of the trip to the market was uneventful, but a few things were bought. Nimora had told them she had agreed to escort the local Guild Leader into the Dungeon when it reopened to explore the new floor. They returned to their rooms. Nimora called them together. "Prepare yourselves when the Dungeon we are travelling to the sixth floor." She told them. "Why did you agree to that, Nimora?" Kyle asked for the group. "I have discovered something odd about this Dungeon; for what I plan, we will need to hire a carrier to help us." Her words attract the interest of the others. "The Dungeon is based on a stairwell that extends the whole Dungeon. We will map and explore the sixth. As asked, we will move up through the Dungeon from the bottom to the top." This initially confused them, but they eventually understood what she had planned. This strange plan could only work in this Dungeon, as every other Dungeon required clearing each floor to reach the next. "That is so insane it could work!" Laughing, Mealina, their healer said. The rest soon joined in. "Go, get your supplies and equipment. I will find a carrier to take additional supplies and equipment in case we need them and to carry what we gain in loot." She continued to speak. They nodded and went about their business, but Xerack held back. When they were alone, he spoke. "We are not the highest-rated team in the town." He told her. "Who is also here?" She asked, interested in who he had discovered. "A Silver grade team of elves." "Silver? Well, this is unexpected. What do we know of them." She asked. "Led by Sliva Moonborn, they have been visiting several Dungeons on the east side of the continent. They have been here for several months and have been into the Dungeon several times." Xerack explained what he had found. "Thank you, Xerack. Excuse me, I have a carrier to interview." She stood and walked out of the room. She walked to the common room, which was full of adventurers who were waiting for the Dungeon to reopen. She looked around and spotted the man she was here to see. He had secured a table and was sitting with a mug of ale before him, watching the room with mild interest. She moved over the table. He saw her and rose to meet her. "Ator, thank you for meeting me." She inclines her head in greeting. "Thank you for enquiring about my services. Would you like to sit?" He indicates to the other chair. "Thank you." They both sit at the table, and a waitress comes over. Nimora orders a wine and it soon arrives. When the waitress leaves, she starts talking. "You have been recommended as the highest-level carrier in town. An iron-grade carrier with a dimensional storage bag. To this end, my team and I wish to engage your services for our first trip to the Dungeon." She found that laying out the proposition first gets things moving faster. "It will be a full Dungeon exploration and we will need you for supplies and loot carrying." He nods as she speaks, saying nothing beyond what he does regularly. This Dungeon was getting deep enough that carriers were becoming a needed service. Extra weapons and supplies were a life-saving requirement for the deeper a Dungeon got. "When do you think you will get entrance." He asked. "We will be going in first." What she was saying quickly dawned on him. "You will be the team exploring the sixth!" Then he frowns. "Why employ me for a full Dungeon run?" "Do not worry about that. Just know we will pay for the Dungeon run." She smiled at him as she spoke, not answering his question. "Have you any issues?" "No, as long the contract is the standard Guild fare, there should be no problems." He said after a few moments of thought. "Excellent; we will sign the contract tomorrow and be ready as soon as the Dungeon reopens. We will be going in." She was happy things would be happening without problems. They both stood as their business was almost concluded. "We will meet at the Guild tomorrow at midday to get everything in place until then." She turned and walked away. She left Altor wondering what she was planning with such strange terms of service. Chapter 76 "Eerwww" I came back to awareness and the hangover feeling. I had made it to level six, which made me happy. The death of three teams in a single day had pushed me across the threshold. You must love overeager/greedy adventures and the stupid things they did to get killed. I decided to open an alert flashing in the corner of my vision first.
Congratulations! You have reached another important milestone! It is not easy for a Core to walk its Path and develop in the world, but you are making headway. For achieving your sixth floor, you are awarded an additional 25 CP points permanently. To aid in Dungeon development, as long adventures remain on floor five or above, you can work on any floor below. Continue to gain more rewards!
"Now, this is something I can get behind." This was a huge thing, giving me a bonus that would help me develop faster. After the reduction from the Core Refinement, I had plenty of CP to use. The second part was more important, meaning I could work on floor six without interruption during the day. I opened my status sheet to see how much I had to play with.
Name Bhaldor Essence 0%
Race Dungeon Core CP 183(700) 6.3 phr
Level 6 Corruption 0%
Floors 6 Health 100%
"Right, that''s a lot of CP. What can I do with it?" The Dungeon was secure and everything was in order. It was a day outside and I opened the Dungeon. It would take time before the adventurers would reappear, and I used this time to start digging out the stairwell room location below the present one. I would shift my Core room down when the floor was finished. If I had done it before, it may have raised suspicions. The room was made and nothing was discovered or found. "So far, so good. Right to the east we go." The stone gave way as I started to cut out the first room. This floor would not have rooms but caverns, so that I could be more haphazard with their layouts. The cavern was slow going, but it was taking shape. Above, an individual had entered the Dungeon and descended the stairs. "They will be here to check to see if the new floor was open." I continued with my work. As I suspected, they reached the bottom, looked around and then returned to the surface. By the time they left, the first cavern was finished. I was pushing the limits of height and depth when this cavern was finished. I filled the bottom with earth, levelling it with the floor of the stairwell room. This was room 6B, as the stairwell was 6A. "Now, the plants." I smiled in my mind as I chose them. The first adventurers were now entering the Dungeon. I ignored them as I continued my work. "They will not expect these." I did some planting and added a little water to help things along. Now, to the next room, I turned south. Expanding my aura, I claimed the stone and removed it to form the cavern. Another took form, and I filled it with earth as the first, listing it as 6C. Checking my CP count, I knew I could go a bit further. I went west with my aura. As I expanded, I found something that triggered an alert. I stopped and opened it.
Alert! You have discovered a silver vein. Fully claim it to discover its amount and quality.
"Well, that might be a problem." I reached out again and claimed the vein on the southern end of the cavern I was planning. As I expanded, I got more worried as it just kept going. It exhausted my remaining CP, but I brought it under my control. I opened another alert. "It''s how big!" The numbers before me were a bit scary. This threw my plans into considerable disarray. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "Well, I cannot go on for now. I need to think about this." I settled in to think about this problem while the adventurers continued to come and go. The miners appeared, indicating that the day was coming to an end and then they went to the two resource nodes. The fifth floor took longer to reach, but they made it with their escorts, claiming the rewards for the kills. The copper was quickly extracted and they packed up and left. The night rolled in and still, I thought, turning the possible scenarios over in my mind. This would be the time I was working, but I was still waiting for my CP to recover. The caverns were large and took time to create. The silver vein could become a resource node, but it would cost me dearly if I chose to do this. "I could just absorb it and be done with it." Near dawn, I returned to work finishing the cavern I counted as 6D. I had decided to leave the vein''s fate until the floor layout was completed. The earth and plants were added to the space and I turned my attention northward. Any cavern was formed here with the earth and plants added; I labelled it 6E. I continued north once more but had the cavern turn east; this would be the guardian room 6F. I connected it to the stairwell room. I went back and put all the earth and added the plants. I felt good about the floor. It was smaller than the one above, but only slightly. I had thought about going more extensively, but I was using this floor as an experiment to create full environments. The other floors had aspects of environments, but they would be tailored to the minions here. "Talking about minions, better get the first one made." I opened the creation screen and got to work. Selecting the snake I had been working on, I increased its CP cost from six to eight and went about making it. The motes of light began spinning and the pressure came to my mind. I concentrated on keeping the image in my mind. The small whirlwind of dust and earth joined the motes. The snake began taking form and, with a pop, came into existence.
Alert! You have created a new type of minion and monster in this world. Please name it¡­
I said nothing and looked over at the snake. It was similar in size to the Rock Worms above. Its scales shimmered and seemed to blend in with the surrounding earth. What drew my attention was a diamond-shaped marking on its head, and then I knew. "Diamond Head Snake."
Alert! A new Diamond Head Snake has been created! Design gained ¨C Diamond Head Snake.
With this done, I went into the details of my newest creation. After much experimentation, I had given it crystal-like fangs, which I had learned from the minions above. "Let us see what you can do."
Name Diamond Head Snake Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Dungeon Snake Essence 0%
Health 140/140 Mana 40/40
Stamina 120/120 Corruption 0%
STR 8 8 Damage base
DEX 8
AGL 12
END 8
VIT 14
PER 10
INT 4
WIL 4
LUCK 3
Skills: Strike 1 ¨C 0%: + 20% to an attack. Cost 10 stamina.
Equipment: Bite: 4 DAM(Piercing) + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Tough Hide: -2 DAM Camouflage: +40% stealth attacks.
"Well, not bad, not bad at all." It was not as tough as the Rock Worms but had no restrictions and some decent perks. Its ability to ambush was far better combing it with its strike skill could do some severe damage. "It''s a fair trade-off." I looked around 6B, the room where I had created the snake. The first green shoots of the plants were appearing. Now, I had a question to answer, as I ignored the loot allocation alert. How many were in this room? "Shall I ease them in? Or through them in the deep end?" By now, they should know the score if they had reached this floor. Suppose they have jumped some, well, more fool them. "Time to take the gloves off." I checked my CP and created three more snakes. They are assigned to the room and open the loot alert.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the four Diamond Head Snakes. Cythian Copper coins x24 (Chance ¨C 80%) Cythian Copper coins x30 (Chance ¨C 20%) The odds and types of rewards may be set manually, but this will increase the room respawn''s overall support cost. Do you wish to alter the rewards: Yes or No?
I read over the list and thought about it. I wonder if this is a bit too thrifty? The system rates the minion and assigns what it thinks is a fair reward but allows me to change it. Over the last few years, I have understood that the additional benefits brought financial gain to most of the adventurers. Plants, minion parts and resource nodes were where the money was. Is that the wrong approach? I thought about it a bit longer, but I felt that, in the end, I was on the right course, as the adventurers were generally happy to venture through my floors. "No." Dawn had arrived, and the bottom of the stairwell was rechecked to see if entry to the sixth was possible. I looked around the cavern and again at my plant list. My CP total dropped by 32, which was assigned to the snake''s respawn cost. "Should I keep the silver vein?" I still had no idea what to do with it. With my low CP count, I would have to wait for it to regenerate. But my rate had increased to 6.9 per hour, so there was that. The day passed as most others had, and I waited while watching the adventurers. The first to third floors saw all the action, while the bottom two floors were ignored for the time being. In the end, the miners cleared out and I had enough CP regenerated. I could have started earlier, but I wanted to have a good number to work with. Before I did anything, I was going to deal with the silver vein.
Resource Node Created! Congratulations! You have created a resource node (Silver seam, Quality¡ªcommon). Do you wish to make this a permanent resource node? If you select yes, once every 72 hours, the node will be regenerated back to its initial amount of silver (100 pounds). This will cost twenty-five Creation Points to permanently assign to this resource node. Do you wish this to happen: Yes or No?
"Yes." Twenty-five CP points were painful, but not as painful as I feared. Silver is a higher-grade metal, and I had created a large node, so the regeneration time was three times longer. This made sense, as producing too much of a valuable metal could crash the local economy. I''m back to work in room 6C. The plants are growing nicely and will be fully grown in a day or two. "Looking good." Chapter 77 The descent went without issue, as everyone they spoke to had told them it would. Nimora and her team found the bottom of the stairwell and stood in a room that looked like a half-finished construction site. Checking a compass, she got a sense of direction. To the east was an open-door portal and to the north was a large, sturdy-looking door. Xerack went to the door and looked it over. He ran his hands over the door and its frame, checking for locks and traps. After a few minutes, he turned back to Nimora. "The door is designed to open from the other side." He informed them. She was unsure why, but Dungeons were known for their quirks. The open-door portal was the route they took to leave the stairwell room. She looked through the doorway into the next room. There was a short corridor that led into a¡­ cavern. It was hard to tell. What she could see was tall grass and other plants. The space was lit by large amounts of blue moss on the ceiling. The whole area was coloured blue from the moss''s light. It gave everything a surreal and almost alien look. "Xerack had led. The rest of us will follow as normal." She pulled two wands from her belt. "Take it easy and slowly, no, heroics." Xerack takes the lead, and they follow. He moves gracefully and silently, his new armour blending his form with the shadows created by the moss around them. The moss on the ceiling is far more concentrated than the moss on the stairwell, brightening the room. However, the dominant blue tone still makes everything seem strange. The room turns out to be a cavern, and the southern exit is clearly visible. Multiple species of plants grow in it. The floor is dominated by tall grass with ivy vines growing up the walls. Several large bushes are also spotted around, breaking up the line of sight of her team. They walk into the grass, which is close to a meter in height. Xerack is alert and is looking in every direction: where are the monsters? Fredrick suddenly turns, raising his shield. A blur leaps out of the grass at him. A massive snake collides with his shield but latches onto it, biting into the reinforced wood. He is forced to step back with the impact and add additional weight. The team reacted to the attack. Kyle shot an arrow into the snake''s flank, causing it to let go of the shield. Fredrick attacked the snake, slashing at it. The snake avoided the blow as it pulled back and the blade cut only air. Randle moved up to help but cried out in pain as another snake attacked from the grass, biting into his leg. This distracted the group from the first. He stabbed down, wounding the snake, causing it to let go. Xerack twisted, stabbing out as a third snake attacked from another angle. Nimora took it all in and started giving orders. "Fredrick, Randle, Xerack, keep the snakes engaged. Kyle, shoot any targets; Randle, I am about to use magic." They all heard her but stayed on mission and did not answer. She moved closer to Randle and then around him to get a view of the snake. It had been striking at Randle and colliding with the shield he had set before him. It tried to use its length as an advantage, keeping him at a distance. This was her first good look at the snakes, but she found them hard to see. The snake''s scales shifted in colour and pattern to reflect the grass around it. "Casting." She said and Randle raised his shield. She pointed her wands. The snake thought this was a sign to attack again, and as it struck forward, it was intercepted by two [Air Blade] spells. She felt the sudden weariness from the mana drain from casting two spells simultaneously but was, by now, used to it. Both hit the snake behind its head, decapitating it and causing blood to splatter about. The body collapsed, and the head bounced off Randles'' shield. "Shifting to Xerack." He said, moving with a slight limp. "Good." Nimora looked around and knew that with the surprise attack over, the snakes were being overwhelmed. Xerack was finishing off his opponent and Kyle shot the other, who was full of arrows, killing it. As soon as the fourth hit the ground dead, the flash of the reward told her it was over. "Xerack, check the rest of the cavern. Mealina, see to Randle. Ator check the reward." Her instructions were clipped and delivered with authority. The group sprang into action. Mealina knelt next to Randle, and he and Fredrick watched the space around them, ready for more trouble. Ator went through the trampled grass to collect coins. Xerack moved through the cavern, seeking any hidden dangers or surprises. Nimora turns to see Elian standing next to the headless body of her kill, scribbling on the vellum on her board and muttering notes into a recording crystal in her collar. "¡­. a snake that can blend in with its environment¡­" She heard some of what the Guild Leader was recording but turned her attention away. "Mealina?" She asked. The other woman was still kneeling with her hand on his plated thigh, which glowed slightly with a soft white light. "Light wound. The snake''s fangs punched straight through the steel. No poison- praise Ilina- I have given him a healing tonic. He will be fine in a few minutes." She reported. "Xerack?" She calls out. "Clear!" was his reply. "Kyle?" she asked the hunter as she walked over to him. He had retrieved his arrows from the snake he had helped kill. Now, he stood with Elian, holding the snake''s head in his hands and inspecting it. "Never seen the likes. It has the ability to blend with its surroundings, making it an ambusher by nature." He said, still looking into the snake head''s mouth. "Look at the fangs. They are not normal teeth; they are more crystal-like. I do not see any venom glands." She nodded at everything he said, taking it all in. As a [Monster Hunter], she trusted his observations. Elian recorded everything he said. She could see the damage to Kyle''s shield from the bite. She would have to take this into account moving forward.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Ator, what did we get?" She turned and asked the last man. "Eighteen copper coins. Old empire quality is the standard fare from this Dungeon." He showed her one. She took it and looked it over. It was odd in the blue light, but she could feel the weight of it. "Respectable. See if you can salvage anything from the snakes." She turned back to Elian. "Anything to add, Elian?" "No, everything is going well." She did not look up from the board. Nimora was not insulted or slighted by this, as the Guild Leader had a highly complex task to perform. What was concerning her was the environment and monsters they just fought. She had heard stories that this Dungeon was without a mana type but thought they were just rumours or a tactic to confuse other adventurers. The sharoon at the entry point reinforced to her that this was a shadow-type dungeon. Now, she was not so sure. She stepped away from Ator and Elian, Xerack and Kyle joined her. "What have we walked into?" She asked in a quiet voice. The other''s expressions told her they had been thinking along similar lines. "It seems the stories we heard are true." Xerack ventured. "Are we still following the plan?" "Yes, we are." She said, thinking after a few seconds. They moved on from the cavern. Ator was unable to get much but did skin one of the snakes. The exit was to the south, and Xerack went through the doorway. A short corridor linked the two. They walked into another cavern of a different size but with the same environment. They all expected more snakes. The cavern''s ceiling was again covered with moss, so dense that it lit the space with pale blue light. Xerack was out front and stopped suddenly. Everyone tensed, knowing he stopped because he thought he saw something. They all looked around, seeking to spot any danger. An arrow shot out into the grass; it was impossible to see if it hit anything. The grass started shifting as snakes moved through it. This alerted the team to the possible routes of attack. This time, there were four snakes, the same as before, but they were ready. Randle and Kyle blocked one each. Xerack and Kyle engaged the other two. Nimora watched the fighting, looking for a point at which she needed to step in and help. Kyle''s was the first to fall. Several arrows protruding from its body caused its death. The other three died to the blades of her team. While dangerous, the snakes were not as dangerous as when striking from ambush. Xerack was fast enough to dodge his attacker. Her melee fighters blocked their attackers and then hacked them down. The flash of reward arrived, signalling the fight was over. "Xerack, check the room. Ator collect the reward. Everyone else holds." Nimora gave everyone their orders. Xerack moved away, checking the room. Ator was down in the grass. "We have thirty copper coins here," Ator told her. Xerack signalled that the room was clear. Elian entered, recording everything she saw. "We continue. Same gain." Nimora instructed her team. They were more confident now they had a feel for their opponents. The next exit was to the west and Xerack walked into the short linking corridor. He was a few steps into the next cavern when he stopped. The rest stopped in response. He motioned that the room had multiple monsters in it. He started forward again, slower. This cavern was more extensive but had the same environment as the first two. The tall grass and bushes hide the snakes. Xerack had spotted something and was looking to the north side of the cavern. The attack came from there but also from the south. Five snakes came from both directions, three north and two south. They were ready for the three, but the other two were a nasty surprise. Xerack, Randle and Fredrick were soon engaged. Kyle was looking for a shot when the two attacked from the opposite direction. Nimora spotted them. "Kyle behind you!" Nimora called out. He turned, adjusting his aim for the new attackers. Nimora cast two [Air Blades], one at each snake. The mana drain was sharp, but she remained focused. The blade hit the snake, attacking her, but she missed the other. Kyle released his arrow, but he, too, missed as the snake was weaving and dodging. Even wounded, the snake attacking her continued on. ¡°[Air Shield].¡± She cast as it leapt at her. The snake impacted the magically created and infused wall of air. It bounced back from the impact as she allowed the barrier to collapse. ¡°[Air Blade].¡± She pointed a wand as she spoke. The spell impacted the snake, cutting into its hide with another wound. ¡°[Air Blade].¡± Was cast again through the other wand. Fatigue swept across her as she was burning through her mana pool faster than she liked. This spell caught the snake on its head and gouged deep into its skull. It was knocked back and collapsed dead. Turning, she found Kyle stabbing his attacker with a knife as it had bitten into his arm and was holding on to it. His face was pale, but he concentrated on killing the snake. She moved to help him, but he could kill it before she took action. "Mealina!" Nimora pointed her wand at Kyle and then looked at the others. Two snakes were down and the third was being cut down. The fight was nearly over. Mealina ran past her to get to Kyle. The snake''s death triggered the flash of the reward. Nimora let out a breath as she observed her team and the cavern. "Xerack, search the room. Altor, collect the reward. Mealina, how is he?" Nimora snapped out. The first two went to work. Randle and Fredrick stood in a defensive posture, ready to react. "His arm has been bitten into deep this will take a few minutes for me to treat." She told her, not looking away from the wounded arm. "We will rest here for a few minutes. How are you two?" she asked her fighters. They looked at each other, shrugged and then Randle answered. "We can fight. No injuries." He did not stop looking around as he spoke. "Good. Altor, what have we got?" She turned her attention to the man digging through the flattened grass. "We have twenty-eight¡­ No thirty copper coins." He said as he collected them. They were being placed in a pouch on his belt. "Clear, but I found something., Xerack called over from where he was standing, looking at the cavern wall. Nimora, Elian and Ator went over to see what they had found. As they got closer, they saw that the detail of the cavern wall showed veins of discolouration running through it. "I think I know what that is. Ator, what do you think?" Nimora asked. Ator was not here just to carry things but was a multi-skilled individual. He walked right up to the wall and ran his hand over the veins. He lit a flame, and the firelight overcame the blue light of the moss. They all inhaled a deep breath. "Silver vein and it''s a big one." He said, getting even closer to inspect it. "How much do you think?" Elain asked, not looking up from her board or the notes she was taking. "Is hard to say. It''s running at least nine-tenths of this wall." He looked across the length of the cavern wall, making mental calculations. "Got to be an easy eighty pounds in ore, maybe more." Now, this was a find that made Nimora happy. There were only a few teams that could do escort missions this deep into the Dungeon and hers was one. They could make some serious coin from such work before moving on. Altor dropped his pack and, pulled a small pick from it and set about getting a sample. Elain walked away, making a rough sketch of the cavern. As she looked around, she made eye contact with Nimora and indicated that she should come over. Nimora walked over to her to see what she wanted. "Your team is doing well, Nimora." She said to her. "Thank you. We have over a decade of working together." Nimora was proud of her team and with some justification, she believed. "What are your thoughts on the floor and monsters?" Elain stopped working and looked straight at her. Nimora noted that the recording crystal was still on. "The environment was not what we were expecting. These snakes are dangerous when ambushing but can be handled when exposed. The silver is a pleasant surprise." Nimora gave her opinions, knowing from previous experience that they would be added to the report for the Guild. "What threat level do you rank this floor at so far?" Ekain asked. Nimora took a minute to consider that question. "So far, low Copper or high Iron, " she said, surprising Elian. "The floor above is rated Copper tier. Do you think you are being too harsh with your judgement?" Elian asked. "Any competent team should be able to handle the snakes at Copper grade. But then again, we have not finished the floor." "That is true. I will ask again when you have time." Why Elain said it hinted that she was expecting something Nimora was unaware of. Chapter 78 "Time to move," Nimora called out. The group quickly moved, with Xerack heading northwards. He led them into another cavern, the same as the ones before. He slowed as he entered, looking around for signs of the expected snakes. They moved with slow, steady and careful steps. The grass around them was still with no signs of movement apart from the path they were creating. They were all on edge now. Xerack was nearly halfway across the cavern and she knew what he was thinking. They should have been attacked already. Still, nothing was moving, disrupting the grass. Two more steps later, he spun to his right, ready for violence, but the attack came from behind him. A massive snake shot out and bit into the calf muscle of his leg. He cried out in pain as he collapsed to one knee. "Randle, help him! Be ready for more!" Nimora instructed her team. The second appeared from the direction Xerack was facing. Fredrick met it and blocked its attack. It bit into Fredricks''s shield, pulling him forward as it retreated. Kyle shot the snake, hitting its body with an arrow that penetrated deeply. The snake let go of the shield, entirely retreating into the grass. Randle swung his sword, trying to decapitate the snake, but it let go of Xerack''s leg, dodging away. Randle stayed with it, launching another attack, this time with the skill [Speed Strike], causing the blade to glow as it moved faster. The blade connected, slicing across the snake''s body. He did not cut deeply, but blood did flow. The snake did not stop moving, trying to avoid another attack. Xerack was back on his feet, but not bak in the fight yet. The snake lunged forward, trying to bite Randle, but he kept his shield between them. The other shot from the grass avoiding the arrow fired at it. Fredrick blocked this one, giving Kyle another chance to fire at it, hitting it again this time. ¡°[Air Blade].¡± Nimora unleashed a single spell against the snake attacking Randle. The mana-infused air sliced into the body of the snake, distracting it. This allowed Randle to step in and drive his blade deep into its body. The blow was fatal and the snake collapsed dead. Nimora turned to the other fight and this snake was collapsing from another arrow, this time in its head. The sudden stillness from the violence was only disrupted by reward flashing into existence. "Mealina, see to Xerack. Ator the reward. Everyone else, check yourself and stay alert." Nimora quickly issued her instructions. These snakes were different, and she was taking no chances. There were no more surprises around. "Kyle, look them over and tell me what you see." Elain had entered the cavern and recorded as she had since they started. This cavern had sharply increased the danger level of the snakes, and she was beginning to regret her earlier assessment. "Nimora." She looked to Kyle and he motioned her over. Elian joined them to hear what the hunter had found. "Talk to me, Kyle." Nimora was in no mood for drawn-out conversations. "It''s a more evolved version of the other snakes." He pointed to the body sections as he spoke with an arrow. "Slightly larger head and fangs, along with a body to match. When it was alive, the scales reflected its surroundings better and a bit faster." Now it was dead and she could see it. Its colour was the same dull green as the other snakes. She could see what he was saying. Everything he said made Nimora less happy. Improvements like this in a monster were not generally found on the same floor. It did not bode well for the boss when they reached it. "Ator, what have we got!" She snapped. "Thirty copper coins." He replied, putting them away. "Mealina, how is he." She had Xerack lying on his stomach as she treated his wound. "The fangs punched right through the leather. He is lucky it did not take a chunk out of his leg. He will be back on his feet in a few minutes." She never looked up as she spoke. They waited for Mealina to finish with Xerack. Once she was satisfied, they continued to the next cavern to the north. After their experiences in the last cavern, they entered slowly. They were not taking any chances. Xerack led the way through the long grass. The cavern was the second largest they had entered. The room is still apart from the team crossing through the grass. The tension only increases as the group is not attacked. "Aaarrgghh!" Frederick screamed as he collapsed to his knee. "What''s wrong, Fredrick?" Randle called to him as the team stopped looking for an attacker. "Something bit my leg. I am bleeding badly." Fredrick spoke through the pain of the wound. "We have an unknown enemy in the grass. Stay aware of your surroundings," Nimora ordered her team. They are all watching the grass, looking for the thing that bit Fredrick. "Watch ou¡­. God''s damn it!" Kyle cries out as he clutches his leg, which is now bleeding. "What happened, Kyle," Nimora demanded. "There is a snake in the grass. It''s fast and its camouflage ability is far superior. It barely moves the grass as it passes through as it is smaller than the others." He told the team. "Flatten the grass around us. We need to remove its ability to get close to attack us," Nimora ordered, realising what needed to be done. They quickly started flattening the grass, creating a rough circle around them. They stood in a circle formation with Mealina in the middle of it. They were all tense, looking out across the cavern. Dark blood trails were scattered around as only now was Mealina close enough to use her magic to heal them. Nimora would have liked to hold off on using her magic, but she could not risk having them out of the fight right now.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Now and again, there was brief movement in the grass around them, but nothing had attacked. Kyle had not released any arrows as the flickers of the movement were too fast for him to react. "Where is it!" Randle demanded with the tension getting to him. "Focus, everyone!" Nimora also felt it but knew this was part of the monster''s tactics. "It wants us in the grass; we must make it come to us." It was agonising waiting, but wait, they did. Their patience paid off after a few minutes, but not in the way they expected. "Hells, it''s¡­" Xerack yelled but could not finish as a snake suddenly attacked him. Nimora spun to find him backing up desperately, holding off his attacker. Kyle was too close for his bow, switching to his short sword. Fredrick moved to help. Nimora could now see the snake. No, that was wrong. She could just make it out as it shifted its scale pattern, blending with its surroundings far better and faster than the earlier ones they had fought. It was smaller than the earlier snakes but so much faster. The snake darted forward, biting into Xerack''s forearm. Kyle stabbed it with his sword, but it shifted away. Fredrick pressed it swinging with his blade, but again, it was not where the blade was. The snake shimmered, activating some ability. "Casting!" She called out, alerting them. ¡°[Air Blade].¡± She dual-cast again, gritting her teeth from the mana drain. She pushed her mana reserves harder than she would have liked¡ªthe two spells shot from her wands, pointing at the monster. The spells crossed the short distance, but she watched incredulously as it dodged one as the second connected. The spell seemed to affect the monster hardly at all. Fredrick followed right after the spell attack, but the snake could still avoid him again. It retreated into the grass. "Don''t follow it. Get back into formation." Nimora ordered and her team responded. "How is Xerack?" The circle was smaller as he was with Mealina being treated. "It''s not good. The snake pulled back while biting his arm, aggravating the wound." Her hands were glowing as she used more magic to heal him. Nimora knew this was bad and did not want to exhaust her too soon. "Kyle, thoughts?" She asked. "It''s small and faster than the other snakes. Its ability to blend with its surroundings is far superior. Also, it has other abilities. I am calling it the floor guardian." Kyle spoke to her and the team. She cursed internally, agreeing with him. They had walked straight into the guardian''s lair without preparation. For a group of their standing, this was embarrassing. "My Air Blade did little to it. It''s tougher as well. Stay in the circle when it attacks try to pin it in place." She gave her orders as Xerack rejoined the line. She trusted them to do the right thing when the fight restarted. They return to waiting. The grass was still and she could hear her breathing. It had been many years since they had encountered a problem they could not quickly overcome. Randle was attacked next. The snake had gotten close enough that it could attack. This time, Randle blocks its attack with his shield. "Fight me, beast!" He glowed as he triggered his taunt ability. The snake seemed affected and attacked him again. This was their opening! Fredrick moved to box it from behind. Kyle had his bow drawn but could not get in a shot. Nimora cast a single [Air Blade]. The monster was so distracted by Randle that it did not see the spell and was struck by it. This allowed Randle to catch it with his blade, wounding it more. Its ability to blend in was compromised by its blood and wounds. Time to press and kill it! Fredrick attacked, but his blow was avoided. The snake was trying to retreat but was impacted by an arrow. It shimmered and glowed as Randle stabbed with his sword. He connected but did little in the way of an injury. Nimora cast [Air Dagger] instead of the more robust [Air Blade]. Her spell connected but did little apparent injury like Randle''s sword. "Don''t let it get back to the grass!" She called out. It was moving fast to get through them and back to the safety of the grass. Kyle loosed another arrow, but this time, it glowed slightly. It struck true, tearing through the snake''s body and into the earth, pinning it in place. Fredrick finished it off with a skill-enhanced attack, decapitating it. The flash of the reward marked the fight''s end. "By the Gods! That was harder than I thought." Randle exclaimed. The rest agreed with him. That was not what any of them were expecting from the floor boss. "Ator! Come in and collect the reward." She called out across the cavern. He obeyed and was followed by Elian. She looked over her team. They were battered and tired but could still fight. The floor was far more challenging than she gave it credit for. Elain was recording the surroundings as Nimora walked over to her. "Elain, it appears my first impressions were wrong. This floor should be rated high copper tier." She knew when she was wrong and admitted to it. "I agree, Nimora. The floor boss, what are your impressions of it?" She asked. "It''s smaller and faster than the other snakes. It has additional abilities, and against a lower-grade team, it could have taken them out." She reviewed the fight in her head as she spoke. "You should take the body for the Alchemists Guild. I know the request has not been made, but I will arrange it when we leave." Elain was still looking around as she spoke. "Thank you for that." Nimora was a bit surprised, but she thought it made sense, as they were one of the few teams that could clear this floor in town right now. "Ator, we are taking the boss''s body with us." He looks up from counting and nods his head. "Nimora, look over there." Xerack was pointing to a pillar on the other side of the room. The group moved over to it. Standing just past the exit going south was a pillar with¡­ mushrooms growing on it. "Thoughts?" She asked her group. Not one of them answered as confused as her. "Grey skin mushrooms. Edible and quite filling, just not very flavourful." Xerack said in the end. "Good to know, but why is it here?" Kyle asked. Ator came over and joined them in storing the snake''s body. He looked at the pillar with them. "Eighty coppers from the reward drop. Do you want me to harvest these?" He indicated to the mushrooms. "Are they worth anything?" Randle asked. "For this crop¡­ three, maybe four coppers." He said as he walked around the pillar counting the mushrooms. "Not worth it, we will leave them." Nimora decided when she learnt the value. "I can see the door from the stairwell." Xerack pointed down the short corridor at the southern exit. They walked out through it to the stairwell. "Elain, we plan to move up through the Dungeon floors from here. Do you wish to remain with us or make your way out?" Nimora asked her. "I will make my way out. Please come and see me when you are finished. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts." Elain said after thinking for a few moments. She left them there as they prepared to travel the Dungeon in reverse. Nimora had a thought and motioned Xerack over to her. "Xerack, am I going blind, or have we missed the Dungeon Core completely by mistake?" She asked. "No Nimora. We have not seen a single sign of the Core room." He confirmed. "Another oddity. We might look into that later." She looked around the room before speaking again. "Ator, how much more can you carry?" Nimora asked. It was time to take stock before continuing. "A third of my bag is free. I can still carry more if needed." He answered quickly. She nodded at his words. "Mealina?" The rest of the journey hinged on her. "My mana is recovering. Supply-wise, I still have plenty." Her answer was no-nonsense, as Nimora expected. "The rest of you?" The others all indicated they were willing to proceed up the Dungeon. "We have learnt that this Dungeon does not follow normal rules. We will take it floor by floor. If I think we have had enough, we go, no complaints." She received nods or words of agreement from her team. "Standard formation then. Ator, hold back until we clear the room. Questions?" There were none, so she motioned that they start to ascend the Dungeon floors. Chapter 79 The next floor was earth and rock. The floor below was nature and this one was about rock. The worms were similar to the snakes as ambushers but, ironically, were tougher than the snakes but not as fast. This forced a slight change of tactics, with the melee fighters taking more of the lead. The group moved through the first cavern, which changed into cut stone and wooden support beams. The worm attacked Xerack, but he avoided it, allowing Randle and Fredrick to kill it. When presented with the choice, they chose to go east first. Xerack spotted the trap and tripwire in the entrance to the room before them. He smashed the covering, revealing the spiked pit, an almost standard Dungeon trap. They continued fighting the worms that appeared. Against a bronze-tier team, they were not a serious concern, but her team did not underestimate the monsters. Randle and Fredricks''s shields showed the scars of these fights. Nimora noted that if they go through this Dungeon again, they should bring extra shields. Kyle observed the similarities between the teeth of the worms and the fangs of the snakes below. The alchemists would want both samples to be examined, but that was something for another day. They found the copper vein on the floor. They were not here for mining, so they moved on. The next room allowed Xerack to shine, as it contained a complicated trap. The [Shadow Thief] went to work with relish. It took him nearly fifteen minutes, but he recovered the small bag of coins from the chest. The rest enjoyed the break. Silver Old Empire coins were an excellent find and were added to the pile of coins gained so far. The journey through the Dungeon was looking to be profitable for her team. They returned to the first cavern and went south. Room by room, they advanced, taking out the worms and avoiding the traps. They ranged from tripwires to well-disguised pitfall traps and a few nasty ones. The circular room with a pit and the half-moon pendulum blade gave Xerack some pause. He got around them and the other discovered pressure plate plinth traps. The worms were killed, and before long, they were approaching a room with a large earth mound in it. The group consensus was that this was the floor boss. They entered the room under this assumption. They were proven right. The giant worm erupted from the mound and attacked. Randle and Fredrick were pressed in, holding it back as Kyle used different arrows to pierce its hide. Xerack and Nimora had the most challenging time injuring this beast but began wearing it down in the end. It still had a few tricks as it used its own skills and spells to keep it in the fight. The snake below relied on speed, while this one used brute force. They were all sweating when it finally collapsed dead. After collecting the reward, they returned to the stairwell. Mealina treated those who needed it here, as they all suffered minor injuries from the fight. They now understood that the door in the room marked the boss room exit¡ªanother oddity of this Dungeon. The fourth floor was different again. This time, the monsters were spiders. They fought through the first cavern but initially found the restrictions in movement due to the webbing annoying, but they adapted. Altor collected the webbing as they went. Nimora was impressed with the extent of his harvesting skills. He would be hired again if he was free. The spider''s speed was greater than the worm''s but not as great as the snake''s. Their most significant advantage was the above ambushing. Numbers against her team were not as much of a concern. The different-shaped rooms were unusual, but the spiders within were no obstacle. Things were a bit harder when they reached the room with eight inside. Randle got bitten when he was swarmed, but his plate armour protected him from the worst of it. Mealina had him healed within a few minutes. Nimora was starting to feel the strain from the journey as she taxed her mana pool. She still was more than able to finish this Dungeon, but it was proving to be a far sneaker than she gave it credit for. Throwing in the monsters and changing environments, she understood that more adventurers were being drawn here. The next room contained two advanced spiders, but they were not enough to slow them down much. This was the first time they had encountered more evolved versions of the base monsters since the sixth. Kyle enjoyed looking them over and even quipped about writing a book on the different types within the Dungeon. The floor boss came next. As they rose instead of descending, the bosses became easier. This one was not as fast or tough but used more tricks. The [Shadow Arms] were a surprise along with it summoning lesser spiderlings. Her team quickly adapted, but the fight was more challenging than Nimora had expected. The boss seemed more intelligent and used everything it could to its advantage. They rested again in the stairwell before going up. The third comprised mud, grass and boars. The floor rooms were simple and not complicated. The boars were dangerous to even copper-tier when they attacked in numbers. Thankfully, only one room had this danger. This floor took longer as Ator stripped all the hides and meat as he could. Nimora had taken this into account from her brief time walking the town. This floor supplied much to the town.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The floor boss was a shadow-infused boar and was the source of Xerack''s new -slightly damaged now- armour. It fell and Ator got to work. They did not rest in the stairwell but continued upwards. Nimora and her team blew through on the following two floors with little resistance. The water-filled rooms caused the biggest number of complaints among the team. The flowers harvested from both the third and second were a small consolation. It all was adding up and Nimora was thinking about doing it again. Not long after, they found themselves walking out of the Dungeon returning to the town. ## ## ## ## ## Ranus was reading some reports on the town''s finances with his newly appointed treasurer, Amya. Amya was new to the town and had come from the northern Skaald lands. She was tall, blonde and had green eyes. He hired her after challenging her to organise the town''s finances. He had been handling them, but his other duties had been steadily causing him to fall behind in keeping them up to date. It had taken less than two days to reorganise them and get them in order. She chased down all the outstanding taxes and fines, adding them to his treasury. Amya had also exposed waste and minor corruption, which were quickly dealt with. Then, she implemented a faster way for townsfolk to pay their taxes, making many happy. Amya sat with him as they reviewed everything. The figures were better, but they were still grim reading. She had compiled all the sources of revenue and expenditures into a report, which she presented to him. "If I am reading this right, we will not make it to the Summer solstice, " he said glumly. "No, Lord Goldwind. I am amazed at what you have done with your limited finances." She said, looking at a copy of what he was. "You made some excellent decisions and listened to sound advice, but the town''s expansion outstripped everything you could have done." The figures before him could not help but show him the stark reality facing him. His growing depression was disturbed by a rapid knock at the door. "Enter!" Naru entered at his word and handed him a message from the Adventurers Guild. He opened it and his eyes could not believe what he was reading. "Send back a verbal reply. Yes and I will be over to work out the details as soon as I have finished here." Amya wondered at Lord''s change in demeanour. He handed her the message and she became excited as she read it. "My lord, you must organise a mining team at once!" She exclaimed. The message was assigning the grade of high copper tier to the sixth floor and that a significant silver vein had been discovered. "I will, but the vein is on a floor, which we have few groups able to handle. I will need to speak with Elian to see who is available." Ranus was going through options in his head, giving a distant look. "A single ingot of sliver will give the town fifty silver coins matching the Old Empires and what the Dungeon is producing." Ranus''s commitment to the same coin quality was a big source of his financial troubles. Amya understood why, as it was making the local currency trusted and sought after. "Five or six ingots would, in turn, cover the deficit in the town finances." Ranus stood. "Excuse me, Amya, I must be away." He did not wait for a reply and was soon out the door. Amya collected her reports, thinking about any future income from silver, both what the Lord could mine and the taxes on the metal pulled from the Dungeon. "Maybe things will start to improve, " she thought. The Lord''s financial system, which he had set up, was surprisingly robust and worked far better than it should have. ## ## ## ## ## Elian was waiting for Ranus''s arrival. Albrot was reading her report and presenting the image of not being happy with the local Lord. He would listen in when they talked. The knock at the door heralded his arrival. "Elian, you must tell me everything about this silver vein!" Ranus was not his usual self and Elian wondered what had made him so agitated. "Calm yourself, Ranus. Sit. There is a copy of my report sitting in front of you." Elian indicated to the chair and report. Ranus snatched the vellum and started reading, pacing as he did. That was the final sign that something was agitating him. He stopped and spoke calmer but more insistent. "Elain, I need a priority request fulfilled. I need the vein mined out and tested as soon as possible, preferably today." He knew what he was asking. Dungeon Lords had the right to ask for a priority request once every half a year. So far, he had never used this right, but today, he would see that change. "I must make sure you understand what you are asking," Elain asked seriously. "I understand." He told her, and she was satisfied he understood the importance of what he was asking. "Gran and his team are available. It will be tough, but they can perform the task of miner escort. As for miners, they can easily be arranged." She thought out loud as she went over what was required. "I will ask Gran today." Ranus slumped slightly, relieved as if some weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you, Elian." "Please excuse me. I have things to deal with to get your request done today." He stood as she did and escorted him from her office. Shortly, a receptionist arrived. "Find team leader Gran and have him come to my office." The woman nodded at the order and vanished back downstairs. Albrot came into the office and sat down opposite her. "Well, that answers a question I had." He mused. "And what was that?" She asked. "The town finances are starting to strain with the town''s constant expansion. This silver vein might keep him afloat." Albrot pointed out. Thinking about it caused Elian to agree that money was always an issue for Ranus, which had only been worsening. "The silver vein will help with that." Elian knew that mining directly or just from the taxes would boost the town''s finances. "Tell me of the floor," Albrot instructed. He had read her report but always liked to get opinions directly from the assessor. "The environment leans now into a nature type. The long grass is no hindrance but is excellent for hiding the snakes. As for them, they can blend in with their environment, and fangs can punch through plate armour." As she spoke, she leaned on the desk. "It is another escalation of danger level not as marked as the earlier floors, but the Dungeon is adapting and creating new types of monsters at an incredible speed." "I agree. We have searched the Guild records and not found a single instance of such a Dungeon or its Core." Albrot told her. She looked up and was alarmed by the second part. "Fear not. I asked for the colour of every Core that did unusual things with its Dungeons. It turns out that the older a Dungeon gets, the more likely it is to start to mix things up, but nothing like this one." Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Enter!" Elian called out. A receptionist opened the door and allowed Gran to enter. He noted the room occupants but did not show any reaction. The door closed behind him as the receptionist withdrew. "Excellent, Gran. We have had a priority request made and were wondering¡­" Chapter 80 The team that first cleared the sixth floor had just left and I was thinking about the results of their work. I had started on the floor but changed my mind as my CP restrictions came into play. I had to rearrange a few things to make things work. The first thing was moving the first four snakes to the second cavern. First, I placed three snakes and then five in the other. This marked the exhaustion of the CP and I was at a loss as to what to do now. I had no CP to do anything else, so I was going to have to rethink what I was going to have to do. I removed two snakes from the first cavern to give myself some resources to use. I mulled over the options I had. "Damn it! What the hell am I going to do? My CP restrictions are really biting me in the backside¡­. If I had one anymore." This led to an hour-long rant about my problems, focused on the usual individual God that put me here. It felt good to have a vent, but I needed to get back to work. Now that I could ignore the comings and goings of the adventurers, I was doing just that. I expanded the last cavern because I thought it was too small. My aura touched something strange that I had never encountered before in the north rock face. I dug it out, looked at it and got an alert.
Alert! You have discovered a mana geode. You can absorb it and gain 200 units of mana or 100 units of CP added to your total. Which will you choose?
It looked like a calcified lighting bolt. Inside, it glowed with different colours and moved like a kaleidoscope. It was beautiful, but I was a Core in need. It was a no-brainer and I took the CP. I absorbed the geode, and a massive rush of energy flowed through my Core. The energy was surprising and shocking. If I had a body, it would have been tingling right now. It was a massive infusion of power, like an essence rush. "Wow! I could get used to that." Looking at my CP total, I see that it has increased by a full 100 points. This gave me some new options and I considered what to use it for. I had a few ideas. But first, I looked inside my Core. I could see the alterations to the crystal brought about by CP increases, but I had failed to replicate this effect so far. My Core had also not increased in size, which posed questions that I would have to investigate at a later date. My vision twisted again and I was back outside looking around the sixth floor. I replaced the snakes and moved on to the next part of my plan. With one hundred new units of CP, I could now play with a few things. I started by creating an enhanced snake for 12 CP. It was difficult, but I focused on the motes of light span, debris, and air, like a miniature tornado. With a flash and loud pop, it came into existence. It was longer and thicker than the other snakes but still the same dull green until it started moving and copying the environment around it. I dismissed the alerts to focus on the status sheet. "Let''s see what we have."
Name Greater Diamond Head Snake Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Dungeon Snake Essence 0%
Health 160/160 Mana 60/60
Stamina 150/150 Corruption 0%
STR 10 10 Damage base
DEX 9
AGL 15 + 10% to Dodge.
END 10
VIT 16
PER 11
INT 6
WIL 6
LUCK 4
Skills: Strike 1 ¨C 0%: + 20% to an attack. Cost 10 stamina. Dodge 1 -0%
Equipment: Bite: 4 DAM(Piercing) + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Tough Hide: -4 DAM Camouflage: +60% stealth attacks.
"Ok, that is a step up over the base snake." I was happy with it, so I created another, assigning them to the fourth cavern, and opened the loot assignment screen.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the two Greater Diamond Head Snakes. Cythian Copper coins x30 (Chance ¨C 50%) Cythian Copper coins 35 (Chance ¨C 40%) Do you wish to accept the rewards: Yes or No?
"A bit basic¡­. But I am happy with it." I moved to the last cavern and thought about the boss. I had resources and wanted something new and different. I opened different screens, looking for inspiration over just a much larger worm. I came to my list of enchantments. I opened a side screen of the Greater Diamond Head design and thought about their similarities. Could I merge an enchantment with this new snake? It was time to try. I reviewed my options and looked at strengthening the boss''s defensive abilities. I found the best I had and noted the CP cost of creation. When I started the creation process, I sought to control it more. In the past, I was content and too focused on getting it done to be honest about guiding what was created. This time, I would try. The snake began to come as the motes of light started to appear. They began spinning, and I could see the outline of the body. I now added the enchantment and more CP. The pressure in my mind suddenly jumped, and I almost lost it. Mentally gritting my teeth, I stayed on track. The last part was the remaining CP that would bring it to guardian level. It was like an even heavier load slamming into my mind. I barely focused this time and had to fight for every second. I chanted in my mind, "Speed, speed, speed." This was the most complex creation yet, and the motes were spinning at a speed that caused afterimages. The wind was fast, and the grass and earth were being ripped from the ground by it. Every second felt like an hour, and I almost lost it several times, but with an intense flash and loud bang, it was done. I was disoriented for nearly a minute from the pressure realise and the appearance of the new Guardian. I ignored the alerts as I recovered. I opened the first assigning to the room as the Floor Guardian. I looked around for it. At first, I did not see it, but it moved slightly and I noticed it. It was much smaller and so well blended in with its environment that it was like it was invisible. "What do we have?"
Name 6th Floor Guardian Level/Class Floor 6 Boss
Race Dungeon Snake Essence 0%
Health 250/250 Mana 80/80
Stamina 150/150 Corruption 0%
STR 20 20 Damage base
DEX 9
AGL 30 + 30% to Dodge.
END 15 -1 Dam from attacks
VIT 25
PER 12
INT 8
WIL 8
LUCK 6
Skills: Strike 1 ¨C 0%: + 20% to an attack. Cost 10 stamina. Dodge 1 -0%
Spells: Enchant Scales - Cost 10 Mana (Duration: 30 seconds) -3 Dam from attacks.
Equipment: Bite: 6 DAM(Piercing) + STR
Perks/Restrictions: Tough Hide: -6 DAM Camouflage: +80% stealth attacks.
"Right, that is¡­. Interesting." The enchantment was integrated with the Guardian but had to be activated to be used like a spell, but it was not a spell. It was a bit weird. The rest of the Guardian was fast. The snake was built for speed and rapid strikes rather than enduring a beating. That did not mean it was a glass cannon by any measure. Coming in at 30 CP, I expected no less. It was built for speed and had abilities to improve its survivability if caught. Overall, I was happy and went to the last alert. I read over the list and thought no, then changed it.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 6th Floor Guardian. Cythian Copper coins x60 (Chance ¨C 50%) Cythian Copper coins x80 (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Silver coins X3 (Chance ¨C 9%) Cythian Gold coins X1 (Chance ¨C 1%) The odds and types of rewards have been set manually, but this will add 1 CP to the overall support cost of the room respawn. Do you wish to accept the rewards: Yes or No?
"Yes." This all cost me 50 CP, as I also had to pay to regenerate any damaged plants. I was happy, but then I had a fun thought. I added a pillar to the corner of the Guardian cavern and laced it with Grey Skinn mushroom spores that began proliferating. They would be fully grown in a few hours. Why? It would confuse the hell out of the adventurers. When it was all done, it was night above, so I opened the floor, linking it with the rest of the Dungeon. I moved my Core Room down to the new floor and got settled. I expected that Gran and his team would be the ones sent, but this floor might be too much for them to handle. Dawn came and the runner checked to find the new opening. Soon after, the exploration team arrived, but it was not Gran; it was a new group. They were well equipped with gear, both mundane and magical. They ignored the rest of the Dungeon and went straight down to the sixth floor. I found out they were a Bronze-tier group and they pushed through the caverns. At first, they had issues with the snakes, but they soon adapted and started killing them more easily. Only the snake''s numbers posed a problem. The snakes used their abilities and environment to good effect. Against a lower-tier group, they would have been far deadlier to face. The discovery of the silver vein excited them, but they did not mine it and moved on. The Greater Diamond Heads were slightly better against the team. They were tougher, but they were engaged and killed. I was happy with their performance, as with the less evolved versions. The team''s leader, an air mage of some sort, was powerful, and her attacks changed the course of many fights by quickly injuring the snakes and allowing the others to finish them off. The Guardian was something else. It performed well above my expectations, pushing the team it was fighting. Once it was wounded, it became easier to track and then kill. The Guardian''s speed was impressive as it moved through the grass and when attacking. Its small size allowed it to move through the tall grass with little disruption, allowing it to get close. Due to its size and speed, it could also dodge and avoid attacks with greater effectiveness. The pillar of mushrooms had me laughing with their expressions as they tried to figure out why it was there. The team finished the floor and I discovered they were planning by listening to the team. Running the Dungeon from the bottom up was an interesting angle to take. I had thought that some team would try it sometime and today was that day. The fifth was cleared room by room. The worms were tough, but they were taken out. The traps were disarmed as the group''s rogue, a guy by the name of Xerack, got around each of them. Watching how he did it was very instructive for me in creating better traps in the future. Understanding how to get around them told me a lot about the weaknesses I had built into them. The Guardian put up a fight and they took it down. They had a more challenging time as the hide of the Guardian was thicker than they were equipped to handle. The rest of the floors fell one by one, getting easier as they went up. Queen used her intelligence to prolong her fight. The third was the one they spent the most time on, stripping the bodies of everything they could use. A man named Ator was doing the bulk of the work. He carried a sizeable dimensional bag in his back and pulled tools from his belt as well as it. It was a large pack, but its magic was not very powerful, maybe a fifty per cent increase in storage. Watching him interact with the rest made it clear he was not part of the team or a new member. He did not enter the room until instructed and took no part in the fighting. The others did not banter with him and only interacted when needed. The second and first floors were no issue for them. They complained about the water on the second floor while their melee fighters quickly cut the toads up. The archer wiped the wasps out. Nothing unexpected happened. Now they were gone I had a little time before the next group arrived. I was happy with what I had accomplished with the new floor. The discovery of the mana geode had been a lifesaver. I would have been forced to scale back the floor massively if I had not. Now it is finished, I will have to start planning the next. I had been thinking about a floor design for some time and felt comfortable making it. It was going to be difficult, but it was going to be the most dangerous so far. ## ## ## ## ## Albrot burst into Elians'' office at such speed that she screamed and jumped back from her desk. This caused her and the chair she was sitting on to fall back onto the floor. "Elian, I have¡­." He paused, realising what he had caused. "My apologies." He helped her back to her feet and picked up her chair. Elian glared at him the whole time, but she said nothing. He sat in the chair before her desk after making sure the door was closed. "As I was saying, " he started again. "I have a now confirmed report that is most concerning." This put Elian on high alert straight away. As a Guild Master, when he said, "most concerning", it could lead to the destruction of a large settlement. "A ship from Ostrul is plying the waterways heading here. It''s flying the Seamoon family crest." He explained. "That is concerning. Do you feel they are seeking revenge for their scion''s death?" This was troubling, but she felt there was more to it. "No. Divine oversight confirmed and approved the review of what happened during the trip. This is something else and far worse." He paused to collect his thoughts. "This has been confirmed by someone I trust and there is at least one Shi''Tan aboard her." This stuns Elian. She knew, like everyone else, that Ostrul had dealings with the Shi''Tan, but having them here on the continent was a massive change in their policies. "If it slivers off the gangplank onto the docks¡­." She started. "¡­. We will have a riot at least." Albrot finished. Both looked concerned at the implications. "They will be here in three days." "Albrot, the history between humanity and the Shi''Tan alone has us walking into a monster''s den," Elain says as she tries to gauge all the possible problems about to appear. "There is more danger than even you are thinking about." She looks at him as he speaks. "It''s not just the fact it is coming, but it is coming here." "The optics will be bad with the local powers." She understood what he was saying. "We need to get young Lord Goldwind ready as a terrible storm is about to descend, " he said, and Elian feared he was being optimistic. Chapter 81 Ranus was standing once again on the docks, awaiting a ship to arrive. He looked around this time, far more nervous than when getting a significant visitor. The last few prominent human and non-human visitors had been stressful, but this one made him want to run from his position. Shi''Tan. The one race that he never wanted to have to deal with. He knew this would be an intense visit that could quickly become a disaster. He was unsure how the town''s population would react to the arrival of a Shi''Tan. Danrum was present with ten additional members of the Watch. They were positioned around the dock, keeping back the people hanging around, looking to see who was coming. "We are prepared as much as we could." Albrot was present with him. The tension between them was gone, as they both needed to work together on this. "We will need to get whoever arrives away from public view as fast as possible." "As soon as it is seen, the word will spread like wildfire across a plain in a drought." Ranus knew Albrot was right, but it would do little to contain what might happen. "I know, but we must do what we can." He was tense as well. "The population of Kyber have been raised on stories of the Great Shi''Tan Incursion and the following wars." Ranus knew the stories well. "Yes, I know. It led to the creation of the Old Empire and to the fighting of the next three attempts to conquer the continent." "We fought wars against other races but never had to endure what they did during the Incursion. Gods, it even sickened most of the other races!" Ranus shuddered. He remembered reading the Elven historian Lightword''s account of the Incursion. He disliked humanity, but he was horrified by what he witnessed. His reports changed many opinions against the Shi''Tan. The Great Incursion took place at the height of the Shi''Tan Imperium. At that time, the continent was as divided as it is today. It was later discovered that they had been playing the local leaders off each other for over a century, keeping them weak. The Shi''Tan invaded with blinding speed, driving deep into the continent. The Skaald lands were nearly overrun, as were the Riverlands and large sections of land to the south. The city-state of Cythia led the opposition to the invasion. Over the years, it had developed a fearsome military. Located near the continent''s centre, it had held the other human powers with force and diplomacy. It looked like the continent would fall as the Shi''Tan armies marched, crushing all before them. The Cythia army stopped the invasion with the first victory of human armies against the Shi''Tan. They had been organised into a new formation called Legions. It took another twenty years to remove them from the continent. The Incursion''s last great victory declared the Cythian Empire''s creation. It took another century to unite the continent, but it was under the Empire. That was the first and, so far, the only time that humanity was under one banner. "Sail to the south! Flying Ostrul colours!" Came the cry from the watchtower. "Here we go," Ranus spoke to no one in particular. Danrum moved up to stand by his Lord. "Are we ready?" "As much as we can be," Danrum replied. He was as tense as Ranus. The ship came into view from the river bend. She was a large ship. Much larger than the last that visited from her city of origin. "A bulk haulier." Ranus identified it straight away. That was odd as they were used to carrying large numbers of slaves or cargo over the oceans, not plying the riverways. "You''re right. That is odd." Albrot agreed. He was watching the ship approaching the docks. The harbour master was directing the ship to the largest pier. The main sail bore the symbol of Ostrul, but a lesser family symbol caught their attention. "Seamoon." Ranus named the family. "We knew they were coming, but for what purpose." Albrot wondered. They waited for the ship to slide next to the pier and throw out its mooring lines. Due to its size, the ship needed to stay on the river. The pier gang moved quickly and tied the ship to the mooring posts. The gangplank came down and made contact with the wooded pier with a loud thunk. A figure that Ranus knew walked down the gangplank and onto the pier. "Good new day, Lord Goldwind." "Good new day, Envoy Halor." Ranus returned the greeting. "I am pleased to have returned to your community even after the differences of my city''s last visit." Halor was laying it on thick. Ranus was sure that things were going to be going wrong now. "I have come bearing two requests we hope that you will entertain and, in your wisdom, deem worthy of being allowed." "Of course, I will hear your words. Shall we retire to another place to discuss your proposal?" Ranus wanted to get him away as the ship drew more attention, which was unwelcome. "Alas, I need to have you hear my words first." Halor face and demeanour spoke of a heavy burden he needed to perform. Ranus knew it was all performance. "Then I shall. What are your requests?" Ranus wanted this over and the best way to do it was to find out what he wanted. "Praise you, Lord Goldwind, for your patience and wisdom." Halor went back to putting it back on thick. "May my words find your mind and will you be willing to embrace them." Ranus said nothing but gave the impression of getting on with it. Halor read his audience and continued talking. "First, the great family of Seamoon lost one of its scions to the Dungeon. They have learned that his body is still within and seek to reclaim it for proper burial." Halor body language portrayed his hope that Ranus would allow it. "As you know, I have handed control of access to the Dungeon to the Adventurers Guild. The Seamoon clan will need to arrange access with them." Ranus indicated to Albrot, standing just behind him. Halor nodded, knowing what he would say.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "We understand and thank you for your tolerance," Halor said. Ranus knew the big request was coming now. "The sublime city has one more request of your gracious self." "What would that be." Ranus braced himself. "Another of our friends has approached the sublime city to act as a means of introduction to yourself. We have brought an envoy of this nation aboard our vessel. He would disembark and present himself to your excellence with your permission." Halor had not laid it on with his usual gusto. He knew what was being asked and presented the request with what amounted to efficiency for him. Ranus took a deep breath. The moment of choice was here. He had debated what to do since he was informed of the passenger. He could refuse and turn the envoy away or have it enter the town. Either way, there will be trouble for the town and himself. Releasing the breath, he chose. "I welcome all those who come in peace and respect the laws of my lands," Ranus said. Halor blinked, and briefly, Ranus noted his surprise before it was hidden. It seemed they expected him to refuse. They both knew what was on that ship. The Ostrul envoy was no fool to believe that the others'' presence had not been noted and passed to Ranus. "You are a truly wise and noble leader of men, Lord Goldwind." Halor bowed slightly. He raised a hand and motioned. From the deck, the crew were in motion at it. "He will disembark within several moments." Halor blabbered several more platitudes to pass the time as the envoy emerged. From the ship emerged a figure that Ranus truly hoped he would never encounter. The Shi''Tan slivered along the deck and down the gangplank. The naga had a humanoid upper body and the lower of a snake. It was about five feet¡ªfive with a similar build to a man. Ranus knew that the naga''s body was slightly stronger than a man''s, so he needed to be weary. Its scales were a dull green with brown patterning. They gleamed slightly, maybe from being oiled. As it approached, he could see that it was hairless, and its tongue was shooting in and out of its mouth, tasting the air. Its upper body had a silk robe wrapped around it, red in colour with blue symbols of his language stitched onto it. Ranus felt the tremor of shock and anger through the air as the people around the docks watching realised what had disembarked. He would need to move quickly before a mob could form. Danrum was ready and he had hired additional help from the Adventurers Guild. "Greetings, Lord Goldwind. I am Nassar, envoy of the Shi''Tan Imperium. I bring greetings and words from my people to your wise self." The naga spoke with no accent and bowed before him. "I greet you, envoy Nassar. If you both excuse me, but I find the weather not to my liking, we should withdraw to a better location and enjoy some refreshments while I hear your words." Ranus could not have the envoy in the open. Both understood what he was saying and showered him with more platitudes as he moved them to a more secure location. The murmurs from the crowd were turning dark. He moved them to the building that doubled as the town''s administration centre and his home. The Watch surrounded the building to prevent any incidents. Ranus was unsure if they would be enough. The main meeting room would have been prepared in advance for this meeting if Ranus had allowed the envoy to disembark. After the receptionists removed themselves, the two envoys, Albrot and Ranus, were the only ones present. The other Guilds did not have a master of rank available in time, so they agreed to leave the meeting with Albrot. Danrum was guarding the door outside. "Now, envoys, why are you here?" Ranus asked, sitting at the desk in the room. "The Shi''Tan Imperium has sent me to open diplomatic channels with your community. The new Dungeon has caused quite the stir, and we wish to avail ourselves of the opportunities it will present." The envoy made his opening argument. "All fair requests for most but not the Shi''Tan Imperium." Ranus decided to get to the problem and avoid an extensive conversation. "Yes, the history between our races has not been pleasant or productive," Nassar admitted. "Eating human babies in front of their parents would do that," Ranus replied dryly. Nassar never rose to the bait. He knew the game and the part he would need to play. "The Imperium was in a less civilised period then." Nassar sought to shift the conversation. "The Imperium of today is more willing to make an olive branch to humanity, starting with you, Lord Goldwind." Ranus had heard the stories and seen the slave cargo. Ostruls''s largest single customer was the Shi''Tan Imperium. Rumours were that the Imperium still indulged in its "less civilised" activities. They now did it in private to avoid censure from the other races and some of the Gods. Accepting their offer would open the door to trouble from many in the human nations. Yet denying them could lead to others as they might seek to replace him through less obvious means. He suspected his family would get a mysterious backer. His father might not question it too much. His family''s patriarch would have, but he is unwell and is not much longer in this world. He had to buy time to think about how to extract himself from this situation. "If and envoy Nasser, I mean if, I accept this what is being offered by the Shi''Tan Imperium," Ranus asked. The other two men listened intently to the conversation, not speaking, knowing it was not their place unless asked. "The fair and generous offer the Shi''Tan Imperium would like you to consider is the following." Nassar was preparing the offer he was assigned to relay. He might have been surprised he had gotten this far and not been killed, but he controlled his features. Male Shi''Tan were sent on these diplomatic missions as they were considered expendable by their Matriarchal society. "First, we offer trade to your town. We ask that our merchants be allowed to access the markets within your domain. We humbly ask that a trade mission be established to help facilitate this trade between merchants. Our adventurers seek access to the new Dungeon and we implore you to grant them entry. To help with the problems, we know that this will cause us to offer a rent of one hundred gold coins per year for the trade mission. We seek to be a friend to the young Lord of these lands today and in days to come." Nassar presents the request and offer to Ranus, with a subtle threat at the end. When they spoke of the Lord of the lands, they did not say his name, hinting that they would make the offer to another if the opportunity arose. Ranus was unsurprised by that, for the Shi''Tan''s arrogance was as legendary as their atrocities. Ranus was weak in his position, and the envoy knew it, but that did not mean he was without options. He was a trader before being a Lord and learned how to counteroffer. "An intriguing offer, envoy Nassar." Ranus began. "I must, unfortunately, refuse it. But I am willing to entertain the following agreement." Both envoys were focused with more intensity now. This was not what they expected. "The Shi''Tan Imperium may operate through an Ostrul trade mission in the town. Any merchant will need to work through it and if they visit the market, they must be escorted by a security group of adventurers who are of good standing with the Guild. Access to the Dungeon must also be arranged through the Guild, as all must. Within my lands, laws are to be followed and trespasses are to be answered through the court administered by an Arbiter of Lawdrun. Finally, the rent will be equal to the location and size of the mission as the other nations have been granted. I will have to refuse your generosity of the gold as I seek not to be seen as one who such things can sway." Ranus knew it was despite ploy, but it was the best he could come up with. The two envoys were confused, elated and suspicious in equal measures. Nassar never thought it would get to this point. His eyes narrowed briefly as he tried to see what the catch was in Ranus''s offer. Halor started to understand sooner. "That is an amazingly generous offer, Lord Goldwind. We both will need to communicate it with our noble leaders to learn their thoughts on it." Halor spoke up, receiving a sharp look from Nassar, but he followed the other''s lead. "Indeed, envoy Halor is correct. I will need to communicate your offer to the Shi''Tan Imperium." Nassar needed to understand what was being offered and time to think. "Very well, I will have my Watch Captain escort you both back to your ship." Ranus stood and the two envoys left with a shower of platitudes on him. When they were gone, Ranus slumped, letting out a deep breath. The laughter was a surprise. Ranus turned to Albrot. "Well done, Lord Goldwind. You navigated that situation extremely well." Albrot was grinning like a fool. "Do you think they will take the offer?" Ranus asked. "Hard to say. But getting Ostrul to be a guarantor of the Shi''Tan''s good behaviour was a masterstroke!" He said as he laughed again. "Yes, I am a bit proud of that one." Chapter 82 There were countless plots and schemes worldwide¡ªactions taken by individuals or groups. The town of Shadow Vales was seeing far more and their effects rippled out, affecting others in ways known and unknown. This was no different from the last few years since the town was established, only the number was still growing. One man and a male Shi''Tan were on a ship docked on a pier, receiving and sending messages. For those who could monitor such things, the volume of messages coming and going hinted that something was happening. They had devised a plan with options to match his choices and thought they knew how to control the conversation with the local Lord. Their cunning was unmatched and they had sought to manoeuvre him into the choice they desired. It turned out that the young man was not as easily controlled as they had assumed. His unexpected resistance added a dramatic twist to their carefully laid plans, leaving them utterly surprised and off-guard. They thought they could pin him in place, bend him to their will, or trap him in a decision that would only benefit them. They came prepared and made their move. They offered him a deal that would be a poisoned chalice. They wanted him to allow the Shi''Tan access to the town, which would trigger the other Lords around him to react negatively. History could not be ignored. Its echoes and scars are still present to all with the wisdom to see them. Ostrul and the Shi''Tan sought to bind him to them and make him reliant on their mercies. That was the plan. He, it turns out he, had other ideas. He was expected to reject the Shi''Tan Imperium''s offer, which would allow them to manoeuvre against him in different ways. But instead, he offered them something else, a move that could be a trap by giving them what they wanted. This unexpected turn of events added a thrilling twist to the narrative, a shame no Bard was present to record it. This led them to withdraw to understand and dissect what he offered. On the surface, it was what they wanted, but the offer had teeth. He had strategically placed the responsibility for the trade''s mission security on Ostrul''s shoulders. They sought to have him take responsibility for it, but he had turned the tables on them with his cunning counteroffer. And that was the trap he laid for them. The messages understood this and debated whether they would take him up on it. Ostrul firmly believed in their hidden power of having others deal with their problems, leaving their hands "clean." This deal would expose them in a way that they had not been for centuries. Everyone knew Ostrul had dealings with the Shi''Tan, but it was always as "intermediaries" or "independent" merchants. This would solidify the truth of the relationship. Ostrul''s leaders were not happy. The Shi''Tan were unsure. They were still debating. Just as the young Lord had hoped. ## ## ## ## ## Comus was in a new laboratory within the Alchemists Guild. He was hunched over the table before him. It was dark with the room shutters closed and was lit by a single lantern on the desk. Vellum was scattered across it and his scrawled handwriting covered much of it. Formulas and designs of wards dominated them. The walls had bottles and containers on shelves all over the room. Some glowed and others contained strange herbs and compounds. He had started muttering to himself as he worked in private. He was pale and looked stressed. He was trying to understand what had happened that led to all the death and destruction in his Guild. He was hiding his obsession now from his Guildmates and friends. He looked better in public; this was from a combination of acting and alchemic potions he was creating. In private, he looked worse. Obsession. It had started small, but it was growing slowly day by day. Like all obsessions that were left unchecked, it was taking over his life. What he did not know was that he had not left the disaster in his Guild unscathed. The healers, both mundane and divine, checked him over and scanned him, but they missed something. During the chaos, a tiny sliver of void corruption wormed its way into him. It was so small it was easy to miss, but as it continued to reside within him, it slowly began to grow. If Comus was aware that he was being corrupted, the alchemist within him would see it all as fascinating. The man would have been horrified. The corruption moved differently in each infected, making it hard to spot until it was too late. With Comus, it was fuelling his obsession. Everything would look fine if you could see the energy flow within his body. Taking your time and travelling these routes, you would start to see small things that would be no cause for concern on their own, but adding them all together would be concerning. He was being changed. Like a bitter seed, the corruption was slowly growing and none were any the wiser. What would be born from it? ## ## ## ## ## A young Lord was sitting in his office reading the report of the silver that had been mined from the new Dungeon floor. Fourteen ingots of good silver were now in his possession, which could be turned into six hundred and thirty coins of the quality he desired. This was going to save him from ruination for now. Two adventurers died trying to secure the node for the miners, but that was not unexpected. This saddened him, but not the author of the report he was reading.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. In the neighbouring building, his newly appointed treasurer looked over the same numbers and others. The office was sparsely furnished, not because she disliked them but because she was not planning to be here that long. Again, she thought about the tax system he had established here. It was easy to understand and hard to abuse. She smiled to herself, thinking she would have to use it herself in the future. She was the type of woman who respected efficiency. He was safe for now with the injection of the silver he had gotten and the additional Dues he would receive from the Dungeon and taxes. By next year, he would even start showing a small surplus. Sighing, she placed the report down. Looking around, she might have to get settled in after all. This was going to make it harder for her to ruin him for her true employers. ## ## ## ## ## The Adventurer''s Guild was as busy as it was most days. The sixth floor was the primary source of conversation. More teams had been arriving and were planning to visit different floors. The fifth was interesting to many new teams as the traps were considered difficult to get around. Rogues and other trap-focused Paths were now far more interested in the Dungeon. They were coming up with exciting and novel ideas to get around them. Many were talking about the other floors. Elian was reading the new requests for Dungeon resources in her office. A new request now dominated them. Silver. The town''s metal workers had taken the news well. She saw it as a good sign that they had not tried to storm the Dungeon to get to the node. The find would attract new opportunities and businesses. This all brought her new life''s bane¡­. More paperwork. The never-decreasing stack on her desk was her own personal hell and she glared at everyone who entered and added to it, then cursed them loudly. Even a Guild Master who just laughed at her. But with a new floor, the Dungeon got a new rating. Word was spreading and new teams would come. The Dungeon had reached the level now that fewer adventurer teams would risk the sixth floor, even for the silver node. They would come as word spread and the greedy would take the risk, with most of them dying. Another day then as an Adventurer Guild Leader. ## ## ## ## ## Further afield, those in power who were lucky enough to be on the new or reestablishing trade routes began to see the benefits of the new Dungeon and its new community. The biggest winners were the Nascan city-states to the south and the Skaald city of Vostog to the north. Many others found wealth by selling to them or through them. Money followed along the river route like water. The crime rate increased as the Thieves Guild and others sought to profit. Traders were sighted more often and the wealth generated by trade reached more people. This, in turn, led many hardy and brave souls to ask what else could be found in those abandoned and forgotten mountains. Local powers and leaders soon asked this question as well. Employed or self-funded explorers soon searched and mapped the valleys and riverways. They had Old Empire maps to work from, but even then, these mountains were hardly known and the treasures and dangers were unknown. Many were never seen again. Shadow Vale was the logical starting point and it saw another influx of groups who did not stay but used the town as a supply base. The merchants and traders cared not why as long as their inventories sold. The smart ones factored the new explorers into their plans. The new iron mine was an excellent example of a new business. Loggers were also finding their services in much demand. Mercenaries and adventurers found coin following quickly as the mountain monsters and apex predators did not tolerate such incursions into their domains. Men and women were flocking to the town and mountains in ever-increasing numbers, but others were also coming from much further afield. Elves and Dwarven figures and groups were being sighted along with ships from their races. The first were a mixture of adventurers and traders. Soon, others were being sighted. This gave the local authorities another headache to deal with. Most humans were barely tolerant of their own kind, let alone others. Most only looked on or ignored the travellers. A few -mostly drunk- did cause issues and the local watch dealt with the lucky ones. The unlucky ones were handled by the targets of their hate and soon wished they were back home in bed. Soon, new, never-before-seen ships along these rivers were heading all in one direction. ## ## ## ## ## Within the Divine Realm, things were calmer but still tense. Gods and Goddesses watched each other wearily as they all wondered which would be the first to cross the line regarding Void Corruption. Most saw the danger for what it was, but there were always those who sought more, especially amongst the Divine. So, they watched each other, wondering who would be the first. This was not all. Oda was the leader of the Pantheon but, for the first time, had untied the two Courts and a few independents in condemnation of him. They had all agreed not to take action against him, but now five others stood watch over the Dungeon Core and the System he created for it. He was still present, but the others made the decisions. They were¡­. Nictor - God of death, darkness and endings. Xandus - Goddess of light, life and destiny. Hackyon - Goddess of magic and learning. Nyralia - Goddess of nature (land/sea). Lawdrun - God of laws, contracts and courts. They were in his office looking at the replica of the Core, and its Dungeon floated above it as a translucent "holographic" three-dimensional image. Astraus had turned down being a member and suggested Lawdrun. She reasoned that this was not a true Dungeon and not within her area of control. Most thought she was still angry with Oda and was unsure she could do the job correctly. Many respected her for putting the collective over herself, which was rare amongst them. Why had this group gathered today? Why the Core had expanded again, gaining a new mana type and creating yet another new kind of monster along the way, they had access to all the screens and "databases" the Core could. The problem was that Oda''s system was a closed thing now; it was operating on its central instructions and could adapt itself as required. It never occurred to him to create an "admin" account option. Oda had sought to cripple its ability to grow, but the Core was resourceful and stubborn. It found ways around the restriction by using the very system controlling it to its own advantage. The Divine were both appalled and impressed. "How dangerous are these "Diamond Head Snakes?" Lawdrun asked, the hologram changing to show the snake. "If they enter the wild in the mountains, not very. If they emigrate to the grasslands to the south very." Nyralia spoke as the Goddess of Nature and they all listened to her words on this. "They would quickly rise to be one of the most dangerous predators in the grasslands. If they had venom, then they would be the area''s apex predator." "It''s the floor Guardian that is the most concerning," Hackyon added. "Why?" Lawdrun thought the snakes were numerous enough and could change sex. If they escaped into the wild, the issue would be obvious. The image changed again. "Because of that." Hackyon pointed to a spell matrix woven into the creature''s form. "That is an unpowered enchantment that the creature can activate with its mana." "Such enchantments are common." Lawdrun was confused. What was the issue? "True, they are, but not part of living creatures. This makes them impossible to disenchant until the creature''s mana runs out as it will just reactivate it." Hackyon revealed the problem. "If the Dungeon creates a new dangerous or existing enchantment and merges it with a monster''s body¡­" Lawdrun then understood. "Yes, the resulting monster would be terrifying," Nictor spoke. All the Divine entities present looked at the floating image of the new guardian¡ªall but one. Oda, sitting at the desk in his office, looked on. He had made mistakes with the Core, but it was still the last hope. For he had not told the others everything as in his research, he had discovered what was coming and he was terrified as the knowledge had almost shattered his mind. Something was still niggling in his mind. Something he had done. He ignored it for now. He would remember in time. He should tell the others¡­. But no, he must trust in his creation, as no one else can help it. Chapter 83 In a Dungeon, the Core is king/master/God. That does not protect it from its greatest enemy¡­. Boredom. "Waiting for floor seven is going to be a pain!" I pull open my character sheet to see the damage.
Name Bhaldor Essence 17%
Race Dungeon Core CP 50(800) 7.3 phr
Level 6 Corruption 0%
Floors 6 Health 100%
My essence count was slowly increasing again but at a trickle compared to what it was. I looked at my skills.
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 3 - 10% Core Refining ¨C 15% Mana Sight: 8 ¨C 12% Aura Manipulation: 8 - 45% Herb Lore: 2 ¨C 0% Spell Casting: 1 ¨C 0% Alchemy: 1 ¨C 0% Enchanting: 3 ¨C 23%
Here, I had made some progress. Mana Manipulation had increased one level as handling the Ice mana and a few other Shadow motes that had appeared increased the skill. Core Refining and Mana Sight had improved slightly. Enchanting was the big winner. I had gained two levels from creating my sixth-floor Guardian and the experiments that followed from it.
Perks/Restrictions: Godless Affintyless (++ ERROR! ++) Companionless Limitless Monsters/Traps Core Refinement max ¨C 92% Spell Casting (++ ERROR! ++)
No change apart from the Core Refinement max.
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 80(80) / 0.01 phr. Shadow ¨C 80(80) / 1.1 phr. Light ¨C 80(80)/ 0.1 phr. Earth ¨C 80(80)/ 0.5 phr. Ice ¨C 80(80)/ 0.012phr
I had left the mana levels maxed out as I had other plans for them. Next to the Core, I had six mana stones, all glowing with the light of their mana type. The same colours glowed in my Core as specks of light. I had two empty bubbles in my Core to store any other types discovered. I felt happy with what I had acquired. All was well with my sheet, so I turned my attention to the Dungeon. Larry was watching the comings and goings. Recently, a few low-tier adventurers had taken a few shots at him and he was more alert now when they moved through his room. He was ready to bolt at the first sign of hostility. "I hate to think what they will do if they find that they can get a gold coin from him." I envisioned groups hunting him through the Dungeon every time they entered. It was not pretty. The first floor was cleared, as a Tin group had just finished it and headed to the next floor. They were a regular group and knew their limits, so they would not move on beyond them. The third had the boars being harassed by Puck¡ªor they would be if they were not just ignoring him. The spiders on the fourth were waiting. I have seen a few people going there in recent days. The fifth had attracted many groups of thieves and rogues who were fascinated by the traps. The groups tried all different ways to get around the traps, many of which failed, but a few succeeded. I was learning new things to factor into my later trap designs. Finally, the sixth. This floor saw more traffic than I thought and I quickly understood why¡ªthe silver node. The adventurers figured out the regeneration cycle and were now arriving to match it. Teams were coming that were only trying to clear the caverns to the node and no further. They were barely doing that often. There had been casualties. "All good right now." My latest floor was finished and was well received. Now, on to the seventh and its first concepts are¡­.. ¡­¡­.. "I have no ideas." I was drawing a complete blank right now.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Inspiration was required, so I opened all my screens looking for it. "I could¡­ no, that would not work. I have these and I can¡­. That''s just silly. What about a merge¡­." I stopped as I read down the minion list to one. I had, but I was avoiding it due to the cost: Mountain Ogre. I looked over the design and thought. Could this work now? The longer I thought about mixing and matching ideas, the more appealing it became. However, I did see something that confused me. In the lists, it was classed as a "Demi."
Demi. Demis are a subclass of monster. They are closer to the sentient races of the world, which is reflected in their cost, but they can develop skills faster than the standard monster.
The blue screen appeared and startled me for a second. I read through it and it made sense. I was unsure of the sub-class thing, but now it is more interesting. I dismissed the screen. "I wonder if there are other sub-classes." Ogres were the minion for the floor then, barring anything new appearing to change this. Now, this leads to the next problem: how many? They were expensive, and the floor would not be able to handle many of them as I would run out of resources. A rough calculation: I could have a maximum of three. Any more would be beyond my CP pool to create. "Two and a guardian?" I was still flicking through my screens, thinking and not paying attention to them. I looked to improve them, but this would only hike the cost, lowering the number to two. I had to equip them, which added further to the cost. "Outfitting them with good gear would reduce me to two on the floor." I floated around my Core room just thinking. Then I spoke an idea. "What if it''s just one?" I stopped and thought more about this. It was crazy, and as far as I could remember, I had never been tried before in the material I had read. What if the floor had only one minion on it? A single Ogre that was the Guardian. Ogres are tough and strong creatures, but an adventurer team coming this far would be able to overwhelm it fast. Looking over the Ogres base stats, I was not so sure.
Name N/A Level/Class 1 - Dungeon Minion
Race Mountain Ogre Essence 0%
Health 350/350 Mana 70/70
Stamina 350/350 Corruption 0%
STR 25 25 Damage Base
DEX 10
AGL 10
END 35 -5 Damage
VIT 35 +10% Poison Resistance
PER 10
INT 7
WIL 7
LUCK 8
Skills: Smash: 1 ¨C 0% (+ 20 Damage) Cost: 20 Stamina
Perks/Restrictions: Tough Hide: - 5 Dam from attacks. Easily Confused (-20 % Resistance to Illusion Magic).
It was a beast, just the base design with no alterations or upgrades. "Bronze teams would have trouble fighting this thing when outfitted." The downside was that Ogres only had one skill, along with a single perk and restriction. Now, Tough Hide was nothing to sneeze at and was the most common perk amongst my minions. The restriction of Easily Confused was annoying, but it was on brand for the type of creature. Anything additional from weapons to armour and any other upgrades had to be supplied by me. "A single pimped-out Ogre? Long hall? Maybe different lighting?" Things that all needed to be thought about. I was starting to warm to the idea of a single-decked-out Ogre waiting to challenge anyone who approached. I thought I noted that the Tin group was on its way out. They had stopped just short of the floor Guardian. I had thought they might take a run at it today, but it seemed it was not that day. I waited to see who the next group was. If it was one of the regulars or another low-grade group, I would go back to thinking about Ogres. I did not wait long. Six figures entered. Four melee fighters, an archer and some healer type. It''s a good mix, all well-armed and equipped. What drew my attention was the crest they all were wearing. I had seen it before¡­. "It was on that dumb slaver bastard!" I checked them over with my Mana Sight. They carried a fair amount of magical gear, matching the last group. This was concerning me. Why, I did not know, but there it was. Were they here for revenge? I watched them walk straight to the stairs and go down. The first three floors were ignored and they entered the fourth. I thought they were capable of going lower, but starting here was not a bad idea. The floor had a decent amount of coins to be made and the webbing was worth the effort of collecting. I watched them sweep aside the first spiders, ignoring the coins and webbing. Surprisingly, they were burning the webbing to allow easier access. "Right, that''s odd. What are they after?" What less would they be after if not for the resources and coins? I thought over the floor and history as I warred Queen of the group''s approach. In her cavern, it became obvious. "The bodies!" "What was that, Bhaldor?" Queen asked. "Your decorations of the three bodies of the slavers. I think the group coming is going to collect them." "I will be ready." Queen began positioning herself for the group. I watched the group move from to room. They burned the webbing as they walked through each room and killed the spiders. The webbing burned quickly and the fire swept through the rooms. I went in closer to the group, looking them over. The collars were evident on five of the group. One of the melee fighters was without one. He was wearing the best armour with the most enchantments. I bet he was the slaver; the crest was the largest and most elaborate on him. The eight spiders slowed them; the numbers pressed them, but not for long. The spiders were cut down and they moved on. The last room''s spiders tried and were cut down. The group entered the Guardian room. The Queen launched her attempt at a surprise attack. The group reacted fast and scattered as she dropped from the ceiling. The melee fighters engaged her as soon as she was down, with the archer supplying support fire. The queen was defending herself from multiple attacks, failing to stop all of them. Wounds began to appear as attacks got through. She desperately used her tricks to break the initiative of her attackers. Each was overcome with no slowing in the assault. Her health bar was falling at a frightening speed and before she could trigger her [Charge] skill, it emptied. She collapsed to the floor, dead. The cavern was searched and when found, the slaver''s body was recovered. They wrapped it and picked up the remains. The group left the cavern and returned to the stairs. From here, they went up and left the Dungeon. I was left with a Dungeon resetting from the group''s rampage through the fourth. The coins left on the floor were all reabsorbed as the floor reset. I watch all of this thinking on the group. They were at least bronze-tier and the fourth floor was no match for them. I went back to thinking about the seventh floor. The sixth had not been thoroughly tested, as the floor had few go through the caverns. I had only seen one group fight the Guardian and needed more data from those battles. A single monster on a floor will require more abilities than the enchantments I could integrate into their designs. The Guardian had one and has been working with no issues so far. Another new group entered and was a tin-tier. I watched them moving through the first. The group was young and found the first floor was a challenge that they could barely handle. They finished the floor but were blooded and weary. They to leave the Dungeon and it reset after they walk out of the doors. I opened the screens again. I reviewed several options, looking for different options for the floor. A single monster looked more attractive, but I needed to make it worthwhile for any adventurers, as the beast would be a horror to fight. I knew this would be the case, as the base design had quieted the status screen and even with a few upgrades, I could predict the effects of most. The cost of the Ogre would increase with every upgrade. In addition, I will need to outfit it with weapons and armour, adding even further to the cost. I had to remember this as I did not want to get caught out again, as on the sixth. "I need to experiment more before I can commit." I had integrated one enchantment into the sixth-floor Guardian. I could not be sure that this would work on the Ogre. I had to factor the armour and weapon into this as I might enchant them. Also, I still had not figured out how to make the enchantments hold their own mana and not need to be powered by the monster they were integrated with. "This is getting complicated." Another team had arrived and went straight to the third floor. They were fighting the boars and they had the advantage. The group was taking its time stripping each kill of every resource they could use. "I could create a supersized boar instead of an Ogre?" That was an amusing thought and I ran with it in my mind, creating different scenarios. I then went through several other minions. The most entertaining I came to was the titanic toad squashing adventuring teams. The third-floor Guardian beat them somewhat before dying. It seemed the fight was too hard on its hide and it could not be salvaged in its entirety. They took what they could and left the Dungeon. The miners and their escort were next to arrive. It was getting later in the day. The silver node was still regenerating, so today''s supply would only be copper and tin. That was a shame, as I would like to see more adventurers try their luck on the sixth. I sighed mentally. "Back to waiting." Chapter 84 The town of Shadow Vale is back to growing. It is not yet a city but well on its way. Construction was happening in different sections of the community. The buildings rising were not all human now and were adding strange shapes to the skyline. Elven and Dwarven structures were under construction. The Elven building was wrapped around a tree they used magic to grow. The Dwarven was a squat square building that was utilitarian and practical in design. Other races were arriving and making overtures to have their trade missions in the community. Ostrul had, so far, decided not to take up the young Lord on his offer. Lord Ranus entertained envoys regularly, which he was happy with publicly, but privately, he was cursing everyone who contacted him. More of these races were seen on the streets and in the marketplace. Vulus was often seen across the town overseeing the construction of human buildings. Loggers supplied the wood, and stone cutters had a new quarry for the town. Buildings were not just going up but being rebuilt from earlier wooden ones. If things kept going at the current pace, this would take another year, maybe two. The valley was filling and the riverbank''s other side was now being settled. The number of adventurers trying to access the Dungeon was increasing, a trend that was not without its consequences. This led to longer wait times for groups, causing financial difficulties for many. The town''s economy was feeling the strain, with the number of other requests from townsfolk for resources or escort helping many, but not enough to offset the growing financial burden. The new group did not pass the third floor as often. The more veteran teams were only now arriving. Danrum was with the Watch, keeping the few malcontents in line. At first, there was trouble, but the Watch came down hard on the few adventurers stepping out of line and convinced the others to seek other opportunities. Homelessness was a problem now starting to appear within the town. Merchants and traders were plying the river route. The Dungeon was a source of income for many, both directly and indirectly. The adventurers were a strain, as so many could not access the Dungeon, but what was coming out was the town''s main source of income through the Lord''s due. This tax, combined with the Adventurer Guild due, sat at one-tenth of the total haul from the Dungeon. At first, it was pitiful, but with the resources coming from the third and fourth floor along with the tin and copper nodes, it had started to increase. The silver node added even more to the income being generated. Of course, the big earner was a hide of the third-floor boss as undamaged as possible. That brought in gold by itself. Amya took all this in, looking out from the window of her office. She was holding one of the endless reports on the town''s finances. She did not bother looking at it anymore, as she knew its contents. The town was not looking at a financial crisis anytime soon. The silver vein was fast becoming its salvation. The average worker earned between two and five silver coins a month. Specialists could earn up to a gold coin related to their profession. Crafters and merchants could earn even more depending on their skills. This was typical for this part of the continent. Most were here to improve their paths and to be able to establish themselves before others arrived. Adventurers could bring in a lot less or more, depending on what they were doing. She knew that she could not rely on them as constants and had to factor them into her calculations as random. The town''s three biggest exports were copper goods, spider silk, and the boss''s mana-infused leather. Alchemic items were also starting to increase but had not reached the levels of the first three. Much experimentation was still going on and nothing so far had become in demand due to its unique nature. The summer solstice was approaching with the taxes from the townspeople. The projected earnings would be more than enough to cover the expenses until the winter solstice. "God''s damn it all!" Amya muttered to herself. This job was supposed to be an easy infiltration and ruination of a lord''s accounts. She had done it many times already and had an established path to follow. Enter their service in a financial role. Study the accounts and books. Look for a weakness or manufacture one. Arrange for several bad loans from her employers to be accepted and then get out. She was never around when they came due and ensured they could not be traced to her. It was a tried and tested method. But not here! Lord Goldwind was a former trader who watched his accounts like a hawk. This made it extremely difficult for her to manipulate the numbers to her needs. Every copper coin was accounted for and he scoured the ledgers if there was a tally that did not match. This made her job far harder. She was a professional and knew things did not always go her way. So, she settled in for the long haul on this one. It was still frustrating, but that was life. Returning to her desk, she looked at the carefully laid reports before her. She sat down, adding the one in her hand to the pattern before her. "What to do?" ## ## ## ## ##Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Another one!" Elian exclaimed as another sheet of vellum was added to the pile. The receptionist who placed it scuttled out of the room, quickly closing the door behind her. Elian glared at the offending pile, trying to set it alit with her mind. Elians hands were stained with ink from her quill and inkpot. The desk before her was a mountain of vellum sheets arranged into different piles that never seemed to end. The last few weeks had passed in somewhat of a blur. The sixth floor had opened, but few were risking it. The silver node was a temptation, but it only regenerated every three days, limiting the desire to visit it. The snakes also proved to be an enemy few could handle. Higher-tier teams were arriving and she expected the floor to be visited more often. Sighing, she went back to the report she was reading. The Guild had been scanning the Dungeon and her scryers thought that the Dungeon was getting to the point where two teams might be able to operate within it soon. They were pretty sure that a team on the sixth would not disrupt the other five floors if there was another group on them. That was some good news. The number of people trying to get access was still increasing, and the list was nearly seventeen days long. This was causing problems, but the Watch was containing them for now. Every other request that was posted outside the Dungeon was snapped up within heartbeats. Money was flowing through her Guild and her numbers were good. The other Guild Masters could not complain about that. Albrot was not here right now but had hinted that he might be forced to shift his base to the town as the number of things requiring his attention in the town was starting to outweigh other locations. Other Guilds were making similar noises. The non-human race influx combined with the churches was now forcing their hands. She looked around and pulled out the report on their numbers. Fifty-seven registered non-human adventurers in the town or operating out of it at the moment. That was a nearly unheard-of number this far into the continent. On the coastal Dungeons, it was more common, but here? This number was only increasing. Elves and Dwarven were present; their trade missions were under construction. She knew that the Gnomes, Drakon and Minoars were in negotiation to establish a presence in the town. Their first merchants and adventurers were already here. The town''s docks were being expanded again to handle the increasing river trade. A land route to the south had been established and many adventurers were finding employment patrolling the road or as escorts for those traveling. The town''s population was now looking into the neighbouring valleys and the mountains around them for new opportunities. This generated more work for unemployed adventurers. Which brought more money to her Guild and fewer problems for the Watch. She had noticed a large number of reports of small groups being attacked. She pulled the reports out of the piles and reread them. What did this mean? She rubbed her eyes and wondered if she could seek demotion back to being an assessor. Sighing, she returned to the nightmare on her desk. ## ## ## ## ## Many scholars and sages say that when things are going well, the forces of fate or the Gods send you an unexpected challenge. Many others would point out that when things are bad was the time more problems would appear. If you asked the Dungeon Core Bhaldor, he would say¡­ "Smile, it will get worse." But as no one could hear his answer, that was a moot point. In the mountains, the corruption left by the Ogre''s passing had spent time changing and warping the animals and plants in the valleys. It was slow at first, but it was still happening. The snake that reached the Dungeon was the closest and first to arrive, but there were many more. What only the Gods knew was that, at the moment, the area around the Dungeon was showing the least corrupted creatures. Other regions were suffering far more, and they were on the move. They only heard the siren call of the Dungeon in the Shadows. At first, it was a small thing easily ignored, but over time, as the corruption strengthened, it got louder, until the creature began moving towards the source. Oceans, deserts, and ice fields blocked many, but they sought the means to cross. In the mountains, the local animal and monster population was fast learning to avoid corruption, as those who fought and lost added to their power or were, in turn, corrupted if they won. Thrugg had become powerful, but deep in those mountains were far stronger monsters. Thankfully, none of these had been infected yet. A local mountain lion had been watching the passing of the Ogre and had avoided it, knowing it could not win against it. It, however, was young and hungry. It had scavenged from a kill made by the Ogre and had become infected by a sliver of corruption. The young male did not know of the danger and the corruption set to work. Over the following seasons, it spread through the lion''s body. Slowly, at first, the lion fought other corrupted and won, adding to the energy within his body. The changes came over time. The mountain lions of this region were known for living in prides like their savannah cousins. Young males were cast out of the pride until they were strong enough to claim one or die. The lions of the mountains were a light grey and were slightly tougher due to exposure to a harsher climate. They were a respected mid-tier predator in these mountains. The first change was the white around the lion''s golden eyes changed to black. It was hard to spot, but it was the first outward sign. The colour of its hide then turned a little darker and the frame below became more evident as the muscles beneath grew. This made the lion stronger and faster. If it were normal, the lion would seek out the nearest pride and challenge the male for it. The lion did seek out the pride and killed the male, but the lioness joined the fight, sensing the corruption and he killed them all along with the cubs. He feasted well that night. Over time, he fought other animals and monsters, winning and getting stronger. As he did this, the call from the south got stronger. Without understanding, the lion started moving a little further south every day. The locals did not welcome it. With every victory, it grew. As the seasons passed, he reached the areas humans were now exploring. At first, it avoided them, studying this new prey. A group discovered him and he attacked. The two-legged creatures were more challenging than expected. They had strange hides that covered their flesh and claws that could wound him. He emerged as the winner and ate well. He continued to grow and move south. He encountered more two-legged prey, but there were far more, so he avoided the larger groups and ambushed the smaller ones. The number of prey was still increasing. The pull was getting stronger and soon, he reached a new valley unlike any other. Strange things covered most of it, and the two-legged prey were here in impossible numbers. Near the entrance to the valley where he was hiding, a single thing stood taller than the others on a small hill. The lion knew that was where the call was coming from. The prey numbers were too great, so the lion had shifted to stalking and hiding. This had allowed it to get as close as it had. Now, he needed to get to the strange, tall thing and it was overriding every other instinct. He started to get closer. Chapter 85 "It was only a bat, Larry." He was strutting around the front room after killing a bat that had entered the tower and tried to sleep there. I had sent him up to kill it, and he managed to do it after a few attempts. After the kill, I gained a new design for the bat, but it was a 1 CP creature that was bad at best. He had returned to the main entrance and positioned himself back on the rafter, was settling in. Dawn had just arrived and I was preparing for the first adventurers. They would be here any minute. The doors opened and I looked to see¡­
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! A Void Corrupted creature is attacking your Dungeon. Kill it before it destroys you! Rally your minions! Defend your Core and Dungeon! ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Minion room/floor restrictions have been lifted until the raid has been completed or defeated!
A massive creature jumped into the Dungeon. Several adventurers fell into the room as the creature knocked them over as it barrelled into the room. "Oh! Fuck me!" I rushed around, opened the doors and got the minions moving. Above, in the main room, the corrupt monster was pushing through the few adventurers who fell in with it. I returned to the main room as my minions gathered in the stairwell. I could finally get a good look at what was attacking my Dungeon. It was a lion, or was it? The basic frame was that of a lion. It was larger and had a deep grey colour to its coat. The mane was a lighter grey and black veins could be seen on different body parts. The eyes were golden irises with black around them. Its teeth were larger and sharper. Its claws were black in colour. Red blood was decorating the walls now. The lion swiped with his claws, tearing through armour and bodies alike. The adventurers were wounded, but I did not get any essence rushes, so no deaths yet. The lion pushed through them and headed for the stairs. He moved with the feline grace of its kind. He was quickly at the top of the stairs. Stopping here, he looked down the stairs, smelling and his ears twitched. The sound of alarm and shouts for support were to be heard from outside. Several arrows flew into the room, aiming at the lion, but they missed. The lion turned and looked back out of the building. Turning back to the stairs, it started to descend. The wounded adventurers were pulled from the building. Others tried to follow but were ordered back from the building. They grudgingly stepped back from my Dungeon, leaving me to deal with this thing. The lion was now on the first floor and fighting the wasps. It was faster and swiping them out of the air. He would be moving further down soon. Checking each floor, I descended through the Dungeon. It was then that I discovered a problem I had not foreseen. The fourth and fifth-floor guardians were too large to get through the doors! Cursing, I thought fast about what to do as I returned. The mangled corpses of wasps littered the floor. The Guardian was the last left, still fighting. The Guardian struck at the lion''s hide, scoring a hit. Its stinger failed to cut into the lion''s body deeply. A small scratch did appear, and a small trickle of deep red, almost black blood slowly oozed out. The lion reacted fast, turning and counterattacked. It lept up, standing on its hind legs, clawing at the Guardian. The claws ripped through the Guardian''s body as it tried to dodge but was not fast enough. The shredded remains hit the floor. The lion looked around, not seeing any other threats, then moved down. My toads are going to get slaughtered. And they were. The lion jumped from the top of the stairs and was among them. They fought. The room echoed with the crack of their tongues and the sound of their status attacks. The lion was too fast and brutal. The toads were savagely ripped apart. Felines are nasty predators and like to torment their prey. Here, they were savaged. The Guardian did its best, but as it fought in the remains of the others, it fell to claws and teeth. The room was a gruesome scene of toad remains scattered across the floor and walls. The lion continued down. I held the third Guardian back as the other boars got stuck in. This was the first challenge to the lion, as the boars were weaker individually, but together, they were a danger to it. The lion used the stairs as a means of attack, running back up them and leaping onto a nearby boar. It was using hit-and-run attacks to prevent being pinned and trampled to death. I released the Guardian to the fight as soon as the lion was committed. The wounds were bringing down the boars one by one. The lion was not getting away without injury. It had been impacted several times by tusks and feet. It now sported several new wounds, but he was not slowing down in his attacks. Eventually, only the Guardian and lion were left standing. Both are breathing hard and wounded, but my Guardian is in worse shape. The boar charges his enemy, triggering its skill and the lion countercharges. As they approach each other, the lion springs to the side, using the wall as a platform to leap onto the boar''s back. It grips onto the boar with its claws and starts mauling and biting into the boar''s body.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. The boar kicks and bucks, trying to shake the lion''s loss, but to no avail. The red health bar above it falls as the wounds pile up. With a grunt, the boar collapses and dies. The lion stopped here for a few seconds, focusing on the stairs. I know what it''s looking for. Me. The spiders went the same way as the boars. They were smaller and faster, but the lion ripped through them. The spiders used their numbers better than the boars and tried to swarm the lion. They were willing to get on top of each other to get to the lion. It was soon apparent that the lion had never fought them before, as this worked initially. The lion adapted quickly, concentrating on the spider''s legs to slow them down. The lion''s body received several more minor wounds, but the fight ended with spider ichor on the walls and floor, along with the ruined bodies. The queen had no role in the fight, and I would need to look into that if I survived. He moved on. The worms of the fifth lasted longer as they were tougher and had natural armour. The floor lacked earth, robbing them of some of their abilities, but their teeth were far more dangerous. Here, the lion found an enemy not easily overcome. He used the same tactic with the boars: retreating up the stairs and leaping onto the worms from above. This worked at first, but the worms got wise. They could sense the lion''s movement through even the stone and knew when it jumped. They did not know where it aimed to land, but all reared up to meet it. Several managed to bite the lion, and their teeth caused much more severe wounds. The lion''s legs and flanks were bleeding from far deeper wounds, but its teeth and claws did no less damage in return. The fight was turning against the lion, but it still had a few tricks to be played. The lion shimmered with a strange echoing snarl and glowed a sickly grey/black; it had triggered its skills. Still shimmering like a mirage, it attacked again, but far faster than before. It moved at a speed that was hard for me to keep track of. Worms all around him as he moved were slashed and were wounded. Worms tried to hit back but were far too slow. The lion returned to the stairs, made the same snarl, and attacked again¡ªand again. This started to wear the worms down. Their health bars were dropping and some were getting near critical. The fight continued and the lion used this skill less and less, but the damage was done. The worms were now starting to drop. They were biting at the lion and a few were still connecting. More wounds were traded between the combatants. The worms were dropping faster now. Eventually, the last fell and I could now get a good look at my intruder. The lion was bleeding and breathing hard. It had wounds across its body, and I noticed a slight limp on its back leg as it supported a deep cut. Its blood, along with the worm''s blood, stained the stone. The lion was not making any attempt to move to the last floor. He lay down and licked at the wounds that he could reach. They were healing far too fast. Was there some regeneration ability in play? He remained there, and below, the snakes were waiting for him. Above, I sensed the adventurers scanning my aura, trying to discover the Dungeon''s status and to get an idea of what was happening. Larry and Puck were on the floor above, awaiting my instruction. Against the lion, they would not last long and were my last chance if things went wrong. The lion was now getting back to his feet and investigating the stairs going down again. He was sniffing the air and his ears twitched as he heard the movement below. He took his time but started to walk down the stairs. The snakes went silent and were using their camouflage ability. It was not as effective in the stairwell room, but they were harder to spot. The lion was not fooled but was more cautious as he descended. The first snake was on the stairs and wrapped around the central pillar. As the feline approached, it darted forward to bite him. The lion reacted faster, maybe knowing it was there, and swiped at it with a paw. The blow caught the snake across the top of the head, ripping into its scales. The snake pulled back to defend itself, but the lion followed and mauled the minion. That was the first death. The lion looked over the edge of the stairs at the room. I was sure it was marking the snake''s locations before attacking. It then lept and the fight was on. The lion caught and killed another snake, but the others quickly reacted. The lion was forced to fight them off, but the snake''s numbers were coming into play. Their fangs ripped and dug into the lion''s legs and flanks. The new wounds were adding to the existing partially healed ones. The lion could not take this number of injuries without cost and slowed. It was not using any other skills or magic; I hoped it had exhausted itself. The lion had good survival skills and realised the fight had turned against it. He pushed past the snakes it was fighting, swiping at targets of opportunity as it made for the stairs. It made it to them with a few more wounds. Unfortunately, the floor Guardian was waiting for it. During the fight, the Guardian moved up the stairs and coiled up on one. Its camouflage ability was far superior and if I had not known where it was, I would have missed it. The lion did. As it moved up the stairs, the Guardian struck. It caught the lion under the head on its neck; the mane was an evolutionary protection for this area, but it did not help against the Guardian. The Guardian''s fangs dug in deep and scored the fatal wound. The lion had no time to react as it collapsed dead. With this, the next alert appeared.
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! The raid has ended! Result ¨C VICTORY! Your defences killed a total of 1 Void Corrupted Grey Mountain Lion. Design gained Grey Mountain Lion! Your Dungeon has not been damaged in the raid. As you are VICTORIOUS, all damage will be repaired. Void corruption gained! ¡­¡­¡­¡­. Minion room/floor restrictions have been restored and your Dungeon is being reset!
"Shit! That means¡­" The void corruption hit my Core, and everything felt terrible. I really wished I could throw up right now, but as I could not, I had to endure. "Oh! Fuck ME! I hate this!" It took several minutes before I was able to function again. Puck and Larry were sitting in my Core room, guarding me in my weakened state. During the corruption absorption, they came down as the other minions returned to their rooms. The others were starting to reappear around the Dungeon. Things would be back to normal in a few minutes. Concentrating and thinking was hard right now. My mental state was not improving when I absorbed corruption, even knowing what to expect. "Right, you two back to your usual haunts." Puck and Larry were hesitant but eventually obeyed me. I sensed more scanning of my aura from the outside; some were slightly different from the usual ones. I wonder what they were. I opened my status screen and looked at the corruption level. "30%, well, that will give me a fun time." If things were the same as they were last time, it would take around thirty days to get rid of that. I groaned, thinking of the unpleasant few weeks ahead. I had a new design for the Grey Mountain Lion, but I was in no mood to look it over. I had time. I moved slowly through the floors, checking on everything and making sure there were no surprises. Usually, this would only take a few minutes, but it was close to half an hour this time. No adventurers had come yet. I finished my look around at the main entrance room. The doors were open and outside, I could make out many figures. They were facing the Dungeon doors with raised shields in a defensive position behind them. In the fuzz, I could make out many more figures. They were gathered and seemed to be arguing, but I could be wrong. "I wonder what that''s about?" I settled in to wait like Larry was up in the rafters. He was watching the doors intently and his ears were up and twitched now and again. Oddly, I could never hear what was happening beyond my claimed area. Sound travelled, so I should have been able to listen to what was going on. I never saw any more adventurers this day but they came back as normal the next as dawn arrived. Chapter 86 Kyiarin was running the Guild access to the Dungeon today. This was his first taste of significant responsibility. He was young and had joined the Guild when he reached the town shortly after it had been established. He was lucky to have a basic reading and writing ability that helped him advance. The Guild had supplied him with a list of adventurers entering the Dungeon. He was looking it over as the groups were lining up. They would wait for their turn and most would spend the day waiting. He stood next to the doors and looked to the sky. Dawn was here, and it was time to get things going. He turned and opened the doors, then turned back. "You can enter." He said to the first group waiting. A seven-member team was armed and ready to go. They began walking to the doors and drawing weapons. "What is that?" someone asked from further back. Many people looked and a few pointed. Kyiarin turned and looked to where they were pointing. Something was moving in the darkness of the side of the building. It was low to the ground, using the side of the building that blocked the weak light. What he could see of it were two glowing golden eyes. "Beware there is¡­" He called out. The group about to enter the Dungeon turned to where the rest were pointing. As they stood there, they were attacked. From the darkness, a lion jumped in amongst them, knocking them over. The lion was a blur of grey: the young adventurers scattered as they fell, some into the Dungeon doorway, some outside. The rest shouted cries of alarm and fear. Kyiarin was stunned for a few heartbeats but snapped out of it. "You! Get in and help them." Kyiarin pointed at the next group and then the lion. They were hesitant but got moving. The lion did not wait around and entered the Dungeon. "Don''t follow it!" Kyiarin yelled as he saw the adventurers were making to follow. "Runner!" Several of the first group were wounded and groaning on the ground. He ran up and looked over the wounds as more healers came to his aid. He saw that the wounds had a strange black substance around them. He had been taught what to do if he saw these wounds. The runner appeared. "To the Guild. Have them awaken the Guild Leader and tell her a twisted monster has appeared and entered the Dungeon. We have wounded and I am locking the area down. Now go!" The runner turned and ran. Kyiarin looked around and spoke loudly. "The Dungeon is now locked down! None will enter, but you will stand on guard!" There were many complaints and groaning. Many obeyed, but some argued against his decision. Adventurers were clustered around, but they were more ready for trouble. Kyiarin had to spend time getting the adventurers into a more organised formation. He stands, checking his established defensive line, waiting for his Guild Leader. The sun was now up above the mountains and lighting the valley. He heard people approaching and turned. His Guild Leader was running in his direction with more adventurers. Many were still pulling on armour as they were moving. "Report!" She barked while taking deep breaths. "A lion, I think, was a twisted creature, attacked the first group entering the Dungeon. It did not engage long and entered the Dungeon." Kyiarin told her. He had started sweating, knowing that he was calling on his limited authority and would have to answer for it if he was wrong. "Why do you think it was a twisted creature?" She asked. Kyiarin cowered under her glare. He was sweating harder and his mouth was dry. Before he could answer, they heard more people approaching. Looking back, they saw Lord Goldwind and Watch Commander Danrum, along with a dozen members of the Watch, arriving. "Lord Goldwind." She greeted him. "Guild Leader Woodland." He returned the greeting. "I was just being briefed by the Guild employee overseeing the access to the Dungeon¡­" She was interrupted by the arrival of more people. This time, it was the Church Leaders and other priests. What was alarming to many was the number of the militant orders on display. Lord Goldwind and his Watch Commander counted those members, frowning at the numbers. "Honoured priests, what brings you here to this day?" Lord Goldwind asked the gathering of religious leaders and their followers. "We have heard that a twisted monster has come and entered the Dungeon." One of the armoured priests spoke. "We have come to aid the wound and fight if we are called upon." "I am happy to have you come to aid us. Your numbers are somewhat surprising." Lord Goldwind spoke. Kyiarin heard something in his voice that was more of a question. "Due to the nature of the danger, we are here to help, " the priest replied. Lord Goldwind''s eyes narrowed, but he said no more. "I was just asking for clarification when you arrived." Guild Leader Woodland spoke up, turning back to Kyiarin. This drew the attention of everyone else. Kyiarin wanted to disappear into the ground from this attention. He was doing everything he could not to shake. "Well, finish your report."Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "A-a lion a-attacked the first party entering. Several were wounded and the lion entered the Dungeon. When I inspected the wounds, I discovered this." The wounded in question were next to them. Kyiarin was waiting here for this very reason. He knelt down and, with a nod of approval from a healer, lifted the bandage on one of the wounded legs. The leg had been clawed badly and the wound smelt off. The wound had a strange black, oily substance coming from it and black veins could be seen around it. When they observed the wound, the onlookers issued several oaths, hisses and other exclamations. High-pathed priests and clerics quickly joined the wounded, aiding those already treating them. The more militant ones were looking at the Dungeon. "Get the scanning crystals out! I want to know what is happening in the Dungeon!" Guild Leader Woodland''s orders got her people moving. Several were holding different crystals at arm''s length inside the doorway. They were glowing with various intensities and colours. Kyiarin watched all this happening, unsure what he was supposed to do now. "Well?" She barked. "The energy levels are fluctuating. It appears that the Dungeon is fighting the lion that has entered." One of the scryers reported. The others nodded in agreement. "Then we wait." Lord Goldwind told everyone listening. A ripple of unease passed around those present. The adventurers wanted to go in, but the priests insisted that they all stay out. The scryers began reporting that the lion was going deeper into the Dungeon. More were arriving, but the Watch were turning them away. Many complained, but the Lord was resolute. More priests and militant orders arrived and Kyiarin noticed the deep frowns of Lord Goldwind and Watch Commander Danrum. The scryers then reported that the lion slowed in its descent. Kyiarin stood close to Guild Leader Woodland as she and Lord Goldwind spoke. "We think it has reached the fifth floor." She was saying to him. "Do you think the Dungeon will win?" He was worried but hid most of it. "Yes, I think it can. The lion has become twisted, but the Dungeon has beaten one more powerful. We can only wait." "Yes, that we must." They all waited. "The Dungeon is resetting!" One of the scryers called out. The group waited and all let out a worried breath when they heard the news. "The Dungeon will remain closed until tomorrow! Go to the Guild and your positions on the list will be addressed!" Woodland shouted for all to hear. This led to more complaints, but she got the adventurers moving. "Any more complaints and I will remove you from the list!" She was made to leave but stopped and turned to Kyiarin. "Good work today, Kyiarin. Stay here and finish your shift. Come to the Guild tomorrow, and I will need a full report." She grimaced when she said this. "I understand Guild Leader." His day was not over. ## ## ## ## ## "How many members of the militant orders are there in my lands?" Ranus asked when the door was closed. "We knew some would be present but not in those numbers." Danrum relied. The two were now alone in Ranus''s office. "Some! There were at least two dozen present from every temple that have militant orders." Ranus was pacing, rubbing his forehead. "By the Gods! There were five paladins there. Five!" "I agree, my Lord. Five is a rather large number when talking about divine paladins." Danrum was calm. Ranus threw himself into his chair. "Danrum, we both know the weakest of those paladins is ranked similar to a bronze-tier adventurer with the combat experience to match. And that does not even account for the additional divine blessings. Most major cities will have one assigned to visit it yearly or be sent as needed." "I agree the number is¡­ concerning." Danrum was forced to admit. Ranus snorted at his words. "If my decree is broken. Will the Watch be able to contain any violence?" Ranus asked the question Danrum had been thinking about since the militant orders numbers were revealed. "If that is the full extent of their numbers¡­. Then no." He sat down across from his Lord and spoke with all seriousness. "The Watch is not experienced enough to deal with one of those paladins, let alone five. I have good men and women under my command, but they do not have the experience or steps on their Paths to even think about containing the temple district." Ranus slumped and sighed. "Then you are saying our only hope is that the temples respect the decree and keep the peace." "That is correct, my Lord. At this time, the Dark Court is taking great pains to be seen respecting and honouring your Lordship and your decree. The Light Court is echoing them, but they would be doing this anyway, as you have not offended any members of the Pantheon." Both men lapped into silence, thinking about the situation. If violence broke out, then the temple district would be the first place to feel the fires. How far they would spread and what damage they would do was anyone''s idea. It was conceivable the whole valley would be destroyed. "At least another twisted monster is dead." Ranus sought the best in the situation. "That is true, my Lord." Danrum decided to voice a worry he had. "But what happens on the day it does not and the monster remerges after consuming the power of a Dungeon Core?" "Well, on that day, we can but hope the paladins win the day." Ranus was no fool and knew his Watch would not stand against such a beast. The palisade was designed to hold low-powered monsters, not something of the scale. "We should review what we can do and put in place rules for the day that may happen." "Very good, my Lord. In honesty, we have little we can do. We would only have minutes of warning before the town would be under attack." Danrum did not hold back when speaking to Ranus in private. "I know. The Watch will probably break along with most of the low-tier adventurers." Ranus was back to rubbing his forehead and had his eyes closed. "Most yes. But some will try." Danrum was not insulted, knowing the assessment was reasonable. "What will the priority be for the Watch on that day?" "The people," Ranus answered without reservation. "The Watch will do its best to evacuate all they can." Danrum was stoic, but inside, he was proud that he had chosen to serve a man like Ranus Goldwind. The young Lord made mistakes, but he knew what was most important. "Very good, my Lord. I will draw up evacuation routes that can be used to get the people out if the Dungeon is broken." Ranus looked into the fireplace. It was not lit, and the room was not cold. The shutters were open, letting in plenty of light as the sun was rising in the sky. "Good idea," he said, not looking away from the fireplace. "We will need to consider making the southern trade route to the Nescan City Sta safer. That will be the main route that the population will take." "That would be wise, my Lord. The route is improving, but we still have issues with bandits and monsters." Danrum agreed with this idea. "I will see what financial resources we have available and what I can get from the Merchant Guild to help, " Ranus said, but more to himself. "Good luck with that, my Lord. I would be very impressed if you achieved anything with the second part of your plan." Ranus smiled briefly at Danrum''s attempt at humour. "Yes, the Merchant Guild is legendary for how tight its purse strings are." Ranus agreed. "But I am forced to try." Chapter 87 Amya was walking through the town now, seriously thinking about how to end the contract she was under. She could perform the job she was hired for and ruin Lord Ranus Goldwind. It would not be quick or easy, but it could be done. She was near finishing a plan to do this, but things had changed. Paladins. She was aware of the presence of all the churches in the town, but the sudden influx or, in some cases, the reveal of paladins had thrown a veil of uncertainty over her plans. The gods, she knew, held grudges. The fact that the valley was not a desolate ruin hinted at something significant happening that involved the Dungeon. She was heading to see Goldwind. She had been summoned to see him and expected him to ask her something. She carried vellum scrolls covering the community''s finances. She did not know what he needed but had to be ready. She prided herself on her abilities and competence. She entered the building that Goldwind used as his meeting room and home. Greeting the receptionist, Naru, she ran the calendar of Goldwind''s daily activities. Amya knew keeping this woman on good terms was important. Amya chatted with the other as she continued to plan. She found this chatter bland but kept up her act, as it was essential to keep her appearance of the friendly town treasurer. Amya was allowed into Goldwind''s meeting room. He sat at the large desk with vellum scrolls and sheets scattered before him. He was working on something that vexed him. It seemed he had been working on it for a few hours. As she approached, she noticed the vellum covering a region map. "Ah, Amya, welcome." Ranus rose as he noticed her. "Ranus, you asked for me?" "Yes! I need your thoughts on a plan I need to implement. Events this morning have made it a priority." He indicated a chair next to him for her to sit on. She followed his lead and they both sat at the table. "I heard. The town is alive with talk of the paladins and other militant orders." This was true, as this was how she had found out about them. "Indeed. That is something I will need to address. But that is not why I asked for you." He moved aside the vellum to show the map. It was as detailed as possible map of the area highlighting the trade routes and paths through the mountains going south. "Are you seeking to create a new trade route?" She was slightly confused but thought he might have gained some new information she was unaware of. "No. I am seeking to improve the main southern route to the Nescan city-states. The river route shows signs of congestion, so having a better land route would be wise." He pointed at the route he was talking about. It ran through two other valleys before exiting the mountains into Nescan territory. She leaned over the table to appear to be getting a better look. Amya knew the route and was buying time to think over why he was asking this. The river traffic was not that bad to have a focus on a land route to be so important. What was he doing? "It can be done. What are you thinking, Ranus?" She looked up at him. "Nothing too fancy like building a road just yet. What I am looking at is increased monster and bandit hunts through the Adventurers Guild." He was looking at the map, his eyes distant. "That will be expensive. Let me look my figures over." She needed time to think. She made a show of unrolling the scrolls and making it look like she was reading them over. Mentally, she was furiously trying to reason why he wanted to do this. The river traffic was not that bad, but it was not why he was looking to do this. The traffic along the road that was forming was not worth the investment. There was something else. But what? Then it hit her. It was another escape route! Ranus gave her time to look at the numbers before her. He was reading over his own and she knew he had little to work with. Financially, he could only afford what he needed to pay for. Why was he doing this now? Only two things out of the ordinary had happened in the last few days: the twisted monster attacking the Dungeon and the revelation of the paladins within the town. Both were causes for alarm, but how did they relate to the other? She was no fool and the presence of every God of the Pantheon was the clearest sign that something was going on. The twisted monsters and the paladins were more added complications. "I am afraid, Lord Goldwind, that your finances are not strong enough to take on this additional burden." She told him. He frowned and nodded at her words. He had come up with the same conclusion. "Why might I ask that you seek to do this now?" "I am just seeking to improve the community''s opportunities." He was deflecting. But this might be the opening she had been looking for. "I might be able to find some loans from reputable sources to cover these shortfalls." She presented her offer. Her tone and body language presented an image of an advisor giving a possible answer to her Lord''s problem. He leaned back and rubbed his forehead. "I had thought of that, but I am still unwilling to commit to such an action," Ranus said after a few moments. "I understand, Ranus. I will talk to my contacts to get an idea of what options are available to you if you choose to change your mind. The other option is to create a new tax or raise present ones." Whatever he chose, this would benefit her if she played it right.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "No. It seems that I will have to use a different means to find funding." He was now looking at his numbers. "We will have the Adventurer Guild assist us with more escort contracts to the silver vein on the sixth floor." "This will supply some of the capital you need to fund future projects. The problem is the lack of experienced adventurers that can reach the sixth floor and protect the miners." She was still trying to manoeuvre him along the track she wished. "There is some good news on that issue. It seems that the recent influx of adventurers are all higher tier and more should be reaching deeper into the Dungeon." Amya disguised her thoughts by presenting a front of a thoughtful look and nod. Inside, she was thinking fast. The lower floors were more dangerous but were producing more money. The third was the most visited and profitable, but the sixth could match it when the Alchemists Guild got its hands on the floor boss. The first snake bodies were causing great excitement in the Alchemists Guild. Before she could say anything, there was a knock on the door. "Enter!" Ranus called out. Naru entered the room. "My Lord, you have an appointment at the Alchemists Guild in ten minutes." She told him. "Excellent. I am afraid we need to end this discussion for now, Amya." He stood up and she followed suit. "The Alchemists Guild? Anything interesting?" She asked. "Yes. The first breakdown of the snake from the sixth is finished, and we are getting the results before they are released to the alchemist community." He was walking to collect his coat. It was a summer one, not the thick winter like all in the town-owned. "So, they retrieved examples of them?" She had not heard of any being recovered undamaged enough to be appropriately examined. "Only the first type so far. The more evolved version and the boss are still proving to be problematic in recovering them." He put on his coat as he spoke to her. "Well, here is to the discovery of something that makes the floor as profitable as the third." "Yes. Let''s hope so." She said with a smile. Inside, she was groaning. "Well, let us be away." They left the room and then the building. ## ## ## ## ## Comus was moving around his lab. He looked healthier and Elian was hopeful he was nearly fully recovered from the disaster that occurred in his old Guild building. Ranus had just arrived, and Comus placed several jars on the table. Elain was not eager to know, but she was confident that the contents would be explained. "Come now, Comus, what have you found?" Ranus said to get him started. "Oh! Sorry, this floor is just so fascinating!" He was excited to show what he had discovered. Elain was happy to see the old Comus. He had lost weight and it had stayed off, but the old, excited child energy he gave off was back. "Comus, we have important roles to get back to." Elian playfully prodded him. "Okay, okay." He shuffled over to the table. "Are you both ready?" "Yes." They both said in unison. "Right then, I will start." He indicated to the jars and containers on the tab. "Here are the broken-down remains of one of the basic snakes on the sixth floor." His voice changed, becoming more focused and assured as he started speaking. "The snake is a fascinating creature. The Dungeon has heavily modified it. I have identified it as originally a mountain grass snake." He reached down and lifted a jar, peering into it. Two eyes were floating in whatever liquid stored them. He never stopped talking. "Thankfully, it is not venomous. This type of snake has no glands to facilitate this. What this snake does have are altered fangs." He placed the jar down and lifted one from the table. "The fangs are not teeth but are a crystal/tooth composite. They are more refined and streamlined versions of the worms on the fifth floor. They are remarkably sharp and can pierce through most standard armour types." "Valuable?" Ranus interjected. "Oh yes. They can be broken down into several different compounds next to the skin. The camouflage ability of the snake has been dramatically enhanced. It can hide in the tall grass on the floor, using its camouflage ability to get close before attacking. It is a natural ambusher." "What can you tell us about this ability?" Elain asked as she was very interested in this. The snakes were causing more casualties than expected. "The snake''s scales reflected the colours around it, causing its ability to camouflage with its surroundings. This snake also reflects light somehow around it, enhances that ability." He lifted another jar containing the shin they were talking about. "We are still experimenting with it to find out what it can do. The original snake only had the natural colouration pattern on its scales to hide itself." "Anything else?" Elain asked. "The snake''s flesh and organs are also being investigated. Snake jerky is getting popular with some, I have heard. Some other enterprising businesses are looking at other dishes involving snakes." Elain had heard the same from several others. The limitation of the experimentation was caused by the lack of bodies coming from the floor. "I will request the boss and another type of snake." Comus continued. "Both hint at far more improved monsters with the possibility of discoveries." "I will arrange that as soon as I get the paperwork from your Guild." Elain grimaced. Few teams in the town would be able to see it through. She might have to offer it to the elves. That would not go down well. "What would you say the value of a body is, Comus?" Ranus asked. Elai looked at him, wondering why he was concerned about money. "I am planning for the future." That was all he said. Elian asked no more on this. "So, how much?" "Hard to say. Three silvers, at minimum. It depends on what is discovered from further investigation." Comus answered. "That will see more people trying the sixth floor." Elain was figuring out the death toll from this knowledge being released. "Most will stay focused on the third floor and its boss." "Are they still getting gold for the hide?" Comus enquired. "Yes. Even damaged hides are getting a good price. The demand has not tapered off. Requests are coming in from further and more merchants are looking to get some of them. Thankfully, we have developed a core of experienced adventurers who can safely navigate the floor and kill the boss." "The reckless don''t last long in any Dungeon," Ranus added. The other two nodded in agreement. "Getting the sixth-floor boss will be hard. My usual team is not strong enough to handle that floor. I will need to get another and I would trust few with that sort of job." Elain admitted to them. "I believe the sooner I get a sixth-floor boss body, the better it would be for us." Comus looked thoughtful as he spoke. "Why is that, Comus?" Ranus asked. "Just internal Guild politics. Some of it is getting quite heated." "On a different track. Ranus, have you spoken to the churches about the presence of the paladins?" Elain asked the question that had been burning her to be spoken. "Tomorrow. The twisted lion that entered the Dungeon had everyone a bit on edge." Ranus and Elian faced each other as he spoke. Neither noticed the subtle reaction from Comus. He bore a look of hunger. By the time they looked back at him, it was gone. "Good to know. I confess I almost cursed loudly when I saw them." Elain admitted. "I did as well." Ranus agreed. "I can stay on longer. Comus, send me that request and I will get it moving." Elian rose from the chair and went to leave. Ranus rose to with her. "I will let you both know the results of my discussion with the churches tomorrow." Both left with Comus showing them to the door. He closed it behind them and turned back to his lab. "The second twisted monster attacking the Dungeon. Are they after the Core, or is it something else?" He asked himself. He walked around the lab as he spoke, looking at different jars and containers. "I need to know more." Chapter 88 "Five paladins are not a small force, Arbiter Nextom," Ranus spoke to the group before him. "Lord Goldwind, the churches are concerned with the appearance of twisted monsters in the valley and the threat they pose to the community and Dungeon." Nextom was calm as he talked. "I respect that view, Arbiter. What has me concerned is that they are here with all the additional militant orders and not one of you informed me that they were here." "As long as the militant orders protect the churches. We are respecting your decree." Nextom countered. The room was filled with all the church leaders. They were split along the lines of the two courts: the "light" on one side and the "dark" on the other. They had chosen Nextom to act as the group''s voice. He and Ranus had the most interactions, making him the logical one to speak for them all. Ranus was still amazed that they could all stand in the same room without violence. There were glares, but no weapons were drawn or spells cast. "Then why did they appear when the Dungeon was attacked?" Ranus questioned. "In that, we must ask for your forgiveness. We arranged to approach you privately and discuss the situation with them in the town." Nextom''s tone was more consolidatory. Ranus believed he was speaking the truth and that the appearance of the twisted monster forced their hand. "We wish to ask that you hear our proposal, Lord Goldwind." This came from Cleric Asham. "Proposal? You represent the Gods. I am surprised you have not come in here demanding." Ranus decided to get to the heart of the matter and stopped avoiding the difficult words. "That is true, but we are too bound by the ancient laws that the Pantheon agreed to follow. This means we must respect your position. We have also been welcomed under your rulership and do not want to disrupt the balance within your community." Nextom spoke and many nodded behind him. Ranus knew them all as they presented themselves to him as they established their temples and churches. "Then what is your proposal, Arbiter Nextom?" Ranus knew he would not get anywhere before they made their offer. "As I have said, we are grateful you allowed us to build our temples here. We wish you would allow us to continue basing paladins and other militant orders. Also, we wish you to give your blessings on the presence of these forces." Nextom was deadpan as he spoke, which only increased Ranus''s disbelief as he laid out the proposal. "Anything else?" Ranus was unable to hide the sarcasm in his voice. "No, Lord Ranus. We understand we are asking a lot. In return, those temples with forces present will give a greater land rent to your household." Nextom gave Ranus the sweet part of the offer. After a few moments, Ranus said, "Not enough." His words caused a ripple of surprise and unease. Most did not expect such a rejection. A few did and were not as unsettled as the others. A few started to get angry at being refused. "What do you want, Lord Ranus?" Nextom asked, heading off the more hot-headed. "I want answers. Why are you all here, and what does it have to do with the Dungeon and the twisted monsters?" Ranus could hold back no more. He had too many questions and no answers. He had been holding his tongue, but he could no longer. Another ripple of unease swept the room. Again, most did not expect what he asked of them, but a few did. Many looked to the others within the court they were linked to and across the room to the other side. What could they say? "We cannot speak on this, Lord Ranus." Nextom finally spoke. "Then we are at an impasse," Ranus said to the room. Silence now dominated the room. The priests were unsure of what to do. Although they had received instructions from the divine patrons, they had not been told what to do here. Nextom once again took the lead. "We cannot give you the answer to those questions, " Nextom said. But to forestall any other words from the young Lord, he continued, "We simply do not have the answers you seek. Our patrons have not enlightened us as to why; it is just that the Dungeon must be watched and any twisted monsters that appear to attack the town must be dealt with." His words caused many to hiss and groan from the others. His admittance to that had revealed something that many of the priests had been hiding, the knowledge that they did not even fully know what was happening. This surprised Ranus because they did not fully understand what was happening and even admitted to it. Now that he understood the situation, he was thinking quickly about what to do or say. He never expected this answer. "I will allow the presence of the paladins. The other militant orders can also stay as long as they defend the temples unless a twisted monster attacks the town." Ranus decided to offer an olive branch at a cost. "But I want my questions answered before I take any further action." Nextom looked to the others behind him. Some shook their heads, some added and many shrugged. He turned back to Ranus. "We will ask. But be warned, Lord Ranus, the Gods may not like your questions and seek punishment. Or worse, they might answer them." "We are at a time, Arbiter, when the questions must be asked, as the cost might be worse in the long run," Ranus said with a sigh. The others could not say he was wrong. ## ## ## ## ## "We must make that mortal pay for such impudence!" Badtor yelled out during this new meeting of the Gods. Many rolled their eyes or groaned at his interruption.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "And what would the God of War, Duels and Slaughter suggest?" Lawdrun enquired. "I will have my priest beat him thoroughly in front of his subjects in a divine-sanctioned duel." Badtor retorted. "And in doing that, you must inform the watchers why the duel is taking place." Lawdrun reminded him. This caused Badtor to fall silent, but he still was angry. "We must come up with a response to the questions presented to us by Lord Goldwind." Hackyon joined the conversation. The Pantheon had gathered and argued since their priests had informed them of the discussion with the young Lord. "You got to respect him pushing his luck like that," Rickle said, chuckling. Some glared, but most ignored him. "Something must be said." Oda thought out loud. "We are all getting more prayers from our followers as the number of void corrupted increases. They are becoming more of a recognised threat to all." "Can we take what Oda has done and correct the mistakes with new Dungeons?" Tan asked. The Gods turned to Astraus. "The same problem exists. After the Folly, the part of the layer of reality that Dungeons inhabit was damaged and has not healed. New Dungeon Cores are complicated things to create and normally require several Gods to work together to create under my supervision." She glared at Oda when she spoke the last part. "We have created several new ones outside of Kyber, but placing one there always failed. We now know that the void corrupt essence interferes with the establishing process. Oda succeeded because this Core was created to interact with the corruption." "Then we come together and make more," Iliana said. "We cannot." Xandus then spoke. "Creating these Cores is possible, but getting the souls to inhabit them is extremely difficult. Oda went beyond our realms to find one. That he did was a stroke of immense fortune. Bhaldor has the right mixture of characteristics to perform the job of this type of Core and not go insane." "What you call him sane!" Rickle was now laughing hard. The rest still ignored him. "Surely there are souls capable of the deed in our realms?" Apharon asked. "The souls must be a unique mixture of characteristics and have been touched by the void but not corrupted by it. His original world was one such place. We might be able to get one or two more, but taking more might have unintended consequences." Xandus continued. This brought the group to silence. They did not want to think about what that could mean. "We are losing sight of the issue. What shall we do with Goldwind?" Astraus asked. The Gods broke into several conversations as different ideas were explored and debated. Oda watched and thought over the problem. They had to do something but were not coming to anything practical. "We can just tell him," Oda said. His words travelled through the group, and they all fell silent and looked at him. "We will bound him by a vow, but we can give him the basic breakdown of the situation." "That could work," Nictor said with some hesitance. "Have any of you any better solutions?" Oda challenged them. Their silence told him everything he needed to know. Many looked at each other, asking the same question with their looks. Could it work? "We could do that. As Oda said, we can use a vow of silence not to have him speak about what he has learned. This might have a positive effect if the Lord supported our goals." Lawdrun came to support Oda''s idea. Many of the Gods understood and came to agree with Oda''s ideas. "What will we tell him?" Tan asked, provoking another round of conversation and arguments. "We should tell him only the basics. We will tell him of void corruption, not where it comes from. It is a threat, but we are dealing with it. The Dungeon is part of the plan and it is important to us that it survives." Lawdrun offered. Many agreed with his idea, but some were still opposed. The group was now leaning towards his concept and Oda was pleased. "If we agree, who should do this?" Astraus asked. She became aware of most looking in her direction. "Why are you looking at me?" ## ## ## ## ## Shezar was unhappy. She had been called upon again to act as the emissary of her Goddess. Since the discovery of the Dungeon, her once quiet little corner of the main office floor has been anything but. Denall, her manager, was demanding nearly daily updates. She had been summoned with him to Astruas''s presence again, given her flying orders and sent back down to the mortal realm again. During her last visit, she discovered something very important: she did not like this valley. Hidden by her divine-enhanced invisibility spell, she flew towards the town. It was closer to a city now. It was getting late, but the place was still full of activity. She had been given instructions to do two things. Give a message to Lord Goldwind, but first go back to the Dungeon. She had been given a crystal along with her instructions. She shivered at these instructions. Since its discovery, the fairies have been speculating about it. The Dungeon was an unknown factor. Astraus told her she would be fine as she told her what needed to be done. However, this Dungeon did not follow the standard rules and Shezar was dubious about the claims of her safety. The tower was in sight and she watched the last adventurers and miners leave. She went up to the open section at the tower''s top. She stopped and took a deep breath to calm herself before crossing into the Dungeons aura. Passing through into the Dungeon-controlled space was strange, as if she were passing through a warm, light rain mixed with cold snow. The floor hatch leading to the stairwell was open, and she flew down the stairs. Blue moss grew on the walls, now giving off faint light, the first difference since her last visit. She went down through the surface building and then the floors. The Dungeon was deeper than before, with more blue moss lighting her way. It gave everything a strange blue tint that was a bit off-setting. She sensed some of the Dungeon minions as she went. They got stronger as she went down and her unease grew. The sixth was where the stairs ended. Like last time, the room looked like a construction site, paused as they were getting ready to go deeper. This was the core room, which was hiding in the stairwell pillar. She had to admit it was a good hiding place, as most ignored the stairs unless they were trapped. Shezar reached into her dimensional bag and pulled out the crystal she had been given. Astruas had secretly been working on it since she had come to understand this Dungeon''s unique circumstances. She lifted the crystal to her mouth and it glowed when she channelled a little mana into it. "I am Shezar, emissary of Astruas, Goddess of Challenges, Struggle and Dungeons. I have come on her behalf to speak with you." She followed the script she was given. According to her Goddess, this crystal would allow her to speak with the Core. "Eh? What can I hear and understand you?" The voice that came from the crystal was confused. The accent was strange, but she could understand it. "Dungeon Bhaldor, I have been sent to inform you that you fall under Astruas''s domain. She apologises to you for not contacting you sooner and informing you of the required duties and rules that apply to you. As a Dungeon, she expects them to be followed from now on. I have been tasked with informing you of them." Shezar had been told to use Astruas name in its true spoken form to impress her commands on the Core. "Do you understand?" Silence. Moments pass. This was not supposed to happen. The Core should have followed her instructions by using her Goddess''s name. She was panicking inside and struggling to maintain a calm exterior. "Dungeon Bhaldor, do you understand Astruas Is your Goddess?" She pressed harder by emphasising the Goddess''s name. "¡­ So, let me get this straight. You fly in here without even by your leave and tell me that some Goddess has decided that I work for her and should follow any rules she dictates to me." The voice from the crystal asked. "Y-Yes." This was not going the way she expected. The crystal went silent for several moments. "Bugger off!" Was the answer. "W-What did you say?" She stammered out. "I said, "Bugger Off"." He repeated. Shezar was lost for a few moments. That was not the answer she expected and did not know what to do now. "Well, if that''s all, then best you go." The voice said. "But I am an emissary of the Goddess Astraus." She said weakly. "You should be honoured to be part of her Divine realm." "Oh, is that right? Well, this is the things I think about Gods¡­" Chapter 89 Shezar flew again across the town''s roofs to the Lord''s home. The chimneys were all producing smoke, forcing her to fly around them. She did not want to get covered in smoke and soot for her next meeting. The building came into view. The sun had set, and the town was lit in different areas with lanterns. Below, in the streets, people were still moving around. Taverns and inns were loud and busy. The Watch patrolled the streets, and some were still moving with purpose. In the main square, some children threw rotten vegetables at someone in a stock. One of the windows in the building was open and light was coming out. She flew up to it and landed on the window ledge. She took a few moments to check herself and ensure she looked presentable. She was still under the invisibility spell that would prevent anyone from seeing her. Mentally and emotionally, she was still recovering from her encounter with the Dungeon Core. The things he had said about the Gods terrified, shocked and outraged her. Never in her existence had she heard such a relentless flow of insults against the Pantheon, especially Oda. Her ears were still burning and her mind was trying to understand it all. She hoped the next part would be easier. The man she was looking for was sitting at a table reading some documents in the room. The room was bathed in fired light, the only light source. He was concentrating on the vellum before him with a frown on his face. She was ready and flew over to the table. She checked herself over one more time and was satisfied. "Greetings Lord Ranus Goldwind. Shezar, am I herald of her divine splendour Astraus, Goddess of Dungeons." The moral lord lowered the vellum and looked at the fairy standing on his table. "I greet you, Hearld Shezar. What brings you to my lands this night?" He asked. Shezar let out a small sigh of relief as this was going far better than the last conversation. "I have been tasked with answering the questions you posed to the collected priests earlier this day with a message." She had no idea what had been said but had been given a small speech to give him. "Are you? Well, you have my thanks, Hearld Shezar." He placed the document down on the table away from Shezar. She took a deep breath, stood straighter and began. "Lord Goldwind, the Divine understands your fear and concern. They will give you the answers you seek if you agree by vol that you will not repeat what you are told to any but them or their emissaries." He looked at her for several moments and then spoke. "I, Lord Ranus Goldwind, swear this vow to the Pantheon that I will not speak of what is told to me this night unless the Pantheon approves them." He glowed slightly at the end of his words as the vow was accepted and seen by the Gods. Shezar was happy as everything was going well. She cast a spell over the room so none outside the Divine could hear them. "This Dungeon was created to deal with what you call twisted monsters. Centuries ago, a dark and evil force started leaking into the mortal realm from beyond. Only now is its influence being felt. This Dungeon has two unique abilities to attract these monsters and cleanse the world of the corrupting force." She repeated what she had been told to say. "The paladins and other militant orders are here to make sure that the Dungeon is not interfered with and help protect your community from attack when needed." As she spoke, the young Lord became paler and more concerned. She feared he was not taking the knowledge well. When she reached the end of her speech, she waited. "What the hells are you saying!" He yelled. "That Dungeon is attracting every twisted monster in the area!" No, he was not taking this well at all. He stood up and started pacing. "Lord Goldwind, please collect yourself." She said meekly. This was going wrong, too! She was going to be in so much trouble! "Collect myself! Collect myself!" He was still yelling. "You have just told me I will see more twisted monsters that could attack the town! How many are there in the area? Two have attacked the Dungeon. How soon will more arrive?" The questions came thick and fast. "Three have attacked the Dungeon and are coming from all corners of the world, so you have time." She sought to get him focused. Her words caused him to pause his fast pacing and slowly turn and look at her. "What do you mean, "all corners of the world? " he asked very slowly and calmly. Shezar then realised what she had said and froze up. His stare was intense. "N-nothing f-forget my w-words." She was stammering badly now. "No, Herald Shezar. You said the Dungeon has been attacked three times, not the two I know of, and that the monsters are coming from "all corners of the world". Your exact words." He was now leaning on the table, looking at her. The distance was not far between them. She was in so much trouble! Before she could say anything more, there was a strange simmering, and all colour faded as everything froze. Shezar looked around, sensing Divine action in the peculiar effect. "SHEZAR!" Astraus''s voice boomed from all around her. She winced at the volume. "SAY NO MORE AND RETURN!" Things returned to normal and the young Lord was still leaning over, looking at her. "A-alas, my time is at an end and I must be away." She took to the air, opened the portal back to the Divine realm and fled through it. She left a mortal Lord with far more questions and fears behind her. ## ## ## ## ## Ranus sat down in a state of shock. The herald had told him too much, he had realised after she vanished into a portal. There was so much to think about and he could not tell anyone! He spent a few minutes collecting himself before reviewing everything that had just been revealed. Once he felt ready, he started organising them in his mind.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it First, The Dungeon was not random but purposefully created, explaining many oddities and strange things. It somehow deals with the corruption that makes the twisted monsters. What was the corruption and how does the Dungeon do this? Questions leading to more questions! "I need to get the southern trade route secured," Ranus says to himself. More monsters were coming. His mind is spinning with this revelation. Fear and worry surged within him. The town was not ready. He needed money and lots of it fast! What could he do? Amya''s offer of finding reliable creditors was the most obvious. Taking the temples up on higher rent was another. Where else? The Dungeon was the only significant resource close by that he could exploit. The silver vein and the magical boar hide are the best. He would need to try to get more adventurers to those floors to harvest resources. Like a bucket of cold water thrown at him, he understood what that entailed: more deaths. This caused him to pause as he asked himself another question: What cost would it be to himself? As he sat there thinking, he remembered something his grandfather had once said to him. "Great leaders are the ones that look to save the many over the few or all." He did not understand what he meant, but he understood here in his room that night. Trying to save as many as possible was all he could do. This understanding brought him great sadness. Part of him still held onto the ideas of the great noble leader who was able to save everyone. He lost the last of his innocence of youth that night. "Tomorrow, I will need to speak with Elian." He was developing a bad habit of talking to himself. Money was the start. Spending it wisely was the next thing. The trade route was the first thing, but what of the towns'' defences? The palisade would not stop a determined, twisted monster of decent straight. Weak monsters could be held off even with numbers. What he needed was a forty-foot reinforced wall with ballista and enchantments. But he could not afford that anytime in the next century at the current rate of financial gain. Increasing taxes could help, but that would affect the town''s prosperity and cause more problems down the river than it was worth in the short term. No, tax increases then. He reached up and, with both hands, rubbed his face. He knew he should retire and sleep but would not do so with these thoughts running around in his head. He needed to have the start of a plan! Money. Increase the offers for the silver vein. He could try to convince Elian to make the vein exclusive to him. He doubted she would, but he had to try. He would have Amya see what offers for credit were available. He would need to scrutinise them carefully before agreeing to any. Hopefully, the increasing number of adventurers travelling deeper would bring more benefits. Next, he would have Danrum review the town''s defences again to¡­. Thunk. Ranus looked along the table and found a black crystal sitting on it with a sheet of vellum under it. It had not been there a few moments ago. Ranus looked around the room to make sure he was alone. Or appeared to be. Once satisfied as he could be, he reached over and picked them up. The crystal was shaped and designed to indicate it was a communications crystal. Why was it black? He opened the vellum and read what was written on it. Lord Goldwind You are in a more dangerous position than you know. The twisted are coming and they will be far stronger by the time they reach you. To this end, you need to speak to the Dungeon; he can help you. This crystal will allow you to, but beware; it is very strange. Tell not a soul you have this crystal others knowing will bring you more trouble. A Friend. As soon as he finished reading, the note exploded into flame and was destroyed. He cried out in surprise and threw it away to prevent being burned. This night was getting stranger by the moment! He looked at the crystal in his hand and wondered what he should do. In the end, he got up and went for a walk. He walked through the streets, avoiding the rowdy and drunk. Passing townsfolk and Watch members greeted him. It did not take him long to walk from his office onto the floodplain and up to the Dungeon. The Guild flunky on duty tried to stop him from entering, but he was able to threaten his way in. He stood in the entrance room and closed the door. It occurred to him that he had never entered the building; now, he stood within the Dungeon. He walked deeper into the room to the door that led to the tower base. Here, he peered inside at the stairs that went up and down. Looking up into the rafters, he could just make out the sharoon that was known to hide out there as looking down at him in return. "Well, here goes nothing." He muttered to himself as he channelled a little mana into the crystal. It glowed with an inner deep purple light. He raised the crystal to his mouth and took a deep breath before saying, "Hello, can you hear me?" There were a few moments of silence, and Ranus thought Rickle might be having fun at his expense then. "Bloody hell! Not another one!" The voice from the crystal was male, and he spoke with an accent that Ranus could not place. He was still on guard, not sure who he was talking to. "Greetings, I am Lord Ranus Goldwind of Shadow Vale." He needed to see where this was going to go. "Who?... Wait, I know that name. It''s the town outside, isn''t it?" "Yes, it is. Whom am I addressing?" Ranus was sweating. "Look, mate. You wandered into my entrance room and started talking to me through that odd crystal thing¡­ Stop making eyes at Larry!" That caused Ranus to jump as he was looking again at the sharoon. "Larry?" Ranus was confused. "Yes! Larry! The sharoon in the rafters. Stop eying him up!" Ranus was now very confused. Either someone was playing the greatest joke on him, or he was actually talking to the Dungeon. He remembered the part about the Dungeon being very strange from the note. If it were true, that would explain a lot. What sort of name was Larry? "I have been given this crystal, allowing me to speak to you." Ranus offered, still unsure who he was talking to. "What? Who did that? Was it that bastard Oda? It was him, wasn''t it?" The question came fast and aggressively. The voice on the other end was getting worked up. "Do you mean Oda, the God of Balance, Guardian of Time and head of the Pantheon?" Ranus asked, now confused. "Yes! That fucker! Was it him? Fucking son of a diseased whore would do something like this!" Ranus was shocked at the words that emerged from the crystal. "Er¡­ I do not think saying those things about a Divine being is a good idea. He might be listening." Ranus looked about worriedly. "Stop panicking. I said a lot worse about that shit stain of a God." The voice said cheerily. Ranus was afraid now. Divine smiting was something he always sought to avoid. He looked to the door, expecting a paladin of Oda to smash their way in to seek balance against the words spoken about their God. "What got you so worried?" The voice asked. "I fear divine vengeance for listening to those words; let you speaking them." Ranus did not know what to make of this conversation. "Don''t worry, that lot keep their distance¡­. I hardly get any of their servants showing up." The voice seemed distracted. "Let us start again, shall we? Whom am I addressing?" Ranus needed to focus the conversation and now believed he was talking to the Dungeon. He had never encountered anyone so willing to insult a divine being before and feared no consequence. "Well, I am not telling you that you can call me "Dungeon"." The voice replied. "It is only polite to share your name when in conversation." Ranus countered. "Well, Goldwind. Names have power, and mine has more than I like to admit, so, no." Ranus knew this was true for some beings and if it was correct, then the Dungeon was one such being. "Very well, I can accept that, Dungeon." Ranus knew it was time to be diplomatic. "I was advised to come and speak to you about threats coming to this valley." "What threats?" The voice was now concerned. "I have learned that twisted monsters from a reliable source are coming here from all over the world," Ranus spoke with the gravitas the revelation demanded. "Shit! I already know that!" The voice was relieved. "What you do! Did the divine messenger tell you as well?" Ranus asked, confused all over again. "Divine messenger?... Oh, you mean that fairy that showed up earlier tonight." The voice asked. "Yes! The messenger from Astraus, Goddess of Dungeons." Ranus was happy that she had been here too then. The Dungeon was told of the threat by her. "She was here until I told her to bugger off." Ranus''s confusion returned. He was getting a headache now. "What do you mean you told her to "bugger off"?" Ranus was afraid to ask but had to. "The fairy showed up and began spouting on about divine this and that, which I replied with "bugger off". It took a few attempts, but she got the message in the end." "So, she told you about the twisted monster then?" Ranus was trying to understand what was going on. "Nah. Already knew about them." "How then?" Ranus was in a near-constant state of confusion now. "My existence is drawing them here, of course." The voice replied with a cheery tone. Ranus was silent and then went on his own swearing and cursing tirade. "I know the feeling." Came from the crystal with a sympathetic tone. Chapter 90 Ranus closed the door as he left. Outside in the dark, he found Elian and Albrot approaching the doors. Both stopped walking when they saw him. Ranus was too tired and confused to question this, so he nodded to them and started walking back home. His head hurt. He did not see the worried look that passed between the other two before they caught up and walked with him. "Ranus, I never expected a nighttime walk in the Dungeon from you," Elian asked with an attempt at humour. "Oh¡­. Of course. I had never entered before, so I thought¡­." He was distracted. Not even bothering to end what he was saying was a clear sign of it. His eyes were not focused, and he walked to his destination, using muscle memory more than actually paying attention. Albrot lifted his hand behind Ranus''s head, and the faint glow of magic showed that he was casting some spell. Elain kept speaking to him. "How far did you go into the Dungeon?" She enquired. He did not appear to hear her. "Ranus!" "Oh¡­ Sorry, just the entry room." He said, appearing a bit lost. Elian looked at Albrot, who shook his head. So, he could not identify any magic or curses affecting him. What was wrong then? "Ranus, you seem distracted. What is wrong?" Elian decided just to come out and ask him. "Money issues and running the town made me a bit restless at the moment." He seemed to realise how he looked and sounded, which caused him to answer with more confidence. Elain did not believe him. Something had happened before or when he was in the Dungeon. "Now, if you excuse me, I must be away. My bed chambers call." With this, Ranus strode away with more of a regal pose, leaving the other two behind. "Of course, Lord Goldwind, we shall leave you as we are near the Guild." Albrot cut in before Elian could speak. After a few more pleasantries, they parted ways into different buildings. Elain followed Albrot to the Guild. Once in her office, Albrot brought up the privacy wards before Elian started speaking. "What do you think is wrong with him?" she asked, her face written with concern. She sat down behind her desk. "As far as I can tell. Nothing." Albrot sat across from her. "Nothing magical that I can sense for sure." "Then what?" She pressed. "If I were a betting man, I would say he has discovered something significant and does not know what to do with it." Albrot mused, stroking the beard he was growing. He had returned to the town only a few hours before. He and Elain were still discussing the twisted monster entering the Dungeon when a message arrived that Lord Ranus Goldwind had entered through the main doors. They had made it there to see him leaving. "He was told of something in the Dungeon or was told to go there." Albrot continued. "Either to confirm what he learned, or it was revealed there to him." "Do you think he will tell us?" Elain was sitting with her elbows on her desk, holding her head. "Unknown. It depends on what he has discovered or what conditions led to his discovery." Albert was not showing it but was equally as concerned as his young protege. "Then we must wait." She was getting frustrated with many unknowns. "That is all we can do." Albrot agreed. Elian gave off a frustrated sigh. "Before the message about Ranus, what was the news you were going to tell me." She asked, changing the subject. "Yes, that. It seems that Doltum and Seela are heading back this way." ## ## ## ## ## Ranus tried to sleep. His mind refused to accommodate his desires. He was tired. He was confused. He was trying to find his way out of the problems before him. He lay flat on his back, looking up at the timbers supporting his ceiling. The sun was rising and the early light was now coming in through the shutters, casting strange shadows across the room. Ranus watched them as he thought. Well, he tried to think as the weariness of a night of no sleep had brought. The black-speaking crystal designed to allow him to speak to the Dungeon sat beside his bed. He turned his head to look at it. Was it a curse or a blessing? Who had sent it?The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. More questions. Talking to the Dungeon had been¡­ Strange. That was the best word he could come up with. From the works he had read about Dungeons, those lucky or unlucky few all said speaking to a Dungeon was a unique experience. But as unique as the one he had spoken to? He doubted it. With a groan, he sat up and turned, swinging his legs over the bed''s side. He felt the rug under his bare feet. His boots were still lying on the floor where he had left them. His clothes from yesterday were still on his body. His stomach spoke to him, rumbling loudly as the smell of cooking from downstairs reached even his room. "Time for some food then." He spoke to himself, but he needed to be presentable first. He was the Lord of these lands and his appearance mattered. He went to the copper mirror and a water bowl sitting on another table. He straightened his hair and washed his face. Changing his clothes as he looked over himself, he was happy. He looked tired, but he was ready for the day. He left his bedroom and walked downstairs to his main meeting room. Naru was in the room placing the vellum on the table¡ªreports for the day for him to read. "Good new day, Naru." Ranus greeted her. "Good new day, Lord Goldwind." She returned the greeting. "How does my day look?" He asked. "You only have two meetings today. First, there will be a group representing the priests and then another from the local Merchant Guild." She replied, not looking at anything as she recited his meeting schedule. "Excellent. I think the priests will be a quick one. Do you know what the Merchants are after?" He could not remember the reason for the meeting. "More warehouses. They believe the town does not have enough." She was unsurprised by the question as he often forgot things due to the number of pressing matters he had to deal with. "Ah, yes. Now I remember." The Merchant Guild had been pestering him for weeks over them. "Can you add Danrum and Amya to a meeting after the Guild? Send runners to let them know." "As you request, Lord Goldwind." Ranus sat at his desk as his first meal of the day was brought in. Even with so few meetings, it would still be a long day. He ate quickly, knowing that the first meeting would start soon. The priests arrived shortly after. Not all of them, but a group of the most powerful from both courts. They all were looking expectantly at Ranus. He got the impression that they were informed he might have had a visitor last night. "Last night, I received a divine herald from the Goddess Astraus and I was called upon to grant the presence of the paladins and other militant orders. The rent increase will be implemented. The paladins may stay, but I will be informed if others are assigned to my town." All the priests and clerics nodded in understanding. "May we enquire what else was talked about, Lord Ranus?" Cleric Asham asked as if it was his Goddess that sent the Herald. "Other things were addressed, but I am afraid that I was placed under a vow not to speak¡­." ## ## ## ## ## Ranus looked out the window at the dying day and stifled a yawn. He almost fell asleep twice during the last meeting with the Merchant Guild. In the end, he had approved two more warehouses to be built near the docks. There was no more space and he had flatly refused to demolish any of the homes or businesses there to make more room. Danrum and Amya will be here soon. Elian also requested a meeting, which he arranged for tomorrow. He longed to be away from here to bed, but there were things to do before that. The door opened and the last two people he hoped to see today entered. Standing, he greeted them. "Thank you for coming. I know this was a bit short notice." He indicated to the chairs across from him. "We are here to serve, Lord Goldwind," Amya said, echoing Danrum. They sat across from him. On the table was the map of the region Ranus often consulted. "I have asked you both here to discuss some things I will do over the next few months. We should not be long." He said, sitting down. "Amya, first, I will need you to show me the financial loans you were discussing the other day. Also, you will see a rent increase from the temples soon." She started nodding at his words, which stopped and turned into a frown at the second part. "Danrum, with these additional funds, I want you to consider the options for the trade route to the south we discussed. Scout the route more, identify the threats and have the adventurers go out and deal with them. Questions?" "How far am I to go with the route and adventurer job requests?" Danrum asked. "As far as the budget I assign will take you," Ranus answered. Danrum nodded his understanding. "Even with increased rent from the churches, the available funds will not be great." Amya pointed out. "I am aware. The loans will be investigated and I have approved two more warehouses for the Merchant Guild. More rent money will be coming from them, too." Raus told her. "The two on the land you aimed to be made into a park. Vulus will not be happy. He was excited to design it." Amya was surprised. "Sacrifices must be made to secure the future sometimes," Ranus said with a distant look in his eyes. Because of this, he failed to see the brief look of concern on both of his underling''s faces. "I will start securing the routs as soon as Treasurer Amaya releases the funds," Danrum announced, snapping Ranus back to the meeting. "I will do this when the Temples and Merchant Guild present the money to the town''s coffers," Amya told him. "Excellent. You should see the money soon. If there are any issues, please let me know." He stood, followed by them, signalling that the meeting was at an end. ## ## ## ## ## Amaya returned to her office. As soon as the door closed, she leaned against it and was slightly shaking. Her hands were the clearest sign of her distress. Normally, she would be happy that her plan to entangle the Lord with the required debtors could take a significant step forward. The additional funds were what shook her. The Merchant Guild was a factored source of income. She understood them and how they operated. She knew the ed and flow of their actions. It was the temples that had thrown her. The Churches and temples were nearly legendary for late payments and deferment attempts. But here they were, all paying on time and even now offering an increase with no arguments! What was happening? She looked around her office. A sense of paranoia that had served her well all these years was now telling her to get out. Something was wrong¡ªnot with the office or building but with the whole situation. What was she not seeing? Paladins, cooperative temples, a Lord planning for something and a crazy Dungeon. What did it all mean? Crossing the room, she went to her desk. She had prepared for his request and had already drawn up the information and contracts. She would a day or two before giving them to him. Then, she would seek to get out. She would endure the clauses in the contract she was under that would trigger by breaking it. Reaching into a draw, she pulled out the vellum. Laying them in a rough pile on the desk, she took a few moments to compose herself. When she was ready, she went through them again. They were cunningly arranged to appear benign but, with a few carefully arranged incidents, would trap the Lord into an inescapable debt cycle. She wanted to drink something strong to help steady her nerves but refused to allow herself such weakness. Not long, and she would be gone. That was what she focused on, and it calmed her down the last few measures. Give Ranus the documents and then be gone. That was her new plan. Chapter 91 The sun was soon coming within an hour. The past night had been another night of experimentation. I was getting ready for the seventh floor and putting ideas into testing. I had learned a few things. Ogres were to be the minion type. I leaned towards a single total fitted out with the best I could supply. "What will the hook for the floor be?" The hook on the sixth was the silver vein and the third was the boar''s bodies. What will the seventh be? I opened my screens and went through them. I was looking for inspiration. A gold vein?....No that will be on a deeper floor. Not platinum either, then. Weapons and/or armour?.... Maybe. I had been gathering a decent collection of them. I was thinking about my options when I got a strange feeling washed over me, which I recognised. "Here we go¡­" Since the first contact, I had recovered from the shock and had been planning what to do. The sudden fact that someone was talking to me in my Dungeon had been quite a surprise. However, I needed more information before I could commit to any plans. "Hello?" Came a voice from around me. "What! You again?" The voice belonged to Ranus Goldwind, the man who claimed to be the local Lord. I had heard of him but knew little of his character. "Yes. I apologise for contacting you again and hoped to finish our conversation from the other day." It was early, but he sounded fully awake. Due to the early hour, he must have been planning this conversation. "So¡­ What do you want?" "I have recently learned, as I told you last time, that I have only recently learned of the scale of the danger of the twisted monsters." He recapped our last conversation. "Your information about attracting the twisted monsters was a surprise." I had to stop myself laughing as his swearing tirade was very impressive. I had to be careful as telling him too much could lead to a bad outcome for me. I had to control the conversation. "How are you talking to me?" There were a few moments of silence that was telling. "I received a strange speaking crystal that implied it could contact you." He spoke. There was a lot more I felt, but I was not pushing him yet. I was still getting used to talking to another person. I could talk to Queen, but her worldview was narrow, being focused on eating and reproducing. Even after the fact, she could not perform the second. "What so odd about it?" "It''s colour. I have never seen a jet-black crystal before. They always have a hue of colour in them." Was the reply. I did not answer. Inside, I was screaming. It sounded a lot like my Core. Where did the crystal come from? Is Oda trying to screw me over, or is some other God? "Well, that''s odd." It was the best I could come up with. I did not want to tip my hand on the crystal, so I planned to return to it later. "Indeed, it is. But I am getting off topic, which is the reason why I am communicating with you." He became more focused with the conversation. "I was wondering what you can do to help with the problem of the twisted monsters." "What do you think I can do?" "You are attracting the twisted to you. Can you take a more proactive approach to them?" He asked. "No. I am limited to my claimed area." "Can you expand your control area to aid in the town''s defence?" He was trying to get me to commit to something I knew would never work. "It does not work like that. Claiming the surface is not cost-effective for me; it costs far more than I would ever get out of it. It will be better for everyone and for me to continue on the track I am on." "Oh, that is a bit disappointing. Can you do anything within the Dungeon to help the local community?" He sounded disappointed and a bit concerned. Something was nagging at the back of my mind. "No. The Dungeon is set for the moment. I am planning the seventh right now." "The seventh. What are you thinking about doing with that floor?" He was interested in the next floor, and I realised what he was doing: he was fishing for information. "Oh, look, the adventurers have arrived. Time to go to work!" "Wait! I still¡­." I concentrated on the connection in my mind that I had noticed the first time he started talking to me. A thin line of essence was running away from my Core out from the Dungeon. As we spoke, tiny pulses of mana were travelling along it. The connection was back and I reached out and broke it. With that, Ranus Goldwind''s voice vanished. The adventurers had not arrived yet, but the time was close. He was after information, and I had learned something in return. That crystal showed my location. I had to find a way to hide the line of essence or reroute it so it was hidden. Another project for another day. The adventurers had arrived and the day went on. I spent the time looking over the ogre. I would have to equip it and all my gear was the wrong size. This meant more experimentation! An essence rush pulled my attention back to the Dungeon. An overconfident group was getting stomped by the three boars on the third. One was down, but the others were getting back the advantage. I doubted they would go further. The other boars would beat them down if they did.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. I went back to the screens. Options. Options. "I do not have many yet." I could abandon the ogre idea and go with lions, but I wanted the ogre. I was going to make this work. How? I''m not sure right now, but I was going to try. ## ## ## ## ## Elian knew something was up. Ranus was acting strangely. Ever since visiting the Dungeon, he had been doing odd things, but she knew there was some purpose. He was keeping his reasoning obfuscated and refused to talk about it. The latest example was sitting in front of her. It was a request from Danrum at Ranus''s instigation. It would be an ongoing request for teams to hunt monsters and bandits on the southern main trade route. The route had been established over the last few years and was slower than the river, but more travel was seen as more traders used it as the river route was more expensive. On the surface, it was a sound request. It was the attentions behind it that had her concerned. She knew the town had limited finances, which was a strain that Ranus should avoid. So, the question was, why? Albrot was in the room with her, leaning back in the chair across from her with his eyes closed. She knew he was not sleeping but thinking about what was happening. He was as concerned as she was. "What are we missing?" He asked, bringing her back from her own thoughts. "I do not know. Something happened a few days ago in or after the meeting with the priests on the presence of the paladins within the town." Ekain replied, going over everything again. "We need to know what was said or happened." Albrot was now looking at her with his eyes open. "I know. He is not speaking. He might be under a vow of silence." Elian offered an explanation for his actions. "I was thinking the same. If it''s divinely enforced, we will not get anything from him. If that is the case, we look to his actions to scry his intentions." Albrot leaned forward. "What had he done." "He visited the Dungeon at night the same day as the meeting with all the priests. Since then, he has been seeking ways to accrue more money. We have learned the churches are paying more rent. The paladins have also agreed to aid in monster hunts around the neighbouring valleys. The southern land trade route to the Necsan city-states has become important for him." Elian went over everything they knew. "The churches paying more is strange. The paladins are helping out so much, is not. It''s the visit to the Dungeon and the trade route focus that we need to understand." Albrot looked out the window. "Let''s concentrate on the trade route, as that could lead to the answer for the visit." "It is being used more, but the merchants travel in caravans to ensure they arrive. The combined security is more enough to see most dangers off." Elian went over the usual reasons for such a request from the local lord in her head. "No reports of major monster or bandit activity on the route." "Then what has changed?" Albrot asked the question that was at the source of their unease. "From what I know, the route does not make much money for the town as the ships arriving contain far more cargo." Elian thought out loud. "If not financial, then what is the reason?" Asked Albrot. They both fell into silence as they thought about the route. "It links to Tyboon¡­., the only land route that the town has¡­." Elian thought out loud, leaning back in her chair, her eyes distant. Suddenly, she bolted up and exclaimed. "And it''s the only way most of the population could escape if the town was ever overrun!" Albrot understood what she had realised and paled at the thought. The mountains and valleys around here were being tamed slowly, but many powerful monsters were still roaming. If you could not get them out by the river, any mass evacuation would only have one relatively safe way to go. "The southern land trade route!" He exclaimed, too, understanding. "But why know?" "He has learned something. It most likely happened on the same day he met the priests. It''s the only explanation." Elain started putting pieces together. "That would explain the presence of the paladins and his acceptance of their presence." Albrot continued. "Yes, that it does. The only thing that has happened recently was the twisted monster entering the Dungeon." Elain continued to think along the lines of reasoning that they had realised. "It must be something involving it or others." "It must be." Albrot agreed, but his tone was hesitant and Elain caught it straight away. "What is it, Albrot? Now is not the time to hide things." Elain was getting sick of not knowing important things that were affecting her. He hesitated but spoke. "Sightings of twisted monsters are on the increase. The churches and temples are taking the lead when treating the wounded. The injuries people sustain are not reacting to healing magic as they should." "I know that. After the ogre attack, it took some adventurers weeks to heal fully." Elain shivered slightly, remembering the monster and the aftermath. "Well, that is not all. Occasionally, the corruption that makes twisted monsters is passed to one of the survivors of the fight." "By the Gods, Albrot! Why have you not told me that sooner? I have had people going out there to hunt those things." Elain jumped to her feet, yelling in frustration and shock. Albrot was calm, expecting this reaction. He watched as she started pacing, processing everything he had just told her. He knew her well enough to wait for her mind to put everything in its place in her mental big picture. "This changes much, but it still does not explain, Ranus. I do not think he has been exposed to this corruption but has discovered or been told something." She started after a few moments of pacing around the office. It was not a large office with Albrot in it, which made it smaller, but she was moving. "Agreed, and it involves the Dungeon in some manner." Albrot pointed out. "Yes." She stops and turns to him sharply. "Have there been any other reports of Dungeons being attacked by twisted monsters?" "Not yet. All Dungeons have a community nearby. Any twisted monster attacks would be spotted and engaged by the locals." "That means this Dungeon is the only known one attacked and the Gods are allowing it." Elain reasoned. "That is an opinion being expressed by several other Guild Masters. We are getting concerned about the number of twisted attacks being reported as the true number is far higher." Albrot said grimly. "And like any other monster, the more it kills, the stronger it becomes." Elain finished the thought. They both fell silent after that. Elian returned to her seat and was sitting behind her desk again. "So, what do we do?" She asked. Albrot had no answer. ## ## ## ## ## Actions or events have consequences which can be described as ripples. You know this as they have been coming from the new Dungeon fast and spreading wide. Few are seen, while most are unseen; they affect the world in small and significant ways. Far to the west on Kyber is a grouping of haunted and desolate hills. Once, there was a prosperous town here whose ruins can still be found. Now, it is an overgrown and cursed place shunned by all. Once, the streets were filled with life, but now monsters stalk the ruins. The land had changed, too. It was hilly, but many farmed and herded across it. Now they are gone and the land is warped and bitter. What grows here now is cruel and toxic. What had happened, you might ask? The town''s destruction was once its source of wealth. On a hill to the north of the ruins was a cave. A stone-paved path led to it. The land was now reclaiming the path but was still walkable. Approaching it, the worldly would see it for what it once was. The cave was once an entrance to a Dungeon. The town was once called Ashmar''s Rest and was a Dungeon town. The land around it was called the Purple Hearth Hills, named after a purple heather that grew across the hills. Now it is named after what happened here¡­. Folly''s End. Here, Prince Adrill started his rampage, which he was forced back to and brought down, bringing it to its end The battles were so horrific that the land was polluted and made bitter by the actions and intentions of the combatants. It was here that the void first touched this world and where its presence was still most felt. What lived here was twisted beyond understanding, and most slept until disturbed, as they were now. Something was calling from the east, and the call was getting louder year by year. Smaller monsters were always awake and battling for dominance, but they were moving eastward. The bigger and older monsters, the truly dangerous ones, were now stirring as well. They lived in the ruins of the Dungeon. The nations around were being forced to take notice of these hills. Chapter 92 Folly''s End was an interesting piece of geography. Rivers surrounded the hills. To the north, a river came to the hills and split around both sides of them. These then meet another river to the south. The rivers were wide and deep, making them excellent defensive features. Any noble would love them as they were a source of food, defence and trade. These hills were difficult to approach, let alone attack. Now, these rivers served a different role, not as protectors for the locals but as jailers. These hills are the haunt of monsters whose numbers are unknown. Adventurers used to cross the river to search the hills and ruins for many of the treasures and relics lost here. The noble line who used to rule here was wise overall and grew a large treasury and collection of magical items from across the world. The Dungeon was large and powerful, attracting the brave and foolish from all over Kyber and beyond. Wealth flowed from it. So few of them returned with stories of horror and nightmares so terrifying that even these souls that hungered for adventure looked on these hills no more. Such was the danger that the two provinces of the Old Empire that became kingdoms had permanent guards watching these rivers. For now and again, one of these horrors tried to cross and occasionally made it. When this happened, the locals and then the kingdom suffered. Wooden watch towers lined the rivers, looking across the water to the hills. They were used to seeing monsters trying to cross, but not often. To the west was the Old Empire capital of Cythiania. The former city-state became the heart of an empire. It had lost much of that power but still retained its grandeur but diminished. To the east was Nygar, a large city that absorbed those around it to become a kingdom sitting at a confluence of six rivers. These were two of the most powerful kingdoms on the continent. They rarely fought, not because they were allies or friends but because Folly''s End made an unnatural buffer zone between them that neither sought to claim. In recent months, the rulers of both realms received reports that confused and worried them, first to the Cythian side. The Legionaries that guard the river were reporting a dramatic drop in the activity of the opposite bank. The Legionaries in the towers tracked the number of monsters on the other side, looking for monsters big enough to try to cross. Now, they were reporting that the bank was now nearly deserted. On the Nygar side, the situation was the opposite. The Kingdom Guards were reporting ever-increasing numbers. They would see two or three monsters in a month, and now the count was approaching one hundred. Thankfully, few had tried to cross and seemed to be fighting amongst themselves. A few had tried, but ballista and spell stopped them in the water. In their reports, the commanders all expressed the same fear that they would try to cross soon in force¡ªa force of numbers that they could not stop. There was great concern in the Nygar court. Word was spreading, and the population was getting worried. The King was consulting with his advisors and local Guild leaders. They were reaching out to the strongest of the continent for possible aid. The nobles and royal troops closer to the rivers stepped up patrols and training. A sense of danger was in the air like a storm was coming. Within Folly''s End, the monsters were riled up. The weaker ones were the most active, while the older and stronger ones were aware of the source but were still strong enough to resist it. To the east came a call, a pull, a challenge or a siren song. Each monster felt it differently, but they all felt it. It slowly got stronger as the years passed, affecting the weakest of them first. They started moving to the east side of the hills. This concentration upset the natural order within the hills. They avoided the strong but encountered the others moving. Some tolerated the others, but most fought. Each death thinned the numbers but made the victors stronger. The monsters instinctively looked at the water before them, knowing that most were not strong enough to attempt a crossing. The call was relentless, and the number of clashes increased. They sought that strength. Those in the hills strong enough heard the fighting and smelled the blood. Some emerged now and again to join in the bloodshed, but most waited. The call was irritating, but for now, they could tolerate it. But tomorrow¡­ they might start moving. ## ## ## ## ## "Guild Leader Woodland, we must speak!" Albrot exploded into her office. "Argh!!!" She screamed as the documents scattered, but she jumped in fright. She looked at the man walking to the opposite chair after closing the door. "Gods damn it, Albrot! Stop doing that! Can you not knock?" He did not answer but sat. Elain glared at him, noting the slight smile of entertainment he was trying to hide. He reached into his coat and pulled out the magical blocking crystal as she collected the vellum that had fallen to the floor. He placed it on her desk as it glowed slightly. "In all seriousness, we need to speak." His tone was all business now. "What is it then?" She was still angry but knew he would tell her something she would not like. "The Boss has sent word." Albert called the Guild High Master here on Kyber "the boss." Mentioning her meant it was more than serious. "I think we know what has Lord Goldwind all worked up." "And that is?" She asked as he did not elaborate. "Nygar has reported that the monster population are moving oddly. They seem to be gathering on the opposite bank. The boss thinks he got word of this happening." He informed her. "But why would this worry him? We are months away from Folly''s End." She was confused. It made no sense.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "I would agree normally. But we have discovered that the monsters in the End are all twisted." That caused her to go silent. Now, that was concerning. Questions came to her. "Concerning, but again, why would that concern him?" She asked. "Well, all the augurs and diviners are all saying the same thing. If they cross the river, they are all seen to travel in the same direction, seemingly heading to one location." He leaned back, letting her work it out. "Let me guess, this is the location they foresee them coming to." She said, putting her head in her hands and sighed heavily. "None can see that far ahead. But all the signs they can make out see this as the most likely ending of their journey." He was as grim as she was now. They were silent for a few moments. Envisioning what could be coming. "It''s the Dungeon. Is that what is attracting them?" She spoke out loud, stating her only conclusion. "The rest of the Guilds think so." He agreed. The issue had been a point of much debate. "Why is the question that is eluding all? We know so little about what is creating the twisted. The Guilds are doing their best to research the problem, but we have not found anything." "That would explain the paladins and militant orders. They have been positioned here by the Gods. But to what end? If they were here to protect the Dungeon, they would not prevent entry when a twisted monster attacks it." She was thinking out loud. Albrot had already had similar thoughts and he waited to reach the same conclusion or reveal something that had not occurred to him. "It seems they want twisted to enter the dungeon, but again, why?" She continued. "If they come from the direction of Nygar, then the southern trade route is still viable as an escape route. The monsters would come through a different valley and approach from the north or across the mountains directly." "As to the why, we still do not know. As to the approach, the rest of the Guild agrees." Albrot told her. "We are ready to warn the rulers between here and Nygar of the danger if the twisted cross the river in force. Nygar''s neighbours are all already aware and are preparing in case they do." "Ranus was told he had to have been. That explains so much. Can we tell him that we know?" She asked. "We can try. If we reveal to him our information, that may be enough to negate the vow he is bound by." Conjected Albrot. "If the twisted cross in force, can they be stopped?" she asked. The mental picture she was creating was starting to scare her. "We do not know." Albrot decided to be honest and give her everything he knew about the developing Nygar situation. "At the moment, the twisted on the far bank are not strong enough to cross the river. The currents and forces deployed will stop them. If stronger ones appear, then all bets are off." "Gods! When was the last incursion from the End?" "Eleven years ago. We lost over seventy adventurers alone stopping that one." He grimaced, remembering the fight as he was there. "Was the creature twisted?" "In some ways, yes, and in others, no." He answered, realising she had asked a good question. "It was like a proto-twisted creature, not as corrupt but as dangerous. Gods know what else has been growing in the End since then." They both fell silent as they envisioned what horrors might cross that river or come from the north. "Let''s see if he is free," Elain said as she stood. Albrot rose and they left the office and Guild. Nary met them when they reached Ranus''s government building. "Good new day, Naru. Is he free?" Elain asked. "Good new day, Elian. Not right now. If you wait, he will be there for a short period after this meeting. I will let him know you are here. Is it urgent?" Naru answered. "A bit. We need to let him know about something." Elain did not elaborate, but Naru got the hint. She went back to the meeting room. Knocking before entering, she vanished inside. It was not long before she returned. "It will be a few minutes more. Please take a seat." She indicated a number of seats that were supplied to those waiting. After a few minutes, Amya and Danrum left the room. Both looked preoccupied but greeted Elian and Albrot. Before much was said, they were ushered in to see Ranus. "Elain, Guild Master Albrot, what brings you here today?" Ranus asked as they entered the room. He was standing at the table that dominated the room. Naru closed the door behind them. "Lord Goldwind, thank you for meeting with us on such short notice." Albrot took the lead. Elian was unsure if that was the right approach, as Ranus was still unhappy with Albrot over their last argument. "Please sit." They all sat at the table. "Lord Goldwind, we are here today to give you a warning." Albrot got straight to it. Ranu''s expression shifted to worry, but he waited for more information. "We have received word from Nygar that the monster of Folly''s End are acting strangely. The diviners have strong reason to think that the monsters will be heading in our direction if they cross the river." They waited to see his reaction and hear his words. "Well, that''s the most disturbing Guild Master Albrot. From your words, the monsters have not crossed yet?" Elain and Ablrot both nodded at this question. "Why do you think they would come here?" "The monsters seen are all twisted." Albrot was outwardly calm, but Elian knew he was watching every action and word Ranus uttered. "That is most concerning indeed. What are Nygar''s rulers planning to do about this? We are far away and cannot give any means of support." Ranus looked concerned, but he was too calm. No, he was presenting a front, Elain realised, as did Albrot. "They are seeking nothing of us, but many of their neighbours are preparing for the day that the monsters cross. We wonder if you knew why they are coming this way when crossing the river barrier." Albrot was now probing. Ranus did know something! "I am sorry I cannot give you the answer you seek. Perhaps a consultation with the priests within our community would be helpful?" Elain and Albrot picked up on the strange answer. He was trying to tell them something. "That was something I was planning on, but I thank you for offering that option." Albrot was being careful now. Elain was sure that Ranus was under a vow, and Albrot was trying to work around it. "Any thoughts you might have on this problem would be appreciated." "We have been thinking on the issue of the twisted. They are a threat to our peoples and we have been taking action for the day they come again. We are seeking to make the southern trade route safer if our people need it." Ranus said. They both noted the change in language with the use of the royal "we". Whatever the vow was, it limited him in his replies. But it seemed he, too, was trying to work around it. "The Guild thanks you for entrusting us with the extra requests for this purpose." Albrot continued to dance using words. "Is there anything else we might be able to assist you with?" "Not at this time, but rest assured, we will call you when we are able." "Thank you for your time, Lord Ranus." Albrot rose and Elian followed. Ranus rose as well and saw them out. At the door, he said one last thing. "The Dungeon brings many welcome and unwelcome things to this town." With that, they left and returned to the Guild. Elain said nothing until they reached her office, and Albrot established the anti-scrying barrier around them. He even closed the shutters, which made the room darker. "We are in trouble." That was the first thing he said. "I picked up on most of what was said, but what concerns you?" She asked. "He was concerned about Folly''s End but was not surprised. It was like he was expecting it or something like it. The hint that the Gods know is problematic. You would have expected someone to try to intervene by now. The pantheon is suspicious in its silence. Finally, it was his words at the end. He told us that the Dungeon is attracting them here." Albrot went over everything while rubbing his forehead. Elain had noted most of what he said herself but was still scared of the implications. "What do we do?" "For now, not much, but I will need to speak to the boss." He replied grimly. Chapter 93 Things were moving forward slowly. The ogre was taking shape in my head. I had spent the last few weeks alternating between Core Refining and experimentation. It produced some excellent results that I factored into my plans. I opened my character sheet and looked at the important part right now.
Name Bhaldor Essence 58%
Race Dungeon Core CP 50(800) 8.3 phr
Level 6 Corruption 0%
Floors 6 Health 100%
I had increased Core Refinement to 18%, increasing my regeneration by a whole point. Summer had been here in full force, but autumn was in the air. The days were longer then, and I had seen an increase in team numbers. This led to an increase in deaths as the young and foolish overreached and died. The mentors kept the smart in line, but many could or would not employ one and suffered for it. I had not done any enchanting for now as I focused on the gear first. I had been forced to redesign the equipment I could make for the ogre. It turned out that I could not just upscale what I had, but I needed to create new versions. I had started with a shield. Simple enough, I thought. "Damn it, another failure!" The shield I had just created had split and collapsed. My CP dropped due to the creation process. I reabsorbed the remains and went over what I had tried. "It''s the wood. The larger I try to make, the more it is causing the fault. But why? I had no trouble in creating other wooden items without them breaking." I concluded that some rule in play that I was unaware of was causing this. I had asked aloud but received no answer. I had even gone through my wiki again, even though I remembered it all anyway. "What is the problem." These had been the nights when I had not been using Core Refining. I spent the summer preparing for the seventh floor between the two. I had hoped to be further along, but the shield was proving to be a formidable obstacle to cross. When I overcome it, the knowledge will help me create the rest. I wandered around my Dungeon as I thought about the problem. "Could I redesign the shield from the ground up?" That was the first thought I had. I could, in theory, but it would take time. Luckily, I had had that. "Is there anything else I could use?" If you don''t succeed, try something different. That was another option, but again, the question was, with what? The night was ending, and the adventurers would show up soon. The floors were testing many, and overall, I was happy with them. The sixth was still not being visited as much. Most adventurers only visited the floor for the silver vein; the floor guardian was being avoided. That was until a few days ago when the Guild sought to get an intact body of the guardian again. There had been a few attempts over the news since the floor opened, but this was the first one to succeed. I had watched them, which provided a distraction that day, but I procrastinated again. I still need to think about the shield problem and its solution. ## ## ## ## ## Comus moved around the lab with his old, excited energy. Ranus, Albrot, and Elian were all in the lab, which seemed crowded despite being one of the largest rooms in the building. Comus had a body on the table before him. It was a snake from the Dungeon''s sixth floor, but it was not as large as the others that had been acquired from the floor. Comus had gotten it a few days ago. The Guild finally extracted an intact body from the floor and supplied it to the alchemists. The body was now dissected on the table, with its entrails open for all to see. "It''s amazing. Truly amazing!" Comus said as he bounced around the room. The three watched him, amused by his excitement. "Why don''t you tell us what is so amazing?" Albrot asked. The Alchemist Guild leader had summoned Elian and Ranus, and Albrot decided to tag along. Acquiring that guardian body had been one of the hardest retrieval jobs Albrot had heard of for a good number of years. Several teams had tried, which turned it into a competition amongst the higher-grade teams. The team that succeeded were crowing about it in the Guild and taverns to all that would listen.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Comus stopped at his words and collected himself. "What we have here is a monster whose value will match or exceed the value of the third-floor boar guardian." This caught the interest of his audience, who stood straighter, wondering what he had discovered that made him say that. "The snake''s skin is the most valuable thing. Have you heard of the chameleon potion?" He asked. "Of course. It allows the drinker to blend in with the surrounding area by manipulating the light around them. It is another version of a true invisibility spell or potion that people are still chasing." Elian replied to his question. "Well, you then know that the potion is rated based on quality. The tiers are low, good, uncommon, rare and legendary." They all nodded, knowing this. "Well, this skin can be used by a skilled alchemist to create a rare-grade potion." He grinned as he revealed what he had discovered, which brought a shocked silence to the others. The chameleon potion was used by many for good and evil. Many alchemists produced it, and it was in good demand. If this skin could make the second highest tier, it would be highly sought after. "How much can one skin produce?" Albrot asked slowly. He knew the following words from the alchemist would dictate much of what would happen. "Oh." Comus blinked, realising he had not figured that out. After a few quick calculations, he answered. "Two rare tiers from a full skin¡­ Yes, that much more using it for lower-grade potions." Ranus was unsure about the value, but the other two knew. Any rare-grade potion was serious gold. Demand would be massive, which meant greed would drive another spike in deaths in the Dungeon. They had just gotten over another summer spike. The majority of the teams going in had some experience now and had learnt not to push themselves too hard. The promise of gold? That would change things. You could sustain on copper and live on silver, but you thrived on gold. Platinum? Well, that was the stuff of fantasies for most. "That means between fifteen to twenty gold per potion. You are looking at fifteen to twenty gold per intact skin, maybe higher." Elain worked out the market prices. "Yes, and that''s just the skin! I am still working on the rest of the body." Comus was too lost in his excitement to see what the others understood. If more were discovered, the body would increase in value, and demand would increase, driving up prices again. The third-floor boss were attracting far too much attention as it was the sixth would be far worse. Combined with the silver vein, that floor boss would be a siren call that many could not resist. It would turn into a blood bath. Albrot and Elian looked at each other in worry, not understanding what was going to happen. Ranus had a good idea, and he was thinking about a black crystal in his pocket and a conversation he needed to have with the Dungeon. He had come up with a plan to help with their interactions. ## ## ## ## ## I watched some younger adventurers getting bashed around by the first boar on the third floor. They would win the fight, but the boar took a pound of flesh in return. They would die if they continued, and they had come to realise this. They were a group that had started off as a complete group of noobs but were now showing the start of becoming a competent team. That was until they thought they were ready for the third floor. The boar collapsed with a grunt, and the battered group looked relieved. I watched them harvest the body and collect the reward that appeared. They opted not to advance and spent more time on the second, sharpening their skills and teamwork. "Well, they learned! Good for them." I sensed a connection being made to my Core. "Damn it. Not.." "Hello?" I heard the voice of Ranus Goldwind. I groaned internally. "What? I am a busy Dungeon!" I snapped. Over the years, I had grown accustomed to dealing only with a select few and mainly talking to myself. If this had happened a few years ago, I would have been ecstatic to speak to anyone. Now, I found it irritating and strangely unsettling. "Sorry for disturbing your daily work, Dungeon." He did sound apologetic. "I have contacted you to offer something." "What is that then?" "I offer information in return for a question answered." Now, that was interesting. But what was his game? "It depends on what you are offering and what the question is." "As a sign of good faith, I will ask the question and of the information. If it is not as valuable as the question, would you offer something you think is worth it?" He offered. He was trying to establish a trading relationship then. If I played it right, this could work for me. I could get access to resources I could use. "I will humour you this time." "Thank you, Dungeon. My question is, do you know what is causing the twisted to appear? I return and offer you this: I have learned that an area called Folly''s End, which has many twisted, is stirring, and they are gathering to come here possibly." Right, that was something important to know. But the question¡­. "Heed my words, Lord Ranus Goldwind of Shadow Vale. The answer to that question is far more dangerous than you understand. Answering it would be as dangerous as the twisted attacking the town you rule over. I will not answer it for that reason, but know this: I am dealing with what is causing them to appear, but it is a great effort. Will I succeed? That is still an unknown, but I am working hard and striving towards completion." There was silence as he was either shocked at my words or digesting them. "T-Thank you for that, Dungeon." He was shaken and uncertain from his tone. "What I am willing to entertain in the future are further exchanges for information or resources that I require." "I am happy that you have decided that, Dungeon." He was still processing what I had said but was willing to accept my offer. "What are your terms?" I had to think fast about that one. I did not believe he would come back so quickly. "Ask a question. If I choose to answer it, I will give you my price. If you are happy to pay, I will answer it. But be warned, you might not want to know the answer." That should get him to pause¡­. "I agree to your terms." ¡­. Or not. There were a few minutes of silence. I wondered if that was it. "¡­ That''s odd," Ranus said, ending the gap in the conversation. "What''s odd?" I knew I should not have asked, but I did anyway. "Oh¡­ I... I did not receive a confirmation of our verbal contract." He sounded confused. "Not surprised. Your Gods like to keep their distance when I am involved." "That is odd¡­. How are we to honour this agreement?" Ranus was still trying to understand the lack of a contract. The undercurrent of fear and confusion was evident in his voice. "Easy. We must trust the other." This led to another brief gap in conversation as he thought about the ramifications of what I had just said. "Very well, if that is what must be done, so be it." Looks like he was still in. He sounded more certain. "With that done, I have work to do." "Dungeon, I have another question." He quickly spoke. This caused another internal groan. "What is it?" "If the town is attacked, can you assist in its defence?" He asked. "My price is the largest rat you can place in the entry room after sundown." I did not need a rat, but it was a good test to see if he could handle the little things. "Agreed." He committed. "No. I am only able to act within my claimed area. You have already been told this." "I ask again to see if you are still unable to work around that restriction." He was fishing or trying to get me to attempt it. "The answer is still no. Now, this conversation must end." With that, I cut the connection. I will see if he supplies the rat. It would be interesting to work on another animal type. Rats are known to be adaptable so that one might respond better to my alteration. Another group was travelling into the Dungeon, as the one I watched earlier was gone. I looked them over; they were more young ones. They started with the first and began working their way through it. The traps were well-known and avoided. I could move them, but I decided against that again, as the first two floors were for training. I settled in for the day, thinking about shields again. Chapter 94 Ranus leaned back in his chair. He had contacted the Dungeon during a break in his daily schedule. He found it hard to deal with the intelligence on the other side of the crystal connection. It sounded male, and its words reinforced this. But the way it talked and approached questions was so¡­ strange. Yes, the note he received with the crystal was accurate. Ranus wondered if the Dungeon had understood how much was sometimes revealed during their conversations. He thought about it all again, remembering strange things the Dungeon said. He was sure the Dungeon was concerned about the gathering monsters in the End. He noted the slight concern in his voice when he learned about the monsters. There was also another hint of weariness in it as well. The warning he received for asking about the source of the twisted was a terrifying moment. In those words, the Dungeon had become severe and frightening. He had spoken of and was dealing with something horrible that had happened. But he admitted that he might fail, which chilled Ranu''s soul the most. Ranus''s mind speculated on what that could be. It had not taken long to conclude that it involved the Folly in some way. That was all interesting and terrifying, but it was when he said, "Your Gods." That had been something that Ranus did not expect. He had learned that the Dungeon was no fan of the Gods, but he had clearly stated he was apart from them. Ranus could understand how the Dungeon could think this. All within the realms fell under the Gods. Some rejected them but acknowledged their divinity. The Dungeon had drawn a line saying they were not his. This was an open invitation for the Gods to remind the individual of their divine power. But here, nothing had happened, and the Dungeon even went as far as to claim that the Gods had avoided him. Ranus was deeply unsettled by this. The implications were still revealing themselves to him as he thought about them. He had to turn his thoughts away as he began speculating things he should avoid. The failure of the appearance of a basic agreement notification of their verbal contract was another. "I need to get a rat, " he said to himself, focusing on this to stop thinking about the other thing. Getting one would be easy, but getting it to the Dungeon would raise more questions from Albrot and Elian that he would avoid. He continued to seek out things to think about, but the die was cast, and a rebellious thought, a question, was now haunting the back of his mind. If not his, who were the Dungeon''s Gods? ## ## ## ## ## "Well, I have the Black Rat design now." I watched Larry strut around the entry room. Below, a group of adventures was fighting on the second floor. The window shutters were open, and much to my surprise, a rough wooded cage flew in through one. Inside was a large black rat. The impact stunned it as the cage landed on the large table in the room. I set Larry in to kill it. Ranus could come through on his side of the deal, it seemed. But then again, this request was easy. Larry had reached the cage, and the rat had been squeezing through a broken section. The rat tried to escape, but Larry caught it. The fight was short and brutal, with Larry winning and the rat supplying me with a new design. I absorbed the cage and body to hide the evidence. Larry continued to strut. If I had eyes anymore, I would be rolling them. I had to settle on the mental version. It had been only yesterday since we spoke. The rat''s arrival was novel, but it was the completion of the first deal we had arranged. It hinted at a good working relationship going forward. I had the wire design image of the rat open, and I was planning on upgrading it. The spiders and snakes taught me not to rush and to build on each successful design until I created the minion I wanted. I still had to finish my shield project. Past the floating design in my sight was one of the internal doors that led to the tower. "Shame I could not just¡­." Then it hit me! I had an option: the doors! The ogre was large, and a regular shield was useless, not even the tower shield I could make. So why not use something else that could act as a shield? I dismissed the rat''s design and focused on the door. Could this work? The door was thick and reinforced. I looked at it closer. I could make a shield from it by adding handles to one side. The door had studs in it to help protect it from someone hitting the door with a weapon. Could I place an iron band around it to strengthen it further? The rest of the day was spent thinking about options for a shield made from a door. I tested my thoughts by experimentation in the night and was upbeat by the results I received. "This could work." I absorbed the last of the shields I had created. I needed to test more when the ogre was made, but the theory was sound.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Tonight, I will have some of the guardians attack them to see how they hold up." Things were looking good. ## ## ## ## ## Trixis walked among the people travelling along the street. She carried a basket of laundry with both hands balanced on a hip. Her arms were getting tired as she walked from the laundry to the tavern to which she was returning the linens. She greeted those she knew as she walked. The air was colder today, and many noticed the snowline creeping down the mountains again. Winter would be coming soon. As she walked, the gravel under her feet crunched. The streets were now covered with it to prevent them from turning to mud. Everyone was happy until they realised they needed shoes with thicker soles to prevent injury. Many grumbled about the gravel now over the dirt and mud. You could never please some people! She smiled at this thought as she walked. It was sad but true. The tavern she was delivering the laundry to was ahead. Glad to see it, she made the final push to reach it. As she approached, it was louder than usual. As she approached the open doorway, two men came tumbling out. She, with a squeak of surprise, jumped aside. The two men hit the ground and traded blows. Others were following or at the windows, cheering on the violence. From what she could see, it was two adventurers beating each other. The fight was now in the street, causing others to avoid it. "Stand aside for the watch!" A loud voice came from behind the growing crowd of onlookers. This elicited a groan as many were enjoying the spectacle. Two large Watchmen pushed through the crowd. They quickly looked over the scene and laid into the two with wooded sticks, which excited the crowd as the violence continued. The problem was that the Watchmen had skills that allowed them to pacify the brawlers quickly. The fight was soon over, and the crowd let a groan as it began to disperse. Trixis had a front-row view as the crowd blocked her from leaving. Now that they were breaking up, she was able to enter the tavern. Many of the crowd returned with her and went back to eating, drinking and gambling. The days were getting shorter, and the adventurers saw the number of people able to enter the Dungeon dropping. This made many irritable as money was getting more challenging again as winter approached. "Demna!" Trixis called out as she saw the tavern owner. Looking around, she spotted Trixis. "Trixis! Thank the Gods. You are here with my linins." She waved Trixis over to the bar she was standing behind. Demna was standing at the end with one of her barmaids. The stout older woman with greying brown hair was thirty years older than her. The tavern was one of the lower-end ones in town, but she ran it with grace and a flirtatious attitude. This hid her sharp mind from most of her patrons. Trixis placed the large basket on the bar. "Here you go, girl." Demna held out her hand. Trixis took the five coppers from her. They were the coins that came from the Dungeon and represented the week''s wages from this employer. Demna never fooled around when it came to money. "Thank you, Demna. Another fight?" Trixis indicated to the last few, sitting back down as the staff moved around the room. "Two young bloods again. I swear that it is the same as last year." Demna shook her head at the minor damage caused by the fight. All of her plates and mugs were wooden to prevent damage in fights like her furniture, but they could still break. "I heard that the team allotment was cut." As Trixis spoke, Demna watched the room. Trixis knew this was not a means of being rude but how Demna worked. "Yes, I heard that too. The adventurers are not happy." Demna agreed. "So, more fights until the snows come." "That happened last year. Is Silma around?" Trixis asked. "Yes, she is in the back." Demna indicated the door leading into the back of the tavern and the kitchen area. Trixis moved through it, greeting the cook and two other staff members in it. She continued to the back door. It was open, and she stepped out. Silma was sitting on a stool with a large bag of potatoes in front of her. Two buckets sat on either side, one with the peeled skins and the other with water and peeled potatoes. She was peeling using a knife and looked up as Trixis stepped out. "Good new day, Trixis." She said, not stopping working, her hands moving from memory alone. "Good new day, Silma." Trixis returned the greeting. "How are you today?" Silma shrugged. Trixis watched the other woman. She was in her early twenties. Brown hair and eyes, standing a bit shorter than Trixis. She was often the butt of cruel jests as her appearance was not that of a beauty of any type. Trixis had gotten to know the woman and discovered her as a kind soul. She was happy to call her a friend. "I cannot complain." Trixis heard the sadness in her voice as she spoke. "I left my village because I had no prospects and came here for a better life. I''m not there yet, but I continue to work." "How soon are you to finish?" Trixis asked. "Nearly done. These potatoes are the last of my tasks." "Let me help you, and we will be away." Trixis took another peeling knife from the kitchen, and the two quickly finished the bag. Demna paid Silma for her work, and they left. The two young women went to the market and walked amongst the stalls. They were excited to see the wares on offer. They bought cheap pies and watched a few entertainers seeking the crowd''s favour. Eventually, they ended up in Trixis''s small lodgings with a small bottle of cheap wine. They drank from it, grimacing at the sour taste and laughing at each other''s reactions. They were soon not drunk but far from sober. "Trixis, can I ask you something?" Silma was hesitant as she asked. "Of course, Silma." Trixis had a feeling about what she was going to ask about. "I-I¡­ have heard the s-stories of what happened to you in the Dungeon¡­ Are they true?" It took a little time to come out, but she asked the question that most asked Trixis when they learned who she was. "What have you heard?" The question was simple, but the answers she got seemed to grow over time. "I-I heard that you were a [Slave] and were taken into the Dungeon. The group you were with were killed, and the Dungeon broke your contract." Not the worst version of the story Trixis had heard. "Not all the group was killed. One fled, leaving me behind." She took a swig from the bottle before talking again. "I thought I was going to die, but the Dungeon broke the slave collar around my neck and the contract along with it." "How is that possible?" Silma''s eyes had grown wide as Trixis spoke. "I have only one idea¡­" "What is it?" Silma was getting excited about the mystery and danger. Trixis had never uttered these words to another living soul, but the alcohol was loosening her tongue. "The Dungeon is a God." There, she said it. Silma went white from shock and slapped her hand over her mouth before she could utter anything. She took a few moments to compose herself before speaking. "Is that not blasphemy?" "No. The [Slave] path is enforced with divine and magical contact. Only a divine being can even think about breaking it." She spoke with a confidence she rarely showed. "What does that mean?" "Well, I have come to¡­.." Trixis explained her beliefs, showing her friend the images she had created. As she spoke, a strange aura surrounded Trixis. The two women talked late into the night. By dawn, another believer was born. Chapter 95 The daily routine continued. Ranus had not contacted me, and I settled back into the everyday grind. Days had passed, and I was seeing fewer adventurers as the days shortened. More rain was coming through the area. "Winter will be here soon." I spoke to Larry, who continued to ignore me. I had a group on the third fighting the first boar. In the last few weeks, I had seen far more new groups heading to the sixth. They were higher-grade teams and better equipped. Many did not return as they underestimated my minions and overestimated their skills. I gained a few more things that were added to my gear list. Now, they were more cautious. I had learned that the Guardian was another sought-after body to recover or strip. This had the knock-on effect of hiking my essence count. You have to love greed! "The seventh floor is in sight." I added experimentation with the new rat design to my activities at night. So far, nothing exciting and a lot of exploding rats. Progress, not perfection, I had to remind myself as I cleaned up the mess. "Most of my ideas for the floor are ready to be implemented." I was excited because this floor would be necessary for two reasons, but those would become apparent later when it was done. The team had moved on to the next room. "I might be able to get it done in the new year at this rate." Larry turned over and showed me his back, which indicated his thoughts on the conversation. I was not deterred! "I have the rough plan for everything ready, and as soon as I get over the level, I will get to work. It should not take more than two days to complete. That is with unexpected outcomes or discoveries thrown in." The adventurers were taking down the boars with the use of their skills. They had been through the floor before but had avoided the Guardian. Today, they might take a run at it. They had spent several months building to it, and I thought they had a good chance of winning. "I lucked out on the sixth find that geode. I cannot let myself fall into that situation again. I will need to keep the CP cost in my head better." The third boar collapsed dead. The group was celebrating and getting ready to strip the dead. The third was now the most visited floor by a wide margin. Many adventurers who had started with the first when I was discovered were now visiting that floor regularly. They had grown in confidence and abilities. Those who had not were dead or left to find safer professions. The fourth was seeing more, but most avoided the Guardian. The spider silk was the reason; most had their hands full just with the spiders. Queen was something most did not want to face. The fifth was still attracting groups that were more interested in figuring out different ways to circumvent the traps than fighting the worms. "I have planned something special as the reward for the seventh. If I am right, this will have adventurers flocking to the floor. If not, the money that can be gained will draw them in." Larry was still ignoring me, and the group was still stripping the bodies. This would not be a quick enterprise. I left Larry and wandered down the stairs. The moss was growing well, giving everything that weird blue tint. It was now getting to the stage where I had to cut it back in some locations. It is something to do in the day. I had the time between the groups as the patches were small. I had thought about shaking up the first and second floors a bit, but I again decided against it as they were meant as training floors, not overly aggressive locations. That amused me, as each had a death toll, but they were easy compared to the other floors. I had put some serious thought into the third, but again, nothing was done. The reason? I was a bit of a lazy Dungeon Core. When something was finished in my mind, I rarely went back. "I should look again at my floors to inform the others. The later ones I should mix up now and again." I wandered right to the third. Travelling across it, I found that the group had moved on. Looking them over closer, I noticed three of the six were wearing leather armour, probably made from boar hide. "Nice to see my choice for the third was the right one." I went past the remaining boars into the guardian room. The big boar was wandering around sniffing the grass, covered in fresh mud. They love the mud pits I had supplied. Here and there, new floor growths were outside the area where I had originally planted them. "I could get rid of them, but the boar seems to like them." At that moment, the boar was sniffing and slobbering all over one of them. I watched the boar sense Puck in the tunnels, hiding across the floor, watching the adventurers. He had been getting restless recently. He had been appearing and causing trouble for some groups. This had led to increased chatter amongst groups trying to take him down or capture him. It seemed there was a bounty out as they were unsure what he was. I had to make sure he stayed hidden for now. "Could I make a floor out of the minions I could create using him as the template?" I entertained this idea again. Thinking about it was amusing, but I knew it was fanciful as the Illusion mana costs would be crippling. I had two mana stones dedicated to illusion and my storage, but to power such a floor, I would need much more. "Could I create dozens of stones and use them to power the floor?" Possible. The number would have to be massive, as the regeneration of Illusion mana was terrible in my Dungeon. "Shame I can use other types of mana¡­." Could I? Now, that was a thought. When I first created Puck, I had the feeling that Illusion Mana was the best to use, and it worked. That was then, and now I am better at mixing and matching mana types. Should I go and try again?Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "Thoughts for the future." I had spent so long thinking about a floor full of Puck''s that the adventures had reached the floor Guardian. They hesitated but committed to the fight. I paid half a mind as I still envisioned different variations of Puck. The Guardian battered them around, wounding several badly, but the group prevailed and killed the Guardian. "Oh¡­ Well, done." The Guardian''s death made me focus on the room. I knew they would not try the fourth anytime soon. Maybe in a few more months. They barely handled this Guardian, and Queen would wipe them out if they could even get to her. They stripped what they could from the beaten Guardian, collected the reward and left the floor. They limped out of the Dungeon blooded and covered in mud but with the glow of victory. "So, who''s next?" ## ## ## ## ## Ranus put down a contract offer for a loan to help with his plans to finish soon. Winter was approaching, and the southern land route would soon be closed due to snow. He was going to turn this one down as well. On the surface, it looked fine and reasonable, but some of the language in the clauses made him uneasy. It was the sixth that Amya had presented. He had rejected the others, and he was getting concerned. It was a trend he was now seeing. Each offer appeared fair on the surface, but the more he looked, the stranger the clauses seemed. It was not that they were there, as all contracts had them. No, it was the vagueness of these terms that concerned him. The family patriarch had drilled into him never to sign anything he did not fully understand. Why was Amya not spotting these issues? Ranus considered it and reasoned that it was because her past clients did not have issues repaying the amounts. They were lenient and generous unless the clauses were triggered. Something still nagged at him. ## ## ## ## ## "Thank you for having this meeting, Oda." Lawdrun entered Oda domains private office. "I welcome all who seek to speak to me. Please sit." Oda stood as Lawdrun entered and indicated to a chair. They both sat at the same time. "Oda, let me be blunt with you. What are you doing with this Dungeon Core? I have been part of this Pantheon for tens of millennia and have never seen you make such a mistake. To that end, I went through everything again and realised there were things you had still managed to hide from us all." "What have you learned?" Oda asked, not attempting to hide from the questions being asked. "The soul contract you created. You were able to hide it from me because the one you showed the Pantheon was the abridged version. You have hidden the full one somewhere, and I cannot even see it. Why?" "Lawdrun, what you are asking is far more complicated than you realise." "Oda, this void corruption is a threat to us all! We need to know what we are dealing with and what actions you have taken." Lawdrun was getting frustrated, which was unusual for him. "And what will you do with this knowledge if I tell you?" Oda''s question was asked in a calm but curious tone. "We have to tell the rest to work out what needs to be done!" "There lies the problem, Lawdrun." "Why? Oda, things are getting out of control! And amongst it all, you are playing some game with us all." Lawdrun was now frustrated, standing up and pacing around. Oda went silent, looking at the other God, thinking over things the other could not see. After what seemed like an eternity, Oda spoke. "If you give me your divine oath, never communicate with what I am about to say, and then I will tell you," Oda offered. Lawdrun stopped pacing and looked at the other God. This was a big commitment, and Lawdrun was uneasy about how Oda looked at him. He returned to his seat after making a choice. "You have it." The air shimmered between them, confirming the oath. Oda nodded that he was happy. "Ask then." "Why the act?" Lawdrun asked. "When Adrill went on his rampage, the chaos he unleashed was devastating. After his death, we all interrogated him. When I took my third crack at him, he let something odd slip through his madness. It made me think again about the whole affair. During that time, I stepped away and visited the hills where he fell and the first Dungeon he destroyed. That is where I discovered the danger of the void corruption." Lawdrun was silent but understood what Oda had explained so far. He knew that context was essential to the events and choices made. "One of the advantages to being the God of time is that I can manipulate it. When I discovered the problem, I slowed time around me and it to figure out what¡­" "It?" Lawdrun outburst broke the story that Oda was spinning. "All in good time, Lawdrun." Oda smiled patiently. "As I was saying, I slowed time and realised the extent of the danger. I trapped the danger in another time bubble, slowing the spread of corruption. I understood that it was a stop-gap measure, as corruption was spreading and growing even with my intervention. I need a more permanent solution." "What did you do?" "I understood that my ignorance was the greatest danger, so I reached out to several other Pantheons and independent Gods beyond our realms." Lawdrun grimaced, knowing the dangers in that. "One knew what we were facing and told me what needed to be done." "The Dungeon?" Lawdrun asked. "Yes. You see, what I found was a crack in reality. It connected our realm to the void and leaked void energy into the world. This crack did not obey the same rules as our universe. I was able to move it and place it into a container. This other God told me that I could turn the container into a means of purifying our world." "The Core!" Lawdrun exclaimed, understanding. "Indeed. I needed a soul to act as the last part of the container. It is the anchor that holds the whole thing together. And with that is another danger." "What danger?" "An unbound soul can and will normally grow as it seeks to survive. That is what drives Cores in Dungeons. If this Core grows large, it will draw more corruption into it. On the surface, that is a good thing. This puts the soul under stress as it absorbs the corruption. If too much corruption is absorbed too fast, it can compromise that soul. But what happens if the container is compromised?" Lawdrun did not answer right away and thought until he offered an answer. "¡­ It becomes corrupted?" "Correct, and instead of absorbing the void energy, it starts pumping it out." Oda leaned forward, now leaning on his desk. "To that end, I had to hide the Core away and cripple its ability to develop. If the Dungeon got too big too fast and the defences I have put in place failed¡­." "The Dungeon would accelerate the destruction of the mortal realm." Lawdrun finished what Oda was telling him. "The system governing the Core was the first means of control, placing restrictions on his means to interact with the world. The second was altering his memories to make him less willing to take risks and be adventurous with his creations. A deep-seated paranoia about being discovered was also added. I had to make sure that he was mentally stable enough not to slip into madness, as the isolation would also wear on the soul as the risk of corruption endangers everything he has not created. The final was cutting him off from generic mana and only allowing him to use elemental mana." "That has not been too successful." Lawdrun quipped. "Yes, he is proving to be more adaptable than I imagined." Oda agreed. "Now you understand what I have done, what I have." "Yes¡­ I understand the danger is far more¡­. than I ever feared. Thank you for telling me." Lawdrun was in a daze as he left, not even saying goodbyes. Oda was not insulted but worried for the other God. Knowledge was a dangerous thing. After Lawdrun was gone, a shadow rippled to the side of the room, and another stepped out. "You heard?" Oda asked the newcomer. "Yes. I am surprised he did not press further. You left so much unsaid." "He was still grappling with what I told him; there was no need to burden him with more just yet." "Yes, you have been able to fool them all so far. But how much longer?" "I fooled them because I fooled myself. I hid away the full extent of what I had done until after the discovery of the Core from my mind. My reactions were genuine, and those capable of reading them saw them as such." Oda leaned back in the chair. "You are playing a dangerous game, Oda." "I know. But we must be cautious until we discover who set Adrill on his path. The traitor amongst us can still do much more damage." "Let me guess, until then, stay hidden while watching over the Core." "Yes. But be ready; hard times are coming." Chapter 96 Winter swept through the valley, announced by five straight days of blizzards that stopped anyone from coming to the Dungeon. That was a shame, as things were coming close to level seven. Late autumn had seen another uptick of deaths as the greedy tried for the sixth-floor Guardian. "5% that it! That''s all I need!" The first adventurers were coming in for the day, and I waited. Near the end of the day, the fourth group went to the sixth. They were well-armed and looked competent. I watched them get slaughtered as they had overestimated their skills and paid for it. As the last essence rush faded, I got the message I was waiting for. "Here we go!" ## ## ## ## ## "Eeewrrr" I come back to awareness feeling like shit. I focused and got to business. "Status screen. Bhaldor. Open"
Name Bhaldor Essence 0%
Race Dungeon Core CP 175(925) 8.3 phr
Level 7 Corruption 0%
Floors 7 Health 100%
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 3 - 10% Core Refining ¨C 18% Mana Sight: 8 ¨C 12% Aura Manipulation: 8 - 45% Herb Lore: 2 ¨C 0% Spell Casting: 1 ¨C 0% Alchemy: 1 ¨C 0% Enchanting: 3 ¨C 23%
Perks/Restrictions: Godless Affintyless (++ ERROR! ++) Companionless Limitless Monsters/Traps Core Refinement max ¨C 92% Spell Casting (++ ERROR! ++)
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 80(80) / 0.01 phr. Shadow ¨C 80(80) / 1.1 phr. Light ¨C 80(80)/ 0.1 phr. Earth ¨C 80(80)/ 0.5 phr. Ice ¨C 80(80)/ 0.012phr
"Time to get to work." First, I check the Dungeon. Larry and Puck are sitting in my Core room on the same floor. As soon as they realised I was aware again, they returned to their different hangouts. The rest of the Dungeon was in order. Outside, it was dark and snowing, which meant I had time to work. I pushed my aura down into the ground and began claiming more ground. It did not take long, and by dawn, I had the territory I planned on. I opened the Dungeon and went back to work. Some poor smuck was sent down to check if the stairs were now going deeper, but he went back and reported that they were not yet. I started by creating the space for my new Core room. Once I was done, I focused on the next phase. I went west to create a large room. I worked to create columns and made the room wide and long. The doorway to this room was far more extensive than the normal ones I make. I then decorated the room, making it into a faux lord hall. I placed crossed swords under a round shield on the wall. The quality was poor, and they were there for show. Happy with them, I created five more sets, placing three sets on the north and south walls. I need light, but not blue moss, here! I created iron torch holders at set intervals on the walls and columns. Torches were next, and I Puck to light them using a striker I had gained from a pack of dead adventurers. It took time, but he finally got them all burning. This gave the room a warm orange glow but with flickering shadows. I shifted around a few torches until I got the desired lighting level. It cost me 3 CPs to keep them going. At the far western end of the room, I had carved out a half circle and planned to place a throne before it. It had not been made yet, as I had not matched it to the single minion/guardian that would occupy this floor. I waited for my CP to regenerate for the rest of the day. Two hours after dark, I went back to work. "It''s Ogre time!" I opened the screen and looked at the numbers on it. This would be hard, but I was preparing myself for the challenge ahead. What I was planning was going to be complicated at best. This will be my greatest creation to date. The wind vortex began to form, and the mote of light started to dance in the dust. It had started, and I focused my will, holding the design in my mind. Demi-human was a minion type I had never created, and it taxed me like never before. I start to see the outline of the Ogre begin to form, and I see lines from the wire design fade. Looking into the minion forming, I reach out and add more to it. Piece by piece, I add more to the creation before me. The strain in my mind increases as I inject more into the design. My head was in pain as the form got more solid, and I struggled to hold it. It almost slips out of my focus. I mentally grit my teeth and dig in to see it through. The pressure was ever-building, and I nearly screamed as if it was not a type of pain that was seemingly unending. Suddenly, it ends with a thunderous bang. The pressure disappears, and I mentally stagger free from the struggle of creating the Ogre. I look now at what exists in my Dungeon. Several prompts opened before me.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Alert! A new minion had been created. This is a new type of Ogre that has never existed before¡­. An Ogre of Stone and Shadow has been created. This is a demi-human and requires a name. Please name your minion.
"Krag." The name is acknowledged, and I moved to the next prompt.
Alert! An Ogre of Stone and Shadow named Krag has been created. This is a demi-human and can be the Guardian of this floor. Do you wish this minion to become the floor Guardian?
"Yes." I ignored the loot prompt and the others as I needed to see what I had created. The Ogre is big! Fare taller and broader than any man. He stands at eight feet and is almost as broad. His arms are thick with muscle, while his legs are shorter than expected but as packed with muscle. His face was all out of proportion, with smaller eyes and an oversized mouth, nose and ears. His forehead is more prominent, giving him a look that screams a lack of intelligence. It was then I realised he was naked. "Krag cold. Krag needs to be warm." The Ogre walked over to the nearest torch and started warming himself. "Ok, you can talk! Let''s get you fitted out." "Krag needs weapon and armour." Krag agreed. Phase three of the plan will now start. In my experimentation with shields, I discovered that I had the same problem with armour. I could not just upgrade a set I already had but had to create my own. Well, as I was no armour but had their designs, I made a suit that I could best describe as patchwork armour. I created it around Krag, encasing him and giving him more protection. When it was finished, I looked it over. It looked terrible. The suit consists of a mix of leather, padded cloth, and a plate. A few shield sections were added to strengthen parts. I only hoped it would hold together during combat. "Krag, walk around. Let me see you move in the armour." The Ogre obliged and walked around. I was forced to make a few adjustments to the armour, but it seemed to be working. I finished the throne in the room, and Krag sat on it. He was facing the open doorway to the east, where the stairs would be. "Krag happy. Feel warm. Need weapons." His voice was deep and came out as a rumble. I had managed to get his head into a rough helmet with a T-shaped visor. "There are next." Now that I had his dimensions, I created a door and turned it into a shield by attaching handles to one side. Krag lifted it and held it. He seemed happy, so I moved on. His weapon was a bit harder, but I had been experimenting. I created a long-handle mace. The shaft was a wooden beam that I had rounded, and the head was an octogen-shaped length of iron. Each side had three metal studs in it, as the same found in the door. I had opted against spikes as they could get tangled in armour or bodies. I had Krag take several test swings and was thankful I had made the ceiling so high in the room. Krag returned to the throne and leaned the shield on one side and the mace on the other. Both were close to hand, and he could quickly arm himself. "Krag happy. Need to kill soon." He rumbled. "That''s Good to know. I''ll need to finish this room, and then you''ll have adventurers coming to fight you." Krag looked around and then spoke. "Krag like more moss." "Eh?... You would?" "Yes. Moss on the ground. Me like." "¡­. Ok." I still had some CP available and went about giving him what he wanted. It cost me nothing in the long run as the moss would grow naturally in the Dungeons environment. I was the standard green type that I found groping in the tower. In the half circle, I created a raised circular area filled with dirt and made damp with water. Krag had gotten up and walked around the throne as it blocked the view of what I was doing. I opened my lists and created the draw for the floor a solitary¡­ Moonlight Rose. The flower grew fast before our eyes. The green sprout appeared and was soon five inches tall, with a few leaves sorting with thorns along the stem. The flower head opened, revealing a flower with white/silvery petals. It was very striking. "What this?" Krag asked, confused. "This will make more come to fight you." "That good." He went back to his throne. Looking around the room, I was happy with what I had done. Now, I need to do the final few things, and then I will bring down my core room. The entranceway has two large doors. They were big enough for Krag to exit the room. If my Core is threatened, then he can come to my defence. Once finished, it''s time to check his sheet, assign the loot and pay the price. "Status sheet. Krag. Open."
Name Krag ¨C 7th Floor Guardian Level/Class Floor 7 Boss
Race Ogre of Stone and Shadow Essence 0%
Health 500/500 Mana 80/80
Stamina 500/500 Corruption 0%
STR 27 27 Damage Base
DEX 12
AGL 12
END 50 -8 Damage
VIT 50 +15% Poison Resistance
PER 10
INT 8
WIL 9
LUCK 8
Skills: Smash: 1 ¨C 0% (+ 20 Damage) Cost: 20 Stamina Charge: 1 ¨C 0% (12 meters. END + 6 impact damage) Cost: 10 Samina.
Spells: Shadow Arms ¨C Cost: 10 Mana (Duration: 45 seconds) Harden ¨C Cost 10 Mana (Duration: 30 seconds)
Equipment: Patch Work Armour ¨C -10 Dam. Quality ¨C Poor. Durability 15/15 Heavy Mace ¨C STR + 10 Dam. Quality ¨C Good. Durability 25/25
Perks/Restrictions: Tough Hide: - 7 Dam from attacks. Easily Confused (-15 % Resistance to Illusion Magic).
"Bloody hell!" He was a tanking beast! Looking at his stat lines, I was worried. Had I gone overboard? I moved on to the following prompt: the loot. I was unhappy with the table, so I made a few changes.
Loot Assignment. The following rewards will be generated randomly after killing the 7th Floor Guardian. Cythian Silver coins x60 (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Silver coins x80 (Chance ¨C 40%) Cythian Gold coins X1 (Chance ¨C 15%) Cythian Gold coins X3 (Chance ¨C 5%) The odds and types of rewards have been set manually, but this will add 1 CP to the overall support cost of the room respawn. Do you wish to accept the rewards: Yes or No?
"Yes." The final thing was the cost. Once I added the Ogre, moss, flower, etc., it came to 90 CP, 5 Earth, and 5 Shadow Mana units. It was not as expensive as I feared, but I still groaned at the cost. I had just enough CP left to lower the Core room to the new floor. The stairs were connected, and everything was ready. It was close to dawn, and I went around my new floor, making a few small changes to a few things. Puck and Larry came down to have a look around. Krag ran them off in short order. "Not a sociable one. Good to know." Looking across the room from the doors, I saw that it looked good, and I was happy. Krag¡­ Well, Krag looked a bit bored on his throne and was picking his nose. ## ## ## ## ## "Guild Leader! The Seventh floor is open!" The call came from Runner, who had just barrelled into the Guild Building. She was walking up the stairs as he arrived. This caused a ripple of excitement through the room as every adventurer present heard it, and the room was packed even this early. Elian looked at the room, picked out Nimora, and nodded to her. Her team was soon out the door, followed by several others who were interested in seeing the group enter the Dungeon. This would throw the schedule off for the next few days, but her staff were ready for it. Elain continued up to her office to find Albrot already there. "That''s fast for this Dungeon." He said, not bothering with any form of greeting. "Yes, it''s normally several more days until the new floor opens." She agreed. After hanging up her winter coat, she sat around her desk. Albrot was standing by the small fireplace in the office. The window shutters were firmly closed. "I wonder what they will find?" He mused. Elain knew he was not asking the question, as this Dungeon was full of surprises. They were still recovering from the rash of deaths and team wipes from so many trying the sixth floor. The realisation of the information about the sixth boss value and the silver vein had seen far too many dead. It had been one of the bloodiest times recorded so far. She silently prayed that this floor would not be the source of another wave of deaths. "Nimora and her team are a solid Bronze-ranked group. We are now getting other similar teams arising from the ones here or arriving." She looked over those numbers as the velum sheet was on her desk. "I should not be surprised. Overall, the groups working toward their Path Steps are progressing extremely well. The Guild is surprised at the number of individuals and groups getting promoted with this Dungeon. It had balanced out the ones recently lost." Elain only grunted. Adventuring was a dangerous occupation that quickly took care of the foolish and greedy. They both knew luck played an important role, and that was why Rickle regularly prayed to Deity. They continued talking over little things until a receptionist crashed through the door. "Nimora''s team has retreated from the Dungeon with heavy losses!" Elain jumped to her feet. "By the Gods, we need to find out what happened!" The three rushed from the office into the chaos in the Guild''s main room. Word had spread. Chapter 97 "What happened?" Albrot demanded as he and Elain rushed into the healer''s building. Ranus had created a large building in which numerous healers and priests worked. As they entered, they found it a hive of activity. Nimora stood in the centre of the main room as others rushed around her. She looked shocked, confused and lost. Albrot''s voice caused her to focus and turn to the Guild Master. The front of her robes was covered in blood. "I-I¡­ W-we¡­ It-it was too strong." She was still not thinking correctly. She was swaying on her feet, blood tricking from her eyes and nose. "Nimora, are you injured?" Albrot asked, looking over her physical condition. "No, she''s fine. Just overwhelmed with what happened." It came from a priest of Ilinia. "She got her team out of the Dungeon and came here. I am amazed that she was able to do that." "Mana sickness?" Ekain asked, not having taken her eyes off the other woman. "Yes. She exhausted her mana getting here. She should have collapsed, but this was the result. It is the same as using too many skills too fast." The priest checked Nimora over. "Can anyone tell us what happened?" Albrot asked more gently now. "Not right now. Those who made it here are all in bad shape." "Excluding Nimora, how many others?" Elain felt sick asking, but this was a bronze-grade team; she needed to know about anything capable of beating them hard. The priest looked at them when he answered grimily. "Three others, all badly injured. One might not make it." "Thank you, healer," Albrot said. "We will leave you to your duties. Come Guild Leader, we must return to the Guild." The two walked back in silence. The Guild was chaos. The main room was packed, and the buzz of conversation and the sharpness of arguments were a near wall of noise. When they entered, it felt silent. A path opened, and they walked through the adventurers'' single file, with Elian in the lead. All were watching them. Elain stopped on the third step and addressed the room. "Team Captain Airspeaker took her team into the Dungeon this morning to explore the seventh floor. Two are now dead, and the rest are wounded. The seventh is graded silver tier as of right now. Go there at your own risk. Access is allowed again." She then went up the stairs to her office, followed by Albrot. The buzz of conversation began again. He closed the door behind them and activated his anti-scrying crystal. "What a disaster." He sighed as he sat down across from her. Elain was looking at him sadly. "Do you think I should have kept the Dungeon restricted?" "No. Investigation teams are the first in, but no matter the result, the Dungeon is open as usual after they leave." He rubbed his forehead as he spoke with one hand. "I want to send Moonborn and her team down there," Elain said while looking at the ceiling. "They were planning on leaving, but now? They might take a crack at the floor." Albrot agreed with her. "Send word. We need to get ahead of this. Fear will only keep them back so long." ## ## ## ## ## "I definitely made you too strong!" I looked at the remains of the first group as the survivors were retreating. I knew that this team led by Nimora was a bronze-tier group. They had been slightly dismissive of the sixth until they met the Guardian. Now, two were dead on the carpet of moss, and the rest were running for their lives. Krag was returning to his throne wounded but victorious. "Wrong! Krag strong. Krag win any fight!" As we spoke, he was healing and repairing his damaged armour. Arrows were being pushed from his body as he healed, but the blood and body parts from the adventurers splattered across him were not moving. He rested his shield and mace against the throne. "Yes, I can see that." Fredrick, the fighter and the archer, Kyle, lay dead in the hall. He was crushed under Krag''s assaults. I looted what little remained of their gear. "Leave bodies." Krag rumbled. "What¡­ Why?" "Tell enemies. Krag is strong. Make scared. Make Weak." He spoke. That was one of the most prolonged bouts of conversation yet from him. "Ok. I will leave them." In time, the moss would grow over them, accelerating the flesh decomposition. I added a bit of moss to each body to speed this up. Calling them bodies were generous. They were more squashed piles of blood-soaked moss, crushed flesh and bone. Heavy mace backed with Krag''s strength was no joke when it hit. I sensed the group was gone from the Dungeon. "I wonder how they will react to this?" ## ## ## ## ## "We go in and clear the seventh floor. Then we are out." Sliva spoke in clipped tones to her team. This was a rush job, and they were unhappy to be called on. It would give them another boon token, but they hoped to have left today. Thankfully, the ship they were to go on was one of their people, and the captain had agreed to delay. "No heroics. No foolish moves. I want to be gone on the morrow with you all. Understand?" She looked hardest at Asta when she said this. "Understood." They all said. "A bronze-tier group just got broken on the floor. We will not follow them to that fate." Asta went to say something, but Silva''s look ended the words in her mouth. She turned and led the team into the Dungeon again. They went through the entry room, ignoring the sharoon in the rafters watching them. They started down the stairs again, ignoring the floors as they walked down the spiral staircase. Deeper they went, their path lit by the soft blue light of the moss growing on the walls. They were silent, with tension in the group. They knew they were going into a dangerous new floor of the Dungeon. In Dungeons, the unknown is the greatest killer. They reached the bottom of the stairwell. The room was the same as it was on the last floor. Stone slabs were littered around and stacked like they were ready to be used for further construction. On this floor, there was a pair of large doors. These are new for the Dungeon. Each door was a larger version of the doors found in other parts of the Dungeon.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "We open the doors and look to see what we are dealing with." Sliva motioned for her group to move into a position facing west, where the doors were on that wall. With a nod to Dayon, he opened the doors. They swung open with no sound, as the doors were well balanced. Looking into the room, they found yet another different environment. Torches lighted the room, and shields and crossed swords were on the walls to the north and south. Eight pillars, four on each side, ran up the room''s length. The floor was carpeted with green moss that was growing thick and seemed healthy. What drew all their attention was the giant figure standing on the other side of the room. "Ogre. Armour, mace and shield. Hit and run. Do not allow it to get too close." Sliva spoke her orders in their native language. "Keep moving and stay safe. Asta stay close. Engage." Nothing else was said as they moved in and attacked. Sliva and Elron fired arrows at the ogre, who was not waiting and was advancing up the room to them. The shield was a door like they found in the surface building. It was tall and wide, even with it narrowing at the top. The first arrows hit it with a loud thunk, digging in and did no more. Dayon was moving along the northern side of the room while Halo was to the south. The torches gave no deep shadows to help the [Thief], so she used the pillars as cover. Sliva noticed the ogre''s head turning, tracking the two elves'' locations. "Aim for the head, Elron. Asta, be ready. We will need your magic. Target its head, elbows and knees." Sliva spoke as she drew her bow, aimed and sent another arrow at the ogre. It moved just as the arrow reached it, causing the arrow to strike its heavy iron helmet, deflecting it away. The shield stops Elron''s arrow. Dayon and Halo were looking for an opening. The ogre was striding forward, aware of them but concentrating on the archers. It seemed to see them as the more significant threat. It was tall and was closing the distance between them fast. Sliva and Elron kept loosing arrows. "Asta, now!" Sliva called out. Asta gathered her magic and cast a spell at the ogre marching towards them. The [Arrow of Light] shot forth from her wand. The distance was not far, and the ogre had no time to respond. The spell hit it in the shoulder, but the ogre ignored it, continuing on. There was damage to the armour. "The face, Asta! The face!" Sliva yelled. "Dayon, we need an opening!" He acted at her order. He was on the ogre shield side but was now slightly behind it. "I am here, beast!" The air ripples as he triggers a [Taunt]. The ogre stops moving, trying to resist, but is unable to do so. It turns and charges him with a roar. It was glowing slightly as the [Charge] skill was activated. This surprises Dayon, but he can avoid the mace swinging at him with [Sidestep Blow], one of his higher Path skills, but it stresses him. Silva and Elron, in rapid succession, put arrows into the ogre''s exposed back. The ogre did not slow as he continued to attack Dayon. Halo runs at the ogre''s back. She has her blades out, short but wickedly sharp. She aims for the legs as arrows continue to hit the beast''s back. Slowing the beast would be a significant boon. The blades slice at the armoured legs, aimed for the weak spots in the joints, causing the ogre to grunt in pain. It stops and turns to look at Halo. She looks back at the face enclosed in the helmet and, in fear, realises the ogre is smiling. She tries to get back, but the ogre glows a deep purple, almost black. "Magic!" She warns, but it is too late. Black tentacle arms erupt from her shadow on the ground, ensnaring her. The ogre swings its mace around, hitting her in her torso. This knocks her back through the air. Sliva saw this and was thankful the shaft of the mace hit her and not its head. That could have killed her. "Asta, check on Halo! Dayon, keep it occupied!" Sliva kept issuing orders as she loosed arrows. "Elron, piercing attacks. It''s too tough for normal arrows." Her team reacted, and the fight continued. Dayon attacked the ogre, hoping to keep it distracted as the archers wore it down. The ogre stepped into his attack, body-slamming him into the door/shield it was carrying. The impact knocked the [Vanguard] from his feet. Turning with a speed it had not shown before, it advanced on the archers again using its [Charge] skill. The mace head collided with the ground where Sliva had been standing. Her [Enhanced Reflexes] saving her life. She was rolling away as Elron moved to give him distance to keep up the arrow attack. Halo rejoined the fight. Pale-faced but attacked with a spell from Asta as cover. The [Arrow of Fire] hit its shield but was enough of a distraction to allow Halo to use [Multi thrust- 2 strikes] with each blade. Sliva could just make out her comrade''s face and, combined with her injuries, utilising this skill so aggressively was causing her much pain. The ogre grunted again in pain and tried to hit the thief again, but this time missed. Halo was moving as it swung. Dayon then moved in, but the ogre glowed purple again, and the tentacles ensnared him. "Sliva! How in the name of the trees and stars is this ogre able to keep this up!" Asta called out, hinting at panic in her voice. The number of skills and spells being used almost back-to-back was beginning to frighten her, too. "It''s endurance must be massive. Keep attacking it!" Sliva replied. She was contemplating the order to retreat. This was more than they were expecting or ready for. It was a silver-tier monster that she was sure of. An arrow enhanced with piercing skills and more spells hit the beasts. They wounded it, but it was not slowing. The shield was saving it from much, but it was showing signs of the battle, as was the crude armour it was clad in. Dayon was in front of it again but was body-slammed by another charge, knocking him back hard onto his back. The ogre was above him now with mace raised high to crush him. ¡°[Multi fire ¨C 3 arrows], [Piercing Strike].¡± She heard as Elron unleashed a barrage of arrows. Using these skills on top of each other had a cost, which he knew and was willing to pay. The three arrows hit the exposed armpit, digging in deep, causing a bellow of pain. Elron collapsed with blood flowing from his nose and eyes. ¡°Asta, get to Elron!¡± Sliva readied to use her attack skills and accept the cost. The ogre was using its other hand to pull the arrows from its armpit. They did not have long. ¡°[Death Touched Arrow].¡± A familiar dark energy surrounded her arrow as she sent it at her target. The ogre sensed the danger, turning but not fast enough as the arrow struck true and struck deep. It hit the ogre in its upper chest where its heart was, and the ogre staggered and then collapsed onto one knee. It coughed up blood as it bent forward. "Hit it with everything you have now!" Sliva yelled, fighting back the pain and exhaustion of using that skill. Dayon, Halo and Asta did just that. Sliva fired arrows and was joined by Elron after finishing several potions he needed to get back on his feet. Potions were far more potent than tonics and cost far more. They need every advantage in this fight, and she would not hold using them against him. The barrage of blows was getting to the ogre, but the fight was not yet over. Tentacles ensnared Elron and Halo, who were introduced face-first to the ogre''s shield. Dayon blocked a glancing blow from the mace on his shield, and Sliva heard his arm break, and he screamed in pain. Things were looking bad. She was about to order the retreat. Asta made her move. ¡°[Greater Arrow of Light].¡± She yelled as the magic shot from her wand. The stress of that spell made her collapse. Sliva never knew that the young elf knew such a spell. Her aim was true this time, and the impact caused a bright flash of light. A bellow of pain was cut short as the ogre was knocked back and collapsed onto its back. Its face is a ruined mess of blood and burned flesh. For a few moments, there was silence as they cleared their vision. They quickly came to the same conclusion about the ogre''s status: dead. The clatter of the reward appearing confirmed this. "Check yourself over," Sliva ordered. She reached into a pouch and drank down a tonic. She was in rough shape, but it did not demand a potion. "I am alive." Elron groaned. "My arm is shattered, I believe." Reported Dayon. "Multiple cracked ribs," Halo said. ¡°Mana backlash,¡± Asta said weakly. They were done, and Sliva knew they could not go any further. Elron was up and slowly walking around the hall; it was too big to call it a room. "Eighty silver coins." It took him time to recover the money, as bending over was a slow and taxing process at that moment. He continued to look around. "No other exits, it seems that¡­" "What is it?" Sliva asked, concerned. Elron was standing next to the throne, looking at something behind it. "Sliva, I need you to see this and ensure I have not taken a blow to the head." His tone was strange. Sliva slowly went over to him. It was not a quick walk, but she made it. Looking behind the throne, she saw ¡­¡­ "A Moonlight Rose, " she whispered. The other elves heard it nonetheless and looked around at her. They soon stood beside the throne, looking at what was hidden behind it. The flower was sitting in a raised area, happily growing. To see one not under the light of the full moons was a strange feeling, but they were all ecstatic. "Gods forgive us!" Sliva suddenly exclaimed. Causing others to look at her with concern. All apart from Asta soon understood why. "What is wrong? This is an incredible find!" "When we report it to the Guild, it will lead to a slaughter." Sliva sighed. "How much, Halo?" "Fifty to seventy gold at least." The woman replied. "Collect it, and let''s go." Sliva was a middle-aged elf who was wearying of the adventurer''s life, and her tone as she spoke reflected this. Chapter 98 "Are you sure?" Elain had never heard Albrot so concerned before. But what they had just been told had unsettled him, and she was right there with him. Just the hint of the implications was starting to scare her. "Yes, Guild Master. We have recovered a moonlight rose from the seventh floor." Sliva was just back from the Dungeon and had reported the find before anything else. Her team were under the care of the healers. She looked battered and tired. The fight had been more than any had expected. "What happened." His tone was severe and broke no foolery. "My team went straight to the seventh floor. We discovered two large doors. It is far larger than found elsewhere in the Dungeon. Opening them revealed a large hall-type room carpeted with moss and different wall decorations. Torches illuminated the room." She gave them the overview before getting to the meat of the report. "A single ogre armoured, with a mace and a shield, was sitting on a throne. As we opened the doors, it had stood and started advancing towards us." "More detail on the ogre''s gear," Albrot asked. "Crude patchwork armour with an iron helmet. The shield was a door found in the surface structures. The mace showed some skill in its creation." Albrot grunted at her description and motioned for her to continue. "We engaged the ogre. Elron and I laid down arrows as Dayon and Halo flanked. Our mage, Asta, was in reserve." She continued. Elian knew it was a good formation to take on such a target. "It''s reaction." Albrot was handling this whole conversation for the Guild and was recording it. This was going to cause another storm amongst the Guild higher-ups. "It used its shield to block our arrows as it advanced but was tracking my team members flanking it." "Are you sure?" "Yes. I witnessed its head moving to keep a rough location of the others." "Then?" "Asta cast her first spell to create an opening. Dayo used a taunt skill to attract its attention. It tried to resist but was snared. It triggered the first of its skills and used [Charge] to catch Dayon. He was forced to use his own¡­" She went on to break down the battle and what had happened. Elian noticed Albrot tense several times as magic, and the number of skills used was reviewed. Sliva''s admittance of using the skill [Death Touched Arrow] was another surprise. Such skills were only used in extreme situations, but from the report, they might not have made it out of that room if she had not. Albrot interjected a few questions here and there for clarification. She continued to speak, imagining the team''s final attacks, which brought down the ogre. By the end, Elain was gripping her desk edge. The power of this Dungeon monster was terrifying. "¡­ We explored the room and found no other means of leaving. Behind the throne, we discovered a raised section with the rose growing from it." "Is that all?" He asked, knowing that the interview and report were almost over. "Yes, Guild Master. We left the Dungeon, and I reported straight to you." "Thank you, Team Leader Sliva''Elania Fellonia. That will be all." She said nothing more but nodded to them and left the room. Albrot depowered the recording crystal but left the anti-scrying one active. He repositioned the chair he was sitting on before Elian''s desk. "I swear I can hear Rickle laughing at us all." He rubbed his head as he spoke. "How are we going to handle this?" Elian asked. She had never expected something like this, even with this Dungeons ability to surprise. "We are not going to be able to keep this quiet. Sliva will report this to her people as soon as she is at their trade mission here. Then it will leak and spread like wildfire across a grass plain in high summer." "A Moonlight Rose, blooming outside the full moons." Elian leaned back as she spoke, looking at the rafters. "That alone will bring every high-ranking team and individual here." "Not just human ones," Albrot added the other thing she was thinking about. "What value is one of them these days?" Elian had never bothered to find out as she never expected to need to know. "They undervalued it. It is more like a hundred gold." "A full platinum!" Now, she looked at him in shock. He stared back at her. "We will need help now." He said with a sigh. "Who can help us?" "I''m going to have to talk to the boss, " he grimaced, saying the words aloud. "Better you than me." It was not a flippant comment, as Elian had met her once and vowed to avoid another encounter as long as possible. "What are the non-human numbers now?" Albrot asked this regularly to stay informed. "Ninety-four. We should have a team of Minoars going into the Dungeon today." She looked down at a sheet of vellum to confirm the numbers. "Knowing them, they will head straight for the fourth or lower." "They might start on the third for boar hide." Elain countered. "Unlikely. When are Minoars ever stealthy?" ## ## ## ## ## Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "Well, this is new." Minotaurs. Six of them. I watched as they stomped through my fourth floor. They were all broad, standing between six and seven feet. Judging by their physical attributes, the shorter ones were females. If I am right, four males and two females made up the team. They were all heavily armoured and armed with weapons that most humans would call great weapons. Their armour was a thick plate over a padded cloth. They crushed the spiders with contented ease. They collected silk and coins as they moved from room to room. They talked in rough, brutal language. They had entered and avoided the first three floors, going straight to the fourth. It did not take them long to reach the cavern holding Queen. They walk straight into her cavern. She attacks from the ceiling, ambushing the first through the doorway, which had walked deeper into the cavern. The male was clad in plate armour and carried a heavy shield with a large, thick steel sword. She fell on him but was blocked by the shield and pushed away with a grunt as the minotaur turned its body. The minotaur was strong and could stand as she dropped on him. She landed on the ground on her legs; she had tried to knock him over with the angle of her fall. She attacked again as the others rushed into the cavern to help the first. She tried to overwhelm the first with a [Charge], but the minotaur blocked the attack with his skill. The impact was loud, and the minotaur was pushed back, leaving the stone with its boots scratched. It grunted at the impact, and its shield looked a bit damaged. Queen was unable to follow up as she was now on the defensive. The team had no ranged abilities or spellcasters that had been revealed yet. They seemed focused on melee and were trying to surround the floor guardian. She had seen this and was manoeuvring to prevent this. [Shadow Arms] was activated, slowing one of the attackers while the others pressed on. She summoned her spiderlings next, but they were ignored. Queen was formidable, but her opponents were strong and heavily armed. The weapons were large and began taking a toll. The red health bar was falling fast above her. She would not last much longer. A large mace fell and connected with her head almost after I thought it. The blow shattered her chiton and crushed her skull, killing her. The minotaurs gathered their rewards and spoke to each other. ## ## ## ## ## "Are you hurt, Brutun?" "My arm is stiff from the impacts, but my shield protected me from the worst of it. I am ready to continue, Minvar." The tallest of the Minoars looked to his team captain, who had asked the question. Minvar was short for her people. She was just over six feet and well-built. Her fur-covered skin was light brown, and her horns were not very large, but she had learned to accept that. Brutun was an excellent example of the males of her people¡ªseven feet and broad with truly impressive horns. The team [Vanguard] is the first into every battle. His sword was still drawn as he scanned the cavern, alert for dangers. "That spider was the first to present a challenge!" Strix snorted. "It was a big one!" Echoed Devas. Both broke out into laughter. Minvar rolled her eyes. The two [Bulkward]s were not brothers, but they acted like calves at every opportunity. She looked to Xurak. Her groups [War Tracker] was a veteran of the army before becoming an adventurer. Scars marred his brown/white hide. He had collected the rewards for the kill, and he was counting the coins. The Dungeon was supplying respectable coinage as its reward. "Are we continuing?" Nyminar asked. The group''s [Combat Healer] was in the least amount of armour after Minvar herself. Nyminar was a great beauty with a snow-white colouring and two well-oiled horns that she had always been jealous of. "We are. Brutun, take the lead." She ordered. "Let''s hope for a challenge soon. This is too easy." Strix moaned. "We have three more floors to see, and then we will be done. The Elders want a report as soon as we are finished," Minvar reminded them. That got them moving again. The next floor was different from the one above: rock and earth. The first room was a cavern not as large as the one that held the floor boss above. Brutun walked forward with no fear but was alert for danger. The worm ruptured from the sand, striking his leg. It was too close for him to block, so he had to put his faith in his plate. The worm opened its mouth and bit. The grunt of pain surprised them all. "It has pierced my armour." As he spoke, he cut the worm in half with his sword. The head was still attached to his leg. The rest entered, and as soon as it was clear there were no others inspected the body, Nyminar pried the head off the [Vanguard]s leg. Xurak knew the most about monsters, and it was handed to him. "Its teeth are not bone but some form of hardened crystal." He held the head and used a dagger to move the teeth for his inspection. "They will be dangerous in numbers." "Nyminar, are these things on the list?" Minvar asked. She usually would have investigated the local town to see what supplies or monster parts supplied by the Dungeon were in demand, but the regional representative of their people had delayed her. "Yes, but low down. We can ignore them." Nyminar consulted a list she had produced. "Very well. Brutun, we head that way." She pointed to the southern doorway. Brutun nodded and started forward. The next room was cleared, and they went to the next. Here, Brutun staggered and fell forward, crashing through a false floor with another grunt. "What happened, Brutun!" Minvar demanded, managing to hide her concern. "Tripwire across the exit. It caused me to fall into a pit with spikes with serrated arrowheads." He spoke as he got up. "I am slightly wounded." Nyminar was at his side, supplying aid as the others entered the room. The two [Bulkward] ''s cleared it quickly. Xurak looked over the traps. "Thoughts?" Minvar asked the elder warrior. "Simple but well-made and hidden. We should be more careful going forward." "I will," Brutun answered, indicating he still expected to be the first in every room. "Very well. We continue as normal for now." She was unhappy, but there was no reason to change. Brutun walked ahead a little more cautiously now. It was that caution that saved him. As he stepped into the new room, he suddenly turned, raising his shield. He glowed slightly from a skills activation. A half-moon blade impacted him, slicing into his shield and pushing him back through the loose earth. He stopped the blade and looked down. It was only a few hair widths from his stomach. His armour would have been hard-pressed to save him from a severe wound. They cleared that room, and now Xurack led them forward. Room by room, they avoided the traps that the pedestals were and killed every worm that rose to challenge them. Now they had the measure of them; the worms died to counters as they attacked. Things changed when they reached the floor boss''s room. Brutun went first flanked by Strix and Devas. From the size of the mound in the room, they were about to fight something big. The boss attacked and did not disappoint. It triggered a skill as it attacked, allowing it to cross the room quickly. Brutun met it head-on with his own skill, but this time, he was knocked back as his shield let out a loud crack that almost covered his grunt of pain. The other two attacked to distract it. Minvar and Xurack flanked as Nyminar sought to reach the fallen Brutun. "Keep it distracted. Hit any openings." Minvar ordered. She and the other struck at the boss. It was too large to dodge but tough enough to absorb much of their attacks. Nyminar worked on Brutun. Devas lost the top third of his shield as the beast bit down and ripped it off. He cursed loudly as Strix used one of his damage improvement skills on his mace, which caused it to glow. His blow cracked the outer shell of the worm. Minvar was waiting for an opening. Her people trained hard, and the team did not need to announce their skills as other lower-pathed adventurers did. They were rated as a Silver Grade team for a reason. They battered down the boss, but it was not going quietly. A spell triggered, causing it to glow a dull brown. This made it tougher, dragging out the fight. This did not stop its death. It collapsed dead. "By the elders, that was tough!" Strix declared. They were all breathing harder, recovering from using their skills and fighting. "My shield has been destroyed!" Devaus complained. He pulled off the pack from his back. From within it, he pulled out his spare. "I, too, will need to replace my shield soon," Brutun said, examining the damage on his own. "Xurack?" Minvar asked the male who was collecting the reward. His answer was, "Not bad." She asked no more, as he would fully summarise what they had gained. I waited for the others to prepare themselves for what was next. "Are we ready?" They nodded, and they went on to the next floor. Chapter 99 Minvar watched her team as they checked themselves over one last time before descending to the sixth floor. This Dungeon was strange, and they no longer treated it like it was beneath them. The two floors they had passed through were presented a marked escalation in danger. The stair room was well-lit by blue moss. Seeing everyone in a blue tint was odd, but they had adopted it. Her people had sent them with strict orders. Something was happening here, and they were tasked with discovering what it was. "Ready?" She asked, and the others acknowledged that they were. "I shall lead." Brutun was still annoyed with his exploits on the last floor. "Ready to fall again, oh great [Vanguard]." Strix needled. These comments were not helping. "Enough!" Minvar snapped before it could escalate. "Xurak leads. We will be ready to support him." Brutun snorted in frustration, and Xurak nodded. He stepped onto the stairs and started descending. They formed a line and followed. The stairs barely managed one person walking down them; two were but a dream. "Damn human architecture!" Brutun snarled as he was forced to duck to avoid catching his horns. The others stayed silent. The taller agreed with the sentiment. The next floor was again different. This time, they found an open cavern with tall grass growing all through it. The moss was concentrated on the ceiling and far denser. The cavern was the best so far. Xurak slowed as he entered the grass. He looked to the left and right as he walked. The rest of the team fanned out to either side. Xurak tensed and froze. "Movement in the grass." Before anything else could be said, the attack began. The snakes hit them from different directions. Their ability to blend into the grass was a nasty surprise, making fighting them harder. Being bitten was not fun either. "Stay close together and call out as you strike back," Minvar instructed her team. It took a few attacks, but they soon got an idea of what they were up against and started killing the snakes. Soon, the last died, and the reward for their victory appeared. "More ambushers! Has this Dungeon no monsters of strength to face us!" Brutun complained. "Peace, Brutun. This Dungeon is more dangerous than most, so beware the road of arrogance." Xurak chilled him. The younger warrior snorted but made no further comments. Control was something they all had to practice. Minvar took stock of the group and then had them move on. Cavern by cavern, they advanced, fighting snakes in every single one. They were wounded from the bites, but they overwhelmed them in each fight. They were using up their healing supplies faster than Nyminar was happy with, and Minvar agreed with her position. They needed to be more cautious. "Next should be the floor boss. We have sustained more injuries than we should have crossing this floor. I want no more foolishness where we are going into a fight that will be far harder than the last." Minvar glared at the three most responsible for the lack of supplies. Strix and Devaus looked guilty, but Brutun was defiant but silent. "Be ready. The boss will be an improved version of the ones we have fought. Nyminar, is there anything valuable about it?" "Yes, Captain. The whole body as intact as possible will bring an excellent price." This caused the three hotheads to perk up. "That means we kill it. DO. NOT. Seek to try to take it without help." Minvar knew those looks. Xurak shook his head sadly, knowing they would probably not listen, as Minvar also knew. The three were gifted warriors, which had allowed them to advance quickly, but they were still learning restraint¡ªa flaw for most of their people. They had hardly encountered situations they could not fight their way clear of. The dangers of going down a dark path were always present. The next cavern was the same as the others. Xurak led the way, with the others fanning out either side. Brutun tried to push ahead, but Minvar''s glare stopped him. She was thinking about ordering him to¡­ "Arrghh." He suddenly staggered and collapsed to one knee as he snarled in pain. "What happened?" She demanded. "S-something just bit into the back of my knee." He twisted to get a look at the wound. "The padded cloth had been ripped right through." "Nyminar, see to him. Everyone else, be ready. Xurak, did you see anything?" They followed her orders. "Nothing, Captain. I suspect its hiding ability in the grass is far better than the earlier ones." The older warrior looked around, analysing what he saw and what had happened. "Captain, I fear this snake might be similar or smaller than the others." "Understood. Strix will cover Nyminar while she works. Devas, I want you¡­" Strix started to move as she spoke and then yelped in pain as he hopped about. "What happened?" Minvar demanded. "I just was bitten!" He snarled as he pushed through the pain and tested his weight on the leg in question. "I can still fight, but I am slowed." "Gods! Did anyone see anything?" Minvar demanded. The choruses of no''s did not inspire her confidence. She needed to take action. "Listen, I am about to cast [Detect Life: Animals]. Attack it as it is revealed. Do not hold back." Minvar ordered, knowing this spell would demand all of her concentration. "Xurak leads." The group formed a circle around her. She closed her eyes and focused on her mana to cast the spell. She created the spell form in her mind and let her mana flow into the design¡ªa faint wave of energy swept out from within her across the cavern. Minvar had to focus on the spell and could not take action; she could only listen. "There it is! The faint aura impression." Devas called out. "Engage!" Xurak gave his orders. "Brutun, fight it. Strix and Devas block its escape routes." The sound of a thud reached her ears. Brutun snarled. "It''s fast! It''s dodging my attacks." "Keep up with it," Xurak ordered.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "Damn it!" Strix roared. "It has bitten me." "Nyminar to him. Devaus, block it! Brutun, keep at it." Another thud. "Stay still!" The stress of keeping the spell active was now starting to affect Minvar. She could feel her mana draining away. Stay focused! "It''s attacking me!" Devaus yelled. "It''s trying to distract you." Xurak this time. "The snake''s glowing. I think it''s a spell." Nyminar called out. "Finally, a hit!" Brutun yelled in triumph. "You have, but it''s hardly wounded!" Strix countered. "Stop arguing and keep attacking!" Xurak ordered. The battle continued, and Minvar reached the limits of her tolerance. "The spell is ending!" She called out as she fell to her knees in exhaustion and felt the backlash of mana depletion fast approaching. Around her, the sound of battle continued. Minvar fought against the pain in mind and opened her eyes. The area around them was trampled flat with many gouges where weapons cut into the earth. Blinking through the pain, she finally saw the boss, causing her eyes to water. The snake was still hard to see as it tried to blend in with its surroundings. Being forced to move and dodge to avoid her team''s attacks was hampering this ability. It avoided a blow by Strix, who placed it before Brutun. The [Vanguard] struck true and cleaved it in half. "Victory!" he bellowed. The reward came, marking that the fight was at an end. Nyminar was at her side, inspecting her condition as Xurak collected it. With Nyminar''s help, she stood up, still not steady on her feet. The others were showing signs of weariness from the fight, and now it was over. It seemed it had been more challenging than they thought it would be. "Dammed ambushers!" Brutun expressed his opinion. The other two fighters echoed his view. "Nyminar, what is the condition of the corpse?" Minvar asked. The female next to her looked at the body. "Bad. Brutun was too aggressive in his strikes. We should still take it as we will get something for it." Xurak heard her and went over to the body, picking up the two halves and placing them into his dimensional bag. Her team did not take long to form up and head to the last floor. Minvar had them rest in the stairwell room before descending. More for herself than the others. She had them descend but was concerned as her mana was still low. The next room at the bottom of the stairs was different. It looked like an area still under construction or a storage area for further expansion. There was another difference between the two well-proportioned doors. "This looks promising." Brutun sounded hopeful. "Stay together. We do not know what lies beyond. I want no foolish actions!" Minvar snapped, still feeling the pain of the mana depletion backlash. Nyminar offered a pain tonic, but refused as she needed to stay clear-headed. Brutun grunted and pushed both doors open. They opened with no sound or resistance. Before them was a different room again. The room was more like a hall lit by torchlight, not the blue moss of the rest of the Dungeon. The room was carpeted with green moss and built to hold what was standing on the other side¡ªan Ogre. It was larger than Brutun, dressed in armour and carried a shield with a mace. Brutun bellowed a happy challenge and charged forward. His battlelust rising. "Brutun!" Minvar yelled but knew it was no use. Brutun was losing himself to battle lust now that a seemingly worthy challenge had appeared. The ogre matched him and attacked. The two quickly crossed the distance between them and collided with a crash. Minvar could have sworn she felt the impact. Both had triggered skills as they collided. Brutun was a hot head but had fought through many battles. Today was the first that Minvar saw him knocked down. The ogre''s mass was more significant, and it won the clash. Brutun was on his back. ¡°Strix, Devaus, help him!¡± Minvar ordered. "We will flank." The ogre did not relent, forcing Brutun to roll to the side or be hit by the mace. Strix and Devaus forced their attention away from Brutun, allowing him to return to his feet. Minvar saw him grinning like a foal in a meadow for the first time. The two [Bulkwark]s struck but found the shield, which was actually a door blocking them. The ogre''s mace glowed, and it struck a Strix. He got his shield into the position to block. CRACK! Strix collapsed back with a howl of pain. "Strix!" Devaus called in fear. Brutun then rejoined the fight. "Nyminar!" Minvar indicated to the fallen warrior. She nodded and was already moving. The two were trading blows, as each was able to block the other. The ogre started to back up, opening space between him, his attacker and the rest of the group. Minvar and Xurack were now moving to get behind it. Brutun thought he had the advantage and pushed forward. The black/purple glow surrounding the ogre shocked Minvar. "Brutun get ba¡­" Minvar yelled, but it was too late. Black tentacles reputed from Brutun''s shadow, as the fourth-floor boss had done. He never had a chance as he was trapped, and the ogre swung with its mace. The tentacles prevented him from getting his shield fully up. The mace started glowing as it approached. It impacted the top of Brutun''s shield but was not stopped as it rolled off and hit his helmeted head. The impact rocked Brutun, and his head turned with the strike. Blood and spit flew from his mouth as his face contorted. He went down face-first into the moss. Nyminar was trying to get to him. Xurak made his move to save the fallen warrior. He triggered his skills, and his arm blurred with [Multi thrust]. His sword slashed across the back of the ogre, cutting into the armour of their opponent. The ogre grunted but stayed focused on Brutun''s fallen form. Devaus stepped and blocked the ogre''s path. His skill enchanted his shield, stopping the ogre''s mace. Minvar could not see his face but knew he was struggling. She attacked to help him. Minvar triggered a skill knowing the risk in her action. [Multi thrust- 2 strikes] caused her arm to blur as the strain of the skill swept through her body. Her blade slashed across the ogre''s back as Xurak did, and it ignored her, too. The ogre''s mace smashed into Devaus''s shield, knocking him to the side. The ogre then turned to the two attacking from behind. Both quickly backed away. The ogre could use its size to knock them to the ground and kill them with its mace. It followed with an attack, allowing Devaus to re-enter the fight as he was not severely injured. He cut into the ogre''s back, adding to the wounds already there. This time, the grunt of pain was louder. The ogre glowed before another blow could be struck, triggering another spell. Devaus hit it again as it turned but failed to injure it in any meaningful way. "Xurak, keep hitting it and pulling back. We must wear it down." Minvar felt the strain from the skill use and got concerned. The ogre was throwing out skills and spells without showing any signs of tiring. Devaus was forced to take another heavy blow to his shield, knocking him back. He was gritting his teeth. This ogre was far stronger than the ones they had fought in the past. Minvar saw that Brutun was returning to his feet with Nyminar''s assistance. Strix was still not in the fight but was cradling his shield-bearing arm. The shield had been removed. It seemed his arm was broken. Xurak stabbed the ogre in its mace-holding arm, cutting in deep, causing the urge to drop the mace as its hand spasmed. The ogre backhanded the [War Tracker] in return, knocking him away. The ogre bent to retrieve its mace when Brutun slammed into it. The ogre was knocked back as Brutun followed up his attack. The ogre used its shield to prevent another blow, and then glowed, countering Brutun''s charge with one of its own. The [Vanguard] sidestepped, but not enough to avoid the impact. He staggered back and turned his attention back to the ogre, which opened him to be punched in the face. The blow snapped his head back as he staggered back. The ogre was not finished reaching out as it was taller and grabbed his horns. With a savage yank forward, Brutun was taken off balance and fell forward. Straight into the ogre''s knee as it went up and connected with his face. The sickly crunch of the collision made all of his teammates wince. Brutun went down hard, and it did not seem like he would get back up any time soon. Xurak and Devaus were back at it, stabbing at the ogre. Without its mace, it used its shield and hands. They had the advantage and did not want to suffer Brutun''s fate if they stayed out of its reach. The ogre''s wounds were piling up now, and Minvar now saw it was starting to take its toll. But the fight was not over. Black tentacles ensnared Xurak, who then was punched by the ogre, knocking him down. Minvar joined Devaus in attacking. Nyminar was treating the wounded. Devaus triggered his [Taunt] skill to keep the ogre focused on him as Minvar stabbed its vulnerable back. The ogre was beating him down but gave both Minvar and Xurak time to kill the ogre. The injuries added up to the point where it could not ignore them anymore and fell forward as Devaus scrambled out of its way. With a flash, the reward appeared. Minvar looked around at her team and could not hold back from saying. "Well, was that enough of a fight for you?" Chapter 100 Minvar had just left Elian''s office. She was leaning back in her chair, looking at the ceiling rafters. The report from the Minoar''s team that had just returned from the Dungeon. They had recovered a Moonlight Rose, which will be sold to the Merchant Guild today. The report of the battle with the single occupant of the seventh floor. She had rated it low silver grade but planned to raise it to silver or even high silver. A Minoar team was battered badly in the fight. That alone would cause many to pause before going to the new floor. Her door opened as Altor entered the room. He closed the door and sat across from her, activating the anti-scrying crystal. "The Guild has the rose. We will receive our due later today." Altor spoke. Elian just grunted. "Have you seen the team''s condition?" Elian sat back up, looking at him. "The team captain was just here and reported some injuries." "Some injuries?" Albrot laughed. "Multiple broken bones and battered bodies. A single-occupant floor. You see those in the deeper sections of older Dungeons." Elian eyebrows raised. "That bad?" "Yes. They will be out of action for a few weeks." "Well, they have the money to cover the living expenses here. How much are they getting?" Elain mused. "A hundred gold. Ten in commission to the Guild, then 5 to us and another 5 to Ranus." Albrot recited from memory. "Not bad then." "No. But they used a lot of supplies in the final fight against the ogre." Albrot pointed out. "Speaking of the ogre. I want to raise the threat rating to a high silver tier." "I agree. Make the announcement when you are ready." Albrot was relieved that she had been thinking the same. He did not want to overrule her, and it looked bad. "It will be done in an hour." "Word will be spreading now." Albert sighed. Elian understood why. "Where is my new assessor?" Elain asked pointily. "He will be here next week," Albrot promised. "You said that last week." "Well, he was delayed. What can you do?" She snorted. She had been preparing to assess the new floor when Albrot appeared and was informed that she could not do so. This had led to an argument, and Albrot put his foot down with a hard no. He reasoned that she was a Guild Leader and needed a high-Pathed assessor to map the Dungeon from now on. He confirmed this with the boss, and she sent one. He was late. ## ## ## ## ## I had been a lazy Core. I have come to this conclusion in the last few days: the long periods of inactivity as I waited for my essence count to reach the next level made me this way. There was some experimentation (okay, periods of much experimentation) and tomfoolery, but I should be doing more. Maybe I was suffering from bouts of depression? I had set out to change this. Starting with mana stones. I had created more, quite a few more. I now had twenty-five in total. They surrounded my Core in its hidden alcove. I had space for a few more but was leaving them for future stones. I had done a few experiments along the way. I discovered that the further away from my Core the stones were, the worse their regeneration rate was. I had Puck and Larry move them around the Dungeon to different locations and monitor them. Shadow and Earth were the least affected, depending on where they were placed. The other''s rates dropped so far that they were effectively dead. I spent many hours trying to understand this. The only reason I could come up with was that the essence being drawn to my Core was also charging these stones. I had seen that they had essence passing through them, and the corresponding "type" never left. So, some progress? Again, I had been neglecting my skills. My Mana Sight has improved since my recent studies. Creating Krag had also pushed my Enchanting up a whole two levels. Everything else was stagnant. That was something I had to address. How? I was still working on it. Now that the seventh was finished, I had to turn my attention to the eighth. What will this floor be? I had been thinking more about mixing two different minions on this floor, as it needs to be more challenging than the seventh. How I was going to pass Krag was going to be complicated¡ªuntil I realised that I did not. The floor guardian would need to be close, but I would have to spread my resources out more like the other floors. Krag would remain unique for now.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! I wanted another flyer. I could use the first-floor guardian as the template for some new wasps, maybe with a few more alterations. This would reduce development time because I would work from an established design. The only problem was that the wasps did not play well with others according to their restriction. So, what else did I have? Bats. "Well, Larry, that''s the problem. Bats are the only other flyer I have, but they are pretty pathetic." Larry was showing me his back. "I have Puck, but he is resource-intensive to create. My new mana stones, when charged, will lighten that load now¡­." Possibilities. I opened the bat design I had. "Need to focus on speed¡­. Making it too tough will slow it down¡­ What mana type?" I thought about what I was seeing. Another question popped up. What would I pair them with? Puck was based on Illusion Mana, which worked very well with Light. Bats did not lean that way. I discovered that the monster leaned towards different Mana types and interacted badly with others. The number of exploding experiments proved the theory to me. Do I make more Pucks? Now, that was a thought. I entertained it for a little while but knew that even with the mana stones, I would not yet be able to support such a floor. But it was one for the future, maybe. Back to the bats. They were the only option right now. I felt Illusion and Light were out, but I would try a few options if I had time. Earth also did not "feel" right. That left Ice and Shadow. Shadow was my sort of go-to as it fits with most of my Dungeon and its aesthetic. Ice¡­ now that was something I had not worked with. "Ice bats?" Could that work? I started listing things to try with my experiments on the bats. "Let''s get to work." ## ## ## ## ## The mood at the table was not pleasant. The adventurers around them were giving them an even wider space than normal. Minvar looked at her team and found out the reason. This was their first time together since leaving the Dungeon. The healers had released the last two, and even after the victory, one group member was sullen. "Come now, Brutun, being knocked out is not so bad. It just meant you missed the end of the fight." Devaus was needling him. Brutun was carried out by Devaus and Xurak and had been in a foul mood since he woke up a few days ago. Strix was still nursing his bandaged and splinted arm. He was going to be out of action for at least another ten days. Minvar was still dealing with the aftermath of meeting with the tribe''s trade representative in town. The Moonlight rose had caused a massive stir that was still being felt. She had had nineteen requests to get more from the seventh floor. She was in no hurry. "It was a lucky blow. Captain Minvar, I demand as soon as we can return to the seventh floor, and I will crush the ogre alone!" Brutun was getting louder as he spoke. His pride was hurt, and he sought a way to soothe it. "No, Brutun. We will return, and we will fight it together." Minvar fought back the need to sigh in weariness. "The ogre has been classed as a higher silver-tier monster. I will not have you run off to chase your vain desire to satisfy your pride." He snorted but let it go for now, which she was thankful for. ## ## ## ## ## Ranus was sitting in his office smiling. The amount of money flowing from his dues from the Dungeon was increasing. Elian had even hinted that they might be able to send in more teams soon, as the Dungeon could handle them if they were so many floors apart. The Adventurer''s Guild was waiting for a new assessor who would confirm if it was possible. He had some breathing room¡ªnot much, but he welcomed it. Amya reported that she expected the town''s reserves to be higher at the winter solstice than last year. He knew the cost of lives lost to the Dungeon, but it was starting to provide. He had heard about the Moonlight Rose sold through the Merchant Guild. This plant was the foundation of elixirs of great potency and value. The Merchants had told him they had nearly fifty requests for the flower already. If even half of these were met, the town would receive one hundred and twenty-five gold coins from the Lord''s due. That would see half the budget for this year filled. The future was looking better, and he had Amya stop supplying him with loan options from other bodies. He still found them strangely unsettling and was happy to see their end finally. He started planning for the future and the threats he could see. He had the black communication crystal safely hidden away. He had resisted the urge to talk to the Dungeon as he found it difficult and always left the conversations confused and his mind hurt. He would leave it where it was until he needed to speak with that strange being. He reached over to the small pile of vellum on his desk. It was a report on the town''s population and buildings from Vulus. He read it over and frowned. The land available for building was nearly at its limit. Ranus had reserved several plots, but the others were now almost exhausted. The land across the river was also being filled fast. According to his projections, the land plots will be gone by the end of the season. Many were already building up with requests to add third or above levels, increasing from nineteen to fifty-three. Ranus spoke to himself after a heavy sigh. "It looks like I will have to meet with Vulus and discuss this sooner than I hoped." It was tiring, but Ranus was happy that these were the only pressing problems at this time. He knew this would change. ## ## ## ## ## Oda was sitting in his "office" within his realm and was secretly happy. Things had not turned out completely as he had planned, but everything was happening within its boundaries. The other Gods were unaware of his deception, and he was free to find the traitor. The only major issue was the Dungeon Core. Above the table was the Dungeon''s holographic display, and off to the side was the Core''s status screen. It was developing faster than he thought it could. He had been truthful with the soul and had not made any changes to it. That was done by the Core he had constructed. He had tried to curtail its development, but he was straining against the restrictions placed within its vessel. Looking over his latest floor and the Guardian was a bit of a revelation. Bhaldor was finding weaknesses within the system he had created to exploit to his advantage. Oda knew he would have to watch the later developments more carefully, even with the Dungeon''s new oversight group. They were in a minor panic over the ogre''s creation. Oda understood their concern, but as long as none escaped into the world after the Core''s destruction, there would be no problems. The Core was processing corrupt void essence at an excellent rate and was ahead of his predictions. The actions of the corrupted at Folly''s End were a concern and quietly supported the moving of more assets from the other Gods'' temples and churches to act if the monsters crossed the river. His ally watched the Core more closely and would alert him if any trouble occurred. The Core went through periods of activity and then inactivity. Oda believed that the Core was going through bouts of what was called "depression" in his world. The Core seemed to realise this and went active to combat it but fell back over time. Would this have a long-term effect on the project Oda was unsure of? He could take action, but that would endanger the plan. No, he would stay the course. His world and its realms depended on it. Chapter 101 Vicdrum Searider was looking at the old-style Cythian watchtower. It did not look like much, but such things would get you killed in his line of work. The Guild had sent him to this place to be the [Dungeon Assessor]. The previous one had been promoted to run the Guild in the local town. Vicdrum was not impressed with the community that was growing up around here. He was from the coast and the city that held the Dungeon of Ocean Depths. As he was from a family of good, noble stock but a younger son, he had been allowed to pursue his academic inclinations. This led him to his current profession, which his family were actually happy with. He had been progressing well in his home city until the day he received his marching orders to come to this backwater. He had tried to get out of them until he read the name attached to giving the order and knew it was a hopeless cause. So, he came in winter. He was dressed in several layers and shivering. His home was never this cold, and the amount of snow he saw just at the edge of the mountain range was more than he had seen in his entire life. He had discovered that he hated the stuff. His home city had a pleasant temperature all year round, and it only changed when a storm rolled in from the sea. His deep olive skin did not like the cold air''s touch. "Where are they?" He demanded to the Guild watcher assigned to monitor the Dungeon. "Just coming, sir." The young man pointed behind him, and he turned. A team of adventurers were approaching the entrance. "Team Captain Gran?" He asked the lead adventurer. "Yes, Assessor Searider. We have been tasked to get you through each floor to the sixth, when another team will take over and escort you the rest of the way." It was the Guild''s policy to have the team captain recite their orders to make sure there was no confusion. He did not add the orders that were for him alone. Both the Guild Leader and Master had told him not to seek the Dungeon Core. "Excellent. I am ready when you are." It was not considered rude for a new assessor to go through an already mapped area of a Dungeon as it sometimes showed changes or missed things. In fact, a matching report was seen as a good thing for both assessors. They entered the watchtower and Vicdrum thought they would be out of the wind. Inside, he felt a strong draft of cold air. It was here that the group drew their weapons. "My notes indicate that an animal lives in the rafters here." Vicdrum was holding his mapping board with notes on the Dungeon listed. "Yes, Assessor, it is in the rafters right now, watching us," Gran replied. Vicdrum looked up sharply and it took several moments for him to spot the creature. "What is it? Is it dangerous?" "A local beast called a sharoon. Not very and will avoid us unless it is trapped." "A Dungeon monster or squatter?" "All indications it is a Dungeon monster." "Then we continue." Vicdrum mapped the surface building. It matched the design style of all other buildings of its kind. The legions built things well and used the same templates. The "sharoon" was added, and several odd things were noted. The building had several hatches located around it. For the moment, Vicdrum was at a loss as to why they were there. The next was damage to the building structure in one of the storerooms. It was minor and easy to miss but he spotted it and recorded the information as the damage was recent. They went back to the stairs and started to descend into the Dungeon. The walls on the stairs curved with them and were soon covered by blue glowing moss. This gave the area a low level of light. Vicdrum activated his light crystal to illuminate himself. Each adventurer had magic lanterns that gave them light. At first glance, the first floor appeared to be the basement of the tower above, but the differences were soon apparent. There was a door that was designed only to be opened from the other side. A small but dense tin ore vein was in the first room. This matched with his notes. When the Dungeon first opened, it had been a copper vein. It was not unusual for such resource nodes to be moved. The group''s rogue, a woman named Kimor, exposed the first trap. It was a pitfall trap with a light stone covering and spikes at the bottom. Now, this was something that concerned Vicdrum. It showed a level of advanced thinking not found in younger Dungeons. "Team Captain Gran, when did the Dungeon change from the original traps to these ones?" Vicdrum asked as he knelt next to the pit, taking notes. "This is the original trap, Assessor Searider," Gran told him. That caused Vicdrum to pause as he worked. "It has been here since the opening with no changes?" "That is correct, Assessor. We were with the first assessor to enter this Dungeon." The floor monster was a wasp. Another local breed called a grey stripe which showed signs of mutations. More spike traps were revealed, and the wasps were quickly dealt with. The floor boss was in a unique room. The floor was almost one giant open pit trap with a walkway running through it. The boss was killed with no issue. The floor supplied old empire-grade copper coins as its reward. No wonder tins were flocking to this Dungeon.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The next floor made Vicdrum uncomfortable. It had a different environment. As far as he knew, Dungeons of great age and size did such things, but only on their later floors¡ªnot on the second. The stories he had dismissed started to sound authentic. This should not be possible as nothing he had read on Dungeons had ever spoken of one such as this place. The floor had toads and rooms with knee-deep water. His boots were not high enough, and his feet got wet, which did nothing to improve his mood. Another local breed of beast taken and changed by the Dungeon. A few traps were thrown in for good measure. Copper coins and flowers that could be used in alchemy were the reward. Once they returned to the stairs, he looked over his notes and the map he had just drawn. "Team Leader Gran, we shall hold here for a few minutes." He needed to dry his feet and think. "Of course, Assessor Searider." He removed his boots and used a heating crystal to try to dry them. Questions crowded his mind and he realised he could get the answer for many from this group. "Team Leader Gran, do all the floors follow a circular shape that leads you back to the stairs?" "On the floors, we have seen, yes, Assessor Searider, but we have heard the seventh is a bit different." "Oh, that means you have never passed the fifth floor then?" "Yes, Assessor. The floors below are a bit too much for us right now." "I understand. Let us continue." The third was another environment¡ªopen grass rooms with mud pits. The boars were another step up in danger. This floor was the most popular among adventurers as the hides and meat were in demand. The team assigned to him took their time stripping the corpses after clearing each room. The floor boss was the first elemental-infused monster he had encountered in the Dungeon. The boss was another enlarged version of the one found on the floor. This one had Shadow Mana enhanced abilities. The team worked together, targeting the boss''s weak points to take the boss down with minimum damage to its body. As soon as it collapsed, they were on it, stripping the corpse. His notes and what he had learned strongly indicated the value of the hide. More flowers were found in the room and added to the copper and first silver coins. The silver was of the same quality as the copper coins. He had spent the longest time in this Dungeon so far. He had been checking the essence levels as they were stopping. He had noticed the strange essence flows through the Dungeon. Normally, the essence could be easily tracked, flowing through a floor to the boss. After that, the flow went down to the next floor. Here, the essence was confused and disjointed with the strange floor pattern. He felt the draft through the Dungeon, and the stairwell was acting as a vortex pushing air through the Dungeon. He suspected this was altering the flow of essence. "Team Leader Gran, do all the floors follow the same circular pattern?" He had to ask the question again as he still could not understand why. "All apart from the seventh floor, Assessor Searider." He replied. "From what we have heard, it is a single room." "Really, that is odd." Vicdrum did not know what to make of that. They descended to the fourth floor. Again, the environment was different. He was now sure he would have to drop a note to the family to have them establish a presence within the town. This Dungeon was too strange to be ignored. Other communities with Dungeons had contact and connections to allow trading resources, access or even marriages between the Lords. These families were some of the most powerful on the continent. They had to be apprised to get here fast. Would this violate his oath to the Guild? No, as he would only suggest that it might be a good idea. He would have to be careful with his language, but his family knew what to look for in his letters. Moving through the floor, he discovered a new thing about himself. He hated spiders, especially ones large enough to kill a man. The six-leg abominations were a terror to behold. The way they moved and the great number of eyes. No, sir, he did not like this floor and would be glad to go beyond it. Gran and his team fought the spiders as they appeared. They had crossed this floor before, and the spiders were a known quantity. They stopped to collect the coins and harvest spider silk webbing. Vicdrum wanted to yell at them to get a move on but held his tongue as it would not look well on him. One room contained eight of the scuttling horrors, which took several minutes to clear, but they died. The next contained a mutated version that forced him to get close to get a better look. He hurried through this as fast as possible. The boss was the stuff of pure nightmares. The giant spider was a canny opponent. It struck from a different ambush point than the team expected, and they were soon in a fierce fight. The Spider demonstrated several skills and spells that he noted as the fight went on. He let out a deep sigh of relief when it died. The reward for the kill was collected, and he recorded it. The amount was within what the Guild deemed acceptable for such a monster. Another floor, another environment. This one was traps, earth, and worms. The shift was now expected. The traps were based on the earlier floors but showed a marked improvement in lethality and design. The team''s rogue worked the hardest on this floor. Some traps were disarmed, while others were circumvented using novel ideas. They were seeing more silver now. The worms were a challenge. Their hides were tough and their mouths were covered with crystal-like teeth that could slice through armour. This meant the threat rating of this floor was raised again. Every floor had this happen, meaning that this Dungeon was one of the smallest known and most dangerous. If it followed the standard pattern, it would be an iron tier with only seven floors, not high silver. Watching the fighting, Vicdrum could not refute the threat tier at this point. He shuddered, wondering what was still to come. This floor contained a large copper vein that was regularly visited and provided a good source of income to the town. Everything matched his notes. He could see that the team was now being stressed fighting on this floor. They were showing signs of tiredness as the use of skills and fighting were taking their toll. When they reached the floor boss, things became intense. The giant worm was a moving siege ram. Gran and his team did not hold back, throwing everything they had into the fight. All their skills were being used, but still, it was a close-run thing. The boss died but left several of the group wounded. They collected the reward and returned to the stairwell. "Assessor Searider, this is where we leave you," Gran told him. "Understood, Team Captain Gran. I will wait for the next team to take me the rest of the way. They should be waiting at the entrance." Gran and his team ascended, leaving Vicdrum alone. He was a little afraid, as this Dungeon was strange and still had many unknowns. He inspected his floor plans and notes while he waited to keep his mind off the fact that he was alone, standing in a very dangerous place. As he worked, he suddenly stopped and looked up the stairs. "What was that light?" He asked aloud. He was sure he saw something from the corner of his eye¡ªa brief flash of soft pink light against the blue from the moss. He moved to get a better look. All he saw was the stairs and curve of the wall with the ever-present moss. "I know I saw something." He waited there until the next team arrived. Watching. Chapter 102 "Why is that guy standing there?" It had been good seeing Gran and his team again in action. Starting on the first floor was strange, and I went closer to find out what was happening. This "Searider" character was a bit perplexing. He was an Assessor, as he was addressed as one by the group. Had the Guild replaced Elian as the assessor for my Dungeon? Gran and his team found the fifth floor difficult. Although they had cleared it several times, the Guardian still tested them. Things changed when they left the assessor at the stairwell. They ascended the stairs, and the assessor took more notes. I had looked over his shoulder a few times as he worked, and I had to admit that the floor plans he produced were rather good. Each floor was reproduced in detail with notes on the traps and minions. Resources and rewards were listed as well. He seemed to be competent, at least. I looked over his shoulder as he did tests with different crystals and made notes. That is when I realised Puck was coming down the stairwell. "Puck! Get your backside up those stairs!" He quickly turned around and fled up the stairs, but the assessor had seen his glow. He looked up the stairs, trying to identify what he had seen. Thankfully, Puck was long gone. Gran and his team had left, and the Minitours returned. This was going to be interesting. The fight with Krag was highly entertaining the last time they were here. They quickly moved down to the fifth floor to meet the assessor. When they reached him, the team captain greeted him in the human language. I had learned her name was Minvar. They continued to the sixth floor. I was not interested much here. This team relied on brute strength to get them through. This floor annoyed them as it was all speed and camouflage. I turned my main focus to my attempts to create a new bat for a future floor. It was not going well. If you make too many changes, the bat cannot fly. I had increased its size, and its bones became too heavy to allow it to fly. Adding different mana also failed to take hold. Shadow and Illusion were the only ones that showed any promise. I had tried various ideas and concepts, but everything was not working. Most of the bats I created were forced to crawl across the floor and were slow and too weak to beat anything. I was still investigating the bats, but I was looking to abandon them for now. What would I do now? On the floor, I checked the adventurer''s progress. They were moving forward slowly but were advancing. The assessor''s reaction was interesting, so I watched him. When they were not looking, he was not keen on them. His facial expression was one of disgust. I had a feeling it was the fact they were not human. The assessor gave off an air of arrogance as if he were from a wealthy family or just a racist, or was it speciesist? Was that even a word? I could be wrong, but I do not think so. I go back to my lists and start thinking again. I need to think about two minions who work synergistically when they are together. I am leaning towards boars and something else. From my list, it looks like rats will be the second choice. They were far more flexible when I was experimenting with them, and they supplied better results. Boars and rats. Boars and rats. How will I play this? The adventurers pushed through the second room, and the assessor looked at the silver vein. He was taking his time recording everything. Numbers or quality. The rats would be easy to produce, and the boars could be more resource-intensive in their creation¡ªa fast group of minions combined with a tough one. That was interesting in concept, but would it work? Then, there was the environment to think about. Looking at the adventurers, I knew they would clear the floor, so I went down to the seventh. Krag was sitting on his throne, watching the doors with a finger up his nose. He was digging around good for something up there. "You will have visitors soon." "Good! Krag smashed the last!" I looked over the hall and noted the seven bodies now covered in moss. Two teams of eleven in total had taken runs at him, but five of them had not made it out as the others had run. They had come full of swagger and quickly changed their minds when he started killing them. My essence total got a nice bump. His was close to the next level. "It''s the Minitours again." "Huh?" "The big man bulls with horns." "Krag no remember." "You knocked the biggest out with your knee." "Krag, remember! Krag wants to kill them for killing him!" "That''s the spirit!" I watched Krag more as I noticed an interesting thing about him. Queen above was one of the few who varied her attack patterns. The others followed a near-set routine in all their fights. Krag adapted as he went on, even after dying. At first, he was getting closer to batter his opponents down, but now was using his shield and mace more proficiently. It had to do with his Demi status. What would be the end result? Krag withdrew his finger and leaned over to pick up his mace. His shield was still leaning against the throne. He looked over the mace and was waiting. As soon as they came down the stairs, he would know. The floors from five up had reset, and another team was working to get through the first. Having two teams in the Dungeon was another good thing. This allowed me to rake in more essence passively as they used their skills and magic while fighting my minions. It was not a significant amount, but every little bit helps. I moved over to the bodies. They had been stripped of everything worthwhile, but I had left anything broken and their clothes. The moss was stained a dark brown in many places from the blood they had lost. Being smashed by a heavy mace has destroyed their bodies, causing them almost to explode.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I could set the environment for the next floor to another moss-covered setup, but this would not help the rats that would need to get close. So, I''d need another long grass environment. It worked for the snakes upstairs. "Need to make a new boar or maybe use the Guardian as the template." "Huh?" "I am not talking to you, Krag. Just thinking out loud." "Thinking hard. Smashing easier." "Yes, that''s good for you." I turned my back to thinking about my next floor. The lion was an option that I had considered. After thinking about them, I devised an idea for the ninth. I will investigate that later on. The boars needed to be changed. I had the Shadow-infused boar as the Guardian. I did not want to recreate it but wanted to do something new. That then led me to the Guardian. So, much to plan out! I sensed the Guardian above dying. I shifted to the cavern to see what was happening. "¡­ this pillar has no other function?" Searider was talking to Minvar. "That is correct, Assessor. No other team has any idea why this pillar is here." "Well¡­ Every Dungeon has its quirks, and it seems this is one with more than a few." They were standing looking at the pillar with the mushrooms growing on it. "Shall will we proceed?" Minvar asked. "In a few moments, I just have to make a few more notes." I went back downstairs to Krag. "They will be here soon." "Good. Need to smash." He grunted in reply. It was not long before they came down the stairs, and Krag stood, collecting his shield. This was going to be fun. The doors were opened, and the team entered. Krag was standing, ready to meet them. The tallest of them looked at Krag with a look of pure hatred. He bellowed a war cry/challenge and charged forward. Krag smiled and triggered his [Charge] skill as he went to meet him. The two collided, each bracing behind their shields. The impact was loud, and I even felt like wincing. The big minotaur lost the momentum impact fight and was knocked back onto his back. As soon as he charged forward, Minvar began yelling in their language. The others followed him to try to support him in his reckless charge. Krag swung down with his mace glowing with another skill. His name seemed to be Brutun, and he rolled away. The mace impacted the moss-coved floor, causing earth and moss to erupt from the crater that was made. Krag was forced to defend himself from the others as Brutun got back up. Minvar was near him, yelling. He seemed to be ignoring her. Krag backed up using his limited ability to move to get his shield before his attackers. He was doing better than he used to. [Shadow Arms] was triggered, causing one of the attackers to stumble as they wrapped around his legs. Krag used the opening with another [Smash] to take him out of the fight. His shield took the blow, but he was knocked aside and fell. The other stepped up to take Krag''s attention. Their scout/rogue was flanking him to strike at his back. He attacked Krag from the back when he thought he had an opening. Krag had learned from many trying this. He turned and thrust the hilt of his mace into the face of the one attacking from behind. His opponent scored a hit in return but was knocked back with his snot bloody. His shield covered him from the one in front of him. Brutun then crashed back into the fight. He knocked his comrade aside and made Krag focus on him. His eyes had a red tint to them. Was he frothing? Brutun''s attacks were coming in fast and sloppy. He was leaving too many openings as he overextended, which Krag exploited. He turned, rolling with a strike, causing Brutun to overbalance and fall forward. Krag uppercuts him with his mace-holding hand, snapping his head back. Krag boots him right between the legs as a follow-up. Brutun lets out a high-pitched shriek/scream and goes down hard. Even I wince at that one! The other two shield holders in the group save him. They collide with Krag, pushing him back and stopping him from delivering a killing blow. He snarls and pushes back. The group''s healer rushes to Brutun''s side. A fire spell of some kind impacts Krag''s back. Flames swipe across it, and he grunts in pain. Minvar turned out to have some offensive magic that she had not revealed yet. Krag cannot turn to face her as the other fighters are pressing him with attacks. She seems to be gathering her mana for another spell. The scout is back on his feet, ready to follow up after the spell. Krag is blocking and striking back at the two before him. Another spell is cast, but Krag senses it and triggers [Harden]. He is hit again but suffers far less of an injury. The red health bar above his head was still far from empty, but his blue mana bar was dropping. His green stamina bar also showed a healthy amount. Krag was fighting three opponents now. Minvar was circling, looking for another opening. Krag was manoeuvring to prevent this. He was taking hits but giving them back. Loud impacts reverberate around the room as shields take hits that would have wounded or killed. [Shadow Arms] again is cast. It ensnares one of the shield bearers, allowing Krag to move more to get more room to swing. The other receives Krag''s mace, and the impact is joined by a crack as the shield splits but does not break. The warrior had triggered a skill of his own when Krag hit him, lessening the blow''s power. Brutun is in the foetal position holding his privates. He might be crying. I know I would be. The rogue dodges another strike, but it is close. He stabs back and scores another glancing hit. Krag''s health bar is still over half full. Krag swings at the rogue again, which is a mistake, as he is opened up to one of the warriors. With a blur, Krag takes two strikes from him, each cutting deep. Krag grunts loudly and hits the warrior with the flat of his shield, knocking him back. Krag is forced to the defensive again as they try to get around him. He backs up to a pillar and uses it to protect his back. He was learning and trying different things. The fight went on, with Krag worn down, but not without cost. More spells were exchanged, and skills triggered, but the fight ended when a fire spell hit his face. That was enough to injure him badly and blind him long enough for the group to score several tell blows. His red health bar dropped fast and emptied as he died. "He did a lot better that time." The reward appeared, and the assessor entered the room where he stood watching the fight. He had a silk handkerchief over his face. "By the Gods! The smell is terrible in here." He exclaimed through his face covering. "Ogres find the smell of their rotten kills invigorating," Minvar told him, pointing to some of the bodies. "Gods! There must be seven bodies here!" Searider was pale and looked like he was going to be sick. "All adventurers too arrogant to know when to avoid a stronger opponent." She spoke as she looked over the bodies. Minvar addressed the healer in her language as the group collected the reward and waited for the assessor to record the room. "Team Captain Minvar. Is this the extent of the floor?" Searider asked. "Yes, Assessor Searider. Nothing more just the stairwell and this room." "How very odd¡­. but not unheard of. And there is the Moonlight Rose I have heard about." As he spoke, he walked around the throne and saw the rose. "Yes, that alone makes the floor worthy of being visited." She was trailing slightly behind him. "Indeed, it is quite the prize for those who can best the beast here." As he spoke, he made notes to the floor plan. "Have you located the Core?" "No, assessor Searider. The last time we were here, the injured amongst my group needed to be evacuated for healing." "Again... odd." He was looking up and around now. "Please do not let me hold up your activities or investigation. I can see you have much to do." "On that¡­ We are satisfied and wish to withdraw if you are ready?" The rogue was collecting the rose as she spoke to Searider. "What? Wait! You are¡­ very well let us be away." It seemed he was unhappy but relented, not wanting to cause a scene. They picked up Brutun and left the Dungeon. "Cheeky bastard tried to get them to search for my location. Why? I thought the guide was getting its people not to do that." I followed them out, wondering what problems this assessor would cause me in the future. Chapter 103 Ranus was sitting in his office reading a vellum sheet in his hand. He was getting angrier as he read the word on the sheet. By the end, he crushed the vellum in his hand as his face was tight with rage, and his fist was gripping it so tight his fist went white. He throws the vellum across the room. "Damn them!" He snarls. Danrum entered the room when he did this. "Problems, my Lord?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "My family is causing me issues." He was trying to calm down. "They are trying to disrupt my relations and trade routes with other nations in the area." "I did not think they had that level of influence," Danrum admitted as he sat down across from his Lord. "The family Matriarch recently died, and the Patriarch stepped aside, allowing my father to ascend to the position." "Even with that, how can they still cause issues?" "The Shi''Tan." That was all that Ranus said. "Ah. I understand." Ostrul had agreed to his terms and had set up a trading mission in the town. Two Shi''Tan had joined it. Ostrul supplied the security when they left the compound but was limited by the town''s laws. Ranus had heard whispers that Ostrul was very unhappy but relented from pressure from the Imperium. Ranus had to let them in, as that was the deal he had offered. The complaints and criticisms came fast after as word spread. He had been ready, but his family took advantage of this to stir the pot. Such actions were planned for, but still, they were a distraction that he did not want or need. "How is the town, Danrum?" Ranus asked to take his mind off this problem. "Overall, things are well. The introduction of the Shi''Tan has caused the expected reactions, with a few being sent to Arbiter Nextom." Danrum spoke from memory. "Petty crime is up slightly, as is the number of homeless people." "New housing is coming. Vulus has some ideas." "The people can see that, my Lord. The lack of buildable land is causing some concern." "Understandable. Continue." "With up to two teams now accessing the Dungeon, the number of issues they are causing has fallen as none want to lose their position on the entry list." "Then Guild Leader Woodland''s idea has borne fruit." "It has my Lord." Danrum was sceptical at first but now supported it. Any adventurer causing trouble would be sent to the bottom of the entry list. It was a very long list. "Anything else?" Ranus enquired. "The southern land route project is still moving forward, and the number of attacks has fallen since last year." "That is good news." "For now, yes. But it might attract more organised groups later." Danrum was always planning for trouble. "I am sure you will be ready if that happens. Anything else?" "No, my Lord." "Well, I shall not keep you from your duties." They both rose, and Danrum bowed slightly before turning and leaving. Ranus smiled. He had tried to get his now-Watch Commander to relax more with him. Danrum''s Path changed with his class, developing from Captain to Commander. His change had been a great source of pride for him. Ranus went over and picked up the discarded vellum and placed it on his desk. As he looked at the stack of things needing his attention, the punishment for doing well was more work. He sighed as he sat and got to work. ## ## ## ## ## Elain was glaring at the pile of reports she needed to read. She was willing it to combust and burn away. Alas, it did not. The report from Vicdrum was before her. She had gone through it along with the floor plans he had created. They were good and she had to admit it. His figures and notes were straightforward and easy to read. His report agreed with her that the Dungeon had a high silver tier rating. He added several personal notes to the report. He was concerned it had only seven floors, not the twenty-five to thirty it should have. The changing environments and monsters were another. Finally, he chaffed at the restriction on not locating the Core. "There is no way in all the hells I am letting a Searider clan member see it." She snorted. Guild members were loyal to the Guild, but many found ways to help others, especially those from prominent families. It was ignored as long as it did not damage Guild''s interests.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The Searider clan was a classic example of this. They had controlled their territory and Dungeon from before the Old Empire and they knew how to play the game better than most. "Well, I cannot just get rid of him now, can I?" There was something about him she disliked. No, that was not true. She knew it was his attitude of superiority over the other Guild members. Albrot was away right now but had sent word that Dolton and Seela were making their way back here. That would be interesting, to say the least. Reports from Folly''s End were concerning. Nothing had crossed the river, but they were testing its defences. That was the only major issue she was worried about right now. Sure, there were problems, but she was dealing with them. Demand for the Moonlight Rose was still increasing. She was getting requests from all over the continent and now from abroad. Albrot had gotten word to her that even more high-tier groups of adventurers were heading to the town to get one or more. The ogre was also becoming another draw for the adventurers addicted to fighting. The only monster on the floor defending such a prize was like honey to flies. Minvar''s group had taken it out again, and she had spoken to her. The report she got from her was concerning. The ogre was getting better after each fight. His team won, but the fight lasted longer and suffered more injuries. One of her team was still with the healers as his bullhood(?) had taken quite an impact. She sighed, knowing things were getting crazier again. ## ## ## ## ## Trixis looked around the small room. There were five of them in the room. They were gathering in the storeroom of a longhouse. Trixis had arranged with the owner to use this place. Silma was in the room with her. Waiting for the last of them to enter and close the door. They were all poor, the low Pathed and trapped in drudgery by circumstance or lack of will. They still had not found what they were looking for and were seeking like Trixis once was. It was Silma who revealed the truth to her. Trixis was once a slave and then a menial worker, and now¡­. Now, she was looking at a new path to the future¡ªone she had never expected to appear, but then she had been resigned to being a slave for the rest of her life. She looked at the others. Silma''s face glowed, and the others began to understand that they had more power over their fates than they had realised. The Dungeon had taught her that when it freed her. Such a thing should not have been possible, but it had done it. At first, she was amazed, but over time, she came to understand the magnitude of what had happened. Once the door was closed and they were settled, she began. "In a place of shadows and danger, I found freedom¡­" ## ## ## ## ## "This new type of ogre added with his other creations is a clear sign of how dangerous this Core is." Nyralia was speaking, her concern evident. As the Goddess of Nature, she would be the first to deal with them if they entered the world outside the Dungeon. "We understand that Nyralia. The local adventurers regularly kill the minions, making such an event highly unlikely." Hackyon sought to soothe her concerns. "At the moment, Lawdrun is correct, but we must be prepared if this changes," Xandus added. "His two wandering minions are levelling and have not been killed yet." She indicated the list of minions within the Dungeon and their levels and base "stats". The wandering ones, Larry and Puck, were the only ones who had kept their levels. "This might be a more pressing problem than we have realised," Lawdrun spoke, drawing their attention. "Why?" Nictor asked. "Once "levelled" the Core can recreate them with increased cost but without losing their newly gained abilities." The other four divine beings exploded into cursing at this revelation. "Are you sure!" Nictor demanded. "I am. The minion will be completely recreated as long as the Core can support the "CP" cost. The ogres improving fighting skills are a sign of it. He is recreated from the point of death, not a set point of creation. This allows him to learn from each death. The lower intelligence minions can only do this when they pass the levelling threshold." Lawdrun explained. "That means the smarter the minions he creates, this will become an increasing problem as they learn from each fight." Xandus thought out loud. "Yes. They will develop new skills and abilities from these clashes. It also means that the danger level of these floors will increase over time and will not be set like other Dungeons." Lawdrun confirmed grimly. This led to another bout of cursing, then a heavy silence as each thought about the ramifications of this. "We must instruct the militant orders within the town to destroy the minions if they ever emerge from the Dungeon." Nictor finally spoke. "I agree, but it will be hard as many within the Dungeon are created with stealth in mind." Nyralia pointed out. "Then we must establish a position next to the entrance to monitor it and look for void corruption." Nictor reasoned. "We can use the danger of the corrupted to have this happen. Yes, it could work." Xandus agreed. "We must ensure that the militant orders only stop things leaving and not entering." Hackyon pointed out. "Of course¡­. Unless Folly''s End becomes an issue." Lawdrun spoke. This brought another bout of silence to the group. "Badtor and Apharon have shifted much of their militant orders to the area. Both have reported growing numbers of corrupted but no major attempts to cross the river." Xandus said. "I have encouraged the nations along the path to the Dungeon and around the End to put aside their grudges and work together here." "Will it be enough?" Lawdrun asked. Nictor answered. "No. We have been scrying the area, and we have found many places where the corruption is dense and prevents the revelation of what is here." "Concerning. What can we do?" Asked Nyralia. "What we are doing. When they cross, and we all know it is when the battle will be horrific." Nictor admitted. "Can we encourage the other aces to send aid?" Hackyon asked. "No. The Folly hurt all of them. We cannot be seen as playing favourites or encouraging another invasion of the continent. We can only use limited resources outside the continent." Answered Xandus. "When they cross, will we take direct action?" This came from Nyralia. Nictor and Xandus looked at each other before Xandus looked at the other Goddess and answered. "Yes." That caused a stir among the other three. Such action came with a cost and danger to the mortal plane. They had done such things in the time of the Folly and many still had not fully recovered from what they had done. "We will worry about that at a later date. We will plan, prepare and deal with what happens when it does." It was odd to them that Nictor was the one calling for restraint and calm, as it was normally Xandus. Strange days indeed. "Then let us word our instructions." Lawdrun offered. ## ## ## ## ## The next day, Lord Goldwind met with the council of religious leaders. They informed him of what they wanted. He debated and argued but relented. That day, funded by the churches and temples, a stone structure was built next to the Dungeon entrance on the other side of the Guild building. It was squat and built with thick walls - a strong point. It took several days to build, but the churches had deep pockets, and things happened fast. In less than six days, it was finished and garrisoned by a rotating group of Militant Order warriors. It was announced that the building would stop any twisted beast from emerging from the Dungeon if any got infected. This quieted the whispering but did not end it. This was a rare thing, and the town''s population was worried. The number of the orders warriors clearly showed something was concerning the Gods and it had to do with the twisted. Word spread fast to the other nations and powers around the young town. They took notice and wondered where the danger was coming from. The number of twisted had been increasing, and the wise amongst them noticed a pattern. Nearly all those found were moving, and only the strongest were holding territory¡ªthose who were all moving towards the Dungeon in the Shadows. Chapter 104 The realm of the Divine was tense¡ªthe events since the Folly had shaken things up, and his recent decisions had only added to this. The messengers flying between the domains seemed more than typical. Oda looked out over the realm from his office window. From this position, he saw nearly all. Nearly. That was his problem. He was frustrated but hid it. Out there was a traitor to his realms and all that he sought to protect. He had not identified who, but he was still looking. He had only ruled out one of the divine, and that was the one helping him. He could not come out and openly search, as the pantheon would tear apart, worsening the situation. He had seen divine wars and needed to avoid that at all costs. This made him make his ploy when he created the Core. They needed to see him as confused and unsure. He hoped this would lull the traitor into a false sense of security and reveal them. The embarrassment and ridicule he had inflicted on himself was the best cover he could come up with. The council overlooking Bhaldor was doing its job, meaning many were no longer paying as much attention to him. This allowed him to operate with less scrutiny. So far, he had not discovered much. He sighed, knowing that this would take as long as it would as the traitor had covered their tracks exceptionally well. One of the shadows in the corner of the room shifted, and a figure stepped out of it. Oda knew who it was and did not bother to turn. "Well?! he asked. "The council have established a fortified building outside the Dungeon entrance." "As expected," he continues to watch the messengers fly between the different domains. "Is there a corrupt monster close by?" "No. The lion was the strongest in the area. The Core has lowered the level of corruption in its vicinity to the point that it is hardly spreading. Give it another year or two at most; it will be gone except for those already infected." "Good. Anything else?" This was good news. "The corrupted migration patterns¡­. Are attracting notice." The voice was more hesitant. "Bhaldor has developed faster than I predicted, and his effect has increased as a result." Oda let out a small sigh. "We will adapt by bringing some plans forward." "Is Bhadlor in danger?" "From the corrupted? No. From fearful mortals? Yes." Oda noticed more messengers between Xandus and Nictors domains. "Bring forward our plans in that regard." "I understand." "Bhaldor can handle a large amount of void corruption now. If the numbers in Folly''s End cross the river, that will change. Until then, we continue with the noted changes." There was no answer as the figure stepped back into the shadow and disappeared. Oda was alone again. "Yes, overall, things are progressing well." ## ## ## ## ## Ranus wished things were progressing well. The town¡­ no city¡ªhad almost run out of space. Even with the other bank occupied, the land plots were gone. He held a few, but he had sold half of those to keep up with the city''s ever-increasing demand for building space. There had been another influx of people that had taken the remaining plots. "How goes your plans for building upwards?" Ranus asked Vulus who was giving him the bad news. "I have brought in new building materials and designs. The problem is that the base buildings in the city were never designed for such expansion when they were put up in the first place. I have built up those to reduce the housing strain that was planned for expansion." "These buildings must be torn down and rebuilt to see such expansion," Ranus confirmed. "Yes. Adding more to them could be done, but it will make the structure unstable and a hazard." Vulus confirmed. Vulus ran the city''s construction for him, so there have been a few collapses and fires. The buildings overall are sturdy and well-built, making them far safer. "I have had several requests to build out onto the river." This caused Vulus to perk up in alarm. "I have, of course, refused due to the danger to ship navigation." "Very wise, Ranus." Vulus sounded relieved and slumped back. "You will need to start planning for the buildings to be replaced." Ranus pointed out. "I will. I will cause many complaints." "We will deal with them when they arise." Ranus was confident when he spoke. "I now must raise another issue." Vulus was hesitant again. "What now, Vulus?" Ranus felt a headache coming on. "Well, the problem is¡­. Sanitation."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "I had thought we had that handled?" Ranus is now sounding confused. "We had, but the numbers in the city have increased to the point where we now require a sewer system for the city." "A sewer system already!" Ranus was surprised. He had not thought that there were that many people in the city now. "Yes, and a fresh water system," Vulus added. "Gods! What will that cost, and how long will it take to build?" Ranus exclaimed. "Thankfully, we have access to Geomancers, which will speed up construction but also increase the cost." Vulus almost winced as he handed the number to Ranus. He took the scrap of vellum and paled. "V-V-Vulus, are you sure?" Ranus felt like passing out at the number. "The biggest factor in the cost is we have to map out where the Dungeon floors might impact our construction efforts. My plans are elaborate but will enable a much larger population in the future." Ranus slumped into his seat and sounded defeated when he spoke. "Well, we must begin as soon as we can. A bout of plague is something the town does not need. Can you build for a stagged construction schedule?" "I have, Ranus. We can start when you allocate the first wave of funds." Vulus sounded happier and was reminded that Ranus Goldwind was a good man trying to do the best for his people. "I will need to speak to Amya. You will get a figure today." "Thank you, Ranus. Hopefully, we can address some of the homeless by winter." Vulus stood and left the room. Ranus placed his head in his hands after the door closed. "I had just started to build a reserve." He muttered to himself. He stayed like that for several minutes until there was a knock at the door. "Yes?" He called out. Naru opened the door and entered. He straightened as the door opened. "Will there be anything else this morning, my Lord?" She asked. "Yes, Naru. Please send for Amya." "At once, my Lord." She curtsied and left the room, closing the door as she left. Ranus leaned back and looked at the rafters. "How am I to afford this?" ## ## ## ## ## Amya closed the door to her office, leaning against it. She almost squealed in delight. "Rickle might not be laughing at me yet," she said breathlessly. The meeting she had just had with Ranus had been wonderful. During it, she had made the necessary noises and looked worried as he explained the problems. She had expressed her concern and begged his leave to review her numbers. "Who would have thought sewers would be my salvation?" She said as she almost glided over to her desk. His finances had improved, but not to the point where he could afford sewers and rebuilding large sections of the city. With the city''s expansion, his burdens also increased. The discovery of the moonlight rose, and the shadow-infused boar hide were big earners, with silver vein being the more stable and regular source of income now. Still, those numbers were not even close to what he needed. Sitting at her desk, she pulled out a hidden message scroll. Reaching for a quill, she began writing as soon as the crystal glowed, showing it had connected. Ranus is seeking city expansion for health reasons. Sewers are now required. Can he afford them? He can afford some small amount of work but not even close to the sum he will need. I will need to offer a fresh contract for a loan. We will supply it. The conditions will be better hidden. I will await it. Excellent, this might bring my wayward son to heel. This ended the brief interaction. Amya leaned back in her chair, thinking over the events that had led her here. Hector Goldwind might be the family Patriarch, but his wife, Elis, was the far more dangerous one. On the surface, she seemed to be the supportive and demure wife of a wealthy merchant, but underneath, she was far more. Amya had discovered that Hector acted as the face of the couple and followed her instructions in most things. Elis was so good at hiding that even her children were mostly unaware of her influence. She could manipulate money and people like few could. When Amya discovered it, she was given a choice: work for Elis or be destroyed. She chose employment. Elsi had built up a shadowy empire of influence through debt and intimidation through the local lands. Amya had heard whispers that her daughter Marcia was just as ruthless as her. Elsi was already a Goldwind from a distant family branch, a third or fourth cousin who married back into the main line. Her family could not claim the name but were well known as part of the extended family. They had focused on influence pedalling over mercantile goals. She shivered, thinking how different mother and son were. Elis was practical and ruthless, while Ranus was considerate and noble. It was hard to reconcile such differences between them. Elis was focused on binding her wayward child back to her control; as Amya suspected, he surprised her by breaking free of it by discovering and claiming the Dungeon. Amya went back to work and waited for the new document to arrive. ## ## ## ## ## Elis Goldwind closed the scroll after communicating with her agent. Her daughter Marcia was sitting in the pallor/office with her. The two looked similar and could easily be identified as mother and daughter. Both had the same olive complexion, piercing cold blue eyes and straight black hair. "So, Had Rickle finally decided to laugh at Ranus?" She asked her mother. "Possibly, daughter. Never discount the God of Luck''s whims." She reminded her daughter. "Never, mother. It seems the town-no city of Shadow Vale might be too much for my dear brother to handle?" "Your father and oldest brother are acting as instructed. They are keeping his attention from me and my schemes." Elsi looked out the window as she spoke. "Mother, I mean no disrespect, but I am surprised you have not brought him to heel yet." Marcia looked up from the vellum sheet in her hand. "Marcia, when someone says something like, "I mean no disrespect," they mean that they do," Elis replied in a tone that would impress the God of Winter with its coldness. Marcia tried to stammer out an apology, but a look ended that. "Your brother was never a factor in my plans as a lesser son and a mediocre merchant. I was content to leave him as a small merchant and never brought him into my confidence." "You mean the weakest of your sons?" Merica asked. She had no love for her younger brother. "I thought that at the time. But it seems I was wrong. He is far more like his grandsire." Elsi admitted to one of her few mistakes. "Rickle smiled at him when he found that Dungeon," Marcia said dismissively. "Marcia, your greatest flaw is that you cannot see what your family is capable of," Elis said, still looking out the window. "How so, mother?" "I fully investigated the events around him discovering the Dungeon." Elis turned her full attention back to her daughter. Marcia shivered under it but did her best to hide it. "Your brother did not just stumble across it but found it after tracking down the sources of several strange stories from those plying the rivers." "He always loved stories." "Yes, and that day it served him well." "It was entertaining to see Rassal taken down a peg." Marcia managed to suppress a giggle and his misfortune. "No, daughter, it was not." The cold tone delivered it like a strike to the face. "Your brother outmanoeuvred the whole family and many laughed at us for it." Elis looked at the desk before her and picked up a sheet of vellum before continuing. "He has demonstrated good financial and leadership abilities. He has avoided several diplomatic traps and the schemes of the Shi''Tan. Finally, he had seen through my normal loan contracts and rejected them¡­ He has proven to be most unexpected." "Then will this be his undoing?" "Possibly. We will make the offer, but he has been able to avoid entanglements so far, so we must be careful." "Will you sweeten the terms?" "A little. I will need to better hide the terms in the contract''s language." "Do you think we will gain control of the town and Dungeon soon?" "Hard to say. There is much happening around it that I have yet to fathom." Chapter 105 Ranus was reading several documents supplied by Amya in his bedroom. He was sprawled out across his bed, surrounded by sheets of vellum. Several candles and the fireplace illuminated his room as it was nearly midnight. The shadows from the flames danced across the walls. "It is worse than I thought." He muttered to himself. According to these figures, he would need to spend all his surplus money for the next ten years to afford the sewers and water systems required by the city. That did not factor into the buildings he owned that would need upgrading. Or any additional problems that would appear knowing this Dungeon. To all intents and purposes, it was beyond him at this time. "Could I phase the construction?" he asked himself. It was a pleasant lie he had in his mind, but he knew the truth. The city would be swept by plague if he did not act soon. He had heard stories of other communities never recovering from such outbreaks. He sighed and sat up on the bed. "And this will not do." In his hand was the newest loan agreement that Amy had sourced. He had spent several hours carefully reading and analysing each line. He had concluded it was another honeyed trap. He throws it away as frustration grows in his chest. "What to do?" He looked around, exasperated. His eyes fell onto the hidden lockbox located in his room. That could be the answer, but it comes with its own problems. "What have I to lose?" He got up, opened the box''s hidden location and unlocked it, pulling the black speaking crystal from it. He then went to the chair in the room and sat down. He breathed deeply and prepared himself before activating the crystal. "Hello?" He spoke into it. There was a moment of silence before an annoyed voice replied. "You again? I am busy. What do you want?" "I apologise for the sudden impact on your duties," Ranus spoke carefully, knowing the being on the other side was temperamental at the best of times. "I wish to speak with you about an issue that might soon come to affect you." Another moment of silence. "¡­ Very well." His voice was hesitant. "Due to the popularity of your Dungeon, the town has developed into a full city." Ranus decided to honey his words and bend the truth a bit. "We have an arrangement in place, and I would like to call on it to help with the problem arising from the growth." "And that would be?" The voice was getting annoyed again. "The city needs a sewer and freshwater system." Ranus controlled his fear as he spoke. "If not, the plague will come, and the number of adventurers that will enter the Dungeon will be reduced." There was more silence before he spoke again. "Plumbing, eh?" "Plumbing?" Ranus never heard that term before. But the voice continued ignoring his confused question. "You''re right. That will be costly. How much are you looking for?" The question, with its speed, slightly threw him. "Er¡­. I will need the equivalent of ten platinum coins." He was asking for a lot, expected it to be rejected and was ready to negotiate for a lower amount. The silence was telling. "Ten¡­ Is that all?" That question confused Ranus. He had expected many things, but not this. He had just asked for enough money to keep a family of four in luxury for the rest of the parents'' lives and most of the children''s lives as well. It was the equal of a thousand gold coins. "¡­That is what I will need to complete the building project." Ranus wondered what was happening. "In return, I will need a few things¡­. No, I need a lot of things. In return for the money, you will supply them as quickly as you can. Agreed?" "What¡­things?" Ranus asked cautiously. "I will need to know before agreeing to anything. There are some things that I will not traffic in." "Fair enough. Can you write my list down?" Ranus scrambled around for a clean sheet of vellum, quill and inkpot. "I am ready. Please proceed." "Right, let''s start with¡­" "¡­ That can be arranged¡­" "...Oh, add these as well¡­" "¡­That will take time, but it is something I can find¡­" "¡­. Wait, better get more. Make it double¡­" Over the next ten minutes of speaking, a list of thirty-five items to find was compiled. It ranged from easy items to problematic items, but there was nothing that Ranus had an issue with. "Some of these will be costly to get here," Ranus admitted. "Tell you what. I will supply you with as many as you can as fast as you can, and I will increase it to fifteen platinum coins¡­ What was that sound?" That sound was Ranus falling off his chair in shock. The Dungeon was offering an amount many Lords dream about getting in one payment. The cynical part of his mind asked what the catch was. "N-nothing¡­" He got back up and sat down, trying to salvage his dignity. "I am honoured by your generosity¡­"This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "I can hear the "but"." "¡­. But this cannot be all you are seeking?" Ranus asked. "In that, you are right. I want five more things, but I have yet to decide on them." "Very well. If these are your terms, I think we have an accord on this." Ranus sought to get this deal done as it would save the city. "If you are willing, you can collect the money right now." "Thank you for this. It will help many people." Things were finally looking better for Shadow Vale. The crystal connection was cut. It was then Ranus thought to himself. Maybe I should have asked for the amount in gold coins. ## ## ## ## ## "Excellent, Amya, enter, enter." Ranus was in a good mood, immediately putting Amya into a suspicious mindset. "You called for me, Ranus?" She asked when entering. "Indeed. I will need you to get together with Vulus and arrange for the sewer and freshwater system construction to start." "Have you agreed to the terms of the loan I supplied?" She was suddenly hopeful. "No. I was not happy with it. I did, however, supply another loan with far more favourable conditions." He was delighted and walked around the room. "Oh, that is good to hear. With whom and how much?" Amya felt sick but needed more information. "A private arrangement and the pouch on the table is the total sum." He waved at a pouch on the desk. She reached out and picked it up. It was not heavy and had maybe twenty coins inside it. Frowning, she opened it and gasped in shock at the condense. "Fifteen platinum coins of the old empire quality," Ranus said, beaming. "That will pay for all the work and give the city a fair emergency reserve." "Y-yes, b-b-but who could give you such a sum on such short notice." Platinum coins were rare, and their use was noted both in and out of nation and city-states. Ranus dropping fifteen will attract a lot of attention. "Like I said, it is a private arrangement. We need to keep the number hidden as long as possible. Go to the Merchant Guild and put them in the city accounts using someone you trust." He sat across from her. "Also, I need you to source a few odd things. Here, I have a list." ## ## ## ## ## "Fifteen platinum coins of the old empire quality." Her voice was so hard and cold as she spoke that it could be classified as a weapon. "Yes, mother." Marcia wanted to be anywhere but here, but she knew things would be far worse if she did not report what she had just learned from Amya. "Where in all the God''s names did he get fifteen old empire platinum coins?" She asked as her eyes narrowed as she thought. "It mostly likely came from another nation probably¡­" Marcia started. "Silence." The word cut like a blade through the air. "We will find out who supplied him with that money." Elis stood and walked to the window overlooking the Goldwind estate. "He has a backer with deep reserves. This might be part of a larger move against us." "Who do you suspect?" Marcia asked. "Many, but I want evidence. Striking out against the wrong target would be disastrous. Did Amya give any indication of who?" "No, mother. Ranus only said it was a private arrangement with favourable terms that he had arranged." Marcia was getting concerned as she felt the room temperature dropping. "Spread the word amongst the whisperers in our network. I want to know who has moved that many platinum coins." She turned to face her daughter. "Offer a good reward for confirmable information." Marcia heard the emphasis on "confirmable," as her mother hated rumour and speculation. She lived and died by hard facts that she could use, control, or blackmail. "At once, mother." Marcia turned and left the room, leaving Elis alone. She returned to her desk and sat. Instead of dealing with the reports on it, she looked out the window again. "What deals have you entered into, son?" ## ## ## ## ## "Ranus visited the Dungeon again last night," Elian told Albrot. "He did, did he? Any idea on the why?" Albrot asked. "No. But our watcher was sure the temples watchers saw him too." Elian answered. "And they have said nothing so far? I am getting concerned we should be aware of all interactions between Dungeons and others." Albrot thought out loud. "Do you think they will try to blackmail him?" "With what? He has not done anything." There was a knock at the door, and a messenger entered, handing Elian a small strip of vellum. She read it as the boy left, closing the door. Albrot noted the change in her expression as she read. "It''s from the Merchant Guild. Ranus has started construction on a sewer and freshwater system." She spoke. "Good news, things were getting a bit concerning around here, but I take it there more." He started to drink from a cup he was holding. "Yes, he has. Through his treasurer, Amya deposited fifteen platinum coins at the Guild." The explosion of wine from Albrot''s mouth covered her table and her to some degree. "WHAT!" He yelled. "I think we both know where he got those coins," Elian said, leaning back and wiping the wine off her. Albrot recovered and became concerned. "That means he has some connection with the Dungeon." "That is the only explanation. As there is no fairy, he must have a direct way to speak to the Core itself." "There has never been a person who has directly spoken to a Core without a fairy present." Albrot was thinking. "Another strange thing about this Dungeon." Elian looked at Albrot. "How are we going to approach this?" "Now that is the question, is it not? I will need to consult with the boss." "What will we do until then?" "Nothing. It is the temples and churches that I am concerned about." ## ## ## ## ## "The local lord is communicating with the Core!" Astraus yelled. "Are you sure, Astraus?" Lawdrun asked. "Yes, I am. Fifteen platinum cons do not just appear after he went into the Dungeons service building." She snarled at the other God. "Come now, that was uncalled for," Xandus spoke. Astraus was with Bhaldor''s oversight group. She stormed into the meeting and started yelling straight away. The other divine beings quickly understood the source of her anger. "We must investigate this, Astraus, and we will deal with this if true." Nictor sought to cut off her rants. "Why were you not aware of this!" She demanded. "There are no signs of this connection with his status sheets. How are we to be aware of this? There is no fairy or any other intelligence for us to work with." Nictor retorted. Astraus almost snapped back but stopped herself, remembering who she was talking to. "Nictor is right. We need to investigate this to find out what means of communication exist between them." Xandus added. "What will you do if you when you find the means?" Astraus asked. The other Gods looked at each other, gauging each reaction to the question. Xandus spoke. "We will decide that at the time." "That is not good enough," Astraus complained. "It is all we can do right now until we learn more," Xandus replied. "I have taken action to find that out," Lawdrun added. ## ## ## ## ## Naru entered Ranus''s office as he was working. "Apologies, my Lord." She said as he looked up from what he was reading. "What is it, Naru?" "Arbiter Nextom is here to see you, and he claims it is urgent." "Very well, hold my next appointment. If this takes too long, send him in." Naru turned and left as Ranus stood to greet the Arbiter. He entered with a concerned and grim look on his face that worried Ranus right away. "Tell me, Arbiter, what has happened?" Ranus asked, fearing the answer. "I believe we should both sit for this, Lord Goldwind." Ranus motioned to an empty seat, and both men sat facing each other. "I have been sent to you with a question from the pantheon." He started, and Ranus felt the dread growing within him. "Are you in contact with the Core of the Dungeon in the Shadows?" Chapter 106 "Yes, I am," Ranus said to the Arbiter. Lying to the man was nearly impossible and would not gain him anything. He had a good relationship with the churches in most cases and did not want to ruin it. He nodded, seeing it was the truth. "How are you doing this?" "Through a special speaking crystal." "May I see it?" "It is hidden away. Please wait here for me to revive it." Nextom nodded to the request as Ranus stood and went to his chambers. He opened the lock box and took out the crystal. He then returned to the room. Arbiter Nextom''s attitude was a mixture of curiosity and fear. Ranus found this interesting, as the man was usually as calm as a pond on a summer''s day. He sat and placed the crystal on the table. Nextom''s focus was on it straight away. "It''s black¡­" He said, confused. He reached across the table and lifted it to inspect it in the light from the open window. "Good quality and well crafted. Solid enchanting with no mama leakage." He continued his inspection for several more moments before turning and placing it back on the table. "Please now, Lord Goldwind, tell me how it came to your possession and every interaction you have had with the Core." He placed his hands on the table, palms down, and was focused on Ranus. "Leave nothing out." Ranus swallowed and told him everything. He listened, making no noise, and only blinked occasionally. Ranus found it highly unsettling as he told his tail. When he finished, there were a few moments of silence in which Ranus sensed that the air in the room had changed somehow. Before he could investigate more, Nextom spoke. "To confirm, you have no indication of who supplied you with the crystal." "None." Nextom picked up the crystal, placed it in the palm of his left hand, and then covered it with his right. He closed his eyes, and the air in the room somehow became stranger and more oppressive, even with the window open and the breeze entering. His hands started to glow gently. The strangeness in the air continued to increase until it suddenly disappeared. Ranus let out a breath he did not realise he was holding. Nextom''s hands stopped glowing, and he placed the crystal back on the table. "This is quite the mystery, Lord Goldwind. The crystal has been crafted to prevent investigation of it through several means." "How so, Arbiter Nextom?" Ranus asked, confused and concerned. "The crystal itself is of an unknown type. Second, it has attuned itself to your mana and yours alone, and finally, it has been wiped off any identifying mana signatures when it linked with you." "Then you have no way to identify its sender?" "At this time, no Lord Goldwind, but I will continue to investigate." He stood, and Ranus scrambled to match him. "Please keep it close and apprise me of any other interactions with the Core." "What of the deal I have made with it?" He asked. "Honour it, Lord Goldwind. Honour it." Was all he said as he turned and left. ## ## ## ## ## "I was wondering when you would appear," Oda spoke to the person who stepped out from the shadow in the corner of the room. He was standing looking out of his window at the mortal realms today. "They have discovered the speaking crystal far faster than I planned. I never expected that the mortal would go to the Dungeon for a loan." "Yes, I just had a very tense conversation with Nictor, Lawdrun and Xandus in that regard," Oda said. "They asked you about the crystal and if you had created it then." "Yes, and I told them truthfully that I had nothing to do with it or its delivery," Oda said, not looking around. "Well done hiding its origins. They are very unhappy to be unable to discern its source. But expect greater effort from them to discover who is behind it." "Xandus is my greatest concern." "Yes, her ability to see the threads of fate. But fear not; seeing into the past is far harder for her as her mantel is one that looks forward. I believe you using the visit of Astraus''s envoy confused the matter enough." Oda turned around to look at this accomplice. "Yes, her attempt to manipulate the Dungeon was too good of an opportunity to miss." Came the amused reply. "That will keep them focused on her for now, but not for long." Oda walked across the room as he spoke. "The Pantheon has been disjointed and lazy this last two centuries. Recovering from the Folly has kept them distracted, but they are waking up again and returning to the great game." "That will make things harder. The only reason we have been able to do what we have is of their focus on their own needs." Oda sat down behind his desk. "We might be divine, but we still fear losing our power and influence lies within us. It is one thing that keeps us tied to the mortals." "Any indications on our traitor?" "Not yet, but this reveal might be our sought opportunity." "In what way?" "The traitor must act against the Dungeon. Now that it has been revealed that it has communications with an outside source and is seeking knowledge and materials¡­" Oda reasoned. "¡­ They must act to prevent the Dungeon from becoming too strong." Came the reply as the other understood.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "Exactly." Oda agreed. "Then we must be more vigilant." "Just so. Our traitor is cunning and will come at us from an unexpected direction. We must be ready to adapt when it happens." ## ## ## ## ## "Another failure." Elis snapped. "Mother, we are using every source we have to find the source of Ranus''s windfall," Marica spoke as her mother paced. Her mother''s pacing was never a good sign. "Hector is working on the political angle, and Rassal is enquiring with the merchants. We are checking the rest, but such a sum does not magically appear." They went back to work by going over the reposts and messages coming through the speaking crystals. "Interesting¡­" Marcia suddenly spoke. "What is it?" Elis demanded. "It''s about the coins¡ªa message from a contact in the Merchant Guild. The coins are identical¡­. But it''s odd, as we have heard from the source already." "Explain." "The coins are identical in every way with no differences at all. Not in casting or metal purity." Elis went silent, thinking over the words her daughter had spoken. A frown quickly comes over her face as she comes to a conclusion. "Is it possible?" "What is it, mother?" "There is only one way to get identical coins, but that is impossible," she mused. Marcia knew that she would have to wait for her mother to explain it to her, and that would be unpleasant, as she was expecting her to figure it out as well. "What is the answer then, mother." Marcia needed to know and damn the consequences. "The Dungeon," was her answer. This confused Marcia, as her brother was no adventurer, and the Dungeon was not yet known to produce such wealth. Her mother looked over at her as she tried to understand. With an exasperated sigh continued. "He has somehow convinced the Dungeon fairy to aid him in this." Marcia was shocked. "But mother, that flies in the face of everything a fairy is meant to do!" "Indeed, we need to know more. This changes everything!" Her mother was back on her feet, pacing again. "If I am correct, it is even more important to secure a hold over him as every other faction that realises this will be seeking the same or to remove him." Marcia remained silent, listening and considering her mother''s words. It suddenly dawned on her that if her brother could do this once, he could do it again. Giving him access to almost infinite wealth. "What shall we do?" She asked. This caused Elis to pause her movement. "Why, dear daughter, it is far time that the family comes together to make peace and work towards a brighter future for all. I will send word to your brother and father that we are going to Shadow Vale." ## ## ## ## ## Moves and counter moves in the game centred around the Dungeon in the Shadows continued. Ranus had made a mistake that was changing things fast. He should have asked for the money in gold as it would have been easier to hide. But that bridge had been crossed, and the consequences were now in motion. Some expected, many not. The most important was being received in a message for the Adventurers Guild. Albrot received it under the guild''s most complex cypher and turned pale. He walked into Elian''s office and sat down. "Well, this cannot be good," Elian quipped as she put down a quill, which brought his attention back to her. "No, it is not." He spoke bluntly, activating his anti-scrying crystal. "The boss is coming." "Gods! Why?" She exclaimed. "She got a report from the Merchants Guild. Ranus had Amya deposit fifteen platinum coins into his accounts." She understood right away. "He got them from the Dungeon." "Tests appear that they were." Albrot agreed. "What will our reaction to this be?" "So far, the Guild leaders and possibly the church leaders are aware. We must try to keep it that way for as long as possible." "The news is spreading then." "Yes." He looked like he had eaten something sour. "Do we know how he managed this?" Elian knew this was the most critical question. "Not yet, but we need to find out fast." "I think we should¡­" Elain was interrupted by a knocking at her door. "Enter!" A receptionist entered. "Sorry to disturb you, but Arbiter Nextom is here and wishes to see you. He claims it''s urgent." "Send him up," Elian ordered. As the door closes, they look at each other. "Well, this should be interesting." Albrot thought out loud. Arbiter Nextom was ushered in and looked around the room. "Excellent, you are both here. Let me enhance the anti-scrying spell." He glowed slightly, and the air in the room seemed charged as if a storm was coming. "As you are both aware by now, Lord Goldwind has acquired a large sum of platinum coins. The Dungeon has supplied them in return for materials and books." "We suspected this to be the reason. How has he managed to communicate with the Core? And what were the details of the exchange?" Albrot covered his surprise at the Arbiter just coming out and saying that. "That I cannot say. The deal struck was a fair exchange that both sides could meet, so it stands as a binding contract." The Arbiter said. "What are the Pantheon''s thoughts on this occurrence?" Elian asked. "We are awaiting the Gods final word but I was instructed to inform you of the present situation." "Thank you, Arbiter Nextom. Is there anything thing else you can say?" Albrot asked. "Yes, do not interfere with what has been agreed upon to be delivered to the Dungeon." "We shall not," Albrot promised. The Arbiter nodded at this and left the room, causing the static in the air to end. "Well, that was unexpected." "Yes, it was." Elian agreed. "But there is something else we need to discuss as well." "What is it?" He asked. "I am afraid for Comus." She confessed. ## ## ## ## ## Comus was in his laboratory. The room was a mess. It was always cluttered, but never in this state. Comus was hunched over the desk, muttering to himself. His aides were getting worried, and his appearance was degrading. He neglected himself and the potions he used at first to hide this. His notes were scrawls of his increasing insanity. He was far down the path now, as the void corruption was spreading faster. It was unseen but now was revealing itself. "It''s the Dungeon¡­ it all comes back to the Dungeon¡­. Yes, yes." In his derangement, he found a truth that led him to the Dungeon. "The Core¡­ it''s unseen." In the back of his mind, a pull had been growing. As the corruption spread through his body, he felt the growing need to go to the Dungeon. He was trying to understand why. "A quick trip in the night¡­ Find the Core and get out¡­. That''s what needs to be done." Destroy it. The whisper came. "No... No... We need to understand it first." Danger. "Yes¡­ but we will go ready¡­. It should be on the last floor." Find it. Danger. "Yes¡­ we will find it¡­. And we will destroy it if needed." Go soon. Destroy it. "Tonight." He had been isolated for increasingly long periods and was unaware of many things. He made his plans, and those who cared for him sought to decide what they could do to help him. The problem was that they were acting too slowly. The sunset came fast, and he left the Guild building armed with the tools and results of his possession under a long coat. He thought he was being cunning, but his Guildmates noticed enough to be concerned. They raised the alarm when they confirmed the number of things missing and their nature. He took a different route to the palisade gates, which led to the floodplain and the Dungeon. This threw off those looking for him, as he did not go home as expected. The guard on duty was distracted, looking at a woman who had engaged him in conversation as Comus paid her to do. He slipped passed through the gates with none the wiser but the woman he paid. Crossing the floodplain was easy, and he approached the Dungeon''s surface building. He expected the first structure next to it, as the Adventurers Guild used it to monitor and control access to the Dungeon. The second was new, and he did not know its purpose. "We are committed," he muttered as he pushed on. He walked with purpose and confidence towards the watchtower doors. "Halt! State your business!" Barked a commanding voice. Comus turned and found himself facing a Paladin from the Chrich of Nictor, who was standing near him, hand on his sword. "Alchemist Guild business, sir! Please stand aside." "I shall not. You have a sickly look to you. Wait here. Your health is to be inspected." Comus reacted with a speed that surprised even himself. A bottle flew from him at the Paladin. The warrior was a veteran and drew his sword as the bottle approached him to knock it aside, but Comus triggered a skill, causing it to shatter, causing a green cloud to appear and cover the Paladin. The gas caused him to choke, distracting him from Comus, who ran to the doors and entered the building. Chapter 107 As the adventurers finished for the day, I was thinking over several possible rat designs. The miners were long gone, and I might do a few¡­
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! A Void Corrupted creature is attacking your Dungeon. Kill it before it destroys you! Rally your minions! Defend your Core and Dungeon! ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Minion room/floor restrictions have been lifted until the raid has been completed or defeated!
"Shit!" I moved my attention to the entry room, fearing what I would find there. What sort of new abomination was going to be sprung on me? In the room, I found a¡­. rather unhealthy-looking man running to the stairs. "Eh?" Was this right? "Mana Sight. Activate." My vision changed as I followed him down the stairs. He slowed down a bit, winded from the run. Seeing him now revealed the corruption in his body. It was spread throughout his body and interacted with the essence in the Dungeon, corrupting it as he walked. I had never had the opportunity to observe a corrupted¡­ well, anything for long yet. Typically, I panicked, thinking about defending my Core and wondering if my layer defence was the best approach. Wearing down the intruder by wading through each floor''s minions was my tactic that was working so far, but it might be time to look at that, thinking back over the monsters that have attacked the Dungeon. Anyway, back to the man walking down the stairs. It seems he is in no rush. I reach out and keep my minions in place. I am going to allow him to descend to the seventh unmolested. I had an opportunity to do some experimentation here and quickly devise a possible plan. I contacted Krag as I needed him to do a few things. "Krag, we have a man coming down the stairs." "More to kill!" He was happy. "No! I want you to leave your room when I tell you and capture him." "We¡­ eating him?" Krag was confused now. "No! I want to study him a bit." "No kill, no eat but hurt?" "No! Hold only next to the Core." His reply was a lot of grumbling, but I think he would obey. Back to the intruder. The corruption was spread deep throughout his body, but it seemed to be moving as he walked towards his skin as he descended. I could see the growing number of corrupted essence "feelers" reaching out around him. I found it weird but interesting at the same time. These feelers were catching more of the essence in the air than his body was processing normally. The corruption was moving into a growing core in his body just above the heart. I sensed that he was moving to a new stage of corrupt existence when this Core reached a critical mass, a sort of evolution. "That will not be good." Watching the feelers as he passed the third, I wondered if I could interact with them. Essence is condensed into mana, and the corrupt essence takes on a similar look in my view. "Now that''s an interesting idea?" He had slowed and was using crystals to scan the area. Watching them, I know that he is studying the essence flows in the Dungeon. Over the last few months, I had added extra ventilation to confuse these more, making it harder to find me. "So, you are looking for me." The monsters that attacked had hunted me on instinct, which this man lacks and is relying on magic to find me. Interesting. He moves further down the stairs, and I hear him increasingly muttering to himself, but I ignore it to watch the corrupt essence moving in his body. This is now the longest I have ever been able to study a corrupted creature or person. "I think I might be able to use Mana Manipulation on this stuff." He eventually gets to the seventh floor and stands in the Core room, scanning the essence around him again. "Now, Krag!" The two large doors suddenly open as Krag stomps out. The man screamed in shock but could not flee as Krag crossed the small room and grabbed him. He picked him up, holding him firm, and looked him over. They were face-to-face. Then, he sniffed him and finally licked him. The man was now babbling in fear and pissed himself. I hope he has not done anything more. "Stop that! Bring him around to my Core. Remember, hold him until I say otherwise. But DO NOT kill him!" It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but Krag managed it. He had pinned the man down on his knees as I opened my alcove. His face was a mixture of fear, confusion and wonder. Krag was grumbling about what I was getting him to do. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Right, let''s try this." Mana Sight was still active, and I triggered Mana Manipulation. I reached out and linked with the feelers coming out of his body. I was using Shadow Mana as it was the fastest to regenerate. They thought I was another source of mana and gripped onto the energy I was using. They started to pull it into his body as the feelers gripped tighter. "Just a little more." There! When I was sure of the connection, I began pulling the energy back into my Core. The void corruption was caught, and I started to drag it into my Core. It was like pulling in a rope or landing a large fish on a fishing line. The central node that was taking on characteristics of a Core tried to resist. I moved slowly and did not rush, which could break the connection. Slow and sure wins this race. I had to ignore the effects on the man as he started shaking and screaming. I trusted Krag would control him. I narrowed my focus on pulling the void of corruption into myself. I started feeling the effects of this action, but I pushed it aside as it was not the intense hit I had experienced before. I focused on the task to the detriment of everything else. I lost track of time as I worked as the man collapsed into unconsciousness. I slowly pulled out the corruption from his body, millimetre by millimetre. The feeling of corruption continued to build. Then, the last part came free and was pulled into me. "Activate. Core Refinement." My vision twisted and changed. This was the next part of my plan, as I had never seen what happens when I absorb large amounts of corruption. Looking into my crystal structure, I could see the void corruption slowly moving into my centre. The energy was flowing along natural channels within my makeup. These channels were narrow, which caused a massive delay in the passing of corruption. This is what causes me to have to spend so much time processing it! It was a revelation that was possibly vital to my future. I would never have seen the channels unless the void corruption were flowing. Now, I knew what I was looking for. With my memory now as it was as a Core, I would remember all of the channel locations. I reached out and focused on one channel. I tried to enlarge it, but I failed to do anything about it. Frustrated, I changed tactics and sought to smooth the route to the centre. I had more success here, significantly when I refined my Core''s crystal. I had a goal! My vision twisted again as I left my inner view. Krag was sitting, digging around in his nose again. The man was sprawled out on the floor with one of his legs pinning him down. He was still unconscious. I checked, and he was still breathing. Dried blood trails were seen coming from his eyes, nose and ears. His breathing was shallow, and he was deathly pale. "Shit! I think I went a bit overboard." "Good, you back. Krag bored." I reached out and checked the Dungeon. No issues. Good. "Take him upstairs and put him into the entrance room." Krag grumbled more but went to work obeying my instruction. I felt like shit, but I opened my notifications. I felt an insistent buzzing in my Core, which I ignored right then.
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! The raid has ended! Result ¨C VICTORY! You defeated no Corrupted Monsters! Design gained: None! Your Dungeon has not been damaged in the raid. As you are VICTORIOUS, no damage will be repaired. Void corruption gained! ¡­¡­¡­¡­. Minion room/floor restrictions have been restored, and your Dungeon has been reset!
"Er. Krag, no, go up the stairs." He stood scratching his head. "FUCK!" That made things difficult¡ªtime to adapt. "Right, leave him at the bottom of the stairs." Krag just dumped the man on the floor, and I winced at the impact. He then turned and went back into his room, closing the doors. There were other notifications, but the buzzing was getting annoying. I turned my attention and realised that the Goldwind fella was trying to contact me. I closed up my alcove, hiding my Core again. "What!" I snapped, as dealing with the corruption was not putting me in a good mood. "Thank the Gods! I have been trying to contact you for the last few hours!" Came the stressed voice of Goldwind. I heard a muffled conversation in the background. It seemed he was not alone. "Well, I have answered, so what do you want?" "Comus of the Alchemists Guild entered your Dungeon. Is he still alive?" Goldwind asked, fear in his voice. "Who?" "Er¡­ Comus, he entered the Dungeon a few hours ago. Is he still alive?" There was a clear note of desperation now. The corruption always messed with my thought processes, and I realised that the man was named Comus. Alchemist Guild? "Heavy set fella, average height with a long coat on?" "Yes¡­. Is he still alive?" I was asked again. "I think he is¡­ not sure, to be honest, but he is breathing." "Oh, thank the Gods!.... Hold on, what do you mean by that?" He was on one hell of an emotional rollercoaster, going from elation back to fear. "Exactly what I said. He is at the bottom of the stairs on the seventh; get someone to come and get him. The ogre down here is eyeing him up as his next meal." "He is¡­ Someone is coming right now." I heard more voices and the sounds of movement. I knew that would get them moving. "I have things to do, so¡­ bye." "Wait, we ne¡­" I cut the connection. After looking over the man, I decided on a course of action. "Looting time! But I might need some help with this one." ## ## ## ## ## "Elian, with me, we will go get him!" Albrot ordered. He strode with a purpose to the doors that marked the Dungeon''s surface building entrance. Elian was hot on his heels. He did not hesitate, as he was once an adventurer and a highly regarded one at that. They moved into the building and went straight for the stairs. Albrot bound down them, and Elian ran to keep up. The floors passed quickly; before she knew it, they had reached the seventh. Comus lay at the base of the stairs, not moving. "Check on him while I cover you." Albrot attention was on the large double doors as he stepped over Comus''s body. Elian went and knelt next to him, assessing his condition. It did not take long. "I have never seen injuries like this." ¡°Use a potion to stabilise him.¡± Elain searched his body but found that all his bottles were gone. She pulled out one of her own. "I am using a mild one to stabilise him now." "Good, as soon as you have administered it, we are going." It was only a few minutes, but they soon headed back up the stairs, with Albrot carrying the unconscious Comus. As soon as they were clear, the healers of Ilinia fell on them. They rushed Comus to their temple as his condition was severe just after the first look. Albrot and Elian entered the church-constructed building to monitor the Dungeon. Outside, three paladins stood guard. Arbiter Nextom, other church leaders, and Ranus Goldwind were inside. "He is alive, but we do not know his condition," Albrot informed the group. Ranus let out a loud sigh to relieve some of the stress. "Do we know anything more?" Arbiter Nextom asked. "No. Comus came to the Dungeon and was challenged by a paladin. He used an alchemic concoction to distract him and entered the Dungeon." Albrot went back over what they knew. "Did you identify the nature of his injuries?" Arbiter Nextom continued. "No, I used a tonic to stabilise, and we got him out. Whatever happened to him had the healers of Ilinia concerned enough to rush him to the temple." Elian added. "So much we do not know," Nextom mused. The other church leaders nodded. "We should withdraw for now and allow the day to continue as normal as it is about to begin. Rest, contemplate, and pray. Then, if we are lucky, we shall meet again at midday in Lord Goldwind''s office with more clarity." They agreed to this and set off. They did not even try to keep this quiet; too many were aware of it and had begun drawing conclusions. Another day in Shadow Vale. Chapter 108 I had mapped the routes through which corruption flowed through me, and I would deal with that soon, but I had my notifications to deal with. "Right, let''s get this done." Opening the notifications triggered an avalanche of messages and levelling of skills alerts. It was too much, so I dismissed them and brought up my character sheet, focusing on two sections.
Name Bhaldor Essence 21%
Race Dungeon Core CP 82(925) 8.4 phr
Level 7 Corruption 19%
Floors 7 Health 100%
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 6 - 22% Core Refining ¨C 18% Mana Sight: 12 ¨C 52% Aura Manipulation: 8 - 45% Herb Lore: 2 ¨C 0% Spell Casting: 1 ¨C 0% Alchemy: 10 ¨C 0% Enchanting: 5 ¨C 63%
Mana Manipulation and Mana Sight had jumped massively, but Alchemy had the most significant increase with nine whole levels. The corruption was not as bad as I feared, and I sensed it was draining faster. I will be focused on those pathways and my Core for the next few weeks. But back to alchemy, I got windfall with some help from Krag, who had complained the whole time.
Materials Absorbed: X5 Healing Potions (Uncommon). X5 Stamina Potions (Uncommon). X3 Confusion Potions (Uncommon). X6 Dazzle Potions (Uncommon). X6 Smoke Potions (Uncommon). X6 Speed Potions (Uncommon). X4 Acid Potions (Uncommon). X3 Firestorm Potions (Rare).
"Daddy likes!" Each had its description, and I could not reproduce any of them right now, but I had learned a great deal from just absorbing them. I would spend time investigating them, but I had work to do. I was going to spend much of the next few weeks and all my CP trying to find the issues with my corruption processing and a few other things I planned on doing. I looked over my Dungeon one last time and then started. ## ## ## ## ## Ranus walked through his now city and thought about the last few days. Things change so fast here, he mused. Comus entering and being retrieved from the Dungeon had led to a very awkward conversation with the Guilds over his ability to communicate with the Dungeon. At first, they tried to get him to give them access, but the Church leaders representing the rest of the churches strongly opposed that. They then sought to speak to the Dungeon, but it was not answering. Most left after this, but Albrot and Elian stayed for an extended conversation with him and the Church leaders. Ranus has started fulfilling his agreement for the platinum coins and delivering some of the listed items to the Dungeon. These were the easiest to acquire, and he had feelers out for the other items. Word of the wealth he now had spread, but not the source, as many kept that quiet for their advantage. Ranus was no fool and knew that it would come to light. The unexpected result was the kidnapping attempt on him yesterday. He had been walking to the Temple of Ilinia as he was now when three men tried to grab him. Several adventurers nearby saw this and stopped it, as others called for the Watch. The event rattled Ranus. He was no stranger to violence, as he had to frequent the numerous docks in the cities and towns he had traded in, but its speed and brazenness were something new to him. Danrum was not happy. Well, that was putting it lightly, and he assigned two Watch members to follow him everywhere he was outside of selected buildings. The two burly men were following him right now. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. People ahead of him stepped aside as he approached. Construction work was happening everywhere, and the new sewer system was starting. Vulus oversaw a dozen projects, and Ranus rarely saw him these days, but that was to be expected. Ranus had instructed those working with the architect to send word if he was overworking himself. The city was crowded, and the sound of life was constantly in the air around him. The smell of civilisation was also present, and he hoped the sewers would alleviate that soon. He made good progress and reached the temple district. Ilinia had one of the largest temples, as she always provided a place for all seeking healing to go, and it was an unwise Lord who did not take advantage of this. Ranus had granted the church more land and waived his rent for the temple, supplying more services. They had agreed as this was a typical arrangement but openly had their accounts studied to prove they were meeting the agreed-upon terms. He approached the building and counted the people waiting to see a healer. He walked up the three stairs and entered the building while the guards waited outside. He reasoned that his approach had been reported as a temple initiate awaited him. Greetings were exchanged, and he was led to a room he was getting to know well. "Greetings, High Healer Selmum." The temple leader was in the room looking over Comus''s sleeping form. They had arranged to speak today before she told the others, as she had finished a very extensive review of his condition and was willing to discuss it. "Lord Goldwind." She turned slightly and greeted him. Her main focus remained on her patient. "How is he?" Ranus asked, looking at the man in the bed. His breath was deep and regular, but he was still pale and unconscious. "Since we stabilised him, unchanged." She straightened herself. "His case is most perplexing. Have you learned anything about what happened to him in the Dungeon?" "Not as yet. The Dungeon is refusing all my attempts at communication." "Frustrating. Come, let me tell you what we are willing to confirm." The woman motioned to the other side of the bed. Once he was standing across from her, she began. "Comus''s body has gone through an incredible and prolonged event that has rendered him in this state. His essence channels display the effects of extreme mana drain to a degree I have never encountered. It was like all the essence in his body was forcibly removed." "As the Dungeon is not saying, do you have any theories?" "I do not. I have forwarded his condition to all the temple heads across the continents and the central house of healing. What replies I have had are those of confusion. Not one has seen the likes of this before. The closest is the effects of some monsters that drain mana or lifeforce from a body. We have discovered that his soul was also affected by what happened. No damage was inflicted, but it is not as it should be and shows signs of restoration." "Then he was attacked?" "Yes¡­ and no." This was the first time Ranus had seen Selmum so hesitant. "Something I am sure was removed from his body. But everything that I expected to see was there. Even his essence is recovering now." Ranus fell silent as he thought about that and then asked. "Then what about something that should not be there?" "That is an interesting question." Selmum looked at Ranus and then back to Comus. "If everything expected is present, something that should not be there was removed. But what?" The two fell silent as they racked their memories for a possible answer. Ranus thought over the time he had known Comus and how they had reached this place. It all started with¡­. "¡­. The twisted break out at the Alchemist Guild." "What was that? Lord Goldwind?" Selmum looked up sharply. "Comus started to act differently after that day. It was slow, but he started doing different things." "Yes, I remember he was checked and found free of the corruption that causes the twisted to form." "I must ask, could you have missed something?" Ranus asked. "If you asked me that yesterday, now¡­. Now, I am not so sure." Selmum responded with a growing look of concern. "We have not been able to purge the corruption from the affected, and it is only contained." "What! You have not been able to purge the corruption from those affected." This was a revelation to Ranus. The implications were terrifying even to consider. "How many are affected here within the town?" "Few. The town had surprisingly few with corruption considering the number of twisted that have been sighted." "You have no other option but to contain it?" "Unfortunately, we have not, Lord Goldwind. Once the corruption affects someone, we cannot remove it." "Has the Dungeon found a way?" "Maybe, maybe, Lord Goldwind," Selmum said thoughtfully. "That might explain everything we see with Comus. But we need to know how and what happened to him in the Dungeon." "If I could tell you, I would High Healer." "There is so much to study here, Lord Ranus. If you discover anything else, please inform me at once." ## ## ## ## ## Heading back to his administration building, he thought over the last few days. Ranus had continued fulfilling the debt to the Dungeon but found its lack of communication frustrating. He needed to do so much work. Comus''s little jaunt into the Dungeon had thrown off all of his schedules, putting him into disarray as he worried for his friend''s safety. He knew he would need to get back on top of this, as his workload could easily drown him. It was later in the day now in the town; no city was bustling. As he walked, he could see examples of all the local humans and many non-humans now amongst the crowd. The Watch had been tasked with keeping the peace, and we''re doing an excellent job. Of course, there had been a few problems, but they were quickly resolved, and the perpetrators were punished. Ranus passed the market near the docks, the central hub of trade in the city. Here, traders hawked their wares, and buyers looked for deals from the city''s population and the adventurers. He briefly paused, watching the scene. He could only see a little of the market from the edge of it, but he knew what was happening inside. He could not lie to himself and missed it on some levels. His station in life dramatically improved when he became a Lord of a dungeon town, but part of him still missed that simpler life of being a merchant plying his trades along the rivers. With some sadness, he left the marketplace and returned to his administration building. Here, Naru was waiting for him with the daily reports in her hands. He smiled at her but sighed inside, knowing that the demands of his position would once more dominate his day. He was soon back in his office, seated with the reports in front of him, and went to work. The new sewer system was the most dominant thing, with some people praising it and others complaining. He made sure that Vulus would be kept abreast of both groups. He did not want him to be surprised by the sudden interdiction of an angry plot owner. Next came the list for the Dungeon that he had promised. Numerous items on this list had been found and procured, then supplied to the Dungeon as arranged. Many of these items he could understand why they were needed. However, some baffled him as he wondered what the Dungeon would want with such things. With the discovery of the speaking crystal, Ranus was forced to have several unpleasant conversations with the church and Guild leaders. The Adventurer''s Guild, of course, was the most upset that they were not aware of his ability to communicate with the Dungeon. Albrot had ranted and raved for a time, but Ranus suspected it was mostly a show. Of course, he had supplied them with the full list of what was demanded in return for the wealth he had gained to build his new sewer system. He had not let on that the amount was far more than he needed, but it was suspected that he was figuring that out quite quickly, as he was finally happy to have a reserve in case of emergencies. Reports from Folly''s End are starting to concern him more. The churches have been surprisingly willing to supply him with the information he asked for when he inquired about the status of that cursed area. What he had learned had taken his concern and turned it into genuine fear. Many now considered it an when the twisted would cross the rivers and not an if. If these scrying reports were to be believed, the numbers and power of those twisted monsters far surpassed anything that had attacked the Dungeon. In his conversations with the Dungeon, he learned they would come for him and the city of Shadow Vale due to their location right next to the Dungeon. Between here and the danger with several kingdoms and standing armies. He would have thought that would have been sufficient to protect his little domain from harm, but the more he learned about the twisted, the less sure he became. Discovering that only the Dungeon could remove corruption from an infected person was a truly terrifying discovery. He realised he needed to review his contingency plans again, and as he searched for them, Naru barged into his office. "Apologies, my Lord." She said breathlessly. "What is it, Naru?" he asked, concerned. The woman was known for her decorum, but he had told her many times in the past that if it was an emergency, she could find him no matter where he was or what he was doing. It seemed that this was one such time. "A ship is approaching from the South. It bears your family Crest." Ranus said nothing at first. To put it lightly, he and his family were not on speaking terms. The Lords were still fresh in his mind, as he was still dealing with their machinations. "How soon are they to be docked?" "The message indicated that they will be berthed within the hour. Several merchants are about to leave and will take one of those slots at the dock." She replied. "Very well. Inform my guards. I am going to the docks. Let us see what my family desires now," Ranus said as he stood up. In some ways, he was relieved, for this was something he could deal with right now. Chapter 109 Ranus made it to the docks with time to spare. He was known to many, and his appearance on the docks always heralded interesting or unusual events. A small group of lollygaggers were doing their best to appear to be doing other things but watching him. Danrum had been sent for, along with an additional request for four more Watchmen. Ranus did not want trouble but was ready for it if it came. His watch commander arrived with the additional men just as the ship was secured to the pier. Ranus knew the vessel well, as it was the flagship of their family fleet, the Golden River. This meant his father was here, as his brother could not command the ship without his permission. For which he was never given. The gangplank was lowered and hit the pier with a resounding thud. Around them, the bustling docks continued their work of loading and offloading. Amya told him that Shadow Vale was fast becoming one of the busiest trading ports in all the Riverlands. Learning this, Ranus knew it would come with its own problems sooner or later. But you could not worry about that now as he had something to deal with. Several of his family''s guards came down the gangplank and took positions on either side. His guards eyed them up, but it seemed they were not looking to cause trouble. A few moments later, behind them came the real problems. Counting them, Ranus almost swore aloud: his mother, father, his eldest brother, and sister. Some would call this a family reunion, but he was not one of them. To him, this was nothing short of an invasion. His father took the lead and stepped forth, arms wide in greeting with a big smile on his face. "Ranus, my son, it is so good to see you!" he said, playing to the people watching. He could say many things about his father and had on many occasions, but he had to admit that very few could match his showmanship. His brother tried to match his father, but he was never capable of it. "Welcome. What brings you?" Ranus is as polite as he could be. "Why we have come to see you and all that you have achieved." "Have you indeed." Ranus looked past his father to his brother. His expression told him many things, mainly that he did not want to be here or was happy with this family reunion. "Come now, son, let us go to a more comfortable place to discuss family matters." This came from his mother. Out of all the family, she was the most enigmatic to him. He could not deny her intelligence, but she had always kept him at arm''s length, so he did not know much about her. He was no fool and knew that what he did know was what she had intended him to know. "Very well, follow me." Ranus suspected they were equally willing to cause a scene on the pier to get him to do what they wanted. At least in private, he could not hold back his thoughts and words. He turned and marched quickly to his administration building, where he would deal with this as fast as he could. Behind him, his family members followed him, with their guards following up on them. As they went, his father made idle conversation commenting on the city and all the progress he had made with it. Noncommittal grunts and a few thank you''s were all he gave in return. He quickly settled them into his meeting room. As he wanted this over with as fast as he could, he decided not to mess around and went straight for the issue. "Why are you here?" His question and tone bordered on rudeness, but he knew his family. "Come now, son, it is like we have said we wish to make amends and heal the family rift." His father''s words were filled with honey, and he trusted them not. "If that was true, why have you spent the last few years doing your best to undermine me at every opportunity you''ve had?" Ranus no longer feared them or what they could do, so he was willing to stand up and make his case. "Now, I admit that was an error on our part." His father offered. "When you seized the title of Lord for these lands and the Dungeon, you did so without permission from your family." "Well, Father, I put what you taught me into practice." "That you did, son. That you did." His father chuckled, leaning back in the chair and looking at his third son. Ranus felt like it was the first time his father was seeing him and did not know whether to be excited or concerned. "I have decided that we should no longer have this rift within the family." His father continued. "To that end, we have come to make amends and heal the rift so all can prosper. It''s as simple as that." Now, this was more of what he knew of his father. They were after something, but what he was not sure of. The city and the Dungeon presented opportunities that anyone worth their salt would exploit to the maximum. So, the question was, what exactly was his father after? "Then I shall ask you again, Father, why are you here?" "My son, let us talk like adults. You have performed far above and beyond what we expected of you when you claimed the title here. I admit I was frustrated and angry at what you had done, believing that you could not have handled it. Well, I shall admit it: you have proven me wrong, and I have come to make amends for my actions against you." This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. His little speech was presented with a thoughtful look and conciliatory tone. Ranus knew that it would work on most others, but he was a veteran of dealing with his family and knew that was not even close to the truth. He chose to say nothing but sat there looking at them, letting the silence speak for him. "Err¡­. I think you should listen to Father." Rassal decided to join the conversation. Ranus and his father were in a pseudo-staring match and promptly ignored him. Ranus was not going to speak until he got what he wanted from his father or as close as he could to the truth. The uncomfortable silence that now sat in the room slowly grew as neither man spoke but glared at each other. The silence was broken, however, by one of his family members that he did not expect. "Come now, let us not be foolish," his mother said. This drew the attention of everyone in the room to her, and it seemed that for the first time in his life, he actually saw her. She always presented herself as prim and proper, but there was something different¡ªsomething dangerous. "Ranus, your father has spoken truly: We wish to heal the rift. He also spoke truly that you have done an amazing job here, far surpassing anything we thought you could or even we could in your position." Ranus was unsure of what to say and waited. "The Goldwind merchant clan has been foolish in pursuing this rift for far too long, and we have realised that we need to reconcile so that we can both prosper. Your city now represents one of the greatest sources of wealth in this area of the continent. I will not let pride stand in the way and cost the clan greater prosperity in the future." As she spoke, an almost physical air of power surrounded her, like an aura. Ranus heard everything she said, especially the "I" part of her speech. What was happening here, he wondered? "Very well, mother, let''s just say I entertain you in this. What is it that you want?" Ranus decided to play along for now. Her sudden assertiveness was surprising, and he was unsure what was happening. "That, my son, you will have to negotiate with your father. We wish access to your markets, of course, but there are things that we can assist you with finding in return." And there it was, the want and the offer: access to Shadow Vale''s markets in return for them assisting you in procuring anything that he needed in the future. He thought they must have found out about the Dungeon''s'' materials list. Ranus turned his attention back to his father. "Then what is your offer?" Ranus knew the game of negotiation, especially within his family. He would have to fight for every gain and protect everything else from exploitation. "Well, then, let us start. What we''re offering¡­" ## ## ## ## ## Later that day, the Goldwind clan were back aboard the Golden River. Hector was pouring wine into three crystal goblets on a small table. Marcia was sitting watching her mother. Elis was sitting on a couch in a most unladylike manner. As she was sprawled out, she was rubbing her forehead with her eyes closed. Rassal was standing near the door, vibrating almost with his barely controlled emotions. "Ungrateful welp!" He finally snapped out. His sister turned to look at him while his parents ignored him. "Come sit, brother. We have things to discuss." She tried to placate him. "No, sister, I shall not. The gall! Forcing us to negotiate like common merchants." His tone and body language clearly showed he was not able to control his rage for much longer. "Rassal, be silent or leave." His mother''s cold words extinguished his rage like ice water on a fire. He was no fool and could still not trust himself right now, choosing to leave. This was the safer option than enraging his mother. "He takes too much personally," Hector observed as he handed each of the women in the room a goblet of wine. "That he does." His wife agreed. Their daughter chose silence at this time. "Well, what do you think, my dear?" He asked his wife. "It is obvious. How could we have underestimated that boy so much?" Elis answered with a hint of pride in her voice. "He has forced us to negotiate for everything and has driven a hard bargain. I am still sure that there is much we have not even been able to touch upon." "Yes, he seemed to have spent more time listening to his instructors than we realised," Hector chuckled as he sat down across from his wife. "Daughter, what are your thoughts?" Elia asked. "His negotiation skills are far better than I have seen before. Spending that time as an independent merchant along the rivers has taught him well." She went for the safe answer. "That was a good answer, daughter, but not what I asked." Her mother was not fooled and demanded the question be answered. Marcia collected herself before answering. "I stand by what I said about his negotiation skills. It is clear he does not trust us and is guarding every possible advantage he has over us. We are not fully aware of much happening here from the reports we have received. We must tread carefully and learn all we can before we make any moves that could be interpreted as hostile or detrimental." "That is a better answer." Her mother grunted. "I will get things moving. We have secured a plot of land along the riverbank on which we have built a warehouse and maybe even a pier if we''re lucky." Hector stroked his chin as he thought about what needed to be done. "When did you buy that, Father?" Marcia asked, a bit confused, as she was unaware of it. "Your father bought it through a proxy as soon as the land became available. We built the warehouse there and have been renting it to another merchant. We will soon be having him remove his goods for ours. Remember, daughter foresight is not always about taking aggressive action but planning for future options." "I understand, mother. What is a long-term goal here?" "For now, we simply establish ourselves. Your review of the situation found that there is much we do not know. We will spend our time gathering this knowledge and strengthening our contacts within the city." Elis paused to drink. "Hector, I leave the merchant side to you, as always. Go forth and charm, my husband." "Your will, my lady." He smiled at his wife, lifting the goblet in an almost mocking salute. His wife ignored that. "As for you, daughter, I want you to expand our whisper network within this city. We have a solid foundation, but I want to know everything." "I understand, Mother." Marcia knew she had a lot of work coming up over the next few weeks. "Powers and forces are moving, and this cannot be ignored. All evidence points to this city and the Dungeon here as the main reason for the recent shifts in priorities and attitudes. We must stay abreast of why this is happening to protect our clan and prosper from any opportunities." She looked at her husband and daughter, who shuddered under her gaze. "In this, I will not tolerate any failures. Understood?" "We understand." They echoed. Chapter 110 The room was pale beige or creamy white in places. Large windows let a lot of light in, and the whole room felt calm and peaceful. For some reason he could not explain, Comus hated it. He was sitting up in the bed he had been in for the last two weeks, leaning against the bedrest, propped up with many pillows. He felt exhausted, and even turning his head to look around the room was a nearly epic task of physical exertion. The healers had been fussing over him for the last day as she had finally woken up. He had been trying to make sense of everything that happened, but his mind was a jumbled haze of flashes of confusion and madness. They had given him various tonics that he had identified as he drank them, meant to calm his nerves and mind. He often made them as an apprentice. Selmum, the high healer of this church, had been a constant visitor to his room since he had woken. He had been so tired that he had hardly been able to speak, so his questions were unanswered. Today, he was going to get visitors and was preparing himself. The last few months were like a fever dream, and he was still shocked by how much time had truly passed. So much had happened or he had done, yet he could not remember or understand any of it. This frightened him in a way that he could not articulate just yet, as he was a man of science and reason, and the loss of his mental faculties was something truly terrifying to him. There was a knock at the door, and several people entered. Ranus, Elian, Albrot and Selmum Came into the room. Selmum just rode in, but the other three were much more hesitant. From what Comus could make out, they might have had a good reason to be. "Comus, we are here to see how you are," Elian spoke as she sat down next to his bed on the only chair in the room. "High Healer Selmum Believes that you are now well enough spoken to." "What happened?" Comus croaked out, his throat still dry. Selmum was on the other side of the bed and supplied him with a drink of water from a wooden mug. "We believe you were under the effects of the corruption that creates the twisted." Selmum was gentle as she spoke. "We have thoroughly checked you over and can no longer find any signs of it." "How?" He asked. "We think it happened during the explosion at your lab when the corruption overwhelmed your wards." Albrot supplied. Comus closed his eyes and thought back. That made sense to him. Before then, his mind seemed clear and focused, but after that, things started to change. "Might be right." Just speaking a few words was taxing to him. He could have ended the conversation right there, but he wanted to have this now, as not having it was driving him mad. "We have informed The Alchemist Guild of your awakening and expect you to recover fully," Selmum continued. We think you will be leaving us within the month. We could release you earlier, but the strain your body has gone through has made us keep you here that long." "What did I do?" Comus said after a few moments. "How much do you remember?" Ranus asked. "Little," Comus confessed. "Well, after the accident at the Guild, you became far more withdrawn. You continued to do your job but became obsessed with studying the corruption. It got so bad that it affected your health, and we were close to intervening. You seem to understand that and have become far more stable, but we now understand that you were just hiding the problem. It all came to a head when you went into the dungeon." Ranus explained to him. "Something happened to you in there. We don''t know what, but the corruption in your body was removed but left you severely weakened and injured. I hate to press, but is there anything you can remember about what happened?" A flood of disjointed images, feelings, and terrible pain suddenly hit Comus. It was all too confusing for him to make sense of, but he knew on some instinctual level that something had happened to him there. Something had¡­¡­ entered him¡­.. no, something had been taken from him. Yes, that was what had happened. Something had reached into him and taken something from him. "Remember¡­. Pain¡­... Confusion¡­¡­ something is taken." It was the best he could get out to explain what was in his mind. "Breathe, Comus. What you went through was an intense mental, physical, and spiritual event." Selmum sought to soothe him as his breathing had spiked. "Take a few moments, Comus and tell us everything you can remember," Albrot spoke. Comus did as he wanted¡­. no need to understand what had happened to him. He felt somehow violated and liberated at the same time. On some level, he understood that he had been saved by something in the dungeon. "Remember¡­. Pull. A call?" Comus tried to explain. "It was coming from the Dungeon." "A call?" Elian asked. Comus nodded slightly. "Always there. Got stronger as things got stranger." He found it frustrating not being able to communicate what he wanted to say entirely, but his mind and body were exhausted and out of sync. He realised it was something more than just physical and mental exhaustion; he was somehow tired in a way he had never experienced before. It was then that he remembered the part about a spiritual impact. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. "Are you saying that something was drawing you to the dungeon?" Albrot was at the foot of his bed, looking at him intensely. Comus just nodded as he was tired and gathering himself for the next words he was going to speak. "Always there. Always calling." "Take a few moments, and then tell us what happened from your recollections of the day you went into the dungeon." Albrot Was rather scary when he was intense, Comus realised as he looked at him. Comus did as he was asked. The more he tried to focus on his last memories, the harder it was, as they were the most chaotic. "The call was too strong¡­... I needed to go in¡­... Did I get ready? I snuck in¡­¡­ went downstairs¡­... Then the pain." It was the best he could do, as everything was impossible to understand. "I''m going to say that is enough." Selmum suddenly spoke with an authoritative tone. "He is still too weak for much more than this, and I will not jeopardise his recovery." Albrot looked like he was going to argue, but the glare from Selmum silenced any argument she was about to make. She ushered the three out of the room after they had said their goodbyes and promised to return to see how he was in later days. The door closed with the four leaving. Comus was left in this room once again, but now he had even more questions than answers. What had happened to him in the dungeon? Everything came down to this question; he felt the answer was vital for his sanity and possibly something greater. He remembered some of his research into the corruption affecting the world around them. He recalled that it was far more dangerous than anyone realised, even him, as he had been affected by it. He needed to understand what had happened and watch what the future held. ## ## ## ## ## The three visitors left the House of Healing and returned to Ranu''s office. Once there, Albrot set up anti-scrying wards. Comus had not picked up on the tension between Albrot and Ranus. The revelation of the speaking crystal, especially attuned to the Dungeon Core, had not gone down well between them, straining their relationship more. "He looks better, at least," Elian spoke, hoping to head off any arguments between the two men. "Yes, he does." Ranus agreed. "Even though he did not say much, we learned some very important things." Albrot mused. "We did. Our theory that the twisted are somehow being drawn here is now confirmed." Elian agreed. "It also seems that the dungeon can somehow remove or deal with the corruption that is creating the twisted." "Have you spoken to the core again?" Albrot suddenly asked Ranus. "No. I have attempted over the last few days, but I seem to be being ignored at the moment." "From now on, an Adventurer Guild representative should be with you when you attempt that," Albrot said. Ranus bristled at the tone. "Actually, I will not. If one is present when I attempt, so be it, but I will not be ordered in this by you." "Enough!" Elian snapped out to head off another argument. "There is too much happening here that we do not understand to argue amongst ourselves. We need to stay on course and share information. Something is happening here that we must be focused on, or it may doom us all." Both men turned and glared at her, but their looks softened as they realised she was right. "How much of the list of what you owed to the dungeon has been supplied?" She sought to steer the conversation away from the more controversial aspects of what had happened recently. "Several of the required mana stones have been sourced, and I will be dropping them off tonight," Ranus told her. "And the rest?" She asked. "They are still a few weeks away from arriving, but I got everything." "You know, when you supply everything to the dungeon, it will start to make it exponentially more dangerous." Albrot pointed out. "A deal was struck, and I intend to honour it. Anyway, I am only doing a task with this dungeon as we both know it was becoming far more dangerous every time a new floor appeared." Ranus counted. That was a point that they could not argue, as this dungeon was now becoming legendary for its ability to surprise and ignore conventions. "There are two things you should be aware of, Lord Goldwind." Albrot started. "The adventurers Guild is sending someone to oversee things here who is higher ranked than I. The second is that the adventurer Doltum will be returning to the city within a few days." Ranus blinked in surprise at this news. "Who is coming to oversee the city then?" "Avernace." Ranus started choking in surprise and then coughing. "Avernace! She runs the adventurers Guild on this continent," he spluttered. "Yes, she does. Your humble city and its dungeon has attracted the most powerful adventurers on this continent to it. I don''t know whether to be surprised or horrified, but your life is about to change." Albrot seemed honest in his assessment. "When should she arrive?" Ranus demanded. "That''s the thing with the boss. She comes and goes when she decides and tells no one. She is a power onto herself that few dare challenge. The stories you have heard probably don''t even come close to what she can do." "Is there anything we can do to prepare?" Ranus asked. "Not a thing. When she reveals herself, she will tell us what we need to know or do." Albrot said. "Prepare yourself, Lord Ranus, prepare yourself." ## ## ## ## ## Outside the building, a slightly built woman was leaning against a wall. She appeared to be in her late 30s but somehow gave the impression of being older. She was wearing nondescript clothing that had to blend in with the bulk of the people around her. Her features spoke of being from the far West, but her eyes were a deep Violet. She carried no open weapons but had a satchel flung across her chest. Her attention was focused on the building in front of her where the local Lord lived and ran his city from. Albrot''s anti-scrying wards were good but not good enough to stop her abilities. "I am going to have to speak to that boy." She muttered to herself. She had arrived three days ago and spent the time wandering the city. She had seen far better, but she had seen far worse. What had impressed her was the energy within the city and its potential to become so much more. It had been centuries since she had last seen such a sight. She remembered the old empire and the numerous cities that were similar to this one when they were younger. She thought her people had lost the ability to surprise her, but this city was full of them. "What will it be, I wonder?" She muttered to herself. She had avoided going to the Guild or revealing herself to anyone else within the city as she wanted to get a feel for it before her presence was known. This also involved going to the dungeon, but she was going to have to change that very soon. Too many questions needed answers, and she wanted to see this core causing such concern among her peers and underlings. She suspected that some within the city had hints of her presence, but she knew she could hide even from them. If the divine got involved, things would change, but they seemed more interested in maintaining the status quo here. "Balance between the pantheon. What strange times indeed." She pushed herself slightly off the wall and started walking towards the market. Around here, the city was alive and bustling, like so many others, but the big difference was the number of non-humans she saw wandering the streets. She had not seen numbers like this before the old empire fell or along the coastal cities with extensive trade or dungeons. "The dungeon is up to something. I will wait until it''s finished and then pop in and say hello." The nondescript woman disappeared into the crowds. Chapter 111 My view of reality shifted and twisted as I emerged from my core. I had been using this ability extensively over the last few weeks, but it never failed to disorient me when I emerged. It took a few moments, but I quickly focused again and looked around my core room. Everything looked to be in its proper place, and I checked the rest of the Dungeon. Nothing was amiss, and it appeared to be sometime in the early morning as I could just make out figures moving at the edge of my ability to see. I suspected I would soon begin to have company, so I took this time to review what had been done in the last few weeks. I was quite proud of how much work I managed to get in and my progress. I had altered the core alcove I was hiding in. Goldwind had come through and supplied me with two mana stones. I now had access to fire and air mana. This meant I had to change the setup around the core of the mana stones. The ceiling and three of the walls around me are now covered in them. To fit all the stones in, I had to make a few changes. Each surface now had seven by seven grids of stones. This meant I now had a grand total of 196 mana stones surrounding my core. My core itself had two new specs of light inside of it as I had also placed a manner in bubbles within myself. I set out to create several new bubbles and improve the core by refining and attempting to improve the flow of corruption through the crystalline layer to the centre. "Let''s see what we''ve got. Open status screen. Bhaldor."
Name Bhaldor Essence 36%
Race Dungeon Core CP 0(925) 9.6 phr
Level 7 Corruption 0%
Floors 7 Health 100%
Skills: Mana Manipulation: 6 - 22% Core Refining ¨C 25% Mana Sight: 12 ¨C 52% Aura Manipulation: 8 - 45% Herb Lore: 2 ¨C 0% Spell Casting: 1 ¨C 0% Alchemy: 10 ¨C 0% Enchanting: 5 ¨C 63%
Perks/Restrictions: Godless Affintyless (++ ERROR! ++) Companionless Limitless Monsters/Traps Core Refinement max ¨C 90% Spell Casting (++ ERROR! ++)
Mana Stored Illusion ¨C 71(80) / 0.01 phr. Shadow ¨C 80(80) / 1.1 phr. Light ¨C 70(80)/ 0.1 phr. Earth ¨C 72(80)/ 0.5 phr. Ice ¨C 76(80)/ 0.012phr Fire ¨C 12(80)/ 0.1phr Air ¨C 34(80)/ 0.35phr
"Progress, at least." My mana levels were regenerating from creating the stones around me and charging them with their element. I had expanded my alcove as far as I was willing, meaning that any further expansion would involve me changing my cold room or how I set out the stones. Looking over the list of mana types I now possessed, I had most of the basic ones; I believed only water was missing. This gave me options for experimentation and development of the following floors. To be honest, I had been thinking about 8,9, and 10. I wanted to start ramping things up and was contemplating some changes to what I have been doing on the last floors. The 8th floor was going to be boars and rats, which had been decided. I had made great strides in creating new versions of both boars and rats. I was confident in what I was going to create on that floor now and was planning some interesting changes to the layout. I had yet to decide on the guardian, though. I had considered using the lion, but that monster will be on the 9th. I just didn''t want to create another version of a bigger boar; I wanted to try something different. Unfortunately, inspiration was not kind and provided me with no answer. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The thing I was happiest with was the amount I had refined my core. During this time, I focused on the channels through which corruption flows and, as far as I could tell, smoothed and streamlined them out extensively. If my understanding of these channels was right, I should see a dramatic improvement in my ability to process corruption, dramatically reducing the time I had to deal with it. That was the hope. There was still much to do, but at least I had options now. The doors to the Dungeon opened, and the first adventurers of the day arrived. My CP was exhausted, and there was not much else I could do, so I settled in for a quiet day as I waited for it to regenerate. I went into Krag''s hall and looked around. I could not help but see the dozen bodies littering the room. Some were covered in Moss now, but others were still exposed and starting to rot. There were several new ones that were not here last time I checked, and I went through what few possessions had survived the encounter with the ogre in the room. He and his mace were not very conducive to looting, trashing everything they counted with sheer brutal force. Krag himself was sitting on his throne and dozing. Even dozing, he snored like there was a rip in reality, sucking all the air out of the room. Mentally, I just shook my head and got on with it. As expected, nothing was worth taking and adding to my list as I already had it, or it was so severely damaged that whatever I was looking at was worthless. The adventurer group that had entered was on the 3rd floor fighting the boars. This was becoming a normal event for the Dungeon. I had now been seeing an increase of groups pushing lower to the 5th and 6th floors. Many of these were new teams that were much better equipped, and I could tell when I looked them over with my Mana Sight that they were a higher grade as their gear was far better. Only the truly confident or cocky were risking the seventh. Overheard from conversations amongst them that the adventurers were treating Krag with a lot of respect. He had been rated for silver-grade adventurers only, and there were still a few of them within the city, but that seemed to be changing. I also saw a lot more nonhumans, which was a welcome break from the usual fare. The different races acted differently but also approached problems differently, which gave me insights into possible new ideas for future floors. So that was another bonus I was happy with. Looking at the hall floor, I wished I had a bit of CP left so I could get the Moss growing over the remaining bodies, but I would have to wait until tonight. As I thought about possible expansion plans, I felt something trying to connect with me. "Bloody hell, not him again¡­" Goldwind had been trying to connect the speaking crystal to me so we could communicate, but I had been blocking him. It seemed he was trying again, and as I now had nothing to do¡­. "I''m busy. What do you want?" "Errr¡­ thank you for finally answering." It sounded like he expected not to connect with me, but my answer surprised him. "So?" "Yes¡­. Right¡­ I have a question to ask you, Dungeon." As he spoke, I heard the sounds of others in the room in the background. "A few weeks ago, Comus of the Alchemists Guild entered your Dungeon, and something happened to him. Can you tell us what it was?" "Why?" "Why? He suffered some strange injuries, and we''re trying to understand how they happened." Goldwind was trying to keep the conversation focused, but I was feeling obstinate. To be honest, I hadn''t actually been doing much apart from refining my core, so I felt like I needed to cause a little chaos. "His body had void corruption in it. I dealt with it. End of story." "Void¡­ corruption?" He seemed slightly confused by this. "Yes, void corruption, you know, the stuff that''s creating those monsters you call the twisted." "We were aware of the corruption but not that it had a name. Do you know what is causing it or where it is coming from?" As Goldwind spoke, I could hear more whispers and movement of people in the background. Whatever I had said that caused quite a stir. "It came from the void, hence the name. It was that Adrill guy, and when he went a bit insane, it caused all." "Adrill? As in Crown Prince Adrill and his folly over 300 years ago?" Goldwind asked, both fearful and a bit confused. "Yep, him." Things got muffled suddenly, and I heard much more conversation on the other end. I could not make out what they were saying because of the muffling, but I could discern that the conversation was intense. Suddenly, Goldwind started talking again. "What else can you tell us?" I could hear the hunger in his voice for information. The old me was still here, the one who was a bastard to the online gaming forums and community. "Ask that shit stain of a God. It should be him telling you all this, not me." "Dungeon¡­. I ask you politely if you could not blaspheme." Which was entertaining as I had heard him come up with even worse. "What, you want me to be polite about the spawn of a diseased goat and a worn-out copper whore called Oda." "Yes¡­" The sound of sharp intakes of breath tickled me. "¡­. Or the most useless head of any pantheon ever to exist who couldn''t organise a drinking competition in a brewery. Or the most incompetent divine being that couldn''t even find his dick with a magnifying crystal. Or¡­.¡± "Please! That''s enough!" Goldwind snapped. I thought I heard a thump of something hitting the floor, but I wasn''t sure. "Well, it''s been fun. I''ve got work to do, so¡­. Toodles." With that, I cut the connection. ## ## ## ## ## The crystal went silent and dark as the magical connection was severed. The silence in the room was impressive, considering who was in it. Ranus, Elian, Albrot, Doltum, Seela and Arbiter Nextom were all in attendance for an early meeting. Doltum and Seela had arrived a few days prior, as they had been delayed by a large monster that needed to be eradicated. This meeting had brought them up to speed on what had happened since he had gone. Elian had asked that they check to see if the Dungeon was ready to communicate, which Doltum supported. Ranus was unsure if they should but relented as he hoped that the crystal would remain dark, but much to his chagrin, it lit up, and the conversation began. In the span of a very short conversation, so much was revealed, whether intentionally or not, and it changed so much. They all had questions, and now it seemed the Dungeon might have answers. The Dungeon knew of the corruption, which it called "void corruption," and had all but confirmed that he had removed it from Comus. High Healer Selmum would need to be informed, and she would have questions they knew. When the Dungeon went on its rant against the head of the pantheon, Arbiter Nextom had fallen off his chair in complete shock at the words and tone used. Ranus suspected he had never heard such descriptive terms of any God, let alone the head of the pantheon. Ranus had warned him about the Dungeon''s attitude towards the divine, but it was a very different thing to hear it. Doltum was helping him back to his feet as Seela did her best to contain her laughter. "Well, that was a very¡­. informative and unusual conversation." Albrot started when they were all sitting again. "Blasphemy! Complete and utter blasphemy!" Ranus had never seen Nextom so enraged. "I did warn you, Arbiter." Ranus reminded him. Before the priest could continue, Doltum interjected. "You were right, Lord Goldwind. The Dungeon does seem to know far more about what is happening than we have been informed or have discovered." ¡°Indeed, High Magus Doltum. In our earlier conversations, I told him about the gathering of the twisted at Folly''s End. He indicated that they would be making their way here if they crossed the river and that he was not unsurprised by this fact." "Well, now we know more. You are right. The Dungeon is drawing the twisted here. It seems that this Dungeon has to deal with the twisted and this "void corruption" that are plaguing us." Doltum thought out loud as he stroked his beard. "So, what do we do now, then?" Elian asked. "For now, there is little we can do. Lord Goldwind needs our full support, and we must continue to allow adventurers into the Dungeon for their development and the cities." Doltum pointed out the fact to them that they had little control over much of what was happening. "I have several plans in motion, but even with the windfall of the platinum coins from the dungeon, my resources and options are limited," Ranus confessed to the group. "Unfortunately, there is little we can do to help you on that front. This city has attracted far too much attention with what has happened already. Any preferential treatment or special dispensation will only attract more. And I fear it will become far more aggressive attention that we cannot allow to distract us for now." Albrot is frank in his assessment. Nextom was silent, but his features were that of barely contained rage. "Then things continue as they are. However, I believe we should work together to track any twisted heading in this direction. We know that there are still some in the mountains, and if what we have learned about the Dungeon is true, they will make their way here eventually." Elian offered. "All sound ideas, young lady. Seela and I shall remain here in the city for the foreseeable future. If anyone asks, we are planning to explore the mountain range as this is one part of the continent we have never been to." Doltum said, looking around the table, which received nods of understanding from most. "We must prepare ourselves for the day that the horde gathering crosses the river, for it surely will head towards us as fast as it can." Ranus, I knew that day would be a black day for everyone. Chapter 112 Ranus had a city map spread across the table in his main meeting room. Vulus had just left after spending several hours reviewing the new construction and the phase planned for the sewer system installation. As for fresh water for the city, several aqueducts were planned and started to be built to bring water from the mountains down into the valley. Ranus was happy with the progress being made. The injection of financial help from the dungeon had proven to be timely. Around the city, workers were busy constructing and building. Before this new Publix works, the rate of construction was starting to drop off, and many builders were becoming concerned that their skills were no longer in need, but these new projects would keep them employed well into the following year. Sitting back in his chair, Ranus wished it was all good news. His whispers have kept track of his family''s dealings within the city, and so far, they were doing everything above board. Around his lands, the local powers vied for dominance in dealing with his small domain. And now they''re receiving more reports or sightings of twisted monsters roaming the lands. Their migration patterns were evident to anyone who knew what to look for; they were all heading here. His biggest concern, however, was Folly''s End. He was receiving far more detailed reports about what was happening there. If the numbers were to be believed, it would be a disaster for all if they crossed the river. Alas, he knew it was not a case of if but when, as the dungeon was very clear on that. Ranus had been reviewing his plans for such an occurrence. Even with the new financial support he had, his options were limited. The road going South was being patrolled more aggressively now. He had even made several parts of the route with dangerous terrain a bit safer through small construction projects. The number of bandits had decreased dramatically, and so had the monsters. His plans for using the adventurers to patrol the road were producing good results. But when it came to the city itself, he was becoming increasingly concerned. He had few Watchmen to protect the city''s few walls, let alone patrol the city during the siege or crisis. He and Danrum agreed they needed more bodies within the watch; unfortunately, he could not afford this financially. The city could rely on the paladins and militant orders of the church, and many adventurers were present. But against the horde of twisted monsters, that would not be enough. They had theorised that the city''s defenders could handle two or three silver-graded monsters at best. The reports coming from the end were that they were now gold-rank gathering at the river''s edge. One of them would be sufficient to overwhelm the city. Doltum''s return was a boon. With his presence, they were more confident in handling higher-grade twisted monsters. Ranus was grateful that the High Magus had decided to make the city his home for the foreseeable future. He knew they would rely on his powers to carry them through when the battle was joined. However, even one as powerful as the High Magus would not be able to withstand such a horde that threatened to cross the river. Ranus was loathed to admit, but for all of his preparation and planning, it would ultimately be the dungeon that would decide the battle. Over the last few weeks, he had supplied the promised materials to the dungeon. So far, it had not asked for anything more, and communication had been sporadic at best. Ranus got the impression from the few times they had spoken that the dungeon was involved in some form of project or construction of its own. What that was or to what ends, he did not know. Ranus stood up from the desk and walked over to the open window. He looked out across the city. His home/administration building was built on one of the rises in the valley. This allowed him to look out across most of the city and the valley. He could see all the building and construction work happening. Down below, all the streets were filled with people going about their business. On the surface, everything looked calm and peaceful, as much as a bustling city could. "How long until all this changes?" He asked himself. He thought about pulling the communication crystal from his belt pouch and trying to speak to the dungeon again. He refrained from doing this as he had promised both the church leaders and the Guild leaders that he would not try without them present. He chafed slightly under such conditions but understood they were both concerned and afraid. So much was happening that threatened them all. Ostrul upheld their part of the deal to allow the Shi''Tan access to the city. From all of his reports, they had made very little inroads as the memories of the great incursions, even nearly a millennia later, still resonate with the population. He sighed and returned to his desk, for much work was still to be done. ## ## ## ## ## Averance had spent the last few weeks exploring the city and the surrounding area. She had worked as a silver-level adventurer under a false identity. This allowed her to work freely and without much interaction with the Guild. Albrot, what''s on the way that she was here? She suspected Doltum was aware she was present. He knew enough to keep quiet and let her do what she was planning. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Today, she had finally gotten her slot to enter the dungeon. Few solo adventurers were going in, but as a silver grade, she was given permission. She claimed that she was not going past the third floor. In truth, she would see what the dungeon had an offer on its bottom floor and find the core. It was the core she was truly here for, as it intrigued her. As an Adamantium-grade adventurer, she was not concerned by the dungeon or its monsters. There was nothing here that could even threaten her. But she was no fool and had read up everything that had been reported on the dungeon. The group before her finally left battered from their trip to the 4th floor but seemed happy that none of them were dead and they had got a decent payday. She nodded to them as they passed. Walking into the surface building brought a strange sense of longing for the old empire. She was distantly related to the old imperial line on her father''s side. She was established enough when the empire fell to bid for the throne if she so desired it. At the time, she had refused for the simple fact that the empire was in such a state of decay and internal collapse that even her abilities could not come close to saving it. The first room was like every other watchtower she had ever encountered. The only difference was the sharron in the rafters watching her. She used her passive skills to get a better feel for the creature. It was definitely a dungeon monster with a much stronger aura of shadow magic, just as the reports said. As long as she left it alone, it would not engage her. Like many, she wondered its purpose, but she had lived long enough to know that dungeons had their quirks. The door to the base of the tower was open, and you could feel the draught coming from it. This was another oddity. Watchtowers had a wooden hatch door on the floor above that was supposed to stop any draughts, but it was wide open in this one. Being around her caused the essence to move constantly, causing all those with lower-grade senses or spells to miss what was hidden in plain sight. "Clever." She said to herself. She had to admit that it was actually a very elegant way to hide its core at such a low level. She walked to the stairs and looked down them. She could just make out the glow of the blue Moss that illuminated most of the dungeon by covering the walls and ceiling. She placed a hand on her sword hilt and started downstairs. She was not interested in any of the floors, so she ignored them and continued down the spiralling staircase. She knew that Doltum would be making another run at this dungeon, and he would go through each floor again. He was especially fascinated by dungeons and liked to review the floors he had been through before to see any changes or alterations. On the other hand, she was far more practical and was here for a purpose. It did not take her long to reach the 7th floor. She looked at the large doors, knowing an ogre was on the other side. Looking around the room, she realised that the ogre would be summoned to defend it the minute she moved to the core. She decided to deal with it now because she did not want to fight it in such a small, confined space. Opening the door, she strode into the hall. Dead adventurers littered the floor, their bodies now covered by the local Moss growing as a green carpet across the space. Ogre was standing ready to face her, and she drew her sword as she advanced. With a bellow, it charged, looking to strike her down with its heavy mace. She definitely sidestepped the blow as the mace swung past her and impacted the ground where she had been standing. With several quick thrusts, she slid her blade into the weak points in the armour she had identified. The ogre grunted in pain but kept on attacking. To her, the fight seemed to be almost in slow motion as she weaved and dodged. Every so often, it struck back, cutting deep into the creature''s hide. It was almost too easy for her, and she didn''t even bother to use any of her skills or magic. The ogre toppled forward, dead. It hadn''t taken long, but she had worn down the beast through precision strikes. The reward flashed into existence, and she wiped her blade on the carcass of her defeated foe. From the report, she knew that there was a moonlight rose on the other side of the throne at the far side of the room. She ignores it and the money for killing the creature. She turned and returned to the stairwell. Walking around it, she tracked the essence of the flow that the core was trying to hide. At the back of the pillar, several stone blocks would make up future steps stacked against it. She pushed him to the side with no issue, and with the hilt of her sword, she smashed the fake stone covering the alcove where the core was hiding. This may be one of the few to ever truly see the core of The Tower in the Shadows Dungeon. What she saw was a square box with the core in the middle. As the report stated, it was black¡­. No, it was somehow deeper than black and absorbed the light around it. Ironically, within the depths, there were several sparks of light. It gave the appearance of a view of a star field. Around the core were arranged a large number of mana stones, all glowing with the same colour. "Don''t worry, little core. I am not here to cause you any issue." She spoke to it, knowing it could understand her but not reply. "I''m from the Adventurers Guild, and I was just curious to see what all the fuss was about." She did not reach into or touch the core, as that would be a gross violation of its sanctity. Also, she did not know what would happen if she touched it, as this call was like no other she had ever seen. "Your ogre was a decent opponent. I have not bothered with the rest of your dungeon, as nothing here could even come close to threatening me. I know of your deals with the local Lord and what you have gained. Due to your unique circumstances, I''ve been forced to relocate here, so be warned that I am watching you. As long as you continue as you are, I am content, but if you stray¡­." She left the threat unsaid but knew that the core would understand. She then turned and left, walking back up the stairs. She thought about visiting the floor she was meant to just to acquire some resources as a cover. As she walked up, she thought about it some more but decided against it as it was time to reveal herself. Doltum had been right; this call was very different from any that they had seen before. The pantheon''s presence and many of the strange things happening around it were clear indications of this. The revelation of the twisted and how the core interacts with them was another, as you suspected this might be its true purpose. She went up the steps three at a time. The number of steps along the path had greatly enhanced her physical abilities, and this was even equivalent to a light jog to her. She soon left the dungeon and stood outside in the sunlight once more. She nodded to the attendant who oversaw entry that day and informed them that she would list her gains at the Guild itself as she needed to speak with the Guild leader. The attendant nodded, frowning slightly, as this was not unknown but unusual. Avernace walked to the Guild. She smiled slightly as she arrived at the building, knowing this would be fun. Chapter 113 Elian and Albrot were sitting in her office, looking over reports from the local area, when the door suddenly opened. A woman with far western features and violet eyes walked into the room without a single shred of fear or concern. Behind her came a flustered receptionist trying to stop her. "Gods send me to the seven hells!" Albrot exclaimed as it seemed he knew the woman. "Who in the hells¡­" Elian started, shocked at the brazen entry. "Thank you. We will deal with this." Albrot quickly rose and blocked the receptionist from entering, turning her away and closing the door. Elian, what''s now, is just confused as she had cut her off. "So, you''re Elian Woodland? "The woman asked as she crossed the room, sat where Albrot had been, and put her feet on Elian''s desk. Elian was unsure how to deal with this intruder in her office. "When did you get here?" Albrot asked. Elian noted the edge of concern in his voice and wondered who this woman was. If he was acting this way, she was dangerous, and she knew she had to be careful of how she spoke and what she said. She, however, knew who the intruder was. "From the look on your face, the boy hasn''t told you who I am, I suspect. He told you I was on the way." The woman smiled as she spoke, and the smile made Elian want to run for some strange reason. She ignored Albrot. "High Guild Master Averance, we have met before," Elian uttered the name. The woman''s smile never changed. "Have we? Very good. Now, you boy, I want have a word with you." As she turned and faced Albrot, her smile left her face. Elian had never seen her mentor and superior go so pale so fast in her life. If even a fraction of the stories about the woman before her were true, she understood why. She was the most powerful human in terms of steps along a Path on the continent. "You should have sent for me earlier. Trying to handle things like this on your own. Sometimes, I wonder why I went wrong with you. But I''m here now, and we shall address our problems." "The situation here was still developing, and we were containing it. You were kept informed of everything that was happening, so don''t you try to guilt trip me into saying that I had made a mistake here as I had not, and you know it." His tone had become a bit combative. "Yes, I will admit you kept me informed. But let us be honest: You needed my help far sooner than this." Her tone had not changed, but Elian suspected her superior was not going to push the argument far. "That is not true, and you know it!" Albrot was getting frustrated. "High Guild Master Averance, are you planning to visit the dungeon?" Elian sought to head off an argument before it began. Averance turned her attention back to Elian. "I have just come from there. I ignored most of the floors and just went straight to the 7th. The ogre is an interesting challenge, but I was there to see the Core." "You found it then?" Elian asked, slightly concerned. "Yes, your reports were quite accurate. The Core is hiding itself. I was quite impressed by its use of wind through the Dungeon to confuse the essence flows. That clearly shows a higher level of intelligence for such a young core." "What are your thoughts on the core?" Albrot asked. "Now that is the question. Everything that happens here revolves around the Core. I inspected it in the Dungeon, and your reports, Elian, were well written. I have never encountered or heard of such a core." Averance became thoughtful. "I have been thinking about the specs of light in the Core. At first, I was unsure what they were, but suddenly, when I was leaving, it dawned on me. Each speck of light is a different type of mana that the court can access." "That strangely makes sense. The Dungeon has demonstrated the ability to use different types of mana, which would explain why." Elian thought out loud. "Ranus has just supplied the core with two mana stones with wind and fire." Albrot reminded them. "This means we might see Dungeon monsters with these abilities appearing on the new floors." "It''s not a case of if but when," Averance confirmed. "Should we have Ranus stop supplying the dungeon with the materials it requested?" Elian asked, now becoming concerned with the direction the conversation was taking. "No." Averance was adamant. "A deal was made, and the young Lord should honour it. I can guarantee that him breaking it would be a disaster for both us and the city, let alone the rest of the continent." Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "What do you think of the list?" Albrot inquired. "I read over it before descending this morning. I know that the Dungeon is planning something. What that is exactly, I do not know, but what it''s asking for is too specific if you pay attention. It is trying to hide it within the list, but there are certain items that it seems more interested in that are unusual and technically not known about." "If that is true, shouldn''t we try to prevent him from achieving his goals?" "Him?" Averance asked. "We were part of Ranus''s conversation with the Core through his speaking crystal. Clearly, the Core identifies itself as a male through language and voice." Albrot clarified. "Well, that''s not unknown. They normally identify as one gender or the other in time. How was that interaction?" "The Core is slightly combative and extremely rude. But if you catch its attention, it''s willing to negotiate, it seems." Albrot thought back over the interaction he had heard. "Is that normal?" Averance asked. "From what Ranus has told us, yes. There are long periods of time where the Core doesn''t even respond to requests for communication." "Yes, I noticed that when I arrived and during my first look over the Dungeon before entering. I notice that it was busy shifting its internal energies around." "Do you know to what end?" Elian inquired. "I don''t know to what extent or to what end. But I noticed that the essence flows through the Dungeon, which seems to be moving a bit faster. This happened over the last few days as I watched it." "Now that you''re here, High Guild Master, what do you want us to do?" Albrot asked. "We start by meeting the young Lord of these lands. Then, we must speak to the church leaders and the other Guild leaders. The next few weeks are going to be busy." ## ## ## ## ## A sickly crunching sound followed the mace, collapsing the adventurous chest and shoulder. The other adventurers'' cries of shock and horror were not the first in this fight. I suspected they would be breaking soon. If they did not, they were most likely dead. Today, this was the second team to challenge Krag. The first had been annihilated, and this one was going to the same fate. I shook my head at the greed involved. They were all looking for the moonlight rose but would be far from competent enough as combatants to defeat the ogre. It seemed that the death of the second member of their group had been enough to change the others'' mindsets, and they quickly turned tail and ran. Krag watched them go and then slowly walked forward and closed his doors. "Weak." He snorted as he returned to his throne. I looked around at the now twenty bodies that were strewn around the hall. This group at least tried something different in distracting Krag while a rogue sought to get the Rose. Unfortunately, they didn''t count on him being able to cast spells, and the tentacles ensnared the rogue. She was the first to die. I immediately took some of my CP to cover the new bodies with moss. I had checked them over, and their gear was pretty bad. There were a few items of interest, which I took, but the rest were too severely damaged or of too low quality for me to be interested in. Krag''s fighting style continued to improve. He was learning from each encounter even after he died. His essence bar was slowly filling as she had not been killed in some time, and I wondered if you would make it to the next step or level. Now, that would be an interesting thing. Larry and Puck were the only ones who had progressed, and both were slowly moving towards the next level. I had put some thought into concentrating on getting as many minions as I could level. Ultimately, I opted against it as I realised it would cause too many issues with the ramped danger level for each one that had gone up a level. Many adventurer groups were barely handling what they had available now, let alone an improved version. I focused instead on finalising my plans for the next floor. They would be a mixture of boars and bats. The environment will be caves or caverns with large patches of tall grass to help hide the rats while the adventure is focused on the boars. My experimentation with the rats produced interesting results, and I looked forward to making the final designs or at least getting close to them. The boars would be next, and I had already decided not to use shadow mana in their creation. I planned to use the base design of the third-floor boss but alter the design by using different types of mana. I was looking forward to seeing the results of my experimentation. Looking at my own essence bar, I knew that I was still some time away from this. At least Ranus was supplying me with the agreed-upon materials at a timely speed. The last thing I''d gotten was a book that covered the various monsters of the continent and gave me an idea of what was out there. I have seen several exciting things that were downright strange, and a few I might have been able to replicate in some manner. However, I did notice a missing monster from my world¡ªa creature of legend, really¡ªand I wondered if I could recreate it here. I had been thinking about it for some time and planned to have it on the 10th floor. I already had quite a few ideas for the 9th, but I would have to concentrate on them later once I had finished the eighth. I forced my attention back to the eighth mana-infused boars and rats. Should I spend more on the rats or go for numbers? I was leaning towards numbers but not excessive amounts. Maybe half a dozen rats per boar. And these would be enhanced rats, not basic ones. I wanted to go big as always, but I had to pace myself as my resources were not infinite. I did not want a replay of what happened on the 6th when I almost screwed myself over. No, I will have to be far more careful. The team that had fought Krag and run was now long gone. Another team had entered and made their way to the third floor. I knew them as a regular group that farmed the third. They occasionally went for the guardian but spent most of their time killing the boars and harvesting everything they could. I did not expect any other teams to make a run at the 7th today. I expect the last group''s tail to spread quite quickly amongst the adventurers by now, and this would dissuade even the greedy for a while¡ªnot forever, but a few days at least or a few weeks, depending on their desperation or greed. I could refine my Core more, but I''ve been focused on that for the last few weeks and decided to take a break. So, I opened up my creation screens, reviewed what I had done so far with the rats, and started making plans for the boars. When I finally reached my next level, I wanted to be ready and able to roll the floor out quickly. It was both invigorating and frustrating to have such options now. In many ways, it was easier when I started with almost none. I sighed to myself and got to work. Chapter 114 The woman who had just come down my dungeon stairwell, slain Krag, and revealed my Core terrified me. I had observed her with my Mana Sight, identifying her gear as enchanted but not overly so. Watching a fight, however, deeply unsettled me. She danced around Krag with a speed that was unnatural for a human. I still believe she was human, just so far along her Path that her ability outstripped his by an order of magnitude. I spent several hours afterwards doing the core equivalent of hyperventilating. I quickly repaired the damage to my alcove but knew that if she came back and tried to claim me, I thought... no, I knew I could not do anything to stop her. The power gap between her and him was too great. To stop myself from going mad by worrying, I had to turn my attention to other things. Void corruption had been on my mind for the last few weeks. I had put all of my resources into refining my Core and trying to fix the problem with the channels through which the corruption flowed as I absorbed it into my centre. Had I achieved very much? That was the question dominating my mind right now. Still, unfortunately, as no void-corrupted monsters were running around for me to kill, I couldn''t test whether I had indeed improved my ability to deal with the corruption or had spent the last few weeks just wasting my time. It was frustrating, but this was the life I was leading. Another day had dawned, and the adventurers were piling through the doors in groups. There had been an increase in those visiting the sixth, which allowed another group to work the higher floors. Most avoided the seventh at all costs, outside of a few groups. Krag developed quite a reputation amongst the adventurers, and they were not eager to test him. Honestly, I couldn''t blame them. I found myself once more in the familiar pattern of waiting by day and experimenting by night. This was all in service of my slowly increasing essence count as it pushed towards the next level. Of course, I was aware of it much more than usual, and it was dragging¡­ again. Krag had done excellent work increasing it by smashing more than a few adventurers. I''d hoped he would even increase his level, but that was dashed yesterday when the minotaur group showed up again and put him down. The fight was brutal, and he lasted longer than all of his previous engagements. I could tell the minotaur''s were unhappy with this, but they eventually wore him down. So far, only four groups had regularly faced him and spent several days apart from each visit. I did not know if they were pacing themselves or him, but Krag got restless when he was not fighting. There were still twenty bodies in his hall, as he had not made any more kills since the last group that tried to sneak around him. I was uninterested in what was happening on the other floors as this was just another day of adventurers, so I wandered around. I was on the seventh floor at the moment, looking at the hall and thinking about maybe making a few alterations to the decorations within the room. Krag was sitting on his throne, using his finger to investigate the contents of his nose. To be honest, I was in another uninspired slump, and I wondered what I could do to possibly change the space in this room and mix it up a bit. I already decided not to add traps or anything else to the room, as Krag was doing his thing well. Looking across the floor, I was wondering if I should¡­.. "Hold on." A change in the moss had suddenly caught my attention. On top of one of the earliest bodies, instead of dark green, the moss was a rusty brown, like the colour of dried blood. "What''s going on here?" I shifted around and took a good look at the moss. I got close up and moved through my means of sight. Something was going on here. But what? It seemed that the moss was changing in some way as the essence flowing through it was being reduced slightly, and some of it was absorbed. Was it going through some form of evolution? I found this quite interesting. So far, I have not seen any natural evolutions of anything within my Dungeon. What literal literature I had been able to acquire and the Dungeon said such things were possible and usually followed the lines of the Cores'' mana affinity. Well, my Dungeon is essence-rich, but I have no affinity. So what will happen here? I could interfere but decided not to, as watching this happen proved quite educational. So, I settled in and waited, wondering how long this would take. ## ## ## ## ## So, I''m not proud of myself for watching moss grow for eighteen days, but eventually, my patience was rewarded. I saw change in it and absorbed some. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Alert! You have gained the design for Blood Moss.
"Blood Moss?" I opened the screens relating to this new design and read through what I had with great excitement. What I read quickly extinguished my excitement like an avalanche of snow on a fire. Blood Moss was not a very dangerous plant, it seemed. The moss had developed talons that latched onto its target skin and were designed to penetrate, causing the wounds to bleed. And that was it. Now, what could I do with it? ¡­¡­. I spent a good day thinking about it, but I had nothing. Could it be helpful in the future? Most definitely, but I have no idea what to do with it right now. It was so bad that I could not even think of any experiments I wanted to run with it. My focus was in my core room, where I reviewed my experiments and tried to see where to integrate this new plant. Could I merge it with something? I could go down that route because I had no real plant minions. But then again, what would the foundation of the minion be? Would I create some form of hybridised vampiric mushroom? Questions with no answers. It''s pretty much not a normal situation for me. I didn''t want to be defeated, so I kept working, thinking up ever increasingly preposterous ideas. I spent another three days on this, but it was becoming frustrating because of the rabbit holes I was going down. My attention was diverted by the arrival of a pair of adventurers I had not seen in some time. Doltum and Seela started at the top of my Dungeon as they had the first time they had visited and began working their way down the floors systematically. I didn''t bother to watch; it was just too depressing. They went through each floor, and I knew that nothing in my Dungeon could even come close to threatening them. I shifted back down to the seventh floor and my Core room. Krag might hold his ground for a little while, but I doubted it. I went back to the screens and continued my wild ideas. It didn''t take long, but eventually, he arrived with his partner in crime on the floor. "Ya numpty! Stop showing off. Ya''s alone here with me!" Seela was yelling at him as they came down the stairs. "Seela, you must always be practical when fighting in a Dungeon." He replied. "Practical! Ya showing off with ya sword work!" She retorted. "Having style is never showing off." He snapped back. "Style! Me arse!" They continued bickering until they reached the two large doors. Here, the bickering ended, and they became serious. They might argue a lot, but they were always professional when it came down to it. Doltum opened the doors with a flurry and strode in¡ªsword in one hand and wand in the other. Seela hung back in the doorway for now. Krag was waiting, standing before his throne with mace and shield. He did not allow Doltum to do anything as he roared a challenge and charged across the hall. Doltum moved to meet him, but at the last moment, before they made contact, he darted to the side as the mace swung at him. He soon responded to the attack with his blade darting forward in cutting strikes. Several got through but only caused minor wounds. Krag used his shield to block several of them and tried to regain the initiative. Doltum alternated between his sword and wand, using steel and magic in a fluid combination that spoke of years of experience. Krag quickly realised he couldn''t get close to hitting his opponent, so he changed tactics. He tried to ensnare the adventurer with his magic, attacking him with his shadow tentacles. Doltum reacted with lightning speed, slicing them away and barely stopping his attacks upon his opponent. I quickly realised I was seeing the true potential and skills of the High Magus that he had been holding back before. Krag alternated his spells and attacks to keep up with his opponent. However, this was a losing battle, as the High Magus had the advantage in all areas. Krag was no quitter, and I watched as his health bar began dropping fast, as did the other two. He shifted between skills, magic and brute physical strength, but could not get close to hitting his opponent. He slowed down and made him work for the victory, but his defeat was inevitable. With a muffled crash, my guardian fell back into the moss. The injuries finally proved fatal as they mounted up. This left Doltum standing over his body, breathing hard and sweating. It seemed my guardian had proven a more formidable opponent than I believed the High Magus thought when he first arrived. With the flash of the reward''s arrival, Seela entered the room. "Ya found no easy one there." She remarked. "Indeed, it was not. Now, that was a tougher opponent than I thought. It makes me excited for what will come later." As he spoke, I noticed that he was regulating his breathing. "Right! Time to get to work." Seela quickly got to work collecting the rewards and locating the moonlight rose behind the throne. As she worked, she stopped and pointed out the blood Moss growing on the ground. "Well, that''s an unwelcome addition to the dungeon but not wholly unexpected," Doltum said as she bent over, looking at the new moss. As he spoke, the moss moved slightly, not in the breeze but trying to get into range to strike at him. As it could only move a few millimetres, it had no hope of doing any damage as his enchanted clothing would withstand any attack it would make. "Want me to grab a sample?" Seela asked, eying up the moss. "I think it would be best. No doubt The Alchemist Guild has plenty of it on record, but as this has emerged from the Dungeon, we best make sure." Seela did not take long to go through the room and collect everything they wanted. She never removed the large pack from her back during the whole thing, yet somehow, she could quickly move objects in and out. I suspected some serious skills were involved here, on top of her experience. Once she was done, the question I had dreaded would be raised. "Ya going to look at the Core?" She asked her companion. He looked to the pillar where I was hiding but shook his head. "No need. Averance has probably terrified the Core enough already. We shall depart and report our findings to the Guild." Averance? That must have been the adventurer''s name that quickly tore through the seventh floor and exposed my Core. I didn''t want her to appear again until I had twenty floors to protect myself¡ªmaybe more. "Ya leaving anything behind?" "No, the Core has been getting supplied with many useful materials recently, so I believe I have no other need to inject myself here. I am looking forward to what will be coming in the future. This Dungeon has proved to be quite creative with its options." "Bloody pain, sometimes that''s what it is," Seela muttered. "Come, let us return to the surface. I want to investigate more what is happening in the northern valleys, and I would like to set off in a day or two." "More bloody walking." Seela continues to mutter. The two quickly make their way up the stairs and out of my Dungeon, leaving me with the aftermath of the battle. My Dungeon quickly resets, and Krag comes back into existence. He is in a bit of a mood regarding how easily he was defeated. I leave him to his mutterings and curses and think about what I have planned for the future. Chapter 115 Ranus Goldwind came through for me the next night in a big way. I spotted him entering the Dungeon''s surface building carrying a cage at arm''s length. I got in close, looking at the creature within the cage; I became very excited. It was a black scorpion. This had been one of the primary reasons I had made a deal with him and pressed for him to find one. All my plans beyond the ninth revolved around this small and quite deadly animal. Without it, I would not be able to create what I had envisioned. He placed the cage on the big desk in the entrance room and quickly left the Dungeon. Larry sensed that time was about to call on him to do battle and looked down from the rafters at the table. I was about to get him to come down when it dawned on me. This was a scorpion, and it was hazardous. I did not want to go through the cost of having Larry get killed and regenerated. "Larry, best get down here. Puck, we will need you too." I brought my wandering minions to the entrance room, as it was now sunset, and I expected no more adventurers to appear. Puck flew up from the third floor, where he had been pestering the boars. I sensed great interest from him, wondering why I had summoned him to the entrance room. Larry climbed down from his rafter position and was now sitting on the table looking at the cage. "Right, let''s do this." It took several minutes to convey what I wanted them to do, but in the end, I was confident that they understood. Larry climbed on top of the cage and undid the bolt holding the door closed. He opened it, and the scorpion was hesitant but eventually came out. It scuttled out onto the table, where Puck was hovering near, ready to take action. He used his daze spell to confuse the insect. This allowed Larry to jump down on it from behind, pinning its stinger down, and quickly dispatched it. A notification popped up informing me of the kill and the gaining of the new design. Puck was flying around excitedly, producing Pixie dust and covering Larry, which he glared at the other wandering minion in frustration. He started cleaning himself. "Good work. Let''s have a look¡­." As I spoke, the front doors suddenly knocked open, and several creatures piled into the room.
Raid Alert! Your Dungeon is being raided! Void Corrupted creatures are attacking your Dungeon. Kill them before they destroy you! Rally your minions! Defend your Core and Dungeon! ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Minion room/floor restrictions have been lifted until the raid has been completed or defeated!
"Run!" I ordered my minions, and they quickly scattered. I turned my attention to what was attacking my Dungeon and found¡­ Goats. Half a dozen had just piled into the room, heading towards the stairs. I shifted to Mana Sight and saw the corruption flowing through their bodies, then turned back to standard view. They looked like normal goats until you looked closer. Their eyes were black, and protruding black veins ran across their bodies. They were frothing, and there was blood around their mouths. By the time I had finished reviewing them, they were already on the stairs heading down. Larry and Puck had been ignored. Larry had returned to the rafters while Puck had just flown above them. He was now following them at a distance down the stairs. Looking at the numbers and their meaning, I decided not to mobilise the rest of my defenders. Krag, on the other hand, was going to be used here. "Krag, get into the Core room. We have monsters descending the stairs, and I need you to kill them." The opportunity to kill got him moving quite quickly without any grumbling. When the goats arrived on the seventh floor, he was ready and in position. When they attacked him, he was not impressed, so he quickly dispatched them. As they died, the corruption within their bodies was drawn into my Core. "I bloody hate this." The six were dead, and I gained the design for mountain goats. I shifted my view into my Core to see what was happening. I looked over the channels on the flow of corruption and became ecstatic. It was flowing so quickly and smoothly now it was hardly pooling anywhere. My vision shifted as I left the Core and looked at my status sheet. "5%..... Whoooho!" It had worked; I was getting rid of the corruption far faster than I had ever had before. I still felt like shit, but now I could see the end of the tunnel. From the amount I absorbed, I would have had at least 30 to 40% corruption. No more wasting my time sitting around waiting for it to be processed. This would have taken weeks, maybe even a month, to take care of, but now I felt it would be gone in a matter of a day. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Thinking back over my Core''s internal layout, I knew there were areas I could still improve, making the process even more efficient. Right now, I need to focus on getting ready for the eighth floor, but I was making progress, and that filled me with happiness even with the effects of the void corruption still lingering. I shifted my attention back to the main doors. Several people were looking into the room, using crystals to get an idea of what was happening. They quickly found that the crisis was over and withdrew, closing the doors, which was considerate of them. ¡°5%, Larry, 5%!¡± Larry just ignored me and settled into the rafters in his favourite spot. The only impression I got from him was he would like to have the fire lit. But in turn, I ignored that. Puck was back down on the third with the boars. Thinking about them, I looked at their status sheets and found they were both close to levelling. They didn''t do much in the Dungeon, so the opportunities to level were far more limited; however, the chances of them being killed were also just as low. I was left wondering where these goats had come from. I knew they were not from Folly''s End since had not been informed that the corrupted had crossed the river containing them. "Must be local then." This was the only thing I could think of. I knew some were still corrupted up in the mountains around us, as the passage of the ogre and the lion would have left marks wherever they went. I remembered that the snake also appeared, so there was a good chance I would eventually get more visiting me. I opened up the goat''s status sheet and found nothing of interest. No, that was not true. There were a few bits I could use later on, but as a monster on its own, it was... not very impressive. Could I do some tinkering and create something new? Yes, but I wasn''t being visited by inspiration right then. I then went and looked at the scorpion''s status sheet. The black scorpion was everything I wanted it to be. I had plans for this little bastard. Some of what it could do was integral to my planning for the tenth floor. Securing it was vital to that plan, and now that I had it, I had nearly all of what I needed. I would have to do a lot of experimentation to make it work, but I was hopeful. "Well, that was fun. But back to work." ## ## ## ## ## "Twisted goats?" Ranus asked, confused, not sure if someone was playing him for a fool. "Twisted goats," Elian confirmed, her face serious. "How many?" Ranus, while still partly disbelieving and unsure of what to say. "Nine attacked the watchers outside of the Dungeon. Six made it inside but were dispatched by the Dungeon itself." "Wounded?" Ranus asked. "Thankfully, none. The goats were far more dangerous than normal, but not to the point where they endangered anyone, as the paladin on duty was able to deal with them quite efficiently. The paladin in question is under observation right now for corruption contamination." "What does High Healer Selmum think?" "After what happened to Comus, she is being far more diligent in her testing, but she is quietly optimistic that there was no corruption of the paladin," Elian reported. "Well, thank the Gods for more small mercies." ## ## ## ## ## Elis Goldwind and her husband had secured rooms within the city of Shadow Vale. It had taken time to establish themselves, but they were finally in a position she was happy with. She would rather have had a mansion, but those were few and far between within this city. She had found the best room she could and opted to base her operations out of them. After reading a series of reports, Elis and her husband sat in these rooms, looking at each other. These reports had taken weeks to amass and double-check, even triple-check in some places. But she was sure of their veracity, and she was processing the implications. "No Dungeon fairy." That was the first thing she said for several minutes. "It appears not, my dear. We do not know why, but this Dungeon operates on its own rules. As you can see from the reports, it seems not even the pantheon has any form of control over it." Hector went over what they had discovered. "No wonder Ranus has been able to do what he has been able to do. This Dungeon is playing by a completely different set of rules." "Yes, it seems that way. But what of the rest we have learned?" he asked. What they had learnt was shaking him deeply. This Dungeon seemed somehow linked to the twisted, and they were being drawn here. "For now, we can do little. I need to know more before I can plan how we move forward." Elis admitted in a rare showing of weakness. "As for you and the family, husband, keep on expanding our influence." "I understand." ## ## ## ## ## "Have you seen the change, Oda?" The figure asked as soon as they stepped out of the shadow. "I have. It is a most welcome change within the Core." He replied, not looking up from the desk. "I confess that I am at a loss. Why did you not make the Core more efficient in processing the corruption from the start?" "Remember when I explained the Core to you and how I created it?" Oda asked, looking up at his guest. "Of course." "Well, remember I said it required a body, a mind, and a soul," Oda explained. "The Core itself is the body. The mind is Bhaldor. He also supplies the soul; however, the most important thing comes from the soul. The WILL to deal with the corruption." The other looked at Oda, and he realised that he did not understand. "Dealing with void corruption is not just forcing it into the Core and scrubbing it. He must be willing to challenge it and improve himself constantly. This enables him to alter his Core with his will to make himself a better vessel to remove the corruption." "So, by seeking to deal with that more efficiently, his soul and mind are shaping his reality, allowing him to do it?" "In many respects, yes." "How far can he go?" "How far can any soul go if it has the will for it?" Oda asked. ## ## ## ## ## I came to think about bats again. I had taken a break from messing around with the designs of the rats and boars I was experimenting with. I turned my attention back to the bats to refresh my thinking. The problem was that as the bats grew larger, their weight prevented them from flying. My plans for the tenth floor entailed a flying monster, so I had to figure this out. A larger bat meant larger wings and denser bones, which weighed it down and prevented it from flying. I could see no way to break this vicious cycle right now. I began flicking through other screens just to see if anything shook loose and inspired me. "Air¡­." I muttered to myself. Then I remembered I had Air Mana now. Could I infuse it into the wings? Will that, in turn, give the larger bat the ability to fly? Now, this was a line of thinking that was getting me excited. It was the day after the goat invasion. And it was once again dark outside. Winter was fast approaching, and I knew that the number of adventurers would drop off not from lack of willingness but from lack of daylight. "Hell, I''ve got the time. Let''s try it." I opened up the necessary screens and got to work. Chapter 116 Overall, the Dungeon became quiet during the following winter. I continued my experimentation and tested strange ideas. There were many failures with explosive results, but the few successes were welcomed and sometimes surprising. The goats that attacked the Dungeon were the last corrupted monsters I saw that year. I found that my design for mountain goats was surprisingly flexible and adaptable. I introduced it to several experiments, and the results were quite interesting. The corruption that would have typically taken days to drain away was gone in mere hours. I was sure now that more significant refining and concentration on clearing these channels would make it even faster. Over the winter, fewer adventurers visited due to the cutdown of daylight hours. As usual, the third floor was the most popular of all my floors. However, I had seen in past winters which confirmed that access to fresh boar meat was a significant source of income during these months. A few more cocky ones had shown up and tried a run against the seventh. Nine more bodies were added to the floor in Krag''s hall. The blood Moss had also expanded across different parts of the floor. I estimated that about 15% of the surface area was now this new type of moss. My essence count had increased more during these long, dark days, and I was close to my next floor. I focused on preparing the base designs I would use, as I wanted to finish the floor quickly. I was constantly going back and reviewing my plans; on several occasions, I found that I had overestimated my resources. I was continually reminding myself to work within what I had. "Soon." Larry was showing me his back. He was unhappy with me because I refused to light the fire in the entrance room. Winter was giving up its grip now, but we had just gone through quite a nasty cold snap. Puck never went higher than the third as it was warmer down there, even with the draught. He had gone down to the 7th one day to try to "play" with Krag. The ogre quickly dissuaded him from any further notion of trying that again. I believed it was about an hour until dawn, and I was doing a final check of the Dungeon before the new day started. The rest of the floors were in good shape; I was ready for the daily influx. I had finished my walk around with Krag. Over the winter, I had made a few alterations to the decorations in his room, but nothing more. There were a few more Shields and terrible-quality weapons on the walls. I''d also added two more torches. Krag grunted when he noticed the changes. I was not bothered, as he was the most efficient killer I possessed. I was happy to leave him to his own devices as long as he continued doing that. I had ended my experimentation earlier than usual as I had used up more CP than I expected and did not want to use anymore. I was preparing to settle in and review last night''s work results. I had¡­.. A flicker movement caught my attention from the corner of my view. I turn my attention to one of the bodies on the floor of Krag''s hall. Did it just move? The body was covered in blood moss and was well into decomposition. I looked at the body briefly, but it did not move. "Am I finally losing it?" I shifted my view back to Krag. I might want¡­. Another flicker of movement. "Right. Is there something going on here?" Krag grunted, uninterested. I turn my attention to the body again. This time, I shifted my view to Mana Sight to see if anything stood out. My vision shifted, and I discovered something I had not expected. The body was gathering essence, which concentrated into a type of mana I''d never seen before. The mana type forming was a strange mixture of purple and grey. I could see the mana spreading across the body and interacting even with the blood moss. I found the whole thing fascinating and decided to sit back and watch. It was interesting to see how the mana moved and seemed to do so with some form of design or purpose. Over the next possibly half an hour, I watched as the whole body was now infused with the strange mana. It gave me several new ideas that I wanted to experiment with later. As I watched, the mana became denser and darker. It lost its purple color and became darker and darker grey until it was almost black. The mana was now strands covering the body in a pattern similar to a net. It was then that the body started jerking. "Krag, I¡­." I started saying when the body suddenly sat up. After a few moments, he began to get to his feet; his motions were jerky and uncontrolled. Krag had risen from his throne and walked over, carrying his mace. The former human adventurer was now standing, but its body still showed the damage that had killed it. It was primarily rotten flesh now, with many bones showing through. "Undead?" I asked myself. But before I could think of anything else, Krag smashed down the now-standing body with his mace. He went on to hit it a few more times just to make sure that it would not get back up again. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. With him smashing down the body, I got the alert.
Alert! Design gained- Blood Moss Zombie. New Mana gained - Death. ++Error++ Unable to absorb the mana. Mana dissolving. ++Error++
"Shit!" I quickly scrambled around and managed to get the little amount of mana I got from the destruction of the zombie into my core before it dissolved completely. It was a close-run thing, but now I had access to Death Mana. I opened up my status sheet and looked at the mana section. I now had Death ¨C 2(80)/ 0.2phr listed, the eighth type of mana I can access. "Well, this is completely unexpected." I focused on the other bodies and found that death mana was slowly gathering around them. The first body that had risen was the first person who had died in this room. If things continued as they were, there was a good chance that the others would also stand up. "Krag, these bodies might stand up again. If they do, hit them." I opened the status sheet and looked it over. The best way to describe it was underwhelming. The Blood Moss Zombie had some advantages against bladed weapons, which was interesting, but weaknesses against holy and healing magic. This made sense to me as undead were not as easy as many believe to put down. Stat-wise, it would barely hold its own on the second floor. But I did read something exciting about the blood moss. The Blood Moss would absorb blood and restore the undead was part of¡ªsomething similar to a vampiric ability but not as potent. The more I read over the sheet, the more interested I became. As I was so close to the next floor, I was looking to put the final touches on my plan for it. The biggest problem I encountered was what the guardian would be. I didn''t want another boar, and the rats I was planning did not meet the criteria. Could I throw another curveball at the adventurers and use an undead instead? Now, this was an idea I should investigate further. Also, I needed to make new mana stones to hold the new element I had gained. But that led to a very important question¡­. "Where the hell am I going to put them?" ## ## ## ## ## Comus stood once again in his laboratory. His guild had thrown a small party to welcome him back to his position. Many of the dignitaries and important people of the town had attended. Thankfully, it was all over now, and he could escape the scrutiny and public welcome he was forced to endure. He knew they meant well, but he had always been unhappy with such public displays. His role as Guild leader required him to attend and hold such functions, but he was always deeply unhappy. He always sought others to run them for him. After his little jaunt into the Dungeon, his laboratory was sealed. Guild investigators had gone through the room and catalogued its contents. They had ruled that nothing in here was threatening; however, his research from the time he was corrupted was restricted. He had been given special dispensation to reread it, and it was all neatly piled on the desk in the room. It seems that even with his altered mental state, he could still perform his duties to his usual standard. He was unsure if that was either a compliment or a damning piece of evidence of his lifestyle. He walked over to the desk and looked at the notes scribbled onto the foolscap and vellum. He sat down behind his desk and began to organise the papers. He could see his thought processes through the increasing incoherent and mad scribbling. Comus realised that part of him knew something was wrong and desperately tried to find the cure. The problem was that he didn''t fully understand what he was up against and, even now, still did not know. He had learned more about the corruption creating the twisted, but there was still so much he did not know. He put down the research and decided to leave it alone for now. He was not ready to walk down that path once more. Even though he could not remember much of what happened in the Dungeon, the memory of the pain was the only thing he could be sure of. He leaned back in his chair with the report of what he took into the Dungeon. He shook his head, knowing that the Guild was not happy with the loss of some of those potions, but he could do nothing about it. However, he knew they would get him to replace the important ones as he was one of the few who could make them. He began to put away his mad ramblings and focus on what he could control at the moment. ## ## ## ## ## "I think he''ll be fine," Elian told Albrot when they returned to her office. Averance had a couch installed and lounged on it with her eyes closed. The fire burning in the hearth lit and warmed the room, which had no other sources of illumination. "Yes, I think you''re right. High Healer Selmum refused to release him until she was certian that he was free of corruption. I suspect he could have been released several weeks ago, but I would not argue with the woman." Albrot said. "Boy, never argue with the churches when it involves their domains," Averance added from the couch. Albrot ignored her. Elian was still trying to understand the dynamic between the two. "Doltum is convinced we will soon see the Dungeon adding a new floor." He continued. "We need Vicdrum and a support team ready to go when that day comes." "The best we have available at the moment is Minvar and her team," Elian said after considering the roster of teams they have available. Averance snorted. "Is that [Vanguard] in her team still pursuing the grudge against the ogre on the seventh floor?" "He is High Guild Master. It seems that he''s obsessed with beating the ogre one-on-one. So far, his team has been forced to bail him out at every instance of them meeting it in battle." Elian knew this as it was common knowledge in the Guild, and there was even a betting pool to see how many times the warrior would get stomped on. Averance snorted again but said no more. Albrot sought to bring the conversation back to more important matters. "There is great interest in what the Dungeon will create on this new floor." "There''s a betting pool amongst the adventurers again on this. The present favourite is something to do with goats." Elian pointed out. "Goats?" Averance asked the question in her voice. "The Dungeon normally incorporates something from the twisted it has recently defeated, and the last one is that herd of goats that attacked the Dungeon." "Wasn''t there a lion sometime last year?" She asked. "Yes, there was, and that''s the second favourite in the betting pool. The goats are favourite because this Dungeon does create some of the strangest monsters anyone has ever seen." Elian explained. "Well, we''ll just have to wait to see." Averance frowned slightly. "I think I might join in the betting. What are the odds?" Albrot rolled his eyes. "Don''t tell her. We''ll never hear the end of it if she loses." Averance snorted again, and Albrot continued to ignore her. "Inform Minvar that we will need her team to explore the new floor when it opens. Vicdrum should start to get ready and have his supplies ready," Albrot thought out loud. "I''ll make the arrangements," Elian promised. Chapter 117 "I hate levelling." No, that wasn''t right. I hated the feeling of levelling. Another young group of cocky adventurers charged down to the seventh floor to claim the moonlight rose as their prize and promptly got annihilated by Krag. This took me over the essence threshold to my next floor and level. I looked around my core room to find Larry and Puck standing guard while I went through the levelling process. The doors to Krag''s hall were also open, but he was still sitting on his throne, uninterested in anything. I took a few minutes to check over the Dungeon and found that everything was still locked down, waiting for me to reopen it. Nothing was amiss or out of place, and all my minions seemed ready to start their roles again. When I looked outside, it was still night. I unlocked the doors and shifted my focus back to my core room. Larry and Puck were heading back up the stairs, and Krag had gotten up and closed his doors. "Let''s get started then." I reached down into the ground and started to expand. Below me, there was now solid rock and occasionally different mineral deposits. The first thing I did was to claim an area big enough to act as the new core room, and then I carved out a space ready for when I moved down. When this was done, I started to go east. I planned everything out and prepared all the minions as much as I could in advance. Making the floor should not take long. ## ## ## ## ## Minvar was leading her team down the stairs. Although the Dungeon had opened several days ago, the eighth floor had only become accessible today. Her team waited for the order to escort Assessor Searider through the new floor, and today was that day. They had used the time to check and recheck all their supplies and gear. They were more cautious than before when they first entered this Dungeon. When they had first come here, they had been mostly arrogant and cocky, expecting a push over as they were a silver grade team¡ªthe months they had spent with this Dungeon had changed their attitudes completely. Brutun was the most notable of these changes. He had become so fixated on fighting the ogre on the 7th floor that he was becoming a liability to the team as a whole. Thankfully, one of their elders was visiting on a trading mission and had a [War Disciplinarian] with them. She had removed her team from rotation and handed him over to get his anger into check. Thankfully, the winter was quiet, allowing him to be re-introduced to the concepts of control and focus. Brutun still hungered to defeat the ogre in a one-on-one battle but had learned to temper his aggression once more. He had apologised to the team for his reckless and arrogant behaviour while nursing the bruises from his time with the [War Disciplinarian]. Minvar was secretly glad she had been approached to explore this new floor, as it would take her whole team''s attention from the seventh. They had become quite adept at fighting the ogre, but it was constantly improving as well, and she was worried that if they spent too many times fighting it, it might surprise them one day with a move they''d never seen before, and not all of them would return. The only issue she had with exploring this new floor was the assessor himself. He tried to hide his dislike for non-humans, but she knew he was not happy to be assigned them. However, she and her team were professionals and dealt with his dislike. She knew it would be the same if they were a human team in her people''s lands. The Folly and its effects were still being felt over three centuries later. They did not take long to walk down the stairwell to the bottom. They came out into the same room that marked the end of the stairs. Here, they found their first change from the normal layout. The room only had one egress facing east. "That''s new." While speaking in the human tongue, Strix pointed to the doorway as Minvar instructed them to do when on this mission. "There are always doors nearby." "Stay focused. Xurak is taking point." Minvar got them into action. The room seemed no different from before, with blue moss growing on the walls and abandoned slabs of stone stacked around it. Strix was right in his observations that the Dungeon generally showed you the exit from the floor boss''s room on most floors, with the eighth being the notable exception. Xurak stepped forward and inspected the short corridor leading into the next room. He tapped a few areas with the pommel of his sword but seemed satisfied that no traps were present. He stepped forward and walked a short distance. He spent several moments looking into the next room before motioning to Minvar to come up. It was a bit cramped, but they both could stay inside the doorway and observe the next room. Room, again, is the wrong word for it. She realised it was another cavern. Blue moss covered the ceiling and walls. The ground was covered in long grass, similar to the sixth floor. She was at first worried that they would be fighting more snakes but then noticed something moving on the other side of the cavern. It stepped out of a patch of shadow which had hidden it from her. She quickly realised it was another boar, but this one was markedly different from the ones upstairs on the 3rd. Its hide was much more rigid and looked like armour, while its tusks were much more prominent and sharper. Stolen novel; please report. She turned back to her team, who was waiting with the assessor. "One boar different from the ones upstairs. It appears to be improved or using a different element." Her team didn''t say anything but nodded, knowing that there was probably more going on, but they had not yet encountered it. They would await her orders on how to proceed. "Heavies going first. Xurak will try to flank. Nyminar and I will stay in support and act as needed." It was almost standard battle play, and they all knew what they were required to do. They spent a few minutes getting themselves organised, and when they were ready, Brutun led the way. He walked into the room confident but not as arrogant as he once was. Strix and Devaus quickly emerged from the small hallway and took position on either side of him, forming a rough shield wall. As soon as the boar saw them, it squealed in outrage and charged forward. Brutun stode forward to meet it with his great shield, which was glowing as he activated one of his skills. The boar impacted him, and they all heard a grunt and his shield creaking under the force of the impact, but he stood steadfast. Strix and Devaus moved to flank the boar, but Minvar was concerned that this was too easy. Her fears were proven when suddenly Strix grunted in pain and started limping. "Something else is in the grass. I''ve just been bitten. Whatever it was just tore right through my armour." He called out. "More snakes?" Devaus asked. "No, I don''t think so, but whatever it was, it was small and fast." They''re all looking around, apart from the three fighting the boar. It was Xurak who saw the other monster. "There are rats in the tall grass. But I''ve never seen their likes before." "How many?" Minvar demanded. "Cannot say but several," Xurak called out. Brutun was engaged with the boar and could not participate in keeping an eye out for the rats. Brutun and the boar were locked in combat, but it was clear that Brutun held the advantage in the fight. The others were trying to keep an eye on the boar and the grass for danger. Nyminar cried out in pain as she was bitten. One got behind her and jumped onto her leg, biting deep. She tried to strike back at it but had jumped off and scampered back into the grass to hide itself. "Strix, Devaus, help look out for the rats. Brutun can handle the boar." Minvar ordered. Her team changed their attention to the grass and the attacking rats striking from it. This allowed them to identify the rats as they approached quickly, and several were killed over the next few moments. Brutun roared as he struck the fatal blow on the boar. Devaus was bitten before he struck and killed the last of the rats. They knew the fight was over as there was a flash, and the reward for victory was supplied. "Xurak, collect the reward. All the wounded were checked by Nyminar. The rats might carry disease," Minvar ordered. She walked over to the assessor, standing in the doorway, taking notes of everything that had happened. "It is safe to enter now, Assessor Searider." "Thank you, Team Captain Minvar." Searider entered the cabin and made his way over to the boar''s body. Minvar followed him and was soon joined by Xurak as Brutun watched on. "What have we got, Xurak?" Minvar asked. "Forty-two copper coins and these two boar tusks." He showed her the rewards. "Hmmm¡­. Have a look at the boar and rats." Minvar took stock of what they had gained, put them away, and did as she instructed. "Nyminar?" Minvar asked. "Light wounds, nothing major. No signs of infection," She reported. Minvar looked around the cavern, which was similar to the sixth floor. This was the first time they had encountered more than one type of monster on the floor, let alone in the same room. She did not know what to make of it right then, but she wondered if this was a bad sign for moving forward. "Minvar." Xurak Drew her attention back to the body of the boar. "Report, Xurak." "What I think we''re looking at is a modified version of the floor boss from the third floor. Its size and strength mirror the one up there, but instead of being infused with shadow, it is infused with earth mana." He began explaining to her what he was seeing. "The boar hide is far more rigid and rock-like, making it far tougher. As you can see, the tusks have been altered and are larger, with crystalline elements now." "Brutun, did you see it use any abilities or skills?" She asked the [Vanguard]. "It triggered the skill [Charge] and used a similar ability to the floor boss on the fifth floor, making it tougher when I struck it." He said as he went over the fight in his head. Minvar was happy to see this as it showed that his retraining was working. "What of the rats?" She asked. "Not much to say about them. They have a slight camouflage ability similar to the snakes in the Dungeon, and their teeth show the greatest alteration. They have been altered to allow them to pierce through armour. Speed and endurance are not much. Combining them with the boar allows them to ambush and to be a distraction." Xurak held up one''s body as he spoke, pointing out the fur, a strange green, and the enlarged teeth, which were more like crystals. "Assessor Searider, what are your thoughts?" She asked the human present. "I agree with your teammate''s assessment. This floor does not currently rate a higher or equal grade as the one above." "Very well, we continue then." She organised her team quite quickly, and they noted the door on the southern end of the cavern. If this floor matched the others, that would be the exit from the floor boss''s room. On the northern side of the cavern, facing in a western direction, was another exit, which they made their way to. Xurak was in the lead, watching for any traps or surprises. The next cavern''s environment was similar to the first rough layout. The most significant difference was the two boars that moved around the grass, investigating different things on the ground. Minvar observed the two boars and the rest of the cavern from the doorway. Once satisfied with what she could see, she returned to a team and began giving them their orders. "Heavies to lead the way again. There are two boars this time. They will attack us the minute we go in. Expect rats to be in the grass, so stay aware. We should have those boars engaged with us, and when they do, the rats are most likely to start to attack us." She told them. They nodded, understanding her orders and what was about to happen. "Support will protect the heavies as they engage the boars. Stay aware out there and keep each other safe." Her team chorused with confirmation and understanding. Brutun and the others got in position, and then, when they were ready, they entered the cavern. Chapter 118 As expected, the boars charged at them as soon as they were spotted. Both triggered their [Charge] ability and glowed slightly as they came hurtling towards Brutun and Strix. Both warriors countered with their skills to reinforce their defences as they knew they had to meet this attack head-on, or the boars would charge right past into their support. Minvar winced when she heard the impacts. Both warriors stood tall and held their ground, but their shields were taking a battering; she worried for Brutun as he held the last boar back. Both of them soon struck back at their opponents, but the fight was intense. Denvas quickly moved to support them from the flank, and Xurak moved around to the other. This is when the rats made their appearance. Several bursts from the grass and began to attack different members of her team. Minvar caught the movement from the corner of her eye and could turn and strike out as the rat jumped at her, killing it with a solid blow that almost cleaved it in half. Nyminar could defend herself from her attacker this time, but the others were too distracted by the boars. Xurak stopped attacking the bore and quickly went after the rats. Minvar moved up and joined him. They could kill the rats between the two, but they avoided several strikes, prolonging the fight. They were attempting to use hit-and-run tactics, but they stayed with them, stopping them from blending back into the grass. They were significantly larger than normal rats, making it slightly more manageable to track him. The last rat died, and Minvar turned her attention back to the fight with the boars. Clearly, they were now winning, and the first quickly fell to the combination of Strix and Devaus. The second fell to Brutun mere moments later, and a team took a deep breath as the rewards arrived, signalling the end of the battle. "Nyminar, check everyone out. Xurak the reward." Minvar started barking orders. It did not take long to get everyone back into fighting shape. Even though her fighters hadn''t suffered any serious injuries, the stress and shock damage from the boars'' attacks would still penetrate the shields and affect the warriors behind them. The reward was calculated and added to the pile. Assessor Searider was in the cavern, taking notes and mapping out the room as this happened. "Xurak." Minvar motioned the old warrior over to her. He walked a short distance until they were close enough to be out of earshot of the assessor. "What is it, Minvar?" He asked. "Is it me, or is this floor easier than it should be?" She asked him the question as it was starting to concern her. He thought about it before speaking. The combination of the two monster types has advantages, making the floor more dangerous. The boards are based on the floor boss of the third. The rats themselves are nothing special, just improved, as we have already determined. Either something more is waiting for us, or the Dungeon is breaking with tradition again." "From what we know of this Dungeon, I fear something nasty awaits us." She told him, and he could only grunt in reply. She quickly rallied a group, and they moved on to the next room. The exit to this one was located to the South. Xurak declared it free of traps, and he and Minvar looked into the next cavern. The essential layout environment was the same as all the others they had come through. This time, three boars were clearly to be seen. As the tactic worked, she did not change their plan of attack from the last two caverns. She ensured they were ready to deal with the rats when they appeared. Her warriors advanced and quickly took their positions, prepared to meet the charge they knew was coming. With a squeal, the boars charged. The warriors had spread out slightly to ensure the boss would target each separately. Angela appeared to be working. The introduction of skills on both sides enhanced the crash of the impacts, and the battle was joined. Minvar and the others prepared to fight the rats they knew would appear. Hear the Dungeon through its first surprise on the floor. Rats came from the grass but did not attack them individually; instead, they swarmed Devaus. They jumped onto his back and bit into his legs. He screamed in pain as the rats tore into him. "Help!" The boy he was fighting took advantage and pushed forward again. Now distracted, the force of the impact knocked him to the ground, and the boar began trampling him. The rats continued to attack, striking at him from the sides while the boar pinned him under its shield. Xurak ran forward to help, and Minvar cast a [Firebolt] to distract the boar. Minvar could see out of her eye that the other two boars had triggered their abilities, making them more challenging, holding the other warriors in place. She cursed herself, knowing she had fallen into such a simple trap. The Dungeon had used the first two caverns to lure them into a false sense of superiority to strike them here. She quickly cast off two more spells, feeling her mana reserves being drained as she did so. She had to pace herself as the floor boss had not engaged. Xurak was now fighting the rats; about half had broken off to fight him while the rest continued to rip into Devaus. He was desperately triggering his skills to minimise the damage, but he was straining under their use. Her third spell had finally drawn the boar''s attention to her. It came at her, but she could sidestep the charging beast. She struck out with her sword, but it slid off the tough hide of the boar as it passed. Cursing, she turned to keep her eye on the beast. It arrested its forward movement a short distance away and turned to face her again. As it turned, she cast another spell, striking it in the face, causing it to squeal in pain and toss its head around. She was buying as much time as she could for the other fighters to finish off their opponents. She crossed the distance between them and stabbed forward with the point of her sword. The beast''s thrashing caused it to strike the head, but it slid off the skull, only cutting slightly into its flesh. She did not know how the other fights were progressing and focused only on the beast before her. She sidestepped around the boar again, trying to get her sword to slice deeper into the flesh. She scored several hits, which caused bloody wounds to appear, but they were thin and narrow. The problem was that the boar had recovered from his spell and was turning to try to face her. She kept moving with it to stay on its flank. It kicked out several times, trying to catch her with its hind legs, but she could see it moving and got out of the way. Minvar was growing concerned; she did not know how long she could continue this way. Although she was skilled with the blades, the beast''s height proved to be something she could not easily overcome. Brutun suddenly came into view and crashed into the beast. His sword was in front of him. He put his full weight behind it and pushed into the boar''s body. His sword sliced deep into the flank of her opponent, and it squealed in pain and thrashed, and he kept going. The boar quickly coughed up blood and collapsed to the side as the wound proved to be fatal. Brutun''s sword was very deep into the body, and he pulled it out as best he could. Minvar was now able to look around. The boars and rats were dead. Devaus was lying on the ground, with Nyminar working on his bloodied form with the assistance of Xurak. She quickly crossed the distance to where he was lying. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Nyminar was wrapping bandages around dozens of injuries. His armour was once a mixture of hardened leather and chainmail; now, it was just a ripped mess with blood and flesh added. Several empty bottles were scattered around, indicating that she had already used tonics and potions on him. Minvar trusted in their [Combat Healer]. She would supply him with the necessary medicines without risking the danger of flooding his body with too much. Assessor Searider had entered the cavern and was now working on the map and the details for his report. Strix was collecting the rewards while Brutun had finally recovered his sword from the body of the last boar. Internally, she cursed herself for being such a fool and letting her guard down, especially in this Dungeon. Minvar and her team waited for Nyminar to speak. The healer would not say anything until she was satisfied that her patient was stable and that they did not dare interrupt her. After several tense minutes, she finally straightened up from being hunched over his body. "He''ll live but won''t be in any more fights." She reported. "He''s lost a lot of blood, and I''ve given him all the potions I can risk. Thank the gods that the rats did not carry any poisons or diseases. We might have lost him." Devaus was wrapped in what could be every bandage Nyminar had brought with her. His blood was black in the cavern''s blue light but reflected some of the light. "Do we evacuate, team captain?" Brutun asked. It was a fair question; she had the right to pull out if she felt it was too dangerous. It would not look good on their record, but exploring a new dungeon floor came with taking this into account within the guild. Assessor Searider was listening in interest. "Status and be honest." Before she could make the decision, she needed more information. "Combat able. There are some light injuries, but my shield has been damaged. If we proceed, I will swap out for my spare." Brutun was the first to speak. "Combat able. A few bites but nothing else." Xurak was next. "Combat able. But I''m running out of supplies." Nyminar spoke from the ground next to her patient. "Combat able. I, too, have light injuries, and we''ll need to swap out my shield." Strix spoke, not taking his eyes off his friend, who was severely wounded on the ground. Devaus just grunted in pain. Minvar looked each of her teammates in the eyes, and several nodded, willing to continue. After a few moments of thought, she decided. "We investigate the next cavern. If it''s the floor boss, we will withdraw if it proves too difficult. If not, we will evaluate as we go. Devaus, you will remain outside of the fights in the corridor until the room is cleared." This got the others into action. Devaus stood up, and although he could walk around, he limped badly. Even with the pain-numbing medicine, he felt every injury. They moved much slower but reached the next cavern, and here they found¡­¡­ a difference. The cavern was covered not in grass but in moss. Minvar used a light crystal to understand better what was happening here. The glowing blue Moss that supplied the light was all over the walls and ceiling, as in all the others. But the ground was covered in a mixture of green and brown moss. It did not take long for them to identify several lumps in the Moss that were strange and not rocks. Brutun pulled some of the moss away, revealing a dead body. "What is going on here?" He asked. Appan investigation, they discovered at least a dozen more bodies, and from the injuries and positioning, it seemed that they had killed each other. From what they could see, they appeared to be standing in the middle of a battle. "Blood moss." Xurak pointed to the brown patches. "Be careful around that stuff, especially you, Devaus." "How dangerous is it?" Nyminar asked. "Against clothing, it''s useless, but bare skin. It can be a bit dangerous." Nyminar hung back with Devaus and Searider. The others ventured deeper into the cavern, exploring and trying to understand what they were encountering. The cabin was about the same size as all the others, but they saw no movement or danger for their life. This, of course, put them on a heightened state of alert, and they were cautious of any little thing, no matter how benign. "Behind you!" Nyminar shouted out a warning. They started to turn to face the danger she warned him of, but whatever it was, it was faster. Minvar bore witness to Xurak being sliced into by a sword. He fell forward, a nasty wound across his back, which had caught him just as he was turning. Brutun and Strix moved in to protect him. Minvar turned the light crystal on the attacker and got her first good look at it. It was some form of undead or revenant; she did not know which. A human body covered in rusted armour and blood moss. Its eyes were gone, and a deep purple light now existed in both sockets where its eyes once were. "Undead! Strix, use your mace. Brutun, hold it in position." Minvar snapped at her orders, knowing that this was a significant threat to them. The undead was carrying a sword that was rusted but still looked sharp. Brutun stepped in to fight the monster, swinging his sword out. Much to everyone''s surprise, the undead dodged out of the way, flashing out with his sword and catching Brutun on the arm just above the elbow. His armour stood most of the blow, but it had cut into him. Minvar saw the glow of a skill activation as it moved. Strix had dropped his sword and pulled out his mace, which he carried as his backup weapon. He charged in as Brutun stepped back, snarling from the pain of the wound. He swung down with the Mace, aiming to crush the undead''s head, even with its helmet on, and again, they were surprised. The undead turned, blocking the strike with the flat of his blade and then rolling to the sides, using Strix''s momentum against him. "It''s a revenant. Be careful; it can use skills without the physical toll," Xurak said as he stood back up. "Surround it. Don''t give it room to manoeuvre." Minvar ordered, cursing internally again. Her team quickly responded and sought to surround the revenant, but it seemed to have other ideas and was constantly moving, not allowing them to pin it in place. Back-and-forth strikes were exchanged, with the revenant moving quickly in and out of range of different team members. She quickly realised it was doing its best to avoid Strix. Brutun had managed to score a hit, and so did Xurak. Unfortunately, due to its undead nature and the surprisingly sturdy but rusted armour, it did not seem to slow it down. It had triggered several more skills during this time, allowing it to keep out of the range of most of their attacks. "How much more of this can it keep up with?" Brutun demanded. "It must have triggered at least its kills 10 times by now." "Keep the pressure up. We have to wear it down and exhaust it before we can destroy it," Xurak responded. He was a veteran of several undead incursions, and they trusted his words and knowledge. They could finally start boxing the revenant against the wall, but it still seemed to have a few tricks up its sleeve. Its sword suddenly glowed with the same deep purples seen within its eye sockets. It leapt forward before any of them could react, triggering another skill. [Multi-Thrust]. It had never used this skill before and took Brutun by surprise. The first blow he was able to deflect for the second quarter on his shoulder and slights deep into his armour and flesh. He bellowed in pain and collapsed back into the moss. The revenant tried to break free of the box they placed around it, but Xurak stepped in and focused on him. Strix could get behind the revenant now and swung him with all his might. The revenant shifted position as he did this, but he connected with it. The mace impacted the revenant off the shoulder. There was a loud crack as the mace impacted, and the arm came free from the revenant''s body and fell to the floor. This did not stop the revenant, and it kept moving. It lashed out with its blade, catching Xurak again, but this time only lightly. As it was necessary to secure a better position, it took a step that surprised everyone. It ran its blade across part of the Moss on its body, and they realised that the blood that was left behind on it was wiped off. Before their eyes, they saw the blood being absorbed by the moss. It wasn''t a lot, but it seemed to empower the revenant more. "It has some type of vampiric ability," Minvar called out. This suddenly made an extremely dangerous undead even worse. "Burn it!" Xurak Told her. Minvar did not need to be told twice and unleashed several fire spells onto the revenant. She cast three in total and felt the backlash of mana drain, but she knew it had to be done. She slumped to her knees in exhaustion after the third spell was cast. The revenant dodged the first, but the other two slammed into it, and it was soon alight in fire. This didn''t bother it, and it continued moving, but the damage to its body from the fire slowed it down. Strix found another opening and quickly connected with another blow. This knocked the revenant back against the cavern wall. Seeing this as his best opportunity, he activated his skills, which he had held back. Triggering two simultaneously came with a terrible backlash, but he did it. The impact was allowed, and the crunching of the bones was just as loud as the revenant''s skull collapsed, destroying its head. It collapsed to the floor and did not move again, marking the end of the battle as the reward arrived. Minvar and the other team members involved in the battle collapsed in exhaustion. They were battered and bloody, but they had won.