《Dungeons are a Girl's Best Friend》 Of Diamonds and Death Sarah Wilson was bored. Very, very bored. So bored, in fact, that she¡¯d have said she was bored to death except she¡¯d already died like¡­an eternity ago. It had been super scary and confusing, because one moment she and her friends were walking in the jewelry shop, looking at all the pretty diamonds, and the next she¡¯d been here in this dark void. A blue screen had informed her to sit tight as her soul underwent system integration, whatever the hell that meant. She¡¯d asked for an explanation, or tried to, but the screen had disappeared before she¡¯d even been able to utter so much as a word. Even if it hadn''t it wouldn''t have made much of difference, since she didn¡¯t have a voice here, or a body for that matter. Yeah, that discovery had freaked her out alright, and Sarah might have¡­panicked a little. Some mental screaming and crying may have been involved, which are, on an unrelated note, good substitutes for the genuine article. A little panic had been warranted though, since it isn¡¯t every day that you find out that you¡¯ve died. Honestly, Sarah thought she¡¯d handled the news of her passing pretty well all things considered. Same for the realization that she was stuck here for the time being, even if time didn¡¯t really exist in the void. Like, Sarah had known that time was a purely human concept, but it hadn¡¯t really ever hit home until now, there literally no way to tell time in this damnable place aside from counting. Orientation was even more of a hassle, there no way to tell up from down or left from right. It was a dark, featureless expanse that went on into infinity. Truly, there was no point of reference to hold onto, not even a distant star. No noise either, it silent as the grave, and so she only had her thoughts to keep her company. In other words, it was supremely boring, and at this point Sarah would have loved nothing more than for the abyss to stare on back, or tell her secrets dark and dangerous. Every so often she¡¯d call out for an update, but neither upper or lower management answered her no matter what she did and Sarah had gotten damn creative. She¡¯d cried and begged and cursed to no avail, and even ritualistic chanting had gone unanswered. In fact, Sarah was convinced that they¡¯d simply forgotten about her because how hard could it be to integrate a single soul! It couldn¡¯t be all that difficult when thousands of people died every day, besides after millennia you¡¯d think they¡¯d have gotten this down to a science, but clearly the people in charge were just incompetent. Depressingly, even complaining had gotten boring. As had drifting around listlessly, and now she was bored of being bored, which was a new low. It really was, and Sarah sighed deeply only for a blue screen to pop into existence.
System Integration complete! You will shortly be reincarnated as a [Dungeon Pixie] !
¡°Finally,¡± she crowed with delight. ¡°It took you guys long enough!¡± The void cracked and a warm light enveloped her, carrying her to her new destination. It felt like every sunny morning combined and she basked in it, wondering all the while why they hadn¡¯t put her in a dimension full of this goodness. She would have complained a lot less if this had been her eternity. Still, better late than never, she supposed.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Sarah was also excited to become a pixie, which if she recalled correctly, was a type of fairy. A childhood dream come true, that, though she was a bit weirded out by the adjective of "Dungeon". Like, did that mean she was captured or whatever? Was she a princess in need of rescue? Oh, if she was she couldn''t wait to meet her own Oberon and become his Titania! Romantic fantasies filled her head the rest of the way, exited to live out a fairy tale. Finally they arrived, the ball of light coming to a stop. The white light grew brighter and she felt her new body materialize itself one inch at a time, from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head. It was the feeling of wings sprouting from her back, however, that saw her come into being with a megawatt smile. Only for that smile to disappear right quick when she took in her surroundings. She''d expected a gilded cage, one of those fancy tower rooms with a four poster bed and barred windows, but instead she found herself in a hole in not much bigger than she was. And, given that she was only four inches tall that was saying something. It smelled of dirt and mildew, and the only things of note were the cracked garnet that twinkled on the ground not too far away and the blue screen hovering in front of her.
Congratulations, you have been reborn as a [Dungeon Pixie]! These helpful Fae creatures guide and keep the [Dungeon Core] that summoned them company. Go on say hello!
Just like last time it disappeared as soon as she¡¯d finished reading it, leaving her alone with the unfaceted gem. Given that it was the only thing here aside from her it must have been the Dungeon Core the screen had mentioned, and apparenlty it had summoned her. How it had done or why was unclear, but if pixies existed why not magical gems? Maybe it was like...a soul stone or something. Curious she floated on closer, which came surprisingly natural to her after all that drifting in the void. The core was triangular in shape and cabochon to boot, meaning that it had a curved top and a flat base. It was light pink in color and had hairline fractures covering its surface. A pity, really, because otherwise it would have definitely fetched a fair price. Then again, it was a magical stone that could resurrect the dead and give them new bodies, so that would probaly jack it right back up. Made it priceless, really. And it was hers, the screen all but having told her that she was its caretaker. Which was like, woah, responsiblity much? Sure, she was a fairy now, so she had magic but...she was also only four inches tall. People could just step on her and she''d die! Thankfully they were safe for now, being undergound as they were, but uhh that wouldn''t last forever either - not if she had any say in the matter. Worrying wouldn''t get her anywhere though, so shedecided to just bite the bullet and say hello. "Hey, I''m Sarah. You are?" The core stayed silent, which wasn''t too surprsing - crystals weren¡¯t typically known for being chatty Cathies. Still if it could summon her surely it could communicate so... maybe touching it would be the way to go. Sarah reached out, taking note of how slender her arm was, and put a small hand onto its surface. The second she did she was overwhelmed with feelings and thoughts not her own, first and foremost among them pain and fear. It didn¡¯t communicate in words, but in conceptual equations that hurt her head to look at, and yet she understood. She understood that it was lonely and confused and that it needed help, felt that the bond between them was incomplete - onesided. All she had to do was say yes, and the two of them would be bound for eternity, minds inerxoriably connected. Sarah said yes, and the world was bathed in pink light. Of Garnet and Golems When the light faded was she no longer in a hole in the ground, but in a room of packed earth. A room she knew the proportions of in extreme detail, aware of the fact that it was 8 feet high and 12 feet long and across. She also knew that it was connected to a 50ft long corridor that led to the outside world, and that another corridor would cost 10 mana to construct.That was half the total amount of mana they had to work with. Mana was the life force of a Dungeon and now that Sarah was tied to one she was intimately aware of it. It was warm and light and powerful. The more mana a Dungeon had the faster it could grow, and currently their natural regen was one unit per day, which was absolutely pitiful. Thankfully there were other ways of gaining mana, such as consuming everything that wasn¡¯t of dungeon make. Something that the core was looking forward to, all that digging having made it hungry. Or, was it more accurate to that the digging had whetted its appetite, its mana having consumed everything it had come across: dirt, minerals, worms and mycelium. As a result she now knew the composition of these things, something she really could¡¯ve done without to be honest, and after a bit of tweaking their freshly formed connection no longer broadcast such things. Now it only broadcast the core¡¯s thoughts and emotions, which were comparatively simple and far less distracting. It was still weird, mind you, its thought pattern alien in the extreme, but Sarah felt like she could get used to this in time. If she focussed she could feel its pleasure at her being here, its ecstacy of having grown as a result, and its excitement to eat new things. Its annoyance at still being on the ground also came on through loud and clear. Immediately a pillar of clay rose up, holding it aloft for all to see, and Sarah realized that the room and the corridor were essentially its body. A body that it could shape into whatever image it so desired, and Sarah felt nothing but wonder for the sheer potential this gem possessed. The core preened in response to her thoughts, literally glowing with pride. Pink light spilled forth from its cracks, causing thin lines to appear on dark walls. Each might as well have been a grin, because she felt the joy it radiated. Mingled in with that happiness was a deep gratitude, a feeling that it wasn¡¯t directly expressing but which was there regardless. It was an essential part of their bond and Sarah didn¡¯t really know what to do with it, never having been the recipient of such intense hero worship. Or, maybe she had, and she¡¯d simply never known because she hadn¡¯t been a literal empath. Which was something, wasn¡¯t it? In this new world she was Pixie empath who took care of a magical stone that could think and feel and summon souls! Yeah, pretty damn wild didn¡¯t even begin to cover it. Of course, Sarah wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to believe it¡¯d be all puppies and rainbows forever. She remembered the pain and loneliness it had been feeling moments ago, before she¡¯d cheered it up. They were gone for now but there was no doubt in her mind that they¡¯d come back at some point. On top of that there was her own baggage to consider. Yes, drama would be had, this was inevitable, whether you were an empath or not. The only difference was that it was much more emotionally draining for the former since it¡¯d be twice as intense. Sarah didn¡¯t mind though, since that was exactly what the doctor had ordered after her time in the void where so much had been muted. Plus, she was something of drama queen and lived for that shit. Speaking of living, she was overjoyed to once again be flesh and blood. The best thing, though, had to be the return of her voice. The very same even, if her ears weren¡¯t mistaken. ¡°So what now,¡± she asked, relishing how the question rolled off her tongue. The core responded by sending her a screen, a larger version of the ones she¡¯d seen before. It was a list, and Sarah immediately knew that it hadn¡¯t been the core that had written it out, there no way it knew any of these words.
Choose Starter Monster Schema: Slime: Mindless, boneless, and tireless. These creatures are barely sentient, and are seen more as a nuisance than they are a threat. The contents they release upon death, however, turn these cheap minions into valuable assets. Centipede: Creepy, crawly, and caustic. These predatory arthropods dwell in and on the earth, and as such their coloration is similarly drab. Their intimidating body shape, swift speed, and painful venom make up for this lack of flair, its bite feared by creatures big and small. Goblin: Green, mean, and greedy. These small humanoids are known for their rapid reproduction and adaptability. Their great numbers see them form tribes, usually led by a Shaman, who is the smartest and most vicious of the lot. Minor Golem: Strong, stalwart, and safe. These automatons of mud and stone are powerful, but slow of mind and body. As such, they are good for keeping vigilant or digging but little else, they incapable of understand complicated orders. Pixies: Small, swift, and spritely. These docile Fae creatures take care of fauna and will make a Dungeon lush and green. They live in hives which are ruled over by a Queen. Their capacity for magic is high, and as such they do not come cheap.
Sarah read through the list and frowned, because pixies weren¡¯t monsters! She certainly wasn¡¯t, right? Hurriedly she took stock of her new form, something that had slipped her mind earlier, but thankfully she found nothing amiss. Her well-proportioned figure was nicely accentuated by the pink Tinkerbelle dress she had appeared in and her blonde hair reached the small of her back. Her wings were also pink and looked like they belonged to a butterfly. Her skin, meanwhile, was pale and flawless and gave off a slight glow. The face she currently wore was, far as she could tell through touch, identical to the one she¡¯d had before. So, that meant green eyes, button nose, and full lips. Nothing monstrous about that, no sir! Honestly, Sarah was kind of insulted that she¡¯d been lumped together with goblins, slimes, and centipedes. She sent a small wave of annoyance across their bond, and then turned her thoughts back to the list before her. The three options she¡¯d just mentioned were discarded on grounds of being actual monsters, which left her with Minor Golems or Pixies. She told the core as much, saying that she¡¯d be fine with whatever it chose, but apparently it wanted her to choose so as to make up for annoying her.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You sure?¡± It did the mental equivalent of nod. ¡°Alright, if you say so.¡± She considered both of options on fair grounds, weighing their pros and cons. Her initial instinct had been to double down on Pixies, be surrounded by her kind, but the more she thought about it the more the Minor Golems appealed to her. They could dig, which would free up their mana for other things, were cheaper on top of that and came with defensive abilities. Pixies, meanwhile, seemed to be only useful if you already had plants, which they currently didn¡¯t. Admittedly, they were definitely the prettier option, and the magic was tempting too, but¡­no. Aesthetics weren¡¯t the priority here, a strong and reliable foundation was, which is exactly what the Minor Golems would be. They were the smart and economical choice, and as her father had drilled into her head, that is what you always go for when just starting out your business. And, for all intents and purposes, she was ¨C her role as Dungeon Pixie making her, like, the economic advisor of an up-and-coming CEO. Her father would have no doubt been proud. Of course, if that were the case than she could no longer call it Core or Dungeon, since that¡¯d be like calling her Pixie or Girl, which while accurate, was also extremely rude. You couldn¡¯t talk to anyone like that, least of all your client/partner! It didn¡¯t have a name, though, which is why she was going to give it one. A good one, one that fit. After a few moments Sarah was pretty sure she¡¯d found the perfect name. It was simple, to the point, and pretty. Choices made, she addressed her partner. ¡°Alright, so, I¡¯ve thought about it and I think we should go for the Minor Golem as our starter monster. It¡¯s cheap labor, which is really what we need this early on. I¡¯ve even got some ideas on what they should look like! Image is important, after all. Not as important as name recognition, though, so from this moment on you are Garnet the Dungeon Core!¡± Wonder and joy blasted across their bond, and Sarah blinked as she felt her partner grow. Not physically but metaphysically, the end result being the doubling of their mana regen. She was confused as to why a name would cause such a thing, and the newly dubbed Garnet eagerly answered. It was a bit hard to follow, Sarah still not entirely used to her way of thinking, but she got the gist of it: In this world names held power, defining a thing or a being much more than they ever had on Earth. It was apparenlty the same for Titles and Classes, both of which shaped your soul in irreversible ways. They were expression of your truest self, because as you gave them meaning so they gave meaning unto you. So, by giving Garnet her name, Sarah had done more than give her an identity ¨C she¡¯d influenced Garnet¡¯s Fate. Sarah had blushed when she¡¯d translated that into words, since it came across as something to the effect of ¡°You have touched my soul with your gift of love¡±. ¡°Yes, um¡­.well you¡¯re welcome. Anyways, about those golems. I was thinking we keep it simple: a floating head with glowing eyes, a boulder for a chest, and some chunky arms and legs. Moss growing on its back, of course, and a design on its chest. Like, maybe the imprint of your shape or something like that. Oh, and large hands for digging.¡± Garnet listened, thought, and then got to work. Sarah floated up beside her, paying rapt attention. Mana stirred and once again something grew from the floor, two things in fact. Within moments identical pillars stood steady, each two feet in height and not long after they were both connected to an oval body. The clay construct now surpassed them in height, standing at five feet precisely. A shaggy carpet of white hung off its back and shallow imprint of garnet herself pointed downwards on its chest. The arms reached its midriff, stocky and short. The hands were big and blocky, twice as large a hand had any right to be. Three of Sarah could have easily sat on those palms, maybe even four. The only thing still missing was the head, which was being formed separate from the rest. A ball of pink mana drew clay to it, forming a perfect sphere. A moment two holes were bored into it, making it look like bowling ball. Sarah knew that those dark sockets would light up the moment the head was in place, but sadly she never got to see that happen, because as Garnet lowered it into place things went sideways. Pain lanced through the core and her control slipped, the head dropping like the stone it was. Sarah watch in horror as it hit the boulder and cracked like an egg, releasing the power contained within. Garnet did her best to keep it under control, but the pink energy reacted to her pain and distress, and so while it did fuse with the construct it did so violently. Indeed, instead of strengthening the golem, like the mana was supposed to, it weakened it and with a horrible sound the golem started to crumble and fall apart. Garnet screamed as it did, and Sarah who was had started to panic did the first thing that came into her mind and hugged the shaking crystal beside her. An action she immediatly regretted, the pain spreading to her body instead of simply being broadcast across their mental link, but despite this she didn¡¯t let go. Together they pushed through, united in their pain, doing their best to keep their first monster from collapsing in on itself. Sarah had no idea how long they were at it, or how they even did it, but somehow they managed. The telltale ding of a screen announced their success, and not long after the pain receded as quickly as it had come. The two of them sobbed in relief, taking solace in each other''s prescence. Sarah didn''t dare let go, having never felt such pain before not even in death (it had been a quick affair), and Garnet was more than okay with that. Eventually Sarah ran out of tears, her tear ducts having run dry, and she opened up her eyes with a sniffle. The prompt was still there, waiting to be read.
Hollow Mycelium Golem (Minor) This unstable Golem is kept together by the magically enhanced mycelium strands, which thread through is body like veins. Without the fungus it would fall apart, and so it has to dig to keep on digging, its large hands absorbing the nutrients that will keep the colony alive. The hollow eyes and triangular hole in its chest show that the Golem is hollow.
It dissapeared once she''d read it, and she took in their creation for the first time. The clay was cracked from top to bottom, thin white lines that pulsated every so often holding it together like glue. It hunched forward, as if too top heavy due to the thick fungal coat on its back, which made it look distinctly like a stuffed juvenile gorilla. Except, the taxidermist never bothered to replace the head, which was a broken and malformed mess. What had once been a perfect sphere was anything but, and the two dark sockets that would have lit up with light stared vacantly ahead. They were soulless and empty, and proved the golem to be a husk of its former self. The gaping hole in its chest did the same, looking as if something essential had been ripped out. Maybe something had been. But, as she watched it lumber to its new destination, Garnet having ordered it to dig a tunnel, Sarah couldn¡¯t but help and feel proud regardless. Sure, it was incomplete and looked like it''s been through hell, but for all that it was their first monster. Perhaps not the one they¡¯d had in mind, that much was true, but it was the one they had gotten. The one they''d saved from destruction, and if this is what they could do while delirious with pain then imagine what they could do when they weren¡¯t. Garnet heard her and guiltily informed her that the pain was part of her. That it would always be there and that she was sorry that Sarah had had to experience it. She was in the process of making a promise to never let that happen again, to keep the pain to herself, when Sarah shushed her. She tightened her hug and whispered, "It¡¯s okay Garnet, I was the one who didn¡¯t let go. I could¡¯ve but I didn¡¯t, and you know what? I''m glad I didn''t. More than that its...as your Dungeon Pixie it is my duty to take care of you. We''re partners, you and I - best friends forever! And BFF''s stick together through thick and thin. As long as we have each other, everything will be okay. Alright? " Reluctantly Garnet nodded, still filled with guilt and doubt. "Alright. From now on you and I are BFF''s."