《Core and Guide》 Prologue - Acceptance In the world of Belia, members of all the many races gather together where none normally would for the chance to be a part of a Dungeon. Most of the people who travel to one have no interest in ever setting foot in those places, but they go anyway for the promise of a better life for them and their families in the Mana rich land the Dungeon produces. Those that do brave the depths of the Dungeons do so for many reasons, a chance for some quick coin, a chance for renown should they conquer the dungeon. Or, if they are foolish enough, a chance to become a ''Hero''. There have been many Heroes over the years, with just as many Dungeons to help keep them in check. During the time of our fledgling Core''s awakening, there are approximately 603 Heroes spread across Belia. It''s no easy task to become a ''Hero'' however, in order to become one a person has to complete their ''Life-long Quest''. The problem with these so-called Quests is that they almost always involve hassling a dungeon that was just minding its business. Just between you, me, and the birds though...all the Cores agree that Heroes are, for the most part, a bunch of arrogant jerks. The story begins where most great things happen, in between a rock and a hard place. Literally. Our Core at the moment is not much more than a large chunk of Mana trapped between, you guessed it, a rock and an even larger rock. If left unchecked the Mana would devour its surrounding prison until it eventually found its way to the surface where it would dissipate back into the air. Luckily, or unluckily depending on who you asked in the future, fate decided that it was time to even the scales of the world again. Having only 602 dungeons in the world just seems like too few now. Better add one more just to be sure.
Somewhere in the Endless Desert of Belia. "Finally! It''s finally my turn! I''ve waited so long and now it''s finally my turn!" A small feminine voice calls out from between two large rocks in the middle of a barren wasteland. "22 years of waiting and I finally get a Dungeon all to myself! The first thing I''m going to do once it''s set up and established is tell that stuck up brat Tay how much better my dungeon is than his!" The small voice yelling at nobody, in particular, is attached to a body 4" in height. If you could even call it a body. Maybe a floating ball of grey light doesn''t count as one, but she should have one of those soon enough anyway. "Now where is it, Mom said I''d find the Core hiding in the rocks somewhere?" As the ball of light continued to talk to herself, the ground below her... feet? started to shake, and she knew that this was her partner trying to free themselves from the dirt. Which any self-respecting Dungeon Guide knows that if you let your future Core reach the surface before they accept you, they will promptly disappear into nothingness. "Oh, no you don''t! I''ve waited way too long to have to look for another Core to bond with." She yelled out as she dove into the cracks of the dusty earth to reach the Core before it could dig its way up to certain death. Both she and the Core severely underestimated how far it was to the surface, though. After about four minutes straight of frantic searching, the Guide finally reached the Core''s little mining expedition and could begin the bonding process before it attempted any more escape maneuvers. The newborn looked about what the Guide had expected. As condensed Mana, the future Core looked like liquid silver, constantly shifting patterns with the consistency of molten magma. The very air shimmered around it, and the power condensed into such a small amalgamation made her non-existant skin crawl. "Now you just stay right there while I work on catching you up to speed with the rest of those dungeons. Oh gosh I can''t wait, I just know me and you are going to be perfect together!" The Guide felt a little silly talking to what, at the moment, equated to a high functioning rock. It was common Guide knowledge that you could imprint ideas onto the fledgling core to help develop their personality and further their education during the formative hours. How else was a Core supposed to understand the menu options and decide on starting locations if nobody ever taught them how to read? "Mom gave me a special Memory Crystal that all the best Guides use to give their Cores a nice edge over the competition." While the Memory Crystal the Guide had was indeed a very powerful item, it wasn''t exactly as miraculous as she was making it out to be. The Core didn''t need to know that though. What the Memory Crystal did was impart hundreds of memories from hundreds of different Sentients directly into the raw Mana that was the future Core, essentially transforming it into a functioning being with its own unique personality. Next to the Guide, a large crystal the size of a golf ball appeared from thin air. "Poof!" The Guide said as a way of bragging about her little magic trick. She had the Crystal float over to where the raw Mana was. It seemed to be sulking, potentially contemplating why its prison breakout failed. She gently tapped the Memory Crystal to what she considered the Mana''s head. "Now this may not be a very nice experience, Mom said it''s like if you went from being a newborn to an adult in seconds. I bet you''ll be fine though! I just know me and you will become the best of friends during our time together." the Guide was spinning on the spot in excitement.
Our new Dungeon Core, now aware and confused. Being able to suddenly understand everything around you is a bit jarring. Especially when until a moment ago your biggest concern was which way was up and which was down. Now the Core was going through information overload and was taking its time to process everything around itself.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Itself. It''s an it now, neat. While contemplating its newfound existence and the crushing amount of new concepts and ideas floating through its mind, it noticed something spinning really fast in the center of its room. So fast, that to the Core it looked like a whirling ball of energy capable of ripping a grown man''s fingers clean off if one of those two-legs was ever dumb enough to stick their finger in it. Which the Core was sure they would if given the opportunity. It looked beautiful. How the Core knew of concepts like death, dismemberment and beauty confused it. That seemed like a problem for Tomorrow Core though, for now, it was just going to focus on the rapidly slowing ball of light in the center of its small hole in the world. "Hello, can you hear me in there? You''ve made me wait long enough you better not go back to sleep!" The ball of light shouted towards the Core. The Core winced at the ball of lights words, but then it realized it could understand what it was saying. Double neat! Now for the hard part, trying to respond. Well, no time like the present. Itthought. "I can hear you stop yelling, please...Who are you? Who am I? Where am I? What am I? What are yo-" once the Core managed to get a few words out all the pent up questions in the back of its mind came to the forefront and came out in a mad rush. The ball of light shone brighter for a brief moment, it would have blinded the new Core if not for the fact that it could now see in all levels of light with perfect clarity. "Yeesh, stop asking so many questions and just listen, okay?" The ball of light scolded. A little rude for a ball of light.The Core thought. The ball seemed like they were waiting for an answer so the Core took a page from their book and tried to shine brightly as an affirmative. Turns out it worked. Take that ball of light! I''ve already mastered your secret technique and used it for myself. The Core thought smugly. "My name, for now, is Guide. I am...your Guide." The ball of light giggled at what amounted to, at best, a mediocre joke. The Guide had a distinctly feminine voice so the Core decided it was a girl. Even if it wasn''t quite sure what a girl was just yet. "You are a Core, more specifically, a Dungeon Core. We can go over what that means later, but let''s just say that your job is to take in the excess Mana throughout the world and disperse it back into it. Kind of like how a tree makes breathable air, you make useable Mana. Now if you asked any two-legs they would just say a Dungeon is a way to earn; fame, glory, wealth and everything in between. All they want is to find you and fight whatever Monsters you make." At that last statement, the Guide took on a distinctly darker shade of grey. Monsters? I get Monsters?! The Core thought to itself. How cool is that?! The Core understood what she was saying too, who would want to just be minding their own business when out of nowhere some jerk comes around and starts demanding money and powerful Monsters to fight. However, "I don''t mind the idea of fighting...Two-legs? It doesn''t sound that bad." The Core replied a little sheepishly. It was true, something inside the Core screamed that this was how things ought to be, sending out hordes of powerful beasts to kill the weak and strong alike. Should it have been worried that these thoughts seemed to be a part of who it was as a person...rock...Core? It wasn''t a person, even though some of the memories it received may have been from people, that much was obvious. It decided to dump the introspective thoughts onto trusty Tomorrow Core and move on for now. At this small outburst, the Guide took on a soothing tone and softly said, "I thought you would, it''s in your nature to seek out the strong and challenge them. It wasn''t always like that though, but we can save the sad history lessons for after we get ourselves into a safe and defensible position. That Memory Crystal I gave you should have given you the mental capacity of a fully grown Sentient being. We Guides give them to developing Cores to help speed along the process of Dungeon creating as well as to make you fluent in the Common Language so we don''t have to charades our way through the Torial." Torial? The Core took all of this information in, and while it felt conflicted that its entire existence seems to have just been random chance, it was taking it in stride. "I understand, I think. Before the memories, I don''t think I would have ever gotten to enjoy things like I do now. I feel so many different emotions, and sometimes more than one at a time!" The Core began to take on a feverish pitch as it sorted through its new thoughts. "I''m not too sure what to do as a Dungeon, but I''m guessing it''s why you''re here, and now I just feel ready to do my best at whatever this Dungeon stuff is. I''m going to be the best one there is, just you wait and see! Also, what''s a Torial?" By the end of its impromptu speech, the Core was glowing as brightly as the ball of light had when it first interrupted him. "Ahhh!! I just knew we would get along together, you have no idea how much I''ve wanted to hear those words coming from my very own Dungeon." The fledgling Core took an unusual amount of satisfaction from being called her dungeon specifically. "To answer your question though, what you do as a Dungeon is process raw Mana and convert it into useable Mana for the Sentient Races. You also provide challenges in the form of Traps and Monsters, and give rewards based on the level of difficulty of either that you have in your Dungeon. The Torial is where we choose what kind of dungeon you are going to be! I''ll do my best to help you pick the right choices that compliment both of our personalities. So make sure you ask any questions you have okay?" The Guide, which the Core figured was the proper title for her now, instead of ''ball of light'', had taken on a tone of a strict instructor by the time she was done talking. The Core couldn''t be more thankful though, who knew what weird choices it may have picked if it didn''t have a guiding hand. What if it accidentally chose an underwater Dungeon?! Who would want that kind of hassle? While the Core had a few ideas on what to do with a Dungeon, they were basic impulses at best. Mainly to just devour and create fearsome beasts, as well as digging as far down into the ground as it physically can. The rest was all just a little overwhelming. Also, did the Guide say it had a personality? Did it need to get one or did it already have one? No time like the present to find out. "Alright, first things first, it''s time we bonded! All you need to do is say, "I accept you as my Guide."" At this the Guide looked expectantly over at the Core. Considering they just met this seemed to be going a little fast for the Core''s liking. Also considering until five minutes ago it was just a bunch of raw Mana destined for nothing, this seemed like a good deal anyways. She was also the reason it was now able to understand things, and it really liked doing that. After a few moments of thinking.What a novel thing! The Core made up its mind. "I accept you as my Guide." "I accept you as my Core." Then all went blank and both Guide and Core were transported high above the clouds, the Guide had heard about the Torial from her Mother but she never knew how incredible it felt to stare down at Belia from high up. Until a giant screen blocked her vision anyways Chapter 1 - Decisions in the Sky
Welcome to Belia, new Dungeon Core, and Dungeon Guide! This will be the Tutorial for your beginning Dungeon experience. Once finished, all menu powers will be delegated to the designated Dungeon Guide. Before we begin, please choose the name you will be referred to for the rest of your existence. (No pressure!)
"Finally!" the Core''s Guide screeched. "I''ve waited 22 years to get my own name and Dungeon powers, it''s about damn time!" "I''m guessing this means you already have your own name picked out?" The Core asked, a little more jealously than it intended. Why don''t I get as much time to think about this kind of thing! It seems pretty damn important, and PERMANENT. The Guide cleared her non-existent throat and very clearly spoke, "Annabelle." The Core wasn''t happy to admit it since it was still stuck figuring out its own name, but it liked the sound of Annabelle. Swallowing the meager beginnings of its pride, "I like your new name, Annabelle. It sounds really pretty." Flattery seemed like a good way to go when in doubt, at least that''s what one of its memories seemed to insist on quite heavily. Apparently, that one was married and had lots of experience in flattery. Annabelle turned a shade lighter and seemed to withdraw into herself, "Thank you...I''ve had that in my head for years now but us Guides can''t go by any other name until we find a Core to bond with. It means so much that I found you, and you''re such a sweetheart too! A big ol'' softie!" The Core did not like being called a softie when it was pretty sure its primary purpose was manslaughter, but it would let that one slide. "Okay, Belle-" It paused and looked to see if the nickname would be here to stay, as she turned an even brighter shade of grey it seemed to be a resounding yes. "Will you help me pick my own name? I have a few ideas but i''m pretty sure the name Death Laser was already taken by one of the other Cores. How did I know there were other cores? I wonder if I''ll have neighbors!? I hope not. Unless Death Laser is my neighbor, that guy is probably super popular. Belle just looked down at the Core with a gaze that was equal parts pity and unrestrained laughter, many of his memories had seen that same look. It makes me feel like she knows something I don''t, which I guess is probably true... but still! "It''s okay, I''ve had time to think of names for both of us! Now all you need to do is tell me if you feel more like a boy or a girl." This was a curveball for the Core, as far as it could tell it had memories of both sexes. So it just came down to personal preference. Personally, the Core would have preferred an option in the middle, but the weak-minded two-legs only had one or the other. Since Belle was already a female, it seemed only fair to give the other sex a fair shake. "I choose to be a boy, what are the benefits to this choice?" The Core asked with more confidence than it felt. Belle laughed, in the now male Core''s face, for five minutes straight. "For you, the- Hahaha! For you, the only benefit is a boys name. You don''t have any of the corresponding parts-" By the time she got the rest of her sentence out she was wheezing in mid-air. The Core, now a boy, if only out of spite, shone as bright as he could to try and blind his bully of a Guide. Sadly, she was just as resistant to bright lights as he was. After a few more minutes of half-laughter half-sobbing, she finally said, "If you want to be a boy, what about the name Wilcox? It''s perfect! We can shorten it and call you Wil, and it is definitely a boys name." She was nodding vigorously at the last statement as if to reassure him. "Also, it can serve as a reminder of the missing parts.." She whispered this last part to herself, but she forgot that it was just her and Wil in the sky. So he heard and sulked for another few minutes about the joke he didn''t understand.
Have you decided on your names for the conceivable future? When you have picked out your names, clearly state them with confidence and intent to solidify them into your being.
"A bit impatient, aren''t we, Mr.Blue?" Belle said with a smirk. "Maybe it''s because you laughed in my face for five minutes instead of moving us forward..." Wil quietly grumbled to himself, but Belle heard him anyways. Mainly because it was still just the two of them hovering over the entirety of the world with nobody else in earshot. "Don''t be in such a rush to get going, these kinds of decisions can only be made once, and after that, there are no take backs!" Wil felt a strong memory resurface of a small animal child speaking of an immutable law. "No Take Backsies!" "I understand, you''re right Belle, but I am happy with the names we both chose. If you''re ready to move on, I am too." Wil offered. "I am, let''s get this show on the road! Go ahead and say your name to Mr.Blue." "Wilcox" "Annabelle" Chime
Welcome to Belia, Wilcox, and Annabelle! Before you can begin to test the people of Belia with your prowess, you must first decide on the starting location for your Dungeon! Choose wisely, as each choice comes with advantages and drawbacks that may not be visible at first glance. Each available option has yet to be claimed by another Dungeon or has enough space within itself to provide enough room to support multiple Dungeons.
Andel Mountains A vast expanse of mountains surrounding the borders of multiple races. Area Bonus - Provides camouflage during the formative months of the Dungeon. Granting the potential for much longer preparation time. Area Negative - Depending on where on the mountain range the Dungeon is placed (Random), it may be near impossible for the Sentient Races to find your Dungeon naturally.
Ilvan Forest A large forest surrounding the Races of Elves and Gnomes. It is the source of a longstanding feud between the two Races. Boasts the largest variety of nature and wildlife in all of Belia. Area Bonus - Access to more species of animals, and Resources that are available to most other Dungeon Locations. Area Negative - When discovered (Because you will be if this location is chosen) the Dungeon will be forced into the politics of two different races.
Ferst Plains A grassland with small villages dotting the landscape, mainly occupied by the more barbaric Humans and savage Beast-men. Area Bonus - Bonus evolutions to all Beast type monsters. Area Negative - Potential for Dungeon to be spotted early increased. Increasing the likelihood of early destruction.
Oceanic Depths Deep below the shore, far from all land Races. This area is inhabited by the Fish-Folk, as well as the Great Beasts that call the Ocean their home. Area Bonus - Some of the Greatest Beasts of the world are available in the Depths if the Dungeon has the capability to control them.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Area Negative - Until the Dungeon can create routes to land, it will be limited to the semi-resource starved ocean.
Krates Ravines A series of 1000+ meter deep ravines threading between the Andel Mountains and the Ferst Plains, few to no Sentients call this land their home. All except the hardy Cave-Men. Area Bonus - Protection on all sides provides easily defensible locations, as well as providing greater than average Mana access due to the few Sentients in the Ravine itself. Area Negative - The Cave-men in the Ravines live alone for good reason. If found, the Dungeon will almost certainly be destroyed on sight.
Mt. Varnir A land of lava, brimstone, and all that fiery fun. A wasteland of obsidian and perpetual ash surrounds Mt. Varnir, the worlds largest active volcano. (No Dungeon Core has picked this location yet and I just can''t figure out why!) Inhabited by the Dragons. Area Bonus - Monsters will have a natural fire affinity. Access to some of the strongest beasts in the world, if the Dungeon has the capability to control them. Area Negative - Almost all spawned monsters die in the harsh environment, those that do survive must contend with the territorial beasts of the wastelands.
"Well, that looked like it took a long time for Mr.Blue to make." Belle said appreciatively. "No kidding, I don''t envy that guy." He exclaimed. Now that he could finally get to the meat of being a Dungeon though, he felt overwhelmed. Who knew there were so many different kinds of places in this world? Not to mention all the different races and monsters the menu hinted at, just by virtue of explaining the choices. This Dungeon Core felt spoiled for choices. "Well, I think we can both agree that the Volcano and Ocean are out, right Wil?" Belle looked at him expectantly. For once, though, he completely agreed with her. "Yeah... I don''t want to have to contend with Dragons or weird Fish people, it''d be better if we could just stay on solid and safe ground where we belong." That being said though, I wonder what a Dragon is? None of the memories I gained have a mental image and I don''t think showing interest in a choice I just declined would be a good decision. Best to just smoothly slip the question in at a later conversation. Belle hummed at him, and it filled him with such warmth that he briefly forgot he was making the most critical decision of his fifteen-minute lifespan. Wil coughed to clear his non-existent throat, "I think it''s going to come down to between the Forest or the Plains." Belle was nodding vigorously at his conclusion, and that was all Wil needed to know he''d made the right choice. "We have to decide if the benefits outweigh the negatives." Belle started, "If we think about it in terms of our neighbors, we will either have the Humans and Beast-men, or the Elves and Gnomes. When it comes to civility the Elves and Gnomes are leagues above the Humans and Beast-men. Both of the Plains dwelling races are well known for their savagery." "But while they are savage, it may also make them easier to control." Belle added, to which he tried to nod to as well, but really only managed to blink his light a little brighter. She continued, "While this is true, it''s also true that the Elves and Gnomes have been at each other''s throats for centuries now. While I don''t think they are embroiled in a war right now, you never know when one may happen. It wouldn''t hurt to be the Dungeon in the middle of a battlefield, lots of Two-legs to eat after all." At this, Wil began to blink rapidly, the idea of eating Two-legs appealed to him like nothing else ever really had. The only thing tempering his hunger was the idea that he may become the focus of the two races if he did not play his cards right. "How important is having Resources close to us, Belle?" "Next to having a safe spot to place your Core, it is the most important thing. Resources are, in essence, everything to a Dungeon. You will see when we start building, but Resources are how you purchase Traps and upgrade the Dungeon. Mana also plays a part in that, but we can get to that when we have Mana to spend." Belle replied almost automatically. "What about being able to evolve my monsters?" Belle was getting excited at being able to flex her Dungeon knowledge, "Evolution is one of the main ways you can get stronger monsters, aside from just creating or taming them yourself. It isn''t as important as Resources since they can help you evolve your monsters. Among other things. Having an initial evolution would definitely help boost our power in the early months our dungeon is active." "Okay. I think I''m starting to see the bigger picture here..." Wil said with as much confidence as he could muster. While he really wanted the Forest, he was concerned it was for the completely wrong reasons. He wanted the Ilvan Forest because he was positive more of those Great Beasts were hiding in there. Who knows what kind of fearsome creatures existed in a Forest? One memory of his depicted a horrifying monstrosity known as a Deer. Wil could see it now, a 15ft tall Beast stomping on feeble Two-legs with its superior four. He was nearly drooling, if it was physically possible, at the thought of such an animal. Or even the potential of an army of the creatures. Belle was snapping in his face, "Wil? You there?" How long was I daydreaming about my unstoppable Deer empire? "Yeah, of course I am Belle, I''ve made my decision. I want to start our Dungeon in the Ilvan Forest!" Belle''s concern was quickly wiped away at the mention of ''our'' Dungeon. "Great! Mr.Blue, we want the Forest!" A perfect chime sounded out and suddenly Wil''s vision was once again assaulted by the floating box.
Congratulations on choosing the Ilvan Forest as your starting Dungeon location! Only one choice remains before you may begin your adventures as Core and Guide. Please choose your starting monster. Know that you cannot choose another monster to exist within your Dungeon until you reach the required level (Information Locked). Each choice available can only be chosen if the Dungeon location Ilvan Forest has been chosen first. Choose wisely, as each choice comes with advantages and drawbacks that may not be visible at first glance.
Beasts The beasts of the Forest can be vicious and gentle all at once, beginner Dungeons can command the Lesser Beasts of the Forest. While the more experienced can call upon Imbued and Enhanced Beasts with enough time. Monster Bonus - Dungeon Beasts are able to breed with different species, creating Hybrid Monsters that can be summoned for an additional Mana cost. Monster Negative - Lack the intelligence some of the other Forest Monster choices present, will never have the ability to speak, aside from the Greatest of Beasts.
Nature Spirits Sprites and Fairies who call the Forest home will pledge to fight for the Dungeon. Beginner Dungeons can command the small Forest magic the children know. While the more experienced can call upon the great works of the Sprite and Fairy Elders. Monster Bonus - Access to nature magic that boosts dungeon growth in relation to plants. All Nature related Resource costs further reduced. Monster Negative - Perhaps the frailest of the Monster choice. While their magic is formidable, they have little in way of physical protection if cornered.
Forest Pygmy The Pygmy is a nimble creature that walks on two-legs and runs on all four. A very primitive species that are fiercely loyal to their chosen deity. If they choose the Dungeon as their God they will protect the Core until their dying breaths. Beginner Dungeons can command small troops of the Pygmies while the more experienced can create vast cities and sprawling underground labyrinths supporting the small humanoids. Monster Bonus - The more Pygmies a Dungeon has, the stronger they become. So much so, that if enough are gathered they could petition to become a recognized Sentient Race of the world. Monster Negative - The other Sentients do not take kindly to competition, and if found, these Pygmies will be considered invaders. When discovered they will almost certainly be destroyed.
Skeletons Skeletons don''t belong in a Forest you say? Why not? These piles of bones require no sustenance and can take the shape of any absorbed beast or man the Dungeon comes across. Beginner Dungeons have access to Lesser Beast Skeletons and Basic Humanoid Skeletons. While more experienced Dungeons have access to Custom Creation, capable of creating some of the most dangerous Monsters the world has ever seen. Monster Bonus - Dungeons have the ability to choose from a wide variety of workable materials to create their Monsters. Monster Negative - Universally hated by the collective Churches of Belia. Will take a *cough* Miracle, to not be destroyed on sight.
Okay, Wil play it cool, don''t stare too hard at the Beasts. Make the Blue Box think you''re actually reading all of the other choices so you don''t hurt its feelings. "What do you think Wil?" Belle asks the question he has been preparing for over a quarter of his life for. "I think the Beasts seem like a good choice." I did it, I didn''t stutter or anything! Deer you are as good as mine! "Oh wow, really? I thought for sure you would have gone for the Pygmies, what made you want the Beasts?" Oh fuck. "Well, the Pygmies do sound nice, but I really like the idea of being able to... breed my Monsters and have little Monster children running around the Dungeon...?" Oh, who am I kidding, who would buy that garbage? At least I don''t have to pick the ske- "THAT''S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING!" Belle was purposefully moving right next to him to scream. Wil blinked hard at her to try and get her to back off. "I knew you and I thought alike! Oh, Wil, it''s going to be just perfect! We are going to have cute little fur babies together!" Belle was in hysterics at this point, and so was Wil. Although he was mentally crying because his goal of Deer Domination was one step closer to fruition. "Allow me, Belle." Wil said with more confidence than he had ever felt in his entire existence. "Mr.Blue." Wil decided the nickname was cute enough to stay for the Tutorial. "We pick Beasts as our starting Dungeon Monster!" A perfect chime sounded out and Wil and Belle once again felt their minds go blank as everything changed around them. Chapter 2 - Small Beginnings Wil was beginning to hate that chime sound. Why can''t it ever just be a smooth transition? First, it was being given sapience, and then forced into the most important decisions of my life. Now, there''s a devil chime silently lurking in the shadows, just waiting to scare me. Well, I''ll be ready for it next time, just you wait! He took a look around and was happy to find himself in a damp cave. Home sweet home.He thought to himself. "It looks like Mr.Blue was being honest, he stuck us deep in the Ilvan Forest." Belle said appreciatively. Wil had no idea how she knew where they were, considering they were somewhere underground, but he guessed that must be one of the bonuses to choosing the female sex. He was regretting his choice already. He would have spent longer thinking about this new development when his thoughts were interrupted by Belle. "Wil! Look at me, Wil! Notice anything new?" She was taking on a feverish pitch again, so he knew he better come up with the right answer. Luckily for him, it was pretty obvious. His little ball of light had arms and legs. "Belle! You''re a two-legs now?! Don''t worry I''ll find a way to turn you back!" Wil didn''t like this new turn of events at all, he wanted his old Belle back. "No, you dummy, this is what happens when the Torial Mr.Blue gave us is done. I''m a full-fledged Dungeon Guide now!" Belle, still 4" tall, but now sporting a distinctly feminine body, as well as a cute pair of wings, stated this proudly for her Core. He was still really concerned she got accidentally mutated, but he held his tongue. If he had to describe her he would say she reminded him of a cross between an Elf, and a Human with fair skin and pointed ears. Dark brown hair that framed high cheekbones and curled at her shoulders bounced whenever she talked. She now also had a pair of translucent wings the color of a sprouting sapling. While before she was nothing but a grey ball of light, she now emitted a soft gold light. She was wearing a light Forest-Green dress that fell down to her knees, and gold filigree laced throughout the hem. She looked beautiful. At least he thought she did, maybe this was considered ugly to the Sapients? He wouldn''t be the one to ask, though. I guess it isn''t all too bad, at least now we have someone around the house with opposable thumbs. "Oh my gosh, I. Look. Perfect!" She was almost screaming again, but he didn''t mind too much as he was already starting to get used to the new form. Change doesn''t matter much to a Core when you''re still only forty-five minutes old. "You look stunning, Belle, was the change everything you wanted?" He asked politely. To be honest, now he was starting to get jealous. Then he realized he was jealous of a Two-legs, and promptly sulked even further. "It was! I can finally tell that stuck up Tay I''m a full-fledged Guide now. Oh, he''s going to be so jealous!" Belle was happily dancing now. Dancing looks pretty fun. "So Wil, notice anything else? Maybe something about yourself?" Belle asked with a slight smirk. He didn''t really feel any different, maybe a little more symmetrical. Symmetrical? If it was possible for a hunk of Mana to gasp, he would have. He was a perfectly faceted gem now, with hundreds of different sides glistening in the glow coming off of Belle. It painted him a brilliant gold, but even under the light, he could see his gem was the color of a Pine Tree''s leaves. He was roughly the same size as she was, but more circular. He looked pretty dashing if he did say so himself. Belle was giggling at Wils amazed silence as he was studying himself. "Mr.Blue also left us one more present." "Oh?" Wil asked absentmindedly. "What would that be Belle?" Wil''s soon to be greatest enemy reared its ugly head as a horrifically perfect chime sounded out.
Ta Daaa! Now I can help you with any Dungeon questions you have! Isn''t this great Wil, I can do this whenever you need help! So don''t be afraid to ask any questions, okay?
He screamed. She screamed with him, thinking it was in excitement. He took another few moments to collect and calm himself. "Belle, do you know where we are?" He asked, trying to change the subject to anything else. "Yeah! We are located in the south-western part of the Ilvan Forest, we are actually pretty close to the edge of a part of the Forest that borders the Ferst Plains. I don''t think we need to worry about the Sapients that live in the Plains for a while though, the Elves and Gnomes will notice us way before the Humans or Beast-men do." Belle stated this last part with a bit of a more serious tone. He got the message. "How about we get started then, okay Belle?" He liked his new home, but something about it just didn''t feel like it was his yet, he wondered if he could do anything about that. "Okay! First things first, go ahead and claim the room. Luckily for you, it doesn''t cost any Mana to claim a Room you create. Not to mention whatever rooms you make it in the future will be automatically claimed for you." Well, that was convenient. "Sure...how do I do that?" He asked sheepishly. "Well, you need to use the Mana you''ve accumulated, and spread it out into the room we are in. Just imagine pushing yourself to every corner of the room... and uh, see if that works?" He felt less than confident at that last remark but didn''t want to be the cause of their first argument. Maybe if she started tossing out that chime he would be ready to throw down, but not yet. He focused as best as he could on his own Core.What a pretty gem! Look at all my different sides, look at how I shine! Focus Wil! He could tell there was something inside his gem. If he was a betting Core, which he might be, he would say that was his Mana. He tried to grab ahold of it, but it was a lot more slippery than he thought, and he couldn''t seem to get a good grip around it. It wasn''t until Wil relaxed and took an unnecessary breath that he found he could move the Mana outside of his Core, and into the space with very little effort on his part. His Mana seemed to instinctually want to conquer and devour anything he sent at it. It makes me so proud. Not long after, he had a clear view of the room they were in, it was a little over 3ft wide and 4ft tall. A room of wet stone, with strands of moss creeping in through the cracks. He couldn''t see any sunlight coming out through the cracks, so he made an educated guess that he wasn''t all that close to the surface. It was strange for him, being able to suddenly see hundreds of times more than what you could just a moment ago, but he was taking it in stride.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Wil found that if he focused on one particular area he could see every little facet and detail, but if he let his mind wander he could still see the general outline of the entire room, even without paying direct attention to it. Neat! "Great job Wil! Now that we have this room claimed, why don''t you go ahead and make a new room? First thing you should do, is dig out a tunnel." He was blinking furiously at the idea of expansion, it appealed to him as few things really did. He was ready to start carving out his empire when a thought brought him crashing back down to reality, "Hey Belle, how much Mana do I have? How do I get more?" She was smiling at the questions. What a pretty smile. "At the moment, Wil, you''re a level 1 Core. Good for you! At level 1 you have access to 10 Mana, and you regenerate 10 Mana every Sunrise. Why am I telling you this though? Let me just show you your Dungeon Menu." Chime
Name - Wilcox Chosen Monster - Beasts Mana - 10/10
Species - Dungeon Core (Lv.1) Chosen Location - Ilvan Forest Mana Regen - 10/d
Number of Floors - 1 Number of Monsters - 0 Resources - 0
Wil flinched, a miracle he didn''t scream. Say what you want about the Chime''s antics, it had useful information when it felt like sharing. Something was bothering him, though. "Hey, Belle, why is my name Green?" He asked, more curious than anything else. "It''s your Affinity, each Dungeon gains an affinity based on their location and Monster choice. You chose a Forest, and then the beasts that reside in that Forest. So you became a Nature Dungeon." He really wished he had this information at the beginning. It wouldn''t have mattered though, Deer-apocalypse would happen one way or another. "So, do I get any benefits for being a Nature Dungeon?" He asked greedily. She just smirked at him, "As a Nature Dungeon, you''re going to receive benefits to all plant-based Dungeon aspects, as well as bonuses to the Monsters of Nature. It may sound strong, but remember, all Dungeons get these kinds of bonuses depending on where they chose to settle." She sure can be smart when she wants to be.He thought to himself, he may as well push his luck and try to find out everything he needs to know BEFORE he needed the information. "What about Two-legs?" "What about them?" She asked curiously. "Well, do they have Affinities like Dungeons when they choose to live somewhere?" She was giggling at him now. It would have upset him a lot more if he didn''t think it was adorable. "Not exactly, Wil, the Sapients do have Affinities yes, but they get them randomly and from birth. It''s actually the source of a lot of infighting between the many races. Some races, however, do seem to have a natural inclination towards certain Affinities. Elves, for instance, have a higher Affinity for Air, Shadow, and Earth. Keep in mind, the Two-legs Affinities are the most basic, they aren''t as specialized as Dungeons are." "I''m not sure I understand, so Two-legs can''t be Nature affinity?" He asked. "I guess it''s possible, but that would require two or even three different affinities, and that kind of power doesn''t belong in a Sapient anyways. The amount of Mana would make them pop like a balloon." At the word ''pop'', she mimed an explosion with her hands and made a sound with her mouth. She continued, "There are six main Affinity types. Earth. Air. Water. Fire. Shadow. Light." "What does my Nature Affinity come from?" He asked excitedly. This was all so much fun, and he was curious to know where he stacked up related to other Dungeons. "As a Nature Dungeon, you have mainly Earth Affinity, thanks to your choice of the Ilvan Forest. However, since you picked Beasts as your main Monster, you also gain a slight Water and Air Affinity as well." "Why would Beasts give me Water and Air, though?" He thought that didn''t really make much sense, considering animals weren''t made out of that much water, or air. "Well, it''s the same reason the Dragons are Fire Affinity, it''s all about their origins. Beasts are parts of Earth, Water, and Air, because it''s how they were created. The Earth for their strength, and solidarity in the predators. Water to conform, and adapt to whatever situation comes their way, like in the prey animals. Then finally Air, for the free spirits that reside in all beasts." She was in full on lecture mode. "Beasts, and all other Monsters for that matter, have a little bit of every Affinity in them, and there are much more detailed reasons each Affinity applies to a specific species, but that''s a lesson for another time." She winked at him, then continued. "However, for Beasts specifically, it is mostly Earth, Water, and Air. Couple that with the fact that the location you chose is quite in tune with the Earth, and you''ve got yourself a Nature Dungeon. There have been some odd combinations of Dungeons throughout the years, and if we survive long enough we may even get to meet some of them!" She was getting really excited at the idea of meeting other Cores, and their Guides. It made Wil feel a little insecure, then he remembered they were stuck together for the next few centuries and quickly got over his insecurities. "I''m still glad we picked a Nature Dungeon though, I don''t know what I would have done if we got stuck with something like Skeletons." He mentally shuddered. She was smiling from pointed ear to pointed ear. "I know! I can''t wait for us to get started, speaking of, don''t you have a tunnel to be mining out?" She didn''t look like she was really suggesting, more like demanding. "Yes ma''am.." She frowned at that. Best not call her old just yet, save that one for later. "How much will the tunnel cost me to dig out?" Chime
Excavate Mana cost varies Manually carve out a section of the Dungeon to the specifications of the Core.
Tunnel 5 Mana perTunnel Dig out a 6ft tall, 4ft wide, 10ft long hole into the direction of the Dungeons choosing. It can be connected to Rooms or added onto existing Tunnels to enlarge them.
Room 10 Mana perRoom Dig out a 12ft tall, 12ft wide, 12ft long room. It can be connected to Tunnels or added onto existing Rooms to enlarge them.
Boss Room 25 Mana perBoss Room Dig out a custom room for a specific Monster. It can have (1) per Floor. It cannot be relocated once placed.
Relocation 5 Mana perTunnel 10 Mana perRoom Manually move aTunnel/Roominto a different section of the Dungeon than where it was originally built.
New Floor 100 Mana perNew Floor Moves the Core Room down and allows the creation of a New Floor.
"Why is everything so god damn expensive!" He was beyond annoyed. It would take him weeks just to get a decent Dungeon going! Belle, ever the voice of reason, chimed in with, "Calm down, you drama Core, once you level up it won''t be so bad!" Grumbling to himself the entire time, he focused on the choice to dig a Tunnel and watched as his available Mana dipped to 5/10. Then, he looked to her, and asked, "Belle...which way is down?" After a few minutes of laughter pointed directly at his Core, he finally got her to point towards a wall in-between wheezing gasps. Now in an even worse mood, he shoved his thoughts into the idea of a Tunnel and watched as stone, moss, and all other little tidbits were devoured by a golden green Mana. His Mana. By the end of the little spectactle, he felt much better, and also surprisingly full. Why did he feel full? "Which way is down he says? Oh my gosh, I can''t wait to tell Mom that one, that''s definitely going in the hall of fame." She was frantically whispering to herself, but since it was just her and Wil alone in a quiet cave, he heard it anyways. "Hall of fame?" "Oh! Uh...nothing?" He was beginning to get annoyed again, but she knew him too well. "Hey Wil, are you feeling full?" She deflected. "Yeah! I don''t know why, but after I ate away the Tunnel, I feel better, maybe even a little stronger." She was nodding along furiously. "Yep, that''s because you just absorbed your first resources!" Oh, those things, Mr.Blue mentioned those earlier. I also saw them on that Dungeon Menu Belle showed me."Well that''s good, how do I use them?" Chime Chapter 3 - Mr.Blues Heroes
Resources Gained by absorbing various non-living materials, used as currency for Dungeon Building. Current Resource Count - 32
Wil slowly exhaled, even if the gesture was meaningless. It just seemed like the correct response to frustration. Add Resources onto the growing list of things he wished he knew about sooner. Thankfully they hadn''t gotten very far into this Dungeon Building process before it became available. "Okay Belle, what''s the difference between Mana and Resources?" Belle was spinning around in circles, happy to be able to show off her Guide knowledge, "Well Mana is used to directly upgrading your Dungeon. So adding Rooms and new Floors all take it, but the finer details all need Resources. It wouldn''t make much sense if it cost Mana just to make a pretty rug or throw pillow. So that is what Dungeons use Resources for." Belle took a deep breath and continued, "Resources can also be used to upgrade existing rooms if you want to go back and make the walls stronger, or add more lights." Wil was happy to hear this since he was worried he would be stuck waiting weeks for his Mana to come back for him to keep building. There was one thing Wil did not hear her mention, and he had to know, "If Mana and Resources only upgrade the Dungeon. What do I use to buy Monsters?" He asked. She shot him a glare, "Don''t get ahead of yourself now Wil, there is a reason I haven''t told you about those for now." The idea that she was hiding things from him hurt his ego more than he would care to admit. Belle, sensing she may have made a mistake, followed up with, "Oh Wil don''t be like that, I only kept it from you because I was worried if I showed you how to make Monsters you would want to rush into that and neglect the other areas of your Dungeon." Wil knew she was right, but it still hurt to not be trusted. "I promise I won''t neglect any of my Dungeon duties if you promise not to hide anything from me again?" He offered. Belle''s smile was so radiant it made the entire Core Room shine, "Deal! The way you buy Monsters is with Monster Points, you get 100 MP for your first floor. 200 MP for your second, and so on and so on. The stronger a Monster is the more MP it is going to cost." Wil was glad he didn''t know this earlier, he wouldn''t have been able to restrain himself. With great difficulty he swallowed his curiosity and soldiered forward, he would save Monsters for later. "Okay. Can you tell me what the best way for me to get more resources is?" He asked. Belle smiled at his restraint, "The quickest way, aside from digging out Rooms and Tunnels and absorbing what you displace, would be consuming non-living things. So basically anything that isn''t a living and breathing creature or Sapient that comes into your dungeon can be absorbed by you and turned into Resources. Not to mention that whatever you absorb, you can then recreate whenever you want. For a price of resources that is." That sounded ridiculously convenient. Now whenever Wil wants, as long as he had previously absorbed something, he could make it again? "So...what did I absorb when I made that Tunnel?" Wil asked Belle. Her eyes took on a glassy stare as she looked at an unseen menu. "There''s a full rundown on what you absorbed but that''s a whole bunch of numbers neither of us wants to deal with. Just know you got a whole bunch of Stone, Moss and a little bit of...Ohh! You got a little Silver Ore. Lucky you!" "Yay! What''s Silver?" Wil asked with as much bravado as he could. "Haha, it''s one of the common forms of currencies among the Sapients, it''s a great way for us to attract some Two-legs into our Dungeon when we are ready. They love the stuff, and since we can just keep making it then they will keep coming back to mine it. All you have to do is put a little in a part of the Dungeon and people will come in just to get a piece of it." Belle said with a small smile. Apparently having a way to keep the Sapients sticking around my Dungeon is a good thing. Duly noted. "Now hurry up Wil, I can tell that the Sun is going to be rising soon and when it does your Mana is going to refill." How the hell does she know the Sun is rising? Aren''t we both stuck in a cave? "Well, I''ve only got 5/10 Mana left. So what can I even do with it? It costs 10 Mana just to buy a room!" Wil complained aloud. Belle flew over and smacked the top of his Core, "You stop that right now, no Core of mine is going to be a whiner." Wil grumbled to himself, "I''m not a whiner..." She continued as if not hearing his sad attempts at an argument, "Did you forget that all you have in way of a Core Room is a little hole in the wall? Why don''t you work on expanding this room out until you use up the last of your 5 mana? Then when the sun rises you can start on a new Room." Wil was impressed, mainly because until now he wasn''t sure his Guide knew how to count. Good for her. "Why am I getting an urge to smack you again?" Wil froze. "Aaa-nyways, I''ll go ahead and work on the Core Room as my brilliant Guide suggested." Belle blushed at the blatant pandering and Wil internally sighed in relief. Focusing his remaining Mana onto the Core Room, he felt his Mana spread out across the room as it devoured any stone in its way. It was an odd sensation, but not unwelcome, as it scratched that primal itch of needing to expand that he had been feeling ever since becoming a Dungeon Core. He didn''t have much to work with since he only had 5 Mana, so he settled on widening the room until it was 8ft by 8ft. He also added a large stone podium into the center of the room that his Core would rest on. He spent an unnecessary amount of time and Mana decorating the stone. When he was done there was a 5ft tall stone pillar in the center of his Core Room with crudely drawn trees and even cruder looking Deer etched into the sides. Until Wil got to actually see a Deer in the flesh, he was just going to take some artistic liberties and assume they had large fangs and spiked tails. Why wouldn''t they? Belle was eyeing his new Core podium with wonder-filled eyes, "Excellent! Now while we wait for your Mana to come back, let''s think about how you want the layout of your Dungeon to be. All Dungeons need to have their Core connected in some way or another to the rest of their Dungeon. It''s a common tradition that you leave the Core Room as the final room, even after the Boss Room." Belle lectured. This made Wil extremely nervous, "What if somebody tries to take my Core though?! I can''t just leave it defenseless can I?" Wil was scrambling through his thoughts, trying to find a way out of this new fear of being taken from his Dungeon." Belle put a steady hand on his Core to calm him down.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Don''t you worry, have you taken a good look at yourself? You''re a nearly indestructible Gem, nothing but the Great Beasts and a few exceptions could ever hope to hurt you, and most Dungeons enjoy letting the ones that complete their trials into their Core Room as a way of congratulations. Besides, it''s not like they can take you from the Dungeon, they would have to brave the entire Dungeon attacking them all at once, it''s the Core''s last defense mechanism should an Adventurer be dumb enough to try to steal a Core." "Not to mention, when we open ourselves to the world the Sapients will almost definitely build a city around our Dungeon. So if we are hurt or taken they would be in just as much trouble as us, it''s nothing to be worried about." Wil stopped listening after he heard ''build a city''. Wil was backpedaling hard, "I''m sorry, did you say, "Build a city."?" He asked hesitantly. Belle nodded. Oh no, that can''t be good. I picked this Forest in part so I wouldn''t have to worry about people! Before his thoughts could spiral down even further, Belle chimed in like his golden savior, "Almost all Sapientcities are built on Dungeons, but the larger cities are built on some of the oldest, so we don''t need to worry about an army of the Sapients coming here. We should expect to see a few houses, maybe an Inn, and a visit from the Adventuring Guild come up though. That''s just to be expected though." Belle shrugged noncommittally. So many new things, the Core was starting to feel slightly overwhelmed. It may as well start with what it was worried about the most though, "Adventuring Guild...?" Belle sighed, "Yes, a coalition created by all of the SapientRaces, it is a group that has the vast majority of Belia''s ''Heroes''. Not to mention Adventurers seeking Fame, Glory, Wealth, or any other base desire. Dungeons have a love/hate relationship with the Adventuring Guild." Heroes. "What is a Hero?" Wil tried to contain the anger seeping into his voice. Though he wasn''t sure why he felt it in the first place. The little Dungeon Guide let out another sigh and settled down on top of his Core, it put him in a better mood almost immediately. "Heroes are, for lack of better phrasing, the reason Dungeons are the way they are." She was taking on a very disconcerting look, and it was starting to dampen his new good mood. "Before the SapientRaces petitioned Belia to become recognized as intelligent life forms, Dungeons existed in a much smaller capacity than they do now. Dungeons were as part of nature as the trees were. They took in the Mana of Belia and refined and processed it until it was released back into the world. It was a pure cycle that would have continued till the end of days if not for the ''Two-legs''." Belle spat out that last part. "When the first Two-legs crawled their way from the mud and began advancing in power and technology, they realized that if they hoarded the Mana in their bodies, they could accomplish feats of wonder. They did wonderful, terrible things with it. They could move Heaven and Earth with a wave of their hands, and for a time they dominated Belia. These were the beings that came before the Heroes." "By hoarding the Mana within their bodies they were permanently taking from the resources available to nature, and as such, imbalances and imperfections spread across the land that would have consumed the world if a compromise wasn''t found." "It was then that Mr.Blue came into being, although nobody knows his real name. What we do know is that he irrevocably changed the way Mana was used throughout Belia. Instead of being able to keep Mana within themselves permanently, it would fade over time if the Two-legs tried to hoard it within themselves." Wil was blinking his light slowly at this, he was starting to see the bigger picture. "So because the Mana couldn''t be kept in their bodies anymore, they had to go out and search for more right?" He ventured a guess. "Exactly," she sighed at what the conversation had turned to. "In searching for more they found the Dungeons. While they couldn''t harm the Dungeon Cores, they could still siphon off their Mana, effectively rendering it useless." Wil shuddered at the thought of this. "Mr.Blue saw this, and in his kindness granted Dungeons three gifts. One gift was the ability to protect itself, through the use of Mana and Resources to produce the most fearsome Monsters Belia has ever seen. The second was a Guide to help shepherd them from the dangers of the world who wanted only to use them." At this Belle smiled faintly and lightly patted the top of his Core. "What was the third gift though? That''s only two?" Wil asked. Belle''s expression darkened considerably, "The Sapients that try to steal Mana from a Core are poisoned, Mr.Blue made it so that the Mana residing within the Core itself was no longer the pure form that normally comes off, but the raw and unrefined Mana that Dungeons were originally made to consume." "A compromise was made, the compromise being that the Mana the Two-legs so desperately want can be achieved by staying within close proximity to a Dungeon. Say in a Town or City located above its entrance, and in return, the Sapients would venture into the Dungeon to test themselves against the Core. Should they die within the Dungeon their mana becomes yours..." Belle''s words trailed off at this as if relaying some heavy secret to the infant Core. Considering what the situation was, and could be. This doesn''t seem too bad, as long as we aren''t destroyed anyways. Wait... "Belle?" "Hm? Yeah, Sweety?" Wil turned a bright shade of green at the unexpected nickname. "Didn''t you say that I was almost impossible to destroy?" "I did, why?" "Well, when we were picking locations I noticed that Mr.Blue said that some of the races would destroy me on sight if they found my Dungeon. How could they do that if I am a nearly indestructible gem?" "Heroes" Oh fuck. "I don''t want you worrying about that though, almost every Hero today is too full of themselves to care about a new Dungeon Core. Although I guess it''s important you know. Heroes are the only beings, aside from the Great Beasts, that are capable of destroying a Dungeon Core. Just as Mr.Blue altered the Dungeons so too did he alter the Sapients." Belle inhaled for yet another history lesson. "He granted each member of the Sapients a chance to become more than what they were born as. Many tried, and many failed, but a few did succeed and gained power beyond what a normal Sapientcould ever hope to possess. That being said, not every Hero is strong enough to destroy a Core. Some Heroes though, are closer to Monsters than Sapients at this point." Belle''s face took on a grave expression at that last statement. These Heroes must be some scary people. "At the moment, there are exactly 603 Heroes." Oddly specific. "And now, as of this very moment, there are exactly 603 Dungeons." Oh no. "Every Sapient race has some amount of Heroes in their ranks, some more than others. The Elves have 103 if I recall correctly, and the Gnomes somewhere around 65." Both of the Races surrounding us have so many, we are so doomed. Belle could probably see the dejected aura coming off of the Core, so she hastily added, "Don''t worry about it Wil! Most of these Heroes are way too busy helping wrangle Cats out of trees to worry about a new Dungeon Core. We should expect a visit from a few Heroes sometime after we open our Dungeon up to the world though." "How do they become Heroes? Can we stop them from creating more?" Wil didn''t like the idea of a bunch of arrogant jerks coming to his dungeon and taking his Mana, even if he was just giving it out for free. Belle''s face perked up at this line of questioning and started, "They become Heroes by completing their ''Life-long Quest''. Nobody but them knows what the Quest is, and even then they only have a vague idea of what they need to do. Each Quest is different for each person, although some of them share similarities. It''s extremely difficult to even unlock a ''Life-long Quest'' as they have to experience something extraordinary to qualify for it. Then having to actually COMPLETE the thing is a whole other issue. That''s why there are so few Heroes, it''s ridiculously hard for them to become one." "What is a Life-long Quest?" Wil inquired. "A culmination of a Sapient''s life up until that point, they either slay the greatest foe they''ve ever known or overcome the greatest obstacle they have ever faced. I think you get it, they do something Heroic. A lot of Heroes actually complete their quests in Dungeons." "Now we can''t stop them exactly, but we can lure them into our Dungeon. If we lure them into our Dungeon and defeat them, a portion of their power becomes your own. " Wil felt a primal response at the idea of consuming and defeating a Hero. I want them, I want all of them. "Calm down there Wil, we aren''t even close to being ready to tackle a Hero yet. For now, let''s just see if your Mana is back up to full. We''ve chatted the night away." Belle giggled at all the fun she was having, she had waited so long to have a Core to teach and now she finally had one.
Name - Wilcox Chosen Monster - Beasts Mana - 10/10
Species - Dungeon Core (Lv.1) Chosen Location - Ilvan Forest Mana Regen - 10/d
Number of Floors - 1 Number of Monsters - 0 Resources - 32
Chapter 4 - Rugs and Traps "10/10, just like you, Belle." "Don''t hurt yourself reaching for those compliments, Wil." Belle stuck her new tongue out at me. Must be nice to have a tongue, or maybe it''s really gross. "Now that you''ve got enough Mana, let''s go ahead and build your first Room!" She was getting hyped up again. Wil was busy thinking about something else though. "Belle I thought we already have a Room? The very first spot we claimed is called the Core Room isn''t it?" Wil asked pointedly. Belle scrunched up her nose at this blatant technicality. "Well, Wilcox," Uh Oh. "If you must know, Core Rooms count as Special Rooms and therefore don''t go towards your Room count." Belle finished her declaration with multiple hand waves to show the discussion was over. This was the first time Wil had heard of these Special Rooms, but he was already called by his full name and his recently gained memories were screaming at him to cut his losses. "Then let''s go ahead and make the new Room, okay Sweetheart?" Wil figured it wouldn''t hurt to lay it on a little thick for the time being. Belle, having none of it, "Yes, it would be best if you made it at the end of the tunnel you made a little while ago." Focusing his attention towards the end of the 10ft long Tunnel, he envisioned carving out a large domed Room. He didn''t know why the Room dimensions were so exact but he would take what he could get. Mentally focusing on his Mana, he began hollowing out a large 12ftx12ft space at the back end of the Tunnel he created. With his Core room on one end and his newly created Room on the other, if any Sentients had an aeriel view of his Dungeon they would say it looked like an off balance dumbbell. A forgotten benefit to all this excavating was that his resource count shot up even higher! Now instead of 32 resources he had 84 that he could work with. He still didn''t know how much 84 would get him but he knew there were some decorative rugs in his future. Something about rugs really intrigued him...why cover the floor with more floor? He had to know. Belle was off to the side of his Core, looking a little glassy eyed until her head snapped forward and she started spinning in circles faster than she normally did when excited. "Wil! Wil! Guess what we just absorbed from that Room!" She was becoming frantic and it was starting to infect him. "Tell me! Tell me! Is it a rug?" He asked hopefully. That seemed to throw her off her rhythm, "I- What? No, why would there be- look, you absorbed some Wood! Not just any wood either, it was a Rare Tie- " "How the hell is that better than a rug Belle?!" Wil was irate, he had gotten his hopes up over something that supposedly surrounds their Dungeon. Belle smacked the top of his Core, hard, "Well how do you suppose we go about getting Wood, or any other material for Dungeon building for that matter. What we just got was a lucky break, and you better appreciate it!" This mollified him a little, but he still would have preferred a nice throw pillow over a few wooden planks. "Well alright, what can I do with the wood now that we have it?" He begrudgingly asked. Belle, with a grin far too large to be called cute, "Traps! Not to mention the wood we absorbed came from a Silverbark Tree! Like I was trying to tell you earlier it is a Rar-" The mention of Traps interested Wil, but the real interesting piece was the Trees species. "Why is it called Silverbark?" He interrupted her again, he wasn''t trying to, but he really wanted to know. He tried, and failed, to ask calmly. Belle, even more smug than Wil thought possible, "Oh so now he''s interested, well maybe if you beg I''ll tell you all about my wood, and how great it really is..." Wil felt distinctly uncomfortable at those words but was unsure why, so he settled on spite. He knew he could recreate anything he absorbed, so he set out to create the Silverbark from his resource pool. Belle, noticing him concentrate on something other than her teasing, watched as his Core flashed a bright shade of green before wooden beams the color of a rich dark brown with specks of silver running through appeared across the roof of his new Room. Four beams in total now ran perpendicular to each other across the roof. "Neat..." the Core said sheepishly, hoping he didn''t accidentally ruin his Dungeon trying to spite his Guide. Belle, now thoroughly deflated, just sighed and asked the important question. "How much?" Huh? "How many resources did that take to do?" Wil, now more confident than ever, opened his Resources window ready to gloat about how cost efficient he was. I mean let''s be honest, how much could wood cost? Im just going to look at this menu and see it only took maybe 8 Resou- 45 He had 45 Resources remaining. He used 39 Resources on a few wooden beams. "I think we can both admit we got a little heated." He hedged. SMACK! "Unfair! You have hands and I don''t!" Wil grumbled. "Thats what you get for wasting so much on a Rare Tier Item!" Huh? "Mind telling me what a ''Rare Tier Item'' is? "Only if you don''t interrupt me anymore!" She stared hard at his Core and waited. When no reply save a slow blink of his light came, she continued. "Another change Mr.Blue brought with him was the idea of Tiers for the items of the world." "There are 5 different Tiers. In order of ranking from bottom to top they are; Common, Uncommon, Rare, Unique and Legendary." Belle listed off each with a tick of her fingers. It was an odd sensation, but Wil could swear he felt the power imbued into each Tier name. "For Dungeons specifically, the higher Tier an item is, the greater the Resource cost to recreate it in your own Dungeon. I''m guessing the only reason you are not bankrupt right now is because of your Nature Affinity and the bonus that provides to all nature items in your Dungeon. You should consider yourself lucky, you know!" Wil, now thoroughly cowed, just blinked in acknowledgment. "Will you tell me what Silverbark is now that its become a staple of our dungeon?" He stressed the emphasis on the ''our'' part and it seemed to help a little. Belle''s face softened before she finally replied. "Sure Sweety, I''ve been waiting for a chance to flex these new Guide powers anyways." Why am I getting such an awful feeling..? Chime
Silverbark Wood Comes from the Rare Tier Silverbark Tree. Difficult to find and even harder to cut down. A dense wood packed with minute traces of raw Silver Ore. Can be found deep in the Ilvan Forest or surrounding the Andel Mountains. It is difficult to shape, but the craftsmen that can may make some of the finest items utilizing this wood.
My nemesis strikes again. "Well now I see why it was so expensive, but I would have paid that price anyway, look how nice the wood looks in the room!" Wil and Belle both knew he was pushing it, but neither said a word so they moved on. "Now that you''ve only got 45 Resources left why don''t you start thinking about some Traps?" Traps. Trap them and then eat them. Wil hummed at the idea and Belle smiled. "There are two main kinds of Traps Dungeons use to catch Sentients, Wil, so listen up." She had his undivided attention at the idea of Two-legs being on the menu. "There are your Standard Traps, and your Custom Traps."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Wil was mesmerized at the thought. "Standard Traps cover your basic Dungeon Traps; such as, Pitfalls, Falling Boulders, Spike Traps and Fake Floors. There are many others but these are a Dungeons bread and butter and many others need to be unlocked through various different types of Resources that we don''t yet have. Most Basic Standard Traps cost 5 Resources." I love it, I love it. What more could a Dungeon ask for? Wil was humming so loudly it broke Belle''s concentration, and a large smile grew on her face while she flew over to him. There she sat on top of his Core until he calmed down enough to keep listening. "Now the fun part is your Custom Traps, they cost varying amounts based on their complexity, but they are your best line of defense besides your Monsters." Belle was happy to see Wil taking such an interest in improving his Dungeon. "Why would I even bother with the Standard Traps then?" Wil asked. "Thats a fair question, the main reason is because during our first few years as a Dungeon we don''t want to come off as impossible. We need to let some people; not everyone, but some, leave our Dungeon alive. Not to mention some Custom Traps get really expensive as you progress in levels." Wil was about to protest when Belle swooped in with, "If we don''t, there is a good chance the Adventuring Guild will declare us too difficult and not worth the risk of creating a town over a Dungeon that is unbeatable. If they decide that, they will most likely ask a Hero to destroy your Core." Wil could not physically gulp, but he could mentally do it. So he did. Moving on... "So uh, levels?" Wil asked, trying to steer the conversation away from his potential destruction. Belle winked at him, "Why don''t you worry about that after you place a few traps down?" Thats not foreshadowing at all. "Well okay, right now i''ve got one large Room and a Tunnel. I would like to see my list of available Standard Traps please." Come on you bastard bring it on. Chime
Pitfall 5-10 Resources 5-10ft deep hole in the ground. Depth varies depending on resources spent.
Falling Boulder 10 Resources A large rock perched on top of a ledge, triggered by a pressure plate.
Spike Trap 5 Resources 2ft by 2ft square of wooden spikes, can be placed at the bottom of other traps or left on its own.
Fake Floor 5 Resources A small patch of ground 1/2" thick. Easily broken when stepped on.
"I can''t wait to cover this place with falling rocks!" Wil was raring to go and set up all his new traps when the voice of reason struck him down. "Don''t. You. Even. Dare. First thing you need to do is decorate your dungeon. I will not live in an empty stone cave the rest of my life." It took a lot longer than Wil would have liked to admit to calm himself down, but he eventually managed to choke out, "Okay, lead the way.." Over the next day and a half Wil and Belle went over every square inch of their new home. For the room with the Silverbark Beams they added decorative stone pillars surrounding the walls. Each pillar being a foot wide and spaced one foot apart from each other. In total there were 6 pillars spaced equally around the room, similar in look to a Roman Coliseum. The gap for the entrance was carved into the pillars to create a larger doorway. Another addition was to add different types of moss that Wil had absorbed from clearing his orignal room. It made him feel as though time had forgotten the room and cast it aside, he loved it. Aside from the new gladiatorial aesthetics, a large shelf was raised on the left and right side of the entryway. These shelves of stone had no purpose yet, but both Wil and Belle agreed it would be a good spot for Monsters. If an Adventurer were to enter the room they would see an arena surrounded in moss covered pillars. With a suspicious amount of hiding space in the roof due to the Silverwood Beams, as well as two large half-circle overhangs 3ft in diameter on opposite sides of the room. These overhangs would be too tall for all but Adventurers to see over. The final touch that he added was a small pit in the center of the room which he then filled with sand. The sand pit was roughly four feet in diameter and broke up the monotony of the stone floor. Wil had found the sand when he was originally clearing out the room. Both Core and Guide were unsure what the sand would be used for, but figured the center of the room could use something. All throughout the Tunnel he added some of the moss he had absorbed, he put it over the walls and ceiling to try and give the room a more overgrown aesthetic. He thought it looked pretty spiffy. The Tunnel was decorated with small alcoves all along the sides that Wil then linked to the previous room through small passageways. During the time it took him to finish the Coliseum Room, Sunrise had come and gone, and Wil spent all 10 points of his newly gained Mana into digging out small passageways of various sizes throughout his Dungeon. He connected two passageways from the Tunnel into the overhangs in his Coliseum Room. He also made sure they were large enough for his Beasts to get through easily, but small enough that no idiot Two-legs would get the bright idea of trying to climb in to skip parts of his Dungeon. For now the alcove spaces were empty, but Wil thought that in the future he could add statues or something similar into the gaps. There were three alcoves on each side of the tunnel spaced perpendicularly to each other, spaced every two feet. Both of the center alcoves were linked with the passageways that led into the Coliseum Room.These passageways led from the top of the overhangs, through the stone between the rooms, and fed out through hidden spaces in the alcoves. The alcove on the left fed to the overhang on the left. And the right fed into the right. Wil thought himself extremely clever for thinking of this until Belle said all Dungeons have little tricks like this. Damn! I''ll have to be more creative when I get more rooms to work with. Belle giggled at his frustration, and then they went to work on his Core Room. According to Belle there''s no need for traps or puzzles in the Core Room, so most Dungeons used the space as a sort of home for themselves and their Guide. Wil splurged a little and created a Silverbark bed for Belle. They didnt have any fabric yet, so for a mattress Wil created a dense bed of moss. Belle was ecstatic with her new life of luxury. Other than a bed, he also made many stone shelves and alcoves. Just in case they ever wanted to show off whatever rare things they get in their Dungeon. According to Belle some Dungeons were total hoarders. Everything was going great. All the rooms were becoming more Dungeon-like and Wil and Belle both felt satisfied with the Dungeon''s progress. Until they realized there was no light in any of the new rooms. Oops. Thankfully being a Core has its perks. If the Dungeon chooses to, they can convert a negligible amount of Resources into a condensed Mana-Light. The reason it didn''t cost Mana but instead cost Resources was because, according to Belle, "It''s not ''real'' mana. All it''s good for is a little bit of light." Not to mention it only let out light corresponding to the Dungeon''s Affinity. For Wil and Belle that meant a soft golden green light. It made Wil think of what he imagined sunlight would look like shining through a thin leaf. Beautiful. For a measely 5 Resources he put three in the Coliseum Room. One above the entrance, and one under each of the overhangs. By leaving them under the overhangs the top layer of stone was still encased in shadow, and that appealed to Wil greatly. He then put one right at the top of the tunnel, attached to the ceiling by surrounding it in stone. It resembled a golden-green jewel nesting in the ceiling, overlooking the alcoves. The last light went into the Core Room on one of the shelves, because Wil thought it looked nifty. I wonder how many Resources I have left after all that renovating.
Resources Gained by absorbing non-living materials, used as currency for Dungeon Building. Current Resource Count - 22
Wil began vibrating in exitement, "Traps! Traps! Traps!" Belle was all smiles as she attempted to calm him down, "Okay, okay! You''ve got enough for at least three, up to four if you spend conservatively." Wil didn''t need to hear any of this, he knew exactly where his Traps would go. He had all that time decorating to find the best spots. He focused his attention onto the Tunnel with his alcoves and hidden passageways, and stuck one pitfall trap right at the doorway between the Tunnel entrance and the Coliseum Room entrance. Did Wil mention he added doors? He had doors now. Between the Tunnel and Coliseum, was a large Silverwood door with a stone handle. He put a similar door at the other end of the hallway, leading into their Core Room. He was loath to spend the Resources on doors as it would take away from his Traps, but Belle convinced him. "If people can just see into the next room they have a lot better chance of finding your Traps." That shut Wil up quick. So now, at the front of his door leading out of the Coliseum, but still very much in the Tunnel, Wil added a Pit Fall Trap. The area directly infront of the door was now going to be the cause of twisted ankles everywhere. The hole only went 5 feet deep, the max Wil could make it go before the Trap rose in Resource cost. At the bottom he spent another 5 Resources and bought the Spike Trap, leaving the bottom of the pit filled with wickedly sharp wooden stakes. With 12 Resources left he bought the only Trap he ever had eyes for, the Falling Boulder Trap. He placed the pressure plate to trigger the Trap right inbetween the two center alcoves. The two with the hidden passageways for his future Monsters. He began to laugh like an evil mastermind for far too long before it weirded Belle out enough that she told him to cut it off. "Two Resources to spare, nice job Sweety. Although why didn''t you add a Trap in your Coliseum Room?" Belle asked. He was expecting this question to come up sooner or later, "Well I figured I should at least wait until I see what kind of Monsters we have in there before we put in Traps that are irreversible." He felt proud of his logic. "Oh okay, you know you can change the layout of anything in your Dungeon whenever you want right? It would also be pretty ridiculous if you had to manually reset your Traps and Monsters each time too, thats why everytime your Dungeon is empty and no Sentients are in it everything goes back to how it was before they entered." Wil, in a flash of inspiration, carved out and dropped a small pebble directly into his Guides stomach. "YOU NEED TO TELL ME THESE THINGS!" Belle, now doubled over and hiding under her Silverbark Bed, just stuck her tongue out at him and scrunched up her face. If he wasn''t so annoyed at her he would have said it looked very cute. Wil, trying to calm himself by imagining a Two-legs falling into one of his Traps, asks, "Will you please tell me more, i''m sorry I dropped a rock on you." Belle, still rubbing her tiny stomach, answered with a loud and exaggerated, "Hmph! If you must know, it means whenever a Sentient comes into your Dungeon you can''t interact with anything like you can now. When they leave your Dungeon, any damage they did or any Monsters they killed get reset back to its original state. Your Monsters will keep their memories though, so thats a nice bonus." By the end she was back to her old lecturing attitude. Belle, now looking a little worse for wear but back to her usual excitement, decided she had kept him waiting long enough. "Remember how I told you levels can wait until you placed a few traps down?" Oh boy. "Well I''ve been holding off this notification until you wrapped up all your Dungeon prep, but no sense in keeping you in the dark now." Huh, I wonder what she means? Maybe I sho- Chime
Congratulations! You have reached Level 2! Mana is now 20/20 Mana Regeneration is now 12/d
Chapter 5 - Swing from the Vines Wil couldn''t be angry at the chime sound. This time. "How did I level up, Belle?!" He was ecstatic. She winked at him, and gestured out of the Core room to the rest of the Dungeon. "When you grow and define your Dungeon, you gain a small amount of experience, usually the gain is negligible. Since you''re just starting out though, the experience cost to level up is tiny for now. Don''t expect many more levels from just doing your job!" I guess thats fair, if I could level up from hiding in the ground I would not be much of a Dungeon. "Well how do I level up normally then?" Wil figured this should have been the first thing he was told, but what did he know? It''s not like his Guide would forget something as important as levelling up, right? God damnit. Belle, sensing silent judgment, just scrunched her face up at his Core and replied, "You level up by absorbing the Mana from living beings that die in your Dungeon. You are always gaining a small amount of experience since absorbing Mana is a part of what a Core does naturally. However, if you waited to level up like that we would be here for the next few centuries before you made any meaningful progress." She looked directly at him, making sure he knew that she did not want to sit in a dark cave for the next hundred years. "Yeah, that sounds pretty boring." She sighed in relief. Belle continued, "The fastest way for you to level up is going to be when Adventurers come and test themselves against your Dungeon. Since we will still only have one floor when we open up to the rest of the world, the Adventuring Guild will be sending Novices to our Dungeon." Wil, sensing another important piece of information he was unaware of, casually asked, "Novices?" She winced as she realized she had forgotten this piece of information, "Umm...haha, yeah. Novices are the first rank of Adventurers, the Adventuring Guild puts them into six different categories. Novice, or the sons and daughters of the newest generation, they are the weakest of all the ranks. This is because it is fairly difficult to climb the ranks of the Adventuring Guild the farther up it you progress." They are going to send weak-willed children to die in my Dungeon. Ha, and I''m the one with the Monsters. Wil thought to himself. "The next rank are the Aspirants, there are more Aspirants than all of the ranks above them combined. The men and women in this rank have all been in a Dungeon, and come out the other side stronger for it. They are still far weaker than the ranks after them though. Explorers are the third rank, a much stronger version of Aspirants as they have multiple years of experience under their belt." I bet I could still take them, Two-legs won''t stand a chance against my Dungeon! Wil''s Core brightened at the idea of all the Mana he would be getting. Belle just smiled softly at him and continued, "After Explorers come the Veterans, these people all have a strong grasp on their Affinity, or have years of training in martial combat from their time in Dungeons. Or they have both. Don''t underestimate the Two-legs ability to grasp at power Wil. All of the ranks will fight like it is their last when they are in your Dungeon, because to them it just may be. I''m pretty sure we won''t see any Veterans in our Dungeon for a long time though." He felt a little uncomfortable at the idea of the power difference between his Dungeon now and the higher rank Adventurers, but he did only have one room, and no Monsters. "After Veterans come the Experts, these are the top of the food-chain when it comes to Adventurers, although there are very few in the world. Mostly just the leaders and Officers in the Adventuring Guild are Experts. They are the Sentient Races best defense against Monsters, aside from Heroes." Heroes, bunch of arrogant children. He wasn''t sure why he felt so strongly about Heroes, especially since he had never met one yet, but his instincts hadn''t steered him wrong yet. He spoke up, "That was only five, but you said there were six ranks? I''m going to guess that the last ones are the Heroes?" She just sighed and pat the top of his Core. "Thats right, Sweety." He hummed in response. "Heroes are, at least according to most Adventurers, a bunch of cheats." She smirked at this. "Heroes almost always skip most of the ranks of the Adventuring Guild, and get elevated to a status many in their of their colleagues feel they did not earn." "While it is true that the Heroes have to complete their Life-long Quest, everybodies Quest is different. So, many people feel as though some of the Heroes just got a lucky break. Like it or not though, they are undoubtedly the strongest rank of the Adventuring Guild. Having the ability to use multiple Affinities elevates them far above the lower ranks. Some of the Heroes are the real deal, and were Experts before they completed their Quest. Others however, were little more than Aspirants before they ascended into the status of Hero." "All Dungeons agree though Wil, if you had to pick which type of Hero to come to your Dungeon. You want the ones that used to be Experts. The ones who lucked into their power are almost always insufferably arrogant. Not all, but most." Belle was nodding to herself at the damnation of some of Belia''s strongest beings. She looked over at his Core and winked, it made him uncomfortable because he had no idea why she did it. Until, "All of that is really hard to remember though, so the Adventuring Guild just uses letters in order to classify the diferent ranks." There were letters the whole fucking time, why did I have to sit through all of that information then! He kept his thoughts to himself though and asked in a tight voice, "What are the letters, Sweetheart?" She winced at the poison in his voice, but kept smirking anyways, "Don''t be like that, Sweety, if I didn''t tell you now we both know you would have gotten upset at me later." Fair. "The letters, in order from lowest rank to highest go as follows; F, D, C, B, A, S." "Well, that is a lot easier to remember." Belle nodded at this. "Why no E?" He asked. "Huh?" "Why did they skip the letter E?" "...They don''t like how it sounds?" She was floundering, they both knew it. She tried to compose herself, "How the hell would I know! No Dungeon has ever asked that before...Oh! Mom once said it was just because they liked giving Novices the F rank, apparently its a psychological thing." She remembered the ''official'' reason F was used instead of E and tried to save face. Wil mentally shrugged. Eh, maybe I can find out why when the Adventurers start coming to my Dungeon. Belle looked like she just remembered a big secret. "Oh yeah! They also use those letter ranks for Dungeons too. The ranks are decided by a Sentient''s level since they level up just as you do. They progress into the next levels by defeating powerful foes, or Dungeon Monsters, similar to how you level up by defeating them. Every ten levels they get, they move up a ranking in the Adventuring Guild. So, since you are level two, the Two-legs will refer to you as an F ranked Dungeon." Now he understood why they used the letter F, it made him think he was a failure.
Monster Points - Gained at the creation of a new floor. Used as currency to purchase Monsters, cost of Monster varies depending on strength. Current Monster Point Count - 100
Wil was practically vibrating with excitement, this was what he had been waiting for since Mr.Blue shot him down from the sky and into his new cave. Deer! Deer! Deer! Belle, smiling at his obvious excitement, "As you create more Floors you can summon more and more powerful Monsters, but since this is the first Floor, you''re going to be limited to some of the weakest." Wil mentally frowned at that, but he understood it was necessary. If his Dungeon was too hard from the start, he was sure to be deemed too diffcult for an F ranked Dungeon, and if the Adventuring Guild sees a Dungeon as an outlier, they might ask a Hero to destroy his Core. "Im ready Belle, let''s see the choices!" She giggled at him and waved her hands in a completely unnecessary fashion. Chime
Dungeon Monsters The defenders of a Dungeon and a scourge for Adventurers everywhere. Dungeon Monsters are some of the toughest creatures in existence, and when slain provide rewards proportionate to their strength.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Lesser Spineback 6 MP Sharp spines 3-4" in length cover the top of this rodent. It can weigh between 15-20lbs, and has two large buck-teeth capable of piercing most Leather Armor. It has a thicker hide than most wild rodents, providing additional defense.
Lesser Ilvan Monkey 10 MP Native to the Ilvan Forest, this species of Monkey excels at ambushing from tree tops. Just shy of 2ft tall, these Beasts do best in groups. With sharp claws and even sharper fangs. Once they scratch or bite an Adventurer infection is almost guaranteed.
Avian Howler 3 MP A colorful bird with a 6" wingspan. This small flier has a powerful voice with a mild stunning effect, and excels at swooping down on unsuspecting Adventurers to disorient them.
Lesser Dungeon Serpent 4 MP A snake with powerful muscles meant to constrict small animals. 3ft in length, and as thick around as a closed fist. If it manages to wrap itself around an Adventurers limbs there is little chance of removing it alive. Also possesses a mild toxin that will induce nausea and, if enough is injected, will incapacitate a Sentient for a few minutes.
Wil was heartbroken. How could he call himself a Beast Dungeon without the mightiest Beast of them all? No! If what Belle said is true, it''s only natural that Deer would only be available as a choice for the deeper Floors. A Deer wouldn''t be caught dead guarding just the first Floor. Of course. After talking himself off the edge, he looked back at his choices with renewed hope. There were some powerful combinations he could see between his new Monsters. "We are going to be the greatest Dungeon Belia has ever seen, and this is the start of it!" Belle was smiling uncontrollably as she watched her Core summon his first Monster. Wil focused on the menu and created his first Monsters right then and there. Five small golden-brown monkeys appeared from thin-air. Suddenly being born must have been disorientating for the Monsters. They seemed to gather themselves quickly though, and as one all turned toward his Core. For the briefest moment Wil was worried they would try to attack him, but one after another they all reverently reached towards the podium his Core was resting on and bowed. The sight was so heartwarming it made him want to claim all five of them as his children then and there. Belle, who was watching from on top of his Core, was beside herself at how cute the little Monsters were. With short golden-brown fur and splotches of green the color of his Core on their hands and feet. The monkeys had small faces with large round eyes and perked ears that would swivel at the slightest sound. If Wil looked closely, he could see long black claws on their hands and feet an inch long. One of the Monkeys yawned, and wickedly curved yellow fangs on the top and bottom of its mouth poked out for a brief moment. Cute, but deadly. One of the Monkeys, Wil noticed it was considerably smaller than the others, decided bowing wasn''t enough. It clambered up to the top of his podium, and gently kissed the top of his gem. If a Core could blush he would have, but he settled for humming at the affection. Getting a closer look, he realised that he was looking at a female Ilvan Monkey. The only noticeable difference was the beast was a few inches shorter than her brethren, as well as her claws were nearly double the length of the males. She''s got size where it counts at least. He giggled to himself. The female Monkey then excused herself from his podium, and rejoined her new family. As one they all turned from him and bowed again, this time towards Belle. She squealed, and flew down to greet them. She kissed each one on the top of their heads, and Wil could swear he saw the Monkeys in the back look impatient for their turn in getting some of her attention. "Belle?" She was focused solely on the new additions, "...yeah, Sweety?" "Do I have to name the Monsters?" He asked. With a gut-wrenching look, she turned away from the Monkeys and looked at him, "Only name a Monster if you want to turn them into your Floor''s Boss Monster. Since you don''t even have a boss room yet though you couldn''t name them if you tried." "The Adventurers will call your Monsters by their species, so these will be called Ilvan Monkeys. Or Lesser Ilvan Monkeys if they want to get technical. Most will just call them the ''Monkeys'' though." She said. "Well it still feels wrong to not have anything to refer to them by, so from this day on these Monkeys will be known as the ''Troop''!" All the Monsters started hooting and screeching at each other, they seemed to approve of his declaration. Belle just smiled at them, "The Troop it is. Where are you going to put them though, Wil? You only have one room right now, and a tunnel as well. If you try to shove these babies into that creepy hole with the alcoves I am going to smack you." "I would never! I already have a plan for that tunnel thank-you-very-much. I was going to put them in the Coliseum room. Thats why I only created the Monkeys for now, I need to make the rest of my first Floor before I summon the rest of my Monsters." Belle nodded at this, happy he was putting so much thought into his Dungeon. "Okay! First things first, I need more Resources." He said. "Huh? Why do you need Resources right now?" "Well to make the Coliseum room a nicer place for the Troop of course, and I feel like it is still pretty empty at the moment." Wil wasn''t going to let his Monkeys live in a place with just a few stone pillars and a little sand. "You have 20 Mana right now, since you levelled your Mana was maxed out. So you could dig out a few tunnels if you wanted to get a head start on the rest of your Floor." Belle offered. "Thats exactly what I was thinking, step aside and watch the Master Dungeon at work." She just sighed, but gestured with a small smile for him to go for it. Wil focused on the option to build a new tunnel, and watched as his Mana dipped from 20 to 15 out of 20. He made the tunnel on the opposite side from his other tunnel in the Coliseum room. Now that room had two tunnels connected to it. One of them led to his Core room, the other would be connected to his next room. His tunnel was just a long empty hallway surrounded by stone, but before he started decorating it he instituted the next idea of his plan. He purchased another tunnel for 5 Mana, dropping him down to 10 out of 20. For this one he placed it perpendicular to his other recently purchased tunnel, creating an upside down L shape branching off from his Coliseum room.
Resources Gained by absorbing non-living materials, used as currency for Dungeon Building. Current Resource Count - 43
"Perfect!" Wil was hoping to get a few more Resources from clearing out two tunnels, but he would take what he could get. "Belle, did I get anything new from those tunnels when I absorbed it?" He asked, he was really hoping for some new items to spruce up his Dungeon. "Lets see, a few new types of sand, a new kind of gravel. You also absorbed some tiny insects. Apparently since they don''t count as Monsters you can summon them for Resources. A new type of Moss, and...Oh! You also absorbed some decayed vines." Bingo. That was exactly the kind of thing he was looking to get for his new Monsters. Wil looked to his Troop, "You guys are going to love this." The Monkeys softly screeched at him in excitement. Focusing on the Coliseum room, he transformed the floor into a mix of dirt and moss. Hopefully some grass would start growing before he opened his Dungeon up to the outside. He left the sand in the center where it was, and in a fit of inspiration, added a Fake Floor trap directly under the sand. He placed another Pitfall trap directly underneath the stone. If any Two-legs were to step onto the sand, they would immediately become ensnared in the sand as it fell on top of them. Wil was extremely proud of his sand trap. When the Adventurers fell in, which he was sure they would, they would struggle to escape. While struggling his Monsters could close in on them from above. He giggled maniacally at the thought, and Belle''s eyebrow rose up in question. He ignored her and kept working on the room. For the roof he attached the new vines all around the Silverbark Beams he had previously added. The vines seemed to meld into the wood, strengthening both. Now the Monkeys had an easily accesible home above the ground of the room. Wil was quite proud as he now had a potential ambush location set up for his Troop. For a few extra Resources, he added some insects into the room to add some much needed ambient noise to his Dungeon. It was eerily quiet when nobody was talking. As a final touch, he added horizontal vines swinging across the many different pillars in the room. Now, so long as the Adventurers didn''t look up, the Monkeys could quickly cross from one side of the room to the other without ever being seen. Wil was thouroughly impressed with himself. He looked to his Troop and commanded them, "Defend the room with your lives. Keep us safe from invaders and prove yourselves mightier than any Two-legs!" They all hooted, puffing their chests out and yelling towards the direction of the outside world. "Please keep us safe." Belle added with a small smile. All of the Monsters stood up straighter and bowed once to both of them, then turned around and screeched in excitement at the sight of their new home. They climbed and swung all across their new room. Wil thought that the sight of five large Monkeys swinging down from the ceiling onto unsuspecting Adventurers was going to quickly become one of his favorite forms of entertainment. "One last thing you need to do is assign them loot." She said to him, though her eyes looked sad. "It''s an unfortunate fact that they are going to be killed over and over, but that is just how Dungeons are today. You need to reward Adventurers proportionate to how strong your Monsters are, or they are going to assume there is something wrong with your dungeon." Wil understood, if he didn''t toss the Two-legs something, he would be in danger himself. "What would you suggest I put as loot for them? Also...how?" He asked hestitantly. She gave him a smile, "We have a few things the Two-legs would want, one being the Silver Ore we found. Silver is too great of a reward for just defeating a few Monkeys though, so we should reward them with Crafting Items." Wil was about to ask, but Belle beat him to it. "Crafting Items are things a Monster has that may be used in the creation of gear for Adventurers. Fangs and Claws for weapons, pelts for armor. Or they may use some strange part of an exotic Monster and create a potion out of it. The Two-legs get really creative with the stuff we give them, so feel free to get weird with it." She finished with a wink. "For the Troop, I would recommend have each Monkey be given a chance to drop its pelt, or a claw or fang if the Adventurers get lucky. All of these are Common tier drops, but there is no need for them to drop anything better than that right now. Especially since this is still an F ranked Dungeon." Wil didn''t like being referred to as that letter, but it was accurate so he couldn''t say anything. "Okay, how do I give them loot? Do they just drop it naturally?" She settled on top of his Core and stared up at the ceiling, "Nope, all you have to do is focus on them and think of the rewards they will drop. It''s all very intuitive, or so I''ve heard. Mom said it was as easy as; thinking of the item, thinking of the amount, and the percentage chance that the item will be dropped by the Monster." He turned his attention to his Troop, and sure enough he was able to get a general sense of what drops his Monsters could leave behind on death, as well as the amount and drop rate the items could have. He set it so they occasionally dropped fangs/claws. They had a smaller chance to drop an intact pelt, but a much greater chance for scraps of their fur. With a mental shrug, he also added the female Monkey''s claws as a drop chance. They were considerably longer and sharper, and were considered an Uncommon tier item. Belle said he didn''t need to do that but he wanted to seperate the Monkey who gave him a kiss from the rest of her brethren and elevate her in the eyes of the Adventurers. With loot settled, Wil settled down to wait for his Mana to recharge. He had a Dungeon to finish building. Chapter 6 - Flowers and Howlers Over the course of the next week, Wil and Belle slowly added to their Dungeon until they had a general layout decided on. The first change they made was when Sunrise came on the following day, and Wil had a Mana count of 20 out of 20. Using 10 Mana he purchased a room at the end of the two tunnels he dug out the day before. Before he would begin designing the space however, he was going to buy another room. The reason he did this was because he wanted to purchase another room in the same spot, so he could merge both rooms into one.
Room 10 Mana per Room Dig out a 12ft tall, 12ft wide, 12ft long room. Can be connected to Tunnels or added onto existing Rooms to enlarge them.
With 0 Mana to his name, Wil now had an enlarged room located at the end of his L shaped tunnel. The room was double the normal size. With a 24ft radius, it was plenty large enough for what he had in mind. Before he built anything though, he had a question for Belle. "Hey Sweetheart, did we get anything new from absorbing all of that?" She took on a glassy eyed expression and then broke out into a large smile. That looks like a yes. "You got lucky this time Wil, you found some Copper ore and a few small gems. You also found some dried up seeds for a few different plants, it looks like you got a few flower seeds and a couple common bushes." She relaxed on her back while on top of his Core, it seemed to be a favorite spot of hers. Wil was ecstatic at the haul. His Dungeon desperately needed more plants if he was going to call himself a Nature Dungeon. Before he opened up to the world and got access to the materials of Adventurers, he only had whatever he found while digging out his Dungeon. Mentally cracking his non-existant knuckles, Wil turned his focus to his new enlarged room and went to work. He already knew he wanted this room to be the site for an ambush from his Monsters. He just needed to provide the right cover to protect them. Looking at his Resources, which was now 143, thanks to digging out two tunnels and two rooms, he was no longer hurting for supplies. The first thing he did was turn the floor of his new room into a mixture of dirt and sand. His idea was that if he mixed the two, the ground would be able to muffle the sounds of his Monsters approach. Afterwards, he went a little overboard with planting seeds for flowers and bushes. In the end, he may regret planting what was essentially a field of flowers, but for now he thought it would look nice. The bushes he got from absorbing the room earlier turned out to be massive walls of leaves easily over 4ft in height. Any Sentient trying to get through would have a hell of a time if they got stuck in the middle of one of those bushes. He placed a few bunches of the leaves sparingly throughout the room, mostly on the outskirts near the walls and a few bundles around the center. For the flowers, he was amazed to watch them grow and become what one of his memories referred to as ''Lilac''. Another flower he had in abundance was a ''Poppy'' that was a beautiful white color with purple on the inner petals. Both of them complimented the towering green bushes and gave his Dungeon some much needed aesthetic. Next step was to wait until sunrise. When the blessed Mana finally returned to him he spent all 12 of it and carved out individual warrens for his future Monsters. He placed three miniature caves along the walls of the room, as well as digging a larger one out directly in the center of the room. All in all he had four new nests for Monsters to occupy in the room. With the three caves on the walls he carved out snake sized tunnels leading from each cave to other areas of his Dungeon. He made it so when he had the Monsters available, they could traverse between his new room, the L shaped tunnel, and the Troop''s room. Along with a space for Monsters, he felt he should splurge on what would be his largest room. So Wil paid the hefty resource cost to plant a Silverbark sapling in the center of the room. Wil was fascinated to watch it grow right before his eyes, if he had eyes anyways. It was growing a few inches every minute and didn''t show any sign of stopping, so he took his eyes off of it for now to add finishing touches to the room. He added moss along most of the wall as well as the vines he had in the old Coliseum Room. Although now that it was occupied by the Monkeys he decided it should just be called the Troop''s room now. Troop''s room it is. With moss and vines added, the last piece of the puzzle was to hide a series of the low cost Mana-Lights all throughout the room. He hid some in the bushes; a few under moss on the ceiling, as well as putting one directly under the roots of the fledgling Silverbark Tree. Wil couldn''t be prouder of his work, and Belle whistled appreciatively when he told her take a look. "So what about Monsters now Sweety? You''ve got 50 points to spare, which isn''t very much if you plan on adding one or two more rooms as well as a Boss. Don''t forget you need 25 MP just to buy the boss." He destinctly remembered her never mentioning this, but he let it slide. "Yeah that''s what I was worried about." He sighed. "I''m going to have to cut the Troop''s numbers down to four. Otherwise there is just no way I can fill the rest of the Dungeon out proportionately." Belle frowned at this, but she knew he was right so she didn''t say anything. Wil focused on the Troop who were currently swinging from the vines and hooting at each other to see who could swing the highest. He picked out one of the males and focused on turning the creature back into MP to be re-used elsewhere in the Dungeon. The rest of the Troop looked confused for a brief moment, then let out a mournful howl for their missing friend. Wil sent them soothing messages and tried to convey that it was an unfortunate necessity. Since the Monkeys couldn''t talk the best they could do was a small screech in response. Belle rushed out of the Core Room, nearly in tears, to go comfort them while Wil went back to work. Focusing back in on the room, he noticed the Silverbark tree was reaching full height now. It was a gorgeous tree with dark-brown wood, and the bark appearing smooth and polished with silver whirls running throughout it. The leaves were a mix of deep yellows and greens. Looking at the beauty of the tree helped to soothe his heart at having to remove a member of the Troop. Moving on to the large warren he had dug out near the center of room, which was now safely nestled under the roots of the Silverbark, he focused on adding the newest additions to his Dungeon. Two large Spinebacks appeared inside the safety of the hole, and after acquainting themselves with each other, poked their heads out of the entrance to look at their new surroundings. From what Wil could tell both of them were females and looked as mean as he expected something named Spineback to be. With nearly half-foot long spines protruding off their backs and heads these rodents looked ready to poke out the nearest Adventurer''s eye without a second glance. The spines were a beautiful dark mahogany color, while the tips were hued the same silver as the tree their warren rested under. They had small pinched faces with large noses, but the most striking feature was their large buck teeth. The teeth were easily 2" long and looked able to pierce any armor shy of metal. The Monster had claws, but it seemed ineffectual when compared to the Monkeys. Wil was happy with his newest additions, and so turned to the three caves he had dug out along the outside of the room. In each cave he placed one Lesser Dungeon Serpent. The snakes were the color of dried leaves and had small forest-green splotches running over their scales. The Beasts all moved near silently across the ground as they slinked from one area of the Dungeon to another. Wil could see how easily it would be for a snake to wrap onto an Adventurers leg and never let go. He was looking forward to seeing how the toxin worked against the F rank Adventurers when they came to his Dungeon. The final Monster additions for the room were two Avian Howlers. His command to the birds was to patrol the entirety of the Dungeon and ambush any Adventurers they could. Both birds squawked at him as an affirmation and flew off. They were a gorgeous yellow, and with red tipped wings and a cute light green beak Wil knew they would fit in well with the rest of his Monsters. He didn''t see the beak or talons doing much damage, but he knew the birds greatest weapon was its voice. One of the Spinebacks tried to chase a Howler as it descended toward the Silverbark Tree, and Wil watched in fascination as what sounded like an echo of a scream came from out of its mouth. The Spineback immediately curled into a ball and her sister hissed as the bird flew away. Belle was clapping like a proud mother at how the bird defended itself, and Wil was trying to stifle a laugh at the poor Spineback. Before he moved on, and before he forgot, he added some much needed detail to the L shaped tunnel connecting his new Flower room and the Troop''s room. He had previously carved openings for his Dungeon Serpents to sneak in from the side and ambush unsuspecting Adventurers, but he knew he would need more if he wanted to give his snakes a good chance.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. It was time for a few traps. He decided to try out a theory he had, and bought four Pitfall traps and placed them all next to each other at the curve in the tunnel. What he ended up with was a massive pit 10ft deep and 8ft across. He didn''t see any Two-legs having a chance of crossing that as it was, so he decided to throw them a bone and added a large sturdy vine over the gap. Then in what he could only describe as divine intervention, he had the idea to add a bunch of smaller and more fragile vines over the pit. If the Adventurers were careless they would fall directly into the abyss. Wil was a kind Dungeon for adding the vine, but he wasn''t kind enough to leave it at just a harmless fall. At the bottom of the pit he covered it end to end with Spike traps. When Belle saw his progress she laughed and gave him one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen from the Guide. Now with an ego to match his pride, he added the finishing touches to the L shaped tunnel. Moss and Mana-Lights were standard fare by now, but he also added a few bushes on the walls. The shrubs were mainly there to hide the openings of the cave entrances the Dungeon Serpents would use to ambush, and also to provide more of a nature vibe. He was a Nature Dungeon after all.
Name - Wilcox Chosen Monster - Beasts Mana - 12/20
Species - Dungeon Core (Lv.2) Chosen Location - Ilvan Forest Mana Regen - 12/d
Number of Floors - 1 Number of Monsters - 11 Resources - 52
Taking his remaining Mana he spent 5 of it towards a new tunnel on the opposite side of the Flower room. It was time he started heading towards the surface and Belle said that was the correct direction towards open air. The tunnel room looked standard and plain, but before he could begin his decorating he purchased another tunnel in the same spot. The result was a tunnel 8ft wide and 20ft long. Wil had great plans for this new area. He asked Belle if he got anything interesting from absorbing the two tunnels worth of space, but she just stamped her little feet on top of his core and said he hadn''t. Damn. Can''t win them all I guess. Wil decided this ought to be his main trap tunnel, and he wanted to bring Belle into the fold for this one. "Sweetheart, do you have any suggestions for what we should do for the enlarged tunnel?" After he asked, she perked up and sat ramrod straight on top of his Core. "I want you to put a bunch of the Fake Floor traps along the ground. Don''t put anything under them though. After that start putting, at random intervals, Falling Boulder traps." Wil was shocked. Partly because he hadn''t thought of it, but also because she was so ready to help. "I think I am going to do just that." He said. She blushed and swatted the top of his Core. "My hope is they will be so busy looking out for the fake floor they won''t see boulders coming down on them until it''s too late. The Falling Boulder trap is triggered by a pressure plate, so why not put a few of the pressure plates under the fake floor? That way if somebody hits one trap, they may hit both." "If I could kiss you right now I would! I love it Belle." She shone a radiant shade of gold before patting her cheeks and smiling at him. Wil went to his enlarged tunnel and placed a total of 10 Fake Floor traps dispersed over the 20ft long tunnel. Under 2 of the traps he put pressure plates for a Falling Boulder trap. He also placed another 3 in random spots of the room. Adventurers would have to run a veritable gauntlet to get to his Flower Room. Or if they took their time, they may be in the room for hours searching for each trap. A few Mana-lights and the obligatory moss later, the room was looking gorgeous. His Resource count had begun to lower considerably with all of his renovations though, as he now had 23 Resources to his name. He didn''t add any tunnels for his Dungeon Serpents to sneak in through because he was worried they would set off one of the many traps, so instead he added bushes and vines growing down from the ceiling. The vines weren''t long enough for the Adventurers to reach and utilize, but they were long enough to conceal a Howler if it wanted to fly in the room for a little ambushing. Wil was vibrating at the thought of a Howler catching a group of Adventurers unaware as they traversed the trapped tunnel.
2 Days Later "Finally! I don''t think I could stand another day of doing nothing." Wil agreed with Belles statement, the last couple days waiting for his Mana to reach 20 out of 20 was mind numbingly boring. It had to be done though, since he wanted to build his final regular room and tunnel in one go. Building directly off the other end of his Trapped tunnel, WIl purchased a new room. All that was left after that room would be to build a tunnel long enough that it reached the surface. He held off on that for now since he still had more work to do though. Once the room was finished being cleared out and absorbed by his Mana, he set to work on another suggestion Belle had given him. Earlier she had told him, "If you want to encourage new Adventurers to continue coming into your Dungeon, as well as helping advance the town that grows around our Dungeon, you should make a room specifically for collecting Ore." At first Wil had no desire to build a room and waste his precious resources in the pursuit of helping the Two-legs, but Belle convinced him that by doing this he would also gain the fruits of their labor. When they harvested the metal he gave them, they would refine it and turn it into stronger items. When the Adventurers died with the new items on their persons then he would have access to new loot as well as bonus resources. That was all the incentive Wil needed to add a few pockets of the Copper Ore around the room. He was hesitant to add Silver since it was considered an Uncommon tier ore, so he would save that for a future floor. He was a spiteful Core though, so he put an unnecesary amount of insects around the room, if only to ''bug'' the Adventurers. He giggled to himself at what was, at best, an average pun. Along with the Copper Ore he also put a few of the small gems he had found earlier mixed in with the Ore. They were usually cracked and fractured, but Belle said they could be turned into Common grade items by the craftsmen that will come to build the town. With 29 MP remaining, Wil remembered what Belle had told him earlier. "Make sure you save enough points to buy yourself a Boss, they cost 25 MP, because if I have to watch another Monkey dissapear my heart is going to break." He didn''t want to lessen the Troops numbers any more than he already had, so he took what she said to heart. Just because he could, he manually dug out a small elevated cave in the Copper Ore room, and placed a Lesser Dungeon Serpent inside for 4 MP. Now he had a clean 25 left to work with for his Boss Monster. The serpent immediately hid inside its new home, Wil didn''t like that it seemed lonely so he placed a few Lilacs and Poppies inside of its cave. The snake seemed to appreciate the gesture and flicked its tongue out towards the flowers. Belle turned towards his Core, "Okay! It''s time we built you a Boss Room." Wil couldn''t contain himself, but then he remembered a pretty important fact. "That sounds great Belle, but I need 25 Mana to make it, and I can only have up to 20 right now." He didn''t know how he was going to make it without leveling up first. She just winked at him. "I know, first thing you need to do is move your Core Room back to make room for it, so go ahead and pick Relocation and move us back a good distance." Wil figured she knew what she was talking about, hopefully, and did as she said. He watched as his remaining 10 Mana was yanked away from him and his Core detached from the Tunnel and drifted back a good 50ft. He still had to be connected to his Dungeon somehow so there was a small tunnel between his new Core room location and the Alcove tunnel. "...now what Belle?" "Now we wait." God damnit. I was hoping to dig straight out, but it looks like more waiting is in my future. "Once you get up to 20 Mana again, we are going to build a tunnel between your Core room and where you are going to put your new Boss room. That way when you make the Boss room it will already have a tunnel that connects you to the rest of the Dungeon." He was following her so far, but that still didn''t explain how he would afford the boss room. "Afterwards, we are going to have you tunnel your way straight into the surface. Once you do you should hit level 3 and your Mana will get maxed out to 30 out of 30." Wil was very impressed, his Guide was a lot smarter than he gave her credit for at times. Belle glared at him, though how she was somehow able to read his thoughts he had no idea. She cleared her throat, "Once you do level you will need to immediately build your Boss room, and then purchase your Boss Monster." "After you open up an entrance, all of the Mana you have purified in here will be released in a large wave. This wave of condensed Mana is going to roll across the entire region and alert any nearby Two-legs to your location. If we had made an entrance right when we got here we might not have had to worry about this, but the Mana you''ve been circulating has only grown denser over the days we wait inside here." Wil understood, the Mana was getting condensed in their Dungeon right now, and the longer he waited the more Sentients he would alert when he did finally open up his Dungeon. "Okay, i''ll be ready for it. How will I pick my Boss Monster though? Do I choose one of my existing Monsters or do we make an entirely new one?" He asked. At this, Belle perked up. "Thats a great question, what you do is pick. You either pick a Monster you already have in your Dungeon and evolve them into a Boss Monster, or you choose from a list of pre-determined Boss Monsters. Unless you have a Monster in here you really want to see evolved, I would recommend picking from the list. You get more variety and can choose a Boss that covers the weakness your other Monsters may have." Wil blinked at this, it was a good idea. "Okay, then that''s what I''ll do. Now we just have to wait another few days." At this he huffed, he hated waiting. "Oh stop pouting, I bet it will be over in a second."
2 Days Later "You''re right, that did feel fast." Wil remarked. Belle just smirked at him and gave him the go ahead to tunnel out into the surface. He had been staring at the wall he was going to tunnel through for the past few hours, just waiting for Sunrise to happen so he could begin. He had no idea how much Mana this would take, so he built the Tunnel at an upward slope and stopped every few feet to decorate. Dig 3ft, add moss and a Mana-Light. Dig 3ft, add moss and a bush. Dig 3ft, Mana-Light and a Fake Floor trap. He couldn''t help himself, he had to put at least something dangerous in the tunnel. After his next cycle he broke through. A pressure he hadn''t noticed until it was disturbed blasted throughout his Dungeon. All at once green-gold condensed Mana flooded out of his newly carved entrance, the surrounding trees and plants were flattened by the pressure, but soon grew at an alarming rate. Nature Mana was a powerful fertilizer it seemed. The Mana rolled out of his Dungeon in a heavy wave, alerting all within hundreds of miles of the news. Belia had a new Dungeon.
Congratulations! You have reached Level 3! Mana is now 30/30 Mana Regeneration is now 15/d
Interlude - Finally
Within the Ilvan Forest, a lone Gnome is heading home from a long day of foraging for new and exciting crafting items. Altrix was getting sick and tired of the city. He spent the better part of 30 years cooped up in that prison of mud and stone, and he had been ready to leave the day he got there. Where else would a Gnome go though? His people were not known for their solitude and he had family to provide for. Not that they ever appreciated all the effort he put in. He knew the nicknames the other Gnomes sneered towards him with when they thought he wasn''t listening. It wouldn''t have bothered him if they weren''t mocking his choice of work. Altrix was an herbalist, and a damn good one. No matter what the others may say, he knew that his work was life saving. At 95 years of age, he was just leaving the prime of his life and entering his retirement years. His experience showed as the things he could accomplish with Common crafting items were night and day compared to what less experienced herbalists may have accomplish. A long time ago he would have fought anyone on the spot for insulting his craft, but now he never had the energy to do anything but eat and sleep. The only thing that still got him out of the house in the morning was the prospect of going into the Forest and searching for rare and exotic ingredients. At the moment he was looking for a rare flower that possessed a mild hallucinogenic, but he couldn''t seem to find even a trace of the plant. He thought back to the family he had back in Tenver, the Gnomish Capitol of the Ilvan Forest. He had a son to look after, Altrin, not to mention all the Grandchildren he had given him. Truth be told, he didn''t really care for most of them. Okay. Thats probably not true, he just wished for his old life back. A life of Adventure and excitement, diving into Dungeons and searching for the missing piece of his Life-long Quest. Now, all he had were his plants and potions. It would take a veritable miracle to change the course of his life now. The walls of Tenver were slowly coming into sight over the crest of a hill. It really was a beautiful city. Even if it was originally built from stone and mud, over time the Gnomes refined it into a sprawling metropolis. Not even those disgusting tree-hopping Elves could hope to match Gnomish ingenuity. His bias was unfounded though, he wasn''t alive when the Great War occured between the Elves and the Gnomes. That war was almost a thousand years ago, and none but the Great Beasts would have any memory of what truly happened back then. Finally reaching the gates of Tenver, he let out a long, drawn out sigh. Another day wasted in the forest, just waiting for something, anything, interesting to happen. Katoom! Muscle memory earned from decades of experience kicked in, and Altrix''s head swiveled to the South West direction of the forest. He had heard that sound a few times before in his life. It sent a shiver down his spine and reignited long forgotten emotions. "The last time I heard that was 40 years ago..." He mumbled to himself. He wouldn''t believe it. He couldn''t. It would be too conveinent. He knew there was a way to know for sure though, all he had to do was wait around for the Mana Wave to pass over him. It could have just been some foolish Hero child tossing around their power again. That was probably it. There''s no reason to get his hopes up over something as unlikely as a new Dungeon. Even with those doubts, Altrix''s head stayed fixed on the direction the noise came from. He was about to abandon hope entirely and sulk back in through Tenver''s gates when he spotted it. A wave of golden-green that washed over everything in its path. The very forest was shuddering from the power and now Altrix knew for certain. He laughed to himself, laughed at the unlikelihood. He bent over in tears at his good luck. "Finally."
Somewhere in the Ferst Plains, a pair of Humans are out Hunting. "Hey Kevin, where the fuck did you leave your shirt? If I wanted to stare at a hairy back I''d have stayed in the village with your wife." "Fuck you Jared, go scoop it off your Mothers bedroom floor." Both of the men looked at each other for a brief moment, then burst out laughing. Kevin, shirtless, was walking in the lead carrying a dead Deer. Jared, fully clothed, was behind him poking at the carcass slung over his shoulder. "Knock that shit off Jared, the fur is already chaffing as it is without you messing with it." Kevin said. "Sorry man, I forgot how sensitive your skin was, want me to rub some lotion on it? I can go ahead to the village and let everyone know you need a break because you decided to ruin your shirt while we were out hunting." Jared sneered. "This is why you have no friends." Kevin retorted.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. "Rich coming from you, I feel like I do charity work just talking to you." "Harsh and uncalled for." Kevin feigned being hurt. "Harsh but true." Jared was unfazed, they had talked like this towards each other for the better part of 5 years now. Katoom! "God damnit Jared, you need to start eating better, you are one nasty bastard you know that?" Kevin yelled behind him. Jared had stopped walking and was staring towards the direction of the sound, it had come from that accursed forest. No good had ever come out of that place; the Elves and Gnomes were a bunch of arrogant pricks, and the plants and animals were all strange with usually one too many eyes for his comfort. Kevin, sensing his friend had stopped, turned to look at him. "What is it boy, you smell something?" He asked excitedly, as if talking to a dog. Jared just glanced at him with an angry glare, "Something ain''t right Kevin. I''ve heard the village Expert talking about that sound once before. Something big must have happened in that fucking forest." "Oh please, we both know that old bastard is a foot from Death''s Door, let''s head back to town befo-..." He trailed off as he noticed the massive wave of Mana barrelling towards them. It had come from the direction of the forest, and the sound. "It''s...beautiful." Jared couldn''t help but blurt out, the cascading waves of gold and green were mesmerizing to him. "A new Dungeon, do you know what this means Kevin?" Jared turned around to yell at his friend, even as the Mana washed over them. Kevin had to yell over the wind pressure, "No?! Are you going to finally get a job?" Even at a time like this he was still poking fun at him, typical. "No, it means we both are. Where there''s a Dungeon, theres easy money." Jared''s eyes were glistening with greed and adventure. Kevin merely looked past him towards the forest, feeling more caution than excitement. His eyes shone all the same though.
In the center of the Ferst Plains. In the city of Indo, in the Adventuring Guild''s main Head Quarters. A petite Beast-woman sat at her desk going over the days reports. Being the head of the Adventuring Guild was not nearly as interesting a job as others had said it would be, but now she was the only one willing to even do the job. It helped that she was one of the few Expert ranked Heroes. Even that hadn''t saved her from getting the life of a pencil pusher though. She hadn''t seen any real action in over 40 years. There was a knock at the door, she sighed as she put away another stack of papers. Save those for later. She thought ruefully. "Come in." Her voice was coarse and smooth at the same time. A grating sound that would draw the listener in and keep their attention, no matter what the speaker was saying. A tall Human with a muscle density that would put most Monsters to shame entered her Office, her eyes softened at the sight of an old friend. "Brian, it''s nice to see you. How''s Karen?" She asked politely. He cracked a smile, a rare thing for a man with his renown. "Liz, it''s good to see you as well. She is doing good, thank you for asking." His eyes hardened for a moment, "Guild Master, if it''s alright with you, I have important news to deliver. Can we catch up afterwards?" He was always too straightforward for his own good, but even he wasn''t foolish enough to blatantly disrespect the woman before him. "Granted. Report." She said in way of response. She smiled inside though, not many talked to her with that level of familiarity anymore. "In the South West quadrant of the Ilvan Forest we recieved reports of a new Dungeon. Its affinity is unverified, but assumed to be related to Nature. We have already recieved multiple requests from shopkeeps and Novices looking to move and set up a town as soon as possible." There was a pause, and she saw him take a deep breath before he continued. "I''d also like to request my immediate transfer to the town we will create around the Dungeon. If I recall correctly, this is the first Dungeon in over 40 years. We may not be likely to get another one for just as long, I would like to personally oversee its development." He finished with a bit of a huff. Despite his strength, he always felt a little nervous when he talked to Liz. Liz, for her part, kept a straight face. She knew what he really stood to gain, she just had to be sure. "Answer my questions first." "Of course." He replied instantly. "You will need to take at least two Veterans with you, is this acceptable to you?" She needed to know she wouldn''t be sending him in alone to handle a monumental task such as building a Dungeon Town. "This is acceptable, and a welcome addition." He calmy answered. "Good. Will you be brining Karen with you?" If he was going to uproot everything and leave his home of the past few decades, she needed to know he had his wife''s permission. There were few people she trusted more than Karen. "It was her idea." That settles that. "Figures. You are going to try to complete your Quest?" Her last question was more of a statement, since they both knew the answer, but she needed to be sure anyways. "Yes. I believe it will be there." Good enough. "Permission granted, send a letter in every month with status reports. If anything urgent occurs inform me first." She listed off a few more commands. When all work was done she added one final piece of advice, "Don''t let this one fall Brian, it''s been 40 years since the last Dungeon, and I shudder at how long we may have to wait for another." Another Dungeon has appeared in Belia, after so long. Finally
Deep in the heart of the Ilvan Forest. Hidden away in a cave. long since buried by the passage of time, rocks trembled and trees shuddered with activity after centuries of silence. Air is rushed in through the cracks of the stones blocking the entrance, then rushed out all at once. A few moments pass and a veritable storm of wind is sucked back through the rocks and moss, then released out. Katoom! The wind is picking up pace in the cave, rocks have begun shifting out of the entrance and falling away. With each stone turned over, light begins to seep into the dark recesses of the cave. Visibility is still minimal, but shadows play against the walls of the 50ft ceiling, shadows of a long forgotten myth. Air is once more inhaled, and the shadows rise with it. Released again, and they fall. Golden-green energy rushes in through the Cave entrance, blasting away the rest of the dust and debris blocking the opening. A large cave mouth is revealed, large enough to fit a small village inside. The interior is briefly lit up with the glow of the newly released Mana, and the form of one of the world''s Great Beasts is revealed. Antlers towering over 40ft in the air, while the body slowly rises and falls with each breath. Fur the color of brushed silver acts as a shield against the Mana rushing into the cave. A single eye opens, revealing a bright green iris. The very Forest shudders as the Great Beast takes in light for the first time in over 300 years. A voice the sound of shifting gravel speaks. "Finally." Chapter 7 - Eye of Gold
Boss Room 25 Mana per Boss Room Dig out a custom room for a specific Monster. Can have (1) per Floor. Cannot be relocated once placed.
Wil did not want to waste any time when his Dungeon was vulnerable to the outside world, so he mentally slammed the Boss room button and watched as his Mana shot down from 30 to 5 in the blink of an eye. The location he would place the Boss room was between his Alcove tunnel and the newly created tunnel he had between his Core room. In between the two was 50ft of stone he had left available for his Boss room. The moment he had chosen the Boss room option his vision was flooded and chimes began ringing out in his head.
Congratulations! With the addition of a Boss Room, the Core has now created its first official floor. In order to build the final room, please select a Monster to be the First Floor Boss.
Dungeon Boss The leaders of the Dungeon Monsters, they are the strongest Monsters available for Adventurers to fight. There may only be (1) Boss per Floor.
Evolve a Dungeon Monster 25 MP Choose a previously created Monster within the Dungeon and elevate it to become a Boss. To choose this option, locate a Monster and name them.
Imbued Lynx 25 MP A large feline, gifted with incredible speed and unnatural cunning. As an Imbued Beast, the Monster is granted a slight affinity related to its Dungeon. (Earth, Water, Air) May only have (1) affinity, affinities are chosen at random.
Greater Dungeon Serpent 25 MP An enhanced version of the Lesser Dungeon Serpent. It is an expert at camouflage and possesses an extremely potent toxin.
Imbued Bear 25 MP Native to the Ilvan Forest, this bear towers over any man and possesses unnatural strength. As an Imbued Beast, the Monster is granted a slight affinity related to its Dungeon. (Earth, Water, Air) May only have (1) affinity, affinities are chosen at random.
"Fuck!" Wil screamed out. Belle looked shocked at him, confused and now worried. "What?! What is it?" How long are they going to make me wait! This is getting ridiculous. "Sorry, Sweetheart. I just didn''t see an option I was hoping for." He said sadly. "Is this about the damn Deer again?" She asked with a glare. "...Yes." "Deer aren''t classified as Lesser Beasts, and they would make a poor Boss choice. That is why you haven''t seen any yet." Wil vehemently disagreed about her assessment of a Deer''s capabilities, but that would be something he handled when it came. "I guess that makes sense. I just really wanted to know what they looked like." He mumbled to himself. Her eyes softened for a moment and gently patted the top of his Core, "I know, obviously they were just too powerful to be limited to your first floor." Wil, nearing tears, "Y-yeah, that''s probably it." Belle, now rolling her eyes, "Okay tough guy, how about you pick your new Boss? When you do, the Boss room is going to change automatically. So that will be a nice change of pace. The room changes based on what Boss you pick so pick something you think the Dungeon needs." "The descriptions of the Boss Monsters seem a little short though, why is that Belle?" He asked. "Well, when we were choosing your Dungeon Monsters they weren''t very complicated. When it comes to Bosses though, they all have multiple traits and almost always look unique. It would take hours to explain the capabilities of each one in detail, so Mr.Blue decided it would be easiest if there was just a brief description." She seemed happy with the reasoning, but to Wil, it just seemed like the creator was being lazy. He wouldn''t say that out loud though, Mr.Blue might be listening. The choices available to him were; a large bear, a large snake, or a large cat. He felt spoiled. Two of the choices weren''t even available in lesser form when he was picking Dungeon Monsters, and those two both came with a free affinity. "Belle, why can''t I choose what affinity the Bear or Lynx is imbued with?" He thought that just seemed needlessly petty. He couldn''t even choose what magic his Monsters could use?! "It''s because you''re a Dungeon, and they are Monsters. Monsters and Two-legs are similar in this regard, their affinity is assigned randomly at birth. Because you are a Nature Dungeon though, the only option for your Monsters is going to be Earth, Water or Air." She was lecturing again. He thought he was finally away from all of that. It upset him that his Monsters were being compared to the Sentient races, even in a small way like with affinities. It couldn''t be helped though, and it eliminated hours of indecision as he tried to decide what his Boss would have. "Belle, what would you rather have as the first floor Boss? The Bear or the Lynx?" He was feeling cowed at the large decision he had before him, and he wanted the only person he trusted to give him her opinion. At his question she brightened up and glowed a bright shade of gold, "I think the Bear is going to be the cutest. It''s going to have a cute little button nose and I bet its fur will be super soft!" Wil couldn''t physically move, but he felt his Core wobble to the side of his podium at the absurdity of her answer. He wasn''t angry, but frustrated might be a good word. "Belle, I want you to answer seriously! This is a really big decision and I want to know which one you think will be the strongest." She just looked at him and scrunched up her face. "Wil quit being so hard-headed." She giggled at her joke for an unnecessarily long time. "All of your Boss Monsters were each worth 25 MP, so naturally they are all going to be as strong as each other. It comes down to personal preference, and what you think will fit best in your Dungeon."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. She took a deep breath and continued, "Just because I didn''t give a reason does not mean I don''t think the Imbued Bear will be your best choice." "So...the Bear?" He asked. "Yep." She flew over to his Core and laid atop it, kicking her feet playfully in the air. He wasn''t going to admit it to her, but the Bear was what he was leaning towards, to begin with. Most of the Monsters in his Dungeon at the moment were focused on sneak attacks and not direct confrontation. It would be a good change of pace to have a veritable pile of muscle and teeth as the final Boss of his first floor. If the Adventurers were constantly looking over their shoulders for a surprise ambush then all the better. "Alright! Imbued Bear it is." He announced to nobody in particular. "Perfect! Just focus on your Boss room and choose the Bear, then watch the magic happen." She was giggling with excitement, and it was infectious. Wil focused his attention on the space between his Core room and the Alcove tunnel. He watched in fascination as the large area between began to be hollowed out without him having to do any of the work. The room that was being carved out was turning into a miniature biome before his eyes. He watched as it stretched to be over 50ft long, connecting to the Alcove tunnel and the tunnel to his Core room perfectly. Then it stretched even further in the other directions, extending up to 75ft away. The ceiling was raised to the height of 30ft. The corners of the room, Wil was interested to see, were sloping up and away, creating a seamless connection between the walls and ceiling. The end result was a large rectangular room with curved corners. At the moment the room was just a mess of empty and blank stone, but even before he could finish appreciating the shape of the room it began to warp again. This time, he watched as rolling hills appeared across the ground, made of packed dirt and large stones spaced out at random intervals. These hills began to sprout small grass stalks all across the top, and soon he had a beautiful field of bright green and yellow grass covering his new Boss room with large stones poking over the top. Not long after he watched as his signature Mana-Lights began to dot the ceiling. Once the light was in place it seemed to shine brighter than normal and created artificial sunlight all across the Boss room. The lights he had in his other rooms had a similar effect, but not nearly as stunning as it was in this room. He didn''t understand how a large field of grass constituted a Boss room, but then more changes warped across the room. I should really just be quiet and watch to the end. Trees of all shapes and sizes began to sprout at an unnatural rate along the edges of the room. Large Oak trees thick around as the Silverbark appeared, accompanied by smaller and more numerous bushes around the bases of each tree. Not just Oak Trees appeared however, there were also a few Spruce and a couple that Belle said looked like Walnut Trees. Wil was ecstatic, he finally had more plants to work with! Not to mention with this addition he now looked like a respectable Nature Dungeon. The Trees all ringed the outside of the grass fields, leaving an empty grove in the middle. The final touch seemed to be a larger hill appearing in the center of the grove. In the center of the Hill, facing away from the entrance to the room by the Alcove tunnel, a large cave mouth appeared. A cave in a cave. The cave stretched halfway up the hill but then continued from the ground. The result was a cave mouth that was 20ft wide, reaching up from the ground and into the unnaturally large hill. The hole in the ground seemed to yawn and stretch deep into the earth. He wasn''t sure what the point of what amounted to a giant hole in the ground accomplished until he heard an earth shaking roar. Every single Monster in the Dungeon heard the pronouncement and responded in kind. The Troop began hooting and hollering in excitement. The howlers let out their own earsplitting cry, and the Spinebacks who were resting underneath them curled into a ball. The Dungeon Serpents responded by slithering into the Alcove Room to take a look at the new arrival. Wil was beginning to feel nervous that his new Boss would never come out of its hole until he saw a massive snout poke out from the cave. Belle nearly fainted on the spot at the sight of its not-so-little nose. What came after the nose was the mouth though, and the mouth was what made Wil almost faint. It seemed the Bear had a slight dental issue, as multiple fangs poked out from the top and bottom of its snout. The fangs were well over 6" long and put even the female Monkey''s claws to shame. After the mouth, came the rest of its head. For the first time Wil got a good look at the face of his new Boss, and he was impressed. The fur on its head seemed unnaturally tough and was a deep golden-brown similar to the Monkeys of the Troop. The irises of its eyes were the color of Belles aura. A gorgeous gold that pierced the dark and shone with unnatural intelligence and strength. It had a powerfully built head that was as wide as some of the trees in the room. The Bear''s ears were moving in a constant swivel motion to assess its surroundings, as well as look for potential prey. As the rest of the Boss came out of hiding, Wil knew he had made the correct choice. Standing in front of the cave was a Beast that towered at 9ft in height, and at least 6ft across. Belle had told him most Bear''s have a layer of fat on their body at all times, but this one seemed like nothing but muscle. He was mesmerized as he watched the different muscles under its skin ripple and contort as it moved. The fur on its body was the same as on the head, except he noticed that the longer hairs on its back were closer to spines than hair. The hide looked tough and near impossible to pierce with anything but the sharpest tool. Once the new Boss began walking around, he noticed the claws marking the soft earth every time it stepped. They weren''t as long as he had expected but were thick enough to gouge enormous furrows in the dirt as large as a man''s closed fist. The new Boss had one more surprise in store for Wil, though. As soon as he watched the beast''s claws dig into the ground, the furrows and tracks instantly sealed and repaired themselves. "Belle!? Why is my dirt fixing itself? Can I do that with the other rooms?!" He was amazed at the idea of a feature he had never seen until just now. "No silly, that must be its affinity." She giggled at his enthusiasm. "If I had to guess, the Boss got an Earth affinity. That means it has slight control over the ground and is granted additional defense. It also means increased resistance to Earth attacks." Wil nearly did faint this time. It was everything he could have ever asked for in a Boss. "So...if it wanted to, it could just hide in the Forest as Adventurers poked around its cave. Then sneak up on them without anybody even noticing it, because there were no tracks?!" His voice was getting feverish at all the different tactics he could see his new boss taking. She just smiled and flew out of the Core room to go welcome their new guardian. Wil was elated, but he knew he needed to add one finishing touch to the new Boss room. He went to the entrance Adventurers would use when they entered from the Dungeon, and placed a large Silverbark door across the 6ft tall and 6ft wide opening. The door was a rich brown and had silver specks all across the wood, as an homage to his new Boss he did his best to carve a set of eyes into the center of the door. He placed a few of the small gems he had absorbed earlier into the sockets, and soon a pair of golden eyes were staring down at any who would try to open the door. For handles, he decided to go a little overboard and purchased pure silver. He also used silver as the outline for the door. He wanted Adventurers to know they were about to face the Boss. With the door done, he went to where the entrance to his Core room was, since it branched off directly from the Boss room, he added another Silverbark door between it. It was not nearly as intricate as the other but would keep any Two-legs from escaping the room before his Boss got a chance to attack. Boss. His Boss needed a name. He focused his attention back to the Bear and was surprised to see the majority of his Dungeon Monsters surrounding it, all offering a welcome to their new friend. The Bear was, according to Belle, a male. How she had time to check that was strange to him until he realized he had spent over an hour decorating a single door. He focused on the Bear, and with an unnecessary amount of grandiose said, "Welcome to our Dungeon, soon we are going to be attacked by Sentients who want to take what we have. That''s why you''re here, you will be our final line of defense. Our strongest. Protect us with your life, and we will protect you." At this, the Bear roared in agreement and got up on its hind legs. The previously 9ft tall bear was now towering closer to 16ft and slammed down into the ground. This sent a wave of earth rolling across the field of grass. All the Monsters cheered at the display of power and bowed to the new Boss. "As our last defender, you will be known as Grizzly!" A little uninspired, but the name just fit the Beast too well. Grizzly roared once more and bowed its massive head towards the Core room. After a few more hours of Monster acquainting and general partying, the Boss excused itself back to the cave it called home for some shut-eye. The Boss room was in perpetual artificial sunlight, but the Cave was as dark as...a cave. All of the other Dungeon Monsters returned to their previous rooms. Belle came back to the Core room and settled atop her Silverbark bed, "Grizzly is just such a cutie, did you know he can make walls of dirt and stone with just a press of his paw? Did you see his paws?! They were so soft and fluffy I couldn''t believe it." She was having the time of her life, and Wil was grateful he had chosen such a good Boss. He was mostly happy that what he had gotten was a strong Monster though. He knew Adventurers would have a really tough time fighting something like Grizzly when, before, all they had to contend with were snakes and monkeys. Wil felt ready. He knew he could never fully prepare for what the Sentients would bring, but he now knew his Dungeon could handle the F rank Adventurers. I''m ready! Bring it on Two-legs! Chapter 8 - Disgusting Two-legs
A mile away from the Nature Dungeon, Brian searches for the entrance. He was getting closer, he could feel it. The Mana in the air felt richer and the local flora had grown many times larger than what would be normal for the Ilvan Forest. He needed to find the entrance before any organizations or Nations tried to lay claim to the Dungeon. While the Adventuring Guild had first rights to all Dungeons, that wouldn''t stop the greedy rulers of many of the other races. It seems his fears were well founded, he felt he was just about to come upon the entrance when an Elf landed in his path. He knew he was being followed for quite some time now, but he wasn''t sure by who. "Greetings, friend. Are you searching for the new Dungeon by chance?" The elf asks him. "I am." "I see, I am going to have to ask you to turn around and head home. The Dungeon is under the jurisdiction of the Elves now, so rest assured we will take care of it." Brian''s lips went into a firm line. Before he could reply, however, another voice rang out. "Funny, I didn''t think you tree-huggers had any use for a Dungeon, what with how much time it takes you just to braid your hair in the morning." A Gnome yells out from behind Brian. This one he had never even heard coming. That Gnome was a lot more dangerous than he was letting on. Brian eyed both of the visitors warily, then before the Elf could say anything derogatory to the new visitor, "Master Gnome and Master Elf, as I am sure you are both aware, any new Dungeon immediately falls under the protection and jurisdiction of the Adventuring Guild. This is a well-known law, and one both rulers of your people signed upon." At the mention of the law. the Elf flinched. He must not have known he was speaking to an Adventuring Guild representative. "I...see." He forced out. "Then you will be happy to know none have entered the Dungeon. Since we have been turning away unwanted visitors...for the Adventuring Guild." Brian smiled, a genuine one this time. "Excellent, and you Master Gnome? What is your business here?" At this, the Gnome looked a little more respectful. "I admit it, I also came to see the Dungeon. I assume as a representative of the Adventuring Guild, and by your rather identifying features, you are Brian Aldritch correct?" He was shocked, few knew his true last name. "I am." "Then I ask to be a part of the Dungeon town you will build here. My name is Altrix, and I am an expert ranked Adventurer. I no longer dive into Dungeons, but I am an exceptional Herbalist if I say so myself." The elf scoffed at this, clearly not impressed. "I know your name Altrix, your reputation precedes you." The Gnome simply inclined his head. "As the law states, all the races are welcome to the town and the benefits a new Dungeon affords. So long as you follow our rules and laws, a Gnome of your experience will be a welcome addition indeed. This applies to you as well, Master Elf." The elf seemed surprised Brian hadn''t forgotten about him. "Yes, t-thank you. What will you do now?" He nervously asked. "I have come here to identify the Dungeon and have been ordered to go only to the first room." Brian stated. Both looked surprised at this, "You won''t complete the Dungeon? Why only one room?" The elf asked incredulously. "It is the Adventuring Guild''s belief that if we send in a group to scout out the Dungeon that is too strong for the Monsters present, it may unhinge the Dungeon. I am sure you are both aware of the disaster that occurred with the Lightning Dungeon in the Andel Mountains. A team of Experts was sent in to examine and evaluate the fledgling Dungeon. Except, because that was the first encounter the Dungeon had ever had, it assumed all Adventurers were as strong as those ones were. Many lives were lost over the next few months before we had to destroy the Core." Brian recited, the disaster of the Andel Mountains was a mark of shame on the Adventuring Guild. He would not let that happen to this Dungeon as well. It was a little known fact, but most Dungeons were actually Sentient beings in their own right. Which means they were rational and capable of intelligent thought. The elf bowed his head, "I understand. If you will follow me I will lead you to the Dungeons entrance. You can stay here, toadstool." He said that last part to the Gnome. The Gnome, to his credit, merely winked at them both before taking his leave. "I look forward to working with you down the road, Mr.Aldritch." He said as a way of goodbye. Brian inclined his head towards him, then followed the Elf. Only a few minutes later they came upon what looked more like the epicenter of an explosion than an actual cave. The plants around the area were both flattened, and overgrown all at once. It was a strange sight, but it was a Dungeon after all. Brian turned toward the Elf and bowed, "Thank you Master Elf, I can take over from here. Please inform your comrades the Adventuring Guild thanks them for their vigilance. We have already sent a representative to your people''s city within the forest to discuss the future of the town. We sent one to the Gnomish city of Tenver as well. Please continue your hard work until the caravan arrives with the adventurers and craftsmen." He bowed to the elf, then stepped into the entrance of the Dungeon without looking back.
Back in the Core room of our Dungeon. It had been four days after he opened up his Dungeon, and still, nobody had come to visit. "Is it me? I feel like it''s me." He said for the fifth time to Belle. She just rolled her eyes and continued to ride on Grizzly''s back, yelling for him to go faster. The Bear was surprisingly quick for something so large. He was busy carving statues for his Alcove room, of which he had four done by now. He decided to pay homage to his dream and was trying to carve the likeness of a Deer for the statues. He pictured a hallway filled with the terrifying beasts staring down at Adventurers as they passed. He was starting to get better at carving different things out of stone, but only marginally so. All of his Deer statues he had right now were horrifying amalgamations of what he really wanted to make. He was busy adding an extra long fang to one of the Deer when he felt a jolt run through the entire Dungeon. Belle froze, and Grizzly whipped his head up toward the entrance. Finally. She rushed back to the Core room, she had prepared him for this soon after they opened the entrance. She had said, "When a Sentient enters your Dungeon, you lose all Dungeon abilities besides that of viewing the people who come in. If necessary we can communicate with Adventurers, but few know the secrets of Dungeon Cores and even fewer know that they can actually speak. So no chatting with your favorite Adventurer!" He mentally smiled at how cute she was when she was serious, but agreed all the same. Being told what would happen was one thing though, it was another entirely to not be able to interact with any part of your Dungeon anymore. He turned his focus to the entrance and gagged.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "That thing is disgusting!" He was looking at what he could only assume was a deformed human. Smack! "Don''t be rude! That human just has a lot of extra muscle, most likely he is a scout for the Adventuring Guild." She said in a whisper, why she was whispering he didn''t know. The man walked with his back straight and a critical eye. Wil could tell none of his Monsters were going to have an easy time sneaking up on him. A Core could hope, though. The walking bag of muscles skirted around the first Fake Floor trap he had placed right before the entrance. Damn. After a short walk, he reached the Ore room. The man took a long look around, noting, to Wils immense frustration, the Dungeon Serpent stalking towards him from the cave in the wall. The snake looked frightened, but gathered its courage and leaped at the man anyways. He didn''t even flinch, just grabbed the snake by the throat and thrashed it once against the wall. What the fuck, who does that?! As the snake dispersed into his signature golden green Mana, a few pieces of the Snakes scales dropped as loot. Wil had assigned loot to all of his new Monsters, most dropping Common crafting items. Grizzly already came with loot established, so Wil hadn''t had to mess around with that too much. "Belle, please tell me all Humans aren''t like this." To her credit, she seemed a fair bit calmer than he was. She smiled sadly, and spoke, "I told you, he is a scout. The Guild sent him to evaluate our Dungeon, I wouldn''t be surprised if he could kill Grizzly like that." Wil''s Core went down a few shades in color. That just isn''t fair. What happened next definitely caught Belle by surprise though. The man finished examining the room, noting his Copper Ore with a small smile. Then spoke. "Dungeon. I know you can hear me. I wish to speak, then I will leave in peace. I have come to talk about both of our futures going forward from now." Belle''s tiny mouth dropped a lot farther than what should have been physically possible. "A little known secret, huh?" Wil said sarcastically towards her. "Wil this is a big deal! There aren''t more than a hundred people in all of Belia who know the secrets of a Core. To know this means this man is either exceptionally well connected, or exceptionally powerful. Or both." She said now, with genuine fear in her eyes. Wil felt his non-existent blood run cold. "Is he a Hero?" She just shook her tiny head, to Wil''s immense relief. "No, if he was a Hero we would have known instantly. This is just a very high ranked Human. Most likely he is an Expert or A rank. I don''t think it would be in our best interests to ignore him..." Wil got the message, this guy was too important to blow off. At least for now. "How the hell am I going to talk to him though? I don''t have a mouth you know." Belle just smiled at him and winked. "I have to go talk to him." "Absolutely not." He said instinctively. He was being irrational, but he didn''t care. "Wil, listen closely. When Mr.Blue created us Guides, he made us invisible to the many Sentient races of the world. Honestly, I think we are immortal, as we only die when our Dungeon Core dies." Wil was taken aback, this was not something he had been aware of. "How will he talk to you if you are invisible...?" He had many other questions, but this one was the most glaring. "I will always be invisible to Sentients eyes, but if he knows this much about Cores then it is most likely he knows this as well. If I want to, I can make my voice heard by anyone I want. I will go talk to him, but he will not be able to see me, or even tell where my voice is coming from. To him, it will sound as if the very Dungeon is speaking to him." She said, looking regal and childish at the same time. "Don''t let him touch you, he looks really filthy." He didn''t know what to say, so he settled on insulting the Two-legs. She just rolled her eyes, "No Sentient can touch me, especially if they can''t even see me." With that, she flew off towards the Ore room.
In the first room of the Dungeon. Brian would wait here all day if necessary, he knew the Guide would find it difficult to convince the Dungeon to speak to him. Few knew the secrets of the Cores, and the fact he did most likely scared the poor thing. Brian felt a small bit of pity at what most likely a terrifying scene. Of somebody like him coming into the newborn Dungeon, and dominating one of its Monsters with ease. Then he remembered how many would soon die in these tunnels, and felt less guilty. After a few more minutes of sitting in pure silence, he felt the very walls begin to vibrate, and a tiny voice sounded out from all around him. "Speak, Human. Why have you called?" Cute. Brian knew who he was speaking to was actually the Guide of the Dungeon, not the Core. It was trying to put on a brave face. So he would let her. "I have come on behalf of the Adventuring Guild. We seek to build a haven for the many different races above your Dungeon. " He said automatically. "What use have we for the other races? You come seeking only wealth and blood." The small voice replied. "We offer what we offer to all Dungeons. Our lives. When we build the town you will have Adventurers coming in every day, Sunrise to Sunset. Those that prove themselves feeble will perish, and you will grow, and we will thank you for weeding out the weak." He knew he was being overly cold, but it was the reality. He had plenty of time during his life to get used to this harsh truth. There was a long pause, and Brian assumed the Guide was speaking to her Core. "How long until you and your kind begin braving our Dungeon?" She asks. Brian smiled inside, it seemed like he wasn''t going to be blown off right from the start. "I arrived ahead of our caravan, over the course of the next few weeks we will set up the beginnings of the town. After an outpost for the Adventuring Guild is built we will begin sending in teams. I expect this to take no more than one month." "If you will offer us your blessing by allowing us to build a town over your Dungeon, I will offer the blessing of the Adventuring Guild. We will protect your Core from any who may seek to harm it, as well as provide a steady stream of Adventurers to test themselves against your Dungeon as you grow." It was a good deal, they both knew it. It just hinged on if the Dungeon was prideful enough to turn him down or not. After what seemed an eternity to the A ranked Adventurer, the Guide responded. "We accept. See you in a month, Human." Before the voice finished sounding out in his head, he could swear he heard a small laugh accompany the final word she had said. Brian breathed a sigh of relief, he really did not want to have to deal with a Dungeon who refused to cooperate. "Thank you. See you in a month." As he turned around to walk out, he placed three coins on the ground. He knew Dungeons did not have initial access to the currencies of the Sentient races, so he hoped by doing this the Dungeon would understand what to do with it. He reached the entrance, took one last look behind him into the Dungeon, and walked out. The elf from earlier appeared in front of him almost immediately. "Well? What happened?" He queried. "It appears to be an Earth-based Dungeon, with either a specialization in Reptiles or Beasts. From what we know of Dungeons, it seems to have a Nature affinity." "A Nature affinity? Great! That just means more hassle from the other races. I shudder to think of what the Dryads will have to say in regards to this information." The Elf spat. Brian agreed, but he would handle that problem as it came. "Over the next Month, we will build the foundation of what will become the town. Please guard the entrance until we can find a suitable replacement." He knew he was asking much of the Elves, but he also knew they would guard it whether or not he asked. They were far too greedy to let anyone else in but themselves.
Back in the Core room. "You should talk down to people more often, it''s very cute." He said to Belle when she returned from the Ore room. She just shrugged and settled atop his Core, "I only talk this way to people I like." Wil gasped. "You like me?!" She smacked the top of his Core playfully, "Only a little." He laughed, "So we have one month, what do we do until then? My Mana is already maxed out and I can only make statues so fast." "Not much, sadly. We could always force evolve some of our Monsters with Resources, but if we make the Dungeon too hard it may lead to issues. For now, we should wait and see how the first group of F rank Adventurers do before we mess with anything. For now, you should work on fixing that entrance to the Dungeon, it looks like an explosion happened up there." She admonished. "An explosion did happen up there, Belle" He retorted. "You have a month, do your best!" She said with a tone that would brook no argument. Wil just grumbled and turned his focus away from his Guide to the new entrance. If he looked hard enough he could swear he saw some pale looking mutant with two legs and unnaturally long ears peeking down into his Dungeon. Gross. "Oh, Wil! It looks like that Adventurer left us a present." She called towards him. "What did he leave?" "He gave you...one of each of the coins the Sentients use as currencies. Typical." "What the hell am I supposed to do with those?" He asked angrily. Belle just raised her hands and said, "Most likely it was so you can set them as loot for your Dungeon Monsters. A little heavy-handed of him, but in reality, this is for the best. If they didn''t drop any coins, then the growth rate of the Town above us would be abysmally slow. By adding the coins to your Monsters loot, they will grow a lot faster. If they grow fast then we will as well. Just grit your teeth and do it." He hated that he had been manipulated by the Human, but he also knew it was necessary. So he added the copper coins as a potential drop for all of his Monsters. He was ready to take his frustrations out on a Two-legs. Only one month to go. Chapter 9 - Greatest Adversary
One month later, Brian goes back to the Dungeon one day before the Guild will begin to send in Adventurers. Belle was playing with Grizzly again. They had created a game where she hides a small gem somewhere in his room and he has to find it. She called it ''fetch''. Wil was worried Grizzly would take offense at being treated like a dumb animal, but when he saw the slobbering bear crashing into trees and hillsides looking for the gem he knew how the Boss really felt. Grizzly had just found the small yellow stone, and was stampeding back towards Belle, who was cheering in the air at his success, when Wil felt another Sunrise come. His Mana had long since been capped out at 30/30, but Belle had informed him that any excess Mana was converted into experience that went towards helping him level. Wil had given her the silent treatment for a couple days over that missing piece of information, but he eventually got over it and asked her what she had meant. According to her, when Sentients die in his Dungeon, they release the Mana in their bodies, and a portion of that Mana is converted to experience for the Core. Since he wasn''t spending any Mana his experience had risen significantly. He personally felt he was close to level 4, but Belle told him it would be much faster to gain experience through the Mana of Two-legs instead of just waiting around doing nothing. He was about to ask to join their game of ''fetch'', which was now looking more and more interesting, when a shiver ran throughout his Dungeon. Wil''s focus snapped to the entrance, and he tried to bite back the mean comment he was going to say. Instead of calling the Two-legs a mutant, he settled for saying, "Belle, the walking bag of meat is back." Not his best insult, but he felt it got the message across. Belle just rolled her eyes and flew off to meet the Human. They had both decided, since they had spoken once before, no harm would come to speaking to him again. At least if he was alone. Thankfully, it seemed he was. As he came into the Dungeon and reached the first room, he sat down in the position he had taken during his last visit. Wil couldn''t help himself though, and he sent a mental signal to attack when the opportunity presents itself towards his hidden Dungeon Serpent in the room. "Dungeon, I wish to speak. It has been one month, and true to my word the Dungeon Town has begun to be constructed. I have come to tell you that starting tomorrow morning, I will begin sending in groups of Adventurers into your Dungeon." He said all of this without a hint of emotion in his voice. Belle was getting into character, and he could see her practicing her lines in the reflection of a gem. She flew down to the Ore room and spoke, "You have kept your promise Human, so we will keep ours. Send in your weak and strong alike, we will take them off your hands." Brian, to his credit, actually cracked a small smile. "I would expect nothing less. It is likely you will not see me again unless an emergency arises. In my place there will be two B rank Adventurers that will stand guard at your entrance during the day. They will be monitoring the men and women we send into the Dungeon, but they will not interfere should any or all perish inside." "We expect nothing less." Belle mimicked. She would''ve sounded a lot more intimidating if her voice wasn''t similar to that of a small child. Brian just nodded, and was turning to leave before a look of what Wil would only be able to describe as fear mixed with hope, came onto his face. "I have one more request Dungeon. It is my belief that... that you may have the missing piece of my Quest." Brian was actually looking bashful, which was beyond repulsive on a Two-legs. Belle looked shocked, and Wil felt a mix of emotions play across his mind. He settled on indignation. "Who does he think he is! As if we would ever help someone become a Hero." Belle turned her voice so only he could hear her, "Think carefully about this Wil, if he is an Expert then he may not be the worst kind of Hero." "All Heroes are the worst kind of Heroes." He replied matter of factly. "Don''t be bigoted, while the inexperienced may let the power get to their heads, this man is most likely close to a century old." She chided. "Thats not possible, he looks like he is only 40." The man, while certainly ugly, was not ugly because of age lines. That much Wil could admit. "The higher ranked a Sentient becomes, the longer their lifespan extends. Some Experts are well over 200 years old. While there are some Heroes closer to 500. There are powerful people in this world Wil, and it would not hurt to have one indebted to us." She said all this without taking her eyes off the man. He was still just sitting in the same spot, looking nervous. "I don''t even know what he wants though! I don''t have anything to give him for a Quest. Ask him what he means, and we can go from there." He said. Belle nodded at him and turned back to the Human. "What is it you seek?" She asked, with an air of superiority he was amazed could fit into such a small voice. "I received my Quest over 60 years ago, and until a month ago I had given up hope of ever completing it. Every Dungeon I had gone to was unable to help. When I received word of a potential Nature Dungeon though, I knew I may finally get my chance." The man paused to take a breath, and the hidden Dungeon Serpent that had been inching closer over the past few minutes took it''s shot. Wil was cheering it on, pride welling in him at the patience of his Monster. Without even taking his eyes off the ground, he grabbed the snake behind the head and throttled it with one hand. He then continued as if nothing had happened. "It is my Quest to find a Dungeon who will help me become something more than I originally was." He said all of this with a straight face, but Wil knew the Human couldn''t hear him, so he laughed out loud. "He said, ''Become something more''! What the hell does that even mean. Hahaha" Wil was nearing hysterics when Belle just shot him a glare, but she couldn''t fully conceal the tears forming in her eyes as she tried to hide her smile. "It is vague, I know. That was the hand I was dealt though, and I wish to know if it can be done." Belle, restraining herself, asked what they were both thinking. "Why our Dungeon?" "A Nature Dungeon is rare. It is not uncommon to have a Dungeon that specializes in plants, or Beasts. Or any other mix of flora and fauna, but it is very uncommon to have a Dungeon that embodies all of it." He said with a little less hope in his voice. This was news to Wil, but all it did right now was stroke his ego. "Well... I am pretty great. I guess it only makes sense." Belle shot him a glare, crushing the beginnings of his pride. "We have nothing of the sort. Come back when we have expanded and we will see if we can be of assistance. For a price, of course." The human crumbled under those words, but nodded once and turned to leave. "By the way, you almost got me today. Better luck next time, Dungeon. I look forward to speaking again once you''ve grown." Belle just giggled and replied with, "Next time, we will see if we have what you seek. Do not lose hope Human." The man smiled, and left. "Why did you promise him we would help Belle?" Wil wasn''t actually angry, but now he felt dirty having agreed to help a Two-legs. "I already told you why, it would be good for us if we have an Expert ranked Hero indebted to us." She replied matter of factly. Wil just grumbled to himself, "Yeah, yeah. Fine. Well we better get ready, it seems like we will be getting visitors tomorrow." He was starting to get pumped up, he would finally get to test his Dungeon against the Two-legs. He was also a little self-counscious the Human hadn''t mentioned his new Dungeon entrance. He had put hundreds of Resources into creating it and he wanted people to appreciate it.
Name - Wilcox Chosen Monster - Beasts Mana - 30/30
Species - Dungeon Core (Lv.3) Chosen Location - Ilvan Forest Mana Regen - 15/d
Number of Floors - 1 Number of Monsters - 13 Resources - 103
The night before the Dungeon is officially opened, a lone Elf stalks towards the entrance. Tannis El Verandin was not a name to be taken lightly. At 20 years of age he was a tall elf with black hair stretching down to his shoulders. He had a large hooked nose and sky blue eyes. He had been told by his Mother multiple times just how handsome he was. So how was it that these Human savages and Beast mongrels could tell him what he could and could not do? He was a member of the proud Elven nobility. Maybe not part of the royal family, but his father held enough influence to earn them a seat at the table. The Verandin family would not be taken lightly, and he would not be kept back from his destiny. It had been just a few weeks ago when he received his Quest. The second he had heard tell of the new Dungeon and the town being built around it, he had recieved a notification from the Voice of the World. He pulled up his Quest''s information with a gleam in his eye, he loved being able to see the proof of his power. The proof of his nobility, and right to rule. Chime
A Heroic Task
Congratulations, Tannis El Verandin! You have unlocked the hidden requirement to begin your Life-long Quest. In order to ascend into the ranks of the Heroes, you must accomplish that which many will say is impossible. All Tasks must be completed through your own merit. Prove yourself to the World, and defeat your greatest adversary.
Tannis sighed to himself, it never grew old to just sit and stare at the Blue box. To him, it was all he could have asked for. It was well known that not all Quests were equal in terms of difficulty. He would be the first to admit he had no idea who his greatest adversary was, but since he received the Quest at mention of the Nature Dungeon, it was a good bet he would find them in there. The filthy Human who ran this Town, Brian, was blocking his attempts to enter the Dungeon at every turn. Even after he offered to pay the dumb brute, he had still said no. Tannis spat on the ground at the memory. Who does he think he is, preventing me from completing my destiny? I offered him enough money to live a comfortable life ten times over, and yet he still holds me back. He must be jealous. Jealous someone so young and talented as me will outclass him in a matter of days. He laughed to himself again, then looked over the hill right after the town and towards the Dungeon entrance. He was just as shocked as everyone else was when the entryway to the Dungeon changed before their eyes. He watched crude statues the likeness of horrific beasts get carved into the stone through golden green Mana. They formed a concentric ring around the gaping maw leading into the ground. A lesser man might call it intimdating. What Monster had antlers and fangs he did not know, but he had no inclination to find out. Unless that was his adversary? I will find out soon enough. He knew the Guild representative would be asleep, most likely curled up with his wife. What a disgusting man. The elf thought. Until now he had never tried going into the Dungeon at night, mainly because he felt it was beneath him. Why should he have to sneak around in the dark like a criminal? It was different now though, he could feel the Dungeon calling to him. He could swear it was cheering for him to enter its depths and prove himself. He had no doubt even the Dungeon wanted him to succeed, to become the greatest Elf in the history of the kingdom. Steeling himself, he dropped down into the dark cavern below and prepared to fight for his life. He was no fool, he had come prepared. As he walked through the entrance and into the first tunnel, he prepared a torch for the inevitable dark that was a Dungeon''s halls. He was surprised to find, instead, a soft light similar to that of the Sun. It permeated from every corner, and seemed to be coming from the moss on the ceiling. No. That wasn''t right, it was coming from under the moss. With a smile he put his torch back into his bag, and continued forward with dagger in hand. The Verandin family had some of the finest Smiths and Craftsmen under their banner. This knife was of Rare tier, and was wickedly curved to hook into whatever he fought. The handle was a polished Ebony wood, with a gleaming Silver blade. In the handle was a small clear gem, an Air Crystal. Using this dagger alongside his affinity made his strikes whistle through the air, adding extra power to each blow he landed. He was still learning how to use his affinity, but he would soon ascend into the ranks of Heroes. Once he did he would have all the time in the world to train after that. At the moment, he was what the barbaric Humans would call a D ranked Adventurer. He was not part of the Guild but he knew his power would coincide with their second tier. He had received formal training in blade work and knew he could handle anything an F ranked Dungeon had to offer. Not to mention he was wearing Uncommon tier leather armor, made specifically to fit him.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "I hope this Dungeon can provide me with at least a little challenge." He said, as he quietly side stepped the Fake Floor trap right before the entrance. As if I would fall for something so trivial. Thinking nothing but disdainful thoughts towards the Dungeon, he reached the first room. He looked around for any potential Monsters or ambush sites, but all he saw was some Copper Ore on the wall. There was a cave on the far side of the wall that may have housed a Monster, but it appeared to be empty. The floor of the room was covered in a thin layer of grass and moss. While it was possible a Monster could be hiding somewhere in the room, it would take too much time to search every inch of the area. So instead he decided to move on, and listened closely for any signs of being followed. His paranoia was well founded. As soon as he turned his back on the room, he heard a slithering sound coming from behind him. He whirled around and threw his Dagger at where he thought he heard the sound. No response, he must have severed the Monster''s head in one blow. Of course he would, he was amazing. He went to grab his Dagger and the subsequent loot when he found his blade lying harmlessly on the ground. He knew he had made a mistake before he even heard the hiss in his ear. He spun around, and came face to face with a 3ft long serpent staring at him. At eye level. The Beast was hanging off a vine from the ceiling, and almost appeared to be smiling as it struck out at him. The snake was fast, but he was faster. He dove to the ground at the last moment, and scrambled to pick up his fallen Dagger before the snake could get another attack in. As soon as his hand closed around the handle of his blade, the snake reached him and lashed out. It sank its fangs deep into his left calf, eliciting a scream. It really wasn''t all that painful, but the fear of the situation scared him enough to incite a response. The Beast had begun coiling around his leg now, refusing to let go as it pumped more and more venom directly into his veins. With a wild yell he slashed down into the Beasts body. Again and again he stabbed, tearing chunks of flesh out of the Monster. It didn''t even seem to mind, it just continued pouring its payload into his leg. It was as if the Beast did not care that it was on the verge of death, only that it inflicted as much damage as it could before it perished. After a few more good stabs, and a healthy amount of screaming, the snake dropped dead from the wounds it had sustained. Tannis felt like shit. His calf was a bloody mess, and there was a green liquid visible in the veins of his leg. He reached into his pocket and yanked out the only vial of anti-venom he had brought with him. He expected the Dungeon to have Beasts, but not Reptiles as well. Did Reptiles count as Beasts? Apparently so. He was just about to unstopper the vial when he felt his consciousness fade. No, not like this. I still have so much left to do. Tears began flooding out of his eyes as his breathing slowed and he lay his head down on the ground. Trying as hard as he could to stay conscious. He failed. He awoke with a jolt and tried to process what happened. He remembered what occurred and laughed at himself for being so foolish. It was an F ranked Dungeon. As if the toxin would actually kill him. It was a well known fact that in the first floor the most a toxin could do was incapacitate. A well known fact he had forgotten, and lost his composure over. Focus Tannis! From the look of the room it has only been a minute or two since you passed out. There is still time to complete my destiny before that disgusting Human finds out I''ve gone. After giving himself a much needed pep talk, he continued down deeper into the Dungeon. Now considerably more wary. After a short walk he reached another tunnel, and nearly laughed at his good fortune. Traps. He could handle traps with ease. He was an Air affinity, and that made him one of the most sure footed Adventurers in town. Every affinity provided different bonuses to their user depending on which one they had. For Air, one of the many bonuses was an increased ability to detect and avoid traps. He laughed as he danced around multiple Fake Floor and Falling Boulder traps. He was just about to reach the end when he overstepped, misjudging the distance between two traps, and his leg broke through. His bad leg, the one that had been bitten. He watched in horror as his foot slammed into the ground. No spikes. The Dungeon didn''t even trap the bottom of the pit. He couldn''t believe his luck. That was, until he lifted his foot off the ground and heard an audible click. A pressure plate. Hidden underneath the fake floor. There was no time to think, or berate himself for his second mistake. He just rolled forward, further bruising his left leg in the process, and rushed to the end of the tunnel. There was a sound of crashing thunder, and he saw a two hundred pound boulder smash in the exact spot he would have been just a moment ago. He stood up, now limping slightly from the abuse he had just received, and turned with shaky hands towards the next room. He would not give up, he had a destiny to fulfill. The next room was, in one word, beautiful. A large field of flowers stretching from wall to wall, and what he could only describe as a Divine tree rested in the center of the room. He heard birds chirping, and saw insects buzzing around the flowers. It was a paradise in hell. He watched in amazement as a small yellow bird flew towards him. It had red tipped wings and looked so at peace in the Flower room. He thought it looked the picture of calm and serenity. It landed on a nearby bush, took one look at him, and howled. Skraaa! His legs buckled, and his vision swam as he felt sound waves batter against his ear drums. He threw his dagger at the bird and scored a lucky hit. The bird released one final wail as it fell to the ground, now soaked red. This time, he noticed the Beast disperse into golden green Mana, part of the Mana flowed into him and was converted to a bit of experience. The rest flew back towards what he assumed was the direction the Core was in. In the birds place was his Dagger, as well as some small yellow feathers and a few copper coins. StandardDungeon loot. "What kind of Dungeon is this place?!" He asked incredulously. Birds able to incapacitate, snakes with more cunning than any first floor Beast should have. Not to mention the room he was standing in would be considered a National Treasure in many countries. He retrieved the loot and his Dagger, then hobbled forward towards the end of the Room, where he saw the exit. "Fuck this, I wont find my adversary in this room." He spat, then began sprinting towards the end of the room. It was then he saw the next set of Monsters. Two small rodents covered head to tail in spines waddled out from beneath the tree roots, and began running full tilt towards him. He just laughed, there was no way he would die to an overgrown rat. Grabbing his Dagger he rushed to meet them, and threw out a vicious kick towards the Spineback in the lead. The animal curled into itself as it absorbed the blow, and was knocked back 10ft into the trunk of the tree. The other Monster slowed its advance, most likely out of fear. Then the Beast curled into a ball and Tannis just laughed. Then he realised why the Beast had curled in a ball and regretted everything. A second bird had flown down from the tree and howled directly into his ear canal as it flew by. He missed his strike and the bird flew by unharmed. He was now on one knee, shaking his head to remove the stars from his vision. It was at this point the other Spineback reemerged from its fetal position, and barreled towards him at a breakneck pace. "Come on you bastard!" He shouted as way of a challenge. The spineback just hissed in response and jumped at his leg. The injured leg. Oh come on! The Beast was so focused on further maiming his leg that it didn''t even care when it was decapitated by his blade. He now had a plethora of quills stuck into his exposed calf. Not to mention a nasty bite mark 2" deep closer to his ankle. His leg was now all but limp and it would take serious healing to continue his Quest now. I can''t believe I have to use a Healing Crystal on a first floor Dungeon. What an embarassment. I cant imagine what I would do if I became known as the One-legged noble. Healing Crystals were exceptionally expensive and it was not unlikely a Commoner would go their entire lives without having earned enough to afford one. His leg was now thoroughly mangled though, and if he did nothing he would not be able to continue further than he was now. Failure was not an option. With a heavy heart, and a grumble about damned rats, he crushed the Healing Crystal in his hand and gasped as Mana flowed throughout his body. Soon his leg was back to normal, but the leather armor he had covering his calf was still in tatters. As his leg was finishing repairing itself he noticed out of the corner of his eye three very large, and very angry, snakes slithering towards him. He didn''t even think about the repercussions, he just ran towards the end of the room to get the fuck out of there. "No thank you, i''ll deal with you guys on the way out." He said with a laugh as he ran towards the next tunnel. He was stopped by a large brown and silver door though, and it took a considerable amount of effort for him to yank it open. Clearly this was not how he was supposed to do things, but there was no way he would fight three of those snakes at once. Just as the first Beast reached him, the door creaked open far enough for him to slink inside. Putting the full brunt of his weight on the other side now, he slammed it shut just as the snake struck. It bit his hand as he was pushing the door closed, but his armor blocked the fangs from piercing his skin. It left a nasty bruise though. After catching his breath he looked around the new tunnel, searching for any hidden dangers. He looked to the side of the new tunnel he was in, and felt his blood run cold. The snakes were back, they had tunnels into the room. Of fucking course they do. No time to think now. He ran forward, towards the bend in the hallway covered by vines, and leapt over the three snakes who were emerging from the holes in the wall. "Haha! Take that you dumb brutes! You can remember this as the day you almost caught Tannis El Ver-" His gloating was cut off as he slammed his heels into the ground to slow his charge. There was a massive hole in the floor here, and there was no way in hell he could jump the gap. He looked to the many vines and silently cursed the Dungeon. It could take him ten minutes just to find the correct vine to get across safely, but time was a luxury he didn''t have. The three snakes were aleady recovering from being jumped over, and were racing towards him even as he stared at the pit. It''s an F ranked Dungeon. The correct path has to be the largest vine. He took a leap of faith, and grasped the thickest vine he saw. He swung with all his might and propelled himself forward. He laughed in unrestrained glee as his guess was correct, and he sailed away from the danger of the snakes. He continued down the L shaped tunnel towards the light at the end of the next room, searching for any traps along the way. He found none. Another door blocked his path. He steeled himself, then pushed it open expecting some equally absurd scene such as the flower room. He was not dissapointed. In there he found a circular room surrounded with pillars and vines. The vines were spread all across the roof and stone pillars, providing very little visibility of what may be lurking up above. The room was also eerily quiet, as nothing but the sound of a few buzzing insects reached his ears. He walked cautiously towards the center of the room and stopped as soon as he saw a large pit of sand. Yeah. Thats a trap. Skirting around the sand he could swear he felt the Dungeons dissapointment. He reached the end of the room unmolested and was shocked. How did a Dungeon have a room with no Monsters? "This place really is a jok-" His words caught in his mouth as he looked towards the door he had entered from. Four large Monkeys with fangs and claws capable of ripping his flesh to ribbons stared at him. Their golden brown eyes showed no sign of anger or hatred. None of them moved, or made a sound, as they quietly observed him. They were completely blocking off the exit and made it so the only way for him to go was further into the Dungeon. He was preparing himself for the fight of his life when he felt all hope disappear. The three snakes from before had appeared from the side of the wall. He hadn''t noticed earlier but there were large overhangs on the side of the walls. They must have a tunnel there as well. It''s over. I doubt a full group of Adventurers could handle this. What chance do I have? The snakes did not attack though, they merely slid up to their fellow Monsters and helped to block the door. If Tannis looked closely he could swear one of the Monkeys, the smallest of the four, was smiling at him. He watched in horror as it pointed a clawed finger, much longer than the others, towards the door behind him. The message was clear, "Keep going." Tannis gulped. This might be it. This might be where he faces his greatest adversary. He had been spared, that much was obvious. Clearly the Dungeon wanted him to succeed, to live. He took the biggest risk of his life, and turned his back on the assortment of seven Dungeon Monsters behind him. He waited for the sound of slithering, or claws treading dirt. He heard none of it though, and stepped safely through the door. He slammed it shut behind him and finally let out a choked sob. Not now Tannis, not now. Wait until your safe. He took a tentative step forward, and nearly fainted. There was a 5ft drop directly into a pile of sharpened wood stakes. He yanked his leg back from over the gap, and leaped forward past the trap. Then his blood ran cold as he beheld what had to be a tunnel of nightmares. Six large alcoves were carved into the walls of the tunnel, and in each was a carving of a beast more horrifying than the last. They vaguely reminded him of what he saw at the entryway. Except more crueler, and with far more teeth. One of them almost resembled a male Deer, or maybe a Wolf that somebody attached antlers to. It sent shivers down his spine and made his guess of this being the end of his Quest almost certain. My adversary is up ahead. I know it. I''m ready, it''s time for me to fulfill my destiny. To further solidify his idea that this was the end, he saw a massive 6ft by 6ft door staring down at him from the end of the tunnel. He could see silver covering the edges of the door, and the wood it was made of was the same as the tree he had seen earlier. He walked confidently towards the door, narrowly avoiding a Falling Boulder trap he hadn''t even noticed until he was already past it. Thank god, if I died now it would be a mark of shame on my family for generations. Reaching out to the door, he noticed two large golden gems staring down at him. Under the lighting it almost looked like a pair of eyes watching his every move. It was a lot more unnerving than he would have liked to admit. The handle was brushed silver, and when he turned it, it felt cool to the touch. The door was considerably more heavy than the others, and he had to put his full weight into it just to move it an inch. It took so long, and so much effort, that he ended up closing his eyes and just shoving with all his might to move the thing. Inch by inch he felt the door give and open up to reveal the contents of the next room. He still had his eyes closed, panting from the effort that just opening the door had taken out of him. He opened his eyes, ready to formulate a plan on how to handle what would surely be the greatest fight of his life. He noticed many things at once, the first being how bright the room was. It reminded him of a Summer day outside his family''s Mansion. There were trees in the distance that reminded him of the pure beauty of nature, as well as small flowers dotting the ground similar to those in the earlier room. This place really is beautiful. Then Tannis''s sub conscious registered what he had been fervently trying to ignore. The 9ft tall visage of a Bear standing in front of the door he had just opened. The Beast had eyes the color of liquid gold, and the fear he had felt at the likeness on the door was nothing compared to what he felt now. He was paralyzed, and didn''t dare move. This is my adversary? Is this what I have to overcome? He shakily reached down, hoping he wouldn''t drop his Dagger before he could get it into his hand. The Beast let him grab his weapon, and just continued to watch him. Staring just like the other Monsters did. They won''t even attack me. They think they are better than me, they think I don''t have the power to make it through this god forsaken place. "I-I''ve come, to co-complete my Quest. Face me Beast, and know today you f-face Tannis El Verandin!" Grrr The Boss Monster didn''t roar a challenge, it didn''t even acknowledge him. It growled once, low and softly. The sound sent vibrations throughout every bone in his body. His last vestiges of courage crumbled and he felt his legs push off the ground, in the opposite direction. He would rather face the hordes of Monsters waiting for him in the other room than spend one more second under the gaze of this Beast. The Bear continued to stare from inside it''s room, unimpressed at the Elf''s lack of courage. I was a fool. A fool to think I was capable of handling something like this alone. I don''t deserve the Verandin name. I don''t deserve anything. If I ever get out of this hell, I''m going to do everything in my power to make amends for the wrong I''ve done in my life. "Please! Please let me live, I swear I won''t come back! I will do anything, I will become the most pious man the world has seen. I''ll give my entire fortune to the next Commoner I see! Please, just let me make amends for the mistakes I''ve done." Chime
Congratulations, Tannis El Verandin! You have completed your Quest, A Heroic Task By facing harrowing odds and sure death you have overcome who you once were. You have defeated your greatest adversary and grown into something more. Welcome, Hero, to your new life.
Tannis stumbled in his mad dash out of the tunnel filled with grotesque statues, and nearly fainted. That was what it took to complete his Quest? All he had to do was promise to give a bit of money to the poor? He felt his earlier feelings of righteousness wash away as he felt anger at the injustice. He came into this Dungeon when all he had to do was give to charity?! "You''ve got to be fucking kiddi-" His curse was cut off as he tripped on an overturned rock on the ground. He landed face first into the dirt, and as he lifted his hand up to drag himself upright, he heard an audible click. A pressure plate. Two hundred pounds of solid stone crashed down on top of him from the ceiling above, crushing his spine and instantly killing him. The Mana from his body flew off towards the direction of the Core. Then all was quiet again as the Dungeon repaired itself, preparing for the next set of visitors. Chapter 10 - Fun Times
In the middle of the night. A few hours before the official opening, most of the towns people have gathered around the entrance to the Dungeon. "Did you guys hear it?" One sleep-deprived person asks. "It sounded like the Voice of the World." A Beast-man says. "Bullshit. If that was the Voice that would mean a new Hero was made. I don''t see any new Hero, do you?" A Human yells back. The man next to him, presumably his friend, slapped him in the back of the head. "Quit being a dick, we don''t know what happened yet." "All of you go back to sleep. We will find out, and inform everyone in the morning." Brian, the Towns unofficial/official leader, calls out. His booming voice cows most of the protesters and a stern glare warns off anyone who might try to complain further. With a lot of mumbled curses, and a few extra explicitives from the pair of Humans, everyone went back to their makeshift homes. The town was progressing nicely, but the housing was still very much a sore spot. They just didn''t have enough space to fit everyone. Brian knew that problem would not last forever though, once the Dungeon was opened new spaces would vacate almost immediately. He sighed at the thought. Brian turned to the two women next to him. One was a Gigant, a northern race hailing from the slopes of the Andel Mountains. She was nearly his own height, and had just about as much muscle as well. Her name was Holly, and was the Towns resident Cleric. Any who came out of the Dungeon injured, unless treated by a healer in their party, had to go through her. Many of the men and women were intimidated by her, but to Brian it just made the scene of a 6''6" woman holding a grown man down as she poked and prodded him for injuries even funnier. The second woman, Joy, was a Beast-woman. She was much smaller than her Gigant counterpart, closer to 5''3". She had a small layer of red fur covering most of her body, and almost comically large fox ears on the top of her head. She also had over twenty knives hidden throughout her body at any time. Brian wasn''t going to ask, but he was sure at least a few were tucked somewhere in her bushy tail. Both of these women were chosen by the Guild Master to accompany him, and to help establish the new Dungeon Town. They were Veterans, or B ranked Adventurers, and Brian knew if they worked together even he might not be able to come out unscathed. "Joy, Holly. I am going to investigate what happened in the Dungeon. Please guard the entrance." Both of the women looked surprised he was going in alone, but he was an A rank for a reason. So neither voiced their complaints, they just nodded and took up opposite sides of the entrance. Brian looked down into the depths of the Dungeon, and let out a long sigh. He already had a good guess as to what happened in there, and he knew he would not like it.
30 minutes earlier. Our Core is watching a lone Elf stumble through his Dungeon. Wil could not stop laughing. He hadn''t stopped since the Elf first screamed when he was blindsided by a Dungeon Serpent in the first room. Belle wasn''t doing much better. She was watching what was happening with a front row view, following along with the Two-legs, invisible. Every time he came across a group of Monsters, Belle had told all of them to go for his injured leg. Wil nearly fainted when his Spineback forced the invader to use some weird Healing item. It was, without a doubt, the funniest thing he had ever seen. The look of pure defeat and shock that the nearly made One-leg had when he saw the Monster jump right at his calf was priceless. When the serpents came out of their hidden tunnels and chased him across the vine pit, he was worried the fun was over. By some miracle though, the Elf had picked the correct vine and moved on. Wil knew he stood no chance against the Troop, and while he could tell the Monsters were excited they would get a chance to fight for real, he told them to let the Elf pass. He wanted him to meet Grizzly, and he wanted his Boss to get a good look at what he would be fighting for the foreseeable future. The Monkeys all let out a sad hoot at being held back. Then Wil told them they could at least scare him, and they perked up a little at that. When he saw the female monkey point towards Grizzly''s Door, he knew the pale mutant was going to lose his nerve. The Elf walked through his Alcove tunnel and Wil was pleased to see how impressed the man was with his statues. He had put a lot of work into them after all. When the Two-legs sidestepped his hidden Boulder trap, his dissapointment was palpable. Wil knew this might very well be the funniest thing he had ever seen, so he ordered Grizzly to put on a good show for him and Belle. The Bear growled in response and, to his surprise, walked right up to the Boss door that the Elf was struggling to open. He had no idea the door was that heavy, but now that he knew, he was extremely happy. The mutant was so busy trying to open the door he closed his eyes. "Belle! This idiot actually closed his eyes! Will all of all of them do that?" He asked excitedly. "Hah, he did?! No, most of them won''t. This guy must really want to die if he would do that." She replied with tears welling in the corners of her eyes. Wil held his breath as the Elf finally opened the door far enough for him to see inside. Then watched as the Elf took in everything around the room except Grizzly, who was staring down at him. He was worried the Elf had broken when he seemed to register there was a Boss infront of him. To his credit, he didn''t flee. He was shaking like a stalk of corn in the wind though. Wil watched with unrestrained glee as the Elf reached towards his Dagger. Then he spoke some nonsense about who he was, and why he was there. Wil didn''t even listen, just kept his eyes locked on what his Boss would do. Grizzly did not dissapoint, as soon as the Elf stopped talking he let out one of the most vicious growls he had ever heard. It was quiet and booming at the same time, and Wil saw the Elf visibly crumble under the weight of the sound. The elf sprinted back towards the Troop. Wil, now wheezing, told the Monkeys to get ready to fight. Then many things happened at once. First, while the pale freak was busy begging, he heard a distinct sound. Chime When no Blue Box came though, he ignored it and would worry about what caused it later. Belle had stopped laughing though, and now looked worried for some reason. Then, not three seconds later, the Elf fell on his face. This wouldn''t have been terribly funny, just marginally, if he hadn''t triggered what was now Wil''s favorite trap. He watched as a rock the size of that disgusting Human fall on top of the Two-legs back, crushing him instantly. Wil wasn''t able to think straight, his vision flooded with Blue screens and he didn''t pay them a single bit of attention. It took well over five minutes before he had transitioned from wails and high pitched laughter, to small sobs and giggles. All of the Monsters, sensing their creators happiness, joined in. The entire Dungeon was laughing, laughing at the death of theSentient. Wil would have called it morbid, if he wasn''t so busy leading them. Belle, for her part, just seemed relieved. Weird. Another solid minute passed of light wheezing and choked out commands for his Monsters to return to their old positions. His old Monsters, the ones who were killed by the Two-legs, had already come back the moment the Elf died. After all that, he finally noticed the screens cluttering his vision. Belle had gone back to the Core room, and was looking both fearful and excited.
Congratulations, Wilcox and Annabelle! Your Dungeon has defeated its first Hero! This is no simple task, as Heroes are the strongest of the Sentients. You will receive a reward based on the power of the Hero you have slain.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. You have slain, Tannis El Verandin, the 604th Hero of the world. As the weakest Hero in all of Belia, your reward will be the minimum that can be offered.
Wil felt many emotions after reading this. One was fear at what could have happened to him and Belle should the Elf have come into his powers before he died. Another was joy at the thought of defeating a Hero, and that he would be rewarded for it. Also, he now knew the Elf had become a Hero. Right before he died no less. Wil wanted to start laughing again. He was worried he might not stop laughing if he started though, so he bit back his giggles and kept reading.
For recieving the (Minimum) reward, please choose (1) Unique tier compensation.
(1) Random UniqueOre, the Dungeon will recieve heavy discounts in Resource cost when using the Ore/Metal. Ores in this tier are capable of creating some of the strongest Armor/Weaponry/Utility Items available to the Sentients. May also be used to strengthen items in the Dungeon far beyond their normal capabilities.
(1) Random UniquePlant, the Dungeon will receive heavy discounts in Resource cost when using the Plant. Plants in this tier are capable of creating some of the strongest Potions/Utility Items available to the Sentients. May also be used to enhance certain aspects of the Dungeon depending on what Plant is received.
(1) Random UniqueCloth, the Dungeon will receive heavy discounts in Resource cost when using the Cloth. Cloth in this tier is capable of creating some of the finest Armor/Utility Items available to the Sentients. May also be used to enhance items in the Dungeon far beyond their normal capabilities.
Wil groaned, mainly because he had to read all of that. When he was finished, he knew without even having to ask what to get. "The Cloth." "The Plant." Wil looked at Belle and she looked at him. "Belle... Sweetheart... Why would we want the Cloth?" He asked, slowly and carefully. "...It would make for really comfortable bed sheets." She said, looking hopeful. Wil slammed his mental finger down on the Plant option. Belle just looked dejected and sulked on her Silverbark and Moss bed.
Congratulations! For choosing the Unique tier Plant reward, you have received (1)Treant!
Treant An exceptionally rare form of Tree normally only found in a Dryad''s Grove, it''s wood is a highly sought after Crafting Material. This tree has been blessed with partial Sentience from a Dryad, imparting a piece of who they were into the wood. Since it will be created from the Dungeon, the Treant comes with a random personality. May only have (1) per Floor.
"Okay, that seems pretty cool. I guess." Belle was playing hard to get, but they both knew she was interested in this new development. Wil just chuckled and was about to summon his new tree when a shiver ran throughout his Dungeon. "Again? Ugh, it''s not easy being this popular." Wil said with only a hint of sarcasm. Belle rolled her eyes, and flew off to get ready for another show. They both had the time of their lives when that pale freak came into their Dungeon, and they couldn''t wait for another. "Oh Wil, it''s the muscle guy. I think his name was Brian, I heard some Sentients talking about him outside the entrance once." Belle told him. "Damn it. Fine, but make sure he''s alone before we say anything." He said, good mood now thoroughly ruined. Wil turned his attention towards the man and was surprised to see him wearing some strange clothing he had never seen before. It looked soft. "Belle, what is that he is wearing?" He had to know. "I think it''s called Pajamas. The Sentients wear it at night when they sleep." She didn''t seem very interested. "Why wouldn''t they wear their armor when they sleep? Just seems impractical to have to always take it on and off." Two-legs were so weird. Belle just shrugged and began mumbling her lines to herself. She had been practicing in case she ever had to talk to him again. "Dungeon, I have come to speak about what happened here tonight. I am alone, and promise to do no harm." The man said. Wil just scoffed, but Belle beat him to it. "We will promise no such thing. What happened was what will always happen. Your Adventurer entered our depths, but did not leave." At this the man just let out a long sigh. "Was the one who came in an Elf? Tannis El Verandin?" Wil started chuckling at the memory of him whispering his name towards Grizzly. "That was him." Belle replied. Brian took on a dark look and whirled around to rip the Dungeon Serpent sneaking above him in half. Wil didn''t even flinch at the brutality. "Damn it. That pompous fool just caused me weeks of paper work. How did he die?" Brian asked angrily, only as an after thought. He seemed to care more about paper work. Whatever that was. "He lost his nerve when he reached our Boss, and fell face first into a trap." Belle was barely restraining her laughter, and Brian twitched at the obvious mirth in her voice. "I see, and... the Voice of the World?" "Huh?" Wil asked. "To the Two-legs, Mr.Blue is called the Voice of the World. They like to give dramatic names to everything." She whispered to him. "He was a Hero all of five seconds, then died. We do not know what he did to complete his Quest, aside from run and beg for his life. We appreciate you sending him to us though, very helpful." Belle actually sounded a little scary. Then Wil remembered seeing her yell ''Yee-Haw'' while riding Grizzly once, and stopped worrying. Brians face darkened considerably at this. "What did you receive in return?" "Mind your business, Two-legs. You will find out soon enough." Belle replied testily. Brian took the rebuke in stride though, and said more to himself than the Dungeon, "I didn''t think that arrogant child would be able to make it to the Boss. Im actually impressed." Belle just laughed at him, and Wil started chuckling again. "He only got as far as he did so he could amuse us for a longer time." At this Brian looked uncomfortable, "Did he suffer?" Wil saw Belles eyes soften for just a moment. "Not as much as you seem to think. You can only feel so much when a boulders falls on top of you." "Thats one silver lining, I suppose." "What will you do now, Human? Will you judge us for doing what we were intended, will you keep more from entering?" Belle was teasing him now. To Brians credit, he replied, "No, he made his choice. The Elf you killed was a Noble, and I would not be surprised if his families influence comes back to bite you in the future. I know it is going to bite me." To this, Belle didn''t have a witty response, so Brian turned to leave. "I will see you in the morning, Dungeon. Then maybe not for a long time after, try not to piss off any more Factions before you grow." She flew back to the Core room, and he turned brighter as way of welcome. "A very dramatic Human, isn''t he? Wil said. Belle just giggled, "As far as Humans go, he is actually very calm. Some of them scream at every little thing, like that Elf." She smiled down at him. "You know you''re almost level 4 now. That Elf only turned into a Hero right at the end, so really we only got Mana proportionate to his current power. Which was probably a Drank." "Tomorrow it is then. Once we see how the Two-legs do in our Dungeon, maybe I can finally start upgrading some things." He said hopefully. Belle just lay atop his Core, kicking her feet in the air in anticipation.
Eight hours later, the Adventurers gather outside of the Dungeon entrance. Brian saw nearly a hundred people crowded around the area, and he knew that number would only grow as time went on. The majority were F and D rank adventurers. C ranks were allowed in, but they would gain minuscule amounts of experience, so most would not waste their time. Brian took his place aside Holly and Joy, then addressed the crowd. He made sure he was standing just inside the Dungeon. This way he knew the Core and Guide would hear everything he said. "Greetings. Today is the day we begin sending people into the Dungeon. Know that should you become injured, or a team member of yours dies, we will not come to save you." A few Adventurers looked uncomfortable at this, but didn''t leave or voice an objection. Brian nodded, no one''s nerve had broken. At least not yet. "As you are all aware by now, a resident of our town snuck into the Dungeon late at night, and was subsequently killed. Take it as a warning, you are not as strong as you think you are. You are not as clever as you think you are." He watched with a small smile as the other nobles of the various races winced at this. They had known Tannis personally. He continued, "All groups who go into the Dungeon must have either fourF rank Adventurers. Or, if you are foolish enough, any D rank may go in with as few as one teammate. It is recommended that even at D rank you bring multiple team members." Once this settled in, especially towards the more disgruntled Nobles, he moved on. He pulled out a medium sized glowing crystal. "This, is a Life Crystal. All of you should already have one. When you go in, you will connect your Life Crystal to one of ours. This way we can monitor your team. If you die, the Crystal will turn grey. If you are injured, it will turn red. Know that if all of your team''s crystals are grey, we will assume you have died. We will send in the next team shortly after." He took another deep breath, then looked everyone around him in the eyes. Most flinched from his view. "We will not mourn you. If you die, it was because you did not prepare." Many seemed angry at the scolding, but he ignored them. "Finally, remember why you came here. There any many more people back in town who will want things from the dungeon. If you came for money, I suggest taking in requests from the Craftsmen. If you came for fame, train hard and don''t die." There were a few forced chuckles at this. "What of the Voice?" An Elvish Noble interrupts. Great, theres more. A lot of people focused intently on him, it seemed like everyone wanted to know. He sighed, it was bound to happen eventually, may as well tell them now. "It is the Adventuring Guilds belief that when Tannis entered the Dungeon, he completed his Quest." Many people started whispering amongst each other, he even saw two Humans exchanging money at his announcement. Joy walked forward and threw a knife at the foot of the loudest person, "Quiet!" The man who was nearly impaled bit back a curse then mumbled an apology. Brian hid a smile, then continued. "While he did complete the Quest, we believe he died shortly after. He did not have the time to learn about his new abilities, and thus died anyways. Take it as a lesson, power is useless if you don''t know what you are doing." At this statement both Holly and Joy nodded. Holly stepped forward, sensing Brian was finished speaking. "Alright cuties, all of you line up in the order you were given before. It''s time to start!" Men visibly flinched at being called a cutie by the Gigant. She pretended not to notice though, and shuffled the first team through the entryway once she verified they linked their Life Crystals. Chapter 11 - New Addition
In the Core room of our Nature Dungeon, a few hours after Tannis''s dive. "Can we finally go over what we got from that Elf, I feel like it''s been weeks since that happened!" Wil complained. He tried to keep the whine out of his voice, but he was too excited to see what a Treant might be. "It''s only been a few hours since that happened and that two-legs came into the Dungeon. We don''t know what will happen when we make it, young Dungeons definitely aren''t supposed to have something that powerful so early on. Especially before you even open up to the public! I think it will be best if we wait at least until we see how normal Adventurers do against us before we make any drastic changes." Belle was having none of it, and tried to be the voice of reason. Being only a few inches tall didn''t help her case though, she was far too cute to be intimidating. He knew she was right. That didn''t mean he couldn''t tease her anyways. "You know, I bet that pale freak probably had some fancy cloth on him. You said nobles are the rich ones right? Why wouldn''t he have the best cloth money could buy? Maybe it could go on somebody''s bed..." He hit her where it hurt. She visibly winced, but quickly turned away from his Core and said, "No!" She seemed to forget he could see everything in the Dungeon, and he saw her wiping the beginnings of a small tear from the corner of her eye. Great. I might be the only Core to make their Guide cry over something as dumb as bed sheets. He swallowed his curiosity and hedged, "You know what...you''re right. Let''s just wait until a few more groups have come in. Look Belle, that disgusting Human is back. Let''s see what he has to say." The Human, Brian, had walked right into the mouth of the Dungeon. Except instead of going farther in, he turned around and addressed an unseen group. "Greetings. Today is the day we begin sending people into the Dungeon. Know that should you become injured, or a team..."
Back to present, Joy waits with Holly in front of the Dungeon. The Gigant, Holly, looked nervously at the small Life Crystals in her hand. "How long are you going to stare like that? It''s starting to freak me out." Joy, the woman beside her, whispers. They were both standing guard at the entrance of the Dungeon, their new job location for the foreseeable future. For a Dungeon entrance it was definitely one of the creepiest. The statues ringing around the hole in the ground were all depictions of vicious monsters the likes of which she had never seen, and she had seen a lot. One in particular almost resembled what she knew of a Dragon, except with far more eyes. She supressed a shudder, she couldn''t show any weakness infront of the new Adventurers. "I''m just so worried...this is the fourth group of F ranks we sent in, and already we lost one team and the other two came out missing a member. I just don''t want to lose any more of these little cuties." One of the men waiting in line with his group to enter the Dungeon cringed at her comment, and her mood soured even more. Everybody was unnecessarily rude to Holly, who had only shown them kindness. She knew the Gigant would never say that they hurt her though, she was the toughest woman she knew. Aside from the Guild Master maybe, that Beast-woman was closer to a monster now though. "They knew what they were getting into. Although I do admit, the things the groups that came out have said do intrigue me. I wonder what this ''Silver Tree'' is? Why does everyone come out babbling about hidden snakes, and why on Belia do they all have injured legs?" Joy knew injuries were to be expected. When the last two groups came out of the Dungeon without having even reached the boss and all had vicious spines and unhealthy doses of venom in their legs, she knew something was strange. It was a Dungeon though, so strange was the name of the game. Just as her introspective thoughts came to a close, she watched all four of the Life Crystals in Holly''s large hand turn red. It seemed as though something managed to injure all of them at once, and she had an idea as to what. Every so often, she, as well as everyone else waiting outside, heard what resembled an echo of a scream that seemed to reverberate out of the Dungeon. It was definitely not the scream of a Sentient. A few of the Adventurers near the back seemed to actually be sweating in nervous anticipation. None of the groups sent in so far had even reached the Boss, and it seemed like this group would not be any different. After another minute of Holly stamping back and forth in worry, the group of four F rank Adventurers emerged from the Entrance. Blood leaking from their ears, but otherwise unscathed. Aside from the torn up armor on their legs, that was just par for the course though. Joy could tell who they were just by the sound of their voices now. Those two Humans were especially creative with their speech. "I fucking told you Jared, don''t try to pet the god damn birds. Because of you, now we have to go speak to that monstrous Cleric." "It''ll be the first action you''ve seen in over a decade, you should be thanking me." Jared retorted. His ears were in the worst state of the four by far. The two other Adventurers roped into their group weren''t even listening, they seemed to have mastered the ability to tune them out. Joy felt a twinge of pity for them, but she knew they chose those two for their ability to cooperate. Joy had helped oversee all the formation of the F ranked Adventuring groups during the caravan ride over. She got to know many of the people standing in front of her personally, and she knew many of them would not survive the next week. Holly nearly crushed the two bickering men as they exited in her attempt to be the first to check their wounds. "Um...we missed you too?" Kevin whispered out between Holly''s forearms, which were currently wrapped tightly around their waists. They weren''t going anywhere until she had given them an all clear. "Take your pants off." She said. "If you''ve got enough coin sure." Jared replied automatically. He regretted his words immediately, he knew better than to test her. Joy just smiled as Holly sighed and removed his pants to look at their injured legs. "Surprising. No bite marks on these ones Joy. It looks like the information the other groups provided might not be true." Holly remarked. The groups before them had all warned of the Monsters abnormal tendency to go for the legs. Holly finished giving them a head to toe inspection on the spot, causing many of the other Adventurers to blush at her methods. Most of their group seemed uncomfortable with her intense inspections, but the Human Jared seemed to be relishing the attention. As they were leaving she swore she saw him wink at the Cleric. "They only got as far as the Flower room, at least that was what they called it. How far did those other groups get?" Holly asked. "The second group said they got as far as the Flower room as well, the third said they stopped after an especially long trapped hallway. The first group we sent in... Well, they never came out so we can''t be sure."Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Joy turned towards the next group of Adventurers and felt her ears perk up at who they were. She knew if any group had a chance of making it farther in, it would be these ones. "Link your Crystals to Holly, then you may go in." The one D rank and two F rank Adventurers nodded once. Then they moved past the horrific statues of the entrance, and started their first Dungeon Dive together.
Congratulations! You have reached Level 4! Mana is now 40/40 Mana Regeneration is now 20/d
Wil was still giggling about the latest entrants into his Dungeon when he heard a chime and the blue screen popped into his vision. He cleared it away with a flick of his thoughts and stared expectantly at the entrance to his Dungeon. He knew it was good he had levelled, but Belle had told him to expect it over the course of the day, so he was not surprised. That marked the fourth group of Adventurers the Guild had sent him, and none had dissapointed. One group just flat out died in the Flower room after they ran head first into two Howlers and the sister Spinebacks. The other lost a member to his hidden snake in the Ore room, and then left after reaching the Flower room. The third just cut their losses after an unfortunate Falling Boulder trap in his Trapped tunnel. The final group was his favorite, as the members had given him fantastic ideas on new nicknames for Two-legs. They tried to capture one of his Howlers, for what reason he had no idea, and it was hilarious. They left after that, but he knew they would come back so he didn''t send any of his Serpents to harry them as they left. Belle for her part was freely crying on the top of his Core, she had been having just as much fun as he had. It may have been morbid to laugh at the pain and death of others, but this was how Mr.Blue had made him, and subsequently made them. So he decided to roll with it for now. She rolled onto her stomach on top of his Core with a mischievous gleam in her eye, "Are you ready to see what we got from all those Two-legs?" Wil felt his mood better even more, "I''m ready Sweetheart, let''s see what they so graciously donated." She just smiled and took on a glassy eyed expression. "From the four groups of Adventurers we got...Some basic leather armor, as well as cloth. Not much metal armor on any of them aside from the odd metal plate on their shoes. You got a lot of new kinds of shoes. Some basic weapons, as well as a few utility items. It looks like one of them gave us a Water Crystal. Before you ask, it''s used with a Sentient''s affinity to help them fight better. You got a flask of water, so we finally have water now. It''s about time!" Wil was ecstatic, but he had expected all of this. "Don''t leave me hanging Belle. What about from the recently crushed Hero?" She just smirked. "We got a fancy kind of Uncommon wood called Ebony. It was in the handle of the Two-legs dagger. The blade was Silver, but we already had that. The Dagger also had an Air Crystal. Lucky you! Over time a Dungeon will get every Crystal imaginable, and maybe even make their own. For now though, both of the Crystals you got work well with our Dungeon''s affinity. He also gave us... Some fancy cloth." She had stopped listing the items after she reached what she was waiting for. She was spinning on the spot, and Wil was happy for her. Also annoyed that she only went as far to say ''Fancy Cloth''. "What is it actually called?" He asked, trying to reign her in. She blushed, then whirled on him and said, "It''s called Silk, and is an Uncommon tier item. Most Nobles use it under their armor to make the pieces more comfortable. It doesn''t provide much protection at all, as it''s really thin. It is SUPER soft though." Wil took the hint, and decided to make some of the Silk in the Core room. Thanks to the last few Adventurers his resources had sky rocketed. He didn''t see himself running out anytime soon. With that in mind he took a look at the Silverbark Bed he had created so long ago, and covered it end to end in a small strip of the new cloth. He also added a little to one of the shelves in his Core room, he liked how it looked. The cloth was a snow white color, and Belle wasted no time snuggling up under the sheets and smiling at him from her bed. It was adorable. Wil hesitated for a moment, then asked what he had been holding off on for a while now. "Belle... What about the Treant?" He had caught her in a good mood apparently. "It''s still way too early to put something like that in the Dungeon. I guess it couldn''t hurt if it stayed in the Core room. ONLY, if we make sure no Adventurers see it. A first floor Dungeon has no business having a Unique plant so early on." He knew she may change her mind at any moment, so he was ready. He mentally slammed the button that could create things from his resources, and moved to make a Treant. He could only have one per floor, so he expected something amazing. He was not disappointed.
Due to the Unique nature of the Plant the Dungeon is about to create (Treant), the Dungeon may only have (1) per floor. As the Treants are a recognized Monster race, once created, it will become Bound to the Dungeon. Bound Monsters may leave the Dungeon for a short time if they so choose, but cannot be recreated upon death should they die outside of the Dungeon. If the Dungeon still wishes to create the Bound Monster (Treant), the amount of Bound Monster slots available to the Dungeon becomes (0). Bound Monsters - 0/1
"Yes. Please." Wil whispered in excitement. He focused on creating the Treant, and watched as over three fourths of his Resources disappeared in an instant, then he saw golden-green light coalesce in one of the corners of his Core room. A small stalk of green shot up out of the ground. "Belle! It''s happening!" He was pumped up, but Belle seemed nervous. "I didn''t think it would become a Bound Monster... Wil, we can''t let it leave the Dungeon. Not yet at least. This is way more advanced than what is normal for a first floor Dungeon. Whatever this plant turns into, we need to make sure it understands this. Bound Monsters choose to stay. So if it wanted, it could choose to leave. Not to mention you only get one Bound Monster per floor, so I hope this was the right choice..." She didn''t seem very happy, but he could tell she was still very interested in what would happen to the small green sapling emerging in the Core room. Wil watched in fascination as the stalk seemed to twist and curl into itself over and over. Each time adding a new layer to it''s body. Soon the green stalk that resembled a sapling turned into a tiny tree. The tree continued to warp and fold onto itself until distinct features were able to be seen. Wil could see what resembled legs forming together out of the roots, creating a tiny pair of feet for the tree to walk on. The torso was defined by rich brown wood and intricate patterns on the bark, then the arms followed. Miniature leaves sprouted all along the arms and hands that had formed, as well as on the Treants back. The face was what interested him the most though. The wood making up the body seemed to darken at the head in certain areas, until he realized it was sinking back into the wood, creating facial features. He could see what resembled two small eyes, a tiny indent for a nose. As well as a thin line forming for lips and a mouth. It had distinctly sharp cheeks. Leaves sprouted from small twigs all across the top of it''s head, giving the fledgling Treant a vertiable mane of leafy green hair. The wood for its body was a gorgeous dark brown, similar to some of the trees in Grizzly''s room. All in all, there was a new life in the Dungeon. Belle had stopped worrying after seeing the size of the new member. She was now circling the 1 foot tall Monster, ruffling the leaves on the top of its head while it watched on passively. It observed Belle for a while longer, then turned towards his Core. It shambled toward him, but then fell face first into the dirt. New legs take some time to get used to apparently. Belle squealed, but didn''t interfere. She just flew to the side and cheered it on as it slowly hobbled towards Wil. Once it reached the base of the pillar Wil''s Core was resting on, it stopped. It seemed to be admiring the carvings on the pillar. It took in the images of the crudely drawn trees, and the visages of Wils attempts at what a Deer would look like. All of this information was taken in silently, then the Treant slowly reached up. He was worried the new addition wouldn''t complete its mission until he saw the roots on the legs extend upwards, propelling the small Monster towards him. Neat. I wonder if it can do that with all of its body? Once eye level, it seemed to hesitate. Wil could almost feel the nervousness in the air as the Treant stared directly at his Core. He couldn''t help himself though, seeing the Treant up close had highlighted for him just how cute it was. The small face, the tiny leaves all over its body. It was so frail, but he could see the power in the limbs that pushed it upwards, towards the unkown. He laughed in excitement, and Belle joined in with him at the absurdity of the situation they found themselves in. The Treant took in the emotions of its creators, and the line of its mouth split open wide, revealing a tiny smile. It then wrapped all of the roots of its hands around the Core and smiled again, basking in the warmth of its creator. A tiny voice sounded out in the Core room, "Father." Wil couldn''t even stop himself if he tried, he just screamed. Belle screamed too, but not in shock, in unrestrained glee. Chapter 12 - Sol A few healthy screams later, Wil felt composed enough to respond to this latest development. "Belle, why didn''t you tell me it could talk?" He whispered towards her. The Treant turned its tiny head toward him when he spoke though. That thing has some strong hearing, for a tree anyway. I wonder if my other trees can hear me... I''ll try talking to one later. Belle, for her part, just smiled and said, "Most if not all plants won''t, by some miracle you managed to get one of the very few with any meaningful intelligence. Mom never told me much about the Treant Monster race because the odds of a Dungeon getting one are really low. The fact you got it at all, let alone on the first floor, is just not normal." Great, I feel much better now.He thought sarcastically. Wil knew he was flying blind here, so he decided to ask the source. He turned his full attention towards the tiny Treant and asked, "Can you understand me?" It didn''t seem to be much for talking, as it just nodded. All the leaves on the top of its head and back shimmered with the movement. "Not one for talking... huh?" He felt a little absurd talking to a tree now. Another head shake for the affirmative. Belle swooped down from the top of his Core and went right into the Treants face. "Do you know what you are? Why you''re here?" The little tree didn''t do much for a solid minute as it contemplated the most likely detailed answer it would give. "Yes." Belle let out a loud harrumph and tried again, "You are a Bound Monster, which means when the time comes you can leave the Dungeon. If you do though, me and Wil can''t take care of you. The outside is dangerous for something like you..." She trailed off as small tears formed in her eyes. She seemed a little over emotional towards the new guest and Wil wasn''t sure why. The Treant just took a long look at her, then around the rest of the Core room. After what was most likely some intense deliberation, it spread the fingers on its tiny hands outwards. "Home." After its declaration, the fingers of its hands extended out towards Belle. The leaf tipped nailbrushed against the side of the Guides cheek, and wiped away the small tear that had formed. "Safe." Wil felt his nonexistant heart melt at the small voice. It wasn''t as high pitched as Belle''s, but it was distinctly more childish. Belle clearly wasn''t prepared either, as she just rubbed the hand of the small Treant affectionately. Apparently some of her fears were assuaged with the answers the Bound Monster had given. Maybe she was able to gleam more meaning out of them than he could. He cleared his throat to try to get the attention of the two and turned his focus back to the Treant, "Do you have a name? Can we name it, Belle, or is that not allowed?" She had a small smile. "Usually, no. You can''t name Monsters without turning them into a Boss. Bound Monsters are different though, a name will just be a name. It will be permanent though, so make sure you pick a good one." Wil wasn''t ready to make the choice immediately, he first needed to know more about the new addition to his Dungeon. "Well Treant... Do you feel like a boy, or more like a girl?" He figured he ought to know the gender before he tried to give it a name. Belle just burst out giggling, and sighed at his Core. "Wil. It''s a tree." He felt his Core turn a few shades brighter. Now embarrassed, he tried to salvage his pride. "Well how would I know! You made me pick, and I''m just a piece of mana. Why don''t we just see what they have to say!" His voice had gone up a few octaves, but he felt he got his point across. She just smiled again, then turned towards the Treant. "Well? I don''t know much about your race, but I do know the Dryads are all female. If all the Treants creators are female, wouldn''t that mean the personality would be the same?" She didn''t seem very convinced, but Wil thought it was sound enough logic. Maybe? "Their creator was both of us, though, so it could choose either. Or both, or none." He added. She shot him a glare, then looked to the Treant for its decision. The newly born Treant was starting to look overwhelmed. They both watched the roots on its feet spread out, and afterwards a sense of calm seemed to come over the small tree. It stayed like that, rooted to the ground, for over ten minutes before it gave an answer. "Sol." The Treant seemed extremely pleased with the answer it had given, Belle and Wil just stared at it in slight shock. "Is that your name?" Wil asked. Sol nodded. "Well it is now, I love it! Welcome, Sol." Belle yelled out, muffled by the leaves in her face. She was busy hugging Sol. "Well damn. I don''t know if that''s a boy, or a girls name. Do you, Belle?" "Sol is a tree, you dork." She chided. "Boy." Sol said, with more confidence than Wil thought possible from a plant. "Others girl. Sol boy." Belle didn''t seem to understand, but Wil got the gist. "All the other Treants were made by women, so you want to be different?" Wil guessed. It made the most sense. Sol just shrugged. They were about to get into Sol and his reasoning, when another shiver wracked the Dungeon. "Ugh, why can''t we get some alone time. I want to show Sol everything!" He yelled out towards the entrance. "Brian said sunrise to sunset, this must be the last group. It''s nearly dark outside." Belle sighed. "Just wait right here Sol, once these mutants are out of our Dungeon me and Belle will show you your new home!" He was excited, this was an outcome he had not expected. He was glad to have Sol in the Dungeon though, that Treant was too cute for his own good. "Mutants." Belle giggled at that, and Wil felt his Core brighten in pride.
The last group of Adventurers enters the Dungeon for the first day. "You''re all good. Good luck cuties!" Holly said as she finished checking their Life Crystals. "Keep a few seats warm at the bar for us, it won''t take too long." Wren, a D rank Adventurer, called out towards the large woman. He turned towards his newly formed Adventuring group, and smiled. Being one of the few Dwarves who traveled all the way to join the caravan had unnerved him, but when he was accepted with open arms by the two before him many of his worries had washed away. He was of short stature, barely coming up to the waist of the Gigant. Sandy brown hair with streaks of gold covered the top of his head, and a well maintained beard the same color covered the majority of his face. His piercing green eyes saw everything as he walked towards the members of his team. Since he was the groups Mage, it was his job to look out for potential problems and put a stop to them before they became one. "Thanks Holly, I''ll bring back something cute for you!" Lana called out as she walked into the Dungeons entrance. She was the groups Fighter. It was up to her to protect the other members from harm on the front lines. She was a heavy set woman with legs thick around as some trees. Short cropped brown hair framed rosy cheeks and fair skin. She wasn''t as tall or muscular as Holly, though. That woman was a Gigant, and she was just a Human with a little extra meat on her bones. "See you soon." Micah, the groups Cleric, calls out. A small human with an even smaller voice. He had dusky skin and short black hair in a messy cluster of tangles on the top of his head. As the other F rank Adventurer in the group, with Lana, he was feeling very nervous about his current situation. This will be the first time he had dived in a Dungeon, and he felt he should have had longer to prepare. That boy is always so quiet, hopefully we can pull his nose out of those books and get him drunk tonight. Wren thought to himself. He had only known the two a little over a month, but in that time they had had time to get to know one another. Lana was a strong front line Fighter, and could go head-to-head with the toughest Monster. Micah, while quiet, was an excellent support. It was rare to find a Cleric, and even rarer to get one into your group. He sent a silent prayer to his Goddess for his good fortune. Then he took up the space behind Lana, but in front of Micah, and set out into the Dungeon. Lana was practically vibrating with excitement, while Micah was vibrating in what Wren only guessed was anxiety. "Focus up you two, this will be your first Dungeon dive. We don''t need any unnecessary mistakes." He said for what felt like the hundredth time. "Yeah, yeah. I''m ready! So stop worrying about us and about this Dungeon. This is only your second Dungeon isn''t it?" Lana asked without turning her head. She knew the answer, but Wren figured it helped to soothe her to talk while nervous. "Yes. I had a dive over a year ago, but our team disbanded after a few runs in so I never got to experience much. Still know more than you though, shield for brains." Wren joked. Micah let out a small laugh, and Lana turned around with a glare. Wren saw the poor man visibly wither under the gaze. "The other teams all reported a hidden Serpent in the first room, so be on your guard. Apparently its extraordinarily crafty for a first floor Monster." He called out. They reached the entrance, and Wren nearly laughed in surprise. Lana and Micah most likely didn''t see it, but he saw it clear as day. "Stop." He whispered. Both didn''t move, but just listened for what he would say. These two are smarter than I give them credit for, at least they didn''t freak out the moment something happened. "It''s above you Lana, hidden in the vines. When you see your chance, take it." He hoped she would understand. He wanted to give more detailed commands, but time was running out. He focused the Mana in his body, and channeled it into an orb of water over five inches in diameter into the palm of his hand. Once formed, he froze it into the shape of a small spike and sent it hurtling towards where he spotted the Serpent. The frozen icicle impacted somewhere above Lana, and she dove away as soon as he had released the spell. She''s fast. As soon as the spell connected, she had already rolled far enough away to prepare herself for a finishing blow. A gruesome hiss sounded out, and the Serpent fell away from the ceiling, a large hole missing from its body. Lana wasted no time and immediately went over to decapitate the Monster. Once beheaded, the Monster returned into the original mana of the Dungeon and dispersed into a small amount of experience for the party. A few copper coins and some scales dropped as loot. Micah calmly walked over and deposited the loot into his pouch. They had agreed beforehand he should carry the dropped items and focus on a more support oriented role. He didn''t have much in the way of offensive power, so he was the de facto choice. "Good work. Let''s move on. Up next is a trapped hallway, at least according to the other groups." The tunnel turned out to be a mess of Fake Floor and Falling Boulder traps, and took well over ten minutes before Wren felt confident enough to lead them through. His affinity wasn''t suited to trap detection, but he had experience in the other Dungeon to give him an idea of what to expect. He walked ahead of the others and if any trap was set off Lana would immediately pull him back to safety. Micah waited in the back and healed any scrapes or bruises they received from the gauntlet of traps. Once through, Wren steeled himself. The next room was where all other groups had failed. "Eyes focused, stay sharp you two." He called out from the center of their formation. He heard a small gasp from behind him once they entered the room, but he couldn''t blame the Cleric. It was gorgeous. A stunning field of flowers purple and white coated the majority of the ground. Birds chirped in the air and towering bushes were spread all across the sunlit room. Sunlight? I''ve never seen a Dungeon as bright as this one. Most that I know of were all dark, wet caves. Well, I guess it still is a cave.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. In the center of the room was a tree over 30ft in height, and Wren could see silver swirls running all over the bark. The leaves were yellow-green and covered the top in a whirlwind of color. "I see two Monsters headed our way, they seem armored." Lana called out. "Not armor. Spines." Micah said from behind them, just a slight hint of fear in his voice. The leading Spineback picked up pace in its headlong charge, and crashed into Lana. She had her shield ready though, and took the rodent head on. While she was preoccupied the other tried to sneak past her guard and into the softer targets of Wren and Micah. He didn''t even hesitate, he grabbed the dagger at his side and slashed downwards into the charging Monster. Just because he cast spells didn''t mean he would leave himself defenseless if the Fighter let one slip by. As he stabbed into the beast, Micah came from behind him and smashed the Spineback across the face with his staff. Really it was just a stick of hardened wood reinforced with a bit of metal, but it did the trick. As the two finished off the Spineback, they saw Lana neatly sever the head of the one in front of her. Her short-sword was now thoroughly coated in blood, and a few spines were sticking out of her wooden shield. Otherwise, she was unharmed. Micah seemed to jolt, then yelled out. "Birds! Cover your ears!" They all knew what that meant, they had heard the screams while outside the Dungeon and the last group to go in had given them a painful reminder on what caused it. Not a second after getting their fingers firmly lodged into their ears, an echo of a scream sounded out of the Dungeon. Skraa! It still hurt like hell, but it was tolerable. Once the sound ended Wren cast another Ice Shard spell towards the two Howlers and sent them to the grave. "Nice shot, short-stack." Lana called out from in front of him. She was doing nicknames now. Fun. "Only natural, shield for brains." He retorted with a small smile. Micah ignored the two trying to make a nickname for him while he dug through the loot dropped by the four Monsters. A few feathers and some spines. They would sell decently in town, and the copper coins never hurt either. He was so engrossed in counting the coins he didn''t notice the two Serpents slinking towards him from beneath the grass and flowers. Both struck out simultaneously, latching on to a leg each. He didn''t even have time to shout before Lana was at his side trying to hack the things off. Wren was forming another ice spell when he fell to the ground as well. A third snake, waiting in ambush. "Deal with those two, I''ll be fine!" He called out while furiously stabbing into the spine of the Serpent. He knew if he panicked the venom would only coarse through his veins faster, so he made methodical and precise cuts into the Monster. Soon it dispersed into a cloud of mana and experience, and he rushed to help his Cleric. "Gods that hurts! We might have to amputate the leg." Micah called out with a pale expression, he had already went through the stages of grief and landed on acceptance. Both of the Serpents were on the ground, slashed and smashed to pieces. Wren just walked over and smacked him on the top of his head. "You''re fine Princess, the worst that could happen is you pass out. You''re a Cleric aren''t you?! Heal yourself!" Micah flushed a bright shade of red, which was impressive on the shade of his skin. "R-Right." He focused for a brief moment, then called onto the Light affinity all Clerics possess. After a few seconds his face seemed to visibly relax, and he breathed a sigh. "All better." He meekly said. He rolled his eyes and Lana just gave him a really hard pat on the back, causing Micah to wince. "I promised the Herbalist I would get him some samples of the plants in here, please guard me." Micah said hesitantly. "We already know, you drama queen, go pick your flowers. Me and Wren will keep you safe." Lana said with a wink. Micah just turned around with a huff and got to his task, though Wren could swear he saw a slight tinge to the boys cheeks. Once done, they returned to their standard formation and continued forward. They reached a large door that seemed to be made of the same wood as the tree in the center of the room. It was a lot sturdier than they thought, and took a good amount of muscle just to push open. Once inside they saw a tunnel similar to that of the trapped hallway, but Wren did not detect nor see any. "I can see some vines up ahead, they look like they''re covering a large pit." Lana called out. "Yep, those are spikes at the bottom. That would be one nasty fall." She said with a low whistle. It was a sea of vines coming down from the ceiling, and Wren felt most of them would snap under his body weight. There was a large central vine that seemed much thicker around than the others, and he chortled at the Dungeons attempts to trick them. At least make the other vines the same size if you want to make some people fall in. He thought smugly. Just to be sure, he grabbed a few of the small vines and yanked downwards, hard. They snapped like he expected, and he reached towards the central vine. His arms were too short. Lana just giggled and reached forward. Curse all people over 5ft tall. She gave the vine a good tug and it held firm. "See you on the other side, boys." She yelled out as she swung across the gap towards the other side. "Incoming!" She called out, and the vine was sent swinging back towards the two men. Micah grabbed it and handed the vine to Wren, with a small smile on his face after the Dwarf grumbled a thanks. Once across, he sent it back to Micah. Shortly after, all three were ready to advance further into the Dungeon. "This is new territory, so be on your guard. We don''t know what to expect from the rest of this." He warned the other two. Both of them took on serious expressions, and nodded. Then, as one, they moved towards the door to the next room. It was just as heavy as the other. It felt like it was made of some sort of metal, but looked more like wood. Once through, he immediately scanned for enemies. The room was a circular shape with pillars ringing the outside, and vines swinging all across the ceiling. There were overhangs to the side that were too tall for him to see over. The other two could though, and said no Monsters were hiding there. Wren scanned the ground and saw a mixture of dirt and grass, while insects buzzed around an occasional flower. There was a large pit of sand in the center, and he decided to just avoid whatever mess that would cause. "Above us!" Micah yelled out. Both Lana and Wrens heads whipped upwards at the same time. For a brief moment they saw the face of what looked like a Monkey staring at them, but it disappeared just as fast. "Get in between those two pillars! Lana put up your shield over our heads. I will draw them out. Micah, be ready to poke them out of the air." He yelled out these orders over just a few seconds, and all three moved to do their job. Lana ran in between two pillars, shoving Micah behind her as she went to keep him away from the beasts. The Cleric raised his staff above his head to keep any aerial foes away from them, and Wren prepared a spell. Soon they were in position, and waiting for the other side to make the first move. A small flash of golden-brown went across his vision, and he launched the spell he had prepared. No response, a miss. Dammit. One of the Monkeys revealed themselves once his spell wasn''t a threat, and landed on the ground on the opposite side of the room from them. It hooted once, and three Monkeys fell from above, in their blind spot. "Micah!" Lana yelled out. "I know!" He grunted out while he swung his staff in a wide arc, smashing two of the Monsters out of the air. The third managed to get past the hasty attack and landed directly onto Lana''s shield. Before the other two Monsters could get back to their feet, Wren reached for his dagger and yelled out, "Lana! Toss it!" She huffed in response, and heaved the Monkey from the top of her shield and sent it sailing into the dirt by their feet. He wasted no time, and plunged his blade directly into the Monsters eye. It twitched once and let out a small howl, then dispersed into experience and mana. The other three Monkeys screeched at this turn of events and all ran towards them at once. "Step back, boys." Lana called out, both men didn''t question her. There was no time for second guessing. Wren saw her channel the mana in her body, and watched in interest as she pushed it out into a wave in front of her. All three monkeys stumbled as the ground beneath their feet rolled and pushed them away. He knew she had an Earth affinity, but he didn''t expect it to be this strong. It was supposed to be very taxing to use spells on a large scale like she just did. All the Monsters tumbled into one another from their mad dash, and Micah and Wren wasted no time rushing forward to finish the creatures off. Lana, however, was using her shield as a crutch. She must not be able to handle something as powerful as that spell very often, this might be bad without our shield. The smallest of the Monkeys seemed to realize this as well, as it got up quicker than its brethren and charged at him. Wren was still trying to form his Ice Shard spell when it reached him. Claws much larger than what should have been normal streaked just past his eye, narrowly missing him. He felt relieved, until he saw the other clawed hand come into view, and scrape directly across his face. Forehead to jaw, he felt searing agony from the cut. Micah was preoccupied with the other two, smashing legs and taking the occasional bite to the leg. He would have to deal with this by himself. Steeling himself, Wren let out a loud shout. The Monkey responded with its own, and dove towards his legs. "Oh no you don''t! Those are short enough as they are without any more being taken off, get back you bastard!" He yelled out as he finished his spell. Instead of firing it off, he grabbed the spell firmly in the palm of his hand and shoved it as deep into the skull of the Monkey as he could. The blow killed the beast on the spot. It still crashed into his legs, though, knocking him over. At least it would have, but Lana was there to catch him before his head crashed into the ground. He looked up at her and gave her a smile, blood pouring into his mouth from the wound on his head. She laughed at him, and he joined in. Then Micah let out another shout, and they turned as one to see him picking a fang out of his calf. "Good god Wren, how are you alive?!" He yelled out after seeing the state of the Dwarfs face. "I won''t be if you don''t do something about it, get over here drama queen." He chided. He knew he wouldn''t die from the cut, still hurt like a bitch though. After some much needed healing, and a few extra curses from Wren while Micah healed him, they were ready to move on. "I don''t think I can heal another injury like that, I''m starting to get worn out. Not to mention Lana nearly fainted trying to play Hero in there." Micah grumbled out. "It was that, or we feed you to the Monkeys to buy us time to escape." She called out nonchalantly. Micah paled, and he laughed at the poor boys expense. "Speaking of, what did we get from them?" He asked, they had better gotten their moneys worth for the hassle they just went through. "A few fangs and ruined pelts. We did get one Uncommon drop though, a large claw from that beast that tore you into shredded meat." the Cleric said. He ignored the jab, "Good, at least we can afford a round of drinks tonight." "That is all that matters." Lana added with a laugh. Once they were ready, they moved through the room and into a hallway of nightmares. "What the fuck is that?" He yelled out more from impulse than rational thought. The room was dotted with terrifying statues that all seemed to stare into their very souls. Monsters depicted with more eyes than teeth, and spikes where none should ever be. Antlers and fur seemed to be a common feature, but that was where any semblance of reality ended. "I swear to the gods if we have to fight whatever that is, I will never Dungeon dive again." Micah said, with more firmness in his voice than Wren had ever heard before. Lana just rolled her eyes and Wren had to yank her back before she killed herself. "Watch your step, girl. Theres a trap there." She looked down at her feet. Sure enough, a large Pitfall trap was just sitting there, right at the entrance. "Thanks..." She said, now far more cautious. "I see another trap in the center of the room. Other than that, not much else." He whispered to the two. They moved past the two traps and noticed a large dried blood stain right at the center of where the second trap was. They then came face to face with a set of glowing, golden eyes. "Are those jewels?" Micah asked in a small voice. "Yes, but they look to be stuck into the wood. I don''t see a way to remove them without breaking apart the Dungeon, and we will NOT be doing that." It was common knowledge that if you tried to damage a Dungeon or its Core, the entirety of the Dungeon would be sent to remove the people causing the harm. Both just nodded, they knew well enough when to let some treasure be. "I think this is going to be the Boss." He said to the both of them. "We have no idea what the Monster is, nor are we in any fighting shape for anything stronger than what we already faced." He said. "We should at least see what it is though!" Lana whined beside him. "I didn''t say we wouldn''t. We will NOT fight though, unless no other option is available. I want both of you to be ready to turn around and run like hell if something happens." They all agreed, and positioned themselves to take a peek into the first floor Boss room. The door proved to be one of the heaviest the Dwarf had ever encountered. It took all of his muscle just to begin to inch the thing open, and Lana had to step up with a chuckle and help him. Her laughter died out when she started sweating trying to open the thing too. Micah stood in the back, ready to pull them away, should anything happen. Sunlight began to seep through the crack they had opened, and once the door was open wide they all gasped. It was a sea of yellow-green grass, with rolling hills dotting the landscapes with rocks and an occasional flower. Trees ringed the entirety of the room, and the light coming from the ceiling seemed brighter than the rest of the Dungeon. "Amazing..." Lana whispered. "It''s like I''m back in the Ferst Plains!" Micah exclaimed. "Where is the boss, though?" He said, continuously scanning the room. As if on cue, an earsplitting roar sounded out somewhere away from their field of view. That was all the motivation they needed to turn around and begin high-tailing it away from the door. The last thing they needed was to have that door close on them while they were stuck admiring the room. "Run you tall bastards! We can let some other fool Party fight it first." He yelled out from behind them. He and the two Humans were running towards the room with the Monkeys when he took one last look behind him. He caught a glimpse of something that would give him night terrors for over a month. A slobbering beast twice the size of any bear he had ever seen was barreling towards them. He saw fangs as long as his forearm and just as thick dripping with saliva. Golden eyes that screamed of unnatural intelligence were fixated directly on him, and he could swear they looked amused. Fuck. That. "RUN FASTER!" He screamed towards his companions. Micah moved to turn around, but Lana just shoved him forward before he could get a good look at what Wren had. They ran until they came to the vine pit, and all leapt over one after the other without a second glance behind them. He couldn''t hear the beast behind them anymore, but he wouldn''t take that chance. Once back to the Flower room, he gave the signal to slow and catch their breath. All three collapsed and took heaving breaths. "What did you see, Wren?!" Lana asked between gasps for air. "When we get out of this cursed place, I''ll tell you, along with the Guild Officer." He replied. Lana and Micah both nodded, and set off to exit the Dungeon at a more cautious pace. Just because they had killed the Monsters earlier didn''t mean one wasn''t waiting for them after they were on their way out. Many Adventurers had lost their lives that way, and Wren had instilled caution into them the month prior to their dive. All three were just outside of the entrance when they heard an excessively loud female voice call out, "They''re back!" Followed by a towering woman coming forward and embracing them, checking for injuries. "Stop worrying, you over sized Mama Hen, our Cleric here already took care of us just fine." Lana said between forearms the size of her legs. Micah just rubbed the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "How far did you three get?" Joy, the Beast-woman, asked them. "To the Boss room, but we didn''t go inside. I saw it though. I saw the Beast." He said that last part in a hushed tone, and the two Veterans got the message. "Go see Brian, and report your findings." Joy ordered. All three nodded once, and set out towards the Adventuring Guilds main building in the fledgling town. It was a three story structure made mainly out of the local wood and stone, but it would do for now. Inside were sparse furnishings and uncomfortable waiting chairs. A small child ushered them into the Guild Officers room, and then left out a back door. Brian was sitting waiting for them. A mountain of a man, he was well known by the younger Adventurers for being one of the strongest in the Expert rank. He looked over all three of them, then nodded for the report. Not one for talking, just like everyone said. "Sir, we''ve explored the Dungeon up to and including the Boss room. We received minor injuries consistent with what the other groups reported, and encountered a new type of Monster. They seemed similar to the local Monkeys in the forest, but with sharper fangs and claws." He took a deep breath, then steeled himself for the next unpleasant memory. "The Boss room is located right after the Monkeys, after a trapped hallway filled with statues similar to those by the entrance." All three shuddered at the thought of those horrific visages. "We opened the Boss door, and inside was a grassland, fit with trees and small hills. As well as an artificial sunlight brighter than the rest of the Dungeon. We left shortly after, but I got a good look at the Boss before we did." The Officer just motioned with his hand, clearly impatient. "It appeared to be a Bear, twice the size of one that I''ve ever seen. With fangs longer and thicker than my arm. The eyes... The eyes were gold, and seemed to understand more than the beast would let on. I believe it is a semi-intelligent boss capable of strategy and tactics. After, we encountered no more Monsters until we exited the Dungeon." By the end he was rambling, and his Party members were just as shocked as he was about the Boss information. "I see. Good job coming back without risking yourselves." At this his vision flickered to Lana for the briefest moment, then returned to Wren. "Rest for tonight, you three aren''t scheduled to dive again for a few more days. Dismissed." He turned his gaze away from the three Adventurers and focused on a mound of paperwork on his desk. He sighed once he looked back to it, and the three took this as their cue to leave. They all nodded once and exited the building, then immediately turned towards the tavern. It was time to forget and enjoy themselves. Chapter 13 - Friendship and Pajamas
In the Core room, Sol watches the Adventurers run from the Boss. "Wow. They are really booking it out of here." Wil said appreciatively. He didn''t think a Two-legs could move that fast when it was so low to the ground. Belle had told him that the short one was a Dwarf, but to him they all still looked the same. Different sizes didn''t matter when they see Grizzly. That marks the second time an Adventurer has run away from the Boss. "I think it was a smart choice. Didn''t you see how tired they looked? Especially that one with the shield, she was practically hobbling after the Troops room!" She started sighing at the memory. It was sad that the Troop had to die like they did, but they put on a great show for both of them. "Once these three finish running with their tail between their legs we should give them a reward for doing so well!" She suggested "I am not giving a reward to Adventurers for running away." He said with finality. She turned over on her stomach and smacked the top of his Core. "The Troop, you over-sized rock. I think they get bored, cooped up in that room, it''s high time we added some small quality of life changes for our Monsters." "I didn''t know they could get bored, I thought they would be fine with whatever we gave them." This seemed strange to Wil, but his Guide was known to leave out small important facts in the past. "Well... They can! They will be fine with whatever we give them, but that doesn''t mean they wouldn''t appreciate some small changes." She said, cheeks tinged red. "Poor Grizzly, though, he still hasn''t gotten to fight anyone." She said with a small frown. He agreed; he had really been looking forward to seeing the Boss in action. So far, though, none of the Adventurers had managed to get up the courage to fight the beast. Just then, he felt another presence enter his Dungeon, the large woman he was told was named Holly. She had run right into the entrance and was trying to suffocate the other three. I believe in you, over-sized mutant, end their lives and feed me! Sadly, she seemed to lose her strength and let go of them. Damn. Better luck next time, Two-legs. After the last of the Adventurers exited the Dungeon, he felt all of his powers return and he knew he could now edit the Dungeon at will again. Throughout all of this, Sol had managed to climb up onto one of the many shelves ringing the Core room. He was sitting with his legs dangling a few feet off the ground, and using a strip of Silk cloth as a blanket. He had watched the three Adventurers run through Wil''s Core. After she had told him that he could project an image of whatever he wished inside his Dungeon through his Core he had nearly screamed at her. Then forgave her once he saw how Sol had decided to watch the show, blanket in hand. Wil turned his focus back onto Sol. "We have until Sunrise to get you situated with the Dungeon. Are you ready to meet everyone?" They had both decided to introduce the new addition to the other Monsters, and hopefully along the way they could convince him not to leave the Dungeon before he could take care of himself. Sol just nodded and hopped off the shelf and onto the ground. He was fairly graceful, for a tree anyways. Wil did notice that he took the strip of Silk cloth with him when he leapt down, and saw him hastily stuff it into the many leaves making up his hair. That might be the cutest thing I''ll ever see in my entire life. Belle, however, was waiting at the door. "Wil, are they ready?" "Yep, I just told all the other Monsters to come. I think they are struggling to open the Boss door though, so they might take a second." He said. "Perfect! Then let''s give Sol and Grizzly a proper introduction. Come on little one." She said this last piece towards Sol and he began slowly moving towards her. He took long steps, proportionate to his body, and looked like he was going at a slow walk. She pushed open the door between the Core room and the tunnel leading to Grizzly''s room, then led him through. Once inside the Boss room, he watched as Sol began to pick up pace to explore the new surroundings. Being cooped up in a small room must have made him want to stretch his legs... roots? Sol looked up towards the ceiling, where the artificial sunlight was coming from, and a small smile appeared on his face. Soon he was sprinting through the grass, just barely coming over the top of the green-yellow stalks, and reached the top of one of the hills. Once there, Wil saw him push the roots of his leg down into the soft dirt. He still had no idea what that did for Sol, but it seemed to make him happier so he wouldn''t be the one to stop him. Sol was so engrossed in taking in the sunlight, and enjoying the view, that he didn''t even notice the large bear coming up on him from behind. Grizzly was standing with his head right above the small Treant, and took a hesitant sniff towards the new guest. The wind from Grizzly breathing was strong enough to ruffle the mane of leafy hair on Sol and caused him to turn around. Both Monsters stared at each other for what felt like minutes, when in reality it was only a few seconds. Sol lowered his head towards the bear, and Grizzly seemed to visibly relax. Then in a cloud of dirt and dust Grizzly lay down on his stomach, face next to the Treant. Belle had rushed over by then, and landed on top of Grizzly''s back. "Sol is going to be with us from now on, Griz. I know he isn''t like the other Monsters, but he was born in here just like you were. Please take care of him, until he can take care of us, like you do." She said all this with her face buried deep into the fur on his neck, muffling her voice. Wil had his doubts that his Boss was capable of understanding what she was saying, but the bear decided to answer by licking Sol along the back. His tongue was so large that he physically uprooted the poor Treant when he gave him his affection. Sol hastily shoved the dislodged piece of Silk back into his hair, but then gave the Boss a smile. Just then a pile of every single Monster in the Dungeon came out of the Boss door. They had all stacked up on one another to push the heavy thing open. Now they all lay in a big heap, trying to catch their breaths. Grizzly let out a yawn, which sounded more like what Wil imagined a regular bears growl to be, and all the Monsters stood up straighter. Soon there was a procession of different species waiting their turn to meet the new arrival. The Howlers came first. Apparently they had decided their help wasn''t need to push the door open and were waiting to fly in once it had opened. They each landed on him, one on his head and the other on his outstretched hand. The one on his head had a flower in its beak, and it placed the small Poppy in the leaves of his hair. The other had a seed, and poked at his hand until he opened it up for the bird to place it inside his palm. Then they flew off, and the Serpents approached. All four of the Dungeon Serpents took the trek over to meet him, and Wil was interested to notice one of them looked distinctly greener than the others. "Belle, what''s up with that one Monster? Why does it look different from the other three?" He asked. "Oh! Wil this is wonderful! That''s the Monster from the Ore room, he must be close to an evolution. Having to constantly try new tactics to sneak up on foes a lot stronger than himself must have forced some changes in him. We should keep a close eye on that one, I bet it won''t be much longer until we get a chance to evolve them." She was ecstatic, and Wil was practically frothing to see what it would evolve into. All four of the Serpents reached the two resting on the grassy hill, and nodded once towards Grizzly before they circled around Sol. They didn''t seem to have any presents prepared like the Howlers did, but Sol smiled at them anyways. Next came the sister Spinebacks, both squeaked at him before taking their place next to the other Monsters. Finally, the Troop approached the new member of the Dungeon. Wil was interested to note the female Monkey leading the other three males. I wonder if she''s close to an evolution too? The female Monkey bowed towards Grizzly, then focused her dark brown eyes onto Sol. He actually looked more nervous in the face of the Monkey than he was in front of Grizzly. She was twice his height, but minuscule compared to the bear resting right next to them. After a moment, her eyes seemed to soften. She reached one clawed finger towards the Treant and pressed against the side of his cheek. Then, she turned and hooted at the other three Monkeys. All three responded in kind, and gave Sol a small bow. It wasn''t as deep as the one they gave Grizzly, but Sol smiled all the same. Once introductions were over, Wil turned his focus away from them and spoke directly to Belle. "Let''s give them time to get used to each other Sweetheart. I think it''s time we make a few qualities of life changes to the Dungeon."If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. She seemed loathe to tear her attention from the gathering, but flew back to the Core room anyways. "You''re right. Just remember to keep it minimal for the time being. Dungeons are expected to change and evolve, but if you suddenly have an extra three rooms you may be deemed unstable. Keep it small for now, okay Sweety?" "You said we got water from one of the Adventurers, didn''t you? I think this Nature Dungeon could use some more nature." He thought it was a good joke, but Belle just groaned at him. He took that as a yes, and got to work. First thing he did was check the resources available to him.
Name - Wilcox Chosen Monster - Beasts Mana - 40/40
Species - Dungeon Core (Lv.4) Chosen Location - Ilvan Forest Mana Regen - 20/d
Number of Floors - 1 Number of Monsters - 13 (1/1 Bound) Resources - 152
Over the course of the next few hours he spent over half of his mana carving out small channels for water in his Dungeon. First up was the Ore room. It was clear to him the Serpent was close to evolving, so he wanted to give him a push in the right direction. He added small pockets of water all across the floor, creating small pools a foot deep all over the ground. He knew if the Serpent coiled itself up, it could easily hide under the water and strike unsuspecting Adventurers. Wil was extremely proud of this idea, but Belle thought nobody would fall for a snake hiding in a puddle. So, they decided to place a bet on it. In the Flower room, he carved a small lake in the middle of the room. The Silverbark tree was sitting on a plot of land in the center of a small island in the lake. The Spinebacks might not appreciate living on an island with no warning, so he added a small path of land a few feet wide to link the island with the rest of the room. The lake couldn''t have been more than 8ft at the deepest, but Wil hoped it would be a suitable place for an ambush. Not to mention it looked nice in the flower covered room. Next came the Troops room. He was sad to admit, but his sand pit was failing him. Both times somebody had made it into the room they avoided his trap. He decided to cut his losses, and removed the trap entirely. In its place, he added a waterfall coming down from the top of the ceiling and into the pit he had originally carved out in the center of the room. Why the hole didn''t immediately flood the entire room, he was unsure, but he chalked it up to ''Dungeon Magic'', and moved on. The Troop now had a small waterfall in the center of their home, and he hoped they could find a use for it aside from an occasional shower. Finally, he came what he was really looking forward to. He took a look at the Boss room and carved a river 9ft wide and 10ft deep right across the center of the room. Grizzly''s cave entrance was on the side closer to the door, meaning if Adventurers wanted to get by, they would have to traverse the river while being chased by the monstrous bear. He filled the river with water and watched as it flowed from one end of the room to the other, dividing it into two unequal portions. He figured he ought to add some sort of way to cross, otherwise it might just be a little too unfair. So, he created what Belle referred to as a ''Bridge''. Really it was just a fallen tree he had tipped over on its side. It did the trick though, and now the filthy Two-legs had a way to cross. Most of the Monsters had returned to see their new homes, and Grizzly was busy rolling around in his new river. He was just barely able to keep his head above the water while on all four feet. So, naturally, he was having the time of his life. Wil was worried Sol had gotten lost, but then he saw the small tree firmly rooted in the ground next to some other trees in Grizzly''s room. He had taken a spot next to a particularly large Oak tree, and was basking in the sun. If Wil didn''t know any better, he would have said that Sol looked an inch taller. Eh, probably just seeing things. "Belle, it''s time we had the talk with Sol." He said. She stumbled in her flight around Grizzly''s room, then turned directly towards his Core. "What! It''s way, way, way too early for that Wil. He hasn''t even met another Treant yet and he isn''t even his full hei-" "BELLE!" He cut her off. "I meant about leaving the Dungeon." He said in exasperation. She turned a bright shade of gold. "I knew that..." Without waiting for another chance to embarrass herself, she flew over to where Sol was resting. "Little one, you said you knew what you were. Do you also know that since you are a Bound Monster, you could leave the Dungeon if you wanted to?" She asked, a little hesitant. Sol turned his head towards her, and shrugged. "If you do go outside, me and Wil can''t protect you. If you go outside, horrible people might try to take you from us." She said with fear in her voice. "That''s it, Belle, scar the poor thing." He sighed. He focused directly on Sol and the Treant turned towards his Core. "What she means, is that when the time comes and you can take care of yourself, you can go outside. Until then, we don''t want you going anywhere outside the Dungeon. It''s better if you stay safe in Grizzly''s room and the Dungeon until you are ready. Do you understand Sol?" He was worried none of this was getting through to the small Treant. Sol nodded. "When Sol strong, Sol can leave." Belle was crying within a few seconds. "You want to leave?!" She had comically large tears dripping down her cheeks, and she blew her nose on the hem of her dress. Sol looked flustered, then reached towards her. "Leave. Come back. Leave, come back." Wil let out an internal sigh of relief, it seemed like Sol at least understood what a Bound Monster was meant to do. They existed to help the Dungeon get a better understanding of the outside world by leaving, but they had to return shortly after since they cannot exist in the outside world for a prolonged period. Grizzly, soaking wet, had thundered up towards them when he heard Belle crying. Then he shot Sol a glare, and bumped him with his nose. Sol just shrugged again. "Stop tears, Mother." Naturally, she cried even harder at that. Wil would have as well, but thankfully he didn''t have any tears to shed. This child was too cute for its own good.
Wren and his party sit at the bar in the towns Inn. "It had to be over 20ft tall and just as many eyes!" Wren shouted to the bartender, thoroughly wasted. "Uh-huh." They replied disinterestedly. It had been hours since this Dwarf had come in and started recounting everyone with the story of his Party''s dive. Lana was even worse than he was. She was currently hanging halfway off her stool, drifting in and out of consciousness. Micah was sipping on a beer, buzzed from only a few drinks. At least I got that bookworm out of the house for once. If anything would make you want to drink, it would be that cursed Dungeon.Wren thought to himself. "I doubt most of the people in this town could even come close to beating a... a be- beast like that! That''s- That''s why our group is going to be the ones to do it, just you wait and see." He was stuttering every few words now, and that was Micah''s cue to start dragging him out before he made any other ridiculous promises. Some people in the corner of the Inn seemed to hear his boasting, though, and stood up far more dramatically than the Cleric thought possible. "Watch your tongue, peasant." A well-dressed Elf yelled from across the bar. He was with a group of the other nobles from the various races. Normally the various nobles would have never interacted, but since they were trapped in the fledgling town while it was being built, they had gotten to know one another. Snobby people enjoy the company of other snobby people. Who knew?Wren thought with a small chuckle. The chuckle turned into a full laugh, and soon Wren was on the ground gasping for air. The noble turned an even brighter shade of red, making him look like a ripe fruit with the paleness of his skin. This just made him redouble his laughter, and soon the Nobles were stalking towards his group. Micah grabbed Wren by the collar, Lana by the hair, and started pulling. "Ow. Ow. Ow, I''m coming, I''m coming." She whined, trying to bring her mug with her. Soon Micah had dragged them out the door, but he wasn''t built to be dragging a Dwarf on his own. Let alone another Human nearly the size of a Gigant. The nobles reached him within a few moments. "Stop right there. That half-man insulted me, and I will have my recompense." He yelled out in anger. "Who the fuck talks like that...?" Lana gurgled out, trying to stay conscious. Wren shoved Micah away with an arm, and put a hand to his side where his dagger was. "I didn''t insult you, but if you want, I can start." He replied angrily. He was far too drunk to worry about being polite. The elf narrowed his eyes and looked towards the others in his group. They all nodded and put a hand on their weapons. "It''s bad enough we had to listen to that big oaf speak to us like that, I will NOT be spoken to like this from the likes of you. It''s about time we established whose really in charge of this backwater town." He had taken on a dark look, and Wren could see him channeling some kind of spell in his hand. "Why is everyone... screaming... somebody shut whatever animal is yel- yelling up." Lana mumbled between small snores. Micah couldn''t help himself and cracked a small smile. She always had a way of lightening the mood, even if it was at the expense of someone else. The noble took on the darkest shade of red yet, and threw the spell he had prepared towards Wren. A large whirlwind of compressed shadow streaked towards him. He knew if he didn''t do anything, that he wouldn''t be able to move after taking the hit. Fortunately, he had prepared a spell of his own, and flung an Ice Shard directly at the Shadow Ball, effectively nullifying it. Unfortunately, the impact of the two spells caused a noise loud enough to wake the entire town. For a brief moment, Wren thought he saw a flash of silver inbetween the colliding spells. He couldn''t be sure, though. Dust and pavement were shot up into the air from the miniature explosion, and both parties were momentarily blinded. Once the debris had settled, local guards arrivedon the scene. "What the hell are you two morons doing?" The lead Guard called out. Apparently, he had no reservations about insulting a Noble. "He attacked my party member, after he was insulted." Micah replied; he had no intention of lying to the local Guards. One word from them and they could be banned from the Dungeon. Permanently. "If he was attacked, why did I see him throw out a spell as well." The Guard asked skeptically. "It was in self-defense!" Micah replied hastily, throwing his hands up. He knew both parties were in the wrong, but hopefully they could get off with a warning or a small fine. "That miserable oaf attacked me, and my fellow Nobles. I acted only to protect the citizens of this town from this murderous Dwarf, and his rampage." The noble replied calmly, face already back to the picture of innocence. His friends behind him all had small smirks playing on their mouths. That lying sack of- The Noble had taken another breath, most likely to continue his made-up story of heroism, when a new voice sounded out. "I saw it all, Gerald. The boy tells the truth." A petite woman walks out of a nearby alley, and her large red ears swiveled towards the Guard. "Joy." Gerald, the Guard, said as way of greetings. "If you saw it all, why did you not interfere?" He asked. "I did. I am not one to interfere with a simple argument, but when the spells were cast, I acted accordingly. The damage would have been much more extensive otherwise." She said with a flat expression. Wren looked to where the two spells had collided, and sure enough, there was only a small indent in the otherwise unblemished road. The majority of the dust and pavement that was uprooted was localized to just a small area. "I see... Even so..." Gerald seemed to think hard on this, then when he steeled himself and turned back to Joy his eyes widened. "Then I suppose the two parties can pay for the damages, and we will move on from this unfortunate... accident." He said, with a strange look in his eyes Wren could not place. Gerald moved to leave, and Joy visibly sighed in relief. It wasn''t until Wren had turned back to the Fox eared Beast-woman that he saw what might be the most hilarious, and terrifying, sight of his life. Aside from that bear, anyways. Towering over Joy, Brian stood, wearing nothing but a pair of striped pajamas. His hulking figure clashed with the comical attire, and made the murderous gaze in his eyes all the more striking. Wren flinched, and forced his head down. He couldn''t look the man in the eyes, not when he could practically feel the anger coming off of him. The Nobles were likewise affected, and seemed to be in a much more honest mood now. None of them were smirking anymore, and many also looked to the ground in shame. Or fear. "Go to your rooms. Don''t let this happen again, and I might not bar you all from the Dungeon. Dismissed." He spoke to them like children, and they could do nothing but comply. Chapter 14 - A Day in the Life (Part 1) "Hey, Sweetheart?" Wil called out. Belle''s head peaked out over the covers from her bed, and looked towards him with half closed eyes. "Yeah? What is it?" "Do you ever wonder what the Monsters do when we aren''t looking? Or, what they were thinking when they fought the Adventurers?" He asked. She grumbled something about useless questions, and wiggled under the Silk sheets to go back to her nap. "I guess they probably wouldn''t do much... I mean, how interesting could it get in here, where nothing really changes?" He sighed, maybe when he had more intelligent Beasts, he could ask.
During Brian''s second visit to speak to the Dungeon. I''m the best. I''m the best. I''m the best. The Dungeon Serpent chanted. I got this. I got this. I got this. Today''s the day. He was repeating these thoughts over and over in his head. When his Creator had sent him the signal to attack, he felt nervous at the prospect of dying at the hands of that Human again. Now, looking at the pathetic Two-legs groveling to his Creator for help in some asinine Quest, he saw his chance. "What is it you seek?" He heard from nearby, the Sun to his Creators Moon. He could listen to the warmth in her voice until he was nothing but dust. Just being able to hear her voice was enough to steel his heart. The Human took a deep breath, and he was nearly tempted to strike then. He waited though; he had learned. I''m the best. I''m the best. "I received my Quest over sixty years ago, and until a month ago I had given up hope of ever completing it. Every Dungeon I had gone to was unable to help. When I received word of a potential Nature Dungeon though, I knew I may finally get my chance." The Human responded. How dare he talk to her as an equal. He should be on his knees, praying we let him leave alive. The Two-legs took another breath, and he made his move. While the Human was busy talking, he had been sneaking up behind him using the grass spread throughout the room. The Creator had been hard on him, challenging him more than his fellow Monsters. He knew he must be being tested. Why else would the Creator separate him from the other Serpents, and leave him only a few vines, and grass, as suitable cover for an ambush? The presence of his Creator could be felt, watching his every move, and he knew this could be it. He struck out, and victory had never tasted so sweet. There was no chance of response from the filthy Human. As soon as he saw the look of absolute terror in the man''s eyes, he knew he had won. Until the Human seemed to gather himself, and grabbed him by the back of his head. NO! I need to prove myself! I just want to be- His thoughts were cut short as the Human violently shook him, snapping his spine in the process. The last thought he had was of the fear in the Humans eyes, and how close he had come to proving himself. After what felt like an instant, he was back in control of his body. His spine was no longer shattered, and the Human was long gone. His Creators presence, along with the warmth of his Sun, had vanished as well. He was alone, again. He had failed. Again. I''m the best... I''m the best... He chanted, curling into a tight ball.
Half a day later, the Serpent waits, hidden under the vines on the ceiling. Just a little closer... The Elf had walked into the Dungeon just a few hours after that Human had come, and the Serpent couldn''t be more grateful. It was another chance to prove his worth to his Creator. He could hear the Elf berating different aspects of the Dungeon from below, and felt a seething hatred that he would dare insult his home. The Sun and Moon of his life had dedicated themselves to creating this place for them, and he would not tolerate this filthy Two-legs words. He watched in interest as the Elf noted his cave, the Ore, but didn''t seem to have the intelligence to look up. He felt joy for the briefest moment, but crushed the feeling. He had to stay focused, even if his opponent was a moron. As soon as the Elf turned around to leave, he made his move. Slowly unfurling from his hiding position next to the vines on his roof, he prepared himself. When he had found out he could climb and wrap around the thicker vines, he was ecstatic. This must be what his Creator had intended when the room was made. He hated himself for not understanding his Creators genius sooner. After moving, he saw the Elf throw his weapon away. He really is a moron. This is going to be it, this is my chance.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. When he walked over to retrieve it, the Serpent nearly fell from his hiding place in excitement. The pale Two-legs seemed dumbfounded there was no corpse where his Dagger lay. He prepared himself, and hung off the vine to stare directly at the back of the Elf''s head. The unrestrained glee he felt was only tempered by his thirst for the blood of the intruder. They locked eyes. He struck. He missed, but followed up without missing a beat. He had experienced enough defeat to know that it wasn''t over until he had could no longer move his body. When the Two-legs had grabbed the Dagger back from the ground, he scored a bite into his leg. He felt the fangs in his mouth penetrate the skin of the Two-legs, and began to inject what venom he had. A scream came from above him, and it only made him redouble his efforts. He unleashed every last bit of toxin he had stored up into the leg of the filthy creature. He coiled himself around the leg to keep him from being dislodged, and was pleased to realize his Creator was watching. The eyes of the Sun and Moon were both on him. Then he heard the laughter from the two, and a stress he had been carrying over the past month disappeared. It no longer mattered if the Two-legs killed him, which he very well would, considering he was ripping chunks out of his body away every second he held on. It meant nothing to him, he had done it. His Creator had noticed him, and he had proven himself. Unknown to him, the scales of his body took on a distinctly darker shade of green. Bringing him closer to Evolution. Before he succumbed to his wounds, he had one final thought. I''m the best.
One quiet day, before Wil opened the entrance and announced the Dungeon to the world, a Howler circles the Silverbark tree. Soon. A Howler flew high above the tree, searching for his quarry. They''re going to come out soon, then I can take it. It''s going to be mine. All for me, and only for me. He had waited for over half a day now, strategy was the key for his mission. His brother would never have had the patience it required to catch them unaware. He did, though, and soon he spotted a small snout. Followed closely by a mountain of spines, and he felt a sense of pride at his plan. It was elegant, yet simple. He would wait for the sister Spinebacks to separate, and strike when one had just emerged from their den beneath the roots. All other attempts to catch them unaware had ended with a spine in a wing or a bruised beak. Not this time, though. He had watched, and bade his time, for over a week. He now felt confident that this was the time the sisters would separate, if only for a moment. Normally they were inseparable, and he had no chance of sneaking up to one without the other noticing. However, one of them seemed to have a proclivity for flower gazing. That would be the one he singled out. His prize was what he and his brother had been fighting over for the past few weeks, the spines. Each one had a beautiful silver shine to it, and was just the right length. It would look perfect; it would be perfect. All for me. He had no idea what to do with it, since he had never gotten one before. He would figure it out once he got it though. Once the Spineback was far enough away, he dove. He was going to make it; she had no idea. She couldn''t see his descent from her vantage point in the flowers, and he spotted the perfect spine right in the center of her back. A few feet above her, he was poised to achieve his goal. Skraa! It wasn''t him. He would never endanger his plan by attacking. Someone else had alerted his prey. The Spineback reacted all the same, and began scampering back towards her burrow. Now, he had a choice to make. He didn''t see his brother anywhere nearby, but that didn''t mean he wasn''t watching. You can''t stop me! It''s going to be MINE. With a small chirp he leveled out directly behind the retreating beast and landed on top of her back. This was definitely not part of his plan, but he had to improvise now. He would not give the satisfaction to his brother, and fail his mission. With talons firmly grasping a few of the spines on her back, he positioned his beak to rip the prize directly off her body. The Spinebacks were a fearsome beast, though. Together, they were nigh unstoppable for the bird. Alone, one still presented a significant threat. In one swift motion she had leapt from the ground and rolled through the air, trying to buck him off of her back and away from her spines. He held on for dear life, losing a feather or two in the resulting crash into the ground. His beak was now firmly wrapped around the offending spine, though. It poked the roof of his mouth, but he didn''t mind. One final tug and he felt the pressure holding his prize disappear. It was his! The original owner did not want to part with her spine so easily, though. She snarled, and whipped her head around to bite his wing. He knew he would not survive a direct confrontation with the leviathan that was the Spineback, so he made to retreat. A few flaps into his ascent and he felt pain blossoming from his foot. She had caught him just as he was escaping. Release me, foul beast! I have what I came for, you can''t stop me now! After a moment of struggle, she lost her hold on his foot. He was now sporting a vicious gash in his left leg, but the prize was still firmly grasped in his beak. Just as he was flying towards his hidden nest in the Silverbark tree, he spotted him. Another Howler flying low, aiming directly for him. For his treasure. Brother. Come to steal away my greatest acquisition? It''s all mine, you can''t have any of it! All for me. They clashed midair, clawing and pecking at each other''s wings to force the other out of the sky. His brother was his equal in everything, at least that''s what the Creator had intended. He would exceed the Creators expectations though, and he felt he now outsmarted the other Howler. During their mad scramble, he positioned himself for a counter attack. He aimed the spine, still lodged in his beak, and jammed the end directly into his brother''s torso. He knew it wouldn''t kill him, but the pain would be enough to momentarily stun him. This would give him enough time to make his escape. Once he saw the spine enter his brother''s chest, he heard a squawk that was both parts pain and anger. All for me. It will all be mine. He felt no remorse as he watched the body of his brother crash into the ground, though he was worried he had gone too far when the form of his brother didn''t move for a few moments. Until he saw him twitch, and then begin ascending towards him again. It was too late now; he had made his escape. He dove into the many branches and leaves of the tree, and hid in the nest only he knew of. He was positive his brother had his own nest, but he was not sure where. They were not able to steal each other''s treasure once hidden in the tree, no matter how much they wanted to. Once safely inside, he gazed over his little empire. Small nuggets of Silver pecked from the tree were delicately placed in a small pile. Seeds that had never bloomed were scattered all over the ground of his den, and flakes of the Copper from the Ore room decorated the walls of his hidden room. This was his. It was all his. He placed the newest acquisition on the ground, and spent well over ten minutes trying to find the perfect place for it. He settled for having the spine lean against the wall, next to his pile of Silver. It''s all mine. Nobody can have it, but me. Chapter 15 - A Day in the Life (Part 2)
Deep under the roots of the Silverbark, two Spinebacks rest. "I saw the most beautiful flower today! Did you see it too? Did you? I bet you did; I know that when I saw it I couldn''t take my eyes off it. I bet you saw it. Come on, don''t be shy. It was white, and just the right amount of purple. Come on, Teresa, answer me!" The Spineback was laying on her stomach, asking whatever floated through her mind. "All the flowers are white and purple. I wish you wouldn''t call me that, Sis. We haven''t earned names, yet." The other Spineback, much tamer, responds. "It''s Sistine! We went over this Ter, it''s okay as long as only we use it! Of course, it''s okay. I mean, why would the Great Ones be mad at us for something as little as a name. I bet it''s fine. Yeah, it''s fine. So, stop worrying, you''re not worried are you? Are you worried?" She fired off one after the other without taking a breath. Her sister, Teresa, didn''t even flinch at the barrage of questions. She had grown used to her sisters'' tendencies; painful acclimation is how she would have worded it. "No. I''m not worried, Sis. I just don''t want them to be angry with us." "They would never! I bet the Sun would think it''s cute!" Sis, or Sistine, had taken to using the nicknames the Serpent in the first room used for the Great Ones. She thought it sounded beautiful, and that was all that mattered. That poor Serpent, all alone up there. She had once caught it drawing pictures in the dirt with his tail, and she was able to connect the dots to what he was doing after a few minutes of charades. He had seemed so excited just to have a visitor. She sighed at the thought of the poor Monster, she knew he had been tested harder than any of the other Dungeon Monsters. It made her sad, but Ter noticed her mood slipping. "Sis, we should get ready." Ter whispered; she was far softer spoken than her sister. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Is it time already? Did we already clean ourselves? Did you clean, too? You look like a ball of quills, Ter." "We both look like a ball of quills, Sis." "I just want to make a good impression on the new Monster, it''s so rare for anything new to happen in here. Now just after we fight that gross Elf, we get a new family member!" She was chirping in excitement. "It won''t be family. Or do you consider those horrible birds'' family?" Ter asked. "Well, nobody said you had to like your family." She replied absentmindedly. Teresa was about to retort, but her sisters comment made perfect sense. "We should get going." "Okay! I can''t wait to see what it looks like; I wonder if it will have spines too. I bet it will, spines are the best. The birds think so too. Should we bring a gift? I think we should bring a gift." She looked worried at the last statement. "No time. Let''s go." "Okay!" After a short walk through the many hallways, they ended up in the Alcove tunnel. Along with some of the other Dungeon residents who were trying to open the Boss rooms door. There, they saw the female Monkey pointing and giving orders to her three male counterparts. Both Sisters held the Troop in high regard, as they were the first Monsters the Great Ones had brought into the Dungeon. As they entered the room, all the Monkeys turned to greet them. The female smacked the boys in the back of the head for stopping their efforts in opening the door. No time for play, it seems. The female Monkey greeted them in the male''s place, and hooted once before she went back to helping the boys push the door open. "She''s always so nice, isn''t she Ter? I bet it''s so much fun in the Troops room. Maybe we should visit them more often. Let''s visit them more often." Sis said while admiring the many statues in the room. Ter was unsure if her sister saw the Monkey physically berate the other three, but she didn''t want to be the cause of any strife. She just took a place next to her sister, paying homage to the statues. They were the culmination of the Great Ones efforts, and needed to be treated as such. They both pressed their noses into the dirt in front of the statues in order. Each one was a mystery to the sisters, but who were they to try to gleam the Great Ones genius? "I think this one is my favorite. No! This one! Or maybe, this one. I don''t know Ter; they all look so nice. I can''t wait to meet them." Sis said excitedly. "You think we will meet these Monsters?" Ter asked, a little fear in her voice. She admired the beauty of the statues just as much as any other Monster, but the real version was not something she was keen to see. "I hope so! We just have to wait and see. The Great Ones do what they want, when they want." Sis replied. After paying their respects to their Creators artistic attempts, they moved to help open the door the Monkeys were struggling to move. Soon the Serpents joined, and the door began to open, inch by inch. "Stupid birds, won''t even help." Sis mumbled through wheezing breaths. "What do you expect, all they care about is their addiction." Ter grumbled. "Yeah, but you would think when the Creator asks for all of us to come, that they would be in more of a hurry." It was true, the Great One himself had told them to come into the Boss room and meet the new member. This heavy door must just be another test of their devotion towards the Dungeon. Why else would he have left it closed? Once through, all the Monsters collapsed into a small heap. They heard a yawn from Grizzly, and both sisters felt their hearts skip a beat at the sight of the Boss. It took a lot out of the twin Spinebacks, but they forced themselves up. They would not show weakness in the eyes of their Creators, or in the strongest of the Dungeon. "Sis! I see her! Do you see her? I do! She feels so warm, just like it does in our den! I love it, I love her. I wonder if she will talk to us? I wonder how she keeps her wings so clean? What do you think it''s like to have wings?" Sis took a deep breath, most likely to ask more questions. She had spotted Belle, and was feeling starstruck. "Hey Sis, I think I see the new addition." Ter strategically added, cutting off her sister''s rampage of questions. Sistine squealed and started running toward where the other Monsters had lined up to meet the new guest. She slowed when she got a good look, and was shocked to see it was a tree. "Ter, I think that tree has arms." "It does look like that." She also noted legs, and a lot of leafy green hair. "Oh, come on! The stupid birds just gave it a gift. I knew we should have brought a gift." Sis sulked.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Ter just rolled her eyes; it was nearly their turn to greet the tree. "Get ready." When they stepped up, they first nodded towards Grizzly. Respects had to be paid. Once they turned their eyes onto the new member both were left speechless. Which was impressive in Sistine''s case. Hello, Sisters. A tiny voice sounded out in both of their heads, and they let out a small squeak in response. More in surprise, than anything else. It sounded like what they imagined a child would be. The eyes of the small tree bore into theirs, and they felt the intelligence in them. So far, only Grizzly was able to speak to them. It seemed the Boss had an ability to talk to all types of species of Monsters, and so did this tree. My name, Sol. Sol is boy. He seemed to stress the fact he was a boy, and put a lot of extra emphasis on Sol. He seemed proud of the name. Neither sister had the ability to reply, as the communication was only one way. They were not powerful enough to reply. Only Grizzly and Sol could speak freely to the Monsters. So, they both squeaked once more in reply, and stood to the side. The Troop started walking towards Sol, and the Dam broke. "Ter. Ter. Ter!" "What?" "I would die for that tree." "Don''t be so dramatic." She rolled her eyes again. Sol turned his head over, and looked at both of them. The little eyes and small mouth were in a small smile, and Ter felt her heart skip a beat. "I guess we can keep an eye on him. Just to make sure he doesn''t get into trouble." She said, staring at the floor.
During the first day of Dungeon Dives. Wham! A sound of something being hit, and a whimper directly after sounded out in the Troops room. "I swear to the Great Ones if you three don''t stop I''m going to start biting off tails." The female Ilvan Monkey yelled towards her companions. She had caught them peeking out of the room. Again. "If we leave the door open the Great Ones are going to be furious! Don''t you three fur-heads understand that. We need to be ready for when the Adventurers come in the room." She said, exasperated. "Yes, Leader." All three said in chorus, eyes downcast. "I hope they are strong." "I''m just glad we get to fight." "I wonder if they will taste good." All three were chatting in low whispers towards each other, and she felt a pang of guilt. It wasn''t their fault they were curious. Hell, she certainly was. She had to be the strong one though, the level headed one. The Great One hadn''t made her the leader of the Monkeys, but she took the role anyways. It was only natural. Why else would she be the only girl in the Troop? She sniffed at the three boys, then turned to swing back up into the vines in the ceiling. She settled down onto her favorite bed, the Silverbark beam. It had fused with the vines long ago, and now made for a comfy resting spot. It never ceased to amaze her the genius that her Creators possessed. To think that they added the beams specifically for the vines was incredible to her. The amount of fore thought it took to predict the Monsters needs before the Creator had even made them filled her with a sense of pride. Pride at being a Monster in the greatest Dungeon in the world. Granted, she had never been in another Dungeon. She had no desire to see one though. This was her home, and she wouldn''t have it any other way. A small insect flew in front of her face, and she snatched it from midair. Another example of her Creators excellence. The Great Ones even added snacks to help them pass the time. She squealed in thought of her Creators, then settled down for another nap. She did not expect any of the Adventurers to reach their room, so she felt no guilt at taking it easy. So far, all the Adventurers that had come in had either died, or fled after the Flower room. The Serpents had proven themselves very useful, and had been the driving factor in removing the invaders. She was pleased to hear that even the lone Serpent had managed to take down an Adventurer. "Leader." "Hey, Leader!" "Quiet you two, can''t you see she''s napping?!" The third male said, even louder than the other two. "I''ve been thinking, we really only need three Monkeys in the Troop..." She said absentmindedly. This seemed to mollify the three boys, but one of them gathered his courage and spoke up. Probably because the other two had shoved him forward to be their designated speaker. "Humans, Leader. Humans come. One is very short, and the other two are strange shapes and colors. Nothing like the pale one from before." The male said. She ripped a vine from the roof and whipped it across the heads of the other three. "How do you know they are coming, unless you opened that damn door?" She took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Get in position, boys." "Yes, Leader." They said in unison. All three hooted in response, glad their punishment only went as far as it did. She could get very creative, with very little tools at her disposal. "Remember, the Great Ones watch us today. We die before we let these filthy Two-legs pass!" She had heard the insult from her Creator, and felt it described the invaders perfectly. Soon the door opened, and true to the male''s words, there were three Two-legs in the room. She saw one noticeably shorter than the other two, and decided he would be the easiest target. The one with a shield seemed to be a female. Figures. Of course, the females in the Two-legs world are larger than the males. Just my luck. She hooted as quietly as she could to have the boys in position. While they were sneaking across she was devastated to see the dark skinned Human in the back notice one of them. "Above us!" She heard him shout. Damn. She watched in slight awe as the short one, clearly the Leader, shouted out orders to the other two. They both followed without hesitation, and she felt begrudging respect for the Two-legs. Her own companions were just as efficient, but he didn''t even have to threaten bodily harm. Interesting, I should see if the boys will respond better to rewards than punishment...She shook her head; she can''t get off track now. Suddenly, she felt the eyes of the Great Ones upon them. All three males stiffened, and she saw bloodlust in their eyes. She smiled a wicked smile, and her fangs peaked out of her mouth. She had to give the boys time to get in position, so she began the plan. Jumping from her hidden space in the Silverbark beams, she leapt to the ground opposite the Two-legs. She felt nervous when a ball of what appeared to be ice of all things streaked just past her as she fell. Luckily, it missed, and she landed safely. Once on ground, she hooted to signal the other three to start the ambush. She watched in satisfaction as all three descended towards their prey, cowering in the corner of the room. "Micah!" The female Human yelled out. What the hell''s a Micah? The dark-skinned Human swung his stick, and two of her brethren were knocked from the air. That must be the Micah. "You two, focus the one in the back!" She screeched towards the two boys who had been knocked from the air. A howl rang out in the room, and she turned to see a horrific sight. She felt devastated to see the Monkey that had made it through was now on the floor, with a blade in his eye. She screamed out towards the invaders, and felt her blood burn with the anger she felt. That was her Monkey. Her companion. Her family. The other two seemed likewise affected, but obeyed her order to attack the Human in the back. Suddenly, the female Adventurer stepped forward, and the very dirt in the room shifted against them. It was mesmerizing to see the rolling wave of earth crashing towards them. It hurt a lot more when she stumbled over, and fell because of it. The female Human, however, was hunched over on her shield. She has weakened herself, trying to play Hero. With pure force of will, she clawed herself from the dirt and into a standing position. She would not let her brothers die while staying to the side. The short one noticed her, and began forming another ball of ice. Too slow. She thought, as she reached him. She swung her claw out towards his eye, intending to blind him. She missed by the slimmest margins, and the look of triumph in the short Two-legs infuriated her. It was good, then, she had two hands. Her second swipe connected with a sickening sound, and she felt the flesh in his face give way under her claws. She raked him from the top of his head, down to the strange fur on his chin. If he was so low to the ground, it would be even easier to bring him down. Diving towards his legs, she aimed to knock him off balance. With his weakened state, she saw her chance for victory. Unfortunately, the short one had finished the ice spell. She watched in horror as he grasped the end of the ice, and used it as a blade to fend her off. She had underestimated the will of the group''s Leader, and she had failed because of it. Seething with hatred, she watched as the ice descended and impacted directly against the side of her skull. Ending her life in an instant. The two other Monkeys had done what they could to the Micah, but neither could deal a fatal blow, before they too were killed off. A moment later, all four Monkeys were back in the center of the room. They had failed. She had failed. The three boys all hooted softly, and when she turned to look at them, they all flinched. Most likely preparing themselves for another punishment. "We did our best. You three did well. Next time, we won''t let them get by." She said, trying to instill confidence. Leaders needed to do more than just violence, it seemed. She needed to learn if she wanted to protect her family. She needed to grow. Suddenly the Great Ones eyes were upon them again. "Come to the Boss room. We have a new member to welcome into the Dungeon." This announcement made the Troop stand up straighter, and the excitement in the room was palpable. Chapter 16 - A Day in the Life (Part 3)
Inside the Core room, right after Wil decided to create the Treant. "Belle! It''s happening!" A sound whispers from allacross the room. It wasn''t easy to hear, but if it focused hard enough it could just make out the voice. It sounded excited. "I didn''t think it would become a Bound Monster..." A second voice began speaking. It sounded warm. It wanted to bask in the warmth until the end of its days. Maybe if it listened long enough, it could find a way to talk to the two voices? It would have gladly done so, but the second voice was abruptly cut off by a new sound. A sound that was devoid of all warmth, and sent a shiver down its non-existent spine. It missed the other two. Chime
Congratulations! You have been chosen to become a Bound Monster for a Dungeon. You will serve the Dungeon you are created by, and will do so for as long as the Dungeon is alive. Bound Monsters may leave the Dungeon for a short time if they so choose, but cannot be recreated upon death should they die outside of the Dungeon. Due to the Unique nature of your situation, as you are a recognized Sentient race, you have the ability to decline your new purpose. Declining will result in the Treant being uprooted from the soil, and removed from existence.
Stupid sound. First it interrupts the lovely voices, then it threatens it. It was able to gleam some facts from the box about its new existence, though. Like the fact it was one decision away from being removed from existence. Not good. It had been created by a Dungeon. What was a Dungeon? Did it have to do with the voices? It had to choose between eternal servitude, or death. Seems fair. It needed more information before it damned itself to one extreme. The blue box could talk to it like this, even when the other voices could not. Maybe, then, it could respond. Why, box? It had actually meant to be a lot more complex in its question, asking for the meaning of its existence. Infuriatingly, though, its thoughts felt jumbled and disoriented. Chime The sound felt forced, and grated against its senses. No box appeared. That felt unfair, why should it have to make such an important decision after just a few moments of living? Answer, Box. Why... me. It managed a few more words in its question. Progress! Chime. Chime. Chime.Each came out in quick succession, creating a discordant echo throughout the grey room. The sound would have brought it to its knees, but it didn''t have any of those. So, it settled for mentally withdrawing into itself. It knew it was a Treant, thanks to what the box had said earlier. Whatever a Treant was must not like these sounds, it much preferred the other two voices. After an unbearable moment, the new Treant felt suffocated. The air around it felt toxic, and it had a hard time focusing on one thing for more than brief second. It felt like something was looking at it, and all the calm in the room had disappeared. Just as soon as the presence came, it lessened to a more tolerable level.
Why am I here, young one? Were my instructions not enough to let you make your choice? It is a rare thing for me to be questioned, and even rarer for me to be able to respond. Speak, and I will answer.
It didn''t realize it had been speaking, it figured it was just thinking very loudly. More important thoughts came first, though. It could tell this was not normal, and may be its only chance to get some answers. What is box? What is Treant? Why, Bound Monster? The box was very intrusive, so, it felt it should probably ask multiple questions before it responded. No horrible grating sound this time. The presence was still all around it, though, threatening to suffocate it again.
A Treant, is what you are. You will become a living tree, capable of great feats should you live long enough. You were chosen as a Bound Monster by pure chance, just as all things have been. Your Dungeon and their Guide will explain more, but know it is ultimately your choice whether or not you decide to serve them. What am I? You are far too fleeting to warrant an answer to that question.
Not a very detailed answer, again. That last part irked the Treant, but it knew it was not in control at the moment. So, it bit back a retort. A Dungeon and a Guide. Those voices. It wasn''t sure how, but it knew, that was who they were. The one that had seemed so excited it was infectious, and the other so warm it felt at peace just from listening. How bad could it be, to serve somebody like that? It would like to get to know them, become part of their family. This struck a nerve with the Treant, and it had to know. Family. Can Treant have this? There was a small shudder throughout the room he was in, and the box returned.
Family? It is likely you will never meet another of your kind, or the original creators for the Treants. No, you will not have a family.
Voices can be family? Another shiver ran throughout the room, unnerving the Treant even more than it was before.
The voices you heard were those of your Dungeon, and his Guide. It is not up to me to decide if they accept you as more than the Monster you are.
If it couldn''t belong with its own people, it would belong with the two who were there with it from the beginning. It would make its own family, with whoever it chose. I choose... to be... more. Make me more... for family. It took a lot of effort, but it got out exactly what it had meant to say. At the final word, the previous shuddering turned into a violent shaking. The walls of the grey room began vibrating, terrifying it. For the briefest of moments, a pair of eyes that covered the entire ceiling could be seen peering down onto the Treant. The blue irises surrounding snow white pupils stared unblinkingly at the Monster, then dissappeared as quickly as they had come. It was far too busy shaking uncontrollably to notice, though. The presence had come back in full force, and was now actively suffocating it. No box appeared this time, but instead, a voice. Decidedly less inviting than the Dungeon and Guide, it invaded into the Treant''s mind and spoke directly to it. Give me a reason, and I will gift you this, little one. Fail, and you will not have to worry about making your earlier choice. The presence was slowly tearing away at the Treants sanity, and it knew it wouldn''t last more than a few seconds under the gaze of this entity. It had managed to back itself into an even more dangerous situation than it had been in earlier. Figures. There was no chance of responding out loud, so it settled for thinking about why it wanted this. Hopefully, the box could hear its thoughts as well. Otherwise, it was already over. It knew there was nothing noteworthy about it. It had existed for all but a few moments, and already it had been placed into this terrifying situation. All it wanted was to be back under the light of the second voice, and the happiness of the first. It wanted, more than anything, to not be left by itself in the grey room. What could be worse than being trapped, doing nothing but listening to the others around you? Unable to join them, unable to speak to them? Watching on, without ever being able to experience the joy for yourself. I don''t want to be alone.It screamed in its head. The voice returned, echoing throughout its mind. It sounded, if only slightly, hesitant. No. I suppose not.Who would? After the Treant had recovered enough to focus back on reality, the entity had begun speaking again. It didn''t think it could handle more than one more exchange with the power in the voice. So be it. You have given sufficient reason to warrant your existence. A brief pause. It didn''t know why, but the next words shook the Treant to its core. You, are Sol. From now, until you are dust. This name comes from your very being, and encompasses who you are. Do not forget, little one, you asked for this. The room quieted all at once. The walls had stopped vibrating, the air became tolerable, and the Treant slowly stopped shaking. The presence had vanished, and in its place a familiar sound came. Chime
Congratulations! You have been gifted a glimpse into your true self. Your name, Sol, is a piece of who you are. It will grant you a better understanding of yourself, and always serve as a guide towards your goal. Should you attempt to take another name, you will be torn apart. Should you stray from the path you have chosen, your very being will be ripped to pieces. Should you forget your name, you will be removed from existence. (I think you get it.)Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Do not forget, little one, you asked for this.
One last shiver from the memory of the experience, and the Treant felt ready to unpack all that happened. Not Treant, Sol. Sol reread the box multiple times, trying to make sense of the entity''s words. It didn''t feel any different, though the thought of its new name did fill it with a sense of warmth. The possibility of being torn apart was nerve wracking. Considering it had come close to death multiple times just from speaking to the voice, though, it got over the nervousness quickly. It would have spent a lot longer pondering the new name, but the consciousness of its mind suddenly shifted. Instead of seeing nothing but an empty grey room, it saw green. Then gold, and then a little bit of grey. Soon a face came into its view, obscuring its vision entirely. The face retreated, revealing a small body. At least, it assumed that was what a body was. A tiny thing, with small wings and brown hair. It looked cute. It felt familiar. The small thing circled it, and touched the top of its head. It had a head now. Neat. It felt the leaves of its hair being ruffled. Apparently, the box wasn''t lying, it was a tree. It took a glance down, and saw the bark making up its limbs. It had a distinct sense of the exact capabilities of the wood, and how far it would grow. As well as the ability to stretch forward, if only for a short time. Small leaves covered its hands, and toes. Toes! How it knew all of these different things were strange to Sol, but it chalked it up to the box. It had no plans on trying to contact that voice again. Never again. After staring at the small thing flying around the room one more time, it noticed something new. In the center of the room, on top of a strange pillar, was a large green gem. Sol saw many different sides, and facets, and was interested to see the green color was similar to its own leaves. It wanted nothing more than to touch it, something about it just seemed so familiar. It was as if Sol could feel the excitement radiating off of the large gem. Sol moved to reach out and grasp it, but its legs failed it. It had managed to take half a step before falling directly into the dirt. It felt red-hot embarrassment, but didn''t let it deter it from the mission at hand. Sol heard a small shriek to its side, most likely from the small thing, and nearly stumbled again at the voice. It felt warm. This made Sol pick up the pace, in a hurry to confirm its suspicions. Stopping at the base of the strange pillar, it was interested to note small carvings. Strange animals covered the entirety of the stone, along with a few trees and plants. It looked cute. The goal was far out of reach from its arms, though. So, Sol attempted to reach out and grasp the gem by stretching its legs. It cheered in its head as it rocketed towards the green orb, and it was soon eye level with it. Once looking at the gem, it hesitated. Staring directly at the orb, Sol felt immense joy radiating from the gem. It felt excitement, happiness, and so many other emotions. Laughter sounded out in its head, and it knew it came from the gem. No, the Dungeon. The small thing laughed as well. The Guide. Sol felt warmth spread through its entire body, and joined in with them. Laughter spilled from its mouth, and it knew it had found the family it wanted. It wrapped the roots of its hands around the Dungeon Core, smiling the entire time. "Father." The Core and Guide both screamed.
Shortly after Sols appearance, Grizzly paces in his cave. Something''s different. Something''s new. Someone, is new. He kept pacing the cave his Creator had so graciously given him, creating tracks in the stone with every step. The fissures were wiped away with a swipe of his paw, but it irked him he couldn''t even walk without damaging his home. For the past few minutes, something felt wrong. Something new happened, and he didn''t know what. He checked on the other Monsters via his mental link to them. Being the Boss had its perks. Though he could check on the other Monsters, he could not talk directly to them. Not unless they went into his room. Then he could speak to them uninhibited, though, they could not respond. The Serpents were still patrolling, except for the one stationed in the Ore room. The sisters still lay under the Silverbark, and the Howlers were busy fighting over a leaf. He knew the Leader of the Troop would never let anything go awry under her watch, so it must be his Creators. What happened to them? Why haven''t I been told about it? I don''t sense any intruders, and the Great Ones are still in the Core room. He did, however, feel a strange presence in the Dungeon. It hadn''t been there earlier, so he assumed it must be the cause. It didn''t feel violent, nor did it feel particularly dangerous. Actually, it reminded him of what he imagined a child would be. His thoughts were interrupted by a shiver throughout the Dungeon. This feeling, at least, he understood. More Two-legs come to test themselves against my might. Of all the groups sent in today, none had managed to even make it to the Troop. Let alone, to his room. The Elf from the night before had amused him, but he yearned for a challenge. To test himself, and feel the bones of his Creators enemies crack under his paws. He decided to lay down, and simply observe. He watched in fascination at the tenacity of the first rooms Serpent. He had proven to be a very capable, if not eager, Dungeon Monster. Sadly, he fell all too easily to the group. They have good coordination. He felt his hopes rise, but tamped them down with a thought. No need to set himself up for disappointment. Through the Trapped hallway, and the Flower room they went. He was shocked to see the dark-skinned Human had the ability of healing. Wounds that had left other Adventurers unable to continue mended into small scars in the blink of an eye. That doesn''t seem fair. A real fighter does not flee from pain, but embraces, and utilizes it. Cowardly Two-legs. He huffed, and the dust in his room blew out of the entrance. Secretly, he wished for the ability to heal as well. Though, his affinity was a blessing of its own. He growled towards the Core room again, in thanks. His Creators were truly kind, and he should not besmirch their gifts. The Leader of the Troop was impressive in action, and he could tell she had given her all. Sadly, the group proved too strong even for the Monkeys. She did, however, grievously wound the short one during their confrontation. The cowardly Cleric healed the cuts shortly after, enraging him. Erasing all the hard work she had gone through just to wound him. He growled again, much more forcefully. Cowards! Clinging to life, even after attacking OUR home. They would be wise not to open my door. He was sulking now; he hadn''t expected any Adventurers to make it this far. His earlier hope was replaced with rage. Seeing the broken bodies of his fellow Monsters fueled his anger, and only made him want to crush their bones even more. He knew this was how it would be, but that didn''t mean he would forget the faces of the ones who did it. Then, they reached his favorite part of the Dungeon, the hallway that the Creator himself had blessed with his own personal statues. He had no idea what the beasts depicted were, but he longed to meet them. To challenge them, and to befriend them. Any Monster that could catch the eye of his Creator, like these ones had, deserved his respect. "What the fuck is that?" The short one yelled out, looking at the statues. The dam broke, and he redoubled his pacing. He didn''t bother refilling the tracks in the stone of his cave, and began digging a trench in the floor of his home. I am going to rip the limbs from their bodies, and use their bones to decorate my cave. I am going to sever the spines of the short one, and shove it up the backside of the- His ranting and raving were cut short as the three Adventurers started trying to open his door. He flared his nostrils, and began to get ready. He took a position just behind the hill from the door, out of the view of the Adventurers. With any luck, they would over-extend themselves before he showed himself. He had no doubt they would lose their nerve when they saw him. Sadly, he heard the three speaking on their plans to NOT fight. Filthy cowardice. Once the door had opened far enough, he knew the Adventurers were taking in his room, most likely searching for him. Unfortunately, they were wiser than he gave them credit for. They did not take more than a step inside, and didn''t seem as though they would take another. "Amazing..." One said quietly. "It''s like I''m back in the Ferst Plains!" The cowardly Cleric exclaimed. "Where is the boss, though?" The short one, the one who killed the valiant Troop Leader, questioned. Thinking about the effort she had put in, and the unfortunate death she and her family suffered enraged him again. In a fit of anger, he let out a roar loud enough to shake the entire Dungeon. The very air vibrated with the sound, and he felt a brief flash of pride at his power. Then, he saw the three turn around, and immediately sprint away from his room. He knew he had no chance of catching them, he was far too large to fit through the Boss door. He still gave chase anyway, hoping to scare them away from the Dungeon, permanently. He watched in cruel satisfaction as the short one turned around, saw him, and screamed. The look of terror in the Two-legs eyes made him smile. Though, he imagined it looked far less friendly on his face from their point of view. He waited at the door for a moment more, then slowly returned back to his cave after nudging it shut. He had no idea why everyone struggled to open it, it was so light. After a short while, he felt the presence of his Creator fall upon him. He stood from the floor, and growled low as an acknowledgment. Respects had to be paid. "Grizzly, we have a new addition to the Dungeon. I''m having the other Monsters come to your room, but you will be the first to meet him." After his command, he was gone. Only his Creators could be strong enough to command him. Only they, the Great Ones, deserved his utmost obedience. Now he knew what felt off, though. A new member to the Dungeon. It was strange that the presence felt different from all the other Monsters. He knew the Great Ones had made each type of Monster available to them at the time. A new species? What could it be, if not another Serpent, or Monkey? He knew one of the Serpents, and the Leader of the Troop, were both near evolutions. Even if they themselves could not tell, he knew. Though, he also knew they hadn''t achieved it yet, so what could it be? Just then, the door to his room opened. The door from the Core room. He saw the Creators Sun emerge from the connecting tunnel, and smiled at the beauty of her. She was perfection, and balanced his Creator out, creating harmony in the Dungeon. Without her, the Dungeon would be useless. Just as, without the Core, she would be. Then, he smelled a strange mixture of foreign wood, and dried leaves. It didn''t smell particularly terrible. It reminded him of the trees in his own room, but more exotic. Soon, he understood why, a small tree about a foot in height came from behind the Sun. It looked like a Human that had been transformed into a tree with very bland features. The small eyes sunken into the wood for the head, and the tiny fingers curled around leaves. No, the leaves were a part of the Monster. The head of the new addition was covered in a mane of leafy green hair, and he saw a small slip of white cloth hidden in the folds. Cute. He shook his head, he had to be neutral when meeting the new member. The small tree looked around his room with a look of what he could only assume was excitement. The leaves in the tree''s hair waved in the wind, and soon he was sprinting around the Boss room. Grizzly watched in fascination as the tree moved much faster than he had any right to, and saw him run through the grass of his room. He barely came above the blades of grass, and it looked as though the tree was swimming in a sea of yellow-green grass. After a short run, he stopped at the top of the hill where Grizzly''s cave was. There, the small tree rooted himself into the soft dirt of the hill. Grizzly could see he had closed his eyes, basking in the sun, and just enjoying the room. Try not to scare the thing, Grizzly. The Great Ones wanted you to meet this tree for a reason, don''t frighten it. He thought all this while sneaking up behind the tree, and then hanging his head right above its small head. He took a sniff from above, and didn''t sense even a speck of malevolence in the small Monster. It really was just enjoying being in the grass, and artificial sunlight. The wind from his sniff ruffled the leaves of the tree''s hair, and he turned around to lock eyes with Grizzly. Golden eyes met with the empty hollows of the trees. Hello.I am Grizzly, the Boss of the Dungeon. He saidall this to thetree. He knew there was no chance for a response, but it was important to be polite. Hi, Grizzly. My name, Sol. Sol is boy.A childish voice sounded out in his head, and he felt the fur on the back of his body raise up in alarm. None of the other Monsters had ever replied to him, and he had only ever been spoken to by the Sun. Sometimes, the Creator himself, if he ever had a command for him. He had never been able to respond to them, though. Here, though, he could have an actual conversation. It unnerved him, as nothing had before. What are you, Sol? How did you enter our Dungeon? He asked, trying to calm himself Sol, is Treant. After that, Sol took on a look that Grizzly knew all too well. Fear. Box sent Sol to Dungeon. Sol, is Bound Monster. What, in the name of the Great Ones, is a Bound Monster? He had never heard of this, but he could very clearly tell this tree, or Treant, was of the Dungeon. He didn''t know what a Treant was, but it seemed pretty explanatory from Sol''s physical appearance. He felt the fur on his back lower, and felt more comfortable with the new presence inside the Dungeon. He still had questions, though. He dropped to the ground in a cloud of dust, and settled his head next to the rooted Treant. Before they could continue, though, the Sun spoke."Sol is going to be with us from now on, Griz. I know he isn''t like the other Monsters, but he was born in here just like you were. Please take care of him, until he can take care of us, like you do." She was currently rubbing her face into the back of his fur, and he felt his heart skip a beat. He did not care how she treated him; she was one of the reasons for his existence. Be it as a child, or as a murderous beast, as long as she stayed by his side, he would do anything she said. Even if it meant being an oversized pillow. This was all the answer he needed to know Sol wasn''t a threat, and gave the young Treant a good lick across the back of his head. The leaves in his hair lifted off the branches they were connected to, and the poor tree was actually uprooted from the pressure. He watched in amusement as Sol hastily shoved the little white cloth back into his hair, then turn and give him a small smile. He was about to start questioning him again, but was distracted by the other Boss door. The other Monsters had managed to open it, and collapsed into a heap in front of the door. All were panting, and looked exhausted from simply opening the thing. Shameful, to look like this in front of the Great Ones is shameful. He let out a small yawn, and the sound forced all the Monsters to stand up straighter. Better.He thought. Over the course of an hour, all the Monsters greeted the new addition. Every single one of them bowed to the Boss first, though. Respects had to be paid. Chapter 17 - Devious
In the Core room. "I guess they probably wouldn''t do much... I mean, how interesting could it get in here, where nothing really changes?" He sighed. Maybe when he had more intelligent Beasts, he could ask. He knew it was unlikely he could hold conversations with his Monsters, especially when Mr.Blue had specified so in no uncertain terms. He chose Beasts for his Monsters for the chance of getting the strongest one of all, but the tradeoff was they were less intelligent compared to other choices. He mentally shrugged, and returned to the task at hand. Ever since he had started accumulating more resources than he could spend, he had been practicing his carving. He thought he was getting pretty good, but all the Adventurers kept insulting his work. "Maybe... A horn there... A few more scales around the eyes... There!" The latest statue had to be perfect, as he would put it inside his Core room. He enjoyed putting the most interesting items on the shelves of his room, and he had been collecting whatever caught his eye. He now had enough to start a small antique shop. That sounds interesting... Save that idea for later. While it was important to pay homage to the greatest beast, he also wanted to make some meaningful progress in developing his Dungeon. "Belle, wake up. It''s time to be a Guide." He was slowly absorbing the covers of silk she was hiding under, forcing her to look at him. She huffed really loudly, and threw a miniature pillow at his Core. "It better be good, you Rockhead." She said with narrowed eyes, her normally shoulder length hair was sticking up at odd angles. "Show me the Dungeon Menu again. Please." He added the last part a little hastily, and he thought he saw a vein on her forehead. Chime
Wilcox - Nature Dungeon (Lvl.4)
Mana - 18/40 Mana Regeneration - 20/d Resources - 56
Monsters - 13 (1/1 Bound) Floors - 1
The sound grated against his senses more than usual, and he shot a glare at the still sulking Guide. After building the different water fixtures in the Dungeon, he had used up a good portion of his mana. He knew he couldn''t add much more difficulty to the Dungeon, at least not yet. If he did, it might prove too much for the feeble Adventurers, and Belle had reminded him quite often what Adventurers did to Dungeons they found unusual. So, new traps were out. Evolutions? He turned his attention to the Dungeon Serpent in the Ore room, and was happy to note the Monster exploring the small pools of water he had placed in the room. Once his entire focus was on the room, the Serpent seemed to stiffen. It was almost as if it had sensed his presence, and was trying to puff its chest out. He saw how the splotches of green the other Dungeon Serpents possessed were far darker on this Monster. Not to mention, it seemed slightly larger than its brethren. "What are you going to turn into..." He mumbled to himself. What would be most useful for the Dungeon? So far, theres only been one person thats caused me any real trouble. It would be nice to knock them down a peg, or ten. Though, if anybody would have a vendetta against that Human, it would probably be this Serpent. "I don''t suppose you have a preference?" He jokingly said to the Serpent. He laughed at what he was doing, and was about to ponder what to do with the potential evolution, when he got a response. Well, he assumed it was a response. The Serpent had moved from the pools of water, and was now slithering around its room. It was going in large circles, clearly moving as fast as it could. It was strange to see one of his Monsters doing something as ridiculous as chasing its tail, but he knew better. At least, he hoped. He hoped he wasn''t just watching a Monster chase its tail. He focused directly onto the Serpent again, and it stopped moving entirely. Placing all of his attention onto it, he felt a strange sensation emanating from the Monster. Honing in on the oddity, he got the scare of his short life. Chime He screamed, waking Belle from her recently resumed nap, and startling the Serpent. He didn''t have time to ponder the furious eyes of his Guide, as a screen filled his vision.
Congratulations! One of the Dungeon Monsters has reached the edge of Evolution, and is ready to ascend to new heights. (Lesser Dungeon Serpent) has the following Evolutions available to it.
Dungeon Serpent A direct evolution of the Lesser variant. Possesses a stronger toxin, and larger body. Everything the Lesser can do, this does better.
Lesser Venomfang Smaller than the Dungeon Serpent, but with a more potent venom. Instead of incapacitating, when enough is injected, the toxin will be fatal. (Only fatal if the bite is left untreated)
Devious Lurker (Influenced) Twice as large as the Dungeon Serpent, this beast has a slight camoflauge ability. Blends into its environment when still, becoming invisible to the untrained eye. Moving will break this effect. Influenced - The desire of the Monster has unlocked a hidden evolution, one that is normally unavailable to the Dungeon.
He didn''t want to waste another second. Laughing maniacally, he mentally slammed the button for the Devious Lurker Evolution. The other two were interesting, but the idea of a hidden evolution made him giddy. The first thing he heard was, "Dammit, Wil! Not again!" Then, a series of low hisses emanating from the Ore room, followed by the sound of shifting stone. "Belle!? What''s happening to the Dungeon?" He yelled over the noise. He was horrified to see the Ore room drastically rearranging itself, even though he never meant to change the room.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. "Why did I ever leave home? I should have just stayed with Mom, instead of moving in with the dumbest Core in all of Belia. Whats happening, Wilcox, is you just made a Mini-Boss." She shouted, arms flailing in the air. "That... sounds amazing?" He yelled over the noise. Smack! "It is NOT! You oversized chunk of mana. Now we have to deal with the consequences of you being impatient, don''t you think there was a reason I never mentioned it!?" She hissed. "Wouldn''t be the first time you forgot to mention something important..." He mumbled. "What was that?" Her eyes had narrowed to slits. "What''s a Mini-Boss?" He deflected. The noise had died down, but the annoyance in her eyes hadn''t. She took in a deep breath, then exhaled. After five good breaths, she was calm enough to respond. "It''s the second strongest Monster on a floor, after the Boss. You only get one per floor. Normally,we decide which Monster it should be after months of planning. You aren''t supposed to increase the difficulty this early!" She ended her rant with a firm kick to his Core. "Why would an evolution make them a Mini-Boss, though?" He quietly asked. "The first evolution of a floor is always the strongest. I dont know why, that''s just how Mr.Blue made it. I was hoping you could restrain yourself, butno. Now we have a Monster almost as strong as Grizzly, in the FIRST ROOM!" She was pacing in small circles in the Core room. Would have been nice to have heard about this sooner...He thought sarcastically, he wasn''t going to push his luck and say it out loud, though. She seemed to hear his thoughts anyways, but took another few breaths to calm herself. "It''s not all your fault. This time. I should have mentioned it in Grizzly''s room when we noticed how close the Serpent was to an evolution. We need to be careful now, Wil, the Adventurers will be confused at how fast we are growing. It''s supposed to take months before we get a Mini-Boss, and at least a year till a Bound Monster. We have to slow down, and take our time." By the end she was back to her old lecturing self, and he felt better about the situation. Mainly because she didn''t say he had to get rid of the new Serpent. "So... Can we go see what happened?" He tried, and failed, to ask calmly. She just rolled her eyes, and flew off towards the Ore room. He was sure he saw a look of excitement on her face. "Just like with Grizzly, the room it was in should have changed drastically. So, expect some differences from the old Ore room." She added. That explained the scary noise. Then, he had a horrible thought. "Belle!" He yelled towards her. She stumbled mid flight at the sudden noise. "What!? What is it now, what did you do?" "How do I have a Mini-Boss when all my Monster Points were used up. Grizzly cost 25 MP, but the original Serpent only cost 4. Did we lose other Monsters to make this Mini-Boss!?" He was getting frantic. She flew back to give him another swift kick in the Core. "Stop scaring me, Rockhead! Mini-Bosses are different than regular Monsters, and don''t count towards your MP total. You actually have 4 points to spend now, but if you even touch those points I''m going to knock you off your pillar." "What the hell. Why does Grizzly cost so much, but this one''s free!?" He complained. "Mini-Bosses are specific to each floor, and have a lot of varying factors that make them unique. It should have been something we decided after months of planning, but you seem to be winging your entire Dungeon." That last comment stung, but she wasn''t wrong. Many of his choices had been based on pure impulse. "Okay, I guess I understand. Let''s go see what changed." He was worried about the future, yet excited about the possibilities.
In the Ore room, moments earlier. Thank you, Great Ones! Thank you for this wonderful gift. What more could a Monster ask for, than this generous reward! The Serpent thought to himself, as he splashed around the small pools of water. The Creator had truly been kind to give him this. Now, he had another way to ambush, and surprise his prey. It was everything a Monster could ask for, and he hoped his appreciation reached the Creator. Just then, as if hearing his thoughts, the air changed. The Great One, the Moon himself, was watching him again. He stood up straighter, and waited obediently for his instructions. To be graced with your presence so soon after your gift. I am not worthy, Great One. He knew the Creator wouldn''t hear him, but he said it anyways. "What are you going to turn into?" The Creator whispers. To think he would actually acknowledge what the Serpent thought, he was ready to faint on the spot. It wouldn''t do him good to show weakness now, though. Taking the question to heart, he tried to ponder what the Creator meant. He was beginning to fear he was failing by not asnwering, when the he spoke again. "I don''t suppose you have a preference?" Hearing that voice humbled him as nothing else did. Suddenly, the two statements clicked together in his mind. He would allow me to decide my own Evolution!? I am nothing but dust compared to him, yet he would hear what I have to say? Soon after returning to the Ore room, he had understood why the other Serpents all congratulated him during the welcoming of Sol. He had seen his reflection in the water, and was shocked to see the physical changes in himself. It was the proof of his hard work. Now, the Creator was rewarding him even further. To grant him a say in his own future. There was no kinder being in all of Belia than his Creator, of that there was no doubt. He needed to act quickly, before the Great One grew impatient. More than anything, he wanted to be stronger. To be able to protect the Dungeon, to guard the Sun and Moon with his life. Deep inside him, another part screamed for blood. Specifically, of that Human. The one who had desecrated their home, and dared speak to the Sun as if they were equal. To be able to end that filthy Two-legs life, that was what he wanted. He had started running around the room, trying to show the Creator his distinct lack of power. How pathetic he was, and how he wished to grow. Bless me with strength, Great One! Make me powerful enough to guard our home, and protect everyone in it! The Creator answered his plea, and he felt the full brunt of their presence fall directly on him. It made him feel suffocated, but he hardly noticed. He was too busy basking in the ecstasy of the attention. The gaze of the Great One forced him to cease moving, and he was left paralyzed. He continued to scream for the power to protect his home, and the Creator responded with a war cry of his own. Not a few moments later, he felt a shiver run down his spine. Chime
Congratulations! You have earned the right to Evolve, and become more than what you once were. Your Core and Guide have deemed you worthy of being the first Evolution of the First Floor, promoting you to the status of Mini-Boss, granting you greater power than all but that of the Floor Boss. Your past experiences, and devotion to growing stronger, haveInfluenced your Evolution. Protect your Dungeon, Monster, and prove yourself worthy of these gifts.
A sharp pain exploded throughout his body, and he felt himself being torn apart. He let out an involuntary hiss, and his voice sounded different, deeper. It sounded stronger. Yes... YES. Suddenly, his vision was blocked by a burst of mana. Golden-green light covered his eyes, and the pain began to subside as quickly as it had come. The Creators mana washed over the wounds, making him feel healthier. Stronger. His senses felt heightened, and the clarity and detail he saw amazed him. How could there be such a disparity between his old self, and the new? He tried moving forward, and found the size of his body had more than tripled. He was now nearly 10ft long, and as thick as one of the trees of Grizzly''s room. His scales shimmered in the soft light of the room, a dark shade of green that let him meld into his surroundings. He didn''t have time to ponder these new changes, as the old room he was in no longer existed. Instead, he found himself in a room nearly twice the size of the Flower room. Stalactites the size of a Two-legs hung from the ceiling, dripping water into small pools below. The original vines of the room had grown until they were as large as he was. They linked the walls, and ceiling, creating a labyrinth of vines. The floor was now covered in pools of water in various sizes, some of them even connected underground back into one another. The walls were now coated in Copper Ore, and small pockets of a shiny substance he assumed was Silver. Small gems were peaking out of the ore, glittering in the soft light. The Creators previous light would have been dull compared to what he was in now. The mana lights spread across the wallswere partly covered by vines, creating large swathes of shadows in parts of the room. Where there was no water, there was knee high grass. It wasn''t the yellow-green of Grizzly''s room. Instead a rich, full green that reminded him of the leaves on Sol. He felt like he had been transported into a jungle, and he was the King. Small insects buzzed near flowers, and around the vines hanging from the ceiling. Small bushes and trees were placed sparingly around the room, creating natural walls. He could see how simple it would be to set up an ambush on unsuspecting Two-legs who were trying to mine the Ore. I am unworthy. He thought.I will do everything I can to prove myself of this gift. I will become the best Monster in the Dungeon. What more could he say? His Creator had noticed him, and rewarded him beyond his imagination. He knew, from experience, he could not cry. The emotions he felt, staring out at his new room, humbled him thoroughly. The Sun appeared from the connecting tunnel, a soft golden light shining over his new kingdom. The Moon''s presence descended on him, and he felt the excitment radiating from him. The Creators seemed pleased. I''m the best.He whispered to himself. Chapter 18 - Lurking Paperwork
The second day of Dungeon Dives. Wil watched in satisfaction as the first group of Adventurers entered his new Ore room, and looked around in wonder. Though, he now figured that name was a bit out of date. How about... Snake room? No. Jungle room? Too on the nose. He hadn''t been very creative in the naming of his other rooms. He shot a momentary glance at his Flower room, and cringed inwardly. It was too late now though, so he would live with his choices. Ah, whatever, the Adventurers can name it for me. Thinking of names, he felt a brief moment of panic. "Belle! Did we ever name the Lurker? Do we have to name him?" He yelled towards her. He had startled her while she was eavesdropping on the Adventurers, and she let out a squeak. "Stop that! I can hear you, without you yelling, Rockhead!" She collected herself, then continued. "We can name him, but we don''t have to. It''s similar to how Sol was. They don''t need a name, but I''m sure they would appreciate it. Did you have one in mind?" "Well... no." "Why not wait to see what the Adventurers name him? Two-legs have been known to have good ideas in the past, as crazy as it sounds. He mentally shrugged. If the Two-legs could think of something good, then he had no qualms about stealing their ideas for his own. He turned his attention back to the upgraded Ore room, and listened in on the Adventurers conversation. "...different than what we were told. Why is there a fucking jungle in here? All the other groups reported a small room with grass. Maybe we should just cut out losses, and come back another day." The man with his gut peaking out of his armor grumbled. "I see Copper, as well as some Silver farther in. The objective hasn''t changed, we promised the Smith some materials, so, let''s get to work." A short one said. He recognized it as a Dwarf, but this one had no fur on their face. So, he assumed it was a female. Makes sense to me. The Dwarf, now determined to be female, moved further into the room. Her three companions followed behind; weapons drawn. He watched in fascination as the Dwarf, along with a bizarrely dressed Human, pulled out pickaxes. The strangely dressed Two-legs was wearing a large fur coat that covered their entire body. It made them look more like a Beast, than a Human. Soon, the Dungeon was ringing with the sound of their strikes against the stone, creating a melody that echoed throughout the rooms. Chunks of Ore flew off the walls after every swing, and it unnerved him how easily the Two-legs were breaking apart his Dungeon. Belle assured him this was normal, though. According to her, the Two-legs had skills that let them accomplish these strange feats. He imagined it was similar to how his Levels worked. Just looking at the group, and the two members who were very clearly unprepared for a fight, made Wil feel guilty. If only a little. He didn''t want his new Mini-Boss to slaughter a helpless group of Two-legs, at least not this time. So, he turned his attention towards the Lurker. In the time it took for the Adventurers to start mining, his Mini-Boss was already waiting above them. The sight of the 10ft long snake poised to strike the unsuspecting Two-legs was intimidating, he was tempted to let him attack just to see how he he fared. The light of the room refracted off of his scales, blending him into the vines it rested upon. He felt a surge of pride at how easily his Mini-Boss could have devastated the group of Adventurers, and the determination he saw in the Lurkers golden eyes. They weren''t as striking as Grizzly''s, but still showed unnatural intelligence. With a heavy heart, he focused his attention to the new Mini-Boss. "Lurker. Don''t attack any Two-legs that come to mine in the Dungeon. Unless they attempt to leave the room to progress further in the Dungeon, leave them in peace while they gather the ore. If you feel like you are in danger, you may attack. If not, don''t fight." Before the Monsters evolution, he would have been skeptical that the Serpent would understand. Now, though, he knew the Lurker would obey his orders to the letter. A small nod, followed by a low hiss, and he started moving further into the room. Sadly, the Adventurers noticed the movement. The Lurker didn''t even look down as he slithered from one vine to the other, moving from tree to tree across the room. All four watched quietly as a beast capable of swallowing them whole abandoned its hiding place above them. The Two-legs with the protruding gut made an audible gulp, and tightened his grip on the weapon in his hand. "Why don''t you two pick up the pace..." He whispered to the miners. Both nodded furiously, and began striking the stone with renewed vigor. In their mad scramble to be done as quickly as possible, one of the Miners uncovered a small gem.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The small Ruby couldn''t have been larger than the fingernail of one of the Humans, but all four cheered at the find. Their earlier fear was washed away by what Wil considered, at best, an interestingly colored rock. Belle just giggled at them from her spot in the room. She was invisible to the Adventurers, but she could see them just fine. Laying on her back on the top of a fallen leaf, she floated across the pools of water in the room, relaxing. "Why are they so excited?" He asked her. She closed her eyes, relaxing in the warm light of the room, and shrugged. "To the Two-legs, the shinier the better. I think they can make some fancy Utility Items with them, but a gem of that quality wouldn''t make anything very powerful. I think they just like collecting them to show off." Two-legs are so weird.Why would they bother showing off their wealth, when he could just make more for them? With a thought, he could make more money than most of the Adventurers had ever seen in their whole life. He would never do that, but he could if he wanted. I could probably trap a few of them with piles of money... Save that idea for later. During his free time, he enjoyed implementing whatever ideas he had come up with over the course of the week. The Antique Shop was well under way, but he knew he needed to wait until the Adventurers had grown stronger. If he started implementing everything he had in mind, he knew most of the Adventurers that came into his Dungeon would never leave. So he would hold back, for now. Another shiver ran throughout the Dungeon, and he was surprised to see another group of Adventurers. "Why are two groups in here? That disgusting Human specifically said he would send one group at a time." He berated himself for ever trusting the word of a Two-legs. "Don''t worry Sweetheart, this is normal. There''s no reason for that group to wait a few hours for the people that are mining to finish. So, they are going to go past them, and attempt to complete the Dungeon. I don''t recognize who this Party is, so it must be their first Dungeon Dive. How unfortunate, for them." She smirked. He understood why. His excitement was growing, as he felt no reason to keep the Lurker at bay for this next group. He settled in for what was shaping to be a very entertaining day. He sent one final command to the Monster before watching the spectacle. "Lurker, make us proud!" He shouted, and the Mini-Boss seemed to shiver in anticipation.
Insidethe Guild Officer''s room of the Adventuring Guild Outpost in town. Brian stared at the lone paper sitting on his desk, and heaved a sigh of relief. It was the last document relating to the death of Tannis, and then he would finally be free. For the last twenty-four hours, he had been doing nothing but paperwork. He had only left once, and it was to go home and sleep. At least, until that idiotic fight broke out. He had been ready to bar both groups from ever setting foot in the Dungeon, but he knew that would have been foolish. If he ostracized a large group of Nobles, and one of the strongest Parties, it would only come back to haunt him. So, he let them off with a hefty fine. It probably wouldn''t take much to repair the damage in the road, thanks to Joy, but they didn''t need to know that. Putting his signature on the final document, he leaned back with a sigh. The chair under him groaned from the pressure, and he cracked a small smile. It would take something drastic to ruin his mood, now that he was finally free. "Sir, something drastic has happened in the Dungeon." Alvin, his assistant, says after entering the room. He was a small Elven child, and served him in ways similar to a secretary. He shot a glare towards the kid, but the Elf didn''t even flinch. Most children ran the moment Brian looked at them, but Alvin couldn''t have cared less. "Dammit." He grumbled to himself. "Go ahead, report." He said with a dismissive hand wave. What the hell did this Dungeon do now?He thought bitterly. If he found out another Elf noble died trying to play Hero, he was going to level the building. "Sir. The first room has changed structure, and is now believed to be the home of a Mini-Boss. Several Parties have entered the Dungeon today, and most were unable to progress past the first room. Those that did defeat the Mini-Boss sustained wounds serious enough to force them to return." Alvin looked to him, and he motioned for him to continue. "The groups that have gone in to mine Ore have all reported leaving without being attacked. It is believed that the Monster only strikes if a Party attempts to enter the connecting tunnel to the next room." He finished with a small nod to show he was done speaking. Always so proper. This kid needs to learn to be... a kid. "What changes occurred, exactly?" He asked, steepling his fingers under his chin. "The room has transformed into a miniature forest, similar to that of the Kallin Jungle in the East. The Mini-Boss is a large snake, inspections by the Adventurers revealed it to be a Devious Lurker. It has proven to be very formidable, and possesses unique strategies when fighting." That Serpent evolved, huh? He remembered all too well how close that Monster had come to landing a hit on him. It would have done negligible damage, but the idea of being caught unaware by a first floor Monster was shameful. He thought back to the Serpent, then to his Quest, and felt his hopes rise. He furiously crushed them back down, it wouldn''t do to get impatient. He would wait, and see. If the Lurker progressed far enough, he may have to pay the Monster a visit. Alvin gazed at him, his azure eyes unblinking as he waited for the next order. "Stop staring, kid. Go outside, and play with the other children. When I need you, I will call." He said, pointing towards the door in the back of the room. A small nod, and the Elven child left the room. Once he was sure the kid had left, he slammed his fist into the wall besides him. Recently placed bricks crumbled under his fist, and he now had a small window facing the outside street. Some of the townsfolk looked up at him, but quickly shuffled away after seeing the look in his eyes. He knew exactly what this development in the Dungeon meant. More. Fucking. Paperwork. Closing his eyes, he exhaled through his nose. Before he could start taking the statements of the Adventurers who fought the Lurker, he had a letter to send. The Guildmaster would want to know about this Dungeon, and its unusually quick growth. His final thoughts before going back to work were of his family. His wife was probably relaxing in their house, working on some new recipe for him to try. His daughter, well, she was probably drunk by now. One last sigh, and he started writing. Chapter 19 - Verne
In the Core room. Wil watched his Guide curiously, as she scolded Sol. The Bound Monster had tried to attack a group of Adventurers in the Jungle room, or the old Ore room. That''s right, it''s called the Jungle room now. His naming system might be basic, but it was the best he could do. Don''t judge him. Sol had snuck past every other Monster undetected, and made his way to the front of the Dungeon. Luckily, the Lurker spotted him tip-toeing into the room. It had been hilarious when the Mini-Boss dragged the flailing tree back to Grizzly''s room in his jaws. Belle didn''t find it funny at all, but that was just how she was. He wouldn''t have it any other way, though. Now that the Lurker was a Mini-Boss, he had decided his new Monster looked lonely. He had taken the time to dig out small tunnels around the Jungle room that linked into the other Serpent tunnels. His Mini-Boss used these tunnels, and had paraded the poor Treant throughout the entire Dungeon on his way to deliver him to Belle. "What if they took you out of the Dungeon! You aren''t strong enough to survive on your own yet, Sol!" He could tell she was on the verge of tears, and after he had gotten his laugh in, he stepped in. "What you did was foolish, Sol. I know you were curious, but the Two-legs are dangerous." He chided the sulking Treant. "Sol dangerous too..." He mumbled, eyes downcast. Belle''s look of righteous fury waned for a brief second, then she recovered. "Not yet, you aren''t. Look at how easy the Lurker caught you, and even he has lost to the Two-legs!" With this final blow, Sol''s resistance shattered. He looked ready to start crying himself, though Wil wondered if a tree even could, when Grizzly interrupted. A roar rang across the room, and all three saw the Boss poke his head into the connecting tunnel from the Boss room. Griz stared directly at Sol, and he seemed to collect himself. After another moment of silence, Sol spoke again. "Sorry." "Go to Grizzly''s room, Sol. Me and Belle want to talk, alone." He said to the Treant. Sol shrugged, and headed towards the imposing frame of Grizzly. She looked confused, but waited until he had left. "Is something wrong, what did we need to talk about?" She said, sounding worried. "Nothing. I sounded like a parent though, right!? I bet it was super cool. Did you see how he didn''t even argue! Hah!" He was laughing at his victory. "I don''t know why I ever told you about how the Two-legs raised their children. Was that why you asked? To look cool?" She said, only slightly smiling. "It worked, didn''t it?" He asked smugly. She just rolled her eyes. "Only a little., Rockhead. You got lucky. You better hope Treants don''t have a Teenage phase." "What''s a Teena-" He was cut off as another shiver ran through the Dungeon. Another group had left without defeating the Lurker. For the past few days no Parties of Adventurers had made it much further than the new Jungle room. A few had done decently, and gotten to the Flower room, before they too had to leave. The sight of the next group piqued his curiosity, though. Of all the Adventurers, this group had gotten the furthest. It was that Dwarf, the oversized Human, and the overly tanned one. Belle had told him they would be back, but he didn''t expect them so soon. I forgot how ugly they all looked. "Oh! I think we may finally get to see Griz in action!" Belle said, spinning in circles. He just scoffed. "They were dead on their feet last time, why would it be any different now?" "Because, Rockhead, they''ve had all this time to prepare. I wouldn''t be surprised if they had strategies to get through every room easily this time around." She said. He grumbled at this, but what she said next perked him up. "Although... We''ve had the same amount of time too, and have a few surprises of our own." At the last part, she flew off towards the Jungle room. He felt his mood improve, and turned his attention towards the new room. The returning Adventurers had entered in a tight formation, and were searching for traps. Something was off about the Party, though. "What''s with their clothes? Why do they look so strange now? I mean, they were ugly before, but this is just sad." All three now had strange patches of fur on their armor. Or scales, in the large Human''s case. "Can''t you recognize it, Wil? They made that armor from the drops from the Dungeon Monsters." He felt his nonexistent stomach sink, then anger followed. "They wear the bodies of my Monsters, to come back and fight them again!?" He had started raising his voice, and every Monster in the Dungeon felt their blood boil. "Calm down, Sweetie. This is normal for Dungeons, this is why the Monsters dropped the items to begin with. I know it''s cruel, and barbaric, but this is how it is." "How the hell did they even get that much material?" He knew for a fact they hadn''t gotten enough for all three to wear during their dive. The large Human was practically covered in the scales of his Serpents. "They bought it from other Adventurers, of course. Probably pretty expensive too, I wonder how they got it ready so quickly. They''ve only had a few days, but these guys are definitely the best geared Adventurers we''ve had so far." She said appreciatively. He sulked even further at his Guides honest praise of the slaughter of his Monsters. "Where is the bastard?" The large Human said. He remembered from their previous dive her name was Lana. He preferred Disgusting Mutant, but he would save that insult specifically for that one man. "The other groups say it only attacks when we attempt to leave, so keep your eyes sharp." The Dwarf, Wren, said. "Do you try to sound like a Guild Officer, or do you honestly talk like that." Lana said. The man in the back, Micah, cracked a smile. "Keep your eyes sharp, or I''ll poke you with something sharp myself." He warned.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Promise?" She replied automatically. Wil couldn''t help himself, and chuckled. Then he berated himself for laughing at the mutant who was invading his home. Belle, for her part, was swimming laps across one of the many pools on the ground. She had been counting out loud, and gotten to fifty-three before the Adventurers reached her. They had slogged through the dense growth of plants, and were now trying to avoid falling into the pools of water. "I can see that the water connects underground. You think there''s any treasure down there?" The overly tanned one, Micah, asks. "It''s still the first floor, I doubt it." Wren replied. "I guess. I don''t think this counts as a normal first floor Dungeon, though. We all heard the Guild Officer speak about how quickly the layout changed." "What are they talking about, Belle?" She shook the water out of her hair, and smiled. "Apparently, you''re the talk of the town, Sweetie. All that changing you did, without asking me, is being noticed. I. Told. You." She was perched on a floating leaf, arms crossed. He mentally flinched at her condemnation, but recovered quickly enough. "No,Sweetheart, I meant Treasure." "What about it?" She asked curiously. He was starting to feel embarrassed. "Well... What is it?" After a few minutes of laughter, at his expense, she replied. "Dungeons use Treasure to lure Two-legs into traps, or reward them for defeating a particularly hard part of the Dungeon. Usually, it''s a pile of gold, or an Imbued Sword, or something equally useless." She was still grinning, but he was too interested to care about her teasing anymore. "Can I-" "Don''t you even think about it. If you change even a single leaf over the next month, I''m going to start tearing down those statues you love so much." He gasped. Not his life work! "Message received. If you break those statues, I''m taking away your bed." She gasped in return. They both had warheads locked and loaded, but the Adventurers broke the stalemate. The Dwarf had fallen into one of the pools after staring at the ceiling, when he should have been looking at his footing. Wil laughed until he felt sick, and Belle wiped the tears from her eyes. "Watch out. There''s water there." Lana said to the soaked Dwarf. Micah snorted, but pretended to cough when Wren whirled on him. "No Treasure down there. Keep moving." He acted as if it was all intended. The other two shrugged, and neared the end of the room. Trees, and vines, blocked their way. The door was 10ft away from them, but they would need to find a way through the dense overgrowth. They didn''t see what Wil and Belle did, though. The only reason the way was blocked, was because one of the vines was actually the Lurker. It had placed itself directly in the path of the Adventurers, and none of them even noticed. They were so worried about what was above and below, they never checked right infront of their eyes. Lana had started pushing the plants out of their path, and was on a direct course towards the Monster. What none of them noticed, however, were the two Dungeon Serpents slinking from a hidden tunnel in the wall. When the two Serpents struck, both Party, and Core, let out a shriek. Belle laughed at his response, but he was too engrossed in the fight to care. He had focused solely on his Mini-Boss, and didn''t even notice the two Monsters sneak up. He felt a surge of pride for his Serpents. "Yeah! Get the short one first!" He yelled towards the two Monsters. Both had burst from the surrounding grass, and at his command, aimed for the Dwarf. "Oh fu-" His curse was cut short as both latched onto a leg, causing him to crash into the ground. The two Humans worked to remove the Serpents, but struggled to kill them without injuring their friend. Foolish Two-legs. Where are you looking? He was practically foaming at the mouth to see what would happen next, and it did not disappoint. The Lurker, who had bided his time, slithered from his perch. 10ft of snake unspooled from the branch he was hanging from, and began gliding towards the Adventurers. Micah noticed his Mini-Boss first, and acted as Wil expected. He shrieked, then began stabbing wildly into the Serpent on his friend''s leg. He laughed as the Dwarf winced in pain from the Clerics wild thrusts. "Stay calm, boy. We only have a moment, then the real fight begins." He was surprisingly calm for a man with two snakes immobilizing him. Then he saw the one Lana had targetted was aleady on the ground, beheaded. The spot where the Serpent had bitten the Dwarf was a sickly green color, but he was otherwise unscathed. He had hoped for more damage to be inflicted, but sadly his Serpents just weren''t potent enough yet. The one Micah had been working on came off in pieces, and the Dwarve''s leg underneath was soaked in blood. Wren ignored the injury, and stood up to face the oncoming Mini-Boss. Then, promptly fell backwards, unconscious. "Shit. It''s you and me now, Micah. The venom must have been too much for him." Lana grunted, taking a wide stance to meet the Lurker head on. "I can heal him, just keep that thing at bay for a minute." Micah said in a shakey voice. Two-legs and Lurker clashed in a tangle of limbs and muscle. The Human was abnormally large, but her size only worked against her in this fight. His Mini-Boss coiled himself around her body, pinning her arms to her side. She had no way to reach for her weapons, and she shouted towards her team member. "No... Time... Help." Each word came out breathlessly. His Lurker was far stronger than he realized. "Yeah! Get em'' baby!" Belle cheered from the side, pumping her fists in the air. Micah looked up from Wren, and saw her nearly encased in the snake. The Mini-boss had coiled himself around her, leaving only the head exposed. The Lurker had unhinged his jaws, and looked like he was about to swallow the ugly human. Wil was nearly in tears at the thought of his Monster swallowing the Adventurer, but the Cleric finally regained his senses. He rushed towards the Monster, glowing ball of light in hand, and thrust his spell towards the eyes of the snake. The light burst through the room, banishing shadows, and blinding everyone inside. Wil had no trouble seeing, though, and asked the important question. "What the fuck was that?" "Language. What that was, was a spell. It''s only a basic spell, so it didn''t do much besides blind the Lurker. He was smart to do it, though. Look." She pointed towards the fight. His Mini-boss was writhing on the floor, covering his eyes with his tail. The Cleric had shoved the ball of light straight into his face, forcing him to let the Two-legs go. Cowardly Cleric... Let my Monster eat in peace. After blinding the Lurker, Micah grabbed the ugly Human and pulled her away. He grabbed her by the hair, which looked very painful, and moved towards the collapsed Dwarf. "Ow. Okay, you can let go now." Lana grumbled. "You''re welcome." The Cleric said breathlessly. Dragging her must have really took it out of him. "Thank you." She looked sincere, but Wil could never tell what the facial expressions of Two-legs ever really meant. "Get ready, that flash doesn''t blind for very long." As he said this, the golden eyes of the Mini-boss rounded on them. Wil could see nothing but hatred in his Monster''s gaze, and it made him so proud. What ensued next was a war of attrition. Every time the Lurker attacked one Two-legs, the other would beat it away. Chunks of earth flew through the air, thrown by the ugly Human, and the Cleric healed her whenever she was bitten or bruised. In a one on one fight, neither would have lasted longer than a brief moment. Together, they just barely had the strength to stand their ground. Barely. It wasn''t until his Monster had managed to trip the ugly one, and grapple the Cleric to the ground, that Wil knew victory was theirs. The Lurker had unhinged its jaws again, and was ready to snap them shut over the skull of Micah. Then, a shard of ice pierced through the roof of his mouth. His Mini-Boss hissed in pain, and blood flowed from the wound. The well-timed attack had gone through his mouth, and out the back of his throat. Everyone watching knew he would not survive much longer with such a grievous wound. So, the Mini-Boss made one final lunge towards the Party. The Lurker extended to its full length, and reached towards the Cleric, blood still pouring from his mouth. Leaving himself exposed only provided the other two the opportunity to strike, though. Another bolt of ice pierced his side. Then, a sword was thrust into his tail, pinning him to the ground. The fight was over, and the Lurker had lost. As he lay there, bleeding out, Wil put the full brunt of his focus on the Mini-boss. Belle flew over, and began gently stroking his head. "You did so well. We are both so proud of you." She whispered. Seeing the effort his Lurker had gone through, and the devotion he had shown, inspired him. This Monster deserved a name. It would be an insult to what this beast had gone through, all the pain it suffered for his sake, if he only referred to him by his species. "You''re the best Mini-Boss this Dungeon could have asked for. From now on, you are named Verne. You''ve earned this." Verne raised his head to stare towards Wil''s Core, and was beheaded by Lana. "Man! Talk about a wild fight. Good timing there, Shortstack." She yelled towards the Dwarf. "I''m just glad you two didn''t get swallowed before I could rescue you." He replied with a smirk. "What now?" The Cleric asked, going through the loot Verne had dropped. Leaf green scales, and a fang long enough to act as a shortsword. "We heal, then move on. The plan stays the same. We get back to the Boss, and if we feel ready, we kill the fucker." The Dwarf said with a stoney gaze. Both Wil and Belle ignored the Party. "Why Verne?" She asked. "I''m not sure. It just seemed right." He mentally shrugged, after witnessing the heroic Monster in action, it had appeared in his mind. He chalked it up to ''Dungeon Things'', and moved on. Belle just smiled, then nodded. He wanted to ask why that made her happy, but was cut off by a roar. Grizzly''s challenge reverberated throughout the entire dungeon, and he wouldn''t be surprised if the town outside heard it as well. His Boss was ready for his first real fight. Wil couldn''t wait to watch the Two-legs be crushed under his paws. Chapter 20 - Insurmountable "Sweetheart... I know you''re upset, but this is getting ridiculous." He sighed. Belle was still sobbing over Verne. While it broke his heart for the first few minutes, it started to get old after the next ten. "H-He... He just... He worked so hard!" She sniffed loudly, then blew her nose on the hem of her dress. She had started sobbing after the Adventurers exited the Jungle room, and it had seemed to come from nowhere. One minute she was ready to watch the Two-legs be crushed by the Boss. The next, she was using Sol as a shoulder to cry on. "Come on, Belle, you know he won''t be gone long." He tried to console her, but he didn''t think it worked very well. "I know that! It''s just... He looked so happy, and then they cut his head off." She scowled, and her expression darkened considerably. "These Adventurers better not leave alive." Sol was silently stroking the top of her head. He had gone from the berated child to the nurturing parent in a matter of hours. At her declaration, he nodded his head vigorously, shaking a few loose leaves from his hair. Both Guide and Treant were sitting on the shelves of the Core room, watching the Adventurers progression through his Core. Sol had Belle in one arm, and his strip of Silk cloth in the other. "They won''t." He assured her. He had claimed the lives of over fifteen Adventurers during the past few days, but he was ready to up his numbers. They all watched in dismay as the Party breezed through the Trapped hallway. The worst injury they received there was when the ugly Human had tripped, and walked into a Fake Floor trap. Sadly, there was no Falling Boulder pressure plate underneath the thin sheet of rock, and she left unscathed. When they reached the Flower room, he fully expected them tostruggle and die. Instead, they rushed to the wall on the left side, and crouched behind Lana''s shield. "Cowards. Die with some dignity." He heard Belle growl in her tiny voice. This new version of his Guide was kind of scary, and cute. "Cowards." Sol mimicked. They had completely avoided his small lake in the center of the room, and just waited at the wall for the Monsters to come to them. As expected, his Monsters were too smart to fall for such a basic trap. Sadly, the filthy Dwarf had a ranged spell. When he spotted the Howlers, he easily dispatched them from the sky before they could land their attack. The sister Spinebacks charged afterwards, but Wil knew they would not survive on their own. "Belle, why does that Two-legs use so many spells? I thought they could only use a few before getting exhausted." It irked him that the lone Adventurer was causing this much trouble for him. "It''s his Level. He''s probably a D rank, so he must be above Level 10. Why not check?" She asked casually. He felt his Core darken, but he held himself back. Barely. "Sweetheart. Check what?" He forced out. Both of them knew she had gotten caught, and Sol tried to distance himself from the Guide. She looked away in shame. "Didn''t I mention... You can check the Adventurers Levels by Inspecting them..." "No. You did not mention that." "Right... Well, all you have to do is focus on them! It''s... that easy?" She was trying to make it sound like he should have figured it out on his own. Maybe he should have, but he wouldn''t admit that. He wouldn''t argue with her today, though. He just absorbed her bed sheets, and replaced them with moss. "One week." She looked ready to protest, but Sol put a leafed fingertip on the top of her head. He nodded to tell her to let it go. She sulked even further, and kicked the post of her bed. "Fine." "Can the Two-legs Inspect my Dungeon? Or is it a Dungeon only ability?" He asked. After tearing her gaze away from the now far less comfortable sleeping arrangements, she responded. "Some do. Most don''t. All Dungeons can do it, though. I''m sure at least one person in the town outside can, though." That put his mind at ease, at least not every Adventurer could Inspect his Monsters. It would have upset him to no end if his power was comparable to that of a Two-legs. Of course, Dungeons all have it. We''re the best. Once he was done patting himself on the back, he focused as intently as he could on the ugly Human.
Lana Aldritch - Human (Lvl. 5)
Affinity - Earth Class - Fighter
Dungeons Completed - 0 Specialization - None
This disgusting thing has a higher Level than I do? Other than that annoying fact, everything else was what he had expected. He turned his attention to the Cleric.
Micah Stormspear- Human (Lvl. 5)
Affinity - Light Class - Cleric
Dungeons Completed - 0 Specialization - None
Are you fucking kidding me? It seemed cruel that the Human would have such a cool last name. He thought back to when he had chosen his own name, and now wished he had picked Death Laser more than ever. Life is cruel. Of course, he''s Level 5 too. Just my luck. He had saved the Dwarf for last, knowing it would only upset him more to end on a bad note. With a silent curse towards the Two-legs, he Inspected him.
Wren Giltrell - Dwarf (Lvl. 11)
Affinity - Water Class - Mage
Dungeons Completed - 1 Specialization - Freezing
Come on! Seriously!? "Belle, why the hell is that Dwarf Level 11. This doesn''t even seem fair." He said, sulking. "Oh, he is? That means he''s aD rank Adventurer. That stupid Elf you killed was probably the same rank. It''s the same as your Levels, Sweetheart. Once they go past Level 10, they become a lot stronger." She seemed just as annoyed as he was at this development, but she didn''t look surprised. "That''s why they have been able to get as far as they did, the Dwarf is the equivalent to a Dungeon''s Second Floor Monster. So, the ones we have now won''t pose too much threat. Except the Boss, of course." She added, but this only upset him further. "Well still, why does he have a Specialization? What does it even mean?" "It''s based off of their Affinity and Class. Freezing means he will specialize in offensive Ice spells. There are, supposedly, an unlimited number of Specializations. There are some common ones though, such as Freezing. Other popular ones would be Metal Shaping for Earth, and Lightning for Fire. It just depends on the personality of the Two-legs for what Specialization they get." That last sentence caught him off guard. "They can''t choose what Specialization they get?" He asked incredulously. "Of course not. Nearly everything is random chance for the Two-legs. This was how Mr. Blue decided it should be." She replied nonchalantly. This bothered him for some reason, but another question popped into his head. "Why can''t I see more detailed information when I Inspect them? Is there more information, or is that it?" Then he realized he had never mentioned the Dwarf had a Freezing Specialization. "Can you Inspect them too!? Why didn''t you tell me?" She took on another look of guilt. "Honestly, I thought Dungeons instinctively knew how to do it. Yes, I can do nearly everything you can. Aside from Dungeon building anyways. Supposedly, some of the higher ranked Adventurers can see very detailed information with their Inspections. I believe, once you level up, you will be able to as well." Stupid limitations... He turned his attention back to the Adventurers, and noticed them looting the corpses of the Sisters. It filled him with anger, but he knew this was how it had to be. They hadn''t even taken a single bit of damage from them, either. The quills of his Monsters were unable to pierce the new armor the ugly Human had. The spines would probably have hurt the two cowering behind her, but the Sisters had been unable to break past Lana. "Just as they said, there''s a little pond here now." The Dwarf said. "It looks so peaceful." Micah added. It was only natural the Two-legs would be admiring his Dungeon; itwas the greatest. "There''s still at least one Serpent hiding somewhere, if we assume that Mini-Boss was the original Monster in the Ore room." The ugly Human said, looking around for a sneak attack. She was right, of course. His Monster had been slowly slithering across the branches of the Silverbark tree, ready to ambush them. A word from Wil, and the Serpent backed off. Better to use him when they were unaware, than letting him die alone. After a short swing across his vine pit, the Party reached the Troops room for the second time. I really need to make that tunnel more dangerous... Just got to make sure Belle doesn''t notice. "Plan is still the same, be ready you two." Wren said. "Just try not to lose an eye this time." Lana remarked. "If he does, I won''t be able to heal you two much in the Boss room Don''t lose to a Monkey again, okay Wren?" Micah joked. The Dwarf grumbled at this, but he saw a small smile on his lips. How cute, they care for each other. He focused on his Troop, and commanded them. "Kill them all. Only the strong are allowed to fight Grizzly." A series of hoots reverberated out from behind the door, and the Party all froze. It made him very happy to see how wary they were of his Monsters. "Think they heard you, kid." Wren smirked. They lined up in an orderly row, and pushed the door to the room open. Then, their plan fell apart. "Is that a fucking waterfa-" The ugly Human was cut off by a Monkey jumping on the top of her head. It had been latched onto a vine above the entrance, and pounced on the first Two-legs it saw. As she was flailing around, trying to dislodge the Monster biting her neck, the other two male Monkeys came out of hiding. They swung from the vines hanging from the ceiling, swaying from pillar to pillar, rushing towards the Party. The Dwarf released one of those annoying Ice spells, and Wil watched in frustration as one of the oncoming Monkeys was slain on the spot. The Cleric had helped the other Human, and both were now tag teaming the lone Monster on the ground. They smashed and slashed, battering the poor Monster to a bloody pulp. Wil hated the sight, but knew it was necessary. The damage it had inflicted on the Human was sadly minimal, but the Monkeys purpose wasn''t to kill the one with the shield. It was to disorient, and distract the two Humans away from their Party Leader.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. As the last living male Monkey descended on the Party, Wil watched in fascination at the plan the Monkeys had concocted. In the male''s tiny hands, was a large vine. Which he used to wrap around the feet of the Dwarf, tripping him. With a speed he didn''t think possible; the Dwarf had been bound completely, and left immobilized. While the two Humans finished his brother off, he began dragging the flailing Dwarf towards the waterfall in the center of the room. He had no idea why his Monsters would sacrifice themselves just to potentially drown one Two-legs, but he soon understood why. His female Monkey, the Leader of the Troop, burst from underneath the waterfall. She hooked her claws deep into the shoulder of the Dwarf, and helped her fellow Monster drag the Two-legs into the water. By the time the two Humans had finished off the initial Monkey, Wren was nowhere to be seen. Their Party Leader was hanging by the ankles, connected to a vine from the ceiling, submerged under the waterfall. Both Monkeys had left the Dwarf to his slow drowning, and moved to keep his comrades from helping him. "These things are fucking psychopaths." Lana grumbled, readying her sword. "We need to hurry. I''ll cut him down, keep those two away. Go!" Micah shouted. Both lunged towards the waterfall from opposite sides, and the Monkeys split up to intercept one each. The female went to attack Lana, and the lone male for Micah. Wren was still thrashing under the water, trying to cut himself loose. Sadly, his arms were too short to reach his ankles from his position. It was hilarious to Wil. The female Monkey clashed with the ugly Human, and she raked her claws against the shield the Two-legs was clutching to. The wood creaked and groaned, but held. Deep furrows had been gouged into the wood, and it didn''t look like it could handle many more attacks like that. His Monkey kicked the ground in front of her, and threw up a large amount of dirt into the face of the Human. Lana staggered back from this, trying to rub her eyes. The Troop Leader wasted no time, and started gouging out the insides of the Human''s thighs. Sadly, the snake scale armor on her body proved to be an effective defense. Instead of the 2" deep furrows her claws would normally make, she only managed to leave superficial cuts. Wil could practically see the gears turning in his Monsters head, and he cheered her on. He watched as his Monster leapt from her place by the Humans knees, and onto her chest. Lana shrieked at this, and started trying to push the Monster off of her. "Get off me! I will not lose to a god damned Monkey!" At this declaration, Lana grabbed the Monkey by the back of the neck. The armor on her arm was mauled beyond recognition because of this, and the flesh on her shield arm was now a bloody mess. She dislodged the Monkey, though, and proceeded to slam his poor Monster into the dirt. The very ground rippled from the impact point, and his valiant Troop Leader was crushed beyond recognition from the force of the blow. "What the hell just happened!?" He yelled towards Belle. "It was her Earth Affinity. She did that spell last time." She said with a small sigh. He remembered when she had sent a wave of earth out, and it had tripped up his Monsters in their earlier dive. Apparently, it was an effective offensive spell for close quarters as well. Micah had been fending off the other Monkey throughout Lana''s ordeal, but had been unable to slay the Monster. The Cleric just wasn''t strong enough to land a finishing blow, but the disgusting Human didn''t have that hang-up. She walked over, and severed his Monkeys head off from his shoulders. She had struck the Monster while his back was turned. Cowardly Adventurers. Both of them rushed towards the now unconscious Dwarf, and dragged him out of the water. They laid him on the ground, but he was unresponsive to their questioning. He watched in interest as they pounded on the chest of the Two-legs, and felt disgusted when the tanned Human put his lips to the Dwarf''s. "Gross." "It''s a common technique for resuscitation." Belle said with a frown. "It''s still gross." It had worked, though. After an obscene amount of water was ejected from his body, Wren stood up. He didn''t look any worse for the wear, even after nearly drowning. After checking each other for wounds, and the Cleric scolding the ugly Human for letting a Monkey get the best of her, they began moving forward again. "Are you sure? I don''t think I can do more than one large Heal before I become exhausted. If both of you are injured, I can only save one of you." "I nearly drowned, and I still want to go. Don''t be scared, kid." The Dwarf chided. "I''m not scared! I''m being practical. You really think Lana will be able to hold her own against a fucking bear!?" "If I can''t, I''ll hide behind you. Now get moving, Drama Queen." She started shoving him forward, and he let out a long sigh before moving on his own. "There better be some good Loot at the end of this. If not, I''m retiring." Micah grouched. "You haven''t even started your career as an Adventurer. Once we kill the Boss, and clear the Dungeon, you will understand." Wren said with a small smile. "Understand what?" "The sense of accomplishment." He replied with a large grin. Micah huffed at this, but kept moving forward. They had entered his room with the statues, and paused to admire his work. "God, that''s ugly." Lana said, and the entire Party visibly shuddered while looking at his work. Stupid Two-legs... His statues were still a sore spot, as he hadn''t been able to capture the essence of what a Deer should be yet. One day, he would. Then they would stop insulting his work. All three stopped in front of the door, and the golden jewels set in the wood stared down at them. "We can still back out. No harm, no foul." Micah whispered. He was staring at the yellow stones, transfixed. The ugly Human rolled her eyes, and started pushing the door open. She heaved, and grunted, and made many other disgusting noises. Wren had an Ice spell at the ready, and Micah with his staff in hand. Both were ready to attack at the slightest sign of movement. Wil knew they would enter unscathed, as Grizzly was currently resting in the inside of his cave. "Belle, why isn''t Griz going out and attacking them? It''s like he wants them to be prepared for him." He remarked. She just sighed, and cracked a small smile. "I figured this would happen. How would you feel, Wil, if you had spent your entire existence cooped up in a small room? Your purpose to kill Intruders, yet no Intruders come. Isn''t it obvious? He wants to put on a show." At the end of her lecture, Grizzly stood up from his resting position. He let loose a roar similar to the one they had heard after Verne''s death. The walls vibrated from the power, and the Adventurers all hunched in anticipation. The Party had moved firmly into the room now, and the door behind them slammed shut. He was wondering why that happened, but she beat him to it. "I know you''re about to ask, so I''ll tell you. When a Party has committed to fighting the Boss, the door automatically closes on them. It''s to prevent Adventurers from killing the Boss from the safety of outside the room." "Oh. That''s useful. For us." He said, imagining the imminent death of the Two-legs. They had reached the top of the hill, and looked down into the gaping maw that was Grizzly''s cave. "Yeah... There''s definitely a bear down there." Lana remarked. "What gave it away?" Wren asked sarcastically. "I think the roar did." She said seriously. "Smartass." She was about to reply, but Grizzly had grown impatient. One moment, they were staring at a beautiful grassland scenery, intersected by a river. The next, a bear 9ft tall was sprinting towards them from the bottom of the hill. The ground shuddered under his charge, and he aimed to run right through their formation. "Scatter!" Wren yelled. Each Adventurer dove in a different direction, and Grizzly missed the ugly Human by inches. He whirled around, now standing on top of the hill, and swiped low towards the fallen Human. She threw herself down the hill, crashing into the mouth of the cave. She avoided the swipe, though, and the spot where she had been was now missing nearly a foot of dirt. "Keep moving!" Wren shouted. He was a good 20ft away now, and was tossing out as many spells as he could. The Ice shards impacted against Grizzly''s hide, shattering into a cloud of icy mist. Each time a spell landed; Grizzly slowed in his charge towards the Party. When the mist had cleared, everyone saw that the spells had only done minor damage at best. Small patches of blood-covered fur ran across Grizzly''s side, but none of the wounds looked to be impairing the Boss. Lana had hobbled out of the cave mouth now, and stood directly in the path of his Boss. "Come on, you fucker!" She challenged. Grizzly responded with another war cry, and slammed directly into the Human. She had set her legs firmly into the ground, and had actually managed to stop Grizzly head on. She pushed against her shield with her shoulder, and held the Boss at bay as he tried to bulldoze over her. "She''s using her Affinity to keep herself rooted to the ground." Belle observed. Wil just laughed. The Human had a strong Earth Affinity if she could stop his Boss head on. Unfortunately, Grizzly had only been testing them. With a low snarl, his Boss reared up on two legs, and slammed into the ground. Grass and dirt exploded from the ground, rippling out from him as if a pool of water had been disturbed. Lana was sent careening away, and the Dwarf who had been casting continuous spells was knocked off his feet. The ugly Human had actually been hit so far; she was sent flying into the river. Being at the epicenter of Grizzly''s attack had the same effect as her spell had had on the female Monkey. Wil was certain the only reason she survived was because of her new armor. Belle was cheering at the top of her lungs, and he couldn''t tear his gaze away from the fight. His Boss was everything he had expected, and more. As Grizzly rumbled towards the fallen Dwarf, mouth drooling, Wil laughed maniacally. Grizzly''s fangs were nearly as long as the Dwarfs entire arm, and just as thick. He could practically hear the bones snapping in his mind. Whack! Grizzly let out a soft moan, as a metal tipped staff smacked against his snout. Blood leaked from his nostrils, but the Boss was otherwise unharmed. Whirling to the side, Micah was standing there with a dumbfounded expression. "Oh." Was all he managed, staring at the insurmountable wall that was the Boss. Does this Two-legs have a death wish? Why would he purposefully grab the attention of Grizzly like that? "Idiot." Belle remarked. His Boss seemed equally confused by the Cleric''s valiant, but foolish, attack. With what Wil could only describe as a shrug; Grizzly lifted one paw off of the ground, and side-swiped the Human. Before his feet had even left the ground, a bloody mist ruptured into the air. He could hear bones snapping after the initial swipe, as the Humans body rag dolled across the room. Once the dust had settled, the Cleric lay there gasping, left side mangled beyond recognition. His side had large furrows gouged into the flesh, and the armor he had previously worn was in tatters. The distraction hadn''t been for nothing. Lana had sneaked up on the Boss while he watched the Cleric fly across the room. She had managed to get within a few feet of Grizzly before he noticed her approach, but he was too large to maneuver out of the way of her strike. Her sword pierced the tendons in one of his ankles. She sawed her blade across the flesh of Grizzly''s leg for as long as she could, until the Boss was able to counter. With a loud roar, he snapped his teeth towards her face, narrowly missing. There was an audible clack as his teeth snapped shut. She pulled her blade free, and tried to retreat. Grizzly wouldn''t let her get away so easily, and swiped with his uninjured paw towards her. She readied her shield, and absorbed the blow. The wood groaned against the pressure, and was smashed to splinters in her hand. The marks the female Monkey had left must have weakened the shield more than she thought, as she had a look of disgust at the now useless board of wood strapped to her arm. Grizzly looked ready to go for another bite, but attacking with his paw had left him off balance. Trying to stand on his injured leg had only worsened the wound, and he collapsed into a cloud of dust. Lana took this chance, and rushed towards the Cleric. Another bolt of ice pierced Grizzly''s hide as he tried to stand up. "I can keep him off of you! Check on the kid!" Wren shouted towards the fleeing Lana. "Way ahead of you, Shortstack!" She yelled back. Wren looked towards the crippled Boss, and began forming another spell. Grizzly was done laying down, though, and made his move. Pillars of earth ruptured out of the ground in a line, heading straight towards the Dwarf. I''ve never seen him do that before. The structures of earth were over 5ft tall, and looked as thick around as a tree. Each one shot up vertically, but more followed after the next. Soon, a line of pillars was on a collision course for the Two-legs. He dove to the side, but was too slow. One caught his side, and launched him straight into the air. "Shiii-" He screamed, as he fell back towards the ground. He landed with a crunch, and Wil could tell one of his legs had broken. The Dwarf collected himself quickly, though, and soon had a new spell formed in his hand. It was impressive how quick he responded during the heat of battle. He lay on his back, head lifted up, and arm raised. It was clear he was no longer able to walk, and Grizzly was now stalking towards the prone Dwarf. Spell after spell crashed into the face of his Boss, but Grizzly no longer cared about pain. The golden eyes looked down on the body of the Dwarf, and Grizzly was standing directly over him. Small droplets of blood leaked from his snout, and fell onto the face of the Two-legs. "Do your worst, you oversized bastard!" The Dwarf challenged; Wil saw the fear in his eyes. Grizzly opened his maw, and began aiming the final blow. Belle was shouting now, screaming at the top of her lungs. So was Wil, but the Boss was too engrossed in the fight to hear their cries of warning. Just as the first tooth pierced the Dwarf''s flesh, the ugly Human let out a war cry, and a sword was driven into the neck of his Boss. A howl of pain, followed by a low whimper. The Dwarf took the opportunity, and pulled the dagger from his side. He slammed the blade up to the hilt into the eye of Grizzly. Even with a blade nearly a foot deep into his neck, and another up to the hilt in his eye, Grizzly did not relent. It wasn''t enough. Until Micah, now considerably less wounded, slammed his staff against the hilt of the dagger. The force knocked the knife further in, piercing his brain. Grizzly collapsed directly onto the Dwarf, and would have most likely suffocated him if left there. Sadly, he exploded into a cloud of golden-green mana, removing the weight off of the Dwarf. All three Adventurers stared at each other. Then Wren let out a small chuckle, which turned into a full laugh. The two Humans joined in, and soon ,they were all in tears. Wil couldn''t tell if it was tears of sadness, happiness, or fear. He assumed it was a mixture. "You''re still alive." Wren said to Micah. "Used up my last spell to keep my heart pumping. Consider yourself lucky. If we had been a moment late, you would be dead." He said, clutching his side. Blood still poured from the wounds, but his organs were no longer in danger of spilling out. Wil tuned out their light banter, and looked to his Guide. She had that look on her face again. The same one she had after Verne had died. "Don''t cry, Belle. He did his best, and next time, he will do even better." Her head whipped towards his Core, and she rubbed her eyes. "Okay. You''re right." While it was a serious blow to his pride as a Dungeon, he now had a begrudging respect for the Adventurers in front of him. They had certainly proven themselves capable, if nothing else. He would not let them leave alive next time, though. Then he heard the Party exclaim, and turned his focus back to them. "Don''t you even touch it." Micah growled. Lana''s fingers were smacked away by his staff, and she had an impish grin. "Just keeping you on your toes. The stick is all yours, Micah." Wren nodded at this, and the Cleric sighed. "At least it wasn''t a total bust." In his hands was an ornately carved piece of wood, with a fang firmly fused into each end. It made Wil think of a double-bladed spear, but he had no idea where it had come from. "What is that Belle? I didn''t make that for them." He would never reward Adventurers with something so powerful. She had a sad smile on her face. "It''s Boss Loot. You remember you couldn''t set Grizzly''s Loot, right? All Bosses come with predetermined Loot, and it looks like one of Grizzly''s drops is a staff. Though, I suppose, it may be closer to a spear." "Hmph. I guess if any of them did deserve a new piece of gear, it would the one who had nearly died. Oh well, I can absorb it when they die in here during their next visit." He knew they would come back; he could see the greed in their eyes. The look of accomplishment they had plastered on their faces disgusted him. "Well, now what?" The Cleric asked, hugging the new staff to his chest. "We pay our respects, then get the fuck out of here. You need to have Holly check you out, ASAP." Wren replied. The Cleric had come up besides him, and the Dwarf used him as a makeshift crutch. One of his legs was definitely broken. "I won''t pass out. At least not for a few more minutes, so let''s do this quickly." Micah retorted. "I''ll drag you by the hair, since you like doing that to me so much." Lana quipped. Micah just shrugged, and moved to cross the river. All three Adventurers were heading away from the now open Boss door, and towards the Core room. Chapter 21 - Until Next Time Three bloodstained Adventurers slowly made their way towards the door that connected to his Core room, though it wasn''t nearly as intricate, or as heavy, as the Boss door. It was just to keep the Adventurers from trying to hide in his Core room once they were trapped in the Boss room. Now, his Boss was dead. They walked unimpeded towards the most important room of the Dungeon. The ugly Human was in the lead, slightly limping. Her Serpent scale armor was ruined in certain areas, and the clothes underneath the armor were soaked red, especially on her arm. The Dwarf was covered in small scrapes and bruises, and was using Micah as a crutch. His left leg looked completely broken, and it dragged behind him as he walked. Micah, the dark-skinned Cleric, was the worst of the three. Blood still leaked from the large gouges in his left side, and he looked nearly as pale as Lana did. His clothes were hanging off in tatters, and he was using his newly acquired staff as a cane. "Why do we have to do this?" Lana complained. "You two are practically dead on your feet. Or foot in your case, Wren." "Ha-ha. Always so god damn funny." The Dwarf said, making a rude gesture with his hand. "It''s tradition to pay your respects to the Dungeon." "You mean the one that created the bear that broke your leg?" Micah asked. "We chose to come in here, and it is because of this Dungeon that we have jobs. Without it, we would all most likely be doing menial labor." "You mean there was another option besides dying in a hole in the ground?" Lana said with a frown. They crossed the river, and the two men nearly fell into the water while crossing the fallen log. Now, they stared at the small wooden door leading to the Core room. Both looked to Lana, and she rolled her eyes. "So much for chivalry." "Aren''t Fighters supposed to have rules of Honor they follow? I think opening doors for cripples counts." Wren said. Micah let out a weak laugh. She pushed the door open with a huff, and they walked down the tunnel towards the golden-green glow of his Core. The tunnel itself was barren, and the walls were smooth stone. Wil thought it looked pretty ominous. Naturally, he loved it. "Sol, do like we practiced." Belle whispered, slight panic in her voice. They had talked earlier, and decided the Adventurers shouldn''t know of his existence just yet. Sol nodded, hopped up onto one of the shelves, and turned around. The wood of his legs fused together, and his arms melded into his torso. He looked all to the world as a regular tree would, if a tree was just a little over one foot tall. Belle giggled at his transformation, and pushed some of the leaves in his hair around to make him look more natural. The Party walked into the room, and he was pleased to hear them gasp. They were taking in the many shelves in the room, and the assortment of interesting items he had collected. The mana-light in the top of the ceiling shone down, further accentuating the green glow coming from his Core. Belle was invisible to them, so she flew around their heads making funny faces. "What is all this stuff?" Micah whispered. "Is that... a bed? Why is it so small?" "In the other Dungeon I dove in, the Core room had something similar. Except, it was a tiny hammock, not a bed. It''s not uncommon for a Dungeon to have Treasure in the Core room. It''s a common beliefthat it is there to tempt greedy Adventurers." He took on a serious look. "Don''t forget, do not take ANYTHING from the shelves. The Core room is the most important place in a Dungeon. If even one thing is changed, the Dungeon may feel it''s being threatened. If that happens, there really is no chance of leaving alive." Micah ripped his hand back from a small gem sitting on the shelf, and gulped. Damn. Almost had him. All three stopped looking around, and focused on his Core. They shuddered when they noticed the pillar he was resting on, noting the carvings in the stone. I''m trying my best! Stop judging me! Stupid Two-legs... "Do as I do, you two." He said to the other Adventurers. The Cleric let the Dwarf unhook his arm from around his shoulder, and all three Adventurers knelt in front of his Core. They all bowed their heads; similar to how his Monsters had, when they were first created. It unnerved him to see this from the invaders of his home, but it did better his mood. Only a little, though. "Until next time." Wren whispered. The other two looked at each other, then repeated his words. "Until next time." They said in chorus. The words settled into his mind, and it made him feel a sense of peace. Until next time. He thought. Belle''s look of hatred softened at their show of respect, and she was no longer glaring daggers at them from across the room. She flew over, and landed atop his Core. "Next time, you won''t get out so easily." She mumbled, and he chuckled. "It''s not over just yet, Sweetheart." After saying this, he flashed an image of the Dungeon on his Core. The Adventurers couldn''t see it, but Belle saw just fine. She smiled mischievously, and nodded. The Party had stood back up now, and were slowly hobbling out of the Core room. They had just entered the connecting tunnel when a soft swishing sound echoed through the silent room. All three Adventurers whirled around, weapons in hand. They looked back into the room, but saw no Monster. Instead, there was a small strip of Silk cloth that had fallen onto the ground. Wil''s focus snapped to Sol, and he could see his Bound Monster slowly shaking. Belle rushed to his side, and shushed him. "I know, Sweetie. Just hold it a little longer, they''re nearly gone." Apparently, Sol had reached his limit on his transformation. It took a small amount of mana for him to change his appearance, but he was still a child. He could only hold the form he had created for a few minutes at most, and he must have dislodged the Silk cloth that was in his hair while fidgeting. All the Adventurers shoulders relaxed after a moment of silence. "Let''s... get out of here." Lana suggested. "Sounds good." Wren nodded vigorously. Micah squinted towards the Core room, towards Sol. Then he shrugged his shoulders, and let Wren use him as a crutch. "Sounds perfect." He was still cradling his new staff, tossing affectionate glances towards it whenever he could. Once they had closed the door behind them, Sol let out a small sigh. His legs split apart, and his arms reformed from the wood of his torso. He let out a small yawn, and stretched his limbs out. Belle was whispering praise to him, and Wil kept a close eye on the Party. Every step they took, the floor of his Dungeon was splattered with droplets of blood. It astounded him that his Monsters had actually been killed, but he could see just how far the Party had had to go to accomplish their feat. He wouldn''t commend their efforts, but he did have a small amount of respect for them now.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. They had returned to the Flower room, and were crossing the small strip of land that connected the Silverbark tree to the lake, when his plan was put into motion. He had the image back up on his Core for Belle and Sol to see, the same image he had shown her earlier. The final Dungeon Serpent, waiting patiently under the water. Only his nose was above the surface, the rest of his body lurked underneath. His Monster had waited patiently for his time to strike earlier, but the opportunity had never presented itself. It had been too slow to assist the Troop, and there was no way for him to enter Grizzly''s room. Now, though, the Adventurers were completely unaware. All three were halfway across the thin strip of land, when a Serpent nearly 4ft long shot up out of the small lake. Droplets of water sprayed into the air, and all three Adventurers involuntarily flinched. The Serpent was aimed directly for the Cleric, the weakest of the three.He may have had to assist the Dwarf in walking, but his blood loss had left him nearly unconscious. All three Adventurers were strong, there was no denying it. They were nowhere near their peak strength now, though. Wil watched in unrestrained glee as his Serpent latched onto the wounded left side of the Cleric, and dragged him down into the water. The area his body fell into was instantly dyed red, and Wil felt no doubt he had managed to end the miserable Human''s life. "Oh, for fucks sake." Lana said, pulling her sword free. She jumped in after him without hesitation. Wren was on the ground now, his support gone. He was trying to form a spell, but he didn''t seem able to gather the mana to do so. He''s finally exhausted himself. The water was violently shaking from the underwater fight, and Wil could not tell what was happening beneath the surface. It wasn''t until he started seeing chunks of his Serpent bobbing at the top of the water he began to worry. Surely, his Monster had managed to at least finish the cowardly Cleric off? He saw the body of Micah float to the surface, face down and unresponsive. Yes! He felt no mana rush to his Core, though. Whenever he had killed a Two-legs, their mana always came to him immediately after their death. Not dead. Lana appeared next, gasping for air. Her sword was still coated in blood, but was quickly being washed off in the water. She dragged the unconscious Micah to the surface, and yelled. "Wren! We need to get to Holly!" "I know! Take him to her, I''ll only slow you down." Wil expected her to refuse, but she nodded once. She tossed the Human on her shoulder, and started running towards the exit. She was dripping water, and blood, so she really wasn''t moving very fast. Whose blood it was, he was unsure. Clearly, his Serpent was not meant for underwater fighting. So close... The Dwarf watched them both leave, and he sat back on his butt. He stared towards them, through half closed eyes. Then a small splash sounded out again, and the Clerics newly acquired staff bobbed to the surface. Wren smiled, and grabbed the weapon. He used it similar to how Micah had been, as a cane. He hobbled after his teammates, moaning with every step. When the two Humans had gotten past the Jungle room, and some very shocked Miners, Wil heard another shout. It was that obscenely large Human, who was nearly the same size as that disgusting mutant. She was freely crying, and picked Micah off the shoulder of the woman. Belle said her name was Holly. The other guardian of his entrance appeared, the small Two-legs who reminded him of a beast. He had seen a few of their kind in his Dungeon from previous Adventuring Parties, and had even managed to kill one. The red eared Beast-women impatiently tapped her foot at the entrance of his Dungeon, and stopped when she spotted Wren. She went over and carried him like a mother would a child. He grumbled something about dignity, but she ignored him until he had been brought outside of the Dungeon. The Miners took that as their cue, and left as well. Soon, all the Adventurers had exited his home, and he could feel control return to him. He felt each and every one of his Monsters returns from the dead, and watched as their bodies reformed out of his golden-green mana. Verne appeared back in his room, and Grizzly in his cave. The sisters under their tree, and the Howlers in the branches. The three Serpents appeared from the connecting tunnels, and all of his Monsters were now back to their original positions. Belle flew out immediately towards Verne''s room, and Sol had already left his spot on the shelves. The small Treant was sprinting towards Grizzly''s cave. Until next time, Two-legs.
Inside the Infirmary, located next to the Adventuring Guild Outpost. "Get back, foul woman! Leave me to my healing in peace!" Wren shouted towards Holly. She just clucked her tongue, and with a small smile, flipped him onto his stomach. He grunted in pain, as she was now poking his injured leg. Her healing had fixed his bones easily enough, but the muscles were still sore. "How does it feel here" She asked, poking his inner thigh with a heavy finger. "Any closer, and you need to buy me dinner first." He mumbled; voice muffled by the bedsheets under his face. Just then, the bed started shaking. All the other patients in the Infirmary quieted, and Wren felt Holly''s touch disappear from his leg. He realized the bed wasn''t shaking, the floor was. Soon, he heard steps approaching his bedside. From his vantage point, he saw legs as thick around as his waist. A voice he was all too familiar with sounded out, and it commanded his attention. "How are they, Holly?" "Stable. The boy, Micah, was near death when he exited. He issleeping a few cots over; rest is all he needs now. This one got out with just a broken leg, and some new bruises. Lana had a few cuts, but is otherwise healthy." A short pause, and he spoke again. Wren had tried to sit up to face him, but his legs were too sore to move. "Is he conscious enough to report?" He heard Holly click her tongue, and sigh. "Keep it short. He still needs to rest." She grabbed him by the shoulders, and put him into a sitting position on the bed cot. He was now eye level with the Guild Officers waist. Brian stared down at him with a neutral expression, and looked expectantly towards him. Wren was confused for a moment, then understood. "Oh. Yes sir, Wren Giltrell reporting in." All the other Adventurers in the Infirmary were dead silent, clearly listening in. Whatever he said was going to become common knowledge in the town within the hour. He wasn''t sure if this was intentional or not by the Guild Officer, but he wasn''t going to say no to this man. Brian motioned for him to get on with it. "Tell me about your Boss encounter." "Yes sir. I can now confirm the boss is an Imbued Bear, nearing 10ft of height. I would say it is twice the size of the native bears in this Forest. Dark brown fur, gold eyes, and fangs as long as my arm. The Boss also has an Earth Affinity." At this, all of the Adventurers in the room began chattering in hushed tones. Brian turned his attention towards the loudest of the patients, and the man visibly withered under his gaze. All the other injured kept quiet after that. "The Boss had control over the earth in the room, and used an ability similar to Earth Wave." Earth Wave was the same spell Lana had. Brian raised an eyebrow at this. "He also used another. Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with it''s name. Pillars of earth were shot from the ground in a direct line. It was this, that broke my leg." He shuddered at the memory of being sent sailing into the air. "While I recovered from the Earth Wave attack, the Boss moved in to finish me off. It was then, that Micah saved me." He thought back to what had happened, and still couldn''t believe frail Micah had actually stepped in to protect his life. "Is that why he is now bleeding all over my Infirmary?" Brian asked. "Yes sir, he took a swipe from the Boss. He used his final Heal to keep himself alive afterwards, and that was why my leg was still broken when we left the Dungeon." He replied sullenly. He still hadn''t thanked the boy for saving his life. He decided to do so once he woke. "Where was Lana during this?" "She had been knocked into the river in the center of the room, during the Earth Wave attack. After injuring Micah, the Boss focused on me. He broke my leg with the Pillar attack, and would have bitten my head off if the two did not save me. Lana stabbed the bear''s neck, and I scored a hit into the beast''s eye. Micah finished it off with a final attack, and the Boss died from the wounds. Afterwards; we paid our respects to the Core, and left." He finished his recollection of the Dungeon Dive, slightly shaking at the memories. "What your saying is; the only reason you three survived, was because you got lucky?" He said with a raised eyebrow. He wasn''t really asking, and said it more as a statement. "Yes." He replied gravely. Brian nodded at this, and let out a small huff. Papers near his bedside fluttered from the burst of air, and Wren finally garnered the courage to look into the Guild Officer''s eyes. He was looking down at him, face impassive. "Good enough. Your next dive is in a few days, report back to Joy when you are ready to return to the Dungeon." "Y-Yes sir." He shakily replied. He couldn''t believe that was the response the man had. The room shuddered as the Guild Officer exited the Infirmary, and all the patients resumed their whispering. Many looked towards him with strange looks. Some seemed annoyed at his luck, others directed pitiful gazes in his direction. Most, however, gave him looks of respect. The first Adventurers to kill the Dungeon Boss was a hotly discussed topic in the town, and he had just increased the popularity of his Dungeon Party greatly. Soon, many of the patients hobbled over to his bedside to ask questions about his dive, and he gave them small smiles as he recounted the tale. He cast one final glance towards Micah, who was still sleeping, and sent a silent thought of thanks towards the boy. He may be the bravest Cleric I''ve ever met, or the dumbest. Chapter 22 - Guide and Core
In the Core room. "Time!" He yelled. He focused on Belle, expectantly. "A new record! You made it all the way to five minutes, Sol." She cheered. He didn''t see how she was keeping such an accurate count, but she knew exactly how long it had been. She had an uncanny sense of the passage of time outside the Dungeon, so he figured this wasn''t much of a stretch of her powers. For the past few days after the Party of Adventurers had managed to defeat Grizzly, Sol had taken to training. All he was doing was turning into a tree, as he had when the Two-legs inspected Wil''s Core. The near failure had hit the Treant harder than both of them thought, and he was now practicing with a vengeance. Ever since that Party left the Dungeon, Sol would go on the top of Grizzly''s hill and practice. No other Adventurers had managed to make it to the Boss since the Dwarf''s group did a few days ago, so he had the entire Boss room to practice. Grizzly was relaxing nearby, sleeping. At least, he was pretending to. Wil could see the giant bear eyes peek open whenever he thought Sol wasn''t looking. His Boss and Mini-Boss were not as dejected as he had expected after their defeat. Instead, he could sense the excitement and anticipation radiating out from them. They wanted a rematch, and he knew they would get it. Sadly, the groups of Adventurers cycled through his Dungeon for their dives. He figured it would be at least another day or two until he saw them again. That is if they were even strong enough to return again. His Monsters had nearly killed them ten different ways during their last dive. Belle lay atop Grizzly, cheering the Treant on from the golden-brown fur on his back. "Don''t push yourself, baby! You still have lots of growing to do before you need to fight. Take your time, and make us proud!" Sol just huffed at this, apparently, he didn''t like to be reminded of his weakness. Wil could empathize since he was virtually powerless without his Monsters. Belle consoled him when he had brought it up, or tried to anyways. She told him that a Dungeon that felt threatened was one of the strongest beings in Belia, but he had no intention of ever finding out what she meant by that. Looking at his Guide, questions he had been avoiding resurfaced in his mind. He felt she was, without a doubt, his closest friend and Confidant. She knew nearly everything about him and was a wealth of knowledge for Dungeons. When she didn''t forget, anyways. He, however, knew very little about her or her past. He had gathered pieces from conversations in the past, but that was the extent of his knowledge. He knew she had a mother and some sort of childhood rival named Tay. He also heard her mention a Hall of Fame once, but he shuddered to think what that might entail. He had wanted to ask her about this for quite a while but was nervous about what her response would be. What if I pry too far, and she takes it personally? What if she gets angry, and decides to leave? These thoughts circled in his mind, and his Guide called out. "Sweetheart, why are you so quiet? You know it''s important to praise your children when they do something good. Is something the matter?" Huh? Children? Does she mean Sol? This was his chance, though. Maybe he could just subtly slip his question into the conversation. A foolproof plan. "No, nothing''s wrong Sweetie. I''ve just been thinking about... Sol, and what it must be like for him. It can''t be easy being the only member of your race, and most likely never have the chance to meet another Treant in his life. I hope it doesn''t affect his... upbringing?" She looked down. A small frown on her face. "Yeah. Maybe when he''s older we can help him look for other Treants." He steeled himself. "That would be nice. What about you, Belle?" He added hastily. "What about me?" She looked confused. "Don''t you miss the other Guides?" Now she definitely looked sadder. "Sometimes, yeah. I know it may be a long time before I ever see another of my kind, but that''s how it is for us Guides." She looked up at this. "Why do you ask, Wil?" "I just... Um... Well, I just know so little about you, Belle. I was curious about your past." Yep. Real subtle, Wil. She sighed, and he saw her compose herself. For what, he didn''t know. Maybe he should have waited a little longer? They had only known each other for a little over a month. "I guess it is about time... I''ll tell you whatever you want, Wil. Just know, I chose you. Okay?" Now he was definitely worried. "Okay... Whose Tay?" He might as well start off with the lightest of his questions. She cracked a small smile, and some of the anxiety in her eyes faded. "Tay was, or is, my brother. I haven''t talked to him since we bonded, but he would visit me from time to time. He was the last Guide to get a Dungeon before me, and he bonded over 40 years ago. He would visit me and mom sometimes. That little brat always teased me for being unevolved." She said this with a face screwed up in anger. All this did was give him a thousand more questions. "Unevolved?" "When a Core and Guide bond, they both evolve. You were just a piece of mana when we met, and I was a spirit. After we accepted each other, you became the Core you are now and I became a Guide." "You were a spirit? You just looked like a ball of light to me" He remembered seeing Spirits as an available Monster choice during the Torial. Did this mean he could have had an army of Belles!? "I was. There are hundreds of different types of Spirits, though. I just happened to be the kind that was destined to become a Dungeon''s Guide." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "So, Tay visited you when you were with your mother? Was she unevolved too? How do Spirits even have children?" She laughed at his barrage of questions, her previous worry gone. "She was a Guide too, Wil. Just as Tay was. How do any creatures have children?" She was blushing at this, and he felt his Core brighten a few shades in embarrassment. "And yes, Tay visited us sometimes. He couldn''t do it often, though." "I thought Guides couldn''t leave their Dungeons?" The idea of her leaving, for any reason, made him feel very anxious. "For the most part, we can''t. When we bond together, we do so literally. The Core cannot exist without the Guide and vice versa. That''s why I would die if you were shattered." This only worried him more. "So I would shatter if you were killed?" He asked in a panic. She giggled again and played with the fur on Grizzly''s back. "Probably? It''s never happened before. Nothing in this world is able to kill a Guide so long as their Core is alive. Don''t worry about me, Sweetie. Worry about keeping yourself alive, so I can too." This eased his mind a great deal. He knew he wasn''t invincible, but at least his Guide wouldn''t drop dead out of thin air. He had gotten off track, though, and he tried to steer the questioning back to her brother. "How did Tay visit you then?" "His Core created a pact with mom''s Core. They had a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Mr. Blue made it so the Guides could be sent over as envoys. It''s all very complicated, but the gist of it is this. One Core discovers the other, usually through a Bound Monster. They talk via the Monster and come to a decision for the future. Sometimes they choose to fight. Sometimes they just ignore each other. My mom''s and Tay''s chose to become allies." She said this with a big grin, and he felt his own mood rise at her happiness. She continued before he could ask another question. "Before you ask, no, you cannot make one of these pacts. You need to have a few more floors before you are strong enough, and that''s many years away. That''s why we don''t want Sol going out and accidentally encroaching on another Dungeon''s territory." Damn. Wait for me, Death Laser. I''ll find you one day. "You lived with your mother, what about your father?" He asked hesitantly. She just shrugged. "Never met him. Mom said he was handsome and had a cute butt. She never talked much about the different Guides she had known. Not to mention his Dungeon only had a short term pact with hers. She wouldn''t say much more than that, and I never asked." He steeled himself. "What was it like, living with your mother in a different Dungeon?" At this, her smile faltered. "It was strange. Mom taught me what it meant to be a Guide, but I only talked to her Core once. I felt like I was living in someone else''s home. Which I guess I was." She let out a small shiver. "Mom said Mr. Blue made it so a Dungeon can only ever have one Guide per Core. My siblings and I could stay there because we weren''t technically Guides yet, but it always felt off." This was interesting to him. He couldn''t imagine living in a place, never feeling like you really belonged. It must have been very uncomfortable for his Guide, and he felt his mood drop. "That sounds awful. Did you say siblings, though?" She nodded. "Yeah, my mom had three children. Tay came first. Then it was me, and my younger sister Val. All three of us have different fathers, and as far as I know, Val is still unevolved. I only ever saw Tay when he visited, but he would always tease us. That little jerk thought he was so cool just because he had opposable thumbs." She was glaring at the neck of Grizzly, face scrunched in anger. It was adorable. He had learned a lot more about her than he had anticipated, but he knew he shouldn''t waste this opportunity to learn more about his Guide. "Sweetheart, why did you say you chose me earlier? What did you mean by that?" Her visage of anger renewed itself, and if looks could kill, hers would. "Are you sure you want to know? It''s not a very fun thing to talk about, and you might not like what you find out." How did she not realize that only made him want to know even more? "We are going to be together for a very long time, I don''t want to find out fifty years from now that you have a long lost cousin who is going to try to shatter me. Let''s be open with each other. I can take it, Sweetie." She cracked a smile, then replied. "Mom taught me this right before I left to find you. She said it was up to me to decide when or if I tell my Core." She took a deep breath. "After a Core and Guide bond, there is a sort of grace period. For one month after bonding, if the Guide decides to, they can shatter their Core." If he could physically gulp, he would have. He stayed quiet and waited for her to continue. "Not shatter literally, but it''s all the same. The Guide can choose to reject the Core if they decide it was a poor match, and in doing so, the Core is destroyed. This was so Mr. Blue could create a new one for the Guide to bond with. As far as mom told me, this happens pretty often. Mom said she went through two different Cores before she found the one she wanted to bond with." She looked over towards his Core room and smiled. "You were my first Core, Wil. As you can see, over a month has passed. I chose you because I thought we were a good match. I didn''t know if I wanted to tell you all of these things, but you were right. It''s important that we be honest with each other, and now I''m glad I told you." The idea of being one rude comment away from being shattered terrified him. Then he felt a flood of emotions at the idea she had chosen him anyway. Despite his eccentricities, and his Deer obsession. She had chosen to stay with him, and guide him. "So, what your saying is... you love me?" He said with a small chuckle. She giggled at him and idly played with the fur on Grizzly''s back. "Only a little." "Do you miss your mom and the other Dungeon?" He asked. "Well, sometimes. I love having my own Dungeon to take care of. Having all these adorable little Monsters to look after, and having you by my side is all I ever wanted. I do miss talking to her, though. As for that Dungeon, if I never set foot in it again, it would be too soon." She said, kicking her feet in the air. "Maybe I could make a pact with them and-" "Don''t you even start, Mister. I would push you off your pedestal before you ever sent them a message." She said, only slightly joking. He felt he had gotten her into the right mood, so he took his shot. "Belle?" "What is it, Rockhead?" She asked playfully. "Hall of Fame?" A loud gulping sound could be heard, and she averted her eyes. "Come on, Sweetie. A girl''s got to have her secrets, you know?" "You know, those moss bed sheets could become a permanent addition..." Her eyes widened, and she put her hands up. "Don''t be hasty, Wil! I was just... building up to telling you." He stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. "Right. Well, if you must know. It was something mom created with a few of the other Guides who visited her Dungeon over the years. It was just to keep track of all the funny things that happened because of a Core being a dummy." She looked pointedly towards him at this, and he felt a twinge of nervousness. This was about what he had expected, though. "So, what was the best one?" He had to know what idiot Dungeon topped the Hall of Fame. "The dumbest thing a Core ever did?" She asked, smiling. "Yeah! Think of it as a learning lesson, so I don''t do the same thing." He said, trying to push her to reveal the story. She just barked a laugh. "Ha! If you managed to do something this dumb, we never would have made it past the first Party of Adventurers." She flopped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "The dumbest thing I ever heard of a Dungeon doing, was it tried to open an Antique shop. The moron thought it could build a stall on their first floor, and sell items to Adventurers. It failed horribly, and all the Two-legs just stole everything it put up for sale. The Core actually thought it would be a good idea! Can you imagine?" She was laughing hysterically, but Wil felt his blood run cold. Dodged a fucking bullet. He forced a laugh. "Ha-ha, yeah. What was the name of the Core that did that? So I can... avoid them." She burst into even more laughter. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, and her tiny face was beet red. "The Guide never got the chance to name them, so the Core picked their own name. Do you know what they picked? Death Laser!" She yelled that last part and was practically howling with laughter. "YOU''VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!" He screamed.