《Stone Of The Covenant ( Dungeon Story )》 Prologue : Xanthe The Scholar Introductory Chapter : A vicious blizzard descended from the mountains and blew on the valley. Even after his arrival, the snow fell with large flakes, covering the country with a white coat. Bathed in the light of day and resounding with shouts and booming laughter, the outskirts of the village nestled at the foot of the mountains was very different from the dark place where Xanthe had been locked in deciphering dark scrolls. The merchants had settled in an abandoned meadow on the edge of the Clan. Carts, tents, campfires were scattered over the vacant lot, with colorful spots on the whiteness of the snow. The tents of the troubadours are immediately noticeable: they were decorated with extravagance. Crowds of barges were lined up around the colorful capitals and in front of the merchants'' stalls that had invaded the main street. The horses neigh, frightened by the noise. The snow had been trampled, packed; in places, it had even melted in the heat of campfires. The rich aroma of roasted hazelnuts adds a pleasant note to the symphony of scents that greeted the curious. Sliding along the stalls, Xanthe watched the merchants curiously. They seemed less prosperous than last year: their clothes were patched up, their children looked frightened and suspicious. Men ostentatiously sported swords and daggers. The women themselves were armed with cutlasses, which they wore on their belts. "Something must have happened, besides the storm, that explains their attitude ..." thought the young man. He had kept memories of them full of laughter and good humor. This year, we would have looked in vain at the merchants for traces of joviality ... He went from one stall to another, evaluating the goods with a buyer''s eye ... although his meager savings did not allow him much madness! When he spoke to the merchants, they explained that the roads were not as safe as the year before. New dangers had appeared; tranquility was only a memory; It was no longer safe anywhere. Seeing a troubadour he knew well, the YoungScholar approached to learn about the troubles that seemed to affect the merchants. Sliding on the compact snow that invaded the alleys,he approached this familiar figure! As soon as Melchor saw him he gave him a big smile "Thebookworm deigns to descend into our lowly world?" threw the mountebank. Xanthe was indeed not used to going out often and preferred to invest his lair than to go out in the light of the day. "I must visit your poor carcass, no? I''m lacking in tales these days! By the way, can I find out why you guys are late this year? "He asked. I was afraid not to see you! Bad weather, maybe? The troubadour''s face darkens with this question "Bad luck, in fact. Chaos reigns outside your golden palaces" sighed the Troubadour ... "We have not been able to avoid either illnesses, aggression or the most cursory curse. The attacks of the Beasts multiplied, which forced the Kingship and the great Clans to send their practitioners to seal their territory near the coast. ! The interior areas that had already been infiltrated have been neglected I think. These brutes pass near populated areas: they left the trails and undergrowth to use the roads; they approached the cities." "Cities too are concerned? The elders told us that only isolated villages were for the moment victim!" "Nonsense! The first attacks took place a few weeks ago. Entire villages have emptied, not so far away from here: their inhabitants have been forced to emigrate. The famine threatened after their harvests were destroyed ..." The noise of the bells interrupted the conversation of the two friends. It was a heavy and vibrant sound that spread through the icy air carrying a message that was no less so. Conversations died on the lips of barges. And the fear began to impress on many faces ... The bells? TheBeasts would already be here? The Young Man was not the only one to have concluded so. The merchants first, still experienced by the crossing of the kingdom, were the first to give way to panic. They had feared at each stop to serve as snacks for wandering hordes. Today and at this moment this threat had become real. From the first vibration of the people who had passed in a few moments of the status of a mere barge to potential prey wallowed on the ground by wrapping their arms around their heads. Some swore, but all wanted only one thing. To be able to leave before the horde was present. This world, which had always lived under the mighty protection of its immortal sects, its disciples and its members, if it had immortals only the name, was without the existence that came closest to it under heaven. Yet despite their existence at the pinnacle of culture, no one could prevent human nature from sabotaging herself as she knows how to do it well. The hegemony of the men on the single continent and the inexorable retreat of the demon beasts have rendered a humanity imbued with itself lazy. Self-satisfaction is the order of the day, the danger lay beneath the bed of laurels which men cast to their own nature. Mankind forgetting that revenge is a dish that is eaten cold, disdained the threat of demons-beast.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Among men, these existences of elites disappeared little by little. And it is today that this decadent world discovers again the horror of not being able to fight against them. During the recent revival of beasts, empires finally realizing that their power was nothing without strength. Yet it will be difficult for the ruins of their golden palaces to convey such a message to their descendants. It is now time for humanity after a long decline, to start a crisis from which it would not recover. Xanthe looked at his friend who was shaking with sporadic tremors and seemed paralyzed by fear. He contemplated for a moment to take him with him in his flight, but the tragic consequences of such an act paralyzed him. To protect him would be useless, so much so that his chances of survival would be reduced drastically. He couldn''t afford a burden this heavy Xanthe shook himself, Melchor was a friend, but he would not help him at the cost of his life To live he had to flee. He thought feverishly about the depths of the clan''s library. There was his exit door, carefully constructed. He shook himself and went away, death in his soul, as fast as he could towards the bells. They sounded not of the village, but of the stronghold of the clan which was in the foothills of the mountain. Ordinarily, this distance was very little to go. But under threat, a mere league presented itself as an unacceptable obstacle between him and his survival. After a last look at the troubadour paralyzed by the alert, the young man turned and without a look back went to the top. What does it look like when the world is coming to an end? The sounds and the fury! It is with this bitter acknowledgment in mind, as a fatal mantra. That Xanthe was scouring the inner corridors of the Clan in search of his own salvation. Indeed, what is the purpose of fighting valiantly against events when they have inevitably decided that it was time for the Fall? He would not fight like so many against the implacable wheel of fate. Well, if,but in other ways than his unfortunate comrades. Navigating between the menacing debris falling from the decaying walls and ceilings, he lookedwith a bitter smile, at the innumerable followers of the clan. Who courage in the shoulder, would fight against the inevitable. "If the power is a condemnation to replace the survival instinct with self-confidence, it is good that I have been deprived of it," the young scholar bitterly thought, staring at his innumerable faces full of bravery running straight for a death more than certain. However, the path that this cynical spirit chose was no less deadly. The stream of disciple rushing outward in a desperate attempt to save the bastion of their order could not stop the reverse impulse of Xanthe who was rushing as far as he could to the inner quarters. Not that he thought that the solidity of the walls would keep him safe from the horde coming down on his hearth. The destination he was aiming for was the study room in which he officiated. His distrust of this sect that rejected his lack of talent could only push him to the theoretical study of Qi and the use of engraving patterns to reinforce his lean strength. Even though the declining culture saw very few people pass above the four primary stages which are: Qi condensation, Foundation establishment, Core formation, and Nascent Soul. A Young Man unable to break beyond theFoundation rank could only attract contempt. It is in this sense that he lost himself in his forbidding theories to compensate for the strength he did not possess. His successes, however, he did not share with the cloud of hypocrites mocking his weakness but were avid for the help of his vast knowledge. This resentment brought the present situation, he was aware of the presence of an exit door. But he will do nothing to benefit his fellow student. There are parts of a man that the knife of perfidy can only end. Shaking his head as if to chase his parasitic thoughts, Xanthe stepped forward under the porch marking the entrance to the now deserted library. The study section of theGreat Library contrasted with its silence with the effervescence and the agitation that reigns in the interior buildings. The room was large and luminous, and the comforting warmth of this familiar place momentarily soothed the rush of the solitary disciple''s heart. Falling four steps down the steps of the great marble staircase leading him to the curious scroll he had discovered during one of his sleepless night. "Faster, faster! he said, even if the idiots can give me the time I doubt that my margin is huge " He sank thus gradually into the deepest sections of the place. Finally, he stopped in a familiar area, a small arch under which he had set up an office and on which sat a scroll, and a curious sphere made of jade. The content was a bit cryptic, but nothing that the free time of a young adventurous like him fails to break. The content was quite practical The first roll dated at least from a distant dynasty, and contained a rather formidable formation that allowed instant movement over great distances! His way out was here! I have not completely completed the training so my destination will not be very precise ... If only I had more time complained the young engraver. In any case, to be several thousand leagues from here, no matter where will always be a consolation. His attention then turned to the Jade sphere, which seemed to slowly shift from white to black. No stone was as naturally polished as this one. On the white alabaster surface, flawless, small black grooves outlined like a spider''s web. The stone was cold and smooth under the boy''s fingers, like stiff silk. Of oval shape, it had to measure about thirty centimeters and seemed oddly light for a specimen of this dimension. One does not make a leak without making sure you have enough to survive once outside the clan. He had a space-ring on his finger contained food, but it was not enough to ensure his survival. The Jade is a rather unique material that allows the conservation of information, a stone of this size could contain a large enough quantity. That''s how he would make himself useful outside. As the Keeper of Knowledge of his clan.This legacy of techniques and knowledge he will take with him in his flight It would have been an unfortunate mess to let the demon-beasts sack this place, so he had to leave the Jade in the library to slowly fill up the knowledge listed in the various scrolls with him. This immense absorption obviously could not be complete, but it would be enough for its value to become invaluable. He weighed the stone one last time in his hands, interrupted the flow of knowledge, and slipped it into the sides of his cloak. It''s time, thought the young scholar. He took the traveling roller and sat in the center of a circular formation he had installed here, out of sight. A training that had required a lot of effort, he smiled as he remembered the many failures he had had to face in anchoring the formation in the floor of the room. He smiles again while circulating the natural energy within this now familiar training. White''s circle grew brighter and louder, and the engraving patterns he had placed seemed to throb as full of life. A white flash hit the boy and everything disappeared. It was instantaneous, Xanthe felt a fierce grip on his waist and pushed him further forward. His feet had long since left the reassuring support of the ground and he could only see from the outside a whirlwind of colored light that totally prevented him from seeing the outside world. When he thought that his control over the formation was escaping him, his speed seemed to be reduced. There was a sound bang and his whole body seemed to have hit a mountain. Suddenly, the earth opened under his feet. A taste of blood filled his mouth, his conscience fled, then everything went black ... Chapter 1 : A Lucky Meeting Chapter I : A Lucky Meeting Slowly, Xanthe regained consciousness and tried to look around him, but everything around him was plunged into darkness. His attempts to move his body were crowned by a failure, it was impossible for him to move any muscle. The helplessness in which he found himself was not to please him. However, none of this made him panic. It was not as if his previous situation had been better. He quickly began to meditate in an attempt to replenish the natural energy in his body and repair it. He noticed, however, that something was different. While the natural energy in the area was quite present it was quite different from the energy to which he was accustomed. He began to feel strange as he circulated it through his body. Since he had no other plan for the moment, he continued to absorb the natural energy in the surroundings. It seemed like his body was like a desiccated desert absorbing the water left by a storm. After continuing for a while, a change finally occurred, as if it had triggered something that was asleep and inactive, there was a sudden burst of white light. The room he was in suddenly became visible. It was a cave, a simple mountain cave all that is banaler. The room was approximately circular and looked like a natural cave, but the floor was unusually flat. Xanthe tried to expand his senses around him, but he could not see further, as if the cave was isolated from the outside world. It did not seem to have an opening regardless of the side he was fixing. It seemed like he was in a pocket, more than in a cave. The room in which he was should not exceed 20 meters in diameter. The only specificity being the bluish light that exhaled walls. Walls and .. of his own body. Xanthe froze forbidden and began to examine his legs. Or at least he tried, lowering his vision all he could see was a kind of crystalline stone that seemed to float freely to half a meter in height What happened? lamented the young scholar He was prepared for a lot of unexpected situations, and given the rush of his departure, he would have been lucky if nothing critical happened. Nevertheless, it seemed that the most pessimistic scenarios he had developed were still below reality. He was still lamenting when he perceived a curious contact. What was happening to him? Something touched his conscience, like a finger running on his skin. The caress stopped, resumed, and this time it crystallized in a spiral of thoughts and feelings from which emerged a growing curiosity. It seemed to him that the invisible boundaries that hindered his mind had just collapsed. The boy was scared. He had no way of blocking the flow that flooded his thoughts and seemed to want to sift every inch of his mind. The entity frightened him, and fear stung his stomach as he struggled in vain. Rolling his eyes, he instinctively raised a barrier around his conscience, wanting to protect himself from the sudden incursion. It did not slow down the rhythm of this strange wave that pressed more and more against his mind. The consciousness lifted its course of life with the slowness of a climbing plant rising towards the sunlight. It was very interested in things, from his training to the clan, to his family and his practice of culture. Finally satisfied after this examination, it slowly withdrew beyond the frontiers of his conscience. A new spiral of thought took possession of Xanthe''s mind, but this time it was no longer curiosity: the spiral was joy and even exultation. He was perplexed and began to probe the entity that seemed to reside with him in the crystal. With confidence, the entity let their thoughts touch in the manner of two wild beasts sniffing for the first time. This mind was different, intelligent of course, but there was nothing human about it. There he saw thoughts that bristled the boy, touching his conscience. However, through all these sensations, a fierce and heady melody emerged. A furious ode to life that denoted the youth of this spirit. A newborn understood Xanthe A succession of dizzying images then swept through his mind: He saw dark caves or resided animals with a terrible appearance. Dense forests or curious green elves ambushed imprudent travelers. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.Gray-faced wolves and men with alabaster skin and a thousand other creatures still. It was not just a being, but the womb that would be the source of hundreds of beings! A real world in the making. Although he was not familiar with the animals he had seen, the reality was obvious. This entity would be creative of all this This made Xanthe puzzled, the demon-beasts that had caused the ruin of his clan, were they also the fruit of one of his conscious entities? He rejected this question that would not have led him anywhere. What mattered was the present, and his situation could not be more complex. This matrix seemed to have collected it. Which means two things: His transport training had failed, secondly his body did not resist this malfunction. At this thought, he remembered the animals he had seen in the spirit of this crystal. If the gem could create these beings, it could restore his body ! Enthusiastic, he undertook to communicate his request to the gem. He felt a touch of consciousness again, but this time he fully accepted it. The Gem did not seem to master the language, its response was in the form of sensation. He felt his weakness and his frustration at the lack of natural energy. It is never easy to sigh the Young Scholar, at least the task seems to be within reach, it is enough for me to take patience patiently ... After his slow realization, Xanthe took hold of this strange body even more and unknown instincts surfaced. Without further ado, he began to meditate again to fill this thirst which troubled him, little by little he felt the natural energy of the place converge towards him and fill it with force. He did not know how long he had to practice before stopping. Resuming the course of his reflection, he was surprised that his body seemed deeply connected to the cave that surrounded him. The plot seemed as familiar to him as the palm of his hand, and the 20-meter circumference of the cave was also the limit of his ability to store energy. This strange energy that the Gem called mana. Xanthe moved by curiosity, started pushing as best he could his senses, to expand his field, his mana arose in rock as he claimed. His consciousness became wider and he felt the other get excited during the maneuver. Comforted in his idea, he tried to extend his influence as far as possible. He penetrated deeper into the crumbling rock and disappeared in contact with his mana. Driven by newly acquired instincts, he spent much of the mana he had accumulated to expand his estate. Whenever it grew larger, the gathering of the surrounding mana became faster and faster. Letting himself go by this impulse of expansion, and no longer feeling the need for rest, he strove, meter by meter, to stretch as far as possible. His frenzy eventually stopped after God knows how long, the small circular cave extended over a kilometer in diameter, and the ceiling was a perfectly smooth dome. He was tempted to go deeper into the rock, but the other had terrified him when he pretended to go back to work. Was there an unknown limit, from which to extend became dangerous? His first vision, however, suggested that he could create much larger worlds, similar to the outside world! Outside. The young scholar froze at this word, he considered the possibility that he had dug enough to reach the surface. He looked once more at his desperately empty realm and understood the distress of his Alter ego. He thanked him mentally for this warning, before continuing his reflection. His situation was gradually lightening, hunger was gone, and his estate now allowed him a decent level of mana. He could no longer grow under pain of coming out on the outside, and the effectiveness of the meditation being related to the size of his field, he did not know how long it would take to accumulate enough strength to regain his body. His strange nemesis showed once again, his hunger now filled, he exuded from him a great desire for creation. And Xanthe took to the game if he was to stay long with his little companion, as much to build a real home. He had been secretive before and was given the opportunity to become the leader of a field. He would not let it go! His old detractors being dead, he could finally let himself go and make his ambition of his alter-ego. Xanthe, therefore, undertook with enthusiasm, to open up to the jewel which was bound to him, and to discover what kind of creature he could bring to life. Chapter 2 : First Floor Construction Xanthe''s contact with the Gem was easier than the previous time, it seemed to be waiting for him and was quite excited. He deepened the contact and could feel that among the visions of the Gem, which he had at first contact, some became strangely tangible. The heart did indeed stop pushing them towards him. He focused on his visions and saw that there were among them a number that had been sorted by the Heart. It was mainly flora at the moment, as well as modestly sized fauna. the more complex organisms still seemed out of reach. What frustrated the young scholar He focused on a particular creature, in order to experience the possibilities that were offered to him. Strange runes made their appearance, they seemed familiar but slightly bumpy. They had never seen these kinds of symbols in the works he was flipping through. He had studied a variety of training, but never anything like that. This rune was not a rune concept as often but it summed up a being. He patiently learned the curves and memorized the features. Gathering his mind he mentally called the matrix he wanted to engrave, he slowly reappropriated it by exploring the different runes and curves he would have to trace The curiosity of the heart was manifested again, but he paid little attention to it concentrating on the task he had to accomplish. Then, when he was sure of himself, he undertook to copy the blueprint. It is a filament of mana for lack of Qi which would serve him to anchor the runes in the reality. He would make the rune as small as possible, and reduce the waste of energy. His Mana reserves were certainly large, but the slightest defect will force him to start from Zero and to lose a significant amount of Mana After a few minutes, the maneuver was completed The rune was made of innumerable features, circling a nucleus. It seemed simple but mysterious and unfathomable. Quickly, he felt the mana flow away from him, at his orders a mana filament quickly traced the Rune for "Kobold" in the air.It was one of the simplest creatures that the gem had offered to him. The symbol condensed, a nucleus of pure mana appeared and was quickly absorbed and incorporated into the Kobold''s skull that was now standing before him. The kobold was also a small humanoid. It was no more than a meter long, its skin was covered with scales ranging in color from very dark red-brown on the sides to black on the breastplate and back. He had a saurian face that looked a lot like those of crocodile and other big lizards. His tail on the ground was a reminder of his reptilian heritage. The creature knelt before the gem before getting up. Xanthe glanced at it again and again. He had gone through many bestiaries and considered himself cultivated, yet this unknown creature ended up convincing him that he was definitely no longer in his old world. Driven by his success he created successively several other Kobolds. Based on the surrounding mana and his knowledge of the Rune, there were soon 5 Kobolds standing in front of him. Xanthe felt more complete as if he had finally set foot on the right path. Speaking of ways, there were many he could see in the spirit of the gem. Beyond the most basic runes, there were trees structures, that described creatures more and more complex and powerful. Whatever the world, the choices were the same, it would be necessary at one point to specialize in a path under penalty of being aJack of all trade, and master of none But this thought was quickly driven out of the need to experience even more its capacity of creation. He chose among the suggestions of the gem, creatures that seemed interesting to him, and got down to the task The experience he gained through the creation of the Kobolds was beneficial, and he quickly mastered the runes for two other creatures. The Rune for "Goblins" was already mastered by the heart, it was not very complicated to reproduce it 5 times The Rune for the "Ashenwolf" seemed a little more obscure, but after several attempts, 3 wolves were promptly conjured First, there was a goblin, it was a small, fragile-looking humanoid with pointed ears and a big mouth with pointed fangs. Their long arm goes down to their knees The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.His greenish skin was covered with pustules. And its general appearance was pretty monstrous, however, it was quite easy to create. It was a lazy choice, but the gem seemed strangely satisfied. A question of taste thought Xanthe before referring to the newborns. The last ones were Ashenwolf, they looked much bigger than ordinary wolves, and their vigorous muscles protruded under their silvery fur. Xanthe critically examined his creatures, they seemed fragile and promising. After all, monsters have caused the loss of his world. It would be stupid to underestimate their potential. When they acquire reason and engage in meditation to strengthen their bodies, they are formidable opponents. If he could have powerful creatures to protect him, he would not be afraid to open up to the world to complete his growth. Unfortunately, his possessions were limited to a large hollow dome and a handful of henchmen. Not resigning himself to having to give his subordinates only an empty room, he undertook to complicate his domain. To live well live hidden say the old, he set out to build a structure that slows down his future visitors, if he took the desire to return to his field. The Gemstone did not remain indifferent to the scholar''s thought process and suggested to him a possible arrangement. The arrangement consisted of a series of tunnels similar to an anthill. Xanthe took the idea of his companion by making it a little more complex, instead of random tunnels, he would build a labyrinth. It would be at the center, and the maze would be spread out in a succession of concentric circles that was getting closer and closer to him. Thus the intruders, to reach the central hall should go through a spiral and remake tirelessly, towers of his domain to access the central hall. His domain was only a place of diameter, but so disposed of those who brave his domain will have to travel a considerable distance to join him. In addition, this stage would have a large number of rooms, which he could use to ambush when his henchmen are in sufficient numbers. After this planning period, he undertook to give life to his idea, he had to do more than just dig the stone. He could vaguely perceive how he was going to enlarge this room, he had to manipulate it in the same way as with his dead body. Quickly, he had a click, it was enough for him to think of muscles that contract. In a heavy crack, an entire pan of the cave contracted. In a deafening roar, the rock split in two, revealing a long, wide, straight tunnel. Xanthe inspected his work with a critical eye, it was quite pleasant overall. The walls of the tunnel were not excavated, seemed made of compacted and compacted rocks on top of each other. Which gave a smooth and polished appearance to the walls of the tunnel. In keeping with his thoughts, the tunnel was wide enough for 3 people to move forward. And the height was not negligible either. The bluish light invaded this new space and created curious reflections on the polished stone. But that was only the beginning, he did not take any breaks on the enlargement of the first landing. After digging this first tunnel, he began to widen it at regular intervals and slowly more and more pieces popped up. After the creation of a good number of pieces began to branch out and create secondary tunnels. He did not want the path to his heart to be too simple to spot and was busy creating decoys, which would mislead intruders. It was so simple! He did not have much to think since the arrangement had already been determined upstream. But the mere fact of being really active was enough to fill it with contentment. The basement obeyed him, he split the rock of a simple thought, he was master in his field and took pleasure to it. In this state of mind he returned to a frenzy of edification and no longer felt time passing, he shaped his world without worrying about the passage of time. The hustle and bustle he created in his underground domain had consequences on the surface, obvious to those who knew the area well. Chapter 3 : The Finishing Touches During the past week, work has been busy with both companions Xanthe seemed to have taken a liking to this frenzy of creation that took hold of him when he devoted himself to the task. The heady music that exhaled from the Core troubled the senses, to the point of sometimes losing the notion of time The Gem had, after all, the primary purpose of creating, and by merging with it Xanthe had taken over this wild obsession. His security could not be assured if he had no power, so he worked every day to build it Life abounded under the satisfied gaze of the two friends, Xanthe also deepens every day the mental link he shared with the gem The spiral and its secondary ramifications that make up the labyrinth were promptly edified, but they were far too empty to draw any satisfaction from it. Due to the fact that most of the labyrinth consisted exclusively of corridors, the length of the labyrinth was much larger than its surface could suggest. In fact, if one had to add the total length of all the paths in the labyrinth, the length would be much greater than the diameter of a place of this first stage. At first, he had access only to a limited selection of creatures that existed in the world where he traveled. This selection extended step by step as the regeneration of Mana increased. Nevertheless, the continuous increase in the size of his domain allowed him to constantly accelerate his speed of collecting mana. He managed to get deeper into the psyche of the gem to find new species to ward off. These runes that the core contained were somehow imprint that needed only Mana to give life. Xanthe mentally shuddered at the things that would be within his reach when his growth was more advanced Until such time as that comes to pass, he had to do with the means at his disposal. First, he selected various insects and worms that would be at the bottom of the food chain of his dungeon. He then spread them evenly throughout the rooms and added basics mana plants such as moss, mushrooms, and grass for feeding. Xanthe was indeed seen that the monsters he had summoned were feeding on the mana environment to live and therefore did not need food properly so called However, classical animals and wild beasts claim living needs, which must be ensured. He started adding rats, mice, bats, lizards, and snakes. They ate the smaller creatures or plants and fed the larger animals. They posed a rather insignificant threat, to be honest, but the ambient mana could give rise to interesting variants in the future. Their potential was not to be neglected. The polished stone tunnels greened gradually, under the multiplication of vegetation. However, the ambient mana was such that the mana moss and other enchanted herbs exhaled in unison the dungeon core, a soft bluish light The plants in this world were unfamiliar to him, so Xanthe had no idea what effects they might have. So he decided to cultivate a lot of different varieties and see what the intruders avoided or did not. What excited him the most was the proper monsters, the animals were friendly, but the real mark of the dungeons were the monsters and their Mana core. The various creatures have invested in all the rooms of the first stage, allying sometimes to keep a corridor or a room. However, the rivalry between species made certain rooms only guarded by a particular race. Groups organized themselves spontaneously to organize patrols along the maze. It seemed that his henchmen had an instinctive knowledge of the maze and circulated quite freely in it. Xanthe was surprised at first but decided not to dwell on it, his situation and new abilities still seemed unfathomable. Despite his undeniable results, Xanthe was not satisfied with the power of his creature. The bad impression he had of their bodies could not go off so easily. He had, of course, thought to equip them properly. Until now the equipment of his monsters was most basic, the Goblins were equipped with the simplest blades, while the Kobolds preferred the spear. The armor did not really fit his little frail creatures, it was more of a hindrance than anything else. He had tried to cover a Goblin with a simple armor of iron, and the result was that the poor being could only advance at a slower pace. It''s just not his day, it would seem He had attempted to directly alter the runes of his creatures, his plan was to gain access to new designs of more powerful creatures. Or at least, an access to a sufficiently solid body and an intellect able to practice meditation. But it was a waste of time, the runes still seemed too complex for him at this time. He circled around and let his mind wander in his domain when he felt a familiar sensation. Curious he leaned over the source, and swore deeply! In the center of the Dungeon Nucleus, which floated in the central hall of his domain. He could recognize the Jade Orb he had wanted to take with him when he fled "What happened to me, to lose it so easily ..." Xanthe plunged into deep thought. His flight and the bizarre nature of his life had made him forget the preparations he had made upstream. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Thinking about the Jade sphere that had merged with his new body, Xanthe smiled. He had brought enough knowledge to shake this world! But he was still too weak for that. For now, his priority would be to strengthen his dungeon. For lack of ideas, he leaned toward his partner and told him of his distress. The gem appeared and he felt it now familiar presence creep into his thoughts, not speaking, but trying to convey information. One contact is enough for vast knowledge to be engraved in his mind. The benefits of the Dungeon arrive faster than expected, smiles. The Core suddenly brightened and this glow penetrated the spirit of Xanthe The gem seemed to mention the link that united them to the creatures they had created. The animals had a distant link with them, then come to the monsters directly under their orders from the core of mana that serves them as a heart. Then came a third category, monsters so powerfully bound to them, that a fragment of their soul, is lodged in the dungeon core. This third category of monsters are dungeon Boss and have qualities far superior to basic monsters. This is the solution that Xanthe was desperate for. In a fight, quality is infinitely greater in importance than numbers. If he could train the Boss thus formed, he would have one more assurance, and would not be afraid to open his den on the outside. After all, to access more advanced options, it would need more mana amount. Its growth, which was initially exponential, was gradually being reduced. To gain strength he would need an outside input, to rely on autarky growth could no longer work now. Preparing to summon his last guardian, he decided that he would reside closer to his heart. He thus separated the central hall into two circular halls of equal size. The first would be the residence of his Champion and located at the end of the labyrinth. The room was large and oval, the bluish glow was here stronger than elsewhere and was reflected on the Runes carved into the rock. He had decided to accompany his final creature by engraving some runes that would be useful in battle. The brute force was not the only way to victory, the traps would surprise many of his invaders. The scholar amused himself by anticipation Behind the wall of this room, was the last room of the dungeon, which was where Xanthe''s current body was resting. He fervently hoped that no one would ever enter here. Feeling finally ready to endow his dungeon with his ultimate guardian, he asked the strongest of his ashenwolf to come into the champion''s room. He weighed the pros and cons and chose to make him his guardian. He had seen great potential among the Kobolds, who appeared to have remnants of a powerful lineage. But it was far too small to bet on it. When the ashenwolf arrived in his future home, Xanthe prepared to bind it more to him. Filled with the knowledge of the dungeon core, and driven by the force of habit Xanthe traced the proper rune with more attention than before. When the symbol was about to be completed he kept his attention, and the supplied again and again with the ambient Mana. The process seemed endless and took a significant amount of Xanthe''s Mana reserves. A glow burst, however, announcing the end of the maneuver The Symbol fused with a loud whistle and hit the fur of the ashenwolf in which it melted. The gem that forms the core of the monster turned from blue to black, a sign of its success, and the body of the Ashenwolf thickens and grows significantly. Xanthe was fascinated by the transformations that affected his creature, it fleshes swelling and swelling under the effect of the mana increase it had received. Soon, an impressive specimen stood before him. The animal had turned white, and its size had grown considerably, to measure about a meter in the box. The wolf was now the size of a pony and had to weigh a lot. Its broad legs have long thin claws and retractable, effective to hunt, but also to move in silence and surprise his opponents. His pointed ears up give him an attentive and intelligent look. A change took place in the Dungeon Heart, which already housed the soul of Xanthe, and that of the dungeon now hosted the third soul. Xanthe could feel the spirit of the ashenwolf searching for him, and He could feel the joy that the creature was taken from his new status. Feeling bad to let a creature so special, anonymous and nameless. Xanthe spoke to him and said, "I call you Skh?l, show yourself worthy of your task" However, this act, which he thought to be harmless, had real repercussions. As if Xanthe had hit some invisible limit, a wave of pure power emanated from his heart and crossed Skh?l, which experimented, a new series of metamorphosis. This wave continued along the labyrinth of Xanthe''s domain until it reached its exit. The rock did not resist this accumulation of mana for long and yielded without a sound. And the sunlight infiltrated into the newly created opening. The Dungeon Mana slowly escaped to the outside, warning the surrounding area of Xanthe''s presence. Chapter 4 : The first invaders Chapter 4: The first invaders. In the heart of the maze, Xanthe was learning the lessons of his last days. He had not expected that naming his Boss would lead to the opening of his den. This new impulsiveness was quite alien to him, the way the gem influenced his personality bothered him deeply. The simplest solution to get rid of its influence would be to name it. He had noticed that the soul of his new champion, Sk?ll, although resident with him in the dungeon core was strictly separated from his person. So he tried this method, but the results did not live up to his expectations. When he named his Alter-ego, he felt he did not have enough energy to complete the process. Naming Sk?ll was demanding in mana, it seemed that naming the gem was of even greater difficulty. He kept this goal in mind, having witnessed the entity''s bloodlust. In the days following the opening of the dungeon, many creatures were drawn by Xanthe''s aura. The fate of the weakest is quickly dispatched, those being executed without worries by his henchmen. The curious phenomenon was,when a creature of the outside who die in his dungeon, have their aura captured Captured in part by the henchman behind their deaths, and especially by Xanthe himself, who had discovered a new resource to exploit He also won by his murders, many blueprints for new creatures, he took that opportunity to add diversity to his dungeon. By multiplying animal diversity. The animals in his den were indeed inferior to his monsters, but they mutated much more easily. The mana they had accumulated by the murders slowly changed them. And their mutated forms quickly became the majority in the first halls and labyrinth room, pushing his monsters, in the deepest rooms. Xanthe''s fascination with his discoveries was nevertheless hampered by the gem''s reaction. It exulted at each death and encouraged Xanthe to let go of his henchmen outside, to recover mana more quickly. He was for a moment seduced by the idea, he was still striving to strengthen his mana pool, but he seemed to have reached a bottleneck in his growth. Gathering large amounts of Mana for direct use was easy, but its internal reserves did not vary more than one iota. And this external mana seemed the solution to his worries. Each death is, after all, a growth spurt, each time a thin filament of power reinforcing his power. However, prudence required patience, he did not want to attract the attention of local powers. Ambitious newcomers are always undesirable whatever the world The scholar lamented that his only path of growth was the massacre. His original world was certainly not a quiet place, but he felt a pinch of regret at being forced to grow that way After all, to grow he had few options. Keep the invaders in the field for as long as possible, give them wounds, or kill them. This is the conclusion he had arrived at, after noting that he could passively absorb some of the aura of the intruders. He was thinking about the possibility of a prison in his dungeon when he was interrupted by the arrival of a more powerful intruder than before. From the entrance to his dungeon had come the Ogre, he was undoubtedly the most massive creature he had ever seen since his arrival. The astonishing amount of aura he let go reflected the power of the beast. He was a hideous monster, his forehead was fleeing and his body was hunched, but he was standing up and holding a club in his hands. The Ogre rushed into his tunnels, and Xanthe could feel the desire in his crazy eyes. Disdaining his snakes, who could not pierce his thick skin. He ran at random in the deeper tunnels and faced the Kobolds in one of their halls. Screaming defiantly, he opened a huge mouth, dripping with drool, and walked towards them. They raised their fighting spears in response, but the weapon did not lend itself to a close confrontation. The Ogre, however, had several bruises on his thighs and arms. Out of his stupefaction, Xanthe called on the nearest Ashenwolves to defeat this opponent, the small group of six Kobolds obviously not being a match for the giant. The ashenwolves, patrolling in teams of three, answered their master''s call and melted on the intruder. The first of the wolves received full blast the club of Ogre, the shock was such that it was raised almost vertical under the impact. His two acolytes were luckier and managed to plant their fangs in the monster''s blow and shoulder. Accused, he swept his opponents with a large gesture of his rudimentary weapon, before fleeing under the pressure of numbers, the wolves continuing to harass him in the tunnels. Not wanting to let such a precious creature escape, Xanthe motivated the Kobolds to pursue him. The rats of his dungeon also joined in tracking the humanoid to put him down. However, the ogre managed to escape at the cost of serious injuries, and the scholar did not want to risk his creatures in the outside world. The operation was ultimately a meager success for Xanthe, he had forcibly brought the wounds of the beast, but had not managed to kill him. His chance to have a new inhabitant in his labyrinth managed to flee. An ashenwolf and a handful of Kobold and snakes were lost in the operation, but they were now quite easily replaceable This episode had the merit of pointing out a weakness of the labyrinth His strength lies on his confusing paths and his number of henchmen. He had not yet set traps in his domain, and this lack had been cruel in front of a brute force superior to his Minions. Xanthe still soliloquized on formations that could make effective traps, when his dungeon received his first human visitors.
Romaric had left the city of Fergh?na the day before, under the order of the Burgomaster After collecting all the necessary information, he was told the next destination to continue his quest. Ten kilometers south of the city is a long mountain range: The Purple Mountains In recent weeks, an unknown cause has increased monster activity in the area. The roads becoming less and less safe to get into the countryside and several merchants if they were complaining of creature attack while roaming. As a member of the Mercenary Guild, he had to participate in this mission. The mission that the Burgomaster had assigned to the mercenary guild was rather simple. Criss-crossing the area in small groups, sinking into the mountains and destroying everything is monstrous. Having used to operate solo, there is a partner of office. So he was teaming with Arya a promising young mercenary who, as an archer, completed his completed his deficiencies. Being a swordsman, he does not excel in long-range attack Arya, however, has been constantly complaining since the beginning of their trip. "Are you sure that the Burgomaster has reliable information? She said, examining the thickets nearby. "It''s been hours that we quadrille the area with no other result than a handful of goblins!I do not have time to lose for that! " "Do not be silly, we have not gone too far from the road, your bow should not be idle in the next few hours," he said, pointing at a rocky peak with his finger. "There is an upland further up in altitude that should serve as a point of reference, the monsters are rather agitated in the corner so be careful" he recommended he On one side stretched the river which leads to the sea, and on the other began a forest of oaks and beeches, which sank into the hinterland. It is in this direction that the small band chose to lead, this area was not inhabited. And the uplands shelter small hordes, that descend from the heights to ravage the road and surrounding villages Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The strong duo had only encountered minor threats during their ascent, which had not slowed them down. However, they felt an increase in the mana content of the area. Convinced to be on the right track, they put themselves on their guard They arrived in the direction of the famous upland when danger threatened them. In a whirlwind of leaves, a colossal creature sprang up from the ground and stood up in front of Arya causing a start of surprise. It was an Ogre! Cousins of Goblins, the Ogres surpassed them in stature, power, and cruelty. Measuring more than two meters the creature looked hard at them His hair, gray and stiff, was held by a band of oily cloth; in the middle of a rough face and covered with rides that were those who were old, shone two little sharp eyes of a predator Romaric recovered quickly and stood in front of Arya to receive the first attack of the creature. The Ogre narrowed his cruel eyes at his opponent and gave him a powerful blow from the club he was holding with his both hands The fight began and lasted a few moments, Romaric who was cornered by the brute force of the Ogre played his agility to make the fight last. Not wanting to feel his club that will probably send him directly into the afterlife Harassing the colossus of his sword, he kicked his legs in the hope of undermining his support Meanwhile, Arya had bandaged her short bow multiple times to loosen the deadly features. The arrows quickly reached their target piercing the thick skin of the giant, torso and blow. The blood spotted the dust of the road and the weakened ogre fell under the blows of Romaric. The two panting friends took the time to catch their breath, it is Arya who exploded first. "What is a damn Ogre doing here?" She could not bear to have been caught off guard by such a clumsy creature. "It could be a local goblin that has evolved," Romaric replied. If these monsters spreads it''s not good for us! The fight seemed too simple to him, to shoot down only two fighters, an Ogre so quickly? Intrigued, he watched more carefully on the still hot carcass of the Ogre and exclaimed panicked. "But this bastard was already hurt!" He could indeed see on the calves, as well as on the shoulders of the ogre various traces of bites. If the fight was so easy, it was because he was handicapped. He could only thank the gods for his luck. If the ogre had been in full possession of his means, the result would have been quite different. "The most important thing, Arya said, is to know what hurt a monster like that." "If there is more ogre like him, our mission will be compromised" Romaric nodded to her words, the Ogre seemed to come from the upland, so they would go there cautiously and gather as much information as possible. This thrust of mana did not smell good and attracted far too many creatures to his liking. The climb proceeded calmly without additional encounters, the traces of the ogre on the ground were easy enough to follow. So they came in sight of the summit and amazement rushed on their faces. In the flank of the upland, at the heart of a rocky outcrop, a tunnel appeared dug and sank deep into the upland. A soft blue light escaped from this hole "Hey, Arya, do you think like me?" After the shock had passed, Romaric was cautiously analyzing the situation. Such a construction in the middle of nowhere, it was also here that the Ogre had been wounded, the solution seemed obvious "It''s a Donjon gravely confirmed his companion with a nod of her head. Do you want us to go see? " "After all we could resell at golden prices information about it," she said with a mischievous smile. Her confidence came from the novelty of the cave, which should not be complicated to overcome. But above all, her ambitious heart ignited when she thought of the retribution she would obtain as well. It was, therefore, necessary to quickly enter and report before another group of mercenaries stole this information. "Okay, but get ready, you should not be caught off guard this time," said Romaric, referring to their previous meeting with the ogre Together they went down and enter the den It appeared that they had fallen into some sort of underground cavern. The astonishment was immediately painted on their faces, the atmosphere was now a deep blue. And the density of Mana present in the air was at a level quite different from the outside. The charged air became heavy, and it was a little difficult to breathe, as when the air is laden with moisture after a torrential rain Compact rock crystals were suspended from the vault like chandeliers that seemed to light as they passed. It looked like the dungeon lit up to welcome its visitors Similar to a big labyrinth, there were six passages they could take but they did not know where they were leading. The atmosphere was heavy because of the high concentration of mana, but most importantly, and the two mercenaries could not help but fiddle. They felt watched. Since they had gone through it was like someone was constantly watching them Chasing this bizarre impression, Romaric spoke There are six passages around here, which should we borrow? "He asked, looking down the deep corridors around them. "It''s simple, we have to head south to cross the upland no? We don''t need to get lost in the side lanes!" Thus they sank side by side in the lair, their weak knowledge of the ground not being to reassure them Arya looked at Romaric and said, "It''s a labyrinth so we should also find pit traps. " So they paid close attention to the ground, to detect any anomaly However the danger came from the heights, a group of snakes had taken up residence in the stalactites which adorned the ceiling of the den. Seeing the intruders approach, he whistled and dropped on them. The fight was short, Romaric had only time to retreat on hearing the whistling, that a snake threw himself at the place he had left a second before. The body of the snake in question seemed long enough, he straightened up and his head reached the height of Romaric''s hip. Not good, he thought, he grabbed his sword and shot the snake with his body under the impact thrown back. Arya on her side did not rest, taking out her cutlasses and rushed to help her companion by suppressing any hostile presence. The group did not sustain any injuries, but after the trap''s vision, he decided to be extremely careful. A madhouse thought the young woman! The entrance had seemed quite innocuous, and strangely devoid of traps But it was only an introduction to the real difficulties of the dungeon. First, the snakes had progressively left the place to the Kobolds. They had the knack for hiding in the darkness and kept harassing them with their long spears. The range of his weapons did not allow Romaric to get through them quickly, and it was Arya who systematically finished them with her bow. Aim at small moving creatures in the winding path was not quite to please her Then they had met the Ashenwolves, without warning signs, and at the end of a road. They had fallen on a group, which took them unprepared. Although they came out victorious, it was at the cost of an injury. Arya''s astonishment had allowed one of the monsters to bite on a Romaric that she was no longer covering him with her arrows She had not anticipated that another wolf would come out at that moment! In desperation, Romaric quickly raised his left hand to the upper jaw of the beast, while he pressed with all his might with his left foot on the lower jaw. "Arrgh! " The Ashen Wolf had a terrifying force. Despite Romaric''s efforts, one of his fangs still sank into his left shoulder. He was not going to be able to keep up a long time at this rate. Taking advantage of the position he was in, Romaric hurriedly waved his sword with his right arm free and stabbed it into the animal''s mouth until it passed through his skull. After this injury, the duo had preferred to escape, however, the empty corridors they had met so far were now teeming with curious rodents who took them backward. His rats were about the size of a big cat and did not stop harassing them during their flight Rather than fighting them directly, his creatures preferred to use their agility to bite them powerfully before fleeing. Arya''s cutlass often cut into the void, as the rat''s teeth bit her calves and eroded her leather armor. The situation would have been bearable if Romaric had been able to fight but he had become very weak with his injured shoulder. However, they managed to flee, the rats not being enough for the completely incapacitated them At the end of the cave, it was with less enthusiasm than the first time that Arya had a last look at the entrance of the Keep. "It''s only a postponement," she murmured. They had to report back to the guild, but they would definitely come back Chapter 5 : A second exploration The discovery of the dungeon causes a big uproar. More exactly, it provoked a real earthquake that shook the entire city of Ferghana! Firstly, because Romaric and Arya, who form a solid duo, could not even explore the cave in depth. Then because the Guild, would offer rewards to anyone who could provide a map or information about the Dungeon. However, the presence of the cave made some people fear that Ferghana was no longer safe from monstrous threats. After all, who could say that none of his creatures would come out of the cave? The concentration of Mana would always attract more creatures near the Keep so it would be necessary to build a fortified post, or the roads will never be safe. Romaric was sitting in the Hall of the Mercenary Guild, the area was divided into several parts: the billboard where the quests were posted, a reception, and a bar where he was currently sitting. The young swordsman was celebrating his success, and waiting for news. The Master wanted to form a group to explore the dungeon, and he absolutely wanted to be in. He had hurried to a healer in the city to repair the ugly wounds the wolf had left in his shoulder. "If I go back," he exclaimed, "I will not leave any of his monsters alive!" " A fierce young man approached with a smile. "You should stop, a beginner will always be a beginner. You will only ruin a place in the group. Just go back and train yourself against the wooden puppets. " Romaric saw red when he saw him arrive: "Edwin, what do you want from me, do you think you''re better?" The rivalry between the two had started since the arrival of Romaric at Ferghana a year earlier, the two men were of the same generation, and could not help but want to assert their supremacy over the other. "I heard, it was Arya who brought you back from the dungeon? " " Saved by a woman you are pitiful " He had a great burst of laughter whose only purpose was to humiliate his opponent Romaric swallowed the words that burned his throat and was silent, the footsteps of the guild master sounded in the central staircase and silence was heard throughout the room. When one has as much strength as him, the respect is imposed in a natural way L?thor, was brief as he always was and summarized the information they had: "The dungeon has a high density of mana, so we should expect some rather dangerous species. The upland is quite narrow, but if it''s a labyrinth, do not think about crossing it in less than a day. " These words confuse the mercenaries. A full day of exploration? It was a discovery that exceeded the expectations of many. However, it was an acceptable fact considering the rewards that dungeons provided "I will not allow any groups that do not have my approval at the moment, I do not want to see you fall like flies by attacking such a dungeon without preparation. " Warned them the Master "The mission of the exploration group will be to map as much as possible the cave understood? " Arya? called the master Yes? replied the young woman. These eyes shone with anticipation "You already know the way, so you''ll go with Romaric, Siam, and Krakal. Try to come back in one piece. " He pointed to the appropriate people, in this case, a solitary warrior, and a mage to accompany them. "To those who remain, there is not much to do," calmly continued the Master. "We must remain on our guard, continue to clean up the threats that will come and wait for the results of the investigation. Your turn will come quickly. " L?thor could feel the excitement of his troops, but he had to restrain them a little. Preparation is a matter of survival. He was thinking of the burgomaster to whom he should report, he will undoubtedly be in the same state of excitement as his troops. And indeed after receiving the news, the Lord was jubilant Kandarisar was a man of about seventy, with piercing eye and assured voice. In his day he had been a ruler of the right and wise clan, which had earned him the right to be elected to this position with a comfortable majority; he was well-versed in business and a skilled diplomat, knowing how to appreciate the pertinent advice, and yet firm in his decisions. So far, the people of Ferghana had only to congratulate themselves on their choice He had decided to let the dungeon exploration group escort a team of artisans through the land, he wanted to establish a strong permanent base there and claim it on his own. Given the scarcity of dungeons in Ceridwen, the merchants and mercenaries would soon flock to his city. And he did not want to take the risk of seeing his influence decline, because of the arrival of a bunch of foreigners. This opportunity was too tempting after all, his head was full of plans to make this discovery profitable. I''ll need a toll road now, he thought. The sound of gold coins flowing in his hands was already almost noticeable It should, however, ensure the independence of his city, he had a river connection with the capital Fortalden. And the thought of having to negotiate more than before with the monarchy bristled him deeply. "We''ll see if that mad woman dares to make claims on my land! "
Meanwhile, for Arya, the trip had started well, Certainly, the absence of real breaks was a little sad, but the excitement made him forget his unpleasantness. It was already a few hours since they were gone, at the first light of the sun, and their group should arrive in sight of the Keep at noon. Then they should do an exploration dive and map as much surface as possible. Krakal had warned him that they might have to stay indoors, so they did not have to waste time on unnecessary return trips. She liked this giant a little clumsy, he did not try to crush it, with his experience and it was a nice point. He was a little intimidating but it was normal He was just too tall, so much so that the Ogre of the last time could have passed for his big brother. He wore a chainmail that came to his knees. At his waist were hung on one side, a monumental ax, and in his hand a large rectangular shield. He wore braided hair, and he had a big red, shaggy beard. Siam, her other companion, was on the contrary far more secretive and had not said much since the beginning of their march. Just asking Arya what she saw in the dungeon. Her taciturn nature did not surprise anyone Those who devoted themselves full time to the path of magic were often rather peculiar characters. Siam was probably foreign, her face did not stick, with the locals, She had matte skin, long shiny black hair pulled back and braided. Her dark leather clothes, similar to those of Arya, put in value her slender figure. Arya turned to look at the caravan that was following close behind, many cars were following in single file, loaded with tools and building materials Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.The Lord wanted absolutely to prevent another power from invading the place and had prepared in haste an assembly of craftsmen to set up an outpost around the Dungeon Nothing is left to chance apparently. All more reason to succeed in the mission and make the master proud! She let her gaze linger on her temporary companions and cheered them on silently. L?thor had chosen well, even if they did not know each other very well their complementarity was good, this dive should be better than the last time the young woman hoped. In front of her, the entrance to the dungeon illuminated by the setting sun sounded like a challenge.
Xanthe looked at the group of humans, engaging in his dungeon. They looked a little tired but also very interested in every little detail they could glean. The group of four included the unlucky duo from a few days ago as well as an armored man and a young woman. Xanthe was able to confirm his suspicions of the last time. If he could detect a mana pool in each of the intruders. It was a stock, no one practiced meditation, and became a source of power. This meant that he possessed techniques and arts unknown in the outside world, he could use them to negotiate if they were ever too hostile. However, he did not want to underestimate them, the universe was vast, and the means to become strong, probably infinite. Satisfied with having a supplementary hidden card, he carefully observed them It was with anticipation that he saw them go deeper into his dungeon, he had learned from his mistakes and wanted to see the progress he had made
What a horrible place! thought Siam,the young mage If it were not for Master''s invitation, there would be no chance that she would come of her own accord indeed Of a cautious nature, she always tended to make preparations before making a decision. Finding herself in a group that she perceived as daredevil made her feel uncomfortable. "At least they do a good job," the fact could not be dismissed the group was very stable. Romaric had taken the vanguard with Krakal, their protector who must have had a giant blood in his veins because its size was around two meter high He was taking damage from the front, allowing Siam and Arya to release their long-range attacks safely. Romaric possessed a decent ability to avoid traps and supported Krakal on contact. They took the same path as the unlucky duo a few days earlier and progressed at a faster pace. They went carefully to the first room Prevented ambushes of Snakes hanged from stalactites, Siam preventively sent short spells of flames to clean these inaccessible places The scorched flesh smells told her that his precautions had reached their goal. "You must always have a step ahead," she thought with a smile After fully exploring the first room, they drew an approximate map of the dungeon with the entrance and the first room. It was part of their mission to map as much surface as possible. Then they continued in the second room where they met five goblins scattered. However, after tracing the second piece, they found themselves with tunnels going deeper into the dungeon. Moreover, their progress was regular, the spears of the Kobolds were only bouncing helplessly over the shield of Krakal, their owners were immediately crossed by the features of Arya. "Arya? You really fled from this place? " Siam asked. "For the moment I do not see anything dangerous. " The young woman who initially feared this exploration took more and more confidence with the smooth progress of their progress. "Do not brag, Krakal does wonders against kobolds, but we still have not seen these hordes of rats. And that worries me. " Siam was silent in integrating this data, the dungeons always used all their assets not? Why this absence? The accomplices arrived at a crossroads at four junctions. Romaric consulting his compass announced to them, that it was necessary to continue in the direction of the South to reach the center of the labyrinth, it thus suggested to them to continue straight. Siam was about to speak when she heard squeaks from behind. The rats, she understood, turning around she could see a crowd of yellow eyes that stared at the group from the darkness "Krakal, we swap places! Arya take out your cutlass! " While giving her instructions she drew back so that her companions could protect her. However, when she glanced at her companions she saw that the tunnels to the east and north were also occupied by a horde of pests The spur consisted of four directions, and only one lane remained free from the west. "It looks like the Dungeon showed us the way forward," Krakal worried. His ax was not adapted to fight a crowd of little monsters. He did not want to go west, however, fearing another trap. "We do not have a choice," said Romaric irritated, joining the words to the act he ran towards the tunnel wishing to put the greatest possible distance between him and the rodents. His group followed him and a race started. The rats invaded the crossroads, before pursuing the fugitives by pushing aggressive squeaks Siam could not take it any longer, a rat propelling himself on his hind legs clutched at her hair. She was taken by surprise She tried to pull away but the animal seemed to have soldered to her skull. She wanted to repel him with a minor fire spell but only managed to burn three wicks. She screamed and resumed her race quickly passing Romaric who was leading. The rat was resting on her head like a hat. Siam no longer felt tired. Noisy breath, heart, and temples beating to break, and in her escape struck a wall. She fell, got up immediately, the rat had released her, but the relief was short-lived, it was dead-end. The rats, seeing their victims trapped, regrouped before giving the assault. Krakal went to the front and unfolded his rectangular shield. Siam heard him shouting at him to crush his critters, and he took the first wave. Romaric and Arya put themselves on her side and together with their blades they started a bloody ballet. The amount of rodent that came to them allowed them to not bother with precision. When they hit somewhere, there would always be a rodent to take the hit Siam quickly cast a spell by gathering the mana around, she thanked once again the abnormally high amount of mana which allowed a saving of vital time in these circumstances. "Not a fireball, but a ray," she thought. The risk of targeting her allies was too great so she had to resolve to limit the scope of her fate. When the mana had reached its critical mass, she shouted a warning before releasing the spell. The blue fire concentrated in a thin ray came in contact with the fur of these creatures and exploded immediately, forming a sea of flames in an instant. The front-loading rats suddenly started miserable roars in that ocean of fire. The fire spread, for a moment before going out for lack of fuel. Siam collapsed on the ground, modifying a spell on the job was not an easy task. So there was an obvious tribute to her body The eyes of his companions were pierced by a flash of admiration; Siam had done a good job. They mostly got superficial wounds, the rats had not passed through their protections However, some bites had to leave them a bad memory "I hate this dungeon," Siam announced. she could not bring herself to have been carried into such an extreme situation by a mere horde of rats. "Calm down," Arya told her. "The last horde was a final trick of this dungeon Maybe there''s not much else left to worry about now. " Arya sat down next to Siam and offered her a healing potion. Fatigue was pulling her, her cutlass was not made for prolonged battles and her arms felt tired. She could not help but a last bravado in front of the giant Krakal "You see, it was not so difficult, " She told him In response, Krakal grunted unintelligible. He had almost fallen about ten times in their hurried course, had opened his fingers, slashed his forehead, bruised his ribs, and when a stone had come loose under his foot and he had felt himself tipping back he had squeaked. He, Krakal, son of one of the most powerful clans of Ceridwen, had squeaked. He felt the wrath of his vigilant ancestors hovering over him like a dark cloud, waiting only for another misstep to plunge him into shame and disgrace forever. He had squeaked! However, he quickly changed his expression by hearing a noise further down the path " Bad News !" The giant announced Heavy footsteps could be heard and seemed to come from the junction they had crossed earlier. Obstructing the passage three Ashenwolfs were advancing towards the tired group