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MidReal Story
Dungeon Daughter
Scenario:Title: Dungeon Daughter
I am Elora. As far as my small village knows, I'm just a weird orphan girl who lives on a small farm between the village and the forest. Marcus lives with me, the true son of the two farmers who took me in when they found me wandering in the forest when I was small.
But I have strange dreams of another place, a deeper place of stone, iron, monsters, treasure, and magic. And sometimes I feel the mana swirling around me through the air.
(There's a secret no one knows, not even myself! I am the daughter of a personified Dungeon core and a top-level adventurer.)
Monster attacks are becoming more frequent, and the village is scared. Marcus and I have faced more than a few goblin attacks recently, so I've started keeping the pitchfork in the hallway and carrying a small dagger, just in case.
Create my version of this story
Elora Hart
central hero, has a deep connection to the dungeon and magical abilities, foster sister to Marcus, long brown hair, green eyes, resilient and curious.
Marcus Teller
protective figure and skilled farmer, foster brother to Elora, short black hair, blue eyes, pragmatic and loyal.
Lyra Hart
deceased mother of Elora and wife of the adventurer, former dungeon explorer, long silver hair (now gray), wise and secretive.
The first time I dreamt of the dungeon, I was six years old.
A dark cavern stretched all around me, with strange letters crawling over rocks and flagstone alike. Mana pulsed in the air in waves, almost strong enough to wake me. There was a pressure, a huge pressure like nothing in the surface world, and in the distance a light flickered.
I didn't want to go towards it, but found myself pulled towards it all the same. "No..." I whispered, and the pressure lessened. I turned away, dragging myself in the other direction in the cavern. Around me, the runeletters started to make some sense. I'd never been able to read them in the dream before, perhaps because I'd barely known how to read anything at six. But now they seemed to form words. Strange words in another tongue, but words nonetheless.
"Come back," a faint voice called. "Don't go, you belong here."
"No," I whispered. "No, no, no!" I shouted. The light flared, and I felt a mix of anguish, anger, and despair from it. Now the cavern was shrinking, and the light blazing brighter. Was it coming closer? I knew, instinctively knew, that I needed to flee. This wasn't the place for me, at least, not yet. "I need to be free." I shook my head and turned away from the light, running and running.Stone stairs whipped by me as the cavern became a tunnel. The ground caved beneath me as the light shook, so I grew wings. But I understood the light was trapped - it couldn't really chase me. Through corridors of stone I flew, shimmering through monsters and walls as if I were a ghost, before turning strait up upwards and erupting through stone and soil.When I woke, it was into the dim sunlight of a shady forest, where I was curled up in the hollow of a tree. Back then, I wasn't perfectly sure I'd been dreaming at all. All I knew was I was confused, and cold, and hungry.
Now that I was eighteen, those old dreams seemed like a dark age of the past. I'd been adopted by farmers who found me wandering through that same forest, and there was little time amid farmwork and school to be reminiscing over the past. I was happy enough.
Still, the air felt chilly tonight, and I stayed tucked in bed for the moment. For some reason, I couldn't calm down.
A noise outside snapped me out of my thoughts.
I grabbed the dagger from under my pillow and crept towards the window.
Peering through the glass, I saw Marcus already awake, his silhouette barely visible in the dim light. Marcus was my adopted brother - or rather, became my brother when I was adopted by his parents. Now my parents too, even if they were out of town selling crops at the Kingdom market.
He was scanning the perimeter, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Marcus," I whispered, hoping he could hear me without alerting whatever was out there.
He turned his head slightly, acknowledging my presence with a nod.
I slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the door, opening it just enough to slip outside.
The cool night air hit my face as I joined Marcus.
"What's going on?" I asked, keeping my voice low.
"Goblins," he replied tersely, pointing towards the edge of the village where shadows moved stealthily among the trees.
I nodded at him. "I'll get the pitchfork, and a light." I disappeared inside the house to get the tools we needed. When I returned, he was still standing watch. Broad-shouldered and always dependable, I was glad he was at my side if there might be a fight.
We'd handled goblin skirmishes in the past. They sometimes tried to raid cabbage and radishes from the farm or the like, and had even stolen a couple chickens once. It did seem like their raids were getting more frequent this year, though.
"How many?" I whispered. "Enough to scare off with the light?"
"Probably not." Marcus shook his head. "Looks like at least eight. With those numbers, they won't run scared."
"Pity," I placed the pitchfork against the house and grabbed the lantern cover. "Get ready," I whispered. "I'll uncover the lantern on three. They might not run, but it should startle them enough to freeze them for a moment."
"Let's go then," Marcus grinned. He seemed to enjoy these goblin battles we had. Perhaps he saw it as training, since his dream was to join the knights.
After three seconds, I uncovered the lantern and hollered as loud as I could. Goblin shrieks filled the air, and rustling in the foliage showed two running off. The rest hissed and stepped forward, a mangy group of nine goblins wielding clubs and daggers. Fortunately, it didn't look like any mages or rangers were among them.
I grabbed the pitchfork, feeling the cold iron against my palms and hefting it with a smile. "They picked the wrong girl to mess with."
"Stay close," Marcus barked at me as he made the first move, plunging his short sword into the heart of a goblin without hesitation. "There's more than I thought, this could get tricky even for us."
"Speak for yourself," I grinned, whipping the pitchfork around in an arc as if it was a shovel and knocking three of them over. "How do you know I won't need to rescue you?"
"Less talking, more fighting." Marcus panted. For the next few minutes, we tore through the group of goblins. They were wiley but short, and while I got more than a few cuts it was hard for them to stab me when I wielded a weapon longer than they were tall.
As I plunged the pitchfork into the last, three streams of green blood gushing out, we heard noises from the livestock pen. Marcus nodded and we left the dead goblins, for the moment, to check on the animals. We could see if the goblins carried anything of worth later on.
"There," I whispered, pointing towards a hunched figure near the fence.
The goblin was rummaging through a sack of feed, its back turned to us.
Marcus didn't hesitate.
With a determined look, he charged at the creature, his shortsword aimed for its chest.
The goblin turned at the last second, dodging Marcus's attack with surprising agility.
It snarled and slashed at him with a crude knife.
"Marcus!" I shouted, fear gripping me as I saw the blade glint in the lantern light.
He stumbled back, narrowly avoiding the goblin's strike.
I couldn't stand by and watch.
With my heart pounding in my ears, I lunged forward and thrust my pitchfork into the goblin's side.
It screeched in pain and rage, its eyes widening in shock.
"Elora!" Marcus called out, regaining his balance. He swung his sword again, this time aiming for the goblin's head.
The creature tried to dodge but was too slow. Marcus' sword pierced it just as I reached them and slammed the pitchfork into the goblin. It collapsed with a sickening thud, lifeless, green blood soaking the spilled grain.
We stood over the body, breathing heavily, blood staining our clothes.
The forest seemed to hold its breath around us as the homestead seemed eerily quiet, the only sound our ragged breathing.
"You okay?" Marcus asked, his voice strained but steady.
I nodded, still trying to catch my breath. "Yeah. You?"
"I'll live," he replied with a grim smile. "Nice move back there."
"Thanks," I said, glancing down at the goblin's lifeless form. "But something feels off."
"What do you mean?" Marcus asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"I don't know," I admitted. "It's just...this is the fourth attack this fall. And there were three times as many as normal. I feel like there's more going on here."
Marcus frowned but didn't argue. "For now, let's get back to the house and clean up. We can search the goblins later."
As we turned to leave, I felt a strange pull towards the forest behind us.
It was as if an invisible thread was tugging at me, urging me to go deeper into the woods.
"Elora?" Marcus called out, noticing my hesitation.
"I'm coming," I said quickly, shaking off the feeling.
He slumped into a chair, wiping blood from his face with a rag.
I couldn't sit still; my mind was restless.
I put a kettle on to heat water, and brought a bowl of cold water along with some fresh rags for Marcus while it heated. I dabbed a wet rag on my arms as I paced back and forth, glancing every so often out the window towards the forest.
The trees stood tall and silent, their dark silhouettes barely visible in the moonlight.
An inexplicable pull tugged at me, urging me to venture deeper into the woods. But something else in me was urging me to look away, not to go, to stay happy and at peace where I was.
"We need to figure out if something is stirring up the goblins," I said, breaking the silence. "Or if something is pushing them out."
Marcus nodded, but his eyes were heavy with exhaustion. I poured out the cold, bloody water from his bowl and replaced it with fresh hot water.
His usually sharp gaze was dulled by fatigue, and his handsome features buried under cuts and bruises. Sighing, I grabbed one of the rags and took over mopping up his face for him. If he had gone to market with his parents - I shuddered to think of what would have happened to me if he wasn't around.
"Thanks," he mumbled, half asleep. "You have gentle hands."
I flushed and continued working, finding it hard to avert my gaze as I had to cut away the remnants of his shirt and treat the cuts on his chest. Some were deeper than others, and one looked like it might need stitches.
"Stay there and I'll get some proper bandages," I told him in as stern a voice as I could muster, but it came out breathier than I would like. Some nights it was harder to forget than others that we weren't actually related by blood.
"I'll be fine," he reassured me, catching my hand for a moment. I swallowed a gasp at the connection, like a slight electric brush. I turned away from his candlelight reflecting eyes before he could read my own.
"I'll just get those bandages," I pulled away. It must be the chaos of the night that was getting to me, first with the weird dreams and then the goblin attack. It was no wonder my mind was playing tricks on me.
As I rushed out of the room to check our small stash of medical supplies, the forest outside caught me eye again. What was out there? Was there really another dungeon in the forest? As far as I knew, the closest dungeon was several days travel, and only allowed entry by certified adventurers. The Kingdom kept a close watch on its resources, though of course the claim was that managing the dungeon keep everyone safe. In reality, the Kingdom wanted its fair share of any treasures found. But what if there really was a dungeon in the forest? Would the village be safe? Would the King's soldiers come to their small town to claim it?
At least thinking about the forest took my mind off my adoptive brother. I worked in silence besides my shaky breathing, carefully rubbing some herbal poultice into his wound that our mother had made, then wrapping the bandages carefully around his broad chest. "I think your shirt is done for," I nervously joked.
He tried to gave me a warm smile, but his jaw was clenched. As I dabbed at a particularly nasty cut on Marcus's arm, he winced, but didn't pull away. He reached out with his other hand and grabbed my arm, almost reflexively.
"Sorry," I murmured.
"It's fine," he replied, and hastily removed his hand.
Once I had him bandaged and somewhat cleaned up, Marcus leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment.
"We can't keep doing this," he said quietly.
I wasn't exactly sure what he was referring to. The goblin attacks? Or...us? "I know," I replied, even though I didn't. I was just going to pretend he meant the goblins. "But who would help us? Everyone in the village has their own problems. They'd just blame us for living so far outside of the village boundaries."
Marcus sighed heavily. "Oh yah, the goblins. Something's changed with their activity. We do need to find out what."
I nodded in agreement, my resolve strengthening. "I'll go to the village tomorrow and see if anyone else has noticed anything unusual."
"Good idea," Marcus said, though his voice was tinged with doubt. "Just be careful. I don't ... I don't want to lose you."
"I will," I promised.
The room fell silent again, save for the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards beneath our feet. I flushed again, suddenly aware that I was nearly up against Marcus despite having finished with the bandages minutes ago. "I - I guess I'll go take a shower." I blurted out and fled.
As the cold water rinsed me off and washed my cuts clean, I couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out. The attacks were becoming more frequent and more violent. Something had to be done.
When I came back into the living room, Marcus was already asleep. Good, that would make things easier.
Grabbing my cloak and slipping the dagger into my belt, I quietly left the house.
The night air was cool against my skin as I stepped outside. It would almost be a pleasant evening, if it weren't for the bloody corpses still strewn about. I checked over them, but there was little of worth. I took the few coins and leather scraps worth keeping back inside, along with a note for Marcus. I couldn't have him waking up thinking the goblins had got me.Now, the forest loomed ahead of me, inviting yet foreboding in equal measure. Did I want to go in, or did I want to run away again?
Taking a deep breath, I started towards it, each step feeling like a step closer to uncovering the truth.
The trees seemed to whisper around me as I ventured deeper into the woods. The path was barely visible underfoot, but I pressed on, guided by an unseen force.
Suddenly, a rustling sound caught my attention. My hand flew to the dagger at my belt as I scanned the darkness for any sign of movement.
A shadow darted between the trees ahead of me. My heart pounded in my chest as I cautiously approached.
"Who's there?" I called out softly.
No response came, only the eerie silence of the forest enveloping me once more.
I took another step forward when something grabbed my ankle from below.
A figure emerged from the shadows, its glowing blue eyes piercing through the darkness.
I struggled to free my ankle, but felt a cold, unyielding grip.
"Elora, daughter of the Dungeon, your destiny awaits," the figure spoke in a low, resonant voice.
Fear and curiosity clashed within me.
"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me.
The figure released my ankle and lowered its hood, revealing an ancient, scarred face.
"I am Kaldor, guardian of your true home," it said.
My heart raced as I felt the mana around me intensify.
The air seemed to hum with energy, making my skin tingle.
I had to decide whether to trust this mysterious stranger or flee back to Marcus.
"What do you mean by 'true home'?" I asked, taking a cautious step back but keeping my eyes locked on Kaldor.
"You were born in the Dungeon," Kaldor replied. "You have been called back to fulfill your destiny."
The words sent a shiver down my spine.
I had always known there was something different about me, something that set me apart from everyone else.
But this? This was beyond anything I had ever imagined. And I wasn't sure I liked it.
"I don't understand," I said, shaking my head. "Why now? Why after all these years?"
"The Dungeon Mother has awakened," Kaldor explained. "She needs you to restore balance."
I glanced back towards the house where Marcus was sleeping.
He had always been there for me, protecting me, caring for me. And the parents who took me in, too - what would they do if they returned to find me gone? After all they did for me, taking me in and raising me, would they feel betrayed?
Could I really leave them behind?
"How can I trust you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at Kaldor.
"You feel it in your bones," Kaldor said softly. "The call of the Dungeon is within you."
He was right.
There was a part of me that felt drawn to this strange figure, a part that yearned to uncover the truth about my past.
But what about Marcus? What about my family?
"I need time to think," I said finally.
Kaldor nodded, his expression unreadable. "Very well. But remember, Elora, time is running out."
With that, he turned and melted back into the shadows of the forest.
I stood there for a moment, trying to process everything that had just happened.
The night seemed even darker now, the trees closing in around me.
Taking a deep breath, I turned and hurried back towards the house.
Marcus was still asleep when I slipped inside. I quickly crumpled up the note I had left for him - no need to let him know I had ever been gone at all.
I leaned against the table, my mind racing with questions and doubts.
I quickly hid the crumpled note in my pocket and checked on Marcus.
He was still resting, his breathing steady but shallow.
The silence felt oppressive, almost unnatural.
I paced the room, glancing out the window towards the forest.
The trees stood tall and silent, their dark forms barely visible in the moonlight.
My thoughts were a tangled mess of fear, curiosity, and uncertainty.
A loud crash outside shattered the silence.
My heart leapt into my throat as I grabbed my dagger from the table.
I rushed to the door and flung it open, scanning the darkness for any sign of danger.
A wounded villager stumbled towards our home, his clothes torn and bloodied.
He collapsed just a few feet from the door, gasping for breath.
"Help... monster attack..." he managed to say between ragged breaths.
I knelt beside him, my heart pounding in my chest. "What happened? Where are they?"
"The village... under attack... need help..." he gasped before losing consciousness.
Panic surged through me as I realized the urgency of the situation.
I had to act quickly to protect those I loved.
I glanced back at Marcus, still resting inside. He was in no condition to fight. And even if he had been - it would pain me to see him wounded again, or worse. It was up to me.
Steeling myself, I grabbed a cloak and threw it over my shoulders.
I sheathed my dagger, grabbed my pitchfork, and took one last look at Marcus before stepping out into the night.
The air was thick with smoke, and the sounds of battle grew louder with each step.
Screams and roars filled the night, mingling with the clash of metal and the crackle of fire. The smoke made me cough even from the outskirts. Even if monsters had attacked the village, this - this level of destruction didn't make sense! What was going on out there?
As I broke through the tree line, the sight before me was chaos incarnate.
Villagers fought desperately against monstrous creatures, their faces twisted in fear and determination. Anything and everything was being used in the fight - pitchforks, chair legs, beer glasses - one lady was even strangling a goblin with her apron strings.
It was like the whole town had decided to recreate the famous painting of the mythological war between the citizens of San Maria and the demons of Belfry, and used a palette of rust, ash, and blood.
I tightened my grip on the pitchfork and charged forward.
A snarling beast lunged at an elderly man, its claws gleaming in the firelight.
I intercepted it with a swift jab of my pitchfork, driving it back.
"Get to safety!" I shouted to the man, who nodded gratefully before hobbling away.
The beast turned its attention to me, its eyes burning with malevolent intelligence.
We circled each other for a moment before it pounced again.
I sidestepped and thrust my pitchfork into its side.
It howled in pain, writhing on the ground before going still.
I barely had time to catch my breath before another scream pierced the air.
A group of children were cornered by a hulking creature near the well.
Their terrified faces spurred me into action.
I sprinted towards them, my pitchfork ready.
The creature loomed over them, its massive form blocking any escape.
"Hey! Over here!" I yelled, hoping to draw its attention away from the children.
It turned towards me with a guttural growl, giving me just enough time to close the distance.
With all my strength, I drove the pitchfork into its side. But I knew it wasn't enough, this was no mere goblin. It was an orc! Something surged within me, dream-runes clicking into place. "Maledicite ruptionis, dissolvetur!" I shouted. I felt my mana funnel around me and channel into the prongs of the pitchfork. The orc gasped, and all was still for a moment. Then it exploded, as if cut asunder from the inside out.
His roar cut off midway as his vocal chords spilled out.
"Run! Now!" I urged the children, but they were already running. Only it wasn't the dead creature they were running from anymore - it was me.
I did what was necessary, I told myself, taking a deep breath. I might not know how I knew these words of power, but I would be a fool to let children die just to protect my own reputation.
A strange sensation washed over me as I breathed, a gentle power from deep within like a ripple of water. For a brief moment, everything seemed clearer.
I pulled my pitchfork free and looked around for more threats.
The villagers were holding their own, but barely.
We needed answers. We needed to know where these monsters were coming from and why they were attacking us.
Amidst the chaos, I spotted a familiar face—Elder Harlan—waving frantically at me from across the square.
I made my way towards him, dodging debris and helping finish up skirmishes along the way.
"Elora!" he called out as I approached. "I never knew you were so handy with a pitchfork. Thank goodness you're here. We need to find out what's causing this."
"I know," I replied breathlessly. "But first we need to get everyone to safety." I wondered if he'd seen the spell I'd used to kill the orc. Only students of the Mage Tower and officially licensed adventurers were permitted to use magic.
"Yes, evacuation is the priority." He nodded in agreement. "There's a house on the other edge of town which has an underground tunnel to our village shelter. Help me gather everyone there."
We worked together, the elder guiding villagers away from danger and towards the safe house while some men of the town and I gave cover. Fortunately, there weren't any more orcs still standing - just the smaller creatures such as goblins, kobolds, and dire wolves. It seemed most of the villagers had actually pulled through, despite the fires and damage to their houses.
Finally, we reached our destination—a sturdy stone building that had withstood countless storms and attacks over the years.
Once inside, we barred the doors and windows as best we could. The house itself probably wouldn't last against a monster attack, but it should at least last long enough for the villagers to get through the tunnel.
The room was filled with frightened faces—men, women, and children huddled together for comfort. There was an exhausted tension in the air - no doubt everyone was wondering if it was over.
Elder Harlan addressed them in a calming voice. "Madaam Valeria," he adressed his wife formally, as he usually did in public, "please escort the villagers through the tunnel. Elora and I will stay behind to hide the passageway and divert any remaining monsters away."
She nodded at him before sweeping the floor rushes away to reveal the trapdoor to the tunnel. "Join us when you can," she said softly back at Harlan as the villagers pushed past her to get in. Harlan nodded, then motioned me to help him cover up the trap door again.
"The houses may be lost, but the village itself survives." Harlan said in a bittersweet tone. "How's your family?"
"My parents are off at the Kingdom Market, and shouldn't be back for weeks. Marcus is up at our house - he was injured today. Goblins." I swallowed. "And Mr. Bennet, the baker - he's probably dead." I hung my head. "He was badly wounded, but warned us of the attack on the village."
"But if he made it to your house, there could be other monsters near the forest." Harlan started, his old face doubling its wrinkles. "We should check on your brother after securing what's left of the village."
I kicked myself for not waking up Marcus. I had left him in even more danger than I had sought to spare him. "Then let's move quickly," I gritted my teeth. "Oh and, if you could....maybe not say anything if I do anything weird, I'd appreciate it."
"You've already helped save the village, I'm not going to turn you in as an unlicensed mage if that's what you mean." Harlan winked. We couldn't go straight through the center of the village as the smoke was too thick, but worked our way as quickly as we could back to the other side and towards the forest. Fortunately, most of the monsters were either dead or had fled. Only a couple kobolds faced my pitchfork and dagger on the way across.
The once vibrant market square was now littered with debris, and even several bodies. We checked on the ones we could, but they were dead.
Elder Harlan and I moved cautiously, our eyes scanning for any signs of movement.
"Stay close," Harlan whispered, his voice barely audible. Either he was staying quiet to not attract any monsters hiding in the smoke, or the toll of the evening had caught up with him. I suspect the latter. He'd watched the village he'd watched over for decades go up in flames in a night. I inwardly took back every mocking joke I'd ever made about the old man.
We rounded a corner and came face to face with a snarling goblin.
It lunged at us, but I was quicker.
With a swift jab, I impaled it on my pitchfork. Lightning sparked and its face went black as it gasped its last. I didn't even have to say anything, this time. It was like the mana itself was aiding me.
"Good work," Harlan said, his eyes darting around nervously.
"We need to keep moving."
As we approached my home, a sense of unease washed over me.
Something felt off.
I could feel a powerful presence nearby, something dark and foreboding.
"Elora, what's wrong?" Harlan asked, noticing my hesitation.
"I don't know," I replied, my voice trembling slightly, "but something isn't right."
We pressed on, and soon I spotted it – an ancient rune glowing faintly in the dirt near our front gate.
It pulsed with dark energy, sending shivers down my spine.
"Don't touch it," Harlan warned, his voice urgent.
"That rune is dangerous."
But I couldn't help myself.
There was an irresistible pull, a compulsion that I couldn't ignore.
"Elora, no!" Harlan shouted as I reached out towards the rune.
The moment my fingers made contact with the rune, a surge of dark energy coursed through me.
Visions of the Dungeon flooded my mind – twisted corridors, monstrous creatures, and a sense of overwhelming dread.
I collapsed to the ground, the world spinning around me.
Harlan's voice seemed distant as he desperately tried to wake me.
"Elora! Elora, wake up!" he pleaded, shaking me gently.
But I couldn't respond.
The visions continued to assault my mind, each one more terrifying than the last.
In the depths of my consciousness, I felt a presence – something ancient and malevolent.
It whispered to me in a language I couldn't understand, filling me with fear and confusion.
"Elora!" Harlan's voice broke through the haze for a moment before fading again.
I struggled to regain control, to push back against the darkness that threatened to consume me.
But it was no use.
The last thing I saw before everything went black was Harlan's worried face hovering above me.
The room was dimly lit, the flickering light casting eerie shadows on the walls.
I tried to sit up but found myself unable to move.
A spectral figure loomed over me, its eyes glowing with an unsettling, ancient wisdom.
"Who... who are you?" I managed to croak out, my voice barely above a whisper.
The figure's eyes seemed to pierce through me, and when it spoke, its voice resonated with a power that sent shivers down my spine. "I am Kaldor," it said, each word echoing in the small room. "This is my true form."
My heart raced as I processed his words. Kaldor? The same Kaldor who had met me in the forest? "What do you want from me?" I demanded, anger and betrayal surging through me.
Kaldor's gaze softened slightly. "The dark rune was a test of your resilience and connection to the Dungeon," he explained. "You have passed."
"A test?" I spat, feeling the anger boil over. "People died! My village was burned to the ground! And Marcus - Marcus might not even still be alive." I choked back my rage, promising to kill Kaldor if anything had happened to Marcus. "And you call this a test?"
He remained calm, almost serene. "The balance of the Dungeon is tipping towards chaos," he continued. "Only you can restore it."
"Why me?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Because you are connected to both worlds," Kaldor replied. "You have the strength and the will to protect both your village and the Dungeon."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "First, I don't even know where this dungeon you speak of is." I seethed between breaths. "And second, why should I care if it's in trouble? The monsters from the dungeon attacked me, attacked my brother, attacked my village - why do you think I would want to protect them?"
Kaldor's eyes glowed brighter for a moment. "I see I have over-estimated how much you know." He sighed. "The monsters leave the dungeon when there is imbalance. If the mana pressure grows too high for them to survive, if they lack food, if they are chased out by deeper monsters coming to the surface, and other reasons. By finding the cause and fixing it, you will also be protecting the lives of those humans you care for." He sniffed, as if "those humans" weren't something I should be caring for at all. "Embrace your destiny," he commanded. "I can give you what you need to find and navigate the dungeon, but you must be the one to enter it and find the source of the chaos."
I nodded slowly, unwilling to give him my trust but finding his words persuasive. If fixing the dungeon would keep the monsters inside it rather than attacking Marcus and those around me, it was my best shot at keeping everyone safe. "If you let me check on Marcus first and ensure he's alive, I'll do it," I said firmly. "But how do I start?"
Kaldor extended his hand towards me, and a faint glow enveloped it. "Take this," he said, revealing a small, intricately carved amulet. "When you are ready, it will guide you."
I reached out and took the amulet, feeling its warmth against my skin. As soon as it touched my palm, a surge of energy coursed through me.
"Remember," Kaldor said, his voice fading slightly, "you are not alone in this fight."
With that, the spectral figure began to dissipate, leaving me alone in the dimly lit room.
I sat up slowly, clutching the amulet tightly. The room around me came into sharper focus—the wooden beams of the ceiling, the flickering candle on the table beside me, my journals and personal lantern. A familiar place, my own room.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, feeling a renewed sense of purpose.
As I made my way towards the door, I heard a faint groan from across the hall.
Marcus's door was also open, and he was stirring on his bed. Harlan was in the chair beside him. He must have nursed Marcus through the night when I had collapsed.
"Elora?" Marcus mumbled, a smile brightening his face but quickly dimming when he saw my expression.
"I'm here," I said softly, walking over to him. "I'm all right."
He looked up at me with bleary eyes backed by a fear of loss. "What's going on?"
I hesitated for a moment before answering. "There's something I need to do," I said finally. "Something important."
Marcus frowned but nodded slowly. "Be careful," he said weakly.
"I will," I promised.
I studied his face for a moment, longing to stay. But leaving was the best way to keep him safe. I tore away my gaze just as he returned it, flushing and closing his door as I headed out. It took only a few moments to pack up some supplies from my room, the kitchen, and our slim medical cabinet where mother kept her herbs.
The night air was cool against my skin as I stepped outside.
The village was eerily quiet now, the fires extinguished and the monsters gone.
But there was still work to be done—both here and in the Dungeon.
Clutching the amulet tightly in my hand, I took a deep breath and set off towards my destiny.
The energy it radiated was both comforting and invigorating.
I followed a narrow path through the dense forest, branches scratching my arms as I pushed forward. It was strange, as I didn't feel like I'd walked that far from my house, yet it was a path I'd never noticed before. Did the dungeon have a way of hiding? Is that how it had avoided discovery for all these years?
The air grew colder, and the trees seemed to close in around me, their thick trunks forming an almost impenetrable barrier.
My heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination.
The path twisted and turned, leading me deeper into the unknown.
Each step felt like a step away from everything I knew and loved, but also a step closer to answers.
Suddenly, I saw a clearing ahead.
The trees parted to reveal an open space bathed in moonlight.
Stepping into it, I found myself at the mouth of a dark, foreboding dungeon.
The entrance loomed before me, exuding an eerie energy that sent shivers down my spine.
Vines clung to the stone archway, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decay.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead.
"Here goes nothing," I muttered under my breath.
As I stepped forward into the darkness, the temperature dropped even further.
The light from the clearing faded behind me, swallowed by the oppressive blackness of the dungeon's interior.
I fumbled for a moment before finding a torch mounted on the wall.
With trembling hands, I lit it using a flint from my pack. I'd save my lantern for when the torch ran out. I remembered a scrap of advice from adventurer's passing through town - use the resources of the dungeon before using your own. A skilled adventurer could go in with nothing, everything one needed was inside.
The flickering flame cast long shadows on the rough stone walls, revealing ancient carvings and symbols etched into the surface.
"Stay focused," I whispered to myself, gripping the torch tightly.
The corridor stretched out before me, twisting and turning like a labyrinth.
Every sound seemed amplified in the silence—the drip of water echoing off the walls, the scurrying of unseen creatures in the darkness.
I moved cautiously, my senses on high alert. My hands felt empty without my pitchfork, as I'd left it behind. It would be too unwieldly and heavy for a long trek, so I'd have to make do with my dagger for now. I hoped I could find better weapons along the way than a goblin's dulled blade.
The amulet's warmth guided me, pulling me deeper into the dungeon. It was almost scarier to not encounter any beasts. Where were all the monsters? Had they all fled to the surface? Beyond some rats, spiders, and a few flying beasts that didn't come near me, it seemed like the first few levels of the dungeon were empty.
I saw signs of recent life - an abandoned goblin village, slime trails with half-dissolved rat bones, a trampled farm. I guess monsters needed to grow their own food, too. After what felt like hours of navigating the winding passages, I came to a large chamber.
The ceiling soared high above me, supported by massive stone pillars adorned with more ancient runes.
In the center of the chamber stood an altar, its surface covered in dust and cobwebs.
A faint glow emanated from an object resting on it—a crystal pulsating with dark energy.
I approached it slowly, my heart racing.
This had to be connected to the imbalance Kaldor spoke of.
As I reached out to touch the crystal, a voice echoed through the chamber. "Who dares disturb this place?"
I spun around to see a figure emerging from the shadows—a tall, handsome man with piercing eyes and an aura of power that made me gasp from the pressure. He looked like a noble, with sharp features, dark hair, and embroidered clothing and armor no average citizen could afford. He looked human enough, but what was he doing here?
"I am Elora Hart," I said firmly, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm here to restore balance."
The man chuckled darkly. "You think you can fix what has been broken for centuries? The inner workings of a dungeon are not so easy to unravel."
He raised his hand, and tendrils of dark energy shot towards me.
Instinctively, I raised my own hand in defense, feeling the amulet's warmth surge through me. I drew on it's power. "Custodi me, mater!" I shouted.
A shield of light formed around me just in time to deflect the tendrils, which dissipated harmlessly into the air.
"You are brave, I'll give you that." He raised an eyebrow. "You remind me of...nevermind. You shouldn't be here. Return to where you came from."
"Maybe I don't belong here, maybe I do." I replied, "but I'm not backing down."
With that, I charged forward, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
He sidestepped my attack effortlessly, his eyes never leaving mine.
"Impressive," he said, his voice calm. "But futile."
He raised his hand again, dark energy swirling around it.
I braced myself for another attack, but instead, he lowered his hand and smiled. "You do realize I'm not trying to kill you, right? I guess scaring you off didn't work."
"I am Nathan Coriander," he continued. "I used to be an adventurer. I've been in this dungeon for who knows how long, I lost track long ago."
My jaw dropped. "Nathan Coriandor, the gold class adventurer? You're a legend, even in my tiny village. But you went missing before I was born! Twenty years ago, at least."
Nathan Coriander was a name spoken in hushed and reverent tones among adventurers—a hero who had disappeared without a trace. He was famed for having defeated three dungeons and bringing ten treasures, each worth a kingdom in their own right, to give as tribute to King Chrysos.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded, still wary.
Nathan's smile faded.
"It's a long story. My job was to defeat dungeons, to not just raid them but eventually destroy their cores so they could never generate new monsters again. But this one was, different." He blushed, quite a change coming over and softening his features. "I couldn't kill this one, couldn't kill her." He stared off wistfully into space. "But I'd done too much damage before I realized the error of my ways. I've stayed to help and do what I can, but the dungeon is still deteriorating."
I wasn't sure how to take his words. "So, you did something to break the dungeon, and now you are trying to fix it? And you feel so bad that you've spent two decades down here? Why didn't you go get help?"
"Help from who?" He brushed back the long hair out of his eyes. "The King, or one of his sons if they have yet been crowned, would simply order the dungeon core destroyed. Adventurers would just pillage the dungeon and break it more. And you seem to mean well enough, but I'm not sure you can do anything either."
"Let's take a step back," I pinched my forehead. "Kaldor said I was born here, so I have to fix it. He never said anything about another human living down here."
"Kaldor?" Nathan's voice went cold. "That mad mage? You know him?" He sighed, then tapped on a stone near him and two slabs extended from the walls. "Have a seat. I think you should start by telling me where you came from and how you found this place."
I took the stone seat gratefully, and the cup of herbal tea that soon followed, as I summarized the events of the past evening for Nathan. As I told him about the goblin attacks, my sudden magic, the village fire, and my encounters with Kaldor, his face softened.
"But why me?" I concluded. "What's my connection to all this? I certainly feel a connection to the dungeon, I just, I just don't know why."
Nathan's eyes looked ready to cry.
"I think I know," he said softly. "After I came to this dungeon, after I'd quested many months and reached the thirtieth floor, I met Lyra. She was beautiful and vibrant, and quite the warrior as well. I fell for her long before I realized that she wasn't an adventurer like me - she wasn't human at all."
His voice shook. "I was on my way down, planning to destroy the dungeon core. Yet she was against that plan from the first, showing me there were other ways to keep and manage a dungeon without killing it. I should have listened." He put his head in his hands. "The dungeon is like its own ecosystem, you see, and the mana - " he trailed off, swallowing. "Never mind all that, time for it later." He swallowed again. "Elora - by the time we reached the seventieth floor, we discovered she was pregnant. Lyra was startled, confused. I was too, I certainly didn't plan on being a father so soon, even though I'd hoped Lyra would marry me. But Lyra was frightened."
My heart pounded in my chest. "But what...what does this have to do with me?"
"I'll get to it." He assured me. "Just give me a minute. Strange things started happening around us, as if her hormones were somehow affecting the dungeon itself. If she craved mushroom soup, man-eating mushrooms would spawn and I'd kill them for supper. If she was angry, the plants in the dungeon would go crazy. If she was sad, waterfalls would spawn. The paths in the dungeon started moving around, we couldn't descend any deeper. So we made a little home for ourselves there. I knew she wasn't human, I couldn't lie to myself anymore - but I still loved her. And I planned on loving our child just as much."
Nathan sighed again. I dared not ask, not even think, not even hope.
"I couldn't have known what she really was, though. She was six-months pregnant before she confessed. She was the dungeon core itself, or its avatar anyway. The whole time I'd been aiming to destroy the dungeon core, only to find I was in love with it!" He laughed. "But she forgave my intention, just as I forgave her deception. And in time, she had a daughter. A glowing, magical, adorable daughter."
I felt a mix of anger and confusion.
"Then...my connection...do you think I'm her daughter? That I'm...am I your daughter?"
Nathan nodded solemnly. "Our daughter vanished long ago. There was a rebellion in the deeper floors, high ranking monsters upset that Lyra had dared to love and help a human. During the battle, her core was damaged, and our daughter Meridium went missing. Did she run away? Was she kidnapped? Was she killed? All we knew was her mana was gone, we couldn't feel her anymore. Lyra, in part from the damage and in part from the loss, went mad. On saner days she sometimes reaches out for me - but I don't even know if she remembers who I am."
"But you," he continued, "there is something familiar feeling about you. I can't be certain, but if Kaldor says you have a connection here, then you probably do. While he hated Lyra's and my relationship, he always stayed loyal to her. He must have found and sent our lost daughter back to us..."
I clenched my fists, not sure what I was feeling. Relief, that my true parents didn't abandon me? Anger, that he'd lived nearby my whole life and had never come out to find me? Sorrow, for the dungeon core that could fall in love? Fear, that Marcus was still in danger?
"Assuming this is all true, that I really might be, that I am your daughter..." I bit my lip. "Then I want to help. I'll help the dungeon. I want to help Lyra....my mother." I found tears wetting my cheeks. Deep down I knew it was true, I had been born here. I still didn't know what made me flee - but I knew I wanted to stay.
Nathan smiled faintly. "Then welcome home, Meri. Though I suppose I should call you by the name you are used too."
"I'd prefer that, yes." I gave a faint smile in return. "And don't go decorating my room just yet."
He extended his hand towards me, and I hesitated for a moment before taking it.
"With you, maybe we can fix the dungeon, together. You can help me replant the crops up here, but really we need to go deeper. It's the sources of imbalance we need to fix, not the symptoms."
I nodded, gripping the amulet tightly in my hand.
"Let's go."
We moved quickly through the winding corridors, Nathan leading the way with an air of confidence that was both reassuring and intimidating. If he really was - no, I knew he was. If my dad was like that, how come I didn't inherit even half of his commanding presence?
The torchlight flickered against the stone walls, casting eerie shadows that danced in our wake. But soon we'd reached the goblin farms and my dad found the seeds. "We can use magic to grow them, but it's up to us to plant them." He pointed to the half-destroyed farms and I got to work. It helped that he wasn't forcing any awkward father-daughter talks.
As we worked, I peeked at the tents the goblins lived in. They weren't just shabby pieces of fabric and stick tossed together like I had first thought. They were embroidered with crude designs, and some even had ribbons or paints. I saw toys inside a few of them.
A sense of unease that had been gnawing at me since I entered bubbled up to the surface. "Are they....are they real?" I asked, my father looking at me awkwardly. "I mean, do they think? Are they like people?"
"It's one of the hardest truths an adventurer learns," Nathan nodded. "Many of the monsters here are sentient. They aren't all animals, they have their own civilizations. The approach of infiltrating to take what we wanted without thought of who we kill - we were no better than robbers." He glanced around him. "Like I was saying earlier, there is a balance here. A noble adventurer seeks to help, not harm."
I swallowed hard and nodded, unsure how to take it all in. I'd slaughtered dozens of creatures the night before - did that make me a murderer? No, I shook my head. Those had all been in self-defense.
"We're done here." My father finally announced. "We can move down to the lower floors. I guess things will be faster now that I have an assistant."
The torchlight flickered, casting ominous shadows on the damp stone walls.
The further we went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.
A toxic stench filled the air, making it hard to breathe.
"Do you smell that?" I asked, covering my nose with my sleeve.
Nathan nodded grimly. "We're getting close to the poisoned waters. These levels became noxious years ago. Be on guard."
Five floors down, we reached a cavern where a pool of dark, viscous liquid bubbled ominously.
The water was tainted with dark mana, its surface shimmering with an unnatural glow.
The malevolent energy in the air was almost palpable, sending shivers down my spine.
"This is it," Nathan said, his voice tense. "One of the sources of corruption. It's caused many monsters to flee upwards in search of fresh water, and made others to go mad."
Suddenly, a guttural growl echoed through the cavern.
A handful of orcs emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with a frenzied rage.
They were larger and more aggressive than any I'd encountered before. I tried to remind myself they were thinking creatures, maybe with families - but any intelligence they'd once had was buried deep beneath a berserk madness.
"Get ready!" Nathan shouted, drawing his sword.
I summoned my magic, feeling the amulet's warmth surge through me.
"Lux ignis!" I cried out, sending a bolt of light towards the nearest orc.
The monster screeched as it burned, though it didn't stop running. "Lux ignis!" I called again, doubling the inferno until it was too hot for me to handle. The orc fell, a mere hand-length from me.
Nathan swung his sword with precision, cutting down an arrow I didn't see coming. I noticed three bodies already on the floor - his reputation as a gold-class adventurer was obviously earned.
Blood sprayed across the cavern floor, mixing with our sweat as we fought for survival. Or at least my sweat; my father barely looked out of breath despite being over twice my age.
My heart pounded in my chest as I cast spell after spell, trying to keep up with the relentless onslaught.
"There's too many of them!" I yelled over the din of battle.
"We have to hold our ground!" Nathan replied, his voice strained. "They've gone mad, but they don't work as a team. There will be an end to them, I promise."
A massive orc lunged at me, its claws aiming for my throat. I could barely hear the sound of its bead and tooth necklace clinking over the roar of blood in my own head.
I barely managed to dodge, feeling its hot breath on my skin.
With a swift motion, I thrust my dagger into its side and chanted another spell. "Fulmen!"
Lightning crackled from my fingertips, electrocuting the beast and sending it crashing to the ground.
But there was no time to rest; more monsters were closing in.
Nathan fought like a whirlwind beside me, his sword a blur of motion.
Despite our exhaustion, we pressed on, driven by sheer determination.
"We need to find the source of this poison," Nathan said between breaths. "It's what's driving them mad."
I nodded, wiping sweat from my brow. "Let's finish this."
We pushed forward, our movements beginning to synchronize as if we'd been fighting together for years. I drew the attention of the orcs with my spells and dagger, while my father moved through them to take them down. He had some form of magical defense, as well; I didn't hear him chant any spells, but his weapons and armor were too powerful to be ordinary.
Finally, we reached the edge of the poisoned pool.
Nathan knelt down and examined the water closely. "It's tainted by dark mana," he said grimly. "We need to purify it. I've tried several times in the past, but it's never enough, and the taint soon returns."
I focused my energy on the amulet, feeling its warmth intensify. "Sanctificare aquam!" I chanted.
A beam of light shot from the amulet into the pool, causing it to bubble and hiss.
The dark mana began to dissipate, replaced by a soft blue glow.
"It's working!" I exclaimed. "Sanctificare aquam!" I shouted over and over, as ripples of light spread cut through the black bubbles and the waters began to clear.
But before we could celebrate, a monstrous roar echoed through the cavern.
A massive creature emerged from the depths of the pool, tentacled and furious.
"Get back!" Nathan shouted.
We braced ourselves for one final battle against this monstrous guardian.
With every ounce of strength left in us, we fought fiercely.
Nathan changed out his sword for a bow, arrows clashing against its thick hide but doing little damage.
"Perforabit!" I cried, as if the runewords were giving me the answer from that long ago dream. A spell to pierce through armor and hide alike! My father's arrows now hit their mark, piercing the fleshy tentacles. The creature roared in pain but refused to flee.
"Elora! Now!" Nathan yelled as he delivered a critical strike in the creature's bulbous forehead. The massive octopus-like monster shuddered, keening and burbling more black ink into the water.
I pulled on the mana of the vast cavern, the magic was thick this deep in the dungeon. I cast one last spell. "Lux ultima!"
A blinding light enveloped the creature, causing it to writhe in agony before finally collapsing into the pool.
We stood there panting heavily amidst the silence that followed. "Sanctificare aquam." I finally whispered.
The water now shimmered with purity instead of corruption.
"We did it," Nathan said quietly.
Exhausted but resolute, we knew our journey wasn't over yet. My father pulled out some rations he'd cooked from monster meat and dungeon plants, as I supplemented with some bread and fruit from my bag. We sat by the clear lake and ate in near silence.
There were still deeper levels to explore and more sources of imbalance to find and fix. And at the end of it - maybe I could save my mother, too.
After our quiet supper, we decided to push on a bit further before making camp for the night. Traveling was faster now that the monsters in the area had calmed down. Eventually, we reached a grand hall. Massive stone pillars arose far past the reach of my torchlight, supported a high ceiling. The walls were adorned with intricate frescoes and ornate shelves. But the real treasure was upon the shelves; ancient tomes and scrolls covered in dust. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and a faint, almost electric hum of mana.
"I can feel it," I whispered, closing my eyes for a moment. "The mana here is strong."
Nathan nodded, his eyes scanning the room. "This place holds forgotten knowledge. We might find clues about the dungeon's origins here."
We approached one of the shelves, and Nathan carefully pulled out a large tome. He blew off the dust and opened it, revealing pages filled with arcane symbols and diagrams.
"It's strange I haven't encountered this room before," he said, flipping through the pages. "I've been up and down this dungeon a dozen times, and a room this size is hard to miss. Perhaps you being here has changed things? The dungeon seems to respond to you."
"Maybe so." I agreed, then left him to examine the book as I wandered around the hall. The mana swirled around me, almost as if it recognized me. Did it?
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall. I turned to see a group of adventurers entering from the opposite side. Their leader, a burly man with a scar across his face, glared at us.
"Who are you?" he demanded, drawing his sword. "State your business!"
"We mean no harm," Nathan said calmly, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "We're just exploring."
The leader sneered. "Exploring? More like looting! Get them!"
The adventurers charged at us, weapons drawn. Nathan and I quickly prepared for battle.
"Stay close," Nathan instructed, drawing his sword.
I summoned my magic, feeling the amulet's warmth surge through me. "Lux ignis!" I shouted, sending a bolt of light towards one of the attackers.
Nathan parried a blow from another adventurer and countered with a swift strike that disarmed his opponent. "We don't want to fight you!" he called out.
But they were relentless, driven by suspicion and greed. A fierce battle ensued, our combined skills barely keeping us ahead of their attacks.
I ducked under a swinging mace and cast another spell. "Fulmen!" Lightning crackled from my fingertips, striking an attacker and sending him sprawling to the ground.
Nathan fought with precision and grace, his movements fluid as he deflected blows and struck back with lethal accuracy. Despite their numbers, we managed to hold our ground.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we defeated the last of them. The hall fell silent except for our heavy breathing.
Nathan wiped sweat from his brow and looked around at the fallen adventurers. "They thought we were enemies," he said quietly.
I nodded, still catching my breath. "We need to be more careful."
As we searched their belongings for any useful items or information, we found a map tucked inside one of their packs. It detailed various levels of the dungeon and marked a path leading to its core.
"This could be our next destination," Nathan said, studying the map closely.
I agreed. "If we can reach the core, maybe we can find a way to restore balance."
With renewed determination, we gathered our things and prepared to move on. The grand hall's ancient knowledge had given us new insights and a clearer path forward.
But as we left the hall behind, I couldn't shake the feeling that more challenges awaited us in the depths of this sentient dungeon.
I ran my hand over the spines of ancient tomes as I walked, wondering how many years, or lifetimes, it would take a person to read them all. They were written in many different languages, most unfamiliar. I didn't see any in the common tongue, but a few looked to be written in the ancient runes from my dream.
I headed deeper into the library, thumbing through a few books on monsters and magic, but otherwise headed deeper in to the dimly lit back section. Rather than torches, there were glowing crystals set out as lights.
In the silence, I began to hear a hum. Or feel it, rather, like the mana was guiding me onwards.
"Who - what's there?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Just steps beyond me, now, was a pedestal. And on that pedestal, a book bound in what appeared to be dragonhide. Smaller gems were set about the book in gold fillagree; no doubt the book itself was worth several villages.
I placed my hand on it, as if I was meant to do so. The amulet on my neck, the blood in my veins, the book beneath my hand, the mana in the air and within me - everything seemed to resonate together.
The book opened itself, and the runes inside became comprehensible to my mind.
It was a history of the dungeon. The first pages told of the finding of the core; a treasure stolen from the horde of a great dragon. No one knew what the core was, but several legends were offered. My favorite was the one where the dragon had merged its tears over a thousand days to craft the most powerful orb in its collection.
The next pages were of "The Builders." Some ancient people, I assumed, but with great knowledge. They were credited as building the dungeons, both as havens for the magical creatures of the world to take refuge in as well as provide lasting resources for the surface-dwelling humans. And by providing a home for the magical creatures, the humans would be safer as well.
My father came up behind me and offered a drink of water as I read the book. The cool liquid was refreshing, but it did little to calm the swirl of questions in my mind.
"Can you tell me more about Lyra - about my mother?" I asked, "What was she like before everything went wrong?"
Nathan's face softened at the mention of her name.
"She was kind and wise, always thinking of ways to maintain balance within the dungeon. Humans were more of a distant curiosity to her, her main focus was on tending to the creatures in her care."
"She taught me that not all monsters are evil," he continued. "Like humans, even - most are just trying to survive like us, while a few prey on the weak or crave power."
He paused, his eyes distant.
"But after our daughter disappeared and her core was damaged, she changed.
The madness took over, and she became a shadow of her former self."
I felt a pang of sorrow for this woman I had never met but felt deeply connected to.
"We'll find a way to help her," I said firmly. "We'll restore balance and bring her back."
Nathan smiled faintly. "I hope so."
I turned back to the book. "This tells about her, I think." I gestured to the pages. "How the core was found and brought here."
"Really?" He asked with excitement, then sighed as he looked over my shoulder. "I can't read it, though."
"The core was brought here by the builders, to manage the home for the magical creatures. The idea was to keep the creatures away from the humans on the surface, but also keep the magical creatures safe. It never calls them monsters - I guess they weren't considered to be evil by default."
"That makes sense with how Lyra treated them," he agreed.
"The book hasn't mentioned anything about the core itself being a sentient being, though." I frowned. "It just treats it as a source of power with the processing power to manage a dungeon."
"Maybe she gained her sense of self over time." Nathan pondered. "She did once say that she learned more about life the more she sent her avatar to interact with creatures. And when I first met her, she was a bit more distant and less emotional. It was months before I heard her laugh."
"So she can grow?" I wondered. What would it be like, to gain awareness of one's own existence, fall in love, have a child - and then lose it all in madness? "I hope the damage to her core hasn't harmed her identity." I said, biting my lip. "I'd hate to re-unite with her only to find out she's been lost."
"I don't want to lose her, either." Nathan swept his hair back, and I could see a few grays at the temples.
"We should camp here for the night," my father suggested. "It doesn't look like monsters have ever come into this section."
"Good idea," I nodded. "I can finish reading this, and in the morning we can look for anything else that looks helpful before heading onwards."
The two of us made a makeshift camp; I slept near the book, my father an aisle over. In the morning, I finished up the last few pages of the book, which dealt more with the dungeon itself.
"There's a maintenance shaft!" I woke up my father, who looked far more disheveled.
He tapped his robe with a small colored stone, and the dust and wrinkles fell out of it. I'd wondered how he'd kept his garments preserved all these years - apparently, he had a maintenance tool.
"I don't even need to shower except once a month." He grinned as he noticed me examining the stone's effects.
"I didn't need to know that. You should shower anyway." I slapped my forehead. "Anyways, there's a maintenance shaft. The book talks about the organization of the dungeon. While the core can move around the rooms, open new sections, close off old ones, and so forth - there is always at least one tunnel leading more or less directly down to the core room."
"That sounds convenient. Almost too convenient - how have I never come across this?"
"It only connects in rooms the magical creatures have no general access to." I described as we packed up. "Like this library. Every level has a small space no unauthorized people or creatures can get into. It was designed for the builders - er, the race of people who established the dungeons. They would always leave behind three to five people to help upkeep the dungeon."
I led my father to a trapdoor in the library floor. The book had had a map, but really it was the mana threads that guided me. "Here is the entrance - we should be fairly safe from monster attacks if we go this way."
"Lead the way," my father nodded as we stepped down a small iron ladder into a hallway that steeply descended. Torches lined the sides, so we lit them up as we went. I shuddered at the thought of getting trapped somewhere in darkness in this massive place.
"I hear water again," Nathan said.
"A waterfall, pretty." The hallway had opened up into a small cavern, with a blue-lit waterfall trickling down. Phosphorescent stones made the place glow. "I don't sense any taint, here."
"Me, either." Nathan nodded. We refilled out canteens and continued on. I took a few glowing stones for the road.
We made much better time than we had the day before, descending at least twelve levels before lunch. The mana around us grew thicker and thicker. I found it invigorating, but my father looked a little tired.
"This much mana is a bit oppressive for me," he explained. "But nothing I can't manage. "I've been to the bottom of deeper dungeons than this one."
"I wonder if all cores were taken from dragons?" I mused as we went, then suddenly stopped. "I feel something different. This level - there's an imbalance here, definitely."
"We should take care of it," Nathan said slowly. "While I want to rush and check on the core - every imbalance we address now might make it easier to help her. But there could be a fight."
"I'm ready for anything that comes at us." I nodded, then followed the mana to find the entry to the level we were on. It required tapping on a stone four times, then it parted to reveal the opening.
B"I hear - hissing. And scratching." We crept though the small passageway until it overlooked a larger room.
"Wild Catkins," Nathan informed me as I looked at the catlike humanoids below us. "But why so many? Usually they live in small clans, ten or twelve at most. But this -"
"It's more like a city," I shuddered, looking at the hundreds of creatures below us. "Do you think we'll need to fight them all?"
"Maybe not," Nathan said, but there was doubt in his voice. "They don't seem to get along, many are squabbling with each other. And more than a few look underfed. If we find out what's gathering them all here, perhaps we can help them."
"I can feel it," I whispered, closing my eyes for a moment. "The mana here is all tangled up. I think we need to talk to that one -" I pointed to a burly catkin below us, closer to our side. He looked like a giant, humanoid panther. A large tribal crest, a broken arrow, was burned into the fur of his shoulder.
Nathan sighed, "I guess we have no other option. But be ready to blast out some large stun magic if anything goes wrong."
"Talk if we can, stun and run if we can't." I nodded. "Got it. Here goes...." I gently swung my feet off the ledge and lightly hopped down. A dozen pairs of catkin eyes immediately looked my way. "Hello...." I said nervously. "I'm...here to help?"
"Intruder!" Several rushed towards me, but the big black one raced past and stopped them.
"Halt!" He ordered, looking over me closely. "Dungeon Daughter - is that you? It's been hundreds of moons - you are no longer a kitten."
"I was never a kitten," I found myself laughing. Why did he seem so familiar? Like a friend, not frightening now at all?
"It's Meridium! It's our Meri!" He announced, pouncing happily in place like a housecat.
"Meri? It's really Meri?" A few other voices joined in, and I found several more of the larger catkins coming my way.
"I guess so," I said nervously. There was no denying it now, I must have really been born in the dungeon. "My father and I are trying to restore the dungeon. Can you tell us what's going on? Why are there so many of you crowded together here?"
"It's a long story," the panther catkin said. "We were betrayed. One night some moons ago, my clan totem was stolen from behind the very room I sleep in. And without the totem, we were chased out of our home."
"Official clans are allowed to live in designated sections of the dungeon," Nathan explained to me. "The clan head is given a totem and a territory, and the dungeon core doesn't interfere with that territory but it's managed by the clan head. Without the totem, though - it becomes a regular part of the dungeon."
The panther catkin nodded. "The mana grew strangely thick, a sign of a larger creature from below us coming up. Three minotaurs, accompanying by one of my own children, came into our territory and chased us out. He'd sold our home for the false power they promised him."
"I'm so sorry..." I started, then realized I didn't yet know his name though he knew mine.
"Beru, I'm Beru," he gave his name in response to my confusion. "I used to bounce you on my knee when you were little."
"Oh, Beru!" Nathan cried. "I do remember Meri would sneak off to play with the catkins when she was small. I have met you - but you were just a warrior then, not a clan leader!"
"So you do remember." Beru sniffed. "I thought all humans had weak brains."
"What about the others, here?" I drew Beru's attention back to his tale.
"They were also betrayed," he shook his head. "The minotaurs convinced many children of clan leaders, impatient for rule or worried they'd fail the test, to steal the totems. Now the minotaurs have claimed the levels we once lived on as their own. And since they hold the totems, the dungeon core cannot push them out. They own the territory, as well as their own levels."
"What about the levels above us?" I asked. "They didn't seem to have any mana taint."
"They are prime lands," Beru agreed. "But the one above us belongs to the Lion Pride. They will not allow us a corner to share, nor crops to eat, nor even passage through. And as numerous as we are, we would not fight them when they have done no wrong."
"I see," I mused. "All the catkin clans lost their sections and levels, and this is the remaining place you can live, with the lions above and the minotaurs below. And you seem to be running out of food?"
"Yes," Beru said sadly, "The food we brought with us is long gone, and the food on this level is rapidly being eaten. And it will be a month before the few seeds we planted sprout. And I fear with clan infighting, I fear it won't be long before the larger catkin races start hunting the smaller ones."
"So what we need most is to get the totems back," I said with determination, "and get you back to your own homes."
"Assuming they haven't been trampled to mud, yes." Beru nodded. "But even our combined might couldn't take down a single minotaur clan. We are warriors, but minotaurs are giant beasts of myth and magic. Only the greatest of warriors and mages could hope to take them on in a fight."
"He's ta gold-level warrior," I gestured to my dad, "and I'm a mage. I think." I clutched my amulet. "I can do some magic, anyway. Let's hope it's enough."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" My father asked me as Beru pulled out a map and showed me the general positions of the minotaur clans on the next level down. "It's possible if we fix the core, Lyra could do something about this."
"I don't know as that option would work," I shook my head. "If whoever has the totem gains the right over the territory, fixing the core won't change that. We just need to get the totems back."
"Then prepare to fight," Nathan checked over his sword.
"Take this as well," Beru gestured to one of the other catkin, who stepped forward with a large mage staff. "This is one of the treasures of the clan, a staff from a mage defeated in battle generations ago. None of us can use it, but you might find it amplifies your power.
"Thank you," I accepted the gift. The staff was warm in my hand, it's gemstone radiating with power. But more than the raw mana rushing through it, I felt the staff's true aid was as a conduit - focusing and controlling my power so I could wield it as I wished, rather than just shouting spells and hoping for the best.
The air grew colder as we took the passage down a level, and the mana around us thickened menacingly.
We passed remnants of past battles—broken weapons, shattered armor, and scorch marks on old tapestries.
"Watch your step," Nathan warned, pointing to the skeleton of a rate off to the side with spikes through it's remains. "This dungeon was never trapped for adventurers, but some of the creatures trap their territories against intruders."
I nodded, carefully stepping to avoid any pressure plates or hidden strings.
The corridor opened up into a wider hall, with red flags hanging from the ceiling. I could see a pile of discarded banners, one with the broken arrow symbol of the panther catkins, lying in a corner.
"Welcome, visitors!" A sarcastic voice boomed from beyond the foyer. "Have you come to gawk at the might of the Minotaur clan?"
"We have come as representatives of the dungeon," I said boldly, wondering where my confidence was coming from. "We have come to ask you to return the totems of the catkin clans."
"Then you have come in vain." We saw the source of the voice as we moved past the last banner. A large creature, larger than three horses stacked on top of each other, was sitting on a makeshift stone throne in a wide room. His massive horns curled, and several weapons were strapped on its back. Several other minotaurs were feasting at low tables, and gave us only scornful glances as if we were ants intruding on their picnic.
"Ah, the would be king of the dungeon." The king minotaur narrowed his eyes. "I remember you."
"And I you, King Fyros." Nathon gave a short bow. "But if you do not return what you have stolen, then you will unfortunately become my enemy."
"Then enemies we shall become!" He bellowed, standing. "Warriors! Crush these insects!" He directed.
I swallowed, raising my staff. The creatures were slow, but looked powerful. I was sure a single blow could kill me. "Scutum matris!" I cried, a shield of shimmering mana surrounding my father and I. "Perforans lancea!" A beam shot from the gem of my staff as I channeled mana into it, piercing through the heart of the closest minotaur. The lumbering creature gasped it's last and fell backwards onto the minotaur behind it, a sizzling hole in its torso larger than its fist.
"What is this?" King Fyros roared, as I directed the magical lance at each of his minions in turn. None even reached my shield - in mere moments, seven minotaurs lay dead.
"I'd hate to kill any more of your people," I seethed, mana boiling around me until even the king shuddered in fear. "But you have taken what is not your own. Will you return the totems and leave these lands? Or will you choose your own demise."
"You...." the minotaur stumbled off the thrown, the golden caps on his horns falling to the ground and clanking. "You must be the daughter of the dungeon." He knelt before me. "Forgive my insolence, great queen." He shuddered again. "We thought you had long abandoned us. In this dying place, we thought there was no choice - that the mighty make the law."
"And now?" I raised an eyebrow, and channeled raw mana into my staff. Lightning crackled around it, a not so subtle threat to the King.
"You have returned to fix my error." He prostrated himself, though even his prone body was taller than myself. "Grant us mercy, great Queen! My people will return to our territories below. We will give back what we have taken - no, even more! We will give the catkins our treasury if that is what you will."
I shook my head. "You will give them enough gold for repairs and enough food for the months you have stolen from them. But of what you have earned yourself, you may keep. I am here to restore the balance, not destroy your people."
"Oh great, merciful queen." He cowered. "Thank you for your mercy. I will not lead my people astray again!"
"See that you don't." I gestured to the dead bodies around us.
I waited until his catkin servants brought forward a bag holding the totems of the catkins. Nathan looked through them and nodded; they were all there. I looked at the catkin holding the bag, but he couldn't meet my gaze. They had betrayed their families for power, but ended up with nothing but a life of service themselves.
"Can we return?" One asked me in a low voice.
"That will be up to your clans," I said. "It is not for me to decide your fate. If they forgive you and take you back, I will allow it. If they cast you out, I will allow that to. So if I were you, I would beg your parents for mercy when you see them and hope none of your family perished by your deeds."
"Yes, queen." They nodded and backed away.
"My people will have evacuated within the day," King Fyros promised.
I nodded, and Nathan and I departed once more for the upper floor to return the totems.
"You seem quiet," I told my father, who looked worried.
"You seem different," he finally admitted. "Not bad, just different."
Perhaps he was referring to my lack of fear in confronting the minotaurs, which even I didn't quite understand. "I'm starting to understand my place, here." I said. "I'm not an adventurer in a dungeon - er, no offense to you dad - I'm it's master."
"Lyra is the mistress of the dungeon," he insisted. "You are our daughter."
"My mother is the core. She's the heart. She's the manager," I explained. "But she's never been its ruler. According to the book, the core manages the logistics of a dungeon and keeps it running. But only a few dungeons have queens and kings who govern the citizens."
"And what makes you think you are the queen?" My father asked me, throwing a scolding look my way as if I were some wayward teen.
"First, because the Minotaur called me so." I raised my staff, "Second, because I know the ancient runewords. And third - because I feel it." I closed my eyes, and mana from the air swirled around me, forming what I knew was a crown of light around my head.
"Oh..." he said nervously.
"Don't worry," I grinned. "You don't have to call me your majesty, you're my dad. And," I paused, "And I think you could be the king, somehow, if we fix mom. That's work out better, anyway. You could rule, while I get back to - " I trailed off. Was getting back what I really wanted? Sure, I missed Marcus and wanted to get back to him. But long term? Did I really want to leave the dungeon and go back to village life?
Our footsteps echoed through the tunnel, creating an unsettling rhythm that seemed to amplify the silence around us. But soon, we were back with the catkins, and their joy at having the totems returned outweighed any uneasiness I felt.
"All hail her majesty!" The catkins cried, kneeling before me. "The return of her majesty, the return of our totems, the return of our lands!"
I explained to Beru and the others that the minotaurs had promised to evacuate by the end of the day. I also let them know that the fate of their children was up to each clan - whether to embrace their wayward children, to leave them as wanderers in the dungeon, or to judge them according to the laws of their clan.
Then we had to leave. Part of me wanted to stay a bit longer, and see the catkins resettled in their homes - especially as the little catkins were adorable, like big kittens.
But it was time to go. I could feel it within me, we had to reach the core. We had to reach my mother and save her from her madness and pain.
We went back to the maintenance tunnel and continued on, each step feeling heavier than the last. The tunnel seemed to close in around us, the walls pressing in on either side. I knew it wasn't really getting smaller, it was just my own fears coming up. Not any fear of dying or an unwinnable fight - but the fear we were too late. The fear my mother wouldn't recognize me. The fear I'd be a disappointment.
Then, without warning, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness below. It moved with unnatural speed and grace, its eyes glowing with malevolent intent.
"Get ready!" Nathan shouted, drawing his sword. "But I thought no creatures could enter the maintenance shaft?"
I raised my staff, shining light down on the armored intruder. "It's not a creature, he's human." The armored man lunged at us, clawlike gloves outstretched.
With a swift motion, Nathan parried its attack and countered with a powerful strike. The man let out a guttural snarl as it recoiled from the blow.
I took advantage of the opening and unleashed a burst of magic from my staff. "Vincula!" The energy crackled through the air in binding chains, wrapping the enemy tightly.
"Who are you!" Nathan barked, putting his sword to the man's throat.
But he stayed silent. I felt waves of hatred coming off of him.
"I think I know." I said after a moment, lifting his helmet with my dagger tip to reveal the face of an old man. "I think he's one of the builders."
The man winced, I'd guessed correctly.
"But didn't you stay behind to take care of the dungeon?" I asked, confused. Why would the builders want to harm the dungeon instead, or stop people from fixing it?
"You, you both," he hissed. "I have been here for centuries! And might have for centuries more. But then you, you brute of a human - you did something to the core! It's unthinkable, a core falling in love? A core taking human form? It's your fault it went beserk!"
"Are you saying it's my fault the dungeon corrupted, just because Lyra fell in love with me?" Nathan asked him coldly.
"Love, what does a core know of love." The builder spat. "It's unheard of. Cores are just magical gems, rocks don't feel or love at all. And now because you broke it, my lifespan has siphoned to near nothing, and my lifework is being destroyed."
"Hmmm." I pushed up his faceplate farther so he could get a good look at my crown of light. "So you builders crafted the dungeons, a noble endeavor to help both humans and magical creatures alike. And being a long-lived race, you even planned to take care of your creations. But you didn't realize the cores you used, those dragon orbs you took and enslaved, were more than just hunks of rock. They were living beings."
"That, that can't be!" The builder raged, then his face softened. "It can't be, can it?"
"The cores are sentient beings, not mere gems with high processing power. How did you think they can truly care for the dungeons so well?"
"But that would change, that would change everything." The old man swallowed. "You don't realize - hundreds and hundreds - all across the world. We put the cores in the dungeons, used our arts to generate the dungeons and connect to the cores. And our plan worked, it worked! The world has been safe for a thousand years - not like the battles of old, humans and creatures alike constantly battling and dying."
"It did work." I considered the book still in my pack and the thousands of books and scrolls waiting to be read in the library far above us. "You even managed to save knowledge, civilization itself. The dungeons are used by this Kingdom and others for resources as well, to build bigger and better cities and invent new technology."
The mana in the last room of the dungeon was so thick I could barely see or hear at first. It took me a few moments to adjust and understand what I was seeing. The room was quite small, despite its central importance. Bare stone floor, stone walls with a few mana-rich plants, a couple glow crystals, and in the center a mana box. It was on a pedestal and covered in runewords within and without.
"Yet on the back of slaves." He closed his eye for a moment. "I didn't know. None of us knew. We didn't know the cores had their own thoughts, their own feelings."
"The masterpiece of artificing." The builder explained. "The mana box, together with the processing power of the dungeon core, helps generate and run this whole place."
"Then help us." I said, loosening the bindings slightly. "You can help us fix Lyra, restore the core. End her madness. Then you can ask her. Ask her what she wants - to remain the core of the dungeon, or be free in the outside world."
"It's beautiful, and terrible." I said, reaching out. I knew, this was the light from my dream. The light that wanted me to be apart of it, while the core within it both wanted me close and wanted me far from its reach.
"If I do so, if she chooses to leave - then all the creatures in this dungeon will not stay long." The builder warned. "Even if the stones remain, the mana will slowly dissipate. The creatures will emerge. Your villages, your towns, your cities, they will all be at risk."
"It was mother who warned me to flee," I said at last. "Even when I didn't want to go. The mana box wanted to take me inside it, to use my power to grow the dungeon."
"That doesn't change what is right." Nathan said.
"But that would have upset the balance!" The builder cried. "A dungeon that grows past it boundaries could swallow whole towns."
"More than that," I cautioned as the mana box around the core pulsed. "It sought to become a tower, to rule over the whole Kingdom." I frowned at it. "It has no thoughts, per se, just a greedy hunger."
"No, it doesn't." I closed my eyes, thinking of sweet Marcus and what I would do if he was killed in an attack. Was I doing the right thing, trying to free my mother if it might cost the life of someone I loved? But Marcus himself - he would never want his life preserved at the cost of another.
"The mana box is always seeking fuel for the dungeon," the builder said. "Normally, it gets this fuel from collecting and concentrating the ambient mana. It's like a symbiotic relationship - the magical creatures and plants give off the mana, the manabox uses that mana to fuel the maintenance of the dungeon, and the core guides the maintenance of the dungeon to help the magical creatures and plants thrive."
"We will descend and restore my mother, and offer her freedom." I said, removing the last of the binding chains on the builder. "Will you help us, or oppose us?"
"I will help you," he sat up, breathing heavily. It was clear the short battle had taken a toll on him. "I can lead you to it - to her. I will help where I can."
"Good," I nodded, and the three of us descended into the heart of the dungeon, where the core would lie in its prison-like home.
"But then the manabox found a new potential fuel source, me." I explained as memories flooded back into me. "A bright, hotspot of mana that other mana collected around, dancing through the rooms of the dungeon as I pleased. With that fuel, the dungeon could grow, rise, become a tower to block the sun."
"Then why isn't it reacting to you now?" My father asked.
"Oh it is," I laughed. "It's been trying to suck me in since we came into the room. But it's a little like a pond trying to swallow up an ocean." I touched the crown on my head and the mana-box visibly whimpered back. "It could have got me when I was a child and couldn't even read runes. Now - it's lucky I don't eat it." I licked my lips. It did look strangely tasty, all that power - but no, if I ate it, what would power the dungeon?
"Please don't destroy it," the builder sighed. "Wait a moment and I'll access the core for you." He stepped forward and glided his hands over the runewords orbiting in the manabox, entering the command to let the core be accessed. "Be careful," he warned as he stepped back.
"Lyra," Nathan stepped forward and called to the core. "I'm not sure if you can anymore, but I'd love to see you."
There was a flickering of mana in the air, a pair of eyes - but it vanished after a moment.
As we pressed on, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, but I pushed forward, determined to see this through.
"Mother," I commanded into the dim room. "You are free to manifest. Forma tua aedificabitur."
Finally, we reached another clearing where a group of minotaurs stood guard around a stone pedestal. On it rested another totem.
Nathan and I exchanged a glance before stepping into view. The minotaurs immediately tensed, their hands going to their weapons.
"Stand down," I commanded, raising my staff.
One of them snorted in defiance and charged at us. I quickly cast a spell to weaken him—"Debilito!"—and Nathan delivered a swift blow that sent him sprawling.
The other minotaurs hesitated but didn't attack. We retrieved the second totem without further conflict and continued our quest.
With two more totems left to find, we knew our journey was far from over. But as long as we had each other—and the amulet's guidance—we would not give up until peace was restored to the catkin clans.
A low note became a scrap of a melody, as before us the figure of a beautiful woman manifested. She was unlike anyone I had ever seen, ethereal yet shining with intelligence. And literally shining, as her skin held a glow - the one sign she wasn't truly human.
"Lyra!" Nathan cried, unable to restrain himself from hugging her. I would have stopped him, but inside I felt it was all right.
"Nathan, my love!" She clasped his cheeks, kissing the freckle on his right ear. "It's been so long!"
"I've returned," he clasped one of her hands in return, leaning his face into it. "I've returned with our daughter, no less."
"I can see," she turned to me, smiling. I barely noticed the black tendrils seeping into the air from the core and mana-box, I was focused on her. "You've grown up! You're a woman now." She came over and took my hands. "And so powerful."
"Queen of the dungeon or something, now." I shrugged, then dropped the nonchalant act and hugged her.
"I apologize for my opposition." The builder bowed to her from off to the side. "I sought to repair you as one would a machine - I didn't realize you had a mind, and a heart."
"It's strange." My mother glanced upwards. "I never minded being made a dungeon core. If anything, it made me feel useful. And once I figured out how to use the mana to manifest myself - it was quite fun."
"What exactly are your race like?" I asked, thinking over the legends in the book.
"We came from the sky long ago," she said. "So long ago even I can barely remember. Some of my people were raised on a planet of tall trees and deep ravines, according to their stories. Others like myself were born on the way to a new world. But to travel, we had to be preserved to make it across the years of light. I wasn't a scientist, so couldn't explain it well - some mix of elements and mind together, to create a new form. We were meant to be converted back to a bodily form once we landed, but our ship was attacked by dragons as soon as we arrived. The guards were slaughtered -" she faltered, "and the rest of us taken as treasures of war. I spent centuries half-asleep and bored upon piles of gold until the builders found me."
"We didn't know you were sentient beings." The builder hung his head in shame. "Can you forgive us?"
"This is a far better place than in the claws of a dragon." My mother shrugged.
"But you have a choice now," I said firmly. "We can free you, and I can help you stay embodied anywhere you choose to go. You don't have to remain as the core of a dungeon."
"Free to go anywhere? That does sound nice." My mother stepped over to my father. "You could take me to the Lake of Ozaria like you promised, or to see the gardens of Tenisia. But -" she sighed against his chest. "I take care of so many creatures here. Even in my madness, my greatest desire was to take care of the hundreds of thousands of creatures who live here. As for travel - I have lakes here, forests, rivers, waterfalls, gemstone caverns, palaces, ruins - anything I can imagine."
"You want to stay here," I nodded sadly, understanding her intention.
"Then I will stay with you," Nathan held her tightly. "We have our own world, here, just as we used to."
"Yes," she sighed happily. "With you, this world is far more than enough for me."
"I wish I could stay as well," the builder said, "but I must take this information to the other builders across the world. They must know the cores are actual beings from beyond the stars."
"And how are you going to travel anywhere, old man?" Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"I'll help him," I said softly.
"No..." my mother bit her lip. "I don't mind if you go back to the surface, even if you need some time - but can't you stay nearby? If you don't want to help with the dungeon, you could still visit."
"I....I do want to help with the dungeon. I want to stay, I want to stay and learn all about you. About you both." I looked at my parents, then blinked away the tears welling in my eyes. "But this is bigger than us. It's about your whole people, mom, what happened to them."
"You're right," she stepped forward and embraced me, and the smell of damp dungeon stone and everblossoms tickled my nose. I hugged her back, as if it might be the last time.
Finally, I swallowed and nodded, taking a step back. I touched the old man on the shoulder, letting the mana around me course through me and into him. His wrinkles slowly faded, his face lifted, his eyes brightening as his time was returned to him.
The builder gasped. "I lost hundreds of years during those years of madness when the core broke. How have you returned them to me?" Instead of a wizened soldier past his prime, he now had look of a young warrior in his prime.
"Queen of the dungeon, remember?" I pointed to my crown, then allowed the light to dissipate back into the dungeon. "The mana here and the creatures are mine to command." I looked over at my mom. "Well, were mine to command." I touched her head, and let the mana flow again. The crown reformed, but upon her brow and not mine.
"Dad's right," I smiled. "I shouldn't be the queen, you should be. You've kept the balance for so long, it's only right the two of you should bear the royal mantle."
With one light touch, another circle of light haloed my father's head. "I know the two of you will do fine, even if I leave."
"Whose the grown up here?" My father tried to joke. He touched my shoulders and pressed his forehead to me own. "Be careful out there, kid."
"Don't worry too much." I wanted to stay longer, to say more. "I'll be back for visits, and to check out books in the library. Who knows how many dungeons are out there, and how many hold cores from mother's people."
"Then you'll need a guide." Another voice spoke, and all of us jumped.
"Kaldor." My dad said with a hint of venom. I assumed the two had some bad history, even though my dad had admitted he was loyal.
"The amulet I gave you will guide you to and in the dungeons once you are close." Kaldor explained, walking towards me. "But you will need someone who is familiar with the surface world far beyond your village, and can help you infiltrate the dungeons to begin with. Most are not hidden like this one, but carefully guarded by soldiers or adventurer guilds."
I nodded. As I'd grown up in the small village above, I knew little about the Kingdom I resided in, let alone the countries beyond. And it was doubtful the builder would have information of use, considering he'd come down to upkeep this dungeon centuries ago. Come to think, what was his name?
"So we are now a trio." I looked at the two men who would be accompanying me on my new quest. "Builder - what is your name?"
"Acarius," he introduced himself. "Acarius of the Red Moon Clan."
"Then I shall call you Acarius Redmoon. Your experience with the inner workings of dungeons will be invaluable. And Kaldor - where do you hail from?"
"I am also one of the builders." Kaldor admitted. "I am a mage from the Dark Shield Clan. In truth, the reason I have wandered the lands rather than staying solely in this dungeon, was in hopes I could learn of the welfare of the rest of our own people. And, should this dungeon succumb completely to the madness I feared would overtake it, to find a place for the creatures in it to flee without human bloodshed."
"You didn't seem to care very much for the humans in my village." I reminded him of how he had attracted monsters with the dark rune as a "test" for me.
"My apologies if you find the method course," he said by way of explanation. "I've lived so long, I find a small loss of life near inconsequential to the death of generations and civilizations."
"If you are to travel with me as my guide," I warned, "you must not take any life lightly."
"Yes, my queen." He bowed.
I gestured to my mom. "I just abdicated, remember?"
"Ah," he thought for a moment. "Understood, my lady."
"Better." I tapped my staff on the stone floor, Marcus suddenly coming into my mind. "We should head back for the surface right away, to check on my brother and my village, then we will ready to leave."
"You have a brother?" My mother asked, startled.
"Foster brother," I blushed. "His parents adopted me when I was found in the forest, after running away from the dungeon. Maybe I'll get to introduce you someday."
After finishing my goodbyes to my true parents, it was time to leave. Apparently, I didn't even have to climb my way back out of the dungeon - Kaldor knew a teleportation spell.
In moments, Kaldor, Acarius, and I were at the outskirts of the forest. Acarius fell to the Earth and gasped - both from the paucity of mana up at the surface, and because it was the first time he'd seen the sun in half a millennium. I looked at the house before me - my own home for over a decade, yet it felt so strange. Even the memory of Marcus felt strange. But I had to see him, to make sure he was still safe - even if that meeting might turn into goodbye.
"Marcus? Elder Harlan?" I asked as I knocked on the door and stepped inside my own home.
"You're alive!" Elder Harlan greeted me from the living room. "Did you find the source of the attacks?"
I tapped my staff on the floor and looked at him squarely. "I found the forest dungeon and we have restored it's balance. There should be no more creature skirmishes, beyond perhaps the lone goblin or two, again. The dungeon is in good hands."
"Who are your...friends." Marcus asked me as he emerged disheveled from his bedroom, looking at the two men behind me with suspicion. And why shouldn't he be suspicious? I'd left with not much more than a dagger, and returned a full-fledged mage radiating power. And now, two men stood bodyguard for me, eyeing Marcus with equal suspicion.
"Marcus, you should be resting." I motioned him to sit. "This is Acarius Redmoon, and Kaldor Darkshield. They are...they were keepers of the local dungeon. We plan to seek out other dungeons, which is a long story."
"Just you and them?" Marcus stared at me until I flushed. I suppose I hadn't thought about what that would look like, especially now that I'd given Acarius back his youth.
"It's not for fun, we have a reason." I insisted, then berated myself for feeling the need to apologize. "Their people are out there - my parents people, too."
"Your parents?" Marcus scoffed. "Our parents are still weeks out at the Kingdom Market, of course they aren't here. That doesn't mean you need to find them."
"No, I meant my real - my biological parents." I looked at the floor.
"You found them?!" Marcus jumped up and came towards me, grasping my arms. The jealousy and suspicion on his face was replaced with concern, even excitement.
I smiled, this was the Marcus I was more used to. "Yes, I found them! In the forest dungeon." I gave him a hug. "Nathan and Lyra - I'll take you to meet them, someday."
"I'll just put on some tea," the elder said, disappearing into the kitchen.
I filled Marcus in on my adventure, at least the highlights. I left out the part where Kaldor casually let a village get attacked to get me into the dungeon.
"So you - you were born in the dungeon. Are you...are you human, then?"
"Half-human," I admitted. "Though Lyra manifested herself in a human body, and then had me - so maybe I am fully human, just with a deeper mana pool."
"It's fine whichever way," he brushed a hand through my hair. "I'm just glad...I'm glad you found them. My parents will be surprised, but I think they'll understand."
"We plan to leave in the morning," Kaldor announced, "so say your goodbyes now. Elora, you should get what you need."
"Kaldor," I snapped at him. "You are my guide, not my boss."
"I'm sorry, my lady." He bowed contritely.
"You're leaving, tomorrow?" Marcus held on to me tighter. "No, you can't."
"The longer I stay, the harder it will be to leave." I clasped the back of his head, pushing down the feelings inside me.
"Then let me come, too," Marcus insisted. "You know how well I fight."
I hadn't the heart to tell him that compared to my father, or even compared to Acarius, he was a novice. But, I did want his company.
"It would be selfish of me to ask you," I said at last. "Mom and dad...your mom and dad, they need you here. It will be hard enough for them that I'm leaving."
"I would have left soon, anyway." Marcus admitted. "Wait here - I should show you something."
He disappeared into his room for a minute as elder Harlan put out some tea and light food for the group. Kaldor tore into the bread with a fury; I wondered when the last time he ate was.
"Look at this," Marcus held out a letter to me. It was crumpled and dusty, as if he'd tried to hide it for some time.
"An acceptance letter into the Knight Academy?" I gasped. It was nearly unheard of for a village farmer to get accepted into the prestigious school.
"I was planning to leave next month, once mom and dad got back. I would have been gone a few years, but I could have earned money for the farm. And when I returned, I could have asked you - " he looked down. "I mean, I just - I had more of a future planned than just staying here, you know?"
I buried my head in his chest deeper, mostly to hide the blush turning my ears red. "All right," I said at last. "It's your choice to make, too. We travel together."
"I'm not sure it is advisable - " Acrarius tried to protest, but I shut him up with a glance.
Acarius cleared his throat. "I mean, we should prepare for the journey ahead."
"Quite right." I nodded and turned back to Marcus. "We'll talk more later. Right now, we need to prepare." I turned to the elder. "If you and the villagers need a place to camp while beginning to rebuild, you may use our cabin. There are several bedrooms, and the barn will hold more. Not everyone will fit, of course - but between here and the house on the other end of the village, there should be beds enough for the elderly and children."
The elder nodded. "Thank you. We will tend to your animals and land until Frank and Liessa return. I will let them know what has transpired, though I would recommend you write them a letter as well." "Take what medical supplies you need." Marcus gestured to the cabinet where our mother kept our herbs. "There are some tents in the barn, as well.""Anything will be helpful as we rebuild." The elder stood up. "It's time I met back with the villagers, and gave them news of our safety. I'm sure they spent a hard night, but there are many supplies in the cave as well. We will have food and bedding enough for the time being." He walked to the door. "Good luck on your journey."Then he was gone, leaving us four to get ready. As I moved through the house, gathering supplies and saying my goodbyes to the familiar walls and rooms, I felt a mix of excitement and sadness. This place had been my home for so long, but now I knew of my true home, and was ready to face a far wider world beyond.
That night, I slept fitfully, far too aware of Marcus' proximity just across the hall. Now that I was back, and found Marcus safe - it was hard not to run to him and tell him everything in my heart. But since I didn't fully understand my heart as it was, perhaps it was best for me to resist. Instead of wondering what could be if I ran into him, I focused on the memories of ancient runewords passing behind my eyelids.
And in the morning, after a last meal of pancakes cooked up by Marcus, we were ready to go.
Kaldor and Acarius were already outside, discussing our route, when Marcus and I joined them. The sun was just rising, casting long shadows across the village that somehow lessened as I watched.
"Elora," Marcus called from next to me. He handed me a small pendant. "Take this with you. It's a protection charm I carved."
I took it gratefully and slipped it around my neck, where it joined the amulet Kaldor had given me. "Thank you, Marcus."
"Then lets go," Kaldor gave him a look, as if upset I was letting Marcus' crude gift hang alongside his gifted object of power. "Hope you can keep up, boy."
Nathan fought valiantly against the shadowy figure but was being pushed back by its relentless attacks.
"Boy, is it?" Marcus raised an eyebrow, then wrapped a hand around my waist. "You realize this "boy" is closer to your lady than you'll ever be?"
"We'll see." Kaldor seethed, but Acarius stopped him with a hand on the shoulder.
"I can't hold it off much longer!" he shouted.
With a final burst of strength, I completed the incantation.
"Let them enjoy their youth," Acarius said, though I noticed he had a hard time looking me in the eyes.
A blinding light erupted from the mechanism, enveloping both me and Nathan in its brilliance.
I laughed lightly and pushed Marcus away, as if he'd been playing a game. I wouldn't have minded a few minutes more, but it was time to leave.
The shadow let out an agonized scream before dissipating into nothingness.
"Shall we go?" I asked, gesturing to the ruined village ahead of us.
"It's that way, my lady." Kaldor took my arm and pointed it to the northwest. "If we go now, we'll reach the village of Renseal by dinnertime."
As the light faded, I saw my mother's form materialize before us—ethereal yet unmistakably real.
"Then on we go," I marched forward, the three men coming up behind me.
"Elora," she whispered weakly. "You've come."
"Let's find all the dungeon cores!" I promised, shouting it to the sky. "And offer them freedom!"
Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached out to her.
"We're here to save you," I said softly.
"Freedom!" Acarius and Kaldor promised as well, holding their fists to their chests. Marcus stood by watching, not really understanding the heart of our quest, but willing to guard me along the way.
"And don't worry," I turned back to the three of them, smiling. "You're my people now, too. I won't let anything harm you, either." I turned back and raced ahead, not looking back as they rushed to get started, too. The mana swirled around me, dancing on wings, and I followed it whooping.
"Is she always so noisy?" I heard Acarius ask Marcus over the sound of running, as well all were racing now.
"Not usually," Marcus huffed, "but she can get excited. I guess we'll be there by lunchtime at this pace."
"That's the spirit!" I called back at my three companions. The mana swirled around me and I felt like I was soaring. I barely gave thought to the ruined village we had long passed, or that I'd moved beyond the borders of the territory that I knew.
Now that I knew my past, I could meet my future running.THE END
