《Dungeon Engineer》 Chapter 1: Explosive Beginnings As far as the eye can see, nothing; as in, absolutely nothing. There is no infinite stretch of darkness, white light, or anything. It was nothing. Its hard to describe, youd think with sensory deprivation, akin to closing your eyes in a dark room that your brain would overlay darkness as a placeholder. I wasnt even getting that. And yet, I am conscious. Im alive; surely, otherwise, I wouldnt be monologuing right now. What do I remember? Welleverything?! I can remember everything. Every last moment of my life, with perfect clarity. This is not something I could do before. Indeed, I can even remember Ah. Im dead. One moment I was using the restroom and in the next I was instantly in space. I remember the ten following seconds of consciousness before I was here. Ten seconds of silence, pain, and confusion. I can gather that there mustve been a hull breach in the section of Aurora Station I was in at the time. What could have caused it? I have no clue. How do I know Im not in a coma or some such? Simple, rescue would have been impossible. The rapid decompression would have launched me into the void at a relatively high speed. Its impossible for me to have collided with another part of the station as I was in the Departures Promenade at the time. Furthermore, assuming I was even noticed in the first place, no craft would have been able to intercept me before it was too late. I should know, I was a propulsion specialist before retiring; Im well familiar with search-and-rescue spaceborne drone capabilities. So, Im dead, but Im not dead. I cant honestly say I was expecting an afterlife to exist, but boy was I wrong. Its not exactly pleasant but not entirely terrible either. In fact, its sort ofcozy? Isnt emptiness supposed to, you know, drive people insane? I dont feel insane, but I wouldnt if I was, would I? Eh, water under the bridge I say; Ill just settle in Stone! And suddenly theres a stone wall right in front of me. As a gauntlet of emotions rush through my mind in response to what shouldve been entirely mundane, I try to get my bearings and look at my surroundings. There is stone all around me and a chunk of quartz as well. More specifically, the stone is of a beige color with streaks of red and the crystal is an opaque reddish-brown. My now-robust memory gives me a hand and I identify the surrounding rock with certainty as rhyolite; a volcanic stone often found near caldera volcanoes. The crystal looks somewhat like cherry quartz but Im not entirely positive thats accurate. It consists of two large conjoined crystals with eleven smaller crystals haphazardly clustered together, the crystals are full of unidentifiable impurities and coated in a layer of dust further giving the formation a beautiful and natural appearance. The cluster of Cherry Quartz sits in a jagged, hollow cavity surrounded by and embedded in the aforementioned rhyolite stone. Having no sense of scale to go by, Ive no clue how big the quartz cluster or the room Ive found myself in are. Where am I? Yes, Im obviously in this subterranean cavity, but, where am I really? I can see my surroundings yet not myself. I cant even feel my body. But I can feel something. I can tell that Im feeling the stone, but its not really so simple. For starters, its unfair of me to call it feeling, instead, its more of an abstract sense. Sort of like taste, touch, and smell all rolled up into one sense. And how is it that I know its stone Im sensing and not something else? Again, I have no clue, I just know. I know it as well as a parched man knows hes thirsty. Unbelievably, I can even sense the air. It is comparable to ones sense of being underwater, but more nuanced. Mind you, I couldnt say what the atmospheric composition is, not knowing the associated flavors of certain elements, but I can tell its air and sense where it is nonetheless. I wonder what the quartz crystal tastes like? I cant taste it. That is to say, I physically cannot taste it, which is not the same as saying it is tasteless. How peculiar. This hollow cavity is perfectly sealed, with no apparent light sources and no shadows. Yet paradoxically, I can see, despite being aware of its darkness. This of course shouldnt be possible. Though neither should everything else thats happened so far. In life, and I say that because Im not sure if I can call what Im experiencing right now as life, I wasnt claustrophobic. This was handy considering I lived in spaceborne habitats most of the time. Even so, Im oddly at ease being completely sealed in a stone room. Remember what I said earlier about intuitively knowing that the stone is what I was tasting? Its like that now, Im at ease in this cavity, and it feels somehow correct. What else have I noticed? Well, I cant move, which makes sense seeing as I dont have a body to propel myself with. My vision also seems to be incredibly acute. In fact, I can zoom in on things at will. I wonder what will happen if I keep zooming in? And my vision goes blank, if I zoom in too far apparently my sight just abruptly stops; still, I can zoom in on the rhyolite and identify individual grains with ease! In fact, some grains even taste differently! So, I can taste the rhyolite as a whole but when I zoom in, I can more easily taste its constituent substances which obviously form the medley of flavor which inherently is rhyolite stone. Unfortunately, this trick doesnt work on the air, and it seems I cant taste distinct individual atoms. Thats fair, it was worth a shot. Since theres nothing better for me to be doing right now, I suppose Ill just look around and taste everything in sight. Gah! I had been caressing the stone wall, like a lover would their partner, for an indeterminate amount of time; tasting each shape and substance while observing every detail when I unwittingly sampled a blast of bright flavor that came from seemingly nowhere, and I mean that in the literal sense, it truly tasted bright. It tasted likelight? It did, I swear it did! Its another one of those feelings again; instinct, if you will, it just feels correct. It was so delicious, so scrumptious, so bursting with yellow flavor, I must have more. Ill be ready for it next time, I dont know what Ill do, but I know Ill be ready. And so, I continued to lovingly fondle my surroundings while staying alert for the flashy thing again. Not in vain either, very soon I tasted it again! This time I wrapped my sense around it and instantly blacked out. Waking up is strange when you dont have eyelids or a body, youre just suddenly conscious with a powerful voice blasting into your mind, such is life. A voice? I can hear a disturbingly generic, normal-sounding voice speaking to me in English. Dungeon Core? Mana? Who are you? Nothing. Assuming the mysterious voice is telling the truth and it means what I think it does; mana exists and by extension, its reasonable to assume magic does as well. Im also a Dungeon Core, which means Ive reincarnated as a magical stone. Well isnt this just fantastic? Now, Ive read my fair share of dungeon core stories; and frankly, it all makes sense now, if those (fictional, might I add) stories are anything to go by, that crystal? That crystal is me. Its a whole genre, quite fascinating. Make no mistake, this took me a while to figure out. Oh, and this is supposed to be the part where a blue box full of information pops up in my mind, no? So, wheres my blue box?! Wheres my LitRPG system?! Do I need to think Help? Nope, that didnt do anything. Am I not the main character? Dont I deserve some cheat abilities for doing nothing at all? If only things were so easy. So, unless a dungeon core isnt what Im thinking of, Im a magical stone who controls a domain around myself using magic. In fact, some of the stories Ive read consider that domain an extension of the cores body itself; a cool idea, to be sure. But a fictional fantasy trope shouldnt be real, should it? Well here I am. Oh, and according to the stories, my purpose is to kill people. Nope! Not on my watch! I am not going to kill people if I can help it. Its not going to happen, and its just that simple. Ahbut thats what they all say, isnt it? They convince themselves that theyre not going to murder others but then some group of plucky adventurers comes along and attacks them. Ive read it too many times. Naturally, the dungeon main character proceeds to, often brutally, kill them all in self-defense at which point they get power or something from absorbing their corpses. Then the story kicks off properly and the dungeon in question is constantly under siege with no end in sight other than the dreaded hiatus hell; the final boss for all dungeons. Yeah, I dont think so. You see, in those stories, the dungeons must have some sort of connection to the surface for whatever silly reason the author comes up with. Me? I feel fine! No cliched pesky instincts telling me that I must make an opening to the surface or anything like that! Ill just chill down here in my little cavity until the end of time. Im going to have so much fun not dying! Maybe its a good thing Im not beholden to a system, as its often called in such stories. Back to that voice though, was it from a person? Was it a god? Was it the dreaded system? Why did it contact me if it was going to be so useless? Other than telling me what I am and that Im now passively absorbing mana (which I have yet to notice), it really didnt do much for my situation.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Some things simply dont have meaning. So, Im a dungeon core, which means I should be able to move my view around my domain. I imagine that is the room Ive found myself stuck in. Without thinking, I manage to do exactly that. How? I couldnt say, I just did. Finally, I can pan around my view of the world. Why I couldnt do this earlier, no one knows. It appears as if I can shift my vision to anywhere within this subterranean space; though I dont gain any new information from doing so having already analyzed my surroundings in detail. There is still no entrance in sight, which is probably for the best. I should also be able to absorb and create objects, thats a normal dungeon-y thing to do, right? I will the rhyolite around me tobe absorbed? Nothing happens unfortunately, but I wont be defeated so easily! As I did earlier with the mana flare, I wrap a portion of stone with my sense and then will it to be absorbed. Nothing is happening. No, wait! No, nothing is happening. Wait! Yes! I saw something move! I saw it with my ownsight? A pebble crumbled away from the wall! In the exact spot I was focusing on! That was me, I did that! I managed to make a pebble break away from the wall, which is more than I was expecting to happen, but I still didnt manage to absorb anything Did I absorb the material holding it to the wall or just magically cut it away somehow? More testing is needed. I proceed to cut the pebble into two pieces, and then those two into four. I keep at it until I have a pile of coarse sand. The pile seems to have about as much material as the original pebble did. Though it sure would be handy if I had a device to measure the mass of the pieces so that I could be more certain that Im not absorbing any mass when I make a cut, I think its safe to say that I am, in the truest sense, cutting stone. As far as I can tell, I cant absorb anything. This is a conundrum because thats usually the first thing a dungeon learns to do in the stories. Honestly, if anything, I see this as a good sign that I wont be forced to constantly murder people. The less my new reality conforms to my expectations, the less likely it is that my darker expectations will be valid. What else can a dungeon typically do? They can conjure matter from nothing except mana; the potential for abuse is astronomical! Just as I cut stone and grasped a mana flare, I wrap my sense around the target area, in this case, an empty space near my core, and will into existence a piece of iron! Nothing. Well to be honest, I expected that to happen. You see, one of the most common tropes in a core story is that a dungeon core can only create things which they have first absorbed. I find it likely that similar restrictions apply to me because everything else thats happened so far has closely resembled those works of fiction. Hopefully cutting a piece of rhyolite is enough to be able to create some. Fingers crossed! I proceed again, this time willing a tiny pebble of rhyolite into existence and Nothing. I even simultaneously envisioned its flavor! This is bad. A potential showstopper, really. Whats the point of being a dungeon if I cant, you know, create things? Surely theres a reason I became a dungeon core after death, presumably so that can make a dungeon and kill people, as many stories suggest. Which I have no intentions of doing, mind you. Again, I cant assume anything has a meaning. Its time to try again. Rhyolite is composed of several different substances; this time Ill focus on one of the substances I tasted while I was zoomed in as far as I could go. Its probably not a fundamental substance as I doubt Id tasted a pure element like Silicon or something like that, but its the closest thing Ive got to fundamental. This time I focus on the flavor of a specific component of rhyolite. Nothing, again. How about I try a different substance? Nothing. Maybe I can make air instead? Nope. I cant create matter, at least not this way. Im a dungeon core, so it stands to reason that there should be mechanics in place which allow me to, hypothetically, create a dungeon. Its in the name. I can cut solids or rhyolite at least, but I cant create anything from mana alone Can I perhaps move objects around telekinetically? More testing is needed! I cut a fresh pebble from the wall and wrap my sense around it while willing it to move. And by golly it does! Not only can I roll it around, but I can also even cause it to levitate! Sort of. I can cause it to levitate, yes, but it sure is tiring. It actually required quite a lot of focus to do, I was consciously counteracting the acceleration due to gravity to achieve the observed effect. This is useful, I definitely need to test it more! After taking a short break to recuperate a bit of my strength (Its probably not too much of a leap to assume that my fatigue correlates to how much mana I have) I attempt telekinesis again. This time, I apply a force which accelerates the pebble to the side at an acceleration of roughly one gravity, instead of upwards, with great success too! The pebble shoots across the floor almost as if it was falling sideways; which, in a sense, it was. The potential for abuse here is immense! Can I make a mana-powered railgun? Particle collider? More testing is needed! More testing is always needed! I try my ability on pebbles of different masses; accelerating a pebble which is approximately twice as massive as another seemingly tires me out twice as fast. Which makes sense. If I was to achieve an acceleration equal in magnitude on two pebbles, one twice as massive as the other, that means Im applying a force twice as strong on the more massive pebble. Therefore, I can conclude that effort (or mana consumption, I suppose) is directly proportional to the magnitude of the force being applied to an object. What happens if I attempt to levitate multiple objects at once? Tested, successful; with seemingly no limits except a proportional mana expenditure. What happens if I apply a large force to a small object in order to achieve a, relatively absurd acceleration? I.E. what happens if I make a bullet? Proceeding with the experiment, I find that annoyingly, I lose control over an object once it exhibits an acceleration of what I approximate to be one and a half gravities of acceleration relative to the ground. If Im being fair, this is entirely reasonable. I mean, as long as I have a long enough barrel, one and a half gravities is still enough to lob a lethal projectile; especially if the barrel forms a repeating loop before the projectile is ejected. Not that I would need to make any weapons or anything. Heh. Speaking of making things, can Imake things? I already know I cant poof matter into existence; but I wonder, can I combine objects? More testing! For this experiment, I will be attempting to merge two stones in a manner reminiscent of cutting objects, just in reverse. Advancing along, I find that its doable, but it is worth noting that it requires substantially more mana to carry out then an equivalent cut. To test the integrity of the merged objects, I attempt multiple experimental trials where I launch a projectile at a small rod Ive carved directly from the ground as well as a rod which Id merged with the ground. Unfortunately, and as Id expected, the magically merged rods were easier to break from the ground than the ones carved directly from it. This is a valuable lesson; items created from solid material are more durable than ones made via the magical merger of components. From my previous life experience, this behavior is very similar to that observed in machined items, but the mechanism behind this property is likely completely different. At this point Im feeling extremely tired from all the tests. Just as Im preparing to turn in for some rest, I have an idea. What happens if I try to cut the air? Upon attempting to do so, I immediately blackout. Instantly awake! It seems the final mana expenditure pushed me over the edge of consciousness. Its good to know that I dont die when I run out of mana... Still, I should be more careful in the future. Fortunately for you, I mean me, that wont stop me from attempting to cut air! Nothing seems to be happening, but I do lose mana. Noted. Moving on, I think its time to ponder about my situation and plans moving forward. First off, I need to consider the consequence of my abilities. I cant truly expand my cavity because I have no way of deleting stone. That is to say, if I cut stone from the wall to expand, I have to put it somewhere. As it stands, I have nowhere to displace the excess material. Second, theres only so much stimulation I can get from carving trinkets from the surrounding rhyolite, Im no artist, Im a machinist! An engineer! If I dont find some more interesting materials, objects, etc. to play with, Ill probably go crazy down here! Im thinking of the long-term. The obvious solution is to breach the surface. I see two immediate problems with that idea: One, there could be dangerous animals or people. Two, it will take ages to dig a large enough tunnel. Hold up, I dont follow the rules! Who says the tunnel must be person-sized? Thats only asking for trouble! With that thought in mind, I begin to carve a narrow tube straight upwards. I stop to think, what happens if I dig into the bottom of a body of water? Can I drown? I fashion an emergency tunnel plug from stone just in case; if needed, I can seal my tube with this makeshift stopper using my merge ability. I proceed with the excavation until I suddenly find myself unable to cut the stone ahead of me. I cannot exert any control over this area which I gather to mean its not inside my domain. I take a break to recuperate mana and consider my approach to this problem. The simple solution would be to claim the space as my domain using an ability that I dearly hope I have. In fact, merely considering the possibility sparks a primal urge in me to do exactly that! I instinctively wrap the space in my sense and will it to be mine. To great success! Though Im glad I have this ability in my toolkit, I cant help but wonder where my instincts were when I tried to grasp a mana flare or cut and merge stone? Those are curious inconsistencies. Once again, the digging proceeds. Pebbles and chunks of volcanic stone tumble down my vertical tube inducing a zen of sorts in my mind. Some time passes as I dig. How much? I couldnt say, but I eventually discover loose boulders in my way. More importantly, the gaps are filled with soil! Beautiful dark soil which is surely packed with nutrients! I even see bits of decaying plants among the soil particles! The presence of life has been confirmed! I take a break to top-off my mana supply and sample all of the new substances mixed into the soil. It tastes absolutely divine! With so many complex components, especially the organic stuff, how could it not? I would do this all day, but it seems the flavor gradually loses its appeal the more time I spend tasting it. On a whim, I attempt to cut a dead bit of root. Thankfully it was a success. Its good to know the limits of my abilities, or the lack thereof. I proceed a few more centimeters before I encounter a living worm; one obviously related to life from Earth. That poses some profound implications which Ill have to look into later. For science, I decide to try cutting it in half. It was a success, however, that cut depleted substantially more mana than a regular cut would have. I observed the worm until it stopped moving. Soon after, I felt a slight tingling sensation which lasted a fraction of a second. It was so easy to notice because it registered on a sense I hadnt stimulated until now and that I wasnt even aware I had in the first place. Suddenly, the voice of indescribable normalcy returns. My dark suspicions have been confirmed, there is in fact a system. A so far useless system, but a system, nonetheless. There must be some sort of computer behind the voice providing information to me. Ive guessed this because I figure no normal human being would have phrased it like that. Every time a new aspect of this life conforms to the reality portrayed by those fantasy stories Ive read in the past, my fear grows. I enjoyed those works for a reason, they featured conflict. It shouldnt bear mentioning, but I would prefer it if I could avoid that altogether. On to the worm. The voice of normalcy said it was added to memory (Whose?) right after I felt the tingling sensation which also somewhat coincided with its death. Though further testing is needed, I conclude that killing a creature (or having it die in my domain, the exact requirements remain to be determined) will add it to the memory, whatever that means. Does it mean I can spawn a worm now? I find it likely, so I try a test. Like my early attempts at creating matter, I focus my sense on an empty area and will an Unidentified Earthworm 0000000001 into existence. Im met with failure. Whats the point of having a creature in memory (My memory, the systems memory? Ive no clue!) if I cant do anything with it? Am I supposed to complete a Pokdex or something? Thanks again for being useless Mr. Normal. At this point, a quaint pile of soil has accumulated on the floor of my cavern just below the opening to my tunnel. As my absurdly convenient, near-perfect memory helpfully informs me, soil is supposed to be loaded with mesofauna; tiny animals who live in the soil feeding on decaying material, fungi, bacteria, roots, each other, etc. I bet killing them would yield similar results to the worm incident. To start, I carve a heavy slab of stone from the wall and slide it over to the pile of dirt. I then lift it atop the pile and grind it up against the rhyolite floor in an attempt to kill any tiny animals that may have been living in the soil currently being ground up. Mr. Normal keeps on going but I tune him out. I think Ill consider that experiment a success. I didnt hear any microorganisms being mentioned and I also see that he specified when a juvenile (the Isopod was listed as a nymph) was killed, rather than an adult. Furthermore, the Silo Bug wasnt listed as unidentified, is that supposed to mean it has already been identified as a Silo Bug? I doubt Im on Earth anymore, even considering the similar organisms, so does that mean the mite in question was named by the locals (If there are any.)? How would that even work linguistically or scientifically? How would you standardize it? I need more information. I continue onwards, passing more tiny subterranean animals and even roots until I finally breach the surface. A powerful beam of sunlight instantly pierces through my tunnel. Interestingly, I can clearly see where the light falls, yet Im also able to see perfectly in total darkness. I have no trouble claiming a portion of the surface as my domain but still limit myself lest I run out of mana. Looking around, I can see that I am in the middle of a dense clover patch surrounded by a lush temperate forest bursting with life. All around me are exotic plants and animals that I recognize, and many I dont. For example, I can see a stand of short plants whose orange flowers appear to be on fire! No, theyre definitely on fire and yet perfectly unharmed! Around the seemingly eternally burning petals are numerous red sparks flitting in and out of the flaming petals with minds of their own and occasionally flying off elsewhere into the forest. I may not understand what Im seeing, but Ive resolved to learn all that I can about this new world! In the distance, towering above the forest is an enormous mountain with gentle slopes. While marveling at the majesty of the environment, the mountain explodes. Soon after, a pressure wave sweeps through the forest causing the plants to sway madly and the wildlife to instantly fall silent. The burning flowers turn grey and the dancing sparks zip away. Thats no mountain, its a volcano. As an enormous pillar of ash rises to the heavens, I silently contemplate what this will mean for my surroundings. The forest is doomed. Chapter 2: Arcanasynthesis Of course theres a cataclysmic eruption in my own backyard the moment I first glance at a volcano. What are the odds, really? I know a thing or two about volcanism, having spent my teenage years living on Jupiters moon Io. Public schools there tended to put more emphasis on geology than many of the other nations in the solar system. Rightfully so, if you live on the most geologically active body known to man, it pays to understand what that means. Assuming the geologic profile of this planet is similar to that of Earth, (a bold assumption, I know) then this is the sort of event that only happens every few centuries. The odds of this occurring to me right now are so slim that I refuse to believe there isnt magic shenanigans involved. That said, I can say with reasonable certainty that this forest is royally screwed. What isnt destroyed by the rain of heavy debris due any minute now, will likely be smothered to death by the oncoming ash-fall. This is life-threatening, in the sense that most of the living things in my sight will perish in the near future. It is not, however, a threat to my own life. Thanks to the familiar flora of the forest providing a handy frame of reference for me to use as a scale, I estimate that my core is nice and safe approximately 12 m underground. While Im on the topic of dimensions, I may as well add that my core is about 10 cm wide and my cavity has a diameter of roughly 3 m, though its not even close to being spherical. It bears mentioning that as soon as I breached the surface, I felt instantly rejuvenated. Logically, theres more ambient mana up here for me to passively absorb. Now I was no gardener or botanist in life, however, thats largely a product of personal gardens being difficult to acquire on space stations. But I wont lie, I have a pretty solid understanding of biology. The flora in this forest fascinates me to no end, in the past I never really had the opportunity to visit a real forest. Only now can I see how much Id been missing out on. As these thoughts flash through my mind I begin to form a plan. If I was to quickly collect some nearby plants and toss them into my hole, not only could I do experiments on them while I wait out the volcanic ash storm, but Id also have something fascinating to look at for a while. To be honest, the latter reason is my real motivation for going ahead with this plan, but we wont dwell on that. Having substantially more mana to work with, I effortlessly rip up patches of clover, moss, and grass. I then toss them all down my tunnel entrance. I then collect some vines, berry bushes, weeds, and even saplings. At this point Im eyeing the once-burning flowers with lust, though the petals had burned out and turned grey the moment the caldera exploded, I still desire these clearly magical organisms. Theyre just out of the reach of my domain but that problem is easily rectified when I promptly claim more territory in their direction. I gingerly uproot several choice specimens and gently lower them down to my core room. Truly a fine addition to my collection. What do plants need? Nutrients, sunlight, air, and water. The nutritional issue is quickly taken care of when I scoop plenty of soil into my cavity and spread it across the floor. I then plant all the flora in the soil somewhat haphazardly. Sunlight is an obvious no-go; I fully expect these plants to die in a day or two and Im not about to expose my core by removing the ceiling. To say nothing of how difficult that would be. There should be plenty of air down here for the plants to last a while along with water present in the damp soil. (As a minor side-note, my actions were also driven by the hopes that a specific common dungeon trope held true in this world.) Of course, as I was gathering plants, I could hear the impacts of volcanic debris pummeling the forest. I wasnt too concerned. It shouldnt be long before the ash lands and begins transforming the world into a grey wasteland. This was all to be expected. What I didnt expect, however, was to witness massive vortexes of fire spontaneously bursting forth from thin air. If that wasnt bad enough, they seemed to move with a will of their own and actively seek out anything living. Needless to say, this didnt bode well for the local wildlife. Ill refer to them as fire elementals, Im so good at names. All joking aside though, I think its time to seal up my tunnel because I see several heading my way and I doubt theyre coming over for a cup of tea. As Im positioning my emergency plug, I hear a primal roar and witness a giant green Komodo dragon come crashing into the clearing. And by giant, I mean at least 6 m long, not including the tail which is probably another 3 m on its own. As I watch the fire elementals lash out at the massive monitor, I make my cowardly retreat. The instant I merge the plug with the tunnel walls, my sight of the surface is cut off and I can feel a sudden decrease in my mana regeneration. I guess I cant have my cake and eat it too. As I settle down in my cozy core room, I take a look at all the different plants Ive found. Ive positioned the fire flowers, as Ill call them, together at one corner though they havent changed from their previous grey state. The rest of the floor space is filled with a hodgepodge of plants looking untamed and regal in my personal opinion. I love it.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. At this point Id like to point out that the moment I began scooping large amounts of dirt into my tunnel Id been receiving many notifications from Mr. Normal claiming that various miniscule animals such as mites had been added to memory, I can only theorize that theyd been dying constantly within my domain which makes sense, if even a small amount of soil is packed with animals, then it stands to reason that there are many animals dying naturally in the soil at any given time. This proves that I dont need a direct hand in an animals death for it to be added, it just needs to pass away in my domain. This doesnt do me any good, but its nice to know, nonetheless. While the tiny creature alerts were easy to tune out, several of Mr. Normals voice notifications for larger organisms automatically came to the forefront of my consciousness and I couldnt help but notice them: You know, Id really like to figure out how Mr. Normals naming scheme works. Its full of inconsistencies but I really shouldnt worry about it right now. Its likely that each of these were either living on the plants I brought inside or in the soil. How they died is anyones guess. I look around and, lo and behold, theres a swarm of angry leafcutter ants near the berry bushes I planted earlier. It looks like theyre angry about their nest getting destroyed. I wager I accidentally scooped their colony in along with the soil. Poor fellas, Ill leave them to their own devices. I spend a while looking at my plants, carving figurines from rhyolite, and generally just biding my time. In a moment of clarity, I realize that I had totally lost track of time, having no clue how much had elapsed. Perhaps its time to check the surface again and see how things are going? I create an incredibly narrow pinhole through my emergency plug and once more expand my domain outwards. I see a hellscape. The smoldering husks of the once-mighty hardwood trees dot the landscape. Everything is covered in a thick layer of ash. All around I see fire elementals ravaging the landscape and dark grey dragons in the distance (because apparently those exist) blasting the land with blindingly white columns of fire for seemingly no reason. Yeah, I dont think I should venture out for a while. Though I also dont see any reason not to keep my miniscule pinhole unobstructed, though mana doesnt seem to be flowing in, at least it allows me to see outside and notice the passing of days Hello? Did my mosses and grass die already? I thought they were supposed to be hardier than most plants Shifting focus back to my doomed garden, what I see amazes me. At one corner, dozens of sprigs of hair-like pale green grass have sprouted from the soil, each blade is approximately 40 cm tall! Before I get the chance to ponder this impossibility, my eyes are drawn to the borders of my cavity. Coating the beige rhyolite walls is a lush carpet of the exact same moss I had brought in initially. Furthermore, skinny white mushrooms standing at 10 cm at the tallest are popping up all over the floor! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? The mushrooms make a bit of sense, not being dependent on sunlight and all that, but their rate of growth is simply too fast to be mundane! I have my pinhole; I know how much time has passed since I last checked! 5 hours, AT MOST! The moss and grass though? They should not be growing so prolifically in the absence of any light. Clearly, theyre getting their energy from a new source. Based on what I know about dungeons, I bet it has something to do with mana These little pests are leeching mana from me huh? Well Ill show Hold up. I can tell my regeneration rate has actually increased. I wonder, could it be that the plants (and maybe the mushrooms, cant be sure about them yet) are more effectively absorbing ambient mana and somehow passing it along to me or making it more accessible? So it seems that the plants can survive and even thrive by utilizing ambient mana as an energy source In place of photosynthesis. I dub this new discovery arcanasynthesis. Thats perhaps the first good name Ive come up with in this life. I mustnt forget that I received voice notifications from Mr. Normal when these plants (and singular fungus) sprouted, which must mean that the birth of an organism within my domain also adds it to the decidedly useless memory. All this time Ive been receiving addition notifications for small organisms in the background. Initially I thought that only meant theyd died. Now I can see it could have also included births! As Im having these thoughts, I receive yet more addition notifications: And the list goes on and on and on. What Im sure must be every plant that I collected along with some bonus additions that must have hitched a ride, gets mentioned by Mr. Normal. No, scratch that, I did not see any fire flowers in that list, and I highly doubt theyre an unidentified species. Glancing around, everything minus those burning blossoms has grown substantially, in some cases, entire new plants are sprouting! Vines cling to the moss on the walls, which, at this point, also includes the ceiling. Multicolored mushrooms and other fruiting bodies populate every surface that isnt occupied by a plant, and moths and flies visit various blooming flowers. Tiny animals sift through the undergrowth, munch on plants, or burrow through the soil. My humble cave is bursting with life that is reproducing and growing at a rapid pace. As it does, my mana regeneration skyrockets. Chapter 3: Minion Modification My cavity is effectively sealed, the pinhole is too small to matter in the scheme of things. If youre like me, (actually, you are me) you are wondering how the plants are able to survive if theres no new water or fresh air being added to the system. You see, many space dwellers owned small terrariums; they were common curios. The plants living in a perfectly sealed terrarium never needed to be watered and fresh air didnt need to be provided. All of the required water was sealed inside from the beginning, as plants uptake water, they also release it through respiration. Gasses are recycled via the metabolisms of the organisms, be they microbes, mesofauna, plants, fungi, etc. I owned one such terrarium, it had ferns, mosses, etc. along with many tiny soil animals such as mites and springtails perfectly sealed from the outside world in a jar. It lasted for years, with the cycle of life continuously repeating. What Ive got going on here in my dungeon follows the same principle, just scaled up. Furthermore, unlike a terrarium, it is, amazingly, independent of an external source of light. Speaking of which, how is it that the moths, flies, etc. are able to see in this darkness? Perhaps mana behaves similarly to light, if so, would it be too much of a stretch to theorize that the eyes of fauna in this world have evolved to detect ambient mana? Even I can see in the darkness! I think the idea has merit, clearly biology can interact with magic, just look at the fire flowers or arcanasynthesis! Ill need to come up with some experiments later to verify this idea. Though the water cycle in my dungeon is self-contained, theres only so much water to go around. Eventually the biomass will hit a limit due to a water shortage. Because my mana regeneration rate seems to be proportional to the amount of life in my domain (and perhaps biodiversity, more testing is needed) I think increasing biomass should be a priority. Also, If Im being honest, Im having a blast cultivating this garden, so of course I want to see it expand! Water and space are currently my two biggest bottlenecks. I cant do much about space right now because I would have to deposit excavated stone on the surface and doing so would expose me to dangerous creatures who want to see the world burn. Waters a bit simpler. Working through my pinhole, I can dig some shallow channels in the ground on the surface to direct rainwater into my dungeon. As long as I dont make a large opening, I should be safe from outside threats. Now that I think about it, if I was to excavate by cutting the stone into tiny pieces and then telekinetically move the small pebbles through a similarly small hole, I wouldnt be exposed. Unfortunately, I see two problems with this idea. For starters, it would take an ungodly long time to manually lift pebbles up single file through a narrow hole when I could be doing other, more interesting things. Second, it would take tons of mana to levitate so many individual pebbles. No, I think Im going to put this off until I cant avoid it, procrastination at its best. I proceed with creating some narrow rainwater channels in the ash radiating outwards from my pinhole. There are 6 channels, each one is 3 m long and about 5 cm wide. They gradually slope downwards to the pinhole, each being about 15 cm deep with sloped walls. When the rains come, there will surely be lots of ash washed into my dungeon but theres not much I can do about that. Ill just have to deal with it. Im not too worried about my dungeon sticking out too much topside because I doubt any people are out and about in that hellscape. Shifting gears, I take another look around my microbiome. The leafcutter ants have formed an enormous mound of earth with orderly lines of innumerable ants carrying thousands of cut leaves into the depths of their nest. Somewhere in this mound is a queen (or perhaps multiple) because their numbers have greatly increased since I last checked on them. I spend a couple hours regenerating mana and just watching these industrious insects. Leafcutter ants are a species from Earth that use their powerful mandibles to cut fresh leaves from plants, be it trees, grass, etc. They then carry the leaves into their nests where other worker ants begin the process of pulping the leaves and spreading the mixture onto a symbiotic fungus that the ants cultivate in soccer ball sized chambers. The ants tend the fungus by propagating it, feeding it plant matter, and protecting it from pathogens. In turn, the fungus produces fruiting buds that the ants eat. It is agriculture at its finest. A dungeon core should have control over its denizens, I think its high time I resume my experiments. I begin by wrapping an ant in my sense, I will it to halt. And it works! This will be so useful in the future, Im glad that I didnt get gypped with this dungeon ability like I did with absorbing and creating matter. I spend a moment making the hapless ant do a little dance and then command it to pick up a piece of grass, to great success. At this point I want to try commanding multiple ants in synchrony. I wrap my sense over a wide area and will ants in the space to get into formation. More specifically, I visualize 100 ants in a square formation, 10 ants to a side. It was a flawless success. Frankly, Im amazed at how effortless that was. In fact, I didnt even detect any mana being consumed!The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. A quick attempt to command a pink and fluffy Elephant Hawk-Moth is met with a similar success. I have some questions about this ability that Id like answered. First, am I able to do this with any animal in my domain, or just those that have been added to memory? Can I even control animals that came in from the outside or do they have to be born in my dungeon? Does it come with time? I cant answer these questions until I reopen my dungeon to the outside world, which I dont see happening any time soon. If Im to make the most of my minions, I need to be able to set programs and/or parameters for them to follow while Im not focusing on them. I command a few ants to walk in an endless loop and then shift my focus away. After waiting a few minutes and refocusing on the ants, Im pleased to report that theyve continued to march their circular route. At this point I cant help but wonder how the ants interpret my intentions. I doubt they are obeying my commands because they shouldnt have the mental capacity to do so. No, I theorize that my subconscious is directly guiding the ants after Ive made a command. That is to say, if I assign a program to an ant, whats actually happening is my subconscious is enforcing that program in the background. With a human mind, I shouldnt be able to manage something like that with large numbers of ants involved, yet clearly, I can. I get the feeling that this new cognitive ability is somehow related to my new-found exceptional memory and existence as an inorganic dungeon core. Thats a scary thought, am I really me anymore? My mind is obviously structured differently from a human, yet I feel Normal? I feel like myself, but would I even be able to tell if my personality had changed after my reincarnation without an outside observer to inform me? Scary stuff Why think about disturbing things when I can mess with ants? To test the limits of my ability, I will all of the able-bodied leafcutters to gather on the outside of their mound and form a square. It takes about 5 minutes for them to all gather but they managed it in the end. You know, its really hard to tell how many ants are in a colony because only a tiny fraction is on the outside at any given time. That said, I never expected there to be so many of them! How many are there, you ask? Well obviously, I cant tell, what am I, omnipotent? What I can say is that they are currently occupying a dense patch of ground of about 1 square meter, partially piled on top of each other. The combined weight of their bodies looks to be about 10 pounds. There are a lot of ants. The fact that my small dungeon can sustain so many baffles me, but then again, it is absolutely packed with vegetation. I release the ants from my compulsion so that they may resume whatever it is they were doing and shift my view into the nest. Inside I can see the expected fungus chambers crawling with workers as well as other rooms. Neat, I always wanted an ant farm. Next on my ability discovering agenda: Creature Evolution! Ill leave the ants alone for now and find some new victims. Ive set my sights on a fungus gnat chilling on the ground near the edge of my cavity. On Earth these flies would lay their eggs in damp soil. The eggs would hatch into tiny maggots that would burrow around looking for fungal mycelium to devour. When the maggots got big enough, they would pupate and become adult flies which would then find a mate and begin the cycle again. These were one of the select few insect species space colonists were intimately familiar with. Somehow the buggers had adapted to 0 gravity conditions. They would infest hydroponic facilities where their maggots would feed on mold and sensitive plant roots. I digress. My goal for this test is to create a giant fungus gnat! Its a long shot, I know, but I need to try it for completions sake. I will the gnat to hold still and then, as always, wrap the target in my sense. Now I envision the gnat growing 3 times larger than its current size. Once Im satisfied with the image in my head, I instantly feel mana pouring out of my core and into the fly! Just as I feel like Im going to be sucked dry, the flow abates. Exhausted, I look at the fly. I cant see anything different about it, the fungus gnat doesnt seem to have changed in the slightest Im not giving up hope though, something definitely happened! That mana has to have done something, otherwise, what wouldve been the point? I decide to check up on the fly later and begin a new task. As I turn my attention away, I notice that there is a small stream of dirty water pouring from my tunnel in the ceiling! I shift my view topside and can see there is a slight drizzle of rain! Its not a full-blown storm, but its still the first rain Ive witnessed since I reincarnated! Its been 8 days since the caldera exploded, Im glad to see a change of weather. Speaking of which, I cant see any fire elementals or dragons in sight! Was it the rain or time that drove them away? All I can hope now is that theyre gone for good. With the irrigation situation dealt with, I think its about time I put some effort into expanding my cave. I head over to the edge of my domain, here the wall is covered in a carpet of moss, clinging vines, and phallic purple fungi. Im not going to worry about removing the excavated debris for now, instead Im just going to focus on cutting into the wall and chopping the stone up into tiny bits that Ill be able to fit through a small exit when the time comes. I spend the next 28 hours cutting stone. Eventually Im forced to stop because I dont have any space left to pile up the rhyolite pebbles without burying my plants. Taking a much-needed break to regenerate mana, I look around my dungeon. One of the first things I notice is several fungus gnats. More specifically, some of these individuals are, you guessed it, triple their normal size! Mind you, theyre still minuscule, but my experiment was a success! I find the original altered fungus gnat standing exactly where I willed it to wait, to my surprise, it has remained normal. I think I know whats going on here. The giant gnats are probably the offspring of the original, with the changes I made only expressing themselves after a generation. She probably laid eggs on the patch of ground I told her to wait on. Its like oversimplified genetic engineering! And incredibly, the offspring were able to mature in a mere 28 hours! Mana is so broken. This discovery has given me a diabolical idea. I have a pile of pebbles that needs to be transported topside and an army of ants who could use an upgrade Chapter 4: Leafcutter Ants A plan is forming in my mind; if everything works as I hope, Ill be able to create a new leafcutter ant caste. The goal: a new caste of workers who are substantially larger than normal. If everything works flawlessly, Id like the new worker caste, which Ill refer to as dungeon helpers, to be at least 10 cm long. Heres the problem; it took an absurd quantity of mana for me to create a fungus gnat species triple its natural size. A typical leafcutter worker is approximately 10 millimeters long, with the target size being to a little over 10 cm, Im looking at a necessary 10x increase in size. Even if I was at full mana capacity, I highly doubt Id be able to achieve that in a single alteration session. Therere even more problems. First, insects, ants included, dont transport oxygen in their blood as vertebrates do. Instead, air is passively transported around their bodies in a body-wide network of empty tubes called tracheae. On the outside of their exoskeletons, they have whats referred to as spiracles which are openings to the aforementioned tracheae. The immediate issue? They dont have lungs to forcefully intake air. Furthermore, they cant actively pump gasses around their bodies through the use of blood. Why am I explaining this, you ask? Let me introduce you to the tyranny of the Square-Cube Law. Consider a cube with a side length of 1 m. It has a surface area of 6 square meters and a volume of 1 cubic meter. If we create a new cube with double the side length, its surface area would be equal to the original cubes surface area multiplied by 2 squared (because we doubled the side length, the number is 2) and be 24 square meters. Its volume would be equal to the original cubes volume multiplied by 2 cubed and have a volume of 8 cubic meters. The original cube with a side length of 1 m has a surface area to volume ratio of 6:1. The larger cube has a surface area to volume ratio of 3:1. This principle applies to all 3-dimensional solids, including an ants body. As the dimensions increase, the volume will continue to grow faster than the surface area. This is a problem for insects and other terrestrial arthropods. The reason is that without any means to actively transport gasses as a human can, an insect must rely on diffusion. Consider that a large insect has many cells that need to be supplied with oxygen gas. Because it cant pump the essential gas, it has no other option but to utilize diffusion, which is itself dependent on surface area. A large insect has more cells that need air but less proportional surface area on its body to obtain it. Long story short, if an insect is too large, it will suffocate. This is the very reason why modern arthropods are so small. In Earths history when the atmospheric oxygen content was higher, arthropods were also larger. Can I bypass this limitation? Well see I wait for my mana capacity to reach its maximum and begin my work. From prior observation, Im pleased to report that my leafcutter colony is polygynous, meaning that it has more than 1 active queen. In my case, there are 4. I select one and wrap it in my sense. In my mind, I spend a fair amount of time forming a perfect image of what I want to happen. I dont specify a target size, just that it needs to increase. I then begin pouring mana into the queen. Just as Im about to run completely out of mana, I cut off the flow. Its time to wait and see how much larger her offspring have become, assuming it even worked. This is fine, I estimate that itll take me about 30 hours to fully recuperate my mana anyway. I instruct her to lay 6 modified eggs. I also will the workers to prioritize feeding these 6 larvae when they hatch. I shift my focus to observing my dungeon and the surface in the meantime. Those 30 hours passed in a flash. My perception of time appears to be highly fluid. Somehow, I was able to pass the time without getting overly agitated. As an update on the surface conditions: nothings changed. Its still just as much of a wasteland as before but at least the rampaging beasts are gone. Theres actually a small river passing by about 200 m from my pinhole that I hadnt paid much attention to before. Perhaps in the far future, Ill be able to create a plumbing system or use hydropower for something? Eh. Im probably getting way ahead of myself One of the handy things about ant reproduction is that little to no nutrients and energy are included in the eggs, instead, the larva grows substantially after being fed. The benefit of this arrangement is that a queen can lay countless eggs because theyre so cheap to produce. Ants put on nearly all of their mass after hatching. This works in my favor because it means my selected queen should have no trouble at all with laying the eggs of absurdly large ants. The altered castes eggs wont be any larger than that of a regular ant, it will simply take the larva much longer to grow to their mature size.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The 6 modified eggs have hatched, but the larvae seem far from mature. While theyre still developing faster than what should be normal, Im unsurprised to see they havent pupated yet. Again, I find the queen I altered earlier and focus my will on her to once more start pouring on the mana. Though I dont know how large the new workers are going to be, bigger is better, so I begin round two. As Ive already done, I cut off the flow of mana just before Im fully depleted. Once more I instruct her to lay just 6 eggs and command the workers to also prioritize these individuals. The waiting commences. After another 30 hours, I repeat the process. While Im still at half capacity and in the process of injecting mana into the queen, I feel a tingling sensation and promptly pass out. And Im awake! I still havent gotten used to how abrupt that is Apparently, I hit some sort of limit on my modifications. How unfortunate. A bit miffed about not having had the opportunity to instruct her to lay 6 new eggs before losing consciousness, I take the moment to do so now. I glance outside and observe the position of the sun, I was only out for 3 hours, so its not too much to worry about. Speaking of the outside world, across the horizon fresh sprigs of wispy young grass are peeking out of the ash! The forest was not a grassland to start with, were there really so many grass plants and/or seeds already in the soil? I suppose there must have been. I look over at the original 6 modified larvae and see that not only have they already pupated; theyve also emerged as young adults! Coming in at 5 cm long, theyre a whopping 5x larger than their unmodified kin! Actually, theyre too large to fit in the tunnels of the colony. Oops! I instruct some random workers to excavate a series of new chambers near the surface of the nest to serve as adequately sized housing for the new caste of super workers. I also command them to keep my new dungeon helpers well fed, seeing as they wont be able to fit through the tunnels leading to the fungus gardens on their own. The second batch of 6 has yet to pupate but I can already tell that theyre going to be much larger than the first 6. However, I doubt this batch will be a proportional 10x larger than normal workers. Feeling that my 3rd and final batch will most likely meet my target goal of 10x larger or more, I go ahead and instruct the queen to lay 2000 giant worker eggs instead of the initial 6. In addition, I have her lay 4 new juvenile queen eggs, after all, it would be pretty pathetic if she died of something stupid like a cave-in or disease. These 4 queens will serve as backups, with each one presumably carrying the gene for enlarged workers. While Im at it, I have another queen lay some drone eggs, after all, the new queens will have to be inseminated somehow Not feeling like doing any major excavation before my latest dungeon helpers are ready for action, I spend the next two days micromanaging my garden, arranging plants in pleasing patterns, observing the surface, and generally just biding my time. 2 days go by, but my newest workers still havent pupated. I suppose its because theyre larger, taking longer to mature. The 2nd batch of ants matures in this time and I get the opportunity to measure them. They come in at about 9 cm in size, meaning that theyre 9x larger. Not willing to wait any longer, I begin digging a 2-meter-wide tunnel sloping downwards into the depths. Unlike earlier, I dont worry too much about smothering my plants in waste stone, theyll grow back eventually. Yet another two days of mucking about pass while I occasionally work on the tunnel. Progress has slowed because I dont have anywhere to displace the pile of rhyolite pebbles. Most of my time and mana is spent shifting around material, not cutting it. Needless to say, Ive been really looking forward to my dungeon helpers eclosing. Actually, thats exactly why Ive stopped right now! As my 2000 precious helpers emerge en masse, I nearly shed a tear. These bruisers are a whopping 11 cm long on average! Thats an 11x size boost! Whats interesting to note is that the first batch exhibited a 5x increase, the second: 9x, and the third: 11x. Or in other words, genetic alterations made with mana express diminishing returns. Mr. Normal! Its been so long since Ive heard your disturbingly average voice! Also, you stole my name! That was my name, which confirms my suspicions that the system somehow learns from people. I already suspected I was being spied on by the system, but this is definitive proof. How does it work? What is its purpose? If only I knew. Back to my helpers, its time to put them through their paces! I widen my pinhole entrance to about 20 cm in diameter so that they can effortlessly fit through. I then command them to begin dumping the pebbles outside! Watching my veritable army of almost-tarantula-sized leafcutter ants march to the pile and grasp the loose stones in their mandibles sends shivers down my metaphorical spine! If youve ever watched conveyor belts moving goods through a factory, youll know how satisfying this feels. The ants have no trouble clinging to the mossy walls of my dungeon, but I encounter a problem when they approach the newly enlarged surface passage. As the moss hasnt had time to spread up the walls of the expanded tunnel, the ants struggle to find purchase and promptly fall back into the dungeon. Frankly, I didnt foresee this issue. Regular sized ants wouldve had no trouble climbing along this surface but at their new scale, their relationship with physics has, well, changed I temporarily halt the transportation operation and begin working on an improved exit tunnel. Like the previous tunnel, this one is also 20 cm in diameter. The opening into my dungeon is at floor level and it proceeds upwards at an angle of 30 degrees. After a while of digging, I once more breach the surface. Resuming their work, the ants have no trouble moving through this passage and begin to create a large pile of stones outside. Watching my industrious helpers work so hard kicks me into gear and I resume digging my downwards sloping (also at a 30-degree angle) 2-meter-wide tunnel. Once my tunnel reached a depth of about 12 m below my core room, a soft ray of purple-tinted light shone into my dungeon through a small opening in the tunnel wall. Chapter 5: Hidden World While I was digging down into the depths of the world, I managed to uncover something new and surprising. RETREAT!!! I SAW PURPLE! I immediately jump into action, sealing the glowing purple gap in my newest tunnel''s wall with a sizeable stone. Im no fool. This was supposed to be the part where something dangerous happens. Not today! Sorry, but this situation is going to be handled appropriately. My first course of action is to create a heavy cylindrical rolling stone door at the threshold between my core room and the entrance to the downwards sloping 6-meter-wide tunnel leading to my latest discovery. Though it takes a stupid amount of mana to move, for safetys sake, its worth it. The rolling door fits into grooves Ive carved into the roof and floor of the tunnel, thus it can only slide back and forth, pushing it perpendicular to its face should have no effect. Furthermore, the groves are sloped such that it takes significantly more effort to open than close. If I wasnt a dungeon core with overpowered telekinetic skills, it would be impossible to move. Well, thats the hope anyway. In order to maintain control of the other side of the door when sealed, I create, for lack of a better term, a ventilation duct. This should allow airflow and dungeon control to remain unimpeded while preventing anything larger than a mouse from passing through. Before sealing the passage, I station all 2000 of my helper ants inside to confront any potential dangers. Individually, they are insignificant, but leafcutters (by necessity) have robust cutting mandibles. They should hopefully be able to swarm over an enemy and continuously lacerate it. Yes, it would be unfortunate to lose all my troops in an instant, but theyre not too difficult to recuperate. With each ant in place, I roll the door closed. Im happy to see that Ive maintained control over the tunnel, my ventilation system is working as intended. Its time to see what that purple light was, honestly, I havent the foggiest idea as to what it could be. Creating my trademarked pin sized gap in the area Id patched up previously, I peer inside. What greets my eyes is the most stunningly beautiful vista Ive ever seen. Even more so than the forest. I gaze out over a truly massive cavern, filled with innumerable 15-centimeter-wide glowing purple bulbs sprouting from every surface, enormous yellow mushrooms with skinny stalks and wide, flat caps standing at anywhere from 1 to 8 meters tall, and a dozen glittering brooks of crystal clear water converging at a nearby pool that is positively packed with multicolored corals. Spreading from the base of each purple bulb is a tangle of pulsing mycelium while the towering mushrooms are firmly planted in the dense beds of moss coating the floor. Hanging from the ceiling are moist strings of glowing blue beads swaying in the slight breeze. Like swiss cheese, the caverns walls, floor, and ceiling is pocked by 14 of what I presume to be dormant lava tubes filled with even more lush flora. My sense identifies a high humidity in the air, which is also heavy with organic particulates. Furthermore, I can detect a moderate heat emanating from some of the tunnels. And the sound! I can hear the familiar calls of birds, frogs, and cicadas. Yet I can also hear the alien and haunting songs of hidden creatures that I couldnt even begin to fathom the nature of. This will all belong to me. But not yet. I will claim this untamed wilderness for myself, mark my words, but Im not willing to risk venturing into it on a large scale yet. Im going to need to substantially expand my army and defenses before Ill feel safe securing this territory. Why am I so nervous, you ask? Let me finish explaining what I see. On to the fauna, of which there is plenty. The air is filled with thousands, nay, millions of flying insects. Likewise, birds and bats are constantly feasting on the airborne prey. I even witness a gigantic dragonfly absolutely rocket across the cavern to snatch a hapless bird up into its razor-sharp mandibles. Effortlessly drifting through the air are jellyfish, of all things, trailing sparkling tendrils to catch their prey. I pause to call magic BS on them. The floors are filled with critters such as rodents and lizards, but I can also clearly see predators such as stealthy vipers and massive 1-meter-long cave centipedes, with each of their numerous legs each longer than their own bodies. On the walls are thousands of admittedly normal roaches waving their antennae in the air and at the opposite end of the cave is a dense tangle of webs stretching between the towering mushroom trees. Just beneath the surface of the pond rests a pink olm. In place of its eyes is only skin and its feathery gills are a bright red color. Actually, now that I think about it, its a pretty standard olm. Oh, other than the fact that it stretches 5 m long. You may be surprised to hear that none of these things worry me in the slightest, as long as I were to take proper precautions, none of these creatures could pose a threat to my core. No, what has me on edge is the small party of men stalking the aforementioned olm Well, calling them men is generous. These are small folk no more than 1.3 m tall, they have a short layer of fuzzy white fur covering their whole bodies, long triangular ears that stand erect on their heads, somewhat resembling a bats, and huge circular eyes that are darker than the blackest light-absorbing graphite ablative hull panels. Their mouths are filled with two rows of what appear to be sharks teeth. On their bodies are red paints, which, if Im being honest is probably blood. Each one carries a wooden spear and leather purse. Finding no humor in that observation just serves to drive home how unnerved I am.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Youd be tempted to call these folk primitives, but I havent described their leader yet. This one is wearing a perfectly fitted bronze colored metal breastplate made of what is probably exactly that. In his hand is a dark grey wand cast from a metal I cant identify. As Im making these observations, the little people get into position and crouch in a wide semicircle facing the ponds edge. Next the leader begins to drive mana into his wand which I can instinctively detect even from a distance. He then casts a bolt of lightning which arcs between his wand and the waters surface causing the olm to instantly begin thrashing! The spearmen all throw their weapons at the beast, each one finding its mark and penetrating flesh. For nearly 5 minutes it continues to madly buck, only widening its wounds in the process. As a cloud of blood drifts through the once-clear water, it slowly passes away. Without uttering word, the little men haul the corpse onto the shore and begin dragging it down one of the many side tunnels. Just as theyre about to pass from my line of sight, the leader halts. He dramatically turns and looks in my direction. As he marches over, I try not to panic. I gather all of my ants on the other side of the wall and wait for him to arrive, theres not much else I can do at this point. Finally, having approached the wall where my patented pinhole lies, the wizard glances around. He gropes the mossy stone, sniffs the air, and even a patch of moss. Curiously, he steers clear of any glowing purple bulbs in the vicinity. He spends a couple minutes looking around but eventually turns and leaves with his group. I exhale. That was close. If I hadnt been paranoid about peering through a literal pinhole, I would have been found out immediately! I wait a little while longer and then roll aside my stone door. My dungeon helpers are probably hungry, so I leave them to their own devices. Its time to address the elephant in the room. Sapient life. Humanoids. Civilization. WIZARDS. I saw it coming but that doesnt make it any less significant. I dont know what to think, on one hand, Im deathly afraid of dying again, being reincarnated doesnt really seem to have altered my opinion on the subject. Intelligent enemies are my single largest threat, wild animals are easy to hide from and fortify against, but sapient opponents can use cunning to discover and defeat you. When you throw in magic as an additional unknown variable? You can see where Im going with this. On the flipside, Im grateful to have potential companions available. At some point Id like to work with a civilization. But before that time comes, Ill need to be capable of defending myself. As it stands, Im a sitting duck. Which brings me to my next topic. Some of the cave denizens I had so recently discovered were truly impressive. Of particular interest to me were the giant arthropods like the cave centipedes and dragonflies. Somehow, likely via the arcane, they had handily bypassed the respiratory limitations I grappled with earlier. This reason alone is justification for me to procure some, uh, specimens. Hehehe. The dragonflies would be of limited use to my dungeon, with its confined space, but when I do eventually expand to the surface, they could prove very helpful. The cave centipedes, which are not to be confused with regular centipedes, (their long legs and short bodies being the key difference) are very likely quick and venomous. I highly value both traits. As it stands, my ecosystem cant yet support these large predators, both from lack of space and adequate prey. Additionally, as Ive said before, I dont think my dungeon helper army is large enough yet to capture some breeding pairs while also maintaining safety. Im just not ready for a large-scale operation. This is an excellent reason to expand. With my new minions, excavation will be easier than ever, I should be able to make fast progress. Life is already beginning to return to the surface, Ive spotted rodents, lizards, and birds. Id like to begin increasing my dungeons biodiversity and set the foundation for a robust food chain. It shouldnt be too difficult to create some baited traps for the surface dwellers. Though I cant do much with the new cave at the moment, I see no reason not to grab a couple purple bulbs and moss species as long as Im quick about it. Once more I move the ants into the tunnel and seal the entrance, next I begin to create a 5-centimeter-wide tunnel leading into the cave along with a premade stone plug for later. I instruct a squad of 12 ants to enter and collect some choice patches of moss and mycelium. They go about their task with ease and before long theyre back inside alongside the new species. I command them to head back out once more, this time I personally guide them into harvesting some glowing purple pods. 3 sets of 4 ants each find a bulb and begin cutting through the pulsing roots anchoring them to the wall. Once separated from the wall, the 4 ants in each group work together to haul their prizes back to my dungeon. As soon as the last team makes it through the breach, I use the plug I created earlier to seal the opening. I take special care to merge it perfectly with the stone wall on the other side so that I dont give away my location to any nosy cave people. With that taken care of, I allow the army of ants to return to their nest as I begin to study the latest additions to the dungeon. The patches of moss arent entirely dissimilar from the moss already found inside my dungeon, which is surprising considering they were gathered from a drastically different environment. To be fair though, moss obviously has a winning design, occurring almost everywhere with sunlight and water. Or in my case, mana and water. The purple bulbs, however, are much more alien, I cant tell if theyre a plant, fungus, or something else! Ill have to wait and see what Mr. Normal has to say about it. Grafting the new moss onto some choice locations was simplicity itself, it should have no trouble surviving. The purple bulbs are a bit more challenging though I plant two of them on the ground, carefully weaving their pulsing roots/hyphae/whatever into the substrate. Hopefully they can survive after being severed from the main network in the cavern. I plant the remaining one on the ceiling, making sure that I anchor it securely to the surface. For the first time since my birth, light shines in the core room. With that all settled, I instruct one of the modified queens to lay another clutch of 2000 dungeon helper eggs. Meanwhile, I begin digging a new 2-meter-wide downwards sloping tunnel pointing in the opposite direction of the cavern. My intention is to create a new room for my (at this point) jungle to take root in. Excavation is much quicker this time around with the help of my eager earthmovers. In a measly 20 hours Im able to dig a staggering 12 m before deciding to stop. Thankfully not stumbling on another cave in the process, I begin to mine out a new room. My ambitions for this section are great. The plan is to dig out a roughly circular disk with a ceiling height of 3 m. The diameter of the circular floor will be 10 m. Interspersed at regular intervals will be wide structural pillars. Im fully aware this room will take ages to complete, but I dont expect to finish it all at once anyhow. Once this is done, itll be time to create some animal traps and begin working on a new layer of defense. Chapter 6: Calm Before the Storm After several days of non-stop mining, the new section is finally finished. Whilst I was working, my wildlife had already begun to secure a foothold. Ill admit this didnt happen independently, there was a bit of micromanagement on my part. For instance, rather than waiting for the soil horizons to build up on their own, a process that can often take decades, I scooped substrate in from the surface. I wont bore you with the details. Actually, if Im going to be talking to myself, I may as well go ahead! Welcome back to middle school biology! Usually, the first colonists of a rocky surface are lichens, specialized fungi that have formed a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae. The fungus provides shelter, water, and nutrients to the algae which in turn photosynthesizes and produces sugars that it shares with its host. Lichens help break apart the surface of stone which allows for new species to move in, namely mosses. The mosses and lichens grow and decay, slowly building up the soil thickness until hardy weeds can take root. The soil continues to build up as larger plants move in over time. You get the picture. Thats fun, these guys are lightning-fast active-chase carnivores who prey on other insects such as ants. I take this opportunity to will them to leave my leafcutters alone. Other ants are fair game, though. Whats even more interesting is their larvae. A juvenile tiger beetle resembles a worm with a shielded head. On that head is a hefty pair of menacing mandibles. These spawns of Satan will dig a tunnel and block off the entrance with their armored heads. When an insect walks by, they will lunge out of their burrow and clamp down with their jaws, pulling them inside their lair. Imagine a miniature bobbit worm except on land. Nuff said. If I can find a way to ease the Square-Cube Laws death grip on arthropods, Ill be golden. I can think of several obvious defensive applications for these fellas. In other news, my workforce has expanded to 4000 and the normal leafcutters have already begun to build a satellite nest in the new room. Furthermore, the adaptable buggers have even begun to properly utilize the dungeon helpers in their chores. Be that as it may, frankly, I havent given the helpers many opportunities to assist their siblings lately. Ive been working them to the exoskeleton? In fact, theyve transported so much rhyolite that I had to order them to spread the tails of our operation over a wide area in the field above us. The reason? The pile of stone had been growing so large that I was beginning to worry it would attract too much attention. Though I havent seen any people on the surface, I have no doubt in my core they exist. Onwards! The purple bulbs havent shown any signs of growth, much to my dismay, but they still seem to be perfectly healthy. Still no notification The cavern moss, or as Mr. Normal refers to it, was added a couple days ago. It spread in a few places while not completely overtaking the existing moss. One characteristic that sets it apart from the other mosses is its sticky bioluminescent sporophytes. I suspect this serves to attract insect carriers for its spores. The only reason I hadnt noticed this before in the natural cave is because they werent in bloom. Apparently, all of the cave moss blooms in synchrony, which is truly fascinating. Do they release an airborne chemical signal or detect some other environmental cue? A question for another time Now for a throwback to the early days, its time for a fire flower update! Sorry to get your hopes up, but theres been no discernable change in their condition. They havent shown any signs of growth and Mr. Normal still hasnt mentioned anything. Im going to keep them though, theyre too cool to not be useful. Keeping to my word, I begin to work on collecting some new animals for my dungeon. While I work on some trap designs, I will the regular sized leafcutters to begin collecting bugs and seeds to be deposited at a designated location. In an attempt to avoid needing to widen my surface pinhole, I gather up a bunch of rhyolite chunks already deposited topside and merge them together. The structural integrity of my creations will suffer as a result, but that shouldnt hinder their operation. I begin to shape a dozen elongated hollow boxes from the merged stone with dimensions of 8 cm x 20 cm x 1 m and a generous wall thickness of 4 cm. On each, I then cut out one of the square faces such that each box has one open side. I expend my dungeon influence farther over the land and put the 12 animal traps in place. Each one is spaced 3 m away from their closest neighbor. I lay them down on their sides so an animal can easily walk through the entrance. Looking about, I probably went overboard, but its not like it was difficult so I dont worry about it. Next, I slice slots into one side of each box. I then cut the previously discarded former sides down to size, theyll function as a door that slides through the slots. As much as Id love to flex my inventors talent, without access to a greater variety of materials like rope, wood, or metal, I realize that it wouldnt be worth the effort. I will be manually operating these traps, when I notice an animal taking the bait, I will quickly slide the doors shut. Lately Ive noticed a significant growth in my ability to multitask, paradoxically I have no trouble interpreting senses coming from multiple locations simultaneously. Thats likely a result of adapting to my new nature as a dungeon core. As such, I should be able to keep an eye on things while also working on other projects. I bait each trap with either the dead invertebrates or seeds that the regular leafcutter ants had procured earlier and shift my focus away.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I have a couple plans that should satisfy some short-term needs I can start laboring on right now. One simple idea is creating a dedicated hidden core room for trying situations. With the success of my singular ventilation duct, I want to similarly isolate my core behind a sturdy domain-permeable barrier. If my dungeon is ever discovered, having a hidden core could very well save my life. About 6 m of the way down the new tunnel leading to the disk-shaped room, I focus on a portion of the mossy tunnel ceiling which is particularly dense with vegetation. With practiced ease, I cut a grill into the volcanic stone that will serve as a grate leading to a small temporary cubby that will house my core. I leave a large enough gap for my 10-centimeter-wide core to fit through, Ill backfill later. Steeling my nerves, I prepare to move my core for the first time. My attempts to telekinetically hoist my core into the air are met with failure. Im even unable to lift the object underneath it. I saw this coming though, so Id already requested a contingent of 4 helpers to assist me. Each ant grasps the opaque red surface of my crystal cluster and works in unison to move me to my new home. As soon as I am lifted off the ground, however, I instantly notice something new. As Im being carried along, my dungeon domain is moving with me. Though its original shape is maintained, as the leading edge makes contact the oncoming walls, I lose control of that area. In other words, as I am moved along, the portions of my domain shifted into stone are destroyed. Even my cores orientation seems to be directly tied to my domains! Im not too alarmed though, expanding my domain is a piece of cake, it shouldnt take longer than 20 minutes to reclaim everything Ive lost. It takes only 2 minutes to complete the journey to my new mount. I dismiss the ants and spend a little while reclaiming everything as well as patching the temporary hole on my domain-permeable vent. I put the finishing touches on my hiding place by ensuring it is fully obscured by vines and moss. Though my mana regeneration rate seems to have decreased slightly (its probably being inhibited by the stone grate over my core cubby), the difference is negligible. In fact, on the whole, my regeneration rate has skyrocketed thanks to the proliferation of wildlife in my newest (and largest) room. It seems logical that I wouldnt be able to lift myself because doing so would also move my domain relative to my core. In essence, it boils down to Newtons 3rd law, for every action, theres an equal and opposite reaction. Without something to push on, I couldnt have been lifted up. When the ants carried me, their standing pushed down on the floor just as the floor pushed up on them and by extension, my core. For every force, there is an equal and opposite reactionary force. That is to say, every force comes in action-reaction pairs. To grossly oversimplify it: you need to have something to push off of in order to exert a force. This brings up many questions about my telekinesis, if Im exerting a force on an object with telekinesis, through what does the reactionary force act? My running theory is that when exerting a force on an object via telekinesis, it exerts a reactionary force on my domain. Unfortunately this doesnt make complete sense, the implication would be that something is bracing my domain which is hard to reconcile with its seemingly immaterial nature I spend the next 12 hours micromanaging my microbiome, performing basic experiments, and operating the animal traps. Throughout this period of time, the biomass in my domain has been increasing and the ambient mana concentration has been steadily climbing at a proportional rate. Eventually I feel a tingling sensation from my secondary sense which I have come to associate with the ambient mana concentration in my dungeon passing an arbitrary threshold. Soon after I hear the two notifications Ive long awaited! I take a moment to finish capturing a rabbit in one of my traps before focusing on this new development. As youve probably already figured out, there seems to be a connection between the ambient mana concentration, my mysterious second sense, and the timing of these unique additions. Thus, the obvious conclusion is that these organisms are more heavily dependent on ambient mana than the other inhabitants of my dungeon. Inspection of the ember blossoms as my fire flowers are apparently called, reveals that theyve dropped their flowers entirely. In fact, without their flowers, they look just like regular plants. I suppose its normal for them to not always be in bloom. What was I expecting? On to the purple bulbs or archer pods. Before, I was unable to classify them as plants or fungi, but it turns out I was never even close! Theyre animals! Analyzing their full notification listing as Sessile Network Gastropods, I can infer that they are, well, sessile, networked, and gastropods. Heh. In order: they are stationary organisms, linked together, and relatives of snails, slugs, and whelks. Why they have followed this evolutionary path remains a mystery to me. Already, Ive noticed some tiny new bulbs sprouting from the archer pod roots. Once I have a greater number available, I think itd be prudent of me to dissect a few. Feeling satisfied with todays progress, I once more tend to the surface traps. Each one has been triggered. Ive managed to snare a fluffle of 3 black rabbits, 4 birds that look to be a kind of swift, 3 strange squirrels sporting what resemble a moles forepaws, and 2 large lizards with bright yellow scales. As Im unable to directly lift these larger animals with telekinesis, for whatever reason, I move their boxes through a temporary access hole leading into their new dungeon home. Oh, it bears mentioning that I do all of this in a mad rush. In the distance I can clearly see a cloud of dust wafting into the luminous evening sky. Leading in front of the dust column is a procession of nearly 100 horses-drawn wagons and carriages. And theyre coming right in my direction. Chapter 7: Weston Lomarec For weeks, Weston Lomarec had been riding in his dusty wooden carriage alongside his fellow settlers. He was a portly, middle-aged man. His rotund visage and scruffy beard had done much to endear him to his peers. On their journey together the caravaneers had grown close to the man. To them Wes was a generous and jolly fellow who theyd come to respect for his honesty and approachability. This suited him just fine, he appreciated his soon-to-be neighbors attitude towards him. For you see, Wes was here for one reason alone. Coin. He was a member of the Watergarde Merchants Company, an international organization that conducted maritime and over-land trade. At present he was enjoying a conversation with the imperially appointed Commission mage, Clifford Graham, who hed befriended along the way. Clifford had rented a spot in Westons carriage, so theyd had plenty of time to get to know one another. Clifford, I cant help but wonder how much coin the council must have promised in order for you to come all the way out here. Is there anything you can tell me about your decision? Asked Weston. Sighing, Clifford responded, Wes, Ive already said I cant disclose the details of my arrangement, I dont know why you keep asking me about it. Yes, yes, Im aware, but there has to be something you can tell me, right? How much have you heard about the Exchange? replied Clifford. Not much actually, in that sense Im failing as a merchants liaison, no? Ive just been so busy preparing for this trip that I havent had many opportunities to gossip, as Im sure you can understand. Answered Wes. The carriage they were riding in was jostled about as it passed over a drainage rut in the ashen ground, having taken a moment to resituate himself, Clifford resumed the conversation. As you may have heard, the Isolet Republic and our own Lyrian Empire have been collaborating at the Verdant Mountain for the past decade. Interrupting his acquaintance, Wes quickly interjected, Im not that out of the loop, its been every young mages goal to be recruited by the Upheaval Project overseers. Really, how could I have not heard, artificially reawakening a dormant volcano is the single greatest achievement of the century! Well used to his interruptions, Clifford casually waved Wes off. As I was saying, our government hasnt been sinking funds into this operation for vanitys sake alone. Though it doesnt hurt to show off advancements to our enemies, that was never the primary motivation for the operation. Merival Wood had always been an obstacle preventing most trade with the Isolens. After numerous disastrous attempts to lay roads through those untamed wilds, the Capital Chamber began to look for new solutions. Archmage Lemsard, the absolute madman, proposed a characteristically insane idea. I cant elaborate on their methods, but one can easily see why stimulating the Verdant Mountain to erupt would serve the dual purpose of both clearing away any dangers in Merival Wood and preparing the land for settlement. Wes paused to absorb what hed heard, and Clifford then continued. Officially, the Exchange is a series of development projects, including the Upheaval Project, that will facilitate trade between ourselves and the Isolet Republic. Unofficially, its territory denial for the Elven Collective. After muttering something about wasted lumber under his breath, Wes said, I still dont see how that has anything to do with explaining why the Capital Chamber would station a Commission mage of your caliber here. Clifford carefully chose his next words and answered, All I can reveal at this time is that Im here to help establish our new town. More specifically, town which will be conveniently positioned midway between our two nations. Make of that what you will, merchant. Admittedly slow on the uptake, realization began to dawn on Westons face. He considered that perhaps sending him out here as a Watergarde Liaison was a smarter decision then hed initially given the higher-ups credit for That they didnt brief him on the matter in advance was curious, however. While Weston was daydreaming about all the coin hed be raking in, Clifford abruptly stood up and began to frantically check several of the glyph-covered metal trinkets he carried on his person. The mage addressed Weston and said only: Were here. Without waiting for a response, Clifford leaped from of the back of the moving carriage car--- and jogged ahead of the procession. He waved for the carriage drivers to stop and people slowly began to disembark and see what their town mage had to say. Once everyone had gathered around, Clifford announced: Though we havent yet reached our exact destination, were not far off. Ive stopped you all here due to detecting an abnormally high ambient mana concentration. I suggest we spend the night where weve stopped and in the morning myself and a few others will travel on horseback the rest of the way to our target location and check to see if the mana isnt any denser there. That said, I highly doubt well encounter a location superior to this one for hundreds of kilometers. Taking a breath, Clifton added, This is some of the densest mana Ive ever encountered in the wild. Settling here would all but guarantee a prosperous harvest. The weary travelers visibly relaxed. Taking in the wonderful news, there were many smiles shared, hugs given, and backs slapped. There would be a celebratory feast tonight and everyone was looking forward to settling down on their new land.Stolen story; please report. The civilians couldnt be blamed for not comprehending the full magnitude of their discovery, though they were happy to have found a good place to settle, they had every right to be more excited. After all, theres a reason locations such as this are so rare in the wild. Theyve all had nation capitals built around them. Clifford was ecstatic, hed already known this community would be in a position of future significance, in fact, he was even privy to some additional information. For instance, the Capital Chamber had already planned to continuously entice citizens into journeying to the new site in order to gradually grow the village into a city. He frantically rushed to grab his magical supplies stored inside Westons carriage, hed need to report his findings to the Chamber right away. Clifford hadnt expected a situation like this, as such, his equipment and regents werent immediately accessible. While Clifford was searching through his luggage, (Which is no simple feat when said luggage includes all of a skilled Commission mages worldly possessions.) Weston ducked under the ragged brown dust flap at the back of his carriage. Whatre you trying to find? He said. Without looking up, Clifford immediately replied, Im gathering everything needed to make an emergency transmission to the Commission. Taken aback, Wes asked, Wont you need to crush a soulstone for that?! Clifford took a deep breath and exhaled, Unfortunately I will. You have no idea how significant this is, Ive triple checked every instrument I own and can safely conclude that were resting atop an undiscovered mana well. Once finished with collecting his materials, Clifford rushed out of the carriage with Wes on his heels. He excitedly added: The Commission will most assuredly send battlemages to help hold the territory in addition to notifying the Capital Chamber so that we can receive military support. Were not technically within Lyrian borders, as it stands, were in no-mans-land. Now that this stretch of Merival Wood is cleared of vegetation, rival powers are going to be scouting around. If, no, when they discover this hotspot, therell be war. Cliffords demeanor instantly deteriorated when he realized his mistake. Trying to mend the situation, Clifford stopped what he was doing and sternly addressed Weston. I wasnt thinking straight; I should not have told you that. Do not repeat this to anyone. Wes solemnly nodded in acquiescence. Though Weston may be a greedy merchant at heart, he knew when to keep a secret. Wes had no intentions of betraying his friends trust, to say nothing of how angering a Commission mage wouldnt be the wisest decision either. Weston, you should leave, I must contact the Commission now. Upon hearing this, Wes left Clifford so he could send his magical message. Night fell and the celebrations had begun. While the elated travelers were singing songs and making merry around a roaring bonfire surrounded by their wagons and carriages, Wes was deep in thought. Everyone knew that permanent mana wells were highly contested locations. And rightfully so, there were innumerable benefits to living near one. For instance, the elevated ambient mana concentration would enable effortless arcane agriculture. Many magical plants require abundant mana to grow properly. Being able to cultivate them on the surface has innumerable benefits. Typically, magic herbs are farmed deep underground, however, doing so is extremely dangerous for many reasons. Sometimes they can be grown in mana-enriched greenhouses but employing so many mages just to concentrate enough mana severely reduces the economic feasibility of that method. Other boons associated with mana wells include subterranean magicite deposits, veins of wonderous metals like mithril and other infused ores, naturally forming dungeons, and precursor ruins and artifacts. Whats more, mana wells are hot research topics. Discovering what causes them and if the phenomena could be artificially initiated is the holy grail of science. There are many opposing theories that try to explain their existence: perhaps they might occur wherever there are plentiful tiny magicite particles embedded in the surrounding crust, they could be artificial precursor constructs, or they may even be associated with the elusive magic field lines. No one really knows. There was not much he could do to exploit the situation without revealing his insider knowledge. When it does eventually get out, Wes intends to be in position to reap the rewards. His task was assisting the villagers and providing outside goods that couldnt be produced on-site. As a Watergarde Liaison, his job was to take note of the communities needs and place supply orders for his company. Under normal circumstances they would start by supplying a newly founded village with frequent supply runs, in this case, once a week, and then gradually reduce the frequency once a town had become more self-sufficient. Of course, they were flexible, if the town was producing valuable exports or growing rapidly, they could adjust accordingly. Needless to say, Wes had no doubts that his new home would show rapid growth. Weston was pulled from his inner thoughts when the architect hed come to know as Gregor Dunn came out of the darkness and walked over to him. Wes! Would you care to join me while we partake in the festivities? Having seen an opportunity to bring up a topic hed been meaning to discuss for a while, Weston responded, Its good to see you Gregor, Ive actually been meaning to talk with you! Wes pulls a large envelope from his red coats pocket. Gregor visibly perked up upon hearing this. Wes continued, In our previous shipment I received a letter addressed to you. Im told that enclosed in this envelope are amendments to the construction orders your men have been assigned. Pausing to hand Gregor the envelope, Wes finished, Im actually interested in hearing about what youll be building and Im also wondering if I can go ahead and make a job request? Having pocketed the envelope and gathered his thoughts, Gregor replied, No problem Wes, Id be glad to share! As you already know, the Local Chamber has commissioned a town hall along with several public buildings to be built. Weve been studying the plans for the entire trip so we should be able to begin as soon as our first lumber shipment arrives. Speaking of which, do you know when your people will be here with that? Weston quickly answered Gregors query, If all goes well, itll be just one week before they arrive with your goods and another week after that for the next arrival. In fact, Ive also heard that theyll be bringing along additional laborers for you. I can only imagine thats somehow related to the amendment Ive just handed you. Upon seeing Gregors nod of approval, Wes said, I was wondering if you were already taking construction requests from civilians like myself, Im interested in building a shop. With a smile spread across his face, Gregor happily responded, I sure am! Weve already accounted for additional jobs and set aside some extra builders. As long as you can procure the supplies and coin, wed be happy to work with you! With relief, Wes exclaimed, Well Im glad to hear it! We can hash out the details later. In the meantime, lets join the party! As they walked to the bonfire together, Wes smiled, he was going to ensure hed be in the best possible position for long-term profit. With what hed learned about the future of his new residence, Wes was unafraid to spend his lifes savings on an early investment. If his plans came to fruition, hed be rich once again. Chapter 8: Eavesdropping The universe has conspired to make my life as miserable as possible. I cant catch a break! One moment I was minding my own business and casually collecting some new animals for my home and the next, a wagon caravan is trampling over my front lawn! If that was all, Id have no right to complain. Naturally, it wasnt; the group of humans decided to stop and unload a bunch of supplies at a distance of 75 m from my dungeon in the direction of the river which is itself 200 m away from me in the direction opposite to the volcano. Having people nearby is going to seriously hinder my operations. Its fortunate that Id already managed to catch some new animals in my traps before these people arrived, but the variety is not yet up to snuff. Im going to have to halt that project while these people remain camped here. Im going to do a thing. It may get me killed. The wizard fuzzy-cave-guy who had noticed something suspicious about me was able to detect my dungeon somehow. Was he sensing my ambient mana, or something else? I need to find which of the following things sapients can detect; my dungeon domain, or the ambient mana produced by my wildlife. The only way I can find the answer is to perform a controlled experiment. To eliminate the variable of ambient mana, I need to see if people can detect my dungeon domain at a great enough distance from my plants for them to not skew the results. I know just what to do. Heres the plan; I will excavate a 5-centimeter-wide tunnel underneath the camp and create a new patented pinhole opening on the side of their camp closest to the river. (And thus, on the opposite side from me.) That little bit of misdirection may help throw to them off my tracks if they come after me. In the event that they can somehow trace the tunnel back to my dungeon, I can always initiate a cave-in using a flurry of cuts. This really isnt like me, Im usually more cautious that this. The only reason Im even attempting this risky operation is because of how highly I value the answer to my question. I may seem fairly chipper, and to some extent, I really am, but thats only because Ive been burying the feelings of anxiety Ive been having ever since the fuzzy wizard nearly discovered me in the overgrown cavern. The tunnel will be an incredible 90 m long, but it shouldnt take too long to bore considering how narrow it is. Theres plenty of room for two dungeon helpers carrying debris to pass each other by without interference, but thats all. My hope is that at 90 m long, the distance from my microbiome will be great enough to result in the ambient mana approaching the outside concentration. Therefore, when I expand my domain into the midst of the travelers, Ill know for sure that they are sensing my domain and not simply mana. The best-case scenario is that they cant detect my domain, just mana. In that situation, I could easily contain my mana underground and then do whatever it is I need to do with my domain on the surface. Such as stealing knowledge and materials, hehehe. After only an hour of digging, the tunnel has reached the target 90 m. Its incredible how precise my sense of scale is now that I have a frame of reference. Another perk to my existence as a dungeon core, I suppose. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, so my helpers were able to easily disperse the excess rhyolite over the surface without being discovered. Even if they were found out, I highly doubt tarantula-sized ants would faze the inhabitants of this fantasy world. Just in case, I made sure to cover up the main entrance to my dungeon with a pile of dead grass and a stone plug. With the end of my long tunnel just 2 meters below the far side of the human camp, I make a pinhole and spread my domain around their dingy wagons and carriages. Is it weird to say that horse manure is delicious? Id by lying to myself if I didnt admit that feces tastes amazing. Weve already been over how complex substances make me feel as a dungeon core, I neednt explain myself again. For the first time Im able to sample pure metal. Unsurprisingly its flavor is less than optimal, but its still something I desire to possess with every fiber of my being. I extend a tendril of my domain in the direction of a festive gathering around a bonfire. I can clearly hear the caravaneers singing and cheering. And boy have I stumbled upon a major boon! I can understand what theyre saying! In some of the dungeon core reincarnation stories Ive read, the dungeon main character can magically comprehend the language of a worlds inhabitants without ever having to learn it, which is awfully convenient for the plot. That is not the case here. I am amazed to find that they are speaking English. I can immediately think of three possible explanations: Mr. Normal, who I know to speak English, could have had an influence on the development of society, there may be other people from my universe who have reincarnated and spread the language, or theres some kind of link between this world and mine. I dont have anywhere near enough information to confirm or deny any of my theories, but I hope that will change eventually.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Right, anyway, its time to see if they notice anything when I wrap my domain around them Proceeding as planned, I surround the area around the bonfire with my domain and carefully study the celebrating peoples reactions Nearly three minutes pass and still no one has reacted in any discernable way to my intrusion. Something finally goes my way! Though I had every right to fear for my life when these people arrived, Im relieved to find that Im probably in the clear. In fact, their temporary visit may even turn into a boon. So long as they remain unaware of my presence, I will be able to learn so much about the outside world! While metaphorically salivating at the prospect of gaining delicious new knowledge, my sense picks up an intruder in the portion of my domain that is spread out directly above my core room! Rapidly shifting my focus to observe the potential threat, I noticed something alarming. There was a short man in a rough leather tunic carrying a metal trinket in hand pacing around the stretch of field above my dungeon. I could sense an accumulation of mana being shunted into the mysterious device he held. Staring intently at a wheel affixed to the handheld object, the mysterious stranger stopped in place a mere 14 m away from my original pinhole. From a burlap sack he took out 16 small brass tripods, each with a small white crystal affixed to their vertex, and arranged them into a circle. He then drew forth what was obviously a meterstick, of all things, (I found the dichotomy between a run-of-the-mill ruler and these obviously arcane supplies mildly humorous.) and began measuring the distances between the tripods and making minor adjustments. I found it odd that he would go through the effort to take measurements of the distances between the crystal-bearing tripods but not their angles. Perhaps their positioning isnt too important so long as they are at the right distances from their neighbors. But what do I know, Im just a former engineer after all? I cant decide if I should send forth the ants or not, on one hand, he could be preparing to do something sinister, which I find likely considering how close he is to me. On the other, he may have no ill intent at all. He seems skilled at using mana with his possessions, so I think I can safely assume hes a wizard. If I were to set my army on him, he would probably be able to effortlessly run away from my much slower vanguard and possibly even fight them all off using magic. I dont want to anger him if I can avoid it, accordingly I decide to wait and see what hes trying to do and hope it doesnt kill me in the process. This time the wizard pulls out a deeply varnished cube made from a rich, red wood, 15 cm to a side. Embedded into the surface of the wood are runes formed from inlayed gold. In addition, one side of the cube has a hemispherical indention lined with a silvery metal which I dont recognize. The man gingerly places the cube into the center of the ring of tripods with the silvered indent facing upwards. I then watch as he pulls a thickly padded pouch out from under his tunic. He kneels down next to the cube and carefully empties the pouchs contents into the metallic bowl recessed into the top of the cube. I immediately recognize the material of the object hed deposited into the cube by its taste, or rather, its lack thereof. I was staring at a perfectly spherical, 1 cm wide opaque red marble. It took all of my willpower to restrain myself from releasing the horde on the man who was somehow in possession of a dungeon core. Was he here for mine? Fortunately, I was able control myself after pausing to think. Though its spherical nature and diminutive size do not out necessarily rule out the possibility it was carved from a former dungeons core, I cant just assume it was once living as I am just because its made of the same material. Its conceivable that theres multiple sources of this substance. Once hed ensured the stone was positioned properly, he walked outside the ring of tripods and began sending mana to each of the white crystals resting on their brass mounts. After an hour of this, the crystals suddenly released all the mana theyd been accumulating during the ritual. Simultaneously, the red marble crumbled into dust inside the silvery bowl with no obvious effect on the process. The wizard immediately began to speak for the first time, Clifford Graham reporting; we have found an undiscovered mana well. We are settling it now. Almost disappointed that Clifford didnt continue talking, I ponder over what Id witnessed tonight. Clifford was speaking to thin air, so I suspect the ritual hed just performed was a means of long-distance communication. There are probably limitations in place that make longer messages impractical or maybe hes just antisocial Id like to find out more about the mana well he was referring to, its undoubtedly important if he was willing to waste so much time sending such a brief report. I wonder where it is and if its nearby, it may be useful. From the sound of things, theyre planning on colonizing it. If its anywhere in the vicinity, Id be impressed. To settle a new land immediately after a cataclysmic natural disaster is awfully brave, they must not be too superstitious. Though I must admit, the soil is probably extremely fertile now, they should have no trouble with agriculture. Clifford is packing up his thing right now, it looks like hes preparing to rejoin his peers at the bonfire celebration. Ill be able to track his movements with the portion of my domain in the camp once he gets back. As he heads away, I pop back over to the bonfire and look around for any interesting conversations I can snoop on, it wouldnt hurt to find out why theyre celebrating. Let me tell you, one thing I have not missed about being a human is making small talk, it takes me ages to find a conversation consisting of anything more substantial than The weather sure is nice. I find two middle-aged men partaking in an animated conversation with one another along the outskirts of the party. One is a stocky man wearing a red coat while the other is dressed in a brown tunic somewhat resembling our wizard friends. I listen to them for a while until I hear something that causes me to begin panicking. Weston, you wouldnt believe how relieved I am that weve decided to go ahead and start building right here. Youd understand if you were married to my wife, shes been complaining about our stuffy wagon the whole way here! As the men shared a hearty laugh, I cursed my misfortune. It was so obvious in hindsight! I should have known they wouldntve unpacked so much if they were only planning on staying for the night! The obnoxious adventurers are supposed to discover the dungeon before building their town! Chapter 9: A Flower for Thee Finding out that the travelers are trying to build a town right by my home has some alarming consequences. My plans for expanding my dungeon to the surface will have to be entirely scuttled and Ill have to work much harder at remaining undetected. I still believe the greatest threat to my life is the actions of other sapients, be they humans or tribal cave people. I cannot stress enough how dangerous an intelligent opponent is. Then theres the matter of the mana well, which I still need to learn about. Clifford said they were settling on one, implying that Im on it too. The question of the day is, what is my relationship with the mana well? Was I born here as a result of its presence, or am I the reason for its existence? I need to learn more about the world and its features before I can say for sure, but Im leaning towards the former. I need to find out what peoples attitude towards dungeons is, its entirely possible they wont even mind my presence, though, knowing my luck, that probably wont be the case. Not that I should reveal myself to everyone. There are many farmers among the townsfolk, (I can call them that now) however, they seem to be surprisingly well off, all things considered. Furthermore, there are many obvious craftsmen present. They certainly dont look like the clichd cast-outs of society forced to start again in a new land. This can only mean that something has enticed these people to come out here. Wherever they came from couldnt have been too impoverished, theyre obviously well-fed and properly equipped to build the foundation of a prosperous new village. Eventually everyone turned in for the night and I was left to look around in silence. I beheld the supplies theyd brought with them. There was lots of grain and other foodstuffs, however, by my estimate they wouldnt have enough food to last until the next harvest. This could only mean they were expecting support in the future. While checking out their agricultural implements, I was disappointed to note they didnt have anything more advanced than forged iron horse-drawn plows. No steel in sight. To my further dismay, I couldnt find any metalworking equipment in the camp, why they wouldnt bring a blacksmith was beyond me. Perhaps I could expect one to come with the resupply group bound to arrive at some point. I couldnt help but be baffled by the technology of this world. I cant easily identify what era (going by Earths standards) theyre living in. While their mundane technology appears basic, its certainly not primitive. Id be tempted to say theyre living with medieval-level technology, but I dont have the needed context. Paradoxically, their arcane devices seem to be fairly complex, at least compared to everything else Ive seen so far. This is especially true of the dialed handheld device I saw Clifford using earlier. The communication ritual Clifford performed had left a deep impression on me. Even the cave wizards wand was no simple stick! It was apparent that the runes carved on every magical object Ive seen so far served a specific purpose and interacted with magic. To thrive in this world, I will need to learn how to use magic. A quick notification from Mr. Normal prompts me to check up on the first vertebrates born in my dungeon. I witnessed the first of many young lizards emerging from a clutch of eggs in a shallow burrow under the soil lining my dungeons floor. As always, I am amazed by the biology defying fertility of my ecosystem. Through the rest the night, I laid the groundwork for my new plan. I cleared away some of the vegetation in my disk room and began relocating my ember blossoms. If I wanted to make an attempt at interacting with the humans, I would need to offer something they valued. If reading fantasy stories has taught me anything, its that everyone wants magical herbs. Watching the fuzzy wizard and Clifford operate their trinkets had given me an idea. I know the ember blossoms require mana to grow, as evidenced by their increase in size and subsequent addition to the memory once the atmospheric mana concentration in my halls had hit a certain indeterminant threshold. Much like how the wizards controlled their devices, I wanted to see what happens when I forcefully shunt mana into my organisms. As a control, I locate a leafcutter ant larva and began injecting mana into it. Disappointingly, the insect rejected the mana almost immediately. No matter how hard I try, I just cant get any mana beyond what it started out with to stay inside. Actually, now that I think about it, I should probably make sure nothing happens when I force mana into a pebble Unsurprisingly, Im met with similar results. Its a good thing I tested it though, wouldnt it be embarrassing if I actually had a method of matter absorption or creation available all this time I have high hopes for the ember blossom though, I already know it to be a magical lifeform, so I expect to, at the very least, learn something new about the arcane. Focusing on one of the plants in question, I push mana into its center of mass. As soon as I do, I can feel some of my mana drain into the grey buds that had formed a while ago. As abruptly as my mana had started draining, the flow was stopped. It didnt take much, but each bud had taken in a set quantity of mana and then promptly stopped accepting any more. After only 2 hours, the ember blossoms grey buds pealed back to reveal the orange flowers that had first enthralled me. Once theyd unfurled to their full splendor, they spontaneously burst into flames! Now that I had the opportunity to taste them while in bloom, I noticed something fascinating. They were not actually on fire and certainly werent producing any heat. Now that I had some flourishing specimens within my domain, it was as clear as day they were somehow manipulating light to give the appearance of combustion! As Im trying to figure out what kind of evolutionary advantage such a strategy would provide, I realize I already know the answer! Those red sparks I had first seen visiting the flowers were probably pollinators, is it possible they were some sort of miniature fire elemental species? Were elementals even living creatures to begin with? There is so much to learn!If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Seemingly undeterred by the fiery petals, I watch as several iridescent green sweat bees went about their business of pollinating the ember blossoms. Thankfully I had collected plenty of the plants while I had the chance, 35 of them, to be exact. The first phase of my plan is to uproot one of my blossoms and transplant it to a location were a human will stumble upon it. I need to gauge their reaction, if it turns out to be something they highly value, then it would be worthwhile for me to cultivate them on a large, nay, industrial scale. (One can dream!) I will have many more options open to me if I have a powerful bargaining chip up my sleeve. If all goes well, I may be able to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with my new neighbors without needing to reveal myself. Just as I pull up a choice specimen and prepare to move it to the camp, I realize it isnt going to fit through the narrow 5-centimeter wide by 90 m long access tunnel Id made earlier. I consider widening it, but I really need to finish before the sun rises and everyone wakes up, so I make the decision to order some of my helpers to carry the ember blossom over land. Im not entirely sure if theyll continue to follow their directive after putting some distance between themselves and my domain, but nows a good opportunity to find out. Worst case scenario, I have to claim the territory leading from my dungeon to the camp, which is no skin off my back really. I set 8 ants off to carry my precious flower to the camp making sure they will be careful and not roughly drag it around in the typical ant fashion Then I pop over and begin to look for someone who will receive my experiment gift. I consider Clifford, if anyone is going to recognize a magical plant, it would be him. Though frankly, he unnerves me, and his reaction to finding a magical herb would probably be atypical, thus voiding the test. No, I think this gift (As you can see, Im really banking on it turning out to be valuable.) should go to the man in the red coat. Why? You see, he gave me a good impression. I may not be the best judge of character, but his personality just rubbed me the right way, he seems to be well liked, so I say he deserves a boon. Finding his carriage isnt difficult, its the only one with multiple sets of red coats, and hey, the man knows his style, I can respect that. To my surprise I saw Clifford sleeping on the other side of the carriage from the man. This didnt deter me from my original decision to give the flower to red coat guy though. Originally the plan was to transplant the ember blossom into the ground near the village, but I think Ill get better results by making it obvious this is a present. While I was looking for the red coat mans carriage my minions arrived with the flower. With no effort I telekinetically lofted it through the flap on the mans carriage and gingerly positioned it on the floorboards next to his sleeping form. I then wait for the sun to rise and bring life back to the nascent town. Not wanting Clifford to wake up and find the flower first, I toss a pebble at the mans temple. He gradually woke up and, upon noticing it, begins started staring at the flower with a mystified expression. I cant tell if he doesnt know what the plant is, if hes wondering how it got there, or both. Even after being uprooted the flower was still giving off its brilliant illusionary flames, though naturally it wasnt actually harming the floor it rested upon. Ultimately, he stood up and shook the scary wizard awake. (Serves him right.) Clifford, wake up, you need to see this! Admittedly, Clifford is on his feet much faster than red coat man couldve managed, and takes a knowing glance at the flower. Weston, tell me where you found this. Responding, Weston exclaims, It was laying right next to me when I awoke! What is it? That, said Clifford, Is an ember blossom. Its a valuable alchemical regent with many applications in the field of illusionary magic. And you say it was laying right next to you? Weston said, I havent touched it, Ive left it where it lies. Cliffords next words throw me for a loop; how quick is this man? Well this is obviously a gift. Weston choked on his words, W-what do you mean? Think about it, you woke up with an expensive herb by your mat. Someone seeking to remain anonymous must have snuck in and given it to you. Youre well liked and kind to people, its not all that surprising that you have an admirer sending flowers. No, what is surprising is what theyve given you. Hey, its not what it looks like! Weston flinched as Clifford continued, Ember blossoms are highly sought after, you can make some good coin, say, 900 pieces, if you find the right buyer. Id like to know where your secret benefactor found it and if they knew what it was. Weston Lomarec drew back and said, Can I touch it? Go ahead, its not actually on fire, so youll be fine. Be sure to take good care of it, Id advise selling as soon as you get the opportunity lest it wither away. Though Ill add that it wont lose too much value if it dies, most things are worth more while theyre fresh. Weston thanked his friend profusely and promptly gets dressed in one of his characteristic coats. Rummaging around in a trunk, he draws out a wooden bucket and heads outside with the ember blossom in hand. I can only imagine that hes going to go pot it in the bucket for safekeeping, Ill leave him to it. At the end of the day, Im grateful for Cliffords presence. Without him to help identify the fiery herb, I might not have learned about its value. That he didnt try to undersell its worth and scam his friend earns him a little bit of my respect, perhaps I misjudged him. I need to gather knowledge and expand my dungeon, after that it will be time to lay the groundwork for phase 2 of my master plan; contact. Chapter 10: Business I?????????? ???????h????????u???????????n????????g????????e???????????????r??????????? ?????f???????o???????r???????????? ??????????k????????n??o??????w???l?????????e????d??????????g???e???????????.??????? If Im to progress, I need to learn more about this world and its inhabitants. But more importantly, I need to learn about magic. The rest of the townsfolk are beginning to wake up now, so I decide to refocus on my dungeons development for the day. Huh, American Black Swift is a thing. Apparently, names are borrowed from Earth in addition to this world, thats unexpected and frankly unsettling. Theres not much else to note about the first two entries but the digger squirrel is kind of interesting. Its an insectivore with a side-appetite for worms. Its what youd get if you were to cross a mole and a squirrel, for whatever reason. Let me reemphasize that, it doesnt just resemble a cross between the two, no, it has their exact features spliced together. In essence its a squirrel with a moles star-nose, eyes, and forepaws. Before, I would have simply dismissed it as a fascinating example of convergent evolution, but with what I now know about magic, or rather, my awareness of how much I DONT know, I cant help but wonder if there could be another, more arcane explanation for its morphology Speaking of which, I should test the limits of my species modification ability again in the near future. But not now, I have other work to do. In the time since Id last given you an update, the number of dungeon helpers in my swarm has swelled to 8000 individuals, furthermore, Ive begun work on a new secret weapon. It wont be long before Im ready to establish a beachhead in the lush cavern below. I want to start carving out two new chambers, one for growing ember blossoms and the other for archer pods. Though I have 8000 dungeon helpers to take care of waste removal, Im not willing to let them outside lest they be seen. However, I see no issue with having them pile up waste material in the former core room while I dig so that when night does come, they wont have to travel as far. Some plants will be smothered, yes, but with my disk room now dwarfing my birth cavity, the hit to mana absorption productivity will be negligible. Without further ado, I start working on my latest additions. During my early days, (Who am I kidding, Im still just a few weeks old!) I had to focus all my attention on stonecutting, now though, the synergy between my uncanny ability to multitask as a dungeon core and practice has enabled me to split my attention between quarrying and other tasks, like eavesdropping on the villagers. Which Ive naturally been taking advantage of. And I learned quite a bit. For instance; the townsfolk are citizens of the Lyrian Empire and were paid by the Local Chamber, which I presume is a local government entity, to settle this land. Furthermore, the local government is bankrolling the colonization effort, funding the construction of an administration building, barracks, and more. Additionally, many of the settlers have already contracted a construction company to build shops and/or homes for them. In fact, almost half of the townsfolk are currently employed by construction companies, of which there are three present. Weston, or Wes as his friends call him, is a relatively influential merchant who represents the Watergarde Merchants Company, an apparently widespread group who is solely supplying the new settlement in the near future. I can only imagine there mustve been a prior agreement between the settlers and the company ensuring that the temporary regional monopoly wouldnt be abused. Wes is the liaison between the two interests, placing supply orders with the soon-to-come Westgarde caravans. For now, the villagers are purchasing goods directly from the traders but there are a couple independent merchants looking to build shops and begin amassing their stocks. Even Wes intends to build a shop, so it appears he has a relative degree of autonomy. Honestly, I lucked out. As I continue to learn about my new neighbors it becomes more and more apparent that Wes has the most trade connections. Forging bonds with him will be a massive advantage if I want to amass information. Im going to take a huge risk and attempt to contact him, hopefully the tantalizing allure of more ember blossoms will be enough to buy his cooperation. If I cant find a more convenient way to contact Weston, I can always write him letters, I already know they use the English alphabet because I briefly looked through their possessions last night. Speaking of which, there was very little in the way of literature. I found some fictional works, which I plan on reading later, and some farming guides. The builders had design plans which is how I knew what they were constructing, and Weston had ledgers which is how I learned of his connection with the Watergarde Company. Surprisingly, Clifford didnt own any literature at all. Before I write a letter, Id like to try something else first.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. After about an hour of waiting, Wes is finally alone with Clifford nowhere in sight. I want to see if I can communicate with him mentally, its a common trope so I have no reason to check. Executing the now-familiar process, I wrap him in my sense. Upon completion, I feel something click. Things are looking promising, if this works, itll be almost too easy Weston was seated at an ancient wooden desk, bolted to the carriage floor, reviewing his ledgers. I think in Westons direction, as little sense as that makes: Greetings He casually glances up from his work and looks toward the canvas flap at the back of his carriage. Perplexed at seeing no one there, he looks around. As his confusion grows, he finally responds. Hello? You know, I considered playing the role of a dark and mysterious entity who makes threats and takes what he wants. But ultimately, its just not me. In a jovial tone, I say, Hi Weston, Im interested in making a deal with you. That was probably way too blunt. I never was socially adept Weston looks around his carriage and asks, Where are you? I can clearly hear your voice, but I cant see where you are. Well, at least Wes doesnt seem to be one for exuberance either, thats a relief. Its upsetting that I have to play along with this clich, but I suppose it exists for a reason. Do not be alarmed, you cant see me because Im not physically here. I am using magic to remotely speak with you right now. Id like to sell you some rare herbs and make a few purchases. I sure hope he buys my excuse; I may not be an expert on magic, but neither is he. Clearly shaken at my revelation, Wes replies with the professionalism I expected of him, Im always open to hearing-out new business ventures, but I have to ask, why are you going through the effort of contacting me this way, I cant imagine how expensive it must be. Wes, can I call you that? There are reasons for my actions that Im not willing to divulge at this time, however, I can assure you, my intentions are perfectly legal, I said, assuming that my intentions were, in fact, legal. Seemingly unfazed by the surreal situation, Wes said, Understood, and yes, you may call me Wes. Im all ears so please go ahead and state your interests. Also, how might I refer to you? You can call me Ike. I have some ember blossoms I wish to sell; Ive already given you a complimentary one so you should understand Im being sincere. Id like to sell you 3 specimens in exchange for 2200 pieces total, I said. I probably could have gotten a better deal, but I wanted to earn a bit of goodwill and, frankly, I couldnt be bothered to haggle. Glancing over at the burning bush potted in a wooden bucket by a window, Wes pauses to consider the deal. Seemingly making up his mind, he counters, Im afraid 2200 pieces is a little high However, I would be willing to buy them from you for 2000. Yeah, Im not going to let that one slide, therefore I respond, Weston, you and I both know an ember blossom is valued at 900 pieces each, my deal leaves you with a profit margin of 500 pieces which should be more than enough, to say nothing of the extra ember blossom Ive given you for free. There are countless other merchants whod happily take my deal. Youre not my only option. Eventually Wes said, Fine, Ill buy your herbs on behalf of the Watergarde Merchants Company, Ill pay you in 6 days, which is when the next caravan will arrive. Where can I pick up the ember blossoms? Ill have them delivered tonight in the same manner as before, I said, suppressing a chuckle. Sighing, but making no comment on my previous statement, Wes said, OK, earlier you mentioned that youd like to make some purchases, so what are you looking for. Now, 2200 pieces will go a long way. My prior eavesdropping has given me some sense of the coins value, I should be able to buy a respectable stack of books with my earnings. In my usual tactless manner, I reply, Books. Ill look at what the next caravan brings with them and buy what I need. However, Id like to go ahead and place some suggestions for the group coming after that, if thats alright. Thats perfect, what would you like? said Wes. I need books on magic, really it doesnt matter what kind of magic. Though Id like to buy guides as well, Im really looking for literature that delves into the theory and nature of magic. Also, to a lesser extent Im interested in books about geography, history, and politics, if thats alright, I said. Actually, let me add to that, Id also like to buy some stock iron, ingots or otherwise, as well as some cheap functional magic wands. Oh, I almost forgot, a map of the region would be great as well! I said. Overwhelmed, Wes said, Ill make the requests as soon as the next shipment arrives, will you show up in person or send someone to pick up your payment and purchases in 6 days? Actually, about that, Ill look at the items on my own and make a list of what I want but for reasons I am unable to disclose, Ill need you to buy them in my stead. You can then deduct the goods cost from what you owe me. Then just hold on to the purchased items and Ill pick them up soon after. Do this for me and Im sure there will be plenty more business interactions between us in the future, I explained. Nodding slowly, Wes asked, I think I can manage that. You seem like a good person and, all things considered; Im looking forward to working together. I wont hide that Im curious about you, I understand that you cant say, but I do wish I knew who you are, why you were doing business out here, of all places, and why you needed all of these things. Might I at least ask why you need books on magic when you are clearly quite adept and undoubtedly have access to powerful equipment to be speaking with me like this? After taking a moment to consider my options, I decide to take a small risk, Wes, Ill answer your question if youll answer one of my own. Seeing his approval, I continue, In truth, Im not communicating with you via a ritual, instead Im using an innate magical ability of mine. I was born with it, you see, so I see no reason not to utilize it. Im not as good at magic as you might think, which is why I need those books, though I will add, I have many agents, so please dont try to cross me. Im not lying; I have more than 8000 agents hehehe. Now asking my question, I said, Dungeons fascinate me, but Ive never had the opportunity to research them. I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how they work, what theyre like, and if there are any nearby? Chapter 11: At Range I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how Dungeons work, what theyre like, and if there are any nearby? I ask. Hmm, as you probably already know, dungeons are dangerous places where monsters congregate. What sets a dungeon apart from its surroundings is the slightly elevated ambient mana concentration as well as the presence of beasts who cooperate to defend their homes. They can occur on the surface, or more frequently, underground. One can usually tell theyre in a dungeon when the native monsters work together to take down outsiders. Theyre pretty rare, only occurring naturally in the confines of a mana well. If I remember correctly, there are three dungeons somewhere deep in the caverns underneath the capital city. Two of them are publicly accessible, the one closest to the surface is filled with spongy growths and devouring worms, the other is a fungal expanse which is partially colonized and used for magic herb and livestock cultivation. The one barred from the public is a little over 4 km beneath the surface and is actually occupied by the subterranean Varnassi Hegemony. Though were not technically at war with them, many fear another incursion may be brewing. Incredible, dungeons arent at all what I expected them to be like. They sound just as handicapped as me, but that shouldnt have stopped them from achieving greatness That theres a contiguous hostile nation underneath the Lyrian Empire is sort of blowing my mind right now. Its just so bizarre and alien that Im seriously having trouble even wrapping my head around the concept. Like sure, its easy to say theres a subterranean nation but the realistic implications are profound. For there to be enough space underground to house an entire nation, (and likely not just one) the cave system would have to be massive. And wouldnt that place it below sea-level too? I couldnt fathom how such a cave system could form via mundane processes; magic is surely involved. One bit of good news is that people dont seem too keen on destroying dungeons, but I should make sure before jumping to conclusions. What happens when a new dungeon is discovered? I asked. Well typically the beasts are culled, and the core is restrained by a group of mages. Its important to restrain a dungeon because it might create hidden areas where beasts can breed, however, sometimes its useful to leave one to its own devices, say if you wanted the dungeon to expand, said Weston. Huh, theyre called mages, not wizards. Rookie mistake. At least mage rolls off the tongue a little easier. I really cant let that happen. While Im glad that, by the sound of things, dungeon crusades arent a thing, hearing about core restraining is worrisome. While I could possibly prove that Im tame and restraining me would be unnecessary, I fear that Id lose some of my freedoms. No, at this stage, the best path forward is to remain hidden while I amass knowledge and power. Id be much more comfortable if I was able to protect myself. Magic will be both my salvation and undoing. As long as Im behind in knowledge, Im at risk from unforeseen tactics. If I can learn about magic, not only will I know what to expect and plan accordingly, I can probably even find novel uses for it. Who says a dungeon core cant become a mage? Theres a hole in my plans with Weston, if I deliver the ember blossoms now, Clifford will surely notice them. While I could possibly execute the deal in secret, I just dont think its sustainable. Im not clever when it comes to social interaction so I think I should try to remain as transparent as the situation allows. It shouldnt be too much trouble if Weston doesnt keep our correspondence a secret, he doesnt really have enough information to actually do me any harm. Even so, I cant help but feel Im making a mistake by putting myself out there like this, but I really do need to secure connections with the outside world. If I could absorb and create matter, things mightve been different I wonder what its like being a dungeon 4 km beneath the surface. I suppose Ive got some exploration to do Before I shift my focus back to working on my dungeon and pondering a recent discovery, Id like to spy on Wes for a bit and see what he does with the information Ive provided. My bet is that hell seek out Clifford for help; its inevitable really. Everyone needs a Clifford, theyre veritable fonts of knowledge. I watch as Wes heads out the back of his carriage. After asking someone I dont recognize a question, he trots over to a makeshift horse corral. Upon arrival, he meets Clifford. Are you off to check out the original destination? Striding over to Wes, Clifford confirms, Yup, I just wanted to make sure the mana there isnt any better than what weve got here, as I promised Id do. Lowering his voice, he adds, I highly doubt it will be, but Id also like to check and see how large this mana well truly is. Similarly quiet, Wes said, I wanted to tell you about an interesting encounter I had just now, I think you should know about it before departing. Making sure he had Cliffords attention, I hear Weston continue, This morning I met the person whod given me the ember blossom. He came to me offering to sell more ember blossoms, for a good price, too. He also wanted my help in procuring books on magic, politics, geography, and history, as well as metal, cheap wands, and a map. Pausing dramatically, he finishes, And he did all of this via inborn telepathy. I need your help in making sense of this, oh, and before you ask, Ive already accepted the deal.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Scratching his bare chin, Clifford said, I can think of several races with innate telepathy, but none other than forest dragons live nearby. Actually, it would make sense if your benefactor was a civilized forest dragon. Perhaps he was living reclusively in the area until this portion of Merival Wood burned down and is now interested in reconnecting with civilization. That could easily explain the books. As for the metal, he probably just wants to fuse it to his hide, which is pretty standard for a forest dragon. The wands though? I cant see how hed even wield those at his size, but dragons are known to be eccentric Maybe- Vigorously shaking his head, Weston cuts Clifford off, Nope, this was no forest dragon. You might know this since it''s not exactly a secret, but the founder of the Watergarde Merchants Company is a civilized dragon, one whom Ive had the opportunity of conversing with. A dragons telepathy is alien, I wouldve been able to tell if it was one. This man, named Ike, actually, sounded human. Really, he seemed like a nice guy, but as far as I know there arent any humans who can communicate telepathically without the aid of external runes, much less innately. That rules out many possibilities, but its still possible that hes a member of another telepathic human-like race. Actually, he might be a grynn, theyve recently been spotted in Lyria, as one of the many races currently under the thumb of the Varnassi Hegemony, its not too unlikely that he lives nearby. Theyre honorable folks so you should have nothing to worry about. Maybe ask him where he hails from next time you speak? Suggested Clifford. Thats doable. Anyway, youd better head off now if youre to make it back before sundown. Thanks for your input, said Wes. They exchanged some small pleasantries and then Clifford mounted a horse and rode away. Rather than continuing to focus on Wes, Ive decided its time to analyze my latest discovery. You wouldnt know, or you would, because youre me, but this morning I saw something spectacular in my disk room. I was following a baby yellow lizard around when all of a sudden, a projectile rocketed towards the reptile and impaled it. The infant was instantly paralyzed, giving away the presence of a potent paralytic venom. The lizard was then reeled in by a proboscis attached to the harpoon embedded in its body. The harpoon was launched by an archer pod, and a tiny one at that. As the lizards paralyzed body neared its attackers glowing bulbous purple body, the archer pod began to unfurl a thin mantle which it used to slowly envelope the paralyzed baby lizard. Now I see where it gets its name. Also, I can now speculate that it is a distant relative of the Cone Snail, a predatory marine gastropod who hunts in a near identical manner. Unlike its kin that Im familiar with, the archer pod is shell-less, arcanasynthetic, bioluminescent, sessile, terrestrial, and capable of breeding via budding. Its possible that its bioluminescence serves as a lure for prey. What has me so giddy is that the one Id witnessed was just an infant, I had many much larger specimens in my dungeon already. If these things are animals, I suspect I have some degree of control over them. Testing my theory, I locate a 15-centimeter-wide individual and will it to fire its deadly package into the air. Im pleased to see it was a total success, the barbed harpoon flashes out of the archer pod and, not encountering anything except empty space, bounces back, whereupon its gradually reeled back in. Its good to see that the proboscis is somewhat elastic. Now, assuming these secret snails have venom comparable to that of a normal cone snail, which is a fairly safe assumption, then these creatures are lethal. Incredibly so, the largest cone snails on Earth were 26 cm long and venomous enough to easily kill an adult human. As it turns out, I do have a way of defending myself from sapient attackers Now if I was a human invading a hostile dungeon, Id destroy any archer pods in sight. And for the average dungeon, (Probably, Im really just stroking my own ego here.) thatd be that. But I can do so much better. I immediately set to work carving several recesses into the walls, ceilings, and floors of my home, especially in proximity to my cores hiding place. In each recess I plant an archer pod. I then proceed to cover up each pod-containing cavity with a thin stone slab pocked with holes for gas-exchange, after all, animals need to breath. If a malicious person infiltrates my dungeon, Ill be able to telekinetically pop off the slabs to initiate a deadly surprise attack. Once finished, I observe my handiwork. Ive made a grave error. Easily visible through the ventilation gaps in each of the stone covers is the characteristic purple light of an archer pod. As it stands, this wont be surprising anybody. Perhaps its time to flex my creature modification ability once more? Finding a choice pod to remove the bioluminescence trait from, I begin the process. Altering my dungeons denizens is not an easy task. (Well, its worlds easier than genetic modification, but I digress.) It takes me nearly 5 hours to establish the framework for the change, though doing so gives me an intimate understanding of the organisms biology, rendering dissection unnecessary. Once Im satisfied, I initiate the process and notice my mana draining away. With my large disk room completed and the two new rooms partially finished, Im easily able to tank the mana expenditure and complete the modification in a single iteration. Once finished, I replant the pod in a fertile location so it can propagate faster. As I was modifying the archer pod, I was struck with a brilliant idea. Mounted pods. The largest mobile animals in my domain that I also had in abundance (Thus excluding the squirrels, birds, and lizards which had yet to establish sizeable populations.) were goliath beetles. Coming in at 10 cm at the largest, nearly the size of my dungeon helpers, these insects were truly massive. A goliath beetle is heavily armored, with black and white stripes on its head and thorax and rustic red elytra. With the beetle being naturally large and thus already partially adapted to the tyranny of the square-cube law, its currently my best option for carrying archer pods. In fact, doubling their size is all I really need for them to effortlessly haul a pod, if I made them any larger, theyd just take longer to mature without providing any additional benefit. I select a healthy female and once more use my modification ability. When I have enough of these ranged units, Ill be ready to assault the overgrown cavern below. Chapter 12: Shop and Awe By the time Id finished modifying the two new species the day had already ended. I ordered my ants to begin scattering the accumulated pebbles outside under the cover of darkness and also sent off a contingent with Westons promised ember blossoms. The helpers have to range pretty far in order to prevent the vast quantity of stone from piling up and getting noticed. Ive got a lot of waiting to do, it will be a while until the new groups of archer pods and goliath beetles are ready, as such, Ive applied the modifications to other individuals in the respective species in order to speed up the process. Though applying a template is easier the second time around, it still takes me another 12 hours to reach a satisfying stopping point. I now have 8 archer pods which will each bud into numerous modified un-bioluminescent variants and 30 female goliath beetles who will each lay the eggs of the larger beetles. Still awed by the impressive fecundity of my dungeons environment, I estimate it will take just two weeks for my forces to accumulate to sufficient numbers. In 5 days the first supply caravan will arrive, I dont expect to find much of interest there, but Ill still check it out. As per our agreement, Wes is going to send that group back with the new supply order for the next, so I can expect better items then. In the meantime, Id like to spend my time finishing the two new large rooms, observing the villagers, and making sure the fuzzy troglodytes dont come back before my attack on the cavern begins. After 2 days of near-constant excavation, I need a short break. What better way to alleviate the tedium than to perform experiments! I want to try my hand at modifying species other than animals. What does every fantasy dungeon need? Glowing shrooms! The trouble is, I dont know how Im supposed to add a totally new trait to an organism or if its even possible. Archer pods glow, but they do so via some mechanism I dont understand. If I can manage to splice traits from one organism onto another, many doors will open up in the future. Before I try to splice a trait, I need to make sure I cant simply think hard enough and make a mushroom glow, if that makes sense. Wrapping a tall white pon pon mushroom in my sense, I visualize it glowing. I can somehow tell its not working. Just as I thought, I am unable to add traits from seemingly nowhere. Wrapping the subject in my sense once more, I draw upon the mental framework of a standard archer pod which Id developed earlier. While I cant explain what causes the bioluminescence, I can automagically isolate the trait and consciously transfer it to the pon pons mental framework. Its really hard to explain, in part because its a deeply instinctive procedure. It takes me just an hour to get this modification to stick, so to speak. For entertainment purposes only, I decide that I may as well recreate the mushroom trees seen in the jungle cavern below, so I also spend time adding a growth parameter that will afford me some degree of control over the final size of the target variant when adding mana to the parent. Wrapping up the design work, I initiate the familiar process of adding mana to apply my changes. Affecting the size of a fungus appears to be substantially easier than doing so for an animal. Speaking of which, Id like to further categorize that limitation in the future. Im sure these fruiting bodies will be able to sprout a dozen meters tall or more once matured, Ill need to make sure the ceiling over one of my new rooms is tall enough to accommodate them. Transplanting the parent mushroom to some fertile soil, I resume quarrying volcanic stone. Another 2 days pass and Im nearly finished with the latest expansion. Even so, I still need to take a break and try another experiment. I may have a god-like attention-span as a dungeon core, but I can only go so long without mental stimuli. For todays test Ill observe the effects, or lack thereof, of mana on various things. In order, I will forcefully thrust mana into an archer pod, a milkweed plant, a stone bowl of water, a borrowed (Ill return it, I promise!) silver fork, and a discarded pair of dull iron scissors. I neednt explain the process for each item, so Ill simply list the results in order of ascending interest: Milkweed plant C No effect. Iron scissors C No effect. Archer pod C Possibly faster growth. Silver fork C Expressed very slight vibrations as mana passed through it, though incapable of retaining any mana. Water C Readily absorbed and retained any mana shunted into it until a certain low threshold was met. Afterwards, the mana diffused out of the water back into the air at a very slow, almost negligible, rate.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. I need to study silvers interaction with mana in the future. I can think of several applications for its property, if I later find that it vibrates with a regular frequency, I may be able to use it in timekeeping, but thats a long way off The water is even more interesting, it can store a small amount of mana for a while. The implications of this are profound. For starters, I could easily use water reservoirs as mana storage. Even more significantly, I may be able to use actively pumped water to transport mana over long distances or even use mana radiators to artificially regulate mana concentrations in localized areas. Though its small mana storage capacity will make those ideas difficult to realize to their fullest potential, its my hope that other fluids will show similar results. Ive only scratched the surface of arcane chemistry! Ill need to consider these ideas later, the first shipment arrives in one day, and Id like to have the new rooms finished by then. One day passes and the caravan is about to arrive. Before it reaches the village, Id like to take the time to show off the just-completed auxiliary rooms. Each of the two rooms is connected via a wide shaft to a 4-way junction midway down the tunnel connecting my birth room and disk room. The room intended to house the regular archer pods has a semispherical shape, with the flat face pointing downwards as a floor. It has a diameter of 25 m. The walls are ripe with vegetation and vibrant constellations of glowing purple bulbs. On the floor I am nurturing the non-bioluminescent variety which will be used in both traps and on goliath beetles. The center of the room is dominated by a deep pool of murky water filled with algae and mosquito midges. (The growing population of birds, lizards, and mole-squirrels must have attracted them.) I dont have much in the way of aquatic wildlife for now, but that should change after I obtain the cavern below. The second room will not only serve as a pleasant area for me to enjoy my altered glowing mushroom trees, but also as a dedicated ember blossom field. Much like my previous disk room, this room is also a disk, or more specifically, a cylinder. Just like the archer pod room, my ember blossom room has a diameter of 25 m, however, its volume is much greater. To accommodate the tall fungi, Ive extended the ceiling height to a staggering 20 m, any higher and Id risk breaching the soil-laced regolith above. In the center of the room is a single robust stone pillar. While I wont regulate what grows on the walls here, my vision for this room is to have a miniature forest of giant mushrooms with ember blossoms growing between their trunks. With that taken care of, I shift my focus over to the caravaneers who are about to begin unloading their wares. I figure the best way to see everything will be to observe what theyve brought while theyre unloading it. After taking inventory, Ive got a pretty good idea of whats available. Many things were already pre-purchased, such as building materials and seed. Other items such as tools and more niche products were put on display. Wes was present to help his Watergarde associates, so I should have no trouble giving him my requests. There wasnt really much that drew my attention, there were no maps, metal stock, or magic devices. The only books I could find were craftsmens guides and pattern books. Oh, and there was also a book named Fifty Songs for Saplings, but apparently that was pre-purchased by a woman. Im sure theres a story there I knew there wouldnt be much for me in the first shipment, but I still expected to find something interesting. Ill notify Wes. I waited for him to separate from the crowd a bit and then initiated contact, Hey Wes, its me, Ike. I just wanted to let you know that I didnt see anything I wanted here so you can postpone the cost-deducted payment for those ember blossoms until after the next shipment. Thats all, I said. Without even flinching at my sudden mental message, Weston responds, Understood, thanks for letting me know. If you need anything, feel free to get in touch. Short and professional, I like him. I cut off contact. I cant believe I have to wait another week just to get my hands on some magic! I suppose Ill have to add on to my dungeon again Somehow, I spend the next 7 days working tirelessly in my dungeon. Ive managed to increase the diameter of my main disk room to 35 m, further increasing my mana storage and regeneration rate. I was able to stay engaged by taking breaks to micromanage my ecosystems. The ember blossoms were doing exceptionally well in their dedicated room, though I had to command several pests to not devour my treasured fire flowers. The colossal purple glowing mushrooms Id created have begun to sprout, however, at this stage there is no indication they would will one day become towering giants. Already mosses and vines were climbing along the bare walls, even interspersed with the occasional newborn archer pod. And, of course, the archer pods were thriving in their respective room as well. Already, I had nearly 300 individuals of the modified variant growing across the floor, these guys really do grow like mana-fueled weeds. I will only need 100 for the various traps Ive placed around my domain, the rest will be affixed to goliath beetles. While were on the topic, Ill quickly note that the number of double-sized goliath beetles has kept pace with the modified archer pods population. And Ill freely admit there was a bit of micromanagement on my part to ensure that outcome. Just like the first, the second caravan arrives like clockwork. Naturally Im much more excited this time around considering my requests shouldve been processed. With energy I wouldnt expect from travelers who ought to be tired from their journey, the merchants start unpacking in a grassy area nearby, but not quite inside, the future town. There are many perks to life as a dungeon core, most relevantly, I can magically observe the insides of their packages without needing to open them. I wonder what happens when I try to look inside someones stomach? An activity for another time... Besides what was brought for the townsfolk, I can see a pallet that is surely for me. On it are many ingots of various different metals, namely iron, and 2 parcels. One parcel contains several wands as well as some unidentifiable white crystals. The other one contains a little over 2 dozen books and the requested map. Im justifiably worried the value of all this will exceed 2200 pieces, I may need to sell a couple more ember blossoms Chapter 13: Unboxing Traveling with the Watergarde merchants was another caravan of villagers. In fact, the new arrivals more than doubled the total population of the town. While the original plan probably encouraged immigration, I doubt the current growth rate was initially intended. The natural conclusion is that, upon hearing about the favorable mana conditions, courtesy of the mana well, the Local Chamber accelerated its colonization timeline. Even with limited context, it makes complete sense. I get the impression this territory is a frontier for the burgeoning Lyrian Empire, but also for several other neighboring nations, both friendly and hostile. Obviously, theyre going to entrench themselves in the mana well. I dont see any obvious mages amongst the travelers, perhaps Cliffords Commission organization is very distant and its just taking a while for them to arrive. Anyway, in the new group are, of course, many farmers, but also 30 miners. Contrary to the stereotypes, these men appear fairly well-off and clean. I took an immediate interest in their equipment which consisted of your standard wrought iron shovels and pickaxes. Wrought iron is produced via smelting, this involves heating iron oxide bearing ore alongside a reducing agent, which is typically charcoal. At high temperatures, the carbon in the charcoal reduces the iron oxide, leaving behind the elemental metal. Slag, a combination of the remaining metal oxides and silicon dioxide from the ore is mixed with the iron in the forge. To remove the slag from the iron, a blacksmith extracts a lump of the mixture from the forge and begins to hammer it. The repeated hammering of the still-hot iron expels most of the slag resulting in finished wrought-iron. From here, the blacksmith would continue to work the lump into the desired shape. Wrought literally means worked. Wrought iron is a low carbon alloy, having a carbon content of 0.08% or less. That the miners are using it for their tools definitively confirms steel production is in its infancy or possibly even nonexistent in Lyrian society. This revelation both disappoints and excites me. They also have tools such as hammers, woodworking supplies, oil lanterns, and chisels tipped with a silvery substance which I couldnt identify. Furthermore, they had in their possession several exotic arcane devices with knobs and dials (Of extremely poor make, if I must say.) similar to Cliffords. They were clearly highly skilled; theyd brought along measuring tapes, diagrams, and notebooks filled with technical information. Honestly, I was impressed with the professionalism of this crew, 30 miners shouldnt be enough for a full-scale mining operation, so my guess is that theyre waiting for more laborers to arrive while they set-up shop. No, it is more likely that these individuals are planners first and miners second. 30 people seems like itd be overkill for the type of prospecting Id normally expect from this technological age, however, Im sure the mere possibility of finding magicite, and/or infused ores such as Mithril is justification enough for them to be taking this financial risk. I doubt theyll breach my dungeon any time soon, if at all, however, it would be prudent of me to keep an eye on their work. There were also two blacksmiths in the new group; a master-apprentice duo by the look of it. They were currently socializing with the group of miners, evidently, they were already well-acquainted, I wouldnt be surprised if theyd done business with each other at some point in the past. The blacksmiths supplies were pretty standard fare, so I dont think I need to elaborate on them at this time. At any rate, I didnt really have any time left to check up on everyone because the Watergarde merchants had just finished putting their wares on display and Weston didnt look too busy. Hello Wes, Ike here, I need your help obtaining my goods. Do you have the time? I said telepathically. Without outwardly reacting, Weston said, Its good to hear from you again, I was actually wondering when youd get back in touch. We can do it now. I dont want to reveal my dungeon-sight ability, so I cant reveal that Id already looked inside the parcels. Cautiously, I said, Weston, I need you to listen carefully and follow these steps exactly: First, Id like you to directly ask the merchants what the total price of the pallet with my order is. After theyve given a straight answer, ask them to display the contents of the two parcels, I can review them remotely. After that, Ill let you know when to make the purchase. You can deduct the cost from your debt to me. If the price of the pallet exceeds the 2200 pieces you owe, Ill deliver enough ember blossoms tonight to cover the rest. Also, please dont try to scam me, I will know. Was that a bluff? Not entirely, I should be able to pick up any attempts at hidden correspondence between Weston and the other Watergarde merchants going forward, however, if hed done so prior to now, I wont be able to tell. Also, am I being impulsive by purchasing everything? Somewhat so, consider that Im really only trading ember blossoms, which I have a plentiful supply of. Nevertheless, I shouldnt make a habit of this. Expressing his confirmation, Wes walks over to the merchants and concisely asks for the price of my pallet.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Smiling in recognition of his associate in red, one of the merchants speaks up, Altogether? Itd be 4500 pieces. Bit of an odd request for a place all the way out here, no? Weston agreed and then engaged in some small talk while somehow dancing around the topic of who the goods were for. Good on Wes, there was nothing stopping him from mentioning me, but I suppose he didnt want to deal with any nosy future investigations either. While they were discussing trade relations with the Isolens, the merchant opened up the two parcels and spread out their contents. Just in case, I took another cursory glance at everything and give Wes the go-ahead to buy it all. Id rather study my newest acquisitions in the comfort of my dungeon later. Im honored that Wes trusts me enough to pay him back, but it can probably be attributed to him thinking Im a grynn. Of course, Ill reciprocate that trust, both because Im not a bad person and because I will probably work with him again. The two parcels dont weigh much by themselves, however, the mass of the ingots on the pallet looks to total in at something on the order of 300 kilograms. Stacked together is tin, copper, bronze, and nickel ingots, however, the iron ingots couldnt really be called such. The reason is because they werent ingots so much as metallic lumps. If my understanding of the Lyrian Empires technological capabilities is accurate, they dont have the infrastructure necessary to fully melt down iron, so these units were probably hammered, rather than cast, into their current shape. Thats ok, even if I didnt intend on doing my own metalworking, (and I totally do) hired blacksmiths would have no trouble heating up the malformed stock iron and reforging it into a useful form. The immediate problem: how am I going to transport so much dense metal without getting noticed. While throwing ants at the problem could possibly work, the potential for discovery is high. I cant have Wes simply deliver them to a location closer to my dungeon as that might give away my whereabouts. Luckily theres no rush. Wes, you can ask them to deliver everything to a space behind your carriage, I shouldnt have any trouble picking it up from there. I can keep an eye on it all in the meantime, so Im not worried about anything being stolen. Oh, Ill also be sure to drop off enough ember blossoms to cover my overcharge tonight, at our previous rate, of course, I said. Heh, thats a lie. Im certainly going to have trouble picking up the goods, but he doesnt need to know that. Im sure Ill figure something out Alright Ike, its been a pleasure doing business with you. If you ever need anything else, you know what to do, said Wes. Im fortunate Wes has been so cooperative. Yes, I tempted him with money, and yes, Im slightly mysterious and scary, but it still says a lot about him. Even Clifford, who knew about our correspondence didnt seem too bothered about his friend conducting shady business with a telepathic stranger. That theyve reacted so favorably indicates that theres some weird stuff in this world which has desensitized them. Anyway, the sun is about to set, so I need to start thinking about how Im going to get everything into my dungeon. I might find some success with making a dedicated tunnel under Westons carriage. Draped over the pallet is a waterproof tarpaulin made from a canvas coated in a waterproof substance. This helps because I should be able to move everything into the tunnel without bringing it out from underneath the tarp, thus reducing my chances of getting caught. Im still worried about the ingots clinking together and making noise, so Ill be manually moving them into the hole telekinetically. Leafcutter ants may be strong, but theyre quite clumsy. By now Im a professional excavator, branching off from the small passage Id made when the settlers first arrived, I finish the tunnel leading up underneath the tarp in under an hour. I also take special care to craft a convincingly camouflaged grassy plug just in case. It took another hour to get everything moved underground, but it was ultimately a flawless success. Despite a few minor setbacks, things have generally been going my way in this life. Once I was finished moving the items Id bought, I even chopped up the wooden pallet and moved it inside along with the tarp. Im no hoarder, but you never know when youll need a good tarp At this point I have about 700 goliath2 beetles, 1,000 un-luminous archer pods, 100 of which are already situated in their hidey holes, and 10,000 dungeon helpers. I could probably go ahead and capture the portion of the cave system Ive set my sights on, however, its not going anywhere. Therefore, I deem it a higher priority to read these books and work towards understanding magic. I mean, I can conquer that cave whenever I want, but if Im faced with a situation in the near future where the information contained in the books wouldve been beneficial, itd be on me if I was unprepared. Digesting the contents of the books is simply more urgent. And fun. But that definitely wasnt a factor in my decision. For the first time, I carve out a room that I dont intend on filling with wildlife, itd be a shame if my books deteriorated, after all. I then bring in the parcel of magical items, however, I dare not try them out lest I damage them. No, to stay on the safe side, Ill take a closer look at them only after Ive established a stable foundation in my understanding of magic. Spreading the stack of books out over a rhyolite table rising from the floor, I try to decide what to read first. Unfortunately, most of the books didnt say anything on their leather covers other than title and author. Glancing inside, Im pleasantly surprised to see these books are, in fact, printed. Though the quality is so poor that I speculate the technology is still in its infancy. As much as Id like to learn about magic immediately, Ill probably be better off studying my neighbors first. As such, I pick up a heavy tome titled simply The founding of Lyria and relax while I begin reading. After a whole day, Id read the creatively titled works; The founding of Lyria, The History of the Lyrian Empire and The Inner Workings of Chamber Politics. Notably, Id learned how royally convoluted and corrupt their government structure was. At first, Id gotten the impression they were socially and politically advanced, but now the truth is apparent. Sure, maybe I dont have enough context yet to justify my verdict, but that doesnt stop a particular thought from surfacing to the forefront of my consciousness. I hate the Lyrian Empire. Chapter 14: “The Introduction to Arcane Principles.” Without going into too much detail, the Lyrian Empire is, well, an empire. That is to say, they have an emperor (Or empress, at one point) and support expansionist ideals. The empire is three centuries old, ancient by my standards, but young by a fantasy novels. The land it originally occupied (It has since expanded.) used to be a cluster of predominantly human kingdoms, which isnt too surprising. When ravenous elves invaded the land, the kingdoms united under the rule of a warlord by the name of Jolmot Chanture who went on to repel the assailants and initiate the Chanture imperial line. The Capital Chamber was organically birthed from the cooperation between the emperors advisors who themselves had a degree of power. They organized themselves into a committee and then essentially copied their structure onto local polities. The issue with this arrangement being that the chamber system was never fully planned and thus sports countless inefficiencies. Furthermore, the chamber members are responsible for selecting their own successors. Though the other members could, in theory, veto their counterparts choice of successor, they never do because it would disrupt the status quo. Though the Lyrian Empire doesnt officially have a noble class, the Chambers familial nepotism is so pronounced, they might as well. Members of the Capital Chamber typically dont own entire regions; however, cities usually spring up on the land they do control, clearly proving the advantages they receive from being Chamber members. Ultimately everyone is subservient to the emperor, but theyre generally left alone. Its not feudalism, but its close. None of this makes me angry. Sure, I see myself as an egalitarian, and their government structure certainly bothers me, but not enough to anger me. No, Im enraged by their long history-and continuation-of subjugation, oppression, and slavery. And if that wasnt bad enough, the general populace is largely indifferent to the matter. The Lyrian Empire is generally fairly inclusive of other sapient species, which is both surprising and unlikely, however, that doesnt stop them from keeping slaves. Slaves arent designated by race, but instead by where they come from. As an example, descendants of a group conquered 200 years ago might still be in slavery. That said, the Lyrians arent stupid. Whenever they conquer a powerful or useful nation, they usually do their best to fully integrate them as full citizens. The idea of slavery disgusts me, one thing I value above all else is free will. Sure, it may not be a complex reason for my hatred of slavery, but its a very good reason, nonetheless. My view on expansionism is a bit more nuanced. I mean, its situational, if a genuinely good nation tries to take control of an objectively worse country, its not all bad, right? But its a double-edged sword, really. Everyone thinks their country is better, so at the end of the day it always leads to warfare. I was never good at pondering over these sorts of issues, but from what Ive read, the Lyrians had oppressed some truly utopic nations, obviously that angers me. And theres nothing I can do about it. Well, actually, if I ever see any slaves in my village, I can do my best to sabotage their masters. While slavery is universally accepted in the Lyrian Empire, that doesnt mean its widespread. For the most part, only the extremely wealthy keep slaves. Therefore, I doubt Ill see any nearby for a long time. I mustnt dwell too much on these irritating and depressing circumstances right now, Ive got experiments to run, and there is research to be done. While Im on the topic of the village, I want to bring attention to their latest development! Apparently, the Local Chamber has given it a name, which theyd subsequently told to the new immigrants before they departed. The immigrants had then gone on to spread the name to the original settlers. Without dragging it out too far, Ill just go ahead and say it; Sevit. Nice and short, I like it. Before resuming my reading, I take a moment to take note of the towns progress. Sevit is currently a hive of activity, the builders are still working on the majority of the shops and other large buildings in the town proper, however, many farmers have already started preparing the surrounding fields for cultivation, and now have shacks built on their land. How they divvied it up is beyond me, but Im sure there must have been numerous disputes over property lines. The administration of the town is a right mystery to me, as far as I can tell, no one is in charge, and yet things seem to be running fairly smoothly. I cant identify anything resembling law enforcement, but maybe its too early for that anyway. Actually, is that Cliffords job? Could be. I kind of want to straight-up ask him. But thatd be stupid. I get the feeling the towns center isnt owned by any of the villagers here. I suspect the Local Chamber, or perhaps a wealthy individual living elsewhere, has been given claim over that land, as a payment or reward of sorts for organizing and supplying the colonization efforts. In fact, I have evidence to support this idea. My frequent snooping on Wes has clued me in on the fact that hes leasing the land on which his shop is being built from another person. And what a shop it is, second in size only to the administration building, which is itself an unreasonably ambitious construct, I can tell Westons planning for the long game.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Ive spent enough time looking around for now, its time to get back to reading. I probably know enough about the Lyrians by now to get by, so I can finally begin focusing on magic. The obvious starting point for my foray into this new science is the book titled The Introduction to Arcane Principles. Im fortunate to have this volume. As much as a book can be in this admittedly educationally limited society, The Introduction to Arcane Principles is incredibly popular. From my understanding, its printed all over the known world and is considered an essential read. (Again, amongst circles who actually read in the first place.) I begin. After a full 40 hours, Ive finished. Now I know what youre thinking, 40 hours is unreasonably long. In fact, the book wasnt even very lengthy, so what gives? Well first, magic is amazing. At no point does the book attempt to help a person use magic, however, that doesnt make its contents any less profound. It took me so long to finish reading because there was so much to digest and speculate on. Though it didnt cover arcane theory to the extent I wouldve preferred, largely due to it being a poorly understood field, The Intro covered such things as the history of magical technology, as Ill call it, different arcane disciplines and applications, and the limitations of magic. Magic is used in a variety of applications, and what baffles me is that people still dont fully comprehend what theyre working with. Magic is ultimately the act of achieving something with mana. Indeed, without mana, magic is impossible. Magic, as a concept, occurs when mana passes through runes. Of course, thats easy to state, but what does it mean? Apparently, there is no way to cast magic without first passing mana through a rune. For example, if a person wanted to cast a fireball, they could never do so without a wand or some other device with inscribed runes. But hold on, How does a dragon breath fire, or a grynn perform telepathy? you might wonder. Well, the The Intro claims that certain organisms contain an essence inside them that, when extracted, can be used to achieve a magical effect similarly to a rune. For example, someone could use an assemblage of runes to perform a ritual which extract essence from, say, an ember blossoms petals. The ember blossoms essence could then be used for whatever else you needed it for. From what I could gather, essence was a biological sludge extracted from arcane organisms. Now, I have my suspicions that the researchers of this realm have gotten a few things wrong. Even the use of the word essence causes my metaphorical eye to twitch. No, this sounds like it could be the result of microscopic biomolecular runes. Its a common habit of people without knowledge of microscopes to assume the characteristics of certain substances arent a result of physical interactions on an unobservably small scale. With their (likely false) assumption, its all too easy to conclude that essence is an acceptable explanation. Now, this is a preliminary theory of mine, naturally Ill need to verify it in the future. Perhaps, and Im only spit-balling here, essence is actually a solution of proteins, enzymes, or whatever other biological material is being used, which act as tiny runes. If magic exists, and runes work, then by golly you can be sure that evolution would abuse it! Onwards, The Intro doesnt explain how runes convert mana into effects, and even goes so far as to say that it cant be explained, because magic. Yeah, you know me too well, I am not going to let that negligence slide. I truly believe magic can be understood, but perhaps the process of doing so will require new techniques this world has never seen before. What could magic be other than a new branch of physics? To be quite frank, if magic proves to be wholly magic, my worldview will be shattered. Most new runes are invented via trial-and-error, however, some runecrafters have a foundational understanding of their work which allows them to, in a limited sense, consciously design new runes. Of course, because no one fully understands the fundamental, shall I say, laws of magic, this was very difficult and highly unscientific. As an exaggerated analogy, it would be like electrical engineers trying to design a microchip without first understanding how electricity behaves. A mage performs magic by forcing their mana through a rune. I was surprised to learn that a human mage cannot regenerate mana in the traditional sense. A human can store a small amount of mana in their bodies; however, they dont produce it on their own. Instead, mana is obtained from the food you eat. So long as one of the organisms in the food chain that terminated with your meal has the trait of arcanasynthesis, you can acquire mana by eating. In many ways, mana behaves like a gas. From my own observations, it diffuses from high to low concentration areas. However, it also seems to spontaneously enter an empty space. Take, for example, my dungeon. For the most part it is sealed from the surface, and yet mana is plentiful. In fact, through some perplexing mechanism, mana becomes increasingly abundant as the diversity and biomass of my dungeon rises. If you ask me, someone who is surely free of any biases, my ability to rationalize physical phenomena is exceptional. Rather than cause worry, this mystery excites me. Lets see, what else, ah! The official definition of a mage is someone capable of moving mana with their mind. This is important because a rune does nothing without a source of mana. Mages use their ability to do useful things such as raise the ambient mana levels in greenhouses, charge mana capacitors (typically in the form of naturally occurring white magicite crystals), or, most frequently, to provide mana to a rune. Apparently, anyone can become a mage with practice. Potential is essentially identical amongst all members of the same species but the differences between separate sapient species are profound. In fact, one of the most important aspects of runecrafting and magic use is mana logistics. Large rituals need to be supplied with a copious amount of mana; it is in these situations that mana logistics shines. There are many ways to deliver more mana to a rune. The easiest and most common method involves simply gathering a bunch of mages together to work in unison. Other more niche methods include burning specific arcane substances which release mana during combustion, supplying pre-charged mana capacitors, or using a specialized rune on a sacrifice, preferably live, which forcefully strips it of its mana. That I can use mana for telekinesis, telepathy, cut, merge, and creature modification is interesting. Does it mean there are runes inscribed inside my core, or is it more complex than that? Ive already forced mana into objects, which technically puts me on the path to becoming a mage, however, up until now Ive not been able to simply move mana from place to place. Believe me, I tried. Fortunately, the next book on my reading list was written to teach a person how to do exactly that. Fingers crossed the technique transfers to dungeon cores! Chapter 15: Operation “Capture the Cavern” I read the book titled Hilda Davys Mana Flowstence, which served as a guide for aspiring mages who were learning how to sense and control mana. Unhelpfully, much of the book was dedicated to establishing breathing patterns, and, interestingly, finding a particular muscle and exercising it. Apparently, there was a specialized muscle in a humans abdomen which served no other purpose other than to assist in mana control, thats certainly new to me While most of the books content didnt translate to dungeon cores, for obvious reasons, I still managed to accomplish my goal. Its hard to briefly state how I managed to exert control over mana, which is, after all, why it took an entire book to explain it, but I can say that without guidance it would have taken me ages to discover how to move mana on my own. Boldly assuming I could have ever independently figured it out at all. Sorry to leave you without a detailed explanation, I know how much you love those. According to Hilda, what Id achieved was incredible. Comparatively speaking, Id managed to learn how to control mana impossibly fast. But its only reasonable that an entity whose existence is based upon mana would in fact be quite good at mana manipulation. Indeed, learning how to control mana has given me a minor insight into the nature of dungeon cores. I can now feel the mana moving through my gem in constantly changing patterns which are dependent on what Im doing at the time of observation. Cutting through stone? Theres a discernable pattern. Telekinetically flinging a twig? Discernable pattern there too. You get the idea. As incredible as my rate of advancement has been, Im still a novice. It could be months or years before I fully master mana manipulation, and thats assuming the ability caps at a humans level. Its still taken some time to make it this far. You see, Ive been practicing nonstop for five weeks Id fallen into a sort of magic obsession. I was so focused on my goal of learning to manipulate mana that Id lost all track of time. In fact, Im quite shaken about how Id lost myself so easily to the task. A lot has happened in my 5 weeks of obsession, many of the structures in Sevit were completed and 7 more supply caravans and immigrant waves had arrived. At the previous rate, I would have expected 2 caravans, but it appears that the powers that be decided to ramp up their efforts. And I dont blame them, my research has only reaffirmed to me just how significant mana wells are. Case in point; comparing what Id learned to my observations, it was clear that the crops were growing nearly twice as fast as normal, though the farmers still have nothing on my dungeons growth rate, hehe. The towns population is fast approaching 1,000 people. And it probably wont be long before they start clearing an official dirt road and importing administrators and possibly soldiers. Secluding myself for 5 weeks is the sort of thing that could get me killed. For example, the miners, who at this point had received more of their workforce, (Nearly 150 individuals!) had already begun to execute their operation in full. A ways away outside of town, and nearly a kilometer away from the river was a two-story wooden building situated next to a wide downwards sloping shaft. I couldnt blame them for building away from the river, water is one of a miners oldest foes. I know from experience this area doesnt have a water table near the surface, so their fears were probably unnecessary. Actually, isnt it curious that theres even a surface river in the first place considering the numerous caverns in the area? Extending a thin thread of my domain all the way over to the miners headquarters was actually somewhat taxing, but I manage it in the end. I wont doubt for a moment that theres a cap on my maximum domain size, I just havent met it yet. Plunging into the shaft, I take a look around. The shaft is framed with timber braces along the walls, ceiling, and floor spaced at 0.75 m intervals. The braces running across the ground are obscured by a plank floor which allows rolling objects to move unhindered. I can see the occasional miner carting a stone-laden wheelbarrow up or down the sloped entrance. Rather than using the oil lamps Id seen with the original group of miners; these men were carrying candles for illumination. Once the depth exceeded 5 m beneath the surface, I start to notice horizontal tunnels branching out from main shaft in what was obviously an exploratory pattern. In the side-tunnels the bracing interval increases from 0.75 m to 1.5 m, Im sure OSHA would not approve I check each branch and continue downwards. So far, the maximum depth is 11 m, which, if Im being honest, is insanely impressive for a 6-week-old mining operation relying solely on middle ages mining technology. Each side-tunnel has a miner at the end pounding on the leading boundary with a pickaxe. As far as I can tell, they havent encountered any ore bodies. Separate men collect the rubble and still more haul it away in their wheelbarrows. A good portion of the workforce is busy fabricating the timber braces on the surface. In addition to the cross braces, I can tell theyre working on a ladder system which I can only imagine will be installed in a future ventilation shaft.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I really hope they find what theyre looking for. Back to my dungeon, its time for a much-needed update. Without me around to continuously command the modified leafcutter queens to lay eggs, (Whos default directive Ive set to dont lay eggs unless told to.) the number of dungeon helpers had stabilized at around 12,000. The goliath2 beetle population had hit its carrying capacity at about 1,300 individuals, and the modified archers at 900. Even now, the number of swifts, digger squirrels, and yellow lizards was underwhelming. Sure, theyd been breeding unrealistically fast in my dungeon, but that still only amounted to 2 dozen lizards, 10 birds, and 7 squirrels Its a slow start, but once theyre established, things will pick up steam. Theres not much to say about the archer pod room other then the fact that, unsurprisingly, there are more archer pods. The ember blossom room, however, has changed tremendously. The number of ember blossoms has risen to a neat 50 individual plants and my specialty glowing white mushroom trees were already standing 2 meters tall. As much as Id love to continue studying magic, Ive learned that there really isnt much I can do until my manipulation skills improve. Ive put it off long enough, Im finally ready to capture the lush cavern. To prepare, I begin working on the tedious task of attaching un-luminous archer pods to the goliath2 beetles carapaces by wrapping the pods roots around the beetle. Luckily the bulbs secrete a potent adhesive which allows them to adhere to nearly any surface. Im not worried about the beetles losing the ability to open up their elytra and fly simply because they rarely do so as is. Anyway, the pods wont stay on the beetles forever because theyll eventually molt. Commanding the beetles to congregate and stand still while the archer pods anchor themselves makes the work go by much faster, allowing me to finish in just a couple hours. After thats taken care of, I start to plan my approach. Ever since the first incident, I have not seen any other obvious sapients in the cave, which is a good sign. At the very least, its not a frequently traveled area. One of my greatest worries is that some of the intelligent inhabitants of the caves will notice the disappearance of the open area after I seal off all the entrances. It will surely take a while, perhaps even weeks, but I plan on wrapping the cavern in a network of narrow tunnels. Next, I will order my leafcutter ants to use the new network of tunnels to dispose of waste pebbles at the entrance to each tunnel, as opposed to on the surface like they usually would. I will then merge the piles of pebbles together to form solid walls barricading each entrance to the cavern. After that, I can bide my time and claim the cave for my domain at a leisurely pace. The archer beetles (Which I figure is a better name than goliath pods.) will support the ants in their endeavor; protecting them from larger predators who might wander in while theyre working. Of course, if Im to seal up the tunnels, Ill need plenty of stone to do it. While creating the logistic network will produce plenty of useful excess, it wont be anywhere close to enough. Without hesitation, I decide to start on a new room. Much like my disk room, Im going for another general-purpose habitat. This time, however, I want to try something new, for the fun of it, really. The plan is to carve out numerous somewhat random 2-3 m wide tunnels in a designated section of my dungeon. If all goes well, the stone in the area will resemble a giant piece of swiss cheese with wildlife lining the tunnels. Seeing no reason to wait any longer, I get to work on the tunnel network surrounding the cavern as well as the new room, if you could even classify it as such. Operation Capture the Cavern has proven to be extremely annoying. While my ants are in relative safety while marching through the logistics tunnels, they have to expose themselves each time they exit to place a stone on an entrance-blocking pile. Opportunists in the 1 m range such as giant rats, cave centipedes, vipers, etc. are constantly harassing my helpers. In total, there are 14 wide entrances to the cavern, after a day of work, I was almost finished with sealing up the first one. Though Ive been diligently micromanaging the procedure, there have still been 150 casualties, 12 of which were archer beetles. But it bears mentioning that number wouldve been much higher if I didnt have my venomous vanguard. There isnt a whole lot I can do to deter the predators, and frankly, Im just glad I havent attracted the attention of anything larger so far. Did I just jinx myself? Most likely. I managed to seal up 4 tunnels over the course of 2 days, however, I encountered a problem on the 5th passage. When Id first breached the cavern so long ago, I observed a portion of the mushroom forest which was covered in webbing. The 5th tunnel was much closer to this area and as you can probably guess, it was inhabited by spiders. These pale-white eusocial spiders are relatively small, being only 20 cm long, or the same size as a goliath2 beetle. The problem lies in their social tendencies. Working together, they were continuously ambushing my minions. In fact, they were cutting through my population so quickly that I had to retract everyone. If I kept feeding my helpers to the spiders one at a time, I wouldnt make any progress. To deal with the arachnid assault, Im going to need to establish a more robust defensive perimeter. Up until now, Ive only been fielding a small portion of my army at any given time, mostly to stay under the radar of the larger predators who I knew lurked in the shadows. Deciding that the time had come to commit, I station half of my forces at the tunnel entrance and resume working. The spiders, clever as they are, stopped picking off my workers once Id stepped up my defenses, but eventually my earlier fears were realized; the enemy of ants the world over leapt out of the darkness at the mouth of the tunnel. An enormous toad has come! Its clammy grey skin is encrusted with warts and sores, and its glowing yellow eyes gaze dumbly at the assembled army with hunger. Beware its deadly tongue! Chapter 16: The Toady One Without hesitating, the car-sized toad lashes out at my defense force with its sticky tongue. In the blink of an eye it gobbles up a dozen ants and archer beetles. Taking control of the archer pods now lodged inside the beasts gullet, I command them to pierce the beast with their venomous harpoons. The amphibian quickly jerks back when a couple of the attacks land. Though it doesnt seem to suffer too much, its reaction tells me one thing. It can be killed. An archer pods venom is unbelievably potent, that the toad managed to continue its assault even after being stung in the throat is truly impressive. Perhaps it has a minor immunity to this particular toxin, seeing as it lives in the same environment as the pods. By the time all my minions had scuttled into the safety of the logistics tunnels, it had already racked up 600+ kills. Introspectively, I consider; theres nothings forcing me to fight it. I mean, I know you (Me, but weve been over this.) want me to fight it head-on, because itd be exciting, but Im not a fool all the time. What am I, your entertainment? I have little to gain from throwing my animals at the demon toad, killing it in that manner wont justify the cost and simply leaving it to wander off on its own would be the best solution. Like I said, Im in no rush to obtain the cavern. I had decided to relocate my tunnel-sealing crew to the opposite side of the cavern so they could continue to work without the toad noticing, and for a time, everything went alright. After blocking off one more tunnel, it started to patrol the expanse, which brought it into contact with my workers once more. While I was able to recall everyone much faster this time around, now that the toad was patrolling the cavern, my efforts were severely hindered. The toad cant climb very well, so I set to work sealing the lava tubes which breach the ceiling. While I cant pile stones directly on the threshold between the tunnels and cavern due to, well, their orientation and gravity, I have no trouble creating the barricade at the portion of each tunnel that levels off. There is a total of 6 tunnels on the ceiling, so I should be occupied for a while before I have to either wait for the toad to leave, or deal with it on my own. After another two days I finish blocking the ceiling entrances, leaving only 4 tunnels left, all of which are in the toad beasts territory. Water flows through one of the ceiling tunnels, which opens into a waterfall. All I had to do was ensure my barricade in that tunnel had minute fissures in it for the water to pass through. On the far side, I try to keep it as natural-looking as possible, lest any sapients get curious. Ive arrived at a crossroads; I could continue reading about magic whilst I wait for Mr. Toad to leave my future cavern, but with my limited mana manipulation skills (Which I have been practicing, dont worry.) it will take a long time for me to get to the point where I can use it to protect myself. Alternatively, if can get my hands, or domain, I should say, on the powerful fauna who call the cavern home before finishing the magic books, I will receive an immediate power boost. In other words, its important for me to secure my safety as soon as possible. Learning about magic and capturing the cavern can both accomplish this goal independently of each other, however, capturing the cavern has a sooner return on investment, which is essential when my life is at risk from unknown threats. Am I being paranoid? Nope, there really are people out to get me, Im being rational. I hope. The gargantuan amphibian isnt going anywhere. He looks quite comfortable, terrorizing the denizens of the underground expanse like he owns the place. Unfortunately for him, Ive just filed a property dispute. I am unable to directly use telekinesis, cut, or merge on foreign animals, and for larger creatures, I cant even perform it in their vicinity. But Im in luck, on average, the roof of the cavern is about 18 m above the floor, plenty high enough for me to drop a boulder on top of the irritating insectivore. Yeah, yeah, its anticlimactic, but its smart. Hes not always on the move, even monstrous beasts need to rest occasionally. At the moment he is standing still near a brook which flows out from the luminous pond of rainbow corals and into a chasm recessed in the caverns floor. Even if I miss on my first try, theres nothing stopping me from trying over and over again. Still, Im confident that Ill be able to flatten him on my first try. After all, one of the unique aspects of life as a dungeon core is the ability to effortlessly gauge dimensions, alignment, and the like.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Working around the dangling blue-glowing mucus strands, which I now know to belong to massive carnivorous glow worms whove somehow burrowed into the solid stone that forms the ceiling, I carve out a, likely overkill, 3 m wide boulder. Without hesitating, I free it from the ceiling and let gravity take care of the rest. The boulder plummets downward and instantly flattens the toad. As it impacts the caverns verdant undergrowth, several birds take flight from the nearby fungus trees and I witness 2 dragonflies capitalizing on the pandemonium to score an easy airborne meal. Mr. Toad is essentially soup. Amused by how easy it was, I begin to laugh maniacally. I am the greatest dungeon core ever! Free at last to finish fortifying the remaining 4 lava tubes, I set the dungeon helpers to their task. This time it only took a little over a day to finish, in large part because Id worked ahead and accumulated excess rhyolite. There were 2 noteworthy observations I made. The first observation occurred a few meters down each of the tunnels that lead deeper into the crust; I noticed a layer transition from rhyolite to limestone, which is odd because I cant fathom how a thick igneous layer of rhyolite could form on top of a sedimentary limestone layer. The geologic history of this world mustve been chaotic. The second observation was in the same tunnel that serves as the outlet for the pond; lining its walls is a homogeneous mass of spongy living tissue that was laced with branching veins which pulsed in a manner reminiscent of a heartbeat. I definitely need to investigate this after Im done claiming the cavern, but doing so any sooner could be risky, its giving me some creepy vibes. Because it requires only very minimal focus, I can work on spreading my domain throughout my new territory while I work on other things. Unfortunately, I cant take control of a creature unless it was born in my domain or has resided there for a long time, so for some of the larger creatures Ill have to wait a week or two. The area Id carved out to supply the substrate for the tunnel sealing project was huge. It really isnt anything more than a tangle of passages with no clear pattern other than minor features which serve to reduce the likelihood of a collapse. While the tunnels might be narrow, their total volume is nearly equal to that of my ember blossom room. Furthermore, they span an incredibly wide area which runs across the whole territory of my dungeon, such that all of my previous rooms now have multiple entrances. With the cavern secured, and my domain spreading into it this very moment, its time to resume my magical studies. However, theres something I want to look into first, it wont take long. Ive yet to do anything with the ingots Id purchased, in part because I havent made any metalworking tools yet. Even so, I have no excuses for not testing my cut and merge abilities on them for so long. According to The Introduction to Arcane Principles metals are extremely useful in runecrafting, apparently conducting activated mana in different manners depending on the type of metal, purity, temperature, relative motion, manufacturing quality, and several other factors. When mana is passing through a rune, it becomes activated and can be conducted by certain materials, which is supposedly essential for the rune to function. I dont know why that is, or what it really even means on an intuitive level, so Ill need to get my hands on some more advanced books. Anyway, my point is, you need metal in order to create effective runes. Wrapping my sense around a half-kilogram copper ingot, I attempt to make a cut. While I do succeed in chopping it in half, rather than producing one of the clean cuts Ive gotten so used to by now, Im left with is a jagged edge. Trying again on a chunk of iron, Im met with identical results. This is troublesome, if I cant cut metal precisely, making runes is going to become substantially more difficult. Well, difficult, but not impossible. Not to brag, but I have more than 85 years of experience as a machinist I attempt to merge the two halves of the selected copper ingot together, making sure that its the flat surfaces produced by the mold which are being conjoined, not the rough edges my cut yielded. The outcome closely resembles one of the ugliest butt welds Ive ever seen in my life. Still, its pretty impressive that I can even do this in the first place without melting anything. Again, theres no difference on the iron either. On a whim, I merge the copper and iron together and am pleased to see that it worked as intended, though its still a shoddy weld. Testing a cut and weld again, I make a new observation. If I use my mana manipulation ability while cutting/merging a material such as stone, the mana being used flows in an orderly fashion. When trying the same on an ingot, I can now see that the mana moves erratically as soon as it comes into contact with the metal. I can only conclude that the reason for my low precision when cutting/merging metals is its ability to conduct activated mana. Which I still dont understand. Im a bit dismayed that working with metals and subsequently making runes is going to be more difficult than Id originally expected, but Im still determined to make it happen. Also, its not like I have much else thats better to do than learn while I wait for the cavern to become fully claimed and its inhabitants to become controllable. Before I start reading about the runecrafting discipline, I need to learn about the different kinds of runes, uses of magic, and how to actually perform magic. The book Im about to start on, Theo Kants Book for Beginner Mages, identifies some of the more common applications of magic and explains the basics of using it in its simplest forms. Thankfully Kant assumes the reader has already learned how to move mana at will and is completely new to using runic devices such as wands. The blockage I built in the tunnel that serves as the brooks outlet and which is lined with living tissue has minute crevices that allow water to pass unhindered. This also means I am able to maintain a connection to the portion of my domain situated on the other side. Just as I was about to start reading, I detect a presence on the, shall I say, wild side of the fortification. Rapidly shifting my focus in a panic, I do a double take when I notice a posse of 8 familiar human miners carrying ropes and the oil lamps Id yet to see in use until now standing in the knee-deep flowing water in the lava tube. Once again, I had neglected my spying on the humans, and this time, there might be repercussions. Chapter 17: Misplaced Motives and Foolish Risks The last thing I was expecting was to encounter humans coming up from below me. Theyd approached from the tunnel of pulsing tissue which had scared me earlier, but I suppose it couldnt be that bad if they managed to traverse it safely. Its a good thing I went through the effort of making the outer side of all my fortifications match the natural terrain, however, because Id finished it so recently, the flora hadnt had time to cover the surface yet. Luckily for me, the miners didnt seem to care too much, as they just turned around when they hit the dead end. Rather than following their flickering lamp light into the darkness, I decided to go check up on their mine again, they mustve breached a separate portion of the cave system recently. Popping over to the strand of my domain that Id previously used to explore their mine, I take note of the latest expansions. The tunnels were each of the same width as before however, the side tunnels were all longer. Furthermore, the main shaft was 14 m longer. Near the end of the main shaft was yet another side tunnel, however, here there were a couple dozen miners milling past each other in the tight confines of their workplace. Figuring this is probably where theyd broken into the cave system, I delve in. Sure enough, I witness the telltale purple glow of archer pods emanating from a man-sized hole at the end of the offshoot, with several more miners standing around. Speaking of which, what kind of idiot gets anywhere near those treacherous gastropods? The mineshaft opens up into a 3 m wide natural tunnel running in two directions. Leading both ways are long ropes which are probably being used for navigation. I cant expand my dungeon domain very quickly this far from my core, so rather than taking a potentially time-wasting gamble on which rope to follow, I refocus on the area where Id first seen the miners in the creepy tunnel. They havent been gone long so I easily locate them. They are resting in a small chamber. The walls are still covered in the strange yellowish tissue, however, in every direction sprouts numerous plants with leaves showcasing a motley of colors, a truly enthralling sight for anyone expecting to encounter only greenery. The chamber is actually part of a flat ledge embedded in the side of a deep subterranean canyon. I cant tell how long it is because it snakes in on itself, however, it has got to be at least 150 m deep. Much like my newly acquired cavern, the terrain here is dense with vegetation, however, due to a lack of horizontal purchase, most of the flora could be seen clinging to the sheer cliffs. Along the walls emerged rows of shelf fungi, resembling a scaled-up version of what youd see on rotting logs. Atop the organic shelves sprouted numerous epiphytic orchids and other commensal plants. The air was thick with flying animals. Besides the flocks of cave swallows and swarming insects, I could also see the familiar dragon flies zipping about. Near the top of the chasm hung thousands of exposed honeycombs covered in millions of, well, absolutely normal looking honeybees. As regular as they may outwardly look, the sheer size of their communal hive hinted at many key behavioral differences, such as the inclusion of many queens in a single colony. At the bottom of the fissure flows a raging river filled with energetic fish. Striding atop the waters surface on unusually long vertical stilt-like legs is a herd of titanic crabs agilely snatching the leaping fish straight out of the air with their elongated and serrated pincers filling the same niche as a grizzly bear with a taste for salmon. The tallest amongst them stands a daunting 7 m above the frothing white water, their choice prey must be larger and/or more plentiful than a bears... This is beauty. Ill come back later, but right now I need to finish trailing the miners spelunking rope back to their shaft. Following the rope through a short labyrinth of caves, Im once more at the entrance to their mine. Inspecting a fern at the edge of the breached tunnel is none other than Clifford Graham. Hes chatting with an older miner, someone who I presume to be one of the planners, so I take the opportunity to listen in. Chuckling at a comment from Clifford which Id just missed, the miner said, Thank Arken for guiding our picks in the right direction, were blessed tove encountered the upper subterrane so near to the surface. Showing a genuine smile, Clifford said, Indeed, people will pay you well for access to this region. As per the standard procedure, your menll need to temporarily seal the passage until the Caverknights arrive to secure the entrance. Nodding, the miner responds, Of course, of course. Do ya happen to know when thatll be? Clifford said, From my understanding, itll be just a couple more weeks before theyre here. The Capital Chamber has decided to directly support the defensive arrangements here in Sevit, so the timeline has been shortened. Again. Hahaha, were making history here, its only natural! Glory to Lyria! exclaimed the miner. Glory to Lyria! intoned Clifford. I make my leave as the conversation devolves into little more than a display of nationalistic zeal and consider what Id heard. The miners probably consulted the villages resident mage for a second input on their discovery, though I mustve missed the useful part of their exchange. Clifford said the Caverknights, would protect the entrance in the future. Considering their straightforward name, I can only imagine theyre a military group specialized in underground combat. Its a good thing too, itd be quite unfortunate if a gargantuan toad decided to pay the surface a visitA case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Once again opening up Theo Kants Book for Beginner Mages, which Id been so rudely taken from earlier, I proceed with learning to use arcane devices. At certain points the book calls for the aspiring mage to try operating a practice rune, however, I didnt have the foresight to ask for any when Id first contacted Wes. I saw no reason not to completely finish reading it before attempting to wield a wand, seeing as to how I have a near perfect memory now. Inorganic information storage at its finest! With Kants guide finished, I now have some new noteworthy insights to share; its possible to overload any rune with too much mana, for this reason, many consumer devices come with a built in mana check, which behaves similarly to an electric step-down transformer, excluding the fact that its much more flexible with its inputs, and that voltage isnt really a concept which applies to mana. Actually, maybe it is, Ill need to tap the secrets of mana later. Anyway, a mana check is most often made from an inscribed magicite crystal. As it turns out, the small white crystals which came with my first purchase are magicite crystals, however, theyre uninscribed because theyre intended for a different purpose. Uninscribed magicite crystals are used for short term mana storage. Theyre unable to hold onto a charge for very long, but they aid in using runes which require more mana than a mage can output at once. In fact, they were the very crystals mounted on the tripods that Clifford used in his communication ritual. Similarly, soulstones, like that maroon consumable Clifford used in his ritual, also store mana. My core, and apparently all other dungeon cores, are giant soulstones. Unlike a magicite crystal, soulstones are a long-term, perhaps even permanent, storage medium. Furthermore, their capacity is vastly superior to a magicite crystals. They cannot be recharged, as they crumble into useless dust after theyve discharged their mana. Most interestingly, theyre actually synthetic objects, grown in vats of a liquid (Which I dont know the name of.) infused with an explosive quantity of mana. Its good to finally receive confirmation that theyre not the diced up remains of innocent dungeons Anyway, magicite crystals are fairly abundant, forming most often in sprawling crystalline caverns deep underneath a mana well. The merchants included them because theyre useful for many things, Im not complaining. My control of mana, while still limited, is still greater than a total beginner human mage, so I dont expect this to be too difficult. I select one of my 4 metal wands, now that I have a foundational understanding of magic, I recognize the runescript as a Lightning Bolt spell. The base of the handle is hollow, with a small metal stopper plugging the end. The stopper is fastened with a shoddy bronze clip, which is about what youd expect from a society with primitive manufacturing processes. Oh, how I desire the ability to bore threaded holes through solid metal I will do my best to ensure that day comes. The hollow portion is for a charged magicite crystal to be inserted; most mages cannot move mana fast enough to feed a standard Lightning Bolt rune. I happen to fall under the category of most mages, so I set about charging a magicite crystal in the method outlined in Kants guide. Enclosing the now-full crystal in its place, I telekinetically loft the wand over to my disk room to test fire it. Many arcane devices contain a trigger rune which require the operating mage to insert a small amount of mana into in order to produce a predetermined reaction. In the case of a basic wand, this almost always causes it to activate the primary spell rune. As soon as I activate the trigger, a bright white bolt jaggedly arcs through the air and strikes the stone wall bordering the room. Exactly where I aimed it. This, this is magic, unlimited power! Ah, but electricity does not behave this way, the bolt shouldve grounded itself on the floor immediately, instead of traversing a wide area first. Once again, magic defies my current understanding of physics. I cant wait to redefine my understanding of reality! The other three wands are as follows: Fast Bind, Force Missile, and Shield. You can probably guess at these generic spells functions. Fast Bind is useful for tripping up or restraining enemies, making it a good non-lethal weapon. Force Missile projects a fast-moving telekinetic wave at the enemy and hits them with something similar, but stronger than, a hard-hitting punch. How that actually works, is a mystery to me. Telekinesis is one of the most physically irreconcilable aspects of magic that Ive encountered so far. Shield projects a barrier of force which stops many kinds of attacks. You cant make something out of a force, which is why this nomenclature twists my mind so much, I need to get to the bottom of whats actually going on here and assign better names Im at a good stopping point, so its time to consider a new idea I had earlier. Its a bit off topic, I know, but thats just how my mind works. While I was merging pebbles together to barricade the lava tubes in the cavern, I couldnt help but draw connections with my work and masonry. One of the largest bottlenecks on the speedy development of Sevit is the acute lack of local building materials. At the moment the vast majority of their constructions make use of imported timber, with a few farmers using adobe and sod as well. Now earlier I mentioned that I like to be rational, but, well, the plan Im forming is undoubtedly stupid. When I excavate new territory, I essentially throw away the displaced stone, but Ive realized that theres a way for me to turn it into profit. I have the ability to cut stone into high-quality blocks, an extremely valuable skill. The obvious problem; Theres no way for me to sell stone blocks without revealing myself. The smartest decision would be to continue hiding and maybe sell ember blossoms alone. But, and this is significant, I dont want to do that. While I might notve been the most socially fluent person in the past, that doesnt mean I didnt value my friendships. After all, true friends dont care if youre a clever conversationalist or not. If Im to maintain my long-term mental health, Ill need to interact with others. Unfortunately for me, I cant simply take a casual stroll and chat people up as I please, having a mysterious entity speak directly into someones mind probably doesnt set them at ease very well. In fact, I can see three primary reasons to lay the groundwork for this new plan; Ill make loads of money, Ill have a good excuse to talk with people, and, if Im being honest with myself, Ill finally have a justification for creating some of the simple machines Ive been itching to fabricate! Chapter 18: Logistics Ive witnessed mortar being used in some of Sevits constructions, so I should be able to find willing customers for my stone blocks. Before I get too invested in transforming my latest whim into a reality, I need to, uh, query the market first. To do that, Im going to need to produce some samples. I will design an unadorned stone block. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. One of the reasons why this project intrigues me is because it can increase my excavation speed. Let me explain; as it stands, I have to spend tons of time cutting stone into chunks small enough for my dungeon helpers to individually carry. I would save so much time if I could get away with cutting larger chunks, because that would imply that Id cut less material in the process. Making larger chunks, or in my case, blocks (And yes, I do have a plan for transporting them.) is a simple way to increase my mining throughput. While I would love to conform to the dimensions of a modern standardized brick, making small blocks would somewhat defeat the purpose of cutting larger chunks when mining. No, in order to maximize my efficiency gains, I need to find, or more accurately, guess, at the optimal trade-off point between making the bricks as large as possible and maximizing marketability. A modern cinder block, also known as a Concrete Masonry Unit, or CMU, sports dimensions of 20x20x40 cm. If I was trying to sell hollowed out blocks, as is typical for a CMU, this would be the perfect size. Unfortunately, solid CMUs are simply too heavy for humans, my target market. With these concerns in mind, I have decided that I will commit to the new standard of 15x15x30 cm for a solid CMU. Its no minor choice, if my ambitions are fully realized, this decision will ripple through the future. I quickly whip up an example CMU and levitate it over to Westons shop, its early in the morning so its not difficult to ensure nobody is around to witness my actions. I take a look around; while much of the shop has been completed, its stall far from finished, which if anything, is a testament to its size when you consider how many people were working on it. From what I can tell, the building will be two, or perhaps even three stories tall. I found Wes working in an office on the mostly completed first floor. Not too crazy for an era without indoor plumbing, electricity, or AC. Frankly Im not surprised that hes busy at this hour, Weston is not a lazy man. Its been well over a month since we last communed, however, I have no doubt his reaction to my presence well remain as subdued as always. Hi Wes! I said simply, figuring its probably to give him a moment to collect himself before I explain my intentions. Blinking, Wes sat down a graphite pencil and reclined in the uncomfortable looking wooden chair hed been sitting on before responding, Well Ike, its sure been a while. Id been hoping that youdve desired to sell me some more ember blossoms, but I suppose it wasnt so. What can I do for you? Launching right into my sales pitch, I said, Id like to propose a new business venture between us. As you can likely tell, the town of Sevit is sorely lacking in cheap construction materials. I want to supply Sevit with cheap, high quality, locally sourced stone blocks. Ive delivered a sample just outside your back door for your inspection. Immediately standing up, seemingly unconcerned with the possibility of a trap, Weston lumbers out of his office and through the reception area and back room of his building. Unhinging the crude iron bolt fastened to his back door, he crosses the threshold and beholds my glorious handiwork! A shamelessly wide grin can be seen under his scruffy beard as he shakes his head. Ike, the craftsmanship of this block is exquisite, do we have different definitions of cheap? Chuckling, because that somehow works over a telepathic link, I respond, In truth, I dont know how much I could sell these for. If you agree to sell these blocks for me, you may keep 40% of the earnings. My only stipulation is that you would be financially responsible for picking up and distributing them. Scratching his chin for a moment, Wes said, Sounds promising, but as youre no doubt aware, the distance over which I would have to haul the blocks is an important factor. If its too far from Sevit, then Im afraid my entire cut of the sells would be lost to transportation fees. Tell me, where would I go to pick up your blocks if I agreed? Weston, I am proud to say the total distance would be just 1 kilometer! I exclaimed. Raising an eyebrow, Wes asked, And a kilometer is? Well drat, I shouldntve assumed that just because these people speak English that they would also use the Metric system. The thought never crossed my mind. Rectifying my negligence, I said, Ah, sorry about that, its the distance unit Im most familiar with. Anyway, I can deliver the stone blocks to the cave which the miners had just struck yesterday. Its not far at all.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. With his grin returning again, Wes said, That is Awfully convenient... Would I be correct to assume your people inhabit the first subterrane? Prepared for this query, I quickly lie, Though Im not willing to reveal too much about my people, I can confirm that we do indeed make our homes in the first subterrane. We are a peaceful, yet cautious folk. Presumably sensing it was time to change the subject, Wes politely asked, How many blocks can you provide, and how often? Naturally, if the supply is severely limited, Ill be unable to turn a profit on this endeavor. I cheerfully state, Once everything is ready, which will be in a few weeks from now at the max, we will be able to initially supply you with thousands of blocks weekly. Of course, if were successful, scaling up our operation would be the natural progression. Really, you neednt worry about supply. Ive got that covered. Chuckling, Weston said, Well then, I accept your deal and look forward to working together! You can start preparing as soon as possible and Ill go ahead and purchase the wagons needed to haul your fine blocks. Ill make hires once your ready to begin exporting. Weston is an incorrigible opportunist, I knew itd be easy, but I didnt think winning him over would be this simple. Not that Im complaining, after all, I just know hell succeed in milking the buyers for as much coin as possible, which is in both of our own best interests. Just as Im about to make my leave, Wes adds, Also, is there any way for me to contact you first? If were to make as much money as possible, well need to stay in touch. That shouldve been obvious Why didnt I think of that? Glancing around the reception room of his shop, I spot a coat rack by the wall. Itll do for now, Ill come up with something better later. If ever you wish to speak with me, simply place the coat rack in your entrance room by a window such that it is visible from outside, if I see it as such, Ill reach out to you. Oh, and also, dont ever hesitate to initiate contact with me, Im always available! I said. Weston confirms his understanding and we say our farewells. Its time to get to work. How in the world am I going to transport such heavy CMUs? Ha! You know me well enough by now to guess that I sure wont be doing it manually! My domain has been expanding into the cavern at a breakneck pace, after just one day, Ive already claimed an eighth of its volume. To put that into perspective, the cavern covers a staggering area of about 40,000 square meters, or nearly 10 acres. Of course, its not entirely contiguous, there are numerous walls and pillars interspersed throughout the expanse. Already Mr. Normal has notified me of the addition of many new species, including small rodents, reptiles, and cave swallows! Now that I have access to a robust population of vertebrates, my previous trapping efforts seem useless. Well, almost, I still like having as many species as possible, so Im glad Id first caught those animals. In any rate, the concentration of ambient mana in my dungeon paradoxically seems to be tied with the biodiversity and complexity of my ecosystems, so its for the best. Speaking of which, my mana regeneration rate has skyrocketed after acquiring the new populated territory of the cavern as well as the extensive tunnel network which Id recently dug, in order to supply the required substrate for the tunnel sealing operation. But I digress. With part of the cavern under my control, I have access to a new resource: Fungiwood! While I might not have precise material control over metals, wood poses no problems to my cut and merge abilities. Even working together, dungeon helpers are not strong enough to drag CMUs around, but therein lies the problem. Dragging things is not Efficient?. If fungiwood proves to exhibit the properties Im looking for in a material, I should be able to fabricate some basic wagons, in fact, I already have some ideas for that! Getting right to it, I fell one of the behemoth 8-meter-tall yellow mushroom stalks in the portion of my domain situated in the cavern. Just as I suspected, its tissue is denser and more durable than the mushrooms Im used to. As it should be; the physics of scale wouldnt tolerate anything less. In other words, its perfect for woodworking. Thank goodness I dont have to worry about acquiring cutting tools! I wont deny that my cut ability is as overpowered as it is implausible. Ive designed the wagons bed with interior dimensions of 31x61x2 cm such that it will be able to fit 4 blocks on the first layer. As for how many layers of blocks I intend for the wagon to carry, Ill decide that on a case-by-case basis depending on the maximum incline of the slopes which will need to be traversed. I primarily use bridle and lap joints to merge the fungiwood pieces together. In this situation you can draw a comparison between my merge ability and glue; by utilizing joints that increase the contact surface area, I maximize the strength of the merge. Each wagon has 4 wheels, with two wheels to an axle, and the front axle pivoting along the vertical axis to allow for basic steering. If I can commission or make some metal parts in the future, then Ill no doubt redesign the steering apparatus, perhaps by transitioning to an active control compatible form such as rack and pinion steering or, my personal favorite, the beautifully simple Ackerman steering mechanism. Hanging down and pointing horizontally outwards from each side of the bed of the wagon are 6 evenly spaced fungiwood shafts which will serve as handles for my dungeon helpers to use. This way my ants can push the wagon forward from both the sides and the rear. Im not too worried about them being unable to operate the wagon properly, whichever part of my subconscious is responsible for handling the commands I assign to the denizens of my dungeon has proven to be capable of managing complex tasks so long as I clearly define the parameters of the command. How hard can it be to get ants to steer a wagon anyway? Sure, I could simply decide to excavate a passage from my dungeon to the humans mine for the wagons to traverse, but wheres the fun in that? That route will undoubtedly evolve into a- busy highway as I continue to add on to my fleet of wagons and scale up my mining, so Id much rather try something different here. I have an idea; it might not be the most efficient solution, is needlessly complex, and is likely a waste of my time. But I dont mind, Ive been working so hard lately that its about time I take up a hobby. Ive set my heart on it, Im going to design a mechanism. Chapter 19: Stress Relief Before I start working on the basic mechanism I have in mind, I begin by excavating the tunnel which will connect my dungeon with the cave just outside the humans mine. Luckily, with my freakishly precise proprioception, Im able to clearly determine the exact heading and elevation I need in order ensure the tunnel ends up exactly where I want it to while remaining perfectly level and as straight as an arrow. To accommodate my plan; I dig the tunnel with a 2-meter-tall and 1-meter-wide rectangular cross-section. At 1 km long, it took over 24 hours to finish carving the passage. Ive breached the cave which the miners had likewise broken into and my new tunnels entrance is only 46 m away from their mine. My plan, which will become apparent later, calls for the establishment of a satellite leafcutter ant nest at the other end of the tunnel because I will have need of a crew of dungeon helpers who will remain stationed on the far side. 20 m away from the end and off to the side of the tunnel I excavate an 10x10x5 m room which should be large enough to sustainably provide food to 70 dungeon helpers along with their regular sized siblings. I then instruct a few dozen leafcutter ants to collect various plant species and spread them in the new room. Fortunately, no nosy people are allowed in the cave until the Caverknights arrive, which should be in about 2 weeks time, plenty long enough for me to prepare everything for my business venture. Much like the rolling stone door Id made early on, I make two rolling doors at the far entrance to the passage, though these ones are significantly larger. Each rhyolite wheel has a diameter of 3 m and a thickness of about 28 cm. From what I know about the density of igneous rock, (Again, thanks to my supernatural memory.) each door has a mass of approximately 6 metric tons. The rolling doors fit in slots recessed into the walls, floor, and ceiling allowing them to completely seal off the entrance to the cave. They are spaced a generous 15 m apart, forming an airlock of sorts. While I can just barely move them with my telekinesis, thanks to the absurd ambient mana concentration in my dungeon, it should be impossible for humans. In fact, just as an extra precaution, I secure both sides of each wheel with giant fungiwood wheel chocks, I can telekinetically remove these when I wish to open my doors, but any humans will have no way of accessing them for removal. I think its obvious why I overengineered this gateway; its an overt entrance to my dungeon. To misdirect anybody who might care to break through the gate, I etch the following sentence onto the outside face of the outermost door: Property of Weston Lomarec, no trespassing. Hehehe, I sure hope he wont mind! The interior of the airlock will be where I pile up my stone blocks. Whenever I wish for the humans to pick them up, I can just toggle the airlocks state, maintaining the isolation of my dungeon. With that taken care of, I set to work on designing the block transportation vehicle which will traverse the passage. Ive created a wagon with 6 wheels and no steering. Much like a trains this vehicle has conical wheels which ride tracks. For rails, Ive carved two parallel grooves down the full length of the tunnel, spaced 80 cm apart. The conical wheels will rest atop the lip of the grooves such that gravity allows for self-preventative derailing. The wagon is 75 cm wide and 2.2 m long, the reason for these dimensions is simple; it will be able to carry 10 of my regular wagons at a time, each of which will be loaded with CMUs. In essence, each regular wagon, with their own payloads, will be loaded, via an elevated platform, perpendicularly onto the big wagon. The bed of the big wagon is roughly 1 regular wagon wide and 10 regular wagons long. Its a gimmick, sure, but its a fun gimmick. Furthermore, it means I wont have to manually unload the regular wagons twice, now theyll only have to be unloaded at the collection point. As entertaining as designing this novelty was, the real fun is in its propulsion mechanism. As I previously mentioned, what Im planning is grossly impractical, but thats not the point. Once more, I focus on the task at hand. Gears have always mesmerized me. That it has taken so long for me to bring them to my dungeon is a crime of the highest order. On the side of the tunnel closest to the human mine, Ive built a marvelous construct. From fungiwood Ive constructed a two-stage linear spur gear train. To clarify, a spur gear is a gear with teeth (So not a cage gear.) which meshes horizontally with another gear. A pinion is the name given to a gear with a small number of teeth. Involute teeth are the style of teeth used most often in gear trains that increase torque, while cycloidal teeth are frequently used in trains which increase angular velocity. (Think of a clocks going train.) The driver pinion is connected to a large wheel via a vertical axle. The large wheel is arranged parallel with the plane of the floor and has 60 shafts pointing radially outwards along its edge. 60 dungeon helpers can each grip one shaft and push in a set direction to power the wheel, in a manner reminiscent of donkey-powered mechanisms. The driver is a 16-tooth involute pinion which engages a 71-tooth involute spur gear. The first driven spur gear is connected via an axle to another 16-tooth pinion which in turn drives an identical 71-tooth final spur gear. Ive chosen a 71:16 ratio for each engagement because 71 is an indivisible prime number, which results in any wear being spread evenly across every meshed tooth.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The entire movement is firmly sandwiched between two thick fungiwood plates, which were themselves made by concatenating several planks horizontally along tongue and groove joints which were then merged. Likewise, the gears are wider than the thickest mushroom trunks, so they were created in a similar fashion. The final spur gear is connected via an axle to a large drum, which will act as the spool for a kilometer-long rope, which Ill need to order soon. The rope will be attached to the front of the big wagon. When the 60 ants work together to drive the push-wheel, the gear train will multiply the torque while reducing angular velocity. The gear train will allow just 60 ants to indirectly pull the big wagon carrying several metric tons of stone blocks. Once unloaded at the airlock, the big wagon with its empty regular wagon payload will be light enough to be easily returned by a contingent of dungeon helpers pushing it directly. To further automate the process, I define a set of conditional commands for my helpers to follow. In a nutshell, theyre as follows: Once the big wagon is fully loaded, 60 of the 70 ants stationed at the satellite nest will drive the push-wheel until the wagon arrives at their end. The second condition is that once the wagon is fully unloaded (Still a manual process, but manageable over such a short distance.) the designated dungeon helpers will push it all the way back before returning to their post. Then the process may repeat itself. Im confident thisll work, my subconscious has handled similar conditional commands in the past. Actually, its just given me an intriguing idea: Is it possible to hijack my subconscious by daisy-chaining conditions in order to compute information? Worth exploring later While Im at a good stopping point, I send Weston a quick request for several km of durable rope, preferably continuous, and refocus on my dungeon. Ill be needing lots of rope in the future. I spent 4 days waiting for my domain to fully permeate the lush cavern as well as building a total of 30 regular wagons and defining the parameters which will allow my dungeon helpers to operate wagons. Getting the helpers to steer the regular wagons was an exercise in patience, but in the end, they managed to reach a serviceable performance level. When I excavate, I will directly cut out the properly sized blocks and telekinetically place them onto a nearby wagon. When I notice its full enough, I can give the command and my dungeon helpers will automatically take it away and load it onto the big wagon. Im looking forward to receiving my rope in a couple days, with it, my system will be complete, and Ill be able to mine fiendishly fast. I can already tell Ill need to scale up soon, I highly doubt that just one large wagon will be enough to support the throughput Im aiming for. To be honest, my perspective has been slightly skewed, the large wagon might be big compared to a dungeon helper, but its not that impressive. At 1 km, the rope will sag in the middle, so Im a bit worried about it wearing out from being dragged across the ground. Perhaps in the future Ill build more massive transportation apparatuses with integrated power sources, be they animal powered or otherwise. Speaking of which, I still need to explore the capabilities of runes. At any rate, I went into this knowing it would be a temporary solution. The project achieved its goal of preserving my sanity; even I need entertainment from time to time. I even improved my cutting and merging skills. Its unusual how much of an effect unique practice has on their effectiveness. I want to make a note here and state that I havent been neglecting my magic practice during this time; indeed, my mana manipulation ability has made good progress. That said, I do think its time to get back to studying my books. Earlier I resolved to focus on assimilating the caverns inhabitants to enhance my defense before concentrating on magic, however, it has taken a while for the larger animals to get added to memory, so I may as well get some research in while I wait. After making it about halfway through Principles of Runescript, Im met with the much-anticipated monotone voice of Mr. Normal. That...that is a terrible name. I think Ill continue to refer to them as cave centipedes. Sure, they do slightly resemble spiders with their short bodies, piercing mandibles, and outrageously long legs, but its a stretch, to say the least. Shifting my point of view to the cavern, which is finally fully within my influence, I look around for the centipedes who are now mine. Its easy to find members of my dungeon at will, I seem to have an innate sense of their whereabouts, very handy indeed. In the loamy soil underneath the towering mushrooms I count a staggering 200 comparatively minuscule pale, white centipede nymphs emerging from a clutch of eggs. With the adults being a meter long, Im surprised to see the nymphs are only around 4 centimeters each. I suppose even at their immense size, the giant cave centipedes have remained an r-selected species; emphasizing rapid growth rates and high fecundity. For lack of a better phrase, I wrap one in my sense and analyze its genome, which is misleading because I have a much more macroscopic perspective. While Im not interested in changing them for now, I can use my species modification ability to better understand an organisms physiology. I find that, unlike normal centipedes, this species carries a purely paralytic venom within their mandibles. Actually, I shouldnt call them mandibles, as theyre actually a pair of forcipules; modified forelegs which have evolved to pierce and inject venom. Thats certainly curious, but not nearly so much as my latest discovery. Insect blood is known as hemolymph, as it doesnt transport any oxygen, just nutrients. Its lack of oxygen carrying hemoglobin (and thus red blood cells) is the reason for its decidedly un-red, yellow color. These cave centipedes though? Their blood is red, suggesting that oxygen is being forcefully circulated throughout their bodies. As for how theyre taking up atmospheric oxygen, I find the answer in an internal organ situated at the rear end of their bodies. It is connected to 8 axially arranged hollow tubes on their underside, which each emerge near the centipedes anus. The tubes function is apparent; theyre tracheas, and lining their walls is a repeating pattern of interlocking runescript. I could see myself splicing red blood cells with an invertebrate, and the macroscopic runescript is veryunnatural looking as well. Could it be? Is this an artificial species? Chapter 20: Respiration Situation 3 of the centipedes tracheas continuously intake air while the other 5 expel it. Air flows through several layered folds inside the myriapods odd respiration organ. Unlike lungs, air flows in just one direction, with dedicated inlets and outlets. Not all of the tracheas are lined with runes, only 4 of the 5 outlets have them. From what I can tell, the runes are somehow propelling the gas passing through their respective outlets, generating a pressure gradient which allows for a continuous flow. Thus, rather than alternating between inhaling and exhaling, the air is always moving in the same direction. The walls of the tracheas are made of rigid chitin, as a sort of internal protrusion of their exoskeletons. The lines of the runes are composed of some sort of granular white solid, perhaps a Calcium salt. All told, while the active respiration adaptations are clearly the reason these arthropods can grow to such sizes in an atmosphere with a normal partial pressure of oxygen, the airflow is decidedly weak. I can sense how much mana is flowing through their runes as well as how much air is being moved and I am not impressed. In other words, the amount of air being pumped is, in my opinion, pathetic when you consider the runes mana consumption. Either this is an incredibly inefficient setup or using mana with runes to pump a fluid is simply difficult and/or impractical. Regardless, once I learn how to make runes, I can copy this runic pattern for use in inorganic constructs. Which brings up some interesting questions related to the origin of this species. If it is indeed artificial, then it couldve been engineered to express these runes, which implies the designer understood its arcane effects. Furthermore, the designer wouldve needed advanced knowledge of biology; a level of understanding I wouldntve expected from the inhabitants of this world. So, either runic and biological knowledge was applied to the species, or runic knowledge is actually obtained from the observation of biology. Biomimicry, and all that. Its much to soon to jump to conclusions and assume theyre an artificial species. Its equally possible the worlds civilizations discovered runes by observing naturally occurring biological arcane constructs. Things like eyes, for example, are, arguably, considerably more complex than this, so I wouldnt be too surprised if these runes did emerge via natural selection. You know what they say, evolution is a blind watchmaker. But that would imply runes could exhibit reducible complexity and maintain limited function, thus verifying the existence of quantifiable physical laws which govern magic. Exciting! Moving on, I need to address my youngest minions. I have 200 of the little guys dashing through the undergrowth in the still-untamed cavern. The fact is, if I dont intervene, most of them will become prey to other predators before they mature. Im trying to establish a military force here; I should nourish the young centipedes. I open one of my logistics tunnels up and will them to enter my dungeon proper. Essentially telling them to not harass my leafcutters and goliath2 beetles, I give them free reign. Additionally, I command any predators such as spiders, lizards, birds, squirrels, etc. to leave them alone. Im not going to lie, my main dungeon areas probably wont be able to sustain 200 fully grown cave centipedes, but its a good enough nursery for now. I can send them back out into the cavern once theyre big enough to fend for themselves, and by that time, Ill probably have full control over its animals anyway. Its time to get serious about my safety, while having powerful predators under my influence is essential, expansion is equally important. My dungeon helpers are absolutely instrumental in facilitating my growth. The more I grow, the more minions I can support, as such, expanding goes hand-in-hand with defense. While my normal dungeon helpers are useful, and will always remain as such, there are some tasks which would be simpler if I had a larger caste available. I could take the hard route and try to splice red blood cells and their dependencies onto ants, but why go through the effort now that I have access to arthropods who already express the adaptations? Sure, myriapods and insects arent nearly as closely related as youd initially assume, but by golly, theyre closer than vertebrates! Not only will I need to change the nature of the ants blood, but also their circulatory structure In fact, theres even more to it than that; red blood cells dont contain nuclei and are thus incapable of cellular division. The centipedes bypass this difficulty by having a small marrow containing cavity in their bodies which produces red blood cells. Already, I can tell thisll be challenging, and I havent even considered the gas-exchange organ. Itll no doubt require multiple passes. Before I initiate the modification process on one of the queen ants, I gather up 14 magicite crystals, my entire collection, around my dungeon core. Topping off their mana reserves, I set them in place around me. My intention is to draw mana from them, in addition to my innate reserve, while I make the modifications, hopefully saving me some time.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I begin the familiar process of wrapping my sense around an organism and begin mentally forming a new template. Geez, that was an ordeal. Im almost embarrassed to say it took me 24 hours of intense focus to establish the modification template. After that, I poured every last bit of mana I could spare into the modification, and I can already tell it will take a couple more attempts before Im finished with the circulatory system. Which is crazy, really, with the cavern and all the other latest additions to my dungeon, I have a veritable ocean of mana at my fingertips. My internal mana capacity has scaled proportionally to my regeneration rate, so itll only take a little over a day to reach my maximum capacity again. Still, its insane how much mana this is going to require! And I still have yet to include the respiratory organs and size boost! Really, theres no reason for me not to go ahead and include those changes in the template, so get to work on that while I wait for my mana to fully regenerate. After 30 hours my mana has fully replenished, in that time I had almost, but not quite, finished the new template. I had to take some, uh, creative liberties with the placement of the tracheas. Or more accurately, I reduced it to 1 inlet and two outlets, with the rune-bound one being the (significantly) larger of the two outlets. Im not entirely sure why only some of the outlets had runes, perhaps they serve some sort of pressure equalization purpose which is useful in the event of a blockage. Who knows? In any case, I figured I should include them since I dont understand their function and they might play a vital role. More research is needed. More research is always needed. Once more, I begin pouring mana into the target queen. Three more iterations, three! In total, Ive sunk 6 days into this project. Well no, I finished the template a day ago, but I had to perform some long overdue gardening and dungeon micromanagement in the meantime. I just hope its all been worth it If everything goes well, the final version should be a staggering 50 centimeters in length! Based on my observations of the diminishing returns associated with the mana expenditure and the degree of change, I can safely conclude that I am far from the new size limit, but Im going to need a lot more mana for that... Actually, heres something interesting: before I had access to Advanced Arthropod Respiration?, I was unable to make my ants any larger. At first, I thought this was due to some sort of limitation on how much I could change something, but in these past few days Ive managed to achieve something way beyond my initial expectations. Perhaps thats a result of the growth in my mana reserve and/or practice. When working on a template, I can somehow tell whether or not a modification will work, for instance, if I remove a species'' heart, I have an innate sense that it will result in a miscarriage. Does this mean my subconscious is simulating a living being, or is it just an instinctive layer of common sense? Probably the latter. Dungeon core psychology is a right mystery, I feel that if I keep questioning these things, Ill be opening Pandoras Box. And you know me, I definitely wouldnt leave such an intriguing mystery untouched. Yet another thing to add to my official List of Things to Look Into Once Safe. Anyway, my new caste of leafcutters if complete. Just as before, I instruct the modified queen to produce some new haploid alates, virgin queens and drones, so that I may have multiple of the modified queens in the future, for insurance purposes of course. Flexing my mighty creative talents, I come up with a brilliant name for the new variant: Super Helpers. These fellas are going to be huge, the brood chambers definitely wont be large enough, so I set to work manually excavating a new set of chambers for the main leafcutter nest to expand to. After all, I cant rely on the ants natural instincts to accommodate their modified brethren, so I have to dig their specialized housing myself. After just a couple hours, Ive carved several sprawling leafcutter warrens suitable for half-a-meter worker ants. I dont know how much food these individuals will need, so I instruct the queen to lay more eggs than is probably sustainable, 500 to be exact. If that ends up being too many, and it most certainly will, then I can feed the excess to my little centipedes. Well, theyre not very little anymore. After 6 days of engineering my monstrous ants, the energetic predators have molted several times and grown substantially. At 25 centimeters long, theyre already the strongest of my current species, and theyre still just a 4th of their adult size! It wont be long before every species in the cavern comes under my control. Indeed, other than the dragonflies, certain vipers, and some plants and fungi, I already have total control. Heres what Mr. Normal had to say about that: Its still odd that I get separate entries for the same species. These fungus gnats are quite interesting, being fully adapted to cavern life. Much like the giant cave centipedes, they sport rune-assisted lungs. This wouldve been an excellent opportunity to prove whether or not giant arthropods were engineered if only the differences werent substantial. Unfortunately, (Or fortunately, from another perspective.) their respiratory system is different enough from the centipedes that I cant conclude theyre artificial. The fungus gnat adults have 66 small pores on their bodies while the maggots have 48. Each pore has the same runes as the cave centipedes and is isolated from the other pores, not forming a network. Every few seconds a fly (or maggot) exhales by cycling a pulse of mana through the runes in each pore. The pores each expel some of the air inside them, and the resulting low-pressure area causes fresh air to rush back in after each cycle. Not at all like the continuous unidirectional flow of the centipedes. Now that I think about it, this is a method which seems much more suited to species like flies (Or ants) who have a larval stage, as opposed to species like centipedes whos young are essentially smaller adults. Too bad Id created the super helpers before making this discovery. Moving on, their larva are glow worms who produce long silken fishing lines out of saliva on the caverns ceiling. At 40 centimeters long, one worm can apparently create about 30 lines, some of which can be as long as 10 m! The glow worms emit a soft blue bioluminescent light, which serves to attract prey to their nests. When flying animals get tangled up in their dangling lines, the worm will reel them in and devour them alive. Ive seen many cave swallows meet their ends in these traps. In fact, the only escapees Ive witnessed so far have been the enormous dragonflies. Chapter 21: The Rendum Chamber Thats just wrong! You cant go and call a bird a swallow if its actually a swiftlet, my inner ornithologist is outraged! These little birds fly around gobbling up aerofauna as well as scavenging for fruits, seeds, etc. Unfortunately, unlike the species Im familiar with from Earth, they dont make their nests from saliva, but instead build traditional nests out of twigs and the like within the gills of the fungus trees. And speaking of which, I now have an ID for my primary fungiwood source. The yellow growths certainly resemble mushrooms, but the key difference here is that the the bulk of the organisms mass is in the fruiting body, not the mycelium. I imagine thats an evolutionary product of their dependence on arcanasynthesis. Still, they do network to some extent, forming clusters of trees which belong to a single individual. The cave drifter is perhaps the most interesting of the trio of organisms Ive shared here. They are, as you may recall, the floating aerial jellyfish I witnessed when Id first breached the cavern. Numerous sizes are represented in their population; ranging from 10 to 60 cm in diameter. Initially, Id figured they were employing some sort of magic shenanigans to levitate, however now I can clearly see I was mistaken. In reality, their skin is extremely thin, and they are exceptionally lightweight. The jellyfishs enclosed bells are filled with buoyant hydrogen gas which enables flight. And that is simply incredible. Theres nothing like this on Earth. I cant rule out magic just yet, however from what I can tell, cave drifters have a natural means of either extracting or synthesizing hydrogen. Ill need to closely study their diets in order to solve the mystery of their hydrogen source. If they end up providing a plentiful and scalable supply of hydrogen gas, Ill have many more options in the future. Flammable gasses are very useful. While I was creating my super helpers, (who are developing nicely, by the way) Wes delivered the rope Id asked for to the same location where I had first collected my purchases. Now that I have some time on my hands, I can put the new stone block supply chain through its paces. My merchant acquaintance provided me with several kilometers of hemp rope, though not continuous, so I effortlessly tie the separate pieces together with a double fishermans knot. Ive never tied one of those before, but at some point I mustve seen a diagram. Let me tell you, life as a dungeon core does have its perks. The first of many being that I wasnt faced with oblivion upon my death but, well, that wouldnt be exclusive to dungeon cores, would it? Would it? I wouldve probably heard about it by now if reincarnation was a common occurrence. Ill keep my ears peeled for any mention of the afterlife. I really need to get my hands on some hemp plants, it is an unbelievably versatile fibrous crop used in the production of paper, rope, (duh) textiles, oils, and more! Ill ask Weston for some seeds soon. Punching a hole in the spool drum on my gear reduction, I thread one end of the rope through and tie a knot around the end. Measuring out a 1-kilometer length of rope from there, I make a cut and tie off of the fresh end to keep it from fraying. Next I fasten it to the large wagon and admire my handiwork. Small. Its so small! Now that I have giant cave centipedes and super helpers, my sense of scale has once more been skewed. Of course, as long as I continue to improve and expand, old designs will be rapidly outmoded. Its only natural, so Ill just have to get over it and keep moving forward. And to be honest, Im not upset, I genuinely enjoy the process. As long as I dont spend more than a couple hours a day excavating, the current wagon system should be able to handle the volume of stone. The Caverknights are slated to arrive in Sevit in just a few more days, once theyre stationed, I presume the upper, or first subterrane, the Lyrians name for the cluster of caves just beneath the planets surface, will be opened to the public. I want to have a collection of stone blocks ready for Wes to pick up as soon as he can, therefore I start mining now. As I dont have any ongoing excavation projects, I decide to begin excavating a miscellaneous room near my cores hideout, Im sure Ill find a use for it later. With finesse, I slice into the overgrown-with-moss rhyolite walls while making sure I maintain precision. After all, theres no point in setting a standard if I dont conform to it. The shafts pointing outwards from the sides of each normal wagon allow 12 dungeon helpers to push on both sides, with the front 4 responsible for steering as well. Loading 12 15x15x30 cm blocks in a 2x2x3 block configuration. I send the first cart off. I felt comfortable stacking this set 3 blocks high because there isnt any rough terrain or steep slopes between my current location and the large wagon. Indeed, Ive already gone through the effort of flattening a road for the normal carts to traverse. The large ants industriously haul the cart to its waypoint. While theyre on their way, I make a few adjustments to the organic steering script Id created as I notice minor flaws. I dont know if its a good or bad thing that the ants follow my orders so precisely. On the one hand, it makes them predictable and simplifies debugging, but on the other, theyre not adaptable while under a compulsion. Ants may not be the best test subjects for this; but I wonder if theres a way to achieve a middle ground between following orders and adhering to natural behaviors.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Watching the ants maneuver the laden vehicle through the lush corridors of my dungeon is quite the sight. I could really get used to this. To keep the path clear of organic debris, I created a janitorial dungeon helper crew whose job is to remove obstacles such as weeds, moss, corpses, etc. Arriving at the large wagons station, the ants carefully wheel the manual wagon up onto the larger vehicles bed. Once its loaded with 10 wagons, the wheelhouse operators should automatically take action and reel the payload over to the humans mine. It doesnt take any longer than an hour to fully load up the large wagon. Im sure Ill make faster progress once I develop a muscle (Mana?) memory for cutting CMUs to the proper size. Though even now, my mining speed has slightly increased. Not having to cut everything to a pebbles size really shaves a lot of time off the process. As soon as the ants who were pushing the tenth cart disembarked, the wheel-pushers started driving the gear train from a kilometer away. With little delay, the thick rope was pulled taught and the encumbered wagon began to trundle down its designated path. Swinging over to the far end, I check up on the basic mechanism while its in operation. The thick fungiwood cogs produce a satisfying deep tumbling sound as they turn. The gear train and its casing is extremely robust, really, it has to be, wooden gears arent known for their ability to handle powerful torques. Or well, they are known, but not in a good way. Heh. After a little while of waiting, the large wagon arrives, and the dungeon helpers stop driving the push-wheel without trouble. As I unload my first batch of stone blocks into the airlocks center, I realize Ive made a minor oversight. As my blocks are rectangular prisms, masons seeking to lay my blocks in arrangements with flush edges while still maintaining alternating brickwork will need to make use of half blocks from time to time. Now, cleanly cutting such hefty solid stone blocks is no easy feat for anyone whos not a glorious dungeon core such as myself. Im sure Wes will have no trouble procuring some extra coin from the sale of 15x15x15 cm half-blocks and it takes almost no extra effort on my part to make them a reality! -------------------- Fifteen older men clad in white robes casually chatted amongst themselves and mingled with each other. The prestigious chambermen were meeting in Griffith Lamberts mansion in Rendum, one of the Lyrian low-capitals and the seat of the Rendum Chamber. An outsider would immediately recognize the mens ease with each others presence; indeed, the atmosphere was decidedly jovial. Though they often expressed opposing interest, it was well known amongst civilian circles that the Rendum Chambermen were tightly knit and highly cooperative. This could be partially attributed to the ties forged by their families when theyd first settled the land persisting over the last couple generations. Griffiths hemicyclic Assembly Hall was one of the many preferred meeting places of the other 14 chambermen. Griffith himself wasnt exactly a fan of this arrangement, but he never voiced his thoughts on the matter. As the province of Rendum is relatively new to the Lyrian Empire, the local chambers numbers had yet to swell to a size which would justify the creation of an official meeting chamber. Of course, the 15 men didnt much mind, if anything it left them each with more individual influence. Taking a seat in a high-backed leather chair, Griffith raised his voice and spoke out over the crowd, Attention everybody, its time to begin the meeting, he said simply. Parting from their discussions, half of the chambermen followed Griffiths example and took their seats while the other half remained standing. It was no bother, the Rendum Chamber wasnt old enough yet to find itself bogged down by superfluous customs. No one here was haughty enough to take issue with the laid-back atmosphere. Continuing, Griffith Lambert said, As youre no doubt aware, were meeting here today to discuss our next course of action with respect to the colonization of Sevit. Would you speak Elkin? Elkin Hran, the youngest and unquestionably the most enthusiastic and invested in Sevits progress, stood up from his chair and addresses the crowd, I call on each of you to focus your efforts on the new settlement. One century ago the city of Sorson was founded on the second Lyrian mana well. In that brief window of time, they have grown to dominate, second only to Lyria! The chambermen who saw that endeavor through have, and continue to, reap rewards a thousand times greater than their costs. He took a breath and made eye contact with everyone in the room before proceeding, Now we find ourselves in the same position as those titans once did. We would be fools to not strike while the iron is still hot; I motion for the Rendum Chamber to relocate to Sevit. Only by focusing every resource on the development of this heaven-sent mana well can we rise to prominence! Without hesitation, the gathered men supplied their Ayes or Nays. Theyd known of Elkins bold proposal in advance. Six ayes and nine Nays were counted. The chambermen couldnt go their separate ways, especially since they were already so few for the size of the region over which they governed. The chamber would remain in Rendum. With aplomb, Elkin retook his seat and briefly made eye contact with Declan Campbell. He hadnt expected it to go any other way, so he did his best to set up his ally. Predictably, Declan rose and cleared his throat before the assemblage and announced his counterproposal, For many of you, relocating to a frontier so soon is simply impractical. That said, we can still secure each of our familys future prosperity by sending our successors to represent us while we take care of our broader duties here. The benefits are threefold: Our chosen successors will gain experience and learn what it means to govern. The, dare I say, soon-to-be city of Sevit will be provided with much needed administration and guidance. And, of course, our families will establish themselves in the new region. I have no doubt there will come a time when we do decide to relocate this chamber, doing so will be easier with our feet already in the door. You all know what it means to settle the nations third mana well; logic dictates we act now. What say you? The robed men unanimously assented. To say nay would be to forfeit their familys future standing. No one present was delusional enough to dismiss the significance of a new mana well. Before moving on to the next topic of discussion, Griffith said to his guests, Our successors should travel to Sevit together. Furthermore, I fear we may need to fight to defend our latest acquisition. The Capital Chamber has sent word of elven movements along the outskirts of Merival Wood and the imperial army is marching to quell the aggression as we speak. I find it possible that the conflict may force other threats out of the woodworks. It would be na?ve of us to assume we and the Isolens are the only entities colonizing the land cleared by the Upheaval Project. Let us discuss allocating additional forces. Chapter 22: Startup In a few hours the sun will rise, and the mine will be reopened. Yesterday the Caverknights arrived by horse and scouted out the natural catacombs. Though I missed most of it, I was able to spend a little time watching them. In total there are 40 men, which is apparently more than whats normally supplied to towns of this size. There are archers, spearmen, bola throwers, and even a trio of obvious mages! I think its safe to say theyre preparing for the population to grow and have gone ahead and come in force. Indeed, all signs point to the explosive rise of Sevit and I dont know whether I should be scared or excited. I cant help but wonder how many hoops Id have to jump through in order to purchase land under my name, property values are going to soar! Yesterday I notified Wes that my first batch of revolutionary (A dungeon can dream.) pseudo-CMUs was ready for pickup. He assured me that hell have everything in order for when the Caverknights give the go-ahead. I really want to see how he explains away the sudden new source of quarried blocks. Though lets be honest, its Wes were talking about, hell probably just tell the full truth as he understands it. Not that Im bothered by that, mind you, if anything I respect the man for his honesty. Rather than spend the next few hours being productive, such as by finishing Principles of Runescript, I take a break and admire my surroundings. The settlement of Sevit predictably coincided with the optimal window of time for planting. By now the farmers fields have spread far out over the surface and a multitude of diverse crops are beginning to sprout. The town is growing rapidly, new buildings are being erected left and right. The most prominent constructs: the administration building, barracks, and Westons building were also finished. For the most part, the administration building and Westons building were empty. I presume governors will eventually arrive to staff the former. As for the latter, the word on the street is that Weston is looking to found his own side company. Ill definitely be sure to weasel out the details during our next correspondence. Any land not occupied by man has rapidly recovered from the previous volcanic calamity. Sure, the soil is exceptionally fertile due to the burning of the forest, but things are still moving along much quicker than expected. No doubt the mana wells presence is to blame. The rolling hills are blanketed in wavy grasses and wildflowers. Sprigs of saplings race to outcompete their neighbors; this area could very well become lightly reforested in just a few years! Nearly a kilometer away runs the, surprisingly straight, slow moving wide river. It has potential as a shipping lane, hopefully there arent any waterfalls downstream. Gazing up at the night sky for a few minutes, I make an intriguing observation. Looking closely at the moon, I notice that its a solid grey, much like Luna. (When viewed from the planets surface, of course.) But let me reiterate, its a solid grey. As far as I can tell, there arent any visible features such as darker regions resembling, for example, Lunas Sea of Tranquility. Furthermore, there are no visible craters on its surface! Though I havent noticed any issues prior to this moment, I cant yet rule out the possibility that my odd brand of dungeon sight is the source of the visual anomaly. Oh, what a mystery this is! Ill need to cross reference my observation with a human and maybe consider building a telescope. The sun crossed the horizon and the townsfolk began to filter out of their homes. True to his word, Wes took care of hiring a crew of porters to pull a fleet of wooden drays. The Caverknights, who slept in the recently finished barracks, promptly took their stations at the mines entrance and stood aside as Westons men entered the sloping shaft with their rickety drays in tow. Trailing behind were the miners, I suppose theyre here for more than just breaching the first subterrane. Wes didnt stand around idly, he joined his hired hands in the confines of the passage, presumably to guide them to the collection point. Initiating contact with Wes, who is probably just as much in need of direction as his laborers, I said, Hey Weston, Im glad youve made it. After entering the cave, follow the tunnel upwards, youll have no difficulty spotting the block cache. He expressed his understanding and then directed the haulers through the natural corridor. If I was more rational, I wouldve opened the airlock prior to their arrival, however, the showman in me was having none of that. Though I did go ahead and seal the inner door. Weston and his crew arrived before what, to them, mustve appeared to be a solid rhyolite slab blocking a clearly artificial tunnel branching away from the caves path. And to be fair, thats exactly what it was. Of course, the slab door is simply the visible portion of a much wider rolling stone wheel with a 3 meter diameter, which is mostly obscured from their sight. I give them the chance to read the writing Id carved into the doors visible face: Property of Weston Lomarec, no trespassing. Their reactions were underwh- oh wait, theyre illiterate.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Wes steps forward to take a look, and raises an eyebrow at my message but doesnt otherwise react. Ill surprise him one day, mark my words! With that taken care of, I dislodge one of the gigantic fungiwood wheel chocks wedged under the door and begin to roll it aside right before the crowds eyes. As I slowly and dramatically roll the gargantuan barrier into a recess in the wall, I consciously knock a few pebbles out of the ceiling for added effect. Moving the door while Im alone is already difficult, but in the presence of humans, it takes even longer to push aside. I almost forgot about the effect non-minion creatures have on my abilities. As I finish up my little performance, I glance around Come on! I was killing it out there and my audience is barely reacting! I just shifted a multi-ton stone with magic and all they do is take a few steps back in response? Wheres the groveling or awe? What must these peopleve seen for this to be normal? Do I even want to find out? I suppose magics psychological impact would be limited when observed by people who grew up in a world of mages and beasts, but still! I gave Wes the go-ahead and he directed everyone inside. In the center of the room loomed a neatly stacked pile of a few thousand blocks, I expect the workers to be busy here for a good portion of the day. The laborers stacked what they could pull in their drays and left the cave one-by-one. I followed the lead porter, and Wes who was with him, to what mustve been a predefined drop-off just outside the towns ever-widening perimeter. Gregor Dunn, the builder and architect whom Id met so long ago was present as well. As the earliest hired hand began to unload the contents of the cart and Gregor excitedly jogged over to inspect the stone blocks. Carefully analyzing the quality of my handywork, which I can assure you is of the highest order, Gregor turned to Wes with a broad smile on his face and said simply, How much? Already prepared with an answer, Wes replied, For now, two pieces per full-sized block. Same price for half-blocks. Of course, that price may be subject to change in the future, it remains to be seen if our supply will hold out. I take offense at that last statement, but quickly realize its just Wes doing what a greedy merchant does best. Scratching his stubble, Gregor eventually nodded and said, Thats fair. How many will there be in this first batch? Precisely 3429 full-sized blocks. As for why that count is so specific, I honestly couldnt say, my client went off about harmonic means but it went right over my head. Well have the next batch ready in just a few more days. Heh, sometimes I get a little too carried away, huh? Stopping to think for a moment, Gregor spoke up again and said, Well, Ill buy all 3429 of them right now, do we have a deal? Oh boy, that was easier than I expected it to be! After accounting for Westons 40% commission, that leaves a little over 4000 pieces for me! Money can buy so many things! Only after shaking on the deal (And let me point out here, its interesting that this worlds people even practice the familiar gesture.) did Wes ask the question which had been at the back of both of our minds: So what do you plan on using all the blocks for? Gregor said, The Local Chambers members are sending their sons and successors to Sevit as we speak. Theyre no doubt going to request for the construction of dwellings suitable for their station. Ive made enough money lately that I feel safe taking on such an ambitious project for them! Apparently having already heard the news, Wes replied, Well Im glad to hear youre taking on a new venture, and I wont hide that Im looking forward to supplying your company. Every day I grow more excited about the future of Sevit. Im glad we took a slice of the cake early. Chuckling, Gregor said, Indeed, indeed my friend! Nomisma has blessed us with good fortune! And to think, the Local Chamber is already mobilizing, Sevit is growing so fast that it already requires governors. As the conversation begins to wrap up, Gregor asks Wes if he could tell his workers to drop the blocks off at another location closer to the future site of his large project, to which Wes happily obliges. Should I be worried about the Local Chambers meddling? From my understanding of Lyrian politics, I can essentially treat them as nobility; as the degree of nepotism in their ranks has reached a critical mass such that chamber positions are, in essence, self-perpetuatingly hereditary. What if they do the unspeakable and attempt to tax my operation? Oh, the horror, I am trembling in fear! For real though, theyd better not screw with me, Ill have you know my cave centipedes are very scary! Predictably, its time for me to bring attention to a new development in my dungeon. You surely saw this coming While the haulers were transporting my blocks, Mr. Normal deigned to grace me with his monotone presence: I cant sense any newborns around, so I can only assume these giant dragonflies were naturalized into my dungeon instead. Meganisoptera is a prehistoric dragonfly from Earths Carboniferous period who sported a wingspan of 70 centimeters. The high partial pressure of oxygen during that era is what allowed them to reach such enormous sizes. Whats inconsistent here is that I know the Griffinflies of this world to express 3-meter-wingspans, so shouldnt Mr. Normal have said giant? Their nymphs are freshwater predators who lie in wait for prey. When a meal swims by, the nymph will spring from ambush and launch its extendable not-mandibles, or labium, outwards to snatch up the target. Needless to say, I think its obvious how these giant dragonfly nymphs got their nickname. The adult griffinfly, as you know, eats aerial fauna. To support their high metabolism, they have runic respiratory pores running down the length of their long abdomen, much like the giant glow worm fungus gnats, except in much greater numbers. Another difference is that, rather than circulating mana through every pore simultaneously, the griffinflies rhythmically activate the runes in ordered succession, like a ripple traveling down their bodies. You would think a dungeon core would have the ability to hijack the sight of its minions and see the world from their perspectives but alas, I cannot. Therefore, I wont be able to use these mighty predators as scouts, as disappointing as that is. Even so, I can still think of several applications for my griffinflies. Chapter 23: The Seedfolk Ive finished reading Principles of Runescript. The book goes into detail explaining the complex mechanics of runescript. To be clear, runescript is not the same thing as runecrafting, but is instead a component of it. That is to say, runescript is the arrangement of arcane patterns that, when designed properly, results in a magical effect. In other words, runescript is the software side of runecrafting. Generally speaking, runescript is composed of interconnecting lines on a two-dimensional plane, patterns can be combined in an endless variety of ways to produce different effects. It is both fantastic and frustrating. Principles of Runescript does a good job at defining some of the different patterns that are frequently used and how they interact with other runic patterns. From what Ive learned, I feel confident that Id be able to design some basic custom runes. Think of it like a programming language, once you understand the terms and how they interact with each other, you can do almost anything. But that doesnt necessarily mean you understand how the functions youre using work. Most people dont need to understand how a computer adds numbers in order to use a calculator. Actually, no, from what I know so far, magic is a lot more limited and furthermore, less understood. Its more like knowing how to add only even numbers and not understanding what subtraction means. The theory is very incomplete. Which gets me to why runescript is frustrating; at no point does the book explain how new patterns, on a fundamental level, are invented. Or well, it does, but not in a way thats useful to me. In addition to observing biology, as Id previously speculated, runes are also discovered in precursor ruins. But for the most part? Runic knowledge is a gift from the gods. Yeah right! What a load of nonsense! What the book is really telling me is that no one actually understands how they work, therefore new runic patterns are never invented. Actually, that isnt entirely accurate; Id be more correct to say that new runic patterns are not intentionally invented. In certain lucky cases, new patterns are discovered by random trial and error, though the process is exceedingly dangerous. Well, for fleshy beings at least, Hehehe. Indeed, the entire school of soul magic was apparently discovered when some daring mage decided to modify mana accumulation runescript. The revelation that such a thing as soul magic exists isdisturbing, to say the least, as it implies the existence and tangibility of souls. Im sure its just a scientific misunderstanding on the peoples part, but I cant entirely out rule the possibility. After all, I did reincarnate Anyway, moving on, runescript is as useless without the other aspects of runecrafting as a software is without hardware to run it. Though technically outside the scope of Principles of Runescript, it did provide some very broad context. For example, while the size of runescript doesnt necessarily have an effect on a runes magical output, in practice it does. Recall that runic patterns are actually made from metal and/or other more exotic materials. There is a soft limit on how much mana can pass through the material of a rune which is determined by the quality, quantity, and type of material used, as well as manufactured precision. In other words, you can achieve identical magical effects by either using a large rune, or a small rune that is well-built and made from superior materials, among other combinations of the aforementioned metrics. Of course, to achieve truly massive effects, youre always going to be better off building larger runes in order to accommodate the extreme quantity/flow-rate of mana. The book also goes on to briefly mention various obscure schools of runecrafting, such as three-dimensional runescript and the relatively new practice of using kinetic runes, which apparently involve moving parts that activate and deactivate patterns. There is so much left to learn! At my current level of knowledge, I could probably design custom versions of each of the wands Id already purchased, however, I need to put emphasis on design because I cannot, in fact, build them yet. The reason is simple; I lack the metalworking tools. Sure, I could spend my time fabricating them right now, and Im extremely tempted to do exactly that, but theres just one thing I am scared. All told, things have been going my way so far. Ive even managed to gather my courage and interact with civilization! Even so, Im still unsafe. If I was discovered and an influential group of people decided they wanted to end me, thatd be the end of the line. As it stands, my greatest defense is staying hidden, but I cant bank on that forever. Sure, making runes myself would be beneficial, but it could be months or perhaps even years before I can fabricate enough equipment to produce runes to my admittedly high standards. Yeah, thats another problem, Im a bit of a perfectionist. No, for the time being, I need to invest in activities with more immediate payoffs, just as I did when I put off reading for a time. That means building up my dungeons ecosystems and subsequently reinforcing my army, building traps, forging connections, and exploring both the world and its knowledge base.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. But let me be clear here, just because I wont be prioritizing metalworking yet doesnt necessarily mean Ill ignore it. I see no reason not to dabble in it on the side and who knows, I may even have enough downtime to realize that dream sooner than I expect! Also, theres nothing stopping me from hiring other people to fabricate any designs I might come up with in the meantime! Naturally, I might learn of something new that will shift my priorities, some new threat, arcane or otherwise, or a type of magic that I simply cannot do without. Im nothing if not adaptable, so Ill just take things as they come. While ruminating over the future, Im interrupted by the sound of an explosion originating near my recently claimed cavern -------------------- Finnikin hated the Hunt. As a Feeder of the Seed, it was his job to procure food for his people. To do so, the other Feeders and himself would venture deep into the Outside in search of food. This was the great Hunt. To the seedfolk, being a Feeder was one of the most honorable tasks, something any Person would be respected for, as they were directly carrying out the Seeds will. And Finnikin really did wish to please the Seed, its true! The trouble is He was a coward. Then why would he risk himself in the Outside, where the archer pods sprouted, siegelings burrowed, and forgotten beasts roamed? The reason was threefold; he truly wanted to support the People and the Seed, his family wouldve been disappointed if hed refused the Call, and, wellthere was a girl So here he was, on the Hunt. Whats worse, they had to follow Ugly Hinds around. He may be a mage, but that greedy old man was crazy! No one liked him, but he was one of a select few seedfolk whod interacted with the Varnassi defilers; thus, hed been educated on the intricacies of magic and owned an impressive set of bronze armor. As the senior member of the Feeders, Hinds was the defacto leader on this excursion. The Feeders marched down the narrow Way to todays hunting grounds. They frequently rotated their search pattern so as not to tax the environment too much. The 22 seedfolk stealthily traversed the densely vegetated floor of the familiar tunnel leading to their destination. As much as he hated Hinds, Finnikin was thankful for his presence, the last time theyd come this way, theyd encountered a Blind One! The crotchety old mage fired off just one bolt of lightning and managed to kill the beast instantly! Perking up and swiveling his ears, Finnikins acquaintance Jangin said, The Way isnt echoing right, I think theres a blockage. At his words, everyone else listened to the sounds of their footsteps and nodded in assent. Bah! Its probably just a wayward tower-cap taking root where it doesnt belong, Ill smite it where it stands! said Hinds. No one acknowledged his boast, even though they knew it to be true. Hinds is many things, but a liar was not one of them. If they did indeed encounter a tower-cap, well, the result would be predictable. Someone else spoke up, No, from what I can hear, it has to be a cave-in. No one said a word; they knew that if this was accurate, the Hunt would be prolonged. After a few more minutes of silence, the Feeders were met with their obstacle. Being the first to acknowledge it again, Jangin stated the obvious, Thats no cave-in, see how the stones are fused together? It looks like the work of siegelings, but I dont see any paper. With a crazed look on his face, Hinds yelled, I was right you blasted fools! This isnt a cave-in and it certainly isnt the work of siegelings! Spitting all over the place, he continued, This is an Imposters work! When I defeat and bring it to the Seed, Ill no doubt be Anointed! What about us? Said a brave seedfolk. Turning his gaze away from the wall, Hinds aggressively rounded on the person who spoke up and spit out, What about you indeed? Do any of you magicless children actually expect to contribute at all? Im going to have to do all the work, so naturally, the credit will be given to me! No one refuted his words, as a mage, he was by far the most capable amongst them. Nearly everyone except Finnikin was brooding over their exclusion from the discovery. If anything, he was grateful, he wouldnt be expected to partake in what was most certainly a dangerous task. His ears not being what they once were, Hinds pointed at Jangin, the seedfolk whod first noticed the resonant changes in the tunnel, and said, Boy! Get over here and tell me how thick this barrier is! Well used to Ugly Hinds rough attitude by now, he jotted over without protest and placed his large ear against the stones surface. Tapping the wall in a few places, he listened carefully. I think its about fifteen hands thick, said Jangin. As a toothy smile climbed across Hinds fuzzy white face, someone else blurted out, But how do we know if the blood of Melk lies on the other side, that wall looks an awful lot like a stone scab, no? The smile instantly vanished from his visage when Hinds said, You idiot! Youd be cooking where you stand if the blood of Melk was nearby! I have no time for foolishness, everyone, stand back! Hinds took out his wand and inserted five charged magicite crystals, a number that would give any experienced mage butterflies in their stomach. Next, he twisted a knob on the side of the hilt, which disconnected the input rune from the lightning spell and thus connected it to an airburst spell. Knowing full well what was about to happen, everyone scrambled down the passage away from the insane mage. Needless to say, Finnikin leads the retreat. It took ten minutes for Hinds to finish organizing the mana already in the magicite crystals so that he could cast his spell. Standing behind a rocky outcrop, Hinds reached his arm over and around to point his wand at the offending barrier. Pulling the trigger, he rapidly yanked his arm back and dropped to the ground. Silence. An earsplitting bang and a powerful pressure wave punched down the length of the tunnel causing dust to fall from the ceiling and dozens of dormant archer pods to launch their tethered harpoons simultaneously. Every seedfolk understood the dangers of explosions, but Hinds was a well-known lunatic by now. After a minute, the Feeders reconvened at the pile of rubble that was the former barricade and looked out upon their familiar hunting grounds. While nothing immediately jumped out as different, no one was willing to let their guard down. There was an Imposter here. Chapter 24: A Reluctant Defense Oh no! Just in time to see the dust settling in the threshold of one of the formerly blocked off lava tubes connecting to my cavern, my jaw metaphorically drops. Someone, or something, has just infiltrated my dungeon! I rapidly spread my domain across the newly exposed territory in search of the cause of the explosion. Thats when I catch a glimpse of some familiar faces; the tribals have returned. Peeking around a natural stone outcrop further down the forested tunnel, I spot the fuzzy white faces of the bat-eared and shark-mawed men. Seemingly staring straight into my soul, they look out into the cavern with their coal-black eyes. At the head of their party is the bronze-clad mage whod killed the giant olm with a single lightning bolt spell. Behind him was a sizable group of short spear-wielding men with thick red lines painted over their bodies. The man barked out a command to his apparent underlings and, fortunately for me, it was in English, just as it was with the humans. Unfortunately, however, his words didnt sound friendly at all. Wildly sputtering, the old mage said, Stay back, you hear? This Imposter is mine, if yall try to interfere, youll only get yourself killed! I couldnt tell if he was warning them about potential dangers or threatening to kill them, surely the former, right? Continuing, he said, The Imposter obviously made this barrier with its infernal imitation of the Powers, I will subdue its forces and capture it. I will claim glory for the Seed and the rest of you will leave now. Its odd the way he emphasized powers Wait a moment Is he referring to me?! Oh, this is Bad, with a capital B! I should have seen this coming! If I was a prepared dungeon core, I wouldve had plugs ready for each of the tunnels Id dug into the natural cavern. As it stands, the tribals have direct access to my dungeon proper. What a fool I am, I keep telling myself that Im improving and yet I overlook the obvious! What else have I ignored? How else have I unwittingly sabotaged my chances of survival? Without hesitating, I unleash a flurry of well-placed cuts to collapse the tunnels leading to the artificially excavated portions of my dungeon, making sure to confine my actions to the portions of the tunnels farthest away from the cavern so that he doesnt hear any noise. The moment I do so, his ears perk up and swivel around to face the direction of my performance. A crazed toothy grin crawls upwards as he begins to shake in place uncontrollably. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Ive gone and made another idiots mistake! Its bloody obvious that his hearing is superior to that of a humans, his bat-like ears are as large as his head! Gah! All Ive done is given away my location! And who am I kidding, if he was able to blast through my stone barrier, a little bit of rubble isnt going to stop this mages advance! If my understanding of the situation is correct, (And yes, I do realize that its likely that Ive misinterpreted his words.) then this strange sapient creature is going to attempt to kidnap me. If that happens, I will lose everything, potentially even my life! Communication, youre my only hope! I reach out to the man with a telepathic probe. No response. Im unable to establish a link! What do I do, what do I do, what do I do? I cant come up with anything, there has to be something I can do to stop him. Hes jogging over to my collapsed logistics tunnels right now, come on brain, or core, or whatever it is I use to think! I know why I cant think of a solution; I have a mental block. Im unwilling to kill. Nononono, I cant do this. But what else can I do? Im wasting time debating over it! All people''s lives should be cherished, this I believe. Ah, but- But I cherish my own life more than this aggressors. Resignedly, I prepare to crush the man quickly and painlessly with a boulder. Its kill or be killed now. From here on, Ill do my best to ensure I wont ever have to make this sort of decision again.Stolen story; please report. Right as I focus my will on the rhyolite ceiling of the cavern high above the mad mage, he looks up and chuckles. I immediately lose control of my cut ability, doing little more than scratching the stone. In typical dungeon fashion, I reach out my sense to detect the flows of mana in the area and notice that hes consciously forcing it to move in chaotic patterns which are directly hindering my actions. In fact, it reminds me of the effect metal has on my cut and merge abilities, except its even more pronounced! And the range! Its massive! Hes affecting nearly the entire cavern and even some of the space in my tunnels! And if that wasnt bad enough, hes already arrived at the boundary between the natural and artificial portions of my dungeon. Quickly, I telekinetically levitate a large rock and chuck it at the mage. While not as severely hindered as my cut ability, Im still unable to impart the desired velocity on the projectile. Thus, the old man easily dodges the slow-moving stone. From there, he turns a dial on his wand and casts a full-body shield spell. I have no time to contemplate over the workings of his multi-purpose wand as I frantically try to assess the situation. Once hes finished with his shield spell, he steps into the tunnel. Im not too concerned with his protection; Ive already performed extensive testing on the very same spell and have a solid understanding of how much defense is received from a given quantity of mana. I can sense how much he used for his shield; I should be able to overwhelm it if I can get my dungeon helpers close enough. The moment he exited the caverns expanse, his limit on my abilities partially receded at the fringes of its range. This gives me a chance to clear away the rubble in some of my more distant logistics tunnels, as Im going to need a way to move animals from the cavern into the excavated portion of my dungeon soon. Im slightly dismayed that my super helpers havent eclosed yet, but I have plenty of other heavy hitters, the cave centipedes, both those bred by myself and those already present in the cavern, are a good example. I recall every dungeon helper (Even including the mechanism operators stationed near the humans mine, though I doubt theyll arrive soon enough to be of any use.) to the circular disk room which is just beyond my cores hiding place, making sure that they avoid the path of the strange mage. Furthermore, I order my archer beetles, giant cave centipedes, griffinflies, and even a few of the vipers, which had recently come under my control, to congregate in several of the side rooms near my planned ambush site. As much as Id like to think that all-out reckless attacks are beneath me, I cannot deny their effectiveness. The plan is to swarm him with dungeon helpers who will put their powerful leaf-cutting mandibles to use on his ephemeral shield spell. I will also use griffinflies laden with yet more dungeon helpers if things go sour. Depending on how the situation develops, I may decide to lead with them. After the shield is down, or if things are going particularly badly, I will send in the venomous cave centipedes, vipers, and archer beetles to finish him off. As to why Im sacrificing the dungeon helpers; theyre much easier to replenish as I already have droves of giant larva maturing deep within their enormous nests. Approaching the pile of mossy rubble in the logistics tunnel he was inside; the mage turned the dial on his wand once more and loaded two new fully charged magicite crystals into the hilt of his wand and prepared to cast another spell. I have no intentions of interfering yet. Seemingly satisfied with the flows of mana coursing through his multi-purposed wand, the mage chuckles while crouching down. As he points his wand at the cave-in debris blocking the tunnel, a small gap opens up in his shield directly in front of the tip of his wand. He pulls the trigger andnothing happens. A strong concussive explosion rips through the regolith, sending it blasting down the tunnel and thus clearing the mages path. From what I can tell, his spell involves compressing and releasing a dense ball of air, resulting in an airburst! As the man walks through the settling dust, his shield passively displaces the airborne particulates. While I can imagine countless non-combat applications for that property, now is not the time. Changing the state of the knob again, the mage casts several small lightning bolts at the nearby archer pods clinging to the walls, instantly killing them. Oh, now hes done it! From what Ive observed of the tribals so far, they always just avoided the lethal purple bulbs, but this lunatic is going out of his way to kill my inhabitants! It wont be long before he springs my ambush Heading right in the direction of my core, albeit hidden, the fuzzy old man crosses over my designated kill-zone. Immediately, I dispatch 12 of the 23 total griffinflies in my possession. Clasped to the abdomens of each of the griffinflies whore now racing down the narrow corridors of my dungeon are 20 dungeon helpers. At the moment I give my command, each giant leafcutter ant releases their hold on their carriers while the griffinflies simultaneously decelerate and retreat. The result is 12 griffinflies disgorging their angry ant payloads onto the crazed mage in a manner reminiscent of airplanes dive-bombing a ground target. To his credit, the mage quickly responds to the new threat and begins casting more small lightning bolts at the dungeon helpers now slicing into the shield with their mandibles, rapidly draining its mana. Of course, I dont give him any time to retake control of the situation, as one, legions of ants swarm out of the surrounding green catacombs, crawling along every available surface. In response, the mage stops casting his lightning spells and switches the knob on his wand to a new position. Next, he ejects the spent magicite crystals and literally crams 6 fresh ones into the hollow hilt of his wand before closing up the opening with a clevis pin mechanism. Pointing his wand at the horde of thousands of giant ants, he unleashes a wide vortex of fire which sweeps over their numbers. Now the death-toll is starting to climb at an alarming rate, many ants were being cooked alive within their thin exoskeletons, they simply cant reach him anymore. Every so often he has to frantically undo the latch on his wands hilt and replace the magicite crystals with new ones stored in a pouch on his armor. Im thankful that his wand doesnt include revolver functionality! Even so, if I dont take a risk now, hell pick off every last dungeon helper one at a time. I command every hidden adult cave centipede and archer beetle to charge at once. Furthermore, I take direct control over one cave centipede who is trailing behind the onrushing wave of arthropods and gastropods. I decided to leave out the vipers for now, they wouldnt fare well in this heat With their somewhat thicker exoskeletons, the goliath2 beetles manage to push further into the inferno than the ants, but unfortunately, their purple passengers dont fare as well. The cave centipedes especially manage to penetrate the unceasing blaze, due to the synergy between their speed and fortitude. While the mage is spinning in place in an attempt to torch the new arrivals, I stimulate the centipede Im controlling to leap straight at the source of the firestorm. As it leaps directly through the heart of the flames, it instantaneously dies But its charred corpse continues to sail through the airand it passes right through the forward opening in the mans magic shield. Chapter 25: Biocrystalline Life No doubt obscured from the mages view by the blinding inferno raging out from his wand-tip, the charred and heavy corpse of the giant cave centipede sailed through the gap in his shield while he remained none the wiser. With a quiet smack, the chitinous corpse collided with his wand-wielding arm and subsequently his body. What happened next spanned a window of time no longer than a few seconds; the insane mage dropped his wand and stumbled backward from the impact. Next, the still-living centipedes and goliath2 beetles began to rip into the shield, followed closely by the hordes of giant leafcutter ants no longer held back by the heat. The shield fell. Before I had the chance to recall my troops in order to initiate a non-lethal capture, the man quickly picked his wand back up and began to unleash his flames on my inhabitants once more. This is getting too dangerous. I cant risk pulling my punches, who knows what this mage has up his sleeve? I command everything to converge on him at once. In the end, it was a few archer beetle stings that did him in. Im a killer. Thats all there is to it, theres no aha moment, no psychological click. I simply killed the man. Thats not to say that I dont feel guilty, I do. But my reaction is subdued. Im numb. Im sure itll hit me when things calm down. But Im not out of the woods yet. You see, the other tribals stuck around But they dont seem willing to enter my dungeon. What Im about to do is probably exceedingly stupid The tribals are still standing in the entrance of the lava tube leading away from my cavern. Most likely theyre waiting for the old mage to come back. And I dont blame them, I wouldnt want to venture through the underground without a capable fighter either, its a dangerous world out there. Spreading my domain over their location, I execute the idea that Im most likely going to regret later I initiate a telepathic link with each and every present tribal, all 21 of them. Why did he attack me? I only ever wanted to live in peace, I said resignedly, with my emotions evident over the link. Just as I expected, they didnt respond, but instead turned tail and fled down the passage, out of my sight. Im going to need some time to come to terms with todays events -------------------- They ran. Past the ravine. Over the river. Down the great tree. Through the jagged lands. They ran as far as their legs would carry them. Finnikin ran the fastest of all. The first priority of all Feeders is the preservation of their own lives. Second to that is the protection of their fellows. Theyd abandoned Hinds. The Seed would forgive them; theyd made the right decision. The Imposter had awakened. Jangin called out to the group of seedfolk, who, for the most part, had stuck together during their retreat, Weve run far enough, lets rest here. Everyone halted, the truth was, theyd only ran so far because no one else had stopped and they didnt want to be left behind. Every Feeder present was secretly thankful that Jangin decided to bring up the suggestion at all, who knows how long they wouldve continued otherwise. Traveling recklessly through the Outside is unsafe, they couldve easily attracted the ire of some forgotten beast, Others, or any number of different dangers. Theyd come to rest in one of the innumerable expansive caverns dotted across the Outside. Jangin figured thisd be a better place to regain their stamina as the wildlife in this region was primarily jagged and thus uninterested in softs like themselves. The cavern in question is, all told, a brilliantly stunning expanse. This region experiences plenty of water flow; several large fast-moving rivers converge here and spill into the tall chamber via cascading waterfalls. Furthermore, countless brooks and rivulets seep through the porous stone and trickle across a network of intentions recessed into the floor. All the water moving through the poked rock here has resulted in the growth of countless constantly dripping stalactites, and their respective stalagmites, covering the landscape. Every surface is encrusted with strange glittering shards which closely resemble some of the inorganic crystals or gemstones that the seedfolk understood many Others coveted. What sets these mineral growths apart, however, is their lifelike characteristics; each shard is laced with tiny veins filled with a briny liquid and grows in regular, yet complex patterns. Some of the so-scalled jagged-type flora coat boulders in thin mats of shiny and oft-glowing rainbow-colored and sharp mineral-esque jagged leaves mounted upon short stalks while others grew many hundreds of hands tall from the floor or ceiling. And yet, still more different varieties could be found, such as those porous variants who so loved to span across any fast moving body of water in order to capture sediments for some unknown purpose, or even ones who housed more familiar soft species such as leafy plants or fungi in special capsules, for whatever reason. Indeed, some jagged-type trees included hollow, yet sealed, cavities within their bodies that are seemingly home to forever-trapped miniature ecosystems of soft-type terrestrial and/or aquatic flora and fauna.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. And all of this alien crystalline flora coexisted with such common soft-type flora as trees, vines, mosses, giant fungi, and more. Though by no means the rule, most jagged wildlife is, at least as the seedfolk know it, to some degree transparent, putting the tiny branching veins and other mysterious organs on display. Complementing the jagged flora are countless varieties of jagged animals filling every niche, displaying a diversity which is in no way inferior to that of soft dominated ecosystems. Yet entirely alien. Sure, there is tiny jagged fauna filling the same roles as insects, for example, but any observant person would realize that jagged insects are not at all related to soft insects. Of course, that isnt to say there arent also insects present; the different groups of life easily coexist in each others presence, generally only competing for space and water, not food. From the truly titanic to the minuscule, multicolored creatures composed of the aforementioned living minerals munched on the likewise crystalline plant life, while predators clad in endless variations of mineral exoskeletons went about their business of procuring nutritious food. While some hybrid soft-jagged predators do employ the use of natural scythes, thorns, or other sharp body features to take down soft and jagged prey alike, in this predominantly jagged ecosystem, corrosive chemicals, hammers, and other bludgeons are the most common biological weapons employed by the fauna. Many jagged creatures exhibit complex behaviors; with species who might form herds, lie in ambush, build nests or traps, form colonies, or any other familiar activity. Indeed, while not in this region of the wilderness, the seedfolk have had run-ins with civilized jagged-type Others. Jangin thought the duality was majestic, Finnikin abhorrently disagreed. Though they didnt understand why such strange jagged species tended to flourish in these conditions, the seedfolk have still come to learn that the hard, crystalline flora and fauna often proliferated in areas touched by rapidly flowing rivers and soft chalky stone. They were considered relatively safe spaces as fully jagged predators dont have much of a taste for softs such as themselves. Of course, therere exceptions, hybrid species arent entirely uncommon, especially in regions where the environmental conditions are optimal for both groups of life. The seedfolk made their home deep in the jagged lands. While this means theyre relatively safe from the hordes of predators that prefer softs, it also forces them to send Feeders far into the Outside in search of edible soft-type food. Its no trouble though, its what theyve always done. The Feeders traveled the rest of the way to their home with their more usual caution. After all, just because they were in the jagged lands didnt mean they would let their guards down. In the Outside, there are dangers everywhere. Indeed, they knew their current location to be infested with pestle worms, a particularly territorial jagged predator with green-tinted transparent biocrystalline exoskeletons. Pestle worms do not emit light, as they are ambush hunters who rely on stealth. The giant spiny worm-like creatures hide in long burrows carved directly into the stone walls or floor of a cavern, waiting to snatch up any unsuspecting prey passing by their holes. The seedfolk had to pay attention to their surroundings as the back of a pestle worms head is a solid plate covered in camouflaging stone. By tucking their heads into their burrows while hiding, the worms become difficult to distinguish from natural stone. Especially because the local flora has no trouble spreading over the camouflaging stone plates of a pestle worm. If an unlucky seedfolk passed too close to a pestle worms nest, the obscured beast would extend its body outwards and rear back its head to expose four bone shattering clubs which it would then use to deliver a lethal blow in the blink of an eye. As full-jagged creatures, generally speaking, they wouldnt consume the flesh of a soft. That said, the corpse would eventually attract soft-jagged hybrid scavengers, which the worms would be entirely willing to kill and eat. In fact, the pestle worm gets its name from the rock-solid grinding radula it uses to pulverize its preys bodies for consumption. Finnikin was the groups keenest pestle worm spotterother than Hinds. But, well, Hinds wasnt exactly available Did I ever tell yall about the time I saw a centuries worm? Its body was as wide as this chasm! said Jangin. Finnikin liked Jangin, most people did, he was an honest, kind, and talkative fella. But Finnikin really didnt need the distraction right now, he was trying to focus on spotting suspicious terrain mismatches in the walls and floor of the chasm they were traveling across the bottom of. While sometimes quite faint, the boundary between the edge of a pestle worms head plate, and the flush floor or ceiling would often be devoid of large plants, jagged or otherwise. Consider that any large plant would be uprooted every time the pestle worm shifted its head. That leaves behind clear evidence of pestle traps. Still, as much as he shouldnt be making conversation right now, Finn just had to say something. Finnikin said, You have, and I still dont believe any of that bunkum. While it was common knowledge that pestle worms, like many other fully jagged organisms, could continue to grow indefinitely, theres a practical limit on their size due to the limited availability of food and the harmfully disproportionate scaling of metabolic requirements. To say nothing of the fact that such a beast would attract the attention of the ravenous granuldite swarms. The bottom of the chasm they were carefully treading through was lined with such a robust population of pestle worms precisely because its the preferred migratory path of countless animals. Its a natural local choke point. Backing up Jangin, someone else added, I was there myself; we really did see a centuries worm! We spotted it under the cascade, the titanic beastie wasnt even bothering to hide in a burrow! Finn said, Thats insane, how could it possibly find enough food? After a moment of silence, Jangin shrugged his shoulders and coldly said, Look, I know what I saw. You dont have to believe me. Finnikin was visibly hurt, he hadnt expected his acquaintance to turn so serious. Before Finn got the chance to alleviate the sudden tension, Grinkef, a quiet yet ambitious Feeder who wished to one day leave the Seed temporarily to learn the ways of mages, weighed in, Perhaps its a tamed individual? If there are Others feeding it, then I dont see why it couldnt attain the size you claim it to be Jangin. Everyone pondered his words. If Grinkef was correct, thatd be a potential danger to the seedfolk. Sure, their neighbors were mostly passive, however, Others with access to a gargantuan pestle worm could potentially shatter the status quo. Especially if it was in the hands of a hostile group. Pestle worms are highly adaptive and much more intelligent than one would expect of a sessile ambush predator, as such, they are relatively easy to domesticate. Even the seedfolk had used them for excavation purposes; the beasts secrete a corrosive fluid that, with the help of a mysterious arcane ability they have, helps them more easily tunnel through the chalky stone of the jagged lands. Now seriously considering the validity of Jangins fish tale, Finn started to worry. An invasion could be upon their community. Heck, it could even explain the erratic movements of the siegelings! Someone could be displacing them! Chapter 26: Tripartite After two days of traveling through the Outside, the spooked Feeders made it home. While the sheer size of their hunting range is a part of the reason for the long trek, they also needed to make several small detours in order to procure some edible meat for their brethren. No one in the group had any delusions that their party wouldve outperformed any of the other short-range Feeder groups who were dispatched at the same time. Which is insignificant in comparison to the valuable information they had for the Seed. The only question was, whod bear the news? The Seed both pacifies the ferocious beasts of the jagged lands who share their home and stimulates the growth of their herbs. As such, its every seedfolks dream to be of vital use to their Seed. Which is only natural as they couldntve colonized this land without it. Indeed, their own Seed was created long ago by their ancestors who likewise owed their own survival to their Seed. And so on, for countless generations. The story of the seedfolk truly was a story of the ancestral line of Seeds. Indeed, the budding of their own community was long overdue, acquiring an Imposter is the most essential step in the process of birthing a new Seed. Suddenly and briefly Jangin said, Why dont we draw straws to see who speaks to the Seed? Even while being outgoing, Jangin was highly respected by his peers for his straightforward personality. Jangin bundled up 21 wet grass stalks from the jagged plant floor. While soft plants may be an overall minority in this biome, theyre still well represented with occasional instances of large soft flora sprouting about. Everyone grabbed their shoots and compared sizes. Finnikin drew the winning short straw. Finnikin then said, Id like to opt out, Id rather not converse with the Seed. Everyone turned to look at Finnikin. Explaining himself, he said, Look, Id be honored to deliver the news to the Seed, but Im just afraid Ill trip up my words and make a fool of myself. Scratching one of his erect triangular ears, Jangin consolingly responded, Finn, my mother has communed with the Seed on many occasions, shes always going on about how kind the Seed is. Youve nothing to worry about. A few of the Feeders with ambiguously short straws gave Jangin the stink eye, as Finnikin abstaining from delivering the message raised their own chances of winning the second pick. Ignoring the glares, after a pause Jangin continued, Oh, and this is just a small thing, Im sure Tamara would be impressed With his ears falling flat to his head while everyone chuckled, Finnikin said, Fine, you have me. Ill do it! With that settled, they passed through the sprawling cavern that led to their home. The brittle jagged flora crunched underfoot as they crested the ridge obscuring the view of their home, the Inside. Climbing over the barrier they were presented with the breathtaking sight of their community. The village existed within a tall chamber with sloped sides and numerous homes dug halfway into the sloping ground. The houses and other buildings were built from an eclectic variety of materials, ranging from fungiwood, stone, crystal slabs, animal chitin, hardened clay, bleached coral, plant fiber, and even living wood. Even more impressive were the innumerable terraced and stacked gardens interspersed with carved stone irrigation canals, blanketed by a motley of multicolored mosses, carrying water from the cascading waterfall at the edge of the enormous chamber. In stark contrast to the surrounding jagged-dominated ecosystems, the entire area was filled with soft-type flora and fauna. Indeed, in addition to the countless exotic gardens, each and every house included their own rooftop gardens, either with pots for the houses built from organic materials, or simple soil-enclosed rooves for the others. The walls and ceilings are coated with a veritable forest of vine-laden specialized blue and green trees who sprout horizontally from the walls and hang upside-down from the ceiling. While Finnikins people didnt actively cultivate the wildlife clinging to the upper reaches of the cavern, they still harvested their bounties with the help of a complex array of rope ladders and nets, along with extensive networks of pully mounted baskets. Much like the many locations in the Outside, the Inside was home to a robust ecosystem of predators and prey, though because the majority of the floor-space was occupied by the seedfolks homes and farms, most of the wild animals lived in the hanging forest and were either effective climbers or capable of flight. If it wasnt for the profuse rope system spanning the huge cavern, thered likely be a population of titanic cave drifters as well, instead, only the smaller species lazily floated about, passively feeding on the prolific swarms of small insects with their long dangling stinging tentacles. Interestingly, several species of microwyverns called the region their home. With two strong hind-legs and two claw-tipped wings, the man-sized reptilian beasts could easily fly around, feeding on other large climbing fauna. One species even sported a wide and sticky frill around its neck. The folding frill is pocked with holes which allow air to pass through the membrane as it flies through the air with it extended. To feed, said species of drake would dive through clouds of swarming insects, ensnaring them on its sticky frill. It would then proceed to lick them off with its long tongue.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Finnikin split off from the main group who was heading to the feedstocks with their haul, he had a message to deliver. -------------------- Ike had not spoken to Wes at all in the past two weeks, but Ike still stuck to the three-times-a-week prearranged stone block supply schedule. While Wes wasnt actually sure whether or not Ike was directly involved in the stone block operation, he had a sneaking suspicion that he was. The blocks were insanely popular, the abundant supply and their precision make made them extremely appealing for most construction projects. In just two weeks, Westons client had nearly doubled the supply, allowing Wes to seek out new customers beyond Gregor Dunn. Wes really couldntve asked for a better windfall; he was lucky to have Ike as a business partner. While he still wouldve made a killing from his fledgling distribution business due to the explosive growth of Sevit, the added income from the block sales and his mortar importing side-venture was a huge boon. Indeed, with every last builder in the city currently working, as long as Ikes men continued to increase the supply as they have, Wes will be able to surpass the current demand. Of course, thatll only last for a while. The Local Chamber was still sending migrants and now that the city was beginning to establish itself and would soon begin to export a notable volume of trade goods, natural immigration would commence. Of course, Weston sniffed some more immediate business, as a runner had informed Clifford whod, in turn, relayed to Wes that the successors of the Rendum Chambermen would be arriving before the days end. Weston found it incredible that Sevit had managed to avoid any major incidents so far. Sure, there had been some minor thefts, but those had been put down by mob justice. Scary stuff, that. The successors are probably on their way to establish an official administration. Unlike several narrow-minded merchants that he could think of, Weston welcomed their presence. Though their arrival will herald the institution of a taxation policy, Wes wasnt naive enough to ignore the benefits. Of course, he had no doubt that theyd skim a large percentage of the tax revenue off the top for their own selfish pleasures, but overall the benefits substantially outweigh the cons. Free cities never fared as well as Chamber administered regions, the men in power arent idiots, they know how to promote their investments. As a testament to his objectiveness, Wes fully realized that hed probably do the same in their place, so he couldnt fault them too much. Actually, maybe he was a bit biased, after all, he was planning on relieving them of the heavy contents of their pockets Wes was looking forward to launching the foundation of his business, he was working to establish a distribution service for the town of Sevit. Because he was focusing on intercity logistics, his company would not bring him into competition with the Watergarde Merchants Company. Which is essential, as he was going to rely on his job as a Watergarde Liaison to procure imports with priority. Finally finished with his headquarters, an impressive structure which had quite literally drained his coffer, Wes would begin to hire more employees. While his primary workforce entirely consisted of laborers, the expansion of the city, and the subsequent rise in demand for logistics solutions, will necessitate the hiring of literate secretaries. As Westons ambitions for his business had shifted toward a courier-focus, he realized how convenient and expeditious it would be to subsume his stone block retail service; he was already focusing on trade-good distribution, so he could easily reallocate his assets to support the similar enterprise. The citys zoning was getting out of hand, if Sevit had gone any longer without dedicated administrators, any hope for a robust network of roads wouldve been lost. That wouldve severely retarded his future plans. Hed had his coat rack by the window of his shop, as arranged, for several days now but Ike still had yet to contact him. Wes would be sure to bounce the idea of selling road-ready cobblestones off of him when he got the chance. Anyway, he needed to get ready for the new governors arrival. Wes was proud to say that he was currently the most influential man in the city, as such, he found it highly likely that the wealthy new visitors would accept the invitation to a feast that hed paid some townsfolk to prepare. First impressions are very important. -------------------- A caravan of luxurious carriages, complete with lighting runes, followed in the ruts pressed into the earth by the frequent passing of traders. Marching alongside the single-file vehicles in no particular formation were three dozen guards who would later join Sevits defenders. They were wearing lightweight leather-joined carburized iron plate armor and carried decoratively lacquered crossbows and metal-tipped spears. A few of them were mages and substituted their spears with standardized, yet complex brass staves featuring external runic inlays composed of several different materials as well as an array of ergonomic twisting shafts. The passengers of the posh procession included servants and scholars in service of each Rendum Chambermens family. The Local Chamber had sent its members successors to govern the burgeoning city of Sevit. Of the fifteen, thirteen of them were direct familial descendants of their appointees, while the remaining two were dark horses. In the centermost carriage sat an intimidating man who was staring out at the grassy rolling hills of the former forest with a frown on his face. Draven Campbell was Declan Campbells second son and chosen political heir. Hed garnered his familys favor with his work-ethic and ambition. Paradoxically, his older brother had decided to forfeit the responsibilities expected of him and gone off to study under the Commission Mages. Declan Campbell supported his first sons activities, but he was still left with no choice but to name Draven as his successor. And as far as Draven was concerned, that wouldve been a natural development regardless; he considered himself much more deserving of the position. However, Draven never asked to be, quite literally, shipped off to the middle of nowhere. The Rendum Chamber had made the collective decision to send the fifteen of them to govern Sevit and secure its future prosperity. Just as he had, presumably the other fourteen men had also been given the task of establishing their families in the growing new city. Draven had been educated on the military and economic significance of territories that lie within mana wells, however, he didnt see the point in arriving so hastily. They didnt even have a place to live! A runner had informed them of the presence of a local builder who was constructing several refined homes, which was an admittedly odd behavior. While he had no doubts that some of his peers would settle for such unbecoming residences, Draven was having none of it. At best hed use one as a temporary place to stay. If his father was going to send him out here to secure a foothold for his family, then wouldnt it be expected of him to build a new mansion? As he was contemplating his purpose here, Draven looked up and noticed they were nearing the dingy little wooden houses that composed the city of Sevit. Hed have to make the best of the situation. Chapter 27: Meeting the Seed Finnikin broke off from his fellow Feeders and made his way over to the narrow tower which housed the Seed. The tower was hewn directly from the milky stone walls of the seedfolks cavernous home such that it wasnt really a freestanding structure. Being a literal part of the walls of the chamber, every knuckle of the towers surface was coated in soft vegetation boasting bright leaves of every color, and it was even interspersed with the occasional jagged plant, some even out-massing trees. While the Seed maintained soft dominance in the seedfolks oasis, jagged organisms werent entirely barred. Finnikin didnt understand why this was, but he never really questioned it. Though not near the multi-tiered cascading waterfall that the folk had harnessed for their irrigation channels, there were many other countless brooks that spilled into their home via other sources. The tower itself laid directly beneath several small waterfalls; for a large structure such as this, it was inevitable. The mineral-rich falling water kept the dense climbing vegetation moist and fueled the propagation of brilliant reef-like crystalline jagged flora and their specialized consumers. It really was an ideal example of the seedfolks favored aesthetic; life everywhere. The Seeds abode didnt feature a contingent of guards as no seedfolk would dare harm it. Any large group of Others would be noticed long before they made it into the oasis anyway. Still, there was a singular mage who kept a lookout for covert intruders. Finn passed by the mage without incident, he knew that an upstanding seedfolk such as Finn wouldnt come to the Seed without a good reason; such was the way of their community. Walking through the threshold of the loosely hinged and unadorned crystalline green crustwood entry gate, Finnikin entered the first floor of the tower. This was the home of the Seed, as such, it featured such mundane objects as sitting furniture and potted plants. Also present were the decidedly more luxurious runic lighting fixtures that most families didnt own any more than one or two of. Finn had never been in here before, and though hed known in advance what to expect, he was surprised by hownormal everything was. Ascending the, this time normal, wooden ladder, he ascended to the second story where he would speak with the Seed. Why that wasnt on the first floor, was beyond him. The Seed didnt have any servants, no one did, really, so he made his way over to a clearly demarcated rope at the edge of the room that would ring a bell; notifying the Seed who was presumably in their upper quarters. Pulling down on the rope, a strident sound rung out from above. He took a seat in a fungiwood chair; it was well known that the Seed didnt much care for formalities. The floors and ceilings were comprised of rafter-lofted thin planks, so Finn could easily hear the Seed moving about as it came down to meet him. Hearing a metal latch disengaging on the trapdoor above another ladder at the other end of the room, he watched two middle-aged seedfolk climb down; a man and a woman. Glancing over to him, they took a seat at the table he was already seated at. All told, they were normal looking people, except for one key difference; in the center of each of their chests was a small outward facing shallow brass bowl recessed into their bodies. The fur around the implants was mismatched, a clear sign that the boundary had festered long ago. The insides of the bowls were lined with intricate silver-inlaid runescript. These were the Casings crafted by their Seeds progenitor. The only difference between them is that the womans Casing contained a small opaque red crystal; the Radicle of the Seed. These two people are married, but together unified, they Are the Seed. Indeed, a Seed is always comprised of two married individuals who take turns housing the Radicle; carrying it puts a low mental strain on them, so they have to take breaks. Their bond is strengthened via their mastery of mind magic; an inbuilt feature of the Casings. Together with the Radicle, the Seed pacifies the beasts and manages the wildlife within their oasis. Furthermore, it sits above the Council of Constituents and is the obvious first recipient of information pertaining to the seedfolks search for an Imposter. What is your name? asked the Seed in a kindly tone, or more specifically the woman, not that it mattered; they were One. Finn hesitated to ensure that he spoke true, My name is Finnikin, I am a Feeder. Launching straight into the purpose of his visit, he continued, We were on a Hunt when we discovered an Imposter about forty ranges away, in the toxic lands. Taking a breath, he then added, Hinds tried to obtain it, but we fear he lost his life in the attempt The Seed said, This isdisheartening to hear about Hinds, but the chance for us to birth a new Seed and bud is still a joyous development indeed. Tell me, did you see Hinds death yourself?Stolen story; please report. While hed expected it to come up eventually anyway, Finn was still dismayed that hed have to relay to the Seed that theyd essentially abandoned Hinds. He told us to stay back while he procured the Imposter, but he never returned said Finn. The Seed, both people really, shifted its ears forward and asked, Hmm, and how long did you wait? How did you know when to leave? Finn was just happy that he hadnt been chewed out for abandoning Hinds, thus he responded neutrally, The Imposter spoke to our minds, it said, Why did he attack me? I only ever wanted to live in peace. The Seeds ears fell flat to their heads and its charcoal eyes widened in shock. Taking nearly half a minute to respond, the Seed said quietly, Imposters do not do that. Thatswell its completely impossible! It must have a handler or something, how was its voice, what did it sound like? A bit taken aback by the revelation, with growing nervousness Finn stuttered out, Uh, it definitely sounded like an Other, sort of like a Human, I think? He, and it was most certainly a he, sounded genuinely distraught. Thats really all I know. Cleary bothered, the Seed muttered to itself incoherently and got up and started ascending the ladder to the upper chambers. Just as it was about to finish passing through the hatch in the ceiling, the man at the rear called down to Finn from the top of the ladder, Oh, sorry Finn, youre free to go now, I must call the Council together. You neednt worry about any of this being confidential. Somewhat miffed, Finn nodded his head in affirmation. He didnt know what just happened, so he simply climbed back down to the first floor and made his way out of the tower, nodding at the stationed mage as he passed. He ambled over to the feedstocks, he was sure to gain some popularity from recounting his experiences, and maybe, just maybe, Tamara would hear -------------------- The Chamber successors arrived in the center of Sevit. Though Draven was exhausted from the long ride, if he was being honest with himself, he was quite receptive to the invitation to a feast that hed been notified of, at least these people gave him the proper respect. Indeed, he was already very hungry, so he was grateful that his peers and himself would be joining the meal immediately. Whoeverd planned it mustve had Dravens own convenience in mind. He never understood why some people insisted on postponing the meals, hed much rather bypass that particular formality. In the towns center was a large unornamented two-story wooden building, from his understanding, they were to have their dinner there. Draven strolled over to the other carriages that were pulling up behind his own to greet his fellows. To be honest, he was actually quite fond of most of them, on the whole, they had a lot of similarities. Well, other than the two dark horses, but that was more due to the fact that he had yet to get to know them. Still, they werent descendants of their appointees and in fact werent even a part of their families. Draven had no clue where they came from, and that unsettled him. Already, his peers were gathering up and engaging in small talk while they waited to be ushered onto the property of the merchant whod be feeding them. Alton Hran, son of Elkin Hran was already chatting up several of the other future governors. Though their families were technically allied in their dealings and their fathers were even close to one another, Draven never really cared for the brat; he always got excited about the most foolish things. Take now for instance, Alton was currently going on about some special stone blocks that he mustve seen on the way through Sevit. He was obviously boring the others, yet he acted as if it was some sort of big deal. Pathetic. Draven waited for Alton to pause so that it wouldnt look like he was interrupting, even though he most certainly was. No one was listening to Alton anyway so he doubted anybody would actually notice that he was cutting him off. Draven clapped his hands and said, Whos ready to eat? It looks like our host is on his way! The gathered heirs turned to look in the direction Draven had gestured towards and they saw a bearded man in a bright red coat walking over to them. Without delay he approached and addressed them, Welcome esteemed governors! Im overjoyed that youve made it to Sevit safely! And Im even more delighted that youll be dining with us tonight! For your suitability Ive gone ahead and gathered many of the influential people in our young city. My name is Weston Lomarec, could you please follow me? You may introduce yourselves inside. If Weston was going to make their lives easier, then he would be appreciative, thought Draven. They followed the proactive merchant into his shop and into the foyer where there was already a long wooden table with utensils laid out. It wasnt anything too fancy, but Draven would manage. There were several other men in the room who had yet to take their seats, Draven figured these where the other influential people the merchant had referred to. There was no particular seating arrangement, so everyone stood behind one of the, admittedly shoddy, mismatched chairs and sat in unison. After a little while of exchanging preliminary introductions, a few townsfolk brought out plates of food for them to dine on and the real conversations began. First to speak was the head of Sevits primary mining operation. Urist Rudar was a short and cleanshaven older man. Contrary to the stereotypes, he was of a slight frame, but perhaps that was due to his occupation as a planner and engineer, rather than an actual miner. Urist cleared his throat and introduced himself and his work, My name is Urist Rudar, Im chief planner for Sevits first and only mine. Ive gathered up former coworkers and other miners from the nearby towns in order to tap the riches that are surely hiding beneath our feet. Right now, we arent looking for anything in particular, so were at an adaptive phase. While we have experience in copper and iron mining, were really hoping that well discover either magicite or infused ores such as mithril. If we do, naturally well employ some mages to handle the spoils. Pausing to state his request, he continued, We wanted to ask if youd be willing to extend our tax exemption until we start exporting; already weve invested a great deal in our search for the subterranean riches that mana wells are so well known for. If you allow us this, we can achieve our goals sooner. Draven didnt judge others on their linguistic eloquence, he too tried to remain straightforward in his dealings. Anyway, he could see the obvious merits to Urists proposal, Draven easily foresaw him being granted his request by the rest of the governors and for what it was worth, hed be among the supporters. Chapter 28: The Governors Dinner The dining men continued to discuss the miners proposition. Urist said, Weve actually breached the first subterrane, so weve shifted our focus to securing the caves beneath Sevit. Theres an abundance of resources down there, including forests of trees, tower-caps, and even ledgeshrooms which we can harvest for building materials. Furthermore, theres a bounty of animals for us to hunt. One of the young governors scratched his chin and asked, Are you proposing we simultaneously colonize the underground? No not at all, weve got a good thing going up here and the aforementioned abundance of resources is only a few ranges trek through the tunnels and caverns anyways. Pausing, Urist added, Its unlikely well find an unexploited ore vein just by following the tunnels. The subterranean races have no doubt already prospected for exposed deposits here, so well bootstrap our traditional mining operation from the limestone strata that lies beneath the upper layer of igneous rock. Weve encountered large quantities of hematite in the beds of several underground brooks, so were confident that well find iron ore nearby. And who knows, it might even be infused! Just imagine how much wealth wed bring to Sevit if we found stoz iron! Looking into the eyes of the governors, Urist then said, Of course, for a fee, my miners can flatten the terrain and widen the tunnels and crawlspaces to make way for drays or even horse carts, depending on the deal. There was a moment of silence as the governors contemplated this development, stoz iron, as well as its rift steel alloy is quite literally the backbone of the Lyrian Empires military. While it isnt very useful as a runic inlay regent, when pure enough, both stoz iron and the superior rift steel could be temporarily hardened as long as mana was being continuously fed into it via a mages mana control or an infusion rune. It was essential in the manufacturing of lightweight mobile magic siege engines as well as luxury armors and tools. Draven was about to speak up, but the inane brat Alton beat him to it and said, To your offer; well definitely consider it. When you mentioned an abundance of unexploited organic building materials beneath our feet, I couldnt help but recall seeing some stone blocks incorporated into the masonry of several buildings we passed on our way into Sevit. Theyre of incredibly fine make, has someone opened a local quarry? Before Wes had a chance to respond, Gregor Dunn spoke up, Westons been selling them, apparently he has a subterranean supplier! Expertly controlling his facial expression, Wes prepared for the inevitable questions. He liked Gregor, but sometimes he was overly excitable. Finally, Draven managed to speak first, What?! Youve contacted a subterranean nation? Who?! Tell us everything! With a measured look at Draven, Wes cleared his throat and said, My client is very secretive, I know next to nothing about him or his people. All I do is collect the stone blocks at a designated cache, not once have I actually seen anybody. He contacted me telepathically and for the most-part, seems to be of a closely related race. Nodding in Clifford Grahams direction, Wes continued, Clifford is Sevits appointed Commission mage, so as per protocol, I consulted him immediately after I was contacted. He should be able to shed some more light on the situation. Clifford inserted himself and said, From Wes description, I suspect the supplier, who goes by the name of Ike, is a grynn. In addition to providing stone blocks, he has also sold Wes some ember blossomsI really dont have much else to add. Draven exclaimed, A grynn! Varnassi dog! This is a disaster just waiting to erupt! Clifford quickly interjected, Sir, not all grynn are under the yoke of the Varnassi Hegemony, I highly doubt theyd be trading with us if they were. Anyway, grynn are a peace-loving folk, I doubt theyll pose any risk to us so long as we dont show aggression, indeed, they could become vital trade partners. Of course, Im not referring to any other undiscovered communities which may or may not exist beneath us, thats another matter entirely and to that I suggest we mount an expedition. One of the young governors, Kyle Ponce said, Weston, could you put us in contact with your client? I will ask him next time we speak. Draven then said, I need you to tell me the exact nature of your arrangement with this grynn, every detail. Kyle spoke up, Draven, thats between Wes and Interrupting, with a glare Draven said, You will tell me. Not giving the exchange any time to escalate into hostilities, Wes responded, Thats quite alright, its not exactly a secret anyway. Ill explain everything. Wes finished relaying to the governors, and by extension the other influential citizens of Sevit seated at the table, the terms of his agreement with Ike. He wasnt worried about anyone bypassing him in order to request blocks from Ike directly, and he doubted Ike would go back on their deal anyway. The governors asked for Wes to take them down to see the stone gateway that barred access to the supply cache later, and he readily obliged.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Several of the assembled successors asked Gregor about the fine homes he was constructing. He provided them with drawings hed prepared ahead of time and promised to show off the houses at a later date. The interest in his work was high and even Draven Campbell was suitably impressed; requesting to commission Gregors company to build a mansion. Individual governor would no doubt ask to speak with Gregor privately after they retired from Wes dinner meeting. Afterwards, Wes clarified the nature of his primary business; intercity logistics and trade management. Alton was very interested in Wes as-of-yet unnamed company, so much so that he asked to speak with the merchant privately immediately after the meeting. With everything wrapped up, the other governors left for the administration building where theyd be staying the night, much to the disappointment of several of them. Alton chuckled at the thought of Draven whining about the sleeping conditions. Wes ushered Alton into his office where they both took a seat in a pair of wooden chairs. What can I do for you Alton? I was intrigued by the description of your company; I was wondering if you were open to investments? Im very well connected and would have no trouble in linking you with clients for your transportation services. My position helpssmooth things over Wes laced his fingers together and guardedly said, I might consider the idea, whats your proposal? In exchange for a 30% cut of the profits, Ill ensure you always have business and will connect you with others. Additionally, Ill bankroll your expenses until its established. The best I can do for you is 10%, Ive already spoken with the vast majority of my current intended clients and have my own collection of contacts. Furthermore, I already have my starting expenses covered. If you cant do 10% then Im sorry to say Ill have to pass. I can come down to 20%, but thats it. Likewise, 10% is my limit. That said, I still think well have plenty of opportunities to work together for mutual gain in the future, Id like to get to know you better anyway. If he was being honest with himself, Alton expected this outcome, after all, its very hard to sway a merchant with a dream. Forging relations with Wes was the smart business decision, and Alton prided himself in his shrewdness. Therefore, they made pleasant and agreed to meet up at a later date. Alton still had a pitch to make to Urist. -------------------- Two weeks have gone by since my murder of the attacking mage All told, Im not nearly as distraught as I wouldve expected to be over killing someone. That said, Ive still been in a funk for a long while, which is slightly reassuring. Part of my numbness to the whole issue probably stems from the fact that he did try to kill me and that Id acted in self-defense. But thats hardly a justification. I mean, he probably didnt even realize I was sapient like him! From my understanding, dungeon cores are thought to be unintelligent, which I have yet to personally verify. People dont really think of them as creatures with instincts or even actively thinking entities at all, intelligent or otherwise. No, the general perception is that a dungeon core is a natural process, not alive. Some sort of law of nature, so to speak. Which is bogus, if you ask me, but then again, I mightve believed that too if I was raised in a world of utterly incomprehensible magic and beings. On that subject, how is it that so many features of this world align with fantasy tropes from my reality? Ive already considered this question before, but I think I need to give it a bump in priority. Still, just because I was forced to kill one person doesnt mean Im some sort of psycho. No, Ive got my morals and Im sticking to them. That man lost his life because of my stupid decisions and lack of preparation. Consider; what if Id had automatic nonlethal traps built ahead of time, or defenses that are manually operated by, say, long ropes or even dungeon helpers! Foolish. Thats a new priority. Also, the mage absolutely trashed my dungeon helpers. Ive no doubt they wouldve been highly effective against a normal opponent, but they simply cant counter a mages area-of-effect spells. The solution is obvious; I need my own magic. Offensive and defensive. But Ike! You said runecrafting wasnt a priority right now because it will take too long to establish! You, or well, the aspect of myself that is you, might be tempted to say. (On second thought, maybe I am a psycho) Well, who said anything about runecrafting? I can already recharge magicite crystals and operate wands. And dont forget that I now have in my possession a relative fortune in magicite from the mages death. Oh, and I also have a fancy multi-purpose wand which, if Im being totally honest with myself, Im definitely going to dissect later. Theres no reason why I cant purchase wands from the humans! Just because I dont yet have the capability of making my own runes doesnt mean I cant acquire them through a third party. Thisthis is the glory, nay, even more, its the very purpose of capitalism! Ive made heaps of money from the sell of stone blocks, its high time I spend some of it hehehe. And speaking of the humans, Ive just witnessed amotivating event. Ive been avoiding contact with Wes for a while now, yeah, yeah, I know hes been trying to make contact, but I just havent been in the mood for it. I really am upset about the mage A large caravan of nearly forty horse-drawn wagons and carriages along with thirty-three armored soldiers and three mages arrived today! Fifteen of those carriages were significantly more luxurious than the rest, which Id later realized was because their occupants were very important people indeed. Next, I witnessed my recently neglected merchant pal take them into his shop where hed prepared a meal and gathered other familiar faces such as Clifford, Gregor, and one of the miners whose name is apparently Urist. While they dined, I learned a lot of unsettling things These men were appointed by the local chambermen and if what Id just observed aligned with my understanding of the Lyrian Empires political climate, most of them were probably descendants of their appointees. Im not a fan of that system at all. In fact, the conversation eventually moved to the issue of Ike, thats me! The governors, as they were called, didnt seem too receptive to the idea of a mysterious entity engaging in trade with Sevit, and quite frankly, their fears were entirely valid. If I was an evil dungeon, I couldve casually reduced the entire fledgling city to rubble in an afternoon. Surprisingly, Clifford came to my defense, but one of the governors, Draven Campbell, showed extreme distaste to the revelation of my existence. This doesnt bode too well for me, indeed, when one of the governors asked to be put in contact with Ike, I almost introduced myself right then and there. Fortunately, I didnt, because that wouldve revealed my eavesdropping. Ill speak with Wes first and then Ill see what the governors have to say to me. Chapter 29: A N T S 🐜🐜🐜 I was going to get in touch with Wes tonight but one of the governors decided to meet with him privately in his sparsely furnished office. I decided not to speak with him yet as it was getting late and I didnt want to cut into his sleep. The citizens of Sevit generally stuck to the day/night cycle because lighting was scarce. Though, and Ill definitely need to look into this later, the governors carriages included magic lighting! Ill be sure to contact him right after he wakes up in the morning. In the last two weeks, Ive mostly been engaging in tedious, yet much needed dungeon tasks. Ive slowly expanded my domain via the continuous excavation of my dungeon. Rather than focusing on extremely large rooms as I had in the past, Ive been hollowing out extensive tunnel networks and smaller, more specialized chambers. Ive shifted my design to this new approach because of my growing fear of cave-ins. Whats incredible to me is that the vast open expanses beneath the surface of the world, called Melk by the humans, are able to exist with seemingly minimal structural support. Sure, the cavern Id sealed off had many vertical gill-like protrusions from the walls which looped over themselves like a folded towel to provide support to the broad ceiling which loomed over the subterranean forest, but it was still impressive that such a wide cavity could occur under the immense weight of the stone above. Likewise, the long vertical crevasse with the rapidly flowing river at its bottom was a marvel of nature and seemingly opposed to the constraints of physics. From what Id observed, the stone of this world isnt any more capable of bearing loads than it was from my reality. I mean, I suppose these open expanses arent that impossible considering Deer Cave in Earths Borneo expressed similar proportions, though, to be fair, it was at a much shallower depth. Regardless, I do not want a cave-in to occur in my dungeon, so Ive decreased the density of my tunnel networks and chambers by spreading my operation out over a wider area. In fact, Ive even managed to breach a couple of naturally occurring tunnels that are similar to the ones I sealed in the cavern. Ill explore those later. The new layout of my dungeon features a dendriform arrangement, I have established wide highways with smaller roads branching off from the sides and even narrower paths branching off from those, interspersed with chambers of varying shapes, sizes, and ecologies. Though Im roughly following a dendriform plan, Ive heavily geometricized the tunnels with straight lines and uniform curves and slopes. All of this is to ensure the terrain is easily navigable for ant-pushed carts as well as to provide flexibility for future expansions. And, to be honest, the aesthetic pleases me. Calling some of the tunnels highways is by no means an exaggeration. Ive been constantly felling both the yellow tower-caps in the forest cavern as well as the tree-sized white pon pon mushrooms Id initially engineered to inhabit the ember blossom garden to fuel my cart production. Both types of fungiwood are suitably durable for the construction of ant carts, so in addition to their natural propagation, Ive been manually spreading their spores throughout my dungeon to seed my halls with the next generation of building materials. Ive been constantly manufacturing ant carts, and, at this point, Ive become quite proficient at producing them quickly and effortlessly. Indeed, my ability to improve at, and become accustomed to repetitive tasks goes beyond just practice, from a human psychological perspective. With repetition, I become much more capable of completing certain tasks almost subconsciously. In other words, I sacrifice much less of my focus on repetitive tasks the more I practice them, to an extreme degree not seen in humans. Im much better at multitasking now than I was in my previous life, and I can only imagine thats a result of my new body. Im bringing this up now because Ive noticed that Im almost (but not quite) to the point where I can simultaneously focus on mining/levitating blocks and complex tasks such as reading! In perhaps just a few more weeks, I bet Ill have no trouble digesting the contents of a book while also cutting blocks from stone and placing them on ant carts at the same time! The roads laced throughout the halls of my dungeon are now bustling with activity; carts of several models, as Ive been iteratively improving upon their design, trundle down the overgrown thoroughfares. In some high traffic routes, the floor vegetation has been completely trampled by the unceasing flow of vehicles, resulting in muddy ruts being worn down by the constant passage of wooden wheels. Along the walls march vast vein-like trails of regular sized tiny leafcutter ants hauling multicolored parasols of cut leaves thatll be taken to the vast fungus gardens they rely upon for sustenance. Truly, the interconnected leafcutter ant colonies have reached staggering sizes and degrees of organization that wouldve been impossible in their wild counterparts. Through the careful application of dungeon compulsions, Ive managed to alter their behaviors to accommodate my dungeon helpers and the recently eclosed super helpers along with other intelligently designed (by me) efficiency policies for them to carry out. Many of the chambers in my dungeon serve only to house leaf cutter ants. Ive treated my entire dungeon as one gigantic ant colony, designating certain regions to specific tasks. Most notably, Ive centralized the leafcutters fungus gardens. I engineered a massive chamber rivaling my disk room in size whose sole purpose is to feed my ants. The rooms walls are inlaid with deep stone shelves filled with the symbiotic fungus. The center of the room is also dominated by dozens of thick pillars of rhyolite which are likewise pocked with fungus containing recesses. Along the floor and ceiling flow countless minute worker ants whose jobs are to provide the garden with mulched leaves, eradicate pests and diseases, or harvest fungus to be fed to my dungeon helpers.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The constant and widespread decomposition of the gathered leaves and other cuttings in the room produces a dangerous amount of heat and waste gasses. To control the climate in the room, I have my dungeon helpers cart in crude wooden barrels filled with cool water to act as heat sinks. Once the water approaches ambient temperature, its then carted out to be dumped into the large pond at the center of the sealed cavern. Its an inefficient system, I know, but it gets the job done for now. In the future when Ill need a much larger fungus garden room, Ill redirect one of the brooks spilling into the cavern for active water-cooling. This specialization of the rooms in my dungeon has allowed me to substantially drive up the ant carrying capacity. The number of dungeon helpers under my control has swelled to a staggering eighty thousand individuals, with a combined mass exceeding that of three full-grown african elephants. The number of normal leafcutters who supply them with food is, get readyapproximately twelve billion individuals, or nine elephants worth. Really, its hard for me to even wrap my head around that figure And thats to say nothing of the overall biomass in my dungeon! Each tunnel is lined with dense mats of lush plant life and other organisms. One thing I find really fascinating about the subterranean flora Ive assimilated is that they come in all colors, not just green. It seems that the process of arcanasynthesis has little effect on pigment. Or maybe it does, and the plants and fungi are simply utilizing different wavelength analogs? Theres so much to discover! Ive actually had to direct the leafcutters to be less choosy about the species of harvested flora as they were stripping some areas of all the leafy green vegetation which resulted in a temporary drop in biodiversity. My internal biodiversity is proportional to my mana regeneration, as nonsensical as that is, so you know I couldntve tolerated that! Similarly, the flora Id rescued from the volcanic eruption was having a tough time competing against the species native to the breached cavern which was, at this point, entirely integrated into my network. Im artificially maintaining the biodiversity by instating soft conditional directives for the myriad herbivores under my control. Ive also widened the one-kilometer-long passage to the humans mine and added new tracks and corresponding large carts plus mechanisms to accommodate the increased stone block throughput. Im not so much of a fan of rope-pulled carts as I was when Id first implemented this system. One kilometer is essentially the practical limit on distance for such a system as the thick hemp rope is very heavy. Another limitation is that the passage has to be perfectly straight, making it a highly inflexible design. I know what youre thinking; why not integrate the gear train into the cart itself?That''s a valid question, however, the gear train mechanism itself is very heavy and takes up a lot of space. Incorporating it directly into the vehicle would severely impact its overall performance, even more so than the jerry-rigged solution I already have in place. This is because the strong torques the mechanism is subjected to would break the fragile wooden gear teeth if it was any smaller. Once more, the unattainability of precision metalworking mocks the engineer in me. I will not leave this injustice unpunished! Onwards, a few days ago Mr. Normal voiced a memory notification informing me that my first batch of super helpers had eclosed. Originally, Id assumed couldnt sustain the initial batch of five hundred, however, Id underestimated my recent growth rate. In a couple more days, another batch of one hundred will hatch, followed by another just a few days after that! These bruisers come in at a length of a half-meter, making them more than capable of seriously injuring an adult human one-on-one. Not that I would allow a fair fight to take place, hehehe. Unlike my dungeon helpers, I didnt create my super helpers for manual labor, though I see no reason to not also use them as such. No, I created them as soldiers. Though not quite as powerful as the terrifying meter-long venomous cave centipedes, they mature much sooner, allowing me to build up my forces significantly faster. Speed is everything while Im this vulnerable. Indeed, I only have about two hundred cave centipedes of varying maturity, a number that is about equal to what I started out with. Their breeding has been temporarily offset by the casualties the mage inflicted. If Id had five hundred super helpers when he attacked, things mightve been very different. For starters, I mightve been able to subdue him quicker and even disarm him, making capture a possibility. Also, while Im on the admittedly depressing topic of the mages death, why didnt Mr. Normal add his species to my memory? What gives? He most assuredly died in my terrain, in fact, his skeleton is even lying where he fell! Picked clean by the ravenous ecosystem Id cultivated While I do need to look into this, Im not exactly sure how I even can. Im actually a bit horrified that I didnt even consider giving him a proper burial, I need to get on that. Anyway, its time to put my super helpers through their paces. I noticed that it took their exoskeletons much longer to harden than regular ants, which is fascinating. Im tempted to say thats a result of the square-cube law, but I cant be certain, I wouldnt be surprised if it was more nuanced than that. I carve out a few differently massed stone blocks from the ceiling of a random chamber, allowing gravity to drop them to the floor. The originally exposed side of each block is covered in dense moss and other plants whove rooted themselves in the fertile bed. It never ceases to amaze me how readily the flora found in my dungeon and the surrounding caves colonize bare stone. In fact, its so incredible that I refuse to believe there isnt magic trickery at play, how would they even acquire enough nutrients? Perhaps they utilize magic to extract material from the stone? I really do need to build a microscope someday. I call three super helpers over to the chamber Ive selected as todays testing grounds and also levitate my collection of wands and some magicite over. I almost feel sorry for them. Almost. Chapter 30: ? Ive Experiments to Run, There is Research to be Done ? In order to test the capabilities of my new giant ants, Ive devised several small experiments to perform on them. The chamber Ive stationed the three super helpers along with my assortment of wands and charged magicite crystals is a five-meter-diameter hemisphere with a domed ceiling. Now, I may be paranoid about collapses, but this is a very sound structure; the surrounding stone is incredibly solid, and domes are known for their integrity. I could probably get away with something significantly larger, but for now, I dont have much need for that. Resting in the dense floor-growth of polychrome plants and bioluminescent fungi below a line of differently sized square-shaped holes in the ceiling lie the stone blocks Id lazily carved from where they fell. These are nothing but weights for me measure the super helpers lifting capacity. Ever since I, well, reincarnated, Ive had an intuitive sense of comparative mass and scale after establishing a rough frame of reference and estimate for the length of a meter. Ive recently altered my definition of the meter (and therefore the liter and kilogram) to further align it with that of my memories. The first death of Sevit was an older woman, though Im not sure what the cause was. When she was buried, yet another tradition this worlds people miraculously share with my own, I performed a quick inspection of her cadaver. I know the human eye to feature a width of 23.75 millimeters; the organ is an extraordinary standard as its pretty much the same size in every adult human due to its complexity and the behavior of light being heavily reliant on scale. This is my standard; with it, Ive fashioned a heavily-built stone box to serve as my future reference for a meter. The thick-walled stone box featured an internal volume of one cubic decimeter, and Id filled it with water at what Ive elected to be room temperature. This became both my standard for a liter and thus by extension, a kilogram. I was able to effortlessly tare the mass of the box itself using the feedback I receive from using telekinesis; I can immediately tell how much force I am using, and thus used my overpowered dungeon-cognition to subtract the mass of the empty box from the mass of the box when filled with water. Gravity on this planet seems to be approximately equal in magnitude to Earths. At this point, I dont even think too much of this coincidence as its just one of many others. Ive all but concluded unnatural processes are at play. Therefore, alongside my standard for length, I have quantified my unit for weight: the newton. I digress, what this all means is that I know, with relative accuracy, how much these blocks weigh. Prior testing has allowed me to measure the strength of my dungeon helpers, so now its time to put my super helpers through the same trials. I will them to lift the differently sized blocks with their serrated mandibles and note down my observations. Actually, to clarify, when I say, note down, Im not actually writing anything down, Im just making a mental snapshot that I can easily come back to later. Perfect memory and recall are huge cheats! Actually, Ive taken it a step further with the designing of my mechanisms and dungeon layout; as Ive no need to write things down, I can perfectly construct persistent visualizations in my head, though the design process is still lengthy. I guess I cant have every boon. With their workout complete I analyze the results. Theyre strong, Ill give them that. And it helps that leafcutters are some of the best lifters among the ant species Im familiar with. And anyway, they are ants, so heavy lifting is something theyve evolved for. Unfortunately, but predictably, their strength has not scaled linearly with their size. That is to say, while stronger in the absolute, larger ants have a lower strength to size ratio than smaller ants. Pesky physics is trying to impede the glory of the swarm! Still, they can lift, on average, five times their body weight in optimal conditions and in all practical configurations. In other words, utilizing certain positions and thus specific muscle groups allows for some variance, which Ive conveniently averaged together. Thats nothing to shake a stick at, let me tell you! On to phase two: destructive testing! Im going to be frank; I have no qualms with killing animals if it means I learn something valuable. Within reason of course. Furthermore, these are still ants. Just because theyre much bigger than normal ants doesnt mean theyre any more intelligent. What Im about to do is arguably more humane than using slow-acting poison for extermination. Which, while Im distracted, Ill explain: I need to test their resistance to fire and heat, among other things, as thats what the invading mage used against my helpers to great effect. Slow-acting poison is frequently used against ants because it gives the foragers time to feed their queen(s) with the lethal substance before they drop dead themselves, thus killing a colony. Just think of the following experiments as a kid with a magnifying glass and a healthy amount of curiosity. Before I incinerate one of my ants, I need to test the fire spell. Taking hold of the dead mages wand, I begin my inspection. Most incredibly, the wand is composed of a metal I cannot recognize. Oh sure, I can taste it and tell that it resembles brass, but theres something else mixed in. Now I know what youre thinking, it could be something magical! And yes, it could, for all I know, but its probably not. I simply havent had the opportunity to taste every likely metal and thus dont know all the associated flavors yet. Regardless, its an alloy.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Just like my first wands, the magicite chamber is fastened shut with a metal disk held in place by a comically oversized copper clevis pin. The disk features a wide and somewhat irregular hole for the pin to pass through, hinting that the existence of some rudimentary machining techniques. What I cant comprehend is why theyre using this inefficient closing method. During the battle, Id witnessed the mage frantically scrambling to open and close his wand to refill it with fully charged magicite crystals. Why is it that they arent using a faster approach, I can think of so many and I highly doubt none of them have occurred to the wandmakers either! Scrutinizing the internals of the wand, I see bone cylinders inlaid with runes composed of thick wires crafted from diverse materials, primarily metallic. There are several different spell runes present, as expected because I already know it to be multifunctional. The inscribed cylinders take up so much space that the wand is quite bulky, really stretching my definition of a wand. Its like a staff, but not quite. The extraction rune is the portion of every magicite-fueled wand thats necessary to siphon mana from the charged crystals. The dial the mage used to control which spell was being cast consists of a friction-fitted iron axle driving the rotation of a bone disk seated in a circular indent on the inscribed bone cylinder. The bone disk features a simple series of parallel metal wires inlaid in its face; I can immediately tell that the rotational state of the dial determines which spell is being cast because the wires on the disk link up with a crescent-shaped metal contact which serves as the extraction runes output along with inputs for the spell runes. In simpler terms, depending on which spell the dial is turned to, the output of the extraction rune is linked to the input of the desired spell rune, thus enabling it. While I can marvel at the beautiful function and simplicity of this setup, Ill admit that Im a bit disappointed the mechanism isnt more complex. I guess theres only so much you can do with limited precision I load several magicite crystals into the hollow hilt of the multi-wand, refastening the clevis pin, and turn the dial to a cute little flame symbol. Before I test it on my hapless guinea pig, I direct the mana in the magicite crystals and unleash the spell in another direction. A familiar vortex of fire spreads out in an arc away from the tip of the wand, identical to the mages. The overgrown flora clinging to the walls and floor of my test chamber is reduced to ash in mere moments, but I can also sense the magicite crystals rapidly losing mana. The spell is inefficient. One thing I find incredible about this spell is the presence of fire. I mean, it implies the existence of combustibles, yet there are no signs of any afterwards. Indeed, the spell is entirely smokeless, though the burning plants do combust normally to emit their own smoke. If I knew how it was runes achieved their myriad effects, something neither I nor the Lyrians understand, then I might be able to pinpoint the reason for this anomaly. Managing the release of so much mana from the crystals in a controlled fashion is actually very difficult on a mental level; its entirely dependent on my mana manipulation proficiency. Before Id read of and practiced the techniques outlined in Hilda Davys Mana Flowstence I still had rudimentary mana control, no doubt due to my nature as a dungeon core. This was evidenced by the various experiments Id performed where I infused different substances such as water and silver with mana. Directing mana from a magicite crystal into an extraction rune requires much more precision, making advanced mana manipulation a vital skill in spellcasting. Apparently, there are runes in existence which can automatically drain magicite crystals, taking the mage out of the equation, but theyre extremely complex and difficult to make. Therefore, they only really exist in large scale arcane constructs, to account for the inherent precision manufacturing difficulties. They are much too big for personal use, which is why wands require their wielders to perform mana manipulation. This is considered expert rune crafting, so my knowledge on the subject is limited, for now. If I can use a shield spell to defend my swarm from the dangers of area of effect spells, my lethality will improve tremendously. Why is it that I couldnt before, you ask? Well, no one told me mages can intentionally impede my abilities in a massive radius! I was incapable of wielding a wand anywhere near close enough to him to make a difference! Fortunately, there are always alternatives to telekinesis What I need are carriers for my wands, and I can think of several options. For shielding spells and offensive attacks in tight spaces, I will use leather straps to mount wands to the heads of a few super helpers whom I will recall from the frontlines whenever I need to replace their magicite crystals. For casting offensive spells in spacious regions, I will make use of my gigantic griffinflies. A griffinfly (Really just a massive dragonfly with slight morphological differences.) is perfect for carrying wands because they can fly up, down, left, right, forwards, and backwards with precision, along with hovering in place. This will make them effective highly mobile carriers for my wands. In fact, their immense size is a little overkill just for wand carriers. Before I get back to testing my super helpers, I spend a few hours modifying a new griffinfly subspecies to be slightly smaller than their wild counterparts to serve as my future omnidirectional casting platforms. Its a well-practiced procedure by now, I neednt explain the process to you. Once finished with that abrupt modification, I will the first unlucky super helper to stand in place and not move, no matter what. Thats probably good enough for my upcoming test, but if it proves to be less than sufficient, Ill have to, uh, remove the next ants ability to walk Taking aim with the deceased mages multi-wand, as I like to call it, I cast a firestorm at the short-lived ant. Chapter 31: Rounds Ants, as it turns out, are not fireproof. Who wouldve thought? Of course, I predicted this obvious outcome, but Im still satisfied with the results. Why? Apparently, a super helper is significantly more resilient than a dungeon helper. With a much thicker exoskeleton, the flames take longer to cook the hardy insect. If Id had these fellas available when I was attacked, Ive no doubt they wouldve easily been able to close the distance to the pyromaniac in time to do some serious damage or perhaps even disarm him. And what really bothers me is that I easily could have obtained them sooner. Hindsight is twenty-twenty Along with the latest version of my beloved ants, nearly every other animal species has proliferated. By now my domain is populated with innumerable inhabitants, both large and small. Through the dense foliage slither green and blue snakes, in the soil burrow paradoxical digger squirrels and other critters, and through the air dart birds of all kinds, feasting on the bountiful fruits, seeds, and insects of my domain. Indeed, if anyone other than myself were to listen to the sounds of my dungeon, they would be assaulted by a cacophony of vigor and vitality. It is wild and beautiful. While simultaneously expanding and maintaining my dungeon, Ive been managing my inventory of archer pods, goliath2 beetles, and cave centipedes! Ive been spreading the stealthy nonluminous variant of the venomous gastropod in clever locations such as behind lips in passages and in handholds and crevices where an aggressor might stumble. My encounter with the non-human mage has proven that my archer pod containing concealed trapdoors will be ineffective as I wont be able to perform telekinesis to reveal their dangerous contents in the presence of a mage. While upsetting, I have several other trap ideas to implement later which should nicely cover the gap in my defense. Ive excavated dedicated breeding warrens for both the cave centipedes and goliath2 beetles, though I think I will phase out the latter species now that I have super helpers to fill their roles. While many cave centipedes have integrated themselves into the increasingly complex ecosystems Ive nurtured, for the most part, Ive been breeding them independently of the food-web. That is to say, I command a certain percentage of the larger fauna to sacrifice themselves to serve as feedstock for my menacing myriapods. Logically, it is more energy efficient to provide effortless meals for my defense force, thus allowing me to support a higher carrying capacity. Altruism, albeit forced, is an effective strategy. I do appreciate the concept of a hands-off approach for ecosystems because they are so adaptive, however, in this case I feel the interference is justified as it directly contributes to my safety. Sometimes intelligent guidance is the best option when efficiency is the end goal. Through the rest of the night I managed my dungeon and continued with my ongoing quarrying. It is time to speak with Wes. The crafty merchant is already up and dressed in one of his signature red coats, sitting in an uncomfortable looking wooden chair in his sparsely furnished office. I go ahead and initiate a mental link between us. Greetings Weston, its been a while. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, finally! An actual reaction, I see this as an absolute win! It has, Ive been waiting, you know, said Weston with a hint of annoyance. As always, he replied through the mental link, not out loud. Even now, it never ceases to amaze me how all the nuances of spoken language carry over to this surprisingly compatible mode of communication. Its suspiciously convenient, and I dont understand a thing about it yet I said, Im terribly sorry, Ive been occupied with some difficult matters and have been unable to spare the time. Though Ive managed to take care of everything so not to worry, Im available again for the foreseeable future! Nodding his head as he knew I could see him, Wes replied, thats good to hear. I have some news to inform you of; you may not know this, but Sevit has been assigned fifteen governors by our Local Chamber. Oh, are you familiar with our government structure already? Actually, Im not, my knowledge of it is probably outdated. You wouldnt mind enlightening me, would you? I will never pass up an opportunity for more information, therefore, despite having already read a couple books on the subject of Lyrian politics, I feign ignorance and allow Wes to explain the process to me once more. Unfortunately, Wes gave a very broad crash course, so I didnt glean any new info from his account. However, it was still a pleasant conversation and I can confidently say Wes is warming up to me. Probably. Its good to know Im not completely unlikable! Wes said, The governors are here to manage the city and are already very influential in their own right. Theyve asked me to put you in contact with them, what say you?Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Im more than happy to cooperate, strengthening my ties with the people of Sevit is within my interests. Afterall, as Im sure you of all people are aware; our fortunes rise and fall together, I said. Good, good! Theyve asked me to show them the block cache, I was thinking you could introduce yourself when we arrive there? Its probably for the best if you dont yet reveal your apparentobservational omniscience, it could spook them. Expressing my agreement, I said, Understood, Ill recontact you when yall enter the mine and then you may simply tell me when you think I should announce myself. Smiling under his scruffy beard, the merchant said, Excellent! Theyre a hard-working sort so Ive no doubt theyre already up and busy; Ill go collect them for the excursion now, Ill talk with you later. In my past life I wasnt hugely social, but I was well liked. Unfortunately, Ive had very little human interaction in the past months of my new life, and what interaction I have had has been with a single person, an agreeable person at that. Im understandably nervous. -------------------- A few of the new governors spent their first morning in Sevit speaking with the residents in order to get an idea of the local affairs. Among them was Draven, who spent his time talking with the head of the primary blacksmiths group whod decided to settle Sevit. The man running the operation was named Gustave Felefi. Along with is apprentice, Telford, who was also his son, the man was taking care of the nascent citys miscellaneous metalworking and tool repair jobs. Doing much to earn Dravens respect, the father-son duo has managed to substantially expand their business in the last two months. With so many new immigrants looking for work, the labor was cheap. The family had started to run the enterprise like a company more so than an individualistic profession. Excitedly, Gustave said, Weve been drowned in so much work and odd jobs lately that Telford and Ive been thinking of speaking with Gregor about expanding our facility. Furthermore, weve been hearing from the miners hushed talk of stoz iron traces down in the first subterrane. Let me tell you, Ive been yearning to work with that miraculous material again and lately Ive been doin some more of my own research into its handling! Raising an eyebrow Draven said, Youve worked with stoz iron in the past, eh? I have! In fact, when I was younger, I was employed as an Upheaval Project metallurgist! While I wouldnt call it my lifes work because, well, Ive since become a freelancer, my time spent there shaped me into the person I am today. Its one of the reasons I decided to move here, as a sort of homage to my roots, said the blacksmith. Surprised again, Draven said, That is impressive, from what Ive gleaned Sevit should be able to maintain its current growth rate for a long time yet, youre smart tove gotten in early, itll serve you well in the long run for sure. While its a bit too soon right now, I can go ahead and tell you that our governors board should have a project to commission from your men in the near future. Im relieved to hear we have someone of your caliber in the city. Draven knew flattery could be a double-edged sword, too much and the recipient would upsell their own worth. Of course, just as the blacksmith was an expert metalworker, Draven was an experienced manipulator, he could tell from Gustaves personality that he was the sort of person to reciprocate on the respect he was shown. On a similar note, Draven decided not to pry into why a former Upheaval Project metallurgist was just a common blacksmith now, it was most likely a touchy subject. Gustave was, in Dravens opinion, the right person to have in his pocket. Most of the governors were in the administration building organizing their board, rather than out speaking with the city folk. Though this didnt mean Draven was proactive for doing so, regardless of his own perspective, because it was entirely by design. Alton proposed that they make their rounds in shifts and though he disliked the brat, Draven could see the merit in his plan. If all fifteen of them had set out simultaneously, theyd have been stepping on each others toes. Of course, that Alton suggested Draven be among the first few governors to meet with the influential people of Sevit had nothing to do with his approval. Nope, nothing to do with it at all. Conveniently, just as he was wrapping up his conversation with the talented blacksmith, a messenger walked through an open arch that led to Gustaves workshop. Draven was already making his exit, so he waved the young boy over and said, What do you have? Sir, Weston Lomarec and the board are ready to visit the underground block cache, theyve requested for you to join them whenever youre able. Oh good, Gustave and I were just about to part ways for the day, this is perfect timing. Where shall we meet, the administration building, I presume? Exactly that sir, you can make your way there at your leisure, there is no rush. Nodding Draven said, alright, youre dismissed, Ill head there now. As much as he hated having to dirty himself by walking through the city as opposed to riding in his carriage, Draven could not deny the practicality in this situation. Hed spent his life on his family estate, which was itself somewhat removed from the city of Rendum, thus he was used to the distances justifying more sophisticated modes of transportation. Still, here, with everything so close together and his own mansion not even planned yet, he couldnt rationalize the use of a carriage. Though he had no doubt theyd be riding one to the mine, that certainly was much too far foot travel. When Draven left Gustaves shop, he was rejoined by his minimal entourage of two mage bodyguards equipped for close-combat fighting with their staves doubling as hybrid short swords. Cutting down assailants from the safety of a bubble shield is a simple, yet effective method of combat to be used against mundane attackers. Draven passed through the bustling streets of the city under construction, he was amazed by how quickly everything was moving. It really goes to show just what can be accomplished when an entire chamber mobilizes as a united entity. Before the discovery of this mana well in the former Merival Woods footprint, the Rendum territories were already considered to be one of the fastest developing provinces of the Lyrian Empire, all thanks to the tight bonds their predecessors had worked so hard to forge. This wasnt an unusual progression though, several other chambers operated under similar conditions. Indeed, there were many other factors at play such as the Rendum Chambers relatively young age, proximity to the border, and occupancy of fertile land. Draven could recognize that, in addition to the age of innovation they were living in which was sparked by the previous incursion, the modularity of the Lyrian Empires political structure is what allowed it to grow so enormous over the last two centuries, in a manner similar to their more liberal ally, the Isolet Republic. Draven arrived at the abhorrently unornamented front entrance of their administration building. He decided that was yet another problem hed be responsible for rectifying. Chapter 32: Excursion Ive been watching the new governors this morning. Fiction from my time will have you believe nobles, or I suppose whatever equivalent fills the role in a society, are arrogant snobs. And while my observations dont entirely dispute that assumption, naturally reality is a bit more nuanced than that. At the start of the day, I followed two governors who were making rounds around Sevit, meeting keystone residents. The first traveling governor was Kyle Ponce, a rotund man with a perpetual smile on his face. I like this fellow so far; from what Ive seen, hes polite to everyone he meets and doesnt bring his high position into conversations. Essentially, he gave me a down-to-earth and almost humble impression. Or hes a convincing actor The other itinerant governor was Draven Campbell. This is the man whod so rudely demanded that Wes reveal everything he knows about me at the dinner table last night. He more closely fits the noble stereotype, yet hes obviously more cunning than what might be initially perceived. To clarify, Draven was somewhat impolite and hostile to a few of the city folk hed interacted with today. Though paradoxically, this wasnt universally the case; he clearly tried to buddy up with people such as the blacksmiths, Clifford, Urist, and several seemingly random shopkeepers. This behavior confuses me, I cannot discern what similarity was shared between the individuals Draven was sociable towards. What pattern was there, and what could he possibly gain from alienating others at random? Maybe there is no reason, perhaps hes just irrational No, there must be more to it than that. Regardless, I dont much like him, but that might in part be due to the poor first impression he gave me last night. Onwards, the developments in the administration building where the remaining thirteen governors are currently assembled have been much more interesting. For most of the morning, the discussion has revolved around the initiation of several major infrastructure projects, something which will only serve to benefit me. Alton Hran took charge of the conversation as hed displayed a deep understanding of these matters. Currently on the table were basic ideas for a road network, something Wes will no doubt support as Ive heard hes interested in running a logistics service, a defensive stone wall, and a dedicated market. Even if I dont sell my assistance for the roadway construction, itll make my future enterprises simpler and will undoubtedly bring prosperity to Sevit. From my understanding, the governors are looking to lay a cobbled road, but I can do so much better than that. Yes indeed! A stone wall is interesting, I mean, if Earth history tells me anything, the advent of explosives should hail the end of stone wall practicality. And while I havent yet confirmed whether or not black powder has been discovered yet, I know for a fact that magic allows for explosions. It was even used against me by that ill-fated mage! So, that this is even being considered means one of three implications are true. Option one, humans and/or their enemies dont have access to this kind of air pressurization magic. Though I highly doubt this is the case because my current observations and research of human runework has left me quite impressed. Second, there is some way to magically fortify walls, be that through a barrier of some sort, structural magic. Or third, anti-magic, if such a thing even exists. Hmm, on that note, I really do have a lot left to learn, how exciting! But also dangerous, anything I dont know can be used to surprise me and subvert my preparationsAgain. The market will also be useful to me, depending on how my upcoming conversation with the governors goes. By now, Kyle has already arrived at the administration building and is catching up with the gathered governors, and Draven is walking through the entryway. Following Wes advice, Ive decided to wait until theyve entered my block cache before making contact. Meeting with his fellows, Draven relays his experiences from today and then they all depart from the otherwise unfurnished central room. On their way out, they pass the threshold to another room in which Wes is lounging. Making a come hither gesture, one of them signals for Wes to follow them out of the entirely wooden building. Outside, wait four of the luxurious horse carriages which must each belong to four corresponding individual governors. With an internal occupancy of four humans each and fifteen governors plus one able merchant, the math works out beautifully. Each carriage has a driver and three guards sitting on front and rear external benches. Frankly, for a total of twelve guards, a few of which are even mages, this seems to be overkill. I really cant see how anyone from Sevit could do them any harm, but then again, Im operating on an information deficit. Wes is the last person to enter a carriage, as soon as he does, the procession departs for the mine.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. In the meantime, I decided to eavesdrop on the conversations going on inside the carriage containing Wes. Itll be a short trip; the mine is a little over a kilometer away. Alton, who is sharing the carriage with Wes, said to his fellow passengers, Weve been discussing our next course of action. One of the goals of the Upheaval Project was to establish an overland trade route with the Isolet Republic. This is why our chamber has invested so heavily into Sevit, it has always been intended to serve as a waypoint along the route. Upheaval Project? Thats new to me, Ill have to ask about it later. Seemingly in lecture mode, not that Im complaining, Alton continues, The Isolens are working to establish a corresponding city of their own. Together, our cities will serve as a staging ground for our forces to protect the new trade network. Eventually, we may even be able to push back the ravenous elves! A momentary pause ensues, after which Wes said, Our empire has done well to deny the elves this stretch of Merival Wood, but surely the Capital Chambers colonization plan calls for the founding of other cities besides just Sevit. With all this fresh territory ripe for the taking, I fail to see why we wouldnt expand more aggressively, especially as a measure against beasts and savages. One of the other governors asserts himself and answers Wes question, In fact, the Rendum Chamber was tasked with founding three cities simultaneously out here, however, once we realized wed discovered a new mana well, our chamber decided to redirect all of our efforts here instead. Believe it or not, developing and holding a mana well is of greater strategic importance than securing these vast unclaimed lands. Of course, our glorious empire has deemed this public knowledge. Nodding in understanding, Wes said, I see. I presume the intention is to resume the colonization of other locations only after Sevit is well fortified then? In, from my perspective, a cute show of synergy, the fourth governor replies, Indeed, though Id like to clarify the timeline. It could be years before we refocus our efforts elsewhere, Sevit needs to be massive in order to reap the highest rewards. As you may already know, with active enemies on multiple fronts, our empire isnt exactly in the best position to be developing uninhabited lands right now, no, what it needs most is arcane materials and devices. Thus, just as we need this mana well for the war effort, it must also be kept away from our neighbors. Conveniently, just as the governors talk with Wes was wrapping up, their carriage stopped. We have arrived at the mine. As they climbed out of their extravagant rides, I saw the now-familiar face of Sevits first mining planner, Urist Rudar. I watched him lock eyes with Draven and jot over. He said, Welcome to Sevits first and only mine! Im told yall are here to check out our secretive suppliers operation, is that correct? Draven replied, Spot on, though Im sure wed all appreciate it if you explained your work while were on our way down, would you join us? Id be happy to! Right this way! Before entering the ever-widening sloped entrance, the enthusiastic head-miner said simply, Arken watch over us. Alright, the cache is just a few minutes walk away, so Ill try to keep it brief. That said, you are all welcome to seek me out at a later time if need be! As they descended the central shaft, Urist took an oil lamp from the wall and lit it with a small flint. I want to make a note here that this is the first time Ive witnessed one of these lamps in use in this mine, up until now the miners have been solely relying upon amorphous candles for illumination. Urist said, Incredibly, the surrounding stone is predominantly unjointed. My men and I are unsure about why that is, but the lack of cracks implies this is relatively new growth from Melk. Regardless, its a major boon because it means we dont have to shore our passages as frequently. Indeed, you may have seen the wide spacing between supports. You also mightve noticed the acute lack of any pumping hardware. We made a gamble that wed breach the first subterrane quickly. Of course, this was a safe bet because almost all mana wells exhibit shallow cave systems, for whatever reason. We were able to keep flooding in check with mere buckets because we did, in fact, strike a cave early on, and since then weve carved drainage channels towards it. Kyle asked, From my understanding, the entrance to Wes business partners cache is not too far from your mine, was that somehow a coincidence? Not picking up on the ominous undertone, Urist said, Exactly! Its truly surprising, isnt it? Certainly. You know, I expected Draven to make a fuss right about now, but then again, Urist is one of the people hes been cozying up with. The group came across the boundary between the artificial and natural tunnels the miners had opened into. Already plant and fungal vegetation was beginning to spread into the mine. While Im sure it wouldve propagated even faster if this area was fully saturated by my domain, Im still amazed by the rapid growth rate. Arcanasynthesis is truly broken! Urist said, Ok now, weve already cleared the surroundings of any dangers as my men are using this very cave system to bootstrap deeper prospecting, so you should be safe. While Im sure weve uprooted all of them in the area, if you encounter any glowing purple bulbs, please avoid them and let me know. If you get stung by one, scream immediately, I will need to quickly administer an antivenom. To say nothing of how difficult preserving antivenoms is without refrigeration, I need to somehow ask Wes how widespread it is without sounding shady, my archer pods could be a useless deterrent depending on how plentiful and effective it is. Oh! Speaking of which, Id told Wes I would contact him when he entered the mine, I totally forgot! Hey Wes, Im so sorry I forgot to call when you entered, is everything alright? Wes response was delayed as he was making small talk with one of the governors, Its fine Ike, while I was a little bit worried that youd disappear on me for a couple of weeks again, I havent actually required anything of you yet. Though thats about to change, well arrive at your cache in just a moment, so get ready. Gotcha, Im about to expand this mental link to everyone present, though itll be one-way for simplicitys sake. Therefore, if you wish to speak, youll have to do so aloud. Actually, could you please explain that to them right now? Thanks. Of course. Chapter 33: Civil Exchange As promised, Wes explained to the visiting governors that I was about to establish a line of mental communication with all of them simultaneously and that they were to speak their responses aloud. Could I have allowed them to think their responses to me over the link as Wes did? Probably, but the stakes were too high to test that right now. Something to look into later: can all dungeons do this? There are a lot of warriors and mages accompanying these powerful men, Im sure if they wished to blast through my airlocks right now, theyd have no trouble with it. Of course, Ive prepared a few surprises to help deal with that potential outcome Theyve all gathered in a semicircle around the somewhat narrow square doorway. At least, it was small when compared to the incredible girth of the rolling stone door slotted into the overengineered channels just through the passage. Though the full extent of the rudimentary mechanism was not exposed to them yet. Just as I had when Wes first visited my cache, I dramatically roll aside the outermost stone disk while knocking a few clumps of dust from the ceiling. During my little show, I caught Wes rolling his eyes; hed seen this procedure many times by now and knew the dust and shaking was extra. Regardless, the governors didnt know that. I look carefully for any signs of surprise, but the governors barely react, I suppose the knowledge and widespread use of magic takes away the wow-factor of these things. A shame. Actually, scratch that, the mages in attendance do show awed expressions. Perhaps this feat really is impressive to those with a better grasp of magics limitations? Im still a newb at all of this, so I dont know. Ive so many questions about magic, I wonder if I could hire a tutor? Now theres an idea! With the massive obstacle out of the way, Wes ushers them into my supply room, with neat pallets of masterwork rhyolite stone blocks, ready to be picked up by Wes hauling crew, in their line of sight. The boundary between the outside and the supply rooms interior is stark; the outside, even despite being a high-traffic area, is still untamed, with innumerable varieties of flora and fauna interwoven in the absurdly complex local subterranean food web. The interior, however, is devoid of any life, thus putting the extremely flat and smooth walls on display. After all, it wouldnt do for a block exporter to present sloppy stonework. To be honest, besides my singular storeroom, this is the only portion of my dungeon Ive kept sterile. In fact, moss has already grown directly onto my core, not that I mind! While passing the through the threshold, the people entering my cache have an opportunity to observe the gigantic groves in the walls and ceiling which hold the rolling stone disk in place, now they understand the true scale. Once theyre all through, I establish mass communication with everyone present. I dont want to reveal that I can use my telepathy selectively, so even the guards are included. Though its entirely possible, and even likely, that they have a better understanding of telepathy than me. Ive gathered its not an uncommon ability among sapient species, so I wouldnt be surprised. Without fanfare, I cheerfully said, Welcome! Im honored to meet you all! My name is Ike, Im the representative of this particular trade operation. I would love for yall to introduce yourselves. Did I sound too excited? Was my request too pushy? I probably shouldve prepared a better opener in advance Predictably, the first to speak was Draven Campbell. Gesturing at the other fourteen governors, he said, Greetings, we are the new governors of Sevit. Furthermore, we are the future chambermen of the Rendum Chamber. We are visiting you because we believe it is important to familiarize ourselves with potential clients and possible threats. Of course, I highly doubt you fall under the latter category. My name is Draven Campbell. Well alrighty then Its a pleasure to meet you. The rest of the governors individually introduce themselves before the questions start coming my way. Draven asked, Who do you represent? Ive been expecting this question for a while now, Ive come up with a passable response. But I definitely couldve spent a bit more time on thinking up a more elegant lie. A village composed of several assorted species. Though we are mostly unaffiliated with any other communities. We live throughout this cave system. Now, Im no fool, I am fully aware that its only a matter of time before my true identity as a dungeon is revealed. Regardless, I think lying is the best option here. After all, I dont want to be pacified, as dungeon subjugation is referred to. Actually, lets be honest, not interacting with civilization in the first place was the best option. Unfortunately, I have ambitions, whats a life spent in hiding?Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. To be clear, you are not associated with the Varnassi Hegemony and have no hostile intentions? Nope and no, though we do currently have a few trade allies. Still, we are interested in deepening our trade relations with your community in the near future. What say you, shall we prosper together? Draven shrugged and said, I dont see why not, though we still have much left to discuss, for starters, where is your village located, what terrain have you claimed? Huh, thats surprisingly rational of him, perhaps I was too quick to judge. Nows my opportunity to claim territory for my future expansions, I wish Id explored further I said, While its a little too premature to reveal our exact location Ill draft a document describing our territory for your reference, though not to worry, its not a very large area and certainly wont impede your communitys operations, such as your mining weve noticed. For now, though, generally avoid the snaking canyon with the river and giant beehives, your miners are already familiar with the location. That land is in use. Nodding, he said, Any local threats we should be aware of? Hmm, I would like to mention the bat looking people but Im not actually sure if they are a threat to the humans. I mean, they might not even be that aggressive to people who arent, well, dungeon cores I cant really fault them too much, from my reading, dungeon cores are seen as places of coordinated, yet territorial beasts and death, not as sentient entities in their own right. Also, I dont know their species name, which is not something I want to admit, because for all I know they are very common. Basically, displaying ignorance on that subject could blow my cover. Maybe. I dont know, but its best to play it safe. As long as yall know what youre doing, you should be fine. Theres nothing really out of the ordinary. Oh! Actually, beware the giant toads and salamanders, they can easily gobble up a grown man in one go. Heh, not that I know what is and isnt ordinary. Draven said, Noted, thank you for the heads up. Will we be able to meet you or others in person at a later date? Yes, we can arrange something like that later if all goes well. Though it may be a while. Im lying. Finishing off, Draven said, Thats all from me. I can see it in their eyes, everyone in attendance has their own slew of questions Ah well, at least my perfect memory helps me keep my lies straight. Oh geez, theyre too inquisitive, I need to cut this off. Can we move on to trade? I can answer all your other questions another time. Additionally, I have my own inquiries to make of you. For the first time, Alton Hran spoke, Understood. We are actually interested in your blocks. As weve decided to initiate a few large construction projects, there will be a high demand for them. Weston has already filled me in on the details of your current supply rate, so I was wondering, will you be able to ramp up production soon? Come on, my blocks are almost perfect, he didnt appear suitably impressed in my opinion! Ah, but perhaps thats the point, if he shows too much interest, Wes will undoubtedly raise the price. This. This is why Ive left him in charge of the business side of things, Im bad at these social games. The simple answer is yes. The complicated answer is yes, but not at a faster rate. I know Wes has been plotting our production rate over time, at that the merchant raises an eyebrow, this is the first hes heard of me spying on his paperwork, and the growth of the production rate has remained steady for a while now. If all goes well, that will remain the case in the foreseeable future. I dont want to elaborate too much on why this is, as its related to our signature manufacturing technique. How else am I supposed to explain that it has to do with the gradual and predictable increase in my ability to multitask over time? No, Im better off keeping this one under wraps. I see, thank you. I added, Though, Im sure Wes would be willing to give you priority purchasing rights, if you made it worth our time, that is Aha, we may be able to work something out later then, said Alton cryptically. At this point Ive deemed it my turn to ask questions. I told the governors, As you can imagine, weve accumulated a fair amount of coin from our latest ventures between other trade partners and yourselves. Its doing us no good sitting in our coffers, so I was wondering if wed be welcome to purchase goods and services from your citizens at will? Another governor, Kyle Ponce, answered, Certainly, we originally came out here to profit from trade with the Isolet Republic, but that doesnt mean we arent open to other opportunities. As long as you follow Lyrian Law while on our land, you are welcome to engage in business with us. And just so were on the same page about what our land means, our administration will draft a few documents for you. You can expect those in roughly three days. Thank you, Kyle. I also have a more difficult question; weve been toying with the idea of constructing an embassy or trade hub of sorts near to or inside of the city of Sevit. The building would be connected to our community via a series of tunnels, and we could use it to distribute and receive trade goods. After all, we have more to offer than just stone blocks Kyle glanced at the other governors, not seeing any objections, he said, That sounds like an excellent idea, actually. The paperwork for that might be a littlecomplex, but I am sure we could expedite that for you. Of course, we have strict policies when it comes to surfaces breaches to the first subterrane, naturally, so it might be necessary for us to station a group of Caverknights at the entrance. Would you be able to accommodate them? I said, I dont see why not, though Ill have to converse with my peers first. Also, to be perfectly honest, it has been a long time since anyone from my village has interacted with the Lyrian Empire, is it possible for you to provide a codex of laws or something similar for us to analyze? I fear much has changed since wed last familiarized ourselves with your customs. No problem, Ill take care of that myself. Clearly it will be prudent of us to remain in contact with each other, how might we do so? I responded, Im pleased to inform you that we are working on a more efficient means of long-distance communication, but in the meantime, if you wish to speak with me directly, simply come to this very spot and wait. I will do my best to make contact as soon as Im available, though I cant guarantee I will be punctual. Furthermore, you are welcome to deliver and receive mail from my mailbox. You have a mailbox? At this point, a block of stone with a mailbox-like arched top slides out of the previously solid wall and falls to the floor with a loud thud. Thus, exposing a brand-new bin in the wall of my cache that is perfect for the storage of envelopes. The guards all jumped at the noise. Chuckling, I said, I do now. Chapter 34: Back to My Roots The governors and their guardsmen all departed. My meeting went surprisingly well! Isnt this supposed to be the part of a story where war is declared? Eh, no complaints here, Ive got riches to earn! (And spend, hehehe.) But before I begin spreading my economic domain, I need to first expand my literal domain. Its fortunate that they asked what territory belonged to me, I was honestly afraid theyd try to claim the areas Id already set my sights on. Its certainly a reasonable expectation considering they are an empire. Perhaps they dont spread as aggressively underground? And if so, Id imagine theyd have a very good reason not to Though I do have my doubts that these governors actually represent the Lyrian Empires best interests. I need to do some research on property ownership. Just because theyre leaving me alone for now, doesnt mean that will always be the case. In the future, I may have no choice but to purchase the territory occupied by my dungeon and even, and this horrifies me, pay taxes! Speaking of, I wonder how property law works considering the veritable verticality of living space resulting from the presence of extensive cave systems across the world. I shall set that disgusting thought of taxes aside and move on. Before I begin the exciting process of acquiring and studying the new wildlife whom I know to inhabit the snaking canyon, I should improve my Dungeons defenses a bit. When that mage attacked my home, many of my weaknesses were revealed; the path to my core is unhindered by impassable objects, and Ive no way of manually triggering traps or cave-ins when a mage is actively deterring my abilities in their vicinity. The solutions to both issues are obvious in hindsight; I need to implement emergency airlocks and blockades, as well as design automatic or remotely controlled traps. And a few last resorts never hurt. Before I even begin the tedious process of carving out dozens of grooves for my latest series of rolling vault doors, I realize something else. My dungeon core currently lies in an obscured cubby buried in the wall of the main tunnel leading to my large disk room. The issue: A humanoid can fit through that tunnel. Now, why oh why would I make it so easy? At this point, the bedrock around my dungeon is thoroughly porous with narrow access tunnels for my legions of dungeon helpers to use when carrying out their myriad tasks. If someone could take a cross-section of my dungeon, they would find that a large percentage of my total interior volume, something on the order of ten percent, is comprised of branching dendriform passages completely inaccessible to anything larger than a mole squirrel. Unless my assumptions of neurobiology have been rendered false in the presence of magic, sapient creatures should be incapable of fitting through such tiny openings themselves. Simply put, their large brains require a large body. I want to make my core as inaccessible as possible, therefore, it would be prudent of me to station it in one of these tunnels. There is just one problem When I move my core, the rest of my domain gets dragged along with it. When my domain is moved, the portions which formerly occupied empty space may then find themselves embedded in solid rock. Now, interestingly, this isnt a problem in most cases. My domain actually permeates a few meters deep into the surrounding stone walls of my dungeon. This means things like plants and doors dont actually impede me entirely. (Though they do slightly.) However, if I translate my core at all, those portions which become embedded too deeply in stone will be destroyed. The same goes for changing the attitude of my core; even a slight rotation will shift the outer edges of my vast domain a great distance, thus removing huge areas from my control. If I move my core just a couple of meters away, the volume of dungeon domain lost is small enough to be easily recovered. Its at greater distances that it becomesimpractical. Expanding my domain across wide areas is a time-consuming process. Im much better at doing so now than I used to be, but it will still take too long. If I was to make a rough estimate, Id say that translating my core a couple of dozen meters to a suitable dungeon helper passage would destroy enough of my domain that it would take at least a month to fully reclaim all that was lost. Thats an obvious no-go. But of course, theres more to it; Ive already considered this train of thought, however, Ive been neglecting my experiments lately. When I first reincarnated into this world, my abilities were never explained. Even my repeated attempts to query Mr. Normal have been fruitless. I was left with no choice but to try attempting actions I remembered from dungeon core literature in my previous life. But what if I can do more than that? It doesnt hurt to try! I have my suspicions that there is some sort of method to allow for the convenient movement of my core. Ive seen the trope before. Let the trials begin!The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I attempt to wrap my core with my sense. A complete failure; I forgot that Im unable to taste my own core What if I try to wrap the space surrounding my core with my sense? Nothing. Much like I would while operating a rune, I infuse mana into my core. Oh, I definitely felt something there! Woohwee that is weird! It hurts a little bit, but in a mental way. To put the feeling into perspective, it hurts my mind. That doesnt mean it feels like a headache as I wouldnt really classify that as a pain of the mind, no, it stimulates the same feelings I get when performing telepathy. (But not telekinesis, that appears to be completely unrelated, despite the shared prefix.) As far as I can tell, nothing has changed though. Still, I think I might be on to something here! I try again. Same result, a discomforting mental pressure, but nothing else. Using my mana sight, I notice that my jagged and irregular red core isnt actually storing any of the mana Ive been infusing it with. Instead, it essentially passes through and dissipates into the environment. This actually makes some sense, from my understanding, soulstones, the material dungeon cores are comprised of, innately store vast quantities of mana yet are unable to be recharged. More testing is required. This time I infuse a lot of mana into my core. Well alrighty then, I blacked out. Its been months since that last happened. I clearly remember (No surprise there.) it happened previously when Id used up all of my mana at once trying to modify a fungus gnat. And if that wasnt enough, my mind is on fire! Its like a hangover, but so much worse. I can barely focus on anything. This is the first real pain Ive experienced since I died while using the toilet Still, I need to know how long I was out. Pushing through the pain, I turn my gaze topside to observe the suns position. Bad idea. Yup, this is a hangover alright Ill sit this one out. Three hours later and the discomfort has subsided. Faster than a normal hangover. Now that I can think more clearly, I ponder over myexperimental observations. Heh. A hangover is a purely biological effect, therefore whatever Id just experienced was somehow connected to the mechanism which drives the inner workings of whatever medium my consciousness occupies. Id infused mana into my core specifically, the implication? At the very least, my core is my brain. I say it that way because it may serve other functions as well. More testing is needed. More testing is always needed. I know, I know, theres nothing surprising about that! Still, until now, Ive been unable to just assume my mind was located in my core. For all I knew, it could have been tied with my domain. That would certainly explain the gradual improvements in my abilities, such as multitasking, cutting, merging, modifying, expanding, etc. After all, my expansion has been unceasing. Indeed, even now, I cant fully rule out that possibility. In fact, other conceivable culprits could be mana regeneration and/or capacity! I should set up a few controls in the future. Perhaps I can establish a set of units to quantify mana-related things? I digress, my mind is somehow in an inert rock, and I dont know how long I was passed out for. This worlds (Or should I say, Melks.) moon is almost up, just as blurry and unsettlingly featureless as always. To verify that I wasnt gone for multiple days, I must contact an active observer. Predictably, Wes is in his sparse study managing his ledgers. Perfect. Hey Wes, its Ike. Sorry for the late visit, I just needed to ask you something really quick. Good evening Ike, what do you need? Approximately how long ago was our meeting? The merchant paused and placed his hand on his beard before he said, Around fifteen hours ago, why do you ask? I cant tell you yet, but soon. I need to go, thanks! I cut off the mental link. Have I grown addicted to lying? Id better watch myself; this is both a dangerous and self-perpetuating habit to set Onwards! Ive got more ideas to test! Every setback only reveals more information! Every success and failure is just another brushstroke on the full picture! What if I wrap my sense around empty air? Attempting Well, it tastes like air, but thats about all I notice. Perform telekinesis on air? Huzzah! A gust of wind! While I can see that being extremely useful in other ways, but it doesnt help me with my current dilemma. Infuse air with mana? Switching on my mana sight, I see something expected, yet profound all the same. I have created a temporary mana concentration gradient. I wonder how far I can take this. This time, I expend significantly more mental effort on concentrating an even greater quantity of mana in a likewise smaller area. Just as Im about to pass out for the second time today, I halt and observe the results. The air is thick with mana under my mage sight. Although not decompressing at the rapid rate youd expect of compressed gas, the mana is still dispersing relatively quickly. Clearly, its rate of dispersal is in part dependent on the concentration gradient. And that tidbit is weighty, it reveals one of the, no doubt numerous, ways in which mana interacts with other mana. The more I learn about its behavior, the more similarities I draw between mana and physical particles. Even so, it expresses anomalous characteristics. What happens if I try to confine mana at a high concentration? Turning my focus to the wall of the chamber Ive been experimenting in, I clear away some of the clingy vegetation and excavate a narrow, one-centimeter-wide, tunnel. I make it one meter long and set aside a portion of the debris to serve as a tight-fitting plug. At the end of the tunnel, I hollow out a spherical cavity with a five-centimeter diameter. For now, this will be good enough for a rough mana containment chamber. As Id done previously, I concentrate mana inside the spherical chamber. As Im unable to easily move mana through a solid barrier, I add the rhyolite plug only after Ive finished pumping the mana inside, making sure to merge it with the tunnels walls in order to form an airtight seal. Because the stone plug isnt thick enough to impede my domain, Im able to place my point of view inside the now-isolated cavity. Though it is worth noting, it isnt as easy to pull off with an obstruction in place. Switching on my mana sight, I observe the mana trapped within. Indeed, it has remained confined, however to my surprise, I notice a slow trickle of mana escaping. Taking a closer look, I see that it is somehow passing through solid stone, albeit slowly. At this point Im tempted to try confining it with different materials to identify a trend in mana permeability, however, Ill have plenty of time for that later. I need a breakthrough right now, so I must to stay on track. Chapter 35: Anchor There must be some way to move my core independently of my domain. It just makes sense, it feels natural. Huh. It feels natural. Now that I think about it, thats strange. I cant explain it, really. Its like I have an urge to try to discover a means of untethered movement, yet its more subtle than that. Almost like the time I first used my sense on my surroundings. One thing is for sure though, now that Ive identified this longing, I can confirm that its not just me being optimistic. Its more nuanced than that. Dare I say it? An instinct How suspiciously convenient, dont think Ill ignore this opportuneness! No, there is something afoot! Filing that train of thought away for later, I return to my earlier activities. If Im going to be instinctively guided to the solution (Shady as that is.) then I might as well play along. Ok then, what feels right? And I think Ive got it! Was that too easy? Eh. I concentrate on an empty space within the temporary laboratory and will a tiny sphere of my domain to shift. Without any mana expenditure and seemingly no discomfort, I detect the relevant portion of my domain moving. More specifically, it phases into the adjacent region of my domain and gets promptly annihilated, thus leaving behind a sphere of space in which I have no dungeon control. A perfect cutout. Thats neat, it looks like I now have a way to relinquish domain control that doesnt involve blocking the path to my core. I can see that being useful for operations on the surface or in similar large open spaces. What seems strange to me is that I havent noticed my lack of the fundamental ability to delete domain space until now. To truly test my capabilities, I shift my point of view to one of the ex-volcano tubes exiting the captured cavern. This tunnel opens up into the cavern from several meters above the ground, (I say ground with caution, there is no set ground level as the cavern is very irregular, sporting multiple terraces on which life flourishes and water babbles.) embedded in a sheer cliff face. The wall Id crafted when claiming this territory still remains, however by now the native wildlife has reclaimed the once-bare stone surface. Towards the bottom of my artificial wall is a grate of sorts, though its really just a series of dozens of small holes to allow water to pass. Flowing out from the blocked tunnel and cascading down the cliff is a moderately sized brook of clear water. Im here because just past this wall lays one of my dungeons borders. The question is; how does my domain react to being moved into unclaimed territory? Im pretty sure the answer is obvious, but its still important to verify. This time I will a sphere of domain space to move beyond my domains current boundary. Predictably, the sphere passes effortlessly, drifting away from the metaphorical wall formed by my domains edge. The space vacated by the sphere is now unclaimed, thus proving this is not a way to create domain, just relocate it. The sphere of control which only I am capable of seeing abruptly blinks out of existence once its a few centimeters away. I repeat the experiment with domain cutouts of different sizes and shapes, but the maximum offset distance remains absolute. Most fascinatingly, there seems to be a harsh limit of separation between adjacent portions of domain before I permanently lose my connection to the isolated region. What process governs this behavior? This is a question I can not even begin to fathom as I still have no idea what a dungeons domain really is. Its useful, yes, intuitive, also yes, but mysterious just the same. Proceeding with a few more tests, I discover that I can only move a few cubic meters of my domain around at will. Thats a pretty restrictive limit, no? My trials have left me with a deep-seated satisfaction which I can recognize as being more than simply the result of sated curiosity. What Im doing right now seems to be fundamentally connected with my existence as a dungeon core. Why would that be so? As before, I just know theres more to it than what Ive seen so far. With that in mind, I allow my urges to inspire me. Though of course, active thought is still a major determinant, what else could explain why it has taken me so long to attempt this? I should be able to anchor the effect to a physical object. I gather up differently sized pebbles of rhyolite and even limestone which I levitated from the deeper strata uncovered by the cave systems. While I may not have expanded my dungeon nearly that deep, I still have my observational strands of domain to operate through. Speaking of which, I should get back to exploring soon, who knows what else lives down here? Not me, and for that, I have no excuses.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. In addition to stone, I bring forth a bowl of water, the silver fork which I forgot to return, ingots of different metals, bones, an ember blossom plant, loamy soil, and some magicite crystals. In a way utterly indescribable to a non-dungeon, I will a portion of my domain to fix itself to a rhyolite pebble. This time there is a noticeable drain on my mana! At least that means something is happening! It takes about thirty minutes to perform, yet I can automagically tell it will take longer depending on the volume of domain Im anchoring. Not that Ill be relying on intuition, I fully intend to verify my hunch experimentally. The sphere of domain is firmly affixed to the pebble. Tentatively levitating the small stone, I witness the attached domain move relative to it! In addition to being translationally constrained to the pebbles position, it is also rotationally constrained. In essence, it behaves similarly to how my whole domain does when my core is moved. Just on a smaller scale. With high hopes, I move the isolated pocket of domain away from my primary domain. As it passes the threshold at which I was previously unable to move domain pockets any further It fails again. What use is this if I cant even extend the range? The next test provides the answer; I can move significantly more domain if I first anchor it. The drawback is that it takes time to anchor as well as mana. Unlike before where I was only able to move a few cubic meters, I can move several dozen cubic meters at a time, though it takes about fifteen minutes to fully anchor. Unfortunately, several dozen cubic meters seem to be the limit for this pebble at least. Trying the remaining rhyolite chunks of varying sizes, I observe that size does indeed have an impact on the movable volume, though the difference is underwhelming. Onwards, I try the other remaining materials. Standardized to mass, Ive listed the materials in order of increasing anchorable volume: All transition metals in my possession (Silver, copper, tin, iron, etc.) C Unable to be used as anchors. Liquid water C Unable to be used as an anchor. I saw that one coming. Ember blossom flower C Very small volume, approximately one-hundredth of the volume an equally massed rhyolite piece couldve handled. Soil ball C Similarly ineffective. Rhyolite C Several dozen cubic meters, just as before. Limestone C Slightly better than rhyolite. Bone C Superior to limestone. Magicite crystal C Vastly superior to everything else, with just one measly hour of concentration, I can anchor an apparent maximum of two hundred cubic meters. Thats nearly the volume of three historic 12.2 m long shipping containers combined! Indeed, I was forced to expand more of my domain into the tunnel to even test that upper limit! With the ability to move so much volume relative to an object, in this case, a magicite crystal, many doors have opened up to me. Especially those involving gigantic moving mechanisms. Additionally, Ive discovered that as long as I maintain a wide enough thread of domain to connect the moving anchor back to my dungeon proper, I can relocate it anywhere! No longer does the isolation distance seem so restrictive. Still, I havent found a solution to my dilemma. The inexplicable mental effect which first urged me to pursue these discoveries seemed to imply that through them I would discover my answer. What have I missed? Perhaps the solution lies in the material used My understanding of the new rules of this reality is still completely lacking, oh what I would give to comprehend exactly why it is that magicite performs better than the other materials. What even is magicite? How does it form? What properties govern its behavior? My domain is truly massive, it seems unlikely that Ill be able to anchor the whole thing to a singular object. Hmm There is something decidedly magical which I havent tried yet. A soulstone. Yes, yes!! It makes perfect sense! Soulstones exhibit properties which slightly resemble those of magicite. Furthermore, they are the physical substrate of a dungeon core and are thus intrinsically linked to the baffling phenomena which I refer to as a dungeon domain. Could there be anything more promising? I do not own a soulstone. But Ive seen a few mages with them in their possession. What Im about to do Im not proud of You see, something is tickling me to acquire one right now, yes, Ill blame it on that. Its the perfect crime, really. I mean, who would suspect a sapient dungeon? Something the inhabitants of this world refuse to believe in. Oh sure, I could purchase one, but I want it now! Actually, if Im going to take it, I might as well offer a token of my appreciation. As I dont know what a soulstone is valued at, I suppose a, in my opinion, generous sum of three thousand pieces will suffice. In any event, I can keep an ear open for any reports of theft, if I hear none, the mage will have likely been satisfied. The sunset a few hours ago, so now is my time. My target is one of the combat mages I noticed wielding an intriguing traditional crossbow augmented with a few runic mechanisms. Honestly, I can barely keep myself from taking that as well. He is sleeping in a small dormitory. Quite frankly, Im amazed at how fast Sevit has developed. With their limited technology, I cant even begin to explain how this has been possible. Even through the liberal application of levitation runes and the use of particularly shoddy craftsmanship, I cant comprehend it. I wonder how their structures will hold up through the long haul. His building is a communal living accommodation attached to the barracks. The regular soldiers all live in bunks, however, Ive noticed that battlemages receive fancier living arrangements. It makes sense, their crafts presumably take longer to learn. Mana manipulation is no easy feat! Anyway, during my prior snooping I saw the mage take out and inspect the stone, thus revealing its location. It rests in a padded wooden box which in turn sits inside a locked drawer. Fortunately, three factors work in synergy to make lockpicking a trivial activity for me. For starters, every lock Ive seen so far has been painfully rudimentary. Second, Im able to easily extend a filament of my domain through the internal mechanism and taste/feel my way around the primitive tumblers. Finally, through the careful application of telekinesis, I can slide them into their unlocked states. It takes me no longer than thirty seconds. Once inside, I quietly ease the tarnished brass latch on the wooden box open and loft out the opaque red crystal cluster which has that unsettling taste of nothingness Id observed long ago. As I levitate my prize out through the open window, I bring in thirty one-hundred-piece coins and gently place them into the drawer. Its fortunate that Im actually able to levitate this soulstone in the first place. Im unable to lift my own core, so I was unsure if thatd be the case here as well. Much like my core, this soulstone is an irregular cluster of small pointy crystals. Unlike mine, however, it is smaller. While my core is ten centimeters wide, this one is just three. What that tells me is that it was at no point a dungeon core, apparently, all cores are approximately the same size. Now its time to see how well it serves as a domain anchor. Chapter 36: Guidance As Ike is levitating the soulstone through the town, it passes by one of the guardsmen. Sensing a disturbance, he calls out in alarm. The nearby denizens show no signs of stirring -- it was not meant for their ears. The guard takes two choreographed steps forward, chamber-regulated spear in hand. "There''s someone prowling ''round here," he mutters to himself. A moment passes, the guard''s eyes on constant alert. For the glory of the Lyrian Empire, not a soul will pass by unaccounted for. With an exaggerated swing of his upper body, he looks left. Then right. A pause... then quickly left again! Nothing. The street -- his street -- is empty as far as the eye can see and then some. He carefully takes the two steps back to his preordained post, hands taut and eyes sharp. "Must''ve been the wind," he announces, a sense of finality on those words that calms the eerie tension in the air. Around the corner, Ike''s soulstone bobbles and bounces along, unaware of the scene that transpired no more than fifteen meters away. -------------------- If before my subconscious was being subtle, now its screaming. The mere thought of anchoring my domain to this soulstone in my grasp sends shivers down my metaphorical spine. This is Right. At this point, I have a good many small entrances to the surface which I use only for, uh, non-nefarious purposes. The closest and most frequently used one is disguised as a rabbit warren, and I must say, its a convincing disguise. In fact, despite being a secret passage to my dungeon, it is still very much a real network of rabbit burrows. You see, when I first excavated it, I wanted to experiment on dungeon influence. More specifically, I wanted to discover whether or not I can maintain control over animals who spend a lot of time outside my domain. The results of this little side-project have been illuminating yet disappointing; animals, in this case a specially selected family of absurdly fluffy black rabbits, can not be directly commanded if they spend approximately one quarter of their lives away from my domain. This helps explain why the slower breeders Ive assimilated have taken longer to dominate. For an organism that has lived for years, I can only imagine my best option for adding them to memory is via breeding or just straight up killing them. Though its too soon to make that claim, I havent actually tested this process on other species. For all I know, its not a linear relationship. While Im on that topic, it now makes sense why a species is added to memory upon death as well. Apparently, Im able perform limited hybridization with the help of species modification and any memorized species genome is fair game. Therefore, killing something Im unable to breed, for whatever reason, still provides utility. Speaking of which, why should death or birth be necessary to memorize a species genome instantly anyway? Whats so special about either of those two events with respect to biological information storage? Can I even assume that its DNA which is being memorized in the first place? Thats something to think on later, and when I say later, I mean soon. I have several ideas for my upcoming modification projects, I feel Ive been underutilizing my abusive ability. The soulstone floats through the rooty soil burrows dug by both mammals and giant ants alike. With tunnels weaving through the regolith of rhyolite boulders and the decomposing root systems of once-great hardwood trees, the soulstone enters a clearly artificial shaft plunging straight into the bedrock. Contrary to what youd expect from a magical material, it does not glow or otherwise reveal its perplexing nature. Too bad no one will ever be able to see and admire my handiwork. The walls of the vertical shaft are overgrown with clinging plants who exhibit roots which tunnel through solid stone via a mechanism I havent even begun to understand. Indeed, excepting the most frequently trodden paths, my fledgling library, and the stone block depot, every available surface in my domain is thoroughly encrusted with plants and fungi. Something Ive noticed thats worth investigating later is that there are segregated regions where the vegetation conforms to local color norms. That is to say, there are some areas dominated by specific colors of arcanasynthesizers; green, blue, purple, black, etc. Furthermore, self-contained groves of predominantly transparent, bioluminescent, OR carnivorous flora have emerged. Indeed, these fuzzy boundaries have only continued to solidify and grow more distinct over time. Thats fascinating because it implies the presence of variable environmental conditions in different sections of my dungeon. Its my job to identify those variables. Look at me, bragging about simple access tunnels, though they are well-made, if I do say so myself I couldve called a few dungeon helpers over to haul my prize to the core room, (Or cubby, really. Its a matter of perspective though, scale means little to me now.) but I dont want to waste any more time. Transporting it telekinetically is simply faster. Still, this takes a while, after all, my dungeon has grown to be quite expansive and the tunnels quite labyrinthine. Before bringing the soulstone into my core room, I tether a small spherical volume of domain to it in order to verify that I can also dis-anchor domain from it. It would be a shame if I caused permanent damage to my dungeon, so its best to make sure I can undo any changes in advance.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Without any real fanfare, the soulstone readily fixes to the designated test domain space. Though notably, the procedure goes by much faster than with the other materials, taking only a split second to anchor a few cubic meters, and it also consumes way less mana. Neato. Tossing it around to confirm the linked domain space moves in synchrony with the position and attitude of the superior anchor, I will the soulstone to release its connection with the anchored domain. Thankfully it instantly detaches, ditching the connected domain in its current position. This proves I should be able to exert a reasonable level of control over my anchors. Or does it? What would happen to the domain anchored to an object if said object was, say, rent in half? Luckily thats easy to find out! Taking a random blue leaf striated with mesmerizing magenta veins from my surroundings, I link a tiny sphere of domain to it. And then I telekinetically shred it to pieces. Good, good! As soon as the leaf tore from its initial state, the relevant domain separated from the anchoring leaf and settled into its current position. I suppose only static objects would make good long-term anchors, anything which grows and develops or decomposes would probably be a poor choice as an anchor. That will do just nicely; soulstones are inorganic. I think, I mean, its not like I can taste one and see. Its time to see just how much domain I can affix to this little red crystal cluster. I can only imagine itll be a lot, so, much like Ive done with my own core, I firmly embed it into the stone wall of my cubby. I dont want it moving around and taking my domain with it. I can hardly wait, so without waiting any longer, I initiate the now-familiar process of domain anchoring. Right off the bat I notice somethingalarming; its proceeding at a pace significantly faster than what Id grown used to with the rhyolite pebbles or magicite crystals. By extension, the rate of mana consumption is unprecedented. Worryingly so. With the anchored volume ballooning to an enormous size of roughly three hundred cubic meters in a mere two minutes, Im starting to wonder if I should be pacing myself. But itd be dishonest for me to omit that its exhilarating as well. This is Right, theres no other way to describe it. Its such a fundamental feeling of correctness or contentedness. Since Id first been reborn into this world as a dungeon core, my sensations have been almost entirely subdued. This, however, is so shockingly vivid. Or perhaps thats merely the result of my months-long effective sensory deprivation. Regardless, by now my newfound instincts are metaphorically screaming at the surface of my subconscious, I need to continue! And continue I do, with the anchored domain space now approaching a thousand cubic meters in volume, and showing no signs of slowing down, a second wave of doubt crashes into my mind. Something I havent experienced in a long time tickles my awareness; the mana concentration in my halls has declined, though only slightly. Its funny, really, all this time Ive been micromanaging the environment inside my dungeon in order to maximize biomass and biodiversity, all to allow for a higher defensive unit carrying capacity and an elevated mana regeneration rate. And though the first reason is entirely valid, the second has generally been a non-issue. The only thing Ive really used a noteworthy quantity of mana for has been species modification. Itd taken several iterations to perform the alterations on my super helper caste due to the bottleneck that is my mana capacity. But given my current size and all the investments in infrastructure Ive been making lately; I could probably do it all in one go. What Im trying to say is this; for me to notice a substantial dip in my domains mana supply, this anchoring process must be consuming an ungodly amount in an absurdly short time frame. To investigate a suspicion of mine, I wrap the soulstone with my sense and sample its temperature. Ah, I forgot that I cant sense anything about those particular objects. Eh, Ive an easy workaround; I taste the air surrounding the soon-to-be domain space anchor. Curious, the temperature of the air is roughly ambient. Mana, its kind of like energy, right? Where then, is all that energy going? Am I unwittingly creating a bomb? With that thought in mind, I decide to pause the domain fixation process and take a breather. Oh no. Well OK then, I guess I wont be taking a break after all! Apparently, Im completely unable to break away from this process, and if that wasnt bad enough, I cant even slow it down! Indeed, if anything the anchor is accelerating in its domain assimilation! At least it feels nice, that means it cant be bad! Right? We have a potential catastrophe on our hands. Worst case scenario: Im shunting a dangerous quantity of mana into a tiny object which has no good business containing it. Additionally, like a fool Ive positioned it right next to my core! Best case scenario? The process runs to completion, consuming all of my mana until I black out. I guess Ill await the inevitable Yup! I blacked out alright! But unlike the time Id infused mana into my very core, I detect no hangover. My mind feels sharp and clear just as it had when Id first got carried away modifying a fungus gnat. Also, Im very much alive. Well, if you consider a magic crystal as a living entity, that is. So, the obvious question; what happened? Probing the inert soulstone embedded in the mossy stone wall of the cubby it shares with my own core, I observe my home. The ambient mana Ive grown so accustomed to suffusing the atmosphere of my dungeon is predictably scarce, though not entirely absent. Either I recovered a bit of mana before coming to, or the anchor didnt consume it all in the first place. I suspect the first because otherwise I probably wouldntve passed out. One additional tidbit I manage to observe is that many of the flowering plants present within my domain have closed their blossoms. Perhaps thats a response to low ambient mana? What purpose could such a behavior serve? Perhaps I can establish more varied microbiomes later by varying the concentration of ambient mana at different locations? I file these thoughts away as I come back to the burning question; hows the soulstone doing? Refocusing my attention on the hopefully successful anchor, I look for its connected domain spaces boundary. I findnothing? Excuse me? All that for nothing? Surely not. Sending my point of view back to the walled off tunnel Id first used to test my anchoring abilities, I perform a quick check to try and confirm my hopeful hunch. Claiming a small portion of wilderness, I recheck for the anchors boundary. Bingo! The freshly claimed domain reveals a clear border between the new and old territory. The implications are profound Ive somehow managed to anchor my entire domain to this single soulstone! Is that good or bad? Lets find out! Heres to being alive! Chapter 37: Safety First Can I add the newly claimed domain to the anchored space just as easily as I could before? Executingyes, I can! Can I remove it at will? Again, I can! Its not instant, but Id already established that when creating anchors in the first place. In other words, it takes just as long to add new domain to an existing anchor as it does to create a fresh anchor. Excellent, this is exactly what Ive been looking for! My entire domain is now anchored to this individual soulstone, and I have peace of mind knowing that if the anchor ever gets destroyed, the fixed domain space will re-attach itself to my own core without shifting positions. Now I should have no trouble relocating my core to a more secure location as my domain wont move alongside it anymore. Actually, theres a potential problem; if someone or something manages to make its way into my dungeon and nab my primary anchor, the connected domain could be shifted a great distance, thus undoing weeks, nay, months of progress! So, what, should I relocate my core and then simply shatter the soulstone to reaffix my domain to my core in its new location? No, though thats certainly a viable option, I have a better idea; why not construct a basic mechanism which allows me to crush it at will? Hear me out, theres no reason to destroy a perfectly good soulstone if I can avoid it. If I keep it around as an anchor, that means Im totally free to move my core whenever I desire without having to repeat this ordeal of a process! My mana takes a long time to replenish and it would be a real shame if I was unable to relocate my core without destroying my domain in the process simply because I wasnt at full capacity! Given my size, it will probably be a couple of weeks before my mana is back to full, I do not want to be caught unprepared! Its not like mana grows on trees- you know what I mean. But Ike! I hear you saying, What if a mage inhibits your control again? How could you destroy the soulstone then? Simple: A deadman''s switch. Rather than moving my core right away, I decide to go ahead and implement this failsafe. I carve stone away from the wall surrounding the soulstone such that it now rests atop a small pillar of solid rhyolite, with the initially exposed face still coated in clingy plants. As Im working in a confined space right now, I dont bother with carving out quality blocks and merely settle for dungeon helper sized pebbles. I really cant be bothered to widen the entrance to this cubby to provide access to my cart network. And anyway, doing so would only serve to reveal my precious anchors position. So why bother? The newly excavated anchor room is a cylinder roughly forty centimeters wide and twenty tall. Sure, thats small, but I dont gain anything from making it larger. In fact, its size is a minor form of protection in and of itself. Now, how should I go about constructing this anchor-destroying mechanism? I think my best bet will be a falling object slamming into and subsequently shattering the fragile little cluster of crystals. Yes, a pillar of stone would suffice! Now the question remains, how do I trigger it? It somehow needs to remain functional even in the presence of a mages interference. I know how wide the invading mages sphere of influence was, but I cant just assume that other mages cant greatly exceed it. Therefore, a long-distance pulley system would be too risky. Should I then use animals to operate it? The idea has merit however, I worry that unforeseen magic abilities could render it dysfunctional. Im thinking poison gas, instant death, dungeon control jamming, etc. I really dont know what to expect. What Im trying to say is that living operators introduce more variables than Im comfortable with. Still, I may have to settle for this if nothing else comes to mind. I could simply telekinetically levitate it twenty-four-seven, that way when a mage approaches, my levitation will be inhibited and thus the pillar will fall onto the soulstone. Though of course constantly holding something up like that will hamper my mana regeneration rate, as it will require continuous upkeep. Aha! I could work around this by implementing a lever and ropes! Consider a lever with a central pivot, if I attach the pillar to one side of the seesaw using hemp ropes and weigh down the other side with a heavy sphere of stone, the mana upkeep would be minimal. I can use my telekinesis to keep the sphere from rolling off its side of the lever. Then, when a mage comes along and inhibits my control, the sphere will be free to roll off the inclined plank, thus dropping the pillar onto the soulstone! But what happens if I pass out? Something which, and it pains me to say this, occurs quite frequently Telekinesis is not the answer. What are my options for exerting control in an inhibited area? I cant merge, cut, or levitate objects, but I can certainly command organisms and use runes! Ive ruled out the first, but what about the second? One particular spell comes to mind: Force Missile. One of the three wands Id purchased carries a rune able to cast the Force Missile spell. While I fail to see how a force can manifest without a reactionary recoil of some kind, I dont really need to understand it for it to be useful. Imagine the previously described dead mans switch apparatus except now the spherical stone counterweight rests in an indention carved into the seesaw, thus preventing it from rolling free. If I cast Force Missile at the sphere, it would get knocked off the lever, thus triggering the mechanism.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Yeah, it technically wouldnt be a dead mans switch anymore, but who cares? Unfortunately, just as I had with the animal operator idea, I see another set of unknowns which potentially disrupt my plan. Can I even use runes in an inhibited area? Probably, but I dont know for sure. Additionally, can a mage block a rune from casting a spell? I cant think of a way to make the mechanism trigger in every scenario! Oh! Who says I cant have multiple triggers for different situations though? If the only thing needed to activate it is knocking the counterweight off, then I can do it in three different ways with none of them interfering with each other! If living my whole life in space has taught me one thing, its that redundancy is king! Method A) I can command several dungeon helpers to push the counterweight off the lever. Method B) I can cast a Force Missile spell from the wand which Ill have pre-aimed and mounted in the wall. Method C) I can yank the boulder off by tugging on an extremely long attached hemp rope which will hopefully be long enough to exceed the interference radius. This is brilliant, and I can use a similar approach when I design a new series of traps later! Seven hours later and its complete. For a human, thatd be an extremely impressive time, but for a dungeon core with near-total control over its environment, you could rightfully say that I took a little too long. Of course, I have my excuses. For starters, Id taken my time and performed a few test trials with a prototype. For something so simple, this hardly shouldve been necessary, but I wanted to be sure all the same. Furthermore, because I want to implement this with much needed lethal traps, I wanted it to be perfect. And perfect, it is! Well, besides the less than optimal materials The whole thing is crafted from yellow fungiwood. As its not a very strong material, less so than even pine, I had to overengineer the balance. I didnt want it snapping, after all. Still, the extra bulk should have no effect on the mechanisms functionality. I should probably modify my fungiwood species to be denser. Noted! With everything taken care of, its finally time to move my core to a safer location. But before that, I need to prepare the new room. Currently, the deepest portion of my dungeon is a web of access tunnels Id dug throughout the rhyolite stone underneath the captured cavern. While close, my network hasnt yet pierced into the limestone strata underneath. I want to position my core in a roughly central area, however, as I plan on expanding to the even deeper chasm and river, I need to act accordingly. With this in mind, I begin to branch off from one of the access tunnels. Just as I did when carving out the anchor room, I dont bother with making blocks, this tunnel needs to remain narrow to offer optimal protection. The specific access tunnel I chose to branch away from is much narrower than the average, allowing for only the smallest of ant carts in my fleet to pass. Though none have traveled here in a while; the terrain has become unnavigable. As this is the deepest region of my dungeon, water has started to accumulate. Of course, I keep the water level manageable by levitating mesmerizing laminar ribbons of dirty fluid through the air elsewhere. As Ive grown larger this has become increasingly difficult to stay on top of, soon I want to implement an automatic pumping mechanism. Universally green moisture-loving plants, fungi, and slime molds coat the confined walls. Millions of worms and maggots squirm in the damp, stagnant slurry resting at the bottom while mayflies and other flying vermin saturate the muggy atmosphere. Crystal-clear transparent crabs trawl through the muck searching for hapless invertebrates and algae to devour and an uncommon non-purple variety of archer pods intermittently flashes with stunningly bright white light. How alien! Whats fascinating to me is that the flora and fauna here generally cant be found elsewhere in my dungeon. I doubt this is due to the damp environment as there are other such regions of my domain with poor drainage. No, I suspect the atmospheric composition is to blame; being at the lowest level and accounting for my acute lack of proper ventilation, carbon dioxide is readily available while oxygen is in short supply. In short, the denizens whove colonized this place have found their niche. And Im all the happier for it, biodiversity is a decidedly good thing as far as a dungeon core is concerned. Still, I want more control over the conditions in my dungeon, so I fully intend on incorporating efficient irrigation, ventilation, and drainage systems in the future. Of course, I will use said control to actively encourage diversity of wildlife and environments, I just want it to be intentional. The tunnel to my new core room (Cavity is a better word.) is proceeding nicely. The only minor hiccup being my dungeon helpers are largely unable to traverse the bog on the tunnels floor. Fortunately, the slightly less moist ceiling is encrusted with massive coral-like colonies of green lichen which offer ample purchase. At this point Im extremely proficient with stonecutting. My abilities have grown with use, and I can confidently confirm the degree of change exceeds that which can be explained by practice alone. Parallels can be drawn with exercising muscles except I havent noticed any sign of diminishing returns yet. Ive drilled a ten-centimeter-wide tunnel a little over two dozen feet long and sloping downwards in the spatial direction of the canyon. This will probably greatly inhibit my mana regeneration and domain acquisition rates, but those are acceptable tradeoffs for security, in my opinion. I wont have to worry about being submerged completely in water because the tunnels entrance is above the bog. Now on to my next task; I wish to prepare an emergency escape chute for my core. The plan is simple, I will encase my core in a padded fungiwood canister (With holes to maintain mana flow and domain access.) which will be suspended over a long and inclined chute. The chute will have a plugged opening into the cliff face of the canyon below. Its quite simple: In the event of an emergency I will sever the beam supporting the core canister which will subsequently drop into the chute. To limit the fall rate the chute is inclined at an angle of twenty degrees from the vertical and the durable sides of the cannister should experience plenty of friction with the tunnels walls. The bottom of the chute is plugged with stone to prevent any nasties from finding their way to my core from that direction. The safety plug will be a staggering ten meters thick. On top of the plug is fluffy leaf litter to cushion the inevitable impact. Once my core has fallen down and come to rest atop the solid stone plug, I will begin to rapidly carve it away. My dungeon domain will extend into the chasm thus giving me excavation access to the plug from the bottom side. Gravity will serve to remove the plugs debris, dropping it into the river below. With the plug removed, my core canister will fall the rest of the way and land in the river where it will hopefully get carried downstream on buoyant sacs, far away from danger. A risk? Certainly. But its better than guaranteed destruction. My reasoning is that if ever an unstoppable enemy invades my dungeon and also somehow has the ability to track my dungeon core, Ill be able to relocate far away, though doing so will by necessity sever contact with my dungeon. Once this is complete, Ill finally relocate my core. Chapter 38: Level Up? As planned, I fashioned a domain-permeable fungiwood canister to contain my core. As my core is ten centimeters wide and the tunnel Ill be bringing it through is a tight eleven centimeters in diameter, I had to bring the materials through the tight opening and assemble it in place. It never wouldve fit through otherwise. The canister is a pill-shaped vessel with a diameter of twenty centimeters and a length of forty. Inside are pads of fluffy moss to cushion my precious core from any jolts it might experience in a last-ditch escape and leather floatation sacs filled with air occupy the interior of both hemispherical halves. Its actually mole-squirrel leather and it was surprisingly easy to seal with the help of my merge ability. I didnt tan it or anything, but I did command a swarm of carrion beetles to eat away extraneous flesh. Itll suffice. I was going to throw together some traps before I relocated my core, but my first priority remains putting it in a safer spot. I will add them immediately after. Still, one task I want to complete before relocating is expanding a thin thread through the canyon to the exiting side of my emergency chute. This means Ill have no choice but to gaze in awe at the natural majesty of that place, something Ive been intentionally putting off because I know how easily distracted I can get I pledge to not get carried away and only complete the task at hand. Ill have plenty of time to study the environment after my latest safety measures are implemented. Indeed, its my next expansion target! Stretching a hair-thin filament of domain into the yawning chasm, though quick, is anything but easy. What makes it hard? The sheer evolutionary splendor all around me! The organisms are so familiar, clearly being related to Earth life, yet so alien! As just one example of many, I am again astonished by the enormous spindly black crabs wading through the raging rapids at the bottom of the deep chasm. They resemble spider crabs more than anything else, though they stand seven meters tall above the depths on legs positioned vertically rather than splayed outwards as youd expect of a normal crab. They plod sluggishly through the water atop their stilt-like legs, yet their clawed arms flash with incredible speed as they snatch up equally oversized energetic salmon who can be seen leaping to-and-fro across the entire visible length of the canyons river. And the visible length, girth, and height of this chamber boggles the mind. Its sheer scale makes even deer cave look like a little burrow. How can such a gargantuan hollow volume even exist at this depth? Surely the overhead pressure from all the stone resting above would render this impossible?! And I want to emphasize; the entire canyon is not visible to me. It snakes away in both directions thus completely occluding my line of sight. Who knows how far it extends? As Ive made extensive note of already, many varieties of subterranean flora seem to have no trouble with taking root on sheer rock walls and ceilings, though some certainly prefer specific inclinations. Much like everything else Id seen so far; each available surface is crowded with lush gardens. Though the dominant form of mega flora appears to be a titanic variety of brown shelf fungi, which Id heard Urist refer to as ledgeshrooms. These table-like growths line the canyons edges providing yet more surface area for smaller species to sprout from. Most notably, I see thousands of diverse orchids growing on the large fungal shelves, some exhibiting strange optical properties which Ill definitely need to investigate soon. Magic is undoubtedly involved. The associated wildlife has, by necessity, grown quite accustomed to such conditions. Most animals here can fly or climb proficiently. And this includes larger critters too, colonies of black howling monkeys representing multiple species grapple onto the vegetation while they munch on fruit and even other animals they manage to catch. And straight from fantasy; miniature dragons of a few different kinds soar through the busy air on wings which appear to be repurposed front limbs. Cave drifters float through the air on bulbous hydrogen-filled sacs, trailing long dangling tentacles to ensnare hapless insects. Especially bees. There are regular honeybees everywhere, and the reason is apparent; just above me hang dozens of exposed combs. This singular colony is far larger than it has any right it be. What couldve encouraged this trait to emerge? Probably predation, which is both worrisome and exciting. Well, Ive gone and gotten distracted, havent I? Im here for a reason, and my job is trivially easy. No excuses. Finishing up with extending my domain to the emergency chutes concealed outlet, I withdraw my focus from the majestic ravine. Ill come back, and when I do, this will all belong to me! I am now ready to relocate my core. And so, I prepare to do exactly that. What need have I for fanfare? Ive done this before, its nothing special. With a quick series of cuts, I slice away the vegetation which had grown to obscure my cores current cubby and I call over four dungeon helpers to carry me as Im unable to perform telekinesis on myself or any container which might house my core, for whatever reason. I dont want to leave such an important task to extremely stupid, often clumsy, arthropods. Therefore, I take direct control and stimulate them to gently clamp each of their oversized mandibles onto some protruding crystals. With a coordinated heave, all four ants lift my core up in synchrony.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Excuse me? What?! I havent heard from you in so long Mr. Normal! And whats with the flowery language? That isnt like you at all! As expected, my query earns no response. I do recall this behavior from him once before though. When Id first detected a mana flare, he used the same language to inform me that I could absorb ambient mana passively. That was over a half a year ago... Theres a lot to unpack here, plastic consciousness could mean anything, but based on the name alone, I wager it has something to do with mental flexibility. Modular telepathy is anyones guess, and enhanced mutation fields implies I already had an inferior version of the unknown ability, which is news to me. Also, and this is key, what Directive? Is that my purpose? To fulfill some directive Im unaware of? That seems like a design flaw if you ask me, wouldnt it be better to be pre-informed? Why should moving my core be important now? Its not like its my first time. What is going on? So, should I try and figure out what this all means right now or finish relocating my core first? Eh, probably the latter, safety is my number one priority. Or so I tell myself, my actions often say otherwise. While I switch my focus back to the task at hand, something happens Something different. I can see in every direction from my focus point with perfect clarity. Its unreal, youd expect something like this to be either disorientating or headache-inducing, yet its completelymundane. Is this the so-called plastic consciousness at play? Im shocked by how subdued and normal this feels. I mean, I feel as if Im already perfectly adapted for this when I really ought not to be. Scary Some force, whatevers behind Mr. Normal, has absolute control over my mind, and if their intentions were malevolent, would I even be able to recognize that? Am I even the same person as I was in my past life? I certainly think so, I react to stimuli the same way I always have, and I have the memories to support this. But what if even those were altered? Ill use my signature move: avoid all existential questions. Trust me, its better not to worry about that stuff, it wont get you anywhere in my experience. If Ive learned anything in my century of life, its that you shouldnt take it too seriously. Dont get hung up on those anxiety-inducing questions. Though my bias is apparent; Im living after death itself. Which I am grateful for, dont get me wrong! Just in case some omniscient being is listening in on my thoughts Yeah, Im losing it. I really need more social contact. Onwards! Progress will not wait for sanity! I''ve got a job to do! Once more I take control of the four dungeon helpers and begin to haul my core to the new room. Along the way, I take some time to admire my progress. Im taking my core through my main passageways and am intentionally rerouting traffic to avoid it. I do not want my core carried along the walls or ceiling as I dont want to risk it getting dropped from a height. My excavation has been unceasing, this whole time, and even now, a fraction of my focus is tasked with micromanaging stone block carving and logistics. Perhaps one of the reasons the recent boost to my perception was so underwhelming is because Ive been practicing something similar; my uncanny ability to multitask. Performing a quick check, I realize that I can indeed perceive multiple frames of reference with greater ease than before. Ill push this ability to the limit later. My largest tunnels are several meters wide, allowing four or more typical ant-propelled carts to pass side by side at a time. If one could observe my dungeon, they would have no trouble identifying the most frequently used paths. Besides the constant caravans trundling past, the muddy floor is marred with deep ruts with cyan grasses and other small plants growing in between. Due to the constant trampling here, only the hardiest and fastest-growing plants are able to thrive. Though the walls and ceilings support larger growths as they see no cart traffic. But even they are not unused; dungeon helpers march in branching paths to access different regions of the dungeon to achieve whatever task Ive assigned. The most numerous travelers by far are regular-sized, tiny leafcutter ants who are intent on harvesting the bounties of these halls and the chambers they connect to. For efficiency purposes, Ive restricted the floors to just cart pushers and super helpers, the walls for other dungeon helpers, and the ceilings for normal leafcutters. And this makes sense; the carts must be floor bound and I dont want to hinder throughput by impeding their passage. Regular leafcutters use the ceiling because they are the smallest and can thus cling to it the easiest. Dungeon helpers can use the ceiling too, but I prefer to keep them separate so they dont harm the tiny ants. Also, climbing upside down is much harder for them due to their size. It wouldnt do to have them wasting calories, after all! Of course, regular leafcutters can and do visit the floors and walls when they need to harvest vegetation from there, they just use the ceiling for logistics. Naturally, my dungeon is home to many other species, a great number of which are predatory and would happily ravage the easy meals which are leafcutter ants. I hate to interfere, but as they serve a purpose independent of being participants in the local food chain, Ive compelled my other denizens to leave them alone. Especially large critters such as giant cave centipedes, mole-squirrels, goliath^2beetles, lizards, birds, rabbits, etc. would get in the way of my ant cart supply chains, so Ive also commanded them to give my helpers a wide berth. This whole time Ive been focusing my querying on extending my tunnel network everywhere and have been neglecting the creation of wide-open spaces and more diverse habitats. Especially aquatic ones. Interestingly, in my largest chambers, the cavern included, the tree-sized pon pon mushrooms Id engineered earlier are actually managing to compete with the native fungiwood trees. Thats surprising because youd think an artificial species would be less equipped to deal with a natural competitor whod had eons to optimize the domination of its niche. I suspect some hidden process is to blame, perhaps its connected to the accelerated metabolisms of organisms within my domain? Or the just-mentioned mutation fields? Its worth looking into soon. Chapter 39: Keep It Simple, Stupid As much as Id love to launch straight into the construction of new biome rooms or settling the enormous ravine, I must take care of my own security first. Though I see no reason not to go ahead and start imbuing the new territory with my domain. My multitasking capabilities have burgeoned in the past few weeks and with Mr. Normals latest communique, its become trivial. So much so that I can essentially treat domain acquisition as a passive process. So I do exactly that, this way my job will be easier when the time comes to develop the new environment. Of course, it could take weeks or even months to complete because I still dont know just how long the canyon really is. Thats ok. Right now my number one priority is making my dungeon more defensible. If Im going to be establishing a new point of entry into my home, I want to be prepared to deal with the possible consequences. Furthermore, those strange rat-shark-bat-human people (I really need a better name for them.) know where I live, and that doesnt sit well with me. Disregarding the population growth of my defending animals, Im already in a much better position than I was when the mage attacked me. First, my dungeon is much larger and elaborate, making traversing it a days-long ordeal for a humanoid. Second, my latest additions have been intentionally designed to inhibit human movement, with jagged outcroppings, difficult to scale cliffs, and other treacherous terrain. I could have taken it to the next level with flooded regions and other water features which Ive been neglecting, but I havent gotten there yet. The bog at the lowermost region of my dungeon is more of a fluke than anything else, a product of my indifference to proper drainage. And third, Ive densely perforated my surroundings with branching passages, the extremities of which are much too narrow for someone to crawl through. Before, the mage was able to cast his fire spell at the two ends of the tunnel he was fighting in, thus incinerating the onrushing waves of bottlenecked defenders. Now, however, my access network thoroughly connects with every open space at many points. The result: I can send ants and other small attackers into chambers and large tunnels through frequently placed holes, thus forcing invaders to defend from all sides. This is good, true, but its not enough. Previously, a single mage was able to inflict a devastating number of casualties. What could a coordinated group of mages do? An army? I need traps, barriers, decoys, fail-safes, and other similar tricks. And I need them now. Barriers are trivially easy for me to construct; I already use an extremely simple and practical design for my block depot. Implementing dozens of these throughout my halls will not be hard, and the utility gained will be immense. Could a mage use the compressed air explosion spell to bust through them just as the mage did with my fortifications? Certainly. Luckily, doing so requires a lot of mana, something which is a limited resource. As Id learned from Hilda Davys Mana Flowstence, mages who dont also happen to be dungeon cores, replenish their biological mana reserves by eating food. Some food is more mana dense than others. I dont know how its done, but based on my observations, nearly every living organism stockpiles mana to some extent. Especially arcanasynthetic plants, which is every plant Ive seen so far. Mages get around their low mana capacity by carrying charged magicite crystals with them. The more they bring, the more mana they have available. But even this is limited, once a mage depletes all of their magicite crystals, they are powerless until they can recharge or replace them, an extremely lengthy process when using their own reserves to do so. Essentially, a mage is unable to replenish a meaningful quantity of mana in a short time frame. Depending on the size of a mages collection, their diet, and their skill in mana manipulation, it can take weeks to months for them to fully refill their magicite crystals with mana they accumulate through their diets. For this reason, many mages find employment doing nothing more than recharging other peoples magicite. Either by doing so themselves, using costly/complex mana accumulator arrays, or with other more questionable methods, like soul magic; which Im led to believe is synonymous with necromancy, even though the latter has nothing to do with raising the dead. What is soul magic good for, anyway? The revelation that souls exist and are easily verifiable to boot rocked my world-view, but because I dont yet know what they are fundamentally, Im unable to leap to conclusions. Learning more about souls is on my ever-growing list of long-term priorities; perhaps it will shed some light on why or how I came to this world in the first place? Or maybe even the meaning of life, the universe, and everything? Yeah, not likely. Back to barriers; if I put enough rolling stone vault doors between myself and any invaders, I can force them to waste much, or even all, of their precious mana trying to move forward. Additionally, it slows them down, giving me more time to prepare other defenses. Now that I have the dead mans wand, I can even use the spell at maximum capacity to destructively test the cylindrical slabs to fine-tune their thickness! I have no issues with them remaining manual for now as I only plan to use them during incursions. I do love free-range migration, open gas exchange, and the hydrologic cycle. Oh, and mana, lots of yellow-flavored mana! I shall set to work on it right away, it shouldnt take too long to carve a few doorways, after all.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Well, I was half right, it certainly didnt take long to construct a few doors. But I may have gotten a little carried away You see, Ive been at this for five days now. Nothing crazy, all things considered, but because of how easy it is to make these doors, its extremely overkill. Though it bears mentioning that I didnt get completely absorbed in my work as Ive been known to do, I still made time to manage my stone shipments and even respond to inbound mail from Wes and the governors. Nothing of major importance there though. Though they are about to start constructing a city wall and prison. Thats neat, more money for me I suppose. In the future, I expect to have surplus fungiwood to export as well. So how many doors did I build? Well...a little over two hundred. But hey! The more the merrier, right? I dont even plan on stopping there, I just have more urgent things to take care of now that this basic need has been met. Namely traps. But I wonder which kind will be most effective in my situation? One thing is for sure, there is no reason for me to waste my time on fiddly little things like crossbow traps, dumb spear thingies, and other such nonsense. Why bother with non-lethal or barely-lethal measures? I mean, come on, anyone trespassing in my dungeon wont be pulling their punches, so why should I? The best trap is one that works. That means lethality and reliability are king. On reliability, my design should be as simple as possible. Oh sure, I love complexifying things for no reason other than entertainment, just look at the large rope-drawn carts Ive been building if you dont believe me. But right now Im in a time crunch, the longer I wait to fortify myself, the greater risk Im in. I could get attacked at any moment, including now! Naturally, Ill have plenty of free time in the future to invent the most convoluted, roundabout, and silly weapons I could possibly fathom. I have a few options. The first two are simple and easy; concealed pitfalls and targeted cave-ins/falling objects. Ill take care of these first and then move on to my more...creative ideas. Pitfall traps are so simple, yet so effective. If I litter them across my entire dungeon, not only will they likely claim a few lives, but theyll also significantly slow down enemy advancement. Constantly checking your path for dangers is extremely tedious, and if I design them right, theyll be undetectable! As Ive said before, these need to stay simple. Additionally, I want them to be both automatic and triggerable even within a mages control exclusion range. I have a possible preliminary solution, though Ive no doubt a superior design will come to mind at a later date. Thats fine, I can always make more! A sturdy slab of stone held directly over a pit by four or so weak fungiwood pegs serving as standoffs. That is, the four pegs will horizontally poke out from the sides of the pit. Resting atop them will be the otherwise unsupported slab. When someone puts their full body weight onto the platform, the pegs will snap, causing the slab and whoevers standing on it to plummet to their deaths. In natural bottlenecks, I can build even larger versions that require the combined weight of a whole group to trigger! As long as I perform the necessary experiments, I can design the pegs with a thickness perfectly calibrated to snap at the desired stress. Yeah, I know its a roundabout approach to a basic weight-sensitive pitfall, but this design has an important intrinsic property; a simple manual remote triggering system can be easily integrated. Magic is out of the question simply because I dont have enough wands for every one, but biological and mechanical triggers are still on the table. I will attach individual lines of hemp rope to each peg. The four lines of hemp rope will converge at the center of the pit where theyll be tied to a central line running through a hole in the bottom of the pit. This hole, and the rope running through it, will extend straight downwards for quite some length to exceed the inhibition range of a mage. The pegs will be mounted into the pitfalls walls by narrow holes of a diameter slightly smaller than their own. This interference fit will keep them from popping out randomly but should allow me to quickly yank them free with a firm tug to the rope, thus causing the no-longer supported slab to plummet downwards. The rope hole at the bottom of the pit will serve another purpose; it will be linked to my access network so that small dungeon helpers will be able to use it to enter the pit. In every pitfall, at all times, I will have four dungeon helpers stationed on rotation near the pegs under the traps upper rim. In the event my rope is not long enough to exceed the range of a highly skilled mage, they will be able to quickly cut through the pegs with their robust leaf-cutting mandibles. In fact, they dont even have to cut all the way through for it to work, they merely need to weaken the fungiwood standoffs to allow the load supplied by the thick stone slab to do the rest! The pitfalls dont really even need to be terribly deep, eight meters combined with the bone-shattering impact of the heavy stone slab underneath the victim should be enough to, at the very least, cripple them. Wouldnt it be unfortunate for them if there were primed archer pods and venomous cave centipedes hidden in recesses along the walls at the bottom? Thats definitely happening now! Ah, but why stop there? I should use some of these as staging grounds for surprise attacks by linking the pit interiors with wider access network tunnels! Then my minions can swarm forth from the previously hidden danger to overwhelm the victims peers who didnt plummet to their deaths! Actually, imagine this; youre marching with your group through a beautiful and glorious dungeon on a mission to wrongfully slay it. You are being constantly harried by superior life forms and then one of your fellow trespassers takes a step forward...only to fall into a perfectly concealed, absolutely ingenious chasm. Before you even have a chance to admire the sheer cleverness and remarkable craftsmanship of the trap, swarms of clattering arthropods rush out from the fresh hole to annihilate your sinful selves! Brilliant, the design is ready; its time to test it. After that, Ill modify my anchor-crushing mechanism to trigger falling object traps and destabilize select portions of my dungeon to facilitate controlled cave-ins. Only then will I implement them. Then itll be time to implement my trump cards. Chapter 40: Force of Gravity Now Im no murderer, or at least I really dont want to be one. These traps are lethal, and thats obviously intentional. So, you might ask, why would I murder trespassers, isnt that overkill? And youd be right, it definitely is overkill. But heres the thing, theyre not trespassers. Theyre malicious surgeons. ...I know, I know, but hear me out. A trespasser is someone who enters a property uninvited. Bad, yes, but not justification for murder, not even close. An example of a malicious surgeon would be someone who subdues you and proceeds to steal your kidneys without permission. Worse yet; your heart. If someone wants to steal your heart, is it ok to use lethal force to defend yourself? Eh, its certainly questionable, but right now Im leaning towards yes. You see, my dungeon is not my property, it is my body. This is one of those things that only really makes sense to a dungeon core. Of course, the case isnt so clear-cut; in my situation the line between the two is very fuzzy. Whats important is intent. If a human stumbles in to harvest fire flowers? Id certainly try to expel them but I most definitely wouldnt kill him. Furthermore Id heap on copious warnings pertaining to traps they may be about to unwittingly trigger. Worst case scenario? They ignore my pleas. But I already know those tribal cave people seek to take my core. That will not stand. Sure, I might tolerate a scouting party, as long as they dont penetrate too deep into my domain. But if they come along and start blasting everything or show signs of being extremely powerful, I might panic. Again. Long story short, I hope I never need to use my traps. Im just preparing for the worst. Or at least what I know to be the worst, who knows what other dangers this world of impossibilities might harbor? How do you even begin to prepare for the unknown? Before I begin construction on the pitfall traps doubling as ambush sites, I want to solidify the design of some crushing traps. One of the myriad benefits of dungeon core neurology is a perfect memory. In particular, one useful ability emerges; Im able to visualize designs in my head and alter them in any way I see fit, at any time. With my imagination being the only limit. This is good because it means Ive no need for written blueprints or notes. For now, I intend to simply repurpose my soulstone crushers trigger for my latest traps. That is why Ive decided to do it before constructing the pitfall traps, it probably wont take any longer than an hour, and I want to build both types of trap simultaneously. I was right about the triggers design being easy to repurpose, however, I encountered some other setbacks. Its easy to say Im going to make a trap which makes a tunnel collapse. But how do you actually do that without sacrificing its structural integrity? The answer is; you cant. Or at least you cant easily. An interesting feature of the local geology is that the surrounding rhyolite bedrock is suspiciously unjointed. In other words; solid rock is usually riddled with fissures that prevent it from being a truly continuous solid. One of the greatest challenges of boring tunnels through rocky bodies, lets say Earth, is that the crust is not a coherent whole. The substrate is jointed. When boring a tunnel, the rock needs to be shored with long screws called rock bolts. Rock bolts are drilled into the stone face to anchor unstable rock exteriors (the tunnels edges) to the secure interior of the stone. Depending on how fragmented the nearby crust is, these bolts can be anywhere from two to four meters long. Earlier, I observed how fortunate it is that the crust around me is so unnaturally uniform, thus rock bolting hasnt been necessary. Still, Ive kept a lookout for substrate joints in order to avoid any catastrophes. Now though, that boon is working against me. When digging a tunnel, joints of crust which were previously held in place by other joints beneath them, may find themselves unsupported when those supports are removed. Rock bolts penetrate through an entire joint and pierce more distant ones, thus anchoring the loose joint. If my surroundings were sufficiently jointed, such massive cavities as the forested cavern and the canyon wouldve been substantially more impossible than they already are. Dont get me wrong though, they still have no right to exist, regardless of rock jointing. Because the crust is a coherent solid here, I have no choice but to add artificial fractures to destabilize my trap corridors. This isnt too difficult on paper, all I have to do is make some well-placed cuts. In practice, though, its not so simple. If Im not careful, I could trigger an unintentional collapse. Furthermore, if I destabilize the wrong regions, I may be unable to contain the effect. That is to say, I may accidentally affect other nearby locations in my dungeon. And if a fluke domino-like chain reaction occurs, it may even be noticeable from the surface. Id like to avoid forming a sinkhole in the middle of Sevit. In order to confine the aftermath of the cave-in traps to a manageable area, Ill only implement them on a small scale in narrow passages. As for how theyll work, consider an arch fashioned from stone blocks. Without a keystone at the apex, the whole thing crumbles. I will fracture the stone walls and ceilings of tunnels with fissures spaced in an orderly fashion to allow them to collapse inwards when the top central keystone joint is released. The keystone rock joint will run down the center of a tunnel and hold the walls and ceiling in place. It will be secured to the bedrock above with makeshift rock bolts which will be formed from the trunks of my widest fungiwood specimens, which have a thickness of three-quarters of a meter. As Im currently unable to work with metal, this will have to do for now.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The top of the trunk embedded in the solid rock above the fractured portions of the trapped tunnel will pierce a hollow cavity with access to the rest of my tunnel network. Originally I thought Id apply a similar mechanism to the soulstone crusher; a lever. Unfortunately, I now see that the trunk will experience a load much too strong for such an apparatus. What I have in mind now is much simpler and robust, but has the drawback of being more difficult to trigger. The top of the trunk poking into the hollow cavity will have a hole bored through it perpendicular to its length. Through the hole, I will insert another shaft to act as a securing pin which will prevent the fungiwood rock bolt from slipping downwards and thus dislodging the keystone and initiating a collapse. Imagine a T or a cross; the vertical portion is the trunk holding the keystone to the tunnels true ceiling while the horizontal portion is the shaft preventing it from falling down the vertical shaft due to the keystones weight. When the horizontal pin is pulled out, the trunk is free to slip away. As the pin serves as the interference preventing the trunk from falling, it will be difficult to remove. Yes, I should have no trouble using a tethered rope as always, but the biological triggering option will be harder. Nothing less than one, or more likely two, super helpers will be required to dislodge the firm pin, so Ill have to make sure I never commit all of them in a defense lest I run out of operators. Now that I have mental blueprints prepared for a few varieties of pitfall and cave-in traps, Ill set to work constructing the initial batch right away. For now, Ill focus on building a few dozen each, and after that Ill slow down to give me time to work on other priorities. Additionally, Ill use my recently improved multitasking skills to modify a new species simultaneously Im not sure if Ive ever worked so hard in my life, but then again my life has never really been on the line until now. Who knows, maybe dungeon cores just have a naturally high work-ethic? For one week Ive been filling my dungeon with lethal traps and inventing a new species to aid in my defense. Ive made sure to evenly space traps throughout my dungeon such that no invaders will be able to pinpoint the location of my core based on the level of lethality. Furthermore, I built additional airlock doors on dead ends to serve as decoys. Imagine wasting mana trying to blast through a door which leads nowhere, hilarious! I also implanted a compulsion in every animal large enough to trigger a pitfall trap to avoid them. Ill get my regular leafcutter ants to prevent any especially heavy plants from taking root there as well. Mr. Normal has decided to make his presence known by announcing his theft of my hard-thought species name. While I was booby-trapping my home, I also created this new species of fungiwood tree. The progress was unusually slow because my mana capacity has not been topped off ever since I anchored my domain to the soulstone. Im quite proud of this idea; firestarter tower-caps have been modified to grow gap-filled perforated trunks. Similar to a birds bones, the wood is filled with extensive hollow galleries that serve to drastically decrease the fungiwoods density. The reduction is nothing to shake a stick at, either. Firestarter fungiwood is three times lighter per unit volume than its wild progenitors. Thanks to the absurdly fast rate of growth in my dungeon paired with my efforts to cultivate them in the richest soil available, Ive had the opportunity to cultivate some firestarter tower-cap saplings and begin testing their material properties. Regrettably, my results have been poor. While lightweight, this new variant of fungiwood is disproportionately weak as a structural material. Thats fine though, as youve no doubt already inferred from my name for them, these mushroids will serve another purpose; thanks to the fungiwoods airy nature, even while alive it is easily ignited and burns exceptionally fast. I wish to plant thick groves in strategic locations around my dungeon. During an invasion, I will use a fire spell to ignite stands of firestarter tower-caps near enemies. Used in conjunction with my airlock doors, I can either asphyxiate or control the movement of aggressive forces by smoking them out. Depending on how many firestarters I plant, this could become quite the deterrent. In a few short months, I should have more than enough to deal with even the strongest offensives. Whew, let me tell you, these changes have been refreshing! I feel much safer now that Ive heavily invested in my own security. Of all my precautions, creating an escape route for my core is the most reassuring. That said, I will be pained to abandon all of my hard work here if such a thing ever becomes necessary. Perhaps there are other last-ditch methods to deal with invaders that dont involve running away? I considered restructuring parts of my dungeon to facilitate very large-scale cave-ins, however, by doing so I would run the risk of unintentionally causing a premature collapse. But this is still an interesting line of thought; sacrificing something in my dungeon will always be preferred to losing in entirely. Which gives me an idea. By Sevit flows a very large river fed from somewhere beyond the cataclysmic volcano. In an emergency, I could tap into it to flood my entire domain and thus flush out any hostile entities. Of course, doing so could irreparably damage the ecosystems Ive worked so hard on, but its still preferable to losing everything. And the best part is, it wouldnt even be hard at all! In fact, I can go ahead and prepare a duct to carry the water here for whenever I need to breach the riverbed. Better yet, I can go ahead and breach it! As long as Im careful, I should have no trouble choking the flow and will be able to drain the output into the cave network far beneath me. Then whenever Im in a tight pickle, I will simply block the outlet which should flood the rest of my dungeon under a great deluge! Underground flash-flooding is no laughing matter, after all. There are also many useful things I can do with flowing water. First, I may eventually be able to harness it for mechanical applications. When I decide to commit to the ladder of increasing precision which will allow me to work metals, I will need to start somewhere. The hydromechanical lathe is one of the first important rungs. As it stands, theres not a whole lot I can do to further raise the biomass of my dungeon. (And by extension, the number of defenders.) I have well-supplied breeding warrens for goliath2beetles, archer pods, cave centipedes, and most especially, dungeon and super helpers. Right now, though, I only have around twenty griffinflies. The primary limiting factor in their population capacity is suitable water features. Griffinfly nymphs, or snatchers, as the locals know them, are aquatic predators who lie in wait for prey to pass them by. Once it does, they launch their extendable jaws away from their bodies with explosive speed. Unlike their more familiar and much smaller dragonfly nymph counterparts, snatchers also hunt for terrestrial prey. They wait just beneath the waters surface at the edge of the central pond in order to ambush animals coming to get a drink. In a manner almost exactly like a crocodile, they, well, snatch their victims and drag them into the water where they are mercilessly drowned and consumed. Ive managed to get the most out of that pond by encouraging the snatchers to not cannibalize each other as well as by providing a steady stream of prey such as cave tortoises, snakes, rodents, and other such animals. Still, theres only so much that small area can support. I dont want to go overboard lest the water become too depleted of oxygen and thus stifle the growth of, and perhaps even kill, the colorful varieties of arcanasynthetic corals. I dont want those polyps to go locally extinct before I even have the opportunity to do something useful with them! Chapter 41: Flow Rate; Area Times Velocity In the early days, when I first constructed my primary archer pod chamber, I included a somewhat wide and extremely deep pond in the center. Without any means of agitating the water, itd mostly stagnated and now serves as a home for algae and mosquito midges which breathe atmospheric oxygen. Up until now, Ive only used it for water storage. I think Ill probably leave this area alone, Ive come to appreciate the aesthetic of the swirling sludge saturated with a strange variety of cyan algae. It amazes me that arcanasynthesis allows producers to plentifully inhabit all depths. How wild must this worlds oceans be? Combined with the overhead purple glow from the archer pods who share this room, the deoxygenated water actually looks quite nice. Plus mosquitos are important. I wish to excavate a new aquatic habitat complete with flowing water which will be able to support a greater variety of life, thus increasing my mana regeneration rate. Ok, fine, I might not have much use for my absurdly high mana regeneration right now, but I get the impression it will be useful in the future; besides, a more productive environment offers other previously mentioned boons. Oh, and frankly, growing simply fills me with joy. At this point, Im like some sort of super gardener. Now that I think about it, thats kind of odd; I never cared much for gardening in my previous life. Sure, that could be blamed in part by how expensive such an enterprise was in space, but still. Needless to say, I love it now. Micromanaging my domain is a wonderful way to relieve stress. I want this new aquatic chamber to be relatively massive. Though my operation hasnt grown large enough to allow me to excavate an area as large as the captured cavern, I can still do a lot, given time. Sadly, for now, time is of the essence, therefore I will prioritize the flooding system. Heres my plan so far; I will carve out a wide vertical shaft which I will connect at the bottom to one of the random lava tubes leading away from the captured cavern that the pond currently spills into. With a few adjustments to the fortification I have in place there, it should have no trouble handling the greatly increased water flow rate. The top of the vertical shaft will open up through the riverbed on the surface with a narrower pipe. Pressurized water supplied by the massive river should travel through the shaft all the way to the captured cavern where it will exit both my dungeon and care. Along the shaft, say just above and to the side of the cavern, will be the cistern Im planning on filling with aquatic wonders. In turn, itll be connected to the rest of the dungeon to allow species to move as they will. Actually, if I want the cistern to have a current, I should force the water to move through its length before continuing its descent into the depths of the world. Therefore the shaft will come in two parts. The first will run from the riverbed to one end of the cistern. The second will run from the second end of the cistern to the lava tube outlet. I guess that means itll be two shafts. Anyway, the shafts will feature numerous horizontal offshoots that will connect with the rest of my dungeon. Water will not flow through these as theyll have an upward slant. In an absolute emergency, I will clog the upper shaft such that it backs up with water and thus the head-pressure will force it up the sloped horizontal exits and into my dungeon. This will flood everything. As my time is limited, Ill keep the cistern small. Future expansions wont be difficult at all, though I will have to reroute and fill in quite a few access tunnels in the area. It has been a long time since I fully mobilized every cart in my fleet. Ive been constantly building both regular ant carts as well as the larger gear driven and rope-pulled version which makes the trip to the cache. That method is highly inefficient but very satisfying. Even so, lately Ive had a few ideas for a super helper-powered Impulsoria-like locomotive, though Id need to commission some blacksmiths to help make it a reality. Thatll be something to look into after I claim the subterranean canyon. Despite this, the population growth of my ants has been slowing down in the past couple of weeks. Im nearing the carrying capacity and I dont want to sacrifice biodiversity to push it any higher. Once more, claiming the canyon is the most immediate solution to my problems. Halting all extraneous digging and starting from the bottom, I begin to carve the first block away from what will soon become the lower shaft. Three weeks have elapsed and the shaft is nearly complete. That sounds like a long time, and it is, but I got a lot done so its not so bad! One thing I didnt account for was the verticality of this project. As my carts are unable to traverse steep terrain, they definitely werent able to travel up the tall passage. Therefore I had no choice but to gently levitate dislodged blocks to the ground far below. Combined with the sheer depth of my dungeon and thus the required length of the shaft, this was a setback. Though it had all rights to be, it was not a major setback. This difficulty was almost entirely offset by the time savings offered to me by [Plastic Consciousness]. From what Ive gathered so far, it is a boost to my already incredible ability to multitask as a dungeon core. By now I can almost focus on two different things with the same allocated attention I could muster when I was a human. If my current growth continues, I should be able to pull off full human-level attention on two things at once. To say nothing of the fact that I already have no trouble splitting my point of view into nearly a dozen distant reference frames. I wonder if there are any other boons (or even drawbacks) associated with [Plastic Consciousness] which Ive yet to discover. Anyway, I also kept in contact with Wes and took a few breaks to spy on the goings-on in Sevit. Of note, the wall is now under construction. Apparently the Lyrian Empire has access to concrete, though it is of inferior quality to what Im familiar with. As such, the wall is almost entirely comprised of my wonderful standardized rhyolite blocks. In addition to the blocks, Ive also started exporting ember blossoms. As a result, Ive been raking in heaps of cash. In the future, I might use my growing wealth to hire educators, though Ill have to figure out how thatll work. In the meantime, Ive purchased a few more books related to magic and runecrafting, even though I have yet to finish my current stack. Of particular interest is The Dictionary of Glyphs which was paradoxically written by the exact same group who wrote Principles of Runescript and The Introduction to Arcane Principles. This book was just put into print (An entirely arcane process, or so I hear.) this year. It is basically a long, but very far from complete list of the common two-dimensional glyphs and symbols which many runes are composed of. Included are very brief descriptions of what they do and how they interact with themselves and the world.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. This is a big deal, from what the merchant vending the book said, this is an unprecedented publication; never before have the secrets of runecrafting been revealed so publicly. Sure, its still unscientific and basic by my standards, but apparently, these three books have sparked a renaissance in the Lyrian Empire, their country of origin. This, in turn, has contributed to the nations recent dominance over its immediate neighbors as well as the so-called Upheaval Project which I keep hearing mention of. I keep forgetting to ask Wes what that is. The group who wrote them is the Lyrian chapter of The Followers of Zote, who Ive already learned to be the god of magic, a member of a vast pantheon. According to them, their god mandated that they spread arcane knowledge to the world in order to further arcane knowledge. Other than the religious aspect of their order, I could see myself getting along with these folks. Hopefully, theyll visit Sevit! Anyway, I cant wait to resume my reading and research. Where were we? Ah yes, I was recapping what happened over the previous three weeks. Larger wildlife has started to reclaim the surrounding land. Ive heard mention of dangerous critters emerging from the first subterrane to settle the unfilled niches. This includes wolves, monitors, giant cave salamanders, snatchers (Who I know to be griffinfly nymphs.), siegeanax scouts, giant ants, microwyverns, and jagged beasties which are said with fear. I dont know what all of those are, so maybe I can put out a purchase request for captured animals. Speaking of which, I just bought the seeds of every crop grown in Sevit. Other than potatoes, none of them resemble anything Im used to. Ill take a closer look at everything once they sprout in my primary germination chamber. Additionally, I bought captured stray dogs, twenty-three of them! They all resemble the Saluki breed from Earth and should make nimble runners. I doubt theyll have much trouble surviving in my dungeon, but just in case, Ive instructed the cave centipedes to leave them alone unless attacked first. I would compel the dogs to do likewise, but they arent naturalized dungeon denizens yet. Just like every other animal native to the surface, they seem to have no trouble seeing in the dark. Can all eyes perceive mana in this world? Thats certainly weird considering mana is not a form of light. Well, probably not Onwards, I also placed an order for a huge set of metalworking and runecrafting supplies, I told Wes, I want them to bring every tool imaginable, Im interested in everything. After securing my promise to purchase a baseline amount, he agreed and wrote a letter to the merchant company nominally employing him. Apparently, the Watergarde Merchants Company wanted a monopoly over Sevit, but the citys unexpected population explosion has made such a plan impossible to sustain. And finally, there has been a string of seemingly unrelated murders. Three farmers and two of their wives have been found dead so far. Due to this, along with the emergence of cavern critters, the need for further defense and law enforcement has grown. With elevated salary offers, I expect to see qualified people immigrating soon. ...And thats just about everything worth noting. At this point, the two shafts are (hopefully) able to carry water as planned. The cistern itself is also coming along nicely. At first I was afraid that flooding it before it was completed would make finishing it difficult, but that was me just thinking in human terms. With a quick test, I was able to confirm that the presence of water in no way impedes my ability to cut stone blocks with precision. Although its only a fraction of the way from being completed, its already quite massive. Indeed, its the largest artificial room in my dungeon already! In designing it, I went for a more natural look. Though I didnt waste my time trying to form faux-stalactites and other such features, I did give surfaces a jagged and highly irregular finish and also created the room with a multitude of different geometric features. From the top, down, the whole chamber is in the shape of a rough oval, and when I say rough, I mean rough. Calling it an oval is very much a stretch. There are no consistencies present; along the shores are shallows, drop-offs, crags, fjords, cliffside caves, and really any other stone-water interface you can imagine. The interior of the deep cistern is interspersed with concave pillars of solid stone to keep the ceiling aloft and the floor is terraced to provide ample surface area for each depth level. The center of the room is generally the deepest but this isnt the case everywhere as Ive also included islands around some of the pillars. Ive carved out alternate tunnels for a fraction of the water coming in from the shaft to follow such that there will be cascading waterfalls and small brooks along its length besides the main inlet. All told, the oval is around forty meters wide at its narrowest and seventy at its widest. The ceiling itself is just five meters above the planned waterline, but the water will be seventeen meters at its deepest! The whole point of this room was to allow for greater biodiversity for me to play with, so I did my best to provide the greatest variety of habitats without affecting other things such as atmospheric composition, climate, etc. All thats left now is to open the floodgates, so to speak. I left a thick margin at the top of the shaft because I didnt want to accidentally tap into the riverbed prematurely. As the head-pressure is going to be quite high at the bottom of the first shaft, I want to limit the inlets diameter to be less than that of the shaft. Im taking care to refer to the shaft as a shaft rather than a pipe because I do not wish for it to fill completely with falling water, lest the pressure push it up the check slopes of the horizontal passages leading all over my dungeon. The inlet, of course, will be an airless pipe to the riverbed concentric with the shaft. As its already at the very top of the shaft, I suspect the pipe segment wont exceed ten meters. The shaft is an enormous six meters in diameter. With a dirty mental calculation accounting for the depth of the river, I find that the pipe inlet should be roughly two meters wide to allow for my desired throughput. It helps that Im both an experienced aerospace engineer and the improbable existence that is a dungeon core. To avoid any bursting, I start by boring a narrow six-centimeter-wide tunnel through the remaining layers of bedrock. Upon breaching the bed above, a jet of mud followed by clear water blasts out from the still-unfinished pipe and enters free fall inside the shaft. This is really exciting! But as much as I want to power through with widening the pipe as fast as possible, safety takes priority. With my own wellbeing in mind, I slowly widen the pipe to the full two meters while carefully observing the cistern which is slowly filling up. Despite the absolutely torrential flow now occurring, the incredible volume of my new aquatic room will take a few hours to fill. Once it does, the overspill will enter the second shaft and exit my dungeon from one of the lava tubes. I must now wait. It is nearly full! Extending a thread of my domain up through the loaded pipe, paying no head whatsoever to the raging current, I observe the rivers surface to see if a whirlpool has formed.Unsurprisingly, one has, however, I''m sure it''ll just be passed off as a random eddie. Just as I refocus on the cistern, the waterline has reached its maximum and the second shaft is wetted for the first and hopefully final time. With the overflow once more falling deep into the crust, I trace its path to the exit of my domain. And I simply spend the next few minutes watching it all with pride. Hmm?! Did I feel something ticklish? I focus my attention on the source of the now-alien feeling; the pipe. Just as I do, it gets crushed inwards and subsequently seals completely. The previously solid ceiling of the shaft surrounding the pipes entrance instantly fractures and large chunks of stone tumble all the way to the cistern below. What?! And just like that, the flow of water was immediately halted by this mysterious event. What couldve possibl-- A primal and external shriek bombards my mind through a mental link. Chapter 42: Theology Just as suddenly as it started, the mental screeching abates, and Im left with so many questions. Some external entity just sealed my pipe somehow. But why would they do that? Do I try again? No Its probably best if I dont test its patience, if it did it once, it can probably do it again. So, what then? Do I ask Wes if he knows anything? See, I dont like that idea. What if is this is something very obviously dungeon core-specific? Then would I be giving myself away? Potentially. But not knowing carries its own inherent risks. I could be in danger without even realizing it! Which is worse? Yeah, I think Ill take the gamble and ask about this. Luckily, in the past three weeks, Ive refrained from getting fully absorbed in working on my latest project and maintained mild contact with the inhabitants of Sevit, namely my primary business partner. And I really havent had much of a choice; the new governors have begun a myriad of city improvement projects which has increased the demand for building materials. Many of them have tried to make new deals with me, but Ive been blowing them off. There will be a time for that in the future. Honestly, Im impressed by their competence. Theyve begun taxing the inhabitants, which was only a matter of time anyway, and are actually reinvesting in the community. From my readings on Lyrian politics, I wouldve assumed, for all intents and purposes, the hereditary upper class wouldve been stuck on corruption. Boy was I wrong! Not only have the taxes been put to objectively good uses, but the efficiency with which its been done is astounding! What motivates them to behave despite them holding the power to choose not to? Furthermore, Sevit continues to grow at a rapid clip. Alongside the usual immigrants, skilled craftsmen, miners, and other artisans have been setting up shop. Curiously, smelting and metalworking has been consolidated into large companies which is pretty advanced for their apparent technology level. Perhaps Ive misjudged their society. The influx goes far beyond what should be possible without state incentives. Additionally, the Watergarde Merchants Company has decided to build an official branch office here, alongside a few other companies of varying specializations. To the Lyrians, profit appears to be king. What has me most excited, though, is the arrival of numerous mages and people dealing in the arcane. First it was the combat mages sent to protect Sevit from the dangers of what I gather to be a myriad of neighboring enemy nations. Following, and as a result of their presence, came suppliers of magical equipment, materials, and literature, who I still have yet to do business with. Naturally their attendance set a snowball effect in motion; now there are arcane metallurgists working with imported (For now, its my understanding that the miners are hard at work prospecting the depths.) infused metals, a couple of runecrafters, runesmiths, (Which are apparently different.) and a team of esoteric researchers! One company has even been collaborating with Urists miners to excavate a suite of subterranean greenhouses for the cultivation of plants that depend on a rich concentration of mana, something a mana well is ideally suited for. I might even copy some of their infrastructure designs later; theyve made surprisingly good use of a form of primitive hydroponics. With these industries now established, farmers have had the opportunity to purchase agricultural implements which somehow increase crop yield on top of the already insane benefits from residing within the boundary of a massive mana well. And they dont require mana control to operate, meaning they can be used by anyone, even those lacking mage training! Though that does make them a bit more expensive to manufacture. I definitely need to get my hands on some of those, I could put them to great use within my dungeon, especially in the leafcutter fungus gardens. Furthermore, such things as lighting runes have become commonplace in somewhat more affluent households. I digress, its time to ask Wes about the mysterious entity. I can marvel at the unexpected efficiency of this not-so-primitive society later. Weston Lomarec is sitting at a table in his headquarters eating lunch with a few administrators hed hired to help run his new business. Waiting for a lull in their conversation over their activity ledger, I form a mental link with Wes just as he takes a bite from a dry piece of jam-slathered naan bread. Hey Wes, its Ike, I hope Im not interrupting anything. I was wondering if you could answer a quick question of mine, I said. Hopefully, Im not being annoying Wes paused in his chewing for a split second but promptly resumed while replying, No worries Ike, I always appreciate speaking with you. The benefits of mental communication are apparent. Would he tell the truth if he didnt enjoy it? Probably not, too bad Im not very good at the social game. So, we were building a new channel for our water supply when suddenly an unknown magic force closed off our new pipe. Then someone screamed into our minds just as you and I are speaking now. Have you ever heard of anything like that? Oh! Thats just Melk. He dislikes certain kinds of tampering. Hold up More baffled than before, I hesitantly ask, Tampering? Melk? As in, the planet Melk? With a brief scratch to his beard, Wes said, What do you mean by planet? Wait, dont answer that; perhaps this wont be such a quick question. Ill tell you what; why dont I finish lunch first so that I have plenty of time to explain everything. Is that OK with you? Oh, yeah Id appreciate that. Sorry to impose. Its nothing, I really dont mind at all. Ill mention when we can resume over this very link if youll maintain it for me.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it And just like that, I waited. Now in his office, Wes said, Alright Ike, lets continue from before. I dont understand your use of the word planet to describe Melk as this has nothing to do with the heavenly bodies, so why dont you start by telling me what you know about Melk? Could it be, are they still stuck on geocentrism? Irrelevant, I need to focus. Well, Melk is the world, no? I presume this person happens to go by the same name. Wes said, What? Of course Melk is the world, but hes the same person. Im sorry Wes, this is really confusing. Why do you refer to this entity as such? Closing his eyes, Wes slowly answered, You really dont know, do you? Melk is the god of maintenance. His body literally is the world on which we walk. He keeps the physical universe running as it should. Objects fall down, rivers lead to the sea, things like that. The universe? The stars included? Chuckling, Wes said, The stars arent of the universe, now are they, Ike? No, the heavens are not under his jurisdiction, nor are the other aspects of reality, such as society, life, and magic. All of that It was all wrong. What is Wes on about? Voicing my confusion again, I said, But how can he be a god and the world? What exactly does he govern, how do you know his name and gender? Also, whos jurisdiction covers the other aspects of reality, as you say? Ike, these arent normal questions for someone your age as I assume you arent a toddler. This is just how the Pantheon works, youre civilized, how can you not know? Is he being a supremacist or does every race truly practice the same religion? I find the latter highly unlikely. Perhaps its unwise for me to admit my ignorance right now, but I dont expect Wes to cross me, especially with our business interests tied as they are. I dont know what the Pantheon is, and I dont follow this god. OK, wow, this is unreal. Of all the surprises youve pulled, this has got to be the biggest. Where do I even begin? Drumming his fingers on the table in thought, Wes then said, Well for starters, I dont follow Melk, in fact, I dont think any sane person does. As for who he is? Hes one of the minor gods in the pantheon and really doesnt interact with anyone. Unless, of course, someone defiles his body, that is. So, the whole world is just a minor god in their religion? How odd. Wes, can you explain the pantheon to me? Thats a tall order While Id love to, itd probably take all day and I have business to see to. But I do own a book on the topic which Id be more than happy to lend you. Are you literate Ike? I am literate, and I would really appreciate that Wes. I guess Ill save any questions for after Ive read it. Wes said, Actually, Im not all that knowledgeable on the subject myself. There is a group of esoteric researchers under the service of Zote, the god of magic, in town. Theyd be much better suited to answering any theological questions you may have. From my understanding, theyre currently cataloging the wildlife in the first subterrane under Sevit. I know you dont like to reveal yourself if you can help it, but I can absolutely guarantee they wouldnt find anything weird about it. Youll meet a lot of people completely at ease with remote telepathy, its not so rare on this side of the empire. Indeed, Ive no doubt they would leap at the chance to speak with you. After all, they are a notoriously curious bunch. Thanks again Wes, Ill probably do exactly that. If you could just leave the book by the front door, Ill be sure to pick it up tonight. No problem Ike. Though I must say Im amazed you know nothing of the gods, just how isolated is your village? It sure is bold of him to assume everyone shares his religious beliefs, but thats probably a product of his culture, so I cant blame him. Is it really so unlikely for someone to know little about a religion that they dont even follow? Actually, it probably is Perhaps Im the one making bold assumptions here. Actually, before we depart, can you explain why Melk screamed at us? Its somewhat urgent. Oh, right. Yall arent in any danger from Melk, he just likes to vocalize when youre doing something he dislikes. As long as youre not initiating something like another Upheaval, which I highly doubt you are, hell just reverse any damage you do and send a little mental shout. Theres that Upheaval thing again, I need to remember to find more information about that. I see, but what do you mean by damage? Why would he seal our pipe? Melk doesnt like it when certain quantities of water are continuously drained into the depths. To be clear, sometimes he allows it if it suits his needs. Essentially, the output of a natural brook, river, etc. needs to remain the same. You can certainly redirect or dam it, so long as you dont influence too much downstream. Melk likely had nothing wrong with you filling a drinking water cistern, but if you were draining a lot of water into a location it wasnt intended, Id wager thats what caused him to act. Not seeing at all, I said, I see, I see, what would happen if we staggered our drainage, would Melk notice something is amiss if the flow isnt continuous? He would certainly notice, youre far from being the first to consider that particular workaround. Just as a general rule of thumb, changes which beget more life than they destroy are allowed. But when it comes to draining into the lower levels, therere too many variables involved to know. Most of the time, its not worth trying to see if Melk will approve because in the event he doesnt, youve just wasted your time on a dysfunctional piece of infrastructure. My advice would be to ensure your water supplys output is the same as your original sources was. In other words, youre free to change the path, just not the destination. Thanks, Wes, that helps a lot. Ill leave you to your work now! Goodbye Ike, I look forward to chatting again soon. Ill leave the book out tonight. Also, dont forget to speak with others more often, there are many knowledgeable people in Sevit already! In hindsight, religion shouldve been one of the topics I researched. Wouldnt it have been a shame if Id accidentally offended someones beliefs? Its very possible that I already have, but luckily Wes has a measured personality. At this point, I think I could reasonably call him a friend. That whole conversation was a relative train wreck though, I do not think we were on the same page for the majority of it; it was rife with dissonant misunderstandings. But at least he didnt speak of the gods with blind reverence, so I have high hopes that it isnt a religion of radical fanatics. Are these gods real, false, imaginary, or something in-between? Melk is very much real. He is perceived as a god, and while I cant outright deny the possibility as this is a typical fantasy world, I have my suspicions that its more complex than that. As Wes was describing Melks preference for maximizing life, I paired it with my own observations of his ability to effortlessly crush my pipe alongside his telepathy. The evidence is all there, Id have to be blind to not theorize that hes a dungeon core. At least, of what I know, thats what Ive deemed to be his most likely identity. It goes without saying, but there is a lot I dont know yet, which is why I still think Melk is something else. In other words, just because he shares a lot of characteristics with a species I know of, that doesnt mean he doesnt share more with something Im not yet aware of. He could be a unique existence. To further reinforce that; I find it hard to believe a dungeons domain can spread across an entire planet. Let me tell you, spreading it even just a bit is no small feat! Oh, and then theres the issue of domain overlap. While my sample size of one is not enough to say for certain, I suspect that the domains of two dungeons can not overlap. I mean, that makes sense, right? But to be fair, nature doesnt care if something makes sense to people or not. That brings up the important question of whether or not dungeon cores are natural or artificial. The presence of Mr. Normal should be telling, but theres no guaranteeing that he doesnt affect natural species either. Do dungeons reproduce? How was I born? Why has it taken so long for me to ponder this? All questions for the future. But right now, I have a cistern to fix. Chapter 43: Aqueduct At first thought, the implications of Melks meddling would seem to be show-stoppers. But upon further consideration, I may have a workaround. Using the surface river to supply a current to my new aquatic habitat is not viable; the only way I could make it work is if I pumped the output from the cistern back up and downstream of the river. That would work, its true, but itd be a huge waste of energy, to say nothing of the fact that I dont know where Id even source the energy from. After all, diverting a portion to drive waterwheels, or better yet, a series of inline impellers, would put me back to square one; relocating the output. But Im in luck! My recently filled reservoirs location within my dungeon works in my favor! It is positioned at a slightly shallower depth compared to the large cavern, such that the various brooks filtering into it have sources above the cistern. Well, above it at least as far as elevation is concerned. They have a horizontal offset of two hundred meters, at best. This is fine though; I can easily carve out a sloping aqueduct to carry water to the entrance of the cistern and then reroute its outputs back to the pond in the cavern. Easy! Easy, but still less than optimal. Even if I redirect every brook entering the cavern to pass through the cistern environment first, the total water throughput will still be less than what Id designed it for. Unfortunately, I dont have a solution for this shortcoming, so Ill just have to make do. The cisterns geometry was calculated to allow a specific volume of water to move through it at a precise rate, if I wish to achieve the desired flow speed despite the decreased input, Ill have to make key sections shallower and/or narrower to reduce the cross-sectional area. Doable, but still a pain as Ill have to manually levitate substrate there due to the inaccessibility to ant carts. I can still breach the riverbed above at will for emergency flooding, Melk wont react fast enough to get in the way of that failsafe. To be quite frank, Im a bit miffed. Even though I have a clear path forward, I was really hoping I could immediately move on to focusing my efforts on claiming new territory and resuming my research of the world. Its not so bad though, with my personal safety nearly secured to an acceptable degree, it wont be long before I can refocus on the things which really interest me. And its not as if I came out of this latest situation empty handed, Ive furthered my understanding of this world. Melk is an entity, who I hesitate to call a god, though I will admit the definition is subjective, that maintains the world. How he goes about doing so is largely a mystery to me, but at the very least he prevents certain hydrological patterns. When I was first reading on the geography of the world, and especially its cavernous depths, I wondered how relatively dry caves could exist so easily below sea level, especially when considering how profusely they perforate the crust. Now though, I have the answer; a conscious process maintains the status quo. A neat solution, to be sure, but doesnt it seem a littleconvenient? Ive already entertained this line of reasoning, but it still nags at the back of my mind; why am I here? Too much has gone my way for me to conclude that its pure chance. Are not my skills too well suited for my new existence? There is little I can say with certainty, but I can say this; there is a connection between this reality and my original one. Besides the obvious information transfer from here to there in the form of fantasy creatures which exist here being known of in my old universe, there is also the fact that everyone here seems to speak English! Heck, even I am living proof of this; is not the very fact that my mind is here in the first-place proof of information exchange? So, there is omnidirectional information transfer between worlds. I cant say for sure, but Im also reasonably certain these worlds dont share the same universe; magic is simply too alien to be a feature of physics as I know it. Can I use this knowledge to my advantage? Probably not right now, but who can say what the future holds? There is research to be done, but I doubt I can find all the answers I seek by myself. I need influence. Therefore, I must forge connections with others. To do that, I must tie our interests together. I can provide an indispensable service or commodity to realize this mutual connection. Through the more careful exploitation of my situation, I can produce highly lucrative resources, use my knowledge and abilities to achieve my own ends, or find applications for the vast quantity of mana currently at my disposal. With my security nearly established, its nearly time for me to start acting in these areas. Am I getting ahead of myself? Probably, I never was one for long-term planning. For now, Ill focus on culturing an aquatic environment and conquering the fantastic canyon and all its wonders. Baby steps. I expand threadlike strands of my domain up through each of the passages carrying the brooks that cascade into my cavern. Thanks to my especially robust dungeon-neurology derived spatial awareness, I follow each one to the proper heights that will allow me to hook them into the aqueduct Im about to set to work on.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Now with my endpoints established, I focus on the upper shaft leading to the front of my cistern. With care, I begin to cut a spiraling ramp into the walls of sheer vertical tube to allow my fleet of ant carts to travel to the mouth of the soon to be built aqueduct. With everything in place, its not long before an unbroken line of ant carts is flowing both up and down the ramp to the site of the excavation to clear away the standardized rhyolite blocks Ive become so efficient at producing. The day stretches on and the aqueduct gradually reaches through the crust to connect with the lava tubes, each carrying their own brook. Just as Im putting the finishing touches on the walls of the passage and preparing to make the final connections with the separate water sources, my attention zeros in on an unexpected event. In the shaft which Id wrapped the periphery with a spiraling ramp, one of heavily laden descending ant carts veers too close to the edge and loses purchase on the damp stone. The closest wheel, coated in wet mud from its travels through the rest of my dungeon, slides over the edge, followed by the rest of the cart and its helpless controllers. Happening faster than Id have expected, the cart, blocks, and ants alike, all tumble off the edge and plummet several dozen meters before colliding with the muddy stone floor at the bottom. Crushed on impact, the mangled bodies of the thirty-two unfortunate dungeon helpers as well as the fungiwood cart are further bombarded by the heavy rhyolite blocks which followed in their wake. While unfortunate, this occupational accident is far from the first of its kind. Despite having built out my fleet months ago, from time to time I lose equipment to unforeseen incidents and thus must continue to maintain my stock. Ant carts, as it turns out, are not the most efficient means of transportation. They are versatile, yes, autonomous to an astounding degree as Ive spent months making tweaks to the conditional behaviors of my designated porters, and easy to build to boot. But as I continue to expand, Ive been left wanting. You see, they are not very scalable, as the ants pushing them are tiny and there are only so many I can place along its sides before the pushable capacity experiences diminishing returns. This can, and has been, in part, alleviated by manufacturing a second generation of much larger super helper propelled carts, but still Ive encountered setbacks. Despite my ability to apply miraculously versatile adaptive compulsions to my dungeons inhabitants, sometimes the carts get in the way of each other and at best cause congestion, and at worst, spark disasters such as this one. These issues have further been exacerbated by the uptick in hauling jobs. Now, I use the carts to distribute fertile soil to different parts of my dungeon and even to transport fungus food to ants at work. Ive been toying with the idea of implementing a dedicated network of railways to further facilitate throughput within my domain, but if Im to do so, I wish to do it right. The rope-driven carts are not tenable. They will always remain a gimmick. A fun gimmick, to be sure, as Ive derived a lot of personal pleasure simply staring at the operating mechanisms. I require a new device which can drive heavy loads across any railway. Of course, I know my limits; a steam engine would be extremely useful, but I dont have the means of producing such a device yet. No, what I have in mind is the little-known Impulsoria. The Impulsoria was a machine presented on Earth during the Great Exhibition of 1851. Though it didnt see much use due to competing with steam-driven devices. It was essentially a horse powered locomotive. In essence, the Impulsoria is a mobile treadmill atop which animals walk. With the help of gearing, a mechanical advantage is achieved allowing only a few animals to haul a load much heavier than what theyd be able to pull otherwise, albeit at a slower pace. This is especially useful for steep inclines. Horses can be unruly, but well-behaved enormous ants are arguably much better suited for such a machine as they can grip spanning poles with their mandibles to maintain adequate traction with the treadmill. Thanks to my unique situation which would never have occurred on Earth, I have an actual application for this machine! The only trouble is building it. You see, the mechanism isnt really that complex, at least not for a hobbyist clockmaker of my caliber. Therefore, designing it isnt the problem. No, the required materials are. I can easily build the frame from fungiwood and also work with leather for the necessary belt drives, but the gear reduction and chains absolutely must be comprised of metal, preferably iron, if Im to keep the form minimized. I cannot work with metal and have not yet had the time to build out a suitable workshop. And as much as Id love to drop everything and do exactly that right this moment, I know I have higher priorities. Dont get me wrong, I do plan on eventually taking metalworking into my own hands, but now is not the time. In any rate, Wes is right, Id do well to rely on others. I will write out my designs and specifications which will consequently mark the beginning of my very first outsourced project. Before I set to work preparing my schematics though, I need to finish off the aqueduct. Luckily it was almost finished before the recent accident, so with a few finishing touches, its ready to carry water. Evacuating its length of all dungeon helpers, I tear down the walls separating the aqueducts five branches from the corresponding five streambeds passing through the tunnels which Id claimed for my domain while I was digging. In succession, water flows down each branch under the pull of gravity and converges at the central aqueduct. Carrying leftover dust and debris with it, the leading wave barrels down the remaining distance and cascades into the shaft which leads to the cistern. As a result, the water in the cistern receives much needed freshly oxygenated water and the overspill enters the cavern and flows into the pond. If my understanding is correct, Melk should not be bothered with this setup. While waiting to see if he does indeed take issue with my adjustments, something tickles the edge of my awareness. Popping over to the location of the disturbance; one of the entrances to the aqueduct, I realize Ive made a grave error. I forgot to erect a new barrier further up the tunnel to account for the new entrance to my dungeon, and I havent been so lucky to avoid any repercussions. Standing at the very obviously artificial entrance to my dungeon stand two ragged individuals who clearly belong to the same species as the mage who defiled my home so long ago. They are carefully inspecting the new feature while their long, scratched, and torn bat ears swivel atop their heads listening out for signs of danger. This is the price of negligence. Chapter 44: Mobilization Running a mud-caked hand along the unexpectedly bare walls of the passage, and likewise leaving a grimy trail behind, Jangin turned to Finnikin and asked, Well, shall we? Unamused, Finnikin said, Must you even ask? This waterway is new, I know for certain it wasnt here before. The Imposter does naught but grow while our forces tunnel. Turning his gaze back to the abnormally clean stone, entirely asynchronous with the overgrown surroundings, Jangin said, But how can we be so sure this is the work of the Imposter and not someone else? Well for starters, proximity. This brook is spatially near the cavern Hinds enteredand failed to return from. Furthermore, just look at the walls! Nowhere do I see any signs of tool marks or beast-use. Nodding his head to concede the points, Jangin responded, True, true, but look how clearly artificial this is. Finn, it exhibits geometricized patterns in the corners as well as aesthetic triangles and lines along the ceiling! Thats inconsistent with normal Imposter behavior! Finn said, Ah, but we already know this Imposter has a handler, indeed, it tried to worm its way into our minds when we were last here. It probably compelled its charge to carve such designs through Melk. That shouldnt matter, a handler has no jurisdiction over such minutiae. Even the Seed doesnt act as such. You mean to say this being has surpassed the Seed? Defensive as always, Finn quickly elaborated, I have faith that the Seed could choose to work in this manner if it so chooses, but naturally it has greater matters to see to than frivolous ornament such as this. Why, that this blasphemous handler compels its imposter to commune with such excesses is further proof of its low imitation. Jangin said, Ok, calm down Finn, it was nothing. But back to my earlier question; why shouldnt we take a look inside? Yeah, I know its probably near the threshold of the Imposters dominion, but arent we out here to scout anyway? Finn said, Were out here to monitor for signs of activity, not to get ourselves killed. Do you really think you could take on hordes of profane beasts without a mages training and tools? Exasperated, Jangin threw up his hands and said, Finn, youre being a coward! You know as well as I that no imposter will send its vanguard together from the onset. It just doesnt work that way. I tell you; the outskirts of an imposter are as safe as this region of the first subterrane. What, then, of Hinds? That grumpy fop probably died of old age or abandoned us to go play with some humans! Theres no way an infant imposter did him in with his vast magics! We know this area well; it cant be any older than a couple of years, from what the Resonance is telling me of the local tunnel layout! Finn said, Jangin, no. You know you arent allowed to go alone, and Im not budging. I dont know about you, but Im not some stupid character from one of Jiks stories. This reek of danger and must be reported to the tunnelers. If you dare go in by yourself and dont return, Ill tell everyone you met your fate by stepping on a family of archer pods! Pausing and then smiling, Finnikin continued, Besides, theyll see this as a sign to move the mission forward. The sooner we take the Imposters heart, the sooner we can return home! I suppose youre right, Finn. That seems pretty reasonable and Id be lying if I said I wasnt looking forward to tending my rope gardens again Finn, I swear, youre starting to rub off on me; Ill wash my hands of this Feeder business as soon as theyll allow it! With a shudder, Finn said, I hear you, Jangin, I never want to see another siegeanax again. You know, I heard the Impellers took the Seeds pestle worms out to breach one of their brood fields a couple of months ago. It was somewhat nearby, which is why the tunnelers were so easily relocated here to complete our mission. I cant fathom how they put up with that. Either way though, Im thankful we have the worms here, itll make securing the Imposters heart all the easier. Finn said, Sure will. Lets head back to camp and reveal our discovery. Ok. Hey Finn! Do you want to join me when we explore the Imposters territory over the next few days? Hah! Certainly not! Honestly Jangin, I thought youd finally come to your senses and denounced the dangers associated with Feeder work! Werent you just saying you wanted to retire from this branch? Jangin said, My friend, you misunderstand me; I dont dislike Feeder service, Ive simply fostered an even greater appreciation for other activities. This is a chance to discover something new and contribute to the future of our community! Why, once weve acquired the Imposters heart, well be ready for another Schism! Quieter, Jangin added, Also, Ive already been designated for this task Nodding his head in understanding, Finn said, Ah, well, that explains it then. Dont take it personally when I say Ive no interest in venturing into that wicked region, I only wish to stay alive as long as possible. In fact, Ill be going a step further with my denial of your invitation; Ill do my best to avoid getting drafted in the first place! I dont know why I even bother, youre an incorrigible coward, Finnikin! Bah! Its just that my hobbies require me to be alive! Anyway, lets go make our report. -------------------- Fool, fool, fool! I am a fool! What have I done? Have I learned nothing? This entire thing could have been avoided if only Id made sure to erect a new barricade further up this lava tube! If their words are to be believed, they were already planning on moving against me soon, but this blunder could accelerate their timeline. I may be well prepared now, but I still wouldve appreciated more time to get my ducks in a row. Curious that its taken them so long to act though. Should I try to initiate mental contact with them? I dont want to scare them off again so I probably shouldnt Oh, wait, never mind; theyre leaving anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, eh? Hello? And just like that, with little effort, they both immediately shove my mental link aside and break into a brisk pace down the natural tunnel, presumably headed back to their camp.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Which is just as well, Im quite curious as to where that might be. Ill be following their path with a hair-thin filament of my domain. In short, nowhere close. Well, not yet at least. Does that make any sense? No, so let me explain. I wouldnt really call it a camp, outpost, or anything of that nature. This is best described as a large scale civil engineering operation. While the humans have been largely conservative with their application of things youd expect to see in a fantasy world, this assemblage is not so reserved. Though I dont see any signs of spell-slingers (I dont doubt they are present.), its made up for with the menagerie ofanimals? Machines? Im not really sure yet. I say animals with trepidation, though there are certainly normal looking reptilian beasts of burden carrying supplies under the strict guidance of their handlers, there is also a collection of moreambiguous beings. Oh, theyre certainly shaped like animals. They are shaped like a giant worm, with four hammers, resembling a mantis shrimps, concentrically arranged around a mouth. The mouth itself is a gaping circular maw which is almost entirely dominated by a thick tongue covered with sharp teeth and odd plates at complex intervals. And by gigantic, I mean it, of the thirty or so specimens present, the largest is no shorter than thirty-five meters long and four meters wide at the mouth. And the fact that Im not obsessing over how preposterous it is for a worm to breathe at such a scale should be very telling about just how alien it is. Its anterior is plated with mobile joints of what looks like a milky grey stone, complete with fissures and fragments. From what I can tell, this is not separate armor, but is instead a fully integrated component of the organisms biology. And those air quotes sum up my feelings nicely; I have my doubts that this creature is even alive, by the definition Im familiar with at least. You see, other than the head region, the rest of its body is entirely composed of reflective iridescent blue shards, interspersed with yellow-hued flakes. This doesnt just include the outer plates of their rigid, yet undulating, exoskeletons. No, clearly visible beneath chinks in their armor are yet more solid shards of material held together in a strange lattice of fragments that should, by all rights, crumble to pieces. Even peering down its throat, I see more solid, crystal-like material. With the difference here being that the internal material is transparent, thus displaying the vein-like distribution of liquid conduits that permeate every single shard. I would taste it, but unfortunately, the creature is not my own, so such a thing is not possible. This lends credence to my theory that it isnt a machine. Long story short, this creature is, as far as I can tell, completely inorganic. Thus, does it qualify as an animal? Or even life? I suppose that would depend on if it is capable of reproducing and evolving, though I find both of those things unlikely for thisabstract construct. Speaking of which, with a quick check with my mana sense, Im perplexed to find that they dont harbor as much mana as Id have expected. Now, you would think that animating such a being would necessitate a lot of magic shenanigans, but that doesnt appear to be the case here. Sure, it has a fair bit more mana per unit volume of its body than most organisms Im familiar with, but thats generally concentrated in the head area. Especially so for the one currently surrounded by people that is cramming its head against the end of the tunnel its situated inside of. Oh, what I would give to obtain a body to dissect and potentially reverse engineer. For now, though, I have no choice but to listen and observe. The strange creatures with their perplexing crystal-like features are unruly at times, which is odd because it shows individuality. Twenty-nine of them are tied down with ropes fed through loops on iron stakes planted deep into the verdant walls of the sizable chamber theyre currently occupying. One of the pestle worms is nestled into a narrow tunnel, face-forward. Using my domain, I quickly map it out to try and make sense of this. The tunnel ends in a dead-end, yet the face of the worm is crammed against the stone wall. Considering this arrangement and the conforming width of the passage, it doesnt take a genius to conclude that the worm is somehow involved with tunnel boring. Though the worm is not unassisted, crews of what can only be described as medieval engineers hammer and fasten wooden troughs in a line down the length of the tunnel. In these interlocking troughs, which form a temporary aqueduct of sorts, flows fresh water from some source above. At the lead of the excavation procession, the water is spilled onto the worms body. Some of it is visibly absorbed while the remainder flows out along a groove in the floor carved by the hard work of pick-bearers. This is, by no means, a clean job. They are standing knee-deep in flowing sludge while they hack away at stone that gives way with an ease that is not at all realistic. Is there something in the water? Signs point to yes, as they are each wearing what can only be called a leather hazmat suit, complete with glass goggles. Interesting as all that may be, the worm steals the spotlight. At irregular intervals, it spews forth pressurized jets of what appears to be mana-charged water. After thoroughly blasted, it proceeds to bludgeon the leading edge of the passage with all four of its hammering mandibles simultaneously. This seems to have little effect, but then it reaches forward with its toothy tongue, or radula, I suppose, and with the telltale mana-flash of a rune in use, it begins to scrape away. Like putty, soggy rhyolite is displaced by the monstrous and magical crystalline appendage. Further crews of environmentally protected people then use rakes to push the waste into the floor channel where the water flows away. Down the entire length, rakers keep the slurry moving along until it reaches a cliff face at the far end of the outposts cavity, where everything spills away, out of sight. Eventually, the worm stops cycling between jetting, hammering, and abrading the end of the tunnel and pauses. Seeing this, with practiced efficiency, the rakers, channel diggers, and aqueduct engineers exit as one and give space for a new group to enter the work tunnel. The new arrivals wave otherwise unadorned green-painted metal batons at the worm, and in response, the perplexing titan extends hundreds of linearly arranged nubs running the full length of its body from recesses in its jagged exoskeleton. Without uttering a word, the coordinated men again begin to wave their green batons in a strange manner. Like a rippling wave, bristles emerge from each of the nubs, one after the other. With more furious waving from the baton-bearers, the gargantuan worm begins to rhythmically undulate the bristled nubs, which in turn moves it back through the tunnel that it never couldve turned around in. When theyd exited, the laborers had taken the water-carrying troughs with them, leaving the passage clear for the creature to back out. Leading the way, the baton men exit the tight tunnel with the worm following closely behind. Once free, they direct it over to the cavern face where the other ones are restrained. Once tethered properly, they release another specimen and resume their indecipherable waving. Much as the first worm did, the new one extends its bristled nubs and uses them to walk like a millipede to the tunnel. This time moving head-first. Its worth noting, however, that they arent nearly as graceful as one of my prized myriapods; they just barely manage to move along the muddy floor without shearing off the, what I would assume to be, very brittle iridescent blue crystal-like plates they are covered with. It moves more like a polychaete worm, if anything. Once the new worm is positioned at the end of the tunnel, the laborers return with their supplies, no doubt ready to reconstruct their mobile aqueduct, carve their slurry channel, and rake the tailings away. All as before. Perhaps Ive misjudged the tribals. Nothing about this setup seems primitive. Sure, their transportation is primarily handled by tamed animals, but that merely puts them on an even playing field with everyone else I know of on (or in this case, in) Melk. But I can clearly see laborers and planners directing the workflow with practiced efficiency. The division of roles is absolute; besides the aforementioned workmen, there are also dozens of people running around the tunnel site and surrounding natural passages hammering spots of bare stone with special instruments while they press their massive, nasty bat ears against the wall. Furthermore, the main camp houses a veritable army. Some of the weapons are crude, yes, but interspersed among the stored spears and tower shields are crossbows and other strange devices baring runic features of excellent make. Fantastic, theyve brought mages. I get that I should probably focus on some of the other goings-on here, but these stone-rending entities and their handlers processes are just so strange, so unlikely, that I cant tear my eyes away. What are they doing? Why are they boring a tunnel, and how come theyre so good at it? Well, I can at least answer the first; the heading is nearly in my exact direction, which should be telling. Likewise, I suspect the armys purpose is equally apparent. Chapter 45: Proficient Tunnelers Mellie was the Seeds premier civil engineer, just like her father was. Though there was no nepotism involved. True, she''d learned a lot from her parents, which certainly gave her an edge over her peers, but she truly was the most qualified person from the Inside. Of course, she didnt directly inherit the mantle from her father, itd taken her decades to achieve her current level of expertise. Years of damming rivers, laying out terraced gardens, planning irrigation networks, and managing tunneling operations had allowed her to accumulate the knowledge necessary for her position. Now, she spent her time managing her underling planners, stepping in for the especially challenging problems. Additionally, she is one of the Seeds consultants. Something that had always perplexed Mellie was that, for all of the Seeds geologic shaping prowess, it often madeunsound decisions when it comes to terrain development. Mellie knew of the Seeds occasional fallibility, a familiarity that was only reinforced by their frequent interaction. To Mellie, the Seed was very passionate, though sometimes to a fault. Like now; itd taken her away from her duties and assigned her to personally oversee the invasions preemptive logistics. Even overlooking the fact that putting her out here was probably unwise, the whole thing seemed so impulsive. But perhaps that was merely her age speaking, Am I going senile? Mellie wondered to herself. Lately, shed struggled to comprehend the urgency with which the Seed so fervently searched out imposters. From what Mellie could tell, it was spooked. The Inside was burgeoning in population beyond the Seeds means to comfortably support its folk. The solution, as it has been for countless generations of seeds, was to acquire an imposter to be used for the Schism. Paradoxically, most seedfolk were ignorant of the mechanism that allowed the Schism. Mellie could appreciate its simplicity, at least on paper. The all-important runesmiths would hotly disagree. The Seed was a unity of two former seedfolk, who alternate between themselves the heavy task of housing the heart of the Inside. When an imposter is obtained by a Seed, the very best mages and runesmiths in the community work to perform the traditional arcana required to build two new housings. To her knowledge, a housing was a hollow circular cup thickly layered in a myriad of unfathomable runes and glyphs. The Seed, and all of its brethren, were comprised of two mentally intimate seedfolk. A housing was surgically implanted into the chests of each one, with the opening of the cup facing outwards. The heart of the Inside was then placed inside one of the two housings. Through their combined will and magical skill, the two halves of the Seed work to operate and regulate the runes that help them to control the heart. They alternate the burden of framing the heart, hence why both have their own housing; it can be passed between each other as necessary. The purpose of the Seed was to guide the heart to serve the needs of the seedfolk. It does such useful things as enrich the air with ambient mana, pacify wildlife, and exert limited control over the geological layout of its territory. Mellie had heard rumors of other races whod discovered how to influence the latter to an extent far surpassing the abilities of any Seed. She wouldnt be the one to spread these rumors though, the fanatics would be gravely displeased. Both halves of the Seed must remain close to each other for their mysterious brand of arcane mutual support to function properly. Unfortunately, this further confines it to a small area, which, in the case of Mellies Seed, was the brick tower. The reason for its lack of mobility is not entirely transparent to Mellie, but shed been led to believe it somehow involved the spatial translation of the hearts territory relative to the Seeds heart and the resultant clipping of the territory with solid rock. For a member of the seedfolk without a mages training, her knowledge of the Seeds nature was a point of pride. Itd arrived to her through various avenues, but primarily via her personal correspondence with it. Mellie would certainly call herself one of the Seeds close friends. Which had her somewhat worried; the Schism could ruin that friendship. Once an imposter has been obtained and the two new housings built, two worthy seedfolk of opposite genders, for whatever reason, would be selected. They would have housings implanted as it has always been done. Then, for the first time since uniting, the active Seeds two halves will be separatedpermanently. Each of these older halves will then go on to unite with their respective oppositely gendered new halves.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Just as everyone else did, Mellie saw the Seed as an individual. In a very real sense, the Schism kills that individual in order to give rise to two progeny seeds. No one wants to experience the death of a friend, especially not Mellie. But she knew it was necessary, and like many others, she knew it wasnt really death at all. Mellie fully understood her selfish reservations for the operation. She didnt wish to lose a friend and was too old to follow the younger seedfolk on their exodus to a colonial Inside with one of the two newly formed seeds. And taking this time to ponder over just how selfish her feelings were, was enough to help her quash them. She was the Seeds premier civil engineer, and shed do the duty that no one else could perform equally. Now she understood why the Seed hadnt pulled any stops and assigned her directly to this mission. Failure is absolutely not an option; all of the Seeds resources had been invested. Nearly the entirety of the Seeds able soldiers were here, ready to claim the imposters heart. Losing now would be an irrecoverable blow, especially with the siegeanax probing their communitys lands. Besides, the Seed had been acting nervous lately. It was obvious to Mellie that whatever it was, would be a non-trivial factor. Though loss was impossible, information on the threat posed by infant imposters had been passed down across several generations of seeds and their charges. But they were well aware that loss might not come at the hands of this imposter, but instead opportunistic enemies. Therefore, it paid to be cautious. Walking through the flap of her work tent, which was pitched on a rocky outcropping overlooking the maw of the tunnel they were digging, marched one of her favored underlings. This one was especially brilliant; if she had taken on an apprentice during her life, she would have wanted them to be like this inquisitive mind before her. Without significant formality, as Mellie was never been one for that, he said, Chief, our Probers have detected the resonant signature of a tunnel being actively excavated by what we assume to be the imposter. It intersects perfectly with the current heading of our bore. Should we proceed? Mellie said, It appears as if it has discovered our presence. Though I have not a clue how; our approach shouldve been undetectable from its perspective. As shed encouraged each of her underlings to do, the relaxed young planner voiced his opinion without hesitation, Some of the Feeders filling out our army were present when it was discovered. Apparently, it has a handler with telepathic abilities. I suspect that handler has called upon connections amongst its people, which mustve allowed for it to scout its charges surroundings. Perhaps theyve spied on us? Mellie responded, Perhaps. Have our Probers already drafted a spatial map of their pings? Id like to visualize the shape of this tunnel for myself. They have, in fact, I have it right here with me, said the enthusiastic engineer while he handed a capped canvas cylinder to Mellie. Drawing out the tubes contents, she studied the rolled-up document. Represented by simple lines in three axes were the tunnels discovered by the Probers. With more detail, physically explored passages had been illustrated. Probers were a tunnelers godsend; by tapping at a stone face and listening with the ears theyd been gifted; they could roughly locate tunnels a few hands away. According to the intellectuals of the Varnassi Hegemony, this ability of the seedfolk was not entirely dissimilar to a bats sight. Which made no sense, but they insisted on it. Frowning deeply, Mellie said, The number of new tunnels through the stone in this area is staggering when compared to the data obtained by our survey of this region seven years ago. This imposter is, what, eight to ten months old, by the latest estimate? How is this even possible? Its entirely inconsistent with both imposter behavior and, even stranger, capabilities. An imposter this young should be unable to move so much substrate, even by dumping its tailings on the surface, which I suspect must be the case here. Clearly, weve miscalculated. Responding to what was likely a rhetorical question, the young engineer said, Eight to ten months old is right. So, should I go tell the directors to halt the bore? Yes, go tell the third director to pull the active pestle worm out. Its a shame were dealing with an imposter with a sapient handler. I was really hoping we wouldnt have to deal with traps or other similar shenanigans. In the meantime, Ill work on the plans specifying how well divert our bore after you leave. Understood chief. I was wondering, should we not simply abandon this excavation now that it knows of our approach? Wasnt the whole point of boring into its territory to surprise it? Without looking up from the spatial map in her hands, Mellie said, Good question. While that was certainly one of the benefits of this operation, it was by no means the primary goal. The purpose of our tunneling is to bypass the majority of its domain to breach its heartland directly. This way, we will avoid most of its beasts, making the march to its heart all the easier. But wont it just call the beasts from other regions in its territory to our beachhead? Oh, it would if it could. But it cant. No imposter can. In fact, even the Seed cant. Whatever hordes it throws at us will be comprised of only local beasts. Ive been told that it somehow involves anchor boundaries, but I couldnt really tell you what that means. Anyway, this is why we are excavating a shortcut. As he pushed aside the drafting tents entrance flap in departure, the young man said back to Mellie, Thank you. Ill go deliver your instructions and then Ill come right back to receive your modifications to the plan! -------------------- My suspicions have been confirmed; as it turns out, the biology of these seedfolk gives them the rudimentary ability to use ultrasonic cave mapping. Through the careful observation of the individuals they refer to as Probers, Ive learned a lot about their workflow. The Probers impact cleared patches of bare rhyolite with special copper-headed hammers. With their disgusting grimy ears pressed firmly against the surface, they somehow pick up the presence of small cavities anywhere from one meter away, to three. Depending on the geometry. And I also have a rough idea of their degree of accuracy. Ive been excavating experimental tunnels of different widths, dimensions, and distance from the natural caverns traversed by these ultrasound cartographers. Luckily for me, their ability to sense much larger cavities is barely superior to their finer detection. More specifically, they can only detect tunnels wide enough for three humans to comfortably walk side-by-side in when it is separated from them by five meters of coherent rhyolite. Unfortunately, as they get closer, they can tell if the tunnel in question is flooded with water. I suppose I wont be preemptively submerging their emergence point. Of course, I can always prepare a sacrificial dam or two somewhere in my dungeon just for them. In fact, I definitely will. Chapter 46: No Help Ive been spying on the seedfolk for twenty-four hours now, and Ive learned quite a lot from listening in on their conversations. The key takeaway, though, is that they are fervently compelled to, for lack of a better word, enslave me. In fact, from the sound of things, the process may even be lethal. Beyond that, Ive observed some interesting group dynamics. For starters, they sleep in shifts such that their tunneling continues to progress at an alarming rate. Under the assumption that I wont be sabotaging their progress, I expect them to breach one of the chambers Id dug near the center of my dungeon in just four days. Of course, that would be a foolish assumption, hehehe! Though seriously, these pestle worms are unreasonably efficient excavators. Especially when paired with a dedicated crew of slurry rakers, hydraulic engineers, and a more than adequate supply of reserve worms ready to replace the lead one whenever it tires. Since Id first observed them, Ive concluded that they are natural organisms. They simply exhibit too many survival-oriented behaviors to be classified in any other way. Furthermore, the seedfolk keep them fed on the corpses of similarly mineral-esque creatures which theyd brought along. What need would they have of a complete food chain unless they were adapted to survive in the wild? None. So, pestle worms eat other organisms, therefore, they are carnivores. Its too soon to say whether or not theyre scavengers or predators, but it still has me wondering over what niche they fill, and what their habitat could look like. Are the plants similarly crystalline/fiberglass-like? Would plants even form the base of that food chain at all? Despite all of their similarities with more familiar animals, they still appear entirely alien. Assuming they share a common ancestor with life as I know it, their lineage must have diverged ages ago. Indeed, I highly doubt they share any genetic relation with worms at all. Im once again making the bold assumption that they even use DNA to encode heritable information in the first place No, this divergence wouldve had to occur right after, or long, long before, the evolution of the first multicellular organism. Again, if at all. Although, whos to say they even evolved here? The fact that wildlife native to modern Earth is present on this planet absolutely implies that it didnt originate here, but instead on Earth. After all, Earth has its fossil record, I cant yet say the same here. Even so, I can safely infer that the two worlds wouldnt exhibit parallel fossil records. Convergent evolution isnt that exaggerated. I know a rabbit when I see one, to give an example. All of this does give me hope that there is a way home. Now, in addition to confirming the possibility of inter-worldly information exchange, Ive verified that matter can be transferred in at least one direction. Said matter being breeding populations of Earth life. I guess its possible that organisms native to Earth couldve been reformed from raw information, but come on, which is more likely? Oh, speaking of fossils, I cant wait to start excavating through the limestone layer that the canyon cuts through! I digress, the primary source of the iridescent blue mineral-esque worms speed is clearly some application of magic which I dont yet understand. Therefore, my list of goals and priorities for the coming fight has been expanded. Its a humble list, yes, but Id say its pretty good. Heh. Im sure youre curious, so here it is: 1) Approach a peaceful resolution. 1-a) If successful, learn more about their culture and the subterranean geopolitical climate. 1-b) Establish trade relations. 1-c) Learn about magic. 1-d) Make friends. 2) If priority one fails, achieve victory with minimal sapient casualties. But do not allow informed individuals to escape immediately. 2-a) Take hostages to learn more about their civilization. Treat them well and release them if theyre deemed safe. 2-b) Steal their stuff, especially arcane equipment and documents. Return items if a peaceful understanding is met but memorize each document and runic structure beforehand. 2-c) Obtain live pestle worms and learn how to properly care for/breed them. 3) If priority two is unattainable, reveal my true nature to the Lyrians for protection. Note that its probably too late for this option to remain valid 4) Destroy my dungeon to kill off the invaders. 4-a) Start with flooding, and then proceed to destabilization if necessary.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. 5) Flee via my escape mechanism. 5-a) Bring a seed population of tiny leafcutter ants with me, along with their symbiotic fungus. And thats that. Unfortunately, (Or fortunately, depending on your outlook.) priority two will be the most likely outcome. These people have lives, interests, and relationships. I must remember to never trivialize that. But I also wont roll over and die. Threats will be reciprocated; my life and freedom will be preserved at all costs. Believe it or not, I actually feel quite confident. Ive made a lot of preparations, and Im even accounting for the mages who are present. Furthermore, Ive noticed theyre making some incorrect assumptions about me. Namely, they dont expect me to use traps or coordinate my minions. I can use this. Onwards, I have at least four days to get ready. If I wish to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict, Ill need to make contact as soon as possible. But first, I should do what I shouldve done ages ago; consult Weston on the matter. Before speaking with him, I take the time to sketch out an illustration of a member of the seedfolk for him to reference. Its truly amazing that the Lyrians have graphite pencils! I had to say, they most clearly resemble a hybrid of humans and bats, but their shark-like teeth are very asynchronous. Of course, I doubt they actually are hybrids, its just that they share many characteristics with the two. Despite what some fantasy stories will have you think, these seedfolk are far from cute. Now, in line with my very human sense of aesthetics, both bats and humans have their visual appeals. But these fuzzy white abominations are horrific. Oh, their physiology is pleasantly symmetrical and unmarred, but that doesnt detract from their hideousness. Is that racist? Speciest? Eh, its irrelevant. As long as I treat them as the sapients they are and steer clear of the tendency to dehumanize them, it shouldnt matter how I perceive their physical features. I think theyre ugly and it shouldnt matter. Indeed, their minds appear to be as sharp as any other; Im even tempted to say theyre more advanced than the humans in Sevit. Ok, maybe not, but theyre certainly highly coordinated. Shifting my full attention to his office, with my drawing in reserve, I said, Hello Wes, are you free to talk? Putting down a sheet of paper hed been staring at with blank eyes, he replied, I could use the break, so yes. Actually, Ive been meaning to talk to you, I even sent a letter. I take it you havent read it yet? Oh? No, I havent. What was it about? The citizens of Sevit have been evicted from the first subterrane by seedfolk! Ah, thats exactly what Ive come to ask about. We even illustrated their visage, but it looks like youre already familiar with the group Im talking about. We keep seeing them running around the place and were wondering why they are here. What can you tell me? A good bit, actually. They were pretty vocal about their intentions. Apparently, theyve discovered a dungeon core nearby and are moving to subjugate it. This is a well-known behavior amongst other seedfolk communities. Theyve made it very clear that we are not to enter the first subterrane until they are through. Theyre behaving uncharacteristically hostilely. I suspect the seedfolk believe Im colluding with the humans. How shall I probe for information? I said, Theyve issued a mandate to a city of the Lyrian Empire? Can they really defend that claim? Can they defend that claim? Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that Sevit doesnt yet have the military force required to stand up to their small army and the closest Lyrian army is weeks away. No, in the sense that if the Lyrian Empire actually wished to retaliate, they could easily quash whatever pathetic defense the seedfolks large town could muster. Though I can tell you this; the Lyrian armies have much bigger issues to deal with right now, and thus wont push the issue. I see, so this must be a temporary thing then. How long are the seedfolk intending to restrict your access to the first subterrane? According to their messenger, two weeks at the most. What have they told your people, Ike? Nothing! I doubt theyre even aware we exist. We just wanted to know whats up without revealing our presence in the area. Oh, I see. Perhaps yall would be interested in establishing trade relations with them in the future? I couldnt get away with it myself as itd be seen as roundabout collusion with the Varnassi Hegemony, even though the seedfolk are only friendly with them and arent actually allies. With you as a middleman, thoughmuch coin could be acquired. Im impressed that you trust me so much, Wes! Or perhaps you just know how much I love to profit! Yeah, Ill see what I can do, but dont get your hopes up. Anyway, Im curious; how would the Lyrian Empire have dealt with the dungeon core if theyd found it first? We havent even realized there was one nearby until now. We certainly wouldve done the same as the cave dwellers. Dungeon cores are valuable tools when handled properly. From my understanding, the seedfolk have their own traditional brand of control apparatus. If I remember correctly, it forms the very basis of their societal structure. Sadly, theres not much more I can tell you there. I see, thanks for the information! I guess Ill be leaving now- Comically waving his hands in the empty room, Wes said, Wait, hold up; I had something else to tell you! Remember the metalworking and runesmithing supplies youd ordered? Yes? Theyll be a bit delayed. My Watergarde colleagues have had a bit of difficulty scrounging up a good variety of equipment to meet your agreed upon spending minimum. Therefore, weve contacted the Commission mages. Theyve already been called to Sevit to construct an array of structural and defensive runes on the nearly complete city wall. Ive been told theyll bring the wares you seek with them. Thats nice, Wes, but I cant help but wonder how the Watergarde Merchants Company benefits from putting me in contact with an alternate supplier. Could you illuminate that for me? Chuckling, Wes said, In truth, the companys owner has taken an interest in you. He mustve corresponded with one or more of the governors in Sevit. Perhaps in the future, youll be a valuable customer worth pleasing? I certainly think so. Uh-huh, but theres another motive too, isnt there? Well, we may have also charged the Commission a heavy finders fee Laughing, I said, I thought so! Anyway, when can I expect them to arrive? Oh, that I cannot say. The Commissions expertise is highly sought after, who knows how much theyll get sidetracked on their journey from the capital? All I can say is that it shouldnt be any longer than two months. I hope this is fine with you. Perfectly fine! Is there anything else I should be aware of before I leave you? Not particularly, but if youd like to learn more about the Commission, I have a friend named Clifford Graham who you could speak with. Ive heard of him; would it be fine if I contacted him the same way I do with you? Yes, but dont mention that you know of him already, thats admittedly creepy. Would you prefer it if I introduced you first? Thatd be great actually, but it might be a while before I can commit to that; I have a lot on my plate dealing with the seedfolk right now. Ending the conversation, Wes said, Understandable, I look forward to speaking with you again later, and good luck with the troglodytes. Chapter 47: Failed Negotiations and Arrival Well, that was enlightening. Its interesting to hear that the seedfolk have given themselves just two weeks to be done with this reprehensible affair. Even though itll only take them around four days to breach the center of my dungeon from their current location. Its a good thing my core isnt situated anywhere near there! Im glad they arent planning a siege, but it makes me wonder if they have good reason to be so confident. I mean, Im confident that I can win, so should I be more worried if they are too? Obviously. Therefore, I should continue to spy on them all the way up until they invade. Now, though, its time to try offering an olive branch. Ill cast a wide net; if I establish a mental link with every one of the seedfolk, hopefully, a few wont block me. There are roughly six hundred individuals, five hundred of which will definitely be participating in the battle. Among them, are twenty obvious mages. I would not be surprised at all if there were other mages mixed in with the soldiers. With worrying ease, establishing a communication bridge with every last one takes no time or effort on my part. Offhandedly, I ponder over ways to weaponize that. Almost instantly, they each cut off the link. Though, just as I hoped, six were inquisitive enough to keep it open! Panning over to the curious ones, I see that theyre all together. And theyre all in mages garb They cant hurt me over the link, right? I probably should have researched this ability of mine. As Im considering backing out, one of the mages, presumably the leader, wordlessly waves down the other ones with open links. At once, they each block me. Out of six hundred people, just one is willing to talk to methe leader of the mages. Quite frankly, Im impressed with the degree of coordination and discipline theyve shown. Either that or theyve been brainwashed into thinking the link is dangerous. Actually, again, who am I to say it isnt dangerous? Id expect them to have more knowledge of this world them myself. Hello? Greetings. I take it youre the imposters handler? Imposter? Beast den, world-loral, living oasis, melkiphyte, dungeon, deep one, stone-shaper, species-forge, whatever name your people use to describe the entity you control. Ah, yes, thatd be me. My name is Ike! May I know yours? I am Cephuse. Why are we speaking? Actually, I have a similar question. More specifically, why am I speaking with you in particular, and not someone else? Are you the leader of this group? The best way to avoid falling for a trick is to avoid hearing its utterance. Everyone has been instructed to prevent all mental communication. And no, I am not the leader here. Then why are you speaking with me if everyone else isnt? Rudely ignoring my question, Cephuse coldly said, I ask again, why are we speaking? Right-o, I wish to resolve this conflict peacefully. What is your purpose here, and could I perhaps fulfill it willingly? Frowning in unconcealed anger, unjustified as it is, he replied, Unless you have another imposters heart to give us, or are willing to give up your own, we will take yours. There are no other means of compromise. Ok, I get that, truly I do, but what if I was to, say, present overwhelming odds against your success by either a show of force or fleeing far away with the imposters heart in my possession? Would you negotiate then? I see right through your bluff; any imposter would kill its handler if they ever decided to move it. Furthermore, we fight for the Seed, how could our army falter? Who is this Seed, anyway? No. Sheesh, this is perhaps the first unreasonable person Ive encountered in this life. I havent really stopped to appreciate how fortunate Ive been up until now. Alright, so, what if I destroyed the heart? Do you think Im stupid?! Why would you risk your life to defend a core that youd be willing to destroy to preserve your life? Do you not see the logical paradox? This is irrational!Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. No, I suppose he isnt stupid. Just arrogant. Though I think Ive found his button, hehehe. I dont know though; wouldnt only a stupid person be unwilling to negotiate? Am I wrong? Bah! Look, we cant negotiate. We simply cant, nothing short of an imposters heart will halt our advance. Im not a bad guy, yeah? Im just doing what I must. Itd be best if we dont talk at all. Can you at least tell me who the leader of this army is? No, I wont. Im not talking to you. Im of the belief that honest, frank discussion can solve all problems if both parties are willing to respectfully converse. Come on Well thats too bad, both parties are not willing. Only recontact me if you are prepared to deliver what were here for; an imposters heart. And with that, I am alone again. I cannot put into words how frustrating this is! As much as I hate to say it, theyre giving me no choice but to fight. And thats all I needed to know before starting my attack. Luckily, Ive prepared a few surprises. They do have a lot of nice toys; itd be a shame if someone was tobreak them. -------------------- Mellie was furious! The past six days had been fraught with setback after setback. Ever since their first bore redirect, theyd been faced with dozens of annoyances. As the path of their bore progressed, theyd inadvertently opened up numerous Resonance invisible tunnels which were much too narrow for one of the seedfolk to crawl through. Unfortunately, they often harbored assailants who werent nearly as hindered. Beetles with archer pods strapped to their backs spilled out of the holes, assaulting any laborers in the vicinity. These pods were of a variety completely new to them; their stings werent painful or deadly like the ones they were familiar with. Instead, they paralyzed a large bodily region around the sting, somehow without causing respiratory or heart failure. To make matters worse, their antivenoms were of no use. Mellie feared it was incurable; so far none of the victims had recovered. Thirty-three laborers had fallen ill. To the confusion of everyone, including their mages and beastmasters, the beetle-riding archer pod variants were often already deployed in the tunnels as they were breached, almost as if they were lying in ambush. After that, chaos had taken hold in their encampment. Through a clearly artificial process, large boulders had been carved from the ceiling and dropped whenever an area wasnt adequately covered by a mages aura. Unbelievably, no one had been hurt from that, but itd still damaged a large portion of their war equipment, excavation supplies, and killed penned pack animals. Though strangely enough, no pestle worms had been targeted. Thankfully, those attacks had stopped ever since Cephuse had designated adjusted stations and shifts for his mages. Theyd also had to struggle with hydrokinetic sabotage. Eight times now, theyd had to deal with their water supply getting blocked. Without a means to produce slurry, they had to divert laborers to reopening the waterways. But that wasnt the worst of the water tampering. No, theyd also had to deal with unexpected flash floods in their main encampment. Despite Melks quick recoveries, theyd still experienced several injuries and lost yet more valuable supplies; namely perishable foods. Everyone was drained from the hardships, even those not directly involved with the labor. But perhaps the worst to happen was the disappearance of several squads of scouts. No one knew whatd happened to them as none had returned. The groups that did return observed nothing out of the ordinary. To this, theyd lost twenty people. Sixteen Feeders, three Impellers, and one mage. Mellie dearly hoped theyd arrive before the days end. They simply couldnt absorb these losses any longer without reinforcements, and she knew there were none -------------------- Jangin was in a bad way. Hed been stationed by the lumbering pestle worm, which itself wouldnt have been so bad if not for the trials theyd been put through in this blasted hole. Nominally, it was a dirty job and nothing more. The wet slurry was constantly being flung about by the careless gesticulations of the rakers. Though he could hardly blame them for their negligence; theirs was probably the hardest job in the encampment right now. Jangins job was to protect the technicians at work and the aura-casting mage on guard from the threats theyd been awakening on their journey of tedious excavation. At times, infested crawlspaces would get uncovered and hed be forced to defend his charges. The fact that his job was even necessary spoke volumes of how awful their circumstances were. A merely dirty job had transformed into one of great peril. It was chaotic. Due to the uncertain nature of the threat, Jangin, along with his fellow defenders, had been unable to organize proper formations. According to the Probers, they were almost there. But theyd been saying that for the past two days. Besides the unnatural pod-carrying beetles, theyd also had to deal with tarantula-sized ants lately. The ants were just a nuisance by themselves, but a real threat when working alongside the beetles. Their degree of coordination was uncanny; the giant ants would swarm over a person and do their best to immobilize them. Only then, would the beetles clamor in to unleash their venomous payloads. Moreover, the seedfolk back at the encampment had apparently been raided by a flock of griffinflies for the first time just two hours ago. The griffinflies behavior was so unlike what the seedfolk were used to that their intellectuals had concluded that theyd been artificially stimulated. Whilst thinking, a lone giant ant scurried up Jangins mud-caked leg. The foul bugs werent immediately dangerous by themselves, but their size made them fast runners and they could easily lacerate a careless persons flesh with their powerful cutting mandibles. Infection was a very real threat. His flailing effort to kick it off his leg was a failure; their grip was simply too strong. A quick punch was enough to dislodge and maim the bug, which allowed him to finish it off under the iron heel of his boot. One had to be careful, many seedfolk had received nasty cuts on their fists due to making unlucky connections with sharp and solid outstretched mandibles. As weapons were largely useless against such small enemies, they were generally dealt with by hand. His peers had quickly learned to only strike the giant ants from behind their broad heads in order to avoid cutting themselves, but against all expectations, they had adapted to counter the seedfolks methods. Now, any giant ant caught alone on someones body would start waving its head back and forth aimlessly. The only sure way to deal with this was to either time your hit perfectly, or use a tool like a strip of leather, stick, or gauntlet. Jangin didnt think this was normal; most bugs, even large ones, were rarely smart enough to change their behaviors so drastically in response to external conditions. But itd been reported, so he just carried on. One of the Probers called out, Stop the worm! Theres a huge chamber dead ahead, this could be it! Things would only get worse for Jangin, of that, he was sure. Chapter 48: The Worm’s Way Jangin couldnt help but notice that the Prober whod projected the alert was further away from the leading edge of the bore than he was. Despite the Resonance being accessible to every able seedfolk, the Probers had mastered its nuances to an exceptionally higher degree. Their methods were beyond his understanding. The worm handlers beat their batons against the stone wall, alerting the well-trained pestle worm of its masters demand for attention. Not that he could tell, but the worm gazed at them with numerous tiny eyes positioned along its flank and rear, completely indistinguishable from the crystalline blue exoskeleton that its posterior was comprised of. Now observing them, it received the visual command conveyed by their practiced waving, and promptly stopped its burrowing, awaiting further cues. Jangin stood where he was because he knew he would receive his orders soon enough. The Prober whod made the discovery ran out from the long bore and returned with more of his kind after fifteen minutes. They immediately set to work spatially mapping any concealed tunnels they had yet to tap into. Following them at a more casual pace was a mage and one of the commanders of the operation; a friendly old Impeller. The Impeller said simply, Everyone besides the Probers and worm handlers, come with me. Its nearly time. Departing alongside the builders, engineers, rakers, and his fellow drafted soldiers, Jangin noticed that the mage and two of his magically trained peers stayed behind, presumably to protect the remaining workers in their stead. After a grueling ten-minute march, or disorderly sprint through the muck, if he was being completely honest, they arrived back at the outpost. Arrayed around the entrance of the tunnel was a loose formation of every healthy soldier from the Inside. Around four hundred and fifty after the losses already suffered. Even Finnikin was present, which told Jangin that the draft had included everyone available to fight. It seems they werent taking any risks; so far, the imposters handler had proven to be more cunning than theyd expected. He aimlessly joined his friend in the group. Organization wasnt expected of them yet. So, Finn, I guess youll be joining us after all? Not by choice, everyone has been called here. Why, theyve even invested many of the dedicated laborers. What astounds me is that theyve done this before we have a beachhead in the imposter. Theyre nervous, and that has me scared. Whatre we doing out here and not inside the bore, anyway? For starters, the Probers have to finish mapping out the chamber theyd discovered. After that, theyll redirect their heading to properly intersect it if it isnt already aligned. This is also assuming they wont just continue on their way. Though I think thats unlikely. The engineers say were very near to the heart as is. Besides, if we keep wasting our time, the attrition will only accumulate. So, if were not ready to breach the imposters territory yet, why have we already been recalled, Jangin asked Finn. That, I could not tell you. I wondered the same thing. Just as Jangin was about to ask his friend another question, another one of the commanders whom he was less familiar with projected to the crowd and said, Attention! Everyone stood up straight but made no effort to establish a real formation. The invasion will begin shortly! Depending on factors beyond our control, we will breach its territory somewhere between ten minutes to an hour from now. Due to this uncertainty, you are to remain on guard, its hordes could spill out at any time! Just as he was preparing to step down from the already rotting stump of a tower-cap which had been felled a little over a week ago, he added, Fighting the imposters beasts within the confines of the tunnel would be foolish. We will wait for them to come out and meet us. Archers will draw upon my command but fire at individual targets and the Impellers will take point according to their section heads orders. As for everyone else, remain attentive, but stay behind the line unless openings form. Jangin really wanted to comfort his nervous friend, but he had to remain quiet as only important speech was permitted right now. -------------------- The worm patiently watched its masters. Seemingly finished with their work, the Probers all exited the bore, occasionally passing by bricked up barriers obscuring the infested tunnels theyd crossed along the way. The worm waited. A messenger arrived and spoke to the mage and the worm handlers. The worms masters garnered its attention with a staccato round of hits to the tunnels wall with their green-painted iron batons. Without waiting, they launched into a flurry of signaling which it could comprehend.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The worm knew what to do. Every last seedfolk evacuated the bore, leaving only the worm behind with its orders. After waiting a few moments, it extended its bristled nubs, though it had no intention of exiting the tunnel. Without slurry rakers to help extract its tailings, progress would be significantly slower, not that it cared. The pestle worm happily anticipated the feeling that was soon to come. As itd done countless times in its life, it sprayed eight concentric pressurized jets of mana infused water at the marred stone wall before its camouflaged grey head. Immediately after, it lanced out with its four reinforced mandible-clubs to bludgeon the stone surface, priming the poorly understood arcana which facilitated its digging ability. Next, the worm extended its shard-encrusted radula and abraded the forward tunnel face, casting aside viscous gobs of mana-charged slurry with quick flicks of its erosive tongue. Without rakers present to push it into the water stream still pouring onto the worms back straight from the hastily constructed wooden aqueduct, the tailings accumulated at the side of its body. Once the narrow gap between the worms great girth and the tunnels outer edge became so packed that it could no longer proceed forward, it began to undulate its bristles. The ripples conveyed the thickened slurry along its body, where it was deposited behind the worm. Driven forward by the counteracting force, the worm progressed in the direction itd been pointed towards. To the worm, very little was as soothing as the feeling of substrate passing by its body while it burrowed. It wouldve felt even better if itd been limestone instead of this distasteful decalcified igneous rock, but the worm didnt bother to consider such things. Progressing much slower than usual thanks to the extra effort it had to expend in order to force the growing mass of waste backward, the worm pressed onwards. If itd been up to it, the worm wouldve backed out long ago to clear the debris from its burrow. The worm knew better, though, for it was smart. It had its orders. The aqueduct had long-since been crushed by the pressure of the worms tailings which hadnt been cleared from the tunnel as they had been before. The worm was starting to get dehydrated. It took comfort in the knowledge that its masters would attend to its needs, so it loyally continued. The pestle worm blindly pressed on; it had no way of detecting hollow cavities in the stone as that was an ability which served no use to its kind. Many species burrowed through the crust in search of food or other resources, but this was not the case for a pestle worm. Their survival strategy revolved around excavating a hidden burrow from which to ambush prey passing by high-traffic chokepoints. Pestle worms were not exploratory miners. Eventually, the wall in front of its head gave out, exposing the titanic semi-mineraloid being to a foggy room dominated by cyan vegetation, with colorful flowers and fruiting bodies abounding from every available surface. The worm was instructed to kill anything that moves upon its entry, but all was still. Not knowing what to do, it settled down and waited for its masters. Unfortunately, itd be receiving no further instructions. Without warning, a large boulder was dislodged from the ceiling and plummeted downwards, straight onto the stationary worms camouflaged stone-like head. With a loud crunch that overshadowed the sounds of the wildlife who called the room home, the beasts head was shattered to pieces. Its body did not madly flail as one would have expected, for its motor processing was neatly confined to its cranial brain, if such a comparison could be made. Transparent blood gushed from the mangled head and seeped out of the pestle worms sheared neck. Different colors of blood originating from separate capillaries formed a blanket of microcrystalline snow wherever it landed. Though no one was present to hear it, a generic voice reverberated through the distant mind of an excited being. -------------------- They waited for an hour, yet no beasts came out from the new opening. Not keen on waiting any longer, the command to march in was relayed to everyone. The Impellers took the lead, forming two ranks of men. The ones facing the front carried each a sword and shield, and were further fitted with a hodgepodge of bronze and iron scale armor. Behind them, the second rank of impellers wore similar scale armor but lacked shields. Instead, they wielded long two-handed halberds which extended far enough to reach between the shields of the men in front of them. Seedfolk were primarily spear users. Even the Impellers were more used to them. The front line had been equipped with swords due to the swarming nature of their current foes, which was a departure from the norm. Normally, a seedfolk would find itself most at risk from large beasts, therefore, spears and halberds alone were good for keeping them at a distance. The giant ants were too small to make this strategy effective; coming in at sizes anywhere between that of a tarantula or a rabbit. Jangin was towards the rear, along with Finnikin. They each held a spear, as that was the only large weapon of war they knew how to effectively wield, to say nothing of the fact that there were no other weapon types left to go around. Every Feeder, Jangin and Finnikin included, owned a layered leather tunic, to protect them from indirect attacks of claw and tooth. Many other Feeders also carried wood and iron crossbows of foreign make, along with quivers of bolts, imported primarily from the Varnassi Hegemony. Every other non-combat individual was protected by them. Their purpose was to port supplies, mostly food, in woven baskets strapped to their backs. They also employed what few equonapsids they had at their disposal. They were large, fat herbivorous lizard-like creatures with tiny heads, stocky legs held vertically underneath their bodies to support their weight, and barrel-like bodies. The horse-sized grey-scaled beasts were incredibly docile and capable of bearing very heavy burdens. They carried packages of yet more food atop their backs. Jangin knew what the food was for but still found it interesting that they needed so much. He had been told this invasion would last no longer than a few days once launched, so it wasnt just to feed the troops. The seedfolk had brought along every last non-essential magicite crystal in their community to provide the mana necessary for their mages devastating spells. Even so, the commanders were worried about the margins. In case there wasnt enough stored mana for the upcoming attack, certain mages and other seedfolk with minor training would focus on recharging the magicite crystals with their personal mana stores. These stores, of course, would become depleted in the process. Therefore, they would have to gorge themselves on food to recover their spent mana and refill the crystals for their fighting peers. Jangin was unsure if that was desirable or not. On the one hand, the mages in question would get to stay away from the front line and would be heavily protected, all while they feasted. On the other, theyd be eating so much that theyd have no choice but to frequentlyevacuate the contents of their stomachs. It didnt matter, he had his job; protect the laborers. Chapter 49: One Unusual Delve Jangin noticed the return of a single scout whod been sent in a little while after the pestle worm had been loosed on the imposter. The scout promptly sought out one of the commanders and made his report. Afterward, an order was conveyed down the chain of command, signaling the start of their invasion. The Impellers at the front of the army broke rank so that they could fit through the bore. Everyone knew theyd be vulnerable to attacks from the moment they emerged into an open space on the other end of the tunnel, but it was an unavoidable chokepoint. Jangin and Finnikin took consolation in the knowledge that theyd be protected by the mages initial arcane shields. It was a long march of several ranges through the still-muddy bore hole. Walking ahead of one of the many encumbered equonapsids, Jangin and Finnikin proceeded silently with awe and confusion through the opening into the imposters territory. The room was many hands tall. Flowers sprouted from cyan vines clinging to the naturalistic, yet clearly artificial, high walls of the chamber. Carpets of moss-encrusted skinny mushrooms abounded, with countless animals openly munching on the abundant food they provided. On the ground, and from several crevices on the walls, sprouted fungiwood trees of two varieties; one of which Jangin, and to his surprise, Finn, had never seen before. The more familiar yellow tower-caps were present, but there was also a branching white species with porous bark. The ceiling was similarly colonized, but also harbored long glowing blue strands of alluring moist mucus to capture flying prey. Giant glow worms were not to be tangled with, literally. Even an adult seedfolk could easily lose their life by carelessly blundering into one of their snares. While majestic, and easily on-par with the Inside itself, none of this really surprised anyone. While astonishment was not the prevailing emotion, confusion certainly was. Scattered haphazardly all over the place were odd constructs which no one could identify, as well as those with more apparent purposes. Recessed in the walls were rows of stone nooks cleared of plant life, save for those with stone pots and other similar vessels inside. The airspace was cluttered by a dense network of suspended platforms and pulleys anchored to heavily built wooden compound winch arrays. Plant-filled stone containers of all sizes and geometries were strewn everywhere; they lined flattened terraces alongside flowing canals, occupied nooks carved into the walls, or even balanced atop suspended pallets which gently swayed to a light breeze. At first glance, one could easily overlook the occupants of the pots and troughs. But upon more careful inspection, it became apparent that the varieties of plants and fungi held within were altered specimens of wild types. Finn picked up a nearby pot adjacent to a carved irrigation canal. It contained a flowering vine with cyan leaves trussed to a fungiwood support cage. He said to Jangin, This vine doesnt naturally flower like this, its been hybridized with an aster flower. This could only be possible via arcane means. Noticing the same himself, as Jangins own botanical knowledge was not at all lacking, he nodded and said, If they werent the enemy, Id love to have a chat with the caretaker of this garden. Its making me feel homesick already. Finn replied, And thats certainly odd, isnt this? Weve stumbled upon what, by all rights, should be a garden. Why is this here? Why is this flora being intentionally cultivated? Where are the hordes of beasts? I couldnt say, but we need to get going or else well be trampled by that fat lizard behind us. While they matched the pace of their peers once more, the Impellers, whod since formed up again, reached the end of the chamber. Besides their own burrow, the only other apparent entrance to the untamed garden large enough for a seedfolk to walk through was a wide tunnel at the top of a sheer cliff face with no passage up. Clearly, this domain was not shaped with their traversal in mind. This was a massive departure from what Jangin knew of typical imposters. Even a handler would be unable to encourage one to depart from its innate behavior to this extent. The chamber certainly wasnt natural, so Jangin couldnt help but wonder what was going on. And if Jangin was pondering it, he could be sure that Finn was as well; that seedfolk was exceptionally inquisitive. The Seeds army was prepared to deal with all terrain, of course. Seedfolk were good climbers, and the vegetative walls offered many plants to cling to. As always with this region of the first subterrane, the trick was avoiding archer pods. Luckily, they could see none of the glowing purple bulbs on that surface, at least. What could be seen, however, was a large wooden sign with the words By entering, you forfeit your lives. Turn back, engraved into its surface. Definitely odd, but of no real concern. It was an obvious bluff on the part of the tricky handler. One seedfolk was selected to scale the cliff. If the entire army tried to climb up, the plants would be gradually trampled and uprooted, making climbing much more difficult. For the four and a half hundred folk present, that was simply not tenable.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The lone climber carried with her several iron stakes with external runes inlaid with thin wires of silver, a hammer, knife, and an iron pulley. Ascending with caution, checking every crevice and narrow tunnel embedded in the cliff, of which there were many, for hidden archer pods, she progressed two dozen hands up. Once she crested the top, she disappeared from everyones sight by walking a short distance down the tunnel. Shortly after, the ringing sounds of her hammer striking the iron stakes could be heard, faintly audible over the all-pervasive cacophony of animal sounds. Eventually, she was finished and came back into the sight of the army. Then, she started waving her arms before leaving the armys sight once more. Receiving the cue, three mages working in tandem levitated a head-sized rock which had a very thick braided silk rope fastened to it. With a long five minutes of uninterrupted concentration, the floating stone was launched in the direction of the lead mages staff, which was likewise pointed at the elevated entrance to the tunnel, following a parabolic trajectory. Such a spell had very few uses, for it was too difficult to perform in most circumstances. Levitation made for poor ballistics. Jangin struggled to understand why the climber hadnt just carried the rope up with her. The impact wasnt heard, no doubt softened by springy underbrush. But soon the climber came back into view for the third time. She tossed the rock, and thus the silk rope tethered to it, back down the tall cliff. However, while it plummeted, the portion of rope ascending upwards didnt move, for the rope was looped around the pully which was itself fastened to a hard surface by the magic gripping stakes embedded into solid stone. An Impellers at the front walked over and untied the rope from the stone. He then carried the ropes end into the interior of the army, where he handed it off to a group of laborers who knew what they had to do. They coupled two equonapsids together with a yoke, and then tied the heavy silk rope to an eye-ring on the fungiwood crosspiece. Jangin watched another group of Feeders tie a massive pine ladder to the other end of the rope while they butted one end of it up against the cliffs edge. Once everyone was finished, the commanders cleared the area around the ladder. It would soon be a falling hazard. The equonapsid handlers guided the two attached individuals away from the cliff, which slowly pulled the rope taut. Once under tension, the beasts pulling lifted the pine ladder into a standing position against the cliff face. The climber at the top then fastened it securely with her remaining stakes, while the base was likewise firmly affixed. Jangin heard a brief mental shout of Please stop! but he promptly blocked it out again. Finn, on the other hand, visually flinched, but then continued on his way. The impellers started climbing the ladder first. It wouldve been wide enough for three unadorned seedfolk to ascend side-by-side, but with their cumbersome weapons and scale mail, two was the best they could manage. Still, they climbed furiously, for theyd be vulnerable as they emerged at the top. Though the way seemed to be clear of threats. Following the Impellers were the nineteen mages. Then, the Feeders began to ascend. Jangin knew that the equonapsids would have no trouble scaling the wall as they exhibited a magic ability which allowed their feet to adhere to nearly any surface. Its what made them such good beasts of burden for many a subterranean society, despite their fat, sluggish nature. He chuckled to himself with the knowledge that some scholars argued the, obviously magical, capability was in fact the result of a mundane process. Right as it was nearly their turn to scramble up, disaster struck. Without warning, hundreds of ants and archer pod bearing beetles scuttled out from the few narrow tunnels scattered about as well as through a much greater number of previously concealed hinged entrances. Theyd expected something like this but had not accounted for the possibility of hidden entrances with mechanical doors, of all things. It was unprecedented. Jangin was somewhat relieved that the horde of beasts apparently didnt know to target the vulnerable mages still scaling the ladder, but he was still frightened because they instead started to attack those who had yet to scale the ladder, himself included. The Feeders on the ground formed up around the laborers and readied their defense. Mages with the relevant spells already locked into their staves prepared long distance attacks from their perch atop the cliff. The wave of softly clattering but otherwise silent arthropods continued onwards while their archers loosed crossbow bolts at will, to little effect. Yes, most found a target, but the bugs were so small and numerous that isolated casualties made little difference. It was an effective counter to crossbowmen. As the wall of chitin converged on their location, however, it veered away and ran in the direction of their equonapsids! An imposters beasts do not prioritize non-sapients! But they did, to the astonishment of everyone present. Now, the mages spells rained down, but at this distance, only pinpoint attacks were of use. Thus, they experienced the same problem as the archers had. It didnt make a difference. With an uncanny degree of coordination, the beetles set their venomous passengers to work stinging the soft underbellies of their reptilian haulers while the ants protected them from projectiles with their bodies. Unable to join the fight, as they were stranded at the top of the ladder, the Impellers could only watch as the inexperienced Feeders rushed over to the enemy and did their best to hack the insects away from their suffering animals. The ants sacrificed themselves to give the archer pods more time. And they were very successful in doing so. Through some means completely opaque to Jangin, they coordinated and departed as one, having administered enough venom to completely paralyze the fat lizards. At this point, it was apparent to every seedfolk; they could not afford to make any more assumptions. This imposter was not like others, it ought to be treated as an intelligent foe itself for its handler seemed to have absolute control over its faculties. Unexpectedly, Finn said, Well press onwards. This changes little. What do you mean? Whatre we to do without the equonapsids? Simple, we ditch some of our supplies and carry whatever we can. I can tell you now; the commanders wont have us turn back to recover or round up reinforcements. Because we cant. There are no reinforcements, and any time spent recovering would likewise be used by our crafty opponent. Or, thats what theyd be thinking, at least. Jangin said, We could ask the Varnassi for help, no? Or perhaps some deep nobles? Ha! Thats rich! Both would be more likely to take advantage of our situation than anything else. Now, in my opinion, that might very well be desirable right now, but most others would disagree with me there. Ok. I really dont understand why we cant just leave this place alone and carry on with our lives as before. Is the Schism really so important? Surely, its not worth risking annihilation for, right? Its not, which is why I suspect theres more to it than that. The Seed is both smart and experienced, Im confident there are other factors at play.