Worthy Core

"You're certain something's gone wrong?" Sincere casts a worried glance at his boss, while for her part Xenia is staring at a solid stone wall.

"I can't tell much about someone who's gone outside, but I can tell that Taly's gone a lot further away from the mountain. Towards Grassbrook, would be my guess. And unless she suddenly figured out how to fly she's doing it way too quickly."

Sitting with her legs crossed on the conference room table, the Floor Ten guardian Pizola poses a question of her own. "Well why not send someone out there looking for her, hrmm? That green elf of ours can fly, can't she? Or you could give any one of us a new body with the capability, I assume."

Xenia shakes her head. "We were about to, but the moment I reopened this window we caught sight of a couple of draconics doing a flyby. Fortunately I sealed it back up without them noticing, but the ambush definitely stirred them up, whatever else it might've done." She bares her teeth in a grimace. "I should've sent the Dungeon Fuckers back out there after they brought back the prisoner. It's way too big a job for one person to handle on their own."

Her Core Guardian offers another perspective. "Or, if things went wrong, it's for the best we didn't have any mortals involved in the fighting. If Taly couldn't get back in time, the Challengers would have likely been caught far more easily."

"Then I should've had Brightsky or other folks with wings there to pull them out!" The dungeon master slams the side of her fist against the wall before destroying her own argument. "...At which point they would've been spotted and followed, and even if I set up false tunnels or something we would've given away just how close Floor Five is to the surface here. ...Fuck!"

"...No war comes without its risks - "

"I know!" Xenia turns around and glares at her advisor before sliding into her chair. "I used to be a wartime prince, remember? I know about risks and losses. I just..." She trails off for a moment before continuing. "It worries me that they went through the trouble of taking her alive. Not only do we not know what she might be going through, but this also means that Floor Six has no floor boss."

Pizola blinks as a thought occurs to her. "Er, correct me if I'm wrong, but...you can just kill her at will at any moment, yes? You do it whenever you change one of our bodies to another."

Xenia blinks back before groaning. "Gah, why didn't I think of that! This stress must really be getting to me...Guy! Get up here!"

The green-screened guide appears beside the trio a moment later. "Yes, ma'am? I assume this has something to do with Taly?"

"I can feel the thread there, but just to check, I can still kill Taly even when she's outside the dungeon, right? There's no way they might be able to block that?"

"Absolutely!" The guide hovers for a moment before adding an addendum. "...Probably!"

Sincere narrows his eyes at the screen. "Probably."

"Well, theoretically, perhaps. There are two things which occur when a 'kill command' is sent to a monster. First, the command itself, and secondly the mana sustaining the monster is cut off. A monster can survive without its dungeon's mana for a variable length of time, depending on the monster type. And perhaps an artificial source of mana could be provided to extend that duration. As for the other matter, I know of no way to block a dungeon's command to its monsters."

Xenia frowns. "You don't. But you're saying the Dragonlord might."

"...All I can say is that they appear to be versed in parts of the dungeon system which I myself am unaware of."

Pizola leans back, supported by several of her extraneous legs. "So we're right back to the original issue then, hrmm? Kill the girl and lets be done with it, I suppose."

"Hold on, hold on now." Xenia raises a hand. "Now that I know that we're not stuck, we need to factor in if there's a way we can make this situation work for us. Even if the Dragonlord can trap a monster, they're not here right now. So we probably have some time. And their soldiers aren't anywhere near Floor Six yet."

Her demonic advisor frowns as he attempts to follow her logic. "So what good does having Taly as a prisoner of war do us? We cannot communicate with her or even confirm her condition."

"I...think I might actually have an option for that." Xenia's face furrows in thought. "But I want to talk to our expert about it first. Guy...call Sevastion up to the conference room, if you would."

---

With everyone on high alert, it doesn't take long for the dungeon's second Wandering Boss to make his way through the portals up to Floor Five. It also doesn't take long for Xenia to ask her question of the man, currently attending in his incubus body. It's a little more difficult for him to understand her meaning, however. "Yes, grandmother. I can speak to the spirits of the dead. But...Taly of Highfalls is not dead. That is the problem yes? She has been captured alive."

"Alive, but also dead." Xenia raises a finger in the air, then adds another. "Double dead, actually! She died when she joined the dungeon, and she's currently in an undead body. Look, I got a copy of your Spirit Speaker skillset when you joined the dungeon, but it's like reading a textbook, not lived experience. Do you think you can talk to a dead person who's still walking around?"

The man rubs his chin in thought. "There's also a matter of her being very far away. When speaking to a spirit, generally either the Speaker has to go to the place it haunts, or summon it through various means to them."

Pizola points at Xenia. "But she's linked to the dungeon master, and she's right here. Doesn't that help?"

Sevastion looks at the arachnid, then back at Xenia. "...I...suppose? You yourself are a spirit, yes? This is not your body, yet I am speaking to you right now..."

The dungeon spirit rolls her virtual eyes. "All of my dungeon monsters can speak to me, kiddo. Although...Beatrice's enchanted helmet is for ghosts or something, and that can see my avatar too. So maybe I am a spirit? Does that...help?"

The demon rubs his chin for a moment before nodding. "Yes. Perhaps. I shall speak to you now, yes? We shall see how the magic takes effect."

"...Okay. Go for it."

Sevastion casts his spell, uttering foreign words of power and gesturing in the air. At the climax he lifts his hands towards Xenia and addresses her directly. "Spirit of this dungeon! Heed my call! Hear my words! Speak to me now!"

Xenia stares at the man. "...Sup. How's it hangin'?"

"I hear you!" Touching one hand to his temple, Sevastion closes his eyes and begins to stagger. "Answer me, spirit! Obey my commands! Do as I bid!"

"...You could say 'please', first."

"...Please! Spirit! I call forth your minion of darkness, the queen of banshees! Summon her to your side, so that I might converse with the foul specter! ...If it would not be too great an inconvenience!"

Xenia sighs. "If I could just do that, I wouldn't...hold on." Her eyes grow wide, and one hand grips the armrest of her chair. "It's - fuck, the spell's actually doing something to me?"

"Do not resist, restless undead! Do as I command! ...If you would be so kind!"

Guy offers their own advice on the matter. "There is absolutely zero chance a dungeon monster, whatever their skillset may be, could command their own master. However, if you do not resist the spell..."

"Right. I...fuck, this is weird..." Xenia shudders one more time, and then words spill from her lips unbidden. "Taly of Highfalls, come forth to my side!"

Immediately, a ghostly copy of Taly crashes down onto the conference room table - making a fair bit of noise despite the fact that physically it doesn't look like she actually came into contact with anything. Looking around in a panic, it takes her a moment to realize where she is. "Eh? You summoned me back, huh? ...As a ghost? Is this a punishment for getting caught, Xen? Might take a little getting used to..."

Xenia gasps, the magic running through her causing as much exertion on her part as it is for Sevastion. "Just - just your mind, not your body. Trying some new tricks. First off - are you alright?"

The banshee frowns as she attempts to shift into a sitting position on the table. "Uh, well, broke an arm, took a hit or two. Mostly though I'm just locked up pretty good. That succubus they've got in charge hit me with some magic whammies that took me out for a bit. They're specifically trying to keep me alive, though."

"Any chance of you being able to break out?"

Taly looks around, although all she sees is the conference room around her. "I think they're going to set up a stronger cell before the spells wear off. Aside from that, I think they've got me inside the Grassbrook Fort - which they've turned into a prison camp? I'd have to fight through a lot of guards. Any reason I should be trying to do this the hard way?"

"The Fort's where they've been keeping all their prisoners at?" Xenia grins. "This is already paying us dividends, then. Look, if you're up for it, I'm considering keeping you there as an inside source. Maybe we can use you to find out how things are going over there." She winces as the spell worsens her metaphysical headache. "As long as you're not at risk."

"I'm...probably alright? I barely even feel pain, so it's not like I can be tortured." The woman gives Xenia a worried look. "How well are we going to be able to keep in touch, though? This seems to be wearing you out pretty quick."

Sevastion speaks up with a suggestion. "I can cast another spell on you - it will allow you to, for a single occasion, reach out to us if you need. Should you be at true risk you can let us know immediately."

Taly nods. "That'll definitely be helpful. Although I'm not sure how much I can really figure out while I'm locked in a cell. I'll do my best?"

This time, it's a grinning Sincere who comes up with an idea. "They may be able to create spells and seals to lock down your current abilities. But, Xenia, if I'm not mistaken...you do have the ability to grant her further skills from your 'library', do you not?"

Xenia grins back as she follows the logic. "...I'm sure we've got something in there that can give them a surprise. Illusions? Unarmed fighting? Maybe even Sin-man's time magic? I could feed you some stuff over time so it's not too overwhelming."

Cautiously, Taly smiles back. "That does sound...interesting. If nothing else, maybe I could blow something up here before you cut my strings." Noticing Xenia's increasingly deteriorating focus, she quickly moves on. "Anyways, while I'm here, I should tell you that everything pretty much went ideally other than the part where I got nabbed. I'm pretty sure we've shut them down for at least a couple of days. Everything still good at the dungeon?"

"Yeah, all's fine here." Xenia's eyes narrow in thought. "Although we've still got a certain fury demon I need to say hello to..."