A Dungeon’s Survival

Adraugon

Stupid lifespring stone.

It asked me to kill the helpless, bumbling oafs below me. That wasn't a problem. In fact, I would have loved to do so. The actual problem lied in my inability to admit what was the problem. I couldn't kill them no matter how much I wanted to.

That wasn't completely true. I was sure I could kill at least one of them, but then I would be down there in the bog where I stood absolutely no chance of making my way back out safely. I was a dragon, a ruler of the skies. I was not a fish. My domain was the air, not the water. It was as it should be for a proper dragon, and I was not ashamed to admit it.

Still, I couldn't bring my aversion to the water up to the lifespring stone. It already thought of me as no more than a mere lizard. It was an outrageous insult and an absurd notion. I still balked at the nerve of it. No, I couldn't admit that I wasn't able to swim. That would be no better than admitting defeat to that magical rock that already thought itself better than me. No proper dragon would ever lower themselves to that level, and as a proper dragon, neither could I. That was why I continued watching from above, frustrated at my inability to intervene.

The snakes had already finished off the people that they had dragged away from the group and were attempting to pick off more. Due to the numbers of their prey, they weren't able to charge in comfortably. In fact, they were forced to retreat numerous times by the horde. It wasn't going well for them.

Pathetic.

I could have killed any number of them and been out of there before they even knew what hit them, or at least, I could have if it weren't for that accursed water. I hissed in frustration. This room was a failing on the lifespring stone's part as far as I was concerned. The water was pointless and only served to get in the way.

Below me, an unsightly scene played out. One of the snakes was too slow in their retreat. A blade sunk into their side, halting them long enough for the rest of the crowd to fall upon it. Their head was promptly severed, and only one remained. At the rate things were going, the room would soon be left undefended.

I began pacing in circles, my frustration boiling within me. I was almost tempted to fly down there and tear into the prey regardless of my ability to survive. The only thing that stopped me was the thought of the humiliation I would face if I were to be killed by some common mortal. It was an insult I would not be able to stand, so I strewed in my anger.

After a short while, I stopped in my tracks. What was I thinking? I, a mighty dragon, was letting prey do as they wished in my lair because I didn't want to take on the risks that came with putting them in their place? If I continued like that, what kind of dragon would I be?

I glared down below. I couldn't stay put, but I also couldn't allow myself to end up in the murky liquid. That just meant I needed to stay aloft as I rained doom and despair down upon them. Without another moment's hesitation, I locked my gaze onto their weakest link: a scrawny man that was struggling to even walk. From the scorch marks on him and the way he looked as though he'd pass out at any moment, I could assume that he had both been caught in the lifespring stone's explosion and been bitten by one of the snakes. He was on his last leg, and that made him the perfect target.

Without another moment's hesitation, I jumped. Circling to descend at a controlled rate, I dropped straight onto his head. He felt me land and immediately tried to brush me off. I scratched at his fingers when he tried. My razor-sharp claws cleaved through both his flimsy gloves and his flesh with ease. Blood spewed from him as I tore his fingers to shreds. He screamed, and panic began to spread throughout the horde of prey.

Good. They should fear me.

Once I had done a satisfactory amount of damage to both the human man's hands and scalp, I moved on to the next target. Leaping, I sailed a short distance to a heavily armored person. I landed on their shoulder without their notice, and I climbed along their helmet. I slipped in through the hole meant for their eyes. Then, I began my onslaught.

As I burrowed through their face, they screamed and fell backward. Water rushed in behind me, and I was submerged as they went under. The realization that I had failed in my mission to avoid the water dawned on me, and with it came hot, burning rage. I used that anger to dig through their face all the faster. Soon, I hit something soft and mushy.

[Orc Warrior (Level 15) slain! You have gained 3,000 experience.]

[You have gained a level!]

[A new bonus is available.]

I turned on the spot and flailed in an attempt to breach the surface of the water before my breath ran out. I managed it, but stuck there in the sea of water, I found myself helpless. All it would take was a slightly observant mortal, and I would be as good as dead. I could not accept such a fate. Hurriedly, I reached for the bonus that was owed to me.

[Please select a type of bonus.

Extra Stats / New Spell or Ability / Upgrade]

The lifespring stone had chosen extra stats for me before. It was a waste. It didn't give many, and the lifespring stone would bestow more onto me in time. Upgrades also seemed pointless. That was how the lifespring stone gave power, and accepting its changes was bad enough already. I was a dragon, I didn't need to be changed and reshaped. I would accept if for more power, but it rubbed me the wrong way. As for a new spell or ability, that sounded interesting.

[Ability: Fire Breath

Description: You build up fire within your flame gland and expel it from your mouth.

Effect: Using mana and stamina, you condense fire within your flame gland. The amount of fire and heat produced is based on your (SOUL) + (VIT), x the amount you charge it. Charging the attack costs more mana and stamina, and the amount you can charge it is based on your (WILL). Once it is done charging, the fire will be expelled through your mouth.]

That was an ability suited for a dragon. I nearly chose it on the spot, but I restrained myself, just barely. My eyes darted across my next option to see if it could be something better.

[Ability: Wind Flow

Description: You control the currents of wind around your wings, enabling swifter and more controlled flight.

Effect: You can spend mana to manipulate the currents of air around your wings. At the cost of 1 mana per second, you can cause the winds to flow in whatever direction you want at a rate that allows you to move as though your (AGI) were 1 point higher than it is. At the cost of more mana, you can increase the force of the winds. At maximum, you can move as though your (AGI) were increased by 20% of your (SOUL). Your ability to manipulate the winds is based on your (WILL).]

That was it. I didn't bother reading the third option. I was a dragon, ruler of the skies. The power to fly unrestricted, that ability called to me. It was mine. I chose it and allocated my stat points as I saw fit. Then, it was time. My prey was all around me, numerous and just waiting to be hunted. I activated my new ability, creating updrafts underneath my wings that carried me from the foul water into the wondrous air once more.

From my new vantage point, I could make out another dead snake, a shame. The invaders were left without anyone to oppose them, anyone except for me. They were ripe for the picking and had nowhere to go. The fools were looking for the lifespring stone, but the entrance to its room wasn't here. It had hidden it behind the trees back in the second room. They were wasting their time, and now, I was free to hunt them as I pleased. My hoard was about to be getting plenty of new shinies!

* * *

Cameron

Finally, the bandit's leader succumbed to the adventurer. I was starting to get worried with how close the battle had been, but it turned out all right in the end. It was a shame about her friend, but I couldn't worry about that just yet. Instead, I turned my attention to the notifications I had gotten throughout the battle. I brought the specifics on them.

[Achievement: Fast Growth

Description: You have reached level 10 within 3 months.

Reward: You have gained 12,000 experience!]

[Title: Limitless

Description: An individual 1 rank and at least 5 levels higher than you has died in your Dungeon.

Effects: While this title is equipped, the holder's monsters benefit from +5% to all stats. Upon receiving this title, the holder may be offered better traits.]

[Achievement: A Common Foe

Description: You have cooperated with a delver to take down a shared enemy.

Reward: You can now use pact magic!]

If I had eyes, they would have bulged at the title. A five percent stat increase was nothing to scoff at, but more importantly, traits were the very limited branches of a Dungeon's functionality that served as their bread and butter. I only got a new one every twenty-five levels, so it wasn't immediately useful, but getting better ones would be invaluable in the long run. My partner in Dungeon management, on the other hand, was far more concerned with the second achievement.

“That isn't something a Dungeon should get barring the most extreme of circumstances. Ugh,” my fairy grumbled.

Well, I'd say these circumstances are pretty extreme.

“Agh, you're right. I just have a bad feeling about this.”

I gave him a mental shrug and turned my attention to the most imminent of problems. I had stopped paying attention to the bog room after both Shadow Vipers in there had died. As it stood, I was limited in my options, but I still had some.

A large part of why I felt so nonchalant about how the fight with the bandit leader had gone and the loss of my guard Trenti was because, just before I had sent him in, I had realized I had enough experience to reach level ten. I had awakened the Trenti mage beforehand, and named him in honor of his predecessor, Archie. Yes, Sir Archibald II was dead, but in a handful of hours, he could come home to where he belonged.

I felt comfort and a surge of accomplishment from knowing that. At long last, I had managed to save someone that I cared about, and though it wasn't Archie, the Trenti I had saved could at least carry on his legacy. I only had to survive the last of this mess to cement that, and the same level up that allowed for his survival could play a role in that.

With the level came forty new points of mana. I could use that to summon monsters in my first room and have them make their way to the bog, but first, I needed to see the situation in there. I switched my view to show me the room, and my mind stopped working.

Um, Fabe?

“Yeah?”

Are you seeing this?

“Yeah.”

More than two dozen bandits had reentered the bog. Over two dozen bandits had still been alive in there the last time I had looked in on the room. Less than two dozen bandits were currently among the living. The numbers weren't adding up, but I could see exactly what had caused the drastic shift in the situation.

A tiny dragon was tearing into bandit after bandit before somehow shooting straight up into the air, swooping down, and repeating the process. The remaining twenty-two–make that twenty-one–invaders were thrashing as they stumbled their way through the water in every direction. Some were feeling their way along the walls, presumably looking for the nonexistent entrance to my core room. Some were trying to make their way back to the previous room. Adraugon was focusing on putting a stop to that.

The group was a disorganized mess, and they didn't seem to understand what was going on. I guessed it made sense. It would be kind of hard to spot an insect sized dragon in a dark room after all. The fear and terror among the invaders was palpable, and the little terror was thriving in it.

Well, I might as well secure some extra experience for Vie and Pee while I have the chance.

With that thought, I summoned some new Shadow Vipers with my semiaquatic modifications in my first room and ordered them to go help finish off the remaining invaders. Whatever they could contribute to the Shadow Viper experience bank after they died would go to my precious and adorable little scaly daughters.