A Dungeon’s Survival

Cameron

The beast began scaling the shaft once more. I cursed myself for not adding the multiple traps back in while I had the opportunity to, not that the first rock had done much good anyway. Regardless, it was too late for that now. We were going to have to deal with the situation using only what was already in place. I didn't like our prospect of that, but I liked the idea of being mauled to death by a giant bear monster less, so we acted.

Archie, the potions!

Without sparing even a moment to respond, my loyal alchemist began tossing the vials he'd dragged from his lab into the pit. Concoctions of varying types burst open onto the invader's head and wide shoulders. The effects were visible but seemed to do little to nothing to the monster itself.

Fall back! I shouted to my remaining forces.

Briefly, I considered hiding under the floor like I'd done the last time I'd faced certain doom, but this thing had already demonstrated that Dungeon-reinforced stone wasn't a suitable barrier to it. It would claw me out eventually, so all that would do was buy me precious little time while also cutting me off from the rest of my Dungeon. It was a losing trade as far as I was concerned.

Instead, I turned my attention to other things, things like my unchosen class abilities and the Dungeon level that was just waiting to be claimed. I didn't know if any of that would be enough make a difference, but it was all I could think of. Since that was the case, I set my focus to Monster Upgrades and started with the Dungeon side of things. I willed for the menu to appear. Then, I raced through it as fast as I could.

[Experience to next level: 326,724 / 169,000

Level up?

Yes / No]

[Please select a perk.]

[Monster Upgrade: Berserker's Rage

Description: Vie and Pee (Level 18) are inflicted with unending anger that empowers them.

Effect: Vie and Pee (Level 18) gain the ability Rage.]

I dismissed the option as soon as I read its name and who it would affect. Even if they had still been alive for this disaster, I wouldn't have forced such an ability on the pair. I'd seen what it did to that woman, and I was not willing to inflict the same fate on my beloved snakes. In fact, I would have rather died to the monstrosity making its way to my core than put them through that, but it wasn't like they were even here for that decision to matter, so I moved on.

[Monster Upgrade: Mushroom Manipulation

Description: Sir Archibald II (Level 6) gains control over mushrooms.

Effect: Sir Archibald II (Level 6) gains the ability Mycokinesis.]

It was more promising than my last option, so I skimmed through the ability's details.

[Ability: Mycokinesis

Description: You can project your will onto mushrooms, making them do as you please.

Effect: For a mana cost dependent on what you are trying to accomplish, you can project your will onto mushrooms, controlling them in full. The more mushrooms you extend this effect to at once, the higher the cost becomes. If the mushrooms are capable of advanced thought, you must overwhelm them with your (MIND) before you can control them. The range of this ability is dependent on your (WILL), and what you can accomplish through it is dependent on your (SOUL).]

Useless.

I didn't actually think it was, but in this situation, it wouldn't do us any good. The only mushrooms I had access to were Trentis and the ones composing Fabian's fairy circle, neither of which Archie being able to control would've helped the situation. That only left the final option.

[Item: Minor Mana Potion

Cost: 20 MP

Description: A magical liquid that restores the drinker's mana.

Effect: When consumed, the drinker restores 50 mana over the course of 2 minutes. Adverse effects may occur when consumed in quick succession or if the drinker restores more than their (COM) x 10 points of mana through external means in a single day.]

My nonexistent heart sank as I saw it. It wouldn't help, and worse, the bear had made it to the top of the shaft. I ordered the Plated Gator I'd summoned to charge at it. Then, and I turned to the options I'd been given for new class abilities. As long as they were and as short on time as I was, I didn't bother reading their exact effects, especially not since I had three choices to get through and couldn't check on the next until I made a choice for the previous option, so instead, I only checked their names and descriptions.

[Ability: Familiar Casting

Description: You can cast spells through your familiar.]

[Ability: Empowering Familiars

Description: You and your familiars benefit from some of each other's stats when you fight alongside them.]

Familiar Casting, I swiftly came to a decision.

I couldn't fight anyway, and if I did ever get spells, being able to cast them through my familiars was a much safer option than trying to cast them through my core, if that was even possible to begin with. I wasn't sure if it was, but also, it wasn't immediately relevant. As far as I could tell, though I could've been wrong since I didn't waste the time reading its specifics, the ability didn't do anything on its own, so I moved on.

[Spell: Energy Bolt

Cost: 25 MP

Cooldown: 15 seconds

Description: You shoot out a fast-moving blast of magical energy.]

[Spell: Empower Bond

Description: You empower your bonded familiar.

Effect: You empower a familiar's stat of your choice. For as long as you keep this spell active, it is increased by +10%. It costs one mana per second for every five empowered stat points.]

Empower Bond.

And, there they were: the spells to be used in conjunction with the last ability. I took the time to read the effect of the second one since, depending on how it worked, it could've been exactly what I needed. Unfortunately, though, the boost it gave wasn't big enough to help, even if it did work.

Still, it was something, so I took a moment to try throwing it onto the Plated Gator I'd sent after the bear before checking on my final choice. As it turned out, that wasn't an option, but it wasn't because my Dungeon and Heroic Summoner abilities didn't have enough of an overlap for it to work. I wasn't sure if they did or not because I had no target.

The moment I looked up from my menus, the room shook. A dark energy was coating the bear's claw as it ripped through the most defensive thing I could summon with ease. It seemed the monster had used its first ability.

I froze momentarily as I stared. Slowly, it took one lumbering step forward. Then, something whizzed toward it at an incredible speed.

“My hoard!” Adraugon roared out before impacting with the creature.

To my surprise, the attack had been enough to send the beast flying back into a wall. Apparently, Velocity Transference still worked on giant monsters, and that had been enough to buy me a moment. Seeing that, I, without the slightest bit of hesitation, dumped all of my remaining resources into making as many Horned Dracos as I could. Then, I turned my attention back to my last ability choice.

[Ability: Monstrous Communion

Description: You can communicate with monsters.]

[Ability: Familiar Knowledge

Description: Communication and knowledge sharing between you and your familiars is enhanced.]

Monstrous Communion!

As soon as I read its description, I jumped on the opportunity that it stood for. I had no clue if it would actually help, but it had a better chance of doing so than Familiar Knowledge did, so I made the decision. Then, almost immediately, I was made to question my choice.

All of the Horned Dracos, save for Adraugon who had already scurried off to somewhere safe, were closing in on the bear, using Velocity Transference to toss the thing around. That came to a sudden stop when it opened its mouth. For a brief moment, a dark energy gently wafted out of it. Then, as it let out an enraged bellow that I was sure would have deafened me had that still been possible, that same dark energy came rushing out in force.

“Die!” I somehow made sense of its roar.

In an instant, all of the dracos were dead, the power having torn their bodies to shreds. Even a bit of Adraugon's treasure had been caught in the blast. One of his piles of coins that he'd won from poker nights was reduced to little more than dust.

That left me in a serious predicament. As it stood, I'd spent practically all of my remaining mana on those dracos, severely limiting my options. At the same time, that display was enough to make me question my own sanity for even considering diplomacy. Still, without the mana to do anything else, it was all I could do.

Archie, I slowly spoke to the mushroom wizard in the most calm and pleading mental voice I could manage in the moment, I don't suppose you'd be willing to try talking to the big scary, walking wall of destruction, would you?

At my words, his head snapped in the direction of my core. He stared at the lake I'd submerged myself in back when I'd turned my previous last line of defense into a boss with incredulity and accusation plastered on his face. Within moments, he recovered, gave a theatric bow, and said, “It would be my honor, mistress” in a voice that was only a little bit unsteady.

Then, turning back around, he slipped his way though the opening to Adraugon's hoard room to face the beast. Hesitantly, he took a few uncertain steps forward, using his staff to brace himself as he trembled slightly. Then, he stopped and called out, “What a fine day it is. Wouldn't you agree, good sir? I don't believe I've caught your name just yet.”

The bear stopped at the sound of his voice and stared at my goblinoid. If it could have fired energy from its eyes like it just had its mouth, I was certain the glare it was giving him would have bored a hole bored through the alchemist. Instead, he just wilted, mostly metaphorically. His mushroom did seem to wither slightly under the creature's gaze, but that could have just been my imagination.

A few seconds passed. Then, the creature took one giant step forward.

“Wait, hold on a moment!” Archie pleaded, “Is there any way I could possibly dissuade you from bringing harm upon the mistress of the stone? Anything at all? If you could be obliged, I would be most grateful and offer you anything in my power to provide.”

“No,” the monster growled in the most inconvenienced tone imaginable from a giant bear.

A response. That's progress at least, I guess.

“Ah, mistress, you understood that? Ahem, I mean, of course you did! If that's the case, would you mind cluing me in as to what our new friend here just said?”

He said no.

“Oh, that is quite the dreadful response, indeed. I don't suppose I could convince you to reconsider?”

The bear blinked and tilted its head. The moments dragged on eternally as it stared at my impromptu diplomat. Eventually, though, it huffed a response, “You understand me?”

I translated for Archie.

“No, but the mistress of the stone seems to,” he answered with false bravado.

“Then, tell me: were the last moments of that woman painful? Did she suffer?”

I thought about it for only an instant before telling my translator how to respond. The image of the bear stomping on her corpse came to mind. There was my answer.

“Incredibly, indubitably so. She had her head roasted alive until she eventually succumbed to the flames. I could imagine no worse death that could be inflicted upon an individual such as she.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha,” the bear gave the equivalent of a painfully slow but amused laugh.

“Does that change anything in regards to your openness to negotiate?” Archie tried.

“No, but it does bring me immense satisfaction.”

The bear took another step forward, and Archie, dropping his staff, threw himself to the floor and clasped his hands in an imploring gesture.

“Please, good sir, I beseech you. Certainly, there has to be something we could offer you in trade for sparing us our lives. What is it that you seek here anyway?”

The bear paused once again.

“The core.”

This isn't working, I thought to myself after translating my soon-to-be murder's answer for Archie.

Ignorant to my pessimistic thoughts, Archie continued, “Could I inquire as to why that is?”

“Heh, fine then, little morsel. I don't normally get a chance to speak to my food, so I'll tell you. This isn't the first den of power to show up in this forest. The last one came and was destroyed countless moons ago, back before many of the trees here were even saplings, before I became its ruler.

“That core, it was consumed by a rival of mine, the strongest opponent I had ever faced at the time and the strongest I've ever faced since. It happened not long after I assumed this form. Her power was immense. She nearly killed me, but in the end, I triumphed. Much of that strength, she gained it from the core of that den of power. I come here seeking the same so that I may live.”

There was a long pause after he finished. I exchanged the mental equivalent of a shared glance with my orator in that time. Then, Archie made to continue conversing with the suddenly-talkative, walking disaster that the creature before us was.

“So that you may live? I struggle to imagine much of anything could kill one such as yourself.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha. You are right, little morsel. Sadly, there is one rival I cannot best, and it is all thanks to that woman. Hunger. I need food, and I know from experience that feasting on mortals means death.

“Once I start, more will come, numerous, some stronger than even I. Eventually, they will win, and I will fall. I seek power here, so that day may be delayed for a time.”

The conversation lulled once more.

“So,” Archie started, “it sounds to me like that is a fate you would rather avoid. Might I inquire as to why you intend to start such a war if you are incapable of winning it?”

The bear roared unintelligibly at that, startling both Archie and myself. Then, growling with an intent I could felt a rising heat coming from, it declared, “I will not lose. I will take down more of them than they could replenish in my lifetime twice over! Death comes to all. I will face it one day no matter how I try to escape its grasp. I will delay that time for as long as I can.”

“That still does not answer why you want to start such a war,” Archie hurriedly said, “It sounds as though that would be escalating the time frame you speak of, would it not? Wouldn't it be best to avoid that?”

“Of course it would!” the beast boomed, “I do not want this war, but I must start it! That woman killed everything of worth in the forest. No food remains here. Mortals, scarce as they may be, are all that's left in a large enough quantity to sate my hunger! That is why I'll hunt them. That is why I'll bring about my own destruction!”

“So,” Archie began, testing the waters as he spoke as to avoid setting the bear off any more than he could help it, “it is food that you require, yes?”

“Yes!” the bear roared, spittle showering onto the mushroom goblin.

Archie opened his mouth and closed it a few times before saying, “I do believe that is something we could provide you with so long as you leave us with our lives intact.”

In the next moment, the ground shook slightly as the bear fell to all fours with a boom and brought its face within a foot of the mushroom goblin. For a long moment, I thought for sure he was going to eat him. Then, he growled out a single word, “Explain.”

“Um, yes. Food. Ahem. Would that Plated Gator you killed over there suffice?”

Archie slowly raised a shaking finger to point at the shredded monster lying in the corner of the room as he spoke.

“You dare to offer me prey that is already mine in trade for your pitiful lives? Prey that will fill my stomach but once? You insolent fool, I'll–”

Archie shuddered as the monster opened its massive jaws in a motion I could only assume was leading up to it chomping his head off.

“No! Of course not!” Archie exclaimed as he sat back, raising his hands in something halfway between a placating and defensive gesture, “I was merely inquiring as to whether or not you would find a consistent supply of such monsters satisfactory.”

“How consistent?”

“Daily, even more often if you so require it.”

Growling was the only response for nearly half a minute. Then, the bear stood back up onto its hind legs and wordlessly made its way to the corpse of the gator he had slaughtered. Once there, it growled out its answer.

“They must be big like this one, not small like those from the wet cavern. I will return each night from now, when the mortals leave this place. Have them ready by the entrance when I arrive. Do not keep me waiting.”

With that, the monster picked up his meal, threw it over his shoulder and slowly took his leave. Neither Archie nor I spoke for a long while after that. Instead, we were left there, alone in our dark cave. The only sounds to be heard were the dwindling flames in the room below and Adraugon loudly shouting, “My hoard! What did it do to my hoard!”

Eventually, I gathered myself enough to speak, Archie?

“Yes, mistress?”

Remind me to get and do for you whatever you want from now on.

“I could never impose so much upon you.”

Whatever you want, I insisted.