A Dungeon’s Survival

Cameron

I stared at the message I'd brought back up.

[Dungeon Alert: The cataclysm's approach draws near! Due to the loss of Dungeons, the necessary power holding it at bay has fallen below 140%. Grow and gain in power before it is too late!]

Not long had passed since the bear monster had taken its leave. Once I'd been able to, I'd rushed to get my boss back online. Aside from that and repairing some of the damages done to my Dungeon, though, I was still left in a precarious position.

Vie, Pee, and Prism were all dead, and it was going to remain that way for a while, whether I liked it or not. There were monster corpses strewn throughout the place, and I still wasn't entirely sure as to why that was, not that it mattered all that much. Knowing why they were there wouldn't have changed anything. Even if I did, they'd have still been there until I absorbed them, something I just hadn't gotten around to doing yet. Then, there were all of the new unlocks I'd gained from that mess to worry about. They, too, fell to the back burner for the time being. I had something more important to take care of in the meantime.

One hundred forty percent, huh?

I'd quickly forgotten about the alert that'd stalled me from assisting my defenders in the middle of the fight against the Berserker. Her inflicting devastating damage to my elites and killing Pee had not allowed me the time to dwell on it for long, but at some point, once things had calmed down, it had crept its way back into the forefront of my mind along with another thing. It was helplessness.

Had it not been for Archie and the new ability I'd unlocked, everything would've ended with that bear. That would have been it for everyone I cared about and for me. That wasn't acceptable. Both my own weakness and that message emphasized one thing in particular. I needed to grow. I needed the power to defend myself and those I loved.

Thinking back on it, I'd had far too many close calls that had come down to the wire during my short time as a Dungeon Core, far too many situations where I'd only survived thanks to trickery, and while I had managed to scrape my way through up until now, it was only a matter of time until my luck ran out. As it stood, something needed to change. I just didn't know what.

Initially, I'd hoped that change could've come with leveling up, but now, I was confident that alone wouldn't be enough. With all of the aspects I'd been giving to the Bloodthorn Vines and the other expenditures I'd been racking up, even though I finally had enough DP to afford everything in my Dungeon without balancing precariously on the margins, I was left with practically nothing more. To make matters worse, as soon as I spent the five points I owed Adraugon thanks to our deal, I'd be back in the red.

Then, there was the mana side of things. I was a bit better off there because of that level I'd gotten, but thanks to my needing to create massive Plated Gators on a regular basis now, it wasn't as much of an improvement as I might have hoped for. I figured that, since it was their size that seemed to matter, I could get away with only modifying them to be bigger and skimp on all of the other modifications that I normally made to them. By doing that, I could keep their costs down to a daily forty mana, but even if that didn't seem like much on its own, it was still a large chunk of my increased resources.

The way I figured it, that would only leave me with roughly two hundred extra mana to work with per day than I had before, and with both Prism and me having leveled up as much as we had, that wasn't going to be enough to farm any worthwhile amount of experience. I needed something else. That was what had led me to make a certain decision. Resolving myself, I reached for an ability I'd only touched once prior.

[Please select a System Administrator to contact.]

Loraine.

The alert had made another thing clear to me. I had no idea what was really going on. According to Fabian, Dungeons were somehow stabilizing the world, keeping it from ending or something like that. He didn't know the specifics, though, and by extension, neither did I.

That would have been concerning but not crucial on its own. The issue was that my lack of knowledge wasn't limited to just an apocalyptic scenario. I didn't even know the first thing about the very System I was relying on for my survival. That couldn't remain the case.

I needed to learn more about the world and the System as a whole. That way, I could figure out how to progress, what I should actually be working toward, and I only had one method at my disposal to do so. That was why I was messaging the only other admin I knew of.

[To Loraine,

Enter your message here.]

Hi, I'm Connie Aldman, I cringed inwardly at the start of my own message, but I continued speaking my thoughts to the little box in front of me as though I was ripping off a bandage, I'm a Dungeon Core and a Summoned Hero. I'm not entirely sure how all of that works or the implications of it, but that's not why I'm contacting you.

I got this ability from an achievement awarded to me for running into a bunch of bugs. The description told me to contact an Illiana, the Bastion of Light, but apparently she's been disconnected from the System for six thousand years. I ran into your name in the middle of a stream of errors, so I figured I'd try contacting you instead.

I don't really care about the bugs, to be honest, but as a Dungeon Core, I saw the message about the approaching cataclysm, which seemed important. If you could shed any light on that situation or give me any advice on how I could get stronger to prevent it, I would be extremely grateful. I'm sorry for bothering you, and thanks for your time.

Once I finished, I stared at the words that'd appeared on the screen as I thought them. I read them over, not particularly happy with them. Then, I willed the message to be sent, regardless.

I waited in immense anticipation. I knew it was possible that I wouldn't be able to contact this administrator either. I knew it was possible that, in spite of the fact the System had let me choose them as the recipient of my message, they weren't even an admin. I also knew it was possible they wouldn't take kindly to me contacting them, and I'd face the consequences like the details of the ability implied, but none of that knowledge pressed down on me in the same way it had before, back when I'd tried reaching out to Illiana. The need greatly outweighed the risks now.

Then, eventually, a notification appeared.

[Error, your message could not be sent! Exception: System Administrator not found.]

In that moment I felt a peaceful emptiness wash over me. Sure, I was on my own. I'd need to figure things out without any outside assistance. That was disappointing, especially when it was my last lead that had turned out this way, but in the end, it changed nothing. That had always been the case since I'd come here. It remaining as such made little difference now.

Then the next message followed.

[Forwarding protocol “My_Legacy” has been triggered. Your message has been redirected.]

What?

I stared at the message for a time. I wasn't sure of how long I did so, my mind struggling to process the sudden turnaround the System had hit me with, but eventually, I found myself snapped back to my senses by a voice.

“Cameron, you're okay! Don't do that to me! Do you have any clue how worried I was?”

Fabian? my mind reeled at his sudden appearance.

I hardly had the time to redirect my vision toward the fairy circle he'd come from before he spoke again, “You told me you were up against a Berserker out of nowhere; then, you shut me out. I hurried back here as fast as I could, but I-I-I didn't even know if you'd still be alive when I got here! There was that message, and blocking your fairy out isn't a normal thing that Dungeons can do. For all I knew, you could have died without me knowing, and that could've been what caused that alert! The timing on it lined up so perfectly.”

I had completely forgotten that I'd told him not to distract me during the fight, and I hadn't even thought of how that message would have looked from his perspective. I hadn't even thought about him or considered that he couldn't gotten the alert too.

Fabe, I'm so sorry, I choked out, It was so hectic. I didn't even have time to think of you. Vie killed her, and before I couldn't even stop to think, a giant bear showed up. We barely survived. I kind of just entered shock after, I think.

“At least you're okay now,” he sighed as he fluttered back and forth above the water my core was submerged under, “You said a bear showed up? What kind of bear?”

I don't know. It was massive, walked on two legs, and there's still claw marks from it in the shaft if you want to check.

He froze at my words, falling a couple of feet before his wings started beating in overtime to make up for his drop in altitude.

“It was strong enough to damage your wall!?”

Yes. That thing is terrifying.

“'Is terrifying?' It made it up the shaft, and you didn't kill it? How are you still alive?”

Uh, I started, wondering how best to explain what'd happened, I had Archie talk to it?

“Talk to it? It could speak?”

No, not exactly. Um, here I think this will be quicker than trying to explain.

I sent him the details of my new ability and also took the chance to read it over myself. I hadn't done so thoroughly yet.

[Ability: Monstrous Communion

Description: You can communicate with monsters.

Effect: The intent behind the vocalizations and mannerisms of monsters are translated by the System for you. Your words and mannerisms are also translated to be understandable by monsters.]

“That is … That's not a normal ability.”

What do you mean?

“I looked through the information the Fairy Council has on summoner type classes. I didn't see anything like that in there. It must've only been available to you because your class is Heroic.”

I see.

The conversation lulled for a long moment there, giving way to a peaceful silence. Then, a faint, strange sound that almost resembled the rushing of wind broke it.

Plooh.

Huh?

Both Fabian and I began looking around. Then, almost simultaneously, we saw it. Floating in the air just beneath the top of the room was a gently glowing blue crystal, spherical in shape and resembling a Dungeon Core but smaller, around the size of a baseball.

We stared at it for a moment before a new, cold voice that sounded faintly robotic in nature began to slowly vocalize in a halting manner and distinctly disinterested tone, “You are an odd anomaly. What kind of callous sociopath would stuff a mortal soul in a Dungeon Core, a hero no less? Never mind, I do not particularly care about the atrocities committed here. Let me see what I am working with.”

“Cameron, you didn't unlock some weird monster I've never heard of while I was gone, did you?” Fabian asked.

Nope, definitely not, I answered automatically as my mind scrambled to figure out how to explain and handle whatever this situation was.

“Individual's name: Connie Aldman,” the orb rambled off, “Your race is listed as Dungeon Core; however, remnant data indicating you are a human is also present. Peculiar. Dungeon name: Cave of Absolution. How melodramatic. Levels: fourteen and seventeen. Here is the source of the anomaly. Diagnosing.”

“What?” Fabian asked as all of my progress towards getting my mind working again came to a sudden halt and began backtracking.

“Quiet, fairy. I am doing my job.”

“What are you?”

“I am a Custodian. For you not to know that, your people must have fallen far.”

“A Custodian? What's that, and what are you talking about? Who's Connie Aldman?”

“Connie Aldman is the name of the core whose Dungeon we are currently in. You should know that.”

“You mean Cameron?”

“No individual with that designation is currently present. However, a quick search of System logs does indicate that name is listed within a magical contract between the individual, Connie Aldman, and an organization listed as the Fairy Council. I am unfamiliar with such a group. Its formation must have been recent.”

“How do you know about the Fairy Council!?”

“The name is listed in Connie Aldman's System logs.”

“How would you know that, and who is this Connie Aldman you keep mentioning?”

“Kindly, stop asking questions, Fabian Dahlia. I am not here for you and am currently reading the System logs.”

“How do you know my name!?”

“It is listed in your System logs along with five active pacts with the organization, the Fairy Council, one of which is the pact containing the name 'Cameron Baker.' You also have three inactive pacts of the same nature. It seems those Dungeons are no more. That is quite the poor history you have.”

“B-b-but how? You–you shouldn't know that!”

“I know that because I read it in your status sheet. I have humored your questions out of respect for your people, the Dungeon Fairies, but I grow tired of this meaningless conversation. I will now do what I came here for.”

Slowly, Fabian's head turned to peer down at my core through the water. Then, he spoke, “Cameron?”

Yes?

“Show me your status sheet.”

Uh.

“You've never sent it to me it in full. I've never seen your name listed at the top of it, have I?”

Um.

“Why would you have lied to me about your name? And what did that thing mean by it's only listed in that pact? Wait, let me see that. I still have access to it.”

Silence fell for a moment as he pulled it up.

“'Cameron Baker, the Dungeon Core,'” he read aloud, heat entering his voice, “who is Cameron Baker? This pact is with them, not you, and if you're not Cameron Baker, you're not bound by it.”

Um, Fabian, I can explain.

“No, I don't think I want to hear it,” his voice grew more and more angry as he continued, “Your pact with the Fairy Council, the pact that we have to make sure all Dungeons are under for the sake of the world, never even existed. You lied to me. You've hidden things. You've never listened to my advice, and you wouldn't even form a bond with me for so–the bond! That second pact, it was so that I couldn't see your name, wasn't it? How many layers of deception do you have going? Cameron–no–who even are you?”

Fabe!

“No! Don't call me that! Who are you?”

I'm sorry!

“I've been trying to help you for so long. I've dealt with the Fairy Council on your behalf and defended your actions to them. I even went so far as to risk my life bringing you monsters. Now, I find out that I don't even know your name, that you've been tricking me since the beginning!”

Fabian, please–

“I can't believe this. This is insane! Everything, it's all been a lie!”

No–

“Could you do this another time?” the orb interjected, “I find this argument grating. I would like to resolve whatever issues are here and be on my way.”

“And, you!” Fabian rounded on the orb, “What even are you? This is the first time I've ever heard of a Custodian!”

“Yes, you have already stated as much, and I would rather not elaborate.”

“I–ugh! I don't know what to think anymore!”

Fabian, please–

“No, I don't want to even talk with you right now. Actually, I don't have to, do I? Even when you relented and bonded with me, you didn't trust me enough to leave it at that, did you? You made me enter a pact with you that limited our bond. Fine, that works for me now. Cameron–or whoever you really are–I want privacy!”

With his words, I felt our connection snap shut. He had used the clause I'd worked into the pact against me. I reached out for him, desperately trying to get through, but it was like pressing up against a wall. There was nothing I could do but watch as he crossed his arms, glared in my general direction, and left.

“So, can you tell me what you need, now? I am quite busy,” came the floating orb's voice.

I–I …

I had no response. Fabian was gone, and no matter how much I pressed on our bond, I couldn't reach him.

“I do not have all day. Your message mentioned. 'bugs.' Let me see. You have five unresolved errors.”

The one person who'd been with me since I'd ended up here, the one person I could always rely on to be there, he was gone.

“It would seem the Dragon Tamer achievement, the Dungeon one, not the mortal one, maintains remnant code from when it was ported over as the base. I will clean it up so that both aren't awarded to Dungeons in the future.”

I was alone now, truly alone, cut off from the rest of the world and without my advisor, my dearest friend. If I was worried about how I'd survive before, how was I supposed to now?

“The achievement, Alchemical Mishap, was not made with awakened monsters in mind. I will resolve this by giving a skill point in Alchemy to the Trenti known as Sir Archibald II. What a pretentious name.”

No, I had my monsters still. Vie, Pee, Adraugon, Archie, and Prism, I still had them.

“Your experience pool data was duplicated. While that would normally break a Dungeon Core, in your case, that is fine. The experience feedback loop is also harmless. I will tweak this so that Dungeons can't receive classes anymore. You are lucky that you possess a mortal soul. You would be dead otherwise.”

That was right. I needed to be strong for them. I'd messed, bad, but it wasn't over. It couldn't be over. I'd work twice as hard for their sake. I'd take any advantage I could get. I'd make a mockery of the Fairy Council's rules if I had too, it wasn't like Fabian was around to stop me or to offer me any benefit for not doing so.

Oh Fabian!

I would have been crying if I could have.

“Lastly, the Symbiotic achievement was unable to grant Symbiotic Power to a random Crystal Puffer, obviously. To remedy this, I will grant it to one monster of your choice for you.”

No, even without Fabian, I'd figure it all out, somehow. We'd get through this. I'd make sure of it.

“Are you listening? If not, I will take my leave now.”

Huh? I startled from my thoughts at the Custodian's words.

“Either tell me which monster you want Symbiotic Power given to, or I will leave without resolving this error.”

My mind raced to catch up, replaying the robots words to figure out just what I'd missed. Then, a picture of a slime with Crystal Puffers covering their head came to mind.

Prism! I blurted out.

“The Mutant Young Metamorphic Slime you have as a familiar? No.”

What? No? Why?

“It is not a Dungeon monster. I can not easily do anything about you having it or about how your class is tangled up with your existence as a Dungeon, nor would I care to expend the effort to solve a problem I have already prevented others from encountering. However, Dungeon achievements should be used for Dungeon purposes. That is their purpose. I will not grant the ability to your familiar. Choose another monster.”

My mind blanked on me. I didn't have any other monsters it would be useful on. It was a one time ability, so my only options were Vie, Pee, Adraugon and Archie, and I couldn't see any of them being able to use it.

Archie, I slowly found myself thinking

He was the only one I could even imagine being large enough to have Crystal Puffers clinging to him, not that I thought that would be useful for the alchemist.

“Do you mean Sir Archibald II?”

Yes.

“It is done. Goodbye.”

Wait!

“What is it? My patience runs short.”

What happened to the admins? What about the cataclysm? How should I progress to make more of a difference in stopping it? How can I get stronger? I blurted out every unanswered question I could think of.

“Figure it out yourself. Send another message to my creator should you encounter more errors. One of us will resolve them. Please refrain from contacting us for other matters. Goodbye.”

Wait!

Plooh.

The orb was gone, having vanished into thin air. Fabian was gone, driven away by my lies and mistakes. My world was shattered once more, and I had no idea what to do next.