FINAL CORE : [A holy dungeon-core litRPG] - Chapter 14

~Fillipe's furious fantastical fizzler on the foreseeable future of dungeon-diving fanatics.

Isaiah looks around the third floor of the tower. This is where the forge was, but that has been moved down below the ground. Now, this space has been converted into a holy place of worship. The idea is that it will function similarly to the shrine outside, but inside of the tower and far more potently.

Water runs down the walls, dribbling out of many spigots. The floor is a stone platform, but there are many metal grids revealing the other floors below. The streams of water run down through them, flowing down to the bottom of the tower. In the center of the ceiling above, a large, half-spherical indent hangs downward. A trickle of water runs down from a hole in its center, running over an altar in the center of this room.

There is a catch, in that the monsters of this floor are apparently non-aggressive. So they won’t attack unless attacked first. Isaiah supposes this makes sense, given the environment.

“Not bad, right?” asks a voice from the side of the room. Teal.

“I… I don’t - are you sure about this?” asks a strange voice, belonging to the dark-elf, Rorate. Isaiah turns to look. The two of them are behind a curtain.

“Am I sure?!” asks Teal, sarcastically. “Would the will of the divine be wrong?”

“…No… I guess not…” concedes Rorate.

“There you go then!” replies Teal and pulls the curtain to the side. “Ta-da!”

Rorate stands there awkwardly, her arms out at her side, looking down at herself. She’s been cleaned up, her hair and body are both washed. She’s wearing a clean, simple priestess’ robe that Teal had made, woven from fibers of the forest and from the looted bodies of the goblins. She lifts her head, looking over at Isaiah and then around the ornate prayer hall. It suits her well.

“Good work, Teal,” says Isaiah. It looks at Rorate, gesturing to the tower. “You are safe here. Stay for as long as you like.”

She looks down at herself. “I wasn’t really expecting to ever become a priestess,” she says. “I haven’t really lived a pious life, you know?”

Isaiah tilts its head. “Then now is your chance.”

It taps the floor with a talon.

Four long, flowing presences appear and begin to float around the room. They drift up towards the ceiling and begin flying around the statues and through the grates. While the uthra are spherical things, these spirits are more stretched out and longer and flow like tepid gusts of wind.

They seem like calm, gentle entities and begin to make their way around Rorate, who watches in wide eyed fascination as they flow around her body, grazing past her hair and fingers.

Isaiah looks at the room on floor four of the tower. It’s simple, compared to the others. Here by the door is a small platform and in the middle of the room, encompassing its entire span, is a large pool of crystal-clear water.

A melusine, like the one in the river below, swims through it. On the far side of the room are two gargoyle archers.

To cross the water, one must either navigate over several floating stone platforms that are adrift, or try to swim across it. All the while, the archers will be at work and the melusine will wait for anyone who falls in.

Isaiah opens its wings and simply flies to the next floor.

Isaiah looks around the room. In the center of it is a raised platform with several small pillars rising in ascending elevation in an upward spiral. On top of each pillar sits a monster and in the center of them, on the raised platform, an intricate sigil is carved into the stones.

The walls are lined with colorful stained glass windows that water trickles past. The windows show depictions of angelic entities and creatures and the tower. They show the life of Isaiah as a human and as a blackbird and as what it is now. A small window in the corner even has a depiction of Rorate.

The uthra really went all out with this one.

The monks are interesting.

They look like humans, dark-elves and even an orc.

Isaiah flies up to one, looking at it. The man simply goes about his business, chanting some non-descriptive words as he continues to lift his hands towards the pedestal.

“Not bad, right?” asks Crystal. Isaiah looks towards the uthra. “Because we have a humanoid now, we can start making fake ones too,” it says.

“Fake?” asks Isaiah, looking back at the monk. He certainly looks like a real human.

“Yeah. They’re not really real humans,” says Crystal. “They’re made with dungeon-magic. So they work like any other monster, but just in a human shape,” it explains. “They’re great for floors like this, where we’re selling a narrative,” it says, framing Isaiah with its fingers.

Isaiah looks back towards the monks.

It certainly is interesting. The uthra appear to be telling a story with the design of the tower.

“What is the sub-boss?” asks Isaiah, pointing at the pedestal.

“That?” Crystal spins a finger. “A light elemental, probably. We can also do something more physical, like a holy drake. No dragons until later, we don’t have the budget yet.”

Isaiah thinks for a moment. “Can you make it random?”

“Random? Sure, we can do that,” says Crystal. “Let’s say… three things. So if they fail the challenge, it’ll either be a light-elemental, a holy-drake or, uh… I dunno, the reanimated spirit of a paladin?” it suggests. “That’ll keep them on their toes. If each fight has a different pattern, they won’t be able to adjust as easily. It’ll help our defenses.”

Isaiah nods. “Proceed. Thank you, Crystal.”

“Will do,” says Crystal, flying away.

Their first boss-room, apart from Isaiah’s roost. Well, a ‘challenge room’. These aren’t exactly boss-rooms, but are rather exactly what their name implies. Dungeons aren’t just rooms with monsters in them, sometimes there are mechanics and puzzles involved that need to be solved or beaten. Challenge rooms are a complex variant of these kinds of chambers.

That being said, on floor ten, there is going to be an actual boss-room, with a real, large, significant monster. But that’s not a problem for now.

Isaiah flies up to the next floor, returning to its roost. The tower is progressing well.

It lands on the very-big-tree and stares out over the world.

The landscape around the tower is becoming ornate and well cared for. The buildings are filling the space nicely and the road and gardens are well tended to. The hallowed ground causes the territory of the dungeon to stand separate from the forest in a beautiful way. This whole place, even the graveyard, has a tinge of something sacred and whole to it. Something good.

Isaiah only hopes that the humans will see it this way too.

And as it has that thought, its eyes wandering back down to the ground far down below, it sees a curious face poking out into the landscape, followed by another.

— Children, an orc and a human, by the looks of it.

Isaiah isn’t sure how they avoided the wisps, but the two of them wander in for a moment, finding their way to the shrine. The orc, a girl, stops there and grabs the boy, before he can wander off. She lowers her head in prayer, clasping her hands together for a moment.

The boy rolls his eyes, but winces as she elbows him in the side and yanks him over.

He lowers his head too, standing there for a moment.

Isaiah smiles, watching as they wander around the grounds for a little. The two of them play and explore. It orders the uthra to make sure they don’t get killed by any monsters and then, after a few hours, the two children wander away, leaving back the way they came.

“Sure we shouldn’t kill them, boss?” asks Red. “They’re gonna tell everyone about us,” it says, watching together with Isaiah as they walk into the forest again.

“No,” says Isaiah. “This is good,” it explains. “This is exactly what we want.”

Their first human contact has been peaceful.

“Escort them in secret. Make sure they leave unharmed,” orders Isaiah.

“If you say so,” says Red, flying off after them.

A pair of boots walks up the staircase. Isaiah turns its head, looking at Rorate who is soaked to the bone and looks very rough.

“…It’s really hard to get all the way up here,” she says. Her new robe is dripping with water and has some cuts and tears in it.

“Are you well?” asks Isaiah. It has no idea how she managed to get past all of the monsters.

“Yeah, I was just wondering,” says Rorate, looking at it with a curious, unsure expression. Isaiah tilts its head. “…What exactly am I supposed to be praying to?” she asks.

The two of them stare at each other for a quiet time, the wind atop the tower blowing the strands of her long, white hair to the side.

“Me,” replies Isaiah, staring back out over the world, as the tower rises up yet another floor. “You are supposed to be praying to me.”

One must be prepared, upon entering a dungeon, for the prospect of extreme violence. There has never been a recorded case of a dungeon and collective society co-existing in harmony, rather, there has always been a deadly tension between the two parties. Like any animal, the dungeon simply wants to consume resources and grow. We however, as a society, want the boons gained by plundering said dungeon. After all, it is simply a natural resource like any other. A dungeon is no different than an apple-tree on a meadow, or a bee-hive in a woodland, or an abundant mine in the mountains. It is a feature of the natural world and in order for our civilization to grow, we must reap its fruits. However, like any bear that is hunted, the dungeon will defend itself to the death and in this aim, it will employ several tricks. Most notable of these deceptions is the creation of fake people, often referred to simply as 'fakes' by adventurers. Scholars refer to these constructs as homunculi. Homunculi, while looking, sounding and smelling exactly like a real person, are simply constructs of magical energy brought to life like any other creature such as a goblin or kobold or fairy. These can come in every form we know of, from a human, to an elf, to even the almost extinct dwarven folk. Here is my wisdom to you. Never trust anyone you meet inside of a dungeon. They might not be real. A notable, grim example of this tactic can be seen in the Deadlight-Graveyard, in the far northwest. The dungeon-core here has created homunculi in the shape of grievously lost children, wounded and begging for help or healing. Upon approach, they will lash out, revealing themselves to be undead ghouls. ~Fillipe's furious fantastical fizzler on the foreseeable future of dungeon-diving fanatics. ~ Dungeon ~ Floor {03} The Prayer Hall A large temple, lined with altars and pews. This is an optional combat area. Monsters in this room are not aggressive unless provoked. Room Effects: While in this room, SOUL regenerates at a rate of {01} per minute Capacity: {08} Monster-Points Traps: {00} Monster-Point prices per monster F-Rank: 01 E-Rank: 02 D-Rank: 04 C-Rank: 08 B-Rank: 16 A-Rank: 32 S-Rank: 64 SS-Rank: 128 SSS-Rank: 256 Isaiah looks around the third floor of the tower. This is where the forge was, but that has been moved down below the ground. Now, this space has been converted into a holy place of worship. The idea is that it will function similarly to the shrine outside, but inside of the tower and far more potently. Water runs down the walls, dribbling out of many spigots. The floor is a stone platform, but there are many metal grids revealing the other floors below. The streams of water run down through them, flowing down to the bottom of the tower. In the center of the ceiling above, a large, half-spherical indent hangs downward. A trickle of water runs down from a hole in its center, running over an altar in the center of this room. There is a catch, in that the monsters of this floor are apparently non-aggressive. So they won't attack unless attacked first. Isaiah supposes this makes sense, given the environment. Not bad, right? asks a voice from the side of the room. Teal. I I don't - are you sure about this? asks a strange voice, belonging to the dark-elf, Rorate. Isaiah turns to look. The two of them are behind a curtain. Am I sure?! asks Teal, sarcastically. Would the will of the divine be wrong? No I guess not concedes Rorate. There you go then! replies Teal and pulls the curtain to the side. Ta-da! Rorate stands there awkwardly, her arms out at her side, looking down at herself. She's been cleaned up, her hair and body are both washed. She's wearing a clean, simple priestess' robe that Teal had made, woven from fibers of the forest and from the looted bodies of the goblins. She lifts her head, looking over at Isaiah and then around the ornate prayer hall. It suits her well. Good work, Teal, says Isaiah. It looks at Rorate, gesturing to the tower. You are safe here. Stay for as long as you like. She looks down at herself. I wasn't really expecting to ever become a priestess, she says. I haven't really lived a pious life, you know? Isaiah tilts its head. Then now is your chance. It taps the floor with a talon. ~ Spirit of Light ~ Class: Spirit Element: HOLY Type: Presence Category: Ghost* Rank: E Level: 03 Spirits are elemental presences, made up out of pure magic. They have no physical body and can not be hurt by physical attacks because of this. They are only vulnerable to magic. Spirits are not aggressive entities, but they will attack anything that disrupts the sanctity of their home. Spirit Bolt Cost: {10} SOUL A ranged attack that can target anything within line of sight. Deals HOLY DMG equal to the spirit's remaining SOUL. HP: 05/05 SOUL: 50/50 *Ghosts are immune to physical damage Four long, flowing presences appear and begin to float around the room. They drift up towards the ceiling and begin flying around the statues and through the grates. While the uthra are spherical things, these spirits are more stretched out and longer and flow like tepid gusts of wind. They seem like calm, gentle entities and begin to make their way around Rorate, who watches in wide eyed fascination as they flow around her body, grazing past her hair and fingers. ~ Dungeon ~ Floor {04} The Purifying Basin A large, half-spherical basin, full of holy water. Room Effects: While in the water SOUL drains at a rate of {01} per second. Capacity: {10} Monster-Points Traps: {00} Monster-Point prices per monster F-Rank: 01 E-Rank: 02 D-Rank: 04 C-Rank: 08 B-Rank: 16 A-Rank: 32 S-Rank: 64 SS-Rank: 128 SSS-Rank: 256 Isaiah looks at the room on floor four of the tower. It's simple, compared to the others. Here by the door is a small platform and in the middle of the room, encompassing its entire span, is a large pool of crystal-clear water. A melusine, like the one in the river below, swims through it. On the far side of the room are two gargoyle archers. To cross the water, one must either navigate over several floating stone platforms that are adrift, or try to swim across it. All the while, the archers will be at work and the melusine will wait for anyone who falls in. Isaiah opens its wings and simply flies to the next floor. ~ Dungeon ~ Floor {05} - {CHALLENGE ROOM} The Ritual Chamber An ornate ritual chamber. Stained glass windows line the walls, their depictions giving credence to the purpose of this place. Challenge Room: Upon incursion, the door will seal and the monsters on this floor will attempt to summon a divine entity to defend the floor. Any intruders must defeat the ritual casters before completion of their ritual. Failure to do so will result in the additional summoning of a D-rank sub-boss entity. Success will be rewarded with an additional, high-quality treasure chest Capacity: {12} Monster-Points Traps: {00} Monster-Point prices per monster F-Rank: 01 E-Rank: 02 D-Rank: 04 C-Rank: 08 B-Rank: 16 A-Rank: 32 S-Rank: 64 SS-Rank: 128 SSS-Rank: 256 Isaiah looks around the room. In the center of it is a raised platform with several small pillars rising in ascending elevation in an upward spiral. On top of each pillar sits a monster and in the center of them, on the raised platform, an intricate sigil is carved into the stones. The walls are lined with colorful stained glass windows that water trickles past. The windows show depictions of angelic entities and creatures and the tower. They show the life of Isaiah as a human and as a blackbird and as what it is now. A small window in the corner even has a depiction of Rorate. The uthra really went all out with this one. ~ Shadowy Monk ~ Class: Spirit Element: HOLY Type: Spell-caster, ward Category: Humunculis Rank: D Level: 05 Shadowy monks are reminiscent of a humanoid species and can stem from any breed. They wear nondescript religious iconography and aren't actually real people. Rather, they are entities created by a magical force, taking the shape of something person-like and acting in the mannerisms of such a creature. HP: 30/30 SOUL: 44/44 The monks are interesting. They look like humans, dark-elves and even an orc. Isaiah flies up to one, looking at it. The man simply goes about his business, chanting some non-descriptive words as he continues to lift his hands towards the pedestal. Not bad, right? asks Crystal. Isaiah looks towards the uthra. Because we have a humanoid now, we can start making fake ones too, it says. Fake? asks Isaiah, looking back at the monk. He certainly looks like a real human. Yeah. They're not really real humans, says Crystal. They're made with dungeon-magic. So they work like any other monster, but just in a human shape, it explains. They're great for floors like this, where we're selling a narrative, it says, framing Isaiah with its fingers. Isaiah looks back towards the monks. It certainly is interesting. The uthra appear to be telling a story with the design of the tower. What is the sub-boss? asks Isaiah, pointing at the pedestal. That? Crystal spins a finger. A light elemental, probably. We can also do something more physical, like a holy drake. No dragons until later, we don't have the budget yet. Isaiah thinks for a moment. Can you make it random? Random? Sure, we can do that, says Crystal. Let's say three things. So if they fail the challenge, it'll either be a light-elemental, a holy-drake or, uh I dunno, the reanimated spirit of a paladin? it suggests. That'll keep them on their toes. If each fight has a different pattern, they won't be able to adjust as easily. It'll help our defenses. Isaiah nods. Proceed. Thank you, Crystal. Will do, says Crystal, flying away. Their first boss-room, apart from Isaiah's roost. Well, a challenge room'. These aren't exactly boss-rooms, but are rather exactly what their name implies. Dungeons aren't just rooms with monsters in them, sometimes there are mechanics and puzzles involved that need to be solved or beaten. Challenge rooms are a complex variant of these kinds of chambers. That being said, on floor ten, there is going to be an actual boss-room, with a real, large, significant monster. But that's not a problem for now. Isaiah flies up to the next floor, returning to its roost. The tower is progressing well. It lands on the very-big-tree and stares out over the world. The landscape around the tower is becoming ornate and well cared for. The buildings are filling the space nicely and the road and gardens are well tended to. The hallowed ground causes the territory of the dungeon to stand separate from the forest in a beautiful way. This whole place, even the graveyard, has a tinge of something sacred and whole to it. Something good. Isaiah only hopes that the humans will see it this way too. And as it has that thought, its eyes wandering back down to the ground far down below, it sees a curious face poking out into the landscape, followed by another. Children, an orc and a human, by the looks of it. Isaiah isn't sure how they avoided the wisps, but the two of them wander in for a moment, finding their way to the shrine. The orc, a girl, stops there and grabs the boy, before he can wander off. She lowers her head in prayer, clasping her hands together for a moment. The boy rolls his eyes, but winces as she elbows him in the side and yanks him over. He lowers his head too, standing there for a moment. ~ Prayers ~ A prayer has been said at the shrine. +2 EXP EXP: 35/75 Isaiah smiles, watching as they wander around the grounds for a little. The two of them play and explore. It orders the uthra to make sure they don't get killed by any monsters and then, after a few hours, the two children wander away, leaving back the way they came. Sure we shouldn't kill them, boss? asks Red. They're gonna tell everyone about us, it says, watching together with Isaiah as they walk into the forest again. No, says Isaiah. This is good, it explains. This is exactly what we want. Their first human contact has been peaceful. Escort them in secret. Make sure they leave unharmed, orders Isaiah. If you say so, says Red, flying off after them. A pair of boots walks up the staircase. Isaiah turns its head, looking at Rorate who is soaked to the bone and looks very rough. It's really hard to get all the way up here, she says. Her new robe is dripping with water and has some cuts and tears in it. Are you well? asks Isaiah. It has no idea how she managed to get past all of the monsters. Yeah, I was just wondering, says Rorate, looking at it with a curious, unsure expression. Isaiah tilts its head. What exactly am I supposed to be praying to? she asks. The two of them stare at each other for a quiet time, the wind atop the tower blowing the strands of her long, white hair to the side. Me, replies Isaiah, staring back out over the world, as the tower rises up yet another floor. You are supposed to be praying to me. New Area ~ Dungeon ~ Floor {06} The sixth floor of the tower dungeon. It is currently empty Capacity: {14} Monster-Points Traps: 00 Monster-Point prices per monster F-Rank: 01 E-Rank: 02 D-Rank: 04 C-Rank: 08 B-Rank: 16 A-Rank: 32 S-Rank: 64 SS-Rank: 128 SSS-Rank: 256 The next sub-boss/challenge room will be available in {9} floors. The next boss arena will be available in {4} floors.