Chapter 70: Gather your Party
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Chapter 70: Gather your Party
Hob was delighted, so much spiders for the dungeon!
It was almost cheating as Ruli drunkenly looked at them and they just died moments later. The mime was bringing up the rear, mindlessly throwing the pile of twitching corpses onto some invisible cart of death.
This was the farthest they had ever gone into the forest. They had even seen one or two new types of spiders... smaller, but leaking a horrible foul liquid from their fangs. Hob grinned at Gob as the trees grew so tightly together that sunlight was dimmed enough to create a undergrowth of shadows.
He was yanked back suddenly and he yelped.
“Spider got me!” he panicked, but looked up to see that it was Ruli. The bottle she had been sipping from paused before her lips. The glazed and childish look she had been wearing since she had found them was gone.
Instead, Ruli’s whole being had changed in a second. The red eyes were now alert, completely focused on the darkness ahead.
“Don’t move,” she warned as her voice turned cold as stone.
Hob blinked and tried to see what she was seeing, but the darkness ahead was the same as the rest. Webs hung like vines on every branch, cocooned beasts long since drained of their bodily fluids and organs strung up like morbid ornaments.
“Quack...” Waddles said, speaking for the first time. Hob looked back at the duck that was resting on Gob’s head like a feathery crown. The black duck was also looking ruffled... unsettled.
“So... this is where it begins? The realm of the spiders? Tch, so quick, but they are basically on top of Delta. Hey, you guys see it?” Ruli asked them. Hob shook his head.
“Dark but same,” he shrugged. Ruli paced slightly side to side before she gently forced Hob’s head to look straight ahead.
“Don’t focus on the dark or the webs. Just...unfocus... just let your eyes wander,” she instructed. Hob had no clue what the mad woman was on about, but she had Hob’s head in one large hand so he couldn’t exactly argue.
He stared and tried to pretend he was staring at something with numbers. Instantly, his eyes glazed and he spaced out. That was when the air changed. A purple haze frizzled like stars when one got hit too hard in the face. He snapped his head around to look, but it vanished as soon as his eyes focused again.
“Yeah... good work. That, my friends, is a domain. Something powerful is at the center of that,” Ruli stood and crossed her arms, drunk, but her mind was working automatically to assess this new threat.
“Domain?” Gob repeated as he tried to see the same thing Hob saw. Ruli turned and began to walk back.
“You guys aren’t safe beyond here,” she stated. That made Hob bare his teeth.
“We’re strong ‘cause of Delta! We take spiders!” he argued. Ruli slowed and then Hob felt his heart slow as twin red eyes of a monster looked down at him, the long mane of black hair and dark skin wreathed in shadows. Gone was the cheerful Ruli and in her place was a beast that had been hiding there all along.
Hob couldn’t move as Ruli slowly crouched and patted his head.
“Yeah, she did, but you are not strong enough for this, gobbo,” she winked and continued walking after a second.
“Just spiders...” Hob weakly pointed out. Ruli drained the last of her drink and handed it to Renny.
“Give it to Delta, I’m hoping all this hooch we give her will make a waterfall of booze,” she grinned before she answered Hob, the light back to Durence growing as they retreated. No more Spiders attacked them.
“These spiders are still around. Durence didn’t have time for monster attacks and most threats simply wilted and died off when the Mana got so low... not these things. They held on,” Ruli spoke, relaxing every step they got away from the shadows.
“What’s a domain?” Hob repeated Gob’s question.
“Monsters are... well... Listen, Mana is key to a lot of things. People, plants, water, and air in rich places can all give Mana. Dungeons can absorb that and make shit with it. In return, they produce Dungeon Mana that saturates the land. It’s a pretty stable circle with some hiccups here and there, but nothing that isn’t manageable if you aren’t an idiot or desperate,” Ruli talked as she scratched her head.
“Monsters do the same. They take mana, but the stuff they put out? Not good. It’s a miasma that bends everything within that area to suit the monsters. People breath it in long enough?” she slowed and eyed the forest.
“Well, the source is usually eliminated before long if it’s near a town, but domains are like dungeons and grow in power. Shit gets nastier and the land gets more twisted,” she spat.
“This one is new. It used the explosive growth of Delta’s Mana to grow far quicker and must have slipped under the radar as everyone focused on Delta. Monsters love Dungeons. The worst Domains are those that have taken over a dungeon. They feed each other,” she looked at them.
Hob was lost, but he tried to his best to follow along.
“Big monster... makes bad area... and area no good for other monsters or people?” he said slowly. Ruli nodded.
“If people build walls then monsters make miasma. I’ll report it to my Ma tomorrow. She’ll want to get this snipped before long-” Ruli’s voice died off as a man calmly strolled past.
“Ah, Miss Ruli, pleasure to see you again,” Mr. Japes smiled. Hob and Gob quickly hid behind Renny. Hob’s heart was racing, the memory of this man scarred into their memory.
“Japes. Why I am not surprised you knew about this and...haven’t reported it?” Ruli’s tone went cold. Hob held himself close to the woman... he could make a run for it. The man had more jars and pots on his person. He had to run... but Ruli was here. Ruli was strong!
“Oh, the little Domain? I happen to be collecting the Miasma. Wonderful product, so much use in many fields. Overall, I suspect many will petition the elders to keep the Domain around. Not just I would have an interest,” Japes’ delicate ponytail and gentlemanly smile made Hob feel like a tiny spore.
“Domains aren’t farms or hunting spots. They can never be controlled forever, they’ll grow beyond you one day. It’s just a fact,” Ruli lightly tapped her fingers over a knife strapped to her belt. Japes’ smile stretched into a wide monstrous grin.
“But that is when it is at the most juicest... just the moment it can rip out your throat... is when you get the most reward,” Japes’ body trembled with excitement as he walked past.
“After all, Durence’s own miasma won’t be far behind,” he said in parting, heading into the shadows beyond.
“I hate him... come on,” Ruli said quietly and Hob found that his own hands were shaking. The memory of being sealed in one of those jars was too much for Hob or Gob to ever feel relaxed around that man.
Ahead of them Renny calmly relaxed his hand on what seemed to be a weapon as the echo of Japes’ footsteps faded.
They needed to get stronger. Strong enough not to fear the jar man.
----
The last spider melted away.
Delta twitched.
She wasn’t ungrateful or even angry at her Goblins, but the sight of so many dead things crashing into her entrance would unsettle anyone. Especially when they squished on impact.
The good news was her DP skyrocketed!
DP: 410
The bad news was... so did her Mana.
Mana: 435/79
She felt like three or more kidney stones suddenly appeared at her side and her appendix burst for fun on top it.
She gasped and Nu was at her side in an instant.
I was expecting three or four spiders... not this many. Hold on, I’ll... I’ll do something!
Nu promised quickly and vanished.
Delta curled on the floor gasping and she looked up to see Mr Mushy sitting down, looking sad as he tried to hold her. Her goblins were next, muttering and begging to be told how to help. Maestro’s voice demanded Nu to hurry up.
Delta was happy... to not be alone.
---
Nu knew he had options. He just had to find them. He could waste the mana and make stupid things, but the very nature of who he was forbade it.
“Help me!” he sent to Sys. There was a moment of silence before Sys’ return answer made him rush to the Store room.
A secret passage past her awesome Fort room needed to have it’s own test. It was just sad if the Fort room never got used as information about the secret passage spread. Then again, whoever wanted to tangle with Maestro over raiding a fort was insane in their own way.
Diving into the pond she focused on one of the last corridors she had available on the first floor and punched a long dark tunnel that flooded on both ends..
The pond became connected to the underwater basin of the Toll Well. The Toll Cave, as Delta called it, was sloped like the room above, but into deep, dark water. At the deepest the pond fish swam back and forth...
It was a small shortcut, but it was handy to those who knew it and wanted to skip the Mushroom grove and Mud room at the cost of getting wet.
It was... a little... Delta slowly felt her mind stare at the entirety of the first floor.
Besides some minor adjustments, growing more advanced mushrooms, and upgrading monsters and rooms to their next stages...
It was done.
The First Floor had reached the stage where every part was a thriving important section. The first room would test the adventurers, messy and rash or careful and aware. Waddles would test their greed and patience as would the fish.
The Mud room would push their quick thinking. If they entered the Storeroom, their alertness would be tested when surrounded by loot. Merry would see how they fare in a chaos. Maestro would test their... well...courage to say the least.
Boary and the Mushroom grove would be their first taste of how wonderful her Dungeon was... how much things were not as they seemed. The Fort room would test their tenacity or willingness to avoid pain.
The bar was just a good reward for being a good sport, Delta guessed. Still, she hoped no one was stupid enough to start a bar fight. She had seen the boomstick Fera kept under the countertop. A result of the fire crystal being worked over into a useable weapon. Finally... Fran and Bacon would get their tests, their battles.
It made something in Delta tingle with a knowledge that she had done something. But there was something she still owed to the people that would come. People who, despite their best attempts and Delta’s, would die.
She couldn’t pretend that it would never happen.
So, she stood in her entrance, well aware this was one of the hardest areas to affect with her powers but Sys... bless that girl... was one step ahead.
The Entrance room has one available add-on sub-room. As a fixed location, the Entrance can only have one subroom on each side for a maximum of two.
Build a memorial room: 40 MP and 10 DP
“Yes please. I’d like that very much,” she said as the screen closed. To one side of the slanted room, a door of solid wood appeared. Delta watched as Sys’ own image of the room came into existence.
Above the door was a bowing praying bust of herself. Her stone image was crying. The carved words in the stone frame around the door simple read ‘Memorial’
She walked inside and the wall was a rectangular room of solid stone slabs, the roof, the floor... all had these slabs. Burning torches illuminated the room, but a somber chill seemed to affect the air. On the farthest wall was the only unique thing in the room.
A statue of herself staring at all who entered.
“I look sad... why am I making myself sad?” she muttered.
Next to the stature, some of the nearest stone tablet had names carved into it. Names.
Names. Names....names?
She stared as she moved closer. Three men had been carved before the farmer. They had no names, either since Sys wasn’t all-knowing or Delta needed to hear them before they appeared.
The words carved chilled Delta to the bone because before those three men there was one name...
£$%!* died on Day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to unknown.
Man with dagger died on day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Hob
Man with sword died on day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Gob
Woman with bow died on Day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Fran
Dil’s Father the Farmer with Fire Gun died on Day 1 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Goblins
Delta turned and fled the room as finally the mana was equalled out...
Her face a mirror of the statue.
With her pain out of the way, Sys decided now was a good time to bombard her with notifications.
---
Kemy watched as Delem and Ayena went over their supplies. The air was brisk and the day was young.
From the Belon-Meter, a handy device that was only made by guilds and lasted only a year, the Mana in the town indicated the dungeon was only a month old at most but also had two levels.
Ayena had been arguing with Delem about it.
Kemy actually agreed with the archer, a dungeon so young with two levels must be barren of anything... Not that anyone that had been inside the dungeon had been willing to share much. She was staring into space when someone slowed to stand beside her.
She stared down at a teen with a scowl on his face.
“Yes?” Kemy asked politely. The boy spoke and Kemy stared at his orange tongue.
“I’m willing to sell you information on the Dungeon but I want you do something for me first,” he bargained. Kemy blinked a few times but nodded excitedly. She had a sense of when people were lying and this boy here wasn’t! He had information on the dungeon! The first quest of Durence and Kemy had been the one to get it!
“What’s the issue?” she asked, trying not to hop from foot to foot.
“Remove this curse, my tongue needs to be normal, I’d be happy if I was silver tongued but orange is just bad,” the boy grimaced. Kemy giggled.
“You’re funny but sure, let me try,” Kemy held a hand up, her necklace in the other.
“I beg of you, mighty goddess, hear your servant request your aid and banish this curse on this lost soul!” she chanted a little more dramatic than she needed but she had wanted to look a little cool...
Her amulet shined and a sparkle of gold flicked over the boy with the orange tongue. The spark reached the boy’s forehead and was repelled. Kemy stared as a rough symbol of a cloud with two horns appear on the skin.
“You...You’ve been blessed by a local god... I’ve never seen that mark before. Such power,” Kemy backed away. The boy blinked and shrugged.
“Every kid gets baptized by the local priest. Amanstar’s Dad, he jogs and gives us fruit,” he explained.
Kemy felt her goddess’ power ignored utterly. The local priest must have great power... or his god must be something old.
The uneasy feeling of this town grew again as the boy sighed.
“Thanks for trying. Here’s a free tip. Leave your valuables at home, or you’ll be left feeling looted” the boy warned before taking off, obviously at his wit’s end.
“Kemy, stop converting people and let’s go!” Delem yelled as the group headed off towards the gate. Kemy watched as the townsfolk all gave them sly looks. A cheerful woman with a large frame and reddish cheeks waved at them cheerfully.
“Good luck dearies. Don’t worry, Delta really grows on you!” she promised.
Kemy felt those words were... ominous.
Ayena sighed.
“I hate this town,” she mumbled.
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Chapter 70: Gather your Party
Hob was delighted, so much spiders for the dungeon!
It was almost cheating as Ruli drunkenly looked at them and they just died moments later. The mime was bringing up the rear, mindlessly throwing the pile of twitching corpses onto some invisible cart of death.
This was the farthest they had ever gone into the forest. They had even seen one or two new types of spiders... smaller, but leaking a horrible foul liquid from their fangs. Hob grinned at Gob as the trees grew so tightly together that sunlight was dimmed enough to create a undergrowth of shadows.
He was yanked back suddenly and he yelped.
“Spider got me!” he panicked, but looked up to see that it was Ruli. The bottle she had been sipping from paused before her lips. The glazed and childish look she had been wearing since she had found them was gone.
Instead, Ruli’s whole being had changed in a second. The red eyes were now alert, completely focused on the darkness ahead.
“Don’t move,” she warned as her voice turned cold as stone.
Hob blinked and tried to see what she was seeing, but the darkness ahead was the same as the rest. Webs hung like vines on every branch, cocooned beasts long since drained of their bodily fluids and organs strung up like morbid ornaments.
“Quack...” Waddles said, speaking for the first time. Hob looked back at the duck that was resting on Gob’s head like a feathery crown. The black duck was also looking ruffled... unsettled.
“So... this is where it begins? The realm of the spiders? Tch, so quick, but they are basically on top of Delta. Hey, you guys see it?” Ruli asked them. Hob shook his head.
“Dark but same,” he shrugged. Ruli paced slightly side to side before she gently forced Hob’s head to look straight ahead.
“Don’t focus on the dark or the webs. Just...unfocus... just let your eyes wander,” she instructed. Hob had no clue what the mad woman was on about, but she had Hob’s head in one large hand so he couldn’t exactly argue.
He stared and tried to pretend he was staring at something with numbers. Instantly, his eyes glazed and he spaced out. That was when the air changed. A purple haze frizzled like stars when one got hit too hard in the face. He snapped his head around to look, but it vanished as soon as his eyes focused again.
“Yeah... good work. That, my friends, is a domain. Something powerful is at the center of that,” Ruli stood and crossed her arms, drunk, but her mind was working automatically to assess this new threat.
“Domain?” Gob repeated as he tried to see the same thing Hob saw. Ruli turned and began to walk back.
“You guys aren’t safe beyond here,” she stated. That made Hob bare his teeth.
“We’re strong ‘cause of Delta! We take spiders!” he argued. Ruli slowed and then Hob felt his heart slow as twin red eyes of a monster looked down at him, the long mane of black hair and dark skin wreathed in shadows. Gone was the cheerful Ruli and in her place was a beast that had been hiding there all along.
Hob couldn’t move as Ruli slowly crouched and patted his head.
“Yeah, she did, but you are not strong enough for this, gobbo,” she winked and continued walking after a second.
“Just spiders...” Hob weakly pointed out. Ruli drained the last of her drink and handed it to Renny.
“Give it to Delta, I’m hoping all this hooch we give her will make a waterfall of booze,” she grinned before she answered Hob, the light back to Durence growing as they retreated. No more Spiders attacked them.
“These spiders are still around. Durence didn’t have time for monster attacks and most threats simply wilted and died off when the Mana got so low... not these things. They held on,” Ruli spoke, relaxing every step they got away from the shadows.
“What’s a domain?” Hob repeated Gob’s question.
“Monsters are... well... Listen, Mana is key to a lot of things. People, plants, water, and air in rich places can all give Mana. Dungeons can absorb that and make shit with it. In return, they produce Dungeon Mana that saturates the land. It’s a pretty stable circle with some hiccups here and there, but nothing that isn’t manageable if you aren’t an idiot or desperate,” Ruli talked as she scratched her head.
“Monsters do the same. They take mana, but the stuff they put out? Not good. It’s a miasma that bends everything within that area to suit the monsters. People breath it in long enough?” she slowed and eyed the forest.
“Well, the source is usually eliminated before long if it’s near a town, but domains are like dungeons and grow in power. Shit gets nastier and the land gets more twisted,” she spat.
“This one is new. It used the explosive growth of Delta’s Mana to grow far quicker and must have slipped under the radar as everyone focused on Delta. Monsters love Dungeons. The worst Domains are those that have taken over a dungeon. They feed each other,” she looked at them.
Hob was lost, but he tried to his best to follow along.
“Big monster... makes bad area... and area no good for other monsters or people?” he said slowly. Ruli nodded.
“If people build walls then monsters make miasma. I’ll report it to my Ma tomorrow. She’ll want to get this snipped before long-” Ruli’s voice died off as a man calmly strolled past.
“Ah, Miss Ruli, pleasure to see you again,” Mr. Japes smiled. Hob and Gob quickly hid behind Renny. Hob’s heart was racing, the memory of this man scarred into their memory.
“Japes. Why I am not surprised you knew about this and...haven’t reported it?” Ruli’s tone went cold. Hob held himself close to the woman... he could make a run for it. The man had more jars and pots on his person. He had to run... but Ruli was here. Ruli was strong!
“Oh, the little Domain? I happen to be collecting the Miasma. Wonderful product, so much use in many fields. Overall, I suspect many will petition the elders to keep the Domain around. Not just I would have an interest,” Japes’ delicate ponytail and gentlemanly smile made Hob feel like a tiny spore.
“Domains aren’t farms or hunting spots. They can never be controlled forever, they’ll grow beyond you one day. It’s just a fact,” Ruli lightly tapped her fingers over a knife strapped to her belt. Japes’ smile stretched into a wide monstrous grin.
“But that is when it is at the most juicest... just the moment it can rip out your throat... is when you get the most reward,” Japes’ body trembled with excitement as he walked past.
“After all, Durence’s own miasma won’t be far behind,” he said in parting, heading into the shadows beyond.
“I hate him... come on,” Ruli said quietly and Hob found that his own hands were shaking. The memory of being sealed in one of those jars was too much for Hob or Gob to ever feel relaxed around that man.
Ahead of them Renny calmly relaxed his hand on what seemed to be a weapon as the echo of Japes’ footsteps faded.
They needed to get stronger. Strong enough not to fear the jar man.
----
The last spider melted away.
Delta twitched.
She wasn’t ungrateful or even angry at her Goblins, but the sight of so many dead things crashing into her entrance would unsettle anyone. Especially when they squished on impact.
The good news was her DP skyrocketed!
DP: 410
The bad news was... so did her Mana.
Mana: 435/79
She felt like three or more kidney stones suddenly appeared at her side and her appendix burst for fun on top it.
She gasped and Nu was at her side in an instant.
I was expecting three or four spiders... not this many. Hold on, I’ll... I’ll do something!
Nu promised quickly and vanished.
Delta curled on the floor gasping and she looked up to see Mr Mushy sitting down, looking sad as he tried to hold her. Her goblins were next, muttering and begging to be told how to help. Maestro’s voice demanded Nu to hurry up.
Delta was happy... to not be alone.
---
Nu knew he had options. He just had to find them. He could waste the mana and make stupid things, but the very nature of who he was forbade it.
“Help me!” he sent to Sys. There was a moment of silence before Sys’ return answer made him rush to the Store room.
A secret passage past her awesome Fort room needed to have it’s own test. It was just sad if the Fort room never got used as information about the secret passage spread. Then again, whoever wanted to tangle with Maestro over raiding a fort was insane in their own way.
Diving into the pond she focused on one of the last corridors she had available on the first floor and punched a long dark tunnel that flooded on both ends..
The pond became connected to the underwater basin of the Toll Well. The Toll Cave, as Delta called it, was sloped like the room above, but into deep, dark water. At the deepest the pond fish swam back and forth...
It was a small shortcut, but it was handy to those who knew it and wanted to skip the Mushroom grove and Mud room at the cost of getting wet.
It was... a little... Delta slowly felt her mind stare at the entirety of the first floor.
Besides some minor adjustments, growing more advanced mushrooms, and upgrading monsters and rooms to their next stages...
It was done.
The First Floor had reached the stage where every part was a thriving important section. The first room would test the adventurers, messy and rash or careful and aware. Waddles would test their greed and patience as would the fish.
The Mud room would push their quick thinking. If they entered the Storeroom, their alertness would be tested when surrounded by loot. Merry would see how they fare in a chaos. Maestro would test their... well...courage to say the least.
Boary and the Mushroom grove would be their first taste of how wonderful her Dungeon was... how much things were not as they seemed. The Fort room would test their tenacity or willingness to avoid pain.
The bar was just a good reward for being a good sport, Delta guessed. Still, she hoped no one was stupid enough to start a bar fight. She had seen the boomstick Fera kept under the countertop. A result of the fire crystal being worked over into a useable weapon. Finally... Fran and Bacon would get their tests, their battles.
It made something in Delta tingle with a knowledge that she had done something. But there was something she still owed to the people that would come. People who, despite their best attempts and Delta’s, would die.
She couldn’t pretend that it would never happen.
So, she stood in her entrance, well aware this was one of the hardest areas to affect with her powers but Sys... bless that girl... was one step ahead.
The Entrance room has one available add-on sub-room. As a fixed location, the Entrance can only have one subroom on each side for a maximum of two.
Build a memorial room: 40 MP and 10 DP
“Yes please. I’d like that very much,” she said as the screen closed. To one side of the slanted room, a door of solid wood appeared. Delta watched as Sys’ own image of the room came into existence.
Above the door was a bowing praying bust of herself. Her stone image was crying. The carved words in the stone frame around the door simple read ‘Memorial’
She walked inside and the wall was a rectangular room of solid stone slabs, the roof, the floor... all had these slabs. Burning torches illuminated the room, but a somber chill seemed to affect the air. On the farthest wall was the only unique thing in the room.
A statue of herself staring at all who entered.
“I look sad... why am I making myself sad?” she muttered.
Next to the stature, some of the nearest stone tablet had names carved into it. Names.
Names. Names....names?
She stared as she moved closer. Three men had been carved before the farmer. They had no names, either since Sys wasn’t all-knowing or Delta needed to hear them before they appeared.
The words carved chilled Delta to the bone because before those three men there was one name...
£$%!* died on Day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to unknown.
Man with dagger died on day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Hob
Man with sword died on day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Gob
Woman with bow died on Day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Fran
Dil’s Father the Farmer with Fire Gun died on Day 1 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Goblins
Delta turned and fled the room as finally the mana was equalled out...
Her face a mirror of the statue.
With her pain out of the way, Sys decided now was a good time to bombard her with notifications.
---
Kemy watched as Delem and Ayena went over their supplies. The air was brisk and the day was young.
From the Belon-Meter, a handy device that was only made by guilds and lasted only a year, the Mana in the town indicated the dungeon was only a month old at most but also had two levels.
Ayena had been arguing with Delem about it.
Kemy actually agreed with the archer, a dungeon so young with two levels must be barren of anything... Not that anyone that had been inside the dungeon had been willing to share much. She was staring into space when someone slowed to stand beside her.
She stared down at a teen with a scowl on his face.
“Yes?” Kemy asked politely. The boy spoke and Kemy stared at his orange tongue.
“I’m willing to sell you information on the Dungeon but I want you do something for me first,” he bargained. Kemy blinked a few times but nodded excitedly. She had a sense of when people were lying and this boy here wasn’t! He had information on the dungeon! The first quest of Durence and Kemy had been the one to get it!
“What’s the issue?” she asked, trying not to hop from foot to foot.
“Remove this curse, my tongue needs to be normal, I’d be happy if I was silver tongued but orange is just bad,” the boy grimaced. Kemy giggled.
“You’re funny but sure, let me try,” Kemy held a hand up, her necklace in the other.
“I beg of you, mighty goddess, hear your servant request your aid and banish this curse on this lost soul!” she chanted a little more dramatic than she needed but she had wanted to look a little cool...
Her amulet shined and a sparkle of gold flicked over the boy with the orange tongue. The spark reached the boy’s forehead and was repelled. Kemy stared as a rough symbol of a cloud with two horns appear on the skin.
“You...You’ve been blessed by a local god... I’ve never seen that mark before. Such power,” Kemy backed away. The boy blinked and shrugged.
“Every kid gets baptized by the local priest. Amanstar’s Dad, he jogs and gives us fruit,” he explained.
Kemy felt her goddess’ power ignored utterly. The local priest must have great power... or his god must be something old.
The uneasy feeling of this town grew again as the boy sighed.
“Thanks for trying. Here’s a free tip. Leave your valuables at home, or you’ll be left feeling looted” the boy warned before taking off, obviously at his wit’s end.
“Kemy, stop converting people and let’s go!” Delem yelled as the group headed off towards the gate. Kemy watched as the townsfolk all gave them sly looks. A cheerful woman with a large frame and reddish cheeks waved at them cheerfully.
“Good luck dearies. Don’t worry, Delta really grows on you!” she promised.
Kemy felt those words were... ominous.
Ayena sighed.
“I hate this town,” she mumbled.
Chapter 70: Gather your PartyHob was delighted, so much spiders for the dungeon!It was almost cheating as Ruli drunkenly looked at them and they just died moments later. The mime was bringing up the rear, mindlessly throwing the pile of twitching corpses onto some invisible cart of death.This was the farthest they had ever gone into the forest. They had even seen one or two new types of spiders... smaller, but leaking a horrible foul liquid from their fangs. Hob grinned at Gob as the trees grew so tightly together that sunlight was dimmed enough to create a undergrowth of shadows.He was yanked back suddenly and he yelped.Spider got me! he panicked, but looked up to see that it was Ruli. The bottle she had been sipping from paused before her lips. The glazed and childish look she had been wearing since she had found them was gone.Instead, Ruli's whole being had changed in a second. The red eyes were now alert, completely focused on the darkness ahead.Don't move, she warned as her voice turned cold as stone.Hob blinked and tried to see what she was seeing, but the darkness ahead was the same as the rest. Webs hung like vines on every branch, cocooned beasts long since drained of their bodily fluids and organs strung up like morbid ornaments.Quack... Waddles said, speaking for the first time. Hob looked back at the duck that was resting on Gob's head like a feathery crown. The black duck was also looking ruffled... unsettled.So... this is where it begins? The realm of the spiders? Tch, so quick, but they are basically on top of Delta. Hey, you guys see it? Ruli asked them. Hob shook his head.Dark but same, he shrugged. Ruli paced slightly side to side before she gently forced Hob's head to look straight ahead.Don't focus on the dark or the webs. Just...unfocus... just let your eyes wander, she instructed. Hob had no clue what the mad woman was on about, but she had Hob's head in one large hand so he couldn't exactly argue.He stared and tried to pretend he was staring at something with numbers. Instantly, his eyes glazed and he spaced out. That was when the air changed. A purple haze frizzled like stars when one got hit too hard in the face. He snapped his head around to look, but it vanished as soon as his eyes focused again.Yeah... good work. That, my friends, is a domain. Something powerful is at the center of that, Ruli stood and crossed her arms, drunk, but her mind was working automatically to assess this new threat.Domain? Gob repeated as he tried to see the same thing Hob saw. Ruli turned and began to walk back.You guys aren't safe beyond here, she stated. That made Hob bare his teeth.We're strong cause of Delta! We take spiders! he argued. Ruli slowed and then Hob felt his heart slow as twin red eyes of a monster looked down at him, the long mane of black hair and dark skin wreathed in shadows. Gone was the cheerful Ruli and in her place was a beast that had been hiding there all along.Hob couldn't move as Ruli slowly crouched and patted his head.Yeah, she did, but you are not strong enough for this, gobbo, she winked and continued walking after a second.Just spiders... Hob weakly pointed out. Ruli drained the last of her drink and handed it to Renny.Give it to Delta, I'm hoping all this hooch we give her will make a waterfall of booze, she grinned before she answered Hob, the light back to Durence growing as they retreated. No more Spiders attacked them.These spiders are still around. Durence didn't have time for monster attacks and most threats simply wilted and died off when the Mana got so low... not these things. They held on, Ruli spoke, relaxing every step they got away from the shadows.What's a domain? Hob repeated Gob's question.Monsters are... well... Listen, Mana is key to a lot of things. People, plants, water, and air in rich places can all give Mana. Dungeons can absorb that and make shit with it. In return, they produce Dungeon Mana that saturates the land. It's a pretty stable circle with some hiccups here and there, but nothing that isn't manageable if you aren't an idiot or desperate, Ruli talked as she scratched her head.Monsters do the same. They take mana, but the stuff they put out? Not good. It's a miasma that bends everything within that area to suit the monsters. People breath it in long enough? she slowed and eyed the forest.Well, the source is usually eliminated before long if it's near a town, but domains are like dungeons and grow in power. Shit gets nastier and the land gets more twisted, she spat.This one is new. It used the explosive growth of Delta's Mana to grow far quicker and must have slipped under the radar as everyone focused on Delta. Monsters love Dungeons. The worst Domains are those that have taken over a dungeon. They feed each other, she looked at them.Hob was lost, but he tried to his best to follow along.Big monster... makes bad area... and area no good for other monsters or people? he said slowly. Ruli nodded.If people build walls then monsters make miasma. I'll report it to my Ma tomorrow. She'll want to get this snipped before long- Ruli's voice died off as a man calmly strolled past.Ah, Miss Ruli, pleasure to see you again, Mr. Japes smiled. Hob and Gob quickly hid behind Renny. Hob's heart was racing, the memory of this man scarred into their memory.Japes. Why I am not surprised you knew about this and...haven't reported it? Ruli's tone went cold. Hob held himself close to the woman... he could make a run for it. The man had more jars and pots on his person. He had to run... but Ruli was here. Ruli was strong!Oh, the little Domain? I happen to be collecting the Miasma. Wonderful product, so much use in many fields. Overall, I suspect many will petition the elders to keep the Domain around. Not just I would have an interest, Japes' delicate ponytail and gentlemanly smile made Hob feel like a tiny spore.Domains aren't farms or hunting spots. They can never be controlled forever, they'll grow beyond you one day. It's just a fact, Ruli lightly tapped her fingers over a knife strapped to her belt. Japes' smile stretched into a wide monstrous grin.But that is when it is at the most juicest... just the moment it can rip out your throat... is when you get the most reward, Japes' body trembled with excitement as he walked past.After all, Durence's own miasma won't be far behind, he said in parting, heading into the shadows beyond.I hate him... come on, Ruli said quietly and Hob found that his own hands were shaking. The memory of being sealed in one of those jars was too much for Hob or Gob to ever feel relaxed around that man.Ahead of them Renny calmly relaxed his hand on what seemed to be a weapon as the echo of Japes' footsteps faded.They needed to get stronger. Strong enough not to fear the jar man.----The last spider melted away.Delta twitched.She wasn't ungrateful or even angry at her Goblins, but the sight of so many dead things crashing into her entrance would unsettle anyone. Especially when they squished on impact.The good news was her DP skyrocketed!DP: 410The bad news was... so did her Mana.Mana: 435/79She felt like three or more kidney stones suddenly appeared at her side and her appendix burst for fun on top it.She gasped and Nu was at her side in an instant.I was expecting three or four spiders... not this many. Hold on, I'll... I'll do something!Nu promised quickly and vanished.Delta curled on the floor gasping and she looked up to see Mr Mushy sitting down, looking sad as he tried to hold her. Her goblins were next, muttering and begging to be told how to help. Maestro's voice demanded Nu to hurry up.Delta was happy... to not be alone.---Nu knew he had options. He just had to find them. He could waste the mana and make stupid things, but the very nature of who he was forbade it.Help me! he sent to Sys. There was a moment of silence before Sys' return answer made him rush to the Store room.A secret passage past her awesome Fort room needed to have it's own test. It was just sad if the Fort room never got used as information about the secret passage spread. Then again, whoever wanted to tangle with Maestro over raiding a fort was insane in their own way.Diving into the pond she focused on one of the last corridors she had available on the first floor and punched a long dark tunnel that flooded on both ends..The pond became connected to the underwater basin of the Toll Well. The Toll Cave, as Delta called it, was sloped like the room above, but into deep, dark water. At the deepest the pond fish swam back and forth...It was a small shortcut, but it was handy to those who knew it and wanted to skip the Mushroom grove and Mud room at the cost of getting wet.It was... a little... Delta slowly felt her mind stare at the entirety of the first floor.Besides some minor adjustments, growing more advanced mushrooms, and upgrading monsters and rooms to their next stages...It was done.The First Floor had reached the stage where every part was a thriving important section. The first room would test the adventurers, messy and rash or careful and aware. Waddles would test their greed and patience as would the fish.The Mud room would push their quick thinking. If they entered the Storeroom, their alertness would be tested when surrounded by loot. Merry would see how they fare in a chaos. Maestro would test their... well...courage to say the least.Boary and the Mushroom grove would be their first taste of how wonderful her Dungeon was... how much things were not as they seemed. The Fort room would test their tenacity or willingness to avoid pain.The bar was just a good reward for being a good sport, Delta guessed. Still, she hoped no one was stupid enough to start a bar fight. She had seen the boomstick Fera kept under the countertop. A result of the fire crystal being worked over into a useable weapon. Finally... Fran and Bacon would get their tests, their battles.It made something in Delta tingle with a knowledge that she had done something. But there was something she still owed to the people that would come. People who, despite their best attempts and Delta's, would die.She couldn't pretend that it would never happen.So, she stood in her entrance, well aware this was one of the hardest areas to affect with her powers but Sys... bless that girl... was one step ahead.The Entrance room has one available add-on sub-room. As a fixed location, the Entrance can only have one subroom on each side for a maximum of two.Build a memorial room: 40 MP and 10 DPYes please. I'd like that very much, she said as the screen closed. To one side of the slanted room, a door of solid wood appeared. Delta watched as Sys' own image of the room came into existence.Above the door was a bowing praying bust of herself. Her stone image was crying. The carved words in the stone frame around the door simple read Memorial'She walked inside and the wall was a rectangular room of solid stone slabs, the roof, the floor... all had these slabs. Burning torches illuminated the room, but a somber chill seemed to affect the air. On the farthest wall was the only unique thing in the room.A statue of herself staring at all who entered.I look sad... why am I making myself sad? she muttered.Next to the stature, some of the nearest stone tablet had names carved into it. Names.Names. Names....names?She stared as she moved closer. Three men had been carved before the farmer. They had no names, either since Sys wasn't all-knowing or Delta needed to hear them before they appeared.The words carved chilled Delta to the bone because before those three men there was one name...$%!* died on Day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to unknown.Man with dagger died on day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to HobMan with sword died on day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to GobWoman with bow died on Day 0 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to FranDil's Father the Farmer with Fire Gun died on Day 1 of the Dungeon Calendar. Died to Goblins Delta turned and fled the room as finally the mana was equalled out...Her face a mirror of the statue.With her pain out of the way, Sys decided now was a good time to bombard her with notifications.---Kemy watched as Delem and Ayena went over their supplies. The air was brisk and the day was young.From the Belon-Meter, a handy device that was only made by guilds and lasted only a year, the Mana in the town indicated the dungeon was only a month old at most but also had two levels.Ayena had been arguing with Delem about it.Kemy actually agreed with the archer, a dungeon so young with two levels must be barren of anything... Not that anyone that had been inside the dungeon had been willing to share much. She was staring into space when someone slowed to stand beside her.She stared down at a teen with a scowl on his face.Yes? Kemy asked politely. The boy spoke and Kemy stared at his orange tongue.I'm willing to sell you information on the Dungeon but I want you do something for me first, he bargained. Kemy blinked a few times but nodded excitedly. She had a sense of when people were lying and this boy here wasn't! He had information on the dungeon! The first quest of Durence and Kemy had been the one to get it!What's the issue? she asked, trying not to hop from foot to foot.Remove this curse, my tongue needs to be normal, I'd be happy if I was silver tongued but orange is just bad, the boy grimaced. Kemy giggled.You're funny but sure, let me try, Kemy held a hand up, her necklace in the other.I beg of you, mighty goddess, hear your servant request your aid and banish this curse on this lost soul! she chanted a little more dramatic than she needed but she had wanted to look a little cool...Her amulet shined and a sparkle of gold flicked over the boy with the orange tongue. The spark reached the boy's forehead and was repelled. Kemy stared as a rough symbol of a cloud with two horns appear on the skin.You...You've been blessed by a local god... I've never seen that mark before. Such power, Kemy backed away. The boy blinked and shrugged.Every kid gets baptized by the local priest. Amanstar's Dad, he jogs and gives us fruit, he explained.Kemy felt her goddess' power ignored utterly. The local priest must have great power... or his god must be something old.The uneasy feeling of this town grew again as the boy sighed.Thanks for trying. Here's a free tip. Leave your valuables at home, or you'll be left feeling looted the boy warned before taking off, obviously at his wit's end.Kemy, stop converting people and let's go! Delem yelled as the group headed off towards the gate. Kemy watched as the townsfolk all gave them sly looks. A cheerful woman with a large frame and reddish cheeks waved at them cheerfully.Good luck dearies. Don't worry, Delta really grows on you! she promised.Kemy felt those words were... ominous.Ayena sighed.I hate this town, she mumbled.
