Chapter 85: Silent Knight
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Chapter 85: Silent Knight
The statue room served as what could only be the Cult of the Silence’s vision for life and the world. A glass statue filled with an odd swirling mist in the shape of a giant round mouth full of tentacles and fangs that buried deep into the World.
There was just something a little off about the statue.
Well, two things besides the evil jellyfish trying to snack on it.
“Oh dear... they think the world is flat?” Delta mumbled as the maw held the land like a table on a stand. The land was coloured and made of various materials. Someone had gone to great lengths to implant gems of different colour in various places.
Delta could see a golden amber crystal glowing inside a tiny model of a city. A sapphire and Emerald had been squished together in a city that looked bisected. A deep red one looked to be somewhere in a desert and Delta snorted.
“Red in the desert? Cliche much?” she said and Devina cleared her throat. Sounding like she was trying to say something she was a little awkward to admit. Delta paused but the room was oddly empty of foes for the moment.
Delta... the world is flat.
Nu blinked into view next to her, looking much better than before.
“Nu... right, let me share the science of my world,” Delta said with a finger wag.
Sis?
Delta cocked her head and suddenly she felt like she was being ping-ponged across a game board or a pinball machine. Sis let her flow between herself and... others.
This connection... this path was so rocky and confusing that Delta wanted to hurl. She pinged off a wall of gold.
“Oh! Hello, did Sis get the Core-Conn- “ the blazing gold man asked and Delta was yanked dozens of meters... miles.
“I want a party!”
“I want a ball!
Two children argued over and over and didn’t even notice her.
She was flung hard into a new direction and she threw up. Orange Mana splattered the flying tunnel and Delta finally began to scream in panic.
“I WANT OFF!” she yelled. She flew past dozens of tiny forming paths. Some barely looking like mouseholes. Nothing intelligent could be found there, Delta knew. She saw a wall of fire and a face formed. Smooth and beautiful, the face stared.
“She wasn’t kidding about you. How the hell do you exist with only three-”
The face was gone and Delta was flung to the far reaches of this world and felt so homesick she wanted to cry. But never did she see the planet curve or see the vast horizon dip. The tunnel she rode in was straight... curving only so much up, down or sideways for some time until something happened.
She reached the End.
The Edge.
Delta felt the tunnel come to a sudden stop. She almost fell into the vast abyss below. There were no stars down, only above.
“What... the... frig?” she whispered.
That was when she saw something odd. Well, just as odd as the world having an edge. One of the stars above crashed into the ends of the world. The incoming light chipped and was reduced to a mere tear drop and it hit a mountain that acted like a fence to the Edge.
Delta felt her chest compress. A sense of knowing hit her and she watched as the gem buried itself deep into the Earth.
She could feel... someone behind her.
“It’s not perfect but it’s what I managed to create.” the young girl’s voice said and she mumbled something.
“See?” the girl sounded pleased but Delta couldn’t bear to turn and look. Her experience with omnipotent children had never been good. A ghostly scene appeared over the landscape, and the empty abyss beyond the mountain was filled in as if a fog of war had been removed. The land stretched and formed as the hole where the tear had fallen in began to give off whitish Mana.
The world expanded and the darkness was covered a little more. Soon, monsters and people, little puppets, began to explore this new land.
“The World is fragile. Cores are like nails. They help hold it together.” Sis explained and Delta fell backward and gasped as she was back in her core room.
“The world is flat?!” She protested this. Sis’s voice was fleeting and a little blunt, breaking apart fast as Delta returned to reality.
Well, he didn’t land curled up. He landed flat on his face and I had to work with that. Don’t blame me!
Sis’ voice vanished back into the system, her voice coming from a pure white box that crumbled away. Nu watched this with a little interest.
I hate to ruin a good reason for you to have a breakdown and all but we’re in the middle of a fight. It’s good to see Level three increased your mental durability so you are able to even hear Sis to an extent. How was the Core-Connection Tunnel? Sis’s been working on that thing since before we were born. Only higher level Dungeons can access it, or so she promises. Anyway-
Nu was cut off as Delta grabbed him and glared.
“Those were other Dungeons? We have a chat function? Do you mean I was too weak with only two floors?” she shook the box rapidly.
Nu flickered out of existence and adjusted himself with those hands.
So rude... Sis isn’t just your System. You think there is enough complicated things like her so every Dungeon has their own copy? The sheer power of that would blow us and a few of the stars up! And don’t be greedy. It’s nice to share with your brothers and sisters.
Nu was teasing but the words hit Delta like a ton of bricks.
Siblings... Dungeons... her people now.
To be fair, you are her favourite. I can tell and I shall help you rub this in the other’s faces with efficiency.
Nu offered and Delta rubbed at her face.
“Can I go back to screaming at mushrooms and setting things on fire?” she mumbled. The answer came as her monsters finished shutting the doors and her Mana seeped into the room. Delta blinked as the room and corridor became a part of her dungeon!
That was easy... and worrying. Why would they just let her take that room? She was about to ask when the room began to tremble. Not like ‘things may be closer than they appear’ shaking but more like every inch of the room was shaking as her Mana began to churn.
Oh... yes. I forgot to say. Sis says the room configuration might be a bit... off.
Delta slowly turned her head to look at him.
...Like you’ve never forgotten things. Oh... sorry, that was rather mean of me.
Delta pursed her lips at the unintended jab and was about to ask what had changed when the room abruptly exploded.
Delta coughed as did most of her monsters as orange smoke filtered out of the room.
Sis said that new rooms may... develop in odd ways before you even have a chance to do anything to them. Should be helpful for deciding what to make them into! I think... I hope.
The statue to the Silence and the intent to eat the world was replaced by something completely new. The flat world glowed with a bright new orange orb and the maws of the monster below were gone as the four corners of the world were now supported by...
“Mushrooms! Good for soup!” Jeb declared. Delta stared as the world became more detailed... there were even some very tiny orbs of new colours on the map. Delta peered at the odd map and Durence had even been filled in but there seemed to be ants on the damn thing. She tried to sweep them off but only managed to do something akin to zooming in.
There were little multi-coloured orbs moving above. She poked one, the one with a more orangish tinge to it.
Grimnoire Pictus: Threa-... uh... Rank-E! *Warning Rank is merely Sis's guess at assesing threat level. Town of Durence is marked as... S++ as a rule!
Grim?! Grim the kid with the attitude and so many issues that Delta wanted to choke him? That Grim? She did another one. Deo... Poppy, Amanstar... Ruli was a little to the side and even near her core symbol.
Good ole Ruli.
But many of the adults that had visited didn’t appear clearly. Was it because they were stronger or because the kids were more likely to take her Mana in? Delta had to assume that was how she was tracking them.
Ruli’s orb looked half red and the other half... looked well, less like an orb and more like a scaled tail.
Odd but that was Ruli.
“I like it but now I’m worried that people are going to abuse this. Anyone who visits like Kemy.” Delta tapped the girl’s orb in the middle of Durence with a frown. “She can be tracked by any asshat who tricks me long enough to get here.” she announced. The rest of the room looked a little nicer.
Four pillars now guarded the statue and Aztec themed carvings covered the surface. Goblins drinking, A long one with Bob looking rather scary, Fran and his lance of light... Delta smiled at them all.
Look, it’s you!
Nu pointed to something and Delta rushed over with excitement then her face went blank as a tiny arm looked to show a figure trapped under mushrooms and goblins.
“If it wasn’t so accurate I’d be pinching you right now.” she said bluntly. She opened the Menu.
Map room
A world is but a mushroom throw away.
Have access to map be locked behind a pillar puzzle - 20 DP
Core can deny intruders access to map as long as Room guardian is alive - No room guardian selected.
Create a random thematic room guardian - 30 DP
Apply a mana cost to use the map. The more mana given, the more detailed the search - 15 DP
Allow people to pay a fixed Mana price to hide themselves that can only be broken by a higher Mana payment - 25 DP
Allow Contract monsters to fill out details of map by sharing with the Map - 10 DP
She purchased the puzzle one instantly. Her pressing issue was securing the map. A room guardian could wait just a bit. She didn’t want to give up a potential room guardian elsewhere by selecting this one now. The four pillars rotated and a wall of orange light flashed as a hum resonated from the four pillars. Cois sniffed at it and poked it without much thought.
He passed through just fine but Delta was still gasping.
“Nu, I got forcefields!” she exclaimed with joy. Nu seemed to say something then corrected himself.
Well done. You are a brilliant Dungeon.
Delta stared and the box turned away, almost guilty.
“You still upset by that memory jab you threw?” she asked lightly, Nu didn’t say anything.
It is a sore point and even for me that was... crude.
Delta smiled. She eyed the four pillars and saw many more images had been added. The pillars now had four turning sections with each turning side having an image of a monster. There were quite a few that Delta did not own.
“Good thing Rale’s awareness is so good.” she mumbled. Devina gave her a dismayed look.
“He didn’t see it. He just reacted because Bob likes to tackle him and it’s now instinct to react like that to long bodied creatures. He’s an idiot!” she shook her head.
Having no words to counter that, Delta watched as this room was quickly consumed by her growing Mana.
The forge with its long abandoned hammer that looked fit for the hands of a giant. The stacks of metal ores and barrels of half-finished weapons. There was a large stand for some missing sword... but Delta ignored that as Cois began to audibly weep.
“My loot!” he cried. The black grainy powder was up next and Delta waved a few fingers about.
Better do this fast before Cois saw.
Forge room conquered!
There was a heavy thunk.
“Oh wow! This item is magical and I can’t seem to absorb it!” Delta said loudly and peered down at the large shield with a golden spider on it. Thank you, forge, for the golden bars. Delta would be sure to put them to good use.
Cois was on the shield like a child on a new toy
“Mine! Mine! I mean... Well the boys’, but for now... Mine!” Cois hissed and tried to heft the shield. There was a long pause as the room was fully converted and that odd feeling of the Mana shaking began again.
Cois silently looked at Rale.
“Worry not, little fire bug. I shall keep it safe!” Rale picked it up with Cois still attached.
Delta smiled as the room began to shift into a new form. This bugged room configuration could be a pain...
“Release me, frog or I’ll stir fry you before feeding you to the closest thing to French people here!” Cois warned, Delta’s knowledge rearing its head in her monsters again.
The flash died down and the forge room looked... greenish.
Moss, vines, and even grass had run wild in the forge room, reclaiming it for nature. Glowing flowers and dripping stalagmites made Delta think of a buried ruin in a cave.
It was really nice and Delta could see it working well in her favor. She’d just need to adjust a few things.
She removed half the forge to make a semi-small room for Jeb, added a small basin of natural running water to one side and focused hard to think of what else screamed ‘Troll!’
Besides pile of bones and such.
Finally she decided on something cheap and easy. Near the top of the room, she built a cheap bridge that went nowhere.
Trolls and bridges. It was classic. She tried opening the menu - and sure enough, the option she wanted was there, mixed in with ways to restart the forge or even make a mine.
Other rooms could do that but Jeb’s survivability was too important. Delta liked him too much for him to die now and the hardcore Nu would see it as a strategic advantage to keep her biggest monster around for free.
Win-win. Troll Troll.
Turn room into Troll Cave? 25 DP
Delta hummed as she hit it.
The room changed once more and the remnants of the forge was turned into a proper cave. Besides that, the hole Delta made of the furnace was dug even deeper into a pit of darkness and wet earth.
The room felt a little wilder than before and Delta eagerly opened the new Menu.
Troll Cave: Lair
Troll monsters can respawn here after a period of time. A troll takes up 3 of the 5 available monster spaces on the floor.
Delta blinked once then another time.
“I can...only have one troll? It takes up three slots?” she said in dismay. She had resisted the gacha guardian and turning the forge into a mine. And while Jeb was safe, all she got told was that he was fat even in terms of the System!
She read on.
Lair upgrades:
Lair can be upgraded to hold two trolls at the expense of any other creatures: 20 DP
Trolls take 20% less damage from fire spells when inside the lair. 15 DP
Regeneration is increased when resting inside Lair. 20 DP
Create a proper home inside the cave! Install two large fur covered beds and one very large cooking pot! 10 DP
Have ‘Troll Soup’ available as a loot drop. 1 DP
Oh. That was fine then. Delta could get the almost ‘buy one get one free’ deal in terms of Monster slots.
She silently apologized to Jeb for calling him fat when he was just big boned and perhaps big rocked as she bought all the options.
The Library would be done soon so really, it only left one direction to go. Jeb looked eager to follow the scent of ‘home’ and Delta let him.
The yells of excitement were what made Delta’s day... the following smells of cooking and the odor that produced, less so...
She could now see why ‘Troll Soup’ was so cheap. She hoped to God there were recipe books in that damn library because Delta was not putting up with that concoction of Jebs. It was like the Moonshine of soups.
Brewed in gasoline and mixed with dead possums.
She covered her nose and looked towards the last door.
Still, this direction gave her the willies, and she was not sure she really wanted to go on, but this thing had attacked Sis and Nu.
She wasn’t going to let that slide.
“Delta team, roll out!” she ordered.
She got looks of confusion and some amusement.
“I find that some books lie and rolling at the right time doesn't make you immune to damage, better to run if you can!” Jack offered.
“Just... go.” Delta said with a sigh.
---
The last pole was undented, helped along by the great return magic. He watched as the gate began to finally open after 40 years. Progress ever since that damn scaled rat had vanished. But he had sensed her.
His master demanded core shards and he would supply.
He turned on his steed, his dark lance glowing with the power of the Silence. He reared back as his skeleton horse glowed with the same power.
The gates opened loudly and the sounds of the end came.
The Captain of the Ending Light pointed his spear and the slaves and grunts he had pulled back to fix the gate joined the mass to rush through the Hall of the Last Feast and towards the depiction of the future...
The End had come, and it rode on a dead steed.
He charged, eyes ablaze with the power of Silence.
---
Ruli stood before the entrance to the second-floor boss room, covered in darts and Bob slime.
She wasn’t winded but she was nervous.
She had no idea why and it was pissing her off!
“Open up. I don’t have time for this puzzle bullshit. I need to help Delta!” she yelled. The door didn’t answer but Ruli was sure she was being heard.
“Listen to me, you childish dick of a monster. I heard from Quiss you’re some tree girl, well listen to me. I like your Mum and I want to help her. If you get in my way I will make you regret it. Don’t you take what’s happening down there seriously?” she yelled, her body bulking with power and nails turning into her clawed weapons.
The door opened.
“More than I care to... wild woman. Take the stairs, and if I see you without Mother Delta on the way up... I’ll make you regret it. Go now, your face pisses me off,” the woman... the actual tree woman hissed, the mist parting to show a clear path to a door that opened.
That feeling of wrong grew even worse.
“I’ll bring her back safe,” Ruli said and pushed on.
“....Thank you,” she heard and she turned but the mist had hidden the boss’ form from sight.
“Delta, can’t you just adopt more Frans? This one has issues,” she mumbled as she took the stairs two steps at a time.
--
Called... he was called.
He felt... they all felt the danger, but being her first, Fran came to a halt.
He turned to the feeling and knew someone... something deadly was coming for Mum. No...
Not while he drew breath. He pointed his lance to the door and screamed in rage at the mere idea of someone treading over Mother’s core.
He would crush their bones and feed them to Bacon.
Fran hit the door to the boss room, and the odd feeling of wrongness... of not belonging beyond this door hit him like a truck, but without Delta, he didn’t belong anywhere, so he urged Bacon on. Fran’s eyes blazed as orange as his lance.
He was her guardian... he would not fail again.
Never again.
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Chapter 85: Silent Knight
The statue room served as what could only be the Cult of the Silence’s vision for life and the world. A glass statue filled with an odd swirling mist in the shape of a giant round mouth full of tentacles and fangs that buried deep into the World.
There was just something a little off about the statue.
Well, two things besides the evil jellyfish trying to snack on it.
“Oh dear... they think the world is flat?” Delta mumbled as the maw held the land like a table on a stand. The land was coloured and made of various materials. Someone had gone to great lengths to implant gems of different colour in various places.
Delta could see a golden amber crystal glowing inside a tiny model of a city. A sapphire and Emerald had been squished together in a city that looked bisected. A deep red one looked to be somewhere in a desert and Delta snorted.
“Red in the desert? Cliche much?” she said and Devina cleared her throat. Sounding like she was trying to say something she was a little awkward to admit. Delta paused but the room was oddly empty of foes for the moment.
Delta... the world is flat.
Nu blinked into view next to her, looking much better than before.
“Nu... right, let me share the science of my world,” Delta said with a finger wag.
Sis?
Delta cocked her head and suddenly she felt like she was being ping-ponged across a game board or a pinball machine. Sis let her flow between herself and... others.
This connection... this path was so rocky and confusing that Delta wanted to hurl. She pinged off a wall of gold.
“Oh! Hello, did Sis get the Core-Conn- “ the blazing gold man asked and Delta was yanked dozens of meters... miles.
“I want a party!”
“I want a ball!
Two children argued over and over and didn’t even notice her.
She was flung hard into a new direction and she threw up. Orange Mana splattered the flying tunnel and Delta finally began to scream in panic.
“I WANT OFF!” she yelled. She flew past dozens of tiny forming paths. Some barely looking like mouseholes. Nothing intelligent could be found there, Delta knew. She saw a wall of fire and a face formed. Smooth and beautiful, the face stared.
“She wasn’t kidding about you. How the hell do you exist with only three-”
The face was gone and Delta was flung to the far reaches of this world and felt so homesick she wanted to cry. But never did she see the planet curve or see the vast horizon dip. The tunnel she rode in was straight... curving only so much up, down or sideways for some time until something happened.
She reached the End.
The Edge.
Delta felt the tunnel come to a sudden stop. She almost fell into the vast abyss below. There were no stars down, only above.
“What... the... frig?” she whispered.
That was when she saw something odd. Well, just as odd as the world having an edge. One of the stars above crashed into the ends of the world. The incoming light chipped and was reduced to a mere tear drop and it hit a mountain that acted like a fence to the Edge.
Delta felt her chest compress. A sense of knowing hit her and she watched as the gem buried itself deep into the Earth.
She could feel... someone behind her.
“It’s not perfect but it’s what I managed to create.” the young girl’s voice said and she mumbled something.
“See?” the girl sounded pleased but Delta couldn’t bear to turn and look. Her experience with omnipotent children had never been good. A ghostly scene appeared over the landscape, and the empty abyss beyond the mountain was filled in as if a fog of war had been removed. The land stretched and formed as the hole where the tear had fallen in began to give off whitish Mana.
The world expanded and the darkness was covered a little more. Soon, monsters and people, little puppets, began to explore this new land.
“The World is fragile. Cores are like nails. They help hold it together.” Sis explained and Delta fell backward and gasped as she was back in her core room.
“The world is flat?!” She protested this. Sis’s voice was fleeting and a little blunt, breaking apart fast as Delta returned to reality.
Well, he didn’t land curled up. He landed flat on his face and I had to work with that. Don’t blame me!
Sis’ voice vanished back into the system, her voice coming from a pure white box that crumbled away. Nu watched this with a little interest.
I hate to ruin a good reason for you to have a breakdown and all but we’re in the middle of a fight. It’s good to see Level three increased your mental durability so you are able to even hear Sis to an extent. How was the Core-Connection Tunnel? Sis’s been working on that thing since before we were born. Only higher level Dungeons can access it, or so she promises. Anyway-
Nu was cut off as Delta grabbed him and glared.
“Those were other Dungeons? We have a chat function? Do you mean I was too weak with only two floors?” she shook the box rapidly.
Nu flickered out of existence and adjusted himself with those hands.
So rude... Sis isn’t just your System. You think there is enough complicated things like her so every Dungeon has their own copy? The sheer power of that would blow us and a few of the stars up! And don’t be greedy. It’s nice to share with your brothers and sisters.
Nu was teasing but the words hit Delta like a ton of bricks.
Siblings... Dungeons... her people now.
To be fair, you are her favourite. I can tell and I shall help you rub this in the other’s faces with efficiency.
Nu offered and Delta rubbed at her face.
“Can I go back to screaming at mushrooms and setting things on fire?” she mumbled. The answer came as her monsters finished shutting the doors and her Mana seeped into the room. Delta blinked as the room and corridor became a part of her dungeon!
That was easy... and worrying. Why would they just let her take that room? She was about to ask when the room began to tremble. Not like ‘things may be closer than they appear’ shaking but more like every inch of the room was shaking as her Mana began to churn.
Oh... yes. I forgot to say. Sis says the room configuration might be a bit... off.
Delta slowly turned her head to look at him.
...Like you’ve never forgotten things. Oh... sorry, that was rather mean of me.
Delta pursed her lips at the unintended jab and was about to ask what had changed when the room abruptly exploded.
Delta coughed as did most of her monsters as orange smoke filtered out of the room.
Sis said that new rooms may... develop in odd ways before you even have a chance to do anything to them. Should be helpful for deciding what to make them into! I think... I hope.
The statue to the Silence and the intent to eat the world was replaced by something completely new. The flat world glowed with a bright new orange orb and the maws of the monster below were gone as the four corners of the world were now supported by...
“Mushrooms! Good for soup!” Jeb declared. Delta stared as the world became more detailed... there were even some very tiny orbs of new colours on the map. Delta peered at the odd map and Durence had even been filled in but there seemed to be ants on the damn thing. She tried to sweep them off but only managed to do something akin to zooming in.
There were little multi-coloured orbs moving above. She poked one, the one with a more orangish tinge to it.
Grimnoire Pictus: Threa-... uh... Rank-E! *Warning Rank is merely Sis's guess at assesing threat level. Town of Durence is marked as... S++ as a rule!
Grim?! Grim the kid with the attitude and so many issues that Delta wanted to choke him? That Grim? She did another one. Deo... Poppy, Amanstar... Ruli was a little to the side and even near her core symbol.
Good ole Ruli.
But many of the adults that had visited didn’t appear clearly. Was it because they were stronger or because the kids were more likely to take her Mana in? Delta had to assume that was how she was tracking them.
Ruli’s orb looked half red and the other half... looked well, less like an orb and more like a scaled tail.
Odd but that was Ruli.
“I like it but now I’m worried that people are going to abuse this. Anyone who visits like Kemy.” Delta tapped the girl’s orb in the middle of Durence with a frown. “She can be tracked by any asshat who tricks me long enough to get here.” she announced. The rest of the room looked a little nicer.
Four pillars now guarded the statue and Aztec themed carvings covered the surface. Goblins drinking, A long one with Bob looking rather scary, Fran and his lance of light... Delta smiled at them all.
Look, it’s you!
Nu pointed to something and Delta rushed over with excitement then her face went blank as a tiny arm looked to show a figure trapped under mushrooms and goblins.
“If it wasn’t so accurate I’d be pinching you right now.” she said bluntly. She opened the Menu.
Map room
A world is but a mushroom throw away.
Have access to map be locked behind a pillar puzzle - 20 DP
Core can deny intruders access to map as long as Room guardian is alive - No room guardian selected.
Create a random thematic room guardian - 30 DP
Apply a mana cost to use the map. The more mana given, the more detailed the search - 15 DP
Allow people to pay a fixed Mana price to hide themselves that can only be broken by a higher Mana payment - 25 DP
Allow Contract monsters to fill out details of map by sharing with the Map - 10 DP
She purchased the puzzle one instantly. Her pressing issue was securing the map. A room guardian could wait just a bit. She didn’t want to give up a potential room guardian elsewhere by selecting this one now. The four pillars rotated and a wall of orange light flashed as a hum resonated from the four pillars. Cois sniffed at it and poked it without much thought.
He passed through just fine but Delta was still gasping.
“Nu, I got forcefields!” she exclaimed with joy. Nu seemed to say something then corrected himself.
Well done. You are a brilliant Dungeon.
Delta stared and the box turned away, almost guilty.
“You still upset by that memory jab you threw?” she asked lightly, Nu didn’t say anything.
It is a sore point and even for me that was... crude.
Delta smiled. She eyed the four pillars and saw many more images had been added. The pillars now had four turning sections with each turning side having an image of a monster. There were quite a few that Delta did not own.
“Good thing Rale’s awareness is so good.” she mumbled. Devina gave her a dismayed look.
“He didn’t see it. He just reacted because Bob likes to tackle him and it’s now instinct to react like that to long bodied creatures. He’s an idiot!” she shook her head.
Having no words to counter that, Delta watched as this room was quickly consumed by her growing Mana.
The forge with its long abandoned hammer that looked fit for the hands of a giant. The stacks of metal ores and barrels of half-finished weapons. There was a large stand for some missing sword... but Delta ignored that as Cois began to audibly weep.
“My loot!” he cried. The black grainy powder was up next and Delta waved a few fingers about.
Better do this fast before Cois saw.
Forge room conquered!
There was a heavy thunk.
“Oh wow! This item is magical and I can’t seem to absorb it!” Delta said loudly and peered down at the large shield with a golden spider on it. Thank you, forge, for the golden bars. Delta would be sure to put them to good use.
Cois was on the shield like a child on a new toy
“Mine! Mine! I mean... Well the boys’, but for now... Mine!” Cois hissed and tried to heft the shield. There was a long pause as the room was fully converted and that odd feeling of the Mana shaking began again.
Cois silently looked at Rale.
“Worry not, little fire bug. I shall keep it safe!” Rale picked it up with Cois still attached.
Delta smiled as the room began to shift into a new form. This bugged room configuration could be a pain...
“Release me, frog or I’ll stir fry you before feeding you to the closest thing to French people here!” Cois warned, Delta’s knowledge rearing its head in her monsters again.
The flash died down and the forge room looked... greenish.
Moss, vines, and even grass had run wild in the forge room, reclaiming it for nature. Glowing flowers and dripping stalagmites made Delta think of a buried ruin in a cave.
It was really nice and Delta could see it working well in her favor. She’d just need to adjust a few things.
She removed half the forge to make a semi-small room for Jeb, added a small basin of natural running water to one side and focused hard to think of what else screamed ‘Troll!’
Besides pile of bones and such.
Finally she decided on something cheap and easy. Near the top of the room, she built a cheap bridge that went nowhere.
Trolls and bridges. It was classic. She tried opening the menu - and sure enough, the option she wanted was there, mixed in with ways to restart the forge or even make a mine.
Other rooms could do that but Jeb’s survivability was too important. Delta liked him too much for him to die now and the hardcore Nu would see it as a strategic advantage to keep her biggest monster around for free.
Win-win. Troll Troll.
Turn room into Troll Cave? 25 DP
Delta hummed as she hit it.
The room changed once more and the remnants of the forge was turned into a proper cave. Besides that, the hole Delta made of the furnace was dug even deeper into a pit of darkness and wet earth.
The room felt a little wilder than before and Delta eagerly opened the new Menu.
Troll Cave: Lair
Troll monsters can respawn here after a period of time. A troll takes up 3 of the 5 available monster spaces on the floor.
Delta blinked once then another time.
“I can...only have one troll? It takes up three slots?” she said in dismay. She had resisted the gacha guardian and turning the forge into a mine. And while Jeb was safe, all she got told was that he was fat even in terms of the System!
She read on.
Lair upgrades:
Lair can be upgraded to hold two trolls at the expense of any other creatures: 20 DP
Trolls take 20% less damage from fire spells when inside the lair. 15 DP
Regeneration is increased when resting inside Lair. 20 DP
Create a proper home inside the cave! Install two large fur covered beds and one very large cooking pot! 10 DP
Have ‘Troll Soup’ available as a loot drop. 1 DP
Oh. That was fine then. Delta could get the almost ‘buy one get one free’ deal in terms of Monster slots.
She silently apologized to Jeb for calling him fat when he was just big boned and perhaps big rocked as she bought all the options.
The Library would be done soon so really, it only left one direction to go. Jeb looked eager to follow the scent of ‘home’ and Delta let him.
The yells of excitement were what made Delta’s day... the following smells of cooking and the odor that produced, less so...
She could now see why ‘Troll Soup’ was so cheap. She hoped to God there were recipe books in that damn library because Delta was not putting up with that concoction of Jebs. It was like the Moonshine of soups.
Brewed in gasoline and mixed with dead possums.
She covered her nose and looked towards the last door.
Still, this direction gave her the willies, and she was not sure she really wanted to go on, but this thing had attacked Sis and Nu.
She wasn’t going to let that slide.
“Delta team, roll out!” she ordered.
She got looks of confusion and some amusement.
“I find that some books lie and rolling at the right time doesn't make you immune to damage, better to run if you can!” Jack offered.
“Just... go.” Delta said with a sigh.
---
The last pole was undented, helped along by the great return magic. He watched as the gate began to finally open after 40 years. Progress ever since that damn scaled rat had vanished. But he had sensed her.
His master demanded core shards and he would supply.
He turned on his steed, his dark lance glowing with the power of the Silence. He reared back as his skeleton horse glowed with the same power.
The gates opened loudly and the sounds of the end came.
The Captain of the Ending Light pointed his spear and the slaves and grunts he had pulled back to fix the gate joined the mass to rush through the Hall of the Last Feast and towards the depiction of the future...
The End had come, and it rode on a dead steed.
He charged, eyes ablaze with the power of Silence.
---
Ruli stood before the entrance to the second-floor boss room, covered in darts and Bob slime.
She wasn’t winded but she was nervous.
She had no idea why and it was pissing her off!
“Open up. I don’t have time for this puzzle bullshit. I need to help Delta!” she yelled. The door didn’t answer but Ruli was sure she was being heard.
“Listen to me, you childish dick of a monster. I heard from Quiss you’re some tree girl, well listen to me. I like your Mum and I want to help her. If you get in my way I will make you regret it. Don’t you take what’s happening down there seriously?” she yelled, her body bulking with power and nails turning into her clawed weapons.
The door opened.
“More than I care to... wild woman. Take the stairs, and if I see you without Mother Delta on the way up... I’ll make you regret it. Go now, your face pisses me off,” the woman... the actual tree woman hissed, the mist parting to show a clear path to a door that opened.
That feeling of wrong grew even worse.
“I’ll bring her back safe,” Ruli said and pushed on.
“....Thank you,” she heard and she turned but the mist had hidden the boss’ form from sight.
“Delta, can’t you just adopt more Frans? This one has issues,” she mumbled as she took the stairs two steps at a time.
--
Called... he was called.
He felt... they all felt the danger, but being her first, Fran came to a halt.
He turned to the feeling and knew someone... something deadly was coming for Mum. No...
Not while he drew breath. He pointed his lance to the door and screamed in rage at the mere idea of someone treading over Mother’s core.
He would crush their bones and feed them to Bacon.
Fran hit the door to the boss room, and the odd feeling of wrongness... of not belonging beyond this door hit him like a truck, but without Delta, he didn’t belong anywhere, so he urged Bacon on. Fran’s eyes blazed as orange as his lance.
He was her guardian... he would not fail again.
Never again.
Chapter 85: Silent KnightThe statue room served as what could only be the Cult of the Silence's vision for life and the world. A glass statue filled with an odd swirling mist in the shape of a giant round mouth full of tentacles and fangs that buried deep into the World.There was just something a little off about the statue.Well, two things besides the evil jellyfish trying to snack on it.Oh dear... they think the world is flat? Delta mumbled as the maw held the land like a table on a stand. The land was coloured and made of various materials. Someone had gone to great lengths to implant gems of different colour in various places.Delta could see a golden amber crystal glowing inside a tiny model of a city. A sapphire and Emerald had been squished together in a city that looked bisected. A deep red one looked to be somewhere in a desert and Delta snorted.Red in the desert? Cliche much? she said and Devina cleared her throat. Sounding like she was trying to say something she was a little awkward to admit. Delta paused but the room was oddly empty of foes for the moment.Delta... the world is flat. Nu blinked into view next to her, looking much better than before.Nu... right, let me share the science of my world, Delta said with a finger wag.Sis? Delta cocked her head and suddenly she felt like she was being ping-ponged across a game board or a pinball machine. Sis let her flow between herself and... others.This connection... this path was so rocky and confusing that Delta wanted to hurl. She pinged off a wall of gold.Oh! Hello, did Sis get the Core-Conn- the blazing gold man asked and Delta was yanked dozens of meters... miles.I want a party!I want a ball!Two children argued over and over and didn't even notice her.She was flung hard into a new direction and she threw up. Orange Mana splattered the flying tunnel and Delta finally began to scream in panic.I WANT OFF! she yelled. She flew past dozens of tiny forming paths. Some barely looking like mouseholes. Nothing intelligent could be found there, Delta knew. She saw a wall of fire and a face formed. Smooth and beautiful, the face stared.She wasn't kidding about you. How the hell do you exist with only three-The face was gone and Delta was flung to the far reaches of this world and felt so homesick she wanted to cry. But never did she see the planet curve or see the vast horizon dip. The tunnel she rode in was straight... curving only so much up, down or sideways for some time until something happened.She reached the End.The Edge.Delta felt the tunnel come to a sudden stop. She almost fell into the vast abyss below. There were no stars down, only above.What... the... frig? she whispered.That was when she saw something odd. Well, just as odd as the world having an edge. One of the stars above crashed into the ends of the world. The incoming light chipped and was reduced to a mere tear drop and it hit a mountain that acted like a fence to the Edge.Delta felt her chest compress. A sense of knowing hit her and she watched as the gem buried itself deep into the Earth.She could feel... someone behind her.It's not perfect but it's what I managed to create. the young girl's voice said and she mumbled something.See? the girl sounded pleased but Delta couldn't bear to turn and look. Her experience with omnipotent children had never been good. A ghostly scene appeared over the landscape, and the empty abyss beyond the mountain was filled in as if a fog of war had been removed. The land stretched and formed as the hole where the tear had fallen in began to give off whitish Mana.The world expanded and the darkness was covered a little more. Soon, monsters and people, little puppets, began to explore this new land.The World is fragile. Cores are like nails. They help hold it together. Sis explained and Delta fell backward and gasped as she was back in her core room.The world is flat?! She protested this. Sis's voice was fleeting and a little blunt, breaking apart fast as Delta returned to reality.Well, he didn't land curled up. He landed flat on his face and I had to work with that. Don't blame me! Sis' voice vanished back into the system, her voice coming from a pure white box that crumbled away. Nu watched this with a little interest.I hate to ruin a good reason for you to have a breakdown and all but we're in the middle of a fight. It's good to see Level three increased your mental durability so you are able to even hear Sis to an extent. How was the Core-Connection Tunnel? Sis's been working on that thing since before we were born. Only higher level Dungeons can access it, or so she promises. Anyway- Nu was cut off as Delta grabbed him and glared.Those were other Dungeons? We have a chat function? Do you mean I was too weak with only two floors? she shook the box rapidly.Nu flickered out of existence and adjusted himself with those hands.So rude... Sis isn't just your System. You think there is enough complicated things like her so every Dungeon has their own copy? The sheer power of that would blow us and a few of the stars up! And don't be greedy. It's nice to share with your brothers and sisters. Nu was teasing but the words hit Delta like a ton of bricks.Siblings... Dungeons... her people now.To be fair, you are her favourite. I can tell and I shall help you rub this in the other's faces with efficiency. Nu offered and Delta rubbed at her face.Can I go back to screaming at mushrooms and setting things on fire? she mumbled. The answer came as her monsters finished shutting the doors and her Mana seeped into the room. Delta blinked as the room and corridor became a part of her dungeon!That was easy... and worrying. Why would they just let her take that room? She was about to ask when the room began to tremble. Not like things may be closer than they appear' shaking but more like every inch of the room was shaking as her Mana began to churn.Oh... yes. I forgot to say. Sis says the room configuration might be a bit... off. Delta slowly turned her head to look at him....Like you've never forgotten things. Oh... sorry, that was rather mean of me. Delta pursed her lips at the unintended jab and was about to ask what had changed when the room abruptly exploded.Delta coughed as did most of her monsters as orange smoke filtered out of the room.Sis said that new rooms may... develop in odd ways before you even have a chance to do anything to them. Should be helpful for deciding what to make them into! I think... I hope. The statue to the Silence and the intent to eat the world was replaced by something completely new. The flat world glowed with a bright new orange orb and the maws of the monster below were gone as the four corners of the world were now supported by...Mushrooms! Good for soup! Jeb declared. Delta stared as the world became more detailed... there were even some very tiny orbs of new colours on the map. Delta peered at the odd map and Durence had even been filled in but there seemed to be ants on the damn thing. She tried to sweep them off but only managed to do something akin to zooming in.There were little multi-coloured orbs moving above. She poked one, the one with a more orangish tinge to it.Grimnoire Pictus: Threa-... uh... Rank-E! *Warning Rank is merely Sis's guess at assesing threat level. Town of Durence is marked as... S++ as a rule! Grim?! Grim the kid with the attitude and so many issues that Delta wanted to choke him? That Grim? She did another one. Deo... Poppy, Amanstar... Ruli was a little to the side and even near her core symbol.Good ole Ruli.But many of the adults that had visited didn't appear clearly. Was it because they were stronger or because the kids were more likely to take her Mana in? Delta had to assume that was how she was tracking them.Ruli's orb looked half red and the other half... looked well, less like an orb and more like a scaled tail.Odd but that was Ruli.I like it but now I'm worried that people are going to abuse this. Anyone who visits like Kemy. Delta tapped the girl's orb in the middle of Durence with a frown. She can be tracked by any asshat who tricks me long enough to get here. she announced. The rest of the room looked a little nicer.Four pillars now guarded the statue and Aztec themed carvings covered the surface. Goblins drinking, A long one with Bob looking rather scary, Fran and his lance of light... Delta smiled at them all.Look, it's you! Nu pointed to something and Delta rushed over with excitement then her face went blank as a tiny arm looked to show a figure trapped under mushrooms and goblins.If it wasn't so accurate I'd be pinching you right now. she said bluntly. She opened the Menu.Map roomA world is but a mushroom throw away.Have access to map be locked behind a pillar puzzle - 20 DPCore can deny intruders access to map as long as Room guardian is alive - No room guardian selected.Create a random thematic room guardian - 30 DPApply a mana cost to use the map. The more mana given, the more detailed the search - 15 DPAllow people to pay a fixed Mana price to hide themselves that can only be broken by a higher Mana payment - 25 DPAllow Contract monsters to fill out details of map by sharing with the Map - 10 DP She purchased the puzzle one instantly. Her pressing issue was securing the map. A room guardian could wait just a bit. She didn't want to give up a potential room guardian elsewhere by selecting this one now. The four pillars rotated and a wall of orange light flashed as a hum resonated from the four pillars. Cois sniffed at it and poked it without much thought.He passed through just fine but Delta was still gasping.Nu, I got forcefields! she exclaimed with joy. Nu seemed to say something then corrected himself.Well done. You are a brilliant Dungeon. Delta stared and the box turned away, almost guilty.You still upset by that memory jab you threw? she asked lightly, Nu didn't say anything.It is a sore point and even for me that was... crude. Delta smiled. She eyed the four pillars and saw many more images had been added. The pillars now had four turning sections with each turning side having an image of a monster. There were quite a few that Delta did not own. Good thing Rale's awareness is so good. she mumbled. Devina gave her a dismayed look.He didn't see it. He just reacted because Bob likes to tackle him and it's now instinct to react like that to long bodied creatures. He's an idiot! she shook her head.Having no words to counter that, Delta watched as this room was quickly consumed by her growing Mana.The forge with its long abandoned hammer that looked fit for the hands of a giant. The stacks of metal ores and barrels of half-finished weapons. There was a large stand for some missing sword... but Delta ignored that as Cois began to audibly weep.My loot! he cried. The black grainy powder was up next and Delta waved a few fingers about.Better do this fast before Cois saw.Forge room conquered! There was a heavy thunk.Oh wow! This item is magical and I can't seem to absorb it! Delta said loudly and peered down at the large shield with a golden spider on it. Thank you, forge, for the golden bars. Delta would be sure to put them to good use.Cois was on the shield like a child on a new toyMine! Mine! I mean... Well the boys', but for now... Mine! Cois hissed and tried to heft the shield. There was a long pause as the room was fully converted and that odd feeling of the Mana shaking began again.Cois silently looked at Rale.Worry not, little fire bug. I shall keep it safe! Rale picked it up with Cois still attached.Delta smiled as the room began to shift into a new form. This bugged room configuration could be a pain...Release me, frog or I'll stir fry you before feeding you to the closest thing to French people here! Cois warned, Delta's knowledge rearing its head in her monsters again.The flash died down and the forge room looked... greenish.Moss, vines, and even grass had run wild in the forge room, reclaiming it for nature. Glowing flowers and dripping stalagmites made Delta think of a buried ruin in a cave.It was really nice and Delta could see it working well in her favor. She'd just need to adjust a few things.She removed half the forge to make a semi-small room for Jeb, added a small basin of natural running water to one side and focused hard to think of what else screamed Troll!'Besides pile of bones and such.Finally she decided on something cheap and easy. Near the top of the room, she built a cheap bridge that went nowhere.Trolls and bridges. It was classic. She tried opening the menu - and sure enough, the option she wanted was there, mixed in with ways to restart the forge or even make a mine.Other rooms could do that but Jeb's survivability was too important. Delta liked him too much for him to die now and the hardcore Nu would see it as a strategic advantage to keep her biggest monster around for free.Win-win. Troll Troll.Turn room into Troll Cave? 25 DP Delta hummed as she hit it.The room changed once more and the remnants of the forge was turned into a proper cave. Besides that, the hole Delta made of the furnace was dug even deeper into a pit of darkness and wet earth.The room felt a little wilder than before and Delta eagerly opened the new Menu.Troll Cave: LairTroll monsters can respawn here after a period of time. A troll takes up 3 of the 5 available monster spaces on the floor. Delta blinked once then another time.I can...only have one troll? It takes up three slots? she said in dismay. She had resisted the gacha guardian and turning the forge into a mine. And while Jeb was safe, all she got told was that he was fat even in terms of the System!She read on.Lair upgrades:Lair can be upgraded to hold two trolls at the expense of any other creatures: 20 DPTrolls take 20% less damage from fire spells when inside the lair. 15 DPRegeneration is increased when resting inside Lair. 20 DPCreate a proper home inside the cave! Install two large fur covered beds and one very large cooking pot! 10 DPHave Troll Soup' available as a loot drop. 1 DP Oh. That was fine then. Delta could get the almost buy one get one free' deal in terms of Monster slots.She silently apologized to Jeb for calling him fat when he was just big boned and perhaps big rocked as she bought all the options.The Library would be done soon so really, it only left one direction to go. Jeb looked eager to follow the scent of home' and Delta let him.The yells of excitement were what made Delta's day... the following smells of cooking and the odor that produced, less so...She could now see why Troll Soup' was so cheap. She hoped to God there were recipe books in that damn library because Delta was not putting up with that concoction of Jebs. It was like the Moonshine of soups.Brewed in gasoline and mixed with dead possums.She covered her nose and looked towards the last door.Still, this direction gave her the willies, and she was not sure she really wanted to go on, but this thing had attacked Sis and Nu.She wasn't going to let that slide.Delta team, roll out! she ordered.She got looks of confusion and some amusement.I find that some books lie and rolling at the right time doesn't make you immune to damage, better to run if you can! Jack offered.Just... go. Delta said with a sigh.---The last pole was undented, helped along by the great return magic. He watched as the gate began to finally open after 40 years. Progress ever since that damn scaled rat had vanished. But he had sensed her.His master demanded core shards and he would supply.He turned on his steed, his dark lance glowing with the power of the Silence. He reared back as his skeleton horse glowed with the same power.The gates opened loudly and the sounds of the end came.The Captain of the Ending Light pointed his spear and the slaves and grunts he had pulled back to fix the gate joined the mass to rush through the Hall of the Last Feast and towards the depiction of the future...The End had come, and it rode on a dead steed.He charged, eyes ablaze with the power of Silence.---Ruli stood before the entrance to the second-floor boss room, covered in darts and Bob slime.She wasn't winded but she was nervous.She had no idea why and it was pissing her off!Open up. I don't have time for this puzzle bullshit. I need to help Delta! she yelled. The door didn't answer but Ruli was sure she was being heard.Listen to me, you childish dick of a monster. I heard from Quiss you're some tree girl, well listen to me. I like your Mum and I want to help her. If you get in my way I will make you regret it. Don't you take what's happening down there seriously? she yelled, her body bulking with power and nails turning into her clawed weapons.The door opened.More than I care to... wild woman. Take the stairs, and if I see you without Mother Delta on the way up... I'll make you regret it. Go now, your face pisses me off, the woman... the actual tree woman hissed, the mist parting to show a clear path to a door that opened.That feeling of wrong grew even worse.I'll bring her back safe, Ruli said and pushed on.....Thank you, she heard and she turned but the mist had hidden the boss' form from sight.Delta, can't you just adopt more Frans? This one has issues, she mumbled as she took the stairs two steps at a time.--Called... he was called.He felt... they all felt the danger, but being her first, Fran came to a halt.He turned to the feeling and knew someone... something deadly was coming for Mum. No...Not while he drew breath. He pointed his lance to the door and screamed in rage at the mere idea of someone treading over Mother's core.He would crush their bones and feed them to Bacon.Fran hit the door to the boss room, and the odd feeling of wrongness... of not belonging beyond this door hit him like a truck, but without Delta, he didn't belong anywhere, so he urged Bacon on. Fran's eyes blazed as orange as his lance.He was her guardian... he would not fail again.Never again.
