Chapter 40

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The Dungeon, Medea Island

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As I watched the 'Air Spirit' play with Pyry, I felt... Vindicated.

Something is going on here that I've been unaware of. A direct and staged evolutionary path for beings formed of mana, when the rest of the world I've found myself in uses guided, incremental change to power themselves up? This smacks of intelligent design.

Sprites, the 'baby' form. Unintelligent and instinctual, they search for sources of mana to grow. Spirits, the 'child' form, practice gaining more control and power with their elements. Faries, when their intelligence reaches what I'd call 'human-level' reasoning. Finally, Elementals. These are 'champions,' as described by my new Spirit's own words, chosen by that element's deity.

Which implies many things about the gods in particular. My first thoughts jumped to the conclusion that the gods of this world are mana-beings themselves, some unknown number of stages beyond Elementals. Perhaps, they are the 'apex' of their element, holding dominion over it entirely. However, if the gods are mana-beings at the apex of their element, what of gods or goddesses of 'Justice' or 'crafting'? Unless those concepts are just secondary, and their main focus is on their 'element.' Light and justice, for example.

To recap, there are Water, Air, Fire, and Earth. These are the basic elements. Next, we have what I would call direct upgrades or 'purer' expressions of those elements. Water becomes Darkness, and Fire becomes Light. I don't yet know the purer expressions of Earth or Air. I know three 'combined' elements; Fire and Air make Lightning, Earth and Water create Ice, Fire and Earth make Metal.

Yes, I figured out Ice. Hard water; It wasn't too difficult once I set my mind to it. You would have expected it to be the higher expression of water, and I was shocked when I found that darkness was that expression. Then again, it makes sense. Below the waves lies an impenetrable darkness, beyond which lurks monsters unimaginable. I've also discovered that metal isn't the 'purer' expression of earth but a combination of fire and earth, which makes sense.

I'm not sure yet if 'Life' mana is a thing. From what I know of this wheel I'm creating, it should be either Air and Water or Earth. It could be either, given that life requires air and water to live, and most plants take nutrients from the earth. The healers certainly do something funky when they heal up their patients, but I haven't quite been able to figure out if it's just an application of combining elemental mana or its own element.

Back to the 'gods.' If they ARE just incredibly old and powerful mana-beings, could I raise one of the sprites I've contracted to that level?

Could I make a new god?

The question is, if their element already exists, will the new 'god' supplant or need to fight the old god of that element, or do they co-exist. Perhaps in a pantheon situation. And what exactly do gods get out of faith? I can't detect any energy from praying individuals, but maybe I just can't see it.

But anyway, that possibility lies far in the future. In terms of mana-beings, I currently possess children where the gods are millennia-old ancients in comparison.

I quickly checked on each mana spirit in my employ with all that in mind. A few are close to the mana density exhibited by the Air Spirit, and perhaps they will evolve soon too. Given the outrageous success of the alloy body I provided for her, I ordered Tear to stop making basic golems and focus on creating ones of the new alloy. Hopefully, I can switch the sprites over to these new bodies before their 'evolution.' I don't know if evolving in these bodies does something different. Still, it's better than a plain old mithril body.

Down on the Eighth floor, I granted the Ice Foxes their magic. It was a pleasure to watch them play and experiment with it. With so much snow covering the peaks, they had plenty of ammunition for a snowball fight. And let me tell you, snowballs created, levitated, and thrown with magic makes for an exciting battle. I convey the concepts of an avalanche, raining spikes of ice on an enemy, and using a blizzard to cover their approach. There is only one pack of them for now, but given that the vixens are heavy with pups, I'm sure that will change in a few days.

That little task done, I turned my attention to the prisoners.

It's time for them to know their fates.

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Unknown Floor, The Dungeon, Medea Island

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Kataren's fingers moved with speed and precision, almost blurring the scrambled puzzle in her hand to her vision. Once you know how to solve these things, they're pretty satisfying. It was a great source of frustration for her back when she couldn't figure it out. But if you move these like that, you can put any face of the cube of cubes at any other point you want.

She smiled with satisfaction at the colored cube, each side a solid color. She placed it on the ground next to the increasingly intricate and challenging puzzles. Some were just variations on the smaller version, using the same movements. Others were more esoteric. There were spheres, ones made of gears, triangles, etc.

Kataren felt like things could be worse. Yes, she's a prisoner of a dungeon and likely being experimented on, but she is alive. She has food. She has entertainment. The experiments seem limited to her food, for now, and haven't impacted her since she overcame that mandarin addiction. She shivered slightly, remembering those horrible days after the dungeon had stopped providing her those delicious mandarins.

She shook her head. No. Don't think about them.

When she heard the footsteps of her Kobold jailor, she welcomed the distraction.

The Kobold was clad in looted mage robes personalized with feathers, fur, and bones. Kataren was surprised to see she wasn't bearing a tray of food. Instead, she held a large ring of metal, one side hinged and the other open.

A Collar.

The Kobold pressed a stone on the outside of the cell, and two of the bars sank into the floor.

"The dungeon has found a use for you. Put this on," she demanded, holding out the metal ring, "and we will go. You can choose to stay here, of course. I don't know why you would, but it is an option."

Kataren thought carefully as she glanced between the indifferent monster and the collar. There was symbolism here. She knew the dungeon could have just put it on her when she was unconscious. It's giving her a choice. If it had wanted to kill her, there were far more straightforward ways of accomplishing that than this.

Slowly Kataren reached out, took the collar, raised it to her neck, and closed it. And nothing happened. She didn't know what she expected, perhaps it would have mind-controlled her to be loyal, or maybe it can shock her at the dungeon's will.

"Good. Follow me," the Kobold ordered, walking to the door.

Kataren stepped out of the cell for the first time in... well, she wasn't exactly sure, but it wasn't a short amount of time. She followed the kobold down a long stone-brick hallway, and they stopped at a dead end. The Kobold turned to her.

"You are not permitted to know where we are exactly, nor how to get here. This next part we will pass through with you unconscious." The Kobold explained. Kataren was leery but assumed that was one of the collar's functions. Again, it was a courtesy she hadn't expected. The dungeon explained what was happening rather than just doing as it wished.

She nodded her assent and knew no more.

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The First Floor, The Dungeon, Medea Island

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Layla Losat stood inside the first cavern of the dungeon with Felin, Isid, and Jerrad. It had been months since she had first entered this place, she her eye was drawn to all the changes she had only heard about. The stone columns and slab roof emerging from the cavern wall evoked a feeling of ancient construction. Perhaps it was the subtle cracks in the stonework or its worn edges. She knew that more than a dozen historians from across Theona would have flocked to the site if this had been discovered outside of a dungeon.

As it was, she knew this place hadn't existed not too long ago. The dungeon could fake age in its structures easily, though to what purpose, she had no idea.

Hopefully, today will grant her some answers.

There were to be no delves today. She had made it clear through the Guild that the dungeon was off-limits just for today. She wasn't closing it permanently. That had calmed the more annoyed guilders, though she's sure they would take the enforced day off to drink at the local taverns or explore the island.

She cleared her throat and spoke.

"We are here to talk. We know you understand us and have monsters capable of speech and request an audience. We will not attack your envoy and expect the same in return." A few seconds after she'd finished, a sudden gust blew out from the building before her. The mana-fire in the hanging lanterns lighting the columns flickered but remained lit. She had been heard.

They remained there for a time, waiting.

Not too long after the breeze, they heard the distinctive clang of metal armor and footsteps approach.

From the tunnel emerged one of the 'greater' lizard monsters. Though she had never seen one, it resembled the descriptions. To her vision, it was solidly in the realm of a Platinum. The three mostly similarly shaped monsters that emerged after it were weaker, though still Platinums. She mentally chastised herself. These monsters were not human and couldn't be judged by human metrics. She had no sense of their skills or magic, only the mana level in their bodies.

"You have requested an audience, and the Creator has answered. Speak your piece, human. The Creator listens." Layla resisted the urge to gulp at the monster's deep tone. Its pronunciation was perfect and lacked any particular accent she could discern.

"We have many questions we would like to ask the dungeon and wish to negotiate for their answers. We are offering our full effort in getting the bounty on your creator's death removed in return for as many answers as we have questions." Layla stated. The monster made a considering noise. Suddenly, its body language shifted, and when it next spoke, its tone was completely different. Layla immediately knew that the monster wasn't the one speaking anymore.

"The bounty is irritating, but all it's done so far is to throw more mana, memories, and skills my way. I've gained far more than I've lost in that regard. And to answer any question you ask is... a little open-ended. Ah, It has been a while since I've bartered. Let's begin, shall we?" The monster's toothy smile stretched across its snout, and Layla wondered what in the three hells she was getting herself into.

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Layla stood from the chair and stretched. She had the chair, a table, and parchment brought in about halfway through the negotiations to write down the terms of the contract between the Medea Island Guild and the Medea Island Dungeon. Layla was sure that there would be riots if this document was ever revealed to the world or even the guilders on this island.

The signed parchment was at least three feet long and contained, in exacting detail, the terms and conditions of the agreement between them. Some highlights included the Guilds agreement to have the bounty removed and that the dungeon would answer, comprehensively, five questions a week. The Guildmaster or Guildmistress of the Medea Island Guild had to be the one to ask these questions, and the answers would only be given to the Guildmistress or Guildmaster who asked.

Of course, there were other things, but those were the most pertinent.

"With that done, I would like to ask my questions for this week," Layla stated. The monster possessed by the dungeon nodded.

"Very well. Ask, and you shall receive your answers." It replied. Layla took a deep breath and asked her first question.

"How old are you, exactly?" This was one of the most important questions and would answer many others. The monster raised a claw to its snout and rubbed its chin.

"I'm not entirely sure. As far as I can recall, I have been awake and aware for about... A hundred and twenty cycles, give or take a few. I'm unsure how much time passed before I became aware." Layla nodded. That made sense, a hundred and twenty years was reasonable if it was this... cognizant, that entire time.

"Have you ever been conquered or encountered humans before, in the time you have been aware?"

"If I have been conquered, by your definition of the term, I do not remember it. I have indeed encountered humans before those merchants found the island, but I am unsure how long ago that was." Layla blinked. The dungeon... wasn't lost? It hadn't been conquered at all? That...

Layla had a feeling the rest of these answers wouldn't be quite what she expected.

"The fate of several individual guilders and many entire parties are a bit nebulous, and the latest three to disappear were discovered having been... changed. Are any guilders who disappeared still alive?"

"Some are, yes. You can consider the missing parties lost, but I have kept a few of the lost individuals prisoner. They are healthy and fed twice a day." Layla was barely surprised at this point.

"Would you consider releasing them?"

"Hmm. I would consider releasing one. The others, no. That counted as a question, by the way." Layla grimaced. Only one more, and then they would have to wait till next week.

"Since you've shown you're willing to take parties prisoner rather than kill them... when we get the bounty removed, would you consider merely capturing and returning guilders who do not pass a certain threshold? The losses we've sustained since your discovery have been... substantial." The monster raised its brows.

"Perhaps, though, we will need to discuss the details of that arrangement after you've followed through on your side of our little bargain. That is all the questions I have to answer today. From now on, I will expect you after sundown. I'll provide a side-room to prevent any guilders overhearing as they leave. Goodnight, Guildmistress. See you next week."

The monsters turned and walked away. Layla, Felin, Isid and Jerrad collected the furniture and contract before leaving the dungeon. Layla felt drained. Mentally, she began preparations for shipping in a few breeding pairs of various animals. Until they got the bounty lifted, a breeding pair of animals that the dungeon didn't already possess was their payment per questioning.

They really need to get that bounty sorted, quickly.

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