World Sphere - 209 -

Chapter 209:

The first dungeon we were headed to was in a black sand desert. Not only was it difficult to reach without a skyship, but the dungeon was also quite small. It did contain three harvestables that I was interested in. The first-floor boss frequently dropped a tier-one essence called might. It gave a person a short burst of strength.

The second floor had a field of wheat, and I was interested in the culinary possibilities of baking and brewing. The final interesting harvestable was the final boss, a treant. Its lumber was slightly flexible but incredibly durable. There were many species of treant in the Sphere, and I hoped this one might be useful in skyship construction.

It was a three-hour trip at the Maelstrom’s best speed to reach the black sand wasteland that stretched over a hundred miles. It felt a bit spooky that the dungeon entrance was right in the center of it. Maybe the dungeon had somehow created the black sands. The area surrounding the black sand was filled with dead brown and black trees.

Bleiz seemed skeptical, “Did you research this dungeon thoroughly?”

“Somewhat,” I replied. “I just looked for dungeons that weren’t explored very often. This one’s first floor has a dead forest with black goblins. Now that I think about it, they might be plague goblins.” I shrugged, unconcerned. “They had warriors, shamans, and hobgoblin leaders. The first-floor boss is a large hobgoblin chieftain.”

“Plague goblins?” Bleiz sounded unhappy.

“Some type of fatal disease but easily curable by magic. The dungeon only has two floors, so the plague is no stronger than a tier-one spell,” I explained. Bleiz still did not look happy.

“The second floor is a field of wheat. The final challenge monster is an ancient treant, Blackwood, if the accounting is correct. That will be our main goal—harvesting the treant for lumber.” I said as I began to lower the Maelstrom. The dungeon entrance was positioned on a rock shelf, and there was no one around. I set the Maelstrom down, and we all stepped off the ramp.

The air smelled foul and acidic, causing the cats to continue pawing at their noses. I walked to the dungeon entrance and checked to ensure all the symbols matched those recorded in the Adventurer’s Guides. Nothing seemed amiss. I looked back at the others and nodded.

Talia asked, “What is hiding in the sands?”

We all walked out to the stone edge and looked out. Talia was right, something was churning the sand as it moved across. That was the problem with dungeon guides, they usually only described what was in a dungeon and not the surrounding terrain. A fin briefly cut the surface before disappearing. “Shit. Land sharks. Massive burrowers with a dangerous bite.” I looked at the rock we were currently on. “They can jump quite high but shouldn’t be able to reach up here.”

“Can they climb?” Bleiz asked smartly.

I thought about the images of the creatures—massive, muscled legs with powerful-looking claws that were nearly indestructible. “Most likely, yes,” I said, looking at Thibault. “You can hover the Maelstrom fifty feet above the dungeon and keep the invisibility on. If anyone spots you, you can flee and come back for us.” They would have left the invisibility if the Maelstrom had been on the ground as well.

I could tell everyone was liking this spur-of-the-moment trip less and less. The Adventurer’s Guild did not monitor this dungeon because the danger exceeded the rewards by a large margin. I entered first with Kiara and Adrial. Talia and Bleiz followed shortly after us.

A gloomy fog greeted us with numerous black and dead trees. Dried leaves and sticks crunched underfoot as I walked forward. Kiara spoke in my head, “Hunt?”

“You can hunt,” I said aloud for the benefit of the others. “Just don’t attack the boss without us.” That was all I needed to say as the cat dashed away. Adrial followed her a moment later. Soon, the screams of goblins echoed in the lifeless forest. A flash of firebolt from one of the shamans flickered in the fog now and then. This was going to be a very boring delve if the cats did all the work.

We followed their trail of destruction, collecting minor aether crystals from the child-like goblins. Their skin was black and peeling. Why would a dungeon decide on such a horrific floor? I moved off on a fresh path as I started casting my own assortment of spells at fresh targets. Lightning spear was my favorite spell in dungeons now.

It had reached level 17 recently, and I had extended the range with the evolution. I could now hit targets out to 200 feet. The poor goblins never got close enough to attack our group. Talia had the gory job of collecting the spoils from the kills. I was not sure she had been expecting this on the delve. The crystals were only tier one and maybe ten units.

The dead forest was not very large, just a square mile bordered by a painted fortress wall. We eliminated every goblin warrior and shaman in the forest—one hundred and seventeen to be exact—before approaching the hobgoblin on his throne. The hobgoblin chieftain was surrounded by subservient hobgoblin females who would likely aid him when we attacked.

Kiara and Adrial flanked me as I walked cautiously forward. The chieftain's eyes and mine locked. It was not surprising that he spoke, as some dungeon creatures did. He spoke the Sphere’s common tongue: “You kill my people, and even if you slay me, know that you are cursed for eternity!”

We all felt the curse wash over us and take hold. Bleiz was uncomfortable for only a moment before he chuckled. As I had told him, it was a weak plague and would only require a tier-two healing spell to purge. I pointed my finger and cast lightning spear. Protections flared around the fat hobgoblin but still most of the lightning struck, cooking flesh and making him holler in pain. His harem rose and transformed in large black dogs with red eyes. Foamy spittle graced their muzzles as they charged.

“Well, that wasn’t in the guide,” I muttered as my companions spread out. I think Talia was happy to finally have something to do. There were twelve plague wolves and one chieftain. I focused my attacks on the chieftain, as I didn’t think this encounter required the powerful lightning drake. Kiara and Adrial had already taken down two wolves each before Bleiz even engaged.

Talia was repeatedly casting her ice lance, which had gotten significantly stronger since the last time I had seen it. It was a deadly projectile that, once logged in a target, continued to freeze them from the inside out. Each wolf only took two lances to incapacitate. Bleiz released his invisibility as he gutted a walk rushing past him.

I paused my attack as the chieftain collapsed face first, half a dozen holes burned into his plump torso. Only two wolves remained; Adrial rushed at one while Tailia directed her strikes at the other. Soon, all was silent. We waited until the reward chest appeared, then relaxed. I went around healing everyone from the plague affliction. It took more aether than I had expected, but I managed to extinguish it in everyone.

As everyone collected the loot, I set up a table and began writing a report on the changes in the dungeon. It would earn us a pip or two on our adventurer cards and should be worth a few dozen gold on top. Talia approached me, smiling and holding a tier-one might essence in her hand. Its appearance in the chest was about 50%, so it wasn’t a surprise.

The high reward rate of the tier-one essence was about the only positive aspect of this dungeon. However, it was not a preferable essence since there was a tier-one strength essence that permanently increased your strength. This one only provided a temporary boost to your strength. The aether crystals from the plague wolves and chieftain were unimpressive.

We all paused to drink and discuss the encounter. I noted a few more observations for the report that the others mentioned. “It is a rather large change from the guide,” Talia noted while munching on some jerky.

I shrugged. “The wolves were not strong, and only their numbers would make it difficult. I think the World Walkers might have caused the dungeons’ evolution. Sana said there could be ripple effects from the dungeons that closed to protect themselves from being drained.”

We didn’t need a long rest before we passed behind the hobgoblin’s throne into the next room of the dungeon. In complete contrast to the first floor, the second floor was well-lit, showcasing rolling fields of waist-high wheat. In the center of the large field was a massive, black, leafless tree. This was one of the most straightforward dungeons I had ever been in. “Watch out for the snakes in the grass. There are some thumpers, too.”

Thumpers were just vicious rabbits. The snakes had a poisonous bite that made all your muscles seize. Then the vicious rabbits would eat your face, starting with your eyes. We spread out, and I handed out some threshers for everyone to harvest the wheat. They could process it back in Skyholme to make flour and beer. Bleiz had to teach us how to cut and bundle the wheat for threshing later.

Adrial and Kiara just hunted the rabbits for fun. The snake venom was not strong enough to affect the large cats. If they did get bit, they plodded over to me to remove their poison. After a few hours, I decided it was time to attack the treant. Instead of risking anyone, I summoned a lightning elemental, and it made short work of the creature, exploding its constant-range lightning.

When the chest appeared, we all moved in to gather wood. The treant had a decent girth of just over four feet, with most of the bark blasted off from the lightning strikes. I started to work on making a saw to cut down the tree. I probably should have realized we were going to need one and artificed it earlier.

“Anything good in the chest?” I yelled over to Talia.

“Mostly copper coins and a few silver. It looks like a basic healing potion and a recipe book,” she said. I rushed over to her and took the book. Recipe books were usually for alchemical potions and used ingredients found in the dungeon. I eagerly paged through it.

“What is it?” Bleiz asked.

“The most disgusting bread recipe you’ve ever read. There are larvae in the trees on the first floor. You make flour from the wheat and mash it with the larvae before baking. It is a cure-all bread for minor diseases and poisons, but it doesn't mention how it tastes.” I closed the book and put it in my storage. At least it would give my bakers at the Shiny Platinumsomething to experiment with. Maybe they could make it palatable.

I artificed the saw for sharpness and durability. Even with Bleiz and me working with the runic saw, it was challenging to cut a large log to roll into my dimensional closet. I was certain it was a fine wood for a skyship, as it obviously had good resistance to lightning, but the supply was very limited.

“That has to be the shortest dungeon ever,” Talia grossed.

“The rewards were good, though. I think this Blackwood Treant is a good enough reason for us to send a team regularly. It will take months, but eventually, we can get enough planks for Skyship.” I chewed on some of the wheat. “It is good wheat, too, slightly sweet. It will make good flour.” I turned in a circle. “Maybe nine acres.”

“And it could be harvested every day,” Bleiz added, and I nodded. Skyholme did not have dungeons that produced quality wheat. Almost all our grains were grown on the islands.

“I like this dungeon, and it is not very dangerous as long as you have someone with a tier-three healing spell for the plague. An evolved tier two spell could handle it as well,” I guessed.

“What about the land sharks in the black desert?” Talia asked skeptically.

They were called bulettes and were among the nastier tier three creatures in the Sphere. I contemplated this for a moment. “We can hunt them,” I finally said. Talia’s jaw dropped. “They travel just below the surface of the sand and can leap about thirty feet. The skyship crew that delivers the deliveries can hunt them like whales at sea, flying high enough to avoid being attacked.” I was already thinking about modifying Remy’s taxis just to act as hunting boats.

We performed the undesirable task of finding a few larvae to try out the recipe. They were as large as your arm, but oddly had a nutty scent. When we were ready to leave the dungeon, I sent a lightning elemental ahead of us. The dungeon could destroy the creation if it chose to as it passed through the gate.

Stepping out first, the lightning elemental was outside the dungeon, along with five men holding weapons. A slightly balding man greeted me cautiously. “We are from Winged Mystics Delving. We didn’t expect to see anyone out here.” Since we were inside the dungeon, all five slots had been filled and no one could enter.

My eyes drifted to the skies, and an old skyship hovered a few hundred feet above. A large pool of blood was on the stone. “Land shark?” I asked, indicating the blood.

He nodded, “Killed it and tossed the body over after harvesting.”

“Storme of Shiny Platinum Delving. We came out to see if the dungeon had anything worth farming,” I chuckled as I said it since there was wheat inside.

“Kian Marsh,” he introduced himself. “We have a commission for two of the common dungeon essences from the first floor.”

I nodded and tossed him the bullet we had collected. I answered his look of puzzlement, “The bulette could have surprised us when we exited.” He looked at me doubtfully and then at my powerful elemental. I took some time to explain the changes to the hobgoblin fight, and he was very appreciative.

“Did you walk across the sands? We can give your group a ride to a city,” he offered.

“No need,” I waved my hand. A second later, the Maelstrom appeared at the edge of the rock shelf, its ramp extended, and Neoma standing there with a big smile. In my head, I told Kiara to board, and she sprinted and jumped aboard, Adrial following a second later. “Nice to meet you Kian Marsh.” I walked calmly to the Maelstrom with Bleiz and Talia.

“You enjoyed that, didn’t you,” Talia said with a giggle.

“Well, he won’t forget Shiny Platinum Delving anytime soon,” I remarked. On the bridge, I pushed the Maelstromforward with its fastest acceleration, leaving the other skyship behind. I didn’t sense a threat from them; I was showing off our little ship.

We didn’t have time to explore the second dungeon today. We had spent too much time harvesting wheat. I had weapons practice, and I needed to artifice my daily echo stones as well.

We landed at the top of the Academy, and I attended lessons while the others brought the wheat and treant wood to the Shiny Platinum. I took a mild beating in practice without my lightning reflexes spell. As we left the Academy, there was a lot of buzz in the corridors. I forgot that the Duskhunters were giving their lectures tonight. We even sold seats at a silver a piece to outsiders. All four lecture halls were always packed. Most of the time, it was Relik and his team, but other powerful members of the Duskhunters often stepped in when they were not available.

I walked to the Shiny Platinum and found Remy and Rippon working with the black treant wood. “How is it?” I asked. Kiara and Adrial came plodding into the warehouse, and Kiara’s link to me alerted her that I was back.

“Stronger and slightly lighter than most woods we use. It has modest elemental resistance, but its best quality is that it responds extremely well to wood-shaping spell,” Rippon said excitedly. “Get me fifty trees, and we can build something amazing!”

“Maybe in time. There is only one such creature in the dungeon. Remy, I want two more of the mini-taxi ships.” I then explained that they would be used to hunt and protect the delvers from the land sharks. All he really needed to do was take the roof of the small ships. Effectively making a small skiff.

I then went to the kitchens, which were busy serving a large afternoon crowd. The bakery ovens were running at full blast, and somehow, they had already turned the wheat into flour and were trying their hand at baking the maggot bread. It actually didn’t smell too terrible in the oven. Then again, it was almost impossible for baking bread to smell bad.

Remy was certainly here at the prospect of something being profitable. “I sent one of the larvae to the alchemists. Hopefully, this bread will be good enough to eat too. The cooks will be testing it on various sandwiches.”

I flipped through the dungeon recipe while I waited for the bread to finish baking. The book contained only five pages for the two-ingredient bread. Most of it focused on making the flour and harvesting the fluids from the larvae. “Did you let the bread rise for an hour?” I asked, tapping the simple instructions.

The middle-aged baker rolled her eyes at me, “I can read High Mage.”

I held up my hands placatingly. When the bread came out of the oven, the loaf was cut into slices and passed around to the eager bakers. I took my own slice of bread and nibbled on it. It was dense, sweet, and slightly nutty. My stomach felt warm as my body started to digest the bread. It definitely was acting like a weak purify spell. My guess is the bread was a counter to the plague the goblins carried. If that was the case, could the goblins be cured of the plague? I think I was going to have to make another trip to this dungeon.

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