Alistair crouched inside the Summoning Circle for the better part of an hour before hiss spell construct came back. It was mind numbing the waste of time being a dungeon demon amounted to. In fact, he was beginning to think that spending a 1000 years as one would drive him insane. It was then that he realized that he hadn’t even started the count down, he needed to get his dungeon up to level 500 and then he could start waiting down the clock. Picking up pebbles of volcanic glass, Alistair wondered what he could be doing more to help build his dungeon. Maybe he did need to dismiss his current aspect and restart with the General Help.

“Hello, my Lord Alistair, I am back!” the fireball spell construct appeared in an explosion of flame. What seemed to be strange was that the fireball was smoking, when originally it just seemed to be a smokeless flame. “Wow! There are a lot of mana monsters waiting to be born around here! It took a real long time finding the right ones for you. I found five monsters with different difficulties for you to face. Let me just…” A small prompt came up in front of Alistair.

Mana Monster Summoning!Name:Fire WispRank:F-Monster Description:The Fire Wisp is a small being of light made from the elemental mana of Fire. Its simple mind is attracted to reflected surfaces as it thinks that another wisp is talking to it. Its natural instincts are to lure curious Adventurers down dangerous paths and into traps as it turns on and off its light. Normally, this mana creature will never attack someone outright, for its only protection is the small flame aura it has.Dungeon Advantage:Monster has a 10% to led Rank F Adventurer into a Trap. Each rank above F decreases this chance by one half. Example: Rank E = 5%, Rank D = 2.5%, Rank C = 1.25%. When not in combat, Wisps will float along the natural Mana pathways and refine them. This will increase your Summoning Circle Mana Generation and will add different types of Mana to the area. Additionally, if a Wisp is undisturbed near a wall. The stone will have a chance to be converted into mana gems.Mana Cost:2Summon Monster?YesNoName:Fire BeetleRank:FMonster Description:The Fire Beetle appears to be a Beetle four inches big with a dark red carapace and bright yellow wings. Its natural instinct is to create a small nesting ground near or in magma pools to help hatch it’s eggs. Should an Adventurer get close to it’s nest, one beetle will signal the rest and swarm the Adventurer. Unlike most fire creatures the beetle does not have a fire aura. Instead it sprays a ball of flame from its mouth the size of it’s body. When the beetle no longer has mana to fuel it’s flame, it will use its mandibles to bite into the intruder. Usually the mandibles have been heated from its fire attack, in which case it has a chance of catching flammable material on fire.Dungeon Advantage:Due to lack of flame aura, creature becomes capable of increasing the Summoning Circles Maximum Mana capacity when not in combat. Creature has a 1% chance when eating Adventurers to increase demon’s or dungeon’s experience.Mana Cost:3Summon Monster?WARNING! Creature requires Fire Lichen to Survive. You currently do not have any placed in your dungeon, nor the spell to create any. Do you wish to still Summon Monster?YesNoName:Tiny Fire SalamanderRank:F+Monster Description:The Fire Salamander appears to be a small salamander with bright red and orange spots. Currently, the Salamander is but a baby a mere five inches long. Its more advance offensive capabilities have yet to be developed. The salamander has a small flame aura, a tail slap, and burning bite. A fire salamander is part fire mana and animal. As such it can consume wild fire mana to stay alive, but will have no chance to grow bigger without real meat. Its natural instincts are to run and hide when facing Adventurers. If forced to fight, a swarm of them will try to climb into the Adventurers clothes and allow their fire aura and burning bite to kill the adventurer.Dungeon Advantage:Monster has the potential to grow into a Rank A monster and can be designated as a boss for the level. Additionally, it will attack intruding animals and mana monsters in defense of the dungeon. When not in combat, Salamander will eat loose stone and create natural pathways over the Magma pools or new tunnels.Mana Cost:5Summon Monster?YesNoName:Insignificant Magma ElementalRank:E+Monster Description:The Magma Elemental appears to be a small humanoid being with solid column for legs. With time, experience, and mana this creature can become a SSS Rank Boss. However, currently you can only summon one that is a foot tall. Elementals sense the world through mana, therefore any disturbance or significant concentration of mana will summon the Elemental to it. Should the source of mana prove to be hostile like an Adventurer they will fight until the death to try and remove the threat. Its natural instincts are to follow the natural mana currents of the dungeon, making them natural guards as they will wander halls and areas reviewing the currents. During a fight the Magma Elemental has several attacks. Its only range attack is to summon a magma ball and throw it at the Adventurer. Should it hit, lava will burst out of it causing severe burns and fire damage. After throwing one to three magma balls, the elemental will charge the strongest mana concentration of the group. The elemental will then start to punch, swing a bladed appendage, grapple, or spit lava at the individual until dead or distracted. During this barrage of combat the elemental will increase its fire aura and began doing fire damage to anyone within 2 feet.Dungeon Advantage:Monster has the potential to grow into a Rank SSS Boss monster and can be designated as a boss for the level. Additionally, it is the first worker for the dungeon. Being the first worker monster allows spells to be carried into the monster and set anywhere desired. Additionally, workers share mana with the Summoning circle increasing the Max Capacity and Mana Regeneration Rate at the same time. A worker unit may be called upon to help in any Dungeon Construction project. Lastly with the creation of your first worker, Dungeon Quests will be available.Mana Cost:15Summon Monster?YesNoName:Hell AnimalRank:Boss FMonster Description:A Hell Animal possesses the skeleton remains of an animal wrapped in green flames that can burn through even metal. Currently, you can only use animal skeletons that are no bigger than three feet. Should you research this Monster with your spell construct you may increase the size of the skeleton or the powers bestowed on it. The animal will follow its natural instincts, therefore it is better if a predator skeleton is used. Magical attacks already in the current monster matrix are Medium Flame Aura, Flame Attack, Cloak of Smoke, and Smoke Attack.Dungeon Advantage:Monster will count as Boss for a level, no more than one Hell Animal can be called per level unless a different type boss is ranked twice above what the hell animals are. Boss Hell animals increase fire damage of all creatures in its level. Dungeon Level will start producing Dark Mana.Mana Cost:50WARNING! Creature requires one animal bone to summon.WARNING! Insufficient Mana, summoning not possible.

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Alistair took one look at the list and started to salivate at the thought of a Hellcat as his dungeon boss. Of course, he didn’t even have animal bone and already he was thinking about adventurers being mauled to death by a Hell Bobcat or even a Hell Snake. Shaking his head, he looked at the other choices, but they all seemed so dull compared to the Hell Animal. Fire wisp and Fire beetle were just… boring, so he skipped reading those two and focused on the Elemental Worker and Salamander. Both had some great potential to grow and become powerful Mana Monsters, but without meat the Salamander would never grow. For a moment, he began to wonder how he could even get meat besides wayward Adventurers. Shrugging, at least the Magma Elemental would continue to grow and become more powerful. So it seemed like an obvious choice, Alistair hit the yes on the prompt for an Insignificant Magma Elemental. The Summoning Circle began to come alive as little flecks of light began to float up. “Wow, My Lord! You must be really good in combat I can’t wait to see you beat this elemental!”

Alistair’s grin stopped for a moment, he had completely forgotten the requirement to battle the creature. Still the construct was right. He had tons of combat experience in his previous life, how much of a difference could this combat be?

The answer came to Alistair when some of his mana was stripped from his aura to complete the summoning. The Summoning Circle began to shrink Alistair and the Forming Elemental so that the circle would become a gladiator pit. A Magma Elemental twice his size appeared in front of him. Immediately the air began to shimmer from the creature’s fire aura, and even though Alistair could feel his own aura try to absorb the heat, it was quickly overcome and his skin began to itch and sting.

The Magic of the Summoning Circle had temporary decreased both himself and the Elemental to fit in its bounds. Still there was almost no room to maneuver as a fist of molten rock swung its way towards Alistair. The now inch tall demon, ducked quickly, feeling the intense heat of the elementals arm swung overhead. Alistair realized that the only advantage he had over the elemental was that he was faster then it. With a shout Alistair raked his claws out feeling the tips scratch at the rock skin of the elemental. His strike had done nothing, as the elemental left hand transformed into a blade like weapon.

Alistair moved as quickly as his body allowed him to, the elemental used both arms to attack in a frenzy. This wasn’t a fight of fine sword play or contest of fists. This was Alistair doing his best to not get hit by a wild blow. Blow and swing came on after another from the elemental. Both Alistair and the elemental began moving about the circle. Alistair was trying his best to keep the elemental at bay. While the elemental was trying to use its considerable size to crush Alistair. Alistair recognize the next attack pattern that the elemental was going to use.

So as the elemental began thrusting forward with its bladed hand, while the right hand began its slower journey backwards for a haymaker. Alistair saw his chance and slowly shifted his body to the left. With all the power and precision that Alistair could make, he swung with all his might lodging his needle like claws in a glowing crack between the Elementals rock skin. A shudder immediately was felt through the elementals arm as Alistair pulled at his hand to try and dislodge his claws. Alistair looked up to see that the elemental had finally reset its swing and began the forward motion again. Alistair’s hand was stuck and even though he applied all his frantic energy to dislodge the claws, they wouldn’t budge. The fist swung forward and Alistair did his best to ready himself to dodge. However, instead the punch was aimed at the only stationary part of his body, his hand.

The force of the blow sent pieces of rock from the elementals skin flying. Alistair felt several bones in his wrist and hand shatter. Pain wrapped around his mind as this claws acted like a crowbar and pulled out a huge rock from the elementals arm. Lava began to burst forth, large superheated droplets hit the floor and struck Alistair about the chest and legs. Screaming in pain, Alistair instinct was to back away from the monster that was causing him so much pain. He felt the circle’s magic barrier spring up at his back when he neared its edge. Cradling his right hand Alistair looked. The Elemental was shrinking, apparently with the breaking of its magical rock skin had cause the lava core to lose some of its precious essence. The Rock skin was moving and reforming to stop the gap in its body, but it was taking time as the elemental kept dripping lava on the floor. Seeing the only opportunity to end the fight Alistair ran forward screaming in pain as every step sent lighting pain from his right hand through his mind. The elemental noticed Alistair’s charge and with a strange sort of indifferent attitude moved its wounded bladed arm and speared him in the chest.

Alistair momentum carried him further and further down the blade. Pain exploded in his chest as organs were pierce and cut. His battle cry became some kind of liquid bubbling and then the blackness came as the Elementals fist came down on his head.

Alistair floated on a sea of blackness. It was calm in a way, no pain or thoughts could intrude on his solitude. Slowly, he drifted deeper and deeper. Thoughts started coming back to him: his fight with the elemental; his service as a dungeon demon; his arrogance at thinking with no training on fighting with his new body he could fight an Elemental. For the first time in a long time he was deeply ashamed. He had died because of so many reasons. Why hadn’t he tried to dismiss the Mana Monster Summoning Aspect and tried the General Help Aspect as well? Why hadn’t he truly looked at this skills or asked the Spell construct what would happen once he summoned the monster?

Why hadn’t he realized that Alistair was no longer Thorian?

Alistair finally settled down from his drifting. His eyes opened and he was in a stone worked room on a bed. Getting up, he realized that he was once again human with simple clothes placed on his body. Jumping up and shouting in joy at the thought of being human once again showed him a room with four doors and what looked like a well in the middle of it. The second door on the left opened and a boy of eight came out of it. The boy had a mess of red hair, freckles were patterned all over his face and when he smiled several teeth were missing from his grin. The clothes he wore were simple fare often found on farmer peasants around the world. The child was even missing shoes and his feet was covered it black dirt. Laughing innocently, the boy spoke, “My Lord Alistair! I see your soul has found its way to your dungeon pocket dimension. That sure was a good fight! When your body reforms, do you think you want to try the elemental again?”