When the light faded, Antchaser found himself not in a forest, as he had expected, but in a… waiting room?

He paused, his eyes narrowing. This was new. It had been a few days since anyone other than Weaver had been through the gates, and at the time, this entire area was still under rough construction. The Dungeon Core had refused to show anyone the complete blueprints for the Dragon’s Garden. He wanted it to ‘be a surprise,’ in his words.

Why it had to be a surprise — for them at least — when the entire thing was nothing more than a stage for them to sell their story on, Antchaser didn’t know. Boarslayer had simply shrugged, uncaring, while Dr. Maria had told him to ‘trust the madness. Whatever the hell that meant.

What had once been a rough outline of a small building was now a rather well-furnished, if somewhat strange, room. The room itself was large enough to comfortably accommodate ten people of average build. However, if more than a few of them were Boarslayer’s size, things might get a bit crowded.

Four ant-leather canapé were scattered around the room, surrounding several polished, deepwood tables. The floor appeared to be one solid chunk of taijitu marble, the intricate swirling black and white patterns lending an air of refined elegance to the room and giving the Spirit Energy in the room a fairly gentle and calm feeling.

There was even a tall jade pot with a [Silver Spirit]-rank bonsai of some sort in one corner, several large, bright peaches hanging heavy from its branches.

Overall, the entire room felt more like something one would see in a noble manor rather than a dungeon. Yet, there was something… familiar about it, as well. Maybe it was the way the room was laid out or some of the decor’s design, but Antchaser could feel Weaver’s touch in the room.

Despite that, there was also a definite air of… age to the room. The furniture felt slightly worn, while the floor bore minor scars from previous occupants. Even the gameboard on one table — chess, as Alpha called it — showed signs of pieces having been replaced, and countless games played atop its surface.

Garrelt, who was the first through the entryway, was already lounging on one of the canapés. On the table in front of him, a single peach lay neatly divided into four, its pit resting on a small square of cloth. One portion was already missing.

As Antchaser walked further into the room, Garrelt waved him over.

The goblin nodded and approached the table, sitting opposite the man.

Maggy stepped through the glowing entryway a few moments later, stumbling through with her half-staff raised as if to brain the first unlucky soul in reach. The other hand held a swirling ball of fire at the ready.

Instead of the bloodthirsty hordes she had apparently expected, a grinning Garrelt greeted her from the canapé, one arm slung around the back and a boot propped up on the table.

Maggy visibly deflated, her spell dissipating into stray mana. Antchaser could practically see the questions floating around her head but chose not to say anything. He remembered how nervous he had been the first time he’d also stepped foot in a dungeon. That this was only the second ‘dungeon’ the goblin had ever visited was beside the point.

However, it didn’t take long for the woman to adjust, and soon, she was wandering around the room, examining the various unusual artifacts. Antchaser recognized several devices from his time in Alpha’s true dungeon and the Lab, but their uses eluded him. Many of the goblins who had run Alpha’s dungeon assumed they were relics from whatever civilization the Dungeon Core’s creator had belonged to.

She seemed particularly interested in what was attached to the far wall.

At a glance, it seemed to be a window with a dark stone tunnel behind it. From time to time, a colossal ant would stroll by, transporting something or another. The lifelike image seemed so real that one could mistake it for an actual window — until they noticed the ‘window’ wasn’t attached to the wall but floated several inches away from it.

The ‘monitor’ was one artifact Antchaser had struggled to adapt to the greatest. There was something… offputting about seeming images and texts scrolling across a flat plane, only for them to vanish into nothingness past the edge.

Finally, Robert appeared from the entranceway, taking in the room at a glance.

Garrelt waved at him. “Room’s clean. No traps that I can see. Other than the obvious one, of course,” the scout leader said, motioning to the bonsai.

Antchaser turned and looked.

On a sign pinned to the wall beside the tree were the words ‘For Good Luck. Take One.’

Above that, hanging from the wall, was what Antchaser knew was the barrel of a rather powerful laser turret. The goblin had seen what such a weapon could do from the few used to defend the Dragon’s Garden walls during its construction.

To have one so casually pointed into such a small room, with little room for escape, sent an icy chill down Antchaser’s spine. He doubted Alpha would kill one of the Adventurers, given their importance to their plan. But for sure, some greedy future trail-taker wouldn’t be so observant — or wary — as Garrelt, and not recognize the danger for what it was.

Garrelt then motioned to the quartered peach on the table. “Everbloom Stone Peach. A minor treasure with slight regenerative properties. Good for the body and gives a small boost of energy.”

Antchaser turned his attention back to the quartered peach, then reached for a slice after a moment’s hesitation.

It practically melted in his mouth, being far juicer than something called a ‘Stone Peach’ had any right to be. The flavor was rather mild — sweet with a slightly spicy aftertaste — and as he swallowed, a small wave of energy rushed through his body, easing aches he hadn’t been aware of and giving him a slight jolt, as if he was just waking from an afternoon nap.

Where had Alpha found such a thing? Antchaser wasn’t aware of any such fruit in the cavern. Had it been collected from another? He didn’t know. Ever since Alpha had arrived, Antchaser’s days had been filled with management duties. He’d not been out hunting in weeks.

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More than that, how had he grown something like this so quickly?

Antchaser knew Alpha had time manipulation capabilities, but this… this was on a whole other level. How deep did the Dungeon Core’s power truly run?

Maggy and Robert also picked up their share and savored the treasure in their own way: Maggy with an ear-to-ear grin and soft cooing sounds, and Robert with a stalwart, thoughtful expression that surprised Antchaser for some reason.

When they had sat at the table, Robert turned to Antchaser. “The dungeon’s generosity at this early stage is quite a surprise. Was it the same when your people first found it?” he asked.

Antchaser blinked… then thought on his feet, “Ah! Yes, sir. I didn’t want to spoil the surprise. It’s just a small gift. Some of our hunters believe it is the dungeon’s way of luring trial-takers deeper in. The first crumb in the trail, if you were.”

Garrelt folded his arms and nodded. “Makes sense. It’s a common enough tactic, though not always quite as obvious as this one.” He picked up his own slice and threw it into his mouth, continuing, “When I said ‘minor,’ I meant it, too. These might be quite the treat to someone in the lower Body stages, but they’re nothing amazing in the end. Like Antchaser said, they’re just the first crumb along the trail. Something to whet the palate.”

Garrelt then tapped the seed, “That said, a wild, Deep-variety like this should fetch quite a bit more than whatever the Guild has growing on their farms.”

Robert nodded and reached for the seed. With a wave of his hand, it vanished, likely into some storage item.

“That’s good to know. I’ll keep this safe for now,” he said, turning to Antchaser. “With that out of the way, what next?” he asked.

Before the goblin to could respond, a new voice spoke.

“Good afternoon, soldiers!”

All four sets of eyes snapped to the monitor.

It no longer displayed a dark tunnel. Instead, it now showed a war-torn hellscape, hundreds of scorched craters lining a blacked field that stretched for as far as the eye could see, broken only by trenches lined with thorn-covered metal vines and wooden barricades. Antchaser instantly recognized the land as one of the training scenarios from Alpha’s real dungeon. As they watched, something far in the distance exploded, sending up a massive cloud of dust accompanied by a fireball.

Antchaser’s eyes glassed over, and his mind was filled with high-pitched whistling sounds as destruction fell from the sky. They were getting closer with each strike. One of his teammates tried to make a break for the next checkpoint, only to be mowed down as soon as they rose from behind the cover of the foxhole wall. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking, making keeping hold of his rifle difficult. So did the blood covering it, though if it was his own or someone else’s, he couldn’t remember. The whistling death approached closer in a wall of fire and dust. From within, Antchaser could see two glowing orbs staring into his soul, as if the approaching death were a beast rushing to claim him.

Then, suddenly, it all vanished.

The foxhole transformed into the underside of the table, and Maggy’s own warm orange eyes replaced the burning eyes of the Beast in the Flame and Dust. She stared under the table at him, obvious worry in her gaze.

Antchaser’s bark-colored skin flushed, and he crawled out from under the table, retaking his seat.

Robert frowned at the goblin, but Garrelt gave Antchaser a knowing look. Antchaser looked to the side. “Sorry about that…” he muttered into his hand.

Before things could get any more awkward, the voice from the monitor spoke again.

“Welcome to the Dragon’s Garden! As new recruits, I’m here to lie down some ground rules, so shape up and pay attention, ya maggots!’ The speaker walked into view. They were not a human, however. Or any sapient race those present were aware of.

Instead, the creature that appeared was a… drawing? Or rather, the animated drawing of a bipedal ant wearing a bowl-shaped moss-colored helmet. Several shiny medals and other insignia were pinned to its carapace.

It marched on screen and turned to face them with a frown, one pair of legs behind its back. How Antchaser could tell an ant was frowning at him, he didn’t know, but that was the distinct impression he got from the moving drawing.

Again, it spoke. “You’re about to walk into a war zone, soldier! Those bloody slimes are at it again, working to undo all of our hard work! It’s your duty to get in there and set things right. If we don’t stop them, they’ll devour the garden, then spill out into the capital like an unstoppable wave of destruction. Your first mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make your way through the garden and investigate the source of the infestation.”

Robert stood and approached the screen. “Are you the Dungeon Core, good sir? We heard of your distress and have come to assist,” he said with his brightest smile.

Despite that, the moving drawing continued to speak, ignoring the man.

“Don’t let your guard down, however. You’re not the first of the Queen’s forces sent to investigate, though we’ve not heard anything back from them. Who knows what happened to them, so be wary and keep your eyes out. If you find anything, bring back proof, and you will be handsomely rewarded.”

Robert’s eye twitched while Garrelt laughed. “I think it’s ignoring you!” the scout leader said.

“Strange. Are we already too late? Has it gone insane?” Robert asked. He really didn’t want to have to destroy the Core. A dead dungeon wasn’t worthless, but it was nowhere near the value of a working one.

Unheeding, the strange creature on the screen continued.

“Lastly, the Queen has given any intrepid treasure seekers the rights to rewards they may find inside the garden walls. Want more? Get out there and complete more missions, you maggots! This has been Sergent Alphantonso, signing off! Good luck, recruits, and Godspeed!”

“OH! I know what this is!” Maggy suddenly called out. The rest of the group turned and stared at her.

She grinned and pushed her glasses up her nose. “I’ve seen something similar in a few of the Old Ruins. The creature we’re seeing isn’t actually there. It’s just a…” she waved her hand in the air, as if searching for the right words, “… moving record. An image that someone added their voice to and animated. It can’t respond, as it’s just a recording.”

Garrelt raised a brow. “Like a memory crystal?” he asked.

Maggy nodded. “Yes, though more… limited in some ways. As I said, they’re fairly common in the Old Ruins. Not that anyone can figure out how they work.” She responded.

“Fascinating…” came Robert’s response. “Does that mean this dungeon holds ties to the Old Ruins?”

Maggy shrugged. “Maybe? None of the architecture matches so far, but it’s possible. It might just be an imitation, as well. It comes and goes in waves, but there was a time it was rather fashionable to mimic Old Ruin designs and methods.”

“Was it the same for you?” Robert asked Antchaser. The goblin only nodded, not trusting himself to speak at the moment.

When Robert turned around, the scene on the screen had changed.

This time, there was no battlefield. Instead, a ball of static floated in a featureless black void.

A new voice spoke, this one Antchaser recognized as Alpha’s own. As it did, the floating ball pulsed and squirmed in sync with it.

“Antchaser. If you’re seeing this recording, then you did as I asked and got help. Good. Unfortunately, things have deteriorated, and I don’t have time to speak directly. Make your way through the dungeon to the first rest checkpoint, and I’ll have further instructions for you. Don’t dawdle. Time is of the essence.”

The screen flashed black, and the displayed image was replaced with a corkboard with two large posters pinned to it.

——————

—✦—

Primary Mission - Investigate the sources of the infestation.

—✦—

—

—✦—

Sidequest - Investigate what happened to the prior scout teams.

—✦—

——————

The screen then floated to the side as a section of the wall opened up, revealing a hallway and another door.

Robert stared down the hallway for a long moment with a frown, then looked at the screen before turning back to his team.

“Well, folks, you heard the Core. We have a mission to complete, so let’s get moving!”