Clare had been confused, at first, about what was her body and what was, as she’d named it, her territory.
Her body was her core and aura, plain and simple. Well, if a tangle of roots/net/feathers made of power/will/existence growing from a magical rock could be simple. But a simple enough concept.
Her territory was the stone and water. A few bugs and smaller lifeforms as well.
It wasn’t her body, exactly, but it belonged to her in an intimate way she couldn’t describe. And she had power, too, filtering in from the system still connected to Kepler.
Kepler himself was strangely silent, which she was glad of.
Experimenting with the power—MP was a better name, actually, if they were sticking with the litRPG theme—she found she could manipulate anything within her territory. Shape was the most intuitive. She made a few of the water caverns into hearts and stars and curlicues, but soon found herself limited: she could shape matter, but not remove it. The amount of matter in her territory was fixed. Normally it wouldn't have bothered her, but the ratio of water to stone limited—
That was it.
She was a dungeon, wasn’t she?
With a flick of her aura, she changed a chunk of stone to water, then back. The aura near her core dimpled happily. Her MP was running low, but she was beginning to figure this dungeon thing out.
[Your status sheet is finished.]
My status sheet? Like the system?
Kepler harrumphed. [Better, obviously. I individualized it because I am, objectively and morally speaking, entirely superior.]
Clare hid her laughter as a sudden cough, before remembering she didn’t have lungs.
[You’re only laughing because you’re ignorant. Primitive being.] He ignored her cracking up, instead displaying the status sheet:
--
Status-
Name: Clare Hatt
Species: Sapient Dungeon
Age: 11 hours, 15 minutes
Modifiers: The Kepler Effect, Mythic Connection
* The Kepler Effect: A gorgeous and intelligent symbiote has been installed in your soul. Health x 1.15. MP capacity x 2. MP ration x 3. All XP gains x 1.05. Fierce protection against anything soul-related, this modifier is invaluable.
* Mythic Connection: Your connection to the other side remains, albeit altered. Draw on the power of the human sub-mind through stories. Servants inspired by myths are x 1.1 easier to create and have access to unique abilities.
Level: 1
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Health: 115%
MP (Magic Points): 42/200
MP Ration: 30/1 day
XP (Experience Points): 0/10
* XP (Experience Points) is awarded when soul-strengthening activities are completed. This is done by exerting your will against something. In our case, the quickest way to do this is by killing or challenging delvers.
SP (Sycophant Points): 0
* SP is awarded for the completion of quests given by the system. It can be used in the ‘system store’ which sells skills and designs.
Skills: 2
* Reshape Matter: Shape matter in your territory as you wish. Costs 8 MP.
* Restructure Matter: Change the structure of matter in your territory to whatever design you wish. Costs 16 MP.
Designs: 7
* Granite
* Travertine Limestone
* Iron Ore
* Water
* Novaculite
* Mercury
* Salt
Servants: 0
* Servants are creatures spawned by and bound to the dungeon. Subservient to the dungeon, they can be respawned indefinitely as long as it remains.
* Kepler is not a servant. Kepler will be helping create servants. Do not mistake Kepler for a servant.
Quests: 1
* Create a Servant:
* Servants are technically an extension of the dungeon’s soul, therefore, any conflict of will from a servant can contribute XP. Due to the ‘Principle of Conflict,’ servants and traps are a dungeon’s main way of earning XP. Discover the method for creating servants and put yourself on the path to success!
* Hint: Servants are a combination of living matter and recycled soul matter. If a living body and soul frame are constructed, the system will create a conduit for soul matter from the rift.
* Rewards: 15 SP, 7.35 XP
--
Clare studied the status sheet in silence, feeling a phantom furrow in her non-existent eyebrows. Eventually, she pulled back from it, humming thoughtfully.
What’s the ‘Principle of Conflict’?
[A system rule for dungeons. ‘A dungeon cannot directly affect a delver through matter manipulation.’]
Clare thought for a moment. Because if we could just smoosh the delvers with our walls, they’d have no chance of surviving?
[Or take away their air. Or set them on fire. Any number of things we could do, really, if we control all matter surrounding them.]
Hm. Right, if it’s that one-sided, there’s no ‘conflict.’
[And with no conflict of wills, no growth of souls either.]
Which means no leveling, no greater investment of power—the whole point of dungeons.
[A good rule.] His tail wagging was back, [It’s more fun this way, anyway.]
Clare dimpled her aura in a smile. Agreed.
She turned back to the status sheet, giving it another once over.
Hey, Kepler…
[Yes?]
Her aura quivered, as she tried to keep a straight face.
Are you sure you’re not a servant? You sound an awful lot—
He yelped in outrage. [I’m not!]
Are you sure—
[I’m positive!]
I dunno, Kepler, you’re always calling me ‘Miss Hatt’ and—
[Clare!] Kepler howled, [Don’t tease me!]