Chapter 42: Storm’s a Brewin’

What started as a soft rainy drizzle quickly turned into a full bluster of howling winds and a torrential downpour. Darkness overtook the surface of my Dungeon as the storm rolled in. I couldn’t see the lightning always, but I could feel it when the thunder shook the fibers of my ‘being.’

Bonny had returned with more groceries, looking like a frumpy bag of wet rags adorned with a conical hat. It was good to know this witch wouldn’t melt in the rain. So I had my Minions collect some of the rainwater, then boil it over the hearth to get a hot bath going.

While I also would have liked to surprise Bonny with a nice hot meal upon her return, I wasn’t sure when she was going to return. I also had to admit that my cooking skills in this world were a bit lacking, much to my disappointment. I couldn’t exactly whip up a meal in no time anymore, even if I could whip up a tree or a gramophone. Directly being able to control liquids eluded my grasp, I couldn’t physically stir ladles over the Pyreplace, and temperature wasn’t something I was willing to experiment with yet (a cup of nice hot tree sounded like a terrible idea). On top of all that, there were no meals listed in my Crafting recipes.

This felt like a personal failing on my part as an elderly woman. You really should have put me out of my misery, stewardess. What good am I for, if not fresh baked cookies?

Instead, I put Jimbo-no and Spinemess up to the task. Jimbo-no swore up and down that he had experience working in a ship's galley. Which meant I didn’t trust him to not set cereal on fire with just milk. While one could always use a few extra hands in the kitchen, Spinemess was there for supervision. Since there was no real oven in the house, they cooked over the hearth and used the Neverwatch Pot.

Jellybee continued to help me in the basement. It was truly incredible how much of a difference a few Skill levels could make in this world. While Spinemess’s new Dual Wielding Skill could carve out rock in seconds, they couldn’t do that forever. There was something called a ‘cooldown’ timer on some Skills. Which meant Jellybee was more efficient at digging away over a longer period of time, while Spinemess was best utilized in short bursts to get through stubborn sections.

After Bonny changed into dry attire, she met Jellybee and I downstairs in the new sub-level, which was now labeled B2 by my Dungeon map screen. The other floors were there too. B1 was the cellar and the main ground floor level was labeled 1F, with another label over the living room calling it the ‘Core Room.’ There was also a 2F–which was presumably the small part of the house that contained Bonny’s bedroom–but the map seemed a little hazy on details for that floor.

Here we had carved out a temporary round room in preparation for summoning a new Minion. Truth be told, it had felt more like a holding cell than a testing lab. I really, really did not want to live up to my calling as a ‘Dungeon,’ so I wanted to furnish the place, but I also wasn’t sure what to do with this level yet. I settled on Sweeping away the dirt ground and Gardencrafting every inch of the floor with wooden planks.

What could I say? I was getting damn good at that one thing. And wood, unlike stone tiles or cement, always looks nice and cozy. Only one more level until 10. Maybe something snazzy would happen to my Skill then.

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The cellar had been originally hidden away by the previous owner, so I wasn’t too keen on making this floor a public access area. A part of me wanted to relocate everything from B1 to B2, then seal it off, just to respect their wishes. On the other hand, the previous owner was gone and my Core instincts were urging me to move my Core Room down here to play it safe. Those same instincts were also urging me to dig deeper and deeper to seek out monsters to fight or recruit.

What a great idea!

Not.

I swear. Sometimes my Core instincts were slicker than owl shit. They kept wanting me to get into trouble.

I figured it would be best if I left it up to Bonny to decide.

Which would also have to wait for another day.

The poor thing looked exhausted, tired, and hungry. She had clearly walked all around town, then hauled grocery supplies halfway up the mountain. Twice. All off only a bowl of oats for breakfast. She already didn’t have enough meat on her bones, yet she was hiking around the countryside to make ends meet.

“Are you sure you want to do this tonight?” I asked. “You can get some rest, then we can summon all manner of dangerous monsters first thing in the morning.”

Bonny shook her head. “Can’t. I’ve got other errands to run. I’m fine. Let’s just be quick about it.”

Dear, you look like death warmed over. While I don’t know much about wrangling monsters, I know that it won’t be a quick process. Jimbo-no and Spinemess will be done cooking up some grub soon. And I’d hate for your meal to get cold. Why don’t you take a break and see how you feel after dinner?”

Jellybee had been working away across the room with a lantern at his side. He paused his work to look the mistress up and down, eyes aflame with green. “You look deader than I am,” he observed, then went back to trying to dislodge a stuck boulder.

I gave him a helping hand by Mana Sweeping away the edges. There was only so much pure bone could do without muscle on top. It was a shame we didn’t have any TNT on hand for moments like these.

Bonny frowned. “That’s not a real word.” she remarked. Then a look of realization crossed her face. The temptation won out and she conceded. “Okay. If Jellybee is being the voice of reason then I must be in the wrong. I’m just worried about … I don't know. Everything. I guess. And the sooner we know what you and your Minions are capable of, the safer I’ll feel.”

I nodded. “I understand. You're safe here. Get some rest."

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Absolutely."

With a final heave, the boulder Jellybee was working on finally dislodged and he fell flat on his tail end. He rubbed at the back of his pelvis bone and whimpered.

"Oh no! Are you okay, Jellybee?" Bonny asked. She held out a hand and helped him up.

"Nope," he said cheerfully. "I'm never okay!"

Bonny gave him a sympathetic smile.

“You too, Jellybee," I said. "Don’t think I didn’t notice you getting all tuckered out either. And it's not just because the Gramophone ran out of juice today. Ever since the pressure dropped you’ve all been moving more sluggishly."

He saluted.

Before the boy and the witch left, she turned to me. "Promise me you won't summon any monsters during the night, Ethel."

"Promise. Monsters can wait until the morning.”

Besides, I needed the quiet too.

I needed to listen.

It started shortly after we started on the new floor. At first I thought it was nothing. Just the approaching storm in the distance, but after Jellybee dislodged the boulder the noise grew ever slightly more clear to me.

Where was that coming from?

I focused all my attention.

It was subtle. So quiet I could hardly hear it. Emanating from deep, deep within the earth. Distinct from the rain and thunder.

A faint rhythm.

Like a tune set to its own beat.