Aiden
Hector said he would check up on the delvers, but I refused, yet he said he was sure he wouldn’t be detected as he flew off. As I followed him in my aura, I could perceive him less and less until, finally, at the edge of the aura, he sat still on a tree, and I couldn’t detect him at all. Of course, I could still feel him through our bond, yet nothing came into view.
Soon, I heard his voice come through.
“Alright, they left. They should be far enough they won’t be able to detect me.”
Then, I was able to see him again as he flew back to my dungeon while telling me what he heard.
I could understand most except for the settlement crystal, curious I asked.
“Hey, Hector, what’s this settlement crystal, and why were they surprised to hear that?”
“A settlement crystal is one of the most difficult artifacts that can be made, with the highest percentages of use of dungeon cores than any artifact. It empowers buildings, residents, offsprings, and infrastructures within its scope. The effect and scope can be upgraded limitlessly as long as the number of residents and conditions are met. It is the cornerstone for any capital or large city.”
“A dungeon core?”
Hector frowns as I feel his concern.
“Remember when I said dungeon cores are destroyed for profit or conflict. Some dungeons have been destroyed in order to impact the possessing country's economy, but in most cases, they were destroyed when a dungeon was more trouble than its worth. A dungeon core is essential for creating any artifact, making it highly valuable.”
Aiden thought about the mana he had gained from them. As their emotions fluctuated, their souls expanded and produced emotion mana. As they used their skills, the mana they used was tinged with a minuscule amount of their soul mana, making it impossible to use again or control.
Dungeons can purify this mana so that it is usable again, meaning they are essential to this world.
“But aren’t dungeons necessary for purifying mana, ignoring the loot they produce?”
“Isn’t it the same on Earth, trees and the ocean are essential for the enviroment, yet they are deforested and polluted for profit.”
With that comparison, I immediately understood.
“Of course, they do it in much more moderation with stricter parameters. After all, centuries-old dungeons produce pieces of synthetic core shards as loot on higher floors just as effective, though destroying a young dungeon core is much simpler and safer.”
I don’t know what to think about it. I mean, my current race’s body used to make tools, but I don’t feel much since I identify as a human, at least now and for probably some time.
But why is Hector worried? I am and will probably be the most profitable dungeon, and from what I’ve observed, the Theocracy is crazy nuts about me. I doubt they will let me be destroyed, so I ask my question as he answers.
“There are more ways to disrupt than just physically. When dungeons absorb people and their souls, a fragment of their memories is absorbed, too. There have been cases of overloading dungeons with piles of bodies, making them mad, feeding them mad and broken people, or torturing people inside the dungeon, ultimately killing them for the dungeon to feed. Companions have a hard time dissuading a dungeon's instinct to devour, which leads to their downfall as a broken or mad dungeon is subjugated immediately. Even if you are different, people are creative and insidious, I cannot be sure I could protect you from them.”
The news was less than thrilling, and if the people here were similar to the people on Earth, his worries were not unfounded.
“Then let’s be careful. If something like that were to happen, I would still have you to hold on to, right?”
At that, I see him smile and feel his glee as he replies.
“Of course, always.”
----------------------------------------
While another part of my mind was engaged with Hector, the other was checking the floor. I restarted the time distortion, which was automatically canceled as soon as a delver was on the floor. Trying to gain more time until the delvers flooded my floor.
The delvers produced much more mana than expected, allowing me to level up. After all, my dungeon is entirely something, though. Unfortunately, that influx will probably die down as they get used to me.
It didn’t sit quite well with me as the delvers killed my floor bosses. Thankfully, they didn’t care, and some even enjoyed the fight. Still, I’m not thrilled with the prospect of them dying over and over again.
But perhaps that will change after all. I’m thinking by human standards when they are not. They are immortal so long as I live, and to them, death and respawning are natural, like it is for breathing for people.
While waiting for them to respawn and hear their thoughts on the experience, I checked up on Evangeline. When I mentioned to her that she could disclose some information about me (mostly because I don’t want to be called something else), her tone was unlike anything I’d heard before.
I was worried and went to see her as soon as the delvers left.
“Evie, what happened back then, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, father. No need to worry.”
Despite what she says, I can feel that it’s not.
“Okay, just know that I’m always here to listen. Love you.”
“Love you too, father.”
Then I spent some time checking the floor, and I noticed some resources the delvers had taken were forming by the mana slowly gathering in multiple places, I also felt any traces left on the dirt, and trees were slowly regenerating back to their original form.
It was pretty amazing to see just how quickly they moved. The way they breeze past, the skills they used, how their mana moved and intertwined creating something new, feeling a part of their emotions as I absorb their emotion mana. It was like watching a very advanced 4D movie or virtual reality.
The priest, or Nolan, was the first to discover the curse affecting them.
Curse and Blessing of Hunger
A unique curse and blessing intertwined made by the dungeon of desire
-Afflicted with the feeling of severe hunger, consuming food will prevent it by 10 minutes, and will have to eat again for the same effect (cannot be superimposed)
-Receiver will digest and absorb any consumable at maximum rate and absorption
-Receivers excess nutrition and energy will be converted to mana for use
They only noticed after some time since they were all wearing curse-nullifying charms but only semi-worked due to its blessing-curse nature and due to the fact the faux soul sun, being the source, was very subtly affecting them as they bathed in the light.
Nolan was quite impressed with how I intertwined a curse with a blessing, which was natural to me. He advised dispelling or putting barriers as doing so, he would have to dispel and prevent any blessings simultaneously. Also, the curse was not life-threatening, and it had benefits.
I was just about to absorb the bag Andrea left but stopped as I heard Hecotr’s story.
‘I highly doubt she would do something so inefficient from what I’ve observed. But, can’t be too careful.”
I manipulated mana to control the bag, emptying its contents and scanning them with mana. It mainly was resources, ores, monster parts, cloth, leather, plant materials, and some potions here and there. Using Extraction on everything one at a time as it was all done, I gained all of their schematics. Now, it is time to focus on and study the main event.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
The bag. It was a bag of holding, or inventory or storage, or whatever it’s called. The fact is, it is the most iconic item in many fantasy genres. I know I have one as an ability, but seeing it as an item is another, which also means I can study and replicate it.
As I try to use my Mana Sense to see how it works, Evangeline speaks to me with a hesitant voice, making me focus all my attention on her.
“Father, why… why do you allow them?”
“Excuse me, Evie, could you specify?”
“They were, are trying to use you! They are defiling this place father has built! Why allow them to do such!?”
I hear her anger and unwillingness as she feels great injustice has befallen her and me.
‘Is that how she sees it.’
“Evie, I told you why I built this place and what it entails. They are simply doing their jobs and what I wanted them to do.”
“But why!? They don’t appreciate anything father has done for them! Why tolerate their existence!? Why not get rid of them!?”
I feel her confusion, and I understand. This is her whole world, it is our whole world. Yet, I have memories of being a human, of another world so far away, making some of her thoughts unexpectable.
“Enough.”
“...”
“Evangeline, I understand your sorrow and reluctance. To you, these outsiders have invaded your world it is natural to be indignant.”
“Then father-”
“However, that doesn’t mean you can lash out as such. You cannot act or justify killing anything with such anger and unwillingness. You are allowed to feel as such but never to act upon it.”
“...”
“You should know nature gives and takes; it is unfair, and it is cruel. What makes you think I am above it, excluding me from this cycle? They take, but they give as I take from them as well. It is a symbiotic relationship. I planned and wanted it to be this way. There is no reason to feel like we have been taken advantage of.”
Confusion, indignation, sorrow, and fear. I can feel a part of them inside her as they come through our bond to me.
‘This is hard and sucks so much more than I thought it would.’
But I can’t back down.
“Is it because you love them?”
“What?”
“I felt it through our bond, how father looks at them, how he was delighted at their presence.”
I love people as much as I hate them, yet. When you see and experience the worst and best in them, I choose to love just a bit more.
“It is, but it is not all. Evangeline, I don’t want my children to kill well, kill as much as possible. But, I will never allow one to kill and hurt fueled by rage and hatred. I hope you will one day understand. I am very angry and upset about your behavior. We will not speak until both of our emotions are settled and you have thought about your words.”
After that, I focused all my attention on studying the bag of holding. After some time, I figured it out and then proceeded to use Extraction on it, giving me a clearer view.
Then I started working on an item I planned to give to every delver delving into my dungeon. Something that will allow access to the teleportation waypoint I planned and to keep track of. With the bag of holding giving me what I needed, I also planned to add an inventory function.
As I was working, Hector grabbed my attention, making a part of my mind engage with him.
“Didn’t think you could sound so cold.”
“Hmm, why not? You have my memories, you know how I acted in my youth.”
“Yeah, but that was…Nevermind, it’s just since you consider her as your daughter-”
“I’m doing it because she’s my daughter. If it were a stranger, I would ignore it. Too much work is needed for someone I don’t care. She’s my daughter, she’s my responsibility. I don’t know if pushing my human ideals and views is what is best for her. But I know that it is right for her. She may be a monster, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be a respectful person.”
Hector sighs as he tells me his thoughts.
“Look, I can tolerate you being the father and her being a daughter, as she knows and feels parental love. That just means she will protect you more. But, in the end, she and all your ‘children’ are weapons built to deal with The Abyss. Let’s say she does change, then what? A weapon does not need such values.”
“We will cross that bridge when we reach it. I’m sure there will be a way.”
“Risking your life and everyone else's in the process, is it worth it?”
I get what he’s saying. I know my purpose for being here, and I know the consequences of my failure, but I can raise these children to be nothing more than killing machines.
It all became too much. All the things I tried to ignore, to make better, came crashing down, and I cried out in frustration at my situation.
“Hector, I am doing my best!”
“Aiden.”
Hector was startled and surprised by my sudden outburst, but I was too overwhelmed, drowning in my emotions, to care or notice.
“I’m scared too, you know! That my best just won’t be enough, just like many times before! I know what you are trying to say, and I understand in my head. I know my purpose for being here, and I know that this is bigger than me.”
“...”
“I know that this isn’t logical! I know that I’m holding on to values that mean nothing in the lives of billions! I know what should be done! I know the sacrifices I have to make!”
“...”
“But…but I don’t want to… I can’t. I can’t let go of the values and views I worked so hard to attain. That is my entire life. I can’t abandon everything I have experienced on Earth. I can’t become a monster that will feel nothing while doing horrendous things.”
“...”
Thoughts about Earth and my time there came to me, and I was too weak to ignore and shove them out as usual. Soon, the memories and regrets that I had kept inside and locked up exploded within me.
“I’m dead, and I couldn’t say goodbye to my world, to my friends, to everyone who helped me, to my overachieving brother and sisters, or even to my shitty parents. I’m dead, and I’m supposed to save this world when I can’t even save myself. I’m dead, and I’m never going back. AAAAHHHHH! AHHHHH! AHHHH!”
All the emotions I kept locked and ignored burst forth, breaking me, my death, this situation, the lives depending on me, the lives I created. As I weep and wail and chock on non-existent tears and breaths.
“Haa…Haa…Haa…I’m not meant for this.”
“...”
“What…do…you…want me to do? Why does everything hurt so much? Why is being me so hard in this world? Why can I never be enough?”
I sobbed and wept as it became too much for me to handle and bear.
‘I just wanted to live.’
Hector comes to my core as he gently hugs it.
“I know. I know that this is hard on you. That you aren’t ready to say goodbye to Earth.”
“...”
“But, I know you are enough that you have always been enough and will be. And even if this world says otherwise, you will always be enough for me.”
I wish those words could make me truly believe them, but no matter what they say, I could never think like that. Not on Earth and not here, especially because Hector-
“You are only saying that because you were made for me. Your entire personality, body, voice, attitude, views, values, and everything making you. They were made to be in my favor. Hector, I don’t know how to feel about you.”
Then Hector grabs my core with a serious face and with an unquestionable voice.
“Listen to me, Aiden! You may have influenced me, but you certainly did not choose how I was to be made. I chose to be this, I chose this body, I chose to be made in your favor. I am my own individual who has decided that he wants to help you. These feelings that I feel for you are real and true. Don’t you ever deny that.”
“But, you are made-”
“Aiden! Ignoring the bond, there is no reason for me to be this. Nothing is forcing me to feel all these feelings, to care about you this much, to want to see you happy except for my own will. Why can’t you expect that? Are all the things you said to be before I changed a lie?”
I thought about what I asked of him before I gave him his name. Of the talks we had tunneling to the surface, I didn’t lie they were true at that time, but-
“You were the only thing keeping me sane, the beacon to look at, allowing me to ignore everything that was happening, everything I didn’t want to acknowledge. I didn’t want to lose you.”
His silver eyes were fixed on me, staring at my core with eyes that shone and were filled with emotions and life. Eyes that I can’t help but like, but whether because of my preference or the life Hector brings to them, I cannot say for sure.
“Aiden, I like you. Not because we are bonded, or our lives are connected, or because I was made to be your companion. I like you because you talked to me, you listened to me, and you cared for me even before the change. And after that, it allowed me to feel that I truly like you because of who you are. Look, you are the first person I have met, and while not directly, I have experienced countless people in Aetheria and on Earth through The System and you. I’m real, and so is what I feel.”
I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to do.
----------------------------------------
How much time has passed? I zoned out as my raging mind calmed, and things didn’t seem so hectic anymore.
Feeling I was okay, Hector then smiled as he flouted away from my core and out of my core room, talking through our bond.
“Look, I’m going to talk to your daughter since you are clearly worried, and while at it, try to get what I said through your idiot brain.”
“...Yeah.”
“You better do it right. Because if it doesn’t settle in your mind, I’m going to remind you of every time you waved to someone not saying hi to you and when you answered a question not directed toward you.”
Just mentioning it reminded me of a few things, and I tried to think about something else, but it failed because the memory stuck to me, bringing it with embarrassment and shame.
“What NOOO! You made me remember.”
“Haha!”
As I hear Hector's joyful laugh, I laugh and say something I truly feel.
“Haha! Hector, thank you.”
“No problem.”