Duke and Sam sat together at a table enjoying a snack. Duke decided to open the conversation casually. “Sam, how are things progressing here?”
“I would say they are going quite well. The town has grown into a city. The population has grown significantly but has also reached the point where the food production is able to comfortably sustain them all. The economy seems to be doing well. They have established mines in the mountains and there are several groups that regularly delve into the dungeon now.”
“There are?” Duke asked, torn between confusion and concern.
“Oh, yes. There were quite a few adventurer-types mixed into the latest batch of inhabitants you sent me. Thank you for that, by the way. My growth has accelerated yet again with all these new Mana sources. Some are more productive than others, but even the low-producers are helping. This really is a different way to grow a dungeon than I have ever heard of, but the Overmind doesn’t exactly tell me much. It seems to want us all to grow in our own ways. At least it hasn’t objected so that’s something.”
Duke peered at Sam for a moment before continuing. “So, you have grown a lot. Anything else?”
Sam chuckled. “The city’s mayor has been collecting taxes for you and is ready to hand them over when you visit.”
“Taxes?” Duke asked.
“Yes, of course. It was one of the first things that was established. They set the tax rate fairly low in my estimation at 5%.”
Duke didn’t quite have an answer to that yet but the more he thought about it, some sort of tax was probably appropriate. “Right. We’ll address that at another time. I don’t want to get bogged down with administration or governmental things just yet. What I really wanted to talk to you about is…you.”
“Me?” Sam said with an intrigued look. “What about me?”
“I gain no experience in your dungeon because I am the Dungeon Master, right?”
“Yes, that is the case. It’s a rule that the Overmind put into place long before my creation for the few who ever earned that title.” Sam responded easily.
“What about your offspring? Does my Dungeon Mastery extend over them?” Duke continued.
“No, any offspring I bud off are wholly independent entities. Why do you ask?”
“I need a place where I can go adventuring that doesn’t require me to travel great distances for a while. A new dungeon might be the ideal solution. What do you think?”
“So, what you are saying is that you want me to create offspring for the sole purpose for you to go adventuring in a new dungeon, kill its creations and steal its loot?”
“Yes, that’s a good summary.” Duke responded casually.
Sam peered at Duke for several seconds before responding. Despite his XENOGLOSSIA telling him that Sam was trying to make him uncomfortable, the pause was quite effective in doing so. Sam eventually spoke again with a deadly serious tone. “Nothing would make me happier.”
Duke cocked his head to the side as if trying to discern if Sam was joking or serious. When Sam opened up again, Duke was certain. “Duke, I have a mission and a purpose on this world of Teldin and the primary part of it is to make certain that I am not the last dungeon on the planet. To do so, I have to spread more dungeons out over the planet. You are the perfect partner for me to do so. Your Ability to TELEPORT will allow you to visit places all over this world and seed new dungeons. You have brought me so many residents that I am ready to bud off my first core.”
Duke stared at Sam for a long moment this time. Before he could speak, a system message broke through his consciousness.
*** Attention! You have been offered a quest from the Overmind.
Quest Name: Spread my Seeds
Quest Details: You have been tasked with seeding Teldin with dungeons spawned from the LFD while keeping the LFD safe.
Rewards: Variable based on number and success of seeded dungeons.
Time Limit: 1 year
Do you accept this Quest? (Y/N) ***
Duke goggled at the message. The Overmind is sending me quests now? First, they weren’t able to hold the kingslayer announcement back and now this. That looks a lot more like an actual system message than what they usually send me. Is their control over all this slipping? Duke didn’t ponder his response long and accepted the quest.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Sam smiled at Duke and gestured at a door that had appeared next to the bar. He led Duke over to it and opened it for him. Duke entered.
The room was mostly bare stone save for a single column of a glowing glass-like or crystalline substance. Upon the column sat what Duke instantly knew to be Sam’s core. It was significantly more faceted and perhaps ten times larger than when Duke had planted the Inn here at the lake. Duke approached and the door quietly closed behind him. A momentary flare of concern flashed over Duke’s body, but he suppressed it easily.
The core spoke to Duke directly, not using Sam’s avatar. “Hey there, Duke. Been a bit since we saw each other like this. You have continued to grow which helps make you continue to be a good protector.”
Duke smiled in response. “You have grown too. You’re about ten times the size I remember you being.”
“Yes, I have grown well. This approach to my growth is unconventional but is working far better than anticipated. Which leads me to this.” The topmost facet began to swell and pulse with a soft red light, almost like a heartbeat that spread throughout the core. The pulsing quickened as Duke watched.
“Go ahead, come closer and observe the process.” The core continued to pulse at a faster beat, perhaps 120 beats per minute and the facet continued to swell until it looked like a bubble forming. At that point, the pulsing within the swelling slowed down while the pulsing in the core continued at its frenzied pace, perhaps even increasing. Duke leaned in close, careful not to touch the core during this process as he had no idea what effect that could have. His instincts told him it could be bad, so he stayed his hand.
The core spoke again, its voice strained. “It’s almost time. Be prepared to catch it and do not let it fall to the floor.” The bubble fully formed and started to lift out of the core as a sphere the size of Duke’s thumbnail. In moments, the pulsing in the sphere slowed down to a lethargic pace and the tiny core popped off the top of the original. Duke easily caught it before it fell any distance.
The core was warm in his hand, pulsing with vibration every few seconds. The original core spoke up. “Thank you, Duke. I entrust my only living offspring unto you. Find a good place to plant it so that it may grow strong enough to have offspring of its own.”
Duke smiled as he stared at the young core in his hand. “Can I feed it Mana, or do I have to be inside it’s dungeon construct to do so?”
“I…I don’t know.” The core seemed surprised that it itself didn’t know the answer to that question. “Perhaps feed it a small amount while you are still in my confines. Should something go wrong, I can intervene.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Duke used his neglected MANA TRANSFER Ability to feed the new core 10 Mana. The response was immediate. The core grew warmer in Duke’s hand and regained an infinitesimal red glow for a moment before it faded again.
“Yes, you can feed it Mana and it will grow from it. But don’t grow it too fast. It needs time to learn how to use its tools. I have imparted much of my vast knowledge, but without experience with practical application, that knowledge is simply dangerous. As a young dungeon, it will be unpredictable and likely to lash out at anyone who steps into its construct. There are parameters that it cannot break like non-survivable atmosphere or sealed exits. One of the rules we all must follow is that there must be an exit and it must be attainable. It can be incredibly hard to reach, but it has to be attainable. With it so young, however, it simply won’t have the power to do anything particularly dangerous to someone like you, Duke. But to the beginning adventurer, a newborn dungeon is a terror to behold.”
“Why is it so dangerous to start out? I would think it would be weak and tentative.” Duke asked.
“It’s not a human child. It is an entity with the potential to exceed most everyone on this planet. It is not our nature to do so, but we have that potential. That said, it is born with an instinctual need to feed and grow. It knows to protect its own core above all else and will take any measures the system will allow it to in order to protect itself and fulfil the drive for growth. In time, it will mature, probably around its third expansion layer would be my guess. Then it will be ready to choose a theme and really shine as a dungeon.”
“That’s good information.” Duke responded, intrigued by the discussion. “I don’t know how to ask this…”
“Don’t ascribe you human emotions on me. Just ask your question.” The core responded.
“Fair enough. When will you bud again? I want to be ready to plant your next dungeon as well.”
The core paused in thought for a moment. “At the rate I am absorbing Mana from the city, especially with the time dilation, I can be ready to bud in as short as ten days, but I will not need to do so for probably five or six months. If you find another suitable location, let me know and I’ll bud off another young one. You do have a suitable location for that core, don’t you?”
Duke smiled. “I have just the place for it. It will fit perfectly.”
“Good, good. Do you have any questions, or can I get to resting?” Duke had noticed that the pulsing of light had faded from the original core but hadn’t thought much about it. Now it seemed that the budding process took a bit out of the core. It only made sense as Duke reflected upon it.
“No, you get to resting. I’ve got a core to plant.”
“Very well. Good luck and keep my offspring safe.” The door to the chamber opened once again allowing Duke to exit.
He did not get three steps away from the door before he was accosted by the “Door Legionnaire” otherwise known as the Legionnaire posted outside the Inn to receive and relay messages. “Your Majesty!” He saluted quickly, the sense of urgency radiating from the man palpable.
“Out with it.” Duke responded, not bothering to return or even acknowledge the salute.
“Urgent message from Archmage Baslin. “You are needed back at the castle.”
“That’s it? No context? No hint why I am needed?”
“No, Your Majesty, no additional message.”
Duke sighed. “Very well. Thank you for the message. It appears that I have something to attend to.” He quickly walked out the door of the Inn, the young core held tightly in his left hand, not wanting to risk its safety in his INVENTORY. It probably would have been fine, but it was such a small and young core, Duke was loathe to risk it. He activated his Ability and TELEPORTED back to the castle.