Ratling Queen, deep in the Tunnels under Uno dungeon

“Gather up, children, gather up!” She intoned to the newest litter, their gray, defenseless bodies instinctively seeking warmth, looking like a big ball of flesh. The metal hadn’t started to grow on their backs yet, but it was only a matter of time. Right now their half-opened eyes searched for a source of noise, but while the eyes of small rats were still weakened their minds were already working at full speed. Such were the boons of being born as a Ratling.

Small bodies crawled forward slowly, but with stubbornness. This batch was sired by the Strategist - it shows, as they seem to be a bright bunch. A smile appeared on Queen's animalistic face, fangs showing. She gave the younglings a few more minutes and started speaking once again. Her words had a strange accent to it, but it was a Ratling way to speak like that. She had seen it after all.

“Listen up and listen well young ones.” Once again her soothing voice reverberated through the Burrow. “You were born in the dungeon of Grand Creator. Yet you’re not like the Chosen - like the wise Strategist, like the powerful Berserker, like the nimble Crafter and me, your Queen. You were not chosen!” The rats hearing her whimpered, their snouts pointing towards the ground with disappointment. “But you can be!” She shouted, sending a wave of excitement through the crowd.

“We were born first. Servants and scouts to our Creator. Armed with metal spears and our innate ingenuity. And most importantly - with a part of knowledge embedded in our souls. And with it came the secret!” Little Ratlings held their breath. “It was a great and terrible truth - our Dungeon Core is a traveler from another world! And it not always was a smooth, round jewel it is now!” The Rats chattered, even those who heard this story before - their collective opinion was that jewels were vastly superior to a filthy sentients in all regards.

More and more Ratlings began to gather, just to hear her story again. Queen didn’t mind and continued her speech. “But we don’t care about that. We were born first! Before Un-tasty Ones! Before Big Dark One! Before the Undying One! Before Metallic Jungle was born!” There were Rats who trembled at her last words. Most of them had burns on their skin and broken fangs. The rest listened intently. “WE WERE FIRST!” The Rats hooted, their tiny feet stomping on the ground in relish. “We are his Firstborn and I was shown, no, WE WERE SHOWN, what we could become!” The noise subsided as they once again held their collective breath.

“I was shown! It was my birth gift! Do you wish to hear about it?”

“Yes!”

“Yesh!”

“Yup, yup, yup!”

The younglings answered happily and even some of the adult Ratlings simply couldn’t contain their excitement.

“Good. Remember it well. It is your heritage.” Once again silence ruled as Rats listened.

“The Creator came from a brutal world. It was mired in the decades-old conflict, death common and magic powerful. He was one of the warriors there - YES! A SENTIENT!” Ratlings murmured once more. “And one bathed in the blood of their enemies!” The murmurs grew stronger. This time however there was a feeling of pride contained in the voices. “He fought bravely against the tide until it swallowed all of the known world. But…”

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“But in the moment of bloody glory, he had shown me, shown US what we can become! Creatures of reason and technology! Rats, who not only capture the magical lighting, forge metal weapons, armor, and machines, but also touch the ultimate power - the Anima crystals!” The underground trembled as Ratlings of different power and station screamed at the top of their lungs. And even louder than them Queen screamed too:

“And when that day comes we will be known as RATMEN, not Ratlings!” Even the newest litter had their eyes open now, full of motivation. “We will swallow this world in our VERMINTIDE, and gift it to our Master and Creator, just like how it happened in the Old World of his!” The Rats were ecstatic now, screaming and laughing.

“Ahem.” Yet the chaos stopped immediately when the Queen had shown intention to speak. Her voice returned to soothing whisper which coiled around the listeners.

“So remember these words, younglings and grow well. Train in battle, learn tactics, shape new metals and materials. Learn magic. Accumulate power. And give it all for the Burrow!” She screamed in the end and young Ratlings responded in kind - their muscles fully developed now, if not yet covered in fur and metal. And after that, they trotted away full of vigor, already taught where training halls were located.

Only Queen and the Tactician remained.

“Another successful batch.” He laughed in delight.

“They’re good little rats.” Queen nodded in response.

“How’s your skill doing?”

“There was a small gain, but it's still not enough to level it up.”

“The name changed though.”

“Well since I wasn’t really Brainwashing them it was obvious that it would change. Glory to the Creator is a better name in my opinion.”

“And yet my Knowledge of guerilla tactics still stays the same.”

“The others aren’t any better, you know. You need faith in order to evolve.”

“Or warpstone.” He answered with a toothy grin.

“Please call it Anima, otherwise the Creator will find out.”

“Yup, yup.”

“How are the others?”

“And how can they be? Working hard for our future. The scientist is experimenting, Crafter got his paws on some new materials from the Jungle. Berserker… trains? I guess? He has little bouts against some of the Lebirs in the Large Room. Mage tries to weaponize electric fruits and Mechanic…” His face twisted in mirth. “He tries to force the Metal Monstrosity to work as his mount.” He shook his head. “How that guy isn’t dead yet?” A sigh escaped his fanged mouth.

“The rest?”

“We’re training our paw usage, tactics and fighting in groups. All in order to ask the Creator about Anima crystals. How are you even sure they exist?” He asked, tilting his head.

“I saw!” Queen's eyes began to glow green. “They were glorious!”

“Whatever you say…”

“With that our Secret Council is complete. Now we need to wait for an opportunity to present itself.”

“That we do.”

Both Ratlings laughed in the darkness.

***

Uno

Congratulations!

In your Unnamed dungeon the Hidden boss position has been created!

Your Unnamed dungeon Hidden boss has been set to Secret Council!

Wait. What just happened?!