What is a dungeon, and what do they do? This question might seem fairly straight forward to the laymen, but is actually a fairly difficult subject to get a definitive answer on. While most living things, including most magical beasts and creatures have the sole purpose to eat, kill and proliferate; dungeons are a unique oddity in this regard. As far as we know dungeons do not need to eat anything other than mana, and they do not reproduce. For centuries, Dungeonologists have attempted to create concrete literature on the lifecycle and inner workings of dungeons without success. The only thing that we know for sure about dungeons, is that they are not as simple as many think.
Throughout the ages, dungeons have been observed flexing a great variety of both magical and mundane abilities. The most common abilities of a dungeon are the ability to manipulate the terrain that makes up its body, summon monsters and other creatures from pure mana, and cast powerful magics within itself. As their core, or heart as some refer to it as, is made entirely of condensed mana, dungeons can shape and maintain magics far grander and mind boggling than any of the mortal races unaided. Although the pure scope of these magics appear limited for the most part, a great example of a dungeons true power took place over 400 years ago. The ancient dungeon of the eastern drylands, while being exterminated by the Empire of the Dry Sun, self detonated its core instead of allowing itself to be subjugated. It was estimated that over 20,000 people in the nearby vicinity were killed. The numbers are not exact as no census records survived to this day.
It is believed that this acted as a catalyst for the fall of the largest empire at the time, and acts as a cautionary tale against underestimating the abilities of a dungeon. Luckily no one has attempted to subjugate one since then (at least none that made it to the annuls of history), so no dungeon has thought it necessary to reduce the local countryside, along with itself, into a new ash-filled wasteland. However, this does give us insight into the minds of dungeons as sentient creatures. Many, foolishly, believe dungeons to be animalistic in nature, like that of a bird or reptile; but often overlook the fact that they show clear signs of understanding and intelligence that rivals the average person. To have the mindset of “If I can’t live free, then I won’t live at all” and “If I’m dying, I’m taking you with me,” shows a true understanding of its own mortality and reasoning that you would only expect from a sapient creature. It is the purpose of this book to posit that the mind of a dungeon is no less complex than any of the races of flesh and blood.
- From “An Exposé on Dungeons and their Psychology” by Expert Mage D. Bradley
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-[ System Log 1633-13-07-1502 Begin ]-
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[Automated Alert: Ambient Mana Threshold Exceeded]
[Additional Mana Cores Requested]
[…]
[Request Approved: Calculating Optimal Placement]
[…]
[3 Locations Found]
[Core Creation Successful]
[3 Additional Cores Created]
[…]
[Attempting Ambient Soul Allocation -\- Successful]
[Applying Soul: 1/3 -\- Successful]
[Applying Soul: 2/3 -\- Successful]
[Applying Soul: 3/3]
[…]
[Successful]
[Commencing Memory Reset: 1/3 -\- Successful]
[Commencing Memory Reset: 2/3 -\- Successful]
[Commencing Memory Reset: 3/3]
[…]
[Error: Memory Deletion Unsuccessful]
[Retrying]
[…]
[Error: Memory Deletion Unsuccessful]
[Attempting Abort Procedures]
[Error: Abort Failed]
[Warning: Stalemate Detected]
[Terminating System Runtime]
[…]
[Core Creation Complete]
[Initializing Startup]
[…]
[…]
[Initialization Complete]
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-[ Log End ]-
Consciousness returns to Alex as a wave of pain washed over their mind. A headache worse than anything experienced before muddies their thoughts. The pain resembles what one would think having their brain scrambled with a spoon might feel like. Wincing in pain, Alex discovers an even more alarming matter; they don’t appear to be able to move. After a few minutes, the pain of the headache begins to recede, yet the situation before them becomes ever more confusing. They don’t recall their room being this dark and quiet. There would always be light leaking through the windows from the street outside, and a fan would always provide an ambient hum to the room; but now, Alex cannot hear nor see a single thing. As the anxiety begins to rise in their chest, a loud *ping* sound interrupts their thoughts.
-[ Attention ]-
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[Data Transfer Initiated – Startup]
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Alex stared confused at the stream of text that overlaid across their vision. “Data transfer… What the fuck is going on?” There was a tickle in the back of their mind as if something was probing around inside of their head. Then again, a sharp pain pricks their mind for a split second.
[Data Transfer Failed – Failsafe: Target Memory Occupied]
[Error Logged -\- Beginning Diagnostic]
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[Query – Designation?]
A loud *ping* sounded in Alex’s mind as a question appeared before them.
“Query? It’s asking my what my designation is, like a name? My name is… Alex.”
[Response – “Alex”]
[Field updated]
[Abnormal Designation Detected]
[Evolutionary Stage Above Expected]
[Anomaly Logged]
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[Query – Purpose?]
Another question floats in their vision.
“My purpose? What the hell is with all of these questions!? I thought sleep paralysis was supposed to have demons, not... questioners.”
Alex taxes a moment to breath before returning to the floating screen.
"Purpose. How am I supposed to know? Isn't that one of life's greatest mysteries, or something? I guess right now I'm just a student, so that's the best answer I can give."
[Response – “Student”]
[Definition Found – One who studies or learns]
[Purpose Acceptable]
“What do you mean ‘Acceptable?’ Am I being graded!? Oh God, I can't even escape tests in my dreams.”
[Query – Directive?]
“What’s with all the questions, directive? What’s the difference between a directive and a purpose? You need to start adding flavor text or something, cuz I don't know how to answer that. I already said I was a student as my purpose, so maybe my directive would be what I'm studying? I guess that would be physics then.”
[Response – “Physics”]
[Definition Found – The study of matter and the universe]
[Directive Deviation Detected]
[Deviation Logged]
[Calibrating]
[…]
[Titles Awarded]
[Abnormalities Logged]
[Diagnostic Complete]
[Startup Complete]
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[Begin System Integration]
Before Alex could comment on their apparent deviation to whatever the correct response should have been, another sensation encompasses their mind. Unlike before, this sensation was rather relaxing, like someone was pouring warm water directly into their brain. After a few minutes the sensation halted, and they were met with another message across their vision.
-[ Attention ]-
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[Download Complete – System Version 1.4.0]
[Dungeon Core Package Installed Successfully]
[New Commands Available – Use -Help- to View Available Commands]
Alex stared wordlessly at the screen as a realization dawned on him.
“System, packages, Dungeon Cores, commands? I think I spent too much time reading novels last night. There is no way this is real, right?”
After a few seconds of waiting, it looked like no more text was going to appear in their vision. Seeing as nothing was happening, Alex decided to take this time to properly assess their situation. They tried to look around them, but the darkness around them was all encompassing.
“I’ve lucid dreamed maybe a handful of times in my life, but none were as vivid as this. However, every time I’ve realized I was dreaming I’d been able to wake up, but I can tell that this is different. I'd love to pinch myself, or check my watch, but it appears that I can't move, and I also don't have a body. Now that I think of it, those are the same problem.”
As anxiety began to rise in their chest once again, Alex decides to distract themselves with something else.
“Help.”
-[ Help ]-
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[Available Commands: Inventory, Status]
[Use Help
“Status, inventory... I've always dreamed of being whisked away into another world, but now that I'm here... I don't really know if I'm up for this."
“Status.”
-[ Status ]-
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[Name: Alex]
[Level: 1]
[Race: Dungeon Core]
[Titles: Universal Scholar, The One Who Learns, Dungeon Core, Anomalous Existence]
[Durability: 100%]
[Mana: 100/100]
[Abilities: Inventory, Command]
[Active Skills: Identify lv.1, Summon lv.1]
[Passive Skills: Mana Sense lv.1]
“There's also one more issue I have with this. Of all the things to be turned in to, from a mushroom to a goblin, a dungeon core has to be one of the worst options. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good dungeon core story once in a while, but who would really want to be stuck in a room for eternity. I know that most protagonists seem all to happy to just do dungeon stuff forever, but I find it kind of sad in retrospect. Like self inflicted Stockholm syndrome. I also don't believe myself to be so sadistic as to find that just because my form has changed I can just let go of my morality."
“Whatever, it's too early in the game for these thoughts. At least I’m not a tree or something of that sort, being a dungeon core should give me some leeway in changing my fate. However, everything else can wait until I figure out what my situation is. Although I’m not sure about the plausibility of my current condition, it’s best to err on the side of caution and treat this as if it is reality.”
Alex turns their attention back to their status window and gives it a proper read.
“Active and Passive skills, that should be rather straight forward. Identify and Summon are activated manually while Mana Sense should be a passive skill. Although, it's super dark in here. Is there no mana? or am I just too low level to see it clearly?”
Staring past the window into the darkness surrounding them, Alex begins focusing closely on the space ahead, trying to see anything in the void. Before long a sparse static begins to fill the space, appearing like tiny motes of dust in a dark room. AT first, they though it was just their eyes playing tricks on them, but the motes bagin to become clearer as their gaze is held.
“Ah-haha, I see something! Although it’s rather disappointing. I was expecting glowing orbs or streams and wisps of pulsating energy, not… dust. Is this really mana?”
The particulate matter before them appears as a dull dray hue, ever so slightly radiating a hazy light around it.
“This is the perfect opportunity to try out Identify!”
-[ Mana Fragment ]-
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A fragment of mana is the largest single denomination of mana and is the easiest to detect with lower-level detection skills.
“Easiest? That means it must be possible to see even smaller pieces with my ability, right?”
Focusing back on the dust surrounding them, Alex tries to focus even closer on the stagnant surroundings. Right before they were about to give up on this fruitless endeavor, a subtle movement in the air caught their attention. A small speck, revealed by the tiniest glint in the dark makes its presence known for the tiniest instant. But that's all it took.
-[ Attention ]-
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[Passive Skill Mana Sense has leveled up]
[Mana Sense lv.1 is now Mana Sense lv.2]