"There we go. Finally, you're all set... I showed you the wonders of dark earth magic." Nils said as she stepped back from Ryan.

"So you're telling me I'm a Dark Elf now?"

"Technically? You have not fully turned into a Dark Elf yet. But you're not too far off. I believe you will become a full-fledged Dark Elf in a few hours or if you slay a few more hobgoblins."

"So you can only give me these two incantations?" Ryan asked.

Nils smiled at Ryan's question. "Of course, I could give you more spells, but the other Dark and Life incantations are more demanding on the user's body. We don't want to expose you to Mana Exhaustion, now do we?" Nils said.

Ryan nods in agreement.

"Just be careful when using Void Healing in front of others. Healing is a very rare magic in this world. So don't be surprised if people start looking to enslave you. Many healers are property of powerful people, here on Tertius." Nils said with a chuckle.

Ryan shivered at the thought of becoming someone's property.

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," Ryan said with a nod. "Anyway, I guess I can use Dark Earth magic to get myself out of this cavern?"

"Well, it would be easier if you were strong enough to use geomancy, but in this place? No, you can't get out." Nils said with a shrug.

Ryan thought she was lying at first, but the Goddess's eyes were dead serious.

"Huh? How come?" Ryan asks with a confused look on his face.

"Here... I'll teach you why so it will make more sense to you. Just close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Block out all other distractions." Nils said.

"O-Okay?" Ryan replied with a bit of skepticism, but she did what she was told and closed her eyes.

"Now steady your breathing," Nils said.

"..."

Ryan stands there with her eyes closed for a minute or two waiting for something... Anything to happen. And just as she was about to open her eyes.

'I don't know what the hell is supposed to happen but... Wait a second?' Ryan started to sense something. It's faint but it is there and whatever it was was barely visible. Ryan started to see a few little eerie green particles when her eyes were closed and the other thing was the smell. It started to smell like ozone, like from an electrical fire. It wasn't suffocating but she couldn't ignore the smell either.

"What is that?" Ryan asks nervously as she opens her eyes.

"That's Ether particles from a dungeon core," Nils says with a grin.

"What do you mean?" Ryan asks with concern.

"It's like a living building that's underground. Some races call them labyrinths. But it can feel almost everything that moves around in it. And it will take notice if an earth mage starts tearing through its walls and will prevent them from leaving. The only exception is if the mage can overpower the core, which is very rare." Nils explained.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"So why would a dungeon core prevent me from leaving?" Ryan asked.

"Because like all living things the core needs food to survive and grow. That consists of mana from living beings. So as a defense mechanism, it will repair its walls to try and prevent those from entering or exiting by one's own means." Nils explained.

"So it will try to eat me then?" Ryan asks.

"Well, that's if you died in the dungeon. But you'll have to leave by the labyrinth's exit or destroy the core. It's your choice." Nils tells Ryan.

"So why would anyone come into a labyrinth in the first place? It sounds stupid to willingly come to one? Why wouldn't people just run away?" Ryan asked.

"Well, the Dungeon Cores will lure monsters and humanoids with the rare magical materials it creates like gems and metals. Or even a specific monster that can only exist in the Labyrinth." Nils said.

"Really? Material wealth, come on? What can't you get outside a Labyrinth that you can get inside one?" Ryan asked with doubt in her voice.

"Well… Like, Violet iron ore, mithril, ether crystals, white obsidian, and a few others are magical materials. And there are the typical gold, platinum, silver, rubies, sapphires, and jade to name a few... And of course, they spawn monsters, so you can harvest their parts." Nils answered as if it was a no-brainer.

"Okay point taken, I guess? I thought you said Dungeon Cores just wanted all people dead?" Ryan said with a bit of sarcasm.

"Well, you know how you absorb about 90 percent of mana?" Nils asked.

"YYYeess?" Ryan said to humor her.

"Well a Dungeon Core will absorb everything that dies in its domain and I mean everything. It is the most efficient thing at absorbing mana, so it can easily live off a few dead adventurers for years if a core needs to. And that's including the monsters, so it will be able to grow or reproduce at some point." Nils explained.

"So I just need to escape this labyrinth from its own entrance?... Hey!? Why doesn't it close off the entrance? Like a Venus flytrap?" Ryan asks.

"I don't know what a Venus flytrap is, but the better way of looking at a Dungeon Core is that it is similar to a tree. You can't see them grow in hours or days but in months to years. So if you enter the Labyrinth it would take months for it to close its entrance. So it can't trap you in that way." Nils said. "Or if you like, you could destroy the Dungeon Core?

Ryan starts to shudder at the thought of taking down a Dungeon Core. "God, I can't imagine how I would be able to control the Mana Lust if I took one down."

"You don't have to worry about Mana Lust with Dungeon Cores. And that's Goddess! Not God. Stop saying, god!" Nils scolded Ryan.

"Huh? Oh sorry... Umm, so they aren't full of mana?" Ryan asked.

"Correct, the Dungeon Cores are beings of ether. They consume mana and turn it into ether. That's why monsters like to eat Ether Crystals since they make them stronger. It's a weird cycle of life type of thing," Nils said.

"So, what is the advantage of destroying a core then?" Ryan asked.

"To get the most precious material on Tertius, Liquid Ether," Nils replies.

"Liquid Ether?" Ryan asks.

"It's what makes all the magical artifacts possible. All the artificers and alchemists use it to craft their potions and items. Without it, the people of Tertius wouldn't be able to create some of the most powerful weapons known to the universe." Nils says.

"Haah... Okay then. I think that's all I need to know for now. As long as I don't hit any traps... I should be good." Ryan says out loud, trying to mentally prepare herself for the obstacles ahead.

"Well, you shouldn't have to worry about traps with this labyrinth," Nils said with a smirk.

"Why not?" Ryan asks.

"Because this labyrinth is a Spawner Core. You can tell by the green color of the ether particles. Anyway, best of luck Ryan!" Nils says with a smile as she vanishes into thin air.

"Don't tell me this Dungeon spawns goblins!? Nils!? Nils!?" Ryan calls out into the darkness of the cave.

"..."

Ryan doesn't know if she should laugh or cry at the moment. "Nils!?" She yelled out again but got no response.

"GUH! Why does it have to be goblins!? I knew this was a bad idea! Wandering around the forest only to fall into a labyrinth! I've only been here for three days! And I've lost everything! My peaceful life, my family, my.... my manhood! Everything!!!" Ryan said to herself, venting out her frustrations to the world as she looked for a way out of the cavern.