After the finding Erika like that, I spent the rest of the day going from floor to floor and making sure everything was going smoothly. Most of my creatures were eager to meet me. Turns out they kept their memories from the game, somehow. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, as I didn’t think I had been as… affectionate as I could have been. But in the end, I decided it was a good thing. We had spent a lot of time together, after all. And while the memories they had were foggy, as if it was a dream to them, they were still very real. It was surreal to travel through the dungeon and meet them all again. Indella was riding on my back, as I wanted to make sure she too got to know them. Managing a dungeon this big was quite a task when you didn’t have a menu to just send commands from several floors away. I realized I would need help, and Indella had volunteered as soon as I mentioned it. Considering how she was getting along with everyone and everything in the dungeon so far, combined with her connection to me, I’d say she was perfect for the role.
There was, however, one issue I was still on the fence on. My core room was still on Latra’s head. On one hand, I could move it to the 200th floor, all but guaranteeing that intruders would never get to it. However, Latra would prevent attacks from outside reality. I had no guarantee that Minos’ Core Guardian would prevent such attacks, and Minos couldn’t say for sure either. In the end, I decided that until the Void crisis was over, my Core room would remain on the 4th floor. Minos could still stand guard over it there. Besides, having to travel 198 floors to reach the dining room every morning for food was out of the question. I could use the portal I had placed on the 200th floor. But I hid it in a corner of the Giant Maze, as far away from the Boss room and entrance as possible, for safety reasons. This was great if intruders somehow got through the portal. But not so great for efficient transit from the Boss room as the Giant Maze was giant in every aspect of the word. The Magical Labyrinth, Deep Labyrinth, and even the above ground Maze would all fit inside the Giant Maze with lots of room to spare. There was of course one thing I really wanted to do, but Erika was still unconscious, so that had to wait. The Duergar had given her a check-up to see if they could figure out why. After hours of testing, their best guess was that the strain of traveling to a new reality was more taxing for a human than a sphinx.
The following morning traders from Caelyn arrived again, led by Micha as Yndali promised. As I materialized in front of them, I could see most of the adventurers tense up, and seemed quite on edge. The only one to not bat an eye was Micha, who hopped off her wagon and, as usual, greeted me with a nod. I returned it and then focused on the wagons. Lumber, herbs, and veggies! I knew of a certain Kobold that would be ecstatic to try her hand at cooking with those. There was also some dried meat of a kind I didn’t know. It smelled salty. Hmm, I should leave that meat to Rael and the others. The next thing on offer surprised me. Wine. If this been before my little shunt back home, I probably would not have considered it. However, here I was with my entire dungeon. I was already swimming in more points than I knew what to do with and more creatures than I could count. I could afford to spend extra. If nothing else, then it would help Caelyn when everything went to hell. Hmm, speaking of the extra floors… I looked over at Micha. “This is all great stuff. Did Yndali request any specific payment for any of it?” Micha shook her head after a brief pause. Excellent.
I paid with starsilver for the logs. They were of exceptional quality and lumber was worth a lot in this world, so there was a point in using starsilver to pay for it. Since it would give the smiths in Caelyn something to make more than just jewelry with. The vegetables and herbs I paid for with healing potions. They were quite potent too, but to me, it was a fair deal, since these vegetables were impossible for me to get from any other source. It was tempting to just fill their carts with stuff, since I was no longer in any actual need of outside materials, barring the veggies. However, that would be strange now, wouldn’t it? Especially after I said I would only do fair trades after the first trade session.
The dried meat I gave something that I knew would rise a few eyebrows, as I replaced the meat with three barrels with no markings on them. “Be very careful with those barrels, as I can’t even imagine how bad it would be i they sprung a leak.” Micha looked at me with a questioning look. After a few moments so Archives could give the clear signal for just telling them, I shrugged before I answered. “The barrels contain Liquid Death, figured it might help to have some on hand when the Void attack Caelyn.” The adventurers that had been inspecting the barrels stepped away with horrified looks on their faces. Not a surprising reaction, considering Liquid Death lived up to its name. Just a drop on your skin could kill. In the game it had been very popular to dip your arrows into since it would turn oil like and sticky when in contact with iron or steel. It was the perfect poison for bladed weapons because of this trait.
Funny thing was, Liquid Death wasn’t that expensive. It was pretty easy to make and had inexpensive ingredients, IF you had access to them. Most of which came from several diverse areas not readily available in one location. Areas like the multitude of biomes my deeper floors had. It was just that Caelyn’s location meant they would have to import the stuff. This cranked up the prices due to how dangerous it was to transport. And importing the ingredients was worse, because of the sheer number of them. Three barrels were barely worth more than the cartload of salted meat. The wine barrels, however, was another consideration. The price of wine was something I had no clue about. Luckily Archives came to my rescue, and after some deliberation I replaced the wine with a small box containing gems and a few bars of refined Starsilver. Archives had assured me that the wine was quality stuff well worth the price I paid. After the adventurers had taken their time securing the barrels, Micha and the others left. I got some glances from the adventurers that were a mix of terrified and grateful as they left.
It wasn’t before I took to the skies to enjoy some fresh air before my return to the dungeon that I noticed. The outside area had expanded again, and it was about twice the size it had used to be. How in the world had I not noticed that? Archives?
As I was discussing this with Archives, I landed at the entrance and walked down the stairs. I could have just transferred, but I wanted to feel my body again, my actual body. Sure, I had lived most of my life as a human, but after a month as a sphinx I had been feeling awkward in my old form. Then again, I guess that on a mental level I was no longer human. Was that the reason? No comment from Archives, so either I was right, or more likely, Archives didn’t know. Then again, who could tell? How many people had ever woken up from fainting only to find themselves as a different species all together? I mean Indella could shapeshift, but I got the distinct notion that that was not the same as being transformed both in body and soul. There was also the minor part where Indella’s shapeshifting was voluntary. Whereas mine had, in the beginning, been more distressing than anything.
A sudden sound in front of me stirred me out of my thoughts. A trio of child sized, misshapen humanoids were bickering over what I recognized as Pavol’s beloved book. They had long pointy ears, even longer gangly limbs, almond brown skin, wide mouths filled with shark-like teeth and long red caps. It was about to come to a head as one of them pulled out a wicked-looking serrated dagger and yelled at the others. I shook my head in annoyance. Even in the game, the Redcaps had been trouble, but it looked like it was even worse now. Just as the trio was about to tear each other apart, I leapt at them and slammed into the ground so hard I sent the trio tumbling. “That book belongs to Pavol, and it better be back in his possession within the next 10 minutes or else.” My voice was so cold it surprised me. The three Redcaps shook their heads and laughed for about half a second. However, the moment they realized who they were laughing at, their almond skin went ashen grey. They scampered off with the book all the while blaming each other for the theft, as if I didn’t know they were all in on it. I would have to check in with Pavol later. That and have a serious talk with Nicomphus, the Named Redcap I had put charge of them all back in the game, about their behavior. Stealing from fellow dwellers in the dungeon was unacceptable regardless of their species.
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Hmm, Nicomphus used to hang out on the 143rd floor, but there was no guarantee he and was still living there.
With the information about where I could find him, I dissolved my form and transferred over to the 16th floor. The Cavern was, as the name suggested, a confusing network of tunnels and side passages. In difference from the Depths, this place was mostly large tunnels, rather than small tunnels between giant chambers. There were a few rooms here and there on this floor too, but they were fewer and smaller. After moving about the floor for almost half an hour, finding nothing, I finally entered Nicomphus’ old lair.
Nicomphus himself was huge for a Redcap. While most Redcaps were the size of a 4 or 5-year-old human child, Nicomphus was the size of a 10-year-old. He wore dark leather armor and a jet black cloak. In his belt were two of those wicked daggers, I had enchanted them to cause extra bleeding. Further more Nicomphus had a little something extra I had given him after he had fended off a rather annoying party of Rogues. I had given him an Assassin Class upgrade. After that, he had become such a terror that a moderator had told me to specify a deeper floor they could move him and the other Redcaps to. When I asked why I was told they had gotten too many complaints about him TPKing weaker parties just looking to farm the upper floors. I had meant to say hello to him, but I had found no Redcaps when I came through with Indella earlier. As I stepped into the room, he looked up from the stone chair he was sitting nonchalantly in, with his right leg over the armrest. He was using a small knife to clean his long claw-like nails.
“Hey Boss, been a while. To what do I owe this sudden visit, surely it’s not to tell us to move back down, is it?” His voice was far deeper than his frame would suggest, and with no emotion at all. “Indeed, it has been a while Nicomphus. And no, I won’t kick you back down to the 143rd floor. I was going to ask if you allowed a trio of your underlings to steal from fellow Dungeon dwellers.” Nicomphus froze and his yellow eyes slowly darkened to an angry glowing red. “They. Did. What?” He asked, and the other Redcaps near him looked at each other with terrified expressions. I walked closer and sat down as I looked at him. “I caught them red-handed. They had stolen an invaluable book from a human that live on the Dungeons 2nd floor and were bickering over who got to keep it. The book is one of a kind, and its value to the dungeon is immeasurable, as it contains a lot of lore that would otherwise be unavailable. They stormed of to return it when they realized I caught them, so no harm done, this time.” Nicomphus nodded slowly as I spoke.
Then, with a rather unnerving grin, he sat up and replied. “I will see that the culprits receive a fitting punishment, Boss. They won’t try that again, I assure you. The same goes for the rest of this lot.” The glow in his eyes had now taken on the same hue as freshly spilt blood. I almost pitied the Redcaps when Nicomphus got his hands on them, almost. Redcaps were malicious at the best of times, and it was better to make sure they stayed in line before they murdered someone. “Make sure you do. While they are not born of the dungeon, these humans are as much my allies and companions as you and your Redcaps, Nicomphus. This means I view them as much a part of my dungeon as you and yours. Any harm brought on to them by anyone else living here without just cause, will receive a punishment befitting such an act.” Nicomphus shuddered as I spoke. Though if it was from anger at the thought of anyone doing such a thing, or bloodlust at the thought of punishing them, I couldn’t tell.
Nicomphus and his fellow Redcaps might be a bloodthirsty and murderous lot. But just like any Dungeon creature, they knew that to harm any other dweller of the Dungeon without just cause was beyond taboo. I didn’t even want to consider the amount of torture Nicomphus would enact on anyone he caught doing THAT. Pranks? Fine, as long as they were mostly harmless Nicomphus would begrudgingly allow his kin to do so, provided he didn’t receive any complaints. But outright harm? Most would likely prefer to run into Minos if they did, since he would make their death quick. I seriously doubted Nicomphus would ever let anyone taste the sweet embrace of death if he caught them harming a fellow Dungeon dweller. Besides, the backstory I had made for him stated that only inflicting torture on someone else made Nicomphus actually feel anything. Obviously, he couldn’t do that to a fellow Dungeon creature without a valid reason. So the idea of such a reason coming to pass would most likely seem quite appealing to him. However, while he might be heartless, he wouldn’t commit such an act himself. If nothing else because he knew who would be his executioner if he did. Nicomphus might be one of my more powerful Named monsters form the game, but he would not stand a chance against my favorite and he knew it. Hell, the entire dungeon knew it.
Speaking of, where was Minos anyway? I hadn’t seen him all day, and he hadn’t been at the Core room when I woke up. Latra had said he flew off earlier for some unspecified reason when I asked her. Hmm, should I go look for him? Actually, why look when I could just ask?
There in the center of a gigantic conflagration of black flames was Minos. Several Duergar, Fox Spirits, Minotaurs, the four Evil Eyes, and even a few Abyssal Spiders and Spectral Striders were on the ground in front of him, dead as stone. Their remains slowly turning to ash before the dungeon sent them to respawn. “ANYONE ELSE WISH TO CHALLENGE ME?” After considering the scene in front of me for less than a second, I seriously doubted anyone would be crazy enough. Considering the utter lack of any other challengers, it would seem the rest of those gathered were of the same mind. I materialized and landed next to Minos. “What about me?” Minos turned around, then immediately fell to his knees. “I would never rise my blades against you, Mistress, even for sparring. If you challenge me, then I surrender.” I couldn’t help but smile. “I won’t take your title as Champion of the Arena away from you, Minos. Besides, I think the crowd would be pretty disappointed if I did. ISN’T THAT RIGHT EVERYONE?” The spectators, which hailed from both my dungeon and Yrsha’s exploded into eager roars and hoots. Which suddenly fell dead quiet as several gasps and even a few screams of fear escaped them.
Now what? I looked around and saw the reason. There, at the entrance to the arena were 5 very familiar shapes. “Brothers, what are- ?” I never got to finish the question as they entered the arena itself. They didn’t use the entrance, for it was far too small. They just phased through the wall, as if it, and the guests on the stands, were not there. “We WiSh To TeSt OuR MiGhT aGaInSt YoU, bEaSt Of SaLvAtIoN, tO sEe If MoThEr WaS rIgHt AbOuT yOu.” Wow, wow, wow, hang on a sec here! “Brothers, the arena isn’t big enough for that. If you fight here, the entire floor could get destroyed!” All but the biggest of my brothers flat out ignored me. “A tRiFliNg MaTtEr, SiStEr, BeHoLd.” the five of them lifted their arms and uttered a strange series of words even Babel couldn’t translate. There was a strange flash and a series of runes appeared between the crowd and the arena, before they faded from view. Archives chimed in before I could even ask the question.