Chapter: 19

Morning came quickly, the constant light of the dungeon didn’t change throughout the night.

Adrian got all of the leaders together to share breakfast that had come back on one of the carts that had dropped off dungeon loot at the farms.

Len watched another cart come out of the dungeon, heading for the now complete bridge. The pit and the dungeon had been cleared of beasts. The mega-spider that had been on the last floor Len had to cut the armor up to feed it into the cart.

Rick had been having the greatest fun thumping on the walls, coming away with ores and crystals. Once Len had gone full butcher on the mega spider he’d been going through all of the loot coming out of the dungeon.

Thankfully the books were in a dialect he knew and had kept several with him.

“How are we looking on the loot front?” Rick asked Len.

“Bunch of crystals that we’ll have to figure out what they do, got some steel and pyronite.”

“Rare metal, nice.”

“Pyronite?” Edwin asked. They were coming out of their shells a bit after fighting together.

“It’s a rare grade of metal. The higher grade the material the more mana it can handle,” Len said.

“The stronger you can make the enchantments,” Rick chuffed out a laugh.

“Don’t mind him, as soon as he starts to find loot… he gets a bit odd.”

“The shinies,” Rick chuckled.

“You’re scaring the young ‘uns,” Len said.

“Aww,” Rick pouted and went back to drinking his tea. The squad leaders hid their grins and drank from their tea.

“There’s a lot of ingredients and I bet that the books we got will give us a better idea of what they are. Right now,” Len shrugged. “I ain’t no alchemist.”

“They true alchemy books?” Rick perked up.

“Why do you have so much energy this morning?”

“Loot?” Rick said.

Len grunted in understanding. “They have some books that pick out ingredients. Lots of notes on different processes. It looks like it was an alchemist who’s work was focused on growing crystals.”

“Grow crystals?” Gibson asked.

“Yeah he made some that could be used as alloys for metals, changing their attributes. He also grew weapons and various tools. He created crystals that could create light, electricity and heat,” Len said.

“Those could all be useful,” Rick said, returning to business mode.

“Help build steam engines and lights that will work through the apocalypse,” Len agreed. “Though they are consumed through the process.”

“They dungeon created?”

“Yeah, so we have a big supply as long as someone is raiding this place.”

“The dungeon will keep making them?” Adrian asked.

“Yes,” Rick said.

“How?”

“Ambient mana that it absorbs,” Len answered. You notice how there is more mana in the dungeon, faster at regenerating your mana?”

“Yeah,” Adrian nodded along with the other leaders.

“That’s because dungeons pull in more mana than their surroundings, they concentrate it and consume it. They build themselves up and then when they’ve built as much as their current form can take they expand.”

“So when the dungeon got bigger it was because it had filled up all its space?” Gibson asked.

“Right, so it hits that limit, it evolves and draws in a massive amount of mana, that was the light show we saw. The dungeon will build resource nodes first, then the creatures, they’ll be weak to start and they’ll get stronger with time. The more creatures we kill, the more resources that we harvest the less mana the dungeon will hold.”

“All the loot none of the beasties getting frisky,” Rick said. “If you can keep up a rotation on a dungeon you can keep the beast’s down and stop the dungeon from leveling up and getting more dangerous.”

“Is there a way to eliminate a dungeon?” Adrian asked.

Len sucked in a breath. “There is, but you should never do it. You kill a dungeon and all the mana that is stored up in it will be released into the world. It alters the world around it in ways that you can’t imagine. Chaos upon the world.”

“Most dungeons are nearly all dense mana. In advanced worlds, those that are thick with mana there are some that will harvest dungeons themselves. The magics used and the strength of those people are in a realm where they’re more akin to gods,” Rick said.

“Other worlds?” Mackie frowned.

“Stick with us kid and we’ll show you the universe,” Rick winked.

Len shook his head. “Don’t scare them off now.”

“As powerful as the gods though?” Edwin asked.

“They are the kind that could turn a mountain range into a city, or a lake, or back into a mountain,” Len said.

“Don’t piss ‘em off,” Rick said.

Len nodded.

The others looked between them.

“Tomorrow morning we’re heading off to Goran, we need to loot as much of the dungeon as we can before then,” Rick said.

“We’re going to have to leave most of this here,” Len said.

“Get my uncle’s attention a bit too much,” Rick said. “Space bags dude.”

“If we go to the prism dungeon we should be able to get the warping metal we need to make some simple versions,” Len said.

“Hit that one next then,” Rick said.

“After Velkaris.

“Yeah after than one,” Rick said.

“And the obelisk to get that mana stone.”

“Sure, that one too,” Rick agreed reluctantly.

“And then there are all those dungeons between us and it.”

“You’re killing the mood you know.”

“I think that the Jardun plane might be open too,” Len needled.

“Now you’re just being a dick.” Rick grumbled into his bowl.

“If we’re setting up trains for the obelisk we could make a route through the dungeons too. Like a loop that would take you through the weaker dungeons and up to the stronger ones. That’d be pretty sweet.”

“You like the sound of your own voice don’t you?” Rick grumbled.

Len and the others cracked grins. Rick sighed and shook his head.

They fell silent for some time, watching the carts laden with materials from the dungeon come out and empty ones roll across the pit to the dungeon entrance.

“With the dungeon being looted and the fields being harvested, the number of carts we have is slowing us down,” Mackie said as they drank tea.

“We can work through the night with those dungeon crystals that emit light. In the day we can give the carts back to the farmers,” Edwin said.

“Going to slow down one thing or the other,” Len said.

“Make more carts then,” Rick drank from his tea, gathering the other’s attention. “Make some molds of wheels, axels and all the moving parts of the cart in the dirt, pour in that powdered crystal, fuse it, pull it out and you got the pieces. Then take some of those planks we split up, lay those ontop and you got a cart. Won’t have suspension but it’ll work.” Rick drank more from his tea.

Len scratched his chin. The crystal could be a lot more useful in the future It had magical qualities allowing it to hold enchantments and the ability to powder it up, put it into a mold and then fuse it into a new forme while holding its strength was really impressive.

Have to test it and see what kind of grade they come out as.

“Me and my lads worked on those spears, we got experience,” Edwin said.

“Get some of the carpenters among the farmers to help out,” Len said.

Edwin nodded.

“We’ll work in shifts of four hours. Edwin if your people run out of mana before that we’ll change the shift times to keep making carts.” Adrian looked to Len and Rick who nodded.

The day passed quickly with the squads getting faster at recognizing the valuable materials and harvesting them.

“You got mining and herbology yet?” Rick asked as he and Len met up at the bottom of the dungeon. Edwin’s squad were using boxes they’d made from spider armor and powdered crystal, submerging them in the alchemical pools to fill them and then lifting them out, using spells to clear the boxes of liquid before they were sealed with spider armor panels and put atop the cart.

“No,” Len grimaced.

“I can keep a watch on things here, hit some rocks and pick some plants on your way out and see your family,” Rick said.

“Alright,” Len said.

Rick walked off towards Edwin’s squad. “No one’s been drinking the magic water?”

There was chorus of no-sirs.

Len took off at a jog upwards, finding Adrian with Gibson’s squad as they worked through the caves, the two talking.

“Len,” Adrian nodded in greeting, Gibson turning to face him, revealing the model of the dungeon they were using as their map.

“You look like you’re stumped by something,” Len said.

“There’s supposed to be an hidden compartment,” Gibson said.

“Right there,” Adrian pointed at a part of the wall that had been hit on.

Len looked a the model, then the wall they’d practically carved a hall into. He checked the model again and used his mana sight on the wall.

It lit up in colors. “Oh hello you sneaky wench,” Len moved to the wall, he ran a hand over it, finding the right place. He injected some mana. The enchantment around whatever was in the wall lit up.

“A protection enchantment. The more you dig the further away it goes and then the dungeon works to create crystal in that space. You could carve out the entire space around it and then you’d finally be able to reach it,” Len’s voice was distracted as he traced out the enchantment.

He tapped the wall in thought. “Needs some kind of key? Biological? Physical code?”

“Guess we can get the guys to start digging,” Adrian said.

“Ah no need for that, you’ve got one of the best enchanter breakers,” Len took out his canteen and unstopped it, flicking water with his will on the enchantment. “Not biological.”

“Enchanter breaker?” Gibson asked.

“Know how there are people that can get through locks into houses and places they’re not supposed to be?” Len ran mana through the enchantment’s ‘form’ and tested if there was any give to it. Something drew in mana.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Oh hello there code,” Len rubbed his hands while he split off parts of his will into tendrils. “I broke enchantments that would keep Rick and I out of some of the most heavily guarded locations.”

Len threaded the mana to different locations, feeling if the mana was drawn in anywhere. He located several points where mana didn’t do as it should be and started interacting with them.

“I learned about enchantments, then I got kicked out for some bullshit. Kept the knowledge but I wasn’t able to make enchantments anymore. So I used it in tandem with another skillset, dungeoneering. Need to be cautious, know how to fight, when to run and when to stay. Having other skills can really help. Took our dungeoneering to new heights.”

The wall lit up with runes, a line appearing through the crystal.

Len used a spell to weaken the crystal and toughen his fist before he punched through the wall. He peered through the opening into the room beyond.

“Well shit, looks like we’ve got his mobile lab in here.” Len looked around. “Guess we will be cutting around it. Oh, you got some ores you need mining, or herbs picked?”

“Skill up?” Gibson asked.

“Yeah,” Len sighed.

“Down there, some of the lads are hack out steel nodes,” Gibson’s tone commiserated. “Little past that there are a few picking plants.”

“Thanks. He raised his hand as Gibson moved towards the picks against the wall, picking up one of the light crystals to see inside the mobile lab.

“Best that no one go in there. No idea what’s brewing in there,” Len said.

“Can you close it?” Gibson asked.

“Yeah, best to remove the temptation?”

“I know a soldier or two,” Gibson said.

“I know a corporal with certain tendencies,” Adrian gave Gibson a look

Len used a tendril and some mana to activate the enchantment, closing the lab’s doors.

“It won’t move while you’re going around it,” Len said.

“Thanks!”

Len wandered a bit more, taking a pickaxe from one of the soldiers hitting a growth of steel from the wall.

Len hit the crystal around it till it came free.

===

Skill: Mining

===

Level: Apprentice (1[1/10])

===

===

Level 1

0% to level 2

===

Experience flowed into him but the enlightenment didn’t.

“Thanks, on to pick some shit,” Len handed back the pickaxe and continued down the tunnel.

He crouched with some others that were using tools to work around the roots of plants that were entombed in the crystal.

With his mana blade spell it was quick work to pull it out. Need to add that enchantment to my sword.

===

Skill: Herbology

===

Level: Journeyman (1[1/10])

===

===

Level 1

0% to level 2

===

Len jogged to the edge of the dungeon and looked at the guards on duty. Beyond them the sun was starting to set, coloring the world in oranges.

“Enlightenment mister Len?” Nelik asked.

“Yeah, might want to make some room lads.”

Nelik and Petro moved to the sides.

Len used his strength when he stepped out, getting further as the clouds roiled together.

He braced himself against the ground as enlightenment dropped onto his head, information flowing into him as the light dissipated, his headache following with healing spells.

A crystal cart left the bridge over the pit, one of the soldiers pulling it. It had been fitted with a light crystal, allowing the man to see where he was going at night.

Len raised his hand in greeting, the soldier waving back.

Len used his strength, his casual stroll as fast as one might run, bouncing down the widening passage between the trees towards his family farm.

The fields were bare, with several carts being hauled up the roads leading to the farmhouses. They’d learned how to make the cart parts from the soldiers and made their own versions.

Len reached his home, several carts in the courtyard filled with the year’s harvest.

Several new large tables were in the courtyard with fires already light and some music playing as people laughed, danced and ate.

He slowed, watching it all from the side, Des and Laurie were dancing with others around the fire, Jed was talking to people while his parents sat at a table, holding one another’s hands.

There was smiles on their faces, but a weight to their eyes and bearing.

He could feel them taking everything in, with the bittersweet knowledge this might be the last time they saw what they did. A heaviness towards the future and worry.

He’d always seen his parents as sure, as steadfast. They’re just people too. Memories were imperfect. Life was imperfect. His mother looked over, noticing his gaze.

Her smile deepened as she waved him over. He sat down next to her. She pulled him close and down, kissing the top of his head.

She squeezed him as they shared in the sights and the moment.

Len watched with them. When the bad times came, he’d have this memory, this moment. He looked around, trying to memorize every detail, every little bit.

The children that were stomping and flinging their bodies around near their parents. A few loving food, others hating it.

The teenagers shy and rambunctious, adults laughing and drinking, all keeping an eye on those younger.

There were flashes of sadness and grief among the people, remembering those that were no longer alive. Though there was relief. They knew what they were dealing with and they now had the strength to deal with it.

Bringing in the harvest brought normality, it kindled joy.

People are infinitely adaptable to the situations that they find themselves in.

He’d seen it throughout his past.

Most hoped for the best, but adapted to the situations that they found themselves in. Those that adapted the quickest were the ones that made it through the worst.

With all of their skill-ups, they might be some of the strongest people across Plynthia, perhaps even the world.

There was worry, and lines of stress were evident from being under attack for weeks at a time. Parents were closer to their children, keeping them close at hand.

Guards were still on the walls, their pitchforks now modified with crystal spearheads.

As much as they might wish to return to the people they had been before, they had already changed in just a few short weeks.

The songs slowed, changing from one to another. His father shifted, turning his head to Len "We've decided we'll come with you to Goran, or Velkaris.”

Len was brought out of watching everyone, that was the thing with moments, they ended and faded away quickly, hopefully to be remembered later.

"Okay," Len nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

"We'll sell all of the grain that we've harvested, as well as our share from the foxes and spiders. We've leased the land to one of the families that are staying behind, as well as the farmhouse itself. The families don't want to spread out too much anymore. There's safety in being close together,” His father said.

“And you used a magical contract?" Len asked.

"Yes, we used a magical contract," Len's mother said with a smile.

"Do you know who owns the land that the dungeon sits on?" Len asked. His father frowned and looked at his mother, who shook her head. "I don't think it's on our land, so it must be on Lord Warwick's land."

Len grimaced. "It would be worthwhile to chat with Lord Warwick and see if you can't get the controlling stake of that land.”

“It shouldn't be too hard," Edward said. "He's been trying to sell off more land these last few years, he's got money troubles, and it's only going to get worse with all the farmers moving away.”

“If you can get that contract," Len said, "well, get that contract and continue to harvest from the dungeon, sending in teams. You could, well—” Len was struck with a thought. Wehy make something new if the old system worked. “—You could even set it up as if you were the Adventurers Guild, letting people go into the dungeon to gain experience and loot, giving you a portion of what they've retrieved, under contract, of course."

"Who'd be willing to do something as silly as that?" his mother asked.

"You’ve seen what increasing your stats and overall level can do. It also extends one's life. The stronger one is in levels, the longer they'll live for.”

“And then there's how it heals injuries," Edward added. "Think of how badly wounded those fellas were when they arrived at our farm. Now they're off fighting spiders the size of our house and hauling carts full of crystal as if it's nothing more than a load of firewood.”

“That's a lot of risk to take just to potentially get stronger. Someone could get hurt or killed," Adeline admonished.

"Think of all the foolhardy things that our boys have done just to try and catch the attention of a girl," Edward said. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"If people are gonna do it, might as well benefit from it in some way. The dungeon under control and getting resources that you can sell on to others," Len offered.

"How much are we talking for all of these resources?" Edward asked.

"I can't rightly tell you what the prices would be now. People don't understand the value of a mana stone right now. The raw crystal is really useful, but only for those that know how to use magic. The crystal that can emit lightning, heat or light are the most useful.” Len said. “You can use that to light houses and streets through the night, heat homes through the winter, even use them to replace coal in steam engines.”

“What would be your best guess?" Adeline asked.

“They crystal I would self for the price of steel, about forty gold per ton, the books are really useful but you’d need to teach someone a spell to understand languages.”

“Can you just will yourself to understand and language and it works?” His father asks.

“You can but that doesn’t work the best. Non-structured magic is expensive in casting and it is limited to the understanding of the person casting it. With languages, the understand languages spell is actually taking the intent that the person had behind creating something. When you use it on writing it has the effect of passing over the words, language and information faster,” Len said.

“Usually, the kind of spell casting that you can do with just your will and a bit of mana is enough to get you past most obstacles. Structured spells allow you to create controlled or pre-defined spells beyond your normal level of understanding.”

"Okay," Edward said, his eyes remaining confused.

"Like, take a flame,” Len said. “You can create a flame based upon your understanding of heat, fire, whatever, and then you adjust it based on your feeling of heat. Now, you could also have a formula for a specific kind of flame working in a specific kind of way that you recite in your mind or hold in your mind and empower with mana, bringing it into reality. The first is non-structured magic while the second is structured magic. Structured magic also allows you to do more complex things. Think of it like enchantments where they can have a lot of information stored within, leading to a single outcome.”

“Okay, his father said, catching the edges of what he was saying.

“Now, enchantments can use a lot of mana, drawing upon the world for it, but all structured or non-structured spell casting is based upon the user's own mana resources,” Len said

“So, the structured spells you can teach to someone else and it will come out with the same result every time. It can also allow you to use magic that you don't understand or is beyond your understanding?" Edward questioned

"Yeah, that's pretty much it," Len agreed.

“And you can only use the power that you have within you to power it,” Adeline said.

“Right,” Len said.

"So, the rest of the items you've gathered, what are they worth and what is all that we've collected worth so far?" Adeline dragged them back on point.

"I'd guess the loot you got out of those creatures is probably about four hundred and fifty-six gold."

"Damn," Edward's eyes widened, as did Adeline's. "That's over half of what we're gonna earn from just the food alone.”

“You can start to see the other reason people will go down into the dungeons. It's really lucrative, even if you come out with just a small harvest," Len said.

***

Len and Rick walked through the empty dungeon, weapons at the ready. At their speed it took them a few minutes to go through the entire place and back up to the surface.

"Did you have a look into what was inside the alchemy lab?" Len asked.

"No," Rick replied, "Someone took their enchanting knowledge with them, so I couldn't figure out the damn code last night."

"Sorry about that," Len chuckled. "Probably for the best. Else you'd just go in there and mess up something. Get some incurable disease or poison."

Rick rolled his eyes. "The guys did good though, cleared through the entire dungeon, then looted it all in the space of two days. There was a lot built up in here."

“The overflow did help bring the dungeon creatures to us instead of having to face them on their own territory,” Len said.

Len turned the corner. A spider turned its head and scuttled towards them rapidly.

"I got this one. You check the time," Rick said, twirling the hammer in his hands and stepping forward casually.

The creature reared up, raising its forelimbs to send crystal spikes through the ground underneath them.

Len pulled out his watch, checking the time and making note of it, while Rick threw his hammer, hitting the spider in the face.

Cracks ran through its shell before bursting out the other end, dying.

Rick grabbed his hammer, casting cleanse before he grabbed onto the spider’s carapace and started dragging it.

“Takes the dungeon four hours to start creating more beasts.” Len moved forward, grabbing the armor next to Rick and pulling it with him.

"I'll have to test out what eight hours, twelve hours, and sixteen hours would look like," Rick said.

"Should mean that they can do a dungeon dive every day and come up with something at least," Len replied.

Len shrugged. You never really knew what you were going to get into in a dungeon. Most of the time, you could predict what they were going to do based on past experiences.

Other times, you had no idea what you were walking into. Dungeons were the embodiment of mana, which meant they were the embodiment of chaos, given power and matter.

They hauled the body up to the dungeon entrance, throwing it into the reclamation cart that was off to the side.

A farmer on watch went over and activated the enchantment, consuming all of the spider's components, save for its spinneret, crystalline armor, and mana core which he started throwing into one of the last loot carts that would head for the barns.

Their eyes darted around nervously.

Take them some time to get used to the dungeon.

"Figured out the respawn time. How are we looking?" Rick asked Adrian, who was waiting by the side of the dungeon wearing the civvies he’d come to Warwick in.

"All ready to move out," he confirmed. “Mackie and Gibson’s squads are back at the farm to help pull the carts there. Want me to send word to have them start moving the carts for Warwick?”

“Yeah, get them started,” Rick said.

Adrian pulled out his sound transmission device and spoke into it.

Adrian, Len and Rick walked across the land bridge to where Edwin’s squad waited. Their armor and clothes were stored in crates, leaving them wearing the civilian clothes they’d been shipped to Warwick in.

Len and Rick took off their armor and stored it in crates, wearing the civvies they’d bought in Eskon.

Having only seen everyone in armor and uniforms for the last couple of days, it was strange to see them in coveralls, slacks, jackets, and shirts.

Len pulled off his sword belt and stored it with his armor. The crate of gear was shut, the soldiers using palm strikes to hammer the nails in.

"Alright, lets move out!" Rick yelled.

Those pulling the carts filled with gear crates pushed against their harnesses, passing through the wide path that ran from the dungeon to the main road.

Len and Rick weaved around to the front of the procession carts were being hauled up the main road.

Farmers cheered and clapped as the carts passed.

Crate filled carts filed into the procession of carts filled with the year’s harvest and the valuables of the families that were leaving the dell.

Jeb, Edward, and Dez pushed carts, while Adeline and Lori walked alongside, more than happy to let the men push instead of wasting their energy.

Dozens of carts moved down the road.

“Lets pick the speed up!” Rick called out.

The convoy sped up as they left the dell behind, passing the surrounding farms that they'd harvested.

The houses now empty and locked up against beasts and the elements. Some twenty people were staying behind at the farms to watch over dungeons and their own fields.

I hope we can send some people this way to help them.

***

Len looked out of the train windows at Warwick. His father dropped down into the seat next to him, holding out a contract.

"Now we own the land that the dungeon sits on," he said.

Len opened it up, reading through the deed, before folding it up and handing it back to his father.

"It's possibly the most valuable piece of paper you've ever seen," Len said.

"Lord Warwick is knee-deep in debt. He's going to be more than willing to sell us anything that we want," Jed said.

Rick leaned back, pursing his lips in thought. "If we could get a good supply of food and build that up over time..."

"You can't eat gold," Len said.

"Fair enough, fair enough," Rick nodded. "Something for Grandma to figure out though.”

“We were also able to sell the carts we made," Edward said. “And the rates for the harvest was the highest I’ve ever seen.”

“It will continue to climb. This winter will be tough,” Len said.

“Why didn’t we keep more of the harvest?” Laurie asked from her seat back to back with Len’s.

“Already look suspicious as hell with everything. Warwick would be paying even more attention to us if we didn’t sell him the harvest,” Jed said.

“Its also much harder to transport all of that food on short notice. You need the right kind of train cars to move it efficiently,” Rick said.

“Once we sort things out with wherever we go, you’re farming knowledge is going to be really valuable,” Len said.

“Till we can get a train or the materials we need to build one,” Rick said.

Build a train? Len’s mind started turning over on ideas and hopes that had been buried deep in his mind for most of his adult life.

The train’s whistle blew.

"A Rickson turbo speed, what an engine," Edward said.

Len smiled as the doors to the train closed for the last time. Whistles from the station staff calling out as the train began to move forward.

His father talking of all the facts behind and around the train to Jed as they began their trip to Goran.

With the obelisk they’d never have to worry about dying, and they’d have the wealth to buy a city state—or make one.