Claire was still quietly simmering, while trying to avoid the sore patch inside her soul. She had come back from the dead. She was a whole new person now. Well, being, if you wanted to be technically correct. So why did she still feel this ache in the heart of her core? Why did seeing Layne on the beach with Tamrin poke at it so painfully? And where did Rick even get the idea that she would want to mate with Layne, of all things?
It was ridiculous, and made even more so by seeing Layne with Tamrin, and Tamrin with Layne. Layne’s casual presumption that, of course Tamrin would be by his side, supporting him. So much so that he almost didn’t seem to notice her actual presence, just assuming that she’d be there. Tamrin, obviously both liking the security of his unspoken reliance on her presence, and needing recognition from him. Having a core’s view of occurrences did grant Claire more perception and clarity than she previously was capable of. Although, she still didn’t know what Tamrin actually did as a shield maiden, aside from tossing her hair and following Layne around.
A more detailed view into the intricacies of Layne and Tamrin’s relationship aside, their presence was not supposed to trigger Claire’s emotions like it did. But it did and they would return to torture her emotions further with their uncalled-for presence.
In her previous life it would have been simple to avoid the situation altogether, like she had done so countless times before. Now she was rooted in her cavern, in what would be her dungeon, and they had every incentive as adventurers to return again and again. The term dungeon never seemed so apt.
It was unacceptable. She was a new version of herself, one that didn’t have to get trapped into decisions. She had already proven it by her choice of dungeon type, and so there must be a way out of this situation too. Claire’s thoughts spun around this conundrum. She supposed she could just seal herself into her core room and never open an outside entrance. But then she would be sacrificing her new existence just because of Robert – no Layne – she corrected herself.
Angrily she shoved that idea aside. This was her new life and she would not settle for anything less than her full potential. She would be the dungeon master, not a helpless prisoner.
Maybe there was a way she could make them avoid her?
Hey Rick, what kind of dungeon would adventurers avoid?
Flickering nervously, Rick flew up and hovered in front of Claire.
“What do you mean, Claire? Dungeons and adventurers have a symbiotic relationship, like I’ve already explained. A dungeon core can’t level and grow without adventurers.”
I see, she replied, mentally reminding herself to take it easy on the poor elemental. She wished that he would just take her word that she was fine. Worrying about this anomalous stuff was really unnecessary in her view.
But to get back to her original train of thought, she needed adventurers. However, it did not have to include Layne and Tamrin. Surely there were certain types of dungeons that were less suitable for, you know, let’s say, certain knights. And shield maidens. Especially shield maidens who didn’t like to get dirty. Claire glowed wickedly in the dark of the cavern.
<>
The night sounds from outside breezed through the silence in the Canewhold kitchen, where Lily was helping Cook to prepare the baron’s nightcap before their final clean-up for the day.
“Don’t you stop stirring now, Lily,” Cook said.
“Yes, cook,” Lily replied, moving the stirring spoon in a controlled lazy eight through the spiced milk mixture that was heating on top of the oven. Her insides momentarily seized at the clink of glass in the kitchen, but it was just Cook placing a snifter on a carrying tray. Consciously relaxing her posture, Lily repositioned herself slightly and adjusted the folds of her tunic to hide the weight in her pockets. Then she once again focused on the movement of her hand, keeping a relaxed languid stirring motion belying her inner tension.
Skill increase: Deception +1
Another skill increase. At this rate she would be a Level 2 Rogue in no time. She pulled up her character sheet to confirm her status again.
[Obscured] Base identity
Lily Hunter
Rogue Level 1
Class level 1 ability ‘obscured’ activated
Description: Base identity and class details will be hidden from other class users. Can be used once a day for up to eight hours. Sufficiently advanced class users will be able to see past the effect.
Deactivate ‘obscured’?
Upgrade five skills to second tier to increase base class to level 2.
First-tier skills
Basic herbalism 1/20
Deception 2/20
Lockpicking 5/20
Petty theft 1/20
Pickpocketing 4/20
Sneaking 7/20
Sleight of hand 1/20
Second-tier skills
Spying 0/50
Yes, her base identity was still obscured – thank the rogue gods for giving her that option. According to Agnetha, an alias identity would be even better, but you have to gain enough skills to populate it first. Aside from hiding the fact that she had become a class holder, her skills were now also categorised into first and second tier skills. Currently her only second tier skill was spying, having evolved from the first tier skill of eavesdropping. She needed to evolve four more first tier skills to second tier in order to level up as a rogue.
And, after hours of planning and practice with Agnetha, two more skills had been added to her repertoire: lock picking and sleight of hand. Lily reached up to scratch her hair, and then froze before adjusting the motion to wipe the sweat off her forehead instead.
The sound of pouring rum mixed with the chirping of the crickets outside, as Cook poured a measure into the snifter. The night had deepened into complete darkness, as a testament to the lateness of the hour. Indeed, most of the villagers had been sound asleep for some time by now. Except, of course, the Canewhold family, where multiple lamps lit the manor. Dame Canewhold had retired to her chambers already, but the baron was still up. He and young master Layne shared that habit.
As Cook returned the rum to the pantry, Lily slid her hand into her left pocket, fumbling slightly as she positioned the small vial correctly in her hand. Adjusting her body to block Cook’s view from the pantry, she then deftly passed the vial over the pot, flicking the stopper open and pouring the contents into the spiced milk, not once interrupting the smooth stirring motion of her other hand.
Skill increase: Sleight of hand +1
Returning from the pantry, Cook came over and Lily stepped aside so she could inspect the milk. Ponderously Cook stirred the mixture once more, then scooped up a spoonful. She carefully sniffed at the aroma wafting up from the steam and then tasted it.
“Yes, ‘tis ready,” she confirmed. Lily blew out a breath she had not even noticed she was holding, and followed Cook to the table where Cook completed the baron’s nightcap, adding a little sprinkle of cinnamon on top for decoration.
“You may take the baron’s nightcap to him now.”
“Yes, Cook.”
<>
Okay, so let’s get this show on the road, Claire exclaimed from where she was drifting in her cavern. She had some very special ideas already, and was itching to put them into practice. Then she met Rick’s blank stare.
I, ah, I mean, let’s build us a dungeon!
“Yes! About time!” Rick whooped, his flames burning brighter all around him.
“I’ve been thinking about where to place your entrance, and that knight was quite correct,” Rick enthusiastically continued.
What was he right about? Claire asked sweetly.
Realising what he just said, Rick froze, relaxing only as Claire started laughing.
No, don’t worry – I’m not bothered by him anymore. Got it out of my system and all, you know?
“Ah good,” Rick replied and then continued earnestly as he did when discussing anything dungeon. “The part I was referring to, was what he said about angling towards solid ground. Maybe we should go for the mountainside opening, where your last shaft led?”
Yes, that would do. Claire imagined the view she could have. Since she still couldn’t really tell what the landscape looked like (aside from her narrow perception of the beach), she visualised the image from Love in the Caribbean as the view from her entrance. This caused a melancholic ache in her heart. It was the last earth romance she had ever read. Mr Nealy had been on the verge of sneaking into the pirate camp, to rescue Carlie who was the only one who knew where the treasure map was. Of course, Mr Nealy would’ve been successful. How can it ever be otherwise in a romance novel? But Claire still didn’t know how the romantic tension between the two had been resolved, whether they defeated the pirates, and if they had found the treasure.
I think I would like to have an ocean view from my dungeon entrance though. As far as I can tell, that last shaft faced inland. Even if it didn’t look exactly like the view on Love in the Caribbean’s cover, it is something. A little memento of a life hardly lived.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“Sure, a view of the ocean shouldn’t be too difficult. I have to admit, though, that I am worried about the distance from your core location to our preferred dungeon entrance location. Currently, your core is experiencing life force deprivation, which may impact how much and what we are able to create.”
Claire considered the information.
I see. Do you think we should maybe start off lower on the cliff side?
“That might be wise. Why don’t we do some location scouting first, before we decide, though? Since we already have a few exit apertures, we could start with you creating a single dungeon construct. You’ll be able to see through its eyes and can use it to scout the area. You should have enough biomass after all the digging you’ve done.”
Hold on, Rick, could you please explain ‘biomass’ to me?
“Let me start a little broader than that. You will use certain resources in almost all of your constructs and construction. Remember how you blocked the flood points into your dungeon?”
Yes?
“To do that, you applied some of the raw material you acquired while digging your shafts. You will need resources like that for everything you build, whether organic or inorganic. More specifically, you will typically need inorganic resources, or raw material, for the construction you do inside your dungeon. To create your semi-living dungeon constructs, you will need a mix of inorganic and organic material, or biomass. Since you are partly a mental type dungeon, you will furthermore need mental energy for some of the mental effects you should be able to create.”
Okay, so I think I understand the basics of inorganic resources, since I’ve already absorbed and used raw material. But what about biomass and mental energy? Specifically, where do I get those?
“You should already have acquired some biomass as part of the soil you were digging your shafts through – as part of the raw matter, in other words. Let’s take a look at your resource menu, and see.”
Claire mentally nodded and flipped to the menu.
Resources available
Biomass: 48
Mental energy: 150
Raw material: 434
“Yes, you’ve got some biomass as I thought, as well as a surprising amount of mental energy.”
It does seem like a lot, but how did I get it?
“Mental energy originates from the living entities within the bounds of your dungeon. In other words, you get a share of whatever mental energy whatever beings exude while they are on your territory. Obviously a higher level of sentience will provide more to you, so you can’t expect the same amount from a plant as from a human, for example.”
So, I benefited from the presence of all the humans that were in my territory this afternoon.
“Yes, you did. Plus, the amount of mental energy you can gain, also increases with any heightened emotions.”
Meaning the overall tension on the beach, and Stanley’s terror when he got buried in the sand. The others were also all pretty shaken when I collapsed that chamber on Stanley. Actually, they seemed a lot more terrorised than I would’ve thought, them being seasoned adventurers and all.
“True, but it did have the benefit of giving you a whole lot of mental energy. I wouldn’t overthink it too much – humans are hard to gauge.”
Okay, so back to creating a scouting construct. I likely have enough biomass, so how do we do it?
“Yes, 48 isn’t great, but it should give you some starting options. Open your biomass blueprints menu, and you will see a list of what you currently have at your disposal.”
Claire focused on the idea, and a new menu screen opened up.
Available bio-blueprints
Terrestrial
Oceanic
Plants
Mountain fern
Palm tree
Luminous blue moss
Phytoplankton
Red algae
Coralline algae
Seagrass
Animals
Chameleon
Gliding treefrog
Crab
Coral polyp
Flute fish
Parrot fish
Sea turtle
Sea horse
Insects
Glasswing butterfly
Cockroach
-
I see – I’ve got some interesting options here, but where do these choices come from? And how do I create a dungeon with these creatures? None of them look very dangerous…
“You have these options because their organic material (whether living or remains) was part of the biomass you collected as you were tunnelling towards the surface. If you have enough biomass, you can recreate each of these options as is, or you can also shape their bio-blueprint to favour certain characteristics.”
Listening to Rick explain, Claire mentally equated bio-blueprint to DNA structure and shaping to genetic engineering. It was amazing to think of the long scientific journey it took humans on Earth to uncover all the knowledge they had at the point of her death. And now, here she is and she can view and re-engineer these bio-blueprints at a thought. How many scientists would kill for this ability? All the good she could have done with this power on Earth.
Well, she still gets to do it all, but it all will serve her own dungeon design. Claire couldn’t wait to start.
And I can also add to these designs as I keep collecting biomass?
“Not only that, you’ll be building your very own collection of unique constructs as you go along.”
Very nice, Claire smiled inwardly. Let’s get started with my very first scout then. Preferably something small and inconspicuous that can cover a lot of ground.
“Which would rule out the chameleon and the treefrog,” Rick nodded. “So we’re looking at either the glasswing butterfly or the cockroach.”
Yes, but not the cockroach, Claire responded decisively. She hated those creatures. But then she thought of Tamrin and rapidly revised her feelings.
“So the glasswing butterfly then?”
I think so. It would also help us to get a good aerial view of our surroundings.
As soon as Claire selected the glasswing butterfly’s blueprint, a creation menu appeared.
Construct creation
Biomass blueprint selected
Glasswing butterfly
Features
Delicate, large transparent wings
Capable of fluttery flight
Proboscis able to be rolled up when not in use
Sensitive antennae can detect surface texture, heat, sound and air movements.
Maximum life-force absorption rate: 15 LF per day.
Select creation option
Create as is – Initial cost: 5 BM & 10 LF
Customise features – Variable cost
Combine with other blueprint – Variable cost
Studying the blueprint information, Claire felt quite satisfied with what she was about to create. She noted the ‘customise features’ and ‘combine with other blueprint’ options with interest, assuming that these two options formed part of her genetic engineering capabilities as a core. She did have a question about one thing though.
Hey Rick, what is that maximum life-force absorption rate in the description?
“Ah, you know how you are constantly absorbing life-force to power yourself, your mental processes, and your creations?”
Yes, and I also need to gain an extra 250 life-force on top of that all to become a level 2 core.
“Indeed. So the problem with that is that you can only absorb so much life-force per day yourself as a core. You can imagine how constraining this would become if it were the only way of collecting you could gain life-force. No core would be able to level past Level 1!”
So this is how I can gain extra capacity for life-force absorption?
“In short, yes. After you contribute 10 life-force in the creation of the butterfly, the butterfly needs to maintain that expense per day as long as it is in existence. So every construct needs the capacity to at least recoup the amount of life-force they need per day, plus a little extra to enforce you and your ability to grow and maintain yourself and your dungeon. In almost all cases the maximum capacity as such will be one and a half times the life-force you spent on the initial creation. Thus the maximum for this butterfly is 15 LF per day.”
You mean I could create a whole kaleidoscope of butterflies just for extra LF?
Rick smiled slightly, “Yes, you could. You would need to ensure that they are in a sufficiently life-force rich environment, though, so you couldn’t just keep them here in your core room. Besides, if you create nothing but butterflies, you may not survive for very long once those core hunters come back…”
True, but as I’ve heard, multiple streams of income are important. I’m guessing it applies to life-force income too. Anyway, let’s get going with this glasswing butterfly! Claire chose the ‘create as is’ option, which popped up a confirmation prompt to which she responded ‘yes’.
Create glasswing butterfly?
Cost
5 Biomass
10 Life-force
Yes/No
The creation process itself was quite fascinating. Claire had expected to see something like a 3D print in progress, but actually it was quite different with the butterfly coming in to existence first as a shimmering shape gradually solidifying until there was a glasswing butterfly fluttering in the air above her core.
“Very nice!” Rick praised, and Claire too looked at the butterfly in satisfaction.
Yes, such a pretty butterfly! And it’s going to help me find the perfect entrance spot for my dungeon, Claire silently added as she mentally directed it up the shaft that opens on the mountainside.
Following the butterfly’s viewpoint up the shaft was a thrilling experience for Claire, being stuck in her cavern as she was. And when the butterfly burst out of the aperture and into the night sky, the view of the island in the moonlight was glorious.
Up and up it fluttered, showing Claire the contours of the island, the mountains and cliffs reaching up into the sky, and the faraway lights of settlements. Then it bopped around to the other side of the mountain, revealing a majestic view over an ocean cove. On the outskirts it was lined with rocky pillared piles of basalt, giving way to pure beach at the closest point of the inham. The surrounding cliffs were topped with vegetation, the types of which were indistinct in the darkness, but which would surely shower Claire’s territory in luscious greens and tropical plants.
Then a dark shadow fell over their view and Claire gasped as the scene disappeared in an instant. There was a pinprick in her core, a feeling of sudden loss, which passed in an instant.
Rick, do you know what happened? Where’s my butterfly?
“Most likely it fell to a natural predator, as these butterflies would be indigenous to this environment.”
But what about the biomass and life-force I used?
“It’s probably fuelling the predator that ate it.”
<><><>
Character sheet summary at the end of Chapter 7
Claire
Type: Life-Mind
Level: 1
Integrity: 100%
Processing speed: 100%
Functional capacity: 79%
Progress to next level
-210/250 LF Performance provision
0/500 Dungeon Investment, consisting of:
0/≥125 LF
0/≥125 ME
16/250 Skill Share Value
Resources available
Biomass: 43
Mental energy: 150
Raw material: 434
Core defence enabled
Cutting thorn barrier
5 LF to initiate
Continuous drain of 10 LF per day
<>
Lily Hunter
Rogue Level 1
First-tier skills
Basic herbalism 1/20
Deception +1 → 2/20
New: Lockpicking 5/20
Petty theft 1/20
Pickpocketing 4/20
Sneaking 7/20
New: Sleight of hand +1 → 2/20
Second-tier skills
Spying 0/50