The sun was soon coming within an hour.

The past night had been another night of experimentation. I was getting ready for the seventh floor and putting ideas into testing. I had learned a few things. Ogres were to be the minion type. I leaned towards a single total fitted out with the best I could supply.

"What will the hook for the floor be?"

The hook on the sixth was the silver vein and the third was the boar's bodies. What will the seventh be?

I opened my screens and went through them. I was looking for inspiration.

A gold vein?....No that will be on a deeper floor. Not platinum either, then.

Weapons and/or armour?.... Maybe. I had been gathering a decent collection of them.

I was thinking about my options when I got a strange feeling washed over me, which I recognised.

"Here we go…"

Since the first contact, I had recovered from the shock and had been planning what to do. The sudden fact that someone was talking to me in my Dungeon had been quite a surprise. However, I needed more information before I could commit to any plans.

"Hello?" Came a voice from around me.

"What! You again?"

The voice belonged to Ranus Goldwind, the man who claimed to be the local Lord. I had heard of him but knew little of his character.

"Yes. I apologise for contacting you again and hoped to finish our conversation from the other day." It was early, but he sounded fully awake. Due to the early hour, he must have been planning this conversation.

"So… What do you want?"

"I have recently learned, as I told you last time, that I have only recently learned of the scale of the danger of the twisted monsters." He recapped our last conversation. "Your information about attracting the twisted monsters was a surprise."

I had to stop myself laughing as his swearing tirade was very impressive. I had to be careful as telling him too much could lead to a bad outcome for me. I had to control the conversation.

"How are you talking to me?"

There were a few moments of silence that was telling.

"I received a strange speaking crystal that implied it could contact you." He spoke. There was a lot more I felt, but I was not pushing him yet.

I was still getting used to talking to another person. I could talk to Queen, but her worldview was narrow, being focused on eating and reproducing. Even after the fact, she could not perform the second.

"What so odd about it?"

"It's colour. I have never seen a jet-black crystal before. They always have a hue of colour in them." Was the reply.

I did not answer. Inside, I was screaming. It sounded a lot like my Core. Where did the crystal come from? Is Oda trying to screw me over, or is some other God?

"Well, that's odd."

It was the best I could come up with. I did not want to tip my hand on the crystal, so I planned to return to it later.

"Indeed, it is. But I am getting off topic, which is the reason why I am communicating with you." He became more focused with the conversation. "I was wondering what you can do to help with the problem of the twisted monsters."

"What do you think I can do?"

"You are attracting the twisted to you. Can you take a more proactive approach to them?" He asked.

"No. I am limited to my claimed area."

"Can you expand your control area to aid in the town's defence?" He was trying to get me to commit to something I knew would never work.

"It does not work like that. Claiming the surface is not cost-effective for me; it costs far more than I would ever get out of it. It will be better for everyone and for me to continue on the track I am on."

"Oh, that is a bit disappointing. Can you do anything within the Dungeon to help the local community?" He sounded disappointed and a bit concerned. Something was nagging at the back of my mind.

"No. The Dungeon is set for the moment. I am planning the seventh right now."

"The seventh. What are you thinking about doing with that floor?" He was interested in the next floor, and I realised what he was doing: he was fishing for information.

"Oh, look, the adventurers have arrived. Time to go to work!"

"Wait! I still…."

I concentrated on the connection in my mind that I had noticed the first time he started talking to me. A thin line of essence was running away from my Core out from the Dungeon. As we spoke, tiny pulses of mana were travelling along it. The connection was back and I reached out and broke it. With that, Ranus Goldwind's voice vanished. The adventurers had not arrived yet, but the time was close.

He was after information, and I had learned something in return. That crystal showed my location. I had to find a way to hide the line of essence or reroute it so it was hidden.

Another project for another day.

The adventurers had arrived and the day went on. I spent the time looking over the ogre. I would have to equip it and all my gear was the wrong size. This meant more experimentation!

An essence rush pulled my attention back to the Dungeon. An overconfident group was getting stomped by the three boars on the third. One was down, but the others were getting back the advantage. I doubted they would go further. The other boars would beat them down if they did.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I went back to the screens.

Options. Options.

"I do not have many yet."

I could abandon the ogre idea and go with lions, but I wanted the ogre. I was going to make this work. How? I'm not sure right now, but I was going to try.

## ## ## ## ##

Elian knew something was up. Ranus was acting strangely. Ever since visiting the Dungeon, he had been doing odd things, but she knew there was some purpose. He was keeping his reasoning obfuscated and refused to talk about it.

The latest example was sitting in front of her. It was a request from Danrum at Ranus's instigation. It would be an ongoing request for teams to hunt monsters and bandits on the southern main trade route. The route had been established over the last few years and was slower than the river, but more travel was seen as more traders used it as the river route was more expensive.

On the surface, it was a sound request. It was the attentions behind it that had her concerned. She knew the town had limited finances, which was a strain that Ranus should avoid.

So, the question was, why?

Albrot was in the room with her, leaning back in the chair across from her with his eyes closed. She knew he was not sleeping but thinking about what was happening. He was as concerned as she was.

"What are we missing?" He asked, bringing her back from her own thoughts.

"I do not know. Something happened a few days ago in or after the meeting with the priests on the presence of the paladins within the town." Ekain replied, going over everything again.

"We need to know what was said or happened." Albrot was now looking at her with his eyes open.

"I know. He is not speaking. He might be under a vow of silence." Elian offered an explanation for his actions.

"I was thinking the same. If it's divinely enforced, we will not get anything from him. If that is the case, we look to his actions to scry his intentions." Albrot leaned forward. "What had he done."

"He visited the Dungeon at night the same day as the meeting with all the priests. Since then, he has been seeking ways to accrue more money. We have learned the churches are paying more rent. The paladins have also agreed to aid in monster hunts around the neighbouring valleys. The southern land trade route to the Necsan city-states has become important for him." Elian went over everything they knew.

"The churches paying more is strange. The paladins are helping out so much, is not. It's the visit to the Dungeon and the trade route focus that we need to understand." Albrot looked out the window. "Let's concentrate on the trade route, as that could lead to the answer for the visit."

"It is being used more, but the merchants travel in caravans to ensure they arrive. The combined security is more enough to see most dangers off." Elian went over the usual reasons for such a request from the local lord in her head. "No reports of major monster or bandit activity on the route."

"Then what has changed?" Albrot asked the question that was at the source of their unease.

"From what I know, the route does not make much money for the town as the ships arriving contain far more cargo." Elian thought out loud.

"If not financial, then what is the reason?" Asked Albrot. They both fell into silence as they thought about the route.

"It links to Tyboon…., the only land route that the town has…." Elian thought out loud, leaning back in her chair, her eyes distant. Suddenly, she bolted up and exclaimed. "And it's the only way most of the population could escape if the town was ever overrun!"

Albrot understood what she had realised and paled at the thought. The mountains and valleys around here were being tamed slowly, but many powerful monsters were still roaming. If you could not get them out by the river, any mass evacuation would only have one relatively safe way to go.

"The southern land trade route!" He exclaimed, too, understanding. "But why know?"

"He has learned something. It most likely happened on the same day he met the priests. It's the only explanation." Elain started putting pieces together.

"That would explain the presence of the paladins and his acceptance of their presence." Albrot continued.

"Yes, that it does. The only thing that has happened recently was the twisted monster entering the Dungeon." Elain continued to think along the lines of reasoning that they had realised. "It must be something involving it or others."

"It must be." Albrot agreed, but his tone was hesitant and Elain caught it straight away.

"What is it, Albrot? Now is not the time to hide things." Elain was getting sick of not knowing important things that were affecting her.

He hesitated but spoke. "Sightings of twisted monsters are on the increase. The churches and temples are taking the lead when treating the wounded. The injuries people sustain are not reacting to healing magic as they should."

"I know that. After the ogre attack, it took some adventurers weeks to heal fully." Elain shivered slightly, remembering the monster and the aftermath.

"Well, that is not all. Occasionally, the corruption that makes twisted monsters is passed to one of the survivors of the fight."

"By the Gods, Albrot! Why have you not told me that sooner? I have had people going out there to hunt those things." Elain jumped to her feet, yelling in frustration and shock. Albrot was calm, expecting this reaction. He watched as she started pacing, processing everything he had just told her. He knew her well enough to wait for her mind to put everything in its place in her mental big picture.

"This changes much, but it still does not explain, Ranus. I do not think he has been exposed to this corruption but has discovered or been told something." She started after a few moments of pacing around the office. It was not a large office with Albrot in it, which made it smaller, but she was moving.

"Agreed, and it involves the Dungeon in some manner." Albrot pointed out.

"Yes." She stops and turns to him sharply. "Have there been any other reports of Dungeons being attacked by twisted monsters?"

"Not yet. All Dungeons have a community nearby. Any twisted monster attacks would be spotted and engaged by the locals."

"That means this Dungeon is the only known one attacked and the Gods are allowing it." Elain reasoned.

"That is an opinion being expressed by several other Guild Masters. We are getting concerned about the number of twisted attacks being reported as the true number is far higher." Albrot said grimly.

"And like any other monster, the more it kills, the stronger it becomes." Elain finished the thought.

They both fell silent after that. Elian returned to her seat and was sitting behind her desk again.

"So, what do we do?" She asked. Albrot had no answer.

## ## ## ## ##

Actions or events have consequences which can be described as ripples.

You know this as they have been coming from the new Dungeon fast and spreading wide.

Few are seen, while most are unseen; they affect the world in small and significant ways.

Far to the west on Kyber is a grouping of haunted and desolate hills. Once, there was a prosperous town here whose ruins can still be found. Now, it is an overgrown and cursed place shunned by all. Once, the streets were filled with life, but now monsters stalk the ruins.

The land had changed, too. It was hilly, but many farmed and herded across it. Now they are gone and the land is warped and bitter. What grows here now is cruel and toxic.

What had happened, you might ask?

The town's destruction was once its source of wealth. On a hill to the north of the ruins was a cave. A stone-paved path led to it. The land was now reclaiming the path but was still walkable. Approaching it, the worldly would see it for what it once was.

The cave was once an entrance to a Dungeon.

The town was once called Ashmar's Rest and was a Dungeon town. The land around it was called the Purple Hearth Hills, named after a purple heather that grew across the hills.

Now it is named after what happened here…. Folly's End.

Here, Prince Adrill started his rampage, which he was forced back to and brought down, bringing it to its end The battles were so horrific that the land was polluted and made bitter by the actions and intentions of the combatants.

It was here that the void first touched this world and where its presence was still most felt. What lived here was twisted beyond understanding, and most slept until disturbed, as they were now.

Something was calling from the east, and the call was getting louder year by year. Smaller monsters were always awake and battling for dominance, but they were moving eastward. The bigger and older monsters, the truly dangerous ones, were now stirring as well. They lived in the ruins of the Dungeon.

The nations around were being forced to take notice of these hills.