The Core dragged its attention away from the slumbering, transformed ants to find a creature heading for the entrance to the second floor. Vastly different from anything the Core had seen thus far, the invader was long and lithe. It didn’t possess any arms or legs but rather moved by wriggling along the ground in smooth motions.
Green scales covered the creature like armor and its hunger was evident from the long forked tongue that flicked out of its mouth. All of these details were terrifying but the glow of Aether was more terrifying still. Near the center of the creature was a radiant orb of light with many little strands running the length and breadth of its body.
Unable to truly panic due to its half-sapient nature, the Dungeon nonetheless could feel the instinctive panic all creatures experience when their territory is encroached upon. Its subconscious roared a challenge and its reliable champion answered. The mouse guardian let out a bellow and charged out of the first floor and into battle.
The creature was half inside the entrance to the second floor by the time the mouse arrived, preventing it from slithering further. With a firm grasp and a bite that punched through the creature’s scales, the mouse began to drag the creature out, the beast hissing in its pain and distress. The mouse, its teeth firmly locked onto the thing's hide, struggled to keep it from slithering further. Inch by inch the mouse began to win the tug of war.
As its head left the entrance to the second floor the creature let out a hiss of rage and turned to engage the mouse directly. The Core couldn’t sigh in relief but it would have if it could’ve and then waited for its guardian to finish this foul intruder. This was no helpless ant though. It was a long and sinuous creature with green scales and a flickering tongue.
The two creatures battled it out with the mouse’s bites leaving scarlet blood pouring down the enemy’s sides. The scaled one would not be outdone though and bit the guardian repeatedly curling its body around the mouse to strangle it. The back and forth continued for some minutes with neither side gaining an upper hand but the Core could see that its guardian was beginning to flag.
Wheezing as the coils grew tight, the mouse kept biting and biting until finally it caught the head of the creature and bit into the space behind its skull. As the creature’s coils slackened in death another tiny burst of Aether occurred, with half going to the mouse and the other half going into the Dungeon.
Still wheezing the mouse pulled itself out of the coils before slumping to the ground, limp. Frantic for an entirely new reason, the Core tugged on its Aether reserves to patch up the worst of the mouse’s wounds, watching closely as the worst of the wounds sealed themselves closed. Watching so closely, the Core almost flinched when golden light began to pour out from beneath the mouse’s skin.
The Core did not know what was happening with its defender but it now glowed with the same light as the ants did. So the Core acted to get its guardian to safety, where it could rest. With a tug on its bond and with quite a bit of Aether, it managed to get the mouse back to its nest where the beast slumped exhausted.
With that taken care of the Core turned to the invader, moving immediately to the next thing now that it was safe once more. Claiming the creature was the work of a moment and the Core felt a flicker of what would become excitement. This invader had been powerful and mighty. Now, it would serve the Core well.
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Motes of light lifted from the corpse and flowed down to the Core. A phantom ding sounded again as new knowledge bathed the young nascent mind. Even as it basked in the glow of something new, its gaze was drawn to where the body had lain. There, gleaming on the ground, was a tiny crystal.
The Core cast its senses over it but found nothing other than the fact that it seemed to hold a good quantity of Aether. With a breath, it absorbed that too, and watched as its Aether joined the rest headed to its body. With the minor distraction out of the way, the Core began to move, gathering Aether and fueling the new pattern in its mind. With its guardian brought low and sleeping it needed another to take its place.
Expanding beyond its entrance it claimed the earth beyond as well as the tall, green, fibrous protrusions that grew from it. Those protrusions required still more Aether to claim and came with another phantom ding, but the Core was too busy to care.
Creating a set boundary it settled the new creature within it, just outside the entrance to the outside, with orders to guard the dungeon. It noted in passing that this creature too had a glowing orb of light within it but it lacked the curiosity and sapience to truly process that information.
Finally safe, its instincts sated, the Core finally retreated to its pedestal feeling a weight come over it. It took a moment to look over its domain, taking in the sights of slumbering creatures and the lone scaly guardian that now stood guard. Then, it slipped into oblivion, unaware of the golden light beginning to radiate from its crystalline body.
As it gave itself to The Great Rest, it had no way of sensing the divine gazes that watched its every move. It had no inkling of the designs and expectations that had gone into its creation. There was only The Great Rest and the subconscious knowledge that when it woke up, everything would be different.
End of Chapter System Notifications:
“House Mouse” is ready to Ascend!
Please pick from among the following Stages:
*Error*Proto-Spark Detected! Path of Direction Chosen! The High Council has decided!
“House Mouse” is Ascending to “Mouse Guard”.
New Framework Acquired!
Constricting Green Snake (Rank F - Copper)
Rising high above its base origins this green snake has taken its first step on the Path of Ascension, learning to use its length to great effect to constrict its foes. With a diet consisting of insects, spiders, and small creatures such as baby birds and infant mice, this creature is a fearsome hunter to those smaller than it is. Its green scales help it blend in among grasses, allowing it to hide from predators and prey alike.
As the first Dungeon to use such a creature as a Dungeon Monster, you will be able to create and modify its Path of Ascension freely.
Warning! May have unforeseen consequences.
Grass (Mundane)
A humble plant, grass can be found growing everywhere even in the frozen wastes of Faltangira. While this plant would not be worthy of a Framework for a larger dungeon, which uses other more dangerous plants, perhaps its worth will be found by a much smaller dungeon willing to experiment.
As the first Dungeon to use such a plant as a Main Dungeon Environment, you will be able to create and modify its Path of Ascension freely.
Warning! May have unforeseen consequences.
Floor 3 Created!
One of the Core’s creatures has achieved enough internal Aether to climb the Path of Ascension. The Core has created its 3rd floor. All parameters for the Core’s first Ascension have been met. Prepare to begin the climb.
Progress to Core Ascension:
100%
Preparing to Ascend!