Satharis sprinted down a leafless branch, his blue scales glittering in the sunshine and leaping into the air. Within the confines of the underground orchard, there was a singular path for him.
The rent in the dungeon wall sprawled open, gaping wide like the jaws of Hell. In an instant it became clear what the dragon intended. Fly out of the dungeon, once beyond it’s boundaries he would be beyond the dungeon core's senses. Unable to hear, see, or communicate with his infantile master.
Jean-luc would be unable to gain any insight and prohibited from questioning the dragon further.
Get back here you little worm! We are stuck in this mound of canine droppings together!
Satharis made no reply, flapping his wings to gain speed. A act of casual defiance that reminded Jean-luc of a particularly annoying housecat. Flicking open his spell list he scanned the spells, checking his MP and finding he had sufficient power.
He started with a simple teleport. Targeting Satharis and selecting a point deeper in the dungeon, one that placed the orchard between him and open sky. Teleport took several seconds to activate, but when it completed Satharis let out a squawk of surprise. Sending a gout of fire ahead of him as his world shifted suddenly.
Teleport had bough Jean-luc a few seconds, time to follow Satharis' advice and plan. Following up teleport with Multi-Enhance then Heroic Bravery. Buffing all of Satharis’ stats as well as removing any negative status effects.
Let's see you run away with that buff. Can a hero tuck their tail and run?
This caught the dragon’s attention, making him wheel in air. He continued flying, unwilling to stop, but knowing Jean-luc could claw him back whenever he pleased. Satharis' took a circuitous route towards the exit. A moment passed without either of them speaking, silence made his course wander closer to the gaping hole.
I need you Satharis, there are things only you can do. I know Hephestus built you that new body for a purpose. Let me help you.
Satharis’ wings flared, slowing his momentum. His talons snagging a nearby branch.
“A handful of buffs won’t be enough.” Snapped Satharis, anger leaking into his voice.
Jean-luc knew his dragon was giving him an opportunity to change his mind. Opening the roster he selected Sathirs’ name and activated the options he had read about earlier. Promoting Satharis to a floor boss then awarding him the title of “Dungeon Advisor.”
“Do you think a promotion is enough to keep me here? Magic cannot pierce a Leviathan’s hide! Allowing me access to your MP is futile!”
That’s not my goal. As my advisor you can see what I can. So here is my status screen.
As he spoke, he pulled up his status. Satharis froze when he saw the rank. Mouth falling open as he reread it.
Jean-luc smiled in a very un-priestly way.
The talent I borrowed from the orange haired girl paid off. If you ask nicely I'll share it with you. But… Said Jean-luc, allowing silence to punctuate his offer.
“Bah! For a priest you are a conniving son of a dog. You already own my body and soul. Now you demand my dignity! Maybe I should follow you back to your world, find the place you call home and burn it to ashes.”
Jean-luc understood this was going nowhere fast and decided to change approach. This was no time to let pride hinder their unified goals.
We got off on the wrong foot Satharis. Let me help you kill the Leviathan, if anything in this dungeon can, it's you. Hephestus left me his notes, he literally spelled out a golden path for Leviathan hunting. Documenting each talent to select and when. I can't fight the Leviathan, but you can.
Satharis was quiet for a long time, wings dry flapping as he contemplated. Jean-luc had done his best to work with the stubborn dragon, if he chose to leave, Jean-luc would have to let him go. Uncomfortable moments passed with Satharis pacing back and forth, methodically working his way towards the chasm. When the dragon broke the silence, his whispers felt like shattering glass.
“That was a long time ago. My dungeon core wasn't an infant like you, it was ancient. There were others who fought alongside me.” Whispered Satharis.
He stopped his dithering and strode away.
I will never, could never, replace your comrades. The memories of them are something special that you should always cherish in your heart. That doesn’t mean we should give up and let the Leviathan eat us again. We are alive because of what your comrades did back then. Thank you for saving the world once. I that I will do everything in my power to help you do it again. As many times as we need to.
Satharis reached the edge of the precipice, extending his wings to display his full wingspan. A rising thermal stretched his wings, lifting the dragon off of his feet and into the air.
Jean-luc winced, this was it. His only weapon was about to abandon him.
“Maybe you aren’t the infant I thought you were. Speak, tell me of your plan to return my strength and levels.” Ordered Satharis.
You won’t like it, but step one is for you to rescue the elf. We need her alive. Said Jean-luc, pulling up his spell list in preparation to tame the dragon’s inevitable outburst.
To his astonishment, Satharis lept into the onrushing thermal updraft, flapping his wings as he exited the dungeon. He dipped below the cavern floor, disappearing from view.
Crap...
Sathari's blue scales appeared, his long neck appearing first as the dragon wheeled. His iridescent form entering the dungeon at speed.
"My attention is not cheap. Speak quickly toddler!"
Well, graduated from infant to toddler. I'll take it!
Satharis rolled his eyes, beginning to regret his decision to return.
Okay, okay! I appreciate you. I need the elf to survive, so we can send a message to the redhead.
Satharis entered the worm tunnels, expertly navigating their smooth shafts on nimble wings. Covering more ground than any bipedal creature could.
“Do not call a half elf an elf in front of Hephestus. Or any member of the pantheon. What if the half elf attacks me?” Asked Satharis.
His voice carried no emotion, leaving Jean-luc in the dark.
Trust works two ways. We need Nara, that’s the woman’s name, we need her to bring the redhaired girl to this dungeon once a month with the first visit to be next week. My spell can borrow a talent for a month, but that’s the new and improved upgraded version. The default talent only works for a week. Which is the version I used to acquire 'Curiosity'. While you were, uhm, asleep?
I had the chance to run some numbers. Without ‘Curiosity’ we cannot kill the Leviathan. There simply isn’t a way to get that much XP in a timeframe I can calculate. It gives XP at an absurd rate, something like ten thousand times faster than the best XP booster in Hephestus' notes.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Oh you found the manual, good to know your literate.” Answered Satharis.
Jean-luc ignored the bait. There was no concievable way Satharis knew anything about seminary. Or how he had spent multiple decades of his life reading a single book.
Her talent works differently than anything in the manual. All you need to do is observe, and you'll gain XP, watching the goblins train could get us to level one hundred. fight and gain XP without outpacing them. Since they are more than double your level now you will get a massive boost.
This caught Satharis’ attention. A thousand possibilities entered his mind, too many for him to continue flying. Wings flared and he alighted onto the stone floor.
“What are you talking about?” He said, opening the dungeon roster and checking the goblin levels for himself.
His jaw fell open. Gawking at the goblin levels.
“I was only respawning for a day! How is this possible?” Gasped Satharis.
As far as I can tell, ‘Curiosity’ is a unique talent. I can’t find it in any of Hephestus’ notes or any of the reference material he left behind. Since my talents apply to all minions inside of me… uhm... poor phrasing. The goblin’s training has become something of a tournament. Most of them spectate while a couple guys fight it out.
“With a hundred goblins, that is roughly fifty times the XP as before. It’s still orders of magnitude less than we need to evolve. Unless... Did you have anyone check your math?” Said Satharis.
My math is fine! Regardless, we need to keep the 'Curiosity' talent! Go smooze the elf, or uh... Half elf. Earn this woman’s trust. She should be dead ahead, hiding between stalagmites in one of the natural chambers.
Satharis nodded in response. Trotting down the curving passageway until he reached a point he thought the elf could hear him from. The tunnel’s lateral curve kept him safely out of sight. His back still ached from where her arrows had nearly broken his spine. Respawning only meant he got to come back after death. It did not mean he was free from pain or previous traumas.
He shivered, recalling the sensation of tearing his wing off.
“Nara, I have come to escort you home.” Called Satharis, voice echoing down the tunnel.
Nara vanished from sight. Her outline disappearing from Jean-luc’s vision. Satharis noticed the change and sighed, knowing he was probably going to be stabbed or mauled in the next few seconds. Hopefully he could convince the adventurer to follow him after the third death.
“My master has ordered me to guide you from this dungeon. We gain more by having you escape today and returning later.” Called Satharis.
No sound came from the chamber ahead. Satharis straightened his neck and closed his eyes. Presenting the easiest target possible. A clean death was infinitely preferable to bleeding out. A twinge of phantom pain ran through his wings, a vestige of his amputation the day before.
In spite of the pain, or maybe because of the Heroic Bravery spell, Satharis strode into the chamber. He summoned an orb of light that floated above him, chasing away the shadows. Light penetrated the darkness, revealing stalagmites all around him. He knew one of them concealed the half elf.
“I will not move from here.” Said Satharis, closing his eyes.
In all his many lives, he had never felt as helpless as he did now. Not even when he was fighting the Leviathan had he felt this exposed. An immense weight landed on his back. Pinning both wings to his body as a hand grasped his neck. Holding his neck at a forward angle so a dagger could slip between his spinal scales.
Throughout the assault Satharis did not move. Remaining motionless as he was pinned and threatened with death. The dagger pierced his skin. Drawing blood from the space between two vertebrae. If his attacker wished, they could push the blade a half inch deeper, severing his spinal cord and killing him instantaneously.
“You’ll move when I kill you. A rare drop would be worth the detour.” Whispered Nara Piper.
Satharis replied softly, careful not to move a single scale as he spoke.
“We have a deal for you. Safe passage for you and the redhead at all times. On the condition you return to the dungeon at least once a month.” Offered the dragon.
The blade sank a millimeter deeper.
“Do you think I would trust you wyrm?” Growled the half elf.
“You’ve been walking in the dark since I died. I could have ambushed you. Waited until you were sleeping then ordered a slime to crawl down your throat.”
Nara’s grip tightened around his neck.
“Agh- You are- gah- lost and alone. Let me help.” Choked out Satharis.
Nara relaxed her grip a hair, only enough for him to speak without choking.
“I know the way out. Follow me and live, or kill me and die of thirst or exhaustion down here.” Said Satharis.
Nara realigned the dagger, aiming to sever his entire head.
“You left your pack back at the goblin village. How long can you last without food or water?” Asked Satharis.
“Who is your master? Tell me why you would spare my life for another to return.” Demanded Nara.
“The dungeon is my master… I obey the orders of he who controls life and death.” Answered Satharis, evading the easy question.
It’s fine Satharis, tell her the truth, I’m Jean-luc Delance and we need Hattie to help us kill the Leviathans. We share a common enemy, use that!
Satharis spoke directly to Jean-luc, using the bond they shared as dungeon and minion.
“I can’t use your name! It sounds like you gave your cock a woman’s name. Plucked duck De-penis. Maybe that is fine where your soul is from but that isn’t going to fly here.”
This revelation shocked Jean-luc. He was in a different world after all, they would have a different history and culture.
“My master and I do not care if humans live or die. What we wish for above all else, is to slay the Leviathans.” Said Satharis.
Nara let out a disbelieving chuckle. Relaxing her deathgrip on the dagger by a whisker. Just enough to let Satharis breathe without the danger of paralyzing himself.
“I should take you back to town in a box. Nobles would pay handsomely for a jester like you.”
“There are many who can appreciate my wit. What say you? Do we have a deal?”
“Hades no! Your offer sucks.” Laughed Nara, plunging the knife through Satharis’ neck and throat.
She ripped the blade sideways. Severing the dragon’s head. His body faded into ashes, leaving behind three stacks of silver coins. Nara felt them press against her inner thigh as the dragon dissolved. Without her pack she had no way to carry them without compromising her stealth. She winced, annoyed at leaving the coins behind. Escape was paramount.
Jean-luc watched her leave the coins behind, confused why the half elf had killed Satharis. A few moments later he activated his talent, respawning Satharis without an MP cost.
“What’s the plan now boss?” Questioned Satharis.
When a woman rejects you, she is often trying to gauge your interest. We will try again.
“I was worried you would say that.” Huffed Satharis, departing for the elf once more.
Jean-luc wished he could take his place. He should be the one risking life and limb, not Satharis. For all his levels and magic he had no ability to move. He could not walk, or talk, or speak to a human again. They could physically be inside his mind, yet they were eternally out of reach.
Reminds me of the legend of Tantalus. The man doomed to reach for the unobtainable.
“Tantalus, that’s an honorable name.” Chimed in Satharis.
Not sure that I like you being able to hear every thought I have. What if I need to relieve myself… oh…
Satharis’ chuckles echoed through the worm tunnels.
“Stop thinking like a human. How do we convince Nara to leave? Hey, if you picked up Charm or another spell like that we could get her to listen without stabbing me.”
That solves our problem today, but not tomorrow. I didn’t expect her to shake us down!
Jean-luc considered his new name. Finding it fitting for a priest reincarnated into a rock. He opened his status screen, entering his new name as ‘Tantalus’. The quotation marks around his name vanished, unnecessary now that he had chosen a new name for himself.
Can you grab those coins and carry them for Nara?
“I am a dragon! Not some lowly pack mule who lives for your burdens. Buy a slime or teleport it yourself!” Countered Satharis.
Tantalus froze.
Satharis, you beautiful blue genius.
“Yes, that’s more like it.”
Selecting the coins as targets, Tantalus teleported them to the cave entrance. He repeated the act several times, targeting several of the glowstones to test the MP cost. It seemed to scale with the amount teleported, to test his hypothesis he targeted Satharis. Accidentally sending the flying dragon right into the dungeon doors.
“You cock sucking duck! Warn me before you do that!”
Oh, uh… Sorry. Said Tantalus.
Trying his best not to laugh at his partner’s plight. He cast heal on Satharis, repeating the spell until the dragon was fully healed. Glancing at his MP counter he noticed that he was gaining MP faster than he could spend it. With all his points into intelligence, the stat that governed MP regen, his MP pool was almost limitless.
“Hephestus must have borrowed your soul so he could give you a larger MP pool.”
A divine blessing? I guess that’s the least he could do after plucking me from my world. Doesn’t make it right though. Hey, is he the type to expect a favor or two in return for this starting boost?
“Yes. Probably a lot more than a favor or two.”
Tantalus figured as much, but Hephestus would have to wait his turn. If god could wander off for a few centuries then Tantalus could wait a few centuries to pay the perceived debt. Targeting Nara he activated his teleport spell.