Chapter 2 - Critters Galore
*** POV of Core ***
In a large room filled with books stood a couple of brightly shining fairies and a mostly omnipotent ghost of a core.
[Now that my work is done, it’s time for you to work your dungeon magic.]
[And how would I do that. The books are already borne of my magic.]
[By turning some of them into critters.]
[Critters? Is that some kind of insect?]
[Critters are like baby monsters that even children can fight with ease.]
[Didn’t you say the same thing about my options for monster spawning?]
[Yes, and both are true.]
[The difference is that critters don’t have a core to passively empower their flesh.]
[Thus you don’t need to spend much mana to keep them alive.]
[But if they can’t fight, then what good are they?]
[Everything must begin somewhere.]
[And a strong foundation will help you far into the future.]
The core pondered these opinions. It always felt a bit of doubt towards their ideas, but assurance towards that they would never willingly harm it. All things begin with trust or so its partners said. So it followed their vague instructions for the creation of a critter by circulating the mana in its core into a book. Its mind sunk into the process as it began to imagine what it would be.
Something helplessly weak, but still viable. The pages turned black as magic runes for basic cantrip spells formed on them. An eye formed and began to constantly move throughout the book in order to get its bearing. The spine was infused with telekinesis magic in order to grant it enough power to move by itself. So long as it stayed within the dungeon, it could fly and hit intruders with a weak breeze. One of those horror books mentioned random movement to be scary. Perhaps these critters can at least scare away all the intruders. Or at least give them cold shoulders.
[Good! Now you just need to make a giant statue of the critter.]
[As scary and powerful as you can imagine an evolution of it.]
[Okay.]
Its mind sank once more into the process of creating a book of horror. A faint shape of a giant book formed on top of a pedestal. Teeth formed of paper lined out the sides. Glowing, blood red runic script was transcribed on the black pages. 2 pairs of eyes, 1 for each side, were placed on the front and back of the book.
[Done] Its presence sat there and admired its work for a long moment.
[Alright. Now I can administrate the respawn mechanic.] Saying so, I uploaded my system script into the statue in order to function as a hub for book critters. Thinking that they need a name…
[What are you gonna name your monsters?] Says my sister by rudely interrupting me. Hearing my thoughts, she stuck out her tongue at me. Tongue [https://www.royalroadcdn.com/public/smilies/tongue.png]
[I haven’t even named myself yet. How can I name others?] Says the dungeon core while ignoring out antics or just not noticing.
[It’s just a sub-species name.]
[It’s already a book so work from there.]
Having the fate of another thrust upon it, it almost didn’t know what to do. Its instincts rationalized it as something normal to do for the sake of organization. But it doesn’t say how. As such it decided on something short and sweet for its 1st monster.
[I name thee Ahrolla of the Booklet race.]
Suddenly, light flashed from the core and shot into Ahrolla. It’s body grew larger and its runic script became yellow in color. More pages in its arsenal were filled with the now yellow script. Its beady eyes that used to be simple now held a trace of intelligence within them. The booklet statue changed as the name of its race was written on a newly formed plaque on the pedestal.
The core gazed upon its creation in wonder. Is this a name’s worth? Will something similar happen to it when it gains a name. Its core shimmered even brighter at the possibilities. Perhaps it will transform into a cube or maybe a pyramid. Its thoughts came to an end as its partners made conversation.
[You only had to name the species.]
[Naming the individual is a game changer.]
[Patience is good, but a snail will never get anywhere.]
[Witty.]
[But how much mana did that cost you?]
Looking inside itself, its core trembled at the realization of what really happened. Its mana. Its precious mana was nearly exhausted. It wouldn’t die if it had no mana, but it certainly wouldn’t be a pleasant experience.
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[Don’t worry.]
[All dungeons experience mana exhaustion at some point.]
[Just keep enough mana reserves as insurance in the future.]
[We’d be a couple unhappy fairies if we became unemployed so soon.]
[Remember. I will remember-] It says before its consciousness dimmed to preserve power. Seeing this, the fairies had no choice but to wait for the core to regenerate its mana. Ahrolla, in the meantime, was making itself at home amongst its unintelligent cousins. A needle in a haystack.
*** Several days later ***
[hmmm] After a healthy yawn, it had awakened to find its domain in the same state as it was before. It only took a moment to find its partners. The sister was overlooking the portal in the farming field room while the brother was watching over its core.
[Awake? I see your core is glowing brighter now.]
[Yes. What happened?]
[Not much. The villagers are too afraid of being murder hobo’d so they are leaving the dungeon exploration to the adventurers arriving in a week or 2.]
[Lots of time. Must prepare adequate defenses.]
[Speaking of which, can you tame the sparrows my sister caught?]
Hearing so, the core took a closer look at the farming biome it had created. Despite being newly planted, all of the crops were fully grown and ready to be harvested. On an apple tree was a pair of sleeping sparrows. Their green feathers making them nearly invisible amongst the leaves.
It could feel a small trickle of purified mana being absorbed by the sparrows. The core followed its instincts and sent its mana toward then in the form of a request. Be Mine! Their eyes shot open and they let out a startled chirp at being awakened. Then their eyes glazed over as the request made itself understood to their animal minds.
Power to fight off predators. A better future for their progeny. A home safe from the weather. An endless supply of food. What more could a bird want? And thus they agreed.
Outwardly, there was no change to their bodies. Inwardly, the birds mana has been completely replaced with purified mana. They could feel the core’s presence and more easily communicate with it now.
But the greatest change was in the core being able to fully understand their bodies. Everything from their bone structure to their brainlike compass was integrated into the core’s blueprints. As any new core would do after making a discovery, it consumed its mana in order to make several dozen more birds. It kept a careful eye on its mana reserves, however, so as to not fall asleep for a long period of time.
For the finishing touches, it crafted a giant sparrow statue to serve as the respawn point. Once its fairy partner did its administration. A core creates and it was already feeling the itch to create more creatures. Suddenly, it was brought out of its reverie by a clapping near its core.
*Claps*
[Had fun?]
[Yes. I prefer creating to managing. I want to create more soon.]
[Go ahead and enjoy yourself. We will keep everything functional while you are gone.]
[Good. Then I will finish that farming biome. More food and space for minions.]
[Make sure to give them enough room for flight. Birds prefer evasion to being hit.]
[I will keep it in mind.]
*** POV of Tua ***
With that, the core departed to do what cores do. The fairies understood this, but sometimes they preferred to have more conversation than with themselves. Looking to the booklet statue, Tua was filled with eagerness. Soon. Soon. Unfortunately, my thoughts of the future were interrupted.
[When you are finished fantasizing, you can take my place watching the portal.] My sister’s voice spoke to me through our souls. [Yea yea.] Saying so, I glided towards her in the rapidly expanding farming biome. Inside, I could see many new critters have been born as well as the creation of 2 statues.
Alongside the apple trees were orange trees, strawberry bushes, blueberry bushes, and wheat fields. An impressive variety that is only lacking in creatures to feed upon all of them. Amidst the crop fields were plantling critters that were as tall as an adult’s knee and their bodies consisted of the various crops in the biome. Their movement was sluggish, but they all possessed vines or branches for additional reach. Their respawn statue was one that displayed all of their figures instead of a single one.
The 2nd type of critter the core had recently created all looked humanoid. Their bodies were made of interlocking wooden components like a doll or action figures. Their clothes were all very different and ranged from something that posh women would wear or armor that warriors would wear into battle. All of them were placed together as if in a group photo for their respawn statue.
Seeing me note the changes, my sister laughed. [I didn’t realize it would take so much inspiration so soon from that monopoly game.]
Hearing her, I shook my head while making tsking sounds. [You knew full well what would happen when you raided some neet’s room of his treasures. Take responsibility for corrupting a pure, innocent child.]
[Nah. At least I didn’t grab any hentai. The only real tragedy is the misconception the core will be under when it thinks that women fighting in heels is a completely normal thing.] She says with an exaggerated sigh. Understanding this, I look back to all the female figurines and noticed that they did all have heels. Just thinking of fighting like that without magical assistance made me internally cringe.
[Maybe it will be better since they are not made of flesh?]
[I will hold my breath and since I don’t need to breathe, I can hold it for a very long time.] Saying so, she soared through the portal in order to loot more items for the dungeon.
*** Interlude of Churches ***
Inside a well-lit room was a single figure clad in black robes. He stood alone as he read and reread a letter he had received. A bit of divination had confirmed the contents as he could indeed see a dungeon in a small village. This meant that he had to take measures quickly before other factions got there.
As such, he activated the dormant magical circle in the room. Gradually, illusions of shadowy figures appeared in each empty circle until all were filled. A meeting between the leaders of the Church of Darkness.
[What have you called us for pope?] Says one of the shadowy figures.
[I have received a letter detailing the birth of a new dungeon in a small village.] Says the pope.
[I’m assuming you don’t need us to conquer or slaughter.] Says another of the shadowy figures.
[Correct. I need 1 of you to go there and claim the territory for Darkness.] Says the pope.
[Out of those of us here, the best for inducting village folk would probably be Despair.] Says one of the shadowy figures.
[I wouldn’t say that. None of them have truly suffered enough to be swayed by me.] Says the Champion of Despair.
[Who else but you? My concept of Demon isn’t going to get me any favors.] Says the Champion of Demons.
[And my concept of Death is one that people try to ignore.] Says the Champion of Death.
[Don’t forget my concept of Fear. Only the insane follow me.] Says the Champion of Fear.
[My concept of void is more neutral, but it can also be mentally taxing for them to comprehend.] Says the Champion of Void.
[But still.] Says Despair.
[It seems you have been outvoted Despair. Thus it falls upon you to uphold the honor of Darkness.] Says the pope.
[Yes your holiness.] Says Despair reluctantly.
[I will upload the village’s information to you communication bracelet. You are all dismissed.] Says the pope.
[Yes, your holiness.] Everyone says reverently.
As one, each of the illusory shadows vanished from the room. The pope sighed at another day of work and politics. Sometimes he wished he wasn’t so competent in his youth to be lumped with the desk job.