Frowned, I did.

I awoke from a dreary slumber.

My consciousness was prodded awake, continuously poked by a faint but familiar voice. Someone called me from the darkness. Slowly, louder and louder, the voice became.

“Ma- Mas-! Ter!”

“Mother?” I asked with a weak voice.

“Mas-ter! Mast-er! Master!” Strong One screamed desperately.

I finally heard my creation clearly. Strong One called for me. Urgently. Frantically. The panicked feelings jolted me completely awake. I remembered - remembered everything.

“STRONG HELPER!” I bellowed.

Everything came rushing back. I recalled the agonizing phantom pains from my torn belly, the collapse of my personal cavern, and Strong Helper - buried under everything that caved in.

“Mother!” I hissed with rage.

But I lowered my voice, recalling how Mother struck me for asking her questions. Mother was strong. Mother was powerful. Mother pulled something from the abyss and left. Hurt me, Mother then did. Mother shattered the wall of my stomach but also hurt Strong Helper.

I felt a corner of my heart twist with guilt. Strong Helper was hurt because of me. I told Strong Helper to go to Strong One’s room. I worried Mother would hurt Strong Helper, but now my worries came true.

“Strong One! Where is Strong Helper?!”

Strong One flinched at my questioning. Strong One looked away. Strong One bit his lip. I sensed deep sadness and worry from my creation.

Oh, no. No. No! Did-?

It could not be. I refused to believe it. Using the Internal Awareness skill, I scanned the surroundings.

I saw Strong Helper.

My heart felt like it dropped to the floor of my belly. My world felt like it was sinking. I could not believe my eyes.

“STRONG HELPER! HURRY, GET UP, STRONG HELPER!”

Strong Helper laid lifelessly flat on her back, off to the side beside my core.

“STRONG HELPER!”

Strong Helper did not move. She did not respond to me.

And I- I-

I could not sense or connect anymore to Strong Helper.

“Master, Strong One sorrys, Master. Strong One tried to helps Strong Helper. Strong One tried, but...”

“We tried, Master. We tried to save Strong Helper. But Strong Helper was no longer moving after we removed all the rocks and dirt to enter your room.”

I heard my creations. I felt their guilt. I felt their sorrow.

But I was angry, burning with rage.

“Why? Why!? Why did this happen!?”

“We’s sorrys, Master! We’s sorrys!” Strong One cried, falling into his knees while begging for forgiveness.

Strong Defender followed suit and bowed his head to the ground. “Punish us, Master. We have failed you and Strong Helper.”

Having heard my creations, I now felt even worse. They were not at fault.

I wanted to become strong. So I thought and asked for Mother's rewards. The rewards made me stronger before. But this time, Mother…

“Mother,” I hissed again. “Why did you not help Strong Helper?”

Mother could have saved Strong Helper. She could have! I know it! She pulled all that mana from outside my belly! Then Mother could have pulled out Strong Helper from underneath the rubble!

But no. No. Mother did not do so. Even when I cried and pleaded.

My heart turned cold.

Mother, who I once dearly cherished for taking me away from the eroding darkness, I now thought and felt differently about. Mother did not care about the weak. Mother only cared about those who could become strong.

I wanted to blame Mother. I did blame Mother. Mother was at fault. She broke and collapsed my cavern. She killed Strong Helper.

Yet… My heart was ridden with guilt and shame.

I could not lie to myself. The blame was also on me. I was too weak. I also could not save Strong Helper.

I was not strong. I lost consciousness. Because I was not strong, Strong Helper died. If only I was stronger. Just a bit stronger. Why? Why?!

I glanced over at Strong Helper who laid lifelessly on the ground, and my seething rage turned into unbearable sadness. Strong Helper, who helped ease my frustration and made me smile warmly, was now stiff, cold, and forever unmoving.

The loss of Strong Helper broke my heart. An uncontrollable sadness that mixed with my guilt gushed out. I wanted to cry but was incapable of the feat.

I commanded my mana. I felt conflicted as I copied Mother, but I wanted to console Strong Helper one last time. I connected the tiny motes. Weaved and strung them together. Formed a thread of mana, I did. Willed it - my thread of mana. Moved my thread of mana as Mother did. I made hands like Mother.

[Notification]

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Skill level up!

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Mana Manipulation LVL 1 -> LVL 3

A new skill has been obtained from observation!

Mana Threads LVL 1

Ignored Yellow Screen, I did. My golden string of mana followed my will, floating over to Strong Helper and gently caressed her cheek.

I softly whispered to my fallen creation, “Strong Helper. I am sorry. I am terribly sorry, Strong Helper. I could not help you. I could not save you. I am a bad master.”

“Master! Not trues, Master! Master the best master!”

“Strong One is right, Master! Master cares about us! Master is a good master!”

I wanted to shake my head. “But I couldn’t save Strong Helper. And now because of me Strong Helper died.”

My creations remained silent. They could not refute. And my heart hurt even more knowing the fact was true.

We remained silent - mourning in silence.

But then we heard an unusual flapping noise.

Suddenly, my creations and I jerked and looked back towards the entrance to my chamber. We squinted our eyes. My creations lowered their stance, ready to fight.

Looking closely, the sounds were coming from a strange bird that flapped its wings as it hovered midair.

A bird? Wait, a bird? How do I know?

I sighed. I was now used to the unknown memories that I somehow knew. I focused on the bird flying by the entrance of my cavern.

The bird was a crow. The large, black crow lightly fluttered its wings while looking at us with beady red eyes. But most strange, the bird’s claws gripped onto an ancient book that glowed and rippled in an iridescent rainbow, illuminating my dark cavern.

And then the crow spoke. We heard an ethereal voice echo into my chamber. The strange voice responded to my statements. Light and womanly, the voice was, but also sharp and jagged.

“My, a consciously aware infant Dungeon? Caring, at that? Ha. Oh, Hive Mother, the irony! Haha!”

“Who there!? You shows youself so Strong One can smash!”

“Careful, Master. We have an unknown intruder.”

“Intruder? Me? Ha! Ogres were always stupid. Dungeon Master. Shouldn’t you introduce us? I’d rather not get into brawls with uncivilized brutes. Such barbarian actions are unbefitting for a scholar such as I.”

I had a feeling I knew who this crow was.

“Alexandria, yes?”

“Master know intruder?” Strong One asked, lowering his guard.

“I don’t know,” I responded, and Strong One smashed his fist into his other hand.

“Then Strong One kill!”

Strong Defender shook his head, “Stop Strong One. Master only said Master does not know, not to kill.”

“No! You’s can’t stops me, Strong Defender! I wills protects, Master!”

Alexandria chuckled. “Oh, my, an interesting Ogre we have here. How curious. Unlike its unruly short brethren.”

“You want fights, Flying Thing?! Huh! You want fights!? Strong One not shorts! Flying Thing short! Easy to smash!”

Alexandria scoffed with disdain. “Ugh, disgusting barbarian. True to your nature as a savage creature.”

“Stop,” I growled. “I am grieving for my Strong Helper. I will not tolerate any more foolery.”

“Sorrys, Master,” Strong One replied with his head down, but he was shooting daggers off the corner of his eyes with the sharp glare he beamed at the crow, Alexandria.

“Apologies to the Master. That was unbecoming of me.”

I sighed, “Understand, all of you. We are family. And we just lost one of our own.”

“Master, if I may, I would like to enlighten you on a misunderstanding you currently have. But first, if you would please disarm those two guards. I tire of flying but am worried the two will harm me should I come closer to you.”

“Flying Thing can stay away!”

“Strong One,” I stated with a lecturing tone. “We are family, yes?”

Strone One looked down to the ground again, but clenched his fist as he tried to slyly glare back at Alexandria. “Yes, Master.”

“Good. I know you are only protecting me. You and Strong Defender. Thank you. It was my fault your sister, Strong Helper, died. We must cherish each other more. Come, Alexandria. Come and meet your siblings. Mourn, we will for Strong Helper.”

Alexandria flapped her wings and flew over, and surprisingly, she landed on top of Strong Helper’s hand.

“Ogres are-“ Alexandria stated, glancing at Strong Helper’s large chest. “Always overly well endowed,” Shaking her head, Alexandria looked back at me. “Ahem, apologies, dear Dungeon Master. Forgive my uncouth behavior.”

I did not understand but wanted to. “Explain, Alexandria.”

“Ah, yes! Of course, Dungeon Master. You see, Dungeon Master, Strong Helper, was it?”

I lowered my voice, “What about Strong Helper?”

“Did you know, Dungeon Master? You can revive your fallen creatures. If you want, you can bring back Strong Helper. Of course, there are limitations and restrictions, but-“

“WHAT DID YOU SAY?!”

Alexandria flinched and hopped back, knocking into Strong One’s foot. Strong One glared ferociously and kicked Alexandria into Strong Defender, who thankfully stood still and did not further knock away the crow.

“Strong One, why did you do that to Alexandria?” I asked in a reprimanding voice.

“But Master, Flying Thing hit me!”

I sighed, seeing how Strong One made a face that felt wronged. I had a soft spot for all my creations, but especially for Strong One - my first creation. Knew, I did, that Strong One did not get easily along with others. But I needed Strong One to understand. Alexandria could help him become stronger. Alexandria could help us all become stronger.

“Strong One, you are the oldest. You are my first creation. Lead with a big heart. Listen, we must, to Alexandria. She can help Strong Helper. You want to help Strong Helper, yes, Strong One?”

“Of course, Master! Can we saves Strong Helper, Master?!”

“Potentially. Let us hear what Alexandria has to say.”

“Flying Thing? But Flying Thing look weak. Easy squash.”

“Yes, but learn, you will, Strong One. Strength is more than meets the eye.”

Strong One huffed, doubting my words as he gave a dubious eye at Alexandria.

Alexandria jerked, coming out of her fixation on my core as she stopped staring. “Oh, right. I am bewildered and amused at all of this. How interesting you are, Dungeon Master. Instead of ordering irrefutable commands, you persuade. And with almost decent reasoning.”

“You insult the Master?” Strong Defender growled while glaring down at Alexandria, who sat next to Strong Defender’s foot.

Alexandria lifted the tips of her wings and shrugged.

“A compliment, my interesting Ogre friend. Now then,” Alexandria said with an excited tone. “Shall I introduce myself first?”

Before I could agree, Alexandria went ahead and introduced herself.

“Greetings Dungeon Master, my interesting friend, Strong Defender, and the buffoon, Strong One.”

“Master, can I smash Flying Thing?”

“No, listen for now, Strong One.”

“Humph,” Strong One grumbled.

“Anyway, like I was saying. Greetings, everyone! My name is Alexandria, the Bastille of Knowledge. I am currently missing fragments of myself, but Dungeon Master, I hope you can help collect them. It would not only help me but greatly benefit you as well!”

Confused, I was. “Missing pieces of yourself? I can see how that would help you, but how would recovering yourself help me? And how would we even do so?”

“Ah, a good question, dear Dungeon Master! You see, Master, I am not only chosen by you as your sole assistant. Fragments of my power are split between those who also called me to be their assistant. If you bring all of my fragments together, then you will have access to my other abilities.”

I did not respond. Think, I did.

But not enough time to think, I had. Alexandria went ahead and continued speaking.

“Food for thought, dear Dungeon Master! Now, shall I enlighten you on reviving and spawning Dungeon Monsters, Master?”