“Mother? Mother! Can you hear me? Mother? Where are you, Mother?! I want to choose a Guardian!”
Silence.
I called and called. Mother Hive did not respond. Many more questions I had, but no answers. No answers from Mother. I was alone, but at least not drifting and fading in darkness. Soft glowing yellow light from Yellow Screen kept me company. Everything, all around, damp. Whistling sounds of a breezy draft came through the slowly mending hole where Green Eyes bit through me.
Must prove myself. Must finish the quests. Mother will recognize me then. Mother will approve of me then. Yellow Screen said Mother will reward me. I must meet Mother. Finish quests. Mother said to find her. Mother will meet me when I am strong. Mother wouldn’t abandon a good, successful child. Atlas will be good. Atlas will not drift away in darkness no more.
So I say, but why do the troubling feelings inside tell me I was wrong? I wanted to shake…shake left and right, shake in refusal. I could not move to refuse. Mother’s voice… It was warm, nice. Mother must be nice. Must be. But feelings inside said Mother was not.
No way… will not believe feelings inside. Mother made me. Mother will not abandon me.
But Mother was harsh… left me alone. Almost eaten, I was. Stomach hurts. Heart hurts. Still hurts. Does Mother care?
Must shake in refusal!
No! No! No! Mother only wants me to be strong. I will become strong!
My stomach rumbled.
Hungry. Still hungry. Mana. I must consume more mana. Be strong. Meet Mother.
Yellow Screen said Mother rewarded me. Atlas was a good Dungeon. I did good. Mother rewarded good children. I was good. Atlas was good. I will show Mother. I will eat everything. All. I want to see Mother’s rewards. But how?
“How do I get rewards? Mother did not say.”
Maybe asking was all I needed. Yellow Screen responded.
[Notification]
Congratulations!
Per Hive Mother’s guarantee upon successful completion of quest: Absorb Other Nutrients - Skill Basics 1, Hive Mother is granting you a Creation Blueprint you can choose from for your first Guardian!
Please choose one from the following blueprints:
Slime - Squishy and weak but eats everything
Goblin - Individually weak but cunning, varied
Kobold - Depends on lineage origin, somewhat versatile
Ogre - Strong but somewhat slow and stupid otherwise
Note: Guardians are typically the maxed evolution for the basic species.
Astonished, I was. Happy, I was! I knew Mother cared! Mother wanted someone to protect me! Mother did not want me to be lonely!
Hmm…
Creatures listed, I did not know. Not enough information. No clues. Decision, I needed to make. But which one? Which one to make my Guardian? Which one will make me stronger?
My heart hurt. Damaged. Chipped. Fractured. Green Eyes was dangerous, bit chunks out of my heart - my core. I needed a strong protector. A strong guardian. Must help me defeat those who want to send me back to the lonely, cold darkness. Purgatory, never again. Never do I want to return. I do not want to die. I need someone strong. And only one choice said ‘strong.’
“I want you, Strong One. I want Ogre.”
[Notification]
Congratulations!
You’ve selected the Ogre Blueprint as your first Guardian!
Additionally, you can now also create Normal, Elite, and Boss Ogres in your Dungeon using mana!
Would you like to create your Guardian (Ogre Overlord) now?
(Minimum mana requirement: 80 mana)
(Yes) (No)
Note: Mana required for creating Elite, Boss, and Guardian Ogres require substantially higher amounts of mana than regular Ogres.
“Eighty mana!? Yellow Screen, bastard! No way! Too much! Too expensive!”
Expensive?
No time to ponder words. Later. Yellow Screen asked too much. Eighty? Mana? Ridiculous. Last checked, mana was only eleven, and max mana was only thirty. What is Atlas to do!?
“Yellow Screen is stingy! Too expensive. Make it lower!”
[Notification]
Minimum mana requirements must be met to generate requested Dungeon creatures.
Normal Ogres - 10 mana
Elite Ogres - 20 mana
Boss Ogres - 40 Mana
Guardian Ogres - 80 mana
Additional ingredients and inputs can be also added to make truly unique creatures.
Would you like to create an Ogre of a different but lower rank?
(Yes) (No)
“Oh! New information. Why didn’t Yellow Screen say so from the beginning? Freaked me out when asking me for eighty mana.”
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
But enlightened, I was. Yellow Screen held secrets. Secrets I needed to know in order to make better choices. With the information provided and available mana, I can only make one type of Ogre: Normal Ogres. But curious, I was. Yellow Screen said by adding additional ingredients and inputs, Ogres become unique creatures. Not just normal Ogres. More stronger, right? Stronger equals better. Stronger, I needed to be to meet Mother.
I looked at Yellow Screen. Yellow Screen still waited for me to answer. I was not going to be like Mother, not answering important questions and disappearing. I did not like that. Mother helped me before and now is gifting me a guardian, but Mother also left me to fight by myself. If I died, would Mother care?
Stop.
Of course, Mother did! Mother only wanted me to become stronger. Mother wanted strong children. Mother will care about me. I will make Mother care about me.
“Yellow Screen, yes. I want to make a Normal Ogre.”
[Notification]
Confirmation received!
Deducting 10 Mana…
Scanning… compiling information…
First-time use of Create Creature skill indicated.
Note: As a courtesy request from Hive Mother, first-time use of skills will be initiated by the Dungeon System. Please pay attention and remember the sensations for future use of the skill. Assistance with this skill again will no longer be provided going forward.
Evoking skill: Create Creature
It appears Yellow Screen will not always help me. Just like Mother. Nice at first. But that’s it. I needed to figure everything out later by myself. Maybe Yellow Screen will like me more if I become stronger? Maybe Yellow Screen will tell me more when I get better. Just like how Mother said she would.
Must grow stronger. Stronger. Must eat. Eat until respected. Eat until worthy.
Suddenly, I felt tired. Energy flowed out of me, but different than before. Mana, my mana, it did not disperse like when fighting with Green Eyes. No. The golden mist of mana moved like a stream of water, pooling midair before me in a mushy glob. My mana shimmered like gold. Brightened drastically, my rocky chamber did. Illuminated, my insides, revealing the once-hidden crevices and dark corners. My stomach was larger than I thought. Cavernous, yes. Tunneled into the darkness in the distance, my stomach did.
More of my mana seeped out from me, pooling in front of me, expanding more and more, and touching the ground. My mana stretched, bubbling like a slow-rising geyser, taller and taller, wider and wider. I watched, amazed.
I felt it, my mana, taking form. It was like when I formed sharp, jagged rocks to pat Green Eyes' skull. But it did something different. Unlike the stiff and unmoving stalagmites I made before, my mana did something I never thought possible. Mana weaved finely in and out between each other, sewing life before me. Tiny particles of mana formed lines and connected, interconnecting endlessly. This time was different. My creation did not remain static and unmoving in midair. More dots of mana connected and pulsed — alive and started moving on its own.
My mana was no longer entirely mine, weaving a new life before my eyes. Bones of large wide feet materialized and clattered onto the ground, as a giant skeletal structure formed and towered above me — reaching nearly the ceiling of the chamber. Hot steam rose from the body as thick, bulging red muscle fibers intertwined into themselves, wrapping and connecting to tendons and sinews around the bones. Organs moved within the chest cavity, twitching in the open air.
Looking up in the center of everything, I saw a large chunk of thick purple flesh, beating and pumping life into the slowly growing body.
A heart? A beating heart?
Unlike my rigid cold core, Strong One’s heart pumped blood through its pulsing veins, traveling throughout the giant body. The more I looked the more I felt…strange. Oddly, I felt a nostalgic sensation. A prickle in my heart.
Envy. Envious? Me of Strong One?
Strong One was alive.
Was I alive? My heart, my core, it did not beat.
I continued to watch. Thick layers of coarse flesh wrapped again and again over a protruding belly, working their way around the entire massive body. Soon, the last layer of red flesh encased the large bulky skull all the way down to Strong One’s long stubby legs. Strong One’s red flesh dried out before withering away and revealing bare, leathery peachy skin.
I recalled the sensations of how Yellow Screen guided me in creating Strong One. I needed to ingrain into myself the method of using the skill, Create Creature. But I looked at my creation, conflicted. Amazed, I was. I was now like Mother. I made life, but a life I felt jealous of. Alive, Strong One was. I missed feeling like that.
Like that? Alive? Am I not now?
No. I was not alive the same way as Strong One. I was not warm and able to move like Strong One. I missed those feelings.
Missed? From when? No. Stop, Atlas.
I stopped myself. Confusion and envy clouded my thoughts. I reminded myself I would be better than Mother. I would treat my creations better.
Strong One, I will not leave you alone by yourself. We will help each other.
I looked at Strong One. Bald-headed, Strong One was. Thick hulking arms and a big belly, Strong One had. Large, everything. Male, Strong One was. It showed, frighteningly so. A large male. Unmistakable. Tall and strong, as advertised by Yellow Screen. Satisfied, I was. Green Eyes would have been squashed like an ant.
Ant? What is-
No time for more thinking, for more questions. Soon my Ogre’s belly rose and fell, filling with the stall air. My first creature was breathing! Strong One’s closed eyelids twitched before his beady black eyes opened and awakened!
Our line of sight connected. I felt it. Strong One was a part of me. I still sensed it, my mana coursing through Strong One’s body. Its mind was its own but connected to me. Happy, Strong One was, like a child before its parents. Like me when I heard Mother’s voice. But I heard from her no more. I won’t be like Mother.
“Master. Me greets you,” my Strong One said, kneeling down to one knee and bowing his bald head.
My entire darkness shook as Strong One plopped one knee to the ground. Surprised, I was. Strong One was…strong. And heavy. But more shocking, my Strong One talks. Mother was surprised I talked. I suppose I understand the sensation now.
“You can speak, Strong One?”
“Talk only small. Me don’t know talking much.”
Giddy, I was. “That is okay, Strong One. I talk not well either. We only need to be strong, and strong, you are.”
Strong One grinned, his flabby cheeks lifting with folds and creases, and the corner of his beady black eyes arched upwards. Strong One was happy. I knew it, felt it from him. But… Strong One looked rather…um, devious, almost insidious. A little frightening overall, to be honest. Teeth, large and more pronounced than Green Eyes. Thick, blade-like canines protruded out from his mouth. One bite and maybe my heart would instantly shatter. But I feared not. I sensed no harm from Strong One. He only wanted to be useful. Only loyalty, I felt from him. He wanted to protect me. He wanted praise. That, I understood. I, too, wanted the same from Mother.
“Master. Strong One my name?”
“Yes, Strong One.”
[Notification]
Naming a creature will help it evolve to the next class. Other criteria must be fulfilled. See your creature’s status screen for more information.
Note: Bestowing and growing creatures to the next class can be more costly than outright creating them. However, the former is stronger than the ladder.
Would you like to use 10 Mana now to give your Ogre a name?
(Yes) (No)
Obviously no. For now. I have only one- Oh! It's two mana now. Must have absorbed some naturally.
“Sorry, Strong One. I will have to give you your name later. I do not have enough mana.”
“But Master will give me name, yes?”
“Yes, of course.”
“HAHAHA!” Strong One giddily laughed, hopping up and down from one foot to the other.
My darkness shook, shook violently. I felt…nauseous.
“Strong One, happy, am I, too. But let’s sit down for now.”
“Yes, Master!”
Vertical drop like a meteor to the ground, Strong One did. Impact. Punch to the gut, I felt. Pain. Gasp, I did. My vision went blurry as I groaned.
Fuuuck…
“Master! Strong One sits now! Strong One listened to Master, see?! Strong One did good, right, Master?”
“…”
“Master? Master? Why Master not respond?”
Momentarily, darkness was all I saw. Strong One, illuminated by Yellow Screen, faded into darkness.
…
“Master?! Master! Master, ok?”
I awakened a little afterward, hearing Strong One calling me with shouts that shook my stomach.
“Yes, Strong One. Not too loud. My ears hurt.”
“Sorry, Master.” Strong One whispered, but sounded like normal conversational speech.
My darkness rumbled. My stomach rumbled. Hungry, I felt. Really hungry. Famished.
[Notification]
New Quest!
Absorb Other Nutrients - Skill Basics 2
More Mana is needed to continue growing, but absorption of unique or new materials will expand your knowledge and give you new resources and options.
Objectives:
Use your skill: Internal Awareness to find and open an entry/exit to the outside world.
Absorb new materials external to yourself.
Acquire new materials and absorb them to understand their structure and composition.
Obtain at least 10 new materials that you fully understand and can create.
Note: Some materials are more compatible with others.
Rewards:
A basic blueprint of your choice from Hive Mother to entice more prey!