by Allan Joyal
The young adventurer Kalacho had saved stood up in surprise. He backed away from the tunnel, moving until his back was against the wall at the far side of the room.
“Wow,” Aylia said. “I wish I could listen in.”
“I could,” Faestari said. “But I’m not sure I need to. It’s pretty clear that Kalacho is bringing in a new group. I doubt any of the other four adventurers have experience in a dungeon.”
“Five,” Aylia said.
“What?” Faestari said as she looked closer at the pool. The young man who had nearly been bitten by a spider had been the one in the lead. She could see the one man who had been attacked still crouched on the ground as another man worked to bandage his wound. There were also two women standing back to back near Kalacho.
“I missed one,” Faestari said. “I need to be more careful.”
“The one doing the bandaging is small. I think he’s smaller than either woman,” Aylia said.
Aylia’s observation made sense. The man was shorter than any of the other people, and only the taller of the two women was more slender. He had a resigned look on his face as he bandaged his friend.
“I have to admit I miss listening in,” Faestari said. “But you’re right. This group is not a threat to go deep in the dungeon today. I expect they’ll stop after one or two more rooms.”
“It is interesting. I’ll have to figure out if there is a spell I can cast to allow us to hear them talk. When you watch in spirit you might as well be a statue,” Aylia mock complained.
Faestari was about to agree when she felt a massive amount of mana in use. She stood up in shock as the wave of mana brushed against her domain.
“What?” Aylia asked.
“A new dungeon just woke,” Faestari said. “I don’t know how I know that, but I can feel the mana.”
“Where?” Aylia asked worriedly. The water spirit waved her hand over the water to end her spell and then dove into the pool.
“South. No, not true south, its also some distance west,” Faestari said pointing. “Not too far, but it would take a few days to travel there.”
“Is it in the mountains?” Aylia asked. “And how did it awaken?”
“I don’t know,” Faestari said. “I just felt the release of mana when the dungeon woke. I’d have to visit to find out.”
“Will you?” Aylia asked.
“No,” Faestari said. “Or at least not without another dungeon to go with me. They don’t like me already. I don’t need to give them more reasons to look down at me.”
“They do that?” Aylia asked.
“You were here the last time I was visited,” Faestari pointed out. “What do you think?”
“They do,” Aylia said calmly.
Faestari was going to say more when she felt a sharp influx of mana. She closed her eyes and looked at the adventurers. They had moved forward to the next room and were engaging the defenders there. The taller of the two women had spider ichor dripping from the blade of a short spear she held in her right hand.
Faestari looked around and soon found a detached spider’s head rolling on the ground near the woman. The rest of the adventurers were standing in a circle and staring at the many tunnels leading from the room. Kalacho was shouting.
“Don’t drop your guard. How many times did I have to say that during our practice sessions? The monsters here know that you can kill them if they approach from the front. They’ll try to get behind or above you and strike from ambush,” Kalacho roared at the young adventurers. “If you want to live to enter the dungeon again, you’ll get better at watching your surroundings and avoiding ambushes.”
Faestari smiled as she returned her attention to her avatar. She found Aylia standing in front of her and glaring at her.
“You left me!” Aylia shouted.
“I felt something die in my caverns and was checking what happened. One of the new adventurers killed a spider,” Faestari said.
“So what are you going to do about the new dungeon? You already said you won’t rush off to find out where it is or anything,” Aylia asked.
“I’m going to leave a message for Dared,” Faestari said. “He or some of the others in the village can probably find out what is happening. And it will help because I’ll warn them of the problem.”
“I thought dungeons were a good thing,” Aylia said.
“The treasures a dungeon provides are beneficial,” Faestari said as she felt two more spiders die. “But remember that most dungeons consider adventurers to be a source of mana and not much more. Depending on how this dungeon accumulated its mana, it may be very hostile to adventurers and the other humans nearby.”
“Like the villagers feared you might be,” Aylia said with a nod. “I guess I need to think things out a bit more.”
“You can watch my body here. I’m going to create a temporary body at the guard house and leave a message,” Faestari said.
The dungeon allowed her spirit to slip out of her avatar body. She moved through the ground until she was just below the entrance to the guard shack. Then she rose up, focusing her power on the ground as she did.
The guard gasped as the soil and rock flowed upward and took on the form of a young elven girl. He retreated a step into the shack. “F—f—Faestari?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not here to attack you,” Faestari said. The voice of this rock avatar sounded strangely hollow and thin. She ignored that to continue. “I need you to pass a message to Koltiss and I guess Gee’if since Roquel is not in the village and Kalacho is in the dungeon. Something has happened I need to tell them about.”
“Are the adventurers?” the guard asked.
“They are fine,” Faestari said. “But I think Kalacho has his hands full with such an inexperienced group.”
The guard smiled cautiously. “I heard you were a pretty little elf girl. Not a rock monster.”
Faestari had to giggle. “Just getting some rock and dirt to take this form was faster and easier. Normally, I do like to appear more human. However, for now, I need the message sent. I can talk to those two here or at the summit. I’ll feel when they step within my domain.”
Faestari released her hold on the stone. The body collapsed causing a small cloud of dust to billow up from the ground. She did not notice as she was pulling her spirit back to her main avatar.
As she reopened her avatar’s eyes she could feel the mana of the new dungeon increase dramatically. She hissed as she took a step back.
“What?” Aylia asked.
“The new dungeon. Twenty or more people just died within its domain. The jump in power was dramatic,” Faestari said.
“So?” Aylia said disparagingly.
“Think about what almost happened to me. The adventurers are willing to risk entering, but many people fear dungeons. If this dungeon kills too many people, it will once again prove to many that dungeons need to be killed,” Faestari said worriedly.
The young dungeon began pacing around her heart chamber. “This new dungeon puts me in danger.”
“How? It’s not like you are going to kill everyone. Heck, I just listened to you talk about the group currently inside. Your words made it sound like it was great entertainment,” Aylia challenged.
Faestari stopped. “It is interesting to watch them. But, I don’t feel like they do anymore. I mean, my mother and father are dead. I had no true brothers or sisters. At the same time, I also don’t want to wall off the entrance and live alone. Watching them is the best way to stay near when I can’t really trust them anymore.”
Aylia nodded. “For once I understand you completely. That’s part of why I was looking for a dungeon. Faestari, I spent years obeying wizards. I was forced to do their bidding even if my immortal existence was put at risk. But now, as long as you allow me to make my home within your domain, no wizard can force me into a contract. I am free.”
Faestari smiled. “I’m happy for you.”
Before Aylia could respond, Faestari felt a man enter her domain. He was near t
he guard shack. As Aylia blinked her eyes, Faestari reached out and confirmed that Koltiss had stepped onto the mountain.
“Koltiss is here,” Faestari said.
“Here?” Aylia asked. The water spirit spun around and looked at the walls of the cavern. “How?”
“Not in here, but he just crossed into my domain. He’s near the guard post that Dared had built. I need to talk to him,” Faestari said.
Aylia nodded. “I can meet you there.” She paused. “I mean I can use the stream to exit your domain and walk back. It will take a few minutes.”
Faestari nodded. “I’m going to lie down and then create a temporary body near the shack. That way I don’t have to walk back or make a passage.”
“See you there then,” Aylia said. The water spirit turned and dove into the pond. Her body seemed to turn into foam as it entered the water.
Faestari turned and walked to the alcove she had created when she first woke. She carefully sat down on the sleeping platform she had created and closed her eyes, directing her spirit to leave the body and head towards the guard shack.
Chapter 6: Not Revealing Secrets
Faestari could sense that Koltiss was standing next to the guard shack. The guard seemed to be standing stiffly while facing his superior. She decided that speed was necessary and began forming a body out of some of the granite that was the foundation for the mountain. She left the stone its original color as it rose out of the ground.
“Koltiss,” she said in a voice that was both hollow and gravelly. Her primary avatar was as humanlike as possible, but this stone form lacked lungs and vocal chords, so her voice was a product of magic.
“You are Faestari?” he asked. “Schaplan here said you had asked for me and Gee’if to come.”
“I am,” Faestari said. “I’d prefer to wait for Gee’if. It would be better to say this one time.”
“Did the party that entered run into trouble?” Koltiss asked.
Faestari took a moment to think about the group. They had managed to advance two more rooms, but now appeared to be retreating back towards the entrance of the dungeon. She could feel the presence of all six of the original adventurers from the group.
“They are all still alive,” Faestari said. “And I believe they have turned back. If so, we might see them before this conversation is finished.”
“I have patrols to monitor,” Koltiss said in a voice filled with annoyance.
Faestari turned to look over the village. The promised storm had passed the town by and the village was being graced by the autumn sunlight. A few workers were continuing to build the wall, but otherwise the place was silent.
“Yes,” Faestari said. “I can see that the village is just full of people today.”
Koltiss shook his head as the guard laughed. “She’s got you on that,” the guard said.
“Fine, I’ll admit I’m a bit nervous about standing here talking to a dungeon. Especially after you introduced everyone to that giant stone crab,” Koltiss snapped.
“But it was such a finely made crab,” Gee’if said calmly as he walked up to the group.
The adventurer was wearing a loose fitting pair of trousers and a tunic that fluttered a bit as he entered Faestari’s domain. The man nodded to her avatar as he walked up.
“Thank you for coming,” Faestari said.
“Sorry I took a few minutes. I was not exactly expecting this,” Gee’if said. “Betrixy and I were working on repairing our gear now that Hal’vik has left us.”
“He left?” Faestari asked.
“He decided to join the Flame Vultures. He started camping with them a few days before they left to return to their base near Dungeon Sea Spray,” Gee’if said with a shrug.
“I’m sorry,” Faestari said.
“You did nothing to cause it,” Gee’if replied. “Now, can I ask why you wanted us? Is there something wrong with Kalacho’s group?”
Faestari shook her head, causing flakes of granite to fly from her shoulders and hair. “No, Kalacho’s group survived. I believe a couple have been hurt, but all of them were moving to leave the dungeon last time I checked on them.”
Koltiss looked surprised. “I’ve always heard that dungeons gain power if adventurers died.”
“Dungeons do,” Faestari said. “But I don’t need the power. I don’t see a need to expand my domain.”
Koltiss looked even more puzzled. “You don’t need the power?”
“How can I use it?” Faestari asked. “I’ve had to make some adjustments to my domain to ensure that the village remains outside my control. And I have a good reserve. That insanity with Mordlew allowed me to absorb an incredible amount of mana.”
“I’m sure you aren’t here to talk about your domain, or how dungeons gain power,” Gee’if said. The man sounded a bit upset.
Faestari turned to look at the man. He had a worried expression on his face. “Is there a problem?”
“I just don’t want to leave Betrixy alone,” Gee’if said. “She wasn’t feeling all that well this morning.”
Faestari nodded. “I don’t want to keep you too long, but I wanted to let you know. Just a short time ago, I felt a new dungeon wake.”
“Near?” Koltiss asked worriedly.
“It’s closer than any other dungeon,” Faestari replied pointing to the south. “It’s somewhere in that direction.”
“Nearer than any other dungeon might not mean much. I think Yellowrock is the closest known dungeon,” Gee’if said.
“It is,” Faestari replied. “How did you know?”
“I talked with Bezztol and Kalacho,” Gee’if replied. “It soon became clear that there were no dungeons closer. And travelling to Yellowrock would take more than thirty days.”
“Can you compare how far away it is to Yellowrock?” Koltiss asked.
“It’s hard,” Faestari said. “I’m trying to think of a way to explain how far this new dungeon feels.”
“How long would it take to get there?” Gee’if asked.
“I don’t know,” Faestari said in an indignant voice. “If I actually wanted to talk to the dungeon, I could have my spirit there instantly. But I have no reference for how long it would take to get there on foot.”
“Is it close enough that you could send your monsters there?” Koltiss asked.
“Once they leave my domain I have limited control,” Faestari pointed out. “I can still sense them, but that’s about it.”
“That doesn’t help,” Koltiss complained. “All you can say is a new dungeon woke up.”
“The reason I warned you was that shortly after it woke, I could feel its power increase. I believe that a large number of humanoids died within it,” Faestari said.
Gee’if looked puzzled. “I can’t think of any wars going on. Do you know about any?”
Koltiss shook his head. “Rockgar is northeast of Fairview and rather isolated thanks to the Burning Chasm. This dungeon would be to the southwest of Fairview.”
Faestari just shook her head. “I thought you should be warned. The forces that woke the dungeon appear to be related to a conflict. I have no idea if the personality of the dungeon will reflect that, or if the wizards will try to capture it.”
“They might,” Gee’if said. “They seemed very interested in capturing you. Don’t you fear they might try again?”
“I’m hoping that the villagers will be interested in working with me to prevent that,” Faestari said.
“We can’t fight a wizard. The fight you had with that idiot Mordlew and his friends proved that. Two of my guards are still recovering from that circle of flame the one wizard created,” Koltiss complained.
Faestari looked over at Koltiss. The man had deep circles under his eyes. He was leaning on his spear as he looked over at Faestari.
“I’m sorry,” Faestari said. “I have tried to avoid causing problems for the villagers. Honestly, I welcome the visits by adventurers.”
“Not enough to stop trying to kill us,” Ge
e’if said with a laugh.
“The fighting provides mana to me. That’s how I can generate the rewards. You can’t believe that the fungi that everyone keeps collecting normally grows in a day,” Faestari said.
Gee’if laughed. “I never thought about it. I was just thrilled every time Betrixy identified a new treasure. The adventure is in the fighting and then collecting the little treasures you leave for us.”
Koltiss had a puzzled look on his face. “So you don’t mind that she tries to kill you?”
“That’s what dungeons do,” they heard Kalacho say.
The trio all turned to look up the mountain. Kalacho was leading the group of adventurers he had escorted as they walked down the hill. One of the young men in the group was leaning on him and limping. The man was putting almost no pressure on his right foot as he moved.
Koltiss seemed to stand a bit straighter. “Do you need help?” he asked.
“You’re tired,” Kalacho said. “I’ve been told about how little you have been sleeping. We’ll be fine.”
“Why can’t I just drink a healing potion?” the man who was leaning on Kalacho moaned.
“Because the pain will help remind you to be more careful. Besides, do you want to gain nothing from this trip when that wound will heal in a few days?” Kalacho asked.
“Not a good delve?” Gee’if asked.
“Not bad, but we only found seven mushrooms, and none of the more valuable ones. I’m taking two as the price for leading,” Kalacho said. “I’m not even going to charge the usual entry fee for joining the Impaled Cats at this time.”
“I’d rather pay,” the tall brunette woman said. She was helping the other woman walk.
The other woman, a stocky and buxom woman with her blond hair in a number of braids used her left hand to push away from the other woman. “Patris? I thought we said we’d try at least four delves before we make our decision.”
The brunette shook her head. “You were the one who wasn’t sure. Jasiae, I hated our old job. This is our best chance to finally live the lives we want.”
“You want,” the blond replied sharply. “I was happy where we were.”
The brunette turned away to look at Kalacho. “Would my mushroom pay the entry fee?”