The Dungeon Traveler

by Alston Sleet

  Before I could really process what she had said, a blinding light flashed down from the sky and through the ground into my dungeon. I could feel the air thrum and vibrate from the power coming off the being of light that stood in front of my core.

  “What, no sorry for me Denda? Play me and mine like a fiddle and even marry my little brother without telling me first?” asked the glowing being, the illumination blocking any further view of her body beyond tall and female.

  Denda remained in her sitting position without looking at the glowing body of Vetta as she answered.

  “I did what I had to do, and I will continue to do what I can for you and yours. I weave the web of fate, but sometimes I have to change the pattern a bit.”

  I couldn’t see her face, but I could feel her smile to Denda’s answer. The mana in the air contorted and pressed away from the being, each swirl and eddy impressed with the emotion of the creature in front of me. The very space seemed to push away as she stood there looking down at Denda’s head.

  Turning away from Denda, her silence a rejection of further discussion, Vetta faced me.

  The intent of this being in front of me was like someone pressing against my gem. I could feel the mana that was rushing from my core bending and distorting away from her very line of sight.

  “You had no real choice in the way things went, but still, you cost me a large amount of power and standing in the world. My worshippers scream for your death in many places. The local Church will burn this kingdom to the ground in their rage. A rage I do not share.”

  I just sat there trying hard not to think of anything. Even my dungeon instincts were coldly assessing the amount of death this being could cause with just a flick of intent.

  “You will repay me for this loss. My Church has been instructed to purge from within those who have made a mockery of my Order. I have started a civil war within my own Church because of you. One day I will demand a weapon and a trial for a chosen champion.”

  Vetta then disappeared, the mana where she had been still tinged with light attunement and the tiles she had stood on smoothed into a mirror polish.

  “She isn’t that bad as a sister-in-law and Vis loves Aunty Vetta,” Denda said with a straight face.

  “Her Church tried to kill me!” I exclaimed, unable to let the comment go.

  “Yes. Her Church. A local Church whose leadership has been gathering power for centuries and starting to ignore the goddess’ commands. She isn’t evil, she is just…strict about certain things, and Coldona is everything she isn’t and can’t be. Their domains push them into opposition. She hasn’t helped Coldona or the rest of my family, but she could have always made things more difficult. She can’t or won’t help, but she hasn’t hindered either. Remember, her own brother is in the Pantheon of the Grey. This could eventually all work. Maybe.”

  With her last word, said with a less than convincing voice, Denda disappeared leaving me in my dungeon, alone once again.

  To those in my life who helped me during a trying time.

  To my wife, thank you for always supporting me.

  To my mother-in-law, for putting up with my reading out loud.

  To my father-in-law, can I call you ‘Da-doo’!?

  To one of my favorite authors, P.S. Power, for showing me that effort can be like a superpower.

  A special thanks to:

  Isajii - The Hamster of Editing.

  Guruplayer - Finder of the Golden Continuity Error.

  Agriope - Spider of Artist Finding.

  Tranok - Expert in British Nobility.

  HamsterDesTodes - The other Hamster of Editing (and Death!)

  Noah Dorsey - Finder of Even More Editing Issues.

  Carl Mason - Fixer of the Goddess’ names.

  About the Author

  Alston Sleet resides in Portland Oregon with his lovely wife, takes care of his disabled mother-in-law, and dodges the antics of his father-in-law. By day he works as a computer programmer focused in the manufacturing industry, creating software to enhance the power of our future robotic overlords.

  Since the age of four, he has known he always wanted to be a computer programmer. A strange child, who thought that ‘going outside’ was the thing our ancestors fought to over come and ‘why would we want to go back?’

  Luckily, the forces of ‘no computer’ prevailed for his parents and Alston managed to learn to enjoy the outdoors. Occasionally. When it wasn’t raining in Portland.

  Along with the Wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law, dog, cat, two snakes, and three horses, he works tirelessly to understand how an introvert ended up with so many people around who love him.

  Alston's first book was Digital Me a sci-fi/fantasy litRPG, all with a dash of political fun.

  If you have comments, questions, insults, or flame wars, the author can be contacted by email at AlstonSleet@gmail.com or through patreon at http://www.patreon.com/AlstonSleet

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.