by TJ Reynolds
“What’s a little more pain?” Kai mused bitterly as he reached out and pressed his hand to the rune.
For the third time, the arcane symbol pulled ether from his body, leaving him tingling and chilled.
But the chest popped open.
Within, bundled amid a stack of scrolls and ancient-looking books, sat a pile of stones.
At first, Kai suspected they might be Earth Cores, but their shape was wrong. Smooth and oblong, his mind leapt to a conclusion that baffled all reason.
Kai described the objects, from their opalescent sheen to their telltale shape. It’s almost as if we’ve found a clutch of… but could it be true?
Ban answered with awe and conviction in his voice. Yes, somehow and against all odds, we have discovered the hidden treasure left here by the same dragons in my vision. Kai, I have little doubt, these are dragon eggs.
14
Roots Before Leaves
Ban
I think it’s simply marvelous, Kai! Dank, yes, most definitely. Unkempt, of course, Ban deliberated at length. Just think of it. It’s been how many years since a decent Earth Core has called this place home? I really think it unfair to judge under the circumstances. Don’t you?
“I think it’s creepy, Ban. Or did you forget the tyrant we just killed and his grubby queen?” Kai shot back.
Ban wished his champion was alive so he could make its eyes roll, a gesture he’d seen his human and dragon friends perform so effectively. It takes the eye of an artist to appreciate a diamond before it is cut and polished, Kai. You weren’t so shiny when I first found you after all.
Kai snorted, finding a place to rest against the cold stone wall in the keep’s abandoned core room.
The dragonling sighed and took off his leather gloves, tossing them aside and shrugging out of his boots one at a time. I can understand the argument, Ban. Still, I can’t help but think of the history behind this place. A rich and noble house decides they want someplace secluded to call their own, some place away from court. They spend decades and Andag knows how much coin to build it.
Years later, Kai continued. The keep becomes a prize to be taken. I don’t find any of that comforting or inspiring.
Ban whirled about in his stone, a more spacious abode than he’d originally thought. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt so differently about the tower the n Kai did.
He tried once more to explain his point of view. The eggs though. Maybe that’s it, Kai. In my vision, I saw Yorick and the other elders. They were headed here just hours before they died. It must have been they who left the eggs. So, with that context in mind, shouldn’t the Sunken Keep be a symbol of hope?
I suppose you’re right, Ban. I’d probably feel better if it was at least cleaner and less creepy.
And there they were, come upon the true topic that had filled Ban with a multitude of emotions.
Ban broached the subject that had been circling his mind like a vulture. With so much at stake, and fearing to upset his dearest friend, Ban went about it in an indirect manner. We’ve done it, Kai. We escaped into Hintar, we’ve found the Sunken Keep, and have a pile of dragon eggs to care for. What would you like to do next?
Take a nice long rest. I need to get some proper sleep, but when it is all said and done with, I think it might be nice to explore the Zargan Mountains a bit, Kai said.
The mountains do seem lovely. Technically speaking, we’re already in the Zargan Mountains, though. What more would you like to see?
Kai scratched his head and belched. Is it too much to ask for all of them? At the very least, I’d like to take you another few days march deeper in. In my head, I imagined a cave somewhere far away from any dangers to our cause. I mean, why not awaken the Earth Core that lies farthest away from the kingdoms of men? It could buy us time to build up strength.
Fair enough point, Kai, and well spoken. Still, I wonder if our new home might be found somewhere… closer at hand.
Ban waited in tense silence as his companion considered. Sure enough, Kai replied with a question. What are you aiming at, Ban? Did you have a different idea?
Here they were. This was the moment of truth.
Ban tried to let out a grumble, but discovered yet again that his champion was slain. Pushing his discomfort aside, he asked the question in his heart. What about here, Kai? It isn’t extremely remote, yet the canyon does provide good cover. The keep is also marvelously built. I think we could make it into something grand.
“Here? You wish to build your new dungeon here?” Kai asked, sitting up and sounding more than a little angry.
Calm yourself, Kai. Yes, I mean here. The Sunken Keep is a work of art, and I don’t know of any other place so naturally defensible.
“Except deeper in the mountains!” Kai rebutted, his mood becoming darker.
Wishing he had his own body to speak from, Ban countered. But do we have time for that? And what of Rhona? How likely is it that she wishes to spend her life so far away from civilization?
By now, Kai had found his feet. The young dragon fell to pacing, his bare feet padding along the cold stone floor. He took his time, working at the problem in his own head, and though Ban knew another argument was coming his way, he could sense the fear and concern behind Kai’s mood.
At last, Kai stopped. Then he spoke aloud in a strained voice. “If we stay here, how long will it be before that man, Hastings, finds us? And should he come, Bancroft, what hope do we have of stopping him? Or have you forgotten Imogen.”
These were the exact arguments he’d assumed Kai would raise. That last remark, however, bit too deeply. You need food and sleep, Kai. And we are both afraid of what might come. That gives you no excuse to mock me though.
Kai’s apology was almost immediate. I’m just terrified, Ban. I have legs to flee upon. And before a few days ago, I would have sworn a dungeon could hold back almost any force. Imogen was so strong though. Still, she was powerless in the end.
Such is life, Ban said in a calm tone. Having spent some time in a body myself, I know how fragile your own existence is. But hear me out, okay? Hear me one final time.
The Earth Core waited on his dragon’s reply. It came shortly after, a quiet mental grunt more than a spoken word.
Satisfied he had his friend’s ear, Ban delivered his final arguments. Our enemies will find us wherever we go. And if we leave all of society behind, how can we contribute to this world? We have goals, Kai. To waken the Earth Cores, and now to hatch these dragon eggs if we can manage it.
Pausing long enough for an effect, Ban finished. Witnessing how the canyon was formed, and having cleared the keep yourself, can you think of anywhere more defensible other than dangling from a distant peak somewhere? Imagine how strong the keep would be filled with dozens of my minions, and with traps ready to crush anything that comes our way.
Kai moaned in feeble frustration. Falling back onto the stone floor, he rubbed his eyes.
Compassion stirred in Ban’s chest. His friend was exhausted, and so was he if Ban were being honest. Kai needed a full night’s sleep, and to be warm and safe.
That was all Ban ever wanted to give Kai.
Rather than wait for another argument, Ban insisted once more. Kai, please. I know it isn’t much to look at yet, but I can have the Sunken Keep clean and serviceable in no time. Then I can reforge a new champion and even help you explore. If we put our minds together we can forge something new, a dungeon more grand and extravagant than any other. And worst case, if we find somewhere better, we’ll move.
Kai sat down once more, chuckling, and the tension between them vanished. Gone was the dragon lord in the making and back the gallant and happy youth. Your bargaining skills are increasing, Ban. You’ll make a merchant jealous before long.
Throwing up his hands, Kai conceded. Fine, we can stay here. If things get out of our control, and the Hintari army comes to invade, I’ll take your core and escape out one of the tunnels we’ve found. That way we can—
Ban’s roa
r of triumph echoed through their shared mental link.
Thank you, Kai! Oh, how lovely, and if only Rhona were here to see me!
The ecstatic Earth Core knew his projected thoughts were making Kai uncomfortable. Still, try as he might, he couldn’t diminish his excitement.
Take me out! Now, Kai! I don’t want to wait a moment longer. Please, remove my core and place it in the dais. If I hurry, I can make you a warm bedroom to rest in before nightfall.
Humoring the Earth Core, Kai rose to perform the sacred task. Very well, Ban. If anyone deserves a dungeon this fancy, it’s you.
Then Ban felt his core being plucked from the depths of the baggage. He felt waves of anticipation roll off of his core. Then he was held aloft in two soft hands, the very same that bled to heal him just weeks ago.
He was carried to the dais.
Ban’s mind pressed at the finite space his Earth Core provided. He felt so restricted, he nearly panicked and retreated back into the houndzard.
But instead, he waited as patiently as he could.
Then his core touched stone.
Dense and hard.
Bedrock.
It was the dais, Ban knew it. Not just by the feel, but because as soon as he came in contact, a notification popped up on his Etheric Interface.
Germinate Dungeon? appeared in bold letters that covered every other section of his interface.
Wanting to scream, run in place, or perform a high five—still one of his favorite human gestures—Ban mentally prompted yes.
All memory of the time Yorick had created him had been lost long ago.
So when his core germinated a second time, Ban found himself undergoing a transformation that made mere ascension seem like a trifle.
His awareness was at one moment confined, pinched off, sealed in by the limitations of his Earth Core.
In the next, he felt enormous.
Rippling ever outward, his awareness raced up the keep, stone by stone, floor after floor, Ban consumed his new territory with ravenous delight.
The base of the tower was next, the rushing streams and countless tunnels below. In a flash, Ban discovered a thousand different minerals, rock formations, veins of meandering ore, and a multitude of creatures all living peaceably within his domain.
Then he felt the chasm all around, the motes of sunlight dancing in his depths, and every droplet of mist rising from the waterfall.
Ban was a glowing stone, roughly half the size of a dragon egg.
He was also the heart of Sunken Keep now, and the roots of the mountain itself.
15
Denizens and Discovery
Ban
Carried along on the elation of his victory, Ban got to business straight away.
He wanted to transform every stone and cobweb in his newly claimed tower, but no Earth Core could be considered free to do as they please when their dragon is hungry.
Their baggage had taken quite a bit of abuse during their fight, and the haunch of elekine meat had fallen off somewhere in the upper floors.
Ban wasn’t discouraged, however, for opportunity existed all around them.
After exploring the cavern around the base of the tower, Ban decided it would do nicely to have a body once more.
Absorbing the mess of his previous champion, then spending a few minutes converting rubble into raw material and Available Ether, Ban poured life into a second stone houndzard.
The occasion called for a novel champion, but the task he had in mind was too simple and pressing to bother.
He waddled out through the door at the base of the tower and plunged into the nearby stream.
The water was liquid ice, and Ban felt some degree of sympathy for making Kai bathe in cold water. His thick reptilian hide worked wonders in keeping the effect of the cold at bay, though, and he found he rather enjoyed the shocking sensations as he swam in the deep river.
Ducking his head beneath the surface, Ban dove into the depths of the pool that had formed below the one remaining waterfall.
Under the churning foam, Ban discovered a trove of old fish, some well over three feet long. It was near impossible to catch one, him being weighed down by his bulky body. So he swam around a few, making them rise to the shallower edges of the pool to evade him.
Then, knowing full well Kai would be given a fright, he activated Tail Whip. Ban’s tail sped through the water at an unnatural pace, lifting an impressive wave out of the pool to splash on the tiled floor.
Sure enough, Kai squealed, scrambling to his feet to avoid the deluge. Gaping at the water around him, a smile slowly stole across Kai’s face as three massive fish beat their tails on the stones all around him.
For a moment, Ban stared into Kai’s face, a storm cloud of rage building there.
Then it broke, and Kai was laughing as good-naturedly as he’d ever done before.
Kai was good enough to start a fire. Raw fish would taste just fine, but Ban wanted his young dragon to partake in this most victorious feast.
The fish were so long that Kai cut off long strips of their meat to smoke over the fire. For Ban’s sake, Kai pushed the spines of the fish up against the fire to blacken them. There wasn’t a chance in the world the fish would be cooked through, but the crisped skin would lend Ban’s meal a bit more flavor.
And he wanted an excellent meal.
It would be his last, for a while at least.
The two sat in what remained of the afternoon sun. So deep in the chasm, the light was indirect. Still, it was nice to relax a few moments, Ban still marveling at the network of his dungeon.
Poor Kai had grown quiet. The dragon ate plenty of fish, and seemed to enjoy the meal, but it was obvious that fatigue hampered his spirits.
Ban, on the other hand, felt strong enough to change the world.
As Kai finished his meal, Ban began with a quick sweep of the tower. Every broken piece of wood or stone, every rusted nail or abandoned spear, Ban consumed in a rush.
His reserves of BM and IM filled rapidly, and in short order, Ban was converting his material stores into Available Ether.
Soon, the tower was relatively clean, though in great need of repair. Ban dove into the earth below the keep and consumed a little of the iron he found there. His Intermediate and Advanced Material reserves plumped up quickly after that, and he converted even more raw material into ether.
Only when he’d compiled a goodly sum of AE did he focus on his first of many tasks.
Ban turned his focus on the core room. The walls and ceiling were composed of the same gray stone that formed the rest of the keep. It was honest and reliable sandstone, a type with a much higher iron count than what he’d encountered in Brintosh.
Still, why settle for bland when you don’t have to? Ban wondered.
In less than a minute, Ban had coated every surface of his core room with a thin layer of the elegant white and green marble that he’d sampled when consuming the iron vein.
Then, hoping to have sufficient guests to fill them someday, Ban summoned three beds. He spread them out to three of the four corners of the room, hoping to achieve some degree of privacy.
Next, he built a large hearth, forming quartz to contain the fire that would burn there. He assumed soot would naturally foul the crystal. Nothing a little upkeep can’t fix, he mused, pleased to have the assuring comfort of domestic responsibility back in his life.
Ban filled the hearth with wood, making a huge stack of fuel beside it. He left the fire starting to Kai, knowing his master could have the blaze started in moments after transferring a few coals from their cook fire.
Finally, he reformed a table from one of his designs, summoning a ring of chairs to sit around it. Round and plain, Ban embellished by adding a repeating filigree pattern around the table’s edge and polishing its surface till it shone.
Kai doesn’t always love surprises. But there’s no danger in having a little fun now, Ban told himself as he opened his Monster Interface and selected Amalgamation
s.
Having cleaned up the tower, Ban had already absorbed the bodies of over a hundred daldrim corpses, some fresh and others long dead. Their design was so similar to a human’s, it felt strange summoning one as a minion.
He wasn’t sure why exactly, but he’d never used a human as a minion. The act seemed blasphemous. No more would he attempt to summon a dragon. He hoped they’d find more answers to the many hows and whys of what made an Earth Core tick.
For now, he had only to trust his gut.
Pulling the image of a daldrim warrior into his Amalgamation Interface, Ban considered what to mix the creature with.
The only other bipedal minion he had access to was a gargen.
Ban was tempted to reproduce a gargat amalgamation so he could fly about in the great chasm, but it would only entertain him for a few minutes.
No, I’ll need something entirely more practical.
Ban kept his new amalgamation almost completely daldrim in form. He kept the gargen’s claws and superior teeth, but preferred how tall and long-limbed the daldrim was.
The skin of the gargen too, he decided to keep. It was thicker and tougher than the daldrim’s.
Finally, after finding an equal balance of both creatures’ eyes, Ban finalized his newest creation.
Ban spent a few minutes forming a weapon that would make his champion look fierce and even threw some armor and basic clothing over the creature. It wouldn’t do to have a naked manling stalking about the keep. No, this would be a proper gentleman in all respects.
Meanwhile, Kai fussed about with his own gear, removing his armor piece by piece and preparing for rest.
The young dragon asked politely if he could enter, but Ban begged him off. Just a few more minutes, Kai. It will be worth it.
Kai soaked his feet in the frigid waters for a time as Ban worked.
After a few more finishing touches, Ban called out to his fleshy friend. Kai, I know you’re exhausted, and I’m sure it hasn’t been easy to wait. I am, however, ready for you now.