by Dakota Krout
Dale raised his hand slowly, forming his fingers into a shape the Moon Elves called ‘wyvern's talon’ and let the water collect on his fingernails. Just as it was about to drip, he slammed his fingers into the space between his folded legs, simultaneously disenchanting and breaking a section of the Rune beneath him. As the S-ranked energy began to return to the space below him, the part he had smashed began to leak vast amounts of power. Whenever the incomprehensible energy touched Dale, it simply… ceased to be.
Still, power was blazing around him, and Dale sank into the Rune as it crumbed from the outrushing energy. He focused harder, generating more of the water to not only protect himself but regulate the power seeping past him. The Runes The Master and the others had activated began to grab the energy, channeling it into a space a few feet above Dale’s head. The ball of power that formed was not within a human's normal visual spectrum, even when their eyes were enhanced by Mana. Instead, the area shifted to a gray monotone that expanded rapidly. The Master narrowed his eyes and shifted more of his power into activating the Runes. The gray ball stopped developing but didn’t condense any further.
Dale was now surrounded by S-ranked power, perhaps all the way to SSS, but it never fully touched his skin. If it had, it would have disintegrated his body entirely and nigh-instantaneously. Dale was trapped deep within his own mind, doing everything he could to hold this aura perfectly. He couldn’t mess it up for an instant, or everything would fail catastrophically.
The reasons he couldn’t ask the dungeon to do this was simple. The dungeon would have needed to find a way to send the disenchanting water through the energy stream as well as making it pool perfectly on the Runes. A single breeze, a single shift in anything, and no one would be left alive to know what had happened. Now, the dungeon could have managed to simply douse a section in the water if they only needed to stop the Runes from functioning, but… the moon was too close, and the Runes had been protected by Xenocide until this point. That issue was what the new Runescript around Dale was created to fix.
The ball of grey light collecting above Dale reached critical mass. Dale became entirely obscured by the strange light, and a torrential amount of power was now pouring out of the area around him. The power could not go side to side; it could not go down. So, following the laws of the world, it took the path of least resistance and went up. And up. And up. Now that the Runes had been set in place and the energy was in motion, the remainder simply followed the created path. In three minutes, they got to see what was happening in the sky far above them.
The energy reached the moon, seemingly doing nothing for one… long… second. Then the moon simply collapsed inward like a melon that had been hit by a club. There was no sound. There was no air, no way for the vibrations of its violent desolation to reach them. All they could do was watch as the moon that had been circling their planet for time unknown was blown up, shattered into millions and millions, of pieces.
The Master only noticed that they were falling because someone bumped into him. Looking around, he saw that the others were starting to make the same realization. No one had yet grabbed Dale, and the multiple tons of bones and various materials that made up the Runes they had been standing on were only a few dozen feet from the ground. The Master moved, grabbing Dale and gently pulling his unconscious body into the air.
“I suppose you weren’t able to get any air in there, were you?” The Master laughed harshly. He had heard rumors about Dale, but he hadn’t given them any thought. This young man kept accomplishing impossible feats of bravery and somehow surviving them. At that moment, The Master noticed Dale was nude. “Ugh. Just because you were untouched doesn’t mean your clothes weren’t, hmm? Good thing I noticed; that would have cast a pall on your triumphant return.”
Dale’s aura flickered to life, just a neutral network of pure Essence. And… something else. The Master looked down at the boy in wonder. No… could it be? He turned and made for the dungeon, appearing at the deepest levels and dropping Dale amongst the branches of the Silverwood tree.
“I know it, glad you realized… oh. What happened?” Dani flew into the area and inspected Dale.
“He succeeded.” The Master’s voice was still tinged with worry, making me wonder what was happening. “Wisp, he’s-”
“I can see that he’s unconscious. Oh man, Xenocide is going to be angry,” Dani snapped at the man. “Cal, can you take care of him?”
Epilogue
Dale stood on a vast, silver plane. He knew part of what was happening, but he didn’t know why. “This… I’m not seeing a tower. What’s happening?”
“Dale,” a voice came from above him, and Dale was blasted away. He landed over a mile from his starting point, flat on his back and somehow unhurt. Thanks to being on his back, he ended up staring up at a huge ball of something. “I am sorry, Dale. I do not mean to hurt you by existing, but that is simply an aspect of what I am. What you are as well.”
Each word sent Dale flying, buffeted by sheer power. If he had been here as a physical presence, he would have been slain and splattered across the ground from the first syllable.
“Please tell me what you can, in as few words as possible.” Dale coughed once he could ‘breathe’ again.
“Your soul is already bonded to a Law. It is bonded to Me. You are here to see what awaits you upon your return, what awaits you all.”
“And who… what are you?”
“I am Acme.” A flood of knowledge he was not prepared to handle entered Dale’s mind. Just before he began to lose his sanity, Acme shielded him with a sigh. “See.”
Dale watched as the world he lived on was destroyed. There was no doubt that nothing would survive, or at least, very little. The reason wasn’t even the debris from the falling shards of the moon, though that would wipe out almost everything and change the surface of the planet drastically. There was a simple truth that was utterly undeniable.
“Cal has killed us all,” Dale whispered as he saw the planet wither. The creatures and people that somehow survived the shards of moonstone, survived the freezing of the planet from long decades of winter caused by the ash and dirt in the air… they all died of Essence starvation as all loose Essence was torn out of the air and forced through Cal’s ley lines.
“Not. Just. Yet.”
New images appeared, humanity living on. The other races, the races that needed Essence and Mana to survive… none of them walked the earth again. Humankind thrived, though they were reduced to a dark age. Years - centuries - passed. All the while, humans improved themselves. Needing to progress, they took a different route and began learning all new concepts of technology. Essence, Mana, and everything about it was labeled taboo or faded into mythology, becoming a joke to the world. War became increasingly prevalent as chaos-infused smoke was released by transportation devices, to heat homes, or to generate a subpar lightning Essence. The impact of the raw chaos was noticed but chalked up to other various scientific reasoning, the real matter of the base elements not even being considered. Tears filled Dale’s eyes as he stared at the planet of the future, at the far-reaching impact of the dungeon’s grand plans.
But then, as if to tease Dale’s ability to cope, a light appeared. Cal somehow changed, became more, and Essence and Mana began returning to the world. With the return of the life-giving energy came the return of the races and destruction turned to exaltation. Dale watched as a golden age of knowledge, thought, and peace ruled over the world. The vision faded, and Dale stared up at the Node, stared up at Acme.
Tears filling his eyes, Dale asked the question he was
dreading. “How? How can I do it, how can I save them?”
“Work has already begun, even if it was not known. Cal is the only one who can save all of them, but there is only one way for this to work, only one way they survive: you have to make the hard choice. I warn you, what you saw… was the best possible outcome.”
Dale blinked and found himself in his body, staring at silver leaves swaying in a breeze that he couldn’t feel. His body roared with power, and his back arched in pain and pleasure as he was remade by Mana. When he settled on the ground, he looked around to see one awed face and two Wisps.
“What…” The Master licked his lips, which were suddenly dry. “What tier? What type of Mana?”
Dale’s voice echoed with power that he didn’t know how to contain yet. “I gained… I have gained Acme. I’m so sorry, there is no time to discuss this right now. We have to make a plan. Cal… we need to save the world.”
“From you, Cal.” The newly minted Mage shook his head, cutting off the tirade. “We need to save the world from your dungeon’s desolation.”
Afterword
Thank you for reading!! I hope you enjoyed Dungeon Desolation! Since reviews are the lifeblood of indie publishing, I’d love it if you could leave a positive review on Amazon! If you scroll through to the end of this book, not only will you be able to read a sneak peek from the next book I’m working on, a new story in the Completionist Chronicles, but you’ll easily be able to leave a review at the end as well. Otherwise, follow this link to be redirected to the Divine Dungeon: Dungeon Desolation Amazon product page to leave your review: http://geni.us/DungeonDesolation.
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About Dakota Krout
I live in a 'pretty much Canada' Minnesota city with my wife and daughter. I started writing The Divine Dungeon series because I enjoy reading and wanted to create a world all my own. To my surprise and great pleasure, I found like-minded people who enjoy the contents of my mind. Publishing my stories has been an incredible blessing thus far and I hope to keep you entertained for years to come!
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About Mountaindale Press
Dakota and Danielle Krout, a husband and wife team, strive to create as well as publish excellent fantasy and science fiction novels. Self-publishing The Divine Dungeon: Dungeon Born in 2016 transformed their careers from Dakota’s military and programming background and Danielle’s Ph.D. in pharmacology to President and CEO, respectively, of a small press. Their goal is to share their success with other authors and provide captivating fiction to readers with the purpose of solidifying Mountaindale Press as the place ‘Where Fantasy Transforms Reality’.
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GameLit and LitRPG
The Completionist Chronicles: Ritualist
The decision to start a new life is never an easy one, but for Joe the transition was far more literal. After making the decision to become a permanent addition to a game world, it doesn't take him long to learn that people with his abilities are actively hunted. In fact, if the wrong people gained knowledge of what he was capable of, assassins would appear in droves.
In his pursuit of power, Joe fights alongside his team, completes quests, and delves into the mysteries of his class, which he quickly discovers can only be practiced in secret. Ultimately, his goal is to complete every mission, master every ability, and learn all of the world's secrets. All he has to do is survive long enough to grasp greatness.
Red Mage: Advent
Drew Michalik was working in a top-secret facility in Washington, D.C. when the Advent began. As all electronics in the world simply ceased to work, blue screens filled with information appeared before him.
Drew was given access to a mana interface and a limited number of reality-altering crystals called Xatherite. Following the instructions on his vision-impairing screens, he ‘slotted’ his Xatherite and changed his fate: he gained the ability to cast spells. Now alone in the dark, he must battle through the government bunker-turned-dungeon in a desperate bid for survival.
Escape is only the beginning, the first of his many problems in the changed world. Drew will be tasked to not only survive… but to guide the rest of humanity safely through the anarchy.
Pixel Dust: Party Hard
Before the online game Carpe Noctem hit the market, the average person wasted a third of their life sleeping. Now, instead of lying in bed dreaming about showing up late to class in their underwear, players step into a breathtaking world of fantasy and adventure. For most users, this is a dream come true. For players like MaxDamage24 and his sidekick Kirabell, it is about to become something else.
After being fired, one of Noctem’s creators sets into motion a plan to bring the system crashing down. To stop the collapse, Max and Kira will have to gather their most trusted friends and embark on a quest that will push them to their absolute limits. Together they’ll face creepy dungeons, impossible bosses, and their own nightmares, all while doing their best to stay alive. With a mission this big, none of them will be the same after. The real question is… how much will they be forced to change?
Only one thing is certain—if they want to survive, they’re gonna have to Party Hard.
A Touch of Power: Siphon
Jade has spent her life fighting boredom in the terminally ill ward. Surfing the net or reading, she always envied the ability of others to go out and experience the world. She knew her wish to live a normal life was far beyond her reach, but after waking up one morning without the sounds of her life support, she opens her eyes and finds herself with a weak but healthy body in a magical world.
As blue game-like system notifications fill her vision, she knows that she'll have to adapt quickly in order to survive… but this is all she ever dreamed of, so Jade is up to the challenge. She will soon realize that you need to be careful what you wish for.
This is Andara, where her true adventure finally begins.
Peaks of Power: Beginnings
There’s always somewhere to go, someone to defeat! At least that’s what Ryan believed until he ran out of challenges, adventures, and stories. Bored with his life as a casual player, he slipped easily into the lifestyle of a professional gamer.
After reaching the pinnacle of success, an email arrived from the mysterious Beta Academy. With his best friend and self-proclaimed bodyguard, Dimitri, he decides to take a chance and accept the strange offer contained within. Overconfident in his skills, Ryan thinks he’ll defeat this game as easily as every other, but that confidence is shaken and shattered within the first fifteen minutes. This wasn’t a standard game with haptic chairs or gloves; this was the real thing.
Ryan and Dimitri must learn the heights of the Peaks of Power… and what it will take to achieve their summit.
Fantasy
Coming soon!
The Black Knight Trilogy
Appendix
Adam – A mid-D-ranked cleric who joined Dale’s group. He was corrupted by a massive influx of celestial Essence which may have given him powerful abilities.
Adventurers’ Guild – A group from every non-hostile race that actively seeks treasure and cultivates to become stronger. They act as a mercenary group for Kingdoms that come under attack f
rom monsters and other non-kingdom forces.
Affinity – A person’s affinity denotes what element they need to cultivate Essence from. If they have multiple affinities, they need to cultivate all of those elements at the same time.
Affinity Channel – The pathway along the meridians that Essence flows through. Having multiple major affinities will open more pathways, allowing more Essence to flow into a person’s center at one time.
Amber – The Mage in charge of the portal-making group near the dungeon. She is in the upper A rankings, which allows her to tap vast amounts of Mana.
Artorian – The new Headmaster of the Academy. He made a deal with the dungeon to swiftly advance to the Mage ranks.
Assassin – A stealthy killer who tries to make kills without being detected by his victim.
Assimilator – A cross between a jellyfish and a Wisp, the Assimilator can float around and collect vast amounts of Essence. It releases this Essence as powerful elemental bursts. A pseudo-Mage, if you will.
Aura – The flows of Essence generated by living creatures which surround them and hold their pattern.
Barry the Devourer – A powerful S-ranked High Elf with the ability to turn all matter within a certain range into pure Essence and absorb it.
Basher – An evolved rabbit that attacks by head-butting enemies. Each has a small horn on its head that it can use to “bash” enemies.