Core Structure Level: 2
Fire Mana: 128/128
Water Mana: 127/127
Nature Mana: 100/100
Unconverted (Unusable) Mana: 5265
Unconverted Essence: 2802
Skills
Master Mana Sight: 100%
Master Territorial Sight: 100%
Intermediate Mana Communication: 1%
Intermediate Mana Absorption: 1%
Intermediate Mana Conversion: 1%
Novice Essence Conversion: 9%
Novice Mana-formed Object Creation: 72%
Novice Core Crystallization: 40%
Novice Sentient Mana-formed Object Creation: 20%
Novice Dungeon Core Absorption: 2%
Novice Dungeon Creation: 1%
Novice Defender Creation: 1%
Novice Defense Creation: 1%
Dungeon Information
(none)
Fred was a little overwhelmed with what he was seeing. Not only did he now have access to Nature Mana, but his faction had changed to Fire-Water-Nature – which didn’t make sense, but there it was. He also had quite a few new skills that had to do with dungeon creation, as well as being able to see core territories like Deecy had said.
“Something has obviously changed about you, but we don’t have time to do anything about it right now – we have to go. Now!”
He tried to understand what she was talking about – he didn’t see anything dangerous around. And then he noticed that the green highlight around the room was quickly fading. I wonder what happens when a dungeon core is killed or leaves its dungeon. A sharp crack from above answered that question for him as he remembered his flight from his home after he discovered what happened to his parents.
“You can yell at me later – we have to leave! Everybody, RUN!” he yelled, pushing past them and to the crevice leading to the dungeon proper. He squeezed through as fast as he could, hearing Eisa say behind him, “Why are you run—” before another crack of the stone ceiling reported inside the small room.
He didn’t have to worry about them following after that, as they didn’t stop for anything while they passed through room after room. Behind them, they could hear and feel the dungeon collapsing, which only served to spur them on even more.
Fortunately, as they all sprinted out of the entrance, they had stayed far ahead of the collapse. With everyone safe outside, they stared at each other with wide eyes as they caught their breath, the danger of being buried alive – or being squished to death instantly – getting their blood pumping.
They moved back as the entrance started to collapse before their eyes, sinking into the soft ground until there was little more than a small pile of rocks to denote where the dungeon used to be.
“Oh, man! We left all that loot in there!” Raspel exclaimed as he watched all hope of getting it disappear just as quickly as the dungeon. His greed seemed to break the tension of the others as they chuckled a little at his words – all except Eisa.
She still looked angry.
“Here, Raspel – for a job well done. I wouldn’t want you to say that I don’t appreciate your work,” Fred told him, Creating a gold piece and pretending to pull it from his pouch – which appeared to be missing. Oops.
“Where did that come from?” the small man asked, taking the proffered piece without hesitation.
Eisa saved him from having to answer. “Actually, the better question is: what are we going to do now?”
“What do you mean ‘we’? It was only I that did this, so all I have to do is go into another dungeon and announce that it was just me that did it. They will only search for me, therefore leaving you all alone.”
A scoff from the Necro-healer was the response he got. “Ok, so I don’t know as much about dungeon cores as you seem to—” she narrowed her eyes at him— “but if they are anything like what the legends say, they won’t care that it was just you that did this. They are going to retaliate to send a message to everybody – meaning that hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of innocent lives are on the line.”
Hmm…good point. He was hoping that he could take the blame, but she was accurate in the way dungeon cores thought. His conversation with the Nature core proved that; humans were considered livestock, so was it out of the realm of possibility to think that they would punish a whole herd for the mistakes of only one human to keep them in line? He had to agree with her on this one.
“So what do you suggest we do then, Eisa?” Harriette butted in, causing all eyes to turn toward her.
I think I know what to do – but is it smart? It could turn out worse than what they are already expecting. Fred cleared his throat hesitantly, trying to decide what to do – which had the effect of gaining everyone’s attention again. Their eyes – including Eisa’s – looked curious instead of accusatory. And he thought he saw a glimmer of…hope, he’d like to call it…in his friends’ eye.
Glancing at Deecy, he came to a decision.
“I like what you’re thinking, but where are you going to put your dungeon?”
End of Book 1
Author’s Note
I love dungeon core stories, and previously I published a few that were either video game-based (Glendaria Awakens Trilogy), Sci-Fi-based (Station Cores series), or even a modern-day Earth setting (Core of Fear). However, I haven’t had a chance to write one set in a pure fantasy world, where magic and the different aspects of dungeons were normal parts of the world. I introduced a LitRPG aspect to it with the different statuses because…well, I love stats (if you hadn’t guessed from my other books).
While I thought about introducing Fred and his own dungeon in this book, I realized that – at least what I wanted to happen – would end up at least doubling what I had already written. Instead, I will be focusing that part of the dungeon-building and defense aspect of Fred’s journey starting in the next book – and beyond. This was more of an introduction of the world, some of the main characters and their motivations, and explaining some of the mechanics.
Look for Dungeon World – Book 2 soon!
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Books by Jonathan Brooks
Glendaria Awakens Trilogy
Dungeon Player
Dungeon Crisis
Dungeon Guild
Glendaria Awakens Trilogy Compilation w/bonus material
Uniworld Online Trilogy
The Song Maiden
The Song Mistress
The Song Matron
Station
Cores Series
The Station Core
The Quizard Mountains
The Guardian Guild
Spirit Cores Series
Core of Fear
Children of Fear (Coming Soon)
Dungeon World Series
Dungeon World
* * *
[1]
Adventurer Rating Advancement
Rating
Essence Required to advance
Rating
Essence Required to advance
Rating
Essence Required to advance
Rating
Essence Required to advance
G-1
100
E-1
2,500
C-1
62,500
A-1
1,562,500
G-2
200
E-2
5,000
C-2
125,000
A-2
3,125,000
G-3
400
E-3
10,000
C-3
250,000
A-3
6,250,000
G-4
800
E-4
20,000
C-4
500,000
A-4
12,500,000
G-5
1,600
E-5
40,000
C-5
1,000,000
A-5
25,000,000
G-6
3,200
E-6
80,000
C-6
2,000,000
A-6
50,000,000
G-7
6,400
E-7
160,000
C-7
4,000,000
A-7
100,000,000
G-8
12,800
E-8
320,000
C-8
8,000,000
A-8
200,000,000
G-9
25,600
E-9
640,000
C-9
16,000,000
A-9
400,000,000
G-10
51,200
E-10
1,280,000
C-10
32,000,000
A-10
800,000,000
F-1
500
D-1
12,500
B-1
321,500
S-1
7,812,500
F-2
1,000
D-2
25,000
B-2
643,000
S-2
15,625,000
F-3
2,000
D-3
50,000
B-3
1,286,000
S-3
31,250,000
F-4
4,000
D-4
100,000
B-4
2,572,000
S-4
62,500,000
F-5
8,000
D-5
200,000
B-5
5,144,000
S-5
125,000,000
F-6
16,000
D-6
400,000
B-6
10,288,000
S-6
250,000,000
F-7
32,000
D-7
800,000
B-7
20,576,000
S-7
500,000,000
F-8
64,000
D-8
1,600,000
B-8
41,152,000
S-8
1,000,000,000
F-9
128,000
D-9
3,200,000
B-9
82,304,000
S-9
2,000,000,000
F-10
256,000
D-10
6,400,000
B-10
164,608,000
S-10
4,000,000,000
Dungeon World: A Dungeon Core Experience Page 28